FAMU Rattlers report to fall camp Wednesday

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M’s football team is looking to rebound after one of the worst seasons in program history. The Rattlers went 1-10 last season. It was the first time FAMU’s football program ever finished a season with 10 losses and first time since 1943 the Rattlers finished the year with just one win.

The Rattlers report for fall camp today, and the team’s first outdoor activities will be on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. There are plenty of questions surrounding the Rattlers this season, but a influx of JUCO talent and some solid recruits can help turn things around at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

FAMU opens the season at Miami on Sept. 3. The Rattlers play four home games this year and two neutral-site games. For the first time since 1996, the Rattlers will play Tuskegee in the new 5th Quarter Classic at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.

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Southern Jaguars open camp focused on the future

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern University football team reports to camp Wednesday exactly 248 days since the Jaguars walked off the field at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome following a 34-23 loss to Grambling State.

The loss put to rest arguably one of the most frustrating seasons since coach Dawson Odums took over the team in 2013 with Southern winning consecutive games just once all year.

Since then, there’s been little relief from the memory.

Odums said he doesn't yet know what this team is capable of after spending another spring under the thumb of NCAA sanctions due to insufficient Academic Progress Rates

But the past is the past and Odums and the Jaguars are ready to start focusing on the future.

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In year two under Latrell Scott, Norfolk State looks to take big step forward

NORFOLK, Virginia — As with every time a new coach arrives, there was an adjustment period. A different staff brings a different philosophy, and cohesion doesn’t come overnight.

But when preseason practice begins Friday, Norfolk State will be in year two of the Latrell Scott Era. The Spartans will have a returning quarterback for the first time since 2011, nine starters back from a defense that was solid by the end of the season and a positive outlook.

“Of course a MEAC championship,” quarterback Greg Hankerson Jr. said of the team’s expectations. “We’ve been working extremely hard, and I can see the progression through all the players.

“Everybody’s been competing against each other, with each other, pushing each other to be better. I feel this season will be good for us.”

Scott isn’t predicting a berth in the Celebration Bowl, which goes to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion, but he clearly expects better than the 4-7 record NSU had in 2015.

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TSU to Honor 1956 Football Team at John Merritt Classic

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The 1956 Tennessee State football team, one of the best in program history, will be honored at the 18th annual John Merritt Classic on Sept. 3 when the Tigers open the season at Nissan Stadium versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff. It will mark the 60th anniversary celebration for the undefeated team.

Under the direction of second-year Head Coach Howard Gentry, the 1956 squad racked up a number of impressive victories en route to a perfect 10-0 record and a Black College National Championship.

“These men were resilient back when they played, and they are still coming back every year to support the university and the football program,” Tennessee State Director of Athletics Teresa Phillips said. “This year marks their 60th anniversary, so I felt it was appropriate to honor them. Although they didn’t get to play under the legendary coach John Merritt, another great coach of ours, Howard Gentry, Sr. guided them to the National Championship. We wanted them to know how loved and appreciated they are 60 years after their success.”

Running back Jesse Wilburn, a native of Memphis, guided the Tigers’ ground game on the season, while Robert Crawford led the passing attack.

The star-studded 1956 squad featured a number of players who earned All-America honors during their time at TSU including guard and captain James Buford (’56), tackle Charles Gavin (’56 & ’57), halfback Fay Mitchell (’56), end Leon Jamison (’57), end Charles Walker (’59) and tackle Fred Metcalf (’59).

The Tigers rolled through the regular season, yielding just 31 points (3.4 points per game) in the first nine games. The stretch included shutout victories over Grambling State (33-0), Maryland State (6-0), Kentucky State (40-0) and Lincoln University (47-0).

For their efforts, the Tigers were invited to the Orange Blossom Classic at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla. to take on Florida A&M to crown the 1956 Black College Champion.

Playing in front of a crowd of more than 40,000, the Tigers found themselves in a back-and-forth game with the high-powered Rattlers. In the waning seconds of the game, the Tigers clung to a 41-39 lead as FAMU had the ball on the TSU one-yard line. Needing just a field goal to win, the Rattlers instead elected to send their offense on the field. After a delay of game penalty pushed FAMU back to the six-yard line, the TSU defense came up with three defensive stops to earn the 41-39 victory and win the Black College National Championship.

