When UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma signed on to join the inaugural Women’s Champions Classic in 2024, he had two conditions.
Auriemma said the early-season women’s college basketball showcase had ‘to be in New York’ and ‘on an NBA court, because in the WNBA, there aren’t enough teams and a lot of these players will never get to touch an NBA court.’
David Levy, co-CEO and founder of Horizon Sports & Experiences, was happy to check those boxes as Auriemma called ‘New York is the Mecca of basketball.’
UConn is now set to make its third consecutive appearance at the 2026 Women’s Champions Classic, an event created by Horizon Sports & Experiences and FOX Sports. The third-installment will be held at Barclays Center on Dec. 5, 2026, and the field will also include Maryland, Michigan and Iowa State, who will make their tournament debuts.
“It’s going to be exciting to have three new teams in the Women’s Champions Classic,’ Auriemma said in a statement shared with USA TODAY Sports. ‘The first two Classics have been a tremendous success, and I think it’s going to continue to grow and grow each year. I’m proud to be a part of it.”
The 2026 Women’s Champions Classic doubleheader will be broadcast on Fox. Michigan and Iowa State will play in the first game, followed by UConn and Maryland. The Huskies hold a 8-1 advantage over the Terrapins, dating back to December 2012. They last faced each other on Nov. 16, 2023.
‘We have a history playing against Maryland, so it’s great to get that started again,’ Auriemma said. ‘Michigan and Iowa State both play a fun style of basketball.’
The four teams participating in the tournament have a combined 13 NCAA Division I national championships and 29 NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighting the elite competition that will be on display. That was a priority for Levy when creating the Women’s Champions Classic.
‘I grew up watching the Maui Invitational, Battle 4 Atlantis and all these premier men’s tournaments. But I didn’t see anything in the women’s space,’ Levy told USA TODAY Sports. ‘We wanted to take the premier women’s college basketball brands, organizations and schools and have them compete in this early season tournament.’
Last year’s Women’s Champions Classic, which featured UConn, Tennessee, Iowa and Louisville, peaked at 860,000 viewers on FOX with an average of 617,000 viewers, a 20% from the 2024 showcase. More than 11,000 fans attended the double-header at Barclays Center, home to the WNBA’s New York Liberty and NBA’s Brooklyn Nets.
“We are honored for the opportunity to play in the Women’s Champions Classic,’ Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said in a statement. ‘This is one of the many reasons why our players come to Maryland ― to play on the biggest stage. We have a great fanbase in the New York area and we can’t wait to play in front of them as well.”
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
