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Showing posts with label NCAA Division II Basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NCAA Division II Basketball. Show all posts
Elizabeth City, NC - The Michael Bonner saga has a happy ending after all.
Bonner, the former Perquimans standout basketball player who sat out last season in an eligibility controversy at Elizabeth City State after transferring from Winston-Salem State, has been granted a waiver from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and ruled eligible for the upcoming season.
“Man, it’s been a fight,” said Bonner, who will have two years of eligibility remaining. “I lost a year (of eligibility) out of the three years I would have had, but I was just grateful get it over.”
Bonner, the 2007 Daily Advance Player of the Year, was caught up in a mess created when Winston-Salem abandoned its Division I plans and rejoined the CIAA in 2010.
Orangeburg, S.C. - Eric Salley has been spending a good deal of his time of late on Google. Tus far, the majority of the former Claflin star guard's searches have revolved around the country of Iceland. He hopes to have a few more destinations to search, but for now, it is the volcanic island in the North Atlantic that draws his interest because that is where his basketball career figures to take him.
"My agent has an offer for me from a team in Iceland," Salley said. "They are looking for a guard, and when they saw me, they went back and forth with my agent. Right now, we are just waiting to figure out the money situation."
And, Salley said, he is waiting on other offers. He said Spain would be an ideal destination.
Coach Darryl Butler, Virginia State University (Photo Courtesy VSU Athletics)
Petersburg, VA -- Darryl Butler joins the Virginia State University athletic staff as an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach. Butler comes to VSU from Frederick Community College in Frederick Md, where he spent the past three seasons as the associate head coach. During his last two years there, the men’s basketball team finished with an overall record of 41-18 and won their first Region XX Championship in school history in 2010.
Prior to his experience at Frederick Community College, Butler spent four years at Montgomery Community College in Silver Spring, Md. He served as an assistant coach for two years then became the head coach in 2006-07. After the 2005-06 season, Montgomery Community College won their first Region XX and District 7 Championship and finished 6th in the nation in NJCAA Division III.
Butler was an assistant coach at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA where they won the Patriot District North Region in 2003-04. Before T.C. Williams, he was an assistant coach at Howard University for the 2000-02 seasons where he help revitalized a program under Frankie Allen that finished 18-10 and reached the MEAC tournment championship game in their second season. He received his first assistant coaching position at Whittier College in Whittier, CA in 1997. Butler next moved on to an assistant coaching position at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA in 1999-2000 under Jan Van Breda Kolff. There he was part of a West Coast Conference (WCC) Regular Season Championship and a NCAA tournament appearance and win.
The Trojans are excited to welcome Butler to their men’s basketball coaching staff. Butler brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and local recruiting ties to the Tri-city area.
“Butler comes with a great deal of college coaching experience and recruiting ties especially in this region. He’s a VSU grad which means a great deal to our college community,” says VSU’s head men’s basketball coach, Darryl Jacobs.
Coach Butler is a native of Suffolk, VA and also a Trojan alumni, graduating from Virginia State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration in 1989. Butler and his wife, Rosalie, have three children, Nikko (13), Kennedy (11), and Victoria (4).
Elizabeth City, NC -- Elizabeth City State basketball coach Shawn Walker recently went on a trip to Okinawa, Japan, to work at a coaching clinic. While it was a personally rewarding experience, Walker also managed to get a little work in. He not only returned home with some unforgettable memories, he came back with Kentrell Key, who will be joining the Vikings next year as part of a three-man recruiting class.
Along with Key, Walker has recruited Camden’s Shawn Hammonds, a 6-foot-5 swingman, and Glenn Patterson Jr., a 5-foot-9, 170-pound point guard from Red Springs who averaged 24.6 points per game as a senior. Local fans might remember Patterson as he scored 27 points to lead Red Springs past Hammonds and Camden in the regional semifinals of the 1A state playoffs.
Charlotte, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University men's basketball program has announced the signing of Reginald LaTrez Shuford and Marcus Walker for the 2011-12 season.
Reginald LaTrez Shuford also known as Trez Shuford is a 6'3, 170 lbs, point guard from nearby Hickory, North Carolina. Shuford played for Shawn Johnson at Hickory High School. In his senior year, Shuford led the Red Tornadoes to a 26-4 overall and 11-1 league record. He received all-conference and all-district honors for performance on the hardwood.
