Welcome to the 2026 Peter T. Roether Memorial March Madness Pool!

My Cousin (UConn +7) and I (Michigan -7) are going head to head in Pool A for the Championship. It would be his first win and only my second. Having to root for Michigan is makng me physically ill, but on the bright side, I cannot lose.

In Pool B, we have the lovely Mrs. Meicher rooting for UConn against Christian.

We have The Battle of Peope I Have Never Actually Met in Pool C, with Kirk on my side with Michigan against Jackson's Guy.

Dale Deux is also on my side facing off with Another Coad in Pool D.

Mike/Melissa has UConn in Pool E and also, I assume, a joint Facebook account, while Raines (no relation to Tim, unfortunately) has the Ann Arbor Douchecanoes.

Finally, in our Title IX Pool ("F" for "female") has Nicole with the Huskies and Hailey pulling for Michigan.

Thank you very much to everyone who participated this year! Please feel free to email me with any and all feedback on the site. My goal for next season is to have the home page grid update as the tournament progresses.

Good luck to everyone still alive,
Commish Doc

The Draw

Pool A — Click Here for Bracket and Spreads
Entry East South West Midwest
Barnes 5Saint John's 2Houston 6BYU 4Alabama
Big Ben 9TCU 8Clemson 4Arkansas 2Iowa State
Brenner 1Duke 13Troy 9Utah State 13Hofstra
Brother Christman 10Central Florida 10Texas A&M 16Long Island 10Santa Clara
Cousin 15Furman 14Penn 3Gonzaga 3Virginia
D-Banks 13Cal Baptist 6North Carolina 5Wisconsin 12Akron
Doc 6Louisville 12McNeese State 14Kennesaw State 16Howard
Hollison 8Ohio State 7Saint Mary's 15Queens 8Georgia
Hose 3Michigan State 16Prairie View A&M 12High Point 15Tennessee State
JP 2UConn 9Iowa 7Miami (The Bad One) 5Texas Tech
Little Ecker 11South Florida 11VCU 10Missouri 7Kentucky
Meicher 7UCLA 3Illinois 2Purdue 1Michigan
My Lawyer 16Siena 1Florida 11Texas 9Saint Louis
My Mommy 14North Dakota State 4Nebraska 1Arizona 11Miami (The Good One)
Rob 12Northern Iowa 15Idaho 8Villanova 14Wright State
The Godfather 4Kansas 5Vanderbilt 13Hawaii 6Tennessee
Pool B — Click Here for Bracket and Spreads
Entry East South West Midwest
Addie Mae (BUAB) 12Northern Iowa 5Vanderbilt 13Hawaii 9Saint Louis
Barnes II: Electric Boogaloo 9TCU 14Penn 4Arkansas 5Texas Tech
Christian 3Michigan State 10Texas A&M 7Miami (The Bad One) 16Howard
Dad 4Kansas 13Troy 5Wisconsin 13Hofstra
Even Littler Ecker 16Siena 7Saint Mary's 15Queens 2Iowa State
Hewston 13Cal Baptist 9Iowa 9Utah State 12Akron
Jackson 10Central Florida 15Idaho 2Purdue 6Tennessee
Lexann "C'mon" Eileen 6Louisville 8Clemson 14Kennesaw State 10Santa Clara
McQuade, Bobby 8Ohio State 2Houston 6BYU 14Wright State
McQuade, John 11South Florida 4Nebraska 3Gonzaga 7Kentucky
Mrs. Meicher 15Furman 1Florida 12High Point 3Virginia
My Cherub 14North Dakota State 16Prairie View A&M 1Arizona 8Georgia
My Man Mitch 7UCLA 6North Carolina 16Long Island 1Michigan
New Bride Jessica 1Duke 12McNeese State 10Missouri 4Alabama
Smitty 5Saint John's 3Illinois 8Villanova 11Miami (The Good One)
Theresa 2UConn 11VCU 11Texas 15Tennessee State
Pool C — Click Here for Bracket and Spreads
Entry East South West Midwest
Andy 4Kansas 1Florida 9Utah State 15Tennessee State
Barnes III: Dream Warriors 12Northern Iowa 14Penn 1Arizona 8Georgia
Billy 10Central Florida 16Prairie View A&M 15Queens 9Saint Louis
Bob Norell 5Saint John's 3Illinois 3Gonzaga 10Santa Clara
Bobby Norell 14North Dakota State 7Saint Mary's 10Missouri 6Tennessee
Casey's Back 16Siena 15Idaho 6BYU 7Kentucky
Dale 1Duke 4Nebraska 14Kennesaw State 3Virginia
Fred 7UCLA 12McNeese State 12High Point 2Iowa State
Jackson's Guy 2UConn 11VCU 11Texas 16Howard
Kirk 15Furman 5Vanderbilt 4Arkansas 12Akron
Maude Lebowski 3Michigan State 8Clemson 5Wisconsin 5Texas Tech
Meicher's Neighbor 6Louisville 10Texas A&M 2Purdue 13Hofstra
Moss 8Ohio State 6North Carolina 8Villanova 4Alabama
My Lawyer's Wife 11South Florida 2Houston 16Long Island 11Miami (The Good One)
Pretzel's 13Cal Baptist 13Troy 7Miami (The Bad One) 14Wright State
Scott 9TCU 9Iowa 13Hawaii 1Michigan
Pool D — Click Here for Bracket and Spreads
Entry East South West Midwest
Another Coad 15Furman 1Florida 16Long Island 13Hofstra
Barnes IV: The Search for Spock 14North Dakota State 6North Carolina 10Missouri 3Virginia
Bird 10Central Florida 16Prairie View A&M 4Arkansas 10Santa Clara
CFC 7UCLA 10Texas A&M 13Hawaii 12Akron
Dale Deux 11South Florida 3Illinois 7Miami (The Bad One) 16Howard
Jean Carlos 9TCU 5Vanderbilt 1Arizona 5Texas Tech
Jeremy 16Siena 8Clemson 12High Point 8Georgia
Jose Sí 6Louisville 2Houston 11Texas 4Alabama
Justin's Patrick 3Michigan State 9Iowa 8Villanova 15Tennessee State
Keep the Phaith 13Cal Baptist 13Troy 2Purdue 1Michigan
Kiefer 8Ohio State 15Idaho 14Kennesaw State 6Tennessee
Ock 4Kansas 7Saint Mary's 15Queens 7Kentucky
Pickle Slug 5Saint John's 14Penn 5Wisconsin 9Saint Louis
Rymac 2UConn 11VCU 3Gonzaga 11Miami (The Good One)
Twoston 1Duke 12McNeese State 9Utah State 2Iowa State
Yet Another Coad 12Northern Iowa 4Nebraska 6BYU 14Wright State
Pool E — Click Here for Bracket and Spreads
Entry East South West Midwest
Carmine 16Siena 5Vanderbilt 8Villanova 7Kentucky
Chad Bell 8Ohio State 16Prairie View A&M 16Long Island 8Georgia
Coad IV 11South Florida 15Idaho 13Hawaii 15Tennessee State
Cotter 13Cal Baptist 3Illinois 10Missouri 12Akron
Darin 2UConn 12McNeese State 15Queens 2Iowa State
JMulh 14North Dakota State 14Penn 2Purdue 3Virginia
Jerry 6Louisville 10Texas A&M 11Texas 5Texas Tech
Jr. 5Saint John's 4Nebraska 7Miami (The Bad One) 10Santa Clara
Mike/Melissa 15Furman 6North Carolina 4Arkansas 4Alabama
Owen 1Duke 9Iowa 14Kennesaw State 1Michigan
Paul 12Northern Iowa 2Houston 1Arizona 6Tennessee
Raines 4Kansas 8Clemson 9Utah State 16Howard
Riley 9TCU 7Saint Mary's 5Wisconsin 14Wright State
Roy 7UCLA 11VCU 12High Point 13Hofstra
Stoyle 10Central Florida 13Troy 6BYU 9Saint Louis
TDavis 3Michigan State 1Florida 3Gonzaga 11Miami (The Good One)
Pool F — Click Here for Bracket and Spreads
Entry East South West Midwest
Aida 8Ohio State 12McNeese State 1Arizona 3Virginia
Amy 13Cal Baptist 13Troy 12High Point 2Iowa State
Angie 2UConn 11VCU 11Texas 11Miami (The Good One)
Brenda 3Michigan State 7Saint Mary's 7Miami (The Bad One) 4Alabama
Emiley 1Duke 8Clemson 6BYU 14Wright State
Hailey 9TCU 15Idaho 3Gonzaga 16Howard
Jen 12Northern Iowa 14Penn 16Long Island 1Michigan
Jenna 7UCLA 10Texas A&M 14Kennesaw State 5Texas Tech
Kim 16Siena 6North Carolina 2Purdue 9Saint Louis
Leslie 11South Florida 4Nebraska 15Queens 12Akron
Melissa 14North Dakota State 3Illinois 9Utah State 7Kentucky
Monica 10Central Florida 16Prairie View A&M 10Missouri 15Tennessee State
Nicole 15Furman 2Houston 5Wisconsin 8Georgia
Pam 6Louisville 5Vanderbilt 13Hawaii 10Santa Clara
Ramey 5Saint John's 1Florida 8Villanova 6Tennessee
Wendi 4Kansas 9Iowa 4Arkansas 13Hofstra

