Jackson State basketball player ends 20-year WNBA Draft drought for HBCUs
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)
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 Sothern’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.
