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It’s a tough challenge, following up on an NCAA Tournament bid. Now we know what Hampden-Sydney College will have to do in order to get back there. The Tigers have released their upcoming season’s schedule, including 16 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) games. 

Coach Caleb Kimbrough said he’s challenging his team with five non-conference opponents-six overall-that participated in the NCAA Tournament last season. The Tigers will find out immediately if they’re up to the challenge when they open at home in non-conference action against defending Division III National Champion Christopher Newport University on Wednesday, November 8, at 7 p.m. in S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium at Kirby Field House.

“Our approach to scheduling is simple,” said Kimbrough. “Every year we want to challenge ourselves in non-conference play to help prepare our guys to win the ODAC. This year we have built a schedule that includes several experienced NCAA Tournament teams prior to conference play. We are excited for the challenge, and we look forward to getting this group on the court soon!”

H-SC split two games against CNU last season, winning 85-70 in Newport News on December 13, 2022, before falling 72-59 in Fleet Gym on March 4 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Following the highly-anticipated CNU contest, the Tigers remain home to welcome non-conference opponent Greensboro (NC) College on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 4 p.m. in Fleet Gym.

H-SC completed 2022-23 with a final record of 22-7, its finest season in 10 years, while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament-only its fourth 20-win season in 20 years. The Tigers’ 22 overall wins, and the 14 ODAC wins (14-2), are the most under Coach Kimbrough since he took over prior to the 2019-20 season, and also the program’s highest win totals since 2012-13 (23-5, 14-2)-the last previous season that H-SC had advanced to the NCAA Tournament, as well.

More about the Hampden-Sydney schedule 

Hampden-Sydney will travel to participate in the Al Van Wie/Rotary Tip-Off Tournament hosted by the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. The Tigers will play Widener (PA) University on Friday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. and either host Wooster or Rose-Hulman (IN) Institute of Technology on Saturday, Nov. 18, at either 2:15 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. Widener participated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season, while Wooster and Rose-Hulman each fell in their respective conference championship contests.

The Tigers open ODAC action at home against Averett University on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m., the first of three consecutive conference games … followed by back-to-back road contests at Guilford (NC) College on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 4:30 p.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina, and at archrival Randolph-Macon College on Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. in Ashland. R-MC is the four-time defending ODAC Tournament Champion, and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The Garnet & Grey will then play four non-conference games to close the calendar year, alternating away and home, beginning on the road at William Peace (NC) University on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. in Raleigh, North Carolina … home against Swarthmore (PA) College on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. in Fleet Gym … on the road at John Carroll (OH) University on Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 2 p.m. in University Heights, Ohio … and home against Salisbury (MD) University on Saturday, Dec. 30, at 2 p.m. in Fleet Gym. Swarthmore advanced to the NCAA Tournament Final Four, falling 69-66 to CNU in a national semifinal, and JCU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, while WPU fell in its conference championship contest.

A breakdown of the ODAC competition 

Hampden-Sydney returns to ODAC competition in January with 13-straight conference contests stretching into February-beginning the New Year on the road at Ferrum College on Wednesday, Jan. 3, at 7 p.m. in Ferrum, followed by a home game against Washington and Lee University on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 2 p.m. in Fleet Gym, on the road at Bridgewater College on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 5 p.m. in Bridgewater, back home against Eastern Mennonite University on Saturday, Jan. 13, at 2 p.m. in Fleet Gym, before consecutive road games at Randolph College on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 5 p.m. in Lynchburg and at Shenandoah University on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. in Winchester.

The Tigers then play four-straight home games in Fleet Gym, including against the University of Lynchburg on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m., Roanoke College on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 2 p.m., Virginia Wesleyan University on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m., and archrival Randolph-Macon on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 2 p.m.

Hampden-Sydney will go on the road to play at Averett on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. in Danville, before returning home against Randolph on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. in Fleet Gym … closing the conference regular season slate on the road at Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 5 p.m. in Virginia Beach.

The Tigers will play their final regular season contest at home against non-conference opponent the University of Mary Washington on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m. in Fleet Gym-Senior Day for the Garnet & Grey. The Eagles also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The 2024 ODAC Tournament is scheduled for Feb. 19-25, including a possible first-round game on Monday, Feb. 19, at the higher seeded team … before the tournament quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games are played on Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 22-25, at the Salem Civic Center in Salem.

The 2024 NCAA Tournament is scheduled for March 1-16, including the Final Four on March 14-16 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana.