Kristian Ferrell
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, also known as Women's March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament held annually in the spring in the United States. The tournament features 68 women's college basketball teams from Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), who compete to determine the national championship. The tournament bracket is a key component, with teams seeded from 1 to 16 in four regional divisions. The First Four games involve the lowest-seeded automatic and at-large bids, with winners advancing to the 64-team bracket in the first round.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 68 |
| Tournament name | Women's March Madness |
| Tournament type | Single-elimination |
| Tournament frequency | Annual |
| Tournament level | Division I |
| Number of automatic bids | 32 |
| Number of at-large bids | 36 |
| Number of opening-round games | 4 |
| Number of regions | 4 |
| Number of "super" regionals | 2 |
| Number of Sweet 16 games per site | 4 |
| Number of Elite Eight games per site | 2 |
| Top seeds | South Carolina, UConn, UCLA, Texas |
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What You'll Learn
The standard 64-team bracket
The 64-team bracket is the standard version of the NCAA tournament field that has been in place since 1994. The tournament bracket is made up of champions from each Division I conference, which are automatic bids. The remaining slots are at-large bids, with teams chosen by an NCAA selection committee. The top teams (16 in the 64-team format) are ranked and seeded on a national basis. The remaining teams are then seeded based on their geographic region. Teams are moved outside of their geographic region only if it is necessary to balance the bracket or if the proximity of an opponent outside of their region would result in a more competitive game.
The 64-team bracket is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, featuring 64 women's college basketball teams from the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament is often overshadowed by the more prominent men's tournament, but interest in the women's championship has grown over the years, especially from 2003 to 2016, when the final championship game was moved to the Tuesday following the Monday men's championship game.
ESPN's Bracketology efforts are focused on projecting the NCAA tournament field just as we expect the NCAA Division I basketball committee to select the field in March. ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme uses the same data points favored by the committee, including strength of schedule and other season-long indicators, including the NET and team-sheet data.
The 2021 NCAA tournament was played at a single site due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eliminating the need for geographical considerations in seeding. This was a key difference from previous years, as typically, the tournament is played across multiple sites, and geographical considerations play a role in seeding.
The 64-team bracket has been expanded to a 68-team bracket since 2022 to match the size of the D-I men's tournament.
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Automatic and at-large bids
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, also known as Women's March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament held annually in the United States to determine the national championship. The tournament features 68 women's college basketball teams from Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Of the 68 teams, 31 to 32 teams earn automatic bids by winning their respective conference championships and tournaments. Each conference receives only one automatic bid. The remaining slots, known as "at-large bids", are determined by a selection committee appointed by the NCAA. The selection committee selects 36 to 37 teams as at-large bids, granting them entry into the tournament despite not winning their conference tournaments.
The selection process for the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament takes place on Selection Sunday and the days leading up to it. Selection Sunday falls on the Sunday before the third Thursday of March, with the first-round games commencing then. The women's championship brackets and seeds are announced on Selection Sunday, providing insights into the teams' seedings and matchups in the knockout bracket.
The selection committee primarily consists of school and conference administrators nominated by their conference. They serve five-year terms and represent a cross-section of the Division I membership. The at-large teams generally come from top conferences, including the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Many of these at-large teams are "on the bubble," indicating borderline chances of tournament qualification, and they remain uncertain until the Selection Sunday bracket announcements.
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Women's First Four games
The First Four is a play-in round of the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, sometimes referred to as Women's March Madness. It consists of four opening-round games, with eight teams competing to advance to the 64-team bracket in the first round. The First Four includes the four lowest-ranked conference champions playing for 16 seeds in the round of 64, as well as the four lowest-ranked at-large teams vying for their spots in the same round.
The First Four games have been a recent addition to the women's tournament, first introduced in 2022 when the tournament expanded to 68 teams. The women's First Four is held at neutral sites, specifically at the home courts of four of the top 16 national seeds, unlike the men's First Four which takes place at a single site. The winners of the First Four games have historically faced challenges in the first round of the women's NCAA Tournament, with a record of 1-11 in 2025.
