Basketball season is right around the corner and the MEAC recently unveiled its preseason awards during MEAC Basketball Media Day in October. Howard University and Norfolk State University were well represented in the honors.

Howard University players Shy Odom and Destiny Howell were named the male and female preseason players of the year respectively. Both the men's and women's teams for Howard also had two players named to the All-MEAC 1st and 2nd teams.

The Norfolk State Lady Spartans are expected to be the best team in the conference, followed narrowly by the Howard University Lady Bison. The voting between the two teams was close as the Lady Spartans had 115 votes and the Lady Bison had 114 votes. The preseason polling makes the matchups between the two teams in Washington D.C. even more intriguing as it very well could be a MEAC Championship preview.

For the men Howard University is expected to lead the conference, edging out Norfolk State and North Carolina Central. The Bison won the 2023 MEAC Championship over Norfolk State and played a competitive half against third-ranked Kansas in the March Madness tournament. The Jayhawks ultimately won the contest 96-68.

Below are the full pre-season awards for the men's & women's teams in the conference. For more information on the MEAC basketball season visit meacsports.com or the various athletics websites for the member institutions.

Women's Preseason Awards

All-MEAC First Team 

NamePos.Yr.Ht.SchoolHometown
Destiny HowellGSr.6'0″HowardQueens, N.Y.
Kierra WheelerFJr.6'1″Norfolk StateMinneapolis, Minn.
Mossi StaplesGR-Sr.5'7″Coppin StateFort Washington, Md.
Zamara HaynesGSr.5'7″Maryland E. ShorePhiladelphia, Pa.
Kimeira BurksGR-Sr.5'8″N.C. CentralChicago, Ill.

Second Team 

NamePos.Yr.Ht.SchoolHometown
Kaniyah HarrisGSr.5'10”HowardCapital Heights, Md.
Niya FieldsGJr.5'8″Norfolk StatePeekskill, N.Y.
Savannah BrooksG/FSo.5'9″Delaware StateTaneytown, Md.
Iyanna WarrenGSr.5'3″HowardAccokeek, Md.
Gabrielle JohnsonGSo.5'8″Morgan StateBaltimore, Md.

Third Team 

NamePos.Yr.Ht.SchoolHometown
Aniya FingerFR-Jr.6'1″N.C. CentralCharlotte, N.C.
Faith BlackstoneGR-Jr.6'0″Coppin StateHarrisburg, Pa.
Makoye DiawaraFJr.6'0″Norfolk StateBayonne, N.J.
Morgan CallahanFR-Jr.6'1″N.C. CentralBeach Park, Ill.
Da'naijah WilliamsGJr.5'9″Norfolk StateBrooklyn, N.Y.

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

School (First-Place Votes)Points
1. Norfolk State (12)115
2. Howard (2)114
3. Morgan State (1)86
4. Maryland Eastern Shore (1)67
5. Coppin State64
6. North Carolina Central54
7. Delaware State43
8. South Carolina State18

Men's Preseason Awards

NamePosClassHt.SchoolHometown
Shy OdomFSo.6’6”HowardRoxbury, Mass.
Martaz RobinsonGSr.6’2”Delaware StateBaltimore, Md.
Marcus DockeryGJr.6’2”HowardWashington, D.C.
Jelani WilliamsGGr.6’5”HowardWashington, D.C.
Christian IngsGGr.6’2”Norfolk StatePhiladelphia, Pa.
SECOND TEAM
NamePosClassHt.SchoolHometown
Kameron HobbsGR-Jr.5’10”Morgan StateStockbridge, Ga.
Will ThomasFR-Jr.6’6”Morgan StateBaltimore, Md.
Brandon StoneFGr.6’11”Delaware StateScottsdale. Pa.
Jevin MunizGSo.6’6”Delaware StateBethlehem, Pa.
Bryce HarrisGJr.6’4”HowardBrentwood, N.Y.
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THIRD TEAM
NamePosClassHt.SchoolHometown
Jamarii ThomasGJr.6’0”Norfolk StateGreensboro, N.C.
George Beale Jr.GSo.6’4”Norfolk StateSuffolk, Va.
Chace DavisGJr.6’3”Maryland E. ShoreAccokeek, Md.
Jordan SimpsonGSo.6’5”S.C. StateOrangeburg, S.C.
Fred Cleveland Jr.GSr.5’9”N.C. CentralChicago, Ill.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
School (First-Place Votes)Points
1. Howard (11)107
2. Norfolk State (1)96
3. North Carolina Central79
4. Morgan State (2)72
5. Maryland Eastern Shore55
6. Delaware State39
7. Coppin State30
8. South Carolina State26