EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsIf you've never filled out a college basketball bracket, it can all seem quite intimidating. How many teams? How many games?If you can't tell your Michigan from your Michigan State, if you wonder about the difference between a Kentucky Wildcat and an Arizona Wildcat, or even if you're filling out a bracket by looking for the coolest mascots, then we have good news for you. We've researched each school in the men's tournament to put all of that non-basketball information in one place, organized by region and seeds, to make it easier to fill out your brackets in ESPN's Tournament Challenge, where you can create up to 25 brackets for free.We apologize in advance if we left off your favorite actor/athlete/politician/relative from the list of notable alumni. It was (probably) unintentional, and there's nothing to read into it. But we had fun with this, and we hope you do, too.Ready to play? Sign up for free today!More: Bracket facts | How to play ESPN Tournament ChallengeEast region(1) Duke Blue DevilsDurham, North CarolinaConference: ACC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Blue Devil | Fight song: "Fight Blue Devils"Official color(s): Duke blue and whiteNotable alumni: Adam Silver, Ken Jeong, Melinda Gates, Jay Williams, Jay Bilas(2) UConn HuskiesStorrs, ConnecticutConference: Big East | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Jonathan the Husky | Fight song: "UConn Husky"Official color(s): Navy blue, gray and whiteNotable alumni: Donovan Clingan, Meg Ryan, Diana Taurasi, Paige Bueckers, Sue Bird, Dan Orlovsky(3) Michigan State SpartansEast Lansing, MichiganConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Sparty | Fight song: "Victory for MSU"Official color(s): Green and whiteNotable alumni: Magic Johnson, Le'Veon Bell, Bubba Smith, Dan Gilbert, Geoff Johns(4) Kansas JayhawksLawrence, KansasConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Big Jay and Baby Jay | Fight song: "I'm a Jayhawk"Official color(s): Crimson and blueNotable alumni: Wilt Chamberlain, Joel Embiid, Paul Rudd, Don Johnson, Rob Riggle, Scott Bakula, Nikki Glaser(5) St. John's Red StormNew York City, New YorkConference: Big East | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Red Storm Thunderbird | Fight song: "All Hail St. John's Red Storm"Official color(s): Red and whiteNotable alumni: Mark Jackson, J. Cole, Lou Carnesecca, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Chris Mullin(6) Louisville CardinalsLouisville, KentuckyConference: ACC | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Louie the Cardinal | Fight song: "Fight! U of L"Official color(s): Red and blackNotable alumni: Diane Sawyer, Sue Grafton, Lamar Jackson, Donovan Mitchell(7) UCLA BruinsLos AngelesConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Joe Bruin | Fight song: "Sons of Westwood and the Mighty Bruins"Official color(s): UCLA Blue and UCLA GoldNotable alumni: Jackie Robinson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Arthur Ashe, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Gabrielle Union(8) Ohio State BuckeyesColumbus, OhioConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 60,000+Mascot: Brutus Buckeye | Fight song: "Buckeye Battle Cry"Official color(s): Scarlet, grey, and whiteNotable alumni: Roy Lichtenstein, Patricia Heaton, Richard Lewis, Eddie George, Mike Conley(9) TCU Horned FrogsFort Worth, TexasConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Superfrog | Fight song: "TCU Fight song"Official color(s): Horned Frog Purple and WhiteNotable alumni: LaDainian Tomlinson, Sammy Baugh, Shantel VanSanten, Scott Brooks(10) UCF KnightsOrlando, FloridaConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 60,000+Mascot: Knightro | Fight song: "Charge On"Official color(s): Black and goldNotable alumni: Robert Venditti, Jonathan Mangum, Blake Bortles, Michelle