The Shaw men’s tennis teams has to be the odds on favorite of winning the CIAA Championship heading into the CIAA Championships in Richmond , VA, March 20-23.   The Bears are 14-0 in the CIAA and have won the Eastern Division championship for the fifth-straight year.  The Bears are looking to get over the hump and bring back to Raleigh its first ever CIAA Championship. 

Kabiru Ibrahim, Ricardo Munar, Daniel Sabogal, Olayiwole Enitan have all gone undefeated dating back to last season.  All four have been strong and have carried the team all season.  Also making a strong run is Emmanuel Ameh, a freshman, who has also gone undefeated and should win CIAA Rookie of the Year honors.  At the number four position is Olawaseyi Bamigbade who is 13-1 on the season.

For the past four years, Shaw has faced its nemesis Johnson C. Smith in the CIAA championship game.  The Bears were on their way to winning the CIAA Championship last season, but some unfortunate mishaps prevented the Bears from winning their first championship.  Shaw, however defeated the Golden Bulls twice this season and this year, the Bears are strong from 1 to 6.

Going into the tournament, Ibrahim will play the number one, followed by Munar at number two, Sabogar at number three, Bamigbade at number four, Enitan at number five and Ameh rounds out the Bears at number six.

“We went through the CIAA undefeated this year, but we realize this is championship time,” said head coach Sunday Enitan.  “The teams will be stronger this third time around, so we need to be stronger as well and play our game.”