INDIANAPOLIS, IND – Four Peach Belt Conference women’s basketball teams will pursue a national championship as the NCAA released the field of 64 for the 2022 tournament on Sunday night. The regional will begin on Friday, March 11, in Dahlonega, Ga., as the University of North Georgia will be the #1 seed and host of the tournament. Lander is the #2 seed with Georgia Southwestern the #3 and Columbus State the #8.
North Georgia will host the regional for the second straight year after winning the PBC Tournament earlier on Sunday over Clayton State. The Nighthawks make their fifth straight trip to the NCAAs and will be seeking a return trip to the Elite Eight for the first time since winning the regional in 2019.
Lander reached the NCAA national semifinals in 2021 after winning the regional at North Georgia last season. The Bearcats are coming off an early semifinal exit from the PBC Tournament on Saturday, but return to the NCAAs for a seventh straight season.
Georgia Southwestern will be making their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes set an NCAA-era program record with a 22-6 overall record and were 14-4 in PBC play this year.
Columbus State will be making its 12th trip to the NCAA Tournament, but the first under third-year head coach Matt Houser. CSU has won three regional championships with the last coming in 2017. The Lady Cougars are 17-13 entering the regional after falling in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinals to North Georgia on Saturday.
The eight regional champions advancing to the Women’s Elite Eight will be seeded by the Women's Basketball Committee after completion of the regionals. The 2022 NCAA Division II Women’s Elite Eight will be held at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama, March 21, 23 and 25. Miles College and the City of Birmingham will serve as hosts.
Game times will be announced on Monday.
2022 NCAA Southeast Region Tournament
#1 North Georgia vs. #8 Columbus State
#2 Lander vs. #7 Catawba
#3 Georgia Southwestern vs. #6 Barton
#4 Wingate vs. #5 Carson-Newman