LOS ANGELES -- The wait was shorter than they expected, but when the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Selection Show started around 7:30 p.m., there was a loud celebration coming from Cal State LA's locker room.

The Golden Eagles had met as a team to watch their NCAA playoff fate. Cal State LA (17-12) was on the playoff bubble after a series of excruciating losses during the season, most recently a heartbreaking overtime loss to Cal State San Marcos in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament semifinals on Friday. 

But the Golden Eagles also had some notable wins, including a victory at the home of No. 1 seed Azusa Pacific, a home victory over No. 2 seed Cal State San Marcos, a pair of wins over No. 5 seed Chico State.

The uncertainty quickly turned into exuberance as the Golden Eagles heard "Cal State LA" announced as the No. 8 seed.

The Golden Eagles had earned their way into the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year for the first time in program history.

Cal State LA will face Azusa Pacific in a first-round game on Friday, March 15. The Golden Eagles will be making just the fourth NCAA appearance in program history and seeking their first-ever tournament win.

"I had no idea which way it would go, I just couldn't convince myself either way," Cal State LA guard Nicole Flennaugh said. "It didn't feel great having those feelings."

"It feels like redemption, like a second, third or fourth chance," said junior guard Lily Buggs, who was named to her third straight CCAA All-Tournament team on Saturday. "We didn't know if that last game (vs. San Marcos) was the end. I feel really excited and fortunate that we get to keep playing."

Head coach Torino Johnson, who has built the program into a regional contender, said he, too, was unsure what would happen when the teams were announced on Sunday night, but his smile said it all when his team saw the good news.

"It felt like we deserved to be in, but I was also very nervous," Johnson said. "We've dropped a ton of close games, but this group is the epitome of perseverance.. It was crazy; we didn't know what would happen. We were terrified, I've been terrified since that game against San Marcos ended."

The rest of the tournament field includes No. 2 seed Cal State San Marcos vs. No. 7 seed Point Loma, No. 3 seed Western Washington vs. No. 6 seed Cal Poly Pomona and No. 4 seed Montana State Billings vs. No. 5 seed Chico State.

The winner of the Azusa Pacific-Cal State LA quarterfinal game will advance to face the winner of the Montana State Billings-Chico State matchup on Saturday. The championship game will be held on Monday.