BALTIMORE, MD –- The Johns Hopkins women's basketball team will play Skidmore in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament it was announced today as the full tournament bracket was released by the NCAA.  The Johns Hopkins-Skidmore game is scheduled for 4 pm on Friday, March 3 at Tufts University (MA); host Tufts will play Merchant Marine in the second game on Friday (6:30 pm) with the winners slotted to play in the second round on Saturday, March 4 at 6:30 pm.

Johns Hopkins is making its second consecutive and 13^th oveall appearance in the NCAA Tournament.  This is also the third time the Blue Jays have earned an invitation under sixth-year coach Katherine Bixby.
 
How They Got Here/Tournament History
Johns Hopkins (21-6) earned an at-large bid to the tournament after falling to Gettysburg in the Centennial Conference Championship game.  Nine of Johns Hopkins' 13 all-time appearances in the tournament have come via an at-large selection.  The Blue Jays are 14-12 all-time in the NCAAs with runs to the Elite Eight in 1997 and 1998.
 
Skidmore (22-5) won the Liberty League title to grab an automatic bid into the tournament after topping Ithaca, 54-52, in the league title game.  The Thoroughbreds are making their third appearance in the NCAAs and seeking their first tournament win.
 
Tufts (21-6) grabbed an automatic bid to the tournament after claiming the NESCAC Championship with a 57-38 win over Trinity (CT).  This is 14^th appearance in the tournament for the Jumbos, who are 37-14 all-time in the tournament.
 
Merchant Marine (24-2) punched its third all-time ticket to the NCAA Tournament by knocking off Manhattanville, 56-47, in the Skyline Conference title game.  The Mariners also qualified in 2019 and 2020 and are looking for their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory.
 
Series History
Johns Hopkins and Skimore will be meeting for the first time.  The Blue Jays have also never played Merchant Marine and have played Tufts just once.  The only other Johns Hopkins-Tufts meeting came in the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament with the Jumbos taking a 55-46 decision.