UMD Men's and Women's Basketball Teams Earn NCAA Division II Tournament Bids

Both teams will be the 8th seeds in their respective Central Region brackets

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) men's and women's basketball teams have both earned bids to the 2026 NCAA Division II Tournament. The UMD men's team received an automatic bid after winning the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) tournament championship, while the UMD women's team secured an at-large berth. Both teams will be the 8th seeds in their respective Central Region brackets and will face the top-seeded teams in the opening round.

Why it matters

Earning NCAA Tournament bids is a significant accomplishment for both the UMD men's and women's basketball programs, as it showcases their competitiveness at the Division II level. The tournament appearances also generate excitement and pride within the Duluth community, which has a strong tradition of supporting its college sports teams.

The details

The UMD men's team will travel to Topeka, Kansas to face the top-seeded Washburn Ichabods on Saturday. Washburn had a dominant 31-1 record this season and won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association tournament. The UMD women's team will take on the Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks, a familiar NSIC foe, on Friday. The Mavericks went 29-2 this season and won the NSIC regular season title, though they lost to Concordia-St. Paul in the NSIC tournament championship.

  • The men's tournament game will be played on Saturday, March 15, 2026.
  • The women's tournament game will be played on Friday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Justin Wieck

Head coach of the UMD men's basketball team, leading the Bulldogs to their 7th NCAA Tournament appearance and 4th under his tenure.

Mandy Pearson

Head coach of the UMD women's basketball team, leading the Bulldogs to their 16th NCAA Tournament appearance and 6th under her tenure.

Washburn Ichabods

The top-seeded men's basketball team in the Central Region, with a dominant 31-1 record this season and a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association tournament championship.

Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks

The top-seeded women's basketball team in the Central Region, with a 29-2 record and a regular season NSIC title, though they lost in the NSIC tournament championship.

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What they’re saying

“Earning NCAA Tournament bids is a significant accomplishment for both the UMD men's and women's basketball programs, as it showcases their competitiveness at the Division II level.”

— Duluth News Tribune Staff (duluthnewstribune.com)

What’s next

The UMD men's team will face off against Washburn on Saturday, March 15, 2026, while the UMD women's team will take on Minnesota State Mankato on Friday, March 14, 2026. The winners of these opening round games will advance to the next round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

The takeaway

The NCAA Tournament appearances for both the UMD men's and women's basketball teams demonstrate the strength and competitiveness of the university's athletic programs. The Duluth community will be eagerly following the Bulldogs' tournament runs as they aim to advance deep into the Division II postseason.