FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. – Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Commissioner Sonja Stills joined a panel of distinguished guests at the 2023 US Open Tennis Championships on Wednesday to discuss equity and equality of HBCU tennis, sports, and culture.
 
Stills was among a group of former HBCU athletes and current administrators, including Nicholas Askew (Director of Swimming and Tennis, Howard University), Zack Eveden (Florida A&M graduate and former coach of Francis Tiafoe), and Lance Gross (Actor and former Howard student-athlete), along with host Monica McNutt (ESPN analyst) to shed insight on the current state of HBCU tennis and explore opportunities to increase awareness of diversity initiatives within the sport.
 
Stills said, “Having the opportunity to advocate for sports that don’t always get the chance to be heard and how best to service our talented student-athletes is a discussion that I am always happy to participate in. Today’s conversation continues to emphasize how people from all walks of the sport must be at the table to discuss how we can impact the growth of tennis for anyone and those from everywhere.”
 
In addition to the panel conversation, MEAC athletic directors Alecia Shields-Gadson (Delaware State), Tara A. Owens (Maryland Eastern Shore), Dena Freeman-Patton (Morgan State), Melody Webb (Norfolk State), and Keisha Campbell (South Carolina State) participated in special ceremonial coin tosses before selected matches at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

 
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is in its 53^rd year of intercollegiate competition with the 2023-24 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of eight outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University. For more information about the MEAC, visit www.MEACSports.com.