NCAA To Expand 2022 Women’s Basketball Tournament To 68 Teams

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The NCAA Division I Council has approved the expansion of the Women’s Basketball Tournament bracket from 64 to 68 teams, effective with the 2022 championship.

Both the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and the Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee supported the expansion, which brings participation opportunities for the women’s tournament in line with the men’s event.

“This immediate expansion of the women’s basketball championship reinforces the fact that leaders within Division I are committed to strengthening aspects of the women’s basketball championship that directly impact student-athletes,” says Council chair Shane Lyons, athletics director at West Virginia. “We look forward to the positive change this will have for the student experience at the championship, especially as it relates to equal team opportunities to compete in the tournament.”

The decision follows a recommendation from a comprehensive external gender equity review of NCAA championships conducted by Kaplan Hecker & Fink. The first phase of the review examined historical inequities in college basketball and was spurred by issues that arose during the 2021 Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships.

“This was another important step in providing additional championship participation opportunities for women’s basketball student-athletes,” says Nina King, chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and director of athletics at Duke. “The committee was in support of implementing this as soon as possible and we’re pleased that the expanded championship field will be in play immediately for the upcoming championship and beyond.”

For only the 2022 championship, the four opening round games will be conducted on the campuses of teams seeded in the top 16. Sites will be selected based on bracketing principles and procedures. Beginning with the 2023 championship, the first four games will be conducted at a to-be-determined neutral site.

“The expanded bracket and championship opportunities for Division I women’s basketball student-athletes are paramount,” says Lisa Campos, chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee and director of athletics at UTSA. “While the 2022 championship will be conducted at top-16 seed campus sites, this is a transition year for the tournament, and strong consideration will be given for other improvement areas, including opening-round games taking place at a predetermined site, in order to improve the championship experience in 2023 and beyond.”

The Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, which now consists of 12 members versus 10, also approved an updated Selection Principles and Procedures document for 2021-22.

The document references committee voting procedures to reflect the increase in members and the move to 36 at-large teams to accompany the 32 automatic qualifying teams that will make up the 2022 championship bracket, as well as updated bracketing principles language.

Steven Boero
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