MVSU Devilettes falls to LSU and East Carolina in NCAA Tournament

Mississippi Valley State fell to LSU 8-0, and East Carolina 4-2 to end their SWAC Championship season at 28-28.

BATON ROUGE, La. - The East Carolina softball team defeated Mississippi Valley State, 4-2, for its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory Saturday afternoon before 945 fans at LSU's Tiger Park. The Pirates improve to 37-29 on the season and 1-1 in the Baton Rouge Regional. The Devilettes end their season at 28-28 after making their fifth appearance in the NCAA Championship.

MVSU jumped ahead in the top of the second. Angelia Jones doubled with one out which moved Megan Hays to third base. Hays had walked to lead off the inning. Then, Pirate hurler Brooke Swann unleashed a wild pitch that allowed Hays to score, putting the Devilettes ahead 1-0.

ECU responded in the bottom half of the second. Back-to-back doubles by Vanessa Moreno and Angel Barrella tied the game before Cristen Aona belted a long ball off of the scoreboard to score Barrella, making the score 3-1 in the Pirates' favor.

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FAMU Marching 100 director, Julian White, honored at roast

Photo: Dr. Julian E. White, Director of Bands and Chairman, Music Department, Florida A&M University.

A video shown Friday in honor of the director of Florida A&M University's Marching 100 showed many of the band's highlights: marching down the Champs-Elysees for the bicentennial of the French Revolution in 1989; performing at Bill Clinton's 1993 and 1997 inaugural parades; playing at the 2007 Super Bowl halftime show with singer Prince.

But it was footage of Julian White huddling with dejected band try-outs who didn't make the cut that caught the attention of many in the audience. "The measure of the man came through (when he told them) you're not going to always be successful, but you're not a failure," Rep. Curtis Richardson said. "The measure of this man is the lessons that he has taught hundreds of young band members."

About 300 people attended the roast and toast for White at the Civic Center, which also featured musical selections performed by about 60 band members. The event was put on by the Leon County Chapter of the FAMU National Alumni Association to raise money for scholarships for Leon County students to attend FAMU or the Marching 100 summer band camp.

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FAMU 2008 Wind Ensemble "To Tame the Perilous Skies"


FAMU 2008 Wind Ensemble "Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna"

NAACP selects new leader: Benjamin Todd Jealous, 35

The Rhodes scholar will become the youngest president and CEO in the 99-year history of the civil rights organization.

Benjamin Jealous, who was educated at Ord Terrace Elementary School in Seaside, Pacific Grove Middle School and York School in Monterey before becoming the only Rhodes scholar in Monterey County's history, was named president and CEO of the NAACP on Saturday.

Jealous, 35, lives in Alameda with his wife, Lia Epperson, a professor of constitutional law at Santa Clara University, and daughter, Morgan. He has been working as president of The Rosenberg Foundation, a grant-making organization that provides economic support to working people in California.

"I am tremendously excited. It's a real chance to get my generation of people — those from 25 to 45 years old — really engaged in the work of this association, and to get this association really engaged in the issues of this century," Jealous said. "This is an historic time and the association is needed, now as much as ever.

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Freire Charter's Denard will attend Morgan State

Jarrod "G" Denard is one of those brassy basketball players who never shows a hint of hesitation. That was why his college situation was driving him batty.

Owing to some earlier academic struggles, Denard, a 6-1/183 senior guard at Freire Charter and first team Philadelphia Daily News All-City honoree, was unsure where he'd be heading. But now the answer is in: right down I-95. Denard yesterday committed to Morgan State University, in Baltimore, and he's planning to sit out next season even if he qualifies for freshman eligibility.

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B-CU Advances to MEAC Title Game with 3-2 Win over North Carolina A&T

Bethune Cookman University head coach Mervyl Melendez was in awe of Aggies pitcher Marquise Frink, who struck out a career high 14 Wildcat batters. (Photo by Mark's Digital Sports Photography)

Norfolk, Va. - Joseph Gautier and Phil Enright were all but lights-out on the mound on Saturday as Bethune-Cookman University defeated North Carolina A&T State University, 3-2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament at Marty L. Miller Baseball Field in Norfolk, Va.

B-CU (35-20) used their supreme pitching exploits in the form of Joseph "Gio" Gautier to help the Wildcats in a monster match-up with North Carolina A&T. N.C. A&T (29-29) went with Marquis Frink in return on the hill.

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Norfolk State reaches MEAC Baseball Championship Game

NSU head coach Claudell Clark has an opportunity to meet or exceed his best career record of 25-25 (2007). Win two games over Bethune Cookman--the Spartans will be MEAC Champions. The team is currently 25-23 in Clark's fourth year at the helm. (Photo by Mark's Digital Sports Photography).

