And they’ll maybe be royals

The GIST: After Monday’s 75–60 dub over fellow No. 1–seed Purdue, Naismith Coach of the Year Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies became the first back-to-back national champions in 17 years, reigniting an internet debate: Are the Huskies now officially a blue blood? 

The term: The most prestigious and successful programs in men’s college basketball history are called “blue bloods.” In the modern era, that means UNC, Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky — the “basketball schools.”

• Being a blue blood doesn’t guarantee success every season (see: HC John Calipari’s bitter end at Kentucky), but tradition and reputation still garner them respect, and fans hold them to constantly sky-high standards.

The debate: Whether UConn has entered this exclusive company is an open question, but their unbelievable run under Hurley is quieting the naysayers. In the past two seasons, the Huskies amassed a 68-11 record, including 12 consecutive NCAA tournament wins with double-digit margins.

• But UConn isn’t just dominant right now — the program’s bagged six titles in 25 years, more than any other school during that span. A strong historical record across three HCs? That’s one hell of a Blue Blood Club application.

What’s next: Perhaps the strongest case for the Huskies’ blue blood status is that they’re already a frontrunner to win next year’s national championship. If Hurley can pull it off — and with a whole new starting five — consider this debate officially settled.

The GIST: On Monday, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) — an NCAA–like governing body overseeing sports at 241 small four-year colleges — unanimously voted to ban transgender athletes from nearly all women’s sports starting this August. Beyond disappointing.

The details: Under the NAIA’s current policy, trans women and nonbinary athletes can compete in regular-season events, while postseason contests have hormone therapy restrictions. However, the expanded policy excludes trans women (and trans men in hormone therapy) from all intercollegiate women’s competition due to “competitive fairness.” Men’s sports remain unrestricted.

• Out of the NAIA’s 83K student-athletes, only a handful are trans competitors (about 40 of the NCAA’s 500K athletes are trans). That’s an absurdly small number to justify a policy rooted in transphobia and misinformation.

• It’s also worth noting that while approximately 125 NAIA schools are religiously affiliated, 17 of the 20 Council of Presidents members who passed this policy are leaders at religious institutions.

The NCAA: The NCAA defers to each sport’s national or international policy on trans athletes, but generally, trans folks can participate in accordance with their gender identity (with hormone therapy and testing standards for trans women). But a patchwork of state trans bans and impending lawsuits claiming Title IX violations could force the NCAA to follow the NAIA’s lead.

Zooming out: Rampant misinformation has fueled these bans, often by framing policies as protective of women’s sports. But the lack of protections against invasive inspections puts all female athletes, trans and cis, at risk. As former NCAA athlete, trans activist, and friend of The GIST Schuyler Bailar said, “It’s not just about the anti-trans sports bills…these actually impact everybody.”

• Still unsure where you stand on this issue? Check out our full interview with Bailar to bust the myths and understand why, at The GIST, trans athletes will always be protected and celebrated.

Looking for the perfect book to fire you up this Aries season? Sidelined: Sports, Culture, and Being a Woman in America, is an enraging look at misogyny across sports media.

Author Julie DiCaro unflinchingly shares her personal experiences in the sports industry. As women working in sports, we know firsthand how tough it can be.

TL;DR: This book is a must-read for sports fans. It’s short, hard-hitting, and important — just like DiCaro’s 2016 #MoreThanMean video.

Looking ahead, April’s book club pick is Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey. Read along on Fable, and join our book club list to stay up-to-date.

The GIST: The NCAA men’s Frozen Four will face off tomorrow on ESPN2, with two tickets to Saturday’s national championship up for grabs. These are the sport’s four best offenses, so strap in for goals galore.

No. 2 Boston University Terriers vs. No. 3 Denver Pioneers, 5 p.m. ET: BU cruised through the tourney’s first two rounds with a pair of 6–3 dubs, while Denver had to grind out two narrow wins — one in double-overtime. But after two weeks off, the Pios should be well-rested and ready to challenge Terrier freshman center Macklin Celebrini, the NHL’s projected No. 1 draft pick.

No. 1 Boston College Eagles vs. unseeded Michigan Wolverines, 8:30 p.m. ET: With a combined six of the country’s Top-10 players by points (aka goals plus assists), expect an aggressive, high-octane matchup. This game will likely be decided by two tendies named Jacob: Michigan fifth-year Jacob Barczewski and BC freshman Jacob Fowler.

Spring is in full bloom, with flowers growing and birds chirping. And that means it's the perfect time to elevate your fitness routine by heading outdoors.

• Prep for your sun-soaked sweat sessions by investing in quality shoes, comfortable leggings, and more.

• Enter this contest today for a chance to win a $500 gift card to your preferred sporting goods store so you can stock up on all your fit faves. Time to carpe that diem.