SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Alabama A&M University’s women’s basketball program is celebrating a historic season that has brought pride and excitement to Huntsville after earning top honors across the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Head coach Dawn Thornton was named SWAC Coach of the Year, while graduate guard Kalia Walker earned the prestigious SWAC Player of the Year award, according to the conference. Walker was also selected to the All-SWAC First Team, and teammate Moses Davenport received All-SWAC Second Team honors.
The achievements highlight the Bulldogs’ rise as one of the conference’s most competitive programs while inspiring pride throughout the Huntsville community.
Under Thornton’s leadership, Alabama A&M captured the SWAC regular-season championship and secured the No. 1 seed in the SWAC Women’s Basketball Tournament, marking one of the most successful seasons in the program’s NCAA Division I history.
In just two seasons with the Bulldogs, Thornton has compiled a 42–20 overall record and a 31–5 conference record. The team also recorded a 17-game winning streak, back-to-back 20-win seasons, and established itself as one of the conference’s strongest defensive teams.
Walker’s standout performance played a key role in the Bulldogs’ success. The Alexander, Arkansas native averaged 14 points per game, shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 84.6 percent from the free-throw line. She led the SWAC in free-throw percentage and ranked among the nation’s leaders.
Walker delivered 20 double-digit scoring performances, including a 24-point game against Florida A&M, earning SWAC Player of the Week honors twice.
Meanwhile, Davenport averaged 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, recording 14 double-digit scoring games and a 19-point performance against Bethune-Cookman.
As Alabama A&M enters the SWAC Women’s Basketball Tournament as the top seed, excitement is building across Bulldog Nation. The team’s success continues to showcase the strength, leadership, and opportunity found within HBCU athletics.