Grambling State University Athletics

GRAMBLING, La. – Grambling State's head women's volleyball coach Demetria Keys-Johnson and her 2017 squad are ready to take on the upcoming season. After completing her spring season players' evaluations and productive summer workouts, Johnson has her team ready to compete for a top ranking in the Southwestern Athletic Conference this season.

Johnson returns 11 players from last season's team that went 7-18 overall and 5-13 in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play and welcomes in five newcomers to the program for 2017. Three of the 11 returnees missed games throughout the 2016 season due to injuries and illness at crucial times.

Leading the returnees are seniors Desiree Bishop (middle blocker), Diemend Richardson (setter) and juniors Kevrion Ward (right side hitter) and Javienna Jones (middle blocker/outside hitter). Last season Bishop played in only 40 sets and averaged 0.75 blocks per set. Richardson played in 78 sets, averaged 1.27 digs per set, and was second on the team in total assists (874) and assists per set (3.28).
 
Ward, who was named to the 2017 Preseason All-SWAC Second Team, saw action in 84 sets and led the team in kills (193) and points (228, 2.71 per set), while also adding 0.58 blocks per set. Jones was a key contributor to the Lady Tigers last season tallying a team-leading 102 kills in 75 sets played and was second on the team with 45 blocks (0.6 per set).
 
Sophomore Chasity Nicks (outside hitter) also returns for the Lady Tigers. Last season Nicks played in a team high 87 sets and was second on the team in points (224, 2.57 per set) and total attacks (580, 2.14 per set).
 
The Lady Tigers will be challenged in their non-conference schedule to start the season that will prepare them for conference play. This year's schedule features seven home matches, two SWAC Round-Up tournaments, and tournaments at Alabama State University, Mississippi State University, Southern Arkansas University, and University of Arkansas-Monticello.
 
Grambling opens the season tomorrow in the ISTAP Tournament hosted by Alabama State on Aug. 25-26. The Lady Tigers then travel to Tougaloo, Miss. on Aug. 29 to take on the Tougaloo College Lady Bulldogs.
 
The Lady Tigers return to the state of Louisiana to take on McNeese State in Lake Charles on Sept. 4 before heading to Starkville, Miss. to play in a tournament at Mississippi State (Sept. 8-9).
 
Grambling will have its home opener against Jarvis Christian College on Sept. 12 and will return home to host Centenary College on Sept. 18 following a weekend tournament at Southern Arkansas University (Sept. 15-16). The Lady Tigers will then travel to Houston, Tex. for the SWAC volleyball round-up held at Texas Southern (Sept. 22-24). Grambling will play five conference opponents over the weekend (Jackson State, Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State).
 
On Sept. 28, Grambling will welcome Tougaloo College into Hobdy Assembly Center for a non-conference match. The following Sunday and Monday Grambling will play host to Prairie View A&M (Oct. 1) and Texas Southern (Oct. 2), respectively.
 
Following the short three-game home stand, Johnson and the team will hit the road for remainder of October and part of November. October's road schedule includes a trip to Centenary College (Oct. 5), conference matchups against Southern University (Oct. 8) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Oct. 12), and a doubleheader at Dillard University (Oct. 17). Grambling will then play in another SWAC volleyball round-up in Montgomery, Ala. on Oct. 20-22 and will wrap up the month with road contests at Texas Southern (Oct. 29) and Prairie View A&M (Oct. 30).
 
A trip to Monticello, Ark. for a one-day, two-match tournament versus Arkansas-Monticello and Ouachita Baptist on Oct. 7 will wrap up the Lady Tigers road-game schedule. Grambling will return to the friendly confines of Hobdy Assembly Center to end the regular season against Southern University (Nov. 5) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov. 9).
 
The 2017 SWAC Volleyball Tournament is hosted by Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss. and will run from November 17-19.