Golden Eagles claim automatic bid to WNIT

The graduate and senior players came back for another campaign with the Tennessee Tech women’s basketball team with the goal of hanging a banner in the Hooper Eblen Center rafters. Even after the loss in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship game, the Golden Eagles still have something to fight for -- the season is not done yet. 

With Belmont claiming the Ohio Valley Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Tech women has claimed the league’s automatic bid to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, held March 16 through April 2. 

“It’s been a special season, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to be selected for the WNIT and continue our journey together,” said Tech head coach Kim Rosamond. “It is a huge accomplishment to be selected for postseason play, and our team’s body of work over the course of this season speaks for itself. We look forward to the bracket reveal on Monday, March 14, as well as the challenge ahead of us.” 

The full 64-team field will be announced next Sunday, March 13, following the NCAA women’s basketball tournament selection show. The matchups, locations and times will be announced the following day. 

The Golden Eagles enter the tournament field with a 20-10 record, a second-place finish in the OVC standings in the regular season with a 14-4 mark and the team’s 23rd appearance in the OVC championship game. 

It’s a chance for the departing Class of 2022 to continue building on an impressive resume: the first senior group to win 15-plus games in four straight seasons since 2001-02; the first senior group to win double-digit OVC games for four straight seasons since 2005-06; the most OVC wins in a single season since 2010-11; the highest regular-season finish since 2012-13 and reaching its first OVC title game since 2013. 

Details on the WNIT tournament bracket and games will be released once available.