USCAA Announces National Championships Extension in Buffalo

Buffalo will remain as host of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association’s basketball championships through 2028, with 36 teams across the country coming to Erie County each March.

About 2,000 visitors are expected to spend an estimated $2 million. In the past, Erie County saw hotel occupancy up 14.2% the week USCAA was hosted in Buffalo.

“This championship not only highlights our city’s exceptional sports venues but also offers visitors the chance to experience the vibrant energy of downtown, our world-renowned cultural attractions and, of course, the original Buffalo wing,” said Buffalo Sports Commission CEO and President Patrick Kaler. “The influence is tangible, more than thirty teams from across the nation calling Buffalo home for eight nights creates an atmosphere of energy and excitement that resonates throughout our community and we look forward to building on that momentum in the years ahead.”

The championships will be organized by the USCAA National Office and the Buffalo Sports Commission. Bryant & Stratton College’s Buffalo campus and Villa Maria College, both USCAA members, will also help organize the tournament.

Most of the tournament will be held at the 2,700-seat arena SUNY Erie Community College’s Burt Flickinger Athletic Center, built for the 1993 World University Games. Villa Maria College will also serve as hosts.

“We are thrilled to extend the Basketball Small College National Championships in Buffalo,” said USCAA CEO BJ Bertges. “The support from the Buffalo Sports Commission, Visit Buffalo, and our co-host member institutions — Villa Maria College and Bryant & Stratton Buffalo — has made this one of our most successful championship events. We look forward to building on that success in the years to come.”