AWC's Mason, Doumbia Named NJCAA Second Team All-Americans in Basketball

Two Arizona Western College basketball players earned national recognition this week, as the NJCAA named Matadors sophomore Marsai Mason and Lady Matadors sophomore Mable Doumbia to the Division I Second Team All-Americans, one on the men's side and one on the women's, in the same season.

Mason anchored the men's program all year under head coach Kyle Isaacs, leading the Matadors with 16.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. His signature moment came January 28, when he poured in a career-high 38 points and pulled down 19 rebounds in a 108-98 road win over Central Arizona. Four days later, he logged 23 points and 10 rebounds at home against Cochise College. The NJCAA took notice, naming him the Division I Men's Basketball Player of the Week for Week 11 in February, a recognition that preceded his All-American honor. He won the ACCAC Player of the Week award three times during the campaign, and AWC finished 22-9.

Doumbia carried comparable weight for the women's program. The ACCAC Player of the Year and Lady Matadors team captain was the only returner on the roster with national tournament experience, and she embraced that role throughout a 21-11 season under head coach Chelsea Dewey. During a dominant February stretch, she averaged 17.5 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and six steals across two games, including a 21-point, nine-rebound, seven-steal performance against Yavapai. She helped the Lady Matadors stun top-ranked Eastern Arizona 51-50 in the Region I championship before AWC's season ended in the opening round of the national tournament in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where Doumbia came one assist short of a triple-double with 11 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists.

Dewey said Doumbia's development over two years has been the driving force behind the team's identity. "She's gotten more patient day-to-day in her game," Dewey said. "She's the motor to this team. I'm really proud of her growth from year one to year two. She's taken on a lot of weight, done a lot of the heavy lifting with this team and has really embraced that role."

Doumbia, for her part, leaned on the connection with her teammates. "It was hard at first," she said. "But I knew I could support them and be there for them. We love each other and we play for each other."

Having All-Americans in both programs in the same year is the kind of distinction that shapes recruiting conversations. For families in Yuma evaluating whether AWC is a pathway to a four-year program, two nationally recognized sophomores serve as evidence. Fans can track roster news, schedule announcements for the 2026-27 season, and sponsorship opportunities through the athletics department at awcmatadors.com.