O'Quinn, Aspiras named NSU Spartans' top athletes

Kyle O'Quinn, a junior basketball player from Jamaica, N.Y., and Thea Aspiras, a freshman bowler from Great Bridge High, were named Norfolk State's male and female Athletes of the Year at the school's athletic banquet Monday night.

O'Quinn became NSU's first MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and was named first team all-conference after ranking fourth in the nation in blocked shots (3.4 per game) and fifth in the country in rebounds (11.1 per game).

Aspiras was named the MEAC bowling Rookie of the Year, a first for NSU. She also became NSU's first first-team all-conference bowler, and is NSU's first bowling All-American after she was named to the National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) second team. She averaged 197.5 per game this year, including a high game of 277.


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Albany native Wilson headed to FAMU Hall of Fame

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Add Ulysses Wilson’s name to the list that includes Andre Dawson, Vince Coleman and Hal McRae. Make a spot for the kid from Albany who ran like a rabbit and made playing shortstop look all too easy in a time when baseball was still the No. 1 sport in America.

He was there before Dawson or Coleman or McRae, an original FAMU Rattler who stung the ball all over the field, a smart hitter who made teams pay with his bat, his glove and his feet — the consummate No. 2 slugger who knew how to get on base and wreak havoc once he was there.

Tonight, they’ll honor Wilson at Florida A&M University, where he will be inducted into FAMU’s Sports Hall of Fame. Dawson will be there to speak and...

Hill to be enshrined into FAMU Hall of Fame »

A lot of what Florida A&M accomplished while Amos Hill was defensive line coach has been pushed into his rearview mirror in 30 years. Of course, he'll always remember major achievements such as winning a national championship and the 1979 upset of Miami.

But Hill found a reason to look back and bring into view some of the things that he hadn't been thinking about much. Back in the summer he received notice he would be among the five inductees who will be enshrined in the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame tonight at the Lawson Center.

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Jackson to be inducted into FAMU Hall of Fame

Joe Bullard has been the "voice of the FAMU Marching 100" and a major contributor to the hundred legacy of greatness, since 1975. The silky smooth Bullard has been a radio personality(96.1 JAMZ FM) in the Capital City since 1972. As the band's announcer, his voice is known throughout the world.

Almost 25 years later, former Florida A&M baseball coach Robert Lucas still vividly remembers the day that Robert Jackson Jr. decided to be an ironman for the Rattlers. FAMU was involved in two tournament games against Alabama State when Jackson threw under 80 pitches to win the first of two seven-inning games. He pleaded with Lucas to give him the ball for the second game. Lucas reluctantly allowed the now deceased Jackson to make his second start on the same day.

"He said, 'coach, I'm not even tired,' " Lucas recalled. "I said let's go two innings. I looked up and he had thrown only 18 pitches." Jackson ended up staying in the game and throwing 78 pitches, just as many as he did in the first game as he went to distance to win both games. "He was a guy that had a tremendous amount of courage," Lucas said. "He wanted the ball he wanted to pitch."

On Oct. 1, Jackson will get the ultimate athletic recognition from FAMU for his heroics during his four years as a pitcher for the Rattlers. He will be inducted in the school's hall of fame along with five others in ceremonies at the Lawson Center. The other inductees are Tiffany Daughtry, Track & Field; Olrick Johnson, football; Ulysses Wilson, baseball; Amos Hill, coach; and supporter Joe Bullard.



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New FAMU AD comes from Ole Miss

FAMU's president James Ammons confirmed Friday that Horne has accepted the job as the Rattlers' athletic director, under a three year contract.

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — Derek Horne, an associate athletic director at Ole Miss, has been hired as the athletic director at Florida A&M, FAMU president James Ammons confirmed tonight.

“I think Derek has a wide-range of experiences at the University of Mississippi and in the SEC, a conference that is a football powerhouse,” Ammons said. Ammons touted Horne’s leadership abilities, saying that he has “the potential to help us usher in a new era in Rattlers sports.”

According to an offer letter sent by the school to Horne and obtained by the Democrat, Horne will receive a three-year contract at $200,000 annually. “This offer is conditioned upon your written acceptance, and successful completion and review of a criminal background check,” Ammons wrote in his offer letter to Horne.

