Showing posts with label HBCU Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HBCU Sports. Show all posts

Sunday, May 31, 2009

MEAC representatives to visit Savannah State


NCAA: SSU's three-year probation 'is now over."

Savannah State University's bid to be admitted to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is moving forward following a three-year delay. MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas told the Savannah Morning News on Tuesday that he and other MEAC representatives will be at SSU June 29-30 for an official site visit - one of the final steps before joining a conference.

SSU has competed as an NCAA Division I Independent since leaving the Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2002. The Tigers paid a $10,000 non-refundable application fee to the MEAC in 2005.

"We will be visiting Savannah State University at the end of June," Thomas said during a telephone interview from MEAC headquarters in Virginia Beach, Va. "That's virtually all I can say about it. We will be visiting. It's a site visit for the membership committee. We won't be in town for more than two days." Thomas and other MEAC representatives made an official site visit to SSU on May 8, 2006. MEAC school presidents were set to vote on the school's admittance, but the NCAA placed SSU's football program on a three-year probation the week before the scheduled decision.

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

New coach is well-versed in TSU history

John Cooper was well-connected in the Kansas City area. He was a car dealer who had ties to the Kansas City Royals. He knew Frank White. He knew U L Washington. The Royals were his team. But his grandson, also named John Cooper, had a bond with him beyond baseball. They loved hoops, specifically NAIA hoops, and the conference has held its basketball championship in K.C. for all but eight years since 1937.

So they would go to Kemper Arena. Head to the national tournament every March and watch the best basketball few discussed on a national level. Back in the day, Tennessee State was certainly in the NAIA discussion. In 1957, TSU became the first all-black team to win an integrated college basketball national championship. The Tigers followed that up by winning in '58 and '59. Five players from those teams went on to play in the NBA.

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Monday, May 25, 2009

Southern U holds off Alcorn State, wins SWAC tournament

On the last day of what he later called the greatest weekend of his life, Southern shortstop Jesse Olivar woke up with puffy eyes and sore muscles. Actually, he didn’t wake up at all. He couldn’t sleep. Throughout his young life, Olivar had never won a championship — not in Little League, not in junior high, not on summer teams, not ever. Now he was close.

“I was so excited to play,” he said. “I was already tired from the night before. I took a bath and tried to stay loose. Then I got a massage, so I could come out in halfway good shape.” On Sunday afternoon at Lee-Hines Field, near the end of a wild, emotional Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament, Olivar found himself at the center of the storm.

It was ironic: At the climax of the Jaguars’ 12-10 slugfest of a win over Alcorn State — one that capped a wild ride to the SWAC title and clinched a berth in the NCAA tournament for SU, not to mention that elusive first ring for Olivar — his defense helped seal the deal.

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Sunday, May 10, 2009

FAMU softball MEAC champs

ORMOND BEACH — FAMU shortstop Melissa Oliphant was still approaching the ground ball hit by Celsey Tafoya when the three Rattlers outfielders began racing in. The second the throw to first base was caught for the final out, every FAMU player was on the mound celebrating with pitcher Amanda Reyes. Bethune-Cookman's players headed to their dugout with drooped shoulders after falling 9-1 in five innings Saturday afternoon in the MEAC championship game.

FAMU senior softball players from left are Rhianna Green, Alesha Wells and Nicole Terryn--2009 MEAC Champions

A lot of tears were shed — by the Rattlers and the Wildcats. FAMU's players wept for joy. For the first time since the 2006 season, the Rattlers captured a MEAC championship. "The young ladies have been poised and under control," said FAMU coach Veronica Wiggins, fighting back her emotions after the Rattlers secured her fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in 18 seasons. "They did a good job and worked hard. They were prepared."

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Spencer to take his winning ways to Alabama State

When A.J. Spencer played high school basketball, he was a scoring machine, finishing with a Wicomico County (MD) record 1,775 points. The 6'-2" Spencer averaged 10 points and 5.6 assists this past season at Cecil College as the starting point guard and ends JUCO career with a 65-3 record.

SALISBURY, MD -- Wicomico High School graduate A.J. Spencer is the kind of basketball player who defies easy description. During his career, he's gone from an interior player with a guard's game to a converted point guard with the ability to be a scorer. But if forced to label him with a one-word description, his former coaches come up with "winner." He helped the Indians to the state semifinals twice and went 65-3 in two seasons with the Cecil College, winning Maryland JUCO and regional titles.

