Florida A&M Rattlers Release 2012 Football Schedule

2012 Rattler Football Schedule (.pdf)

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - The Florida A&M Department of Athletics announced its 2012 football schedule today with the Rattler gridders heading to Music City USA to face the Tennessee State Tigers in the "Big" John Merritt Classic, then traveling west to face the Oklahoma Sooners of the Big 12 Conference.

Head Coach Joe Taylor and the Rattlers aim to improve on its 7-4 record last season and compete for the MEAC crown. With a core of returnees and a host of promising newcomers, the Rattlers start off the season with a visit to Nashville, Tenn. on Sept. 1, to face the "Big Blue" Tigers of Tennessee State. The match-up will be the first for the Rattlers and Tigers since the 2010 Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic.

The Rattlers and Tigers had previously mixed it up in the Atlanta Football Classic for 13 straight years before the "100 Black Men of Atlanta" brought in the Jaguars of Southern University as the Rattlers' opponents last season. TSU defeated FAMU 29-18 in their last meeting in 2010. Prior to that, the Rattlers had won eight consecutive Atlanta Football Classics over the Tigers. TSU is banking on a strong recruiting class from head coach Rod Reed to strengthen its team for the upcoming season.

On Sept. 8, the Rattlers visit the Sooners of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. The Rattlers will face one of the favorites in the Big 12 Conference on their home turf.

On Sept. 15, the Rattlers will return home to the friendly confines of Bragg Memorial Stadium to face the Pirates of Hampton University. The Rattlers would like to get revenge on the Pirates for a tough 23-17 loss in Hampton, Va. last season.

Sept. 22 finds the Rattlers in Dover, Del., to face the Hornets of Delaware State University. Head Coach Kermit Blount looks to improve on the Hornets' 3-8 record in his inaugural season. Last season, the Rattlers bested the Hornets 34-7 at Bragg Stadium.

The Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic, which takes place annually on the final weekend of September, will take place on Sept. 29 in the Georgia Dome. This will mark the second consecutive year the Rattlers will face the Jaguars of Southern University in the classic. Last season, FAMU freshman quarterback Damien Fleming led the Rattlers to three second half scores to defeat the Jaguars 38-33. Jaguars head coach Stump Mitchell will look to exert revenge on the Rattlers, especially since they were interested in Fleming as well.

On Oct. 6, the Rattlers will visit the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., for a MEAC matchup with the resurgent Howard Bison. Last season, the Bison pulled an improbable comeback to defeat the Rattlers on homecoming. The 29-28 upset catapulted the Bison into the spotlight, finishing with a record of 5-6. They capped their wins last season with a 10-7 win over Hampton in the battle of the HUs.

On Oct.13, the Rattlers will celebrate Homecoming against the Savannah State Tigers. Last season the Rattlers romped to a 47-7 victory over the Tigers, led by a 200-yard performance by running back Al-Terek McBurse. This will be the first visit to Tallahassee for the Tigers since they were fully admitted into the MEAC.

In back-to-back home football weekends, the Rattlers will welcome Buddy Pugh and the Bulldogs of South Carolina State University on Oct. 20. The Rattlers snapped their eight-year drought against the Bulldogs with a gritty 27-24 win in Orangeburg, S.C. Quarterback Damien Fleming was solid for the Rattlers, completing 34-of-40 passes for 297 yards. The game would be locked away for the Rattlers as Ronald Jackson got a crucial first down in Bulldog territory on a fake punt.

The Rattlers will be open on Oct.27.

The North Carolina A&T Aggies will get another shot at the Rattlers after feeling they allowed victory out of their grasp last season. In the 2011 game, the Rattlers eked out a 26-20 win in a hotly contested battle. The fiercely competitive game resulted in 299-yards in penalties.

The Prince Hall Shriner's Diabetes Football Classic will take place on Nov.10, against the Eagles of North Carolina Central University. It will be the Eagles' first visit to Tallahassee as full members of the MEAC. Last season the Rattlers handily defeated the Eagles 31-10 in Durham, N.C.

The pinnacle of the season will be on Nov. 17 as the Rattlers take on the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Florida Classic in Orlando. The Wildcats took advantage of Rattler turnovers to prevail 26-16 on 2011. Joe Taylor and B-CU's Brian Jenkins are now 1-1 in head-to-head matchups. The Rattlers will look to tame the Wildcats on the final day of the regular season to have their shot at the MEAC title.

2012 Florida A&M Football Schedule

Sept. 1, at Tennessee State, Big John Merritt Classic, Nashville, TN
Sept. 8, at Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Sept. 15, Hampton,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Sept. 22, at Delaware State,* Dover, DE
Sept. 29, at Southern, Atlanta Football Classic, Atlanta, GA
Oct. 6, at Howard, * Washington, D.C.
Oct. 13, Savannah State* (Homecoming), Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Oct. 20, South Carolina State,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Nov. 3, at North Carolina A&T,* Greensboro, NC
Nov. 10, North Carolina Centra,l* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Nov. 17, Bethune-Cookman, at Florida Classic, Orlando, FL

Season Tickets Prices
$60 General Admission (Limited Quantity
$75 - Reserved
$100 Chair Back Box Seating (Renewal Only)
$125 - Reserved Basketball Included
$150 - Chair Back Box Seating with Basketball Included (Renewal Only)

For ticket information, please call (850)599-3141

Rattler Booster packages are available now by calling their office at (850) 224-6093. For more information on the Rattler Boosters, please visit TheRattlerBoosters

Don't forget, if you can't make it to a home game, you can sign up to Rattler Vision, where you can watch the game streamed to your laptop or home computer. To sign up to Rattler Vision, go to FAMUAthletics

COURTESY: FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

OU Sooners finalize 2012 schedule with UTEP, Florida A&M

NORMAN, Oklahoma - The OU football team will face UTEP, Florida A&M and Notre Dame in nonconference play during the 2012 season, the university announced Wednesday morning.

