NORFOLK, Va., Oct. 26, 2023 – Howard senior guard Destiny Howell was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year, presented by TowneBank, the conference announced today. Norfolk State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the MEAC.
All awards were voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.
Howell, the reigning MEAC Player of the Year and the 2022 MEAC Basketball Tournament Outstanding Performer, appeared in 28 games for the Bison during the 2022-23 season, collecting 471 points for a 16.82 per-game average to lead the MEAC in both statistical categories. The senior guard tallied 107 rebounds, 54 assists, 29 steals, and 16 blocks while shooting 40.23% from the field. Howell collected 21 double-digit games with 11 games over 20 or more points and three with 30-plus, including a career-high 35 at VCU on Dec. 28, 2022.
Defending MEAC champion Norfolk State picked up 12 of 16 first-place votes to earn preseason favorite recognition. The Bison of Howard picked up two first-place votes to earn second-place rankings. The Spartans were predicted to finish third, with a one-point separation from tying Howard in the poll. Morgan State and Maryland Eastern Shore were picked to finish third and fourth, respectively, as each school received one first-place vote.
Coppin State, North Carolina Central, Delaware State, and South Carolina State rounded out the predicted order of finish.
Joining Howell on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Norfolk State's Kierra Wheeler, Coppin State's Mossi Staples, Maryland Eastern Shore's Zamara Haynes, and N.C. Central's Kimeira Burks.
The 2024 MEAC Basketball Tournament will be held March 13-16 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.
2023-24 Women's Basketball MEAC Preseason All-Conference
Preseason Player of the Year: Destiny Howell, Howard
First Team
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Yr.
|
Ht.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Destiny Howell
|
G
|
Sr.
|
6'0"
|
Howard
|
Queens, N.Y.
|
|
Kierra Wheeler
|
F
|
Jr.
|
6'1"
|
Norfolk State
|
Minneapolis, Minn.
|
|
Mossi Staples
|
G
|
R-Sr.
|
5'7"
|
Coppin State
|
Fort Washington, Md.
|
|
Zamara Haynes
|
G
|
Sr.
|
5'7"
|
Maryland E. Shore
|
Philadelphia, Pa.
|
|
Kimeira Burks
|
G
|
R-Sr.
|
5'8"
|
N.C. Central
|
Chicago, Ill.
|
Second Team
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Yr.
|
Ht.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Kaniyah Harris
|
G
|
Sr.
|
5'10"
|
Howard
|
Capital Heights, Md.
|
|
Niya Fields
|
G
|
Jr.
|
5'8"
|
Norfolk State
|
Peekskill, N.Y.
|
|
Savannah Brooks
|
G/F
|
So.
|
5'9"
|
Delaware State
|
Taneytown, Md.
|
|
Iyanna Warren
|
G
|
Sr.
|
5'3"
|
Howard
|
Accokeek, Md.
|
|
Gabrielle Johnson
|
G
|
So.
|
5'8"
|
Morgan State
|
Baltimore, Md.
|
Third Team
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Yr.
|
Ht.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Aniya Finger
|
F
|
R-Jr.
|
6'1"
|
N.C. Central
|
Charlotte, N.C.
|
|
Faith Blackstone
|
G
|
R-Jr.
|
6'0"
|
Coppin State
|
Harrisburg, Pa.
|
|
Makoye Diawara
|
F
|
Jr.
|
6'0"
|
Norfolk State
|
Bayonne, N.J.
|
|
Morgan Callahan
|
F
|
R-Jr.
|
6'1"
|
N.C. Central
|
Beach Park, Ill.
|
|
Da'naijah Williams
|
G
|
Jr.
|
5'9"
|
Norfolk State
|
Brooklyn, N.Y.
|
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
|
School (First-Place Votes)
|
Points
|
|
1. Norfolk State (12)
|
115
|
|
2. Howard (2)
|
114
|
|
3. Morgan State (1)
|
86
|
|
4. Maryland Eastern Shore (1)
|
67
|
|
5. Coppin State
|
64
|
|
6. North Carolina Central
|
54
|
|
7. Delaware State
|
43
|
|
8. South Carolina State
|
18
|