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NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament

Annual tournament


Annual tournament

FieldValue
current_season2025 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament
logoNCAA logo.svg
pixels140px
sportCollege basketball
associationNCAA
divisionDivision II
founded
teams64
country
championGrand Valley State (2nd)
most_champsCal Poly Pomona (5)
North Dakota State (5)
TVCBS Sports Network
websiteNCAA.com

North Dakota State (5)

The NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament (officially styled as "Championship" instead of "Tournament") is an annual tournament to determine the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II women's college basketball national champion.

Basketball was one of 12 women's sports added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981–82 school year, as the NCAA and Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) sought for sole governance of women's collegiate athletics. The AIAW continued to conduct its established championships; however, after a year of dual women's championships at the national level, the AIAW disbanded.

The 2020 Elite Eight was due to be held at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, AL before the NCAA called off the tournament due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The field was reduced to 48 in 2021 and returned to the normal 64 in 2022.

Grand Valley State are the defending national champions, winning their second national title in 2025.

Qualification

A total of 64 bids are normally available for each tournament: 23 automatic bids (awarded to the champion of each Division II all-sports conference) and 41 at-large bids. Due to COVID-19 issues, the 2020 tournament was canceled, and the 2021 tournament was reduced to 48 teams when nine all-sports conferences chose not to compete in women's basketball in 2020–21.

The bids are allocated evenly among the eight NCAA-designated regions (Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast, and West), each of which contains either two or three of the 23 Division II conferences that sponsor women's basketball. Each region normally consists of two or three automatic qualifiers (the teams who won their respective conference tournaments) and five or six at-large bids (awarded regardless of conference affiliation).

Conference tournaments

National Collegiate Athletic Associationcolor=white}}RegionNational Collegiate Athletic Associationcolor=white}}ConferenceNational Collegiate Athletic Associationcolor=white}}TournamentNational Collegiate Athletic Associationcolor=white}}DebutNational Collegiate Athletic Associationcolor=white}}Most titlesNational Collegiate Athletic Associationcolor=white}}Current champion (2025)
AtlanticCIAATournament1975Shaw (11)Fayetteville State (6th)
Mountain EastTournament2014Glenville State (5)Fairmont State (2nd)
PSACTournament1980California (PA) (7)Kutztown (1st)
CentralGreat AmericanTournament2012Southwestern Oklahoma State (4)Harding (3rd)
MIAATournament1983Emporia State and Washburn (9)Pittsburg State (2nd)
NSICTournament2000Minnesota–Duluth (8)Concordia St. Paul (5th)
EastCACCTournament2002Holy Family (8)Holy Family (8th)
East CoastTournament1991Saint Rose (7)Daemen (5th)
Northeast-10Tournament1982Bentley (24)Bentley (24th)
MidwestGLIACTournament1991Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech (8)Grand Valley State (5th)
GLVCTournament1998Drury (10)Quincy (3rd)
G-MACTournament2013Ashland (4)Ashland
SouthGulf SouthTournament1983Delta State (16)Union (TN) (7th)
SIACTournament1979Fort Valley State (11)Miles (2nd)
Sunshine StateTournament1982Florida Southern (12)Embry–Riddle (1st)
South CentralLone StarTournament1983West Texas A&M (16)Texas Woman's (3rd)
RMACTournament1985CSU Pueblo (6)
Nebraska–Kearney (6)Colorado–Colorado Springs (2nd)
SoutheastCarolinasTournament1996Belmont Abbey (7)Belmont Abbey (7th)
Peach BeltTournament1992Columbus State (5)
Lander (5)
Georgia College (5)
North Georgia (5)North Georgia (5th)
SACTournament1991Wingate Bulldogs (10)Anderson (SC) (3rd)
WestCCAATournament1986Cal Poly Pomona (11)Cal State Dominguez Hills (5th)
GNACTournament2011Alaska Anchorage (7)Alaska Anchorage (7th)
Pacific WestTournament2013Azusa Pacific and Hawaii Pacific (4)Point Loma (1st)

