This move solidifies the BCIC as a unique postseason showcase for teams that frequently dominate their conferences but may not get at-large bids to the NCAA Division II Tournament. While the CIAA and SIAC champions receive automatic bids, other top-tier teams are often left out of the postseason picture.

The tournament will be played in Charlotte at the Bojangles Coliseum. It will start off with Clark Atlanta (23-7) against Virginia Union (21-7) in the women’s bracket at 12 PM. The 2 PM game will featured Claflin (18-10) vs. Central State (17-14) in men’s competition. Thursday night action tips off with the Johnson C. Smith women (7-18) vs. rival Livingstone College (11-16). The nightcap will see JCSU (14-12) take on Virginia Union (15-15) on the men’s side.

With this new focus, the BCIC aims to elevate the profile of Division II HBCU basketball, giving student-athletes and fans a true postseason experience. As the tournament tips off in Charlotte, North Carolina, it will serve as a reminder that HBCU basketball excellence extends beyond Division I.

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Fayetteville State had a strong showing with five players scoring in double figures. Ezekiel Cannedy led the team with 20 points, while Tairell Fletcher also contributed 20 points along with five assists. Javon Floyd was a force on the boards, recording a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Broncos dominated the offensive glass, pulling down 13 offensive rebounds that resulted in 21 second-chance points.

The Broncos’ defense was also effective, forcing 13 turnovers and converting them into 17 points. Floyd’s defensive efforts were highlighted by his one steal. Fayetteville State started strong, jumping out to a 27-24 lead and then going on an 8-0 run to extend their advantage to 35-24. They maintained this momentum and entered halftime with a 45-34 lead, thanks in part to their three-point shooting, which accounted for 18 of their first-half points.

In the second half, Fayetteville State continued to hold their lead and even extended it to 74-64 with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. However, Claflin mounted a comeback, tying the game at 78-78 and forcing overtime. In the extra period, the Panthers managed to edge ahead, culminating in Fauntleroy’s game-winning shot.

Interestingly, this game mirrored the excitement of their January 25th match-up in Orangeburg, SC, where the Broncos emerged victorious on a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Ezekiel Cannedy. Despite the loss this time, Fayetteville State showed resilience and skill, particularly in their rebounding and defensive efforts. The Broncos’ record now stands at 17-9 overall and 10-5 in the CIAA, while Claflin improved to 20-7 overall and 12-4 in the conference. The game was a testament to the competitive spirit and determination of both teams.

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Cannedy led FSU on Saturday with 16 points, one of four Broncos who scored in double figures. Caleb Simmons chipped in 15 points and nine rebounds, while Myles Pierre added 15 points off the bench.

The top player in the game was Zion Obanla from Claflin. He led all scorers with 20 points, shooting a spectacular 8-11 from the field. Obanla is a former soccer player who put on a dazzling display of footwork in the paint, angling himself for efficient buckets in the paint.

As a team, Claflin shot 50 percent from the floor, a positive stat for the potential to win. But Claflin barely got to the free throw line in this game, which proved to be the difference. Fayetteville State was 17-20 from the line for the game, Claflin only shot six free throws the entire game, going 4-6 from the line.

Claflin led the game 59-50 after a Howvante Hutcherson dunk with 4:11 remaining, but the tide shifted at that point in favor of FSU. The Broncos engineered a 17-7 run to end the game and steal the victory. Claflin seemingly had the victory in hand when Jaelin Williams drove straight through the lane to hit a layup with 4.5 seconds on the clock, giving Claflin a 66-64 lead. However, Fayetteville State stayed on track and took the win on Cannedy’s three-pointer with 00:00 left for the 67-66 comeback win. 

The CIAA schedule continues for Fayetteville State with a home matchup on Tuesday against Livingstone College. Claflin returns to a familiar HBCU matchup on Wednesday traveling to Benedict College, a former SIAC foe.

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Virginia Union University (Grade: A+)

• Preseason Rank: 2nd
• Final Standing: 1st (6-1 conference, 7-3 overall)
• Offensive Ranking: 1st in Total Offense (479.4 yards/game, 61 TDs)
• Defensive Ranking: 4th in Total Defense (295.2 yards/game, 22 TDs allowed)

Highlights:

• Jada Byers, the CIAA Offensive Player of the Year, dominated the field, amassing 1,497 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. He set school records with 5,311 career rushing yards and 70 touchdowns. This includes a single-game record of 324 yards and six touchdowns against Bowie State.
• Virginia Union clinched the CIAA Championship, defeating Virginia State in a decisive victory.
• The Panthers secured a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs, representing HBCUs on the national stage.
• VUU’s loss to Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU), did not count as conference defeats due to CIAA scheduling rules impacted by St. Augustine’s absence from football this year.

Summary: Virginia Union showcased exceptional prowess on both offense and defense, leading the CIAA. This reinforced its status as a powerhouse among HBCU football programs.

Johnson C. Smith University (Grade: A)

• Preseason Rank: 4th
• Final Standing: 2nd (5-2conference, 8-2 overall)
• Offensive Ranking: 3rd in Total Offense (378.4 yards/game, 32 TDs)
• Defensive Ranking: 1st in Total Defense (246.2 yards/game, 17 TDs allowed)

Highlights:

• Head Coach Maurice Flowers was named CIAA Coach of the Year after leading the Golden Bulls to an impressive season.
• Benari Black, the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year, led a stout defense with 113 tackles. He spearheaded the top-ranked defense in the conference.
• JCSU achieved significant victories over Tuskegee and Morehouse from the SIAC, and delivered Virginia Union their only on-field CIAA loss.
• Despite their strong performance, they suffered a crucial conference loss to Fayetteville State.

Summary: JCSU exceeded preseason expectations. They solidified their reputation within the CIAA and HBCU football. The team combined a formidable defense with strategic coaching. This made them one of the season’s standout teams.

Virginia State University (Grade: B)

• Preseason Rank: 1st
• Final Standing: 3rd (6-1 conference, 7-4 overall)
• Offensive Ranking: 2nd in Total Offense (385.7 yards/game, 43 TDs)
• Defensive Ranking: 2nd in Total Defense (283.5 yards/game, 19 TDs allowed)

Highlights:

• The Trojans secured a notable win against Benedict from the SIAC.
• Bruno Onwuazor earned CIAA Lineman of the Year, contributing to an offense that averaged 6.3 yards per play.
• Defensive Rookie of the Year, Marquis Edmond, bolstered an already strong defense.
• Virginia State’s only victory over a team with a winning record was against Benedict, limiting their impact against top-tier opponents.

Summary: Virginia State showed statistical strength. However, they fell short in securing wins against leading teams within the CIAA. This impacted their overall grade. This happened despite their perfect conference record adjusted by CIAA rules.

Go to Page Two for more CIAA grades

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Claflin University President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack’s message of “Elevation and Transformation” was on full display Thursday (April 18) during the launch of a historic partnership with Ohio Wesleyan University. Warmack and OWU President Matt vandenBerg, Ed.D., signed a “sister” school Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to establish one of the most comprehensive collaborations between a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) and a Predominantly White Institution (PWI).

“This expansive partnership will enhance academic, research, and global studies opportunities for students and faculty at these two exceptional liberal arts universities,” Warmack said. “As ‘sister’ institutions, we have several commonalities, most notably our affiliation with The United Methodist Church, our commitment to academic excellence, and our advocacy of diversity and inclusion.

We also embrace integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) throughout our liberal arts curriculum to prepare students for career opportunities in the 21st-century global economy. We are immensely excited to launch this partnership, which will provide mutual benefits for Claflin University and Ohio Wesleyan University,” added Warmack, who will attend Vandenberg’s April 19 inauguration ceremony.

Claflin has been ranked a Top 10 HBCU by U.S. News and World Report for 13 consecutive years. U.S. News and World Report also placed the University in its Top 10 among Top Performers in the Social Mobility category — a measurement for colleges and universities that enroll and graduate a significant number of students who receive Pell Grants. At Claflin, these students earn degrees that prepare them for professional careers or to continue their education in graduate school.

Claflin’s annual alumni giving percentage of more than 40 percent is the highest for all HBCU institutions and places the University among the leaders at all colleges and universities. Money.com named Claflin a Best College, and the school has a 79 percent student retention rate.

“It is truly extraordinary that our two venerable institutions have come together and pledged to change the world for our students, faculty, staff, and respective communities,” said Vandenberg. “Our pathbreaking agreement creates a foundation for innovative and life-changing work that will transform the educational experiences we provide, enrich the work of our faculty and staff, and unlock untold potential to solve vexing societal challenges. We are immensely grateful to our partners at Claflin for their shared commitment and vision.”

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is a PWI that is also one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning.

Specifics of the new agreement will include the formation of an advisory board with representatives — including students, faculty, and staff — to help guide the work. Building an HBCU-PWI alliance through the lens of equity, justice, and community service, the advisory board will explore collaborations spanning multiple areas, including:

• Faculty exchange opportunities
• Student exchange opportunities, including study-away programs and OWU Connection experiences.
• Shared international collaborations in Africa and elsewhere
• Joint research projects
• Joint initiatives in entrepreneurship and service, including collaborations that empower students to create positive social change and promote economic development in their local communities.
• Professional development, including opportunities for faculty to collaborate to identify and implement best practices in teaching and learning.

Marybeth Gasman, Ph. D., founder of the Center for Minority Serving Institutions at Rutgers University, said many colleges and universities are interested in creating sister school agreements, but the Ohio Wesleyan-Claflin agreement is one of the most comprehensive she has seen.

“What I really like about this agreement is that it is equitable, thoughtful, and forward-thinking,” said Gasman, who also serves as the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education and a Distinguished Professor at Rutgers.

“Presidents vandenBerg and Warmack are working together on a global scale to solve problems in innovative and research-focused ways. What could be better for either campus? This is exciting, and I hope other ‘sister’ school agreements will pop up all over the country.”

As part of the new agreement, Ohio Wesleyan and Claflin immediately committed to building their strong “sister” school relationship through continuous innovation and exploration, which makes this one of the most comprehensive collaborations between an HBCU and a PWI.

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“We just bonded in and tried to stay locked in and understanding the purpose of why we’re here,” Dunlap said after the game. “I think the guys that were here last year understood how long we waited, was because we played on Thursday night last year, but, they were able to talk to the guys and I didn’t have to do a lot of talking.”

CU was the no. 2 seed last year when it was knocked off by eventual champion Winston-Salem State University on a Thursday night. Jailen Williams was a part of last season’s Claflin squad that won 19 regular season games but fell short at the CIAA Tournament. And he made his team did not repeat that feeling. Williams scored a game-high 23 points in the

“Yeah, that was a bad feeling, last year,” Williams said. “I had extreme confidence coming into the tournament last year based off the guys we had. But, I feel like we’ve improved our depth chart this year, and it just feels good to be on the winning side this year.”

Claflin led by as many as 14 at one point in the game and led for nearly 38 minutes. It got a solid performance at the line, hitting 26 of its 37 free throw attempts to advance. 

Claflin University will face CIAA North Division Champion Lincoln University on Friday at 2 PM. Lincoln defeated Claflin 72-62 in the regular season meeting back in December. The winner will advance to the CIAA title game.

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“Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I feel like people with this disorder feel more uncomfortable with people just staring at them rather than being open and asking questions,” Williams said. “It’s nothing painful. It’s not detrimental to our lives or nothing like that. From my experience, most people would be happy to share the history behind it.”

Williams, a business administration major, led Claflin in scoring last year averaging just under 12 points per game. He’s currently averaging just under eight points per game for Claflin, which sits atop the CIAA South standings with one game to go before the CIAA Tournament. 

Discourse about vitiligo can be rare, especially in the African-American community in general or in the HBCU community in particular. 

“It’s a step in the right direction for sure. I’ve never had nothing like this happen to me before – to shine a light on a disease like this because like you said, most people don’t know about it, Williams continued. “I understand why people might stare from time to time because its different but I appreciate Claflin for shining a light on it.”

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The Lady Bears, seeded No. 6, will face No. 3 seed Winston-Salem State in the quarterfinals on Thursday at 12 p.m. 

The Lady Bears (16-13) had three players score in double figures, led by Food Lion Game MVP Brittiney Seymour, who had 16 points, six rebounds and two steals. Tanayja London tacked on 16 points and two steals and Inari Jones helped out with 12 points.

Shaw’s defense held No. 11 seed Claflin to only 23.7 percent from the field.

How It Happened

Shaw started out the scoring by going on a 17-0 run, culminating in a bucket from London, to take an early lead with 4:44 left in the first quarter. The Lady Bears then lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with a 17-4 advantage. Shaw did most of its first quarter damage in the paint, scoring 10 of its 17 points close to the basket.

Shaw kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 10-0 run starting at the 9:56 mark in the second period, highlighted by a three from London, to increase its lead to 27-4. The Lady Bears proceeded to tack on three points to that lead and enjoyed a 35-9 advantage heading into halftime. Shaw dominated in the paint, scoring 12 of its 18 points close to the basket.

Shaw continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 7-0 run to expand its lead further to 46-27 with 55 seconds to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Lady Panthers had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Lady Bears still entered the fourth quarter with a 46-29 edge. Shaw played well near the basket, scoring six of its 11 points in the paint.

The Lady Bears then held on for the victory in the fourth quarter. Shaw took advantage of seven Claflin turnovers in the quarter, scoring five points off of those takeaways.

Games Notes

» The Lady Bears held the Panthers to only 23.7 percent shooting from the field.
» The Lady Bears never trailed and held a 17-4 first quarter lead.
» Shaw had a stellar day defensively, holding Claflin to 13.6 percent from beyond the arc on 22 attempts.
» The Shaw defense forced 25 turnovers.
» All-CIAA performers Brittiney Seymour and Tanayja London led the Lady Bears with a game-high 16 points each.
» Brittiney Seymour was named Food Lion MVP.
» Shaw got a team-high seven rebounds from Rita James.

Up Next
The Lady Bears play Winston-Salem State in the CIAA Tournament quarterfinals Thursday. Tipoff is 12 p.m.

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The Panthers shot a blazing 55.3 percent from the field and hit 82.4 percent of its free throws in the win. They led by as many as 14 points with 10:37 remaining in the game. The Rams were able to cut the lead to four but were never able to wrangle the lead back after it fave up a 9-7 advantage early in the game.

Bryson Dennis led Claflin with a game-high 17 points while DaiJohn Stewart added 12 points and added five assists. 

“All our guys were ready to go,” Claflin head coach Brion Dunlap said after the game. “I guess they ate good today. They slept well last night.”

Winston-Salem State probably won’t sleep well for a while. Claflin out-rebounded WSSU 28-16 and WSSU grabbed just 14 offensive rebounds all game. It also failed to get to the free throw line, attempting just 10 and hitting just 

Samage Teel led WSSU with 16 points and Jaylon Gibson added 14 for the Rams, who fell to 16-6 on the season.

Claflin making noise

Claflin improved to 18-4 on the season, and more importantly 9-4 in CIAA play. That record put it in control of the CIAA Southern Division with three games remaining before the CIAA Tournament.

It’s been an impressive season so far considering Dunlap was hired as Claflin’s coach last summer. He inherited a program that was 7-20 in 2022.

Dunlap said the support he’s received from Claflin administration has been key to the program’s quick turnaround. 

“And our guys have really bought in allowing me to coach them. They’ve worked extremely hard. The end result is the games, but the work they put into practice in the preseason has been great and we’re still continuing to try to work and continue to try to make things happen.”

In addition to Claflin’s win over WSSU in the C.E. Gaines Center, Dunlap’s program went up to Richmond, Virginia in December and ended Virginia Union’s 28-game home winning streak.

For the first-year head coach of the CIAA’s newest program, winning those games is a direct result of practicing hard.

“We just try to make the practice extremely hard. So when we come in environments like this that it is just basketball,” Dunlap said. “The crowd is great and the noise is great, but we try to prepare for and understand that we got to play the five on the court. You can’t play everybody’s in the stands as well. So our guys are really, really bought in and it and we’ve done a good job.”

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Winston-Salem State was led by freshman KC Shaw, who scored 14 points on six-for-eight shooting.

 
The win snaps a two-game skid for the Panthers and moves the team to 1-1 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Southern Division play. The Panthers also improve to 13-3 overall and 5-3 in CIAA play. The team will return to action, Saturday, when they head to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on the Saint Augustine’s Falcons.

For more information on Panthers basketball, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to www.athletics.claflin.edu.
 

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That was perhaps the feeling Wednesday for head coaches and players at the 2022 CIAA Media Day at Roanoke’s Holiday Inn Valley View.

Damon Wilson, who led Bowie State for 13 years, has moved to Morgan State with former linebackers coach Kyle Jackson taking the helm of the Bulldog program on an interim basis. Jackson says, ‘not so fast’ to the rumors of BSU’s impending demise.

The CIAA football champions

“The biggest key is setting the standard of expectations,” Jackson said. “When I talk to the guys, I let them know the standard is the standard regardless of who’s here, who’s not here.”

Jackson is a former middle linebacker who played under Wilson in 2009 and 2010 and joined Wilson’s coaching staff in 2017. He also echoed his former mentor’s mantra of ‘tradition never graduates.’

“Things are not going to change much,” Jackson said of his 12-2 team that was undefeated in conference play (8-0) and won an unprecedented two games in the NCAA Div. II playoffs to reach the national quarterfinals.

“We saw how far we could really go (last season). It opened a lot of eyes to the potential the Bowie State program has. A lot of those guys are returning.”

Bulldog stalwarts

Chief among the BSU returnees is Joshua Pryor, a 6-4, 260-pound senior defensive lineman who accompanied Jackson to the proceedings. Pryor had his three championship rings prominently displayed on his fingers.

Pryor would likely have been the league’s preseason defensive player of the year had one been chosen. Often facing double teams, he posted 73 tackles, six sacks and 21.5 tackles for 84 yards in losses last season. Pryor has 28.5 sacks, 66 tackles for losses of 343 yards in his three seasons at BSU.

“I will have double-teams, they’re going to run away from me,” Pryor said, “but I know my guys are going to be there at the end of the day. We all have our job to do and that’s execute.”

BSU also returns hard-hitting defensive backs Myles Woolfolk (75 tackles) and Raymond Boone (58 tackles) and linebacker Wesley Bowers (58 tackles). Boone had been rumored to be joining head coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State but Jackson said he is returning to the Bulldogs.

On offense, Jackson has to find replacements for two-year starter JaRome Johnson at quarterback and 1,000-yard rusher Calil Wilkins.  

CIAA football: North Division challengers

Bowie State’s chief challenger in the North Division may come from a source familiar with the Bulldogs’ tradition.

New Virginia State head coach Dr. Henry Frazier III could be considered the architect of the Bowie State program. Frazier was a successful quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1986-89 and served as head coach from 1999 to 2003 where he coached Damon Wilson.

He moved to Prairie View A&M from 2004 to 2010 and won the SWAC championship in 2009. Frazier spent two years at NC Central in the MEAC before returning to help Wilson as a special assistant during the 2018 and 2019 championship years. He replaced Reggie Barlow at VSU late, in May of this year.

“I have experience with that,” Frazier said of his late arrival. “I got the Bowie (head coaching) job on July 22 and we still had a winning season. So I figure we’re ahead of the curve right now.”

Frazier also said Barlow did not leave the cupboard bare. “It’s not empty. There’s players and talent there. Walking into this situation is my best situation in terms of Bowie, Prairie View or (NC) Central. Coach Barlow and his staff did a good job of signing a pretty good class, 23 or 24, we brought in another ten freshmen and another 12 to 15 transfers on top of that. So, we’ll have players. It’s just a matter of them following my lead.”

Virginia Union and Elizabeth City State

Virginia Union has been the closest to dethroning Bowie State in the North. The Panthers finished 12-5 in the division over the last three seasons under Dr. Alvin Parker, finishing second, a game behind Bowie State twice (5-2 last season).

“That’s the game (vs. Bowie State) that’s been stopping us every year,” Parker said. “We win that game any one of the three years and we’re playing in Salem (site of the championship game). We feel good about what we’re doing and we have a process at Virginia Union that’s tried and true. It creates championships.” The Panthers play at Bowie State this season on Oct. 15.

Coach Parker brought along sophomore running back Jada Byers (914 yds., 5.4 yards per carry) who led the league with 12 rushing touchdowns. He earned offensive freshman of the year honors. “I feel this is the season we get it done,” Byers said.

Marcus Hilliard is the new coach returning to lead his alma mater, Elizabeth City State. The Vikings have not had a winning season since 2012. Hilliard played for former ECSU coach Waverly Tiller in the early 2000s when the Vikings were perennial contenders for N. Div. and conference honors. He has been a defensive guru at both ECSU and VUU and wants to return ECSU to its former standing. The 2022 theme for the Vikings is ‘Restore the Culture, A new era at ECSU football.’

“Coach Hilliard has come in not just to create a football team that is going to compete on Saturdays but build a program that can compete for years to come,” said Zion Riddick, ECSU’s all-CIAA kick returner and wide receiver.

Hilliard was the defensive coordinator on that 2012 ECSU team that made it to the championship game. “We had a good run before,” Hilliard said of his time playing and coaching with Tiller. “Putting my impact on the team and bringing back some of the good things we did in the past, that’s my goal. We’ve been down, so we’re trying to change the infrastructure. I just want to put my stamp on that.”

Chowan and Lincoln (Pa.)

Chowan, particularly in the last two seasons with Bryce Witt at quarterback, has been an offensive juggernaut and threat in the North. The Hawks led the CIAA in total (432.2 ypg.) and scoring offense (38.5 ppg.) last season.

Second-year head coach Mark Hall will enter 2022 without Witt (2,864 passing yards, 31 TDs, 4 ints.) or standout wide receiver/kick returner Imeek Watkins (68 rec., 886 yds., 10 TDs). Wideout Laurence King (51 rec., 658 yds., 8 TDs) returns.

Chowan finished 7-3 overall, 4-3 in CIAA play in Hall’s first season. Defensive Rookie of the Year Isaac Anderson (37 tackles, 8 sacks, 20 TFL), a 6-3, 260-pound tackle, is the top returning defender.

Lincoln enters its third season under Josh Dean coming off a 1-9 season, 1-6 in the CIAA. The head coach said he’s taking on more responsibility this season. Junior defensive back Eric Best said he believes the team is coming together

CIAA football: Top of the South Division

The real chasers of Bowie State are again led by head coach Richard Hayes’ Broncos of Fayetteville State. After dominating the South Division, FSU has fallen to the Bulldogs in the CIAA championships game in each of the past three campaigns. They have won four straight S. Div. titles.

They are still searching for their first championship in seven years under Hayes. The championship game losses to BSU have been by 30-10 (2018), 23-7 (2019) and 17-7 (2021) scores. “We feel like we’re very competitive (vs. BSU). We’ve started slow every year, turned the ball over early,” Hayes said. “If we can eliminate those things, I think we’ll have a good chance in the end.”

FSU will feature the league’s top returning quarterback, Khari Lane, who was voted the preseason all-CIAA quarterback. Lane threw for over 2,000 yards with 20 TDs and only five interceptions. Brandon Barnes-Bowman (5 ints.) leads the defense.

Sixth-year head coach Adrien Jones has guided Shaw (6-4, 5-2 S) past Winston-Salem into second in the S. Div. behind FSU. The Bears are 0-5 during Jones’ tenure vs. FSU including a close 15-12 fourth-quarter loss a year ago.

The Bears return the league’s top ground attack (194.8 ypg.) with top returning rusher, junior Sidney Gibbs (948 yds., 5.7 ypc., 94.8 ypg., 6 TDs.) and Andre Braxton (508 yds., 10 TDs). All-CIAA offensive linemen and Antavious Zachery and Tyreese Bobbitt are also back in the fold.

“They (the offensive line) were the MVPs of our team,” Jones said. “We’ve got a lot of toys on our offense. We’ve got to be dynamic in anything we do, offense, defense and special teams.

“I think that we have the football team to beat Fayetteville State but we’re gonna have to play disciplined football, we’re going to have to be smart coaches and put out our guys in the right situations at the right time.”

Winston-Salem State and others

After two seasons, Robert Massey had the interim tag removed and plans to get Winston-Salem State back to elite status. That development has helped the Rams, in effect, start over.

“We have additional coaches added to the staff, obviously that we needed,” Massey said “It’s (having the tag removed) helped us from the recruiting standpoint. It’s put us in position to bring in about 40 freshman. We’ll bring in about 20 transfers. We want to build this program, basically starting over. But at the same time, we want to compete for a championship.”

The Rams (3-6, 3-4 S) had just junior DB Elijah Banks on the preseason all-CIAA team.

Johnson C. Smith (1-7, 1-5 S), Livingstone (1-8, 1-5 S) and Saint Augustine’s (1-7, 1-6 S) were able to muster just one win last season.

Maurice Flowers enters his first season leading JCSU. The former Fort Valley State head man is returning to his alma mater and his hometown of Charlotte, NC. Flowers said he’s brought in 55 freshmen to turn the Golden Bulls program around. He will feature all-CIAA graduate wide receiver Reggie Bryant who hauled in 49 catches for 693 yards and seven TDs a year ago.

Sean Gilbert enters his second season leading Livingstone. He said a new blue turf is ready for the Bears’ stadium while construction on a new track is being finished. He said his young and green team should be better and more competitive. Sophomores Jade Echols at middle linebacker and Malik Head at defensive tackle are the top defenders. Andrew King is a key transfer.

David Bowser enters his second season with double-duties of athletics director and head football coach at St. Aug’s. He hopes to shore up a defense that gave up 218 rushing yards and 33.4 points while scoring just 11 points per game last season. Defensive tackle Marcus Davis, the student body president, and sophomore cornerback Jeron Hinton are leaders on that side of the ball. Soph QB Christopher Perkins leads the offense.

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ORANGEBURG, SC – A new chapter has begun in Claflin University men’s basketball as Brion Dunlap was announced as the head coach of the Panthers, Thursday, morning. After a national search and a thorough process of interviewing, Dunlap was chosen to lead the next exciting era of Panthers basketball.

“This is a great opportunity for myself, having two leaders such as Dr. Warmack and Mr. O’Neal that want to win. They’ve been winners all their lives and winners and I’m trying to be a part of that program,” Dunlap said at his introductory press conference. “Winners create winners and that’s my goal. To produce championships, to raise banners, and most importantly, to have every student-athlete who comes to our program walk across that stage to get their degree and raise banners that will last forever.”

Dunlap comes to Claflin University after a successful stint at Harris Stowe State University where he spent five successful seasons with the Hornets. He compiled an 81-56 overall record and claimed three AMC Tournament Championships (2017, 2018, and 2020). The run included numerous individual honors for members of the Hornets’ teams. Among the honors was also an NAIA First Team All-American and an NAIA Daktronics Scholar Athlete. He also guided the development of two first team All-AMC selections, three second team All-AMC selections, and three third team All-AMC selections. There were also several other honors that were secured under Dunlap’s guidance.

“This young man took over a program [Harris Stowe] a few years back … and he built a successful program,” said Claflin University Director of Athletics Tony O’Neal. “Everybody talks about building a great team. Legacies are built on great programs.”

Prior to taking the reins at Harris Stowe, Dunlap spent a season as an assistant coach at fellow Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) foe, Winston-Salem State University. It was with the Rams that Dunlap first became acquainted with the Panthers. Claflin claimed an 81-77 win over the Rams in that game. He also spent five seasons as an assistant coach at the College of the Holy Cross, where he helped the Crusaders to compile a 34-30 overall record in two seasons, including going 20-14 during the 2013-14 season, the team’s first 20-win season since the 2006-07 season. During Dunlap’s tenure, the Crusaders notched three finishes in the top half of the Patriot League standings.

In the upcoming season, the Panthers will feature a team that is well experienced and ready to head into the next chapter of Panthers basketball. Last season, the Panthers finished with a 7-20 overall record and lost in the first round of the 2022 CIAA Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament.

Coach Dunlap is a 1998 graduate of Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Services Counseling. He was a four-year starter with the Monarchs and led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances and two Colonial Athletic Association championships. He was named to the CAA All-Rookie team in 1995 and the CAA All-Tournament team in 1997, also earning Chevrolet Player of the Game honors following Old Dominion’s 59-55 loss to New Mexico in the first round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament. He still ranks among the all-time leaders in the CAA in career assists.

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SHIPPENSBURG, PA – The Claflin Softball Lady Panthers (21-14) gave a great effort, but the team came up short in a 3-0 loss to the Seton Hill Griffins (37-10), Thursday afternoon. The Lady Panthers gave a strong defensive effort, but the team could not get their offense going in the shutout loss.
 
