NORFOLK, Va. – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) uncovered its women’s basketball preseason honors where Howard University was projected to finish first in the league’s preseason poll. The announcement came Tuesday during the conference’s media day.
HU recorded 117 points with five first-place votes. Last season, Howard reached the MEAC Title game for the fourth consecutive year while going 10-4 in league play.
Howard and Norfolk State (NSU) were picked to share the regular season crown.
Additionally, the conference unveiled its individual preseason accolades where four Bison were recognized.
BOXTOROW HBCU All-Americans graduate Destiny Howell (Queens, N.Y.) and redshirt sophomore Tyana Walker (Leawood, Kan.) were named to the preseason All-MEAC First Team.
Before suffering a season-ending injury, Howell won the 2022-23 MEAC Player of the Year award after leading the league with 16.8 points per game. In that same season, she had three 30-point performances, including 35 points at A-10 foe VCU (Dec. 28, 2022).
In her first full season of action, Walker became the fifth Bison in program history to win the illustrious MEAC Rookie of the Year award. She was also named to the All-MEAC First Team and All-Rookie Team.
Graduate forward Kaiya Creek (Seat Pleasant, Md.) was selected to the preseason All-MEAC Second Team. The Maryland native shot 36-percent from downtown a year ago, which ranked third in the league.
Third-year Bison Nile Miller (Haddonfield, N.J.) rounded out the squad, earning a spot on the preseason All-MEAC Third Team. Last season, she ranked among the conference leaders in several categories while making the All-Defensive Team.
NSU’s Diamond Johnson was named MEAC Preseason Player of the Year.
All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
On Nov. 4, HU opens the new season in Tallahassee, Fla., against former MEAC rival Florida A&M.
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Norfolk State, the two-time defending MEAC regular season and tournament champions, tied with Howard in the MEAC’s predicted order of finish, earning five preseason conference accolades including Preseason Player of the Year
Diamond Johnson.Johnson and
Kierra Wheeler earned All-MEAC First Team honors,
Niya Fields received a second-team nod, while
Anjanae Richardson landed on the third team.
The poll is voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Norfolk State finished ahead in the tie for first with Howard in the predicted team standings. Both teams received 117 points, however, NSU received 11 first-place votes, while Howard amassed five first-place votes.
Johnson received several honors last season that included MEAC Newcomer of the year, All-MEAC First Team, All-MEAC Defensive Team, BOXTROW HBSCU Impact Award, and BOXTROW HBCU All-America First team selection. She averaged 20.2 points per game, bringing in 5.4 rebounds per game. Johnson also averaged 3.8 steals and 2.9 assists per game.
Wheeler returns after being named MEAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year last season. She also assumed BOXTROW HBCU Player of the Year All-MEAC First Team and All-MEAC Defensive team honors. Wheeler averaged 17.6 points per game and 9.7 rebounds. She also recorded 1.6 blocks per game, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 assists.
Fields returns to the Spartans after she led the MEAC in assists (4.0 per game), total assists (132), and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.12). She also averaged 6.4 points per game, 2.5 steals and 2.5 rebounds. Fields earned All-MEAC Second Team honors following the season.
Richardson enters her second season in a Spartan uniform, following a MEAC All-Rookie selection last season. She averaged 7.1 points per game and brought in 1.4 rebounds. Richardson also averaged 1.1 assists and 1.1 steals.
Norfolk State opens its 2024-25 campaign against William & Mary on Monday, Nov. 4 inside of Echols Hall.
