MSU Bears can benefit from Norfolk State loss

Photo: Morgan State University head basketball coach Todd Bozeman

BALTIMORE - Morgan State received a gift Saturday when South Carolina State upset Norfolk State, enabling the Bears to move into sole possession of first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference following their 64-59 victory against Howard.

But now, Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman hopes his team isn’t in a giving mood. The Bears have three games remaining and one loss —beginning with tonight’s game at 7:30 against Hampton at Hill Field House — gives Norfolk State the opportunity to regain the inside track for the regular season title.

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FAMU football hires two Eastern Kentucky assistants

Florida A&M head football coach Joe Taylor has completed the assembly of his coaching staff with the hiring of defensive coordinator Orlando Mitjans and special teams coach J.B. Gibboney, both coming from Eastern Kentucky University.

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Here is an updated snapshot of the FAMU new coaching staff:

FAMU Head Football Coach - Joe Taylor
1. Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach - Lawrence Kershaw
2. Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers Coach - Steven Jerry
3. Running backs Coach - Aaron Taylor
4. OutsideLinebackers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator - Tim Edwards
5. Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach, George M. Small
6. Inside Linebackers Coach - Earl Holmes
7. Defensive Coordinator - Orlando Mitjans
8. Special Teams Coach - J.B. Gibboney
9. Defensive Assistant- Jimmy Tyson
10. Head Strength and Conditioning Coach - Antonio Wallace

Coach Mitjans and Gibboney former EKU football boss, head coach Danny Hope, joined the Purdue University football staff as associate head coach on January 11, 2008. Hope, who served as an assistant coach at Purdue from 1997-01, will be the next head coach at Purdue when current head coach Joe Tiller steps down after the 2008 season. The incoming EKU head coach is Dean Hood, who is expected to bring in some coaches from Wake Forest where he served as defensive coordinator.

It appears that these two Division I FBS coaches (Hope and Hood) believe they can upgrade their staff with their own people which is a gain for Florida A&M and Coach Joe Taylor. The rap sheet on both coaches are as follows, as reflected on the EKU website:

Photo: FAMU Defensive Coordinator, Orlando Mitjans

Orlando Mitjans was the only new coach on the 2006 Eastern Kentucky staff and he will be in charge of the Colonel secondary.

Two of the four EKU starters in the secondary last year graduated leaving Mitjans with a few holes to fill. However, the Colonels led the conference in pass efficiency defense one year ago and with Mitjans’ support, should compete for that distinction again this year.

“This veteran secondary coach quickly became popular with the players and coaches,” head coach Danny Hope said. “His coordinator experience will be an asset to our strategic planning as we are always researching additional ideas and answers.”

Mitjans, who has more than 10 years of collegiate coaching experience, spent last season as Tennessee State’s defensive coordinator and secondary coach. In that capacity, Mitjans’ defense ranked third in the OVC in both total defense and pass defense, while three of his players were named to the all-conference team.

Prior to arriving at Tennessee State, Mitjans spent six seasons on the Towson coaching staff. He served as the Tigers’ running backs coach for two years before moving to the secondary for another four seasons. Mitjans was given the additional title of defensive coordinator in the summer of 2002. Three of his players earned all-league honors in Towson’s inaugural 2004 Atlantic 10 Conference campaign.

A 1982 graduate of Northeastern, Mitjans played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League before entering the coaching profession. In addition to his tenure at Tennessee State and Towson, Mitjans has spent time coaching at Northeastern, Cheyney, Kent State, C.W. Post and Morgan State. He has also worked NFL summer camps with the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets and St. Louis Rams. Mitjans is a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Black Coaches Association (BCA). Mitjans and his wife, Claire, live in Nashville, Tenn.

Photo: FAMU Special Teams Coach J.B. Gibboney

J.B. Gibboney completed his second season as an assistant with the Eastern Kentucky football staff. He handled most of the football operation duties as well as assisting with the punters and kickers on special teams.

Hailing from Huntingdon, Pa., Gibboney attended the University of Pittsburgh where the former walk-on player earned his first letter during his sophomore campaign. Gibboney went on to earn another letter in 2004 before graduating from Pitt with a bachelor of arts degree in environmental science.

