Updated at 1:05 a.m. CST March 14

Bill Fennelly and Lyndsey Medders are going back to California.

About 30 people gathered at the ISU women’s basketball team room Sunday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum to watch the NCAA tournament selection show, where the Cyclones were announced as the No. 7 seed in the Kansas City regional.

That means Iowa State (23-6) will play the No. 10 seed Utah Utes (25-7) at 7 p.m. Saturday in Fresno, Calif. Ticket information can be found here.

The Cyclones wore creative outfits to watch the selection show, with face stickers and cardinal and gold everywhere. Medders said her outfit had a particular meaning.

“It’s time for the Cyclones to return to the NCAA tournament, said Medders, wearing a clock around her neck, a la Flava Flav. “It’s been a while, and it’s time to get it going again.”

Medders grew up in Los Angeles and prepped at Oak Park High School, just a four-hour drive from Fresno, and ISU coach Fennelly was an assistant coach at Fresno State University from 1981-86.

“I’ve already had two messages from people who live in Fresno,” Fennelly said minutes after the brackets were announced. “Normally, you don’t have to worry about tickets in California, but I think I might have to worry about it a little bit.”

Medders will have similar problems with tickets.

“My mom’s already said she’s going to try and get a couple bus loads of people wearing cardinal and gold,” she said. “I’m as thrilled as anyone just be in the tournament and have this opportunity, especially as a sophomore and sending the seniors off the way they deserve.”

Seniors Anne O’Neil and Katie Robinette have never played in an NCAA tournament, and Mary Fox, Lisa Kriener and Tracy Paustian all were members of the last Cyclone squad who made the tournament in 2002.

“We’re just really excited to be in the tournament in matter what,” O’Neil said. “It’s just exciting to see your name pop up; It was tough waiting the whole hour to watch it.”

Iowa State was in the last regional announced, and the fourth-from-last team mentioned.

Fennelly said after a two-year absence, it was an emotional moment when Iowa State’s name was read.

“It’s hard to put it into words,” Fennelly said. “It’s great to see the enthusiasm of kids for something the team has worked for all year. To be a part of the NCAA tournament is what every basketball player, coach or fan dreams about.

“You tell your players all the time, if you work hard you’re going to be rewarded, and they were rewarded today. We’re going to enjoy every minute of this.”