2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament field revealed

UConn, South Carolina, UCLA, and Texas earn No. 1 seeds as tournament begins this Friday

Mar. 16, 2026 at 6:44am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament field was announced on Sunday night, with the UConn Huskies, South Carolina Gamecocks, UCLA Bruins, and Texas Longhorns earning the four No. 1 seeds. UConn, led by Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, is the only undefeated team in Division I and is pursuing its 13th national championship. South Carolina, UCLA, and Texas all had strong regular seasons and conference tournament performances to earn their top seeds.

Why it matters

The NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament is one of the most anticipated events in college sports, with millions of fans tuning in to watch the best teams and players compete for the national championship. The selection of the tournament field sets the stage for an exciting few weeks of March Madness, as the top programs look to advance through the bracket and reach the Final Four.

The details

The UConn Huskies were named the No. 1 overall seed, led by Sarah Strong (18.5 ppg) and Azzi Fudd (17.7 ppg). South Carolina, led by Joyce Edwards (19.6 ppg) and Madina Okot (13.4 ppg, 10.9 rpg), earned the No. 1 seed in Region 4. The UCLA Bruins, led by Lauren Betts (16.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.6 bpg), were also awarded a No. 1 seed. The Texas Longhorns, led by Madison Booker (18.9 ppg, 6.5 apg), rounded out the four No. 1 seeds.

  • The NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament field was revealed on Sunday, March 16, 2026.
  • The First Four matchups will take place on Wednesday, April 2 and Thursday, April 3, 2026.
  • The tournament will begin on Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5, 2026.
  • The Final Four will take place on April 10, 2026.
  • The championship game will be played on April 12, 2026.

The players

Sarah Strong

A star player for the UConn Huskies, averaging 18.5 points per game.

Azzi Fudd

Another key player for the UConn Huskies, averaging 17.7 points per game.

Joyce Edwards

The leading scorer for the South Carolina Gamecocks, averaging 19.6 points per game.

Madina Okot

A standout player for the South Carolina Gamecocks, averaging a double-double with 13.4 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.

Lauren Betts

The star player for the UCLA Bruins, leading the team in points (16.4 per game), rebounds (8.6 per game), and blocks (1.6 per game).

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must be ready to compete at the highest level if we want to dethrone UConn and win the national championship.”

— Dawn Staley, Head Coach, South Carolina Gamecocks

“This is the moment we've been working towards all season. We're excited to represent UCLA on the biggest stage in women's basketball.”

— Cori Close, Head Coach, UCLA Bruins

What’s next

The First Four matchups will take place on Wednesday, April 2 and Thursday, April 3, 2026, with the winner of the Southern/Samford game facing the No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks in the first round.

The takeaway

The 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament field features some of the most dominant teams and players in the country, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive tournament. Fans can look forward to seeing if powerhouse programs like UConn, South Carolina, UCLA, and Texas can live up to their top seeds and make deep runs towards the national championship.