GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida women’s basketball is officially heading to the NCAA Tournament after being selected as a No. 10 seed on Sunday evening.
 
The Gators will be headed to Storrs, Conn. to matchup with No. 7-seeded Central Florida on Saturday, Mar. 19. Connecticut will serve as the host during the first and second rounds, holding a No. 2 seed and matching up with No. 15 seed, Mercer.
 
Central Florida and Florida have never met in the postseason, but the Gators hold a 25-0 series advantage over their in-state rival, last meeting in 2015 for a 93-79 Florida victory.
 
Saturday will mark the Orange & Blue’s 16th NCAA Tournament appearance, with their last coming in 2016 when the Gators earned a five-seed with an at-large bid. Overall, Florida holds a 12-15 record in the tournament, including a 9-6 clip in the first round and 2-7 record in the second round.
 
This season, the Gators defied expectations after winning 20 games for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign, finishing the year 21-10. During the season, Florida downed five top-25 squads, including a top-10 victory over No. 7 Tennessee, en route to securing the fifth-seed at the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
 
Multiple Gators also earned postseason honors, as veteran point guard Kiara Smith was named First Team All-SEC and Alberte Rimdal was placed on the SEC All-Freshman Team. Kelly Rae Finley, now officially the head coach of the Gators, has been named a semifinalist for the Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year.