2009 Volleyball. Kia L. Mason (Volleyball Contact) Office of Communications ph: (205) fax: (205)

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1 2009 Volleyball Week 1 Kia L. Mason (Volleyball Contact) k.mason@swac.org Office of Communications ph: (205) fax: (205) SWAC EASTERN DIVISION CONFERENCE OVERALL games win games win w l for opp pct w l for opp pct last 5 streak Alabama A&M Alabama State Alcorn State Jackson State Mississippi Valley State SWAC WESTERN DIVISION CONFERENCE OVERALL games win games win w l for opp pct w l for opp pct last 5 streak Grambling State Prairie View A&M Southern Texas Southern Univ. of Arkansas Pine Bluff UPCOMING MATCHES Friday, August 28 Univ. Arkansas Pine Bluff vs. South Alabama, 10 a.m. Alabama A&M at Auburn, 12 noon Univ. Arkansas Pine Bluff at Louisiana Tech, 2 p.m. Prairie View A&M vs. South Florida, 3 p.m. Grambling State vs. Loyola Marymount, 5 p.m. Mississippi Valley State at Central Baptist, 5 p.m. Jackson State at Mississippi State, 7 p.m. Mississippi Valley State vs. Philander Smith, 7 p.m. Texas Southern at UTEP, 7 p.m. Saturday, August 29 Jackson State vs. Arkansas Little Rock, 10 a.m. Texas Southern vs. Norfolk State, 10 a.m. Univ. Arkansas Pine Bluff vs. UT Martin, 10 a.m. Prairie View A&M at Miami, 12:30 p.m. Alabama A&M at Auburn, 1 p.m. Grambling State at TCU, 1 p.m. Jackson State vs. McNeese State, 4:30 p.m. Grambling State vs. Arkansas, 5 p.m. Texas Southern vs. Texas A&M, 5 p.m. Prairie View A&M vs. Florida Gulf Coast, 5:30 p.m. Monday, August 31 Fort Valley State at Alabama State, 3 p.m. Kentucky State at Alabama State, 7 p.m. Tuesday, 1 Prairie View A&M at Texas San Antonio, 6:30 p.m. Alabama A&M at Alabama, 7 p.m. Alcorn State at Southeastern Louisiana, 7 p.m. Grambling State at Louisiana Monroe, 7 p.m. INSIDE THE SWAC THIS WEEK Let s Get it Started: The 2009 SWAC Volleyball season officially gets underway this weekend with seven of the SWAC s 10 volleyball teams in action on Friday and Saturday. The Title Defenders: 2007 and 2008 SWAC Volleyball Champions Alabama A&M Bulldogs will begin their quest for a third consecutive crown as they take on Auburn University on Friday and again on Saturday. Hitting the Road: All seven of the SWAC volleyball teams playing this weekend will be competing in tournaments on the road: Alabama A&M at the Auburn Univ. Tournament; Grambling at the Texas Christian University Tournament; Jackson State at the Mississippi State Classic; Mississippi Valley State at the Philander Smith College Tri Match; Prairie View A&M at the Miami Hurricane Invitational; Univ. Arkansas Pine Bluff at the Louisiana Tech Tournament; Texas Southern at the UTEP Sun Bowl Tournament. Early Next Week Action: Alabama State will open its season on Monday at home as it hosts a Tri Match with Fort Valley State and Kentucky State. Alcorn State will kick off its season on Tuesday at Southeastern Louisiana. Alabama A&M (at Alabama), Grambling State (at Louisiana Monroe), and Prairie View A&M (at Texas San Antonio) will also be competing again on Tuesday.

2 2009 SWAC Volleyball Media Information SWAC Institutions Alabama A&M (aamusports.com) Volleyball contact: Jamilah Corbitt Office phone: Alabama State (bamastatesports.com) Volleyball contact: LaTonia Thirston Office phone: Alcorn State (alcornsports.com) Volleyball contact: Latoya Shields Office phone: Grambling State (gsutiger.com) Volleyball contact: La Monica Scott Office phone: Jackson State (jsutigers.com) Volleyball contact: Jamea Adams Ginyard Office phone: Mississippi Valley State (mvsu.edu/athletics) Volleyball contact: William Bright, Jr. Office phone: Prairie View A&M (sports.pvamu.edu) Volleyball contact: Reggie Rouzan Office phone: Southern (gojagsports.com) Volleyball contact: Brandon Willis Office phone: Texas Southern (tsuball.com) Volleyball contact: Rodney Bush Office phone: Univ. Arkansas Pine Bluff (uapblionsroar.com) Volleyball contact: Andrew Roberts Office phone: SWAC Communications Duane Lewis Assistant Commissioner/ Communications Office phone: Kia L. Mason Asst. Director of Communications/Volleyball Contact Office phone: Visit to get information and updates on SWAC volleyball throughout the season. Standings, season statistics, game recaps, and weekly releases for volleyball and all other inseason sports will be available on the SWAC web site. SWAC Volleyball Player of the Week The SWAC will announce players of the week each Tuesday afternoon throughout the regular season in the following categories: offensive, defensive, and newcomer. Nominees are submitted to the conference office by the league s sport information offices. Weekly winners will be announced via ed release and the conference website SWAC Volleyball Championship Grambling State Grambling, LA 20 22, SWAC Volleyball

