Where is Siena? What to know of Duke's NCAA Tournament opponent
Where is Siena? What to know of Duke's NCAA Tournament opponent
Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORKThu, March 19, 2026 at 10:06 AM UTC
0
No. 1 overall seed Duke takes on No. 16 seed Siena in the first round of the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19, looking to take care of business and avoid an absolutely devastating upset.
Only two No. 16 seeds have won first-round NCAA Tournament games ever, both of which came in recent years: when Virginia lost to UMBC in 2018 and Purdue to Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023. Siena is also led by a former Syracuse legend in Gerry McNamara, who won a national championship with the Orange in 2003 and has his jersey retired in the rafters at the school.
REQUIRED READING: 8 unpredictable March Madness top seeds who may bust 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket
Siena isn't the most recognizable brand in college basketball: It has six previous NCAA Tournament appearances in its history, last reaching the field in 2010. The Saints did win first-round games in 1989, 2008 and 2009, however.
For those tuning into the David vs. Goliath-level matchup, here's what to know of Siena before it takes on Duke, the current national championship favorite heading into the NCAA Tournament:
Where is Siena located?
Siena is a private school located in Loudonville, New York, where it was founded in 1937. Its total undergraduate enrollment is less than 4,000 students.
Siena basketball nickname
Siena's athletics teams go by the nickname "Saints," and its mascot is a St. Bernard named "Bernie."
Advertisement
Siena NCAA Tournament history
Siena has six prior NCAA Tournament appearances in its history, last reaching the big dance in 2010. The Saints actually have four NCAA Tournament wins in their history, most recently winning games in back-to-back seasons against No. 4 seed Vanderbilt in 2008 and against No. 8 Ohio State in double overtime in 2009.
Siena made the NCAA Tournament again in 2010, but fell to Purdue by eight points as a No. 13 seed. Its first NCAA Tournament win came against Stanford in 1989 as a No. 14 seed, before winning its second game in the play-in round against Alcorn State in 2002.
Siena has never made it past the first weekend of March Madness. Here's a look at how they have performed in their NCAA Tournament appearances:
1989: Beat (3) Stanford 80-78 | Lost to (11) Minnesota 80-67
1999: Lost to (4) Arkansas 94-80
2002: Beat (16) Alcorn State 81-77 | Lost to (1) Maryland 85-70
2008: Beat (4) Vanderbilt 83-62 | Lost to (12) Villanova 84-72
2009: Beat (8) Ohio State 74-72 (2OT) | Lost to (1) Louisville 79-72
2010: Lost to (4) Purdue 72-64
2026: vs. (1) Duke
What conference does Siena play in?
Siena competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), where it has been a member since 1989-90. The MAAC features teams from Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Siena won the conference tournament in 2025-26 to reach the NCAA Tournament.
The Saints have won regular-season MAAC championships in 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2020 and 2021, winning the MAAC Tournament championship in 1999, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2026.
Before joining the MAAC, Siena competed out of the Eastern College Athletic Conference-North (ECACN) before it was renamed to the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) in 1989. In their last year in the conference, the Saints won the 1989 NAC Tournament to earn their first bid to the NCAA Tournament.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where is Siena located? Nickname, March Madness history for MAAC program
Source: “AOL Sports”
