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NCAA | March 15, 2021

2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament bracket revealed

The best 3-point shooters in women's basketball, by the numbers

SAN ANTONIO — In pursuit of the school’s third national championship, the Stanford Cardinal were named the top seed of the 64-team field for the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship that will be played March 21-April 4 in the San Antonio region.

The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee awarded No. 1 seeds to Stanford (25-2), UConn (24-1), NC State (20-2) and South Carolina (22-4). All four schools come into the tournament having won their respective conference tournament championships.

Six championship rounds featuring 63 games will be played using five venues and six courts in San Antonio, Austin and San Marcos, Texas, with the Alamodome hosting two of those courts. First-round play will take place March 21-22 at the Alamodome, Bill Greehey Arena on the campus of St. Mary’s (Texas), Frank Erwin Center (Texas), University Events Center (Texas State) and the UTSA Convocation Center. Second-round play will shift entirely to venues in San Antonio, with the Alamodome, Bill Greehey Arena and the UTSA Convocation Center playing host March 23-24. The championship will shift to the Alamodome for all remaining rounds, with the Sweet 16 games played March 27-28, Elite Eight games held March 29-30 and the Women’s Final Four conducted April 2 and 4.

Stanford, which comes into the championship play having won 14 straight games, previously claimed national championships in 1990 and 1992. Winners of a record 11 national championships, UConn comes into the tournament also on a 14-game winning streak. NC State earned its first No. 1 seed in program history after claiming the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title, while South Carolina, which won the Southeastern Conference tournament championship, will be looking for its second national championship after claiming the 2017 title.

KEEP UP: Live coverage of the DI women's college basketball tournament

Tennessee continues its appearance streak and is the only school to participate in all 39 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championships since its inception in 1982. On the other end of the spectrum, Bradley, High Point, Stony Brook and Utah Valley all are making their first NCAA tournament appearances.

Thirty-one conferences were granted automatic bids for the championship, and the remaining 33 teams were selected at-large.

In the 38-year history of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, 15 schools have captured the national title. UConn leads the way with 11 national championships, followed by Tennessee with eight. Baylor is the defending national champion, having won the title in 2019 in Tampa, Fla.

2021 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS (31)

Conference                   Team                                Record      App.    Won    Lost   Last appearance

America East                 Stony Brook                      15-5               FIRST APPEARANCE 

American Athletic         South Fla.                          18-3             6           3          6            2018

Atlantic Coast                NC State                           20-2           25         24        25            2019      

Atlantic Sun                   FGCU                               26-2             6           2          6            2019

Atlantic 10                     VCU                                  16-10           1           0          1            2009

Big East                         UConn                              24-1           31       121        20            2019      

Big Sky                          Idaho St.                            22-3             3           0          3            2012

Big South                       High Point                         22-6               FIRST APPEARANCE

Big Ten                          Maryland                          24-2           27         46        26            2019

Big 12                            Baylor                               25-2           18         50        15            2019

Big West                        UC Davis                          13-2             2           0          2            2019

Colonial                         Drexel                               14-8             1           0          1            2009

Conference USA            Middle Tenn.                    17-7           18           5        18            2016

Horizon                          Wright St.                         18-7             2           0          2            2019

Metro Atlantic               Marist                                18-3           10           4        10            2014

Mid-American               Central Mich.                    18-8             5           2          5            2019

Mid-Eastern                   NC A&T                           14-2             4           0          4            2018

Missouri Valley             Bradley                             17-11             FIRST APPEARANCE

Mountain West              Wyoming                          14-9             1           0          1            2008      

Northeast                       Mount St. Mary’s             17-6             2           0          2            1995

Ohio Valley                   Belmont                            20-5             5           0          5            2019

Pac-12                            Stanford                            25-2           33         89        31            2019

Patriot                            Lehigh                               10-5             3           0          3            2010

Southeastern                  South Carolina                  22-4           16         30        15            2019

Southern                         Mercer                              19-6             2           0          2            2019

Southland                       SFA                                   24-2           18         10        18            2006

Southwestern                 Jackson St.                        18-5             4           0          4            2008

Summit                          South Dakota                    19-5             2           0          2            2019

Sun Belt                         Troy                                  22-5             3           0          3            2017

West Coast                     Gonzaga                            23-3           11         11        11            2019

Western Athletic            Utah Valley                       13-6               FIRST APPEARANCE

 

2021 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
AT-LARGE SELECTIONS (33)

                                                                                2020-21      Previous                           Last

Team                             Conference                      Record      App.    Won    Lost    Last appearance

Alabama                         Southeastern                     16-9           10         16        10            1999

