Twenty years after the last HBCU player was selected in the WNBA Draft, Jackson State’s Ameshya Williams-Holliday was recently drafted. The 6’4, senior from Gulfport, Mississippi was selected in the third round (25th overall) by the Indiana Fever on Monday night.
Williams is the first WNBA Draft pick from a HBCU since a trio of players were selected in the 2002 draft. Williams-Holliday is the second-highest drafted HBCU player in league history according to HBCU Gameday. The college star, was a three-time first-time All-SWAC selection in 2020, 2021, and 2022 and three time league Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Williams-Holliday averaged 16.1 points and 11.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks during her career. The Mississippi native scored in double-figures 71 times (including final 39 consecutive games), 53 10+ rebound games, 52 double-doubles (including two 20-20 games), and 60 games of 2+ blocks.
Williams-Holliday led the SWAC conference in scoring with 19.2 ppg, rebounds 11.4 rpg, field goal percentage (57.7%), and blocks (2.7 bpg) during the 2021-2022 season.
The Mississippi State transfer scored a career-high 33 points with 11 rebounds vs. Florida A&M on Feb. 12. Williams-Holliday joins Southern’s Jaclyn Winfield as the second SWAC woman drafted into the WNBA. Before, the draft there are no active WNBA players from HBCUs in the league.
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