CVA Champs
2026 high school tournament
Two weekends ago, the Union campus was overrun by high school student-athletes. And snow. Lots and lots of snow. Needless to say, the 2026 Basketball Tournament was a success, even with a foot of snow on the ground.
This year, Union hosted basketball teams from eight Adventist high schools from across the country. Seven of the eight high schools that participated are regulars at most of Union’s high school events. The eighth team, Wisconsin Academy, hasn’t made an appearance in many years, and it was a pleasant surprise to have them rejoin our athlete crew.
The festivities started mid-Wednesday afternoon, with games and the annual free-throw and three-point competitions. Thursday’s games brought each team closer to (or farther from) gaining a spot in the championship game. After the games, the Reiner Wellness Center hosted a block party with games, food, and activities for the student-athletes. Following that was a Union Warriors men’s basketball game against Doane University. Although it wasn’t a win for the Warriors, it was great to see so many fans filling the stands and walking track above the court at Reiner in support of the men.
By Friday afternoon, seeding for the championship games was determined. For the women, it would be Campion Academy and College View Academy, and for the men, Sunnydale Academy against College View Academy. But with Friday comes Sabbath. Having this time set aside during Sabbath hours allowed the high schools to connect and meet new people. The Union students put on an awesome vespers, with Garrett Fortney, a recent Union graduate and former basketball player, as a guest speaker. He reminded the students of the importance of putting God first in everything, even athletics, and that we humans aren’t meant to go through life alone. “Don’t forget Jesus,” Garrett said. “He’s always there.”
For anyone watching the students on the court, it was apparent that they valued acting in a Christ-like way. Even during the games that would determine who would move closer to the championship, players respected each other and offered a helping hand after a fall. During a Madison vs. Wisconsin game, one player’s knee was badly injured. While the player was receiving help, the opposing team immediately gathered at their bench, circled up, and prayed for the player. It’s things like this that make Union’s tournaments stand out from other athletic gatherings. Not many other tournaments can claim such good sportsmanship and connection with God.
Of course, the Thunderdome on Saturday night was packed with people. Parents, friends, Union students, and all student-athletes squished onto the stands, stage, and everywhere in between. The women’s game was neck-and-neck for all four quarters. Neither team was letting the other gain ground. Campion’s players suffered injuries in the third quarter, which brought them to a slight disadvantage. But they stayed strong and fought till the last second. CVA won by only one point. The men’s game was very similar to the women’s game, as each team gave it their all on each play. During the last few minutes, CVA sank a few threes in a row, giving them the lead. They held on to their run and took the win over Sunnydale. The celebration afterward was special for the winners because this was possibly the first time in tournament history (don’t quote me, I don’t have solid sources of information) where both the CVA men's and women's teams won the championship at the same time.
We’ll see you next year for another annual basketball tournament!
By Sami Hoffer