The 16th-seeded Howard Bison made history on Tuesday, as the program notched its first-ever win in the NCAA Tournament.
It was a night to remember for everyone in the Bison program, including head coach Kenny Blakeney, whose daughter adorably made sure the family had a memento of the 86-83 victory over the No. 16 seed UMBC Retrievers in the First Four Round.
After the 54-year-old Blakeney finished speaking with the media in the postgame press conference, his daughter, Naomi, took the coach’s placard with her.
Here’s the video of that moment.
A sweet moment after @HUMensBB’s postgame presser:
— Melissa Y. Kim (@melissaykim) March 18, 2026
HC Kenny Blakeney’s daughter Naomi (who btw is an excellent on cam interview) grabs her dad’s name placard as a memento of this HISTORIC day for Howard. pic.twitter.com/ZsELejseVE
Even at such a young age, the gravity of what her dad and his team accomplished at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, was seemingly clear to her. She may have to start planning what to take next if Howard pulls off a March Madness stunner on Thursday, when the Bison face the No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
But whatever happens in that game, which likely will end in a loss for Howard, Blakeney will always have the claim as the first coach ever to lead the Bison to a March Madness win.
Howard got its ticket to the 2026 NCAA Tournament after winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament. The Bison also won the league’s regular-season title with a 24-10 record.
