Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association

Otis Stroud has been one of the most recognizable voices in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association for more than four decades. Although he began his announcing career at Johnson C. Smith University in 1977, where he served as the PA announcer for football and basketball, it is his work across the CIAA that has made him a conference icon.  

A 1981 JCSU graduate, Stroud’s student-run opportunity grew into one of the longest and most celebrated announcing careers in the league. For over 30 years, he has been a defining presence at the CIAA Basketball Tournament, where his signature cadence, professionalism, and showmanship have shaped the atmosphere of one of the nation’s premier HBCU events.  

Stroud’s voice has narrated generations of championship moments, energized crowds, and strengthened the conference’s culture. Regarded as one of the CIAA’s most enduring ambassadors, he has left a lasting imprint on the tradition and gameday experience of CIAA athletics.