As March rolls on so does the NCAA Division II Postseason Tournament, and the Elite Eight has finally arrived.

Eight of the best teams in the Division II women’s basketball scene have traveled from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast and everything in between all ending up in the same location, St. Joseph, Missouri.

A full breakdown of those eight teams, how each’s 2022-2023 season went and a preview of the team’s matchups can be found down below.

No. 1 seed: Ashland University

Season Record: 34-0

The Ashland University women’s basketball team has remained undefeated heading into the Elite Eight for the third time in program history. The previous time they did so was during the 2017-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons. In 16-17′, the Eagles won the National Championship and in 17-18,’ they were the runner-up.

Heading into the tournament, the Eagles are ranked No. 1 in field goal percentage, three-point percentage and assists per game. Alongside their countless Division II high numbers, they also rank third in the free-throw percentage.

The Eagles were able to secure a conference championship in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, alongside a Midwest Region Championship, downing the No. 5 nationally ranked Grand Valley State Lakers.

Looking to find another run to the championship, the Eagles will be going up against No. 8-seeded UT-Tyler, at 6 p.m. CST/ 7 p.m. EST on March 20, on wrdlfm.com

No. 2 seed: Minnesota Duluth

Season Record: 30-3

The University of Minnesota Duluth started their season 1-1 after falling to Missouri Southern, and at first, things seemed rocky for the team up north as they put up just 51 points in the loss. However, they would go on a 15-win streak to bolster their confidence. Once that win streak came to a close on Jan. 28, 2023, against Augusta, they would go on yet another streak that would last until the Elite Eight.

The Bulldogs were able to secure a conference championship in the NSIC conference while getting revenge on Agusuta for the loss earlier in the year, this time in the semi-final round. With a conference title under the team’s belt, they headed into the Central Regional Tournament and dominated their first two opponents, both by 16 points. Once again though, the Bulldogs would be set up for a movie-like finale to their season as in the Regional Tournament Championship they would go up against Missouri Southern.

The Bulldogs would squeak out a 77-76 down-to-the-wire victory, to secure a spot in the Elite Eight.

They will be taking on the Assumption University Greyhounds at 2:30 p.m. on March 20, while hoping to keep their cinderella story alive.

No. 3 seed: California Saint Dom. Hills

Season Record: 31-2

The California Saint Dom. Hills Toros did not lose a contest until Jan. 28, 2023, against Chico State by one point. Outside of that loss, their only other loss occurred in the CCAA conference tournament final against California State San Marcos by a 12-point differential, 74-62.

Although they fell in the conference title game, they still received a bid in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the West region. In the opening round against California Poly Pomona, they dominated in an 87-61 win. After that, they would down the No. 3 and No. 4 seed, securing a birth into the Elite Eight.

For the Toros, this is their first birth into the Elite Eight in program history. Heading into this season, they amassed a 1-8 regional tournament record and helped improve that winning percentage with three more wins.

In the opening round, they will gear up to take on the No. 6 seeded Catawba College at 12 p.m. CST/ 1 p.m. EST on March 20.

No. 4 seed: Tampa

Season Record: 33-1

The University of Tampa Spartans come into the Elite Eight as the second-best team based on record but were listed as the fourth-seeded team.

They started the season red-hot, winning their first 11 contests before falling to Palm Beach Atlantic, 79-76, on Dec. 29, 2022. After picking up their first loss of the year just before the changing of calendars, the Spartans rallied and downed every opponent they came up against heading into the Elite Eight.

In their conference tournament, they beat their opponents by an average of 18.5 points per game, securing an SSC Tournament Championship with ease. Once again, ease would be a perfect word to describe the feeling the Spartans had in the NCAA South Regional Tournament.

Kicking things off against Tuskegee, they defeated them 82-64. In the semi-final round, they took on Lee and outscored them 73-51. To head to the Elite Eight, they dominated Eckerd 76-53 and are headed up against No. 5 seeded Glenville State. Both squads, loaded with an arsenal on the offensive side of things, will be hard for either side to stop.

These two teams will take on one another at 8:30 p.m. CST/ 9:30 p.m. EST, as the final contest of the Elite Eight on March 20.

