# AIAW women's basketball tournament

The AIAW women's basketball tournament was a national tournament for women's collegiate basketball teams in the United States, held annually from 1972 to 1982. The winners of the AIAW tournaments from 1972 to 1981 are recognized as the national champions for those years.

## History

The AIAW tournament was discontinued after the NCAA began sponsoring a women's collegiate basketball tournament in 1982. (In 1982, both the AIAW and NCAA sponsored competing tournaments.) The AIAW tournament was preceded by a tournament sponsored by the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (CIAW), which was held from 1969 to 1971.
Sixteen teams were invited to the tournament following qualifying rounds played on college campuses (except 24 teams were invited for the 1980 and 1981 tournaments). Ten of the sixteen teams were the winners of regional tournaments. The country had nine regions, but the Eastern regional was subdivided in a Region 1A and a Region 1B. The winners of those regional championships automatically proceeded to the National tournament, then a selection committee chose additional teams based upon considerations for individual team performance and geographical balance. Beginning in 1975, the AIAW divided its teams into divisions, and held separate tournaments for Division II and Division III teams.
Pre-NCAA statistics, based on AIAW Archives, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries.

## Division I/Large College
### CIAW

* 1969 West Chester (Pennsylvania) def. Western Carolina 65-39 (CIAW invitational tournament, six player format)
* 1970 Cal State-Fullerton def. West Chester 50-46 (CIAW invitational tournament, six player format)
* 1971 Mississippi State College for Women def. West Chester 57-55 (CIAW qualification tournament)

### AIAW

| Year | Winner | Score | Opponent | Venue |
| 1972 | Immaculata | 52–48 | West Chester State | Normal, Illinois |
| 1973 | Immaculata (2) | 59–52 | Queens College | Flushing, New York |
| 1974 | Immaculata (3) | 68–53 | Mississippi College | Manhattan, Kansas |
| 1975 | Delta State | 90–81 | Immaculata | Harrisonburg, Virginia |
| 1976 | Delta State (2) | 69–64 | Immaculata | State College, Pennsylvania |
| 1977 | Delta State (3) | 68–55 | LSU | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| 1978 | UCLA | 90–74 | Maryland | Los Angeles, California |
| 1979 | Old Dominion | 75–65 | Louisiana Tech | Greensboro, North Carolina |
| 1980 | Old Dominion (2) | 68–53 | Tennessee | Mount Pleasant, Michigan |
| 1981 | Louisiana Tech | 79–59 | Tennessee | Eugene, Oregon |
| 1982 | Rutgers | 83–77 | Texas | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |

### Team appearances

The code in each cell represents the furthest the team made it in the respective tournament:
* CH National Champion
* RU National Runner-up
* SF , 3rd , 4th Semifinals (3rd-4th place)
* QF , 5th , 6th , T8 Quarterfinals (5th-8th place)
* T12 , T16 Round of 12 or 16 (9th-16th place)
* T24 Play-in Round (Starting 2013) Round of 24 (17th-24th place)
| Team | Apps. | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 |
| Arkansas | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | T16 |
| Baylor | 2 | | | | | T12 | 5th | | | | | |
| Boise State | 1 | | | | T16 | | | | | | | |
| Boston University | 1 | | | | | | | | | T24 | | |
| Brigham Young | 3 | | | | | | | T12 | T12 | T16 | | |
| California | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | QF |
| UC Riverside | 1 | | T12 | | | | | | | | | |
| Cal State Fullerton | 5 | 3rd | | T12 | 3rd | T12 | T16 | | | | | |
| Central Missouri State | 2 | | | | | | | | | T24 | | T16 |
| Cheyney State | 2 | | | | | | | | | T24 | QF | |
| Clemson | 1 | | | | | | | | | | T24 | |
| Colorado | 2 | | | | | | | | | | T24 | T16 |
| Delta State | 4 | | | | CH | CH | CH | | | | | QF |
| Detroit | 1 | | | | | | | | | T24 | | |
| District of Columbia | 1 | | | | T8 | | | | | | | |
| East Carolina | 1 | | T12 | | | | | | | | | |
| East Stroudsburg State | 2 | | QF | T16 | | | | | | | | |
| Fordham | 1 | | | | | | | | QF | | | |
| Fresno State | 1 | | | T16 | | | | | | | | |
| Georgia Southern | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | T16 |
| Georgia State | 1 | | | | | | | | | | T24 | |
| Illinois State | 3 | T16 | | T12 | | | | | | | T16 | |
| Immaculata | 6 | CH | CH | CH | RU | RU | 4th | | | | | |
| Indiana | 3 | QF | 4th | T8 | | | | | | | | |
| Indiana State | 1 | | T16 | | | | | | | | | |
| Jackson State | 1 | | | | | | | | | | T16 | |
| James Madison | 1 | | | | T16 | | | | | | | |
| Kansas | 3 | | | | | | | | T12 | T16 | T16 | |
| Kansas State | 6 | | T12 | T16 | 6th | | T12 | | T12 | T16 | | |
| Kentucky | 2 | | | | | | | | | T24 | T16 | |
| Lehman | 1 | | T16 | | | | | | | | | |
| Long Beach State | 6 | T12 | T16 | | | T12 | | | T12 | QF | QF | |
| Louisiana Tech | 3 | | | | | | | | RU | 4th | CH | |
| LSU | 1 | | | | | | RU | | | | | |
| Maryland | 4 | | | | | | | RU | QF | QF | QF | |
| Mercer | 2 | | QF | | | | | | | T24 | | |
| Miami (OH) | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | T16 |
| Michigan State | 1 | | | | | | T16 | | | | | |
| Minnesota | 3 | | | | | | T16 | | | | T24 | QF |
| Mississippi | 1 | | | | | | | T12 | | | | |
| Mississippi College | 3 | | | RU | | T8 | T12 | | | | | |
| Mississippi Women | 1 | 4th | | | | | | | | | | |
| Missouri | 2 | | | | | | T12 | T12 | | | | |
| Montana | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | T16 |
| Montclair State | 2 | | | | | 6th | | 3rd | | | | |
| North Carolina State | 3 | | | | | | | QF | | T16 | T16 | |
| Northern Illinois | 1 | QF | | | | | | | | | | |
| Northwestern | 3 | | | | | | | | QF | T16 | T24 | |
| Ohio State | 2 | | | | T12 | | | T16 | | | | |
| Old Dominion | 3 | | | | | | | | CH | CH | 3rd | |
| Oregon | 2 | | | | | | | | | T16 | T16 | |
| Oregon State | 2 | | | | | | | | T16 | | T24 | |
| Penn State | 1 | | | | | T16 | | | | | | |
| Phillips | 1 | QF | | | | | | | | | | |
| Portland State | 1 | | | | | T16 | | | | | | |
| Providence | 1 | | | | | | | | | T16 | | |
| Queens (NY) | 5 | T12 | RU | T8 | T12 | T12 | | QF | | | | |
| Rutgers | 4 | | | | | | | | T12 | T24 | T16 | CH |
| St. John's (NY) | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | T16 |
| Saint Joseph's | 1 | | | | | | T12 | | | | | |
| San Francisco | 1 | | | | | | | | | T24 | | |
| South Carolina | 2 | | T12 | | | | | | | 3rd | | |
| South Dakota State | 1 | T16 | | | | | | | | | | |
| USC | 2 | | | | | | | | | T24 | 4th | |
| Southern Connecticut | 8 | T12 | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | T8 | 6th | QF | T12 | | | |
| Stephen F. Austin | 6 | | QF | T12 | T12 | | | QF | | QF | T16 | |
| Syracuse | 1 | | | | | | | | | | T24 | |
| Tennessee | 5 | | | | | | 3rd | T16 | 3rd | RU | RU | |
| Tennessee Tech | 5 | T16 | | 6th | T12 | 5th | T8 | | | | | |
| Tennessee–Martin | 1 | QF | | | | | | | | | | |
| Texas | 3 | | | | | | | | | T16 | T24 | RU |
| UCLA | 3 | | | | | | | CH | 4th | | QF | |
| Utah | 3 | | | | | T16 | T8 | T16 | | | | |
| Utah State | 4 | T12 | T16 | T16 | T16 | | | | | | | |
| Valdosta State | 2 | | | | | | | T12 | T12 | | | |
| Vanderbilt | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | T16 |
| Villanova | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | SF |
| Washington | 1 | | | | | | | T16 | | | | |
| Washington State | 1 | T16 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wayland Baptist | 6 | | | 5th | 5th | 3rd | | 4th | QF | | | SF |
| West Chester State | 1 | RU | | | | | | | | | | |
| West Georgia | 1 | | | | T16 | | | | | | | |
| Western Washington | 3 | | QF | T12 | | | T16 | | | | | |
| William Penn | 3 | | | 4th | T8 | 4th | | | | | | |
| Wisconsin | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | QF |
| Wisconsin–La Crosse | 1 | | | | | T16 | | | | | | |

