Are you ready for March Madness? The brackets for the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments were released Sunday night, with multiple teams from the D.C. region set to compete for national championships.

Here’s what you need to know.

Howard, UMBC prepare for First 4 encounter

Back in the big dance are the Howard Bison. For the third time in four years, Howard is in the NCAA men’s tournament and will play University of Maryland Baltimore County Tuesday night as part of the First 4 from Dayton, Ohio. The winner will face No. 1 Michigan in the Midwest bracket.

Howard won the MEAC Tournament, hold a 23-10 record and have won eight straight games. UMBC (24-8) won the America East conference and have won 12 straight games.

“We have earned it,” Howard coach Kenny Blakeney told WTOP.

“I am so psyched and happy for our university,” Blakeney said. “This brand Howard means so much to so many people and I hope we make each and every person that loves this university as much as we do proud.”

The Bison will take on the Retrievers, who finished the season 24-8 and won the America East Championship game 74-59 over Vermont. UMBC is on a 10-game winning streak, averaging 79.8 points per game.

Joining Howard and UMBC in the Midwest bracket is Virginia, who landed a No. 3 seed after finishing the season 29-5. The Cavaliers, who finished second in ACC play, will take on No. 14 seed Wright State Friday in Philadelphia.

Another local team set to return to the NCAAs is VCU. The Rams (27-7) will make their 21st March Madness appearance after winning a second straight Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. VCU will take on North Carolina Thursday night in South bracket.

You can find (and fill out) your men’s tournament brackets online.

Maryland, Howard headline locals in women’s bracket

The Maryland women’s basketball team is back in a familiar spot. For the 16th straight season, the Terps are headed to the NCAA Tournament.

Maryland received a No. 5 seed and will play 12th seeded Murray State Friday in the first round at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

This is the Terrapins’ 22nd NCAA Tournament bid under head coach Brenda Frese in her 24 seasons in College Park.

Howard returns to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2022. The MEAC champions earned a No. 14 seed and will face 3 seed Ohio State in Columbus on March 21.

Virginia Tech (23-9) landed as the No. 9 seed in the Fort Worth bracket and will take on No. 8 Oregon on Friday. If the Hokies advance, they will face off against No. Texas on March 22.

West Virginia received the No. 4 seed in the Fort Worth region after finishing the season with a 27-6 record. The Mountaineers will take on No. 13 seeded Miami (Ohio) on March 21. The winner will take on either Virginia-based James Madison or Kentucky on March 23.

Meanwhile, two Virginia teams will start tournament play early in the First Four.

Virginia (19-11) sneaks into the tournament and will faceoff against Arizona State Thursday. The winner will take on No. 7 seeded Georgia in the Sacramento 4 bracket.

Richmond (26-7) will make its third straight tournament appearance, earning an at-large berth and will face Nebraska in the First Four on Wednesday at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The winner will face No. 6 Baylor in the Sacramento 2 bracket.

See the women’s bracket online on the NCAA’s website. 

The Associated Press contributed to this story. 

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