NORFOLK, Va. – Standout forward Morgan Callahan of North Carolina Central was selected Preseason MEAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year, the league announced Wednesday during its Basketball Media Show at the Norfolk Waterside. She is the first Eagle to win the honor since NCCU returned to the MEAC in 2011.

In addition to winning her individual award, Callahan landed on the preseason All-MEAC first team. She was one of four Eagles to earn all-conference honors as guard Shakiria Foster made the second team and both forward Aniya Finger and guard Aysia Hinton were third-team selections. In all, sixteen (16) women's basketball players were picked by the league's coaches and sports information directors.

The four players will lead an Eagles' squad picked fourth in the MEAC Predicted Order of Finish. This is the second straight year NCCU was predicted to place fourth.

Callahan has had a stellar career at NCCU, including the 2024-25 season when she ranked among the top MEAC players in several categories. She was eighth in points per game (12.5) and third in rebounds per game (8.3), blocks per game (1.7) and minutes per game (35.7), which also ranked 35^th in the country.

A two-time All-MEAC and All-MEAC Defensive Team performer, Callahan has produced over 1,000 points and 600 rebounds in her career, making her one of four Eagles to achieve the feat in the Division I era. This is her third consecutive season on the preseason All-MEAC squad.

Foster made an immediate impact as a freshman last season, ranking third on the team in points per game (10.2). She finished among the MEAC's top 15 players in points per game (14^th), field goal percentage (14^th/.376), three-point field goals made per game (T-11^th/1.1) and three-pointers made (32). Her sharpshooting skills earned her a spot on the MEAC All-Rookie team.

Finger, who missed last season due to injury, was a steady force in the paint the previous two seasons -averaging nearly 10 points and seven rebounds. She was named preseason All-MEAC for the second time in her career.

Among the league's top perimeter scorers a season ago, Hinton was voted preseason All-MEAC for the first time. The NCCU guard ranked fourth in the conference in both three-pointers made (53) and three-point field goals made per game (1.8) and 11^th in three-point field goal percentage (.323). In addition to being the team's three-point leader, Hinton averaged nearly 10 points in conference games.

The Eagles open the 2025-26 season at North Carolina on Nov. 3 at 11 a.m. 

2025-26 MEAC Women's Basketball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
1. Howard (10) – 118 pts
2. Norfolk State (4) – 107 pts
3. Maryland Eastern Shore – 93 pts
4. North Carolina Central (1) – 68 pts
5. Morgan State – 62 pts
6. Coppin State – 60 pts
7. Delaware State – 41 pts
8. South Carolina State (1) – 27 pts


2025-26 Preseason All-MEAC Teams
First Team
· Ja'la Bannerman, Morgan State
· Morgan Callahan, North Carolina Central
· Nile Miller, Howard
· Anjanae Robinson, Norfolk State
· Zennia Thomas, Howard
 
Second Team
· Brianna Barnes, Maryland Eastern Shore
· Da'Brya Clark, Norfolk State
· Jasha Clinton, Norfolk State
· Shakiria Foster, North Carolina Central*
· Ericka Huggins, Delaware State
· Ashanti Lynch, Maryland Eastern Shore *
 
Third Team
· Jael Butler, Morgan State
· Aniya Finger, North Carolina Central
· Aysia Hinton, North Carolina Central
· Gabrielle Johnson, Morgan State
· Jazmine Spencer, Norfolk State
(*Denotes a tie)
 
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