NORFOLK, VA – The Howard Univ. men's and women's tennis teams clinched the MEAC Divisional title and will enter the tournament as the top seed from the North.

The men finished 4-1 in conference play to claim their first northern division title since 2008. The Bison are currently 6-9 this season and will look to secure their seventh MEAC tournament title.

The women finished atop the northern divisional standings to earn the 2011 regular season title. The defending northern division champion Lady Bison tallied a 6-0 conference mark for the second consecutive year. Winning their last four matches in a row, Howard currently holds a 9-8 overall record.

Freshmen Brooke Hawthorne and Katelyn Stokes lead the Lady Bison with a 13-3 and 13-4 individual record. Hawthorne enters the MEAC Championships with a four-game winning streak, while Stokes holds a perfect 6-0 record against conference opponents.

 On the men's side, Eric Chavous and George Diggs both finished the regular season 4-0 against MEAC opponents.

The 2011 MEAC Tennis Championships begin on Friday, April 15 at 8:30 a.m. at the Millbrook Tennis Courts in Raleigh, North Carolina. Tennis action continues on Saturday with semifinal play beginning 8:30 a.m. for the women and noon for the men. The championships will conclude on Sunday, April 17 beginning at 9 a.m. with the women's championship final. The men's championship final will follow at noon. The event is free and open to the public.