2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season
In this article, we will explore the exciting world of 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season and all the facets that involve it. From its origins to its impact on today's society, 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season is a topic that deserves detailed and thoughtful attention. Along these lines, we will analyze its relevance in different contexts, as well as the controversies and debates that surround it. With a critical and objective approach, we will delve into 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season to understand its importance and challenges today. This article will undoubtedly provide a comprehensive overview of 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season and leave the reader with a greater understanding and appreciation for this topic.
| 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Preseason AP No. 1 | South Carolina |
| Regular season | November 4, 2024 – March 16, 2025 |
| NCAA Tournament | 2025 |
| Tournament dates | March 19 – April 6, 2025 |
| National Championship | Amalie Arena Tampa, Florida |
| NCAA Champions | UConn |
| Other champions | Minnesota (WBIT) Buffalo (WNIT) |
| Player of the Year (Naismith, Wooden) | JuJu Watkins, USC |
The 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season began on November 4, 2024. The regular season ended on March 16, 2025, with the 2025 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament beginning with the First Four on March 19 and ending with the championship game at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on April 6.
Rule changes
On May 2, 2024, the NCAA Basketball Rules Committee proposed a few rule changes for the 2024–25 season. These changes were approved on June 6 by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel.[1][2]
- A one-game suspension has been added to the ejection of any player, coach, or bench personnel who "disrespectfully contacts an official or makes a threat of physical intimidation or harm, to include pushing, shoving, spitting or attempting to make physical contact with an official".
- Officials will be able to review whether a player's foot last touching the court was inbounds on a made shot before time expired. If a player's foot is determined to be out of bounds, officials would put the exact time of the violation on the game clock. However, if the shot is made and time remains on the game clock, a video review would not occur.
- Officials will now immediately conduct a replay review to judge whether a basket should count or not if an off-ball foul is called near the time a field goal or free-throw attempt is occurring. Previously, these reviews were conducted during the next electronic-media timeout.
Season headlines
- May 29, 2024 – Stephen F. Austin announced that it would leave the Western Athletic Conference on July 1 to rejoin the Southland Conference after a three-year absence.[3]
- July 1 – IUPUI's athletic teams renamed to Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indy) after the Indiana and Purdue university systems split the university into IU Indianapolis and Purdue University in Indianapolis.[4]
- September 12 – The Pac-12 Conference, which had been reduced to 2 members after its remaining 10 schools left for other power conferences a month earlier, began a rebuilding process by announcing that Mountain West Conference members Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State would join the Pac-12 in 2026–27.[5]
- September 24 – The Pac-12 Conference's rebuilding continued as Utah State would join the other Mountain West defectors in 2026–27.[6]
- September 30 – Gonzaga announced it would leave the West Coast Conference to join the Pac-12 Conference for all sports except for football in 2026–27.[7]
- October 1 – UTEP announced it would join the Mountain West from Conference USA in 2026–27.[8]
- October 9:[9]
- The NCAA Division I Council approved a proposal that reduced the duration of the transfer portal to 30 days. Going forward, the window opens on the day after the completion of the second round of the Division I women's tournament.
- The council also abolished the National Letter of Intent program effective immediately. Written offers of athletics aid will replace the NLI.
- The Council introduced a proposal that would shorten the transition periods for schools wishing to reclassify from Division II or Division III to Division I. If approved at the council's January 2025 meeting, the transition periods for Division II and III schools would drop by a year, respectively to three and four years.
- October 15 – The Mountain West announced that Hawaiʻi, which has been a football-only member of that conference since 2012, would leave the Big West Conference in 2026–27 to become a full MW member.[10]
- November 1 – The Mountain West announced that Grand Canyon would join the conference no later than 2026–27 for all sports except for football.[11] Grand Canyon's official announcement stated that it would not compete in the West Coast Conference, which it had previously been scheduled to join in July 2025, and that if Mountain West bylaws allowed, it would join that conference in 2025.[12]
- November 7 – The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the name change of the former Texas A&M University–Commerce to East Texas A&M University.[13]
- December 10 – The Mountain West announced that UC Davis would join the conference for all sports except football in 2026–27.[14]
- January 15, 2025 – The Division I Council adopted new criteria for divisional reclassification. Schools moving from Division II or III must meet objective measures of academic success and athletic financial aid. Reclassification periods are now three years for moves from Division II and four years for moves from Division III, contingent on schools meeting these new criteria.[15]
- February 27 – The Horizon League announced that Northern Illinois would join the conference in 2026–27, coinciding with the football team's departure from the Mid-American Conference to the Mountain West.[16]
- March 25 – Saint Francis announced that it would reclassify to NCAA Division III starting in 2026–27, when it will leave the Northeast Conference for the Presidents' Athletic Conference.[17]
Milestones and records
- November 15 – UConn head coach Geno Auriemma drew even with recently retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer as the winningest head coach in NCAA basketball history across all divisions, earning his 1,216th win after the Huskies' 69–58 win over North Carolina.[18]
- November 20 – Auriemma took sole possession of the career wins record after UConn's 85–41 win over Fairleigh Dickinson.[19][20]
- December 14 – Tennessee defeated North Carolina Central, 139–59, and broke multiple school and NCAA records in the process. These include largest margin of victory in program history (80), and most three-point field goals made in Division I history (30).[21][22][23]
- February 16 – Vanderbilt freshman guard Mikayla Blakes broke the record for most points scored in a single game by a freshman in NCAA basketball history across all divisions, after she scored 55 points to help the Commodores to a 98–88 overtime road win over Auburn.[24][25]
- March 16 – In the Missouri Valley Conference tournament final, Murray State's Katelyn Young became the 17th woman with 3,000 career points in Division I play, scoring 34 points in the Racers' 83–62 win over Belmont.[26]
Conference membership changes
A total of 23 schools joined new conferences for the 2024–25 season. Of these, 20 moved within Division I, two began reclassification from NCAA Division II, and Chicago State ended its two-year stint as an all-sports independent to join the Northeast Conference.
The 2024–25 season was the last in their respective conferences for at least five Division I schools.
| School | 2024–25 conference | Future conference |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | CAA | CUSA |
| UMass | A-10 | MAC |
| Missouri State | Missouri Valley | CUSA |
| Grand Canyon | WAC | MW |
| Seattle | WAC | WCC |
Arenas
New arenas
- Georgia Southern left the Hanner Fieldhouse after 55 seasons there for the new Hill Convocation Center. The team played its first game in the Hill Convocation Center on December 5, 2024.[27]
- St. Thomas will play their final season at Schoenecker Arena, where they have played since 1981, before moving to the new Lee and Penny Anderson Arena, which will open in the 2025–26 season.[28]
- Tarleton State will play their final season at Wisdom Gym, where they have played since 1970, before moving to the new Tarleton State Event Center, which will open in the 2025–26 season.[29]
- Vermont was originally slated to open their new arena, Tarrant Event Center, as a replacement for the current arena, Patrick Gym. Construction was to continue in 2021 but it has been delayed indefinitely.[30]
Arena of new D-I teams
- West Georgia will transition from Division II to Division I and play at The Coliseum in Carrollton, Georgia, where it has played since 2009. It will be ineligible for NCAA-organized postseason play (i.e., the NCAA tournament or NIT) until 2028.
- Mercyhurst will transition from Division II to Division I and play on the Owen McCormick Court in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, where it has played since 1977. It will be ineligible for NCAA-organized postseason play until 2028.
Other arena changes
- Bellarmine announced on August 28, 2024, that home games would return to campus at Knights Hall for the first time since 2019–20. The Knights had played in the interim at Freedom Hall on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center.[31]
Seasonal outlook
The Top 25 from the AP and USA Today Coaching polls.
Pre-season polls
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Final polls
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Top 10 matchups
Rankings reflect the AP poll Top 25.
