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HAMPTON, VA (11/15/2011) – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and its Board of Directors announced today the retirement of Commissioner Leon G. Kerry for personal reasons effective immediately. Kerry, 63, had worked for the CIAA since 1988 and has been Commissioner of America’s oldest black college and university conference for the past twenty-two years.
“The CIAA Board of Directors would like to thank Leon for his years of service to this great conference. Our league has grown under his leadership and we are well-positioned to expand on that foundation”, stated Board President Dr. Mickey Burnim. Associate Commissioner and Senior Woman Administrator Monique Smith has been named interim commissioner.
Petersburg, Virginia -- John Wilson, Jr. has been appointed as the Assistant Athletic Director at Virginia State University. Prior to joining VSU, Wilson was most recently the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Wilson’s coaching experience spans over 30 years at the collegiate and high school level.
Wilson has had some success coaching, however he is proud of his many former players that have earned their degrees. “My biggest thrill as it relates to coaching is to see former players graduate.” During his time at Lock Haven there have been 26 Scholar Athlete Awards and 12 All PSAC West Division Athletes. In 2003, Coach Wilson led his team to the school’s first playoff appearance since 1996 and on his way to being honored as the PSAC-West Coach of the Year. While an assistant at Millersville University, Coach Wilson was part of 4 NCAA II tourney appearances including a trip to the Elite Eight and two PSAC titles as well as four PSAC-East titles. During his one-year stint at William Penn HS his Cagers won the York County Title and a State Playoff appearance on their way to a 25-6 record.
Wilson has been active with community, campus, and NCAA activities and projects. He has volunteered his services for organizations such as the Keystone Central School District Reading Program, AAUW and “Communities that Care.” He was a member of the board for the “Second Mile” in Lock Haven as well as being a member of the Lock Haven Kiwanis Club and a volunteer officer for the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Wilson served on the NCAA II Men’s Basketball National Committee from 2004-2007 and played a major role in the birth of the NABC NCAA II All-Star game. Wilson has been a panelist for the PSAC Minority Coaching Symposium as well as a mentor at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Conference.
After graduating from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation, Wilson began his career as a Physical Instructor for the Chicago Park District. He has also worked as a Program Coordinator at the Carver Community Center in Kokomo, IN and in the same position at the Lititz Community Center in Lititz, PA. Wilson has earned his Master’s Degree in Sport Management from California University of Pennsylvania.
“I am looking forward to my new role as a collegiate athletic administrator. I believe there is no better opportunity than beginning this chapter of my life and career at Virginia State University and the CIAA.”
Wilson is married (Jackie) and they have a family that includes four children and two grandchildren.
Head Men’s Basketball Lock Haven University of PA 1999-2011
Head Boy’s Varsity Basketball William Penn HS in York,PA 1998-1999
Assistant Men’s Basketball Millersville University of PA 1988-1998
Assistant Men’s Basketball Malcolm X College Chicago, IL 1980-1985
RALEIGH, N.C. -- This season, for the first time in more than 50 years, the football team at Saint Augustine's College may fulfill its dream of playing home games on campus. But a new stadium will be smaller than school leaders had hoped.
The college has scaled back plans for a 5,000-seat venue after opposition from neighbors upset at the prospect of noisy crowds and game-day traffic. Instead, Saint Augustine's will seek permission for 2,500 seats - a capacity that won support from Raleigh City Council members in previous negotiations.
The revised proposal, which could go before the council Sept. 6, marks a setback for college officials who wanted more seats to attract recruits and compete for upper-tier NCAA track competitions.
The complex is named in honor of George "Pup" Williams, the longtime track coach who has led his athletes to 31 NCAA Division II track championships.
"To me, it's a slap in the face," said Williams, also the school's athletic director. "Sometimes I wonder how it would have been with Mike Krzyzewski or Dean Smith (pushing for the stadium).
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The yard lines are painted, the goal posts are up, and a video scoreboard stands ready to flash the first Falcons touchdown. But one thing is missing from the new sports complex at Saint Augustine's College, and it's not referees, offensive linemen or a drum line. The stadium has no bleachers.
Saint Augustine's finished work this spring on a turf field and nine-lane track, marking progress on the long-awaited George Williams Athletic Complex. But the school put off installing bleachers while it worked to resolve conflicts with neighbors aghast at the prospect of noisy crowds and game-day traffic.
At issue is the seating capacity for the stadium, nestled in a quiet residential area off Oakwood Avenue. In 2004, after several rounds of talks between neighbors and school leaders, the City Council approved a 2,500-seat stadium under a compromise brokered by Mayor Charles Meeker. But the school never acted on the plan. Now, college officials are convinced they need more seats to attract recruits and compete for upper-tier NCAA track competitions.
"At 5,000 seats, we will be one of the smallest stadiums of any institution we play," President Dianne Boardley Suber told a group of concerned neighbors last week. "I don't expect this to be an easy decision for you. ... There is nothing in our history to suggest we're going to be anything other than good neighbors."
