Four Virginia Schools Earn NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Bids

JMU, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Richmond all make the 68-team field

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:34am

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Four schools from Virginia - James Madison, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Richmond - have earned bids to the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. JMU won the Sun Belt Tournament, while Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Richmond received at-large bids as some of the last teams selected to the 68-team field.

Why it matters

The strong representation from Virginia schools in the NCAA Tournament highlights the depth of women's basketball talent in the state. With multiple teams making the field, it provides excitement for fans and opportunities for the programs to compete on the national stage.

The details

JMU (26-8) earned a 12-seed in Regional 3 and will face 5-seed Kentucky, whose head coach Kenny Brooks is the all-time winningest coach in JMU history. Virginia Tech (22-10) received a 9-seed and will play 8-seed Oregon, with the winner likely facing 1-seed Texas. Virginia (19-11) and Richmond (26-7) were among the last four teams selected, earning 10-seeds in the First Four. Virginia will play Arizona State, while Richmond faces Nebraska.

  • The NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament begins on March 18, 2026.
  • JMU and Kentucky will play on March 18.
  • Virginia Tech and Oregon will play on March 22.
  • Virginia and Arizona State, as well as Richmond and Nebraska, will play in the First Four on March 19.

The players

James Madison University

The JMU Dukes won the Sun Belt Conference Tournament to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Virginia Tech

The Virginia Tech Hokies earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, their second tournament appearance under head coach Megan Duffy.

University of Virginia

The Virginia Cavaliers earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, their first tournament appearance since 2018 and first under head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton.

University of Richmond

The Richmond Spiders earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, their second consecutive at-large berth.

Kenny Brooks

The head coach of Kentucky, Brooks is the all-time winningest coach in JMU history, having led the Dukes for 14 seasons.

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What they’re saying

“When Brooks left for Virginia Tech in 2016 after posting a 337-122 record in 14 seasons guiding the Dukes, his assistant and close confidant Sean O'Regan landed JMU's top job. Since JMU joined the Sun Belt, it has gone 105-34 with two conference tournament titles under O'Regan, and Peyton McDaniel added 2026 Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player to her likely JMU Hall of Fame credentials.”

— Sonny Dearth, Author

What’s next

The First Four games will take place on March 19, with the full tournament bracket beginning on March 20. The Final Four is scheduled for April 4-6, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.

The takeaway

The strong representation of Virginia schools in the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament showcases the depth of talent in the state and provides exciting opportunities for these programs to compete on the national stage.