Much has changed for Norfolk State’s vets, but their goal — to win — remains the same

NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State junior guards Da’Brya Clark and Anjanae Richardson haven’t lost a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament championship in their college basketball careers.

Now, a year after helping their team win the 2025 MEAC title, they have a new head coach, new teammates and added pressure to power the No. 3 seed Spartans (16-13 overall, 11-3 MEAC) to a fourth consecutive championship during this week’s MEAC women’s tournament at Norfolk Scope Arena.

Clark and Richardson, the No. 1 and No. 3 scorers for Norfolk State, respectively, have embraced larger roles on the team this season following the departures of 2025 MEAC Player of the Year Diamond Johnson and fellow standout Kierra Wheeler.

Those roster changes were part of an offseason of change for the Spartans, one that caused the veterans to question their future with the team.

“This year has definitely mentally challenged me. Just being mentally tougher, accepting change, having a new coach, learning his system and getting acclimated to that,” Richardson said. “It was a culture change that’s all new. I wouldn’t say it’s a bad thing — it’s just not what we were doing the past two years.”

In March 2025, just more than a week after the Spartans hoisted the MEAC tournament trophy, the foundation of the team shifted when 10th-year head coach Larry Vickers accepted the same role for the Auburn women’s basketball team.

The news leaked before Norfolk State’s first-round NCAA tournament game, but it wasn’t until after the team’s 82-69 loss to Maryland that Clark and Richardson heard the news themselves in the locker room.

“Initially, when we first found out, I was just kind of stuck. … It took me a good week to really process it and set in with the reality that he’s not our coach anymore,” Richardson said.

When Vickers confirmed the headlines the next morning, there were no hard feelings from Clark or Richardson. They were happy for him, they said, recognizing how great of an opportunity the Auburn job was.

“Nobody was really mad or angry about his decision,” Clark said. “We were more so just trying to figure out what our next steps look like.”

Uncertain about the team’s future and unsure who would be their new coach, both players felt entering the transfer portal was their best choice. Because of NCAA rules regarding communication between players and coaches, Clark entered the portal instantly, allowing her to keep in contact with Vickers and other coaches and decide her next steps. Coaches are prohibited from discussing potential transfers with players on other teams unless the athlete is in the transfer portal.

“Coach LV was big shoes to fill. … I was just looking for somebody who will work with us and not try to go against everything we’re saying completely,” Clark said.

However, being in the portal was not a pleasant experience for the duo.

“That whole process was just overwhelming. You really have no idea who’s watching you or looking at you until you’re basically a free agent,” Clark said. “Everybody wanted to talk, everybody wanted to schedule visits. … I mean, it’s a blessing, I guess, but at the same time it gave me a lot of anxiety, too.”

In April 2025, Norfolk State announced that Jermaine Woods, who led Coppin State to one of its best seasons in more than a decade last year, would be the next head coach of the Spartans. Familiar with Woods’ name — and wanting to stay at Norfolk State, which felt like home — Clark and Richardson attended his introductory press conference and later met with Woods to discuss expectations of the team. Both players ultimately decided to return to the Spartans.

“That was the first priority, just keeping those two. That was a big part of us building our program,” Woods said. “What really shocked me and made me know they were winners is they wanted better guards, other guards. To be guards and say you want other guards that can help out is really an attribute to them just being winners and who they are as people.”

After playing key roles on Norfolk State’s 2024 and 2025 double conference championship teams, Clark and Richardson were ready to take on expanded roles in their junior seasons. Last year, Clark and Richardson both averaged 9.7 points per game and were named to the All-MEAC third team. Richardson also won MEAC Sixth Player of the Year award.

The Spartans’ season got off to a rocky start, though.

Clark and Richardson were the team’s top returning scorers, but with no freshmen on the roster and a slew of upperclassmen carrying extensive college experience from a wide variety of previous schools, there were many competing voices looking to take on a leadership role in the locker room.

Clark, Richardson and three other Norfolk State veteran returners — Jenesis Hill, Amari Smith and Ciara Bailey — struggled to adjust to Woods’ methods for reshaping the team that they felt ownership of. Woods also brought two Coppin State players with him to Norfolk in guards Cire Worley and Niyah Gaston.

However, as bonds formed and chemistry grew among the players, the team found its groove.

Clark’s 14.4 points and 2.5 steals per game both rank second in the MEAC. Richardson is pitching in 10.6 points and 2.2 steals per game, and guard Jasha Clinton, a sixth-year senior who transferred from Hampton this season, is leading the MEAC with 3.4 steals per game and ranks third in scoring with 13.3 points per game.

“A lot of people doubted us, and it’s a lot of outside noise,” Clark said. “Everybody says how open the MEAC is and it’s up for grabs. … Everybody [has an opinion], so that really doesn’t concern us.”

Norfolk State will face No. 6 seed Morgan State in the opening round of the conference tournament Thursday, and Woods believes his Spartans will be MEAC champions again.

“Oh, it’s going to be the sweetest thing ever. Oh, you can’t even imagine all the disrespect from people that’s been around the program before,” Woods said. “March 14, when we get down off of that ladder, it’s going to be the sweetest thing ever because the journey has been filled with adversity. I really believe adversity reveals character.”

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