Hampton University won its tenth consecutive Mary McLeod Bethune-Cookman Women's All-Sports Award and Norfolk State captured its seventh consecutive Talmadge Layman Hill Men's Award, the league announced on Wednesday. 

The All-Sports Awards highlight the overall strengths of their respective men's and women's athletic programs.  Each institution was presented a $20,000 check during a reception at the Norfolk Marriott Waterside Hotel on Wednesday evening. 

"I would like to congratulate Hampton University and Norfolk State University for winning the 2011 MEAC All-Sports Awards," said MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas. "I applaud both Hampton and Norfolk State's administrators, coaches, student-athletes, and support staff for an outstanding athletic season."

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore was recognized during the reception as the 2010 recipient of the MEAC Highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) Award for second straight year.  In addition to the recognition, UMES was presented a check for $10,000.  UMES' 84-percent GSR is the highest among any MEAC institution spanning the 2000-2003 cohorts.

"I also commend the University of Maryland Eastern Shore for achieving the Highest Graduation Success rate in the MEAC for the second straight year," stated Thomas.  "I congratulate UMES for making a commitment to the student-athletes' academic success and their ultimate collegiate goal of obtaining a college degree."

Hampton's women's programs totaled 76 points in the All-Sports tally.  The Lady Pirates won conference titles in Women's Cross Country, Women's Indoor Track and Field, and Women's Basketball.  The Lady Pirates also earned the conference automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament with a 13-seed, the highest by a MEAC team since the field expanded to 64-teams. 

Norfolk State finished second on the women's side with 70 points.  South Carolina State women's programs finished third with 65.5 points, followed by Florida A&M with 64.5. 

The NSU Spartans men's programs totaled 65 points and earned conference titles in all three tracks including Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field and finished third in baseball and tennis. 

Bethune-Cookman finished second with 54.3 points on the men's side followed by Hampton (52.5) and Maryland Eastern Shore (47).

Points are awarded in a descending order beginning with 12 points for champions or first place regular season finishes.  The second place teams get 10 points.  Tied teams split the total points. 

Hampton has won 13 overall All-Sports trophies since joining the MEAC in 1996 (three men's awards including back-to-back victories in 2003 and 2004, and ten straight women's awards, dating back to 2002).  Norfolk State, which joined the conference in 1997, won its first men's trophy in 2001 and boasts seven total awards.

The Mary McLeod Bethune and Talmadge Layman Hill Awards

The Mary McLeod Bethune Award, named after the founder of Bethune-Cookman College, awards the top overall women's athletic program during the course of one full academic year.  The first Mary McLeod Bethune award was giving in 1987 to Delaware State University.  Florida A&M (1993-2000) and Hampton leads all MEAC schools with nine Women's Awards.  The men's All-Sports Award is named after the late Talmadge Layman Hill, a former player and coach at Morgan State, and former Chairman of the MEAC Steering and Planning Committee, as well as the conference's first President.  Howard University was the recipient of the first Talmadge Layman Hill Award in 1972.  South Carolina State holds the men's record with 11 awards from 1973-84. 

NCAA Graduation Success Rate

The NCAA Graduation Success Rate was developed in response to college and university presidents who wanted graduation data that more accurately reflect the mobility among college students today.  The GSR improves on the federally mandated graduation rate by including students who were omitted from the federal calculation. 

For more information on MEAC sports, log on to MEACsports.com.