The UMBC men’s basketball team is heading to the 2026 NCAA Tournament after winning the America East. In the America East Tournament, the Retrievers defeated New Hampshire 84-69, UMass Lowell 91-69, and Vermont 74-59 in the championship game.
The Retrievers are 24-8 this season and on a 12-game winning streak.
UMBC NCAA Tournament Appearances
In 2026, UMBC basketball will make its third appearance in the Division I NCAA Tournament.
The Retrievers also reached the tourney in 2008 and 2018.
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UMBC Basketball NCAA Tournament Wins
UMBC has won one game in the Division I NCAA Tournament. It defeated Virginia in 2018, becoming the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed.
The Retrievers have a 1-2 overall record in the Big Dance.
UMBC Basketball Coach Jim Ferry
Jim Ferry has been the UMBC head coach since April 2021.
The Retrievers posted back-to-back 18-win seasons in his first two years before going 11-21 in 2023-24 and 13-19 in 2024-25.
Before UMBC, Ferry coached at Penn State from 2017 to 2021, serving as the interim head coach in his final season. Ferry has head coaching experience at Duquesne, LIU Brooklyn, Adelphi, and Plymouth State dating back to 1998.
As a player, Ferry played one year at New York Tech before transferring to Keene State
