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.

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SU names former Jaguars' Olympian Interim Track & Field Coach

Southern University has announced that former two-sport athlete and 2008 USA Olympian, Brian Johnson, has been named Interim Head Track & Field Coach. Johnson takes over after the resignation of interim head track coach, Tinnequo Lightfoot-Ross.

Ross had just completed her 10th year at Southern University and her first as interim head track & field coach. She took over the program after the long illness, and death of long-time SU Track Coach, Johnny Thomas. She previously served as an assistant coach for eight years.

"With our cross country student-athletes reporting next week, we needed to have someone in place as soon as possible", says Greg Lafleur, SU Athletic Director.

Johnson qualified for his first Olympic Team with his runner-up finish at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, where he posted his best jump of the year. His 2007 season was highlighted by wins at Baton Rouge and Rethymno, where he had his best mark of the season of 8.31meters/27-3.25. He is currently the #2 ranked long jumper in the US, and 9th worldwide.

Johnson enjoyed a banner season in 2006, highlighted by victories at the AT&T USA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, and ending the season ranked #3 in the U.S. by Track & Field News.

Three years after suffering a devastating knee injury, the former Southern University All-American became a world class long jumper when he captured the 2005 USA Indoor title, later that summer Johnson placed third at the USA Outdoor Championships with a leap of 8.09m 26-6.5. That effort qualified him for a spot on the Team USA roster for the 2005 World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki, where he barely missed qualifying for the final.

Johnson earned his degree in Political Science in 2003 from Southern University and A&M College. His wife, Pamela, is also a Southern U. graduate and they have a son, Kobe.

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Grambling State signs Anniston High standout

The Grambling State Tigers won the recruiting battle over Alabama State and Florida A&M University for the dual sports star, Darius Taylor.

Talent and options.

Recent Anniston High School graduate Darius "Boo" Taylor was skilled enough in two sports that he didn’t have to worry about which one would ultimately come through and fund his college education. Taylor, who stands at 6-foot-4, played basketball and track as a Bulldog. He was most widely known for his exploits on the hardwood, where he played a key role as Anniston’s sixth man during the Bulldogs’ run to the Class 4A state title in 2009. He emerged as a starter at forward in his senior season and averaged a double-double at 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Bulldogs advanced to the state semifinals, losing to eventual champions Ramsay.

Taylor was a first team selection to The Star’s Class 4A-6A All-Calhoun County team and was chosen to the Fab 5, a list that comprises the best five players in the paper’s seven-county, 30-plus school coverage area regardless of classification. However, Tuesday morning at Carver Community Center in West Anniston, Taylor signed a National Letter of Intent to run track at Grambling (La.) State University.

“I liked them both,” Taylor said when asked which sport he preferred growing up. “I wanted to play basketball, but I knew it didn’t matter because I liked doing both.” Taylor picked up the sports in middle school and became an elite competitor under basketball coach Schuessler Ware and former boys track coach Alex Wilson, who was among the family and friends present at the ceremony. He placed fourth in the state in the 400 meters this past spring. But it was after he ran the 800 meters in 1:58 to place third at the state meet in Gulf Shores that he began to garner the attention of college coaches.

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Southern University women dominate in sprints

Friday night, as the first day of the 51st annual Davenport-Milburn Pelican Relays wound down, only a few dozen people filled the stands at A.W. Mumford Stadium. By Saturday morning, the west side of the stadium was almost full, packed with parents, coaches, fans and loads of high school, college and club teams who came for the second day, when the event picked up steam. Were anybody so inclined, he could have watched 11 hours of track and field.

One of the day’s highlights, however, came during college sprints, where the Southern women dominated a field that included Grambling, Mississippi Valley State and Southern-New Orleans. One day after sweeping the women’s 200-meter dash, the Lady Jaguars swept the 100 meters. Jazzmin Sims finished first with a time of 12.05 seconds, followed by Lambreche Odeh (12.29) — running in the 100 for the first time. Teammates Sierra Richard (12.59) and Kayante Parker (12.81) were third and fourth, respectively.

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Alabama State dominates SWAC indoor meet

Sunday was a day of domination for the Alabama State track and field program as the Hornets swept to the men’s and women’s team titles at the Southwestern Athletic Conference Indoor Track Championships at LSU’s Carl Maddox Field House. On the men’s side, Alabama State took control after scoring 16 points in the 60-meter hurdles, and never relinquished the lead. The Hornets went on to score 124 1/2 points to outdistance defending champion Grambling at 86 2/3. Southern freshman Micah McCulloch placed third in the high jump, triple jump and long jump, and was named the outstanding field performer. His efforts helped the Southern men place third with 70 1/3 points.

For the Alabama State women, the only contest was to see who might collect the most individual wins as they rolled to victory with 220 points. Jackson State was the closest challenger with 104 points, well ahead of the Southern women who were seventh with 39. In defending their 2009 indoor title, the Lady Hornets picked up eight individual firsts to go with a win in the distance medley relay. Second-year Alabama State coach Richard Beene was almost too happy for words following the dual championships.

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Warren Central's Collins signs with University of Arkansas Pine Bluff

UAPB Golden Lions signee "ReeRee" Collins maintains a 3.89 GPA and hold school records in the 800, 1600, 3200 and 4000 meter races. Her best recorded times are 400-58:46, 800-2:17, 1600 - 5:14, 3200-12:03, 4K-15:50 and 5K-18:42.

Vicksburg, MS - With a full ride in hand, Warren Central High School track and cross country standout Condrea "ReeRee" Marie Collins is running her way to the University of Arkansas - Pine Bluff. Collins signed across country and track athletic scholarship with the Golden Lions on Thursday in front of her parents, Derrick and Connie Collins, and Warren Central’s cross country coach Chad McMullin.

Collins said it was not a hard decision to sign with Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Golden Lions won the 2009 SWAC cross country championship for the first time in school history and also earned a bid to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Southern Regional meet.

“They gave me the best scholarship. Coach (Curtis) Pittman has been after me since my sophomore year,” Collins said. “They offered me a full ride, including tuition and no out-of-state fees.” Collins will compete in both cross country and track and field for the Golden Lions. “I loved my visit there,” Collins said. “They are going to work me pretty hard. For cross country, their runners put in 60 miles a week.” Collegiate cross country competes in the fall and track performs in the spring, so Collins will have no problem doing both. She said she expects to run the 800 meters and the 1,600 meter relay for Arkansas - Pine Bluff.

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GSU, ASU win SWAC track

The Grambling men and Alabama State’s women took home team titles at the Southwestern Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field championships on an afternoon when extracurricular activities caused a delay during the meet’s final day. The men’s competition was marred by a scuffle that broke out in the stands between the Southern and Jackson State squads following the 60-meter hurdles.

The cramped field-house seats, populated mainly with coaches and athletes, had meet officials scrambling to restore order. At the time, JSU and Southern were in second and third place, respectively, but both men’s squads were ultimately disqualified from the championship. All finishes by both men’s teams were deleted, with lower finishes moved up and point totals recalculated.

“I am extremely disappointed by today’s incident,” SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said in a statement released Sunday evening. “Championship events are to celebrate and reward the achievements of our student athletes. Today, the actions of those involved in the altercation have not exemplified that competitive spirit of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and its member institutions. This behavior is unacceptable, and we will investigate completely before taking further disciplinary action.”

SWAC Indoor Track and Field Results

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SU's House looking to qualify in long jump

Southern University sophomore Jason House was a last-minute addition to the pool of high jumpers competing for three spots on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.

House, the 2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference champion in the high jump both indoors and outdoors, gets his first chance to claim a spot tonight when qualifying for the men’s high jump at the Olympic trials begins at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The high jump is slated to get under way at 9:25 p.m. CDT.

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Former SU Jaguar leaps his way onto US Olympic Team

Brian Johnson earns US Olympic Team Spot in Long Jump

Willie Davenport, Rodney Milburn, and now, Brian Johnson -- SU Olympians. Brian Johnson solidified his name in Southern athletic lore forever, as he finished second in the long jump today at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, OR.

Johnson had the leading jump on the trials heading into today's long jump finals. On Friday, Brian leaped 8.09m (26-06.50 ft), outdistancing eventual winner, Travell Quinley, by 3 inches.

On Sunday, Trevell Quinley lept 8.36m (27-05.25 ft) to take the win over Johnson, who had a second place jump of 8.30m (27-02.75 ft), while Miguel Pate finished third.

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A&M regaining indoor track teams

Two years after eliminating men's and women's indoor track, Alabama A&M athletics director Betty Austin said the school will bring back the sports. The sports were cut in an attempt to balance the budget, but Austin said a series of meetings with the student-athletes compelled her to put the sports back in place.

"I started a series of conversations with the students in April and asked them what we could do to strengthen their programs, and out of that, the track athletes requested we bring back indoor track," Austin said. "You can't do everything they ask you to do, but I thought the things that they said were legitimate."

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UAPB Golden Lions Roaring Abroad for Track Signees

The Arkansas Pine Bluff men’s and women’s cross country track-and-field squads recently signed eight student-athletes, according to Golden Lions’ head coach Curtis Pittman. Kenyan natives Magabo Damasin (Thika, Kenya) and Boniface Yator (Kabarnet, Kenya) will be joining UAPB men’s cross country teams in the fall. Both athletes specialize in the 1,500- and 5000-meter runs and cross country.

Pittman also signed Mathias Haller of Badeu-Wuerttemberg, Germany. Haller is expected to run the 400-meter, 800-meter and cross-country.

For the women’s team, Shelleyka C. Rolle of Freeport, Bahamas signed to run the 400 and 800. Kericho, Kenya native Gladys Cheronah Rob rounds out the Kenyan natives, while Papua, New Guinea’s Betty Burua signed to run the 400 and 800. Rob will run the 1,500-meter, 5,000-meter and cross country.

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Southern University's House setting bar high at championships

In the two most important meets of the season, Southern high jumper Jason House has added a certain dramatic flair to the end of his performance. But it’s not the kind of dramatics House, a sophomore, wants in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which begin Wednesday at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

In the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championships in April and the NCAA Mideast Regionals two weeks ago, House had to come up with a clutch jump just to stay alive in the competition. House, a native of Laurel, Miss., was down to his final try at 6 feet 10 inches when he cleared the bar. He went on to win the title at 7-1, which turned out to be the second-best jump in the NCAA Mideast Region this spring.

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Bryant High's Patrick earns scholarships to Alabama State

TUSCALOOSA Joe Patrick learned a few things about priorities in his life during his career at Paul W. Bryant High School. Patrick capped his senior season by accepting academic and athletic scholarship offers from Alabama State University in Montgomery.

Patrick, who stands 5-foot-9, finished second in the high jump in the AHSAA meet by clearing a height of 6-6. Patrick ran in the 4x800-meter relay during sectional competition. He said he’d like to be a versatile performer in college.

It feels great just to know I’ve done a lot for myself with the help of my parents, the track team and God,” Patrick said. “It feels great to know I’ve lifted a burden off my parents so they don’t have to pay anything.

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Copperas Cove's Cotton signs with Southern U.

COPPERAS COVE, Texas – Anthony Cotton became the first Copperas Cove athlete in at least 15 years to ink a scholarship primarily for track.

On Thursday morning, Cotton signed his national letter of intent to pole vault for Southern University, a Division I school in track located in Baton Rouge, La. The senior was all smiles as he soaked in the fact that he will get to go to college and do what he loves.

The choice eventually came down to Southern and Texas State, but Cotton was wowed by the family atmosphere in Baton Rouge. "When I went down there for my visit, everything about it screamed family and closeness," he said. "Being from Cove, that's what we're all about, that's what we preach."

Cotton also said academics played a role in his choice. He thought Southern placed an emphasis on being a student, which was an important issue for the pole vaulter. "You're a student first and an athlete second (at Southern)," Cotton said. They're (Southern) so adamant about that and it appeals to me greatly." Cotton plans on pursuing a degree in engineering, either mechanical or electrical.

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Grambling signs Missouri's Darwin Price

Photo: Normandy's Darwin Price competes in the 1600-meter run at last Saturday's Marion Freeman Invitational. (photo: Paul Kopsky/STLtoday Prep Sports)

It's hard to know where to start when writing an article about Saint Louis, Missouri Normandy High School senior Darwin Price.

Price, one of the top amateur boxers in the country, is competing in track and field. Perhaps it's more accurate to say he's dominating track and field - at least the long-distance events.Heading into this past weekend, Price, the North Suburban Journals Athlete of the Week, had the best St. Louis area times in the 800 meters (1:54.57), 1600 meters (4:17.50) and the 3,200 meters (9:24.66).

His next big challenge will be college. Thanks to his 3.875 grade point average, Price earned a scholarship to Grambling State University in Louisiana, where he plans to compete in cross country, track and field and somehow also try to keep his boxing skills up. "I'm very excited," he said of going to Grambling. "I'm ready to go. No offense to my family, but I'm ready for something new."

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Conference marks fall at SWAC meet

A handful of conference records fell by the wayside Saturday as the 2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships got under way at Carl Maddox Field House with field events, relays and the preliminaries of several sprints.

The meet concludes with events starting at 8 a.m. today.

New records were set in both 3,000-meter events, the women’s 400, the women’s 800, the men’s 200 and both distance medley relays.

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