CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) has announced nine D2 CCA Dual-Gender Tip-Off Classic bids for the 2026-28 cycle. These exempt tournaments, which offer critical resume building opportunities for participating teams come selection time in March, are best known for being the official start of the NCAA Division II college basketball season.
"We are excited to announce the upcoming cities and venues for the 2026-2028 D2 CCA Dual-Gender Tip-Off Classics," said D2 CCA President and Mountain East Commissioner Reid Amos. "We received a record number of bids in this cycle and we are excited to expand these events to six new locations starting in 2026."
2026 Dual-Gender Tip-Off Classics will take place in the following:
- Ellensburg, WA - Central Washington University
- Honolulu, HI - Hawaii Pacific University/College Tournaments Hawaii, LLC.
- Wisconsin Dells, WI - Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Justagame Fieldhouse
The D2 CCA also has two women's tournaments scheduled in 2026 in Owensboro, KY (Kentucky Wesleyan College) and Amarillo, TX (West Texas A&M), as well as a men's tournament in Lakeland, FL (Small College Hall of Fame Classic). These 2026 events will be played October 30-November 1 or November 6-8.
2027 Dual-Gender Tip-Off Classic bids include:
- Amarillo, TX - West Texas A&M University/Amarillo Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Rapid City, SD - Visit Rapid City/The Summitt Arena at The Monument
- Allendale, MI - Grand Valley State University/
Previously announced women's events in 2027 include stops at University of Illinois Springfield and Texas Woman's University, while Lakeland, FL (Small College Hall of Fame Classic) will continue to host a men's event. 2027. Tournaments will take place October 29-31 or November 5-7.
2028 Dual-Gender Tip-Off Classic bids will be in the following cities:
- Billings, MT - Montana State University Billings
- Langley, BC - Simon Fraser University
- San Antonio, TX - Sport Tours International, Inc./St. Mary's University
The D2 CCA also had previously scheduled men's event in 2028 in Lakeland, FL (Small College Hall of Fame Classic) and two women's events including St. Joseph, MO (Missouri Western State University) and Amarillo, TX (West Texas A&M). These 2028 D2 CCA Tip-Off Classics will be played November 3-5.
"This was a fun process as we had lots of new interest from different cities, institutions and organizations," said D2 CCA External Relations Committee Chair and California Collegiate Athletic Association Commissioner Allen Hardison. "Our goal is to continue to expand these opportunities and we thank everyone who put a bid forward in this cycle. We are looking forward to seeing these cities becoming epicenters for NCAA Division II college basketball over the next few years."
In addition to the above listed events, the D2 CCA is excited about the upcoming 2025 event portfolio which includes Dual-Gender events in at Simon Fraser University, Missouri Western State University and Montana State University Billings. 2025 women's events will be hosted by Gannon/Edinboro) and Texas Woman's University, while Lakeland, FL will once again host the Small College Hall of Fame Classic on the men's side. 2025 D2 CCA Tip-Off Classics will take place November 7-9.
About the D2 CCA
The mission of the D2 CCA is to encourage and promote Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The D2 CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics. The D2 CCA works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities, and serves as a voice to the NCAA representing those schools.
Read the full D2CCA release HERE
