Courtesy of Courtesy of Katrina Wiggins, Howard University Athletics
The swim meet that started a media frenzy between the Georgetown Hoyas and Howard Bison is on the calendar. The revolutionary “Battle At The Burr II” is scheduled to take place Saturday, October 7, 2023 inside Burr Gymnasium on the campus of the fabled Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Last year’s inaugural event catapulted the Howard Swimming & Diving Team and their HU Hall of Fame coach, Nicholas Askew, into the national spotlight. The team cemented its place in history as the first ever HBCU swim team to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.
Oh, and did we mention that the HU Men’s team won the Northeast Conference (NEC) championship?
Howard is the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) with a swimming and diving team. The initial Battle At The Burr, with 1200 people in attendance, brought awareness and new kind of hype to the sport.
This year’s event will provide double the fanfare and double the fun, complete with a DJ, dancers, celebrity appearances and a few surprises that the team does not want to give away.
“We’re here to showcase our teams, but also put competitive swimming and diving on the map,” says Askew.
And indeed, they have! Featured on media outlets, such as NBC Nightly News, ESPN and BET along with stories in the Washington Post, Black Enterprise and News Break, the HU Swimming & Diving program is definitely leaving their mark on the sport.
Just like last year, the Battle At The Burr II is a party with a purpose. The event will serve as a major fundraiser for the team, as they look to replace outdated equipment and fund student scholarships.
Tickets for the Battle At The Burr II go on sale on August 15, 2023. Visit https://howard.universitytickets.com to purchase.
