CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS
AUBURN —
Auburn will make its second all-time appearance at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational as the 2024 tournament field was unveiled on Tuesday.
The Tigers are joined in the field by Colorado, Dayton, Iowa State, Memphis, Michigan State, North Carolina and Connecticut. The tournament will be held Nov. 25 through 27, 2024, at the historic Lahaina Civic Center.
Teams that have participated in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational throughout the event’s history own 72 of the 83 NCAA championships, including 2023 national champion UConn.
“There is simply no other early-season college basketball tournament that rivals the spirit, talent and overall ‘magic’ of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational,” said Tournament Chairman Dave Odom. “The 2024 field is not only going to bring top-tier programs representing eight of the most dominant conferences in the sport, but also fans from all corners of the country.
“Whether it’s your first time on-island or you’ve made packing into the historic Lahaina Civic Center an annual tradition, this tournament experience is on every college basketball fan’s bucket list — and this loaded 2024 field is going to make it hard to resist.”
The 2024 teams bolster a total of 218 NCAA Tournament appearances, 45 Final Four berths and 13 NCAA Tournament titles. Half of the teams competing rank within the top 40 of the winningest programs of all time in men’s college basketball.
All eight teams have been to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational at least once, with North Carolina holding the most previous trips at eight. Memphis will be making its sixth trip, first since 2011, while Dayton, Michigan State and UConn will return for their fifth appearances.
Iowa State heads to the island for the third time (first since 2018), while Auburn (2018) and Colorado (2009) are headed back for the programs’ second appearances.
Additionally, half of the teams have previously won the Maui Jim Maui Invitational: North Carolina has won four times, UConn twice and Michigan State and Dayton each hold one coveted title apiece.
“The goal of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational is and always has been to bring together the top programs in college basketball in one of the most stunning places in the country,” said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperLesnik, the operator of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. “The 2024 field will accomplish that and more. The field includes a variety of iconic programs and coaches, as well as respected up-and-comers. We are confident when we say that the Maui Jim Maui Invitational does not disappoint, and we think fans back home and on-island will be in for an epic few days of college basketball with this stacked field.”
All-tournament travel packages and school booster travel packages for the 2024 Maui Jim Maui Invitational will be available at a later date. For more information on the tournament, please visit mauiinvitational.com.
ABOUT THE MAUI JIM MAUI INVITATIONAL
In December 1982, then-No. 1-ranked Virginia, led by National College Player of the Year Ralph Sampson, played little-known NAIA Chaminade University in Honolulu while on the way back from a trip to Tokyo. The Silverswords stunned top-ranked Virginia 77-72 in one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history. Two years later, in 1984, Chaminade University hosted the first Maui Jim Maui Invitational and it has proven to be the premier early-season college basketball tournament for 36 years running. Each year, the Maui Jim Maui Invitational attracts the top programs, best-known coaches and most outstanding players to compete in an exciting atmosphere at the Lahaina Civic Center near the beautiful beaches of Maui.
ABOUT MAUI JIM
Maui Jim sunglasses were born on the beaches of Maui, designed to protect eyes from the harsh rays of the island sun. Today, Maui Jim is the world’s fastest-growing premium eyewear company and is sold in more than 100 countries. Maui Jim is recognized for its unparalleled “Aloha Spirit,” customer service and advanced, patented PolarizedPlus2 lens technology. All Maui Jim sunglasses block 100% of harmful UV rays and eliminate reflected glare, while enhancing color, clarity and detail. Maui Jim sunglasses have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation as an effective UV filter for the eyes and surrounding skin. In 2018, Maui Jim expanded further into the eyewear space, offering eyeglasses structurally and stylistically engineered to balance aesthetics with fit and integrity. Maui Jim offers two proprietary clear lenses: Maui Blue Light Protect, to shield eyes from bothersome blue light from digital screens, and Maui High Contrast, which offers better resolution and crisper details. Frames for both sunglasses and eyeglasses utilize the highest-quality materials such as durable titanium, lightweight nylon and richly colored acetate, all manufactured in Italy or Japan. For more information, visit mauijim.com or follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter at @OfficialMauiJim.
ABOUT CHAMINADE UNIVERSITY
Chaminade University is a private, Catholic university offering more than 25 undergraduate and graduate programs and is federally designated as a Native Hawaiian serving institution. Guided by its Catholic, Marianist and liberal arts educational traditions, Chaminade prepares students for careers in an evolving global marketplace rooted in the development of moral character, personal competencies and a commitment to build a just and peaceful society. Please visit chaminade.edu for more information.
ABOUT KEMPERLESNIK
KemperLesnik is a sports marketing, events and public relations agency. Ranked by Crain’s Chicago Business among Chicago’s top PR agencies, KemperLesnik produces integrated communications programs and manages major national events, including the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, the McDonald’s All American Games, the POWERADE Jam Fest and activation for KitchenAid and its PGA of America partnership. KemperLesnik has operated the Maui Jim Maui Invitational since 1990. For more information, visit www.kemperlesnik.com.