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament featuring 68 women's college basketball teams from Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament is split into four regional divisions, with teams seeded from 1 to 16 in each region. The top-seeded team in each region plays the #16 team, the #2 team plays the #15 team, and so on. The four lowest-seeded automatic bids and the four lowest-seeded at-large bids, determined by the NCAA Selection Committee, compete in the First Four games for their chance to advance to the first round.
The First Four games are an exciting prelude to the NCAA women's basketball tournament, providing an opportunity for the lowest-ranked teams to showcase their skills and determination. These games set the stage for the intense competition that follows, as the winning teams advance to face higher-ranked opponents in the 64-team bracket. The First Four adds an element of unpredictability and drama to the tournament, making it a highly anticipated event for fans and players alike.
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Tournament format
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, also known as Women's March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament that takes place every spring in the United States. The tournament features 68 women's college basketball teams from Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament bracket consists of champions from each Division I conference, which are automatic bids. The remaining slots are filled by at-large bids, with teams chosen by an NCAA selection committee.
The tournament begins with four opening-round games known as the First Four. The women's First Four involves the four lowest-ranked conference champions playing for 16 seeds in the round of 64, and the four lowest-ranked at-large teams playing for spots in the round of 64. The first two rounds of the tournament are played at home sites. The tournament then progresses to the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, and finally, the National Championship game.
Prior to 2022, the tournament involved 64 teams. From 1994 to 2021, 64 teams competed in each tournament, and prior to that, the number of teams varied from 32 to 48. The top teams were ranked and seeded on a national basis, while the remaining teams were seeded based on their geographic region.
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament was first held in 1982. The tournament has grown in popularity over the years, with increasing attendance and interest, particularly from 2003 to 2016 when the final championship game was moved to the Tuesday following the men's championship. The tournament has also received more media coverage in recent years, with the expansion of the "March Madness" branding and an increase in the number of teams to match the size of the D-I men's tournament.
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NCAA Women's Bracketology projections
In NCAA women's basketball, "brackets" refer to the tournament format, specifically the single-elimination structure that determines which teams advance to the next round and, ultimately, the national championship. The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, also known as Women's March Madness, features 68 college basketball teams from Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Now, let's dive into the NCAA Women's Bracketology projections for the upcoming seasons:
2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Her Hoop Stats provided bracketology updates for the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, correctly projecting 67 out of 68 teams in the field. They also accurately predicted the seed line within one for 66 teams and 15 of the 16 hosting teams.
2026 NCAA Women's Bracketology Projections
ESPN's bracketologist Charlie Creme offers projections for the 2026 NCAA women's college basketball season. He utilizes data points such as strength of schedule, NET, and team-sheet data to make his predictions. One of the primary adjustments for this season is the hosting of the entire NCAA tournament at a single site, eliminating geographical considerations in seeding. There will be 31 conferences and a Power 4 format, with at least two leagues sending 10 teams to the tournament. The Ivy League's absence will result in one fewer automatic qualifier, reducing the number of AQ entries to 31.
It's important to note that these projections are made using the same criteria expected of the NCAA Division I basketball committee, which selects the tournament field in March. While the projections offer valuable insights, the official team selections and seedings are determined by the NCAA Selection Committee.
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Frequently asked questions
Brackets in women's basketball refer to the tournament structure of the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, also known as Women's March Madness. The bracket consists of 68 women's college basketball teams from Division I, which compete in a single-elimination format to determine the national championship.
Since 2022, the tournament has featured 68 teams, matching the size of the men's tournament. Previously, from 1994 to 2021, 64 teams competed in each tournament.
The bracket is made up of a combination of automatic bids and at-large bids. The automatic bids are given to the champions from each Division I conference, while the remaining slots are filled by at-large bids, with teams chosen by the NCAA Selection Committee.
The official bracket for the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament is typically released in March, before the tournament begins.
The top teams are ranked and seeded on a national basis, while the remaining teams are seeded based on their geographic region. However, since the 2021 tournament, which was played at a single site, geographical considerations in seeding have been eliminated.
