Cal State East Bay Pioneers advance to Elite Eight in NCAA DII tournament

Undefeated team heads to Pittsburgh for next round of tournament

Mar. 17, 2026 at 6:06am

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The Cal State East Bay Pioneers men's basketball team punched its ticket to the Division II Elite Eight after beating Point Loma Nazarene University. The team, which remains undefeated, will play in Pittsburgh on March 25 to keep their perfect season alive.

Why it matters

The Pioneers' historic run to the Elite Eight has generated excitement and pride among the campus community and alumni, who have long felt overlooked compared to larger state schools. A win would bring national attention to the program and university.

The details

Before the Sweet Sixteen matchup, fans filled the Pioneer's gymnasium, including former East Bay players and staff from decades ago who wanted to witness the undefeated dream season. After a close first half, the Pioneers pulled away in the final minutes to secure the victory and a spot in the Elite Eight.

  • The Cal State East Bay Pioneers will play in Pittsburgh on March 25.
  • The team beat Point Loma Nazarene University in the Sweet Sixteen on March 17.

The players

Bryan Rooney

The head coach of the Cal State East Bay Pioneers men's basketball team.

Gianna Navarro

A fellow student athlete at Cal State East Bay who brought a whiteboard to create signs supporting the Pioneers during the game.

Marty Valdez

The former sports information director at Cal State East Bay (then Hayward) from 1977 to 2014, who made sure to have a front row seat for the Sweet Sixteen matchup.

Ricardo Toylov

A former player on the 1984 Cal State East Bay men's basketball team, who believed the Pioneers needed to win the game to get the recognition they deserve.

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What they’re saying

“I think if they win tonight, I think they're going to get the publicity and the street cred that they deserve. So, they need to win.”

— Ricardo Toylov, Former Cal State East Bay player (CBS News Bay Area)

“I've taken a lot of flak over the years because we're not Stanford, we're not Cal, but hey, we're the pioneers of Cal State, well, Hayward back then, but now East Bay. Great coaches, great athletes here.”

— Marty Valdez, Former sports information director (CBS News Bay Area)

“All the talk and anything I can to support this team. Because I know they'd want to do it for volleyball and we want to do it for them.”

— Gianna Navarro, Fellow student athlete (CBS News Bay Area)

“Unbelievable. To have this place rocking. The East Bay, Hayward, is a special place for special people. And I'm glad a lot of people got to see that tonight.”

— Bryan Rooney, Head coach (CBS News Bay Area)

What’s next

The Cal State East Bay Pioneers will play in the Elite Eight in Pittsburgh on March 25.

The takeaway

The Pioneers' historic run to the Elite Eight has united the campus community and alumni, who have long felt overlooked compared to larger state schools. A win would bring national attention to the program and university, proving that smaller schools can also achieve greatness on the basketball court.