From HBCU to ACC: Duncan Powell's Journey and the Shifting Landscape of College Sports

The world of college athletics is constantly evolving, with athletes increasingly leveraging opportunities for greater visibility and career advancement. This article explores the recent transition of Duncan Powell, a former highly-rated recruit for North Carolina A&T, an HBCU, to Georgia Tech in the ACC, and examines broader trends shaping college sports, including coaching changes, media days, and the ever-important issues of diversity and inclusion.

Duncan Powell's Path: From Prized HBCU Recruit to ACC Competitor

Duncan Powell's journey reflects the evolving landscape of college athletics. Rated the No. 84 prospect in the nation by ESPN in the class of 2021 out of DeSoto High School, where he averaged 21.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists as a junior, Powell initially committed to Arkansas as a sophomore, but de-committed in early 2020. He then enrolled at North Carolina A&T, becoming the highest-rated prospect ever signed by the HBCU. There was a lot of fanfare when Duncan Powell committed to NC A&T as a prized prospect.

Powell's time at North Carolina A&T saw him average eight points per game during the 2022-2023 season, his first basketball season since his junior year at DeSoto HS in 2019-2020. Powell eased his way back in, scoring double-figures for the first time in his 12th game. Following the season, Powell hit the transfer portal, landing at Sacramento State. He was the Hornets’ leading scorer (12.1 ppg) and rebounder (7.0 rpg), playing in 29 games and starting 23. He missed the final five games with injury, but finished sixth in the Big Sky in rebounding. Taking advantage of new rules that allow yearly transfers, Powell hit the portal once again and committed to Louisiana in April.

Now, Duncan Powell, a 6-8 forward who played last season at Sacramento State, has signed a grant-in-aid to join the Georgia Tech men’s basketball program, head coach Damon Stoudamire announced. He will have two seasons of eligibility with the Yellow Jackets. Formerly a top-100 high school prospect, Powell was the Hornets’ top scorer (12.1 points per game) and rebounder (7.0 per game) last season. His rebound total ranked sixth in the Big Sky Conference, and he connected on 49 percent of his shots from the floor. He scored in double figures 21 times and reached double digits in rebounds 10 times, with five double-doubles. Among those performances was the second triple-double in the Hornets’ Division I era, 13 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists vs. “Duncan is versatile player who will help with our overall depth,” said Stoudamire.

Once a prized prospect for the nation’s largest HBCU, Duncan Powell is now headed to the ACC to play for Georgia Tech.

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Powell's move highlights a growing trend of athletes transferring between institutions to pursue greater opportunities. This transition underscores the increasing fluidity within college sports, where athletes have more control over their careers.

ACC Media Days: A Glimpse into the Upcoming Season

The ACC Conference gathers annually in Charlotte, NC for its Media Days event. The star power at ACC Media Days will stack up with any other conference headlined by Bill Belichick and Dabo Swinney.

The event should give everyone insight into how each coach views their team heading into the season as everyone can convince themselves they're a College Football Playoff contender in the expanded 12 team model. Ahead of ACC Media Days, we have you covered with key storylines to follow, which coaches and players will speak, and how to tune into the ACC Media Days.

• Bill Belichick's Inaugural Appearance: The fact that Bill Belichick one of the greatest coaches in football history is now coaching at the college level is still to crazy to accept. While Arch Manning was a massive draw at SEC Media Days, Bill Belichick will truly have everyone's attention ahead of his first season. Belichick will be asked about the transition to the college game, his views on recruiting, the transfer portal, NIL, and more likely than not, Jordon Hudson.
• Thomas Castellanos' Commentary: Former Boston College Quarterback and Florida State starter Thomas Castellanos has been the quote king of the offseason with his shots at Alabama and Kalen DeBoer along with stating that he was trying to instill confidence in his new team. At ACC Media Days, Thomas Castellanos will certainly make headlines once again the only questions is over who will be his next target.
• Dabo Swinney's Confidence: Dabo Swinney has gotten a ton of hate over the past few years, even from his own fanbase as Clemson has slipped a bit from their place at the top of the sport. As Clemson looks like National Championship front runners, we may see a new side of Dabo Swinney as his naysayers may not have anything left to say.

