Ameshya Williams-Holliday selected 25th overall in the WNBA Draft

Ameshya Williams-Holliday was selected 25th overall by the Indiana Fever in the third round of the WNBA draft. The 6-foot-4 center became the first HBCU player to be selected in the WNBA Draft in two decades.

Welcome to Indiana, @_meshya4!#FeverDraft | @AnthemBCBS pic.twitter.com/zsUrLpYAtd

— Indiana Fever ⛹️‍♀️🏀 (@IndianaFever) April 12, 2022

She’s the sixth HBCU player drafted since the WNBA began in 1997, and the first since Andrea Gardner (Howard), Amba Kongolo (North Carolina Central), and Jacylyn Winfield (Southern) were selected in 2002.

Williams-Holliday won SWAC Player of the Year and SWAC defensive player of the year en route to leading Jackson State to the NCAA Tournament, where Jackson State gave LSU a scare before falling in the first round.

Williams-Holliday transferred to Jackson State from Mississippi State. Jackson State head coach Tomekia Reed said this about Ameshya Williams-Holliday following here double-double against LSU in the NCAA tournament.

Here’s @GoJSUTigersWBB head coach Tomekia Reed on Ameshya Williams-Holliday after their final game
“Someone take a chance on her that’s another door opened for our HBCU Community”
Just a few weeks later @_meshya4 becomes a historic draft pick @IndianaFever #WNBA #WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/whr1lfr5K8

— Joe Cook WAPT (@JoeCookSports) April 12, 2022

“Had she been at Mississippi State right now she’ll be top 4 on the draft but she chose to come to Jackson State University and I don’t want her to be held back because of that. She did great for this institution and I think she’ll be great in the WNBA. Someone take a chance on her and that’s another door opened for out HBCU community She means everything to this program, everything ot me and everything to our HBCUs.”