The 2026 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament was the annual single-elimination tournament hosted by the NCAA to determine the national champion of women's college basketball among its Division II member programs in the United States, culminating the 2025–26 NCAA Division II women's basketball season. The tournament featured 64 teams.
The national quarterfinals (Elite Eight), semifinals, and finals were played from March 24–28, 2026 at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh.
Grand Valley State defeated Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the championship game, 72–49, the Lakers' third Division II national title and second in a row.
Tournament schedule and venues
Regionals First, second, and third-round games (the latter of which served as a regional championship) were held at campus sites from March 13–16, 2026. The top-seeded team in each regional served as host.
Elite Eight The national quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals were held at a predetermined site, the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh. Teams remaining were reseeded for the Elite Eight.
Automatic bids Automatic bids Region (Bids) Conference School Record Atlantic (3)CIAA Winston-Salem State 26-3Mountain EastUniversity of Charleston21–10PSACIndiana (PA)26–3Central (3)Great AmericanNorthwestern Oklahoma State22–9MIAAWashburn24–7Northern Sun Concordia-St. Paul 24-6East (3)CACCFelician24–7East CoastDaemen24–3Northeast–10Southern Connecticut State24–5Midwest (3)GLIACGrand Valley State31-1GLVCMaryville25–6Great Midwest Northwood 26-5South (3)Gulf SouthUnion (TN)24–9SIAC Miles 25-5Sunshine StateNova Southeastern27–4South Central (2)Lone StarTexas Woman's29–1RMAC Colorado Mesa 33-1Southeast (3)CarolinasLees-McRae23–7Peach BeltAugusta21–9South Atlantic Coker 25-6West (3)CCAA Cal State LA 24-6Great Northwest Montana State Billings 20-14PacWest Vanguard 24-5
Bracket Atlantic regional Site: Indiana, Pennsylvania (Indiana (PA))
Central regional Site: Mankato, Minnesota (Minnesota State)
East regional Site: New Haven, Connecticut (Southern Connecticut State)
Midwest regional Site: Allendale, Michigan (Grand Valley State)
South regional Site: Huntsville, Alabama (Alabama-Huntsville)
South Central regional Site: Denton, Texas (Texas Woman's)
Southeast regional Site: Harrogate, Tennessee (Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters)
West regional Site: Ellensburg, Washington (Central Washington)
Elite Eight Site: UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* denotes overtime
See also 2026 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament 2026 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament 2026 NAIA women's basketball tournament 2026 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament
References