MITCHELL, S.D. — Dakota Wesleyan Women's Basketball faced the 10th-seeded College of the Ozarks Bobcats in the second round of the 2026 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament.
The Tigers began the contest on fire offensively, thanks to a 17-point first period from Emma Yost, propelling DWU to score 27 points in the first 10 minutes of the game. Yost's team-leading 24 points by the end of the contest came on an 8-12 (66.7%) clip from the field and 60% efficiency from three, alongside four recorded rebounds, three assists, and two steals. The second period saw the DWU offense slow down before halftime, but the defense kept the Ozarks offense at bay, limiting them to just nine points in the second period. The Tigers found the advantage on the glass overall, outrebounding the Bobcats 39-28 as a team, led individually by the 2026 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year, Avery Broughton, with 13 rebounds and 12 contributed points. Broughton also led the team in blocks with three, and added two assists and two steals to her final stat line. Off the bench, Maleighya Estes provided offensive support with eight points and five rebounds, while Jaida Young commanded the court with an impactful 11 points, five rebounds, and five steals throughout the contest. Even contributions and stout defensive play pushed DWU to a 39-23 lead at the half.
The College of the Ozarks was able to get a more consistent offensive presence rolling in the second half, but the Tigers were able to outpace the Bobcats to maintain a strong lead through the end of the contest. The rest of the starting lineup made contributions, with Shalayne Nagel heating up to record all seven of her points during the third period, along with snagging five boards and two steals, while Rylee Rosenquist contributed 14 points in total to add to the scoring effort. Overall, the Tigers outshot the Bobcats 44.3% to 33.3% from the field to keep them at bay, ultimately leading to Dakota Wesleyan cruising through the second half to end up winning and advancing in the NAIA Women's Basketball Championships by a score of 76-53. Dakota Wesleyan's advancement to the Round of 16 marks the ninth time in program history that the Tigers have reached the final field of 16, dating back to the 32-team brackets in the old championship tournament format. This marks the second time the Tigers have reached the Round of 16 since the adoption of the 64-team format in 2022. The win also marks the 350th of head coach Jason Christensen's Dakota Wesleyan career.
DWU Women's Basketball will be back in action against the third-seeded Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders in Sioux City, Iowa, in the Round of 16 on Friday, March 20th, beginning at 1:00 PM. See the full 2025-26 schedule here.