Oregon Ducks Women's Basketball Earns No. 8 Seed in March Madness

Ducks to face No. 9 Virginia Tech Hokies in First Round of NCAA Tournament

Mar. 16, 2026 at 1:34am

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The Oregon Ducks women's basketball team has earned a No. 8 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament and will face the No. 9 seed Virginia Tech Hokies in the first round. This marks the Ducks' 19th all-time appearance in the Big Dance, with head coach Kelly Graves leading the team to seven tournament berths since taking over in 2014, including a Final Four run in 2019.

Why it matters

The No. 8 vs. No. 9 matchup is historically one of the toughest in the NCAA Tournament, with the No. 8 seed holding a losing record since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1994. If the Ducks can get past the Hokies, they would likely face the No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns, who have the third-best odds to win the national championship.

The details

Oregon is led by 5-11 sophomore guard Katie Fiso, who averages 15.3 points, 6.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Virginia Tech is paced by 6-0 redshirt junior guard Carleigh Wenzel, who puts up 15.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per contest. The Hokies are making their ninth 20-win season in the last 10 years under coach Megan Duffy.

  • The first-round matchup between Oregon and Virginia Tech will take place on Friday, March 20 in Austin, Texas.
  • The Final Four is scheduled for April 3, with the national championship game on April 5 in Phoenix, Arizona.

The players

Kelly Graves

Head coach of the Oregon Ducks women's basketball team since 2014, leading the program to seven NCAA Tournament appearances including a Final Four run in 2019.

Katie Fiso

5-11 sophomore guard for the Oregon Ducks, leading the team in scoring at 15.3 points per game along with 6.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals.

Carleigh Wenzel

6-0 redshirt junior guard for the Virginia Tech Hokies, averaging 15.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.

Megan Duffy

Head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team, guiding the program to nine 20-win seasons in the last 10 years.

Carys Bakers

6-2 junior forward for the Virginia Tech Hokies, contributing 14.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest.

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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

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

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The winner of the Oregon-Virginia Tech matchup will face the No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns on Sunday, March 22.

The takeaway

This first-round matchup between the No. 8 seed Oregon Ducks and the No. 9 seed Virginia Tech Hokies will be a tough battle, with the winner facing an uphill climb against the top-seeded Texas Longhorns. However, the Ducks' tournament experience under coach Kelly Graves and the scoring prowess of Katie Fiso give them a chance to advance and potentially make a deep run in this year's NCAA Tournament.