1997 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament

The 1997 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament was the tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of women's college basketball among its Division I members in the United States and Canada for the 1996–97 basketball season.

1997 (1997) NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament
Teams32
Finals siteOman Arena
Tennessee Jackson, Tennessee
ChampionsSouthern Nazarene Redskins (5th title, 5th title game,
6th Fab Four)
Runner-upUnion (TN) Bulldogs (2nd title game,
3rd Fab Four)
Semifinalists
Coach of the yearCraig Wiginton (Southern Nazarene)
Charles Stevenson
Hustle Award
Tonna Woolery (Southern Nazarene)
Chuck Taylor MVPAstou Ndiaye (Southern Nazarene)
Top scorerHazel Taylor (Wayland Baptist)
(82 points)
NAIA Division I
women's tournaments
«1996 1998»

Three-time defending champions Southern Nazarene defeated Union (TN) in the championship game, 78–73, to claim the Redskins' fifth NAIA national title.

The tournament was played at the Oman Arena in Jackson, Tennessee.[1]

Qualification

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The tournament field remained fixed at thirty-two teams, with the top sixteen teams receiving seeds.

The tournament continued to utilize a simple single-elimination format.

Bracket

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First round Second round Elite Eight Final Four National championship
               
1 Arkansas Tech 89**
Tougaloo 79
1 Arkansas Tech 73
16 Lipscomb 49
St. Mary's (TX) 72
16 Lipscomb 86
1 Arkansas Tech 60
9 Wayland Baptist 59
9 Wayland Baptist 90
Transylvania 72
9 Wayland Baptist 66
8 Lewis–Clark State 65
Concordia Irvine 68
8 Lewis–Clark State 90
1 Arkansas Tech 58
4 Southern Nazarene 61
5 Central State (OH) 91
Indiana–South Bend 55
5 Central State (OH) 80
Mary Hardin-Baylor 63
Mary Hardin-Baylor 71
12 Montana State Northern 62
5 Central State 61
4 Southern Nazarene 80
13 East Central (OK) 68
Freed–Hardeman 76
Freed–Hardeman 70
4 Southern Nazarene 77
Voorhees 53
4 Southern Nazarene 92
4 Southern Nazarene 78
3 Union (TN) 73
3 Union (TN) 87
Daemen 53
3 Union (TN) 69
14 SE Oklahoma State 67
Auburn Montgomery 66
14 SE Oklahoma State 78
3 Union (TN) 82
6 Oklahoma Baptist 69
11 Xavier Louisiana 77
LeTourneau 52
11 Xavier Louisiana 63
6 Oklahoma Baptist 71
North Georgia 78
6 Oklahoma Baptist 104
3 Union (TN) 68
7 SW Oklahoma State 69
7 SW Oklahoma State 85
Rio Grande 55
7 SW Oklahoma State 57
10 Harding 56
Claflin 64
10 Harding 66
7 SW Oklahoma State 73
2 Simon Fraser 69
15 Campbellsville 75
Oklahoma Christian 72
15 Campbellsville 44
2 Simon Fraser 71
Hannibal–LaGrange 35
2 Simon Fraser 71

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "NAIA Women's Basketball Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. Retrieved March 10, 2022.