Art Shell UMES Celebrity Golf Classic: Congress-Shell-nal

UMES is one of 20 colleges in the nation with the PGA-sanctioned golf management major, and the only one at a historically black institution.

WESTOVER, MD -- A little more than 100 yards away from the pin on the 16th hole at Great Hope Golf Course, team Delmarva Auto Glass had a decision to make. The group of five golfers, competing in the Art Shell UMES Celebrity Golf Classic, had to decide which of their drives they were going to play during the scramble-format tournament.

"Do you want to play this one up here or the one in the fairway?" asked one member of the team as he stood over his shot, which had landed in the light rough on top of a small hill. "It doesn't matter to me," said Jim Dent, the celebrity of the group, who captured 12 Senior PGA Tour titles between 1989 and 1998. "I can hit it anywhere."

After conferring, the group decide to play the drive that found the fairway and would go on to land a shot 5 yards from the target before sinking a birdie putt on the par-4 hole.


Art Shell, a pro football Hall of Famer and University of Maryland Eastern Shore alumnus, again hosted the tournament, which features its traditional roster of former athletes who enjoy a round of fund-raising golf. The stars were: Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown, who like Shell, is a former Oakland Raider; gridiron greats Otis Sistrunk, Reggie Branch, Ed Simmons, UMES alumni Curtis Gentry, Earl Christy and Emerson Boozer; PGA golfer Jim Dent, James Black, who at age 21 became the first black golfer to card a first-round 67 in his PGA Tour debut in 1964 and Renee Powell, who joined the LPGA Tour in 1967 as the first female African-American golfer.

Similar conversations could be heard throughout the golf outing that benefits University of Maryland Eastern Shore student scholarships and the university's PGA golf management program. But most participants, such as Homer King of team Delmarva Auto Glass, cared less for the strategy and more for the company.

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Coach Marvin Green: Kingmaker for Florida A&M Golf

Tallahassee, Fla. - Ten years ago, Marvin Green was selected by athletic administrators to become Florida A&M's the head golf coach. He has turned the team into a perennial top five team among HBCU's.

Green, a native of Chicago, is a FAMU alumnus that received his bachelor's in business and master's in Sports Administration. Unlike most head coaches, he was not a student athlete while in school. He did not begin playing golf until halfway through his undergrad years.

"I got into golf my junior year of college because I had to take a business sport," Green said. "I fell in love with the challenge. I had always been a basketball or football player growing up but, golf is challenging, it gives you a chance, you against the golf course."

Green stayed rooted in Tallahassee after completing his second degree and became a faculty member, as a physical education instructor. Green was eventually offered the head golf coaching position by the athletic director in 2001.

Marvin E. Green Named Director of Student Activities

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Marvin E. Green Jr. has been named Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) new director for Student Activities. Green will officially begin his new position on July 1.

“I am honored and excited that I can serve my alma mater at this capacity,” Green said. “I am excited about the challenges and look forward to helping to produce that millennial student. We have special students at FAMU who are ready to learn to be productive and it is our responsibility to mold and help them to bring out their creativity.”

Green, who currently serves as the FAMU men’s golf coach, said some of his goals include helping with FAMU’s retention and graduation rates.

“I think FAMU is a special place,” he said. “We are always going to bring in the best and brightest minds. We must find a way to keep our students active outside the classroom, which will help make them better students.”

For nearly 20 years, Green has established a notable career at FAMU in intramural/recreational sports and golf. During that time, he has been instrumental in shaping and developing not only the Department of Campus Recreation, but also the highly successful Men’s Golf Program at the university.

“I am very pleased that Mr. Marvin Green was selected as the director of Student Activities,” said Henry Kirby, “Mr. Green will bring the necessary experience, professionalism, vision, energy and team spirit to the position as well as take the Office of Student Activities to a higher level of performance and excellence.”

A Chicago, Ill. native, Green attended FAMU’s School of Business and Industry (SBI) majoring in business administration. While in college, he was active in several groups and organizations including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); the Upsilon Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; the Pan-Hellenic Council in which he served two terms as president; and FAMU Student Government Association (SGA).

“The fact that I have been around students affairs at FAMU for so long through SGA, Greek life, and campus recreation, I’ve had the opportunity to deal with the different facets of student life,” Green said. “Now is my time to take all those things I’ve learned and give back in a way.”

After completing his master’s degree in sports and leisure management at FAMU, Green worked as an adjunct professor at the university, teaching introductory and intermediate golf courses. In 2001, Green became the head coach for the men’s golf team, a position he has held ever since.

