DURHAM, NC (May 2, 2025) – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) announces its 2025 Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Year, as voted by the CIAA Track & Field Coaches Association and Sports Information Directors Association. These outstanding student-athletes will be formally recognized tomorrow during the CIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Durham, NC.
2025 CIAA Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Year
Men’s:
Field Athlete of the Year: Zachary Jones, Virginia Union
Track Athlete of the Year: Tyson Williams, JCSU
Women’s:
Field Athlete of the Year: Domanique Knowles, Fayetteville State
Track Athlete of the Year: Charnessa Reid, WSSU
Zachary Jones of Virginia Union University has been named the CIAA Field Athlete of the Year for the 2024–25 outdoor track and field season. He ranked 1st in the conference in both the shot put and discus, highlighted by a 15.63m shot put performance at Livingstone College in North Carolina and a 48.38m discus throw that set a new school record. Jones also demonstrated his versatility by ranking 5th in the javelin throw across the CIAA.
Tyson Williams of Johnson C. Smith University,Track Athlete of the Year has a stand out freshman season. Williams qualified for both the 100m and 200m events and began his outdoor campaign with dominant wins at the VertKlasse Invitational, running 10.21 and 20.17 seconds, both new school records. He also captured the NCAA Division II Indoor Championship title in the 200m with a time of 20.58, the fourth-fastest in Division II history. Williams’ exceptional times ranked him among the nation’s top sprinters and earned him multiple honors, including USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week.
Domanique Knowles of Fayetteville State University, CIAA Women’s Field Athlete of the Year, ranked #1 in the high jump and #2 in the triple jump in the CIAA, with standout personal bests of 1.68m in the high jump and 11.96m in the triple jump at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational. She also recorded a 5.53m long jump at the Aggie Invitational, highlighting her range across multiple events. In addition to her individual success, Knowles contributed to Fayetteville State’s 4x400m relay team, finishing 3rd at the Trojan Relays.
Charnessa Reid of Winston-Salem State University has delivered a dominant 2025 outdoor season, earning CIAA Track Athlete of the Week honors five times and maintaining the #1 conference ranking in the 100m hurdles all season. She captured first place in the 100H at the Southside Power & Fitness Invitational, VertKlasse Meet, and Livingstone Blue Bear Invitational, setting a new WSSU school record twice, most recently with a blazing NCAA qualifying mark of 13.32 at the Aggie Invitational. Reid has also contributed to two first-place 4x100m relay finishes and competed in the 200m and 4x400m relay, helping position WSSU at #3 in the region and #1 in the CIAA. On the field, she has been just as impactful, posting top-10 finishes in the long jump and high jump throughout the season, including a 5.89m long jump at VertKlasse and a 1.60m high jump at both Southside Power and the Aggie Invitational.
For more information about the CIAA, visit theciaa.com. You can also like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and on Instagram.
About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first, and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 13 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Bluefield State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine’s University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.