Messages from The Commish

March 20, 2026 at 12:59 pm
There were some big moves to the lines overnight.

Iowa State 22 --> 24.5 (+2.5)
Kansas 12 --> 14.5 (+2.5)
Purdue 23.5 --> 25.5 (+2)
UCLA 7 --> 5.5 (-1.5)
UConn 19 --> 20.5 (+1.5)

Enjoy Day Two!
March 20, 2026 at 12:59 pm

This pool began on notebook paper in 1987. In 1994, we began providing updates via email. Then in 2008, we created an Excel document that streamlined the entire administration process and allowed us to expand to five pools. Now in 2026, we finally make the jump to an actual website. Hopefully everyone finds this to be more convenient than email updates. Feel free to send feedback to the Commish and let him know what you think of the new digs. Good luck to everyone!

Pool Rules

For those of you still relatively new to the pool and in need of a refresher course on the rules, everyone gets a randomly-drawn team from each region, and all games are played against the spread.* The cost is $21. The extra buck covers hosting the site and The Godfather's entry.**


*If I have Villanova -25 and you have Georgetown +25, and Nova only wins by 24, then you would take Nova from me and they would be your team in the next round. The official spread is determined by the line in the Orlando Sentinel the day of each game. Ties, forfeits and cancellations go to the favorite.


**Pete ran a pool just like this for years. In seventh grade, I started my own because I idolized him, and have been running it every year since (except 2020, of course). Eventually Pete stopped running his and joined mine. He passed away in 2012, but his place in the pool will live forever. His winnings are donated to the Rockne Athletics Fund in his name.