August 4, 2025 • 13 mins
Above The Net with Coach Tamika Newman
In this season-opening episode of Above The Net, Coach Tamika Newman kicks off the 2025 volleyball season with an in-depth look at the teams, players, and storylines shaping the Southwestern Athletic Conference. From preseason expectations to key matchups on the horizon, Coach Newman sets the stage for an exciting year of SWAC volleyball action. Get ready for expert insights, fresh perspectives, and everything you need to follow the season—all from a courtside view that keeps you Above The Net.
In this season-opening episode of Above The Net, Coach Tamika Newman kicks off the 2025 volleyball season with an in-depth look at the teams, players, and storylines shaping the Southwestern Athletic Conference. From preseason expectations to key matchups on the horizon, Coach Newman sets the stage for an exciting year of SWAC volleyball action. Get ready for expert insights, fresh perspectives, and everything you need to follow the season—all from a courtside view that keeps you Above The Net.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Well there.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you for tuning in to the above the net
Slack Volleyball News Season three. You're listening to your host,
Tamika Newman, Volleyball Analysts, two time graduate from a Swack.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Institution, two thousand and six Swack Volleyball Player of the Year.
To make a long story short, I am Swack. This
segment of Doctor Mike Prince's already.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Popular show intends to highlight illegalformances by teams and individuals,
interview current and former players, and all of this in
order to give coaches.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Parents and players an inside look into a black volleyball program.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
So I'm excited to jump into today's show. Today we
are gonna set the stage for the upcoming Swack Volleyball season.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
We're gonna start with some history.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Of Slack volleyball, and we're gonna look at the last
three years, those teams that won the conference, some of
the elite players that were featured, and then we're gonna
get into new head coaches in.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
The conference and stop and highlight the new coach.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
At my alma mater, Prayerview A and M and coach
Dottie Hampson. So thank you for joining me. It's gonna
be an incredible season. If you've been following Slack volleyball,
the talent is insane, the coaching is excellent. It is
just a great product, and I'm proud and honored to
highlight it for you. So let's get into Southwestern Athletic
(01:41):
Conference volleyball, a.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Very storied conference for volleyball.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
All of the information we could collect says that the
first conference championship was in nineteen seventy nine.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
However, we weren't able to get as much data until
nineteen eighty nine.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
So it looks like Alabama A and M is one
of the most winning in pro winning this programs in
the conference history, especially in the two thousands, and that
upsets me, brings back bad memories because I can remember
some of those titles.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
They won six straight titles from two.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Thousand to two thousand and five, so I was in
college two thousand and four to two thousand and eight,
so we were one of those fools that was able
to stop the streak, and I cannot tell you how
exciting it was to do. So they picked back up
start winning. Prayerview wanted in six I can't recall who wanted. Well,
(02:42):
they picked back up Prayview one and O six. They
wanted oh seven to two thousand and ten. And then
this giant of a coach, coach Penny Lucas White, shows
up to Prayerview A and M and goes on a
tear coach coaching her I warnted to went on a
tear through the mid two thousand tens for the team
(03:06):
twenty thirteen to twenty eighteen, and they were the teams
to be and they were winning in such dominant fashion.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
It was so impressive.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
But in industrial regard as one of the most decorated
programs over the years. I can remember gramly and having
some tough teams. They had a great rivalry with Preview
and them. Cannot leave out Jackson State who was led
by Gug Gray who recently retired Rose Washington. So Jackson
State had a run in there. But let's look at
(03:37):
the last three years. I've had the opportunity to commentate
the last three SWACK Conference championships and if I had
to say one word to describe them, blocking, blocking, blocking
in terms of mid major volleyball, the Swack block.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
At any elite level, it was.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Incredible to watch from where I sat on the sideline.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
The blocking was insane.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
So let's go twenty twenty two, Florida and them. Johan
Gohan Joms excuse me, came to Florida and m did
a great job recruiting, establishing some relationships with clubs around
the country, and started to put together.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
These super teams.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It included athletes from all over the country. We know
Sam You's alumni reach is very wise. He also was
one of those teams that started getting those kids out
of the transport portal. You would see you would see
athletes from the Southeast region part of the country transferring
in to play at Sam You. So in twenty twenty two,
Sam You won the SWAC Tournament. They defeated Alabama State
(04:52):
in the final and that was their straight tournament, second
straight tournament title as they won in twenty twenty one
as well.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
In twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Jackson State swept floor An.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
M in straight sets to win the tournament.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
That was jasu's first conference victory since twenty twenty one.
