Nakia Cheatham and Kiarra Henderson from Alcorn Women's Basketball will compete in the 2026 HBCU All-Star Dream Classic at Rucker Park, New York, on August 8. This marks their first appearance in the HBCU All-Star Dream Classic, now celebrating its fifth year, showcasing elite talents from HBCU basketball programs. Cheatham, a graduate student and SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, led the Braves with 411 points and 242 rebounds during the 2025-26 season. Henderson, a senior, contributed 321 points and 192 rebounds, being the second-highest scorer on the team.

By the Numbers
  • Nakia Cheatham: 411 points (13.3 ppg), 242 rebounds (7.8 rpg), 9 double-doubles.
  • Kiarra Henderson: 321 points (10.4 ppg), 192 rebounds (6.2 rpg), 20 blocked shots.
State of Play
  • The HBCU All-Star Dream Classic will showcase 40 top players from HBCUs.
  • The women's game starts at 4:30 p.m. ET, followed by the men's at 6:30 p.m. ET.
What's Next

Anticipation builds as Cheatham and Henderson prepare to make their mark during the Dream Classic, potentially elevating their profiles for future opportunities in professional basketball.

Bottom Line

The inclusion of Cheatham and Henderson in the HBCU All-Star Dream Classic highlights the impressive talent emerging from Alcorn State, reinforcing the importance of HBCU athletics in the national sports landscape.