With the Conference USA men’s and women’s basketball championships set to tip off in Huntsville next week, the conference and City announced an extension of their partnership.

Starting this fall, the Rocket City will not only continue as host of the CUSA basketball championship tournaments, it will host two more conference championship events in conjunction with the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Huntsville Sports Commission.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Conference USA to bring outstanding student-athletes to Huntsville for high-level competition,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “These events showcase our city, energize our economy, and create exceptional experiences for athletes, fans and visitors alike.”

The agreement, announced today, will bring the next three CUSA Basketball Championships (2027-29), the next three CUSA Beach Volleyball Championships (2027-29) and the 2026 and 2028 CUSA Cross Country Championships to Huntsville.

“Huntsville has proven to be an exceptional host and partner for Conference USA championships,” said CUSA Commissioner Judy MacLeod. “Extending and expanding this partnership allows us to continue delivering first-class championship experiences for our student-athletes while showcasing the area’s outstanding venues, hospitality and commitment to collegiate athletics.

“We are excited to build on this momentum in the coming years.”

The continuation of these championship events solidifies Huntsville’s role as a cornerstone destination for Conference USA athletics and provides student-athletes and fans alike with premier competitive experiences in state-of-the-art facilities.

The city is preparing to host the Air National Guard CUSA Basketball Championships for the third straight season and hosted the 2025 CUSA Cross Country Championships and 2022 CUSA Beach Volleyball Championships.

“Extending and expanding our partnership with Conference USA continues the momentum for sporting events coming to Huntsville,” said Joel Lamp, sports development manager for the CVB.

“Bringing a piece of March Madness to a basketball-centric city like ours increases the quality of life for our community, brings new visitors from all over the country to our city, and provides a tremendous marketing program as we are able to tell Huntsville’s story throughout the regular season broadcasts and then culminate with the national broadcasts for the title games.”

Proving to be a slam dunk, hosting the CUSA basketball championships is scoring more than marketing points for the Rocket City.

Last year’s tournament had a $3 million economic impact, including more than 5,500 room nights, Lamp said.

Along with the CUSA championship events on tap next year, Huntsville will host the American Volleyball Coaches Association Collegiate Beach National Championship, NCAA Division II Cross Country Nationals and the Division II Men’s & Women’s Soccer Final Four.

“Creating a premier championship experience for student-athletes is central to our mission,” said HSC Executive Director Mark Russell. “Huntsville has established itself as a leading destination for collegiate sports, and we are honored to continue and expand our relationship with Conference USA.

“We look forward to welcoming the conference back to the Rocket City.”

And the road to this year’s Big Dance runs through Huntsville.

The CUSA basketball championships are next Tuesday through Saturday at the Von Braun Center Propst Arena. The tournament will feature 20 teams playing 18 games to determine the conference champion and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Tickets are available at the VBC box office or online at ticketmaster.com.

Based in Dallas, CUSA is home to 12 schools: Delaware, Florida International, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, Missouri State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, Texas-El Paso, and Western Kentucky.