National Championship Tournament FAQ

The 36th annual HCASC National Championship Tournament (NCT) features teams from America's HBCUs.  For Season 36, the NCT will take place in April.

What teams compete in the HCASC National Championship Tournament?

There are three steps leading up to the naming of the teams for the NCT:

1. Participating institutions complete the NCT Part 1 Qualification materials by December 6, 2024.
2. NCT Part 2 Qualification materials are submitted by January 24, 2025.
3. HBCU teams must attend the HCASC Qualifying Tournaments. There will be six NQTs which will be seeded according to HCASC headquarters to optimize competition and allow for match-ups across the HBCU map.

After NQT play, teams will be seeded for participation in the National Championship Tournament.

Are there player eligibility requirements?

Yes, please consult the Player Eligibility page.

What grants and prizes are awarded?

Individual players receive a variety of items such as t-shirts, hats & medallions. The participating HBCUs share in grants from Honda of up to $404,000 each year:

What is the NCT format?

The tournament format is a modified round robin where the schools play in divisions. The top 16 teams advance as NQT qualifiers to a single-elimination playoff.  The final two teams battle it out for the National title in a best 2-out-of-3 finals.

Who runs the NCT?

While HCASC has a year-round staff, some 60 volunteers assist with all aspects of the NCT, from game play to team arrivals & registration to event staging and more. For more information on becoming an HCASC volunteer, please contact HCASC Staff.