The exhilarating “Madness” has arrived for women’s college basketball, and the NCAA tournament bracket is rapidly taking shape. As conference tournament championships unfold across the nation, teams are fiercely competing for automatic bids, securing their place in the prestigious 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. This period, often dubbed “Champ Week,” culminates on Selection Sunday, March 15, when the final automatic berths will be claimed.
Throughout this intense period, at least one automatic bid is on the line every single day, from March 7th through March 15th. We are diligently tracking all the thrilling action as it happens, with brackets for each Champ Week tournament being updated as they are finalized. The complete NCAA tournament bracket for the women’s games will be officially unveiled on March 15th.
Conference Champions Punch Their Tickets
Here’s a look at the teams that have already clinched their spots in the 2026 NCAA Tournament by winning their respective conference championships:
Ohio Valley Conference:
- Champion: Western Illinois Leathernecks
- Record: 26-5
- Title-Clinching Victory: 71-65 over Lindenwood
- Leading Scorer: Mia Nicastro (24.2 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: This marks their third appearance in the tournament and their first since 2017.
Southern Conference:
- Champion: Samford Bulldogs
- Record: 16-18
- Title-Clinching Victory: 72-67 over Chattanooga
- Leading Scorer: Kaylee Yarbrough (11.8 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Bulldogs are making their third appearance, with their last coming in 2012.
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC):
- Champion: Duke Blue Devils
- Record: 24-8
- Title-Clinching Victory: 70-65 (OT) over Louisville
- Leading Scorer: Toby Fournier (17.6 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: This is Duke’s 28th appearance and their fourth consecutive trip to the tournament.
Big Ten Conference:
- Champion: UCLA Bruins
- Record: 31-1
- Title-Clinching Victory: 96-45 over Iowa
- Leading Scorer: Lauren Betts (16.6 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Bruins are making their 21st appearance, marking their fourth straight bid.
Southeastern Conference (SEC):
- Champion: Texas Longhorns
- Record: 31-13
- Title-Clinching Victory: 78-61 over South Carolina
- Leading Scorer: Madison Booker (18.9 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: Texas boasts an impressive 38 appearances, with this being their 12th consecutive trip.
Atlantic 10 Conference:
- Champion: Rhode Island Rams
- Record: 28-4
- Title-Clinching Victory: 53-51 over George Mason
- Leading Scorer: Brooklyn Gray (12.4 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: This is the Rams’ second appearance, their first since 1996.
Summit League:
- Champion: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
- Record: 27-6
- Title-Clinching Victory: 64-51 over North Dakota State
- Leading Scorer: Brooklyn Meyer (22.3 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Jackrabbits have a rich tournament history with 14 appearances, including their last four consecutive.
Big 12 Conference:
- Champion: West Virginia Mountaineers
- Record: 27-6
- Title-Clinching Victory: 62-53 over TCU
- Leading Scorer: Jordan Harrison (12.9 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: West Virginia has made 17 appearances, with this being their fourth straight.
Big South Conference:
- Champion: High Point Panthers
- Record: 27-5
- Title-Clinching Victory: 71-67 over Radford
- Leading Scorer: Macy Spencer (18.8 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Panthers are making their third appearance and their second consecutive.
Sun Belt Conference:
- Champion: James Madison Dukes
- Record: 26-8
- Title-Clinching Victory: 69-62 over Troy
- Leading Scorer: Peyton McDaniel (18.6 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: This marks JMU’s 14th appearance, their first since 2023.
ASUN Conference:
- Champion: Jacksonville Dolphins
- Record: 24-8
- Title-Clinching Victory: 66-63 (OT) over Austin Peay
- Leading Scorer: Priscilla Williams (15.4 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Dolphins are heading to their second tournament, with their previous appearance in 2016.
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC):
- Champion: Fairfield Stags
- Record: 28-4
- Title-Clinching Victory: 51-44 over Quinnipiac
- Leading Scorer: Kaety L’Amoreaux (18.0 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: Fairfield is making its eighth appearance and third in a row.
Big East Conference:
- Champion: UConn Huskies
- Record: 34-0
- Title-Clinching Victory: 90-51 over Villanova
- Leading Scorer: Sarah Strong (18.5 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: UConn is a perennial powerhouse, securing their 37th appearance and an astounding 37th consecutive bid.
Horizon League:
- Champion: Green Bay Phoenix
- Record: 25-8
- Title-Clinching Victory: 57-49 over Youngstown State
- Leading Scorer: Jenna Guyer (14.9 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Phoenix are making their 21st appearance and third consecutive.
West Coast Conference (WCC):
- Champion: Gonzaga Bulldogs
- Record: 24-9
- Title-Clinching Victory: 76-66 over Oregon State
- Leading Scorer: Lauren Whittaker (19.2 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: Gonzaga has been to the tournament 16 times, with their last appearance in 2024.
Mountain West Conference:
- Champion: Colorado State Rams
- Record: 27-7
- Title-Clinching Victory: 56-42 over Air Force
- Leading Scorer: Lexus Bargesser (15.2 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Rams are making their seventh appearance, their first since 2016.
Big Sky Conference:
- Champion: Idaho Vandals
- Record: 29-5
- Title-Clinching Victory: 60-57 over Montana State
- Leading Scorer: Hope Hassmann (14.2 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: Idaho is making their fifth appearance, their first since 2016.
Southland Conference:
- Champion: Stephen F. Austin
- Record: 25-9
- Title-Clinching Victory: 71-59 over McNeese
- Leading Scorer: Key Roseby (13.2 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: Stephen F. Austin is making their 22nd appearance and second consecutive.
America East Conference:
- Champion: Vermont Catamounts
- Record: 27-7
- Title-Clinching Victory: 61-43 over Maine
- Leading Scorer: Nikola Priede (17.4 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Catamounts are headed to their ninth appearance, their second consecutive.
Mid-American Conference (MAC):
- Champion: Miami (OH) RedHawks
- Record: 28-6
- Title-Clinching Victory: 68-58 over Toledo
- Leading Scorer: Amber Tretter (14.2 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: This is Miami’s second appearance, their first since 2008.
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC):
- Champion: Southern Jaguars
- Record: 19-13
- Title-Clinching Victory: 73-56 over Alabama State
- Leading Scorer: DeMya Porter (9.7 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Jaguars are making their eighth appearance and second consecutive.
Western Athletic Conference (WAC):
- Champion: California Baptist Lancers
- Record: 24-10
- Title-Clinching Victory: 74-58 over Abilene Christian
- Leading Scorer: Lauren Olsen (15.0 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: CBU is making their second appearance, their first since 2024.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC):
- Champion: Howard Bison
- Record: 26-7
- Title-Clinching Victory: 53-46 over Norfolk State
- Leading Scorer: Zennia Thomas (15.2 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: Howard is making their seventh appearance, their first since 2022.
Conference USA:
- Champion: Missouri State Lady Bears
- Record: 22-12
- Title-Clinching Victory: 43-38 over Louisiana Tech
- Leading Scorer: Kaemyn Bekemeier (17.4 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: Missouri State has a storied tournament history with 18 appearances, their first since 2022.
Ivy League:
- Champion: Princeton Tigers
- Record: 26-3
- Title-Clinching Victory: 63-53 over Harvard
- Leading Scorer: Madison St. Rose (16.0 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Tigers are making their 13th appearance and fifth consecutive.
Big West Conference:
- Champion: UC San Diego Tritons
- Record: 24-8
- Title-Clinching Victory: 60-48 over Hawai’i
- Leading Scorer: Erin Condron (15.5 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: UC San Diego is making their second appearance and second consecutive.
American Conference:
- Champion: UTSA Roadrunners
- Record: 18-15
- Title-Clinching Victory: 54-40 over Rice
- Leading Scorer: Cheyenne Rowe (14.0 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: This is UTSA’s third appearance, their first since 2009.
Patriot League:
- Champion: Holy Cross Crusaders
- Record: 23-9
- Title-Clinching Victory: 77-70 over Lehigh
- Leading Scorer: Meg Cahalan (15.3 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: Holy Cross is making their 15th appearance, their first since 2024.
Northeast Conference:
- Champion: Fairleigh Dickinson Knights
- Record: 30-4
- Title-Clinching Victory: 79-57 over Long Island University
- Leading Scorer: Ava Renninger (12.7 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Knights are making their second appearance and second consecutive.
Coastal Athletic Association (CAA):
- Champion: Charleston Cougars
- Record: 27-5
- Title-Clinching Victory: 68-56 over Hofstra
- Leading Scorer: Taryn Barbot (19.5 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: This is Charleston’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Missouri Valley Conference:
- Champion: Murray State Racers
- Record: 31-3
- Title-Clinching Victory: 91-70 over Evansville
- Leading Scorer: Halli Poock (22.1 PPG)
- NCAA Tournament History: The Racers are making their third appearance and second consecutive.
