BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – With the start of the 2022 season the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), has listed their preseason honors with Alabama A&M women's soccer earning five selections as announced by the league on Thursday, August 11.
 
Junior forward Makayla Rushing (Red Oak, Texas) alongside junior defender Taylor Watson (Scarborough, Ontario, Canada) was named to the All-SWAC First-Team. Junior forward Jameela Barrett (London, England) and senior defenders Tateyana Pitter (Kingston, Jamaica) and Sherice Clarke (St.Catherine, Jamaica) were named to the All-SWAC Second-Team.
 
This marks the first time in program history that Alabama A&M has earned five honors since the 2006 season.
 
MAKAYLA RUSHING – FIRST-TEAM
Rushing was an offensive threat for the Bulldogs as she started all 19 games and played a total of 1,692 minutes. That included an impressive 15 games in which she did not leave the field and two of which were overtime games of 110 and 103 minutes, respectively.
 
She was the leading scorer for the Bulldogs and tied for the second most goals in the SWAC regular season with 10 goals, three assists and 23 points. Rushing best showing for the season was a hat trick against South Carolina State on September 19. Her performance fueled her to earn SWAC Offensive Player of the Week honor on September 22.

During AAMU's SWAC Tournament quarterfinal game she had three shots with two on goal. The following day she aided in the team's offense by playing all 90 minutes in the semifinal game against Grambling.
 
TAYLOR WATSON – FIRST-TEAM
Watson was a dominant defender for the Bulldogs playing in 17 games with 13 starts. A hard-nosed defender, she added assists against both South Carolina State (9/19) and Alcorn State (9/26) and was awarded SWAC Defensive Player of the Week on September 22.
 
She helped in the Bulldogs historic season at the SWAC Tournament by defending for 88 minutes against Southern to qualifier for the semifinal rounds. Watson played all 90 minutes in three games and a total of 1,147 minutes for the season

JAMEELA BARRETT – SECOND-TEAM
Barrett assisted the Bulldogs with a 10-8-1, 8-1-0 SWAC record by adding three goals and one assist for the season.
 
She played in 13 games and started 11 for AAMU playing a total of 846 minutes. She scored the lone goal for the Bulldogs that helped defeat Alabama State 1-0 on Friday, October 29.
 
At the Tournament Barrett stayed on the field for 103 minutes and had three shots on goals the Bulldogs defeating Southern to advance to the semifinals. She would then stay on the field all 90 minutes as AAMU took on GSU.
 
SHERICE CLARKE – SECOND-TEAM
Clarke played all 103 minutes defensively in the quarterfinal game against the Jaguars to help with the 1-0 victory before playing all 90 minutes in the semifinal game against Grambling.
 
The midfielder also assisted the record with four assists and logged a total of 873 minutes while dishing out four assists and was a key part of one of the program's best seasons in the last 14 years.
 
She helped produced ten games of one goal or less including nine shutouts and has played in 16 games, starting 12. Her best performance came against South Carolina State (9/19) where she had four assists that helped fueled the Bulldogs 8-0 victory.
 
TATEYANNA PITTER – SECOND-TEAM
Pitter contributed to the Bulldogs nine shutouts of the season and helped AAMU advance to the SWAC Tournament semifinals by playing all 104 minutes of extra time to defeat Southern 1-0. She would then return to action the next day and play 83 minutes against GSU.
 
Pitter was a dominant defending midfielder for the Bulldogs during the regular season, assisting her team to a 9-7-1 overall record and 8-1-0 conference mark and helped produced nine games of one goal or less including nine shutouts.

She was named Defender of the Week on October 27 for having an assist against Southern (10/22) while being a mainstay in the department of defense as the Bulldogs did not allow any goals against Jackson State (10/24) where Pitter played all 90 minutes. She played in 17 and started 12 for Alabama A&M while recording 1,214 minutes on the field.
 
2022 All-Southwestern Athletic Conference Preseason Teams
First-Team
Forward: Makayla Rushing- Alabama A&M
Forward: Natalie Freeman- Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Forward: Annalise Brunson- Jackson State
Midfielder: Camila Jimenez- Alabama State
Midfielder: Kaydeen Jack- Grambling State
Midfielder: Lesa Griffin- Prairie View A&M
Midfielder: Ashley Arnes- Texas Southern
Defender: Andrea Nugent- Prairie View A&M
Defender: Taylor Watson- Alabama A&M
Defender: Cordney Armstrong- Southern 
Goalkeeper: Shelia Sanchez- Alabama State
  
Second-Team
Forward: Lizbeth Aguero- Grambling State
Forward: Giftee Tor-Southern
Forward: Jameela Barrett- Alabama A&M
Midfielder: Isabella Beortegui- Alabama State 
Midfielder: Sherice Clarke- Alabama A&M
Midfielder: Aniya Clarke- Southern
Midfielder: Tateyana Pitter- Alabama A&M
Defender: Sydni Wilson- Jackson State 
Defender: Alondra Lepe- Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Defender: Megan Howell- Prairie View A&M
Goalkeeper: Medinat Lawal- Prairie View A&M
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Natalie Freeman- Arkansas-Pine Bluff
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Andrea Nugent, Prairie View A&M
 
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Shelia Sanchez- Alabama State