BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jackson State’s dynamic duo of Tristan Jarrett and Jayveous McKinnis were awarded the top honors on Tuesday as the Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its men's basketball preseason honors and teams. The preseason selections were voted upon by league head coaches and sports information directors.
 
JSU senior guard Jarrett was tabbed Preseason Player of the Year while junior forward McKinnis was recognized as the league’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Last season Jarrett averaged 16.8 points per game ranking second in the conference in that category. He also contributed 3.3 rebounds per game to go along with 1.8 assists per outing in 32 total games played. One of the league’s most prolific scorers, Jarrett tallied a minimum of twenty-points in 11 games last season while eclipsing the thirty-point mark twice during the regular season in back-to-back outings. 
 
McKinnis averaged 9.5 points per game and led the league in blocks at 1.9 per outing in 32 total games played. He served as key factor for a JSU defense that ranked second in the league in points allowed per game (67.4 ppg). He also paced the league in rebounds during regular season play tallying 9.3 rebounds per outing while ranking seventh in average minutes played per game (30.3 mpg).
 
Both Jarrett and McKinnis were also tabbed Preseason All-SWAC First Team selections at guard and forward respectively. Joining them on the first team is Alcorn State senior guard Troymain Crosby, Texas Southern junior forward Yahuza Rasas, and Texas Southern graduate forward Justin Hopkins.
 
The 2020-21 Preseason All-SWAC Second Team consist of Mississippi Valley State sophomore guard Caleb Hunter, Southern red-shirt senior Ahsante Shivers and graduate Michah Bradford, Arkansas-Pine Bluff senior forward Markedric Bell, and Texas Southern senior forward Chris Baldwin.

Texas Southern tallied the most preseason selections (3), followed by Jackson State (2), Southern (2), Alcorn State (1), Mississippi Valley State (1), and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1).
 
2020-21 SWAC Preseason Player of the Year
Tristan Jarrett- Jackson State
 
2020-21 SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jayveous McKinnis- Jackson State
 
2020-21 Preseason All-SWAC First Team
 

Position	Name	Classification	School	Hometown
Guard	Tristan Jarrett	Senior	Jackson State	Brownsville, Tenn.
Guard	Troymain Crosby	Senior	Alcorn State	Laurel, Miss.
Forward	Yahuza Rasas	Junior	Texas Southern	St. Louis, Mo.
Forward	Justin Hopkins	Graduate	Texas Southern	Huntsville, Ala.
Forward	Jayveous McKinnis	Junior	Jackson State	Brandon, Miss.

 
2020-21 Preseason All-SWAC Second Team
 

Position	Name	Classification	School	Hometown
Guard	Caleb Hunter	Sophomore	Mississippi Valley State	Plymouth, Mich.
Guard	Ahsante Shivers	R-Senior	Southern	Seat Pleasant, Md.
Guard	Micah Bradford	Graduate	Southern	Bourbonnais, Ill.
Forward	Markedric Bell	Senior	Arkansas-Pine Bluff	Starkville, Miss.
Forward	Chris Baldwin	Senior	Texas Southern	Springfield, Mass.

 
Head coaches and sports information directors not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.

Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.

Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.

Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.