WASHINGTON – For the first time in 50 years, fans will have the chance to see American University men's basketball play eight non-conference games at home, as the defending Patriot League Champions prepare for the 2025-26 season. Third-year head coach Duane Simpkins has announced the early portion of the schedule, highlighted by a three-game home tournament the weekend after Thanksgiving.

The last time the Eagles hosted eight non-league home games was in 1974-75—as a member of the seven-team East Coast Conference.

"We're excited to build off the momentum of last season and challenge ourselves with a balanced non-conference schedule," said Simpkins. "Our goal is to keep raising the bar for this program, and playing in front of our fans seven times in November and December is a great opportunity to keep growing our home-court energy and give our community more chances to connect with this team."

Headlining the home slate is a multi-team event from Nov. 28–30, as Maine, Siena, and Longwood visit Bender Arena. Games are tentatively set for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day, with all four teams competing daily in round-robin fashion.

American opens its season on Nov. 3 at Wake Forest, a program coming off back-to-back 20+ win seasons and two NIT appearances in the last four years. It marks the first meeting between the teams since 1987; Wake leads the all-time series 4-0.

The home opener is set for Nov. 9 against Penn, when the Eagles will raise their 2024-25 Patriot League Championship banner at Bender Arena. A short road trip takes the Eagles to George Washington on Nov. 12, looking for a fourth straight win over their crosstown rival dating back to 2019. The following weekend, AU hosts Division II Central Penn on Nov. 15, and later welcomes DIII Marywood on Nov. 24.

AU travels to Rutgers on Nov. 18, where the Scarlet Knights went 11-4 at home last season.

The matchup against Marywood kicks off a six-game homestand that continues with the three-game tournament and concludes with contests on Dec. 3 against Drexel and Dec. 6 against UMES. American is 5-4 against UMES and 15-7 all-time against the Dragons, though the teams haven't met since 1987.

Two challenging road games round out the non-conference slate. On Dec. 18, AU visits VCU, the reigning Atlantic 10 champions who went 15-1 at home and 74-31 over the past three seasons. The Eagles then travel to Virginia on Dec. 22, looking to avenge a narrow 63-58 loss last year. The Cavaliers had reached the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons before missing out in 2024-25.

Join your 2025 Patriot League Champions with a full-season membership, starting as low as $125 for an amazing slate of home games. AU Basketball season memberships include exclusive benefits and significant savings on single-game ticket prices. Secure yourself top priority on all post-season games in Bender Arena and enjoy a flexible exchange policy to swap tickets for game you cannot attend. Members also receive invitations to meet-and-greets with coaches and players, and other special events that bring you closer to the team than ever before.  Join today by calling 202-885-2617 or by emailing clawed@american.edu.

For the latest on American University Men's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_MBasketball), Facebook (/AU.MBasketball) and Instagram (@au_mbasketball).