Arkansas                        Southeastern                     19-8           11         14        11            2015

Arizona                          Pac-12                               16-5             7           6          7            2005

BYU                               West Coast                        18-5           13           6        13            2019

Florida St.                      Atlantic Coast                   10-8           18         24        18            2019      

Georgia                          Southeastern                     20-6           33         56        33            2018

Georgia Tech                 Atlantic Coast                   15-8             9         59          9            2014

Indiana                           Big Ten                             18-5             6           3          6            2019

Iowa                               Big Ten                             18-9           26         24        26            2019

Iowa St.                          Big 12                               16-10         18         18        18            2019

Kentucky                       Southeastern                     17-8           15         21        15            2019

Louisville                       Atlantic Coast                   23-3           22         34        22            2019

Marquette                       Big East                            19-6           12           6        12            2019

Michigan                        Big Ten                             14-5             8           5          8            2019

Michigan St.                  Big Ten                             15-8           17         19        17            2019

Missouri St.                   Missouri Valley                21-2           15         16        15            2019

Northwestern                 Big Ten                             15-8             7           3          7            2015    

North Carolina               Atlantic Coast                   13-10         27         47        26            2019

Oklahoma St.                 Big 12                               18-8           15         11        15            2018

Oregon                           Pac-12                               13-8           15         15        15            2019

Oregon St.                      Pac-12                               11-7           11         15        11            2019

Rutgers                           Big Ten                             14-4           25         36        25            2019

South Dakota St.            Summit                             21-3             9           4          9            2019

Syracuse                         Atlantic Coast                   14-8           11           9        11            2019

Tennessee                      Southeastern                     16-7           38       125        30            2019

Texas                             Big 12                               18-9           32         42        31            2019

Texas A&M                   Southeastern                     23-2           16         27        15            2019

UCF                               American Athletic            16-4             5           0          5            2011

UCLA                            Pac-12                               16-5           16         20        16            2019

Virginia Tech                 Atlantic Coast                   14-9             9           8          9            2006

Wake Forest                   Atlantic Coast                   12-12           1           1          1            1988

Washington St.              Pac-12                               12-11           1           0          1            1991

West Virginia                Big 12                               21-6           12         10        12            2017

 

2021 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

TEAMS BY CONFERENCE

*Automatic Qualifier

 

America East (1)

Stony Brook*

 

American Athletic (2)

South Florida*

UCF

Atlantic Coast (8)

Florida State

Georgia Tech

Louisville

North Carolina

NC State*

Syracuse

Virginia Tech

Wake Forest

Atlantic Sun (1)

 FGCU*

Atlantic-10 (1)

VCU*

Big East (2)

Marquette

UConn*

Big Sky (1)

Idaho State*

Big South (1)

High Point*

Big Ten (7)

Indiana

Iowa

Maryland*

Michigan

Michigan State

Northwestern

Rutgers

Big 12 (5)

Baylor*

Iowa State

Oklahoma State

Texas

West Virginia

Big West (1)

UC Davis*

Colonial (1)

Drexel*

Conference USA (1)

Middle Tennessee

Horizon (1)

Wright State

Metro Atlantic (1)

Marist*

 

Mid-American (1)

Central Michigan

Mid-Eastern (1)

NC A&T*

Missouri Valley (2)

Bradley*

Missouri State

Mountain West (1)

Wyoming*

Northeast (1)

Mount St. Mary’s*

Ohio Valley (1)

Belmont*

Pac-12 (6)

Arizona

Oregon

Oregon State

Stanford*

UCLA

Washington State

Patriot (1)

Lehigh*

 

Southeastern (7)

Alabama

Arkansas

Georgia

Kentucky

South Carolina*

Tennessee

Texas A&M

Southern (1)

Mercer*

Southland (1)

SFA*

Southwestern (1)

Jackson State

Summit (2)

South Dakota*

South Dakota State

Sun Belt (1)

Troy*

West Coast (2)

BYU

Gonzaga*

Western Athletic (1)

Utah Valley*

 

2021 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

NUMBER OF APPEARANCES BY TEAMS

                                                                                                                   

39th APPEARANCE (1)

Tennessee (all years since 1982)

34th APPEARANCE (2)

Georgia (1982-83-84-85-86-87-88-89-90-91-93-95-96-97-98-99-2000-01-02-03-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-16-18-21)

Stanford (1982-88-89-90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99, 2000-01-02-03-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

33rd APPEARANCE (1)

Texas (1983-84-85-86-87-88-89-90-91-92-93-94-96-97-99, 2000-01-02-03-04-05-08-09-10-11-12-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

 

32nd APPEARANCE (1)

