Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Cheyney State, and Maryland met in the Final Four, held at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia and hosted by Old Dominion University, with Louisiana Tech defeating Cheyney for the title, 76-62.

The Louisiana Tech team made it to the Final Four of the 1979, 1980 and 1981 AIAW Tournaments, winning the National Championship with a perfect 34–0 record in 1981.

The Lady Techsters were favorites to repeat, as their team entered the 1982 NCAA tournaments with only a single loss on the season.

Pam Kelly would win the Wade Trophy, awarded to the nation's best Division I women's basketball player.

Her teammates included Janice Lawrence and Kim Mulkey, both of whom would play on the gold-medal-winning Olympic team in 1984.

[7] In the west regional final between Drake and Maryland, Lorri Bauman scored 50 points in a losing effort.

Her 21 made field goals, out of 35 attempts, both of which remain as single game tournament records.

(Not all conference records are available for 1982) [7] Twenty additional teams were selected to complete the thirty-two invitations.