History tips off in Louisiana’s Playground this spring. The 2026 Credit Union 1 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, presented by Zurich, will make its debut appearance in Lake Charles on March 24–31.
Townsley Law Arena, the 145,000-square-foot complex that seats more than 4,000 fans and serves as the home of McNeese State University men’s and women’s basketball, will host the national championship. This event will mark the first time an NJCAA basketball championship has been held in Louisiana.
The national championship comes to the Bayou State after spending the last two years in Casper, Wyo., and will call Southwest Louisiana home for the next three years.
Tickets are on sale online. Single-game tickets are $15; a full week session pass is $75. Students presenting a valid student ID may purchase single-game tickets for $10 and an all-session pass for $50.
“We’re proud to bring the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship to Lake Charles and showcase Louisiana’s Playground on a national stage,” said Eric Zartler, the executive director of the Lake Charles Regional Sports Authority & senior vice president of sports at Visit Lake Charles. “This championship is the result of years of building relationships with the NJCAA and its partners. Those efforts paid off, and we’re ready to deliver a first-class experience for the athletes, fans and coaches while looking forward to having the NJCAA make Southwest Louisiana its home for the next three years.”
The NJCAA Championship will welcome 24 women’s basketball teams into the field, with 16 coming from district champions and eight at-large selections. The top eight seeds in the single-elimination bracket will receive a first-round bye.
Last year’s championship featured Northwest Florida State winning its third national title in program history. They defeated Shelton State (Ala.), which had upset two top four-seeded teams in the tournament field to reach the national championship game.
“We are very excited about the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship heading to Lake Charles. Eric Zartler and the entire Visit Lake Charles team have been incredibly engaged since being awarded the bid, which has created even more excitement around growing the championship over the next few years in Louisiana,” said Dr. Brett Monaghan, the NJCAA Vice President for Championships, Membership, and Sports Governance. “Townsley Law Arena on the campus of McNeese State University will provide a national championship-level venue for our NJCAA student-athletes, fans, and coaches, and we look forward to kicking things off with our partners in Louisiana in March of 2026.”
All games will air live on ESPN+, and the national championship game will air on ESPNU on Sunday, March 31.
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About Visit Lake Charles
Visit Lake Charles, the official destination marketing organization for Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana, is the only organization in Southwest Louisiana providing advocacy, promotion, and education for the tourism industry. For more information on Visit Lake Charles and things to see and do in Louisiana’s Playground, log on to www.visitlakecharles.org.
About NJCAA
The NJCAA’s mission is to promote, govern and foster a competitive environment for two-year college athletics. The NJCAA recognizes the diverse nature of its membership, providing at all times a consistent and inclusive governance structure that provides opportunities for all stakeholders and emphasizes the academic, athletic, and community involvement goals of all student-athletes.