Regular season
- Nov. 10, 2024
- No. 1 South Carolina defeated No. 9 NC State, 71–57 (Ally Tipoff – Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC)
- Nov. 23
- No. 6 Notre Dame defeated No. 3 USC, 74–61 (Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA)
- Nov. 24
- No. 5 UCLA defeated No. 1 South Carolina, 77–62 (Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA)
- Dec. 5
- No. 10 Notre Dame defeated No. 4 Texas, 80–70OT (ACC–SEC Challenge – Joyce Center, Notre Dame, IN)
- No. 3 South Carolina defeated No. 8 Duke, 81–70 (ACC–SEC Challenge – Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC)
- Dec. 8
- No. 3 South Carolina defeated No. 9 TCU, 85–53 (Coast-to-Coast Challenge – Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX)
- Dec. 12
- Dec. 21
- No. 7 USC defeated No. 4 UConn, 72–70 (XL Center, Hartford, CT)
- Jan. 2, 2025
- No. 5 Texas defeated No. 9 Oklahoma, 80–73 (Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, OK)
- Jan. 8
- No. 4 USC defeated No. 8 Maryland, 79–74 (Xfinity Center, College Park, MD)
- Jan. 12
- No. 2 South Carolina defeated No. 5 Texas, 67–50 (Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC)
- Jan. 20
- No. 7 Texas defeated No. 8 Maryland, 89–51 (Coretta Scott King Classic – Prudential Center, Newark, NJ)
- Jan. 24
- No. 2 South Carolina defeated No. 5 LSU, 66–56 (Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC)
- Jan. 26
- No. 1 UCLA defeated No. 8 Maryland, 82–67 (Xfinity Center, College Park, MD)
- Feb. 5
- No. 1 UCLA defeated No. 8 Ohio State, 65–52 (Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA)
- Feb. 8
- No. 7 USC defeated No. 8 Ohio State, 84–63 (Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA)
- Feb. 9
- No. 4 Texas defeated No. 2 South Carolina, 66–62 (Moody Center, Austin, TX)
- Feb. 13
- No. 3 Texas defeated No. 8 Kentucky, 67–49 (Memorial Coliseum, Lexington, KY)
- No. 6 USC defeated No. 1 UCLA, 71–60 (Rivalry – Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA)
- Feb. 16
- No. 7 UConn defeated No. 4 South Carolina, 87–58 (Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC)
- No. 3 Texas defeated No. 5 LSU, 65–58 (Moody Center, Austin, TX)
- Mar. 1
- No. 4 USC defeated No. 2 UCLA, 80–67 (Rivalry – Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA)
- Mar. 8
- No. 5 South Carolina defeated No. 10 Oklahoma, 93–75 (SEC tournament — Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC)
- No. 1 Texas defeated No. 9 LSU, 56–49 (SEC tournament — Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC)
- Mar. 9
- No. 5 South Carolina defeated No. 1 Texas, 64–45 (SEC Tournament — Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC)
- No. 4 UCLA defeated No. 2 USC, 72–67 (Big Ten Tournament - Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN)
Postseason
- Mar. 28
- No. 10 LSU defeated No. 9 NC State, 80–73 (Sweet Sixteen – Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA)
- Mar. 29
- No. 6 TCU defeated No. 8 Notre Dame, 71–62 (Sweet Sixteen – Legacy Arena, Birmingham, AL)
- Mar. 30
- No. 2 South Carolina defeated No. 7 Duke, 54–50 (Elite Eight – Legacy Arena, Birmingham, AL)
- No. 1 UCLA defeated No. 10 LSU, 72–65 (Elite Eight – Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA)
- Mar. 31
- No. 5 Texas defeated No. 6 TCU, 58–47 (Elite Eight – Legacy Arena, Birmingham, AL)
- No. 3 UConn defeated No. 4 USC, 78–64 (Elite Eight – Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA)
- Apr. 4
- No. 2 South Carolina defeated No. 5 Texas, 74–54 (Final Four – Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL)
- No. 3 UConn defeated No. 1 UCLA, 85–51 (Final Four – Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL)
- Apr. 6
- No. 3 UConn defeated No. 2 South Carolina, 82–59 (National Championship Game – Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL)
Regular season
Early-season tournaments
| Tournament/event name | Dates | Location | No. Teams | Champions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Alaska Shootout | November 22–23, 2024 | Alaska Airlines Center (Anchorage, AK) | 4 | Troy | |
| Battle 4 Atlantis | November 23–25, 2024 | Imperial Arena (Paradise Island, Bahamas) | 8 | North Carolina | |
| Emerald Coast Classic | November 25–26, 2024 | Imperial Arena (Rider Arena, Niceville, FL) | 8 | Alabama (Bay) Creighton (Beach) |
|
| Baha Mar Women's Championship | November 25–27, 2024 | Baha Mar Convention Center (Nassau, Bahamas) | 4 | UConn | |
| Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship | November 25–27, 2024 | Baha Mar Convention Center (Nassau, Bahamas) | 4 | LSU | |
| Ball Dawgs Classic | November 25–27, 2024 | Lee's Family Forum (Henderson, NV) | 4 | Duke | |
| Acrisure Holiday Invitational | November 26–27, 2024 | Acrisure Arena (Palm Desert, CA) | 4 | Michigan State | |
| Colgate Thanksgiving Tournament | November 29–30, 2024 | Cotterell Court (Hamilton, NY) | 4 | Colgate | |
| Fort Myers Tip-Off Shell Division | November 29–30, 2024 | Suncoast Credit Union Arena (Fort Myers, FL) | 4 | Michigan | |
| FIU Tournament | November 29–December 1, 2024 | Ocean Bank Convocation Center (University Park, FL) | 4 | Abilene Christian | |
| Gulf Coast Showcase | November 29–December 1, 2024 | Hertz Arena (Estero, FL) | 8 | Texas | |
| Miami Thanksgiving Tournament | November 29–December 1, 2024 | Watsco Center (Coral Gables, FL) | 4 | Miami (FL) | |
| Lehigh Christmas City Classic | November 30–December 1, 2024 | Stabler Arena (Bethlehem, PA) | 4 | Lehigh | |
| Cherokee Invitational | December 18–19, 2024 | Harrah's Cherokee (Cherokee, NC) | 4 | Toledo | |
| Tulane Holiday Tournament | December 20–21, 2024 | Devlin Fieldhouse (New Orleans, LA) | 4 | Tulane | |
| Hawk Classic | December 20–21, 2024 | Hagan Arena (Philadelphia, PA) | 4 | Saint Joseph's | |
| Raising the B.A.R. Invitational | December 21–22, 2024 | Haas Pavilion (Berkeley, CA) | 4 | California |
Head-to-head conference challenges
| Conference Match Up | Dates | Conference Winner | Conference Loser | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACC–SEC Challenge | December 4−5 | SEC | ACC | 10–6 |
| Big Sky–Summit Challenge | December 4−7 | Summit | Big Sky | 10–7 |
| Conference USA–WAC Challenge | November 4−December 17 | CUSA | WAC | 11–7 |
| MAC–SBC Challenge | November 4−February 8 | MAC | SBC | 15–9 |
Upsets
An upset is a victory by an underdog team. In the context of NCAA Division I women's basketball, this generally constitutes an unranked team defeating a team currently ranked in the top 25. This list will highlight those upsets of ranked teams by unranked teams as well as upsets of No. 1 teams. Rankings are from the AP poll. Bold type indicates winning teams in "true road games"—i.e., those played on an opponent's home court (including secondary homes). Italics type indicates winning teams in an early-season tournament (or event). Early-season tournaments are tournaments played in the early season. Events are the tournaments with the same teams in it every year (even rivalry games).
