Clark Atlanta University Panthers Win Sixth SIAC Basketball Title

The Clark Atlanta men's basketball team (25-5, 16-5 SIAC) are officially the 2023-24 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions after taking down Miles College 65-55 on Sunday afternoon inside Enmarket Arena. With the win, Clark Atlanta secures their first SIAC Championship since 2017 and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament.

"This is a full circle moment that I've dreamt about since I was a player. But there's still more work to be done." said head coach Alfred Jordan after the win.

Shemani Fuller led all scorers with a game-high 20 points, earning himself tournament MVP in his first season with the Panthers. Jalen NeSmith poured in a season-high 15 points on 4-of-8 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the charity stripe. Reigning SIAC Player of the Year Chris Martin chipped in 13 points to help power the Panthers to their sixth SIAC Championship in program history.

Sunday's contest was dominated by Clark Atlanta as Miles College only held a lead for 43 seconds. Fuller scored the game's first points and six of the Panthers' first nine to mount a 9-6 advantage at 15:55 mark. The Bronx, N.Y. native nailed a pair of free throws to ignite an 11-2 run to put the Panthers in front 20-8 with 10 minutes until halftime.

NeSmith knocked down a jumper with 25 seconds left in the half, keeping the Panthers ahead 33-25 headed into the locker room. Clark Atlanta shot 39% from the floor, 33% from three-point range, and 62% from the foul line in the first half.

Fuller and NeSmith combined for eight points to open the second half to put the Panthers in front 40-26 with 17:35 to left to play. The Panthers continued to assert dominance on the defensive end after holding Miles to just eight points in the first nine minutes of the second half. Clark Atlanta took their biggest lead of the day at the 11:10 mark as they mounted a 52-33 advantage over the Golden Bears.

Despite the deficit, Miles strung together a 19-4 run to climb back within four points (56-52) with just under two minutes to play. The Panthers responded with a 9-3 run to diminish the comeback effort and escape with the 2024 SIAC Championship.

Clark Atlanta outshot Miles from the field 41% to 30% for the game while also winning the paint-scoring battle 38-12. CAU's reserves outscored MC's 12-9 and held the Golden Bears scoreless in transition with zero fastbreak points.

[SOURCE: CLARKATLANTASPORTS]

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Set to Become HBCU Athletic Conference on July 1, 2024

The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference released the following statement on its name change to the HBCU Athletic Conference:

We are thrilled to announce that the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference is set to undergo a remarkable rebranding, emerging with a new name "HBCU Athletic Conference" and tagline "Where Winners Thrive". We are also announcing the contract renewal of Hope Credit Union (HOPE), the title sponsor for our basketball and baseball championships and our official banking partner.

Overview:

The HBCU Athletic Conference represents a dynamic evolution in our commitment to excellence and the empowerment of student-athletes. As we embrace this new identity, we are excited to showcase the vibrant legacy of our member institutions. We have set out to share stories of impact at the intersection of heritage and higher education.

In addition to our new brand identity, our banking partner, Hope Credit Union, has agreed to renew its contract for three years becoming the largest sponsorship contract in conference history.

BYRON ALLEN’S ALLEN MEDIA GROUP ANNOUNCES 10-YEAR PARTNERSHIP FOR HBCU GO AND THE CIAA

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group (AMG) free-streaming digital platform, HBCU GO -- the leading media provider for the nation’s 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) – is proud to announce a 10-year media rights partnership with the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA) that grants HBCU GO cable, linear, streaming, broadcast, VOD, and pay-per-view rights coverage of all CIAA team sports through June 30, 2032. Those sports include regular season contests for football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, Olympic sports, and the football championship game.

The deal kicks off with HBCU GO’s broadcast of five CIAA football games televised live on TheGrio Cable Television Network, including the 2023 CIAA Football Championship on HBCU GO and on broadcast television stations throughout the U.S. -- including the CBS owned-and-operated duopoly stations in key television markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, Sacramento, Miami, Tampa, and Pittsburgh. In addition, the CIAA will continue to stream the other team sporting events throughout the season live through the CIAA Network and provide first right to HBCU GO for their video on demand platform. The long-term goal is to broadcast all CIAA team sports on HBCU GO and Allen Media Group platforms.

