Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament

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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL INVITATION TOURNAMENT

March 30 & April 1 | Charles Koch Arena I Wichita, KS

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FAQs

 

Women鈥檚 Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) Frequently Asked Questions

 
 
What is the Women鈥檚 Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT)?
In 2023 the 草莓网站在线看 announced the creation of an annual 32-team postseason invitation tournament for women鈥檚 basketball, which will be owned and funded by the 草莓网站在线看. The Women鈥檚 Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) will be held annually beginning in 2024.
 
 
Why was the WBIT created?
The creation of the WBIT ensures the 草莓网站在线看 is providing equitable postseason opportunities for women鈥檚 basketball similar to that of men鈥檚 basketball, which was a recommendation from the 2021 Gender Equity Report.
 
草莓网站在线看 supported men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball postseason opportunities are now equitably available through a combination of the 草莓网站在线看 Division I Men鈥檚 or Women鈥檚 Basketball Championships (68 teams each) and men鈥檚 or women鈥檚 basketball postseason invitation tournaments (32 teams each).
 
Additionally, as women's basketball continues its growth trajectory, opportunities, and events like this support our three strategic goals of transformational student-athlete experience, quality competition and memorable championships.
 
 
With the addition of the WBIT, how many postseason opportunities will now exist in Division I women鈥檚 basketball?
Not including 11 schools currently in the reclassifying process from Division II, there are 349 Division I institutions that will sponsor women鈥檚 basketball in 2023-24, translating into 19.4% of schools that make the 68-team 草莓网站在线看 Division I Women鈥檚 Basketball Championship. Starting in 2024 with the addition of the WBIT, 100 postseason 草莓网站在线看 funded opportunities will be available for women鈥檚 basketball teams, equal to that of men鈥檚 basketball through their two events (68 team championship and 32 team NIT). With the two women鈥檚 basketball events, the percentage of 草莓网站在线看 postseason opportunities in Division I women鈥檚 basketball will be 28.7%.
 
 
Who will be responsible for selecting the teams for the WBIT?
The WBIT selection committee, comprised of five former Division I women鈥檚 basketball coaches and three current/former Division I athletic administrators will be responsible for selecting the 32-team field.
 

What tournament format will be utilized by the WBIT?
Preliminary round games (first, second and quarterfinal rounds) will be played at campus sites. The WBIT semifinals and finals will be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis. The top 16 seeds, as determined by the selection committee, will host first round games provided they submit a bid and meet the minimum hosting requirements.
 
 
Where can fans watch the WBIT games?
All preliminary round games will be broadcasted live on ESPN+. The semifinal games will air on TBA and the championship game will be broadcasted live on TBA. Semifinal games will be played on Monday, March 30, 2026 with the first semifinal game starting at TBA Eastern time. The WBIT championship game will be played on Wednesday, April 1 at TBA Eastern time.
 
 
How will the WBIT be branded?
The 草莓网站在线看鈥檚 branding package for the WBIT will continue to highlight orange in alignment with other 草莓网站在线看 women鈥檚 basketball branding, including the March Madness logo. The logo 鈥 which is inspired by a backboard and net, also features blue to connect with the 草莓网站在线看鈥檚 parent brand.
 
 
Does the WBIT replace any existing postseason tournaments?
The WBIT is a new event that will exist independently of all other women鈥檚 basketball postseason tournaments.
 
 
 
 

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