SWAC VOLLEYBALL TOURNEY CENTRAL
The Prairie View A&M Volleyball team completed its first major goal of the season as they're the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division Champions for the second straight year. As a result, the Lady Panthers have earned the SWAC West's No. 1 seed heading into this weekend's SWAC Volleyball Tournament in the New Orleans, La. suburb of Westwego.
Twelfth-year Prairie View A&M head volleyball coach Alicia Pete knew her team had won its seventh SWAC Western Division championship under her tutelage following a 3-1 win over Texas Southern on Nov. 1. However, she didn't let her players celebrate too much, as they have more important goals beginning with this weekend's SWAC Tournament.
With a 7-1 conference record, the Lady Panthers are the top seed in their respective bracket which also features Alabama A&M, Southern and Mississippi Valley State. Despite the excitement generated around campus about the team's success, Pete has devoted a considerable amount of time to her team informing them of their ultimate goal – a SWAC Championship.
“Winning the SWAC West puts us in a good bracket because of our overall record,” Pete said. “We don't want to settle with just being the West Division champions. I didn't celebrate that much with my girls because I didn't want them to think it's OK for us just to win the division. Our ultimate goal is to be the SWAC Champions.”
The volleyball program lost a strong group of seniors from last season and faced a rebuilding project as Pete brought in a large group of newcomers. As a result, the team struggled at the beginning of the year to find its stride and identity coupled with the fact that Pete is known to schedule strong non-conference games which prepares her teams for the rigors of league play. Once the team began to gel, the Lady Panthers caught fire at the end of the season, only losing two of their final 10 matches.
“Non-conference matches help us when it comes to playing in the SWAC,” junior team captain Breanna McNeil said. “The (non-conference) matches are tough and it's good to see different styles and varieties. We have to learn how to play through and use the other team's weaknesses to our advantage.”
Pete pointed out the leadership of McNeil, senior captain Jasmine Houston and senior outside hitter Maegan Coleman as a pivotal part of the team's success this season. They were able to help a relatively young team make adjustments and persevere through some tough conference matches.
Coleman, who played a variety of positions for the Lady Panthers last season, has been a solid addition to the starting lineup this year. She ranks third on the team in attacks (409), blocks (43) and kills (160).
“I'm a senior and this is my last year,” Coleman said. “I knew I had to go out with a bang so I practiced a lot during the off-season. I felt like I had to step up into a leadership role as a senior.”
Houston developed into the explosive player and emotional leader that Pete expected her to be and believes in the Lady Panthers' chances of winning if they can do a few things right in the tournament.
“To do well at SWAC, we need to communicate and we have to execute,” Houston said. “We have to finish out close games and play with heart.”
For Pete, winning the SWAC tournament will come down to one crucial element. Defense.
When it comes to the team's defensive schemes, Pete turns to longtime assistant coach Emil Chuidian for assistance. A 14-year veteran of the Prairie View A&M volleyball staff, Chuidian's task is to make the necessary adjustments on the defensive side of the ball.
“Since the mid-point of the season we have really concentrated a lot on our defense,” Chuidian said. “We are a young defensive squad as we rely a lot on three freshmen and one sophomore to cover us defensively.”
The Lady Panthers begin tourney play on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. versus Mississippi Valley State. Live stats will be available on www.SWAC.org.
