NORFOLK, Va. – North Carolina A&T captured both the Talmadge Layman Hill Men's All-Sports Award and the Mary McLeod Bethune Women's All-Sports Award, the conference announced on Wednesday.
In addition, North Carolina A&T State was honored academically, posting the MEAC's highest academic performance rate (APR) for the third straight year.
"All the credit goes to our student-athletes, our coaches and our staff," said N.C. A&T Director of Athletics, Earl M. Hilton III. "Trying to operate as an athletics department during the period of COVID was difficult. We asked a lot of everyone to remain disciplined, patient and vigilant. I want to thank our student-athletes for focusing their energy and efforts toward winning in the classroom and on the playing surfaces during a trying time."
Delaware State and North Carolina Central received recognition for having the MEAC's Highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR). The Hornets and Eagles' 81-percent GSR are the highest among MEAC institutions spanning the 2010-13 cohorts.
In the men's all-sports award tally, the Aggies racked up 63 points, thanks to the regular-season division championship in basketball and the outdoor track & field championship, as well as runner-up finishes in tennis and golf.
North Carolina Central (53.5) was second in the men's all-sports standings, followed by Norfolk State (53) and Florida A&M (52).
For the women, N.C. A&T totaled 80 points after grabbing regular-season division titles in women's basketball, bowling, volleyball and softball, while also winning the outdoor track & field championship.
Delaware State and Howard were next in the standings, tied for second with 65 points each, and Norfolk State was fourth after tallying 58 points.
N.C. A&T has won all the two all-sports awards the last two years the MEAC awarded the honors. No institution received the all-sports award in 2019-20 because of the COVID pandemic. For 2020-21, the MEAC did not crown champions in men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor track & field and football.
Points are awarded in a descending order beginning with 14 points for championships or first-place regular-season finishes. The second-place team receives 12 points. Tied teams split the point total.
"I would like to congratulate North Carolina A&T State University, including Chancellor Dr. Harold L. Martin, Sr., Director of Athletics Earl M. Hilton III, and the administrators, coaches, student-athletes and support staff for winning both the 2021 Talmadge Layman Hill Men's All-Sports Award and the Mary McLeod Bethune Women's All-Sports Award," MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas said. "Receiving these awards is indicative of the overall strength of their athletics programs."
The Mary McLeod Bethune and Talmadge Layman Hill Awards
The Mary McLeod Bethune Award, named after the founder of Bethune-Cookman College, awards the top overall women's athletic program during one full academic year. The first Mary McLeod Bethune award was given in 1987 to Delaware State University. Hampton leads all MEAC schools with 14 women's awards. The men's All-Sports Award is named after the late Talmadge Layman Hill, a former player and coach at Morgan State and former Chairman of the MEAC Steering and Planning Committee and the conference's first President. Howard University was the recipient of the first Talmadge Layman Hill Award in 1972. South Carolina State and Norfolk State share the men's record with 11 awards each.
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) celebrates its 50th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2020-21 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of 11 outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Bethune-Cookman University, Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.
