Owensboro to Host NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tip-Off Classic
Top programs from across the country will gather in Kentucky this November for the prestigious early-season tournament.
The 2026-2027 NCAA Division II women's basketball season is set to launch in Owensboro, Kentucky, as the city prepares to host the Conference Commissioner's Association (CCA) Division II Women's Basketball Tip-Off Classic on November 6 and 7. Jointly organized by Visit Owensboro, the Owensboro Sportscenter, and Kentucky Wesleyan College, the premier national event brings elite collegiate programs together for high-stakes competition prior to the official opening week of the basketball season.
Established in 2006 by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association, the Tip-Off Classic serves as a prominent early-season showcase. Thanks to its exempt status, participating teams are permitted to play official games ahead of the standard season start date, allowing them to test their skills early and build strong résumés for postseason consideration. While the men's edition of the 2026 tournament takes place in Lakeland, Florida, Owensboro will be the epicenter for the nation's top women's D2 programs.
The upcoming field features a competitive lineup of eight universities: host Kentucky Wesleyan College, Harding University, Union University, Wayne State University, Carson Newman University, Missouri Western State University, Gannon University, and Roosevelt University. Notably, five of these participating programs competed in the 2025-2026 NCAA D2 Women's Basketball national tournament, guaranteeing a high level of talent and athletic performance for attending fans.
Lucas Daunhauer of Visit Owensboro expressed enthusiasm for bringing the prestigious showcase to the local community, stating, "Being able to host top Division 2 talent in the Tip-Off Classic allows fans throughout our community to get an early look at elite programs from across the country." Daunhauer also highlighted the collaboration with leadership at Kentucky Wesleyan, whose women's basketball program enters the new season following a 15-12 campaign last year.
Coaches Nicole and Caleb Nieman are returning for their 17th season leading the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers, holding an overall record of 309-143 alongside six NCAA Tournament appearances. They stand as the only active NCAA Division II women's coaching staff to achieve 16 consecutive winning seasons at the same institution. Nicole Nieman emphasized the value of the tournament for her squad, noting, "Our young team will be exposed to a national level tournament, and we hope we can learn a lot from participating alongside these teams."
Action at the Owensboro Sportscenter kicks off at 11:45 a.m. CST on Friday, November 6, with Harding facing Union. Subsequent Friday matchups feature Wayne State against Carson Newman, Missouri Western State versus Gannon, and a prime-time game between Kentucky Wesleyan and Roosevelt at 6:30 p.m. Saturday's schedule on November 7 continues with Union taking on Wayne State, Gannon playing Harding, Roosevelt meeting Missouri Western State, and Kentucky Wesleyan closing out the weekend against Carson Newman.
JT Pedley, Director of Sales for the Owensboro Sportscenter and Owensboro Convention Center, underscored the significance of the event for local sports traditions. "We are proud of our longstanding tradition as the home of Kentucky Wesleyan College's men's and women's basketball programs, and events like this further showcase Owensboro as a destination for collegiate athletics," Pedley said.
Tickets for the tournament are currently available through owensborotickets.com and at the Owensboro Sportscenter office. For fans unable to attend the games in person, all tournament matchups will be broadcast live via streaming on FloSports.