SWOSU Sports
Doug Self, Sports Information Director
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – SWOSU Women’s Basketball will enter the NCAA Division II National Tournament as the No. 3-seed in the Central Region and face No. 6-seed Fort Hays State on Friday evening in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The tournament bracket was announced on Sunday night during the Selection Show on NCAA.com.
SWOSU will be facing Fort Hays State, a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Association (MIAA) who finished 25-6 on the season and third in the MIAA regular season standings. The Tigers advanced all the way to the MIAA Championship game in their conference tournament before finally falling to Lindenwood and will come into the contest having won six of their last seven games and 13 of their last 15.
Augustana (SD) claimed the No. 1-seed and the right to host the tournament after winning the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament Championship and finishing the season 27-3. Central Missouri (24-3) was tabbed the No. 2-seed, followed by SWOSU (26-4) at No. 3, and fellow GAC member and GAC Tournament Champion Arkansas Tech (26-3) at No. 4. Seeds four through eight (in order) were Northern State (25-5), Fort Hays State (25-6), MSU Moorhead (23-5), and Lindenwood (20-12).
This is the third NCAA Division II tournament appearance for the Lady Bulldogs, who also competed in the event in 2013 and 2014. SWOSU is 1-2 overall in the NCAA national tournament, with a victory over Central Missouri in the opening round in 2013 before falling to Augustana in the semifinals in Topeka, Kansas. After receiving the automatic bid to the regional in 2014, the Lady Bulldogs fell to Emporia State in the opening round held in Searcy, Arkansas.
SWOSU enters the postseason with a record of 26-4, which set a new program record for wins during the NCAA Division II era. Great American Conference Coach of the Year Kelsi Musick has now guided the Lady Bulldogs to five 20-win seasons and three NCAA Division II National Tournament appearances.
Tipoff times for the regional games will be announced on Monday.
NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament
First Round Matchups
(1) Augustana vs. (8) Lindenwood
(2) Central Missouri vs. (7) MSU Moorhead
(3) SWOSU vs. (6) Fort Hays State
(4) Arkansas Tech vs. (5) Northern State