Videographer: tw56059
Shuford has been described as an athletic-slasher with great ball handling ability. He has a solid inside jumper, but like most young player could use more work. Shuford will have a familiar face in the backcourt; he and sophomore guard Trevin Parks (Hickory, NC) were teammates at Hickory High.
“We're excited to have this young man come abroad; because of the versatility and rotation options he may provide,” said head men's basketball coach Stephen Joyner, Sr. “Shuford is a good rebounder at his position, he gets up and down the floor well, and make good decisions with the basketball. He should immediately challenge our current guards for playing time and may allow us to move Trevin to the two-guard position in some situations.”
Videographer: tueforumclt; JC Smith spearheads corridor renewal. Torrey Feimster and Malcolm Graham from Johnson C. Smith University address the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Forum April 19, 2011. In this segment, Graham describes five J.C. Smith initiatives in the Beatties Ford Corridor all running concurrently, some with near-term completion dates.
ALBANY, GA — Josh Alford, Justin Wilcox, Tray Pearce and Tyrell Johnson. Remember those names. They’re the quartet of players Albany State’s men’s basketball program welcomed with open arms Friday during three separate signing ceremonies as the Rams look to rebuild and move past what happened a year ago when they finished 7-22 and dead last in the SIAC.
“All these guys are winners, from high school to junior college they won,” ASU coach Chris Cameron said. “We went out and tried to get guys who can restore that winning tradition — and I think we’ve done that.”
Restoring the winning tradition starts with Alford, the high-scoring former Worth County star who signed out of high school with Middle Georgia College. Cameron, who said Friday he’d had his eye on Alford from as early as his sophomore year when Alford attended one of ASU’s summer camps, got a chance to see him this past season during MGC’s trip to Albany to face Albany Tech.
SALISBURY, N.C. — Salisbury girls basketball coach Chris McNeil had a feisty group on and off the court this season. “The toughest competition of all was to see who could get the highest GPA,” McNeil said. “They were all over 3.0s. They pushed each other hard in the classroom.”
Not only did the Hornets go 27-1 and win their third straight 2A state championship, they will have six seniors moving on to play college basketball.
The latest to sign is 5-foot-10 post player Isis Miller. She’s headed to Division II CIAA school Winston-Salem State. The always upbeat Miller was a big part of that daily quiz bowl on the basketball team.
“There was a lot of emphasis on schoolwork on the team and also from my mom,” Miller said. “She always told me there were no C’s allowed in her house. I’ve made all A’s and B’s in high school except one. I had one ‘C’ in pre-calculus.”
SALISBURY, N.C. — A decade ago, Salisbury High’s athletic program was suffering through its own version of the Great Depression. At least as far as the high-profile, flagship sports.
A 3-8 football season in the fall of 2000 was followed by the girls and boys basketball squads combining for a 10-34 record in a dreary winter in which a doubleheader sweep over anybody would have prompted a parade down Lincolnton Road. The Hornets’ indoor struggle was followed by the arrival of spring and a 6-15 baseball season.
But that’s ancient history now.
Today, even with its enrollment down to 885, and with 72 percent of its students classified as “economically disadvantaged,” Salisbury has been rebuilt into a model environment that is churning out major scholars as well as ACC athletes.
Salisbury’s girls soccer team stayed unbeaten with a 6-0 romp against CCC opponent East Davidson on Monday. The Hornets (10-0-2, 5-0 CCC) opened up a two-game lead in the conference race at the midway point. Catawba signee Karen Presnell dominated the match, scoring four goals.
“She’s in a zone right now,” Salisbury coach Matt Parrish said. “She’s playing exceptional, high-level soccer.”
Susannah Dixon scored her first goal as a Hornet, burying a shot to the back post five minutes into the match to put fifth-ranked Salisbury on top and set the tone.
Salisbury boys and girls track teams won the Western Carolina High School Invitational meet in Cullowhee on Saturday. Salisbury’s girls scored 129 points to top A.C. Reynolds (88), North Buncombe (87) and 15 other teams, mostly from the mountains.
Salisbury’s Summer Taylor won the long jump (15 feet, 11 inches) and triple jump (33-0), while Alisha Bradshaw took the shot put (42-8) and discus (120-8).
