Two of the prominent mid-major college basketball conferences in the Northeast will initiate a showcase series, starting in 2026-27.
The America East-MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) Basketball Challenge will debut Nov. 5-8, 2026, featuring both men’s and women’s matchups to be determined closer to the event – the same holds true for the 2027 event. The conference schools will play two games – one at home, one away.
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“We are excited to start up the America East-MAAC Challenge in 2026, to provide our men’s and women’s basketball programs quality early season non-conference matchups with similar opponents,” said AE commissioner Brad Walker.
“We are excited to collaborate with the America East on a basketball challenge,” said MAAC commissioner Travis Tellitocci. “With college basketball moving to a 32-game schedule in 2026 and the season starting a week earlier, this initiative is both timely and logical. … (It helps) to ease the challenges of non-conference scheduling while offering regional opponents to reduce travel demands.”
In the NCAA RPI men’s basketball conference ratings following last season, the MAAC finished 20th and America East was 26th. For the women, the AE was No. 22 and the MAAC was No. 25.
James Patterson of Iona (0) drives past Marist’s Jadin Collins-Roberts (0). Marist beat Iona 70-65 on Jan 3, 2025, in New Rochelle. IONA ATHLETICS
The Metro Atlantic is comprised of Marist (ranked No. 273 in the Ken Pomeroy men’s team ratings for 2024-25); Iona (260); Manhattan (241); Merrimack (184); Quinnipiac (213); Mount Saint Mary’s (243); Siena (253); Sacred Heart (263); Saint Peter’s (298); Rider (315); Niagara (322); Fairfield (334); and, Canisius (359). Marist finished 20-10, Iona 17-17 and Manhattan 17-14.
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America East is comprised of Binghamton (320); Bryant (149); Maine (219); Vermont (242); Massachusetts Lowell (244); Albany (275); Maryland Baltimore County (299); New Jersey Institute of Technology (353); and, New Hampshire (356).
kmcmillan@th-record.com
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Women’s NET rankings
MAAC: 103. Quinnipiac; 207. Mount Saint Mary’s; 217. Manhattan; 241. Siena; 252. Marist; 265. Merrimack; 294. Sacred Heart; 301. Saint Peter’s; 310. Iona; 331. Canisius; 332. Rider; 353. Niagara
AE: 94. Vermont; 125. Albany; 221. Maine; 256. Bryant; 264. Binghamton; 278. New Jersey Tech; 296. Maryland Baltimore County; 304. New Hampshire; 346. UMass Lowell
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Metro Atlantic America East basketball challenge intro
