Houston to Host 2026 NCAA Regional in Toyota Center
10/14/2020 1:31:00 PM | General
HOUSTON – The University of Houston Athletics Department will serve as the host school for the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Regional inside Toyota Center, the NCAA announced Wednesday afternoon.
Houston joined with the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority in one of more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA's 90 championships.
"We are appreciative of the NCAA for allowing us to serve as a host site for the Regional round for the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship," Houston Vice President for Athletics Chris Pezman said. "We look forward to collaborating with Harris County Sports Authority once again to host a great event for the City of Houston."
The Cougars were scheduled to host an NCAA Regional inside Toyota Center for the first time in March before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of all winter and spring Championships.
This is the third time for this specific NCAA championship bid process, which created the largest host site announcement ever, spanning 86 championships across a four-year cycle. Previously, selection announcements varied by sport. This process now gives the NCAA and host sites more time to plan each championship experience.
Bidding for 86 of 90 NCAA championships began in August 2019. Each sport committee, per division, selected the host sites it believed would provide the ultimate experience for the respective student-athletes, resulting in more than 450 total championship event sites being awarded. More than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships each year.
The four championships not included in the process due to preexisting site arrangements are: Division I baseball, Division I football, Division I softball and Division III women's ice hockey.
Information from the NCAA was included in this story
Houston joined with the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority in one of more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA's 90 championships.
"We are appreciative of the NCAA for allowing us to serve as a host site for the Regional round for the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship," Houston Vice President for Athletics Chris Pezman said. "We look forward to collaborating with Harris County Sports Authority once again to host a great event for the City of Houston."
The Cougars were scheduled to host an NCAA Regional inside Toyota Center for the first time in March before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of all winter and spring Championships.
This is the third time for this specific NCAA championship bid process, which created the largest host site announcement ever, spanning 86 championships across a four-year cycle. Previously, selection announcements varied by sport. This process now gives the NCAA and host sites more time to plan each championship experience.
Bidding for 86 of 90 NCAA championships began in August 2019. Each sport committee, per division, selected the host sites it believed would provide the ultimate experience for the respective student-athletes, resulting in more than 450 total championship event sites being awarded. More than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships each year.
The four championships not included in the process due to preexisting site arrangements are: Division I baseball, Division I football, Division I softball and Division III women's ice hockey.
Information from the NCAA was included in this story
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