Johnson headlines women’s All-Americans

Johnson headlines women’s All-Americans

boxtorow.com

Norfolk State guard Diamond Johnson has helped lead the Spartans to three-straight MEAC Tournament championships and a No. 4 ranking in the Women’s Mid-Major Top 25 poll.

Johnson’s play this season has earned her the HBCU National Player of the Year award as she leads a list of 15 named to the HBCU DI Women’s All-America teams presented by BOXTOROW.

The two-time first team All-American leads the MEAC and is 31st in Division I in scoring (19.0), leads the MEAC and is fifth in the nation in steals per game (3.6), is second in assists per game (4.1), third in field goal percentage (.474), fifth in three-point percentage (.349), and seventh in rebounding (6.1). She is also an 83 percent free throw shooter and has scored 20 or more points in a game 13 times.

North Carolina A&T head coach Tarrell Robinson and Norfolk State head coach Larry Vickers have been named HBCU National Co-Coaches of the Year. In his 13th season, Robinson led the Lady Aggies to their first-ever CAA regular season championship in just their third season in the conference, and a berth in the WBIT tournament where they will face Virginia Tech on Thursday.

In his 10th season as head coach, Vickers has led the Spartans to a 30-4 record and their third-straight MEAC Tournament championship. The Spartans are the No. 13 seed in the NCAA Division I Women’s Tournament and will face No. 4 seed Maryland on Saturday.

Howard freshman guard Saniyah King and Coppin State senior forward Laila Lawrence have been selected for the Co-Impact Players Award. King leads the MEAC in assists per game (4.5), averages 11.5 points, and is second in the MEAC in three-point shooting (.367). The Washington, DC native and MEAC Rookie of the Year helped lead the Bison to a 21-11 record and a second place finish in the MEAC. The Bison will host Siena in the first round of the WNIT on Friday.

Lawrence is tied for third in Division I in double doubles (21), leads the MEAC and is tied for 12th in the country in rebounds per game (10.5), and is second in the MEAC and tied for 25th in the country in steals per game (2.6). She is second in the MEAC in scoring (16.5) and fourth in blocked shots (1.5). She scored in double figures against nationally ranked Maryland, North Carolina; and against defending champion South Carolina, she scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

BOXTOROW has released the Women’s All-America teams since the 2011-12 season.  Players from 11 different schools were represented.

First Team All-Americans
Taleha Dilworth, Jackson State (G, Sr., St. Louis, Mo.)
Aylasia Fantroy, Texas Southern (G, Soph., Palestine, Texas)
Diamond Johnson, Norfolk State (G, Sr., Philadelphia, Pa.)*
Angel Jones, Coppin State (G, Jr., Woodbridge, Va.)
Jordyn Dorsey, North Carolina A&T (G, Sr., Augusta, Ga.)*
Destiny Howell, Howard (G, Grad., Queens, N.Y.)!
Laila Lawrence, Coppin State (F, Sr., Lewisville, Texas)*
Kierra Wheeler, Norfolk State (G, Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.)*

Second Team All-Americans
Destiny Brown, Alcorn State (F, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.)
Aniya Gourdine, Southern (G, Sr., Baltimore, Md.)
Saniyah King, Howard (G, Fr., Washington, D.C.)
Asianae Nicholson, Bethune-Cookman (F, Jr., South Euclid, Ohio)
Naya Ojukwu, Morgan State (F, r-Fr., Meridian, Idaho)
Kaila Walker, Alabama A&M (G, Sr., Alexander, Ark.)
Alisha Wilson, Alabama A&M (F, Sr., LaVerne, Calif.)

*2023-24 HBCU All-America first team
! 2022-23 HBCU Co-Player of the Year; HBCU All-America first team

AWARDS

HBCU DI Women’s National Player of the Year: Diamond Johnson, Norfolk State
HBCU DI Women’s National Co-Coaches of the Year: Tarrell Robinson, North Carolina A&T and Larry Vickers, Norfolk State
HBCU DI Women’s Co-Impact Players of the Year: Saniyah King, Howard and Laila Lawrence, Coppin State 

HBCU DI Women’s National Players of the Year
2024-25 Diamond Johnson, Norfolk State
2023-24 Kierra Wheeler, Norfolk State
2022-23 Ayana Emmanuel, Alabama State and Destiny Howell, Howard
2022-21 Ameshya Williams-Holliday, Jackson State
2020-21 Chanin Scott, North Carolina A&T and Ameshya Williams, Jackson State
2019-20 Chanette Hicks, Norfolk State
2018-19 Shakyla Hill, Grambling
2017-18 Shakyla Hill, Grambling
2016-17 Britney Wright, Alabama State
2015-16 Malia Tate-DeFreitas, Hampton
2014-15 Malia Tate-DeFreitas, Hampton
2013-14 No teams were released
2012-13 No teams were released
2011-12 Jericko Jenkins, Hampton

HBCU DI Women’s Coaches of the Year
2024-25 Tarrell Robinson, North Carolina A&T and Larry Vickers, Norfolk State
2023-24 Tomekia Reed, Jackson State
2022-23 Larry Vickers, Norfolk State
2022-21 Tomekia Reed, Jackson State
2020-21 Tomekia Reed, Jackson State
2019-20 Vanessa Blair-Lewis
2018-19 Vanessa Blair-Lewis, Bethune-Cookman
2017-18 Tarrell Robinson, North Carolina A&T
2016-17 Vanessa Blair-Lewis, Bethune-Cookman and Freddie Murray, Grambling
2015-16 Freeda Freeman-Jackson, Alabama State
2014-15 Cedric Baker, Savannah State
2013-14 No teams were released
2012-13 No teams were released
2011-12 David Six, Hampton