## Division II/Small College
### Results

| Year | Winner | Score | Opponent | Venue |
| 1975 | Phillips | — | Talladega | Pueblo, Colorado |
| 1976 | Berry (GA) | 68–62 | West Georgia | Ashland, Ohio |
| 1977 | Southeastern Louisiana | 92–76 | Phillips | Pomona, California |
| 1978 | High Point | 92–88 | South Carolina State | Florence, South Carolina |
| 1979 | South Carolina State | 75–65 | Dayton | Fargo, North Dakota |
| 1980 | Dayton | 83–53 | College of Charleston | Dayton, Ohio |
| 1981 | William Penn | 64–51 | College of Charleston | Dayton, Ohio |
| 1982 | Francis Marion | 92–63 | College of Charleston | Charleston, South Carolina |

### Appearances

| Team | Apps. | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 |
| Abilene Christian | 1 | | | | | | QF | |
| Air Force | 2 | | | | R16 | R24 | | |
| Arkansas–Monticello | 1 | | | R16 | | | | |
| Arkansas Tech | 1 | | | | | R16 | | |
| Ashland | 2 | 4th | QF | | | | | |
| Berry (GA) | 4 | CH | 3rd | 3rd | | R16 | | |
| Biola | 5 | R16 | 4th | 4th | | | R16 | QF |
| Cal State Los Angeles | 1 | | | | | R16 | | |
| Cal Poly Pomona | 4 | R16 | QF | | | QF | 3rd | |
| Carson-Newman | 1 | | | | | R24 | | |
| Centenary (LA) | 1 | | | | | | | FR |
| Charleston (WV) (Morris Harvey) | 2 | | | | QF | QF | | |
| College of Charleston | 3 | | | | | RU | RU | RU |
| Colorado College | 2 | | R16 | | | | R16 | |
| Dayton | 5 | | R16 | R16 | RU | CH | R16 | |
| Eastern Connecticut | 1 | | R16 | | | | | |
| Eastern Illinois | 1 | | | | | | QF | |
| Eastern New Mexico | 1 | | | R16 | | | | |
| Eastern Washington | 2 | | | R16 | R16 | | | |
| Emporia State | 1 | | | | R16 | | | |
| Florida International | 1 | | | | | | | FR |
| Fordham | 1 | | | R16 | | | | |
| Fort Lewis | 1 | R16 | | | | | | |
| Francis Marion | 4 | QF | QF | R16 | | | | CH |
| George Williams | 1 | R16 | | | | | | |
| Grand View | 1 | R16 | | | | | | |
| High Point | 3 | | QF | CH | QF | | | |
| Hofstra | 1 | | | | | R24 | | |
| Idaho | 2 | | | | | R24 | R16 | |
| Langston | 1 | | | | | R16 | | |
| Lenoir-Rhyne | 2 | | | | | QF | 4th | |
| Livingston | 2 | | | | | R16 | | QF |
| Louisiana College | 2 | | | | | 4th | QF | |
| Midland Lutheran | 1 | | | QF | | | | |
| Montana State Billings (Eastern Montana) | 2 | R16 | R16 | | | | | |
| Morgan State | 2 | | | | | QF | R16 | |
| Nebraska–Omaha | 1 | | | | | R24 | | |
| Niagara | 2 | | | | 3rd | R24 | | |
| North Dakota State | 2 | | | | R16 | | | SF |
| Pepperdine | 2 | | | QF | R16 | | | |
| Phillips (OK) | 2 | 3rd | RU | | | | | |
| Princeton | 1 | QF | | | | | | |
| St. John Fisher | 1 | | | | | R16 | | |
| St. Peter's | 1 | | | | | R16 | | |
| Salisbury State | 1 | | R16 | | | | | |
| San Francisco | 1 | | | | R16 | | | |
| Seton Hall | 2 | | | R16 | QF | | | |
| Seton Hill | 1 | R16 | | | | | | |
| Shorter | 1 | | | R16 | | | | |
| South Carolina State | 3 | | | RU | CH | R16 | | |
| Southeast Missouri State | 1 | | | | | R24 | | |
| Southeastern Louisiana | 4 | R16 | CH | QF | R16 | | | |
| Southwest Missouri State | 1 | | | | | | R16 | |
| Springfield | 1 | | | | | | R16 | |
| Tarkio | 2 | QF | R16 | | | | | |
| Texas Wesleyan | 1 | | | | R16 | | | |
| Tougaloo | 1 | | | | QF | | | |
| Tuskegee | 2 | | | | 4th | | QF | |
| Union (KY) | 1 | QF | | | | | | |
| Ursinus | 1 | | R16 | | | | | |
| West Georgia | 3 | RU | R16 | | | R24 | | |
| William Carey | 1 | | | | | | R16 | |
| William Penn | 4 | | | QF | | 3rd | CH | SF |

