EDISON, NJ (Apr. 27, 2022) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and Inspirus Sports Management today announced the participating institutions for the 2022 MAAC/ASUN Dublin Basketball Challenge.
The field of eight will be comprised of two men’s teams and two women’s teams from each conference. Representing the MAAC for the men will be Niagara University and Rider University. Highlighting the women’s side for the MAAC will be Marist College and Rider University. ASUN teams will include the University of Central Arkansas and Stetson University on the men’s end and the University North Florida and Eastern Kentucky University for the women.
The 2022 MAAC/ASUN Dublin Basketball Challenge presented by Inspirus Sports, will be held inside of the National Basketball Arena in Dublin, Ireland on November 18 and 19.
“The MAAC/ASUN Dublin Basketball Challenge will be a great opportunity for the MAAC, ASUN, and our competing institutions to expand our brands to an international audience. Inspirus Sports has shown a track record of success with its Sport Changes Life Foundation, assisting with enrollment for former American student-athletes, and the successful Belfast Invitationals in 2017 and 2018. I want to thank Gareth Maguire and his team at Inspirus Sports for our continued partnership and we look forward to showcasing collegiate basketball to the fans in Dublin.”
- Rich Ensor, MAAC Commissioner
“We have a great history of working with Rich Ensor, the MAAC conference and their teams here in Ireland. We are extremely thankful for their partnership and give a huge Irish welcome to Ted Gumbart and the ASUN Conference teams this November. Bringing these great teams to Dublin is yet another stepping stone in our journey together as we continue to build aspirations through sport.”
- Gareth Maguire, Chairman and Founder of Inspirus Sports
“We are excited to be a part of the MAAC/ASUN Challenge in Dublin, Ireland. We want to give our student-athletes a first-class experience on and off the court and this is a terrific opportunity for our university, program and student-athletes.”
- Greg Paulus, Niagara Men’s Basketball Head Coach
“We’re very excited to have the opportunity to compete in the MAAC/ASUN Challenge in Ireland next season. Our program strives to provide the platform for our student-athletes to gain positive and formative experiences on and off the basketball court and this trip will no doubt give our players an outstanding cultural experience with some great competition on the court.”
- Kevin Baggett, Rider University Men’s Basketball Head Coach
“We are thrilled to take part in the MAAC/ASUN Dublin Challenge in November. It's a tremendous opportunity for our program to compete in Dublin, and it will be a great experience from both cultural and competitive standpoints. The city is a great hub for our College's Study Abroad program and host to our Freshman Dublin Experience. We greatly appreciate the work done by the MAAC, Atlantic Sun, and Inspirus Sports for putting an outstanding event together.”
- Brian Giorgis, Marist College Women’s Basketball Head Coach
“We are thrilled to have been asked to represent the MAAC in this prestigious tournament. The MAAC/ASUN Challenge is a chance for our program to not only compete versus top notch talent but create lifelong memories at the same time in Dublin. We are grateful to the MAAC, ASUN and Inspirus Sports for their tireless efforts in creating this amazing opportunity. We can't wait!"
- Lynn Milligan, Rider University Women’s Basketball Head Coach
“It is an exciting time for us all, as we announce these great MAAC and ASUN teams coming to the home of basketball in Ireland at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland this November. America and Ireland have shared a fantastic history with the sport of basketball and we are excited to continue to nurture that relationship as we reconnect the world through sport, education and business hosting our American friends once again.”
- Scott McCarthy, CEO of Inspirus Sports
“Cead Mile Failte (a hundred thousand welcomes) to both the MAAC and ASUN great teams, their families and fans as they join us for our exciting event in Dublin, this November. The MAAC coaches are no strangers to our Irish hospitality, as they return after making a great impact with the MAAC Clinics in 2017 and 2018, in partnership with the Sport Changes Life Foundation, helping develop basketball in Ireland, through the legacy of the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic. We are excited to build on that legacy, bringing both men and women Division I Collegiate Basketball to Dublin.”
- Marc Mulholland, Executive Director, Inspirus Sports
Matchups, tip times, and networks will be announced at a later date.
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) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 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.
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram or visit
MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.
ASUN Conference, Atlanta, Ga. -
the only DI conference headquartered in the ATL, our footprint's primary media, sports, business, transportation and cultural hub
The ASUN, a Division I conference member of the NCAA, boasts a membership of institutions that share visionary leadership, bold ambition and creative innovation. As a nimble adaptive conference, unafraid to blaze a national pathway for better service to our student-athletes, teams, and institutions, the ASUN has a proud history of firsts, national academic and athletic achievements and a conference culture that walks the walk with its four ASUN Beams. Students First! Rise. Connect. Impact.
#ASUNBuilt by Bellarmine (Louisville), Central Arkansas (Conway), Eastern Kentucky (Richmond), FGCU (Fort Myers), Jacksonville (Fla.), Jacksonville State (Jacksonville, Ala.), Kennesaw State (Ga.), Liberty (Lynchburg, Va.), Lipscomb (Nashville), North Alabama (Florence), North Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.), and Stetson (DeLand, Fla.). Austin Peay, based in Clarksville, Tenn., is set to join the league in the 2022-23 academic year.
About Inspirus Sports Management: Inspirus Sports Management, creating premium inspirational live sporting events for a global audience.
Inspirus Sports has been created to build on the success of the first ever NCAA Collegiate basketball Tournament in Europe, the “Basketball Hall of Fame Basketball Classic” 2017 & 2018 in conjunction with the Sport Changes Life Foundation. Inspirus has one clear mission, to bring this event series to a global audience to inspire communities through the power of sport.
Stay up to date with Inspirus Sports on social media by following @InspirusSports on
Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram or visit
InspirusSports.com for all the latest Inspirus Sports news
About Sport Changes Life Foundation: The primary goal of SCL is to provide an opportunity for raising the aspiration of young people on both sides of the Atlantic so that they can live out their dreams and guide them as sport changes their lives. We are a sports foundation built on inspiration, hope and victory. SCL works in disadvantaged communities to help young people find a path to a brighter future with the help of our international student athletes, the Victory Scholars. Sport Changes Life continues to help change the lives of young people on the island of Ireland and beyond through the support of the Inspirus Sports events.
http://sportchangeslife.com/