The University of Maryland suspended its club tennis team indefinitely after racist imagery featuring KKK symbols was discovered in tournament materials sent to Howard University, sparking demands for accountability and a formal investigation.
The image, depicting KKK hoods replacing the Maryland state flag’s coat of arms, was flagged by Howard’s team, which confronted Maryland officials and demanded a public apology, sensitivity training, and a probe into the document’s origins.
Racist Graphic Sparks Outcry and Suspension
The offensive image, described as a recognizable symbol of white supremacy
by Howard University’s tennis club president Toni Rachal, appeared in a shared Google Doc distributed to participating teams. The graphic, which replaced the Crossland coat of arms with KKK hoods, was discovered by Howard’s team during the 2026 Fall Invitational Tournament. Rachal condemned the imagery, stating, The inclusion of this imagery raises fundamental questions: Why was this racist imagery included in the materials, how long has this image been used in UMD documents, and what review process permitted it to remain there?
University of Maryland President Darryll Pines condemned the image, calling it deeply harmful and offensive,
and referred the matter to the Office of Student Conduct. The entire UMD tennis team was suspended pending investigation, and the university required the team to forfeit its tournament matches. Pines also apologized, stating, I offer my apology for its detrimental impact on one and all.
The incident occurred in connection with a tournament hosted by the University of Maryland at College Park in October 2026, where Howard University’s club tennis team traveled to participate. Instead, members of the Howard team encountered the graphic in a shared Google document, which included the KKK symbol beneath the Maryland club’s tennis logo. The Howard team’s statement described the image as a recognizable symbol of white supremacy, organized hate, and violence.
Howard’s Demands and Calls for Accountability
Howard University’s tennis team outlined four specific demands in a statement: a public apology from UMD and its club tennis executive board, an investigation into the document’s creator, sensitivity training for team leaders and advisers, and a donation of tournament funds to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Rachal emphasized, True accountability has yet to come,
criticizing UMD’s apology as “short” and lacking in depth.
The Howard team also highlighted the broader implications of the incident. This matter has been referred to the University of Maryland Police Department for investigation,
said UMD’s statement, while Howard’s team questioned how the image had remained in use for so long. It was not very thoughtful,
Rachal said of UMD’s response, adding, They didn’t take too much accountability.
Frederick reiterated the institution’s stance, stating, There is no place for racism, intimidation, or imagery rooted in hatred and racial violence in collegiate athletics, on our campuses, or anywhere in our society.
Frederick also called for the university to “address harm where it most occurred” and pledged support for students affected by the incident. The Howard team’s statement noted that the incident was not an isolated one, with Maryland club member Camryn Bryant expressing feelings of insecurity and a lack of safety within the team.
Artist’s Role and Historical Context
The graphic in question was created in 2017 by Ottawa-based illustrator Benjamin Jancewicz as part of a blog post examining Confederate symbols in the Maryland state flag. Jancewicz, who had not been aware of the image’s recent use, explained that the original intent was to highlight historical racism in Maryland. It’s clear from the uproar that we still have a lot of work to do,
he said, adding that he had reached out to Howard’s team to clarify the context.
Jancewicz’s image, which was repurposed without its original context, reignited debates about systemic racism in collegiate athletics. He expressed shock at its use as a potential hate symbol.
The image, which replaced the state flag’s coat of arms with KKK hoods, was originally created to critique the Confederate symbolism in Maryland’s flag. Jancewicz noted that the image had been largely forgotten until its recent reuse, stating, The only way to find the illustration is if you search something like ‘racist Maryland Flag.’
Ongoing Investigations and Future Steps
The University of Maryland’s Office of Student Conduct is investigating the incident, with the University of Maryland Police Department also involved. UMD officials stated they are “horrified” and have offered support to Black students on campus, including outreach to Black leaders and sensitivity training for the tennis team.
Howard University’s team, meanwhile, remains engaged in the process. The investigation remains open, with no individual students yet named, while the future of the UMD tennis program remains uncertain.
University of Maryland officials confirmed that the incident may have involved only a few students, but the entire team was suspended pending investigation. The university also referred the two club leaders directly involved to the Office of Student Conduct. Maryland’s director of Recreation and Wellness issued an apology to the club presidents of all participating teams, stating, We are committed to doing all we can to repair the hurt and harm that this has caused, but first we must acknowledge how this incident has impacted our community members who are Black or African American, the Howard Club Tennis team, and our Black students on the Maryland Club Tennis team.
The Howard team’s statement also noted that the incident occurred during a tournament where they had their best result since the program’s inception in 2021. Despite the controversy, the team emphasized that the weekend meant something,
but the harm caused by the racist imagery cannot be overlooked. The university’s actions, including the suspension of the Maryland team and the referral to student conduct, reflect a commitment to accountability, but Howard’s demands for transparency and systemic change remain unresolved.
