KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For the first time in program history, John Brown University's Bill George Arena has been selected as one of 16 hosts for the 2023-24 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Opening Rounds, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Feb. 29.
Each of the 16 opening round sites will feature four teams. Play will begin on March 15 and finish the following day as the winner of each opening round bracket will advance to the final site in Sioux City, Iowa. The Round of 16 play begins on March 21 at the Tyson Events Center.
Selections of each site were made in part by the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Selection Committee. The committee is comprised of head coaches and administrators from around the nation. Selections take into account geography, facilities and host qualification.
Since the NAIA merged into one division (2018-19) and expanded the tournament field to 64 teams, John Brown has qualified once -- last season -- and registered the tournament's largest upset in knocking off No. 9 Loyola (La.), the bracket's number four overall seed. JBU fell in the Round of 32 to upstart Cumberlands (Ky.) the following evening in the New Orleans bracket final game.
The Golden Eagles have pieced together a historic campaign, including ending the regular season on a program-record 23-game winning streak. JBU's 25 wins entering the Sooner Athletic tournament is also a regular-season program record, and John Brown secured its first-ever SAC title in the process.