SEARCY, Ark. — For the third consecutive year, the Harding women's basketball team is headed to the big dance.

The NCAA announced Sunday night that the Lady Bisons have earned an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament. Harding (24-6) received the No. 6 seed in the region and is scheduled to face No. 3 seed Fort Hays State (25-5) in the opening round on Friday, March 13, at noon in Mankato, Minnesota.

The selection marks the sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history (2014, 2015, 2017, 2024, 2025, 2026). The program's deepest run came in 2017, when the Lady Bisons reached the National Semifinals.

The bid caps off a historic four-year stretch for the program, during which Harding has amassed 100 victories. Despite featuring a roster with no seniors, the Lady Bisons captured the Great American Conference regular-season championship and reached the GAC Tournament semifinals before falling to Southeastern Oklahoma.

The Lady Bisons enter the tournament as one of the most balanced teams in the Central Region, led by a core of underclassmen that secured the program's second consecutive 24-win season.

Friday's opponent, Fort Hays State, finished second in the MIAA standings. The winner of the Harding-Fort Hays State matchup will advance to the regional semifinals on Saturday to face the winner of No. 2 seed Concordia-St. Paul and No. 7 seed Northwestern Oklahoma.

Minnesota State serves as the host for the eight-team regional at the Taylor Center. Ticket information is available HERE.