Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

ATLANTA – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) announced its preseason volleyball honors on Tuesday and for the second consecutive season, Bria Bronston of Claflin University was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
 
Joining Bronston on the preseason first team is teammate Jhi Piper-Murles, who was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year.
 
All preseason honors are voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
Bronston, a 6-1 senior outside hitter from Findlay, Ohio led the SIAC in 2015 with 404 kills. She also tallied a hitting percentage of .336 and recorded 74 blocks. Last season, Bronston surpassed the 1,000th career kill mark and has 1,057 kills heading into her senior season. In addition, she was named the 2015 SIAC Co-MVP and the 2015 SIAC Offensive Player of the Year while earning SIAC First Team and All-Tournament Honors. Bronston was also selected to the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association All-South Region Volleyball Second Team.
 
Piper-Murles, a 5-6 libero of Irmo, S.C. led Claflin with 348 digs last year which ranked second in the SIAC. She recorded double-digit digs in 15-of-34 matches and notched a season-high of 23 against Albany State.
 
Kentucky State, the reigning conference champion led the preseason teams with five selections, ahead of Claflin who finished with three.
 
In the predicted order of finish, Clafin received seven first place votes and was picked to win the east division with 61 points. Albany State (51) received four first place votes and was picked second, ahead of Clark Atlanta (44), Benedict (40), Fort Valley State (21), and Paine (14).
 
In the west division, Spring Hill led the poll with 72 points and eight first place votes. Kentucky State (67) followed in second with three first place votes. Tuskegee (55) was picked third ahead of Miles (36), Central State (29), LeMoyne-Owen (27), and Lane (19).
 
2016 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
Bria Bronston, Claflin University
 
2016 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
Jhi Piper-Murles, Claflin University
 
2016 Predicted Order of Finish
First place votes in parenthesis
 
East Division
1.    Claflin – 61 (7)
2.    Albany State – 51 (4)
3.    Clark Atlanta – 44
4.    Benedict – 40
5.    Fort Valley State – 21
6.    Paine – 14
 
West Division
1.    Spring Hill – 72 (8)
2.    Kentucky State – 67 (3)
3.    Tuskegee – 55
4.    Miles – 36
5.    Central State – 29
6.    LeMoyne-Owen – 27
7.    Lane – 19
 
 

First Team	Position	Second Team
Bria Bronston Claflin Year: Senior Hometown: Findlay, Ohio	OH	Tahje Ochs Kentucky State Year: Senior Hometown:  Larned, Kan.
Madison Seuzeneau Spring Hill Year: Senior Hometown: Tampa, Fla.	OH	Aaliyah Lawson Benedict Year: Junior Hometown: Alexander City, Ala.
Micah Rogers Kentucky State Year: Senior Hometown:  Indianapolis, Ind.	OH	Sierra Scoggins Clark Atlanta Year: Senior Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev.
Pamela Allen Tuskegee Year: Senior Hometown: Montgomery, Ala.	MB	Payton Richardson Kentucky State Year: Sophomore Hometown:  Ypsilanti, Mich.
Kirtrice Ploucha Kentucky State Year: Senior Hometown: Houston, Texas	MB	Savannah Becnel Spring Hill Year: R-Junior Hometown:  Metairie, La.
Jhi Piper-Murles Claflin Year: Sophomore Hometown: Irmo, S.C.	L	Zahria Radford Tuskegee Year: Sophomore Hometown:  Manvel, Texas
Anjelique Kyle Kentucky State Year: Senior Hometown: Houston, Texas	S	Sonia Rosales Claflin Year: Senior Hometown:  Victorville,Calif.