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

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

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
HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

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

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

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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Family and Discipline – Former HU's Brandon Jones to represent Belize in Rio

HAMPTON, Virginia -- As the 2016 Summer Olympics are fast approaching in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, so is the preparation deadline for Belizean athlete Brandon Jones. Jones, along with colleague Katy Sealy will be representing the Jewel at the tournament in less than a month, after they were both selected as ‘wildcards’ based on their performance over the years of competition.

28-year-old Jones was born in the state of Virginia in the United States of America (USA). His father, Kent Smith is a Belizean and a resident of Belize City, who met his mother Carmen Jones-Smith while living in the USA. From a very young age, Jones became active in sports, excelling in track and field, long jump and triple jump. He holds the record for indoor triple jump at the Hampton University in Virginia, and surpassed expectations in the 60m indoor dash and 200m outdoor dash at the said institution.

In 2011, he qualified for his first USA indoor championship, and that same year he qualified for his jumps after excelling in the triple jump with 15.62m. Even though his performance at this first championship did not go as expected, Jones did not give up and continued working hard. That paid off as the following year, he was called by the Belize Athletic Association (BAA) to represent Belize in Nicaragua at the Senior Central American Championships.

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