North Carolina A&T Aggies adds 3 recruits

North Carolina A&T has signed three more football players to grants in aid. Two recruits are from Tallahassee, Fla., which brings the total count of Tallahassee players in the 2009 recruiting class to four. The total number of players in head coach Alonzo Lee’s first recruiting class as the Aggies head coach stands at 25.

North Carolina A&T head coach Alonzo Lee

The Tallahassee signees are D’Vonte Graham (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) and Brandon Hoover (6-foot, 205 pounds). Graham, a defensive back, recorded 12 pass breakups and picked off three passes last season. On offense, he caught 30 passes for 379 yards and five touchdowns. “We’re looking for him to be outstanding cover corner for us,’’ Lee said. “He can definitely run. He has been clocked at 4.3 (seconds) in the 40. Plus, he comes from a high-caliber program that is routinely in the state playoffs.”

Hoover, a linebacker, made the 2008 All-State team. He also made the 2008 All Big Bend team. Over his career, Hoover recorded 225 tackles with nine of those stops coming behind the line of scrimmage. “He is another young man who’s going to bring tremendous speed to our team,’’ said Lee. “Hoover was just a steal, so we felt good about the opportunity to be able to land him. They played him at outside linebacker in high school even though he can play the strong safety position. He runs a 4.4 (seconds) in the 40, and we’ll likely look at him to play linebacker here.”

Ivan Coulton (6-foot-6, 235), a linebacker from Ahoskie’s Hertford County High, racked up 17 ½ sacks, 22 tackles for loss and broke up seven passes.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Ex-Crabbers receiver returns to play for HU

Reginald "P.J." Hicks' long football road has brought him back home. Hicks, a former wide receiver for Hampton High, will play next season for Hampton University, completing a two-year odyssey that took him to Kansas and California. After concentrating on basketball for most of his high school career, Hicks played one season for Crabbers football coach Mike Smith, catching 23 passes for 458 yards and five touchdowns as a senior in 2006. The Crabbers went 9-1 in that regular season but lost their playoff opener.

"(Football) was just always something my mama always wanted me to do," Hicks said, and it ended up being his path to college — albeit a winding one. Hicks, 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, first went to Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, but couldn't find a spot on a roster crowded at his position. So he ended up at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif., where he played for one semester.

Hicks is one of four additions to the Pirates' 10-member 2009 signing class announced Feb. 4. The others are T.J. Patterson, a 5-11, 180-pound athlete from Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School in Beaumont, Texas; Jordan Stovall, a 6-2, 185-pound kicker/punter from River View High School in Elgin, S.C.; and Ken Overstreet, a defensive back from West Los Angeles College.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

'Drumline Live' brings marching band tradition to theater stage

"Drumline Live" brings the black marching band tradition to the theatrical stage for the first time in a 62-engagement U.S. tour, followed by dates in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

When actor Orlando Jones’ character in 2002’s “Drumline” urges his university marching band to “hit ‘em with a little ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’,” the band director’s not talking about serving up a sedate recital of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s famous 1900 orchestral work. This is musical warfare, and the operatic interlude’s dizzying sting of frenetic 16th-note runs becomes a weapon in a half-time battle to outdo high-stepping, percussion-pounding and brass-blasting opponents on the football field.

The film, starring Nick Cannon as a Harlem street performer recruited to join a drumline at a southern university, helped reignite interest in a tradition begun more than 50 years ago at Florida A&M University, where marching-band performances were as much about the high-energy music as the funky, athletic choreography.

“Drumline Live,” a stage show set to take over the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord (N.H.)on Wednesday, March 4, serves up a powerful drumroll in homage to that legacy with a cast of performers from some of the United State’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), institutions established prior to 1964 with the mission to educate black Americans.





NH Weekend recently asked “Drumline Live” creator and musical director Don P. Roberts about the powerhouse production, which features the rousing and rhythmic sounds of the likes of brass masters Earth, Wind and Fire and Tower of Power, along with contemporary hip-hop and R&B selections.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
DRUMLine Live inspires audience Richmond Times-Dispatch
DRUMLine Live Home

Wichita Wild (IFL) add Alcorn State's OL Jammal Young

The Wichita Wild of the Indoor Football League (IFL) has added two more players that should impact the team in 2009. The Wild signed former Kansas State defensive back Byron Garvin and former Alcorn State offensive lineman Jammal Young. Garvin was in mini-camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last May after going undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Garvin's final season for the Wildcats was in 2007. Garvin played in nine games and recorded 42 tackles and two interceptions on the season. Garvin saw action in 12 games as a junior in 2006. The Miramar, FL native tallied 58 tackles, which ranked fifth on the team. Garvin scored the game-winning touchdown vs. Illinois State by returning a fumble. As a sophomore, Garvin started seven games and recorded 30 tackles. Garvin saw action in 11 games on special teams as a freshman.

Young started all but three games in his four years of college. His final season at Alcorn State was in 2008, where he was named to the All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Team. Young allowed only one sack in his two seasons with the Braves. Before attending Alcorn, Young started every game for two seasons at Coahoma Community College in Mississippi. In 2006, Young was named to All-Region First Team. He was also named Offensive Lineman of the Year for the Tigers. The Clarksdale, MS native stands at 6-4 and 320 lbs.

Fans are encouraged to call the Wild office at 316-440-5044 to reserve their seats in the brand new Hartman Arena for the 2009 season. Wild season tickets start at $98 for the entire season.

Indoor Football League (IFL) Wichita Wild

FAMU's McGriff and Williams signed by IFL Sioux City Bandits

Former Rattlers DB Earnest Williams

Sioux City,IA -- The Sioux City Bandits of the Indoor Football League are pleased to announce the final signings for the 2009 season announced today by Head Coach Jarrod DeGeorgia.

Earnest Williams: 5'10 190 Defensive Back from Florida A&M (the brother of current Bandit player, Buddy Williams) had an outstanding career at FAMU. Williams selected to play in the American Heritage Bowl at Cal State Fullerton in January 2008. During his senior season he compiled 58 tackles, a fumble recovery, and 1 interception. He finished his career with 171 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, 7 pass breakups, and three fumble recoveries. In 2007, Williams was selected to the All-MEAC Second Team.