Results

National Collegiate Athletic Associationcolor=white}} colspan=11NCAA Division II Women's Basketball ChampionshipYearSite
(Host Team)ChampionshipThird Place Match / SemifinalistsChampionScoreRunner-upThird placeScoreFourth place
1982
DetailsSpringfield, MA (Springfield Civic Center)Cal Poly Pomona93–74TuskegeeMount St. Mary's73–62Oakland
1983
DetailsVirginia Union73–60Cal Poly PomonaSouthern Connecticut State
Central Missouri State
1984
DetailsCentral Missouri State80–73Virginia UnionDayton
Valdosta State
1985
DetailsCal Poly Pomona (2)80–69Central Missouri StateHampton
Mercer
1986
DetailsCal Poly Pomona (3)70–63North Dakota StateDelta State
Philadelphia Textile
1987
DetailsNew Haven77–75Cal Poly PomonaNorthern Kentucky
Pitt Johnstown
1988
DetailsFargo, ND
(Bison Sports Arena)Hampton65–48West Texas StateDelta State
North Dakota State
1989
DetailsCleveland, MS
(Walter Sillers Coliseum)Delta State88–58Cal Poly PomonaBentley83–81Central Missouri State
1990
DetailsPomona, CA
(Kellogg Gymnasium)Delta State (2)77–43BentleyCal Poly Pomona87–68Oakland
1991
DetailsCape Girardeau, MO
(Show Me Center)North Dakota State81–74Southeast Missouri StateBentley60–58Norfolk State
1992
DetailsFargo, ND
(Bison Sports Arena)Delta State (3)65–63North Dakota StatePortland State72–69Bentley
1993
DetailsWaltham, MA
(Dana Athletic Center)North Dakota State (2)95–63Delta StateMichigan Tech74–60Bentley
1994
DetailsFargo, ND
(Bison Sports Arena)North Dakota State (3)89–56Cal State San BernardinoNorth Alabama79–75Bellarmine
1995
DetailsNorth Dakota State (4)98–85Portland StateMissouri Western State76–66Stonehill
1996
DetailsNorth Dakota State (5)104–78ShippensburgAbilene Christian83–65Delta State
1997
DetailsGrand Forks, ND
(Hyslop Sports Center)North Dakota94–78Southern IndianaUC Davis76–61Bentley
1998
DetailsPine Bluff, AR
(H.O. Clemmons Arena)North Dakota (2)92–76Emporia StateFrancis Marion
Northern Michigan
1999
DetailsNorth Dakota (3)80–63Arkansas TechEmporia State
Northern Kentucky
2000
DetailsNorthern Kentucky71–62 (OT)North Dakota StateColumbus State
Western Washington
2001
DetailsRochester, MN
(Mayo Civic Center)Cal Poly Pomona (4)87–80 (OT)North DakotaShippensburg
Columbus State
2002
DetailsCal Poly Pomona (5)74–62Southeastern OklahomaGlenville State
South Dakota State
2003
DetailsSt. Joseph, MO
(St. Joseph Civic Arena)South Dakota State65–50Northern KentuckyBentley
California (PA)
2004
DetailsCalifornia (PA)75–72DruryHenderson State
Merrimack
2005
DetailsHot Springs, AR
(Summit Arena)Washburn70–53Seattle PacificCentral Arkansas
Merrimack
2006
DetailsGrand Valley State58–52American InternationalChico State
St. Cloud State
2007
DetailsKearney, NE
(Health and Sports Center)Southern Connecticut State61–45Florida Gulf CoastClayton State
UC San Diego
2008
DetailsNorthern Kentucky (2)63–58South DakotaAlaska Anchorage
Delta State
2009
DetailsSan Antonio, TX
(Bill Greehey Arena)Minnesota State103–94Franklin PierceAlaska Anchorage
Delta State
2010
DetailsSt. Joseph, MO
(St. Joseph Civic Arena)Emporia State65–53Fort LewisFranklin Pierce
Gannon
2011
DetailsClayton State69–50Michigan TechShaw
Northwest Missouri State
2012
DetailsSan Antonio, TX
(Bill Greehey Arena)Shaw88–82 (OT)AshlandBentley
Rollins
2013
DetailsAshland71–56DowlingAugustana (SD)
Western Washington
2014
DetailsErie, PA
(Erie Insurance Arena)Bentley73–65West Texas A&MCal Poly Pomona
Nova Southeastern
2015
DetailsSioux Falls, SD
(Sanford Pentagon)California (PA) (2)86–69California BaptistEmporia State
Limestone
2016
DetailsIndianapolis, IN
(Bankers Life Fieldhouse)Lubbock Christian78–73Alaska AnchorageBentley
Grand Valley State
2017
DetailsColumbus, OH
(Alumni Hall)Ashland (2)93–77Virginia UnionCalifornia Baptist
Harding
2018
DetailsSioux Falls, SD
(Sanford Pentagon)Central Missouri (2)66–52AshlandIndiana (PA)
Union (TN)
2019
DetailsColumbus, OH
(Alumni Hall)Lubbock Christian (2)95–85 (2OT)Southwestern OklahomaDrury
Indiana (PA)
2020
DetailsBirmingham, AL
(Birmingham CrossPlex)Canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic
2021
DetailsColumbus, OH
(Alumni Hall)Lubbock Christian (3)69–59DruryCentral Missouri
Lander
2022
DetailsBirmingham, AL
(Birmingham CrossPlex)Glenville State85–72Western WashingtonGrand Valley State
North Georgia
2023
DetailsDallas, TX
(American Airlines Center)Ashland (3)78–67Minnesota–DuluthCatawba
Glenville State
2024
DetailsSt. Joseph, MO
(St. Joseph Civic Arena)Minnesota State (2)89–73Texas Woman'sCal State San Marcos
Ferris State
2025
DetailsPittsburgh, PA
(UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse)Grand Valley State (2)70–58Cal State Dominguez HillsPittsburg State
Union (TN)
2026

