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Your Complete List of NAIA Women’s Basketball Schools

Women’s basketball recruits often set their sights at playing at the NCAA D1, D2 or D3 levels. However, many potential recruits overlook—or haven’t even heard of—playing sports at a different regulatory organization, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. In recent years, NAIA women’s basketball schools have grown in size, and like the NCAA, NAIA women’s basketball colleges are highly competitive. NAIA women’s basketball schools are similar athletically and academically to those at the NCAA Division 3 level. Like the NCAA D3, NAIA women’s basketball colleges also don’t have to follow strict recruiting rules, allowing college coaches to reach out to student-athletes—and vice versa—at any point in their high-school basketball careers.

Despite the similar sports-life balance and well-rounded, traditional college experience as programs at the NCAA D3 level, there is one major component that set NAIA women’s basketball schools apart: they offer athletic scholarships. This makes NAIA a top choice for student-athletes looking to drive down their college costs by combining need-based grants and financial aid with both academic and athletic based scholarships.

We included more information below about NAIA women’s basketball schools, including a step-by-step breakdown of how many scholarships can NAIA schools give for women’s basketball programs at each level. Learn more about the process of college basketball recruiting rankings.

How many NAIA women’s basketball schools are there?

Women’s basketball recruits who want to pursue their sport at the collegiate level while having a more traditional college experience—with an emphasis on excelling in academics and pursuing other extracurricular interests—should consider going to one of the 235 NAIA women’s basketball colleges located across the U.S. Despite being smaller in size than each of the NCAA division levels, at nearly 250 active programs, NAIA women’s basketball schools are still a great option for athletes who want to take their game to the next level. Learn more about the competitiveness in AAU girls basketball.

Potential NAIA student-athletes should start narrowing down their options after exploring a full list of NAIA women’s basketball colleges. While recruits should also check out which schools top the NAIA women’s basketball rankings, remember to base decisions on other factors, like which NAIA programs offer your intended major and whether you’d feel more comfortable at a school closer to home or want to explore a different part of the U.S.

How many scholarships can NAIA schools give for women’s basketball?

While NAIA women’s basketball colleges share many similarities with NCAA Division 3 colleges, there’s one major difference. Unlike programs at the NCAA D3 level, NAIA women’s basketball schools offer both academic and athletic scholarships, making them a slightly more cost-effective option for recruits who are interested in combining athletic, academic and need-based aid to create a robust financial aid package. NAIA women’s basketball colleges—along with NAIA women’s basketball rankings—are split into two division levels, NAIA Division 1 and NAIA Division 2.

Both NAIA D1 and D2 programs offer equivalency scholarships, meaning that there are a set number of scholarships per team which can be split among as many or few athletes as the coach chooses. A maximum of 11 scholarships are offered to NAIA women’s basketball colleges who compete at the D1 level, while D2 programs receive a maximum of 6 scholarships per team.

What does this mean for a recruit’s athletic scholarship opportunities at the NAIA level? With an average roster size of about 16 athletes per team, if a college coach decided to give out full rides, not everyone would make the cut. Most coaches typically split up these scholarships, providing each team member with at least a partial athletic scholarship. However, not all coaches split up scholarships equally—for instance, it’s possible for certain recruits to receive different, higher or lower scholarship amounts based on their overall and position-specific athletic skills. 

NAIA women’s basketball rankings and best NAIA women’s basketball colleges

Several organizations offer NAIA women’s basketball rankings, including the NAIA and DakStats. Here are the best NAIA women’s basketball colleges, according to the NCSA Power Rankings:

  1. Dordt University
  2. University of California – Merced
  3. Indiana Wesleyan University
  4. Oklahoma City University
  5. University of Michigan – Dearborn
  6. Marian University – Indiana
  7. Northwestern College – Iowa
  8. Madonna University
  9. Taylor University
  10. St. Ambrose University

The NCSA Power Rankings are a great resource both for basketball recruits who are just starting their search, as well as for those who are narrowing down their target lists. Regardless of where you are at in your college search process, explore a full list of NAIA women’s basketball colleges and see if your favorites appear on the NAIA women’s basketball rankings below.