Norfolk State beat Florida A&M, 5-2, sending the Rattlers home from the MEAC Tournament.

NORFOLK, Va. – The improbable ride of the Norfolk State baseball team hasn’t stopped yet. Saturday night, it punched its ticket to the next destination: the MEAC championship game.

Four different players drove in two runs, and the Spartans got another gritty pitching performance in routing North Carolina A&T, 10-5, at Marty L. Miller Field. NSU will face top-seeded Bethune-Cookman at 2 p.m. Sunday with the unenviable task of having to beat the Wildcats not once but twice to earn the conference title and a berth in the NCAA Regionals.

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FAMU law-school graduate follows in his grandfather's footsteps

52 years later, FAMU graduate follows in grandfather's footsteps

Fred Wallace spends his days and nights plowing through law books and computer files as he prepares for his first shot at The Florida Bar exam in July.

The marathon reading sessions are exhausting. But Wallace, one of the newest graduates of Florida A&M University's Orlando law school, knows he can turn to one of the school's first and oldest graduates for encouragement -- his 82-year-old grandfather Jennings Best.

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North Carolina A&T stops FAMU in 9th

NORFOLK, Va. – It was just like the day before -- bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning. This time, FAMU became the victim, losing 6-4 to North Carolina A&T this afternoon in the MEAC baseball tournament.

Nick Rogers delivered the blow that dropped FAMU to 1-1 in the tournament. The Aggies move on to face Bethune-Cookman University on Saturday afternoon.

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Norfolk State fights back against Maryland-Eastern Shore

NORFOLK, Va. – As the ball rolled under his glove and into left-center field, Norfolk State shortstop Moriba George dropped his chin to his chest in frustration.

After a heart-breaking loss to North Carolina A&T on Thursday, the last thing George wanted to do was commit an error to spot Maryland Eastern-Shore a lead. But that’s exactly what happened in Friday’s elimination game in the MEAC Tournament at Marty L. Miller Field.

But George and the Spartans redeemed themselves and stayed alive with a 7-2 victory. The Spartans were scheduled to play Delaware State in another elimination game later in the evening.

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Southern trounces Alabama State, 14-4 behind Talbot

Southern University baseball coach Roger Cador went with experience over youth when choosing his starting pitcher.

Given a chance in the clutch, though, youth proved far superior Thursday night.

After senior Chris Donaby struggled, freshman Jordan Talbot came in with an amazing performance, easily his best of the year, leading SU to a 14-4, mercy-rule-shortened win over Alabama State in the first round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament at Lee-Hines Field.

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Mitchell named Southern University football assistant

Southern football coach Pete Richardson has turned to former free safety Jackie Mitchell to be the team’s new defensive backs coach. Mitchell played linebacker for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League but has no full-time coaching experience.

“He should help us out a lot as far as knowing what to expect on defense and also experience-wise,” Richardson said. “He’s been a professional athlete, so he can help us out on the details.”

Mitchell spent seven years in the CFL, making the CFL All-Star team in 2003, and also had stints as a free agent in the NFL, playing for the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.

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Grambling to hire Rick Duckett as Men's Basketball Coach

Photo: Grambling State University head men's basketball coach Rick Duckett (Photo by USC SID).

GRAMBLING, LA — Grambling State athletics director Troy Mathieu has announced the selection of Rick Duckett, formerly of the University of South Carolina and a previous NCAA Division II South Atlantic Coach of the Year, as the new head men's basketball coach at Grambling State University. His selection is subject to administrative approval from the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System.

Coach Duckett served the last six years as an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina under Dave Odom, who recently retired. Duckett served as a head basketball coach at both Winston Salem State University and Fayetteville State University, respectively.

At WSSU, Duckett compiled a record of 73-19, winning two CIAA Titles in three years, prior to moving on to South Carolina and the SEC.

Despite Duckett's success, his one year FSU annual contract was not renewed by athletic director Horace Small in a move that bewildered and angered many members of the Bronco's athletic department. The firing was recorded as one of the all-time dumbest action in FSU history. Duckett left FSU with a 76-57 record in five seasons with one Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association division championship. His 57.1 winning percentage is the highest of any Fayetteville State men’s basketball coach since the school joined the CIAA in 1954 and his final season ended with a 17-10 record.

Here is what South Carolina had to say about Coach Duckett...

An exciting coach to watch on the court because of his love the game, Rick Duckett must have been born with a basketball in his hands.

Rick Duckett is in his sixth season with the Gamecocks. Duckett was head coach at Winston-Salem State for three seasons prior to coming to Carolina and is in his second stint on the USC staff after serving in the same capacity for Bill Foster for the 1985-86 season.