Akers, Seth Petruzelli(11) South Florida BullsTampa, FloridaConference: American | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Rocky D. Bull | Fight song: "USF Fight Song"Official color(s): Green and goldNotable alumni: Tony La Russa, Jason Pierre-Paul, Tamsen Fadal, Aasif Mandvi(12) Northern Iowa PanthersCedar Falls, IowaConference: Missouri Valley | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: TC and TK Panther | Fight song: "UNI Fight"Official color(s): Purple and goldNotable alumni: Kurt Warner, Brittni Donaldson, Nick Nurse, Chris Kleiman(13) California Baptist LancersRiverside, CaliforniaConference: WAC | Enrollment: 11,491Mascot: Lance the Lancer | Fight song: "Lance up, CBU"Official color(s): Navy blue, gold, and whiteNotable alumni: Drew Shirley, Brent Kutzle, Dustin-Leigh Konzelman(14) North Dakota State BisonFargo, North DakotaConference: Missouri Valley | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Thundar | Fight song: "On Bison"Official color(s): Green and yellowNotable alumni: Carson Wentz, Humayun Ahmed, Gus Bradley, Trey Lance(15) Furman PaladinsGreenville, South CarolinaConference: Southern Conference | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: Victor the Paladin | Fight song: "The Paladins Song"Official color(s): Royal purple and whiteNotable alumni: Billy Napier, Amy Grant, Clint Dempsey, Xavier Woods, Dottie Pepper(16) Siena SaintsLoudonville, New YorkConference: MAAC | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Baloo and Bernie St. Bernard | Fight song: "Put on your old green bonnet"Official color(s): Green and goldNotable alumni: Wendy Moniz, Len Roberts, Jeff Hafley, Matt GageMidwest region(1) Michigan WolverinesAnn Arbor, MichiganConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: N/A | Fight song: "The Victors"Official color(s): Maize and blueNotable alumni: Adam Schefter, Tom Brady, Madonna, Judd Winick, Rick Bayless(2) Iowa State CyclonesAmes, IowaConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Cy the Cardinal | Fight song: "ISU Fights"Official color(s): Cardinal and goldNotable alumni: Brock Purdy, Tyrese Haliburton, Fred Hoiberg, Jeff Hornacek(3) Virginia CavaliersCharlottesville, VirginiaConference: ACC | Enrollment: 23,721Mascot: Cavalier | Fight song: "The Cavalier Song"Official color(s): Orange and blueNotable alumni: Edgar Allen Poe, William Faulkner, Val Ackerman, Tina Fey, Chris Canty, David Baldacci(4) Alabama Crimson TideTuscaloosa, AlabamaConference: SEC | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Big Al | Fight song: "Yea Alabama"Official color(s): Crimson and whiteNotable alumni: Jalen Hurts, Frank Lary, Jimmy Wales, Dabo Swinney, Harper Lee, Joe Namath(5) Texas Tech Red RaidersLubbock, TexasConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Raider Red | Fight song: "Fight, Raiders, Fight"Official color(s): Red and blackNotable alumni: Michael Crabtree, Tilman Fetitta, Scott Pelley, Patrick Mahomes, Alexis Tipton(6) Tennessee VolunteersKnoxville, TennesseeConference: SEC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Smokey | Fight song: "Down the Field"Official color(s): Orange and whiteNotable alumni: Peyton Manning, Reggie White, Candace Parker, Chris Moneymaker, Scott Kelly(6) Georgia BulldogsAthens, GeorgiaConference: SEC | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Uga and Hairy Dawg | Fight song: "Glory, Glory"Official color(s): Red and blackNotable alumni: Michael Stipe, Deborah Roberts, Matthew Stafford, Ernie Johnson, Anthony Edwards(7) Kentucky WildcatsLexington, KentuckyConference: SEC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: The Wildcat | Fight song: "On, On, U of K"Official color(s): Wildcat blueNotable alumni: Pat Riley, Ashley Judd, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis, Story Musgrave(9) Saint Louis BillikensSt. Louis, MissouriConference: A-10 | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: The Billiken | Fight song: "SLU Fight Song"Official color(s): Blue and whiteNotable alumni: Dennis O'Neil, James Gunn, Tim Ream, Michelle Mainelli(10) Santa Clara BroncosSanta Clara, CaliforniaConference: WCC | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Bucky the Bronco | Fight song: "Fight for Santa Clara"Official color(s): Red and whiteNotable alumni: Brandi Chastain, Steve Nash, Shemar Moore(11) Miami (OH) RedHawksOxford, OhioConference: MAC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Swoop the RedHawk | Fight song: "Miami Fight Song"Official color(s): Red and whiteNotable alumni: Ben Roethlisberger, Benjamin Harrison, John Harbaugh, Katie Lee Biegel, Mike "The Miz" Mizanin(11) SMU MustangsDallasConference: ACC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Peruna | Fight song: "Pony Battle Cry"Official color(s): Red and blueNotable alumni: Candice Patton, Kourtney Kardashian, Saundra Santiago, Raymond Berry, Bryson DeChambeau(12) Akron ZipsAkron, OhioConference: MAC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Zippy | Fight song: "Akron Blue & Gold"Official color(s): Blue and goldNotable alumni: Yvette Nicole Brown, Jim Tressel, Keith Dambrot(13) Hofstra PrideHempstead, New YorkConference: CAA | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Kate and Willie Pride | Fight song: "March on, Hofstra"Official color(s): Blue, white and goldNotable alumni: Speedy Claxton, Wayne Chrebet, James Caan, Rosemarie DeWitt, Francis Ford Coppola(14) Wright State RaidersFairborn, OhioConference: Horizon League | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Rowdy Raider | Fight song: "Fight Wright"Official color(s): Green and goldNotable alumni: Nicole Scherzinger, Brad Sherwood, Sean Murphy, Brian Anderson(15) Tennessee State TigersNashvilleConference: Ohio Valley Conference | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Aristocat the Tiger | Fight song: "I'm so glad"Official color(s): Blue and whiteNotable alumni: Oprah Winfrey, Maurice White, Wilma Rudolph, Ed "Too Tall" Jones(16) UMBC RetrieversCatonsville, MarylandConference: America East | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: True Grit | Fight song: "UMBC Fight Song"Official color(s): Brown and whiteNotable alumni: Kathleen Turner, Duff Goldman, Rabia Chaudry, Jairus Lyles(16) Howard BisonWashington, D.C.Conference: MEAC | Enrollment: 9,689Mascot: Bison | Fight song: "Fight song"Official color(s): Navy blue and whiteNotable alumni: Chadwick Boseman, Taraji P. Henson, Carla Hall, Toni Morrison, Thurgood MarshallSouth region(1) Florida GatorsGainsville, FloridaConference: SEC | Enrollment: 60,000+Mascot: Albert and Alberta Gator | Fight song: "The Orange and Blue"Official color(s): Orange and blueNotable alumni: Faye Dunaway, Darrell Hammond, Stephen Root, Tim Tebow, Al Horford(2) Houston CougarsHoustonConference: American | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Shasta | Fight song: "Cougar Fight song"Official color(s): Scarlet and whiteNotable alumni: Hakeem Olajuwon, Jim Parsons, Lil Wayne, Lizzo, Fred Couples(3) Illinois Fighting IlliniChampaign, IllinoisConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: N/A | Fight song: "Oskee-Wow-Wow"Official color(s): Orange and blueNotable alumni: Nick Offerman, Arden Cho, Jesse Jackson, Dick Butkus, Tony Khan(4) Nebraska CornhuskersLincoln, NebraskaConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Herbie Husker | Fight song: "Hail Varsity"Official color(s): Scarlet and creamNotable alumni: Johnny Carson, Willa Cather, Warren Buffett, Shelley Smith, Scott Frost(5) Vanderbilt CommodoresNashville, TennesseeConference: SEC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Mr. Commodore | Fight song: "Dynamite"Official color(s): Black and goldNotable alumni: Dierks Bentley, Buster Olney, David Price, Dinah Shore, James Patterson(6) North Carolina Tar