MERCED, Calif. – The California Pacific Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships will be coming to Merced for the first time ever March 1-5, 2024. UC Merced Athletics will host the postseason tournament on Hostetler Court inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
The top six teams in the men's and women's basketball standings qualify for the championships. Seedings will be finalized by Saturday, February 24 at 8:00pm.
The opening rounds will take place in the afternoon March 1-2 followed by four semifinal games on Sunday, March 3. The Cal Pac Men's Basketball Championship game is scheduled for 7:00pm on March 4 with the Cal Pac Women's Basketball Championship game taking place the following night at 7:00pm.
The winner of each championship receives the Cal Pac's second automatic berth to the NAIA National Championships. The regular season champion will receive the first. If the regular season champion also wins the tournament, the second berth will go to the tournament runner-up. The men's tournament has seen a different champion each of the last four years. On the women's side, UC Merced and University of Antelope Valley have combined for the last eight full-season Cal Pac Tournament Championships dating back to 2015.
UC Merced will be just the fourth athletics department in the last decade to host both Cal Pac Basketball Championship Tournaments.
In addition, the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium will serve as the host venue for the 2024 Cal Pac Men's Volleyball Championships April 19-20. Earlier this academic year, UC Merced hosted the Cal Pac Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships, Men's Water Polo Championships, and Women's Soccer Championships.
General Admission tickets to the Cal Pac Basketball Championships can be purchased for $10 on ucmercedbobcats.com the week of the tournament. All ten games will also be available to watch on ucmercedbobcats.com/watch.
UC Merced men's basketball has already punched their ticket and are currently in position for a first-round bye with two regular season games remaining. If the Bobcats finish as the #2 seed, they will play in the Cal Pac Semifinals on Sunday, March 3 at 3:30pm. UC Merced women's basketball is currently in a three-way tie for the final postseason berth with two games remaining. UC Merced is guaranteed a postseason spot with two wins and a La Sierra loss. There are also other scenarios.
