2005 SWAC Women’s Volleyball
Players of the Week
Week One

• Offensive
Shatara Baydak, Mississippi Valley State
(Outside Hitter, 5-8, So., Shoal Lake, Canada)
Averaged 3.50 kills, 0.44 assists over four matches ... had six service aces and five total blocks.

• Defensive
Krystal Young, Southern
(Outside Hitter, 5-8, Sr., Wallis, TX)
Averaged 1.75 kills, 1.69 digs, and 0.2 blocks per game over four matches.

Top Team Performances
ATTACK PERCENT (K-E-TA)
.316 (45-15- 95) Alabama A&M vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Sep 03, 2005)

KILLS (K-E-TA)
68 (68-38-185) 4g Prairie View vs Mississippi Valley (Sep 03, 2005)

TOTAL ATTEMPTS (K-E-TA)
185 (68-38-185) 4g Prairie View vs Mississippi Valley (Sep 03, 2005)

ASSISTS
55 (5g) Jackson State at Centenary (Sep 03, 2005)

DIGS
79 (3g) Prairie View vs Texas-Arlington (Aug 27, 2005)

ACES
17 Southern vs Norfolk State (Sep 02, 2005)

BLOCKS
12.0 Alabama A&M at Middle Tennessee (Aug 26, 2005)

Top Individual Performances
ATTACK PERCENT
.786 (12- 1-14) WYATT,Kenya (Alabama State) vs Alcorn State (Aug 27, 2005)
.538 (16- 2-26) BRAZELTON,Alexandria (Alabama A&M) vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Sep 03, 2005)

KILLS (K-E-TA)
20 (20- 4-35) 4g SMITH,Dequanda (Texas Southern) vs Mississippi Valley (Sep 03, 2005)
20 (20-12-56) 5g WHITE,Verita (Jackson State) at Centenary (Sep 03, 2005)

TOTAL ATTEMPTS (K-E-TA)
56 (20-12-56) 5g WHITE,Verita (Jackson State) at Centenary (Sep 03, 2005)
48 (11- 9-48) 5g BRAZELTON,Alexandria (Alabama A&M) vs TSU (Aug 26, 2005)

ASSISTS
38 (4g) SIMPSON,Lakenya (Southern) vs Winston-Salem State (Sep 02, 2005)

DIGS
22 (5g) SMITH, Dequanda (Texas Southern) vs Mississippi Valley (Sep 02, 2005)

ACES
7 BRENNAN,Jolene (Mississippi Valley) at Texas Southern (Sep 03, 2005)

BLOCKS (BS-BA)
7 ( 3- 4) MARNER,Chin'yere (Jackson State) at Centenary (Sep 03, 2005)

Team-by-Team Reports

Alabama A&M - The Lady Bulldogs are looking to repeat and become only the second program in conference history to win six tournament titles. Alabama A&M is, however, the only program with five consecutive titles on their mantle and look to make 2005 their sixth straight. To do so, the Lady Bulldogs will rely primarily on the play of outside hitter Alexandria Brazelton (5-9, Sr.). The Huntsville native was an all-conference selection in 2004 averaging 3.34 kills and 2.14 digs per game. The Lady Bulldogs return five seniors and two juniors from their title team.

Alabama State - The Lady Hornets will look to rebound from a torrid 2004 season. Head coach Sonia Price (11th season at Alabama State) will have the services of middle blocker Cambreisha Bodney and setter Maghan Yapana. Bodney (6-2, Sr.) had 127 kills and 57 total blocks in 2004 while Yapana (5-6, So.) handed out 416 assists with 63 digs on last season. The Lady Hornets also welcome Alcorn State transfers Laquita Daniels and Tamara Myrick to a team looking for a reversal of fortune.

