The Arkansas Razorbacks women's basketball team represents the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States in NCAA Division I women's basketball competition. The school's team currently competes in the Southeastern Conference.

The basketball team plays its home games in Bud Walton Arena on the University of Arkansas campus and are led by first-year head coach Kelsi Musick.

History Women's basketball has been a part of the fabric of the University of Arkansas for almost a century. Teams of female students took to outdoor courts and peach baskets just after the turn of the century. While the women waited until 1976 for the first varsity team to officially represent the University, these early photos show how the game captured what was then deemed “the fairer sex” in action.

Arkansas' women's basketball history can be definitively traced to the 1976–77 season when the University began keeping records. Since that time, the Razorback women's basketball team has made two SWAIAW Regional appearances, one AIAW Sweet 16 appearance, 8 NWIT and WNIT appearances, and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances including reaching the Final Four in 1998, winning the WNIT in 1999, beating Wisconsin 67–64, and winning the NWIT in 1987, beating California 112-80.

SWC Title Arkansas was the first team to beat Texas and the first team to win a share, then later an outright, Southwest Conference championship besides the Lady Longhorns. In 1991, Arkansas also ended the Texas’ dominance of the SWC tournament by defeating Texas Tech for the title. These three trophies— the 1990 and 1991 regular season championships and 1991 SWC Classic tournament title—are the only SWC women’s basketball trophies in captivity outside the state of Texas.

NCAA Final Four In 1998, Arkansas made NCAA Tournament history as the lowest seed–#9 in the West—to advance to the Final Four. They were the first unranked team in women’s basketball history during the modern era to reach the Final Four. And, they were the lowest finishing team in conference play—tied for sixth in the SEC—to reach the Final Four. Arkansas spent two weeks in the Bay Area. Along the way, the Razorbacks beat three conference champions—WAC, Pacific, Ivy and ACC—and three ranked teams—Hawai’i, Kansas and Duke—to face conference rival Tennessee at Kansas City.

Arkansas played all four of its pre-Final Four games on late night TV, earning the nickname of Good Morning America’s team. Every member of the team contributed to the run, starting with a 24-point effort by Karyn Karlin in the opening round win over #20 Hawai’i, 76–70. Then it was freshman Wendi Willits’ turn with a near-NCAA record six three-pointers to blow open Arkansas’ second round contest with Harvard, 82–64. In the opening round games held at Stanford, Christy Smith had zero turnovers and 16 assists.

At the West Regionals in Oakland, junior Sytia Messer stepped to the front as Arkansas’ leading scorer in both wins, earning herself the honor as the most outstanding player at the West Regional. Messer had 23 points as Arkansas used an impressive 54-point second half to dispatch Kansas, 79–63, in the Sweet 16. Fellow junior Treva Christensen announced herself with 14 points off the bench against Duke to earn all-tournament selection. Junior Tennille Adams was 6-of-9 with 14 off the bench including the go-ahead bucket in the closing minutes against Duke.

Smith calmly sank four free throws in the final seconds to send Arkansas to the Final Four for the first time with a 77–72 win over ACC champion Duke.

List of head coaches Sharon Ogle (1976–1978) Joan Henn (1978–1981) Matilda Willis (1981–1984) John Sutherland (1984–1993) Gary Blair (1993–2003) Susie Gardner (2003–2007) Tom Collen (2007–2014) Jimmy Dykes (2014–2017) Mike Neighbors (2017–2025) Kelsi Musick (2025–present)

Postseason

NCAA Division I The Razorbacks have appeared in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament thirteen times. Their record is 14–13.

1986 #8 First Round #9 Missouri L 65–66 1989 #12 First Round #5 Purdue L 63–91 1990 #7 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #10 UCLA#2 Georgia#3 Stephen F. Austin#1 Stanford W 90–80 (OT)W 81–70W 87–82L 87–114 1991 #3 Second RoundSweet Sixteen #6 Northwestern#10 Lamar W 105–68L 75–91 1995 #6 First RoundSecond Round #11 San Francisco#3 Washington W 67–58L 50–54 1998 #9 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal Four #8 Hawaii#16 Harvard#5 Kansas#2 Duke#1 Tennessee W 76–70W 82–64W 79–63W 77–72L 58–86 2001 #9 First RoundSecond Round #8 Baylor#1 Duke W 68–59L 54–75 2002 #6 First RoundSecond Round #11 Clemson#3 Kansas State W 78–68L 68–82 2003 #7 First RoundSecond Round #10 Cincinnati#2 Texas W 71–57L 50–67 2012 #6 First RoundSecond Round #11 Dayton#3 Texas A&M W 72–55L 59–61 2015 #10 First RoundSecond Round #7 Northwestern#2 Baylor W 57–55L 44–73 2021 #4 First Round #13 Wright State L 62–662022#10First Round#7 UtahL 69–92

WNIT Source

Overtime period - * 1999FirstNorthwestern StateW 78–60SecondOklahomaW 97–93*QuarterfinalsRiceW 76–60Semi finalsDrakeW 67–64FinalsWisconsinW 80–772000FirstWichita StateW 83–63SecondMissouriW 89–88QuarterfinalsGeorgia TechW 78–67Semi finalsFloridaL 83–622005FirstUNLVW 61–48SecondArkansas StateL 98–842009Round 2Oklahoma StateW 61–60 *Round 3KansasL 75–592011FirstLamarW 91–65SecondMissouri StateW 65–64Regional semifinalsOral RobertsW 78–59Regional finalsIllinois StateL 60–492013FirstMemphisW 67–57SecondTulaneL 60–482019Round 1HoustonW 88–80 *Round 2UABW 100–52Round 3TCUL 82–782023Round 1Louisiana TechW 69–47Round 2Stephen F. AustinW 60–37Super 16Texas TechW 71–66Great 8KansasL 78–64

AIAW Division I The Razorbacks made one appearance in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 0–1.

1982 First Round California L, 62–66

References

External links