Fayetteville, N.C. — The Fayetteville State University women's basketball team has officially secured an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament, as announced during the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, March 8 at 10:30 p.m. ET on NCAA.com. The regional will be hosted by Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) inside the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex in Indiana, Pa.
FSU enters the championship field as the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 seed Seton Hill University in the opening round. Seton Hill holds a 21–8 overall record and enters the NCAA Tournament following a loss to Gannon in the PSAC Semifinal. For the second straight season, the Seton Hill women's basketball program will appear in the NCAA Tournament. The Broncos were CIAA runner up with an overall record of 21-5.
The winner of the Seton Hill/Fayetteville matchup will meet the winner of the top seed IUP (26-3)) against eight seed Charleston (WV) (21-10) in the Atlantic Regional Semifinal on Saturday. Charleston won the MEC Championship.
The Broncos (21–5 overall) continue their rise as one of the region's most consistent and competitive programs. Under Head Coach Tyreece Brown, now in his third season, Fayetteville State has reached the NCAA postseason twice. Brown guided the Broncos to the Sweet Sixteen in his first year and has since led the program to back-to-back CIAA Championships in 2024 and 2025, followed by a recent Runner-Up finish in 2026.
"This team has earned every bit of this opportunity," Brown said. "Their commitment, their preparation, and their belief in one another have been the foundation of our success. We're excited to compete on the national stage once again."
The NCAA Selection Show revealed the full 64‑team national field, with the Atlantic Region featuring a deep and competitive lineup. The regional matchups are as follows:
| Seed |
Institution |
| 1 |
Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
| 8 |
University of Charleston (WV) |
| 4 |
Seton Hill University |
| 5 |
Fayetteville State University |
| 2 |
Gannon University |
| 7 |
Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro |
| 3 |
Winston-Salem State University |
| 6 |
Glenville State University |
Regional competition will take place Friday, March 13, Saturday, March 14, and Monday, March 16, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. The national quarterfinals through the championship game will be held at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse on the campus of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from March 24–28.
Fayetteville State now turns its focus to Seton Hill as the Broncos aim to advance through one of the nation's toughest regions and make another deep postseason run.
