MUW’s White Named Coach of the Year

HAMPION, Pa. (MUW Athletics) – In his first year as the head coach of The W women’s basketball team, Howard White has been named the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Women’s Basketball Division I Coach of the Year at the USCAA Basketball Division I Brunch Banquet on Wednesday, March 6.

After a 15-year hiatus due to a tornado that devastated the Mississippi University for Women’s campus, White signed on to coach the comeback team for women’s basketball. In under a year, he built a team that spent most of the season ranked number one in the USCAA and entered the championship tournament as the number two seed.

During their climb to the top, the Owls faced stiff competition with major victories over NAIA opponents Tougaloo College and Philander Smith to complete the 2018-19 regular season with an overall record of 18-6.

Also at the banquet, four Owls players received All-American Honors. Qiayon Bailey, a junior forward from West Points, Miss., was named to the Women’s Division I All-American First Team. In her first year wearing The W uniform, Bailey led the team with 15.0 points per game and shot 51.9 percent from the field. She also averaged 7.0 rebounds per game and 1.0 assists.

Owls senior Tenazhia Hinkson received All-American Second Team recognition. The Pearl, Miss. native averaged 10.9 points per game and shot 42.1 percent from the field including 27.8 percent in three-point range with 71.3 percent accuracy at the free-throw line. She also averaged 7.5 rebounds per game and 2.7 assists.

Junior center Keyahna Jones and Owls men’s basketball player DJ Clark received All-American Honorable Mentions. Jones racked up nine double-doubles so far this season, averaging 8.5 points per game and 10.2 rebounds. Clark recorded 10 double-doubles this season and averaged 11.6 points per game and 9.8 rebounds.

On Wednesday, the USCAA also recognized the student-athletes that performed well academically. For the Owls, Katlyn Duke with a 3.72 GPA and Josh Gonsalves with a 4.0 were named to the Division I All-Academic Team.

The USCAA Women’s Basketball Division I Tournament will kick-off tomorrow Thursday, March 7. As the number two seed, the Owls will take on the seventh-seeded Silver Lake College at 2 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. CT. You can follow the live stats and live stream: HERE.