The CIAA is the newest HBCU league to cast off divisions for soccer.
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Affiliation (CIAA) is dropping the divisional format for selecting a soccer champion, in response to a report from the Richmond Free Press. It can begin sending the groups with the 2 finest data to its championship recreation.
This transfer comes following the announcement that Saint Augustine’s College, a member of the CIAA South, is suspending its 2024 season attributable to monetary points with the college. It additionally comes one season after the addition of Bluefield State introduced the league to 11 soccer packages. Claflin College, situated in Orangeburg, SC, doesn’t have a soccer program. The SIAC, the opposite HBCU Division II convention, eliminated divisions final season.
The CIAA has had divisional play on and off for the previous 50 years, because it turned the primary HBCU convention to a championship recreation in 1970. It saved that format for 3 seasons earlier than shelving it. It returned in 1981 and ran by means of 1990. It reemerged in 2000 with East-West Divisions, earlier than switching to North and South Divisions beginning in 2010.
Shaw claimed the CIAA South title in 2010 earlier than Winston-Salem State went on a run of six in a row from 2016. Fayetteville State has dominated the southern division since then, profitable six straight from 2017 by means of 2024. Virginia State claimed the CIAA North title thrice, whereas Elizabeth Metropolis State went back-to-back in 2011 and 2012. Bowie State gained 5 out of six CIAA North titles from 2015 by means of 2021 whereas Chowan and Virginia Union claimed the final two division crowns.
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