3 2009 SWAC Volleyball Preseason Honors The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2009 preseason volleyball honors with Mississippi Valley State s Maura Moed and Alabama A&M s Rose Corneille claiming top honors. The teams were voted on by the schools coaches and sports information departments. Moed a 5 foot 9 junior middle blocker has been named the 2009 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Moed led the conference in kills last season, averaging 2.84 per set. The San Antonio, TX native also ranked second in the SWAC in points (3.62 per set) and fourth in blocks (0.78 per set). She was garnered with player of the week honors four times in 2008 and helped guide her MVSU team to a number one seed in the Eastern division for the Conference tournament. For her efforts, Moed was named to the 2008 SWAC All Conference first team at the end of the season. For the second consecutive year, Corneille a 5 foot 4 junior defensive specialist has been selected the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. In 2008, Corneille ranked first on her team and fourth in the SWAC with a 3.13 digs per set average. Hailing from Dacula, GA, Corneille also recorded 33 assists and 21 service aces while helping her Lady Bulldogs squad capture a second consecutive conference tournament title. In the predicted order of finish, Alabama A&M and Grambling State have been selected to win their respective divisions for the second year in a row. The two teams met in last year s conference tournament championship game with the Lady Bulldogs emerging the victors. In the Western division, Grambling State collected 13 first place votes en route to 88 voting points. Prairie View A&M (four first place votes) was second with 75 points while Southern (one first place vote) was third with 52 points. Texas Southern (one first place vote) registered 43 points and Arkansas Pine Bluff tallied 27 to round out the Western division. In the Eastern division, Alabama A&M was chosen first with 14 firstplace votes as it received 90 points. Jackson State (one first place vote) accumulated 65 points for second place and narrowly edged the 2008 Eastern division regular season champions Mississippi Valley State (four first place votes), who registered 64 points. Alabama State (42 pts) and Alcorn State (24 pts) close out the Eastern divisional list. Alabama A&M led the way with five players chosen for preseason honors four on first team. Jackson State had three representatives on the preseason team, while Mississippi Valley State had two selections. Alabama State, Grambling State and Prairie View A&M each had one player on the preseason squad. Maura Moed Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Rose Corneille Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Preseason Offensive Player of the Year MB Maura Moed Miss. Valley St. 5 9 Jr. Preseason Defensive Player of the Year DS Rose Corneille Alabama A&M 5 4 Jr. First Team MB Jessica Holt Alabama State 5 7 Sr. MB Maura Moed Miss. Valley St. 5 9 So. OH Madinah Abdullah Alabama A&M 5 8 Sr. OH Karensa Beckford Alabama A&M 6 0 So. OH Brittany Larkin Jackson State 5 10 Jr. DS Rose Corneille Alabama A&M 5 4 Jr. S Natalie Rodriguez Alabama A&M 5 7 Sr. Second Team MH Courtney Jenkins Alabama A&M 5 10 Jr. MB Shaun Williams Prairie View A&M 5 9 Sr. OH Kayla Williams Grambling State 5 10 Sr. OH Kantessa Bryant Miss. Valley St. 5 8 Sr. OH Cheri Lindsay Prairie View A&M 5 8 Jr. DS Charne Gabriel Jackson State 5 7 Sr. S LaToya Clark Jackson State 5 4 So Predicted Order of Finish (first place votes in parentheses) Eastern Division pts Western Division pts Alabama A&M (14) 90 Grambling St. (13) 88 Jackson State (1) 65 Prairie View A&M (4) 75 Miss. Valley State (4) 64 Southern (1) 52 Alabama State 42 Texas Southern (1) 43 Alcorn State 24 Univ. Ark. Pine Bluff SWAC Volleyball

4 Alabama A&M Bulldogs Head Coach/Record: Nedra Brown/ (10 yrs)/29 27 at AAMU (2 yrs) 2008 Record: 14 17, 6 2 SWAC (2008 SWAC Champions) August 28 Tourney 4 State Tourney 11 State Tourney Alabama 18 Univ. Tourney 29 Alcorn State * University 5 Mississippi Valley State * 9 Albany State University 14 West Alabama AAMU Betty Austin Tourney State * 23 Jackson State* State* State State* 5 Alabama State* 9 UAH Mississippi Valley State* Nedra Brown Madinah Abdullah The Alabama A&M Bulldog Volleyball team enters the 2009 season with another SWAC Championship in mind. Even though the Bulldogs lost 2008 seniors Cassidy Brazelton and two time MVP Brittany Lewis, A&M volleyball still has its eyes on the prize. The two time consecutive conference champions add four new faces to the squad while returning eight, including 2008 SWAC Tournament MVP Karensa Beckford. The Bulldogs finished the 08 campaign with a overall record, including a 6 2 mark in the SWAC good for a second place finish in the eastern division. A&M volleyball captured its eighth SWAC title in nine years, and earned a berth into the NCAA tournament eventually falling to the University of St. Louis in three sets. Head coach Nedra Brown will rely heavily upon senior setter Natalie Rodriguez to continue to lead the offense this year. Rodriguez led the SWAC in assists for the 08 season, finishing with 948 total. The front line will be led by senior Madinah Abdullah and sophomore Beckford. Beckford is expected to pick up where she left off last season as she enters her sophomore campaign. As a freshman, she led the team with 242 kills. Meanwhile, Abdullah earned a spot on the 2008 SWAC All Tournament team and finished last season with 237 kills. The quest for another SWAC title begins on August 28, when A&M volleyball travels to the University of Auburn for a tournament to open up its 2009 season. 5 Courtney Jenkins MH 5 10 JR Marietta, GA 6 Karensa Beckford RS 6 0 SO St. Anne Bay, Jamaica 7 Audrey Harris DS 5 6 SO San Antonio, TX 9 Darah Hooks OH 5 10 JR Dallas, TX 11 Anna Crutchfield MB 5 11 SO Columbus, GA 12 Mariah Brown OH 5 7 FR Dallas, TX 14 Rose Corneille LB 5 7 JR Dacula, GA 15 Madinah Abdullah OH 5 8 SR Homewood, AL 16 Makeda Moore OH 5 11 SO Los Angeles, CA 17 Casey Craig DS 5 8 SO Huntsville, AL 18 Natalie Rodriguez S 5 7 SR Caguas, Puerto Rico 24 Clarissa Moore OH/RS 5 11 FR Houston, TX Lydia Adeosun MB 5 10 TR Houston, TX SWAC Volleyball

5 Alabama State Lady Hornets Head Coach/Record: Sonia Price/ (14 yrs) 2008 Record: 10 21, 1 7 SWAC August 31 Tri Match Fort Valley/Kentucky State Atlanta Alabama State Invitational 13 Mississippi Valley State* 18 Carolina State Tourney 25 Jessie Harris Classic Valley State* 30 Alcorn State* 2 Savannah State Carolina A&T Salem State State 13 Clark Atlanta A&M Tourney State 24 Jackson State* 27 Alabama A&M* State* 5 Alabama A&M* 11 Jackson State* The Alabama State University volleyball team will move in a new direction for the 2009 season one based on a strong work ethic and a winning attitude. Veteran coach Sonia Price, in her 15 th season as the Lady Hornets head coach, said this year s team will be young and quick but will bear little resemblance to the 2008 team, thanks in part to the excellent offseason recruiting job of assistant coach Al lisa Hale. With nine returning players joining two freshmen and three junior college transfers, the Lady Hornets look to elevate their level of play from the first serve this season. I am very excited about this year s team, Price said. We have brought in players that will complement our returning players. This is the first season in many years that we have returned a full roster. Last season s record was a step in the right direction as the Lady Hornets improved their record by six wins over the previous season. The Lady Hornets have beefed up their pre conference schedule in order to better prepare for their highly competitive Southwestern Athletic Conference slate. The outside hitting position will be held down by a trio of returning juniors Althea Russell, Genise Fletcher and Brena Wheeler. They are joined on the outside by junior transfer Sierra Caudle and sophomore Talyah Mueller. The middle blockers are the veterans of the team. Jessica Holt and Nina Saunders are four year letter winners for the Lady Hornets and they figure to be the go to people in the middle. Transfer Jessica Lindsey is expected to provide solid reinforcement for the ASU frontline. Sophomore Tylisa Hendrix can provide depth at both the middle and outside hitter positions. The one position for the Lady Hornets that lacks depth is the setter spot. However, with standout senior Anna Meinert manning the position, depth may not be so much of a concern. Lawson State transfer Kelsye Hall was brought in this season to provide some depth at setter. Returning as the key defensive specialist will be sophomore Deidra Byner, who played in 100 games last season and scooped up 127 digs and tallied 48 assists. She will be challenged by a pair of freshmen Roselande Corneille and Meghan Rogers. Sonia Price Jessica Holt 1 Kelsye Hall S/OH 5 8 JR Baton Rouge, LA 2 Nina Saunders MH 5 9 SR Bamberg, Germany 3 Roselande Corneille DS 5 7 FR Dacula, GA 4 Brena Wheeler OH 5 9 JR Los Angeles, CA 6 Sierra Caudle OH 5 7 JR Athens, AL 7 Meghan Rogers DS 5 6 FR Birmingham, AL 8 Althea Russell OH 5 7 JR Mobile, AL 9 Diedra Byner S/DS 5 1 SO Birmingham, AL 10 Jessica Holt MB 5 7 SR Montgomery, AL 12 Talyah Mueller MB 6 0 SO Fayetteville, GA 14 Anna Meinert S 5 9 SR Arab, AL 21 Tylisha Hendrix MB 5 7 SO Benton Harbor, MI 30 Genise Fletcher OH 5 11 JR Birmingham, AL SWAC Volleyball

