NORFOLK, Va., – North Carolina A&T State University senior guard Kameron Langley(Southwest Guilford High School) was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year, presented by TowneBank, the conference announced today. Norfolk State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the MEAC’s Northern Division, while North Carolina Central was tabbed to win the MEAC’s Southern Division.
All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Langley, who earned First Team All-MEAC honors, led the nation in assists per game (8.0), total assists (247) and triple-doubles (2) last season. He set the school and MEAC’s all-time assists records and continues to set the standard. He had 12 games with 10 or more assists, including a MEAC Tournament-record 15 against Howard on March 11. He led the MEAC in assist/turnover ratio (2.4) and finished second in the MEAC in steals per game (2.1).
Additionally, the two-time MEAC Player of the Week averaged 9.4 points per games on 44 percent shooting in 2019-20
Norfolk State picked up 16 first-place votes, as the Spartans were selected to win the Northern Division. The Spartans finished last season tied for second with a 12-4 record in MEAC play while going 16-15 overall.
Morgan State was picked to finish second, followed by the Howard Bison, who made a splash in the offseason with the addition of preseason First Team honoree Makur Maker. Coppin State was picked to finish third, while Delaware State and Maryland Eastern Shore rounded out the division.
For the Southern Division, North Carolina Central captured its fourth MEAC regular-season title last season under head coach LeVelle Moton. Moton and the Eagles finished 13-3 in MEAC play and 18-13 overall as they were selected to finish atop of the Southern division.
North Carolina A&T State was picked second finished with a 12-4 record, followed by the Florida A&M Aggies. Rounding out the rest of the preseason poll for the Southern Division are Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State
Joining Langley on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Coppin State’s DeJuan Clayton and Koby Thomas, North Carolina Central’s C.J. Keyser and Howard’s Maker.
The 2021 MEAC Basketball Tournament will be held March 8-13 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.
2020-21 Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors; first-place votes are in parentheses
Northern Division School Points 1. Norfolk State (16) 123 2. Morgan State (2) 101 3. Howard (3) 88 4. Coppin State (1) 71 5. Delaware State 43 6. Maryland Eastern Shore 36 Southern Division School Points 1. North Carolina Central (11) 95 2. North Carolina A&T State (9) 94 3. Florida A&M (1) 59 4. Bethune-Cookman 51 5. South Carolina State (1) 31
2020-21 Preseason All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors
Preseason Player of the Year: Kameron Langley, North Carolina A&T State
First Team Name Pos. Ht. Class School Hometown Kameron Langley G 6-2 Sr. North Carolina A&T State High Point, N.C. DeJuan Clayton G 6-2 Sr. Coppin State Bowie, Md. C.J. Keyser G 6-3 Sr. NC Central Baltimore, Md. Koby Thomas F 6-6 Sr. Coppin State Philadelphia, Pa. Makur Maker G/F 6-11 Fr. Howard Orange County, Calif. Second Team Name Pos. Ht. Class School Hometown MJ Randolph G 6-4 Jr. Florida A&M Pensacola, Fla. Joe Bryant G 6-1 Jr. Norfolk State Norfolk, Va. Troy Baxter, Jr.F 6-9 Sr. Morgan State Tallahassee, Fla. Wayne Bristol, Jr.G 6-6 S0. Howard Upper Marlboro, Md. Jordan Perkins G 6-1 Sr. NC Central Greensboro, N.C. Third Team Name Pos. Ht. Class School Hometown Joe French G 6-5 So. Bethune-Cookman Orlando, Fla. Pinky Wiley G 5-11 Sr. Delaware State Chesterfield, Va. Devante Carter G 6-3 Sr. Norfolk State Newport News, Va. Tyler Maye G 6-1 Sr. North Carolina A&T State Farmville, N.C. Da’Shawn PhillipG 6-5 So. Maryland Eastern Shore Baltimore, Md.