SPORTS

 

We’re taking Maui to the mainland!  For the first time ever, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and schedule changes announced by the NCAA, the Maui Jim Maui Invitational is planning to relocate to  Asheville, NC with games to be played at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville operating under the guidance of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for mass gatherings. Tournament dates will be announced shortly. We look forward to bringing the Spirit of Aloha to the mainland.

From the tournament’s April 19, 2020 Press Release:

The Maui Jim Maui Invitational announced its 2020 field, which features a collection of programs that boasts a combined 214 NCAA Tournament appearances, 39 Final Four berths and 13 national championships.

Alabama, Davidson, Indiana, North Carolina, Providence, Stanford, Texas and UNLV will convene in Maui for the 37th annual Tournament, which will be contested November 23-25 at the historic Lahaina Civic Center on the island of Maui.

“Each year, the Maui Jim Maui Invitational prides itself on bringing the best college basketball teams and talent to the island of Maui,” said Tournament Chairman Dave Odom. “2020 is no different, with the Lahaina Civic Center hosting some of the game’s most historic programs of all time.”

Three of the 2020 participants are ranked in the top 20 all-time winningest schools, including North Carolina, Indiana and Texas. Prior to the 2019 season, UNLV, Indiana, and North Carolina each ranked in the top 15 programs with the most consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the AP Poll. North Carolina and Indiana also rank in the top ten programs for most ever NCAA Tournament appearances, with 50 and 39 respectively.

Each team in the 2020 field will be making a return appearance in Maui, including four members of the 2008 field: Alabama, Indiana, North Carolina, and Texas. The upcoming event will also feature attendees from the inaugural 1984 Tournament, Davidson and Providence; the Friars took home the Maui championship that year. Previous Tournament champions also include Indiana (2002) and North Carolina (1999, 2004, 2008, 2016). After winning the Maui Invitational in their most recent appearance, the Tar Heels went on to win the NCAA Tournament title later that same season.

The Maui Jim Maui Invitational is excited to announce a new element of the 2020 event. The Tournament has a longstanding tradition of presenting each team with its very own hand-made, customized surfboard, and will now be hosting a contest that sources the surfboard designs directly from the students of the participating schools. Contest winners will be announced in the fall and honored at the schools’ surfboard presentations in 2020.
Since the inception of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in 1984, 126 schools representing 26 conferences and 40 states have competed in the event. Teams that have participated in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational throughout the event’s history own 68 of the 79 NCAA championships. Seven schools have gone on to win the national championship after competing in Maui earlier in the season.

All-Tournament travel packages and school Booster travel packages for the 2020 Maui Jim Maui Invitational will be available at a later date.

About the 2020 Championship Round Teams
Alabama

• Alabama has 20 NCAA Tournament appearances in school history
• The Crimson Tide own eight Conference championships and seven conference tournament titles
• Alabama’s last appearance in Maui was 2008, where they earned a 2-1 record

Davidson

• Bob McKillop recently completed his 30^th season at the helm for the Wildcats, and holds a .623 winning percentage
• McKillop has guided Davidson to nine of their 14 NCAA Tournament appearances
• Davidson owns 24 conference titles and 13 conference tournament titles
• 2020 marks Davidson’s second Maui Jim Maui Invitational appearance, having previously appeared in the inaugural 1984 Tournament

Indiana

• Shortly after earning the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year award in 2017, Archie Miller was named head coach of the Hoosiers
• Top 10 winningest program of all time
• The Hoosiers will be seeking their second Tournament championship title, with the first coming in 2002
• Indiana will make its seventh Maui Jim Maui Invitational appearance (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2008, 2015)

North Carolina

• Roy Williams is in his 16^th season as head coach of the Tar Heels, and holds two AP Coach of the Year titles and an induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
• The Tar Heels rank in the top-10 winningest programs of all time
• UNC owns 50 NCAA Tournament appearances
• North Carolina is tied for the most appearances in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational (7), and returns after having won the Tournament in their most recent appearance (2016)

Providence

• In his eight seasons at the helm, Ed Cooley has led the Friars to seven consecutive postseason tournament berths, including a school-record five straight NCAA Tournament appearances (2014-18)
• The Friars won the inaugural 1984 Tournament title, appearing beside fellow 2020 attendee Davidson
• Providence holds 20 NCAA Tournament appearances
• The Friars will return for their third Maui Jim Maui Invitational appearance (1984 and 1991)

Stanford

• Stanford’s young squad (11 of 15 in their first or second year), saw more than 80 percent of its scoring and rebounding come from freshmen and sophomores in 2018-19. The Cardinal, led by sophomore First Team All-Pac-12 selection KZ Okpala, won 15 games in 2018-19
• Cardinal teams have enjoyed 17 NCAA Tournament appearances
• Stanford will make their fourth appearance in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational (1987, 1992, 2004)

Texas

• Head Coach Shaka Smart is completing his fourth season with the Longhorns, owning a career record of .654
• Texas ranks in the top 20 all-time winningest programs
• Texas owns 34 NCAA Tournament appearances, and 25 conference championships
• The Longhorns will return to the Tournament for the fifth time (1993, 2004, 2008, 2012)

UNLV

• UNLV will be in its second year under new head coach T.J. Otzelberger. In his three years leading South Dakota State, the Jackrabbits made two NCAA Tournament appearances
• UNLV is ranked in the top-5 winningest programs based on win percentage
• The team finished the 2018-19 season with its highest league finish in five years, and secured their most conference wins in the regular season in eight years
• This will be the Runnin’ Rebels’ fourth Tournament appearance (1988, 2000, 2015)