By HBCU Original Staff
Story adapted from reporting by Courtney Hollmon/MLB.com

PHILADELPHIA — The American League squad claimed a 6-1 victory over the National League in the 2026 HBCU Swingman Classic on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, but the evening was about much more than the final score. The annual showcase once again highlighted the exceptional talent across Historically Black Colleges and Universities while giving student-athletes a national stage ahead of the MLB Draft.

Southern University center fielder Jacoby Radcliffe delivered one of the night’s biggest performances, earning Most Valuable Player honors after helping lead the American League offense.

Radcliffe credited American League manager and Southern University legend Rickie Weeks for helping him make a key adjustment at the plate before the game.

“He talks about the mental side of the game a lot,” Radcliffe said. “He told me I just needed a little more separation on the outside pitch, and once I made that adjustment, everything started clicking.”

The moment carried extra significance as both Weeks and Radcliffe share Southern University roots. Weeks praised the young outfielder’s development and said seeing a fellow Jaguar earn MVP made the night even more special.

“It’s awesome,” Weeks said. “I’ve known Jacoby for a couple of years, and it’s been great watching him grow into the player he’s becoming. Seeing him earn that award tonight was really special.”

For Radcliffe, the performance represented a major milestone after overcoming adversity during his sophomore season, when he temporarily lost his starting position. With professional scouts watching just days before the MLB Draft, the Swingman Classic offered an opportunity to showcase both his resilience and talent.

“What this game means to me is showing the talent that’s here,” Radcliffe said. “Don’t overlook us. We’re here to play. No matter what happens, we’re here for each other. One band, one sound.”

National League manager Jimmy Rollins said the event continues to capture the spirit of HBCU athletics by emphasizing both competition and community.

“The joy, the excitement, and especially the camaraderie—that’s what stood out,” Rollins said. “Watching these young men compete reminded me of being a kid and simply loving the game.”

While the American League finished with a convincing 6-1 win on seven hits, the HBCU Swingman Classic once again proved that its greatest impact extends beyond the scoreboard. Created by Ken Griffey Jr., the annual event continues to celebrate HBCU baseball while providing student-athletes with national exposure and opportunities at the next level.

Credit: This story was adapted from original reporting by Courtney Hollmon for MLB.com.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama State University is taking another significant step in expanding opportunities for its students beyond the classroom.

The HBCU has announced a strategic partnership with Callan JMB Inc. that will connect students and faculty to the company’s planned Atlas Complex, a 150-acre pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical logistics campus under development in Marion, Alabama.

The collaboration is designed to strengthen workforce development, applied research, and innovation while helping prepare the next generation of professionals for careers in pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology, healthcare logistics, and supply chain management.

For Alabama State, the partnership carries added significance. The university was founded in Marion in 1867 before relocating to Montgomery, making the project a return to its historic roots while investing in the future of Alabama’s economy.

Under the agreement, ASU students will have access to internship opportunities, faculty-led research projects, and academic programs aligned with the growing pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. The initiative also aims to connect students directly with companies expected to establish operations within the Atlas Complex.

Callan JMB envisions the Atlas Complex as more than a manufacturing site. The campus is being developed as an integrated hub where pharmaceutical production, research, workforce training, quality assurance, and logistics operate together under one ecosystem. Company officials believe the project will help strengthen domestic pharmaceutical production while reducing reliance on overseas manufacturing.

Once fully developed, Callan JMB projects the Atlas Complex could generate more than $430 million in annual revenue while creating hundreds of high-quality jobs and expanding Alabama’s role in the nation’s growing life sciences sector.

“Our vision has always been to create an ecosystem where higher education, innovation, and industry work together,” said Callan JMB CEO Wayne Williams in a statement. “Alabama State University is an exceptional partner as we work to strengthen America’s pharmaceutical capabilities.”

The partnership also builds upon an existing relationship between the university and Callan JMB that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the company supported Alabama State’s health and safety initiatives.

ASU President Dr. Quinton T. Ross Jr. said the new agreement gives students meaningful opportunities to gain real-world experience while contributing to one of the country’s fastest-growing industries.

“As a university committed to preparing students to lead, innovate, and serve, Alabama State University is proud to partner with Callan JMB on an initiative that connects education directly with industry,” Ross said.

