Maybe its a little presumptuous to ask about the Chowan University athletic profile this early into their CIAA affiliation. After all, the Hawks struggled to two wins in football, and just recently captured their first conference win in men’s basketball.
But what would be easy to mock in the money-making sports of the CIAA would be neglectful of the Hawks’ impact in other conference sports. The Lady Hawks volleyball team recently romped through the conference in route to their first championship and NCAA tournament berth.
Chowan baseball? Four winning seasons out of their last five. Same thing for women’s softball. There’s no telling how they’ll stack up against the likes of repeat champions like Virginia State and Bowie State, but if volleyball is any kind of model, it could be very positive transition early on.
And they won’t get worse in the CIAA. In fact, they may have the opportunity for faster growth in both recruiting and financial support. Athletes have one more institution to fulfill athletic dreams in a great Division II conference, and Chowan will be all too willing to siphon talent out of North Carolina and Virginia. Fans and alumni, who have seen a conference Player of the Year in quarterback CJ Westler, will be more induced to see the Hawks find success across the major sports. They’ll pay up fast and frequently to make Chowan a player in the conference, and thus, on the Division II national scene.
As historic as Chowan’s entry into the CIAA proved to be , its ability to challenge as the conference’s model athletic program may prove even more favorable in years to come.
