S.C. State to hold first spring scrimmage

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  After two weeks of installation and memorization, the South Carolina State football team will get to put their acquired knowledge into practice today at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

Weather permitting, the Bulldogs will hit the field at 8:30 a.m. for the first of three scrimmages. The first- and second-team offense and defenses are expected to match up between 90 minutes and two hours, which should allow the coaching staff time to evaluate the roster.

Today’s scrimmage will also mark the midway point of spring practice. The Bulldogs had some issues Wednesday with ...

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VUU 2014 Football Schedule Released, Features Six Home Games

RICHMOND, Virginia  --  The Athletic Department of Virginia Union University has released the football schedule for Fall, 2014.

Virginia Union University will open the 2014 football season on Saturday, September 6, when it faces the Saints of Siena Heights University from Michigan at 12:00 p.m. in Hovey Field in Richmond, Va.

Virginia Union will host six home games this season, including Homecoming 2014 against Lincoln (Pa.) University on October 11.

In addition to Siena Heights and Lincoln, the Panthers will play host to the University of Charleston on September 13, Shaw University on October 4, Bowie State University on October 25, and CIAA arch-rival Virginia State University on November 8.

VUU will travel to Fayetteville State University on September 20, and then to Johnson C. Smith University on September 27.  Union will also play at Chowan University on October 18 and at Elizabeth City State University on November 1.

Each home game will also have a special designation.

VUU Faculty & Staff Day will be September 6 against Siena Heights while September 13 will be Clergy & Veterans Appreciation Day.  October 4 will be the annual Hall of Fame Game with Homecoming being staged the following week (October 11).

The 2014 Lucille M. Brown Community Youth Bowl will be held on October 25 while Senior Day will be held on the regular-season finale on November 8.

The CIAA Championship Game will be played on November 15 at a site yet to be determined.

VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY 2014 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date		Opponent	Location	Time
9/6/2014		Siena Heights University (Mich.)	Richmond, VA	12:00 p.m.
9/13/2014		University of Charleston	Richmond, VA	1:00 p.m.
9/20/2014		Fayetteville State University	Fayeteville, NC	6:00 p.m.
9/27/2014	*	Johnson C. Smith University	Charlotte, NC	2:00 p.m.
10/4/2014	*	Shaw University	Richmond, VA	1:00 p.m.
10/11/2014	*	Lincoln University (PA)	Richmond, VA	1:00 p.m.
10/18/2014	*	Chowan University	Murfreesboro, NC	7:00 p.m.
10/25/2014	*	Bowie State University	Richmond, VA	1:00 p.m.
11/1/2014	*	Elizabeth City State University	Elizabeth City, NC	1:00 p.m.
11/8/2014	*	Virginia State University	Richmond, VA	1:00 p.m.

 ** - FACULTY & STAFF DAY
*** - CLERGY & VETERANS APPRECIATION DAY
**** - HALL OF FAME GAME
* - HOMECOMING 2014
***** - LUCILLE M. BROWN COMMUNITY YOUTH BOWL
****** - SENIOR DAY

COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION                                                                                

Coppin State's Mitchell Contract Not Renewed

Coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell
Courtesy: CSU Athletics

 

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Coppin State University announced today it will not renew the contract of head men's basketball coach Ron “Fang” Mitchell.

 

The all-time winningest coach in Coppin State men’s basketball history with 429 victories and six-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Coach of the Year, Mitchell accomplished plenty during his 28 years at the helm of the Eagles. Overall, Mitchell won 656 games during his career, which included eight seasons at Gloucester County College.

 

He guided the Eagles to a share of nine of 10 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season titles during the ‘90s, equaling the most won by any NCAA Division I program in the decade, four NCAA Tournament appearances (1990, 1993, 1997, 2008), an upset of South Carolina as a No. 15 seed in the first round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament, two NIT bids, including a first-round win over Saint Joseph’s in 1995, six 20-win seasons, 11 straight winning seasons from 1988 to 2000.

 

This past season, the Eagles advanced to the semifinals of the MEAC tournament after upsetting No. 2 seed Hampton in the quarterfinals. Coppin State also defeated Oregon State on the road on Nov. 10, 2013. The men’s basketball program, under Mitchell’s direction, was one of three CSU athletic programs that had a grade point average of 3.2 or better during the Fall 2013 semester. The men’s basketball team earned a 3.263 term GPA, which was the second consecutive term that the men’s basketball team has earned above a 3.2 term GPA.

 

In addition to his own personal success, Seven CSU athletes have been named MEAC Player of the Year seven times under his watch, and 78 players have earned all-conference honors.

 

Mitchell, who served as a coach for the 1995 USA Basketball National Team trials, helped Coppin State garner a 107-11 mark in MEAC regular-season play during the 1990s.

 

“We thank Coach Mitchell for the time and service he dedicated to Coppin State,” Director of Athletics Derrick Ramsey said. “The University decided to move in a different direction with our basketball program. We appreciate his service and wish him well in his future endeavors.”

 

Mitchell came to Coppin State from Gloucester County College in Sewell, N.J., where he had an outstanding career as a player and a coach.

 

In Mitchell’s first three seasons with the Eagles, the team showed steady improvement with overall records of 8-19, 13-14 and 18-11, respectively.

 

During those seasons, Mitchell competed with holdovers as he gradually recruited his own players.

 

The program really took off in 1989-90, Coppin State’s first squad comprised entirely of Mitchell recruits. The Eagles finished 26-7 to register their best mark since moving to Division I and claimed their first-ever MEAC championship.

 

Along the way, Coppin State upset Creighton, Toledo and Maryland, all on the road. The Eagles won the MEAC tournament crown to earn their first NCAA Tournament berth. Mitchell was named coach of the year by Black College Sports, Inc. (BCSI), and the MEAC, as well as most outstanding coach at the MEAC Tournament. In addition, the team was honored as BCSI’s team of the year.