In 2002, he became the first college golf instructor in the country to earn the Golf Teacher/College Golf Coaching Certification from Trahan’s Swing Surgeon Group, Inc.

For the past 10 years, Green has coached the FAMU Women’s Flag Football Team, “Simply Marvelous.” The nationally recognized team has won a total of six National Championships for both the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) and American College Intramural Sports (ACIS). The team’s accomplishments have been documented on CBS Sports for the past three years.

Green serves as president of the National Black Golf Coaches Association and holds memberships in the NIRSA, J.R.E. Lee, Sr. Masonic Lodge No. 422, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., and the FAMU National Alumni Association. He also is a past advisor for the Pan-Hellenic Council and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Green and his wife, Cecka Rose Green, have three children: Marhee, 10, Chaela, 8, and Marvin III (Tre), 5.

Marvin E. Green Jr., president of the National Black
 Golf Coaches Association

FAMU's Green jack of all trades

Marvin Green, coach of the Florida A&M men's golf team, moonlights as coach of a women's flag football team. And recently he was named director of student activities at FAMU, a job he will begin July 1.

Green, who has a penchant for working long hours, admits that all three of his involvements are demanding but coaching two teams and being the head of student activities will take some delegating.

"If it's all about Marvin, that's not what's good for FAMU," Green said. "I think a sign of a good leader is what happens when he is away. So, it's about delegating and knowing how to get some good people to step up when the boss is gone. It gives them a chance to grow."

He says he still intends to continue spending plenty of early morning hours coaching the golf team, then pick up coaching the women's team after his days in the office.

Q&A: FAMU Golf Coach Marvin Green

Today on Wildman’s Corner, I interviewed a coach who works for the school that has the best band in the country. Let me make this perfectly clear, as well: I believe there should be no marching bands during halftime. Call me a hater, but I am just not a band guy.

However, if you haven’t seen the FAMU (Marching 100), you are missing out.

Let me introduce Coach Marvin Green. Green is the head men’s golf coach of the Florida A&M Rattlers:

Question: Golf at Florida A&M, where does it rank among sports at your university?

Answer: Probably at FAMU, it’s No. 18 out of 18. We have a passion for it at Florida A&M University, we have been around for about 50 years, had a great program early on, and I think we still have a good program amongst historically black colleges and universities. Probably every year out 25 to 28 historically black colleges, we are probably one of the top five out of all those teams in the country.

• • •

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges historically black schools face trying to create or develop their schools’ golf programs each year?

A: Our problem typically always comes down to the budget. We’ve had a great situation in Tallahassee because we actually have a lot of support from the local golf courses who give us a place to go out and practice. When you are talking about a full allotment of scholarships, like other schools have all across the country, we don’t necessarily have that. We are right about 2.8 (scholarships) out of three, which can kind of hurt you in recruiting, so when you don’t have that full allotment of scholarships, it doesn’t allow you to go out there and always go after that one guy you are looking for. It’s tough to tell a kid sometimes I can only offer you a part of a scholarship, as opposed to a whole one.

• • •

Q: Being at a historically black school, is it tough to recruit?

A: Not really. I think you try to be open and stay open to all individuals of all nationalities whenever you may be recruiting. Typically, most of the young men who choose to come to our university are going to be African-American, so you want to go out and look at those tournaments and events. We have a lot of young men at our school who you would call a minority who always are looking to come to our school as well. It’s not really that hard to recruit because most guys just want to make sure they can play at a quality facility as well as have a quality-type playing schedule at quality events. The one beautiful thing about playing golf is if you score low, you are going to be recognized, no matter where you are.

• • •
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Champions are crowned at PGA Minority Collegiate Championship

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Bethune-Cookman University's men's team and the University of Texas-Pan American's women's team captured Division I titles Sunday in the 25th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship presented by Brown Capital Management. The 54-hole Championship was contested at PGA Golf Club.

The Bethune-Cookman men's team, which held a six-stroke lead heading into the final round, finished with an 887 total, 12 strokes ahead of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas. Savannah (Ga.) State University finished in third place overall in the division.

Matthew McKnight led the Wildcats and was also the Division I medalist, firing a final-round 71 for a 1-under-par 215 total.

"The team played solid all week, we kicked it into gear today and it feels so good to win this title," said McKnight, who was playing in his first Minority Championship. "I was able to keep my game steady all week and to do this for my team makes it that much more special."

PGA Professional Scooter Clark, in his first year as head coach at Bethune-Cookman, was proud of his team's accomplishment.

