Saturday, January 26, 2008

MEAC/SWAC sports clipboard

Photo: Bethune Cookman University baskeball 5-9 freshman guard, Demetria Frank, Miami Jackson Senior High School, Miami, FL.

1. Fort Pierce Central graduate and former Florida A&M star Terry Beauford has signed on to become the offensive line coach at Hampton University under new coach Jerry Holmes. Beauford had led the offensive line at Hampton for five years before spending two seasons as the head football coach at Morehouse College.

Beauford was a dominating lineman for the Cobras during the 1980s and was a two-time All-American at FAMU before being taken in the seventh round of the 1991 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. He played for the Green Bay Packers for 1 1/2 years after being waived by the Chargers. Beauford also spent time in the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League before getting into coaching.

2. North Carolina A&T State University and North Carolina Central University are both on the 12 game 2008 schedule for Coastal Carolina University. The Chanticleers are in their seventh football season and will open their schedule at FBC Penn State. This will be Coastal Carolina first ever game against a football bowl championship team. They will play at North Carolina A&T on September 27 and host North Carolina Central on October 18. The Chanticleers finished '07 with a 5-6 record, which included a victory over Winston Salem State and a loss to Delaware State.

3. Morgan State University is scheduled to play Towson University of the Colonial Athletic Conference in the Tigers home opener on September 6, 2008. This will be the 21st meeting between the Baltimore area rivals. Towson of the CAA is playing a 12 game schedule in '08 and will open with their first ever FBC game at the U.S. Naval Academy on Aug 30.

4. Coppin State University athlete, Natoya Baird, a product from Zenith, Tobago continued her impressive early season form with a silver medal at the New York City Gothham Cup. Baird just missed another gold medal when she cleared the bar at 1.70 metres, the same height as the winner, Brenna Militello, from the University of Alabama. However, Militello was declared the winner because she cleared the bar in her first attempt.

Baird was also in ripping form at the Winter Invitational in Delaware on January 13. She was a member of the double gold elite club, winning the high jump with a 1.65m jump and capturing gold in the 110 metre hurdles final in 9.28 seconds.

5. Cuquie Melville, Delaware State University won a bronze medal in the 500m, with a 16.16 seconds clocking at the Purple Tiger Indoor Meet at LSU last Sunday.

6. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has become the first Historical Black College and the 20th university accredited by PGA of America to offer their Professional Golf Management Program. The PGA/PGM University Program is a 4½-year structured college curriculum for aspiring PGA Professionals. The educational program is accredited by The PGA of America and includes extensive classroom studies, internship experience and player development providing students the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the golf industry.

7. The Southern University and Bethune-Cookman University baseball teams, along with USC and USC will take part in the Urban Invitational Feb. 29-March 2.

The Feb. 29 schedule has Bethune-Cookman at Southern Cal and Southern at UCLA, both at 6 p.m. On March 1 at the Urban Youth Academy, UCLA plays Bethune-Cookman at 5 p.m. and USC takes on Southern at 8. UCLA is at USC and Southern faces Bethune-Cookman at the academy on the Compton College campus March 2. Both have 1 p.m. starts.

8. The sixth annual Bethune-Cookman University Alumni Baseball Game has been set for Feb. 16, the school announced. The game will be held at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Festivities will begin at 11 a.m. with a home run derby and the game will begin at 1 p.m. The 2008 Wildcats, coming off back-to-back Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship seasons, will open the year Feb. 22 at home against Temple University.

9. While the Bethune-Cookman University women's basketball team has been struggling lately, one player who has been excelling is freshman guard Demetria Frank. The 5-foot-9 Miami native had a strong performance Monday in the Wildcats' 54-52 loss to Morgan State. Frank scored 14 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Frank has scored in double-figures in four of her last five games, and for the season is averaging 10.5 points and 3.9 rebounds.

10. The Prairie View A&M women's team is the only undefeated team in conference play at 5-0. The Lady Panthers are the defending SWAC champions and are coached by Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, a former WNBA Player of the Year. Before Cooper-Dyke's arrival three years ago, Prairie View was a perennial last-place finisher in the standings.

-Compiled by beepbeep

No comments: