As the year comes to a close, we’re looking back at the best of HBCUSports.com from 2023. It was an especially busy year — we saw the possible start of a new HBCU dynasty — and the shocking end of what was supposed to be another. There were outstanding performances on the court, football field, diamond, and beyond. In between, history and herstory were both made along the way.
These were our ten most memorable HBCUSports.com stories during the year, in no particular order:
Florida A&M wins Celebration Bowl over Howard to capture HBCU national title
After winning the first-ever Division I-AA championship game 45 years ago to the day, Florida A&M once again reached the mountaintop, beating Howard Bison 30-26 to win the Celebration Bowl and Black College championship on Dec. 16.
The win by the Rattlers also marked just the second victory for the SWAC in the Celebration Bowl, snapping a five-game losing streak.
SC State coach Buddy Pough announces retirement
The dean of MEAC football coaches called it a career just before the start of the 2023 season.
Oliver “Buddy” Pough led his alma mater to an outright or share of eight MEAC championships and three Black College National championships.
The Bulldogs rewarded Pough with a 44-17 win over Norfolk State in his last game on Nov. 18.
North Carolina Central fails to defend MEAC championship, bows out in FCS playoffs
The Eagles, fresh off a Celebration Bowl title in 2022, rolled out of the gates, winning eight of their first nine games to start the regular season. But in a key showdown with Howard, NC Central suffered a 50-20 defeat and fell out of first place in the MEAC. The Bison would go on to win the conference championship, the program’s first in 30 years. The Eagles qualified for the FCS playoffs, where it lost a first-round game to Richmond.
In a long history of HBCUs hiring former NFL players as head coaches, B-CU announced just after Christmas that the former Baltimore Ravens All-Pro and Pro Football Hall Famer would join the illustrious list.
A pair of HBCU kickers make herstory
Leilani Armenta and India Pulphus made an impact on the college football season by simply stepping on the field.
Armenta, a Jackson State soccer player, made Division I HBCU football history on Sept. 23 when she became the first woman to appear in a game to handle the opening kickoff against Bethune-Cookman. She would later become the first woman to score in a D-1 game when she kicked an extra point in a Jackson State win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Oct. 28.
Pulphus, a kicker for Division II Shaw, made history when she scored in a game versus Virginia State on Oct. 3.
Grambling State fires Hue Jackson
Hue Jackson, the ex-NFL coach who found his way into HBCU football, was fired at Grambling shy of two seasons on the job on Nov. 28.
Grambling finished the 2023 season 5-6, which included a season-ending 27-22 loss to Southern Saturday in the Bayou Classic. Jackson, who was named head coach in December 2021, finishes his tenure at Grambling with an 8-14 overall record.
Southern parts ways with Eric Dooley
Eric Dooley, who was a one-time Southern assistant at the height of the program’s championship runs under then-coach Pete Richardson, was brought back to Baton Rouge as an offensive mastermind to restore glory.
It did not work out that way. After less than two seasons at the helm, Southern let Dooley go on Nov. 14.
HBCU basketball came for bluebloods and mid-majors
The non-conference portion of the regular schedule for HBCU basketball teams historically had been filled with what are perceived as mismatches.
But not in 2023.
Black college basketball teams on the men’s and women’s side took down their share of Power Five schools and longtime NCAA tournament regulars in the first half of the season.
Some notable wins included the Jackson State men knocking off SEC Missouri, Arkansas-Pine Bluff women topping Arkansas, Southern men getting the best of Mississippi State, Grambling State stunning Arizona State, and North Carolina A&T rolling over Wake Forest.
Fred McNair leaves Alcorn State for Texas Southern — maybe
After eight seasons and two SWAC championships, Fred McNair left Alcorn State for what he figured was a job waiting for him at Texas Southern.
The Texas Southern Board of Regents, however, had other ideas.
After a Thursday morning meeting by the board — the third it’s held this month — the school is still without a football coach.
It was suggested that former Houston Texans wide receiver – and Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist – Andre Johnson is emerging as a serious candidate for the position in spite of having no prior coaching experience. The program has been without a head coach since it decided not to extend the contract of Clarence McKinney, who spent five seasons with the school.
This HBCU is starting a hockey program
Months after a collegiate hockey executive expressed a desire that the sport would be adopted by HBCUs, one school is reportedly making it a reality.
Tennessee State, which has previously conducted a feasibility study into adding the sport, announced in April that will introduce a hockey program.
TSU Achieves Historic Milestone as First HBCU to Introduce Collegiate Ice Hockeyhttps://t.co/lFSsRXLLnl
— Tennessee State Athletics (@TSU_Tigers) June 28, 2023
Currently, none of the 109 HBCUs across America offer organized hockey at any level. Tennessee State officials said it hopes to have its men’s and women’s club teams going in a few years with support from the NHL and a national collegiate hockey organization.
Fisk women’s gymnastics makes waves
The Fisk University women’s gymnastics team in January became the first HBCU to compete in a college meet.
Fisk was part of the two-day Super 16 event in Las Vegas. On the first day, they finished with a total score of 186.700, good for fourth place in session one in their first-ever event.
The squad would later go on to qualify for the USA women’s collegiate championships. Highly-touted gymnast Morgan Price and three others also were national championship qualifiers.