Katherine Shields won the 1600 (5:23.17), and the 4x400 relay team also finished first in 4:16.89. Emily Shields placed third in the 800 (2:27.06), Ayanna Holmes was third in the high jump (4-6), and Cheyenne Gloster was third in the shot (29-6). Salisbury also was third in the 4x200 relay.
The Salisbury girls' basketball team, which has has claimed three straight state championships, is used to winning. Saturday afternoon, coach Chris McNeil and three of his best players led the East All-Star team to a 63-52 win in the Charlotte Pro-Am Classic at Providence Day.
Senior Jessica Heilig (Gardner Webb signee) was the most valuable player, scoring 13 points and grabbing six rebounds. The East also got big contributions from her Salisbury teammates Olivia Rankin (Charlotte signee), who added 16 points and seven rebounds; and Ayanna Holmes (Charlotte signee), who had seven points, seven rebounds and five assists.
"It helps a lot to have familiar players around, especially late in the game because you know what to expect from them," Heilig said.
It has been a busy offseason for coach Bobby Collins of Winston-Salem State. After losing six seniors from a team that went 19-8 and won the CIAA's Southern Division, Collins and his assistants worked overtime on the recruiting trail.
The Rams signed five junior-college players to help offset the loss of so many seniors. The Rams also signed freshman Wykevin Bazemore from Bertie High School and will also welcome 6-foot-9 center David Best, a transfer from N.C. Central.
"I'm extremely happy," Collins said. "We knew we had to really step it up in our recruiting because we had so many seniors on last year's team. I'm very pleased with how my assistant coaches worked long and hard hours to help me put this class together."
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.
FRANKFORT, Ky. – After two years at the helm of Kentucky State University's (KSU) men's basketball program, Head Coach Clarence Moore, Jr. announced today his resignation from the program.
KSU Director of Athletics, Dr. Denisha L. Hendricks also announced that Assistant Coach Antwain Banks will serve as Interim Head Coach for the 2011-12 season. The announcement comes after Moore led the Thorobreds to their first winning season (15-13, 13-11 SIAC) since their 16-13 record under Winston Bennett during the 2000-01 campaign.
“I'm saddened to leave KSU. It was my first opportunity to coach at the collegiate level after coming in as an assistant and then made interim head coach halfway through the season and for the following year, then promoted to head coach this past season,” said Moore. “I'm sad because I've grown here as a coach and have bonded with my team and others on campus. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had here. It's an experience I will never forget or take for granted. I want to thank Dr. Sias, Dr. Hendricks and the entire KSU family for welcoming me and my family here and for giving me such a great opportunity at a young age.”
In two-and-a-half years, Moore amassed a record of 34-42. He also coached six Dean's List student-athletes (Julian Brown, Carlos Carter, John Gaston, Jarrod Gay, William Marsh and Austin Rich) and one student-athlete who scored over 1,000 career points (Tony Johnson). Under Moore's leadership, Johnson was also named to the 2010 SIAC All-Conference Second Team, 2010-11 Preseason All-Conference Second Team, 2010-11 All-Conference First Team and the 2011 SIAC All-Tournament Team.
“We are very sad that Coach Moore is leaving us,” stated KSU Director of Athletics, Dr. Denisha L. Hendricks. “He has done a great job here at KSU. He will be greatly missed, but we are really excited about the opportunity for Coach Moore and his family.”
Moore leaves KSU to assume a senior executive position at Edison Chouest Offshore in New Orleans, La. but is confident in the leadership skills of his assistant coach, Antwain Banks.
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. (April 14, 2011) — Lincoln University is pleased to announce Jessica Kern as the new head coach of the women's basketball program. She becomes the ninth head coach in the history of the program and the first full-time female coach.
Kern comes to Lincoln University as a highly decorated professional women's basketball player and collegiate standout. This past season, she served as the assistant women's coach and media specialist at NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
LU Head Basketball Coach Jessica Kern
“It is a pleasure to welcome Jessica to our team and introduce her as our new head women's basketball coach,” said Director of Athletics Dianthia Ford-Kee. “Jessica's athletic background and experiences will bring a wealth of knowledge to our women's basketball program. Her career path exemplifies a commitment to excellence and she is a role model for our young women.”
At the University of UW-M, which is a member of the Horizon League, she assisted in scouting, aided in recruiting and broke down film. The Lady Panthers finished 12-18 and advanced to the league's quarterfinals in the postseason tournament.