| Winner | Score | Loser | Date | Tournament/Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 83–74 | No. 13 Florida State | November 7, 2024 | ||
| Harvard | 72–68OT | No. 25 Indiana | |||
| South Dakota State | 83–74 | No. 21 Creighton | November 8, 2024 | ||
| Oregon | 76–74 | No. 12 Baylor | November 10, 2024 | ||
| Indiana | 79–66 | No. 24 Stanford | November 17, 2024 | ||
| TCU | 76–73 | No. 13 NC State | |||
| Northern Iowa | 87–75 | No. 8 Iowa State | November 20, 2024 | Northern Iowa's first-ever win over a top-10 opponent | |
| Creighton | 80–74 | No. 21 Nebraska | Rivalry | ||
| Indiana | 73–65 | No. 18 Baylor | November 24, 2024 | Battle 4 Atlantis | |
| No. 5 UCLA | 77–62 | No. 1 South Carolina | South Carolina's 43-game winning streak snapped | ||
| Georgia Tech | 74–58 | No. 21 Oregon | November 25, 2024 | Hawaii North Shore Showcase | Game played in Lāʻie, Hawaii |
| South Dakota State | 75–70 | November 26, 2024 | |||
| Utah | 78–67 | No. 3 Notre Dame | November 30, 2024 | Cayman Islands Classic | |
| NC State | 68–61 | No. 18 Ole Miss | December 5, 2024 | ACC–SEC Challenge | |
| California | 69–65 | No. 19 Alabama | |||
| Tennessee | 78–68 | No. 17 Iowa | December 7, 2024 | Women's Champions Classic | Game played in Brooklyn, New York |
| Alabama | 82–67 | No. 15 Michigan State | December 20, 2024 | West Palm Beach Classic | Game played in Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| South Florida | 65–56 | No. 9 Duke | December 21, 2024 | ||
| Colorado | 65–60 | No. 14 West Virginia | |||
| Clemson | 69–58 | No. 20 California | January 2, 2025 | ||
| Texas A&M | 60–58 | No. 25 Ole Miss | January 5, 2025 | ||
| Nebraska | 85–80 | No. 20 Michigan State | January 8, 2025 | ||
| Mississippi State | 81–77 | No. 10 Oklahoma | January 9, 2025 | ||
| Illinois | 62–57 | No. 23 Iowa | |||
| Virginia Tech | 105–942OT | No. 13 Georgia Tech | |||
| Oklahoma State | 64–57 | No. 17 West Virginia | January 11, 2025 | ||
| Indiana | 74–67 | No. 23 Iowa | January 12, 2025 | ||
| Louisville | 69–60 | No. 13 Georgia Tech | |||
| Baylor | 70–61 | No. 23 Utah | January 14, 2025 | ||
| Houston | 79–76 | No. 24 Oklahoma State | |||
| Penn State | 62–59 | No. 9 Ohio State | January 19, 2025 | ||
| Vanderbilt | 71–70 | No. 15 Tennessee | Rivalry | ||
| Oklahoma State | 60–59 | No. 9 TCU | January 22, 2025 | ||
| Texas A&M | 61–55 | No. 11 Kentucky | January 23, 2025 | ||
| Colorado | 63–53 | No. 10 Kansas State | January 25, 2025 | ||
| Arizona | 77–62 | No. 16 West Virginia | |||
| Florida State | 86–84 | No. 13 North Carolina | January 26, 2025 | ||
| Vanderbilt | 66–64 | No. 19 Alabama | |||
| Oregon | 63–59 | No. 16 Michigan State | January 30, 2025 | ||
| Illinois | 66–65 | No. 14 Maryland | February 2, 2025 | ||
| Iowa | 76–69 | No. 4 USC | |||
| Ole Miss | 76–61 | No. 23 Vanderbilt | |||
| Louisville | 70–63 | No. 21 California | February 6, 2025 | ||
| Michigan | 71–61 | No. 20 Michigan State | February 9, 2025 | Rivalry | |
| Ole Miss | 66–57 | No. 8 Kentucky | February 10, 2025 | ||
| Louisville | 83–69 | No. 23 Florida State | February 13, 2025 | ||
| Nebraska | 91–71 | No. 17 Maryland | |||
| Clemson | 68–61 | No. 19 Georgia Tech | |||
| No. 6 USC | 71–60 | No. 1 UCLA | Rivalry | ||
| BYU | 68–64 | No. 20 Oklahoma State | February 15, 2025 | ||
| Indiana | 71–61 | No. 8 Ohio State | February 20, 2025 | ||
| Louisville | 70–62 | No. 11 Duke | |||
| No. 13 NC State | 104–95 | No. 1 Notre Dame | February 23, 2025 | ||
| Florida State | 73–70 | No. 20 Georgia Tech | |||
| Georgia | 72–69 | No. 11 Tennessee | March 2, 2025 | ||
| Virginia | 78–75 | No. 8 North Carolina | |||
| Ole Miss | 85–77 | No. 7 LSU | |||
| Iowa State | 85–63 | No. 14 Kansas State | |||
| Vanderbilt | 84–76 | No. 18 Tennessee | March 6, 2025 | Rivalry/SEC tournament | |
| Florida | 63–61 | No. 19 Alabama | SEC tournament | ||
| Iowa | 74–61 | No. 24 Michigan State | Big Ten tournament | ||
| Michigan | 98–71 | No. 15 Maryland | March 7, 2025 | Big Ten tournament |
In addition to the above listed upsets in which an unranked team defeated a ranked team, there have been five non-Division I teams to defeat a Division I team so far this season. Bold type indicates winning teams in "true road games"—i.e., those played on an opponent's home court (including secondary homes).
| Winner | Score | Loser | Date | Tournament/event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel (TN) (NAIA) | 64–52[32] | Austin Peay | November 4, 2024 | Back-to-back season opening losses against non-Division I teams | |
| UMSL (Division II) | 60–52[33] | SIU Edwardsville | |||
| Adelphi (Division II) | 58–50[34] | Fordham | |||
| Colorado Christian (Division II) | 58–50[35] | Denver | |||
| Alaska Anchorage (Division II) | 68–52[36] | Vermont | November 23, 2024 | Great Alaska Shootout third place game | |
| Findlay (Division II) | 65–64[37] | Wright State | November 26, 2024 |
Conference winners and tournaments
Each of the 31 Division I athletic conferences will end its regular season with a single-elimination tournament. The team with the best regular-season record in each conference receives the number one seed in each tournament, with tiebreakers used as needed in the case of ties for the top seeding. Unless otherwise noted, the winners of these tournaments will receive automatic invitations to the 2025 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament.
Postseason tournaments
The NCAA Tournament tipped off on March 19, 2025, with the First Four, and will conclude on April 6 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. A Total of 68 teams entered the tournament. Thirty-one of the teams earned an automatic bids by winning their conferences tournaments. The remaining 37 teams are granted "at-large" bids, which are extended by the NCAA Selection Committee.
Final Four – Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida
| National Semifinals Final Four Friday, April 4 | National Championship Game Sunday, April 6 | ||||||||
| S1 (1) | UCLA | 51 | |||||||
| S4 (2) | UConn | 85 | |||||||
| UConn | 82 | ||||||||
| South Carolina | 59 | ||||||||
| B2 (1) | South Carolina | 74 | |||||||
| B3 (1) | Texas | 57 | |||||||
Tournament upsets
Per the NCAA, an upset occurs when the losing team in an NCAA tournament game was seeded at least two seed lines better than the winning team.
| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Region | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 21 | Oregon (10) | 77–73 OT | Vanderbilt (7) | Birmingham (#2) | Round of 64 |
| March 21 | South Dakota State (10) | 74–68 | Oklahoma State (7) | Spokane (#4) | Round of 64 |
Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament
After the NCAA tournament field is announced, the NCAA invites 32 teams to the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament. The teams determined by the NCAA tournament selection committee to be the "first four out" of the NCAA tournament receive the top four seeds in the WBIT. Also, teams that won regular-season conference titles but did not receive NCAA tournament invitations, if otherwise eligible for NCAA-sponsored postseason play, receive automatic bids. All WBIT games through the quarterfinals are held at campus sites, with the semifinals and finals taking place in Indianapolis at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Semifinals and Finals
| Semifinals March 31 Hinkle Fieldhouse | Final April 2 Hinkle Fieldhouse | ||||||||
| 3 | Florida | 52 | |||||||
| 2 | Minnesota | 66 | |||||||
| 2 | Minnesota | 75 | |||||||
| 3 | Belmont | 63 | |||||||
| 3 | Belmont | 66 | |||||||
| 4 | Villanova | 57 | |||||||
Women's National Invitation Tournament
After the NCAA tournament and WBIT fields are announced, the Women's National Invitation Tournament will invite 48 teams to participate. WNIT participants and sites will be announced when the field is set on March 17.
Semifinals and Finals
| Semifinals Fab 4 April 2 | Championship April 5 CBSSN | ||||||||
| Troy | 99 | ||||||||
| (H) | Illinois State | 96 | |||||||
| Troy | 84 | ||||||||
| (H) | Buffalo | 88 | |||||||
| (H) | Buffalo | 74 | |||||||
| Cleveland State | 69 | ||||||||
Conference standings
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Award winners
2025 All-Americans
The NCAA has never recognized a consensus All-America team in women's basketball. This differs from the practice in men's basketball, in which the NCAA uses a combination of selections by the Associated Press (AP), the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), The Sporting News and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) to determine a consensus All-America team. The selection of a consensus team is possible because all four organizations select at least a first and second team, with only the USBWA not selecting a third team.
In women's basketball, the AP, USBWA, and the women's basketball counterpart to the NABC, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), select All-America teams. The Sporting News does not select such a team. While the AP and USBWA each select first, second, and third teams, the WBCA selects a single 10-member team, thus making it impossible for a consensus team to be determined at any level.
Major player of the year awards
- Wooden Award: JuJu Watkins, USC[69]
- Naismith Award: JuJu Watkins, USC[70]
- Associated Press Player of the Year: JuJu Watkins, USC[71]
- Wade Trophy: Paige Bueckers, UConn[72]
- Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's Player of the Year (USBWA): JuJu Watkins, USC[73]
- Honda Sports Award:
Major freshman of the year awards
- Tamika Catchings Award (USBWA): Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt[74]
- WBCA Freshman of the Year: Sarah Strong, UConn[75]
Major coach of the year awards
- Associated Press Coach of the Year: Cori Close, UCLA[76]
- Naismith College Coach of the Year: Cori Close, UCLA[70]
- Geno Auriemma Award (USBWA): Cori Close, UCLA[77]
- WBCA National Coach of the Year: Cori Close, UCLA[78]
- WBCA Assistant Coach of the Year: Tony Newman, UCLA[79]
Other major awards
- Naismith Starting Five:[80]
- Nancy Lieberman Award (top point guard): Paige Bueckers, UConn
- Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (top shooting guard): JuJu Watkins, USC
- Cheryl Miller Award (top small forward): Madison Booker, Texas
- Katrina McClain Award (top power forward): Aneesah Morrow, LSU
- Lisa Leslie Award (top center): Lauren Betts, UCLA
- WBCA Defensive Player of the Year: Lauren Betts, UCLA[81]
- Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year: Lauren Betts, UCLA[70]
- Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award: Harmoni Turner, Harvard[82]
- Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award: Aaron Roussell, Richmond[83]
- Maggie Dixon Award (top rookie head coach): Jan Jensen, Iowa[84]
- Academic All-American of the Year (top scholar-athlete): Kiki Iriafen, USC[85]
- Elite 90 Award (top GPA among upperclass players at Final Four): Kiki Rice, UCLA[86]
- Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award: For the first time in nearly 50 years, this award and its corresponding men's award were not presented to college basketball figures. The awards went to the boys' and girls' teams of Palisades Charter High School in Los Angeles, which both posted winning seasons in the wake of the wildfire that destroyed much of the campus as well as the homes of multiple players on both teams.[87]
Coaching changes
Many teams will change coaches during the season and after it ends.
| Team | Former |
Interim |
New |
Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State | Freda Freeman-Jackson | — | Johnetta Hayes | Freeman-Jackson announced her retirement from Alabama State on March 25, 2025, after 27 seasons.[88] Rutgers assistant coach Hayes, previously head coach at Texas Southern and UMBC, was hired by the Lady Hornets on April 11.[89] |
| American | Tiffany Coll | — | Kelly Killion | After a 20–71 record in 3 seasons, American announced on March 9, 2025, that Coll will not return next season.[90] Penn associate head coach Killion was hired by the Eagles on April 2.[91] |
| Arizona | Adia Barnes | — | Becky Burke | Barnes left Arizona on April 5, 2025, after 9 seasons for SMU.[92] Buffalo head coach Burke was hired by the Wildcats on April 9.[93] |
| Arizona State | Natasha Adair | — | Molly Miller | ASU fired Adair on March 8, 2025, after a 29–62 record in 3 seasons.[94] Grand Canyon head coach Miller was hired by the Sun Devils on March 22.[95] |
| Arkansas | Mike Neighbors | — | Kelsi Musick | Neighbors announced his resignation from Arkansas on March 11, 2025, after 8 seasons and a 148–114 record.[96] The Razorbacks hired Oral Roberts head coach Musick on March 21.[97] |
| Auburn | Johnnie Harris | — | Larry Vickers | Auburn fired Harris on March 6, 2025, after 4 seasons and a 58–63 record.[98] Norfolk State head coach Vickers was hired by the Tigers on March 23.[99] |
| Bellarmine | Chancellor Dugan | — | Monique Reid | Dugan announced her retirement on April 2, 2025, after 34 seasons as head coach, the last 13 spent at Bellarmine.[100] Knights assistant coach Reid was promoted to the position on April 11.[101] |
| Buffalo | Becky Burke | — | Kristen Sharkey | Burke left Buffalo on April 9, 2025, after 3 seasons for the Arizona head coaching position.[93] Syracuse associate head coach and former Bulls standout player Sharkey was hired on April 18.[102] |
| BYU | Amber Whiting | — | Lee Cummard | BYU announced that they had parted ways with Whiting on March 8, 2025, after 3 seasons and a 45–51 record.[103] Cougars associate head coach Cummard, who was initially named interim head coach following Whiting's departure, was officially promoted on March 31.[104] |
| Cal State Fullerton | Jeff Harada | Harada's contract with Fullerton was not renewed on March 21, 2025, after 8 seasons.[105] | ||
| Central Connecticut | Way Veney | — | Kristin Caruso | After 2 seasons at CCSU, Veney announced on April 7, 2025, that she was leaving to pursue other opportunities.[106] Blue Devils assistant coach Caruso was promoted to fill the position 4 days later.[107] |
| Colgate | Ganiyat Adeduntan | Macey Hollenshead | Shannon Bush | Adeduntan left Colgate on March 20, 2025, after 4 seasons to return to George Washington, where she was an assistant there before coming to Colgate. Raiders assistant coach Hollenshead was named interim head coach for the WNIT.[108] After the season, Cornell associate head coach Bush was named the new head coach on April 14.[109] |
| Coppin State | Jermaine Woods | — | Darrell Mosley | Woods left Coppin State on April 4, 2025, after 3 seasons for conference rival Norfolk State.[110] Mosley, the associate head coach at Arizona State this past season, was hired by the Eagles on April 14.[111] |
| DePaul | Doug Bruno | — | Jill Pizzotti | Bruno, who had been on a medical leave of absence this season, announced on March 28, 2025, that he was stepping down from his head coaching position after 39 years, and that he would stay with DePaul as special assistant to the Vice President/Director of Athletics for Women's Basketball.[112] Blue Demons associate head coach Pizzotti, who was serving as acting head coach during Bruno's medical leave, was officially promoted to the position on April 3.[113] |
| Detroit Mercy | Kate Achter | — | Kiefer Haffey | Achter left Detroit on March 28, 2025, after 3 seasons for Western Michigan.[114] Titans associate head coach Haffey was promoted to the position on April 14.[115] |
| Florida Atlantic | Jennifer Sullivan | — | LeAnn Freeland | Sullivan left FAU on March 25, 2025, after 4 seasons for an assistant coaching position at Missouri.[116] Freeland, the longtime head coach at Division II Nova Southeastern, was hired by the Owls on April 1.[117] |
| Florida Gulf Coast | Karl Smesko | Chelsea Lyles | Smesko, who had been FGCU's head coach since the program began in 2002, announced his departure just two games into the season on November 13, 2024, to become head coach for the WNBA's Atlanta Dream. Eagles associate head coach Lyles, who played for Smesko from 2008 to 2010 and had been on the coaching staff since 2011, was promoted to the position the same day.[118] | |
| Chelsea Lyles | — | Raina Harmon | Following her only season as head coach, Lyles announced on March 24, 2025, that she was stepping down from the position.[119] Iowa assistant coach Harmon was hired on April 4.[120] | |
| Fresno State | Jaime White | — | Ryan McCarthy | White announced she was stepping down from her head coaching position on March 24, 2025, after 11 seasons at Fresno State.[121] Longtime Division II Alaska Anchorage head coach McCarthy was hired by the Bulldogs on April 14.[122] |
| Gardner–Webb | Scott Merritt | Katie Nelson | Terri Williams | Merritt, who was in his 2nd season at Gardner-Webb, was fired on February 6, 2025, but the school has not provided a reason for his dismissal. Associate head coach Katie Nelson was named the Runnin' Bulldogs interim head coach for the remainder of the season.[123] After the season, Penn State associate head coach Williams, formerly the head coach at Georgetown and Auburn, was hired on April 11.[124] |
| George Washington | Caroline McCombs | Doug Novak | Ganiyat Adeduntan | McCombs stepped down from her head coaching position on February 24, 2025, after 3+ seasons at GW. Revolutionaries assistant coach Novak served as the interim head coach for the rest of the season.[125] On March 20, the school hired former GW assistant and Colgate head coach Adeduntan.[126] |
| Georgia Tech | Nell Fortner | — | Karen Blair | Fortner announced her retirement on March 31, 2025, after 6 seasons at Georgia Tech and 15 overall as head coach.[127] Maryland associate head coach Blair was hired by the Yellow Jackets on April 6.[128] |
| Grand Canyon | Molly Miller | — | Winston Gandy | Miller left GCU on March 22, 2025, after 5 seasons for Arizona State.[95] South Carolina assistant Gandy was hired by the Antelopes two days later.[129] |
| Holy Cross | Maureen Magarity | Magarity, citing family reasons, announced her resignation from Holy Cross on August 20, 2024, after 4 seasons. Crusaders assistant coach Green was initially named interim head coach for the season.[130] On February 24, 2025, Holy Cross removed the interim tag from Green, officially naming her head coach.[131] | ||
| Houston | Ronald Hughey | — | Matthew Mitchell | Hughey announced his resignation from Houston on March 6, 2025, after 11 seasons.[132] The Cougars hired former Kentucky head coach Mitchell as his replacement on March 27.[133] |
