EDISON, NJ – The America East Conference and Metro Conference announced the participating schools and the full schedule of games for the inaugural America East-Metro Basketball Challenge, set for the start of the 2026 men's and women's basketball seasons.
The America East-Metro Basketball Challenge will feature nine men's and nine women's teams from each conference with games taking place Thursday-Sunday, November 5-8, 2026, with the exception of Iona at UMBC on Monday, November 16. Teams will play two games, one at home and one on the road, against opponents from the opposing conference. Game times will be determined by the host institution.
Every Metro Conference institution will be represented in the challenge, with five schools having both men's and women's teams participating. Metro Conference contestants include Canisius (women's), Fairfield (both), Iona (men's), Manhattan (both), Marist (both), Merrimack (both), Mount St. Mary's (women's), Niagara (women's), Quinnipiac (both), Rider (men's), Sacred Heart (men's), Saint Peter's (men's), and Siena (women's). All 18 America East men's and women's basketball programs will participate in the challenge.
Full Men's Schedule:
| Thursday, November 5, 2026 |
| Vermont at Fairfield |
| NJIT at Iona |
| UAlbany at Manhattan |
| UMBC at Marist |
| UMass Lowell at Merrimack |
| Bryant at Quinnipiac |
| New Hampshire at Rider |
| Maine at Sacred Heart |
| Binghamton at Saint Peter's |
| Sunday, November 8, 2026 |
| Rider at Binghamton |
| Fairfield at Bryant |
| Manhattan at Maine |
| Sacred Heart at New Hampshire |
| Saint Peter's at NJIT |
| Merrimack at UAlbany |
| Marist at UMass Lowell |
| Quinnipiac at Vermont |
| Monday, November 16, 2026 |
| Iona at UMBC |
In July 2025 both conferences announced the creation of a basketball challenge, a new early season showcase that is part of a two-year agreement for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons. This will be the first ever basketball challenge between two Northeast-based Division I leagues. Sharing a regional footprint, a mutual broadcast partner in ESPN, a common sponsorship rights holder in Van Wagner, and the same men's basketball officiating coordinator, the Challenge represents a natural and strategic collaboration
ABOUT THE AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit
www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
ABOUT THE METRO CONFERENCE
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, The Metro Conference is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary's University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter's University, and Siena University.
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Be sure to follow Iona University athletics on all social media platforms:
Iona Athletics: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)
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