The 2026 NCAA DII men’s basketball championship began with a selection show on Sunday, March 8 at 11 p.m. ET on NCAA.com. The 64-team field will come down to eight regional qualifiers advancing to Indianapolis. The national championship will be held at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana on April. 5. Thirty first round matchups take place Saturday, March 14.
Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 DII men’s basketball championship.
➡️ Watch live: 2026 DII men’s basketball championships
2026 DII men’s basketball championship bracket
👉 Click or tap to see the interactive bracket | Printable bracket
2026 DII men’s basketball championship schedule, scores
All times listed in ET.
- First and second rounds: Livestream on NCAA.com
- Regionals: Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17
- Quarterfinal and semifinal competition: Wednesday, March 25 through Friday March 27
- National championship: Sunday, April 5
Selection show: 11 p.m. on Sunday, March 8
NCAA DII Men’s Basketball Championship History
Year
Champion (Record)
Coach
Score
Runner-Up
Site
2025
Nova Southeastern (36-1)
Jim Crutchfield
74-73
Cal St. Dom. Hills
Evansville, Ind.
2024
Minnesota State (35-2)
Matt Margenthaler
88-85
Nova Southeastern
Evansville, Ind.
2023
Nova Southeastern (36-0)
Jim Crutchfield
111-101
West Liberty
Evansville, Ind.
2022
Northwest Missouri State (34-5)
Ben McCollum
67-58
Augusta
Evansville, Ind.
2021
Northwest Missouri State (28-2)
Ben McCollum
80-54
West Texas A&M
Evansville, Ind.
2020
Canceled due to Covid-19
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2019
Northwest Missouri State (38-0)
Ben McCollum
64-58
Point Loma
Evansville, Ind.
2018
Ferris State (38-1)
Andy Bronkema
71-69
Northern State
Sioux Falls, S.D.
2017
Northwest Missouri St. (35-1)
Ben McCollum
71-61
Fairmont State
Sioux Falls, S.D.
2016
Augustana [S.D.] (34-2)
Tom Billeter
90-81
Lincoln Memorial
Frisco, Tex.
2015
Florida Southern (36-1)
Linc Darner
77-62
Indiana (Pa.)
Evansville, Ind.
2014
Central Missouri (30-5)
Kim Anderson
84-77
West Liberty
Evansville, Ind.
2013
Drury (31-4)
Steve Hesser
74-73
Metro State
Atlanta, Ga.
2012
Western Washington (31-5)
Brad Jackson
72-65
Montevallo
Highland Heights, Ky.
2011
Bellarmine (33-2)
Scott Davenport
71-68
BYU-Hawaii
Springfield, Mass.
2010
Cal Poly Pomona (28-6)
Greg kamansky
65-53
Indiana (Pa.)
Springfield, Mass.
2009
Findlay (36-0)
Ron Niekamp
56-53 (ot)
Cal Poly Pomona
Springfield, Mass.
2008
Winona State (38-1)
Mike Leaf
87-76
Augusta State
Springfield, Mass.
2007
Barton (31-5)
Ron Lievense
77-75
Winona State
Springfield, Mass.
2006
Winona State (32-4)
Mike Leaf
73-61
Virginia Union
Springfield, Mass.
2005
Virginia Union (30-4)
Dave Robbins
63-58
Bryant
Grand Forks, N.D.
2004
Kennesaw State (35-4)
Tony Ingle
84-59
Southern Indiana
Bakersfield, Calif.
2003
Northeastern State (32-3)
Larry Gipson
75-64
**Kentucky Wesleyan
Lakeland, Fla.
2002
Metro State (29-6)
Mike Dunlap
80-72
Kentucky Wesleyan
Evansville, Ind.
2001
Kentucky Wesleyan (31-3)
Ray Harper
72-63
Washburn
Bakersfield, Calif.
2000
Metro State (33-4)
Mike Dunlap
97-79
Kentucky Wesleyan
Louisville, Ky.
1999
Kentucky Wesleyan (35-2)
Ray Harper
75-60
Metro State
Louisville, Ky.
1998
UC Davis (31-2)
Bob Williams
83-77
Kentucky Wesleyan
Louisville, Ky.
1997
Cal State Bakersfield (29-4)
Pat Douglass
57-56
Northern Kentucky
Louisville, Ky.
1996
Fort Hays State (34-0)
Gary Garner
70-63
Northern Kentucky
Louisville, Ky.
