Denison, DePauw, JCU & OWU Claim Spots in NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- DePauw (19-9) claimed its league-leading 10th North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Women's Basketball Tournament title with a 64-59 victory over John Carroll (24-4) on Saturday, February 28, in Granville, Ohio. As NCAC tournament champions, the Tigers earned the NCAC's automatic bid into the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament.
 
DePauw will be joined on the national stage by John Carroll, Denison (24-2) and Ohio Wesleyan (20-5) after all three teams received at-large bids and hosting rights for the first and second rounds. This marks the third consecutive and 10th time overall that the North Coast has been represented in the field by more than one team. It is also the first time that the NCAC has sent four teams to the NCAA women’s basketball postseason.
 
The Big Red will be making their eighth overall NCAA tournament appearance, first since 2016, and hold a 2-7 (.222) record on the national stage. The Tigers are making their third-straight and 25th overall NCAA tournament appearance and hold a 35-22 (.614) record in the national tourney, including a pair of national titles in 2007 and 2013 and another trip to the national semifinals in 2002. The Blue Streaks will be making their fifth overall NCAA tournament appearance, first since 2022, and hold a 2-4 (.333) record on the national stage. The Battling Bishops are making their fourth-consecutive and 10th overall appearance in the NCAA tourney and hold an 10-9 (.526) record, which included a trip to the national semifinals in 2001.
 
Denison will host opening round games in Granville, Ohio. Tournament play in Granville will start with first-round matchups on Friday, March 6, between Denison and Southern Virginia (21-7) and Trine (22-5) and Shenandoah (20-7). This will be the first meeting for the Big Red and the Knights. The winners of the first-round matchups will move on to the second round which will be played on Saturday, March 7.

Led by head coach Maureen Hirt, who is in her fourth season, Denison has gotten strong performances this season from junior guards Abby Cooch (Clifton, VA/Bishop Ireton) and Ada Taute (Chicago, IL/St. Ignatius College Prep) and sophomore post Anelly Mad-toingué (Wellesley, MA/Dana Hall). Taute is averaging a team-high 13.6 points and 2.3 steals per game, to go along with 6.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists per game, while Cooch is averaging a team-high 3.9 assists per game, to go along with 13.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. Mad-toingué leads the Big Red averaging 9.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, to go along with 7.6 points and 1.0 steals per game.

DePauw will travel to Waukesha, Wisconsin, as Carroll (WI) will host first and second round matchups. Tournament play in Wisconsin will start with first-round matchups on Friday, March 6, as DePauw will take on the host Pioneers (22-5) and Wisconsin-La Crosse (18-9) will face LaGrange (20-9). This will be the second meeting for the Tigers and the Pioneers, after the two met up on Dec. 30, 1992, with Carroll earning a 65-39 win. The winners of the first-round matchups will move on to the second round which will be played on Saturday, March 7.

Led by head coach Kris Huffman, who is in her 33rd season, DePauw has gotten strong performances this season from junior forward Olivia Hart (Murfreesboro, TN/Central Magnet), senior guard Riley Mont (Aurora, IL/West Aurora) and junior guard Tori Allen (Kouts, IN/Andrean). Mont is averaging a team-high 14.7 points and 2.4 assists per game, to go along with 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game per game, while Hart is averaging a team-high 7.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game, to go along with 13.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.9 steals per game. Allen is third in scoring for the Tigers, averaging 8.4 points per game, and leads the Tigers with 3.0 assists per game and is contributing 1.2 steals per game.
 
John Carroll will host opening round games in University Heights, Ohio. Tournament play in University Heights will start with first-round matchups on Friday, March 6, between John Carroll and the College of New Jersey (16-10) and SUNY New Paltz (25-2) and Immaculata (24-3). This will be the first meeting for the Blue Streaks and the Lions. The winners of the first-round matchups will move on to the second round which will be played on Saturday, March 7.

Led by head coach Beth Andrews, who is in her sixth season, John Carroll has gotten strong performances this season from seniors Graci Semptimphelter (Franklin, TN/Battle Ground Academy), a guard, and Carly Perusek (Willoughby Hills, OH/Beaumont) and Ava Ryncarz (Aurora, OH/Aurora), who both play guard/forward along with junior guard Brooke Laub (Avon, OH/Avon). Ryncarz is averaging a team-high 14.5 points and 7.2 rebounds, to go along with 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals, while Semptimphelter is second in scoring for the Blue Streaks averaging 14.1 points per game, to go along with 4.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Perusek is averaging a team-high 2.0 steals and 0.6 blocks per game, to go along with 9.6 points and 6.6 rebounds, while Laub is averaging a team-high 2.5 assists per game, along with 4.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.
 
Ohio Wesleyan will host opening round games in Delaware, Ohio. Tournament play in Delaware will tipoff on Friday, March 6, with DeSales (19-8) taking on the host Battling Bishops, while WashU (19-6) will face SUNY Geneseo (20-10). This will be the first meeting for the Battling Bishops and the Bulldogs. The winners of the first-round contests will move on to the second round which will be played on Saturday, March 7.
 
Led by head coach Cody Hartzler, who is in his first season, Ohio Wesleyan is paced by junior post Macy Miller (Marysville, OH/Fairbanks). Miller is averaging a team-high 15.8 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.6 blocks per game, 1.5 assists per game. Senior forward Alyssa Griner (Delaware, OH/Hayes) is second on the team in both scoring and rebounds with 10.4 points and 5.5 boards per game, to go along with 1.1 assists. Junior guard Maddie Ebbert (Lake Orion, MI/Lake Orion) is tied with Griner for the second-most boards per game (5.5), and is averaging 9.4 points, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
 

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