basketball-women-d2 flag

Aiden Stepansky | March 1, 2026

2026 NCAA DII women's basketball championship: Selection show info, bracket and schedule

Grand Valley State vs. Cal St. Dom. Hills - DII women's basketball championship highlights

The 2026 NCAA DII women's basketball 64-team field will be revealed on Sunday, March 8 at 10:30 p.m. ET on krikya168vip.com. The quarterfinals through championship game will be held at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh, PA from March 24 through March 28.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 DII women's basketball championship.

2026 DII women's basketball championship bracket

2026 NCAA women's basketball DII championship bracket

2026 DII women's basketball championship schedule

All times listed in ET.

  • Selection show: 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 8
  • First and second rounds: Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14
  • Regionals: Monday, March 16
  • Quarterfinal and semifinal competition: Tuesday, March 24 through Thursday, March 26
  • National championship: Saturday, March 28

NCAA DII women's basketball championship history

Year Champion (Record) Coach Score Runner-Up Site
2025 Grand Valley State (38-2) Mike Williams 70-58 Cal State Dom. Hills Pittsburgh, PA
2024 Minnesota State (32-5) Emilee Thiesse 89-73 Texas Woman's St. Joseph, MO
2023 Ashland (37-0) Kari Pickens 78-67 Minnesota Duluth Dallas, TX
2022 Glenville State (35-1) Kim Stephens 85-72 Western Washington Birmingham, AL
2021 Lubbock Christian (23-0) Steve Gomez 69-59 Drury Columbus, Ohio
2020 Canceled due to Covid-19 -- -- -- --
2019 Lubbock Christian (32-5) Steve Gomez 95-85 (2OT) Southwestern Oklahoma Columbus, Ohio
2018 Central Missouri (30-3) Dave Slifer 66-52 Ashland Sioux Falls, S.D.
2017 Ashland (37-0) Robyn Fralick 93-77 Virginia Union Columbus, Ohio
2016 Lubbock Christian (35-0) Steve Gomez 78-73 Alaska-Anch. Indianapolis
2015 California (Pa.) (32-4) Jess Strom 86-69 Cal Baptist Sioux Falls, S.D.
2014 Bentley (35-0) Barbara Stevens 73-65 West Texas A&M Erie, Pa.
2013 Ashland (38-1) Sue Ramsey 71-56 Dowling San Antonio
2012 Shaw (29-6) Jacques Curtis 88-82 Ashland San Antonio
2011 Clayton State (35-1) Dennis Cox 69-50 Michigan Tech St. Joseph, Mo.
2010 Emporia State (30-5) Brandon Schneider 65-53 Fort Lewis St. Joseph, Mo.
2009 Minnesota State-Mankato (32-2) Pam Gohl 103-94 Franklin Pierce San Antonio
2008 Northern Kentucky (28-8) Nancy Winstel 63-58 South Dakota Kearney, Neb.
2007 Southern Connecticut State (34-2) Joe Frager 61-45 Florida Gulf Coast Kearney, Neb.
2006 Grand Valley State (33-3) Dawn Plitzuweit 58-52 American International Hot Springs, Ark.
2005 Washburn (35-2) Ron McHenry 70-53 Seattle Pacific Hot Springs, Ark.
2004 California (PA) (35-1) Darcie Vincent 75-72 Drury St. Joseph, Mo.
2003 South Dakota State (32-3) Aaron Johnston 65-50 Northern Kentucky St. Joseph, Mo.
2002 Cal Poly Pomona (28-4) Paul Thomas 74-62 Southeastern Oklahoma Rochester, Minn.
2001 Cal Poly Pomona (27-3) Paul Thomas 87-80 (ot) North Dakota Rochester, Minn.
2000 Northern Kentucky (32-2) Nancy Winstel 71-62 (ot) North Dakota State Pine Bluff, Ark.
1999 North Dakota (31-1) Gene Roebuck 80-63 Arkansas Tech Pine Bluff, Ark.
1998 North Dakota (31-1) Gene Roebuck 92-76 Emporia State Pine Bluff, Ark.
1997 North Dakota (28-4) Gene Roebuck 94-78 Southern Indiana Grand Forks, N.D.
1996 North Dakota State (30-2) Amy Ruley 104-78 Shippensburg Fargo, N.D.
1995 North Dakota State (32-0) Amy Ruley 98-85 Portland State Fargo, N.D.
1994 North Dakota State (27-5) Amy Ruley 89-56 Cal State San B'dino Fargo, N.D.
1993 North Dakota State (30-2) Amy Ruley 95-63 Delta State Waltham, Mass.
1992 Delta State (30-4) Lloyd Clark 65-63 North Dakota State Fargo, N.D.
1991 North Dakota State (31-2) Amy Ruley 81-74 Southeast Missouri State Cape Giradeau, Mo.
1990 Delta State (32-1) Lloyd Clark 77-43 Bentley Pomona, Calif.
1989 Delta State (30-4) Lloyd Clark 88-58 Cal Poly Pomona Cleveland, Miss.
1988 Hampton (33-1) James Sweat 65-48 West Texas A&M Fargo, N.D.
1987 New Haven (29-2) Jan Rossman 77-75 Cal Poly Pomona Springfield, Mass.
1986 Cal Poly Pomona (30-3) Darlene May 70-63 North Dakota State Springfield, Mass.
1985 Cal Poly Pomona (26-7) Darlene May 80-69 Central Missouri Springfield, Mass.
1984 Central Missouri (27-5) Jorja Hoehn 80-73 Virginia Union Springfield, Mass.
1983 Virginia Union (27-2) Louis Hearn 73-60 Cal Poly Pomona Springfield, Mass.
1982 Cal Poly Pomona (29-7) Darlene May 93-74 Tuskegee Springfield, Mass.

Gannon climbs, Ferris State enters the latest DII women's basketball Power 10 rankings

There was some movement this week, but Grand Valley State, Minnesota State and Texas Woman's remained locked in at the top at the DII women's basketball Power 10 rankings.
READ MORE

UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas Sit Atop Second Top 16 Reveal of 2026

With just two weeks until Selection Sunday, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee has selected UConn, UCLA, South Carolina and Texas as the No. 1 seeds in its second top 16 reveal of the season.
READ MORE

Diving into DII: College basketball conference tournaments are here

The CIAA and NSIC get the men's and women's basketball conferences going while there are five nationally ranked DII baseball matchups this weekend.
READ MORE