The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) introduces the 2022-23 All-CIAA Preseason Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams, as voted on by the CIAA Basketball Coaches Associations and the Sports Information Directors Association, and the predicted order of finish as selected by the men’s and women’s head coaches. The preseason teams and predicted order were both unveiled during the CIAA Basketball Media Day in Baltimore, MD.
On the men’s side, Virginia State’s Francis “BJ” Fitzgerald is the CIAA’s top returning scorer after he averaged 17 points per game last season. the CIAA. Johnson C. Smith’s Augustine Ominu is the top returning rebounder. Last season, Ominu was third in the conference in rebounding with eight boards a game and his 2.9 offensive rebounds per game were second.
Virginia State, Virginia Union, and Winston-Salem State led the men’s preseason team with three selections each. Six schools are represented among the men’s preseason honorees.
Fayetteville State men and Lincoln women were chosen by league coaches to finish first in the conference. The Johnson C. Smith women’s team was picked to finish first in the Southern Division and the Virginia Union men’s squad was picked to win the Northern Division.
Last season, the Broncos won their first CIAA Basketball title since 1973. Led by Head Basketball Coach, Luke D’Alessio, Fayetteville State defeated Virginia State and Livingstone in the 2022 CIAA Basketball Tournament before downing Virginia Union, 65-62, in the championship game. The Broncos finished the season second in the South with an overall record of 22-9 and were 13-3 in CIAA action. Fayetteville State was the eighth seed in the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Atlantic Region Championship Tournament, its first appearance since 1993.
2022-23 All-CIAA Men’s Basketball Preseason Team
Backcourt
Cress Worthy, Fayetteville State*
Francis Fitzgerald, Virginia State*
Keleaf Tate, Virginia Union
Isaac Parson, Winston-Salem State
Jonathan Hicklin, Winston-Salem State
Frontcourt
Augustine Ominu, Johnson C. Smith*
Robert Osborne, Virginia Union*
Terrence Hunter-Whitfield, Virginia State*
Raemaad Wright, Virginia Union
Khyree Temple, Livingstone
James Love III, Virginia State
Nathan Springs, Winston-Salem State
* – Returning 2021-22 All-CIAA Selection
2022-23 CIAA Men’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
| 1. Fayetteville State University (6) |
| 2. Virginia Union University (3) |
| 3. Winston-Salem State University (1) |
| 4. Virginia State University |
| 5. Bowie State University (1) |
| 6. Lincoln (PA) University |
| 7. Shaw University |
| 8. Livingstone College |
| 9. Johnson C. Smith University |
| 10. Elizabeth City State University |
| 11. Claflin University |
| 12. Saint Augustine’s University |
First place votes in parenthesis
Southern Division
| 1. Fayetteville State |
| 2. Winston-Salem State |
| 3. Livingstone |
| 4. Johnson C. Smith |
| 5. Claflin |
| 6. St. Augustine |
Northern Division
| 1. Virginia Union |
| 2. Virginia State |
| 3. Bowie State |
| 4. Lincoln (PA) |
| 5. Shaw |
| 6. Elizabeth City State |