NORFOLK, Va., November 4, 2013 – Florida A&M graduate student Jasmine Grice and Hampton senior Alyssa Bennett were selected the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Co-Preseason Players of the Year, announced on Monday. The four-time MEAC Champion Hampton Lady Pirates were predicted to win the regular season title as voted on by the conference’s head women’s basketball coaches and sports information directors.
Grice, a member of the 2012-13 All-MEAC First Team, averaged 21.7 points (9th nationally) and 6.5 rebounds per game last year. Hampton’s Bennett, the 2012-13 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 10.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals last season for the Lady Pirates.
Hampton totaled 658 points and received 20 of 26 first-place votes to earn the first-place prediction. Last year, the Lady Pirates finished with a 28-6 overall record and 16-0 mark in MEAC play. Hampton welcomes back two starters from last year’s team with the addition of seven newcomers. Hampton fell in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament to Duke last season. The Lady Pirates open the season on November 10th against St. Peter’s College.
North Carolina A&T was picked to finish second with 559 points and four first-place votes. Coppin State (457 points) received one first-place vote and was predicted to finish third, while Florida A&M (429 points) and Howard (429 points) rounded out the top five preseason predictions.
Morgan State was chosen to finish sixth, followed by South Carolina State (7th), Bethune-Cookman (8th), Maryland Eastern Shore (9th), Delaware State (10th), Norfolk State (11th), Savannah State (12th) and North Carolina Central (13th).
Joining Bennett and Grice on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team is Hampton’s Nicole Hamilton, Coppin State’s Kyra Coleman and Eboni Ross of North Carolina A&T.
The 2013-14 MEAC women’s basketball season tips off on Friday, Nov. 8 with seven MEAC teams in action.
The 2014 MEAC Basketball Tournament is scheduled for March 10-15 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.
2013-14 MEAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
(First Place Votes In Parenthesis)
| TEAM |
POINTS |
| 1. Hampton (20) |
658 |
| 2. North Carolina A&T (4) |
559 |
| 3. Coppin State (1) |
457 |
| 4. Florida A&M |
429 |
| 5. Howard |
318 |
| 6. Morgan State |
314 |
| 7. South Carolina State |
303 |
| 8. Bethune-Cookman |
302 |
| 9. Maryland Eastern Shore (1) |
257 |
| 10. Delaware State |
254 |
| 11. Norfolk State |
238 |
| 12. Savannah State |
118 |
| 13. North Carolina Central |
80 |
2013-14 MEAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Team
Co-Preseason Players of the Year: Jasmine Grice, Florida A&M and Alyssa Bennett, Hampton
First Team
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Cl.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Jasmine Grice
|
G
|
Grad
|
Florida A&M
|
Quincy, Fla.
|
|
Nicole Hamilton
|
G
|
Sr.
|
Hampton
|
Hampton, Va.
|
|
Kyra Coleman
|
G/F
|
Sr.
|
Coppin State
|
Henrico, Va.
|
|
Alyssa Bennett
|
F
|
Sr.
|
Hampton
|
Hampton, Va.
|
|
Eboni Ross
|
C
|
So.
|
North Carolina A&T
|
Columbia, S.C.
|
Second Team
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Cl.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Kimberly Sparkman
|
G
|
Sr.
|
Florida A&M
|
Columbia, Tenn.
|
|
Chastity Rene Taylor
|
G
|
Sr.
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
DeSoto, Texas
|
|
Tracy King
|
G/F
|
Sr.
|
North Carolina A&T
|
Alexandria, Va.
|
|
Tierra Hawkins
|
F
|
Jr.
|
Delaware State
|
Clinton, Md.
|
|
Ashleigh Claybrooks
|
C
|
So.
|
Maryland Eastern Shore
|
Manassas, Va.
|
Third Team
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Cl.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Tracey Carrington
|
G
|
Jr.
|
Morgan State
|
Baltimore, Md.
|
|
Terrenisha Hollis
|
G
|
Sr.
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Birmingham, Ala.
|
|
Rachel Gordon
|
F
|
Sr.
|
Norfolk State
|
Woodbridge, Va.
|
|
Larrissa Carter
|
F
|
Sr.
|
Coppin State
|
Atlanta, Ga.
|
|
Charmaine Greene
|
C
|
Sr.
|
Savannah State
|
Savannah, Ga.
|