BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference has named Alabama State’s Jyriah Morgan, Bethune-Cookman’s Sthefany Carvalho, Prairie View A&M’s Tayler Ruffin, Alabama A&M’s Briana Smith and Rayishon Jackman along with Jackson State’s Shelby Zanders its Volleyball Players of the Week for their outstanding performances this past week.

Offensive Player of the Week
Morgan opened the season collecting 39 kills at the Wildcat Classic hosted by the University of Arizona. She hit .333 during the three matches and averaged 13 kills per match and 4.33 kills per set.
 
Defensive Player of the Week
Carvalho contributed 58 digs across three matches, averaging 4.83 digs per set. She also held a .933 serve-receive mark as well. 
 
Co-Setter of the Week
Ruffin participated in 10 sets where she led the Panthers' offense while distributing 64 assists and averaging 6.4 assists per set. 
 
Co-Setter of the Week
Smith played 10 sets averaging 6.9 kills per set against South Carolina State, Morgan State and Delaware State. She posted 29 assists, along with seven digs and two kills in the four-set win over South Carolina State.
 
Co-Newcomer of the Week
Zanders played in three matches tallying 14 kills to go along with four digs and four solo blocks as the Lady Tigers opened their 2025 campaign.
 
Co-Newcomer of the Week
Jackman played 10 sets averaging 4.05 points, 3.4 kills and 2.0 digs per set against South Carolina State, Morgan State and Delaware State. She finished the three matches with 34 kills and 20 digs.

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.