INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team has received an at-large bid to play for the 2012 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Atlantic Regional Championship. The tournament will be hosted by Edinboro University on March 9-10, and 12 inside McComb Field House in Edinboro, PA. JCSU enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed and will face No. 6 Gannon University.

The Golden Bulls advanced to the 2012 CIAA Tournament Championship Game with victories over Winston-Salem State (75-70) and Chowan (68-55). However, JCSU came up short to Shaw (72-66) in the title game.

Johnson C. Smith will begin their quest for a national championship against Gannon out of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). The Golden Knights enter the tournament as the No. 6 seed with an overall record of 21-6. Gannon has suffered back to back losses to Indiana University of PA (IUP); once in the regular season finale and then in the PSAC Tournament.

Shaw, the CIAA champion, takes the No. 2 seed in the bracket and enters as the defending regional winners. The Lady Bears will play another conference champion in the first round, seventh-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan, making its first trip to the tournament.

JCSU advances to the regional tournament for the fourth time in five seasons. The Golden Bulls earned the first regional tournament victory in the history of the women's basketball program last season against Glenville State. Johnson C. Smith also topped West Liberty in order to play for the regional title against Shaw.

The Golden Bulls (22-6) have accomplished their second consecutive season with 20-plus wins.

Game Schedule:
 
                Friday, March 9
                Game No. 1     TBA                           No. 3 seed Johnson C. Smith vs. No. 6 seed Gannon
                Game No. 2     TBA                           No. 2 seed Shaw vs. No. 7 seed West Virginia Wesleyan
                Game No. 3     TBA                           No. 1 seed Edinboro vs. No. 8 seed West Chester
                Game No. 4     TBA                           No. 4 seed Bloomsburg vs. No. 5 seed IUP
 
                Saturday, March 10               
                Match No. 1     TBA                         Winner of Game No. 1 vs. Winner of Game No. 2
                Match No. 2     TBA                         Winner of Game No. 3 vs. Winner of Game No. 4
 
                Monday, March 12
                Regional Championship Game