Bowie, MD (November 23, 2025) – Fayetteville State University is back on top of CIAA volleyball. The Broncos claimed the 2025 CIAA Volleyball Championship inside A. C. Jordan Arena on Sunday afternoon, sweeping two-time defending champion Shaw University 25–22, 25–22, 25–23 to reclaim the conference crown with a poised and powerful championship performance.
The victory marks another milestone for one of the most accomplished volleyball programs in CIAA history. With titles in 1996, 1998, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2021, and now today’s 2025 championship, Fayetteville State continues to build on a legacy that spans nearly three decades. Since 2019, the Broncos have appeared in four of the past seven CIAA Championship matches (2019, 2021, 2024, 2025), while Shaw University has reached the final every year in that span. Today’s meeting also marked the fourth championship showdown between the two programs, with Fayetteville State earning titles in 2019, 2021, and now 2025, and Shaw claiming the crown in 2024.
Shaw entered the match seeking its third straight conference title following championships in 2023 and 2024, but Fayetteville State rose to the moment with championship level execution. From timely kills to tough defensive stands at the net, the Broncos showed composure in every tight set to complete the sweep.
“This match was a showcase of the talent, discipline, and heart our student athletes bring to the CIAA,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker. “Fayetteville State played inspired volleyball from start to finish, and Shaw reminded everyone why they have been champions. Today was a celebration of excellence across our conference.”
MATCH SUMMARY
Fayetteville State finished with 35 kills on a .142 hitting percentage while holding Shaw to .090. The Broncos controlled the net with 12 total blocks, doubling Shaw’s production and shaping momentum throughout the afternoon.
Freshman standout Khamare Steppe led the offense with 13 kills, followed by 8 kills from Kya Moore and 7 from Sydni Hunter. Setter Giovanna Teixeira recorded 30 assists and guided the offense with leadership and precision. The championship point came on a kill from Amori Johnson off a Teixeira setup to close the third set 25–23.
Shaw was led by Ramona Pulu with 11 kills and Symone Morris with 8.
FINAL SCORE
Fayetteville State 3, Shaw 0 (25–22, 25–22, 25–23)
TOURNAMENT MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Giovanna Teixeira, Fayetteville State
CIAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
•Giovanna Teixeira, Fayetteville State
•Lyric Snowden, Bowie State
•Kellee Craig, Virginia State
•Kya Moore, Shaw
•Symone Morris, Fayetteville State
•Ramona Pulu, Fayetteville State
•Khamare Steppe, Shaw
•Peyton Reese, Virginia State
•Kalia Morris, Shaw
CIAA VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The CIAA Volleyball Championship has crowned champions since 1978 and has been shaped by eras of dominance from programs across the conference. St Augustine’s set the early standard with a run of titles through the 1980s, followed by championship stretches from Hampton, North Carolina Central, Shaw, Winston Salem State, Elizabeth City State, and Chowan.
Fayetteville State’s nine championships place the Broncos among the most successful programs in CIAA volleyball history. Alongside Shaw’s recent titles in 2023 and 2024, Fayetteville State has helped define one of the most competitive eras of CIAA volleyball in recent years.
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 150000 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.