Gibboney brings a wealth of kicking experience with him to EKU. He had spent the past four years teaching kids of all ages the art of kicking and punting a football for the Ray Guy Kicking Academy, one of the premier academies in the nation. Noted as one of the head instructors in the academy, Gibboney often traveled across the country to teach camps.

While at Eastern, Gibboney will be pursuing a master’s degree in sports administration.

Compiled by beepbeep

Jackson State keeps Grambling Lady Tigers winless in SWAC

Photo: Jackson State's Erica Trahan (#52) scored 19 points to lead the Lady Tigers to victory. The junior class 5-10 forward is from Baton Rouge, LA.

By: JSU Office of Athletic Media Relations

GRAMBLING, La. - Erica Trahan scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Jackson State Lady Tigers to a 70-57 victory over Grambling State University. With the win JSU improves to a 14-10 overall record and a 12-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference mark. Grambling falls to a 1-23, 0-14 record.

Trahan went 7-15 from the field and 5-5 from the free throw line. She also dished out five assists and recorded three steals. Three other Lady Tigers also scored in double digits. LaSharee Christian scored 15 points, Carena Easley added 13 and Erlexis Cooper chipped in 11.

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UCF Completes Sweep in 17-2 Win over Florida A&M

Photo: FAMU head baseball coach Robert Lucas has a young squad that will require time to develop into championship form.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The UCF baseball team set a school record for most runs in a three-game series after defeating Florida A&M, 17-2, Sunday at Jay Bergman Field. In all, the Knights (3-0) racked up 50 runs over the weekend vs. the Rattlers (0-3), and will now host No. 6 Missouri Monday at 3 p.m.

A total of 3,208 attended the three-game series vs. FAMU, marking the third-largest series in stadium history.

Junior southpaw Mitch Herold (1-0) collected the win by going 5.0 innings with six strikeouts and five hits allowed, including not surrendering a hit until the fourth inning. On the basepaths, UCF swiped 10 bases, highlighted by junior Josh Siebenaler's three steals.

UCF posted 16 hits on the day, led by sophomore Chris Duffy who went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Junior Chadd Hartman delivered with the Knights' first home run of the season with a three-run shot in the seventh. Sunday marked the second-straight game that all nine Knight starters scored a run.

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DSU's Sandidge's effort saves victory over BCU Wildcats

DOVER -- Virtually all season, Delaware State men's basketball coach Greg Jackson has served notice he's looking for players who will give their best effort, and then some, every game. To his dismay, that particular request has gone largely unanswered, according to him, with one notable exception.

Sophomore center Frisco Sandidge, perhaps the one Hornets player who's made a difference by contributing a consistent effort, produced his best game of the season Saturday in a 49-44 victory over Bethune-Cookman before 1,031 at Memorial Hall.

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Delaware State's McBride hopes to get noticed in combine

Photo: McBride runs for touchdown against Coastal Carolina University during '07 Hornet season.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Shaheer McBride isn't used to working slowly. Most wide receivers pride themselves on speed and quickness. But at the NFL scouting combine, he's doing his best to stay patient.

Prospects hurry from interview to interview with teams. They undergo physical exams. They run through drills. They take intelligence tests. "It's a long process," said McBride, a former Delaware State standout. "It's a lot of stuff you have to go through. You definitely have to be patient."

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GSU Tigers fall in rubber match to Northwestern State

By GSU Sports Information

NACHITOCHES, La. – Grambling State closed out its opening series on Sunday afternoon with a 5-1 loss to Northwestern State at Brown-Stroud Field.

The Tigers scored in the first inning for the third consecutive game as leadoff batter Justin Kelly reached second after an error by NSU. After advancing to third after a pop fly by Adrian Turner, Jeremy Shelby drove in Kelly for a 1-0 lead with an RBI single to center.

NSU was held scoreless for two innings but tied the contest at 1-all after Mike Jaworski recorded a two-out home run to center in the third. NSU picked up where it left off in the fourth and went ahead 3-1 after coming up big once again with two runs on two outs. Once ahead, Northwestern State never looked back as starter Clayton Cooper kept GSU off-balance the remainder of the way by only allowing one hit over the next six frames.

