Tobar, Ruffin, Smith Lead SWAC WBB Preseason Teams
SWAC.org
The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its women's basketball preseason teams and predicted order of finish Wednesday. And if the results tell us anything headed into the season, it seems the coaches in the league are split about what team is favored and who is the league's best player.
Defending regular season champion Southern and defending tournament champion Prairie View A&M share the top spot in the order of finish predicted by the league's 10 head coaches. The Jaguars and Panthers each received four first-place votes and finished with 88 total.
The same can be said for the preseason player of the year honors. Alabama A&M's Whiquitta Tobar and Alcorn State's Kiara Ruffin tied among vote-getters and shared the honor. Mississippi Valley State's Kaneshia Smith earned preseason defensive player of the year honors.
Tobar and Ruffin were the two leading scorers in the conference a year ago, averaging 18.1 and 17.8 points per game, respectively. Smith led the league in assists (4.0 apg) and was second in steals (2.3 spg).
First-team preseason all-SWAC
Guard Whiquitta Tobar, Alabama A&M (Co-Preseason POY)
Guard Kiara Ruffin, Alcorn State (Co-Preseason POY)
Forward Sharnika Breedlove, Alcorn State
Forward Latia Williams, Prairie View A&M
Center Jaime Floyd, Southern
Second-team preseason all-SWAC
Guard Kaneshia Smith, Mississippi Valley State (Preseason DPOY)
Guard Rachel Jones, Jackson State
Forward Alia Frank, Mississippi Valley State
Forward Ayanna Hardy-Fuller, Jackson State
Center Gabrielle Williams, Alabama A&M
Predicted Order of Finish
1-tie. Southern (4) 88
1-tie. Prairie View A&M (4) 88
3. Alcorn State 84
4. Mississippi Valley State 68
5. Alabama A&M (2) 64
6. Grambling 53
7. Alabama State 39
8. Jackson State 26
9. Texas Southern 24
10. Arkansas-Pine Bluff 16