Meet the NCAA Women’s Sweet 16

The Sweet 16 for the NCAA women’s tournament is all set. Here are the teams and the players to watch in the coming rounds.

Sarah Strong #21 of the Connecticut Huskies shoots against the Syracuse Orange during the second half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in Storrs, Connecticut, on March 23, 2026 Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images

The Sweet 16 in the women’s NCAA basketball tournament is all set after the March 23 game, and those teams will resume action over the weekend in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.

Only one double-digit seed made it through, and all four No. 1 seeds made it. Here’s a look at the teams that advanced.​

Regional 1

​UConn

The top-seeded and unbeaten UConn Huskies (36–0) marched into the Sweet 16 with a 98–45 blowout of No. 9 seed Syracuse on March 23. Huskies sophomore forward Sarah Strong is one of the top players in the country, with her 18.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.​

Vanderbilt

Second-seeded Vanderbilt (29–4) downed No. 7 seed Illinois 75–57 on March 23. The Commodores have one of the biggest offensive threats around in sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes, who averages 27.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.​

North Carolina

Fourth-seeded UNC downed No. 5 seed Maryland 74–66 on March 22 for a second straight Sweet 16. The Tar Heels (28–7) have a talented and experienced senior forward in Nyla Harris, who averages 11.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.​

Notre Dame

The No. 6 seed Fighting Irish (24–10) beat No. 3 seed Ohio State 83–73 on March 23. Notre Dame junior guard Hannah Hidalgo is on a dominant run, averaging 25.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists this season.​

Regional 2​

UCLA

Top-seeded UCLA (33–1) beat No. 8 seed Oklahoma State 87–68 on March 23. Bruins senior guard Lauren Betts is fresh off a 35-point game in that win, and she averages 16.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.​

LSU

Second-seeded LSU boasts a high-scoring team and a tough defense, as evidenced by a 101–47 blowout victory over No. 7 Texas Tech on March 22. Tigers junior guard Milaysia Fulwiley is a versatile defender who averages 2.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.​

Duke

Third-seeded Duke advanced with a 69–46 win over No. 6 seed Baylor on March 22. The Blue Devils (26–8) have a talented sophomore forward in Canadian Toby Fournier, who averages 17.4 points, eight rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.​

Minnesota

The No. 4 seed Golden Gophers needed late heroics to edge No. 5 Ole Miss 65–63 on March 22. Minnesota has a strong pair of guards in sophomore Tori McKinney and senior Amaya Battle.​

Regional 3​

Texas

The No. 1 seed Longhorns pounded the No.8 seed Oregon Ducks 100–58 on March 22. Texas (33–3) has one of the top forwards in the nation with junior Madison Booker, who averages 19.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.​

Michigan

The No. 2 seed Wolverines routed the No. 7 seed N.C. State on March 22, 92–63, to advance. Michigan (27–6) has one of the best guards in the country in sophomore Olivia Olson, who averages 19.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.​

Louisville

Third-seeded Louisville (29–7) edged No. 6 seed Alabama 69–68 on March 23. The Cardinals have a talented guard in Tajianna Roberts, who averages 11.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.​

Kentucky

Fifth-seed Kentucky (25–10) edged No. 4 seed West Virginia (28–7) on March 23. Wildcats junior center Clara Strack is one of the best bigs in the nation, and she averages a double-double of 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, plus 1.2 steals and 2.6 blocks per contest.​

Regional 4​

South Carolina

Top-seeded South Carolina rolled past No. 9 seed USC 101–61 on March 23. The Gamecocks (33–3) have a talented forward in sophomore Joyce Edwards, who averages 19.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.​

TCU

Third-seed TCU (31–5) edged No. 6 seed Washington 62–59 in overtime on March 22. Horned Frogs senior guard Olivia Miles is one of the top players in the country, averaging 19.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game.​

Oklahoma

Fourth-seeded Oklahoma beat No. 5 seed Michigan State 77–71 on March 22 to advance. The Sooners (26–7) have a talented freshman guard in Aaliyah Chavez, who averages 18.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.​

Virginia

The only double-digit seed to advance, Virginia (22–11) did it in a double-overtime thriller against No. 2 seed Iowa, 83–75, on March 23. Cavaliers junior Kymora Johnson is one of the better guards in the country, with her 19.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.