Andrew Pace
The acronym WBIT stands for the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament. It is an annual 32-team postseason basketball tournament for women, owned and funded by the NCAA. The WBIT was created to provide equitable postseason opportunities for women's basketball teams, similar to those of men's basketball. The tournament is expected to begin in 2024 and will be held independently of other women's basketball postseason tournaments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament |
| Organizer | NCAA |
| Number of Teams | 32 |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Selection Committee | 5 former Division I women's basketball coaches and 3 current/former Division I athletic administrators |
| Tournament Format | Single-elimination |
| Tournament Type | "Pay-to-play" tournament |
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What You'll Learn
- The Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) is an annual 32-team postseason tournament for women's basketball, owned and funded by the NCAA
- The WBIT is a pay-to-play tournament, where teams pay a fee to enter and cover travel expenses
- Teams that don't make the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament are eligible for the WBIT
- The WBIT is a new event that exists independently of all other women's basketball postseason tournaments
- The 2025 WBIT was won by the Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) is an annual 32-team postseason tournament for women's basketball, owned and funded by the NCAA
The Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) is an annual postseason tournament for women's basketball teams from NCAA Division I institutions. The tournament is owned and funded by the NCAA and was created to provide equitable postseason opportunities for women's basketball, addressing a recommendation from the 2021 Gender Equity Report.
The WBIT is a 32-team single-elimination tournament that began in 2024. It complements the existing 68-team NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship and ensures that women's basketball teams have access to the same number of postseason opportunities as their male counterparts. The WBIT is a "pay-to-play" tournament, with teams covering entry fees and travel expenses.
The creation of the WBIT is a significant step towards gender equity in college basketball. With the addition of the WBIT, there will be 100 postseason NCAA-funded opportunities available for women's basketball teams, matching the number available for men's basketball. This increase in postseason tournaments for women's basketball supports the NCAA's strategic goals of providing a transformational student-athlete experience, quality competition, and memorable championships.
The WBIT is an independent event that exists alongside other women's basketball postseason tournaments, such as the WNIT (Women's National Invitation Tournament). The WBIT selection committee, composed of former Division I women's basketball coaches and athletic administrators, is responsible for choosing the participating teams. In its first season, Southern Indiana won the tournament, showcasing the talent and competitiveness of the participating teams.
The WBIT is a welcome addition to the women's basketball landscape, providing more opportunities for teams to compete and showcase their skills. It offers a platform for teams that may have missed out on other postseason tournaments, contributing to the growth and development of women's basketball and creating more exciting competitions for fans to enjoy.
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The WBIT is a pay-to-play tournament, where teams pay a fee to enter and cover travel expenses
The WBIT, or Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament, is an annual 32-team postseason tournament for women's basketball that is owned and funded by the NCAA. The tournament was first announced in 2023 and held in 2024, with the aim of providing equitable postseason opportunities for women's basketball similar to that of men's basketball. The creation of the WBIT was a recommendation from the 2021 Gender Equity Report.
The WBIT is a pay-to-play tournament, where teams pay a fee to enter and cover their travel expenses. This is a key difference between the WBIT and other tournaments such as the March Madness tournament. The WBIT provides an opportunity for teams that did not get the bid for the NCAA tournament to compete in a postseason tournament.
The teams that participate in the WBIT are selected by the WBIT selection committee, which is comprised of five former Division I women's basketball coaches and three current or former Division I athletic administrators. The selection process considers teams that have won their regular-season conference titles but did not receive a bid for the March Madness tournament. These teams will receive an automatic bid into the WBIT, with the first four teams out of the March Madness tournament receiving one of the top four seeds.
The WBIT has experienced some changes in the number of participating teams. In 2021, the tournament expanded to 64 teams, but it was reduced to 48 teams for the 2024 season due to the creation of the WBIT. The WBIT is a single-elimination tournament, with the first three rounds played on various school campuses and the semifinal and championship games held at a central location. For example, in 2025, the semifinal and championship games were played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Teams that don't make the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament are eligible for the WBIT
The Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) is an annual 32-team postseason tournament for women's basketball, owned and funded by the NCAA. It was announced in 2023 and the first tournament will be held in 2024. The WBIT is a new, independent event that will provide equitable postseason opportunities for women's basketball teams, similar to that of men's basketball.
The WBIT selection committee, comprised of former Division I women's basketball coaches and athletic administrators, will be responsible for selecting the 32 teams. The first four teams out of the NCAA DI women's basketball tournament will receive an automatic bid into the WBIT, as will regular-season champions of DI conferences not otherwise selected for the NCAA tournament. The remaining teams will be chosen by the selection committee.
Another tournament that teams that don't make the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament are eligible for is the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI). The WBI is a women's college basketball tournament created in 2009 by Sport Tours. It is a separate and unrelated tournament to the WBIT, although they share a similar name.
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The WBIT is a new event that exists independently of all other women's basketball postseason tournaments
The WBIT, or Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament, is a new annual event that exists independently of all other women's basketball postseason tournaments. It was announced by the NCAA in 2023 and will be held annually beginning in 2024. The tournament will feature 32 teams and will be owned and funded by the NCAA.
The creation of the WBIT ensures that the NCAA provides equitable postseason opportunities for women's basketball similar to those of men's basketball, addressing a recommendation from the 2021 Gender Equity Report. With the addition of the WBIT, there will now be 100 postseason NCAA-funded opportunities available for women's basketball teams, equal to that of men's basketball through their two events.
The WBIT is a "pay-to-play" tournament, where teams pay a fee to enter and cover their travel expenses. Division I teams that win their regular-season conference title but don't receive a bid for the NCAA tournament or WNIT will receive an automatic bid into the WBIT. The first four teams out of the March Madness tournament will also receive an automatic bid and one of the top four seeds in the WBIT.
The WBIT is a welcome addition to women's postseason college basketball, providing more opportunities for teams to compete and showcasing the growth and development of women's basketball. It is expected to support the NCAA's strategic goals of offering a transformational student-athlete experience, quality competition, and memorable championships.
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The 2025 WBIT was won by the Minnesota Golden Gophers
The 2025 WBIT, or Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament, was won by the Minnesota Golden Gophers. This tournament is an annual 32-team postseason tournament for women's basketball, owned and funded by the NCAA. The creation of the WBIT ensures that the NCAA provides equitable postseason opportunities for women's basketball, similar to that of men's basketball.
The 2025 WBIT was a single-elimination tournament of 32 NCAA Division I women's college basketball teams not selected to participate in the 2025 NCAA tournament. The tournament began on March 20 and concluded on April 2, with the semifinal and championship games taking place at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers showcased their basketball prowess and emerged as the champions of the 2025 WBIT, defeating the Belmont Bruins. Minnesota stood out as the sole representative from the Big Ten conference invited to the tournament. Their victory in the WBIT underscores their talent and determination on the court.
The WBIT is a relatively new addition to the women's postseason basketball landscape, with its inaugural edition taking place in 2024. The tournament is designed to provide additional opportunities for women's basketball teams to compete and pursue memorable championships. The WBIT exists independently of all other women's basketball postseason tournaments, offering a unique platform for teams to showcase their skills.
The success of the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 2025 WBIT highlights the team's resilience and dedication to the sport. Their triumph serves as a testament to the hard work and talent of the players and coaching staff, solidifying their place in the history of this prestigious tournament.
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Frequently asked questions
WBIT stands for the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament.
The WBIT was created in 2023 and is owned and funded by the NCAA. The first WBIT tournament took place in 2024.
The WBIT is a 32-team postseason tournament for women's basketball.
