Women's Basketball | 3/16/2025 9:19:01 PM

NORFOLK, Va. – March 16, 2025 – The Norfolk State University women’s basketball team has been selected as the No. 13 seed in the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament and will face No. 4 seed Maryland in the first round.

The matchup, announced Sunday night during the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN, will take place on Saturday, March 22, in College Park, Md.

The Spartans (30-4, 14-0 MEAC) secured their third consecutive MEAC Tournament title with a 68-56 victory over Howard, earning the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. This marks Norfolk State’s fourth overall appearance in the Big Dance.

Norfolk State is led by MEAC Player of the Year Diamond Johnson, the only active Division I player with at least 2,000 points, 600 rebounds, 390 assists, and 300 steals. Joining her is MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player Kierra Wheeler, who averages 14.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.

Maryland (23-7, 13-5 Big Ten) enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed despite falling to No. 5 seed Michigan, 98-71, in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. The Terrapins are led by Kaylene Smikle, who averages 17.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

The 13-seed received by the Spartans is the highest seeding a MEAC women’s team has garnered since the 2014 season when Hampton was selected as a 12 seed.