The announcement comes one day after the Big 12 released its 2012 conference schedule. The full release means the Sooners will play six home games, five road games and the OU-Texas game in Dallas on Oct. 13.

OU coach Bob Stoops said the athletic department has a philosophy of playing a challenging schedule to give the Sooners a chance to vie for a championship.  "I know that Joe Castiglione puts our program's best interests at the forefront when scheduling our opponents and it shows with the quality of teams on our schedule," Stoops said.

Florida A&M, Kansas State, Kansas, Notre Dame, Baylor and Oklahoma State will each make the trip to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in 2012.

The Sooners' home opener against Florida A&M on Sept. 8 marks the first meeting between the schools. The Rattlers are a Football Championship Division program that compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

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Rattlers of Florida A&M likely headed to OU's Owen Field on Sept. 8

CAMPUS CORNER, Oklahoma — Add this to your schedule intel from today: Florida A&M will likely fulfill the FCS role in the fall.

My friend Coley Harvey at the Orlando Sentinel saw something today indicating OU (University of Oklahoma) and FAMU will get together Sept. 8 at Owen Field. I see no reason at all to doubt it — especially considering I first heard the Rattlers as an option early this morning. (I inserted FAMU as a possibility in our web story when the Big 12 schedule was released.)

Let’s hope they bring the band. (Coley reminded me a hazing scandal currently has the band in timeout.)

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Florida A&M's McKelton's Little Secret

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Tameka McKelton dreamed of playing basketball overseas one day. That was going to be her plan once she graduated from Florida A&M. But that all changed in December 2010. McKelton learned she was pregnant. Five months after the basketball season ended, McKelton gave birth to her daughter, Auria. The date was August 20, 2011.

Now, she doubles as a student-athlete and a mother.



"It's pretty challenging as far as being able to keep track with everything," she said. But nobody - her coaches, her friends, her family - knew about her pregnancy until the end of her junior season. "Roughly, I played about two or three months pregnant," McKelton admitted.

The West Palm Beach native feared she would get kicked off the basketball team. So she hid her secret from everyone except for her boyfriend and one of her teammates.

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NEXT GAME: SATURDAY- 2 PM @ HOWARD UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, D.C.   LADY RATTLERS WILL TRY TO CONTINUE 14 GAME WIN STREAK ...

Florida A&M University President Ammons Launches Research Initiative on Hazing

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida A&M University (FAMU) President James H. Ammons has launched a $50,000 research initiative that would give faculty at FAMU the opportunity to study the nature and extent of hazing behaviors among campus organizations and groups.

“Hazing is one issue that many colleges and universities face; yet, it presents a serious challenge to uncover and address as a hidden culture, shrouded in secrecy,” said Ammons. “I want our faculty members to be leaders in finding solutions and creating a body of work as FAMU becomes a part of this national discussion on hazing.”

JAMES H. AMMONS, Ph.D
PRESIDENT
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

The announcement of the research project comes on the same day the FAMU Board of Trustees announced the appointment of the FAMU Anti-Hazing Committee, an independent committee tasked with providing recommenda-
tions on determining the most effective and indelible approach to end hazing on campus. Both the Committee and grants are part of FAMU's overall efforts — both immediate and long-term — to eliminate hazing.

The “FAMU Anti-Hazing Research Initiative with a “Focus on Evidence-Based Measures” will offer small grants for faculty to conduct collaborative research across disciplines to study the nature and extent of hazing behaviors among campus organizations and groups. This anti-hazing research initiative will serve as a mechanism to stimulate additional FAMU participation in research to help better understand hazing at FAMU and around the nation that will lead to the development of strategies to eradicate hazing from our midst. The specific focus areas of this initiative:

1. Promote interdisciplinary approaches to study the nature and extent of hazing behaviors among student organizations, unofficial sub-groups and off-campus entities;
2. Develop strategies that offer alternatives to hazing and promote respect and dignity;
3. Develop novel approaches to eliminating the fear of retribution and encourage unencumbered reporting when hazing incidents occur to include administrative structure, alignment and reporting; and
4. Identify effective education, training, communication, and awareness mechanisms for existing students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as new entrants into the university community.

“As academicians across this country engage in research in this area, we want to ensure that FAMU is represented in a very significant way among these scholars,” said Ammons. “We view this as seed money for faculty to be involved into the greater pool of resources available to address this issue.”

Police Arrest 4 FAMU Clarinetists in Hazing Case; Trombonist Allahandro Bradford Booted Off Campus for One Year

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -  Four more students are under arrest in the Florida A&M hazing scandal, but not for the death of a drum major. Police said the group attacked five clarinet players pledging a secret group, and the new arrests brings the total to seven students charged in hazing cases.

WFTV's Daralene Jones learned that the four new suspects are still on campus, despite the accusations. University officials said they are in the process of drafting dismissal letters, and students have to receive the letter before they can be kicked out of school.

Hakeem Birch, Anthony Mingo and Denise Bailey were headed to class late Thursday when FAMU police arrested them on a warrant for misdemeanor hazing. Brandon Benson turned himself in after he heard campus police were looking for him.  Mingo also was arrested on misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and possession of narcotics equipment.

DOCUMENT: Hazing Incident Arrest Warrant

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RENEWED REQUEST FOR FULL REINSTATEMENT OF BAND DIRECTOR

TALLAHASSEE — Four Florida A&M Univeristy students were charged and arrested yesterday due to alleged hazing incidents which occurred before the death of drum Robert Champion. These incidents, according to the Probable Cause Affadavit issued by the FAMU police department, were reported in November 2011 by Dr. Julian White, director of bands.

