Indianapolis - Daemen will get a chance to defend its East Region title as the Wildcats were included in the bracket of the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship released on Sunday evening.
Daemen won its second ECC Championship in three seasons earlier this afternoon to earn the conference’s automatic bid into the tournament. The Wildcats were awarded the No. 8 seed in the East Region bracket, setting up a matchup against top-seed and host, Southern New Hampshire of the Northeast 10. The Penmen are making their first tournament appearance in 32 years after winning the NE10 Northeast Division regular season championship.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools, but the Wildcats will see a familiar face on the Penmen roster. Meg Knollmeyer, who was a three-time ECC All-Conference pick at NYIT before the school dropped its athletic program, has been a standout for the Penmen this season.
The remaining teams in the East Region bracket include No. 2 Chestnut Hill, No. 3 USciences, and No. 4 Jefferson of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference and No. 5 Bentley, No. 6 Le Moyne, and No. 7 Pace of the Northeast 10.
Daemen did not play any of their fellow regional participants during the regular season. The Wildcats had games scheduled against both Le Moyne and Bentley but saw both canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.
Tournament play will begin at Stan Spirou Field House on SNHU’s campus in Manchester, New Hampshire with quarterfinal action on Friday, March 11. The semifinals will take place Saturday, March 12 and after a day off, the championship game will be on Monday, March 14.
To view the full 64 team bracket, click here.
2021 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball East Regional
Quarterfinals - Friday, March 11
No. 1 Southern New Hampshire (21-6) vs. No. 8 Daemen (20-4)
No. 2 Chestnut Hill (24-6) vs. No. 7 Pace (21-7)
No. 3 USciences (23-4) vs. No. 6 Le Moyne (17-7)
No. 4 Jefferson (23-8) vs. No. 5 Bentley (19-8)
Semifinals – Saturday, March 12
No. 3-No. 6 winner vs. No. 2-No. 7 winner
No. 1-No. 8 winner vs. No. 4-No. 5 winner
Championship – Monday, March 14
