PETERSBURG, VA (April 22, 2026) – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®) has officially announced the bracket for the 2026 CIAA Women’s Tennis Championship, set to take place April 24–25 at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia.
The championship will open with quarterfinal action on Friday, April 24, featuring four matchups led by the tournament’s Northern Division top seed, Bluefield State University, which will face No. 4 seed Livingstone College. No. 2 seed Johnson C. Smith University will take on No. 3 seed Elizabeth City State University in what is expected to be one of the most competitive matches of the opening round.
On the opposite side of the bracket, No. 1 seed from the Southern Division, Shaw University, will face No. 4 seed Virginia Union University, while No. 2 seed Virginia State University will host No. 3 seed Winston-Salem State University to round out quarterfinal play.
Semifinal matches are scheduled for Saturday, April 25, with the winners advancing to the championship match later that day to compete for the CIAA title.
All matches will be held on the campus of Virginia State University, where teams will compete for the CIAA title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis Championship.
Shaw University enters the championship as the defending champion, having secured its seventh consecutive CIAA title in 2025 and 14th overall. The Lady Bears will look to extend their historic run, while a competitive field of challengers aims to dethrone the conference powerhouse.
Fans are encouraged to attend and support their institutions as the CIAA continues its tradition of excellence in championship competition. In addition they can follow along here for LIVE Score updates.
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.