Salisbury's Isis Miller to WSSU

SALISBURY, N.C. — Salisbury girls basketball coach Chris McNeil had a feisty group on and off the court this season. “The toughest competition of all was to see who could get the highest GPA,” McNeil said. “They were all over 3.0s. They pushed each other hard in the classroom.”

Not only did the Hornets go 27-1 and win their third straight 2A state championship, they will have six seniors moving on to play college basketball.

The latest to sign is 5-foot-10 post player Isis Miller. She’s headed to Division II CIAA school Winston-Salem State. The always upbeat Miller was a big part of that daily quiz bowl on the basketball team.

“There was a lot of emphasis on schoolwork on the team and also from my mom,” Miller said. “She always told me there were no C’s allowed in her house. I’ve made all A’s and B’s in high school except one. I had one ‘C’ in pre-calculus.”

Prep Sports: Salisbury salutes three title teams

SALISBURY, N.C. — A decade ago, Salisbury High’s athletic program was suffering through its own version of the Great Depression. At least as far as the high-profile, flagship sports.

A 3-8 football season in the fall of 2000 was followed by the girls and boys basketball squads combining for a 10-34 record in a dreary winter in which a doubleheader sweep over anybody would have prompted a parade down Lincolnton Road. The Hornets’ indoor struggle was followed by the arrival of spring and a 6-15 baseball season.

 But that’s ancient history now.

Today, even with its enrollment down to 885, and with 72 percent of its students classified as “economically disadvantaged,” Salisbury has been rebuilt into a model environment that is churning out major scholars as well as ACC athletes.

Salisbury girls win again

Salisbury’s girls soccer team stayed unbeaten with a 6-0 romp against CCC opponent East Davidson on Monday. The Hornets (10-0-2, 5-0 CCC) opened up a two-game lead in the conference race at the midway point. Catawba signee Karen Presnell dominated the match, scoring four goals.

“She’s in a zone right now,” Salisbury coach Matt Parrish said. “She’s playing exceptional, high-level soccer.”

Susannah Dixon scored her first goal as a Hornet, burying a shot to the back post five minutes into the match to put fifth-ranked Salisbury on top and set the tone.

Salisbury Boys and Girls Track Teams

Salisbury boys and girls track teams won the Western Carolina High School Invitational meet in Cullowhee on Saturday. Salisbury’s girls scored 129 points to top A.C. Reynolds (88), North Buncombe (87) and 15 other teams, mostly from the mountains.

Salisbury’s Summer Taylor won the long jump (15 feet, 11 inches) and triple jump (33-0), while Alisha Bradshaw took the shot put (42-8) and discus (120-8).

Katherine Shields won the 1600 (5:23.17), and the 4x400 relay team also finished first in 4:16.89. Emily Shields placed third in the 800 (2:27.06), Ayanna Holmes was third in the high jump (4-6), and Cheyenne Gloster was third in the shot (29-6). Salisbury also was third in the 4x200 relay.

Salisbury's Heilig leads East all-stars, wins MVP

The Salisbury girls' basketball team, which has has claimed three straight state championships, is used to winning. Saturday afternoon, coach Chris McNeil and three of his best players led the East All-Star team to a 63-52 win in the Charlotte Pro-Am Classic at Providence Day.

Senior Jessica Heilig (Gardner Webb signee) was the most valuable player, scoring 13 points and grabbing six rebounds. The East also got big contributions from her Salisbury teammates Olivia Rankin (Charlotte signee), who added 16 points and seven rebounds; and Ayanna Holmes (Charlotte signee), who had seven points, seven rebounds and five assists.

"It helps a lot to have familiar players around, especially late in the game because you know what to expect from them," Heilig said.

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VISIT: WINSTON SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
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Jordan Lifts Bowie State Past Winston-Salem State and into CIAA Semifinals

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Named the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year, Bowie State junior Chanita Jordan (Philadelphia, PA, University City, North Carolina State) is known for blocking a multitude of shots.

But she changed this game on offense.

Jordan, who averages just 8.3 points per game, scored seven in a span of 50 seconds midway through the second half in Bowie State’s decisive run to lift the Lady Bulldogs past Winston-Salem State 63-56 on Tuesday evening and into the CIAA Tournament semifinals.

Jordan finished with just two rebounds, though she did record four blocked shots – more on those in a minute -- but the 6-foot-4 junior center led the No. 2 seed from the CIAA North with 15 points on six-of-13 shooting. Her seven points in less than a minute fueled a 13-3 Bowie State run that gave the Lady Bulldogs a 52-40 lead with 8:31 to go.

“I just had to make sure I had the right form,” said Jordan, “and fortunately, they went in today.” But don’t think for a moment that Jordan is thinking about changing her game.

When Winston-Salem State (17-11) managed to trim the deficit under 10 points with less than six minutes remaining, Jordan swatted away back-to-back shots from the Lady Rams’ Jazmine Wilson deep in the paint as the Lady Bulldogs (18-9) were able to stem the Winston-Salem State comeback attempt.

Lady Rams take Heartbreaking 63-56 Loss in CIAA Quarterfinals

CHARLOTTE, NC - The Winston-Salem State Lady Rams (17-11) gave it their all, but the team fell short in a heartbreaking 63-56 loss to the Bowie State Lady Bulldogs (18-9) in the quarterfinal round of the 2011 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) tournament, Tuesday afternoon. The Lady Rams played a great game, but could not overcome a big second half effort by the Lady Bulldogs.

"It was a hard fought ballgame for us. I really think we had a three-minute stretch during the second half where we really lost the ballgame," WSSU head women's basketball coach Stephen Joyner, Jr. said. "I think outside of that three-minute stretch, we actually played pretty even with them and actually had them in the ballgame that we wanted. But nevertheless, we didn't finish out what we came here to do and Bowie [State] moves on."

Box Score | Photo Gallery

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Thomas, Killebrew lead WSSU Lady Rams to first CIAA title in school history

Final Results

Hampton, VA - The Winston-Salem State Lady Rams claimed their first Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association indoor track & field championship Sunday after a specatular two-day effort at the meet. The Lady Rams finished the meet with a team total of 99 points, topping second-place Johnson C. Smith's 95 total points. It was the strong performances in the middle distance and relay events that propelled the team to its first indoor track & field championship in school history.

"We knew what we had in our athletes and believed in them and this weekend, they performed," WSSU interim head track & field coach Inez Turner said. "We used a great strategy and everybody stepped up."

The Lady Rams played to their strengths as the team dominated middle distance and field events at the meet. After winning the women's distance medley relay on the first day of the meet, the Lady Rams kept things going on the second day, taking four of the top five spots in the women's 800m run. Freshman Brittney Killebrew, the 2010 CIAA Women's Cross Country champion, took first place in the women's 800m run with a 2:27.44 while sophomore Manuela Rigaud added a strong second-place finish in 2:28.75. Fellow sophomore Tyrah Winfrey took third in the event with a 2:29.06 while senior Ashley Fraser added a fifth place finish at 2:33.19.

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By WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations

WSSU rallies to beat Chowan

Winston-Salem State’s new uniforms were nearly a bust. The Rams had to rally from a 13-point deficit on Thursday night at a packed Gaines Center but did enough to hold off upstart Chowan 65-62. Chowan didn’t look at all like a team that was 1-9 coming into the game.

“How many times can I tell my guys that every team in this league is going to give us their best shot?” a sweat-soaked Coach Bobby Collins of the Rams said afterward. “(Chowan) was very good, and they made us play their style.”

What the Hawks did to the Rams (9-2, 3-1 CIAA) was use an effective halfcourt trap that had the Rams running in circles most of the night. The Hawks went on a 14-4 run to start the second half and with 16:45 left had what appeared to be a comfortable 13-point lead.

Transfer worked out for Medley, WSSU

Turning around a program is never easy, but junior Courtney Medley, a transfer from Elon, is doing all she can to help the Winston-Salem State women's basketball team.

Medley leads the team in scoring with an average of 14.4 points and has been a big reason Coach Steve Joyner Jr.'s first WSSU team has been able to escape the losing ways of recent seasons.

"She's definitely stepped up to be a leader, especially when you talk about scoring and being aggressive on the offensive end," Joyner said. "I kind of tease her that she needs to do that a little more on the defensive end, but for right now, she's meeting all of my expectations."

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Stokes fired as coach of WSSU women

Athletic Director Bill Hayes releases Dee Stokes after completion of a 69-142 record in seven seasons as a head coach. Stokes compiled a four year record of 19 wins, 90 losses at WSSU.

Dee Stokes, the women's basketball coach at Winston-Salem State, was fired yesterday with seven games left in the season. Stokes had submitted her resignation in November but said she would finish this season to fulfill her contract. Athletics Director Bill Hayes decided not to wait that long, several sources said, after he walked into the Gaines Center on Monday night to see the WSSU women trailing Hampton 60-10. The Rams (2-21) wound up losing 67-26, their 19th straight loss.

"I am disappointed in the results of our season, obviously," Stokes said. "A couple of weeks ago I realized that I wasn't going to accomplish the goals that I set for myself here at Winston-Salem State and that's been troubling to me." Stokes had a 19-90 record in four seasons at WSSU. She was being paid $85,000 a year, with her original four-year contract ending March 31.

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WSSU Lady Rams Volleyball sign four to National Letters of Intent

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The 2008 Winston-Salem State University volleyball team will welcome some new faces this fall as WSSU head coach Douglas Hunter announced the signing of four prospective student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. The four signees will strengthen the Lady Rams in every area on the court.

A pair of talented players will fill the team's needs at the setter position, which was hampered by injury last season. Setter Asia Carr from St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C. will join the Lady Rams at the setter position as well as Alexandria Brown from Harris County High School in Hamilton, Ga.

The Lady Rams will also add to its front line with the addition of middle hitter/blocker Jasmine Frazier from Chancellor High School in Fredericksburg, Va. and outside hitter Kameryn Craig from Apex High School in Apex, N.C.

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HU Lady Pirates defeat Winston Salem State Lady Rams

Photo: #42 Quanneisha Perry, 5-10 freshman forward, Decatur, Georgia -Towers HS and #24 Mikki Clayton, 5-6 freshman guard, Tallahassee, FL - North Florida Christian School received valuable playing time in rout of Lady Rams.

Winston-Salem, NC – The Lady Pirates of Hampton University scored 35 points off the bench on their way to a 58-38 victory over the Lady Rams of Winston-Salem State University.

Ashlee Finley scored 14 points while Stephanie James and Quanneisha Perry both scored 10 points as the Lady Pirates improved to 10-6 on the season, while the Lady Rams fell to 1-13.

Hampton led 40-20 at halftime while shooting 53 percent from the field, hitting 18 of 30 shots. The Lady Rams were held to just 23 percent shooting in the first half, connecting on just six of 26 shots. The Lady Pirates scored 22 of their first half shots off WSSU turnovers.