The Lady Panthers found hits hard to come by in the tough loss. As a team, the Lady Panthers totaled just three hits in the game. Freshman outfielder Kennedy Baskerville, senior catcher Marion Goins, and junior first base Alexandria Beavers each recorded singles in the game.
 
Defense was the order of the day in the game as all three runs were scored on two plays. The Lady Panthers allowed a first inning run on an RBI single before allowing two more runs in the fourth inning on a two-RBI single.

Claflin softball senior Shaniya Thomas (8-7) took the pitching loss. She started the game and threw four innings for the Lady Panthers. She finished the game with three runs scored (three earned) on five hits with a strikeout. Fellow senior Bre’Zhay Thomas came in for two innings and she finished the game with no runs allowed on no hits with two strikeouts.
 
With the loss, the Lady Panthers fall to 21-14 overall. The team will head into an elimination game when they take on the Bloomsburg Huskies, tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 p.m. For more information on Lady Panthers softball, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to www.athletics.claflin.edu.

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GLEN ALLEN, VA – The Claflin University Lady Panthers (21-13) claimed their first Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Softball Championship when the team took a 5-2 win over the Bowie State Bulldogs (25-20-1), Saturday afternoon. The Lady Panthers combined some stellar defense with some solid offense to claim the first CIAA championship in school history.
 
The Lady Panthers saved one of their best defensive efforts of the season for Lady Panthers. The team held the hard-hitting Bowie State Bulldogs to just two runs despite allowing five hits in the game. The Lady Panthers used some small ball to claim the win as none of the team’s seven hits were extra base hits. Claflin senior outfielder Camryn Hollis led the way when she went one-for-three at the plate with two runs scored. Junior short stop Jaelyn Jackson added a pair of RBI as well.

 It took a while for the Lady Panthers to get things going, but once the team got rolling, they never looked back. The team got things going in the third inning when junior third base Kyra Shuler scored on a BSU fielding error. The Lady Panthers added two more runs when Jackson hit a two-RBI single to leave the Lady Panthers on top, 3-0. The Lady Panthers held on to their 3-0 lead until the fifth inning when they allowed a pair of runs to Bowie State. It was an RBI single followed by an RBI double that cut the Claflin lead down to just one run, 3-2. From there, the Lady Panthers answered in the fifth inning when a Bowie State wild pitch allowed Hollis to score and kept the Lady Panthers on top, 4-2. Claflin added another run in the sixth inning when Howard hit an RBI sacrifice fly ball to score freshman right fielder Kennedy Baskerville. From there, the Lady Panthers turned to their defense to claim the win. It was a double play from third base Kyra Shuler that sealed the victory.
 
Claflin senior pitcher Bre’Zhay Chambers (10-5) took the pitching victory after earning the start and going all seven innings for the Lady Panthers. She finished the game with two runs allowed (two earned) on five hits with sox strikeouts.
 
With the win, the Lady Panthers claim the 2022 CIAA Softball Championship and the automatic qualification for the 2022 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament. The Lady Panthers will await selection for the tournament, Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. For more information on Lady Panthers softball, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to www.athletics.claflin.edu.

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ORANGEBURG, SC – The Claflin University women’s basketball program will enter a new era as Terrence Jenkins was named the interim women’s basketball head coach, Tuesday evening. After a long career as an assistant coach with the Panthers men’s basketball program, Jenkins will take the helm of the Lady Panthers and he will look to lead the team to new heights.  

Jenkins replaces outgoing head coach Revonda Whitley.

“We are really excited to provide this opportunity to Coach Jenkins,” said Claflin University. “I am looking forward to the direction that he will guide this program.”  

Jenkins will take the reins of the program after a long, storied career with Panther athletics. Currently, Jenkins is in his 14^th season with Claflin University. After beginning his career as a student assistant, he proceeded as a graduate assistant coach and as an assistant coach with the men’s basketball team before moving into his position as interim head coach with the Lady Panthers program.  

Before becoming a leader on the coaching staff, Jenkins made his mark as a leader on the court for the Panthers. He played two seasons with the Panthers where he was named team co-captain in and the 2002-03 team’s Most Valuable Player. He was equally impressive in the classroom where he earned the athletic achievement award presented to the men’s basketball player with the highest grade-point average (GPA) and he also received the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.’s prestigious David M. Dupree Award, which is presented to the student-athlete with the highest GPA in the Southeast. Prior to joining the Panthers, he spent two seasons at Denmark Technical College where he earned an associate degree in 2001. While at Denmark Tech, Jenkins was named the Rookie of the year and was a two-time team captain and Most Valuable Player. Academically, he also earned a spot on the Dean’s List in 1999-2001.  

Jenkins is a 2005 graduate of Claflin University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education. In December of 2006, he earned a Master of Science Degree in Rehabilitation from South Carolina State University. He is a graduate of Blackville-Hilda High School in Blackville, South Carolina. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc. and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).  

The Lady Panthers will return to action, Thursday, when the team heads to Elizabeth City, N.C. to open Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play when the team takes on the Elizabeth City State Vikings. For more information on Lady Panthers basketball, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to www.athletics.claflin.edu.  

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A native of Orangeburg, S.C., Chymaine Guinyard played four years for the Lady Panthers.  She was a member of the 2014 team that captured the school’s first-ever Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)  championship and the school’s first-ever automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship.

Prior to joining the Lady Panthers coaching staff, Guinyard was the head volleyball coach at Calhoun County High School in St. Matthews, SC.  In her only season at Calhoun County, Guinyard guided her team to the Class 2A playoffs.  One of the players that played for her ended up being featured as the WLTX Player of the Week while another was named to the Class 2A All-Region Team.

Guinyard has spent the past seven years coaching club volleyball in South Carolina.  In 2012 and 2013, she coached the Branchville Juniors Club Volleyball Team in Branchville, S.C.  In addition to her duties at Claflin, she also serves as coach of the Orangeburg Lady Cubs Club Volleyball Team in Orangeburg, S.C.
 
Guinyard is a Charter Member of the Timothy J. Autry Theta Chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She also serves as the University lead for the APPLE Training Institute/NCAA Sport Science Collaborative and is IMPACT certified through the Palmetto Volleyball Association as well as a member of USA Volleyball. 
 
Guinyard received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Claflin in 2016. 
 

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NEW ORLEANS — All-Americans for the 2020 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field season were announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Normal policies dictate that All-America honors are awarded based on classifications of performance at the NCAA Championships.

Due to the cancellation of the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, the Executive Committee adopted the following criteria:

• Based on the posted startlist for the national championships announced by the NCAA, the following will be recognized as All-America for the 2020 indoor track & field season:
  • Individual events: ALL student-athletes listed on the startlist for the anticipated event.
  • Relay events: The four student-athletes per anticipated relay who produced the performance that was declared and accepted into their event.
• There will not be a distinction of “first-team” or “second-team” to these recognitions.

A total of 716 honors were handed out to 117 different institutions on Tuesday.

Blue Tigers on the prowl

Division II HBCUs racked up a total of 48 All-American honors. For the men, Lincoln (Mo.) and Saint Augustine’s both walked away with more than 10 All-American honors. For the women, Lincoln (Mo.) dominated once again with 11 All-American honors. Both Fayetteville State and Saint Augustine’s were close behind with six honors each.

