FAMU Women's Basketball Player Stabbed, Killed

The late Shannon Washington

Tallahassee, FL - The Tallahassee Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing at 3025 South Adams Street this morning at approximately 2:03 AM. Officers located victim Shannon Washington in the apartment, with a knife wound to her neck. The victim was initially treated by officers on-scene, until EMS arrived.

She was then transported to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. The victim was a FAMU student-athlete, who was a member of the women’s basketball team. TPD has been in contact with university officials.

TPD Victim Advocates have been working with the FAMU Athletic Department, and the victim’s teammates.

Suspect Starquineshia Palmer was still at the apartment upon the arrival of officers.

The investigation determined she did not live in the apartment, but traveled to Tallahassee from Central Florida to visit the victim for the weekend. The victim and Palmer began to argue in the early morning hours, resulting in Palmer stabbing the victim with a kitchen knife.

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MUG: Starquineshia Palmer
  (Courtesy Leon County Sheriff's Office)

NOTE: The late Ms. Washington was a heralded student-athlete that was expected to become the cornerstone of coach LeDawn Gibson's 2011/12 Lady Rattlers basketball squad. The Illinois Valley Community College standout was a two-time junior college All-American and two-time 1st team all-conference player. The 5'11" guard averaged 19 points, nine rebounds, five steals and five assists per game. The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn., honored her for her play last season.

The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame recognizes the country's top players on all levels, from pro to high school. In making the team, Washington's jersey will hang in the ring of honor at the museum in Tennessee, where she is among other greats such as Candace Parker (Univ. of Tennessee), Sue Byrd (Univ. of Connecticut) and Britney Griner (Baylor). The jersey will hang until May 2012.

Ms. Washington was a native of Sarasota, Florida, where she was a graduate of Riverview High School.

Starquineshia Palmer, age 20, has been charged with first degree murder by the Leon County Sheriff Office. 

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FAMU Rattlers officially announce men's basketball signees

Photo: FAMU Basketball Coaches Johnny Jones (L), Eugene Harris (M) and Reggie Sharpe (R).

Head coach Eugene Harris says eight-man class "foundation" for future of FAMU Basketball

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida A&M University Men's Basketball program officially released details on the school's 2008 Recruiting Class on Friday evening. The eight-man group features seven high school standouts and one junior college player, which will provide instant impact in both the front court and back court areas of the club for 2008-09 and beyond.

Head coach Eugene Harris and his staff, which included veterans Johnny Jones and Reggie Sharp, sought to address their need for size, skill and depth inside, as well as add quickness and excellent perimeter shooting in the back court. Harris also lauded the academic credentials of his inaugural recruiting class, all eight of whom have qualified fully in the classroom, which was a determining factor in their recruitment.

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With a new 9,000 seat teaching gym (arena) coming on line at FAMU in February 2009, Coach Harris is taking the right approach in recruiting great students and athletes that can play his up-tempo pressing style. I really like his approach of recruiting high school students and using JUCOs only to fill a specific weakness on the club.

It doesn't hurt either that most have been battle tested against great competition at the large school divisions and state championship tournaments. Harris appears to have established good local recruiting contacts in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. It will be great to develop team continuity with incoming players that will be with the program 4-5 seasons. It's also great for the fans who get attached to their favorite Rattler players to have them for a full four year cycle.

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Florida A&M University men and women basketball schedules released

Compiled by BeepBeep

Florida A&M University men's basketball coach Eugene Harris will have little time to get acclimated to his new team as the Rattlers are scheduled to tip off the season on November 12, 2007, in Tallahassee with Carver College. Coach Harris, formerly an assistant coach at Georgia State University was hired by the Rattlers on September 19, 2007, after a fast paced hiring process to replace Mike Gillespie, Sr.

Coach Harris comes to FAMU with an extensive resume as an assistant coach on the collegiate level, having worked stints at schools in the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and the Sun Belt Conference.

The Rattlers finished the 2006-07 season with a record of 21-13 under Gillespie and lost in the first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament to Niagara University. "My goal and my job is to take it to the next level," Harris said. "To win games in the NCAA tournament and go on to the Sweet 16."

The Rattlers will get tested early at the American Youth Classic in Madison, Wisconsin with Colorado State, University of Wisconsin and Savannah State University. Expect an exciting season for the Rattlers as they fight to win the MEAC and return to the NCAA Tournament.


Photo: FAMU #4 Darius Glover shoots the lights out of the NCA&T Aggies on the road to the 2006/07 MEAC Tournament Championship. Expect more of the same from the FAMU team in 07/08, but with a tougher defense and quick adjustments from Coach Harris and staff.