6 Alcorn State Lady Braves Head Coach/Record: Kevin Montgomery/1 47 (2yrs) 2008 Record: 1 23, 1 7 SWAC Louisiana 4 Ole Miss Tourney State Belhaven College Dillard University 18 Stephen F. Austin Tourney Southern Alabama A&M* Alabama State* 1 Jackson State* 2 Texas Southern 7 Southern 13 Grambling State 16 Belhaven College 19 Alabama A&M* 22 Mississippi Valley State* Mississippi Valley State* 30 Alabama State* Jackson State* 7 Prairie View A&M Possessing what is probably his most talented squad since becoming the Lady Braves head volleyball coach, Kevin Montgomery is looking forward to Alcorn s 2009 campaign and making headway in the SWAC Conference. The 2009 season will prove to be a rebuilding year with only three upperclassmen and two sophomores returning. Coach Montgomery welcomes back sophomores; outside hitter Donna Kelly (Missouri City, TX), defense specialist Elizabeth Nash (Killeen, TX), seniors defense specialist Alania Guess, defense specialist Erica Pratcher (Fairview Heights, IL), and libero Terrica Scott (East St. Louis, IL). Coach Montgomery welcomes six new players to the team (four freshmen and two junior transfers). Ashley Kerl, Marlia Johnson, and Mariah Prince are three freshmen from Houston, TX and Clarissa Webb is the fourth freshmen from Zachary, LA. All of these players bring new energy and positive outlooks to the upcoming season. Junior transfers Brittany Watts from St. Augustine College and Keisha Roberson from Mississippi Valley State University brings experience to the court that will help the three remaining seniors for the Lady Braves. This fall Alcorn State will debut a stronger team, emerged from last year s adjusting period as five players return, but newcomers like junior transfer Brittany Watts (Severn, MD), junior transfer Keisha Robinson (Lancaster, TX), and freshman Mariah Prince (Houston, TX) add an array of skills that strengthen both speed and accuracy of the new squad. The new team faces a tough schedule with the season kicking off on 1 st, with a game at Southeastern Louisiana University. The Lady Braves will also host their first home game opener 1 st against Jackson State University. 1 Terrica Scott DS 5 3 SR East St. Louis, IL 2 Mariah Prince S 5 8 FR Houston, TX 3 Kesha Roberson MB 6 0 JR Dallas, TX 4 Marlia Johnson OH 5 8 FR Missouri City, TX 5 Alania Guess DS 5 4 SR Kansas City, MO 7 Erica Pratcher DS 5 5 SR East St. Louis, IL 8 Donna Kelly OH 5 2 SO Houston, TX 9 Ashley Kerl OH 5 10 FR Dallas, TX 11 Elizabeth Nash DS 5 5 SO Killen, TX 12 Clarissa Webb MB 5 9 FR Baton Rouge, LA Brittany Watts OH 5 8 JR Severn, MD Kevin Montgomery Donna Kelly SWAC Volleyball

7 Grambling State Lady Tigers Head Coach/Record: Kim Young/ (5 yrs) 2008 Record: 26 9, 8 0 SWAC August 28 Tourney Monroe 4 State Tourney 9 Arkansas Pine Bluff 16 Mississippi Valley State 18 Tech Tourney State Texas Southern* View A&M* 9 Dillard University State Pine Bluff* 19 Southern* 23 Texas Southern* 26 Prairie View A&M* 2 Alcorn State Valley 12 Arkansas Pine Bluff* 14 Jackson State The Grambling State Lady Tigers volleyball team will enter the 2009 season in quest of the ever elusive Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. After claiming five consecutive SWAC western division titles, head coach Kim Young is poised to make it over the hump to her first conference title. In order to accomplish this feat the Lady Tigers will rely heavily on the return of All SWAC performer Kayla Williams (289 kills, 189 digs). Williams leads a talented group of outside hitters that should prove to be the strength of the team. Joining Williams are seniors Ashley Cooper and Kendra Johnson. Johnson finished second on the team in kills (257) and service aces (52); while Cooper finished third in kills with 206 and second in digs with 189. At the middle blocker position the Lady Tigers will once again be strong as they return top veterans, senior Showanna Davis and junior Markesha Warner. Davis led the team and finished fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.258); while leading the team and ranking third in the SWAC in blocks per set (0.81). Warner finished the season second on the team and seventh in conference in blocks (0.71) and third on the team in service aces (0.44). With the veterans set firmly in place Young will have the luxury of a pair of freshmen, April Johnson and Akia Borders, she can bring along slowly yet provide depth if need be. If there is a question mark on the Lady Tigers squad it s at the setter position. Having to replace perennial All SWAC honoree Talon Margon is no small task but the Lady Tigers are confident that sophomore DaVarika Johnson, who played valuable minutes last season, is ready to step in and lead the way. The libero/defensive specialist is a spot where the Lady Tigers lack extensive game experience. Sophomore Michelle Onuoha is the lone returner at this position; she played sparingly seeing action in 14 matches in which she recorded one kill and five blocks. Freshman Chelsee Goins will provide depth at the position. 1 Ashley Cooper OPP 5 9 SR San Antonio, TX 2 DaVarika Johnson S 5 9 SO Crawley, TX 3 Kendra Johnson OH 5 11 SR Forth Worth, TX 4 April Johnson MB 6 2 FR Cedar Hill, TX 5 Michelle Onuoha DS 5 3 SO Irving, TX 6 Akia Borders MB 5 9 FR Ozark, AL 8 Dorothy Brown OH 5 9 FR Omaha, NE 9 Shawonna Davis MB 5 11 JR Houston, TX 10 Kayla Williams OH 5 10 SR Toronto, Canada 11 Chelsee Goins L 5 3 FR Cedar Hill, TX 14 Markesha Warner MB 6 2 SR Fort Worth, TX Kim Young Kayla Williams SWAC Volleyball

