Virginia Union University football opens season today

Richmond, VA - Kevin Grisby knows he's lucky to have a job. On May 9, his position as head football coach at Saint Paul's was terminated when the school cut the athletics program to keep the school alive.

Players and coaches were left scrambling to find new teams. Virginia Union hired Grisby as defensive coordinator. Others weren't as fortunate. Some coaches haven't found jobs, yet. Some players are still without a team.

"Bad timing," Grisby said. "It was pretty tough on the kids and the coaches."



His job description includes installing a new defense at Virginia Union, transitioning to a new school and a new team and helping abandoned Saint Paul's players find new homes. His first chance to showcase his defense comes today, when Union hosts Saint Augustine's in the season opener at 2 p.m. The game was scheduled late because both teams were supposed to play Saint Paul's this year.

Grisby served as Union's defensive coordinator from 1997-2003. He was part of the 2001 squad that claimed the CIAA championship.

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No. 24 Saint Augustine's Falcons spoil JCSU Bulls' homecoming

Saturday was J.C. Smith's homecoming, but Walter Sanders' big day.

St. Augustine's tailback became the first Falcon to run for 1,000 yards since the program was revived in 2002 in a 34-24 CIAA South win against the Golden Bulls at McGirt Field. Sanders, Division II's third-leading rusher, ran for 208 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries to help No. 24 St. Augustine's (7-1, 5-0) win its sixth straight and remain tied for first in the division with Raleigh crosstown rival Shaw.

"Our offensive linemen came out ready to play because it was Johnson C. Smith's homecoming and we wanted to set an example ...

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New attitude lifts St. Aug's

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Several St. Augustine's football players arrived early to practice on Tuesday, pulling on shoulder pads, buckling chin straps and starting drills before coaches even started blowing whistles.

Pushing sleds, running sprints and dropping for push-ups are easier tasks on cool October afternoons. But more than weather, the Falcons' excitement at the drudgery of two-hour practices stems from their 4-1 record - the program's best mark since 2005.

Around mid-afternoon, players shift attention to their 3:30 p.m. practice, an undertaking in past years they accepted with a grunt and a sigh. Annoyance has been replaced with anticipation.

Another tough foe for Rams

Coach Connell Maynor has seen Winston-Salem State react positively to every situation it has faced this season, and his Rams will have a chance to show their strength again today.

WSSU — 6-0 overall, 4-0 in the CIAA and ranked 17th in the Division II coaches poll — will take on St. Augustine’s (4-1, 3-0) in a key CIAA Southern Division game at 6 p.m. at Bowman Gray Stadium.

“There’s a whole lot riding on it, and I think they are going to react the same way they’ve done since the season started,” Maynor said. “These guys are preparing every day, and no matter who the opponent is, we have to take care of our business. We are at home, so that should help us.”

CIAA Report: Virginia State, St. Augustine's Survive to Remain ...

Walter Sanders rushed for 243 yards and three touchdowns and St. Augustine's still needed to recover an onside kick with 18 seconds left to hold off Fayetteville State, 42-36, at Broughton High School in Raleigh Saturday.

The victory kept the Falcons (4-1, 3-0) unbeaten in conference play and helped them keep pace with the juggernaut called Winston-Salem.

The Broncos (1-4, 0-2) looked like the team that won the CIAA championship last year, at least on offense, compiling 376 yards to 394 for St. Augustine's.

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Saint Augustine's 20, Catawba 17

Salisbury, N.C. - For the second time in three years, St. Augustine's surprised Catawba College in the Indians' home opener at Shuford Stadium. The Falcons won behind two touchdown passes by Joaquin Green and a defense which held firm late. It all added up to a victory for the Falcons in their season-opener.

Walter Sanders clinched the win with a 23-yard scoring run on fourth down and inches with 2:04 left. Green, the 2009 CIAA offensive rookie of the year, was efficient at quarterback. He completed 14 of 22 passes for 202 yards. He tossed touchdown passes to Jone' Harris and Jamain Smith, whose 25-yard catch with 9:05 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Falcons a 14-10 lead which they would keep for good.

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Spencer, Bullard Take Over Basketball Reins at Saint Augustine's

Saint Augustine's has hired two former recruiters to take the helm of its men's and women's basketball programs after the sudden departures of the former head coaches less than two months ago. University president Dianne Boardley Suber announced that Ken Spencer will take over as men's coach and Rachel Sloan Bullard will be the new women's coach.

Both coaches are following tough acts and both have limited time to prepare for the new season.

Spencer replaces CIAA Coach of the Year Lonnie Blow Jr., who led the Falcons to the CIAA championship this past season. Blow resigned July 8 to become an assistant men's basketball coach at Old Dominion, an NCAA Division I school in Norfolk, Virginia.

Bullard will take the reins from ...

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Saint Augustine's defense shines in Falcons scrimmage

All-CIAA linebacker Mark Hall recorded nine tackles, including one sack, and an interception to highlight St. Augustine's intrasquad scrimmage Saturday at Emery Field.

The defense, led by Hall, collected five sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions during the two-hour morning scrimmage. The defense held the offense scoreless in the first half, but the offense responded with six touchdowns during red-zone situations in the second half.

"We showed good signs of stopping the run and throwing the football well in the red zone," Falcons coach Michael Costa said. "It was a good first scrimmage. We are starting to see everything come together that we have worked on in practice."

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Saint. Augustine's Falcons have more experience

After finishing the 2009 football season in third place with a 4-3 conference record, St. Augustine's will rely on veterans this season. The Falcons have back 17 starters and 38 lettermen in all from a team that produced a 4-6 record overall, and for the first time in five years, they will have stability at quarterback.

The team also has four returning All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association players: senior linebacker Mark Hall, senior offensive lineman Ricky Rodriguez, redshirt sophomore quarterback Joaquin Green and sophomore wide receiver Tyron Laughinghouse. Despite all the experience, the Falcons still have questions that need to be answered if they want to come out with more victories this season:

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Saint Augustine's men's basketball coach takes job at ODU‎

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Saint Augustine’s College men’s basketball coach Lonnie Blow Jr., has accepted an assistant coaching job at Old Dominion University and has left the Falcons’ program after two seasons. Blow, who this season guided the Falcons to its first CIAA conference tournament title since 1997, received an offer this week and decided to join head coach Blaine Taylor’s staff.

Lonnie Blow, Jr., previously coached for 11 seasons at Maury H.S., led Granby H.S. to a state title and served as an assistant coach at Norfolk State and Hampton University. Last season, he led the Saint Augustine's Falcons to a 27-5 record in his second year and was named CIAA Coach of the Year. The Falcons also compiled the highest GPA in the CIAA.

“I can confirm that,” Old Dominion senior associate athletic director Debbie White said in phone interview on Thursday. St. Aug’s athletics director George Williams said he learned earlier in the week that Blow had an offer and tried to make a counter-offer. He said he certainly tried to keep one of the best basketball coaches to lead their NCAA Division II program. “I try to bring the best people in and put the best package together for them,” he said. “But D-I, financially, we can’t handle those guys.”

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ODU adds Lonnie Blow to men's basketball staff‎

Saint Augustine's College Successfully Defends Division II National Track and Field Crown

St. Augustine's earns men's Division II track title ‎

Saint Augustine’s dominated the sprints to claim the NCAA Division II men’s track and field title Saturday at Johnson C. Smith’s Irwin Belk Complex. The Falcons ran away with the men’s competition on the third day, outscoring second-place challenger Abilene Christian 82 to 62. Central Missouri finished third with 38 points. Angelo State won the women’s crown with 87 points, besting 2009 champion Lincoln (Mo.'s) 73. Grand Valley State was third with 47.
The Falcons won their 31st NCAA crown overall behind Josh Scott, who won the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes. Scott also anchored the winning 4x400 relay team and ran on the winning 4x100 squad. The host Golden Bulls had two sprinters in the top four places in the 400 men’s meters. Junior Leford Green finished second with a time of 45.68 seconds, behind Scott’s 45.11.

James Howell of Angelo State clocked in at 45.95 to capture third. Freshman Akino Ming was the only first time competitor in the event and placed fourth with a time of 45.96.
JCSU’s Shermaine Williams won the women’s 100 hurdles for the second straight year by with a time of 13.14 seconds. Indira Spence of Adams State placed second at 13.15, followed by JCSU’s Rosemarie Carty in 13.37. Scott’s time of 45.11 seconds in the 400 is the 10th fastest in Division II history, and the 4x400 team’s time of 3:04.95 was the fastest in Division II this season. It was about two seconds faster than second-place Angelo State.

Saint Aug's men do it again on track

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Longtime St. Augustine's track and field coach George Williams held up his index finger as he took a photo with the members of his winning 4x400-meter men's relay team at the conclusion of the NCAA Division II Championships late Saturday at Johnson C. Smith's Irwin Belk Complex. The gesture signified that his men's relay team had won yet another title in its signature event (18th in the past 24 years) and that his team had won again, as well.

The Falcons, paced by their sprinters and jumpers, took their second consecutive NCAA Division II men's outdoor track and field title, and 11th overall, and Josh Scott cemented it when he crossed the line to give his relay the victory in 3 minutes, 4.95 seconds. "We don't think about winning as much as people think we do," said Williams, who took over the program in 1976 and has coached U.S. World Championship, World Cup and Olympic teams. "We just come to perform at our best. If we win, that's a blessing."

Saint Augustine's College athletic director and head track and field coach George Williams:

"I just take what I get and try to mold them the best way I know how," said Williams, whose team started the day with just five points but totaled 82 to beat runner-up Abilene Christian by 20.

"Whether we're at the top or the bottom, we know we did the best we could. That's all we could do." Central Missouri's men finished third with 38 points. Johnson C. Smith's men tied for 11th, and Queens finished tied for 23rd. Angelo State won the women's crown with 87 points, 14 more than 2009 champion Lincoln (Mo.). Grand Valley State was third with 47 points. Queens was sixth, Johnson C. Smith was 10th, and St. Augustine's was 11th.

D-II Outdoor Track Championships: view gallery

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