The Miami Hurricanes are the first team to kick off the the event as Mario Cristobal takes the stage. The Hurricanes will bring Georgia transfer Carson Beck, LB Wesley Bissainthe, OL Francis Mauigoa, and DL Ahkeem Mesidor to the event.

Rhett Lashlee will take the stage at 12:00 PM Eastern while he brings QB Kevin Jennings, LB Alexander Kilgore, S Isaiah Nwokobia, and OL Logan Parr to the event.

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Frank Reich will make his debut as Stanford's Head Coach at ACC Media Days. Joining Frank Reich at the event will be OL Simione Pale, TE Sam Roush, LB Tevarua Tafiti, and CB Collin Wright.

The California Golden Bears will follow Stanford onto the stage led by Head Coach Justin Wilcox. Former Ohio State QB Devin Brown, DL Aidan Keanaaina, LB Cade Uluave, and QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.

Tony Elliott and the Virginia Cavaliers are the final program to speak on Day 1 of the event taking the stage. Joining Elliott in Charlotte are QB Chandler Morris, DL Mitchell Melton, OL Noah Josey, and DT Jahmeer Carter.

Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles will take the stage to lead off the second day of the event. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos, DL Darrell Jackson Jr, OL Richie Leonard IV, and DB Earl Little Jr will speak at the event as well.

Following up Mike Norvell and the Seminoles are Jeff Brohm and the Louisville Cardinals. The Cardinals will be bringing transfer Quarterback Miller Moss, WR Chris Bell, LB TJ Quinn, and LB Antonio Watts.

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Fran Brown and the Syracuse Orange get the spotlight after an exciting offseason for the program. DB Duce Chestnut, LB Derek McDonald, DL Dion Watson Jr, and QB Rickie Collins will make the trip.

Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt Panthers get to follow up Syracuse and it's always entertaining whenever Narduzzi is in front of the microphone. Pittsburgh is bringing RB Desmond Reid, DB Javon McIntrye, LB Kyle Louis, and OL Lyndon Cooper.

Georgia Tech's turn comes after their exciting season under Brent Key. The Yellow Jackets may have one of the most exciting groups of athletes in attendance with QB Haynes King, WR Malik Rutherford, OL Keylan Rutledge, and LB Kyle Efford.

Wake Forest will get to end the second day of ACC Media Days when new head coach Jake Dickert takes the stage. Joining Jake Dickert in Charlotte will be DB Nick Anderson, RB Demond Claiborne, OL Devin Kylany, and DB Davaughn Patterson.

An action packed Day 3 of the ACC Media Days begins with Bill O'Brien and the Boston College Eagles. WR Lewis Bond, LB Daveon Crouch, DB KP Price, and OL Logan Taylor will join Bill O'Brien in attendance.

Virginia Tech and Brent Pry will get to follow Boston College ahead of a pivotal year for Brent Pry and the the Hokies. Pry will be joined by QB Kyron Drones, LB Jaden Keller, WR Donavon Greene, and DL Kelvin Gilliam Jr.

At Noon, the fun truly begins as Dabo Swinney gets on stage as the Clemson Tigers head into a season where they're National Championship front runners. Joining Dabo Swinney is a loaded group headlined by QB Cade Klubnik, DE T.J. Parker, WR Antonio Williams, and DL Peter Woods.

Dabo Swinney gets followed up by another electric personality in Manny Diaz and the Duke Blue Devils. Duke will bring its prized offseason addition QB Darian Mensah, OL Brian Parker II, CB Chandler Rivers, and DE Wesley Williams.

The show will be stolen when Bill Belichick takes the stage for his first ACC Media Days as North Carolina's Head Coach. Bill Belichick brings with him QB Gio Lopez, WR Jordan Shipp, DB Will Hardy, and DB Thaddeus Dixon.

Finally, wrapping up the ACC Media Days and the run on Carolina schools are the NC State Wolfpack. Dave Doern brings with him star TE Justin Joly, LB Caden Fordham, DL Brandon Cleveland, and QB CJ Bailey.

ESPN's ACC Network will be broadcasting live from the ACC Media Days starting at 9:00 AM Eastern Time and running through 5:00 PM.

