Women’s March Madness: The Exciting Championship Tournament

Written by: Keya Gambhir

When people talk about March Madness, they often think about the men’s college basketball tournament. But there is also an incredible Women’s NCAA March Madness Tournament, and it is one of the most exciting events in women’s sports.

Women’s March Madness is the nickname for the NCAA Division I women’s basketball championship tournament. It takes place every year in March and April, at the same time as the men’s tournament. Just like the men’s version, it features 68 teams competing in a single-elimination tournament. That means if a team loses one game, its season is over.

There are about 350 Division I women’s basketball teams in the country, but only 68 make the tournament. So how do they qualify?

How Teams Are Selected

Thirty-two teams earn an automatic spot in the tournament by winning their conference championships. The remaining 34 teams are chosen by the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. This committee looks at how teams performed during the regular season and decides which teams deserve an at-large bid.

The committee also ranks, or “seeds,” the teams. Seeding means placing teams in order from strongest to weakest within the bracket. These rankings are announced on Selection Sunday, which is one of the most anticipated days of the season.

After the First Four games, the remaining 64 teams are divided into four regions, with 16 teams in each region. The teams are seeded from 1 to 16. A number 1 seed is considered one of the top teams in its region. In the first round, the number 1 seed plays the number 16 seed, the number 2 plays the number 15, and so on.

Where and When the Games Are Played

At the beginning of the tournament, games are played at campus sites. As teams advance, the tournament moves to regional locations.

In 2025, the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final Four rounds were held in Birmingham, Alabama, and Spokane, Washington. The national championship game was played at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

Here is the 2025 women’s March Madness schedule:

• Selection Sunday: March 16

• First Four: March 19–20

• First Round: March 21–22

• Second Round: March 23–24

• Sweet 16: March 28–29

• Elite Eight: March 30–31

• Final Four: April 4

• National Championship: April 6

Fans can watch games on ESPN and ABC.

Top Teams in 2025

In 2025, UCLA earned the number 1 overall seed. The four number 1 seeds were:

• UCLA

• South Carolina

• Texas

• USC

The number 2 seeds were:

• N.C. State

• Duke

• Texas Christian

• Connecticut

Even though UCLA was the top overall seed, many experts believed South Carolina had a strong chance to win the championship.

How Women’s March Madness Began

The men’s NCAA tournament started in 1939. However, women were not included until 1982. Before that, women’s college sports were organized by a different group called the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW).

The AIAW had governed women’s college sports since 1971 and played an important role in supporting women’s athletics. It also helped influence the passage of Title IX in 1972, a law that prevents sex based discrimination in schools that receive federal funding.

In 1981, the NCAA decided to add women’s sports championships to its programs. For one year, both the NCAA and the AIAW held women’s basketball championships at the same time. In 1982, Louisiana Tech won the first NCAA women’s basketball tournament, while Rutgers won the final AIAW championship. Soon after, the AIAW dissolved, and the NCAA became the main organizer of women’s college sports championships.

Progress and Challenges

For many years, women’s sports did not receive the same funding, marketing, or attention as men’s sports. In 2021, social media posts during March Madness revealed major differences between the men’s and women’s practice facilities and resources.

This led the NCAA to review gender equity within the tournaments. As a result, changes were made in 2022. The women’s tournament expanded from 64 teams to 68, matching the men’s field. The NCAA officially began using the term “March Madness” for the women’s tournament. The organization also improved fan events and provided equal gifts to men’s and women’s teams.

Even though there is still work to be done, Women’s March Madness continues to grow in popularity. With talented players, dramatic upsets, and exciting championship games, it has become a major celebration of women’s college basketball and athletic achievement.