CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
NEW YORK - Lehman College has earned the top seed in the 2026 CUNY Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship following the conclusion of regular season play Tuesday night. The Lightning (14-0) and second seeded Brooklyn (9-5) earned first round byes and will host semifinal contests on Tuesday, February 24.
Lehman, which is looking for its first CUNYAC men's basketball title since 2004, finished the first unbeaten regular season in conference play since Staten Island did so in 2016-17. The Lightning enter the championship winners of 13 straight.
Brooklyn has earned its highest seed since the 2015 championship. The Bulldogs were last champions in 2020 as the No. 5 seed.
Baruch (8-6) earned the No. 3 seed and will host sixth-seeded CCNY (5-9) in one first round game Saturday. York (8-6) grabbed the No. 4 seed and hosts fifth-seeded and defending champion John Jay (7-7) Saturday. Baruch won the tiebreaker with the Cardinals with its 2-0 record against York during the regular season.
The championship game of the 2026 CUNYAC Men's Basketball Championship is set to take place on Thursday, February 26 at 6:30 pm at the Hunter Sportsplex. The 2026 CUNYAC men's basketball champion earns an automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship.
2026 CUNYAC Men's Basketball Championship
Saturday, February 21 - First Round (at higher seeds)
No. 5 John Jay (7-7) at No. 4 York (8-6) - 1 pm
No. 6 CCNY (5-9) at No. 3 Baruch (8-6) - 1 pm
Tuesday, February 24 - Semifinals (at higher seeds)
CCNY/Baruch winner at No. 2 Brooklyn (9-5) - TBA
John Jay/York winner at No. 1 Lehman (14-0) - TBA
Thursday, February 26 - Final
Semifinal winners - 6:30 pm (at Hunter Sportsplex)
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