INDIANAPOLIS (March 9, 2026) – The quarterfinal round of the 2026 State Farm Dark Horse Dunker competition, a social media fan voting competition, is now underway after the first round of voting concluded last Friday. Eight competitors remain in the running for the chance to show their dunking abilities at the 2026 State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, which will take place April 3 in Indianapolis.
Fans will determine the winner by voting on the event's X (@CollegeSlam) and Instagram (@College_Slam) channels in a bracket-style competition. The X voting window for each round will run for the duration of each round and the Instagram voting window for each round will run for the final 24 hours each week. Quarterfinal voting is underway and runs through Thursday at Noon CT.
The remaining schedule for each round will go as follows:
• Quarterfinals: March 9 at Noon CT – March 13 at Noon CT (8 Players)
• Semifinals: March 16 at Noon CT – March 20 at Noon CT (4 Players)
• Finals: March 23 at Noon CT – March 27 at Noon CT (2 Players)
The player that ultimately receives the most votes in the final round will be selected to compete in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, an event featuring some of the best college dunkers and 3-point shooters in the country. The 2026 State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships will take place April 3 in Indianapolis and air on ESPN on April 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The following are the eight Dark Horse Dunkers remaining in the contest for their chance to showcase their talents in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships:
Thomas Hailey, University of Charleston
Jair Knight, Emory
Sam Phipps, University of Texas - Tyler
Gavin Sarvis, Loras
Neal Terry, Belhaven
Jeremy Thomas II, Clarion
Alvin Tumblin Jr., Palm Beach Atlantic University
JaMaal Unuakhalu, Menlo
Three players who won the State Farm Dark Horse Dunker competition have gone on to win the Slam Dunk Championship, including Marcus Lewis (Eastern Kentucky) in 2014, James Justice (Martin Methodist College) in 2012 and Jacob Tucker (Illinois College) in 2011.
For more information about the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, follow us on Twitter (@CollegeSLAM) and Instagram (@College_Slam). Official rules for the State Farm Dark Horse Dunker competition can be found HERE.
About State Farm®
For over 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 91 million policies and accounts – including auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2024 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com
About Intersport
Intersport is an award-winning agency that fills the empty space between marketing campaigns and consumers—helping brands make more meaningful connections. Its industry-leading team offers expert insights in content marketing, experiential marketing, hospitality, partnership consulting and platform development. The Chicago-based agency also owns and operates events across the professional and collegiate sports landscape, including basketball, football, golf, pickleball and volleyball. Intersport has been headquartered in Chicago since its inception in 1985 and has an additional office in Detroit. Learn more at www.intersport.global and on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook).