The George Williams Athletic Complex is a special tribute to the contributions of distinguished alumnus and Athletic Director George "Pup" Williams. Coach Williams has earned thirty-one (31) NCAA Division II Track Championships, produced nine Olympians including 2008 Bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson, and served as head coach of the 2004 gold medal-winning United States Olympic Men's Track and Field Team.
Elizabeth City, NC - The Michael Bonner saga has a happy ending after all.
Bonner, the former Perquimans standout basketball player who sat out last season in an eligibility controversy at Elizabeth City State after transferring from Winston-Salem State, has been granted a waiver from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and ruled eligible for the upcoming season.
“Man, it’s been a fight,” said Bonner, who will have two years of eligibility remaining. “I lost a year (of eligibility) out of the three years I would have had, but I was just grateful get it over.”
Bonner, the 2007 Daily Advance Player of the Year, was caught up in a mess created when Winston-Salem abandoned its Division I plans and rejoined the CIAA in 2010.
Raleigh, N.C. - Star shortstop Rashaad Ingram (Savannah, Ga.) of Saint Augustine's College was drafted Tuesday by the San Diego Padres on the second day of the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Ingram was taken by the Padres in the 28th round with the 863rd pick. He becomes the second Saint Augustine's College player in three seasons to be drafted. Anthione Shaw, also a shortstop for the Falcons, was picked by the Oakland Athletics in 2009.
Ingram was drafted after a remarkable senior season in 2011. He captured national, regional and conference honors after leading the Falcons to a modern school record of 36 wins. The NCAA Division II leader in steals (80) and stolen bases per game (1.48), Ingram was named Daktronics Third Team All-American, Daktronics First Team All-Atlantic Region, All-CIAA first team and CIAA player of the year. He was one of 36 players nationally who was named to the College Baseball Lineup DII All-Star Team. Ingram led the Falcons in batting average (.390), hits (67), runs (72) and doubles (15) as a senior.
Ingram, tied for third in Division II in runs, finished his four-year career as one of the most decorated baseball players ever at Saint Augustine's College. He was part of a senior group that sparked a resurgence in the baseball program after four straight losing seasons including six wins the year before Ingram arrived.
The Falcons amassed 119 wins in four years. The baseball team won two CIAA regular-season titles, one CIAA Tournament crown, and made four consecutive CIAA Tournament finals appearances during that period.
Bobby Collins, the men's basketball coach at Winston-Salem State, gave credit for his team's successes to the assistant coaches as often as possible. Whether it was in recruiting or in preparing for opponents, Collins said that Murray Garvin and Byron Jones were valuable assets for the Rams.
But next season, he'll be without them — both have left WSSU and moved on to other jobs. Garvin, WSSU's associate head coach for the past three seasons, has taken an assistant coach's job at S.C. State. Jones, who played a part in the Rams' 19-8 record and CIAA Southern Division title last season, has taken a job at Fresno State.
"It's good that my coaches are being noticed," Collins said. "I think that proves that my system works pretty well when you get the right players and the right mix." Collins said he hopes to hire new assistants by July 1 and said he already has received nearly 50 résumés.
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Wednesday that Johnson C. Smith’s Leford Green and Abilene Christian’s Nick Jones was named the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Athletes of the Year. Green went undefeated and won the NCAA title at 400 meters while Jones helped Abilene Christian to a national team title with 18 points in the throws which included a third NCAA discus crown and a new championships record.
NATIONAL MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Leford Green, Johnson C. Smith University
Green, a senior from St. Catherine, Jamaica, finished the season undefeated and won the NCAA title at 400 meters. In this year’s outdoor championships, Green clocked 45.74 in the open event, topping the nearest competitor by a full second. In 2010, Green won the 400 hurdles at the NCAA meet, and finished sixth in the national final of the event this season. Green was also the third leg of Johnson C. Smith’s winning 4×400 relay that clocked 3:07.59 for a second-plus win. Green was also on the 4×100 squad that placed fifth nationally.
At his conference meet, Green earned 2011 CIAA Male Athlete of the Meet honors after winning the 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles, finishing second in the 200 meters, and running a leg on the Golden Bulls’ second-place 4×400-meter relay.
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announces the 172 men and 153 women that earned USTFCCCA All-America distinctions for the 2011 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season. A total of 416 awards will be given as a result of performances at the past weekend’s NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Turlock, California.
Just as the indoor season, Abilene Christian’s men and Grand Valley State’s women won NCAA team titles. Both squads were the top-ranked team by the USTFCCCA heading into the championships and ACU’s men went wire-to-wire as the nation’s No. 1 team throughout the outdoor season.
NCAA TEAM FINISHES
Abilene Christian scored 68 points for the team victory to extend their NCAA-record to 19 national outdoor team crowns. ACU has won the national crown in eight of the last ten years. The Wildcats claimed individual national titles with Desmond Jackson (200 meters), Amos Sang (10,000 meters), and Nick Jones (discus). Jones also placed second in the shot put and was the team’s top scorer with 18 points.
Adams State finished as the men’s runners-up with 55 points and national titles from Andrew Graham (1500 meters) and Luke Cragg (5000 meters). Lincoln (Mo.) placed third with 51 and Emporia State, with 43 points, earned fourth for their first “trophy” finish and highest national-team finish in school history (seventh, 1996).
