NCAA women’s tournament to seed top 16 by true ranking next year
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 13, 2026, 10:57 PM
Last updated Jul 13, 2026
Beginning next year, the NCAA women’s basketball tournament will seed the top 16 teams based on their true rankings, regardless of conference affiliation. Previously, teams from the same conference were separated to avoid early matchups. This change aims to better reflect the actual performance of teams, according to Amanda Braun, chair of the NCAA women’s basketball committee. The new system could mainly affect conferences with multiple high-ranking teams like the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12. The tournament will also expand to 76 teams starting in 2027, a move that has been discussed without specific financial recommendations yet.
- •NCAA women’s tournament will seed based on true rankings starting next year.
- •Teams from the same conference will not be separated in the bracket.
- •Change affects primarily the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12.
- •Tournament will expand to 76 teams in 2027.
- 12:13 AMYahoo Sports — NCAA will no longer consider conference affiliation when seeding top 16 teams in women's basketball tournament
- 11:59 PMESPN — NCAA women's tourney to seed by true ranking
- 10:57 PMYahoo Sports — A major bracket shake-up: NCAA women’s tournament to seed the top 16 by true ranking next year
"Beginning with next year's NCAA women's basketball tournament, the top 16 teams will be placed in the bracket in their true ranking regardless of conference affiliation.
"Teams will be bracketed based strictly on their ranking. The shift means that top conference rivals could face each other before the Final Four.
"The men’s selection committee will still separate out the top four seeds in each conference and put them in different regions.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsJul 14, 2026, 12:13 AMNCAA will no longer consider conference affiliation when seeding top 16 teams in women's basketball tournament
Teams will be bracketed based strictly on their ranking. The shift means that top conference rivals could face each other before the Final Four.
- ESPNJul 13, 2026, 11:59 PMNCAA women's tourney to seed by true ranking
Beginning with next year's NCAA women's basketball tournament, the top 16 teams will be placed in the bracket in their true ranking regardless of conference affiliation.
- Yahoo SportsJul 13, 2026, 10:57 PMA major bracket shake-up: NCAA women’s tournament to seed the top 16 by true ranking next year
The men’s selection committee will still separate out the top four seeds in each conference and put them in different regions.
Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
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