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Prairie View A&M unveils plans for new football stadium

A great day for Prairie View: School unveils $60 million plan that includes new football stadium

When Henry Frazier III interviewed for the Prairie View A&M coaching job in 2003, he was given an artist’s rendering of the school’s vision for a football stadium. Seven years later, the picture — and the future landscape of Prairie View A&M athletics — has changed. School officials unveiled an ambitious $60 million first phase Friday to build a football stadium and an athletic department center and upgrade its basketball facility.

“I’ve always said this was the last piece of the puzzle,” Frazier said. “This was one of the selling points when I took the job. It’s been talked about since I arrived on campus. I’m excited to see it start to take shape.”

The football stadium, which would be built south of Blackshear Stadium, is expected to cost about $34 million. The stadium would have a seating capacity of 15,000 and be expandable to 30,000, a FieldTurf playing surface, club seating, 12 luxury suites and enhanced tailgating and parking areas. The proposed athletic department center would be built on the stadium’s north side.

The 74,000-square foot facility would include a weight room, lockers and dressing rooms, an academic enhancement and tutoring area, team position meeting rooms, administrative offices and a memorabilia area featuring the Prairie View Sports Hall of Fame. (READ MORE, CLICK TITLE ABOVE)

Prairie View A&M Sports Complex/Football Stadium Presentation

Solomon: Stadium plans show Prairie View's progress | College ...

It wasn't that long ago that Prairie View A&M debated whether to continue providing socks and jockstraps for its football players. Now, the school has had budget discussions about championship rings and plans to build a football stadium and athletic facilities that should meet the need of its athletes for decades.

Friday, school officials shared a new athletic facilities vision with alumni at their annual convention in New Orleans. Though the highlight is a 15,000-seat (expandable to 30,000) football stadium, which would replace Blackshear Stadium, where the Panthers have played home games since 1960, that is only a small part of the three-phase plan.

That first phase comes with a $60 million price tag. In all, every athletic program at the university as well as the student body would benefit from the project, which includes the building of an athletic and academic center, a renovated basketball arena, new baseball and softball stadiums, a student recreation center with intramural fields, a tennis complex and additions to the school's Kinesiology and Health Sciences Department.



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13 Year Old Donates Life Savings to S.C. State University

Orangeburg, SC -- A 13-year-old girl gave her life savings to South Carolina State University in hopes that more students could receive an education.

From many angles, Katarina Judge is like any other kid enjoying summer break. She swims, plays tennis, and helps to look after her younger brother and sister.

"I am still a 13-year-old; I still do 13-year-old things. I like Justin Bieber a lot," she said. She is also making moves to help others. She donated $585, her entire life savings, to South Carolina State University for scholarships.



"If you don't have an education, you can't get a job, and if you can't get a job, you're not going to be successful," she said.

Her father, Hardeep Judge, is the tennis coach at the school.

"It didn't surprise me, because Katarina has always done stuff like that, even when she was a small child. If she got too many Christmas presents, she would give some away," he said.

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ASU Board of Trustees Approves Danley for Athletic Director Vacancy

Alabama State University’s Board of Trustees announced the hiring of the Hornets new athletic director at the University during its 2 p.m., July 23 meeting at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

The Board named Stacy L. Danley II as the University’s new athletic director. Danley was the director of athletics at Tuskegee University from 2008-2009. He developed and managed the department’s budgets and provided fiscal overview for the athletic programs. Prior to Tuskegee, Danley was the associate athletic director and the men’s sports coordinator at Auburn University. His accomplishments include creating and serving as publishing editor for AU Connection, a biannual magazine designed to improve and restore relationships between the university and former athletes.

Danley has a bachelor’s degree in Vocational and Adult Education from Auburn University (1993) and a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from Auburn University (1996).

While attending Auburn, Mr. Danley was a member of the football team and went on to play in the National Football League. The 6'-3"/216 lbs., Auburn star tailback is more famously remembered for the hit he received in a nationally televised game bowl game with Ohio State University in 1989 (See Video below).



He also completed an internship at the Southeastern Conference commissioner's office. Danley has served the Southeastern Conference (Birmingham) in the areas of compliance and championships/events management. He was previously associate athletic director for external affairs at Auburn University. He has participated in compliance seminars on both the regional and national levels, and has attended four NCAA conventions.

Danley is a member of the Black Coaches Association, the National Advising Association, the National Consortium for Academics and Sports, and the Greater Lee County 100 Black Men.

