ALBANY, Ga. - The Albany State University Women's Basketball team have been picked to finish fifth in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) East Division during the 2019 – 2020 basketball season, announced Wednesday by the league office.
The Albany State women's basketball team finished the 2018-2019 campaign 9-19 overall ans 8-7 in SIAC play. Entering her third season with the Lady Tigers, Bey is coming off a great season where she garnered two distinctive honors for her efforts. As the reigning SIAC Player of the Year and Top Female Student- Athlete of the Year at Benedict, Bey led the Lady Tigers to an extraordinary undefeated season in conference play last year.
Miles' senior guard Najla Shamsid-Deen was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. As a junior, Shamsid-Deen averaged 5.9 points and 2.1 rebounds for the Lady Bears and was the catalyst of their stellar defense only allowing teams to score 54.8 points a game.
Albany State will open up their season in the Surcheros Lady Blazers GSC/SIAC Basketball against the University of West Florida on November 8
th at 1:00 p.m. in Valdosta, Ga.
2019-20 SIAC Women's Basketball Preseason Team
First Team
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
Classification |
Hometown |
| Ay'Anna Bey * |
Forward |
Benedict |
Junior |
Blackwood, NJ |
| Tiffany Valentine* |
Forward |
Spring Hill |
Redshirt Senior |
Houston, Texas |
| Alicia Franklin* |
Guard |
Fort Valley State |
Senior |
Atlanta, Ga |
| Reagan Jackson* |
Guard |
Clark Atlanta |
Sophomore |
Chesapeake, Va. |
| Keondra Archie* |
Forward |
Paine |
Junior |
Eastover, SC |
Second Team
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
Classification |
Hometown |
| Takyra Gilbert* |
Guard |
Central State |
Senior |
Hamilton, Ohio |
| Jessie Kee* |
Guard/Forward |
Kentucky State |
Senior |
Indianapolis, In. |
| Reyana Miller* |
Guard |
Clark Atlanta |
Senior |
Rialto, Ca. |
| India Blakely* |
Guard |
Tuskegee |
Senior |
Troy, Ala. |
| Shelle Daniels |
Small Forward |
Tuskegee |
Senior |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
| Najla Shamsid-Deen |
Guard |
Miles |
Senior |
Stone Mountain, Ga. |
*Indicates returner for 2018-19 SIAC All-Conference Team
Superlatives
Preseason Player of the Year: Ay'Anna Bey, Benedict
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Najla Shamsid-Deen, Miles
Preseason Rankings
Eastern Division
1. Benedict
2. Clark Atlanta
3. Savannah State
4. Paine
5. Albany State
6. Fort Valley State
Western Division
1. Kentucky State
2. Tuskegee
3. Central State
4. Lane
5. Miles
6. LeMoyne-Owen
7. Spring Hill
