JACKSON, Miss. - The Jackson State University Volleyball team wrapped up fall camp recently as they turn their attention to tomorrow's season opening matchup with Delaware State University.
The match is one of three matches the Lady Tigers will play this weekend, a part of the SWAC/MEAC Tournament held in Montgomery, Ala.
Head coach Rose Washington enters her 18th season at the helm as she hopes to deliver the Tigers back to the top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
The Tigers and Coach Washington are looking to help improve from last years mark in which they finished the season with an overall record of 11-25 and 9-9 SWAC play.
Last year the Lady Tigers finished fourth in opponents hitting percentage (.192), fifth in hitting percentage (.139), third in assists (10.26), third in opponent assists (10.30), third in kills (11.02), third in opponents kills (11.51), sixth in blocks (1.75), second in opponents service aces (1.57), second in opponents digs (12.14), seventh in digs (12.86) and service aces (1.26).
This years volleyball squad returns nine players from a year ago including four seniors and nine total newcomers to the team.
Key returners for the Blue and White are Marina Brito, Camry Dabney, and Alexandra Burney.
Brito finished fifth in the league in hitting percentage (.260), with 241 kills total. She recorded 0.84 blocks per set, which ranked her fifth in the conference, while collecting 1.77 kills per set.
Additionally, she added eight assists and 21 service aces in 2018.
Aiding the junior middle blocker is Dabney. The Cypress, Texas native, tallied 333 kills while averaging 2.41 kills per set. She also collected 13 assists and five service aces.
Burney returns for her senior season as a Lady Tiger after adding 183 kills, 29 assists, and 16 service aces to her resume last season.
The Tigers are slated to face off against three opponents including the matchup tomorrow versus Delaware State University and on Saturday versus South Carolina State and Florida A&M.
Opponent: Delaware State
When: Tomorrow (August 30) | 3:00 p.m.
Where: Montgomery, Ala.
Scouting Delaware State……
The Hornets are coming off of a 2018 season in which they finished with an overall record of 2-27 with wins over South Carolina State and North Carolina A&T.
The Hornets return ten players from last years squad including Mayah Ngundam who led the team with 213 kills a year ago.
DSU also returns sophomore Milexa Cardona who led the way with 695 assists out of a team total 825 assists.
The Hornets are under new leadership in 11 year veteran head coach, Dr. Bruce Atkinson.
In Atkinson's 11-year career as a college head coach, he has led his teams to 217-116 overall record (.652 win percentage), multiple conference championships, five Coach-of-the-Year awards and six 20-win seasons.
Opponent: South Carolina State
When: Saturday (August 31) | 12 p.m.
Where: Montgomery, Ala.
Scouting South Carolina State………
The Bulldogs are coming off of a season in which it finished with an overall record of 1-26.
South Carolina State returns two starters who finished with 193 and 101 kills respectively in the form of Alexus Holt and Desiree Walker. T'Meyah Burgess returns as the team leader in assists with 267.
The Bulldogs are coached by fourth year head coach Monique Lee.
Opponent: Florida A&M
When: Saturday (August 31) | 7 p.m.
Where: Montgomery, Ala.
Scouting Florida A&M…….
The Rattlers enter 2019 after finishing 2018 with an overall record of 11-16 and 9-1 in SWAC play.
FAMU returns its top three players in terms of kills in the form of senior Maria Yvette Garcia who boasted a team high 383 kills, Radka Dimitrova with 248 kills, and Aybuke Kocabiyik with 204 kills.
The Rattlers also return its top two assist setters in Ilayda Nurkan and Elena Dimitrova who each had 571 and 325 assists, respectively.
Florida A&M is led by head coach Gokhan Yilmaz.
JSU AT HOME
The Blue and White's home opener is against Northwestern State on Tuesday, September 3 at 6:30 p.m.
The Lady Tigers play nine home games and also host the SWAC Eastern Division Round-Up, which brings the total to 14 matches played on campus.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more volleyball information and updates please follow the Tigers on Twitter at @GoJSUTigersVB, Facebook at Jackson State Volleyball, @gojsutigersvb on Instagram.
