MEAC report

SportsLine.com Report
June 16, 2000

The Hawks let coach Lonnie Williams' contract run out at the end of the season, signaling a change in direction for their program. Surprisingly, though, they brought in Thomas Trotter, an unproven assistant who has never been a head coach at the collegiate level.

Williams, who led the Hawks to a 12-17 season, couldn't produce a winner at Maryland-Eastern Shore in what should have been a banner year. Trotter takes over a team with virtually no one of consequence coming back.

A glance at 2001

The Hawks will find out what they're made of next year as they graduated their top three scorers, their top rebounder and their top assist man.

Sanyika Street, a 6-8, 225-pound forward, the team's fourth leading scorer at just 5.9 points a game, will need to become a bigger scorer. No significant offensive scorers return.

The coach

Trotter was an assistant at New Mexico State the past two seasons, helping them to an NCAA Tournament bid this past season.

Trotter, 39, has recruited his son, Thomas Jr., to play for UMES. He better hope he can play, otherwise the Hawks will be in for a long, long season.

Who'll be back

A cast of role players return, led by Sanyika Street, a 6-8, 225-pound forward who averaged just 5.9 points a game -- but he's the top returning scorer.

Adrian Pryce (6-0, 185) is solid in the backcourt but clearly, a star needs to emerge.

Who's gone

Graduation hit the Hawks hard. Demetric Reese (6-5, 210), the team's leading scorer at 19.8 points per game and one of the MEAC's top players, has exhausted his eligibility.

Also gone is superb swingman Kevin Wallace (6-6, 185), who was second on the team in scoring at 16.6 points per game and the team's leading rebounder at 7.6 a contest. To top things off, leading assist man Benjamin Surpin (6-0, 167), who also averaged 10.6 points per game, and steady big body Sheridan James (6-8, 220) also depart.