Duckett is responsible for recruiting, scouting, working with the perimeter players in practice, overseeing the academic area for the student-athletes and is the Director of the Offensive Skills Camp in the summer.

Duckett, who also was the head coach at Fayetteville State for five seasons, combines with the rest of the Gamecock staff to give USC three coaches with head coaching experience. Along with Odom (18 years at Wake Forest, East Carolina and South Carolina) and Duckett (eight years at W-S State and Fayetteville State), assistant coach Ricky Stokes was head coach at Virginia Tech for four seasons, giving the USC staff a combined 30 seasons of head coaching experience.

Duckett had a remarkable record at Winston-Salem State in his three seasons there. He led the squad to a combined 73-19 mark Lower right: while capturing the CIAA championship in 1999 and 2000. Duckett had a five-year mark of 76-57 at Fayetteville State (1994-98, leaving his eight-year head coaching tally at an impressive 149-76 (.662). In both 1999 and 2000, Duckett earned the CIAA Tournament Coaches Award, and he also was the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Coach of the Year in 1999.

Duckett earned a Bachelor's degree in Education from the University of North Carolina in 1979 and a Master's degree in Education in 1980 from UNC. In his time at UNC, he served as an undergraduate assistant for the Tar Heels and went on to become the junior varsity coach and a graduate assistant coach during the 1979-80 season.

He continued his coaching career the following season, spending two years as an assistant at Harvard (1981-82) before returning to his high school alma mater, R.J. Reynolds, as assistant coach for one season (1983). He spent one season at Jacksonville University (1984) and at the University of Central Florida (1985) before serving one season on the staff of Bill Foster at South Carolina (1986). Duckett then spent six seasons as an assistant at Wichita State (1987-92), helping lead the Shockers to two NCAA Tournament appearances and an NIT showing. Prior to his head coaching assignment at Fayetteville State (1994-98), he returned to R.J. Reynolds High as an assistant coach for one season (1993).

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North Carolina A&T pulls out win over Norfolk State

Archive Photo: North Carolina A&T Aggies head coach Keith Shumate.

NORFOLK, Va. – In a game that played dead even for seven-plus innings, Thursday’s MEAC first-round game between fifth-seeded Norfolk State and second-seeded North Carolina A&T was probably going to come down to which team caught a break.

A&T caught two of them, and Nick Rogers was in the middle of both.

Rogers’ long fly ball into left-center field bounced off the outstretched glove of NSU center fielder TiQuan Griffin, allowing two runs to score in the bottom of the eighth, and the Aggies escaped with a 4-2 victory.

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2008 MEAC Track and Field Slide Show

The following slide show was created and produced by Mark's Digital Sports Photography and can be viewed in plasma screen clarity with digital surround-sound at: http://suttonm.wordpress.com, Mark's Digital Photography Blog.

Please bookmark Mark's Digital Photography Blog for the very best in MEAC sports action photography. Mark's Digital Photography covers all sporting events for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and he is a great friend of MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street Blog. Contact Mark Sutton for all your photography needs @ http://www.msuttonphoto.com/main.html



2007 MEAC Football


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FAMU pulls out dramatic win over Delaware State

Photo: FAMU Pitcher Cirilo Manego has ugly game, but goes distance for the victory as FAMU saves their ace pitcher for North Carolina A&T game scheduled on Friday.

NORFOLK, Va. – After hitting a bases-clearing double to send Florida A&M over Delaware State, shortstop Tim Schalch and his teammates sprinted toward the outfield at Marty L. Miller Field. And straight for the tarp.

The victory was dramatic. The celebration was short.

FAMU players began rolling out the tarp in anticipation of heavy overnight rains Thursday. The Rattlers’ 7-6 come-from-nowhere victory was actually interrupted by a brief rain delay in the bottom of the ninth.

After it rained, FAMU poured it on.

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Mercy, Mercy, Mercy: BCU pounds UMES Hawks into losers bracket

Archive Photo: UMES Coach William Garner had no answer for the hard hitting BCU Wildcats. (Photo by Kevin M. Robinson Photography).

B-CU pounds out 14 hits in run-rule contest
Norfolk, Va. - Hiram Burgos proved his worth on the mound and Osvaldo Torres provided the hitting power as Bethune-Cookman University breezed through the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 13-1 on Thursday morning in the first round of the annual Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament at Marty L. Miller Baseball Field in Norfolk, Va.

