Three HBCU programs just proved that the future of sports media is being built on Black college campuses.
At the 47th Annual Sports Emmy Awards in New York City, students from Morehouse College, Florida A&M University, and Delaware State University were honored as the winners of the 2026 Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Production Grant. The competition, now in its fifth year, distributes $40,000 in total funding to HBCU student storytellers who demonstrate a passion for sports journalism and media production. This year saw a record-breaking 88% increase in submissions — a sign that HBCU students are showing up for this opportunity in a major way.
Morehouse Takes First Place With a Powerful Story
First place and a $25,000 grant went to Morehouse College graduates Stevie Jackson, Mateo McIntosh, Makai Brown, Ian Chamberlin, and Salahuddin Saafir for their documentary Before the Bell, a film that traces the origins of the Morehouse Boxing Club through the eyes of its founder, Jacoby Bell.
The film goes far beyond the sport itself. Written, directed, shot, and edited by Jackson through his creative media company AKSHN, Before the Bell explores mental health, brotherhood, discipline, and the kind of transformation that happens when young Black men find community through competition. Jackson spent time listening carefully to the lived experiences of Bell and his teammates rather than pushing a predetermined storyline — and the result is a deeply personal portrait of what sport can mean at an HBCU.
At the ceremony, Jackson announced that the $25,000 grant would be reinvested directly into the Morehouse community — a move that reflects exactly what this competition is designed to inspire.
FAMU and Delaware State Round Out the Winners
Second place and $10,000 went to Florida A&M University students Charmiana Delphonse, Rowan Mumford, and Darnell Walker-Jones for their documentary Tough Leather, which highlights the legacy of former FAMU Softball Coach and Hall of Famer Veronica Wiggins. The film landed at the perfect time — FAMU’s 2026 softball team just brought home the SWAC Championship title, adding another chapter to the program Wiggins helped build.
Mumford also received an additional honor at the ceremony — he was selected as an inaugural Coca-Cola–TNT Sports intern for the summer, a direct career pathway opened up by the competition itself.
Third place and $5,000 went to Delaware State University students Sanaiyah Baines-Butler and Tia Jarvis for their film First to the Mat, continuing a proud tradition of HBCU students using this platform to tell stories that mainstream sports media often overlooks.
A Competition That Keeps Growing
The Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Production Grant is administered by the NATAS Foundation — the organization behind the Emmy Awards — in partnership with the Coca-Cola Company. Each year, student teams submit a creative video alongside an essay. This year’s theme was “Excellence Beyond the Field: The Impact of Sports on HBCU Students, Campuses and Communities.”
The record number of submissions was driven in part by a volunteer HBCU Advisory Committee that included FAMU alumnus and comedian Roy Wood Jr., Drew Watkins of Warner Bros. Discovery, and CBS Sports’ Howard Bryant. Roy Wood Jr. personally notified each winner before the ceremony.
“HBCUs are packed with the hardest-working and the most outstanding talent you can find,” Roy Wood Jr. said. “And this grant is an incredible way to make sure those students are both seen and rewarded.”
Stephanie Eaddy, Coca-Cola North America’s cultural marketing lead, added: “We were thrilled to see such excitement from students across the country. The videos and essays were exceptional. We saw so much truly wonderful work.”
Why This Matters
Sports media is one of the most competitive industries in the country. Breaking in requires not just talent but access — access to equipment, mentorship, industry connections, and platforms that take student work seriously. This competition provides all of that.
For the students who win, the impact goes beyond the grant money. They leave with an Emmy credential, a national spotlight, and direct connections to industry professionals who can open doors. The fact that submissions jumped 88% in a single year tells you everything about the demand. HBCU students are ready. They are creating. They are competing — and they are winning on the biggest stages in the business.