Men’s Awards

CIAA Schools

Women’s Awards

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Greyson Kelley of Shaw is the second All-CIAA player to put his name into the transfer portal, according to Verbal Commits. The 6’2 guard averaged 19.2 points on 47.3 percent shooting from the field for Shaw, which won just five games last season. The Raleigh native is also a prolific shooter from the 3-point line (43.4 percent) as well as the free-throw stripe (91.8 percent).

The Raleigh native spent his first two seasons at Olney Central College before coming to Shaw for the 2018-19 season. He averaged just 2 points per game behind All-American Amir Hinton, but showed as a junior that he can play given the time.

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Kelley isn’t the only big loss for the Bears. Nigel Martin, the reigning CIAA Rookie of The Year, is exploring his options as well. Martin led all CIAA freshmen in scoring during the regular season at 14.4 points per game. The Cleveland, OH native was also top 10 in the CIAA at 6.6 rebounds per game, which also led all freshman.

Clearly, new Shaw basketball coach Bobby Collins will have plenty of holes to fill as he prepares to try to rebuild the Raleigh program. But he isn’t the only CIAA coach with multiple potential transfers in the portal. 

As many as nine Claflin players are reportedly in the transfer portal, most notably Latrell West. The 6’2 guard led Claflin in scoring during his lone season in Orangeburg, averaging 12 ppg on 41 percent shooting in 25 minutes per game.

This news comes just after Livingstone’s Elmore twins hit the portal. Add in the departure of two of the top 50 scorers in CIAA history, and next season looks like it will be one for new stars to emerge.

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Wednesday’s action tips off at 10 AM for the men as two CIAA South teams battle it out. Third-seeded Fayetteville State will take on seventh-seed Shaw. FSU swept the season series against its nearby rival, who went winless in the division.

The game will feature two of the more versatile scorers in the conference as Shaw’s Grayson Kelley (19.3 ppg) looks to lead his team to an upset over Jalen Seegars (16.4 ppg) and Fayetteville State.

The most-anticipated matchup of the day will likely be the noon matchup between Livingstone and Bowie State. Both teams were favored to win their respective divisions, yet both find themselves facing the daunting task of having to win three games in a row to get to the CIAA Tournament.

Livingstone is led by CIAA Player of The Year Roger Ray (23.8 ppg, 5 app) who has carried the load on offense, but will need more help if his team is going to make a serious title run.

Bowie State, meanwhile, lacks a superstar but has several capable scorers in Cameron Hayes, David Belle, Juwan Smith and Saiquan Jamison all average between 13.7 and 10.3 ppg. 

Claflin needed overtime to advance to the quarterfinals, as it outlasted Elizabeth City State in Tuesday’s nightcap in a 70-60 overtime game.

Justin Faison poured in 29 points for ECSU, but Claflin jumped ahead early in the extra period and ECSU wasn’t able to mount a comeback.

The win was Claflin’s first-ever in the CIAA Tournament. Its reward– a date with the defending CIAA Champion Virginia State at 6:30 PM on Wednesday night.

VSU finished the regular season 19-8, 12-3 in the CIAA. Two of those CIAA wins came against Claflin. Like BSU, VSU doesn’t have a go-to-player, but it does have several players capable of hurting you in multiple ways. 

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Orangeburg, S.C. — Junior guard Devin Smith hit one-of-two free throws with 1.4 seconds remaining in overtime as the Claflin University Panthers extended their winning streak to four games with a thrilling 85-84 win over Union University at the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex (Tullis Arena), Thursday (Jan. 9). Claflin will host Bowie State University in a 3:30 p.m. contest on Saturday.

The home win, Claflin fifth in six home appearances, avenged an earlier season loss to Virginia Union as the Panthers improved to 8-7 on the season. The winning streak is Claflin’s second-longest since joining the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). The Panthers longest, of five consecutive wins, came last season.

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Overtime

Smith, who had seven points in the game, had an opportunity to seal the contest with 6.2 seconds left and the Panthers ahead at 84-83, but a pair of missed free throws left the door open for Virginia Union.

Kaylen Vines tied the contest at 84-84 by hitting one of two free throws with 4.5 seconds left, setting the stage for an exciting finish.

Letrell West, who had six points in the last 1-1/2 minutes, led Claflin with a game-high 25 points that included six three-pointers, giving him 39 on the season.

Donnell Frayer, Jr. finished the game with 17 points, 13 coming in the first half, while Brandon Davis came off the bench to score 15 points and hauled down seven rebounds for the Panthers.

Virginia Union, now 9-6, was led by Terrell Leach with 19 points followed by Raemaad Wright and Jordan Peebles with at 17 and 16 points, respectively.

Smith sent the game into overtime tied at 74-74 on a layup with 20 seconds left.

First Half

In the first half, Claflin and Virginia Union finished dead-even at 37-all.

In the first half, Romero Hill hit a fadeaway jumper that provided the Panthers with a 23-21 lead with 6:50 showing on the clock. Claflin would increase its lead to 30-21 at the 5:01 mark on a three-point basket from Davis, which capped off a 6-0 run.

Virginia Union rallied to tie the game in the closing minutes of the half at 37-37 with 39 seconds left in the half when Keshon Tabb drilled a three-pointer.

Claflin was 50-percent (12-for-24) from the field in the first half that included 7-for-13 in the three-point department.

The Panthers ended the game shooting 49.1-percent (26-for-53) from the floor, 13-for-22 coming from beyond the three-point line.  The 13 three-point basket broke a season-high as Claflin knocked down 12 against Saint Augustine’s University.
The Claflin Panthers shot 70-percent (21-of-30) from the free-throw line with 5-of-7 coming in the extra period.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — The Shaw University men’s basketball team again found themselves on the wrong end of a three-point basket inside the last minute as the Bears fell to Claflin University, 79-77 in a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Southern Division matchup Monday evening inside of historic C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

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With the loss, Shaw falls to 4-9 overall, 1-5 CIAA, 0-3 Southern Division.  Claflin improves to 7-7 on the season, 4-2 CIAA, 4-0 Southern Division.

Both teams opened the contest slowly on the offensive side as Shaw held a slim 9-8 lead at the 13:55 mark before Claflin pushed ahead 19-9 with an 11-0 run over the next four minutes. The Claflin lead grew to as much as 13 before the Bears ended the Panther hot streak, trimming the CU lead to 26-21 with 4:37 remaining in the opening stanza. Senior guard DaVaughn Kelsie (Richmond, VA) manned the Shaw offense with a run of his own to bring the score to 32-30 at the half.

Junior guard Greyson Kelley (Raleigh, NC) opened the half with a three-point basket to put Shaw ahead 33-32 to begin the final frame. The lead would be brief as Claflin quickly retook the lead in a contest that saw 12 lead changes and six ties. The next tie would come at the 10:51 mark as the score was knotted at 51-51. There, the game saw two more ties and three lead changes before Shaw built a 68-62 lead with 5:34 left.

Freshman guard Nigel Martin (Cleveland, OH) converted a three-point play to give the Bears a 75-71 lead with 2:04 left. Claflin then scored the next five points including a three-pointer with 40 seconds left to go ahead 78-76. Kelley split a pair of free throws to trim the Claflin lead to 78-77. Shaw received the ball down two with four seconds remaining after the Panthers split a pair at the line but saw their last-second three bounce off the rim.

Martin led the way for the Bears with 19 points. Kelsie and Kelley followed with 18 points apiece. Freshman guard Marvis Odia, II (Houston, TX) had another impressive showing off the bench chipping in with 12 points.