“I am extremely grateful to President Nelson, Mrs. Ford-Kee and the selection committee for considering and choosing me as the new head women's basketball coach,” Kern said. “Education, hard work and discipline have played a substantial influence in my success thus far in my career. I look forward to instilling these qualities into such a special group of young women and am excited to begin this new chapter in my career.”
Prior to her time in Milwaukee, Kern assisted for two seasons at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluffs, a Division I school and member of the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC). Her personalized individual-approach served the Lady Lions well. Posting a 12-19 record, she helped propel them to their most victories and highest conference tournament finish in 12 years. As the conditioning coordinator and individual skill developer, she assisted Lady Lion standouts Ciara Shields and Arica Green to All-SWAC recognitions as well as Shay Holmes to Newcomer of the Year status.
Kern's career path toward collegiate basketball coaching was unconventional to say the least. After earning a roster spot on the Penn State women's basketball program, she participated in track and field where she was a two-time All-Academic and All-Big Ten performer. A two-time captain and a 2002 graduate with degrees in communications and sociology, Kern returned to basketball and played professionally in Germany, Switzerland, Romania, and Poland from 2003-2010. While in Switzerland, she led her team with a 25.1 scoring average. A crowd favorite in Poland, Kern ran basketball clinics and gave motivational speeches at the local “University” school.
In the off-seasons from 2002-2007 she taught at various Milwaukee High Schools and aided the girls' basketball and track & field teams. Her 2007 Vincent High School junior varsity squad posted a 20-0 record, and her conditioning program and individualized skill development was a catalyst in Vincent achieving a State Championship. Spare time saw her establishing various basketball camps for girls in underserviced neighborhoods. Continuing her history with running camps, Kern successfully orchestrated the “Lady Lions” First Team Basketball Camp in the summer of 2009.
During the summer of 2007, her coaching career took a huge leap forward as she was appointed the head coach of the Arkansas Lady Ballers in the Women's Blue Chip Basketball League, a 20-team national semi-pro women's league. Kern's up tempo style, infectious enthusiasm and motivation propelled the Ballers to a victory over the Canadian national team, a regional championship and the national championship in held in Memphis, Tenn.
A native of Milwaukee, Wisc., Kern was one of the most decorated scholar/athletes in Milwaukee City Conference history. She received 11 Varsity Letters (3-Basketball, 4-Volleyball, 4-Track & Field) and Captained in each sport for multiple years. Her basketball teams played in the State Finals four times, winning the State Title in both her freshmen and sophomore years. In addition, she was an 11-time Individual Conference Champion in Track & Field, a 3-Time All Conference performer in Volleyball and a finalist for the State's Scholar/Athlete Award.
Kisha Middleton remains on staff as the program's top assistant.
By Chris Weeden, Lincoln University Director of Sports Information and Marketing VISIT: LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (Pa.) VISIT: LULIONS
When the month began, he was the leading scorer in the SIAC, averaging 24.3 points per game. By mid-February, he was a college star in limbo, thanks to a back-and-forth between Salley's school, Claflin University and the Army National Guard, regarding Salley's status with the military division.
The incident - Salley did not report with his unit to training in Saudia Arabia, opting instead to stay and play at Claflin and graduate - was eventually cleared up, according to Salley. "They put me on something called Individual Ready Reserve," Salley said. "That just means, when I get finished (with school and basketball) I will be able to fulfill my duties."
Virginia State University has namedDarryl Jacobsas the new head coach of the men’s basketball program on April 4th.
Darryl Jacobs will be the 19th Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Virginia State University. Jacobs comes to Virginia State University after spending the last five years at Clark Atlanta Universityas the Head Men's Basketball Coach. During his tenure at Clark Atlanta University, Jacobs led the program to its first winning season in 10 years during the 2007-2008 season. That same season he also led the program to the semi-final round of the conference tournament.
During the 2008-2009 season, Jacobs led the program to its second consecutive winning season in 12 years. Clark Atlanta also won its first SIAC conference championship in 14 years under Coach Jacobs’ leadership during the 2009-2010 season. Clark Atlanta also advanced to the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament as the #5 seed. Prior to the 2010-2011 Clark Atlanta was ranked #25 nationally. Clark Atlanta finished the past 2010-2011 season with a 22-9 record overall and made it to the SIAC championship for the second season in a row. Clark Atlanta again advanced to the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament.
ETTRICK - Standing behind a lectern in the two-day old Gateway Dining and Events Center, Virginia State University Athletic Director Peggy Davis introduced another welcome addition to the Ettrick campus at a press conference on Monday.
Amid much applause and even a few "woo-woos," Darryl Jacobs was unveiled as the 19th coach of the VSU men's basketball team. Formerly at the helm of Clark Atlanta University, Jacobs boasts 22 years of coaching experience.
Stepping out on a high note, Darryl Jacobs announced Friday that he will step down as head men's basketball coach at Clark Atlanta to pursue an as-yet unnamed opportunity.
Jacobs guided the Panthers to the 2010-2011 SIAC championship, finished second in the postseason tournament and led the team to the NCAA Division II national tournament.
Virginia Union University has handed the keys to its men's basketball program to Luqman Jaaber, a 30-year-old regarded as a young gun in the coaching business.
Jaaber takes the place of Willard Coker, who guided the Panthers to a 55-25 record in three seasons, but whose contract was not renewed last week.
The new coach was named the 1999 Times-Dispatch player of the year as a senior at George Wythe. In 2005, he helped Virginia Union win a national championship under coach Dave Robbins, who regarded Jaaber as a coach on the floor. Robbins often would ask Jaaber to pass along a certain instruction to the team, only to find that Jaaber already had done so.
Videographer: jsjunot; Virginia Union University introduces Luqman Jaaber as the Panthers' head men's basketball coach on March 30, 2011.
Virginia Union University named Luqman Jaaber to become the eighth coach in the history of the VUU men's basketball program, it was announced at a press conference in the Wilder Library on March 30.
Jaaber was introduced as the Panthers' head coach by VUU President Dr. Claude G. Perkins and Athletic Director Michael Bailey.
Jaaber, 30, had been an assistant coach for the VUU men's basketball team in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and was the captain of VUU's 2005 National Championship Basketball Team.
Virginia Union will not renew the contract of men's basketball coach Willard Coker, who confirmed the decision Saturday. The administration notified him Thursday. Coker was hired in 2008 to replace legendary coach Dave Robbins, who won 713 games and three national championships with the Panthers.
Coker served as an assistant for 23 years under Robbins and was described as a perfect fit to take over the program. In three seasons, Coker had a record of 55-25.
In his first season, the Panthers advanced to the NCAA tournament. In the last two, they were eliminated in their first game of the CIAA tournament.
CHARLOTTE, N.C -- Allison Sikes grabbed the neckline of her dark blue basketball jersey and brought it to the side of her face. She used the rough polyester to wipe the tears that rolled down her cheek.
The senior from Hermitage High School had just played the final game of her career at Saint Augustine's College. She scored a game-high 22 points, but the Falcons had fallen to Shaw 74-65 in the CIAA semifinals in Charlotte, N.C., earlier this month.
Shaw advanced to the Final Four. The Bears lost to Clayton State, which plays Michigan Tech today in the NCAA Division II championship game.
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Sikes Earns All-Region Honor
CIAA player of the year Allison Sikes of Saint Augustine's College earned another women's basketball award Wednesday. She was named to the Daktronics All-Region second team.
Sikes is the only CIAA player on either the first or second team. A 5-10 senior swing player from Richmond, Va., Sikes led the Lady Falcons to the CIAA Tournament semifinals for the second time in three years last week. She averaged 17.0 points and 7.2 rebounds this season.
Her scoring average led the team and ranked second in the CIAA. SIkes was also the conference leader in steals (3.1 spg).
The Lady Falcons finished 19-11 overall under the leadership of Sikes, who is believed to be the second Lady Falcon to win CIAA MVP. Sikes is the third Lady Falcon in school history to make the All-CIAA team three consecutive years. The Lady Falcons won 70 games during the four-year career of Sikes, who was the 2008 CIAA rookie of the year.
A psychology major, Sikes also produces in the classroom. She was named to the CoSIDA All-Region academic team in February for the second straight year.
Augusta, GA (March 15, 2011) - Interim Athletic Director, Selina Kohn, announced today that Coach Jimmy Link will lead the Lions Basketball team. He served as the Interim Head Men’s Basketball Coach after being appointed the position mid-way during the 2010-2011 Season. Since then, Link has gone on to lead the Lions with an 11-17 record and second round appearance in the 2011 Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (SIAC) Tournament.
