A new basketball tournament featuring HBCU (Historically black colleges and universities) teams will be taking place in Charlotte, North Carolina in Spring 2025.
The inaugural Black College Invitational Championship (BCIC) has been announced and will be played at the Bojangles Coliseum from March 20-23, 2025. 16 Division I and Division II teams from the Power Four HBCU conferences will be competing for the title of Black College Basketball Champion in both the men’s and women’s divisions.
Dr. Wes Bellamy told The Charlotte Observer that he had a dream about bringing a tournament for HBCUs to Charlotte, and that dream will be realized next March. The inaugural Black College Invitational Championship will host the best men’s and women’s basketball teams from the MEAC, SWAC, CIAA, and SIAC.
“This may sound weird to some of you, but I had a dream in November,” Bellamy said. “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.’”A press conference was held on August 26, announcing the debut of the BCIC.
Teams that win the conference championships from the SWAC, MEAC, CIAA, and SIAC will be selected to participate in the tournament.
It’s a welcome back to Charlotte for a postseason basketball tournament since the city lost the CIAA tournament. The conference left Charlotte to play its postseason tournament in Baltimore after the 2019-20 season.
The BCIC is working with city officials to bring more auxiliary events and nightlife activities to
complement the tournament for that weekend in March. Anyone interested in purchasing tickets or finding out information about what’s going on with the Black College Invitational Championship can head to the website.RELATED CONTENT: Record Enrollment May Not Be Enough For North Carolina HBCU, Donations Needed For Scholarships