UW Huskies, Gonzaga both in women's NCAA Tournament

The Huskies and Bulldogs will represent Washington state in the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:52am

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The women's NCAA Tournament field will feature two teams from the state of Washington - the UW Huskies and Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Huskies earned a No. 6 seed in the Sacramento 4 Region and will face 11th-seeded South Dakota State in the first round, while Gonzaga is the No. 12 seed in the Sacramento 2 Region and will take on fifth-seeded Ole Miss.

Why it matters

The inclusion of the UW Huskies and Gonzaga Bulldogs in the women's NCAA Tournament highlights the strength of women's basketball in the Pacific Northwest, with both programs making the field for the second straight year. The Huskies and Bulldogs will look to make deep runs and represent the region well on the national stage.

The details

The Huskies (21-10, 10-8 Big Ten) earned a higher seed than projected after a tough schedule in the Big Ten and wins over ranked opponents like Michigan and Maryland during the regular season. They are led by the guard trio of Sayvia Sellers, Avery Howell and Elle Ladine. Gonzaga (24-9, 14-4 WCC) won the West Coast Conference Tournament to earn an automatic bid, and are paced by freshman forward Lauren Whitaker's 19.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.

  • The women's NCAA Tournament first round games will be played on Friday, March 21, 2026.
  • The Huskies will face South Dakota State in Fort Worth, Texas on March 21.
  • The Bulldogs will take on Ole Miss in Minneapolis on March 21.

The players

Sayvia Sellers

A guard for the UW Huskies who leads the team with 18.5 points, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Avery Howell

A guard for the UW Huskies who averages a team-high 8.3 rebounds plus 13.7 points and 1.3 steals per game.

Lauren Whitaker

A freshman forward for the Gonzaga Bulldogs who leads the team with 19.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.

Tina Langley

The fifth-year head coach of the UW Huskies women's basketball team.

Lisa Fortier

The 12th-year head coach of the Gonzaga Bulldogs women's basketball team.

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What’s next

The winners of the first-round matchups between UW and South Dakota State, and Gonzaga and Ole Miss, will advance to the second round of the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament.

The takeaway

The inclusion of the UW Huskies and Gonzaga Bulldogs in the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament showcases the strength of the sport in the Pacific Northwest, with both programs making the field for the second consecutive year. Their tournament runs will be closely watched as they aim to represent the region well on the national stage.