CIAA Board of Directors Declares Virginia State Football Ineligible For Playoffs

HAMPTON, Virginia (November 16)  -- This evening, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA^®) Commissioner Jacqie Carpenter and the CIAA board of directors convened an emergency conference call to discuss Friday's events which resulted in the cancellation of today's CIAA Football Championship.
 
Based upon available information, and in the best interest of the conference and its member-institutions, the CIAA board of directors declared Virginia State University ineligible to participate in the 2013 football postseason.
 
Yesterday, concurrent with the CIAA Football Championship luncheon, an incident occurred that involved student-athletes from Virginia State University and Winston-Salem State University. After consulting with the appropriate stakeholders, the CIAA cancelled today's Football conference championship. The Championship will not be rescheduled.
 
Additionally, the Board affirmed the following:  

• The CIAA and its member-institutions strongly condemn all acts of violence that impair in any way the safety, enjoyment and holistic experience of its student-athletes, administrators and followers in any way.
• The CIAA regards the safety and well-being of its student-athletes, administrators and followers to be of the utmost importance.
• The CIAA values, respects and is committed to the history and tradition of the conference, including its strength and reputation as a collection of institutions committed to the highest standards of judgment and behavior toward each other - on and off the field of competition.

The board of directors authorized Commissioner Carpenter and her designees, to conduct an investigation and report her recommendations regarding further action to the board of directors.

Commissioner Carpenter commented that the investigation is ongoing and the results and recommendations will be provided to the board of directors in as expedient a timeline as possible.

About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the oldest African-American athletic conference and the largest Division II conference in the country. The CIAA conducts 16 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. Headquartered in Hampton, Va., the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Chowan University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, St. Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University and Winston-Salem State University.

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COURTESY CIAA PRESS RELEASE