RICHMOND, Va. (May 24, 2021) – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and Richmond Region Tourism announce a three-year partnership that will bring a trio of spring championships to the Richmond region beginning in 2022.
The championship events kickoff next spring and include both outdoor track and field and women’s tennis being hosted at Virginia State University and softball at RF&P Park in Henrico County with Virginia Union University serving as the host institution.
“The CIAA looks forward to bringing some of the country’s premier sports championships to the Richmond region and within close proximity to our member institutions,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams. “As we restart our conference championships in 2021-22 with the health and safety of our student-athletes, staff, and fans as top priority, we look forward to organizing exciting college sports events that highlight exceptional athletic and academic achievement.”
The women’s tennis championship will take place April 28-30, and the softball and track and field championships will be held on May 6-7.
“Henrico is honored to welcome the CIAA Conference to RF&P Park for the 2022-2024 Softball Championships,” said Dan Schmitt, Chairman of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner in this multi-year commitment with one of the oldest and most historic collegiate athletic conferences in the nation.”
Richmond Region Tourism, the nonprofit dedicated to promoting the region to sports events, meeting and convention planners, tour operators and leisure travelers helped facilitate the CIAA’s new partnerships in the region.
“We are thrilled to host and cheer on some the country’s most talented student-athletes over the next few years,” said J.C. Poma, Director of Sports Relations at Richmond Region Tourism. “The CIAA has a long and exciting history within college sports. We’re excited for fans and athletes to experience our region.”
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About Richmond Region Tourism
Richmond Region Tourism is a private, not-for-profit dedicated to promoting the Region to meeting, convention and sports event planners, tour operators and leisure travelers. The organization represents the cities of Richmond and Colonial Heights, the town of Ashland and four counties: Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent. Richmond Region Tourism operates Visitor Centers at the Robinson House at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Richmond International Airport.
About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. In 2020, the conference celebrated the special 75th anniversary of its Championship Basketball Tournament - an event that has become a must-see in the African American community. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. Chowan University is an associate member in football and women’s bowling. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
