NORFOLK, Va. (April 22, 2026)--Morgan State's women's tennis team had a total of three Lady Bears earn All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) team honors on Wednesday evening. Juniors Michaela Stephens and Amira Bargaoui were named to the All-MEAC First Team, while sophomore Tyler Williams was named to the All-MEAC Second Team, as announced by the league office.
 
As a team, the Lady Bears, under the direction of head coach Matthew Townes were awarded the MEAC regular season championship trophy on Wednesday after finishing the 2026 campaign as co-champions with Norfolk State.
 
North Carolina Central's Alejandra Hidalgo Vega was named MEAC Player of the Year and Norfolk State's Yana Klimchuk was named MEAC Rookie of the Year. Howard head coach Nicholas Askew was named MEAC Coach of the Year.
 
Stephens finished the regular season with a 9-6 singles record, including 9-5 at the No. 1 position. The Gravel Hill, Clarendon Jamaica native enters the MEAC championship on a three-match winning streak and finished 5-1 in the MEAC in singles play. Stephens spent the entire doubles campaign paired with Julia Jeffrey and went a team-leading 10-2, all at No. 2 doubles. The two would finish the regular season going 4-1 against MEAC competition.
 
A native of Tunis, Tunisia, Bargaoui is currently on an eight-match winning streak and finished the regular season with a 12-6 record in singles play. Her 12 wins led the Lady Bears in victories this season. She posted a 6-2 mark when playing at No. 3 singles and was 4-1 at the No. 2 spot. Bargaoui was also a perfect 6-0 in MEAC play and tallied a 4-1 record while playing at No. 2 singles.
 
Joining Stephens and Bargaoui on the All-MEAC First Team are Franchesca Brown (Howard), Redina Urbiola and Yuliya Yorkova (Norfolk State) and Alejandra Hidalgo Vega (North Carolina Central).
 
A two-time MEAC Player of the Week selection (March 24 and April 21), Williams concluded the regular season riding an 11-match winning streak in singles action. Her 11-1 singles record is second on the team in wins behind Bargaoui's 12 victories. Williams tallied an 8-0 mark when playing at the No. 5 position. She also went unbeaten in MEAC singles play, recording a 5-0 conference record. In doubles play she collected an 11-5 record playing with Roua Limem and Damla Arslan and finished 4-1 in the MEAC in doubles. Williams spent the majority of the season playing paired with Arslan and recorded a 9-2 mark at the No. 3 spot.
 
Williams is joined on the All-MEAC Second Team by Brandy Alexis Babcock (Coppin State), Imani Jean (Howard), Yana Klimchuk (Norfolk State), Sara Barbaric and Mariana Zottoli (North Carolina Central).
 
Morgan State (13-7, 5-1 MEAC) will be the No. 1 seed in this week's MEAC tennis championships, held at Cary Tennis Park in Cary, N.C. (April 23-25).
 
The Lady Bears received a first-round bye, advancing directly to the semifinals on Friday, April 24 at 9 a.m. Morgan State will face the winner between No. 4 North Carolina Central and No. 5 Delaware State.
 
 
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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.