Rust, Fisk duo, Tougaloo capture Week 15 HBCUAC Women's Basketball Weekly Honors

Patsy Johnson, Kayla Lee and Ari Branch put up career performances.

February 9, 2026

NEW ORLEANS - Rust College's Patsy Johnson wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Offensive Player of the Week. Fisk University's Kayla Lee claims Defensive Player of the Week. Ari Branch garners Freshman of the Week. Tougaloo College's Shalayne Morgan takes Newcomer of the Week. The women were honored for their performance between February 2-8, the conference announced on Monday.

Johnson posted 29 points and seven assists per game, leading the Lady Bearcats to two victories last week. In an 80-68 victory over HBCUAC West leader Paul Quinn College, she put up 25 points, hitting five shots and 12 of 13 free throws. Johnson added seven assists and an offensive rebound. Against Voorhees on Thursday, she scored 33 points on a 13-for-27 shooting performance and provided seven assists in a 76-62 victory.

Lee had a strong performance on both sides of the floor to lead Fisk to two victories. In Thursday's game against Dillard, she recorded seven steals and four defensive rebounds. On Saturday, she recorded a double-double, grabbing 12 rebounds with 10 on defense and stole the ball seven times in a 66-63 victory over Southern University at New Orleans. Lee ranks fourth in the nation with 4.2 steals per game.

Branch set a program record for most points in a single game by a freshman with 40 against Dillard on Thursday. She shot 16-for-28 from the field and provided five assists, and two steals. In Saturday's game at SUNO, Branch put up 17 points, two rebounds and two steals. She moved her average to 28.5 points per game.

Morgan averaged 23.5 points per game in two contests. In a February 2 game at Talladega College she posted 18 points, nine rebounds, three steals and three assists. Morgan followed that performance with a career-high 29 points and six rebounds against Oakwood on Thursday.

Additional women's basketball weekly nominees: Bre'Nai Amos (Tougaloo), Lauren Bennett (Rust), Zaire Brown (Paul Quinn), Jolisa Butts (Wilberforce), Talyia Cawthon (Rust), Hannah Cornelious (SUNO), Kelechi Dike (Wiley), Tamia Dolls (Paul Quinn), Brayland Ferguson (Tougaloo), D'Mya Ferguson (Dillard), Alexis Foster (Wiley), Markiyah Jefferson (SUNO), Mya Jones (Stillman), Chayce Matthews (Stillman), Kamaria Murray (Oakwood), Ceara Myers (Talladega), Shaniya Sanders (Oakwood), Kayla Terry (Dillard), Kiersten Usher (Talladega)

2025-26 HBCUAC Women's Basketball Players of the Week

Date	Offensive	Defensive	Freshman	Newcomer
Oct. 20-26	Brandy Jones, Wiley	Wilhasia Burleson, Huston-Tillotson	Camille Miles, Talladega	Brandy Jones, Wiley
Oct. 27-Nov. 2	Kayla Lee, Fisk	Keshara Romain, Virgin Islands	Katelynn Wilson, SUNO	Keshara Romain, Virgin Islands
Nov. 3-9	Wilashia Burleson, Huston-Tillotson	Wilhasia Burleson, Huston-Tillotson	Katelynn Wilson, SUNO	Jordan Harris, Stillman
Nov. 10-16	Kierra Diggs, Voorhees	Hannah Cornelius, SUNO	Bre'Nai Amos, Tougaloo	Shalayne Morgan, Tougaloo
Nov. 17-23	Patsy Johnson, Rust	Jakhiya Smith, SUNO	Ari Branch, Fisk	Shalayne Morgan, Tougaloo
Nov. 24-30	Kelechi Dike, Wiley	Kelechi Dike, Wiley	Bre'Nai Amos, Tougaloo	Alexis Foster, Wiley
Dec. 1-7	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Bre'Nai Amos, Tougaloo	Moriah Burley, Wiley
Dec. 8-14	Jaida Minter, Stillman	Kayla Lee, Fisk	Ari Branch, Fisk	Zaire Brown, Paul Quinn
Dec. 15-21	Ari Branch, Fisk	Kayla Lee, Fisk	Ari Branch, Fisk	Harmonie Bolton, Fisk
Dec. 22-Jan. 4	Brayland Ferguson, Tougaloo	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Ari Branch, Fisk	Harmonie Bolton, Fisk
Jan. 5-11	Ari Branch, Fisk	Kayla Lee, Fisk	Ari Branch, Fisk	Lauren Bennett, Rust
Jan. 12-18	D'Mya Ferguson, Dillard	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Ari Branch, Fisk	Davielis Berroa, Dillard
Jan. 18-25	Trenisha Adams, Oakwood	Brayland Ferguson, Tougaloo	N/A	Shalayne Morgan, Tougaloo
Jan. 26-Feb. 1	Tamia Dolls, Paul Quinn	Jessica Nerestant, Wiley	Ari Branch, Fisk	Keimora Banks, Wiley
Feb. 2-8	Patsy Johnson, Rust	Kayla Lee, Fisk	Ari Branch, Fisk	Shalayne Morgan, Tougaloo

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.