8 Jackson State Lady Tigers Head Coach/Record: Rose Washington/ (6 yrs) 2008 Record: 17 24, 6 2 SWAC August 28 State Classic 4 State Tourney 8 University of West Alabama 11 South Alabama Tourney 18 Louisiana Monroe Tourney University of West Alabama 25 Grambling State 29 Louisiana Monroe State* 3 Jackson State Tri Match Texas Southern/Belhaven State 9 Tourney 16 Mississippi Valley State* 21 Southern A&M * State* College Valley State* 3 Alabama A&M * 5 Alcorn State * 11 Alabama State * State Rose Washington Brittany Larkin The 2009 JSU Lady Tigers volleyball team are preparing to benefit from the leadership of seven upperclassmen who are looking to make another run for the SWAC Championship. With five seniors leading the way, the Lady Tigers are sure to be a force in the SWAC. Right setter Ebonee Dawson, defensive specialist Charne Gabriel, middle blocker Erica Greer, right setter Shunta Issac and setter Whitney Nowlin will be leading the team this year, head coach Rose Washington said of her team. I have no doubt that this group of student athletes will excel on and off the court. In addition to a total of 10 returning players (five starters), the Lady Tigers have added four new faces to the 2009 squad. I am excited about how well the girls are practicing, I believe that the positive energy that they have will translate onto the playing court, Washington said. The team will play 21 of their 32 regular season matches on the road. They will open the season on the road with a three game series against Mississippi State, Arkansas Little Rock and McNeese State in the Mississippi State University Classic, followed by the Arkansas State University Tournament in Jonesboro, Ark. JSU will take on West Alabama on 8, in its home opener followed by its third tournament at the University of South Alabama. The Lady Tigers will host Grambling on Sept. 25, and Louisiana Monroe on Sept. 29 before hosting its annual JSU Tri Match on 3. The Lady Tigers close out its conference slate when they travel to Mississippi Valley and then host Alabama A&M, Alcorn and Alabama State. 1 Ebonee Dawson RS 5 9 SR Cedar Hill, TX 2 Donisha Dunn MB 6 2 SO Austin, TX 3 Daedra Carline DS 5 3 SO Fairview, OR 4 Kameron Boggan MB/OH 5 10 FR Portland, OR 5 Shunta Isaac RS 5 9 SR Killona, LA 6 Whitney Nowlin S/DS 5 2 SR Dallas, TX 7 LaToya Clark S 5 4 SO Tallahassee, FL 8 Charne Gabriel DS 5 7 SR Dallas, TX 9 Teri Braddock OH 5 6 JR Saginaw, MI 10 Erica Greer MB 6 1 SR Dallas, TX 11 Krishauna Kindall OH 5 8 SO N. Little Rock, AR 13 Asialonte Clay DS 5 5 SO Brandon, MS 14 Marcedes Scott OH 5 10 SO N. Little Rock, AR 15 Brittany Larkin OH 5 10 JR N. Little Rock, AR SWAC Volleyball

9 Mississippi Valley State Devilettes Head Coach/Record: Alyse Wells Kilbert/ (8 yrs) 2008 Record: 15 21, 6 2 SWAC August Baptist Smith 4 Southern Tourney 11 State Tourney State* State 21 Alabama A&M* MVSU Jessie Harris Classic 27 Alabama State* Pine Bluff A&M* 9 Tourney State* 19 Arkansas Pine Bluff State* 27 Alcorn State* 31 Jackson State* 4 Grambling State 12 Alabama A&M The Mississippi Valley State Devilettes volleyball team will enter the 2009 season looking to make the move from conference upstart to conference contender. Last season, the Devilettes put together a record and a second round appearance in the SWAC Volleyball Championship. With four returning players and five newcomers looking to be a part of the rebuilding of the program, expect the 2009 Devilettes to be aggressive and explosive when they take the court. Leading the team is Maura Moed, Preseason Conference Player of the Year, and Kantessa Bryant. Moed finished last season with a team high 367 kills and 101 blocks. Her 33 service aces ranked her third on the team. All purpose performer Kantessa Bryant was second with 231 kills and third with 31 total blocks. However, she was among the conference s best with 80 service aces and 165 digs. With two year starter Chelsey White (965 assists, 167 digs) finishing her career in 2008, the position of setter will likely fall on newcomer April Brown. The 5 foot 7 freshman from Yorktown, Saskatchewan has quickly shown that she is athletic and talented in the role of floor general. Other newcomers to keep an eye on are Brychana Williams and Nakedra Dominique. Williams (5 9, OH, Belle Rose, LA) brings some hitting to the outside of the front line while Dominique (5 9, MB, Belle Rose, LA) should provide some power in the middle along side Moed. The MVSU Devilettes open the 2009 season with a road trip to Arkansas on August 28 to take on Central Baptist and Philander Smith. The team s first home matches come during the 2009 MVSU/Jessie Harris Classic Alyse Wells Kilbert Maura Moed 2 Kantessa Bryant OH 5 8 SR Dallas, TX 3 Nekedra Dominique MB 5 9 FR Belle Rose, LA 4 Kristin Swanson MB 5 9 SO Fort Worth, TX 5 Brychana Williams OH/MB 5 9 FR Belle Rose, LA 6 April Brown S 5 7 FR Yorktown, Saskatchewan 7 Alexis Montgomery L/DS 5 2 FR Lafayette, LA 9 Jane Peterson DS 5 4 FR Winnipeg, Manitoba 10 Jessi Wilson S/MB 5 11 FR Box Island, Alberta 12 Lonnie Hoff OH 5 8 JR Standard, Alberta 13 Maura Moed MB/OH 5 9 JR San Antonio, TX 14 Savannah White DS 5 3 SO Dallas, TX 15 Shonese Evans MB/OH 5 8 JR Schriever, LA SWAC Volleyball

10 Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers Head Coach/Record: Alicia Pete/ (10 yrs) 2008 Record: 15 14, 6 2 SWAC August 28 of Miami Tourney San Antonio 4 Southern Tourney 11 Tourney Baptist 17 Arkansas Pine Bluff* Lady Panther Invitational 22 Sam Houston State 30 Grambling State* 1 Huston Tillotson 2 Texas San Antonio 6 Texas Southern* 9 10 Southern Tourney 13 Houston Baptist 15 Southern* State* Southern* Tillotson Southern* Pine Bluff* State 9 Univ. of St. Thomas 17 Univ. of St. Thomas Alicia Pete Cheri Lindsay Positive, feisty, and resilient, those are the three words that 11 th year head coach Alicia Pete says describe this year s edition of the PVAMU Lady Panthers. The Lady Panthers fell just short of their 6 th SWAC finals appearance in the last eight years following the 2008 season, but the 2006 SWAC Coach of the Year Alicia Pete has keyed together a stellar team for the 2009 campaign. Pete is bringing in five newcomers who should contribute leadership and skill to the accomplished and experienced returning squad. Pete has added 5 8 Sapphire Reid out of Copperas Cove, TX. She has that rare ability to jump out of the gym. Reid s athleticism will be complemented by Breanna Mcneil and Sierra White. White comes to the Lady Panthers from Western Texas Junior College and will immediately be thrust into a leadership role. Jasmin Hales and incoming freshman Alexandria Sauls will both bring a special set of defensive skills. Returning players and coaches all feel that these new additions to the Lady Panther roster will have the team competing at a championship level. We re going to put a lot of emphasis on Sierra because of her outstanding play and leadership ability, stated Pete. She doesn t let anything hit the back row that comes her way. Junior Cheri Lindsay who led the team last season in kills with 235 and kill per set with 2.53 is the top returner at the outsider hitter position. Leading the middle blockers is Senior Shaun Williams who led the team with 51 blocks and was 2 nd on the team in kills with 219 in Senior Stephanie Iwuala is expected to be a big help on the defensive side after contributing 80 digs last season. Sophomore Sarah Garcia should be a strong contributor at the libero spot. Junior Erin Fondel will be the quarterback of the PVAM offense this year from her setter position. Last season, Fondel was second in the SWAC in assist, tallying Sarah Garcia L 5 5 SO McAllen, TX 2 Keandra Pickett RT 5 10 JR Killeen, TX 3 Erin Fondel S 5 5 JR Longview, TX 4 Sierra White DS 5 8 JR San Antonio, TX 5 Breanna McNeil RT 5 8 FR San Francisco, CA 6 Stephanie Iwuala DS/S 5 7 SR Houston, TX 7 Sapphire Reid OH 5 9 FR Copperas Cove, TX 8 Sharonda Marshall RT 6 1 JR Houston, TX 9 Latoya Taylor OH/RT 5 9 JR Waco, TX 11 Cheri Lindsay OH 5 8 JR Denver, CO 12 Shaun Williams MB 5 9 SR Longview, TX 19 Jasmine Hale S 5 9 JR San Antonio, TX 20 Alexandria Sauls DS 5 6 FR Houston, TX SWAC Volleyball

11 Southern Lady Jaguars Head Coach/Record: Nathaniel Denu/ (29 yrs) 2008 Record: 9 20, 2 6 SWAC 8 Southeastern University 11 State Tourney 15 Texas Southern* State 25 Jessie Harris Classic 2 Arkansas Pine Bluff* 5 Grambling State* 7 Alcorn State 9 10 Southern Invitational College View A&M* Southern* State* State 23 Prairie View A&M* Pine Bluff* 29 Jackson State 4 Dillard 10 Centenary College Nathaniel Denu LaToya Bean SU finished fourth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division in 2008 and defeated the Mississippi Valley State University Devilettes three games to two to advance to the second round of the SWAC postseason tournament for the first time in six years. "The first thing we are going to do is determine what type of condition the ladies are in," said Southern head coach Nathaniel Denu. "I really like it when they come ready to go, that way we can get into the gym as soon as possible." When asked about his 29th season and his 500th victory, coach Denu was as always very modest. "I just love the game of volleyball," Denu said. "I have been playing this game since I lived in Liberia and I will continue to partake of my favorite sport until she won't have me anymore." Offensive players to watch: Candace Southall could have one of the best hitting years of her career with the setting abilities of Sharlene Ruffin. Ruffin totaled 96 assists last season but saw a lot of time in the third and fourth matches during the 2008 season contests, to prepare her for the starting role. Southall could easily top 300 kills this season. Defensive players to watch: Seniors LaToya Bean and Banaka Okwuone led Southern University in blocks and finished 2008 tied for fifth in the conference. Lorena Beathley recorded 301 digs last season, a career high, and ended the year fifth in the SWAC. 1 Chanel Walters DS 5 4 JR DeSoto, TX 3 Beonka Savoy OH 5 8 SO Lafayette, LA 4 Tamika Johnson OH 5 7 SO Napoleonville, LA 5 Evon Welch OH 6 0 FR Houston, TX 7 Candace Southall OH 5 9 SR Baytown, TX 8 Kristen Buggage MB 5 9 SO Cedar Hill, TX 9 Banaka Okwuone OH/MB 5 10 SR Lawrence, KS 10 LaCreesha Allan MB 5 11 SO Baton Rouge, LA 11 LaToya Bean OH 5 10 SR Houston, TX 12 Lourena Beathley DS 5 3 JR Baton Rouge, LA 13 Sharlene Ruffin S 5 6 JR Morgan City, LA 14 Jacquinica Williams MB 5 11 JR Zachary, LA 17 Morgan Broussard OH/DS 5 6 JR Houston, TX SWAC Volleyball

