CIAA Championship Postponed

By: Aaron Williams

Winston-Salem, NC- A peaceful pre-game ceremony on the campus of Winston-Salem State University turned into a fiasco when an opposing team’s player assaulted the university’s lead quarterback in a bathroom during the conference luncheon on the eve of the championship game.

“We don’t know a lot of what happened, but we do know our starting quarterback, Rudy Johnson, was beaten up and he didn’t beat himself up.” told WSSU Chancellor Donald Reeves to the Winston-Salem Journal.

Johnson left the conference center with a bloody nose and a fully closed and swollen eye. The 6-2 junior from San Diego, CA has since been released from a local hospital according the Winston-Salem police department.

It was reported from several anonymous sources that five Virginia State players were responsible for the restroom scuffle. However, the team’s third-leading tailback Lamont Daniel Britt, a 5-10 sophomore and Virginia native, was arrested Friday afternoon for a misdemeanor assault charge prior to admitting his involvement.

Jacqie Carpenter, conference commissioner, released this statement Friday at 6:55p.m. EST:

“…On the eve of such an important weekend for dozens of our student-athletes, many of whom have waited a lifetime for such a moment, we are left to focus instead on what might have been.

Our singular focus is on the safety and security of the CIAA’s student-athletes and those who follow them. It is important that everyone involved in the CIAA embody our mission every day by acting as upstanding individuals on and off the field. We must work together to hold each other to higher standards of responsible judgment and conduct because we must demand that if we are to succeed.

We did not make this decision lightly, as its impact is far and wide – affecting our student-athletes, alumni, fans, sponsors and more. But the CIAA has long had policies to encourage responsible behavior, and must consider what is necessary to assure days like today are not repeated, ever.”

The conference volleyball championship games were canceled correspondingly.

The CIAA will work cooperatively with the NCAA in regards to plans for the participating schools in the upcoming Division II playoffs next week.