NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Anyone. Anywhere. Anytime.
That has become the mantra of Belmont University women's basketball under ninth-year head coach
Bart Brooks.
And the upcoming season will be no exception, as the Bruins released their 2025-26 non-conference schedule Tuesday.
When including its multi-team event, Belmont could face six teams ranked in the Top 19 of the final 2024-25 NCAA women's basketball NET rankings – and eight teams ranked in the Top 50.
Moreover, the Bruins will face nine non-conference opponents who played in postseason a year ago, six programs who've reached the NCAA Women's Final Four, and three of whom were identified by ESPN as National Championship contenders this season.
"We are extremely appreciative of our athletic administration who position us to compete against many of the best teams and coaches in the nation during our non-conference season," Brooks said. "Our program takes great pride in representing Belmont as we travel across the country to compete. This year we are fortunate to have the opportunity to play in the Bahamas before Thanksgiving. We can't wait for our team to showcase their talent against tradition-rich national programs and local rivals. We are also excited for Belmont fans to pack the Curb Event Center for an outstanding home slate as we prepare for Missouri Valley Conference play."
Belmont, which ranked alongside UConn, South Carolina, and NC State among the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation last season, opens the campaign Nov. 3 at Oklahoma.
The Sooners went 27-8 last season, finishing fourth in the Southeastern Conference and reaching the Sweet 16. The game will serve as a family reunion as heralded Belmont freshman forward
Rylie Beers will face her sister, Raegan, a senior at Oklahoma.
Belmont hosts Brown Nov. 7 in the home opener at the Curb Event Center. This marks the first meeting between the Bruins and Bears in a quarter century.
All eyes will be on the state of Tennessee Nov. 13 as Belmont travels to eight-time National Champion Tennessee. Belmont holds the overall series lead.
The last time the two programs met was an instant classic, with the Lady Vols winning in the final seconds, 70-67, in the round of 32 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament in Knoxville.
Newcomer
Avery Strickland spent the previous two seasons at Tennessee. Notably, Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell will bring the Lady Vols to Nashville and the Curb Event Center during the 2026-27 season.
Belmont then faces Atlantic 10 Conference stalwart Dayton Nov. 16.
Thanksgiving Week takes the Bruins to paradise, as Belmont takes part in the 2025 Baha Mar Hoops Tournament in Nassau, Bahamas. The prestigious field includes Top-20 programs West Virginia, Alabama, and Ohio State, as well as NCAA Tournament regulars Harvard and South Florida.
Belmont could also see a familiar face as 2025 Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) Championship game opponent Minnesota is in the field.
An eighth team is expected to be announced soon.
As the calendar turns to December, Belmont faces four national programs all within the mid-state.
The Bruins continue their series with Conference USA champion Middle Tennessee Dec. 3 in Murfreesboro. Belmont swept the Blue Raiders last season, including a spirited victory in the opening round of the WBIT.
From there, Belmont hosts three marquee matchups leading into the holiday season, as perennial powers Princeton (Dec. 6), Kentucky (Dec. 14), and Duke (Dec. 20) come to the Curb Event Center in succession.
Carla Berube has led Princeton to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
Kentucky and second year head coach Kenny Brooks bring back a talented squad that won 23 games and finished fourth in the Southeastern Conference last season.
Belmont and Kentucky played a dramatic game down to the wire last season in Lexington, with the Wildcats claiming a hard-fought 84-78 victory.
Kara Lawson led Duke to 29 victories last season and a trip to the Elite Eight. The Blue Devils are expected to contend for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship.
Brooks, a Maggie Dixon National Coach of the Year award recipient, enters the 2025-26 season with one of the Top 15 winning percentages among active NCAA Division I head coaches. He has directed Belmont to a 129-20 (.866) record in conference play.
One of only nine programs in the nation to have won 20-plus games for 10 consecutive seasons, Belmont went 26-13 last season and reached the WBIT championship game after defeating Big East Conference mainstay Villanova in the semifinals inside historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Having claimed seven national postseason wins in the last five years, Belmont has earned a national postseason bid in 12 of the last 13 seasons dating back to 2012-13.
The Bruins return eight letterwinners for the 2025-26 season while welcoming seven newcomers.
The complete 2025-26 schedule - including Missouri Valley Conference opponents, dates, times and broadcast information - will be released in the future.
The play-by-play of Voice of the Bruins Dr. Rich Tiner can be heard on Belmont Bruins Radio and ESPN+.
Belmont season tickets, which include the entire men's and women's basketball home schedule, are on sale now at
BelmontBruins.com/Tickets.
To join the Bruin Club, contact
Russell Grimm at
russell.grimm@belmont.edu.
How to Follow
Follow Belmont women's basketball on social media -
@BelmontWBB on X, formerly Twitter,
@belmontwbb on Instagram and
Belmont Women's Basketball on Facebook - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the
official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
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