| Gender: | women |
| Year: | 2015 |
| Preseason Ap: | Connecticut |
| Regular Season: | November 2015 – April 5, 2016 |
| Tourney Start: | March 18 |
| Nc Date: | April 5, 2016 |
| Champ Stad: | Bankers Life Fieldhouse |
| Champ City: | Indianapolis |
| Champ: | Connecticut |
| Wnit Champ: | South Dakota |
| Wbi Champ: | Louisiana–Lafayette |
| Playeroftheyear: | Breanna Stewart (Connecticut) |
The 2015–16 NCAA Division I women's basketball season began in November and ended with the Final Four in Indianapolis, April 3–5. Practices officially began on October 3.
This season of NCAA women's basketball games was the first to be played in 10-minute quarters, the standard for FIBA and WNBA play.[1]
In addition to the change to quarter play, the NCAA also affords each team three 30-second timeouts and one 60-second timeout per game, and a media timeout will occur at the first dead ball after the 5:00 mark of each quarter. If a timeout is called before the 5:00 mark, that timeout replaces the media timeout. Teams will also be allowed to advance the ball to the front court following a timeout after a made basket, a rebound or change in possession in the last minute of the fourth quarter or any overtime periods.
The bonus situation has also changed, with teams reaching the bonus on the fifth foul of each quarter, where they will be awarded two free throws. Previously, teams shot one-and-one on the seventh foul of the half and reached the two-shot double bonus on the 10th foul. Fouls will reset following each quarter, with all overtime periods counting as extensions of the fourth quarter.
See also: 2015–16 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings.
The top 25 from the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls.
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Thirty-one athletic conferences each ended their regular seasons with a single-elimination tournament. The team with the best regular-season record in each conference was given the number one seed in each tournament, with tiebreakers used as needed in the case of ties for the top seeding. All conferences also recognize regular-season champions, with co-championships being awarded in the case of ties. The winners of these tournaments receive automatic invitations to the 2016 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament. For the final time, the Ivy League did not hold a conference tournament, instead giving its automatic invitation to its regular season champion; in case of a tie for the regular-season title (which did not happen this season), the automatic berth would have been decided by a one-game playoff (or series of one-game playoffs if more than two teams were tied).
| Points per game | Rebounds per game | Assists per game | Steals per game | ||||||||||||
| Player | School | PPG | Player | School | RPG | Player | School | APG | Player | School | SPG | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasmine Nwajei | Wagner | 29 | Anna Stickland | Houston Baptist | 14.2 | Niya Johnson | Baylor | 8.7 | Ashley Deary | Northwestern | 4.03 | ||||
| Minnesota | 28.6 | Oregon | 13.6 | Rachel Theriot | Nebraska | 7.3 | Chastadie Barrs | Lamar | 3.97 | ||||||
| Kelsey Mitchell | Ohio State | 26.1 | Lexi Martins | Lehigh | 13.6 | Jackie Kemph | St. Louis | 7 | Adella Randle-El | Sacramento State | 3.77 | ||||
| Washington | 25.9 | Ruvanna Campbell | Ill-Chicago | 13.5 | Caitlin Ingle | Drake | 6.939 | Aliyah Kilpatrick | Winthrop | 3.59 | |||||
| Lexi Rydalch | BYU | 24.2 | Kalani Purcell | BYU | 12.6 | Roddricka Patton | Oklahoma State | 6.935 | Amani Tatum | Manhattan | 3.26 |
| Blocked shots per game | Field goal percentage | Three-point field goal percentage | Free throw percentage | ||||||||||||
| Player | School | BPG | Player | School | FG% | Player | School | 3FG% | Player | School | FT% | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bego Faz Davalos | Fresno State | 4 | Maryland | 66.5 | Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | Maryland | 54.5 | Kim Albrecht | Binghamton | 91.4 | |||||
| Jasmine Joyner | Chattanooga | 3.94 | Hallie Thome | Michigan | 63.1 | Kelsey Minato | Army | 47.8 | Cartaesha Macklin | Southern Illinois | 90.5 | ||||
| Jodie Cornelie-Sigmundova | Dayton | 3.55 | Sara Rhine | Drake | 62.9 | Stanford | 47.3 | Janelle Perez | Northwestern State | 90.2 | |||||
| Oregon State | 3.51 | Sarah Cash | Youngstown State | 60 | Jacquie Klotz | Bucknall | 47.3 | Daniele Ewert | Alabama State | 90.1 | |||||
| Josie Stockill | Colgate | 3.5 | Notre Dame | 59.3 | Madison Cable | Notre Dame | 46 | Washington | 88.96 |
See main article: 2016 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament and 2016 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship Game.
