Saint Augustine's Rashaad Ingram Selected By San Diego Padres In MLB First-Year Player Draft

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.

By Saint Augustine's College Sports Information

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Pierce leads Saint Augustine's Falcon in CIAA finale

Joe Pierce is putting the finishing touches on a career that began with shoulder pads, but ended with spikes aluminum. “I was recruited for football,” said Pierce, a graduate of Wetumpka High (near Montgomery, AL). “It didn’t work out, so I tried out for baseball. Ever since then, that’s all I’ve been playing.”

Pierce capped his senior season at Division II Saint Augustine College with commanding performance during the 2011 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association baseball tournament. The senior Falcon was one of five chosen as part of the All-Tournament team.

“This was a pretty good year for us,” said Pierce. “We started off slow, but got everything together.” The No. 2 seeded Falcons (36-18) dropped back-to-back games (7-6, 3-0) to conference newcomer Winston-Salem.

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VSU's Howard Spencer Greets Success With A Smile

ETTRICK, VA -- What makes Virginia State University junior Howard Spencer so easy to identify is not the free-flowing mane of dreadlocks that billows out of his football helmet. Nor is it the head-turning speed with which he roams the baselines.

It's his unfailing smile -- an ear-to-ear grin that rarely leaves his visage and has come to define the 21-year-old two-sport athlete. "Everybody always calls me 'Smiley,'" Spencer said. "They say I'm always smiling and they know something is wrong when I'm not."

To be fair, the 2007 Thomas Dale graduate has a lot to smile about. His work ethic and positive approach have become contagious and lifted him into leadership roles on the VSU football and baseball teams.



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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

Howard Lady Bison Fall to Longwood Lancers, 16-4

FARMVILLE, VA. – The Howard women’s lacrosse team failed to muster their first road win as they fell to Longwood, 16-4. The game’s finish marked Howard’s (3-6) second National Lacrosse Conference (NLC) loss of the season after HU was previously taken down by Presbyterian earlier in the year.

The Lady Bison were unable to keep an offensive pace with Longwood (6-3) who nearly doubled Howard’s 19 shots with 36 of their own. Longwood spread their scoring attack throughout their roster as 12 Lancers tallied a goal against the Bison, four of which scored twice. Bison goal keeper Amber Meeks generated 11 saves by the conclusion of the match.

Keeping HU afloat was senior Desiree Cox who scored all of Howard’s four goals. Cox topped the day with 11 shots for the Bison, which led both teams as did her four goals scored.



Cox currently leads the team with 33 goals and 67 shots, boasting an 82.1 shot-on-goal percentage.

Sydney Satchell and Courtland Lackey each garnered a team-high of four groundballs in the match. Lackey also zipped three shots, including one shot on goal, and led the Lady Bison defensively with five caused turnovers.

Up next the Howard lacrosse team will challenge fellow NLC opponent Liberty University and seek to obtain their first conference and road win. The Lady Bison will take on Liberty on Sunday, March 27 at 3 p.m. Visit howard-bison.com for the latest updates on the Lady Bison lacrosse team.

LADY BISON LAX REMAINING GAMES:

Mar. 27 at Liberty * 3:00 PM
Apr. 1 at High Point * 5:00 PM
Apr. 3 at Davidson * 1:00 PM
Apr. 9 (SATURDAY) Jacksonville * 1:00 PM GREENE STADIUM
Apr. 16 at Detroit Mercy * 12:00 PM
Apr. 20 (WEDNESDAY) Fresno St. 7:00 PM, GREENE STADIUM

Tiffany White, Sports Information Assistant
Howard University

Lacrosse is Cool...Come out to Greene Stadium April 9 & 20 for Bison LAX

Women LAX: Longwood vs. California Highlights

NSU Spartans zone out, can't solve Coppin State's defense

CSU Eagles Coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell

NORFOLK - The Norfolk State Spartans were a bit put off when their league's preseason rankings predicted they would finish sixth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Now they are a bit put off by the fact that the prediction was correct. Playing lethargically throughout and pinned in by their opponent's well-played zone defense, the Spartans fell 76-69 to Coppin State on Monday night at Echols Hall.

