Dancing: Northwest Florida Women’s Basketball Earns No. 4 Seed in NJCAA Tournament
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Northwest Florida State women's basketball is headed back to the national stage. For the eighth straight season, the Raiders will compete in the NJCAA Women's Basketball Championship after earning an at-large bid and the No. 4 seed in this year's tournament.
Northwest Florida will face the winner of the first-round matchup between No. 13 Hutchinson and No. 20 Williston State. Those teams play Tuesday, March 24 at 2:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to take on the Raiders on Thursday, March 26 at 2:30 p.m. inside Townsley Law Arena in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
This marks the second consecutive season the Raiders have entered the national tournament as an at-large selection. Interestingly, each of Northwest Florida's three national championships has come during seasons in which the team earned an at-large berth.
The Raiders are also one of three teams from the Panhandle Conference to make the field this year. Gulf Coast enters the tournament as the No. 11 seed after capturing the FCSAA/Region 8 Championship over Chipola. Chipola also earned an at-large bid and comes in as the No. 14 seed. It marks the second straight appearance for the Indians and the return of the Commodores to the tournament after a one-year absence.
Northwest Florida has built an impressive history at the national tournament, compiling a 26–8 all-time record. Since 2021, the Raiders are an astounding 15–2 on the national stage, reaching four national championship games and capturing three titles during that span.
Now, the Raiders will look to add to that legacy. Northwest Florida enters this year's tournament aiming to win its second consecutive national championship and fourth in the past six seasons. Their pursuit begins March 26 in Lake Charles.