1997 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament
| Teams | 32 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finals site | Oman Arena, Jackson, Tennessee | ||||
| Champions | Southern Nazarene Redskins (5th title, 5th title game, 6th Fab Four) | ||||
| Runner-up | Union (TN) Bulldogs (2nd title game, 3rd Fab Four) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
| ||||
| Coach of the year | Craig Wiginton (Southern Nazarene) | ||||
Charles Stevenson Hustle Award | Tonna Woolery (Southern Nazarene) | ||||
| Chuck Taylor MVP | Astou Ndiaye (Southern Nazarene) | ||||
| Top scorer | Hazel Taylor (Wayland Baptist) (82 points) | ||||
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The 1997 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament was the tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of women's college basketball among its Division I members in the United States and Canada for the 1996–97 basketball season.
Three-time defending champions Southern Nazarene defeated Union (TN) in the championship game, 78–73, to claim the Redskins' fifth NAIA national title.
The tournament was played at the Oman Arena in Jackson, Tennessee.