Marshall Named American Freshman of the Year to Headline Tulane’s Year-End Honorees
Mar 9, 2026 | Women's Basketball
IRVING, Texas – The American Conference announced this morning the year-end awards for the 2025-26 women's basketball season with a pair of Green Wave players earning recognition. Mecailin Marshall was honored as the league's freshman of the year while she and Kanija Daniel both secured spots on the conference's all-newcomer team. The awards were voted on by the league's coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
Marshall is the fifth player in program history to earn a conference freshman of the year honor and the third to secure American Freshman of the Year. With teammate Kendall Sneed securing the nod last season, Tulane boasts back-to-back freshman of the year honorees in the American to become the first member of the league to repeat with the award. Marshall and Daniel become the second and third all-newcomer recipients for the program since joining the league, joining Sherese Pittman who claimed the nod last season.
A native of Lubbock, Texas, Marshall finished the regular season second on the team in scoring at 10.0 points per game. She reached double figures 15 times with four 20-point outings, the first Tulane freshman with at least four 20-pieces since JerKaila Jordan in her own freshman of the year campaign during the 2020-21 season. Marshall's breakthrough was a 20-point outing against No. 5 LSU, and she delivered a career performance against East Carolina with 34 points. This is the highest scoring tally by a Tulane freshman this century, since at least 1999. Marshall has been named American Freshman of the Week four times this season. She boasts a 38.2 percent shooting mark and leads the team in free throw shooting at 81.0 percent.
Daniel, a native of Carrollton, Georgia, joined the Green Wave this season after earning NJCAA Division I Player of the Year honors last season with Chipola College. She leads Tulane in scoring with 11.5 points per game, ranking 20th in the conference. She has reached double figures a team-best 17 times this season with five 20-point affairs. Her high was a 25-point night against North Dakota State in November. Defensively, Daniel tops the team in steals with 42 and is tied for sixth in the conference in blocking with an even 1.0 per game. She was twice named American Conference Honorable Mention this season.
Tulane concluded the regular season at 11-19 (6-12 American) and enters the American Conference Women's Basketball Championship as the No. 10 seed. The event is held in Birmingham, Alabama, at Legacy Arena in the BJCC with the first round of action on Tuesday, March 10. Tulane plays No. 7 Temple at 2:00 p.m. with the game streaming on ESPN+, and it can be heard on WRBH 88.3 FM and through the Varsity Network App.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, and baseball campaigns can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For behind-the-scenes coverage, follow Tulane women's basketball (@GreenWaveWBB) on X, Facebook and Instagram.
GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
Marshall is the fifth player in program history to earn a conference freshman of the year honor and the third to secure American Freshman of the Year. With teammate Kendall Sneed securing the nod last season, Tulane boasts back-to-back freshman of the year honorees in the American to become the first member of the league to repeat with the award. Marshall and Daniel become the second and third all-newcomer recipients for the program since joining the league, joining Sherese Pittman who claimed the nod last season.
A native of Lubbock, Texas, Marshall finished the regular season second on the team in scoring at 10.0 points per game. She reached double figures 15 times with four 20-point outings, the first Tulane freshman with at least four 20-pieces since JerKaila Jordan in her own freshman of the year campaign during the 2020-21 season. Marshall's breakthrough was a 20-point outing against No. 5 LSU, and she delivered a career performance against East Carolina with 34 points. This is the highest scoring tally by a Tulane freshman this century, since at least 1999. Marshall has been named American Freshman of the Week four times this season. She boasts a 38.2 percent shooting mark and leads the team in free throw shooting at 81.0 percent.
Daniel, a native of Carrollton, Georgia, joined the Green Wave this season after earning NJCAA Division I Player of the Year honors last season with Chipola College. She leads Tulane in scoring with 11.5 points per game, ranking 20th in the conference. She has reached double figures a team-best 17 times this season with five 20-point affairs. Her high was a 25-point night against North Dakota State in November. Defensively, Daniel tops the team in steals with 42 and is tied for sixth in the conference in blocking with an even 1.0 per game. She was twice named American Conference Honorable Mention this season.
Tulane concluded the regular season at 11-19 (6-12 American) and enters the American Conference Women's Basketball Championship as the No. 10 seed. The event is held in Birmingham, Alabama, at Legacy Arena in the BJCC with the first round of action on Tuesday, March 10. Tulane plays No. 7 Temple at 2:00 p.m. with the game streaming on ESPN+, and it can be heard on WRBH 88.3 FM and through the Varsity Network App.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, and baseball campaigns can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For behind-the-scenes coverage, follow Tulane women's basketball (@GreenWaveWBB) on X, Facebook and Instagram.
GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
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