“What we accomplished that year was tremendous,” said Fred Metcalf, who was a freshman on the 1956 team. “If you look at the scores of the games that we played, you can tell that we had a very good football team. The way the Florida A&M game ended, our defense outlasted their offense.”

The team, which gets together every 20 years to catch up, was also honored during the Homecoming football game in 1996.

For more information on how to purchase football tickets online, visit TSUTigers.com/tickets. Fans can also visit the TSU Ticket Office, located on the first floor of the Gentry Center, or call (615) 963-5841.

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ASU's Berry craves SWAC championship finish

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Brian Jenkins will start his second season at Alabama State with perhaps the most productive and reliable player in the Southwestern Athletic Conference — Kourtney Berry.

“I’m honored to have a chance in my coaching career to coach Kourtney Berry,” Jenkins said. “Phenomenal young man. He’s the keystone to our defense. There is no secret to that. He’s a very humble young man.”

The 2015 SWAC defensive player of the year, Berry has posted 363 tackles in three seasons, but has yet to win a conference title. So he enters his final year looking to lead the Hornets to their first SWAC championship since 2004.

ASU starts preseason practice Tuesday and opens the season Sept. 3 at Texas-San Antonio.

“I continually speak it into existence and just try to work every day to make sure it comes true,” said Berry, who has received his bachelor’s degree and is pursuing his master’s degree.

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UMES men will face Michigan, Wichita State in 2016-17

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- UMES will play at least one school from a Power 5 conference this season.

On Saturday, Dec. 17, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s men’s basketball team will travel more than 650 miles to take on the University of Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines of the Big Ten announced their non-conference schedule on Wednesday, July 27.

The Hawks are one of 14 non-conference opponents that the Wolverines will face in the 2016-17 season. The time for the game has not been set. Michigan will also take on Howard, another Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference school, on Friday, Nov. 11.

Michigan finished last season with a 23-13 record and lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament to Notre Dame.

UMES, which finished last season with a 10-22 (7-9 MEAC) record and a first round exit in the MEAC tournament, has not released any parts of its schedule for the 2016-17 season. However, several dates have been confirmed by other schools.

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Norfolk State Football Preview

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The Norfolk State football team has been predicted to finish sixth in the MEAC this season according to the preseason poll of head coaches and sports information directors. In addition, seven Spartans were named to the preseason All-MEAC teams when the conference released its preseason awards and predictions at the annual media day event in downtown Norfolk on Friday.

NSU senior quarterback Greg Hankerson, junior defensive lineman Chris Lee, senior cornerback Sandy Chapman and senior kicker Cameron Marouf were voted to the preseason All-MEAC second team. Senior running back Gerard Johnson, sophomore defensive lineman Walter Brantley and sophomore kick returner Marcus Taylor were named to the third team.

Hankerson is the MEAC's returning leader in total offense after amassing 2,475 yards rushing and passing last year, his first season at NSU after transferring from Florida Atlantic. Hankerson passed for 2,052 yards with 13 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He also led NSU with 423 rushing yards and scored three times on the ground, including TD runs of 77 and 57 yards.

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Hampton Pirates Football Preview

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HAMPTON, Virginia -- The Pirates were selected to finish fifth in the MEAC this season, its third under head coach Connell Maynor. Hampton (6-5, 5-3 MEAC in 2015) received one first-place vote and tallied 265 points in the preseason poll. Last season was Hampton's first winning year since 2011.

Wide receiver Twarn Mixson and punter Christian Faber-Kinney were each named Preseason First Team All-MEAC, as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) released its preseason teams and predicted order of finish on Friday. Both were unveiled during the annual Football Press Luncheon at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel.

