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WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- There’s a feeling you get when talking to Kienus Boulware of Winston-Salem State that his work is not done even though he’s been successful through his first three seasons as a head coach.
Boulware was taking a big leap following in the footsteps of Connell Maynor after the 2013 season. It was Maynor who helped deliver promise after promise about just how good the Rams’ program could be.
When Boulware was elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach, there were skeptics. Boulware is understated, but it’s obvious the right choice was made, and the Rams appear to be trending upward again.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them back in the Division-II Top 25 next season. They are coming off a 9-3 season in which they won another CIAA title and received a berth to the Division II playoffs, the first for Boulware as a head coach. Boulware also landed a three-year contract extension that will keep him here through the 2020 season.
With a comforting fact that the administration loves what Boulware is doing, it gives the program an even bigger boost of confidence.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump will include a parade composed of 8,000 marchers from 40 organizations including the military, veterans groups and law enforcement, as well as the Boy Scouts of America.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced in a release Friday the list of groups that will march in the parade following the Jan. 20 inauguration of the 45th president. All branches of the military will be represented, as will a number of high school and college marching bands.
According to the Presidential Inaugural Committee, participants include: Talladega College Band - Talladega, Alabama
HOUSTON, Texas -- The writing on the wall was too much to ignore for Texas Southern's Derrick Griffin. The dual-sport phenom announced his next step by leaving the Texas Southern men's basketball team to declare for the NFL Draft.
Griffin was a member of the TSU football team before being dismissed in September for breaking team rules, but he was still eligible to play basketball this season.
He signed with veteran NFL agent James "Bus" Cook, who has had notable clients like Brett Favre, Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson, Jay Cutler and Russell Wilson. Griffin plans to continue taking classes in addition to training for a Pro Day and a hopeful invite to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
"It was time for me to go," Griffin said. "Too many signs. I've been waiting on it."
Griffin, a 6-7, 240-pound wide receiver for the Tigers, caught seven passes for 115 yards a touchdown in two games this season. In 2015, he caught 36 passes for 713 yards and 11 touchdowns – all team-highs.
In basketball, Griffin was the SWAC Player of the Year last year as the only player in the SWAC to average a double-double in conference play with 13 points and 11 rebounds per game.
DALLAS, Texas — Xavier University of Louisiana opened a four-game men's basketball trip Thursday with a 50-47 loss to Paul Quinn.
Freshmen Donovan Armstrong and Mike Williams, playing in their home state, scored seven points apiece to lead the Gold Rush (3-8). Chris Ward grabbed a game- and career-high 10 rebounds, and Wesley Pluviose-Philip had a season-best nine rebounds.
Jalen Johnson scored 11 points for the Tigers (2-12), and SirPatrick Reynolds and Jesse Williams scored 10 apiece. Williams grabbed nine rebounds.
XULA led 21-20 at halftime. There were 10 ties and 14 lead changes. XULA missed a 3-pointer on its final possession.
Both defenses were effective. Paul Quinn shot 28.1 percent from the floor — the lowest by a XULA opponent this season — but the Tigers also allowed their fewest points in a game in the last 14 seasons.
XULA shot 37.8 percent from the floor and a season-low 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from the line. The Gold Rush committed 26 turnovers, and XULA's minus-17 turnover margin was its widest since February 2011.
Paul Quinn beat XULA for the first time in their last 13 meetings. The Gold Rush lead the series 17-4, including a 92-73 victory Dec. 1 at XULA.
XULA will play its next three games in Florida. The Gold Rush will play Barry — ranked 10th and 12th in the NCAA Division II polls — at 4 p.m. EST Saturday. Then the Rush will play a pair of games in Keiser's Chuck Daly Classic: 5 p.m. Monday against Concordia (Canada) and 7 p.m. Tuesday against Keiser, No. 23 in NAIA Division II. The next XULA home game will start at 5 p.m. Jan. 7 against Tougaloo. BOX SCORE
ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina -- When Earnest Wilson was tabbed as the new football coach at Elizabeth City State back in February, there was some skepticism.
Wilson, who had spent the previous three season at FCS program Savannah State, was only able to produce a 2-32 record in his first head coaching job.
The coach was able to make his mark in his first season leading the Vikings as ECSU fell a game short of playing for a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title in November.
ECSU’s success on the gridiron led to Wilson to be named the CIAA Coach of the Year.
The process to hire Wilson took months following the dismissal of former football coach Waverly Tillar in November 2015.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University is realizing a 30-percent increase in admitted freshmen as of mid-December over this time last year.
William Hudson, vice president for student affairs, also said FAMU has received about an 18 percent increase in freshmen applications compared to last fall.
“For summer 2017 applications, we are seeing approximately a 28 percent increase in freshman applications over last year, and an approximate 29 percent increase in admitted freshman students over last year,” he added.
Hudson said the university expects to continue to see an increase this spring, as students work to meet the May 1 deadline.
“We continue to recruit with a laser focus and have had strong turnouts at our recent recruitment events, such as those held in Atlanta last week and Orlando last month,” Hudson said. “The Orlando recruitment fair attracted thousands of students, and we had a full house at our Atlanta recruitment program.” CONTINUE READING
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- There’s a plan in place for Florida A&M’s athletic department to repay its $7 million deficit, but there are already a few bumps in what’s expected to be a long road.
According to a preliminary chart shown to Board of Trustees members in September, the plan is for the FAMU Foundation to pay $681,833.29 over three years toward the deficit. After that, the Foundation will make yearly payments of $269,593.54 with FAMU’s athletic department making increasing yearly payments until the deficit is paid in full.
In total, the repayment will take 12 years.
The plan calls for some prudent spending by FAMU athletics. Part of Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr.’s corrective action plan to ensure FAMU doesn’t fall further into debt is to use just 75 percent of the department’s annual budget.
In that regard, the FAMU has already hit a snag. As of Dec. 1, the department has a projected $6,981,759 in encumbrances and expenses, which represents 78.12 percent of the $8,937,500 budget. Plus, the athletic department's revenue is projected to fall $651,724 short of that number. CONTINUE READING
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Earl “The Pearl” Monroe says he’ll never forget the best championship he ever won.
“There’s no doubt that title we won at Winston was my highlight,” said Monroe, the leader of Winston-Salem State’s march to the Division II national championship in the 1966-67 season. “You know why it was so special? It was special because of the guys with me and the guy coaching us (the late Clarence ‘Big House’ Gaines).”
Monroe, now 72, won an NBA championship with the New York Knicks in 1973. But his best memories in the game of basketball came his senior season when the Rams went 31-1 on their way to the school’s lone national championship.
That it’s been 50 years is something that Monroe says he knows all too well.
“My knees tell me it’s definitely been 50 years,” he said by telephone recently from his home in New York.
Those aching knees and Monroe are expected to be on hand in February in Winston-Salem when an athletic fundraiser will be held to highlight the anniversary of that special season. Monroe and the late Cleo Hill, two of the most dynamic players in school history, will also have their numbers retired again.
GAMBRILLS, Maryland -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) and all other HBCU football standouts -- past and present -- will have the opportunity to showcase their talents for Canadian Football League and Arena Football League scouts at a free agent tryout sponsored by Supreme Sports and Entertainment. The tryout is set for Jan, 21, 2017 in Gambrills, Maryland (Anne Arundel County) at the API Training Center. Representatives from the Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL, and representatives from the AFL's Tampa Bay Storm are set to be on hand. Various strength and agility drills will take place. Cost to attend is $100 if you register online, and $140 at the door. Interested parties can sign up at http://www.supremese.com/wp/event. . For more information, contact info@supremese.com Canadian Football League Tryout Informational Flyer
JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri -- Lincoln head football coach Steven Smith announced four additions to his staff.
Jefferson City native Phil Pitts has joined the Blue Tigers as the defensive coordinator while his brother Andy will be the defensive backs coach. Rodricel Williams has joined the program as the special teams coordinator and running backs coach while Damien Goosby is the new defensive line coach.
Phil Pitts was the head coach at Helias High from 2011-2014, winning four district championships while posting a 40-15 overall record. Pitts coached 20 all-state players, including one All-American, and led the Crusaders to the state title game twice. Pitts, who was named the Missouri Sportswriters State Head Coach of the Year in 2012, additionally earned four district head coach of the year awards and guided the Crusaders to a top-10 finish in the state four times.
Following his tenure at Helias, Pitts joined the University of Missouri as a defensive analyst and helped the Tigers finish second in the nation in tackles for loss, seventh in both scoring defense and passing yards allowed and ninth in total defense. After the retirement of Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel, Pitts became the head coach at Central High in St. Joseph, Mo., and coached 16 all-conference players, including the conference player of the year, this fall.
