BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Alabama A&M outside hitter Karensa Beckford and defensive specialist Rose Corneille, also from Alabama A&M, were named the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Volleyball Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Preseason honors were voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Alabama A&M, the three-time defending SWAC champion and Grambling State, the 2009 runner-up, were predicted to win the eastern and western divisions, respectively. Grambling totaled six first-place votes and 79 points out of a possible 100, while the Lady Bulldogs collected a unanimous 20 first-place votes.
Beckford, a 6-0 junior from St. Anne Bay, Jamaica, ranked top-five on her team in five different categories. She was named to COBRA Magazine All-National Third Team in 2009.
Corneille, a 5-4 defensive specialist from Dacula, Ga., led the conference in digs last season with 433 (4.20 digs per set). She earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Week honors three times in 2009.
Also receiving six first-place votes in the western division was Prairie View A&M, which was predicted to finish second with 74 points. Texas Southern (60), Southern (54) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (33) rounded out the western division. In the east, Jackson State came in second with 73 points, followed by Mississippi Valley State in third with 58 points. Alabama State (43) and Alcorn State (26) completed the 2010 predicted order of finish.
Six schools are represented on the 2010 Preseason All-SWAC teams. Alabama A&M, Mississippi Valley State and Jackson State led the all conference teams with three selections apiece, while Grambling and Prairie View A&M each had two. Texas Southern claimed one honoree.
The season gets underway Friday, August 27 as four league teams will be in action. The 2010 SWAC Volleyball Championship will be held November 18-20 in Montgomery, Ala. on the campus of Alabama State.
2010 Predicted Order of Finish
(First place votes in parenthesis)
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Eastern Division
|
Points
|
|
1. Alabama A&M (20)
|
100
|
|
2. Jackson State
|
73
|
|
3. Mississippi Valley
|
58
|
|
4. Alabama State
|
43
|
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5. Alcorn State
|
26
|
|
Western Division
|
Points
|
|
1. Grambling State (6)
|
79
|
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2. Prairie View A&M (6)
|
74
|
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3. Texas Southern (3)
|
60
|
|
4. Southern (3)
|
54
|
|
5. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
|
33
|
2010 Preseason Honors
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Karensa Beckford, Alabama A&M
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Rose Corneille, Alabama A&M
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First Team
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Cl.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Maura Moed
|
MB
|
5-9
|
Sr.
|
Mississippi Valley
|
San Antonio, Texas
|
|
Donisha Dunn
|
MH
|
6-2
|
So.
|
Jackson State
|
Austin, Texas
|
|
Karensa Beckford
|
OH
|
6-0
|
Jr.
|
Alabama A&M
|
St. Anne Bay, Jamaica
|
|
Clarissa Moore
|
OH
|
5-10
|
So.
|
Alabama A&M
|
Houston, Texas
|
|
Brittany Larkin
|
OH
|
5-10
|
Sr.
|
Jackson State
|
North Little Rock, Ark.
|
|
Rose Corneille
|
DS
|
5-4
|
Sr.
|
Alabama A&M
|
Dacula, Ga.
|
|
LaToya Clark
|
S
|
5-4
|
Jr.
|
Jackson State
|
Tallahassee, Fla.
|
|
Second Team
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Cl.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Shawonna Davis
|
MB
|
5-11
|
Sr.
|
Grambling State
|
Houston, Texas
|
|
Ashlee Cooper
|
MB
|
6-4
|
Sr.
|
Texas Southern
|
Reserve, La.
|
|
Cheri Lindsay
|
OH
|
5-8
|
Sr.
|
Prairie View A&M
|
Denver, Colo.
|
|
Lonnie Goff
|
OH
|
5-8
|
Sr.
|
Mississippi Valley
|
Standard, Alberta
|
|
Brychana Williams
|
OH
|
5-9
|
So.
|
Mississippi Valley
|
Belle Rose, La.
|
|
Chelsey Goins
|
L
|
5-3
|
So.
|
Grambling State
|
Cedar Hill, Texas
|
|
Erin Fondel
|
S
|
5-5
|
So.
|
Prairie View A&M
|
Longview, Texas
|