Champions

Active programs

TeamTitlesYears
Cal Poly Pomona Broncos}}****51982, 1985, 1986, 2001, 2002
Ashland Eagles}}****32013, 2017, 2023
Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps}}[](lubbock-christian-lady-chaps-basketball)32016, 2019, 2021
Delta State Lady Statesmen}}[](delta-state-lady-statesmen-basketball)31989, 1990, 1992
Grand Valley State Lakers}}[](grand-valley-state-lakers-women-s-basketball)22006, 2025
Minnesota State Mavericks}}****22009, 2024
Central Missouri Jennies}}[](central-missouri-jennies-basketball)21984, 2018
California Vulcans}}[](california-vulcans-women-s-basketball)22004, 2015
Glenvile State Pioneers}}[](glenville-state-pioneers-women-s-basketball)12022
Bentley Falcons}}[](bentley-falcons-women-s-basketball)12014
Shaw Bears}}****12012
Clayton State Lakers}}[](clayton-state-lakers-women-s-basketball)12011
Emporia State Lady Hornets}}****12010
Southern Connecticut Fighting Owls}}****12007
Washburn Ichabods}}[](washburn-ichabods-women-s-basketball)12005
Virginia Union Panthers}}[](virginia-union-panthers-women-s-basketball)11983

Former programs

TeamTitlesYears
North Dakota State Bison}}**51991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
North Dakota Fighting Sioux}}[](north-dakota-fighting-hawks-women-s-basketball)31997, 1998, 1999
Northern Kentucky Norse}}**22000, 2008
South Dakota State Jackrabbits}}**12003
Hampton Pirates}}[](hampton-lady-pirates-basketball)11988
New Haven Chargers}}****11987

Notes

References

References

  1. "DIVISION II WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS RECORDS BOOK". NCAA.
  2. (2019-03-04). "Championship Central". National Collegiate Athletic Association.
  3. "Central Missouri stuns Ashland to win NCAA Div. II Championship". Argus Leader.
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