Red-Hot Olivet Nazarene Gains No. 1 Seed In Women's Basketball Tournament
CHICAGO --- Olivet Nazarene University, the hottest team in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, will look to match up its regular-season title with a tournament championship when the 2026 CCAC Tournament kicks off at four sites on Tuesday night.
The Tigers (22-6) edged out both No. 2 seed University of St. Francis (25-3) and No. 3 Indiana University South Bend (21-7) for the regular-season crown by claiming victory in 13 of their final 14 games this winter. ONU's only two setbacks in the league came against No. 4 Saint Xavier University (18-10) and No. 5 Governors State University (18-10), who, coincidentally, will match up against each other on Tuesday.
USF fell one game behind Olivet Nazarene in the conference standings with the Saints' only losses in CCAC play coming against the Tigers, Indiana South Bend and No. 6 Viterbo University (14-13). IUSB had its setbacks against Olivet Nazarene twice, No. 8 Holy Cross College (15-13) and No. 7 St. Ambrose University (14-14).
As the No. 8 seed, HCC gets the first crack at upsetting Olivet Nazarene when the two teams meet at 5:30 pm Tuesday.
Viterbo has the farthest travel plans with the Fighting Bees heading over to Indiana South Bend for a 6 pm tipoff on Tuesday. There is also the previously-mentioned matchup between Saint Xavier and defending tourney champion Governors State in Chicago at 5 pm, while St. Francis hosts St. Ambrose at 7 pm.
Tuesday's four winners advance to Thursday's semifinal round with the championship to take place on Saturday. The highest remaining seeds host each of the next two rounds.
The league's second automatic qualifier to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round (March 13-14) is at stake this week. Olivet Nazarene gained the first bid by winning the regular-season title.
Should ONU also capture the tourney crown, St. Francis would earn the second bid as the regular-season second-place team.
The complete schedule follows:
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Game #1: No. 8 seed Holy Cross (15-13) at No. 1 seed Olivet Nazarene (22-6) --- 5:30 pm CT
Game #2: No. 5 seed Governors State (18-10) at No. 4 seed Saint Xavier (18-10) --- 5 pm CT
Game #3: No. 7 seed St. Ambrose (14-14) at No. 2 seed St. Francis (25-3) --- 7 pm CT
Game #4: No. 6 seed Viterbo (14-13) at No. 3 seed Indiana South Bend (21-7) --- 6 pm CT
Thursday, February 26, 2026 (at site of highest remaining seed)
Game #5: Winner-Game #1 vs. Winner-Game #2 --- TBA
Game #6: Winner-Game #3 vs. Winner-Game #4 --- TBA
Saturday, February 28, 2026 (at site of highest remaining seed)
Game #7: Winner-Game #5 vs. Winner-Game #6 --- TBA
For the complete bracket, go to Bracket.