Prairie View A&M coach Alicia Pete and Assistant coach Tacho Cloud have brought in a mixture of junior college transfers and able freshman, contributing to what they are calling one of their strongest recruiting classes and recent memory.
The challenge they have as coaches is taking those pieces and molding them with the returning players to make a well-oiled machine that will work on the the court. Forming chemistry can be hard, but outside hitter Candyce Alexander and middle blocker Magda Zietek should have a leg up on the other newcomers.
Alexander and Zietek played together for two seasons at Missouri State University - West Plains for two years before transferring together to Prairie View A&M to become a part of the Lady Panthers.
Alexander is a 5-11 volume hitter with the athleticism to help the Lady Panthers out defensively on the front lines. She is a second-team NCJAA All-American that finished 45th in the nation with 845 total attacks. The Bedford, Texas native also finished 67th nationally with 284 kills as she helped her team finish the season with a 28-10 record in her sophomore campaign.
Defensively, Alexander provided support with 80 block assists, which ranked 44th nationally. She also contributed with 296 digs (2.18 digs per set).
Zietek was a standout middle hitter at Missouri State University-West Plains before signing with the Lady Panthers. She finished her sophomore campaign ranked 41st in the nation (NJCAA Div. I) with 104 total blocks and ranked 51st with .95 blocks per set.
Zietek also proved to be accurate when on the attack. Her .272 hitting percentage ranked 73rd nationally. She tallied a career-high 15 kills with a .407 attack percentage in a 3-2 loss to Hillsborough Community College on Nov. 15, 2012. Prior to that, she recorded a career-high 10 block game in a 3-2 win over Indian Hills Community College-Ottumwa.
Both players are expected to contribute heavily this season, and they plan on using their compatibility on and off the court to give the Panthers an advantage in trying to claim another SWAC West Championship as well as a SWAC Tournament Championship.
