For the first time in program history, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team is headed to the postseason.

On Monday, the Women's National Invitational Tournament released its full bracket and schedule, pitting the Hawks against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (14-17). The Hawks will face off with Wake Forest on Thursday at 6 p.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C., in the LJVM Coliseum in the first round.

The Hawks finished the 2025-26 regular season with an 18-13 record, setting a new program record for wins in a season. They also earned the No. 2 seed in the MEAC Homecoming Tournament for the first time since the 2018-19 season before finishing with a 1-1 record. UMES advanced to the semifinals of the tournament for the second straight season under second year head coach Malikah Willis to finish with a new single-season best mark of 19-14. 

Following the regular season, four Hawks were recognized with MEAC honors as senior Brianna Barnes earned the Sixth Player of the Year for the conference while senior Ashanti Lynch was named All-Defensive Team and First Team. Freshmen Desi Taylor and Kaliya Perry also earned All-Rookie Team honors.

Lynch and Barnes led the Hawks in scoring, averaging 12.2 and 10.1 points per game, respectively. Dakieran Turner led the team in rebounding through the season with 215 total, averaging a team-high 6.94 per game while Lynch had the second-most rebounds with 183 and Lainey Allen averaged the second-most at 6.2 per game.

Kalise Hill led the Hawks with 73 assists this season while Lynch notched 48 and Barnes 40. Defensively, Perry led UMES with 27 blocks while Allen added 20. Hill, Lynch and Barnes led the team in steals with near identical final totals of 61, 60 and 59. As a team, the Hawks rank 49th in the country in steals per game with an average of 10.2 while sitting 18th nationally in turnovers forced per game with an average of 21.33.

The winner of Thursday's game will move to a Round 2 match up against Youngstown State (24-9). Dates, times and locations for Round 2 – which will fall between March 22 and 24 – are to be announced following the results of Round 1.

Tickets for the game between the Hawks and Demon Deacons are on sale now and can be ordered online. Tickets can also be ordered by calling the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336-758-3322 ext 2 during normal business hours, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tickets will also be available for purchase in-person at the LJVM Coliseum box office beginning 90 minutes prior to Thursday's tipoff.