BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2025-26 All-SWAC Women's Basketball teams and individual award winners on Friday morning. The all-conference honors were voted on by the league’s coaches and sports information directors.

In order to be eligible for awards student-athletes must have participated in a minimum of 50 percent of their team’s games played this season.

Alabama A&M’s Kalia Walker was named Player of the Year while Alcorn State’s Nakia Cheatham claimed Defensive Player of the Year accolades.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Indiya Bowen was tabbed Newcomer of the Year, Jackson State’s Pierre-Noelle Tcheuhchoua was selected as Freshman of the Year and Alabama A&M’s Dawn Thornton was voted Coach of the Year.   

Walker has had a stellar season averaging 14.0 points and shooting 40.4 percent from the floor. In addition, she is shooting 84.6 percent from the foul line. She has 20 double-digit scoring performances, including a season high 24 points at Florida A&M.
 
Cheatham has been a key presence for Alcorn State throughout the duration of the season while averaging 12.8 points per game in league competition. She ranks in the top ten in blocks per game (1.2 bpg) and steals per game (2.2 spg) in league play.
 
Bowen proved to be one of the most impactful newcomers in the SWAC from the moment she stepped on the floor, announcing her arrival with a 29-point performance in UAPB's season-opening win over Memphis setting the tone for what would become a historic individual campaign. She finished the season averaging 14.9 points per game on 35 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent from three point range.
 
Pierre-Noelle Tcheuhchoua has been a force on the floor for JSU in her debut season while impacting JSU’s rotation with notable minutes and efficiency. She has appeared in every JSU game this season and started in eight matchups. Tcheuhchoua scored 19 points in 19 minutes with multiple stat contributions in the Tigers home opener. She averages 7.7 points per game to go along with and 5.5 rebounds per game while also notching three double-doubles during the season.
 
Thornton has guided the Bulldogs to numerous firsts this season at the NCAA Division I level, including 17 straight wins, back-to-back 20-win seasons and a SWAC regular season championship. In addition, the program earned the top seed in next week's SWAC Women's Basketball Tournament. Thornton has the Bulldogs nationally ranked statistically in free throw attempts per game (fifth), scoring defense (12th) free throws made per game (14th) and field goal percentage defense (17th).

The complete listing of all-conference selections and individual awards winners can be found below.

Coach of the Year
Dawn Thornton, Alabama A&M
 
Player of the Year
Kalia Walker, Alabama A&M

Defensive Player of the Year
Nakia Cheatham, Alcorn State

Newcomer of the Year
Indiya Bowen, Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Freshman of the Year
Pierre-Noelle Tcheuhchoua, Jackson State

All-SWAC First Team
Kalia Walker, Alabama A&M
Nakia Cheatham, Alcorn State
Indiya Bowen, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Shaniah Nunn, Grambling State
Taliyah Logwood, Texas Southern
 
All-SWAC Second Team
Moses Davenport, Alabama A&M
Demya Porter, Southern
Tahnyjia Purifoy, Florida A&M
Crystal Schultz, Prairie View A&M
Jaileyah Cotton, Jackson State
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
 
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.

Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.