Story Courtesy of Ball State Athletic Communications

MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State women's basketball team will travel to Waco, Texas for the opening weekend of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

The No. 12 seed Cardinals will play No. 5 Ole Miss in a first-round matchup on Friday, March 21, with the winner advancing to play either No. 4 Baylor or No. 13 Grand Canyon in the second round.

The Cardinals will be making their second overall NCAA Tournament appearance, most recently qualifying in 2009.

Led by Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament Most Valuable Player Ally Becki, the Cardinals captured their second MAC tournament championship in program history, defeating the Toledo Rockets in the title game on Saturday, 65-58, following victories over Western Michigan in the quarterfinals and Kent State in the semifinals.

Ball State will be making its 10th postseason tournament appearance under the Cardinals' 13th-year head coach Brady Sallee. Ball State enters the NCAA Tournament with a 27-7 overall record. The Cardinals went 16-2 in MAC play, tying the program record for most league wins for the second-straight season. The 20-win season also marks the eighth time within the last 10 campaigns Sallee has reached the 20-win plateau.