CHARLOTTE, N.C. (October 3, 2025) - The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference, is set to tip off the 2025-26 basketball season with its highly anticipated Basketball Media Day on Tuesday, October 7, in Baltimore, Maryland. The event will showcase the conference’s talent as head coaches and two standout student-athletes from each of the CIAA’s 12 institutions take the stage to share their insights, goals, and predictions for the season ahead.
Returning to host the CIAA Basketball Media Day circuit this year are Thai Floyd and Stan Lewter, who will lead the interviews and discussions with each program’s representatives as they discuss the season ahead.
The event, open to pre-registered media, will also feature special remarks from CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker, Visit Baltimore, Food Lion highlighting the partnership and continued growth of the conference’s premier basketball showcase. The entire media day circuit begins at 10AM and will be streamed live on The CIAA Sports Network here. Below is the list of Basketball Media Day Attendees. In advance of media day, the CIAA is proud to announce that
General Admission tickets are now on sale for the 2026 Food Lion CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament taking place February 24–28, 2026 at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, MD.
All single session, packages and group tickets are available NOW. First come, first served tickets are available HERE.
2025 CIAA Basketball Media Day Attendees
Bluefield State University
Men’s: Luke D’Alessio, Jayden Beloti
Women’s: Paul Davis, Jasmine Jenkins
Bowie State University
Men’s: Darrell Brooks, Justin Morrisey
Women’s: Shadae Swan, Mia Smith
Claflin University
Men’s: Brion Dunlap, Michael Shuler
Women’s: Terrance Jenkins, Ashari Lewis
Elizabeth City State University
Men’s: John Richardson, Jaquante Harris
Women’s: Ebony Tanner, Karina Scott
Fayetteville State University
Men’s: Devin Hoehn, Larry Howell
Women’s: Tyreece Brown, Talia Trotter
Johnson C. Smith University
Men’s: Antwain Banks, Jamauri Bryant
Women’s: Vanessa Taylor, LaNiya Simes
Lincoln University (PA)
Men’s: Julius Hodge, Kesean Shillingford
Women’s: Kania Pollock, Anyia Gibson
Livingstone College
Men’s: James Stinson, James Nipper
Women’s: Queen Smith, Ny’Asia Green
Shaw University
Men’s: Bobby Collins, Avery Huggins
Women’s: Lou Hamilton (Interim), D’Ayzha Akinson
Virginia State University
Men’s: Lonnie Blow Jr., Jacob Cooper
Women’s: Millette Green, Skylar White
Virginia Union University
Men’s: Jay Butler, Bobby Gardner
Women’s: Alico Dunk, Hailey Blackwell
Winston-Salem State University
Men’s: Corey Thompson, Tyre Boykin
Women’s: Tierra Terry, Maia Charles
The 2025-26 season tips off this month, with conference competition beginning on November 29. The tournament will take place during the last week of February, with the first tip-off on Tuesday, February 24.
Media Contact:
Anna M. Butzlaff
Associate Commissioner, Strategic Communications
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
abutzlaff@theciaa.com
About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first, and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a 2019 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member institutions: Bowie State University, Bluefield State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University.
For more information, visit theciaa.com and follow the CIAA on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.