🏅 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)

• Event: Men’s 400 m

• Final Placement: 3rd Place – 45.75 seconds

• Achievement: First Team All‑America

💪 Jarrett Gentles (Coppin State University)

• Event: Men’s 400 m Hurdles

• Final Placement: 9th Overall

🥉 Marcia Sey (Howard University)

• Event: Women’s 100 m Hurdles

• Final Placement: 3rd Place – 12.93 seconds

• Achievement: First Team All‑America and highest NCAA finish in Howard’s track history

🏃‍♀️ Howard Women’s 4×100 m Relay

• Team Members: Kailei Collins, Marcia Sey, Tiffani‑Rae Pittman, Aiyana Gray‑Williams

• Final Placement: 6th Place – 43.23 seconds

• Achievement: First Team All‑America

📊 Quick Recap

June 10, 2025 – Paris, France

In a gritty and emotional display of championship tennis, Coco Gauff roared back from a set down to defeat World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and claim her first French Open title and second Grand Slam crown, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4, on the iconic clay of Roland Garros.

At just 21 years old, the American superstar proved she’s no longer the future of women’s tennis — she is the now.

A Statement of Strength

Under the swirling winds of Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff showed maturity beyond her years. Despite losing a tight first set in a tiebreaker, she reset quickly. With powerful groundstrokes, relentless movement, and deep focus, Gauff flipped the match by taking control of rallies and forcing Sabalenka into 70+ unforced errors.

The second set saw Gauff dominate with a near-flawless display, while the third was all about heart and hustle. Down an early break, Gauff stormed back, breaking Sabalenka twice to seal the biggest win of her career on clay.

History Made

Gauff becomes the first American woman to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015, etching her name into tennis history on one of the sport’s most demanding stages. The moment she dropped her racket and fell to the clay was one of raw emotion — tears, joy, and vindication for years of hard work.

“It means everything,” Gauff said on court, overcome with emotion. “This is the dream. This is what we train for.”

Mind Over Matter

The mental game was just as crucial as the physical. Leading up to the match, Gauff focused on self-belief, visualization, and affirmations — including writing down “I will be French Open champion 2025” every day. That mindset helped her silence doubts and bring her best when it mattered most.

Her calm under pressure, especially against one of the game’s biggest hitters, showed how much she has evolved. Gone is the teenager who made headlines in 2019 — this is a full-grown competitor with championship grit.

Stars and Support

Gauff’s triumph wasn’t just felt in Paris. Back home, a wave of support poured in from athletes, celebrities, and fans who have followed her journey. Cameras caught her sharing a heartfelt embrace with her parents and even receiving congratulations from director Spike Lee in the stands.

The viewership numbers told the story too — this was one of the most-watched women’s finals in recent memory, showing Gauff’s growing star power.

What’s Next? Wimbledon.

Now with two Grand Slam titles under her belt — the 2023 US Open and the 2025 French Open — all eyes turn to Wimbledon, where Gauff first broke onto the scene as a 15-year-old. She’s no longer the wide-eyed rookie. She’s a champion.

With momentum, confidence, and the tennis world on notice, Coco Gauff is entering a new era — one where she’s not chasing the top, she is the top.

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.

For over a century, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been more than institutions of higher learning—they’ve been beacons of opportunity, cultural pride, and athletic excellence, often doing more with far less than their Power Five counterparts. But now, in the wake of the historic NCAA settlement approved on June 6, 2025, a new era of college sports is taking shape. And for HBCUs, this moment presents a mixture of promise, peril, and the pressing need to reimagine their role in the evolving landscape of college athletics.

The Fork in the Road

At the heart of the NCAA settlement is the move toward direct revenue sharing with student-athletes, fundamentally changing how college athletes are compensated. Power Five schools—those with multimillion-dollar TV deals and donor pipelines—are preparing to spend upwards of $20 million annually on athlete compensation, either through direct NIL payments or expanded scholarships.

For HBCUs, many of which operate with significantly smaller budgets, the question is clear: Can they keep up, or will this widen the financial and competitive gap?

An Uneven Playing Field Gets Steeper

HBCUs have always had to be innovative. With fewer resources, they’ve relied on community support, passionate alumni, and strong cultural identities to build athletic programs that punch above their weight. However, the new system isn’t just about innovation—it’s about access to capital. When athletes begin to consider direct pay and robust NIL deals as part of their decision-making process, HBCUs risk being left out of the conversation unless they find new funding pathways.

It’s not a level playing field when Alabama can offer a $20M NIL pool, while a program like Mississippi Valley State struggles to maintain facilities or fund recruiting trips.

But There’s Power in Legacy

Still, HBCUs have something many larger schools don’t: authenticity and legacy. In recent years, there’s been a cultural shift with high-profile athletes like Travis Hunter choosing HBCUs, and celebrities such as Deion Sanders putting the spotlight on Black college football. This settlement may, ironically, drive more attention to schools that offer not just a paycheck, but a purpose.

If HBCUs can position themselves as places where athletes can build their brand, stand for something, and grow into complete individuals, they may still attract elite talent looking for more than money.

Strategic Moves Ahead

To remain competitive, HBCUs will need to:

• Build sustainable NIL programs through alumni networks, Black-owned businesses, and innovative branding.

• Leverage cultural capital and media platforms (like HBCU Original and The CW’s HBCU sports broadcasts) to highlight athlete stories.

• Lobby for fair treatment in how roster limits and NIL audits are applied, ensuring they aren’t unfairly penalized for structural disparities.

• Collaborate across conferences like MEAC, SWAC, CIAA, and SIAC to create a unified front and share best practices.

What’s at Stake

This is not just about money. It’s about equity, survival, and legacy. If HBCUs are forced to the sidelines in this new model, it would be a tragic loss not only for Black athletes but for college sports as a whole.

Yet if HBCUs can seize this moment—restructure smartly, fundraise boldly, and tell their stories louder than ever—they can help shape the future of college athletics from a position of strength, not scarcity.

This is the most transformative chapter in NCAA history.

HBCUs must write themselves into it.

Suggested Title for YouTube or Podcast:
“HBCUs at a Crossroads: What the NCAA Settlement Means for Black College Sports”

Suggested Tags:
NCAA settlement, HBCUs, NIL deals, college sports, athlete compensation, MEAC, SWAC, CIAA, SIAC, college football, Black colleges, Deion Sanders, NCAA transformation, NIL Go, Title IX, HBCU athletics

Suggested Description:
The NCAA just approved a historic $2.8 billion settlement, opening the door for schools to pay college athletes directly. But what does this mean for HBCUs? In this breakdown, we explore the opportunities, risks, and future of Black college sports in a new era of revenue sharing and NIL deals. Can HBCUs compete? Or will this widen the gap in college athletics even more? Let’s talk legacy, money, and the path forward.