NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 10, 2021 – Coppin State junior libero/defensive specialist Ashley Roman was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year, presented by TowneBank, the conference announced. The Eagles were also selected as the preseason favorite to win the conference.
All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Roman, the 2020 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, was key in Coppin State winning the Northern Division regular-season title and advancing to the title match of the MEAC Volleyball Championship this past season. She led the conference and ranked 19th nationally in digs with 5.54 per set.
In conference play, that average was 5.31 per set.
Roman had 32 digs twice this past season, matching the program record for most digs in a single match, and she recorded at least 20 digs in 10 of the Eagles’ 16 matches.
A First Team All-MEAC selection in 2020, Roman was also recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), which named her All-East Region Honorable Mention.
Coppin State, which at 11-5 notched its first-ever winning season in 2020 and made its first MEAC title match appearance snice 2013, was chosen as the preseason favorite with eight first-place votes and 115 points.
Howard (three first-place votes, 100 points) was picked to finish second, while Delaware State, with 99 points and one first-place vote, was picked to finish third. Morgan State and Maryland Eastern Shore were tied for fourth with one first-place vote and 72 points each, with North Carolina Central (one first-place vote, 59 points) coming in sixth.
Norfolk State and South Carolina State rounded out the predicted order of finish.
Joining Roman on the Preseason All-MEAC team were fellow Eagles Miajavon Coleman and Kareemah Hopkins, Delaware State’s Sydney Lewis and Valeria Otero, Howard’s Tamar Wells and North Carolina Central’s Ammaarah Williams.
The 2021 season is currently scheduled to begin the weekend of Aug. 27-29, with the 2021 MEAC Volleyball Championship taking place in Howard University’s Burr Gymnasium Nov. 19-21. All eight teams will compete in the championship.
MEAC Volleyball
2021 Preseason All-MEAC Team
As voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors
Preseason Player of the Year: Ashley Roman, Coppin State
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC TEAM
| Name |
Class |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
| Miajavon Coleman |
Sr. |
OH |
Coppin State |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Kareemah Hopkins |
Sr. |
S |
Coppin State |
San Diego, Calif. |
| Ashley Roman |
Jr. |
L |
Coppin State |
Isabela, Puerto Rico |
| Sydney Lewis |
Jr. |
MB |
Delaware State |
Bowie, Md. |
| Valeria Otero |
So. |
OH |
Delaware State |
Manati, Puerto Rico |
| Tamar Wells |
Jr. |
MB |
Howard |
Apopka, Fla. |
| Ammaarah Williams |
r-Jr. |
MB |
North Carolina Central |
Cleveland, Ohio |
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
| School (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Coppin State (8) |
115 |
| 2. Howard (3) |
100 |
| 3. Delaware State (1) |
99 |
| t-4. Morgan State (1) |
72 |
| t-4. Maryland Eastern Shore (1) |
72 |
| 6. North Carolina Central (1) |
59 |
| 7. Norfolk State (1) |
43 |
| 8. South Carolina State |
16 |