VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Hampton University won the Mary McLeod Bethune Women’s All Sports Award for the eighth year in a row, announced on Wednesday by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Lady Pirates totaled 77 of a possible 96 points.
The school will receive a $25,000 check Wednesday night at the MEAC Spring Delegate Assembly and Committee Meetings in Henderson, Nev.
Norfolk State won its fifth straight Talmadge Layman Hill Men’s Award.
Hampton has won 10 All Sports trophies since joining the MEAC in 1996.
“Once again both Hampton University, under the direction of Dr. William Harvey, and Norfolk State University, led by Dr. Carolyn Meyers, have demonstrated the overall strength of their respective athletic programs by capturing the MEAC All-Sports Awards,” said Commissioner Dennis Thomas. “I would like to congratulate the Hampton and Norfolk State administrators, coaches, student-athletes and support staff for an outstanding job.”
Hampton won MEAC titles in women’s indoor and outdoor track & field this season, as well as the regular-season MEAC North Division title in women’s tennis. The women’s basketball team also advanced to the MEAC Championship Game, where the Lady Pirates fell to North Carolina A&T.
Points are awarded in a descending order beginning with 12 points for championship or first place finishes. The second place teams get 10 points. Tied teams split the total points.
The Mary McLeod Bethune Award, named after the founder of Bethune-Cookman College, awards the top overall women’s athletic program during the course of one full academic year. The first Mary McLeod Bethune Award was given in 1987 to Delaware State University. Florida A&M leads all MEAC schools with nine Women’s Awards from 1993-2000. The men’s All-Sports Award is named after the late Talmadge Layman Hill, a former player and coach at Morgan State, and former Chairman of the MEAC Steering and Planning Committee, as well as the league’s first President. Howard University was the recipient of the first Talmadge Layman Hill Award in 1972. South Carolina State holds the men’s record with 11 awards from 1973-1984.
For more information on Hampton University athletics, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at
www.hamptonpirates.com.
Information from the official MEAC release was used.