The first Division 1 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship tournament took place in 1982. The matchup was between Louisiana Tech, who ended being crowned champion, and Cheyney State. This first-ever matchup set another record, that is still held today. Cheyney State was and remains, the only HBCU to make it to the championship game and to the Final Four. Cheyney State made it back to the tournament and won one game in 1983 and three games to advance to the Final Four in 1984.
Howard University and Jackson State also appeared in the 1982 tournament, but only Cheyney State made it to the last dance. Since then, there have been 19 HBCU women’s basketball programs that have played in the March Madness bracket. Hampton as the most appearances in the tournament for an HBCU with 9 appearances, but have yet to win a game.
| Appearances | HBCU |
| 9 | Hampton |
| 6 | Grambling State |
| 6 | Howard |
| 6 | Jackson State |
| 6 | Prairie View A&M |
| 5 | North Carolina A&T |
| 5 | Southern |
| 3 | Alabama State |
| 3 | Alcorn State |
| 3 | Cheyney |
| 3 | Coppin State |
| 3 | Tennessee State |
| 2 | Florida A&M |
| 1 | Bethune-Cookman |
| 1 | Delaware State |
| 1 | Norfolk State |
| 1 | Savannah State |
| 1 | South Carolina State |
| 1 | Texas Southern |
Howard is the only HBCU to win a tournament game since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1994. The Bison won their game in the inaugural First Four game of the 2022 tournament, defeating Incarnate Word 55-51.
The first four games of the 2023 March Madness Women’s tournament start Wednesday and Thursday, Mar. 15-16. This will be the 42nd women’s tournament in NCAA history.
This year, there are a few HBCUs in the tournament with Southern University being in a First Four game.
In the second round Norfolk State, an HBCU, battles against South Carolina at 2 p.m. on ESPN.
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