It's time to fill out that NCAA tournament bracket, as 68 women's basketball teams discovered their 2026 March Madness paths in the Selection Sunday show over the weekend.
The undefeated UConn Huskies enters the NCAA tournament bracket as the No. 1 overall top seed, with the defending national champs joined by fellow No. 1-seeds UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas at the top of their quadrants.
"There are a lot of good teams out there, and there are times I felt like we deserved a No. 1 seed based on our wins, our record, who we have beaten, and it didn't pan out that way," reflected Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma. "This year, it did."
It only gets harder from here, however, as No. 2-seeds Vanderbilt, LSU, Michigan, and Iowa eye matchups with their higher-seeded competition.
Should UConn and Vanderbilt meet in the Elite Eight, Auriemma will face his former protege, after Commodores boss Shea Ralph won the 2000 NCAA title as a Husky before spending 13 years on UConn's coaching staff.
"The NCAA Tournament is the best sporting event in the world," Ralph said on Sunday night. "We're thrilled with the work that we've done this season to put ourselves in position to do well, but we're really not looking past the first game. We can't. It's a one-game season now."
How to Watch the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
The 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament opens with the First Four games on Wednesday and Thursday.
The play-in round will tip off with Nebraska taking on fellow potential No. 11-seed Richmond at 7 PM ET on Wednesday before Missouri State and Stephen F. Austin battle for a No. 16 seed at 9 PM ET.
Thursday will see Southern facing Samford for the final No. 16-seed spot at 7 PM ET, with a No. 10-seed entry on the line when Virginia takes on Arizona State at 9 PM ET.
All First Four games will air live on ESPN2.