"He did a great job winning for coach Waller at Wi-Hi, and he did the same thing for us," Cecil coach Bill Lewit said. "He has great leadership skill, puts his teammates first, and has the talent and ability to be a playmaker." So not surprisingly, when the Cecil point guard announced that he had made a decision regarding his basketball future, it was Alabama State, a team that won the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season and tournament title last season, that he chose.

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Saturday, May 9, 2009

SC State will not host the Lowcountry Classic this year

The Bulldogs will play five games in Orangeburg for the first time since the 2005 campaign

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – South Carolina State will not host the Low Country Classic in Charleston, S.C. during the 2009 football season, the University announced today. SC State president, Dr. George E. Cooper, shared that as a result of the on-going decline in appropriated state resources, the University, this year, would focus on using available resources to support events on the campus and in Orangeburg. The decision means that The Bulldogs will play five games in Orangeburg for the first time since the 2005 campaign.

Dr. Cooper said that he hopes SC State alumni, stakeholders and fans will increase their support of the football team, no matter where The Bulldogs play. S. C. State, which will play an 11-game schedule in 2009, opens the season Sept. 6 against Grambling in the fifth MEAC/SWAC Challenge at Orlando, Fla. The Bulldogs will be making their second appearance in the game, created and sponsored by ESPN to match outstanding teams from the MEAC and SWAC. SC State played Alabama State in the inaugural MEAC/SWAC Challenge in 2005, coming away with a 27-14 win.

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Saturday, April 25, 2009

Howard's Cooper like every other player: just waiting

After what he calls an "interesting" football career at Howard University, Endor Cooper is like every other college player, anxiously waiting for the results of the 2009 NFL Draft this weekend. He's not sure when or if he'll be selected during the seven-round event, but today and Sunday will determine his future in football. "I'm like the rest of the players," Cooper said, " everybody's wait-ing to see what happens."

Even if he's not picked this weekend, Cooper could be a non-drafted free agent pick up for a team. He said his agent, Greg Hale, told him a week ago that as many as nine teams expressed interest in the 2004 Hylton grad.

Cooper, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound linebacker, could be a quality addition to an NFL club after putting together an impressive senior season with the Bison. He was the lone bright spot on the Howard (1-10) defense, recording more than twice as many solo tackles than any other player on the team with 71. His 98 total stops were nearly as many as any two Bison combined. He was named to the All-Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference first team defense.

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Friday, April 24, 2009

Bozeman signs five-year deal with Morgan State

Todd Bozeman now has the MEAC's second-highest annual salary.

Todd Bozeman, who delivered Morgan State's first NCAA Division I basketball tournament berth this season, met a Thursday deadline by signing a five-year contract to remain as Bears coach. Attorneys for both sides negotiated most of the day into the early evening before Bozeman, 45, signed a deal that gives him the second-highest annual salary in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. His base salary is $182,000, ranking behind only Delaware State's Greg Jackson at $225,000 in the MEAC.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a college basketball coach," Bozeman said. "I welcome the opportunity to continue to coach my guys." Dr. Earl S. Richardson, Morgan's president, issued a statement to The Baltimore Sun, saying: "We're pleased. We think we have a contract that works for the university and for Coach Bozeman."

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Morgan State gives Coach Bozeman an ultimatum

Coach Bozeman results speak well about his value to Morgan State and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Bozeman is the 2009 Hugh Durham Mid-Major Coach of Year; produced consecutive postseason berths for a program that had one winning season in the 26 years before he got there; won the last two regular-season MEAC titles, and gone to the NIT and the NCAA.

At the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament in mid-March, commissioner Dennis Thomas went out of his way to tell the media they needed to give Todd Bozeman and Morgan State more credit for the school's remarkable turnaround in basketball. Better he should have addressed Morgan's president, Dr. Earl Richardson, who seems to conveniently have forgotten March Madness almost as soon as it ended for the Bears. Almost five weeks after Morgan made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament, Bozeman still doesn't have a new contract. His original three-year deal, at a university-friendly salary of $135,000 per year, has expired.

