CROSS ROADS, Texas (August 4, 2025) – Last month (July 26), HBCU Sports celebrated and honored the achievements and people in Black College with its second annual Sports Awards show where Howard University won five awards. The program streamed live on YouTube through the HBCU Sports Channel, hosted by its well-rounded crew of Kenn Rashad, Chris Stevens and Jarrett Hoffman.
 
Howard women's soccer head coach Brent Leiba won Soccer Coach of the Year after leading the Bison to their first NEC (Northeast Conference) Regular Season and Tournament Titles with a 11-5-5 (8-1-1 NEC) mark. HU also reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018.
 
HU Director of Golf Sam Puryear claimed Golf Coach of the Year after leading the men's golf team to back-to-back NEC Titles, erasing a seven-stroke deficit entering the final round.
 
Golfer Paris Fieldings (Chesapeake, Va.) took home Women's Golfer of the Year after becoming the first Bison in program history to win the NEC Player of the Year award.
 
Guard Blake Harper (Washington) earned Men's Basketball Player of the Year after becoming the first player in the MEAC's (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) 54-year storied history to win the league's Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season.
 
Howard Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations & Sports Information Derek W. Bryant rounded out the accolades, winning Sports Information Director of the Year.
 
Entering the event, the Bison led all schools with 16 nominations.
 
Overall, HBCU Sports recognized student-athletes, coaches and administrators in 46 categories across the entire HBCU athletics landscape.
 
On Aug. 14, Howard Athletics kicks off the 2025-26 campaign with women's soccer hosting North Florida at Greene Stadium.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com and/or the HBCU Sports website at www.HBCUSports.com.