TAMPA, Fla. – The University of South Florida women’s basketball team is headed to Tennessee to launch its 2026-27 season with a pair of high-profile matchups. The American Conference announced Thursday a new strategic scheduling partnership with the Atlantic 10, the Ivy League, and the Missouri Valley Conference, creating an opening weekend showcase designed to test top teams right out of the gate.
USF is one of only two programs chosen to represent the American Conference in this new multi-conference event. The Bulls will play both of their weekend games at the Curb Event Center, located on the campus of Belmont University in Belmont, Tennessee.
The season officially begins for South Florida on Friday, November 6, when they take the court against Missouri Valley Conference opponent Belmont. After a day off, the Bulls will return to the hardwood on Sunday, November 8, to face off against Rhode Island from the Atlantic 10.
This tournament-style event is the first piece of a two-year agreement that runs through the 2027-28 season. The core goal of the partnership is to boost the strength-of-schedule metrics for everyone involved while giving basketball fans high-quality games early in the year. The pairing makes sense on paper, as all four participating conferences have sent multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament over the past five seasons, and the 2026 lineup features a heavy concentration of teams sitting in the top 75 of the NCAA’s NET rankings.
While USF plays its games in Tennessee, the other half of the four-conference partnership will trigger simultaneously in Richmond, Virginia. That leg of the showcase features fellow American Conference member Rice, alongside Richmond, Princeton, and Murray State.
The university noted that broadcast details, game times, and ticket availability for the matchups in Tennessee will be released at a later date. Right now, fans looking for tickets to university athletic events can secure them by calling 1-800-GoBulls or visiting the official website at USFBullsTix.com.
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