Charlotte, North Carolina, is set to solidify its status as a hub for Historically Black College and University with the inaugural Black College Invitational Championship scheduled for March 20-23, 2025, at Bojangles Coliseum. This historic event will feature 16 Division I and Division II men’s and women’s teams from the MEAC, SWAC, SIAC, and CIAA divisions competing for the Black College Basketball Champion title.
Wes Bellamy, BCIC President and CEO, envisioned this tournament to extend post-season opportunities for HBCU athletes, emphasizing that “HBCU basketball deserves to have post-season activity.”
Dreaming of Basketball
“This may sound weird to some of you, but I had a dream in November,” Bellamy told The Charlotte Observer. “And I could see it, as clear as day: Us having this basketball tournament here in Charlotte. I called my best friend, Russell Stewart. I said, ‘Russ. I know this is gonna sound wild, but I had a dream about this basketball tournament. We have to do this here.’ And he told me: ‘Nothing you do is ever wild, because what you always put your mind to, you do.’”
Following their regular season, teams that finish second or third in the four HBCU conferences will be invited to participate, competing in a format similar to March Madness.
The BCIC aims to fill a void left since the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Basketball Tournament. The CIAA relocated to Baltimore when the 2019-2020 season ended after spending more than a decade in Charlotte.
“Our schools deserve to play extra basketball similar to what we see in PWI’s (Public White Institutions),” says Bellamy. “We want our student-athletes from HBCUs to get the same exposure to have the same ability to play because they are just as good. And for Charlotte specifically, we know that HBCU basketball is missed, and we are here to fill that void.”
Currently, the BCIC is set for 2025 in Charlotte, with hopes of making it an annual event. Each participating school will have all expenses covered and receive $10,000, further incentivizing involvement.