 

In 1990-91, for the second straight time, Mitchell was named MEAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Eagles to a first-place conference regular-season finish (14-2 record). Despite a disappointing loss to eventual champion Florida A&M in the MEAC tournament, the Eagles received a bid to the National Invitation Tournament.

 

In 1993, Mitchell surprised MEAC followers by directing Coppin State to its second league tournament title in four years after being picked seventh in a preseason poll by conference coaches and sports information directors. The feat earned Coppin State its second trip to the NCAA Tournament, as Mitchell earned MEAC Coach of the Year honors.

 

With no seniors and only four juniors, the Eagles finished with a 16-0 MEAC slate, marking one of just three undefeated conference seasons in league history. Coppin State repeated the deed in 1993-94.

 

Twelve years ago he guided the Eagles to their third straight 20-win season and a berth in the NIT. Coppin State posted the school’s first-ever postseason tournament victory since moving to NCAA Division I with a 75-68 overtime win over host St. Joseph’s in the first round.

 

In 1995-96, Mitchell, despite losing all five starters and returning only two players, steered his team to a league-record fourth straight MEAC regular-season crown, tying South Carolina State for the honor.

 

And in 1997, Mitchell’s Eagles shocked the nation and ruined numerous office pools with their 78-65 victory over South Carolina in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

 

In addition to his own personal success, Eagle athletes have been named MEAC Player of the Year seven times under his watch, and 76 times his players have earned all-conference honors.

 

Mitchell’s unorthodox path to a basketball coaching career began at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, N.J., where he was a three-sport standout.

 

However, a lack of money for college out of high school sent him into the work force, and he did everything from washing dishes to toiling in an aluminum factory.

 

He eventually matriculated to Gloucester County College and joined the basketball team.

 

As a sophomore at Gloucester County College, Mitchell averaged 23 points per game and was named team most valuable player and a regional all-star.

 

No stranger to hard work, Mitchell juggled a grueling schedule of classes, basketball and a job on the graveyard shift at a local bank as a computer operator while at Gloucester.

 

After his time at Gloucester, he spent a year at Rutgers-Camden before economics forced him back into the business world, where he turned in stints as the East Coast trainee manager for a shoe company and a printing salesman.

 

He eventually started his own business in Glassboro, N.J., called Mr. Fang’s Athletic Attire, which began as one store and soon became three.

 

It was during that time in 1978 that he applied for the head coaching position at his old school, Gloucester County College, whose program was sputtering at the time.

 

After being named to the post, he turned things around immediately, leading the Roadrunners to a 19-11 mark his first year.

 

Over the next seven seasons, Gloucester won no fewer than 26 games each year. His teams won 30 or more games four times and participated in the National Junior College Tournament in 1980, 1981, 1985 and 1986.

 

During his time at Gloucester, he began working at Temple’s basketball camps and seeking out the advice of John Chaney.

 

The two soon became good friends, and Mitchell’s philosophy mirrors Chaney’s in many ways, especially in his intensity and fondness for good defensive play.

 

He had an overall record of 227-45 at Gloucester, and his teams won 10 tournaments, five Garden State titles and four regional championships, and he earned numerous coach of the year honors.

 

While at Gloucester, Mitchell also earned his bachelor’s in business administration from Edison State College in 1984.

 

Mitchell has since completed his master’s degree in adult and continuing education from Coppin State (‘94).

 

Coppin State will immediately begin a national search to name Mitchell’s successor.

COURTESY COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bruce Jackson to direct Stillman defense

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama  -- Bruce Jackson, who headed the Greene County High School program for six seasons, is back for his second stint as an assistant football coach at Stillman College.

Jackson, 34, has been working through spring drills as the defensive coordinator on head coach Teddy Keaton’s staff. Keaton said former defensive coordinator Dedrick Dodge became the head coach at his alma mater, Mulberry High School in Florida.

“Right now this is a wonderful opportunity, an opportunity I basically dreamed about,” Jackson said. “I’m happy to be a part of the Stillman Nation. I want to help Coach Keaton reach his goals. He’s got some good kids, and it’s headed in the right direction. I think it’s a perfect fit for me right now.

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NSU Announces Additions of Hill-Eley, Gregory to Football Coaching Staff

COURTESY NORFOLK STATE ATHLETICS

 

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Norfolk State University football coach Pete Adrian announced Friday the hiring of long-time coaching veterans and Virginia natives Donald Hill-Eley and Gordon "Greg" Gregory as assistant coaches.

Both coaches will work on the offensive side of the ball for NSU. Hill-Eley, the former head coach at Morgan State, will serve as the Spartans' offensive coordinator and receivers coach. Gregory, who has 30 years coaching experience at FCS and FBS schools, will serve as quarterbacks coach for the Spartans.

"I'm very excited about adding so much quality and experience on the offensive side of the ball," Adrian said. "Adding two former head coaches and offensive coordinators should help strengthen our offensive unit. Our players can't wait to get to work (next week) in spring practice."

Hill-Eley recently completed a 12-year stint as head coach at Morgan State from 2002-13. The Suffolk, Virginia native is the third-winningest coach in Bears' history, having led MSU to its first four winning seasons since 1979. He began his career in Baltimore by finishing one game out of first place in the MEAC standings in 2002, and went 6-5 overall in 2003 to secure the school's first back-to-back winning seasons since 1970-71. This past season, the Bears tied for third with a 5-3 mark in MEAC play. MSU had the MEAC's No. 3 rushing offense last fall, averaging 182.8 yards per game.

"I'm excited to be a part of the NSU community and get back closer to home," Hill-Eley said. "I grew up hearing about the green and gold, so this is an opportunity to make an investment in a great program."

Several MSU players reached the professional ranks after playing for Hill-Eley, including tight end Visanthe Shiancoe and running back Chad Simpson. Shiancoe played with four different NFL franchises between 2003-13. Simpson played three years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl ring with the Indianapolis Colts following the 2009 season. Most recently, he played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

Prior to coaching at Morgan State, Hill-Eley helped Hampton win two MEAC titles and a black college national championship during his tenure as offensive coordinator from 1997-2000. Hill-Eley also has professional coaching experience, as he worked on the staff of three Grey Cup championship teams in the CFL from 1995-97.

The 44-year old Hill-Eley is a 1991 graduate of Virginia Union.

Gregory, who was born in Suffolk and raised in Richmond, served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Hill-Eley on the Morgan State staff last season. Prior to joining the Bears, Gregory has served as offensive coordinator at South Alabama (2009-11), South Florida (2007-08), Ohio University (2001-03), the University of Richmond (2000) and Army (1989-97). He was also head coach at Missouri Southern from 1998-99.

"I'm very excited to be here," Gregory said. "NSU has been one of the upper echelon programs in the MEAC for some time now. We need to improve at every position, but if we can do that, we think we can put ourselves in the hunt for a championship."

At FCS start-up South Alabama, Gregory's offensive charges averaged at least 400 yards and 40 points per game in two of his three years there.

Gregory worked as an assistant at USF from 2005-08 and served as offensive coordinator in his last two seasons there. One of his protégés at USF was quarterback Matt Grothe, who ranked in the top 30 in the nation in total offense in 2007 and 2008. The Bulls averaged over 400 yards of total offense per game in those two seasons, went 17-9 and made two bowl appearances. Gregory was on staff for the first four bowl berths in USF history.

With Gregory on staff, the University of Richmond won the 2000 Atlantic 10 football championship and finished the year 10-3, which included a first-round Division I FCS (I-AA at the time) playoff victory over Youngstown State.

Prior to serving at UR, Gregory spent 16 seasons in various capacities at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., including serving as offensive coordinator from 1989-97. Army made the first four bowl appearances and led the nation in rushing four times during his tenure with the program. Gregory also coached an NFL draftee in quarterback Ron McAda.

A three-year letterwinning quarterback at Richmond, Gregory, 56, earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from UR in 1980.

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications

COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Van Norden Stepping Down as UMES Head Volleyball Coach

Coach Millicent Van Norden
Courtesy UMES Athletics

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland  -- Millicent Van Norden, who just completed her first season as head coach of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) and her 12th as a head coach, announced that she is leaving the Hawks to return home to Louisiana to be closer to her family and coach volleyball locally.

Last season Van Norden inherited a team with essentially just one returning player and competed well, establishing a 3-21 record and going 2-10 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play. Numerous players earned academic and conference playing accolades throughout the season\ under her tutelage. She is now 179-227 overall and 62-47 in conference play as a head coach at five different schools. She twice won Coach of the Year honors.

Prior to coming to UMES she was an assistant at the University of Pittsburgh. She previously served as a head coach at MEAC foes Coppin State, North Carolina A&T and South Carolina State as well as SWAC school and her alma mater, Alcorn State.

"We thank Coach Van Norden for her time here," said Director of Athletics Keith Davidson. "We are grateful to her for coming here and working us out of a tough situation. She not only was able to field a team, but was able to field a competitive team of young ladies with high character. We are sorry to see her go but understand the importance of family and wish her well in her future endeavors."

UMES will begin immediately searching to find her successor.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION 

XU's Abbes, Soifer selected GCAC Players of the Week

Nour Abbes

Nikita Soifer

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Nour Abbes and Nikita Soifer were chosen Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Players of the Week in tennis for March 17-23.
    
Abbes, from Tunis, Tunisia, and a graduate of Lycée Sportif d'El Menzah, is the first XU women's tennis freshman to win the GCAC award three times in one season. She earned her most recent honor after going 4-0 in doubles and 3-0 in singles, all on the road. Abbes defeated ITA No. 13 Jessica Worring of Graceland and ITA No. 28 Sarah Bernos of Lindsey Wilson in straight sets on consecutive days.
    
Abbes has yet to lose a collegiate singles match; she's 10-0 and ranked fourth among NAIA singles players and 15th in doubles (with Kourtney Howell) by the ITA.
    
Soifer, from Beer Sheva, Israel, and a graduate of Hof Hasharon School, was 3-0 in singles and 3-1 in doubles. He defeated ITA No. 23 Jose Daniele Razo Torres of Graceland and Lindsey Wilson's Raul Mendez, No. 16 in the ITA East Region, on consecutive days.
   
The ITA ranks Soifer 40th in singles and 12th (with Kyle Montrel) in doubles. This is Soifer's first GCAC weekly award of the season and the second of his career. Soifer is the fifth Gold Rush player to be honored in 2014.
     
Next duals for XU's men and women will be April 5 at 2 p.m. against Auburn Montgomery at the XU Tennis Center. AUM's men are ranked second in the NAIA, and the women are third. Xavier's men are seventh in the NAIA, and the women are second.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold 

PVAMU's Jatzlau Named FCS ADA Academic All-American

Travis Jatzlau

CLEVELAND, Ohio  -- Prairie View A&M junior punter Travis Jatzlau was recently named to the 16th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) Academic All-Star Team.

Football players from all Football Championship Subdivision institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. He must have reached his second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. He must also have participated in 50 percent of the games pl

ayed at his designated position.

 

Jatzlau, who was also honored during the 2013 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Student Leadership Awards Dinner for his work in the classroom, is a three-year starter for the Panthers and has been named to the Prairie View A&M University Honor Roll for three consecutive years.

 

Complete FCS ADA All-Star Team Listing

 

COURTESY PRAIRE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State Hornets Open Five-Game Homestand Against North Carolina Central Eagles

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  The Alabama State baseball team will open a five-game homestand by hosting North Carolina Central in a three-game weekend series beginning Friday at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

The Hornets (21-8) and Eagles of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference are scheduled to play Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Bamastatesports.com will have live stats of all three games.

