Saint Augustine's overcomes two-day Findlay lead to earn third consecutive title
ALLENDALE,Michigan -- The men’s and women’s track & field national titles were awarded on Saturday afternoon at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships, and the two champions had completely opposite closing days.
On the women’s side, Central Missouri, which entered the afternoon with a 27-point lead, scored just needed just eight points on day three to capture the program’s first title. For the men, two-time reigning outdoor national champion St. Augustine’s entered Saturday with a mere 10 points, 27 less than first-place Findlay. But the Falcons tallied a whopping 43 points on the final day of competition to win their third consecutive national crown.
Seven-time national champion Lincoln (Mo.) closed the gap significantly, scoring all 50 of its points on day three.
The Blue Tigers won three individual national titles and scored points in three other races to make things interesting.
MEN TEAM SCORES
WOMEN TEAM SCORES
In the women’s 4x100 meter relay, Lincoln’s team of Keja Christie, Yanique Ellington, Kimberly Bailey and Janae Johnson crossed first with a time of 44.62 seconds. Johnson went on to win the women’s 100 meters as well. Later on, Ladonna Richards edged New Mexico Highland’s Salcia Slack by a tenth of a second to win the 100 meter hurdles at 13.32 seconds.
Azusa Pacific claimed the javelin and 1,500 meter titles. Allison Updike took the former, shattering the old NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships record of 51.74 meters, which was set back in 2008. The junior’s throw soared 55.43 meters, while runner-up Estefania Lopez of Fort Hays State also broke the old record with a 52.03-meter throw. Senior Staci Foster took home the 1,500 title by over two seconds, winning with a time of 4:19.07.
The other individual champions were: Sara Wells of Wayne State (Neb.) in the shot put, Quanera Hayes of Livingstone in both the 400 and 200 meters, Simon Fraser’s Lindsey Butterworth in the 800 meters, Tia-Adana Belle, a sophomore at St. Augustine’s, in the 400 meter hurdles, and Emily Oren of Hillsdale in the 5,000 meters.
Texas A&M Kingsville took the final individual title of the day by winning with 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:41.22.
While Central Missouri and Lincoln (Mo.) led the way, New Mexico Highlands accrued 42 points to finish third. One point behind, Grand Valley State, the host of this weekend’s festivities, earned fourth place. Pittsburg State rounded out the top five with 31 points.
To take the men’s title, the 14th its history, St. Augustine’s scored in six of the 10 running events on the closing day.
Nineteen of those points came in the men’s 400 meters, as Omar Johnson nabbed the national title at 45.78 seconds, Khari Herbert placed third and Burkheart Ellis Jr. finished sixth. Ellis Jr. went on to cross third in the 200 meters as well, earning six more points. An additional eight points came from a second-place finish in the men’s 4x100 meter relay, which saw Johnson C. Smith lock up the title with a time of 40.05 seconds.
Minnesota State’s Emmanuel Matadi won national titles in the 200 and 100 meters, posting times of 20.54 and 10.21 seconds, respectively.
Texas A&M Kingsville reigned in a pair of national titles in the field. In one of the most impressive feats of the day, Jeron Robinson was the only competitor to make it over 2.19 meters, successfully clearing each of the preceding heights in his first try. The other title came from Javan Gray, who won the javelin with a throw of 71.21 meters.
The final two field titles went to Justin Ellerbee of Cal Poly Pomona (pole vault, 5.35 meters) and Pittsburg State’s Garrett Appier (shot put, 18.51 meters).
All 13 of Findlay’s points on Saturday came in the shot put, as it boasted the second-place (Taylor Miller), fifth-place (Ben Hahler) and eighth-place (Mathieu Marcoccia) finishers.
On the track, Sean Wells of Grand Valley State captured the 110-meter hurdles crown with a time of 13.68 seconds. The other sprint event title -- 400-meter hurdles -- went to Maurice Jones of Hillsdale.
In the 800 meters, Drew Windle, a senior at Ashland, crossed in 1:48.89 seconds to win the event.
Adams State boasted a pair of individual champions, too. Oilver Atchison nabbed first in the 1,500 meters with a time of 3:45.92, while Tabor Stevens outlasted the field in the 5,000 meters, posting a time of 14:14.42.
The final event of the competition saw Tarleton State complete a miraculous comeback to win the 4x400 meter relay.
Findlay finished a mere three points behind St. Augustine’s, ending the week with 50 points. Ashland took third with 43 points, Texas A&M Kingsville was fourth with 41, and Pittsburg State and Adams State tied for fifth with 40 points apiece.
COURTESY NCAA.COM
Saturday, May 23, 2015
XU Rolland does the honors, earns All-America again
GULF SHORES, Alabama -- Xavier University of Louisiana's Devinn Rolland earned a pair of honors Friday, including All-America for the third time in four years in the long jump at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.
A senior from Harvey, La., and a graduate of Cabrini High School, Rolland finished sixth in the long jump with a season-best 18 feet, 9 3/4 inches (5.73 meters).
Earlier in the day, Rolland was one of four from Xavier named to Capital One Academic All-District 2 teams. It was the second time in three years that Rolland received that honor.
Elsewhere on the track, three from Xavier did not advance to Saturday's finals -- Chelsea James in the women's 100-meter dash (12.24 seconds), Joseph Moses III in the men's 100 (11.05) and Alex Xavier in the men's 110 hurdles (17.78). As a result, the Gold Nuggets' and Gold Rush's seasons ended Friday.
