Stillman's Haskins, Rust's Murrell claim Week 12 HBCUAC Softball Weekly Awards

Lauren Haskins hit .533 in four games. Ashanti Murrell helped Rust clinch the series against second-place Dillard.

April 22, 2025

NEW ORLEANS - April 22, 2025 - Stillman College shortstop Lauren Haskins garners Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Softball Player of the Week and Rust College's Ashanti Murrell wins Pitcher of the Week. The ladies were honored for their performance between April 14-20, the conference announced Tuesday.

Haskins turned in a .533 batting average and a .563 on-base percentage in four games. She stole nine bases over the course of the week and scored six runs. Haskins earns her sixth weekly award and leads the HBCUAC in batting average, home runs and stolen bases.

Murrell gave a solid relief performance against Dillard University that enabled Rust to overcome an early deficit and clinch the series against the conference runner-up. In six innings, she held the Lady Bleu Devils to a run on three hits and struck out two batters.

Additional softball weekly nominees: Sydney Arnett (Oakwood), Ashlyn Hallman (Oakwood), Kayla Townsend (Rust)

2025 Softball Players of the Week

Date	Player	Pitcher
Jan. 27-Feb. 9	Lauren Haskins, Stillman	Avary Lumpkin, Stillman
Feb. 10-16	Haley Weatherspoon, Dillard	Mary-Elizabeth Landry, Dillard
Feb. 17-23	Madison Bubel, Stillman	Sydney Arnett, Oakwood
Feb. 24-March 2	Rha'Khaya Jones, Rust	Leona Joshua, Rust
March 3-9	Lauren Haskins, Stillman	Jennifer Gress, Dillard
March 10-16	Ca'Terra Bates, Dillard	Jennifer Gress, Dillard
March 17-23	Lauren Haskins, Stillman	Jasmine Wade, Stillman
March 24-30	Lauren Haskins, Stillman	Jasmine Wade, Stillman
March 31-April 6	TeYana Towner, Voorhees	Ta'Nia Hickson, Voorhees
April 7-13	Lauren Haskins, Stillman	Sofi Wagner-Stiles, Talladega
April 14-20	Lauren Haskins, Stillman	Ashanti Murrell, Rust

-HBCUAC-

About HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Oakwood University (AL), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.