Wiley University entered a new era as the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference rebranded to the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference on Monday and added three new schools.
The rebrand resulted from the conference enlarging its territory beyond the Gulf Coast area. Wiley became the furthest west school when it joined in 2022, becoming the first Texas school in the conference. With the addition of Stillman College (Ala.), Voorhees University (S.C.) and Wilberforce University (Ohio) this year the conference expands to the East Coast.
Along with changing the conference name, the conference added the hashtag ‘Where Winners Thrive.’ Wiley University President and Chief Executive Officer Herman J. Felton Jr., Ph.D., J.D. and Sports Information Director Andrew Glover were part of the rebranding committee.
“We’re excited to take this next step in strengthening our conference brand,” Commissioner Kiki Baker-Barnes said. “The HBCU Athletic Conference represents a dynamic evolution in our commitment to excellence and student-athlete empowerment. As we embrace this new identity, we are excited to showcase the vibrant legacy of our member institutions. We have set out to share stories of impact at the intersection of heritage and higher education.”
The HBCUAC is the only all-HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The addition of the three schools brings it to 13 institutions. The conference will have two automatic bids to the NAIA national championship in volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. Wiley, which regained University status in November, will return to its roots again with the conference rebrand. It helped found the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the first HBCU conference in college sports.
“The HBCU Athletic Conference unifies all of the schools,” Wiley University Director of Athletics Rafael Gonzalez said. “With the conference being a welcome space for HBCUs and HBCU culture, hopefully, others in the NAIA will be enticed to join. Being a place where winners thrive is something that Wiley University wants to be.”
Stillman sponsors men’s and women’s cross country, basketball, bowling and track and field and baseball, softball and women’s volleyball. The Wildcats and Tigers have only met in baseball playing an exhibition game at PNC Park, home of Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022.
Voorhees competes in men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, track and field and baseball. The 2024-25 season will mark the first time the Wildcats and Tigers have competed against each other.
Wilberforce University sponsors men’s and women’s basketball and cross country. It also sponsors baseball and golf for men. The university is adding volleyball and women’s soccer while sponsoring cheer and dance. The Wildcats and Bulldogs men’s basketball teams met during the 1953-54 season with Wiley dominating 82-35.