Winston-Salem State raises its profile in the CIAA

CIAA

Winston-Salem State women's basketball advanced to the Division II Sweet 16 in coach Tierra Terry's first season with the Rams. WSSU added a new football coach in Tory Woodbury and men's basketball coach in Jay Butler, who led Virginia Union to four NCAA Division II berths.

Winston-Salem State is having some season.

First, women’s basketball ended its campaign nationally ranked with a regular season title and a CIAA championship, plus an NCAA Tournament run to the Sweet 16 under a first-year coach. Then, the Rams recruited Virginia Union men’s coach Jay Butler away from his alma mater. Butler coached the Panthers for 11 seasons with a 372-239 career record.

Oh yeah, women’s coach Tierra Terry also left VUU for WSSU, which is her alma mater. When is the last time two HBCU head coaches left for the same school?

Then, the Rams won their second straight CIAA flag football championship. Whether you’re a fan of the sport or not, plenty of people are. It’s one of the fastest growing high school sports for girls. Then, WSSU was in a neck-and-neck battle with Fayetteville State for the CIAA golf crown before the Broncos pulled away in the final round.

And let’s not forget new football coach and alumnus Tory Woodbury’s debut season is just a few months away. WSSU fans are frothing at the mouth.

The success of any athletic department, especially at HBCUs, is to have an invested and supportive chancellor or president. And if her first name happens to be Bonita Brown (one “t” or two, it doesn’t matter), well, then she’s a genius.

‘White Shadow’

For those of us over 25, any white coach at a predominately Black school is going to be dubbed “The White Shadow” in honor of the 1978-81 TV show. That’s just a fact.

Alabama State filled its men’s basketball opening last week with Langston (Okla.) head coach Chris Wright. Langston, an HBCU, plays in the NAIA, the first national athletics association to admit Black colleges as members.

Wright coached the Lions for four seasons and compiled a 121-21 record. Before that, he was head coach at Talladega, another NAIA HBCU, for four seasons.

Alabama State is a major step up for Wright and his family. The Hornets’ facilities are 100% better, and the SWAC is a premiere HBCU conference.

Wright also etched his name in the conference’s history books. He is the first white men’s basketball coach in SWAC history.

Someone posted a video of the family arriving for his press conference on Tuesday. The joy on their faces was priceless. They looked right at home.

Coaching countdown

Virginia Union announced its next men’s basketball coach. Alumnus A.J. English takes the helm. English played under legendary coach Dave Robbins from 1986-90 and was the 1990 NCAA Division II national player of the year.

Jackson State removed the interim tag from Trey Johnson to make him the permanent men’s coach.

That leaves Allen, Edward Waters, Kentucky State, Lane, Lincoln, (Pa.), Mississippi Valley State, North Carolina Central and Shaw.

The biggest question mark of them all is the Shaw women’s opening. Who is doing the recruiting since the entire staff was fired? Shaw’s website page for the coaching roster says the page no longer exists.
Make it make sense.

Bonitta Best is sports editor at The Triangle Tribune in Durham.

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