NORFOLK, Va. – Coppin State's
Laila Lawrence has been named the MEAC Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season, it was announced by the league office on Tuesday night. Additionally, Lawrence was named to the All-MEAC First Team, joining teammate
Angel Jones.
Lawrence is third different Eagles player to be named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, joining
Whitney Cunningham (2009) and
Chance Graham (2019), but is the only player in program history to receive the award twice. She's also the first Eagles player to earn First Team All-Conference honors twice since
Genesis Lucas (2017 & 2018). Only seven Eagles, including Lawrence, have twice earned First Team All-MEAC accolades.
A senior from Lewisville, Texas, Lawrence led the MEAC in both rebounds (10.5) and double-doubles (19) while ranking second in scoring (16.8) and steals (77), fourth in blocks (35) and seventh in assists (76). Lawrence's 19 double-doubles ranked fourth in the Nation and she's the only player in the Country to average at least 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
One of the top mid-major players in the Nation, Lawrence was one of 15 players named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Midseason Watch List. Lawrence received four MEAC Player of the Week awards and was a five-time Defensive Player of the Week this season. She twice swept both weekly awards this season.
Lawrence had some of her most notable games against some of the Nation's best teams, recording double-doubles against nationally ranked Maryland and North Carolina. She also had 20 points with a career-high four 3-pointers to go with seven rebounds and three assists at #1 South Carolina.
In just two seasons at Coppin, Lawrence ranks 19
th in CSU history in scoring (926), 15
th in rebounds (627) and 10
th in blocks (72). Lawrence has put up 1,630 points with 1,028 rebounds to go with 186 assists, 180 steals and 116 blocks in her collegiate career.
A Second Team All-MEAC last season, Jones ranked third in the MEAC this season in both scoring (15.3) and assists (3.6) while grabbing 4.6 rebounds and 51 steals. Jones averaged 16.4 points in conference play to rank fourth in the MEAC along with 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.7 steals. Jones scored at least 20 points in eight different games this season which included a career-high 29 points and eight rebounds at Norfolk State.
Jones dished out at least four assists in 15 games this season, and the junior from Woodbridge, Va., also had at least three steals in ten games.
The Eagles (17-13, 8-6 MEAC) earned the fourth seed in the upcoming MEAC Tournament and will face No. 5 North Carolina Central in the Quarterfinals on Thursday, March 13 at 12:00 pm.