UConn (1989-90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99, 2000-01-02-03-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

28th APPEARANCE (2)

Maryland (1982-83-84-86-88-89-90-91-92-93-97, 2001-04-05-06-07-08-09-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

North Carolina (1983-84-85-86-87-92-93-94-95-97-98-99, 2000-02-03-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-13-14-15-19-21)

27th APPEARANCE (1)

Iowa (1986-87-88-89-90-91-92-93-94-96-97-98, 2001-02-04-06-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-18-19-21)

26th APPEARANCE (2)

NC State (1982-83-84-85-86-87-89-90-91-95-96-97-98-99, 2000-01-04-05-06-07-10-14-17-18-19-21)

Rutgers (1986-87-88-89-90-91-92-93-94-98-99, 2000-01-03-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-15-19-21)

23rd APPEARANCE (1)

Louisville (1983-84-93-95-97-98-99, 2001-05-06-07-08-09-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

19th APPEARANCE (5)

Baylor (2001-02-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

Florida St. (1983-90-91, 2001-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

Iowa St. (1997-98-99, 2000-01-02-05-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21)

Middle Tenn. (1983-84-85-86-88-96-98-2004-05-06-07-09-10-11-12-13-14-16-21)

SFA (1982-83-88-89-90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99-2000-01-02-06-21)

18th APPEARANCE (1)

Michigan State (1991-96-97, 2003-04-05-06-07-09-10-11-12-13-14-16-17-19)

 

17th APPEARANCE (3)

South Carolina (1982-86-88-89-90-91, 2002-03-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

Texas A&M (1994-96, 2006-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

UCLA (1983-85-90-92-98-99, 2000-04-06-10-11-13-16-17-18-19-21)

16th APPEARANCE (4)

Kentucky (1982-83-86-91-99, 2006-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21)

Missouri State (1991-92-93-94-95-96-98-99, 2000-01-03-04-06-16-19-21)

Oklahoma State (1989-90-91-93-94-95-96-2007-08-10-13-14-15-16-18-21)

Oregon (1982-84-87-94-95-96-97-98-99, 2000-01-05-17-18-19-21)

14th APPEARANCE (1)

BYU (1984-85-93, 2000-02-03-06-07-12-14-15-16-19-21)

13th APPEARANCE (2)

Marquette (1994-95-97-98-99, 2000-04-07-11-17-18-19-21)

West Virginia (1989-92-2004-07-08-10-11-12-13-14-16-17)

12th APPEARANCE (4)

Arkansas (1986-89-90-91-95-98-2001-02-03-12-15)

Gonzaga (2007-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-17-18-19-21)

Oregon St. (1983-84-94-95-96, 2014-15-16-17-18-19-21)

Syracuse (1985-88, 2002-08-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21)

11th APPEARANCE (2)

Alabama (1984-88-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99-2021)

Marist (2004-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-21)

10th APPEARANCE (3)

Georgia Tech (1993-2003-07-08-09-10-11-12-14-21)

South Dakota State (2009-10-11-12-13-15-16-18-19-21)

Virginia Tech (1994-95-98-99-2001-03-04-05-06-21)

NINTH APPEARANCE (1)

Michigan (1990-98, 2000-01-12-13-18-19-21)

EIGHTH APPEARANCE (2)

Arizona (1997-98-99-2000-03-04-05-21)

Northwestern (1982-87-90-91-93-97-2015-21)

SEVENTH APPEARANCE (3)

FGCU (2012-14-15-17-18-19-21)

Indiana (1983-94-95, 2002-16-19-21)

South Florida (2006-13-15-16-17-18-21)

SIXTH APPEARANCE (3)

Belmont (2007-16-17-18-19-21)

Central Michigan (1983-84, 2013-18-19-21)

UCF (1996-99, 2009-11-19-21)

FIFTH APPEARANCE (2)

Jackson State (1982-83-95-2008-21)

NC A&T (1994-2009-16-18-21)

FOURTH APPEARANCE (3)

Idaho State (2001-07-12-21)

Lehigh (1997-2009-10-21)

Troy (1997-2016-17-21)

THIRD APPEARANCE (5)

Mount St. Mary’s (1994-95-2021)

Mercer (2018-19-21)

South Dakota (2014-19-21)

UC Davis (2011-19-21)

Wright St. (2014-19-21)

 

SECOND APPEARANCE (5)

Drexel (2009)

VCU (2009)

Wake Forest (1988-2021)

Washington St. (1991-2021)

Wyoming (2008)

FIRST APPEARANCE (4)

Bradley (2021)

High Point (2021)

Stony Brook (2021)

Utah Valley (2021)

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