VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Hampton University women’s basketball team was selected to finish sixth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in the 2009-10 season, as voted on by the league’s coaches and sports information directors and announced on Thursday by the conference office.
The Lady Pirates, who went 16-16 and 9-7 last season before falling to North Carolina A&T in the MEAC championship game, received three first-place votes and amassed 305 points. Defending MEAC champion North Carolina A&T received 16 of a possible 22 first-place votes, collecting 458 points en route to being picked to take the conference title.
Second-place Maryland-Eastern Shore received two first-place votes, while Coppin State picked up one first-place vote and was picked to finish third.
Junior center
Laura Lewis (Dallas, Texas) was selected to the All-MEAC Preseason Second Team, tying with Morgan State’s Kristina Rosario for the final spot on the squad. Lewis averaged 3.0 points and 3.3 rebounds a game last season, making five starts in 31 games. Morgan State’s Corin Adams, an All-MEAC First Team selection from last season, was picked as the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year.
The Lady Pirates, under the direction of interim head coach David Six, will open the 2009-10 season on Nov. 19, when they host William & Mary at the HU Convocation Center. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at
www.hamptonpirates.com.
2009-10 Women’s Basketball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the Conference’s Head Women’s Basketball
Coaches and Sports Information Directors
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
School................................................ Points
1. North Carolina A&T (16).................... 458 pts.
2. Maryland Eastern Shore(2)............... 368 pts.
3. Coppin State (1).............................. 346 pts.
4. Delaware State................................ 320 pts.
5. Morgan State.................................. 304 pts.
6. Hampton (3).................................... 243 pts.
7. Florida A&M.................................... 232 pts.
8. Howard........................................... 154 pts.
9. Bethune-Cookman........................... 130 pts.
10. South Carolina State...................... 88 pts.
11. Norfolk State................................. 42 pts.
2009-10 Women’s Basketball Preseason All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the Conference’s Head Women’s Basketball
Coaches and Sports Information Directors
First Team
Name School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown
Corin Adams Morgan State G 5-7 Sr. Brooklyn, N.Y.
Ta’wuana Cook North Carolina A&T G 5-8 Sr. Fayetteville, N.C.
Jalessa Sams North Carolina A&T G/F 5-11 Jr. New Castle, Pa.
April McBride Maryland E. Shore F 6-0 Sr. New Rochelle, N.Y.
Sarah Bolden Bethune-Cookman C 6-1 Jr. Slidell, Louisiana
Second Team
Name School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown
Deidra Jones Florida A&M G 5-10 Sr. Powder Springs, Ga.
Zykia Brown Howard G 5-8 Jr. Riverdale, Md.
Antonia Bennett Florida A&M G/F 6-1 So. Lakeland, Fla.
Lamona Smalley North Carolina A&T F 6-0 Sr. Philadelphia, Pa.
*Laura Lewis Hampton C 6-2 Jr. Waxahachie, Texas
*Kristina Rosario Morgan State C 6-2 Sr. Atlantic City, N.J.
[*] indicates a tie