The Bears will return to action Thursday, Jan. 9 as Shaw host Lincoln University. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. inside historic C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

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Orangeburg, S.C. —  The Claflin University Panthers held off a late second-half rally from Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) in defeating the Rams, 60-53, in a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association contest at the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Center (Tullis Area), Monday (Dec. 2).

The win ended a four-game losing streak by Claflin, improving the Panthers season record to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the CIAA.

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Letrell West led the Panthers in scoring with 12 points followed by Devin Smith at 10 points.

Jailen Williams came off the bench to score nine points, while Nkem Ojeh and Rodney Prichard added eight points each.

WSSU, now 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the league, was led by Jonathan Hicklin with a game-high 18 points.

After leading 21-15 at the half, the Panthers pushed their lead to 46-33 with 9:21 left on basket from Ojeh.

Over the next eight minutes, WSSU pulled within seven points on three occasions.  The Rams cut the Panthers lead to five points at 58-53 with 26 seconds but could get no closer.

The first half was a low scoring affair for the first 17 minutes as the contest was tied at 12-12. The Panthers used three free throws, one coming as a result of a WSSU technical foul, to take a 15-12 lead at the 4:48 mark.  Antonio Bussey had two of the Panthers free throws and West had the other.

Claflin increased its lead to 21-15 at the half by scoring six of the last nine points in the period.

Both teams had problems shooting from the field in the first half as the Panthers were 9-for-34 (26.5%) and WSSU managed just 6-for-23 (26.1%). Neither team made a three-point basket as WSSU unsuccessful in eight attempts and while Claflin missed all its 10 shots.

Claflin will travel to USC-Aiken on Wednesday (Dec. 4) before returning home to face Savannah State University on Friday (Dec. 6).

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New kids on the block

The day started with CIAA-newcomers Claflin winning 69-65 over soon-departing Chowan.

Chowan took a 7-2 lead early in the first quarter, but a 12-2 Claflin run helped them close in and end the quarter up 20-13. Claflin maintained the lead throughout the second quarter and went into halftime up 39-30. Chowan outscored Claflin 20-13 after the half and ended the third quarter down 52-50, cutting the trail to two points. The score tied at 52 with 9:16 remaining in regulation, but a 13-6 Claflin run paved the way to the 69-65 victory.

Claflin’s Dashia Jackson led in the win with 23 points. Claflin will advance in its first-ever CIAA tournament to face #1 south seed Fayetteville State on Wednesday, February 27. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:20 PM.

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Lady Lions bite back

Lincoln and Saint Augustine’s match-up immediately followed and LUPA came out with the 63-52 win.

SAU opened the game with a 9-0 run, not allowing a LUPA basket for the first four minutes. LUPA then went on its own needed 9-0 run to close the gap and go into the second quarter trailing 13-10. The Lady Lions held SAU to eight points in the second quarter and went into halftime up 24-21. LUPA came out of the half still hot, orchestrating an 11-1 run to go up 35-22 with 6:30 remaining in the quarter. SAU responded with a 8-1 run, but still trailed LUPA 43-36 at the end of the third. The Lady Lions did not make any field goals in the final seven minutes but shot 13 times from the charity stripe and stayed on defense, both good enough for the 63-52 win.

Kwanzaa Murray led LU with 24 points and Kenzie Spencer followed with a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double. Lincoln will now face Johnson C. Smith, the second seed in the CIAA South, in the quarterfinals on Thursday, February 28. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 PM.

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Life-saving Livingstone first half

Livingstone used its dominant first quarter presence to prevail over Virginia State, 67-63.

LC opened the game with a 9-1 run and outscored VSU 25-9 in the first quarter. The Lady Trojans woke up with just over five minutes remaining in the second quarter and activated a 14-1 run to go into the half trailing LC 40-26. LC got outscored 17-12 in the third cutting the deficit to single digits, up over VSU 52-43 going into the fourth. VSU outscored LC again by 20-15 in the final quarter, but Livingstone’s first quarter damage all but sealed the deal for the 67-63 victory.

Livingstone’s Daisa Harris led the victory with 25 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and five steals. The Lady Blue Bears will face defending champion Virginia Union, the top seed in the CIAA North, on Wednesday, February 27. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 PM.

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Round One: Take two

Elizabeth City State opened up the tourney on Monday night with a 77-55 win over Shaw to earn the shot to compete for the quarterfinals. It then closed out the day for the women on Tuesday with a 65-49 victory over Winston-Salem State.

The first quarter started with a WSSU 10-0 run, but that soon got matched by ECSU. An 18-5 Lady Vikings run gave ECSU the 18-15 lead to end the quarter. ECSU stepped up the defense and held WSSU to six points in the second quarter to go into halftime with the 32-21 lead. WSSU only got outscored 33-28 in the second half of regulation but could not overcome the deficit from ECSU’s second quarter presence. After a slow start, ECSU took the 65-49 win.

Devona Stell of ECSU led in scoring with 19 points and brought down 21 rebounds. The Lady Vikings advance to face #2 north seed Bowie State on Thursday, February 28. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 PM.

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In an official statement, the university said Cosby’s conduct was “inconsistent with university values.”

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“Claflin University Board of Trustees voted to revoke the honorary doctoral degree it conferred to William (Bill) Cosby in 1999 during its summer meeting on June 22, 2018. The Board’s decision followed Mr. Cosby’s conviction of sexual assault. According to the Board, Mr. Cosby’s conduct was inconsistent with University values.”

https://twitter.com/wocs937/status/1013828846070747137

Claflin was originally on the record earlier this year stating that they had “no policy to rescind honorary degrees.”

Cosby spoke at Claflin’s 1999 commencement ceremony and attended the university’s 2014 Visionary Leadership Gala.

According to the report, other HBCUs have already rescinded honorary degrees awarded to Cosby, including North Carolina A&T State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Howard University, Hampton University and Dillard University.

Overall more than 50 colleges and universities have rescinded honorary degrees they awarded Cosby.

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Claflin’s foray into the CIAA came about very quickly. We first heard rumblings about the school leaving the SIAC just after it won the conference championship in men’s basketball.  HBCU Gameday first reported the news on March 12 of this year, and it was confirmed via a press release just two days later.

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Claflin doesn’t play football

One thing that made this an easy transition is that Claflin does not sponsor football so no scheduling adjustments were needed there. Last spring the CIAA opened the door to accept future schools without football programs.  That new sponsorship policy was approved at the spring meetings just in time to accept the Panthers.

There was another shoe about to drop that also helps to explain why Claflin and CIAA were in a quick engagement.  Two months later Chowan accepted an invitation to join Conference Carolinas as a full member. It will remain an associate member of the CIAA in football and women’s bowling.

Happy @ClaflinPanthers Day! The Panthers are officially full members of the #CIAAForLife family & I am sooo excited to continue working with my friend and mentor, Romanda. pic.twitter.com/uP5tRKXaWi

— Bri Funte (@brifunte) July 1, 2018

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So Claflin balances out the loss of one basketball team and football is unaffected by either move.  The addition of Claflin initially seemed like it could bring baseball back as a sponsored sport, but Chowan’s exit negates that for now.

While the basketball competition appears to be formidable on the horizon, Claflin actually does one thing better than any other HBCU. Fundraising. An estimated 52 percent of Claflin’s alums donate back to the university, ranking them first among HBCUs. If that type of competition makes other CIAA schools raise their games, then this will be the addition of the century.

