This Week in Athletics: Claflin Athletics Opens Basketball Season With Busy Week Ahead
Terica Peay
Orangeburg, S.C. — A new week brings a fresh start for Claflin Athletics as the men's and women's basketball teams prepare to tip off the 2026-27 season with a pair of contests each.
Last week, the Lady Panthers volleyball team brought its 2026 campaign to a close with matchups against Winston-Salem State University and Livingstone College. Claflin finished the season 13-21 overall and 6-16 in CIAA play.
The focus now shifts to the hardwood, where both basketball programs begin their pursuit of a successful season.
The Lady Panthers will open the year at home Monday, Nov. 9, welcoming Coker University to Tullis Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The matchup allows Claflin to start the season in front of its home crowd before heading to USC Aiken on Wednesday, Nov. 11, for its first road contest of the campaign.
Head coach Terrance Jenkins enters his sixth season leading the women's program. Claflin was ranked fifth in the CIAA preseason poll and will look to build on last season's run to the conference tournament quarterfinals.
The men's team will begin its season on the road in Charlotte, North Carolina, competing in the Queen City Region Classic. Under the leadership of Head Coach Brion Dunlap, the Panthers were ranked fourth in the CIAA pre-season poll heading into this week's opener. The annual event brings together programs from the CIAA, Peach Belt Conference and South Atlantic Conference for an early-season test.
The Panthers open tournament play Friday, Nov. 13, against Georgia Southwestern before returning to the court Saturday, Nov. 14, to face Lincoln Memorial. The two games will give Claflin an early opportunity to evaluate its progress against competition outside the CIAA.
With both programs set to begin a new season, the week offers the first look at what the Panthers and Lady Panthers hope to accomplish in 2026-27. The women's team will benefit from opening at home, while the men start with two challenging matchups in the Queen City.
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About Claflin University Athletics
Claflin University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II institution that sponsors 13 intercollegiate sports. The university's athletic program includes volleyball; women's flag football; men's and women's cross country; men's and women's basketball; softball; men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field; and baseball. Claflin's teams compete primarily in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), while the baseball program competes in the Peach Belt Conference.
