Norfolk State University Athletics

Norfolk State claimed four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship Titles during the 2022-23 athletic academic year.

The Spartans men’s cross country team captured its 15th conference championship and third straight, with a COVID year in between. The men’s track and field program continued its stranglehold on bringing home the hardware. The indoor program captured its 12th overall crown and second straight, while the outdoor team won its 11th championship and second consecutive. The women’s basketball team captured back-to-back MEAC regular season championship titles this season and brought home the MEAC Tournament title for the first time in 21 years.

Norfolk State had three programs (women’s cross country, women’s indoor track and field, and softball) finish as runners-up in the MEAC standings, while women’s outdoor track and field, men’s basketball, and football finished third.

FALL HIGHLIGHTS

The Norfolk State men’s cross country team earned a third straight MEAC title this fall, the 15th in program history. Norfolk State swept the top three places at the conference meet for the second straight year. All five of NSU’s runners placed in the top 10 to earn all-conference accolades.

Gidion Sigei became the seventh Spartan male to win the MEAC individual title, finishing the race in 24 minutes, 38.8 seconds, 54 seconds ahead of teammate and runner-up Regan Kimtai. Evans Cheruiyot, the previous year’s MEAC champ, took third place in 25:41.1. 

The Spartans excelled at the NCAA Cross Country Southeast Regional as well, as Sigei took 40th place amongst a talented group of 217 runners. He finished ahead of numerous runners from the likes of the ACC, SEC, Sun Belt, American, and CAA Conferences.

The Norfolk State women’s cross country team took second at the 2022 MEAC Championships, as Mercyline Kimaiyo won the individual title to etch herself in school history.

Kimaiyo joined three-time winner Martha Bissah (2017-19), Agatha Gitundu (2001) and Eva Lustigova (1999) as MEAC women’s cross country champions from NSU. She finished the 5k course in 18 minutes, 2.3 seconds, 40 seconds ahead of runner-up and teammate, Tynniesia Wilson. Wilson picked up her second straight All-MEAC honor with her personal best of 18:44.4. Senior Kara Grant also earned All-MEAC honors with a personal record of 18:57.8 to finish fourth.

The Spartans capped off the season with a strong showing at the NCAA Cross Country Southeast Regional. Kimaiyo finished 71st out of 228 athletes, while Wilson earned 142nd.

The Spartans women’s volleyball team had its best record in about a decade against MEAC opponents. NSU finished at .500+ in league play for the first time since 2013 while advancing to the MEAC quarterfinals in postseason play.   

Norfolk State swept Delaware State (W, 3-0) on the road in Dover snapping an 18-game home winning streak for the Hornets. The Spartans also completed series sweeps against the Hawks of Maryland Eastern Shore, the Bears of Morgan State, and the Bulldogs of South Carolina State.  

The volleyball team received a trio of MEAC Postseason Honors following the regular season, marking the first time in program history that three Norfolk State volleyball players have earned MEAC postseason accolades in a single season.  

Football head coach Dawson Odums entered his second year on the sidelines for the Green and Gold as the Spartans finished the year 2-9 overall and 2-4 in MEAC play.

The Spartans continued their dominance over Morgan State, edging the Bears, 24-21, in Baltimore and won the regular season finale in thrilling fashion with a 42-38 victory on the road over South Carolina State.

Norfolk State landed 31 student-athletes on the MEAC All-Academic Football Team and nine on the MEAC Postseason team. Linebacker Daylan Long received first-team honors, while wide receiver Da’Quan Felton, linebacker Marquis Hall and defensive back R.J. Coles were named to the second team. Five Spartans rounded out the list with an All-MEAC Third Team nod – offensive linemen Vincent Byrd Jr. and Lamar Robinson, defensive linemen Anthony Blume and Amadeu Vital, and defensive back Joseph White.

WINTER HIGHLIGHTS

Norfolk State men’s basketball put together another excellent campaign under head coach Robert Jones, reaching 20 wins for the second consecutive year. The Spartans finished 22-11 overall, with a 9-5 conference record.

Entering the MEAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed, NSU defeated Coppin State in the quarterfinals before overcoming North Carolina Central in an overtime thriller, ultimately falling to top-seeded Howard by one point in the championship. Norfolk State has now appeared in the last four MEAC conference title games. 

Joe Bryant Jr. was named MEAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year for the second straight season, as well as BOXTOROW HBCU Player of the Year. Kris Bankston received All-MEAC First Team and BOXTOROW All-America First Team honors. Both players received spots in the 2023 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.

The Spartan women finished the 2022-23 season with a 26-7 record, culminating in a trip to the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Tournament and a final ranking of No. 24. The program achieved new heights with the most victories in the NCAA Division I era. In addition, Norfolk State ended a 21-year drought by winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Women's Basketball Tournament Championship and claimed the regular season crown for the second consecutive season.   

Several Spartans garnered several post season accolades as head women's basketball coach Larry Vickers was selected the MEAC Coach of the Year and the HBCU National Coach of the Year by BOXTOROW. Spartans, Camille Downs and Deja Francis, were both named HBCU BOXTOROW All-Americans, while Downs was named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.  

