Local Division III Basketball Teams Punch Tickets to NCAA Tournament

Geneseo women's and Keuka men's squads earn conference titles and NCAA tournament berths

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Geneseo women's basketball team and the Keuka men's basketball team have secured spots in the NCAA Division III tournament by winning their respective Empire 8 conference championships. Meanwhile, Monroe Community College's men's and women's teams also won their regional championships at the junior college level.

Why it matters

Earning a spot in the NCAA tournament is a major accomplishment for these local college basketball programs, showcasing the strength of Division III and junior college athletics in the Rochester region. The tournament bids provide an opportunity for the teams to compete on a national stage and potentially make deep postseason runs.

The details

The Geneseo women's team defeated Houghton 66-52 on Saturday to claim their second consecutive Empire 8 conference title, punching their ticket to the NCAA tournament. The Keuka men's squad, seeded seventh, upset Brockport to advance to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. At the junior college level, the Monroe Community College men's and women's teams both won their Western New York Athletic Conference (Region Three) championships, earning a spot in the North B District Championships with a chance to earn an automatic bid to the national tournament.

  • The Geneseo women's team won the Empire 8 conference title on Saturday, March 2, 2026.
  • The Keuka men's team won the Empire 8 conference title on an unspecified date.
  • The selection show for the NCAA Division III tournament is scheduled for Monday, March 3, 2026, with the men's selection at 1 p.m. and the women's selection at 2:30 p.m.
  • The Monroe Community College men's and women's teams won their regional championships on unspecified dates.

The players

Geneseo Knights

The women's basketball team from the State University of New York at Geneseo, who won their second consecutive Empire 8 conference title.

Keuka College Storm

The men's basketball team from Keuka College, who earned their first-ever NCAA tournament berth by winning the Empire 8 conference championship.

Monroe Community College Tribunes

The men's and women's basketball teams from Monroe Community College, who won their respective Western New York Athletic Conference (Region Three) championships.

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What’s next

The Geneseo women's and Keuka men's teams will learn their first-round NCAA tournament opponents and game times during the selection show on Monday, March 3, 2026. The Monroe Community College men's and women's teams will advance to the North B District Championships, where they will compete for an automatic bid to the national junior college tournament.

The takeaway

These tournament berths highlight the strength of local college basketball programs in the Rochester region, with both Division III and junior college teams earning the opportunity to compete on the national stage. The success of these teams demonstrates the continued growth and competitiveness of smaller college athletics in the area.