Salina to Host National Youth Basketball Tourney

By Todd Pittenger February 24, 2023

A national youth basketball tournament is coming to Salina.

According to the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, the National Division II Christian Homeschool Basketball Tournament (ND2CHA) has selected Salina as its host  location for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 Tournaments. The three-day event is expected to attract 80+ teams featuring  middle high and high school boys and girls from several states throughout the Midwest annually to Salina. Dates of  the event follow.  

  • 2024: Feb. 29 – March 2, 2024 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday)  
  • 2025: March 6 – March 8, 2025 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday)  
  • 2026: March 5 – March 7, 2026 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday)  

The Salina Fieldhouse and Kansas Wesleyan University’s Mabee Arena will be the primary facilities for the event.  Most of the tournament play will take place at the Salina Fieldhouse beginning Thursday. Games will begin at about  7:30 AM and continue to 10:00 PM daily. On Friday afternoon, the event takes a “Time Out”, which is a special event  for players and spectators featuring a devotional speaker and a shooting contest. The Time-Out will take place in  Mabee Arena, where there will be plenty of seating and space for all participants.  

Steve Poage, ND2CHA Basketball Tournament Director, “We are excited to have our tournament in Salina. Besides  the central location, Salina has exceptional facilities like the Salina Fieldhouse and KWU’s Mabee Arena. In addition,  Salina’s diverse lodging and dining options will provide excellent choices for our athletes, families, officials, and  spectators. We believe the move to Salina is a WIN/WIN, a WIN for the homeschool basketball organization and a  WIN for the student athletes and all participants!  

Visit Salina has estimated that the three-day event will generate an economic impact of $932,000 into the Salina  area.  

Tiffany Benien, Visit Salina, commented, “A big thank you to the National Division II Christian Homeschool  Association and to the Salina Fieldhouse and Kansas Wesleyan University on working together to make this event a  possibility in Salina. This is a great event for Salina, and we are so excited to welcome teams from throughout the  United States. I truly believe Salina will embrace this event, provide an atmosphere to grow in the future, and  continue its success!”