Alabama State completed the first half of the schedule with 21 wins in its first 29 contests, the best start in school history. The Hornets punctuated their 12-1 start in the SWAC's Eastern Division by sweeping a three-game series at defending champion Jackson State last weekend.

"I have seen the resiliency, drive and motivation that this group of players has," said head coach Mervyl Melendez of his team, which has posted an 11-5 road record this season. "It's good to see when things get tough, they get tougher. They've been a work in progress for the past two years, and it's finally coming to fruition that the things we've been working on they are accomplishing."

Often times, success is athletics is measured in numbers, and that is the case with Hornets' baseball, which entered the week ranked nationally in the Top 30 statistically in 15 team categories and in 17 individual categories. Among the top 10 rankings, Alabama State leads the nation in hits (296), ranks third in triples (14) and fifth in runs (210). SS Emmanuel Marrero leads the nation in triples (seven), and is second in RBI (35), and CF Richard Amion leads the nation in runs scored (40).

"I've said it many times – individual awards don't win championships – but, by playing well, playing as a team, and working extremely hard, the by-products of that are team and individual achievements," Melendez said. "We're all for those, as long as the team achievements come first, and the goals and expectations we have are met on a daily basis. It's good to see because you are doing things the right way and working hard, and we have those accolades to go along with them."

This weekend, the Hornets open a five-game homestand with a weekend set against North Carolina Central. The Eagles are new members to the MEAC, as Melendez did not face them during his tenure as head coach at Bethune-Cookman.

"It's going to be very important for us to play well and continue to play our brand of baseball," Melendez said. "What we've done well is play very good defense, and hit when it counts. We want to see our pitching staff be a little more consistent. We're throwing strikes, but not necessarily controlling the strike zone. We have to pitch a little bit better, and I'm looking forward to seeing what adjustments our staff will make."

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Coaches: Fuller a natural fit on Jackson State's D-line

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Assistant coach Derrick McCall stepped out of his film session and went over to the Jackson State defensive coaches.

He had to get something off his mind.

“Man, I think we made the right decision,” McCall said.

He was talking about moving Ronald Fuller from tight end to defensive end.

Once the Tigers’ coaching staff was assembled in early February, McCall met with the program’s new defensive coordinator Derrick Burroughs, suggesting Fuller would be best suited on the defensive side of the football.

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Doug Blackburn column: We need more Larry Robinsons

LARRY ROBINSON
 

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- An era is coming to an end. Monday will be Larry Robinson’s last official day as Florida A&M University’s interim president.

Twenty-one months of heavy but graceful lifting will become another chapter in the university’s rich history. Cornell vice president Elmira Mangum, hired in January to be FAMU’s 11th president, begins on Tuesday. It should be a seamless transition. Robinson is flexible and dedicated to Florida A&M.

He’s demonstrated that time and again in the wake of James H. Ammons’ resignation in July 2012. He has mended important fences with the Board of Governors. He worked with faculty and staff campus-wide to address issues cited by the university’s accrediting body to ensure that FAMU successfully came off a 12-month probation sanction. He has been the chief architect of one of the most comprehensive anti-hazing initiatives ever ...

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St. Aug's releases Sheals as head men's basketball coach

RALEIGH, North Carolina  --  Saint Augustine’s University announced Thursday, March 27, 2014, that Tony Sheals has been relieved of his duties as Head Men’s Basketball Coach. The university said they will begin a national search for his replacement immediately.

Sheals led the Falcons to a 13-16 overall record and 4-12 conference record last season after replacing former head coach Lonnie Blow, who left for a job at Virginia State, last August.

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South Carolina State's Garvin offered contract extension

SC State head men's basketball coach Murray Garvin
Courtesy: SCSU Athletics

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  South Carolina State University has announced that head men's basketball coach Murray Garvin has been offered a four-year contract extension.  The agreement will run through June 30, 2018.

"I have the utmost confidence in Coach Garvin's ability to lead our men's basketball program, " said SC State President Thomas J. Elzey.  "His expertise as well as his personal devotion to each student-athlete is a testament to the culture of excellence he fosters, both on and off the basketball court. "

In his first full season at the helm, Garvin led the Bulldogs to an 8th place finish in the MEAC, the highest finish for the men's basketball program in three seasons.  The season highlights included a season sweep of Big South Champion Coastal Carolina, an NCAA tournament participant, and a home win versus defending MEAC Champion NC A & T State University.

Last season, the Bulldogs snapped a 25-game MEAC road losing streak and also earned victories over teams coached by two of the league's most successful coaches.

The men's basketball program has surpassed several milestones under Garvin's leadership. Among them, increasing retention and graduation rates among student-athletes, re-establishing Bulldog basketball camps which brought more than 1000 campers to the campus, and implementing a Student Success Mentoring program in the Greater Orangeburg community.

"I would like to thank President Thomas J. Elzey for granting me the opportunity to lead the SC State men's basketball program," said Garvin. "I am also grateful for Athletics Director Charlene M. Johnson, my family, our team and the entire athletics division. With their support, we continue our mission to build and sustain a winning program that is recognized as a dominant force in the MEAC."

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

UCF to host big annual college football matchup, MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney, while Citrus Bowl is renovated

North Carolina A&T State University and Alabama A&M  University will face off for the 10^th anniversary MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney on August 31.

ORLANDO, Florida  -- The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference/Southwestern Athletic Conference Challenge is getting a  new home while the Citrus Bowl gets new digs.

The football game will be held Aug. 31 at Bright House Networks Stadium at The University of Central Florida. The university’s board of trustees approved the deal March 27.

The full name of the game is the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney. ESPN Events, a division of ESPN Regional Television, will be the event operator. The game, which showcases historically black colleges' football programs, is expected to bring 12,000-15,000 people to the Bright House Networks stadium.

The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN 2, and ...



