Albany State Stunned By Lane

Jackson, Tennessee -- The Albany State Golden Rams appear to have been caught in the trap game. Saturday’s game at Lane College (3-3) was supposed to be a reprieve for ASU before their SIAC Eastern Division slate starts next week.

Twelfth-ranked ASU scored three points in the second half losing to the Lane Dragons 26-24.

The Golden Rams led 21-20 at the half, but a third quarter touchdown by Lane College running back McKinsley Marbury sealed the game for the Dragons. ASU kicker Brandon Hamilton hit a 40-yard field goal in the fourth, but the Rams were unable to put any more points on the board.

Marbury was the star on Saturday at Lane Field. The running back had 29 carries for 143 yards and three touchdowns. While, ASU’s all-conference quarterback Stanley Jennings was not able to pull off another come-from-behind win. Jennings was 8-20 for 160 yards and a touchdown.

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Albany State University adds Valdosta to football schedule

ALBANY, GA — A rivalry has been renewed. Albany State University and Valdosta State University have inked a contract that will pit the football teams against each other on Sept. 17 at 6 p.m., ASU athletic officials announced on Monday. The one-year deal — which could eventually turn permanent — also gives Albany State an additional home game this season and finalizes the 2011 football schedule.

“We would have liked to have this 10th game scheduled a long time ago, but it worked out this way,” ASU coach Mike White said. “(Valdosta) is a very good team, and they have a very good record against us.” In fact, the VSU Blazers have won 13 of the 14 meetings in the series, which dates to 1982. The teams haven’t played since 2007, when the Blazers won, 41-3, in Valdosta.

“We’re thrilled to have Albany State back on our schedule,” said VSU head coach David Dean. “With the proximity of the two schools, it has always been a great rivalry and a big event for South Georgia. Both schools always bring large crowds to the games, and they have seen...

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Videographer: MarchingsportHD; Albany State University Marching Band (2011) - Honda Battle of the Bands

ASU stars shine at annual Alice Coachman meet

ALBANY, GA — Brittany Carter found herself all alone as she approached the starting line Saturday for the 800-meter run.  “I didn’t believe it,” said the Albany State sophomore, who waited and hoped for another runner to step onto the track. “I was the only one on paper (scheduled to run in the 800), but I thought somebody else was going to run.”

But there she stood — all by herself on ASU’s home track during the 19th annual Alice Coachman Track & Field Invitational. She was just one of several athletes who were on the cusp of qualifying for the Division II National Championships. And Saturday’s meet offered those runners a final chance to post qualifying times.

Carter needed a 2:14 to provisionally qualify in the 800, something that becomes tougher to do as a solo runner.  “Usually I have someone to run with and get my first lap time. Usually I practice for a 1:03 first lap, so I kind of knew how to run that by myself,” said Carter, who ran her first lap in 1:04. “The second lap I had a strategy to pick it up at the 300 mark and at the 150 try to finish strong.”

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Stillman Captures Fifth SIAC Championship; Cagle Hurls Complete Game in 3-2 Win

ALBANY, Ga. – Junior left-hander Josh Cagle fired his second complete game in less than 48 hours, pitching the Stillman College baseball team to a 3-2 win over Albany State University in the championship game of the 2011 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament at Paul Eames Complex on Sunday afternoon.

The Brookwood native was named the 2011 SIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player after his second complete game in the four-day event. The former Tuscaloosa Academy standout worked 18 innings in his two tournament starts and allowed five runs (3 ER) on nine hits with 21 strikeouts and two walks.

Shortstop Josh Beal and first baseman Jarius Brown were also named to the All-Tournament team.

Stillman College 2011 SIAC Tournament Baseball Champions - ROSTER

 Stillman (25-17) won all four games at the 2011 SIAC Tournament Championship in winning its fourth tournament championship in the last five years. The Tigers, who have won SIAC championships in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011, also secured the league's automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Division II Tournament, which will begin on May 19. The pairings and location will be announced at a later date by the NCAA.

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Stillman faces Albany State for SIAC title

ASU Coach Kenyon Conner

ALBANY, Ga. - The Stillman College baseball team's quest for a fourth Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament championship was put on hold Saturday afternoon at the Paul Eames Complex.

The Tigers were scheduled to play in the championship game at 5 p.m. but the game has been rescheduled for today at 11 a.m. after the Albany State University Rams won both elimination games against Tuskegee and Claflin to reach the championship game.

NCAA and SIAC rules prohibit a team from playing three games in the same calendar day, so the championship game was rescheduled for today.