| Houston Christian | Donna Finnie | — | Drew Long | Finnie's contract with HCU was not renewed on March 11, 2025, ending her 12-year tenure.[134] On April 2, the Huskies hired Division II McMurry head coach Long as her replacement.[135] |
| Incarnate Word | Jeff Dow | Amber Cunningham | Jhasmin Player | Incarnate Word did not renew Dow's contract on March 17, 2025, ending his 6-year tenure. With the Cardinals making the WNIT, assistant coach Cunningham was named interim head coach for the WNIT.[136] Oklahoma State associate head coach Player was hired on March 28.[137] |
| LIU | Rene Haynes | — | Neil Harrow | Haynes announced via social media that she was resigning on April 17, 2025, after 6 seasons at LIU.[138] James Madison associate head coach Harrow was hired by the Sharks on April 22.[139] |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Missy Bilderback | — | Scotty Fletcher | Bilderback departed ULM on March 23, 2025, after 2 seasons for the head coaching job at her alma mater and conference rival Southern Miss.[140] Fletcher, head coach of NJCAA Pearl River CC the last 10 years, was hired by the Warhawks on March 28.[141] |
| McNeese | Lynn Kennedy | — | Ayla Guzzardo | Kennedy's contract with McNeese was not renewed on March 6, 2025, after 4 seasons.[142] On March 22, The Cowgirls hired Guzzardo from conference rival Southeastern Louisiana as his replacement.[143] |
| Mercyhurst | Brooklyn Kohlheim | — | Erin Mills-Reid | Mercyhurst announced a change in leadership in the program, parting ways with Kohlheim on March 10, 2025, after 6 seasons.[144] Akron assistant Mills-Reid, who began her coaching career as an assistant for the Lakers from 2006 to 2007, was hired on April 9.[145] |
| Missouri | Robin Pingeton | — | Kellie Harper | Pingeton announced her resignation on February 26, 2025, after 15 seasons at Mizzou, effective at the conclusion of the season. Under Pingeton, the Tigers went 250–218, with 4 NCAA tournament appearances.[146] Kellie Harper, most recently head coach at her alma mater Tennessee, was hired as her replacement on March 18.[147] |
| Montana | Brian Holsinger | Nate Harris | Holsinger announced his resignation from Montana on February 10, 2025, after 3½ seasons. He had been on administrative leave from the school since January 15 for personal reasons.[148] Associate head coach Harris, who was serving as the Lady Griz's interim head coach during Holsinger's absence, continued in that role for the rest of the season.[149] On March 18, Harris was officially named the new head coach of the program.[150] | |
| Morgan State | Ed Davis Jr. | — | Nadine Domond | Davis Jr. announced his retirement on March 18, 2025, after 9 seasons at Morgan State.[151] Domond, head coach of Division II Virginia State, was hired by the Lady Bears on April 9.[152] |
| Norfolk State | Larry Vickers | — | Jermaine Woods | Vickers left NSU on March 23, 2025, after 9 seasons for the Auburn head coaching position.[99] Staying in the MEAC, the Spartans hired Coppin State head coach Woods on April 4.[110] |
| North Dakota | Mallory Bernhard | — | Dennis Hutter | Bernhard announced her resignation from UND on March 24, 2025, after 5 seasons, with Fighting Hawks associate head coach Hutter being named her replacement.[153] |
| Northern Arizona | Loree Payne | — | Laura Dinkins | Payne left NAU on March 24, 2025, after 8 seasons for the Santa Clara head coaching position.[154] Grand Canyon associate head coach and former Lumberjack standout Dinkins was hired for the job on April 1.[155] |
| Northern Illinois | Lisa Carlsen | — | Jacey Brooks | Carlson resigned from NIU on March 10, 2025, after 10 seasons.[156] Brooks, the associate head coach at conference rival Buffalo, was hired by the Huskies on April 1.[157] |
| Oakland | Jeff Tungate | Deanna Richard | Keisha Newell | Tungate, who was in his 12th season as Oakland head coach, announced his retirement on December 9, 2024, with Golden Grizzlies associate head coach Richard being named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.[158] After the season, the school hired Newell from Division II Lewis University on March 24, 2025.[159] |
| Omaha | Carrie Banks | Omaha announced on April 22, 2025 that Banks will not return next season, ending her 5-year tenure.[160] | ||
| Oral Roberts | Kelsi Musick | — | Cophie Anderson | Musick left ORU on March 21, 2025, after 3 seasons for the Arkansas head coaching position.[97] On March 31, Golden Eagles associate head coach Anderson was promoted to the position.[161] |
| Portland State | Chelsey Gregg | — | Karlie Burris | PSU parted ways with Gregg after 4 seasons and a 32–87 record on March 12, 2025.[162] UNLV assistant coach Burris was hired by the Vikings on April 4.[163] |
| Prairie View A&M | Sandy Pugh | Pugh resigned from Prairie View A&M on March 17, 2025, after 7 seasons.[164] | ||
| Rider | Lynn Milligan | — | Jackie Hartzell | Rider announced on March 10, 2025, that Milligan will not return next season, ending her 18-year tenure at her alma mater.[165] On April 3, the Broncs hired Hartzell from Division III Arcadia University to replace Milligan.[166] |
| Saint Francis | Keila Whittington | After a 56–155 record in 6 seasons at Saint Francis, Whittington resigned on March 20, 2025.[167] | ||
| Samford | Carley Kuhns | — | Matt Wise | Kuhns announced her resignation from Samford on April 17, 2025 after 6 seasons.[168] Bulldogs associate head coach Wise was promoted to the position the following day.[169] |
| San Diego | Cindy Fisher | — | Blanche Alverson | San Diego announced on February 22, 2025, that Fisher will not return after the season, ending her 20-year tenure with the school.[170] Her 346 wins at USD makes her the all-time winningest head coach of the program. The Toreros hired Georgia Tech associate head coach Alverson as her replacement on March 25.[171] |
| San Jose State | April Phillips | — | Jonas Chatterton | After a 23–71 record in 3 seasons, SJSU announced on March 24, 2025, that Phillips will not be retained.[172] Oklahoma associate head coach Chatterton was hired by the Spartans on April 25.[173] |
| Santa Clara | Bill Carr | Michael Floyd | Loree Payne | Carr announced his resignation from Santa Clara on October 12, 2024, after 8 seasons. Broncos associate head coach Floyd was tabbed as the interim head coach for the season.[174] After the season, the school hired Northern Arizona head coach Payne on March 25, 2025.[154] |
| SMU | Toyelle Wilson | — | Adia Barnes | SMU parted ways with Wilson on March 30, 2025, after 4 seasons and a 55–64 record.[175] Arizona head coach Barnes was hired by the Mustangs on April 5.[92] |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Ayla Guzzardo | — | Jeff Dow | Guzzardo left Southeastern Louisiana on March 22, 2025, after 8 seasons for the head coaching position at conference rival McNeese.[143] Jeff Dow, who spent the last six years at another of SE Louisiana's conference rival in Incarnate Word, was hired by the Lady Lions on March 25.[176] |
| Southern Miss | Joye Lee-McNelis | — | Missy Bilderback | Lee-McNelis announced on February 25, 2025, that she will retire at the end of the season, her 21st at her alma mater.[177] Lee-McNelis, who had been coaching the past 2 seasons despite battling stage IV lung cancer, her fourth bout in 7 years, leaves as the program's winningest head coach with 339 wins. Southern Miss alum and conference rival Louisiana-Monroe head coach Bilderback was hired by the Lady Eagles on March 23.[140] |
| Texas A&M Corpus–Christi | Royce Chadwick | — | Toyelle Wilson | After 13 years at TAMU–CC and 41 overall, Chadwick announced his retirement on April 2, 2025.[178] The Islanders hired former Prairie View A&M and SMU head coach Wilson as his replacement on April 10.[179] |
| UMass Lowell | Denise King | — | Jon Plefka | UMass Lowell parted ways with King on March 5, 2025, after a 35–97 record in 5 seasons.[180] Stony Brook assistant coach Plefka was named the new head coach of the River Hawks on April 25.[181] |
| Utah | Lynne Roberts | — | Gavin Petersen | Roberts left Utah on November 19, 2024, after four games in her 10th season to become the new head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. Utes associate head coach Petersen was named as Roberts' replacement that same day.[182] |
| Valparaiso | Mary Evans | — | Courtney Boyd | Valpo and Evans mutually agreed to part ways on March 18, 2025, after 7 seasons and a 73–135 record.[183] On April 4, the Beacons hired Division II Quincy head coach Boyd.[184] |
| Western Michigan | Shane Clipfell | — | Kate Achter | Clipfell, WMU's all-time winningest head coach with 184 wins, announced his retirement on March 17, 2025, after 13 seasons with the program.[185] The Broncos stayed in-state for their next hire, naming Detroit Mercy head coach Achter as his replacement on March 28.[114] |
| Wisconsin | Marisa Moseley | — | Robin Pingeton | Citing personal reasons, Moseley announced her resignation from Wisconsin on March 9, 2025, after 4 seasons.[186] Former Missouri head coach Pingeton was hired by the Badgers on March 25.[187] |
See also
References
- ^ "1-game suspension proposed for physical abuse, threats against women's basketball officials" (Press release). NCAA. May 2, 2024. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
- ^ "1-game suspension approved for physical abuse, threats against women's basketball officials". NCAA. June 6, 2024. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