For HBCUs, partnerships like this continue to demonstrate their growing influence in STEM education, workforce development, and economic innovation. As pharmaceutical manufacturing increasingly returns to the United States, Alabama State is positioning its students to play a key role in shaping the industry’s future.

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HBCU Original Take: This partnership extends far beyond internships. It places Alabama State University at the center of a major economic development initiative that could create new research opportunities, expand career pathways for students, and strengthen the university’s impact on Alabama’s growing life sciences industry.

Knights infielder becomes the first player from an NAIA institution to earn a spot in the event’s four-year history; set to compete July 10 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia

NEW ORLEANS [July 6, 2026] — Southern University at New Orleans graduate infielder Donovan Hill has made history, becoming the first player from an NAIA institution ever selected to compete in the HBCU Swingman Classic presented by USA Baseball. The fourth annual showcase is set for Friday, July 10, at 7 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, as part of MLB All-Star Week.

Hill’s selection marks a milestone for both SUNO and small-college HBCU baseball nationwide. The Swingman Classic featured exclusively NCAA Division I players in its first two years before expanding to include its first Division II selection in 2025. With Hill’s addition to the 2026 roster, SUNO becomes the first NAIA institution represented in the event’s history — a testament to the growing national profile of the Knights and the HBCU Athletic Conference.

Hill, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native who joined the Knights from St. Thomas University, is one of just 50 players nationwide chosen for the event, which brings together the top talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country. Players were selected by a committee that includes Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., Major League Baseball representatives, and professional scouts and evaluators.

The historic selection caps a landmark season for Hill and the Knights, who posted the best record in program history and their best HBCU Athletic Conference regular-season finish in 2026, one year after a runner-up showing at the conference championship. A steady presence in the SUNO infield and lineup all spring, Hill delivered in the moments that mattered — igniting the Knights’ seven-run, ninth-inning comeback against Xavier with a leadoff walk and driving in runs throughout SUNO’s late-season surge, including a run-scoring triple in the series-clinching win over Philander Smith.

“Donovan represents everything we ask of our student-athletes — he competes, he leads, and he carries himself the right way on and off the field,” said SUNO Head Coach Olen Parker, Jr. “To see him become the first NAIA player ever to take that field for the HBCU Swingman Classic is bigger than one game. It tells every player at our level that if you put in the work, the stage will find you.”

“This is a historic moment for SUNO, the HBCU Athletic Conference and for NAIA baseball,” said SUNO Director of Athletics James A. Matthews, III. “Donovan’s selection proves that elite talent lives at every level of HBCU athletics. The Swingman Classic celebrates the rich legacy of HBCU baseball, and we could not be prouder that a Knight is the one carrying NAIA baseball onto that stage for the first time.”

ABOUT THE HBCU SWINGMAN CLASSIC

The Swingman Classic roster will be divided into two squads: a National League team led by 2007 NL MVP and Phillies Wall of Famer Jimmy Rollins, and an American League team led by HBCU legend and 14-year MLB veteran Rickie Weeks. Honorary VIPs for the event include HBCU baseball greats Andre Dawson (Florida A&M) and Ralph Garr Sr. (Grambling State), along with 19-year big-league veteran Ken Griffey Sr.

For the fourth consecutive year, MLB Network will exclusively broadcast the game, with Dave Sims on play-by-play and Harold Reynolds providing analysis. Ken Griffey Jr. and Emily Haydel, granddaughter of Hank Aaron, will also contribute to the broadcast. Pregame festivities honoring HBCU culture will feature an in-ballpark DJ, an in-game “Divine Nine” recognition, and more.

SUNO is one of 19 HBCUs represented on the 2026 roster — and the only NAIA institution — joining programs such as Southern University, Grambling State, Jackson State, Florida A&M, and Prairie View A&M. Tickets for the HBCU Swingman Classic presented by USA Baseball are on sale now at AllStarGame.com.

ABOUT SUNO ATHLETICS

The Southern University at New Orleans Knights Department of Athletics emphasizes competitive excellence, academic achievement and community engagement. For the full 2025–26 schedule, rosters, and ticket information, visit sunoathletics.com and follow @sunoathletics on social media.

