CHARLOTTE, NC –The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) announces the 2021-22 Women’s Basketball All-CIAA team, All-Rookie team, and superlatives as selected by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and Sports Information Directors Association. These standout individuals will be formally recognized today during the annual CIAA Tip-Off Awards banquet.
Bryanna Brown, a senior guard from Lincoln University (PA), has been named CIAA Women’s Player of the Year, making her the second straight LU player to earn the honor in as many seasons. Murray led the conference in scoring at 16.9 points per game during the regular season while ranking sixth in the league in field goal percentage at 37 percent and second in the conference from the free-throw line at 85.9 percent. The Summerville, SC native also averaged 1.3 steals per game, ranking among the league leaders.
Elizabeth City State (Naterria Luster and Sireann Pitts), Fayetteville State (Aniylah Bryant and Rasheka Simmons), Johnson C. Smith (Shaniya Jones and Aubriana Bonner), Lincoln University (PA) (Brown and Krystell Gordon), and Virginia State (Natalia Leaks and Kaaliya Williams) each placed two student-athletes on the 2021-22 team. Bowie State’s Katerra Myers and Winston-Salem State’s Amaya Tucker make up the rest of this year’s selections. Williams earns All-CIAA honors for the second straight season while Tucker and Luster return to the team for the first time since receiving the recognition following the 2018-19 season.
In her first season, Head Coach Tynesha Lewis of Elizabeth City State University earns CIAA Women’s Coach of the Year honors after leading his team to an 11-5 record in conference play, finishing second in the CIAA Northern Division with a 7-3 mark. Lewis and the Lady Vikings tied for a CIAA-best 19 wins overall during the regular season.
Elizabeth City State University junior Sireann Pitts has been named CIAA Women’s Defensive Player of the Year. Pitts, a native of Raleigh, NC, leads the CIAA at nearly two blocks per game and ranks second in the conference at 7.6 rebounds per game. The 6-1 forward also contributed over eight points per game.
Rookie guard Ciara Harris of Johnson C. Smith University has been selected CIAA Women’s Rookie of the Year. Harris was a top 11 scorer in the CIAA in her freshman campaign, leading all rookies at 12.2 points per game. The Alexandria, VA native ranked among league leaders in rebounding during the regular season at more than five per game.
Harris is joined by Myers (Bowie State), Janelle Sample (Claflin), Lauren Banks (Saint Augustine’s), and Tanayja London (Shaw) on the Women’s All-Rookie team.
2021-22 All-CIAA Women’s Basketball Team
Backcourt
Natalia Leaks, Virginia State
Bryanna Brown, Lincoln (PA)
Shaniya Jones, Johnson C. Smith
Aubriana Bonner, Johnson C. Smith
Amaya Tucker, Winston-Salem State
Frontcourt
Aniylah Bryant, Fayetteville State
Krystell Gordon, Lincoln (PA)
Rasheka Simmons, Fayetteville State
Naterria Luster, Elizabeth City State
Kaaliya Williams, Virginia State
Sireann Pitts, Elizabeth City State
Katerra Myers, Bowie State
2021-22 CIAA Women’s Basketball All-Rookie Team
Katerra Myers, Bowie State
Janelle Sample, Claflin
Tanayja London, Shaw
Lauren Banks, Saint Augustine’s
Ciara Harris, Johnson C. Smith
CIAA Women’s Player of the Year: Bryanna Brown, Lincoln (PA)
CIAA Women’s Defensive Player of the Year: Sireann Pitts, Elizabeth City State
CIAA Women’s Rookie of the Year: Ciara Harris, Johnson C. Smith
CIAA Women’s Coach of the Year: Tynesha Lewis, Elizabeth City State