12 Texas Southern Lady Tigers Head Coach/Record: Dr. Dwalah Fisher/ (15 yrs) 2008 Record: 5 17, 3 5 SWAC August 28 Bowl Tournament 4 5 TSU Season Opener Tourney Pine Bluff* 11 Tel Premier Tourney 18 Arlington Tourney 21 Arkansas Pine Bluff* Houston State 29 Grambling State* State Jackson State Tri Match Prairie View A&M/Belhaven View A&M* 16 Southern* 20 Houston Baptist State* Baptist 30 Prairie View A&M* 2009 promises to be a great year for Texas Southern University Volleyball. In with the new and refinement of the old the 2009 volleyball season will be poised with some new players to add to the wealth of talent and depth that the team will now have. At each position, fans can expect the 1 2 combination from players. What they will see will be each position methodically planned out for a successful outcome in Returning to the court with increased responsibility and very high expectations is junior middle blocker Ashlee Cooper. With a year of SWAC competition under her belt, the program expects her to be a force to be reckoned with in the blocking category. Senior Emma Obi hopes to again capture pre season All SWAC Honors and elevate her defense to match her outstanding offense. Outside hitters will be led by senior Alisa Morgan and junior Jerlessa King. Both young ladies have a great eye for the court and they are very powerful hitters. With four years of experience under the belt, a pair of seniors will again run the court at the setter position Simone Green and Lacy Verdun. 1 Gabrielle Gray OH 6 0 SO Fort Worth, TX 2 Jaila Corbin L 5 8 JR Beaumont, TX 3 Lacy Verdun L/S 5 3 SR Houston, TX 4 Emma Obi MB 5 9 SR El Paso, TX 5 Jerlessa King OH 5 9 JR Beaumont, TX 7 Simone Green S 5 6 SR Missouri City, TX 10 Alisa Morgan OH 5 10 SR Forth Worth, TX 12 Zia Wilson OH 5 8 JR Grand Prairie, TX 13 Ashlee Cooper MB 6 4 JR Reserve, LA 15 Prudence Anusim DS 5 5 FR Grand Prairie, TX Dwalah Fisher Emma Obi SWAC Volleyball

13 Univ. Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lady Lions Head Coach/Record: La Kyva Walton/ 1 st yr at UAPB/59 27 (3 yrs) 2008 Record: 1 23, 1 7 SWAC August 28 Tech Tourney 4 State Tourney 8 Texas Southern* 11 Arkansas Tourney 14 Central Arkansas View A&M* 18 Prairie View Tourney Southern* 30 Mississippi Valley State Tourney* 12 Arkansas Monticello 15 Grambling State* 16 A&M Tourney Valley State 26 Southern* Monticello 6 Prairie View A&M* State* The University of Arkansas Pine Bluff volleyball team enters this upcoming season looking to gain a place among the SWAC s elite. The Lady Lions will be led by Jasmine Jacobs who put up solid number in her sophomore year of competition. Leading the UAPB volleyball coaching staff will be first year head coach La Kyva Walton. Walton has proven she has what it takes to turnaround a program as she worked wonders at Wiley College which was her previous post. The upstart Lady Lions will look to be a serious contender within the Southwestern Athletic Conference with the return of six lettermen and the addition of two newcomers. 1 Jasmin Tucker OH 5 7 FR Harker Heights, TX 2 Nneka Louison OH/DS 5 7 SO Angleton, TX 3 Maranda Martin DS 5 7 FR Garland, TX 4 Leah Dantzker DS 5 1 JR Killen, TX 5 Jasmine Jacobs S/OH 5 8 JR DeSoto, TX 8 Mica Franklin S 5 8 SO Converse, TX 11 Jenitra Shields MB 6 2 SR Ellenwood, GA 12 Philana Hemlee MB 6 0 SR Ft. Worth, TX La Kyva Walton Jasmine Jacobs SWAC Volleyball

