Shaw Wins Eighth Straight CIAA Women's Tennis Title
Shaw doesn’t just win the CIAA Women’s Tennis Championship. This HBCU program owns it.
Shaw women’s tennis witnessed another chapter of dynasty on Saturday, capturing its eighth consecutive conference title and defeating Bluefield State University 4-2 in the championship match at Virginia State University in Ettrick, Va. The Lady Bears went undefeated in conference play this season and never trailed in the tournament standings when it mattered most.
Eight straight titles is not a streak. It is a standard - and every program in the CIAA understands that now.
HBCU Women’s Tennis at Its Best: Shaw Controls the Final
The championship match opened with Shaw in command. Wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles positions gave the Lady Bears the early 1-0 lead, with the No. 2 match left unfinished. Bluefield State responded in singles, taking the No. 3 and No. 5 positions to level the match at 2-2.
However, Shaw’s top of the lineup closed the door. Victories at No. 2 and No. 1 singles clinched the title - and the remaining matches stopped once the deciding point was secured.
Serena Teluwo anchored the Lady Bears all season at No. 1 singles. She faced and defeated each opponent’s top player, recording straight-set wins over Virginia Union and Bowie State along the way. Teluwo also contributed key doubles victories throughout the year, earning a spot on the All-CIAA Women’s Tennis Team.
Her performance from the first match of the season to the last reflected the program’s identity - relentless, composed, and built to win. The path to the title was equally dominant. Shaw opened with a 4-0 quarterfinal win over Virginia Union University, followed by a 4-0 semifinal sweep of Virginia State University before closing out Bluefield State in the final.
Coach Enitan Builds a Shaw Program, Not Just a Streak
Coach Sunday Enitan earned CIAA Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year - and the honor fits. He navigated significant roster turnover, developed new contributors across both singles and doubles, and still delivered an undefeated conference season for Shaw. That is what program-building looks like at the highest level of HBCU athletics.
Bluefield State made the final for good reason. Sirisha Dheer, named CIAA Women’s Tennis Rookie of the Year, went undefeated in conference singles play. She helped the Big Blue reach the championship match through a 4-1 semifinal win over Johnson C. Smith University. The future is bright in Bluefield.
Still, this day - and this era - belongs to Shaw. The Lady Bears’ 15th overall CIAA women’s tennis title extends a run that has no clear end in sight. The CIAA, founded in 1912 as the first African American athletic conference in the United States, has produced champions for more than a century. Right now, Shaw is the measuring stick for all of them.
The eighth title is done. The ninth chase begins now.
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This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 1:40 PM.