Fisk Duo, Stillman, Oakwood claim Week 13 HBCUAC Women's Basketball Honors

Stillman College's Farrah Pearson, Fisk University's Jayla Bibbs and Keeli Burton-Oliver and Oakwood's Saniya Keys rose to the top of the Conference in Week 13.

January 27, 2025

NEW ORLEANS - January 27, 2025 - Stillman College's Farrah Pearson wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Offensive Player of the Week. Fisk University's Jayla Bibbs earns Defensive Player of the Week and Keeli Burton-Oliver takes home Newcomer of the Week. Saniya Keys garners Freshman of the Week. The athletes were recognized for their performances from January 20 until 26, the conference announced on Monday.

Pearson scored 26 points on a 12-for-17 shooting performance which led the Lady Tigers to a victory over Wilberforce University on Saturday. She added three offensive rebounds and two assists.

Bibbs claims her third weekly honor after averaging 11 rebounds with nine defensive, 2.5 steals and two blocks per game. Her nine rebounds and four steals led the Lady Bulldogs to a victory over Talladega College on Thursday. She followed that performance with a double-double in Saturday's victory over Voorhees, while adding three blocks. Bibbs ranks second in the HBCUAC with 2.9 steals per game.

Saniya Keys claimed her 13th weekly award after posting a double-double against Wilberforce University with 13 points and 10 rebounds. She helped Oakwood to their fifth consecutive victory. Keys continues to lead the HBCUAC with 18.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.

Burton-Oliver garners her second weekly honor. She notched two double-digit scoring games to give her seven consecutive. In Thursday's game against Talladega, she scored 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds, blocked six shots and stole the ball three times. She tallied 21 points and six rebounds in a victory over Voorhees on Saturday. Burton-Oliver has increased her scoring average to 11 points per game.

Additional women's basketball weekly nominees: Trenisha Adams (Oakwood), Limaya Batimba (Stillman), Morgan Bone (Oakwood), Hannah Boykin-Williams (Stillman), Shy'Kiera Brown (Voorhees), Talyia Cawthon (Rust), Kaelin Davis (Voorhees), Brayland Ferguson (Tougaloo), D'Mya Ferguson (Dillard), Nedisha Ford (Voorhees), JaSharreah Hunt (Tougaloo), Ashlyn Kimble (Philander Smith), Kameron Jones (Talladega), Mary Leday (Wiley), Cassidy Lowe (Dillard), Jaida Minter (Stillman), Jade Myles (Philander Smith), Jessica Nerestant (Wiley), Michaela Payton (Rust), Dreann Pryce (Wilberforce), Lauren Sutton (Tougaloo), Makyla Tucker (Wilberforce), Kiersten Usher (Talladega)

2024-25 Women's Basketball Players of the Week

Date	Offensive	Defensive	Freshman	Newcomer
Oct. 21-27	Dasia Turner, Philander Smith	Elizabeth Camacho, Wiley	Jakhiya Smith, SUNO	Samya Johnson, Philander Smith
Oct. 28-Nov. 3	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Jaida Minter, Stillman
Nov. 4-10	Dasia Turner, Philander Smith	Jayla Bibbs, Fisk	Kyren Wilson, SUNO	Michaela Payton, Rust
Nov. 11-17	Ty'Shemia Bunkley, Voorhees	Nedisha Ford, Voorhees	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	D'Mya Ferguson, Dillard
Nov. 18-24	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	A'Niya Young, Fisk	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo
Nov. 25-Dec. 1	Ari Winston, Philander Smith	Jessica Nerestant, Wiley	Ashlyn Kimble, Philander Smith	Mary Leday, Wiley
Dec. 2-8	Saniya Keys Oakwood	Jayla Bibbs, Fisk	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo
Dec. 9-15	Trenisha Adams, Oakwood	Jessica Nerestant, Wiley	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Skyler Christmas, Dillard
Dec. 16-22	Makyla Tucker, Wilberforce	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makyla Tucker, Wilberforce
Dec. 23-Jan. 5	Tierra Sylvas, SUNO	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Kamaria Murray, Oakwood	DeJaria Lewis, Talladega
Jan. 6-12	Jordan Harris, SUNO	Michaela Payton, Rust	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Keeli Burton-Oliver, Fisk
Jan. 13-19	Patsy Johnson, Rust	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Mary Leday, Wiley
Jan. 20-26	Farrah Pearson, Stillman	Jayla Bibbs, Fisk	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Keeli Burton-Oliver, Fisk

-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.