Courtesy: Sam Peshek
SWAC.org
Release: 08/10/2015
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced the 2015 Preseason All-SWAC Women’s Soccer Teams and predicted order of finish, as voted on by the league coaches and sport information directors.
For the second consecutive season, Alabama State University’s Aaliyah Lewis claimed Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, Lewis managed first-place positions for the Conference in seven different categories including points (45), goals per game (.84) and assists (11) - earning her the Offensive Player of the Year title. She remains ASU’s all-time scorer in a season (18) – a honor she received as a freshman in 2013 – and holds the school record for most total points in a season (45).
Lewis was also named to the Preseason All-SWAC First Team. Five other Hornets joined her with preseason awards including twin sister Ariela Lewis.
Prairie View A&M University secured a presence during the preseason as Breanna Powell was voted Defensive Player of the Year and added to the All-SWAC First Team. Powell started in 20 games last season, scoring one goal with four assists for six points. She led a defense that recorded seven shutouts.
The Panthers went on to capture one more All-SWAC First Team position and two All-SWAC Second Team spots. PVAMU was voted to finish fourth in the SWAC.
Rita Gyasi of Mississippi Valley State University managed the Preseason Goalie of the Year accolade after finishing the 2014 season with 86 saves (.835 save percentage) and four shutouts. Gyasi also enters her sophomore year as a Preseason All-SWAC First Teamer. Two additional Devilettes received preseason recognition – one on the first team and one on the second team.
In its second year with the SWAC, Howard University is predicted to finish first in the Conference with 154 points. Jackson State University was voted second with 130 tallies, followed by ASU with 129 points.
The entire predicted order of finish is listed below as well as the complete lists of first and second teamers.
School
Points
Howard
154
Jackson State
130
Alabama State
129
Prairie View A&M
115
Texas Southern
106
Mississippi Valley State
96
Southern
81
Alabama A&M
74
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
48
Grambling State
42
Alcorn State
15
Offensive Player of the Year
Aaliyah Lewis Alabama State
Defensive Player of the Year
Breanna Powell Prairie View A&M
Goalie of the Year
Rita Gyasi Mississippi Valley
First Team
Second Team
Forward
Forward
Alicia Cooper Prairie View A&M Estelle Esperance Alabama A&M Aaliyah Lewis Alabama State Heather Craddock Mississippi Valley Nykosi Simmons Mississippi Valley Kayla Edwards Alabama State
Midfielder
Midfielder
Jalana Ellis Jackson State Ariela Lewis Alabama State Shelbi Vienna-Hallam Alabama State Kara Ballard* Prairie View A&M Marlyn Campa Texas Southern Sie'Yara Wells* Jackson State Sara Vaughan* Howard Khalisha Bond* Prairie View A&M Dytria Ruddy* Howard Kaedi Walther* Alabama State
Defender
Defender
Breanna Powell Prairie View A&M Emily Ziolkowski Alabama State Rayana Speight Jackson State Shelby Carbon Southern Makayla Johnson Texas Southern Erica Cozart* Texas Southern Kyleigh Io* Jackson State
Goalie
Goalie
Rita Gyasi Mississippi Valley Kylie Christian Jackson State
(* Indicates a tie)
Courtesy: Sam Peshek
SWAC.org
Release: 08/10/2015
|
For the second consecutive season, Alabama State University’s Aaliyah Lewis claimed Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, Lewis managed first-place positions for the Conference in seven different categories including points (45), goals per game (.84) and assists (11) - earning her the Offensive Player of the Year title. She remains ASU’s all-time scorer in a season (18) – a honor she received as a freshman in 2013 – and holds the school record for most total points in a season (45).
Lewis was also named to the Preseason All-SWAC First Team. Five other Hornets joined her with preseason awards including twin sister Ariela Lewis.
Prairie View A&M University secured a presence during the preseason as Breanna Powell was voted Defensive Player of the Year and added to the All-SWAC First Team. Powell started in 20 games last season, scoring one goal with four assists for six points. She led a defense that recorded seven shutouts.
The Panthers went on to capture one more All-SWAC First Team position and two All-SWAC Second Team spots. PVAMU was voted to finish fourth in the SWAC.
Rita Gyasi of Mississippi Valley State University managed the Preseason Goalie of the Year accolade after finishing the 2014 season with 86 saves (.835 save percentage) and four shutouts. Gyasi also enters her sophomore year as a Preseason All-SWAC First Teamer. Two additional Devilettes received preseason recognition – one on the first team and one on the second team.
In its second year with the SWAC, Howard University is predicted to finish first in the Conference with 154 points. Jackson State University was voted second with 130 tallies, followed by ASU with 129 points.
The entire predicted order of finish is listed below as well as the complete lists of first and second teamers.
School
|
Points
|
| Howard |
154
|
| Jackson State |
130
|
| Alabama State |
129
|
| Prairie View A&M |
115
|
| Texas Southern |
106
|
| Mississippi Valley State |
96
|
| Southern |
81
|
| Alabama A&M |
74
|
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
48
|
| Grambling State |
42
|
| Alcorn State |
15
|
Offensive Player of the Year
| ||||||
| Aaliyah Lewis | Alabama State | |||||
Defensive Player of the Year
| ||||||
| Breanna Powell | Prairie View A&M | |||||
Goalie of the Year
| ||||||
| Rita Gyasi | Mississippi Valley | |||||
First Team
|
Second Team
| |||||
Forward
|
Forward
| |||||
| Alicia Cooper | Prairie View A&M | Estelle Esperance | Alabama A&M | |||
| Aaliyah Lewis | Alabama State | Heather Craddock | Mississippi Valley | |||
| Nykosi Simmons | Mississippi Valley | Kayla Edwards | Alabama State | |||
Midfielder
|
Midfielder
| |||||
| Jalana Ellis | Jackson State | Ariela Lewis | Alabama State | |||
| Shelbi Vienna-Hallam | Alabama State | Kara Ballard* | Prairie View A&M | |||
| Marlyn Campa | Texas Southern | Sie'Yara Wells* | Jackson State | |||
| Sara Vaughan* | Howard | Khalisha Bond* | Prairie View A&M | |||
| Dytria Ruddy* | Howard | Kaedi Walther* | Alabama State | |||
Defender
|
Defender
| |||||
| Breanna Powell | Prairie View A&M | Emily Ziolkowski | Alabama State | |||
| Rayana Speight | Jackson State | Shelby Carbon | Southern | |||
| Makayla Johnson | Texas Southern | Erica Cozart* | Texas Southern | |||
| Kyleigh Io* | Jackson State | |||||
Goalie
|
Goalie
| |||||
| Rita Gyasi | Mississippi Valley | Kylie Christian | Jackson State | |||
