Cal gets at-large spot in Division II women’s basketball tournament
California University received the sixth seed as an at-large selection in the Atlantic Regional of the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament that begins this weekend.
The Vulcans will be making their 15th appearance in the national tournament and will face third-seeded and conference rival Indiana in the first round Friday in Richmond, Va. Tipoff is noon.
The Crimson Hawks also earned an at-large berth after advancing to the semifinals of the PSAC tournament last weekend.
Under seventh-year head coach Jess Strom, Cal has a 24-6 record.
The Crimson Hawks won the PSAC’s West Division regular-season title head into the NCAA tournament with a 26-3 overall record, setting a program record with 25 regular-season victories.
This will be the third meeting between Cal and IUP. The teams split two regular-season games with each team winning on its home court.
Two-time, defending-regional champion and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion Virginia Union (28-2) earned the top seed and will host the eight-team regional tournament, with first-round games scheduled for Friday, second-round contests Saturday, and the regional championship set for Monday, March 12. In other first-round games, the host Panthers will face eighth-seeded Bowie State (20-9) in a rematch of the CIAA Championship, Mountain East Conference champion and second-seeded Glenville State (30-1) plays seventh-seeded West Chester (23-5), while PSAC champion Edinboro (26-3) faces Virginia State (23-5).
The Cal-IUP winner will play the Glenville State-West Chester winner in the regional semifinals.
The winner from the Atlantic Region will advance to the Elite Eight in Sioux Falls, S.D., from March 19-23.