Grand Valley State’s women scored 82½ points for the NCAA crown, holding off late-charging Lincoln (Mo.) who finished second with 68. For GVSU, it was their first outdoor crown, and, combined with national titles in cross country and indoor track & field, the school earned an academic-year “triple crown”. GVSU junior Lauren Buresh won a national crown in the shot put and Liz Murphy took first with the hammer throw.
For second-place Lincoln, junior Judith Riley won the 100 meters and led off the Blue Tigers’ 4×100 national-champ relay. Sophomore Yanique Haye won top honors in the 400 hurdles. Adams State placed third with 51 points as Indira Spence carried three top-three finishes, scoring 22 points in the 100, 200, and 100 hurdles. Cassie Mitchell won the steeplechase crown for the Grizzlies. With a national crown in the 100 hurdles, Shermaine Williams led Johnson C. Smith to a fourth-place showing.
Johnson C. Smith’s Shermaine Williams was the first to three-peat in the 100 hurdles since Abilene Christian’s Delloreen Ennis-London won four straight from 1996 to 1999. And, Fort Valley State’s Antionette Oglesby won a third-straight NCAA championship in the women’s triple jump. Neely Spence of Shippensburg won a third-straight crown in the 5000-meter run, becoming the first in D-II outdoor history to do so.
Kimour Bruce for Lincoln (Mo.) won his second-straight title in the 100-meter dash. Amos Sang won a second-straight crown in the men’s 10,000 meters. In the men’s pole vault, Western Washington’s Ryan Brown captured a second-straight win. And, Ashland’s Ryan Loughney won the men’s hammer and UC San Diego’s Nick Howe won the men’s javelin for the second year in a row.
USTFCCCA ALL-AMERICA HONORS
ohnson C. Smith’s Leford Green led all men in earning four USTFCCCA All-America certificates from the 2011 outdoor track & field season. Green was the national champ in the 400 meters, sixth in the 400 hurdles, and was a member of the winning 4×400 relay and as part of the fifth-place 4×100 relay.
Lincoln (Mo.) led all men’s teams with 15 All-America certificates, followed by Saint Augustine’s (13), Abilene Christian (13), and Johnson C. Smith (12).Lincoln also had the most women’s certificates with 19, followed by Grand Valley State (16), Saint Augustine’s (10), and Adams State (9).
The schools of the MIAA had the most certificates among all conferences with 39 men’s and 40 women’s. The Lone Star Conference had the second-most on the men’s side, followed by the CIAA (26), the RMAC (26), and the GLIAC (24). The GLIAC was second in the women’s category with 30, followed by the RMAC (23), the CCAA (20), and the CIAA (19).
To earn USTFCCCA All-America honors, athletes must have scored any portion of a team point at the NCAA Championships. USTFCCCA membership by a program is required to earn All-America awards.
Excerpt:
2011 USTFCCCA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD ALL-AMERICA – NCAA DIVISION II
Event
Name
School
Triple Jump LaQuan Priest Claflin
4x100m Relay Winston Brown Johnson C. Smith
4x400m Relay Winston Brown Johnson C. Smith
4x400m Relay Jamille Callum Johnson C. Smith
110m Hurdles Andre Collins Johnson C. Smith
4x100m Relay Gabriel Franklin Johnson C. Smith
400m Dash Leford Green Johnson C. Smith
400m Hurdles Leford Green Johnson C. Smith
4x100m Relay Leford Green Johnson C. Smith
4x400m Relay Leford Green Johnson C. Smith
400m Dash Akino Ming Johnson C. Smith
4x100m Relay Akino Ming Johnson C. Smith
4x400m Relay Akino Ming Johnson C. Smith
400m Hurdles Steve Banton Lincoln (Mo.)
4x400m Relay Steve Banton Lincoln (Mo.)
4x400m Relay Jermaine Blake Lincoln (Mo.)
100m Dash Kimour Bruce Lincoln (Mo.)
4x100m Relay Kimour Bruce Lincoln (Mo.)
100m Dash Dwain Bryden Lincoln (Mo.)
400m Hurdles Roxroy Cato Lincoln (Mo.)
4x400m Relay Roxroy Cato Lincoln (Mo.)
4x100m Relay Mandela Clifford Lincoln (Mo.)
4x100m Relay Terrel Cotton Lincoln (Mo.)
100m Dash Terrel Cotton Lincoln (Mo.)
4x100m Relay Ravel Grey Lincoln (Mo.)
200m Dash Dane Hyatt Lincoln (Mo.)
400m Dash Dane Hyatt Lincoln (Mo.)
4x400m Relay Dane Hyatt Lincoln (Mo.)
