Fans say they're proud of UW Women's first appearance in the Final Four

KIRKLAND - Fans around Puget Sound packed bars to cheer on the Lady Huskies in their first Final Four appearance. They came up short against Syracuse, but fans say they’re still proud of the team and everything they accomplished this season.

Some of the fans who packed into the Dub Pub in Kirkland today are longtime Husky fans.

“I’ve been watching women's basketball since I was a kid,” says Siri McLean, “I’m a husky at heart.”

Others admit they haven’t always paid that much attention to the team.

“When I was in school, the Dawgs were really good,” says Rick Hull. “So I went to some games back then.”

But everyone agreed that they wanted to see the Dawgs continue their amazing season.

“They’ve been in a lot of NIT, but that's not the same as something like this,” says Kim McCarron. “The Final Four, that's fabulous.”

“The fact that our local team has made it this far,” McLean agrees. “It is just a huge local pride for us.”

Women’s sports don’t always get the attention that men’s sports do. So many fans say getting to the Final Four is a huge win for the UW Women’s program.

“What a great experience for them to be able to have this kind of stage,” says Hull.

It’s also inspiring for local girls to see what women athletes can do.

“Girls need to know that we're strong enough and smart enough to do anything we put our minds to,” says McCarron.

“My wife and my daughter are athletes,” adds Hull. “So I’ve learned about promoting girls sports and giving them equal opportunity.”

The ladies may have fallen against Syracuse, but fans say they’re still proud of all the heart they showed on the court.

“These girls play the game, that's what I really enjoy,” says McLean. “It’s not about the money, it's about the art of the game. They play the game for the love of the game. We need some great role models and these girls are great role models.”