Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Two former Norfolk State sprinters qualify for Beijing Olympics

Former All-American Norfolk State sprinters Chris Brown and Chandra Sturrup qualified for the Beijing Olympics with victories in the 400 and 100 meters, respectively, over the weekend at the Bahamas' Olympic trials in Nassau.

Brown, 29, clocked a time of 45.43 seconds to edge 2008 NCAA outdoor 400-meter champion Andretti Bain of Oral Roberts (45.53). It was the second national 400-meter championship in Brown's career. Earlier this month, he set the national record of 44.40 at a meet in Oslo, Norway.

Sturrup, 36, will be competing in her fourth Olympics; she ran in Atlanta (1996), Sydney and Athens. She won the 100 meters in 11.14 seconds over the weekend. She will also compete in Beijing in the 400 relay.

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Former high school football star Lee McElroy finds opportunity in college athletic administration
























Photo: Lee McElroy, former president of the National Association of Athletic Directors (2006-07), took a career-killer job at the University of Albany (SUNY) in 2000. While he recognized the problems at the University of Albany--administrative instability, no Division I conference affiliation, mediocre facilities, little private booster support--he also sensed opportunity. Today, under the athletic leadership of McElroy, UAlbany is the star of the East Coast Conference. (Courtesy DONNA ABBOTT VLAHOS THE BUSINESS REVIEW)

When others saw risk, Beaumont native Lee McElroy found opportunity. The oldest of 12 siblings, the former Hebert High School football star became the first to go as far from home has he did. Years later, an unexpected career shift took him from home again, this time on a journey that has allowed him to make as bigger a difference off the field than he ever did on it.

Through it all, McElroy points to a racially segregated upbringing that shaped his values today, as he is one of few African-Americans to run an athletic program at a non-traditionally-black school. "I've had a lot of success everywhere I've been, and that's because I learned to go in and look at an environment and then develop the pieces to make it fit," said McElroy, the director of athletics at New York's University of Albany since 2000.

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McElroy previously served as athletics director for four years at American University in Washington D.C., seven years at California State University-Sacramento and one year at the University of the District of Columbia.

Alcorn State names Tonya Edwards women's basketball coach

Photo: Coach Edwards comes to Alcorn State with superb credentials as a winner, including a high school championship, two national championships with the University of Tennessee Lady Vols in 1986 and 1987; was named MVP of the 1987 NCAA Tournament and named to the 1999 WNBA All-Star Team.

LORMAN, MS — After several weeks of searching, Alcorn State has found its new women’s basketball coach. ASU Athletic Director Darren Hamilton announced Monday that the school has hired Tonya Edwards as the new coach of the Lady Braves, pending approval of the board of trustees.

Edwards will be formally introduced to Alcorn fans at an 11 a.m. press conference today at the University Club in Jackson. Edwards comes to Alcorn State after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Detroit-Mercy. During her tenure she oversaw the budget, scheduled non-conference games and team travel, served as recruiting coordinator and coached the guards.

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Cooper prepares for presidency of S.C. State

Photo: Tallahassee, Florida native George Everett Cooper, Ph.D., earned his Bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University; master’s degree, Tuskegee University; doctorate, University of Illinois, Urbana.

Dr. George E. Cooper will officially cement his name as South Carolina State University’s 10th president later this month. “I’m really excited about coming in. It’s just going to be an honor to serve,” Cooper said by phone Monday.

Cooper, the deputy administrator for science and education resources development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, emerged from a field of more than 40 applicants to be named the next president of S.C. State. He will officially take his position on July 16.

Cooper also touched on S.C. State’s athletic tradition, particularly in football. “I would hope we would be conference champs,” he said. But Cooper said the first mission of the institution is to provide students with a strong academic background and mold them into outstanding citizens.

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Former ASU coach hopes to get NCAA charges dropped

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Former Alabama State University coach L.C. Cole says he hopes to have alleged NCAA rules violations against him dropped or reduced to minor charges.

"I'm happy that it's coming to an end, but I'm anxious over how it's going to play out," said Cole, who was fired by ASU in 2003 and now coaches in the Canadian Football League.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported Monday that Cole might benefit financially if the charges are reduced to minor status. When fired, Cole had two years left on a contract that paid him about $125,000 annually and stipulated it could be terminated only if he was found to commit major NCAA violations, the newspaper said.

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Florida A&M University is Back!


AAMU players propose statue for Crews

The late Louis Crews is the all-time winningest football coach at Alabama A&M University. The stadium is named after him and the entrance leading to the luxury boxes is filled with his memorabilia. Now, a group of his former players, spearheaded by former split end Tom Jones and former quarterback Onree Jackson, are trying to raise money to erect a statue and a plaza in his honor outside of the stadium.

"This is our way to honor Coach Crews and his legacy," said Jackson, who played for Crews from 1965-69. "We're talking about a man that was larger than life. We're talking about the man that put Alabama A&M football on the map."

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