Texas Longhorns Women's Basketball Earns No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tournament

Longhorns to host first-round games at Moody Center in Austin

Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:26am

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The Texas Longhorns women's basketball team has been awarded a No. 1 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Longhorns, who finished the regular season with a 31-3 record, will host either Missouri State or Stephen F. Austin in the first round this Friday at their home arena, Moody Center, in Austin.

Why it matters

This marks the Longhorns' first No. 1 seed since 1986, when they won their only national championship. Head coach Vic Schaefer has led Texas to the Elite Eight in three of the last five seasons and the Final Four last year, putting the program on the cusp of its first title in four decades.

The details

If Texas advances past the first round, they will return to Moody Center two days later to face the winner of the Oregon-Virginia Tech matchup. Moody Center will also host the 'First Four' play-in game between Missouri State and Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday. The Longhorns are the No. 3 overall seed in the tournament, which could set them up to potentially play their Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games in nearby Fort Worth.

  • The NCAA Tournament bracket was revealed on Sunday, March 16, 2026.
  • Texas will host its first-round game this Friday, March 21, 2026.
  • If Texas advances, they will play their second-round game on Sunday, March 23, 2026.

The players

Vic Schaefer

The head coach of the Texas Longhorns women's basketball team, who has led the program to the Elite Eight three times and the Final Four once since arriving in 2020.

Texas Longhorns

The women's basketball team at the University of Texas at Austin, which is making its first No. 1 NCAA Tournament appearance since winning the national championship in 1986.

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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 (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

If Texas wins its first-round game, they will advance to the second round to face the winner of Oregon and Virginia Tech on Sunday, March 23, 2026 at Moody Center in Austin.

The takeaway

Texas women's basketball is on the verge of ending a 40-year national championship drought, earning a No. 1 seed and the chance to potentially play their way to the Final Four in front of their home fans at Moody Center.