University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Bears To Play In Cancun Classic
6/17/2026 10:05:00 AM | Men's Basketball
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Tournament officials for the Cancun Basketball college basketball event announced the participating programs for the 2026 edition which includes Northern Colorado, ahead of the Thanksgiving week showdowns at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico.
The Bear's tournament tips off Nov. 24-25, featuring one cross-play game in the U.S. plus two bracket play games in Mexico. Detroit Mercy, North Dakota, and Southeastern Louisiana joins UNC as a part of the Mayan Division. Kennesaw State and UTEP are set for the Riviera Division, with two programs to be announced.
"We're really excited to get back to Cancun for this year's Cancun Challenge," said Northern Colorado head men's basketball coach Steve Smiley. "This has always been an event that we hope to get into for multiple reasons. While it's a great event in a great location, the best part of the event is that we get a chance to play two mid-major teams on a neutral court in a tournament style. In our non-conference schedule, it has become more difficult every year to get home games against mid-major teams, so to be able to get games of this caliber on a neutral court is a huge draw for us."
Additional team announcements, scheduling details and broadcast information will be released as the field is finalized.
This will be the second time playing in the Cancun Classic, with the first being in 2023. The Bears faced off against New Mexico State on the road before playing Chicago State and Radford in Mexico. UNC went 1-2 in the trio of games.
"I also enjoy the quick turnaround of playing 2 games in 2 days, which we use as an example for our team for the Big Sky Tourney in Boise at the end of the year," Smiley added. "It is so difficult to feel the urgency of that short turnaround, both from a preparation standpoint and even from a body recovery standpoint for our players, so to get that experience in November is critical. We look forward to a great event this year again in Cancun!"
Fan packages are available for those looking to make a week of it — warm weather, world-class resort amenities and high-level college basketball all in one place: Fan Packages – Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
About Triple Crown Sports
Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for more than 40 years. TCS runs the postseason WNIT basketball event and produces the men's and women's DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown's PV College Challenge features more than 10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. Anchored by the 1,200-team Colorado 4th of July event, TC fastpitch tournaments draw the nation's finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes. TCS produces two of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the 800-team Omaha SlumpBuster during the College World Series and the 800-team Arizona Spring Championships during MLB Spring Training. The Triple Crown Volleyball NIT has become the top-recruited club volleyball event in the country each February when 680 teams compete in Kansas City, MO.
FOLLOW THE BEARS: Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action at uncbears.com and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (@UNC_BearsMBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsMBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsMBB)
The Bear's tournament tips off Nov. 24-25, featuring one cross-play game in the U.S. plus two bracket play games in Mexico. Detroit Mercy, North Dakota, and Southeastern Louisiana joins UNC as a part of the Mayan Division. Kennesaw State and UTEP are set for the Riviera Division, with two programs to be announced.
"We're really excited to get back to Cancun for this year's Cancun Challenge," said Northern Colorado head men's basketball coach Steve Smiley. "This has always been an event that we hope to get into for multiple reasons. While it's a great event in a great location, the best part of the event is that we get a chance to play two mid-major teams on a neutral court in a tournament style. In our non-conference schedule, it has become more difficult every year to get home games against mid-major teams, so to be able to get games of this caliber on a neutral court is a huge draw for us."
Additional team announcements, scheduling details and broadcast information will be released as the field is finalized.
This will be the second time playing in the Cancun Classic, with the first being in 2023. The Bears faced off against New Mexico State on the road before playing Chicago State and Radford in Mexico. UNC went 1-2 in the trio of games.
"I also enjoy the quick turnaround of playing 2 games in 2 days, which we use as an example for our team for the Big Sky Tourney in Boise at the end of the year," Smiley added. "It is so difficult to feel the urgency of that short turnaround, both from a preparation standpoint and even from a body recovery standpoint for our players, so to get that experience in November is critical. We look forward to a great event this year again in Cancun!"
Fan packages are available for those looking to make a week of it — warm weather, world-class resort amenities and high-level college basketball all in one place: Fan Packages – Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
About Triple Crown Sports
Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for more than 40 years. TCS runs the postseason WNIT basketball event and produces the men's and women's DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown's PV College Challenge features more than 10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. Anchored by the 1,200-team Colorado 4th of July event, TC fastpitch tournaments draw the nation's finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes. TCS produces two of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the 800-team Omaha SlumpBuster during the College World Series and the 800-team Arizona Spring Championships during MLB Spring Training. The Triple Crown Volleyball NIT has become the top-recruited club volleyball event in the country each February when 680 teams compete in Kansas City, MO.
FOLLOW THE BEARS: Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action at uncbears.com and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (@UNC_BearsMBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsMBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsMBB)
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