Men’s 2026 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship Bracket, All-HBCUAC Award Winners Revealed
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. February 22, 2026- The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) announces the men's pairings for the HBCUAC 2026 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship hosted by Stillman College and Visit Tuscaloosa at Birthright Alumni Hall, February 24-March 1, and the 2026 All-HBCUAC Teams and award winners.
This season, the schools only competed inside their own division during conference play, though some played their cross-divisional opponents in non-conference games. Stillman College remained on top of the East Division with an 18-9 overall record and 10-2 in HBCUAC play. It finished the regular season on an eight-game winning streak. Josh Price leads the Tigers offensively with 14.7 points per game. He is one of four averaging double figures. Dasean Sellers follows with 13.5 points per game; he ranks fifth in the conference with a 58.3 field goal percentage. Allister Dixon leads the team with 7.1 rebounds per game, which ranks fifth in the conference. He ranks second with a 66.4 field goal percentage. Stillman is looking for a better finish after it was upset in the semifinals by No. 5 Philander Smith University last season. It will face the winner of West No. 4 Southern University at New Orleans and the East No. 5 Fisk University and West No. 8 University of the Virgin Islands winner in the quarterfinals at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Tougaloo College continued its dominance in the West, finishing 17-8 and 10-2 in HBCUAC play. It finished the regular season on a three-game winning streak. Antonio Patterson is the Bulldogs' leader, ranking second in the conference with 20 points per game. He ranks fifth in steals with 46. Tyler Hudson ranks second in the conference with 102 assists. Tougaloo hopes that year three is the charm. It was upset by No. 9 Dillard in 2024 and No. 7 Wilberforce University last season. The Bulldogs will face the winner of East No. 4 Wilberforce and West No. 5 Paul Quinn College in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. Thursday. Below is the entire bracket. Due to forfeits, the East Division seeds were adjusted.
East Division Seeding
1. Stillman College
2. Talladega College
3. Voorhees University
4. Wilberforce University
5. Fisk University
6. Oakwood University
7. Rust College
West Division Seeding
1. Tougaloo College
2. Philander Smith University
3. Dillard University
4. Southern University at New Orleans
5. Paul Quinn College
6. Huston-Tillotson University
7. Wiley University
8. University of the Virgin Islands
In addition to the tournament seeding, the HBCUAC also released its regular season awards.
Philander Smith University big man Raymond Reece wins HBCUAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year. He leads the conference with 22.4 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. His rebounding total leads the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Reece picked up eight HBCUAC Player of the Week Awards.
Stillman College head coach John Teasley repeats as HBCUAC Coach of the Year. For the second straight season, he led the Tigers to the best record in the East. His assistant, Montego Hoskins, picked up HBCUAC Assistant Coach of the Year.
Southern University at New Orleans wing Jaylon Hicks claims HBCUAC Freshman of the Year. He quickly became on the top all-around players in the conference. He ranks seventh in the conference with 15.8 points and eighth with 6.8 rebounds per game. Hicks won 13 HBCUAC Weekly Honors.
His teammate Dorian Booker took home HBCUAC Newcomer of the Year. He was a force down low, averaging 7.9 rebounds per game, which is fourth in the conference. Booker ranks 12th with 14.5 points per game. The All-HBCUAC teams and award winners are listed below.
Coach of the Year: John Teasley, Stillman College
Assistant Coach of the Year: Montego Hoskins, Stillman College
Player of the Year: Raymond Reece, Philander Smith
Defensive Player of the Year: Raymond Reece, Philander Smith
Freshman of the Year: Jaylon Hicks, SUNO
Newcomer of the Year: Dorian Booker, SUNO
First Team
Raymond Reece, Philander Smith
Antonio Patterson, Tougaloo
Jordan Bell, Oakwood
Shaun Walker, Talladega
Jaylon Hicks, SUNO
Second Team
Dorian Booker, SUNO
Dasean Sellers, Stillman
Willie Anderson, Tougaloo
Shamir Mosley, Wiley
Daiquan Coach, Wilberforce
All-Defensive Team
Raymond Reece, Philander Smith
Simeon Williams II, Fisk
Cortez Collins, Wiley
Mekhi Johnson, Paul Quinn
Jaylon Hicks, SUNO
The men's 2026 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship tips off at 9 a.m. Tuesday with East No. 5 Fisk University playing West No. 8 University of the Virgin Islands. Fans can catch all of the championship action on the Urban Edge Network, which is available for viewing online or by downloading the app.
About the HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Oakwood University (AL), Paul Quinn College (TX), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.