2026 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament

2026 NCAA Division II
women's basketball tournament
Teams64
Finals siteUPMC Cooper Fieldhouse,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
NCAA Division II women's tournaments
«2025 2027»

The 2026 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament will be the annual single-elimination tournament hosted by the NCAA to determine the national champion of women's college basketball among its Division II member programs in the United States, culminating the 2025–26 NCAA Division II women's basketball season. The tournament will feature 64 teams.

The national quarterfinals (Elite Eight), semifinals, and finals will be played from March 24–28, 2026 at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh.[1]

Tournament schedule and venues

Mankato
New Haven
Huntsville
Allendale
Harrogate
Denton
Indiana
Ellensburg
Pittsburgh
2026 NCAA Division II Women's Tournament sites – regionals (blue), Elite Eight (red)

Regionals

First, second, and third-round games (the latter of which serves as a regional championship) will be held at campus sites from March 13–16, 2026. The top-seeded team in each regional will serve as host.

Elite Eight

The national quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals will be held at a predetermined site, the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh.[2] Teams remaining are reseeded for the Elite Eight.

Automatic bids

Automatic bids
Region (Bids) Conference School Record
Atlantic (3) CIAA Winston-Salem State 26-3
Mountain East University of Charleston 21–10
PSAC Indiana (PA) 26–3
Central (3) Great American Northwestern Oklahoma State 22–9
MIAA Washburn 24–7
Northern Sun Concordia-St. Paul 24-6
East (3) CACC Felician 24–7
East Coast Daemen 24–3
Northeast–10 Southern Connecticut State 24–5
Midwest (3) GLIAC Grand Valley State 31-1
GLVC Maryville 25–6
Great Midwest Northwood 26-5
South (3) Gulf South Union (TN) 24–9
SIAC Miles 25-5
Sunshine State Nova Southeastern 27–4
South Central (2) Lone Star Texas Woman's 29–1
RMAC Colorado Mesa 33-1
Southeast (3) Carolinas Lees-McRae 23–7
Peach Belt Augusta 21–9
South Atlantic Coker 25-6
West (3) CCAA Cal State LA 24-6
Great Northwest Montana State Billings 20-14
PacWest Vanguard 24-5

Bracket

Atlantic regional

First round
March 13 		Regional semifinals
March 14 		Regional Finals
March 16
         
1 Indiana (PA) 79
8 University of Charleston 53
1 Indiana (PA) 94
4 Seton Hill 87
4 Seton Hill 88**
5 Fayetteville State 85
1 Indiana (PA) 65
3 Winston-Salem State 64
2 Gannon 76
7 Edinboro 61
2 Gannon 48
3 Winston-Salem State 67
3 Winston-Salem State 88
6 Glenville State 71

Central regional

First round
March 13 		Regional semifinals
March 14 		Regional Finals
March 16
         
1 Minnesota State 63
8 Minnesota Duluth 72
8 Minnesota Duluth 81
4 Central Missouri 48
4 Central Missouri 64
5 Washburn 55
8 Minnesota Duluth 94
2 Concordia St. Paul 87
2 Concordia Saint Paul 52
7 Northwestern Oklahoma State 45
2 Concordia Saint Paul 59
3 Fort Hays State 53
3 Fort Hays State 89
6 Harding 82

East regional

First round
March 13 		Regional semifinals
March 14 		Regional Finals
March 16
         
1 Southern Connecticut State 56
8 Saint Michael's 49
1 Southern Connecticut State 51
5 Holy Family 61
4 Assumption 38
5 Holy Family 58
5 Holy Family 78
3 Daemen 62
2 Bentley 74
7 Mercy 47
2 Bentley 55
3 Daemen 58
3 Daemen 75
6 Felician 62

Midwest regional

First round
March 13 		Regional semifinals
March 14 		Regional Finals
March 16
         
1 Grand Valley State 83
8 Maryville 50
1 Grand Valley State 90
4 Wayne State 70
4 Wayne State 77
5 Northern Michigan 61
1 Grand Valley State 69
3 Northwood 59
2 Ferris State 59
7 Missouri-Saint Louis 70
7 Missouri-Saint Louis 49
3 Northwood 60
3 Northwood 61
6 Malone 57

South regional

First round
March 13 		Regional semifinals
March 14 		Regional Finals
March 16
         
1 Alabama-Huntsville 95
8 Edward Waters 85
1 Alabama-Huntsville 73
5 Nova Southeastern 70
4 Miles 71
5 Nova Southeastern 91
1 Alabama-Huntsville 66
3 Eckerd 46
2 Union (TN) 84
7 Florida Southern 69
2 Union (TN) 38
3 Eckerd 65
3 Eckerd 85
6 Embry-Riddle (FL) 69

South Central regional

First round
March 13 		Regional semifinals
March 14 		Regional Finals
March 16
         
1 Texas Woman's 68
8 Eastern New Mexico 49
1 Texas Woman's 70
4 UCCS 59
4 UCCS 67
5 Adams State 62
1 Texas Woman's 64
3 Colorado Mesa 65
2 West Texas A&M 56
7 UT Tyler 66
7 UT Tyler 58
3 Colorado Mesa 62
3 Colorado Mesa 80
6 Lubbock Christian 45

Southeast regional

First round
March 13 		Regional semifinals
March 14 		Regional Finals
March 16
         
1 Lincoln Memorial 68
8 Lees-McRae 53
1 Lincoln Memorial 55
5 Carson-Newman 69
4 Columbus State 73
5 Carson-Newman 85
5 Carson-Newman 72
2 Lenoir-Rhyne 53
2 Lenoir-Rhyne 83
7 Augusta 74
2 Lenoir-Rhyne 54
3 Coker 45
3 Coker 83
6 Francis Marion 54

West regional

First round
March 13 		Regional semifinals
March 14 		Regional Finals
March 16
         
1 Central Washington 63
8 Montana State Billings 36
1 Central Washington 81
4 Vanguard 73
4 Vanguard 79
5 Cal State LA 75
1 Central Washington 51
3 Cal Poly Pomona 57
2 Western Washington 74
7 Point Loma 60
2 Western Washington 54
3 Cal Poly Pomona 57
3 Cal Poly Pomona 56
6 Azusa Pacific 54

Elite Eight

Elite Eight
March 24
ESPN+ 		Final Four
March 26
ESPN+ 		National Championship
March 28
ESPN+
         
1 Grand Valley State
8 Carson-Newman
 
 
4 Cal Poly Pomona
5 Alabama-Huntsville
 
 
2 Indiana (PA)
7 Holy Family
 
 
3 Colorado Mesa
6 Minnesota Duluth

* denotes overtime

See also

References

  1. ^ Stepansky, Aidan. "2026 NCAA DII women's basketball championship: Selection show info, bracket and schedule". ncaa.com. NCAA. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  2. ^ "2026 NCAA DII women's basketball championship: Selection show info, bracket and schedule". NCAA. ncaa.com. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
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