Coupled with fifth-place North Carolina A&T's win at Morgan State, Monday's loss means the Spartans (9-19, 7-8) can finish no higher than sixth, and could finish seventh.

Coleman's Career-High 20 Points Leads Coppin State Over Norfolk State

NORFOLK, Va. – Freshman Kyra Coleman scored a career-high 20 points and also grabbed 11 rebounds as Coppin State snapped a two-game losing streak with a 64-50 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over Norfolk State on Monday in Echols Hall.

Coleman sparked a second-half rally by the Eagles as she scored 16 of her 20 points after halftime helping Coppin State to overcome a four-point deficit at the intermission. She finished the game 8-of-14 from the floor and 4-of-6 from the free throw line.

Coppin State (11-16, 8-7 MEAC) shot 53.3 percent from the floor in the second half, while limiting Norfolk State to just 29.7 percent shooting. The Eagles shot just 22.2 percent in the first half and trailed 24-20 at halftime.

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ASU men's basketball defeats hot Texas Southern in SWAC play

ASU Hornets Coach Lewis Jackson

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State University men's basketball team defeated the red-hot Texas Southern 60-48 Monday night in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, extending the Hornets' winning streak to seven.

The Hornets shot 49 percent from the field and held Texas Southern to just 32 percent shooting. Senior Tramayne Moorer led ASU with 14 points, followed by Kenderek Washington's 12 points and Ivory White's 10. ASU also outrebounded TSU 34-27.

Alabama State Lady Hornets Drop Texas Southern

Montgomery, Ala. – The Alabama State (7-20, 4-12) Women's basketball team ended a four game losing streak by defeating Texas Southern (5-22, 3-13). The final from the Dunn-Oliver Acadome was 61-41. The win gives the Lady Hornets a much needed boost in order to solidify the 8th and final seed for the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament next week.

ASU led 22-17 at halftime holding TSU to under 30 percent shooting from the field. Meanwhile, the Lady Hornets shot 45 percent for the game.

Defense was the difference in the contest. In fact, ASU led 53-37 with three minutes to play. They also forced 29 TSU turnovers. “I feel like if we can continue to play like we did tonight and finish the season strong, we can make some strides leading into post season play”. Head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson said.

Tanika Jackson, who played her final game as a Lady Hornets on the home floor led all scorers with 20 points 14 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 assist.

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QB DeFilippis hot, cold in SSU scrimmage‎

SSU Tigers QB A.J. DeFilippis

Savannah, GA (4/12) - There was a lot to like and a little to worry about for Savannah State's starting - and only academically eligible - quarterback, A.J. DeFilippis, during the Tigers' intrasquad spring game Sunday at T.A. Wright Stadium. During three untimed periods, the sophomore completed 14 of 27 passes for 114 yards with a 12-yard touchdown pass and an interception that was returned 50 yards for a touchdown by junior linebacker Vince Cochran. In 11 possessions, the Tigers ran 65 plays and scored a touchdown and four field goals, and at one time DeFilippis completed six straight passes.

Sophomore receiver Alakan Thomas caught DeFilipis' toss for a touchdown to end a 50-yard drive, during which DeFilippis completed all three of his pass attempts for 32 yards and scrambled for six yards. The Tigers' other offensive highlight was sophomore kicker Derek Williams, who connected on field goals of 34, 42, 37 and 36 yards. He missed his only point-after attempt. The Tigers only dressed 47 players for the scrimmage, and 31 of those players were either freshman or sophmores. DeFilippis, who appeared in seven games as a freshman in relief of starter Kurvin Curry and threw three touchdown passes against five interceptions, is the only SSU quarterback academically eligible for spring practice.

Curry was not in uniform for the spring game. SSU sports information director Opio Mashariki said Curry is expected to play for the Tigers in the fall. Despite the tumult of the current offseason and the challenges facing the program, DeFilippis has embraced being the Tigers' only option at quarterback. He said he did not consider transferring to another school.



View more photos from SSU's spring game here

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