Audience seated with speaker on stage at a Men's Final Four podium
NCAA Unveils Educational And Community Engagement Initiatives During 2026 Men’s Final Four®
Friday January 30, 2026

Unique Programs Bring March Madness® Into Classrooms and Communities Across Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA and Indiana Sports Corp are expanding community engagement during the 2026 NCAA® Men’s Final Four® with unique educational initiatives designed to bring the excitement of March Madness into classrooms and communities statewide:

  • Men’s Final Four Analytics Challenge: This annual academic competition brings together top undergraduate and graduate students from Indiana schools to apply data science and machine learning to real-world NCAA business and operational challenges. In 2026, the competition expands to include all NCAA Division I, II, and III schools in Indiana, with three competitive rounds culminating in final presentations on April 6, 2026, at the NCAA Hall of Champions.
    • Registration is now open through January 30, 2026. Teams of 2-5 students from participating Indiana schools can compete for cash prizes in undergraduate and graduate divisions. The competition tips off on February 2 at the NCAA Hall of Champions.

 

  • IU Indianapolis DataViz Games: This competitive data visualization challenge invites high school students (grades 9-12) to transform real NCAA basketball attendance data into compelling visual stories. Participants will explore four years of NCAA Division I basketball attendance data and create a visualization that tells an insightful and engaging story about what drives attendance at games. Students can work individually or in small groups of up to three, and no prior experience is required.
    • Submissions are due March 11, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. EST. The winning individual or team will receive four tickets to the March Madness Fan Fest, four tickets to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), and have their visualization promoted via NCAA outlets. Optional virtual Data Viz Studio Sessions will be held on February 18, February 25, and March 4 from 7-8 PM ET to provide support and guidance.

 

  • High School Symposium: This NCAA-led community engagement initiative on April 6 offers high school student-athletes (grades 9-12), parents, coaches, counselors, and administrators an opportunity to connect in-person with NCAA staff and former student-athletes at the NCAA National Office in Indianapolis. Attendees will gain valuable insights on academic requirements, Eligibility Center registration, recruiting, Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), transferring, and other key topics for students interested in participating in college athletics across Divisions I, II, or III.
    • The symposium takes place from 10 AM-Noon EST on Monday, April 6 at the NCAA National Office. Check-in begins at 9:00 AM. Registration is free and closes on Friday, March 6.

 

  • Indiana March Madness Bracket Challenge: This statewide classroom activity helps K-12 teachers integrate March Madness into existing curriculum while building school spirit. Students can vote as a group to complete their brackets using creative selection methods from team mascots and colors to geography, statistics, and probability. The challenge supports lessons in math, reading, social studies, and more. Schools with the top brackets in each grade will earn statewide recognition and bragging rights.
    • Teachers can register now through the end of February 2026. Once registered, teachers will receive access to set up their Capital One NCAA March Madness Bracket Challenge account ahead of making bracket selections in March.

 

  • March Madness Syllabus Challenge: This free, month-long program (March 1-31, 2026) combines 4th-5th grade academics with March Madness excitement. Aligned with Indiana Academic Standards and Career Explorer, the challenge features four engaging activities: Math & the Bracket, AI & Mascots, Student-Athlete Eligibility, and Careers on the Road to the Final Four. Students can interact with AI Coach Syl, complete activities, and earn points and prizes while building essential skills.
    • Free registration is now available. Teachers and students can log in or sign up to begin participating when the challenge launches on March 1.

For more information on these programs and additional Men’s Final Four events, visit NCAA.com/mff.