Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)--NCAA Division II
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2013 Final Standings
Looking back: The 2013 season for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) was marred by an incident where Winston-Salem State University starting quarterback Rudy Johnson was assaulted by multiple players from Virginia State University. That incident resulted in the cancellation of the CIAA championship game, which was to have Trojans play against the Rams for last year's conference crown.
In the NCAA Division II playoffs, WSSU slipped past Slippery Rock, 27-20, in the first round, before falling to Shepherd in a 7-0 defensive struggle in the second round.
Looking ahead: Don't be surprised if both Virginia State and Winston-Salem State square off in the 2014 CIAA title game. That is, if such a game is actually played.
Predicted order of finish (2013 overall record in parentheses):
Northern Division
1. Virginia State (9-1): The Trojans face a tough early non-conference slate that a visit to California (Pa.), as well as a home game against defending national runner-up Lenoir-Rhyne.
2. Bowie State (5-5): With the return of 14 starters--seven on both sides of the football--the Bulldogs could surprise a lot of the critics in the CIAA this season.
3. Elizabeth City State (4-6): The Vikings hope to build on a second place finish in the Northern Division, where they finished 4-3 in conference play last season. Head Coach Waverly Tillar also hopes to lead ECSU to five division championships dating back to 2006.
4. Chowan (4-6): The Hawks will play three straight games on the road, after opening the 2014 season at home against Fayetteville State.
5. Virginia Union (3-7): The Panthers enter a new era with a new head coach in Mark James.
6. Lincoln (Pa.)--(1-9): The Lions have nowhere to go but up after a winless conference season (0-7 in the CIAA).
Southern Division
1. Winston-Salem State (10-2): The Rams have compiled a combined overall record of 45-6 (.882 winning percentage) since the start of the 2010 season, when Connell Maynor became the head coach. Still, they'll have one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation, as they'll face three teams that finished the 2013 campaign with a combined overall mark of 23-9 (.719) in UNC Pembroke, Valdosta State, and Tuskegee, with two of those teams advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs. Oh, and the Rams will also get a new head coach, as Kienus Boulware replaces Maynor, who left to become the head coach at Hampton University last December.
2. Fayetteville State (6-4): Lawrence Kershaw enters his second season at the Broncos helm looking to contend for the Southern Division title. Like WSSU, FSU will also face UNC Pembroke, on September 13.
3. Shaw (6-4): Continuing the theme of tough non-conference schedules among CIAA squads, the Bears will open their 2014 slate with back-to-back road games against Miles and West Alabama, before squaring off against--you guessed it--UNCP, in the home opener on September 20.
4. St. Augustine's (4-6): Had it not been for a couple of close losses, the Falcons could have been finished the 2013 season with a winning record. Even accomplishing that feat for the 2014 season might prove to be a tall order, as they take on the likes of Indiana (Pa.), Wingate, and Stillman, among other teams. And that's just the non-conference portion of the schedule, as the Falcons must travel to Winston-Salem State on October 18.
5. Johnson C. Smith (5-5): The Golden Bulls stormed right out of the gate at 3-0, before a tough 19-17 loss at Virginia State on September 28 sent them into a tailspin which resulted in a disappointing 2-5 mark in CIAA games. The 2014 non-conference schedule has JCSU facing FCS UNC Charlotte, as well as D-II Kentucky State and West Georgia.
6. Livingstone (1-9): The Blue Bears look to start anew, with Daryl Williams as their new head coach.
Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
4 years ago
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