1995
Southern Indiana (29-4)
Bruce Pearl
71-63
UC Riverside
Louisville, Ky.
1994
Cal State Bakersfield (27-6)
Pat Douglass
92-86
Southern Indiana
Springfield, Mass.
1993
Cal State Bakersfield (33-0)
Pat Douglass
85-72
Troy
Springfield, Mass.
1992
Virginia Union (30-3)
Dave Robbins
100-75
Bridgeport
Springfield, Mass.
1991
North Alabama (29-4)
Gary Elliot
79-72
Bridgeport
Springfield, Mass.
1990
Kentucky Wesleyan (31-2)
Wayne Chapman
93-79
Cal State Bakersfield
Springfield, Mass.
1989
North Carolina Central (28-4)
Michael Bernard
73-46
Southeast Missouri State
Springfield, Mass.
1988
Massachusetts-Lowell (27-7)
Don Doucette
75-72
Alaska Anchorage
Springfield, Mass.
1987
Kentucky Wesleyan (28-5)
Wayne Chapman
92-74
Gannon
Springfield, Mass.
1986
Sacred Heart (30-4)
Dave Bike
93-87
Southeast Missouri State
Springfield, Mass.
1985
Jacksonville State (31-1)
Bill Jones
74-73
South Dakota State
Springfield, Mass.
1984
Central Missouri (29-3)
Lynn Nance
81-77
Saint Augustine’s
Springfield, Mass.
1983
Wright State (18-4)
Ralph Underhill
92-73
District of Columbia
Springfield, Mass.
1982
District of Columbia (25-5)
Wil Jones
73-63
Florida Southern
Springfield, Mass.
1981
Florida Southern (24-8)
Hal Wissel
73-68
Mount Saint Mary’s
Springfield, Mass.
1980
Virginia Union (26-4)
Dave Robbins
80-74
SUNYIT
Springfield, Mass.
1979
North Alabama (22-9)
Bill Jones
64-50
Green Bay
Springfield, Mo.
1978
Cheyney (26-2)
John Chaney
47-40
Green Bay
Springfield, Mo.
1977
Chattanooga (27-5)
Ron shumate
71-62
Randolph-Macon
Springfield, Mass.
1976
Puget Sound (27-7)
Don Zech
83-74
Chattanooga
Evansville, Ind.
1975
Old Dominion (25-6)
Sonny Allen
76-74
New Orleans
Evansville, Ind.
1974
Morgan State (28-5)
Nathaniel Frazier
67-52
Missouri State
Evansville, Ind.
1973
Kentucky Wesleyan (24-6)
Bob Jones
78-76 (ot)
Tennessee State
Evansville, Ind.
1972
Roanoke (28-4)
Charles Moir
84-72
Akron
Evansville, Ind.
1971
Evansville (22-8)
Arad McCutchan
97-82
Old Dominion
Evansville, Ind.
1970
Philadelphia University (29-2)
Herb Magee
76-65
Tennessee State
Evansville, Ind.
1969
Kentucky Wesleyan (25-5)
Bob Daniels
75-71
Missouri State
Evansville, Ind.
1968
Kentucky Wesleyan (28-3)
Bob Daniels
63-52
Indiana State
Evansville, Ind.
1967
Winston-Salem (30-2)
C.E. Gaines
77-74
Missouri State
Evansville, Ind.
1966
Kentucky Wesleyan (24-6)
Guy Strong
54-51
Southern Illinois
Evansville, Ind.
1965
Evansville (29-0)
Arad McCutchan
85-82 (ot)
Southern Illinois
Evansville, Ind.
1964
Evansville (26-3)
Arad McCutchan
72-59
Akron
Evansville, Ind.
1963
South Dakota State (22-5)
Jim Iverson
44-42
Wittenberg
Evansville, Ind.
1962
Mount Saint Mary’s (24-6)
James Phelan
58-57 (ot)
Sacramento State
Evansville, Ind.
1961
Wittenberg (25-4)
Ray Mears
42-38
Southeast Missouri State
Evansville, Ind.
1960
Evansville (25-4)
Arad McCutchan
90-69
Chapman
Evansville, Ind.
1959
Evansville (21-6)
Arad McCutchan
83-67
Missouri State
Evansville, Ind.
1958
South Dakota (22-5)
Duane Clodfelter
75-53
Saint Michael’s
Evansville, Ind.
1957
Wheaton (Ill.) (28-1)
Lee Pfund
89-65
Kentucky Wesleyan
Evansville, Ind.
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