ATLANTA, Ga. (November 2, 2022) – Redshirt senior forward Ashiala Jackson of Tuskegee has been voted the 2022 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Preseason Player of the Year alongside teammate JuToreyia Willis who is a graduate student at Tuskegee, has earned the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year selection, announced Wednesday by the league office.
The preseason honors and predicted order of finish are voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Jackson was named to the D2 Conference Commissioners Association Second Team All-South Region last season, the lone member from the SIAC to earn honors. The forward was named the SIAC Player of the Year along with earning First Team honors after leading her team and the league in scoring averaging a double-double at 19.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. She finished the year shooting 50 (207-for-414) percent from the field and 76.4 (113-for-148) percent from the free throw line to help clinch the SIAC Western Division title with 15-3 mark and end the year with an overall record of 22-5. Jackson also averaged 2.1 steals per contest and scored in double figures in all but one game this season along with recording 13 double doubles.
Willis, a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, earned Defensive Player of the Year honors after she blocked 23 shots this season and averaged 6.5 rebounds on the season. The 5'11 guard also averaged 14.9 points for the Golden Tigers last season.
New additions to the 2022 SIAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Team include Ta’Quasia Lampkin of Savannah State, Torri Myers and Diamond (D.J.) Jones of Fort Valley State, Tyashia Bostick of Spring Hill, and Laurie Thomas of Kentucky State.
Fans are welcomed to watch the 2022 Cricket SIAC Women's Basketball Virtual Media Day live on Wednesday, November 2 at 10:00 am ET via our
SIAC YouTube channel.
Preseason Superlative Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Ashiala Jackson, Tuskegee
Defensive Player of the Year
JuToreyia Willis, Tuskegee
Women’s Basketball Preseason Rankings by Division
East Division
- Benedict
- Savannah State
- Albany State
- Clark Atlanta
- Edward Waters
- Fort Valley State
- Allen
West Division
- Tuskegee
- Miles
- Lane
- Kentucky State
- LeMoyne-Owen
- Central State
- Spring Hill
| 2022-23 SIAC Women's Basketball Preseason Team |
| First Team |
| Ashiala Jackson* |
Tuskegee |
R-Senior |
Forward |
Merrillville, Ind. |
| Bria Gibbs* |
Savannah State |
Senior |
Center |
Greensboro, NC |
| Corriana Evans* |
Clark Atlanta |
Junior |
Guard/Forward |
Griffin, Ga. |
| JuToreyia Willis* |
Tuskegee |
Graduate Student |
Guard |
Chattanooga, TN |
| Kayla Simmons* |
Lane |
Senior |
Power Forward/Center |
Brandon, MS |
| Second Team |
| Ta’Quasia Lampkin |
Savannah State |
Sophomore |
Forward |
Beaufort, S.C. |
| Torri Myers |
Fort Valley State |
Senior |
Forward |
Buena Vista, Ga. |
| Tyashia Bostick |
Spring Hill |
R-Junior |
Guard/Forward |
Charleston, S.C. |
| Diamond (D.J.) Jones |
Fort Valley State |
Senior |
Guard |
Evergreen, AL |
| Laurie Thomas |
Kentucky State |
Senior |
Guard |
Athens, GA |
*Indicates returner for 2021-22 SIAC All-Conference Team