Oakwood, Dillard, Fisk win Week 16 HBCUAC WBB Awards

Saniya Keys, Cassidy Lowe and Keeli Burton-Oliver claim Week 16 awards.

February 17, 2025

NEW ORLEANS - February 17, 2025 - Oakwood University women's basketball player Saniya Keys takes home Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Offensive Player and Freshman of the Week. For the third consecutive week, Dillard University's Cassidy Lowe garners Defensive Player of the Week. Fisk University's Keeli Burton-Oliver claims Newcomer of the Week for the second straight week. The ladies were recognized for their performances between February 10-16.

Keys averaged 25.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in two games against Voorhees University. On Wednesday, she recorded a double-double with 32 points and 11 rebounds in a victory. She hit 12 of 20 shot attempts. She scored 19 points and grabbed four rebounds in Saturday's rematch. For the week, she shot 62.5 percent from the field. Keys picked up her 16th and 17th weekly honors and continues to lead the HBCUAC with 19.1 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.

Lowe posted 11 rebounds per game with seven on the defensive end and 4.5 blocks per game. She grabbed 10 rebounds with seven on defense and blocked three shots in a victory over Philander Smith University on Thursday. In Saturday's victory over Wiley University, she tallied 12 rebounds - seven defensive and turned away six shot attempts. Lowe ranks third in the HBCUAC with 10.9 rebounds per game and leads the conference with 65 blocks and ranks second with 2.7 blocks per game.

Burton-Oliver notched a double-double with 32 points and 10 rebounds in a victory over Wilberforce University. Twenty-two of her points came in the second half and 12 in the final quarter, helping the Lady Bulldogs overcome an eight-point deficit. This is Burton-Oliver's fourth weekly honor. She ranks 10th in the conference with 12.6 points per game.

Additional women's basketball weekly nominees: Trenishia Adams (Oakwood), Morgan Bone (Oakwood), Hannah Boykin-Williams (Stillman), Constance Chaplin (Wilberforce), Skyler Christmas (Dillard), Laniya Early (Philander Smith), Patsy Johnson (Rust), Samya Johnson (Philander Smith), Kameron Jones (Talladega), Mya Jones (Wiley), Maya Matthews (SUNO), Jaida Minter (Stillman), Michaela Payton (Rust), Jakhiya Smith (SUNO), Raena Suggs (Stillman), Gaby Thomas (Wilberforce), Miracle Thomas (Philander Smith), A'Niya Young (Fisk)

2024-25 Women's Basketball Players of the Week

Date	Offensive	Defensive	Freshman	Newcomer
Oct. 21-27	Dasia Turner, Philander Smith	Elizabeth Camacho, Wiley	Jakhiya Smith, SUNO	Samya Johnson, Philander Smith
Oct. 28-Nov. 3	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Jaida Minter, Stillman
Nov. 4-10	Dasia Turner, Philander Smith	Jayla Bibbs, Fisk	Kyren Wilson, SUNO	Michaela Payton, Rust
Nov. 11-17	Ty'Shemia Bunkley, Voorhees	Nedisha Ford, Voorhees	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	D'Mya Ferguson, Dillard
Nov. 18-24	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	A'Niya Young, Fisk	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo
Nov. 25-Dec. 1	Ari Winston, Philander Smith	Jessica Nerestant, Wiley	Ashlyn Kimble, Philander Smith	Mary Leday, Wiley
Dec. 2-8	Saniya Keys Oakwood	Jayla Bibbs, Fisk	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo
Dec. 9-15	Trenisha Adams, Oakwood	Jessica Nerestant, Wiley	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Skyler Christmas, Dillard
Dec. 16-22	Makyla Tucker, Wilberforce	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Makyla Tucker, Wilberforce
Dec. 23-Jan. 5	Tierra Sylvas, SUNO	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Kamaria Murray, Oakwood	DeJaria Lewis, Talladega
Jan. 6-12	Jordan Harris, SUNO	Michaela Payton, Rust	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Keeli Burton-Oliver, Fisk
Jan. 13-19	Patsy Johnson, Rust	Makaila Brown, Tougaloo	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Mary Leday, Wiley
Jan. 20-26	Farrah Pearson, Stillman	Jayla Bibbs, Fisk	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Keeli Burton-Oliver, Fisk
Jan. 27-Feb. 2	Jaida Minter, Stillman	Cassidy Lowe, Dillard	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Jaida Minter, Stillman
Feb. 3-9	Jamariah Turner, Stillman	Cassidy Lowe, Dillard	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Keeli Burton-Oliver, Fisk
Feb. 10-16	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Cassidy Lowe, Dillard	Saniya Keys, Oakwood	Keeli Burton-Oliver, Fisk

-HBCUAC-

About 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), Oakwood University (AL), 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 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.