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MEAC announces Preseason Men's and Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams
October 12, 2006
RALEIGH, N.C. –Delaware State University’s Jahsha Bluntt and Coppin State’s Rashida Suber were named the preseason Mid-Eastern Athletic
Conference (MEAC) Players of the Year at the league's Tip-Off Luncheon, Thursday at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C.
Bluntt, the 2006 MEAC Men's Player of the Year, led his team with 14.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He
was ranked in the top ten in the MEAC in six categories including scoring, field goal percentage (.756) and
3-point field goal percentage (.391).
Suber earned an All-MEAC first-team selection last year after averaging 12.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per
game. She was named the MEAC tournament Outstanding Performer, recording 17.0 points and 2.0
blocked shots per game. The guard led Coppin State in 3-point field goals made (58) and steals (63). Suber
was among the top fifteen in the MEAC in scoring, steals, and assists and was fifth in the conference with a
3-point field goal percentage of .349.
Joining Bluntt on the preseason All-MEAC first team is last year’s MEAC Rookie of the Year, Tywain McKee
( 6-2, 182, Jr., Guard) of Coppin State, and Norfolk State’s Tony Murphy (6-4, 220, Jr., Guard). McKee, a
2006 All-MEAC Rookie Team and All-MEAC second-team selection, led his team with 15.4 points and 2.4
steals per game and was second on the team with 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last season.
Murphy, earned All-MEAC second-team accolades after averaging 15.6 points and 3.5 rebounds.
Brian Mason (6-4, 200, Sr., G/F) of South Carolina State and North Carolina A&T’s Jason Wills (6-6, 208,
Jr., Center) complete the preseason first-team. Mason was an All-MEAC first-team choice last year led the
Bulldogs with 14.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He ranked among the top ten in the MEAC in scoring,
rebounding, field goal percentage (.479) free throw percentage (.776). Wills, led the Aggies in both points
(14.7) and rebounds (7.1) per game, while also recording 14 blocks for the year.
Joining Suber on the preseason All-MEAC first team is Hampton’s Rachel Butler (5-8, Jr., Guard) and
Delaware State’s Raquel Collier (5-9, Jr., G/F). Butler earned an All-MEAC second-team selection last year
and led her team in over nine categories including scoring (15.2 ppg), and steals (2.3 spg). Collier earned
an All-MEAC first-team choice for the second consecutive year. Collier led her team in scoring (12.8 ppg)
and 3-point field goals made (5.1 pg) and was among the top ten in the MEAC in scoring and field goal
percentage (.446).
Howard’s Melloni Benson (6-2, Sr., Forward) and Kristi Veltkamp (6-3, Jr. Center) of the University of
Maryland-Eastern Shore round out the preseason first-team. Benson averaged 12.2 points and 3.9
rebounds per game for the Bison in 2005-06. Veltkamp, an All-Rookie Team selection in 2004-05, was
named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year last year and led her team and the MEAC with 68 blocks
(2.34 bpg) and was sixth in the league with 6.7 rebounds per game.
MEN
Preseason Player of the Year: Jahsha Bluntt, Delaware State
| First Team |
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
POS. |
HT. |
WT. |
CL. |
HOMETOWN |
| Jahsha Bluntt |
Delaware State |
G |
6-6 |
220 |
Sr. |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
| Tywain McKee |
Coppin State |
G |
6-2 |
182 |
Jr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
| Tony Murphy |
Norfolk State |
G |
6-4 |
220 |
Jr. |
Paterson, N.J. |
| Brian Mason |
South Carolina St |
G/F |
6-4 |
200 |
Sr. |
Dominica, West Indies |
| Jason Wills |
North Carolina A&T |
C |
6-6 |
208 |
Jr. |
Upper Marlboro, Md. |
| Second Team |
|
| Darrin Shine |
Delaware State |
G |
5-10 |
170 |
Sr. |
Augustus, Ga. |
| Sean Booker |
North Carolina A&T |
G |
6-3 |
180 |
Jr. |
Louisville, Ky. |
| Brian Greene |
Florida A&M |
G/F |
6-5 |
210 |
Sr. |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Sam Barber |
Bethune-Cookman |
F |
6-6 |
210 |
Sr. |
Palm Beach, Fla. |
| Rome Sanders |
Florida A&M |
C |
6-8 |
240 |
Sr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
WOMEN
Preseason Player of the Year: Rashida Suber, Coppin State
| First Team |
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
POS. |
HT. |
CL. |
HOMETOWN |
| Rashida Suber |
Coppin State |
G |
5-8 |
Sr. |
Reading, Pa. |
| Rachel Butler |
Hampton |
G |
5-8 |
Jr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| Raquel Collier |
Delaware State |
G/F |
5-9 |
Jr. |
Schenectady, N.Y. |
| Melloni Benson |
Howard |
F |
6-2 |
Sr. |
Dayton, Ohio |
| Kristi Veltkamp |
Md.-Eastern Shore |
C |
6-3 |
Jr. |
Hudsonville, Mich. |
| Second Team |
| Shalamar Oakley |
Coppin State |
G |
5-6 |
Jr. |
Camden, N.J. |
| Deidra Jones |
Florida A&M |
G |
5-10 |
td>So. |
Powder Springs, Ga. |
| Whitney Johnson |
Morgan State |
G |
5-9 |
Sr. |
Detroit, Mich. |
| Katreem Palmer |
Delaware State |
F |
6-1 |
Jr. |
Jamaica, N.Y. |
| Ifeoma Onuaku |
Florida A&M |
C |
6-4 |
Sr. |
Lanham, Md. |
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