An exhausted Scranton team had to defend the Women's Belt^TM this afternoon in an extreme MMA cage fight vs the Denison Big Red, and the Big Red took advantage.  Late in the final round, the Big Red placed the Lady Royals in their rear naked choke hold, and the Lady Royals had to tap out with their first attempt to defend this treasure an unsuccessful one!

Denison may not think that they were the Cinderella of this national tournament, but the slippers fit the Big Red very well!  Denison not only claims the Women's Belt^TM today, but also wins the 2026 Walnut and Bronze^TM!

Once again, here is your winner, and new Women's Belt^TM champion, the Denison Big Red!  The Women's Belt^TM will be spending the off-season in Granville, Ohio after an extended period of residence in the Big Apple! 

Final 2025-26 Women's Belt^TM Path

11/7/2025- NYU successfully defends vs Swarthmore-- 33rd successful defense
3/19/2026-- Scranton (NYU loses the Women's Belt^TM after 61 successful defenses.)
3/21/2026-- Denison (Big Red takes the Women's Belt^TM to Granville, Ohio for the off season.)

Quote from: saratoga on March 19, 2026, 09:47:19 PMLike 2 heavyweights going at it round for round.

Survive & advance baby!

Heard the entire mens LAX team showed up tonight. 

Well done ladies!!

Congratulations, Scranton, you are the new Women's Belt^TM champion!

The Lady Royals's first defense of the Women's Belt^TM is on Saturday vs Denison.  The Scranton men's LAX team got mentioned in the ESPN+ stream. 

After 40 minutes of grueling match play, the Scranton Lady Royals forced NYU into their Figure Eight leglock and forced the Violets to finally tap out!

Here is your winner, and new Women's Belt^TM champion, the Scranton Lady Royals!

Congrats to Scranton-- they controlled the match from beginning to end and never got flustered when NYU tried to rally in the second half. 

NYU's consecutive streak of title defenses ends at 61-- 2nd longest streak of title defenses in Women's Belt^TM history.

NYU's overall DIII consecutive game winning streak comes to an end at 91 games-- now the new standard for DIII basketball in either gender, men or women.  NYU women became the first DIII basketball team (Men or women) to surpass the UCLA men's 88 game winning streak, and the 91 game winning streak replaces the UConn women's 90 game winning streak for 2nd longest winning streak in all NCAA divisions of college basketball, men or women. 

Path of the Women's Belt^TM-- 2024 to 2026

3/14/2024-- NYU captures Women's Belt^TM from Transylvania in national semifinals at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

3/16/2024-- NYU successful in first title defense vs Smith at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio-- wins the Walnut and Bronze^TM.

3/22/2025-- NYU successful in 32nd consecutive title defense of Women's Belt^TN vs Smith at the Cregger Center in Salem, VA-- wins a 2nd consecutive Walnut and Bronze^TM-- undefeated season as Women's Belt^TM champion.

3/19/2026-- Scranton captures Women's Belt^TM from NYU in national semifinals at the Cregger Center in Salem, VA-- NYU's consecutive streak of Women's Belt^TM defenses ends at 61-- 2nd longest all-time.

Scranton's first title defense as the new Women's Belt^TM champion will be on Saturday, March 21, 2026 vs Denison-- The winner of that match will also claim the 2026 Walnut and Bronze. ^TM

Today, March 19, 2026, NYU will attempt to tie the 62 game consecutive title defense streak of the Women's Belt^TM that was set by former NCAA DIII school Thomas More during the period from March 20, 2015 (when the Thomas More Saints defeated Tufts in the NCAA DIII national semifinals in the 2015 tournament-- but was later forced to vacate the entire 2014-15 season and the Walnut and Bronze ^TM that went with it due to violations of NCAA player eligibility rules.   However, by previous precedent set on the men's side, Thomas More was not stripped of what was then called the Diva Belt^TM) to March 4, 2017-- when Hope defeated Thomas More in the second round of 2017 NCAA DIII tournament.)

The Violets will be facing the one team this season that is more than capable of ending NYU's title streak with a bang-- the Scranton Lady Royals.   As the #1 contender to the Women's Belt^TM this season, the Lady Royals have not lost a single game this season-- as a matter of fact, no DIII women's basketball team has even taken the Lady Royals to the final 2 minutes of a ball game this season.   The Lady Royals even managed to defeat an ACC team in an exhibition match this season.  (Pitt with a #265 NET rating this season being that team-- which would only make the win a Quad 4 win were the Lady Royals a DI team, but by DIII standards, an equivalent of a Quad 4 win is still very impressive).

The D3 Datacast computer has NYU as a 5 point underdog today-- predicting a Scranton victory tonight by a score of 71-66.   While the Massey computer still favors NYU, it has a scenario in a best of 7 series where Scranton could defeat NYU by 17 points in the third game of that series.   

