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The Western Illinois Women's Basketball team earned the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) regular season championship for the 2025-26 season.
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WIU Community Celebrates Conference-Champion Leathernecks

March 3, 2026

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MACOMB, IL - - As March Madness begins, Western Illinois University is proud to celebrate its women's basketball team, who earned the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) regular season championship for the 2025-26 season.

The Leathernecks finished with a 24-6 overall record (16-4 in conference play) and now move on to the OVC Tournament, which begins Wednesday, March 4. WIU will be the No. 1 seed in the tournament and have earned a double-bye into the semifinals, meaning their first game will be 1 p.m. Friday, March 6.

A win in the semifinals would put WIU in the championship game at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 7, where they would compete for the chance to earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. WIU's women's basketball team has competed in two NCAA tournaments, most recently in 2017.

"As I look back on the regular season, I'm incredibly proud of what we accomplished. It definitely was not a season without adversity," WIU Women's Basketball head coach JD Gravina said. "But every step of the way, our players looked adversity in the face and pushed through it. As a veteran coach, I know how difficult it is to win a regular-season championship and earn the top seed in the tournament. I'm looking forward to seeing what this team can accomplish in the postseason."

WIU also saw a few individuals receive recognition following the regular season, with senior forward Mia Nicastro (St. Charles, MO) earning OVC Player of the Year honors and Addi Brownfield (Boonville, MO) selected as OVC co-Defensive Player of the Year. Gravina was named the OVC Coach of the Year.

Both Nicastro and Brownfield were named to the All-OVC first team, while Mallory Shetley (Bourbon, MO) was named to the All-OVC newcomer team.

The Leatherneck community is invited to gather with other alumni, students and fans at an official watch party at Sports Corner for the semifinal game on Friday, where special food offerings and WIU swag will be available for the event.

"We are proud of our women's basketball team and all they achieved this season on the court and in the classroom," WIU President Kristi Mindrup said. "We look forward to cheering on our Leathernecks at the Ohio Valley Conference tournament in Evansville."

WIU Athletics and the WIU Alumni Association also invite Leatherneck fans and alumni to gather in Evansville for a pregame social before the OVC Women's Basketball Championship game. The Social will take place 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Saturday, March 7, at The Rooftop (112 NW Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Evansville, IN).

Fans are encouraged to preregister for the pregame social at go.wiu.edu/4u7THwv. For additional details regarding the event, contact the WIU Alumni Association at A-Association@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing