2012 Tennessee State University Football Schedule Released

2012 TSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE PDF 

Nashville, Tenn. - This fall brings a lot of excitement as the Tennessee State University Athletic Department announced its 2012 football schedule on Thursday.
The Big Blue will play 11 games and renews rivalries with three HBCU programs. TSU will also play five home games during the 2012 campaign.

TSU opens the season with long-time rival Florida A&M at LP Field in the 14th annual John Merritt Classic on Saturday, Sept. 1. The Rattlers and Tigers are renewing a rivalry that was briefly halted last season. September's meeting will be the 50th between the two historic programs.

The following weekend on Sept. 8, the Tigers face rival Jackson State for the 21st time in the 23rd annual Southern Heritage Classic presented by Fed Ex.

TSU reignites some historic memories in honor of the University's 100th centennial celebration. The Tigers welcome in-state rival Austin Peay to Hale Stadium, affectionately known as the Hole, on Sept. 15.



From there, Tennessee State visits Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 22 for the seventh time and the first meeting since 1987.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff and the Big Blue are meeting for the first time on the girdiron during the Tigers' annual Homecoming celebration on Sept. 29 at LP Field.

TSU resumes OVC action when Eastern Kentucky travels to Nashville on Oct. 6. The Tigers embark on a two game road swing at Southeast Missouri (Oct. 13) and Jacksonville State (Oct. 20).

Senior Day 2012 is slated for Oct. 27 when Tennessee Tech visits the Music City. The Tigers close out the season with trips to Murray State (Nov. 3) and UT Martin (Nov. 17).

Tennessee State is coming off 5-6 overall mark in 2011 and a fifth place finish in the OVC (4-4), moving up four spots from the 2010 season.

"We are very excited about the schedule this season," said TSU Athletics Director Teresa Phillips. "This schedule allows TSU to connect with some of our historic rivals, while rekindling fond memories of Hale Stadium. The team is headed in the right direction under head coach Rod Reed and we look forward to the 2012 campaign."

Season ticket prices and details, as well as game times will be announced at a later date.

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Track & Field Inks Four during Signing Period

 Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University Track & Field Director Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice announced the signing of four student-athletes during the recent National Letter of Intent signing period that began on Feb. 1.

Clairwin Dameus, Leslye Williams, Jerome Henderson and Quamel Prince all signed their National Letter of Intents to suit up for the Tigers during the 2012-13 academic year.

"I am excited about our incoming class," noted Cheeseborough-Guice. "We went after some strong student-athletes that will make a difference right away."

Dameus, a native of Boynton Beach, Fla., is known as a multiple event specialist. The Santaluces Community High School (Palm Beach County) product won a first place medal at the 2011 ESPN Rise Championships in Orlando. Dameus recorded personal bests of 19-6 ½ in the long jump and 14.50 in the 100-meter hurdles. The incoming freshman competed in the AAU National Junior Olympic Multis Championships and finished as state runner-up in the long jump.

View Dameus' video here.

Williams, a native of Nashville, joins the Tigerbelles after setting four school records at Martin Luther King Magnet School. The sprinter was an AAU National Qualifier in 2007, 2010 and 2011. She also claimed a state title in the 200-meter dash with a run of 24.92 seconds. Williams holds several regional championships in the 100-meter, 200-meter and both relay events.

Clarksville product Jerome Henderson joins TSU next season after competing in the AAU Junior Olympics on four occasions. Henderson won the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.74 at the 2011 Great Eight at Vanderbilt University. The Clarksville High football star also earned top-10 finishes in the TSSAA 100-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relays.

View Henderson's video here
Antioch's Quamel Prince captured the state title in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:51.27. Prince also clocked times of 48.71 in the 400-meter dash and 4:03.53 in the 1,500-meter run.

Coach Cheeseborough-Guice feels that these four additions along with others in the future will help continue the Flying Tigers and Tigerbelles' goal of reaching an OVC title.

"I think this adds another piece to the puzzle," said Cheeseborough-Guice. "This will help us continue to move forward and contend for an OVC Championship."

TSU Track & Field competes in the 2012 OVC Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Gentry Center on Feb. 24-25.

2012 TSU Track & Field Signees - Feb. 1 Signing Period
Clairwin Damues, Fr. - Sprinter - Boynton Beach, Fla. (Santaluces Community High School)
Quamel Prince, Fr. - Sprinter/Middle Distance - Nashville, Tenn. (Antioch High School)
Jerome Henderson, Fr. - Sprinter - Clarksville, Tenn. (Clarksville High School)
Leslye Williams, Fr. - Sprinter - Nashville, Tenn. (Martin Luther King Magnet School)

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU's Divens Signs NFL Contract with Tennessee Titans

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Former Tennessee State University football player Lamar Divens signed a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday.

Divens, who played for the Tigers in 2006 and 2007, signed an undrafted free agent contract with Baltimore in 2008. In the summer of 2011, he was released by the Ravens. The Fayetteville, Tenn., native signed a practice squad contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in December, but was a free agent this season. Divens has played in five NFL games during his four-year career.

At TSU, Divens played in 14 games and inked 46 tackles during his career. He also notched six tackles-for-loss during that span. For Lincoln County High School, Divens won 5A Mr. Football honors and was named first team All-State.

Divens joins four other Tigers already in the National Football League: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Philadelphia Eagles), Anthony Levine (Green Bay Packers), Cecil Newton (Baltimore Ravens) and Javarris Williams (Houston Texans).

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Covington Named adidas® OVC Co-Player of the Week

Courtesy: Sam Jordan / TSU Athletics

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State forward Robert Covington was named adidas® OVC Co-Player of the Week for Feb. 13 as announced by the league office on Monday.

Covington, a junior from Bellwood, Ill., averaged 16.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in TSU's victories over No. 7/9 Murray State and Tennessee Tech. From the field, Covington shot 52 percent (12-of-23) and hit 63 percent (5-of-8) outside the arch. He also notched three blocks, two assists and three steals.

Against Murray State, Covington scored 17 points and grabbed eight boards as TSU upset the nation's lone unbeaten. It also marked the first time TSU had defeated a nationally ranked opponent in the NCAA Division I era.

Covington followed up with 16 points and two rebounds in the win over Tennessee Tech. The victory over the Golden Eagles extended TSU's win streak to seven games, the longest since the 1994-95 season. Covington is averaging 17.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in 27 games.

The Player of the Week honor is the second of the season for Covington, who garnered the achievement on Nov. 21. Covington shared this week's award with Murray State guard Isaiah Canaan.

TSU (17-10, 10-4 OVC) hosts Jacksonville State (11-16, 6-7 OVC) in a 7 p.m. tip on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Tigers Steal One from 7th Rank Murray State

MURRAY, Kentucky  -  On February 9, 2012, the Tennessee State Tigers win against 7th Rank Murray State will go down in history as one of the greatest wins of all time as they stole the game from the Racers causing turnovers down the stretch. Led by Robert Covington’s 17 points and 8 rebounds, the Tigers won the way they have all season playing tough defense, rebounding strong, and getting the ball to their top scorers. Not intimidated by the undefeated Racers or its sellout crowd the Tigers simply played steady throughout even after an Isaiah Canaan three pointer put the Racers ahead by 13 points at the 14:45 mark of the second half.



Covington ended the game with four personal fouls and spent stretches on the bench. Without Covington, the Tigers bench scored 30 points to Murray State’s 8. The Tigers out rebounded the Racers by just 32 to 31, but made them count as a crucial rebound down the stretch helped maintain a close Tiger lead. Against a stingy defense Canaan scored 31 points for the Racers, who as a team were never able to get in rhythm with their scoring. In the final minutes both teams had turnovers and the Tigers missed crucial free throws that would have sealed the game early. In the end the Racers allowed the Tigers to steal the ball twice and they tossed their final opportunity to score out of bounds giving the ball and win to the Tigers.

READ MORE AT SPORTSEDIT.ORG

TSU Men's Basketball Receives National Recognition

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State's 72-68 upset victory over No. 7/9 Murray State put the nation on alert. The Tigers received numerous interviews from media outlets and below is some of the media coverage from the various outlets:

Articles

NCAA.com
CBS Sports
ESPN
Nashville City Paper


Highlights

ESPN Highlights
ESPN3 Replay
Fan Celebration - Fox 17
Fox 17 Highlights
TSU Post-game Comments - WPSD 26 Paducah

Photo Gallery
Coach John Cooper
College Sports Coast to Coast - Sirius XM Radio
ESPN Radio Sports Center
102.5 The Game First Quarter

Junior Forward Robert Covington
Yahoo Sports Radio Network

Courtesy: Tennessee State University Sports Information

VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS.COM 

TSU Lady Tigers begin three-game home stand with Tenn. Tech

GAMEDAY

The Tennessee State University women's basketball team will return to action at home when the Lady Tigers host Tennessee Tech in the first contest of a three-game home stint to close out the regular season. Game time vs. Tech is set for 5:30 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE
Tennessee State (8-17, 4-9 OVC) has dropped four out of its last five, including four straight. The Lady Tigers are recently coming off a, 66-56, loss to Murray State on the road. TSU has a 4-9 OVC mark and sits in eighth place in the standings. With a 5-5 home record this season, the Lady Tigers will look to add one to the win column and stay in the OVC tournament hunt against Tennessee Tech.

As a team, TSU is averaging 68.3 points per outing while shooting 36.5 percent from the field and 28.3 percent from beyond the arc. TSU is currently shooting only 65.9 percent from the free-throw line while committing an average of 18.7 turnovers per game.

TSU averages 43.8 rebounds, 12.9 assists and 8.2 steals per game.

LAST TIME OUT
Tennessee State dropped its fourth straight contest with a, 66-56, loss to Murray State on the road. The game was close throughout the contest until the Racers used a late second half push to grab a double-digit lead with two minutes left to play. TSU was unable to forge a comeback. The offense struggled for the second consecutive game as Jasmin Shuler led TSU with 14 points and Rachel Allen added 12.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Tennessee Tech (12-14, 8-4 OVC) is coming off a, 68-65, win over Austin Peay on the road. The Golden Eagles have won six of their last seven contests including two straight.

In Tech's most recent win over APSU, Tacarra Hayes led the team with 18 points while Jala Harris added 14. Rachel Glidden followed with 12 points.

Overall, the Golden Eagles average 63.3 points per game behind a .396 field goal percentage (.27 three-point range). Tacarra Harris leads TTU in scoring with 17.0 ppg while Jala Harris averages 13.6 points per outing. Brittany Darling is the team's leading rebounder with 6.4 rpg.

TSU vs. TENNESSEE TECH
Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech will meet for the 56th time in the long series history. The Golden Eagles lead the series, 55-10. Tech claimed the first meeting of the season, 80-71, over the TSU in the Eblen Center.

LAST TIME THEY MET (Jan.9, 2012)
The Tennessee State University women's basketball team battled the whole night but couldn't pull out the win in an, 80-71, loss to Tennessee Tech on the road Monday night in the Eblen Center.

Tennessee State (6-11, 2-3 OVC) shot 37.1 percent from the field but only managed a dismal 8.3 shooting percentage (1-of-12) from three-point range. Tennessee Tech (6-11, 2-2 OVC) knocked down 40.3 percent of its shots, including 31.3 percent (5-of-16) from beyond the arc.

Tayla Foster led TSU with 20 points and nine rebounds while Avery Jones scored 11.

Tech had three players to score in double figures led by Tacarra Hayes' 27. Jala Harris (22) and Brittany Darling (13) also posted double-digits.

Both teams committed 13 turnovers as TSU held a slight edge in rebounds, 45-44. The Lady Tigers made 23-of-62 (68.6 percent) from the free-throw line while the Golden Eagles went 25-of-36 (69.4 percent) from the charity stripe.

COVERAGE

TSU vs. Tennessee Tech will be shown on OVCsports.tv. Live stats will be available at tsutigers.com while fans can listen live at tsuradio.com.

TEAM LEADERS

Jasmin Shuler leads TSU in scoring with 15.1 ppg while Tayla Foster (9.8 ppg) and Destiney Gaston (7.3 ppg) round out the top three scorers for the Lady Tigers. Foster is pulling down a team-best 5.1 rebounds per game while Chelsea Hudson and Simone Hopes average 4.5 caroms per outing. Rachel Allen leads the team in assists while Gaston also paces TSU with 30 blocks.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
The Lady Tigers will have a week off before returning to action against Jacksonville State at home for Pink Zone. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18 in the Gentry Center.

TSU Golf Coach Chris Seibel - Tigers Update

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University head golf coach Chris Seibel talks about the golf team's recent workouts and outlook for the upcoming season.



COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATON

TSU Hale Stadium Renewal Kicks Off With Building Demolition

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – With the single pull of a backhoe bucket, Tennessee State University officially started the upgrades to Hale Stadium when demolition to the old ROTC building began today.

The demolition of the building, which has stood at the entry of the stadium since 1931, is the first project in a series of upgrades in preparation for football returning to “The Hole” during the Centennial Celebration.

“The slated improvements to the stadium will enhance the infrastructure necessary to support a return of football games to the stadium,” said Ron Brooks, Vice President of Facilities Management. “The improvements to this area of campus will have an immediate impact for our campus community as we look forward to creating an even more inviting place to hold events not only during the Centennial Celebration but for years to come.”

TSU old ROTC Building Demolition
 Photo Courtesy: TSU Media Relations

The demolition project is expected to take approximately six weeks. During that time, University officials ask that as a safety precaution, pedestrians use the opposite side of John A. Merritt Blvd.

Built in 1953, the “The Hole” was once an integral part of the TSU campus and a source of pride, legacy and tradition. Unfortunately the stadium fell into a state of disrepair, and since 1999, the Tigers have played their home games at LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans.

“We want to be able to bring that sense of pride and tradition back to ‘The Hole’” even if just for the Centennial year,” said Dr. Portia Shields, President of the University. “We’ll be working hard to be able to return that Saturday Night Tradition to our current students and recent alumni.”


Possible future plans for Hale Stadium released by TSU Media Relation on Sept. 29, 2011. TSU's NFL Hall of Fame DE Richard Dent has made his first financial donation earmaked for the renovations. He has a matching fund campaign in which he will match donations from other alumni under his Make a Dent Foundation, and will help fund the project.

The $1 million face lift of the stadium not only includes the demolition of the ROTC building, but also the installation of a temporary sound system and digital scoreboard, painting and general cleanup, as well as renting portable restrooms and concession areas. Seating capacity will also be increased with the addition of portable bleachers that will accommodate 4,000, bringing the total capacity to 16,000.

Two or three games will be played during the 2012 season. The first game is tentatively scheduled for September 15 against cross-town rival and Ohio Valley Conference opponent Austin Peay State University. Games that draw larger crowds, such as the John Merritt Classic and Homecoming, will still be played at LP Field.

“For our students,” said Shields, “this represents the better of two powerfully important worlds; a past to cherish and a future to fulfill.”



Courtesy: TSU Media Relations
VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS

About Tennessee State University

Tennessee State University (TSU), a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) and a 1890 land-grant institution, is Nashville’s only urban and comprehensive public University, as well as middle Tennessee’s first public Carnegie doctoral/research institution.

TSU consists of seven colleges: the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering, Technology & Computer Science, the College of Health Sciences, the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Public Service & Urban Affairs; and has a School of Graduate Studies and Research.

TSU offers 39 bachelor’s degrees, 23 master’s degrees and awards doctoral degrees in seven areas: biological sciences, computer information systems engineering, psychology, public administration, curriculum and instruction, administration and supervision and physical therapy.

Nearly 430 full‐time faculty and approximately 200 part‐time faculty serve a student population of more than 8,500 drawn from 42 states and 45 countries. More than 70% of the student population is African-American, while 22% is white. A growing number of Latino, Asian, and international students is also present at the University.

Tennessee State Track & Field Teams Travel East for UNC Tar Heels Dick Taylor Invitational

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Tennessee State University Flying Tigers and Tigerbelles compete in their third indoor track & field meet this weekend, Jan. 13-14, at the UNC Dick Taylor Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C.  The meet, located at the Eddie Smith Field House at UNC, is free and open to the public.

TSU had nine podium finishes at the 13th Annual Ed Temple Classic last Saturday, Jan. 7. This weekend, the Tigers will take their challenges to Chapel Hill and compete against 20 other collegiate programs. Among those participating include host North Carolina and other Division I programs such as Appalachian State, College of Charleston, Duke, Norfolk State, Richmond, Furman, UNC-Ashville and Western Carolina.  Other HBCU participating schools are: Virginia Union, Winston Salem State, Livingstone, Johnson C. Smith University, and Voorhees College

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA EDDIE SMITH FIELD HOUSE

The women's weight throw will start off competition on Friday, Jan. 13 at 3:30 p.m. The field events will conclude with the men's pole vault at 6 p.m. The women's 60-meter hurdle preliminaries will start the running events at 4 p.m. on Friday and finish with the men's distance medley relay at 6:55 p.m.

On Saturday, the women's high jump and triple jump start at 9 a.m. The running events begin with the women's 400-meter dash at 11 a.m.

TSU has several student-athletes with top marks in the OVC. Gabrielle Todd's time of 57.88 is first in the 400-meter dash and 44th nationally.

Arthur Combest' high jump of 6-8 (2.03m) is tops among the OVC men and tied for 34th in the NCAA.

Earlier this week, senior Daniecce Ward was named the OVC's Female Field Athlete of the Week. The Milwaukee, Wisc., product set career marks and the standard in the OVC in the long jump (5.72m/18-9 ¼) and the triple jump (11.80m/38-8 ¾). Her converted time of 8.68 in the 60-meter hurdles is tied for 26th in the country.

In the shot put, sophomore Brittani Logan threw a distance of 42-2 ¾ (12.87m) at the Ed Temple Classic for second in the league. Freshman Jamill Jackson's run of 1:58.37 in the 800-meter run ranks second in conference marks.

Results and a recap for this weekend's meet will be posted online at TSUTigers.com.

2012 REVISED Dick Taylor Invitational Meet Schedule (AS of 1/12/12)
Dick Taylor Heat Sheets

VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS

Courtesy: Tennessee State University Sports Information and Tarheelblue.com

TSU's Covington Scores 30 in Victory over Morehead State

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Robert Covington set a career-high 30 points to help Tennessee State snap a three-game losing skid with a 77-72 victory over Morehead State on Wednesday evening at the Gentry Center.

The Tigers (9-9, 2-3 Ohio Valley) and Eagles (8-10, 2-3 OVC) played back-and-forth in the first half. But TSU scored 13 points down the stretch to improve their OVC win streak at the Gentry Center to five games.

The Tigers shot 49 percent (23-of-47) for the game, out-rebounding the Eagles 30-to-27. TSU dished out 18 assists and tied a season-high with 13 triples.

Nashville native Wil Peters blocked a shot and proceeded to hit a trey at 6:18 to give the Tigers some momentum. Covington added a triple and Kenny Moore tallied two free throws to put the Tigers ahead of Morehead State in the final two minutes.

Covington finished with 30 points and eight rebounds. He added a block, a steal and an assist in 35 minutes of action. From the field, the junior finished 9-of-12. He set a career-high with seven made triples, surpassing his previous total of five against Siena on Nov. 13, 2009.

The 30 points by Covington was the most for a Tiger since Parker Smith managed 30 on Jan. 17, 2009.

Freshman guard Jay Harris had a breakout performance, tallying 12 points, an assist and a steal in 21 minutes. The Philadelphia product was 3-of-4 from the field.

Peters managed several milestones after draining three triples and scoring 12 points in the win. The senior's 115 made triples is two shy of reaching TSU's top-10 list for career made 3-pointers.

Peters played a game-high 37 minutes and eclipsed over 3,000 minutes played in his four-year career. In the assists column, Peters dished out a game-best six balls. He also recorded a career-best two blocks.

Patrick Miller and Jordan Cyphers each had seven points against the Eagles. Miller set a career-high with eight rebounds and dished out five assists.

At the half, the Tigers took their first lead in the locker room since the UT Martin game. TSU's 34-32 lead was helped by a 46 field goal percentage (13-of-28). TSU forced 10 Morehead State turnovers.

FINAL STATS



Covington led the Tigers with 14 points and Miller had four boards and four points in the first half.

The game went back-and-forth with the Tigers and Eagles within two during the first 12 minutes. TSU expanded its' lead to five after Covington drained a triple to put up TSU 30-25 with 5:09 left.

Milton Chavis added a layup for Morehead State to narrow the Eagles' deficit to 32-29 with 1:33 left. In the final seconds, Marsell Holden drained a triple to make it a 34-32 game at the half.

In the second half, the game again started out back-and-forth with the two squads trading jabs. Holden's triple tied the game at 41-41 with 15:12.

The lead changed on 16 occasions during the game and did so quite frequently in the second half. The Tigers' felt momentum swing their way when Peters blocked a shot and then drove down the court to drain a triple, making it a 64-60 game.

Morehead State would tie the contest again, but TSU used 13 points down the stretch to snap a current-three game losing skid and improve to 17-3 at the Gentry Center during the past two seasons.

TSU remains at home this Saturday when the Tigers host SIUE at 7:30 p.m. Saturday is Kid's Day at the Gentry Center and all kids K-12 will receive free admission to the game.

VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY

VISIT: TSUTIGERS

VISIT: OVCSPORTS

Courtesy: Tennessee State University Sports Information

TSU, PV coaches 'go way, way back'

HOUSTON, Texas - Newly hired Texas Southern football coach Darrell Asberry ran into a good friend — and new rival — while walking toward the podium before Tuesday's introductory news conference at TSU's H&PE Arena.  Asberry had a warning for his colleague: "Heish, you're on the clock now."

Prairie View A&M coach Heishma Northern smiled back at him. Asberry and Northern will have plenty of time to match wits while battling for recruits in the coming weeks and preparing to face each other in the season-opening Labor Day Classic, but the two put competition aside on Tuesday as Northern congratulated a comrade on landing his first Division I head coaching job.

"Heish is one of my best friends," Asberry, 39, said. "We go way, way back."

READ MORE

Spots Still Available for TSU Softball Camp

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Head Coach Jeff Dabney and Tennessee State softball are hosting two clinics for players eight years old and up. The All Skills Winter Exposure will be held on Saturday, January 14, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Tiger Softball Complex. The Hitting and Slapping Clinic will be from 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 15.

The All Skills Exposure will feature instruction on all phases of the game. They will participate in defensive and offensive training. Coach Dabney and his staff will break it down into infield, outfield, pitchers and catchers in the defensive areas. They will also have base running instruction along with hitting and short game instruction.

The Hitting and Slapping clinic is a one day session where campers will focus on all the main points of hitting and slapping. They will be exposed to drills and live hitting that can be used in everyday practice and help in becoming a better all around hitter. There will be plenty of hitting going on so batting gloves are recommended.

For more information contact assistant coach Samantha Buckner at 615-963-1883 or sbuckner@tnstate.edu.

TSU Softball Winter Camps Registration Form
VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS

Photo and Article Courtesy Tennessee State University Sports Information

Tennessee State Lady Tigers travel to Cookeville to face Tech

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Tennessee State University women's basketball team will continue OVC action on the road Monday, Jan. 9 at Tennessee Tech. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Eblen Center.

GAME NOTES
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
LIVE AUDIO

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE

Tennessee State (6-10, 2-2 OVC) picked up its first road win of the season with a, 67-57, victory over Jacksonville State in OVC action on Saturday afternoon in Pete Mathews Coliseum. The Lady Tigers improved to 2-2 in league play and 1-6 on the road.

As a team, TSU is averaging 68.4 points per outing while shooting 36.9 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from beyond the arc. TSU is currently shooting only 64.2 percent from the free-throw line while committing an average of 19.3 turnovers per game.

TSU averages 42.6 rebounds, 13.6 assists and 8.9 steals per game.

LAST TIME OUT

Tennessee State snapped a six-game road losing skid on Saturday by defeating Jacksonville State, 67-57, in the Pete Mathews Coliseum. The Lady Tigers won their first road game of the season and improved to 2-2 in conference play. Tayla Foster led TSU with 14 points and 11 rebounds while Alana Morris scored 12. Jasmin Shuler finished the game with 11 points while Rachel Allen recorded six steals.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Tennessee Tech (5-11, 1-2 OVC) had dropped four straight contests until most recently defeatng Morehead State, 68-50, on its home floor. With the win, the Golden Eagles picked up their first conference win of the season.

In TTU's win over Morehead State, Jala Harris led the team with 18 points while Taccarra Hayes added 17. Molly Heady registered 13 points for the Golden Eagles while Hayes grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

Overall, the Golden Eagles average 61.3 points per game behind a .379 field goal percentage (.244 three-point range). Two players average double-figures in scoring led by Tacarra Hayes' 16.9 points per game. Jala Harris averages 15.3 points per outing Brittany Darling grabs 6.5 rebounds per game.

TSU vs. TENNESSEE TECH

Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech will meet for the 55th time in the long series history. TTU holds a 44-10 advantage over TSU and claimed both of last year's meetings with a 69-55 victory in the Gentry Center and a 76-62 win in the Eblen Center.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Cookeville, Tenn. --- The final score wasn't indicatve of how hard TSU played in a, 76-62, loss to Tech. TSU battled the whole night but TTU proved to be too much down the stretch. TSU's leading scorer was out due to injury yet five players managed to post double-digits led by Haynes' 14 points. Gaston added 13 while Stafford had 12. Morris (11) and Hopes (10) also registered double-figures.

COVERAGE

TSU vs. Tennessee Tech will be broadcast on OVCsports.tv. Fans can also follow live stats on ttusports.com.

By Tennessee State University Sports Information
VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS 

Tennessee State University Track & Field Teams Open 2012 Season with Ed Temple Classic

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  - The Tennessee State University men and women's track and field teams jump started the 2012 season on Saturday by hosting the 13th annual Ed Temple Classic, held on the Wilma Rudolph Track inside the Gentry Center.

TSU competed against nine other teams which included Alabama A&M, Austin Peay, Chattahoochee Tech, Florida A&M, Jackson State, Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee, Savannah State, and Western Kentucky.

For the Tigerbelles, the 4x400m relay team who consisted of Ashontae Jackson, Diera Taylor, Kya Riley, and Gabrielle Todd finished in third place with a time of 3:57.28.

Individually, Todd finished first in the 400m dash with a time of 57.88. Kya Riley finished in seventh with a time of 1:00.48

Charita Harris placed seventh in the women's 800m run with a time of 2:27.27

Daniecce Ward earned a third place finish with her effort in the high jump with a mark of 5-04.25 (1.6m) and later placed sixth in the long jump and the triple jump with markings of 18-09.25 (5.72m) and 37-11.50 (11.57m)

Tiffany Harris finished with time of 12:09.32 in the 3000m run, which landed her in sixth place. Later in the day she recorded a time of 6:08.83, which was good for tenth place in the one-mile race.

Brittani Logan registered a third place finish with a mark of 42-02.75 (12.87m) in the shot put and a second place finish in the weight throw with a showing of 49-02.50 (15.00m)



For the Flying Tigers, Arthur Combest placed in fifth in the 55m hurdles with a time of 7.62. Combest also earned a first place finish in the high jump with a mark of 6-08.00 (2.03m).

Adrien Hill managed a fifth place spot in the long jump with a mark of 23-01.75 (7.05m) and a seventh place finish in the triple jump with showing of 44-00.00 (13.41m)

Alex Griffin threw a mark of 45-06.25 (13.87m) in the shot put, which was good for fourth place. Griffin later went and placed eighth in the weight throw with a showing of 31-10.25 (9.71m).

TSU had 3 top-ten finishes in the 200m dash. Micheal Johnson came in fourth with a time of 22.53. LeQuinn Davis placed sixth with a mark of 22.61, and Lamonte Burton finished tenth with a time of 22.80.

Johnson had a strong showing in the 400m dash, registering a third place showing with a mark of 50.04. Adivan McDaniel managed a sixth place finish with a time of 9:36.73 in the 3000m run.

In the 800m race, Jamill Jackson earned a second place spot with a time of 1:58.37.

Next up, TSU will head to Chapel Hill when they will compete in the Dick Taylor Invitational, hosted by the University of North Carolina, January 13-14.

2012 ED TEMPLE CLASSIC RESULTS

Courtesy: Tennessee State University Sports Information
VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS

Texas Southern introduces new football coach Asberry

HOUSTON, Texas - Expectations will probably be modest for Darrell Asberry's first year as Texas Southern's football coach. But that didn't stop athletic director Charles McClelland from offering a lofty target during Tuesday's news conference at TSU's H&PE Arena.

"I'm not going to put too many expectations on coach Asberry, other than he has to win at least three (conference) championships during his tenure within a five-year time period," McClelland said jokingly before introducing Asberry as the program's 15th coach.

Three championships in five years might seem like a tall order, but not for someone with Asberry's background.

Asberry was hired by TSU on Dec. 22 after going 40-25 in six seasons at NCAA Division II Shaw. The Bears won three Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships during Asberry's last five seasons, making appearances in the Division II playoffs in 2007 and 2010.

READ MORE

Message to the MEAC: Let Them Play!!

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Just a few nights ago the Florida A&M Lady Rattlers visited and defeated the Tennessee State Lady Tigers. Beside the significance of old rivalries playing for the first time in years this game looked a lot like a MEAC game, but not in a good way.

Hopefully, it will not be an indicator of things to come. Having raised the level of media exposure, quality of coaching and recruiting in the league, the MEAC has made lady basketball well worth watching if the referees will let them play.

Basketball is a physical game. When you play some of the better teams during the non conference schedule you either learn to play physical or you’re not going to be competitive, which brings me to the Tennessee State versus FAMU game. It started out physical and you could tell that at least FAMU was a bit low on energy not doing their usual good job on the boards. Even without the normal high level of play there were few penalties in the first half.

The second half, however, more than made up for it. All of a sudden one particular referee—and these are Ohio Valley Conference refs—must have felt he wasn’t getting his quota and he began calling touch fouls. The game slowed and quality of play began to resemble high school competition.

READ MORE

Tennessee State drop third straight with loss to Florida A&M



Shuler led TSU with 17 points vs. FAMU
Courtesy: Sam Jordan / TSU Athletics

 NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Four Lady Tigers scored in double-digits but it wasn't enough as Tennessee State University dropped its third straight contest in a, 90-75, loss to Florida A&M University Thursday night in the Gentry Center.

Tennessee State (4-8) committed 25 turnovers in the contest while Florida A&M (7-5) recorded 21.

Jasmin Shuler led TSU with 17 points while Kim Haynes tallied 16. Tayla Foster registered 15 points while Alana Morris chipped in 12. Donyeah Mayfield came off the bench to grab a team-high nine rebounds.

After a fairly slow start for both teams, the Rattlers put together a rally that led to them grabbing a 12-4 lead. A couple of buckets by Tayla Foster and Donyeah Mayfield sparked a 9-2 run that pulled TSU to within one, 14-13 before four unanswered points by FAMU put the Rattlers back up, 18-13.

The Lady Tigers managed to cut the deficit down to two, again, following a break-away lay-up by Jasmin Shuler with 9:58 remaining half. The Rattlers, however, used six unanswered points to move ahead, 26-18.

FAMU capitalized on being in the bonus down the stretch and built its advantage up to 32-19 behind a number of free-throws. TSU cut the deficit down to single digits with just over three minutes in the half but FAMU responded with a spurt that made its lead, 42-30.

Alana Morris buried a triple at the buzzer to make the halftime score, 46-35, in favor of the visitors.

TSU opened up the second frame by outscoring FAMU 8-2 and pulled within five, 48-43, before the first media timeout. The deficit went back up to double-digits when the Lady Tigers gave up five unanswered points.

The Lady Tigers continued to fight throughout the half but the Rattlers held off every TSU run attempt. After falling behind, 65-50, Kim Haynes hit a triple from the top of the key to bring TSU within 12 at the 3:51 mark. That, however, would be as close as the Lady Tigers would get.

Tennessee State went 28-of-77 (36.4 percent) from the field, including 8-of-27 (29.6 percent) from three-point range. TSU shot a dismal 55 percent (11-of-20) from the free-throw line and lost the battle of the boards, 54-49.

Lady Tigers return to action on Thursday, Dec. 29 when they host Austin Peay in the OVC opener. Game time is slated for 5:30 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

Box Score

Courtesy: Tennessee State Sports Information

Turnovers trip up Tennessee State; Tigers post losing record

Nashville, Tennessee -- After winning four of its previous five games, Tennessee State was on a roll, but the Tigers’ season ended with a thud Saturday in a 38-16 loss to Jacksonville State at LP Field. TSU (5-6, 4-4 OVC) posted its third consecutive losing record. Jacksonville State (7-4, 6-2) finished in a thee-way tie for first with Tennessee Tech and Eastern Kentucky.

Tech won the tiebreaker, giving the Golden Eagles the automatic berth in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. TSU tied for fifth in the OVC with UT Martin. Tigers Coach Rod Reed, who was 3-8 in his first season, said the loss would not take away the momentum the Tigers had picked up.

“Come on now, Jacksonville State was a top-10 football team at the beginning of the season and we went blow-for-blow with them today,” Reed said. “We just happened to have some turnovers. You cannot turn the football over and expect to beat good football teams.

READ MORE




Photo Gallery: TSU vs. Jacksonville State

TSU Tigers' pressure comes too late

Tennessee State’s inability to apply pressure on Coty Blanchard led to Jacksonville State claiming a 38-16 victory Saturday, Tigers defensive end Lawrence Peterson said.

The Tigers sacked Blanchard twice, but he completed 15 of 19 passes for 213 yards and two TDs. He also carried the ball 11 times for 38 yards and gave Jacksonville State a 14-10 lead on a 27-yard run in the second quarter.

“If we had gotten a better pass rush on some of their play-action passes, we could have had a better chance to win,” said Peterson, who sacked Blanchard once and recorded another tackle for a loss. “Me and Antonio Harper tried to get the pass rush going at the end of the game, but it was just too late.”

READ MORE

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Wins Home Finale 42-6 Over Texas Southern

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas – Senior Stephen Jones tallied 92 yards and two rushing touchdowns as Arkansas-Pine Bluff used a solid running game to defeat Texas Southern 42-6 on Saturday in the Golden Lions' regular-season finale.

Benjamin Anderson threw two touchdown passes completing a 27-yarder to Rontrell Bailey in the third quarter, and a 57-yarder to T.J. Shelton in the fourth. Adrian Moore added scoring rushes of 8 and 11 yards as Arkansas-Pine Bluff racked up 262 yards rushing on 48 attempts. With the win the Golden Lions stay alive in the race for a SWAC Championship berth.

“Our players showed a lot of determination out there today,” said UAPB head coach Monte Coleman. “Our running game paved the way on offense and defensively we were able to limit their ability to score. I couldn't be happier for our seniors and our entire team because they truly deserved this victory.”



READ MORE

Honda Battle of the Bands 2011 Set to Rock Atlanta

More than 60,000 fans will flock through the gates of Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on January 29th, 2011 to witness the 9th annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase, an unparalleled performance and celebration of the nation’s elite marching bands. Renowned Hip-Hop performer and actor “Bow Wow” will join more than 1,800 student musicians and one of Atlanta’s best amateur vocalists to celebrate the music and creativity found at America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).



The Invitational Showcase Line-Up

For the highly anticipated 2011 showdown, the curtain will go up promptly at 3:00 p.m. EST. The bill includes a special guest performance by “Bow Wow,” along with crowd-pleasing routines by the nation’s top eight elite black college marching bands. Georgia’s own Albany State University will open the show and lead this year’s “great eight” performances in the following order:

1. Albany State University “Marching Rams Show Band”
2. Tennessee State University “Aristocrat of Bands”
3. Virginia State University “Trojan Explosion Marching Band”
4. Clark Atlanta University “Mighty Marching Panthers”
5. Jackson State University “The Sonic Boom of the South”
6. Winston-Salem State University “Red Sea of Sound”
7. South Carolina State University “Marching 101”
8. Bethune Cookman University “Marching Wildcats”



Grants, Internships, and More

The Honda Battle of the Bands program not only provides a platform to shine a rare spotlight on the pageantry, pride and showmanship of HBCU music and culture, but it also is the only national music scholarship program of its kind. For the 2011 program, 45 HBCU marching bands participated in the pre-qualifying “Celebration Tour,” and received $1,000 grants for their music programs. An additional $20,000 will be awarded to the eight institutions selected to participate in this month’s Invitational Showcase.

In addition to the distribution of grant monies, the program also includes internship opportunities through the Fox Music Experience, and an HBCU Recruitment Fair will expose future college students to all HBCUs have to offer. The Fox Music Experience, now in its fourth year, provides one HBOB Invitational Showcase student-musician the opportunity to spend a few weeks during the summer months as an intern at Twentieth Century Fox studios in Los Angeles, learning film and television music production first-hand. The Honda Battle of the Bands HBCU Recruitment Fair, now in its sixth year, gives young people the opportunity to meet with marching band and admissions recruiters to discuss admissions requirements and scholarship opportunities.

Group and individual tickets for the show are still available, but moving quickly. They can be purchased at the Georgia Dome Box Office, via www.Ticketmaster.com or www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com for just $10 and $12.



For more information on the Invitational Showcase, Fox Music Experience summer internship program and HBCU Recruitment Fair, photos, press materials and video footage visit www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com, the official online destination and clearinghouse for all HBOB information.

Hip-Hop Icon “Bow Wow” to Perform

Hip-Hop artist and actor “Bow Wow” will be on hand as the special guest performer this year. The Columbus, Ohio native is best known for his musical lineage, taking his stage name from his mentor, fellow rapper-actor “Snoop Dog,” Bow Wow’s film credits include The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Lottery Ticket. He is also noted for his cameo appearances in the critically-acclaimed television series, “Smallville,” “Ugly Betty,” “Entourage” and others.



Amateur Vocalists Welcomed To Audition for National Anthem

The Honda Battle of the Bands national anthem will be performed by a talented local vocalist selected once through a promotional radio “sing-off.” WVEE-FM, or “V-103,” Atlanta’s top-ranked urban radio station, is partnering with the Honda Battle of the Bands once again to invite listeners 16 years of age or older to demonstrate their vocal skills for a once–in-a-lifetime opportunity to open the 2011 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. This year, three finalists will be selected by a panel of judges at the open audition on Saturday, January 8th, 2011 at the Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia, Georgia. Music fans can then log on to the station's web site and vote for their favorite rendition of the national anthem. The winner will be announced on-air on January 21st, 2011, and he or she will command the spotlight to open the showcase on January 29th.