by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 15 programs for Men’s Basketball (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual scores each program on a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Our analysis found Washington and Lee University to be the best college for Men's Basketball (Division III) in Virginia. Washington and Lee University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lexington, VA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,596, with expenses of about $15,451 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Christopher Newport University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division III), at #2. This public school is set in Newport News, VA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $23,788, against $23,788 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Randolph-Macon College ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Ashland, VA. Team revenue averages $27,326 per participant, against $27,325 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Mary Washington landed the #4 spot for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in Fredericksburg, VA, University of Mary Washington is a public institution. Team revenue averages $19,601 per participant, against $18,812 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Shenandoah University landed the #5 spot for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Winchester, VA. The program generates about $13,775 in revenue per athlete, against $13,775 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Lynchburg placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). Located in Lynchburg, VA, University of Lynchburg is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,122, against $14,122 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Roanoke College did well this year, earning the #7 position. Roanoke College is a private not-for-profit school based in Salem, VA. The program generates about $10,624 in revenue per athlete, compared with $10,624 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Virginia Wesleyan University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Based in Virginia Beach, VA, Virginia Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $17,908 in revenue per athlete, against $17,908 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Regent University landed the #9 spot this year. Regent University is a private not-for-profit school based in Virginia Beach, VA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,954, against $8,954 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Mary Baldwin University ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in Staunton, VA, Mary Baldwin University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $8,166 per participant, against $8,166 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Averett University landed the #11 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Danville, VA. Team revenue averages $11,720 per participant, with expenses of about $11,720 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Eastern Mennonite University placed #12 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in Harrisonburg, VA, Eastern Mennonite University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $6,629 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,629 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Randolph College ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Lynchburg, VA. Team revenue averages $6,188 per participant, with expenses of about $6,188 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Ferrum College came in at #14 in this year's ranking. Based in Ferrum, VA, Ferrum College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $10,953 in revenue per athlete, compared with $10,953 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Southern Virginia University came in at #15 in this year's ranking. Based in Buena Vista, VA, Southern Virginia University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $8,592 in revenue per athlete, compared with $8,592 spent per athlete. The school awards about $90 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.