HBCU Athletic Conference celebrates Spring 2026 Champions

NEW ORLEANS - The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) crowned its four spring sport champions in a period of three days. 

Talladega overpowers Huston-Tillotson, claims third straight HBCUAC Title

NORTHPORT, Ala. - The Talladega Dynasty continues. It scored four runs in the first inning and didn't look back in an 8-0 victory over Huston-Tillotson University in the 2026 Hope Credit Union Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Baseball Championship game Wednesday at RIver Run Park.

The Tornadoes win their fourth postseason title overall. They are the first HBCUAC school to three-peat the baseball postseason championship, as they improve to 15-0 in HBCUAC championship games. This was the first shutout in an HBCUAC Baseball championship game since 2015, when Talladega blanked Edward Waters University.

Joshua Catala Santos and Victor Rivera drew walks. Armando Jackson brought both of them home with a triple to right-center. Adrian Epps, who courtesy ran for Jackson scored on a ground ball by Diego Duque. Manuel Martinez, who singled to the pitcher, scored on an error.

Talladega added two runs in the second. Sebastian Pizarro doubled down the left field line. A single by Rivera brought him home. Catala walked, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly by Martinez.

An error and an RBI single by Jonathan Williams increased the lead to eight in the seventh inning. Georgi Emaldi started and held Huston-Tillotson to two hits, three walks and struck out four in 5.1 innings. Dewinel Vasquez Oquendo closed out the game, earning the save. He took home Most Valuable Player after earning a win earlier in the tournament.

Alec Worden and Trey Garza got the Rams hits. Sam Lozano took the loss after giving up four runs with three earned in one inning. 

Talladega and Huston-Tillotson earned the conference's automatic berths to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Baseball National Championship Opening Round. They will find out their site and opponents during the NAIA Selection Show at 4 p.m. on May 6 on the NAIA YouTube Channel. 

2026 HBCUAC Hope Credit Union Baseball All-Tournament Team

MVP Dewinel Vasquez, Oquendo Talladega

Dewinel Vasquez Oquendo, Talladega

Victor Rivera, Talladega

Tucker Allen, Huston-Tillotson

Sincere Ford, Stillman

Reginald Faison, Voorhees

Ronaldo Rivera, Dillard

Noah Riley, Dillard

Kyler Richie, Philander Smith

Manuel Martinez, Talladega

Trey Garza, Huston-Tillotson

Ethan Walker, Huston-Tillotson

Daunte Ward, Wilberforce

Dillard outlasts Stillman to claim first HBCUAC title

NORTHPORT, Ala. - Stillman College jumped out to a three-run lead and Avary Lumpkin delivered a walk-off single to tie the series with a 4-3 victory in Game 2. Dillard bounced back and pulled out to a five-run lead and survived a late Stillman rally to claim the 2026 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Softball Championship with a 10-7 victory Wednesday at River Run Park.

This is Dillard's first postseason championship. The title gives it its first berth into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Softball National Championship Opening Round.

For the first time in the three tournament meetings, Stillman struck first in Game 1. Alex Erwin and Avary Lumpkin reached on walks in the first. Anna Sullivan put the Tigers on the board with an RBI double. Olivia Hobson hit a two-RBI single to right field to give Stillman a 3-0 lead.

Dillard (27-14) got on the board in the fourth inning. Haley Weatherspoon led off with a single to the pitcher. Jessica Battiste followed with an RBI double to right-center field.A single and stolen base by Brooklyn Baltzell put runners in scoring position with one out. A pop out and a ground out ended the inning.

In the sixth inning, Ja'Lise Stewart singled with one out. With two outs, Jyah Hamilton hit a pinch-hit single and took second on a throwing error. Grace Hunter hit a double to left-center field, scoring Stewart and Hamilton to tie the game.