Norfolk State ranked top-5 in the country in five different statistical categories recorded by the NCAA. NSU was first in scoring defense allowing an average of 50.7 points per game and first in field goal percentage defense holding teams to 31.5% shooting percentage. The Spartans ranked fifth in steals per game making 12.1 steals, fifth in three-point percentage defense, holding teams to 25.2% from beyond the arch, and fifth in turnovers forced per game, making teams turn the ball over 21.97 times a game. 

The Norfolk State bowling team opened the season confidently, winning six of its matches at the Virginia Union Invitational, going 4-1 on the first day of competition. The Spartans continued that momentum into November’s Lady Eagles Invitational, winning five of eight matchups in Baltimore, Md. 

Norfolk State senior Megan Wheat led her squad at the MEAC Bowling Championships with a historic performance against Coppin State. The Chesapeake native rolled a 263, a round that included 10 strikes, to lead all student-athletes on the first day of action.

The 263 marked the ninth-highest score in program history. It was just the fifth time since 2015 that a Norfolk State student-athlete rolled a 260 or better. 

The winter sports season was capped off by outstanding performances at the track. Norfolk State took care of business on all three days of competition at the 2023 MEAC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship, securing the conference title for a second consecutive year.

The Spartans dominated the indoor conference championship in Virginia Beach, finishing with 180 points, 71 more than second-place Howard.

Regan Kimtai and Gidion Sigei were named Co-Most Outstanding Runners for their excellent showings over the course of the week, while Kai Cole grabbed the spotlight on the final day of competition, winning the 60 meter and 200 meter dashes.

Isaac Haywood also earned a place at the top of the podium on the final day, winning the triple jump. Haywood and Cole landed on the VaSID All-State Second Team, released just a few weeks after the championship.

The Norfolk State women’s track and field team wrapped up another successful indoor campaign in 2023, taking second at the MEAC Indoor Championships.

Mercyline Kimaiyo was named Most Outstanding Runner at the indoor championships, winning the mile, 3,000 meters, and 5,000 meters.

Arieana Parker set a school record in the weight throw at the conference championship, securing second place with a toss of 62 feet, 1.25 inches. Kimaiyo set a school record in the 5,000 meters, winning the event in 17 minutes, 47.82 seconds.

HISTORIC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SEASON

It was a historic season for the Spartan women’s basketball program during the 2022-2023 season.

Norfolk State opened the year with a thumping of Virginia-Lynchburg, 125-19, and after a six-point setback at the hands of Penn State, the Spartans reeled off nine straight victories, the most during the Division I era.

NSU got victories over William & Mary, UNC Wilmington and Chicago State before opening Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play. The Spartans saw their 17-game home winning streak snapped by North Carolina Central on February 6, but that setback didn’t slow NSU down the stretch.

Norfolk State won six of its final seven games and won the outright MEAC regular season championship on February 27 at North Carolina Central. 

As the top seed in the conference tournament, the Spartans dispatched South Carolina State and North Carolina Central, before setting up a rematch of the 2022 MEAC Championship game against Howard. In a back-and-forth affair, it was Niya Fields that sealed the Bison fate with free throws in the final seconds as the Spartans ended a 21-year drought by winning the program’s second-ever MEAC Tournament championship.

Norfolk State, which received the No. 24 ranking in the Collegeinsider.com Top 25 poll, advanced to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament for the second time in school history where the Spartans drew top seed South Carolina. 

The Spartans closed out the season with a 72-40 loss to No. 1 South Carolina, which drew praise from USC head coach Dawn Staley.

"Norfolk State is not a 16 seed," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. "They didn't play like a 16 seed and they were a tremendous team and opponent. We didn't shoot the ball well in the first half and I credit that to how well Norfolk State played."

The Spartans finished the 2022-2023 top in the country in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense, while sitting fifth in in steals per game, three-point percentage defense and turnovers forced per game.

SPRING HIGHLIGHTS

Led by first-year head coach Carrie Hoeft, the Spartans went 24-23 overall and 14-6 in conference play. NSU completed several series sweeps against MEAC opponents including Coppin State, South Carolina State, Delaware State, and Maryland Eastern Shore, claimed two wins against 2022 MEAC Champions Howard University, and split the four games against Hampton University with wins of 12-10 and 5-2 against the Pirates this season. 

The Spartans finished the regular season second in the MEAC standings earning a first round by going into the MEAC Tournament. NSU placed nine athletes on the All-MEAC Conference teams, which lead all schools, with three first teamers, five on the second team, and one on third team.  

Senior Yrral Davis lead the Spartans at the plate with a .319 batting average with 22 runs scored and 23 RBI on 29 hits, with four doubles, a triple, and two home runs. Rylie Gilbreath (.295), Kenna Higa (.292), and Gabby Vaughan (.287) rounded out the top-four players in the batting lineup for NSU. 

Additionally, Vaughan set a new program record for doubles in a career with her 40th career double against Hampton University on April 12.   

The Norfolk State women’s tennis team nearly knocked off defending CAA champion William & Mary to open the season, falling 4-3 in Williamsburg, Va. The Spartans notched their first win of the season just a week later, defeating Virginia Wesleyan 5-2 at the NSU Tennis Complex. 