4x400m Relay Antonio Abney Saint Augustine’s
110m Hurdles Jason Boyd Saint Augustine’s
High Jump Christopher Copeland Saint Augustine’s
Triple Jump Orolando Duffus Saint Augustine’s
200m Dash Josh Edmonds Saint Augustine’s
400m Dash Josh Edmonds Saint Augustine’s
4x400m Relay Josh Edmonds Saint Augustine’s
400m Dash Kelly Fisher Saint Augustine’s
4x400m Relay Kelly Fisher Saint Augustine’s
100m Dash Ramon Gittens Saint Augustine’s
200m Dash Ramon Gittens Saint Augustine’s
4x400m Relay James Quarles Saint Augustine’s
110m Hurdles Gerkenz Senesca Saint Augustine’s
High Jump Maurice Hall Saint Paul’s
WOMEN
Event
Name
School
4x400m Relay Kimberly Johnson Albany State (Ga.)
4x400m Relay Kendra Nelson Albany State (Ga.)
4x400m Relay Ebony Stone Albany State (Ga.)
4x400m Relay Candice Vaughn Albany State (Ga.)
Long Jump Antionette Oglesby Fort Valley State
Triple Jump Antionette Oglesby Fort Valley State
4x100m Relay Naffene Briscoe Johnson C. Smith
100m Hurdles Rosemarie Carty Johnson C. Smith
4x100m Relay Lakaevia Tyler Johnson C. Smith
100m Dash Danielle Williams Johnson C. Smith
100m Hurdles Danielle Williams Johnson C. Smith
4x100m Relay Danielle Williams Johnson C. Smith
100m Hurdles Shermaine Williams Johnson C. Smith
4x100m Relay Shermaine Williams Johnson C. Smith
100m Dash Latoya Campbell Lincoln (Mo.)
400m Hurdles Latoya Campbell Lincoln (Mo.)
4x100m Relay Latoya Campbell Lincoln (Mo.)
4x100m Relay Nyoka Cole Lincoln (Mo.)
4x400m Relay Nyoka Cole Lincoln (Mo.)
400m Hurdles Michelle Cumberbatch Lincoln (Mo.)
4x400m Relay Michelle Cumberbatch Lincoln (Mo.)
400m Hurdles Yanique Haye Lincoln (Mo.)
4x400m Relay Yanique Haye Lincoln (Mo.)
Triple Jump Kimberly Hodges Lincoln (Mo.)
400m Hurdles Keniesha Jones Lincoln (Mo.)
4x400m Relay Keniesha Jones Lincoln (Mo.)
100m Dash Latoya King Lincoln (Mo.)
200m Dash Latoya King Lincoln (Mo.)
4x100m Relay Latoya King Lincoln (Mo.)
Triple Jump Sanchia Lee Lincoln (Mo.)
100m Dash Judith Riley Lincoln (Mo.)
200m Dash Judith Riley Lincoln (Mo.)
4x100m Relay Judith Riley Lincoln (Mo.)
4x100m Relay Jaivairia Bacote Saint Augustine’s
400m Dash Nicketa Bernard Saint Augustine’s
4x100m Relay Nicketa Bernard Saint Augustine’s
4x400m Relay Nicketa Bernard Saint Augustine’s
4x100m Relay Sheena Johns Saint Augustine’s
4x400m Relay Sheena Johns Saint Augustine’s
4x400m Relay April London Saint Augustine’s
400m Dash Kelly Shaw Saint Augustine’s
4x100m Relay Kelly Shaw Saint Augustine’s
4x400m Relay Kelly Shaw Saint Augustine’s
400m Dash Janae Jones Stillman
400m Dash Samantha Edwards Virginia State
It is a tradition since the Civil War on Memorial Day to place American flags on the grave sites of soldiers, and veterans. The practice will be followed this year from Arlington National Cemetery where 300,000 flags will be placed to veterans cemeteries across the country to smaller neighborhood burial sites.
On Saturday I was able to find and place a Flag at the grave site in New Rochelle, NY of Eugene Lee Evans, a college football player of sixty years ago. Evans who was known as "Dippy" played on the CIAA national championship team of Morgan State in 1949, then as a young Army officer, died heroically in the Korean War just three years later.
His teammate in high school in Pelham, NY and later in college was Eli Page Howard, Jr. another extraordinary athlete of the late 1940s who also died while serving our country in Vietnam. Lt. Col. Howard is one of those heroes at Arlington for whom a Flag will be placed, a hero of the Vietnam War. Perhaps for a moment we can remember him as the star quarterback at Morgan College throwing the ball ...
Coach Darryl Butler, Virginia State University (Photo Courtesy VSU Athletics)
Petersburg, VA -- Darryl Butler joins the Virginia State University athletic staff as an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach. Butler comes to VSU from Frederick Community College in Frederick Md, where he spent the past three seasons as the associate head coach. During his last two years there, the men’s basketball team finished with an overall record of 41-18 and won their first Region XX Championship in school history in 2010.
Prior to his experience at Frederick Community College, Butler spent four years at Montgomery Community College in Silver Spring, Md. He served as an assistant coach for two years then became the head coach in 2006-07. After the 2005-06 season, Montgomery Community College won their first Region XX and District 7 Championship and finished 6th in the nation in NJCAA Division III.
