Lady Wildcats Go to the Big Dance & will Host 1st & Second Rounds in Crisp Arena
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Video Announcement | 1st & 2nd Round Schedule Page | Bracket] The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially announced the teams and bracket for the 2025 NAIA Women's Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds, presented by Ballogy. The 64-team bracket will begin with the First and Second Rounds at host sites nationwide on March 14-15. The 2025 NAIA Second Round winners will meet in Sioux City, Iowa, at the NAIA Championship final site presented by Bomgaars and Sterling. The 44th annual championship occurs at the Tyson Events Center from March 20-25.
The No. 1 seed in the Cramer Quadrant, the Bethel Lady Wildcats will host the first and second round action in Crisp Arena in McKenzie. The Cats meet 16th seeded Sterling at 5:30 p.m. Friday. No. 8 seed Benedictine faces No. 9 LSU Alexandria at 7:30 p.m.
The winners will square off on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Bethel and the City of McKenzie played host to the NAIA Selection Show telecast at the Park Theater in downtown McKenzie. Coach Chris Nelson commented, "We are excited to get this next journey started. It has been a tremendous postseason thus far, but this is always the ultimate goal. It's a little extra special for the ladies to earn a #1 seed but we have some really good teams coming to McKenzie. I think it speaks of the competition that the MSC level has. Thanks to our community for coming out tonight to the selection show."
This year's First Round field includes 35 automatic qualifiers and 29 at-large selections. Automatic berths were given to teams that either won their respective conference tournament title or regular season championship, finished runner-up at the conference tournament or were otherwise selected by the conference. The NAIA Women's Basketball National Selection Committee determined the at-large bids. The selection committee consists of one representative from each geographical area and six at-large members comprised of coaches and administrators from around the country.
The host will stream all First and Second Round games and each stream may be produced on various platforms.
The 2025 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship final site is broadcast FREE on the NAIA Channel of the Urban Edge Network and the newly redesigned NAIA Network for all games at the final site in Sioux City, Iowa. For more information and to pre-register, click HERE.
Qualifier Highlights
- Campbellsville (Ky.) holds the highest number of appearances, not only in the championship field, but also all-time championship history with 33 total appearances.
- There are 13 teams in the championship field with 20 or more appearances: Columbia (Mo.) 20, Northwestern (Iowa) 20, Saint Xavier (Ill.) 20, Hastings (Neb.) 21, Indiana Wesleyan 21, Sterling (Kan.) 21, Xavier (La.) 23, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 26, Shawnee State (Ohio) 26, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 27, College of the Ozarks (Mo.) 28, Wayland Baptist (Texas) 31 and Campbellsville (Ky.) 32.
- Three teams enter the championship field for the first time this season: Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.), Johnson (Tenn.) and Lourdes (Ohio).
- Montana Tech last appeared in the championship field in 2011 and ends a 13-year drought, qualifying for the tournament with an at-large bid.
- The Mid-South Conference boasts the largest number of teams in the field with six teams. Four conferences had five teams qualify: Cascade Collegiate Conference, Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, Crossroads League, and Great Plains Athletic Conference.
- Thirty-nine of the 64 teams in the tournament field also qualified for the 2024 championship.
- Eleven teams in the field have won a title before: Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 1, Dordt (Iowa) 1, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 1, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 1, Saint Francis (Ind.) 1, Shawnee State (Ohio) 1, Southeastern (Fla.) 1, Indiana Wesleyan 2, Marian (Ind.) 2, Hastings (Neb.) 3 and Northwestern (Iowa) 5.
- Defending national champion, Dordt (Iowa) returns to the field after winning the Red Banner in 2024.
- Three teams in the field have won a title back-to-back years: Hastings (Neb.) 2002-2003 and Marian (Ind.) 2016-2017, while Northwestern (Iowa) is the only team in the field to go back-to-back-to-back from 2010-2012.
- Southern Oregon is the only undefeated team in the field at 31-0.
- Northwestern (Iowa) has the highest number of tournament wins in the field with 53 wins.
The 23-7 and No. 16 in the nation Lady Wildcats are 171-41 all-time in Crisp which opened in 2012.
Bethel won the MSC title in its first-ever championship appearance and did so by beating three nationally ranked teams. The Wildcats beat No. 3 Campbellsville, No. 5 Cumberlands (Ky.), and No. 11 Georgetown (Ky.) by an average of 14.3 points per game during the three-day tournament.
Cat Scratches:
It will be Bethel's first appearance in the national championships since the 2021-22 season.
Bethel averages 76.0 points per game and yields 62.1 per outing.
The Cats shoot 45 percent from the floor while their opponents shoot 37.7 from the field.
