UC San Diego Draws No. 3 TCU in NCAA Tournament First Round as Big West Champion Tritons Eye Major Upset

Fresh off their second straight Big West title, the 14-seeded Tritons head to Fort Worth to face powerhouse TCU in a high-stakes NCAA Women’s Tournament showdown.

The NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is known for dramatic upsets and Cinderella runs — and UC San Diego is hoping to write the next chapter in that tradition.

The Big West Champion Tritons (24–8) earned the No. 14 seed and will face No. 3 seed TCU (29–5) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Fort Worth, Texas. The matchup is part of the Sacramento Regional, with the winner advancing to face either No. 6 Washington or No. 11 South Dakota State in the second round.

For UC San Diego, the tournament berth represents another milestone in the program’s rapid rise since transitioning to NCAA Division I competition.

Tritons Riding Momentum After Big West Championship

UC San Diego enters the tournament with confidence after capturing its second consecutive Big West Tournament championship, defeating Hawai‘i in Henderson, Nevada.

Star guard Makayla Rose delivered a standout performance throughout the tournament and was named Most Valuable Player, helping propel the Tritons to a perfect 5–0 all-time record in the Big West Championship Tournament.

The title underscores the program’s remarkable progress since completing a four-year reclassification from NCAA Division II, where UC San Diego previously built a tradition of success that included 13 national tournament appearances and a national semifinal run in 2007.

Now in just their second year of postseason eligibility at the Division I level, the Tritons have quickly established themselves as one of the most compelling mid-major programs in the country.

Leadership and Chemistry Fuel Tritons’ Success

UC San Diego head coach Heidi VanDerveer credits her team’s leadership and chemistry as the driving force behind the program’s continued success.

“I think we have great maturity. I think we are polished,” VanDerveer said following the conference championship win. “We have great leadership from the five people who play the majority of our minutes. Our guards — whether it’s Dymonique Maxie, Makayla Rose, Sabrina Ma, Erin Condron, or Rosa Smith — are focused, driven and resilient.”

VanDerveer emphasized that the Tritons’ bond on the court has been a defining characteristic of their season.

“They just want to keep playing with each other, which I think is a mark of a championship team,” she said. “A lot of teams like playing with each other, but this team really plays for each other.”

TCU Presents a Major Challenge

Standing in UC San Diego’s path is a formidable opponent.

TCU enters the NCAA Tournament with a 29–5 record and the No. 3 seed in the Sacramento Regional, positioning the Horned Frogs as one of the tournament’s most dangerous teams.

The game also marks a historic moment — the first-ever meeting between UC San Diego and TCU in women’s basketball.

With the Horned Frogs hosting the matchup in Fort Worth, the Tritons will face both a talented opponent and a challenging road environment.

Opportunity for a March Madness Breakthrough

Despite the challenge, the NCAA Tournament is built on unpredictability — and UC San Diego has already shown it thrives in high-pressure moments.

A win would send the Tritons to the second round against the Washington–South Dakota State winner, and could cement UC San Diego’s reputation as one of the fastest-rising programs in college basketball.

For now, the mission is simple: keep the championship run alive.

If the Tritons’ resilience and chemistry continue to shine, March Madness may yet deliver another unforgettable upset.

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-- By Michael R. Thomas

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