The Middlebury women's basketball team earned the fourth seed for the upcoming NESCAC Tournament and will host fifth-seeded Bates in a quarterfinal game on Saturday, February 19 at 2:00 p.m. The four quarterfinal winners will square off in the semifinal round on Saturday, February 26 at the highest remaining seed, and the championship game is set for Sunday, February 27 at the site of the semifinal matches.

Due to COVID-19, Middlebury will be ticketing this event in order to control the crowd size in Pepin Gymnasium. All tickets are FREE and can be picked up starting at 1:00 p.m. at the Peterson Family Athletic Complex Box Office on Saturday. Tickets will be given out until we reach full capacity.

Due to COVID protocols impacting teams throughout the season and creating a disparity in the number of games played, the NESCAC membership agreed to modify the NESCAC Women's Basketball Championship to make all 11 teams eligible for the 2021-22 season and use winning percentage as the seeding criteria. In instances where teams had the same winning percentage, a head-to-head tiebreaker was used to break the ties. 

> Championship Central

2022 NESCAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round – Friday, February 18 (at Higher Seeds)
No. 11 Colby at No. 6 Bowdoin – 7:00 p.m.
No. 10 Hamilton at No. 7 Wesleyan – 7:00 p.m.
No. 9 Connecticut College at No. 8 Williams – 7:00 p.m.

Quarterfinals (at Higher Seeds)
Saturday, February 19
No. 5 Bates at No. 4 Middlebury – 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, February 20
Winner of No. 8 Williams/No. 9 Connecticut College at No. 1 Trinity – 2:00 p.m.
Winner of No. 7 Wesleyan/No. 10 Hamilton at No. 2 Tufts – 4:30 p.m.
Winner of No. 6 Bowdoin/No. 11 Colby at No. 3 Amherst – 2:00 p.m.

Semifinals – Saturday, February 26 (at Highest Remaining Seed)
2:00 p.m. | 4:30 p.m.
Highest Remaining Seed vs. Lowest Remaining Seed
Remaining Quarterfinal Winners

Championship – Sunday, February 27
Semifinal Winners – 12:00 p.m.

#1 Trinity Bantams
2021-22 Record: 16-5, 8-2 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Trinity is the top seed in the 2022 NESCAC Women's Basketball Championship for the first time in program history … Trinity and Tufts finished the regular season with an identical winning percentage (.800) … In head-to-head competition, Trinity defeated Tufts, 60-42, on February 4 to earn the No. 1 seed … Trinity is making its fourth straight appearance in the NESCAC Championship and 14th overall … The Bantams will host the winner of the Williams/Connecticut College first-round game … Trinity defeated Williams, 66-55, on February 8 and is 0-1 against the Ephs in the NESCAC Championship, dropping a 65-56 decision to Williams in the 2020 quarterfinals … The Bantams and Camels split two regular-season games this season … The Bantams won, 65-54, on December 4 and fell, 53-51, on January 22 in a game that counted toward the NESCAC standings … Trinity defeated Connecticut College, 67-64, in the 2014 NESCAC Quarterfinals, the only meeting between the two teams in the NESCAC postseason.

#2 Tufts Jumbos
2021-22 Record: 19-3, 8-2 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 10 (last: 2020)
NESCAC Titles Won: 3 (last: 2019)
Notes: Tufts, the 2020 NESCAC Runner-Up, is the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2017 … Trinity and Tufts finished the regular season with an identical winning percentage (.800) … In head-to-head competition, Trinity defeated Tufts, 60-42, on February 4 to earn the No. 1 seed … The Jumbos are making their 19th consecutive appearance in the NESCAC Championship and have made seven consecutive trips to the semifinals … Tufts will host the winner of the Wesleyan/Hamilton first-round game … The Jumbos are 4-0 against Wesleyan in the NESCAC Championship series and recorded an 86-66 win over the Cardinals on January 7 … Tufts is 1-0 against Hamilton in the NESCAC Tournament and earned a 55-45 win over the Continentals on January 14.

#3 Amherst Mammoths
2021-22 Record: 18-2, 7-2 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 11
NESCAC Titles Won: 8
Notes: Amherst is the No. 3 for the first time since 2015 … The Mammoths reached the semifinals for the 13th straight year in 2020 … Amherst, which has won eight straight games, will host the winner of the Bowdoin/Colby first-round game … The Mammoths earned back-to-back wins at Colby (59-47) and at Bowdoin (72-54) on February 5 and 6 … Amherst suffered a 74-60 loss to Bowdoin in the 2020 NESCAC Semifinals as the Polar Bears tied the series record at 5-5 … The Mammoths are 6-0 against Colby in the NESCAC postseason series, including a win in the 2017 semifinals.

