March 11, 2001

Villanova, PA - On Sunday, March 11, the NCAA Women's Basketball selection committee released the field of 64 teams that will participate in the 2000-01 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. For the first time in 12 years the Villanova Wildcats were selected to participate in the tournament by securing a #5 seed in the East Region. Villanova posted a 21-8 overall record and 11-5 Big East Conference mark on the season. The Wildcats will square off against #12 seed Drake on either March 16 or 17 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

North Carolina State received the number four seed in the East Region, which earned them the right to host the opening two rounds of their bracket. Villanova is included in that bracket along with #12 Drake and #13 Delaware. Filling out the East Region are #1 Connecticut, #2 Georgia, #3 Louisiana Tech, #6 Penn State, #7 Wisconsin, #8 Maryland, #9 Colorado State, #10 Missouri, #11 Texas Christian, #14 Georgia State, #15 Liberty, and #16 Long Island.

This is Villanova's fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and their highest seeding position ever. In the four appearances the Wildcats hold a 1-4 record all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including a 68-67 heartbreaking loss to NC State in 1986-87. At that time NC State was a number three seed, while the Wildcats were a #6 seed, their previous highest seed in history. Villanova's only victory came in their first ever appearance in the tournament in 1985-86. The Wildcats defeated Big Five rival La Salle 60-55 in the first round.

Villanova has never faced first round opponent Drake in the regular season or post-season. This is the first ever game between the two schools. Drake enters the NCAA Tournament against Villanova with a 23-6 record and 16-2 conference mark in the Missouri Valley Conference. This is Drake's eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, including five times in the last seven years. Their most recent appearance was last year when they entered as a number eight seed and fell to number nine seed Clemson in the first round. Overall in tournament history Drake holds a 4-7 record.