RICE FAME GROUP ANNOUNCES THE FIFTH ANNUAL HBCU MAKEDA EXCELLENCE AWARDS WINNERS

HBCU awards recognize outstanding athletes, coaches, and band leadership for 2025–2026

Radcliff, KY. August 10, 2026. Rice FAME Group proudly announces the recipients of the 2025–2026 HBCU Makeda Excellence Awards. The awards recognize exceptional athletes, coaches, and band leaders from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Each recipient was selected by a majority vote of peer coaches and band directors representing programs affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA), and United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). Voting was highly competitive in several categories, including one that resulted in a tie.

 Nominees were submitted by athletic representatives from 78 four-year HBCU athletic programs. Ballots were distributed to those institutions, enabling head coaches to vote for fellow coaches and athletes in their respective sports. All information included in this announcement was provided through institutional submissions.

 The HBCU Makeda Excellence Awards are named for Queen Makeda, the celebrated Queen of Sheba. According to tradition, she was among history’s wealthiest women, and her wisdom was renowned enough to challenge the legendary King Solomon of Israel. She is also credited with contributing to the growth of Solomon’s wealth, which enabled him to build the first Temple. Ethiopian tradition holds that Solomon permitted their son, Menelik I, to take the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia, where it is believed to remain. The Solomonic dynasty began with Menelik I and ruled Ethiopia until 1974.

 Howard University led all institutions with 10 awards. Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Coppin State University, Edward Waters University, Kentucky State University, and Wiley University each received two awards. Benedict College, Central State University, Dillard University, Southern University at New Orleans, and Tennessee State University also produced award recipients.

 The 2025–2026 Rice FAME Group honorees are as follows:

 HBCU Band

 Band Director of the Year: Dr. Rodney Chism, Kentucky State University. Dr. Chism guided the Mighty Marching Thorobreds through a rebuilding season that culminated in an invitation to become the first HBCU to participate in the 2027 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade and Celebration in Phoenix, Arizona.

 Baseball

Co-Athlete of the Year: Miguel Oropeza, Alabama State University. After transferring from Talladega College, Oropeza earned First-Team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), SWAC Newcomer of the Year, SWAC All-Tournament, and Tournament MVP honors in 2026. His 19 doubles led the SWAC and came within three of Alabama State’s single-season record. He also established Alabama State single-season records with 67 runs batted in and 138 total bases. Oropeza batted .367 with 12 home runs.

Co-Athlete of the Year: Daniel “DK” Donaldson-Fountain, Edward Waters University. Named Black College Nines Small School Player of the Year and a First-Team All-Elite outfielder, Donaldson-Fountain led the Edward Waters University Tigers to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship. He completed one of the strongest offensive seasons in Division II, leading the SIAC in batting average (.418), slugging percentage (.809), hits (81), and home runs (19). His season also earned him SIAC Player of the Year, NCBWA Division II Second-Team All-America, D2CCA Second-Team All-America, and ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region First-Team honors.

Coach of the Year: Reginald Johnson, Edward Waters University. Head Coach Reginald Johnson II was named Black College Nines Small School Co-Coach of the Year. He led the Tigers to their second SIAC championship in three seasons while surpassing 400 career victories. This is Johnson’s second Black College Nines Coach of the Year honor; he previously received the award in 2016.

Edward Waters concluded the season with an 11-game winning streak and a perfect 4–0 record in tournament play. The Tigers finished 33–21 overall, while several student-athletes received postseason recognition.

Football

Athlete of the Year: Andrew Body, Alabama State University. Body helped Alabama State achieve its first 10-win season in 21 years. He was named SWAC Offensive Player of the Year after completing nearly 71 percent of his passes for 1,770 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only one interception, producing a 203.6 pass-efficiency rating. The dual-threat quarterback also rushed for 518 yards and four touchdowns. In the Magic City Classic against Alabama A&M, he scored six touchdowns. He opened the season at UAB with 312 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, 119 rushing yards, and an additional rushing touchdown, earning HBCU National Player of the Week honors. Against Jackson State, Body recorded a career-high 442 yards of total offense and threw a touchdown pass. He was named SWAC Offensive Player of the Week three times and HBCU National Player of the Week twice. Body led the SWAC in touchdown passes with 20 and points responsible for with 144, while ranking second in completion percentage at 70.5. He directed an explosive offense that led or ranked second in the SWAC in 13 statistical categories and placed among the FCS top 12 in seven categories.