Speaking of money

Taking a road trip to Orangeburg, SC to see Claflin will add some mileage to everyone’s budget in the CIAA.  The Panthers are now easily the southernmost school in the conference, 180 miles south of Fayetteville State University along I-95. Not quite as bad if you make the 136 mile trip from Johnson C. Smith, that’s about a two-hour drive down 1-77. Northern schools will make it a part of their southern road swing and likely group it in with games against JCSU or the Broncos. Since we are playing the AAA road trip game, that’s 518 miles from Claflin to Bowie State if you ever have to make that trip.

https://soundcloud.com/hbcu-gameday/podcast-special-claflin-joins-the-ciaa-leaving-the-siac-behind

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Claflin was a member of the SIAC for ten years dating back to 2008. They leave behind their foremost rival in Benedict, which is located in Columbia, South Carolina.

The post Claflin now CIAA official appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

It is with great pleasure that we welcome @ClaflinPanthers student-athletes, administration, staff, alumni, & fans to the #CIAAForLife family!

More: https://t.co/fck7tHRq1p pic.twitter.com/B16QAJ1iQf

— CIAA (@CIAAForLife) March 14, 2018

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“It is my pleasure to welcome Claflin University’s student-athletes, administration, staff, alumni, and fans to the CIAA,” said Jacqie McWilliams, CIAA Commissioner. “The institution is a fit for our conference based on their location within our demographic region and commitment to sponsoring sports programs that bring competitive and championship growth in the CIAA. They will expand our footprint into the South Carolina market, reinforce our commitment to the student-athlete experience and employ strategies that engage alumni and fans within the region to support our mission and vision.”

Dr. Jerome Fitch, Director of Athletics at Claflin, joined the HBCU Gameday podcast less than an hour after the announcement was made. He said the move to the CIAA was mainly based on improving the financial position of Claflin.

https://soundcloud.com/hbcu-gameday/podcast-special-claflin-joins-the-ciaa-leaving-the-siac-behind

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“We believe this is a win-win situation for the University and our student-athletes,” said Claflin University President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale. “The CIAA aligns with our institutional profile and the proximity of its members to Orangeburg is very attractive for our alumni and supporters.”

Panther Fans It's OFFICIAL!!!! https://t.co/XYQJlNHwD4

— Claflin Athletics (@ClaflinPanthers) March 14, 2018

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Claflin leaves on top

Claflin will leave the SIAC behind while still on top in men’s basketball. Ricky Jackson’s team won its first ever SIAC Championship less than two weeks ago in Birmingham, Alabama, beating the top two seeds along the way.

Claflin currently participates in four men’s sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country and Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field.  On the women’s side there is Basketball, Cross Country, Softball, Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field and Volleyball.

Claflin is the first addition to the conference since Lincoln (PA) University re-joined in 2010.

Claflin does not play football and is the only current CIAA school without it. The CIAA solved that problem last year when it opened the door to accept future schools without football programs.  That new sponsorship policy was approved at the CIAA’s 2017 spring meeting, which allows a non-football school to become a full member.

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Fan reaction

Feedback on our Facebook page, though a limited sample size, seemed largely positive in regards to the move. Facebook user Primes Woodruff, who identifies himself as a Claflin alum said the following, “If we do this, this would mean a whole new relevance in Sports, we’ve made the moves to get the Money, the name, the Campus, the Students, the Academic excellence.. the CIAA with these amazing schools would mean so much.”

Facebook user Quincy Dinnerson had this to say,” Wow interesting, they won’t have to travel to Ohio nor Kentucky maybe Benedict will join. Hopefully, it’s cheaper to drive to NC & VA.”

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The post Claflin and CIAA make it official, Panthers are newest member appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

Claflin is coming off a historic season in men’s basketball, winning its first ever SIAC Championship this month in Birmingham, Alabama.  Claflin, however, does not sponsor football, a sport that all 12 current members of the CIAA participate in.

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Not having football wouldn’t be a dealbreaker because last spring the CIAA opened the door to accept future schools without football programs.  That new sponsorship policy was approved at the CIAA’s 2017 spring meeting, which allows a non-football school to become a full member.

A request for comment on the move was not immediately returned by the Claflin athletics department.

When asked for a comment the CIAA informed HBCU Gameday that it did not have any statements on conference expansion at this time.

Basketball decision?

So this potential move would not impact the football schedule obviously. It would give the CIAA, as it currently stands, 13 basketball teams split into two divisions. Claflin, located in Orangeburg, S.C., would now be the southernmost team in the league, opening up the South Carolina market.

If the present is an indicator of future success, Claflin basketball would be a contender in the CIAA.  The men’s team is coming off a 26-6 season, adding a first-round win in the NCAA Division II tournament to its SIAC Championship.

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Claflin’s Head Coach Ricky Jackson, a Virginia Union graduate, is no stranger to CIAA basketball. He got his start as an undergrad assistant under the legendary Dave Robbins at Virginia Union University. Prior to coming to Claflin in 2013, Jackson was the top assistant at Shaw University.

The women’s team finished 2-2 against CIAA competition this year, with one of those losses coming against a powerhouse Virginia Union team.  Claflin lost in the SIAC tournament to the eventual champions of Clark Atlanta by just three points.

Swapping seats in the SIAC

The move doesn’t seem to adversely hurt the SIAC on paper. With Savannah State returning to the SIAC, they would in effect simply replace Claflin in the eastern division.  Claflin and Benedict College are arch rivals and enjoy playing one another twice in conference play for basketball.  A conference switch could tweak the dates of those matchups some. CIAA and SIAC schools have played home and home matchups as recently as this season, so two games a year wouldn’t be out of the question.

Claflin has been a member of the SIAC for the last ten years, joining in 2008.  They moved up to Division II after being a member of the NAIA.

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ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The Benedict College men’s basketball team made just three 3-pointers and Claflin used a 10-0 run early in the second half to take a 74-65 victory in a SIAC men’s basketball game on Saturday afternoon.

Benedict wraps up the regular season with a 19-8 overall record, 11-7 in the SIAC. Claflin improves to 20-6 overall and 13-6 in the SIAC.
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The Tigers jumped out to an early lead, taking a 12-3 lead after the first seven minutes of action. Benedict had as much as an 11-point lead, 23-12 with 6:46 on the clock, before the Panthers rallied and tied the game at 27 at the half.

Benedict opened the second half with a 3-pointer by Cairo Brown and a layup by Yasim Hooker for a 32-27 lead, but the Panthers scored the next 10 points and never trailed again.  Claflin built a 67-55 lead with 5:42 left to play after a three-point play by Brandon Davis.

Brandon Morris led the Tigers with 19 points and eight rebounds. Dimitri Cook added 12 points and Hooker matched his season-high with 10 points.

Timothy Christian had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Panthers.

Benedict will play an exhibition game against Concordia College of Alabama on Wednesday in preparation for the SIAC Basketball Tournament, which begins Feb. 26 at the Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham, Ala. The Tigers will likely be the fourth seed in the SIAC East and take on the fifth seed from the SIAC West in a first-round game at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 26. The SIAC will announce official tournament seedings next week.

The entire tournament will be streamed live on HBCUGameday.com and on our Youtube and Amazon Fire channels.

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