#4 Middlebury Panthers
2021-22 Record: 12-10, 6-4 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 1 (2002)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Middlebury is competing in the NESCAC Championship for the sixth time in eight years …The Panthers are the No. 4 seed for the first time since 2018 and will host No. 5 Bates in a quarterfinal contest … Middlebury and Bates finished with an identical win percentage (.600) … In head-to-head competition, the Panthers defeated the Bobcats, 63-55, on the final day of the regular season … Middlebury has won both NESCAC Championship games versus Bates, including the matchup in the 2013 quarterfinals.

#5 Bates Bobcats
2021-22 Record: 14-7, 6-4 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 4 (last: 2006)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Bates is the No. 5 seed for the first time since 2013 … Middlebury and Bates finished with an identical win percentage (.600) … In head-to-head competition, the Panthers defeated the Bobcats, 63-55, on the final day of the regular season … Bates is in the NESCAC Championship field for the fourth time in six tournaments … The Bobcats have recorded their most NESCAC wins (6) since the 2006-07 campaign … Middlebury has won both NESCAC Championship games versus Bates, including the matchup in the 2013 quarterfinals.

#6 Bowdoin Polar Bears
2021-22 Record: 16-8, 5-5 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 12 (last: 2020)
NESCAC Titles Won: 9 (last: 2020)
Notes: Bowdoin, the defending NESCAC Champion, is the No. 6 seed for the first time in program history … The Polar Bears have qualified for every NESCAC Championship since its inception in 2000-01 … Bowdoin will host No. 11 Colby in the first round … The two teams met twice during the regular season with the Polar Bears winning both contests … Bowdoin won a non-conference meeting, 65-44, on December 4 and registered a 67-55 win on January 22 in a game that counted toward the NESCAC standings … Bowdoin improved to 3-1 against Colby in the NESCAC postseason series with a 79-63 win in the 2011 NESCAC Semifinals.

#7 Wesleyan Cardinals
2021-22 Record: 11-12, 4-6 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Wesleyan is the No. 7 seed for the first time since 2019 and is in the NESCAC Championship field for the fourth tournament in a row … The Cardinals will take on No. 10 Hamilton in the first round … Wesleyan won, 86-77, at Hamilton on January 30 and the two teams have not met in NESCAC postseason play.

#8 Williams Ephs
2021-22 Record: 9-14, 3-7
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 1 (2013)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Williams has played in every NESCAC Championship field and is the No. 8 seed for the first time since 2009 … The Ephs will host No. 9 Connecticut College in the first round … Williams earned a 48-47 win over the Camels on January 28 and is 1-0 against Connecticut College in the NESCAC Championship series following a 2015 quarterfinal victory (45-44).

#9 Connecticut College Camels
2021-22 Record: 4-16, 2-6 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Connecticut College is the No. 9 seed and will travel to No. 8 Williams for a first-round matchup … The Camels suffered a 48-47 loss to Williams on January 28 and are 0-1 against the Ephs in the NESCAC Championship series … Connecticut College will compete in the NESCAC Championship for the seventh time since 2013-14.

#10 Hamilton Continentals
2021-22 Record: 9-12, 2-8 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Hamilton is the No. 10 seed and will play No. 7 Wesleyan in the first round … The Continentals are in the tournament field for the second straight year and fourth time overall since joining the NESCAC in 2012 … Wesleyan won, 86-77, at Hamilton on January 30 and the two teams have not met in NESCAC postseason play.

#11 Colby Mules
2021-22 Record: 11-9, 2-8 NESCAC
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 1 (2010)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Colby is the No. 11 seed and will face No. 6 Bowdoin in the first round … The Mules are competing in the NESCAC Championship for the first time since 2017 … Bowdoin and Colby met twice during the regular season with the Polar Bears winning both contests … Bowdoin won a non-conference meeting, 65-44, on December 4 and registered a 67-55 win on January 22 in a game that counted toward the NESCAC standings … Bowdoin improved to 3-1 against Colby in the NESCAC postseason series with a 79-63 win in the 2011 NESCAC Semifinals.

-- Courtesy of the NESCAC --