Bethel shoots 33 percent from behind the arc. Opponents average 28 percent from long distance. Mikee Buchanan leads the squad in three-point attempts and in made three pointers with 59. The team had hit 253 treys on the year. The team averages eight made per game.
The Lady Cats have been excellent from the free throw line at 75 percent. Madison Hart leads the Lady Cats in free throw attempts and made free throws.
Bethel averages 37 rebounds per game while opponents have averaged 34 per contest. Madison Hart leads the team in rebounding with over seven per outing.
The Cats average 13 assists per game. Hallie Turner leads the team in assists with 117 on the season.
Micah Hart averages 17.6 points per game. She averaged over 18 points per game in league play. Madison Hart averages 16.2 while Buchanan averages 11.9 points per game.
Closing in on a Milestone:
Coach Nelson's 399 career victories rank him 13th in wins among active women's basketball coaches in the NAIA. He has led Bethel to 12 seasons with 20-plus wins.
During Nelson's tenure as head coach, Bethel has qualified for 13 NAIA national tournaments (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 2022, and 2025).
|
INSTITUTION |
QUALIFICATION |
SEASONRECORD |
LAST QUALIFIED |
APPEARANCES |
TOURNAMENT RECORD |
TITLES |
|
Arizona Christian |
At-Large |
25-5 |
2024 |
4 |
0-3 |
0 |
|
Benedictine (Kan.) |
Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament Champion |
24-7 |
2024 |
14 |
11-13 |
0 |
|
Bethel (Tenn.) |
Mid-South Conference Tournament Champion |
23-7 |
2022 |
15 |
9-14 |
0 |
|
Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) |
Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament Champion |
19-11 |
0 |
1 |
0-0 |
0 |
|
Briar Cliff (Iowa) |
Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament Runner-Up |
26-5 |
2024 |
17 |
32-16 |
0 |
|
Campbellsville (Ky.) |
At-Large |
26-3 |
2024 |
33 |
42-31 |
0 |
|
Carroll (Mont.) |
At-Large |
19-11 |
2024 |
16 |
15-14 |
0 |
|
College of Idaho |
At-Large |
17-12 |
2013 |
9 |
7-8 |
0 |
|
College of the Ozarks (Mo.) |
At-Large |
20-10 |
2024 |
29 |
40-27 |
0 |
|
Columbia (Mo.) |
American Midwest Conference Tournament Champion |
28-3 |
2024 |
21 |
4-19 |
0 |
|
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
At-Large |
24-5 |
2024 |
19 |
11-18 |
0 |
|
Dakota State (S.D.) |
North Star Athletic Conference Tournament Champion |
24-4 |
2024 |
11 |
16-10 |
0 |
|
Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) |
At-Large |
24-6 |
2024 |
12 |
25-9 |
1 |
|
Dordt (Iowa) |
Great Plains Athletic Conference Regular-Season Champion/Tournament Champion |
29-2 |
2024 |
6 |
13-3 |
1 |
|
Eastern Oregon |
At-Large |
19-9 |
2024 |
16 |
10-15 |
0 |
|
Florida Memorial |
The Sun Conference Tournament Champion |
23-4 |
2023 |
7 |
0-6 |
0 |
|
Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) |
At-Large |
25-5 |
2024 |
28 |
43-25 |
1 |
|
Georgetown (Ky.) |
At-Large |
20-8 |
2024 |
18 |
13-17 |
0 |
|
Governors State (Ill.) |
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular-Season/Tournament Champion |
26-5 |
2024 |
2 |
0-1 |
0 |
|
Grand View (Iowa) |
At-Large |
23-7 |
2024 |
12 |
9-11 |
0 |
|
Haskell Indian Nations (Kan.) |
Continental Athletic Conference Tournament Champion |
13-13 |
2023 |
5 |
0-4 |
0 |
|
Hastings (Neb.) |
At-Large |
23-7 |
2020 |
22 |
40-17 |
3 |
|
Huntington (Ind.) |
At-Large |
17-12 |
2015 |
7 |
3-6 |
0 |
|
Indiana Tech |
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Regular-Season Champion |
25-5 |
2024 |
14 |
11-12 |
0 |
|
Indiana Wesleyan |
Crossroads League Regular-Season Champion/Tournament Champion |
29-2 |
2024 |
22 |
38-18 |
2 |
|
IU Northwest (Ind.) |
At-Large |
23-7 |
2023 |
6 |
1-5 |
0 |
|
