# 1996 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament

The 1996 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament was the tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of women's college basketball among its Division I members in the United States and Canada for the 1995–96 basketball season.
In a rematch of the 1995 final, second-seeded, two-time defending champions Southern Nazarene defeated top-seeded Southeastern Oklahoma State in the championship game, 80–79, to claim the Redskins' fourth NAIA national title. This would ultimately go on to be the third of four consecutive championships for Southern Nazarene.
The tournament was played at the Oman Arena in Jackson, Tennessee.

## Qualification

The tournament field remained fixed at thirty-two teams, with the top sixteen teams receiving seeds.
The tournament continued to utilize a simple single-elimination format.

## Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Elite Eight | Elite Eight | Elite Eight | | Final Four | Final Four | Final Four | | National championship | National championship | National championship |
| 1 | SE Oklahoma State | 86 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | LeTourneau | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | LeTourneau | 51 | 1 | SE Oklahoma State | 100 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 16 | Arkansas Tech | 58 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lewis–Clark State | 55 | 16 | Arkansas Tech | 58 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Arkansas Tech | 72 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Arkansas Tech | 72 | | | | 1 | SE Oklahoma State | 91 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 8 | Central State (OH) | 67 | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Xavier Louisiana | 84 | | | | | | | 8 | Central State (OH) | 67 | | | | | | | | |
| | Claflin | 50 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Claflin | 50 | 9 | Xavier Louisiana | 60 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Central State (OH) | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Daemen | 63 | 8 | Central State (OH) | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Central State (OH) | 82 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Central State (OH) | 82 | | | | | | | | 1 | SE Oklahoma State | 84 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Lipscomb | 75 | | | | |
| 5 | Lipscomb | 86 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Lipscomb | 75 | | | | |
| | Lindenwood | 60 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lindenwood | 60 | 5 | Lipscomb | 87 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Montana State Northern | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Oklahoma Baptist | 62 | 12 | Montana State Northern | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Montana State Northern | 65 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Montana State Northern | 65 | | | | 5 | Lipscomb | 75 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Auburn Montgomery | 66 | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Western New Mexico | 69* | | | | | | | 4 | Auburn Montgomery | 66 | | | | | | | | |
| | SW Oklahoma State | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | SW Oklahoma State | 68 | 13 | Western New Mexico | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Auburn Montgomery | 91 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | St. Mary's (TX) | 60 | 4 | Auburn Montgomery | 91 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Auburn Montgomery | 61* | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Auburn Montgomery | 61* | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | SE Oklahoma State | 79 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Southern Nazarene | 80 |
| 3 | Union (TN) | 76 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Southern Nazarene | 80 |
| | Georgia Southwestern | 48 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Georgia Southwestern | 48 | 3 | Union (TN) | 80 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Campbellsville | 58 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Campbellsville | 81 | | Campbellsville | 58 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Wayland Baptist | 80 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Wayland Baptist | 80 | | | | 3 | Union (TN) | 92 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 6 | Western Washington | 76 | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Montevallo | 88 | | | | | | | 6 | Western Washington | 76 | | | | | | | | |
| | Harding | 71 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Harding | 71 | 11 | Montevallo | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | Western Washington | 71 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | NW Oklahoma State | 67 | 6 | Western Washington | 71 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Western Washington | 70* | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Western Washington | 70* | | | | | | | | 3 | Union (TN) | 69 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Southern Nazarene | 70 | | | | |
| 7 | East Central (OK) | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Southern Nazarene | 70 | | | | |
| | Purdue Calumet | 61 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Purdue Calumet | 61 | 7 | East Central (OK) | 57 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 10 | Simon Fraser | 60 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rockhurst | 54 | 10 | Simon Fraser | 60 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Simon Fraser | 61 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Simon Fraser | 61 | | | | 10 | Simon Fraser | 55 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Southern Nazarene | 69* | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Belmont | 90 | | | | | | | 2 | Southern Nazarene | 69* | | | | | | | | |
| | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 94*** | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 94*** | | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 55 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Southern Nazarene | 70 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Biola | 51 | 2 | Southern Nazarene | 70 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Southern Nazarene | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |