NORFOLK, Va. – Four North Carolina Central players landed on the 2025 Preseason All-MEAC Softball Teams on Thursday, Jan. 30. In the Predicted Order of Finish, the Eagles were picked fourth.
The Preseason All-MEAC squads and the Predicted Order of Finish were voted on by the MEAC head softball coaches and sports information directors.
NCCU outfielder
Tyler Suttles was a first-team selection and three Eagles – pitcher
Jaden Davis, first baseman
Takia Nichols and shortstop
Makiya Graves – were second-team picks. All four players led the Eagles to a semifinal finish in the MEAC Tournament last season.
The trio of Davis, Nichols and Graves made the Preseason All-MEAC Team for the second year in a row. Suttles was selected for the first time.
Suttles batted .308 with 36 hits, 10 RBIs, 18 runs and 8 of 8 stolen bases as a freshman last year. In conference games, Suttles ranked among the MEAC's top 10 players in five major hitting categories including third in batting average (.435) and hits (27).
Davis, a two-time all-conference pitcher, led the MEAC in strikeouts with 116. She ranked third in the league in wins (12) and second in innings pitched (188.1). The Eagles' junior hurled a team-high 3.16 earned run average, including a 2.29 ERA in MEAC games.
Nichols made the all-conference team in 2023 after batting .346 and ranking second in slugging percentage (.596), on base percentage (.467) and on base percentage + slugging percentage (.1.063). The NCCU junior was fourth in hits (47), fifth in RBIs (32) and seventh in batting average that year. Last season, Nichols ranked eighth in the MEAC in on base percentage (.438) and second in walks (25) while batting .282 with 24 hits and 8 RBIs.
Graves earned her second straight All-MEAC honor last season. The junior infielder ranked fourth in the conference in putouts (233) and second in fielding double plays (11) as a first baseman while batting .287 with 37 hits, 10 RBIs and 17 runs. In 2023, Graves was named the league's rookie of the year after leading the MEAC in hits (62) and ranking seventh in batting (.354). She was 10
th in on base percentage (.415) and fourth in runs scored (29).
The predicted order of finish and complete All-MEAC preseason teams are listed below.
2025 MEAC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
School (First-place votes), Points
Howard (8), 118
Morgan State (7), 117
Coppin State (1), 85
N.C. Central, 72
S.C. State, 52
Maryland Eastern Shore, 46
Delaware State, 45
Norfolk State, 41
2025 MEAC Softball Preseason All-Conference Teams
Preseason Player of the Year: Victoria Fletcher, Morgan State
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Julia Holt, Howard
First Team
| Victoria Fletcher |
P |
Gr. |
Morgan State |
Huntingtown, Md. |
| Julia Holt |
P |
Jr. |
Howard |
Tuscon, Ariz. |
| Alyssa Vasquez |
C |
Sr. |
Howard |
Eastvale, Calif. |
| Seryna Esparza |
1B |
Jr. |
Coppin State |
Hollister, Calif. |
| Lealani Ricks |
2B |
Sr. |
Howard |
Madera, Calif. |
| Kenna Higa |
3B |
Sr. |
Howard |
Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Sidney Fletcher |
SS |
Sr. |
Howard |
Whittier, Calif. |
| Maryn Jordan |
OF |
Jr. |
Howard |
Sandiego, Calif. |
| Amber Rivas |
OF |
So. |
Morgan State |
West Hills, Calif. |
| Tyler Suttles |
OF |
So. |
N.C. Central |
Menifee, Calif. |
| Victoria Fletcher |
UTL/DP |
Gr. |
Morgan State |
Huntingtown, Md. |
Second Team
| Jaden Davis |
P |
Sr. |
N.C. Central |
Knightdale, N.C. |
| Mia Gonzales |
P |
Sr. |
Howard |
Atwater, Calif. |
| Alison Keener |
C |
Jr. |
Morgan State |
Nanticoke, Pa. |
| Takia Nichols |
1B |
Jr. |
N.C. Central |
Hillsborough, N.C. |
| Clarke Calvin |
2B |
Fr. |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Woodbury, Minn. |
| Julianna Mejia |
3B |
So. |
Coppin State |
Lincoln Heights, Calif. |
| Makiya Graves |
SS |
Jr. |
N.C. Central |
Mebane, N.C. |
| Jaycee Holt |
OF |
Jr. |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Birchwood, Tenn. |
| Brooklyn Tapusoa |
OF |
Jr. |
Coppin State |
Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Merci Hart |
OF |
So. |
Howard |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
| Ameenah Ballenger |
UTL/DP |
Gr. |
Howard |
Lansdown, Pa. |
