NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk State Athletics Department earned the Talmadge Layman Hill Men's All-Sports Award for the 2025-26 academic year, presented annually to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) institution with the greatest success across all men's athletic programs.
The conference also recognized the 2026 Guardians of the Game, honoring a distinguished group of women who have made a significant impact on the world of sports, including Norfolk State Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Melody Webb.
The all-sports recognition marks Norfolk State's third consecutive Talmadge Layman Hill Award and fourth in the last five years. The Spartans have now captured the award 15 times in program history, the most of any institution in MEAC history.
Howard University claimed the Mary McLeod Bethune Women's All-Sports Award, presented annually to the conference's top women's athletic program. Both schools received a $20,000 check during Friday evening's inaugural MEAC Sneaker Ball Gala.
Norfolk State narrowly secured the men's all-sports title with 41.5 points, finishing ahead of South Carolina State (37 points) and North Carolina Central (30 points).
The Spartans received key contributions in the standings after capturing MEAC Championships in three of the conference's six men's sports during the 2025-26 academic year, winning titles in men's cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field.
On the women's side, Norfolk State finished second in the all-sports standings with 45 points behind Howard's 62.5. Women's tennis highlighted the year by sharing the MEAC regular season title before advancing to the conference championship match for the first time in 18 seasons.
The men's all-sports award is named after the late Talmadge Layman Hill, a former Morgan State player and coach who also served as chairman of the MEAC Steering and Planning Committee and as the conference's first president. The Mary McLeod Bethune Award, named after the founder of Bethune-Cookman College, recognizes the MEAC's top women's athletic department each year.
In addition to Norfolk State's athletic success, Dr. Webb was recognized as one of five women selected to this year's Guardians of the Game class. She joins a distinguished group of honorees including Adeanah Pooler (SWAC), Alisha Tucker (Hampton University), Felicia Martin (NCAA), and Neema Conner (MEAC).
Dr. Webb, the first woman to lead Norfolk State Athletics, has guided the department through an era of historic growth and success since her appointment on July 1, 2020. Under her leadership, the Spartans have won 26 MEAC championships, including three conference titles during the 2025-26 season.
Her tenure has featured success across multiple programs, with both men's and women's basketball earning multiple MEAC championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, while Norfolk State's cross country and track & field programs have sustained their championship tradition. The university has also elevated its national profile by hosting four NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships from 2023-26, including the Division I Championship in 2025.
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