Coach Rose Washington also earned Coach of the Year honors
that year, as.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Well as Alexis Williams.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
If you've been paying attention to SWACK volleyball the last
four years.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Then you know the name Alexis Williams. She is from
the Houston area. She was named tournament mint MVP. This
kid plays amazing. She is a gamer.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
When you look at her during tournament times, you can
tell she's a veteran. She rises to the occasion. She
makes her teammates rise to the occasion.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I had an.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Opportunity as an assistant for Prayer You in the twenty
and twenty twenty one season to know just how difficult
it is to get your team ready to defend Alexis
Williams outside hit her from Jackson State University.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Let's those twenty four Florida A and M regained the title.
They defeated Jackson State. Oh, this game, it was amazing.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
In Mark Samue's third championship in four years under head
coach Gohan Yomas. He builts that on a flawless conference run.
Let's now shift to some of the coaching changes.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
All right, we see down in Mississippi.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Valley, Kimberly Wade taken over as head coach. She has
twenty years of experience. Excited about Valley getting a veteran coach.
Valley sometimes isn't a difficult spot for.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
A few reasons.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I could guess it has something to do with location,
program success, and then probably scholarship a lot ness all.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Right over in Alcorn.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Over at Alcorn they have an inelam head coach who
was already on the staff, Gabrielle Herrick.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
She has been a GA and an assistant coach.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
She seems to be very resourceful with finding mentors and
using resources as I can see that she has been
involved with the American Volleyball Coaches Association in their diversity
and mentorship programs.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
So great pick out Corn states.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
The continuity is obviously a positive indent and looks like
this young lady is really excited and really motivated to
be professionally developed and that's always going to be work
well for the student athletes.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
And then there's my alma mater. I have a Dottie
Hampton story. Dotty Hampton is the new coach. As a
young coach.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Some time ago, probably fifteen years ago, I too was
a recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Diversity Awards.
Got a chance to go to the men's college Final
in Chicago, and around the final weekend was a coach's convention.
(08:07):
At that convention, coaches sat through multiple sessions for professional development.
I was matched with Dottie Hampton as a mentor, so
we have some history there. Then later was reintroduced to
her by coach Penny Lucas White a few years ago
again during the American Volleyball Coaches Association Coaches Convention. So
(08:31):
very highly regarded coach in the volleyball community. She is
from the Midwestern part of the country.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Let's get into some of her experience.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
So she has been a head coach, including this recent appointment,
four times. Following her appointment as the Prayer View and
m head volleyball coach, she was at the University of
South Carolina.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Wilmington, Coast of Carolina.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Niagara University, and a University of South Carolina.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
She had a story career as a player.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
She was a All Conference honoree, a two times All
Region selection, and ABCA All American pick in her senior year,
and then she played professionally in Europe for four seasons.
So she brings a wealth of knowledge. She comes from
a different part of the country. I'm excited about the
connections that prayers you will have there and that she
(09:30):
has there and being able to get some student athletes
from that part of the country to come down to
good old Texas. Of course, she follows in the footsteps
of a prayer you A and m great.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
She was a two thousand and twenty.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Four inducty into the PVAMU Hall of Fame class with
myself and that is Sharie Lindsay.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Scherie Lendsey moved on to.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
The University of Memphis, and as an alumni and friend,
can't be more patty for her and where she left
the program. She left the program in a great state.
Coach Hampton did come in a little late when you
look at the recruiting season, but she came in and
(10:14):
got to work.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
She had some camps there this summer. She's building those
relationships in.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
The Houston area with the local clubs and she's reached
out to massage or to develop those alumni relationships. So
all things point to a positive tenure, a positive the
Dottie Hampton era being a positive woman.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
As alumni, I certainly have a vested interest in that
being the case.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
All right, So KWHAK volleyball student athletes are reporting probably
an under a week now.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
We're under a week from two A days, three A days.
Whatever coaches are doing.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Nowadays, maybe the heat and some of the other things
don't allow for three days, but I can remember a
time that shout out to coach Alicia Peak, Hall of
Fame coach. We did three of days. We started with
running at about five thirty six o'clock, did an on
court session mid morning, and then we came back in
the evening. I remember calling my grandmother and telling her
(11:20):
what did us sign up for? And why did you
release me to this woman. That's after realizing that it's
hot in Houston in August, but it's.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
A couple of drearies warmer in p Reverview, Texas, and
running a mile or two.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
In the middle of the day was absolute torture. So
I hope you learned something today. I hope you are
excited about what's to come. Already working out dates to
interview coaches. One of our favorites has moved on, and
coach Jarie lindsay she loved visiting with us. We also
(11:59):
had got a chance to catch up with coach Penny Luka,
his wife, and she's a great.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
And so this year we hope that we can expand
our reach.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
We can get the Alabama A and M coach on,
we can get the new coaches at Alcorn State and
Mississippi Valley, and then we want to go over to
the East coast the Filne Cookman. We've had Yo Gohan
Yoma's on and heard about the tremendous work he's doing
with getting his athletes mentally prepared.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Look forward to him coming on the show again. And
of course, if you're an alumni of.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Any of the Slack Slack volleyball programs, please please reach
out to me at author T Newman at gmail dot com.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
We want to get you on the show.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
We want to highlight what your experience was like what
you're doing now in any advice you have to an
up and coming volleyball process.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
That's today's show.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Have a great, have a great and I can't wait
until episode one.