Dillard was retired in order in the seventh. Kylie Price retired the first two Stillman batters in the seventh. Lilly Stone hit a single that landed between four Dillard players. Lumpkin swung at the first pitch and hit to the right-center field gap to walk it off with a double. Karli Crocker picked up her eighth win in the circle striking out a batter. 

Stewart hit a two-run home run in the first inning to get Dillard on the board in Game 3. Sa'Vya Sutherland hit an RBI double. Weatherspoon hit a two-RBI single, to extend the lead to five in the second inning.

Alex Erwin tripled with one out in the third and scored on a double by Lumpkin. A single by Katelyn Lankford brought home Lumpkin and cut the margin to three. Dillard answered with an RBI single by Mhallayah Picou and a sacrifice fly by Sutherland. RBI singles by Hunter and Bates put the Lady Bleu Devils on the brink of securing run-rule in the fifth inning.

Stillman tried to rally in the sixth. JaLeah Orr lead off with a single. Addison Seale pinch ran and scored on a double by Addison Nupsl. Erwin blasted a two-run home run to right-center which cut the margin to three. Stone singled to shortstop and Lumpkin hit a double. A ground ball by Sullivan brought home Stone.

The Tigers (27-21) got a couple of hits in the second and had the tying run at the plate. Mary-Elizabeth Landry got Stone to pop out to clinch the title for Dillard.

Price earned Most Valuable Player after picking up five wins in three appearances in the circle. She recorded a shutout and struck out 12 batters in 24.2 innings.

Dillard will find out its NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round site and opponents at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

2026 HBCUAC Softball All-Tournament Team

MVP Kylie Price, Dillard

Karli Crocker, Stillman

Jordan Howard, Oakwood

Kylie Price, Dillard

Avary Lumpkin, Stillman

Jessica Battiste, Dillard

Katelyn Lankford, Stillman

Lilly Stone, Stillman

Grace Hunter, Dillard

Emma Newby, Oakwood

Jazmine Rodriguez, Wiley

Mary-Elizabeth Landry, Dillard

Kamryn Sariah, Rust

Voorhees men repeat HBCUAC Championship with dominating performance

SHREVEPORT, La. - For the second straight season, Voorhees University rose to the top of the HBCUAC with an impressive performance at the 2026 HBCUAC Track and Field Championship Thursday and Friday at Lee Hedges Stadium.

Due to unpleasant weather on Friday, the vast majority of events were conducted on Thursday. The Tigers amassed 203 points, 67 ahead of the runner-up Talladega College. Head coach Jeffrey Hughes earned Coach of the Year for the second straight season. Voorhees freshman Camron Guilliard won Track Most Valuable Performer. He won the 1,500-meter run and finished runner-up in the 800-meter run. Talladega junior Jaylen Haynes won Field Most Valuable Performer. He won the hammer throw and discus throw and finished second in the shot put. Talladega College assistant coach Tre Adderley was named Assistant Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

The top three finishers in each event earned All-HBCUAC. Full results can be found at tfrrs.org.

Dillard women continue dynasty with fifth straight title

SHREVEPORT, La. - Despite losing key pieces from last season, Dillard University remains on top of the HBCU Athletic Conference as it captured its fifth straight HBCUAC Track and Field Championship Thursday and Friday at Lee Hedges Stadium.

Dillard scored 195.5 points, topping Talladega College which scored 164. Head coach Nile Legania and assistant coach Brandon Scruggs won HBCUAC Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year. 

Huston-Tillotson University sprinter Chalecia Booker won Women's Track Most Valuable Performer. She won the 200-meter dash, finished runner-up in the 100-meter dash and helped the Rams finish second in the 4 x 100-meter and 4 x 400-meter relays. Fisk University thrower Jackie Bownes won Women's Field Most Valuable Performer. She won the shot put, discus and hammer throws.

The top three finishers in each event earned All-HBCUAC. Full results can be found at tfrrs.org.

About the HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Oakwood University (AL), Paul Quinn College (TX), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.