Aleksandra Evdokimova was named to the All-MEAC First Team, the second all-conference honor of her young career. The sophomore amassed a 12-5 singles record, going 10-5 at the No. 1 position. Evdokimova earned a 4-6, 6-1, 10-6 victory over the 2022 MEAC Player of the Year, Howard sophomore Jordan Grayson.

The Norfolk State men’s tennis team ended the 2022-23 campaign on a positive note, earning a thrilling MEAC Tournament victory over Howard and battling No. 1 seed South Carolina State in the following round.

After falling 4-3 to Howard in the team’s regular season matchup, Norfolk State got its revenge with a 4-3 victory in the postseason. The Spartans lost to eventual MEAC champion South Carolina State in the next round 4-1, the only team to score a point against the Bulldogs that week. Federico Rebecchini was named to the All-Tournament Team after winning in both singles and doubles against Howard, and surging to a 7-5, 6-0 triumph on Court 1 against SCSU. 

Rebecchini was named to the All-MEAC First Team, while his teammate and doubles partner Adam Kaczmarek earned a spot on the All-MEAC Second Team. The recognition marked Rebecchini’s third All-MEAC selection, and second appearance on the first team, becoming the third player in program history to amass three All-MEAC selections.

The Spartan baseball program entered a new era this season as Norfolk State began its first year playing in the Northeast Conference (NEC).

Dionte Brown returned for his final year and led the team in batting (.347), hits (58) and stolen bases (16-of-22). In addition, he moved into the NSU record books in singles (8th – 152) and total hits (11th - 190). 

On the mound, Dalton Barham provided the biggest highlight of the season in turning in a dazzling complete-game performance on April 12. He fanned 10, walked just one and scattered two hits in a 3-0 victory over VMI. Because of his outstanding display on the mound, Barham was tabbed the NEC Pitcher of the Week. 

The win over VMI marked the first against the Keydets in program history, as Norfolk State went 9-42 overall and 6-24 in conference play. Another highlight for the Spartans was the program’s first NEC sweep as Norfolk State won three games over Stonehill College March 31-April 2 at Marty L. Miller Baseball Field.  

The Spartans shined as they hosted the 2023 MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships at William ‘Dick’ Price Stadium in Norfolk, VA. 

The Norfolk State men completed a season sweep with a narrow victory at the MEAC Outdoor Championships, in front of the Spartan faithful at at their home track.

Cole won the 100 meter and 200 meters, while Kimtai took Outstanding Track Athlete honors after 34 points to the team’s total.

Kimtai won the steeplechase, 800 meters, and 1500 meters at the conference championship meet, while Sigei notched victories in the 10000 meters and 5000 meters.

Cole (100m, 200m) and Haywood (triple jump) qualified for the NCAA East First Round, representing the Spartans in Jacksonville, Fla.

The Norfolk State women’s track team carried their momentum into the spring, taking third at the 2023 MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Kimaiyo notched Outstanding Track Athlete honors at the MEAC Championship, totaling 38 points for the week. Leslie Young earned Outstanding Field Athlete with 25 points, as the Spartans swept the individual awards.

ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS

Thirty-two Norfolk State University student-athletes earned degrees at the University's spring commencement ceremony.   

Of the class, 11 of the graduates were football student-athletes, six from men's track, four from baseball and softball, two from bowling, and one each from men's basketball, men's tennis, women's basketball, women's track and volleyball.

Norfolk State has wrapped up another strong spring semester academically, with 127 student-athletes landing on the AD Honor Roll.

Student-athletes must have at least a 3.0 GPA for the spring to be eligible for Honor Roll accolades. Eight Spartans earned 4.0 GPA's: Yoro Sidibe (Men's Basketball), LaShauna Burrus (Women's Bowling), Kenna Higa (Softball), Tynniesia Wilson (Women's Track & Field), Dazon Harrison and Sadiq Nurse (Men's Track & Field), and Evan Gregory and Marquis Hall (Football).

Six NSU teams finished the semester with a 3.0 Spring GPA, and 127 student-athletes have over a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The women's tennis program's 3.67 GPA led all teams for the semester, with all seven players on the roster earning Honor Roll recognition.

Among NSU teams, football received the most representation with 34 players on the honor roll. Baseball and Softball tied for second with 19 players each.

Men's track and field tallied 15 honorees, while Women's track was close behind with 14 on the list. Volleyball (4), women's tennis (6), women's basketball (3), bowling (6), men's basketball (2), and men's tennis (5) rounded out the NSU teams.

Three Norfolk State University athletic teams earned a perfect score of 1,000 on the latest multi-year academic progress rate (APR) data released by the NCAA. The scores include data from the 2018-19 through the 2021-22 academic years.

 NSU's average 2021-22 APR score was 970, with one program (men's tennis) earning a perfect multi-year score of 1,000. Women's Tennis and women's cross country also recorded a perfect score of 1,000 during the 2021-22 academic year. Baseball, football, men's basketball, men's cross, men's track, softball, women's bowling, women's track and women's volleyball all posted scores of 930 or better.