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Jackson State sneaks past Grambling State 67-65

Photo: JSU #32 Grant Maxey goes for block of a Grambling shot. The 6-7/180 sophomore forward is from Toledo, Ohio/Scott H.S.

GRAMBLING, LA -- Grant Maxey's game-high 20 points included the jump shot that put Jackson State ahead with four seconds left to beat Grambling State 67-65. Maxey was 9-for-9 from the field and 2-for-3 from the foul line for Jackson State (11-16, 9-5 SWAC).

Jackson State was ahead for the entire first half, which ended 35-31, and led 47-35 with 16:03 left in the game. But a 3-pointer by Andre Ratliff sparked a 21-2 run that put Grambling up 56-49 with 8:46 to go.

Grambling's Anthony Williams hit a jump shot to tie the game at 65-all before Maxey's last basket. Williams finished with 13 points and nine rebounds for Grambling (6-15, 6-8).

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FAMU spoils UMES homecoming

Photo: FAMU's Byron Taylor better games have come against UMES--scores runner to win game. Taylor is a 5-7/150 redshirt junior guard from Florida H.S., Tallahassee, FL., majoring in Business.

Hawks' rally falls a layup short of OT; Coach Smith: 'We couldn't have gotten a better shot'

PRINCESS ANNE, MD -- Byron Taylor's runner in the lane gave the Florida A&M men's basketball team a 62-60 lead with 8.6 seconds remaining, and Marc Davis' baseline layup attempt at the other end was no good, as the Rattlers held on to spoil homecoming for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

"We couldn't have gotten a better shot," UMES coach Meredith Smith said. "It was right there. A layup is the highest-percentage shot in basketball. We got the shot that we wanted. It just didn't fall."

Junior guard Ed Tyson led the Hawks with 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting and was 5-of-5from the free-throw line. The Rattlers paid him extra attention on the final play, leaving a lane to the basket for Davis.

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Grambling Tigers has doubleheader split over Northwesterm State

By GSU Sports Information

NACHITOCHES, La. - After enduring a week of adverse weather conditions and a last-minute change in venue due to on-going construction at its home stadium, the Grambling State Tiger baseball team hit the diamond for its season opener at Southland foe Northwestern State on Saturday. Despite the obstacles, GSU made history with a doubleheader split versus the Demons.

In game one, GSU struck first in the opening frame but surrendered eight unanswered runs to the Demons as Northwestern State captured an 11-5 win in the opener.

Grambling State shook off the game one loss and overcame a two-run deficit with five runs over the final three innings to record a 6-3 victory. The win marked the first time since 1991 that GSU defeated Northwestern State.

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Coppin State Holds Off Hampton for Fifth-Straight Win

Photo: Coppin State's #34, Whitney Cunningham scored 18 points and collected 11 rebounds in the victory over Hampton. The 6-3 junior center is from Baltimore, MD/Western H.S.

BALTIMORE -- Whitney Cunningham had 18 points and 11 rebounds and scored the go-ahead basket with 1:07 to play and Coppin State University went on to a 63-60 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over Hampton University on Saturday in the Coppin Center.

Cunningham, who finished the game 8-of-12 from the floor, scored inside on a feed from Shalamar Oakley and was fouled on the play. The ensuing free throw gave the Eagles a 61-60 lead with 1:07 left.

Shalamar Oakley led Coppin State (16-11, 10-3 MEAC) with 19 points and Rashida Suber added 11 points. Hampton (14-11, 7-5 MEAC) was led by Butler who scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

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Alcorn State douses Hornets' SWAC flame

Photo: Alabama State University head coach Lewis Jackson.

Alabama State has a "blackout" night planned for Monday's game against Southern University. But Saturday's game against Alcorn State was an unannounced flameout night. Against the SWAC's last-place team, the first-place Hornets shot a paltry 11 percent from behind the 3-point line (2-of-17), were out-rebounded 34-27 and were generally out-hustled most of the night. Worst beat first, 73-69.