2007-2008 MEN BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result
11/12/07 Carver College Tallahassee, FL. 7:30 p.m. ET
American Youth Classic
11/15/07 vs. Colorado State Madison, WI 4:30 p.m. ET
11/16/07 at Wisconsin Madison, WI 6:30 p.m. ET
11/17/07 vs. Savannah State Madison, WI 4:30 p.m. ET
11/24/07 at Kennesaw State Kennesaw, GA 6:30 p.m. ET
11/26/07 at Connecticut Hartford, CT 7:00 p.m. ET
12/01/07 at Bethune Cookman @ Daytona Beach, FL 4:00 p.m. ET
12/05/07 at Florida Gainesville, FL TBA
12/15/07 vs. North Florida Tallahassee, FL 4:00 p.m. ET
12/17/07 at Kansas State Kansas City, MO TBA
12/29/07 at Texas A&M College Station, TX 2:00 p.m. ET
12/31/07 at Baylor Waco, TX 6:00 p.m. ET
01/05/08 vs. Warner Southern Tallahassee, FL 4:00 p.m. ET
01/12/08 at Howard @ Washington, D.C. 4:00 p.m. ET
01/14/08 at Hampton University @ Hampton, VA 8:00 p.m. ET
01/19/08 at Morgan State @ Baltimore, Md 4:00 p.m. ET
01/21/08 at Coppin State @ Baltimore, Md. 7:30 p.m. ET
01/26/08 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore @ Tallahassee, FL 4:00 p.m. ET
01/28/08 vs. Delaware State @ Tallahassee, FL 7:30 p.m. ET
02/02/08 at Winston-Salem State @ Winston-Salem, N.C. 7:30 p.m.
02/04/08 at South Carolina State @ Orangeburg, S.C. 7:30 p.m. ET
02/09/08 vs. North Carolina A&T @ Tallahassee, FL 4:00 p.m. ET
02/11/08 vs. Norfolk State @ Tallahassee, FL 7:30 p.m. ET
02/16/08 vs. Morgan State @ Tallahassee, FL 4:00 p.m. ET
02/18/08 vs. Coppin State @ Tallahassee, FL 7:30 p.m. ET
02/23/08 at Maryland Eastern Shore @ Prince Anne, MD 4:00 p.m.
02/25/08 at Delaware State @ Prince Anne, MD 7:30 p.m. ET
03/01/08 vs. Winston-Salem State @ Tallahassee, FL 4:00 p.m. ET
03/03/08 vs. South Carolina State @ Tallahassee, FL 7:30 p.m. ET
03/06/08 vs. Bethune Cookman @ Tallahassee, FL. 7:30 p.m. ET
TBD MEAC Tournament
TBD NCAA Tournament


Photo: 2007/08 Seniors #20 Q'Vaunda Curry and #21 Joslyne Jackson battle DSU at 2007 MEAC Tournament. Curry is a 5-6 guard from East Gadsden H.S., Quincy, FL and Jackson is a 5-7 guard from McEachern H.S., Marietta, GA

Florida A&M University Head Women's Basketball Coach Debra Clark announced on August 14, 2007, that 2007 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference All-Rookie Performers Secrett Anderson and Marke Freeman will not return to the team for the 2007-08 season. In other words--the Rattlers lost their two best young players.

It will be interesting to see how the veteran MEAC coach fills the void left by Anderson and Freeman. But don't expect the Lady Rattlers to rollover for anyone as they have experienced players returning who play well within the structure of Coach Clark system and should finished in the upper echelons of the MEAC. Expect this to be FAMU's Lady Rattler's breakout season with a slate of out-of conference games that are within their capabilities of winning. The University of Florida and Delaware State University are the only giant killers on the FAMU 2007/08 schedule that can physically dominate with a strong inside the paint game.

Photo: FAMU Lady Rattler Head Coach Debra Clark, 6th Season (71-74 record). Hampton U '84; Penn State '86. B.S., M.S.

2007-2008 FAMU Women Schedule

Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result
11/01/07 at Valdosta State ! Valdosta, GA 5:00 p.m. ET
11/09/07 at Georgia State Atlanta, GA 6:00 p.m. ET
11/13/07 vs. Mercer Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
11/20/07 at Savannah State Savannah, GA TBA
12/01/07 at Bethune Cookman @ Daytona Beach, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
12/03/07 vs. Stetson Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
12/06/07 vs. Jacksonville @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
12/09/07 at USF Tampa, FL TBA
12/15/07 vs. North Carolina Central Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
12/17/07 vs. Florida Gulf Coast Tallahassee, FL TBA
01/02/08 at Florida Gainesville, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
01/04/08 vs. Savannah State Tallahassee, FL 7:00 p.m. ET
01/12/08 at Howard @ Washington, D.C. 2:00 p.m. ET
01/14/08 at Hampton University @ Hampton, VA 6:00 p.m. ET
01/19/08 at Morgan State @ Baltimore, MD 2:00 p.m. ET
01/21/08 at Coppin State @ Baltimore, MD 5:30 p.m. ET
01/26/08 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore @ Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
01/28/08 vs. Delaware State @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
02/02/08 at Winston-Salem State @ Winston-Salem, N.C. 2:00 p.m.
02/04/08 at South Carolina State @ Oraneburg, S.C. 5:30 p.m. ET
02/09/08 vs. North Carolina A&T @ Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
02/11/08 vs. Norfolk State @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
02/16/08 vs. Morgan State Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
02/18/08 vs. Coppin State @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
02/23/08 at Maryland Eastern Shore @ Princess Anne, MD 2:00 p.m.
02/25/08 at Delaware State @ Dover, MD 5:30 p.m. ET
03/01/08 vs. Winston-Salem State @ Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
03/03/08 vs. South Carolina State @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
03/06/08 vs. Bethune Cookman @ Tallahassee, FL 5:30 p.m. ET
TBD MEAC Tournament
TBD NCAA Tournament

Photo: #40 Denise Tate, 6-1 F Jr., Glenville H.S., Cleveland, OH takes the rock to the hole over Morgan State in 2006 MEAC Tournament.