Three Florida A&M University (FAMU) students, Charmiana Delphonse, Rowan Mumford and Darnell Walker-Jones, have been named second-place winners of the national Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Production Grant competition for their documentary “Tough Leather,” which highlights the legacy and impact of former FAMU Softball Coach and Hall of Famer Veronica Wiggins. The competitive grant awards $40,000 in total to HBCU production teams nationwide. FAMU took home $10,000 from the grant pool.
The HBCU initiative, administered by the Foundation of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), honors students every year at the Sports Emmys awards who are shaping the next generation of sports media and amplify the voices, pride and powerful legacies of athletic programs representing historically Black colleges and universities from across the U.S.
HBCU Talent on Display
This year’s Sports Emmys award ceremony, held on May 26, was hosted by comedian, author, actor and award-winning producer Roy Wood Jr., a 2001 broadcast journalism graduate of the FAMU School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (SJGC).
From left: "Tough Leather" Co-Director Darnell Walker-Jones from West Palm Beach; Director of Photography Rowan Mumford from Bowie, Maryland; and Co-Director Charmiana Delphonse from Miami-Dade County.
Delphonse and Mumford, junior journalism students, and Walker-Jones, a junior English student, were in attendance, accompanied by their advisor, Edward Thomas, the director of FAMU TV-20. They had the opportunity to see a segment of their documentary on screen during the program and to receive encouraging words from Wood and Stephanie Eaddy, Coca-Cola North America’s cultural marketing lead. Fellow HBCU grant winners from Morehouse College (first place) and Delaware State University (third place) were also recognized.
“HBCUs are packed with the hardest-working and the most outstanding talent you can find. And this grant is an incredible way to make sure those students are both seen and rewarded,” Wood said.
Eaddy added that this year’s winners were chosen from a record number of submissions, including new HBCU participants.
“We were thrilled to see such excitement from students across the country,” she said. “Needless to say, the videos and essays were exceptional. We saw so much truly wonderful work.”
This year’s winning entry from FAMU was produced and co-directed by Delphonse. Walker-Jones also served as co-director and editor. Mumford served as director of photography. Walker-Jones and Mumford are returning members of the team, as their contribution to the doc “Bullet” about famed Rattler and Olympian Bob Hayes won finalist recognition in 2025.
FAMU’s team placed first in the competition in 2024 for the film “Field Trip” about Rattler and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ken Riley, which Walker-Jones was also a part of. Rattlers also won the competition in 2023.
Emerging producers and Rattlers Jonathan David and Lawrence Goss won their first Sports Emmys.
This year’s win also represented a full-circle moment as 2024 broadcast journalism graduate Jonathan David, who was a member of the 2023 and 2024 production teams, won his first Emmy as a professional during the ceremony. He contributed as an associate producer to the Outstanding Sports Documentary Series: Serialized winner, “Quarterback,” on Netflix, produced by NFL Films, Omaha Productions, and 2PM Productions.
Another FAMU alum and 2024 broadcast journalism graduate, Lawrence Goss, also won his first Sports Emmy as an associate producer for Outstanding Sports Studio Show: Limited Run “Road to the Final Four” on CBS and TNT. Goss’s background in sports media began as a sportswriter and anchor for FAMU SJGC platforms like The FAMUAN and FAMU-TV 20.
Inside the Documentary That Honors an HBCU Sports Trailblazer
Coach Veronica Wiggins is recognized among the softball community for her passion, tenacity, and commitment to player development during her historic tenure.
In “Tough Leather,” which opens with FAMU SJGC alumna Tiffany Greene, a pioneering play-by-play commentator for ESPN reporting from the Rattler Softball Complex, now named in Wiggins’ honor, the documentary’s star offers commentary on how her early beginnings shaped her journey not only in softball but also as a community matriarch. Special appearances from family members, childhood teammates, mentees, and former players are also included. FAMU alum and former university sports information director Vaughn Wilson provided archival footage for the film.
The film showcases the faith, humility and servant leadership that has become synonymous with Wiggins’ name, while exploring what made her into a history-making former coach with 13 MEAC championships, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, more than 700 wins, five MEAC Coach of the Year awards, 13 Outstanding MEAC Tournament Coach awards, and Hall of Fame honors from both FAMU (2006) and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (2026).
Delphonse said that, in researching the project, she and the team were amazed at how Wiggins accomplished so much in her 30-year tenure at just one HBCU, noting that as Thomas, their advisor, encouraged them to dig deeper, the story behind that longevity was the perfect subject for this year’s competition theme, “impact beyond the field.”
“We felt compelled to tell the story of this woman with the big smile and genuine spirit,” she said. “It’s important that people, especially women of color in sports, look into Wiggins’ story to understand how she shaped such a dominant team.”
For Walker-Jones, FAMU returning to the Sports Emmys to be recognized among the best HBCU storytellers in the country year after year holds deep meaning.
“To have three projects now that I’ve given pieces of myself to each be recognized by such dominant organizations in the entertainment field reinforces that these are not simply ‘student films,’ but narratives that can grow the perceptions of modern-day giants in our community,” he said.
Mumford, who also learned during the live Sports Emmys broadcast that his talents had earned him the selection of being named an inaugural Coca-Cola–TNT Sports intern for the summer, said participating in the competition and returning to the FAMU team is about a duty to ensure current and future generations understand the rich contributions and influence that live on HBCU campuses.
“There is so much history, talent and success within HBCU sports,” he said. “As HBCU students, journalists and storytellers, it is our responsibility to uplift and highlight the important stories and people who have touched so many lives. If these stories are still unknown by students who walk the campus, how can we expect the rest of the world to know them?”
Reflecting on a Legacy That Inspired Champions
Wiggins said she was honored that the students chose her as their subject for the film. She noted that it was the perfect way to commemorate another moment in FAMU softball’s legacy, as the 2026 team recently brought home the SWAC Championship title.
“I was overwhelmed, surprised, full of joy, and thankful to God that they considered me,” she said. “The students were so professional and patient and made me feel truly honored. We won the SWAC this year and added to our 13 previous conference championships, so this recognition means the world. I am also thankful for the journalism department for developing such bright young people,” Wiggins said.
Brittany Beall, current FAMU softball coach who led this year’s team to victory, says Wiggins being honored in “Tough Leather” is also a celebration of every player and up-and-coming coach she has supported and inspired.
“To be able to walk in her footsteps and carry that legacy on is truly an honor and a blessing,” she said. “Seeing her receive her flowers now means a lot to me, and it means everything to our past and present players.”
Beall also applauded programs like the Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Production Grant for helping to expose the commitment, dedication and resilience of the HBCU sports community: “Now you’re getting to see what goes into the preparation of a season, what goes into the preparation of student athletes and all the things that come with it.”
Stay tuned for more on how to view the documentary and additional FAMU alumni who won professional honors during the Emmys.
View the 2026 Sports Emmys ceremony here.
View the HBCU Grant Sports Emmys segment and learn more about the program here.
Learn about FAMU’s past winning teams and the Sports Emmys impact here.
View the winners announcement post featuring Roy Wood Jr. on Instagram.
