James Madison was excluded from the field of 68, while the Ivy League achieved a historic milestone with three bids for the first time ever.
The 68-team field for the 2025 women’s NCAA tournament is now set, marking the beginning of an exciting season of college basketball.
On the top-line seeds, there were no major surprises, with UCLA, South Carolina, Texas, and USC securing the No. 1 seeds in that order. The Big Ten led the way with 12 teams in the tournament, followed closely by the SEC with 10 and the ACC with eight.
For the first time in NCAA tournament history, the Ivy League sends three teams: Regular season champion Columbia is a No. 11 seed, Ivy Madness winner Harvard is seeded 10th, and Princeton, making its sixth consecutive appearance, earned an at-large bid with an 11th seed. Both Columbia and Princeton will compete in the First Four games.
Throughout the bracket, teams experienced a mix of triumph and disappointment. Some celebrated their selection, while others faced heartbreak.
Winner: UCLA
The Bruins had an impressive regular season with only two losses, both to rival USC. However, they redeemed themselves by defeating USC in the Big Ten title game. UCLA also secured notable wins against South Carolina, Louisville, Michigan, Baylor, Maryland, and Ohio State.
UCLA has achieved a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. With past Sweet 16 exits, Cori Close’s team is eager to reach its first Final Four.
Despite South Carolina’s strong performance, including the most Quad 1 wins, the Bruins claimed the No. 1 overall seed. NCAA Selection Committee member Derita Dawkins noted that South Carolina’s significant loss to UConn impacted their bid for the top seed.
Winner: The Ivy League
Following last year’s two bids to the NCAA tournament, the Ivy League has made a statement by securing three teams this year, reinforcing its reputation as the premier mid-major conference.
All three Ivy teams have consistently performed at a high level throughout the season, achieving commendable NET rankings and combined for 13 wins against Quad 1 and 2 opponents.
Loser: James Madison
James Madison’s hopes for an NCAA tournament bid were dashed following a heartbreaking loss in the Sun Belt tournament title game. Despite an impressive resume, many believed they deserved an at-large bid as a mid-major.
The Dukes received votes in both the AP and Coaches polls, finished the regular season undefeated in the Sun Belt, and boasted a strong non-conference strength of schedule ranked 26th nationally. With 28 Division I wins, they were among the top mid-major teams, finishing 29th in RPI.
Ultimately, James Madison’s lack of Quad 1 victories hurt their chances, especially compared to the Ivy teams that secured at least one.
Winner: North Carolina’s Research Triangle
For the first time since 1998, all three teams in the Triangle region—N.C. State, Duke, and UNC—will host games during the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament. Coupled with the men’s games in Raleigh’s Lenovo Center, Tobacco Road will be the epicenter of college basketball excitement.
Courtney Banghart’s Tar Heels were initially concerned when Baylor and Maryland were named No. 4 seeds, but UNC secured a No. 3 seed in the Birmingham 2 region, set to face Oregon State in the first round. A potential second-round matchup against Columbia, coached by Banghart’s former protege Megan Griffith, looms ahead.
Duke and N.C. State both earned No. 2 seeds, with the Wolfpack in the Spokane 1 region and the Blue Devils in the Birmingham 2. This sets the stage for a potential third meeting between Duke and North Carolina in the Sweet 16, with Duke needing to navigate past former Tar Heel Deja Kelly, now with the Oregon Ducks, who are seeded 10th.
Loser: Notre Dame
Just weeks ago, Notre Dame was ranked as the No. 1 team in the country by the Associated Press. However, following a double-overtime defeat to N.C. State, the Irish have lost three of their last five games. The Selection Committee appeared to penalize Niele Ivey’s squad for their late-season struggles, assigning them a No. 3 seed in the Birmingham 3 region.
This challenging draw contrasts with their earlier performances, where they defeated Texas, USC, UConn, North Carolina, and Duke—an impressive feat unmatched by any other team this season.
To reach the Final Four for the first time since 2019, Notre Dame may need to face Texas again.
