By: Justin “Couz” Walker | WV Sports Chat
The WVU Men’s basketball team has been added to the field for the 2026 Players Era Championship in Las Vegas.
We are excited to be invited with seven of our Big 12 Conference members to participate in the 2026 Players Era Men’s Championship,” said West Virginia head men’s basketball coach Ross Hodge. “The exposure this tournament presents will be beneficial to our program, our University and the state of West Virginia. This has become the biggest in-season tournament in college basketball, and we are thrilled to be a part of this prestigious event.”
Per the press release from the Big 12 Conference:
Players Era, an EverWonder Studio company, and the Big 12 Conference today announced that Kansas State, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia will round out the eight Big 12 participants in the expanded 2026 Players Era Men’s Championship Field.
Players Era and the Big 12 previously announced a first-of-its-kind partnership that guarantees the Big 12, perennially one of the top men’s basketball conferences in the country, with eight teams in the Players Era Men’s Championship.
The new teams join existing Big 12 participants Baylor, Houston, Iowa State and Kansas in next year’s expanded tournament field.
The Players Era Championship has quickly become one of the premier multi-team events in college basketball. It offers NIL opportunities for participating players and a significant financial bonus to the winning team. It featured 18 teams in 2026, but will expand to 32 teams in 2026.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
