The field for the Lubbock, Texas, tournament was announced during the NCJAA Division I Women’s Basketball Selection Show on Sunday. The tournament begins Wednesday, March 16, and concludes with the championship game on Monday, March 21.
As the seventh seed, 17th-ranked Blinn (28-4) will have a first-round bye and face the winner of 10th-seeded New Mexico Junior College and 23rd-seeded Jones College in the second round at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 17.
The Buccaneers earned an automatic bid with an 85-74 victory over 11th-ranked Trinity Valley Community College in the Region XIV Tournament title game Saturday in Jacksonville, Texas.
The No. 7 seed is Blinn’s highest in its four trips under 20th-year head coach Jeff Jenkins. The Bucs last qualified for nationals during the 2015-16 campaign after winning the region tournament, and entered as the 12th seed.
“I think we deserve it and we’re proud of our players,” Jenkins said. “I think our body of work was worthy of a bye. I’m proud that we went from 17th to a top-eight team in the nation. During our regional tournament, the selection committee must have seen that we were a top-eight team in the nation, so I’m proud our players are getting the recognition they deserve.”
The Buccaneers are 5-3 in the national tournament under Jenkins, going 1-1 during the appearance in 2016 after opening play with a victory over Itawamba Community College.
“We always put up a good showing,” Jenkins said. “I expect the kids to play hard, make plays, and do well.”
Blinn will be joined in the tournament by region counterparts Trinity Valley and 13th-ranked Tyler Junior College, each of which received at-large bids. Trinity Valley was awarded an 11th seed, while Tyler is seeded 16th.
“Region XIV has always been one of the best regions, at least during the last 20 years I’ve been a part of the conference,” Jenkins said. “Every time one of our teams qualifies for the tournament, we have a good showing. I think we make each other better and prepare each other for the national tournament.”
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
