South Dakota is a hoops state, and it is well represented in this year’s NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament. The tourney starts March 20 and concludes with the national championship on April 5 in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Here’s a rundown of players and coaches from South Dakota that are participating in this year’s NCAA Division I tourney:

Haleigh Timmer, Oklahoma State earn No. 8 seed in NCAA tournament

St. Thomas More graduate Haleigh Timmer and Oklahoma State earned a No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament.

The Cowgirls went 23-9 this season including a 12-6 conference record before losing in the opening game of the Big 12 Conference tournament to Kansas State (74-73).

Timmer, a 5-foot-11 senior guard, Timmer is averaging 11.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game this season.

Timmer is a transfer from South Dakota State University where she was part of three Summit League championships, playing in 106 total games during her career in Brookings.

Timmer and the Cowgirls will play No. 9 Princeton on Saturday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

Nine South Dakotans part of another SDSU tournament appearance

South Dakota State is loaded with homegrown players and coaches as the Jackrabbits make a fourth-consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament.

The Jackrabbits went 27-6 this season including a 14-2 record in Summit League play, knocking off top-seeded North Dakota State in the Summit League championship.

South Dakotans on the roster include: Emilee Fox (Mount Vernon), Hilary Behrens (Brandon Valley), Mahli Abdouch (O’Gorman), Katie Vasecka (Tea Area), Claire Sheppard (Flandreau) and Jaidyn Dunn (Sioux Falls Jefferson).

Mitchell native and former SDSU player Macy Miller is an assistant coach, while Shelby Selland (Sanborn Central/Woonsocket) and Erika Sage (Freeman) are also on staff. Selland is an assistant coach and director of operations, while Sage is an assistant coach and director of player development. 

South Dakota State guard/forward and Brandon Valley alum Hilary Behrens (10) goes up for a shot during the Jackrabbits' win over North Dakota State in the Summit League championship game on March 8, 2026, at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls.

Hannah Ronsiek and Madelyn Bragg helping Colorado State into The Big Dance

O’Gorman alum Hannah Ronsiek and Aberdeen Roncalli graduate Madelyn Bragg earned a No. 12 seed in the NCAA tournament as seniors for Colorado State.

The Rams will take on No. 5 Michigan State on March 20 at 5:30 p.m., MT, after winning the Mountain West Conference tournament.

Ronsiek, a 5-foot-11 guard, is averaging 7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while Bragg, a 6-foot-3 forward, is pouring in 8.2 points and 4.4 rebounds a game. Bragg, who transferred in from Northern State this season, also hit a game-winner to beat Grand Canyon University in the opening round of the MW tournament.

Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, Vanderbilt earn No. 2 seed

Sioux Falls Washington alum Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda is back in the NCAA tournament as a No. 2 seed with Vanderbilt University.

The Commodores went 27-4 this season with losses to South Carolina, Ole Miss (twice) and Georgia.

Mwenentanda is averaging 7 points, 3.2 rebounds and one steal a game this season after transferring from Texas last season.

Vanderbilt is ranked as the No. 6 team in the country according to the latest AP Top 25 Poll and will take on No. 15 High Point at 6 p.m. on March 21 on ESPNNEWS.

Amy Williams leading Nebraska to another NCAA tournament appearance

Spearfish native Amy Williams and the Nebraska Cornhuskers are back in the NCAA tournament. 

Nebraska tips off its third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament by taking on Richmond in the NCAA First Four on Wednesday, March 18 in Durham, North Carolina. 

The Huskers will face off with the Spiders in the tournament's first game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on the Duke University campus Wednesday at 6 p.m. (CT).

In her 10 seasons at Nebraska, the Huskers have compiled a 176-135 record. Williams has an overall career coaching record of 369-244.

Hanson High School graduate Amanda Hart is in her first season as the General Manager for Nebraska women's basketball, and her 10th season as the Huskers' director of operations in 2025-26. She has helped Nebraska to five straight postseason tournament trips, including three NCAA Tournament bids in the past four seasons.

Hart starred at Hanson High School and Dakota Wesleyan University, where she set the career 3-point record with 391 triples. 

Sully Buttes graduate Chloe Lamb and Minnesota to face Green Bay 

The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team is making its first NCAA Division I tournament appearance since 2018 on Friday.

The Golden Gophers are the No. 4 seed in the Sacramento 2 Region and will face No. 13 seed Green Bay at 5 p.m. Friday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. No. 5 seed Ole Miss and No. 12 seed Gonzaga will also compete at Williams Arena on Friday at 2:30 pm. Winners of both First Round games advance to the NCAA Second Round Sunday, also at Williams Arena. 

Sully Buttes graduate Chloe Lamb is a Minnesota assistant coach and director of player development. Lamb joined the University of Minnesota women’s basketball staff in April 2024, after a two-year stint as an assistant coach at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, where she also specialized in player development and recruiting while with the Marauders.

Lamb starred at Sully Buttes High School and the University of South Dakota. 

Minnesota finished the season with a 22-8 record and was 13-3 at Williams Arena. Minnesota is 12-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, which includes a run to the Final Four in 2004.

Minnesota’s head coach Amy Plitzuweit was Lamb’s head coach at the USD. Green Bay’s head coach Kayla Karius was the Coyotes’ head coach from 2022-24.