1997 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament

none August 2023 March 2026 NAIA 1997 Women's National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics logo.svg 200 32 Oman Arena Tennessee Jackson, Tennessee Southern Nazarene Redskins 5th 5th 6th Union (TN) Bulldogs 2nd 3rd Arkansas Tech Golden Suns 4th SW Oklahoma State Bulldogs 10th Craig Wiginton Southern Nazarene Astou Ndiaye Southern Nazarene Tonna Woolery Southern Nazarene Hazel Taylor Wayland Baptist 82 The 1997 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 1996–97 basketball season. Three-time defending champions Southern Nazarene defeated Union (TN) in the championship game, 78–73, to claim the Redskins' fifth NAIA national title. The tournament was played at the Oman Arena in Jackson, Tennessee.NAIA Women's Basketball Championship History https://www.naia.org/sports/wbkb/Records/DIWBB_Championship.pdf NAIA 10 March 2022 Qualification 1996–97 NAIA Division I women's basketball season 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 round Second round Elite Eight Final Four National championship 170 30 yes high 1 Arkansas Tech 89** Tougaloo 79 St. Mary's (TX) 72 16 Lipscomb 86 9 Wayland Baptist 90 Transylvania 72 Concordia Irvine 68 8 Lewis–Clark State 90 5 Central State (OH) 91 Indiana–South Bend 55 Mary Hardin-Baylor 71 12 Montana State Northern 62 13 East Central (OK) 68 Freed–Hardeman 76 Voorhees 53 4 Southern Nazarene 92 3 Union (TN) 87 Daemen 53 Auburn Montgomery 66 14 SE Oklahoma State 78 11 Xavier Louisiana 77 LeTourneau 52 North Georgia 78 6 Oklahoma Baptist 104 7 SW Oklahoma State 85 Rio Grande 55 Claflin 64 10 Harding 66 15 Campbellsville 75 Oklahoma Christian 72 Hannibal–LaGrange 35 2 Simon Fraser 71 1 Arkansas Tech 73 16 Lipscomb 49 9 Wayland Baptist 66 8 Lewis–Clark State 65 5 Central State (OH) 80 Mary Hardin-Baylor 63 Freed–Hardeman 70 4 Southern Nazarene 77 3 Union (TN) 69 14 SE Oklahoma State 67 11 Xavier Louisiana 63 6 Oklahoma Baptist 71 7 SW Oklahoma State 57 10 Harding 56 15 Campbellsville 44 2 Simon Fraser 71 1 Arkansas Tech 60 9 Wayland Baptist 59 5 Central State 61 4 Southern Nazarene 80 3 Union (TN) 82 6 Oklahoma Baptist 69 7 SW Oklahoma State 73 2 Simon Fraser 69 1 Arkansas Tech 58 4 Southern Nazarene 61 3 Union (TN) 68 7 SW Oklahoma State 69 4 Southern Nazarene 78 3 Union (TN) 73 See also 1997 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament 1997 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament 1997 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament 1997 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament 1997 NAIA Division II women's basketball tournament References NAIA Category:NAIA women's basketball championships Category:1997 in sports in Tennessee Category:Women's sports in Tennessee