By Alexxis Hutchinson, Sports Editor
As your Sports Editor for the Star of Zion, let me just say this…the CIAA Tournament energy is different this year.
Baltimore is calling! The bands are warming up. The brackets are locked. And the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association announced its 2026 All-CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams.
But let’s talk about a name you need to know if you don’t already: Livingstone College sophomore Breasia Coit.
First-Team All-CIAA.
CIAA Defensive Player of the Year.
And she earned every bit of it.
All season long, Coit has been a problem in the paint! She’s the kind of defender that makes guards think twice about driving the lane. Rebounding everything. Altering shots. Owning the boards like rent is due. Her presence didn’t just help Livingstone’s defense; it defined it!
There was a stretch in early January where she quietly put together 36 points, 32 rebounds, nine blocks, and two steals in three games. Quietly dominant. Consistently disruptive. Fully in control.
What makes Coit special isn’t just the stats. It’s the tone she sets. The way she shifts momentum with one stop. The way her teammates feed off her energy. The way she protects the rim like it belongs to her.
And here’s the scary part? She’s just a sophomore.
As the CIAA Tournament tips off in Baltimore, Breasia Coit enters postseason play not just as an honoree but as a difference-maker. The kind of player who can change a game, a run, even a championship storyline.
CIAA Tournament week is here. The lights are bright. The stakes are high.
And Breasia Coit is ready for the moment.