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Johnson, Sims in spirited competition to start at quarterback for WSSU Rams

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Quarterbacks Rudy Johnson and Phillip Sims know that there is plenty on the line during spring football practice at Winston-Salem State.

It’s true that there are no opponents to prepare for, or games to play, but they’re not without competition — with each other.

Johnson went 10-1 last season as the starter, passing for 2,400 yards and 25 touchdowns, and says he loves the competition Sims is providing for the starter’s job.

Sims, who has played at Alabama and Virginia, is one of the most decorated players to join the Rams and says there’s nothing like good competition in practice.

“I think it will ...

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2014 NCAA Bowling Selection Show: UMES 4th Seed

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The eight-team field competing for the 2014 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship was announced Wednesday by the NCAA Women’s Bowling Committee.

UMES Bowling to Make 11th Straight Trip to NCAA Championships

INDIANPOLIS, Indiana  --  For an 11th straight year, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Women's Bowling team heard their name called as one of eight at-large selections to participate in the annual NCAA Women's Bowling Championship, during the NCAA.com selection show that aired today, March 26, 2014.

The team, coaches, athletic administrators, members of the local media and UMES administrators gathered in the conference room of the William P. Hytche Athletic Center to view the show. The Hawks heard their name called fourth and will enter as the fourth-seeded team among the eight selected. It is just the second year that the selection committee revealed the actual ranking of the eight-team field. Seeding of course is nice to know, but has no meaning at the bowling championships as the teams will bowl the first day to earn a seeding position at the championships.

The selection show, which aired live on NCAA.com, is now archived on the website for viewing.

Like last year, the field features six teams from the Central region and just two from the Northeast. In order the teams selected are:

1. Arkansas Sate
2. Central Missouri
3. Nebraska
4. UMES
5. Fairleigh Dickinson
6. Vanderbilt
7. Sam Houston State
8. Wisconsin-Whiewater

With the selections, UMES joins Central Missouri and Nebraska as the only three teams to attend all 11 championships.

UMES, who fell by one pin in the semi-finals of the 2013 championship, won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012. They went on to win the USBC Collegiate National Championship last season after the NCAA Championship event.

The 2014 event will be held in Wickliffe, Ohio, the site of UMES' 2012 NCAA title. That is the same site that the Hawks topped Fairleigh Dickinson in six games. With the victory, the Hawks became the first team since Nebraska in 2004-05 to win back-to-back national titles. The Huskers also won in 2009 and last year in 2013.  Last season gave Nebraska their fourth NCAA title, one more than UMES. The two are the only programs in existence that have won both an NCAA and USBC Collegiate National Championship.

All of the National Champions to date are represented in the field. FDU won in 2006 and 2010 with UMES winning in 2008, 2011 and 2012. Vanderbilt won the other title in 2007. The Hawks were runners up to Vandy in 2007, and a semi-finalist in 2013. They finished fifth in 2010 and seventh in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009. UMES won in 2011 when they rebounded from a two-games-to-one deficit to top Vanderbilt and capture the Championship at Skore Lanes in Taylor, Michigan.

UMES is currently ranked third in the National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) Coaches' poll and second in the Media poll. This season, as it did last year, the field represents the top eight teams in the coach's poll. The Hawks are coming off a second-straight win in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championships and have won six of the 10 events they entered this season. The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Mid-American Conference will host the championship, which will be held April 10-12 at Game of Wickliffe in Wickliffe, Ohio. Tickets can be purchased on www.NCAA.com prior to the championship.

Competition begins with qualifying rounds in which each team bowls one five-person regular team game against each of the other seven teams participating in the championship for a total of seven games. Teams will be seeded for bracket play based on their win-loss record during the qualifying rounds.

Teams will then compete in best-of-seven-games Baker matches in a double elimination tournament. In the Baker format, each of the five team members, in order, bowls a complete frame until a complete (10-frame) game is bowled. A Baker match tied 3½ games to 3½ games after seven games will be decided by a tiebreaker using the Modified Baker format.

The championship finals will air on ESPNU at 8 p.m. ET on April 12. A tape-delayed broadcast of the championship finals will air on ESPN from 4-6 p.m. ET April 13. For more information about the National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, log on to www.NCAA.com.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

Pough: SCSU Bulldogs Lack Enthusiasm, Intensity

HEAD COACH OLIVER "BUDDY" POUGH

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina – South Carolina State conducted its fifth spring football drill Wednesday morning and something was lacking, according to Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough. The Bulldog mentor said both enthusiasm and intensity were missing, something he found out of the ordinary.

"Today things didn't go our way and we will try to find a way to be better on Friday," said Pough. "We had to make some adjustments on the offense line but it's nothing we can't fix moving forward."

"We have to get some continuity going at this point during the spring," said the head coach. "As the days going on we will get a chance to try some different things and fix whatever what got wrong."

During Wednesday's workout, SC State emphasized situational grills, designed to keep the offense on the field and to develop more consistency on the offensive unit.

"We got some young guys that I am excited about," stated Pough. "We should get a chance to evaluate everyone more during the scrimmage Saturday if the weather holds up."

SC State returns to the field Friday morning for a two-hour session that gets underway at 6:30 a.m. Pough's team will conduct their first full scrimmage Saturday in O.C. Dawson Stadium.

2014 Spring Practice Schedule
 Practice #                   Date                            Time
6                                  Fri, March 28              6:30 AM
7                                  Sat, March 29            10:30 AM        Scrimmage
8                                  Mon, March 30           6:30 AM
9                                  Wed, April 2               6:30 AM
10                                Fri, April 4                   6:30 AM       
11                                Sat, April 5                10:30 AM        Scrimmage
12                                Mon, April 7                6:30 AM
13                                Wed, April 9                6:30 AM
14                                Fri, April 11                 6:30 AM       
15                                Sat, April 12               1:00 PM          Spring Game

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

TSU Football Continues Spring Practice

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State football team continued its practice schedule on Wednesday in preparation of the spring game on April 5 at 3 p.m.

