Charlotte – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) announces the 2019 Men’s  All-CIAA Team, All-Rookie team, and superlatives as selected by the Men’s Basketball Coaches Association and Sports Information Directors Association. These outstanding individuals were formally recognized during the annual CIAA Tip-Off Awards Breakfast.

Shaw University junior guard Amir Hinton has been named Men’s CIAA Player of the Year. Averaging over 30 points per game, Hinton currently leads the CIAA and all of Division II in scoring while shooting just under 50 percent from the field and nearly 90 percent from the free throw line.

The 6-5 Philadelphia native is more than just a scorer as he ranks top three in the CIAA in assists and steals while leading the league at just under 38 minutes per game.

Lincoln University (PA) (Cameron Campbell and Deaquan Williams), Livingstone College (Roger Ray and Lydell Elmore), and Winston-Salem State University (Robert Colon and William Crandell) lead the way with two men’s selections each. Hinton, Tyre Gathright (Saint Augustine’s), Jahmere Howze (Virginia State), William Jenkins (Virginia Union), Saiquan Jamison (Bowie State), and Roddric Ross (Johnson C. Smith) round out the men’s team as 8 of 13 schools were represented. Ross, Ray, and Gathright all return from the 2018 team while Crandell makes the team for the third consecutive year.

William Jenkins of Virginia Union University has been named Men’s Defensive Player of the Year. Jenkins, a Baltimore, MD native, ranks among the league leaders in defensive rebounds per game, total rebounds per game, steals, and blocked shots. The 6-7 junior also a top 10 scorer in the CIAA, averaging more than 15 points per game.

Virginia State University Coach Lonnnie Blow, Jr. has earned his fourth Coach of the Year honor in five seasons. Coach Blow led his program to a conference-best 16-1 record in league play and a 24-4 overall record this season.

Blow’s Trojans have been nationally ranked for much of the season and currently sit at no. 3 in the D2SIDA Atlantic region. Coming into this year’s tournament ranked No. 1 in the Northern Divison, Coach Blow, and the Trojans will be looking to win their first tournament title since 2016.

Virginia Union freshman guard Demarius Pitts has earned the Men’s Rookie of the Year honor. Pitts leads all CIAA freshmen in scoring this season at 13 points per game. The Clinton, MD native has also recorded 101 rebounds, 71 assists, and 28 steals in his first CIAA season.

The Men’s All-Rookie Team includes two sets of teammates in Pitts & Raemaad Wright (Virginia Union) along with Zahrion Blue & Tamir Green (Lincoln (PA)) with Xavier Fennell (Winston Salem State) finishing out the team.

 
Men’s All-CIAA Backcourt

Amir Hinton, Shaw University

Roger Ray, Livingstone College

Tyre Gathright, St. Augustine’s University

Cameron Campbell, Lincoln University

Robert Colon, Winston-Salem State University

Men’s All-CIAA Frontcourt

William Crandell, Winston-Salem State University

Lydell Elmore, Livingstone College

Jahmere Howze, Virginia State University

William Jenkins, Virginia Union University

Saiquan Jamison, Bowie State University

Roddric Ross, Johnson C. Smith University

Deaquan Williams, Lincoln University (PA)

Men’s All-Rookie Team

Zahrion Blue, Lincoln University (PA)

Xavier Fennell, Winston-Salem State University

Demarius Pitts, Virginia Union University

Tamir Green, Lincoln University (PA)

Raemaad Wright, Virginia Union University

Men’s Player of the Year – Amir Hinton, Shaw University

Men’s Defensive Player of the Year – William Jenkins, Virginia Union University

Rookie of the Year – Demarius Pitts, Virginia Union University

Men’s Coach of the Year – Lonnie Blow, Virginia State University

WOMEN’S

Shareka McNeill, a sophomore guard from Virginia Union University, has been named Women’s CIAA Player of the Year. McNeill currently led the conference in scoring at 23.1 points per game during the regular season while ranking second in both three-pointers per game and three-point field goal percentage.

The Charlotte, NC native ranks in the top 10 nationally in scoring while helping lead VUU to the best record in the CIAA along with regional and national rankings.

Bowie State University (Kyaja Williams and Pere Alexander), Elizabeth City State University (Jalyn Brown and Naterria Luster), and Winston-Salem State University (Amaya Tucker and Brionna Pate) each placed two student-athletes on the 2019 team. McNeil, Daisa Harris (Livingstone), Kwanza Murray (Lincoln (PA)), Yakima Clifton (Fayetteville State), Ashley Fields (Claflin), Danielle Weldon (Chowan) help complete the women’s team. Harris and McNeil make the team for the second consecutive year with Clifton earning league honors for the second time in three years.

Head Coach Shadae Swan of Bowie State University earned her first Coach of the Year honor. This season Coach Swan has led her team to a 14-3 record in conference play, the second-best mark in the CIAA while finishing with an overall record of 22-4 after being projected to finish fifth in the preseason poll by league coaches.

Coming into this year’s tournament ranked the no. 2 seed in the Northern Division, Coach Swan and her Bulldogs are poised to challenge for this year’s conference tournament title.

Claflin University senior forward Ashley Fields has been named Women’s Defensive Player of the Year. Fields, a native of Charleston, SC, is tied atop the CIAA in steals and ranks among the league leaders in defensive rebounds per game and total rebounds. The 5-10 All-CIAA selection also the CIAA’s fourth-leading scorer at 16.1 points per game.

Rookie guard Amaya Tucker of Winston Salem State has earned Women’s Rookie of the Year honors. An All-CIAA and All-Rookie selection in her first year, Tucker is sixth in the CIAA in scoring at 15.9 points per game while leading the conference in three-point field goal percentage, third in three-point field goals made, and fifth in field goal percentage. The Winston-Salem, NC native leads all CIAA freshmen in the aforementioned categories.

Tucker, Dashia Jackson (Clafin), Asia Deal (Elizabeth City State), Jada Queen (Lincoln (PA)), & Ifunanya Okoye (Virginia Union) make up the Women’s All-Rookie team.

For more information regarding the 2019 CIAA Basketball Tournament, visit theciaa.com. Follow the CIAA on social media via Facebook (TheCIAA), Twitter (@CIAAForLife), Instagram (@CIAASports), or download the CIAA mobile app available for Apple and Android devices.

Women’s Backcourt

Daisa Harris, Livingstone College

Shareka McNeill, Virginia Union University

Jalyn Brown, Elizabeth City State University

Kwanza Murray, Lincoln University

Amaya Tucker, Winston-Salem State University

Women’s Frontcourt

Brionna Pate, Winston-Salem State University

Yakima Clifton, Fayetteville State University

Ashley Fields, Claflin University

Naterria Luster, Elizabeth City State University

Kyaja Williams, Bowie State University

Danielle Weldon, Chowan University

Pere Alexander, Bowie State University

Women’s All-Rookie Team

Dashia Jackson, Claflin University

Amaya Tucker, Winston-Salem State University

Asia Deal, Elizabeth City State University

Jada Queen, Lincoln University (PA)

Ifunanya Okoye, Virginia Union University

Women’s Player of the Year – Shareka McNeill, Virginia Union University

Women’s Defensive Player of the Year – Ashley Fields, Claflin University

Women’s Coach of the Year – Shadae Swan, Bowie State University

Women’s Rookie of the Year – Amaya Tucker, Winston-Salem State University