Oregon Ducks Women's Basketball Earns NCAA Tournament Bid

Coach Kelly Graves discusses team's outlook heading into tournament matchup with Virginia Tech Hokies

Mar. 16, 2026 at 4:33pm

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The Oregon Ducks women's basketball team has earned a spot in the 2026 NCAA Tournament after finishing the regular season with a 22-12 overall record and 8-10 in Big Ten play. Head coach Kelly Graves spoke about the team's selection, the importance of the tournament for first-time participants, and the Ducks' chances of making a deep run.

Why it matters

Oregon's selection to the NCAA Tournament marks the second consecutive year the Ducks have earned a bid, showcasing the program's continued success under Graves' leadership. The tournament appearance is especially meaningful for players like Mia Jacobs who are experiencing the event for the first time, providing them a chance to compete on college basketball's biggest stage.

The details

Oregon is set to face the Virginia Tech Hokies in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas. Graves praised the job Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks has done in building the program, noting they have continued their success even after Brooks left for Kentucky. The Ducks coach believes his team's depth, defensive prowess, and ability to get contributions from multiple players will be key factors in their tournament run.

  • Oregon and Virginia Tech will face off on Friday, with the tip-off scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PT and the game broadcast on ESPN2.

The players

Kelly Graves

The head coach of the Oregon Ducks women's basketball team, who has led the program to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

Mia Jacobs

An Oregon forward who is making her first NCAA Tournament appearance.

Kenny Brooks

The former Virginia Tech head coach who built the Hokies program before leaving for Kentucky.

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What they’re saying

“It never gets old hearing your name, and I talked to the team about, don't take it for granted, because you never know.”

— Kelly Graves, Oregon women's basketball coach

“Every day we've accentuated the importance of the tournament and the thrill of being in it. As somebody like Mia (Jacobs), she doesn't have really any experience to draw upon, but most of our other players have been in the field before and been in the tournament. It's definitely a step up, but I think if you've never experienced it, it's pretty special.”

— Kelly Graves, Oregon women's basketball coach

“I know Kenny Brooks was there and did a great job; he really built up that program before he left to go to Kentucky. Kenny's a friend of mine and one of the best coaches in the country, and I know they haven't really taken a step back; they've continued the success.”

— Kelly Graves, Oregon women's basketball coach

“You have to have good guards. I think we have one of the best, leading the team. I think we've shown good depth. We have a bunch of different players that have had good games on different nights, which I think is really important, so we don't rely on one or two to just produce all the time.”

— Kelly Graves, Oregon women's basketball coach

“We've proven that we can play with anybody. If you look at our scores and some of the games that we've won. I've told the team every single day since we've been back to practice that, since the tournament ended last week, we've only had three practices, and that the Big Ten will have us prepared for this tournament.”

— Kelly Graves, Oregon women's basketball coach

What’s next

The winner of the matchup between the Ducks and Hokies will face the top-seeded Texas Longhorns in the second round.

The takeaway

Oregon's return to the NCAA Tournament showcases the program's continued growth under Kelly Graves, and the team's depth, defensive abilities, and tournament experience make them a dangerous opponent as they look to make a deep run in the Big Dance.