HeelsChapel Hill, North CarolinaConference: ACC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Rameses | Fight song: "I'm a Tar Heel Born"Official color(s): Carolina blue and whiteNotable alumni: Michael Jordan, Stuart Scott, Andy Griffith, Drake Maye, Brooke Baldwin(7) Saint Mary's GaelsMoraga, CaliforniaConference: West Coast | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: Gael Force One | Fight song: "On to Victory"Official color(s): Navy, red and silverNotable alumni: Tony Martin, Mahershala Ali, Corbin Burnes, Matthew Dellavedova(8) Clemson TigersClemson, South CarolinaConference: ACC | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: The Tiger | Fight song: "Tiger Rag"Official color(s): Orange and regaliaNotable alumni: Nancy O'Dell, Rob Huebel, James Michael Tyler, Spencer Strider, Trevor Lawrence(9) Iowa HawkeyesIowa City, IowaConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Herky the Hawk | Fight song: "Iowa Fight song"Official color(s): Black and goldNotable alumni: Tennessee Williams, Caitlin Clark, Gene Wilder, Tom Brokaw, Matt Bowen(10) Texas A&M AggiesCollege Station, TexasConference: SEC | Enrollment: 70,000+Mascot: Reveille | Fight song: "Aggie War Hymn"Official color(s): Maroon and whiteNotable alumni: Lyle Lovett, Rick Perry, Myles Garrett, Granger Smith(11) VCU RamsRichmond, VirginiaConference: Atlantic 10 | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Rodney the Ram | Fight song: "Ram Fight song"Official color(s): Black and goldNotable alumni: Patch Adams, David Baldacci, Matthew Ramsey(12) McNeese CowboysLake Charles, LouisianaConference: Southland | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Rowdy | Fight song: "Joli Blon"Official color(s): Blue and goldNotable alumni: R.C. Slocum, Joe Dumars, Adam Johnson(13) Troy TrojansTroy, AlabamaConference: Sun Belt | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: T-Roy | Fight song: "Trojans, One and All"Official color(s): Cardinal red, silver and blackNotable alumni: Melanie Newman, Lawrence Tynes, Windham "Bray Wyatt" Rotunda, Osi Umenyiora(14) Pennsylvania QuakersPhiladelphiaConference: Ivy | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: The Quaker | Fight song: "Fight on Pennsylvania"Official color(s): Red and blueNotable alumni: Tory Burch, Dick Wolf, Check Bednarik, Elizabeth Banks, W. Kamau Bell(15) Idaho VandalsMoscow, IdahoConference: Big Sky | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Joe Vandal | Fight song: "Go, Vandals, Go"Official color(s): Gold and silverNotable alumni: Bill Fagerbakke, Otis Livingston, Kristin Armstrong, David Vobora(16) Lehigh Mountain HawksBethlehem, PennsylvaniaConference: Patriot | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Clutch the Mountain Hawk | Fight song: "Lehigh Will Shine"Official color(s): White and brownNotable alumni: CJ McCollum, Cathy Engelbert(16) Prairie View A&M PanthersPrairie View, TexasConference: SWAC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: The Panther | Fight song: Cheers for Prairie ViewOfficial color(s): Purple and goldNotable alumni: Arthur Bryant, Clora Bryant, Ken Houston, Loni Love, Otis TaylorWest region(1) Arizona WildcatsTucson, ArizonaConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Wilbur and Wilma | Fight song: "Fight Wildcats, Fight!"Official color(s): UA Red and Arizona BlueNotable alumni: Richard Jefferson, Gilbert Arenas, Rob Gronkowski, Nicole Richie, Kenny Lofton(2) Purdue BoilermakersWest Lafayette, IndianaConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Boilermaker Special | Fight song: "Hail Purdue!"Official color(s): Old gold and blackNotable alumni: Neil Armstrong, Orville Redenbacher, Jim Gaffigan, John Wooden, Drew Brees(3) Gonzaga BulldogsSpokane, WashingtonConference: West Coast Conference | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Spike the Bulldog | Fight song: "Go Gonzaga"Official