Nearly a century ago, Black athletes built their own leagues like the Negro National League to supplement for exclusion from professional baseball. Today, this spirit lives on in the resurgence of baseball at Howard University, through its softball team and baseball club.
For decades, Howard University’s athletic identity has revolved around NCAA Division I competition. The women’s softball team has emerged as one of the most competitive programs in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), earning historic milestones while competing without a home field on campus.
Despite challenges, including traveling to practice and holding home games at the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, the Bison softball team has thrived.
Last season, the team clinched the MEAC regular-season title and carried that momentum into 2026, returning as defending champions with a packed schedule against conference and regional opponents.
“Playing without a dedicated field hasn’t defined us, our resilience has,” said Alyssa Vasquez, a senior catcher majoring in sociology, reflecting on the program’s progress. “We know the history of Black pioneers in sport, and we push ourselves with that legacy in mind.”
The current success of Howard softball recalls the tenacity of Black leagues forged in adversity. While teams like the Negro National League operated without mainstream recognition, the Bison now compete on national stages.
Meanwhile, baseball at Howard is undergoing its own renaissance. Though the university discontinued varsity baseball in 2002, students have revived the sport at the club level through the Howard University Club Baseball Team.
Recognized by the National Club Baseball Association (NCBA), the Howard University Club Baseball Team is more than just a group of students with bats and gloves.
Founding president Julian Lee’s vision was simple but powerful: “Bring baseball back to Howard and help it become prevalent again in the Black community.”
Coach Jamal McKay echoed that sentiment, reminding teammates and supporters that the goal stretches beyond wins and losses.
“We want to establish a presence that can eventually become a varsity sport again,” McKay said. “We’re playing for history.”
The club team’s early successes in fundraising, community engagement and on-field competition have drawn attention from students and alumni alike.
The Howard softball team has also shown solidarity. Assistant Coach Angel Martinez noted that softball donates funds and turns out to support baseball scrimmages.
“We’re here not just to compete, we’re here to inspire,” said Malik Thompson, Howard club baseball pitcher and senior business major. “Black excellence in baseball deserves a place in the NCAA, and Howard can lead that.”
From the barnstorming greats of segregated leagues to Bison athletes forging new paths on William H. Greene Stadium turf and beyond, Howard’s baseball and softball programs represent opportunity, legacy and progress.
As the softball team members for another championship run and the club baseball team continues building toward varsity status, Howard’s athletic community stands poised to expand the legacy of Black sporting innovation on their own terms, and on their own fields.
Copy edited by Daryl R. Thomas Jr.