Skip to main content
Come Fan with UsTuesday, August 4, 2026

Everything you need to know about UMBC, the No. 16 seed that just beat a No. 1 for the 1st time in the NCAA tournament

Need a quick rundown of what UMBC is? We got you.

NCAA Basketball Tournament - First Round - Charlotte
NCAA Basketball Tournament - First Round - Charlotte
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

My roommate asked me a question for which i didn’t know the answer, and it was fairly embarrassing for a sports writer: “What even is UMBC?” And I quickly realized I didn’t know. In fact, I didn’t even really have a good guess. So thanks to the magic of Google, now I know the answer to that question, and I think you should too.

And if you clicked on this blog, like this incredible spike in Google Trends data would indicate, you also would like to know what UMBC is.

The University of Maryland Baltimore County Retrievers — yes, that’s their nickname — is located 150 miles away from the University of Virginia team it just upset. The school is southwest of downtown Baltimore, and in the same University system as Towson and the much more popular University of Maryland (which is located in College Park).

Related

Here’s the rundown from the school’s website:

UMBC is a dynamic public research university integrating teaching, research and service to benefit the citizens of Maryland. As an Honors University, the campus offers academically talented students a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation that prepares them for graduate and professional study, entry into the workforce, and community service and leadership. UMBC emphasizes science, engineering, information technology, human services and public policy at the graduate level. UMBC contributes to the economic development of the State and the region through entrepreneurial initiatives, workforce training, K-16 partnerships, and technology commercialization in collaboration with public agencies and the corporate community. UMBC is dedicated to cultural and ethnic diversity, social responsibility and lifelong learning.

But, uhh, don’t click on that hyperlink because it won’t get you anywhere apparently.

Some more quick facts to get you up to speed on the school:

So now you know all about UMBC, the school 150 miles from UVA that pulled off the biggest upset in NCAA history.

Men's College Basketball
College basketball’s 9 national championship contenders for 2027 men’s titleCollege basketball’s 9 national championship contenders for 2027 men’s title
Men's College Basketball

These teams can win it all this season in men’s college basketball.

By Ricky O'Donnell
Men's College Basketball
College basketball rankings: Updated men’s top 25 after busy summer of movementCollege basketball rankings: Updated men’s top 25 after busy summer of movement
Men's College Basketball
UCLA lands Nikola Kusturica, its best recruit since Lonzo Ball and a top 2028 NBA Draft pickUCLA lands Nikola Kusturica, its best recruit since Lonzo Ball and a top 2028 NBA Draft pick
Men's College Basketball

Kusturica will be a 17-year-old freshman phenom at UCLA before entering the NBA Draft in 2028.

By Ricky O'Donnell
NBA
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje is the best prospect in the world outside of the NBA, and Duke is nextJoaquim Boumtje Boumtje is the best prospect in the world outside of the NBA, and Duke is next
NBA

Duke struck gold again. The NBA is already salivating over Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje for 2028.

By Ricky O'Donnell
Men's College Basketball
Dusty May’s stunning NBA departure leaves Michigan facing its biggest test yetDusty May’s stunning NBA departure leaves Michigan facing its biggest test yet
Men's College Basketball

How will Michigan recover from losing Dusty May?

By Mike Rutherford