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May 18, 2026 | Athletics / Student Achievement
Bethune-Cookman University's first Southwestern Athletic Conference men's all-sports crown was not won in a single race, game or final inning. It was built from fall through spring, as Wildcats teams collected a championship in cross country, a long-awaited Florida Classic victory, a men's basketball regular-season title, historic track and field finishes and another championship baseball campaign.
Together, those results gave B-CU 70.5 points in the SWAC men's all-sports standings and the 2025-26 C.D. Henry Award. The Wildcats finished first among 12 conference programs, narrowly ahead of Jackson State at 69 points and Texas Southern at 68.
The award marks a sharp rise for a department that placed fourth in the men's standings a year earlier. It is also B-CU's first C.D. Henry Award since joining the SWAC in 2021.
“This award is a reflection of the tremendous commitment and consistency shown by our student-athletes, coaches, support staff.” — Reggie Theus, vice president for athletics
B-CU's climb began in October at Apalachee Regional Park, where men's cross country earned the program's first SWAC team championship. Sophomore Andrew Kiplagat won the individual title in 24:48.7, nearly a minute ahead of the field, while Victor Kibet finished third and Majet Bethely placed ninth.
The team scored 58 points to finish ahead of Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M. Head coach Garon Jackson was named SWAC Coach of the Year, and the championship gave the department an early foundation for the all-sports race.
Football added momentum in November. The Wildcats defeated Florida A&M 38-34 in Orlando on a touchdown with 22 seconds remaining, delivering B-CU's first Florida Classic victory since 2019. The result capped a season of continued progress and restored one of the program's most visible rivalry traditions.
The Wildcats men's cross country team celebrates B-CU's first SWAC championship in the sport. Photo: Courtesy of Bethune-Cookman University.
Men's basketball carried the department's success into the winter, finishing 14-4 in conference play and claiming B-CU's first SWAC regular-season championship. It was the program's second regular-season title since moving to Division I.
The postseason awards reflected the season's balance. Theus was named SWAC Coach of the Year, senior Jakobi Heady earned All-SWAC First Team recognition and Daniel Rouzan was selected to the second team.
The championship supplied major standings points, but it also demonstrated the consistency behind the C.D. Henry Award: B-CU went 10-1 at home in SWAC play and separated itself through results across the full conference schedule.
Head coach Reggie Theus directs the Wildcats during the 2025-26 men's basketball season. Photo: Courtesy of Bethune-Cookman University.
Track and field kept B-CU near the top of the men's standings. The Wildcats placed fourth at the SWAC Indoor Championships and third outdoors, their highest finishes in both meets since joining the conference.
At the outdoor championships, Kiplagat won the 10,000, 5,000 and 1,500 meters. Michael Carter captured the long jump title, and the men's 4x400-meter relay closed the meet with another conference championship.
Baseball then delivered the final surge. The Wildcats went 23-7 in league play, completed the regular season undefeated in all 10 SWAC series and captured a second consecutive conference regular-season championship. Their 37 regular-season victories established a program record.
Head coach Jonathan Hernandez earned a second straight SWAC Coach of the Year award. Jose Fernandez was named Player of the Year, Edwin Sanchez was Pitcher of the Year and seven additional Wildcats received All-SWAC recognition.
The all-sports crown measures competitive performance, but the year's record extended into the classroom. In June, B-CU reported that 216 student-athletes made SWAC academic honor rolls, with the department posting a 3.11 spring cumulative GPA. That wider record gives the C.D. Henry Award its strongest meaning: a collection of teams moving forward together, one season and one standard at a time.
