South Carolina Women's Basketball Team Won't Go To White House

WASHINGTON, DC — The South Carolina women's basketball team won the NCAA title in April, but coach Dawn Staley said in late September her team hadn't been invited to the White House. She told The Associated Press the lack of an invite "spoke volumes" and said the team would go if invited because "it's what it stands for. It's what national champions do."

But apparently that isn't the case.

President Donald Trump plans to host college sports championship teams at the White House on Friday and the South Carolina women's basketball team declined the invitation.

"We did hear from the White House about attending (Friday's) event, but we will not be able to attend," Staley said in a statement on Thursday night. "As I've been saying since our practices for this season started, all of our focus is on the season ahead. The only invitation we are thinking about is to the 2018 NCAA Tournament."

The White House said 18 NCAA teams will attend a reception at the executive mansion.

Trump sparred with professional athletes earlier this year when NBA star Stephen Curry said his championship-winning Golden State Warriors didn't wish to meet with Trump. The feud erupted as Trump was lambasting NFL athletes for kneeling in protest during the national anthem.

North Carolina's men's basketball team said earlier this year it could not agree on a date for a visit. Trump hosted the Clemson Tigers football team at the White House in June.

Watch: Trump Welcomes College Sports Champions To The White House

By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press

Photo credit: Mark Humphrey/Associated Press