BALTIMORE, MD/February 27, 2026 - Otis Stroud was the voice of the Johnson C. Smith University Golden Bulls for nearly fifty years, 1977-2025. The voice echoed throughout the Eddie McGirt Field and across the court of the Brayboy Gymnasium. It was deep, resonant, and resolute: scoring history-in-action. At the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Stroud energized crowds, calling championship games for more than 30 years, turning competitive matchups into near cinematic experiences: action-packed, dramatic and consequential.
Otis Stroud is a heralded JCSU alumnus, Class of 1981. As a student beginning in 1977, Stroud used the mic as a megaphone. This was the dawn of the Jimmy Carter administration, the emergence of Saturday Night Fever and Star Wars on the silver screen and Alex Haley's Roots on TV. Stroud exploded onto the scene at JCSU during the Middle East energy crisis and in the wake of the USA's bicentennial celebration. He began his craft early, finding his destiny in the press box as a teen. He was Johnson C. Smith University's maverick, a student sports announcer for basketball first, pursuing a calling that became a legendary career. His voice captured how the world saw JCSU CIAA basketball championship wins in 2001, 2008 and 2009.
In the 1980s, Stroud began calling JCSU football games from the Eddie McGirt Field and the rest is history.
"I'm a 1981 graduate of Johnson C. Smith University," Stroud said. "Today is certainly an honor and a privilege to be inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame."
During the fireside chat with CIAA Commissioner, Jacqie McWilliams Parker on February 27, 2026, Stroud reflected on his gift, the voice. "It is a gift from God," he confessed humbly.
It is a voice as smooth as silk that carried the Golden Bulls across the goal line. Let the scoreboard flash the win:
"Many people have blazed a trail, and to be honored by this conference is one of the ultimate goals in my career," Stroud expressed.
During the CIAA Hall-of-Fame Induction Breakfast in Baltimore, Stroud received a standing ovation by a gallery of peers, coaches, students, fellow athletes and administrators. Also in attendance, Stroud's family in kinship and his family in professional connection from JCSU.
President Valerie Kinloch, Ph.D. was thrilled to witness the honor as Stroud was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame.
“Otis Stroud’s recognition today is yet another testament to the transformative era unfolding at Johnson C. Smith University — across academics and athletics alike. To see him honored by the CIAA as a Hall of Famer after 43 years as the voice of JCSU is profoundly significant. His journey provides a powerful blueprint for what becomes possible when talent is nurtured and opportunity is sustained. I am thrilled and deeply proud. And, for us, this moment is not an ending — it is a beginning.”
JCSU's Chief Operating Officer and Director of Athletics, Dr. Denisha Hendricks offered words of celebration, as well.
"This is a beautiful and bittersweet moment for our community. We are both joyful and saddened as we honor his retirement, but most importantly, we wanted to give him his flowers while he can truly feel the love, gratitude, and appreciation we hold for him. Mr. Stroud’s dedication, sacrifice, and unmistakable voice have elevated athletics at Johnson C. Smith University and across the CIAA. His legacy will forever echo through our stadiums, our history, and our hearts.”
In nearly five decades of work with the Golden Bulls, Stroud has witnessed the highs and lows of competitive collegiate athletics. From the trailblazing journey he extracts wisdom for the next generation .
"Prepare yourself prior to whatever event you're going to do. Be committed to the craft."
Stroud drops the mic as a champion. The culmination of his decorated career is punctuated by a JCSU CIAA football championship trophy and now this: induction into the CIAA Hall of Fame. The voice of Otis Stroud will continue to resonate in Golden Bulls' collective memory: bold, deep, and powerful.
