Obama Celebrates UConn's Winning Basketball Teams; Player Falls Off Stage
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) — It was double the celebration at the White House for the University of Connecticut.
President Barack Obama welcomed the school's men's and women's basketball teams Monday for an event marking their NCAA championships. It's only the second time a school has won both titles in the same year.
.@UConnWBB @Breezyyy14 and @bigmamastef present #POTUS with a jersey during visit to The White House #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/ISyw8wjZ06
— Stephen Slade (@UConnSportsPics) June 10, 2014
The only other time that happened? 2004, when UConn -- naturally -- also earned both titles.
.@UConnWBB and @UConnMBB honored at The White House for their NCAA National Championships #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/DUUgPwsWvC
— Stephen Slade (@UConnSportsPics) June 10, 2014
Obama joked that while he's trying to cut duplicative programs, UConn might be carrying things too far.
.@CoachKO_UConn and The #POTUS embrace during ceremony honoring @UConnMBB and @UConnWBB at The White House pic.twitter.com/I6jD28Leo4
— Stephen Slade (@UConnSportsPics) June 10, 2014
The president said that while he picked the long-dominant women's team to win in his NCAA tournament bracket, he didn't pick the underdog men's team. But he joked that "neither did anybody else."
In what was probably the most memorable moment of the day, Stefanie Dolson -- who won back-to-back titles for UConn and is now a center for the WNBA's Washington Mystics -- had a dance-off with the president.
According to USA Today, Dolson fell off the stage after presenting Obama with a jersey. But Dolson wasn't hurt, and she laughed it off after the rather embarrassing moment.
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