Stillman (24-17) is the only undefeated team remaining in the SIAC Tournament and needs just one win to claim the school's fourth conference title in the last five years. The Tigers won tournament crowns in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

ASU arms keep Rams alive

ALBANY — An Albany State baseball team that entered the 2011 season with uncertainty and inexperience is now two wins away from winning its second straight SIAC Tournament championship.

“Everybody doubted us because we had a bunch of freshmen,” ASU interim coach Kenyon Conner said about a Rams squad that doesn’t have a single senior. “They didn’t think we would win 20 games, but we did. They didn’t think we would make it to the championship game.”

On Saturday, they did that, too. The sixth-seeded Rams (29-24) capitalized on a pair of strong pitching performances to beat Tuskegee University and Claflin University in back-to-back loser’s bracket games at Paul Eames Park, advancing to today’s championship series with Stillman College.

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Albany State University survives long, long day

ALBANY, GA — Albany State interim baseball coach Kenyan Conner was momentarily speechless following Friday night’s SIAC Tournament game against Miles. Then he aptly described his team’s 18-12 win. “Long,” he said about the four-hour game where his team nearly blew a 15-0 lead.

The sixth-seeded Rams hung on and are still alive in the SIAC Tournament, but now they have no room for error entering the final two days of the event.

After committing five errors in a 5-3 quarterfinal loss to the No. 2 seed Stillman College Tigers, the Rams avoided bowing out of the double elimination tournament Friday at Paul Eames Sports Complex by knocking off Miles.

'Bama athletes think about home

ALBANY, GA - Some people who survived those storms in Alabama are in Albany this week at the SIAC Baseball Tournament. While they're playing ball or rooting for their teams, all of them said their hearts are back home.

The Stillman College baseball Tigers from Tuscaloosa had a former teammate killed in the tornadoes that flattened their town. Three members of the Miles College baseball Bears from Birmingham lost their rental homes at school, while two players' families lost their homes.

Many of the fans at today's games lived through the killer storms. Katie Watkins' fiance is one of the coaches for Stillman College's baseball team. She was in her apartment in Northport during the tornadoes. "He had gone to be with a girl, to protect her...

Defending champion Rams open 2011 SIAC tourney today at home

ALBANY, GA — When Albany State junior shortstop William Smalls talks, interim baseball coach Kenyon Conner said his team listens. That was clear during Wednesday afternoon’s practice when Smalls spoke about preparing for this week’s SIAC baseball tournament, which starts today at Paul Eames Park.

“We are ready to play, man,” the SIAC Player of the Year candidate said. “Just like in the military, get your soldiers up and get ready to go to war.” “War” starts today at 10 a.m. when the No. 6 Rams (25-23 overall, 10-5 SIAC) host No. 3 Tuskegee (16-15, 11-4) in the opener of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.

The Rams, who have won 11 of their last 18 games, hosted and won last year’s SIAC Tournament. Conner said pressure to repeat lingers in the back of his players’ minds.

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Defending champion ASU Rams open 2011 SIAC tourney today at home

ALBANY, GA — When Albany State junior shortstop William Smalls talks, interim baseball coach Kenyon Conner said his team listens. That was clear during Wednesday afternoon’s practice when Smalls spoke about preparing for this week’s SIAC baseball tournament, which starts today at Paul Eames Park.

“We are ready to play, man,” the SIAC Player of the Year candidate said. “Just like in the military, get your soldiers up and get ready to go to war.”

“War” starts today at 10 a.m. when the No. 6 Rams (25-23 overall, 10-5 SIAC) host No. 3 Tuskegee (16-15, 11-4) in the opener of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament. The Rams, who have won 11 of their last 18 games, hosted and won last year’s SIAC Tournament. Conner said pressure to repeat lingers in the back of his players’ minds.

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ASU men’s hoops signs four, aims for big rebound after tough season

ALBANY, GA — Josh Alford, Justin Wilcox, Tray Pearce and Tyrell Johnson. Remember those names. They’re the quartet of players Albany State’s men’s basketball program welcomed with open arms Friday during three separate signing ceremonies as the Rams look to rebuild and move past what happened a year ago when they finished 7-22 and dead last in the SIAC.

“All these guys are winners, from high school to junior college they won,” ASU coach Chris Cameron said. “We went out and tried to get guys who can restore that winning tradition — and I think we’ve done that.”



