Everyone wins with Doug Williams' hire

GRAMBLING, La. — Grambling State University was thought to have pulled off some sort of coup by luring back Doug Williams for a second stint as the Tigers' head football coach.

After all, how often does a school lose a coach the caliber of Rod Broadway, after signing day, and manage to take a monumental leap forward?

Hardly ever, as you could tell by the visible and audible jubilation pouring from Grambling alums, athletes and supporters — many who made lengthy journeys to mark the occasion Wednesday.

Williams: 'Coming home is about family"

Doug Williams sat intently as Grambling president Frank Pogue and athletics director Lin Dawson talked about him, but as the Tigers' new head football coach stood, held his black and gold baseball cap and began to address the room, he couldn't help but crack a wide smile.

"Wow," he said. "We are Grambling."

About 200 people tried to pile into a room with about 100 chairs for the press conference Wednesday morning at the Eddie Robinson Museum to officially announce the old news that Robinson was returning for a second stint as the head coach.

The coach is home again

When Thomas Wolfe penned, "You Can't Go Home Again," it's obvious Doug Williams didn't get the memo. Maybe he skipped that class when he was a student at Grambling State University.

But today, the Grambling community is quite happy Doug Williams doesn't know you can't go home again. And if he did indeed dash out on literature, it hasn't shown up on his permanent record.

Doug Williams criticizes NFL 'fraternity,' returns to Grambling State to coach son

Doug Williams acknowledges that coaching his son in his second stint at Grambling State may be a challenge, but it has to be easier than navigating what he calls the NFL's good ol' boys "fraternity."

Williams resigned over the weekend as general manager of the Virginia Destroyers of the UFL in order to return to Grambling State and criticized front-office opportunities for minorities in the NFL. He spent six seasons in the Tampa Bay Bucs' scouting department (from 2004 until last May) and hoped to become an NFL GM.

"The good ol' boy network is alive and well,'' Williams said in an interview with tampabay.com. "But it's changed from the good ol' boy network to the fraternity. I always find a way to overcome and just keep going forward. I look at it this way, you've got guys sitting in the front office that never coached.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Culpepper leaving Tampa Bay Tech for GSU

TAMPA, FL - As he looked out at the faces of his football players gathered in the Tampa Bay Tech auditorium early Wednesday afternoon, C.C. Culpepper couldn't hold back the tears.

Culpepper was overcome with emotion as he revealed he was leaving TBT as head coach to accept a job as defensive backs and special teams coach at Grambling State University.

"If it wasn't for your hard work, practicing and playing, listening to me scream and cuss, I would not have this opportunity," Culpepper told his players. "It's the young men of Tampa Bay Tech who have given me this chance."

And despite how much work he put into TBT to change it from a perennial loser to one that reached the region semifinals the past three seasons, Culpepper said coaching at Grambling was just an opportunity that doesn't come around often.

Culpepper steps down at TBT

The most prosperous era in Tampa Bay Tech football history concluded earlier today, when Titans coach C.C. Culpepper informed his players he is stepping down to join Doug Williams' staff at Grambling State University.

TBT principal Scott Brooks confirmed Culpepper, also a highly respected business teacher at the school, informed him first thing this morning he was resigning. He's the fourth Hillsborough County coach to step down -- either voluntarily or by force -- this offseason.

"When Doug Williams calls and asks you, I'm not sure how you tell him no," Brooks said.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Spears picks quarterbacks coach for ASU

LORMAN — Alcorn State University head football Melvin Spears continues to round out his coaching staff, naming New Orleans native and former Grambling State University star Bruce Eugene as his quarterbacks coach.

Eugene, a 2005 graduate of Grambling, played for newly named Grambling coach Doug Williams, and got tutelage from Spears, who was the quarterbacks coach at the time.

Eugene became one of the top players in Division 1-AA college football, breaking Grambling and SWAC records in the process. He was a three-time finalist for the Walter Payton Award.


Videographer: UrbanSportsITG

CURRENT HIRES:

Melvin Spears Jr., Head Football Coach
Vyron Brown, Offensive Coordinator
Quantas Floyd, Defensive Backs Coach
Darius Matthews, Tight End and Wide Recievers Coach
Bruce Eugene, Quarterbacks Coach

Spears Hires Matthews as Wide Receivers and Tight Ends Coach

Alcorn State University head football coach Melvin Spears announces that Grambling State graduate Darius Matthews has been added to his coaching staff In charge of the wide receivers and tight ends. Matthews worked with Spears in 2006 at Grambling State as the running backs coach.

Matthews is glad to be at Alcorn State: “It’s a chance for me to play a role in establishing a winning program. I’ll have the chance to work with a proven winner in coach Spears and to become a part of the Alcorn State family.”

Matthews comes to ASU from East Feliciana High in Jackson, Louisiana where he served as offensive coordinator. He was offensive coordinator at Clinton High in Clinton from 2007 thru 2010 and running backs coach at Grambling from 2006 thru 2007.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Jackson State to play six at home in 2011

Jackson, MS - A three-game homestand comprises half of the six that Jackson State football will play at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium during its 11-game schedule this season.

Jackson State will kick off the season on Sept. 3 against Division III Concordia College in the fourth annual W.C. Gorden Classic. The Tigers will play one other non-conference game, Sept. 10 against Ohio Valley Conference member Tennessee State in the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis.

The Tigers' remaining five home games are against Southwestern Athletic Conference opponents, including...

2011 Jackson State University Football Schedule
Date    Opponent            Site      Time
September
3    Concordia College “Hornets” (Selma, AL)     Jackson, MS    1:30 PM
(4th Annual W.C. Gorden Classic)  
10    Tennessee State “Tigers”        Memphis, TN    6:00 PM
(Southern Heritage Classic)
17    Southern “Jaguars”          Baton Rouge, LA TBA 
24    Alabama State “Hornets”        Jackson, MS    4:00 PM

October
1    Texas Southern “Tigers”        Jackson, MS    4:00 PM
8    Arkansas‐Pine Bluff “Golden Lions”      Jackson, MS    4:00 PM
(Homecoming)
15    Mississippi Valley State” Delta Devils”    Itta Bena, MS    TBA
22    OPEN
29    Prairie View A&M “Panthers”       Prairie View, TX TBA

November
5    Grambling State “Tigers”        Jackson, MS    2:00 PM
12    Alabama A&M “Bulldogs”        Huntsville, AL    TBA
19    Alcorn State “Braves”         Jackson, MS    1:00 PM
(Capital City Classic)

December
10    SWAC Championship Game        Birmingham, AL TBA

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Grambling opens campaign with high hopes

Grambling's 2010 season will be a tough one to follow. After finishing the regular season with an 18-30 overall record, the Tigers became scorching hot in the postseason.

They swept through the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament, outscoring the opposition 47-10 over four games to capture the program's first conference title in 25 years.

The Tigers have had a lot of turnover in their roster since then, but they still enter the 2011 season with ...

Grambling State looks to build on end of 2010

Grambling State baseball coach James Cooper can be forgiven for looking back a little bit.

Nine months ago, Cooper and his Tigers authored one of the greatest weekends in recent GSU baseball history — sweeping through the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament at Shreveport's Fair Grounds Field to earn an NCAA regional berth.

"We've actually tried to pick up where we left off," said Cooper, whose team opens the season against...

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

JSU football could face loss of NCAA membership

Coach Rick Comegy is in final year of contract

Jackson State University's football team will be banned from postseason play this fall and the athletic department's membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association is likely to be restricted by 2012 if the NCAA does not grant the school's waiver request.

The team's Academic Progress Rate, a rolling, four-year figure that calculates academic performance, has fallen below a critical benchmark for the third straight year, according to documents obtained recently by The Clarion-Ledger through a public records request.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE

JSU LATEST NCAA APR REPORT: CLICK HERE

JSU 2011 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result
09/03/11 Concordia (Selma, AL) Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 1:30 p.m. CT
09/10/11 vs. Tennessee State Memphis, TN 6:00 p.m. CT
09/17/11 at Southern Baton Rouge, LA TBA
09/24/11 vs. Alabama State Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 4:00 p.m. CT
10/01/11 vs. Texas Southern Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 4:00 p.m. CT
10/08/11 vs. Arkansas - Pine Bluff Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 4:00 p.m. CT
10/15/11 at Mississippi Valley State Itta Bena, MS TBA
10/29/11 at Prairie View A&M Prairie View, TX TBA
11/05/11 vs. Grambling St. Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 2:00 p.m. CT
11/12/11 at Alabama A&M Huntsville, AL TBA
11/19/11 vs. Alcorn State Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 1:00 p.m. CT

Arkansas - Pine Bluff DC Hampton resigns, headed to Western Kentucky

Coach Alonzo Hampton

Arkansas-Pine Bluff has officially announced in a press release that Alonzo Hampton has resigned from the school to take a position with WKU. The release did not say that Hampton has officially joined the Toppers yet, and no official word has come from WKU.

WKU may have filled one of its two football coaching vacancies.

David Harten, the Arkansas-Pine Bluff football beat writer for the Pine Bluff Commercial, reported Tuesday that UAPB defensive coordinator Alonzo Hampton has resigned from the school to join WKU as defensive backs coach.

WKU interviews Hampton for DC job

The Daily News confirmed with a source Monday that Arkansas-Pine Bluff defensive coordinator Alonzo Hampton has interviewed for the open defensive backs coaching position at Western Kentucky.

Hampton - a Louisiana-Monroe product - spent the past four seasons at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, with 2010 being his first as the team’s defensive coordinator.

Before becoming the team’s defensive coordinator, Hampton served as cornerbacks and defensive backs coach for UAPB. Prior to that, Hampton served as head coach at Dumas High School in Arkansas for two seasons.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

SU Jaguars hold off A&M rally

When the final horn sounded and the Southern women’s basketball team walked off the floor with its 12th consecutive victory Monday night, players smiled, high-fived each other and hugged a few die-hard fans.

Their sense of joy was noticeable. But it was matched by a sense of relief. “This one got to me,” said coach Sandy Pugh, who watched her team hold off Alabama A&M for a 65-57 win. “I’m happy with the win, but not happy with our defensive performance in the second half.”

One look at the final statistics showed why.

Alabama A&M-SU women: By the numbers

Southern’s losing streak continues

Yet again, in a desperate attempt to keep up with an opponent, the Southern men’s basketball team tried almost everything Monday night against Alabama A&M.

The Jaguars took timeouts. They substituted liberally. They changed defensive schemes and tried an array of offensive sets. In the end, it was the same song, eighth verse.

The visiting Bulldogs spent the entire second half building on their lead, and pulling away for an easy 64-45 victory in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Jackson State fires assistant baseball coach

FORMER JSU Coach Kevin Whiteside

JACKSON, Miss. – Jackson State University Interim Athletics Director Robert Walker announced that the university has terminated second-year JSU Assistant Baseball Coach Kevin Whiteside. The termination follows an on-field altercation on Saturday, Feb. 19 which involved a student athlete from an opposing team.

Suspensions and Fines for PV / JSU Baseball Altercation

Birmingham, Ala. (Feb. 21, 2011) - The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced today that four student-athletes and one assistant coach have been suspended for their participation in an on-field altercation Saturday, February 19 between the Jackson State and Prairie View A&M baseball teams. Each of the five individuals were ejected from Saturday’s game and per NCAA rules on fighting ejections, will serve a mandatory suspension without appeal.

Jackson State assistant coach Kevin Whiteside has been suspended by the league for six games and fined $2,000.00 for his involvement in the altercation.

Two Jackson State players, Kendall Logan and Marshum Hall, have been suspended for three games, and the university fined $1,000.00 for their involvement in the altercation.

Two Prairie View A&M players, Evan Richard and Andre Oliver, have been suspended for three games, and the university fined $1,000.00 for their involvement in the altercation.

The actions taken by each individual were in direct violation of the league’s policy prohibiting coaches and student-athletes from displaying unsportsmanlike behavior, which is subject to the league’s Schedule of Penalties approved by the SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors.

“The Southwestern Athletic Conference holds its coaches and student-athletes to a high standard, and we expect sportsmanship between our member institutions to be a high priority,” SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said. “Two of our baseball teams, while representing their respective universities, displayed completely unacceptable behavior. The integrity and reputation of the Southwestern Athletic Conference is too important to condone these actions.”

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

READ RELATED BLOG: Stemming from fight: JSU fires assistant coach; SWAC suspends players (UPDATED)

Doug Williams leaving UFL job to return as coach of Grambling State Tigers

Doug Williams is leaving his position as general manager of the UFL's Virginia Destroyers to become coach of Grambling for the second time.

Williams previously succeeded Eddie Robinson in 1998 and compiled a 53-17 record in six seasons with three Southwestern Athletic Conference championships.

Part of the lure of returning to the job is the opportunity to coach his son, D.J. Williams, who signed with the school earlier this month.

Doug Williams returns to Grambling

Doug Williams succeeded legendary coach Eddie Robinson at Grambling in 1997. After leaving for other football ventures, Williams, the Super Bowl winning quarterback, is returning home.
This time, he’ll coach his son with the Tigers. Williams told ProFootballTalk.com that he is leaving his post as general manager of the Virginia Destroyers in the UFL.

“I was looking forward to working with the Destroyers, but this is a great opportunity for me and it is very rare that a father gets to coach his son at the college football level,” Williams told ProFootballTalk.com. “I went to school there, I coached there, and now I have a great opportunity to coach there again.

Va. UFL team's general manager leaving for Grambling State

General Manager Doug Williams' presence was stable through the Virginia Destroyers’ birth pains, which have included defections of coaches and team presidents.

No longer. Williams, once a Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Washington Redskins, is out the door of the struggling United Football League team, too.

Williams was hired today as head coach at Grambling State University in Louisiana, where he played and also served as head coach from 1998 to 2003. He will be formally re-introduced Wednesday.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Texas Southern beats Arkansas-Pine Bluff, stays on top of SWAC

HOUSTON—Lawrence Johnson-Danner scored 15 points and Texas Southern hung on to defeat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 71-68 on Saturday.

Travele Jones and Justin Ray scored 14 points each for the Tigers (14-10, 12-1), who are in first place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Texas Southern has won six in a row.

Kevin Galloway had 10 assists for the Tigers.


Videographer: George Jensen / 11 Sports Photgrapher, khou.com

Texas Southern beats Arkansas-Pine Bluff 71-68

The target on Texas Southern’s back grows larger as the Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule nears its end. Arkansas-Pine Bluff gave TSU its best shot Saturday, but the SWAC frontrunner was able to fend off the threat.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Savalace Townsend missed a game-tying 3-pointer as time expired, and the Tigers held on for a 71-68 victory before a crowd of 1,103 at the H&PE Arena.

TSU (14-10, 12-1) won its sixth consecutive game and swept its regular-season series with the Golden Lions (6-20, 6-8). Lawrence Johnson-Danner led the Tigers with 15 points, and Travele Jones and Justin Ray each scored 14.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Southern routs UNO in season opener

Near the third-base dugout at Lee-Hines Field, just moments after his Southern baseball team routed the University of New Orleans 19-2 on college baseball’s opening night, longtime coach Roger Cador delivered a simple reminder to his smiling players.

“It’s one game,” he said, “and it has zero impact on what we’ll do the rest of the season. We’ve still got to go play baseball.”

Across the diamond, near the right-field foul line, UNO coach Bruce Peddie delivered a nearly identical message.

The teams play again at 4 p.m. Saturday at Maestri Field, followed by the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday back in Baton Rouge. No one has scored in either of those games yet.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

SU-UNO: By the numbers

Southern Jaguars start with series against UNO

Southern University Head Baseball Coach Roger Cador

That loud, bold belly-laugh could’ve only come from one place. That wide, toothy grin could’ve only come from one face. Thursday afternoon at Lee-Hines Field, members of the Southern University baseball team took turns at the plate, pounding line drives and ground balls in final their batting practice before the season opener.

Suddenly, a sound came from one end of the third-base dugout — that loud, distinct laugh. It belonged, of course, to Roger Cador. From the look (and sound) of it, he was in his element. The winter weather had given way to a sunny, mild day, and another baseball season neared. What could be better?

“I was very concerned with the way things were going,” a smiling Cador said. “But the weather we have now — oh, it feels like spring. Life is good. It’s a beautiful day. ... Of course, when you get to be my age, everything is beautiful.”

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

Privateers, Jaguars Open 2011 Baseball Season This Weekend

BATON ROUGE, La. - The University of New Orleans baseball program will open its 2011 campaign on Friday when it travels to face in-state rival Southern in the first game of a split three-game series at Lee Hines Field.

First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. with the series moving to Maestri Field on Saturday for a 4 p.m. start before turning to Baton Rouge for the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

There will be no live audio or video over the weekend, with live stats and Twitter updates planned for Saturday's home contest.

UNO posted a 13-39 mark last year and will compete as an NCAA Division I Independent in 2011 as part of the school's intended reclassification to NCAA Division II competition.

The Privateer baseball program previously participated as an NCAA Division I Independent from 1980 through 1987 under coaches Ron Maestri and Tom Schwaner, qualifying for the NCAA tournament on six separate occasions during the eight-year span of time, including a 1984 College World Series appearance, the first by a Division I program in the state of Louisiana.

This year's squad under head coach Bruce Peddie will have a different task laid before them.

With just three scholarship players on the roster, the team will proceed to play a schedule full of Division I opponents and just 11 contests on the Lakefront.

Of the three weekend starters against Southern (25-22 in 2010), just Friday starter Cory Myers (0-2, 10.24 ERA in 2010) has pitched for the Privateers.

Saturday starter Zach Kelt and Sunday starter Robert Ormbsee are making their first appearance for UNO after transferring in from Hinds Community College and LSU-Alexandria, respectively.

Nolan Church is the top returning bat for the Privateers after leading the team with a .328 batting average last year. JUCO transfers Cameron Wheeless at third base and Andrew Garcia in the outfield could also factor in offensively for UNO.

SU has two former Privateer players on the roster in Clint Ourso and Roddarick Jones.

Ourso made 13 appearances as the third-string catcher for the Privateers last season, while Jones who is sitting out this season, was the regular left fielder for UNO in 2009 and 2010.

Jaguars' head coach Roger Cador will send RHP Daniel Garcia to the mound on Friday and LHP Jesse Holiday on Saturday with a starter. Garcia will be making his first appearance since posting a 4-1 record with a 3.08 ERA in 2009 with Holiday going 5-0 with a 4.17 ERA in 2010 with four starts amongst 13 appearances. A Sunday starter has not been named.

Following this weekend's series, UNO will face nationally-ranked LSU on Tuesday at Alex Box Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Courtesy: UNOPrivateers.com             Release: 02/17/2011

JSU Baseball Opens 2011 Campaign with Home Tournament

JSU Tournament Schedule

Fri., Feb. 18 Jackson State vs. Florida A&M - 12 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 18 University Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. FAMU - 3 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 18 JSU vs. UAPB 6 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 19 FAMU vs. Prairie View A&M - 12 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 19 UAPB vs. FAMU - 3 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 19 JSU vs. PVAM - 6 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 20 JSU vs. PVAM - 12 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 20 UAPB vs. PVAM - 3 p.m.

Jackson State, under the direction of fifth-year head coach Omar Johnson, will open its 2011 season with its annual JSU Tournament from Friday, Feb. 18-20 at Robert "Bob" Braddy Field.

On Friday the Tigers will play FAMU at noon, followed by a nightcap against the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the Tigers will face Prairie View A&M at 6 p.m., followed by a single-game on Sunday to close the weekend at noon against a second game against Prairie View A&M.

Click here to read the 2011 JSU Baseball outlook.

FAMU begins new era of Rattlers' baseball

During the wee hours of Thursday morning, sleep finally began to settle in for David Duncan. The thought of being the pitcher who would start the Brett Richardson era at Florida A&M kept Duncan awake several hours past his normal bedtime. He will be making his first start 23 months after he suffered an injury to his pitching arm that required Tommy John surgery.

"I'm trying to stay cool about it but last night I was just thinking about it for hours," Duncan said. "I probably stayed up until about 2. "It's just exciting. I can't wait and I'm ready to go out there and give it all I've got."

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Alcorn State baseball opens 2011 season against Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama baseball team (0-0, 0-0 SEC) opens the 2011 season with the Tide playing host to the Alcorn State Braves (0-0, 0-0 SWAC) in a three-game weekend series. The two teams will break in a new year at The Joe on Friday at 6:05 p.m. Game two is slated to begin at 2:05 p.m. on Saturday with Sunday's first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

SATURDAY IS DOUBLE DAY AT ALABAMA
On Saturday, Alabama fans can enjoy two Crimson Tide games for the price of one. The baseball team will host Alcorn State at 2 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. game between Alabama and Arkansas in men's basketball. Fans can use their men's basketball ticket to gain admittance into both the baseball and basketball games.

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Alcorn State is coming off a season that saw the Braves post a 27-28 overall record and finish fifth in the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC) with a 15-8 record. ASU returns 20 letter winners, including 14 position players (six starters) and six pitchers (two starters). Alcorn State's season came to an end when they lost 15-2 to Grambling in the championship game of the SWAC Tournament.

Rodney Warren returns for his senior season after leading the Braves with a .392 average a year ago. As a junior, Warren had 69 hits in 176 at-bats, with 15 doubles, six home runs and 47 runs batted in. The Braves return the heart of their lineup, as Eduardo Gonzalez and Kilby Perdomo also return. Gonzalez led the 2010 team with 78 hits and tied Perdomo for the team lead with 54 RBI. Gonzalez posted a .353 average, 16 doubles, a team-best four triples and six dingers. Perdomo was the team's leader in home runs with 10 and runs scored with 61 and finished third on the team with a .348 average.

Other returners, Cole Vicars and Kenneth Rowan hit .317 and .313, respectively, last season. The top returning pitcher for ASU is Steve Easter. The junior posted a 7-4 overall record as a sophomore, which included six complete game performances. He led the team with 81 strikeouts, while his 99.2 innings pitched ranked second most and his 4.96 ERA was third best on the team. Cederic Pomerlee made 15 appearances with 13 starts as a junior and finished the season with a 5-7 record and a 5.45 ERA. Pomerlee had 79 strikeouts in 76.0 innings pitched.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

SportsGroove TV Presents HSRN's HBCU Sports Nation

Former TSU baseball coach Candy Robinson dies at 70

HOUSTON – The former head baseball coach at TSU, Candy Robinson, has passed away after a long battle with cancer, the university said Wednesday.

Robinson was 70 years old.

"Coach Robinson has been an integral part of the athletics department for more than two decades, and his contributions will always be remembered," said Texas Southern Athletics Director Charles McClelland. "Candy’s loss to the TSU athletics family will be one that cannot be replaced."

Cancer claims life of ex-TSU baseball coach

Former Texas Southern baseball coach Candy Robinson died Tuesday morning after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Robinson, the longest-serving coach in program history, retired from coaching in 2008 after leading the Tigers for 19 years, later becoming the director of baseball operations. He was 332-571-2 during his tenure at TSU, coaching the program to its only Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament titles and NCAA appearances in 2004 and 2008.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

TSU ready to put experience to use

TSU Coach Michael Robertson

Last season, Michael Robertson shepherded a young Texas Southern baseball team to the best record in the program's Division I history and the Southwestern Athletic Conference's Western Division title. One year later, Robertson returns a veteran-laden team that is poised to again be a force in the SWAC.

The Tigers lost just two seniors from last season's 30-26 squad that went 18-6 in the SWAC and fell in the semifinals of the conference tournament. They retained all three of their weekend starting pitchers and two stoppers in the bullpen. The roster is stocked with potent hitters.
The ingredients are there for another successful run.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

JSU lets 15-point lead slip away, takes hit in SWAC standings

The shot bounded off the side rim. Grant Maxey's head dipped. And Jackson State missed a monumental opportunity. Texas Southern overcame a 15-point second-half deficit to stun JSU 70-67 on Saturday night, clawing back into the game in the final moments to take control of the conference lead.

"To say the least, it was very disappointing," JSU coach Tevester Anderson said. "This game will hurt for a while because it was a big game."  Huge.

It was a battle between the conference's No. 1 and No. 2 teams, a clash involving the third- and fourth-ranked squads in Division I black college basketball - both scrapping for a leg up in the league in front of an announced 2,002 crowd at the Athletics and Assembly Center.

Men's Basketball: JSU 67, Texas Southern 70

By JSU Office of Athletic Media Relations

JACKSON, Miss. - Despite having three players score in double figures and owing a 16-point second half lead the Jackson State men's basketball team fell 70-67 to Texas Southern in a battle for the No. 1 spot in the Southwestern Athletic Conference standings Saturday night at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.

With the loss JSU falls to 13-11 overall record and a 9-3 SWAC mark. Texas Southern improves to 12-10, 10-1 record.

Grant Maxey led JSU with 18 points in 21 minutes. Tyrone Hanson added 16 and Jenirro Bush scored 15. Travele Jones recorded a double-double as he scored a game high 22 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for Texas Southern. Lawrence Danner-Johnson scored 15, Keithtrick Denson added 14 and Kevin Galloway scored 10.

Bench scoring proved to be the difference in the game for TSU. Texas Southern got 22 bench points while JSU got 14 bench points.

JSU jumped out to an early lead and took a 37-28 advantage into halftime. In the second half, JSU led by as many as 16, 53-37, with 13:06 left to play. Texas Southern then outscored Jackson State 23-8 to pull within 61-60 on Kevin Galloway's free throws with 2:28 remaining.

Jackson State returns to action Monday, Feb. 14 when the Tigers host Prairie View A&M on ESPNU. Tip-off is set for 8:00 pm.

Final Stats

Women Basketball: JSU 56, Texas Southern 49

JACKSON, Miss. - Three Lady Tigers scored in double figures to help the Jackson State women's basketball beat Texas Southern 56-49 Saturday at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center. JSU swept the regular season series against Texas Southern.

With the win JSU improves to a 6-15 overall record and a 5-7 Southwestern Athletic Conference mark. Texas Southern falls to a 4-18, 2-9 record. Jackson State is ranked seventh in the SWAC standings.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.


Videographer: UrbanSportsITG

Alabama A&M Bulldogs open 2011 with tough slate

HUNTSVILLE, AL. - Alabama A&M will play a former rival at home for the first time in over a decade along with a up-and-coming program in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in addition to its rugged Southwestern Athletic Conference slate of games as athletics director Betty Austin released the school's football schedule Thursday.

The Bulldogs' non-conference schedule features a trip to Hampton University and a home game against long-time Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival Tuskegee in addition to nine SWAC games.

"I think it's a very good schedule," Austin said. "We're returning a game at Hampton and our fans wanted Tuskegee for the Louis Crews Classic. What concerns me is...

Alabama A&M Bulldogs 2011 Football Schedule

Sept. 3 at Hampton
*Sept. 10 at Southern
Sept. 17 Tuskegee (Louis Crews Classic), 6 p.m.
*Sept. 24 at Grambling
*Oct. 1 Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 6 p.m.
*Oct. 8 Mississippi Valley State (Homecoming), 1 p.m.
*Oct. 15 Texas Southern, 1 p.m.
*Oct. 29 Alabama State, Birmingham, 2:30 p.m.
*Nov. 5 at Alcorn State
*Nov. 12 Jackson State, 1 p.m.
*Nov. 19 at Prairie View

*Indicates Southwestern Athletic Conference game

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.