No. 5 seed: Glenville State

Season Record: 32-2

Widely regarded as one of the top teams in the Elite Eight, the Glenville State Pioneers are looking to repeat as Division II National Champions. In the 2021-2022 season, they completed a 35-1 season, downing Western Washington, 85-72 to secure the title. During their run, they set the record for most points in the NCAA Tournament recording more than 504 points. With the offense still producing at the same high level with five 100-point games this season, the Pioneers will be a force to be reckoned with.

This season they’ve lost just two games, both coming on the road. They lost 79-70, and 75-74, with the most recent occurring on Jan. 18, 2023, putting them on a 17-game win streak. Their offense also sits No. 2 in Division II at an average of 87.8 points per game.

In the opening run, they will take on the University of Tampa Spartans at 8:30 p.m. CST/ 9:30 p.m. EST, as the final contest of the Elite Eight on March 20.

No. 6 seed: Catawba

Season Record: 28-5

Catawba College enters into crunch time of the season as the No. 6 seed after losing just two conference games on the season. From Jan. 4 until March 1, the Indians lost just one game while riding into the SAC Tournament with confidence. After downing Limestone, 83-67 in the opening round, the Indians struggled and were knocked out by five points to Lenoir-Rhyne in the semi-final round of the conference tournament.

Although they were unable to secure a conference title, the Indians impressed and were given the No. 1 seed to host the Southeast Region Tournament. In the opening round, they downed UNC Pembroke, 57-40, and then followed up that blowout by one-upping themselves in the semi-final round with a 75-49 destruction of Clayton State.

To head to the Elite Eight, the Indians downed Georgia Southern, 75-65, clinching the team’s first regional title and first Elite Eight appearance.

They will take on the No. 3 seeded California Saint Dom. Hills Toros at 12 p.m. CST/ 1 p.m. EST on March 20.

No. 7 seed: Assumption

Season Record: 27-5

The Assumption University Greyhounds have been a dark horse heading into the NCAA Tournament. While they may not have as good of a record that the higher seeds inside the tournament hold, they’ve earned their spot in the final batch of eight teams in the country.

To start the year the Greyhounds routed an 11-game win streak to push themselves up the DII rankings as the country took notice. After a win streak to start the season, they went 12-4 through the next 16 games, falling by an average of 10 points per game in those losses.

Heading into the NE-10 conference tournament, the Greyhounds entered as the No. 2 seed and downed their opening opponent, Southern Connecticut State University, 60-44. In the second round, however, things would look bleak for the Greyhounds as the No. 3 seeded Southern New Hampshire University gave them their fifth loss of the season, 67-60.

On the season, the Greyhounds’ defense has been their bread and butter, but at times the lack of offensive production has hindered them as they have just eight games above 70 points scored this season.

Although they did lose in their conference tournament, they received a bid in the NCAA Tournament and were slotted as the No. 1 seed and waltzed their way into the East Region Championship against Jefferson. Squeaking out a victory, 62-57, the Greyhounds clinched a spot in the Elite Eight and won their first program regional championship.

In the opening round, they will take on the No. 2 seeded Minnesota Duluth at 2:30 p.m. on March 20.

No. 8 seed: University of Texas-Tyler

Season Record: 27-7

The University of Texas-Tyler Patriots, known as UT Tyler, head into the Elite Eight with a 27-7 overall record. That record, which consists of being undefeated on their home floor, will be tested on the road at a neutral site in St. Joseph Missouri. In those neutral/road site contests, the Patriots have struggled going just 16-7.

After an above-average regular season, the Patriots were knocked out in the semi-final round of their conference tournament, lighting a fire underneath the team’s belt for the NCAA Postseason Tournament.

The No.8 seeded Patriots went through the South Central region, downing the No. 1 seed in the opening round en route to sneaking out of the region.

This season the Patriots have three scorers averaging double figures this season Destini Whitehead (12.6), Tina Machalova (12.0) and Lovisa Hevinder (10.4).

As a team, the Patriots have averaged 66.1 points per game and will be a tough matchup with the No.1 seeded Eagles, who score 83.9 points per contest.

Looking to find their first win in the Elite Eight and defy more odds like they have this season, the Patriots will be going up against No. 1-seeded Ashland University Eagles, at 6 p.m. CST/ 7 p.m. EST on wrdlfm.com

A full NCAA Division II Elite Eight bracket can be found below