As part of HBCU GO’s partnership with the CIAA, a portion of the funds will be invested to upgrade the CIAA’s 13 member schools' campus-wide sports and broadcast equipment to ensure everyone has equitable resources and to assure quality broadcasts across the conference. The CIAA utilized the summer months to visit each of the campuses to assess equipment, internet, and technology needs.

“We are proud to amplify the CIAA and all of their team sports. The rich heritage and legacy of the CIAA and the amazing athletes who have participated in the conference since its inception are a natural fit for HBCU GO,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “The CIAA is an excellent organization, and Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker makes this a great partnership because of her phenomenal leadership.”

“This media deal with AMG is a game changer for the CIAA and unprecedented in Division II. We will expand the CIAA Sports Network platform through HBCU GO to give greater exposure for our 13 member schools and their student athletes,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker. She added, “I am excited about the jobs being created, the talent identified, and the stories to be told through a platform developed to give HBCUs well deserved and long overdue exposure. This is a great day for CIAA, and we appreciate Byron Allen and his team seeing the value and importance of HBCU sports contributions to the world and how we can continue to work together to provide exposure and economic stability in our communities through sports.”

For more information about HBCU GO, visit HBCUGO.tv or follow the streaming network on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram. Find out where to watch and download the FREE app at HBCUGO.tv/how to watch


ABOUT HBCU GO
HBCU GO is a cultural lifestyle destination and leading sports media provider that embraces and represents the voice of Black Excellence every day of the year through an all-new platform that captures the rich history, diversity, perspectives, and cultural experiences at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). HBCU GO also provides a platform for emerging creatives in media production, branding, and broadcasting. We offer our viewers the best in live sports, original series, documentaries, films, comedy, and edutainment programming produced by African American leading producers, directors, and students from select HBCUs.

Launched in 2012, the free-streaming service HBCU GO was purchased by Byron Allen in 2021 and is part of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group (AMG). AMG is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Charleston, SC. AMG owns 27 ABC-NBC-CBS-FOX network affiliate broadcast television stations in 21 U.S. markets and twelve 24-hour HD television networks serving nearly 300 million subscribers: THE WEATHER CHANNEL, THE WEATHER CHANNEL EN ESPAÑOL, THEGRIO TELEVISION NETWORK, PETS.TV, COMEDY.TV, RECIPE.TV, CARS.TV, ES.TV, MYDESTINATION.TV, JUSTICECENTRAL.TV, THIS TV, and PATTRN. AMG also owns the streaming platforms HBCU GO, THE GRIO STREAMING APP, SPORTS.TV, THE WEATHER CHANNEL STREAMING APP, and LOCAL NOW -- the free-streaming AVOD service powered by THE WEATHER CHANNEL and content partners, which delivers real-time, hyper-local news, weather, traffic, sports, and lifestyle information. For more information, visit www.allenmedia.tv

About the CIAA
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) was founded and incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1912 and adopted its current name in December of 1950. The conference is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is governed by a Board of thirteen (13) Presidents and Chancellors representing institutions from Pennsylvania to South Carolina. It has both private and public colleges and universities with enrollments ranging from 750 to over 8,000 students. The CIAA is committed to excellence in everything they do in DII to support the total student-athlete well-being and experience on and off the court through meaningful relationships and strategic partnerships to make the world a better place. Learn more.

Jackson State University Tigers stays at #11 in FCS Coaches Poll

After stomping Mississippi Valley State (0-4) 49-7, Deion Sanders and the Jackson State University Tigers (4-0) stayed at #11 in the FCS coaches poll. JSU is the only HBCU in the FCS top 25.

To this point the Tigers have been dominant with an average margin of victory of 38 points while allowing opponents to score on 9.5 points per game.

JSU's next game is on the road against the (2-2) Alabama State University Hornets.

Full FCS Top 25 Poll

1	North Dakota State   (43)	3-1	1334	1
2	Montana   (6)	4-0	1267	3
2	South Dakota State   (5)	3-1	1267	2
4	Montana State	3-1	1108	4
4	Incarnate Word	3-1	1108	6
6	Missouri State	2-2	1091	5
7	Sacramento State	3-0	995	8
8	Delaware	4-0	963	9
9	Villanova	2-2	874	7
10	Chattanooga	3-1	831	10
11	Jackson State	4-0	818	11
12	Weber State	3-0	789	12
13	Holy Cross	4-0	742	13
14	William & Mary	3-1	610	15
15	Eastern Washington	1-2	559	14
16	Eastern Kentucky	2-2	449	19
17	Mercer	3-1	401	20
18	Tennessee-Martin	2-2	351	16
19	North Dakota	2-2	305	22
20	Rhode Island	2-2	232	17
21	Samford	3-1	212	24
22	Richmond	3-1	164	26
23	Stephen F. Austin	1-2	131	21
24	Southern Illinois	2-2	123	30
25	North Carolina Central	2-0	104	36

BYRON ALLEN'S HBCU GO/THE GRIO ATTRACTS MAJOR FORTUNE 500 SPONSORS FOR HBCU SPORTS NETWORK

Byron Allen's Allen Media Group (AMG) is proud to announce it has secured numerous major Madison Avenue advertising sponsors for the launch of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) sports for HBCU GO and theGrio Television Network's 2022-23 sports programming season. Brand sponsors include: Procter & Gamble, Honda, AT&T, Stellantis, Walmart, Toyota, Bank of America, Verizon, Lexus, Meta, Allstate, Boost Mobile, Lowes, Kia, SC Johnson, UnitedHealthcare, Safelite, Macy's, Taco Bell, T.J. Maxx, Dairy Queen, Capital One, Geico, Pizza Hut, Mastercard, Target and many more.

HBCU GO is the leading media provider for the nation's 107 HBCUs, and recently announced nationwide clearance for their 2022-23 sports season as part of a new carriage deal with CBS owned-and-operated broadcast television stations in key broadcast television markets including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Tampa, Detroit, Miami, and Pittsburgh. AMG's FREE-streaming digital platform HBCU GO brings together major HBCU NCAA conferences, with major market carriage across broadcast television, cable, satellite, and digital platforms. HBCU GO's 2022-23 season began this past Saturday, September 3 with "The HBCU GO Sports Kickoff Show." The three-hour pre-season special aired LIVE on the AMG platforms HBCU GO, theGrio Television Network, theGrio Streaming App, Sports.TV, Local Now, and on broadcast television stations throughout the U.S.

HBCUs are widely known for graduating exceptional athletes, celebrities, politicians, and historical figures including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Wilma Rudolph, Althea Gibson, Walter Payton, Michael Strahan, Jerry Rice, Spike Lee, Alice Walker, Samuel L. Jackson, astronaut Ronald McNair, Alex Haley, Earl Graves, Oprah Winfrey, Chadwick Boseman, Justice Thurgood Marshall, Common, Booker T. Washington, Taraji P. Henson, Judge Kevin Ross, Langston Hughes, Katherine Johnson, Kenya Barris, and Vice President Kamala Harris, to name a few.

"The HBCU brand represents over 184 years of historic excellence, dating back to 1837, which helped cultivate some of the world's greatest minds and talent," said Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group. "HBCU GO and theGrio position our advertisers to speak to the heart and soul of Black America 24/7, and help our sponsors stay strongly connected with one of the most valuable, untapped audiences in the world."

For more information about HBCU GO visit HBCUGO.TV or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram.

Norfolk State wins MEAC Tournament and earns automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament

Conference player of the year, Joe Bryant Jr. scored 23 points and top-seeded Norfolk State used 9-4 run to finish off Coppin State 72-57 on Saturday to win the Mid-East Athletic Conference tournament championship and an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament.

Bryant was 5 of 9 from beyond the 3 point arc and Norfolk State (23-6) was 11 of 23 from long range.

Head coach Robert Jones has now lead the Spartans to two consecutive NCAA Tournaments and an NCAA Tournament First Four win over Appalachian State in 2021.

The conference champions went 12-2 to claim the top tournament seed, and have won at least a share of the regular season title in three of the last four seasons.

Fisk University Launches First HBCU Intercollegiate Women’s Artistic Gymnastic Team

Fisk University is delighted to announce the launch of the first HBCU Intercollegiate Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team. Woman’s gymnastics exemplifies the values of Fisk University: determination, excellence, and a commitment to a more just and equitable future. These values have consistently been at the forefront of women’s gymnastics and Fisk could not be more excited to welcome these remarkable student-athletes to the campus starting this coming fall. Fisk University has always been recognized for its commitment to academic excellence and social justice. In recent years, the University has focused on increasing its athletic profile considering the growing interest among student-athletes for an elite HBCU experience. With NBA legend Kenny Anderson and former Soccer star Desmond Armstrong as well as an outstanding woman’s volleyball program under Coach Jessica Enderle, Fisk is poised to develop elite national programs.

Fisk University has built remarkable momentum in recent years said, President Vann Newkirk. The University is committed to preparing the next generation of leaders and c-suite executives. Student-Athletes depend on an institution that enables them to translate their unique skills to professional success. Fisk’s many corporate partners are excited about the talent pipelines and the programming that has been put in place to maximize the potential of our students and our student-athletes. The recent announcement of Fisk’s partnership with the Los Angeles Lakers adds another opportunity for Fisk students to excel in the sports industry. In anticipation of this women’s gymnastics announcement, Fisk University has already begun securing scholarship funding for these future student-athletes. Fisk University also plans to host several conferences, clinics, and invitationals in partnership with organizations like Brown Girls do Gymnastics.

Click here to Support 

Inaugural HBCU All-Star Basketball Game to air on CBS

The 2022 HBCU All-Star Game, a new event that will showcase college basketball's top talent from Historical Black College and Universities. CBS Television Network is carrying the game live, which will take place at 4 p.m. ET April 3 at the University of New Orleans' Lakefront Arena on Sunday, the day between Final Four and the national title game, also in New Orleans this season.

"The University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena is a perfect location for this inaugural event," HBCU All-Stars co-founder Travis Williams said. "We are truly excited about the opportunity to honor HBCUs contribution to the great game of college basketball and showcase the nation's best HBCU student-athletes and brilliant coaches on a national stage during college basketball's biggest weekend. This historic endeavor with CBS Sports will raise national awareness of our prestigious HBCUs rich legacy of academic and athletic achievement."

Tickets for the game are available at www.arena.uno.edu, and a portion of ticket sales will go to the HBCU All-Stars Scholarship Fund. Players from the MEAC, SWAC and other Division I HBCU schools will be featured as well as players from the SIAC and CIAA from Division II.

Laura Harper named as new head wbb coach Laura Harper Selected as Coppin State Women’s Basketball Head Coach

Former WNBA player, Laura Harper, has been named as the new Coppin State University women's basketball head coach, it was announced by Director of Athletics Derek Carter on Monday morning.

"It is a dream come true to be named the new head women's basketball coach at Coppin State University," said Harper. "I am very thankful for the special opportunity that President Jenkins, Mr. Carter, Mrs. Person and Mrs. Carrington-Johnson have granted me. Having a platform as a woman of color, while coaching at an HBCU during this racially sensitive time in our country, inspires me, and I am beyond ready to help lead this group of committed, young women into a new era of Eagles basketball."

Since the conclusion of her playing career, Harper worked as an assistant coach at four NCAA Division I institutions as well as a season as head coach at a top collegiate preparatory school.

"We are excited for Laura Harper to be joining the Coppin State family and look forward to her leadership during the next exciting phase of Eagles women's basketball," said Carter. "Laura will bring incredible passion, energy, and a championship mentality to our team. Throughout her career, she has worked hard to establish herself as a winner in all phases of basketball. I feel that she will provide a valuable influence in the lives of the young women in our program."

Harper most recently served as the head coach at Montverde Academy, one of the premier high school programs in the State of Florida. Harper guided the Eagles to an 18-6 mark this past season and helped all five of her seniors earn NCAA Division I scholarships.

