Oklahoma State to Face Princeton in Women's NCAA Tournament

The Cowgirls earn an 8-seed, will take on the 9-seed Tigers in the first round in Los Angeles.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:19am

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The Oklahoma State Cowgirls women's basketball team has earned an 8-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament and will face the 9-seed Princeton Tigers in the first round. This is the third time in four years under coach Jacie Hoyt that the Cowgirls have made the NCAA Tournament.

Why it matters

The Cowgirls' tournament appearance continues the program's recent success under coach Hoyt, who has led the team to the Big Dance in three of her four seasons. A win over Princeton would set up a potential matchup with No. 1 seed UCLA in the Sacramento Regional.

The details

Oklahoma State finished the regular season with a 23-9 record and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. They will take on a Princeton team that also had a strong 22-8 campaign. The winner of the OSU-Princeton first-round game will advance to face the winner of the UCLA-TBD matchup.

  • The NCAA Tournament first-round game between Oklahoma State and Princeton will take place in Los Angeles on March 22, 2026.

The players

Jacie Hoyt

The head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowgirls women's basketball team, who has led the program to three NCAA Tournament appearances in her four seasons.

Oklahoma State Cowgirls

The women's basketball team from Oklahoma State University, who earned an 8-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Princeton Tigers

The women's basketball team from Princeton University, who earned a 9-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament and will face Oklahoma State in the first round.

UCLA Bruins

The No. 1 seed in the Sacramento Regional of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, who could potentially face the winner of the Oklahoma State-Princeton game in the second round.

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What they’re saying

“This is the third time in four years under coach Jacie Hoyt that the Cowgirls have been selected for the NCAA Tournament.”

— Scott Wright, Reporter

What’s next

The winner of the Oklahoma State-Princeton first-round game will advance to face the winner of the UCLA-TBD matchup in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 24, 2026.

The takeaway

Oklahoma State's continued success under coach Jacie Hoyt has the Cowgirls back in the NCAA Tournament, where they will look to upset Princeton and potentially take on No. 1 seed UCLA in the second round.