U-M Earns Eighth Straight NCAA Bid, Secures No. 2 Seed at Crisler
3/15/2026 8:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team (25-6) earned its eighth straight berth to the NCAA Tournament and will be the No. 2 seed in the Fort Worth 3 region. U-M will host the first and second rounds at Crisler Center for the second time in program history.
Michigan will face Holy Cross on Friday (March 20) at Crisler. NC State and Tennessee round out the four-team site at Crisler. The No. 2 seed is the highest in program history for the Wolverines.
Michigan will make its 14th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and eighth in the last nine seasons after the 2020 tournament was canceled. U-M has a 12-13 overall record in the tournament, highlighted by the program's first-ever trip to the Elite Eight in 2022.
J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Women's Basketball Coach Kim Barnes Arico will be making her 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, with the first four coming at St. John's (2006, '10, '11, '12). She holds a 15-12 all-time record in the tournament and has reached the Sweet 16 three times. Barnes Arico has guided the Wolverines to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, the most by a coach in program history.
Single-game tickets will go on sale Monday morning (March 16) at 9 a.m. All-session passes (two first-round games and one second-round game) are currently available for $35.
Michigan completed the regular season with 25 wins, tied for the second-most wins in a single season in program history after making the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament for the third straight year. U-M went 14-1 at Crisler this past season, its only loss coming by three points to No. 2 UCLA.
