cusa ncaa d1 basketball
20 teams
5 days
18 games
winners of the championships receive the league's automatic bids to the NCAA Tournaments
CUSA WBB Champion Middle Tennessee advanced to the NCAA Second Round vs. LSU. CUSA MBB Champion WKU led Marquette at the half in its NCAA First Round game.
huntsville, alabama
HIGH-TECH MEETS SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY IN the STATE OF ALABAMA'S largest city
Huntsville is nicknamed "The Rocket City" for its history with U.S. space missions and important role in developing space technology
propst arena
HUNTSVILLE'S major sports venue is the VBC Propst Arena anchoring the arts & entertainment district
The 10,000-seat arena is within walking distance to hotels and restaurants in the heart of downtown Huntsville
We are Conference USA. Through our dedicated leadership, diverse members and dynamic partners, we’re championing success in college athletics. We’re taking our conference to the next level by challenging the norm and striving to exceed expectations. The college athletics landscape is evolving faster than ever. We believe that in times of change, original thinking can lead to inspiring outcomes. We’re pairing our proud legacy with new perspectives to take a steadfast, future-focused position, and maximizing the good we bring to our schools, student-athletes, and fans. In three decades, we’ve achieved numerous football bowl appearances, basketball tournament berths and postseason championship bids. We’ve also been a mainstay of academic achievement, garnering numerous academic honors and thousands of diplomas, while cultivating relationships and service in our communities.
“We are very excited to have our men’s and women’s basketball teams compete for a conference championship and berth in the NCAA tournament at Propst Arena in Huntsville. We look forward to our partnership with the team from the City, Sports Commission, CVB and Knight Eady to put on a first-class event for our student-athletes, universities and fans while enjoying all Huntsville has to offer.” Judy MacLeod, CUSA Commissioner
“We are proud to welcome the Conference USA men’s and women’s basketball championships to Huntsville and our renovated Propst Arena. March Madness will be in the Rocket City and we can’t wait to showcase our great city to all the student-athletes, coaches, fans, and alumni attending the event.” Tommy Battle, Huntsville Mayor
“Bringing a piece of March Madness to Huntsville has been a goal for our community and this is a great opportunity to have the road to the Final Four start here. Conference USA has a national brand that provides a larger platform for Huntsville to shine. This has been a tremendous team effort from all of our partners and we appreciate the confidence the Conference USA leadership has in our vision to provide a championship experience at Propst Arena.” Joel Lamp, Sports Manager for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau
“Providing an exciting and enjoyable championship atmosphere for the student- athletes is our top priority, and I believe all of the teams traveling to the Rocket City will love their experience here. Huntsville is a great destination – not just to visit, but for sports– and I’m thrilled Conference USA is entrusting our team to host a high caliber event like the CUSA Basketball Championships here. Mark Russell, Executive Director of the Huntsville Sports Commission
- The Conference USA Basketball Championships are played concurrently at Propst Arena, featuring 10 men's teams and 10 women's teams playing 18 games over five days.
- In the league's first championship event in Huntsville in 2024, nearly 20,000 fans passed through the Propst Arena gates as the league's nine schools competed for the CUSA titles and NCAA bids.
- The men's championship drew more than 109,000 streams on ESPN+, while the women's championship garnered more than 73,000 streams.
- Conference USA offers an impactful, full-service strategic corporate partnership opportunity for your company. Each partnership is unique and we align with our partners to determine a plan that will best meet your strategic goals and business objectives.
- The 2024 CUSA Basketball Championships generated more than 3,500 room nights in Huntsville throughout the week, bringing an economic impact of more than $3.2 million.
- The 2024 event also brought four nationally televised games to Propst Arena for the first time – including both championship games on CBS Sports Network.
- Huntsville's recent accolades include being named a top Emerging Student Travel Destination, #1 Best Place to Live in Alabama, #2 Best Place to Live in the U.S. and #1 City in North America for Tech Growth Potential.
- Huntsville is known as the Rocket City, the home of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, where everyone can be an astronaut for the day.
- Huntsville has firmly established itself as a premier destination for sports teams, fans, and event planners. With an array of top-tier venues, the city caters to a wide variety of athletic events and provides an exceptional experience for all involved.
CUSA STARS OF TOMORROW
The CUSA Stars of Tomorrow program showcases the world of sports and workforce development in a unique program that brings the best students from the 10 (soon to be 12) member schools into Huntsville for an immersive visit with our corporate community during the CUSA men’s and women’s basketball championships at VBC Propst Arena.
The Stars plan:
- Will bring a minimum of two students from each of the 10 schools to the basketball championships to be recognized during the event as a “Star of Tomorrow.”
- Will connect the students with employers in the Huntsville area about job opportunities in their chosen field after graduation.
- Will curate the experience to maximize the connectivity of the students to the companies.
- Will showcase all of the great things that Huntsville has to offer as a place to live, work, and play.
- Will connect local supporters of the program with the attendees of the program to discuss their business, what they are looking for on their resume, and how they can apply for jobs.
- Will be featured/interviewed during the game on the ESPN+ broadcast.
Key Majors: Engineering, Nursing (Registered Nurses), CR Nurse Anesthetist, Imaging Techs, IT, Logistics, Accounting, Teachers, Business and Music
For more information, contact:
Joel Lamp, Huntsville CVB (904) 304-2067 // jlamp@huntsville.org
Drew Maulsby, Conference USA (936) 645-9842 // dmaulsby@conferenceusa.com