Women’s NCAA Tournament Quad System Brackets 2025: Understanding the New Format and Its Impact

As the 2024-25 women’s college basketball season approaches, a significant change is set to reshape the way teams are evaluated. The NCAA has introduced the quad system as part of the selection process for March Madness, aligning the women’s tournament more closely with the men’s.

In previous years, the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) has been central to team rankings, replacing the older RPI system.

Now, the introduction of the quad system promises to add a new layer to team evaluations.

This system categorizes games into four groups, based on a sliding scale that considers the location of each matchup.

By focusing on Quadrants 1 through 4, the aim is to better assess the quality of wins and losses.

While the NET remains a critical factor for rankings, the quad system offers an additional perspective to the selection committee as they choose the 68 teams for the tournament.

This shift in process brings fresh considerations for intercollegiate athletics, potentially influencing team strategies and expectations as everyone looks forward to the tournament’s excitement.

What is a Quad?

In the landscape of NCAA tournament selection, the concept of a “quad” is pivotal for evaluating teams. It involves categorizing games based on the opponent’s rating and the location of the match. This system plays a crucial role in determining which teams make it to the 68-team field.

The quad system divides game outcomes into four distinct categories called quadrants. These are classified using the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rating:

• Quad 1: This includes games against top teams, crucial for tournament seeding. A home win over a team ranked 1-25, a win on a neutral site against a team ranked 1-35, and an away win versus a team ranked 1-40 all count as Quad 1 victories. The better a team’s record in this quadrant, the higher the likelihood of a favorable seed.

• Quad 2: Encompasses home games against teams ranked 26-55, neutral wins over teams ranked 36-65, and away victories versus teams ranked 46-80.

• Quad 3: Covers matches won at home against teams ranked 56-90, neutral games with teams ranked 66-105, and road wins against teams ranked 81-130.

• Quad 4: The broadest category, including home wins over teams ranked 91 and above, neutral site victories over teams 106 and up, and away wins against teams with rankings of 131 or more.

For women’s basketball, these ranges are unique and distinct from those in the men’s game. The aim is to assist the selection committee in deciding which teams earn automatic bids or face early elimination in the first four matchups, setting the stage for the intense competition that characterizes March Madness.

What Makes the Quad System Unique?

The introduction of the quad system in NCAA March Madness brings distinct changes to how teams are evaluated.

Previously, records against the top 25, 50, or 100 teams were the standards. Now, the focus shifts to Quadrant 1, 2, 3, and 4 records, making it clear that achievements on the road, which require more effort, are rewarded more.

This shift underscores the difficulty of road victories and positions them as greater achievements relative to other games.

Under this new system, analysts and commentators will change their approach.

Statements like “Team X is undefeated against Quad 1 opponents” will now replace older metrics. This refined evaluation aims to enhance viewership during the 2024-25 season by offering a clearer picture of team achievements.

How to Implement These Strategies

Incorporating these strategies in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament entails evaluating teams using specific criteria.

Victory quality is assessed through a quad system, which acts as a primary measure of a team’s performance.

Nevertheless, achieving the most wins in Quad 1 does not automatically guarantee the highest seed.

Key Factors Include:

• Strength of Schedule: Teams face varying levels of difficulty throughout their season.
• NET Ranking: This helps to measure a team’s overall success.
• Head-to-Head Results: Outcomes against specific opponents matter.
• Overall Record and Competitiveness in Losses: Teams must maintain strong overall performance.
• Observations: The committee evaluates the games, using personal insights to complement the data.

These factors help ensure a comprehensive evaluation of each team’s tournament readiness.

What Does Success Look Like?

In the world of women’s college basketball, defining success involves a blend of consistency, strategic wins, and impressive overall statistics.

Teams looking to make waves know that reaching the Elite Eight, the Final Four, and ultimately the National Championship requires a strong season performance.

For instance, achieving double-digit Quad 1 victories puts teams in a favorable position for a No. 1 seed consideration, much like last year’s outstanding South Carolina Gamecocks.

While not every team can match this level, consistent excellence can be a game changer.

The Quad system has increasingly become a key factor in assessing a team’s standing, highlighting quality wins. Yet, high Quad 1 victories are not the sole criteria; a team’s overall record also holds significant weight.

Consider the men’s NCAA from last year: Houston, despite not reaching ten Quad 1 wins, secured a top seed with a 31-3 record due to being the top NET-rated team.

In the 2024 women’s tournament, maintaining a streak of Quad 1 wins helped secure top seeding for the No. 1 and No. 2 teams, displaying the importance of strategic victories. The process involves unique factors each year, impacting selection and outcomes significantly.

The road to the Women’s Final Four and the Championship Game remains demanding, where historical performance, strategic wins, and adaptability play crucial roles in achieving success.

Teams Poised for Success with the New Quad System

South Carolina, LSU, Texas, USC, UCLA, and Ohio State are well-positioned in the wake of the quad system’s influence.

By playing several Quad 1 games, these teams can enhance their tournament prospects.

Strong conferences like the SEC and Big Ten offer numerous chances to secure high-ranking victories, which is key under the new system.

UConn stands out with a nonconference schedule packed with challenging matchups against top teams like Notre Dame, Iowa State, USC, and South Carolina.

This lineup provides a golden opportunity to build an impressive Quad 1 record.

Juju Watkins, Kiki Iriafen, and Lauren Betts from USC, along with stars like Caitlin Clark from Iowa, are pivotal players likely to impact their teams’ success.