- DMACC and the Huskies meet at 9 a.m. (CDT) on March 16
- Monroe County CC is 23-7 and is not ranked
- Winner will face fourth-seeded Pima County Community College
The DMACC women's basketball team is set to face Monroe County Community College (MCCC) in the opening round of the 2026 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Women's Basketball Championship March 16 at Hickory, N.C.
The two teams will meet in the tournament opener at 9 a.m. (CDT)
DMACC, seeded 13th, brings a 25-8 record into the tournament. The Bears are ranked 24th in the NJCAA Division II poll and are seeded 13th.
DMACC, making its first-ever appearance in the national championship, advanced to the tournament by upsetting fifth-ranked Kirkwood Community College (KCC) in the Region 11-A tournament and then handed United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) an 86-71 loss in the North Central Plains District Tournament.
MCC, seeded 20th, is 23-7 and is not ranked but has received votes in the NJCAA Division II poll. The Huskies, who have won their last eight games, handed SUNY Niagara Community College (SUNYNCC) an 84-76 loss in Region III championship game and then defeated Orange County Community College (OCCC) 80-44 in the East B District championship game.
"They are super athletic," DMACC women's basketball coach Jocelyn Kovarik said. "They don't shoot overly well from the three-point line but they can get to the rim. They press full-court, typically man-to-man, and are very hands on and very physical."
Kovarik said her team's goal is to attack out of the full-court press and get to the basket.
"Can we attack and can we get to the basket?" Kovarik said. "Hopefully, we can get to the basket and draw a few fouls. I think offensively we're a threat."
Kovarik said with MCC's quickness her team has to protect the inside game and be careful about who it goes after on the perimeter.
"They'll drive right around (defenders)," Kovarik said. "It involves a lot of rim protection."
MCC is averaging 70.3 points a game and allowing an average of 60.3 points a game. The Huskies shoot 39 percent from the field, including 22 percent from three-point range.
MCC has just one player averaging in double figures in sophomore Zakieya Williams, who is averaging 24.8 points a game.
DMACC won its last four games and 12 of its last 14 games.
The Bears are averaging 68.7 points a game and allowing 64 points a game. DMACC is shooting 36 percent from the field, including 26 percent from three-point range.
Freshman Alivia Carr of Bettendorf leads the Bears in scoring with a 13.2 average and sophomores Whitney Jensen of Remsen and Chloe Costello of Northwood are averaging 11.3 and 10.2 points a game respectively. Sophomore Breeley Clayburg of Coon Rapids isn't far behind at 9.5 points a game and leads the Bears in rebounding at 7.7 rebounds a game.
Kovarik said DMACC will be at full strength with the exception of freshman guard Brooklyn Valley of Waverly. She suffered a torn meniscus in the Bears' win over UTTC.
The DMACC-MCC winner will face fourth-seeded Pima Community College (PCC) at 9 a.m. (CDT) on March 17.
The tournament continues through March 21 with the set for 5 p.m. (CDT) on March 21.