For this list, a "major upset" is defined as a win by a team seeded 7 or more spots below its defeated opponent.
| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Region | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 18 | Albany (12) | 61-59 | Florida (5) | Sioux Falls | Round of 64 | |
| March 19 | South Dakota State (12) | 74-71 | Miami (FL) (5) | Lexington | Round of 64 |
See main article: 2016 Women's National Invitation Tournament.
See main article: 2016 Women's Basketball Invitational.
The NCAA has never recognized a consensus All-America team in women's basketball. This differs from the practice in men's basketball, in which the NCAA uses a combination of selections by the Associated Press (AP), the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), the Sporting News, and the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) to determine a consensus All-America team. The selection of a consensus team is possible because all four organizations select at least a first and second team, with only the USBWA not selecting a third team.
However, of the major selectors in women's basketball, only the AP divides its selections into separate teams. The women's counterpart to the NABC, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), selects a single 10-member (plus ties) team, as does the USBWA. The NCAA does not recognize Sporting News as an All-America selector in women's basketball.
| Player | Position | Class | School | AP[42] | USBWA[43] | WBCA[44] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | Baylor | 2nd | Yes | Yes | |||
| Senior | Connecticut | 1st | Yes | Yes | |||
| Sophomore | Ohio State | 1st | Yes | Yes | |||
| Junior | Washington | 2nd | Yes | Yes | |||
| Senior | Connecticut | 1st | Yes | Yes | |||
| F | Senior | Connecticut | 2nd | No | Yes | ||
| F | Sophomore | Notre Dame | 2nd | Yes | Yes | ||
| Senior | Oregon State | 2nd | No | Yes | |||
| Sophomore | South Carolina | 1st | Yes | Yes | |||
| Senior | South Florida | No | No | Yes | |||
| Senior | Minnesota | 1st | Yes | No |
Breanna Stewart, Connecticut[45]
Breanna Stewart, Connecticut[46]
Breanna Stewart, Connecticut[47]
Breanna Stewart, Connecticut[48]
Geno Auriemma (Connecticut) (8th time)[51]
Geno Auriemma (Connecticut) (7th time)[52]
Geno Auriemma (Connecticut)
Several teams changed coaches during and after the season.
| Team | Former coach | Interim coach | New coach | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A&M | Semeka Randall | Margaret Richards | Semeka Randall decided on leaving head coaching job at Alabama A&M.<ref>Web site: Randall not returning to Lady Bulldogs . Margaret Richards will take over the reins as Alabama A&M, after spending the last 7 as assistant coach in 4 schools, before that being the head coach at St. Augustine College.[58] | ||
| Albany | Katie Abrahamson-Henderson | Joanna Bernabei-McNamee | Abrahamson-Henderson left for the UCF coaching job.[59] She was succeeded by Joanna Bernabei-McNamee, hired from NAIA school Pikeville.[60] | ||
| Arizona | Niya Butts | Adia Barnes | Butts was fired at the end of the season.[61] The Wildcats remained within the Pac-12 and the Arizona family for their new hire, tabbing former Wildcats player and current Washington assistant Barnes.[62] | ||
| Bradley | Michael Brooks | Andrea Gorski | Brooks was fired at the end of the season.[63] Gorski, a former Braves player, was hired from Southern Illinois, where she had been an assistant.[64] | ||
| Campbell | Wanda Watkins | Ronny Fisher | Watkins chose to retire from coaching after a 35-year tenure at Campbell, but remained with the Lady Camels in an administrative position.[65] Fisher was hired from Presbyterian.[66] | ||
| Colgate | Nicci Hays Fort | Bill Cleary | Hays Fort resigned at the end of the season,[67] and was replaced by Cleary, previously head coach at Division II Bloomsburg.[68] | ||
| Colorado | Linda Lappe | JR Payne | Lappe resigned under pressure at the end of the season,[69] and was replaced by Santa Clara head coach Payne.[70] | ||
| Columbia | Stephanie Glance | Sheila Roux | Megan Griffith | Glance stepped down to be the new executive director of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.[71] Roux replaced Glance for the season as interim head coach, and in turn was replaced by Princeton assistant Griffith.[72] | |
| Coppin State | Derek Brown | DeWayne Burroughs | Derek Brown has retired from the Coppin State Eagles.[73] | ||
| Eastern Michigan | Tory Verdi | Fred Castro | Verdi left for the UMass job.[74] Former Washington Huskies Assistant Coach Fred Castro is named the 8th head coach in Eastern Michigan Eagles history.[75] | ||
| Evansville | Oties Epps | Matt Ruffing | TBA | Epps left the program on Feb 29.[76] Ruffing was named interim head coach.[77] | |