 

On a perfectly sunny and breezy afternoon, the TSU defense got the better of the Big Blue offense, even though the sides were not tackling.

 

After starting with the punt and field goal drills, the student-athletes split up into their respective position groups to go over technique.

 

With the players having completed the necessary workouts, the offense squared off against the defense in 7-on-7 and eventually, in a full-blown scrimmage.

 

On the second play of the scrimmage, Bernell Brooks picked off a pass from Michael German in the flats and returned it all the way for a 20-yard touchdown.

 

Offensively, running back Darion Hall impressed with a faster foot speed and stronger cuts, leaving one defender on the ground on a draw play. While there was no heavy hitting, Hall wasn’t touched on most runs until reaching the second level.

 

The Tigers will conduct practice on Friday at 4 pm and then scrimmage on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. All practices are open to the public.



COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU's Coleman earns NAIA All-America honorable mention

Sydney Coleman

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Sydney Coleman received honorable mention on the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball All-America Team announced Wednesday.
   
Coleman is a 6-foot-7 forward from Meridian, Miss., and a graduate of Meridian High School. The only Gold Rush player to start in all 32 games in 2013-14, Coleman averaged 12.9 points per game and led the team with 7.6 rebounds, 30.5 minutes, a .543 field-goal percentage, 24 double-figure scoring games and seven double-figure rebounding games. He became the third player in Gold Rush history to reach 400 points and 200 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 75 percent from the line in the same season. Coleman also became the only Xavier newcomer since 2003-04 to score in double figures in the first seven games of a season.
   
Coleman helped the Gold Rush finish 23-9, win the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship and qualify for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship. He was All-GCAC. 

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold 

College athletes can unionize, federal agency says

For now, the push is to unionize athletes at private schools, such as Northwestern, because the federal labor agency does not have jurisdiction over public universities.

CHICAGO, Illinois  -- In a stunning ruling that could revolutionize a college sports industry worth billions of dollars and have dramatic repercussion at schools coast to coast, a federal agency said Wednesday that football players at Northwestern University can create the nation’s first union of college athletes.

The decision by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board answered the question at the heart of the debate over the unionization bid: Do football players who receive full scholarships to the Big Ten school qualify as employees under federal law and therefore can legally unionize?

Peter Sung Ohr, the NLRB regional director, said in a 24-page decision that the players “fall squarely” within the broad definition of employee.

Pro-union activists cheered as they learned of the ruling.

“It’s like preparing so long for a big game and then when you win — it is pure joy,” said former UCLA linebacker Ramogi Huma, the designated president of Northwestern’s would-be football players’ union.

CONTINUE READING

Metro State men thump Tuskegee in Elite Eight of D-II hoops tournament

2014 DII Men's Basketball Quarterfinal: Metro State vs. Tuskegee - Full Replay

EVANSVILLE, Indiana — Metro State fell short of an NCAA Division II national championship a year ago, losing in the finals to Drury.

The No. 1 Roadrunners want to finish the job this time and took their first step toward that goal with a 106-87 victory over unranked Tuskegee on Wednesday afternoon in a national quarterfinal at the Ford Center.

Metro State advances to play No. 20 Central Missouri (28-5) on Thursday night in a 5 p.m. national semifinal.

Metro State (32-1) was in a tight battle early against the Golden Tigers, the only No. 8 seed at the Elite Eight. But a jumper by national player of the year Brandon Jefferson put the Roadrunners up 9-6.

Mitch McCarron got inside and was fouled after making a shot. His free throw gave the Roadrunners a 12-7 lead before a dunk by Nicholas Kay extended the lead to 14-7 over the Golden Tigers (21-12).

CONTINUE READING 

Ram Ramblings: WSSU QB Johnson prefers to look ahead

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Rudy Johnson, a quarterback at Winston-Salem State, sat their squirming in his seat because I’m pretty sure he knew I would ask him the question. He knew that I would eventually get around to asking him about last season and the CIAA championship pre-game luncheon fight and how he’s dealing with that.

But as I knew he would Johnson, which is kind of like his playing style, didn’t back down from the question.

“I tried to store that to motivate me,” Johnson said. “Anything that’s been negative in my life I’ve used that to motivate myself and that’s what I’ve done with what happened last fall.”

CONTINUE READING 

JCSU Golden Bulls Announces 2014 Football Schedule

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  The Johnson C. Smith University Department of Athletics has released their 10-game football schedule for the 2014 season. JCSU concluded last season with a record of 5-5 overall and 2-5 in the CIAA. Prior to the start of the 2014 regular season, the Golden Bulls will hold their annual intra-squad spring game on Monday, April 7th on Eddie C. McGirt Field at the Irwin Belk Complex. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

The Golden Bulls will kick off their season in a highly anticipated match-up against the Division I 49ers of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The game will be played at Jerry Richardson Stadium, home field of UNCC and is scheduled for Saturday, September 6th at 12 noon. Next on the schedule for JCSU will be the Thorobreds of Kentucky State University. This will be the first home game and commemorates the annual Eddie C. McGirt Classic. Game time is slated for at 2:00 p.m. at the Irwin Belk Complex.

JCSU will travel to Carrollton, GA for their third game of the season against the University of West Georgia. This will conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule.

The Golden Bulls will take on Virginia Union University in their first conference game on Saturday, September 27th at 2:00 p.m. in the Irwin Belk Complex. The last time the two teams met was Homecoming 2011; JCSU defeated the Panthers 26-19 on Eddie C. McGirt field.

The first game in the month of October features a road game against Bowie State University in Bowie, MD. This cross-divisional matchup is scheduled to take place on October 4th. These two teams squared off last season on McGirt Field; the Golden Bulls defeated the Bulldogs 58-41.

