Story By: Erin Zollars
Photos By: Sol Tucker
College Park, MD–
For many years Brenda Frese and Maryland didn’t have to go very far in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament, but this year the #5 seed Terps will have to travel to North Carolina if they have hopes of making to Phoenix this year and it all starts with #12 Murray State.
This is only the second time in the last six seasons that the Terps have to travel outside of College Park to play a lower seed. The Terps have had their share of success when the team is seeded at home to start the season.
“I think it’s an awesome bracket for us. We’re excited about one game at a time,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “Excited about our first opponent with Murray State, and it’s just been a great week. We’ve had a great week of practices and a great reset to really get our legs underneath us.”
Maryland enters the tournament with one major problem that Frese has not had in the past, depth of her team. The injuries have mounted up this season and she will rely heavily on Yarden Garzon, Mir McLean and Saylor Poffenbarger to keep them moving. When all three of these players are on, the Terps have been unstoppable, but they are far from the 14-0 start to the season.
While the Terps should make it past Murray State on Friday, they face a bigger hurdle on Sunday if they advance to play UNC. The Tar Heels finished the season 26-7 and 13-2 at home.
Here is a full look at the 2026 Women’s Bracket
Women’s March Madness bracket 2026: Updates, NCAA Tournament schedule and dates – CBS Sports
