{"id":164561,"date":"2026-03-25T14:38:05","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T18:38:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/?p=164561"},"modified":"2026-03-25T15:11:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T19:11:06","slug":"raiders-ncaa-appearance-brings-wright-state-into-the-national-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/2026\/03\/25\/raiders-ncaa-appearance-brings-wright-state-into-the-national-spotlight\/","title":{"rendered":"Raiders\u2019 NCAA appearance brings Wright State into the national spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Several hundred fans filled the Student Union Atrium to watch the men’s basketball team take on Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 20.<\/p><\/div>\n

Wright State University\u2019s return to the NCAA Tournament delivered more than a memorable game \u2014 it sparked pride across campus and far beyond, uniting fans in a shared moment on the national stage.<\/p>\n

From packed watch parties at the Dayton Campus Student Union and Lake Campus Boathouse to gatherings in Beavercreek and Philadelphia, students, faculty, staff and alumni came together to cheer on the Raiders during their March Madness appearance.<\/p>\n

Several hundred fans filled the Student Union Atrium for a campus watch party, celebrating every basket as if they were courtside at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Though the Raiders ultimately fell to Virginia 82\u201373, fans expressed pride in the players\u2019 string showing, relishing the March Madness experience.<\/p>\n

The atmosphere left an impression on those who showed up to watch.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing is guaranteed so you try to take advantage of this season,\u201d first-year finance major Sean Phipps said after the watch party. \u201cIt\u2019s something you really appreciate while it\u2019s happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Excitement had been building for weeks. During the Horizon League Championship, the university awarded one-year full scholarships to three students<\/a> during a halftime promotion, adding to the energy surrounding the team\u2019s postseason push.<\/p>\n

Wright State\u2019s men\u2019s basketball team<\/a> secured its NCAA bid after winning both the Horizon League regular-season title and tournament championship \u2014 a first for the men\u2019s basketball program. Fans marked the milestone at a Selection Sunday watch party in the Student Union.<\/p>\n

For 2011 alum Sam Bernard, who traveled to Indianapolis for the Horizon League Championship, the experience captured the spirit of Raider Nation.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing in Indy showed me what makes Raider basketball special,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re surrounded by fans you might never talk to at home games, but on the road, you share every moment \u2014 the nerves, the excitement, the joy. Winning the tournament just made that bond even stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Wright State administrators and staff traveled to Philadelphia to join alumni to support the Raiders at Xfinity Mobile Arena.<\/p><\/div>\n

On the court, the Raiders matched up with Virginia in a hard-fought game that featured 11 ties and 18 lead changes. Wright State led by five at halftime before the Cavaliers pulled away late.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so incredibly proud of these young men,\u201d said Joylynn Brown, director of athletics. \u201cThey took advantage of the spotlight and shined. And I can tell you this, Virginia definitely knows who Wright State is now. This team has put us on the map.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team\u2019s success resonated across the region.<\/p>\n

Greene County Commissioners declared March 20, 2026, as Wright State Day, citing the team\u2019s dedication, teamwork and sportsmanship as an inspiration to the community. The team, commissioners said, \u201cexemplifies their spirit of hard work, commitment and sportsmanship and serves as an inspiration to students, families and aspiring athletes across the county.\u201d<\/p>\n

University staff and administrators, including President Sue Edwards, traveled to Philadelphia to join alumni to support the Raiders in person.<\/p>\n

\u201cWatching these players compete, especially their resilience, grit and determination in the Horizon League Championship finals, has been inspiring,\u201d Edwards said. \u201cThey never counted themselves out, and that\u2019s what our students are about \u2014 digging in and getting the job done. I\u2019ve heard from so many people about how proud they are of this team, not just for reaching the NCAA Tournament, but for the way they play \u2014 with heart and a clear bond with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Head coach Clint Sargent rallying the men’s basketball team during the NCAA Tournament.<\/p><\/div>\n

Head coach Clint Sargent reflected on both the disappointment of the loss and the significance of the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s what you dream about \u2014 to give back to the university that\u2019s given me and my family so much and a fan base that\u2019s given us so much,\u201d Sargent said. \u201cDifficult game to lose with how we competed. It\u2019s always abrupt how it ends. But these guys have given me an awful lot, and I\u2019m certainly proud to be their coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the best part of the job,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wright State\u2019s return to the NCAA Tournament delivered more than a memorable game \u2014 it sparked pride across campus and far beyond, uniting fans in a shared moment on the national stage. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":164586,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[733,729,2798,725,715,4293],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-164561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-around-campus","category-athletics","category-home-news-sidebar","category-news","category-student-union"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=164561"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":164616,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164561\/revisions\/164616"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/164586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=164561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=164561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=164561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}