30-0 Cal State East Bay Pioneers men’s basketball team to play in NCAA DII Tournament beginning Friday

With brackets chosen will face No. 8 Cal Poly Humboldt in First Round of West Regionals March 13

All games to be played on home court in Hayward

Team now No. 2 in national rankings

Head Coach Bryan Rooney named CCAA Coach of the Year

By Kimberly Hawkins, Senior News and Media Manager/PIO, Cal State East Bay

One of the most dramatic turnaroundsin college sports now owns the national spotlight.

Last year, Cal State East Bay’s men’s basketball team finished 11–17. Today, the Pioneers stand as the only undefeated team remaining in NCAA Division II at 30–0.

That remarkable rise brings the postseason home to Hayward. For the first time in 38 years, the Pioneers will host the NCAA Division II West Regionals March 13-16, welcoming eight teams from across the West Coast and Pacific Northwest for three days of high-stakes competition. Games begin Friday, with the champion advancing to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.

The Pioneers secured their place by winning the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, for the first time in program history — defeating Cal Poly Humboldt 80–63 in the championship game. Under Head Coach Bryan Rooney, named the CCAA Coach of the Year, East Bay has climbed to No. 2 in the national rankings — completing a transformation few could have predicted a year ago.

Now, with the stakes higher, the lights brighter and perfection intact, the Pioneers turn to their next chapter. Their rise — proof that in sports — and sometimes in life — transformation can happen faster than anyone expects.

Game schedule:

First Round — Friday, March 13 (PST)

• 12:00 p.m. | No. 3 Point Loma vs. No. 6 Northwest Nazarene
• 2:30 p.m. | No. 2 Saint Martin’s vs. No. 7 Hawaii Pacific
• 5:00 p.m. | No. 4 Alaska Anchorage vs. No. 5 Cal State Dominguez Hills
• 7:30 p.m. | No. 1 Cal State East Bay vs. No. 8 Cal Poly Humboldt

Second Round — Sunday, March 15 (PST)

(Matchups TBD — winners of Friday’s games)

• 5:00 p.m. | Game 1 (Winners of 12:00 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. games)
• 7:30 p.m. | Game 2 (Winners of 5:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. games)

See 2026 NCAA DII Tournament Brackets.

All tournament games will be played in Pioneer Gym at 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd. in Hayward.

Click here for tickets.