The Patriot League is a collegiate athletic conference comprising private institutions of higher education and two United States service academies based in the Northeastern United States. Except for the Ivy League, it is the most selective group of higher education institutions in NCAA Division I, and has a very high student-athlete graduation rate for both the NCAA graduation success rate and the federal graduation rate.
The Patriot League men's basketball tournament is held at the conclusion of each regular season. The winner of the tournament is awarded an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship.
The Lehigh Mountain Hawks are the athletic teams representing Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Hawks participate in NCAA Division I competition as a member of the Patriot League. In football, Lehigh competes in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
The Lafayette Leopards represent the 23 Division I varsity athletic teams of Lafayette College and compete in the Patriot League. There are 11 men's teams, 11 women's teams, and one co-ed team. The club teams also compete as the Leopards. Though not a varsity sport, crew and ice hockey are very competitive at Lafayette and play in intercollegiate club leagues.
The Bucknell Bison are the athletic teams that represent Bucknell University. The program is a member of the Patriot League for most NCAA Division I sports and Division I FCS in football.
The Lehigh Mountain Hawks men's basketball team represents Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in NCAA Division I competition. They have competed in the Patriot League since the circuit became an all-sport conference in 1990. Its home games are played at Stabler Arena.
The 2015–16 Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball team represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Crusaders, led by first year head coach Bill Carmody, played their home games at the Hart Center and were members of the Patriot League. They finished the season 15–20, 5–13 in Patriot League play to finish in ninth place. As the #9 seed, they defeated Loyola (MD), Bucknell, Army, and Lehigh to be champions of the Patriot League tournament and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As a #16 seed in the First Four they defeated Southern to advance to the first round where they lost to Oregon.
The 2016 Patriot League men's basketball tournament was played March 1, 3, 6 and 9 with the higher seed in each matchup hosting at their respective campus sites. The tournament champion, Holy Cross, received the League's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
The 2016–17 American Eagles men's basketball team represented American University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Eagles, led by fourth-year head coach Mike Brennan, played their home games at Bender Arena in Washington, D.C. as members of the Patriot League. They finished the season 8–22, 5–13 in Patriot League play to finish in a tie for ninth place. As the No. 9 seed in the Patriot League tournament, they lost in the first round to Army.
The 2017 Patriot League men's basketball tournament was the postseason conference tournament for the Patriot League. It was played February 28, March 2, 5, and 8, 2017 with the higher seed in each matchup hosting at their respective campus sites. Bucknell defeated Lehigh, 81–65, in the championship game to win the Tournament. As a result, Bucknell received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
The 2016–17 Lehigh Mountain Hawks men's basketball team represented Lehigh University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mountain Hawks, led by 10th-year head coach Brett Reed, played their home games at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania as members of the Patriot League.
The Lehigh Mountain Hawks women’s basketball team is a college basketball program representing Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Mountain Hawks are a member of NCAA Division I basketball, and compete in the Patriot League. They are coached by Addie Micir, entering her 1st season as head coach. The Mountain Hawks currently play their home games at Stabler Arena.
The 2017–18 Lehigh Mountain Hawks men's basketball team represented Lehigh University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mountain Hawks, led by 11th-year head coach Brett Reed, played their home games at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania as members of the Patriot League. They finished the season 16–14, 11–7 in Patriot League play to finish in a tie for third place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League tournament to Boston University.
The 2018 Patriot League women's basketball tournament was from held March 3, 5, 8 and 10 at campus sites of the higher seed, except that both semi-final games will be played at the same site of the highest seed. American won the Patriot League Tournament will earn an automatic trip to the NCAA women's tournament.
The 2019 Patriot League women's basketball tournament will be held from March 9, 11, 14 and 17 at campus sites of the higher seed, except that both semi-final games will be played at the same site of the highest seed. The winner will earn an automatic trip to the NCAA women's tournament. Bucknell won the conference tournament championship game over American, 66–54. Kaitlyn Slagus was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
The 2020 Patriot League women's basketball tournament was the postseason women's basketball tournament for the Patriot League which was scheduled to be held from March 7 to March 15 at campus sites of the higher seed. The winner would have earned an automatic bid to the NCAA women's tournament. On March 12, the NCAA announced that the tournament was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2004 Patriot League men's basketball tournament was played at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Maryland and Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania after the conclusion of the 2003–04 regular season. Top seed Lehigh defeated #2 seed American, 59–57 in the championship game, to win its first Patriot League Tournament title. The Mountain Hawks earned an automatic bid to the 2004 NCAA tournament as one of two #16 seeds in the St. Louis region. Florida A&M defeated Lehigh in an opening round game in Dayton, Ohio.
Austen Rowland is an American retired professional basketball player. His 15-year career spanned from 2004 to 2019 with stops in Austria, Finland, France, and Germany. In college, Rowland was an honorable mention All-American and the 2004 Patriot League Player of the Year as a senior at Lehigh. Rowland has also been an assistant coach, first at Lehigh for the 2016–17 season and then with the German professional team Hamburg Towers in 2019–20. In his post-basketball life he is a licensed real estate professional in the Bowie, Maryland area.
The 2022–23 Lafayette Leopards men's basketball team represented Lafayette College in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Leopards, led by first-year head coach Mike Jordan, played their home games at the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pennsylvania as members of the Patriot League. They finished the season 11–23, 7–11 in Patriot League play to finish in a four-way tie for sixth place. As the No. 6 seed in the Patriot League tournament, they defeated Lehigh and American to advance to the tournament championship for the first time since 2015. There they lost to Colgate.
The 2024 Patriot League Men's Basketball Tournament will be the conference postseason tournament for the Patriot League. The tournament will be held March 5–13, 2024 at campus sites of the higher seeds. The winner will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