"They just play hard and tough and they come out here tonight and took it to us," ASU head coach Lewis Jackson said of his team's second home loss of the year. "It was a bad night for us from the free throw line, a bad night from behind the 3-point line and a bad night around the basket. Just overall, we didn't play well and we need to regroup somewhat."

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TSU's Appling scores 50 in Lady Tigers' win over Jacksonville State

Photo: Kendra Appling scored a career-high 50 points on Jacksonville State. The 5-7 junior guard is from Jackson H.S./Jackson, GA. (Photo Courtesy: Sam Jordan)

By: Tennessee State Sports Information

Nashville, TN -- Junior guard Kendra Appling scored a career-high 50 points to lead Tennessee State to a 91-77 victory over Jacksonville State in the final home game of the regular season.

Tennessee State improves to 12-15 (9-9 OVC) while Jacksonville State falls to 11-16 (8-10 OVC).

Kendra Appling led all scores with a game-high 50 points while Oby Okafor added 21 points for TSU. LaDona Pierce dished out a game-high 12 assists for the Lady Tigers.

Jolie Efezokae paced JSU with 30 points and 10 rebounds while Cierra Duhart added 13. It was a slow offensive start for both teams. TSU didn’t score until five minutes into the game. With the game tied 4-4, TSU outscored JSU 10-4 to claim a 14-8 advantage. The Gamecocks responded with seven unanswered points to go ahead 15-14. With 8:05 left in the half, a made bucket by Oby Okafor sparked an 8-2 run that gave the Lady Tigers a 29-22 lead. JSU came back to tie the game (34-34) on a jumper by Jolie Efezokae at the 2:05 mark. TSU went into the break with a slight 38-37 lead.

A bucket from Cierra Duhart to open the second half gave JSU a 39-38 lead but TSU scored nine unanswered points to capture a 47-39 lead. The Gamecocks cut the deficit down to five (49-44) on a bucket by Efezokae but a 7-0 run by the Lady Tigers re-upped the lead to 12 (56-44). Tennessee State then outscored Jacksonville State 12-2 over the next four and a half minutes to stretch the advantage to 68-46.

TSU led by as many as 27 points (75-48) before going on to win 91-77.

The Lady Tigers will next travel to Morehead State to face the Lady Eagles on Thursday, Feb. 27. Game time is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. in Ellis T. Johnson Arena.

North Carolina A&T cruise to win over WSSU Lady Rams

Winston Salem, N.C. – The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team played without its floor leader on Saturday night and still won decisively. For the eighth straight game the Aggies margin of victory exceeded 15 points as they defeated arch-rival Winston-Salem State 80-41 at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum Annex.

Amber Bland led the Aggies (20-5) with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. Lamona Smalley added 14 points and nine rebounds as the Aggies reached the 20-win plateau for just the third time in school history and the first time since the 1990-91 season. The Aggies other 20-win season came during 1987-88.

“I think it’s meaningful because it shows how far this program has come,’’ said Patricia Cage-Bibbs, who earned her 11th career 20-win season in 23 years of coaching. “Then when you think about the fact that we have a quality group of kids who get to be a part of an exclusive club here at A&T, it makes it even more special. They truly deserve it.”

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Howard Comeback Falls Short In Loss To Morgan State

Photo: Boubacar Coly, 6-9/220 senior forward, blocked 4 shots, snatched 14 rebounds and scored 8 points in the victory over the Howard Bison.

BALTIMORE, MD. - Howard University staged a furious second half rally but fell just short in a 64-59 loss to Morgan State University in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's basketball game at Hill Fieldhouse.

The Bison (5-22 overall, 2-10 in the MEAC) appeared all but done when the Bears took a seemingly insurmountable 59-34 lead at the 9:39 mark of the second half. Morgan State (17-9 overall, 11-2 in the MEAC) combined some stifling defense and a sizzling fast break to keep Howard on its heels.

The Bears, who are now alone in first place in the MEAC after Norfolk State's loss to Coppin State, got a team-high 17 from Marquise Kately, 12 from Jamar Smith and 10 from Reggie Holmes off the bench. Boubacar Coly, one of the top rebounders and shot blockers in the nation, grabbed 14 caroms and was credited with 4 blocks.

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Betty Powers North Carolina A&T to wins

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Early indications are there is no sophomore slump in store for CJ Beatty.

Beatty went a combined 4-for-7 with two home runs and four RBI to lead the North Carolina A&T baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Buffalo 9-1 and 10-4 at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The Aggies improved to 2-0 while the Bulls fail to 0-2.

In the opener, Beatty, the 2007 MEAC Rookie of the Year, took the first pitch he saw on the season and towered over the right field fence for a solo home run and a 1-0 Aggies lead. The Bulls’ Nick Walczak evened the score in the sixth by going deep off of N.C. A&T starter Tim Johnson.

The Aggies broke the game open in the next half inning, however. The Aggies put together six straight hits and a walk off of starter Zach Anderson before he was replaced by reliever Mike Stangroom.

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S.C. State snaps NSU’s 5-game winning streak 97-86

ORANGEBURG, S.C. - The moment captured the essence of a game Norfolk State would rather forget. In a fit of anger, Norfolk State forward Larry Vickers slammed the ball underneath his team's basket. There were 40 seconds left in regulation and the Spartans had allowed South Carolina State to secure another offensive rebound and one more opportunity to score.

The Bulldogs, just like they had done all afternoon, took advantage - scoring two more points and increasing their lead in their surprising 97-86 victory Saturday at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Center.

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Sweat's Career-High Eight Strikeouts Lead UCF Past Florida A&M, 16-2

Brown drives in four runs, Duffy scores four times in the win over the Rattlers.

ORLANDO, Fla.- After suffering through a lengthy rain delay before first pitch, the UCF baseball team moved to 2-0 on the season with a 16-2 win over Florida A&M Saturday at Jay Bergman Field. Junior starter Kyle Sweat delivered with a career-high eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work for the victory.

The Knights racked up 15 hits in the win over the Rattlers (0-2), led by senior Dwayne Bailey and sophomore Shane Brown, who each posted three hits. Brown also posted a career-high four RBI, and sophomore Chris Duffy set a personal mark with four runs scored.

UCF climbed on top of FAMU and starter Anthony Espin (0-1) in the second as Duffy reached on an error and senior Ryan Richardson blasted a double high off the center-field fence. Following an intentional walk to Brown, freshman Evan Stobbs was issued a free pass with the bases juiced for the first run.

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NCCU's Futrell an inspiration

Photo: Charles Futrell, 6-6/205 forward, senior, Fayetteville, NC, major: Mathematics/Computer Science.

DURHAM -- Even after another defeat, even when N.C. Central’s basketball season seemingly couldn’t get worse, Charles Futrell smiles. It’s the kind of smile that comes with perspective.

To have it, you have to look past the Eagles’ 3-25 record, the 17-game losing streak, the 65-point loss at Duke and the ugly 28-point offensive output at Nebraska. You have to look more at a day in December, when freshman guard Michael Glasker returned from the holiday break and told teammates that his best friend had been shot and killed back home, on Christmas Eve of all days.

The first player to offer condolences was Futrell, who said simply, “I understand.”

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UAPB Golden Lions knock off SEMO in 2008 opener

Now this is the way you start a season.

Traditionally slow starters, Arkansas-Pine Bluff bucked that trend Friday as the Golden Lions outlasted Southeast Missouri State 4-2 in nine innings in their season opener at Taylor Field.

Daniel Gathright (1-0) earned the victory on the mound by pitching three scoreless innings of relief and UAPB (1-0) managed to overcome six errors in the contest to get the win. Justin Moring started the game for UAPB. The junior pitched six innings and gave up two runs — neither of which was earned — to go along with three hits and four strikeouts.

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Atkins is off to good start for Alabama A&M Bulldogs

AAMU QB does well on first dayof spring practice

Kevin Atkins jogged off the field smiling.

A rising sophomore on the Alabama A&M football team, Atkins is the heir apparent to quarterback Kelcy Luke. After Friday's first day of spring practice, all seemed right in Atkins' world. "It went pretty good," said the 6-0, 213-pounder out of Durham, N.C. "I've got to prove to my teammates and my coaches I can lead this team and be the starter. I don't want to get too comfortable or too relaxed.

"I'm going to stay hungry every day and try to get better."

Atkins and Jared Loftin will battle for the starting job this spring. While Atkins played in five games, Loftin, a redshirt sophomore from Troy, has yet to play in a college football game.

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Cobb appeal denied by SCSU

The news came quicker than David Cobb expected Thursday morning.

Upon reading the letter from the Student-Athlete Appeals Committee, it did not take long for Cobb to realize that his South Carolina State basketball career was truly over.

Less than 24 hours after holding a hearing requested by Cobb in regards to his dismissal from the men's basketball team, the five-member committee denied his appeal for reinstatement. Speaking on behalf of the committee, NCAA Faculty Representative Clemmie Hill said they 'supported' the decision by SCSU men's basketball coach Tim Carter to dismiss him following an incident after the loss to Coppin State game on Feb. 9.

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Elliott leaves SCSU football staff for Furman

Photo: New Furman University Wide Receiver coach Antonio (Tony) Elliott.

South Carolina State football head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough confirmed Friday afternoon that Bulldogs wide receivers coach Tony Elliott had left to take the same position at Furman.

"It's a big loss for us," Pough said. "He has done a tremendous job, built great relationships with the kids and is an all-around quality guy. When you lose a guy of that quality it's tough, but we are going to try to replace him with somebody just as good or better."

Elliott spent the past two years at SCSU, and was a graduate of Clemson University where joined the Tiger football program as a walk-on. He lettered all four years at Clemson and was voted team captain in 2003. As a senior, Elliott caught 23 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown in helping Clemson to a 9-4 record that included a 27-14 Peach Bowl victory over sixth-ranked Tennessee.

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NSU’s success yields renewed enthusiasm

Photo: Junior Michael Deloach #2, makes move against NCA&T. The 6-0/175 guard is from Bonner Academy, Rocky Mount, N.C.

NORFOLK - There is already tangible evidence that the basketball team is moving the needle. The hotel rooms the school bought in blocks for the MEAC tournament next month are already filled up.

Donations have increased, too, according to Kim Walton, director of the school’s alumni relations department. Normally, 8.2 percent of the university’s graduates contribute money. This year, Phillip Adams, vice president of university advancement, said Norfolk State should be able to realize its goal of securing financial contributions from 10 percent of alumni.

The school’s fundraising campaign, coincidentally, is titled “Winning Season.”

The student community and alumni are gradually embracing the Spartans, who are tied for first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference as they prepare to face South Carolina State this afternoon in Orangeburg, S.C.

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This 4 p.m. game will be televised live on ESPN Classic, Norfolk State University Spartans vs. South Carolina State University Bulldogs.

UCF Baseball Pounds Out 17 Runs in Opening-Day Win over FAMU

Photo: FAMU starting pitcher Cirilo Manego had a difficult day on the mound pitching 2.1 innings, giving up 12 hits, 10 runs and 3 strikeouts to UCF Knights.

Knights defeat Rattlers, 17-1, to tie school record for most runs in a season-opener.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A festive crowd of 1,282 ventured to Opening Day at Jay Bergman Field Friday and had a lot to cheer about as UCF routed Florida A&M, 17-1. The Knights' 17 runs tied a school record for most in a season-opener, as they also accomplished the feat vs. Rollins in 1998.

Senior Jaager Good (1-0) got the start for the Black and Gold and gave up just two hits and struck out eight in 5.2 innings of work, including striking out the side in the first. At the dish, senior Dwayne Bailey came one hit shy of matching the school mark for hits in a game, as he went 5-for-5 with four runs scored. Meanwhile, senior Tyson Auer tied his career high by scoring four runs as well.

"As long as you win by one run, it's a W," said head coach Jay Bergman, who enters his 26th season with UCF. "I thought we played very well tonight, particularly defensively, and Jaager was in control of his game. The team played with a lot of enthusiasm and what we call synergy."

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