Stillman, Fisk, Paul Quinn claim Week 8 HBCUAC Women's Basketball Honors

NEW ORLEANS - Stillman College guard Jaida Minter wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Offensive Player of the Week. Fisk University guard Kayla Lee earns Defensive Player of the Week. Guard Ari Branch garners Freshman of the Week. Paul Quinn College guard Zaire Brown takes Newcomer of the Week. The women were honored for their performance between Dec. 8-14, the conference announced on Monday.

Minter averaged 20.5 points per game and hit six 3-pointers, helping the Tigers to two victories. She scored 19 points against Faulkner University on Thursday. In Saturday's victory over Rust College, which was unbeaten in HBCUAC play, she posted a game-high 22 points, shot 8-for-17, and made three 3-pointers. For the week, Minter contributed six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Lee recorded 16 rebounds with 11 on defense, seven steals and two blocks in two games. She grabbed seven defensive rebounds and stole the ball four times against Freed-Hardeman University on Tuesday. In Saturday's game against Oakwood, she had four defensive rebounds and three steals. Here defensive play kept Fisk in the game.

Branch returned after being out with illness and scored a career-high 23 points against Oakwood. She hit eight shots and got to the free throw line often with 13 attempts. For the week, she contributed five steals, three rebounds and two assists. 

Brown notched two double-doubles to lead the Tigers to two victories last week. In Tuesday's game against Rust College, she posted 16 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and a steal, leading the Tigers to a 60-56 victory. In Saturday's win against Huston-Tillotson, she put up 10 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and three blocks.

Additional women's basketball weekly nominees: Hayley Broussard (Huston-Tillotson), Shykiera Brown (Voorhees), Wilashia Burleson (Huston-Tillotson), Moriah Burley (Wiley), Talyia Cawthon (Rust), Xeria Culver (Huston-Tillotson), Albertine Cyuzuzo (Voorhees), Kaelin Davis (Voorhees), Tamia Dolls (Paul Quinn), Sasha Eaton (Tougaloo), Alexis Foster (Wiley), Jae Harris (Rust), Maliyah Hughes (Oakwood), Patsy Johnson (Rust), Brandy Jones (Wiley), Kameron Jones (Talladega), Saniya Keys (Oakwood), Ashlyn Kimble (Philander Smith), Unique Miller (Rust), Shalayne Morgan (Tougaloo), Ceara Myers (Talladega), Siaderiel Oliver (Philander Smith), Aaliyah Rose (Paul Quinn), Tyeesha Slaughter (Stillman), Kennedi Wagner (Fisk), Jayla West-Young (Stillman)

2025-26 HBCUAC Women's Basketball 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.