HBCU ORIGINAL
SC State Bulldogs Crush NCCU, Storm Into MEAC Championship Showdown!

Norfolk, Va. – The South Carolina State Bulldogs put on a commanding performance in the MEAC Men’s Basketball Tournament semifinals, cruising past No. 6 seed North Carolina Central with an 88-67 victory at the Norfolk Scope Arena.
The second-seeded Bulldogs set the tone early, shooting an impressive 61.1% from the field in the first half to build a dominant 54-25 lead at the break. Senior Omar Croskey led the charge with a season-high 30 points, going 11-of-14 from the field, including an impressive 5-of-7 from three-point range. He also contributed five rebounds, showcasing his all-around play for head coach Erik Martin’s squad.
Contributions came from all over the roster, with Davion Everett making a strong impact off the bench, scoring 16 points, while Colin McKenzie added 14 points to help seal the victory.
With this win, SC State improves to 20-12, marking their first 20-win season since 2002-03. The Bulldogs now set their sights on the MEAC Tournament final, where they will battle No. 1 seed Norfolk State for the championship on Saturday at 1 p.m. The highly anticipated matchup will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
SC State will be vying for its first MEAC Tournament title since 2003, when head coach Cy Alexander led the Bulldogs to a 72-67 victory over Hampton. Their last taste of championship success came in 2004 when they shared the MEAC regular-season title with Coppin State.
Meanwhile, their upcoming opponent, Norfolk State, last won the tournament in 2023, securing back-to-back titles after defeating Coppin State 72-57. The Spartans reached the 2024 final but fell to Howard in a heartbreaker, 65-64. This season, SC State and Norfolk State split their regular-season meetings, each winning on their home court, setting the stage for an exciting championship showdown.
The Bulldogs wasted no time asserting their dominance in the semifinals, jumping out to a 9-2 lead in the first three minutes. A scoring surge, fueled by Croskey’s sharpshooting, propelled SC State to a staggering 25-4 advantage with 12:24 remaining in the first half. By halftime, the Bulldogs had built an insurmountable 29-point lead.
North Carolina Central attempted to claw back into the game with a 16-5 run to start the second half, narrowing the deficit to 18 points. Perry Smith Jr. led the Eagles with 20 points and nine rebounds, while King added 18 points and Keishon Porter chipped in 11. Despite their efforts, NCCU was unable to overcome SC State’s early dominance, as the Bulldogs maintained control and sealed their place in the championship game.
Now, all eyes turn to Saturday’s final, where SC State will look to cap off their remarkable season by claiming their first MEAC Tournament championship in over two decades. A win would cement their legacy and earn them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, a feat they haven’t accomplished since their last title run.
HBCU ORIGINAL
HBCU Stars Shine in Eugene at NCAA 2025

🏅 HBCU Stars Shine in Eugene at NCAA 2025
The 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships brought the best of the best to Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon—and HBCU athletes rose to the occasion. Here’s how they placed in the finals:
🥉 Jordan Pierre (University of Arkansas‑Pine Bluff)
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Event: Men’s 400 m
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Final Placement: 3rd Place – 45.75 seconds
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Achievement: First Team All‑America
💪 Jarrett Gentles (Coppin State University)
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Event: Men’s 400 m Hurdles
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Final Placement: 9th Overall
🥉 Marcia Sey (Howard University)
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Event: Women’s 100 m Hurdles
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Final Placement: 3rd Place – 12.93 seconds
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Achievement: First Team All‑America and highest NCAA finish in Howard’s track history
🏃♀️ Howard Women’s 4×100 m Relay
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Team Members: Kailei Collins, Marcia Sey, Tiffani‑Rae Pittman, Aiyana Gray‑Williams
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Final Placement: 6th Place – 43.23 seconds
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Achievement: First Team All‑America
📊 Quick Recap
Athlete / Team | Event | Final Result | Honors |
---|---|---|---|
Jordan Pierre (UAPB) | 400 m | 🥉 3rd Place | First Team All-America |
Jarrett Gentles (Coppin State) | 400 m Hurdles | 9th Place | – |
Marcia Sey (Howard) | 100 m Hurdles | 🥉 3rd Place – 12.93s | First Team All-America |
Howard 4×100 Relay | 4×100 m | 6th Place – 43.23s | First Team All-America |
Events
Breakdown: 26 Cities with Major Juneteenth Celebrations

