Ettrick, Virginia (May 7, 2026) – After three exciting days of action, Claflin University captured the 2026 CIAA Baseball Series Championship with a dominant 24-0 victory over Virginia State University in the title game.
The Panthers completed an impressive series run that included a 5-4 opening-round win over Virginia State and a dramatic 7-6 walk-off victory against Bluefield State University on day two.
Virginia State battled back through the elimination bracket after its first-day loss, defeating Lincoln University 5-2 before overpowering Bluefield State 15-5 to earn a rematch in the championship game. Bluefield State opened series play with a narrow 4-3 victory over Lincoln.
Series Results
Day 1
- Lincoln (Pa.) 3, Bluefield State 4
- Virginia State 4, Claflin 5
Day 2
- Claflin 7, Bluefield State 6
- Virginia State 5, Lincoln (Pa.) 2
- Virginia State 15, Bluefield State 5
Day 3
- Claflin 24, Virginia State 0
All-Series Team
The All-Series Team featured 12 standout performers with every participating program represented. Claflin led all schools with four selections, highlighted by Series MVP Neo Drew.
All-Series Selections
- Jade Greenidge — Lincoln (Pa.)
- Fred Perry — Lincoln (Pa.)
- Anderson Moreno — Bluefield State
- Grayson Peel — Bluefield State
- James Germosen — Bluefield State
- Antonio Boone — Virginia State
- Hector Rivera — Virginia State
- Gavin Stevens — Virginia State
- Christian Hill — Claflin
- Devon Whitehead — Claflin
- Leslie Johnson — Claflin
- Neo Drew — Claflin (Series MVP)
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.