SIAC sets its sights on national prominence

MACON — Forty media outlets gathered Wednesday inside the Harriet Tubman Museum for SIAC Football Media Day, where commissioner Dr. Anthony Holloman made one thing clear: The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is no longer content with being recognized as one of the nation’s premier HBCU leagues.

Its sights are set much higher.

“The goal is not just to be the best HBCU conference,” Holloman told coaches, players and media members. “The goal is to win a national championship.”

It’s an ambitious vision, but one Holloman believes is becoming increasingly realistic.

Last season, Albany State, Benedict College and Kentucky State all earned berths in the NCAA Division II Football Championship, marking the first time the SIAC placed three teams in the national playoffs. Holloman also pointed to the growing depth throughout the conference and said the league is becoming stronger from top to bottom.

“I believe the players we have here today are the best of the best on and off the field,” Holloman said.

Before football became the focus of Media Day, Holloman highlighted the conference’s commitment to serving its communities.

On Tuesday, SIAC coaches and student-athletes packed 600 back-to-school backpacks for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Georgia, participated in a cleanup project at Atrium Health and visited children receiving treatment at a local hospital.

“It is times like this that show motivation for greatness,” Holloman said.

The conference’s growing profile extends beyond community outreach.

Earlier this week, the SIAC announced that 23 football games will air this season on ESPN platforms, including ESPN+ and ESPN2. The conference championship game on Nov. 14 will kick off at 10:30 a.m. on ESPN2.

Holloman smiled as he explained the early start time.

“Because we’ll be the only game on TV at that time,” he joked. “Everybody will have to watch.”

The commissioner also welcomed four new head football coaches to the conference: David Bowser at Albany State, Terry Sims at Clark Atlanta, Brad Sherrod at Morehouse College and Thomas Howard at Savannah State.

Before the coaches and players participated in question-and-answer sessions with reporters, the conference recognized several athletic departments and administrators for excellence during the past year.

Tuskegee enjoyed the biggest day during the awards ceremony, capturing the Women’s Commissioner’s Cup while athletic director Reginald Ruffin was named Athletic Director of the Year. Deborah Jones earned Senior Woman Administrator and Compliance Director of the Year honors, and Tuskegee also received the Citizenship Award for its community service efforts.

Morehouse College claimed the Men’s Commissioner’s Cup and the Georgia Power Community Impact Award, while Clark Atlanta sports information director Justin Mordecai was recognized as the SIAC Sports Information Director of the Year.

The event concluded with the release of the conference’s Predicted Order of Finish, with Edward Waters selected as the preseason favorite ahead of Benedict College, Tuskegee and defending SIAC champion Albany State.

For Holloman, however, preseason polls and conference championships are only part of the equation.

As the SIAC prepares for another football season, he believes the conference’s future will ultimately be measured by more than television exposure or HBCU bragging rights. The benchmark, he said, is competing for—and winning—a Division II national championship.