BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Bethune-Cookman Women's Basketball senior Daimoni Dorsey was named Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Preseason Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday at the SWAC Women's Basketball Media Day held inside Embassy Suites in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
Additionally, Daimoni Dorsey was named to the All-SWAC Preseason First Team, while teammate Janessa Kelley was voted to the Second Team. For Dorsey, this is her first-ever SWAC Preseason distinction.
 
Dorsey, a senior from Baltimore, Maryland, played in all 31 games last season for the Wildcats under Head Coach Janell Crayton Del Rosario, making a start in 30 of those contests. She would finish the campaign eighth in the SWAC for steals (55) averaging 1.77 steals per contest. The St. Frances Academy product would go on to average 7.1 points per game, adding 61 assists (1.97 per game) and 115 rebounds (3.7 per game). All this while shooting 30.9 percent from three-point range – a team-high in that department for B-CU.
 
"This is a well-deserved recognition for all the work Daimoni [Dorsey] has been putting in, not only this year, but last year – day in and day out, every single day," expressed Crayton Del Rosario. "Daimoni has been one of the anchors of our defense and sets the tone every day in practice. But I know she'll tell you this is a team award – our entire defensive unit pushes each other to be better.
 
"She's not satisfied with preseason accolades; she wants to go out and prove it on the court every night. Daimoni's earned this honor through her dedication and consistency. Now she's ready to show everyone just what she's capable of on the court for her senior year."
 
Janessa Kelley, a sophomore from Pompano Beach, Florida, is earning her first SWAC preseason recognition as well with her second team honor.
 
A graduate of Blanche Ely High, Kelley played all 31 games as a true freshman for the Wildcats in 2024-25. She would end the year third on the Wildcats squad with 224 point (7.2 per game), knocking down a team-high 42 three-pointers and shooting 29.6 percent from beyond the arc. Kelley's three-point shooting percentage would allow her to finish eighth in the league in that category. Overall, from the field, she shot at a 34.6 percent clip.
 
"We're thrilled to see Janessa [Kelley] get this recognition from the coaches around the league," remarked Crayton Del Rosario. "She's worked incredibly hard in the offseason to elevate her game, and this honor reflects the respect she's earned. That said, she knows preseason awards don't mean anything once the season starts.
 
"She's focused on helping this team win games and compete for a championship. We're excited to see what she can accomplish this year after a year of college ball under her belt."
 
As a team, Bethune-Cookman Women's Basketball was picked to finish seventh with 119 points as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
 
Southern was tabbed preseason number one with 14 first place votes and 265 points overall. Rounding out the top three preseason favorites were Alabama A&M (224 pts) and Jackson State (213 pts).
 
The Wildcats begin the season Monday, November 3, when traveling to nearby Orlando for a matchup against UCF. A tip-off time will be revealed at a later date.
 
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