 Coach of the Year: Felton Huggins Jr., Kentucky State University. Coach Felton guided Kentucky State to its best season in nearly a century, finishing 9–3 overall and 7–1 in the SIAC. The season produced the first NCAA playoff berth in school history and marked the first time five HBCUs qualified for the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Huggins was named the 2025 SIAC Coach of the Year.

 Chain Breakerz Entertainment Men’s Basketball

Athlete of the Year: Jaylon Hicks, Southern University at New Orleans. Few debut seasons in HBCU Athletic Conference history have matched Hicks’s 2025–2026 campaign. The Southern University at New Orleans wing was named HBCUAC Freshman of the Year and earned All-HBCUAC First-Team, All-Defensive Team, and All-Tournament Team honors—an exceptional achievement for any player, particularly a true freshman. He also received 13 HBCUAC weekly honors, reflecting his consistent performance throughout the season.

 Hicks led the Knights with 15.6 points per game, 6.6 rebounds, 94 assists, and a team-high 59 steals, making a substantial impact at both ends of the court. His all-around performance helped SUNO capture the 2026 HBCUAC Men’s Basketball Championship, the program’s first title since its relaunch in 2022.

Coach of the Year: Nolan Smith, Tennessee State University. In his first season as Tennessee State’s head men’s basketball coach, Smith transformed the program. Within one year, he restored one of HBCU basketball’s most distinguished programs to championship contention, reestablished the Tigers as a national contender, and elevated Tennessee State’s profile on the national stage.

 Smith led Tennessee State to a 23–10 overall record and a 15–5 mark in Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) play. The Tigers shared the OVC regular-season championship, the program’s first conference title since 1994–95, then won the 2026 OVC Tournament championship. The victory marked Tennessee State’s first tournament title since 1994 and secured its first NCAA Tournament berth in 32 years.

Under Smith, the Tigers became one of the nation’s most productive offensive teams, averaging more than 80 points per game and posting the second-highest scoring average in Tennessee State’s Division I history. Tennessee State surpassed 80 points in 14 games while developing a fast-paced, disciplined style that energized its fans and attracted national attention.

Smith was named OVC Co-Coach of the Year in recognition of his immediate influence on the conference championship race. He was also a finalist for three major national coaching honors: the Ben Jobe Award, recognizing the top minority head coach in Division I men’s basketball; the Joe B. Hall Award, honoring the nation’s top first-year head coach; and the Hugh Durham Award, presented to the top mid-major head coach in Division I.

Smith’s leadership extended beyond victories and championships. He developed OVC Player of the Year Aaron Nkrumah into one of the nation’s premier HBCU student-athletes and helped position him for an NBA opportunity with the Denver Nuggets following the season.

 Men’s Cross Country

Athlete of the Year: Javoun Goldsby, Wiley University. Goldsby earned All-HBCUAC honors for the fourth consecutive season after finishing runner-up at the 2025 HBCUAC Championship with a personal-best time of 28:38 in the eight-kilometer race. His performance helped the Wildcats win the team title. He also made his second NAIA National Championship appearance and earned his seventh career HBCUAC Runner of the Week award.

 Coach of the Year: Christopher McConnell, Wiley University. McConnell led the Wildcats to their second conference championship and their first since joining the HBCU Athletic Conference. Wiley finished with 55 points, ahead of runner-up Voorhees University, which recorded 68. Two Wiley runners earned All-HBCUAC honors, while six received weekly HBCUAC awards.

Men’s Golf

 Athlete of the Year: Vicente Rodriguez, Alabama A&M University. Rodriguez earned Second-Team All-SWAC recognition and was the individual medalist at the 2026 conference championship. He entered the final round in third place, then shot a two-under-par 69 to overcome a late challenge and claim the title. Rodriguez became only the second Alabama A&M golfer to win individual medalist honors at the SWAC Championship.

