March Madness Automatic Bids: Who's In for 2026 NCAA Tournament?

Selection Sunday is just days away as teams punch their tickets to the Big Dance.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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With Selection Sunday for the 2026 NCAA Tournament just a few days away, 10 teams have already clinched automatic bids by winning their conference tournaments. Two more bids are up for grabs on Tuesday night as the CAA, Horizon, WCC, and MAAC champions will be decided. This year's March Madness field is starting to take shape, with several teams making their first NCAA Tournament appearances in decades.

Why it matters

The automatic bids earned by conference tournament champions are a crucial part of filling out the NCAA Tournament bracket each year. These automatic qualifiers join the at-large teams selected by the tournament committee to make up the full 68-team field. Tracking which teams have punched their tickets provides insight into the potential Cinderella stories and top contenders that will compete in March Madness.

The details

Among the automatic bids clinched so far are Troy winning the Sun Belt for the second straight year, North Dakota State taking the Summit League, and Queens University (NC) earning its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth by winning the ASUN. High Point repeated as Big South champions, while Northern Iowa won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament for its first March Madness appearance since 2016. Tennessee State also made the field for the first time since 1994 by winning the Ohio Valley Conference.

  • The NCAA Tournament First Four games will be played on March 17-18, 2026.
  • Selection Sunday for the 2026 NCAA Tournament will be on March 15, 2026.

The players

Thomas Dowd

A player for the Sun Belt champion Troy Trojans who scored a game-high 23 points in the conference title game.

Scott Cross

The head coach of the Troy Trojans, who led the team to its second straight Sun Belt Conference championship.

Camren Hunter

A player for Central Arkansas, who scored 49 points in the ASUN Conference Tournament final despite his team's loss to Queens University (NC).

Flynn Clayman

The first-year head coach of the Big South champion High Point Panthers.

Nolan Smith

The head coach of the Ohio Valley Conference champion Tennessee State Tigers, in his first season leading the program.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.