Final-Round Photo Gallery

Second-Round Photo Gallery

Championship field 

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FAMU Rattlers Eye MEAC Golf Title

Florida A&M is looking to win the first-ever, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Golf Showcase in Savannah, Ga. The MEAC Showcase will pit FAMU against fellow Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams in a fifty-four hole tournament. The teams will play 36 holes on the first day of competition and 18 holes on the second day.

The tournament will be held at the Henderson Golf Club. Coach Marvin Green described the course as straight forward yet challenging."What you see is what you get, but there are a lot of hazards out there," Green said.

Junior Shephard Archie III said that Henderson is one of the tougher courses the team will play all year. Archie and Green both described the course as tight. The Henderson Golf Club website says that accuracy and finesse are needed to succeed.

Consistency has been an issue with ...



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Discover What You Can Become at FAMU: Study Abroad

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B-CU's Willie Mack III wins third Flint City Amateur Golf Championship in record-setting fashion

FLINT, Michigan — Bethune-Cookman University's Willie Mack III put on a display of shot-making unlike any other in the 79-year history of the Flint City Amateur Golf Championship.

Mack ( a native of Flint, Mich.) won his third City Amateur crown Sunday at Swartz Creek, where he shot 5-under-par 67 for a an 11-shot victory over Andy Johnson and Derrick Riley. Mack's winning score of 18-under-par 198 shattered the tournament record of 11-under 205 set in 2005 by Grand Blanc's John Lindholm, who is also a three-time City Amateur champ.

Mack, who also won the City Am in 2006 and 2008, started the day with a nine-shot lead over playing partners Derrick Riley and Jordan Phillips, the defending champion. He showed early that he wasn't going back to the field, opening with three birdie before missing a four-foot putt for birdie on No. 4.

“My mindset was to extend it,” Mack said of the big lead. “Play aggressive and get to 20-under. I was on track for that and I made a double (-bogey) on 14, the par 3. I think I lost my focus because I had such a big lead. “My goal was 20-under.” Mack is 2-for-2 in Flint-area events this summer, having won the Genesee All-Star Golf Classic last month at Flushing Valley.

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Texas-Pan American Leads Defending Champions Tennessee State by Three after 36 Holes

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- After witnessing a tragic flood that just missed engulfing its Nashville campus and having the team charter bus break down, the prospect of fighting the South Florida sun and a three-stroke deficit is a mere bump in the road for Tennessee State University's men's golf team. It's all in a week's work for the Tigers, who rode senior Chris Seibel's career-best 6-under-par 66 Saturday at PGA Golf Club's Wanamaker Course to make it a race with pace-setter Texas Pan-American for the Division I men's title in the 24th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship.

"We made up two strokes today, and Chris gave us a great lift," said Tigers Coach Chip Taylor, a PGA Professional, recalling how his 2009 team erasing a 10-stroke deficit in the final round. "What we're looking for is a good performance from all five tomorrow." Texas Pan-American, bidding to capture its third overall national title and first since 2007, demonstrated the depth it needed from the balance of its line-up to post a 581 total through 36 holes. Tennessee State is next at 584, followed by Jackson State University at 596, and Bethune-Cookman University at 600.

Peni Sanjoto of Prairie View A&M University sent a shot flying on Friday. (Photo by Montana Pritchard/The PGA of America)

"We've had two decent rounds, and despite us letting about seven or eight strokes go on the last six holes, I'd rather us be leading by three than trailing by three," said Texas Pan-American Coach Santiago De Larrea. "I'm happy that Tennessee State is there with us. They're very good fighters. It's going to be very interesting tomorrow. We have always wanted to get this title back, and I feel my kids are pretty confident and know what it will take to win."

The Championship, making its 13th consecutive appearance at PGA Golf Club, features a field of 185 student-athletes representing 41 colleges and universities and golfers from 15 countries.

RELATED
Return to Championship home Saturday photo gallery Friday recap Friday photo gallery Tee times and scoring Field list Fact sheet Upbear Career expo Championship preview

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Texas-Pan American jumps out to Five-Shot lead over Tennessee State

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Kevin Kirakossian picked an opportune moment to match his personal-best collegiate round of golf. Making his debut at PGA Golf Club on Friday, the 19-year-old freshman at the University of Texas Pan-American knocked home a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole of the Wanamaker Course to cap a 4-under-par 68 in the first round of the 24th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship. Kirakossian's seven-birdie, three-bogey performance propelled the Broncs' quintet from Edinburgh, Texas, to a 290 total and a five-stroke Division I lead over defending champion Tennessee State University, a team that arrived at the Championship from flood-ravaged Nashville having lost a week of practice.

