Westwood One Announces Broadcast Plans for 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

"Westwood One will again serve as the national audio home of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, delivering play-by-play coverage of every game throughout the 2026 tournament as part of its long-running partnership with the NCAA."

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Cumulus Media’s Westwood One will again serve as the national audio home of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, delivering play-by-play coverage of every game throughout the 2026 tournament as part of its long-running partnership with the NCAA.

The network plans to begin its extensive audio presentation at 6:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 17 with pregame coverage leading into the First Four matchups.

From that point forward, Westwood One will air all 67 games of the tournament through the national title game on April 6. The coverage continues a tradition that has made the network a primary destination for radio listeners during college basketball’s postseason showcase.

In addition to English-language coverage, the network will again provide Spanish-language broadcasts of the Final Four and national championship game. It marks the eighth time the company has produced those calls for the tournament’s closing weekend.

Fans will be able to access the broadcasts across a wide range of platforms. Westwood One’s coverage will air on terrestrial radio stations across the United States and on SiriusXM. Every game will also stream free online through the tournament’s digital platforms.

Listeners can tune in through NCAA.com’s March Madness page, the Westwood One Sports website, and the network’s mobile app. The audio feeds will also be available through the NCAA March Madness Live app and The Varsity Network app. The platforms will provide additional mobile listening options.

The network has also expanded accessibility through voice-enabled technology. Fans using Alexa-enabled devices can access live coverage by requesting Westwood One Sports audio streams, while TuneIn Premium subscribers will also have access to the tournament broadcasts.

For the Final Four and national championship, Westwood One will feature a familiar lead broadcast team. Play-by-play announcer Kevin Kugler will call the action alongside analysts Robbie Hummel and P. J. Carlesimo. Courtside reporting duties will be handled by Andy Katz.

Studio coverage surrounding the championship weekend will be hosted by Jason Horowitz and Nick Bahe from Indianapolis, the host city for the Final Four and championship game.

Westwood One’s broader tournament broadcast roster includes an extensive list of analysts and former college basketball figures. Among those contributing throughout March Madness are former head coaches Tom Crean and Fran Fraschilla, along with former standout players including Casey Jacobsen, LaPhonso Ellis, Austin Croshere, Jordan Cornette, Jon Crispin, King McClure and Sarah Kustok.

The play-by-play rotation for early-round games will feature several recognizable voices from across sports media. Those announcers include Ryan Radtke, Scott Graham, John Sadak, Jason Benetti, Noah Eagle, Nate Gatter, Ted Emrich, Spero Dedes and Danny Reed.

The Spanish-language broadcast team will again feature play-by-play voice Rafael Hernandez Brito and analyst Greivis Vásquez. Hosting duties will be handled by former Puerto Rican national team coach Carlos Morales.

In addition to live game broadcasts, Westwood One will produce hour-long programs leading into daily tournament coverage. Those shows include The NCAA Tournament Today, The Final Four Show, and Championship Monday. They will provide additional analysis and storylines as the tournament unfolds through March and early April.

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