FAMU's Got Turf Campaign

CELEBRATION OF STARS: Grambling Legends honor athletes who guided them

The Grambling family gathered Saturday at the Monroe Civic Center to induct the Grambling Legends Sports Hall of Fame's second class, and to again celebrate the lives of the four biggest legends that made the school's proud athletics history possible — Eddie Robinson, Ralph W.E. Jones, Fred Hobdy and Collie J. Nicholson.

"It tells you what Grambling meant to so many of us," inductee Doug Williams said. "A lot of these guys — and even when I came out of high school — we couldn't go anywhere else. Grambling was the place that we had to go, and we made the best out of it.

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• Grambling Legends 2010

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FAMU looks to get athletic program out of the red

Florida A&M University president Dr. James H. Ammons.

If indeed it takes a village to raise a child, then Florida A&M President James Ammons might be on to something to help his athletic program get out of the red. While FAMU has made great strides during the past year to reduce its athletic department's deficit by almost $1 million, Ammons believes that if coaches recruit more local athletes they'd eventually help gate receipts that could put more bodies in the Lawson Center and Bragg Stadium on game days.

"I think there is some merit in looking at local athletes, especially when you have a 10,000-seat facility," Ammons said during a recent interview with the Tallahassee Democrat. "The family, the church, the community — I think everybody would come to watch local athletes play." Meanwhile, FAMU's athletic department continues efforts to cut into a budget deficit that totaled $5.3 million a year ago. Ammons said the gap is now at $4.6 million and the goal is to make the department profitable within the next three to five years.



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FAMU President Ammons still looking for program's next AD

Ole Miss Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs, Derek Horne is a finalist for the FAMU Rattlers athletic director position. The Quitman, Georgia native is a grad of University of Mississippi (1987) and is in his 14th year with the Rebels athletics department

James Ammons knows exactly what he's looking for in the two finalists for Florida A&M athletic director. And, it's not someone with a strong coaching background. Interim AD Mike Smith interviewed Wednesday for the position that has been vacant since December when Bill Hayes resigned. Ammons didn't disclose the name of the second candidate during an interview Tuesday, but sources have named University of Mississippi associate athletic director for external affairs Derrick Horne as that person.

Horne is expected to meet with athletic department personnel this morning before Ammons makes his choice. That decision will be made before the start of the football season, Ammons said. FAMU also is faced with having to fill five coaching vacancies within the next two months. Baseball has been without a head coach since Robert Lucas was fired in May, and the search also is under way to find head coaches for swimming and men's track and field. Men's and women's basketball have vacancies for assistant coaches.

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Grambling State reportedly set to cut golf, tennis

Months after a program-defining moment, Grambling golf is on the chopping block. Continuing efforts to balance a teetering budget could, in fact, result in GSU dropping as many as four sports — men's and women's golf, as well as the school's tennis teams. But Coach Tegtira Thomas and the men's golf squad, coming off their best showing ever, are perhaps the most notable possible cut: Jonathan Coleman shot low individual score at the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament to earn the area's first-ever automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship.

That couldn't save the team, Thomas said. The eighth-year coach confirmed on Friday that his program has been slashed, and that Coleman will likely transfer to Jackson State — defending SWAC golf champion, and winner of that title in 21 of the last 22 seasons.

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S.C. State University drops president’s contract

President George E. Cooper, top S.C. State Bulldogs supporter.

The S.C. State University board of trustees voted Tuesday afternoon not to renew the contract of President George Cooper, according to a university spokeswoman. Cooper, whose contract ends June 30, became S.C. State’s 10th president after he was voted unanimously into the presidency in 2008. He has served in the role slightly less than two years. Cooper replaced Andrew Hugine, who was fired in December 2007 by the board before his contract ended. Hugine filed a lawsuit over his firing and eventually settled out of court.

The last five presidents at South Carolina State University have been fired or asked to resign. The average tenure of a university president is eight-and-a-half years, nearly double that of recent leaders at South Carolina State University. University spokeswoman Erica Taylor confirmed that the board decided not to renew Cooper’s contract, but she referred all other questions to the school’s board of trustees. Several messages were left with board members, who could not be reached this morning. During his time, Cooper faced a slate of problems, including declining state funds and stalled construction of the James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center.



