FSU carries hot streak into CIAA showdown with Shaw

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  -  Learning how to win meant losing a lot for the Fayetteville State men's basketball team this season. But after enduring a seven-game losing streak that included two overtime defeats in late January and early February, the Broncos have won four of their least five and three straight.

Coach Alphonza Kee hopes FSU can continue its hot streak into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament that begins Feb. 28 in Charlotte. But first the Broncos must close out the regular season with three pivotal CIAA games, starting today when Shaw comes to Capel Arena for a 7:30 p.m. game.

The Bears (21-2 overall, 13-0 CIAA) are the nation's No. 9-ranked NCAA Division II team and feature senior point guard Malik Allen. Allen ranks second in CIAA scoring (20.7) and is averaging 3.9 assists.

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Virginia Union squeaks by FSU Broncos

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Midway through the first half, the Fayetteville State Broncos needed a spark. Jarmel Baxter provided one. And for a while, that was enough.

But the Broncos couldn’t overcome 22 turnovers and 28 fouls and Virginia Union had four players score in double figures to rally past Fayetteville State 82-77 on Monday, Dec. 12, in a nonconference game between CIAA foes.

Damion Harris battled foul trouble to score 12 points, matching Wesley Simmons and Calvin Brown for team-highs. Coredeo Hill, who added an emphatic dunk as the Panthers (5-4) used a late run to put the Broncos away, added 10 points.

But for a while, it looked like Baxter was going to carry the Broncos (2-4) to a victory.  The sleek 6-3 guard scored ...

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Fayetteville State basketball faces challenge in Virginia Union

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina - With the majority of players returning from a team that reached the CIAA tournament semifinals last season, coach Alphonza Kee wanted to challenge the Fayetteville State Broncos early in the 2011-2012 season.

So when the third-year FSU coach started formulating the schedule, he sought out the best opponents he could find. What Kee finally compiled reads like a list of Who's Who in NCAA Division II basketball.

There's region rival UNC-Pembroke, which won the Peach Belt Conference and advanced to the NCAA tournament last season. Kee scheduled a home and away games against Barton, the 2006-2007 NCAA champion.

If those games were enough, Kee also added a nonconference matchup tonight against Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association power, Virginia Union. It won't be a league game, but a test tonight when the Broncos (2-3) face the Panthers (4-4) in a 7 p.m. game at Capel Arena.

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FSU announces football ticket package

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Perhaps the most appealing games on the Fayetteville State Broncos 2011 football schedule this season will be the ones right at home in Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium.

And now that Fayetteville State has released its 2011 football season ticket package, the Broncos’ most faithful fans can reserve their place at those games as the Broncos prepare to make a run at their fourth CIAA Championship in the last nine years.

Fayetteville State is offering a wide variety of season ticket packages for the five home football games this season.

The Family Package includes general seating tickets for two adults and two children for $200, which gives the buyer a savings of $100. The Half Family Package costs $175 for the full season (a savings of $65), and can be purchased as one adult and two children tickets or two adults and one child tickets in general seating.

Fayetteville State also is offering the Reserve Adult Package...

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Fayetteville State to play Carson-Newman in Football on Sept. 8

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - For the first time since the 2004 NCAA Division-II playoffs, the Fayetteville State Broncos will play perennial powerhouse Carson-Newman in football in 2011.

And a win could mean a potential playoff berth for the Broncos.

Fayetteville State announced on Thursday it will travel to play the Eagles at 7 p.m. on Sept. 8 in Jefferson City, Tenn. The Broncos were originally slated to play St. Paul's on the road in the second week of the season, but St. Paul's College announced earlier this month that it would not field athletic teams next season.

The opportunity to play Carson-Newman gives Fayetteville State 10 football games for the 2011 season -- the number needed to qualify for a playoff berth.

"We are fortunate Carson-Newman had an opening on its schedule and we were able to make a game," says Broncos football coach Kenny Phillips. "It goes for our 10th game, and if we're fortunate enough to have a good season, we'd be eligible for the playoffs."

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Virginia State win PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship

In Division II, Virginia State University in Petersburg, Va., brought home its first-ever division title, defeating Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., by seven strokes. Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University finished alone in third place overall.

Virginia State Head Coach Jeff Hamilton was pleased with his team's performance. "This came all the way down to the wire and my kids played well enough to win," said Hamilton, in his fifth year as head coach. "It is always a battle with teams like Fayetteville State University and Lincoln University. It will be another battle next year, too."

John Cole of Fayetteville State University was the Division II medalist, finishing with a 220 three-day total.

Men's Team Division II
1. Virginia State  (+63) 315-307-305--927
Stephen Genchi 78-77-75--230
Stuart Larus 82-78-77--237
Brian Wood 77-76-78--231
Mike Swope 87-76-80--243
Rashad Hunt 78-81-75--234

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FSU adds pair of Raleigh-area players to men's basketball team

Fayetteville State coach Alphonza Kee had great success tapping into the Raleigh-area talent last year when he signed forward Tyrell Tate. Tate, a graduate of Raleigh's Millbrook High School, earned Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Rookie team status as a freshman when he averaged 9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds off the bench.

Four other players on FSU's roster also hail from the Raleigh area. Now, Kee has returned to the area around the capital city to secure his latest recruits.

The Broncos added a wing forward and a point guard to their roster for 2011-2012 last week by signing Quentin Underwood from Holly Springs High School and Anthony Shelton from Cary to national letters of intent.

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Spring Football Report: Fayetteville State

Following up a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship season with a 5-5 record in 2010 wasn't a shock to Fayetteville State coach Kenny Phillips.

"I knew we'd struggle to start out with so many players getting acclimated to becoming starters,'' Phillips said. "But I think down the stretch our players realized what it takes to win football games, and that's one of the things we brought into spring practice."

The Broncos won four of their final five games last season, including the final three by a whopping 167-39 margin. The momentum established during that stretch proved ...



BRONCOS CAP SUCCESSFUL SEASON OF SPRING WORKOUTS

FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Before Larry McDonald is done with his football career, there's a good chance he will have started more games than any other player under Fayetteville State head coach Kenny Phillips.

He may hold the record for participation in the most practices, too. And that includes the ones during the spring.

McDonald, an All-CIAA offensive lineman who will play either guard or center during the 2011 football season, will begin that season penciled in to start from Day 1 for the fourth straight year when the Broncos host UNC Pembroke on Sept. 3 in the third Two Rivers Classic at Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium.

In a sense, though, the new season has already begun.

The Mebane, NC, native has already played in 32 games in his Fayetteville State career and was a key component on a line that helped the Broncos win the 2009 CIAA championship.

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Fayetteville State Releases 2011 Football Schedule

Fayetteville, NC – Football season never feels like it is too far away, and it feels even closer for Fayetteville State Broncos fans as the tentative 2011 football schedule has been released.

Fayetteville State will open its 2011 season with the Third Two Rivers Classic against UNC Pembroke at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3. The game will be played at Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium as the two programs clash to open their respective grid seasons for the third consecutive year.

The Broncos, who finished the season 5-5 a year ago to complete a season at .500 or better for the eighth time in head coach Kenny Phillips’ 11 years at the helm, are then scheduled to travel to play St. Paul’s for their first road game of the season on Sept. 10.

After that, Fayetteville State will begin a stretch of four home dates in a span of five games, kicking off with a 6 p.m. game against Elizabeth City State on Sept. 17 before traveling to rival Winston-Salem State on Sept. 24 to open CIAA play. Fayetteville State will then host St. Augustine’s (Oct. 1, 6 p.m.) and Virginia State (Oct. 8, 6 p.m.).

Homecoming is scheduled for Oct. 15 against Shaw. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m.

Fayetteville State will close its regular season with three games on the road: at Livingstone (Oct. 22, 1:30 p.m.), Johnson C. Smith (Oct. 29, 4 p.m.) and Virginia Union (Nov. 5, 1 p.m.).

FSU Broncos 2011 Football Schedule

Date Opponent / Event Location Result

09/03/11 vs. UNC Pembroke Fayetteville, NC 6:00 p.m.

09/10/11 at St. Paul's TBA TBA

09/17/11 vs. Elizabeth City State Fayetteville, NC 6:00 p.m.

09/24/11 at Winston-Salem State * Winston-Salem, NC TBA

10/01/11 vs. Saint Augustine's * Fayetteville, NC 6:00 p.m.

10/08/11 vs. Virginia State * Fayetteville, NC 6:00 p.m.

   BRONCO HOMECOMING

10/15/11 vs. Shaw * Fayetteville, NC 2:00 p.m.

10/22/11 at Livingstone * Salisbury, NC 1:30 p.m.

10/29/11 at Johnson C. Smith * Charlotte, NC 4:00 p.m.

11/05/11 at Virginia Union * Richmond, VA 1:00 p.m.

* CIAA Conference Game

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WSSU wins division title

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- With little coming easy for the Winston-Salem State Rams this season, it was no surprise that clinching the CIAA's Southern Division on Saturday night was hard work.

The Rams nearly let a 17-point lead slip away before holding off Fayetteville State 74-69 in front of more than 4,000 at Capel Arena. And when it was finally over, there was plenty of celebrating, especially among the veterans on the team.

"Wow, that's really all I can say," said Coach Bobby Collins of the Rams, whose team will get a top seed in this week's CIAA Tournament in Charlotte. WSSU will have a first-round bye and won't play until Thursday's quarterfinals.

Fayetteville State rally falls short against Winston-Salem State

Fayetteville State failed in an attempt to play spoiler Saturday and springboard itself into next week's CIAA Tournament with momentum. But just barely.

The Broncos clawed their way back from a 17-point second-half deficit and had a chance to tie the score in the final seconds before falling to Winston-Salem State, 74-69, before a crowd of 4,594 at Capel Arena.

Winston-Salem State guard Andrew Jackson stripped the ball with about 15 seconds to play from FSU's Sidney Evans, who appeared to be about to launch a potential game-tying 3-point shot from near the top of the circle. The play sealed the Broncos' fate and a 13-13 regular-season finish. The Rams (19-6) clinched the CIAA Southern Division and a coveted first-round bye in the CIAA Tournament.

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WSSU to seek division title against Fayetteville State

The road to this season's CIAA Southern Division title goes through Fayetteville.

Winston-Salem State, tied for first place, can win the division title with a win today at Fayetteville State. The Rams (18-6, 6-3 Southern Division) also can lose the game and win the title if Shaw loses tonight to St. Augustine's.

Tipoff for the game between WSSU (18-6, 6-3) and Fayetteville State (13-12, 4-5) in Capel Arena is 5 p.m.

WSSU is coming off one of its most impressive wins of the season, 59-49 over Shaw at the Gaines Center. Six seniors got a win in their final home game and can add to their success with a division title and first-round bye in the CIAA Tournament.

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FSU Broncos make run at division title

FAYETTEVILLE, NC -- Some would likely say that the hard part should have come somewhere over the course of the last 23 games.

No doubt, the seemingly endless drills at practice, the pounding that comes with the travel and the pressure of the games themselves would take a toll on anyone. And with the regular season winding down, one could hardly be blamed if he wasn’t at least considering the charm of the impending calm and slowing of pace that comes with the time of year known as “the offseason.”

A college basketball season is a grind. Few would dispute that. But for all of the work and resulting success the Fayetteville State Broncos have endured and enjoyed over the last few months, none of that was the hard part. For the Broncos have played themselves into a position to challenge not for mere improvement -- they have already accomplished that – but for the chance to actually win the CIAA’s Southern Division.

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WSSU races past Fayetteville State

There were no empty seats at the Gaines Center for Winston-Salem State's showdown with Fayetteville State on Saturday night.

On a night when several past WSSU greats were honored, Lamar Monger stole the show. He scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Rams to a 76-62 victory in front of 3,200. It was as full as the Gaines Center has been since the Rams were last in the CIAA, five years ago.

"We had all these Hall of Famers and our fans here watching, so we couldn't let them down," said forward McIntoche Alcius, who had eight points and five rebounds. "After watching those legends get their jerseys honored and all that (on Friday night) we kind of got excited, so we wanted to play well."

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Videographer: UrbanSportsITG

Fayetteville State shocks division-leading Virginia State, 21-14

PETERSBURG, Va. - Fayetteville State shocked the CIAA North Division leader, Virginia State, 21-14, on Saturday night. It was the first road win of the season for the Broncos (2-4, 1-2). Fayetteville State built up a 21-0 lead after three quarters, then held off a rally by the Trojans.

Quarterback Robert Benjamin threw three touchdown passes for the Broncos.

Trojans fall

‎

ETTRICK, VA - The stage was set for more late-game heroics from the Virginia State football team. Having won last week on a last-minute 50-yard touchdown pass, they looked poised to steal another game, this time from visiting Fayetteville State. But sophomore quarterback Jarred Battle's fourth-and-goal pass fell incomplete with 27 seconds left and the Broncos held on for a 21-14 victory.

The Trojans, who came into the game sitting atop the CIAA North Division standings, struggled on both sides of the ball from the start.

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WSSU Rams whip FSU Broncos to improve to 5-0

Fayetteville, N.C. -- There’s a new sheriff in the CIAA.

That much was evident on Saturday night when Winston-Salem State had its way with Fayetteville State, the defending conference champions, by rolling to a 31-14 win at Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium.

With more than half of the 4,000-plus fans dressed in Rams’ red, the Rams remained unbeaten at 5-0 and 3-0 in the conference and will likely crack the top 25 Division II coaches’ poll this week. “That was the whole plan - this was a statement game,” said wide receiver Dominique Fitzgerald of the Rams, who caught a touchdown pass and threw a 28-yard touchdown pass off a wide receiver flea-flicker. “They were the defending champs and to become the champs we had to knock off No. 1.”

Winston-Salem State tops Fayetteville State, 31-14

Winston-Salem State wide receiver Dominique Fitzgerald knew Saturday night's game at Fayetteville State would be a test plus a learning experience all rolled into one. As the Rams continue transitioning back into Division II, returning to the CIAA for the first time since 2005, Fitzgerald admitted he wasn't quite sure what to make of his team's 4-0 start, eager to gauge the program's progress with a showdown against the defending conference champ.

"We really don't know what to expect from most teams because a lot of us have never played them before," Fitzgerald said. "So with everything so far, it's like we're guessing."

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Fayetteville State expects big group of WSSU fans

Fayetteville State will have a web broadcast of the game at http://www.fsubroncos.com./

Winston-Salem State football fans have a reputation for traveling well, and they’ll have the chance to uphold that tradition Saturday, when undefeated WSSU plays at Fayetteville State, the defending CIAA champion. The game, at 6 p.m. at Luther “Nick’ Jeralds Stadium, will be the Rams’ biggest since they last played in the CIAA in 2005.

Antoinette Fairley, Fayetteville State’s ticket manager, said she’s prepared and that she already has sent 100 tickets to WSSU. “And if need be, we can overnight some more to them,” she said. “We’ve been getting a lot of calls already, so we are expecting a pretty big crowd for this one.”

Fairley said that the stadium seats about 6,200, and she’s expecting a favorable forecast to drive game-day ticket sales.

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Fayetteville State fails to capitalize on early lead

Rocky Mount, N.C. - Fayetteville State was given every chance to put away Elizabeth City State during the first half of the Down East Viking Football Classic on Saturday at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex. But as time continued to tick off the clock and a partisan Elizabeth City State crowd grew restless with some poor play by the Vikings early, hope emerged.

It came in the form of a defense that didn’t let things get out of hand, and when Elizabeth City State’s special teams caught a break, momentum followed in its favor. “We had a few stumbles and falls, but we picked it back up, and that’s what we needed to do,” Elizabeth City State wide receiver Dexter Manley said after his team rallied for a 38-26 victory in the 13th edition of the Classic.

Photo Gallery: Down East Viking Football Classic tailgating

Elizabeth City state rallies for Down East Viking Classic victory

With roughly a minute remaining in the first half, Fayetteville State had already watched its 13-point lead against Elizabeth City State shrink to three.

UNC-Pembroke blanks Fayetteville State 39-0 in Two Rivers Classic

PEMBROKE, N.C. - A dejected Kenny Phillips left the postgame interview, holding the stat sheet like it was contaminated. He shook his head, handed the paper to a team official and summed up his team's performance in the 2nd annual Two Rivers Classic.

"Can you throw this in the trash?" he said.

Indeed, Fayetteville State would like to forget last night's implosion as soon as possible. With an eleventh-hour change at quarterback, the Broncos' offense was lost in a 39-0 loss to UNC-Pembroke at Grace P. Johnson Stadium. In front of a UNCP record crowd of 6,429, FSU was steamrolled. The latest installment of this budding rivalry deflated from a blockbuster to a straight-to-DVD film before it even began. On Friday, the Broncos learned they'd be without star transfer quarterback Robert Benjamin.

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Fayetteville State expects offense to shine against UNCP

At the end of nearly every practice, Fayetteville State's football team engages in an intense and telling 11-on-11 drill: first-team offense versus first-team defense. And for much of the past month, it's been the offensive playmakers stealing the show.

That's left Broncos coach Kenny Phillips with two mindset choices. On his glass-half-empty days, Phillips departs practice scratching his head and wondering whether his defense is too young, too inexperienced and too mistake-prone to deliver a second consecutive CIAA championship.

But more often, Phillips' optimism takes over and he chooses to feel great excitement about the upgrades made to the offense. Richard Medlin, the Broncos' top tailback in 2009, is back and better than ever.Up front, FSU has a pair of veteran All-CIAA linemen in Dillon Kestner and Larry McDonald.



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Medlin ready to help Fayetteville State defend CIAA title‎

The bull's eye is everywhere around the Fayetteville State football program these days, so much so that if you didn't look close enough you might wonder whether the Broncos had struck up a lucrative sponsorship deal with Target. They haven't.

Instead, the flyers have been posted in the locker room, on weight benches and anywhere else players might be looking as a not-so-subtle reminder: Fayetteville State is the reigning CIAA champion and has been picked in the preseason to defend that crown.

Coach Kenny Phillips is using the targets as a motivational prop. Running back Richard Medlin has been more than willing to take the bait.

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