Butler was an assistant coach at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA where they won the Patriot District North Region in 2003-04. Before T.C. Williams, he was an assistant coach at Howard University for the 2000-02 seasons where he help revitalized a program under Frankie Allen that finished 18-10 and reached the MEAC tournment championship game in their second season. He received his first assistant coaching position at Whittier College in Whittier, CA in 1997. Butler next moved on to an assistant coaching position at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA in 1999-2000 under Jan Van Breda Kolff. There he was part of a West Coast Conference (WCC) Regular Season Championship and a NCAA tournament appearance and win.
The Trojans are excited to welcome Butler to their men’s basketball coaching staff. Butler brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and local recruiting ties to the Tri-city area.
“Butler comes with a great deal of college coaching experience and recruiting ties especially in this region. He’s a VSU grad which means a great deal to our college community,” says VSU’s head men’s basketball coach, Darryl Jacobs.
Coach Butler is a native of Suffolk, VA and also a Trojan alumni, graduating from Virginia State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration in 1989. Butler and his wife, Rosalie, have three children, Nikko (13), Kennedy (11), and Victoria (4).
SPENCER, N.C. — North Rowan’s Kyle Collins’ future was mapped out at the age of five. No one realized it at the time but when he visited his grandfather in Las Vegas as a little kid, a golfer was born.
“My grandfather got me started,” said Collins, who has accepted a scholarship to Winston-Salem State. “I picked it up pretty early. I always remember practicing my putting. I’d put a cup down and just hit it into the hole in the cup. I still do it to this day.”
Collins has played golf for Kelly Everhart for four years but this season, he had his sights set on impressing someone enough to get a scholarship. He was shooting in the high-30s to low-40s over nine holes when he started looking at colleges. “I was comparing my scores to all the colleges and thought Winston-Salem State would be the best fit,” he said.
Johnson C. Smith will open its 2011 football season against West Virginia State.
The Golden Bulls will open their season Sept. 3 against the Yellow Jackets at McGirt Field, according to a revamped schedule on JCSU's website. The change became necessary when original opponent St. Paul's eliminated its entire athletics program earlier this month. As a result, the Tigers have been removed from CIAA membership, leaving the league with 12 schools.
JCSU officials opened the search for a new opponent shortly after St. Paul's announced its intention. Golden Bulls coach Steve Aycock and athletics director Steve Joyner confirmed JCSU was in contact with multiple Division II schools and one Division I program about filling the open date in order to keep its preseason schedule intact.
2011 JCSU Golden Bulls Football Schedule
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
09/03/2011 West Virginia State Charlotte, NC, Irwin Belk Complex 4:00 PM
09/10/2011 Brevard College Brevard, NC 2:00 PM
09/17/2011 Virginia State Charlotte, NC, Irwin Belk Complex 4:00 PM
09/24/2011 Davidson Davidson, NC 7:00 PM
10/01/2011 Winston Salem State Winston Salem, NC 1:00 PM
10/08/2011 *Shaw Raleigh, NC 1:00 PM
10/15/2011 Virginia Union Charlotte, NC, Irwin Belk Complex 1:00 PM
10/22/2011 Saint Augustine's Raleigh, NC 1:30 PM
10/29/2011 Fayetteville State Charlotte, NC, Irwin Belk Complex 1:00 PM
11/05/2011 **Livingstone TBA 1:00 PM
Bowie, MD - Forty-one current and former student-athletes, managers and cheerleaders were among Bowie State University graduates who received degrees in the 2011 Spring Commencement – Friday, May 20th in BSU's Bulldog Stadium.
“We are very proud of our student-athlete graduates today. These young men and young ladies are the true examples of student-athletes. They have embraced the mission of the Athletic Department and understand the importance we have stressed about academics. It is a proud moment for our coaches and administrators to be a part of the joyous occasion”, said Athletic Director Anton Goff.
The graduating class included six student-athletes who graduated with honors, BSU Athletics Male Student-Athlete of the Year Sterling Grant-Jones, two-time winning CIAA Softball Champion Danielle McClay, two-time winning CIAA Bowling Champion Rebecca Frusciante and Jatyra Heath member of the Women's Volleyball team who won this year's CIAA team's highest grade point average for women's volleyball.
We thank you for your contribution to BSU Athletic Department and your respective sport. Congratulations and best wishes to you as you begin your next journey.
Academic Honors
JaTyra Heath – Magna Cum Laude – Women's Volleyball
Shawnita Briggs – Magna cum Laude – Women's Basketball
Lacreshia Mason – Cum Laude – Cheerleading
Daryl Sanders – Cum Laude – Men's Cross Country/Track
Brianna Taylor – Cum Laude – Women's Basketball
Jayde Gavin – Academic Recognition – Men's Basketball
Current Student-Athletes
Ashley Cook – B.A. Fine Arts - Softball
Ciarra Roulhac - B.A. English - Cheerleading
Adeshola Ashiru – B.S. Biology – Women's Bowling
Santiato Ennis – B.S. Communications - Men's Track
Sterling Grant-Jones - B.S. Communications - Football
Courtney Halsey - B.S. Communications - Cheerleading
Lacreshia Mason – B.S. Communications - Cheerleading
Brianna Taylor – B.S. Communications - Women's Basketball
Rodney Webb – B.S. Communications – Football
Brittney Jackson – B.S. Business Administration - Women's Basketball
Daryl Sanders – B.S. Business Administration - Men's Cross Country/Track
Rebecca Frusciante – B.S. Elementary Education - Women's Bowling
April Johnson – B.S. Elementary Education - Cheerleading
Anthony Green – B.S. Child and Adolescent Studies - Football
Tiffany Queen – B.S. Child and Adolescent Studies – Football Manager
Jayde Gavin – B.S. Sociology - Men's Basketball
Jatyra Heath – B.S. Sociology - Women's Volleyball
Danielle McClay – B.S. Sociology - Women's Softball
Travis Reed - B.S. Sociology - Football
Nicole Robinson – B.S. Sport Management – Football
Joyous Willis – M.A. Organizational Communications
Former Student-Athletes
Shawnita Briggs – B.S. Biology – Women's Basketball
Meron “Mary” Wudneh – B.S. Biology – Women's Basketball
Erica Barron – B.S. Communications – Women's Tennis
Maurice Berry – B.S. Communications – Football
Arthur Bowers – B.S. Communications – Men's Basketball
James Hardaway, II – B.S. Computer Technology – Football
Irby Alexander – B.S. Business Administration – Football
Antonio Carter – B.S. Business Administration – Football
Carmen Herbert – B.S. Business Administration – Softball
Juwuhn Smith – B.S. Business Administration – Football
Jonathan Mason – B.S. Sport Management – Football
Dajuana Hill – B.S. Nursing – Women's Track
Jasmine McNair - B.S. Nursing - Women's Volleyball and Tennis
Elise Perkins – B.S. Early Childhood/Special Education - Women's Track
Ashley Robinson – B.S. Business Administration - Women's Volleyball
Joseph Embree – B.S. Child and Adolescent Studies – Football
Krystle Earle – B.S. Psychology – Women's Basketball
Donovan Carroll – B.S. Sociology - Men's Track
Bianca Lee – B.S. Sociology – Women's Basketball
Annette Makle – B.S. Sociology – Softball
Hamzat Saba – B.S. Sociology - Football
RALEIGH, NC -- When Rashaad Ingram stepped on first base, opposing infielders adjusted their stances and automatically anticipated a steal. Everyone knew the 6-foot speedster from St. Augustine's intended on taking an extra base. Or two. Or three.
"No offense to any catcher out there," Ingram said. "They really don't have a chance. ... I'm stealing off the pitcher. I'm reading moves. It's something that comes natural to me." Ingram gave teams plenty of chances to throw him out in four seasons with the Falcons. Few ever caught him in the act, allowing the senior to finish his collegiate career with 186 stolen bases in 206 attempts.
RALEIGH, NC -- George Williams studied the stop watch tied around his neck during a track and field practice last week. Every so often, the legendary St. Augustine's track and field coach glanced at the sprinters barreling down the straight. "Turn it on," he instructed.
It was mostly a familiar scene for the former U.S. Olympic coach, who has led the school's women's and men's track and field teams to 31 national titles during his 35-year career at St. Aug's. Yet last Wednesday there was something significantly different about practice.
For the first time in three years, the Falcons were jogging, sprinting and jumping on their home track. They had been without a home facility while construction was completed on the state-of-the-art George Williams Athletic Complex. Student-athletes used the new facility - which is scheduled for official completion in late September - for the first time last Monday. The complex features a nine-lane track, an artificial turf football field and a custom scoreboard.
Videographer: StAugCollege; Beyond the Dream (Facility to be completed Sept. 2011)
Hampton, VA - Twenty student-athletes representing eleven of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s (CIAA) twelve member schools have been named to the CIAA Commissioner’s All-Academic Team. This year’s team defines the total NCAA DII student-athlete experience with each member excelling on their respective playing fields and courts as well as in their classrooms and communities.
“Being a Division II and CIAA student-athlete means living Life in the Balance,” notes Commissioner Leon G. Kerry. “That means dedicating an equal amount of excellence towards academic pursuits, athletic accomplishment and personal development. This year’s honorees embody that concept and we’re forever proud of them for their hard work .”
Ten CIAA student-athletes were named First Team CIAA Commissioner’s All-Academic Team. Those ten student-athletes boasted a 3.76 overall grade point average. The second team also consists of ten student-athletes, averaging a 3.8 overall grade point average. Johnson C. Smith University placed two student-athletes on this year’s team while Saint Augustine’s continued their dominance on the team with four team members, including two on the first team.
First Team Orolando DuffusSAC Track & Field SR 3.92 St. Catherine, Jamaica Business Administration Tricia Gorman CU Softball SR 3.51 Ambridge, PA Psychology Leford Green JCSU Track & Field SR 3.77 St. Catherine, Jamaica Information Systems Engineering Kalada KienkaSU Men’s Tennis SR 3.95 Lagos, Nigeria Computer Science Lolia KienkaSU Women’s Tennis JR 3.92 Lagos, Nigeria Business/International Relations Allie Kolezynski CU Softball SO 3.93 Strongsville, OH Business Administration Allison Sikes SAC Women’s Bskt. SR 3.61 Richmond, VA Psychology Rhon’Neisha Taylor VSU Women’s Bskt. SR 3.44 Nashville, TN Sport Management Travis Taylor WSSU Football SR 3.75 Newberry, SC Political Science Justin ParkerVSU Football/Golf SR 3.76 Chesterfield, VA HPER
Second Team Adidias Arrington VUU Football SR 3.56 Norfolk, VA Criminal Justice Bryan Aycoth LC Football/T&F JR 3.87 Salisbury, NC Biology Christopher CopelandSAC Track & Field JR 3.66 Suffolk, VA Sport Management Sarah DanaherLUP Women’s Bowling FR 4.00 Waitsfield, VT French/Secondary Education Brucelee Sterile LUP Football JR 3.8 Miami, FL Business Management Maximilian Glodde WSSU Men’s Tennis SR 3.98 Potsdam, Germany Economics & Finance Dallin Gray FSU Football SO 3.95 Colorado Springs, CO Chemistry Jasmine Nixon BSU Volleyball SO 3.80 Middletown, NY Psychology Kathryn Tokarski SAC VB/SB/T&F JR 3.81 Saskatchewan, CAN Human Performance Shermaine Williams JCSU Track & Field SR 3.77 St. Andrew, Jamaica Biology
School Legend
BSU- Bowie State University
CU- Chowan University
FSU- Fayetteville State University
JCSU- Johnson C. Smith University
LC- Livingstone College
LUP-Lincoln University (PA)
SAC- St. Augustine’s College
SU- Shaw University
VSU- Virginia State University
VUU- Virginia Union University
WSSU-Winston-Salem State University
Saint Augustine’s ran their way to the top of this year’s team with three student-athletes from each squad represented. Saint Augustine’s College was headlined by Allison Sikes (Richmond, VA) and Orolando Duffus (St. Catherine, Jamaica). Both student-athletes earned spots on the first team. Sikes, a member of the SAC women’s basketball program, was this year’s CIAA Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and was a three-time All-CIAA selection. She graduated Magna Cum Laude earlier this month. Duffus maintains a 3.92 GPA in Business Administration while also sporting Five NCAA DII Track & Field All American titles. Duffus is a two time member of the CIAA Commissioner’s Scholar-Athlete Team. Duffus was named last year’s CIAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
JSCU’s Leford Green (St. Catherine, Jamaica) was named to the First Team for the Golden Bulls. The All-American Track & Field athlete is a three-time member of the CIAA Commissioner’s All-Academic Team. The senior, Information Systems Engineering major, has maintained a 3.776 grade point average. He was named an Indoor All-American after winning the 400m National Title and was on the 4 X 400m team that took home the national indoor title.
Shaw University also placed two student-athletes of the First Team in Kalada Kienka (Lagos, Nigeria), Lolia Kienda (Lagos, Nigeria). Kalada Kienka has compiled a 3.95 overall grade point average in Computer Science. He was named Shaw’s Outstanding Student in Computer Science, an award usually reserved for senior ranking students. He was also named to the All-CIAA Men’s Tennis Team after helping his team win their seventh straight conference championships. Lolia Kienka was named to the CIAA Women’s Tennis Team after going 16-0 in conference play and maintains a 3.92 GPA in Business/International Relations.
Allie Kolezynski (Strongsville, OH) represents Chowan on the First Team this year. She was named First Team All-CIAA for softball after helping lead her team to a regular season championship. She has maintained a 3.97 grade point average in Business Administration. She was named All-CIAA for softball two years in a row and is a two time member of the CIAA Scholar-Athlete Team. Chowan’s Tricia Gorman (Ambridge, PA) was also named to the team after being named the CIAA Softball Player of the Year. Gorman led all of NCAA DII in RBI this year and maintained a 3.51 GPA in Psychology.
Justin Parker (Petersburg, VA) led the CIAA’s Field Goal category for the 2010 season. This Presidential Scholar with a 3.76 GPA in HPER, finished 8 for 8 (100 pct.) in field goals with a long of 40 yards. He also ranked 2nd in PAT kicking, 32-34 at 94 pct. Parker won the 2011 CIAA Special Teams Player of the Year and was named to the ALL-CIAA Football First Team.
WSSU’s Travis Taylor (Newberry, SC) was instrumental in the Rams football program’s success this season as an offensive lineman. He helped the Rams roll up more than 2,000 rushing yards and 1,999 passing yards anchoring the offensive line. Taylor has a 3.75 GPA in Political Science.
VSU’s Rhon’Neisha Taylor (Nashville, TN) is a two-time member of the team. She helped the Lady Trojans to NCAA post season play after averaging 17.7 points an outing. She was named this year’s Lowe’s Senior Class Award winner and maintains a 3.44 GPA in Sport Management.
The CIAA Commissioner’s Scholar-Athlete Second Team is made up of ten deserving athletes, led by Sarah Danaher (Waitsfield, VT) who maintained a 4.0 GPA in French/Secondary Education. She was Lincoln’s best bowler this season. Livingstone’s Bryan Acoth (Salisbury, NC) has a 3.87 GPA in Biology and led the Blue Bear defense with 67 tackles. BSU’s Jasmine Nixon (Middletown, NY) led the Lady Bulldogs volleyball team in kills and points this season while also maintaining a 3.8 GPA in Psychology.
VUU”s Adidias Arrington (Norfolk, VA) led the Panthers in total tackles with 85 this season. He was an All-CIAA performer and a two-time member of the CIAA Scholar-Athlete Team. He has a 3.56 GPA in Sport Management. JCSU’s Shermaine Williams (St. Andrew, Jamaica earned a spot on the team. Williams helped lead the Lady Golden Bulls to their first-ever CIAA Championship in Track & Field this year. She was an Indoor All-American and this year’s CIAA Outdoor MVP. She has a 3.776 GPA in Biology. Brucelee Sterile (Miami, FL) was named to the team after being named Lincoln’s Male Athlete of the Year. Sterile maintained a 3.8 GPA in Business Management. He was an All CIAA performer at linebacker for the Lions this season and a NCAA Super Region Second Team member.
SAC’s Kathryn Tokarski (Saskatchewan, CAN) was a three-sport athlete for the Lady Falcons and maintained a 3.818 GPA in Human Performance & Wellness. She starred on the SAC volleyball team, softball team, and the track & field team. She was a CIAA First Team member for volleyball and claimed the CIAA Outdoor Championships Javelin title. The Falcons also placed Christopher Copeland (Suffolk ,V A) on the team. He is a five-time NCAA Outdoor Track & Field All-American and claimed both Indoor and Outdoor CIAA high jump titles this season. He has a 3.668 GPA in Sport Management.
FSU’s Dallin Gray (Mebane, NC) rounds out this year’s team. Gray was the starting tight end on the Bronco’s football team this year. He has a 3.95 GPA in Physical Education. This season he caught four touchdowns led the tight end position in total receiving this year.
The CIAA Commissioner’s All-Academic Team is voted on by the CIAA Sports Information Directors’ Association and is in its 14th year. To be eligible for the team a student-athlete must have completed one academic year at a CIAA institution, earned a minimum 3.2 grade point average, and have excelled as a starter or significant reserve in a CIAA sanctioned sport.
LANCASTER, Pa. -- Nick Gillung struck out 10 batters in the first four innings and allowed just three hits in seven innings Friday as Mercyhurst defeated Winston-Salem State 7-2 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional baseball tournament.
Despite finishing with just four hits, the Rams stayed close through 51/2 innings, trailing just 2-1. Mercyhurst broke the game open with three runs in the sixth, then added two insurance runs in the eighth. In the sixth, Mercyhurst used three consecutive singles to push across one run, then scored two more on an Ethan Santora double, making it 5-1. Rams Open NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional with a 7-2 Loss to #17 Mercyhurst
LANCASTER, PA - The Winston-Salem State Rams (30-24) struggled to get their offense going in a tough 7-2 loss to the Mercyhurst Lakers (40-23), Friday afternoon. The Rams gave their best effort in the game, but the runs were hard to come by for the Rams as the team managed just four hits and two runs in the hard-fought loss.
Though the Rams, took the loss, the game gave a great defensive effort to keep the game in reach, trailing 2-1 through the first six innings, but the Rams were outscored 5-1 in the final four innings of play to take the loss. The Rams struggled against the Mercyhurst pitching with just four hits on the day and 16 WSSU strikeouts in the loss. The Rams were able to get on the scoreboard with some clutch hitting as junior catcher Michael Robbins forced an error to third base with a sacrifice bunt that scored junior second baseman Jordan Graham. Freshman outfielder Andrew Smith added a sixth-inning RBI single that drove in sophomore centerfielder German Reyes. The two runs were all that the Rams could muster, however as the team finished the day with the loss.
After 37 years, Rams baseball is reimplemented and succeeding
Winston-Salem, N.C. - For nearly 40 years, baseball at Winston-Salem State only lived on in memories. Perhaps once in awhile those memories would be dusted off by former players, but the idea of the sport ever coming back to life after being dismantled in 1973 seemed unlikely.
Everything changed when the school decided to put the brakes on its transition to Division I. The thing is, to do that, it had to revive the baseball program because the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association requires all schools to offer the sport.
Revive, as it turns out, might be an understatement. All the Rams have done this season is command attention, winning 30 games, taking home the title in the CIAA tournament and punching a ticket to its first ever NCAA Division II tournament.
Johnson C. Smith recruited for defense in the latest class of football signees. The Golden Bulls signed 10 defenders among its 19 recruits, including four linemen to shore up a unit that allowed an average of 39 points per game last season and were near the bottom of the CIAA in rushing yardage allowed.
Three linemen are transferring from community colleges: Stephan Diggs (Feather River), Leon Minto (Nassau) and end Rinso Molitika (Los Angeles Valley). Diggs is from Rockingham.
JCSU also signed four defensive backs in its search for a pair of new starters: Marcus Teamer, a 5-10, 180-pound strong safety from McDonough (Md.) High; Michael Stroup, a safety from Waynesville Tuscola High; cornerback Frantz Charles (N.C. Tech) and safety Lance Harris from L.A. Pierce (Calif.) College, who had 31 tackles during an 8-3 campaign.
