Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the United States, and Division 1 basketball is the highest level of competition. College basketball is the most competitive level of play and the most competitive teams are in Division 1. So, how many Division 1 basketball teams are there?
Overview of Division 1 Basketball
Division 1 basketball is made up of 350 teams that compete in 32 conferences. The NCAA is the governing body that sets the rules and regulations for all Division 1 basketball teams. They also determine which teams will be able to compete in the NCAA Tournament each year.
Each conference has its own rules and regulations, and teams must abide by them in order to remain eligible for the tournament. Teams are also expected to adhere to NCAA rules and regulations, including maintaining academic standards for their players.
Division 1 Basketball Conferences
There are 32 conferences in Division 1 basketball, and each conference has between 10 and 16 teams. The conferences are:
• Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
• American Athletic Conference (AAC)
• Big 12 Conference
• Big Ten Conference
• Conference USA
• Mid-American Conference (MAC)
• Mountain West Conference
• Pac-12 Conference
• Southeastern Conference (SEC)
• Sun Belt Conference
• Atlantic 10 Conference
• Big East Conference
• Horizon League
• Missouri Valley Conference
• West Coast Conference
• Big Sky Conference
• Big South Conference
• Colonial Athletic Association
• Great West Conference
• Independents
• Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
• Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
• Ohio Valley Conference
• Patriot League
• Southern Conference
• Southland Conference
• Summit League
• The Ivy League
• Western Athletic Conference
• America East Conference
• Big West Conference
• Northeast Conference
The total number of Division 1 basketball teams is 350, including the teams from the 32 conferences listed above.
Division 1 Basketball Teams by State
When looking at the geographic distribution of Division 1 basketball teams, it’s clear that some states have more teams than others. The states with the most Division 1 basketball teams are:
• California (20 teams)
• Texas (19 teams)
• North Carolina (17 teams)
• Ohio (15 teams)
• New York (14 teams)
• Pennsylvania (12 teams)
• Florida (11 teams)
• Illinois (10 teams)
• Virginia (9 teams)
• Indiana (9 teams)
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are 350 Division 1 basketball teams in the United States. The NCAA is the governing body that sets the rules and regulations for all Division 1 basketball teams, and each team must abide by them in order to remain eligible for the tournament. There are 32 conferences in Division 1 basketball, and the states with the most teams are California, Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio.