Savannah State athletic director chosen as new Southeastern Louisiana A.D.

Former A.D. W.Bart Bellairs leaves SSU Tigers for Southeastern Louisiana University Lions and Southland Conference.

SSU names interim AD

Savannah State University named Marilynn Stacey-Suggs interim athletics director on Tuesday. Stacey-Suggs, SSU’s Assistant Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator, replaces Bart Bellairs, who was hired as athletics director at Southeastern Louisiana University on Monday. Bellairs was introduced as Southeastern Louisiana’s athletic director Tuesday during a news conference in Hammond, La. Stacey-Suggs, a native of Reidsville, N.C., earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Winston-Salem State University in 1980. She earned an associate in arts degree from Fayetteville Technical Community College in funeral service education in 1983.

SSU athletic director resigns

Bart Bellairs told the Savannah Morning News that he resigned Monday as Savannah State University's athletic director, a position he held since May 20, 2008. During a 3 p.m. telephone interview, Bellairs said he would inform his staff during an athletic department meeting at 4 p.m. Monday. "I am leaving Savannah State University, but I am not confirming where I'm going at this time," Bellairs said. Bellairs, 53, is the first white athletic director at SSU, a historically black university that began playing sports in 1915.

"It's a family thing," said Bellairs, whose wife, Jacki, and four school-age children remained in Lexington, Va., after he accepted the job at SSU. "It's because of my family. I've loved my time here, but I'm a family man and it's always been about my family." SSU paid Bellairs $110,000 annually. He was chosen among 32 applicants to become the Tigers' 15th athletic director.

Bart Bellairs Named Director Of Athletics At Southeastern

HAMMOND, LA – W. Bart Bellairs, former director of intercollegiate athletics at Savannah State University in Savannah, Ga., and a senior athletics administrator at Virginia Military Institute has been selected to serve as director of athletics at Southeastern Louisiana University, it was announced today (Nov.24). His appointment is contingent upon final approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. He is expected to join the Southeastern staff in early January.

“I liked what I saw at Southeastern from the start but when my wife Jacki and I met the people, we knew we had found a home,” Bellairs said. “My whole life I have spent time in college towns; growing up, as a coach, and as an administrator, and I have been blessed by living in some great places. When I started preparing for the interview I was very impressed with the campus and the attention Southeastern paid to supporting the students; but when I met the people -- the faculty, coaches, and members of the community – I wanted to be a part of it.”

At Southeastern, Bellairs will oversee 15 NCAA Division I affiliated programs that compete in the Southland Conference. Bellairs had been at Savannah State, an NCAA Division I program, with 15 teams, since July 2008.

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SSU boosters: We'll support new athletic director

Photo: Savannah State University new athletic director Bart Bellairs will start on June 1.

'Race doesn't matter'

SSU booster Danny Parrish, a founding member with Alfred Berry of the Atlanta-Downtown Alumni Chapter, one of SSU's largest clubs, is ecstatic that Bellairs was selected from 32 applicants. The Richmond, Ky., native was chosen over Wichita State assistant AD Leonard Clark and NCAA assistant director of championships Keshia Campbell.

"I'm very excited to have him there," Parrish said. "He has the background and experience to build the program to what we need. Everybody wants the same thing: to turn the Savannah State athletic program around and have a successful athletic program. I think he's capable of doing that.

"Race doesn't matter at all. I think diversity is very good. We need to represent the entire Savannah community. I'm glad that we're getting past the color issue." Horace Scandrick, president of the SSU Community Booster Club, agreed with Parrish.

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SSU athletics director resigns

Photo: Former SSU AD Tony O'Neal

Reported by WTOC, Savannah, GA

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- After three years at the helm of Savannah State University's athletic department, Robert "Tony" O'Neal today announced he is stepping down as athletic director for personal reasons effective immediately. O'Neal will assume other athletic-related duties at the university.

"I have decided to resign as the athletics director at Savannah State,"

O'Neal said. "It was a very tough decision, but I feel this is what's best for me and my family."

Dr. Claud Flythe, vice president for Administration, has appointed Paula Jackson as interim athletic director. Jackson, who has worked at Savannah State since 2005, is currently the senior women's administrator and assistant athletic director for compliance. SSU has not made plans to conduct a nationwide search at this time.

"Paula Jackson has full power and authority to exercise as the interim athletic director," said Flythe. "She has full support from my office and the President's office."

Jackson, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, comes to SSU from Morehead State University where she served as an asst. athletic director and senior women's administrator. She has held the same positions at Clark-Atlanta University.

O'Neal became the 14th athletic director at SSU on August 1, 2004. During his tenure, Savannah State's athletics department was certified by the National Collegiate Athletic Association as a Division I program.

He has shown his commitment to honoring SSU student-athletes by revitalizing the athletic letterman program. At the annual banquet, student athletics are awarded for their academic and athletic dedication to SSU with letterman jackets, plaques, trophies, watches and scholarships.

"SSU has provided me with an opportunity to make an immediate impact as the Athletics Director," said O'Neal. "I am confident that Dr. Yarbrough and Dr.
Flythe will bring in someone that will continue to take SSU in the right direction. Savannah State athletics has a bright future."

O'Neal also led the push in SSU's quest to join a Division I conference by submitting an application to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in May of 2005. The MEAC said it will reconsider SSU's application in 2009.

The Detroit, Michigan native earned his bachelor of arts in social welfare from Central State University. Prior, to his arrival at Savannah State, he served as the associate athletic director for compliance at Bethune-Cookman College.

WSSU Rams get good news about Morris

WSSU has recruited size for this upcoming season.

Center has been cleared to play by NCAA with basketball practice about to begin

By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER

Coach Bobby Collins of Winston-Salem State let out a big sigh of relief last week when the NCAA Clearinghouse gave the OK for center Corey Morris.

Morris, a 6-10, 255-pound center from Elizabeth City, had been waiting for the Clearinghouse to make its decision. It came down to one class from his senior year at Northeastern High School.

"I'm excited that this got cleared up," Morris said last week. "Now that I know I'll be out there, I can't wait for practice to begin."

The new-look Rams will begin practice Oct. 12. Of the six players that Collins brought in, three are 6-8 or taller.

Morris is the tallest, followed by post players Paul Davis (6-9) and McIntoche Alcius (6-8).

In Collins' first season, the Rams had one post player, but at 6-5, Jamal Durham was undersized. With the added height, Durham can move over to his more natural position at forward.

"Last year, I was posting up guys who were 6-4 or 6-5, and this year I'll have guys who are posting up 6-9 or 6-10," Collins said. "And that's going to give us a totally different look. This will allow us to do things that I've had in the past because I've always had a big man in the middle."

With returning player Julian Murphy-Long, a 6-9 walk-on, the Rams will have four players who are 6-8 or taller, which might be a first at WSSU.

Last season, the Rams suffered through the school's worst record (5-24). What made it worse was that the Rams played just five home games, although they made about $500,000 for playing some big-name programs on the road.

"We've got 14 home games this year, and that's going to bring a new flavor to us," Collins said. "Last year, in having 25 road games, we were fighting an uphill battle from the beginning. We weren't playing the school for the blind, either - we were playing teams like Georgetown and Georgia Tech."

Playing a balanced schedule and a full MEAC schedule should make things a lot easier for the Rams. They won't be eligible for the MEAC title until the 2010-11 season, but at least they are on more of a level playing field compared to last season. Another difference is that the Rams are scheduled to play all 14 home games at either Joel Coliseum or the Annex. However, because of the new pro hockey team playing at the Annex, two or three games could be moved to the Gaines Center.

Both the men's and women's team will open practice with a "Ram Madness" at 7 p.m. on Oct. 12 at the Gaines Center.

"We're excited about the first day of practice coming up," Collins said. "We are very young but very talented. We'll have a much different look than we had last year.… It's going to be a different kind of year."