Note: Dr. Cooper earned his Ph. D. in Animal Nutrition from the University of Illinois, Urbana; a master’s degree in Animal Science from Tuskegee University; and a bachelor’s degree in Animal Husbandry from Florida A&M University. Dr. Cooper is uncle to C. Houston Sr. (Videographer, Editor, Graphics) who has shared his video of football, family and fun in Orangeburg, S.C. with the Shaw Family. The Rattlers' sophomore Derrick Shaw (#14) was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 41st round of the MLB draft on June 9, 2010. Unknown at the time, this would be the last 'FAMU vs. SCSU' game in their present roles, as Rattler football player and SCSU president. Dr. Cooper is a native of Tallahassee, Florida.

C. Houston Sr.--Thank you for showing the world what FAMU vs. SCSU football, family and fun is all about! We are all connected...

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Prairie View A&M captures SWAC women's all-sports award

For only the second time in school history, Prairie View A&M University has earned the Barbara Jacket/Sadie Magee Award as the top overall women’s sports program in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Prairie View A&M, who totaled 80.5 points, finished tied with Jackson State for the award. This past year, the women’s athletic programs at Prairie View boasted several solid performances highlighted by second place finishes in women’s basketball, bowling, soccer and outdoor track and field. The last time Prairie View A&M captured the award occurred during the 1984-85 athletic campaign.

“We’re always excited to see our student-athletes be successful in the classroom and on the playing field,” said Prairie View A&M University Athletic Director Fred Washington. “This award represents the hard work and dedication of our female sports and it was earned by our student-athletes, coaches and support staff as they represent the best of our Panther Spirit.”

“This award is well-deserved for our female student-athletes,” added Assistant Athletic Director for Female Sports Alicia Pete. “Our student-athletes carry their leadership and athleticism on and off the field. We would like to thank all faculty, staff and administrators for helping our female student- athletes achieve their accomplishment on their well-deserved award.”

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Norfolk State and Hampton University win MEAC All-Sports Awards

NSU Spartans Dwight Fluker-Berry avoids North Carolina A&T State University tacklers.

NORFOLK, VA - Norfolk State University has won its sixth straight Talmadge Layman Hill Award, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's all-sports trophy, the league announced. This marks the first time a MEAC men's program has won six straight all-sports awards since South Carolina State won 11 in a row from 1974-84. The Spartans tallied 70 points to win their seventh Talmadge Layman Hill Award overall, 15 points ahead of runner-up Delaware State. The Spartans first won the award in 2001.

Hampton University (74.5 points) won its ninth straight Mary McLeod Bethune Women's All-Sports Award, with NSU (68 points) finishing a close third. The Lady Pirate programs totaled 74.5 points, besting North Carolina A&T, which finished second with 68.5. Hampton won conference titles in women's basketball and outdoor track and field and finished runner-up in indoor track and field and women's tennis.

“Winning the Mary McLeod Bethune Women’s All-Sports Trophy again is symbolic of Hampton University’s commitment to the welfare of our student-athletes by providing expert coaching, superb training and superior game and practice facilities,” said HU athletic director Lonza Hardy in a release.

5-10 junior forward Quanneisha Perry, from Decatur, Georgia Tower High School continues to make major contributions to the Lady Pirates basketball program.

Each winning school also receives $20,000, meaning NSU has totaled prize winnings of $145,000 over the past six years. Points are awarded in a descending order beginning with 12 points for championships or first-place finishes. Second-place teams get 10 points, third-place teams nine, and so on. Tied teams split the total points.

Highlighting the year for the Spartan men were three more running titles, one each in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. NSU became the first men's program to sweep the indoor and outdoor MEAC track championships in five consecutive years. The baseball and football teams placed third in the regular-season MEAC standings, and the men's basketball team finished fourth.

The women's teams were led by first-place finishes by the cross country and indoor track teams, and a second-place finish at the outdoor track and field championship. The Spartan bowling team also finished second in the regular-season Southern Division conference standings.

Grambling State claims SWAC all-sports award

Grambling has been honored for its across-the-board achievements in the 2009-10 sports season. The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced on Tuesday that the GSU won the James Frank Award, an all-sports award that assigns points based on performance in each of the conference's 18 varsity sports. GSU's men's and women's sports teams combined for 150.5 points, beating second-place Jackson State, which finished with 143.5 points.
Grambling also won the C.D. Henry (men's all-sports) Award. GSU had 71 points, beating out Arkansas-Pine Bluff (66.5) and Alabama State (64.0).

Neither award would have been possible without a late-season surge in men's spring sports. First, GSU won a conference title in men's outdoor track and field on May 2. The Tigers were led by Darwin Price, who captured an individual title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, finished second in the 1,500-meter run, and finished third in the 800.

