LACEY, Wash. — The Saint Martin's Men's Basketball team will host the inaugural Bob Grisham Invitational during the 2026 season, hosting three schools across two days of games on Dec. 18-19 at Marcus Pavilion.

The invitational honors the legacy of longtime Saint Martin's Director of Athletics Bob Grisham, who spent more than 37 years serving the University and played a pivotal role in the growth of Saints Athletics. Grisham also served as the men's basketball head coach from 1985-2001, compiling a school-record 214 victories during his tenure.

"This event means a lot to me, Bob Grisham was a great man who had a profound impact on my life," Saint Martin's Head Coach Aaron Landon said. "Bob touched so many lives during his 37 years at Saint Martin's, and I hope to see a lot of them in Marcus Pavilion watching some great basketball this holiday season."

The Saints will host Central Washington, Hawaii Pacific, and Eastern New Mexico for the invitational. Saint Martin's will play Eastern New Mexico on day one and face Hawaii Pacific on day two, a rematch of last year's West Region first-round matchup in which the Saints won 75-68.
 

Bob Grisham Invitational Schedule:

Friday, December 18

4:45 PM	Central Washington	Hawaii Pacific
7:00 PM	Saint Martin's	Eastern New Mexico

Saturday, December 19

4:45 PM	Central Washington	Eastern New Mexico
7:00 PM	Saint Martin's	Hawaii Pacific

Visiting Team Quick Facts

Eastern New Mexico
The Greyhounds are coming off one of the strongest seasons in program history, finishing 26-6 and ranked No. 13 in the final NABC Division II Coaches Poll. Eastern New Mexico finished second in the Lone Star Conference and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Daven Vo tied the school's single-season wins record with 26 victories in just his second season at the helm.

Hawaii Pacific
The Sharks are coming off a historic season under head coach Jesse Nakanishi, who enters his fourth year leading the program. HPU opened the season with a viral road victory at NCAA Division I Boise State and went on to establish itself as one of the top teams in the NCAA West Region. The Sharks finished 18-12 overall and 13-9 in PacWest play, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament before falling to the Saints in the West Regional.

Central Washington
The Wildcats join the field as a fellow GNAC member and bring a strong recent track record of success. Central Washington won the GNAC Regular Season Championship in 2025 after capturing the GNAC Tournament title in 2024. The Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament in both 2024 and 2025 and have qualified for the GNAC Tournament every season since conference play resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic.

PABCO Roofing Products

The inaugural Bob Grisham Invitational is presented by PABCO Roofing Products, a Tacoma-based, family-owned manufacturer of premium roofing shingles with nearly 40 years of experience. PABCO's support of Saint Martin's Athletics helps bring this new event to Marcus Pavilion as the Saints honor the lasting legacy of Bob Grisham.

"This event has been a couple years in the works, and it came together with the help of Paul & Megan Oczkewicz, two Saints that loved the idea of honoring Bob's legacy with an awesome NCAA DII event," Landon said. "We've partnered with PABCO Roofing Products to bring a highly competitive weekend of college basketball to Saint Martin's and Thurston County. I'm excited to have some great programs battling inside Marcus Pavilion."