Tyrone McGriff: 6'0 230lb Defensive Line from Florida A&M. DeGeorgia will likely move the 6-foot, 230-pound McGriff from the defensive line to linebacker considering his coverage skills and instincts. The Bandits' second-year head coach is looking forward to training camp, where he believes McGriff will push Ralph Scott. McGriff was a 2-time All-Conference 1st team selection, 2006 All-American, and Team MVP his senior season. In his sophomore year, he was 4th in the nation in forced fumbles, and 5th in fumble recoveries. In addition, during the 2006 season he was named the 2006 Sports Network #4 Defensive End in the nation and also named the Conference player of the week 4 times.

Efi Eyo: 6-1 195lb Quarterback. Eyo has experience in the indoor game, which Coach DeGeorgia is excited about. While at Division 3 Benedictine College, he was 77 for 130 for 1,706 yards and 15 touchdowns. Eyo has worked out at several pro-days for teams such as the Washington Redskins and AF2 Austin Wranglers. He also played for the Evansville Bluecats of the UIF in 2007. He played in 8 games for the Wichita Wild in 2008, including 6 starts. He's noted for having run a 4.42 40 yard dash at his Pro Day Workout.

Milton Moses: 6-6, 208lb Defensive Back from Concordia College - Chicago. Moses was an All-Conference track athlete at Concordia. Over his career at Concordia, he had 166 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 6 forced fumbles. His senior season (2007-2008) he was named to the 2nd team all conference and was named the Defensive Team MVP as well as the team's hardest hitter. Moses was ranked 7th in the nation in solo tackles.

Tayler Michels: 6-0, 220 Defensive Back from Minnesota Crookston College. His junior season at Minnesota he had 66 tackles and 3 interceptions. Michels' senior season included 56 tackles and 2 interceptions. In his last three seasons at Minnesota Crookston, he ended up 9th on the list of tackles for the college, and is 5th on the career interception list. He was nominated for Male Athlete of the Year at Crookston College in 2007 and 2008.

The Bandits start Training Camp on Feb. 27 and open the 2009 regular season on March 15th, at the Billings Outlaws. Home opener is scheduled for March 21st, with the Bloomington Xtreme at the Tyson Events Center.

Indoor Football League (IFL) Sioux City Bandits

Washington Named Prairie View A.D.

Retaining Cooper-Dyke Top Priority

Fred Washington takes over as the permanent athletics director at Prairie View A&M after serving for 11 months as the interim. Washington replaced Charles McClelland when he left for a similar position at Texas Southern University. "I was originally going to continue as the interim athletics director until Aug. 31, 2009," Washington said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. "After meeting with Dr. Wright (school president George Wright) I agreed to continue as the athletics director on a full-time basis and we don't have an end date on it.

"I've been really satisfied with the the coaching staff that we have and the commitment that we have from the university and from the Texas A & M system that we are a part of." Panthers athletics has achieved unprecedented success on Washington's watch. Head Coach Henry Frazier led Prairie View's football team to a 9-1 record in 2008, the school's finest season in 50 years.

In women's basketball Head Coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke has the Lady Panthers in first place in the SWAC and in position to capture their third consecutive league championship. In 2007, in just her second year on the job, Cooper-Dyke led the Lady Panthers to their first winning season in school history, a share of the conference title, and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

UD-DSU Agree on Historic Four-Game Football Series

DOVER, Del.- Delaware State University and the University of Delaware announced Tuesday that they have reached a formal agreement that will result in the scheduling of four future football contests. In a joint announcement made by DSU acting President Claibourne D. Smith and UD President Patrick T. Harker at Delaware State's Administration Building, the two universities will play a series of games that will take place on Sept. 8, 2012, Sept. 7, 2013 and Sept. 6, 2014. All three games will be played at the University of Delaware's 22,000-seat Delaware Stadium.

The series will kickoff this fall when the two schools will play a scheduled game on Sept. 19, 2009 at Delaware Stadium. The game time and ticket information will be released later this spring. The 2009 game came about when Furman announced earlier this month that it was dropping out of a scheduled Sept. 19 game at Delaware earlier this month in order to schedule a game at the University of Missouri on that date. In addition to Smith and Harker, also taking part in the announcement were Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler, and DSU head coach Al Lavan.

The DSU Hornets and the UD Blue Hens played for a historic first time in 2007 when both teams earned bids to play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Series. The first round game, won by the Blue Hens by a 44-7 score, drew a Delaware Stadium playoff record crowd of 19,765, was broadcast live nationally on ESPN, and generated extensive local and national media attention.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
UD, Delaware State to meet on gridiron
Around FCS: It's about time
UD-DSU football announcement 'significant,' Markell says
UD, DSU to meet in football
Rivalry game roundly applauded
Hens-Hornets on gridiron together this Fall
Hens, Hornets to play football this season

Ex-Norfolk State football coach Dick Price dies at 75

NSU's William "Dick" Price Stadium, Norfolk, Virginia

Dick Price, who took Norfolk State University football to new heights and is enshrined in the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, died Monday at the age of 75 after a long battle with cancer. Price, born in the Norfolk neighborhood of Lamberts Point, was Norfolk State's winningest football coach. His teams compiled a 61-42-4 record between 1974 and 1983 and won three consecutive Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships in the mid- '70s. In 1997, the school named its new football stadium after him.

"During Dick Price's era, that's when Norfolk State football took off," said Bill Archie, a former football coach and athletic director at the school, who hired Price as his assistant in 1962. Price, who served as director of athletics after leaving coaching, also led the school's track team to Division II national championships in 1973 and '74. Because Norfolk State did not have a track at the time, Price's sprinters went through their paces on the sidewalks and streets adjacent to campus. Despite the unusual training situation, Price developed several All-Americans, including Olympic gold medalist Steve Riddick.

CONTINUE READING, CICK BLOG TITLE.

Caldwell, former athletics director, hires attorney to get his job back with WSSU

Chico Caldwell, fired as Winston-Salem State's athletics director on Feb. 9, has hired an attorney and is hoping to get paid for the last two years of his contract. Chancellor Donald Reaves fired Caldwell, saying he wanted "fresh ideas" for the athletics department. Caldwell, who hired Robert Elliot as his attorney, had contract worth about $125,000 a year. Elliot said that Caldwell is due the rest of the money on his contract.

"We feel there was no cause for termination," Elliot said. "…Chico really wants to feel whole again and get this behind him." Elliot said that he and Caldwell have sent a letter to WSSU officials hoping to resolve the situation. Elliot also released a statement detailing Caldwell's accomplishments during his eight years of service to WSSU. The statement outlines Caldwell's arguments that his firing was unjustified. "Chancellor Reaves has announced that he wished to replace Dr. Caldwell with a new athletics director of his choosing," the statement reads.

"Given Dr. Caldwell's performance, there is no justifiable cause for Chancellor Reaves' action which constitutes a break of Dr. Caldwell's employment contract." A spokesman in Reaves' office said that Reaves would not comment about the firing or the contract status. Caldwell's statement said that he remains committed to Winston-Salem State. "While Dr. Caldwell will exercise all legal remedies available to him to correct this wrongful action, he remains committed and loyal to Winston-Salem State which he has served so well for the last eight years," the statement said.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

MEAC gives green light to expansion

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced late Monday afternoon that it is lifting a moratorium on expansion and now will consider applications for membership from N.C. Central and Savannah (Ga.) State. N.C. Central has long felt that its transition from NCAA Division II to Division I would be made easier if it could join a conference. NCCU submitted an application to the MEAC in December 2006. "Getting into a conference will definitely enhance our sports programs, particularly in the areas of recruiting, increased revenues, consistent travel schedules and fan support," NCCU's athletic director, Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree, said in a prepared statement.

If the MEAC isn't officially closing the door on applications from other schools, NCCU and Savannah State certainly are first in line. For one thing, both play football, and the MEAC wants to add two football schools to its current 10. Overall, the league plans to expand from 12 members to 14. "Obviously, you can go to divisional play [in football]," commissioner Dennis Thomas said in a phone interview. Plus, "we need a Georgia presence," Thomas added, though insisting he wasn't referring to a specific school. With expansion, he said, "now we would have three institutions in the state of North Carolina."

The conference implemented a moratorium so it could come up with an expansion plan.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
MEAC gives green light to expansion
SSU close to joining Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

Freshman lefty carries Bethune-Cookman past Southern University

Bethune - Cookman head baseball coach Mervyl Melendez

Simpson handles first college start well

COMPTON, Calif. -- Making your first collegiate start as a freshman pitcher is never an easy task. And when you're making that start more than 2,500 miles away from your school, in a high-profile tournament at MLB's Urban Youth Academy, it doesn't get any easier. But Bethune-Cookman left-hander Ali Simpson handled the pressure well, tossing 6 2/3 quality innings to lead the Wildcats to a 10-4 win over Southern University on Sunday in the final game of the second annual Urban Invitational at the Academy.

"He was definitely good today, and he gave us the edge," Bethune-Cookman head coach Mervyl Melendez. "He did a good job of keeping them off balance, and it gives some security to our hitters, because they know they don't have to do it all themselves." Simpson was admittedly a little bit nervous before his start, and it showed early, as he allowed the first three runners to reach base before Melendez came to the mound and talked to him.

"Coach calmed me down a little bit," Simpson said. "He told me it was the same game I've been playing all my life." Melendez's advice worked, as Simpson settled down and retired the next three batters. It gave him confidence, and he went on to allow just three runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out nine

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

VIDEO • Highlights: San Diego 9, B-CU 6
VIDEO • Highlights: Southern 4, SDSU 2

Tournament Schedule/Results
2/20: San Diego State 6, Bethune-Cookman 3
Recap Box score Play-by-Play

2/20: San Diego 6, Southern 4
Box Score

2/21, San Diego 9, Bethune-Cookman 6
Box Score

2/21, Southern 4, San Diego State 2
Recap Box score Play-by-Play

2/22, Southern 4, Bethune-Cookman 10
Box Score B-CU 3 Game Cumulative Stats (1-2)

2/22, SDSU 3, USD (at USD) 0
Box score Play-by-Play

Dungy To Colleges: Ignore Boosters, Hire 'Best' Coach

TAMPA - Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy, in a New York Times op-ed piece, is asking college athletic directors to ignore pressure from alumni and boosters and hire the best coaching candidates "regardless of race." Dungy's article, headlined "Diversity Everywhere But the Sidelines," came out Thursday, the same day the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport gave college athletics its lowest grade for diversity hiring practices of any sport researched.

Dungy wrote that college head coaches and athletic directors told him last spring that the biggest reason only seven of 120 major college football programs had black head coaches has to do with "other people associated with the universities." "It was not just the president and the athletic director who made the hiring decisions — alumni and boosters were involved, and the presidents often felt pressure to hire coaches the boosters would support," wrote Dungy, who led the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl title in 2006-07 and retired this year.

Dungy wrote that over the past decade he had been contacted by several universities looking for head coaches and seeking recommendations. None of his recommendations – including Mike Tomlin, who recently led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a Super Bowl title – were hired. "Shouldn't minority students be able to see role models of diverse leadership at the college level?" Dungy wrote. "How long should we give a pass to these institutions that should be at the forefront of diversity?"

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Op-Ed Contributor Diversity Everywhere but the Sidelines
Sports of The Times In Retirement, Dungy Looks to Make a Difference
Dungy challenges audience to 'be uncommon'
New Book by Tony Dungy Debuts on Best Sellers List at No. 2
Dungy Staying Involved in Indianapolis Community
Tony Dungy hits book promotion path Saturday
Satellite Feed with Dungy
Coach Tony Dungy brings message to Fort Wayne's youth: 'Yes, you can!'
Tony Dungy appears on 'The Late Show with David Letterman'
Dungy inspires dreams
Former NFL coach Tony Dungy calls homes to tell Hillsborough kids ...
Interesting read...Tony Dungy's first book and...
Dungy: Rooney Rule opened up pipeline for minorities
NCAA Diversity new report

Southern upends San Diego State

COMPTON, Calif. — Southern University got an excellent outing from starting pitcher Jarrett Maloy and some clutch hitting late to defeat San Diego State 4-2 on Day 2 of the MLB Urban Invitational. Maloy, a preseason all-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection, tossed seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned) while scattering five hits and striking out five. Daniel Garcia pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his first save.

SDSU starter Jon Berger (0-1) went 62/3 innings and gave up four runs on six hits while striking out five. SU’s Romey Bracey got the Jaguars on the board early as he tripled and scored on a wild pitch in the first inning. SDSU (1-1) tied the game with an unearned run in the top of the third. The pitching duel continued over the next three innings until the Aztecs took the lead in the top of the sixth on a walk to T.J. Thomas and an RBI double by Cory Vaughn.
























SU head coach Roger Cador.

Southern (1-1) responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a run-scoring single by Bracey and a two-out RBI double by Frazier Hall. The Jaguars added an insurance run in the next inning on a double by Gregory Whitfield and an RBI single by Toddrick Stevenson. Things got interesting in the final inning when SDSU put two men on with two outs, only to see Easton Gust’s fly ball to left caught on a fine play by Juan Mujica. SU concludes play in the tournament against Bethune Cookman at 2 p.m. today.

San Diego State beat defending MEAC champs Bethune Cookman 6-3 for their first win of the season on Friday.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
San Diego holds off Southern in opener
San Diego wins Invitational slugfest
Solis makes a splash at Invitational
Late triple lifts SD over B-CU
Some Strasburg Nuggets
Strasburg leads Gwynn's Aztecs to win

Morgan State beats Towson for eighth straight, 80-64

Morgan State forward Marquise Kately (right) makes a shot over Towson forward Jarrel Smith (22) in the first half.

Reggie Holmes leads way with 18 points

Add the Colonial Athletic Association to the list of conferences that have been victimized by the ever-improving Morgan State basketball team this season. After beating teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference ( Maryland) and Big East (DePaul), the Bears added Towson of the CAA to their portfolio of victories yesterday, never trailing in the first Bracketbuster appearance by a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member in an 80-64 romp at Towson Center.

Granted, Towson (9-20) is not among the premier teams in one of the toughest mid-major leagues in the country, but it was still a significant win for the Bears, their eighth in a row and 10th in the past 11 games. "We appreciate the opportunity to participate in the Bracketbuster, representing not only ourselves, but the conference," Morgan coach Todd Bozeman said. "We want to one day have all the [MEAC] teams participate."

Said Tigers coach Pat Kennedy: "This is a very solid Morgan team. We were concerned about their balance, and their flow and consistency were much sharper than ours. It seemed like every time we had an opportunity, we made tough decisions that turned into bad plays."All five Bears starters scored in double figures, with Reggie Holmes (St.Frances) leading the way with 18 and Jermaine "Itchy" Bolden (Douglass) adding 16 and nine assists. Marquise Kately also had 16 points, and freshman Kevin Thompson (Walbrook) pitched in with 12 points, five assists and nine rebounds.

Morgan had a 51-35 edge on rebounds.Morgan (18-10) has now beaten MEAC rival Coppin State and UMBC in addition to Maryland and Towson.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Morgan State holds off Towson
BEARS ROUT TOWSON TO KEEP WIN STREAK INTACT, 80-64
Morgan State Places Fourth At MEAC Indoor Championships
Lady Bears Fall At Howard, 58-54

Southern picked to defend West title

SU Coach Roger Cador.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Southern pitcher Jarrett Maloy was named Southwestern Conference preseason pitcher of the year, while the Jaguars were picked to defend their Western Division title, according to the league’s coaches and sports information departments. Prairie View A&M outfielder Myrio Richard was voted preseason player of the year, while Jackson State was predicted to repeat as Eastern champions, according to a conference news release late Wednesday night.

“Being picked to defend the title in the West is not really our goal,” Southern baseball coach Roger Cador said. “It’s an honor, but our goal is to win the whole conference.” The Jaguars begin their season on the road Friday against the University of San Diego. The Jaguars’ home opener is March 4 against Southeastern Louisiana. Maloy, a 6-1, 180-pound junior from Tallahassee, Fla., posted a 9-3 record with a 5.43 ERA (second in SWAC) last season. His win total tied for second highest in the conference.

Complete 2009 Southern University Baseball Schedule Release in PDF Format

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Students worry about possible cuts to sports programs
MLB's Urban Youth Academy to stage weekend tournament
MLB to host youth baseball tourney
College baseball changes irk SU's Cador

JSU Football menu short on games

Jackson State football fans were befuddled last week when the schedule was announced and only 10 games were listed. Athletic director Bob Braddy isn't exactly thrilled with it either, but said he was unable to secure other games. "We would have loved to have an 11-game schedule ... it just didn't materialize," Braddy said. "It's not ideal." Braddy said he's still looking to add one or two more games, but is not having a lot of luck at the moment.

"It's very difficult at this time because most schools have completed their 2009 schedule," Braddy said. "So, it's very unlikely." One thing he would like to do is move the Capital City Classic against Alcorn State from Nov. 21 to Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 26. Braddy hopes the influx of people home for the holiday would help attendance. The move would also cut down the time in between the final game and the SWAC championship on Dec. 12, if the Tigers were to win the East Division for the third consecutive year. Currently, JSU would have three weeks in between the games, whereas the later date would be just over two weeks.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

JSU 2009-2010 Football Schedule

Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result
09/05/09 at Mississippi State Starkville, MS TBA
09/12/09 Tennessee State Memphis, TN TBA
09/19/09 Grambling St. Jackson, MS 3:00 p.m. CT
10/03/09 at Southern Baton Rouge, LA TBA
10/10/09 vs. Arkansas - Pine Bluff Jackson, MS 4:00 p.m. CT
10/17/09 vs. Texas Southern Jackson, MS 4:00 p.m. CT
10/24/09 at Mississippi Valley State Itta Bena, MS TBA
11/07/09 vs. Alabama State Jackson, MS 4:00 p.m. CT
11/14/09 at Alabama A&M Huntsville, AL TBA
11/21/09 vs. Alcorn State Jackson, MS 1:00 p.m. CT

12/12/09 vs. SWAC Championship Game Birmingham, AL 1:00 p.m. CT

Vikings waive RB Maurice Hicks

The (NFL Minnesota) Vikings waived running back Maurice Hicks on Wednesday after their 2008 free-agent signee averaged only 23.8 yards per kickoff return. He didn't have any carries as a running back in 2008, and he was inactive for five of the Vikings' 17 games. He did have the second-most kickoff return yards (133) in Vikings playoff history against the Eagles, which was the first playoff game in his five-year career.

Before coming to Minnesota, Hicks held the top two single-season kickoff return yardage marks in 49ers history. His 1,428 total return yards (all on kickoffs) set a 49ers franchise record (2006) in his first season as the full-time kick returner. Ranked fifth in the NFL and third in the NFC in that category, he had only 82 yards rushing on 29 attempts, and 13 receptions for 137 yards.

Former North Carolina A&T Aggies RB Maurice Hicks (Tom Dahlin/Viking Update)

The 5-11/205 five year NFL veteran is the all-time leading rusher at North Carolina A&T with 2,812 yards in only two seasons at the school. Hicks was named third-team Division I-AA All-American and Black College Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in rushing as a senior with 1,325 yards and 15 rushing TDs on 181 attempts with a long play of 79 yards. He was a two-time first-team all-MEAC winner leadind the Aggies with 92 points in 2001.

Hicks also led the MEAC with 165.6 rushing yards per game and 7.3 yards per carry. and set an NCAA Division I and II single-game record with 437 rushing yards on 34 carries vs. Morgan State (10/6/01). He added six receptions for 41 yards in eight games played as a senior and rushed for 1,487 yards as a junior in his first season at N.C. A&T.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Money to be top priority for next athletics director at WSSU

Chancellor Reaves says he wants to pick replacement for fired Caldwell quickly

There's no mystery about the primary duty of Winston-Salem State's next director of athletics. "Raising money is paramount," Chancellor Donald Reaves said. "We need somebody who can raise money and engage the community in trying to get support for athletics." Reaves, hoping to act quickly in replacing Chico Caldwell, spent the weekend writing a job description for the advertisement that WSSU will run as part of its national search. "I don't have a timetable, but I do want to get this done as fast as possible," Reaves said.

Caldwell, who was fired Feb. 9 after nine years, had his critics and his allies. Although Caldwell spent time traveling around the country and attending alumni meetings to talk about WSSU's program, some older alumni have said they felt as if they weren't being heard. On the other side, current athletes wonder what Caldwell did to get fired. Bryant Bayne, a senior wide receiver, said he thought that Caldwell worked very hard behind the scenes, especially with the football program.

"I know he worked very closely with our program, and I really didn't know him that well, but once I did get to know him, I thought he was a good guy," Bayne said. Reaves would not go into detail about why he fired Caldwell, saying only that he is looking for fresh ideas. Also unresolved is the status of Caldwell's contract. Caldwell had two years left at an annual salary of about $107,000, according to the university. Neither Reaves nor Caldwell would discuss the contract buyout.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Victory says it all for DSU

Hornets women rally to knock off MEAC leader North Carolina A&T

DOVER, DE -- When the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's basketball tournament starts next month, Delaware State should be the top seed. That's the opinion of junior Selena Galloway, who helped the Hornets deliver that message Monday afternoon at Memorial Hall. Delaware State, down by 14 early in the second half, embarked on a furious rally over the final seven minutes to upend MEAC leader North Carolina A&T 68-66 in a showdown between the conference's top two teams.

Galloway's driving layup with 1:52 to play forced a 63-63 tie, and her two free throws with 1:35 left put the Hornets ahead after they had trailed from almost the opening tip. Delaware State coach Ed Davis called the victory his team's most significant in two years. Galloway agreed. "It's very, very, very big," said Galloway, a reserve who came off the bench to score 13 points.

DSU Hornets forward Ashley Thompson fights for ball with Lady Aggies Tierra Thomas.

"We're actually underrated in the MEAC conference. Nobody looks at us as the No. 1 seed, but I think we proved it [Monday]." The conference tournament starts March 9. Delaware State (14-11, 10-2) has four conference games remaining -- all on the road -- before the Hornets can worry about tournament seeding. Still, the statement was made. The Hornets ended North Carolina A&T's 12-game win streak and handed the Lady Aggies (18-6, 11-1) their first conference loss. More importantly, the Hornets pulled within one game of first place.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Photo Gallery: Women's hoops: DSU 68, N.C. A&T 66
DSU men fall in home finale
Photo Gallery: Men's hoops: N.C A&T 74, DSU 73, OT
Holmes, Moore win MEAC titles for DSU
Hornets men show they're still in MEAC mix
DSU women make most of tune-up for stretch run
DSU softball routs N.C. Central
Holmes claims second straight MEAC 800 title
DSU wrestler Cathell ranked 9th
DSU bowlers second in tourney
Michigan adds DSU to football schedule

NCCU announces fan friendly football schedule

Complete Schedule in PDF Format

DURHAM,N.C. -- Prestige and proximity are the keywords for N.C. Central's 2009 football schedule, which was announced Friday. Four home games plus trips to cross-town foe Duke and Appalachian State -- the dominant power in the Football Championship Subdivision in recent years -- highlight the 11-game slate. NCCU's two biggest rivals, North Carolina A&T and Winston-Salem State, are on the schedule, along with former CIAA rival Hampton.

Those five games will be played on the road, as will contests at Liberty and Old Dominion, making each of the seven road trips shorter than 200 miles. The Eagles, who went 4-7 in 2008 in their second season of Football Championship Subdivision competition, will be at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium against Savannah State and Morehead State as well as Division II Central State of Ohio and NAIA member Central Methodist. All home games are at 1:30 p.m.

Six opponents -- Duke, Appalachian, Liberty, ODU, Morehead State and Central Methodist -- are on NCCU's football schedule for the first time. "I think it's a great schedule, a very challenging schedule for our football team," NCCU coach Mose Rison said. "We wanted to have five games in Durham, and we were able to accomplish that. Another good thing is that all those teams we play on the road, except Appalachian and obviously Duke, will return the dates."

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Grambling State's James 'Shack' Harris hired as senior exec with Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew announced today the hiring of James Harris as Senior Personnel Executive. He will assist Mayhew with the day-to-day management of the player personnel department, and he will assist in the player evaluation process for college and pro talent. Terms of his contract were not disclosed. Harris joins the Lions player personnel department after spending the past six seasons (2003-08) as the Jacksonville Jaguars vice president of player personnel. While directing the Jaguars player personnel area, he oversaw all player acquisitions, including: college draft, free agency, undrafted player signings and the scouting of players in other professional leagues.

Known affectionately as "Shack," Harris brings 34 years of NFL experience to the Lions' front office, with the past 22 years working in player personnel and scouting. Harris originally began his front office career in 1987 when he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a scout, a position he would hold for six years (1987-92). He then moved on to the New York Jets and served as the team's assistant general manager from 1993-96. In 1997, Harris was named the director of pro personnel for the Baltimore Ravens. He was a member of the Ravens' player personnel department from 1997-2002, and he earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens as the team claimed a world championship with a victory in Super Bowl XXXV.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Gulf Coast Classic participants Alabama State, Southern still waiting for payout from game organizers

The foundation owes Southern $103,900 and Alabama State $88,319, Hodge said. He said both schools expect to be paid in full, but have agreed to be patient.

Three months after the Gulf Coast Classic was played, the organization that runs the game still owes the two schools involved nearly $200,000. Game organizers said they have some concerns that their revenue shortfall could cause the two teams to back out of next season's contest, but so far neither one has indicated they would do so. Because of the shortfall, organizers said they also were unable to give out any scholarship money.

Despite all that, officials with the Gulf Coast Classic Scholar & Sports Foundation remain upbeat about the game's prospects. Board members Ray LaPierre and Taylor Hodge said they plan to make several changes before this year's game, such as requiring the teams to sell more tickets, holding the parade on Friday night instead of Saturday morning and, most importantly, adding a title sponsor.

LaPierre said the foundation has an agreement in principal with a national company for a three-year title sponsorship starting with this year's game. LaPierre said board members are hoping to get a signed letter of intent and announce the company next week. "With the upcoming improvements to (Ladd-Peebles Stadium) and the hospitality of the city, all the elements are there to make this a good event," Hodge said. "We just need to overcome the negative thought processes or clouds that may be over us at this point in time."

Before 2008, the Classic had been played in Mobile for 34 years as an Alabama State home game, with the school footing most of the expenses and playing a randomly scheduled Southwestern Athletic Conference opponent. Last year, game officials decided to try to make Mobile's game more like successful classics in New Orleans and Birmingham by locking in two teams that would play every year. The foundation offered Southern University $250,000 a year and Alabama State $225,000 a year to enter into a two-year contract with two option years for the game.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

If $275,000 is coming from the City of Mobile and $50,000 from the Mobile County Commissioners (total: $325,000), why does Southern and Alabama State need the Gulf Coast Classic Scholar & Sports Foundation? Last years attendance was 25,378. At $15.00 per ticket average, you got $380,670 at the gate -- before concession sales, tailgating fees, parking, reserve seating and sponsorship. With 24 corporate sponsorships and other paying events such as Rayco Industrial Mayors’ Luncheon at the Riverview Plaza Hotel and the McDonald’s Stomp the Bay Step Show, presented by AT&T, held at the Saenger Theater, there was some serious cash made at the '08 Gulf Coast Classic events.

I am not saying there was not overhead and other expenses to promote this event, but some M'fers got paid and it wasn't Southern University and Alabama State University. Clear case of breach of contract, and who would execute a contract calling for "unspecified" scholarship money to be provide and without a required audit of all income for this event? You got screwed once--why go down that same path in '09 SU and ASU? Your students deserve better and your lazy athletic departments need to get off their butts and earn their pay by being their own promoter for this game. Otherwise, keep it home and home between the respective schools. Stop pimping your brand and assets to the local hustlers!

-beepbeep

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Ex-major leaguers help SU pitchers
Southern splits pair in Lion Classic
SU women outlast UAPB
Southern maintains poise in win
Hornets hand Bulldogs a thorough beat down
ASU women's offensive switch has Merritt
ASU SIGNEES

Alabama State dominates Alabama A&M

MONTGOMERY, AL - The Alabama State University Hornets did not get every rebound here Saturday at the ASU Acadome against in-state rival Alabama A&M. It just seemed like it. The first-place Hornets imposed their will upon the Bulldogs and rolled to an 87-43 Southwestern Athletic Conference win in front of 5,264 fans.

ASU, 14-8 overall and 11-1 in the league, outrebounded A&M 45-27 and 15-8 on the offensive glass. Coach Lewis Jackson's squad handed Vann Pettaway's Bulldogs their worst loss of the year - Auburn beat A&M by 42 in December - by shooting 60 percent from the floor in the opening half and 48.7 percent after intermission.

The Bulldogs' offensive output was the lowest of the season in a game between two SWAC teams and the fourth-lowest for any conference team all year. The Hornets made 40.9 percent from behind the 3-point arc while Alabama A&M made just 1-of-13 from long range and 31.3 percent from the floor overall. A&M (8-12, 5-7) appeared to be a step slow for most of the game, perhaps hampered by aftereffects of the flu, but Pettaway said he would not use that as excuse.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

NSU men win 4th MEAC track title in row; women take second

LANDOVER, Md - Norfolk State's men's track team, led by Marlon Woods, captured their fourth consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference track and field title Saturday with 150 points at the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex. Morgan State was second with 103 points. Woods was named the Outstanding Performer by winning the high jump and triple jump and finishing second in the long jump.

"I'm really proud of my team," Woods said. "We haven't had the best of weather to practice in, but our whole team came together to get the win." Katie Wright, NSU's pole vaulter, set a MEAC record by clearing 3.36 meters and helped the Spartans finish second to Hampton in the women's competition. Hampton outscored NSU 148-107.

NSU's Kenneth Giles was named the Outstanding Coach for the 15th time.

Final Results
Men's Heptathlon
Women's Pentathlon

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

WSSU's 31% athletic fee increase rejected

WSSU pays $15,000 per game to rent Bowman Gray Stadium and $3,500 to rent the Coliseum or the Coliseum Annex. Shouldn't the alleged "revenue sports" have generated some revenue before officials committing to a move to Division I?

RALEIGH, N.C. - Winston-Salem State University was dealt another setback yesterday in its bid to join Division I athletics. The university wanted to substantially raise the athletics fee that students pay to raise money for more scholarships, more coaches and other requirements of Division I. But the fee increase was rejected by the UNC board of governors, which met to approve tuition and fees at all 16 campuses in the UNC system.

The board approved tuition and fee increases that were generally smaller than what most schools had requested. Overall, average in-state tuition and fees for undergraduates in the UNC system will go up 3.9 percent, or $162, in the school year that will begin this fall. Specific increases vary from school to school. Those rates still must be approved by the General Assembly. Erskine Bowles, the president of the UNC system, said that it is especially important to avoid dramatic tuition increases during a recession. "In these times, it's really hard to raise tuition, because we know that families are suffering, that they're hurting, and we want to keep this university accessible and affordable," Bowles said.

Bowman Gray Stadium is the home of the Winston-Salem State Rams and has been hosting stock car races every saturday night during summer since 1949 (this is the minor leagues of NASCAR) on a 1/4 mile oval track surrounding the football field.

At WSSU, in-state tuition will go up by 4 percent, to $1,769 for a full-time undergraduate. The athletics fee, however, will remain the same, at $579 for a full-time student -- and that will make it difficult for the school to close a $1.5 million deficit in its athletics budget. If the school can't raise money for athletics some other way, it will be much tougher for the school to meet the standards that the NCAA requires of Division I programs.

"That question of moving on to Division I is still up in the air," WSSU Chancellor Donald Reaves said in an interview yesterday. "It was a big percentage of the funding that's needed to close the gap, and without it, it will be difficult." WSSU is in its third year of a complicated transition that is supposed to end in 2011 with the university joining the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. It is currently classified as a Division II program.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

A victory for students was snatched from jaws of conceit

UNC President Erskine Bowles and board members demonstrated far more concern for the students than some WSSU officials whose heads were swollen by pipe dreams of big-time athletics success.

With a precious few free minutes to squeeze in some extra study time before an exam at Winston-Salem State University, Cynthia Tart was focused Friday morning on the heavy textbooks weighing down her oversize bag and not the potential lightening of her wallet being considered by the UNC board of governors 80 miles away in Chapel Hill. "I heard about it, but I haven't had a lot of time to think about it," Tart said shortly after leaving an early class. "I'm barely covering my bills as is, so it'd be another strain, that's for sure."

"It" was the whopping 31.3 percent increase in the student athletics fee that university officials had sought from the board of governors to support an ill-advised move to Division I. The proposal would have raised WSSU's athletics fee to $760, up from the current $579 that is built into the (roughly) $3,800 annual bill for in-state tuition and assorted fees. "It'd be a terribly big bite for me and people like me," said Tart, 53, who is a full-time student who's studying gerontology. "What about the people who don't participate or don't have the time to participate? It just doesn't excite me. I have a job to keep up with, too."

Maintaining focus

Forcing students such as Tart to support an athletics program that's running a deficit would have been a crime in this economic climate. In addition to carrying 12 classroom hours a week this semester, Tart works three 12-hour overnight shifts as a health-care worker. She couldn't care less whether WSSU's teams compete in the Division I MEAC, the Division II CIAA or any of the other athletics alphabet-soup leagues. Tart enrolled at WSSU to learn and to improve her standing in the job market by getting the bachelor's degree that she has been coveting for years. "Education has always been my No. 1 thing," she said. "Even after I dropped out of high school to go to work, I knew I had to get back to school."

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Tuition increases

Leaders of the UNC system approved yesterday an average 3.9 percent increase of in-state undergraduate tuition and fees at its 16 campuses:

■ Winston-Salem State University: 4 percent, from $3,338 to $3,471.
■ UNC School of the Arts: 4.2 percent, from $5,015 to $5,227.
■ Appalachian State University: 3.5 percent, from $4,274 to $4,424.
■ UNC Chapel Hill: 4.4 percent from $5,228 to $5,456.
■ N.C. State University: 4.9 percent, from $5,143 to $5,396.
■ UNC Greensboro: 2.5 percent, from $4,084 to $4,186.
■ N.C. A&T University: 2.5 percent, from $3,512 to $3,600.
■ Western Carolina University: 3.1 percent, from $4,085 to $4,214.
■ East Carolina University: 1.7 percent, from $4,149 to $4,220.
■ UNC Charlotte: 3.1 percent, from $4,226 to $4,356.
■ N.C. Central University: 3.5 percent, from $3,729 to $3,861.
■ UNC Pembroke: 3.6 percent, from $3,527 to $3,655.
■ UNC Asheville: 3.7 percent, from $4,174 to $4,329.
■ Elizabeth City State University: 3.8 percent, from $2,920 to $3,031.
■ Fayetteville State University: 4.4 percent, from $3,020 to $3,152.
■ UNC Wilmington: 9.7 percent, from $4,441 to $4,873.

Read Related Articles:

WSSU's 31% fee increase rejected
Board of governors approves UNC tuition, fee increases
UNC board to decide on WSSU proposal to raise athletics fees
Freshman sparks WSSU by Howard
Freed from Mean Streets
NASCAR CELEBRATES DIVERSITY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT SECOND ANNUAL ...
CBA's Khendra Reid inks NLI with WSSU

UM announces 2009 football schedule

Excerpt:

Greensboro, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference released the 2009 football schedule today and the University of Miami football team will again play one of the toughest schedules nationally in head coach Randy Shannon’s third season. The Hurricanes will play six homes games at Dolphin Stadium including a match up with BCS National Championship Game participant Oklahoma. Miami opens its season with a nationally televised game at instate rival Florida State on Labor Day night. Game times have yet to be announced.

Eight of Miami’s 12 opponents played in postseason games in 2008. The Hurricanes, annually one of college football's top television ratings draws, have two games already scheduled for national telecast – a Labor Day Monday night meeting with instate rival Florida State on Sept. 7 to open the season and a Thursday night home meeting with Georgia Tech on Sept. 17. For the first time since joining the ACC in 2004, UM opens the season with three consecutive games against ACC opponents. Besides the season opener against Florida State and week two match up with Georgia Tech, Miami will travel to defending ACC champion Virginia Tech on Sept. 26.

The Hurricanes will host Florida A&M on Saturday, Oct. 10 in the eighth meeting between the schools. Miami has won all seven previous meetings. The two teams last met in 2006, a 51-10 victory for Miami. Last season, the Rattlers finished 9-3 and second in the MEAC conference. Florida A&M is the only Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) team on the UM schedule in 2009.

Day/Date Opponent (2008 Record) TV ’08 Polls 2008 Bowl Game
Mon., Sept. 7 at Florida State* (9-4) ESPN 21/23 Champs Sports Bowl (W, 42-13)
Thurs., Sept. 17 Georgia Tech* (9-4) ESPN 22/22 Chick Fil-A vs. LSU (L, 3-38)
Sat., Sept. 26 at Virginia Tech* (10-4) TBD 15/14 Orange vs. Cincinnati (W, 20-7)
Sat., Oct. 3 Oklahoma (12-2) TBD 5/5 BCS National Title Game vs. Florida (L, 24-14
Sat., Sept. 10 Florida A&M (9-3) TBD
Sat., Oct. 17 at UCF (4-8) TBD
Sat., Oct. 24 Clemson* (7-6) TBD Gator vs. Nebraska (L, 21-26)
Sat., Oct. 31 at Wake Forest* (8-5) TBD EagleBank vs. Navy (W, 29-19)
Sat., Nov. 7 Virginia* (5-7) TBD
Sat., Nov. 14 at North Carolina* (8-5) TBD Meineke Car Care vs. WVU (L, 30-31)
Sat. Nov. 21 Duke* (4-8) TBD
Sat., Nov. 28 at USF (8-5) TBD Magic Jack St. Petersburg vs. Memphis (W, 41-14)

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

How soon they want to forget...One of the most notable wins in FAMU football history came when the Rattlers defeated the University of Miami in the series opener (16-13) in 1979. Following a perfect season in 1977, Rudy Hubbard’s Rattlers won the first-ever Division 1-AA national championship en route to a 11-1 season in 1978. You cannot erase history...

