DAVIDSON, N.C. - The Davidson College women's basketball team is set to spend the weekend of Thanksgiving in Southwest Florida as a competitor in the Elevance Health Fort Myers Tipoff. The Wildcats will open the tournament versus Virginia Tech on Friday, Nov. 29 in the tournament's Shell Division inside Suncoast Credit Union Arena at Florida Southwestern College.
The tournament is split into two divisions the Island Division including South Carolina, Iowa State, Purdue and MTSU as well as the Shell Division including Davidson, Virginia Tech, Belmont and Michigan.
The Wildcats and Hokies will square off in the first round of the two-day competition while Michigan and Belmont will also play on the opening day within the Shell Division. The game two matchups will be decided based on the results of the first day of competition. Game times and television designation will be announced at a later date.
The collective power of the programs will make the Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip-Off one of the strongest early seasoneventsthis year. Theteams have combined for 122 NCAA Tournament appearances. The four teams of theIslandDivisioncombine for90NCAA berthsand four national titlesbetween them– South Carolina owning three and Purdue having claimed one.In addition to the Gameco*cks,Iowa State, Middle Tennessee, Michigan and Virginia Tech were selected to the NCAA Tournament last year.
Travel packages for fans looking to join their favorite team at the Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip-Offwill be availableon July 16atwww.womensfortmyerstipoff.com/travel.The Westin Cape Coral and Marina Village and the Marriott SanibelHarbourare the event's host hotels and fans will have the opportunity to stay where the teams stay and experience resort life to the fullest.
About the Shell Division Teams
Davidson
•Gayle Fulks enters her eighth season as the head coach of the Wildcats, coming on the heels of one of the most successful years in program history.
• Davidson posted an 18-8 record in games played and a .692 winning percentage that ranks as third best in school history and best since 2007.
•Its 18 wins last season are tied for the most in a season since 2013 (also 2021-22).
•Davidson began the year 12-1 overall, highlighted by a win over in-state rival Duke that kicked off a 10-game early-season win streak which matched a program best in 29 years.
The Wildcats picked up the program's first ever victory over a ranked opponent with their road victory against the Blue Devils inside Cameron Indoor as Duke was receiving votes in the AP Poll and was ranked No. 22 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Poll.
Belmont
•Belmont's eighth-year head coach Bart Brooks has led the program seamlessly in its transition to the Missouri Valley Conference, going a combined 34-6 in conference play the last two seasons.
•Brooks has led the Bruins to 172 victories in his first seven seasons, an average of 24.5 victories per year over that stretch.
•The team has claimed five regular season conference championships and four conference tournament titles since 2018.
•The Bruins have made four NCAA Tournaments since Brooks' arrival in 2017, including back-to-back Round of 32 appearances in 2021 and 2022.
Michigan
•The longest tenuredand winning-estcoach in Michigan history, Kim Barnes Arico is entering her 13th season with the Wolverines, boasting 261 wins with the program.
•In her 12 years, Barnes Arico has led Michigan to 11 20-win seasons with the lone exception coming in the COVID-adjusted season in 2020-21 when the Wolverines finished 16-6.
•Prior to Barnes Arico's arrival, Michigan had just four 20-win seasons in its history.
•Michigan has earned a berth in each of the last six NCAA Tournaments, having made 12 overall, having advanced to a pair of regional semifinals and one regional final.
Virginia Tech
•A new era begins at Virginia Tech as Megan Duffy takes over as head coach in Blacksburg, having most recently served as the head coach at Marquette for the last five seasons.
•Duffy guided the Golden Eagles to three NCAA Tournaments in the last four seasons, having also won the Fort Myers Tip-Off Shell Division title in 2023.
•The Hokies have appeared in the last four NCAA Tournaments, including a trip to the 2023 Final Four, after having not earned an NCAA bid since 2006.
•All time, the program boasts 13 NCAA Tournament berths, three conference regular season championships and two conference tournament crowns.
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