Basketball

Dakota Wesleyan Tigers to Host 2026 Home Basketball Classic at the Corn Palace

The upcoming schedule features a return to the Cattle Classic, new conference matchups and a series of exhibition games across the country

A Milestone Classic at the Corn Palace

Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) will host its first home basketball classic since 2016 in October 2026, bringing the Tigers back to the historic Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. The event will showcase a revamped schedule that blends conference play with out‑of‑state matchups.

The women’s team opens the classic on Oct. 30 against William Penn University from Oskaloosa, Iowa, before facing Valley City State University of North Dakota on Oct. 31. The men’s side will host Bethany College of Kansas and also welcome Valley City State for the same two‑day stretch.

After the home classic, the Tigers will travel to Seward, Nebraska, for the Cattle Classic, where they will meet Dakota State and Montana Tech on Nov. 6 and 7 respectively. The schedule then shifts to December, with games in Phoenix against Missouri Baptist and Arizona Christian, and a Florida swing that includes St. Thomas (Fla.) on Dec. 19 and Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) on Dec. 20.

Exhibition contests against South Dakota State in Brookings are slated for Dec. 2 for the women’s team and Jan. 2 for the men’s team, while a Great Plains Athletic Conference doubleheader on New Year’s Day will see the women host Midland. The GPAC slate begins on Nov. 14 with a home game against Hastings, followed by a road trip to Morningside on Nov. 18.

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