Wesley Yates of Florida A&M kept his eye on the ball during Friday's first round. (Photo by Montana Pritchard/The PGA of America)

Jackson State University, which won the last of its eight national titles in 1998, is third with 297 and Bethune-Cookman University of Daytona Beach, Fla., fourth at 298. A native of Tualatin, Ore., Kirakossian collected four birdies in his final six holes, and credited keeping his round intact by making par on the 215-yard 17th hole, following a 3-iron tee shot to 25 feet. "It's my first time in this Championship and I really enjoyed the course and its design," said Kirakossian, whose brother, Armen, a senior and the 2009 Division I medalist, added a 72. "I knew that we would bring a good team here and hopefully we can keep it going." Texas-Pan American Coach Santiago De Larrea said that there's a difference from last year's squad, which finished third.

RELATED
Return to Championship home Friday photo gallery Tee times and scoring Field list Fact sheet Upbear Career expo Championship preview

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Teeing up on the road with the DSU Hornets

Wherever DSU football team goes, fine links are never far away

As long as Delaware State University remains in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Hornets football fans are guaranteed a golf trip to Florida every season. The Hornets played at Florida A&M in Tallahassee last year. This season, they play at Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach. It alternates that way every two years. And while DSU isn't playing any road games in the Carolinas this year, there will still be plenty of fine golf destinations for the traveling Hornets fan.

Sept. 13, at Kent It's 420 miles from Dover to Kent, Ohio. A good stop for golfers along the way would be Mill Creek Golf Course, which sits just off Interstate 76 in Canfield, Ohio, 35 miles east of Kent. Both the North and South courses at Mill Creek were designed by the legendary Donald Ross. The South is the longest at only 6,302 yards, but both have plenty of trees, bunkers and streams in play.

Oct. 11, at Bethune-Cookman It's Florida, so there is no shortage of four-star golf. But a good place to start is LPGA International.

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UMES Art Shell Celebrity Golf Classic returns in September

PRINCESS ANNE, MD -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Art Shell Celebrity Golf Classic will return to the Shore on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008 at Glen Riddle Golf Club. A 5 p.m. "meet the celebrities" party will be held Tuesday, September 16. The tournament has an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. Afterwards there will be an awards dinner.

In previous years, there have been numerous NFL Hall of Famers, including: Lenny Moore (Baltimore Colts 1956-1967 and NFL HOF Class of 1975), Bobby Mitchell (Cleveland Browns 1958-1961, Washington Redskins 1962-1968, coach for Redskins 1969-2002, NFL HOF Class of 1983) and Charley Taylor (Washington Redskins 1964-1975 and 1977 and NFL HOF Class of 1984.

The registration fee is $200 per person or $750 per foursome. The pre-tournament "meet and greet" is free to registered golfers and $10 for guests. Call Chenita Kollock 410-651-7773.



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B-CU Freeman's coaching success keeps coming one at a time

Coach Gary Freeman has set the benchmark for achievement in golf. The 1955 Morgan State University graduate is a native of Washington, D.C. and has won 10 Division I national minority collegiate golf championships with the Wildcats.

A drama of life concluded here at Palm Harbor some 10 years ago, but the memories of love and appreciation for the work and standards of golf director Gary Freeman have stayed as strong as ever.

Freeman now is the successful men's and women's golf coach at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, but the six years he gave at Palm Harbor set a standard that might never be equaled. Ten years ago might be a long time for some to remember, but Freeman managed without much effort.

At Bethune-Cookman, Freeman has guided the men's team to four Division I national Minority Collegiate Golf Championships and his women's squad six of them, including the last three. That's quite a stack of hay for a coach who went for one year and is now in his 10th one year.

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FAMU golf team records ace with latest recruit

So much was at stake on a day when Shepherd Archie III was playing one of his worst rounds of golf. He was seven strokes over par and his high school team needed just one good shot. He’d been the go-to guy for Augusta (Ga.) Richmond Academy so many times before. Even in his struggles that didn’t change.

Down to his last shot, Archie perfectly executed a 30-foot birdie to clinch the Georgia 4A championship for his team this past spring. “I had no idea that the putt that I made would have won the tournament for us,” he said. “I was playing real badly at the time but I just tried to find a way to get through the round. My driver was off but I just had to find a way.”

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Maryland's Lieutenant Governor Visits UMES

Maryland's Lieutenant Governor Anthony G. Brown stopped by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Thursday for a visit. UMES recently joined the PGA golf management program and Brown received a lesson on the school's driving range. He says he's very excited to see what UMES is doing as a part of the university system of Maryland.

