The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2008 preseason soccer honors Wednesday with Jackson State teammates Naira Crimiel and Rochelle Moncrieffe claimed top honors. The team was voted on by the schools’ coaches and sports information contacts.

Crimiel, a 5-foot-3 sophomore midfielder from McComb, MS, was named preseason offensive player of the year following a successful 2007 campaign. Last season, she played in 17 games and tallied 18 goals and seven assists (43 points). She connected on three game-winning goals and had a shot-on-goal percentage of 69 percent. She had three games of at least two goals and two matches of four goals scored. She was first in the conference averaging 2.12 points per game, first in goals scored and third in assists. She was named conference player of the week four times and was the 2007 SWAC Offensive Player of the Year. Crimiel, also a preseason All-SWAC first team member, was named the 2007 NCAA D-I statistical champion for points per game and goals per game.

Moncrieffe, a 5-foot-10 sophomore defender/forward from Coconut Creek, FL, was voted as the preseason defensive player of the year. She recorded six goals and seven assists last season while assisting in one of the stingiest defensive efforts in the conference. JSU allowed the fewest goals in the conference - sixteen (16) - while posting an goals-against average of 1.15 per game. The team had seven shutouts last season while notching 78 team saves. She ended the 2007 season as a member of the all-conference second team. Moncrieffe was named to the 2008 preseason All-SWAC second team.

Zachene Crooks, a 5-foot-4 senior forward from Westmoreland, Jamaica, was also selected to the All-SWAC first team. Last season she recorded seven goals.

The original story was published here: http://jsutigers.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/081408aaa.html

Tags: black college soccer, hbcu soccer, jackson state, jackson state tigers, naira crimiel, rochelle moncrieffe, swac, zachene crooks