Andy Pitts spent this fall as a defensive backs assistant at Northwest Missouri and, on Saturday (Dec. 17), helped the Bearcats win the NCAA Division II national title. Pitts coached with his brother at Helias from 2011-14, serving as the defensive coordinator for a program that set single-season records for sacks (44) and interceptions (22). Over the course of three of those seasons, the Crusaders' defense forced at least one turnover in 33-straight games. Pitts additionally served as the cornerbacks coach at St. Thomas in 2015, helping the program finish with a 14-1 record.
Williams has four years of experience coaching in Tennessee and Florida, including serving as an assistant as ASA Miami in 2015. Williams helped the Silver Storm post an 8-2 record that included five shutouts. Williams previously was a head coach with the Green Dot Charter Schools in Memphis, Tenn.
Goosby spent the last two seasons coaching the defensive line with Smith at Albany State, and directed a unit that led the SIAC, and finished ranked in the top-10 nationally, in each season. Goosby coached a two-time All-American and helped Albany State finish third in the conference in sacks and fourth in rushing defense.
Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
TUSKEGEE, Alabama | First year head coach Reginald Hollins released the 2017 Tuskegee University baseball schedule tonight, a schedule that features 25 home games that will be played at Montgomery's historic Paterson Field.
Tuskegee opens the 2017 campaign at home with a doubleheader, before playing four of their first seven games at home. The Golden Tigers open at home February 3 against Selma University in a doubleheader, before hitting the road to face Clark Atlanta University (February 4) in a doubleheader and the University of Montevallo (February 8). The team returns home for a doubleheader against Virginia State University (February 11) before hitting the road for nine consecutive games.
The road trip starts with a neutral site doubleheader against Eastern New Mexico University (February 13) at the Home Plate Baseball Facility in Atlanta. The trip continues with a three-game stint in Miami (Fla.) against Barry University taking place February 17-18, and concludes with a doubleheader against Concordia University (February 21) and Paine College (February 25).
The road trip ends when the Golden Tigers host Montevallo to open the month of March, on the first, before playing a doubleheader at Selma (March 3) and a single game at Columbus State University (March 8).
A modest three-game home stand that spans three days begins March 11 with a doubleheader against Stillman College, followed by a game against Georgia Southwestern State University (March 14).
Following a three-game series, opening Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) play, on the road at Morehouse College (March 18-19), the Golden Tigers return home for a doubleheader against Concordia-Selma (March 21) and then hit the road for another SIAC series at Kentucky State University (March 25-26).
The Golden Tigers return home after their series with Kentucky State for their longest home stand of the season – a nine-game stand beginning with Rust College in a doubleheader on March 29. The stay at home with an SIAC series against Miles College (April 1-2), highlighted by their annual Breast Cancer Awareness Day on April 1 at 12 noon. The series continues with a single game against Columbus State (April 5) and an SIAC series against Spring Hill College (April 8-9).
The final road swing of the season features games at Georgia Southwestern (April 11) and an SIAC series against LeMoyne-Owen College (April 14-15). The final road game of the season takes place in Montgomery as the Golden Tigers face Auburn University Montgomery on the east side of Montgomery on April 18.
Tuskegee closes the regular season with a six-game home stand against Lane College (April 22-23) and Benedict College (April 29-30), with Senior Day being celebrated in the final game of the regular season on April 30 at 1 pm.
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LYNCHBURG, Virginia -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) will hold its indoor track & field championships at Liberty’s new facility Feb. 12 to 13. The Division II conference decided to move its championships from North Carolina on Sept. 30 in opposition to the state’s House Bill 2, which is commonly referred to as “the bathroom law.”
Construction crews were hard at work on a chilly Thursday afternoon when Brant Tolsma led a tour of Liberty University’s new indoor track & field facility.
Tolsma, who is in his 31st season as the Flames’ track & field coach and has won 100 conference championships during his tenure, knew exactly where everything was supposed to go. Each detail was important, right down to the flooring the athletes will walk on in the team camp area perched on the second floor.
Tolsma stopped and glanced at the work underway. The 200-meter track sat in the middle of the first floor, its corners raised as high as they could go to showcase the hydraulic banking. To the other side of the facility, permanent seating was being finalized. Below those stands, a training facility was taking shape to enhance the student-athlete’s experience.
“It’s everything that we know to want at this time,” Tolsma said, “and it’s more than I ever dreamed Liberty would ever get. It’s pretty amazing.”
The university is moving the indoor track & field facility from Green Hall to a plush, $30-million complex underneath the LU monogram that will rival the other facilities in the nation that boast hydraulic banking.
When completed early next month, the 130,000-square-foot facility will feature about 1,500 permanent seats, a six-lane track, an eight-lane warm-up track below an elevated team area. It also will have accommodations for field events that can be held concurrently with track, as well as locker rooms, a coaches’ hospitality room, concession stands, training rooms and offices. CONTINUE READING
RICHMOND, Virginia — Dave Robbins misses basketball.
“I can’t help it, I do miss it.” said Robbins, who led tiny Virginia Union University in Richmond, Va. to three NCAA Division II national basketball championships in three different decades. The man called “The White Shadow” left coaching eight years ago. The first white coach in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) history, Robbins amassed a 713-194 mark during a 30-year tenure.
He thinks about the sport constantly.
“It’s like someone who has been around horse racing all of their life,” said Robbins. “It’s a part of them. They miss the smell of the barn, the feel of the turf, the smell and feel of being around the horses. I’m a basketball coach. That’s what I did. I miss the smell of a gym. I miss seeing guys work hard to perfect their game and to work as a team. I miss it.
“As far as x’s and o’s are concerned, there’s no doubt that I could still coach. I’m not that far removed from the game. But it is a young man’s game. I realize that. The travel, the recruiting, it wears and tears on you. I don’t think I could deal with that. I’m 74 and that’s asking a lot of an old man.”
So these days, he spends a lot of time with his wife of 42 years, Bunny. He also spends a lot of time playing golf.
ITTA BENA, Mississippi — Mississippi Valley State was hanging fairly close with nationally ranked Michigan State earlier this year before Spartans' guard Miles Bridges took a pass, sprinted down the lane and threw down a vicious one-handed dunk over Jamal Watson.
After that, Michigan State cruised to a 100-53 win over the Delta Devils in one of their 14 consecutive road games to start the season. MVSU coach Andre Payne recalled how following the November game he took an upbeat approach to the drubbing.
Payne went around the locker room praising each player until he saw Watson. He couldn't help but grin.
"And guess what?" Payne said. "You'll get to be on SportsCenter tonight!"
The room burst into laughter. Two months of road games requires a little gallows humor, though Mississippi Valley coaches and players say the experience is often much more rewarding than demoralizing.
MVSU (0-13) and Texas Southern (4-9) are among a handful of lower-level Division I teams that lead a nomadic existence during non-conference play, traveling to play road games with guaranteed payouts.
FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- Fort Valley State University Director of Athletics Dr. Darryl Pope, has announced the Wildcats 2017 football schedule. The Wildcats will play a 10 game schedule, which includes four home games, five away games and the Fountain City Classic.
After, this season's slow start, hiring a new coach and coaching staff in late June and players having to buy into a new system the season took an amazing turned. The Wildcats opened with two losses, an overtime win and another four game skid. The team had to win their last two games, of which they did, before meeting Albany State in the Eastern Division Championship game on November 5th. FVSU defeated Albany State and clocked a date with Kentucky State for the SIAC Championship in Montgomery, Alabama. The Wildcats capped off the amazing season with a 33-30 overtime victory and FVSU's 12th SIAC Championship.
The Wildcats will open the 2017 season in Carrollton, Georgia on Thursday, August 31 with the University of West Georgia at 7 p.m., and play Valdosta State University in Waycross, Georgia on Saturday, September 9 at 7 p.m. FVSU's home opener features Miles College on Saturday, September 16 at 6 p.m., then host Benedict College on Saturday, September 23 at 2 p.m. On Saturday, September 30, the Wildcats will play Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for the second time at 6 p.m. Southern leads the series 1-0. Next on the schedule is a trip to Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, October 7 with Clark Atlanta University in a 2 p.m. contest, before returning home to host Lane College on October 14 at 2 p.m. FVSU travels to Wilberforce, Ohio on Saturday, October 21 to play Central State University at 1:30 p.m. (CST) and return home for homecoming with Morehouse College on October 28 at 2 p.m. The final regular season game comes on Saturday, November 4 with Albany State University in the 28th Fountain City Classic game in Columbus, Georgia at 2 p.m.
