HONORS THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE DIVINE 9
ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Metro Baltimore National Pan Hellenic Council (NPHC), and the Y in Central Maryland Join the CIAA to Give Back to Charm City
CHARLOTTE, NC (February 14, 2025) – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®), the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference, will place the Divine 9 at center court and will celebrate the history, contributions and lasting legacy of the Metro Baltimore National Pan Hellenic Council, (NPHC) on CIAA’s Greek Night, held Wednesday, February 26th at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore.
Beginning with the evening games at 6:40 p.m., ET and 8:50 p.m., ET, all Divine 9 sorority and fraternity members will be invited to wear their colors with pride and represent their historically Black Greek letter organizations throughout the evening at the CFG Bank arena. All members of the Greek organizations will receive a discount on tickets for the evening by using a special code. Students, fans and alumni will also be invited to attend the ever-popular CIAA step show on Friday, February 28.
“February is CIAA,” said Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker. “We are pleased to celebrate all aspects of Black America’s history, culture and legacy. The Divine 9 is a symbol of Black excellence and their many contributions are an example for our student athletes as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our Women’s championship. We are proud to honor the Metro Baltimore National Pan Hellenic Council and all it represents on CIAA Greek Night.”
For the third year in a row, the (NPHC) will also partner with CIAA and the Y in Central Maryland to focus on giving back to the community through “Blanket Baltimore,” a competitive donation drive that fosters unity among members of the nine historically Black Greek-letter organizations (BGLO). The fun-filled competition has yielded over 30,000 needed personal supplies for the Baltimore community every year for the last 10 years.
“Despite our organization’s separate missions, we all recognize and focus on community service and enrichment,” said Norbert Robinson, Metro Baltimore-NPHC Vice President and Co-Chair Blanket Baltimore. “We are pleased to partner with the CIAA during CIAA Tournament Week to further expand our impact and help fellow citizens in need.”
To get tickets to CIAA Greek Night on February 26 or any games held during the Food Lion 2025 CIAA Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tournament held from February 25 – March 1 at the CFG arena in Baltimore, MD, or for more information about FanFest and all tournament events visit ciaatournament.org.
ABOUT BLANKET BALTIMORE
Blanket Baltimore is an initiative that combines giving back to the community while having fun and “blanketing” the Baltimore area with over 16,000 needed personal supplies every year for the last 10 years. Developed by the Metro Baltimore National Pan Hellenic Council (NPHC), participating members include alumni with ties to local universities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who compete against each other to raise items for local shelters and youth-serving organizations. Divine 9 organizations include: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority; and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity.
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. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
About Visit Baltimore
Visit Baltimore is the official sales and marketing arm for the City of Baltimore. The 501(c)(6) non-profit organization generates economic benefits for stakeholders through the attraction of convention, group and leisure visitors. In 2023, 27.5 million people visited Baltimore for overnight and day trips, generating a total of $4 billion to Baltimore’s economy. For more information, please visit Baltimore.org.
