ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – On Monday evening, the UCF women’s basketball team continued to make history. Katie Abrahamson-Henderson and the Knights earned the program’s first at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament and will be the 12 seed in the Portland Region.
UCF (26-6) will take on fifth seed Arizona State on Friday at 7 p.m. in Coral Gables, Fla. The winner of Friday’s First Round will take on the winner of Miami (24-8) and FGCU (28-4) in Sunday’s Second Round.
Monday’s selection marks UCF’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance since joining the Division I ranks in 1984-85. Each of the four appearances has been an automatic berth, winning the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament twice (1996, 1999) and capturing a pair of the Conference USA Tournament titles (2009, 2011).
At 12, it is the highest seed UCF has ever had at the NCAA Tournament, previously being seeded as high as 13th in 2011.
UCF’s NCAA Tournament History
Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1996 #16 First Round #1 Louisiana Tech L, 98-41
1999 #16 First Round #1 Louisiana Tech L, 90-48
2009 #14 First Round #3 North Carolina L, 85-80
2011 #13 First Round #4 Ohio State L, 80-69
Arizona State is making its sixth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament and earned its 16th overall bid. The Sun Devils have advanced past the First Round 13 times. This year Arizona State is 20-10 and went 10-7 in the Pac-12.
Friday will be the first meeting between UCF and Arizona State in women’s basketball. The Knights have faced both FGCU and Miami on the hardwood.
Ticket information will be available on UCFKnights.com once it becomes available.