Teams and Matchups for Inaugural America East – Metro Women’s Basketball Challenge Announced

The America East Conference and Metro Conference today announced the participating schools and the full schedule of games for the inaugural America East – Metro Basketball Challenge, set for the start of the 2026-27 college basketball season.

The America East – Metro Basketball Challenge will feature nine men's and nine women's teams from each conference, with games taking place Thursday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 8. Participating 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 and will be announced at a later time.

The Canisius women's basketball team will take part in this event, and the Golden Griffins are scheduled to play their first game of the event on Nov. 5, when the team travels to play at New Hampshire. The game between the Griffs and the Wildcats will be the fourth in series history, a series that dates back to the 1993-94 campaign. Two of the previous three contests between the two programs have been played in Durham, N.H., including a 64-37 victory on Dec. 20, 2008.

On Nov. 8, the Blue and Gold will play host to UMass-Lowell at the Koessler Athletic Center. That game between the Griffs and the River Hawks will be the first in program history.

To see the entire field and all of the match ups for the inaugural America East – Metro Conference Challenge, CLICK HERE.

In July of 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:

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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