Zennia Thomas' foundation was built long before the lights came on, in rooms where no one cheered — only cared.
Before the 6'1 Howard senior forward ever learned the tempo of a basketball locker room, she knew the rhythms of caregiving. The kind of work that strips away ego and shows you what real impact looks like. Influenced by her great-grandmother's and grandmother's legacy in nursing, she found purpose in those quiet rooms, in the small moments of trust that turned strangers into stories worth fighting for.
She saw it up close, felt it in her bones, and that's why Thomas is drawn to neonatal nursing — to shape a life before it fully begins.
"I was able to get a caregiving job (for two months when I attended Kentucky), and that was my test to see if nursing was something I really wanted to do," she said. "I loved it. I wouldn't trade those relationships with patients or the chance to impact someone's life. I would do that job again in a heartbeat. I love babies. The ability to have an impact on a child before their life even truly begins — that's what I look forward to."
Her days as a caregiver began with tasks most people avoid, such as lifting, bathing, wiping butts, tending to bodies that needed her patience more than her perfection. It was invasive, unglamorous, and demanding, yet she loved it. It's the same spirit she carries into basketball now: a belief that impact isn't loud, and greatness isn't always seen. During those moments, Thomas learned empathy in the quiet corners of hospital rooms and discovered the power of leading with her heart.
That gratitude runs deeper than basketball. Thomas arrived at Howard last season after playing 10 games over two years at Kentucky; a medical issue nearly derailed her career before it fully began.
Recovery was slow and frightening at times, steadied only by her faith and the family that refused to let her lose hope. Daily devotionals, prayer, journaling, and reading the Bible app kept her grounded, and showing up every day kept her moving.
"I just had to figure out a way to continue to be there for everybody," Thomas said. "Being around basketball kept me focused. I had to adopt the mindset that I was going to return. … Hearing that you might not be able to play again, especially after the circumstances at Kentucky, it was definitely disheartening. Everybody having my back, being in my corner, and consistently talking me through everything — not letting me be alone — helped me not think about, 'Oh, I may never play basketball again.'"
So, when she finally returned to the court, every sprint, every rebound, every breath felt like a gift. Howard embraced her from day one — teammates, coaches, the entire community — providing a sense of belonging she didn't realize she'd been missing.
"I am happy to be playing again," Thomas said. "I am taking it one game at a time and not taking any opportunity for granted to be playing. Never playing again was definitely talked about, but I come from a praying family, so that just wasn't going to be the case. At the end of the day, I talked to my family about it, and they said that wasn't my story."
Now, happy, healthy, and home at The Mecca, Thomas is penning a beautiful tale of perseverance, resilience, and history. After transferring in last season, she's having a blast and helping the Bison to their first 4–0 start since 2004, now 6-1.
Her impact has been loud as she leads Howard in scoring (15.7 points per game), rebounding (8.7), and blocked shots (1.2). More importantly, she has been the fulcrum of Howard's blue-ribbon defense that allowed only 53.6 points through their first four games.
It took some time for Thomas to shake off the rust last season. The 2024-25 campaign was the first time she played competitively in two years. Ultimately, once she found her groove, Thomas was the dominant game-changing force Howard head coach Ty Grace had seen when she initially recruited her.
Thomas showcased her brilliant all-around game with a 27-point, 13-rebound performance against Maryland-Eastern Shore in the MEAC semifinals. She shot a MEAC-best 50 percent from the field in her first season as a Bison, which concluded with her earning All-MEAC Third Team and All-Tournament Team honors.
Thomas was among the MEAC leaders as she was tied for fourth in rebounding (7.2), seventh in free-throw percentage (65.8%), tied for eighth in blocks (0.7), and 10th in scoring (12.0). She had seven double-doubles in 33 games.
While the accolades were nice, Thomas still feels she has more to prove this season.
"I definitely struggled with post-defense a lot, and I think that kind of played into being selected to the third team," Thomas said. "I felt slighted on that. I know that scoring is going to come for me. I'm very comfortable with that, but making sure I have a presence all around the court is more important to me. Taking care of my job defensively at the end of the day matters the most. Scoring is one thing, but if I can get stops, blocks, a deflection, anything that isn't on the stat sheet, that I can do to help my team win. I'm going to do it."
Thomas, who had a ball in her hands since she was 3, inherited her selfless spirit and athletic genes from her family. Her mom, Sheena, played basketball in high school but chose to play volleyball while her father, Harvey, played at Georgetown and Baylor. Basketball was the bond. There were times Thomas remembers either being in the gym with her dad or watching SportsCenter together.
Growing up in Cleveland, Thomas was also inspired by how the 2016 Cavaliers' championship united the city. Something Thomas won't ever forget is sharing that moment with her family, including her three younger siblings, as they all watched the seventh game triumph together.
"Seeing how basketball just brings people together and impacts people's lives in many ways means a lot to me," Thomas shared. "Using that to find my purpose kind of is inspiring. When it comes to playing basketball, I want to be able to use my platform or use what I'm doing to impact other people."
Which is why she changed her major from business management to neonatal nursing.
Early in her college journey, Thomas tried to convince herself that business and marketing were the right fit for her. But the deeper she got into the coursework, the more disconnected she felt. She couldn't picture herself graduating and building a life around something that didn't spark joy or purpose — something she'd do just to pay the bills.
Nursing, though, had always been there, lingering in the background. Eventually, she realized it wasn't just an option. It was the path that aligned with who she was and the kind of difference she wanted to make.
The same kind of difference she's making as she elevates Howard women's basketball.
Basketball is part of her story, but it isn't her whole identity. It's simply one of the ways she lifts others. And whether she's protecting the paint now or cradling a newborn someday, her impact will be the same: steady, selfless, and unmistakably hers.
When the story of this Howard season is written, her stats and highlights will matter, but they won't tell the whole truth. The real legacy of Zennia Thomas lives in the moments no one sees — the quiet courage it took to come back, the faith that held her together, and the grit she learned in rooms where influence was measured in heart, not headlines.
One day, she'll trade her jersey for scrubs, the roar of the crowd for the soft breath of a newborn in her hands. And just like now, she'll show up with the same presence, the same purpose, the same fire that saved her own dream.
Because some people aren't meant to chase the spotlight.
Some people are meant to change lives, and Thomas has been doing that long before the world started noticing.
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.