- ^ "SFA Athletics Accepts Invitation to Join Southland Conference in 2024-25" (Press release). Southland Conference. May 29, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ Neddenreip, Kyle (April 1, 2024). "'A no-brainer.' New IU Indy basketball coach Paul Corsaro will 'start in our backyard.'". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ "Ushering in a new era, the Pac-12 Conference strengthens its legacy by welcoming four respected academic and athletic universities" (Press release). Pac-12 Conference. September 12, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Pac-12 Conference and Utah State University Unite to Advance the New Era of the 100-Year-Old Legacy" (Press release). Pac-12 Conference. September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- ^ "Pac-12 Conference and Gonzaga University Unite to Build a Basketball Powerhouse, Advancing the New Era of the Conference's 100-Year Legacy" (Press release). Pac-12 Conference. September 30, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ "Mountain West Welcomes UTEP Into The Conference" (Press release). October 1, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ "DI Council approves changes to notification-of-transfer windows in basketball, football" (Press release). NCAA. October 9, 2024. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
- ^ "Mountain West Officially Welcomes Hawaiʻi as a Full-Time Member" (Press release). Mountain West Conference. October 15, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- ^ "Mountain West Officially Welcomes Grand Canyon University" (Press release). Mountain West Conference. November 1, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
- ^ "GCU accepts invite to Mountain West Conference" (Press release). Grand Canyon Antelopes. November 1, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
In joining the Mountain West Conference, GCU has formally declined an invitation from the West Coast Conference that would have seen the Lopes become WCC members on July 1, 2025.
- ^ "Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Approves Name Change for Texas A&M University-Commerce" (Press release). East Texas A&M University. November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
- ^ "Mountain West Welcomes UC Davis" (Press release). Mountain West Conference. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
- ^ "Division I adopts new reclassification criteria" (Press release). NCAA. January 15, 2025. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
- ^ "Horizon League Welcomes NIU" (Press release). Horizon League. February 27, 2025. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ "Saint Francis University to Reclassify to NCAA Division III, Join Presidents' Athletic Conference" (Press release). Presidents' Athletic Conference. March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
- ^ Beard, Aaron (November 15, 2024). "Bueckers scores 29, Auriemma ties Division I coaching record as No. 2 UConn beats No. 14 UNC 69–58". Associated Press News. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Philippou, Alexa (November 20, 2024). "UConn's Geno Auriemma becomes NCAA all-time basketball wins leader". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- ^ Sterling, Wayne; Lev, Jacob (November 20, 2024). "UConn's Geno Auriemma sets all-time college basketball wins record". CNN. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
- ^ "Tennessee Lady Vols set NCAA record for 3-pointers in win". ESPN. Associated Press. December 14, 2024. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
- ^ Maloney, Jack (December 14, 2024). "Tennessee sets record for most 3-pointers made in men's or women's game in historic win over NC Central". CBS Sports. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ Rothman, Sam (December 14, 2024). "Lady Vols dominate North Carolina Central with record-breaking performance". WATE-TV. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
- ^ Gonzalez, Isabel (February 16, 2025). "Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes sets NCAA freshman scoring record with 55 points in overtime win over Auburn". CBS Sports. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
- ^ "Mikayla Blakes nets NCAA-record 55 points in Vanderbilt win". ESPN. February 16, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ "Katelyn Young scores 34 as Murray State powers past Belmont 83-62 to win Missouri Valley title". Associated Press News. March 16, 2025. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ Ryans, Joshua (November 8, 2023). "Convocation Center Will Soon Be Home For Men's And Women's Basketball Teams". TheGeorgeanne.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ "Neighborhood Group Court For Environmental Review Of New St. Thomas Arena". MPRNews.org. November 5, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.[dead link]
- ^ "Texan Men's Basketball hosts Utah Valley in final basketball game in Wisdom Gym". Tarleton State University Athletics. March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
- ^ "UVM Sports Complex Arena Still On Hold Wellness Center Open". WCAX.com. September 28, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2022.[dead link]
- ^ "NCAA basketball returns to Knights Hall as Bellarmine celebrates full Division I membership after successful reclassification process" (Press release). Bellarmine Knights. August 28, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ "Bethel (TN) vs. Austin Peay - Women's College Basketball Game Summary - November 4, 2024". ESPN. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- ^ "UMSL vs. SIU Edwardsville - Women's College Basketball Game Summary - November 4, 2024". ESPN. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- ^ "Adelphi vs. Fordham - Women's College Basketball Game Summary - November 4, 2024". ESPN. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- ^ "Colorado Christian vs. Denver - Women's College Basketball Game Summary - November 4, 2024". ESPN. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- ^ "Alaska Anchorage vs. Vermont - Women's College Basketball Game Summary - November 23, 2024". ESPN. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
- ^ "Findlay vs. Wright State - Women's College Basketball Game Summary - November 26, 2024". ESPN. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- ^ a b "Five Different Programs Earn Major Awards as Women's #AEHoops All-Conference Honors Are Revealed" (Press release). America East Conference. March 5, 2025. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
- ^ a b "UTSA's Jenkins Named 2025 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "Women's Basketball Postseason Honors Announced" (Press release). Atlantic Sun Conference. March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "Richmond's Doogan, Roussell Earn #A10WBB Player & Coach of the Year Honors; McConnell, McKayle, Snead & Suárez Tabbed for End of Season Awards" (Press release). Atlantic 10 Conference. March 4, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "ACC Women's Basketball Announces 2024-25 Award Winners" (Press release). Atlantic Coast Conference. March 4, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "2024-25 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Women's Basketball Awards Revealed" (Press release). Big 12 Conference. March 4, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "2025 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Annual Awards Announced" (Press release). Big East Conference. March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "2024-25 Big Sky Women's Basketball All-Conference Awards Announced, Morales Named MVP" (Press release). Big Sky Conference. March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ a b "Big South Announces 2024-25 Women's Basketball Annual Award Winners" (Press release). Big South Conference. March 4, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "2024-25 Big Ten Women's Basketball Postseason Honors Announced" (Press release). Big Ten Conference. March 4, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "2024-25 Women's Basketball All-Big West Awards and Teams Announced" (Press release). Big West Conference. March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Kane, Ben. "CAA Announces Major Award Winners and All-CAA Selections; Charleston's Barbot Named Player of the Year". caasports.com. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ a b "WBB: Postseason Awards Announced" (Press release). Conference USA. March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b "Horizon League Releases 2024-25 #HLWBB All-League Awards" (Press release). Horizon League. March 3, 2025. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ^ a b "Women's Basketball Major Awards and All-Ivy Teams Announced" (Press release). Ivy League. March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ a b "2025 MAAC Women's Basketball Major Awards Announced" (Press release). Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b "MAC Announces 2024-25 Women's Basketball All-MAC Teams & Specialty Award Winners" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b "MEAC Announces 2025 Women's Basketball All-Conference Awards". meacsports.com. March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ a b "2025 MVC Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams" (Press release). Missouri Valley Conference. March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b "MW Announces 2024-25 Women's Basketball Postseason Honors and All-Conference Accolades" (Press release). Mountain West Conference. March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b "History Made! Belle Lanpher Becomes CCSU's First-Ever NEC Player of the Year". northeastconference.org. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ "Eastern Illinois' McGlone and Flowers, SEMO's Best, and Lindenwood's Eagan Earn 2024-25 OVC Women's Basketball Top Honors".
