Virginia Union defeated Johnson C. Smith 15-14 on Saturday to reclaim the CIAA championship, capping a dominant season for the Keydees. The decisive victory secures the team’s fifth consecutive berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, a feat that underscores their status as the most consistent program in the conference. Head Coach Flowers expressed pride in his squad’s resilience, noting that despite the narrow margin, the team’s execution throughout the tournament demonstrated their championship pedigree.
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This triumph marks Virginia Union’s third CIAA title in four years and their 10th in school history. The accomplishment extends a remarkable streak for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, representing the longest consecutive playoff run by an HBCU since Albany State’s dominance from 2004 to 2011. By outlasting Johnson C. Smith, who had defeated them in last year’s final, Virginia Union has reasserted its dominance and set a high bar for future contenders in the conference.
For Johnson C. Smith, the loss ends a promising campaign where they had entered the title game with a repeat championship in sight. Although the Tuskegians fell short in the final minutes, their ability to return to the championship game highlights their improved competitiveness against the conference’s elite. As Virginia Union prepares for the national stage, the CIAA landscape shifts, with other programs now looking to break the Keydees’ recent stranglehold on the conference crown.
Source: Yahoo Sports