color(s): Blue and whiteNotable alumni: John Stockton, Bing Crosby, Jalen Suggs, Jason Bay, Courtney Vandersloot(4) Arkansas RazorbacksFayetteville, ArkansasConference: SEC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Tusk IV | Fight song: "Arkansas Fight"Official color(s): Cardinal and whiteNotable alumni: John Daly, Jerry Jones, Pat Summerall, Joe Johnson, Darren McFadden, Tyson Gay(5) Wisconsin BadgersMadison, WisconsinConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Bucky Badger | Fight song: "On, Wisconsin!"Official color(s): Red and whiteNotable alumni: Phil Hellmuth, Manu Raju, Andy Katz, J.J. Watt, Robert Greene(5) BYU CougarsProvo, UtahConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Cosmo the Cougar | Fight song: "The Cougar Song"Official color(s): Blue and whiteNotable alumni: Andy Reid, Ken Jennings, Mark Rober, Kaskade, Danny Ainge, Jimmer Fredette(7) Miami HurricanesCoral Gables, FloridaConference: ACC | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Sebastian the Ibis | Fight song: "Miami U How-Dee-Doo"Official color(s): UM Orange and UM GreenNotable alumni: Dwayne Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, Gloria Estefan, Ray Lewis, Michael Irvin, Enrique Iglesias(8) Villanova WildcatsVillanova, PennsylvaniaConference: Big East | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Will D. Cat | Fight song: "V for Villanova"Official color(s): Blue and whiteNotable alumni: Pope Leo XIV, Maria Bello, Jalen Brunson, Maddy Siegrist, Jill Biden(9) Utah State AggiesLogan, UtahConference: Mountain West | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Big Blue | Fight song: "Hail the Utah Aggies"Official color(s): Navy blue, white and pewter grayNotable alumni: Jordan Love, Bobby Wagner, Merlin Olsen, Sawyer Hemsley(10) Missouri TigersColumbia, MissouriConference: SEC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Truman the Tiger | Fight song: "Every True Son and Fight"Official color(s): MU gold and blackNotable alumni: Brad Pitt, Sheryl Crow, Max Scherzer, Carl Edwards, Chase Daniel, Tennessee Williams(11) NC State WolfpackRaleigh, North CarolinaConference: ACC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Mr. and Mrs. Wuf | Fight song: "Red and white song"Official color(s): Wolfpack red, white, and blackNotable alumni: Zach Galifianakis, Trea Turner, Philip Rivers, Debbie Antonelli, John Tesh(11) Texas LonghornsAustin, TexasConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Bevo | Fight song: "Texas Fight"Official color(s): Burnt orange and whiteNotable alumni: Matthew McConaughey, Vince Youn, Kevin Durant, Janis Joplin, Walter Cronkite(12) High Point PanthersHigh Point, North CarolinaConference: Big South | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Prowler the Panther | Fight song: "Fight Song"Official color(s): Purple and whiteNotable alumni: Austin Dillon, Donna Fargo, Gene Littles, Tubby Smith(13) Hawai'i Rainbow WarriorsHonolulu, HawaiiConference: Big West | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Rainbow Warrior | Fight song: "Fight song"Official color(s): Green, black, silver, and whiteNotable alumni: Jason Elam, Kolten Wong, Larry Beil, Samson Satele(14) Kennesaw State OwlsKennesaw, GeorgiaConference: Atlantic Sun | Enrollment:Mascot: Scrappy the Owl | Fight song: "KSU Fight song"Official color(s): Black and goldNotable alumni: Ty Pennington, Jasmine Burke, Willie Harris(15) Queens University RoyalsCharlotteConference: ASUN | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: Rex the Lion | Fight song: N/AOfficial color(s): Blue and goldNotable alumni: Chuck Wendig, Betsy Byars, Tanner Jacobson(16) Long Island University SharksBrooklyn, New YorkConference: NEC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Finley the Shark | Fight song: "Fight Song"Official color(s): Light blue and goldNotable alumni: Ossie Schectman, Amaya Espinal, Larry Doby
