Mississippi Valley Devils add Murray State to 2011 Football Schedule

The Mississippi Valley State University Department of Athletics announced recently that the Delta Devils have added another game to its 2011 slate. The addition of Murray State will give the Delta Devils 11 contests for the upcoming season and six home games for the program.

“We worked hard to find another contest for 2011 and we contacted a number of programs. In the end, an agreement with Murray State worked out well for both schools,” said interim athletics director Donald Sims.

The Racers went 6-5 last season, opening the season losing their first three games before closing out the season winning their last three contests. A member of the Ohio Valley Conference, this will be the first meeting between the Racers and the Delta Devils.

September

3 Alabama State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 5p

10 Murray State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 4p

17 @ Alcorn State Alcorn State, Miss. Jack Spinks Stadium TBA

24 @ Prairie View A&M Prairie View, Texas Blackshear Stadium TBA

October

1 Southern Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 2p

8 @ Alabama A&M Huntsville, Ala. Louis Crews Stadium 1p

15 Jackson State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 2p

22 @ Grambling State Grambling, La. Robinson Stadium 2p

29 Texas Southern Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 2p

(Homecoming 2011)

November

3 (Thu.) @ South Alabama Mobile, Ala. Ladd-Peebles Stadium TBA

12 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 1p

19 OPEN

December

10 SWAC Championship 2011 Birmingham, Ala. Legion Field 1p

VISIT: MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY

VISIT: MVSUDELTADEVILS

Alabama A&M continues search for men's basketball coach

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Alabama A&M could have a new men's basketball coach by the end of next week, a source close to the search committee told The Times Tuesday.

School officials, who were slowed by the recent tornado outbreak, are expected to conduct phone interviews with potential candidates today and Thursday. Based upon the phone interviews, the finalists will be brought on campus next week for additional interviews.

Two potential candidates,  former Butler High coach Jack Doss and Eugene Harris, who most recently served as the head coach at Florida A&M and has also coached at Auburn, Alabama and South Alabama, told The Times Tuesday afternoon they had not been contacted for phone interviews. John Douglas, who led Calhoun Community College to the junior college national championship game in ...

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

VISIT: ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY

VISIT: AAMUSPORTS

Alabama A&M baseball building on enthusiasm of coach Ed McCann

AAMU Coach Ed McCann

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- He had eight players and no uniforms. Mathematics, the rules of baseball and logic tell you that might not be the most ideal way to build a college baseball program.

"The uniforms had vanished in the middle of the night," said first-year Alabama A&M baseball coach Ed McCann of the situation he inherited. And, as for his office, "it was early-auction furniture. It looked like it came over on the Mayflower."

That Alabama A&M has a baseball team may be news to some. That is has a chance to reach the Southwest Athletic Conference tournament by winning two of three against Jackson State in the next two days may be more shocking news. Even, he will confess, to Ed McCann.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.
VISIT: ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
VISIT: AAMUSPORTS

Jury: Grambling State owes Coach Spears nearly $600,000

Alcorn State Coach Melvin Spears

An East Baton Rouge Parish jury awarded former Grambling State University head football coach Melvin Spears Jr. nearly $600,000 on Friday after finding the school breached his contract when it fired him in late 2006.

Spears, who guided Grambling to the Southwestern Athletic Conference and black college national titles in 2005, was named head football coach at Alcorn State University earlier this year.

“It’s a great opportunity to be vindicated. I’m elated,’’ Spears, 51, said of the verdict by a jury of nine men and three women.

The panel voted unanimously to award Spears $449,500 for breach of employment contract and tacked on $11,000 in penalty wages and $139,000 in attorneys’ fees.

Spears wins lawsuit against Grambling State

Baton Rouge, LA — Former Grambling State head football coach Melvin Spears Jr. was awarded nearly $600,000 by a jury that ruled the school breached his contract when he was fired in 2006.

Spears had a five-year contract when the university believed it could fire him with cause after the third season due to an NCAA investigation. However, the NCAA didn't find any major violations.

Spears, who was 20-14 at Grambling State and led the Tigers to Southwestern Athletic Conference and black college national titles in 2005, was named head coach at Alcorn State, also a SWAC school, earlier this year.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Surging Texas Southern tops Southern Jaguars

As Texas Southern coach Michael Robertson emerged from a postgame huddle Sunday at Lee-Hines Field, he carried three things — his trademark slow-motion stroll, two weekend victories under his belt and the kind of grin money can’t buy. This, Robertson concluded, had been a nice trip to Baton Rouge.

It wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t have to be. It simply served as affirmation that the Tigers can compete with, and defeat, any opponent they face in the upcoming Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.

Sunday afternoon, TSU scored four runs in the sixth inning and got a standout performance from starting pitcher Abel Flores en route to a 5-3 victory — one that gave the Tigers two wins over Southern on the final weekend of conference play.

Box Score

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Southern, TSU split doubleheader

Baton Rouge, LA - During his customary postgame huddle with his Southern baseball team, longtime coach Roger Cador was animated Saturday afternoon — more animated than usual, which, for him, is quite a lot.

His voice boomed and echoed off the walls at Lee-Hines Field, where the Jaguars had just split a doubleheader with Texas Southern in their final regular-season Southwestern Athletic Conference series. Cador clenched and pumped his fists as he spoke. He was, if nothing else, passionate about the message he delivered, whatever it was.

But as he walked off the field, Cador said, Saturday wasn’t so bad.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

VISIT: SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE
VISIT: GOJAGSPORTS

ASU women taste first NCAA action today at Daytona Beach, Fla.

The Alabama State women's golf team is one of 72 teams competing in three NCAA regionals throughout the country today. And while teams such as Alabama, UCLA and Southern California dream of winning a national championship, the local golfers are happy making history with their first NCAA appearance.

"I saw the list of the schools that are going to regionals and they are the top schools in the NCAA," Alabama State freshman Amelie Buhl said. "I think it's a great opportunity for us to play in the same group. They're really good schools. I don't have any expectations for us. We've already achieved our goal."

A team comprised largely of first- and second-year players earned a bid to an NCAA regional by capturing the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship in Louisiana in mid-April. A week later, the Hornets made history again by winning the National Women's Collegiate Golf Championship...

Hornet Golf Teams in National Tournaments This Week

The Alabama State women's and men's golf teams will compete for national championships this week, both in the state of Florida.

The 2011 SWAC Women's Golf Champion Lady Hornets will make their first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament and will play in the East Regional in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The men's team, runners-up in the SWAC Tournament for the third straight year, will compete in the 25th annual PGA Minority Golf Championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

“It's time to just relax and play in control,” head coach Gary Grandison said. “We'll strive to represent the school well, and represent the community well.”

The women's golf team will be one of 24 teams in the East Regional. The LPGA International's Legends Course (par 72, 6,271 yards) will challenge the teams in the three-day, 54-hole tournament.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.
VISIT: ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: BAMASTATESPORTS

Southern University: Living her dream

Sandy Pugh, Head Women's Basketball Coach
Interim Athletics Director, Southern University

As it turns out, Jessica Thomas ended up where she wanted to be all along.

The senior Northwest girls basketball standout inked a letter of intent to play basketball at Southern University next season Tuesday in the Northwest High library with her family and Lady Raiders coach Latosha Malone on hand.

"It's amazing to be where I am because of all the hard work I've put in and coach Malone helping me out a lot on everything I had to do to get to this point," Thomas said. "I had to do a lot of things, keep my grades maintained and stay focused in school and not worry about anything else."

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.
VISIT: SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE
VISIT: GOJAGSPORTS

Southern's Hall learned by example

Frazier Hall

Baton Rouge, LA - Hard work. It’s something every coach talks about, but something players more often learn by example.

Southern University senior first baseman Frazier Hall first began to grasp the concept of hard work watching his older brother Ben recover from brain tumor surgery a decade ago. Ben was 14 years old when a tumor was discovered in the left temporal lobe of his brain – the location that controls short-term memory.

The Hall family expected Ben to come out of brain surgery as a vegetable, sitting in wheelchair and eating from a tube for the rest of his life, not able to pursue his boyhood dreams of playing football.

“The family wouldn’t accept that so we countered that with absolute prayer and belief,” Hall said.  Miraculously, Ben was not only...

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.
VISIT: SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE
VISIT: GOJAGSPORTS

TSU Hires Former Oakland Raiders Assistant Coach

HOUSTON - Texas Southern University, reigning champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conferrence, hired former Oakland Raiders receivers coach Charles Coe as its new offensive coordinator. Coe was the Raiders receivers coach in 2007 and worked in personnel in 2008.

Prior to that Coe was head coach at Alabama State for four years where he was 29-18 and won two SWAC East Division titles and the 2004 league championship.

"I hired Charles because of his experience and because he is a very good teacher," said Kevin Ramsey, TSU interim head coach, in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. "Charles will help us upgrade our overall football IQ and he is respected throughout the coaching profession."

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.
VISIT: TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS

Alabama State women win SWAC track and field title

NEW ORLEANS, La.— The Alabama State University Lady Hornets held a 57-point lead heading into Sunday's final round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship and did nothing to deter from that lead as the Lady Hornets won their second consecutive SWAC Outdoor Championship in commanding fashion scoring 222 points, with the second place team only scoring 106 points.

“I am very happy for the girls and so happy for these seniors,” head coach Ritchie Beene said. “Words can't explain how happy I am for what they accomplished. We had the mindset of bending but not breaking, and that is exactly what the women did. When they were tired, they pushed through.”

The men entered today's final day in sixth place and made a push during the day to wind up the championship in third place. The Hornets were only seven points behind second-place Texas Southern.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

VISIT: ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: BAMASTATESPORTS

Women in Sports: International duo boost ASU golf

ASU Golf Coach Dr. Gary Grandison

Montgomery, AL - Amelie Buhl and Aileen Meredith are part of something special, something they never would have envisioned five years ago.

Both are major components in Alabama State's Southwestern Athletic Conference championship women's golf team, international players leading the surge at an HBCU (Historically black colleges and universities) program.

"It's a big change compared to where I'm from," said Meredith, a sophomore from Apia, Samoa. "At first, I wasn't expecting it to be an all-black school but after the first semester my freshman year, I adapted well. At first, everything was hard and difficult but now it's nothing to me. I'm used to it. I'm enjoying myself here."

ASU golf program soaring under Grandison

What a week for the Alabama State women's golf team. And what a week for their coach, Gary Grandison. Thanks to my good friend, Pete Cobb, and the folks at Montgomery Country Club, I've been paying close attention to the job Grandison's been doing at ASU for a couple of years now. Starting out with very little, he's produced a lot, and last week brought the best production of all.

On Tuesday, the ASU women won the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament for the first time. That's as in, ever. But the Lady Hornets weren't finished.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.
VISIT: ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: BAMASTATESPORTS

Alabama A&M's Frank Kearse taken by Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins' Frank "Big Spoon" Kearse

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Alabama A&M defensive tackle Frank Kearse was selected by the Miami Dolphins Saturday in the NFL Draft. Kearse, taken in the seventh round, was the 231st player taken in the draft.

A 6-foot-4, 315-pounder, Kearse was a second-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection after managing 57 tackles, including 30 solos and 14 tackles for loss last season. Kearse is the first A&M player taken in the draft since Johnny Baldwin was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2007.

Savannah High grad Frank "Big Spoon" Kearse drafted by Miami Dolphins

Savannah High graduate Frank "Big Spoon" Kearse was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL draft on Saturday night. Kearse, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound defensive tackle, attended Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Ala.

Kearse said he was watching NFL Network at his Savannah home when he received a phone call from the Dolphins about 10 seconds before his name appeared on the television screen.

Alabama A&M's Frank Kearse taken by Miami Dolphins

Excerpt:
A captain throughout the 2009 and 2010 season, Kearse was a second-team All-SWAC. He finished with 33 tackles, a career high 12 tackles for loss for 41 yards (11th in SWAC), 3.5 sacks for 41 yards, 3 quarterback hurries, a fumble and a forced fumble. Kearse was one of the four players to block a kick attempt. In 2008, he had 30 total tackles (nine solo), 3.5 tackles for loss (14 yards), 1.0 sacks (10 yards), two interceptions (six yards), and one pass break-up.

