• OVC Championship Central | Ford Center Bag Policy | Bracket (PDF)
The field for the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference Women's Basketball Championship Presented by United Fidelity Bank has been set on the final day of the regular season.
Western Illinois claimed a share of the OVC regular season championship and will be the No. 1 seed after finishing 16-4. The Leathernecks earn the top spot due to a tiebreaker, as WIU split with Morehead Stte. It is the first OVC title in program history in any sport and the first since winning the Summit League title in 2016-17. The Leathernecks produced a 24-5 overall record and earned a double bye to the semifinals, opening play on Friday afternoon.
Lindenwood defeated WIU on the final day to earn a share of the OVC regular season title and will serve as the No. 2 seed after finishing 16-3 in OVC action, 24-7 overall, and receives a double bye to the semifinals.
Southern Indiana (14-6) will be the No. 3 seed and earn a single bye to the quarterfinals, where they will open play on Thursday afternoon. The No. 4 seed, also earning a single bye, is Morehead State (13-7).
The field is rounded out by No. 5 Little Rock, No. 6 UT Martin, No. 7 SIUE and No. 8 Southeast Missouri. The Cougars claimed the seventh spot and the Redhawks the eighth due to a threeway-tiebreak with Tennessee Tech. SIUE
This year marks the ninth-straight year the event has been held at the Ford Center, which opened in 2011 and is located in the core of Evansville’s downtown district. The event is scheduled to be at the venue through at least 2032.
This event marks the 45th time the OVC Women's Basketball Postseason Championship has been held; the OVC will provide the first entrant to the 2026 NCAA Women’s College Basketball Tournament.
All games can be seen on ESPN+.
As part of an ongoing commitment to safety and security, aligning with the best practices at major entertainment and athletics venues, there is a bag policy in effect at the Ford Center. Fans are encouraged to visit
www.OVCSports.com/BagPolicy for complete details on the policy.
2026 OVC Women's Basketball Championship Presented United Fidelity Bank (Ford Center - Evansville, Indiana)
First Round - Wednesday, March 4
Game 1 -
#5 Little Rock vs.
#8 Southeast Missouri, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 2 -
#6 UT Martin vs.
#7 SIUE, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Quarterfinals - Thursday, March 5
Game 3 -
#4 Morehead State vs. Winner of Game 1, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 4 -
#3 Southern Indiana vs. Winner of Game 2, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Semifinals - Friday, March 6
Game 5 -
#1 Western Illinois vs. Game 3 Winner, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 6 -
#2 Lindenwood vs. Game 4 Winner, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Championship - Saturday, March 7
Game 7 - Semifinal Winners, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
All Times Central