- ^ a b "Patriot League Announces PenFed Credit Union 2024-25 Women's Basketball Major Awards and All-League Teams". patriotleague.org. March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ "2025 SEC women's basketball awards announced".
- ^ "All-SoCon women's basketball teams announced".
- ^ a b "Southeastern's Horne, Guzzardo earn SLC Player & Coach of the Year awards; All-Southland Conference Women's Basketball Teams and superlative awards announced". www.southland.org. March 8, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b "SWAC Announces Women's Basketball Postseason Awards". swac.org. March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b "Coyotes' Larkins corrals #SummitWBB Player of the Year accolade" (Press release). Summit League. March 4, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "Sun Belt Conference Announces 2024-25 Women's Basketball Awards, All-Conference Teams" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. March 3, 2025. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ^ a b "Yvonne Ejim Named West Coast Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year For The Second Consecutive Year" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 4, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "Trinity San Antonio Claims 2024-25 WAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year Honor". wacsports.com. March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ "USC's JuJu Watkins Wins 2025 John R. Wooden Award® Presented by Principal" (Press release). Los Angeles Athletic Club. April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Lauren Betts, Cori Close and Juju Watkins Earn 2025 Naismith Honors" (Press release). Atlanta Tipoff Club. April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ Feinberg, Doug (April 4, 2025). "USC star JuJu Watkins is the AP Player of the Year and just the fourth sophomore to earn that honor". Associated Press News. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ "Paige Bueckers wins Wade Trophy, headlines 2025 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America team" (Press release). Women's Basketball Coaches Association. April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ "USC's Watkins wins 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award" (Press release). U.S. Basketball Writers Association. March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ "Vanderbilt's Blakes wins 2024-25 Tamika Catchings National Freshman Player of the Year Award" (Press release). U.S. Basketball Writers Association. March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ "UConn's Sarah Strong named 2025 WBCA NCAA Division I Freshman of the Year presented by adidas" (Press release). Women's Basketball Coaches Association. April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ Feinberg, Doug (April 3, 2025). "UCLA's Cori Close is the AP Coach of the Year after a historic season for the top-seeded Bruins". Associated Press News. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ "UCLA's Close is USBWA Women's National Coach of the Year" (Press release). U.S. Basketball Writers Association. March 20, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ "UCLA's Cori Close named 2025 WBCA NCAA Division I Coach of the Year" (Press release). Women's Basketball Coaches Association. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ "WBCA announces winners of 2025 Assistant Coach of the Year awards presented by Aflac" (Press release). Women's Basketball Coaches Association. March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ "Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Reveals Winners of Men's and Women's Naismith Starting Five Awards on ESPN's College GameDay" (Press release). Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. April 5, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ "UCLA's Lauren Betts named 2025 WBCA NCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year" (Press release). Women's Basketball Coaches Association. April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ Mox, Jacob (April 2, 2025). "Harmoni Turner Named 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year". The Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ "Aaron Roussell Named 2025 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year". The Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "Iowa's Jan Jensen named 2025 Spalding® Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year" (Press release). Women's Basketball Coaches Association. April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "2024-25 Academic All-America® Women's Basketball Teams announced for all NCAA and NAIA divisions" (Press release). College Sports Communicators. April 16, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Kiki Rice Wins Elite 90 Award for NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship" (Press release). UCLA Bruins. April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ "Palisades Charter High School teams to be presented with USBWA Most Courageous Awards" (Press release). U.S. Basketball Writers Association. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ Dunn, Graham (March 25, 2025). "ASU Women's Basketball Coach Freda Freeman-Jackson Set To Retire" (Press release). Alabama State Hornets. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
- ^ "Successful SWAC Coach Johnetta Hayes to Lead ASU Women's Basketball Program" (Press release). Alabama State Hornets. April 11, 2025. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ "American University Announces Change in Women's Basketball Leadership" (Press release). American Eagles. March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
- ^ "American Welcomes Kelly Killion as Head Coach of Women's Basketball" (Press release). American Eagles. April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ a b "Barnes Named Head Women's Basketball Coach At SMU" (Press release). SMU Mustangs. April 5, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ a b "Arizona Names Burke Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Arizona Wildcats. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
- ^ Ortiz, Jenna (March 8, 2025). "ASU fires women's basketball coach Natasha Adair after 3 seasons". Arizona Republic. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ a b "Arizona State University Hires Molly Miller as Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Arizona State Sun Devils. March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
- ^ "Coach Mike Neighbors steps down as Arkansas Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Arkansas Razorbacks. March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Parkinson, Kyle (March 21, 2025). "Musick named Arkansas Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Arkansas Razorbacks. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- ^ "Auburn announces change in women's basketball leadership" (Press release). Auburn Tigers. March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ a b "Larry Vickers named Auburn women's basketball head coach" (Press release). Auburn Tigers. March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
- ^ Prueitt, Adam (April 2, 2025). "Dugan announces retirement after 13 seasons leading women's basketball" (Press release). Bellarmine Knights. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Prueitt, Adam (April 11, 2025). "Reid named head coach of women's basketball" (Press release). Bellarmine Knights. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ "Kristen Sharkey Named 14th Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Buffalo Bulls. April 18, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ "Amber Whiting out after three years as BYU coach". ESPN.com. March 8, 2025. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ Rustand, Austin (March 31, 2025). "BYU names Lee Cummard head women's basketball coach" (Press release). BYU Cougars. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
- ^ Wilson, Emily (March 21, 2025). "CSUF women's basketball head coach Jeff Harada not returning next season". The Daily Titan. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
- ^ "CCSU Women's Basketball Update" (Press release). Central Connecticut Blue Devils. April 7, 2025. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
- ^ "CCSU Names Caruso Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Central Connecticut Blue Devils. April 11, 2025. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ Doroshenko, Jordan (March 20, 2025). "Adeduntan Named Head Coach at George Washington" (Press release). Colgate Raiders. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
- ^ Doroshenko, Jordan (April 14, 2025). "Shannon Bush Named Colgate Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Colgate Raiders. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ a b Schlekeway, Noah (April 4, 2025). "Jermaine Woods Named Norfolk State University Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Norfolk State Spartans. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
- ^ Kramer, Steven (April 14, 2025). "Darrell Mosley Named Coppin State Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Coppin State Eagles. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ "Doug Bruno steps down as DePaul coach after 39 seasons". ESPN.com. March 28, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
- ^ "Jill M. Pizzotti Named DePaul Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). DePaul Blue Demons. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ a b "Western Michigan University Names Kate Achter as Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Western Michigan Broncos. March 28, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
- ^ "University of Detroit Mercy Promote Kiefer Haffey to Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Detroit Mercy Titans. April 14, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ "Jennifer Sullivan Steps Down for Position at Missouri" (Press release). Florida Atlantic Owls. March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ "LeAnn Freeland Named Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Florida Atlantic Owls. April 1, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ Hayes, Jason (November 13, 2024). "Karl Smesko steps down as women's basketball head coach" (Press release). Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
- ^ "Chelsea Lyles stepping down as head coach of women's basketball program" (Press release). Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ^ "The new age of women's basketball has arrived: FGCU welcomes Iowa's Raina Harmon to the Nest!" (Press release). Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
- ^ "Fresno State head women's basketball coach Jaime White steps down" (Press release). Fresno State Bulldogs. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ^ Stoeckle, Savannah (April 14, 2025). "Ryan McCarthy named Fresno State head women's basketball coach" (Press release). Fresno State Bulldogs. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Northam, Mitchell (February 6, 2025). "Gardner-Webb remaining silent as head coach Scott Merritt is dismissed". thenexthoops.com. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
