NORFOLK, Va. – Coppin State's
Mossi Staples and
Faith Blackstone earned Preseason Women's Basketball All-MEAC honors and the Eagles were picked fifth in the Predicted Order of Finish, it was announced by the league office on Thursday afternoon. Staples received First Team accolades while Blackstone was placed on the Third Team.
In the Preseason Poll, Coppin followed Norfolk State, Howard, Morgan State and Maryland Eastern Shore and beat out North Carolina Central, Delaware State and South Carolina State.
Named to the Second Team last season, Staples averaged 13.3 points and 4.0 rebounds while leading the Eagles with 79 assists and 50 steals. A redshirt senior from Fort Washington, Md., Staples finished fifth in the league in scoring, assists and steals while ranking second in free throws made (107) and fourth in free throw percentage (76.4). She scored in double figures in 22 games, recording at least 20 points six times which included a career-high 27 points at Kent State where she hit four 3-pointers. Staples recorded at least three triples in ten games along with 13 contests with five or more rebounds and nine games with at least four assists.
Staples enters the season with 905 career points in 101 games along with 260 rebounds, 209 assists and 173 steals.
Blackstone is new to Coppin this season after earning NJCAA National Player of the Year honors while leading CCBC Essex to a National Title last season. A redshirt junior guard from Harrisburg, Pa., Blackstone averaged 19.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.4 steals for the Knights after playing at Syracuse and North Carolina A&T in previous years. As a freshman for the Orange, she put up 2.3 points in six games before averaging 5.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 22 games for the Aggies.
The Eagles open the season with back-to-back home games against La Salle (Nov. 6) and Campbell (Nov. 9).
