March 10, 2025
SWAC notebook: Soniyah Reed excited to enhance Southern’s legacy of excellence
By Rob Knox
Reed: 'We always know we can count on everybody.'
Soniyah Reed‘s family’s steady faith in her when she picked up a basketball at five years old became the same unshakable belief that fueled her through every grueling moment of Southern’s non-conference gauntlet.
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Because, after all, this is what Southern does. It plays an incredibly challenging non-conference slate that prepares them for the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) competition. It’s also one of many reasons why Southern has finished with a winning conference record in 18 consecutive seasons. Regardless of your conference or perceived level of competition, that type of consistency year after year is impressive.
Women’s basketball players know when they come to Southern, they will always contend for a championship, play top-notch competition, grow into phenomenal young women and have fun.
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Southern’s program wasn’t built to shy away from adversity, nor was Reed. Long bus rides home, bruises from relentless competition, and the creeping doubt of whether the grind was worth it. But for Reed, quitting was never an option. She had learned long ago that struggle isn’t a roadblock—it’s a stepping stone to success.
Reed always believed her team would rise.
When the dust settled, the Jaguars stood atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) as regular-season champions, forged by hardship, strengthened by belief and guided by the same unbreakable determination that carried Reed from the beginning.
Despite the mounting losses — eight straight to start the season against Power Four opponents — Reed never wavered. She embraced the challenge, knowing it was a bigger purpose to the competition. In bringing the Travel Channel to life, Southern crisscrossed the country, battling Texas and North Carolina State — both schools that just played in conference championship games over the weekend — along with Iowa State, Washington, Colorado and Illinois.
Southern has more than held its own against these programs, as evidenced by its win over Oklahoma last season. The Jaguars also trailed N.C. State by seven points after three quarters before running out of steam in a game played in the Bahamas.
The 6’0 Southern senior guard saw an opportunity where others might have seen doubt. Where frustration could have crept in, she leaned on the foundation that had been instilled in her since childhood: perseverance, resilience and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence.
“Seeing my older cousins play, I picked up the ball following them one day and noticed I was good at it,” Reed shared during a recent Zoom call with The Next. “My grandma is really into sports. (Her and my mom) motivates me a lot, and my mom believes in me. Basketball started as something fun to do. I started playing rec ball and then travel ball and high school.
“They did a lot for me, especially when I wanted to quit. They wouldn’t allow me because they knew things I didn’t know. They knew I was great at this, and I could go on and do great things with it and go to school and get an education out of it. That was their main goal from the beginning for me.”
Armed with that reassurance, Reed hasn’t looked back.
Reed carries the legacy of those who came before her. She takes pride in knowing she has helped strengthen Southern’s winning tradition on and off the hardwood. For her, wearing the Jaguars’ sacred Columbia blue-and-gold jersey isn’t just about personal success; it’s about honoring the program’s storied history and pushing it forward.
Even when Southern’s F.G. Clark Activity Center is quiet, Reed feels the presence of past players — the trailblazers who paved the way. Though they may not always be in the stands, their legacy surrounds her, etched into the championship banners that hang from the rafters, swaying gently like silent reminders of what it means to be a Jaguar. She plays for them. She plays for the standard they set, knowing they always demand more like an extra lap or shooting.
She plays for the next generation, ensuring that when she graduates with her biology degree, the banners will whisper her name, especially since Reed was a member of Southern’s 2023 NCAA Tournament team and SWAC tournament championship team. Now, she has added another championship to her sterling collection.
“We know what came before us and the legacy they left,” Reed said. “It’s what Southern is about. So, for us to uphold that and carry that on is amazing. Our coaches kept us motivated throughout the non-conference schedule and instilled confidence. We know we’re going to play a tough schedule. We’ve done it for a long time. It’s not new to us.”
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For Reed, playing for Southern is more than just competing — it’s an experience filled with camaraderie and trust, where everybody is valued. The bond they share extends beyond the court, where they spend time in each other’s apartments cooking, laughing, and uplifting each other. Aleighyah Fontenont‘s baked chicken is the heartwarming fuel that nourishes her teammates’ bodies and spirits.
“It’s extremely fun here,” Reed shared. “We have a great time together as a team, even with our coaches. It’s a great atmosphere to be in. The coaches love us and care about us. They show that by helping us become better people and teaching us a lot.”
One game that summed up Southern’s championship ethos was the you-had-to-be-there-to-see-it finish of its improbable 65-63 road victory against Florida A&M. Trailing 61-56 with 1:13 remaining, the Jaguars tied the game, only to fall behind 63-61 with four seconds remaining.
Then, chaos ensued.
First, Taniya Lawson was fouled attempting a 3-pointer. She missed the first free throw but calmly sank the next two to tie the game with one-second remaining. The Jaguars forced a turnover, and then Jocelyn Tate made two free throws to give Southern a win to remember.
“Being on the road is hard, and it’s always hard for us to play at that FAMU gym,” Reed said. “But we were always confident that we were going to win. We stuck together at the end. We talked up our teammates and told them that you’re going to make these. We believe in you. It’s the same thing after we got that steal. Jocelyn was nervous, but all of us talked her up. We surrounded and filled her with confidence because we know she can do it.”
Veteran Southern head coach Carlos Funchess recognized that Reed could be a special player when he recruited her.
“I just saw a tremendous amount of untapped potential,” Funchess said during a phone call with The Next earlier this month. “I think she’s only recently realized that she could be one of the top players—not just in this league, but in HBCU basketball. She can do it all. She works extremely hard, is very intelligent, and is a great person. Her grandmom and mom did a great job raising her, and she’s just a pleasure to be around. And she’s a team player. A lot of times, she’s too unselfish.”
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Defense is where Reed makes the most significant impact — fitting for a program built on toughness and grit.
The Jaguars lead the SWAC in scoring defense (58.1), which is also 45th nationally. The Jaguars held 16 of 18 SWAC opponents below 60 points. It even had its eight-game winning streak ended when it allowed 48 points to Alabama A&M in a 48-35 setback in the regular season finale this past Saturday. Despite that loss, Southern opens the SWAC tournament as the No. 1 seed and will play Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. against the Florida A&M-Mississippi Valley State survivor.
The Jaguars have built a foundation of excellence where nobody is bigger than the team. They don’t care about individual statistics — only winning, which is why they understand greatness comes from everybody focused on the team goals. While 5’9 senior guard Aniya Gourdine is ranked 10th in the SWAC in scoring at 12.0 points per game, and Reed is 22nd in the conference with a 9.1 point per game average, the Jaguars’ collective strength is rooted in everybody contributing.
Southern is also 25th nationally in steals (11.1), 30th in turnovers forced (20.10), and 32nd in turnover margin (4.94). Gourdine is the master thief, as she’s 52nd nationally in steals per game (2.36). Players like 5’4 graduate guard DaKiyah Sanders and 6’4 senior center Tionna Lidge have made meaningful contributions throughout the season for Southern.
“It’s great knowing that it could be any of our nights,” Reed said. “We always know we can count on everybody. Here at Southern, we’ve always been a team-based team. We’ve never counted on just one person. We get the job done with each other, and we know that. Even coming into the program, we know that. So, it’s great because it’s about everyone being on the same page.”
Reed improved significantly over the summer in strength, speed, and shooting. In addition to enhancing her skills like taking people off the dribble, shot fakes, jabs to increase her scoring and making her an effective facilitator, she had the opportunity to attend the Black Student-Athlete Summit last spring.
The experience was life-changing. It opened her mind and helped her understand the value of having a plan for life once the ball stops rolling. She made friends and was excited to be in a space of like-minded student-athletes looking to improve the world.
For Reed, it was never just about basketball. It was about the journey, the people, and the lessons that stretched far beyond the hardwood. The wins and banners will hang forever, but the mindset—the belief that no challenge is too great—will be carried forward by every Jaguar who follows.
As Reed stood on the court on Senior Day, surrounded by family, teammates, and a lifetime of memories with a heart full of gratitude, she also felt the bittersweet ache of knowing this chapter was closing. Reed is ending her career with a flourish. She finished the regular season by scoring in double figures in seven of the Jaguars’ last nine games, including 19-point performances against Bethune-Cookman and Alabama State.
Reed is comforted knowing she’s leaving the program in terrific hands. She is proud to have added another chapter to the Jaguars’ storied tradition — one built on resilience, excellence, and a commitment to winning. But legacies aren’t left behind. They are carried forward, woven into the fabric of Southern’s program, like life itself, which is always evolving.
She’ll never forget the NCAA Tournament experience made possible by Fontenot’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat Jackson State in an epic SWAC semifinal victory in 2023, one of the biggest shots in program history. It was the Jaguars’ sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
“That experience of being in the NCAA Tournament plays a major role as we start the SWAC Tournament,” Reed shared. “We got to fly private and stayed in L.A. We were like this is nice. Going to the NCAA tournament is amazing because that’s what we watch on TV. We’re normally not a part of it. That was great just being on that stage. We’re not used to that, but being there was a blessing. We want to do this again.”
For Reed and Southern, the journey never truly ends. Championships, banners, social media selfies, and NCAA Tournament appearances are milestones. Still, the real victories are in the mindset—the belief that no matter the odds, greatness is always within reach with faith, resilience, and hard work.
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SWAC Slam Dunks
With back-to-back winning seasons, Grambling State enters the tournament on a four-game winning streak behind Kahia Warmsley, the SWAC’s fourth leading scorer … Alabama A&M finished with 21 victories, the most in its Division I era … Mississippi Valley State won six conference contests and won its final three games, including a surprising 74-72 victory over Jackson State in the regular season finale … Texas Southern’s 11-0 start to the SWAC was its best since the 1980-81 season … Texas Southern finished second after being picked to finish ninth … Bethune-Cookman’s Asianae Nicholson has 21 double-doubles … Jackson State’s Taleah Dilworth is the SWAC’s leading scorer … Alcorn State played in last year’s SWAC championship game and Destiny Brown ended the season with a 24-point, 10-rebound effort against Arkansas-Pine Bluff … C.J. Wilson and Amauri Williams have been Prairie View A&M’s leaders this season … Cheynene McEvans was fifth in the SWAC in scoring (13.3).
2025 SWAC Tournament Schedule
First Round – Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Game 1: No. 7 Bethune-Cookman vs. No. 10 Prairie View A&M – 11 a.m. (ESPN+)
Game 2: No. 8 Florida A&M vs. No. 9 Mississippi Valley State – 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Quarterfinals – Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Game 3: No. 2 Texas Southern vs. Game 1 winner – 11 a.m. (ESPN+)
Game 4: No. 1 Southern vs. Game 2 winner – 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 13, 2025
Game 5: No. 3 Alabama A&M vs. No. 6 Alcorn State – 11 a.m. (ESPN+)
Game 6: No. 4 Jackson State vs. No. 5 Grambling State – 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Semifinals – Friday, March 14, 2025
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner – 11 a.m. (ESPN+)
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. Game 6 winner – 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Championship – Saturday, March 15, 2025
Game 9: Game 8 winner vs. Game 7 winner – 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%
Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The Next and The IX, released his latest book on May 7, 2024. This deeply reported story follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.
If you enjoy his coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below to order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout.
Written by Rob Knox
Rob Knox is an award-winning professional and a member of the Lincoln (Pa.) Athletics Hall of Fame. In addition to having work published in SLAM magazine, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington Post, and Diverse Issues In Higher Education, Knox enjoyed a distinguished career as an athletics communicator for Lincoln, Kutztown, Coppin State, Towson, and UNC Greensboro. He also worked at ESPN and for the Delaware County Daily Times. Recently, Knox was honored by CSC with the Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award and the NCAA with its Champion of Diversity award. Named a HBCU Legend by SI.com, Knox is a graduate of Lincoln University and a past president of the College Sports Communicators, formerly CoSIDA.