Jamestown (N.D.) |
At-Large |
19-10 |
2024 |
14 |
13-13 |
0 |
|
Johnson (Tenn.) |
Appalachian Athletic Conference Regular Season Co-Champion/Tournament No. 2 Seed |
24-5 |
0 |
1 |
0-0 |
0 |
|
Kansas Wesleyan |
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular-Season Champion |
23-7 |
2020 |
7 |
3-4 |
0 |
|
Langston (Okla.) |
Sonner Athletic Conference Regular-Season Champion/Tournament Champion |
29-2 |
2024 |
16 |
6-15 |
0 |
|
Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) |
Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament Runner-Up |
25-6 |
2024 |
27 |
32-25 |
0 |
|
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
At-Large |
16-13 |
2024 |
19 |
9-17 |
0 |
|
Lourdes (Ohio) |
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament Champion |
22-10 |
0 |
1 |
0-0 |
0 |
|
Loyola (La.) |
At-Large |
18-11 |
2024 |
17 |
9-15 |
0 |
|
LSU Alexandria (La.) |
At-Large |
23-8 |
2019 |
2 |
1-1 |
0 |
|
LSU Shreveport (La.) |
Red River Athletic Conference Regular Season Champion/Tournament Champion |
27-3 |
2024 |
13 |
1-11 |
0 |
|
Marian (Ind.) |
Crossroads League Tournament Runner-Up |
24-7 |
2024 |
12 |
23-8 |
2 |
|
Mid-America Christian (Okla.) |
Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Runner-Up |
25-6 |
2024 |
5 |
1-4 |
0 |
|
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) |
Heart of America Athletic Conference Regular Season Champion |
28-3 |
2023 |
17 |
15-14 |
1 |
|
Milligan (Tenn.) |
Appalachian Athletic Conference Regular-Season Champion/Tournament Champion |
24-7 |
2024 |
10 |
2-9 |
0 |
|
Mobile (Ala.) |
At-Large |
22-8 |
2024 |
10 |
2-9 |
0 |
|
Montana Tech |
At-Large |
18-11 |
2011 |
3 |
0-2 |
0 |
|
Northwestern (Iowa) |
At-Large |
18-11 |
2024 |
21 |
53-16 |
5 |
|
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular-Season Runner-up |
20-10 |
2022 |
15 |
5-15 |
0 |
|
Oregon Tech |
At-Large |
23-7 |
2024 |
8 |
3-7 |
0 |
|
Philander Smith (Ark.) |
HBCU Athletic Conference Tournament Champion |
20-10 |
2023 |
3 |
0-1 |
0 |
|
Providence (Mont.) |
Frontier Conference Tournament Champion |
22-7 |
2024 |
9 |
11-7 |
0 |
|
Rio Grande (Ohio) |
River States Conference Tournament Champion |
26-5 |
2024 |
12 |
3-12 |
0 |
|
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
At-Large |
20-10 |
2023 |
8 |
4-6 |
0 |
|
Saint Francis (Ind.) |
At-Large |
26-4 |
2020 |
20 |
31-17 |
1 |
|
Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
At-Large |
18-11 |
2022 |
21 |
18-18 |
0 |
|
Shawnee State (Ohio) |
River States Conference Regular Season Champion |
27-4 |
2021 |
27 |
33-24 |
1 |
|
Southeastern (Fla.) |
At-Large |
24-6 |
2023 |
10 |
14-8 |
1 |
|
Southern Oregon |
Cascade Collegiate Conference Regular-Season Champion/Tournament Champion |
31-0 |
2024 |
15 |
14-15 |
0 |
|
Spring Arbor (Mich.) |
At-Large |
19-11 |
2024 |
6 |
5-5 |
0 |
|
St. Francis (Ill.) |
At-Large |
24-7 |
2022 |
9 |
9-7 |
0 |
|
Sterling (Kan.) |
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Champion |
21-10 |
2023 |
22 |
19-20 |
0 |
|
Stillman (Ala.) |
HBCU Athletic Conference Regular-Season Champion |
25-5 |
2018 |
2 |
0-1 |
0 |
|
The Master's (Calif.) |
Great Southwest Athletic Conference Tournament Champion |
19-7 |
2024 |
18 |
13-16 |
0 |
|
UC Merced (Calif.) |
California Pacific Conference Tournament Champion |
17-8 |
2017 |
4 |
0-3 |
0 |
|
Wayland Baptist (Texas) |
At-Large |
25-4 |
2024 |
32 |
33-30 |
0 |
|
William Carey (Miss.) |
Southern States Athletic Conference Regular Season Champion |
25-1 |
2024 |
5 |
1-4 |
0 |
|
Williams Baptist (Ark.) |
American Midwest Conference Regular-Season Champion |
27-4 |
2024 |
2 |
0-1 |
0 |
|
Xavier (La.) |
Red River Athletic Conference Highest Rated Team in ARC |
27-3 |
2024 |
24 |
9-23 |
0 |