NORFOLK, Va., — The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference has named Damali Young from Morgan State University as the 2019 Woman of the Year, the conference office announced Tuesday.
The award, selected annually by the MEAC Senior Woman Administrators, celebrates the achievements of senior female student-athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics, service, and leadership.
“Congratulations to Damali Young for having a spectacular career, not only on the softball field but in her academic pursuits as well,” said MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis Thomas. “In addition, her service to the community is truly exceptional. I would like to thank the Morgan State University athletic staff, coaches, academic support personnel and Damali’s family, who all had an influential part in her success. I wish her continued success in her future endeavors.”
Young, a native of Westampton, N.J., was the 2019 MEAC Player of the Year after ranking top five in the conference in slugging percentage (. 564), on-base percentage (. 462), runs scored (47), hits (49), total bases (79), triples (4), walks (28) and stolen bases (31). She was 14th in the NCAA in stolen bases and 36th in runs per game.
In all, Young holds 10 program records — including career hits, career runs scored, career walks, career stolen bases, single-season hits, single-season runs, single-season doubles, single-season at-bats, single-season stolen bases, and single-season walks.
Young, a two-time First Team All-MEAC selection, was also named HBCU Div. I Player of the Year for this past season.
Graduating this past May with a 3.59 GPA in Construction Management, Young has been a mainstay on Morgan State’s AD Honor Holl as well as the Commissioner’s All-Academic Team. In the fall of 2018, she was named a Distinguished Scholar Athlete, presented to Bears with GPAs of 3.5 or higher.
In the community, Young has given time and blood to Gift of Life, a service where DNA and blood are put in a database so that if needed, the donor can be contacted to help save a life. In addition, if the donor’s samples match, the result can be a much-needed transfusion or organ transplant.
In addition, Young has donated money and toys to the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) for animals that live in the shelter. She is also an advocate for Tiny Superheroes, an organization that raises money for ill and disabled children.
Young has also volunteered during Barton Malow Community Week, helping restore corridors in a downtown Inner Harbor building in Baltimore called Living Classrooms for inner-city children. She also spent that week helping prepare food for the less fortunate as part of Movable Feasts.
Other volunteer efforts include the YMCA/Special Olympics of Central Maryland and the Morgan State SAAC Trunk-or-Treat, where Morgan State students filled their car trunks with candy on campus and children were allowed to go from car to car in an effort to allow them to trick-or-treat safely.
Young will represent the MEAC as its nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. The NCAA established this award in 1991 to celebrate the achievements of women in intercollegiate athletics. Now in its 28th year, the award is unique because it recognizes not only the athletic achievements of outstanding young women but also their academic achievements, community service, and leadership.
The NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced on Sunday, Oct. 20 at the awards dinner in Indianapolis, Ind.
Delaware State’s NaJai Pollard (women’s basketball) was the 2019 MEAC Woman of the Year runner-up. She graduated with a degree in Sports Management with a 3.20 GPA.
MEAC Woman of the Year Honorees
2006 Renecia Lovelace, North Carolina A&T State (Softball)
2007 Courtney Smiley, Howard (Basketball)
2008 Jessica Worsley, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2009 Loreal Smith, North Carolina A&T State (Track and Field)
2010 Kalyn Washburn, Delaware State (Bowling)
2011 Kristina Frahm, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2012 Jazmyne Hefflefinger, Delaware State (Bowling)
2013 T’nia Falbo, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2014 Christina Epps, Coppin State (Track and Field)
2015 Mariana Alvarado Nava, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2016 Jenny Tracy, North Carolina Central (Softball)
2017 Thashaina Seraus, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2018 Lyndsey Edwards, Bethune-Cookman (Basketball)
2019 Damali Young, Morgan State (Softball)
Courtesy: MEAC
