HBCU Articles - Page 3

As media day season for HBCU Football approached, I was surprised by the SWAC’s initial list of games slated for broadcast on ESPN platforms. While the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and the Celebration Bowl were predictably on the ESPN schedule, I noticed a significant number of other games whose broadcast homes remained undetermined. This was particularly striking […]

During media day, the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) unveiled a new direct-to-consumer OTT platform called SWAC TV. The platform, launching on August 1st before the football season, will become the exclusive streaming service broadcasting all 18 conference-sponsored sports. The app will be free to access and available for download on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, […]

Building on the progress of the 2024 MLB Draft, three HBCU players earned selections in the 2025 MLB Draft. Florida A&M catcher Broedy Poppell was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 13th round, as Alabama State saw two players drafted in the 20th round: infielder Juan Cruz with the 591st pick by the […]

Former Memphis assistant Nolan Smith, a standout assistant on Penny Hardaway’s staff, has been linked to the open Tennessee State job following the departure of Brian “Penny” Collins to join the Memphis Grizzlies coaching staff. While the hire isn’t official, acquiring Smith would be a significant move for the Tennessee State athletic program as it […]

The ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., have added some heavy hitters to their 2025 honorary member class. The induction took place during the sorority’s 2025 Leadership Seminar in California. The newest inductees are Olympian Gabby Thomas, former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, CNN anchor and analyst Laura Coates, and model Beverly Johnson. “Welcoming […]

In collaboration with Wells Fargo, the Atlanta Falcons have announced the 2025 class of the HBCU Fellows Program, an eight-week paid program that links HBCU students in Atlanta with opportunities for professional development in sports and entertainment, brand engagement, and financial empowerment. “Wells Fargo is honored to continue serving as the presenting sponsor for the […]

Tennessee State and Memphis assistant coach Nolan Smith are finalizing on a deal to make Smith the Tigers’ next men’s basketball head coach, according to college basketball insider Jon Rothstein. Rothstein added that the deal is not official, but “the two sides are working towards an agreement.” Assuming there are no last-minute hangups, Smith will […]

Ahead of media day, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) has released the 2025 All-SIAC preseason selections. The list featured Albany State’s Isaiah Knowles as the SIAC Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year and Benedict College’s Ty’Metrius Patterson as SIAC Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year. The full All-SIAC list is below: FIRST TEAM POSITION […]

Ahead of media day, the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) released the 2025 All-SWAC preseason selections. The list featured Jackson State’s Jacobian Morgan as the SWAC Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year with Southern University’s Ckelby Given as SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Morgan had an outstanding season as the starting quarterback for the […]

Florida A&M alumna Thai Floyd is making history at Alabama A&M, becoming the first woman to serve as a football play-by-play announcer for the institution. The Bulldogs announced Floyd’s new position on Saturday, a testament to her journey to get to this position. “It’s truly an honor to step into this historic role,” Floyd said […]

DeSean Jackson’s tenure at Delaware State is already bringing in money, as Delaware State has landed $20 million for the construction of their new field house per a report by Delaware Online. Hornets Athletic Director Tony Tucker expressed excitement speaking about the project in a statement obtained by Delaware Online, saying, “It’s going to inject […]

This season of Love Island was truly a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. But through all the twists and turns, one thing remained consistently clear: the unwavering poise and grace of Olandria. Entering the villa alongside Chelley as one of the first two Islanders we met, Olandria quickly became a voice of reason and […]

If the ladies at Litchfield Penitentiary could see her now. Orange Is the New Black star Danielle Brooks was inducted as an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., during the sorority’s 57th National Convention. Brooks joins hip-hop legend Queen Latifah, political strategist Donna Brazile, Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee, business executive Janice Bryant Howroyd, tech […]

Legendary actress Phylicia Rashad joins season 3 of HBO’s ‘The Gilded Age.’ Black elitism is the new focus of season 3 of the American historical drama series. Rashad joins Tony Award-nominated actress Audra McDonald and others in the upcoming season. “We just got more and more interested in the history of the Black bourgeois community […]

Ahead of the HBCU Swingman Classic, Ken Griffey Jr. made a bold call for more recognition of HBCU athletes. In a phone interview with USA Today, the baseball legend cited that call in why they created the Swingman Classic. “If you look at what’s going on in baseball, (there are) a lot of kids of […]

The debut of Tennessee State’s hockey team has been postponed to the 2026-2027 season. According to a statement from the university, the delay will allow more time to focus on fundraising, recruiting, faculty planning, and staff development. However, while the launch is delayed, Tennessee State is said to still be preparing for the 2026-2027 season. […]

One thing that has been consistent in Deion Sanders’s career as a public figure is that he knows how to get people talking. That has never been truer than during his tenure as a coach. From his time at Jackson State to his current stint with Colorado, he often speaks strongly about his convictions and […]

As the season approaches, Florida A&M continues to bolster its roster in the hopes of achieving championship glory again. The Rattlers landed former Tulane tight end Guiseann Mirtil in the transfer portal, marking a homecoming for the Winter Haven alumnus. Mirtil originally committed to Tulane in 2023, choosing the Green Wave other other institutions such […]

Former NFL star and Norfolk State special teams coordinator Tory Woodbury is getting his second shot at a huge NFL oppourtunity. Per a report by HBCU Gameday, Woodbury has been named a Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellow by the Minnesota Vikings. This will be Woodbury’s second time as a fellow, as he served with the […]

Former Dallas Cowboys tight end and civil rights advocate Pettis Norman has passed away at age 86. Norman leaves behind a legacy of putting in hard work on and off the field. Raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Norman attended Johnson C. Smith University on a scholarship offer from Coach Eddie McGirt. He was a standout […]