Prior to her time at Montverde, Harper assisted the women's basketball team at the University of Florida for two seasons. Under Harpers' tutelage, Paulina Hersler, who is now playing professionally in Sweden, and 1,200-point scorer Haley Lorenzen, had career years as seniors.

Before moving to the Sunshine State, Harper spent the 2016-17 season at George Washington University under Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Jennifer Rizzotti. That season, the Colonials won an Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship and advanced to the WNIT, while Harper helped post players Lexi Martins and Caira Washington receive All-Conference honors.

For two years, Harper also worked as an assistant coach at High Point University. In her first season, senior Stacia Robertson was named the Big South Player of the Year and an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American before going on to play overseas. The Panthers won 20 games during the 2014-15 season and advanced to the Conference Championship Game.

Harper got her start in coaching as an assistant at Loyola University Maryland during the 2013-14 campaign where she was responsible for post player development, scouting, and served as an academic liaison for the Greyhounds.

A four-year standout at the University of Maryland, Harper was named the 2006 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player after leading the Terrapins to a National Championship. Harper was also part of two Maryland teams that advanced to the Elite Eight, a 2007 Naismith Award Finalist and a two-time Naismith Award Preseason Candidate. As a senior, Harper was a Third Team All-ACC honoree and Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American. Harper still owns the Maryland record with 198 blocked shots while scoring 1,407 points and ranked seventh in rebounds upon graduation before being named to the 2014 ACC Legends Class.

On February 5, 2009, Harper's No. 15 jersey was raised to the rafters at the Xfinity Center following a game against North Carolina State.

Also, a presence on the international scene, Harper was a starter for the 2004 USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship. Harper also played for the 2007 FIBA U21 World Championship Team and was a teammate of Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi and other Olympians at the 2008 Good Luck Beijing Tournament.

Following her collegiate career, Harper was the 10th overall selection of the Sacramento Monarchs in the 2008 WNBA Draft. As a rookie, Harper played in 34 games while making one start and put up 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds before starting in 11 games the following season. Harper also played professionally overseas in Turkey, Italy and Russia.

The Southwestern Athletic Conference has announced the postponement of Fall sports

The Southwestern Athletic Conference has announced the postponement of all scheduled fall contests along with SWAC championships due to continuing concerns related to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The fall sports impacted include men’s and women’s cross country, football, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball. The conference has started the process of formalizing plans to conduct a competitive schedule for the fall sports during the 2021 spring semester.

Specifically, in the sport of football the plan includes a seven-game conference schedule beginning with an eight-week training period in January 2021. Each member institution will play a total of six conference games (four divisional/two non-divisional) with the option to play one non-conference game. 

Additional details regarding scheduling for women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country along with the Cricket Wireless SWAC Football Championship game will be released at a later date.

Fall sports teams and student-athletes will have the opportunity to attend classes and practices in preparation for a spring 2021 competitive schedule upon return to campus. Student-athletes will have the ability to participate in conditioning, strength training and practices in all sports provided all required local, state, and federal health and safety guidelines are met. There have been no final decisions made regarding competitive schedules for the league’s winter sports at this time.     

The SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors felt this action was necessary out of growing concern for the health, safety and well-being both mentally and physically of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, team staff, campus faculty, fans and supporters.

The continued increase of COVID-19 cases across many portions of the league’s geographic footprint and Southern regions of the country played a significant role in the council’s decision, along with data that suggests African-American communities have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The SWAC shares in the disappointment that will undoubtedly be felt by student-athletes, fans, and supporters impacted by the postponement of fall sports competition. The league will continue to review appropriate measures to ensure the health, safety and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, administrators and the local community which continues to be the primary responsibility of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and its member institutions.
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
 
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
 

“Mother of Hampton Lacrosse”

This is an older but very insipring story. College senior Michael Crawford loved the sports of lacrosse and wanted nothing more than to bring the sport to his school, Hampton University. Michael passed before his dream became reality but his mother Verina brought his dream to fruition. Watch their inspiring story below.