MAAC Set to Host Four NCAA Championship Events
INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 14, 2020) – The NCAA announced earlier today that the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) along with member institutions Canisius College, Niagara University and Siena College, as well as the Ivy League, have been selected to co-host four separate NCAA Championships from 2023 to 2026.
The MAAC was selected to host the following events:
- 2023 Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds: Times Union Center – Albany, New York (Co-Hosted with Siena College).
- 2024 Women’s Basketball Regionals: Times Union Center – Albany, New York (Co-Hosted with Siena College).
- 2025 Women’s Rowing Championship Finals (Divisions I, II, and III): Lake Mercer – West Windsor, New Jersey (Co-Hosted with the Ivy League)
- 2026 Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds: KeyBank Center – Buffalo, New York (Co-Hosted with Canisius College and Niagara University).
The NCAA received more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities vying to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA’s 90 championships. The sites were selected by the respective NCAA sports committees and approved by the divisional competition oversight and championships committees.
“It’s an exciting day for the MAAC and our partner facilities and cities,” said MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor. “We appreciate all of the work that has gone into the bid process, that culminated today with the announcement that we had multiple bids approved in multiple locations for men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and women’s rowing.”
NCAA Basketball returns to Albany, this time for both men and women. NCAA Men’s Basketball was set to make its return to the Capital Region after a 17-year hiatus in 2020, but the NCAA Tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2023 NCAA Tournament will be the first time Albany hosts NCAA Men’s Basketball in 20 years. The 2024 Women’s Basketball Regional will mark the fifth time the Times Union Center has hosted NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament games in the past decade, with the arena previously hosting in 2015, 2018, 2019, and preparing to host once again in 2021. The NCAA announced last year that, beginning in 2023, women’s basketball regional host sites will be cut to two locations instead of four. Due to the new format change, the 2024 Albany Regional will welcome eight teams to the Capital Region, with two teams advancing to the 2024 Women’s Final Four at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
“This announcement is thrilling for the MAAC and we are excited for another opportunity to work with our colleagues at Siena and the Times Union Center,” said Ensor. “It was disappointing to see the 2020 Men’s Basketball Tournament be cancelled earlier to this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially knowing how much work had been put into the event from all parties. The MAAC is happy to see that Albany has not only been awarded another chance to host the men’s first and second rounds, but also an opportunity to host the new women’s basketball ‘super’ eight-team regional as well.”
The MAAC was already set to host NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center in 2022, now adding 2026 to the schedule. In addition to the 2022 and 2026 tournament hosting responsibilities, Buffalo has served as a host city for the NCAA Tournament in 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2017. The MAAC, Canisius and Niagara have also hosted the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four on two occasions (2003, 2019).
“It is great to see that Buffalo was awarded the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds, to be hosted at KeyBank Center,” added Ensor. “The ladies and gentlemen from Canisius, Niagara, KeyBank Center, Pegula Sports and Entertainment and the Buffalo Sports Commission are always a great bunch to work with, and are accustomed to hosting first-class events. NCAA Basketball is already set to return to Western New York for the 2022 NCAA Tournament, but it is great to say that it won’t stop there. We look forward to bringing these events back to Buffalo.”
In addition to NCAA Basketball, NCAA Women’s Rowing will be hosted by the MAAC and the Ivy League at Lake Mercer in 2025. The event will mark the third time the MAAC has hosted a NCAA Women’s Rowing Championship.
“We are excited that our bid to host NCAA Women’s Rowing was accepted for the third time in our conference’s history,” said MAAC Deputy Commissioner Jessica Grasso, who also serves on the Division I Women’s Rowing Committee. “The Women’s Rowing Finals are unique in that they encompass Divisions I, II, and III, but we have taken on this lofty task before and we look forward to doing so again in 2025.”
Quotes from host sites (sorted by site and last name):
Albany
Bob Belber, Times Union Center General Manager
“The Times Union Center is honored and excited to be selected to host both Men’s and Women’s Basketball and Men’s Ice Hockey. Having two Championships cancelled this year due to COVID-19, we are thrilled to see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We have a great relationship with the NCAA as well as the MAAC, ECAC, Siena College and Union College. We look forward to working with all of them to bring these historic championships back to the Capital Region.”
John D'Argenio, Siena College Vice President and Director of Athletics
"We are honored to have been selected to co-host NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament games once again in 2023 and 2024. Siena, the MAAC, and the Times Union Center have a rich history of co-hosting first class NCAA events together, and we're excited to welcome back the NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments to Albany. The Capital Region has a strong college basketball tradition which makes it an attractive location to host these events. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase the Capital Region and our top-notch facilities to college basketball fans from both near and far, and we couldn't be happier for the local community and our great fans."
Ali Jaques, Siena Women's Basketball Head Coach
"I am so proud to be the women's basketball head coach at Siena College in the MAAC, and have the opportunity to work in a community that promotes and supports women's basketball. The Capital Region loves its basketball, and we're grateful for the opportunity to host this super regional."
Carmen Maciariello, Siena Men's Basketball Head Coach
"What every coach and player dreams of experiencing - the NCAA Tournament - will be in our backyard, and we couldn't be more excited to host the First and Second Rounds in 2023 at our home arena. Our passionate fans are what makes the Capital Region so special, and we're thrilled to have the opportunity to host an NCAA Tournament for them."
Buffalo
Simon Gray, Niagara University Director of Athletics
“Niagara University is proud to once again partner with the MAAC and Canisius College on hosting the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship First and Second rounds. The City of Buffalo and KeyBank Center have proven on multiple occasions, including the 2019 Men’s Frozen Four, that they are ideal hosts for elite sporting competitions. Having the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament returning to this region is a testament to the incredible fan base in this area. We are all looking forward to hosting the 2022 and 2026 first and second rounds.”
Patrick Kaler, President and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara
“The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is one of the great events in all of sport. Buffalo has had the honor of hosting the tournament several times in the past, with thousands of fans packing KeyBank Center and bringing a one-of-a-kind excitement to our downtown hotels, restaurants and bars. It's a dream come true to once again have the opportunity to host this great event and show off our city to basketball fans from around the country.”
Bill Maher, Canisius College Director of Athletics
“I believe Buffalo and the Western New York region has proven to be one of the premier host sites for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, and this announcement today speaks to that point. To be awarded the opportunity to host the 2026 tournament, which will be our 10th NCAA Championship event hosted at KeyBank Center, is real point of pride for the area. Hosting the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is a community-wide effort and we are proud to partner with the MAAC, Niagara University, Pegula Sports and Entertainment and the Buffalo Sports Commission to bring one of the nation’s favorite sporting events back to Buffalo.”
Michael McFarlane, Pegula Sports and Entertainment Senior Vice President of Finance & Business Administration
“The Western New York community has repeatedly proven to be a great host for the student-athletes, schools and fans from around the country. We were already looking forward to hosting this premier sporting event again in 2022, and now we can add 2026 to the calendar at KeyBank Center.”
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.