Nico Ashley Named to Watch List for 2026 College Slam Dunk Championship

Nico Ashley of the Central Connecticut men's basketball program has been selected to the watch list for the Slam Dunk Championship as part of the 37th annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday, April 3. The event will be broadcast nationally on ESPN on Sunday, April 5 at Noon ET.

Ashley joined the Blue Devils from Lees-McRae College where he was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22. A 6-foot-7 forward, Ashley appeared in 18 games for CCSU. He posted a career-high 15 points against UMass, while grabbing a season-best six rebounds in Central's win at Boston College. He ranked third on the team in blocked shots and had two rejections in a game on three occasions. A dynamic athlete, he also had four dunks on the season. Prior to his time in New Britain, he was a two-time Conference Carolinas All-Defensive Team selection and an All-Conference First Team choice in 2021-22. He also set a program-record with 163 blocked shots. 

The State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships invites a collection of the nation's elite men's and women's college basketball players to compete for slam dunk and 3-point shooting bragging rights. The night features the yearly Slam Dunk Championship, the E*TRADE Men's 3-Point Championship, the Celsius Women's 3-Point Championship and the team shootout. The winners of the Men's and Women's 3-Point Championships will then compete in the Skechers Battle of the Champions.

It will be the seventh time Indianapolis has played host to the event, and the third time the annual competition will take place at Hinkle Fieldhouse, the home of the Butler Bulldogs.

Participants in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships have included some of basketball's greats and legendary lottery picks, including Gary Payton, Steve Nash, Cappie Pondexter and Odyssey Sims, to unforgettable tournament superstars from recent history like Kris Jenkins, Jack Gohlke, Dyaisha Fair and Ariel Atkins.

Tickets for the 2026 State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships start at $29 and are now on sale by visiting here.

A complete roster of participants in the 2026 State Farm College Slam Dunk competition is below. For more information, visit CollegeSlam.com, follow us on Twitter (@CollegeSLAM) and Instagram (@College_Slam).

State Farm Slam Dunk Championship
Nico Ashley, Central Connecticut
Bryson Dawkins, Youngstown St.
Jaylin Henderson, Portland St.
LaJae Jones, Florida St.
William Kyle, Syracuse
Shaqir O'Neal, Sacramento St.
Sam Phipps, UT-Tyler

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