March Madness has arrived.

Last season, a new women’s NCAA tournament record was set with 16 Black coaches leading teams to the Big Dance. While this year’s total isn’t as large, the group is diverse, with coaches bringing an array of tournament experience.

There are tournament veterans such as South Carolina’s Dawn Staley and Kentucky’s Kenny Brooks. There are also tournament newcomers such as Jacksonville’s Special Jennings and Miami (Ohio) head coach Glenn Box.

In all, 12 Black head coaches and their teams earned bids to this year’s tournament. Here’s a breakdown of who they are and how they punched their ticket.

Regional 4, Sacramento

Dawn Staley, South Carolina

Seed: No. 1

Record: 31-3

Path to the NCAA tournament: At-large bid

First-round opponent: No. 16 Southern/Samford

Under Dawn Staley, South Carolina is making its 14th straight NCAA tournament appearance. The Gamecocks’ 31 wins this year mark the program’s fifth straight season totaling 30-plus wins. The No. 1 seed in the Sacramento regional will aim to capture its fourth national championship since 2017. Another title would make Staley the fourth coach in NCAA women’s basketball history to win four national championships.

Player to watch: Senior Raven Johnson is the leader and consummate point guard of this Gamecocks roster. Johnson, who was recently named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, is having a career year for South Carolina, averaging 10.3 points and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 40% from 3-point range.

Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, Virginia

Seed: No. 10

Record: 19-11

Path to the NCAA tournament: At-large bid

First-round opponent: No. 10 Arizona State

For the first time since 2018 – and the first time during Amaka Agugua-Hamilton’s tenure at Virginia – the Cavaliers are going dancing. This season has been Virginia’s winningest since Agugua-Hamilton became head coach in 2022. The team’s 19 wins are the most for the program since the 2017-18 season, and its 11 conference wins are the most since 1999-2000.

Player to watch: Junior guard Kymora Johnson is one of the most exciting players in the country to watch. She is the fuel that makes the Cavaliers go, and she can impact the team’s success in a number of ways. A member of the All-ACC first team, Johnson is averaging a team-high 19 points, 5.9 assists and 2.2 steals for Virginia this season.

Carlos Funchess, Southern

Seed: No. 16

Record: 19-13

Path to the NCAA tournament: Automatic bid (SWAC champion)

First-round opponent: No. 16 Samford

Southern is headed back to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season and the third time in four years. This is Carlos Funchess’ fourth tournament appearance with the program since he became the head coach in 2018.

Player to watch: Sophomore forward DeMya Porter is Southern’s leading scorer, averaging 9.7 points for the Jaguars. Porter was recently named to the All-SWAC second team.

Regional 2, Sacramento

Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Ole Miss

Seed: No. 5

Record: 23-11

Path to the NCAA tournament: At-large bid

First-round opponent: No. 12 Gonzaga

This is Yolett McPhee-McCuin and the Rebels’ fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance after the program endured a 15-year absence from 2007-22. McPhee-McCuin also notched her fifth consecutive 20-win season, the program’s longest such streak since the early ’90s.

Player to watch: Senior forward Cotie McMahon has been electric for Ole Miss after transferring from Ohio State last spring. McMahon is averaging a career-high 19.9 points and 3.0 assists in addition to 5.3 rebounds per game for the Rebels this season.

Kara Lawson, Duke

Seed: No. 3

Record: 24-8

Path to the NCAA tournament: Automatic bid (ACC champion)

First-round opponent: No. 14 College of Charleston

After a tough beginning to the season in which Duke dropped six of its first nine games, Kara Lawson’s Blue Devils caught fire in conference play, securing both the ACC regular season and tournament titles for the second straight season. This will be Duke’s fourth straight tournament appearance. The Blue Devils advanced to the Elite Eight in 2025.

Player to watch: Sophomore forward Toby Fournier leads Duke in scoring (17.3 points per game), rebounding (8.2 rebounds per game) and blocks (2.3 per game). Fournier was named to the All-ACC first team and to the ACC All-Defensive team.

Special Jennings, Jacksonville

Seed: No. 15

Record: 24-8

Path to the NCAA tournament: Automatic bid (ASUN champion)

First-round opponent: No. 2 LSU

In just her third season leading Jacksonville, head coach Special Jennings is NCAA tournament-bound. The Dolphins earned an automatic bid after a thrilling overtime victory over Austin Peay to win their second ASUN championship. Jacksonville is making just its second NCAA tournament appearance in program history; its last appearance came in 2016 when the program was led by Yolett McPhee-McCuin, now the head coach of Ole Miss. Jacksonville’s 24 wins are tied for the most in a single season in school history.

