The TCU women’s basketball 2024-25 season officially accomplished a first in program history.
Led by a 26-point performance from Hailey Van Lith, the No. 2 seed Horned Frogs beat Notre Dame 71-62, not only ending the season for rising star Hannah Hidalgo and No. 3 Notre Dame in the Sweet 16, but also advancing to the Horned Frogs’ first-ever Elite Eight berth in the women’s NCAA Tournament.
REQUIRED READING: Hailey Van Lith points today: TCU star’s stats vs. Notre Dame in women’s March Madness
The men’s side reached the Elite Eight last in 1968. No TCU team has ever advanced to the Final Four.
Van Lith, who transferred in from LSU this offseason, is the first player in men’s or women’s tournament history to take three different teams to the Elite Eight. Two seasons ago, the Horned went 8-23. Last season, the first under Mark Campbell, they held open tryouts for spots on the team.
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Here’s what you need to know about the first Elite Eight appearance in program history for TCU:
TCU women’s basketball March Madness history
TCU’s appearance in the Sweet 16 was also a first for the program. The 2024-25 team’s 33 wins, regular season championship, Big 12 Tournament Championship, and No. 2 seeding in the tournament were also program records. The Horned Frogs’ last women’s NCAA Tournament appearance came during the 2009-10 season. They last made it to the second round during the 2005-06 season.
The men’s basketball program’s lone Elite Eight appearance came in 1968. Neither program has ever reached the Final Four.
The Horned Frogs basketball program began during the 1977 season and they played their first Division I game in 1982. The program made its first women’s NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001 and has reached the first round 10 times. It has advanced to the second round six times.
Here’s a look at the team’s history in March Madness:
NCAA Tournament appearances
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2009
- 2010
- 2025
Second round appearances
Sweet 16 appearances
Elite Eight appearances
Hailey Van Lith March Madness history
While this may be TCU’s first trip to the Elite Eight, this isn’t Van Lith’s first time — it’s her fourth. She was a part of three teams at Louisville and one at LSU that advanced to at least the Elite Eight:
- Louisville 2020-21: Elite Eight
- Louisville 2021-22: Final Four
- Louisville 2022-23: Elite Eight
- LSU 2023-24: Elite Eight
- TCU 2024-25: Elite Eight
If Van Lith wants to help the Horned Frogs extend their stay in the women’s NCAA Tournament, the star point guard will need to continue her play from a season that saw her win Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, First-team All-Big 12 and Big 12 tournament Most Outstanding Player. She also was a finalist for Naismith and an All-American.
Van Lith had 26 points on 10-of-21 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and four assists in TCU’s 71-762 win over Notre Dame.