- ^ "Gardner-Webb Officials Announce Terri Williams as the New Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs. April 11, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ "Caroline McCombs Steps Down as Head Coach of GW Women's Basketball" (Press release). George Washington Revolutionaries. February 24, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
- ^ "Ganiyat Adeduntan Named Women's Basketball Head Coach at GW" (Press release). George Washington Revolutionaries. March 20, 2025. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
- ^ "Fortner Announces Retirement" (Press release). Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. March 31, 2025. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
- ^ "Georgia Tech Names Karen Blair Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. April 6, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
- ^ "Reigning national champion selected to lead GCU" (Press release). Grand Canyon Antelopes. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ^ "Magarity steps down as Holy Cross women's basketball head coach, Green tabbed as interim for 2024-25 campaign" (Press release). Holy Cross Crusaders. August 20, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ "Candice Green named permanent head coach of Holy Cross women's basketball" (Press release). Holy Cross Crusaders. February 24, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
- ^ "Hughey Resigns as Houston Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ "Matthew Mitchell Named Houston Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Houston Cougars. March 27, 2025. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
- ^ "WBB: HCU Announces Parting of Ways with Finnie" (Press release). Houston Christian Huskies. March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ "WBB: HCU Hires Drew Long as Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Houston Christian Huskies. April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Luca, Greg (March 17, 2025). "'Absolutely shocked': UIW will not renew coach Jeff Dow after third straight winning year". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ Garza, Gabriel (March 28, 2025). "Player Tabbed as Next Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Incarnate Word Cardinals. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ^ Haynes, Rene (April 17, 2025). "Feeling so grateful for these moments. Thank you LIU" (Tweet). Retrieved April 18, 2025 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Neil Harrow Named Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). LIU Sharks. April 22, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
- ^ a b "Southern Miss Names Missy Bilderback Fifth Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Southern Miss Golden Eagles. March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
- ^ "Scotty Fletcher Named ULM Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. March 28, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
- ^ "McNeese will not renew contract of Cowgirls' head coach Lynn Kennedy" (Press release). McNeese Cowgirls. March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ a b Travis, Matthew (March 22, 2025). "McNeese Hires Ayla Guzzardo as Head Women's Basketball Coach". KPLC. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
- ^ "Mercyhurst Athletics Announces Leadership Change in Women's Basketball" (Press release). Mercyhurst Lakers. March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ Howe, Tyler (April 9, 2025). "Mercyhurst Welcomes Back Familiar Face to Lead Women's Basketball in DI Era" (Press release). Mercyhurst Lakers. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
- ^ "Mizzou Women's Basketball Head Coach Robin Pingeton to Step Away Following 2024-25 Season" (Press release). Missouri Tigers. February 26, 2025. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
- ^ "Kellie Harper Named Mizzou Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Missouri Tigers. March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ "Montana Lady Griz coach Brian Holsinger on leave; Nate Harris to lead program". MontanaSports.com (MTSPX). January 16, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ "Montana announces Brian Holsinger's resignation as Lady Griz head coach". MontanaSports.com (MTSPX). February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ "Harris named Lady Griz head coach" (Press release). Montana Lady Griz. March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ Paige, Kevin C. (March 18, 2025). "Morgan State's Davis Announces Retirement After Legendary Career" (Press release). Morgan State Lady Bears. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ "Morgan State University Names Nadine Domond as New Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Morgan State Bears. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
- ^ Johnson, Alec Stocker (March 24, 2025). "Mallory Bernhard to step down, Dennis Hutter named next head coach" (Press release). North Dakota Fighting Hawks. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ^ a b "Loree Payne Named Santa Clara Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Santa Clara Broncos. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ^ O'Bannon, Makayla (April 1, 2025). "Laura Dinkins named new head coach for women's basketball at Northern Arizona". Arizona Daily Sun. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ "NIU Announces Change in Leadership of Women's Basketball Program" (Press release). Northern Illinois Huskies. March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ "NIU Names Jacey Brooks Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Northern Illinois Huskies. April 1, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ Nelson, Jordan (December 9, 2024). "Women's Basketball Head Coach Jeff Tungate to Retire Effective Immediately" (Press release). Oakland Golden Grizzlies. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
- ^ Nelson, Jordan (March 24, 2025). "Oakland Athletics Announces Hiring of Keisha Newell as Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Oakland Golden Grizzlies. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ^ "Omaha Athletics announces women's basketball leadership change" (Press release). Omaha Mavericks. April 22, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
- ^ "ORU Athletics Announces Cophie Anderson as New Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. March 31, 2025. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
- ^ Jobanek, Andy (March 12, 2025). "Portland State Athletics Announce Coaching Change for Women's Basketball Program" (Press release). Portland State Vikings. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ Jobanek, Andy (April 4, 2025). "Karlie Burris Named New Head Women's Basketball Coach at Portland State" (Press release). Portland State Vikings. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ "Pugh Resigns as Head Coach of Prairie View A&M University Women's Basketball Program" (Press release). Prairie View A&M Panthers. March 17, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ "Rider Announces Change in Leadership for Women's Basketball" (Press release). Rider Broncs. March 10, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "Rider Hires Jackie Hartzell as New Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Rider Broncs. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "Saint Francis Women's Basketball Head Coach Keila Whittington Resigns" (Press release). Saint Francis Red Flash. March 20, 2025. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- ^ "Kuhns Steps Down As Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Samford Bulldogs. April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ "Samford Names Matt Wise New Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Samford Bulldogs. April 18, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ "USD Athletics Announces Leadership Change in Women's Basketball" (Press release). San Diego Toreros. February 22, 2025. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
- ^ "Blanche Alverson Named USD Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). San Diego Toreros. March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
- ^ "San José State Makes Coaching Change in Women's Basketball" (Press release). San Jose State Spartans. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ^ "SJSU Hires Jonas Chatterton as Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). San Jose State Spartans. April 25, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Bill Carr Stepping Down As Santa Clara Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Santa Clara Broncos. October 12, 2024. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
- ^ "Change In Leadership For SMU Women's Basketball" (Press release). SMU Mustangs. March 30, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
- ^ "Southeastern Names Jeff Dow Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Southeastern Louisiana Lions. March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
- ^ "Joye Lee-McNelis Announces Retirement" (Press release). Southern Miss Lady Eagles. February 25, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
- ^ "Chadwick Retiring After 13 Years with Islanders, National Search Open for Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders. April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ "A&M-Corpus Christi Names Toyelle Wilson as Head Women's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ "Coaching Change Announced for UMass Lowell Women's Basketball" (Press release). UMass Lowell River Hawks. March 5, 2025. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
- ^ "Jon Plefka Named UMass Lowell Women's Basketball Head Coach" (Press release). Umass Lowell River Hawks. April 25, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Roberts Accepts Head Coach Position with WNBA's L.A. Sparks; Petersen Named New Utes Head Coach" (Press release). Utah Utes. November 19, 2024. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ^ "Valpo Athletics Announces Change in Leadership of Women's Basketball Program" (Press release). Valparaiso Beacons. March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
- ^ "Courtney Boyd Named Head Coach of Valpo Women's Basketball Program" (Press release). Valparaiso Beacons. April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ "Western Michigan All-Time Wins Leader and Head Women's Basketball Coach Shane Clipfell Announces Retirement from WMU" (Press release). Western Michigan Broncos. March 17, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ "Moseley resigns from Wisconsin women's basketball" (Press release). Wisconsin Badgers. March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ Milliron, Meg (March 25, 2025). "Pingeton selected to lead Badger women's basketball program" (Press release). Wisconsin Badgers. Retrieved March 25, 2025.