2026 GPAC Women's Basketball Tournament Field Announced

(Sioux City, Iowa) – Dordt University will be the number one seed when the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Women's Postseason Basketball Tournament begins on Wednesday, February 25.  The Defenders went 21-1 in the GPAC and 27-1 for the season.  As the number one seed Dordt has secured an automatic berth to the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament.

Dakota Wesleyan is the two seed, Hastings third and Concordia the fourth seed.  The top four seeds all host first round games on Wednesday.  The 5-8 seeds are Briar Cliff, Northwestern, Doane, and Mount Marty.  GPAC tiebreakers determined the seeds for the tournament.

The semifinals are on Saturday, February 28, at the highest two remaining seeds.  GPAC Championship Tuesday will be on Tuesday, March 3.  The GPAC Postseason Tournament Champion garners an automatic berth to the NAIA National Basketball Tournament (the runner-up gains the berth if the regular season champion (top seed Dordt) wins the postseason).

64 teams will make the NAIA Women's Basketball Postseason this year.  Games will be played at First and Second Round Sites on March 13-14 (four team pods).  The 16 opening round winners will play in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship is set for March 19-24, 2026, in Sioux City, Iowa, at the Tyson Events Center. 

2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Post-Season Tournament

GPAC Women's Basketball Quarterfinals – Wednesday, February 25
#8 Mount Marty (15-13, 10-12 GPAC) at #1 Dordt (27-1, 21-1 GPAC), 7pm
#5 Briar Cliff (19-9, 13-9 GPAC) at #4 Concordia (22-6, 17-5 GPAC), 6pm
#6 Northwestern (16-12, 12-10 GPAC) at #3 Hastings (21-7, 17-5 GPAC), 7pm
#7 Doane (13-14, 10-12 GPAC) at #2 Dakota Wesleyan (22-6, 18-4 GPAC), 7pm

GPAC Women's Basketball Semifinals – Saturday, February 28
#8/#1 winner vs. #5/#4 winner, Time TBA
#6/#3 winner vs. #7/#2 winner, Time TBA

GPAC Women's Basketball Championship Tuesday, March 3
Semifinal winners at highest remaining seed, Time TBA