July 11, 2024
Teams announced for 2024 Cancun Challenge
Field of 10 revealed for Thanksgiving weekend tournament in Mexico
On Thursday, the 10 women’s college basketball teams that will be participating in the 2024 Cancun Challenge were announced. The event is set to take place over Thanksgiving weekend at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. This will be the 19th time that this tournament is being held for women’s basketball teams.
Continue reading with a subscription to The Next
Get unlimited access to women’s basketball coverage and help support our hardworking staff of writers, editors, and photographers by subscribing today.
Already a member?
Login
“We are pleased to draw another intriguing mix of teams to the Cancun Challenge. These matchups are attention-getters, as we feature a competitive environment that teams love to see before the conference schedule begins,” said Sarah Molina, Cancun Challenge director.
Get 24/7 soccer coverage with The Equalizer
The Next is partnering with The Equalizer to bring more women’s sports stories to your inbox. Subscribers to The Next receive 50% off their subscription to The Equalizer for 24/7 coverage of women’s soccer.
The women’s teams will be split up into two divisions, the Riviera Division and the Mayan Division. The Mayan Division will consist of three games played round robin style, featuring Providence, San Diego State, VCU, and Wisconsin. BYU, Idaho State, Iowa, Rhode Island, Rice and Vermont make up the teams in the Riviera Division and will each get two games.
Basketball fans are in for a treat with these match ups as VCU has only faced Wisconsin once in school history in 2022 and this will be the first time San Diego State and Providence will go head to head. For Iowa, this will be their fifth time playing in the tournament and will have the chance to compete against Rhode Island and Rice for the first time. In 2021, Idaho State and Iowa both competed in the 2021 tournament, however, the Hawkeyes had to pull out due to COVID-19. They’ll be entering the tournament under new head coach, Jan Jensen, as Lisa Bluder announced her retirement in May 2024.
Order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%
Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The Next and The IX, released his next book on May 7, 2024. This deeply reported story follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.
If you enjoy his coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below to order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout.
This will be the first time Rice, Rhode Island, San Diego State, VCU, BYU, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Vermont will be playing in the tournament. Last year, Green Bay became tournament champs in the final game, beating Washington State 59-48. Neither team are competing in the tournament this year.
The 2024 Cancun Challenge will be played from November 28-30.
