NORFOLK, Va. (Oct. 8, 2024)--The Morgan State women's basketball team was picked to finish fifth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) preseason poll, announced by the conference office today. Meanwhile, senior forward Laila Fair was named to the Preseason All-MEAC third team, presented by Nike.
 
The preseason poll and preseason teams were released during Tuesday's MEAC Basketball Media Day, which was broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
All awards were voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.
 
Norfolk State tied with Howard as the preseason favorites to finish first with 117 points each. The two-time reigning MEAC champions, Norfolk State, racked up 11-of-16 first-place votes, while the Howard Bison picked up five first-place votes. Coppin State was predicted to finish third with 79 points, with a one-point separation from tying North Carolina Central in fourth place. Morgan State and Maryland Eastern Shore were picked to finish fifth and sixth, respectively, with Delaware State and South Carolina State rounding out the predicted order of finish.
 
Norfolk State graduate guard Diamond Johnson was named the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year. Johnson, the 2023 MEAC Newcomer of the Year and the 2023 MEAC Basketball Tournament Outstanding Performer, led the MEAC in scoring averaging 20.2 points and steals with 3.8, to go along with 5.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. 
 
Despite playing in just 15 games, making 12 starts, Fair led the team in rebounding with 7.1 boards per contest and was second in scoring with 8.5 points in 25.6 minutes a game. A native of Middlesex, N.J., Fair also led the Lady Bears with 22 blocked shots, while totaling 18 steals and 10 assists.
 
The Lady Bears, who begin the 2024-25 campaign playing their first two games at home, will host Shepherd in the season opener on Monday, Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m. at Hill Field House, before hosting local foe Johns Hopkins on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. for Education Day.
 
The 2025 MEAC Basketball Tournament will be held March 12-15 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.
 
For more information about the MEAC and its sponsored sports, log on to www.MEACsports.com.
 
The MEAC Media Relations Office contributed to this release.
 
 
2024-25 Women's Basketball MEAC Preseason All-Conference
 
Predicted Order of Finish
School (First-Place Votes), Points
T1) Norfolk State (11), 117
T1) Howard (5), 117
3) Coppin State, 79
4) North Carolina Central, 78
5) Morgan State, 63
6) Maryland Eastern Shore, 57
7) Delaware State, 43
8) South Carolina State, 22
 
Preseason Player of the Year: Diamond Johnson, Norfolk State
 
First Team 

Name	Pos.	Yr.	Ht.	School	Hometown
Diamond Johnson	G	Gr.	5'5"	Norfolk State	Philadelphia, Pa.
Kierra Wheeler	F	Sr.	6'1"	Norfolk State	Minneapolis, Minn.
Laila Lawrence	G	Sr.	6'2"	Coppin State	Lewisville, Texas
Tyana Walker	G	Sr.	5'7"	Howard	Leawood, Kansas
Destiny Howell	G	Gr.	6'0"	Howard	Queens, N.Y.

 
Second Team 

Name	Pos.	Yr.	Ht.	School	Hometown
Angel Jones	G	Jr.	5'4"	Coppin State	Woodbridge, Va.
Morgan Callahan	F	R-Jr.	6'1"	N.C. Central	Beach Park, Ill.
Niya Fields	G	Gr.	5'8"	Norfolk State	Peekskill, N.Y.
Mahogany Lester	G	Gr.	6'0"	Maryland E. Shore	Virginia Beach, Va.
Kaiya Creek	F	Gr.	5'10"	Howard	Seat Pleasant, Md.

 
Third Team 

Name	Pos.	Yr.	Ht.	School	Hometown
Nile Miller	F	Jr.	6'1"	Howard	Haddonfield, NJ
Zamara Haynes	G	Gr.	5'7"	Maryland E. Shore	Philadelphia, Pa.
Kyla Bryant	G	So.	5'7"	N.C. Central	Salisbury, N.C.
Anjanae Richardson	G	So.	5'8"	Norfolk State	Portsmouth, Va.
Laila Fair	F	Sr.	6'2"	Morgan State	Middlesex, N.J.

 
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, 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.