IGHSAU Iowa Girls State Basketball Tournament

Des Moines · March

Last verified: . See something out of date? Tell us.

Summary

Iowa's girls' state series — the oldest girls' state high school tournament in the country, dating to 1920. Five classes, 40 teams, single-elimination at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Iowa PBS broadcasts every game live on statewide TV with free YouTube and iowapbs.org streams.

What makes this tournament distinct

Free statewide PBS coverage of every single game — no other state matches that level of girls' high school broadcast access. Five classes (one more than the boys' bracket) reflects Iowa's deep girls' basketball history.

Who it fits

Best for: Iowa member schools. Five-class structure gives small schools real championship opportunities.

Tradeoffs: Closed state series. Five classes over six days makes for a long week.

Verified via ighsau.org · iowapbs.org on .

National Prep Tournament · March 6–8, 2026

Looking for a March tournament?

National Prep Tournament in Fort Walton Beach, Florida takes both high school and post-grad programs. Applications stay open through October 31. If you want a competitive early-March slot without invitation-only barriers, this is the one to apply for.

Apply for the National Prep Tournament →