MURFREESBORO, N.C. - The Chowan University women's basketball program is coming off their best season since entering Conference Carolinas as a full member in the 2019-20 season. With three of the team's leading scorers returning, the Chowan women's basketball team is poised for another record setting season. 

Records don't fall easy. If anyone understands this, it's sixth year head coach, Lenise Frazier. Frazier boasted one of the top defensive teams in all of NCAA D2 a year ago. The Hawks finished the year ranked #1 in all of NCAA D2 in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to hitting 32.5% of shots taken in a game. They also ranked #5 in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 51.7 points a game while dropping 67.5 points a game of their own.

Easy doesn't get a team ranked #1 in the nation in field goal percentage defense. Stallings Frazier understands this and so hard work is what the Hawks set out to do as soon as the players get to Murfreesboro in August. 

"Some of the big focal points for the season for us are creating mental toughness and becoming efficient scorers," said Frazier. "Our off season is set up to work on making adjustments and things we missed last season." 

The hard work of stopping teams from scoring more points than your own begins in the weight room and in tough practice sessions, the pre and post shoot around sessions, and in film studying team habits as well as opponents' habits. 

Fans know what to expect after five seasons of watching the Hawks women's basketball team under Stallings Frazier: pressure, defense, and coast to coast play.  All of these attributes make for exciting basketball for fans to watch, but more importantly it helps Stallings Frazier focus on the team's outcomes this season. 

"We really wanted to work hard on communication and balance for this upcoming season," said Frazier. 

Eyes on the Prize

The prize for the Hawks is another season heading back to the Conference Carolinas Championship. The Hawks have made it to the semifinals of the conference championship the last two out of three seasons. For Stallings Frazier and her Hawks, all the hard work put in the offseason bolsters their strengths heading into the season. The Hawks are known for their stellar defense around the league, but the squad has been busy preparing their offensive efficiency this off season. 

"We have been working hard on our scoring efficiency this off season," said Frazier. "We hope to capitalize off of our defense but also make a mark offensively in order to put us in the best position to be competitive this season." 

Balanced Attack led By Core Returning Group

This defensive strength is anchored by standout players Yasmine Brown, a second-team all-conference guard. She was named the school's Athlete of the Year after dropping 12.3 points an outing to go with 4.4 rebounds, 91 season assists, and a team-leading 59 steals.  Brown finished last season ranked in the top 10 in  the league for assists per game and assist to turnover ratio. The senior has four years of experience as a starter and no doubt, Stallings Frazier is counting on Brown to lead the Hawks from the point guard position in her last season in the CU Blue and White. 

Along with Brown, the returning player roster features top scorers in Nyeisha Savage and Desiree Askew. Askew returns for her senior year as a graduate student and a year of off season work that has set her up to be one of the Hawks top returners in the paint. Askew was on track for a sensational season a year ago, hauling in 7.9 boards and 14.1 points through the Hawks first nine games. After a season ending injury for Askew, Savage stepped into more of a leadership role in the paint for the Hawks. Savage finished the 2024-25 campaign averaging 8.3 points per game and hitting the glass for 8.8 rebounds a game to make her a dominant force in the Hawks front court. Joining Askew and Savage in the front court is junior Sa'ni Savage. Savage is seen most days in the gym, putting up shots and working on her post game to give the Hawks another threat down low. 

In the back court, returners Alexandria James-Fearon, Aniyah Rainey, Daneesha Briggs, and Ayana Rutledge headline the returning core. James-Fearon has a smooth court presence and will provide experienced court leadership. She has the ability to see the entire floor and will be instrumental in the Hawks' attack this season on both ends of the floor. Juniors Rainey and Briggs both have perimeter presence and have the ability to dribble-drive and mark up on the perimeter to drain shots. Rutledge will be a key piece in the Hawks defense. The gritty senior is quick and court savvy, which bodes well in Frazier's scheme. 

The Newcomers

Breya Busby, Wisdom Banks, Aquarius Pettaway, and Jade Clowney headline the core group of transfer players that Frazier and assistant Olivia Gaither worked hard to recruit in the off season. All of the transfers could fit into the Hawks' rotation with Busby, Banks, and Clowney shoring up the back court and Pettaway offering both experience and presence in the front court. 

The freshman class is headlined by twins Keilana Johnson and Keilani Johnson, Yawmari Darden, and Aiyani Richardson. Keilana and Keilani give the Hawks options at the guard position and come from successful scholastic and club programs. Darden and Richardson, from Portsmouth, Virginia and Warrenton, North Carolina respectively, give the Hawks options in the paint. Darden's rebounding abilities and Richardson's height give each player good foundations to work from. 

The Outlook

The Hawks open the 2025-26 campaign with back-to-back home games against some tough out of conference opponents. On Monday, November 17th the Hawks will host national women's basketball powerhouse, Virginia Union University at 5:00pm at the Hawks Athletic Center. They will follow that up with a home game at 5:00pm against another CIAA opponent in Elizabeth City State University. That game was originally scheduled to be played on the road, but ECSU has requested the game be played at Chowan University that evening. 

Conference play for the Hawks will begin November 22nd with the Hawks traveling to Lees-McRae. Throughout the season, Frazier and the Hawks women's basketball program will provide an exhilarating basketball experience for fans with all eyes focused on the prize.

The outlook for the Hawks this season is promising, especially in Conference Carolinas play. Stallings Frazier invites everyone to be a part of the action this season. 

"We really want everyone to come out to support our team this year. We have a solid mix of non-conference and conference games at home that will give the fans some really good women's basketball to get behind." 

Fans can get season tickets by becoming a member of the Brave Hawks Club. For more information on joining, contact Elizabeth Heller at elheller@chowan.edu.