If Scranton manages to capture the Women's Belt^TM this evening, the Lady Royals will end NYU's streak of title defenses at 61 games, #2 overall in Women's Belt^TM defenses.

As a side note, NYU's DIII consecutive game winning streak in either gender would end at 91 games tonight if Scranton defeats NYU at the Cregger Center this evening.

The main event is on ESPN+ from the Cregger Center at 7:30 PM ET this evening, and it is the game of the day on both the men's and women's sides of the DIII basketball tournaments today. 

Quote from: el_jefe_90 on March 10, 2026, 11:54:27 AMBack to Endicott having to go to IWU, great explanation as to why! Funny thing is, the hockey teams aren't hosting this weekend, so they could have hosted men's basketball!

Men's ice hockey got a bye and is hosting on Saturday, March 21st. Women's ice hockey is going to Hamline. Seems like a lost opportunity for the Gulls.

Unfortunately, Endicott had to make that decision on whether or not they wanted to host an NCAA basketball tournament game on the weekend of March 14 back in the middle of February when the paperwork for the hosting bids were due.  Given the possibility that they could also be in a position to host women's and/or men's ice hockey that same weekend, Endicott may have chosen to play it safe and file bids just for hockey for that weekend, not knowing in advance the position of both hockey teams.  Hindsight is 20/20.   

Quote from: y_jack_lok on March 08, 2026, 10:03:34 PM

Quote from: GusD on March 08, 2026, 05:22:42 PMNot only did IWU get Cleveland back, but it appears they got another bonus.
As far as I can tell, they're the only lower seeded team that will be hosting a third round game. It would be interesting to learn what was behind the inconsistent reasoning that resulted in that decision.

I saw an explanation elsewhere that it is because Endicott is hosting Ice Hockey that day.

I put in that explanation that Endicott could potentially have been hosting an NCAA DIII First Round women's ice hockey tournament game on Saturday, March 14.   However, the selection shows for both D3 Ice hockey tournaments were last night on NCAA.com, and the Endicott women's ice hockey team, who won the CNE AQ to the hockey tournament, will be going to Hamline for their first round game in the field of 13.  Endicott women were ranked #12 in the final NPI selections report for that tournament.  (UW-River Falls, the defending D3 women's ice hockey champion, got an at-large bid as the WIAC does not have a women's AQ for that tourney, and is the overall #1 seed this year on the women's ice hockey side.)   On the men's ice hockey side, Endicott also won the CNE AQ to get into the field of 14 for that tournament.   As Endicott was ranked #2 in the NPI, the Gulls got a first round bye and will host a national quarterfinal game at Ray Bourque Arena on the Endicott campus on Saturday, March 21.  Hobart, the SUNYAC AQ for the men's ice hockey tournament, is the defending D3 men's ice hockey champion, and got the other first round bye.)

That tournament announcement came after I made that potential explanation, and I am not sure with the Endicott campus on spring break, that the college would have the game staff available to host both an NCAA D3 men's basketball tournament game and an NCAA first round D3 Ice hockey tournament game on the same weekend.

Therefore, I would not have been surprised if Endicott just chose to put in paperwork in advance to host NCAA ice hockey tournament action for the weekend of Saturday, March 14, and not men's basketball.  It was just my two cents. 

Anyway, the Shirk Center in Bloomington, IL is a perfect site for that third round game between Endicott and Illinois Wesleyan, and I am not complaining.   

Quote from: Greek Tragedy on March 08, 2026, 10:45:43 AMDoes anyone else find it odd that all 8 Sweet 16 games aren't played on the same day?

https://x.com/i/status/2030524723747016747

It's not like the games are spread out so you can watch all of them.

And why is IWU hosting Endicott?

Endicott may be hosting NCAA D3 Ice Hockey tournament games next Saturday, and the Endicott staff wanted to keep that weekend clear for Ray Bourque Arena on the Endicott campus to host them. (Endicott is a well known D3 Ice Hockey power school.) The Gulls just won the CNE AQs for both the Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Tournaments yesterday.  As a result, I would not be surprised if Endicott did not bid to host men's basketball third round action. 

Puck drop for all NCAA DIII Women's Ice Hockey first round Tournament games is scheduled for 3 PM EDT next Saturday, and puck drop for all NCAA DIII Men's Ice Hockey first round tournament games is scheduled for 7 PM EDT next Saturday.  If Endicott is hosting an NCAA DIII Women's Ice Hockey tournament game on Saturday, that would affect their ability to host basketball tournament games.  If Endicott had to prioritize ice hockey vs basketball for a hosting site, I am not surprised if Endicott chose next weekend to host ice hockey tournament games-- especially since Endicott is going on spring break as of next weekend as well.

