Charlotte, NC (November 21, 2025) — The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association will make history this weekend as two CIAA football programs, Johnson C. Smith University and Virginia Union University, host first-round games in the 2025 NCAA Division II Football Championship. This marks the first time in conference history that multiple CIAA institutions have earned home postseason contests in the same season.
Johnson C. Smith, the number two seed in Super Region One, will host Frostburg State University on Saturday, November 22 at 1:00 p.m. at Eddie McGirt Field inside the Irwin Belk Complex in Charlotte, North Carolina. Fresh off capturing their first CIAA title since 1969, the Golden Bulls enter the postseason with momentum, balance, and one of the region’s strongest resumes. This appearance also marks JCSU’s first NCAA playoff berth in more than five decades.
Virginia Union, seeded third in Super Region One, will welcome California Pennsylvania to Hovey Field in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday, November 22 at 1:00 p.m. The Panthers return to the NCAA stage after another standout season defined by physical play, defensive intensity, and consistent execution. With national experience and a proven identity, VUU heads into the postseason prepared to compete at the highest level.
Both games will stream live on ESPN+ as part of the NCAA Division II Championship coverage. Fans may also access broadcasts through the NCAA Championships Pass and at NCAA.com.
The CIAA proudly recognizes Johnson C. Smith and Virginia Union for advancing to the national postseason and elevating the conference on the championship stage.
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 on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.