CLEVELAND, OH – For the first time in the history of the conference, the North Coast Athletic Conference was represented by four teams in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament. Denison (25-2) defeated Southern Virginia (21-8) 82-47 while John Carroll (25-4) captured an 84-49 victory over the College of New Jersey (16-11) and Ohio Wesleyan (21-5) collected a 68-53 win over DeSales (19-9). DePauw (19-10) dropped a hard-fought 74-67 decision to Carroll (WI) (23-5).
 
In the second round on Saturday, the Battling Bishops will face WashU (20-6) at 7:15 p.m., the Big Red will take on Trine (23-5) at 7:30 p.m., and the Blue Streaks will play SUNY New Paltz (26-2) at 8:00 p.m.
 
DENISON (25-2) 82, SOUTHERN VIRGINIA (21-8) 47

• The Big Red controlled the game from the opening tip, building a 30-8 lead after the first quarter and taking a 48-22 advantage into halftime.
• Denison continued to extend the margin after the break, matching Southern Virginia's 17-point third quarter with 17 of its own before closing the night with a 17-8 fourth quarter. The Big Red led for 39:53 with no lead changes, and the cushion grew to as many as 39 points late in the game.
• Denison's balance showed up across the box score, as the Big Red scored 28 points off turnovers and 31 points from the bench, while also shooting 11-for-11 at the free-throw line and knocking down nine three-pointers.
• Junior guard Violet Mitchell (Downers Grove, IL/Downers Grove North) led Denison with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-5 from deep. Junior guard Abby Cooch (Clifton, VA/Bishop Ireton) added 10 points and two assists, while senior guard Brooke Toigo (Ada, MI/Forest Hills Eastern) hit three triples and finished with 11 points, and junior guard/forward Adelyn Moore (Caro, MI/Caro) chipped in 10 points while grabbing six rebounds.
• For Southern Virginia, Ruth Kempler posted a team-high 16 points with 11 rebounds, while Abigail Snyder added 15 points and 10 boards.
• Denison now owns a 3-7 (.300) record on the national stage.

 
OHIO WESLEYAN (21-5) 68, DESALES (19-9) 53

• Ohio Wesleyan used a strong opening half to set the tone off 57.9 percent shooting in the first quarter. The Battling Bishops never trailed, taking a 25-18 lead after the first quarter before holding DeSales to just eight points in the second frame to carry a 44-26 advantage into halftime.
• The home team stayed in control after the break and pushed the lead to its largest margin of the night at 20 early in the third quarter. DeSales found its rhythm in the third, outscoring OWU 19-9 in the period to make it more competitive, but the Bishops answered in the fourth quarter to close out the win.
• OWU was paced by junior guard Maddie Ebbert (Lake Orion, MI/Lake Orion) , who netted 19 points, while junior post Macy Miller (Marysville, OH/Fairbanks) added 18 points to go with 17 rebounds, five blocks and five steals. Senior guard Kendall Dieringer (St. Marys, OH/Memorial) scored 10 points, and junior guard Nora Johns (Sewickley, PA/Quaker Valley) chipped in eight points while the Bishops also got a lift from their bench, who recorded 18 points.
• For DeSales, Lindsay Bednarek recorded a game-high 27 points, while Kayla Ishigami added 17.
• Ohio Wesleyan now owns a 11-9 (.550) record in the NCAA tourney.

JOHN CARROLL (25-4) 84, TCNJ (16-11) 49

• The Blue Streaks set the tone immediately, jumping out to an early cushion and taking a 22-12 lead after the first quarter. John Carroll continued to build separation in the second period, holding TCNJ to just seven points while taking a 39-19 lead into halftime.
• JCU kept the pressure on after the break, outscoring the Lions 26-15 in the third quarter to push the margin past 30 and put the game out of reach. The Blue Streaks finished with a 44-24 edge in points in the paint and got major production from their bench (33-12), while shooting 58.6 percent from the floor. John Carroll controlled the lead for 39:41 minutes of action, posting its largest advantage at 38 points.
• The home team was led by senior forward Kaylie McKenney (Cincinnati, OH/Milford), who scored 19 points on a perfect 9-for-9 shooting night. Senior guard Graci Semptimphelter (Franklin, TN/Battle Ground Academy) added 18 points and four assists, while senior guard/forward Ava Ryncarz (Aurora, OH/Aurora) posted 17 points and a monster 19-rebound effort. Senior guard Carmen Heuker (Bokins, OH/Bokins) and sophomore guard Nicci Finazzo (Willoughby Hills, OH/Gilmour Academy) scored eight points apiece, while senior guard/forward Carly Perusek (Willoughby Hills, OH/Beaumont) also added eight points and dished out four assists as John Carroll's balance showed up across the stat sheet.
• For TCNJ, Katie Fricker scored a team-high 13 points and pulled down five rebounds, while Riley Ahrens chipped in 12 points.
• John Carroll now owns a 3-4 (.429) record in the NCAA tournament.

 
CARROLL (23-5) 74, DEPAUW (19-10) 67

• The Tigers delivered a strong effort for most of the night, leading for 32:19 and building their largest advantage at 14 points midway through the second quarter. DePauw's balanced attack and work on the glass helped the Tigers control the tempo early, and they carried that momentum into halftime with the lead.
• DePauw remained in front coming out of the locker room and continued to answer Carroll's runs, taking a 57-49 lead into the fourth quarter. The Tigers were in position to close it out, but the final 10 minutes swung in Carroll's favor. The Pioneers used a decisive surge to take their first lead change of the period and then created separation late, outscoring DePauw 25-10 in the fourth quarter and sealing the win at the free-throw line down the stretch.
• The Tigers were led by senior guard Riley Mont (Aurora, IL/West Aurora), who finished with 20 points to go with six assists and eight rebounds. Junior forward Olivia Hart (Murfreesboro, TN/Central Magnet) added 14 points and five rebounds, while junior guard Tori Allen (Kouts, IN/Andrean) scored 13 points. Senior forward Diana Burgher (Georgetown, IN/North Harrison) chipped in 11 points and six boards, while junior guard Campbell Schrank (Winnebago, IL/Winnebago) provided a lift off the bench with five points and six rebounds.
• For Carroll, Natalie Gricius led all scorers with 39 points on 12-of-24 shooting, including four three-pointers, while going 11-of-13 at the line.