North Carolina A&T Aggies clinch MEAC

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- N.C. A&T junior forward Jaleesa Sams made the best of Friends and Family night at Corbett Sports Center Saturday. Fifty-to-60 people from her hometown of New Castle, Pa., bused to Greensboro to watch her play. She rewarded their long trip by scoring a career-high 21 points on 9-for-11 shooting and had six rebounds and five steals to lead the A&T women's basketball team to an 84-60 win over Howard. The Aggies (21-6, 13-1 MEAC) clinched their second-straight MEAC regular-season title.

"I always play better with my family in the stands because they are my worst critics,'' Sams said. "I have no other choice but to play well. It was very important that I got out there and played. They told me if I didn't play tonight they weren't going to speak to me."

Aggies put together back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time and Coach Cage-Bibbs building strong case as the best coach in HBCU women's basketball ever!

Sams' outing was satisfying because she had missed the previous two games with a leg injury. She has missed seven games this season, and A&T head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs was happy to see her back. "We were just happy to have Jaleesa back,'' Bibbs said. "The way Jaleesa played tonight, I wish all of our players would have a busload of people come in every time we play." The Aggies also got a lift from Ta'Wuana Cook. Cook came off the bench to score 12 points, dish out three assists and record three steals. Brittanie Taylor-James added 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the free throw line.

Box Score

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Johnson C. Smith sweeps CIAA titles

For Johnson C. Smith, this was time for reinvention. Virginia Union had beaten the Golden Bulls twice during the regular season, so a “tweak,” to use coach Steve Joyner's term, was essential. So he threw in a matchup zone Saturday that scrambled things just enough to pull off a 70-63 victory in the CIAA men's championship game. “Us changing up a bit, they did act a bit confused,” Joyner said after J.C. Smith held Virginia Union below 65. “Just enough confused.”

And just enough scoring, too. Jerry Hollis kept driving for 19 points, and Ryan Scott hit two 3-pointers – the first to build an 11--point lead and the second a game-saver – after Virginia Union had closed to four with 11/2 minutes left. Scott's dad, former NBA star Dennis Scott, was at Time Warner Cable Arena, but the Golden Bulls senior hadn't done much. He picked up two quick first-half fouls but knew he'd get his chance.

JSSU star Wendy Stywalt splits the defense to score a basket over Bowie State's Juliette Turner on way to a 49-36 win and the 2009 CIAA Championship. (YALONDA M. JAMES)

That's because Hollis was so effective (6-of-11 from the field and 7-of-10 from the foul line), Virginia Union had no choice but to contract its defense around him. “I knew I'd get my time,” said Scott, who had 13 points. “The way Jerry was working down-low, I just told him, ‘Let me know – I'm ready.'” Those times came with just under 10 minutes left – for a 51-40 edge – and with 1minute, 23 seconds left, after Virginia Union's Brandon Byerson made a 3 to cut J.C. Smith's lead to four.

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Transfers ready for Rattlers

Division I transfers Branden Curry and Jamil Paris have taken two very different paths to FAMU that brought them to a point where they'll have to prove themselves all over again. Curry said he made his move from Marshall to be a part of a winning program at a position where he'd be comfortable at right tackle. Paris turned to FAMU after he was dropped from Kentucky's football team following heart surgery. In less than a month, Curry and Paris, a defensive end, will begin competing for spots on the Rattlers football depth chart. For the two transfers, the start of spring workouts on March 23 can't come fast enough.
















FAMU head football coach Joe Taylor stands with the statue of legendary Rattlers coach Jake Gaither.

Thursday was the first day that Paris participated in off-season workouts with the team. Since his enrollment at FAMU, he's undergone a battery of medical exams and wasn't cleared to play until Wednesday. Anxiety got the best of him Wednesday night and he was the first player out for the 5:45 morning run, he said. "I have such a burning desire to get started," Paris said. "I have it in my head that FAMU is not going to lose a game this season and that's what I'm approaching this season with. I'm really excited."