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NCAA: Hampton University relay team finishes 10th

Hampton University’s 4x100-meter relay team came up a couple spots shy of getting the opportunity to race for a national championship Wednesday evening in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. With junior Predist Walker (Lakeland H.S.) as the first leg on the Pirate relay, HU finished 10th in a time of 39.85 seconds. The top eight teams reached the final heat.

The relay team of Walker, Reggie Dixon, Aaron Anderson and Devon Brown is all underclassmen. During the outdoor season, the team set new 4x100 records for Hampton and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Pirates’ best time this season was 39.55 seconds.

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Doty Commits to Florida A&M Lady Rattlers

Santa Fe College graduate Britany Doty will bring a big stick to the Rattlers softball team, with a .371 batting average.

Gainesville, FL - Britany Doty, a Tallahassee native and standout starting right fielder for the Saints, will attend and play for Florida A&M University beginning this Fall, SF Head Coach Chris Ahern announced today. "Britany did a great job for us on the field this year, stepping her game up even more from last season," said Ahern. "We are excited for her opportunity at FAMU."

Doty hit .371 on the season, with 15 doubles, two triples, six homeruns and 42 RBI in 54 games played this season, improving her batting average over .100 from the year before, earning First Team Mid-Florida Conference honors and was Second Team FCCAA All-State. She was not only successful on the field, but also in the classroom, earning FCCAA All-State and Mid-Florida Conference Academic Team honors in both of her years at Santa Fe.

Doty will join a FAMU team that finished the 2010 season with a 17-14 overall record and a 7-5 mark in the NCAA Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Rattlers, led by Veronica Wiggins in her 19th year as the head coach, won the MEAC in 2009 and competed in an NCAA Regional at the University of Florida.

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Florida A&M signs two players from Tallahassee Rickards

Tallahassee, FL - Adam Decker and Avery Moore must like going to the same school. The two athletes signed together to continue their education with FAMU, but their friendship before Rickards High. Decker says, "Avery has been a friend of mine since the sixth grade at Cobb (Middle School). Both of us signing and achieving this big of an accomplishment is great to do at the same time. It's just fun."

Moore says, "It's real good signing with Adam since we go way back to middle school at Cobb. We both played sports there together. We both went to high school together. It's an honor to sign with Adam because we've been together for so long." Decker will play baseball for the Rattlers while Moore looks forward to playing on the hardwood. FAMU's head basketball coach Eugene Harris wouldn't mind having some more Radiers committing to the Orange and Green.

Rickards' duo to don green and orange

The two MVP's sat there in their orange and green ties before more than 100 well-wishers. Thursday was a joyous day for Rickards High seniors Adam Decker and Avery Moore, both of whom signed to play collegiately at Florida A&M. Both Raiders athletes were named the most valuable player during their highly successful senior seasons. Decker, who led Rickards to two district titles as a pitcher, will play baseball. Moore, the most valuable player and defensive stopper on Rickards' undefeated basketball team, will fulfill his hoop dreams.

"I didn't want anyone to pay for my college," Moore said. "I wanted to do something on my own. There are a lot of people who doubted me at the Division I level, so I guess I proved them wrong." Those doubters certainly were not Moore's aunt and uncle, Cassandra and Andrew Molten. He has lived with the two since middle school and took time to thank them both for turning him into a young man who has the ability and drive to win a college scholarship. Moore may have been the more emotional during the brief speeches, but Decker was fulfilling a lifelong dream to play Division I baseball.

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Ex-QB Randall among 11 Southern University Hall inductees

As the sun dropped behind the Mississippi River late Saturday afternoon, scores of sharply attired Southern University alumni trickled into the Smith-Brown Memorial Union. Inside, Charlie Granger, chairman of the SU Sports Hall of Fame committee, sat on the edge of the dais, slowly, steadily directing some late traffic — folks who bought tables at the last minute or honorees who brought an extra family member. By the end of the day, Granger said, there were more people than tables, which made this event a success. Somehow, it all worked — and the best was still to come.

Long after the attendees dined, shared stories and listened to live jazz, they shared their loudest applause of the night for Eric Randall — star quarterback of the SU football team from 1992-95, one of the evening’s 11 inductees and now an assistant principal at Baton Rouge High. Hearing cheers long after he led the Jaguars to two Southwestern Athletic Conference titles, Randall made a strong, short speech, thanking nearly everyone in the city. But on the night before Mother’s Day, he gave high praise to three women in particular.

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