MILLS SPRINGS, N.C. (February 16, 2026) – Fayetteville State University raced to its sixth title while Virginia Union University claimed the men’s crown for the first time in program history at the CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships held Monday afternoon at Tryon International.
In the 49 year history of the CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Virginia Union secured its first men’s team title with 164 points. Claflin University finished second with 123 points and Lincoln University placed third with 73.5 points.
On the women’s side, Fayetteville State captured its sixth consecutive championship in just its seventh season sponsoring track and field, totaling 128 points. Claflin finished as runner up with 117.5 points and Winston-Salem State University placed third with 105 points.
Faith Kiplimo was named Women’s Track Athlete of the Year after winning three individual events and contributing to a relay victory. She captured the 800 meters in 2:14.95, the mile in 5:03.46, and the 3000 meters in 10:30.90, and also ran on the first place Distance Medley Relay team.
Claflin’s Jhnyia Knuckles earned Women’s Field Athlete of the Year honors. She placed fifth in the long jump with a mark of 5.57 meters and won the triple jump with a leap of 12.28 meters.
Virginia Union secured key points in the field to help seal the men’s title, highlighted by a one two finish in the shot put. Zachary Jones won gold with a mark of 16.51 meters while teammate Dequan Boon earned silver with a throw of 15.51 meters.
Claflin’s Jaevon Riley was named Men’s Track Athlete of the Year. He won the 60 meter dash in 6.84 seconds, finished second in the 200 meters, scored 10 points in the 400 meters with a time of 47.59, and ran on the winning Distance Medley Relay team that clocked 10:38.41.
Bluefield State’s Darius Brown was selected as Men’s Field Athlete of the Year.
Fayetteville State head coach Inez Turner was named CIAA Women’s Coach of the Year, while Virginia Union head coach Franck Charles earned CIAA Men’s Coach of the Year honors.
The 2024-2025 CIAA Freddie Vaughn Team Academic Awards were presented to the Lincoln University men’s team, which posted a 3.37 team GPA, and the Johnson C. Smith University women’s team, which recorded a 3.33 team GPA.
Full Results: Provided by Snaptiming
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.