University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Rowe Named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, Grayson Tabbed Second Team
3/3/2025 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEW ORLEANS – Lady Eagle freshman Trinity Rowe was named the Sun Belt Conference's Freshman of the Year while Melyia Grayson earned second team All-Sun Belt honors. Rowe is the fifth Lady Eagle in program history to earn Freshman of the Year laurels while Grayson's second team selection is the highest in her five-year career.
Rowe, a native of Pikeville, Ky., led all Sun Belt Conference freshmen with 212 points and 7.1 points per game. The spark of Southern Miss' offense, she leads the Lady Eagles with 79 assists on the season, currently 10th-most by a freshman in program history.
A sharpshooter beyond the arc, she owns a team-best 55 three-point baskets on the year, connecting on 37.4 percent of her attempts. Her prowess from long range has helped Southern Miss make 176 total three-point baskets on the year. The team currently ranks second in school history with 176 makes and is just two three-point makes behind the all-time record of 178.
Rowe is the fifth Lady Eagle to win her league's Freshman of the Year award, joining Alexis Hall (Metro Conference, 1989), Janice Felder (Metro Conference, 1991), Kendra Reed (Conference USA, 2006) and Melyia Grayson (Conference USA, 2021).
Grayson, Southern Miss' all-time leader in games played, earned All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team laurels. It is her second all-conference selection of her career, earning third team All-Sun Belt honors last season.
Southern Miss' leading scorer on the year, Grayson owns 429 points with a 14.3 points per game average. She also leads Southern Miss with 252 rebounds (8.4 per game) and blocks (36). She is the only player in the Sun Belt Conference ranked inside the top five in points, rebounds and blocks.
Her career-best scoring has helped her reach new heights on the all-time scoring charts. The Hattiesburg, Miss., native is currently tied for the sixth-most points in program history and is ranked inside the program's top ten in rebounds, blocks, field goals made, field goals attempted, field goal percentage, games played, games started and double-doubles.
FULL SUN BELT CONFERENCE HONORS
Player of the Year
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison
Defensive Player of the Year
Mahogany Matthews, Georgia State
Sixth Woman of the Year
Ro Scott, James Madison
Newcomer of the Year
Erica Lafayette, Louisiana
Freshman of the Year
Trinity Rowe, Southern Miss
Coach of the Year
Sean O'Regan, James Madison
All-Sun Belt Conference First Team
Zay Dyer, Troy
Aislynn Hayes, Marshall
Jakayla Johnson, ULM
Kseniia Kozlova, James Madison
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison
All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team
Savannah Brooks, Coastal Carolina
En'Dya Buford, Old Dominion
Melyia Grayson, Southern Miss
Erica Lafayette, Louisiana
Zyion Shannon, Arkansas State
All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team
Ashanti Barnes, James Madison
CC Mays, Marshall
Alancia Ramsey, Coastal Carolina
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State
Mikyla Tolivert, Georgia State
Celebrating 50 Seasons of Southern Miss Women's Basketball
The 2024-25 season of Southern Miss Lady Eagle Basketball marks a major milestone for the program and for The University of Southern Mississippi as the women's basketball program celebrates its 50th season of competition. Following the adoption of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Southern Miss added women's basketball and women's tennis as official athletic programs beginning in the 1975-76 season. Since then, the Lady Eagles have laid out five decades of excellence on and off the court. To celebrate this golden jubilee, Southern Miss women's basketball hosted its 50th Season Celebration and Reunion on Saturday, January 18, against South Alabama at Reed Green Coliseum.
Follow The Lady Eagles
Follow the Lady Eagles on Twitter (@SouthernMissWBB), Instagram (@southernmisswbb) or on Facebook (/SouthernMissWBB) to stay up-to-date on Southern Miss women's basketball. Fans can visit Southern Miss.com or download the Southern Miss GameDay app to see full schedules, releases and more.
Rowe, a native of Pikeville, Ky., led all Sun Belt Conference freshmen with 212 points and 7.1 points per game. The spark of Southern Miss' offense, she leads the Lady Eagles with 79 assists on the season, currently 10th-most by a freshman in program history.
A sharpshooter beyond the arc, she owns a team-best 55 three-point baskets on the year, connecting on 37.4 percent of her attempts. Her prowess from long range has helped Southern Miss make 176 total three-point baskets on the year. The team currently ranks second in school history with 176 makes and is just two three-point makes behind the all-time record of 178.
Rowe is the fifth Lady Eagle to win her league's Freshman of the Year award, joining Alexis Hall (Metro Conference, 1989), Janice Felder (Metro Conference, 1991), Kendra Reed (Conference USA, 2006) and Melyia Grayson (Conference USA, 2021).
Grayson, Southern Miss' all-time leader in games played, earned All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team laurels. It is her second all-conference selection of her career, earning third team All-Sun Belt honors last season.
Southern Miss' leading scorer on the year, Grayson owns 429 points with a 14.3 points per game average. She also leads Southern Miss with 252 rebounds (8.4 per game) and blocks (36). She is the only player in the Sun Belt Conference ranked inside the top five in points, rebounds and blocks.
Her career-best scoring has helped her reach new heights on the all-time scoring charts. The Hattiesburg, Miss., native is currently tied for the sixth-most points in program history and is ranked inside the program's top ten in rebounds, blocks, field goals made, field goals attempted, field goal percentage, games played, games started and double-doubles.
FULL SUN BELT CONFERENCE HONORS
Player of the Year
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison
Defensive Player of the Year
Mahogany Matthews, Georgia State
Sixth Woman of the Year
Ro Scott, James Madison
Newcomer of the Year
Erica Lafayette, Louisiana
Freshman of the Year
Trinity Rowe, Southern Miss
Coach of the Year
Sean O'Regan, James Madison
All-Sun Belt Conference First Team
Zay Dyer, Troy
Aislynn Hayes, Marshall
Jakayla Johnson, ULM
Kseniia Kozlova, James Madison
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison
All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team
Savannah Brooks, Coastal Carolina
En'Dya Buford, Old Dominion
Melyia Grayson, Southern Miss
Erica Lafayette, Louisiana
Zyion Shannon, Arkansas State
All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team
Ashanti Barnes, James Madison
CC Mays, Marshall
Alancia Ramsey, Coastal Carolina
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State
Mikyla Tolivert, Georgia State
Celebrating 50 Seasons of Southern Miss Women's Basketball
The 2024-25 season of Southern Miss Lady Eagle Basketball marks a major milestone for the program and for The University of Southern Mississippi as the women's basketball program celebrates its 50th season of competition. Following the adoption of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Southern Miss added women's basketball and women's tennis as official athletic programs beginning in the 1975-76 season. Since then, the Lady Eagles have laid out five decades of excellence on and off the court. To celebrate this golden jubilee, Southern Miss women's basketball hosted its 50th Season Celebration and Reunion on Saturday, January 18, against South Alabama at Reed Green Coliseum.
Follow The Lady Eagles
Follow the Lady Eagles on Twitter (@SouthernMissWBB), Instagram (@southernmisswbb) or on Facebook (/SouthernMissWBB) to stay up-to-date on Southern Miss women's basketball. Fans can visit Southern Miss.com or download the Southern Miss GameDay app to see full schedules, releases and more.
– #McNelisStrong | #SMTTT –
Players Mentioned
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