Link brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a former player and coach. During his basketball career, Link was a four-year letterman in men’s basketball at Flagler College, where he led the team to its first NAIA National Tournament bid as a point guard in 2002-2003. His team was ranked in the NAIA Top 25 nationally in each of Link’s four seasons as a player and he helped lead the team to a Florida Sun Conference Tournament Championship as a senior.
“I’m elated to be a part of the Paine College legacy,” Link said. Being named head coach is a highly regarded position and I am excited to take on the responsibility of successfully growing the Paine College Athletics Program through recruiting and coaching talented student athletes.”
Link sang the praises of several during a press conference, “I am so excited for the opportunity I have been given here at Paine College. I promised everyone, especially Dr. Bradley, that I would make him proud of choosing me to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Coach Ronnie Spry.”
“I am grateful for assistants, Coach Beard and Coach Smith, for helping me to move the team forward this season. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
He also shared, “Coach Spry recruited me to work as an Assistant Coach at Paine College.” “He has been an unbelievable influence in my life and I am so thankful that he brought me to Augusta, Georgia. Even throughout this transition, he has supported me as a Coach and as a Person. And, I thank him for that,” he said.
During the press conference, Link shared his goals for the Athletic Program. “We have three main goals for the Men’s Basketball Program. We want to graduate Players; mold men so that after they graduate, they make the Paine College Community proud, and win Games and contend in the SIAC Conference,” Link said.
Link has over eight years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, from Division I to the NAIA. He began his career as assistant basketball coach at Flagler College, an NCAA Division II institution in 2004, during which his team ranked Top 10 in the country and made a Sweet 16 Tournament Appearance in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Florida Sun Conference.
He moved on to serve as assistant basketball coach at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland from 2005-2006. Link helped recruit 13 players to the NCAA Division III program, all of which ended up having a school best record. During this time he also assisted.
After a successful career at Washington College, Link returned to Flagler College from 2006-2008 as assistant basketball coach, where he helped sign one of the best recruiting classes ever, three freshman and one transfer and went on to have 20-7 season in their 2nd year of Division II.
Previously, Link served assistant basketball coach at the University of North Florida, an NCAA Division II institution, and member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. There he served along side long time head coach Matt Kilcullen for the 2008-2009 season. He also served as assistant men’s basketball coach at Newberry College NCAA Division II under Steve DeMeo for the 2009-2010 Season.
Touchingly, Link expressed his appreciation to his family who rendered tremendous support throughout his career. Expressing deep gratitude to his deceased mother, he commented, “To my mom, it was her kind soul and amazing heart that made my life special. And, to my Dad, thank you for raising me into the man that I have become and for supporting me in my career when times were tough.”
Link held a very special announcement toward the end. Referring to his biggest fan and the love his life, Link thanked his wife Jennifer for her support. He commented, “My wife Jen and I are expecting our first child. I am so excited to become a father.”
In closing, he said, “as you can tell, I am a family man, husband, and soon to be father. I have also added these young men to my family. I will take care of them like they are my own. We will go through great times and tough times and learn from our experiences. I welcome all of Paine College into my family and encourage all of Paine’s former athletes and men and women who bleed purple and white to come back to their Alma Mater to support the Athletic Program.
Link earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Flagler College in 2003. Link currently resides in Augusta, Georgia with his wife Jennifer.
JCSU's CIAA BASKETBALL COACH OF YEAR,
VANESSA TAYLOR IS 2-0 IN NCAA DIVISION
II TOURNAMENT GAMES
JCSU women's basketball made history by reaching the most wins in a season 26-4, and earned the 1st two regional victories for women's basketball at JCSU after a 74-69 win over Glenville State and West Liberty University.
Edinboro, PA – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball captured a 78-72 overtime victory against West Liberty University (No. 3 seed) in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional semifinals on Saturday evening inside a frigid McComb Fieldhouse. JCSU improves to 26-4 overall and advance to the regional championship game on Monday, March 14th to face 2011 CIAA Tournament Champions, No. 8 Shaw University (23-11) at 7:00 p.m. inside McComb Fieldhouse.
Junior guard Terrica Jones (Raleigh, NC) splashed a three pointer at the 19:13 mark for the first J.C. Smith points and lead (3-2) of the game. However, the Hilltoppers recovered quickly and displayed some dangerous outside shooting throughout the first half. West Liberty held an advantage for the remainder of the opening and led 40-32 at halftime.
