2009 Women's National Invitation Tournament
The 2009 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) was a single-elimination tournament of 48 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams that did not participate in the 2009 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. It was won by South Florida. The 41st annual tournament was played from March 18, 2009 to April 4, 2009, entirely on campus sites. The highest ranked team in each conference that did not receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament received an automatic bid to this tournament. The remaining slots were filled by the WNIT Selection Committee.
| Teams | 48 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finals site | Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, Kansas | ||||
| Champions | South Florida (1st title) | ||||
| Runner-up | Kansas (1st title game) | ||||
| Semifinalists | |||||
| Winning coach | Jose Fernandez (1st title) | ||||
| MVP | Shantia Grace (South Florida) | ||||
| Attendance | 16,113 (championship game) | ||||
| Top scorer | Danielle McCray (Kansas) (147 points) | ||||
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The South Florida Bulls beat the Kansas Jayhawks, 75–71, in the championship game to win the WNIT. This was the first postseason championship of any kind for the Bulls women's basketball team. Danielle McCray of Kansas scored 147 points during the tournament, a WNIT record that still stands. Shantia Grace of South Florida was named tournament MVP.