INDIANAPOLIS—The NCAA has announced today that the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) and Visit Fort Wayne have been awarded the bid to host the Division II Men's and Women's Basketball Championship in 2027 & 2028 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind.
“Fort Wayne has proven to be an amazing host city for NCAA Championship events, and we are thankful for the opportunity to showcase the community again during these future championships,” said Great Midwest Commissioner Tom Daeger. “We are fortunate to be partnered with Visit Fort Wayne and the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in hosting the DII Elite Eight and anticipate an exciting atmosphere for the student-athletes and fans.”
Visit Fort Wayne and the Memorial Coliseum previously served as host to the NCAA Division III Men’s Final Four in 2024, which included Hampden-Sydney, Guilford, Trinity, and Trine. Trine won its first Division III Men’s Basketball Championship with a 69-61 win over Hampden-Sydney on March 16, 2024.
The 2024 edition of the DIII men’s basketball championship was the fourth consecutive occasion Visit Fort Wayne and the Memorial Coliseum served as the host site.
“We are honored and excited to once again welcome NCAA events to our community and are confident that athletes and fans alike will have an excellent experience here just as they’ve had since 2019 during the Division III Men’s Basketball Championships,” said Nicolle Campbell, Director of Sales at Visit Fort Wayne. “One of the initial goals of our 10-year Tourism Master Plan is setting up Fort Wayne and Allen County to be a national sports event destination. Winning these NCAA events with the support of our partners at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference is a perfect way to launch Fort Wayne toward the realization of that goal.”