North Carolina Central University (NCCU) was touched by a tragic occurrence last night that involved individuals who are not part of the university’s community. The NCCU Police and Public Safety Department precisely executed the incident plan that is indicative of their training and standards. Students, and all guests who were on campus, swiftly complied when a lockdown was issued in and around O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Following the incident, NCCU Police and Durham Police Department officers worked for several hours to safely exit individuals from the football stadium and personally escort guests to their vehicles. Durham Police Department continues to lead this active and ongoing investigation.
Thanks to the well-trained, quick acting NCCU Police Department, no members of the NCCU community or its’ guests were impacted by this tragedy. The Department immediately put their skills to work in bravely guarding the well-being of NCCU students, faculty, staff and guests. NCCU is and remains a safe community. A tremendous debt of gratitude is owed to Police and Public Safety Department members for protecting and serving NCCU each and every day.
It should not be lost that yesterday signaled a huge return to NCCU football on our campus after two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans and guests adhered to new COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions. The Eagles football team came back to their home gridiron and recorded a triumphant 20-13 win over the Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Rams. The sportsmanship and athleticism shown by the team, under the leadership of Head Coach Trei Oliver, showcased the best of NCCU athletics and our deep Eagle Pride. Alongside our student-athletes, commendations are due to the NCCU cheerleaders and Sound Machine Band, as well as their leadership, for their extraordinary performances. They displayed why NCCU is truly a center of excellence—from stellar academics to championship-winning athletics.
Congratulations to NCCU football-student athletes, cheerleaders and members of the Sound Machine Band for truly bringing a spirit of athletic brilliance and a memorable fan experience back to Durham and the Triangle region during a time when it’s needed most. The university also acknowledges and thanks the WSSU fans, football team, band and cheerleaders for helping to insure a great game day experience and working with NCCU as the university managed an unforeseen situation.
Thanks is due to members of the NCCU community whose hard work behind the scenes made the university’s first home football game a success. Additional thanks and acknowledgement are extended to the university’s Department of Athletics staff for their overall management of game day planning and operations, as well as their seamless collaboration with Police and Public Safety. It takes the collective teamwork of units across the campus to ensure a safe and spirited game day experience.
NCCU Office of Communications and Marketing
