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)

Women's NCAA tournament

Maryland women win Big Ten

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