BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas Southern University was picked to win the 2015-16 Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball title in a preseason poll of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. The announcement was made during the SWAC’s annual tipoff media teleconference Wednesday morning.
The Lady Tigers, last year’s SWAC Regular Season Champion, raced to a 19-10 overall record during the 2014-15 season and a conference mark of 16-2. The defending SWAC Tournament Champions, Alabama State was predicted to finish second, followed by Southern, Prairie View and Jackson State rounding out the top five.
Alabama A&M was picked to finish sixth, followed by Grambling State, Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State completing the predicted order of finish.
2015-16 All-SWAC Preseason Women’s Basketball Team
Alabama State earned the leagues preseason top honors as Britney Wright was selected SWAC Preseason Player of the Year and teammate Jasmine Peeples was elected as the Defensive Player of the Year.
As a sophomore for the Lady Hornets, Wright was selected First Team All-SWAC and named SWAC Tournament MVP. She averaged 16.7 points per game to go along with 7.4 rebounds per contest. Wright scored a season high 32 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and produced a career high fourteen rebounds against Grambling State.
Peeples was named the Defensive Player of the Year last season and earned a spot on the All-SWAC First Team. In 2014, she broke the single season record in blocks registering 135 which now ranks her fifth all time in school history. Peeples graduated with honors in December of 2014 with two degrees. She majored in Communications and she obtained a minor in Criminal Justice.
The preseason first team also features guards, Brianna Sidney (Texas Southern), Alexsus Parker (Prairie View A&M) and forward Norianna Haynes (Alcorn State).
The second team includes: guards Brittney Washington (Southern) and Shamiyah Smith (Alabama State), forwards Janie Myles (Alabama A&M), Briana Green (Southern) and center Shamiya Brooks (Prairie View) closing the selections.
Women’s 2015-16 Preseason Award Winners
| PLAYERS OF THE YEAR | ||
| Britney Wright (Alabama State) | ||
| DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR | ||
| Jasmine Peeples (Alabama State) | ||
| ALL-SWAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – FIRST TEAM | ||
| G | Brianna Sidney (Texas Southern) | |
| G | Alexus Parker (Prairie View A&M) / Jazzmin Parker (Texas Southern) | |
| F | Britney Wright (Alabama State) | |
| F | Norianna Haynes (Alcorn State) | |
| C | Jasmine Peeples (Alabama State) | |
| ALL-SWAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – SECOND TEAM | ||
| G | Brittney Washington (Southern) | |
| G | Shamiyah Smith (Alabama State) | |
| F | Janie Myles (Alabama A&M) | |
| F | Briana Green (Southern) | |
| C | Shamiya Brooks (Prairie View A&M) | |
| WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH |
| 1. Texas Southern – 127 |
| 2. Alabama State – 126 |
| 3. Southern – 112 |
| 4. Prairie View A&M – 97 |
| 5. Jackson State – 73 |
| 6. Alabama A&M – 66 |
| 7. Grambling State – 57 |
| 8. Alcorn State – 55 |
| 9. Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 31 |
| 10. Mississippi Valley State – 26 |
Courtesy: SWAC
