Morgantown, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women’s basketball team will host the first and second rounds of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the NCAA announced Saturday. This marks the first time in the modern era the Mountaineers will host NCAA tournament games, a significant milestone for the program.
The Mountaineers (27-7) earned the automatic bid to the tournament after winning the Big 12 Conference Tournament on March 9th, defeating TCU 62-53. This victory secured their second Big 12 Tournament championship, with the first coming in 2017. The team now awaits its seeding and first-round opponent, which will be revealed during the national selection show on Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, March 16. Specific game dates and times for the first and second rounds will be announced following the selection show.
While Here’s a first for the modern tournament format, West Virginia previously hosted an NCAA Tournament game in 1992, when the tournament field consisted of only 48 teams. In that year, as a No. 4 seed, the Mountaineers defeated Clemson and advanced to the Sweet 16 – the only Sweet 16 appearance in program history.
The 2026 tournament appearance comes after previous near misses. West Virginia was a No. 4 seed in 2021, but the tournament was relocated to San Antonio due to the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing the team from hosting. The Mountaineers also held high seeds in 2014 (No. 2) and 2010 (No. 3), but at those times, tournament games were played at predetermined regional sites, sending WVU to LSU and Texas, respectively.
Under head coach Mark Kellogg, the Mountaineers have achieved a 77-26 record over three seasons, tying the program’s second-best record over a three-year span. The program’s best three-year stretch saw 78 wins from 2014-2016, and the Mountaineers also recorded 77 wins from 2010-2012. This season’s 27 wins are the third-most in program history, trailing the 30 wins achieved in 2014 and the 29 wins also recorded in 2014.
The Mountaineers have established a strong home-court advantage, boasting a 44-5 record at home over the past three seasons.
Further information regarding the NCAA Tournament regional in Morgantown can be found at WVUsports.com, and updates will be posted on the team’s official X, Instagram, and Facebook accounts.