JCSU divisional play will begin against the reigning CIAA champion Winston-Salem State University on Saturday, October 11th at Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, NC at 2:00 p.m. Next in division, the Golden Bulls will take on Fayetteville State University (October 18th) and Shaw University (October 25th) in back to back road games.

Johnson C. Smith will host the Falcons of Saint Augustine's University for Homecoming 2014 on November 1st at 1:00 p.m. on McGirt Field at the Irwin Belk Complex.

The regular season will conclude with the annual Commemorative Classic against historic rival Livingstone College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 8th.

JCSU GOLDEN BULLS 2014 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent	Location	Time/Result	Details
4/7/2014	Gold and Blue Spring Game	Charlotte, NC	7:00 PM	Details
9/6/2014	UNC Charlotte	Charlotte, NC	12:00 PM	Details
Eddie C. McGirt Classic
9/13/2014	Kentucky State University	Charlotte, NC	2:00 PM	Details
9/20/2014	University of West Georgia	Carrollton, GA	TBA	Details
9/27/2014	Virginia Union University	Charlotte, NC	2:00 PM	Details
10/4/2014	Bowie State University	Bowie, MD	TBA	Details
10/11/2014	Winston-Salem State University	Charlotte, NC	2:00 PM	Details
10/18/2014	Fayetteville State University	Fayeteville, NC	TBA	Details
10/25/2014	Shaw University	Raleigh, NC	TBA	Details
11/1/2014	Saint Augustine's University (Homecoming)	Charlotte, NC	1:00 PM	Details
11/8/2014	Livingstone College	Charlotte, NC	1:00 PM	Details

COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Five Finalists Announced for VUU's Men's Head Coaching Position

RICHMOND, Virginia  --   Virginia Union University has announced the five finalists for the head men's basketball coaching position.  The five finalists are (in alphabetical order) Lester "Jay" Butler, Vance Harmon, Richard Morgan, Anthony Peeler and Tony Sheals.

LESTER "JAY" BUTLER

Lester "Jay" Butler has spent the past nine seasons as head coach of the women's basketball team at the University of the District of Columbia.  During his nine seasons, Butler has amassed 131 wins, two Independent Collegiate Athletic Association (ICAA) national championships, two ICAA Coach of the Year awards and two NCAA Tournament appearances. He enjoyed two of his finest seasons in 2007-08 and 2008-09 when the Firebirds were a combined 45-13, including a school-record 24 wins and a No. 17 national ranking in the latter year, as they went on to win two straight ICAA Division II National Championships.  The team also won a school-record 19 straight games at home, starting with the final six home games in 2007-08 and ending with a perfect 13-0 home record in 2008-09.

The team finished the 2010-11 campaign with a record of 19-9 and finished the season by celebrating "Senior Day" with an 84-60 trumping of the Urbana University Blue Knights for third place in the 2011 Independent Invitational Women's Basketball Classic, and Butler earned his 100th career coaching victory.

The Firebirds finished the 2011-2012 season with a record of 21-7 overall and 12-4 in its first season in the ECC.  They would also earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 8 seed in the East Region before bowing out to No. 1 seed and host, Bentley University.

Butler has coached three 1,000-point scorers at UDC including Jaime Brown ('06), Lilian McGill ('11) and Lauren Brittingam ('12). Brown was the first-ever 1,000-point scorer in the history of the program, and accomplished the feat in just three year's time. McGill finished her outstanding four-year career with over 1,400 points and 1,100 rebounds. She was a part of 78 UDC wins throughout her career, which is the most of any player under Butler.

Prior to becoming head coach at UDC, he served as an assistant coach for two seasons. He was responsible for travel, scouting, working with the guards, pre-season conditioning, academic coordinating, and various other duties. He also served as the recruiting coordinator and signed four Junior College All-Americans, a 2nd Team All-ICAA selection, and a 1,000-point career scorer in his short stint as assistant at UDC.

A 1998 graduate of Virginia Union University with a degree in criminal justice, Butler played for legendary coach Dave Robbins, and was a key member of the Panther basketball program. He helped Virginia Union capture three straight CIAA championships and make four NCAA Division II appearances. In 1996, Butler's senior season, he guided the team to the NCAA Division II Final Four. Butler finished his career at Virginia Union tied for the most wins with a (107-14) won-loss record. Butler served as team captain from (1994-1996).

A native of Washington D.C., Butler graduated from Archbishop Carroll High in 1992 where he earned All-Metro honors and Honorable Mention All-American.

VANCE HARMON

Head Coach, Henrico High School, 2004-present  212-65 record (77%)
Head Coach, J.R. Tucker High School, 2002-2003  17-27 record (39%)
Assistant Coach, J.R. Tucker High School, 1995-2001

REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIPS AND POSTSEASON APPEARANCES
VHSL State Finals---2013 (Head Coach)
VHSL State Semi-finals---2012, 2013 (Head Coach)
VHSL State Quarterfinals---2005, 2012, 2013 (Head Coach)
Central Region Finals---2005, 2012, 2013 (Head Coach)
Central Region Semi-Finals---2005, 2009, 2012, 2013 (Head Coach)
Central Region Quarterfinals---2005 thru 2013 (Head Coach)
                                                        1998 (Assistant Coach)
Central Region Tournament---2004 thru 2013 (Head Coach)
                                                 1998 and 1999 (Assistant Coach)
Capital District Tournament Champions---2004, 2012, 2013 (Head Coach)
Capital District Tournament Finals---2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 (Head Coach)
Capital District Regular Season Champions---2005, 2012, 2013 (Head Coach)
Colonial District Tournament Finals---1998 (Assistant Coach)

PLAYING STATISTICS AT DOUGLAS FREEMAN HIGH SCHOOL
Most points in a career = 1,717
Most points in a game = 35
Most three-pointers in a career = 209
Most three-pointers in a season = 72
Most three-pointers in a game = 7
Highest three-point shooting percentage (career) = 37%
Most free throws in a career = 424
Most free throws in a game season = 144

PERSONAL
Born      December 30, 1970, Richmond, VA.
High School    Douglas S. Freeman, 1990
College      Virginia Union University, 1994
Family     Wife - Christy     Daughters -Virginia-Anne (8) and Margaret (3)

EDUCATION
B.A., History/Political Science, Virginia Union University, 1994

RICHARD MORGAN

Richard Morgan brought more than a decade of NCAA coaching experience to the Bluefield College men's basketball program upon his hire in 2009. Beyond his coaching experience, Morgan was a decorated collegiate player at the University of Virginia and a standout athlete at Salem High School – making his Virginian roots run even deeper.

