KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced the bracket and seedings for its 2026 women’s basketball championship, hosted March 4-8 at Kansas City’s historic Municipal Auditorium.
The top ten men’s and women’s teams from the 2025-26 regular season will travel to Kansas City, Mo., next week for the 46th annual men’s and 44th annual women’s MIAA Basketball Championships. The postseason tournaments will officially tip off on Wednesday, March 4, with the women’s sessions in the afternoon and the men’s sessions in the evening.
The Northwest Missouri State University women rose to the No. 5 seed for the 2026 MIAA Tournament by winning eight of their final nine league contests. The Bearcats will meet No. 4-seeded Missouri Southern Friday at Noon at Municipal Auditorium. Missouri Southern earned the No. 4 seed with an MIAA record of 13-6, while Northwest went 11-8 in league play.
Central Missouri captured the 2025-26 MIAA women’s basketball regular season championship and the top seed in the postseason tournament with a league record of 17-2. It’s the Jennies’ first regular season title since the 2019-20 season and the program’s 13th overall (most in MIAA). Fort Hays State claimed the No. 2 seed with an MIAA record of 15-4. Both the Jennies and Tigers will play their first MIAA tournament game on Thursday, March 5. They will play the winners of Wednesday’s opening round games.
Northeastern State and Emporia State will open the women’s championship at 12 p.m. on Wednesday. The RiverHawks earned the No. 8 seed with an MIAA record of 9-10, while the Hornets earned the No. 9 seed with a league record of 8-11.
Missouri Western and Nebraska Kearney will face off in game two on Wednesday. The Griffons also ended the regular season 9-10 and claimed the No. 7 seed, while the Lopers earned the final No. 10 seed after ending the regular season 8-11.
Washburn clinched the No. 3 seed with a conference record of 14-5. The Ichabods will take on No. 6 seed Pittsburg State at 2:15 p.m. on Friday, March 6. The Gorillas – the back-to-back MIAA tournament champion – ended the regular season 11-8 against league opponents.
Basketball fans can purchase tickets at the Municipal box office on game day or in advance on Ticketmaster. When purchasing online, single-session tickets are $30.75 and all-session tournament passes are $96.70. Children six and under are admitted at no charge.
MIAA fans not traveling to Kansas City can watch all the MIAA Madness action live, exclusively on The MIAA Network. Fans can purchase access to single-game broadcasts for $15 or a MIAA Network Tournament Pass for $40. MIAA fans who already have a subscription to The MIAA Network will not have to pay the additional charge for tournament games.
The official schedule of the 2026 MIAA Women’s Basketball Championship in Kansas City is listed below. To purchase tickets and find more information on the MIAA Basketball Championships, visit theMIAA.com/basketball.
2026 MIAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4:
Opening Round Games
Game One – #8 Northeastern State vs #9 Emporia State – 12 pm
Game Two – #7 Missouri Western vs #10 Nebraska Kearney – 2:15 pm
THURSDAY, MARCH 5:
Women’s Quarterfinals
Game Three – #1 Central Missouri vs Winner of Game One – 12 pm
Game Four – #2 Fort Hays State vs Winner of Game Two – 2:15 pm
FRIDAY, MARCH 6:
Women’s Quarterfinals
Game Five – #4 Missouri Southern vs #5 Northwest Missouri State – 12 pm
Game Six – #3 Washburn vs #6 Pittsburg State – 2:15 pm
SATURDAY, MARCH 7:
Women’s Semifinals
Game Seven – Winner of Game Three vs Winner of Game Five – 12 pm
Game Eight – Winner of Game Four vs Winner of Game Six – 2:15 pm
SUNDAY, MARCH 8:
Women’s Championship
Winner of Game Seven vs Winner of Game Eight – 1 pm
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced the bracket and seedings for its 2026 men’s basketball championship, hosted March 4-8 at Kansas City’s historic Municipal Auditorium.
The top ten men’s and women’s teams from the 2025-26 regular season will travel to Kansas City, Mo., next week for the 46th annual men’s and 44th annual women’s MIAA Basketball Championships. The postseason tournaments will officially tip off on Wednesday, March 4, with the women’s sessions in the afternoon and the men’s sessions in the evening.
The Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team has landed the No. 10 seed for the 2026 MIAA Tournament. Missouri Southern and Northwest Missouri will play in the men’s second opening round game Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. The Lions earned the No. 7 seed with an MIAA record of 10-9, while the Bearcats clinched the final No. 10 seed with a league record of 8-11.
Washburn claimed the top seed in the postseason tournament by winning its second consecutive regular season championship. The Ichabods ended the regular season with an MIAA record of 18-1 – the first team to have only one conference loss since the 2020-21 season. Central Missouri earned the No. 2 seed with a league record of 14-5. Both the Mules and the Ichabods will play their first tournament games on Thursday, March 5. They will play the winners of Wednesday’s opening round games.
Pittsburg State and Central Oklahoma will open the men’s championship at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4. Both the Gorillas and Bronchos ended the regular season with league records of 9-10. Pitt State earned the No. 8 seed over the No. 9-seeded Bronchos due to the Association’s tiebreaker procedures.
Missouri Western earned the No. 4 seed with a final regular season victory over Newman. The Griffons finished the regular season 12-7 against MIAA opponents and will take on Arkansas-Fort Smith in the championship quarterfinals on Friday, March 6. The Lions earned the No. 5 seed with an MIAA record of 11-8.
Rogers State will face Fort Hays State in Friday’s second quarterfinal contest. The Hillcats were awarded the No. 3 seed with an MIAA record of 13-6. Fort Hays State, the defending MIAA tournament champion, will be the No. 6 seed with a league record of 11-8.
Basketball fans can purchase tickets at the Municipal box office on game day or in advance on Ticketmaster. When purchasing online, single-session tickets are $30.75 and all-session tournament passes are $96.70. Children six and under are admitted at no charge.
MIAA fans not traveling to Kansas City can watch all the MIAA Madness action live, exclusively on The MIAA Network. Fans can purchase access to single-game broadcasts for $15 or a MIAA Network Tournament Pass for $40. MIAA fans who already have a subscription to The MIAA Network will not have to pay the additional charge for tournament games.
The official schedule of the 2026 MIAA Men’s Basketball Championship in Kansas City is listed below. To purchase tickets and find more information on the MIAA Basketball Championships, visit theMIAA.com/basketball.
2026 MIAA MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4:
Opening Round Games
Game One – #8 Pittsburg State vs #9 Central Oklahoma – 6 pm
Game Two – #7 Missouri Southern vs #10 Northwest Missouri – 8:15 pm
THURSDAY, MARCH 5:
Men’s Quarterfinals
Game Three – #1 Washburn vs Winner of Game One – 6 pm
Game Four – #2 Central Missouri vs Winner of Game Two – 8:15 pm
FRIDAY, MARCH 6:
Men’s Quarterfinals
Game Five – #4 Missouri Western vs #5 Arkansas-Fort Smith – 6 pm
Game Six – #3 Rogers State vs #6 Fort Hays State – 8:15 pm
SATURDAY, MARCH 7:
Men’s Semifinals
Game Seven – Winner of Game Three vs Winner of Game Five – 6 pm
Game Eight – Winner of Game Four vs Winner of Game Six – 8:15 pm
SUNDAY, MARCH 8:
Men’s Championship
Winner of Game Seven vs Winner of Game Eight – 3:30 pm
