The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association is gearing up for its much-anticipated return to Charm City for its largest annual event – the cherished basketball tournament.
The week of electrifying basketball competition will be complemented by musical performances, a Fan Fest, step shows, parties, the Career Expo, Education Day, a financial literacy workshop and much more.
CFG Bank Arena will host the event, as it did last year and in 2023 (then Royal Farms Arena). This year marks the 79th year of the basketball tournament.
“The CIAA Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tournament is a culmination of the hard work of our member institutions and our student-athletes, as well as a celebration of HBCU culture and community,” CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker said.
“Through our relationships with partners like ESPN, Food Lion, Under Armour and others, we can continue to provide opportunities and access for the next generation.”
In 2023, Elizabeth City State won its first-ever women’s basketball CIAA championship, defeating Shaw 55-40. The Winston-Salem State men’s squad won their second title in three seasons with a 62-57 victory over Lincoln.
As of Feb. 16, Lincoln holds the top ranking for men’s teams in the Northern Division (9-6 in conference play) while Claflin leads the Southern Division with an 11-4 record in CIAA play.
Correspondingly, the Fayetteville State women’s basketball team appears to be the team to be with a 14-1 conference record (21-2 overall). In the Northern Division, ECSU holds the top seed (16-9 CIAA). The brackets will be released once all teams complete the regular season at some point in the next week or so.
Themed “Meet Me in Baltimore,” the 2024 CIAA Tournament is a celebration of a few milestones. This year, the conference is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of NCAA Division II and the 20th anniversary of the Mister and Miss CIAA Scholarship Competition. Food Lion, CIAA’s official grocer and primary sponsor, is celebrating its 30-year alliance with the conference.
“As one of the country’s top 10 cities with the highest percentage of Black or African-American residents, one that honors and amplifies Black culture, Baltimore is the perfect destination for the CIAA Tournament,” CIAA officials said in a statement.
Last year, the CIAA Tournament generated an economic impact of $29.6 million for Baltimore while supporting 1,504 part-time and full-time jobs. CIAA leaders and partners expect those numbers to rise this year.
This year’s tournament will also be an expanded version of ones held in the past with the addition of Bluefield State University, an HBCU in southern West Virginia. Bluefield State was last in the CIAA in 1955, making it nearly 70 years since the school has been a part of the conference.
As part of the CIAA’s multi-year partnership with ESPN, all 26 men’s and women’s tournament games will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN+ (https://plus.espn.com/) with the championship games televised on ESPNU.
Along with Bowie State women’s basketball coach Shadae Swan, a former St. Frances and Goucher College standout, 11 CIAA basketball players who will be competing in the tournament have ties to Baltimore.
In addition, there are a number of local sports figures with ties to the CIAA. Morgan State football coach Damon Wilson had a distinguished coaching career at Bowie State, where he won three consecutive conference titles.
Choo Smith, a former Harlem Globetrotter who now runs a youth empowerment program, played college ball at Bowie State in the 1990s. Likewise, Harlem Wizards player Arthur Smith and City College basketball coach Omarr Smith were a part of the Bowie State CIAA championship run in the early 2000s.
City College Athletic Director Rolynda Contee was a basketball player for Virginia State University and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute girls basketball coach Kendall Peace-Able is a Lincoln graduate.
CIAA fans, alumni and supporters will be traveling far and near for one of the highest-esteemed sporting events in Baltimore throughout the year.
“The CIAA is a week-long celebration of Black excellence and HBCU culture that brings together student athletes, coaches, sports fans, celebrities and the business community,” said Al Hutchinson, President and CEO of Visit Baltimore.
“We are excited to celebrate the tournament’s fourth year in Baltimore and hope to see both out-of-town fans and our local community experience the championship games and all the community events happening during the week.”