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A Day of Soulful Sounds, Competition and Purpose
Ever been asked what you did over the weekend and find it difficult to recall? Well, if you were fortunate enough to have attended one of the two Cricket-sponsored Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) events in Atlanta or Houston on August 27, chances are that the experience was so impactful that it will stay with you for some time—perhaps even a lifetime. With the 2022 National HBCU Week Conference kicking off today, September 20, we thought it appropriate to revisit these two epic events.  

The Alabama State Hornets and Howard Bison faced off at the Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta with hundreds of supporters across the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) for the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff. The event had spectators of all ages egging on the friendly competition and jamming to the marching bands.

Before the game, spectators had the opportunity to tune in live to The Cool Soror podcast hosted by Rashan Ali. Viewers got to know the purposeful work behind the first female Commissioner for the MEAC, Sonja Stills and WWE Superstar Bianca Belair. Stills and Belair’s unwavering support of uplifting the next generation of women and amplifying HBCUs on a national level was monumental! You can catch the episode here.

Our newest team of HBCU Campus Ambassadors also made their debut at the Challenge Kickoff—soaking up all the excitement and looking for opportunities for Cricket beyond gameday to extend our support to the HBCU community.

Meanwhile in Houston, The National Battle of the Bands was a showcase of soulful sounds from eight HBCUs. Prior to the battle, Cricket contributed $184,000 total in scholarships to the participating schools as our commitment to music programs at HBCUs. We also partnered with Drum Major Isaac Williams, Bethune Cookman University alumnus to capture behind the scenes footage. Check out the recap here!

Clearly, Saturday, August 27 was a day to remember. If you weren’t in attendance at either of these family friendly events, follow us on social for updates on our HBCU activities.

HBCU Week
HBCU Week is a time to celebrate advancing education equity, excellence and economic opportunity through HBCUs. We are proud to align our initiatives to serve the 35 member schools of the MEAC, SWAC, and our recent partnership with the Southern Intercollegiate Conference (SIAC).