Grambling, Alabama A&M tabbed for SWAC Volleyball Division Titles; GSU’s Cormier’ named Preseason Player of the Year

August 18, 2005

If you are looking for a new sports rivalry, look no further than the Grambling State Lady Tigers and the Alabama A&M Lady Bulldogs. Those two teams were picked to win their division as the 2005 SWAC Preseason Poll was compiled and released Thursday, August 18, 2005.

In a poll involving the conference’s head coaches and sports information personnel, Grambling State received 14 first-place votes en route to gaining 83 points to lead the Western Division. The Lady Panthers of Prairie View were picked to finish second as they amassed 69 points (3 first-place votes) in the poll. Texas Southern (51 pts), Southern (39 pts) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (24 pts) were chosen to finish third through fifth, respectively. In the Eastern Division, the five-time defending tournament champion Lady Bulldogs of Alabama A&M received 12 first-place votes as they tallied 84 points. The Delta Devilettes of Mississippi Valley had six first-place votes as they were tabbed second with 78 points. Jackson State (46 pts), Alabama State (33 pts) and Alcorn State (29 pts) rounded out the division.

In the preseason poll, where voters could not vote for players from their school, Grambling State’s Lacey Cormier’ was named Preseason Player of the Year. The junior from New Orleans was named first-team all-conference in 2004 as she was second in the conference in hitting (.345) and kills (3.61 k/g).

The preseason teams were made up of players from Mississippi Valley (6), Grambling State (4) Jackson State (3), Alabama State (1), Alcorn State (1) and Alabama A&M (1).