NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State women's basketball team was predicted to finish third in the MEAC this season in the preseason poll of head coaches and sports information directors released by the league on Thursday.
In addition, graduate student guard
Armani Franklin was voted to the preseason All-MEAC second team.
Franklin averaged career highs of 8.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game last year. She also averaged 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game and shot 72.2 percent from the free-throw line, also a career-best mark. She ranked in the top 15 in the MEAC in assists, steals, free-throw percentage, offensive rebounds and minutes per game.
Howard was chosen as the preseason favorite, with eight first-place votes. Morgan State (four first-place votes) was second, followed by NSU in third. North Carolina Central, Maryland Eastern Shore, Coppin State, Delaware State and South Carolina State rounded out the poll in fourth through eighth places, respectively.
The Spartans welcome back four returners from last year's team which advanced to the MEAC semifinals for the third straight season. NSU will debut 10 newcomers this year.
MEACÂ PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Preseason Player of the Year: Dahnye Redd, Morgan State
Preseason First Team
| Name |
Pos. |
Class |
Ht. |
School |
Hometown |
| Aliyah Lawson |
G |
R-Jr. |
5-7 |
Coppin State |
Ontario, Canada |
| Anzhane' Hutton |
F |
So. |
6-0 |
Howard |
Cedar Hill, Texas |
| Ja'Niah Henson |
G |
Jr. |
5-3 |
Morgan State |
Baltimore, Md. |
| Ashia McCalla |
G |
Sr. |
5-6 |
Morgan State |
Greenbelt, Md. |
| Dahnye Redd |
F |
Gr. |
5-11 |
Morgan State |
Darby, Pa. |
Preseason Second Team
| Name |
Pos. |
Class |
Ht. |
School |
Hometown |
| Jalynda Salley |
C |
R-Jr. |
6-4 |
Coppin State |
Reynoldsburg, Ohio |
| Kaiya Creek |
F |
So. |
5-10 |
Howard |
Seat Pleasant, Md. |
| Iyanna Warren |
G |
Jr. |
5-3 |
Howard |
Accokeek, Md. |
| Armani Franklin |
G |
Gr. |
5-5 |
Norfolk State |
Hampton, Va. |
| Trinity Klock |
F |
So. |
5-11 |
S.C. State |
Silver Spring, Md. |
Preseason Third Team
| Name |
Pos. |
Class |
Ht. |
School |
Hometown |
| Janasia Law |
G |
R-Sr. |
5-5 |
Delaware State |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Brooklyn Bailey |
G |
Sr. |
5-4 |
Md. Eastern Shore |
Rock Hill, S.C. |
| Bairesha Gill-Miles |
F |
Gr. |
6-0 |
Md. Eastern Shore |
Lexington, Ky. |
| Adia Brisker |
G |
Jr. |
5-7 |
Morgan State |
Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| Necole Hope |
G |
Sr. |
5-10 |
N.C. Central |
Waldorf, Md. |
Predicted Order of Finish
| School (First-Place Votes |
Points |
| 1. Howard (8) |
113 |
| 2. Morgan State (4)Â Â Â Â |
108 |
| 3. Norfolk State |
91 |
| 4. North Carolina Central |
77 |
| 5. Maryland Eastern Shore (2) |
64 |
| 6. Coppin State (2) |
60 |
| 7. Delaware State |
35 |
| 8. South Carolina State |
28 |
