BEHREND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TRAVELS TO HOPE FOR NCAA FIRST ROUND

The Penn State Behrend women's basketball team will battle No. 9 Hope College on Friday, March 6 at 8:30 p.m. in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament held at Hope College in Holland, Michigan at the DeVos Fieldhouse DeVette-VanWieren Court.

Illinois Wesleyan (22-5) will face Washington & Jefferson (22-6) in the first game on Friday at 6 p.m. The winners advance to the second round on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

The Lions (22-5) earned an automatic bid by capturing the 2026 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Tournament Championship. The Lions defeated No. 4 Alfred State College 67-57 in the semifinals and then downed No. 3 Penn State Altoona in the title game 78-61.

Hope was named the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Tournament Champions with a 76-62 decision over Trine. The Flying Dutch (24-3) clinched the program's 25th postseason appearance and its 12th in its last 13 chances. 

Illinois Wesleyan (22-5), the winners of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament, will make the program's 17th NCAA Division III Tournament. The Green and White claimed their 12th league tournament title with a 74-70 overtime win against No. 12 Carroll. Washington & Jefferson (22-6) posted a 64-43 win over St. Vincent in the Pennsylvania Athlete Conference (PAC) Championship game to earn the automatic bid.

This will be the Lions fifth trip to the NCAA Tournament.