Sport | Basketball |
---|---|
Founded | 1981 |
No. of teams | 32 |
Country | United States |
Most recent champion(s) |
DII Marian University (Indiana) |
TV partner(s) | ESPN3 |
Official website | http://www.naia.org/ |
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Women's Basketball National Championship has been held annually since 1981. It was established one year before the NCAA Women's Basketball tournament. It was created to crown a women's national title for smaller colleges and universities. Since 1992, the NAIA has sponsored a women's division II championship tournament. Also the entire tournament is played in one city (Frankfort, Kentucky DI, and Sioux City, Iowa DII). Contracts for Frankfort will expire after 2014, and for Sioux City after 2017, pending renewal or selection of a new host city.
The NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament is held at the Frankfort Convention Center in Frankfort, Kentucky and is being played there beginning in 2012. The NAIA is the only international intercollegiate athletic association in North America, the NAIA DI Women's Basketball Championship, was the first NAIA Championship to feature a college from outside the United States in the championship game. Simon Fraser University was the national DI runner-up in 1996 and 1997. Oklahoma City University has the most tournament championships with 8.
# Overtime
The NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament is held annually, currently at the Tyson Events Center and Gateway Arena in Sioux City, Iowa. The NAIA and Sioux City have extended the contract until 2014.Northwestern College has the most national titles with five. 2015 champion Morningside College has the second most national titles with three. Northwestern College has the most tournament championship game appearances with six.