The Big Dance, the NCAA Division1 Tournament is upon us this week with ten Kiwis involved – two men and eight women.
The highlight of the opening round draw, from a New Zealand perspective, is the match up involving two former Waikato reps. Charlisse Leger-Walker and the #1 ranked UCLA will take on #16 California Baptist with Shawnessy Nordstrom in their backcourt.
With today being the eve of the First Four, Mike Lacey has the word on all the Kiwi’s taking to the hardwood floors during March.
Charlisse Leger-Walker and the back-to-back reigning Big Ten champion UCLA Bruins will face off against Cal Baptist in the First Round of the tournament
Charlisse Leger-Walker – University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate Senior – Big Ten Conference
Returning after an 18-month layoff due to injury Leger-Walker has recently displayed the type of form that made her a standout during her time at Washington State University. Making a start in all 32 of the Bruins games Leger-Walker has added a team high 5.6 assists to 8.9 points and 4.2 rebounds for the BIG Ten Conference champions.
Shawneesy Nordstrom (#3 CBU) averages 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for Cal Baptist, who take on #1 ranked UCLA in first round play.
Shawnessy Nordstrom – California Baptist University Sophomore – Western Athletic Conference
The former Waikato standout has blossomed in the second half of the season – averaging 11ppg over the closing nine games in the WAC helping Cal Baptist secure the conference championship. Finished her schooling in Utah after being named Tournament MVP at U15 Nationals in 2019.
After her transfer from SMU, Brow’s spent most of the 2025/26 College season recovering from a lower leg injury, but is recovered and ready to help the Baylor Bears in making a deep run in March.
Ella Brow – Baylor University Junior – Big 12 Conference
Brow, recovering from injury, has had limited opportunities for the Bears this season although her transfer from Southern Methodist University has afforded her a trip to the Big Dance. The 2025 Tall Fern has made 10 appearances this season. Richmond or Nebraska will meet to decide Baylor’s First Round opponents.
Anika Hyland will be one of four Kiwi freshman to feature in this year’s tournament, adding to her 30 appearances for the Ladyjacks.
Anika Hyland – Stephen F Austin University Freshman – Southland Conference
The former Tauranga Girls College standout finds herself at the NCAA Tournament in her first season of collegiate hoops. Hyland has played 30 of the 34 Ladyjacks games this season, for the Southland Conference Champions, averaging 15 minutes per outing. Hyland will be the first Kiwi in action as SFA will meet Missouri State on Wednesday in a First Four contest.
After transferring from Baylor University, Waiata Jennings will roll with the Crimson Tide this March.
Waiata Jennings – University of Alabama Senior – Southeastern Conference
Waiata Jennings missed the opening five weeks of the season due to injury although the former Rotorua guard has subsequently played 25 games for the Crimson Tide who will take on Rhode Island in Round 1.
Lilly Parke with miss the tournament this year after going down with an ACL injury during preseason.
Lilly Parke – Fairleigh Dickinson University Redshirt Senior – Northeast Conference
Special mention for Lilly Parke who was forced to sit out this season after suffering an ACL injury in pre-season. The Aucklander will be hoping FDU can make it three conference championships on the bounce so she can enjoy another trip to the Tournament. For now she will have to content herself with towel waving duties on the Knights bench as they meet Iowa in the opening round.
Lilly Taulelei’s Iowa State Cyclones will be led by Audi Crooks who was second in the nation in scoring at 25.5 PPG this season.
Lilly Taulelei – Iowa State University Junior – Big 12 Conference
The former Queen Margaret College standout, in her second season at Iowa State, has played 21 games for the Cyclones in helping them to a 22-9 record. The Cyclones will meet Syracuse in Round 1.
Lauren Whittaker’s impressive 19.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game were good enough to rank her in the Top 30 for both statistical categories across College hoops this year.
Lauren Whittaker – Gonzaga University Freshman – West Coast Conference
Having redshirted the 2024-25 campaign due to injury Lauren Whittaker has put together an astonishing season to open her collegiate campaign as Gonzaga claimed the WCC title. The Cantabrian forward recently became just the second player to have been named West Coast Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season. Whittaker has averaged an astonishing 19.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Already with 641 points the figure represents the most points ever scored by a Kiwi in Women’s NCAA Division I basketball. University of Mississippi await Gonzaga in the opening round of the tournament.
Both Oscar Goodman (#5 Michigan) and Hayden Jones (#13 Wisconsin) were members of the 2025 Junior Tall Blacks team that placed fourth at the U19 World Cup.
Hayden Jones – University of Wisconsin, Freshman – Big Ten Conference
Oscar Goodman – Michigan University, Freshman – Big Ten Conference
Freshmen Jones and Goodman will be the only Kiwi’s lads suiting up in the dance this season.
Jones has played 27 games for the Wisconsin University Badgers while Goodman has featured on 12 occasions for Michigan University. The 2025 Junior Tall Blacks teammates met twice in the Big Ten Conference this season with both teams recording a win.
In the Tournament First Round on March 19 Wisconsin will take on High Point with Michigan facing the winner of the First Four clash between UMBC and Howard University.