## Division III
### Results

| Year | Winner | Score | Opponent | Venue |
| 1980 | Worcester State | 76–73 | Wisconsin–La Crosse | Spokane, Washington |
| 1981 | Wisconsin–La Crosse | 79–71 | Mount Mercy | Dayton, Ohio |
| 1982 | Concordia–Moorhead | 73–72 | Mount Mercy | Cedar Rapids, Iowa |

### Appearances

| Team | Apps. | 80 | 81 | 82 |
| Adrian | 1 | R16 | | |
| Aquinas | 1 | | | T8 |
| Bethany | 1 | | R16 | |
| Biola | 1 | QF | | |
| Bridgewater (VA) | 1 | R24 | | |
| UC Davis | 1 | | QF | |
| Christopher Newport | 1 | R24 | | |
| Columbia (SC) | 2 | R24 | R16 | |
| Concordia–Moorhead | 1 | | | CH |
| Concordia (OR) | 1 | | R16 | |
| Eastern Connecticut State | 1 | R16 | | |
| Elizabethtown | 2 | R24 | QF | |
| Juniata | 1 | QF | | |
| Knoxville | 2 | | QF | QF |
| Lee (TN) | 1 | QF | | |
| Linfield | 1 | R24 | | |
| Malone | 1 | | | QF |
| McMurry | 1 | R16 | | |
| Millersville State | 1 | | | 4th |
| Minnesota–Morris | 1 | R16 | |
| Mount Mercy | 3 | 4th | RU | RU |
| Notre Dame de Namur | 1 | R16 | | |
| Pacific Lutheran | 1 | R24 | | |
| Pitt Johnstown | 2 | R16 | 4th | |
| Rhode Island College | 1 | | R16 | |
| Roanoke | 1 | | R16 | |
| San Francisco State | 2 | QF | QF | |
| Scranton | 1 | 3rd | | |
| Spring Arbor | 2 | R24 | R16 | |
| Tarleton State | 2 | R16 | R16 | |
| Western Oregon | 1 | R16 | | |
| Willamette | 1 | R24 | | |
| Wisconsin–La Crosse | 2 | RU | CH | |
| Wisconsin–Whitewater | 2 | | R16 | 3rd |
| Worcester State | 2 | CH | 3rd | |

## Junior/Community College

* 1973 Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College
* 1974 Anderson College (South Carolina)
* 1975 Anderson College
* 1976 Anderson College
* 1977 Anderson College