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NASHVILLE, Tennessee --- Tennessee State University family from across the country traveled to Kean Hall Gymnasium to honor the late Edward Stanley Temple with a memorial service on Friday. Coach Temple, who passed away on Sept. 22 at the age of 89, coached the TSU women’s track and field team for over 40 years.
In addition to his duties with the Tigerbelles, Coach Temple served as the Head Coach of the United States Women’s Olympic Track and Field Team in the 1960 and 1964 games. He also led the U.S. at the Pan-American Games in 1959 and 1975. Coach Temple guided 40 TSU athletes to the Olympics, winning 27 Olympic medals. The Tigerbelles won 34 national titles (16 Indoor, 13 Outdoor, and 5 Junior Championships) during his time in Nashville.
Former TSU men’s track and field star Ralph Boston, who won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, presided over the service. Dr. Madeline Manning Mims, a Tigerbelle and Olympic gold medalist provided a powerful rendition of "How Great Thou Art".
A number of individuals paid tribute to Coach Temple with speeches during the ceremony. Among the speakers were:
- Dr. Glenda Glover, Tennessee State University President
- The Honorable Bill Haslam, Tennessee Governor
- The Honorable Megan Barry, Nashville Mayor
- Mr. Tracy Sundlun, Representing the United States Olympic Committee
- Ms. Terry Crawford, United States of America Track and Field Association Director of Coaching
- Mr. Christie Hauck, New Hope Academy
- Ms. Lucinda Williams Adams, Tigerbelle and Olympic Gold Medalist
- Ms. Edith McGuire Duvall, Tigerbelle and Olympic Gold Medalist
- Ms. Wyomia Tyus, Tigerbelle and Olympic Gold Medalist
- Ms. Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice, Tigerbelle and Olympic Gold Medalist
The memorial service also included musical selections by the tHope Academy Choir and Ms. Paula Chavis. Coach Temple’s daughter, Dr. Edwina R. Temple, gave a family appreciation on behalf of the Temple family.
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Senior quarterback Ronald Butler (Tallahassee, Fla.) orchestrated the two-minute drill to perfection, delivering a nine-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Smith (Memphis, Tenn.) with 18 seconds left to give the Tennessee State football team a 34-30 victory over UT Martin at Hale Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
TSU (4-0, 1-0 OVC) trailed UT Martin (2-3, 1-1 OVC) by a 30-27 margin when Butler and the offense got the ball back with 1:54 on the clock. Butler went 4-for-4 on the final drive capped by Smith’s second touchdown catch of the day. Butler finished 17-for-24 for 223 yards and three touchdowns in his first start of the season.
In UT Martin’s final drive, Terrell Bonds (Miami, Fla.) came up with his third interception of the season to seal the win. On the defensive side of the ball, Trevion Duncan (Houston, Texas) and Gabe Scott (Memphis, Tenn.) also had interceptions on the day.
Junior kicker Lane Clark (Hays, Kan.) hit the two longest field goals in TSU history. He nailed a 57-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, which was the longest in Division I this season. He also hit a 54-yard field goal in the second quarter. The previous school record was 53 yards set by Seth Goodowens versus Jackson State in 1999.
TSU will return to action on Oct. 8 with a road test at Eastern Illinois in Charleston, Ill. GAME NOTES: Official start time was 2:06 p.m…. Official attendance for the game was 10,001… Captains for TSU were Ronald Butler, Lane Clark, Chris Collins, Ebo Ogundeko, Thomas Burton… TSU won the coin toss and deferred to the second half… During the game, Lane Clark had the two longest field goals in TSU history. He hit a 57-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, which was the longest in Division I this season. He also hit a 54-yard field goal in the second quarter. The previous school record was 53 yards set by Seth Goodowens versus Jackson State in 1999… Gabe Scott and Trevion Duncan both secured interceptions in the game, marking the second game in a row TSU has had multiple picks… TSU held UT Martin scoreless during the second and third quarters. TSU has shut out its opponent in eight quarters through four games this season… TSU has scored 30 in more points in all four games this season… TSU leads the all-time series with UT Martin, 16-10.
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern men's basketball coach Roman Banks is starting his sixth year as coach of the Jaguars when the team begins preseason practice Monday, but this will likely be the first, true “Year 2” he has had in Baton Rouge.
Three of Banks’ five years have been spent under NCAA sanctions, with the only exceptions being 2012-13 and 2015-16. It’s no coincidence Southern reached the NCAA tournament both of those years.
Banks thought the 2013-14 season could build on the previous year’s success, but a postseason ban handed down in January of that season negated whatever momentum the Jaguars had built.
As far as Banks can tell, Southern may finally get the season it missed out on.
“Our expectations now are where we were at in 2014,” he said. “(In 2014) we felt like we won and we had all the right guys and were starting to shape up and these guys are talented guys and nothing could happen. Now, we’re back to where we hope we can be in a good shape and be consistent.” CONTINUE READING
NORFOLK, Virginia --Trailing by 15 points early after one quarter, Howard scored 27 unanswered points and held off a late Norfolk State charge in a 33-28 Bison victory on Saturday afternoon at Dick Price Stadium. The loss was the fourth in a row for the Spartans (1-4, 0-2 MEAC), while Howard (1-4, 1-2) broke a seven-game losing streak dating to last October.
The Spartans jumped out to a 21-6 lead after the first quarter thanks to an impressive offensive display. Greg Hankerson accounted for all three NSU scores in the period, throwing touchdown passes of 64 yards to Marcus Taylor and 59 to George Wahee and also scoring on a 9-yard TD run in the opening period. Howard's only score came courtesy of an 8-yard blocked punt return for touchdown by Ibrahim Conte. NSU outgained the Bison 200-27 in the quarter.
But Howard controlled the middle quarters. Kyle Anthony scored on an 11-yard TD pass from Kalen Johnson to cut Howard's lead to 21-12 entering the half. In the third quarter, Anthony Philyaw and Da'Vaun Johnson both scored on 1-yard TD runs, capping drives of 71 and 72 yards, respectively, to give the Bison a 25-21 lead entering the fourth quarter. CONTINUE READING
GREENSBORO, North Carolina – There was a play in North Carolina A&T’s 31-9 MEAC football win over Hampton Thursday night at Aggie Stadium that explained Aggies senior running back Tarik Cohen’s rise to collegiate stardom while at the same time it was the catalyst that helped the Aggies pull away.
In front of a national television audience watching live on ESPNU, Tarik went for 256 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. In the process, he added his name to two more N.C. A&T records. He broke Stoney Polite’s career rushing touchdown record of 41 and now stands alone with 44 rushing TDs. His third touchdown of the night went for 94 yards, breaking James White’s nearly 25-year record (89 yards) for longest run from scrimmage.
Cohen recorded his fifth 200-yard game and his sixth three-touchdown game. In fact, Cohen rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns in the second half.
His second-half dominance started on the Aggies first drive of the second half with the Aggies leading 10-3. The Aggies (3-1, 1-0 MEAC) obtained possession thanks to a Jeremy Taylor interception that gave the Aggies the ball at their own 2-yard line. On 3rd-and-3 from the N.C. A&T 9, Tarik took the handoff, appeared to be headed for a loss thanks to the Pirates penetrating into the backfield. Yet, Cohen bounced his way off the initial defenders and slipped his way through a few more before finally breaking free for a 37-yard run that flipped the Aggies field position.
The run pretty much defines Cohen.
“I’d like to say that I was running kind of like how my personality is,” Cohen said about the play. “Even when everything is against me, I like to fight through and make things right. I told my whole team at the half that we were not really clicking as an offense, but we were going to just keep pushing and eventually things are going to happen.”
They certainly did after Cohen’s run. A pass interference call on the Pirates and a 12-yard reception by freshman Elijah Bell moved the Aggies closer to scoring. On 2nd-and-3 from the Pirates 15, Cohen again made one of his shifty moves to avoid a tackle before sprinting into the end zone for a touchdown and a 17-3 Aggies lead.
Cohen put more separation between the Aggies and Pirates to open the fourth quarter. After the Pirates (1-3, 1-1 MEAC) decided to go for it on a 4th-and-2 from their own 31. It didn’t work. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Kiaundric Richardson buried Hampton running back Yahkee Johnson for a 1-yard loss. On the next play, Cohen went off-tackle and raced down the sidelines for a 30-yard TD to put the Aggies ahead three touchdowns.
“I kind of felt like I wasn’t running to my full capability in the first half,” said Cohen. “I was tipping. I told my (offensive line) that I was trying to look for the big play too much and was being too patient. I told them at halftime that I was going to start hitting the first hole I see and run harder.”
Cohen ended his night by running through a big hole. Hampton drove the ball to the Aggies 3, but could not convert on a 4th-and-goal. The Aggies took over and two plays later Cohen was sprinting down the field toward a record-breaking 94-yard touchdown with a defender hopelessly trying to catch him. Cohen’s big run gave the Aggies a 31-3 advantage.
“I think Hampton is a football team that has made tremendous progress over the last couple of years, so it was a good win for our football team,” said N.C. A&T head coach Rod Broadway.
Hampton’s other problem besides Cohen was their inability to score touchdowns in the red zone. The Pirates made five trips inside the Aggies 20, but only came away with three points. It also didn’t help that the Pirates muffed the first punt of the game, giving the Aggies a 1st-and-goal at the 3 that led to a Lamar Raynard to Denzel Keyes touchdown reception.
Quarterback Jaylian Williamson did have a good night, completing 32 passes on 54 attempts for 388 yards and a touchdown. Williamson, however, did throw two interceptions including one in the red zone. His favorite target was Rashawn Proctor who had 12 grabs for 188 yards.
“We've been playing pretty good defense for a long time,” said Broadway. “Our number one principle is to stop the run. I don't care if you pass for 1,000 yards, if you can't run the ball on us, you're not going to beat us. It's going to be hard for a straight passing team to beat us. We gave up quite a few yards passing, but we kept the run contained and that made it hard on them inside the 10.”
Cohen was not the only player tampering with the record books. Keyes’ first-quarter touchdown reception was his 19th career TD catch, tying Craig Thompson. Raynard also a had a good night, throwing for 143 yards on 15-for-24 passing, one touchdown and no interceptions. The Aggies have another Thursday night game on ESPNU next week at Aggie Stadium as they host Norfolk State at 7:30 p.m. BOX SCORE
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
NEW ORLEANS — Tiffany Phillips has done it again. For the fourth time in six opportunities this volleyball season, the Xavier University of Louisiana freshman has been chosen Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Setter of the Week. Phillips — from Gardena, Calif., and a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High School — averaged 9.13 assists and 2.38 digs per set in three XULA matches Sept. 19-25. She tied a XULA season record in a victory at Dillard with her 10th assist-dig double-double of the season — 34 assists and 11 digs. The 34 assists are her most in a three-set match. At Mobile she had a career-high six kills. Also at Dillard, Phillips was part of a defensive effort that limited Corneisja Harrison, who collected 52 kills in two matches the previous week, to five kills and minus-.057 hitting in 35 attacks. Phillips leads the GCAC through Tuesday's matches with 8.19 assists per set and is 40th in the NAIA in total assists with 549. Phillips leads XULA with 17 aces and is third on her team with 169 digs. Phillips is the seventh XULA freshman and the first in volleyball to win four GCAC weekly awards. Nour Abbes (women's tennis) won the most, six, in 2014. XULA (7-13, 4-0) will begin a three-match GCAC home stand Thursday against SUNO (4-8, 3-0) at 6 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The Gold Nuggets will play host to Talladega at 1 p.m. Saturday and Edward Waters at 1 p.m. Sunday.
NEW ORLEANS — Monet Fontaine had nine kills and hit a season-high-tying .500 Thursday to help Xavier University of Louisiana defeat SUNO 27-25, 25-19, 25-11 at the Convocation Center and maintain its lead in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference volleyball.
The Gold Nuggets (8-13, 5-0) are the only unbeaten team in the GCAC. SUNO (4-9, 3-1) is in second place.
Fontaine produced kills on eight consecutive attacks — her final three of the first set and all five of the second set. The sophomore scored XULA's next-to-last point of the first set — Cara Ford then clinched with an ace — and scored four of XULA's final five points of the second set on three kills and a shared block with Sarah Pitts-Groce.
Juliana Tomasoni had seven kills and a match-high three aces for the Gold Nuggets. Bria Moore had six kills and hit .455 — she raised her team-leading hitting percentage to .347 — and Terri Drake had five kills. Amanda Perry produced 10 digs to reach double figures for the 19th time in 21 matches, and Tiffany Phillips and Ralitsa Slanchev had nine digs apiece.
Moore, Pitts-Groce, Phillips and Fontaine had two blocks apiece. Phillips had 29 assists.
Sonja Backovic had 11 kills and nine digs for SUNO, Tyjah Greenup had 10 digs, and Ana Bobovic had three blocks.
The Gold Nuggets led 18-15 in the opening set, but three SUNO kills and three XULA attack errors gave SUNO a 22-21 lead. XULA led 16-8 in the second set before SUNO cut the deficit to 18-17. The third set never was in doubt after XULA scored the first four points and cruised to leads of 9-2 and 18-8. Tomasoni ended the match with a kill.
XULA outhit SUNO .212 to .096 and had advantages of 37-31 in kills and 7-2 in aces.
The Gold Nuggets will continue their GCAC home stand with 1 p.m. matches against Talladega on Saturday and Edward Waters on Sunday. Including conference tournaments, XULA has won 14 straight and 77 of its last 78 matches against the GCAC. BOX SCORE
