The Big Lead

UConn star Jana El Alfy's parents' heartwarming interview on Final Four experience

Dina Gouda and Ehab El Alfy, the parents of UConn women's basketball star Jana El Alfy, gave an amazing interview on the experience of watching their daughter play in the Final Four.

By Josh Sanchez

UConn Huskies center Jana El Alfy and guard Paige Bueckers react after a play against the Holy Cross Crusaders.
UConn Huskies center Jana El Alfy and guard Paige Bueckers react after a play against the Holy Cross Crusaders. / David Butler II-Imagn Images
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UConn women's basketball star Jana El Alfy had one of the most heartwarming stories during the Final Four of March Madness. While the Huskies were taking care of business against the top-ranked UCLA Bruins on the court, El Alfy's parents stole the show after it was revealed they traveled to Tampa from Egypt -- after a 25-hour flight -- to watch their daughter play in a UConn uniform for the very first time in person.

It was an incredible moment as ESPN cameras showed El Alfy's parents beaming with pride as their daughter and her teammates punched their ticket to the national championship game.

On Saturday, just 24 hours before the natty against Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks goes down, ESPN's Holly Rowe caught up with the 6-foot-5 center's parents, Dina Gouda and Ehab El Alfy, to get their thoughts on what it meant to watch Jana on the court.

MORE: UConn's Jana El Alfy gets emotional discussing parents' trip from Egypt to Final Four

It was an incredible interview as the parents spoke from their hearts and showed love to Jana, all of her teammates, head coach GIno Auriemma, and the entire UConn program.

How can you not love that?

MORE: UConn's Paige Bueckers wakes up every morning to cook for teammate observing Ramadan

It had to be difficult for El Alfy to adapt from growing up in Cairo, Egypt to living on campus at UConn, where she missed her first season due to an injury she suffered while playing at the international level.

Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers and center Jana El Alfy react during the Final Four against the UCLA Bruins.
Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers and center Jana El Alfy react during the Final Four against the UCLA Bruins. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

But the support system was clearly in place, and El Alfy is now thriving.

El Alfy and the Huskies will look to finish the job on Sunday afternoon against the Gamecocks, with tip-off set for 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.

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