Huntsville, Alabama, Oct. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the preseason talking tours of college basketball hit their peak, tickets to the 2026 Air National Guard Conference USA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships at Von Braun Center (VBC) Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama, hit the market this morning. The championship games will be held March 10 through 14, 2026.
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com and the VBC box office, including courtside seats, courtside suites, and reserved seats in the lower bowl.
Ranked as the eighth-best conference last year, CUSA’s men’s basketball title chase is led by the defending champion Liberty, which is picked to win the league again after going 28-7 overall and 13-5 in league play. Kennesaw State (19-14, 10-8 CUSA), which will play in the Rocket City Classic on Dec. 21 against Alabama, was picked second and is led by the preseason Player of the Year, senior Simeon Cottle. Cottle is the leading returning scorer from a year ago, averaged 18.0 points per game, and led the Owls with 32 points in an 80-77 win over New Mexico State in the CUSA quarters.
On the women’s side, three teams received first-place votes, with Louisiana Tech (18-16, 8-10 CUSA) edging out defending champion Liberty for the preseason pick to win the league. Middle Tennessee State is picked third, receiving two first-place votes. LA Tech returns 71 percent of its scoring and 59 percent of its rebounding from last season.
Liberty (26-7, 16-2 CUSA), the 2025 CUSA Women’s Basketball Champions, was picked to finish second in the league, garnering five first-place votes as well with a total of 125 points. Middle Tennessee (26-9, 16-2 CUSA) rounded out the top three, coming off yet another successful season with the Lady Raiders earning Co-Regular Season Champions.
Lady Techster’s Paris Bradley was named the preseason Player of the Year, who returns for her sophomore season after earning CUSA Freshman of the Year honors and averaging a team-high 14.4 points per game.
2025-26 CUSA Men’s BKB Preseason Poll
|
2025-26 CUSA Women’s BKB Preseason Poll
1. LA Tech (5) 128 pts
CUSA WBB Preseason All-Conference Team |
- 2026 Air National Guard Conference USA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships