“The decision to move the tournaments to Jacksonville represents a significant milestone for the ASUN and underscores the city's growing reputation as a premier destination for major sporting events,” said Bacon. “The process over the past year has been exhaustive and I have been tremendously impressed by the volume of interest in our tournaments from so many incredible cities and venues. In the end, Jacksonville’s passion for sports, alongside its outstanding facilities and hospitality, will create an incredible experience for our student-athletes and fans.”

The 2026 Championships are set to include all 12 ASUN member institutions, with 24 teams competing in 22 games over a thrilling seven-day span. This highly anticipated event is projected to generate more than $10 million in annual economic impact for the Jacksonville community and is being executed in partnership with the City of Jacksonville and Visit Jacksonville.

“I am proud that Jacksonville has been selected to host the ASUN Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments,” said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. “We look forward to welcoming the many student-athletes, families, coaches, and fans to our city. The ASUN Tournaments are another shining example of Jacksonville’s fast growth and why we’re a fantastic place to visit. I am grateful for the significant economic impact that will be brought to our community, and to all those who worked so hard to bring it here.”

“For the second time in as many years, we’re ecstatic to be part of an announcement about the Atlantic Sun Conference moving something to Jacksonville,” said Michael Corrigan, president and CEO of Visit Jacksonville. “We are looking forward to welcoming the universities, fans and their families to their new home in Jacksonville for the men’s and women’s basketball conference tournaments and showing everyone why we are Florida’s Championship City.”

Both tournament’s first rounds take place on campus sites. The quarterfinals through championship finals are being held at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, located downtown, providing an elite championship experience for ASUN student-athletes, families, and fans and elevating the profile of ASUN Basketball. VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena remains a top destination for sports and entertainment in northeast Florida.

"We are honored to welcome the ASUN Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments to VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena,” said Mike Kenny, General Manager, ASM Global. “This prestigious event is a perfect fit for our venue, and we are excited to provide a platform where the talented student-athletes can compete for a championship title. The energy of ASUN basketball will be on full display, and we look forward to creating an unforgettable experience for the teams, fans, and the Jacksonville community."

Over the next several months, additional information on the 2026 tournaments will be released including the bracket format and hotel and ticketing information. Fans are encouraged to visit www.asunsports.org and to follow the conference through all social media channels @asunsports for the latest updates. Sponsorships and corporate partnerships for the event will also be available.

"I want to thank everyone that was involved in this process including ASUN Senior Associate Commissioner Joe Kaminski, our Council of Presidents led by our Chair Susan Donovan, our Directors of Athletics led by our Chair Nick Morrow, Visit Jacksonville led by Michael Corrigan, VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena and ASM GM Mike Kenny, and all of the individuals involved from the City of Jacksonville and City Council," Bacon said.

“To our student-athletes: this decision was made for you,” said Bacon. “More than anything we want to provide you with an elite championship experience that you will remember for the rest of your life and it is our intention to make sure that happens. We’ll see you at The Destination.”
For ASUN’s announcement video, click  HERE.


About the Atlantic Sun Conference: The Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), founded in 1978, is an NCAA Division I conference sponsoring twenty-two (22) sports and championships.  Composed of twelve (12) destination-based institutions spread throughout the southeastern United States, ASUN members include Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, Tenn.), Bellarmine University (Louisville, Ky.), the University of Central Arkansas (Conway, Ark.), Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond, Ky.), Florida Gulf Coast University (Fort Myers, Fla.), Jacksonville University (Fla.), Lipscomb University (Nashville, Tenn.), the University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.), the University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.), Queens University of Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.), Stetson University (DeLand, Fla.), and the University of West Georgia (Carrollton, Ga.)