NORFOLK, Va. – Jaden Davis of North Carolina Central was selected MEAC Softball Pitcher of the Year at the league's softball awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 6. She is the first Eagle in the Division I era to win conference pitcher of the year.

The senior pitcher headlined five Eagles on the all-conference team, voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. Davis landed on the first team and first baseman Takia Nichols, second baseman Makiya Graves, outfielder Tyler Suttles and relief pitcher Simone Mack were third-team selections.

The pitching award solidifies Davis as the MEAC's premier pitcher. She led the conference in strikeouts last season and ranked second as a sophomore, when she was named most outstanding performer during the Eagles' championship run in 2023.

Davis was dazzling again this season, recording a league-high 118 strikeouts which ranks 82^nd in the country. She posted a league-high 12 wins despite a brutal non-conference schedule and her nine league wins top all MEAC pitchers.

Davis' pitching arsenal was too much for batters, especially league opponents, as she registered a 1.64 earned run average in conference games, the third lowest in the MEAC. Teams batted only .190 against Davis in league games which ranks second among opposing batting averages, and her overall ERA rose slightly to 3.64 – eighth in the MEAC - despite a challenging non-conference slate that included Power Four teams Ohio State and Michigan. This is the third All-MEAC accolade for Davis, who made the second team as a sophomore and junior.

Graves joins Davis as a three-time all-conference pick after another strong season as an infielder. The Eagles' junior, who was the 2023 MEAC Rookie of the Year, is in the MEAC's top 10 in nine batting categories including sixth in batting average (.353), eighth in slugging percentage (.500), tied for fifth in hits (41), third in RBIs (26) and tied for fourth in triples (4). She was also exceptional on defense as a second baseman, ranking seventh in fielding percentage (.978).

Suttles followed last year's All-MEAC first team season as a freshman with a stellar sophomore year. She ranks 10^th in the conference in batting average (.339), tied for ninth in hits (37) and tied for fourth in triples (4) while her 14 RBIs are third on the Eagles' squad. In addition to her hitting, Suttles made several spectacular plays in the outfield including a running catch through the centerfield fence to rob Morgan State of a home run.

Nichols returned to All-MEAC form at first base after making first team all-conference as a freshman two years ago. The first baseman was second on the team in RBIs (18) and home runs (2) and tied for second in doubles (5) while leading the Eagles in sacrifice flies (3), ranking third in the MEAC in that category. Defensively, Nichols is tied for third in the conference in putouts (222). Mack was named All-MEAC her freshman season after tying for sixth in the conference in saves.
 
 2025 All-MEAC Softball Awards 
Player of the Year - Taylor Ames-Alexander, S.C. State 
Pitcher of the Year - Jaden Davis, N.C. Central 
Rookie of the Year - Lauryn Jones, Howard 
Coach of the Year - Angie Nicholson, Norfolk State 
 
First Team 
P, Julia Holt, Howard  
P, Jaden Davis, N.C. Central 
1B, Alyssa Vasquez, Howard 
2B, Lealani Ricks, Howard 
3B, Kenna Higa, Howard 
SS, Sidney Fletcher *, Howard 
SS, Taylor Ames-Alexander *, S.C. State 
C, Merci Hart, Howard 
OF, Lauryn Jones, Howard 
OF, Amber Rivas, Morgan State 
OF, Jamaria Charley, S.C. State 
RP, Mia Gonzales, Howard 
UTL, Ameenah Ballenger, Howard 
 
Second Team 
P, Kristin White, Delaware State  
P, Victoria Fletcher, Morgan State 
1B, Maya Jonhson, Norfolk State 
2B, Taylor Ames-Alexander, S.C. State 
3B, Kira Turner, Norfolk State 
SS, Qween Edmonds, Norfolk State 
C, Paige Perkins, Maryland Eastern Shore 
OF, Aniyah Haley, Coppin State  
OF, Angel Riggins, Howard  
OF, Kailey Bryant, Norfolk State 
RP, Brierra Tyler, Norfolk State 
UTL, Victoria Fletcher, Morgan State 
 
Third Team 
P, Amaya McPherson, Norfolk State 
P, Destiny Calloway, S.C. State 
1B, Takia Nichols, N.C. Central 
2B, Makiya Graves, N.C. Central 
3B, Julianna Mejia, Coppin State 
SS, Clarke Calvin, Maryland Eastern Shore 
C, Xzylia Maravilla, Coppin State 
OF, Payton Quinonez, Howard 
OF, Jaycee Holt, Maryland Eastern Shore  
OF, Tyler Suttles, N.C. Central 
RP, Simone Mack, N.C. Central 
UTL, Madison Boyd, S.C. State 
 
* - indicates tie 
 
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