St. Bonaventure’s men’s basketball program is set to travel to Florida for the 2026 ESPN Events Invitational, joining a field that includes Akron, Appalachian State, Belmont, Wright State and Yale. The tournament, held during Thanksgiving week, marks the 20th edition of the event hosted by Walt Disney World Resort.
The six‑team Adventure Group showcases programs that have enjoyed recent success. Akron, the Mid‑American Conference champion, reached the NCAA Tournament four of the past five seasons and posted a 29‑6 record last year. Belmont, a Missouri Valley Conference staple, extended its streak of 20‑plus win seasons to 16, finishing 29‑6 a year ago. Wright State earned a return to the NCAA Tournament after capturing both the Horizon League regular‑season and tournament titles, while Yale has been a consistent Ivy League power, posting a 24‑7 record and an NIT berth in the most recent campaign.
A Milestone Tournament
Games will be staged at the State Farm Field House in Kissimmee, a venue within the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex that has served as the tournament’s home for two decades. The complex, situated near Orlando International Airport, features a 9,500‑seat stadium and multiple fields, and is operated by ESPN Events, which oversees more than three dozen collegiate competitions each year.
Over the three‑day schedule, each team will appear in three contests, with the bracket and broadcast details to be released in the coming weeks. The event’s longstanding tradition continues to provide mid‑major programs with a high‑profile platform ahead of the regular season, while also celebrating the growing partnership between collegiate basketball and the Florida sports tourism corridor.