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HBCUSAT — Mississippi Valley State at Jackson State, 2 PM CT (JSU Senior Day, HBCU GO)•
HBCUSAT — Alabama A&M (7-2) at Prairie View A&M — SWAC title-race showdown•
HBCUSAT — South Carolina State at Howard (MEAC)•
HBCUSAT — Bethune-Cookman at Southern • FAMU at Alcorn State•
HBCUSAT — Alabama State at Texas Southern • UAPB at Grambling State•
FINALAlabama A&M 31, Alabama State 28 — Magic City Classic•
FINALSC State 51, Morgan State 10 • NC Central 34, Howard 0•
CFBMiami No. 1 in first CFP rankings, ahead of Georgia, Utah, Indiana, Alabama•
NFLBills (6-1) back atop the Super Bowl LXI board at +550•
NBALuka Dončić leads the NBA at 38.3 PPG•
MLBBrewers win first World Series, 4-1 over the Rays; Contreras MVP•
WNBAValkyries win title in Game 7, 68-63 over the Dream; Gabby Williams Finals MVP•
HBCU Athletics

Howard University's Historic 10-Championship Season Sets New HBCU Standard

Jasmine Carter
Jul 28, 2026
8 min read
Howard University's Historic 10-Championship Season Sets New HBCU Standard

Howard University didn't just have a good year in 2025-26. It had the kind of year that redefines what's possible for an HBCU athletic department.

The Bison captured 10 conference championships across six different sports, a feat described as unmatched among mid-major programs nationwide. The performance earned Howard the "Program of the Year" honor at the 2026 HBCU Sports Awards, where the university led all institutions with 20 nominations.

The Championship Breakdown

• Basketball: Both the men's and women's teams won MEAC regular-season and tournament championships, earning automatic NCAA Tournament bids. The men's team made history with Howard's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, defeating UMBC in the first round.

• Swimming and Diving: The men's team won a Northeast Conference (NEC) title, while the women's team captured the first NEC championship in program history.

• Golf: The men's team secured its third consecutive NEC title. The women's team won its first-ever NEC championship.

• Track and Field/Cross Country: The women's cross country team won the MEAC title, and the women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams also claimed conference crowns.

• Softball: The team captured its second consecutive MEAC championship.

Beyond the Titles

Howard also received the MEAC Mary McLeod Bethune Women's All-Sports Award for the fifth consecutive year and the MEAC Graduation Success Rate Award. Coaches David Oliver (Track and Field) and Sam Puryear (Golf) earned conference-wide recognition.

The university's strategic hiring has been a factor — bringing on NBA veteran John Wall as president of basketball operations signaled a willingness to think differently about program building.

A Blueprint

Analysts have called Howard's season "a blueprint" for how HBCU and mid-major programs can compete at the highest level by balancing tradition with modern athletic demands. With deep investment across multiple sports rather than just football, Howard has shown a model that other institutions are studying.

*Reported by the Urban City Podcast Sports newsroom — urbancitypodcastsports.com. Verified across the 2025-26 season.*