Full list of NAIA schools with women’s basketball

School
City and State
Type
Conference
Division
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Glendale, Arizona
Private
Great Southwest Athletic Conference
NAIA
Little Rock, Arkansas
Private
Continental Athletic Conference
NAIA
Ave Maria, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Kansas City, Missouri
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Private
Central States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Baldwin City, Kansas
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bellevue, Nebraska
Private
North Star Athletic Association
NAIA
Atchison, Kansas
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Mesa, Arizona
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Lindsborg, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
North Newton, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Mishawaka, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Mckenzie, Tennessee
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Blue Mountain, Mississippi
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bluefield, Virginia
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Gainesville, Georgia
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Owensboro, Kentucky
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Mount Vernon, Georgia
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sioux City, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dayton, Tennessee
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Eugene, Oregon
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Vallejo, California
Public
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Whiting, Indiana
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Campbellsville, Kentucky
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Helena, Montana
Private
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Conway, Arkansas
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Mcpherson, Kansas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fayette, Missouri
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dubuque, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Howell, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Brunswick, Georgia
Public
Sun Conference
NAIA
Omaha, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Columbia, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Columbia, South Carolina
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Seward, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Salem, Oregon
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Nevada, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Paragould, Arkansas
Private
Continental Athletic Conference
NAIA
Canton, Missouri
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Lebanon, Tennessee
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Madison, South Dakota
Public
North Star Athletic Association
NAIA
Mitchell, South Dakota
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Defiance, Ohio
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dickinson, North Dakota
Public
Frontier Conference
NAIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Crete, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sioux Center, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
La Grande, Oregon
Public
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Prescott, Arizona
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Springfield, Missouri
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Olympia, Washington
Public
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Montgomery, Alabama
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Boston, Massachusetts
Private
Continental Athletic Conference
NAIA
Nashville, Tennessee
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Miami Gardens, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Hialeah, Florida
Private
Continental Athletic Conference
NAIA
Henderson, Tennessee
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Wichita, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Georgetown, Kentucky
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Goshen, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
University Park, Illinois
Public
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Lamoni, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Des Moines, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Hannibal, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Saint Louis, Missouri
Public
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Lawrence, Kansas
Public
Continental Athletic Conference
NAIA
Hastings, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Notre Dame, Indiana
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fullerton, California
Private
Great Southwest Athletic Conference
NAIA
Huntington, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Austin, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Columbus, Indiana
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Richmond, Indiana
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Kokomo, Indiana
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Gary, Indiana
Public
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
South Bend, Indiana
Public
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
New Albany, Indiana
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Marion, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Hawkins, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Knoxville, Tennessee
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC)
NAIA
Elgin, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Salina, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
West Palm Beach, Florida
Public
The Sun Conference
NAIA
Grayson, Kentucky
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Riverside, California
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Langston, Oklahoma
Public
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Southfield, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Lewiston, Idaho
Public
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Marietta, Georgia
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Columbia, Kentucky
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Pineville, Louisiana
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Alexandria, Louisiana
Public
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Shreveport, Louisiana
Public
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sylvania, Ohio
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Livonia, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Indianapolis, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Mayville, North Dakota
Public
North Star Athletic Association
NAIA
Mcpherson, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Olathe, Kansas
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Macon, Georgia
Public
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fremont, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Midway, Kentucky
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Milligan University, Tennessee
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Saint Louis, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Marshall, Missouri
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Havre, Montana
Public
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Butte, Montana
Public
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Montreat, North Carolina
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sioux City, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sumter, South Carolina
Private
Continental Athletic Conference
NAIA
Yankton, South Dakota
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Mount Vernon, Ohio
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Portland, Oregon
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Waxahachie, Texas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sarasota, Florida
Public
Sun Conference
NAIA
Stafford, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Espanola, New Mexico
Public
Continental Athletic Conference
NAIA
Kirkland, Washington
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Orange City, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Oakland City, Indiana
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Circleville, Ohio
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Goodwell, Oklahoma
Public
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bourbonnais, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Public
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Ottawa, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Phoenix, Arizona
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
San Antonio, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Angwin, California
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Parkville, Missouri
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Gilbert, Arizona
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dallas, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania
Public
Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC)
NAIA
Peru, Nebraska
Public
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Little Rock, Arkansas
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Waleska, Georgia
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Billings, Montana
Private
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Holly Springs, Mississippi
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Chicago, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Santee, California
Private
Great Southwest Athletic Conference
NAIA
Portsmouth, Ohio
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Adrian, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Redding, California
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Lakeland, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Ashland, Oregon
Public
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Public
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bethany, Oklahoma
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Winfield, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Private
Continental Athletic Conference
NAIA
Spring Arbor, Michigan
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Davenport, Iowa
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Laurinburg, North Carolina
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Miami Gardens, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Columbia, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Sterling, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Hillsboro, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Talladega, Alabama
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Upland, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Athens, Tennessee
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Texarkana, Texas
Public
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Tyler, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fort Worth, Texas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Caldwell, Idaho
Private
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Santa Clarita, California
Private
Great Southwest Athletic Conference
NAIA
Thomasville, Georgia
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Tougaloo, Mississippi
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Palos Heights, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Cleveland, Georgia
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Barbourville, Kentucky
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Merced, California
Public
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Saint Louis, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Dearborn, Michigan
Public
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Mobile, Alabama
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dillon, Montana
Public
Frontier Conference
NAIA
University of North Texas at Dallas
Texas, Public
https://www.ncsasports.org/athletic-scholarships/womens-basketball/texas/university-of-north-texas-at-dallas
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Lima, Ohio
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Pikeville, Kentucky
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Great Falls, Montana
Private
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Rio Grande, Ohio
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Leavenworth, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Chickasha, Oklahoma
Public
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Joliet, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Pulaski, Tennessee
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Williamsburg, Kentucky
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Hobbs, New Mexico
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Valley City, North Dakota
Public
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Costa Mesa, California
Private
Great Southwest Athletic Conference
NAIA
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Denmark, South Carolina
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Forest City, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
College Place, Washington
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Portland, Oregon
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Lake Wales, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Takoma Park, Maryland
Private
Continental Athletic Conference
NAIA
Plainview, Texas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Babson Park, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Beckley, West Virginia
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Irvine, California
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Wilberforce, Ohio
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Marshall, Texas
Private
HBCU Athletic Conference
NAIA
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fulton, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
York, Nebraska
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA