North Carolina A&T's Cohen Wins Third MEAC Offensive POTY Honor

NEW YORK CITY -- Senior Tarik Cohen (5-foot-6, 179, Bunn, N.C.) added to his legacy on Tuesday, becoming the first player in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference history to win offensive football player of the year three times.

The conference made the announcement at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in partnership with the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame during the 59th NFF Annual Awards Dinner. South Carolina State linebacker Darius Leonard was named defensive player of the year.

Cohen closed out his career at N.C. A&T with an exclamation point as his final rushing tally was 5,619 yards. In addition, he finished fifth in the national voting for the Walter Payton Award given to the top FCS offensive player in the country. The top three vote getters are invited to the awards banquet and presentation in Frisco, Texas on Jan. 6.

The star back ran for a single-season school record 1,588 yards, breaking his own record from the previous season when he ran for 1,543 yards. He did not stop there, however, when it came to shattering records in 2016. In a nationally-televised game against Norfolk State on Oct. 6, Cohen broke the all-time MEAC rushing record on a 62-yard touchdown dart down the middle of the field to give him not only the record but 200 yards rushing for the game. Two hundred yards rushing would be a theme for Cohen in 2016. He ran for 200-plus yards in four games this season including three weeks in a row from Sept. 29-Oct. 15. Three consecutive 200-yard games are a school record.

There was also a period during the season where Cohen had a consecutive offensive player of the week streak going. He won the honor five weeks in a row from Oct. 3-Oct. 31 and won it two other times including on Sept. 12 following the Aggies historic win over Division I-FBS Kent State when Cohen had 133 yards rushing and 125 yards receiving. In the 46 weeks Cohen played for the Aggies, he won offensive player of the week 16 times. In two additional weeks, he was named rookie of the week by the MEAC.

“With all the talk about what a great player he is, and he is a tremendous player. But he has also been a great representative for this university, and that’s what I’m most proud of,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway. “Our great university has received so much publicity because of Tarik Cohen, and he handled it with grace, humility and dignity and made the university proud. It’s what you expect out of him because he is a great person.”

Cohen has been the subject of several SportsCenter highlights on ESPN. He also visited the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn., to do three different live segments on a Saturday morning SportsCenter in May of 2015. He earned the opportunity after a video of him catching footballs while coming out of a backflip went viral. Cohen was also featured in national video post by The Undefeated, ESPN’s newest website.

But it is his many records that will have a lasting legacy for the running back who had only one scholarship offer (N.C. A&T) coming out of Bunn High School. Cohen broke the single-season touchdown record this season with 19. He tied Stoney Polite for the single-season rushing touchdowns record (18). There are a two other touchdown records he holds. His 56 rushing and 59 total TD’s are both school records.

With two touchdown passes, Cohen was responsible for 61 touchdowns which ranks him second behind Alan Hooker with 66. His 339 points scored is also tops in N.C. A&T history. Cohen also took over the school’s career all-purpose yards record with 6,564 (5,619 rushing, 945 receiving). His 868 carries are also a record. His 98 receptions tie him for 10th all-time in school history.



NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Grambling State University Punches Ticket to Second Annual Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl

Tigers to Face North Carolina Central Eagles on December 17

ATLANTA, Georgia -- The last invitation to the second annual Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl – to be played on Saturday, Dec. 17, at noon ET from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta – has been extended to the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) college football champion, Grambling State University. The FCS No. 14 Tigers have now won 10 games in a row after defeating Alcorn State University, 27-20. Executive Director of the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl, John Grant, was on-site at the SWAC Championship in Houston last Saturday, Dec. 3, and presented Grambling State Coach Broderick Fobbs with the official invitation.

"Congratulations to SWAC champion Grambling State for punching their ticket to the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl," said Grant. "We are excited for the Tigers to join us in this historic match-up against the North Carolina Central Eagles."

The bowl will feature a Top 20 matchup, as North Carolina Central rose to No. 18 in the final FCS Coaches Poll behind a nine game win streak. They defeated rival and then No. 9 North Carolina A&T on Nov. 19 to win the MEAC title outright. Eagles Coach Jerry Mack and Fobbs have both been nominated for the Eddie Robinson Award, which is awarded annually to the top head coach in FCS.

Establishing itself as the first bowl game of the season, the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl is a postseason football game owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN. It is a championship-style game between the MEAC and SWAC champions and will be televised on ABC. ESPN Events collaborates with 100 Black Men of Atlanta to organize the game's ancillary events which include a youth symposium, robotics showcase, gospel night, fan experience and more. North Carolina A&T defeated Alcorn State 41-34 in the inaugural game last year in front of over 35,000 fans.

Fans can purchase tickets to the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl online at ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or in person at the Georgia Dome box office. Prices range from $15 to $60, plus applicable taxes and fees. A full list of events surrounding the game are available on the event's website. For more information, visit www.TheCelebrationBowl.com, and follow the event on Twitter and Facebook.

For MEAC fans, a special rate of $104/night is being offered at the Marriott Marquis, and is available for December 17-19. Please visit the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl website for more details.

For SWAC fans, a special rate of $95/night is being offered at the Hilton Atlanta, and is available for December 17-19. Please visit the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl website for more details.

How AAMU's Anthony Lanier II went from an undrafted free agent to a potential premier player with the Washington Redskins

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- For months now, Anthony Lanier II has been staring a lot. He knows it, too. And he has tried to stop. Oh, man, has he tried. But he can’t. At the Washington Redskins’ team complex, something invariably catches his eye. Even late into his first NFL season, the defensive end is still blown away by the weight room. All of that state-of-the-art equipment to use whenever he pleases. Shoot. Nothing’s better to help him stay on the grind. The food at Redskins Park is also legit. A brother can maintain his playing weight on that dope spread. The locker room, though, gets Lanier the most. Often, he catches himself gazing at the nameplates above the dressing stalls. His is there, too. His. He shares his work space with millionaires. Maybe he’ll never get over that.

“There was a time when I never thought I would be here. I could have been working a regular nine-to-five [job],” Lanier said. “All of a sudden, I’m here?”

The Redskins will tell you Lanier is where he belongs.



The undrafted rookie free agent from Alabama A&M, one of the nation’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), was once considered a long shot to make the roster. Of course, that proves again there’s no telling how far a nonstop motor and gobs of raw talent will take you. Lanier has gotten some run recently in the defensive-line rotation and made every moment count. A fumble recovery here, an eye-opening quarterback pressure there. It all adds up. Talk to Lanier’s teammates on Washington’s defense, and you’ll learn he’s the only one who’s surprised. The young fella needs to be on the field. Ballers know ballers.


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Jackson State Specks' 27 Points Leads Tigers Past Southern Miss

JACKSON, Mississippi – Yettra Specks scored a career high 27 points to lead the Jackson State men’s basketball team to a 75-64 victory over in-state opponent Southern Miss Sunday evening at the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center.

With the win JSU (2-6) snapped a six game losing streak and improved to 2-1 on its home court this season. Southern Miss fell to a 3-3 mark with the loss.

Specks, whose previous career high was 23 points was recorded at Prairie View A&M last season, made timely baskets for the Tigers for the entire game. He was an efficient 8-13 from the floor, including going 3-6 from three point range and 8-9 from the free throw line. He also had a game-high six assists and was one of three Tigers to finish with four steals.



Edric Dennis, who finished with 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals in 25 minutes of action, was the only other double-digit scorer for the Tigers. JSU did have a balanced scoring effort as seven other Tigers put points in the score book. Paris Collins scored eight points to go along with a game-high seven rounds, three assists and four steals. Maurice Rivers also added eight points and six rebounds and Janarius Middleton chipped in seven points on 3-8 shooting from the field.

Quinton Campbell led USM with 22 points on 7-11 shooting from the field.

JSU led 43-30 at halftime, but the Eagles opened the second half with a 10-1 run to cut the Tigers’ lead to 44-40. By the 15:09 mark USM had cut JSU’s lead down to three points. On the next possession Specks knocked down a three to give the Tigers a little breathing room at 46-40. USM would trim JSU’s lead down to four points but would get no closer.

The Tigers went on to increase the lead to 13 points with 1:18 minutes left in the game. JSU had one of its better shooting games as the Tigers connected on 44.8% of its shot attempts (26-58). JSU connected on 35.3% of its threes (6-17). USM connected on 52.5% of its shot attempts (21-40) and 40.0% of its threes (16-27). Both teams struggled from the line with JSU going 17-26 (65.4%) and USM going 16-27 (59.3%).

JSU also led in points in the paint (30-22) and points off turnovers (21-10). The Tigers forced 17 USM turnovers and recorded 14 steals.

Up Next for JSU: The Tigers travel to Des Moines, IA to face Drake on Dec. 10, before returning to the AAC to face Blue Mountain College on Dec. 15. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. Call the JSU Athletics Ticket Office at 601-979-2420 to purchase tickets or for more information.

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JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Maryland Eastern Shore Baseball Announces 2017 Schedule

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- First-year head coach Charlie Goens will face plenty of challenges over the 2017 season, as the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks play 52 contests, starting in February and ending in May. The Shore will host 19 of these games at Hawks Stadium in Princess Anne.

"We are excited about our 2017 schedule." Goens said. "We embrace the opportunity for our student-athletes to play against great competition. I feel this schedule is going to challenge our young men and help prepare us for a run at a MEAC championship."

The season begins on Feb. 17 with a trip to Macon, Georgia to face the Mercer Bears in a three-game series--the first meeting between the two teams. Highlights in the early part of the season beyond the opening series includes two trips to Greensboro and the Hawks' home opener March 11 and 12 against Iona.

Conference play begins the following Friday in Baltimore, when the Hawks face the Eagles of Coppin State for three games beginning March 18. Following a spring break trip to North Carolina, Maryland Eastern Shore returns home for the next three MEAC weekends. Norfolk State comes to The Shore on March 25-26 and Delaware State faces the Hawks April 1-2. Another three games with Coppin will take place April 8-9.

After the three MEAC weekends at home, the Hawks host one more midweek matchup on April 12 against Navy before playing 13 of the next 14 contests on the road. Beginning in Norfolk and ending in Pittsburgh, The Shore will also make stops in Dover and Baltimore. The Hawks finally return home May 6 to wrap up MEAC play against Norfolk State.

For the third straight year, Maryland Eastern Shore will host the 2016 MEAC Baseball Championship. The four-day tournament begins May 18 at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland.

The Hawks finished out the 2015-16 campaign with a 16-32 mark to earn the most victories over a two year span since the 1994 and 1995 seasons.

2017 Baseball Schedule

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl: North Carolina Central Eagles vs. Grambling State Tigers

WATCH IN 1080p60 HD, WIDE SCREEN

Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl: North Carolina Central Eagles vs. Grambling State Tigers
Date: Dec. 17, Noon ET 
TV: ABC Network
Location: Georgia Dome | Atlanta, Georgia

North Carolina Central

Best moment: The Eagles beat then-No. 9 North Carolina A&T 42-21 to win the MEAC title outright. It is the third consecutive season that North Carolina Central has won at least a share of the MEAC, but this is the first such season in that span that it has the title to itself. The Eagles were dominant, taking a 35-7 lead early in the fourth quarter, and it was their 15th consecutive victory over a MEAC opponent.

Lowest moment: North Carolina Central’s only two losses came to FBS teams at the beginning of the year: a 49-6 loss to Duke followed by a 70-21 loss to unbeaten Western Michigan.



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Wiley Wildcats Rally in Final Minutes to Top Concordia-Austin

George Page scored 33 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Courtesy: Wiley College Sports Information

AUSTIN, Texas – The Wiley College men's basketball team found itself on the ropes but found a way to rally in the last two minutes for a 101-96 victory over Concordia University-Austin Saturday.

The Wildcats (8-1) led by eight at halftime but allowed it to slip away in less than five minutes. Wiley College trailed by as many as 10 with 3:12 left in the game. Ricardo Artis (SR/Austin, Texas) took advantage of a second chance opportunity and hit a 3-pointer. A minute later, Kevondric Davis (JR/Shreveport, LA) hit a three-pointer to cut the lead in half. Cory Jones (SR/Houston, Texas) stole the in-bounds pass and dished it to Artis, who easily converted a layup and cut Concordia's lead to 94-93.

"Davis is a starter, and he has the ability to spark a run and defend practically anyone with his athleticism," head coach Jameus Hartsfield said. "I'm just happy he played through the foul trouble and hit a clutch 3-pointer."

After the Tornados converted a layup, Jones found George Page (SR/Winnfield, LA), who put up a layup. Jones took advantage of a Concordia-Austin turnover and gave the Wildcats a 97-96 lead on a layup with 25 seconds remaining. Davis got a steal and converted a layup to expand Wiley College's lead. The Tornados' 3-point attempt was off the mark and Page grabbed the rebound with four seconds left. He was immediately fouled and converted both free throws.

"Our guys were determined to get the job done," Hartsfield said. "I'm proud of how hard they fought to get a win."

The Wildcats went on an 11-0 run to take a 46-34 lead with 2:56 left in the first half. Artis scored nine points during the run. Wiley College took a 54-46 lead into the halftime locker room. The Wildcats made 36 of 61 field goal attempts for a 59 shooting percentage. Wiley made 26 of 34 free throw attempts.

Page led all scorers with 33 points – hitting 12 of his 14 field goal attempts. He was the Wildcats' top rebounder with eight. Artis contributed 14 points, three rebounds and two steals. Jones was also in double figures with 12 points, three steals and two assists.

Wiley College will begin Red River Athletic Conference play at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Jarvis Christian College.

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WILEY COLLEGE OFFICE OF SPORTS INFORMATION