Oakwood, Huston-Tillotson capture Week 4 HBCUAC Softball Honors

NEW ORLEANS - Oakwood University catcher Anna Jones wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Player of the Week. Emma Newby repeats as Pitcher and Freshman of the Week. Huston-Tillotson University pitcher Alexis Tamez takes Newcomer of the Week. The ladies were honored for their performance between February 16-22, the conference announced on Tuesday.

Jones put together a dominant week for Oakwood University. Over a five-game stretch where the team went undefeated, Jones posted a staggering .533 batting average and an .800 slugging percentage, highlighted by a perfect 3-for-3 performance with a home run and a triple in a 13-3 victory over Rust College. Her reputation as a dangerous hitter was further cemented by the three intentional walks she drew during the February 21st matchup. Defensively, the senior catcher was flawless, maintaining a 1.000 fielding percentage across 42 total chances.

Newby was a true dual-threat force for Oakwood last week, making a massive impact in the circle and at the plate. Offensively, she boasted a .500 batting average and a .643 slugging percentage over five games, highlighted by a dominant performance against Harris-Stowe where she went 2-for-4 with two doubles and 3 RBIs. As a pitcher, Newby was even more impressive, securing four wins and striking out 16 batters over 31 innings of work—including a stellar complete-game shutout against Rust where she allowed only two hits. She rounded out her stellar week with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, proving herself as a reliable and versatile leader for the Ambassadors.

Tamez served as a primary workhorse in the circle for Huston-Tillotson during their double-header against Nelson (Texas) on February 16. Despite facing a tough lineup, Tamez showed significant grit in her first outing, tossing 6.0 solid innings and allowing only two earned runs while striking out three. Across her two appearances, she maintained a 3.32 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP, proving her ability to keep the ball in the zone and limit free passes with only one walk issued over 6.1 total innings. Defensively, she was perfectly reliable in her own support, finishing the week with a 1.000 fielding percentage and an assist.

Additional softball weekly nominees: Sariya Calhoun (Wiley), Alexis Gaona (Huston-Tillotson), Ta'Nia Hickson (Voorhees), Gwendolyn Johnson (Wiley), Avery Lumpkin (Stillman), Serenity Smith (Wiley)

2026 HBCUAC Softball 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.