Negotiations that started before the season have gone nowhere. Last week they reached a nadir, when the school gave Bozeman an ultimatum: officials told the coach to take their offer or they would pull it off the table. This for the coach who produced consecutive postseason berths for a program that had one winning season in the 26 years before he got here. Bozeman's Bears have won the last two regular-season MEAC titles, and gone to the NIT and the NCAA.

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Friday, April 17, 2009

FAMU Rattlers inconsistent in last spring football practice

Taylor does a simulation of Delaware State

Running back Philip Sylvester made his usual big runs. Quarterback Curtis Pulley found a few gaps and his backup Eddie Battle connected with receivers in spots. There were even some big hits by the FAMU's defense, but coach Joe Taylor didn't see the consistency he'd hoped for during Thursday's final spring football practice.

"We've got to finish; every play, every quarter, every half," Taylor said. "It's been a great spring, but I don't know if today was a good finish. "I don't know if the intensity was where it should have been today. I don't think we saw the kind of intensity that we needed to see." Cornerback Curtis Holcomb said he would have especially liked the defense to go out with a little more momentum.

Photo Gallery: Last Spring Practice

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Sunday, April 12, 2009

Taylor sees good things at FAMU scrimmage

Rattlers All-American KR LeRoy Vann

There were enough good signs during Saturday's practice for Florida A&M football coach Joe Taylor to beam with optimism about his team. Running back Philip Sylvester toyed with the interior defensive linemen, then darted through some holes to score twice. Receiver Kevin Elliott made a leaping catch for another touchdown and quarterback Curtis Pulley showed more efficiency with his passes.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Taylor rated the performance by both the offense and defense as an eight. He also said the team will begin preparation for its season opener against Delaware State, starting with the final two spring practices next week. "We are doing some good things, and like I told them -- all you ever want in life is a chance," Taylor said. "You give yourself a chance when you're competitive. I'm very, very convinced that we will be very competitive this year."

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MVSU Softball Pounds A&M

DEVILETTES DEFEAT BULLDOGS 14-7

The Mississippi Valley State Devilettes women's softball team pushed its undefeated conference win streak to 12 with a competitive 14-7 victory over the visiting Alabama A&M Bulldogs. MVSU (28-12, 12-0 SWAC) were led by Ashley Hobbs and Haleigh Eubanks - both going 3-for-4 in the contest. Rashundra Brass, Ta'Niya Wallace and Angelia Jones each had two hits in the contest. Eubanks also drove in three runs shile Brass and Wallace each drove in two.

Alabama A&M (7-17-1) were paced by Re'Quincia Mack and Sabrina Hurns, who each had two hits in the contest. Hali Buie drove in three runs for the Bullogs. The contest opened with both starting pitchers (Buie for AAMU and Lauren Derting for MVSU) going strong for two innings. After both no-hit bids were broken by singles to left field, MVSU got on the scoreboard in the third inning as Angelia Jones homered to center field. A Eubanks single to right center gave the Devilettes a 2-0 lead after three innings of action.

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Hampton U. athletics undergoes three major coaching changes, raising issues

According to U.S. Department of Education data submitted by the schools for 2007-08, the average head coach's salary for Hampton U. men's sports was $73,000 and $42,290 for women's head coaches.

HAMPTON, VA — Hampton University will enter the 2009-10 school year with new leadership in its three most visible sports, unusual flux in what is traditionally one of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's most stable and successful athletic programs. HU is the only Division I athletic program in the country to replace its football and men's and women's basketball coaches this year. All three replacements were hired within a matter of hours and promoted from the previous staffs or within the university.

"I consider myself to be a student of Vince Lombardi," HU athletic director Lonza Hardy said last week, referring to the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach. "Vince Lombardi said, 'Never apologize for trying to win.' Consequently, I don't apologize for putting what I believe are the right people in the right places at the right time." Though the changes within HU's marquee sports coincide with competitive dips, all three situations were different.

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Saturday, April 11, 2009

JSU running game to test Southern's Hall

Frazier Hall is already used to the beating he takes behind the plate. The next two days, he figures his knees will snap and crackle even more than they usually might. That’s what happens when you’re the starting catcher at Southern and you face a team like Jackson State, which tries to steal more often than Rickey Henderson. Hall knows this much: In his attempt to throw out base runners, he’ll pop up and down all weekend. “With a team like Jackson, we might pick over (to first base) a little more often, just to keep the runners honest,” said senior right-hander James Spear, who will start today’s game.

SU Jaguars Coach Roger Cador congratulates Brad McDavid after homer

“I know Frazier will be expecting them to run whenever. But we basically take the same approach with every team.” Southern (17-8) visits Jackson State (23-11) at 3 p.m. today in the first half of a two-game home-and-home series. The teams play again at 1 p.m. Sunday in Baton Rouge. (To borrow a term from soccer, these games are “friendly;” they don’t count in the Southwestern Athletic Conference standings and serve, more or less, as the traditional halfway mark of Southern’s SWAC schedule.) While the stolen base has almost vanished from baseball the last 20 years, giving way to an emphasis on the three-run homer, the Tigers have proven, the stolen base is still a deadly weapon.

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Delaware State Bowling Reaches NCAA Final Four; UMES Knocked Out in 2nd Round

Canton, Mich. --- Delaware State has reached the semifinals of the 2009 NCAA Women's Bowling Championship. Despite a 4-games-to-2 loss to No. 1 seed Nebraska in their final match today, the seventh-seeded Hornets are one of four teams remaining in the race for the national championship. DSU is competing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in team history.

Delaware State and Nebraska will square off in a rematch in one semifinal, while No. 2 Fairleigh Dickinson and No. 6 Central Missouri will battle in the other semifinal on Saturday beginning at 5:00 p.m. The winners will compete for the national championship on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. The championship match will be televised live on ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360. A re-broadcast is scheduled for Sunday (Apr. 12) on ESPN from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore will not repeat as NCAA Bowling Champion, losing two games on Friday in a double-elimination format tournament. The Hawks lost the first game to No. 6 ranked Central Missouri 4-0. The Hawks lost their sets 159-198,169-184,180-203,176-212. The Hawks fell to the loser side of the bracket when they faced the host team New Jersey City University, who was the No. 2 seed, and the Hawks lost 4-1-1. The sets were 200-208, 167-205,163-169,210-185, 202-202, 203-245.

Delaware State University bowling coach Kim Terrell-Kearney was named the National Tenpins Coaches Association coach of the year during the NCAA Tournament Banquet on Wednesday.

"The champion of this tournament will have certainly earned it," said Delaware State head coach Kim Terrell-Kearney, the 2008-09 National Tenpins Coaches Association and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. "The competition is extremely tough, but we are right where we want to be. Each team is in the same position, so our chances are as good as everyone else."

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TODAY'S SCHEDULE: Fifth Round, Saturday, April 11, 5 p.m.
MATCH #13: (5) Fairleigh Dickinson University (112-28) vs. (6) University of Central Missouri (87-37) (Loser eliminated)

MATCH #14: (1) University of Nebraska-Lincoln (69-20) vs. (7) Delaware State University (119-37) (Loser eliminated)

Sixth Round, Saturday, April 11, 8 p.m. - Televised live on ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL (MATCH #15): Winner of Match #13 vs. Winner of Match # 14

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Thursday, April 9, 2009

FAMU shows off its new gym

The FAMU men’s and women’s basketball coaches had seen their new arena many times during the past few months, but they came away from Wednesday’s official opening with many “wow moments” and promises of bringing titles to their new digs. From the freshly painted hardwood floor with logos representing the Rattlers and the MEAC to the snazzy locker rooms, coaches Eugene Harris and LeDawn Gibson said every bit of it has been inspired.

Hundreds of visitors who toured the building got a first-hand look at what Harris and Gibson felt.
Gibson, seemingly captivated by the gym, gave her impression in one word. “Man!”

The state-of-the-art, multi-million dollar arena, which seats 9,000-plus, will become home of Rattler basketball teams next season. “This is a great day in the history of Florida A&M University,” said Harris, the men’s basketball coach. “Listening to the president talk about putting this program as one of the top in the country, I was glad to hear it.”

Photo Gallery of Rattler's new gym:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Sh..._-view_photos_button

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NSU won't have to move Nov. 14 Delaware State game

Norfolk State picked up its first victory of the 2009 football season Wednesday. The Spartans learned they won't have to give up their valued midseason open date to re-schedule a game at Delaware State. The Hornets had asked NSU to move its Nov. 14 game to Oct. 3 so they could play a $500,000 "guarantee game" at Michigan. That would have left the Spartans playing 10 straight games without a break.

















North Carolina A&T State University athletic director Wheeler Brown holds the trump card on whether the DSU Hornets will play at Michigan for a $500,000 pay day in 2009.

Norfolk State balked at the request. With the schools at an impasse, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference commissioner Dennis Thomas had the final say. NSU President Carolyn W. Meyers was told Wednesday that the Spartans' schedule can remain as is, athletic director Marty Miller said. The conflict arose when the Hornets signed to play Michigan on Oct. 17, the same day Delaware State was scheduled to play North Carolina A&T. The Aggies agreed to move the game to Nov. 14, which is when Delaware State was scheduled to play NSU.

The Spartans weren't consulted and refused to budge from the Nov. 14 date. At a news conference last week, school officials said the MEAC schedule is set more than a year in advance, and Delaware State needed to abide by it.

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Monday, April 6, 2009

Steeler report: Norfolk State corner to pay South Side a visit

PITTSBURGH, PA - The parade of potential draft picks continues this week at the South Side facility, as at least four players have been scheduled for pre-draft visits. On April 8, Norfolk State CB Don Carey will be in town. Carey has already worked out for the Miami Dolphins who are said to be extremely interested in him and will have him back the day before he is in Pittsburgh on April 7. He has also worked out for the Seattle Seahawks and they plan on having him back in for another interview next week.

The 5-foot-11, 186 pound corner had an informal interview with the Steelers at the NFL Scouting Combine. Carey plays very physical at the line and in coverage and he gets back into the play even if a receiver makes a nice head fake to get an advantage. He has also done a good job with run support. On March 20th during the Norfolk State Pro Day, he recorded a 32 1/2-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot, 2-inch broad jump, 4.20 short shuttle and a 6.87 three-cone drill time.

Don Carey miss arm tackle on Kentucky's Kyrus Lanxter. The four- year starter had the highest GPA on the Spartans team.

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Sunday, April 5, 2009

Several FAMU players stand out in spring game

The Green team of mostly starters from last year did what it was expected to do at Bragg Stadium, handily beating the Orange squad with plenty of help from a defensive unit that scored three touchdowns. But on a balmy Saturday afternoon, a handful of Florida A&M players whose Orange squad fell 48-0 performed well enough to cause an argument that they have no intentions of being overlooked. "There are about four or five guys that really showed today that they in some kind of way need to be in that 90," coach Joe Taylor said, referring to the players who will be invited to preseason two-a-days in August.

Taylor was especially impressed with Andre Jacob who led the Orange team with 40 yards rushing on 12 carries. Red-shirt freshman receiver Jeremy Tillman also showed that he could be a candidate to bring depth to the receiving corps. Last season, the Rattlers had the league's leading scoring offense with 55 touchdowns, but just two weeks into spring practice the defense is clearly a step ahead of the unit that amassed 4,299 yards last year. "Overall I was satisfied," Taylor said. "I thought we competed as a team. I was a little concerned that we were a little bit sluggish with our punts and special teams but offensively I thought we competed."




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2009 PHOTO GALLERIES:
FAMU Orange & Green Game
FAN CAM - Green vs. Orange spring game
FAMU football practice

2008--Florida Classic FAMU 58, B-CU 35
FAMU vs. Hampton fan cam
FAMU 45 Hampton 24
ESPN visits FAMU
FAMU 45, N.C. A&T 7
Fan Cam: FAMU vs. N.C. A&T
Coach Steven Jerry
FAMU Homecoming game

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Saturday, April 4, 2009

Bulldogs Smalls trying to become the man behind ‘The Franchise’

Kenneth Smalls is a realist when it comes to his goals heading into his senior year at South Carolina State University. “If I can get at least five or six carries a game, that would be good,” he said. “They could use me for small yards or something like that.”

This may sound like the former James Island standout has resigned himself to seeing limited action for the Bulldogs. After all, Smalls looks at the depth chart and sees two players - the reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year in William Ford and team touchdown leader Travil Jamison - who accounted for 73.7 percent of S.C. State’s carries and 75.8 percent of the rushing yards.

Yet through six spring practice sessions, Smalls has not looked like a running back content with limited playing time after working his way from the practice squad. Having dropped 12 pounds during the off-season, the 5-8, 233-pounder is determined to put himself in position to be a third option out of the backfield.

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