NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Organization

College Basketball most often refers to the basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Women’s basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II, and Division III. There are more than 350 colleges in 33 Division I Basketball Conferences.

NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Season

Division I women’s basketball teams play an average of 28 games per season scheduled from early November to the first week of March. Approximately half are home games and half are away games. A pre-determined number of games must be scheduled against teams in the same Conference. Thereafter, most Division I Women’s Basketball Conferences host a Conference Tournament. The winning team receives an automatic “bid” to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Tournament; other teams performing well in Conference tournaments enhance their chance for a bid to the National Tournament. During the course of the season, weekly “Top 25” national polls are published by the NCAA, as well as a number of media outlets, based on a team’s win-loss record and strength of competition.

NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Tournament and Championship

The NCAA Women’s Division I National Championship is an annual single-elimination tournament for women. Held each March, the final championship game is currently played the Tuesday following the Monday men’s championship game. The format is the same as the men’s tournament, except that there are 64 teams and no play-in game. There are 33 automatic bids for Conference Champions and 31 “At-Large” invitations (or “bids”) for the tournament chosen by an NCAA selection committee. The tournament team match-ups (“seedings”) and selection process, governed by an NCAA selection committee, are based on several factors, including team rankings, win-loss records and Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) data, which considers a team’s record and the records of the teams they have played during the season — also called “strength of schedule.” The women’s tournament is also informally known as “March Madness” or the “Big Dance.” The tournament, including the Regionals, the Regional Semi-Finals (“Sweet 16”), the National Semi-Finals (“Elite 8”), and the Finals (“Final Four”), has become one of the nation’s most popular sporting events. The tournament locations, including the “Final Four,” rotate each year.

Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT)

The Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) is a college basketball tournament with a pre-season and post-season tournament played each year. It is operated in a similar fashion to the men’s NIT; however, the NCAA does not operate the WNIT. The WNIT is owned and promoted by Triple Crown Sports, a Denver-based promotion and marketing company. In the post-season tournament, 64 teams participate. Each of the Division I Conferences receive an automatic bid, with 33 At-Large teams selected.

Division 1 Women’s College Basketball Teams

NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Major Awards

Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women’s basketball. It is located in Knoxville, TN. It is the only facility of its kind dedicated to all levels of women’s basketball. Its “Hall of Honor” is where individuals who have been inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame are formally recognized. Each inductee has helped the game of women’s basketball grow, and their achievements are highlighted in this area of the Hall of Fame. The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors serves as the selection committee in determining which individuals are inducted each year.

NCAA Commissioner

Mark Emmert is the President and Chief Executive Officer of NCAA, and his office is in Indianapolis, IN. Each Division I Conference has its own Commissioner.

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