SEARCY, Ark. — The Harding Lady Bisons are positioned for a high seed in the upcoming NCAA Division II Tournament, appearing at No. 4 in the final Central Region rankings released by the NCAA on Wednesday.

This marks the final public ranking before the 64-team national field is officially announced during the NCAA Selection Show this Sunday at 9:30 p.m.

Harding (23-5 overall, 22-5 in-region) is the highest-ranked program from the Great American Conference. The Lady Bisons trail only Minnesota State (27-1), Fort Hays State (23-4), and Concordia-St. Paul (22-6) in a region that includes the GAC, the MIAA, and the NSIC.

The top eight teams in the final rankings on Sunday will advance to the Central Regional. The winners of the three conference tournaments receive automatic bids, with the remaining five spots filled by at-large selections.

The Lady Bisons' positioning at No. 4 keeps them ahead of MIAA contenders Central Missouri (No. 5) and Washburn (No. 6), as well as NSIC representative Minnesota Duluth (No. 7). Two other GAC schools, Northwestern Oklahoma (No. 9) and Arkansas Tech (No. 10), also appear in the top 10.

Harding heads into the postseason looking to build on their 22-5 in-region record. The team will travel to Fort Smith, Arkansas, this weekend for the GAC Tournament, where they aim to secure their spot in the national bracket.

The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled to air Sunday night at NCAA.com.

NCAA CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS (MARCH 4, 2026)

1. Minnesota State (27-1)

2. Fort Hays State (23-4)

3. Concordia-St. Paul (22-6)

4. Harding (23-5)

5. Central Missouri (21-5)

6. Washburn (21-7)

7. Minnesota Duluth (20-7)

8. Mary (21-9)

9. Northwestern Oklahoma (17-9)

10. Arkansas Tech (17-8)