It was the final collegiate meet for Rolland, who will graduate from Xavier's College of Pharmacy in 2017.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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A senior from Harvey, La., and a graduate of Cabrini High School, Rolland finished sixth in the long jump with a season-best 18 feet, 9 3/4 inches (5.73 meters).
Earlier in the day, Rolland was one of four from Xavier named to Capital One Academic All-District 2 teams. It was the second time in three years that Rolland received that honor.
Elsewhere on the track, three from Xavier did not advance to Saturday's finals -- Chelsea James in the women's 100-meter dash (12.24 seconds), Joseph Moses III in the men's 100 (11.05) and Alex Xavier in the men's 110 hurdles (17.78). As a result, the Gold Nuggets' and Gold Rush's seasons ended Friday.
It was the final collegiate meet for Rolland, who will graduate from Xavier's College of Pharmacy in 2017.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.comXAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Culver column: Don't stress about FAMU's Regional destination
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- It really doesn't matter where Florida A&M's baseball team travels to start the NCAA tournament.Plenty of people want to see head coach Jamey Shouppe and pitching coach Bryan Henry return to Florida State to battle against the Seminoles, who will likely host a Regional.
Folks are intrigued by the idea of FAMU fans traveling somewhere like Miami or Gainesville – where the Rattlers already shocked the nation once by defeating the Gators last year in the regular season – for the Rattlers' first appearance in an NCAA Regional.
The "where" isn't the big deal, at least not to the players.
They're much more focused on the "what."
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WSSU's QB Phillip Sims in the Mix with Arizona Cardinals
Phillip Sims' pro career is only a few weeks old, but its already gone through a few transformations. The former Winston-Salem State quarterback has gone from being undrafted, to having to try out for the team to pushing for the third quarterback spot on the Arizona Cardinals roster.
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told AZCentral.com that Sims is in the mix for a spot on the team's opening week roster.
"He had no problem listening to (the play) and calling it without it being repeated to him two or three times," Arians said. "Most rookies, they'll get the shift and maybe the formation, then they will turn their head around and ask for the play (again) and everything else.
"He was able to get it. His reads were correct. He actually changed a protection once and I was like, 'Whoa, you're up to level five already. These guys can't do that.' And he was very accurate. He got my attention. He's in the mix."
There's still a long way to go before the season starts in September, but Sims looks like he has a legit shot at making an NFL roster. He'll likely have to beat out former Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas who saw some playing time due to injuries as a rookie in 2014.
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2015 NCAA Division II T&F Championship Recap: Day Two
ALLENDALE, Michigan -- Look back at all the excitement from the track at Day Two of the 2015 DII Men's & Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship. After the second day of competition, Central Missouri is in first place for the women, while Findlay is in for first for the men.
Men’s triple jump was the next final of the afternoon. Saint Augustine’s David Shaw captured the title with a leap of 15.82 meters. Findlay’s Demorrio Leggett was a close second, recording a jump of 15.70 meters. His teammate, junior Michael Bruce, took third with a mark of 15.55 meters.
A total of 27 events will take place on Saturday, all of which are finals. Competition will begin with the women’s javelin throw at 11:00 a.m. The championships are scheduled to conclude with the men’s 4x400 meter relay at 6:00 p.m.
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Men’s triple jump was the next final of the afternoon. Saint Augustine’s David Shaw captured the title with a leap of 15.82 meters. Findlay’s Demorrio Leggett was a close second, recording a jump of 15.70 meters. His teammate, junior Michael Bruce, took third with a mark of 15.55 meters.
A total of 27 events will take place on Saturday, all of which are finals. Competition will begin with the women’s javelin throw at 11:00 a.m. The championships are scheduled to conclude with the men’s 4x400 meter relay at 6:00 p.m.
COURTESY NCAA.COM
North Carolina A&T RB posts videos of amazing backflip catches
GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- You probably have not heard of North Carolina A&T State running back Tarik Cohen, but he's becoming a social media star. Cohen, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2013, is turning heads thanks to a couple of Instagram posts.
The 5-foot-6 rusher displays his freakish athleticism and changes the game when it comes to backflip catches with these two videos.
Time for North Carolina wide receiver Ryan Switzer and former Minnesota wideout Logan Hutton, among others, to step up their games.
TARIK COHEN INSTAGRAM PAGE
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The 5-foot-6 rusher displays his freakish athleticism and changes the game when it comes to backflip catches with these two videos.
Time for North Carolina wide receiver Ryan Switzer and former Minnesota wideout Logan Hutton, among others, to step up their games.
TARIK COHEN INSTAGRAM PAGE
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Friday, May 22, 2015
SAU Falcons’ Shaw national triple jump champion
ALLENDALE, Michigan -- David Shaw of Saint Augustine’s University is the men’s national triple jump champion after leaping a career-best 51-11 in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships on the Grand Valley State University campus Friday, May 22, 2015.Shaw won the triple jump on his first leap. He beat Demorrio Leggett of Findlay, who placed second with a jump of 51-61/4.
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Lincoln University Blue Tigers Qualifies Six More Entries on Day Two of Championships
ALLENDALE, Michigan -- The Lincoln women's and men's track & field teams combine to win two more preliminary races and qualify six more entries into event finals on the second day of the 2015 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships on Friday (May 22). The Blue Tigers have now qualified 12 entries into the finals of the three-day championships, hosted from Thursday through Saturday (May 21-23) by Grand Valley State University.Yanique Ellington and Ladonna Richards were the two winners on the day, with Ellington emerging victorious in the prelims of the 200m in 23.63 while Richards claimed first place in the prelims of the 100m hurdles in 13.40. Janae Johnson also qualified for LU in the 200m, taking fourth during the preliminaries with a time of 23.76.
Jhevere Hall was responsible for two of LU's other qualifying times, as she placed fourth in the 800m (2:08.05) before teaming with Lovan Palmer, Willomena Williams and Ebony Rose to place second in the 4x400m relay in 3:41.96. Also representing the Lincoln women on Friday was Monique Thompson, who finished 15th in the 800m (2:11.74).
Miguel Barton was the men's team qualifier, finishing sixth in the prelims of the 200m in 21.27. The only Blue Tiger competing in a finals event on Friday was Owen Smith, who took 14th in the triple jump after turning in a top distance of 14.83m.
Both Blue Tiger track & field teams will close out the 2014-15 season on Saturday with the final day of the 2015 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.
Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
Grading Grambling’s 2014-15 athletic season
GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Just one year ago, Grambling’s athletic department wrapped up a calendar year to forget with enough losses to fill Eddie Robinson Stadium and a player revolt to boot.Grambling’s improvements were minimal at best on paper this past year, but fans can go to sleep at night knowing the Tigers are in a better place.
The News-Star took a look back at the Tigers’ 2014-15 year in sports, assigning letter grades based on overall record, statistics, postseason honors and historical context.
Grambling football coach Broderick Fobbs is one the people to thank for the turnaround. The Tigers were one of the few programs at Grambling to make noise during 2014-15 with a remarkable 7-5 record after finishing a combined 2-20 in the previous two years.
Not only did Fobbs win, he brought together ...
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Denzel Washington gives Dillard University students four life goals in commencement speech
NEW ORLEANS -- Denzel and Dillard: A successful partnership that on Saturday (May 9) made for a special commencement for Dillard University's Class of 2015.
The commencement took place at the university's Rosa Freeman Keller Avenue of the Oaks, where 218 students received diplomas for their degrees from the College of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, and Nursing. The highlight of the ceremony featured Academy and Tony award-winning actor Denzel Washington as the keynote speaker.
Introduced by senior class vice president Joy Semien, Washington took to the podium to impart four goals for graduating seniors, and for the audience, as well: "Congratulations to all of you... First: Put God first ... Second: Fail big ... a dream without goals, is just a dream ... Third: You will never see a U-Haul behind a hearse ... and Four: Say thank-you in advance for what is already yours." He concluded with, "Don't aspire to make a living, aspire to make a difference." (Also during the speech, Washington very candidly said he once had a 1.7 grade point average in college.)
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VSU Athletics Sweeps Three Top Honors at CIAA End-of-Year Awards Reception
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| PEGGY DAVIS |
VSU's Athletic Director, Peggy Davis, was name the CIAA 2015 Athletic Director of the Year as voted by the Athletics Director Association. This marks the fifth time, beginning in 2007, that Mrs. Davis has received this honor. The recipient is recognized for their commitment and administrative excellence within their campus, conference and community environment.
The Trojans also received the 2015 Loretta Taylor and the C.H. Williams All-Sports Awards for its women's and men's athletic programs, respectively. This is the second consecutive year VSU has received these honor. The award is given to the top female and male athletic programs within the conference based on championship finish.
This has been another great year for Trojan Athletics as they wrap up the year at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championship on May 21-23 in Allendale, MI.
The Trojans continue to stay true to their mission in "creating academic and athletic champions in the Conference and NCAA through excellence in: Scholarship, Sportsmanship, Ethical Behavior, Community Service, and Diversity."
For more information on VSU Athletics, visit www.govsutrojans.com.
COURTESY VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Legendary SAU Coach Williams Wins Three CIAA Coach of the Year Awards
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| GEORGE WILLIAMS |
The CIAA accolades are the latest honors for Williams, who has won numerous conference, regional and national track & field coach of the year awards during an illustrious 39-year coaching career at Saint Augustine's University. He has guided the SAU men's and women's track & field teams to 35 NCAA Division II national championships combined which is the most NCAA titles in the sport at one school by a head coach regardless of division.
Williams led the Falcons to their 18th straight CIAA men's indoor and outdoor titles this season. The Lady Falcons captured their 14th CIAA crown in 19 years this season.
Both the Falcons and Lady Falcons will compete in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships starting Thursday, May 21, 2015. The Falcons are second in the men's national rankings and the Lady Falcons are fourth in the women's national rankings. The Falcons are the two-time defending men's outdoor champions.
COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Top-Ranked Johnson Runs Fastest 400-Meter Qualifying Time at NCAA Championships
ALLENDALE, Michigan -- Top-ranked Omar Johnson (Jr./St. Ann, Jamaica) of Saint Augustine's University ran the fastest qualifying time to reach the men's 400-meter finals in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships on the Grand Valley State University campus Thursday, May 21, 2015.
Johnson, who ran a time of 46.78 seconds, led three Falcons who qualified for the 400 finals. Burkheart Ellis, Jr.(Jr./Raleigh, NC) was third in 47.08 seconds and Khari Herbert, Jr. (So./Coral Springs, FL) placed sixth in 47.40 seconds.
Johnson and Ellis were also part of the men's 4x100-meter relay team which qualified for the finals. The 4x100 squad, which includes Kevaughn Hewitt (Sr./Miramar, FL) and Daniel Jamieson (Jr./Windsor, CT), ran the third-fastest preliminary time (40.32 seconds).
Tia-Adana Belle (So./St. George, Barbados) ran the second-fastest preliminary time to qualify for the women's 400-meter hurdles finals. The top-ranked hurdler in the event, Belle ran a time of 1:00.05.
Tia-Adana Belle (So./St. George, Barbados) ran the second-fastest preliminary time to qualify for the women's 400-meter hurdles finals. The top-ranked hurdler in the event, Belle ran a time of 1:00.05.
The Lady Falcons qualified for the women's 4x100-meter relay finals after running the fifth-fastest time (46.45 seconds). The 4x100 squad consists of Sherrie-Ann Ashman (Sr./Brooklyn, NY), Belle, Shakinah Brooks (So./Raleigh, NC) and Ornella Livingston (Jr./Christiana, Jamaica). In the women's long jump, Brooks placed third with a career leap of 21-2¾, and teammate Amenze Uhunmwangho (Ebo, Nigeria) was eighth with a jump of 19-9½.
The three-day meet continues Friday, May 22, starting at 9:30 a.m. with the men's decathlon. The track and field events begin at 2 p.m. Watch the championship meet on NCAA.com. The live stats link is -http://www.primetimetiming.com/liveresults/2015/ncaad2outdoor/.
COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Circle City Classic, Kentucky State University and Central State University sign Multi-Year Deal
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| Courtesy Central State University Sports Information |
"This is an exciting day for Circle City Classic®, said Tanya Bell, IBE president & Chief Executive Officer. "Classics across the country are evolving which requires unique approaches. The multi-year agreement with Midwest rival teams will help us better plan, avoid our traditional date bumping up against college homecomings and increase our chances for warmer weather," added Bell.
Statement from Harry Stinson, Kentucky State University Athletic Director
We are excited and thrilled to have our rivalry against Central State University showcased in the Circle City Classic®. This partnership with the Indiana Black Expo creates avenues for us to increase our student athlete experience by playing the game in an NFL stadium; it increases the exposure of our universities in the Indianapolis area and the Mid-West region and provides an unique opportunity for our fans, alumni and student bodies to have an awesome experience in Indianapolis.
The opportunity to market, promote and engage the communities in Indianapolis in a multi-year deal provides 365 day exposure for our university that cannot be quantified. It provides us exposure to the brightest stars and scholars in the high schools and provides a platform for them to get to know our universities. As we embark on a new era in higher education and athletics, generating partnerships that increase awareness, branding opportunities, exposure, and revenue are essential. This partnership speaks to all of the areas of today's higher education needs and surrounds that around a sporting event. We are excited about the future and look forward to us being victorious not only on the field of play but also in recruiting students to attend both of our universities.
Statement from Jahan Culbreath, Central State University Athletic Director
The Circle City Classic® is a fixture not only in Indianapolis but throughout the country as one of the premier classics. It gives the opportunity to showcase the talent of our students, and helps promote awareness of two tremendous HBCU institutions in the Midwest. It is also exciting to know that Central State and Kentucky State will continue their rivalry on this stage for at least the next three years. Central State is pleased to continue to work alongside KSU athletic director Harry Stinson III and the wonderful folks who organize the Circle City Classic. By committing to be part of the Circle City Classic® shows our dedication to enhance our brand and broaden our fan base. Most importantly, our presence in Indianapolis continues to help grow the quality collegiate experience for all of the CSU family.
The theme for Circle City Classic® is "Buy One. Send One." which reflects the purpose that Classic serves as a fundraiser to send Indiana students to college. "A ticket purchase will help pay for a student to attend college," Bell said. Since 1984, more than 3 million dollars in scholarships have been awarded to Indiana youth. The Circle City Classic® dates for 2015 – 2017 include:
2015: Saturday, September 26, 2015
2016: Saturday, September 24, 2016
2017: Saturday, September 23, 2017
The Circle City Classic® will also feature half-time celebrity performance and a pre-game Your Life Matters® – The Remix youth forum.
Tickets for Circle City Classic® officially go on sale Friday, May 8th. Tickets are available by calling the IBE Box Office at 317.925.2702, the Lucas Oil Stadium Ticket Office at 317.262.3389, online at www.ticketmaster.com or at any Ticket Master outlet.
To purchase tickets in the Kentucky State University block contact our box office at 502-597-6011.
COURTESY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Savannah State calls for Woodland hooper Deontae McClanahan
STOCKBRIDGE, Georgia — The story of how Deontae McClanahan locked up a basketball scholarship starts and ends in a gymnasium, but not in the way one would think.
About a month ago, McClanahan was shooting around in the Woodland gym when the high school’s head football coach, Steve Davenport, approached him.
“He asked me what schools were recruiting me at the time. I told him that a couple of small schools, a college in Tennessee, Clark Atlanta and Wingate,” he said. “He asked me if I would be interested in going to Savannah State and I was like, ‘Yeah!’”
The former Savannah State football coach whipped out his cellphone, called the basketball coach at his old school and put McClanahan on the line.