 Coach of the Year: Sam Puryear, Howard University. Puryear earned Northeast Conference (NEC) Men’s Coach of the Year honors for the second time in three years. He led the Bison to their third consecutive conference title while recording a 289 average per round. Howard won two tournaments during the season, including the NEC championship. Puryear also won the inaugural HBCU Makeda Excellence Award for Men’s Golf Coach last year.

 Chain Breakerz Entertainment Men’s Track & Field

 Athlete of the Year: Zackery Washington, Benedict College. Washington is a three-time NCAA Division II All-American in the long jump. He placed fifth at the 2026 Outdoor National Championship with a mark of 7.45 meters and fifth at the 2026 Indoor National Championship with a jump of 7.42 meters. At the 2026 SIAC Outdoor Championship, he won the long jump with a 7.59-meter mark, finished second in the javelin, and placed seventh in the high jump. He also won the long jump at the HBCU Indoor Championship with a mark of 7.35 meters.

 Men’s Volleyball

 Athlete of the Year: Ben Latham, Central State University. Latham delivered another outstanding season and became Central State’s all-time leader in digs. He was named SIAC Libero of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year while leading all NCAA Division I players in digs per set. A strong leader on the court, Latham also won the inaugural HBCU Makeda Excellence Award last year.

 Softball

Athlete of the Year: Maryn Jordan, Howard University. Jordan was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Year after leading the league with a .455 batting average, which ranked 22nd nationally. She also led the conference in on-base percentage at .558, the nation’s 17th-best mark. The San Diego native became the third Bison in program history to receive the prestigious award.

 Coach of the Year: Tori Tyson, Howard University. Tyson was named MEAC Coach of the Year, becoming the first Howard coach in program history to receive the honor. During the 2026 season, Howard posted a 28–19 overall record and an 18–3 MEAC mark while winning its second consecutive regular-season and tournament championships. The Bison then made their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. On March 1, Howard earned one of the largest victories in school history by defeating Power Four opponent Minnesota at the Hillenbrand Invitational. Tyson won the inaugural HBCU Makeda Excellence Award for Softball Coach in 2022, making her one of only two coaches to receive the award during its five-year history.

Moolah Kicks Women’s Basketball

Athlete of the Year: Zennia Thomas, Howard University. Thomas earned BOXTOROW All-American First-Team honors and became the 10th Bison in program history to win MEAC Player of the Year. She led the conference in scoring at 15.2 points per game, rebounding at 7.9 per game, and field-goal percentage at .451. Nationally, she ranked among the regular-season leaders in free-throw attempts, placing 12th, and free throws made, placing 22nd.

Coach of the Year: Ty Grace, Howard University. Grace won her second MEAC Coach of the Year award after leading the league’s top-scoring offense, which averaged 67.2 points per game. Howard finished the regular season 23–7 overall and 13–1 in MEAC play, with every victory coming against an NCAA Division I opponent. The Bison recorded notable nonconference wins over Monmouth, William & Mary, St. Bonaventure, and tournament-bound Fairfield. Grace also won the inaugural HBCU Makeda Excellence Award for Women’s Basketball Coach in 2022.

Women’s Bowling

Coach of the Year: James Moore, Alabama A&M University. Moore led Alabama A&M to the third SWAC Women’s Bowling Championship in program history and a berth in the NCAA Championship. The Bulldogs faced elimination against Jackson State but rallied from a 3–0 deficit to win 4–3 and advance to the conference final against Alabama State. After falling behind the Hornets 1–0, Alabama A&M won four consecutive matches to secure the SWAC title.

Women’s Cross Country

Athlete of the Year: Alexis Jones, Howard University. Jones was named MEAC Outstanding Performer after winning the championship event in 17:49.10. She also helped Howard capture the 2025 MEAC Cross Country Championship.

Coach of the Year: Dameon Morgan, Howard University. Morgan was named MEAC Women’s Outstanding Coach after leading Howard to the 2025 MEAC championship in his first season as head coach. Five of his Bison athletes earned All-MEAC honors.

Women’s Golf

Athlete of the Year: Marley Franklin, Howard University. Franklin was named NEC Golfer of the Year, becoming the second Bison in school history to receive the honor. In her final season, the 2023 NEC Rookie of the Year averaged 74.1 strokes per round and won the conference’s individual championship.

 Coach of the Year: Sam Puryear, Howard University. Puryear was named NEC Coach of the Year after leading the Bison to the first conference championship in program history and the team’s first NCAA Tournament appearance. Howard averaged 297.8 strokes per round and won three tournaments, including the 2026 NEC Championship. Puryear swept the 2025–2026 HBCU Makeda Excellence Awards golf coaching honors, giving him three of the four awards presented since the categories were introduced last year.

Chain Breakerz Entertainment Women’s Track & Field

 Athlete of the Year: Yahnari Lyons, Howard University. Lyons represented Howard in the 200-meter dash at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, finishing fifth overall. The Georgia native completed her first season with a personal-best time of 22.31 and earned First-Team All-American honors. She also competed on Howard’s 4×100-meter relay team, which earned Second-Team All-American recognition with a time of 43.66.

Coach of the Year: Nile Legania, Dillard University. Legania continued the Dillard women’s track and field program’s success by leading the Bleu Devils to a fifth consecutive HBCUAC championship and earning his fifth straight HBCUAC Coach of the Year honor. Dillard produced eight NAIA All-Americans, including four women, and 28 All-HBCUAC performers during the season. The program also finished the year nationally ranked in several NAIA events, placing No. 10 in the 100 meters, No. 13 in the 200 meters, and No. 14 in the 400 meters.

Legania was also recognized as one of the Top Black Coaches in Women’s NAIA Track & Field. He has won four of the five HBCU Makeda Excellence Awards Women’s Track & Field honors presented and leads all recipients with 12 total HBCU Makeda Excellence Awards.

Women’s Volleyball

Athlete of the Year: TaKenya Stafford, Coppin State University. Stafford was named MEAC Volleyball Player of the Year, earned First-Team All-Conference honors for the third consecutive season, and was selected as the MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Performer for the second time in three seasons. At the conclusion of the academic year, she was named Coppin’s Female Athlete of the Year and received the President’s Eagle Award, which recognizes the institution’s top female athlete based on athletic achievement, academics, leadership, and service.

 Stafford also earned AVCA All-Region and All-America honors, along with All-ECAC recognition. She led the league with 22 double-doubles and established Coppin single-season records for kills, with 491, and points, with 550.0. She hit .220 and added 355 digs, averaging 2.63 per set; 44 blocks, averaging 0.33 per set; and 35 aces, averaging 0.26 per set. She was one of only two players in the league ranked in both kills and digs, and both players represented Coppin State. Stafford also established career highs in every statistical category.

Stafford recorded double-digit kills in 31 of 35 matches and reached at least 20 kills in four contests. Her season high came in a road victory at Howard on September 26, when she recorded 25 kills on .220 hitting, 11 digs, and a season-best four blocks. She also posted 21 kills against George Mason, North Carolina Central, and Liberty, recording double-doubles in all three matches.

Although she played only three seasons at Coppin, Stafford established herself as one of the top players in program history. A two-time MEAC Tournament MVP, she ranks second all-time at Coppin in kills, with 1,270, and total points, with 1,406.0, while ranking eighth in digs, with 972. She also ranks second in kills per set, at 3.51, and attempts, with 3,506, and ninth in hitting percentage, at .224. Stafford added 72 aces and 118 blocks for the Navy & Gold.

Coach of the Year: Tim Walsh, Coppin State University. Walsh led Coppin State to another successful season, finishing 23–12 overall and 13–1 in MEAC play. He earned his fourth MEAC Coach of the Year award after guiding the Eagles to their fourth regular-season title, all won under his leadership during this decade. Coppin then captured its second MEAC Tournament Championship and made its second NCAA Tournament appearance, with both achievements coming under Walsh.

 In his ninth season at Coppin, Walsh has accumulated a school-record 145 victories with the Navy & Gold, including an 85–32 conference record. This season, CSU recorded its third 20-plus-win campaign in four years and established single-season records for kills, assists, conference victories, home victories, and longest winning streak. Walsh is responsible for 51 percent of the program’s wins and 59 percent of its conference victories. He also guided four athletes to a combined 15 individual awards.