WILDCATS 2017 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
DATE
OPPONENT
LOCATION
TIME
Thur. Aug.31
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, Georgia
7:00 PM
Sat. Sept. 9
Valdosta State University
Waycross, Georgia
7:00 PM
SAT. SEPT. 16
MILES COLLEGE *
FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA
6:00 PM
SAT. SEPT. 23
BENEDICT COLLEGE *
FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA
2:00 PM
Sat. Sept. 30
Southern University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
6:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 7
Clark Atlanta University *
Atlanta, Georgia
2:00 PM
SAT. OCT. 14
LANE COLLEGE *
FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA
2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 21
Central State University *
Wilberforce, Ohio
1:30 PM (CST)
SAT. OCT. 28
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE * (HOMECOMING)
FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA
2:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 4
Albany State University * 28th Annual Fountain City Classic
Columbus, Georgia
2:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 11
SIAC Championship
Montgomery, Alabama
7:00 PM (CST)
(BLUE) Indicate home games (*) Indicate conference games
FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The third time was apparently the charm for former Norfolk State linebacker Lynden Trail.
Friday, a day after he was signed to the Washington Redskins’ practice squad for the third time in two seasons, Trail was activated for today’s game at Chicago.
The move marks the first time the 2014 NSU graduate has appeared on an NFL team’s active roster. An undrafted free agent out of college, he spent part of 2015 on Houston’s practice squad before being twice picked up by Washington.
The 6-foot-7, 270-pounder’s latest return to the Redskins came more than two months after he was waived by the team.He had nine tackles in four preseason games for Washington.
In April, shortly after being signed by the Redskins for the second time, Trail, 25, said he hoped to make his mark on special teams.
“At the end of the day, if you can play special teams, you can pretty much play on the defense as well,” he said. “So that’s going to be kind of my goal.” CONTINUE READING
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern University football will make their third appearance in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge before facing two Football Bowl Subdivision opponents during the Jaguars 2017 schedule, officials announced Friday.
Southern welcomes South Carolina State - and a nationally televised audience - to Baton Rouge and A.W. Mumford Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 3. in the 11th installment of the ESPN Events sponsored game. The Jaguars hold the distinction of being the only SWAC school to win in the 10-year history of the challenge, claiming wins over Florida A&M in 2007 in Birmingham, Ala. and Delaware State in 2010 in Orlando.
The MEAC/SWAC Challenge features teams from two prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) on the opening weekend of the college football season and is aired on an ESPN network. Prior to the 2016 game, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge originated as a neutral site game at historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. before relocating to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
SU head coach Dawson Odums and former Alcorn State head coach Jay Hobson reunite on the gridiron when the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles, 2016 New Orleans Bowl champions, host the Jaguars on September 9 in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Following their first-ever meeting with Southern Miss, Southern heads to the Alamodome for the inaugural meeting against UT-San Antonio led by former LSU assistant coach and current Roadrunners' head coach Frank Wilson. In his first season, Wilson guided the Roadrunners to a Gildan New Mexico Bowl berth before losing to New Mexico 23-20 on Dec. 17.
Southern returns to the state of Mississippi to open the SWAC's new 7-game format against 3-time SWAC eastern division champ Alcorn State on Sept. 23 before NCAA Division II member Fort Valley State closes the Jaguars' nonconference schedule at Mumford Stadium on Sept. 30.
The league office elected to implement a 4-2-1 schedule format which requires conference teams to play four opponents within their division, two permanent cross-divisional foes and one team rotating yearly as a part of the conference slate.
The Jaguars, who finished 8-3, 8-1 in SWAC play - last season and reeled off eight straight wins, host Alabama A&M for homecoming on Oct. 7, then observe their first bye week off the season on Oct. 14.
Archrival Jackson State awaits SU following the off week on Oct. 21 in Jackson, Miss. before the Jaguars tangle with Arkansas-Pine Bluff on the road Oct. 28.
The month of November opens with a pair of Texas schools when Southern salutes their 2017 senior class in the home finale against Prairie View A&M on Nov. 4. After the Texas Southern game on Nov. 11 in Houston, Southern entertains one final bye week before looking to snap a two-game losing skid to Grambling State in the 44th annual Bayou Classic in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Nov. 25.
Teams on Southern's 11-game schedule compiled a 59-68 record in 2016.
For more information on Southern University Athletics log on to Gojagsports.com for the latest news, scores, and updates. Fans can also access the latest information on SU Athletics through social media by following @SoutherUsports on Twitter and Instagram or liking the SU Athletics Facebook page at Facebook.com/Southern Jaguars.
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- There’s a feeling you get when talking to Kienus Boulware of Winston-Salem State that his work is not done even though he’s been successful through his first three seasons as a head coach.