| FIU | Marlin Chinn | Tiara Malcolm | Chinn was fired at the end of the season.[78] Top assistant Malcolm was first named as interim coach and then permanent head coach.[79] | ||
| George Washington | Jonathan Tsipis | Jennifer Rizzotti | Tsipis left for the Wisconsin vacancy.[80] Rizzotti was hired from Hartford.[81] | ||
| Hartford | Jennifer Rizzotti | Kim McNeill | Rizzotti left for the George Washington opening.[82] After spending last 6 years at Virginia as either assistant or associate coach, Kim McNeill will be the new head coach of Hartford.[83] | ||
| Incarnate Word | Kate Henderson | Christy Smith | Henderson was fired at the end of the season.[84] Former Arkansas assistant Smith was hired as her replacement.[85] | ||
| IPFW | Chris Paul | Niecee Nelson | Paul (not to be confused with the NBA superstar) was fired at the end of the season.[86] San Diego assistant Nelson was hired.[87] | ||
| James Madison | Kenny Brooks | Sean O’Regan | Brooks left to take over at Virginia Tech.[88] Top assistant O'Regan was promoted.[89] | ||
| Kennesaw State | Nitra Perry | Agnus Berenato | Perry was relieved of her post as HC.[90] Berenato, a former Pittsburgh head coach who had been out of head coaching for three seasons, was named as her replacement.[91] | ||
| Kent State | Danielle O'Banion | Todd Starkey | O'Banion was fired at the end of the season[92] and replaced by Indiana assistant Starkey.[93] | ||
| Louisiana Tech | Tyler Summitt | Mickie DeMoss | Brooke Stoehr | Summitt resigned after the season, admitting to being involved in an "inappropriate relationship", which multiple media reports indicated was an extramarital affair with a player.[94] Top assistant DeMoss was named as interim head coach,[95] and several days later former Lady Techsters player and assistant Brooke Stoehr was hired from Northwestern State.[96] | |
| Loyola (Chicago) | Sheryl Swoopes | Kate Achter | Swoopes was fired during the offseason after three seasons with the Ramblers, and a 31–62 overall record, following a university investigation into allegations of mistreatment of players. A total of six players transferred out after her first two seasons, and Loyola granted transfer requests from 10 of the 12 returning players from the 2015–16 team.[97] Swoopes was replaced by Xavier assistant Achter.[98] | ||
| Manhattan | John Olenowski | Sonia Burke | Heather Vulin | Olenowski was relieved of his post as the HC.[99] Burke was appointed to be the Interim HC after Olenwski was let go.[100] Heather Vulin was named the next coach of the Lady Jaspers of Manhattan.[101] | |
| Massachusetts | Sharon Dawley | Tory Verdi | Dawley was fired at the end of the season,[102] and replaced by Eastern Michigan head coach Verdi.[103] | ||
| McNeese State | Brooks Donald Williams | Kacie Cryer | Donald Williams left to take an assistant's position at Alabama,[104] and was replaced by top assistant Cryer.[105] | ||
| Mississippi Valley State | Elvis Robinson | Jessica Kern | Robinson was fired at the end of the season,[106] with Furman assistant Kern named as his replacement.[107] | ||
| Montana | Robin Selvig | Shannon Schweyen | Selvig announced his retirement during the 2016 offseason after 38 seasons and 865 wins with the Lady Griz.[108] Schweyen, who had been involved with the Montana program since 1988—first as arguably the greatest player in Lady Griz history, and then as an assistant for 24 seasons—was elevated to the top spot.[109] | ||
| Morgan State | Donald Beasley | Ed Davis | Beasley has accepted another position at Morgan State,[110] Ed Davis has succeeded Donald as the Interim Coach. | ||
| Nebraska | Connie Yori | Amy Williams | Yori resigned amid a university investigation into alleged mistreatment of players,[111] and was replaced by Nebraska alum and South Dakota head coach Williams, fresh off the Coyotes' WNIT victory.[112] | ||
| New Mexico | Yvonne Sanchez | Mike Bradbury | Sanchez was fired at the end of the season,[113] and replaced by Wright State head coach Bradbury.[114] | ||
| Norfolk State | Debra Clark | Larry Vickers | Clark was fired in midseason on January 20.[115] Vickers was named interim head coach, and the Spartans removed the Interim tag on March 9.[116] | ||
| Northern Kentucky | Dawn Plitzuweit | Camryn Whitaker | Plitzuweit left for the South Dakota opening.[117] Whitaker, a former assistant at Kentucky and Dayton, was named as her replacement.[118] | ||
| Northwestern State | Brooke & Scott Stoehr | Jordan Dupuy | The husband-and-wife coaching team left when Brooke took the Louisiana Tech opening.[119] Southern Miss assistant Dupuy was named as their replacement.[120] | ||
