WSSU Rams end season with loss to Shaw Bears

Durham, N.C. - Winston-Salem State’s dream season ended with a Shaw nightmare.

The Bears rallied in the second half to come away with a 31-27 victory on Saturday afternoon in front of around 7,000 at Durham County Stadium. The win sets up a showdown on Saturday with St. Augustine’s with the winner of that game getting a berth into the CIAA Championship Game.

For the 18th-ranked Rams, their season of such high hopes comes to an end as they finish 8-2 and 5-2 in the CIAA. All season long Coach Connell Maynor of the Rams hasn’t made excuses, and he wasn’t about to start. The Rams led the whole way until a costly interception by Kameron Smith late in the game gave the Bears (7-2, 6-0) the final jolt of momentum they would need.

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Attendance: 7,000
Shaw University Platinum Sound Marching Band

Shaw holds keys to CIAA championship

Kienus Boulware doesn’t get too excited too often. As the coordinator of Winston-Salem State’s defense, he has used his steady hand and quiet nature to help make an already talented unit even better.

On Saturday, Boulware will face his old boss, Coach Darrell Asberry of Shaw. Boulware spent the previous four seasons as Shaw’s defensive coordinator, and his players sense something different this week. “When you are playing a school you used to coach, there’s a different feeling,” defensive lineman Juan Corders of WSSU said. “Of course Coach Boulware wants us to be successful on Saturday.”



Stakes sky high for WSSU, Shaw

Coach Darrell Asberry of Shaw is well aware of what his team will have at stake the next two Saturdays. First, his Bears will take on the 18th-ranked Winston-Salem State Rams at 1 p.m. Saturday at Durham County Stadium. The next weekend, on Nov. 6, they will play No. 23 St. Augustine’s.

“When you get down to this point in the season, they are all big,” said Asberry, who is in his fifth season. With Shaw (6-2, 5-0 CIAA), WSSU (8-1, 5-1) and St. Aug’s (7-1, 5-0) all chasing the CIAA’s Southern Division title, there’s late-season drama, but Asberry said that’s not a bad thing.

Maynor: Playoffs begin now for Rams

Coach Connell Maynor of Winston-Salem State has done a good job keeping his players from worrying about whether one game is more important than another. He doesn’t have that luxury this week. The 18th-ranked Rams (8-1, 5-1 CIAA) will play the Shaw Bears (6-2, 5-0) in their regular-season finale Saturday. For WSSU, it might as well be a championship game.

“It doesn’t get any bigger,” Maynor said. “We have to win it.”

The game will help settle who wins the CIAA’s Southern Division title. A loss most likely would end the season for the Rams, eliminating them from the Southern Division race and a shot at the Division II playoffs.

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'D' rules for Rams - WSSU's defense shuts down UNC Pembroke

No. 21-ranked Winston-Salem State has plenty of glitz and glamour on offense, but it can also grind it out on defense. The Rams, thanks to their defense’s best game of the season, shut down UNC Pembroke 21-7 in front of a homecoming crowd of around 18,000 at Bowman Gray Stadium.

With the victory, the Rams (8-1) improved their chances for a Division II playoff berth and along the way proved that their defense can also win games.

“To finish my last home game of my career with an interception and to get a win is great,” said senior defensive back Marvin Bohannon, a former star at North Forsyth. “Pembroke’s a great team and their defense is ranked nationally and that let us know we can play with the best.”

» Gallery: 10-23-2010 WSSU vs UNCP football

UNCP Braves Fall At No. 21 Winston-Salem State

By UNCP Sports Information

WINSTON-SALEM – Kameron Smith threw for 207 yards and two first half touchdowns, and then used his legs to add the final score of the game in the second half, to help lead the 21st-ranked Winston-Salem State Rams to a rousing 21-7 Homecoming victory over visiting UNCP on Saturday afternoon at Bowman-Gray Stadium.

The Rams (8-1) amassed more than 350 yards of total offense, including 248 in the first half alone, to take a 14-7 lead into the locker rooms, and then capitalized on a turnover on the opening drive of the second half to put the game away. Despite being limited to just 106 yards of total offense in the opening half, UNCP (5-3) had its chances to post a second half comeback, but fumbled away its opening possession of the third quarter and turned the ball over on downs on three of its final four possessions of the game.

Kameron Smith completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts with an interception to open up holes for the ground game which got 108 yards on 19 carries from Nicholas Cooper. Jahuann Butler contributed three catches for 84 yards and both first half touchdowns for the Rams as well.

Rashon Kennedy ran for a team-best 55 yards for the Braves, who also got 30 rushing yards and their lone touchdown from Keith Gore. St. Anthony Lloyd matched a school record with eight catches for the second-straight game and paced the air game with 62 receiving yards. Quarterbacks Cory Smith (13-of-24) and Garrett Sutphen (9-of-19) each tallied 92 passing yards, but both threw interceptions in the opening stanza as well.

"We had our opportunities in the second half to make this a good game, and we let them slip away," said UNCP head coach Pete Shinnick. "Winston-Salem State did a good job of executing what they wanted to do. We made a couple of mistakes and gave up a couple of long balls but, other than that, I thought our defense played very well. We got going late offensively, but didn't get any points. The name of the game is to score points and we didn't score enough."

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Attendance: 18,000

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WSSU: A Little Big Man

Tehvyn Brantley of Winston-Salem State is short for a college wide receiver, and he carries a big chip on his shoulder. Brantley, a 5-7, 175-pound freshman, says he could have played at a Division I school, possibly using his outstanding speed as a kick returner, but that the conditions weren’t what he wanted. Instead, he’s making an impact for WSSU.

“I had offers from N.C. State, North Carolina and South Carolina,” said Brantley, who is originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Durham with his mother three years ago to attend Mount Zion Christian Academy. “I had a couple of offers from mid-majors, and North Carolina was actually going to give me a chance if I went to Hargrave Military, but I didn’t want to do that.”

Fans can ride around the Bowman Gray track

Motorcycle enthusiasts will get a chance to ride around the Bowman Gray Stadium track Saturday during pregame festivities for Winston-Salem State’s game against Livingstone, and Athletics Director Bill Hayes, an avid rider, will lead a parade of motorcycles.

The ride will be at 4 p.m., and kickoff will be at 6 p.m. The cost to ride in the parade is $35, including a ticket to the game, and there will also be a special motorcycle tailgate spot. Money raised from the ride will go to the athletics department. Anyone interested in more information can contact Trent Rawley (rawleyjt@wssu.edu or call 309-4249).

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Saint Augustine's Falcons hands WSSU its first loss of year

Hold off on making those reservations for the CIAA championship game.

Winston-Salem State had been running roughshod over the CIAA this season but ran into a determined and talented St. Augustine’s team last night at Bowman Gray Stadium.

The Falcons (5-1, 4-0 CIAA) took control of the Southern Division with a 40-35 victory, and gained the inside track to the conference-championship game next month in Durham. Most of the damage the 17th-ranked Rams did was self-inflicted, with a season-high six turnovers. Quarterback Kameron Smith threw five interceptions, and the Falcons took the gifts and unwrapped them as if it was Christmas morning.

Falcons soar past Rams

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- St. Augustine's pulled off one of its biggest wins since restarting football in 2002 with a 40-35 victory over nationally-ranked and previously unbeaten Winston-Salem State on Saturday.

CIAA rushing leader Walter Sanders ran for 121 yards and scored two touchdowns and the Falcons (5-1 overall, 4-0 CIAA) forced six turnovers to gain first place in the CIAA's Southern Division. The win was also the first in five tries against the Rams (6-1, 4-1) since 2002. The Rams are ranked 17th in NCAA Division II.

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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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No.1 status gives Rams coach key motivation

Winston-Salem State basketball is generating buzz with its return to Division II and the CIAA. The Rams (12-17, 7-10 MEAC) are the choice of league coaches to finish first in the South Division after moving down from Division I. On the other hand, coach Bobby Collins noted, there's a season yet to play.

"It would be a trap if I didn't know it was a trap, but I know and understand being picked No. 1 makes the target a little bigger," Winston-Salem coach Bobby Collins said at the annual preseason luncheon at the Charlotte Convention Center. "We're going to embrace it."

Kerry happy to have Rams back in CIAA

Commissioner Leon Kerry was all smiles yesterday at the CIAA media basketball roundup at the Charlotte Convention Center. This is the conference’s 99th year, and Kerry said that having Winston-Salem State and Lincoln (Pa.) back in the league is a big deal. Lincoln was one of the original conference members.

“We’re excited about Winston being back in the league,” Kerry said. “I’m looking for them to bring us the same things they did before they left, and that’s sell tickets and bring fans.” Kerry said he wasn’t surprised that the Rams were picked to win their division in men’s basketball.

Rams expected to win their division

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --The CIAA welcomed back Winston-Salem State in basketball yesterday, and coaches immediately put a big target on the Rams by picking them as favorites to win the Southern Division title.

Coach Bobby Collins, whose Rams spent four seasons playing a full MEAC schedule as the university tried to move to Division I, said he’s flattered that opposing coaches thought that much of his senior-dominated team, but he knows he won’t have an easy run.

WSSU focuses on higher goals

Winston-Salem State is the CIAA’s only unbeaten team, but it’ll take more to impress coach Connell Maynor.

The Rams, who are 6-0 in their return to Division II, have rumbled through the schedule, which includes wins at Division I rivals N.C. A&T State and N.C. Central. Those victories are good for bragging rights, but Maynor, who is in his first year as head coach, wants more.

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WSSU cruises past Johnson C. Smith

Charlotte, N.C. -- Make it six in a row for Winston-Salem State. The Rams crushed CIAA rival Johnson C. Smith 49-3 at Memorial Stadium last night to improve their record to 6-0, 4-0 in league play.

The defense sparkled early, turning back two early Golden Bulls drives in the shadow of the Rams’ end zone. The offense then kicked into gear, scoring 21 second-quarter points to take a 28-0 halftime lead that put the game out of reach.

“They got off on a good start,” said defensive lineman Juan Corders, who led WSSU with 11 tackles, including 3½ for losses, and a sack. “They played us quite well, but the defense stuck in there and got adjusted to fight them off.”

Bulls fail to convert while Rams pile it on

Winston-Salem State's return to Division II and the CIAA still is perfect.

The Rams ripped off a 21-point second quarter on their way to a 49-3 league win against Johnson C. Smith at Memorial Stadium, their sixth to start the season. Winston-Salem State (6-0, 4-0), which rejoined the CIAA after four years in Division I, shook off an early challenge by J.C. Smith (1-4, 0-2 CIAA) to pull away by halftime.

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WSSU welcomes Chowan

Chowan, one of the newest football programs to join the CIAA, will make its Bowman Gray Stadium debut tonight to play unbeaten Winston-Salem State. It will be the first meeting between the teams, and Coach Connell Maynor of the Rams said that he doesn’t know much about the Hawks, who are 0-2 with road losses to Lenoir-Rhyne (59-10) and The Citadel (56-14).

“Offensively they were a passing team last year, and their quarterback was offensive player of the year in the conference,” Maynor said. “But he’s gone, and that’s not going to be easy to replace him.” That quarterback was C.J. Westler, who passed for 2,865 yards and 25 touchdowns last season before graduating. Finding a replacement has not been easy for Coach Tim Place, who is entering his third season.

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WSSU Rams improve to 3-0 with win over NCCU Eagles

DURHAM, N.C. - In a game of big plays, Rashaun Jones made the biggest for Winston-Salem State. Jones had a big interception with 1:59 left to help the Rams win 34-27 over the N.C. Central Eagles last night at sold-out (9,711) O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

With the game tied at 27 and the Eagles driving quarterback Michael Johnson tried to hit Geovonie Irvine on a fly pattern but Jones made a leaping interception in the end zone for the Rams first interception of the season. Not content with that, the Rams then went 80 yards for the game winning touchdown when Tehyvn Brantley caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kameron Smith with 1:34 left.

"Coach just told us to stay calm and focused because we'd have to win it on the back end," said Jones, who transferred to WSSU from Miami last spring. "I'm just glad I could help the team win the game."

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WSSU Rams name interim coach

Winston-Salem State wasted little time finding a coach for its new baseball program, naming Kevin Ritsche yesterday (June 30) on an interim basis. "Wow," Ritsche, 28, said as he was introduced by Chancellor Donald Reaves at the Bowman Gray Stadium Fieldhouse. WSSU, as required by the CIAA for reentrance, must field a baseball team by the spring of 2011, and Ritsche said he's ready to start putting the pieces together. WSSU last offered baseball in 1973.

"After a 38-year hiatus, baseball is back at Winston-Salem State University," said Reaves, an avid baseball fan. "We have a short time frame to get a team on the field, but now is the best time to once again have baseball back at this university." Athletics Director Bill Hayes stayed in-house to find his coach. Ritsche has been a faculty member in WSSU's exercise-science department since 2005 and is working on his doctorate.

"After I talked to Kevin, I didn't have to talk to anybody else," Hayes said. "This guy wants to start practice now, so he's ready to hit the ground running. That's what we need." Ritsche was a catcher and team captain at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., and later a graduate assistant there. He was an honorable-mention NAIA All-America in 2004.

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Winston-Salem State to play home game in High Point

HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Winston-Salem State University is bringing college football back to High Point for the first time in 60 years. The 2010 Furniture City Gridiron Classic will feature the WSSU Rams against the Virginia Union Panthers Saturday, Aug. 28, at Simeon Stadium, the largest stadium in High Point. High Point College played its last football game in 1950, but the Panthers played at Albion Millis Stadium.

Simeon Stadium is usually host to high school football and soccer games. But 15 years ago, WSSU Athletic Director William "Bill" Hayes, then head football coach of North Carolina A&T State University, worked with High Point community leaders Ed Price and Ray McAllister to bring an Aggie game to High Point. "I worked with Price and McAllister to build the strongest Scout Reach program in America right here," Hayes said. "We tried to get a game here because young people were always interested in sports, but we never could make it happen."



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South's D'Andre Harris signs with Winston-Salem State

LANDIS, N.C. — Winston-Salem State's football program returns to its CIAA roots this fall, and South Rowan running back D'Andre Harris will be part of the excitement. Once Winston-Salem State found out D'Andre hadn't signed anywhere, he was an apple they were quick to grab," South coach Jason Rollins said. Harris had a tough recruiting experience. Rollins explained that North Carolina A&T offered a full ride pretty early. Harris — a productive back, solid citizen and strong student — wanted to wait to see what other options developed. Basically, that scholarship got pulled off the table and went elsewhere. It happens.

But what put Harris in a really difficult spot was that he appeared signed, sealed and delivered for A&T. Lots of schools had crossed him off their lists, and that helps explain why he was sort of a free agent longer than a player with his talent and transcript should've been. Fortunately, coaches still make the recruiting rounds in the spring. Sometimes they find a gem who finally made a decent SAT or ACT score after everyone had backed off. Sometimes they run across a player who got hurt and slipped through the cracks. Sometimes they discover a late-blooming lineman who's put on 30 pounds since football season ended.

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Winston-Salem Rams flatten by Florida A&M Rattlers

Winston-Salem State took time on Saturday afternoon to honor the school's last two CIAA title teams in 1999 and 2000. Turns out, it could have used some of those players after falling flat against Florida A&M yesterday at the Gaines Center.

The Rams wound up losing 75-61, and had no answers for the Rattlers' effective zone. "We were just flat," said Coach Bobby Collins of the Rams. Perhaps suffering a hangover from last Monday's exciting victory over N.C. A&T in Greensboro the Rams never showed the same sense of urgency. Leading scorers Paul Davis and Brian Fisher, who were both averaging 11 points a game, combined for just seven points and eight turnovers and were non factors throughout.

The Rattlers (8-20) defended the Rams (11-16) with a man-to-man starting out but once the Rams ran to a 10-point lead Coach Eugene Harris switched to a zone. The Rams were never the same, and Harris stayed with the zone the rest of the way. "We couldn't penetrate the zone like you are supposed to do," said guard Lamar Monger. "We couldn't get the ball down low to Paul and it was just tough to get through it."

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Rivalry Night: WSSU will take on A&T at the Greensboro Coliseum

Round 2 of one the state's best rivalries will be tonight, when Winston-Salem State and N.C. A&T meet in a basketball doubleheader at the Greensboro Coliseum. The games were moved from A&T's campus arena, the Corbett Center, in order to allow more fans to attend. The women's game will begin at 6, the men's game at 8. "We've got a lot of interest in moving the game because the coliseum can seat around 10,000, and the Corbett Center can seat around 5,000, so this will hopefully give fans a chance to come out," said Wheeler Brown, the athletics director at N.C. A&T.

Last year's game at the Corbett Center was a sellout, and it was estimated that about 500 fans were turned away at the door. "I'm not sure how many people were turned away last year, but I do know we had a ticket lottery for the students and all of that, but this year we don't have to do that," Brown said. The rivalry between the schools goes back a long way, but with WSSU returning to the CIAA next season, there have been questions about whether WSSU and A&T will ever meet in basketball again.

Bill Hayes, the athletics director at WSSU, has been the football coach at both schools, and he knows how important it is that the schools continue to compete against each other. "I'd like to play A&T in football, basketball, marbles, checkers, whatever sport we are playing, we need to play each other," Hayes said.

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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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South Carolina State Bulldogs 27, Winston Salem State Rams 10

Long Leads #14 SCSU Over WSSU 27-10

ORANGEBURG, SC- Junior Malcolm Long led the air attack connecting 22 for 33 and 274 yards and one touchdown, while senior Oliver Tre' Young led the receiving corps with 148 yards and one touchdown on nine catches to lead SC State to a 27-10 victory over Winston-Salem State at Oliver C. Dawson on Saturday. "I am happy to come away with a win over a tough Winston-Salem State team tonight," stated Pough. "Play on the field is not as good as in practice so we need to work on a few things."

The Bulldogs jumped out to 10-0 lead off a 23-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Blake Erickson for the first score of the game in the first quarter. Long then connected with wide receiver Tre' Young on a 14-yard touchdown score to close out the first-half. SC State would start off the third quarter on 28-yard field goal by Erickson to extend the lead to 13-3 at the 12:06 mark. The Bulldogs took control of the lead on a 3-yard punch by All-MEAC running back Will Ford with 6:58 left in the third to make the score 20-3.



The Rams scored their only touchdown on the night on a 6-yard pass from Brian Wynn to Dustin Jarrett to pull within ten, 20-10 with 8:00 minutes left in the game. Ford sealed the deal with a 30-yard touchdown scamper with 2:58 left and the Bulldogs cruised to a 27-10 non-conference victory. "Penalties really hurt us I think so we need to be smarter about the plays we make," stated Pough. We didn't get as much out our special teams as I would have liked but we got our work cut out for us next week against South Carolina.

South Carolina State racked up 454 total yards on offense and improved to 3-0 overall, 1-0 in the MEAC. Ford finished the day with 104 yards and two touchdowns. Senior linebacker David Erby led the Bulldog defense with nine tackles. SC State returns to action on Saturday as the travel to face intrastate rival University of South Carolina in a 7p.m. showdown. The game will be televised live on ESPN Classic.

Courtesy: SC State

Rams lose again, fall to 0-4

Winston-Salem State was its own worst enemy Saturday night against S.C. State. The Rams had more penalties (13) than first downs (12) in a 27-10 loss to the Bulldogs in front of 15,903 at Dawson Stadium. As Coach Kermit Blount of the Rams walked off the field between two South Carolina state troopers his head was down after watching his team make mistake after mistake on offense. The Rams had six false-start penalties from their young offensive line, and many of those killed the momentum on several drives.

S.C. State Tre Young makes big gain on the Rams.

"I don't know," Blount said about why his team had so many false starts. "I guess playing with a freshman center, but he should have all those kinks worked out by now. But I'm not one to make excuses, we had opportunities all night long and we just didn't capitalize." The Rams fell to 0-4 and have now lost six straight going back to last season. It's the longest losing streak in Blount's 17-year career at WSSU. The Bulldogs (3-0) rolled up 454 yards of offense with quarterback Malcolm Long doing most of the damage. Long was 22 of 33 for 274 yards and a touchdown pass.

Bulldogs defeat Winston-Salem State, 27-10

The numbers both did and didn’t tell the complete story for South Carolina State Saturday night. An estimated 15,903 fans inside Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, the most for a home opener in over a decade, witnessed the 14th-ranked Bulldogs remain undefeated with a 27-10 victory over Winston-Salem State. S.C. State (3-0, 1-0) posted a season-high 454 total yards as quarterback Malcolm Long had a career game against the school he chose the Bulldogs over with 279 yards on 22 of 33 passing and a touchdown. Charleston native Tre Young was the recipient of many of Long’s throws with nine catches for 148 yards.

This was also the first 100-plus yard game for senior tailback Will Ford. The Travelers Rest native had 104 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to move past Hampton’s Montrell Coley into fourth place on the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s career-rushing list. The Bulldog defense once again excelled as it held the winless Rams (0-4) to 10 points for the fourth consecutive game and allowed just 80 passing yards. Yet for all the gaudy numbers, head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough was less than satisfied with the victory. In fact, he was more than candid about his team’s chance this season if they do not show improvement soon.

One-on-One with Charlene Johnson

Charlene Johnson has been South Carolina State University's athletic director since 2005 and her association with the school spans 25 years. An Allendale County native, Johnson played a key role on S.C. State's 1979 AIAW national championship basketball team. She has been an S.C. State volleyball and tennis head coach, and an assistant basketball coach. Away from work, Johnson enjoys spending time with her husband Virgin and children Taylor and Trey and likes to watch sporting events and HGTV. While fielding ticket requests for S.C. State's game at South Carolina on Saturday night, she spoke with The Post and Courier's Gene Sapakoff.

I'm guessing you didn't go around as a kid saying, "I want to be a college athletic director when I grow up." "The thought never crossed my mind growing up. But after being at South Carolina State and being a Health and Physical Education major, I knew I wanted to coach and I kept thinking that as I matriculated through college."

What is it like being one of the only women serving as an athletic director in college sports? "When I was first named interim athletic director back in 2004, it was like I was kind of thrown into the water, sink or swim. Then being exposed to the folks in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference -- all the coaches, athletic directors and commissioners -- you learn a lot in a hurry. Having coached and being the first female on the (S.C. State) staff at the time, I had a lot of early training. So by the time I advanced to being athletic director, I had already had a baptism by fire. And I really didn't have too much time to think 'Oh, gosh, I'm a female.' I just had to roll up my sleeves and go to work."

SC State wins, but Bulldogs not happy

On paper at least, South Carolina State had a good showing in its home opener on Saturday night before 15,903 fans at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. The defending MEAC champion Bulldogs improved to 3-0 with a 27-10 victory against winless Winston-Salem State. Quarterback Malcolm Long had a career-high 272 yards passing, receiver Tre' Young had a career night with nine catches for 148 yards and All-America running back Will Ford had his first 100-yard rushing game of the season. The Bulldogs finished with 23 first downs and 454 yards on offense, and the defense limited the Rams to 10 first downs and 202 yards.

S.C. State Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough was not happy with the Bulldog performance. Up Next: at South Carolina Gamecocks

But the Bulldogs' body language as they trudged off the field to the locker room told a different story. There were few smiles on the faces of the winners and none of the horseplay and interaction with the crowd that is typical after a 17-point win. S.C. State Buddy Pough painted a bleak picture after the game, making it crystal clear that the performance was not merely an isolated case of a team coming out flat against a lackluster opponent. "If we don't start playing better than we are right now, this will be a three-or-four loss team by the end of the season, no doubt about it," was his stark assessment.

Gallery: S.C. State vs. Winston-Salem State

Attendance: 15,903 at Dawson Bulldog Stadium, Orangeburg, SC

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Florida A&M 34, Winston Salem State 10

Rattlers run wild: A&M's Vann scores twice on punt returns of 95 ...

Winston-Salem State had no answer for return specialist LeRoy Vann of Florida A&M last night at Bowman Gray Stadium. Vann, one of the fastest players in the MEAC, scored on two long punt returns as the Rattlers won 34-10 in front of 6,313. On the bright side for the Rams (0-2) was their offense, which came to life a little bit, much to the delight of Coach Kermit Blount.

"I think the tempo was a little better," Blount said of an offense that generated 218 yards. "But those two punt returns really got us. But overall we improved and got better, but the score didn't indicate that." Vann scored on a 95-yard punt return that stunned the Rams in the second quarter. It was bad enough that Vann, 5-9 and 185 pounds, went the 95 yards, but he did so without being touched. He added an 80-yard punt return in the third quarter, which made the score 21-3 and put the Rattlers (2-0) in control.

» PHOTOS: WSSU vs. FAMU - 09-10-09

Vann strikes twice to lead the Rattlers

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – As for wins and losses, beating Winston-Salem State didn't do anything for the Florida A&M football team in the MEAC standings. But Thursday's 34-10 victory at Gray Stadium gave a national television audience a pretty good peek at what the Rattlers could become this season — not to mention a breathtaking view of one of the nation's most accomplished return specialists.

While the FAMU offense looked out of sorts at times Thursday night, defensive back LeRoy Vann scored twice on punt returns — of 95 and 80 yards — to highlight the night. FAMU can now take the victory over the Rams, a provisional MEAC team, into a week of preparation for Howard University in another Thursday night game that will mean a whole lot more. Vann set a school record for most returns for touchdowns with his second in the third quarter at a time when FAMU needed it. The Rattlers were held to 147 yards in the first half.

Battle would have been ready ... if

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem State University coach Kermit Blount said a lot of things would have been different when his team faced FAMU on Thursday night. He promised that if freshman Brandon Williams had to play at quarterback he'd do better than he did in a season-opening loss to North Carolina A&T State. We saw it — at least through the first three quarters. Up to that point, he threw for 111 yards. That's 20 more yards than the Rams had in total offense in their first game.

Another promise was that the defense would be much tougher and productive against FAMU. Right again. The Rattlers had 194 yards through three quarters — two yards fewer than quarterback Curtis Pulley had rushing alone last weekend. Thanks to kick returner LeRoy Vann the Rattlers went into the fourth with a 16-point lead. Blount had talked about finding ways to stop Vann, too. He didn't find solutions Thursday night as Vann had a record night.

MEAC Football Standings
CONFERENCE OVERALL
Florida A&M 1-0 - 2-0
Hampton 0-0 - 1-0
Norfolk State 0-0 - 1-0
North Carolina A&T 0-0 - 1-0
South Carolina State 0-0 - 1-0
Howard 0-0 - 0-0
Morgan State 0-0 - 0-0
Bethune-Cookman 0-0 - 0-1
Delaware State 0-1 - 0-1

2009 Conference Leaders
PASSING ATT COMP YDS TD
C. Pulley, Florida A&M 40 29 349 3
A. Glaud, Delaware St 32 17 188 1
D. Legree, Hampton 18 10 140 1

RUSHING CAR YDS AVG TD
C. Pulley, Florida A&M 25 230 9.2 1
E. Rocker, Florida A&M 20 94 4.7 0
C. Fears, NC A&T 10 78 7.8 1

RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD
I. West, Florida A&M 10 163 16.3 1
K. Elliott, Florida A&M 9 95 10.6 1
D. Jackson, Delaware St 7 67 9.6 0

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Tonight on ESPNU: FAMU Rattlers vs. Winston Salem State Rams

WSSU Rams Coach Kermit Blount: "I think we can neutralize their (FAMU) speed if it's a team effort," Blount said.

WSSU is likely to switch passers

Winston-Salem State most likely will have a new starting quarterback tonight when it plays Florida A&M at Bowman Gray Stadium. Senior Jarrett Dunston sprained his right ankle in last week's 19-10 loss to N.C. A&T, hasn't practiced all week and was limping noticeably yesterday at the WSSU field house. Coach Kermit Blount was coy about the starter, but every indication is that it will be redshirt freshman Branden Williams.

Kickoff will be at 7:30, with television coverage on ESPNU (Time Warner Ch. 143). The Rams had just 90 yards of offense last week, with two turnovers and several mishandled Shotgun snaps, and correcting those mistakes has been emphasized in practice. "I've had some people ask me about what's wrong with the offense," Blount said. "I had one guy ask me after the game, and I said, ‘Look, I don't come on your job asking you about things.' It's just a work in progress and considering we lost Jarrett during the game that was a huge loss for us."

FAMU's athletic director Hayes interested in WSSU job

Bill Hayes has applied for the athletics-director position at Winston-Salem State, sources have confirmed. Hayes, in his second year as the athletics director at Florida A&M, has sent in an application and is interested in the WSSU vacancy, according to one source in Winston-Salem and one in Tallahassee, Fla. Hayes was traveling to Winston-Salem yesterday for tonight's football game between A&M and WSSU and did not respond to a message left on his cell phone.
Hayes, 64, coached football at WSSU for 12 seasons in the late 1970s and 1980s, compiling a record of 89-41-2 and leading the Rams to seven CIAA championship games and three titles.

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I-40 Show Down: NCAT Aggies vs WSSU Rams