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MEAC Announces Basketball Honors Awards

Norfolk State graduate student guard Diamond Johnson was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Year, the conference announced Tuesday evening in the Chrysler Hall during the third annual MEAC BBT Awards.

Saniyah King of Howard was named Rookie of the Year, while Laila Lawrence senior forward from Coppin State earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. Norfolk State's Larry Vickers was named Coach of the Year.

Morgan State's Naya Ojukwu earned Newcomer of the Year, while Norfolk State's Anjanae Richardson was awarded the 6th Player of the Year.

All awards were voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

Johnson was named Player of the Year after earning a total of eight MEAC weekly honors as the Spartans’ leading scorer, averaging 19.2 points per game. She ranked second in the MEAC in assists (4.3) and led the conference in steals per game (3.6), totaling 111 for the season. Johnson also finished second in the conference in field-goal percentage (47.5). She played a pivotal role in two milestone victories for Norfolk State over Auburn and Missouri. Johnson recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds against Auburn and added 17 points and four assists in a victory over Missouri. Nationally, Johnson stands as the only active Division I player with at least 2,000 points, 600 rebounds, 390 assists, and 300 steals. Her performances earned her national recognition as a semifinalist for the 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award and a late-season addition to the Dawn Staley Award watchlist. Johnson helped guide Norfolk State to its first-ever undefeated conference season (14-0) and a perfect 13-0 record at home.

King ranked first amongst rookies in scoring and finished as the second-leading scorer for Howard with 14.4 points per game in MEAC play. She earned MEAC Rookie of the Week honors 11 times and recorded 19 double-digit scoring games, including a career-high 25 points against Morgan State on Feb. 22. King led the MEAC in assists (4.7) and ranked fifth in steals (1.9) per game, helping Howard to a 12-2 conference record and a second-place finish in the standings.

Lawrence a senior from Lewisville, Texas, was one of the conference's most dynamic two-way players this season, earning her second career MEAC Defensive Player of the Year accolade. She finished fourth in the nation with 19 double-doubles and ranked second in the conference in steals per game (2.6). Lawrence recorded a season-high four blocks against NJIT on Dec. 3, 2024, and followed up with a season-high six steals against Maine on Dec. 29, 2024. She also earned five MEAC Defensive Player of the Week awards, two of which included both Defensive Player and Player of the Week honors.

Ojukwu was the second-leading scorer in MEAC play, averaging 16.5 points per game throughout the conference season. She scored in double figures in all but one game and shot an impressive 49 percent from the field. The redshirt freshman recorded seven double-doubles on the season, including a career-high 29 points and 10 rebounds against Howard on Feb. 22. Ojukwu finished fourth in the conference in rebounds per game (9.1) helping Morgan State to a fifth-place finish in the standings.

Richardson was a key contributor to Norfolk State’s dominant season, averaging 10.1 points, 2.1 assists, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Richardson played a pivotal role in the win over William & Mary, scoring 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting. She also set a career-high with 23 points and six assists against Virginia-Lynchburg. Finishing as the team’s third-leading scorer with 304 total points, Richardson recorded 16 double-digit scoring performances for Norfolk State and helped lead her team to an impressive 27-4 record and an undefeated conference season.

Vickers earned the MEAC Coach of the Year honor for the third consecutive season, en route to leading Norfolk State to its third consecutive MEAC regular-season title. Norfolk State finished the MEAC regular season undefeated, marking the first perfect conference record since North Carolina A&T’s 16-0 run in the 2018-2019 season, while also holding the longest active home winning streak in all of Division I at 26 games. Vickers’ team secured two milestone victories etching the 2024-25 season in program history after defeating Missouri (SEC) 57-54 on Nov. 10 and Auburn (SEC) 63-57 on Dec. 29. Norfolk State led the conference in scoring, averaging 75 points per game, while also being the MEAC’s best defensive team, allowing just 57 points per game. Norfolk State received national attention, finishing fifth in the College Insider Mid-Major Women’s Poll and eighth in the Mid-Major World Exposure Report Poll. Vickers, in his ninth season, was named to the Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Watchlist, helping lift the program to its second consecutive 27-win season.

