INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (March 8) – Lone Star Conference North Division champion Central Oklahoma will make its second straight trip to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship after the Bronchos earned an at-large bid into the 64-team national tournament Sunday night.

UCO, which lost in the finals of the Lone Star Conference Women's Championship to West Texas A&M, will go to Canyon, Texas for the South Central Regional this weekend and is the No. 3 seed in that eight-team tournament.

The Bronchos, 25-5 on the year, will take on LSC North Division rival Southeastern Oklahoma at 1 p.m. Friday in the first round.  Click here for tournament ticket information.

Other opening-round games have No. 2 seed Washburn playing Incarnate Word at 2 p.m., No. 4 seed Emporia State meeting St. Mary's at 6 p.m. and top-seeded WTAMU taking on Abilene Christian at 8 p.m.

Saturday's semifinals pit the UCO/SOSU winner against the WU/UIW winner at 6 p.m. and the ESU/SMU winner against the ACU/WTAMU winner at 8 p.m.  The championship finals are set for Monday at 7 p.m. 

Eight regional tournaments will be held around the country this week, with the champions advancing to the Elite Eight in San Antonio, Texas March 24-27.

“We're certainly excited about being in the national tournament again and look forward to what should be a great regional,” UCO coach Guy Hardaker said.  “There are eight really good teams there, but I think we've got as good a chance as anybody to win the regional and that's obviously our goal.

“We know about Southeastern and it will be a great challenge for us. We're happy to still be playing and will be ready to go.”

The Bronchos and SOSU split two regular-season meetings, with UCO winning 76-59 in Edmond and losing 87-76 in Durant.