Paris knows that his former Division-I status doesn't guarantee a starting position. Coach Joe Taylor's policy is that every player competes and their performance ratings determine their position on the depth chart.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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Vinston's NCAA-best long jump of year sparks Norfolk State to lead at MEAC indoor track meet

LANDOVER, Md. - Norfolk State junior Corey Vinston, a Phoebus High graduate, broke his own meet record in the long jump, leaping a national-best 25 feet, 9 ½ inches to win his second straight title in that event at the 2009 MEAC Indoor Track & Field Championship at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex on Friday. The Spartans, who are seeking their fourth consecutive conference indoor championship, are in first place through six events, with 55 points. Morgan State is second with 33.

Vinston, who was ranked ninth in the nation coming into the day with a season-best leap of 25-1 ¼, tied the meet record last year by leaping 24-7 ¼. He easily topped that mark Friday, and also bettered LSU's Will Coppage (25-7), who had the nation's top long jump heading into this weekend. Vinston's mark automatically qualifies him for next month's NCAA Indoor Championship. Teammate Marlon Woods (Norfolk, Va.), who was ranked second in the nation in the long jump heading into the weekend, placed second behind Vinston, at 25-1 ¾.

The Spartans capped the day on the track with a first-place finish in the distance medley relay. The team of Keenan Harris (Norfolk, Va.), Darryl Brickhouse (Suffolk, Va.), Carlton Phipps (Lynchburg, Va.) and Dominic Luka (Marietta, N.Y.) finished in 10:15.37, just more than one second ahead of runner-up Hampton. NSU's other top finish Friday came via Brett Dodd (San Antonio, Texas) in the pole vault. Dodd, who won the conference indoor title last season, cleared a school-record 14-11 on Friday to take second place.

MEAC Track and Field Indoor Championships-Day Two Results

Click here for 09 MEAC Indoor Results (.pdf)
Click here for 09 Men's Hep (.pdf)

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WSSU fires athletics director of 9 years

On Friday, the board of governors of the University of North Carolina system will vote on WSSU's request to increase student athletics fees. That vote could determine whether WSSU continues to Division I or returns to Division II and the CIAA.

Dr. Percy "Chico" Caldwell, the athletics director at Winston-Salem State since 2000, was fired yesterday by Chancellor Donald Reaves. Caldwell, who was hired by former chancellor Harold Martin, had been instrumental in steering the Rams athletics program to NCAA Division I status. The program is in its third year of transition after having left Division II and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. When reached yesterday by phone and asked why he was fired, Caldwell said: "I don't know -- that's what I'm trying to find out."

Reaves, who was hired in February 2007, did not return a phone call to discuss his decision but said in a prepared statement that it was time for "new leadership." "A stated goal in my short tenure as chancellor is to implement a talent strategy that has the right people in the right position at the right time," Reaves said in the statement. "The university, including its athletics program, is at a critical transition point where fresh ideas and approaches are needed, and in keeping with my commitment to the talent strategy, I believe that the athletics program and our student-athletes will benefit from new leadership."

Reaves named Tonia Walker, the associate director of athletics and senior women's administrator, as the interim AD. She has been at the school since August 2000, when she was hired as the volleyball coach and assistant AD after spending eight years as the director of public relations for the CIAA. Walker, a two-sport athlete in college, received a bachelor's degree from Hampton in 1993 and a master's degree from Old Dominion in 1998. At WSSU, she has twice been named the CIAA senior women's administrator of the year.

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Note: The Winston-Salem Journal reports the candidates to replace Caldwell include Tim Grant, a former basketball player and assistant coach at WSSU, and Dee Todd, a former basketball player at WSSU and former AD at N.C. A&T. Please! You're $1.5 million in the tank heading to athletic purgatory and your top candidates are "unequipped retreads" with no fundraising skills. Time for the Rams to move away from X-HBCU retreads.

Only wish one president would make the same move at FAMU--Bill Hayes.

-beepbeep

JSU-TSU rivalry set for another five years

When Fred Jones founded the Southern Heritage Classic in 1990, he modeled it after other major neutral-site rivalries. Jones looked to the Red River Shootout in Dallas between Texas and Oklahoma. He looked to the game formerly known as the World's Largest Cocktail Party between Florida and Georgia in Jacksonville, Fla. He considered the Bayou Classic -- celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2009 -- pitting Southern and Grambling in New Orleans.

"That seemed to be the model you should follow," Jones said. "Two rival teams that are evenly matched and convenient to the game's location." Confirming Tuesday that Jackson State and Tennessee State have agreed to five-year contract extensions with the SHC -- ensuring that they will continue meeting each other on the second Saturday in September at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium through at least 2014 -- Jones solidified his own growing rivalry.

