WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bethune-Cookman University Athletics scored two of the top four year-ending conference-wide honors at the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Spring Meetings held the evening of Wednesday, May 30, at the National Harbor Gaylord Hotel in National Harbor, Maryland as the MEAC leadership gathered to celebrate the end of a successful year.
BCU Athletics captured the Talmadge Layman Hill Men's Award for the third time out of the past four years, while the BCU women’s sports teams finished as runners up for the Mary McLeod Bethune Women's All-Sports Award.
The All-Sports Awards are indicators of the overall strengths of the conference's men's and women's athletic programs.
Bethune-Cookman was presented with a $20,000 check for the Talmadge Hill Award at the honors reception and dinner.
“I would like to congratulate Bethune-Cookman University, including interim President Hubert Grimes, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lynn Thompson, and the administrators, coaches, student-athletes and support staff for winning the 2018 Talmadge Layman Hill Men’s All-Sports Award,” said MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas.
Totaling 91.8 points, Bethune-Cookman claimed its third Talmadge Layman Hill Men’s All-Sports Award overall and its first since winning back-to-back trophies in 2015 and 2016. BCU had a successful season across the board, as the Wildcats finished no lower than third place in all eight of the MEAC’s men’s sports. The Wildcats captured a share of the MEAC basketball regular season championship and notched second place finishes in football, golf and outdoor track & field.
The Wildcats also brought home top academic honors as the winner of the inaugural Academic Performance Rate (APR) Recognition Award given by the conference to the institution with the highest academic performance rate for the year. Bethune-Cookman posted the MEAC’s highest academic program rate (APR) with a 974 score over the past four academic years.
The Department of Athletics received a $10,000 check for its efforts.
“Once again, this validates our success on a comprehensive level,” said Lynn W. Thompson, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at BCU. “We have established ourselves as a consistent leader in the classroom, on the fields of competition and in the community. Now we have the hardware to prove it. This could never happen without the broad based commitment from the top down. Our Office of Student-Athlete Support Services and our coaches and student-athletes are to be commended for reaching the standards set by our provost, faculty athletics representative and president.”
Joining VP Thompson at the meetings to accept the awards were Sandra Booker, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator and Carla Lester, Faculty Athletics Representative.
“I am so proud of the accomplishments of the great professionals and wonderful student-athletes who represent BCU”, said Lester. “The entire nation is aware of the great success of our intercollegiate athletics program at BCU, and it has helped propel our institutional brand to tremendous heights.”
These awards bring to a close a great year for Wildcats athletics, which captured MEAC championships in men’s and women’s basketball and softball, PGA National Minority Golf titles in both men’s and women’s golf, as well as postseason appearances in the WNIT and NCAA for women’s basketball and softball, respectively.
“We clearly have figured out the formula for winning championships and graduating top notch student-athletes on a consistent basis,” replied Sandra Booker. Our alumni and fans should feel proud because each of our student-athletes are beaming with pride, and they deserve to be recognized for their great work.”