Mixson was a First Team All-MEAC selection last season after catching59 passes for 1,027 yards and nine touchdowns – becoming just the second Pirate ever to record a 1,000-yard receiving season. He led the MEAC in receptions (5.9 per game) and receiving yards (93.4 per game). Mixson recorded five 100-yard receiving games last season – including a career-high 172 yards on nine catches at Savannah State. He was also a Second Team All-State honoree from the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID), and BoxToRow and SBN Sports both named him a Black College All-American.

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Learning on the fly: More experienced Southern football team is eyeing more success this season

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern football team was young last season.

At certain points, the Jaguars listed as many as 16 freshmen and sophomores on their two-deep depth chart, 10 of whom played on defense.

For most of the year, it was common to see three or even four underclassmen in the secondary. Not one of the four quarterbacks on the roster was more experienced than a sophomore.

That inexperience led to one of the most frustrating seasons in the Dawson Odums era, with the Jaguars failing to string together consecutive wins until November.

But that was last year.

“Same guys, same team,” Odums said. “The only seniors we lost were a couple offensive linemen. … There’s no replacement for experience.”

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Calm before the storm: Southern gearing up with preseason camp less than a week away

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- When Southern football coach Dawson Odums walks through the halls of the Jaguars coaches offices, he makes sure to stop and talk with every one of his assistant coaches.

Like an overanxious parent hovering over his children, Odums speaks with his coaching staff often, even if there isn’t anything in particular he needs to check on. Right now, there isn’t much happening in the fieldhouse, outside of routine paperwork.

But this is just the calm before the storm. On Wednesday, the Jaguars report for camp.



“It’s double-checking, triple-checking, quadruple-checking and making sure we’re all on the same page,” Odums said. “We know what we’re doing, we’ve had the chance to do it, we’re going to continue to do it and we’re going to get better while we do it.”

The start of preseason camp has become one of the most important times of the year for Southern after the Jaguars were unable to hold spring practice for the second straight season because of NCAA sanctions.

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SWAC Releases Preseason All-Conference Awards With a Howard University Hat Trick

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Southwestern Athletic Conference released the 2016 preseason All-SWAC awards Friday with Howard scoring all three individual awards courtesy of Kela Gray (Offensive Player of the Year), Kendall Hamilton (Defensive Player of the Year) and Mackenzie Diotte (Goalkeeper of the Year). 

Preseason awards were voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. 

The two-time, defending champions not only swept specialty awards, the Bison also collected the highest number of members on preseason teams with a total of eight – three first-teamers, five on second. Jackson State found itself in second with five Lady Tigers on preseason teams, followed by Alabama State with four spots and Mississippi Valley State with three on the teams. Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern each claimed one position.

Previously a sophomore, Gray scored 17 goals, finishing second in the SWAC. She also ranked in the Conference’s top five in categories such as shots (76), points (42) and assists (8). Her best match came early in the season against Hampton when she scored four goals with two assists. Gray was named to the 2015 AllSWAC First Team and averaged 1.83 points per game. 

Hamilton made a name for herself last year on the defensive side, helping the squad wrangle a winning 13-8-2 season. As a freshman, she greatly influenced the squad’s competitive average of a 1.53 goals against mark and aided in the Bison’s nine shutouts on the season. Hamilton earned a spot on the 2015 All-SWAC First Team as well as a position on the 2015 All-Tournament Team. 

Also entering her sophomore year is Goalkeeper of the Year, Diotte. The goalie from Oshawa, Ontario recorded an impressive freshman season, starting in all 23 matches played by Howard. She was ranked second in the Conference in goals against with a 1.49 average and made 127 saves – a .804 save percentage. Personally, she registered five shutouts. Diotte’s best appearance came against Longwood when she reached for a career-high 11 saves. She finished the season with All-Tournament Team and All-SWAC Second Team honors. 

During preseason voting, the predicted order of finish was also decided with the Bison clearing first-place with 170 points. Howard finished its 2015 crusade with an overall 13 wins, eight losses and two ties. The Bison managed a 7-3 conference record and finished the year in third-place. 

The Devilettes, who finished the 2015 campaign as regular season champions, collected a second-place rank with 146 points, followed by the Lady Hornets with 145 points. Jackson State managed 126 points for fourthplace with fifth-place going to Prairie View A&M with 112 points. Arkansas-Pine Bluff landed in sixth-place with 102 points, while Texas Southern (101) and Alabama A&M (74) were voted to finish seventh and eighth, respectfully. Southern (58), Grambling State (46) and Alcorn State (42) recorded ninth, tenth and eleventh positions, respectfully. 

The complete list of award winners is listed below as well as the predicted order of finish.

SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE 
Offensive Player of the Year – Kela Gray – Howard 
Defensive Player of the Year – Kendall Hamilton – Howard
Goalkeeper of the Year – Mackenzie Diotte – Howard 

FIRST TEAM
F	Alicia Cooper	Prairie View A&M
F	Kela Gray	Howard
F	Aaliyah Lewis	Alabama State
M	Laadi Issaka	Mississippi Valley State
M	Ariela Lewis	Alabama State
M	Jalana Ellis	Jackson State
M	Sara Vaughn	Howard
D	Kendall Hamilton	Howard
D	Kyleigh Io	Jackson State
D	Makayla Johnson	Texas Southern
G	Faith Toennies	Jackson State

SECOND TEAM
F	Heather Craddock		Mississippi Valley State
F	Whitney White		Howard
F	Emily Fleming		Alabama State
M	Mariana Balboa		Mississippi Valley State
M	Kalen Roberts		Jackson State
M	Anna Mitchell		Howard
M	Sie’Yara Wells		Jackson State
D	Zakiya Muhammad		Howard
D	Kayla Edwards		Alabama State
D	Sandra Bond		Howard
G	Mackenzie Diotte		Howard
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1		Howard
2		Mississippi Valley State
3		Alabama State
4		Jackson State
5		Prairie View A&M
6		Arkansas-Pine Bluff
7		Texas Southern
8		Alabama A&M
9		Southern
10		Grambling State
11		Alcorn State

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Howard University Track Program Inks Six Newcomers

WASHINGTON, D.C. --  The Howard University track and field program inked six additions, as announced by head coach Marc Harrison on Friday. Sydney Benson, Jason Butler, Alyssa Rishell, Oluchi Ike, Alexis James and Queen Divine will join the Bison for the 2016-17 season.

"This was a very productive year for us in recruiting," Harrison said. "These new Bison bring a new level of expectations for the program. They will continue to exhibit the rare combination of academic and athletic excellence that exists in my program. We are blessed to have them join the family."

Sydney Benson | Harper Woods, Mich. | Grosse Point North HS

A four-year letterwinner at Grosse Point North as a member of the track and cross country teams…A three-time MVP…She was a four-time All-Mac and All-Region selection…Received All-State honors in the 4x800 and All-America recognition in the 4x400 relay…Graduated with high academic honors…Scholastics honorable mention and MIPA Award recipient.

Jason Butler | Sicklerville, N.J. | Timber Creek HS

Lettered two years and served as team captain at Timber Creek...Earned First Team All-Olympic Conference honors…Helped his 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams to New Jersey Group 3 State Championships…A three-time 4x400 state champion…Also nabbed a state championship as a member of the football team…National Honor Society member.

Alyssa Rishell | Montgomery Village, Md. | Watkins Mill HS

A four-year letterwinner and two-year captain of the outdoor and indoor teams at Watkins Mill, she was the 400m Regional Champion in 2014 and 2015…Helped her 4x400 relay team to a regional championship in 2015…During the indoor season, she was the 500m Regional Champion as a junior and county champion as a senior…Took home the 800m indoor regional title in 2016…Was a member of the three-time 4x400m regional championship team, which also claimed the county crown in 2015…Part of the 4x800 relay team that clinched the 2015 regional championship…Also served as the captain of the women's soccer team during her junior year.

In the classroom, Rishell was an honor roll student and received the Alpha Phi Alpha Youth Achievement Award from 2010-2016…Member of the National Society of High School Scholars and National Science Honor Society…IBCP candidate and Achieving Collegiate Success and Excellence (ACES) member.

Oluchi Ike | Upper Marlboro, Md. | Charles H. Flowers HS

Garnered All-Met Honorable Mention recognition while attending Charles H. Flowers…Was named the MVP of the 2016 indoor season…Claimed the indoor state championship in 800m…Took home the regional championship in the 500m, 800m, 400m and 300m hurdles…Helped her indoor and outdoor squads to the 2016 state, region and county championships…Is the school record holder in the outdoor 800m and indoor 400m and 400m hurdle races…Honor student that graduated in the top five-percent of her class.

Alexis James | Cheverly, Md. | Elizabeth Seton HS

Lettered in all four years as a member of the track and field team at Elizabeth Seton…Received All-Met Honorable Mention recognition…Was named the co-captain of the varsity squad…Holds the school record in the 800m...Tabbed as the valedictorian of her 2016 class…Earned the school's Student-Athlete Award and Math Achievement Award…Member of the National Honors Society.

Queen Divine | Mead, N.J. | Montgomery HS

A three-time MVP of the track and field team at Montgomery…Won the sectional and county championships in the 100m hurdle…Was an All-Area selection in the 100m hurdles.

By Candace Johnson, Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations
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Howard Bison Announces 2016-17 Swimming Schedule

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Howard University men's and women's swimming and diving teams released its 2016-17 schedule, as announced by head coach Nicholas Askew on Tuesday.

The season will get started on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. with the annual Bison Swim-A-Thon held on campus at the Burr Gymnasium Pool.

Howard will remain local for the first half of its schedule, hosting its Alumni Meet on Oct. 21 before visiting American (Oct. 28) and George Washington (Oct. 29).

The program gets into Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) action against UMBC on Jan. 7 in Baltimore, Md. Howard heads to the Garden State to take on league foes Drexel, St. Peter's and NJIT at a quad-meet on Jan. 15.

The Bison will host its final meet of the season when they welcome their neighbor, Catholic University, on Jan. 28, before traveling to Athens, Ga. for the CCSA Championships on Feb. 21-26.

Full schedule listed below:

DATE	OPPONENT	LOCATION	TIME
9/10/2016	Bison Swim-A-Thon	Washington, D.C.	1 p.m.
9/30/2016	Potomac Relay Invitational	Washington, D.C.	3 p.m.
10/21/2016	Alumni Meet	Washington, D.C.	6 p.m.
10/28/2016	American University	Washington, D.C.	6 p.m.
10/29/2016	George Washington	Washington, D.C.	1 p.m.
11/4/2016	Mt. St. Mary's	Emmitsburg, Md.	5 p.m.
11/5/2016	Barton College	Washington, D.C.	1 p.m.
11/19/2016	Loyola (Md.)	Baltimore, Md.	1 p.m.
12/2-3/2016	Yellow Jacket Invitational	Ashland, Va.	9 a.m.
1/7/2017	UMBC*	Baltimore, Md.	3 p.m.
1/13/2017	Randolph-Macon	Washington, D.C.	6 p.m.
1/15/2017	Drexel, NJIT, St. Peter's*	Newark, N.J.	1 p.m.
1/20/2017	Marymount	Arlington, Va.	6 p.m.
1/28/2017	Catholic	Washington, D.C.	10 a.m.
2/21-26/2017	CCSA Championships	Athens, Ga.	10 a.m.

Home Games in Bold

*Denotes Conference Meets

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Ricky Fisk welcomes challenge of trying to become Morgan State's top receiver

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- When Andrew King finished his final year at Morgan State last fall, the wide receiver caught 27.3 percent of the team’s passes, had 25.7 percent of the receiving yards and scored 33.3 percent of the touchdown catches and led the offense in each of those categories.

Replacing that production could be difficult, but Ricky Fisk is up for the challenge.

“I looked up to him when I was a junior and he was a senior,” Fisk recalled Friday from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football media day in Norfolk, Va. “When we were in practice, he would tell me how to do this and how to do that. He was quiet to everybody else on the team, but he wasn’t quiet to me.

"We would talk about how things were supposed to be done. So I do feel like now that he’s gone, I’m the next one. I was right under him, and he taught me things, and I feel like I can teach the younger guys things. There’s no pressure, but I do feel like I have to step up.”

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