
EUNICE, La. – LSU Eunice Women’s Basketball captured both major awards and landed four players on the Louisiana Community Colleges Athletic Conference (LCCAC) Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team, it was announced this week. The Bengals captured both top honors for the first time since the 2019-2020 season.
Kamiera McDonald was named the LCCAC Player of the Year, while first year head coach Rob Beckmann was tabbed as the LCCAC Coach of the Year. In addition to McDonald’s top honors, the freshman was named to the first-team and All-Defensive squad. She was joined by Mariah Heard on the first team. Simone Clay and Ray’Onna Sterling were selected to the second team with Sterling joining the All-Defensive Team.
“These awards are a testament to the hard work and belief our young women put in throughout this season,” LSU Eunice head coach Rob Beckmann said. “This team laid the foundation for what we want our program to be – a consistent winner that achieves at a high level.”
McDonald was the lynchpin for the LCCAC champs, averaging 15.3 points per game for the season and 16.8 during LCCAC play – producing seven games of 20-plus points. She recorded a season-high 28 points in LSUE’s first round win of the Region 23 Tournament, pouring in 28 points against Meridian. The freshman was also tops on the team with 3.54 assists and 3.8 steals per game.
She is the first LSU Eunice player to receive LCCAC Player of the Year honors since Tahjea Smith during the 2021-2022 season.
Heard did a little bit of everything for the Bengals, averaging 12.7 points while grabbing a team-high 161 rebounds (5.2 rpg). The Bastrop HS product exploded for 32 points in a win over Wiley College, while pumping in back-to-back double-doubles in games against Copiah-Lincoln and Hinds CC. Her best game in LCCAC play was a 29-point, 14-rebound performance on February 1 vs. Delgado.
Clay made an instant impact after transferring this season from Lake Region State College. The three-point sharpshooter was Top 25 nationally with 73 three-point field goals while her 38.8 three-point percentage was Top 50. She tied the single-game record of nine three-point field goals twice wins against Wiley College (January 24) and Delgado CC (February 22). Clay averaged 10.9 points per game while starting 26 of the team’s 31 games.
Sterling was the quintessential glue person for the Bengals lineup, becoming a valuable sparkplug off the bench. The guard stuffed the stat sheet, averaging 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.51 assists and 2.8 steals per game. She would flirt with a triple-double constantly during the campaign, coming closest in a 15 point, 8 rebound, and 8 steal night against Delgado on February 22.
LSU Eunice enjoyed one of its greatest turnaround seasons in program history, overcoming last year’s 6-win season to post a 20-11 record, the sixth 20-plus win season in LSUE history. The Bengals would go 8-1 in LCCAC which included a 13-game win streak.
2025 LCCAC Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team
LCCAC Player of the Year: Kamiera McDonald, LSU Eunice
LCCAC Coach of the Year: Rob Beckmann, LSU Eunice
First Team
Kamiera McDonald | LSU Eunice | Freshman | Guard | Baton Rouge, LA |
Miracle Irving | Delgado CC | Freshman | Guard | Amite, LA |
Mariah Heard | LSU Eunice | Freshman | Guard | Bastrop, LA |
Kinsley James | Baton Rouge CC | Freshman | Guard | Baton Rouge, LA |
Jamia Singleton | Delgado CC | Sophomore | Guard | Houma, LA |
Second Team
Simone Clay | LSU Eunice | Sophomore | Guard | Bloomington, MN |
Shelcie LeBlanc | Baton Rouge CC | Freshman | Guard | Carencro, LA |
J’Nyria Kelly | Baton Rouge CC | Sophomore | Forward | Bayou Goula, LA |
Ray’Onna Sterling | LSU Eunice | Freshman | Guard | Vacherie, LA |
DeZarae’ Stewart | Baton Rouge CC | Sophomore | Forward | Monroe, LA |
All-Defense
Kamiera McDonald | LSU Eunice | Freshman | Guard | Baton Rouge, LA |
J’Nyria Kelly | Baton Rouge CC | Freshman | Guard | Carencro, LA |
Ray’Onna Sterling | LSU Eunice | Freshman | Guard | Vacherie, LA |
Armani Gordon | Delgado CC | Freshman | Forward | Carville, LA |
Nijeh Grant | SU-Shreveport | Sophomore | Forward | Shreveport, LA |