He was the only Southwestern Athletic Conference football player taken during the 2011 NFL draft.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.
VISIT: ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
VISIT: AAMUSPORTS

Southern Jaguars Splits, Wins Western Division Championship

PINE BLUFF, Ark. — After losing the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Southern baseball team turned to junior right-hander Brian Foster with a chance to win the series. Foster, who won his first start of the season at Jackson State eight days earlier, responded.

Foster got Southern through seven innings in Saturday’s second game, then made way for closer Cody Hall in a 9-2 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff to take the three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference series. The win, combined with a pair of Grambling losses at Prairie View, gave Southern the Western Division championship.

Foster, who improved to 2-0 since moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation, helped the Jaguars get back on track after a 10-6 loss to the Golden Lions in Saturday’s first game.

Box Score: UAPB 10, Southern 6

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

VISIT: SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE
VISIT: SUJAGUARS
VISIT: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF
VISIT: UAPBLIONSROAR

Early outburst leads SU by UAPB, 15-10

PINE BLUFF, Ark. — The Southern baseball team didn’t get a sparkling effort from its pitching staff Friday. But the Jaguars got enough of what they needed — from reliever Daniel Garcia, from its solid defense and from its suddenly potent offense.

In the opener of a three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division series, Southern erupted for 14 runs in the first four innings and held off Arkansas-Pine Bluff for a 15-10 victory. It was the first time the Jaguars scored 15 or more runs since March 12, when they opened a three-game road series at Prairie View with a 17-5 win.

It was also Southern’s first game with 10 or more runs since March 27, when the team defeated UAPB 10-7 to complete a three-game sweep in Baton Rouge. Frazier Hall, Wilmy Marrero and B.J. Rowry, the Nos. 3-5 hitters, combined to go 8-for-15 with seven RBIs.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

VISIT: SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE
VISIT: SUJAGUARS
VISIT: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF
VISIT: UAPBLIONSROAR

Tahoma High's Sammii Jimenez signs on the dotted line with Texas Souther University

Covington, Washington - Tahoma High's Sammii Jimenez signed on the dotted line Monday afternoon.  Jimenez, a senior pitcher for the Bears fastpitch team, committed to play on scholarship at Texas Southern University located in Houston, Texas.

She celebrated with teammates, friends and family at Tahoma as she signed the paperwork. Jimenez plans to major in education. She hopes to teach kindergarten. "They have the major that I'm looking for," she said. "It also had a family feel and I love the atmosphere."

Texas Southern is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the SWAC. "I went down there in January... and I loved it," she said. "The weather was perfect. I loved it."

SIGNING PHOTOS

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.
VISIT: TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS

2011 Prairie View A&M Spring Football Game Highlights

Highlights of the 2011 Prairie View A&M Spring Football Game and interview with head coach Heish Northern after the game. The Panthers wrapped up spring practice on Friday, April 15 with its annual Purple & Gold Game at Blackshear Field in Prairue View, Texas. Log on for more information at www.pvpanthers.com.



VISIT: PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY
VISIT: PVPANTHERS

Alcorn State's Riley last-minute pitch lands Luckett

Alcorn State lands 4-Star Recruit in LeAntwan Luckett

Lorman, MS - LeAntwan Luckett admits he knows nothing about the glory days of Alcorn State basketball. "No clue," said the Dandy Dozen senior guard from Ridgeland High School. And he's also quick to point out Alcorn was nowhere on his recruiting radar just a month ago.

But just two weeks after Alcorn named Provine's Luther Riley as its coach, Luckett signed with the Braves on Wednesday. "I wanted to make a difference and bring something back to Alcorn and build the program with Coach Riley," said Luckett.

Luckett is rated the 77th best senior (and No. 20 shooting guard) in the country, according to rivals.com. Luckett said his final four choices were Alcorn, Mississippi State, Tennessee and TCU. A late-minute sales pitch from Riley swayed him.

Riley Signs Wendy's Heisman Luckett and More

ALCORN STATE, MS – Alcorn State head basketball coach Luther Riley had to start recruiting athletes to become players immediately after bring named new head coach and is proud of his first recruited class.

Riley announces the signing of five and one who will perform via an academic scholarship. Those signed on Wednesday to attend Alcorn State are LeAntwan Luckett of Madison County, Brandon Givens of Ellisville, Michael Willis of Nashville, TN, Jarvis Moore of Cleveland, MS, Anthony Evans of Greenville and Tyson Tufono of Jackson's Bailey Magnet H.S.

Luckett is a 6'4 combo guard who avenged 19.8 points and 9.7 rebounds his senior year while making the All State team. He is a four time All Madison County performer, two time All Metro who said, at his signing, that he is “BRAVE enough to make a difference at Alcorn State University.”

He is the son of Joe Luckett and Cynthia Clay and his coach was Roderick Davidson. “He is very athletic and can score from in and outside:” states Riley” “and he will make an immediate impact as we expect great things from him.”

Givens, a 6'-7" 220 pounder from Jones Junior College averaged 25.4 points and 9.2 rebounds the past season. Coached by Bubba Skelton, he was the MVP of the Junior College All Star Game, on the MS Junior College All Star team and a first team Mississippi Jr. College All American. Raised by his grandmother Littery Givens, Riley says that “he is a very good scorer and will come into this league and do well.”

Willis from Moorehead Jr. College stands 6'-8" and weighs 220 pounds. Averaging 12 points and 14 rebounds last season, Riley sees coach Derrick Fears player bringing fans out to home games. “He is a real athletic forward who will bring back excitement and energy to the reservation. He is a relentless player who competes night in and out.”

Moore, a 5'-11" 180 pound point guard, the son of Deborah and Aaron Moore, likes to be behind the steering wheel. “He is a fierce competitor who loves to run the show:” states Riley: “having the leadership abilities that breeds winning.” He was a Mississippi Jr. College All Star in 2011 and made the All Conference team.

Jarren Mallory Signs With Alcorn State



Luther Riley is transitioning from coaching high school basketball at Jackson's (Miss.) Provine high school to taking over Alcorn State University, a Division-1 program. On signing day, Riley made sure he brought in a  player he is familiar with. Jarren Mallory, a star at Provine high school is part of the first Riley recruiting class.  Playing for his former coach, is a major reason why Mallory chose Alcorn State.

"I don't know if I'm gonna be able to start, but I know I'm gonna get a lot of playing time. He knows what I can do, I know how he can coach and we're gonna be on the same page," Mallory said.  Riley and Mallory finished 2010-11 at 24-3.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

By Alcorn State University Office of Sports Information
VISIT: ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: ASUSPORTS

Bravehawk chosen as new mascot at Alcorn State

Ole Miss won't be the only university with a new mascot on the football field this fall. After a quiet, months-long process, Alcorn State University has overwhelmingly selected the bravehawk as its new sideline spirit builder.

Alcorn athletic teams still will be known as the "Braves" but a costumed hawk will cheer alongside them, in a move similar to the University of Mississippi's plan to incorporate a new black bear mascot to represent the Rebels.

"We knew it was something that had to be done," said Corey Cooper, a senior radiation technology major from Vicksburg who served on the mascot committee. "The mascot sets the mood, so there was a big need for it." The effort to adopt a new on-field mascot at Alcorn has nearly mirrored ...

READ MORE, CLICK HERE

ASU Lady Hornets win Women's Collegiate Championship

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. – The 2011 SWAC Women's Golf Champion Alabama State Lady Hornets added another title to the mantle Sunday, winning the 17th National Women's Collegiate Golf Classic at Stone Mountain Golf Course.

The Lady Hornets finished with a 671 score in the 36-hole event, holding off a strong charge from second place South Carolina State (678). Hampton University (690) finished third.

ASU shot 344 on Sunday, not as strong as they did Saturday, while S.C. State improved by 24 strokes. However, it was not enough to take the title away from the Lady Hornets.

“I'm relieved” said Hornets' Gary Grandison said of winning the event for the first time. “It was definitely a tough round on a tough course. We struggled. We had a lot of bad breaks today. One of our players (Aileen Meredith) had five birdies and still shot in the 80s.”

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

VISIT: ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: BAMASTATESPORTS