Shaw captures eighth straight title at CIAA Women’s Tennis championship
ETTRICK, Va. (Apr. 25, 2026) – Shaw closed out a dominant run at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®) Women’s Tennis Championship, securing its eighth consecutive title with a 4-2 victory over Bluefield State on Saturday at Virginia State.
The championship match opened with Shaw taking control in doubles play. Wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions secured the early 1-0 advantage, while the No. 2 match went unfinished.
Bluefield State responded in singles competition, earning victories at the No. 3 and No. 5 positions to even the match at 2-2. Shaw answered at the top of the lineup, delivering wins at the No. 2 and No. 1 singles to clinch the match and the championship. Remaining matches were halted once the deciding point was secured.
The title caps a strong two-day performance for Shaw, which opened the championship with a 4-0 quarterfinal win over Virginia Union. The Lady Bears set the tone early with a sweep of doubles play and continued their dominance in singles, not conceding a game in completed matches.
Shaw advanced to the final with another 4-0 victory in the semifinal round over Virginia State. The Lady Bears secured the doubles point with wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions before adding straight set victories at No. 2, No. 3, and No. 5 singles to complete the sweep.
On the opposite side of the bracket, Bluefield State reached the championship match with a 4-0 quarterfinal win over Livingstone. After claiming the doubles point, Bluefield State maintained control throughout singles play to secure the result.
In the semifinal round, Bluefield State earned a 4-1 victory over Johnson C. Smith. The Big Blue secured the doubles point with a win at No. 1 and a default at No. 3, then added singles victories at No. 1 and No. 3 to advance.
Johnson C. Smith opened the championship with a 4-0 quarterfinal win over Elizabeth City State, while Virginia State advanced past Winston-Salem State with a 4-0 decision to round out the semifinal field.
With the victory, Shaw extends its championship streak to eight and continues its run as the standard in CIAA women’s tennis.
Tuskegee captures SIAC Men’s and Women’s Tennis titles following historic wins
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. — Tuskegee delivered on both sides of the bracket, claiming conference titles at the 2026 SIAC Men’s and Women’s Tennis Tournament presented by Toyota on Saturday at the Peachtree Tennis Center.
The women’s program completed a historic three-peat, while the men captured their first championship since 2006.
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
The top-seeded Tuskegee women’s team defeated No. 2 Spring Hill 4-0 in the championship round to secure its third consecutive conference title.
The Golden Tigers established control in doubles play, earning wins at No. 1 and No. 3 to claim the opening point. The pairing of Ayawavi Vania Dotse and Leiloni Payton posted a 6-3 victory at the top position, while Asia McRae and Dayna Jackson added a 6-1 win at No. 3.
In singles, Tuskegee closed the match with three decisive victories. Payton delivered a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 2, while Jackson followed with a 6-2, 6-1 victory at No. 4. Taylor Ford added a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 5 to secure the championship point.
Vania Dotse held a 7-6 (7-4), 1-0 lead at No. 1, while McRae was in progress at No. 3 before play was halted. Adjowa-Sika Serena Pascaline also held a 6-4, 3-1 advantage at No. 6 at the time of the clinch.
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
The No. 2 Tuskegee men’s team upset No. 1 Spring Hill with a 4-2 win in the championship match.
After dropping the doubles point, Tuskegee responded with a strong showing in singles, winning four courts to secure the title. Thompson Thomu delivered a three-set win at No. 1 (3-6, 6-3, 6-2), while Shane Tapera added a 6-3, 6-4 victory at No. 2.
Miles Wilson secured a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory at No. 5, and Emmanuel Wettey contributed with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 6 to round out the scoring effort.
UP NEXT
With the titles secured, Tuskegee’s men’s and women’s teams await seeding for the 2026 NCAA Division II Tennis Championships. Both programs will receive the conference’s automatic bids to compete in the South Region.
