August 15, 2003

Alabama A&M’s Princess Dixson and Grambling State’s Krystal Credit will both start the 2003 SWAC Volleyball Season where they left off in 2002. Dixson, a 5-8 junior Setter from Antelope, CA was selected as the Southwestern Athletic Conference 2003 Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year. Last season, Dixson received 1st Team –All SWAC Eastern Division, and 2002 SWAC Volleyball Championship MVP honors. Grambling State’s Krystal Credit received the most votes in the Libero- Defensive Specialist Category. The 5-7 Libero from Mobile, AL was the 2002 All- SWAC Volleyball Libero (Defensive) Player of the Year.

The Lady Bulldogs were the team predicted to finish first place in the Eastern Division. The Lady Panthers of Prairie View A&M were predicted to finish first in the West.

Alabama A&M had a total of three players selected to the preseason team, followed by a tie among Alcorn State, Grambling State, and Prairie View A&M, each with two players selected, and Jackson State with one player.

The 2003 SWAC preseason Volleyball team is chosen by volleyball coaches and sports information directors of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

2003 Preseason ALL-SWAC Volleyball Team
(as selected by SWAC volleyball coaches and sports information directors)

FIRST TEAM

• Hitters (Name, School, Position, Class, Hometown)
  - Mary Reese- Prairie View A&M (OH, 5-7, Sr., Temple, TX)
  - Kneckie Stallsworth- Alabama A&M (RH, 5-7, Sr.,Mobile, AL)
  - Cara Jones- Jackson State (H/B, 5-11, So., DeSoto, TX)
  - LaTasha Smith- Grambling State (OH, 5-9, Jr., Thibodaux, LA)
• Blockers
  - Tosin Fadeyi- Alcorn State (MB, 5-8, Sr., Denver, CO)
  - Jonette Ozen- Prairie View A&M (MB, 5-10, Sr., Beaumont, TX)
• Setters
  - Princess Dixson- Alabama A&M (S, 5-8, Jr., Antelope, CA)
  - Brittney Ward- Alcorn State (S, 5-7, So., Beaumont, TX)
• Libero (Defensive Specialist)
  - Krystal Credit- Grambling State (Libero, 5-7, Sr., Mobile, AL)
  
  SECOND TEAM
• Hitters/Blokers
  - Megan Chatman- Alabama A&M (MH, 5-10, Jr., Huntsville, AL)
  - Alex Brazelton- Alabama A&M (OH, 5-9, So., Huntsville, AL)
  - Maya Valerie- Southern (OH, 5-9, Sr., Katy, TX)
  - Nina Evans- Texas Southern (MB, 5-11, Sr., Big Spring, TX)
  - Cambresha Bodney- Alabama State (H/B, 6-2, So., Marietta, GA)
  - Donika Sutton- Alcorn State (RH, 5-10, Jr., Hayti, MO)
  - Najla El- Amin- Texas Southern (MB, 5-11, Sr., Houston, TX)
• Setter
  - Denetia Carline- Jackson State (S, 5-3, So., Fairview, OR)
• Libero (Defensive Specialist)
  - Jennifer Williams- Jackson State (Libero/Hitter, 5-3, Jr., DeSoto, TX)

 

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
EAST
1. Alabama A&M
2. Alcorn State
3. Jackson State
4. Alabama State
5. Mississippi Valley State

WEST
1. Prairie View A&M
2. Grambling State
3. Southern
4. Texas Southern
5. Arkansas Pine-Bluff