Dakota Wesleyan brings CorTrust Classic home to Corn Palace in 2026

Dakota Wesleyan University will host a regular-season basketball classic at the Corn Palace in Mitchell for the first time in a decade, giving Iowa fans a chance to see the Tigers take on regional opponents in October 2026.

The CorTrust Classic will run Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31, featuring both the Tiger men's and women's teams. The women will face William Penn (Iowa) on Oct. 30 and Valley City State (N.D.) on Oct. 31. The men will host Bethany (Kan.) on Oct. 30 and Valley City State on Oct. 31.

It marks the first home regular-season classic for the Tigers since the men's team hosted an event in 2016. DWU announced its full basketball schedules Friday.

Women's basketball schedule highlights

The Tiger women open the season at home with an exhibition against Northern State on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 4 p.m. at the Corn Palace.

They will also compete in two road or neutral-site classics. The team returns to the Cattle Classic in Seward, Nebraska, facing Dakota State on Nov. 6 and Montana Tech on Nov. 7. In December, the Tigers travel to Phoenix for the ACU Classic, playing Missouri Baptist on Dec. 18 and Arizona Christian on Dec. 19.

Men's basketball schedule highlights

The Tiger men head to Florida before Christmas for the Cruzin Classic, taking on St. Thomas (Fla.) on Dec. 19 and Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) on Dec. 20.

Both teams will play exhibition games against South Dakota State in Brookings. The women face the Jacks on Dec. 2, while the men play at First Bank and Trust Arena on Jan. 2. That comes one day after the Tigers host a Great Plains Athletic Conference doubleheader against Midland at the Corn Palace on New Year's Day.

GPAC conference play begins in November

Conference action starts Nov. 14 when both teams host Hastings. The first road GPAC doubleheader is Nov. 18 at Morningside.

Full schedules for both teams are listed below.

Dakota Wesleyan women's basketball 2026-27 schedule

October: 25 – Northern State (exhibition), 4 p.m.; 30 – William Penn (CorTrust Classic), 4 p.m.; 31 – Valley City State (CorTrust Classic), 2 p.m.

November: 6 – Dakota State (Cattle Classic), 2 p.m.; 7 – Montana Tech (Cattle Classic), 10 a.m.; 14 – Hastings, 2 p.m.; 18 – at Morningside, 6 p.m.; 21 – at Midland, 2 p.m.; 24 – Briar Cliff, 6 p.m.

December: 2 – at South Dakota State (exhibition), 7 p.m.; 5 – Concordia (Neb.), 2 p.m.; 9 – Dordt, 2 p.m.; 12 – Saint Mary (Neb.), 2 p.m.; 16 – at Northwestern, 6 p.m.; 18 – Missouri Baptist (ACU Classic), 3 p.m.; 19 – at Arizona Christian (ACU Classic), 3 p.m.

January: 1 – Midland, 2 p.m.; 6 – at Doane, 6 p.m.; 9 – Mount Marty, 2 p.m.; 13 – at Waldorf, 6 p.m.; 16 – at Concordia (Neb.), 2 p.m.; 20 – Morningside, 6 p.m.; 23 – at Saint Mary (Neb.), 2 p.m.; 27 – at Briar Cliff, 6 p.m.; 30 – at Hastings, 2 p.m.

February: 6 – Doane, 2 p.m.; 10 – Waldorf, 6 p.m.; 13 – at Mount Marty, 2 p.m.; 17 – at Dordt, 6 p.m.; 20 – Northwestern, 2 p.m.

Dakota Wesleyan men's basketball 2026-27 schedule

October: 30 – Bethany (Kan.) (CorTrust Classic), 4 p.m.; 31 – Valley City State (CorTrust Classic), 6 p.m.

November: 3 – at Grand View (Iowa), 6 p.m.; 7 – at York (Neb.), 2 p.m.; 11 – Peru State, 6 p.m.; 14 – Hastings, 3:45 p.m.; 18 – at Morningside, 7:45 p.m.; 21 – at Midland, 3:45 p.m.; 24 – Briar Cliff, 7:45 p.m.

December: 1 – Maharishi (Iowa), 6 p.m.; 5 – Concordia (Neb.), 3:45 p.m.; 9 – Dordt, 3:45 p.m.; 16 – at Northwestern, 7:45 p.m.; 19 – St. Thomas (Fla.) (Cruzin Classic), 1:30 p.m.; 20 – Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) (Cruzin Classic), 6 p.m.

January: 1 – Midland, 3:45 p.m.; 2 – at South Dakota State (exhibition), time TBD; 6 – at Doane, 7:45 p.m.; 9 – Mount Marty, 3:45 p.m.; 13 – at Waldorf, 7:45 p.m.; 16 – at Concordia (Neb.), 3:45 p.m.; 20 – Morningside, 7:45 p.m.; 27 – at Briar Cliff, 7:45 p.m.; 30 – at Hastings, 3:45 p.m.

February: 6 – Doane, 3:45 p.m.; 10 – Waldorf, 7:45 p.m.; 13 – at Mount Marty, 3:45 p.m.; 17 – at Dordt, 7:45 p.m.; 20 – Northwestern, 3:45 p.m.

Note: Exhibition games are marked with ^; CorTrust Classic games at the Corn Palace are marked with $; Cattle Classic games in Seward, Neb., are marked with *; ACU Classic games in Phoenix are marked with #; Cruzin Classic games in Miami Gardens, Fla., are marked with #.