MEAC Announces Weekly Women’s Basketball Honors, presented by Coca-Cola

NORFOLK, Virginia – Norfolk State’s junior Diamond Johnson was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Offensive Player of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola. Howard guard Tyana Walker was named Rookie of the Week, while Coppin State forward Laila Lawrence earned Defensive Player of the Week honors, respectively.   

Johnson (G, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa.) totaled 41 points for the week as the Spartans clinched the 2024 MEAC Regular Season Championship title. In a victory against Delaware State, Johnson finished with 20 points, shooting 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from three-point range, and led all players with five assists and six steals. She led her team with 21 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists with seven field-goals made (7-of-14) in a victory against Maryland Eastern Shore. Johnson averaged 20.5 points, 5.0 steals, 3.5 assists, while shooting 51.6 percent (15-of-31) from the field, 50 percent from beyond the three-point arch (5-of-10) and 85.7 (6-of-7) percent from the stripe. 

Walker (G, Fr., 5-9, Leawood, Kan.) finished the week off with 24 points as the Bison went 2-0 against University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware State. Against the Hawks, she shot 42.9 percent from the field (3-of-7) and was perfect from beyond the arch (2-of-2) collecting seven points and three rebounds. Marking her 18th double figure game, Walker led all players with 17 points, four rebounds and one steal in a victory against Delaware State, where she shot 37.5 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free-throw line. She ended the week averaging 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and shot 39.1 percent from the field. 

Lawrence (F, Jr., 6-2, Lewisville, Texas) combined for 19 rebounds, 11 steals and four blocks in the week’s matchups. While leading the team in rebounds in both games, she recorded a season-high four steals versus N.C. Central paired with three blocks and 11 rebounds. In a 32-point victory against South Carolina State, Lawrence shattered her career high with seven steals along with eight rebounds and one block. She cumulated 12 points, three assists and shot a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line while averaging 6.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.5 steals, and 2.0 blocks.  

   Other Top Performers   

• Morgan Callahan (North Carolina Central) averaged 17.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks with a pair of wins on the road against Coppin State and Morgan State.  
• Angel Jones (Coppin State) led her team in both matchups against North Carolina Central and South Carolina State.  
• Iyanna Warren (Howard) averaged 15.0 points and 3.5 assists to help the Bison to a 2-0 record. 
• Kierra Wheeler (Norfolk State) registered back-to-back double digit rebounding games, with a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds against Delaware State. 
• Tamiria Rumph (Morgan State) averaged 11.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Bears.