2011 HBCU Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Teams & Predictions
Karensa Beckford, AA&MU
Contributors: Tari Lanier and Russell Clark
Fall is around the corner, preparing to bring us a cooler breeze, changing leaves, and most importantly fall sports. While fall brings us football, it also brings us spikes, blocks and digs with the game of volleyball!
The 2010 season for black college volleyball was exciting and action packed.
Chowan claimed their second title defeating St. Augustine’s 3 -2 in the CIAA Championship. South Carolina State best Delaware State 3-1 to win the MEAC Championship. Always dominate Alabama A&M came strong with their fourth consecutive SWAC Volleyball Championship. This was the Lady Bulldogs’ 10th title in the 11 years.
The 2011 season is definitely one you don’t want to miss. A few key players to keep on the radar: Karensa Beckford, Alabama A&M; LaToya Clark, Jackson State; Maline Vaitai, Maryland Eastern Shore; Katherine Huanec, Florida A&M; Kathryn Tokarski, St. Augustine’s and Whitney Greene, Elizabeth City St.
Before we get to the conference predictions, HBCUSportsOnline.com has a few predictions of its own. The following is our preseason predictions for the 2011 conference champions.
SWAC: Alabama A&M seems to have SWAC volleyball on lock; we’re sticking with the Lady Bulldogs
MEAC: The Lady Bulldogs from South Carolina St. have enough talent to defend their title in 2011.
CIAA: St. Augustine’s has big expectations this season and return four1st team All-CIAA players.
SWAC Announces 2011 Preseason Volleyball Honors
Courtesy: SWAC Media Relations
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Karensa Beckford (Alabama A&M) and Roselande Corneille (Alabama State) were named the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Volleyball Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, the league announced today. Preseason honors were voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Alabama A&M, the defending SWAC champion and Prairie View A&M, the 2010 western division champion, were picked to win their respective divisions. The Lady Bulldogs totaled 15 first-place votes and 93 points out of a possible 100, while the Lady Panthers collected 12 first-place votes with 87 points.
Beckford, a 6-0 right side from St. Anne Bay, Jamaica, ranked second in the conference in hitting percentage (.364) and kills per set (3.43) last season. She was named SWAC Tournament MVP and led her squad to its fourth straight conference championship in 2010. Beckford was recently named to COBRA Magazine All-Preseason Second Team.
Roselande Corneille, ASU
Corneille, a 5-7 libero from Dacula, Ga., led the conference in digs last season averaging 5.50 digs per set. She also ranked 58th in the nation in digs and was named the SWAC Libero of the Year in 2010.
Receiving four first-place votes in the eastern division was Jackson State, who was predicted to finish second with 79 points. Mississippi Valley State (54 points), Alabama State (47 points) and Alcorn State (27 points) round out the eastern division.
In the west, Arkansas-Pine Bluff was predicted second with 59 points, followed by Southern with 55 points. Grambling State (54 points) and Texas Southern (47 points) complete the predicted order of finish.
The 2011 volleyball season gets underway Friday, August 26 with nine teams taking the court. The SWAC Volleyball Championship will be held November 19-20 in Westwego, La. at the Alario Center.
2011 SWAC Women’s Volleyball Preseason Honors
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Karensa Beckford, Alabama A&M
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Roselande Corneille, Alabama State
| 1st Team | ||||
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Class | School |
| Paige Williams | MB | 6-1 | So. | Jackson St. |
| Jasmine Houston | MB | 6-1 | Sr. | Prairie View A&M |
| Karensa Beckford | RS | 6-0 | Sr. | Alabama A&M |
| Clarissa Moore | OH | 5-10 | Jr. | Alabama A&M |
| Chyna Colema | OH | 5-8 | Sr. | Jackson St. |
| Roseland Corneille | L | 5-7 | Jr. | Alabama St. |
| Ana Pego | S | 5-6 | Sr. | Alabama St. |
| 2nd Team | Pos. | Ht. | Class | School |
| Donisha Dunn | MB | 6-2 | Sr. | Jackson St. |
| Rachel Hornbuckle | MB | 6-1 | So. | Ark.-Pine Bluff |
| Asia Manning | OH | 5-9 | Sr. | Alabama St. |
| Brychana Williams | OH | 5-9 | Jr. | Miss. Valley St. |
| Beonka Savoy | OH | 5-8 | Sr. | Southern |
| Skye Terrell | DS | 5-6 | So. | Prairie View A&M |
| LaToya Clark | S | 5-4 | Sr. | Jackson St. |
MEAC ANNOUNCES 2011 VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON HONORS
Courtesy: MEAC Media Relations
Norfolk, VA., August 1, 2011- Maryland Eastern Shore outside hitter Maline Vaitai was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year the conference announced today. Preseason honors were voted on by the conference’s head volleyball coaches and sports information directors.
The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers and Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Lady Hawks were picked as the preseason favorites in the northern and southern divisions for the second consecutive year.
Maline Vaitai, UMES
Vaitai averaged 3.54 kills per set and totaled 42 blocks last season. The 2010 MEAC Rookie of the Year led the Lady Hawks in points per set with 4.04. She earned MEAC Rookie of the Week accolades four times and was named to several All-Tournament teams during non-conference play last season.
Florida A&M posted a 7-1 conference mark and 12-15 overall record in 2010. The Lady Rattlers welcome back two key returnees in junior outside hitter Pamela Barrera and sophomore outside hitter Katherine Huanec. Barrera led her team with a .253 hitting percentage while averaging 2.20 kills per set. Huanec, a member of the 2010 MEAC All-Tournament team, ranked third in the MEAC in points per game (3.22) and averaged 3.07 kills per set.
The Lady Hawks finished with an 8-2 MEAC mark and 20-12 overall record a year ago. Along with Vaitai, UMES returns senior outside hitter and member of the 2011 MEAC preseason team Zoe Bowens. Bowens led the nation last year with .67 aces per set (79 total). Named MEAC Player of the Week twice last season, Bowens averaged 2.97 kills per set.
The defending MEAC champion South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs placed three on the 2011 preseason team with Bria Brimmer, Desire Waller and Shabree Roberson earning honors. Sonja Banicevic of Delaware State rounds out the list of preseason honorees.
The 2011 MEAC Volleyball Championship will be held November 18-20 in Baltimore, Md.
2011 MEAC Preseason All-Conference Team
| Name | Pos. | Class | School |
| Maline Vaitai | OH | So. | Maryland Eastern Shore |
| Zoe Bowens | OH | Sr. | Maryland Eastern Shore |
| Desire Waller | MH | So. | South Carolina State |
| Shabree Roberson | MB | Jr. | South Carolina State |
| Bria Brimmer | S | Sr. | South Carolina State |
| Sonja Banicevic | L | Sr. | Delaware State |
CIAA Volleyball Serves Up 2011 Preseason All-Conference Team
Courtesy: CIAA Media Relations
Karina Monroe, Chowan
Hampton, VA – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Volleyball Coaches Association has selected its 2011 All-CIAA Volleyball Pre-Season Team.
Last season’s Player of the Year, Karina Monroe of Chowan University returns to three-peat the Hawks’ CIAA Championship title. She leads the team and conference in hitting percentage with .311 and ranked in the top ten of the conference for kills with 277.
Also returning is setter, Roxanne Smith of St. Augustine’s College, leading the conference in assists with over eight per game. Smith ranks among the top in the conference in service aces with 65.
The 2011 CIAA Volleyball season is set to begin Labor Day weekend with all twelve teams taking action.
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Class | School |
| Victoria Lewis | OH | 5’11 | SR | Chowan |
| Kathryn Tokarski | OH | 5’9 | JR | St. Augustine’s |
| Whitney Green | OH | 5’9 | SO | Elizabeth City St. |
| Karina Monroe | MB | 6’2 | JR | Chowan |
| Ifeyinwa Nwokolo | MB | 5’11 | JR | Fayetteville St. |
| Brittany Hicks | MB | 6’0 | JR | St. Augustine’s |
| Roxanne Smith | S | 5’5 | SR | St. Augustine’s |
| Kiara Brown | S | 5’9 | SR | Winston Salem St. |
| Keisha Parris | RS | 5’7 | JR | St. Augustine’s |
| Megan Sawyer | RS | 5’8 | SO | Chowan |
| JaMisha Jordan | L | 5’5 | SO | Fayetteville St. |
| Chelsey Campbell | U | 6’1 | SO | Elizabeth City St. |
Atlanta, GA—The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announces the 2011 SIAC Preseason Volleyball All-Conference Teams and Predicted Order of Finish as voted on by the SIAC Volleyball Coaches Association. The 2011 preseason team is led by Paine College outside hitter Victoria Claytor and Kentucky State setter Brittany Stewart.
Brittany Stewart, KSU
Claytor, a native of El Paso, TX, finished among the league leaders with a team-high 390 kills and a .273 hitting percentage. The 5-10 junior also had a team-high 88 blocks, averaging .75 per set. As a sophomore, she was named 2010 SIAC Defensive Player of the Year while also earning All-SIAC second team honors.
Stewart, who is a three-time All-SIAC selection, led the SIAC in 2010 with 990 assists, including a .474 assist percentage, while also totaling 225 digs and 77 kills. As a junior, the East St. Louis, IL native also named 2010 SIAC Setter of the Year while also earning All-SIAC first team honors.
Defending champion Kentucky State was picked to win the West Division while 2010 SIAC tournament runner-up Albany State was selected to win the East Division. The Thorobrettes, coming off a 22-10 (15-1 in the SIAC) campaign and a berth in the NCAA tournament, were also selected to repeat as SIAC champions for the second consecutive year.
2011 SIAC Preseason Volleyball All-Conference Team
| 1st Team | |||
| Name | Pos. | Class | School |
| Sabrina Garcia | OH | Sr. | Albany State |
| Lauren Calvin | OH | So. | Claflin |
| Victoria Claytor | OH | Jr. | Paine |
| Jamila McKinnis | OH | Sr. | Stillman |
| Phyllice Eubanks | MB | Sr. | Stillman |
| Brittany Stewart | S | Sr. | Kentucky State |
| Fernisha McMillan | L | Sr. | Paine |
| 2nd Team | |||
| Name | Pos. | Class | School |
| Latayvia Mack | MB | Jr. | Benedict |
| Erica Coleman | OH | Sr. | Kentucky State |
| Janae’ Kearse | OH | Sr. | Paine |
| Faith Simmons | OH | Jr. | Claflin |
| Danica Lawrence | MH | Jr. | Clark Atlanta |
| Ashley Jackson | S | So. | Benedict |
| Tyneishah Spears | L | So. | Clark Atlanta |
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