Endicott is currently #12 in NPI in women's ice hockey as of this morning, and #2 in the NPI in men's ice hockey.   If it holds going into tonight's selection shows, the Endicott men's ice hockey team may get a first round bye and go straight to the second weekend's national quarterfinal round, but the Endicott women's hockey team may be hosting next Saturday at 3 PM ET. 

((8:39 PM EDT update-- Sunday, March 8, 2026-- 13 team bracket just announced -- Endicott (#12 NPI in women's ice hockey) women's ice hockey team are playing away at Hamline (at-large pick, #7 in NPI in women's ice hockey) in next Saturday's first round action, with the winner going to a national quarterfinal game the following Saturday at Norwich. (#2 in NPI-- got one of the 3 first round byes)).  . UW-River Falls, the defending D3 women's ice hockey champion, is the overall #1 seed, with Nazareth (#3 in NPI, getting the other first round bye.)

BTW, I don't mind spreading out the Sweet 16 DIII Men's Basketball third round over 2 days this year. 

Quote from: NEhoops on March 08, 2026, 09:52:48 AMIs there one host in the region for the third round and quarterfinal games?

This is a unique year, in that all 4 national quarterfinal (Elite 8) games will be played at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Thursday, March 19, 2026-- with the winners of those games staying in Fort Wayne for the national semifinal (Final 4) games on Saturday, March 21.   The 2 winners then go on to Indianapolis for the championship game on Sunday, April 5.

The 2020 NCAA D3 Men's Basketball Championship was originally scheduled with this same format as this year's tournament (8 third round sites on the second weekend, national quarterfinals and semifinals in Fort Wayne, Indiana, national championship in Atlanta.)   However, the Covid 19 pandemic struck during the 2020 tournament, forcing its cancellation after the round of 32.

This upcoming weekend, New England hosts 2 of the 8 third round games, with the winners advancing to Fort Wayne.  Another third round game would have been hosted in New England, (Endicott was the higher ranked team in NPI over Illinois Wesleyan), but it got moved to the Shirk Center in Bloomington, IL for various reasons.  I am not sure whether it is because Endicott will be on spring break next weekend, or because the Endicott athletic staff wanted to prioritize next weekend for potentially hosting NCAA DIII Ice Hockey tournament games at the Ray Bourque Arena on the Endicott campus, of which the Gulls just won the CNE conference AQs yesterday in both men's and women's ice hockey.

FYI, 8 third round sites this upcoming Friday and Saturday-- 1 game each site.  Winners move on to Fort Wayne.

New England is hosting 2 third round games on Saturday, March 14--

1.)  Hood at Trinity (CT)-- Hartford, CT-- 4 PM EDT tip.
2.)  Tufts at Wesleyan-- Middletown, CT-- 4:20 PM EDT tip.

Illinois Wesleyan is hosting Endicott in another third round game-- Friday, March 13, 2026 at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, IL-- 6:30 PM CDT/7:30 PM EDT tip. 

All UAA Women's Basketball Honors have been announced:

Player of Year-- Caroline Peper, NYU
Defensive Player of Year-- Brooke Batchelor, NYU
Rookie of Year;  Tatum Olson, Emory
Coaching Staff of Year:  NYU (Head Coach Meg Barber, Associate Head Coach Nettie Respondek, Assistant Coach Annie Barrett)

First Team all-UAA

1.) Caroline Peper, NYU
2.) Brooke Batchelor,NYU
3.) Lexy Harris, WashU
4.) Sidney Rogers, WashU
5.) Annabelle Spotts, UChicago
6.) Nicole Timko, Carnegie Mellon
7.) Tatum Olson, Emory
8.) Mya Hartjes, CWRU

Second Team all-UAA

1.) Zahra Alexander, NYU
2.) Yasmene Clark, NYU
3.) Chris Sanders, UChicago
4.) Payton Baney, Carnegie Mellon
5.) Aleena Dinker, Carnegie Mellon
6.) Alexandra Loucopoulos, Emory
7.) Emily Plachta, CWRU
8.) Abby Kennedy, Brandeis

Honorable Mention

Brandeis: Katherine Vaughan
CWRU: Maura Schorr
NYU: Aila Kaibara
UChicago: Kate Gross
Rochester: Grace Corelli, Franki Gomez

http://uaasports.info/documents/2026/3/3//25_26_WBKB_All_Assoc.pdf?id=1141

All-UAA Men's Basketball Honors have been announced.

