Birmingham, Ala. – Prairie View A&M’s Latia Williams was named 2012-13 Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Alcorn State’s Carolinsia Crumbly was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. Texas Southern’s Te’era Williams earned Freshman of the Year and Grambling State’s Joanna Miller was selected as the Newcomer of the Year. Arkansas-Pine Bluff head coach Nate Kilbert was named Coach of the Year to round out the top superlatives.
Williams was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year and finished the season ranked second in points and rebounds. Williams scored 12.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. In addition, Williams led the SWAC in minutes on the floor 35.7 per game. She also led PVAMU in scoring in eight games and was their top rebounder in 14 contests.
Crumbly finished second in the SWAC and led Alcorn in steals with a total of 68 steals for 2.5 per game. She was second on the team in scoring with 11.2 points per game and also led Alcorn in rebounds with 5.2 per game.
To start her collegiate career, T. Williams led Texas Southern in scoring with 12.7 points per game finishing fourth in the SWAC in the category. She shot among the league’s best from the floor hitting 48 percent. She led TSU in scoring in seven games and was the team’s leader in rebounds in nine.
In her first season at GSU, Miller led the SWAC in scoring with 16.5 points per game and shot a league best from three-point range connecting 39 percent. She led the SWAC in three-pointers made with 66 averaging 2.4 per game. She finished as GSU’s high scorer in 12 games this season scoring more than 20 points on eight occasions and recorded 30 or more points in two games. Miller was also named SWAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week three times; more than any other player during the regular season. Miller was also named to the ALL-SWAC First Team.
Kilbert was tabbed SWAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year after leading UAPB to a 7-11 conference standing and an 11-17 mark overall. UAPB finished 1-29 last season including 1-17 in SWAC play.
ALL-SWAC
Joining GSU’s Miller as a first-team selection are Kendra Coleman (Southern), Alia Frank (Mississippi Valley State, Chigozianyi Okwumabua (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) and Tiffany Kellum. Kellum is the only player from last year’s first team to repeat.
The ALL SWAC Teams include:
First Team
G – Joanna Miller (GSU)
G – Kendra Coleman (SU)
F – Alia Frank (MVSU)
F – Chigozianyi Okwumabua (UAPB)
C – Tiffany Kellum (JSU)
Second Team
G – Brianna Sidney (TSU)
G – Joncyee Sanders (MVSU)
F – Jasmine Sanders (AAMU)
F – Latia Williams (PVAM)
C – Quentori Alford (ALST)
Third Team
G – Kiara Etienne (PVAM)
G – LaKendra Marsh (UAPB)
F – Te’era Williams (TSU)
F – Lechell Rush (SU)
C – Larissa Scott (PVAM)
Player of the Year
Latia Williams (PVAM)
Defensive Player of the Year
Carolinisia Crumbly (ALCN)
Newcomer of the Year
Joanna Miller (GSU)
Freshman of the Year
Te’era Williams (TSU)
Coach of the Year
Nate Kilbert (UAPB)
Courtesy: SWAC.org
