CHARLOTTE, N.C. (September 8, 2025) - Week one of the 2025 CIAA football season saw nine schools take the field this past Saturday. Below are the student-athletes who shined brightest.
QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK
NAME: Kelvin Durham
POSITION: Quarterback
INSTITUTION: Johnson C. Smith
HOMETOWN: Homestead, FL.
Durham, Passed for 207 yards on 16 of 24, but rushed for three touchdowns in a 28-16 win over #14 Valdosta St. Durham rushed for 18 yards on eight carries on the day.
OFFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK
NAME: Traquan Johnson
POSITION: Running Back
INSTITUTION: Elizabeth City State
HOMETOWN: St. Petersburg, FL.
Traquan Johnson put in a bruising performance on the road at Hampton, piling up 121 yards from scrimmage against the Pirates. On the ground, Johnson averaged 4.7 yards per carry on 17 attempts for a total of 80 yards. Because of Johnson's consistent runs as well as reasonable success keeping third downs short and manageable, the Vikings were able to control the tempo and out possess the Pirates 31:16 to 28:44. He also contributed in the passing attack, snagging three receptions out of the back field for 41 yards. Johnson had a spectacular 20+ yard run early in the fourth quarter that was negated by a holding penalty, which stalled the ECSU drive for a potential two-score lead late in the game.
WIDE RECEIVER OF THE WEEK
NAME: Challenger Valentine
POSITION: Wide Receiver
INSTITUTION: Bowie State
HOMETOWN: Baltimore, MD.
Valentine turned in a standout performance in the Bulldogs’ 23-7 road win over Shippensburg. Valentine hauled in six receptions for 81 yards and a 29-yard touchdown, accounting for more than half of Bowie State’s passing production. His first-quarter touchdown catch gave the Bulldogs an early lead and set the tone offensively. Valentine averaged 13.5 yards per catch.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
NAME: Austin Pittman
POSITION: Offensive Tackle
INSTITUTION: Winston-Salem State
HOMETOWN: Winston-Salem, N.C.
Pittman helped anchor the offense with 320 total yards, 192 passing yards and 122 rushing yards. Pittman was the lead block in the game-winning touchdown, giving the Rams 28-25 lead with 31 seconds remaining in the game.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
NAME: Marvin Latortue
POSITION: Offensive Tackle
INSTITUTION: Lincoln
HOMETOWN: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Contributed 2 total tackles from the interior line.
Helped clog rushing lanes and held up against Duquesne’s strong ground game.
LINEBACKER OF THE WEEK
NAME: Matthew Leach
POSITION: Linebacker
INSTITUTION: Fayetteville State
HOMETOWN: Raeford, N.C.
Leach delivered a standout performance against UNC Pembroke, racking up a game-high 11 tackles (6 solo, 5 assisted), including 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack for five yards. He also recovered a fumble, helping anchor a strong defensive effort on the road.
DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK
NAME: Samuel Graham
POSITION: Cornerback
INSTITUTION: Bowie State
HOMETOWN: Baltimore, MD.
Graham anchored Bowie State’s defense in a dominant showing against Shippensburg. Graham recorded a game-high nine tackles, including one sack for a seven-yard loss, while also forcing and recovering a fumble. He capped off his performance with a 53-yard fumble return for a touchdown, sealing the Bulldogs’ 23-7 victory.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
NAME: Chris Brown
POSITION: Punter
INSTITUTION: Winston-Salem State
HOMETOWN: Greensboro, N.C.
On September 6th against Mars Hill, Brown recorded 258 yards on eight punts. He averaged 32.2 yards per punt, his best punt was a 36 yard punt and three punts inside the 20 yard line in the 28-25 victory.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
NAME: Bobby Smith
POSITION: Running Back
INSTITUTION: Johnson C. Smith
HOMETOWN: Boynton Beach, FL.
Smith rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries, his longest was 52 yards.
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.