Men's Basketball Opens Season In Field Of 68 Tournament Vs. Appalachian State

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The Merrimack College men's basketball team will open up its 2026-27 season against Appalachian State early Monday morning.

The Warriors will participate in a unique 24-hour marathon of The Field of 68 Tournament, which starts at midnight. The Warriors and Mountaineers are set to face each other in the third game of the event with tipoff scheduled for 6 a.m ET.

You can watch the game here.

Joe Gallo and the Warriors welcome nine new players to the roster, trying to build off a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) regular-season title last season. The Warriors will be led by Denver Anglin, who was named a First-Team selection in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. Anglin arrives at Merrimack after he averaged 9.3 points with the Iona Gaels.

Merrimack forward Todd Brogna, who was named a Second-Team selection in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, is one of a few returners for the Warriors. Brogna started every game last season and averaged 6.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. 

Appalachian State, which is rooted from the Sun Belt Conference, is led by head coach Dustin Kerns, who enters his eighth year in Boone. App State finished the 2025-26 season with a record of 19-13 record, including a conference record of 11-7. They earned the ninth seed in the Sun Belt Tournament and fell to Southern Miss in the 1st round. Appalachian State welcomes 10 new players of their own. 

Merrimack will look to start the season off strong as the 2026-27 season is set to tip off in Rock Hill.