Well there.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you for tuning in to the above the net
Slack Volleyball News Season three. You're listening to your host,
Tamika Newman, Volleyball Analysts, two time graduate from a Swack.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Institution, two thousand and six Swack Volleyball Player of the Year.
To make a long story short, I am Swack. This
segment of Doctor Mike Prince's already.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Popular show intends to highlight illegalformances by teams and individuals,
interview current and former players, and all of this in
order to give coaches.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Parents and players an inside look into a black volleyball program.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
So I'm excited to jump into today's show. Today we
are gonna set the stage for the upcoming Swack Volleyball season.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
We're gonna start with some history.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Of Slack volleyball, and we're gonna look at the last
three years, those teams that won the conference, some of
the elite players that were featured, and then we're gonna
get into new head coaches in.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
The conference and stop and highlight the new coach.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
At my alma mater, Prayerview A and M and coach
Dottie Hampson. So thank you for joining me. It's gonna
be an incredible season. If you've been following Slack volleyball,
the talent is insane, the coaching is excellent. It is
just a great product, and I'm proud and honored to
highlight it for you. So let's get into Southwestern Athletic
(01:41):
Conference volleyball, a.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Very storied conference for volleyball.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
All of the information we could collect says that the
first conference championship was in nineteen seventy nine.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
However, we weren't able to get as much data until
nineteen eighty nine.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
So it looks like Alabama A and M is one
of the most winning in pro winning this programs in
the conference history, especially in the two thousands, and that
upsets me, brings back bad memories because I can remember
some of those titles.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
They won six straight titles from two.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Thousand to two thousand and five, so I was in
college two thousand and four to two thousand and eight,
so we were one of those fools that was able
to stop the streak, and I cannot tell you how
exciting it was to do. So they picked back up
start winning. Prayerview wanted in six I can't recall who wanted. Well,
(02:42):
they picked back up Prayview one and O six. They
wanted oh seven to two thousand and ten. And then
this giant of a coach, coach Penny Lucas White, shows
up to Prayerview A and M and goes on a
tear coach coaching her I warnted to went on a
tear through the mid two thousand tens for the team
(03:06):
twenty thirteen to twenty eighteen, and they were the teams
to be and they were winning in such dominant fashion.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
It was so impressive.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
But in industrial regard as one of the most decorated
programs over the years. I can remember gramly and having
some tough teams. They had a great rivalry with Preview
and them. Cannot leave out Jackson State who was led
by Gug Gray who recently retired Rose Washington. So Jackson
State had a run in there. But let's look at
(03:37):
the last three years. I've had the opportunity to commentate
the last three SWACK Conference championships and if I had
to say one word to describe them, blocking, blocking, blocking
in terms of mid major volleyball, the Swack block.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
At any elite level, it was.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Incredible to watch from where I sat on the sideline.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
The blocking was insane.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
So let's go twenty twenty two, Florida and them. Johan
Gohan Joms excuse me, came to Florida and m did
a great job recruiting, establishing some relationships with clubs around
the country, and started to put together.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
These super teams.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It included athletes from all over the country. We know
Sam You's alumni reach is very wise. He also was
one of those teams that started getting those kids out
of the transport portal. You would see you would see
athletes from the Southeast region part of the country transferring
in to play at Sam You. So in twenty twenty two,
Sam You won the SWAC Tournament. They defeated Alabama State
(04:52):
in the final and that was their straight tournament, second
straight tournament title as they won in twenty twenty one
as well.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
In twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Jackson State swept floor An.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
M in straight sets to win the tournament.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
That was jasu's first conference victory since twenty twenty one.
Coach Rose Washington also earned Coach of the Year honors
that year, as.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Well as Alexis Williams.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
If you've been paying attention to SWACK volleyball the last
four years.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Then you know the name Alexis Williams. She is from
the Houston area. She was named tournament mint MVP. This
kid plays amazing. She is a gamer.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
When you look at her during tournament times, you can
tell she's a veteran. She rises to the occasion. She
makes her teammates rise to the occasion.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I had an.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Opportunity as an assistant for Prayer You in the twenty
and twenty twenty one season to know just how difficult
it is to get your team ready to defend Alexis
Williams outside hit her from Jackson State University.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Let's those twenty four Florida A and M regained the title.