Addressing Racial and Social Justice: The ACC UNITE Award

The ACC is committed to promoting racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement, and advocacy. As part of the Fall Unity Week, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced the recipients of the ACC UNITE Award, which was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league’s member institutions who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice.

“We are humbled to once again honor an amazing and inspirational collection of ACC UNITE Award recipients,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “This year’s class of honorees deserve to be recognized for their incredible contributions in affecting change by promoting racial equity and social justice. Each of these pioneers are tremendous examples of what can be accomplished when you remain committed to steadfast prioritization of diversity, equity and inclusion.

The recipients include:

• Boston College: Dr. John Austin and Joana Maynard
• Clemson: Dr. James E. (Jim) Bostic Jr. & Dr. Rhondda Thomas
• Duke: Dr. Kevin White and Marissa Young
• Florida State: Corey Jermaine Simon
• Georgia Tech: Charles Easley and Carla Gilson
• Louisville: Wade Houston and Alyssa Murphy
• Miami: Dr. Laura Kohn-Wood & Dr. Donald Spivey
• North Carolina: Charles Scott Lanier and Shalane Flanagan
• NC State: Chavonda Jacobs-Young and Cullen Jones
• Notre Dame: JP Abercrumbie
• Pitt: Ron Idoko & Sheila I. Velez
• Wake Forest: Dr. John Senior

These individuals have demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, making significant contributions to their respective institutions and communities.

Examples of ACC UNITE Award Recipients' Contributions

• Dr. John Austin (Boston College): Austin holds the distinction of being Boston College’s first African-American basketball player. Austin starred as a point guard for the Eagles from 1963 to 1966, while playing for the legendary coach Bob Cousy. During Austin’s three varsity seasons on the Heights, he scored a school-record 1,845 career points and averaged 27.1 points per game.
• Joana Maynard (Boston College): Maynard has been a mainstay on the Boston College campus for the past 38 years. She is currently serving as the senior assistant director for the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center (BAIC) after working as the former program director of the Options Through Education Transitional Summer Program (OTE).
• Dr. James E. (Jim) Bostic Jr. (Clemson): His service and contributions to Clemson University are lengthy - from becoming the first African American to earn a doctorate at Clemson in 1972, to the leadership of IPTAY, Dr. Bostic has consistently served Clemson and created incredible opportunities for those who have come after him.
• Dr. Rhondda Thomas (Clemson): Dr. Rhondda Thomas has dedicated her career to the research and storytelling of African-American history at Clemson. Her book and ongoing research project, Call My Name, Clemson, tells the stories of seven generations of Black South Carolinians and led to the recovery of more than 500 unmarked graves on campus.
• Dr. Kevin White (Duke): Dr. White was synonymous with equity and inclusion within Duke Athletics. In 2016, Dr. White was recognized by the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee as a champion of Diversity and Inclusion.
• Marissa Young (Duke): Young came to Duke as its first African-American female head coach. Following the events of the summer of 2020, Young took it upon herself to address racial and societal inequality with her team.
• Corey Jermaine Simon (Florida State): Simon is an FSU Hall of Famer and is one of the best defensive linemen ever to play at Florida State University. He developed "Corey's Kids,” which is an organization focused on mentoring children in North Florida’s foster care system and has been a community influencer as the President of Big Bend Pop Warner Little Scholars, which serves diverse populations and marginalized communities.
• Charles Easley (Georgia Tech): Easley serves as a Professor of Practice in the Scheller College of Business and is affiliated with the Institute for Leadership and Social Impact (ILSI).
• Carla Gilson (Georgia Tech): Gilson has been a member of Georgia Tech athletics staff for nearly 25 years, including as the Yellow Jackets’ director of sports medicine for the past four years after serving as the associate athletics director for sports medicine.
• Wade Houston (Louisville): Houston became the first African American to sign a basketball scholarship at the University of Louisville in 1962 and was one of the first three African-American men’s basketball student-athletes at the school in 1963.
• Alyssa Murphy (Louisville): Murphy is a long-time employee of the University of Louisville and the Director of Student-Athlete Leadership and Development.
• Dr. Laura Kohn-Wood (Miami): Dr. Kohn-Wood is currently a Professor and Dean of the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Miami, becoming the first Black female dean in the school’s history in 2018.
• Dr. Donald Spivey (Miami): Dr. Spivey is a Distinguished Professor and Cooper Fellow of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Miami, where he has served on the faculty since 1993.
• Charles Scott Lanier (North Carolina): As a National Merit Scholar finalist, had had several scholarship offers. When Carolina came calling, Lanier's parents, both educators, encouraged him to visit Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
• Shalane Flanagan (North Carolina): The Washington, D.C. native broke gender barriers in high school by attending The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, and joining the almost all-white prep school’s first co-ed class in history.
• Chavonda Jacobs-Young (NC State): Jacobs-Young was a member of the Wolfpack women’s track & field team from 1985-89. Passionate about representing and promoting women and people of color in the STEM field (science, technology, engineering, math), she was included in the #IfThenSheCan exhibit that was stationed around the National Mall in March of 2022.
• Cullen Jones (NC State): Jones is passionate about inspiring other swimmers of color and took that passion into action by founding “Make A Splash” alongside USA Swimming.
• JP Abercrumbie (Notre Dame): Abercrumbie serves as the Executive Associate Athletics Director, Culture and Engagement in the athletics department at the University of Notre Dame.

The Broader Context: Coaching Changes and Program Expectations

The landscape of college sports is ever-changing, not only in terms of player movement but also in coaching dynamics.

The situation with Ed Reed and Bethune-Cookman University serves as a cautionary tale about program expectations. The school did what you do now if you are an HBCU (historically Black colleges and universities) football program: You look for the next Coach Prime.You see what Deion Sanders did for Jackson State University in the same Southwestern Athletic Conference - bringing electricity and national attention, winning, scoring recruiting and portal prizes, getting on a TV commercial with Nick Saban - and you want some of that.

Reed, like Sanders, is Black, young-ish and a former star player whose raw personality would sing in urban living rooms.

But the school got scared, and bail on Reed before it ever gave him any kind of fair chance. The embarrassment on this mess is on the university like a stain.

Ranking the Teams: A Look at the Top Contenders

Here's a glimpse at the author's ranking of the top teams and their prospects:

1. Texas Longhorns: This is now Arch Manning's team, and he's the best quarterback that the Longhorns have had since Vince Young.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes: The Buckeyes don't rebuild. They reload.
3. Oregon Ducks: Combine a sweetheart schedule with a program that has won 10 or more games across the last five full seasons, and you’re likely to get more of the same.
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: The CJ Carr era begins in earnest with a group of playmakers led by running back Jeremiyah Love and wideouts Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison, who get to drop the "young and hungry" tag for the "experienced and hunting" one.
5. Georgia Bulldogs: Georgia enters 2025 knowing who the starter at quarterback is and feeling good about the future of Gunner Stockton.
6. Clemson Tigers: Dabo Swinney not only returns quarterback Cade Klubnik and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, but he added former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen to his program.
7. Penn State Nittany Lions: Quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and linebacker Dani Dennis-Sutton hope to lead the Nittany Lions back to the CFP after falling just seconds short of earning the chance to play for the national title.
8. LSU Tigers: Not only does Brian Kelly get quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, linebacker Harold Perkins and running back Caden Durham back in 2025, but he also adds nine top-100 transfers, including former Florida State EDGE Patrick Payton, Kentucky receiver Barion Brown and Oklahoma wideout Nic Anderson.
9. Alabama Crimson Tide: The pressure is on Kalen DeBoer to continue that run of success. He must make the CFP in its 12-team format, or Alabama might just ask Nick Saban to return and replace the guy he handpicked.
10. Oklahoma Sooners: John Mateer and Jaydn Ott should form one of the two best QB-RB duos in the SEC behind Manning and Baxter at Texas.
11. Indiana Hoosiers: Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers rewrote the school record book with the program's first 10-win and 11-win season, an appearance in the CFP and just two losses - both to teams who played in the national title game (Ohio State and Notre Dame).
12. Michigan Wolverines: After signing prized recruit Bryce Underwood, the nation’s No. 1 quarterback in the 2025 class, and former Fresno State signal-caller Mikey Keene, Sherrone Moore has two options ready to lift the Wolverines' most worrisome, underperforming position last season.

tags: #former #hbcu #prized #recruit #headed #to

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