Player to watch: The Dolphins are led by graduate guard Priscilla Williams, this season’s ASUN Player of the Year. In 30 games this season, Williams is averaging 15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

Regional 1, Fort Worth

Niele Ivey, Notre Dame

Seed: No. 6

Record: 22-10

Path to the NCAA tournament: At-large bid

First-round opponent: No. 11 Fairfield

Since missing the tournament in her first season leading the Fighting Irish, Niele Ivey has led Notre Dame to the NCAA tournament in each of the past five years. It’s been an up-and-down season for the Fighting Irish, but Ivey seemingly has the team peaking at the right time. Notre Dame finished the regular season winning seven of its final eight games and came up just short of a trip to the ACC championship. The team will try to make it past the Sweet 16 for the first time in Ivey’s tenure.

Player to watch: Junior guard Hannah Hidalgo continued her remarkable run in South Bend, Indiana, this season by earning a second straight ACC Player of the Year Award and third straight ACC Defensive Player of the Year honor. She is the first player in ACC history to win both awards in back-to-back seasons. This season, she’s averaging a career-high 25.2 points and 6.4 rebounds while also logging 5.3 assists per game.

Felisha Legette-Jack, Syracuse

Seed: No. 9 

Record: 23-8

Path to the NCAA tournament: At-large bid

First-round opponent: No. 8 Iowa State

It didn’t take long for Felisha Legette-Jack to coach her way back into the NCAA tournament after Syracuse missed the Big Dance a year ago. The Orange put together a strong regular season in the ACC, finishing with 12 conference wins and tied for fifth in the conference standings. They’ll try to get past the second round for the first time since the program made it to the national championship in 2016.

Player to watch: Freshman Uche Izoje has been spectacular for the Orange. The 6-foot-3 center is averaging 15.5 points and 9.4 rebounds for Syracuse while ranking fourth in the country in blocks per game (2.65). Izoje was named ACC Rookie of the Year.

Ty Grace, Howard

Seed: No. 14

Record: 26-7

Path to the NCAA tournament: Automatic bid (MEAC champion)

First-round opponent: No. 3 Ohio State

Ty Grace, the MEAC Coach of the Year, has her Bison back in the Big Dance. Howard is headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2021-22 season after winning its 12th MEAC tournament championship. Howard’s 26 victories this season are the most in program history. The Bison’s 13 conference wins are their most since the 2011-12 season.

Player to watch: Senior forward Zennia Thomas was named MEAC Player of the Year. She also was named MVP of the MEAC tournament. Thomas averages 15.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks for the Bison this season.

Regional 3, Fort Worth

Kenny Brooks, Kentucky

Seed: No. 5

Record: 23-10

Path to the NCAA tournament: At-large bid

First-round opponent: No. 12 James Madison

Under Kenny Brooks, Kentucky notched its second consecutive 20-plus-win season. The Wildcats will aim to get past the second round of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016.

Player to watch: Junior center Clara Strack is a star for the Wildcats, averaging 17.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks this season. Strack, the 2025 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, earned conference first team and All-Defensive team honors this season.

Glenn Box, Miami (Ohio)

Seed: No. 13

Record: 28-6

Path to the NCAA tournament: Automatic bid (MAC champion)

First-round opponent: No. 4 West Virginia

In three years, Glenn Box has rebuilt a program that is now headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008. In his third year at the helm, Box coached the Redhawks to their most single-season wins in school history while also securing Miami’s first MAC regular season championship since the 2003-04 season. Box was named MAC Coach of the Year.

Player to watch: Junior forward Amber Tretter is averaging 14.5 points and 8.2 rebounds this season. In the MAC championship game, she posted 23 points and 10 rebounds, both game highs, to help the Redhawks secure a conference title.

Leonard Bishop, Stephen F. Austin

Seed: No. 16

Record: 25-9

Path to the NCAA tournament: Automatic bid (Southland champion)

First-round opponent: No. 16 Missouri State

Leonard Bishop leads the Ladyjacks into the NCAA tournament for the second straight year after they repeated as champions in the Southland Conference tournament. Bishop has coached SFA to 20-plus-win seasons in all three of his years leading the program.

Player to watch: The Ladyjacks are a well-balanced team that features five players who average double figures in scoring. Sophomore guard Key Roseby, who was named to the All-Southland first team, leads SFA in scoring (13.2 points per game) and rebounding (6.7 rebounds per game).

The post Black coaches to watch in the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament appeared first on Andscape.