They defeated Jackson State. Oh, this game, it was amazing.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
In Mark Samue's third championship in four years under head
coach Gohan Yomas. He builts that on a flawless conference run.
Let's now shift to some of the coaching changes.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
All right, we see down in Mississippi.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Valley, Kimberly Wade taken over as head coach. She has
twenty years of experience. Excited about Valley getting a veteran coach.
Valley sometimes isn't a difficult spot for.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
A few reasons.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I could guess it has something to do with location,
program success, and then probably scholarship a lot ness all.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Right over in Alcorn.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Over at Alcorn they have an inelam head coach who
was already on the staff, Gabrielle Herrick.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
She has been a GA and an assistant coach.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
She seems to be very resourceful with finding mentors and
using resources as I can see that she has been
involved with the American Volleyball Coaches Association in their diversity
and mentorship programs.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
So great pick out Corn states.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
The continuity is obviously a positive indent and looks like
this young lady is really excited and really motivated to
be professionally developed and that's always going to be work
well for the student athletes.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
And then there's my alma mater. I have a Dottie
Hampton story. Dotty Hampton is the new coach. As a
young coach.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Some time ago, probably fifteen years ago, I too was
a recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Diversity Awards.
Got a chance to go to the men's college Final
in Chicago, and around the final weekend was a coach's convention.
(08:07):
At that convention, coaches sat through multiple sessions for professional development.
I was matched with Dottie Hampton as a mentor, so
we have some history there. Then later was reintroduced to
her by coach Penny Lucas White a few years ago
again during the American Volleyball Coaches Association Coaches Convention. So
(08:31):
very highly regarded coach in the volleyball community. She is
from the Midwestern part of the country.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Let's get into some of her experience.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
So she has been a head coach, including this recent appointment,
four times. Following her appointment as the Prayer View and
m head volleyball coach, she was at the University of
South Carolina.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Wilmington, Coast of Carolina.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Niagara University, and a University of South Carolina.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
She had a story career as a player.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
She was a All Conference honoree, a two times All
Region selection, and ABCA All American pick in her senior year,
and then she played professionally in Europe for four seasons.
So she brings a wealth of knowledge. She comes from
a different part of the country. I'm excited about the
connections that prayers you will have there and that she
(09:30):
has there and being able to get some student athletes
from that part of the country to come down to
good old Texas. Of course, she follows in the footsteps
of a prayer you A and m great.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
She was a two thousand and twenty.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Four inducty into the PVAMU Hall of Fame class with
myself and that is Sharie Lindsay.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Scherie Lendsey moved on to.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
The University of Memphis, and as an alumni and friend,
can't be more patty for her and where she left
the program. She left the program in a great state.
Coach Hampton did come in a little late when you
look at the recruiting season, but she came in and
(10:14):
got to work.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
She had some camps there this summer. She's building those
relationships in.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
The Houston area with the local clubs and she's reached
out to massage or to develop those alumni relationships. So
all things point to a positive tenure, a positive the
Dottie Hampton era being a positive woman.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
As alumni, I certainly have a vested interest in that
being the case.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
All right, So KWHAK volleyball student athletes are reporting probably
an under a week now.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
We're under a week from two A days, three A days.
Whatever coaches are doing.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Nowadays, maybe the heat and some of the other things
don't allow for three days, but I can remember a
time that shout out to coach Alicia Peak, Hall of
Fame coach. We did three of days. We started with
running at about five thirty six o'clock, did an on
court session mid morning, and then we came back in
the evening. I remember calling my grandmother and telling her
(11:20):
what did us sign up for? And why did you
release me to this woman. That's after realizing that it's
hot in Houston in August, but it's.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
A couple of drearies warmer in p Reverview, Texas, and
running a mile or two.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
In the middle of the day was absolute torture. So
I hope you learned something today. I hope you are
excited about what's to come. Already working out dates to
interview coaches. One of our favorites has moved on, and
coach Jarie lindsay she loved visiting with us. We also
(11:59):
had got a chance to catch up with coach Penny Luka,
his wife, and she's a great.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
And so this year we hope that we can expand
our reach.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
We can get the Alabama A and M coach on,
we can get the new coaches at Alcorn State and
Mississippi Valley, and then we want to go over to
the East coast the Filne Cookman. We've had Yo Gohan
Yoma's on and heard about the tremendous work he's doing
with getting his athletes mentally prepared.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Look forward to him coming on the show again. And
of course, if you're an alumni of.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Any of the Slack Slack volleyball programs, please please reach
out to me at author T Newman at gmail dot com.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
We want to get you on the show.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
We want to highlight what your experience was like what
you're doing now in any advice you have to an
up and coming volleyball process.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
That's today's show.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Have a great, have a great and I can't wait
until episode one.
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