| Prairie View A&M | Dawn Brown | Ravon Justice | Brown was fired after the season[121] and replaced by Houston recruiting coordinator Justice.[122] | ||
| Presbyterian | Ronny Fisher | Todd Steelman | Fisher left for the Campbell job.[123] Former Associate head coach of Maine, Todd Steelman will take the reins at Presbyterian.[124] | ||
| Providence | Susan Robinson Fruchtl | Jim Crowley | Robinson Fruchtl left to become athletic director at Saint Francis of Pennsylvania.[125] Jim Crowley was hired from St. Bonaventure.[126] | ||
| Robert Morris | Sal Buscaglia | Charlie Buscaglia | Sal Buscaglia retired after 38 seasons and 712 wins.[127] His son and top assistant Charlie took over. | ||
| St. Bonaventure | Jim Crowley | Jesse Fleming | Jim Crowley left for the Providence opening.[128] Bonnies alum Jesse Fleming returned as Crowley's replacement after spending the last four seasons as an assistant at Bowling Green.[129] | ||
| San Francisco | Jennifer Azzi | Molly Goodenbour | After leading the Dons to their first NCAA tournament bid in nearly two decades, Azzi unexpectedly resigned in September after six seasons.[130] USF hired former Stanford star Goodenbour from Division II Cal State East Bay, which had hired her from fellow D-II school Cal State Dominguez Hills in June.[131] | ||
| Santa Clara | JR Payne | Bill Carr | Payne left for the Colorado job.[132] Carr, a former assistant at San Francisco, was hired from Division II Point Loma Nazarene.[133] | ||
| Seattle | Joan Bonvicini | Kristen O'Neill Phillips | Suzy Barcomb | Bonvicini decided to leave Redhawks after the season.[134] O'Neill Phillips was named interim coach. After winning her 300th game at Division II Cal State East Bay, Barcomb left to take over the Redhawks HC job.[135] | |
| South Dakota | Amy Williams | Dawn Plitzuweit | Williams left for the Nebraska job.[136] Plitzuweit was hired from Northern Kentucky.[137] | ||
| Southeastern Louisiana | Yolanda Moore | Aja Gibson | Errol Gauff | Moore was fired after the season.[138] Top assistant Gibson was named interim head coach. The school went to its men's program for Moore's permanent replacement, with Gauff moving from men's assistant to women's head coach.[139] | |
| SMU | Rhonda Rompola | Travis Mays | Rompola announced her retirement in February, effective at season's end.[140] The Mustangs hired top Texas assistant Mays.[141] | ||
| Tennessee Tech | Jim Davis | Kim Rosamond | Davis retired at the end of the season[142] and was replaced by Vanderbilt assistant Rosamond.[143] | ||
| UC Irvine | Doug Oliver | Tamara Inoue | Oliver announced in January that he would retire, effective at season's end.[144] New Mexico State assistant Inoue was named as his replacement.[145] | ||
| UCF | Joi Williams | Katie Abrahamson-Henderson | Williams was fired at the end of the season,[146] and replaced by Albany's Abrahamson-Henderson.[147] | ||
| UNC Greensboro | Wendy Palmer | Trina Patterson | Palmer was fired at the end of the season.[148] She was replaced by Old Dominion assistant Patterson, also a former head coach at Albany and Maryland–Eastern Shore.[149] | ||
| Vanderbilt | Melanie Balcomb | Stephanie White | Balcomb resigned after the season, citing family reasons, leaving as Vanderbilt's winningest women's coach with 310 wins in 14 seasons.[150] Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White was named as Balcomb's replacement, officially taking over the Commodores once the Fever's 2016 season ends.[151] | ||
| Vermont | Lori Gear McBride | Courtnay Pilypaitis | Chris Day | McBride was fired during the season.[152] Former UVM player and current assistant Pilypaitis was named interim head coach. Former Penn assistant Chris Day was later named as the permanent replacement.[153] | |
| Virginia Tech | Dennis Wolff | Britney Anderson | Kenny Brooks | Wolff was fired at the end of the season.[154] Anderson was assigned as interim head coach, but the permanent job was filled less than a week later by James Madison's Brooks.[155] | |
| Wagner | Lisa Cermignano | Heather Jacobs | Cermignano was fired after the season.[156] Wagner also went to Division II for its new hire, luring Jacobs from Adelphi.[157] | ||
| Wisconsin | Bobbie Kelsey | Jonathan Tsipis | Kelsey was fired at the end of the season[158] and replaced by George Washington head coach Tsipis.[159] | ||
| Wofford | Edgar I. Farmer, Jr. | Jimmy Garrity | Farmer, Jr. was relieved of his duties at season's end.[160] Former Anderson University (NCAA D2) HC, Jimmy Garrity moving up to take the reins of the Terriers.[161] | ||
| Wright State | Mike Bradbury | Katrina Merriweather | Bradbury left for the New Mexico opening.[162] Katrina Merriweather, former assistant WSU Raiders Coach, was hired as the head coach.[163] |