-beepbeep

Southern Conference announces cost-cutting measures for 2009-10

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Southern Conference will cut all conference baseball series from three days to two for the 2009-10 year, part of a move to cut $120,000 from its budget. Other budget-cutting moves include:

l increasing the use of teleconferences instead of in-person meetings for head coaches and select administrative committees.
l reducing the number of teams qualifying for Conference tournaments in the sports of women's soccer, volleyball, men's soccer, softball, men's tennis and women's tennis to the top four teams.

l eliminating football and basketball media days.

l eliminating printed media guides next year, as well as staff travel to regular-season contests, televised games and conventions.

"We are all faced with some difficult choices right now," said UNCG Director of Athletics Nelson Bobb. "This isn't limited to small schools or big schools, athletic departments or academic departments. While different institutions are affected in different ways, no one is immune to it at this time. "Everyone is taking a hard look at expenditures and methods of operation at a tough financial time," he said. "Hopefully, the choices that we are all having to make are just for the short term."

The conference will review these measures in January 2010 to determine the financial play for the 2010-11 season.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

The SoCon is cutting costs to save $120,000 as the MEAC continues to move games away from the home campus to classic promoters who promises wealth, but all the teams are going broke. It's time for schools like FAMU to cut loose those high paid ($90,000- $140,000) athletic department marketing stiffs that are a drain on the budget. This is not the time for wasteful spending with the economic outlook bleak for the coming months.

Florida A&M athletics $4.2 million in red

William "Bill" Hayes is fast becoming an expert on deficit spending without a realistic game plan for balancing the Rattlers athletic budget.

Florida A&M University athletics officials face a grueling climb from a deep hole to correct problems identified during a Thursday board of trustees meeting. Athletics has a $4.2 million deficit — almost double what it was one year ago. In addition, a department employee was fired after being accused of misdirecting funds, according to university administrators. It is unclear if the deficit was further exacerbated by the employee's alleged actions. Either way, FAMU Chief Financial Officer Teresa Hardee has been overseeing the financial side of the athletic department since January, FAMU attorney Avery McKnight said.

Albert Smith was fired in early December, McKnight said. A warrant was issued for his arrest and Smith turned himself in. Smith, who worked with ticketing, is contesting the termination, McKnight added. "An internal investigation revealed the misdirection of funds by one individual and the matter is currently before the State Attorney's Office for appropriate action," said Trustee Karl White in reading Thursday from the audit committee's report. A 26-page financial audit also shed light on problems plaguing the department. "The program concluded one of its most successful football seasons in recent years, " FAMU's Athletic Director William Hayes and Erica Wilcox, assistant director of athletics for business management, wrote in an overview letter included with the financial report.

However, the financial success of the program is still having difficulty balancing the cost of competition with its anticipated revenues. The overall decline in revenues coupled with the increased cost of operating expenses has resulted in the deficit." No red flags or findings were highlighted by the independent auditor. However, it's unclear how long the athletics department has been operating in the red. The audit covers from July 2007 to June 30, 2008. Athletics made nearly $8.1 million during that time. But department expenses exceeded $9.7 million, creating nearly a $1.7 million deficit. That deficit only added to the $2.61 million deficit detailed in the report that covered July 2006 to June 2007.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Read Related Articles:
FSU Blanks FAMU Softball
FAMU's Schalach to play dual role as pitcher and shortstop
Atkins to play for FAMU to help mom
FAMU golfer battles par and leukemia
FAMU's Lindsey Sarjeant wears many hats in the music department
Rattlers' reserves step up

MEAC vs. SWAC: ESPN ‘strongly considering’ SCSU-Grambling matchup

Fans who wished conference champions South Carolina State and Grambling could settle the debate over the 2008 black college football championship could get the next best thing. ESPN spokesperson Tilea Coleman confirmed Thursday that the network was “strongly considering” pitting the Bulldogs against the Tigers in this year’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge. The fifth annual contest, which matches up a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference for bragging rights in Football Championship Subdivision black college football, is tentatively scheduled for Labor Day Weekend at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.

Neither ESPN, S.C. State nor Grambling officials have confirmed or denied talks about the possible matchup. However, Alcorn State sports information director LaToya Shields said Wednesday the school was told not to schedule Grambling for its Sept. 5 season opener because of the Tigers’ expected involvement in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. The two schools were reportedly in negotiations to move the contest, which would not count against Grambling in the SWAC standings.

Grambling State University Coach Rod Broadway

S.C. State athletics director Charlene Johnson would only state Thursday the school was waiting on an announcement from ESPN in regard to the matchup. The same stance has also been taken by both commissioners Dennis Thomas of the MEAC and Duer Sharp of the SWAC. The Bulldogs are slated to open the 2009 campaign Sept. 5 at Benedict College. Neither school has indicated whether discussions have taken place between them about the possibility of postponing the game in order to make the Bulldogs available.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Not a game S.C. State should play...A loss to Grambling State will knock the Bulldogs out of an at-large berth in the '09 1-AA playoffs, as the FAMU Rattlers are expected to win the MEAC. Coach Rod Broadway has a way of getting the GSU Tigers ready for a big game. Too bad the SWAC does not participate in the 1-AA playoffs, as that SWAC championship game--sucks like the MEAC/SWAC (made for second tier cable) Challenge. The Bulldogs should take a pass on the 10 thousand fans at the Citrus Bowl and limited ESPN2 exposure and go schedule the home contest with rival Division II, Benedict College.

It high time that HBCUs stop selling themselves cheap to ESPN and demand $600,000+ EACH for this neutral site game. A better match up is Richmond vs. SCSU and Grambling vs. Montana in a double-header at the Citrus Bowl. Now, that's worth the cost of the trip to Orlando and what I would want to see. Now that's a MEAC-SWAC Challenge worth playing--not this Negro league garbage.

Time to give the paying fans what they want--an exciting match up! GSU and SCSU have been beating each other for 100 years. Time to do something different! Make it happen ESPN, SWAC Commissioner and MEAC Commissioner.

-beepbeep