As Liberty Athletics moves to a new home in Conference USA beginning July 1, the Flames’ new conference home will also be in a new home for its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.
CUSA Commissioner Judy MacLeod announced Thursday that the the two tournaments will be moving to Huntsville, Alabama and will be played at Propst Arena for at least the next two seasons with options to extend after that. The tournament had previously been played in Frisco, Texas.
“We are very excited to have our men’s and women’s basketball teams compete for a conference championship and berth in the NCAA Tournament at Propst Arena in Huntsville,” MacLeod said in a conference release. “We can’t wait to get started partnering with the team from the city, Sports Commission, Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and Knight Eady (sports agency) to put on a first-class event for our student-athletes, universities and fans, while enjoying all Huntsville has to offer.”
The 2024 CUSA basketball championships for both the men and women will be held March 12-16 with the winners receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Before moving to Frisco, the CUSA tournament was previously held in Alabama from 2015-17 in Birmingham at Legacy Arena.
“We are proud to welcome the Conference USA men’s and women’s basketball championships to Huntsville and our renovated Propst Arena,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “March Madness will be starting int he Rocket City next year and we can’t wait to showcase our great city to all the student-athletes, coaches, fans, and alumni attending the event.”
Surprise Final Four participant Florida Atlantic came out of CUSA as well as NIT runner-up UAB and champion North Texas. All three are departing the league for the American Athletic Conference for the 2023-24 academic year.
Liberty will be making the transition from the ASUN to Conference USA. Other schools in the conference include Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP, and Western Kentucky while Jacksonville State, New Mexico State, and Sam Houston will all join the league this coming season. Kennesaw State will join the league for the 2024-25 season.
“Providing an exciting and enjoyable championship atmosphere for the student-athletes is our top priority, and I believe all of the teams traveling to the rocket city will love their experience here,” said Mark Russell, Executive Director of the Huntsville Sports Commission. “Huntsville is a great destination – not just to visit, but for sports – and I’m thrilled Conference USA is entrusting our team to host a high caliber event like the CUSA Basketball Championships here. WE can’t wait!”
The Von Braun Center is a multi-purpose facility located in downtown Huntsville, Alabama. The VBC offers multiple venues for presenting cultural, educational, entertainment, sporting and social events. Venue spaces include Propst Arena, Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, Mars Music Hall, Playhouse, North Hall, South Hall, and East Hall. Additionally, the VBC has an on-site full-service restaurant and rooftop bar – Rhythm on Monroe.
Propst Arena is home to the SPHL Huntsville Havoc Hockey and is equipped to accommodate major concerts, trade and consumer shows, as well as basketball, ice hockey, football, and rodeos. Seating capacity is approximately 10,000.
“Bringing a piece of March Madness to Huntsville has been a goal for our community and this is a great opportunity to have the road to the Final Four start here,” Joel Lamp, Sports Manager for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said in the announcement. “Conference USA has a national brand that will provide a larger platform for Huntsville to shine. This has been a tremendous team effort from all of our partners and we appreciate the confidence that Conference USA leadership has in our vision to provide a championship experience at Propst Arena.”