JCSU shot 33% (12-36) in the first half, compared to 40.6% (13-32) shooting from West Liberty. The Hilltoppers connected on 7 of their 17 three point attempts, but were out-rebounded 27-18. Junior All-CIAA guard LaQwesha Gamble (Winter Haven, FL) had most of the production with 10 points and seven rebounds at the break. Jones and senior guard Tyra Breaux (Baltimore, MD) pitched in seven points apiece.
Edinboro, PA – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team made school history with a 74-69 victory over Glenville State College (No. 7 seed) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament hosted by Edinboro University on Friday afternoon. JCSU improved to 25-4 overall and earned their first regional win in the history of the women's program. The Lady Golden Bulls advance to the semifinals to face West Liberty State College in McComb Field house at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 12th.
Entering this regional tournament with the highest seeding in JCSU history; the Lady Golden Bulls looked and played like a No. 2 seed. Glenville State continued a five-man substitution pattern, but Johnson C. Smith moved up the court with more energy and quickness. Despite eight lead changes in the opening, J.C. Smith maintained control and led 46-36 at halftime.
In first half, the Lady Golden Bulls shot 41.5% (17-41) from the floor compared to 33% (13-39) from Glenville State. The Pioneers lost the rebounding battle 34-20 and were beat 28-16 inside the paint. JCSU also shot 64.7% (11-17) from the free throw line; however Glenville converted on all six of their first half free throw attempts.
Johnson C. Smith is within a game of advancing to the NCAA Division II women’s Elite Eight.
The Golden Bulls beat West Liberty 78-72 in overtime Saturday in the Atlantic Regional semifinals on Saturday in Edinburgh, Pa. JCSU, the No. 2 seed, improved to 26-4 overall and advance to the regional championship game on Monday against CIAA rival and No. 8 Shaw at 7 p.m. Shaw beat Smith last week for the CIAA tournament championship.
“This season our team has been accountability for each other and themselves on and off the court, which has allowed us to strive for the common thread of competitive greatness,” Golden Bulls coach Vanessa Taylor said. “This is an exciting opportunity for our team, our University, and our conference; these young ladies have become pioneers and we want to go as far as we can.”
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NEXT GAME: JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY LADY GOLDEN BULLS vs. SHAW UNIVERSITY LADY BEARS at EDINBORO UNIVERSITY (Pa.), MCCOMB FIELDHOUSE; NCAA DIVISION II ATLANTIC REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, MONDAY, MARCH 14, 7 PM. VISIT: goldenbullsports
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Are you ready for some basketball?
Eight of the best NCAA Division II college basketball teams are in town for the South Regional, which begins Saturday at Spragins Hall on the University of Alabama-Huntsville campus. The winner will have a chance to play for the national championship in Springfield, Mass., March 23-26.
"Being in the tournament is one thing and being able to host it is like a dream," UAH guard Tyler Hanback said. "It's going to be a lot of fun. I can't wait."
Saturday: Harding (25-4) vs. Stillman (21-7) at 2:30 p.m. UAH (26-4) vs. Clark Atlanta (22-8), SIAC Champions at 5:30 p.m. Arkansas Tech (24-5) and Benedict (21-7) at 7:30 p.m.
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Videographer: UrbanSportsITG; Inside The Game: Clark-Atlanta vs. Stillman (SIAC Championship)
Fort Valley, Ga. (March 7, 2011) - After a 10 a.m. meeting with the men’s head basketball coach, Fort Valley State University (FVSU) Athletic Director Percy Caldwell has announced that John Douglas has been relieved of his duties as the Head Coach of FVSU Men’s Basketball.
Douglas served as head coach for the past two seasons at FVSU and during that time accumulated a 17-40 overall record (43% winning record) and a 15-33 conference record (45% winning record). The Wildcats finished the regular season ranked 11th out of 13 teams in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and were eliminated in the first round of the conference tournament in both years.
“After an assessment of the past two years of the men’s basketball program, it has become patently clear that we must take our program in a different direction, said Caldwell. We are grateful to Coach Douglas for the service he has provided and wish him success in his future endeavors.’
The search for a new men’s head basketball coach will begin immediately.
Elizabeth City, NC - The Michael Bonner saga has a happy ending after all.
