Voted to Preseason All-MEAC First-Team.Sophomore from Hudsonville, Mi. (Tallahasee, Fl.), originally from Barbados (West Indies). 10.5 6.5 Voted to Preseason All-MEAC Second-Team.Led team in rebounding last season (7.6 rpg), was third in scoring (8.3 ppg).2003 transfer from Tallahassee C.C. Senior from Memphis, Tn.Played 1 1/2 seasons (2002-03, part of 2003-04) at UMES before sitting out last season, re-joined squad this summer.Played in a total of 35 games prior to `05-'06 (5.7 ppg career).ģ5 Jamila Griffith F 6'0 Sr. She shot better from three-point range (35%) than her overall field goal percentage (32%).įreshman from Camden, NJ.Played at Woodrow Wilson HS, where she started for four seasons.Helped team win the South Jersey championship and the New Jersey Group III Tournament of Champions Final in 2005. Walk-on Toni Kennedy led the Lady Hawks in scoring (10.0 ppg), field goals attempted (270) and three-pointers made (57) last season. In their stead, freshman DeVaughn Hailey and senior Rachael Goodwin are the key figures being asked to run the offense. The Lady Hawks did not return any of last season's point guards, following the departures of Erica Bennett (graduation), Ashley Chase (transferring) and Kolade Aderoju (transferred). Veltkamp finished second on the team in scoring and rebounding during her freshman campaign, while Griffith led the team in rebounds per game last season.
UMES placed two women on the preseason All-MEAC teams: sophomore F/C Kristi Veltkamp on the first team and senior F Jamila Griffith on the second team.
The Lady Hawks 10-8 conference record last season gave the team its first winning MEAC season since 1997-'98 (12-6), a span of seven seasons. UMES got career highs in scoring from Toni Kennedy (24 pts) and Jamila Griffith (19) in its first win of the season against Gardner-Webb. 500 mark came two seasons ago (`03-'04) when the team started 2-1. The last time the Lady Hawks were above the. Freshman DeVaughn Hailey and senior Rachael Goodwin, who re-joined the team this summer after a year's absence, make up the starting backcourt. Without a single point guard returning from last season, UMES will have new faces running the offense. Two-time JUCO national champion Natalia Benton joins them to form one of the MEAC's biggest front lines. The Lady Hawks are led in the frontcourt by standouts Kristi Veltkamp and Jamila Griffith, first and second-team preseason All-MEAC selections. UMES has returned its top three scorers and rebounders from 2004-05 in addition to adding several talented pieces to the mix. Under the direction of second-year Head Coach Fred Batchelor, the Lady Hawks have begun one of their most anticipated seasons in years. The Owls, fresh off an 81-38 win at Hampton Sunday, beat UMES 77-53 last season in Philadelphia.
Tuesday's opponent Temple is believed to be the first nationally-ranked women's team ever to play in Princess Anne. This will be the first regular-season home game for seven UMES newcomers, including five freshmen and two junior college transfers. UMES, which split a pair of games at the Lancer Invitational to open the season, has been picked to finish fifth in the preseason MEAC poll. The UMES Lady Hawks play their home opener Tuesday night with match-up against the #18/18 Temple Owls at the Hytche Center. Click here to listen to the game beginning at 6:50 pm Tuesday