1996 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament

The 1996 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 1995–96 basketball season.

1996 (1996) NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament
Teams32
Finals siteOman Arena
Tennessee Jackson, Tennessee
ChampionsSouthern Nazarene Redskins (4th title, 4th title game,
5th Fab Four)
Runner-upSE Oklahoma State Savages (2nd title game,
2nd Fab Four)
Semifinalists
Coach of the yearJerry Finkbeiner (Southern Nazarene)
Charles Stevenson
Hustle Award
Becky Cole (Southern Nazarene)
Chuck Taylor MVPCrystal Robinson (SE Oklahoma State)
Top scorerJoanna Cuprys (Auburn Montgomery)
(90 points)
NAIA Division I
women's tournaments
«19951997»

In a rematch of the 1995 final, second-seeded, two-time defending champions Southern Nazarene defeated top-seeded Southeastern Oklahoma State in the championship game, 80–79, to claim the Redskins' fourth NAIA national title. This would ultimately go on to be the third of four consecutive championships for Southern Nazarene.

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

Qualification

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

First roundSecond roundElite EightFinal FourNational championship
               
1SE Oklahoma State86
LeTourneau51
1SE Oklahoma State100
16Arkansas Tech58
Lewis–Clark State55
16Arkansas Tech72
1SE Oklahoma State91
8Central State (OH)67
9Xavier Louisiana84
Claflin50
9Xavier Louisiana60
8Central State (OH)75
Daemen63
8Central State (OH)82
1SE Oklahoma State84
5Lipscomb75
5Lipscomb86
Lindenwood60
5Lipscomb87
12Montana State Northern67
Oklahoma Baptist62
12Montana State Northern65
5Lipscomb75
4Auburn Montgomery66
13Western New Mexico69*
SW Oklahoma State68
13Western New Mexico75
4Auburn Montgomery91
St. Mary's (TX)60
4Auburn Montgomery61*
1SE Oklahoma State79
2Southern Nazarene80
3Union (TN)76
Georgia Southwestern48
3Union (TN)80
Campbellsville58
Campbellsville81
14Wayland Baptist80
3Union (TN)92
6Western Washington76
11Montevallo88
Harding71
11Montevallo67
6Western Washington71
NW Oklahoma State67
6Western Washington70*
3Union (TN)69
2Southern Nazarene70
7East Central (OK)74
Purdue Calumet61
7East Central (OK)57
10Simon Fraser60
Rockhurst54
10Simon Fraser61
10Simon Fraser55
2Southern Nazarene69*
15Belmont90
Mary Hardin-Baylor94***
Mary Hardin-Baylor55
2Southern Nazarene70
Biola51
2Southern Nazarene81

See also

References