VIDEO: Braelyn Wykle Interview
INDIANAPOLIS – For the sixth time in the past seven seasons, Carson-Newman is back in the dance after a 22-win campaign to punch its 13th ticket to the NCAA Women's Basketball Championships in program history as announced on Sunday evening.
Earning the number two seed in the region, C-N matches up the number seven seed Augusta from the Peach Belt Conference in the opening round. That matchup is set for Friday March 15th at 2:30 p.m.
It's the highest ranking the Lady Eagles have received since hosting the regional in 2018.
The Lady Eagles earn their 13th bid to the NCAA Tournament and the seventh time it has been accomplished in 13 seasons under head coach Mike Mincey. Of the seven appearances, six have come in the last seven seasons.
"We talked last year about this is where we want to get to," Mincey said. "We've had a lot of success getting there and I wanted our players to get to experience that every single year if we can. Throughout the summer into the fall and then into the season it's been one of our goals. I'm proud of them for getting back to the NCAA Tournament and we are very fortunate.
In 18 total postseason games since going to Division II, Carson-Newman is 7-11 and has won a first round contest four times, in 2005, 2010, 2018 and most recently in 2022.
A school from the South Atlantic Conference has won the Southeast region and advanced to the Elite Eight on seven occasions. Catawba became the first SAC school to ever reach the Final Four this past season.
Carson-Newman has been one of the best offensive teams all season. C-N fourth nationally in assists per game and has an assist to turnover ratio at 1.21, 11th best in the country. The quality of passing has led to the C-N being the ninth best scoring offense averaging more than 77 points per game.
The Lady Eagles have NCAA tournament experience on the roster led by Braelyn Wykle (Greeneville, Tenn.) who is set to compete in her fourth NCAA tournament. Wykle has led C-N in scoring all season, averaging 18.7 points per game and is up to 2,711 career points which is sixth-most all-time among DII players.
"It was awesome," Wykle said. "Coach Dusty reminded us in the locker room before it started that there is a little under 300 teams in Division II and 64 get to play in the region tournament. It's something you can't talk for granted. It's my last year so I definitely won't be taking this one for granted."
The Lady Eagles will square off against the Augusta Jaguars out of the Peach Belt Conference. The two programs have met just three times with C-N leading 2-1, most recently meeting in the 2009 season. The Jaguars are 22-8 this season and will enter the NCAA Tournament having won five of its last six games. It's just their program's fifth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2016.
The winner of this matchup will draw the winner of three-seeded Wingate and six-seeded Anderson.
Three wins are needed to advance to the National Quarterfinals which will be played March 25-29 in St Joseph, Missouri at the St. Joseph Civic Arena. The eight regional champions will get reseeded, and matchups will be announced following the conclusion of the regional rounds.
