Bethune–Cookman Wildcats women's basketball

The Bethune–Cookman Wildcats women's basketball team represents Bethune–Cookman University in the sport of basketball. The Wildcats competes in the NCAA Division I and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). They play their home games in Moore Gymnasium on Bethune–Cookman University campus in Daytona Beach, Florida.[2]

Bethune–Cookman Wildcats
2024–25 Bethune–Cookman Wildcats women's basketball team
UniversityBethune–Cookman University
Head coachJanell Crayton (4th season)
ConferenceSWAC
LocationDaytona Beach, Florida
ArenaMoore Gymnasium
(capacity: 3,000)
NicknameWildcats
ColorsMaroon and gold[1]
   
NCAA tournament appearances
2019
Conference tournament champions
1984, 2019
Conference regular season champions
2016, 2017, 2020

History

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The Wildcats played women's basketball in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference starting in the 1980s. They reached the MEAC women's basketball tournament final for the first time in 1983, losing to South Carolina State. They got their revenge the following year for their first MEAC title. At the time, however, the MEAC winner did not go to the NCAA Tournament. They lost in the MEAC final in 1992. In 2016 and 2017, they won the regular season MEAC title but lost in the MEAC tournament, with the latter being a loss to Hampton in the final. Their regular season titles meant that they were invited into the Women's National Invitation Tournament, with the 2016 one being their first ever postseason appearance. They lost the MEAC tournament in 2018 but had a respectable record that saw them reach the WNIT again. Finally, Bethune–Cookman won the 2019 MEAC tournament over Norfolk State. The 2019 appearance in the NCAA tournament was their first ever NCAA Division I basketball tournament appearance for the school.[3] In the 2021-22 athletic season, Bethune–Cookman joined the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Postseason appearances

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NCAA Division I

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The Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament once. They have a combined record of 0–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2019 First Round Notre Dame L 50–92

WNIT

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The Wildcats have appeared in the Women's National Invitation Tournament three times. They have a combined record of 0–3.

Year Round Opponent Result
2016 First Round Florida Gulf Coast L 51–78
2017 First Round Wake Forest L 42–71
2018 First Round Georgia Tech L 32–85

References

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  1. ^ Bethune-Cookman Digital Media Guide. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  2. ^ "Women's Basketball - Bethune-Cookman University Athletics". bcuathletics.com.
  3. ^ Dean, Zach. "B-CU women blasted by Georgia Tech in WNIT opener". Daytona Beach News. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
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