Lieutenant Governor Brown says, "Under Dr. Thompson's leadership, what you've seen is a campus that is focusing on where the needs are in Maryland." "The school has developed programs that make a contribution to meaningful higher education in the State."

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Unstoppable Bethune-Cookman takes both men's and women's titles

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Bethune-Cookman University of Daytona, Fla. captured both the Division I men's and women's titles Sunday at the 22nd PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

In the men's division, Bethune-Cookman carded a team-total of 8-over-par 872 to defeat Jackson (Miss.) State University by 17 strokes. The University of Texas-Pan American finished in third place overall.

Carl Corbin of Bethune-Cookman won the Division I men's individual standings title after carding a final-round 3-under-par 69. Corbin finished two strokes ahead of Brett Benson of Jackson State.

In the women's division, Bethune-Cookman won for the third consecutive year after carding a team-total of 918 to defeat the University of Texas-Pan-American by 16 strokes. Becky Dowell of Bethune-Cookman claimed the women's individual medalist honors with a three-day-total of 225. She edged Mariale Camey of Texas-Pan American by one stroke.

"I am very satisfied with the overall performance of my team at this Championship," said Head Coach Dr. Gary Freeman. "I have super group of kids that I am able to coach and it was a privilege to watch them play out here this week."

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Bethune-Cookman rallies to lead after Day 2 of Minority Golf Championship

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Bethune-Cookman College of Daytona, Fla., stormed to the top of the Division I men's leaderboard in the 22nd PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship Saturday after tallying a two-day total of 8-over-par 584.

The Wildcats rallied to overtake first-round leaders Florida A&M University of Tallahassee and Savannah (Ga.) State University with 18 holes remaining. The three-day event is being played on the Ryder and Wanamaker courses at the PGA Golf Club.

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Round 2 scores at bottom of blog link page.

South Carolina State to host Bulldog Golf Classic

By SCSU Sports Information

South Carolina State men's golf team will host the two-day Bulldog Golf Classic Saturday and Sunday (April 5-6) at the Hillcrest Golf Course in Orangeburg. The event, in its sixth year, returns to the Par 72, 6,722-yard course where it was played the first four years before being conducted at the Orangeburg Country Club last year.

The competition gets underway at 8 a.m. Saturday when 18 holes will be played. The final 18 holes will be played Sunday, beginning at 8 a.m.

Nine teams, including the host Bulldogs, will be participating in the tournament, which will have a practice round on Friday. This year's field is the largest since the inception of the event.

Other participating teams are Bethune-Cookman, the 2005 and 2006 champion, Charleston Southern, 2007 winner Florida A&M, Hampton, High Point, Savannah State, St. Augustine and Winston-Salem State.

Coach Richard Arrington's Bulldogs have been the runner-ups each of the last two years.

South Carolina State Men Capture WSSU Golf Tourney

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Senior Cory Jozefiak and sophomore Hector Arroyave finished first and second in the field to lead South Carolina State to the team title at the 36-hole Winston-Salem State Golf Invitational at the par 71, 6,214-yard Winston-Lake Country Club Tuesday.

Hampton University was second at (346-307) 653, followed by host Winston-Salem State at (348-341) 689, Johnson C. Smith University at (390-390) 780 and North Carolina Central University at (489-406) at 795.

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MEAC Commissioner: No Expansion At This Time

The commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference confirmed Monday that the league is not looking to expand at this time, a crucial situation for N.C. Central as it looks to move to find conference affiliation in Division I.

N.C. Central has left the CIAA, and Bill Hayes said in August that he hoped to hear something from the MEAC by December. The MEAC, which includes North Carolina A&T and is adding Winston-Salem State, would be a natural fit for the Eagles.

But MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas indicated Monday that his conference is not looking to add members.

“This past March of ’07 the conference decided to put a moratorium on expansion at this time,” Thomas said. “There is no timetable to it.”

The MEAC has 12 members, and 10 that play football. North Carolina A&T athletics director Dee Todd said expanding could make scheduling difficult, so the league wants to take a long look at any additions.

NCCU, however, could be appealing if the MEAC decides to grow. Thomas praised its academic and athletic reputation, and the Eagles are generally strong in men’s basketball and football. The addition of the Eagles would be a boost to the MEAC if the league basketball tournament remains in Raleigh.

The returns to the RBC Center for the third time this fall. Attendance has been low, and Thomas said the league is hoping to improve that.

“We’re pleased but not satisfied. We’re working assiduously to increase tournament attendance and make it more fan friendly.”

Thomas said the league expects to decide to award a three-year contract for the 2009-2011 tournaments by March.