The Must-See Basketball Event Is Taking Place February 21-25
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), is gearing up for the highly-anticipated 2023 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament, taking place February 21-25 at the newly renamed CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, MD.
This is a significant year for the tournament, as it marks the 10-year anniversary since the appointment of Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams, the first female Commissioner of the CIAA, and the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding.
This year’s CIAA Basketball Championship Tournament will also mark the unveiling of CFG Arena’s $200 million renovation, backed by celebrity investors including NBA superstar Kevin Durant, Grammy Award-winning musician Pharrell Williams, and pro football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis.
The 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 athletic conference conducts 14 championships that are attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country.
Founded in 1946, the Basketball Championship Tournament has become a staple event in the Black community and has been honored as a 2019 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management.
All CIAA Schools are represented in the Men’s & Women’s Tournament:
- Bowie State University
- Claflin University
- Elizabeth City State University
- Fayetteville State University
- Johnson C. Smith University
- Lincoln University (PA)
- Livingstone College
- Shaw University
- St. Augustine’s University
- Virginia State University
- Virginia Union University
- Winston-Salem State University
The tournament week will also feature in-person events including Fan Fest, High School Education Day, CIAA Career Expo, Super Saturday, Diversity & Inclusion Panel, John B. McClendon Jr Hall of Fame Breakfast, and more.
To purchase general admission ticket packages, which include all men’s and women’s games held during the tournament week, visit Ticketmaster.
For more information visit https://baltimore.org/what-to-do/sports/ciaa-baltimore/