📍 Breakdown: 26 Cities with Major Juneteenth Celebrations
Southeast:
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Atlanta, GA – Huge parade, live music, family zone
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Memphis, TN – Festival on the Mississippi + fireworks
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Orlando, FL – Juneteenth 5K & educational symposiums
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Charlotte, NC – Vendor village + youth storytelling
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New Orleans, LA – Food, music, culture by the bayou
Northeast:
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Philadelphia, PA – Historic AAMP exhibits & gospel showcase
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Baltimore, MD – Spoken word, storytelling & street festival
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New York, NY – Broadway block party + family market
Midwest:
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Chicago, IL – Annual Juneteenth Parade & picnic
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Detroit, MI – Wellness walks, cultural talks, food trucks
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Cleveland, OH – Outdoor movie night + music
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St. Louis, MO – Educational workshops + parade
South:
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Houston, TX – Celebrating at historic Emancipation Park
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Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum block party & poetry
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Birmingham, AL – Health & wealth expos
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Jackson, MS – Family freedom fest + Black-owned vendors
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Louisville, KY – Parade + Black Wall Street event
West Coast & Beyond:
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Los Angeles, CA – Grand Park celebration, Black culture exhibits
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Oakland, CA – Freedom Festival & economic empowerment fair
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San Francisco, CA – Parade across Fillmore
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Denver, CO – Street fair, live jazz, unity march
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Seattle, WA – Community rally & soul food
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Phoenix, AZ – HBCU alumni cookout & music
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Minneapolis, MN – Youth dance & spoken word
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Columbus, OH – Citywide Juneteenth march
🎓 HBCUs at the Center
Many of these celebrations include HBCU marching bands, alumni chapters, student orgs, and vendor booths. From performances to education panels, HBCUs continue to be pillars in preserving the legacy of Juneteenth.
🔗 Join the Movement
📷 Tag @THEHBCUORIGINAL
🏷️ Hashtags: #HBCUJuneteenth #Juneteenth2025 #BlackFreedom
Events
🖤 What is Juneteenth? Celebrating Black Freedom & Culture

Juneteenth—short for June Nineteenth—is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with federal troops and issued General Order No. 3, announcing that all enslaved people were free.
For the estimated 250,000 Black people still enslaved in Texas, this was the first time they were told of their freedom. While freedom had been the law since January 1, 1863, it wasn’t enforced in remote Confederate states like Texas until Union troops physically arrived.
But Juneteenth is more than a date.
It’s a spiritual and cultural milestone. It represents:
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Delayed justice, but not denied dignity.
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A collective awakening to freedom.
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The beginning of a new fight—for land, civil rights, and equity.
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The power of Black resilience, community, and culture.
Since its origin, Juneteenth has evolved from small family cookouts and church gatherings into nationwide celebrations filled with festivals, education, music, and activism. In 2021, it was officially recognized as a federal holiday, a testament to generations of Black voices demanding that America remember and respect this part of its history.
Juneteenth and Slavery in Texas
In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence of Union troops. Many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery.
After the war came to a close in the spring of 1865, General Granger’s arrival in Galveston that June signaled freedom for Texas’s 250,000 enslaved people. Although emancipation didn’t happen overnight for everyone—in some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season—celebrations broke out among newly freed Black people, and Juneteenth was born. That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.
The year following 1865, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of “Jubilee Day” on June 19. In the ensuing decades, Juneteenth commemorations featured music, barbecues, prayer services and other activities, and as Black people migrated from Texas to other parts of the country the Juneteenth tradition spread.
Events
Under Armour Celebrates Maryland HBCUs with “Sisterhood in Style” Sneaker Campaign
HBCU ORIGINAL
Florida A&M’s Kirk Dawkins Set to Compete at NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships

June 10, 2025 | Eugene, Oregon
Florida A&M’s standout middle-distance runner, Kirk Dawkins, is headed to the big stage as he prepares to compete in the 800-meter semifinals at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships this Wednesday. The race will take place at 8:58 p.m. EST at the legendary Hayward Field, located on the campus of the University of Oregon.
Catch the action live on ESPN.
Dawkins earned his spot at nationals by running a personal-best time of 1:46.62 at the NCAA East Regional quarterfinals—an impressive mark that solidifies his status among the elite in collegiate track.
This season has been a breakout year for the FAMU junior. He claimed the SWAC Outdoor Championship title in the 800 meters with a time of 1:50.2 and followed that up with a strong 1:48.01 showing at the East Coast Relays. His steady improvement and commitment to excellence are paying off as he heads into the national spotlight.
All eyes will be on Dawkins Wednesday night as he looks to continue his historic season and represent Florida A&M on the national stage.
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