UCA basketball tournament heads to Allen, Texas starting in 2027

Central Arkansas will chase its next UAC basketball championship somewhere new.

The United Athletic Conference picked Allen, Texas, as the host city for its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments for the next three years, and the Bears will get their first shot at that stage when the 2026-27 season wraps up.

The Credit Union of Texas Event Center will host the tournaments starting in 2027.

That’s a big shift for UCA and the rest of the league after years of conference realignment turned the old WAC into the UAC.

UCA joins Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, Little Rock, North Alabama, Tarleton State, UT Arlington and West Georgia as full members set to compete for automatic NCAA Tournament bids in Allen.

Unisun Sports chief executive officer Jeff Bacon said the league wanted a location that worked for everyone involved.

“We are thrilled to bring our men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to Allen, Texas,” Bacon said. “Our top priority when we began this process was to deliver the best experience possible for our student-athletes, coaches and fans and we believe that Allen provides just that.”

Bacon added that Allen fits the conference’s larger goals as it builds its identity under the UAC name.

What Allen brings to the table

The venue seats more than 7,000 fans and already hosts over 100 events a year.

It’s home to the Allen Americans, an ECHL hockey team, and it regularly welcomes concerts, trade shows and other sporting events. City leaders say the building carries roughly a $13 million economic impact for the community each year.

Allen mayor Chris Schulmeister called the selection a reflection of years of investment in the city’s sports infrastructure.

“It’s always an honor when an organization places its confidence in Allen, and I’m grateful to the UAC for choosing our community as the home of its basketball tournaments for the next three years,” Schulmeister said. He pointed to Allen’s continued facility upgrades as a reason the city could land an event of this size.

Visit Allen Texas director Brandy O’Keefe echoed that sentiment, noting the venue was designed with championship moments in mind.

“Student-athletes spend an entire season working toward the opportunity to compete for a conference championship, and we’re proud to provide a venue that matches the significance of that moment,” O’Keefe said.

A new logo for a new era

The UAC also unveiled a tournament logo built around the league’s “Forge Ahead” mission.

Designed by Joe Bosack & Co., the logo uses a horseshoe to represent strength and perseverance while nodding to Texas as the tournament’s new home.

The silver coloring is meant to reflect the conference’s determination heading into this new chapter.

For UCA, the announcement gives coaches and players a clear target for postseason planning.

Bears basketball now knows exactly where a conference title run could lead beginning in the 2026-27 campaign, with tip-off dates set for March 10-14.

A bracket and broadcast details haven’t been released yet. UCA fans will have to wait a bit longer to see how the postseason picture takes shape, but the destination is locked in.

Key takeaways

• Central Arkansas will compete in the UAC Basketball Tournaments at Allen’s Credit Union of Texas Event Center starting in 2027.
• The venue holds more than 7,000 fans and carries an estimated $13 million yearly economic impact for the city.
• Tournament dates are set for March 10-14, 2027, with bracket and broadcast details still to come.