Final Four Diary: Welcome to Minneapolis

Introducing new, unique coverage for Final Four weekend.

Daniel Connolly

The Final Four has arrived.

As UConn goes for its 12th national championship this weekend in Minneapolis, we’ll have you covered every step of the way both on here and The UConn Blog. But in case you can’t make it out here — or just want a behind-the-scenes look at everything — we’ll keep a daily diary that features a recap of the day along with fun anecdotes, noteworthy quotes and anything else that doesn’t make it into a typical story.

These stories will be open to everyone, though premium subscribers will get a little bit extra each day. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can get all of our premium coverage from the Final Four for just $6/month or $70/year.

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Day one

Welcome to Minneapolis.

It’s a dreary, gray day as my plane touches down. There’s a light coating of snow on grassy surfaces. It feels like a fitting introduction to Minnesota.

All day long, it’s been clear this isn’t just any other trip. On the two-legged flight out, UConn sweatshirts and hats are impossible to miss at every turn. While waiting to board my second flight, a Tennessee fan declares her rooting interests for the weekend.

“Anyone but UConn,” she says.

In the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, there’s coaches everywhere. The entire women’s basketball world descends on the Final Four each year for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association convention and everyone proudly wears their gear.

Wednesday is a big travel day because Thursday is when all the excitement begins. That’s when all four teams will hold their pregame press conferences and get one final day of practice before the national semifinal on Friday night.

Then, the fun really begins.