TAMPA (March 13, 2022) – The University of South Florida women’s basketball team learned its postseason fate for the upcoming 2022 NCAA Tournament during Sunday night’s selection show, earning one of the American Athletic Conference’s two bids to the “Big Dance.”

USF is advancing to its eighth NCAA Tournament in program history, earning the No. 9-Seed in the Greensboro Region, and will face eighth-seeded Miami (Fla.) in the first round at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C. on Friday, March 18 at a time to be announced.

The USF/Miami winner will advance to the second round on Sunday, March 20, to face the first-round winner between No. 1-seed South Carolina and the winner of the play-in game between 16-seeds Howard and Incarnate Word.

This marks the 39th meeting between the Bulls and the Hurricanes, with Miami holding a 27-11 series lead. The Hurricanes lost to NC State, 60-47, on March 6, in Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

USF Notables: USF is currently 24-8 on the year and went 12-3 in American Athletic Conference play this season.

-- South Florida’s 24 wins mark the 10th time in program history – all under head coach Jose Fernandez – that the Bulls have won 20 games or more, and the seventh time in the last 10 years … In addition, their 24 wins are tied for the fourth most in program history.

-- During the 2021-22 campaign, South Florida achieved the highest ranking of the season when it checked in at No. 13 in the nation in the Nov. 30 Associated Press Top 25 Poll.

-- USF has faced a Who’s Who of the women’s college basketball world during its nonconference schedule this season ... The Bulls have faced No. 16/12 Tennessee, No. 2/2, No. 9/9 Oregon and No. 2/2 Stanford ... South Florida went 2-2 against the four programs with wins over Oregon (71-62) and Stanford (57-54) … The Bulls fell to Tennessee (52-49) and UConn (60-53) by a combined total of just 10 points.

-- Three Bulls earned AAC postseason recognition, following a vote by the league’s head coaches. Elena Tsineke was named to the league’s first team while Bethy Mununga and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu were tabbed second team all-conference selections.

-- In addition, Tsineke and Mununga were selected to the American Athletic Conference all-tournament team.

-- Elisa Pinzan continues to rank as one of the assist leaders in all three categories; total assists (20th, 168) assists per game (4th, 6.7), assists per game (23rd, 5.4) and assist/turnover ratio (26th, 2.27) … She is also first in The American in assist/turnover ratio and total assists, and second in assists per game.

-- Mununga has been a dominating force on the boards for the Bulls this season. She is currently sixth in the nation in total rebounds (370), ninth in rebounds per game (11.6) and 10th in defensive rebounds per contest (8.1).

Joining the Bulls are Central Florida, who earned a seven-seed and will play Florida, seeded 10th on March 19. The winner will face the winner of No. 2-seeded UConn and 15th-seeded Mercer.