Women's Basketball Travels to Hope for NCAA First Round

ERIE, Pa. - The Penn State Behrend women's basketball team will battle No. 9 Hope on Friday, March 6 at 8:30 p.m. in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament held at Hope College in Holland, Michigan at the DeVos Fieldhouse DeVette-VanWieren Court.

Illinois Wesleyan (22-5) will face Washington & Jefferson (22-6) in the first game on Friday at 6 p.m. The winners advance to the second round on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

The Lions (22-5) earned an automatic bid by capturing the 2026 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Tournament Championship. The Lions defeated No. 4 Alfred State 67-57 in the semifinals and then downed No. 2 Altoona in the title game 78-61.

Hope was named the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Tournament Champions with a 76-62 decision over Trine. The Flying Dutch (24-3) clinched the program's 25th postseason appearance and its 12th in its last 13 chances. 

Illinois Wesleyan (22-5), the winners of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament, will make the program's 17th NCAA Division III Tournament. The Green and White claimed their 12^th league tournament title with a 74-70 overtime win against No. 12 Carroll. Washington & Jefferson (22-6) posted a 64-43 win over St. Vincent in the Pennsylvania Athlete Conference (PAC) Championship game to earn the automatic bid.

This will be the Lions fifth trip to the NCAA Tournament.