Oakwood, Tougaloo, Wiley claim Week 7 HBCUAC Women's Basketball Awards

NEW ORLEANS - Oakwood University forward Saniya Keys garners Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Offensive Player of the Week. Tougaloo College forward Makaila Brown wins Defensive Player of the Week. Guard Bre'Nai Amos takes home Freshman of the Week. Wiley University combo guard Moriah Burley earns Newcomer of the Week. The women were honored for their performance between December 1-7, the conference announced on Monday.

Keys, the 2025 HBCUAC Preseason Player of the Year, averaged 22.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, leading the Lady Ambassadors to two victories. She shot 58.1 percent from the field, shooting 18-for-31. In Saturday's victory over Washington Adventist, Keys notched a double-double with 26 points and 18 rebounds.

Brown grabbed 28 rebounds with 22 on defense, four blocks and three steals to help the Lady Bulldogs to a split in their HBCUAC games. She recorded a career-high 19 rebounds with 17 on defense in a victory over Huston-Tillotson University on Thursday. Brown's performance helped Tougaloo hold its opponents under 70 points.

Amos put up four points, four assists, four steals and a rebound in two games last week.

Burley posted two double-digit performances to help the Lady Wildcats increase their winning streak and stay unbeaten in conference play. In Thursday's victory over Southern University at New Orleans, she recorded a double-double with season-highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds. She made a season-high six shots, including three 3-pointers which helped Wiley overcome an early 12-point deficit. She followed with 13 points against Dillard University on Saturday. For the week, she hit six three-pointers, grabbed 11 rebounds and tallied five assists.

Additional women's basketball weekly nominees: Shykiera Brown (Voorhees), Wilashia Burleson (Huston-Tillotson), Kristen Cantrell (Wilberforce), Olympia Chaney (Talladega), Constance Chaplin (Wilberforce), Xaria Culver (Huston-Tillotson) Kierra Diggs (Voorhees), Kelechi Dike (Wiley), Kaylan Jack (SUNO), Patsy Johnson (Rust), Mya Jones (Stillman), Kayla Lee (Fisk), Unique Miller (Rust), Jaida Minter (Stillman), Shalayne Morgan (Tougaloo), Ceara Myers (Talladega), Jessica Nerestant (Wiley), Cameria Reed (Stillman), Jakhiya Smith (SUNO), Destiny Stanford (Huston-Tillotson), Kiersten Usher (Talladega), Kennedi Wagner (Fisk), 

2025-26 HBCUAC Women's Basketball 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.