PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — When the University of Maryland Eastern Shore faces off with Route 13 rival Delaware State at home on Thursday (March 3) at 5:30 p.m., it will be the last opportunity for the squad to work out any kinks they can before next week's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.
But it will also be a night when five Hawks will be playing their last home game at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center. Graduate students Angelique Taylor (Wachapreague, Virginia), Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky) and Amanda Carney (Old Bridge, New Jersey) each finish out their eligibility this season, while seniors Taylor Clayborne (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) and Brooklyn Bailey (Rock Hill, South Carolina) are not currently expected to return after graduating.
All except the injured Clayborne are expected to start against the Hornets (0-22, 0-13 MEAC) alongside freshman post Ariana Seawell (Bronx, New York). While Seawell represents the program's future along with the rest of the Hawks who will return next season, the five seniors have contributed a lot with what they have are several more games to go this season.
Taylor is the sister of former men's basketball player Isaac Taylor. A former walk-on who earned a scholarship before the 2020-21 season, "Angel" is a two-time member of the MEAC Commissioner's All-Academic List. As a graduate student this year pursuing a Masters of Rehabilitation Psychology, she has enjoyed her best season as a Hawk attaining career numbers in every statistical category, while scoring in double digits twice. She played in 60 games at The Shore and started 11. For her career, she has scored 138 points, grabbed 144 rebounds, and picked up 31 assists and 25 steals in 628 minutes.
During her senior season Clayborne posted more points in 18 games than in her previous two seasons, while reaching double digits twice. "Tay" is a Mechanical Engineering major and member of the Hawks' Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Despite suffering two serious injuries (the latest a torn Achilles at Howard), Taylor has played in 56 career games over three seasons in Maroon & Gray, while starting seven contests. She scored 228 points, grabbed 150 rebounds, and added 19 assists, 10 blocks and 14 steals in 664 minutes.
Bailey has missed being on the court for just one game in three seasons for the Hawks. Her 31 games played during the 2019-20 season is tied for tops on the all-time list with just seven other players. She leads Eastern Shore in scoring this season at 8.5 points per game and has reached double digits 10 times. She is tied for No. 5 in the MEAC in threes per game with 1.4 and No. 8 in 3-point percentage with .289. "B.K" played in 85 career games and started 40. She has made 98 total 3-pointers during her career and shot 27% from behind the arc. She scored 612 points, grabbed 157 rebounds, dished out 107 assists and had 75 steals in 1,663 minutes.
Carney has cemented herself as one of the top shooters in the Hawks records book. She is in the No. 3 spot all-time with 134 3-pointers made and No. 1 in career free throw percentage at 83.3%. She is second on the team in scoring this season with 8.0 points per game and has reached career highs in assists and steals. Her .281 3-point percentage is 9th in the MEAC and her 1.4 threes per game is No. 6 in the conference. "Mandy" is currently a graduate student pursuing a Masters in Criminology and Criminal Justice and has reached double digits in scoring 10 times this season. She was named the team's Most Improved Player for a 2019-20 season where she finished No. 4 on the all-time single-season 3-point percentage list with 37.7%, No. 3 on the all-time single-season 3-pointers made list (69) and No. 5 on the all-time single-season 3-point attempts list (183). She has been a member of the Hawks' Student Athlete Advisory Committee and is a two-time member of the MEAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team.
Charting a path as a tenacious rebounder and defender, Gill-Miles began her assault on the Eastern Shore record book during a freshman campaign that saw her win MEAC Rookie of the Year honors and be named Team MVP. As a graduate student working toward a Masters in Rehabilitation Psychology, the native of Lexington, Kentucky has reached double digits in scoring twice this season and rebounding once. In four seasons on The Shore, "Bunz" has played 105 games, started 84 and picked up 11 career double-doubles. Her 30 games played as a freshman is tied for No. 8 on the all-time single-season list. Bairesha is No. 10 on the program's all-time career list with 137 steals, and tied for No. 4 with 693 rebounds. She also put up 808 points, 114 assists and 15 blocks in 2,534 career minutes.
