Women's Basketball | 3/11/2026 2:03:08 AM
NORFOLK, Va., March 11, 2026 — Howard senior forward Zennia Thomas was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Year; the conference announced Tuesday evening in the Chrysler Hall during the fourth annual MEAC BBT Awards presented by Wells Fargo.
Ariella Henigan of Howard was named Rookie of the Year, while
Jasha Clinton graduate student from Norfolk State earned Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Howard’s Ty Grace was named Coach of the Year.
Coppin State's Khila Morris earned Newcomer of the Year, while
Maryland Eastern Shore’s Brianna Barnes was awarded the 6th Player of the Year.
All awards were voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Thomas was named Player of the Year after leading the MEAC in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game while also contributing 7.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per contest. Her performance helped guide the Bison to an impressive 23–7 overall record and a 13–1 mark in conference play. The senior from Cleveland, Ohio delivered one of her strongest performances of the season on Nov. 17, 2025, when she scored 25 points in just 28 minutes against Virginia Commonwealth University. Over the course of the season, Thomas recorded nine double-doubles and led the MEAC in both scoring and rebounding. She also averaged 1.1 blocks per game, ranking second in the conference.
Henigan played in 28 games, 21 starts, and led all rookies in scoring averaging 8.5 points per game while also contributing 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Her best performance came against Morgan State, where she scored 21 points, grabbed five rebounds, and added two steals. Henigan ranks third in the MEAC in free-throw percentage at .798, including a strong finish, going a near-perfect 19-for-20 in her final two contests, to solidify Howard’s hold as the No. 1 seed in the tournament.
Clinton, a graduate student from Virginia Beach, earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the conference in steals this season. She recorded 100 steals on the year and had at least one steal in all 29 games she played. Along with her defensive dominance, Clinton added 11 blocks and 285 points, proving to be one of the most elite two-way players in the conference. Her best defensive outing came against the University of the District of Columbia, where she recorded nine steals to go along with 23 points, four assists, and one block. In her 29 games played, Clinton recorded five or more steals in five games and had at least three steals in 21 contests. She also helped lead Norfolk State to the top defensive ranking in the MEAC, as the team allowed just 59.0 points per game this season.
Morris was the fourth-leading scorer in MEAC play, averaging 12.9 points per contest along with 4.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists across 31 games for the Eagles. On Jan. 3, 2026, against Delaware State, Morris delivered her best performance of the season with a 26-point, 13-rebound double-double. She scored 20 or more points in five contests and established herself as one of the top rebounding guards in the conference, recording 12 games with five or more rebounds. For the season, Morris totaled 399 points, 52 steals, and 93 assists.
Barnes was a key contributor to Maryland Eastern Shore’s breakout season, averaging 10.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Earlier in the season, she made a major impact in a 70–67 victory over Loyola Chicago, recording 20 points, five rebounds, and two steals. Barnes finished second on the team in scoring (309 total points), while adding 127 rebounds and 38 assists this season.
Grace earned MEAC Coach of the Year honors after leading the Bison to a 23–7 overall record, including a 13–1 mark in conference play, the program’s best conference record since the 2011–12 season. In her 11th season at the helm, she guided Howard to the top offense in the MEAC, averaging 67.2 points per game, while also fielding the conference’s second-best defense, allowing just 61.3 points per contest. Howard’s season was highlighted by key wins over Providence, Cincinnati, and Hampton, and the Bison enter the tournament riding an 11-game winning streak.
The 2026 MEAC Basketball Tournament begins Wednesday, March 11, and runs through Saturday, March 14, at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va. All preliminary games will air live on ESPN+ and the women's championship game will broadcast live on ESPNews.
For more information visit
www.meachoops.com.
2025-26 Women's Basketball All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the conference's head women's basketball coaches and sports information directors.
Player of the Year: Zennia Thomas, Howard
Rookie of the Year: Ariella Henigan, Howard
Defensive Player of the Year: Jasha Clinton, Norfolk State
Newcomer of the Year: Khila Morris, Coppin State
Sixth Player of the Year: Brianna Barnes, Maryland Eastern Shore
Coach of the Year: Ty Grace, Howard
First-Team All-MEAC
Zennia Thomas, Howard
Da’Brya Clark, Norfolk State
Khila Morris, Coppin State
Ashanti Lynch, Maryland Eastern Shore
Zoe Stewart, Howard
Second-Team All-MEAC
Jasha Clinton, Norfolk State
Anjanae Richardson, Norfolk State
Aniya Finger, North Carolina Central
Morgan Callahan, North Carolina Central
Nile Miller, Howard
All-Rookie Team
Amya Scott, Delaware State
Kaliya Perry, Maryland Eastern Shore
Ariella Henigan, Howard
Desi Taylor, Maryland Eastern Shore
Liliana Harrison, Delaware State
All-Defensive Team
Zennia Thomas, Howard
Jasha Clinton, Norfolk State
Nile Miller, Howard
Ashanti Lynch, Maryland Eastern Shore
Da’Brya Clark, Norfolk State