NORFOLK, Va. - The first round pairings for the 2026-27 MAC-SBC Basketball Challenge – a scheduling alliance between the Mid-American and Sun Belt Conferences – were announced on Thursday for both ODU basketball programs. This year’s first round will be played on November 2, with Sun Belt women’s programs on the road and its men’s programs hosting.
Old Dominion women’s basketball tips off the 2026-27 season with a matchup on the road at Central Michigan. This will be the first time in program history that the Monarchs meet the Chippewas.
Central Michigan finished last season with an 18-12 record and went 12-6 in the MAC. CMU finished with a 9-4 record at home and went 9-7 on the road. Last season the Chippewas ended their season with a one-point loss in the 2026 MAC Championship Final against Ohio, 89-88.
Last season’s MAC Player of the Year was CMU’s Madi Morson after she previously earned MAC Freshman Player of the Year the season prior. She averaged 20.1 points per game and four rebounds while shooting 83.3% from the free throw line and 39.2% from behind the arc. The Chippewas second leading scorer last season was Ayaana-Sarai Darrington. The sophomore forward averaged 14.9 points on 56.7% shooting from the field and 7.2 rebounds per game. Morson and Darrington both transferred to Arizona State this summer. CMU is led by head coach Kristin Haynie entering her fourth season with a record of 38-51.
Old Dominion finished with an 18-14 record last season and went 9-9 in the Sun Belt. The Monarchs opened the 2025-26 season with a matchup against Massachusetts at Chartway Arena but lost, 58-52. In the second round of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge ODU defeated Ohio, 84-76. ODU head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones is entering her seventh season in Norfolk and is currently at 149 career wins. In her six seasons she has compiled 117 wins, 73 losses and a winning percentage of 61.6%.
The Monarchs return two players from last season, Riley Stack and Dalanna Carter. Jones recruited 13 incoming players composed of three freshmen in addition to players who have featured on teams in the Power Four and those that shined in D-II and JUCO.