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LC State Women's Basketball Hosts NAIA First Round
Warriors welcome Hope International, Montana Tech for opening weekend of national tournament
Mar. 13, 2026 at 12:25am
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The No. 17 LC State Women's Basketball team will host the first and second rounds of the 2026 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship this weekend in Lewiston, Idaho. The Warriors, the No. 4 seed in the Duer Quadrant, will face 13th-seeded Hope International (Calif.) in the opening round on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Fifth-seeded No. 15 Montana Tech will take on 12th-seeded Nelson (Texas) in the other first-round matchup at 7:30 p.m.
Why it matters
This marks the eighth straight trip to the national tournament for the LC State women's basketball team, which finished as runners-up in the Cascade Collegiate Conference postseason tournament. The Warriors are looking to make a deep run in the NAIA tournament on their home court.
The details
LC State is led by a quartet of all-conference performers, including seniors Sitara Byrd and Payton Hymas, junior Darian Herring, and sophomore Kendall Wallace. The Warriors are the top team in the CCC in steals per game and rank second in several other statistical categories. Hope International is making its first national tournament appearance since 2023 after winning the Golden State Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles.
- The first-round games will be played on Friday, March 13, 2026.
- The second-round game between the winners of the two first-round matchups will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
The players
LC State Women's Basketball
The No. 17 ranked team making its eighth straight trip to the NAIA national tournament, hosting the first and second rounds in Lewiston, Idaho.
Hope International (Calif.)
The No. 13 seed making its fourth trip to the NAIA national tournament and first appearance since 2023 after winning the Golden State Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles.
Montana Tech
The No. 15 ranked team and No. 5 seed traveling to Lewiston to face Nelson (Texas) in the other first-round matchup.
What’s next
The winners of the two first-round games on Friday will face off in the NAIA Second Round on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
The takeaway
LC State's deep tournament experience and balanced scoring attack make them a formidable host for the opening rounds of the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship, as they look to advance past the first weekend and make a run at the title.
