Men's Bracket | Women's Bracket
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 8, 2016) - The NJCAA released the brackets for the Division I national basketball tournaments on Monday, and, if the seeding holds to form, Region 8 will be in position to defend its championships.
The women's tournament, which debuts in Lubbock, Texas, after a near two-decade run in Salina, Kansas, welcomes Panhandle Conference and Region 8/FCSAA Champion Gulf Coast State College as the No. 1 seed.
The top-ranked Lady Commodores will open play at 3 p.m. eastern, Tuesday, March 15 against the winner of the 16-17 game between Georgia Highlands College and Gillette (Wyo.) College.
Two other teams from Region 8 landed on the opposite side of the bracket.
Daytona State College, champions of the Mid-Florida Conference, was awarded one of four at-large berths and received the tournament's No. 7 seed. The Lady Falcons will play at 9 p.m., Tuesday, March 15 against the winner of the 10-23 game between Cowley County (Kan.) Community College and ASA College New York.
Northwest Florida State College, who punched its ticket to Texas as Region 8's Zone Qualifier, is the No. 11 seed and will play at 1 p.m., Tuesday, March 15 against No. 22 Harford (Mary.) Community College. The winner will play No. 6 seed Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College.
Just two men's teams from Region 8 qualified for "The Tournament" in Hutchinson, Kan. - Panhandle Conference and Region 8/FCSAA Champion Northwest Florida State and Southern Conference Champion Eastern Florida State College.
Northwest Florida State, the defending national champions, is the No. 2 seed and will play at 1 p.m. eastern, Wednesday, March 16 against the winner of the 15-18 game between McLennan (Texas) Community College and Marion (Ala.) Military Institute.
Region 8's second team, Eastern Florida State, earned an at-large bid and received the No. 6 seed. The Titans will play at 9 p.m., Wednesday, March 16 against the winner of the 11-22 game between Ranger (Texas) College and East Mississippi Community College.