PHOENIX — NCAA officials, beauty brand Dove, community leaders and the Phoenix Final Four Local Organizing Committee gathered Wednesday to celebrate the transformation of the Washington Activity Center through the 2026 NCAA Women’s Final Four Legacy Project presented by Dove.
Located in Phoenix’s Alhambra Village, the Washington Activity Center (WAC) serves more than 18,000 neighborhood residents each year. Renovations expand multigenerational access and create more opportunities for community members and families to gather, learn and play. Upgrades include refurbished indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a literacy lounge, a computer lab, an e-sports lounge and a mural by local artist Martin Moreno.
The Legacy Project presented by Dove is an annual NCAA initiative designed to create a lasting community impact in Women’s and Men’s Final Four host cities.
The project was completed through a collaboration by the NCAA, Dove, the Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority, the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Final Four Local Organizing Committee.
The renovations were designed to upgrade the facility and to expand how the Washington Activity Center serves the Alhambra Village community. In addition to improved athletic spaces, the new literacy lounge, computer lab and e-sports lounge broaden the center’s ability to benefit residents of all ages through learning, connection and year-round use.
The new mural at the Washington Activity Center is rooted in the history and identity of the surrounding neighborhood. Created by Martin Moreno, a local muralist, sculptor and painter, the piece’s imagery and meaning were shaped through several conversations with WAC staff, community members and neighbors in Alhambra Village.
The 2026 NCAA Women’s Final Four will be held in downtown Phoenix, with the national semifinals on Friday, April 3, and the national championship game on Sunday, April 5, at Mortgage Matchup Center.
Quotes
Katie Hobbs, Governor, State of Arizona
“The Washington Activity Center will be a meaningful resource for Phoenix families and for the Alhambra Village community. Projects like this show what is possible in Arizona when public, private and nonprofit partners come together to invest in spaces that support young people, strengthen neighborhoods and create lasting opportunity.”
Kate Gallego, Mayor, City of Phoenix
“The reopening of the Washington Activity Center is an investment in the Alhambra Village community and in the families who rely on this space. We are proud to help welcome back a facility that will create more opportunities for recreation, learning and connection for Phoenix residents of all ages.”
Lynn Holzman, Vice President of Women’s Basketball, NCAA
“The Women’s Final Four is a celebration of excellence on the court, but it is also an opportunity to leave something meaningful behind in the host community. We are proud that this year’s Legacy Project presented by Dove will help restore and strengthen a space that can serve Phoenix families for years to come.”
Felicia Martin, Senior VP of Inclusion, Education & Community Engagement, NCAA
“It’s important that our NCAA championships leave a meaningful impact in the communities that welcome us. We are thrilled to support the legacy of the Washington Activity Center by strengthening and expanding the opportunities it offers. We are proud that the 2026 Women’s Final Four and the Legacy Project presented by Dove can enhance and support this storied multigenerational space dedicated to connection and access.”
Tom Sadler, President & CEO, Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority Co-Chair, Phoenix Final Four Local Organizing Committee
“The Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority is proud to support a project that will serve the Alhambra Village community for years to come. We are honored to help expand the reach of this renovation, creating more opportunities for young people and families.”
Stacie June Shelton, Global Head of Education & Advocacy, Dove Self-Esteem Project
“Dove is proud to support a project that helps create a more welcoming and empowering space for young people and families. We believe confidence, connection and access matter, and this revitalized facility will help make those things more available to the Phoenix community.”
About the Phoenix Final Four Local Organizing Committee
The Phoenix Local Organizing Committee (PLOC) is a non-profit organization responsible for hosting the 2026 NCAA Women’s Final Four. In collaboration with the NCAA, Arizona State University, Player 15 Group and key community stakeholders, the PLOC is committed to delivering a world-class championship experience. Its work includes organizing ancillary events, supporting community legacy initiatives, and ensuring that the Women’s Final Four leaves a lasting, positive impact across Arizona. The 2026 Women’s Final Four will take place at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., with the national semifinals on Friday, April 3, and the championship game on Sunday, April 5.
About the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for more than half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola as official corporate champions and the following elite companies as official corporate partners: Buffalo Wild Wings, Geico, Great Clips, The Home Depot, Intuit TurboTax, Invesco, LG, Marriott Bonvoy, Nabisco, Pizza Hut, Reese’s, Samsung, Unilever and Wendy’s.
About Dove
Dove started its life in 1957 in the US, with the launch of its iconic Beauty Bar and patented blend of mild cleansers and ¼ moisturizing cream. Dove’s heritage is rooted in care – proof, not promises grew Dove from a Beauty Bar into one of the world’s most beloved beauty brands. Real women have always been our inspiration, and since the beginning, Dove has been wholly committed to providing superior care to all, and to championing real representations of beauty in our advertising, communications, and campaigns. Dove believes that beauty is for everyone, and the Dove mission is to ensure a positive experience with beauty is universally accessible to all. For more than 65 years, Dove has been committed to broadening narrow definitions of beauty in the work we do. This includes the ‘Dove Real Beauty Pledge,’ and commitment to:
- Portray women as they are in real life with honesty, diversity, and respect. We feature women of different ages, sizes, ethnicities, hair color, type, and style.
- Represent individuals with zero digital distortion, with all images approved by the women they feature. This includes never using AI to alter or distort real people in our marketing, advertising or campaigns.
- Help young people build body confidence and self-esteem through the Dove Self-Esteem Project, the biggest provider of self-esteem education in the world with a goal to educate 250 million young people by 2030.