JSU and TSU have met in Memphis each year since 1994, and the SHC's profile has grown leaps and bounds in recent years with major increases in TV distribution. (Jones said he has struck a deal with SportSouth to televise the SHC in HD for the second year in a row.) "We obviously have something here that works from the fans', the sponsors', the schools' and the city's standpoint," Jones said.

The SHC, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, was not initially founded as a classic rivalry with two set opponents. While TSU has participated in all 19 contests, the Tigers played Grambling and Mississippi Valley State once each in the game's early years. Now, with JSU firmly on board, the SHC can continue developing the rivalry aspect of the event. The TSU and JSU football teams and marching bands have earned their schools more than $3 million each through their participation in the SHC. The new contract gives each school the opportunity to earn $300,000 per year from 2010 to 2014 to help fund educational activities and expenses.


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Norfolk State adds receiver, defensive back

Norfolk State signed two more football players to its fall recruiting class Friday. Defensive back Denzel Coleman and wide receiver Derrick Demps signed with the Spartans two days after National Signing Day. NSU signed five players Wednesday. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Coleman played four years at Mays High School in Atlanta. He recorded 71 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, two sacks and three fumble recoveries in his senior season. Coleman also ran sprints on the track team for the past two seasons.

Demps, 6 feet and 180 pounds, hails from Florida High School in Tallahassee. The third-team all-state Class 2A selection caught 42 passes for 743 yards with seven touchdowns last fall. Demps also returned an interception 75 yards for a score.

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Norfolk State University Spartan Legion Marching Band


National Signing Day Signees to NSU

Karl Butler, OL, 6-5/310, Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend HS. Was an honorable mention all-district pick as a senior. Adrian says: “Butler is very athletic and comes off ball well. He is excellent in pass protection.”

Quartez Carter, TE, 6-5/250, Spotsylvania, Va./Spotsylvania HS. Two-time first-team All-Battlefield District selection at tight end…also named honorable mention All-Region I as a junior and senior…selected to the all-district second team at defensive end in his final prep season…caught 24 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns as a senior…also an all-district pick in basketball. Adrian says: “He has a chance to help us right away. He runs well for his size, has good hands, and is big for a tight end.”

Kevin Leatherwood, QB, 6-2/205, Charlottesville, Va./Charlottesville HS. A three-year starter at quarterback for Charlottesville…missed most of his senior season due to injury…was an all-district and all-region performer as a junior, when he accounted for 2,000 yards of total offense and 12 touchdowns…also the Jefferson District Player of the Year and an all-state selection in basketball as a junior. Adrian says: “Leatherwood is an exceptional athlete. He’s a smart player who throws the ball with good velocity and understands the game.”

Victor Martin, DL, 6-2/270, Fort Meade, Fla./Independence (Kan.) CC/Fort Meade HS. A second-team All-Jayhawk Conference selection last year…team captain…tallied 62 tackles, 12 for loss, and eight sacks…a first-team All-State Class 1A selection as a senior at Fort Meade HS, when he helped the Miners win the state title…redshirted his first year at Independence, and has three years of eligibility remaining. Adrian says: “Martin has a great ‘motor.’ He is tailor-made for our defense because he moves well and is always around the football.”

Cameron Williams, OL, 6-4/295, Alexandria, Va./St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes HS. A second-team all-state (VISAA) offensive lineman as a senior. Adrian says: “Williams is another athletic lineman who has excellent strength and movement.”

Cy Alexander is fired as TSU basketball coach

Dismissal comes after 67-106 record

Tennessee State fired men's basketball Coach Cy Alexander yesterday after more than five seasons, during which the Tigers program went 67-106. "I'm very close to Coach Alexander," TSU Athletics Director Teresa Phillips said. "I hired him six years ago. He and I both had big visions for the program. … We've had success off the court. Our young men are graduating. … (But) somewhere in here we have to have the on-the-court success and that just has not happened."

Alexander will be replaced on an interim basis by assistant Mark Pittman, who will be on the sideline for today's 7:30 p.m. home game against UT Martin. A message left for the outgoing coach at his home was not returned Friday. Alexander, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., took the job on April 1, 2003, after 16 seasons at South Carolina State. He led the Bulldogs to five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles and five NCAA Tournament appearances.

He went to the Orangeburg, S.C., campus in 1987 after working 11 years as an assistant coach at Howard. In his first year at South Carolina State, Alexander took over a team that had seen nine straight losing seasons and turned them into a winner with a 16-13 mark. The following year, the Bulldogs went a school-record 25-8, won the MEAC title and played in their first-ever NCAA Tournament game.

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Tired of losing to Valley, JSU gets early lead, rides it out

Jackson State was getting tired of Mississippi Valley State. The Tigers have been picked to win the SWAC the last two seasons, and did advance to the NCAA Tournament in 2007. But, in 2008, expecting to repeat, JSU stubbed its toe on Valley. As talented as JSU was last year, Valley won both of the regular-season matchups and then rallied late to win the final one that mattered most - for the SWAC Championship and NCAA berth.

Though the Delta Devils are built around new players and a first-year coach, that didn't dim the Tiger smiles after a 64-58 victory inside the Athletics and Assembly Center on Saturday. "It's just a little bit of relief," JSU guard Darrion Griffin said. "It was a little bit too close for comfort. "(That last game was) eating at us. We think about it all the time. To get the victory against them makes us feel like we can beat any team in the conference."

Jackson State stuck to its recent blueprint for success by busting out to a 12-point lead less than 10 minutes into the game. Valley would never lead for a single second of the 40 minutes, but it also refused to get blown out. The Delta Devils chipped away at the lead and trailed 31-27 at halftime. A dribble-drive layup by Julius Cheeks cut the lead to 35-34 at the 16:05 mark, but Valley never got any closer.

Photo Gallery: Jackson State-Mississippi Valley

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Grambling soccer stuns Louisiana Tech

GRAMBLING, LA – A pair of goals in the final four minutes of regulation and a failed clear of a corner kick in the third minute of overtime allowed Grambling State to overcome a 2-0 deficit and defeat Louisiana Tech 3-2 in overtime Tuesday afternoon at the Lady Tiger Soccer Field. “(Grambling) was the better team today,” Tech head coach Kevin Sherry said. “They wanted it more. They played harder and deserved to win.”

Despite dominating possession and outshooting the Lady Tigers 30-14, a squad mostly made up of reserves in the last few minutes could not hold a 2-0 lead for Tech (4-2). Grambling (1-4) played with only 10 players the entire match. “I take full responsibility for this loss,” Sherry said. “I tried to rest my starters late in the game, and I shouldn’t have done that. That said, we kind of had this loss coming. We’ve gotten away with playing poorly the last two games, and it finally caught up with us.”

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FAMU Rattlers back to work

After four days away from the practice field, the Rattlers impressed coach Joe Taylor with an up-tempo workout Tuesday afternoon in preparation for Saturday's game against Howard. "I thought that the intensity was good," Taylor said. "I saw a lot of leadership from the captains. Overall I thought it was a good day." Quarterback Curtis Pulley took most of the snaps, as starter Eddie Battle left practice early for an appointment. Running back Philip Sylvester took reps after sitting out three days of practice last week. He was a little gimpy, but Taylor said he expects Sylvester to play Saturday.

Special teams continued to show improvement during field-goal drills, as Trevor Scott boomed one attempt after another over the upright. His only missed kick sailed to the right of the goalpost on a 47-yard try. He sent the second attempt straight through the uprights. Meanwhile, Taylor said kicker Troy Walker will miss practice until he straightens out his academic situation. Walker was the projected starter until he ran afoul in the classroom, leaving the kicking duties to Scott and Will Platt, who handles kickoff and punts.

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SU hopes big win start of something special

Photo Gallery: Southern 49, MVSU 7

Running back Kendrick Smith scored his first career touchdown at Southern going backward. There are no style points for that — “My legs are the strongest thing on my body,” Smith said of getting turned around yet pushing defenders across the goal line — but they still put six points up on the scoreboard for that.

In this case, backward nevertheless means going forward. That 3-yard TD, like all of Southern’s 49-7 non-conference win over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday night in A.W. Mumford Stadium, is all about the breakthrough. Smith, a top-level recruit at Patterson High, had his first 100-yard game and his first touchdown since 2005, when he was at Coffeyville Community College. He sat out in 2006 and missed time with injuries as a reserve last season.

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