Region 1: Greensboro, S.C.
This year’s women’s tournament features two regions instead of four. The first, second, sweet sixteen and elite eight rounds will be played in two locations - Seattle and Greenville, S.C. Both cities will play host to two “regions” - Greenville 1 and Greenville 2 and Seattle 3 and Seattle 4.
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The #1 Gamecocks seek to defend their title on home turf in the Greenville 1 Region. Will #3 Notre Dame be able to make a challenge without Olivia Miles? The region also features Diamond Miller and the #2 Maryland Terrapins, #5 Oklahoma’s second-ranked offense, and a hungry #12 University of Portland team who upset Gonzaga to get to the tournament for the first time since 1997.ㅤㅤ
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In Greenville 2 (right column below), Mackenzie Holmes and #1 Indiana will have tough competition in Angel Reese and #3 LSU as well a Maddy Siegrist and the #4 Villanova Wildcats. All three women are semi-finalists for the Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year. Will the #5 Washington State Cougars continue their bracket-busting ways?
#1 - South Carolina (32-0)
The 2023 SEC Champion Gamecocks are the only undefeated team in the country and lead the nation in rebounds averaging 49.1 per game.
#1 - Indiana (27-3)
The 2023 Big Ten Regular Season Champion Hoosiers boast nine wins over ranked opponents this year.
#2 - Maryland (25-6)
Led by veteran guard Diamond Miller, the Terrapins are one of only two teams to finish the season with four wins over top 10 teams.
#2 - Utah (25-4)
The Utes finished as Pac-12 regular season co-champions led by Alissa Pili, the conference’s leading scorer this year.
#3 - Notre Dame (25-5)
Niele Ivey’s ACC champion Fighting Irish led the ACC in margin of victory in 2023, averaging +16 on the season.
#3 - LSU (28-2)
The Tigers enter the tournament again as a No. 3 seed, led by Angel Reese who tops the nation with 28 double doubles this year.
#4 - UCLA (25-9)
The Bruins are making their sixth appearance in the last seven NCAA tournaments.
#4 - Villanova (28-6)
The Wildcats finished 2nd in the Big East and led the conference in turnover margin this season.
#5 - Oklahoma (25-6)
The Big 12 regular season co-champions are making their 23rd appearance in the NCAA tournament.
#5 - Washington State (23-10)
The Cougars shocked the nation as Pac-12 Tournament Champions, the school’s first conference championship in any women’s sport.
#6 - Creighton (22-8)
The Bluejays finished the season with the second-highest field goal percentage in the Big East.
#6 - Michigan (22-9)
Under the helm of coach Kim Barnes Arico, this is the Wolverine’s fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
#7 - Arizona (21-9)
The Wildcats led the Pac-12 in turnover margin in 2023 and are making their third-straight tournament appearance.
#7- NC State (20-11)
The Wolfpack are ranked 17th nationally in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, but will be without star Diamond Johnson in the tournament.
#8 - South Florida (26-6)
The Bulls went 15-1 in conference play this season, winning the AAC regular-season championship for the second time in program history.
#8 - Oklahoma State (21-11)
Jacie Hoyt is the first Oklahoma State women’s basketball head coach to direct the program to the tournament in their first year.
#9 - Marquette (21-10)
Marquette earned its two highest-ranked wins in program history this year, defeating then-No. 3 Texas and then-No. 4 UConn, led by the senior duo of Chloe Marotta and Jordan King.
#9 - Miami (19-12)
The Hurricanes are one of just 11 programs nationally to have their men’s and women’s teams qualify for the tournament in back-to-back years.
#10 - West Virginia (19-11)
Dawn Plitzuweit is the first coach in WVU history to guide the Mountaineer women to the NCAA Tournament in her first season.
#10 - Princeton (23-5)
The Tigers enter the tournament on a 15-game winning streak featuring the Ivy League’s best defense.
#11 - Mississippi State (21-10)
The Bulldogs are coached by Sam Purcell, the first head coach to lead an MSU team to the tournament in their first season. They defeated Illinois in a play-in game to claim the No. 11 seed.
#11 - UNLV (31-2)
The 2023 Mountain West Champions went undefeated in conference play and are on a 22-game winning streak heading into the NCAA Tournament.
#12 - Portland (23-8)
The Pilots are in the Big Dance for the first time since 1997 after winning the 2023 WCC Tournament.
#12 - Florida Gulf Coast (32-3)
The Eagles join South Carolina as the only two Division I programs to win 30 or more games in six of the last nine seasons.
#13 - Sacramento State (25-7)
The Hornets are making their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament for the first time in program history.
#13 - Cleveland State (30-4)
The Horizon League conference champion Vikings are headed to the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in program history.
#14 - Southern Utah (23-9)
The Thunderbirds claimed the WAC Tournament championship in their inaugural season and will appear in the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament.
#14 - Hawaii (18-14)
The Rainbow Wahine are making their eighth NCAA Tournament appearance and first back-to-back appearance since 1989-90.
#15 - Holy Cross (24-8)
The Crusaders are led by junior Bronagh Power-Cassidy who averaged 20 points and 5 rebounds in the Patriot League Conference tournament.
#15 - Gardner-Webb (29-4)
The Runnin’ Bulldogs enter their first NCAA Tournament since 2011 on a 21-game winning streak.
#16 - Norfolk State (26-6)
The Spartans won the MEAC regular season and conference tournament for the first time in program history led by forward Kierra Wheeler.
#16 - Tennessee Tech (22-9) / Monmouth (18-15)
The Golden Eagles are playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000 after winning the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. They face up against the Hawks who won their first CAA Championship in a shocking upset and are playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1983.
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