BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | Alabama A&M University softball student-athletes Serena Herbranson and Zahria Jones received Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Preseason First Team honors, the conference announced on Wednesday.

Herbranson was tabbed as a third baseman, while Jones picked up the honor as a designated player.

Herbranson batted .393, with 22 RBI and 12 doubles last season. Her .393 batting average ranked seventh in the conference and the 12 doubles ranked sixth in the league. In addition, she registered five stolen bases, and defensively recorded a .945 fielding percentage.

Jones posted a .331 batting average, with 32 RBI, eight home runs, six doubles and two triples in 2023. Her .605 slugging percentage ranked sixth in the conference, while her eight home runs were third-most in the league. Defensively, she recorded a .915 field percentage.

In the SWAC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish, Alabama A&M, which went 22-19 overall and 13-11 in league play, garnered three first-place votes and received 57 points to claim the fifth spot in the East Division. Alabama State, with 13 first-place votes, was predicted to win the East Division with 105 points. Bethune-Cookman (79 points), Florida A&M (70 points) and Jackson State (68 points) were chosen second, third and fourth, respectively. Mississippi Valley State rounded out the division with 20 points.

Prairie View A&M, the defending SWAC Tournament champions, was chosen first in the West Division with 13 first-place votes and 101 points. Grambling State (82 points), Texas Southern (68  points), Alcorn State (66 points), Southern (55 points) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (27 points) rounded out the rest of the division.

Alabama A&M opens the 2024 season on Feb. 10 in the River City Classic against Arlington Baptist in Jackson, Miss. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

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