MEDIA CONTACT: SUNO Athletics Communications, athletics@suno.edu, (504) 286-5197

By Charity L. Cohen | June 18, 2026

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. — The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Fellowship Gospel Choir has long carried the “award-winning” tag, and now the group is in line to add to that reputation. The choir has been nominated for a Stellar Award in the newly created HBCU Choir of the Year category.

The choir joins four other finalists — Howard University, the Morgan State University Choir, the Southern University Gospel Choir and the Fort Valley State University Choir — in a category designed to honor outstanding gospel choirs from historically Black colleges and universities. Winners will be announced at the 41st Stellar Gospel Music Awards, which Grammy-winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin will host.

The nomination adds another chapter to a 57-year history for the Fellowship Gospel Choir, which has served as a spiritual anchor for the A&T community and a symbol of the university’s dedication to faith, fellowship and musical craftsmanship.

Across those decades, the choir has shared the stage with major names in gospel and beyond, including Fred Hammond, Jason Nelson, Big Sean and Elevation Rhythm — collaborations that have helped cement its identity as a group willing to express its faith boldly through music.

“This nomination shows that our work isn’t in vain and that we are accomplishing our goal of encouraging people and bringing them closer to Christ,” said choir president Antonio Mattox Jr., a rising senior. “This recognition has given us a platform to do just that because that’s the entire purpose of our organization.”

Mattox, a choir member since his first year at A&T, narrated the group’s cover of Donald Lawrence’s “Matthew 28” — the very performance submitted to Stellar Award judges that ultimately clinched the nomination.

Choir director Marcus Williams, a 2017 A&T graduate who got his start with the group as a student drummer, said the “Matthew 28” performance captured both the choir’s talent and its history.

“It was a song that showcased their vocals. It had some dope moves that the kids created with it, which speaks to our legacy at A&T, and then it also had the choir robes, which just felt nostalgic,” Williams said.

For Williams, the nomination carries weight well beyond the choir itself, extending to the broader HBCU community and to Greensboro as a whole.

“I really can’t express how big it is, especially for Greensboro, but they’re celebrating and recognizing HBCUs as a whole,” Williams said. “It’s huge, and for the legacy of the choir being recognized, it just speaks of the hard work and innovation that was done over the years.”

The 41st Stellar Gospel Music Awards will take place Aug. 15 in Charlotte, where organizers will crown the first-ever winner of the HBCU Choir of the Year award.

Coca-Cola is once again using the ESSENCE Festival of Culture to put a spotlight on HBCU pride, and this year Grambling State University is at the center of it.

The 2026 festival runs July 3-5 in New Orleans, and Coca-Cola has released its entertainment and cultural programming for the weekend. On the Coca-Cola Stage, the lineup includes performances from Destin Conrad, Coi Leray and Mario. But the bigger story for the HBCU community is a separate activation built around Coca-Cola’s “The World Is My Yard” platform, which brings actress Eva Marcille together with a performance from Grambling State’s World Famed Tiger Marching Band — one of the most recognized names in HBCU band culture.

The activation goes beyond a performance slot. Representatives from 15 HBCUs will be on-site holding office hours for prospective students and their families, covering admissions, academic programs, campus life and other pathways into HBCU education. That turns the festival into a recruiting and visibility opportunity as much as a cultural showcase — a chance for schools like Grambling State to reach families who may never set foot on a Southern HBCU campus otherwise.

This marks Coca-Cola’s 31st consecutive year as an Essence Fest partner. The company’s 2026 platform theme, “Every Side Shines,” is centered on music, wellness, culture and connection. Stephanie Eaddy, Coca-Cola’s senior director of cultural marketing, framed the festival as something bigger than a single weekend, calling it “a powerful platform for connection, community and impact.”

The festival’s footprint extends well past culture and music. Coca-Cola noted that the 2025 event generated more than $321 million in economic impact for New Orleans, supported upwards of 2,400 jobs, and produced over $103 million in income for local workers and businesses — numbers that underscore just how much weight Essence Fest carries for the city each summer.

For Grambling State, the appearance is another example of HBCU culture reaching a national audience through a mainstream platform — band culture, brand partnership, and student recruitment all overlapping in one weekend in New Orleans.