14 2008 SWAC Volleyball Season in Review 2008 Final Conference Standings SWAC Eastern Division Conference Overall Institution w l Pct w l Pct z Alabama A&M x Mississippi Valley y Jackson State Alabama State y Alcorn State SWAC Western Division Conference Overall Institution w l Pct w l Pct x Grambling State y Prairie View A&M y Texas Southern y Southern Arkansas Pine Bluff x number one seeds in SWAC Volleyball Tournament y qualified for SWAC Tournament z Alabama A&M Bulldogs 2008 SWAC Tournament Winners 2008 All SWAC Honors Player of the Year: S Talon Morgan Grambling State Libero of the Year: DS Latisha Stennis Grambling State Newcomer of the Year: OH Nicole Thompson Prairie View A&M Freshman of the Year: DS Shelby Thirsk Mississippi Valley All Conference Team MB Keesha Duminee Jackson State 6 0 So. Schaumburg, IL MB Maura Moed Mississippi Valley 5 9 So. San Antonio, TX OH Madinah Abdullah Alabama A&M 5 8 Jr. Homewood, AL OH Kayla Williams Grambling State 5 11 Jr. Toronto, Canada OH Ena Payne Southern 5 10 Sr. Breaux Bridge, LA DS Latisha Stennis Grambling State 5 8 Sr. East St. Louis, IL S Talon Morgan Grambling State 5 8 Sr. Kountze, TX All Eastern Division Team MB Keesha Duminee Jackson State 6 0 So. Schaumburg, IL MB Maura Moed Mississippi Valley 5 9 So. San Antonio, TX OH Madinah Abdullah Alabama A&M 5 8 Jr. Homewood, AL OH Brittany Larkin Jackson State 5 10 So. Little Rock, AR OH Kantessa Bryant Mississippi Valley 5 6 So. Dallas, TX DS Shelby Thirsk Mississippi Valley 5 3 Fr. Ardmore, Canada S Chelsey White Mississippi Valley 5 6 Sr. Fort Smith, AR All Western Division Team MB Latoya Bean Southern 5 11 Jr. Houston, TX MB Ashlee Cooper Texas Southern 6 4 So. Reserve, LA OH Kayla Williams Grambling State 5 11 Jr. Toronto, Canada OH Cheri Lindsay Prairie View A&M 5 8 So. Denver, CO OH Ena Payne Southern 5 10 Sr. Denver, CO DS Latisha Stennis Grambling State 5 8 Sr. East St. Louis, IL S Talon Morgan Grambling State 5 8 Sr. Kountze, TX 2008 SWAC Volleyball Weekly Honors Week 1 Offensive: Kayla Williams, GSU Defensive: Ashlee Cooper, TXSO Newcomer: Makeda Moore, AAMU Week 2 Offensive: Maura Moed, MVSU Defensive: Daedra Carline, JSU Newcomer: Averi Harrison, MVSU Week 3 Offensive: Jessica Holt, ALST Defensive: Emma Obi, TXSO Newcomer: Anna Meinert, ALST Week 4 Offensive: Shajuana Pina, ALST Defensive: Maura Moed, MVSU Newcomer: LaToya Clark, JSU Week 5 Offensive: Ena Payne, SU Defensive: Muriel Thymes, TXSO Newcomer: Diane Chavis, SU Week 6 Offensive: Brittany Larkin, JSU Defensive: Maura Moed, MVSU Newcomer: Karensa Beckford, AAMU Week 7 Offensive: Keesha Dumine, JSU Defensive: Ashlee Cooper, TXSO Newcomer: Lourena Beathley, ALST Week 8 Offensive: Maura Moed, MVSU Defensive: LaToya Bean, SU Newcomer: LaToya Clark, JSU Week 9 Offensive: Ebonee Dawson, JSU Defensive: Ashlee Cooper, TXSO Newcomer: LaToya Clark, JSU Week 10 Offensive: Madinah Abdullah, AAMU Defensive: Markesha Warner, GSU SWAC Volleyball

15 SWAC Volleyball 2008 SWAC Volleyball Final Statistics

16 SWAC Volleyball 2008 SWAC Volleyball Final Statistics

17 2008 SWAC Volleyball Tournament Recap LADY BULLDOGS MAKE IT TWO IN A ROW The Alabama A&M Bulldogs entered the season with a lot of questions: Would the injury to preseason player of the year Brittani Lewis stop the repeat attempt at a title? Would the loss of several key players be detrimental to the team s success? Would the new team members be able to step up? Would the tradition continue? When the season and the conference tournament were completed, all questions were answered. Alabama A&M fought hard to a overall mark, a 6 2 conference record, and a tie for first place in the Eastern Division. However, in true Bulldog form, Coach Nedra Brown led the team into unfamiliar territory but left with an all to familiar result. The Bulldogs opened play in the first round against 2006 champion Prairie View A&M. In a classic SWAC tournament five set affair, the Bulldogs guided by Karensa Beckford s 18 kills, six digs and five blocks downed the Lady Panthers. In the match, AAMU won sets two, four and five by compiling a strong hitting percentage and forcing the Lady Panthers into unfavorable hitting situations. Alabama A&M then went on to face Southern. The Jaguars were coming off an upset of number one seeded Mississippi Valley State and entered the match with emotion and enthusiasm. However, Alabama A&M would again ride the shoulders of Beckford (12 kills) and got some timely hitting from Courtney Jenkins, Madinah Abullah and Cassidy Brazelton to win the match in straight sets and move on to the semifinal round. In the tournament s 12 th match the third for the Bulldogs Alabama A&M squared off against Grambling State. Both teams knew the importance of a win and both programs brought with them the history of playing for a conference title. AAMU won the first two sets before Grambling State fought back for a decision in the third set. Alabama A&M answered back winning the fourth set and made their way to the championship. Abdullah led the team with 13 kills and five blocks while Brazelton had 12 kills and a block. The Bulldogs sat and watched as Grambling State and Jackson State played their way to the final spot in the championship. GSU overcame a 2 0 deficit and won sets three, four and five to win the match and return to the championship round. In the championship round, the Assembly Center was energy filled and emotion driven as Alabama A&M and Grambling State competed for the tournament title. GSU riding the emotion of the earlier victory came out and stunned the Bulldogs in the first match. The Lady Tigers won sets one, three and four as they captured the match to force a deciding match for the title. In the deciding match, Alabama A&M withstood the charge from the Grambling State team and the emotion from the Grambling State crowd throughout the match. Alabama A&M jumped out quickly building a 2 0 set lead. However, GSU would not go away quietly as they captured the third and fourth sets. The fifth set was competitive and heavily contested, but Alabama A&M found a way to win and claim its second consecutive title and its eighth title in nine years. Madinah Abdullah and Karensa Beckford were named to the alltournament team with Beckford (61 kills, 12 digs, 19 blocks) being named Most Outstanding Performer of the Tournament. Nedra Brown was named Coach of the Year. *Recap courtesy of William Bright Jr SWAC Volleyball All Tournament Team Karensa Beckford Alabama A&M (Most Outstanding Player) Cheri Lindsay Prairie View A&M Krystal Obi Texas Southern Candance Southall Southern Madinah Abdullah Alabama A&M Shelby Thirsk Mississippi Valley State Brittany Larkin Jackson State Talon Morgan Grambling State Kendra Johnson Grambling State Terrica Scott Alcorn State SWAC Volleyball