Women's Basketball | 11/3/2020 12:04:00 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jackson State senior center Ameshya Williams has been named SWAC Preseason Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. The preseason honors and teams were voted upon by league head coaches and sports information directors.
Williams was ninth in the conference in scoring last season with an average of 12.8 points per game, second in rebounds with 10.1 rebounds per game (116 offensive, 156 defensive), fourth in field goal percentage (.468), and twelfth in free throw percentage (.543). Defensively she led the league in blocked shots with three per contest.
She was selected to the Preseason All-SWAC First-Team along with Justice Coleman (Grambling State), Dayzha Rogan (Jackson State), Niya Mitchell (Texas Southern), and Dariauna Lewis (Alabama A&M).
Ataiya Bridges (Texas Southern), Deshawna Harper (Alabama A&M), Jayla Crawford (Alabama State), Ayana Emmanuel (Alabama State), and Nigeria Jones (Alabama A&M) were all selected to the Preseason All-SWAC Second-Team.
Alabama A&M garnered the most preseason team selections (3), followed by Alabama State (2), Jackson State (2), Texas Southern (2), and Grambling State (1).
2020-21 SWAC Preseason Player of the Year
Ameshya Williams, Jackson State
2020-21 SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Ameshya Williams, Jackson State
2020-21 Preseason All-SWAC First Team
|
Position
|
Name
|
Classification
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Guard
|
Justice Coleman
|
Senior
|
Grambling State
|
Baton Rouge, La.
|
|
Guard
|
Dayzsha Rogan
|
Senior
|
Jackson State
|
Ripley, Miss.
|
|
Forward
|
Niya Mitchell
|
Graduate
|
Texas Southern
|
Bay City, Texas
|
|
Forward
|
Dariauna Lewis
|
Junior
|
Alabama A&M
|
Omaha, Neb.
|
|
Center
|
Ameshya Williams
|
Senior
|
Jackson State
|
Gulfport, Miss.
|
2020-21 Preseason All-SWAC Second Team
|
Position
|
Name
|
Classification
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Guard
|
Ataiya Bridges
|
Senior
|
Texas Southern
|
Lanett, Ala.
|
|
Guard
|
Deshawna Harper
|
Senior
|
Alabama A&M
|
Indianapolis, Ind.
|
|
Guard
|
Jayla Crawford
|
Junior
|
Alabama State
|
Birmingham, Ala.
|
|
Guard
|
Ayana Emmanuel
|
Junior
|
Alabama State
|
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
|
|
Guard
|
Nigeria Jones
|
Senior
|
Alabama A&M
|
Lincoln, Neb.
|
Head coaches and sports information directors not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
Women's competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.
