Charlotte, NC (April 9, 2025) — The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is proud to announce the inaugural CIAA Flag Football Championship, set to take place April 11–12, 2025, at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. This groundbreaking event marks a historic milestone as the CIAA becomes one of the first NCAA Division II conferences to host a championship in women's flag football. Eight teams will compete in the two-day tournament, with all games streamed LIVE on the CIAA Sports Network. 

Tournament Seeding:

1. Virginia Union University
2. Winston-Salem State University
3. Johnson C. Smith University
4. Claflin University
5. Fayetteville State University
6. Livingstone College
7. Bowie State University
8. Bluefield State University

CIAA Championship Schedule

Quarterfinals – April 11, 2025

• #4 Claflin vs. #5 Fayetteville State | 11:00 a.m.
• #3 Johnson C. Smith vs. #6 Livingstone | 12:00 p.m.
• #2 Winston-Salem State vs. #7 Bowie State | 1:00 p.m.
• #1 Virginia Union vs. #8 Bluefield State | 2:00 p.m.

Semifinals – April 12, 2025

• Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 4 | 12:00 p.m.
• Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3 | 1:00 p.m.

Championship – April 12, 2025

• Semifinal Winners | 3:00 p.m.

“The launch of the CIAA Flag Football is a powerful step forward for gender equity and innovation in college athletics,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker. “We are proud to lead the way by creating new platforms for women to compete, grow, and shine. This is more than a championship; it’s a celebration of progress and the future of women’s sports.”
The event is open to the public, with full coverage available live on the CIAA Sports Network.

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Anna Butzlaff | Associate Commissioner for Strategic Communications & External Partnerships | 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 13 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, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University.