WASHINGTON (December 12, 2025) - In a day and time of constant and rapid change in collegiate athletics, athletes face some decisions that often charts the course of their careers.  With the power of social media, peer pressure and the lure of the transfer portal, it can be an experiment in futility and frustration.
 
For those looking on how one can chart their own course through it all, Howard University women's basketball standout Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) could be a case study.
 
For Thomas, it all began when she was a high school.
 
The senior forward had an outstanding senior season at high school after spending three years at another high school before transferring.
 
It was then when a light bulb went off for her.
 
"I had played at a high school for three years, but I felt like something was missing," Thomas stated. "So I transferred and it was one of the best decisions that I made at the time."
 
It all started for her in the offseason before her senior year and it paid big dividends.
 
"The coaches there really worked with me on developing and strengthening my skills," Thomas expressed. "It really helped my confidence."
 
Prior to her senior year, Thomas had one offer from Eastern Illinois. Then, after having an outstanding senior season, the offers increased and Kentucky became her top choice.
 
"It (Kentucky) became a choice because it is the SEC and it has the reputation of being one of the top conferences in the country with some of the best players and coaches," said Thomas.
 
Thomas made her choice but admits that she did not have the kind of freshman season she had hoped for.
 
"I played only 10 minutes, but I looked at it as a learning experience," Thomas stated. "There were a lot of seniors on the team, so I figured that I would learn a lot and use that knowledge my second year.
 
Then, she faced yet another valuable learning experience when she was prevented from reaching her potential.
 
"All of a sudden, things happened off the court and it impacted the season," said Thomas.
 
Because of the experience, Thomas entered the transfer portal and Howard was one of her choices.
 
"Howard had recruited me, so I was familiar with the program," Thomas recalled.
 
For Thomas, it was like a repeat of her experience in high school when she transferred her senior year.
 
"The school that I transferred from in high school was a predominately white school," Thomas stated. "The school I transferred to happened to be an All-Black school. It impacted me not only as an athlete but as a person. When I visited Howard, I just felt more comfortable. The coaches, the team and the experience of being at Howard, and HBCU, felt like the place for me. I think that when you are an athlete and you attend a predominately white school, you are almost limited to being around the athletes only. At Howard, I got that feeling that it was more than just being an athlete. They made me feel like more than just an athlete and that is important to me."
 
Howard head coach Ty Grace recalls her initial interest in Thomas.
 
"When I saw her play, I knew that she had special talents that would help our program," said Grace, the second winningest coach in school history. "But deep down inside, I felt that we did not have a chance of getting her because she was that kind of player."
 
Thomas started the season slow in her first season at Howard, averaging only 7.0 points through the first nine games. Then, a light bulb went off and she went on to score double figures in 23-of-25 contests, including nine double-doubles, but she began to come on strong and was one of the top players in the conference near the end of the season, helping lead the Bison to the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) title game and a first and second round WNIT Postseason appearance.
 
"The biggest thing that I had to do was become more consistent," Thomas explained. "As I became a part of the team, I became more confident. For me, it was all about having someone believe in you and that was Howard have me."
 
For Thomas, the offseason was a time to work on improving different parts of her game.
 
"I worked a lot on strengthening my skills, along with conditioning," said Thomas.
 
It has paid off handsomely for Thomas and the Bison. Howard is off to a 7-5 record headed into Saturday's (Dec. 13) big showdown with rival Hampton.
 
A preseason All-MEAC First Team selection, Thomas is having a phenomenal season. Currently, she ranked seventh nationally in free throw attempts, eighth in free throws made and tied for 36^th in points.
 
A strong candidate for MEAC Player of the Year, Thomas leads the conference in field goal percentage (53-percent), scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.3 rpg). It is important to note that she is tied for the team lead in assists (22) after getting only 17 dimes all last season.
 
Thomas growth has been especially vital to the team's success. The Howard team that went 22-12 and lost three of the team's top four scorers. Thomas has taken on a role as team leader, along with senior forward Nile Miller (Woodbury, N.J.), who is also a preseason All-MEAC First Team selection.
 
"I think that she has a chip on her shoulder because she did not get the respect she deserves," noted Grace. "She has improved in every facet of the game. Last year, she played in an area and because of the other players, if she got the ball, and passed it back out, she might not get it back. Now, her game is more well-rounded. She can now step out and hit the mid-range shot, which has made her more effective."
 
Not only is Thomas effective as a scorer, but she has also improved in a number of areas that has led to the team's early success. 
 
Recently, Howard was playing a very good Fairfield team at home and the visitors jumped out to an early big lead and appeared on the way to a blowout. But Thomas refused to let the game get away. She put the team on her back and her scoring enabled the Bison to get within striking distance until some of her teammates stepped up. Howard overcame the early deficit and delivered a come-from-behind victory over the Stags, 72-69.
 
Howard has played one of the more competitive schedules in recent memories that featured teams from the Power conferences: ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference); Big East; B1G Ten and Big 12. Moreover, Howard has posted some important road victories while playing only three home games so far this season.
 
What has made the season so impressive is that Howard experienced a major overhaul. The majority of the team and key players opted to enter the transfer portal. The key returnees included Thomas, Miller, and reserve junior forward Sa'lah Hemingway (San Bernardino, Calif.).
 
"We have a number of new players, but our goals are all the same," Thomas stated. "We want to be competitive in these nonconference games, especially against some of the Power 4 that we have played. Then, we want to go undefeated in the conference play, win the MEAC Tournament and get to the Big Dance."
 
As for her academic goals at Howard, Thomas switched majors from business management to the medical field of neonatal.
 
"At first, when I started at Kentucky, I chose health sciences but when I got to Howard, I chose business management," said Thomas. "It did not seem like the kind of career I wanted to pursue, so I switched to the medical field. My grandmother and her mother were both nurses, so I am following their lead."
 
And what advice would she give to a potential Howard recruit?
 
"When you decided where you want to go as an athlete, make sure that it is a place where you are valued on and off the court."
 
For more information, visit the official Howard Athletics website www.hubison.com.