Voorhees duo, Talladega, Huston-Tillotson claim Week 6 HBCUAC Softball Honors

NEW ORLEANS - Voorhees University catcher Apryl Davis wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Softball Player of the Week. Ta'Nia Hickson garners Pitcher of the Week. Talladega's Josie Harshberger takes Freshman of the Week. Huston-Tillotson Alexis Tamez earns Newcomer of the Week. The women were honored for their performance between March 2-8, the conference announced on Monday.

Davis went 6-for-9, helping Voorhees win two out of three against Rust College. Three of her hits went for extra bases with two doubles and a home run. She scored four runs and drove in seven. 

Hickson earned two wins in the circle. She pitched a shutout in the opener, only allowing three hits and struck out eight in an 8-0 victory. In the finale, she struck out five batters in a 9-8 victory.

Harshberger went 8-for-11 with four runs and five RBI against Huston-Tillotson University. She went 6-for-6 in the series opener with three doubles, five RBI and four runs leading the Tornadoes to a 17-10 victory. Harshberger successfully fielded 10 chances with four putouts and six assists. For the week she fielded 16 of 17 balls.

Tamez went 5-for-10 at the plate with a double, three RBIs, and a .545 on-base percentage during the Rams' 2-1 week. She collected RBIs in each of the three games this week. Her .455 batting average this season currently leads the team. Tamez has hit safely in all five conference games. Though she was the losing pitcher in the series opener, she allowed just one baserunner out of the six she faced in the finale to stop Talladega's rally on a long and rainy day.

Additional softball weekly nominees: Alayali Alaniz (Huston-Tillotson), Sariya Calhoun (Wiley), Karli Crocker (Stillman), Kieana Cruz (Huston-Tillotson), Alex Erwin (Stillman), T'era Garrett (Wiley), Anna Jones (Oakwood), Rihanna King (Oakwood), Khyliyah Moore (Voorhees), MaryFaith McCluskey (Oakwood), Michaela Otts (Stillman), Marleigh Robinson (Huston-Tillotson), Jasmine Wade (Stillman)

2026 HBCUAC Softball Players of the Week

About the 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), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Oakwood University (AL), Paul Quinn College (TX), 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 soccer, 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.