Delta Sigma Theta is hosting their 57th National Convention and announced a new class of honorary members into the organization, including Hip-Hop legend Queen Latifah and WNBA legend Swin Cash. Latifah and Cash join the sorority alongside other trailblazing members such as Donna Brazille, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Janice Bryant Howard, Tony Townes-Whitley, and Fawn Weaver. Delta […]

Married to Medicine star Dr. Heavenly Kimes has officially announced her run for Georgia State Representative in District 93. Dr. Kimes launched her campaign at a rally in downtown Atlanta yesterday. “I’m not a career politician. I’m a mom, a doctor, and a business owner—and I’m not afraid to stand up for what I believe […]

After an illustrious career that left him considered among the best point guards in NBA history, Chris Paul recently revealed in a conversation with Jemele Hill at the American Black Film Festival that he is contemplating retirement. “At the most, a year,” Paul said when Hill asked how much longer he expected to play. “I […]

It finally happened: Taylor has been eliminated from Love Island. His departure came after a string of disrespectful actions toward Olandria, culminating in his choice of Clarke following Casa Amor. What’s more, even after clearly showing the world and Olandria that his affections weren’t truly with her, he continued to lead her on, creating the […]

After being hired in April, Charlie Ward has been hard at work building out his roster and coaching staff for his debut season with the Florida A&M Rattlers. He already added former Florida State assistant Jarrod Lazarus to his staff last month. Now, he’s adding even more experienced FBS assistants to his staff in hopes […]

NBA All-Star weekend is once again set to feature an HBCU basketball game, as North Carolina A&T and Hampton have been announced as the latest teams to participate in the showcase. The teams were announced on Tuesday morning via a statement and the game will be the first edition in the showcase to feature HBCU […]

As the season approaches, Michael Vick and Norfolk State have made key additions to their roster. The team announced the signing of three players to their 2025 recruiting class: former South Carolina State defensive tackle Rashawn Washington, former Wagner defensive lineman Cameron Darmody, and former North Alabama wide receiver JJ Evans. While a standout at […]

Johnson C. Smith University is about to have a new “young bull” on campus. 15-year-old Josiah Matthews will be attending the university this fall after graduating early. Matthews was homeschooled and was able to take multiple classes at the same time. “I just remember doing third and fourth grades together,” Matthews said. “And fifth, sixth, […]

Both Grambling State University and Florida A&M University are set to receive a significant amount of funding from the state. Grambling State is set to receive over $20 million in state funding, while the Florida 2025-2026 budget has allocated $162 million in operational funding for Florida HBCUs. In addition to the recurring operational support for […]

WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes has achieved many things in her career, but her latest achievement might be her most monumental. Swoopes was inducted as an honorary member of the “Essence of Sisterhood” class of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority. The Olympian joins Maui Bigelow, a social media maven and influencer; Dr. Kimberlyn Leary, a Harvard […]

As I’ve said many times before, Love Island USA is one of the most intriguing media viewing experiences that I’ve ever had in my life. We saw early in the season that it was unearthed that Yulissa had used racial slurs in a podcast interview from a couple of years ago. She was ultimately removed from the […]

Brennan Marion and Sacramento State have made history with their latest commitment. Per a report by On3 Sports’ Hayes Fawcett, the Hornets have landed wide receiver Xavier McDonald, who chose the program over Ole Miss and North Carolina. The commitment is huge as Sacramento State has clear FBS ambitions and a desire to build the […]

After joining Master P and the University of New Orleans in the Spring, Jamal Gibson is heading back to the HBCU basketball ranks with a new team. Xavier University of Louisiana announced that Gibson is committing to the program in a shocking move. Before transferring to the University of New Orleans, he played for Southern […]

Two-time NBA champion and Jackson State legend Lindsey Hunter has been named the head coach of Sparta High School boy’s basketball team in Michigan, per a report by WAPT. The new position is a continuation of a unique basketball journey that started in the SWAC at both Alcorn State and Jackson State, then being drafted […]

With a strong presence on and off the court, Alabama A&M University women’s basketball coach Dawn Thornton joins the Essence Festival of Culture for the highly anticipated “Play the Game, Get the Look” panel. In addition to her superb coaching abilities, Thornton has gained a major following for her game day fashion choices, bringing in […]

The highly anticipated coaching debut of Michael Vick with his Norfolk State Spartans is set to get a national television audience. Per a report by the Virginian-Pilot, the Towson vs. Norfolk game is set to be broadcast on one of ESPN’s channels to be announced at a later date. This will be Norfolk State’s first […]

As DeSean Jackson approaches his first season as coach of Delaware State, he has never hesitated to show his appreciation to Deion Sanders for his coaching journey. While Sanders isn’t the first former NFL player to become an HBCU coach, he commanded attention at Jackson State like no other before him. In a recent appearance […]

Two people were tragically killed after a shooting at a HBCU-affiliated Kappa Alpha Psi event in Atlanta over the weekend, per a report by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Atlanta police have confirmed the death of 23-year-old Justin Minnitee, who succumbed to his injuries after being hospitalized. According to witnesses, Minnitee arrived at a fraternity event and […]

As a first-time viewer, Love Island has been an absolute rollercoaster. While I appreciate its raw, realistic portrayal of relationships, the challenges often pull me out of the show’s element. Many can feel over the top and nasty, especially in a post-coronavirus world. However, today’s Mailbox Challenge was a remarkable exception. It offered a rare […]