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SWAC Reveals 2025 Media Day Player Lineup!

Originally posted on HBCUs on SI | By Kyle Mosley | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 11:31 AM ET

The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) has announced the student-athletes who will represent their teams at the 2025 SWAC Football Media Day, scheduled for July 16 at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel in Birmingham, Alabama.

Media Day is a significant milestone on the SWAC football calendar. It's an opportunity for the media to meet the conference's standout players from each member institution.

ESPN will broadcast the showcase with hosts Tiffany Greene and Jay "Sky" Walker previewing the games, student-athletes, coaches, and athletic department leadership that will define the upcoming season.

SWAC LINEUP OF PLAYERS

Below are the student-athletes attending, a diverse group representing their respective schools:

Alabama A&M Bulldogs

Cornelious Brown IV (Quarterback)
Dimitris Biamby (Linebacker)

Alabama State Hornets

Keane Lewis (Safety)
Cameron Smith (Linebacker)

Alcorn State Braves

Jacorian Sewell (Wide Receiver)
Gideon Spottsville (Defensive Line)

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions

Jeremiah Rodgers (Defensive Line)
Trey Glymph (Place Kicker)

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

AJ Hall (Defensive Line)
Maleek Huggins (Wide Receiver)

Florida A&M Rattlers

Ashton Grable (Offensive Line)
Davion Westmoreland (Defensive End)

Grambling State Tigers

Nick Howard (Wide Receiver)
Blake Davis (Defensive Back)

Jackson State Tigers

Jacobian Morgan (Quarterback)
Jeremiah Williams (Defensive Line)

Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils

Dephabian Fant (Running Back)
Kobe Byrd (Defensive Line)

Prairie View A&M Panthers

Travon Jones (Tight End)
Jamal Marshall (Defensive Line)

Southern Jaguars

Darren Morris (Wide Receiver)
Ckelby Givens (Defensive Line)

Texas Southern Tigers

Kenneth Cooper Jr. (Quarterback)
Damarcus Thompson (Offensive Lineman)

These student-athletes will represent their programs at the media day, providing insights into their teams' preparations and expectations for the 2025 season. The event marks a key milestone as the SWAC prepares for another competitive year in HBCU football.

Additional SWAC Coverage:

THE SWAC OPTS IN!

The Southwestern Athletic Conference 2025 Annual Spring Meetings were held this past Friday and Saturday with key topics being discussed by league membership administrators.

All twelve SWAC member institutions have opted-in to the House Settlement. Additionally, the league placed no scholarship caps on any sports in which the conference currently sponsors.

“This is undoubtedly a significant moment for the Southwestern Athletic Conference and our twelve member institutions,” said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland.

“As we move forward into a new era of intercollegiate athletics the Southwestern Athletic Conference remains steadfast in our commitment to provide our membership with the resources needed to positively impact our student-athletes academically and athletically.”

*Courtesy the Southwestern Athletic Conference

The Southwestern Athletic Conference has named Hubert Owens the Interim Coordinator of Football Officials for the upcoming season. He is familiar with HBCU football being an Mississippi Valley State alum and the son of Hubert Roosevelt Owens, who officiated SWAC and Mississippi high school games.

Owens brings nearly three decades of college football officiating experience with him having served as an official with Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).

“Due to the sensitive nature of this transition it was imperative that we identified someone with extensive college football officiating experience to lead our football officiating program for this upcoming season,” SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland, said. “Mr. Owens brings a wealth of high-level officiating experience to our league as an official and administrator while also being uniquely familiar with our current officiating program having served beside Mr. Eddie Kelley over the course of the past several seasons.”

During his career officiating Owens officiated the inaugural SWAC Football Championship game in 1999 along with three SEC Championship games including the 2013 SEC Championship game where he was the first African American referee to serve in that capacity.

Owens also officiated post season bowl games including the Rose Bowl, two Fiesta Bowls, the Champs Sports Bowl, the Belk Bowl, the Beef-O-Brady Bowl, the Sun Bowl, the Alamo Bowl, the Heart of Dallas Bowl, and the Celebration Bowl.

As a former instant replay official in the league, Owens was a member of the crew for the 2022 and 2024 SWAC Championship games and the 2023 Bayou Classic. In addition to Owen’s on field accomplishments, he has served as an instructor, clinician and evaluator of talent at numerous football officiating camps during the offseason since 2008.

As an instructor/clinician, Owens has provided classroom training, on field training, and collaborated with college officiating coordinators in identifying talent and recommending prospective college football officiating candidates seeking to become football officials in Division I and Division II.

Notable Football Officiating Camps that Owens has participated in as a clinician include the Tom Beard Football Officiating Camp, the Diversity Development Officiating Camp sponsored by the SEC and the Big 10, the A-Team Football Officiating Camp hosted by former SWAC Coordinator of Football Officials Eddie Kelley and the Oxford Mississippi Football Officiating Camp.