Tournament Most Valuable Player
2016 - Jeril Taylor, Southern Indiana
2017 - Justin Reyes, St. Thomas Aquinas
2018 - Trevor Hudgins, NW Missouri State
2019 - Ryan Hawkins, NW Missouri State
2021 - Elijah Jenkins, Embry - Riddle
2022 - Jadin Booth, Florida Southern
In alphabetic order, here are the teams that have participated in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic from 2016-2021:
Alabama-Huntsville (2016, 2021 & 2022)
Augustana, SD (2017)
Bellarmine (2016)
Daemen (2019)
Dallas Baptist (2022)
Davenport (2019)
Embry - Riddle (2021)
Fairmont State (2018)
Ferris State (2017 & 2018)
Findlay (2017)
Flagler (2022)
Florida Southern (2016 & 2022)
Hillsdale (2022)
Kentucky Wesleyan (2016 & 2017)
Indiana University of PA (2017)
Lincoln Memorial (2016, 2019 & 2022)
Missouri Western (2018, 2019 & 2021)
Montevallo (2017)
Northern State (2018 & 2021)
Northwest Missouri State (2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022)
Nova Southeastern (2022)
Queens (2018)
Rockhurst (2021)
Seattle Pacific (2021)
Southern Indiana (2016 & 2017)
Southern Nazarene (2019)
St. Thomas Aquinas (2017 & 2021)
Tarleton State (2018)
USC Aiken (2019)
Valdosta State (2022)
West Texas A&M (2019 & 2022)
William Jewell (2018)
SCB Announces 2023 National HOF Classic Teams and Matchups
Kansas City, MO – Small College Basketball is pleased to announce the teams and matchups for the 2023 National Hall of Fame Classic. This year’s event will return to Lakeland, FL and Jenkins Fieldhouse on the campus of Florida Southern College. Games will be played on November 4th and 5th. The event will once again be supported by Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing and Visit Central Florida. John McCarthy had this to say out the 2023 National Hall of Fame Classic:
"We are so excited for the 2023 version of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic,” mentioned McCarthy. “Once again, this will be very high level college basketball, with 10 outstanding teams competing in the finest in-season event within NCAA Division II basketball. Aside from the host school (Florida Southern), all of the nine teams are first-time participants in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. We are so grateful to the D2 Conference Commissioners for providing the exemption, and for their continued support. Additionally - and very importantly - we greatly appreciate the support of Visit Central Florida, Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing, and Florida Southern College. Once again, this is going to be a great event!"
This year’s event will include 10 teams for the second straight year. The National Hall of Fame Classic started in 2016 and Lakeland, FL marks the third location to host the event. The event moved to Lakeland, FL in 2022 after spending three years in St. Joseph, Mo. The event did not take place during the 2020 season. Evansville, IN hosted the first two National Hall of Fame Classics.
The event will include five games on Saturday and Sunday. Below are the teams and matchups for this year’s event. For more information on the National Hall of Fame Classic and Small College Basketball please head to smallcollegebasketball.com.
Saturday, November 4, 2023
11:00 Colorado School of Mines vs. Bentley
1:15 UMSL vs. Cedarville
3:30 Central Oklahoma vs. Mercyhurst
5:45 Florida Southern vs. Virginia Union
8:00 Emporia State vs. UNC – Pembroke
Sunday, November 5, 2023
11:00 Colorado School of Mines vs. Mercyhurst
1:15 Bentley vs. UMSL
3:30 Central Oklahoma vs. Cedarville
5:45 Florida Southern vs. UNC – Pembroke
8:00 Emporia State vs. Virginia Union