MEAC: 3 teams who could be the new queen of the hill
The 2023-24 women's college basketball season is almost a month in. With Hampton (2018) and North Carolina A&T (2021) leaving the MEAC, the crown is up for grabs.
The 2023-24 women's college basketball season is fully underway and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is up for grabs. The MEAC was founded in 1970 and is one of the two Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) Division 1 sports conferences.
In 1982, the MEAC received the opportunity for their women's college basketball conference to participate in automatic bids for their tournament winner. Over the last decade, the Hampton Pirates, and North Carolina A&T Aggies have dominated the MEAC with their regular-season title and tournament title wins.
Both Hampton (2018) and North Carolina A&T (2021) left the MEAC which has created a void for a new powerhouse. With both programs elsewhere, the MEAC is up for grabs, and this season's champion could be a program that you least expect.
With the MEAC tournament months (March) away, there are several teams that people should look out for. Here are three teams, that could challenge for the regular season title and automatic tournament bid.
3. University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
The first team that can win the MEAC this season is the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). As of now, the team is 2-3 and is coming off of a win in their last game.
UMES is a team to watch out for because of their bench depth. Outside of the starters which feature Mahogany Lester (F), Mya Thomas (G), and Chaniqwa Gilliam (G), the Hawks head coach Fred Batchelor goes deep into his bench.
Thomas, a senior guard, is currently leading the team in scoring with 12.2 points per game but the team's scoring is balanced. Five other players in the rotation average five points or more per game and seven players have averaged 15 or more minutes per game this season.
UMES does a solid job of playing without the basketball and not relying on hero ball. Granted they are not a lock to win but they will surprise some teams in the long run. The Hawks are currently second in points per game (63.6) in the MEAC behind North Carolina Central (76.5).