Two weeks later, McClanahan worked out for the Tigers in Savannah. A short time after that — specifically April 24, the day of prom — McClanahan received a phone call as he was in the middle of taking pictures. It was a Savannah State coach and he wanted to extend an offer.
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About a month ago, McClanahan was shooting around in the Woodland gym when the high school’s head football coach, Steve Davenport, approached him.
“He asked me what schools were recruiting me at the time. I told him that a couple of small schools, a college in Tennessee, Clark Atlanta and Wingate,” he said. “He asked me if I would be interested in going to Savannah State and I was like, ‘Yeah!’”
The former Savannah State football coach whipped out his cellphone, called the basketball coach at his old school and put McClanahan on the line.
Two weeks later, McClanahan worked out for the Tigers in Savannah. A short time after that — specifically April 24, the day of prom — McClanahan received a phone call as he was in the middle of taking pictures. It was a Savannah State coach and he wanted to extend an offer.
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Wilson Adds Two To SSU Coaching Staff
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| Coach Andy Siegal Offensive Coordinator |
SIEGAL
Siegal comes to Savannah State from the University of Nebraska-Kearne
y where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2012-2014.
He has over 25 years of coaching experience at the collegiate, professional and high school level.
His college coaching stops include East Mississippi Community College (2010-11), Southern Mississippi (2009-10), College of the Sequoias (2005-09), Dodge City Community College (1999-05), Southern Arkansas (1992-94) and Quincy University (1992).
In 2010, Siegal was offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for an East Mississippi team that led the nation in passing offense, passing touchdowns, passing attempts and passing yards and made the playoffs for a third season.
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| Coach Russell Demasi Quarterback Coach |
He served in a variety of roles while at Dodge City, including interim head coach and offensive coordinator. His offense ranked first in the nation in 2002 and 2004.
At Southern Miss, Siegal did a variety of duties, including assistant offensive line coach and offensive quality control. He was part of a 2009 Eagles team that went 7-6 and advanced to the New Orleans Bowl.
Besides holding a B.S. in Physical Education from Winona State University, Siegal also has a Master's degree in Kinesiology from Southern Arkansas.
Siegal and his wife, Miriam, have three children; Taylor (17), Austin (15) and Bear Bryant (7).
DEMASI
Demasi comes to SSU from Shorter University. During the 2013 season he was a graduate assistant and worked with the quarterback and fullbacks and during the 2014 season he served as co-special teams coordinator.
The Savannah, Georgia native was a member of the Georgia Southern University football team (2008-12) where he went from being a preferred walk-on to earning a scholarship during his senior year. He was named Scout Team Player of the Year in 2011.
While in high school, Demasi was a 2006 and 2007 All-Greater Savannah first-team selection. DeMasi threw for 1,068 yards and 14 touchdowns in his senior season for Savannah Christian Preparatory School, leading them to a 10-2 record and the second round of the Class AA playoffs.
Demasi earned his bachelor's degree from GSU in general studies with a concentration in education, coaching and business in 2012 and earned his master's degree from Shorter in December 2014.
He is the son of Karl Demasi, who now serves as athletics director and head basketball coach at Islands High School in Savannah. Karl has served as head coach in football, basketball and baseball at various Savannah schools since 1995.
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Norfolk State Football Hires Kefense Hynson as New Wide Receivers Coach
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| Coach Kefense Hynson |
Kefense Hynson as the Spartans' new wide receivers coach.
Hynson has collegiate experience coaching receivers, quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends and defensive backs. He has worked at the Division I FBS and FCS and Division II levels in addition to several internships in the NFL.
"We took our time with the search for this position and we feel like we made a quality hire," Scott said. "Kefense's background speaks for itself. He has an excellent pedigree. We are excited to have him and his family join our program."
Hynson comes to NSU after spending three seasons at the University of Montana, including the last two years as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In his first season with the Grizzlies, he coached the tight ends and special teams.
In 2014, Hynson helped Montana finish 9-5 and reach the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Grizzlies finished the season ranked 11th (FCS Coaches) and 13th (Sports Network) in the two major Division I FCS polls. UM averaged 29.6 points and 226.6 passing yards per game behind quarterback Jordan Johnson, who earned honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference honors.
The previous year, Johnson passed for 32 touchdowns and 3,387 yards, both of which ranked among the top five single-season totals in school history.
Before joining the Montana staff, Hynson coached the wide receivers at Yale from 2009-11. That followed a three-year stint at Division II Western Washington (2006-08), where he served as offensive coordinator for the final two seasons. Hynson's offense in his final season at Western Washington averaged 404 total yards, nearly 30 points a game and had 29 touchdown passes.
Hynson was running backs coach at Minnesota State in 2005 and director of football operations at Boise State in 2004 when the Broncos went 11-1, won the WAC title and were ranked in both major polls. He has also had assistant coaching jobs at Quincy (defensive backs coach, 2004) and Willamette (assistant receivers coach, 2003) and completed NFL minority coaching fellowships with Seattle (2008), Oakland (2009), Kansas City (2010), Houston (2013) and Detroit (2014).
Hynson was selected to participate in the 2009 NCAA Football Coaches Academy and the 2011 NCAA Expert Forum.
Hynson was an honorable mention All-America defensive back at Willamette College in Oregon. He was a three-time Northwest Conference all-star and served as team captain before graduating with his bachelor's degree in history in 2003.
An Oakland, California native, Hynson and his wife, Shanina, have three children: Jade, Myles and Layla.
2015 Football Coaching Staff
| NAME | TITLE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Latrell Scott | Head Football Coach | ||
| Jerry Holmes | Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach | ||
| Kevin Grisby | Assistant Head Coach/Cornerbacks Coach | ||
| Christian Parker | Safeties Coach/Recruiting Coordinator | ||
| Keith Braxton | Defensive Line Coach | ||
| Aaron Corp | Quarterbacks Coach | ||
| Anthony Parker | Offensive Line Coach | ||
| Montario Hardesty | Running Backs Coach | ||
| Chris Neff | Assistant AD/Strength and Conditioning | ||
| Kefense Hynson | Wide Receivers Coach |
Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
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Clark: Shouppe enjoying life at FAMU
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Jamey Shouppe doesn't want a story written about him.
The second-year Florida A&M baseball coach wants one written about his players and their accomplishments. It was their MEAC Championship last weekend. Not his. It's their first NCAA Tournament berth. Not his.
Shouppe doesn't want the spotlight. And he doesn't want the attention. But too bad. He deserves both.
The former Florida State pitching coach has taken a program that had back-to-back 7-45 seasons before he arrived to historic highs. And it took him less than 24 months to do it.
"I didn't go through seven-win seasons," Shouppe said. "So I came in with enthusiasm. It was a process, just like anything else, of trying to change attitudes, trying to change work ethics, trying to change excitement levels about coming to the baseball field and trying to get better every day."
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Xavier Nuggets' relay team sets XU mark at NAIA nationals
GULF SHORES, Alabama -- Xavier University of Louisiana set a school record of 47.10 seconds Thursday in the preliminaries of the women's 400-meter relay at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.
Chelsea James, Katelyn McMorris, Clarke Allen and Devinn Rolland were the members of the relay. They broke the previous mark of 47.22 set April 11 by James, Destini Thomas, Allen and Rolland at the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships in New Orleans.
The Gold Nuggets had the ninth-fastest time out of 26 teams. The missed the final by three-hundredths of a second.
Thunderstorms washed out some of Thursday's first-day events, including Rolland in the women's long jump.
Rolland will jump Friday in an event in which she has earned All-America honors twice. Also scheduled to compete Friday for Xavier in preliminaries will be James in the women's 100, Joseph Moses III in the men's 100 and Alex Xavier in the 110 hurdles.
The three-day meet will conclude Saturday.
Chelsea James, Katelyn McMorris, Clarke Allen and Devinn Rolland were the members of the relay. They broke the previous mark of 47.22 set April 11 by James, Destini Thomas, Allen and Rolland at the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships in New Orleans.
The Gold Nuggets had the ninth-fastest time out of 26 teams. The missed the final by three-hundredths of a second.
Thunderstorms washed out some of Thursday's first-day events, including Rolland in the women's long jump.
Rolland will jump Friday in an event in which she has earned All-America honors twice. Also scheduled to compete Friday for Xavier in preliminaries will be James in the women's 100, Joseph Moses III in the men's 100 and Alex Xavier in the 110 hurdles.
The three-day meet will conclude Saturday.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Chiefs Legend Bobby Bell Earns Degree from U. of Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota -- Kansas City Chiefs legend, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion Bobby Bell, who will turn the milestone age of 75 in a little bit more than a month, achieved a personal milestone that was 53 years in the making on Thursday night.
Bell, in keeping a promise to his late father, walked across the stage at the Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis for the first time as a college graduate of the University of Minnesota.
"I really wanted to dance across the stage,” he said. “So many people here touched me and they were on the stage. The faculty members, all of them, came up in the back to shake my hand. They grabbed me; they hugged me.
“It's a great feeling. It's just like in the stadium."
Bell left Minnesota in 1962 with nine credits remaining to graduate and instead chose to play professional football while also working at General Motors.
From that point forward, finishing his degree unconsciously became secondary.
“What happened is I kept putting it off,” he described. “I would say 'maybe next fall. Next spring I'll go back and get my degree.' I had a few credits left and I kept putting it off. Then the next thing I know, I'm opening up restaurants and stuff. Then I started working.
“I was traveling all over the country and I kept putting it off. I'd say 'maybe next year.'”
CONTINUE READING
Bell, in keeping a promise to his late father, walked across the stage at the Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis for the first time as a college graduate of the University of Minnesota.
"I really wanted to dance across the stage,” he said. “So many people here touched me and they were on the stage. The faculty members, all of them, came up in the back to shake my hand. They grabbed me; they hugged me.
“It's a great feeling. It's just like in the stadium."
Bell left Minnesota in 1962 with nine credits remaining to graduate and instead chose to play professional football while also working at General Motors.
From that point forward, finishing his degree unconsciously became secondary.
“What happened is I kept putting it off,” he described. “I would say 'maybe next fall. Next spring I'll go back and get my degree.' I had a few credits left and I kept putting it off. Then the next thing I know, I'm opening up restaurants and stuff. Then I started working.
“I was traveling all over the country and I kept putting it off. I'd say 'maybe next year.'”
CONTINUE READING
Florida A&M Rattler Cagers Ink Standout JUCO Point Guard and More...
TALLAHASSEE, Florida – The Florida A&M Men’s Basketball program announced the signing this week of junior college backcourt phenom Elijah Mays to a National Letter of Intent to join the team for the 2015-16 season.
Mays, a 6’0” point guard, is a native of Orlando, Florida, where he played on the prep level for University High School, where he averaged 11.0 points and 6.0 assists per game.
Recruited by Pepperdine, Tennessee State and Abilene Christian as well as FAMU, Mays played on the junior college level at Palm Beach (Fla.) State College (2013-14) and McLennan (Tex.) Community College (2014-15).
At Palm Beach State, Mays averaged 7.5 points, 4.0 assists, 2.4 rebounds, shooting 36.7 percent from three-point range, and 75.8 percent from the foul line, while at McLennan CC, he averaged 3.8 points, 2.6 assists and 1.9 rebounds.
FAMU head coach Byron Samuels said of Mays:
“We are so excited to announce the signing of Elijah Mays. His skills as a point guard will be very important as we continue to work to build the FAMU Basketball Program.
“Elijah is a natural leader, his ball handling and passing skills are exactly what our team needs. He can make the open three-point shot, but what sets him apart is his ability to make the mid-range jump shot.
“We need him to be a hawk defensively, be a good decision maker and command the team. We believe he can do all of those things, and are fired up that he’s a Rattler!,” Samuels concluded.
Coach Samuels also announced the signing of Justin Ravenel and Nicholas Serverado to the Rattlers men's basketball team.
Ravenel is a 6’3”- 175 lb. point guard from Decatur, Georgia. He was ranked a three-star guard by ESPN. Ravenel’s strengths are both ball handling and defense, while having a solid scoring set. The southpaw has a good vertical, resulting in some thunderous dunks. Additionally he is committed to defense as well, a staple in Samuels’ philosophy. Ravenel is well equipped to drive from the dribble or shoot from deep.
Samuels on Ravenel
“Justin is a terrific basketball player but an even better student and young man. Justin is an excellent shooter and playmaker. His ability to play both guard spots gives our team versatility. He’s the type of teammate every player wants to play with. He exhibits a maturity and poise beyond his youth. Justin is a winner as a student athlete having won two Georgia State HS championships, more importantly he is a winner as a person. He represents all that is good in college athletics, we are so proud to have him join the FAMU Basketball program and family."
Severado is a 6’8” – 185 lb. forward from Savannah, Georgia . He has the physical abilities to be effective in the MEAC. He amassed 80 blocks and 134 rebounds in his senior season playing for Jenkins High School. His shot blocking ability should help the Rattler front line bolster its defensive presence.
Samuels on Severado
“Nick is an amazing sign for our basketball program. At 6’8” he can play multiple positions, point guard being among them. He is long, athletic, adept at using both his left and right hands, and is one of the best passers I’ve seen in a long time. He has the ability to make shots and plays above the rim that you can’t coach. Defensively, Nick can defend three to four positions, and his shot blocking ability is uncanny. Nick is the consummate team first guy, sacrificing his own stats this season to help lead his team to the state championship. We are proud that Nick and his family have signed with FAMU, we are humbled by his commitment. "
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Thursday, May 21, 2015
TSU's Hughes Named Female Athlete of OVC Championships
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Sophomore Amber Hughes was selected Female Athlete of the OVC Outdoor Championship, announced by the league office on Thursday.
“I am excited for Amber,” said head coach Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice. “She stepped up and carried the team on her back as a leader. We were thinking on using Clairwain (Dameus) in the final relay, but Amber and the squad knew she was exhausted from the Heptathlon and her other events. She showed her true leadership skill as she convinced us they would get it done and save Clairwin from another grueling event.”
Hughes recorded first place finishes in four events and placed third in another as she helped the Tigerbelles claim the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor championships last weekend. The title was the first outdoor trophy for TSU since 2008.
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| Photo courtesy of Brittney Sparn/Austin Peay Athletics |
The Atlanta, Ga. native ran the opening leg of the winning 4x400 (3:44.96) meter relay team with Diera Taylor, Christian Pryor and Kayla Pryor, clinching the team title for the Tigerbelles. Hughes also claimed victories in the triple jump (12.90/42-04.00), 200 meter dash (23.66) and the 100 meter hurdles (13.27), in which she broke a record which stood since 1986.
Hughes also teamed with Clairwin Dameus, India Smith and Taylor for a third place finish in the 4x100 relay team.
“I am just proud to be a Tigerbelle,” said Hughes. “I am more excited we won the team championship. I feel very happy of the accomplishment and to represent the team. We all worked hard to win.”
This is the second consecutive year a Tigerbelle held the honors of top Female Athlete at the OVC Championships as Dameus earned the award for her performance in 2014. The back-to-back selections were the first since Dominque Ward was tabbed with the distinction in 2007.
“It gives us more motivation,” Hughes said of the recognition for her and Dameus. “We just want to keep working harder and pass on the dedication to our teammates so they can win it next.”
Hughes, along with Dameus, I'mani Davis and Flying Tiger Quamel Prince, will compete at the NCAA East Preliminary Round on May 28 in Jacksonville, Fla.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Baseball scholarships becoming elusive for Black HS grads
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| CHAD HARDY (OF/RHP) is a talented athlete and student. 6'-0/175 lbs., 60 times: 6.65 Batting Average: .459, Fielding %: .958, On-Base %: .560, Stolen bases: 28 PROSPER HIGH SCHOOL/ GRADUATES IN 2015' 2014/15 Team Record: 26-3/District: 13-0 HOMETOWN: MCKINNEY, TEXAS SUMMER TEAM: DBAT Mustangs (3-years) Honors: Named to all-district team for 2013-14 season Lead team in hits, runs scored and stolen bases Signed NLI: Paris Junior College, Paris, Texas Courtesy: PERFECT GAME |
NORTH DALLAS, Texas -- A typical young, black male in football and basketball glides down a gilded pathway by the time they are seniors in high school in both of those sports. My brother Chet, a blue chip, Parade All American as a senior, had bags of letters from every major university in the nation when he was a senior at Carter High School. You know this story well as you see it play out every year across high schools in Texas: Notre Dame, USC, UCLA, Florida State, Oklahoma, Michigan, Alabama, Miami, Ohio State, Texas, LSU, Nebraska; they all came calling on gifted young black males to help transform or maintain their programs.
Indeed, this is the accustomed stance for young black men: the decision where to lay their roots at many of the nation’s finest colleges and universities. In Chet’s case, all these same schools beckoned him to sign with their program, not only because of his football skills, but his academics were through the roof as well. Those programs that were recruiting Chet obviously know talent, as Chet, years later landed in the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas A&M Hall of Fame, and earning two Super Bowl rings from his time as an All-Madden Safety with the San Francisco 49ers.
Well, I see Hardy as a modern-day version of Chet, but with a major variant in play. He resides in a sport that appears conflicted at all levels (youth, college and pro) about how much leeway to give a young, black baseball player.
In Hardy’s case, he may have arrived before his time in a collegiate sense. It doesn’t appear that deserving kids like Hardy – for all of their merits on and off the field – will be able to entice the “gatekeepers” at college baseball’s highest levels to “pull a Bear Bryant,” where Bryant, in the early 70s, decided all-white football squads were passé. Bryant helped lead Alabama out of the dark ages, taking the entire college landscape (SMU, USC are among the enlightened programs that had previously diversified their squads) with him as his move to black ballplayers finally ushered in widespread acceptance on most campuses and thus allowed blacks to finally compete with the nation’s best and on the best teams in the nation.
Though Hardy has the talent to allow him to play for virtually any school in the nation, he has fruitlessly performed in front of schools like Louisiana Tech University, the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and Stephen F. Austin. For some reason, those schools and others aren’t biting.
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Grambling State to Participant in Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Multi-Team Event
As previously announced, the first-ever Hoophall Miami Invitational at AmericanAirlines Arena will serve as the culmination of two multi-team events. The doubleheader held the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 27th will feature Kentucky vs. South Florida in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic and Ohio State vs. Memphis in the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational. ESPN networks will televise the two games from Miami.
Teams scheduled to participate in this year’s Basketball Hall of Fame Classic are: University at Albany (Am. East), Boston University (Patriot League), University of Kentucky (SEC), New Jersey Institute of Technology (Independent) and University of South Florida (American).
“For many years the Hall of Fame has hosted a number of competitive early-season contests featuring some of the top basketball programs in the nation,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “We are excited to expand upon this with the introduction of the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic and Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational.”
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will serve as the host conference for these inaugural multi-team events. The MAAC has developed a strong partnership with the Basketball Hall of Fame, including the addition of a MAAC exhibit in the Hall of Fame museum in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Teams scheduled to participate in this year’s Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational are: Grambling State University (SWAC), Louisiana Tech University (CUSA), University of Memphis (American), Ohio State University (Big 10) and University of Texas at Arlington (Sun Belt). Complete schedule for the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational will be released at a later date.Campus round matchup details, such as game times and broadcast information, will be released individually by each host school. Tickets for the Hoophall Miami Invitational are available via Ticketmaster and the AmericanAirlines Arena box office.
For more information, please log onto www.hoophall.com.
Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Campus Round Schedule
November 13
University at Albany @ University of Kentucky
November 14
New Jersey Institute of Technology @ University of Kentucky
November 16
University at Albany @ Boston University
New Jersey Institute of Technology @ University of South Florida
November 19
Boston University @ New Jersey Institute of Technology
November 21
Boston University @ University of South Florida
November 24
Boston University @ University of Kentucky
University at Albany @ University of South Florida
November 27
New Jersey Institute of Technology @ University at Albany
Friday, November 27 at AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Bracket
University of Kentucky vs. University of South Florida
Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational Bracket
Ohio State University vs. University of Memphis
About American Airlines Arena:
Since its opening on December 31, 1999, the 19,600-seat AmericanAirlines Arena has proudly hosted megastars such as Marc Anthony, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, One Direction, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, U2, Justin Timberlake, Phish, Madonna, Maná, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars to name a few. In addition, AmericanAirlines Arena is home to family shows such as the Harlem Globetrotters, Disney on Ice, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which maintains a long term, exclusive South Florida run. AmericanAirlines Arena has also played host to several live televised events including the 2004 and 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, the prestigious Latin Grammy Awards and four NBA Finals, each placing Miami in the international spotlight. Private events have included product launches, corporate basketball tournaments, gala dinners and a host of meetings, large and small. For more information, please visit AAArena.com.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The MAAC, headquartered in Edison, N.J., consists of 11 member institutions: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University and Siena College. ANC Sports Enterprises is the league’s marketing consultant and has the exclusive sales rights to the MAAC. For more on the conference please visit, www.maacsports.com.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
For more information:
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