Player of Year: Ben Pearce, Emory
Co-Defensive Players of Year:  Jair Knight, Emory and Yogi Oliff, Wash U
Rookie of Year:  Jordan Owusu, Rochester

Coaching Staff of Year:  Emory (Head Coach Jason Zimmerman, Assistant Coaches Chad Hixon, Mak Krause, Charlie Copp)

First Team all-UAA

1.) Ben Pearce, Emory
2.) Jair Knight, Emory
3.) Shane Regan, UChicago
4.) Nick Roper, UChicago
5..) Nikola Dimitrijevic, Carnegie Mellon
6.) Elias Rodl, Brandeis
7.) Connor May, WashU

Second Team all-UAA

1.) Ethan Fauss, Emory
2.) Carnegie Johnson, NYU
3.) Luke Kolaja, NYU
4.) Yogi Oliff, WashU
5.) Tomiwa Adetosoye, Rochester
6.) Corvin Oprea, Rochester
7.) Alex Zakheim, Brandeis

Honorable Mention

1.) Ethan Edwards, CWRU
2.) Darren Rubin, NYU
3.) Joe Berry, UChicago

http://uaasports.info/documents/2026/3/3//25_26_MBKB_All_Assoc.pdf?id=1140

Okay, D3BBall, I goofed in saying that last year, only 2 of the 3 NESCAC teams in the NPI Top 8 could have made it to Fort Wayne.  The third team, Tufts, could have made it in had they defeated Redlands in the second run and  then won at the NYU sectional.  I still think, however, that even if Tufts had defeated Redlands in the second round at Cousens Gym last year, NYU would have beaten Tufts at the Paulson Center in New York in the Elite Eight had it come down to it.

So, Tufts did have a path to the D3 Final Four last year without having to go through Wesleyan or Trinity (CT).  That was because the DIII Men's National Committee last year decided to put Tufts as a #2 seed in a potential sectional headed by NYU rather than forcing Tufts to go to Wesleyan's sectional.  Emory, as the #5 overall seed by NPI last year, went to Wesleyan's sectional last year instead.

2 Brandeis players announced over the past few days that they have just entered the transfer portal:

1.)  Alex Zakheim (2nd leading scorer for Brandeis on the 2025-26 season)
2.)  Matthew Cadogan (injury ended his Brandeis 2025-26 season after starting the first 3 games).

Matthew Cadogan of Brandeis, who played and started in the first 3 games of the season before his season was cut short due to injury, has also entered the transfer portal.

Cadogan's season high this year was 14 points in the overtime loss in the first game of the season at Babson.   He also scored 10 points vs W. New England, and 4 points vs Bowdoin before his season prematurely ended. 

Quote from: Ole Ollie 76 on March 02, 2026, 09:41:34 PMMajor blow for any hopes Brandeis might have had for next season. Alex Zakheim has entered the portal. If he leaves Brandeis will need to really load up on transfers to be competitive in the UAA.

Please don't tell me that Alex Zakheim is going to be a Yeshiva Maccabee next year to replace his brother, Max-- I do like Yeshiva, but the Macs already got Matan Zucker from Brandeis a few years ago, and former Brandeis Judge Yogev Berdugo did serve a few years on the Yeshiva coaching staff after graduation.  If Alex is going to Yeshiva, it better be for religious reasons...

Alex Zakheim has the basketball skills to be on a quad 4 low major DI basketball team like Iona, Fairfield, Merrimack, Northeastern, etc. or an Ivy or Patriot League team.

Quote from: D3BBALL on March 02, 2026, 01:40:34 PM

Quote from: ziggy on March 02, 2026, 01:33:09 PM

Quote from: D3BBALL on March 02, 2026, 01:18:24 PMFirst complaint, how do they put Trinity and Tufts and Wesleyan all in the same bracket. The announcer just said, it's good that Tufts and Wesleyan can't meet until elite 8, that is wrong they will meet in sweet 16 and then a potential Trinity vs Tufts/Weslyan in elite 8, makes no sense at all.

Trinity (CT), Wesleyan and Tufts are actually bracketed perfectly true to overall seeding. I understand NESCAC fans won't really like it but I take this happening as a great development.

They are seeded perfectly but you don't put them all in the same bracket as only 1 of them has a chance to get to final 4, that is not right for a conference that is ranked 1st or 2nd in the country. If they put bates and or Amherst in then I get it.

But this year, the Elite 8 round is in Fort Wayne due to the fact that the national championship game is delayed a few weeks until Indianapolis so that it can be held on Division I's Final Four Weekend.   In effect, this year, making it to the Elite 8 round will get the same treatment as making it to the D3 "Final Four" in the sense that all 8 teams that do make it to Fort Wayne will get the same Fort Wayne experience as if they made it to the D3 Final Four. 

Last year, Wesleyan, Trinity (CT) and Tufts were in the top 8, so they got protected until the Elite 8 round, but only 2 of those NESCAC teams could still make it to Fort Wayne, because the Elite 8 round was not played in Fort Wayne.