Restoring the winning tradition starts with Alford, the high-scoring former Worth County star who signed out of high school with Middle Georgia College. Cameron, who said Friday he’d had his eye on Alford from as early as his sophomore year when Alford attended one of ASU’s summer camps, got a chance to see him this past season during MGC’s trip to Albany to face Albany Tech.

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ASU women’s track & field captures SIAC Championship

ALBANY, GA — Albany State men’s and women’s track & field coach Kenneth Taylor said he told his team to remember one thing before they headed to the SIAC Track & Field Spring Championships this weekend in Atlanta.

“I told them this last year, and then I reminded them again this year that (in 2010) we just loaned the title to Fort Valley State,” Taylor said Sunday. “And (in 2011) we were gonna get it back.” Promise kept.

The Lady Rams dominated from start to finish, never lost the overall lead and brought the SIAC crown back to Albany on Sunday afternoon, earning Taylor his seventh conference title on the women’s side in eight years since taking over the program in 2003.

The Lady Rams scored 241.5 points, which was more than double the amount scored by second place Fort Valley, which finished with 112 points. Benedict College finished third with 89 points.


Videographer: stillmantencoach06; STILLMAN 4 x 400 HEADED TO FINALS

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ASU baseball finishes off series with Morehouse with 14-10 win

ALBANY, GA — Fresh off a doubleheader sweep of Morehouse on Saturday, the Albany State baseball team made it 3-for-3 when it won a slugfest, 14-10, in the series finale Sunday. The Rams moved to 21-16 overall and 8-1 in the SIAC one year after winning the conference title.

Dallas Neloms led the way, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI, while posting two hits each were Corbin Williams (two runs scored, RBI), former Westover star Jacob Campbell (two runs scored, RBI), Brandon Small (two runs scored, RBI) and Desmond Towns (three runs scored, two RBI).


Videographer: albanystatega; The Past, Present and Future: The Role of HBCUs in Higher Education

ASU mashes Morehouse in twin bill sweep, moves to 7-1 in SIAC

ALBANY, GA — Talk about laying it on thick. That’s what Albany State’s baseball team did to Morehouse College in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader. The Maroon Tigers (10-19 overall, 1-7 SIAC) did not stand a chance as they tried the bounce back from a 20-7 thumping in Game 1, only to fall in similar fashion by a final of 12-2 in the night cap.

“I thought we came into the second game with a little more sense of urgency — (we) jumped right on them,” said ASU interim coach Kenyan Conner, whose team improved to 20-16 overall and 7-1 in the SIAC. “Anytime you don’t have a lot of walks and (play) good defense then you will always give yourself a chance to win.

But the effort by the Rams, who won the SIAC title last season under longtime coach Edward Taylor before Taylor left and Conner took over, on the defensive side of the ball was just one reason for their dominance in this meeting as their bats got hot early — and stayed that way for the entire afternoon.

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Albany State: Spring In Their Step

ALBANY, GA — How good are these guys?

Really, just how much better can Albany State’s football team be next fall? It’s seems like it was 15 minutes ago when the Rams were making history, winning the SIAC and marching deep into the Division II playoffs in a season no one in the Good Life City will soon forget.

But could they be better? They sure looked like it Friday night during the annual Blue and Gold scrimmage spring game at the ASU Coliseum, where they made a little April history. That’s what quarterbacks coach Uyl Joyner called it after watching the offense (the Gold) beat the defense (the Blue), 37-19.

“It’s about time,’’ said Joyner, who smiled when he said it. “Defense always rules at Albany State. But the offense finally won. It’s history!’’

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Videographer: rhoward84; ASU Golden Rams Marching Band - Praise Is What I Do

Stillman faces Albany State in SIAC series

TUSCALOOSA | The Stillman College baseball team, riding a six-game conference winning streak, will take on Albany State in a key Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series this weekend at historic Eagle Stadium in Ozark.

The teams will play a nine-inning game tonight at 7, then wrap up the series with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. The doubleheader will consist of two, seven-inning games.

Stillman (12-13, 6-0 SIAC) will serve as the home team for the three-game series to be played in one of the state’s oldest minor league ballparks.

Ozark stadium to host its first four-year college baseball game

OZARK, AL – Several baseball fans and players from Tuscaloosa and Albany, Ga., are expected to be in Ozark this weekend for the city’s first baseball game with four-year, Division 2 college players.

Baseball teams from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa and Albany State University are playing a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Eagle Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday and will have a double-header at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Department of Leisure Services Director Steve Sherrill said Auburn University in Montgomery will play at the stadium against Thomas University in Thomasville, Ga., on April 12.

The stadium, which seats 800, was built in 1946 for the Ozark Cardinals Class D Minor League Baseball team. Sherrill said renovations to the facility have since drawn several junior college and high school baseball teams to the city for regional and state tournaments.

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Albany State: Coach Steve Smith -- Two-and-done

ALBANY, GA — The Albany State “Gold Rush” offense has officially lost a little bit of its glow.

Steve Smith, the school’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, turned in his resignation March 7 to head coach Mike White to take over as running game coordinator and offensive line coach at Tennessee State, a Division I program in Nashville.

Stanley Jennings - 2010 SIAC MVP and Offensive Player
 of the Year. 

“I wasn’t looking for another opportunity, it just happened,” Smith, a Chicago native, told The Herald via telephone Thursday afternoon. “It was just a good opportunity, closer to home, bigger school, little better financial situation — all of that.”

Smith was afforded the opportunity by Tennessee State offensive coordinator Mike Jones, who Smith worked with during his time with the NFL Europe’s Frankfurt Galaxy in Germany.

White confirmed Smith’s resignation Thursday.

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Minus leads Stillman past Albany State

ALBANY, GA - Sharod Minus scored 27 points off the bench for the Stillman College Tigers, including 7-for-8 shooting from 3-point range, in a 90-71 victory Thursday night over Albany State in men's basketball action.

Rakee Anderson added 18 points and six assists for the Tigers, while LaJay Sears scored 17 with four assists. Lee Riley contributed 10 points and six rebounds.

Albany State was led by Oscar Morris with 16 points. Stillman (20-5, 19-4 SIAC) plays at Tuskegee at 3 p.m. Saturday.

ASU men's, women's hoops close regular season on losing note

ALBANY, Ga. — And that’s why you don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

Just ask the Albany State women’s basketball team, which thought it would lock up the No.1 seed in next week’s SIAC Tournament with a win against Stillman on Thursday, but after a second-half meltdown — ending in a 75-67 loss — all the Lady Rams can now look forward to is the No. 2 seed.

“We had a lack of execution on offense (Thursday night),” said Lady Rams coach Robert Skinner, whose team watched Stillman blow the lid off a game that was all knotted up at 29-29 at halftime. “We just didn’t play good defensively."

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Even without Eric Salley, Claflin Panthers record victory

Eric Salley's playing days with Claflin University are apparently over and teammates and coaches were placed under a self-imposed gag order by the administration about commenting about the ongoing controversy which abruptly ended his college basketball career.

"I have no comments about it," Claflin men's basketball coach Ron Woodard said. "All the issues with him should be directed to (Claflin Assistant Vice President for Communications and Marketing Sonja) Bennett."

Yet as the All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference guard inconspicuously sat in the Jonas T. Kennedy Center stands Saturday afternoon as the Panthers trailed Albany State by 11 points in the second half, his on-court non-presence was not easy to ignore.

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ASU women flatten FVSU, seize control of No. 1 in SIAC

Albany, Ga. - Good things come to those who wait. Just ask the Albany State women’s basketball team, which had to wait a little over a month to get another crack at Fort Valley State after the Lady Wildcats handed the Lady Rams their first conference loss (74-69) in early January.

So when the time finally came for ASU to take the court against one of its fierce rivals, the Lady Rams did not hold anything back, especially Kourtney Alexander who scored a career-high 35 points, as ASU soundly defeated FVSU, 82-69, Saturday night.

“We needed this win,” ASU coach Robert Skinner said of the victory, which propelled into sole possession of No. 1 in the SIAC. Skinner than added: “This is what we have been waiting for, a chance to get an opportunity to get Fort Valley back in Albany and it feels good and we are really pleased with the win (Saturday night).”

The win gives ASU (15-9, 14-4 in the SIAC) sole possession of the No. 1 spot in the conference, while FVSU (15-9, 13-5) drops to the second spot.

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ASU women's hoops escapes Clark Atlanta in OT, set for FVSU showdown

ATLANTA, Ga. — Whew ... that was a close one.

That was the reaction of Albany State women’s basketball coach Robert Skinner on Tuesday night after his Lady Rams narrowly pulled out a key SIAC win against Clark Atlanta on the road, 84-78, in overtime, to maintain its top spot in the conference race. Albany State is 12-4 and is tied with Fort Valley for first, and as long as FVSU takes care of business at home on Thursday against Claflin, it will set up a showdown for the regular-season SIAC title Saturday at HPER when the two teams meet for the second time this season.

“We got pushed to the limit (Tuesday night),” Skinner said. “No one’s going to make it easy on us.”

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With new coach, ASU baseball has sights set on defending SIAC crown

ALBANY, Ga. — Albany State University began a new era in its baseball program Tuesday when Kenyan Conner made his debut as interim head coach of the Rams, who opened their 2011 campaign Tuesday on the road at Edward Waters.

Conner replaces Edward Taylor, coach of the Rams for the last eight years, after Taylor abruptly resigned late last year for another career opportunity in Texas, according to the ASU sports information office.

Now with new blood at the helm, Conner — the Rams’ assistant baseball coach under Taylor since 2002 — will look to lead the Rams back to the top of the SIAC after ASU won the conference crown a year ago. Conner takes over a program he helped to build into one of the most successful in the SIAC.

The Rams have won four SIAC Championships and made two appearances in the NCAA Division II tournament since Taylor and Conner came aboard eight years ago.

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2nd-half explosion puts DSU in D-II semis

ALBANY, GA. — Delta State spotted undefeated Albany State an early touchdown, then used a dominating second-half performance to beat the Golden Rams 28-7 Saturday and advance to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II football playoffs.

DSU (10-3) will play Shepherd University (11-2) of West Virginia in the semifinals on Saturday. The site and time will be announced today. The game will be televised live by CBS College Sports.
Shepherd advanced with a 49-14 victory on Saturday over Mercyhurst.

Albany State (11-1) took the opening kickoff and drove 74 yards for a touchdown, scoring on a 35-yard pass from Stanley Jennings to Ronnie Childs. With the game barely four minutes old, DSU trailed.

Not to be

ALBANY, Ga. — The Rams came into their Division II quarterfinal playoff game Saturday on the verge of making history. Unfortunately, they repeated it. Albany State fell to another Gulf South Conference team in the postseason, this time, 28-7, to Delta State on Saturday at Albany State University Coliseum, thus ending another magical undefeated season. Only this go round, the Rams beat themselves.

“(Delta State) just played better than we did (Saturday). We made a lot of mistakes and they capitalized on them, and that really was the difference in the game,” ASU head coach Mike White said. “We talked a little about 2004 (when we lost to Valdosta State in the quarterfinals) and how we’ve (had) this opportunity before. We didn’t want to get behind because they have such a good combination on offense, so we knew we had to stay on top of them.

Albany State falls to Delta State in D-II quarters, season ends at 11-1

Albany State scores the first points of the game Saturday against Delta State in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals, then doesn't score again the rest of the game in a 28-7 loss to the Statesmen, ending their amazing season at 11-1 and two wins shy of the national championship.

SO LONG, SENIORS: A historic ASU team says goodbye to historic players

ALBANY, GA — This season has been one to remember for Albany State football fans. Close games, winning streaks and home-field advantage in the playoffs mean the area won’t be forgetting the 2010 Rams any time soon. But with the 28-7 defeat to Delta State on Saturday in the D-II quarterfinals, ASU lost more than just a game. It lost a bunch of key seniors — Jacob Hardwick, Ronnie Childs, Mario Fuller, Prathon Wilkerson, LiRonnie Davis and Robert Welton to name a few.

“That’s always a difficult one for a coach, because most of those guys are five-year guys. You’ve been with them for a while,” ASU head coach Mike White said. “It’s a good relationship and we hate to see it go out this way.”

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DSU national title run gets ready for road bump -- Albany State

Delta State faces a tough obstacle of winning the Division II national championship. The 13th ranked Statesmen (9-3) travel to No. 9 Albany State (11-0) in a quarterfinal contest on Saturday at noon. Delta State is coming off its best game of the season, routing North Alabama 47-24 in the second round last week at Parker Field.

“That was the most complete game we put together this year,” Statesmen coach Ron Roberts said. “It was an outstanding performance across the board and a total team effort.” For Delta State to reach the semifinals, the Statesmen will likely need a repeat performance against the unbeaten Golden Rams. Albany State and the Statesmen are ranked one-two in the South Central II Region.

Scouting the Statesmen

ALBANY, GA — The scouting report is in. Delta State, which takes on Albany State on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II football playoffs, is coming to town, and the Statesmen (9-3) will be the second straight team that the Rams (11-0) face for the first-time ever. So what does head coach Mike White and ASU know about them? Not much, aside from watching film, except that they are 10-4 in the playoffs, won the Division II National Championship in 2000 and have an explosive offense.

But just as much as the Rams don’t know about Delta State, the Statesmen don’t know about Albany State. Which is why DSU head coach Ron Roberts and his team are preparing for the best.

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