The Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls are the athletic teams that represent Johnson C. Smith University, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, in intercollegiate sports at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association since 1926.
Conference affiliations NCAA Independent (1892–1925) Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1926–present)
Varsity teams Basketball Basketball Cross country Bowling Football Cross country Golf Softball Tennis Tennis Track and field† Track and field† Volleyball
Basketball
In 2001 the men's basketball team won the CIAA Basketball Tournament and advanced to the Division II Elite Eight. In 2006 the men's and women's basketball teams were the CIAA Western Division Champions and the Tournament Runners-up. In 2007 the men's basketball team were the 2007 CIAA Western Division Champions. In 2008 the men's basketball team won the 2008 CIAA Men's Basketball Championship. In 2009 the men's and women's basketball team won the 2009 CIAA basketball championship. Sports Illustrated named its venue "One of the Loudest Gymnasiums in the Country."
Football Commemorative Classic: "The Birth of Black College Football" On December 27, 1892, Livingstone College and Biddle College, (Johnson C. Smith) University played in the snows of Salisbury, North Carolina, just two days after Christmas. A writer of a story in the 1930 year-book of Livingstone College provided a glimpse of that December experience when the team from Biddle Institute traveled to Livingstone's Old Delta Grove campus in Salisbury to play while writers recorded the results of a historic moment in sports history.
According to historian T.M. Martin, the men of Biddle spent two years studying and practicing the sport of football. In 1892, they challenged the men of Livingstone, whose team was formally organized in the fall of that year.
Bowl games Johnson C. Smith has made seven bowl game appearances, winning four and losing three. After an initial appearance in a postseason contest in the 1942 Flower Bowl against Lane College in a shutout, 13–0.
Date Bowl W/L Opponent PF PA January 1, 1942 Flower Bowl W Lane 13 0 January 1, 1946 Cotton-Tobacco Bowl W Allen 18 6 December 7, 1946 Pecan Bowl L South Carolina NIA&M 6 13 December 3, 1949 Iodine Bowl W Allen 20 12 December 2, 2006 Pioneer Bowl L Tuskegee 7 17 December 3, 2011 Pioneer Bowl W Miles 35 33 December 13, 2023 Florida Beach Bowl L Fort Valley State 10 23 Total 7 bowl games 4–3 109 104
NCAA Division II playoffs The Golden Bulls have made one appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 0–1.
2025 First Round Frostburg State L, 7–21
Notable alumni Baseball
Mickey Casey Bun Hayes Clarence Lindsay William Lindsay Steel Arm Johnny Taylor Orval Tucker
Basketball
Tyrone Britt Quentin Hillsman Edward Joyner Earl Manigault Fred "Curly" Neal Trevin Parks James "Twiggy" Sanders Draff Young
Football
Gregory Clifton Tim Beamer Jack S. Brayboy Grover Covington Bill Davis De'Audra Dix Bill Dusenbery Chet Grimsley Tim Harkness Benny Johnson Harris Jones Eddie McGirt Pettis Norman Reggie Sullivan John Taylor John Terry Bob Wells Emanuel Wilson
Track and field
Leford Green Vincent Matthews Danielle Williams Shermaine Williams
References
External links