The Norfolk State Spartans Kierra Wheeler and Jamarii Thomas were named MEAC Player of the Year for men’s and women’s basketball during the MEAC BBT Awards Tuesday night. Women’s Basketball Head Coach Larry Vickers and men’s Basketball Head Coach Robert Jones were also named MEAC Coach of the Year.  

Women’s Basketball

Coach Vickers led the women’s basketball team undefeated at home this season, with a record of 13-1 in conference wins and 24-5 in overall wins. He was honored with his second Women’s MEAC Coach of the Year Award, with the first being in the 2022-2023 season.  

Kierra Wheeler, a junior forward from Minneapolis, M.N., made All-MEAC Defensive Team, All-MEAC First Team, and MEAC Player of the Year. She averaged 17.5 points and 9.8 rebounds this season. Her best game was at High Point on December 18, 2023, having a season-high of 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 assists.  

Diamond Johnson, a junior guard from Philadelphia, P.A., made All-MEAC Defensive Team, All-MEAC First Team, and MEAC Newcomer of the Year. She averaged 20.3 points and 5.1 rebounds this season, with a season-high of 32 points at Morgan State on February 26th.  

Niya Fields, a junior guard from Peekskill, N.Y., made All-MEAC Second Team. Shooting 74.1 percent from the free throw line, she averaged 6.7 points and 2.6 rebounds this season.  

Freshmans Da’Brya Clark, guard from Baltimore, M.D., and Anjanae Richardson, guard from Portsmouth, V.A., both made All-MEAC Rookie Team. Clark averaged 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds this season. Richardson averaged 7.5 points this season. 

Men’s Basketball

Led by Coach Jones, the men’s basketball team went undefeated at home this season, with a record of 11-3 in conference wins and 21-10 in overall wins. Coach Jones won the 2023-2024 Men’s MEAC Coach of the Year Award, receiving this title for the third time in his coaching career. 

Jamarii Thomas, a junior guard from Greensboro, N.C., made All-MEAC Defensive Team, All-MEAC First Team, MEAC Newcomer of the Year, and MEAC Player of the Year. Shooting 81.3 percent from the free throw line and averaging 17.5 points with 3.8 assists a game, he had a season-high of 31 points at Illinois State on December 9th.  

Allen Bertrand, a graduate student guard from Philadelphia, P.A., made All-MEAC Third Team and won the MEAC 6th Player of the Year Award. He averaged 11.1 points and 2.8 rebounds this season, having a season-high of 18 points at Morgan State on February 26th.  

Chris Fields Jr., a freshman forward from Petersburg, V.A., made All-MEAC Rookie Team. His season high of 31 points came against Virginia-Lynchburg, he averaged 6.8 points and 2.8 rebounds this season.