Stephen Curry-backed golf teams make history with women's first NEC title and men's third win

A chance meeting with a university student seven years ago led to a major change in Howard University's golf programme. The journey reached a historic moment in 2026, when both the men's and women's teams won their conference championships. The Howard Bison women's golf team won its first-ever Northeast Conference (NEC) championship in April 2026. Just days later, the men's team secured its third consecutive NEC title. The two victories marked a major achievement for a Division I golf programme that did not exist until NBA superstar Stephen Curry provided six years of financial support. The historic wins also helped Howard University Director of Golf Sam Puryear earn the 2025–2026 HBCU Coach of the Year award, as reported by Howard University's official publication, The Dig.Chance meeting on campusThe story behind the championship teams began in early 2019, when Curry visited Howard University's campus. Otis Ferguson IV, a senior student at Howard and a keen golfer, approached the Golden State Warriors star. He told Curry about his unsuccessful efforts to convince the university to create an official golf team. According to The Dig at Howard University, the university had previousl...