The Rams posted a 17-16 record during Morgan's first year at the helm of the program. Bluefield went 11-5 in Appalachian Athletic Conference play to grab a share of the regular season title. Morgan's guidance helped senior Omar Reed earn AAC Defensive Player of the Year, AAC Player of the Year and NAIA Third Team All-America honors.

In each of his first three seasons, Morgan led the Rams to postseason play, both in the AAC and the National Christian College Athletic Association's Mid-East Region.

The Rams transitioned to the highly competitive Mid-South Conference for the 2012-13 season and concluded the year with eight wins. However, Bluefield dropped five games by five points or less, including a pair of overtime games. In the Rams' first-ever MSC game, they knocked off No. 3 ranked Georgetown College, 96-89.

Morgan joined the Bluefield athletics family after a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. He helped the Mountaineers to a school record 25 wins and a National Invitational Tournament (NIT) appearance in 2007, in addition to back-to-back Southern Conference (SoCon) regular season championships (2006-07, 2007-08).

Before his time with Appalachian State, Morgan served as an associate head coach at Hampton University for three years. Morgan helped the Pirates to consistently strong seasons in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championships (MEAC), including a MEAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2006. This was Morgan's second stint with Hampton, as he served as an assistant from 1996-98.

Prior to his Hampton return, Morgan spent five seasons (1999-2003) as an assistant at East Carolina University.

 Morgan pursued coaching after a successful career as a professional and collegiate player. As a three-year starter at Virginia, Morgan finished his career ranked sixth all-time in scoring with 1,540 points. He also ranked third at UVa in steals (160) and seventh in assists (279). He earned first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) honors and was named honorable mention All-America by The Sporting News after leading the Cavs to the Elite Eight in 1989. Following his graduation with a sports management degree, Morgan played basketball professionally for two seasons with the Rockford Lightning of the CBA and overseas with teams in Austria and the Philippines.

He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Salem High School, where he helped lead the program to district, regional and state championships. He also served as a paraprofessional for special education programs.

Morgan and his wife, Sherelle, have two sons, Nicholas and Kaleb.

ANTHONY PEELER

Anthony Peeler has spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach for the Virginia Union University  Men's Basketball team.

Peeler was a standout high school player at Paseo High School Kansas City, Missouri and was named to the McDonald's All-American team his senior year.

Peeler chose the University of Missouri and went on to be one of the school's all-time greats.

Peeler averaged 16.8 points per game for his Tiger career and left as Missouri's all-time third leading scorer, with 1,970 points. He is also the school career record holder for both steals and assists. During his career, Peeler was named first-team All-Big Eight, and in 1992 was named the conference AP Player of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year and a consensus second team All-American.

In 2006, Peeler was named to the Missouri's 30-member All-Century team, in honor of the school's 100th year of competition.

After his college eligibility was up, Peeler was drafted 15th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1992 NBA Draft.

Peeler also played for the Vancouver Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings and the Washington Wizards averaging 9.7 points per game throughout his NBA career.

While with Sacramento during the2003-04 season, he led the league in three-point field goal accuracy with 48.2 percent.

TONY SHEALS

Tony Sheals spent his first season as the head men's basketball coach at Saint Augustine's University in 2013-14.
He has coached on the high school, collegiate and professional levels for more than 20 years, including Florida State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Towson University and Delaware State University. Sheals spent the last three seasons at Florida A&M University, where he was the Associate Head Men's Basketball Coach. While at Florida A&M, the Rattlers reached the MEAC Tournament semifinals in the 2011-2012 season.

Sheals was head coach at Bethune-Cookman (1994-1997) and Delaware State (2000) during their most successful periods in basketball history. He finished with a conference record of .500 or better each season at Bethune-Cookman, where Sheals was named MEAC Coach of the Year in 1995 as the Wildcats established school marks for best overall regular-season record and conference finish.

Sheals enjoyed success as an assistant coach for several years in the traditionally strong Atlantic Coast Conference, considered one of, if not the best, collegiate basketball conference in the nation. He was Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Miami (2001-2002) and Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at Florida State University (2002-2006).

Sheals was also an assistant coach at Towson State (1997-1999) of the America East Conference where he was primarily responsible for recruiting the No. 1 recruiting class in the league for two consecutive years.

During his time in Miami, the Hurricanes played in the NCAA Tournament four times in five years, earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and won a then school-record 24 games. At Florida State, he helped assemble four of the top recruiting classes in school history, including the nation's No. 1-ranked class in 2003. The Seminoles defeated six nationally-ranked Division I teams with Sheals on the coaching staff.

Sheals began his coaching career at Kathleen High School (1984 -1990) in Lakeland, Fla., where he compiled a career record of 156-57. He led his teams to three state tournament finals appearances (1986, 1987, 1989), posting one 31-win season and two 29-win seasons during his tenure. His 1987 team was ranked 18th in the nation by USA Today and Sheals was named Class 4A Coach of the Year by the Central Florida Coaches Association. He was recently inducted into the Lakeland Sports Hall of Fame for his coaching achievements at Kathleen High School.

Sheals holds a B.S. degree in health and physical education from Bethune-Cookman University (1980), where he finished Cum Laude. He and his wife Marian, have two children: a son, Drew, and a daughter, Marissa.

COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION