NORFOLK, Va. – Coppin State's
Chance Graham has been named to the 2019-20 Women's Basketball Preseason All-MEAC First Team, it was announced by the league office on Wednesday morning. Additionally, the Eagles were picked to finish tenth out of 11 teams in the Preseason Poll as voted on by the conference's 11 head coaches and sports information directors.
A senior from Upper Marlboro, Md., Graham was the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and a Second Team All-MEAC selection for the 2018-19 season after averaging 14.5 points along with a league-high 11.4 rebounds and 16 double-doubles. Graham's 11.4 rebounds per game ranked 12
th in NCAA Division I while sitting sixth in the Nation at 9.0 defensive rebounds per game. A 6-foot-1 forward, Graham also made a league-high 158-of-218 free throws, both of which ranked in the top 15 in the Country, along with a team-high 48 steals and 35 blocked shots.
Graham became just the 15
th Eagles women's basketball player to record over 1,000 career points and she enters the season ranked 13
th in CSU history with 1,019 points. She is also just ten rebounds away from setting the school-record for career rebounds (908) held by Rene' Doctor which has stood since 1995. Graham's 899 career rebounds are fourth among all active players in NCAA Division I. Graham also ranks among Coppin's top ten in free throws made (5
th, 313), free throws attempted (5
th, 448) and blocks (9
th, 70).
North Carolina A&T was picked to win the MEAC, followed by Bethune-Cookman, Howard, Norfolk State and Maryland Eastern Shore. In sixth was South Carolina State, trailed by Morgan State, North Carolina Central, Delaware State, Coppin and Florida A&M.
The Eagles host Washington Adventist in an Exhibition matchup at 7 pm on Monday, November 4 and open the regular season at Rutgers on Saturday, November 9 at 2:00 pm.
2019-20 Preseason All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors
Preseason Player of the Year: C'Coriea Foy, North Carolina A&T State
First Team
Name Pos. Ht. Class School Hometown
Ashanti Hunt G 5-11 Gr. Bethune-Cookman Washington, D.C.
Chance Graham F 6-1 Sr. Coppin State Upper Marlboro, Md.
Sarah Edmond G 5-9 Sr. Howard Freeport, N.Y.
C'Coriea Foy G 6-0 Sr. N.C. A&T State Fayetteville, N.C.
Taylor Brown F 6-0 Sr. S.C. State Paterson, N.J.
Second Team
Name Pos. Ht. Class School Hometown
Jayla Thornton G 5-9 Jr. Howard Newark, N.J.
Ayonna Williams G 5-4 Sr. Howard Washington, D.C.
La'Deja James G 5-8 r-Sr. Norfolk State Virginia Beach, Va.
Cinia McCray G 5-9 Sr. N.C. A&T State Broadview, Ill.
Paulina Afriyie F 5-11 Sr. N.C. Central Bronx, N.Y.
Third Team
Name Pos. Ht. Class School Hometown
Amaya Scott F 6-1 Jr. Bethune-Cookman Sunrise, Fla.
Lanayjha Ashe G 5-7 Sr. Delaware State Roanoke Rapids, N.C.
Imani Bryant F 6-1 Sr. Howard Berkeley, Calif.
Bairesha Gill-Miles F 6-0 Jr. Maryland E. Shore Lexington, Ky.
Alexus Lessears C 6-3 Sr. N.C. A&T State Cleveland, Ohio
2019-20 MEAC Preseason Poll
School Points
1. North Carolina A&T State (12) 229
2. Bethune-Cookman (8) 215
3. Howard 197
4. Norfolk State 162
5. Maryland Eastern Shore (1) 135
6. South Carolina State 110
7. Morgan State 100
8. North Carolina Central 94
9. Delaware State 88
10. Coppin State 78
11. Florida A&M 44