Alcorn State - The Lady Braves have a new coach, a young team, and a chance to make some noise in the Eastern Division. First-year coach Yolanda Brown inherits a squad that lost its second-leading scorer and the team leader in total blocks. In spite of that, Alcorn State will have the services of preseason second-team awardee Moriah Robertson and newcomer Angele Franke. Robertson (5-8, Jr.) led the team with 183 kills and was second in total blocks with 42. Franke (5-9, Jr.) last played at Jackson State and is considered one of the more versatile players in the conference.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Another program looking to make a statement this season are the Lady Lions of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The team under third-year coach Kawanza Bibles will hope to make their fifth-place divisional finish in 2004 their last. Arkansas-Pine Bluff returns four seniors, all who will like to go out with a blaze of glory in their final season of competition. Leading the team will be Lashonda Watts (5-8, Sr., OH) who finished the 2004 campaign with 223 kills and 230 digs. Also look for senior middle blocker Latoya Steele-Chanay (161 kills, 60 blocks) and senior setter Melissa Calhoun (456 assists, 25 service aces) to be pivitol cogs in the team’s chemistry.

Grambling State - When a team garners 30 wins in a season, most would say that it was a good year. However, a perfect 8-0 conference mark led to championship game loss for the Lady Tigers - a taste that left them hungry for the 2005 season. With second-year head coach Kim Young at the helm, the Lady Tigers are considered a true threat for the conference championship and a considerable foe for non-conference opponents. Led by preseason player of the year Lacey Cormier’, the Lady Tigers will be a sight to see in 2005. Cormier’ (6-3, Jr., OH) had 525 kills and 91 blocks last season, a total that may be repeated in 2005. Expect senior outside Natasha Wilmore (330 kills, 56 service aces) and senior blocker Okina Alford (265 kills, 130 digs) to have big seasons as Grambling State marches toward a conference title.

Jackson State - The Lady Tigers from Mississippi will be looking to improve on their third-place divisional finish of 2004. Returning six players from last year’s team should be an additive sight of relief for coach Rose Washington. Leading the team will be seniors Denetia Carline, Verita White and Shinician Danielly. Carline (5-3, S) has been the team’s primary assist getter for four years. Last season, she handed out 832 assists and garnered 166 digs. White (5-11, OH) is one of the more potent hitters in the SWAC, gaining 359 kills and 86 blocks in 2004. Danielly (5-4, DS) had 24 service aces and 400 digs last season.

Mississippi Valley - The Devilettes are expected to be the divisional rilvary for the Lady Bulldogs this season. After posting a 28-9 mark in 2004, Mississippi Valley should be in the hunt for the program’s first title. Last season’s Freshman of the Year Shatara Baydak returns with Ashley Robinson and Falon Holinaty to anchor a program that can dominate the floor any given night. Baydak averaged 3.13 kills and 2.13 digs per game in 2004 while Robinson tallied 390 kills and 169 digs over the season. Holinaty, a two-sport athlete, had 250 kills, 49 service aces, and 76 total blocks.

Prairie View - The Lady Panthers will look to rebound from a 12-26 season in 2004. Led by Newcomer of the Year Litiana Vakasausau, the team from Texas could be the Western Division sleeper in 2005. Vakasausau (5-10, Sr., S) had 392 assists and 110 kills last season. Outside hitter Shannon Harrison (5-5, So.) had 165 kills and 183 digs during the 2004 campaign while middle blocker Tamika Neuman (5-10, So.) had 281 kills and 56 blocks last season. With a tough schedule, Prairie View will be well tested by season’s end.

Southern - With three conference tournament titles since 1986, the Jaguars will be once again a force to keep an eye on in 2005. Lindsay Kauk will anchor a team that is filled with potential and aspirations of a title. Kauk (5-10, Sr., OH/MB) had 154 kills and 167 digs on last season. Latoya Fontenot (5-8, Sr., OH) had 141 kills and 148 digs in 2004 and should provide a stable opposite for Kauk and the Jaguars.

Texas Southern - A possible sleeper in the conference, the Lady Tigers of Texas Southern should be a formidable foe in 2005. With four returning letterwinners, Texas Southern can make a serious run at the 2005 conference title. Safaira Davis (5-8, Sr., OH) is the team’s lone senior. She had 175 kills and 144 digs last season. Shawdae Wallace (5-8, Jr., S) had 456 assists and 38 blocks in 2004 while Shannon Holland (5-8, Jr., MB) tallied 157 kills and 48 blocks last season.