By: Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
The road to a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) volleyball championship runs through Rocky Mount, as eight HBCU programs converge on the Rocky Mount Event Center for the 47th CIAA Volleyball Championship.
The three-day tournament, running Monday through Wednesday, is bringing championship-level collegiate competition to downtown Rocky Mount while providing the Twin Counties with an opportunity to showcase their hospitality, local businesses and growing reputation as a destination for sports tourism.
The opening day of competition Monday featured four matchups that narrowed the eight-team field to four semifinalists, with top-seeded and defending champion Fayetteville State University setting the tone with a commanding three-set victory over eighth-seeded Bluefield State University.
The other opening-round contests produced an exciting slate of competition.
Elizabeth City State University advanced with a hard-fought five-set victory over Winston-Salem State University, winning 3-2. Livingstone College defeated Shaw University 3-1, while Bowie State University also advanced with a 3-1 victory over Virginia State University. Those results established the four semifinalists: Fayetteville State, Elizabeth City State, Livingstone and Bowie State.
Tuesday's semifinal matchups featured Fayetteville State against Elizabeth City State, followed by the other semifinal contest between Livingstone and Bowie State. The winners advance to Wednesday's CIAA Championship match, where the conference title will be decided at the Rocky Mount Event Center.
Fayetteville State enters the semifinal round with a strong championship pedigree, having won the CIAA volleyball title in 2019, 2021 and 2025.
Elizabeth City State, meanwhile, brings its own championship history into the semifinal matchup. The Vikings captured their first CIAA volleyball championship in 2008 before earning a second conference crown in 2022.
Shaw University also has a notable place in the conference's volleyball history, winning championships in 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024, including back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024.
Hosting the 47th annual tournament provides an opportunity to welcome student-athletes, coaches, university representatives, alumni, families and fans from across the region while introducing visitors to the area's hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions. Organizers and tourism officials view the championship as another opportunity to strengthen the region's sports tourism industry and establish relationships that could lead to additional collegiate and amateur sporting events.
“The CIAA is thrilled to bring our Volleyball Championship to Rocky Mount,” said Jacqie McWilliams-Parker, commissioner of the CIAA. “We appreciate the city's partnership and warm hospitality as we celebrate the incredible talent of our student-athletes and the spirit of CIAA athletics.”
Barbara Green, executive director of Nash County Travel and Tourism, said the championship represents both an economic opportunity and a chance to introduce new visitors to the region.
“We are excited to partner with the Rocky Mount Event Center in welcoming the CIAA Volleyball Championship to Rocky Mount. Bringing an event of this caliber to our community is a tremendous opportunity to showcase our destination while supporting our local hotels, restaurants, and businesses,” Green said.
The tournament arrives during another productive year for the Rocky Mount Event Center, which continues to establish itself as a major contributor to the regional economy through sporting tournaments, conventions, corporate gatherings, catering events and community celebrations. The 165,000-square-foot facility, located in the heart of downtown Rocky Mount, has become an important venue for attracting visitors and generating activity throughout Nash and Edgecombe counties.
In calendar year 2025, the Event Center reported an estimated economic impact of $31,813,317. Its estimated economic impact for 2026 has already reached $27,339,974, approximately 86 percent of the previous year's full-year total. With additional major events and holiday celebrations scheduled before the end of the year, the facility has further opportunities to build on that performance. The venue has hosted 24 sporting tournaments and 63 catering events during 2026, demonstrating demand for its athletic facilities, meeting spaces and hospitality services.
Founded in 1912, the CIAA is recognized as the nation's oldest historically Black athletic conference. It was originally incorporated as the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association before adopting the name Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1950. Its founding membership consisted of Hampton Institute, Howard University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Shaw University, and Virginia Union University.
While the CIAA is perhaps most widely recognized for its basketball traditions and annual basketball tournament, its influence reaches across multiple sports, including football and volleyball.
