Officials Gearing Up for Cancun Challenge

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Officials with Triple Crown Sports are gearing up for another great Cancun Challenge event. The 2024 Cancun Challenge will see 18 men's and women's programs make the trip to Cancun over Thanksgiving week to the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya.

The 16th annual Men’s Cancun Challenge, set for Nov. 21-22, 2023 welcomes eight teams to this gated, trusted and all-inclusive resort, where teams play in a converted ballroom that is walking distance from guest rooms. The event features four teams in the Riviera Division (Fresno State, James Madison, New Mexico State and Southern Illinois) and four teams in the Mayan Division (Chicago State, Morgan State, Northern Colorado and Radford).

This marks the second visit to the event for Fresno State and Northern Colorado; it’s the debut appearance for the other programs.

The 18th running of the women’s event will be held Nov. 23-25. For 2023, the four-team Mayan Division will feature Green Bay, Maryland, UMass and Washington State. These squads will play a three-game round robin at the event. In the Riviera Division, six teams will be making the trip and playing two games while in Mexico – Creighton, Georgia Tech, James Madison, Michigan State, Montana State and New Mexico.

The Riviera Division of the men's tournament will be televised on CBS Sports Network, while the Mayan Division, as well as the entire women's tournament, will be streamed live on FloHoops.

Here’s the game schedule:

Men's Tournament
Wednesday, Nov. 15
Morgan State at Fresno State

Thursday, Nov. 16
Chicago State at Southern Illinois

Friday, Nov. 17
Radford at JMU

Saturday, Nov. 18
Northern Colorado at New Mexico State

At the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya (subject to change):

Tuesday, Nov. 21
MAYAN
Morgan State vs. Radford, 12:30 p.m. ET (FloHoops)
Chicago State vs. Northern Colorado, 3 p.m. ET (FloHoops)

RIVIERA
JMU vs. Southern Illinois, 6 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)
Fresno State vs. New Mexico State, 8:30 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)

Wednesday, Nov. 22
MAYAN
Morgan State/Radford loser vs. Chicago State/Northern Colorado loser, 12:30 p.m. ET (FloHoops)
Morgan State/Radford winner vs. Chicago State/Northern Colorado winner, 3 p.m. ET (FloHoops)

RIVIERA
JMU/Southern Illinois loser vs. Fresno State/New Mexico State loser, 6 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)
JMU/Southern Illinois winner vs. Fresno State/New Mexico State winner, 8:30 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)

Women's Tournament
Thursday, Nov. 23
Maryland vs. Washington State, 11 a.m. ET
UMass vs. Green Bay, 1:30 p.m. ET
Georgia Tech vs. Creighton, 4 p.m. ET
Michigan State vs. James Madison, 6:30 p.m. ET
Montana State vs. New Mexico, 9 p.m. ET

Friday, Nov. 24
Washington State vs. UMass, 11 a.m. ET
Green Bay vs. Maryland, 1:30 p.m. ET
Creighton vs. Michigan State, 4:30 p.m. ET
New Mexico vs. Georgia Tech, 6:30 p.m. ET
James Madison vs. Montana State, 9 p.m. ET

Saturday, Nov. 25
UMass vs. Maryland, 11 a.m. ET
Washington State vs. Green Bay, 1:30 p.m. ET

“Fans making the trip to the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya will not only get the pleasure of enjoying sunny Mexico when it’s chilly back at home,” said Cancun Challenge director Sarah Molina. “They’ll also get to watch some superior basketball, as we will bring another strong group of Power 5 teams and impressive mid-majors looking to make an impact ahead of league and conference action.”

Fan packages are available; check out your options for a relaxing, secure warm-weather escape over Thanksgiving weekend: Fan Packages - Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya - Cancun Challenge

About Triple Crown Sports
Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for 40 years. TCS runs both the preseason and postseason WNIT basketball events and produces the men’s and women’s DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown is also powering “WNIT” concept events in D-I softball (NISC) and volleyball (NIVC), with those two events debuting in 2017. Triple Crown’s PV College Challenge features more than 10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. Anchored by the 1,100-team Colorado 4th of July event, TC fastpitch tournaments draw the nation’s finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes. TCS produces one of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the Omaha SlumpBuster during the College World Series. The Triple Crown Volleyball NIT has become the top-recruited club volleyball event in the country each February when 550 teams compete in Kansas City, MO.

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