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BALTIMORE, Md. (May 16, 2023) -- Morgan State University student-athletes Johnna Hill (bowling) and Isaiah Burke (men's basketball) were recognized as the female and male student-athletes of the year at the 35th Annual Athletics Awards Banquet at the MSU Student Center Theater. Head coach Edward Davis (women's basketball) was selected as the Coach of the Year.

Johnna Hill became Morgan's first-ever MEAC Rookie of the Year in bowling and was also named to the All-MEAC first team. She was a four-time MEAC Rookie of the Week selection and led the MEAC in strike percentage (52.0%) and ranked second in scoring average with 20.243 pins per frame. In Baker play, she earned a MEAC-best 20.405 pins per frame, and ranked third in the conference, recording at least nine pins on her first ball 74% of the time. She qualified for the USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championship, where she led the field of 24 after day one as the top qualifier. Hill was named to the National Tenpin Coaches Association Northeast Region First Team and helped Morgan State to a 54-40 overall mark, 8-8 in the MEAC and a fifth-place finish in the MEAC Championship.  She finished the season ranked 24th as a team in the NTCA Top 25 Poll.

Isaiah Burke completed his senior season as one of the top players in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. He started in all 31 games and averaged 18.7 points per game, which ranked No. 2 in the MEAC. He averaged 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals and ranked No. 10 in the nation by shooting 42.0 percent from 3-point territory. Burke scored in double figures in 30 of the 31 games and scored 20 or more points in 15 games. He had a number of sensational games, including a career high 31-point outing vs. Hartford (Jan. 18)  and scored 22 points (6-12 3FG) at No. 5 Arizona. He finished his Morgan career ranked among the school's all-time leaders – he is T-No. 2 in 3-pointers made (189) and ranks No. 3 in 3-pointers made in a season with 92. Burke racked up a number of postseason accolades, including: First Team BOXTOROW All-America Team selection; First Team All-MEAC; named to All-District Second Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC); and was selected to participate in the HBCU All-Star Game. Burke helped lead Morgan to a 15-16 overall record, and fifth place in the MEAC standings with an 8-7 record, including a 10-2 record inside Hill Field House.

Coach Edward Davis guided the Lady Bears to the program's second-ever post season appearance on the Division I level when they took on Wake Forest in the opening round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) - It was their first postseason appearance since 2011. The Lady Bears finished with a 17-12 overall record and 10-4 in the MEAC good for second-place and had a program-best 16-game home winning streak. The Lady Bears set the school record for home wins in a season (11-2), most wins to start a season (6), and best MEAC start to a season (9-0).  Coach Davis produced two BOXTOROW All-Americans in Charlene Shepherd (first-team) and Ja'Niah Henson (second-team), in addition to four players who earned All-MEAC honors: Charlene Shepherd (First Team All-MEAC, MEAC All-Defensive Team), Ja'Niah Henson (First Team All-MEAC), Gabrielle Johnson (MEAC All-Rookie Team) and Taylor Addison (Third Team All-MEAC, MEAC All-Defensive Team).

Male Athlete of the Year: Isaiah Burke, Men's Basketball 
Female Athlete of the Year: Johnna Hill, Bowling  
Coach of the Year: Edward Davis, Women's Basketball 

2023 MSU Awards Banquet
Team Award Winners

 

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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.