In 2013, the Ball State women’s basketball team won the MAC (Mid-American Conference) championship and earned a trip to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.

The Cardinals finished the regular season with a 15-3 record in conference play, which was good enough for a share of the MAC West division title. Ball State entered the MAC tournament as the third seed and defeated Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and Central Michigan to earn the conference championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

In the NCAA tournament, the 13th-seeded Cardinals faced fourth-seeded Tennessee in the first round. Despite a valiant effort, Ball State fell to the Lady Volunteers 77-64, ending their tournament run.

The 2013 MAC championship and NCAA tournament appearance marked a significant achievement for the Ball State women’s basketball program, which had not had a winning season since 2009. The team was led by standout players such as Nathalie Fontaine, who was named the MAC Player of the Year, and Brandy Woody, who was named the MAC tournament MVP.