BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2022 SWAC Volleyball postseason honors on Thursday evening. The all-conference honors were voted on by the league’s coaches and sports information directors.  

Florida A&M’s Dominique Washington was named Player of the Year, while fellow Rattlers Brooke Lynn Watts, Brooke Hudson, and Irem Ucar were tabbed Newcomer of the Year, Libero of the Year, and Setter of the Year, respectively.

Grambling State’s Haley Gomez was tabbed Blocker of the Year while Prairie View A&M’s Kylee Owens was named Freshman of the Year rounding out the list of SWAC Volleyball individual award winners.
 
Player of the Year
Washington was one of the best hitters in the nation and the top hitter in the SWAC, finishing with 391 kills (49^th in the nation and 1^st in SWAC). During league play she finished first in kills per set (4.02). She was the only player in the league to average four or more kills per set during conference play. She also led the league with 443.5 points. She was also a top contributor on the defensive end finishing second on the team with 272 digs (2.57 digs per set).
 
Blocker of the Year
Gomez finished with 108 total blocks (44 solos and 64 assists) averaging 1.11 blocks per set which was the best in the league. In addition, she leads the conference in total blocks. Gomez finished the season with 157 kills while also posting 76 digs to go along with 1.62 kills per set.
 
Libero of the Year
Hudson was one of the best defensive players in the nation and the top defensive player in the SWAC, finishing with 487 digs (44^th in the nation and 1^st in SWAC). During conference play, she led the league in total digs (267) and digs per set (4.68). Hudson was consistent on the defensive end recording 10+ digs in 28 matches and 20+ in seven matches during regular season competition. She earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Week a total of five times this past season.
 
Setter of the Year
Ucar had a stellar season setting her teammates up for kills while finishing with a league-leading 837 assists (10.2 assists per set) during regular season play. She was the only player in the league to average 10+ assists per set. Ucar also ranked 55^th in the nation in assists per set. 
 
Newcomer of the Year
Watts was a significant contributor for the Rattlers in her first season as she was tabbed as SWAC Newcomer of the Week four times and SWAC Offensive Player of the Week once this past season. During league play, she averaged 2.78 kills per set (7^th in SWAC). Watts also finished eighth in points (317) and points per set (3.23). She recorded a season-high 21 kills during FAMU’s win at Alabama State. Watts also contributed significantly defensively, finishing the season with 218 digs.
 
Freshman of the Year
Owens had a stellar debut season for the Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers. She finished the season ranked first in service aces and third in the league in kills (345), second in kills per set (3.75), and fourth in points (393.5).

The complete listing of all-conference selections and individual awards winners can be found below.
 
Player of the Year
Dominique Washington, Florida A&M

Blocker of the Year
Haley Gomez, Grambling State
 
Libero of the Year
Brooke Hudson, Florida A&M
 
Setter of the Year
Irem Ucar, Florida A&M
 
Newcomer of the Year
Brooke Lynn Watts, Florida A&M
 
Freshman of the Year
Kylee Owens, Prairie View A&M
 
All-SWAC First Team
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Brooke Lynn Watts, Florida A&M
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Jayden James, Grambling State
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Dominique Washington, Florida A&M
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Alexis Williams, Jackson State
Middle Hitter/Blocker: Haley Gomez, Grambling State
Middle Hitter/Blocker: Kalysia Bates, Alabama State
Setter: Irem Ucar, Florida A&M
Setter: Ana Calderon, Grambling State
Libero/Defensive Specialist: Brooke Hudson, Florida A&M
 
All-SWAC Second Team
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Jada Rhodes, Alabama State
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Kylee Owens, Prairie View A&M
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Bailey Duckett, Alabama A&M
Outside/Right Side Hitter: A’Nylah Cobb, Alabama State  
Middle Hitter/Blocker: Aja Jones, Florida A&M
Middle Hitter/Blocker: Taila Gaines, Jackson State
Setter: Alisha Callender, Bethune-Cookman  
Setter: Emily Brooks, Alabama State
Libero/Defensive Specialist: Temperance Chatman, Alabama State

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.