This is a season recap of the 2012 ASU Volleyball Season.

Alabama State entered 2012 with nine first-year players. With a team that young, it was no surprise that the season was difficult, but out of a difficult season, came a lot of learning.
ASU hosted the inaugural ISTAP Collegiate Cup playing host to Southeastern Louisiana, Tennessee State, Stetson and Jacksonville State. The young Hornets fought hard during all four contests, but came out the loser in each.

Freshman Amber Bennett had a strong first weekend of the season during the Cup and was named to the ISTAP Collegiate Cup All Tournament Team.

Following that tournament ASU hit the road for two tournaments with the first coming at the Cougar Challenge hosted by Washington State. ASU fell to the Cougars, Weber State and Seattle during their time in Pullman.

The next tournament was the Bama Bash hosted by The University of Alabama. There the Lady Hornets fell to East Tennessee State, Lamar, Alabama and Austin Peay.

After a road loss at Tennessee-Chattanooga, ASU returned home to host their second tournament of the season, the ASU Invitational. The team continued to show improvement, but dropped games to Troy, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Tennessee-Martin and North Texas.

Following the ASU Invitational, the Hornets were ready to begin conference play and begin it they did with a 3-0 home win over Alcorn State. Following hard-fought losses at Alabama A&M and Kennesaw State, ASU hit the road for their final tournament of the season, the Southern University Tournament.

ASU faced three teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference's West Division in Grambling State, Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern. ASU won all three of those games before dropping the championship game to fellow East Division member Jackson State.

The ever-improving play of Myla Marshall earned her a spot on the Southern University Invitational All- Tournament Team.

Less than a week later, ASU had to jump right back into conference play at Jackson State where JSU was able to withstand ASU 3-2 in an exciting contest.

ASU dropped back-to-back home games to California State-Bakersfield before embarking on their second three-game winning streak of the season. All three wins came on the road beginning at Savannah State and SWAC foes Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State.

ASU ended the regular season with three home games, all loses to Jackson State, Alabama A&M and Mississippi Valley State.

ASU entered the SWAC Tournament against Texas Southern and pulled out an exciting 3-2 first round victory. Unfortunately, they followed the win with a 3-1 loss to nemesis Jackson State in the second round.

ASU found itself in an elimination game against Texas Southern, and was able to pull out a 3-0 victory. ASU then needed to beat Jackson State twice to work their way into the championship game against Alabama A&M, but was unable to do so in another tight 3-1 loss.

Rachel Smith had an outstanding four games for ASU and was named to the 2012 SWAC All Tournament Team.

Several Hornets picked up weekly and season honors.

Luiza Griz had been picked by a vote of the league's coaches as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. She lived up to that prediction earning Defensive Player of the Week honors on two occasions on her way to being named First Team All-SWAC and the SWAC's Defensive Player of the Year.

Myla Marshall and Chelsey Smith were each named Second Team All SWAC while Brooke Beasley was named the SWAC Newcomer of the Year.

Players of the Week
Rachel Smith (2) Aug. 29 Newcomer of the Week
Oct. 16 Newcomer of the Week
Luiza Griz (2) Sept. 18 Defensive Player of the Week
Oct. 30 Defensive Player of the Week
Brooke Beasley Sept. 18 Co-Offensive Player of the Week