The students, Hakeem B. Birch, Denise Lashawn Bailey, Anthony Mingo and Brandon X. Benson are members of “The Clones,” an illegal and unsanctioned clique loosely affiliated with the band’s clarinet section.

Bailey was suspended by Dr. White last year for missing rehearsals, and was not a member of the Marching 100 during the fall 2011 semester. Birch, Mingo and Benson were members of the band when the hazing incident occurred. White issued letters of suspension and withheld scholarships of all students whose names were provided to him once the incident was reported. White initially reported the incident to FAMU police chief Calvin Ross, and was subsequently instructed to provide information to Investigator John Cotton.

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FAMU BAND MEMBER SAYS HE WAS HARASSED

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Florida A&M University police have ordered a Marching 100 band member to stay away from campus for a year. Police say the student was harassing another band member.

According to police documents, 21 year old Joshua Thomas says he was verbally harassed by 20 year old Allahandro Bradford for not joining the band's underground trombone subsection, known as Thunder. Thomas said he wanted to report the incidents before the situation became violent.



FAMU President James Ammons told ABC27 Thursday it's important for students to report hazing or harassment right away.

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Attorney: Victim of fatal FAMU band hazing attack was gay

ORLANDO, Florida - Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion was gay, which may have been one reason why he was beaten so severely during a hazing attack in Orlando last semester, the Champion family’s attorney said Tuesday.

Attorney Christopher Chestnut, speaking at a news conference with Champion’s parents in Orlando, said the parents came forward to discuss their son’s sexuality because rumors had been swirling that the 26-year-old student was hazed specifically because of his "alternative lifestyle."



Though Champion’s sexual orientation may have been a factor, Chestnut said, his own investigation indicates that it was probably one of several that caused students to beat him so violently that he died.

He insisted, however, that the overriding motivation that likely led to such a brutal attack was Champion’s outspoken resistance to hazing within FAMU’s famed marching band.

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FAMU Drum Major Targeted Because He Opposed Hazing, Lawyer Claims 

ORLANDO, Florida - The parents of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion, who police believe died after a violent hazing, said today that their son may have been hazed more severely than other students because of his opposition to the practice.

"Robert Champion was the poster child of anti-hazing. He threatened the very institution of hazing in this band," said attorney Christopher Chestnut, a lawyer for Champion's family.

During their investigation into what happened to their son, Champion's family discovered that he was gay, but also concluded that was not a reason for his alleged hazing.



"This is not a hate crime," Chestnut said during a news conference today. "This is a hazing crime. That is what we are here to say today."

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Witnesses: FAMU drum major was targeted due to sexuality

ATLANTA -- Was sexual orientation a factor in the hazing death of a Florida A&M University drum major? It depends on who you ask. Nearly two months after his death, the parents of FAMU drum major Robert Champion said Tuesday morning that although their son was gay, that's not why he was targeted.

The Decatur native died November 19 after collapsing on a bus following a band performance. Officials have ruled his death a homicide caused by hazing.



During Tuesday's news conference, attorney Christopher Chestnut said after speaking with more than 15 witnesses, many reported that Champion was subjected to more severe hazing than other students.

Some witnesses said they believed Champion was hazed harder because he was gay.

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Questions Swirl Over What Led to Florida Drum Major’s Death

ATLANTA — Almost two months after the beating death of a Florida A&M University drum major, new questions have arisen over why he might have been singled out for violence.

On Tuesday, the parents of the student, Robert Champion, revealed that their son had been gay. But they said they believed that did not play a big role in the beating the authorities say he sustained at the hands of bandmates on a bus after a football game on Nov. 19.

“Robert’s being gay may have been a reason for his hazing, but it wasn’t the main reason,” said Christopher M. Chestnut, the family’s lawyer, who said he had conducted a private investigation. “This was a hazing crime, not a hate crime.”

That Mr. Champion was gay was “a private thing, not something he advertised publicly,” his mother, Pam Champion, said in an interview.

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FAMU Escapes With Two-Point Win Over North Carolina A&T

GREENSBORO, North Carolina - It came down to the last shot and last possession against Florida A&M Monday night, and the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team put the ball into the hands of clutch shooter Amber Calvin with four seconds on the clock.

The Aggies got the ball on their side of the floor with 11 seconds remaining. After dribbling and working to help Calvin get open, freshman Jessica Lyons passed the ball to Calvin, who took aim and shot, but it went wide right. Sophomore Tiffanie Adair made a grab for the rebound, but FAMU forward Qiana Donald came up with the ball as the clock expired, leaving the Rattlers victorious 70-68.

"Amber is the best 3-point shooter in the conference. It just fell short," said head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. "That's who I wanted to have the ball, yes. Even though she had not shot the ball well from the three tonight, she does shoot well in the clutch. She had the open look, but just couldn't knock it down."

The Aggies (7-9, 2-1) tied the game at 56-56 on a pair of free throws from sophomore Tracy King, who ended the game with a team-high 17 points, six assists and four steals, with 8:28 left in the contest. The Rattlers took a four-point lead before Lyons made a pair of free throws after being fouled by guard Kimberly Sparkman to make it a 62-60 game with 3:49 remaining. The Rattlers took a six-point lead following a pair of 3-pointers from Antonia Bennett, who had 25 points and 11 boards, and Jasmine Grice, who finished with 19. The last four points the Aggies made in the contest were free throws.

"Gosh this is a tough loss, but I don't know when I was so proud of these girls. When you take a good team like FAMU, and they executed and we executed, it just came down to that last thing," said Bibbs, who is seven wins away from her 500th career win.

FINAL STATS

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FAMU Rattlers Cap Road Sweep With 70-68 Win Over North Carolina A&T

GREENSBORO, North Carolina - The Lady Rattlers have learned to win big and today they learned they could win close, as they defeated the North Carolina A&T Aggies 70-68 at the Corbett Center in Greensboro, N.C. The win was the seventh straight victory for the Lady Rattlers. Quietly, under all of the fanfare of the win, Tameka McKelton sank a three-point shot at the 17:40 mark in the first half to tie the FAMU record for made three-pointers.

The Lady Rattlers were led offensively by the MEAC Defensive Player of the Week and conference leading scorer, Antonia Bennett. Bennett poured in shots from every angle en route to scoring 25 points on 10-18 shooting from the field. She managed a double-double by grabbing 11 rebounds. Jasmine Grice got a rare start for the Lady Rattlers and responded with 19 points on 8-14 shooting, including 2-6 from the three-point arch. McKelton carded 11 points on 5-18 shooting.

Qiana Donald led FAMU on the boards with 12 rebounds. All nine Lady Rattlers who played got at least one rebound in the game.

The game was an important victory for the Lady Rattlers as they hadn't won there during Gibson's tenure at FAMU. "This was a big victory. It felt real good beating them in their home gym, where everyone knows it's difficult to beat them. On the flip side, I don't think we could have played any worse and still come out on top," Gibson said.

Both teams pressed for most of the game. While it made for an exciting game to watch, it took its toll on the players. "We pressed mainly to slow the ball down and work our offense, which we did a pretty good job in the first half. In the second half, I believe we let them score just a little bit too much," Gibson added.

The Lady Rattlers shot 16-36 (44.4 %) from the field in the first half and 13-34 (38.2%) in the second half for a game total of 41.4 percent. From the three-point line, FAMU shot 3-12 (23.1 %) in the first half and 2-10 (20 %) in the second hald, for a game total of 21.7 percent. From the free throw line, the Lady Rattlers shot 5-5 (100%) in the first half and 2-3 (67% ) in the second half for an 87.5 percent game average.

The Aggies were led by Tracy King, who scored 17 points on 6-17 shooting. Nikia Gorham contributed 14 points, while JaQuayla Berry chipped in 12 points. Berry and Gorham grabbed eight rebounds each to lead the Aggies.

The game was a back and forth affair, where the Lady Rattlers could not distance themselves from the Aggie. The game was tied two times and there were five lead changes in the game.

Bennett, who spent the last two games filling other roles, knew she needed to step up the scoring against a tough conference opponent. " I knew my team needed me to step up offensively and defensively. I think I went with what they gave me and played the best I could within that. There's always room for improvement, and I'm ready to get back to Tallahassee to work on it," Bennett said. She added, "I haven't won here (Greensboro) since I've been here, so in a big rivalry game, it's a much-needed win."

The Lady Rattlers will embark on their first home conference stand of the season as they will face the Lady Tigers of Savannah State University on Sat., Jan. 14, at the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium. The game will be broadcast on RattlerVision.

The Lady Rattlers are undefeated in conference play this season at 3-0. Bennett welcomes returning to the friendly confines of the Lawson Center. "It's going to feel good to go back home and play in front of our crowd. We've got a tough Savannah State team and then South Carolina State, so next weekend should be exciting," she said.

By Florida A&M University Sports Information
VISIT: FAMUATHLETICS
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FAMU Lady Rattlers Dominate NCCU Eagles in 78-51 MEAC Win

DURHAM, North Carolina - The Flordia A&M Lady Rattlers (9-5, 2-0 MEAC), soundly defeated the North Carolina Central Lady Eagles (2-13) by 27 points in a 78-51 rout, today in the McDougald-McLendon Gym in Durham, N.C.

The outcome never seemed in doubt as coach LeDawn Gibson played all dressed players in the first half and a significant part of the second half. s actually led by 45 points with 8:10 remaining in the game, but stuck strictly to reserves in order to get more experience for them going into a tough conference game on Monday in Greensboro,N.C. against the North Carolina A&T Aggies.

The Lady Rattlers followed the lead of Qiana Donald to a 44-22 lead at the half. Donald scored 13 points on 5-9 shooting, while adding eight rebounds in the first half. Tameka McKelton and Kimberly Sparkman added seven points each for the Lady Rattlers in the first period.



Gibson displayed her team's depth playing all 13 of her players in the half. As a team, FAMU shot 41 percent (16-39) from the field in the first half. From the three-point line, they shot 25 percent on 4-16 from the arch and 67 percent (8-12) from the free throw line.

Gibson felt there were several reason to let the non-starters play in today's game. "We have a big conference game on Monday against North Carolina A&T, so by playing our reserves for an extended length of time it gave our starters a chance to rest their legs so they can be fresh. It also gave our younger players a chance to get in and feel how it is to play in the MEAC," Gibson said.

Donald would score 20 points for the game, rounding out a double-double with 10 rebounds and one block. McKelton scored 15 points on 7-12 shooting from the field. MEAC leading scorer Antonia Bennett chipped in 11 points, while Jasmine Grice put in 10 points. As a team the Lady Rattlers grabbed 45 rebounds.

FAMU shot 29-68 (42.6%) from the field, 4-18 (22.2) from the three-point line and 16-21(76.2%) from the free throw line.

The Lady Eagles were led by Kabrina Truesdale who scored 13 points. Blaire Houston would be the only other NCCU player in double figures. Truesdale would also lead the team with nine rebounds.

The story of the game was the Lady Rattlers extending their winning streak to six straight with team play. Donald understands this completely. " I was just feeding off of my teammates. They were taking shots and I just tried to play as big as possible in the inside. It's very important for our reserves to understand that everybody has a part to play on this team. We've got the goal of winning a championship, so winning games is just a part of the ultimate goal," Donald said.

Gibson's take on the game had less to do with the win, but the overall mindset of the team going into tough conference play. Gibson said, "Qiana realized that Antonia and Tameka hadn't found their groove in the first half and she stepped up and took over as far as scoring and rebounding. That's what's great about this team, you never know whose coat we need to ride on a particular night. I think she did a good job rebounding and scoring."

The Lady Rattlers head to Greensboro, NC to take on the Aggies of NC A&T on Monday in a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.

By Florida A&M University Sports Information
VISIT: FAMUATHLETICS
VISIT: FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

Florida A&M Rattlers Hold On For 62-60 Win Over NCCU Eagles

DURHAM, North Carolina - The Florida A&M Rattlers (3-13,1-1 MEAC), pulled off a big MEAC win today against the North Carolina Central Eagles (7-8, 1-1 MEAC) in the McDougald-McLendon Gym. The Rattlers used a tough defense and solid outside shooting to even their MEAC record at 1-1 for the season.

Reggie Lewis had the hot hand for the Rattlers as he hit 22 points on 8-16 shooting from the field, including 6-10 shooting Dfrom the three-point arch. Amin Stevens scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for a double-double. Yannick Crowder led the Rattlers on the boards with nine rebounds.

Coach Clemon Johnson was happy to get his first MEAC win since returning to his alma mater as head coach. "I'm totally ecstatic to come out of there with a win. I'm proud of the team. I'm very excited that I'm back here coaching the team and I think that the hard work we've been doing paid off for us today. We've taken some butt beatings down the road, but I think those helped us to grow up. I saw this team grow up today. We played sloppy at points in the first half, so I gave them some kind words at halftime, and it seemed to motivate them," Johnson said.

The Rattlers were down 31-26 at the half, but battled back with a press and clutch shooting from Lewis to pull even with the Aggies. The waning moments of the game were testy as the Rattlers entered the double-bonus in the half with 10 fouls, while the Eagles only had three team fouls at that point. The Rattlers would outscore the Eagles 36-29 in the second half to secure the victory.

Lewis felt the flow of the game dictated his scoring. "Coach saw that I had the hot hand and he started running plays for me and I was able to knock the shots down. It's real important to get this win. Coach (Johnson) said this game began our new season. We had the Bethune-Cookman game early, but we are looking at this game as the start of MEAC play and we're happy that we came out of here with a victory," Lewis said.

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By Florida A&M University Sports Information

VISIT: FAMUATHLETICS

VISIT: FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY  

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES RESULT IN FIRST HOME LOSS OF SEASON FOR NCCU

DURHAM, N.C. (NCCUEaglePride.com) – North Carolina Central University missed a golden opportunity to start 2-0 in the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) when the Eagles could not connect on five free throws down the backstretch of the second half and allowed Amin Stevens to record his first double-double of the season, while Reggie Lewis scored a season-high 22 points, sparking Florida A&M University to the 62-60 win on Saturday afternoon inside McDougald-McLendon Gym.

With conference play underway, the intensity was taken to another level in this game as the teams combined for 11 ties and six lead changes in their sixth meeting all-time.

Neither team had a lead larger than five in the first half, as the Eagles led 11-9 with 11:42 left following a David Best (Raleigh, N.C.) put back, but the Rattlers responded with a 6-1 run of to grab a 15-12 lead with 9:31 remaining.

The rest of the first frame went back-and-forth, but the maroon and gray made the last move, breaking open a 26-all contest with a 5-0 spurt that was highlighted by a Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.) three-pointer sending NCCU into the locker room with a 31-26 lead.

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FAMU senior sets example for young Rattlers team

 MEAC LEADING SCORER AND REBOUNDER

ANTONIA MONIQUE BENNETT
6'-1" GUARD/FORWARD, SENIOR
SEASON PGA as of 1/1/12:
 20.1 points., 9.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists,
2.3 steals and 1.7 blocked shots.
LAKE GIBSON HIGH SCHOOL
Hometown: LAKELAND, FLORIDA
Major:  Occupational/Physical Therapy

(Photo Courtesy: FAMU Sports Information) 

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Typically, this time of the year, HBCU basketball programs are road warriors, traveling the nation to play and get pounded by non-conference Division I programs. That hasn't been the case for Florida A&M. Antonia Bennett is seeing to that.

Bennett, a 6-foot-1 senior guard/forward, has started fast. She is first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in scoring (19.6 ppg), fourth in rebounding (8.9 rpg) and third in blocks (1.7bpg). Her efforts have helped the Lady Rattlers to a 8-5 start, and they are currently riding a five game winning streak. Among their victories are ones against Southern Mississippi, Northwestern Louisiana, Southeastern Louisiana and Austin Peay.

This start is due largely to Bennett, who has stepped up in her role as a leader of a very young team.

"And I still feel like we dropped a few we should not have dropped," LeDawn Gibson, FAMU head coach, said. "We're young. On the back end, we have six freshmen we are trying to rotate in and get their feet wet.

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Antonia Bennett Playing a Big Game

Tallahassee, FL - Brittney Griner. Skylar Diggans. Elena Della Donne. Names you may recognize as some of the top players in women's college basketball. One name that shouldn't be overlooked is Antonia Bennett. The FAMU senior forward has the numbers to prove it.

"I really didn't expect to be at the top like that, but hey, hardwork pays off," Bennett said.

Out of high school, she was barely recruited. Her best offers came from Division-II schools. Luckily her rival in high school happened to be her current coach LeDawn Gibson. Gibson would take the FAMU job and decided to give Bennett a chance.

Since she was a freshman, Bennett hasn't disappointed. She's gotten better every year.

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Lady Rattlers looking for sixth consecutive win

Saturday, the Florida A&M women's basketball team (8-5, 1-0 MEAC) will look to add to its five-game winning streak on the road at North Carolina Central (2-12, 0-1 MEAC) in Durham, NC.

Head coach LeDawn Gibson said she feels great about how the ladies are playing and is very confident in her team as Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play is about to begin. Coach Gibson said practicing hard, playing together and staying positive would help the team continue its win streak. The Lady Rattlers' athleticism and depth are two of the key factors to their success. Senior Antonia Bennett, who has been the Rattlers' leading scorer in nine of their 13 games this season, is a major part of their success. Coach Gibson said she is well deserving.

"Bennett's performance has been great this season," Gibson said. "She has worked hard her previous three years here and has put in a lot of hard work and time in the offseason to get where she is right now."

The Lady Rattlers' depth is also major weapon...

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Roosevelt Wilson's Against The Grain: FAMU Board Of Trustees should be applauded

Roosevelt Wilson

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Though their work was clouded by the tragic death of a drum major at Florida A&M University, FAMU’s Board of Trustees should be applauded for being able to cut through all of the smoke and say no to Gov. Rick Scott’s recommendation that FAMU President James H. Ammons be suspended while the matter is being investigated. That decision was critical not only for FAMU, but for the other members of the state university system as well.

Drum major Robert Champion, 26, died tragically Nov. 19, allegedly as a result of a beating that was part of a hazing ritual following the band’s performance at the Florida Classic, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. That not only is a shame and a tragedy, but it is also a crime. FAMU, the state university system and the State of Florida should use all available resources to identify and appropriately punish those responsible for such a senseless death and such a criminal act.

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About Roosevelt Wilson
Roosevelt Wilson is the former owner and publisher of the Capital Outlook Newspaper, Tallahassee, Florida. His syndicated column, "Against The Grain" is legendary -- high impact and are written without fear or favoritism on serious issues that matter to the people of Florida and beyond.  He is a former member of the FAMU public relations staff and former member of the faculty at the FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication. He also served as FAMU’s sports information director, director of university publications and athletics director.

Mr. Wilson earned his bachelor's degree from Bethune-Cookman University with a major in English; a master's degree from Florida State University in Mass Communications; and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in 2008 from Florida A&M University for his exemplary contributions to the field of journalism.

Roosevelt Wilson’s thought provoking and award winning column “Against The Grain’ has returned and can be viewed at The Grain Online .

Opposing view: FAMU is committed to student safety

DR. JAMES H. AMMONS
PRESIDENT
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Our top priority at Florida A&M University is to ensure and protect the safety of every person on campus. Accordingly, the FAMU Board of Trustees and the FAMU administration resolve to break the culture of secrecy that is a major component of institutionalized hazing. While we acknowledge the complexity of this challenge, our goal is to eliminate this pattern of destructive behavior from our campus.

As part of our ongoing efforts, the FAMU trustees are creating a Blue Ribbon Committee to examine hazing and ways to eradicate it from campus life. The university will honor the memory of our student Robert Champion, who died in a hazing incident, by establishing a new set of traditions across our campus that will result in a complete culture change and "zero tolerance" for hazing.

READ THE ENTIRE OPPOSING VIEW by James H. Ammons

FAMU Lady Rattlers Win Fifth Straight With 69-59 Win Over UAB

ANTONIA BENNETT
6-1 SENIOR G/F
LAKE GIBSON HS
LAKELAND, FL




QIANA DONALD
6-0 SENIOR C/F
RIBAULT HS
JACKSONVILLE, FL

  

TAMEKA MCKELTON
5-8 SENIOR GUARD
PALM BCH LAKES HS
W. PALM BEACH, FL

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers (8-5, 1-0 MEAC) defeated the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazers (9-3, 0-0 C-USA) in a 40-minute slugefest. At the half, the Blazers were leading 29-27, but the Lady Rattlers came out with a stiff press, stifling the offense of UAB and allowed the Lady Rattlers to score 42 points in the second half tonight at the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium.

The Blazers, who had earlier this season defeated the defending MEAC women's conference champion Hampton Pirates, controlled the pace of the first half as it played to their strength. UAB was known for its stifling defense, which held teams to under 40 points in the games they won this season, but the Lady Rattlers would find an answer at halftime.



In the first half UAB's leading scorer, Amber Jones, dropped in 11 points, on 4-10 shooting (2-5 from three-point range). The Blazers' Karisma Chapman scored eight and Michaelea Kleist dropped in six. Meagan Brown would grab six rebounds in the half. In all, only five Blazers scored in the first half.

For the Lady Rattlers, Jasmine Grice came off the bench to score 10 points in the first half. Qiana Donald scored eight and Antonia Bennett scored six. Donald and Bennett grabbed five rebounds each in the half.

Coach LeDawn Gibson challenged her team to get after the Blazers at halftime. "The first half was slow-paced. We played to their strength. We did offensive and defensive adjustments at halftime that allowed us to pick up the pace and play our game," Gibson said.

PHOTO ALBUM 

FINAL STATS

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JASMINE GRICE
5-9 SOPH. GUARD
EAST GADSDEN HS
QUINCY, FL



KETURAH MARTIN
6-0 JUNIOR GUARD
SW TENN. CC
MEMPHIS, TN



KIMBERLY SPARKMAN
5-8 SOPH. GUARD
VOLUNTEER ST. CC
COLUMBIA, TN



Courtesy: FAMU Sports Information (Click on player name for profile and accomplishments).

FAMU earns big win over UAB

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - The Florida A&M women's basketball team answered two questions Monday night: whether it could find its offense if scoring leader Antonia Bennett has an off night and when it would win a game at home.

The Rattlers answered yes and now, as they rallied from a first-half deficit to defeat the University of Alabama at Birmingham for their first home victory of the season, 69-59, at the Lawson Center.

Bennett, the leading scorer in the MEAC who came into the game with an average of 20.1 points per game, was held to six first-half points. She finished the game 6 of 17 shooting for 14 points Seniors Qiana Donald (16 points) and Tameka McKelton (10 points) stepped up, while redshirt freshman Jasmine Grice (13 points) continued her hot shooting in her second game since regaining eligibility for academic reasons.

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UAB's Streak Snapped With 69-59 Loss At FAMU

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Karisma Chapman and Amber Jones combined for 47 points Monday night, but the UAB women's basketball team saw its eight-game winning streak snapped with a 69-59 loss in its non-conference finale at Florida A&M.

The Blazers (9-3) took a 29-27 lead into the half but were outscored by 12 points over the final 20 minutes by a Florida A&M team that presented a different challenge than any previous opponent during the winning streak.

The Lady Rattlers (8-5) applied full-court pressure defense for the entire game and got out in transition at any opportunity, even after made baskets. Their 69 points were the most allowed this season by UAB, the fourth-best team in the country in scoring defense that hadn't allowed more than 47 points in eight games.

Chapman matched her career-high with 24 points for UAB, including 16 in the second half, while Jones finished with 23. The pair combined to knock down 16 of 29 shots from the floor, but the Blazers shot 38.5 percent as a team for the night.

Florida A&M put four players in double figures, led by Qiana Donald with 16 points. Antonia Bennett added 14 points, Jasmine Grice 13 and Tameka McKelton 10 for the Lady Rattlers. Bennett also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds for a double-double.

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Princeton Tigers Tops Florida A&M 76-61

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Completing a two-win trip to the capital of Florida, the Princeton men's basketball team defeated Florida A&M 76-61 Sunday afternoon.

Playing on New Year's Day for the first time since 1957, the Tigers fell behind early as much as 11-4 before scoring 25 of the next 33 points to take their first double-digit lead at 29-19 with less than five minutes to go before the half.

Princeton led by as much as 13 in the first half and 20 after the break, though the second half wasn't without a Florida A&M rally. The Rattlers scored 16 of the half's first 23 points to make it a 47-46 game with less than 15 minutes to go, but FAMU got no closer.

Douglas Davis finished as Princeton's high scorer with 18 points as one of four Tigers in double figures. Ian Hummer added 15 points, while T.J. Bray had 14 and rookie Denton Koon tied his Princeton best with 13 points.

"I'm very pleased with the second-half effort. They had 10 points in the last 12 minutes," Mitch Henderson, the Franklin C. Cappon-Edward G. Green '40 head coach of Princeton men's basketball, said. "It's a very good trip for us, so overall I'm happy, but I was a little disappointed with how we started the game. I knew it was a key to the game and they seemed to be just a little quicker to balls and really frankly out-toughing us early on. They had 17 offensive rebounds, which is a disappointment for us, but I'm very happy with the trip and it's nice to be going home 2-0 on this trip down to Florida."

Princeton shot 50 percent or better from the floor in each half, bettering FAMU's 37.5 percent for the game. The Rattlers, however, held the advantage on the glass, 38-35, including the 17 offensive boards Henderson mentioned.

The win follows Princeton's 75-73 triple-overtime victory at Florida State Friday night, the first time since 2004 the Seminoles lost at home to a team outside of a major conference. FSU was ranked as highly as 22nd in the Associated Press poll in November.

Davis's 18 points moved him to 1,320 for his career, one behind current Sacramento Kings general manager Geoff Petrie '70 for seventh place on the school's list. He also moved into second place on Princeton's career list of 3-pointers made, now with 238. Only his assistant coach, Brian Earl '99, has more with 281.

Princeton (8-7) has now won seven of its last nine after a 1-5 start, while Florida A&M drops to 2-12 with the loss.

Its record now above .500 for the first time this season, Princeton has completed its pre-Ivy League Division I schedule and will host The College of New Jersey next Sunday in Jadwin Gym. Princeton's league schedule will begin Jan. 13 at Cornell.

GAME STATS

Courtesy: Princeton Athletic Communications

Congresswoman Wilson to Introduce Federal Anti-Hazing Bill in January

Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.)

Tuesday December 27, 2011

Washington, DC – Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) announced today that she plans to introduce a federal anti-hazing bill when Congress reconvenes in January. A staunch fighter of bullying and hazing during her career as a school principal and school board member, Rep. Wilson decided that action is needed at the federal level to combat hazing incidents like the tragedy that claimed drum major Robert Champion’s life at Florida A&M University in November.

“Hazing is demeaning, dangerous, and, sadly, deadly,” said Rep. Wilson. “It’s time that we put an end to this horrible and humiliating ritual once and for all, so that no more students suffer the way that Robert and others have.”

Rep. Wilson fought hazing throughout her four-year reign as the South Atlantic Regional Director for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first sorority founded by black students on the campus of Howard University in 1908. Rep. Wilson was nicknamed by a Miami Herald reporter as “THE HAZE BUSTER” because of her very public stance to stamp out hazing on college campuses.

“I am having policy discussions now with presidents of historically-black colleges and universities, band members and presidents of Greek-letter organizations so that we will be able to craft a strong bill for introduction next month,” Rep. Wilson said.

Rep. Frederica Wilson's hazing bill may include penalties for bystanders of rituals

Democratic U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson plans to introduce a federal hazing ban when she returns to Congress in mid-January. Details of the bill aren't yet ironed out, though she is consulting officials from the (United States) Justice Department and universities to figure out how far she can go, she said.

"I've been toying with different scenarios," she told (Miami) Times/Herald. "I want it to be broad enough to affect a lot of people so they will stop." 

She wants her bill to target the people who haze, the person being hazed and those who are present for the ritual and "don't report it or intervene."

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Rep. Frederica S. Wilson is a first-term congresswoman representing the 17th District of Florida, including Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward Counties. She is a former state legislator and school principal and the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school. Wilson earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Fisk University in 1963 and her Master of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Miami in 1972.

3rd Mother of former FAMU student claims daughter was hazed

23 year old Sean Hobson (above) 
is charged with hazing and battery.

AUGUSTA, Georgia - Doretha Smith learned of Robert Champion’s death just hours after it happened. Her 21-year-old daughter woke her at 3 a.m. to relay the news she had received via text message. Both mother and daughter immediately suspected that the Florida A&M University drum major had been hazed.

Smith’s daughter –- who asked not to be named in this story for fear of reprisals -- was repeatedly beaten three years ago as a freshman member of FAMU's famed Marching 100, Smith told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She said the freshman clarinet player was slapped and punched in the stomach and chest, beatings she only admitted to her mother after calling in tears and asking to withdraw from the university.

Smith said she was especially disturbed when her daughter told her that one of those who hit her was a student who had played with her in the Southwest DeKalb High School band: Sean Hobson ...



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On Hazing, FAMU, and Hypocrisy

By Lee Bessette, College Ready Writing, INSIDE HIGHER ED

Like the situation at Penn State, what’s been going on at FAMU is another topic I’ve been trying to avoid writing about. One of the reasons is because of my own brief history as a faculty member there; I was on the tenure track there for a year but left to keep our family together when my husband got a better tenure-track job. Another reason is that hazing is a clearly sensitive topic, particularly in higher education but seemingly also in society at large. The extent that our society both implicitly tolerates and explicitly encourages hazing is maddening and unsurprising.

I was bullied as a child, not just at school, but also at swimming. I was locked in lockers, mentally tormented, and often physically assaulted in the pool, where it can easily be made to look like it was an “accident.” These weren’t initiation rituals, as enduring them in no way made me a part of the team, but they closely resembled the physical and mental anguish friends of mine suffered in “legitimate” initiations to sports teams.

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Message to the MEAC: Let Them Play!!

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Just a few nights ago the Florida A&M Lady Rattlers visited and defeated the Tennessee State Lady Tigers. Beside the significance of old rivalries playing for the first time in years this game looked a lot like a MEAC game, but not in a good way.

Hopefully, it will not be an indicator of things to come. Having raised the level of media exposure, quality of coaching and recruiting in the league, the MEAC has made lady basketball well worth watching if the referees will let them play.

Basketball is a physical game. When you play some of the better teams during the non conference schedule you either learn to play physical or you’re not going to be competitive, which brings me to the Tennessee State versus FAMU game. It started out physical and you could tell that at least FAMU was a bit low on energy not doing their usual good job on the boards. Even without the normal high level of play there were few penalties in the first half.

The second half, however, more than made up for it. All of a sudden one particular referee—and these are Ohio Valley Conference refs—must have felt he wasn’t getting his quota and he began calling touch fouls. The game slowed and quality of play began to resemble high school competition.

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Tennessee State drop third straight with loss to Florida A&M



Shuler led TSU with 17 points vs. FAMU
Courtesy: Sam Jordan / TSU Athletics

 NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Four Lady Tigers scored in double-digits but it wasn't enough as Tennessee State University dropped its third straight contest in a, 90-75, loss to Florida A&M University Thursday night in the Gentry Center.

Tennessee State (4-8) committed 25 turnovers in the contest while Florida A&M (7-5) recorded 21.

Jasmin Shuler led TSU with 17 points while Kim Haynes tallied 16. Tayla Foster registered 15 points while Alana Morris chipped in 12. Donyeah Mayfield came off the bench to grab a team-high nine rebounds.

After a fairly slow start for both teams, the Rattlers put together a rally that led to them grabbing a 12-4 lead. A couple of buckets by Tayla Foster and Donyeah Mayfield sparked a 9-2 run that pulled TSU to within one, 14-13 before four unanswered points by FAMU put the Rattlers back up, 18-13.

The Lady Tigers managed to cut the deficit down to two, again, following a break-away lay-up by Jasmin Shuler with 9:58 remaining half. The Rattlers, however, used six unanswered points to move ahead, 26-18.

FAMU capitalized on being in the bonus down the stretch and built its advantage up to 32-19 behind a number of free-throws. TSU cut the deficit down to single digits with just over three minutes in the half but FAMU responded with a spurt that made its lead, 42-30.

Alana Morris buried a triple at the buzzer to make the halftime score, 46-35, in favor of the visitors.

TSU opened up the second frame by outscoring FAMU 8-2 and pulled within five, 48-43, before the first media timeout. The deficit went back up to double-digits when the Lady Tigers gave up five unanswered points.

The Lady Tigers continued to fight throughout the half but the Rattlers held off every TSU run attempt. After falling behind, 65-50, Kim Haynes hit a triple from the top of the key to bring TSU within 12 at the 3:51 mark. That, however, would be as close as the Lady Tigers would get.

Tennessee State went 28-of-77 (36.4 percent) from the field, including 8-of-27 (29.6 percent) from three-point range. TSU shot a dismal 55 percent (11-of-20) from the free-throw line and lost the battle of the boards, 54-49.

Lady Tigers return to action on Thursday, Dec. 29 when they host Austin Peay in the OVC opener. Game time is slated for 5:30 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

Box Score

Courtesy: Tennessee State Sports Information