Trump welcomes college sports champions at WH reception

WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump on Friday congratulated college sports champions at the White House, hailing the players as ''great athletes.''

The White House said 18 NCAA teams were planning to attend the reception; South Carolina's women's basketball team declined the invitation.

Teams including the Texas A&M women's equestrian team, Penn State's women's rugby team, and the University of Washington's women's rowing team gathered around the White House grounds to be recognized for their wins.

Trump posed for photos with the players. At one point, he playfully got into a wrestling pose. At another, he popped a volleyball into the air.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said after her team won the NCAA title in April that it would go to the White House if invited because ''it's what it stands for. It's what national champions do.'' She told The Associated Press in late September that she hadn't received an invite and ''that spoke volumes.''

In a statement Thursday night, Staley said the team did end up hearing from the White House but chose not to attend.

''As I've been saying since our practices for this season started, all of our focus is on the season ahead,'' she said. ''The only invitation we are thinking about is to the 2018 NCAA Tournament.''

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.

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AP Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg contributed to this story.