1996 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament

The 1996 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament was the tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of women's college basketball among its Division I members in the United States and Canada for the 1995–96 basketball season.

1996 (1996) NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament

Teams	32
Finals site	Oman Arena Jackson, Tennessee
Champions	Southern Nazarene Redskins (4th title, 4th title game, 5th Fab Four)
Runner-up	SE Oklahoma State Savages (2nd title game, 2nd Fab Four)
Semifinalists	Lipscomb Bisons (3rd Fab Four) Union (TN) Bulldogs (2nd Fab Four)
Coach of the year	Jerry Finkbeiner (Southern Nazarene)
Charles Stevenson Hustle Award	Becky Cole (Southern Nazarene)
Chuck Taylor MVP	Crystal Robinson (SE Oklahoma State)
Top scorer	Joanna Cuprys (Auburn Montgomery) (90 points)
NAIA Division I women's tournaments «1995 1997»

In a rematch of the 1995 final, second-seeded, two-time defending champions Southern Nazarene defeated top-seeded Southeastern Oklahoma State in the championship game, 80–79, to claim the Redskins' fourth NAIA national title. This would ultimately go on to be the third of four consecutive championships for Southern Nazarene.

The tournament was played at the Oman Arena in Jackson, Tennessee.

Qualification

See also: 1995–96 NAIA Division I women's basketball season

The tournament field remained fixed at thirty-two teams, with the top sixteen teams receiving seeds.

The tournament continued to utilize a simple single-elimination format.

Bracket

	First round					Second round					Elite Eight					Final Four					National championship
	1	SE Oklahoma State	86
		LeTourneau	51
						1	SE Oklahoma State	100
						16	Arkansas Tech	58
		Lewis–Clark State	55
	16	Arkansas Tech	72
											1	SE Oklahoma State	91
											8	Central State (OH)	67
	9	Xavier Louisiana	84
		Claflin	50
						9	Xavier Louisiana	60
						8	Central State (OH)	75
		Daemen	63
	8	Central State (OH)	82
																1	SE Oklahoma State	84
																5	Lipscomb	75
	5	Lipscomb	86
		Lindenwood	60
						5	Lipscomb	87
						12	Montana State Northern	67
		Oklahoma Baptist	62
	12	Montana State Northern	65
											5	Lipscomb	75
											4	Auburn Montgomery	66
	13	Western New Mexico	69*
		SW Oklahoma State	68
						13	Western New Mexico	75
						4	Auburn Montgomery	91
		St. Mary's (TX)	60
	4	Auburn Montgomery	61*
																					1	SE Oklahoma State	79
																					2	Southern Nazarene	80
	3	Union (TN)	76
		Georgia Southwestern	48
						3	Union (TN)	80
							Campbellsville	58
		Campbellsville	81
	14	Wayland Baptist	80
											3	Union (TN)	92
											6	Western Washington	76
	11	Montevallo	88
		Harding	71
						11	Montevallo	67
						6	Western Washington	71
		NW Oklahoma State	67
	6	Western Washington	70*
																3	Union (TN)	69
																2	Southern Nazarene	70
	7	East Central (OK)	74
		Purdue Calumet	61
						7	East Central (OK)	57
						10	Simon Fraser	60
		Rockhurst	54
	10	Simon Fraser	61
											10	Simon Fraser	55
											2	Southern Nazarene	69*
	15	Belmont	90
		Mary Hardin-Baylor	94***
							Mary Hardin-Baylor	55
						2	Southern Nazarene	70
		Biola	51
	2	Southern Nazarene	81

See also

• 1996 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 1996 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
• 1996 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament
• 1996 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament
• 1996 NAIA Division II women's basketball tournament