Wilberforce University to make history with AND1 Streetball Event
Photo via Wilberforce University
By Matthew O’Connor | Contributing Writer
Wilberforce University in nearby Greene County is set to make history this weekend and students from all over Ohio – including the University of Dayton – are invited to WU’s first-ever HBCU Streetball Campus Pull-Up.
The event, scheduled to begin Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in the Alumni Multiplex on campus, is being presented in partnership with iconic basketball brand AND1. The event will mark a historic milestone as Wilberforce become the first Historically Black College or University athletic program to be sponsored by AND1.
The partnership aims to elevate and invest in Black college athletes. Since its founding in 1993, AND1 has been a prominent force in both basketball and Black culture.
The Streetball Campus Pull-Up will feature top streetball players from around the world, alongside local talent. UD students are encouraged to attend and experience the high energy action on the court.
“Basketball fans from all over Southwest Ohio should come to Wilberforce U – “The WU” – this weekend to witness history in the making at the first-ever “And 1 Streetball” event on an HBCU campus,” women’s head basketball coach Rachel Naughton told Flyer News this week.
“For over 20 years, open runs and streetball tournaments have showcased the raw talent, creativity, and high-flying play that define streetball culture, but this is the first time it’s happening on a historic HBCU campus, adding a new chapter to the streetball movement,” the coach said.
“You’ll experience electrifying streetball action, incredible handles, and jaw-dropping dunks, all in a vibrant atmosphere that celebrates community, culture, and the love of the game,” Naughton said.
From noon to 3 p.m., Wilberforce will host a Women’s Basketball Community Day to welcome youth from local schools and community centers for a day of music, food trucks, giveaways, and basketball drills with the women’s team. Attendees will also get the opportunity to meet student-athletes and engage with the campus community.
The University of Dayton is known throughout the country as a basketball school, and some students believe an event like the AND1 could grow to attract students, fans and players beyond the Wilberforce campus.
No college campus is more passionate about community engagement and basketball than the University of Dayton, and students are invited to be part of this historic moment in HBCU athletics.
“As someone who’s always been a big fan of AND1 and a current UD student, I think it’d be awesome to check out this event and be part of their first-ever collab [oration],” one UD student said.
Another student pointed to UD’s strong basketball culture and the growing support for the Lady Flyers last year, suggesting that momentum could carry over to the Streetball Campus Pull-Up.
“I definitely saw how students rallied around the women’s team last year,” they said. “An event like this, one that celebrates women’s basketball and gives back to the community, could really spark interest across campus.”
AND1’s partnership with Wilberforce shines a spotlight on HBCUs and supports the growth of Black athletes. Flyers have long supported causes that strengthen ties to the community through basketball and beyond.
AND1 the company was created in 1993 in Philadelphia as a grad school project.
Known for its iconic “AND1 Skip Tape” and the “AND1 Mix Tape Tour,” the brand’s shoes have held prominent spots in the history of professional basketball. NBA Hall of Famer Stephon Marbury was the company’s first ambassador. NBA legend Vince Carter sported red-and-white AND1 Tai Chi’s at the 2000 NBA Dunk Contest. Detroit Piston guard Chauncy Billups won the 2004 NBA Finals MVP sporting a pair of AND1 Rises.
Still one more NBA legend, Kevin Garnett, was instrumental in the re-launch of the Tai Chis in 2018, according to the AND1 website.
Admission to Saturday’s AND1 event is donation-based, coach Naughton said:
* $5 gets you in and a chance to win a Dolphin Audio speaker
* $10 includes entry, a T-shirt, and a chance to win the speaker