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Werema, Malone take top honors in 2007-08 SWAC Preseason Women’s Basketball Team
October 17, 2007
Prairie View A&M’s Gaati Werema was selected as the 2007-08 Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Preseason Player of the Year. Alabama A&M’s Christian Malone was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Defending tournament champion Prairie View A&M University was selected to finish first in the conference.
 Werema, a 6’0 sophomore forward from Orlando, Fla., led the conference in rebounds last season, averaging 10.2 rebounds per game. She was also fourth in scoring with 14.8 ppg. Werema helped lead her team to the school’s first winning season in women’s basketball, with an overall record of 19-13. The Lady Panthers shared the regular season SWAC title with Jackson State University. In the 2007 SWAC Basketball Tournament, the Lady Panthers went on to win their first tournament title.
Malone, a 5’8 senior guard from Athens, Ala., led the Lady Bulldogs in steals, averaging 2.1 per game. She also led the conference in free throw percentage (.833) and was second in assists, averaging 3.97 per game. The Lady Bulldogs finished third in the conference with a 17-13 overall record, 13-5 in the SWAC.
Joining Werema on the preseason first team are Jackson State guard LaSharee Christian, Mississippi Valley State forward Portia Wilson, Prairie View A&M guard Shavonne Smith and Southern University center Fredrieka Lewis.
Malone is joined on the second team by fellow teammate Felicia Drummond from Alabama A&M, Arkansas-Pine Bluff guard Arica Green, Alcorn State forward Shawntawnee Collins and Texas Southern center Ashlee Norwood.
2007-08 SWAC Preseason Women’s Basketball Honors
| First Team |
| LaSharee Christian |
Jackson State |
5-6 |
G |
Sr. |
Bellflower, Calif. |
| Shavonne Smith |
Prairie View A&M |
5-8 |
G |
Sr. |
Riverside, Calif. |
| Portia Wilson |
Miss. Valley State |
5-10 |
F |
Jr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| Gaati Werema |
Prairie View A&M |
6-0 |
F |
So. |
Miami, Fla. |
| Fredrieka Lewis |
Southern Univ. |
6-4 |
C |
R-Jr. |
Beaumont, Texas |
| |
| |
| Second Team |
| Christian Malone |
Alabama A&M |
5-8 |
G |
Sr. |
Athens, Ala. |
| Arica Green |
Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
5-9 |
G |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| Felicia Drummond |
Alabama A&M |
5-11 |
F |
Sr. |
Cuba, Ala. |
| Shawntawnee Collins |
Alcorn State |
6-1 |
F |
Jr. |
Denver, Colo. |
| Ashlee Norwood |
Texas Southern |
6-5 |
C |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
The Lady Panthers made school history last season, earning the program’s first winning season.
Prairie View A&M finished with a 19-13 overall record, 14-4 in the SWAC. The Lady Panthers finished the regular season tied for first place with Jackson State. PVAM went on to win their first SWAC tournament title and fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to North Carolina.
Jackson State received 151 votes for second place. The Lady Tigers finished the year with the best overall record in the conference at 22-10. JSU finished second in the SWAC Tournament and receive a WNIT bid, where they lost in the first round to Tulane. Alabama A&M was chosen third, Arkansas- Pine Bluff fourth and Alcorn State fifth.
Finishing the list is Southern University (92 pts), Alabama State (91), Grambling State (85), Mississippi Valley State (67) and Texas Southern (32)
| Institution |
1st-place
votes |
total
points |
06-07
reg. season finish |
2007 SWAC
tourney finish |
| Prairie View A&M |
15 |
184 |
t-1st |
1st |
| Jackson State |
1 |
151 |
t-1st |
2nd |
| Alabama A&M |
1 |
144 |
3rd |
Quarters |
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
1 |
101 |
5th |
Semis |
| Alcorn State |
0 |
97 |
4th |
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| Southern University |
1 |
92 |
8th |
Quarters |
| Alabama State |
0 |
91 |
6th |
Quarters |
| Grambling State |
0 |
85 |
7th |
Semis |
| Mississippi Valley State |
0 |
67 |
9th |
Quarters |
| Texas Southern |
0 |
32 |
10th |
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