Johnson and Lawrence are joined by Norfolk State's Kierra Wheeler, Howard’s Destiny Howell and Coppin State's Angel Jones as the 2025 All-MEAC First Team.

MEAC Crowns Basketball Champions

Make it three straight season Norfolk State will be dancing after a 68-56 win over number two seed Howard.

Sparked by Kierra Wheeler who led the Spartans in scoring with 19 points while adding eight rebounds and led the team six blocks and four steals, the number one seed also had two more players score double digits with Diamond Johnson's 16 and Da'Brya Clark adding 10.

Norfolk State led 20-14 at the end of the first quarter.

The start of the second quarter saw Howard score 10 unanswered points to take a 23-20 lead, Norfolk State would 9-3 in the remining time on the clock, with the horn sounding ending the first half the Spartans reclaimed the lead 29-26.

The Spartans would outsscore th Bison's 16-6 in the critical third quarter. Norfolk State would lead heading into the final quarter 45-32

With 2:55 left on the game clock Howard cut the Norfolk State to seven, 58-51, however the Spartans refused to youeild the lead to claim the championship.

Makoye Diawara paced the Spartans with nine rebounds, Norfolk State's Niya Fields dished out a team high seven assist

Zenonia Thomas led the Bison with 19 points and eight rebounds, Destiny Howell's state sheet read 12 points, five assists.

Head coach Larry Vickers and his team will learn their first-round opponent during Sunday’s selection show at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Vickers expressed his excitement about returning to the NCAA Tournament as well as the importance of limiting mistakes on the national stage. “We have been in this position before, and we have faced strong competition throughout the season,” Vickers said. “This time, we need to avoid costly mistakes that could make it difficult to win. Against Howard, we allowed them to start fast in all three matchups before making second-half adjustments. Our veterans, including Diamond (Johnson) and Kierra (Wheeler), played a crucial role in securing this championship. We expect to be champions.”

Ty Grace of Howard stated “First, I want to give credit to Norfolk State. Coach Vickers has done a phenomenal job with his teams over the years,” Grace said. “I have to admit, I’m tired of coming so close in this tournament.” “I also want to highlight Saniyah King,” Grace added. “She is one of the best point guards I’ve seen in this league during my nine years at Howard. She had a tough couple of games here, but she will bounce back.”

2025 Women’s Basketball All-Tournament team

Tournament Outstanding Player - Kierra Wheeler, Norfolk State
Tournament Outstanding Coach - Larry Vickers, Norfolk State

Kierra Wheeler, Norfolk State
Diamond Johnson, Norfolk State
Destiny Howell, Howard
Zennia Thomas, Howard
Laila Lawrence, Coppin State

MEAC Basketball Players of the Week

Norfolk State guard Diamond Johnson was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player and Defensive Player of the Week, while North Carolina Central’s Shakiria Foster earned Rookie of the Week honors.

Johnson (G, 5-5, Gr., Philadelphia, Pa.) led the Spartans to a 2-0 record, averaging 22.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 5.5 steals. In the victory over North Carolina Central, she recorded 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists and six steals. Johnson followed with 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals in the win over Howard, securing the No. 1 seed and the regular season championship for Norfolk State.

Foster (G, 5-8, Fr., Barnesville, Ga.) averaged 7.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists during a 1-1 week for the Eagles. Against Norfolk State, she tallied 11 points, six rebounds and two assists. In the 68-63 win over South Carolina State, Foster finished with four points, six rebounds and three assists.

Other Top Performers

  • Laila Lawrence (CSU) averaged 18.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.0 steals in a 1-1 week for Coppin State.

  • Ericka Huggins (DSU) totaled 10 rebounds, three blocks and six steals for Delaware State.

  • Kiarra McElrath (DSU) posted 14.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in a 0-2 week for the Hornets.

  • Destiny Howell (HU) averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.0 steals in a 1-1 week for the Bison.

  • Nile Miller (HU) tallied 12 points, 19 rebounds, four blocks and two steals for Howard.

  • Naya Ojukwu (MSU) averaged 14.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and 2.0 steals per game in a 2-0 week for the Bears.

  • Morgan Callahan (NCCU) averaged 11.0 points, 14 .0 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks while recording a career-high 18 rebounds and 22 points in the win over South Carolina State.