B-CU did not take any chances with the opposition on Thursday as the top-seeded Wildcats (34-20) went with the Pitcher of the Year--Hiram Burgos, as the opening starter in back-to-back years. B-CU's Francisco Rodriguez collected the award last year and started against the Hawks as well in 2007.

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MVSU to Open NCAA play against Ninth-seeded LSU Softball

BATON ROUGE -- LSU will once again have to postpone the final game in Tiger Park for one more weekend as the overall No. 9 national seeded Tigers begin NCAA Regional competition this weekend at home, facing Mississippi Valley State on Friday at 7 p.m. as part of the three-day double-elimination tournament.

Mississippi Valley State (28-26) earned the at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament from the Southwestern Athletic Conference after winning the league tournament. The Devilettes won the SWAC Eastern Division, tied with Southern University for the overall championship, before defeating the Lady Jaguars in the tournament championship game, 6-3.

Mississippi Valley Devilettes are making their fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. (Photo Courtesy of Kevin M. Robinson Photography)

The Tigers (42-16) fell to No. 3 national seed Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals last weekend at Tiger Park after knocking off NCAA College Station Regional participant Auburn. The No. 9 national seed is the highest for LSU since the NCAA Tournament went to the Super Regional format in 2005.

All of LSU's NCAA Regional games will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network in Baton Rouge on The X - 104.5/104.9 FM. The broadcasts can also be heard in the GeauxZone on LSUsports.net.

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Grambling State selects Donnita Drain as Women's Basketball Head Coach

Photo: Grambling State University new Head Women's Basketball Coach, Donnita Drain. (Photo Courtesy of Langston University SID).

Grambling State University has hired a gem of a coach in Donnita Drain, from NAIA Langston University in Oklahoma. Drain will serve the GSU Tigers as head women's basketball coach.

Here is what the Langston University Sports Information director has to say about Coach Drain...

Drain served 13 years at the reigns for the Langston University Lady Lions Basketball Team, where she launched herself into LU athletics history. She has led the Lady Lions to five national championship appearances, twice been named conference Coach of the Year, coached three professional athletes, three All-Americans, four Academic All-Americans, and has completed eight consecutive winning seasons at ‘Dear Langston.’ Her teams have recorded four 20 win seasons and one 30 win season.

Drain graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education and an endorsement in Biology. She obtained her Masters degree in Education Administration from Texas A&M University of Commerce, Texas.

While attending NWOSU, Drain made a name for herself on the basketball court. She received honors such as the NAIA National Player of the Week, OIC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, OIC and District IX All-Conference Teams, and was the Northwestern Ranger Queen in 1988.

At the time of her graduation, she was her university’s all-time leading scorer in men’s or women’s basketball. Drain was inducted into Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in January of 1998.

Drain has more wins than any other coach in Langston University Women’s Basketball history with 244 wins.

Photo: Coach Drain workplace will be one of the finest facilities in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. (Photo Courtesy of Kevin M. Robinson Photography)

Coach Drain also served as a court coach for the 2007 USA Basketball Women’s National Teams Trials, which determined finalists for three USA Basketball squads– the U19 World Championship Team, U21 World Championship Team and Pan American Games Team.

Drain’s 2006-2007 squad was two points away from making a trip to the Final Four of the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Tournament. They finished the season with a perfect 18-0 record in conference play and produced the RRAC Player of the Year in Matalya McBath-Belvin, and the RRAC Defensive Player of the Year in Teneisha McKinney.

The spectacular performances by her team also got her named the RRAC Coach of the Year for the second time in her career.

On January 6, 2007, Drain hit the 200th win of her career against Huston-Tillotson University.

The Taloga, Okla. native is an active member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the Orange and Blue Booster Club. She established Langston University’s first summer basketball camp program, as well as two other sport camps in Western Oklahoma.

Grambling State should see fewer blowouts from opponents on their home court under Coach Donnita Drain. (Photo Courtesy of Kevin M. Robinson Photography).

I'm Impressed with this Hire!

Grambling fans should send director of athletics Troy Mathieu a big check for displaying exceptional wisdom in the selection of Coach Donnita Drain, as the new women's basketball coach. This hire makes women's basketball in the SWAC a two horse race with Prairie View.

However, with five national championship appearances on her resume, Coach Drain will have the Tigers as a force on the national level after 2-3 recruiting classes. This lady can flatout coach!

We tip our cap to Mr. Mathieu for hiring a college basketball future hall of famer that's on her way to a 500 win career. When was the last time you saw a 30 win season posted by an HBCU? This should be a very smooth transition for Coach Drain moving from the NAIA Division I to the NCAA Division I level.

Congratulations Grambling State University on a great hire!

-beepbeep

Grambling baseball roughed up in first round of SWAC tournament

BATON ROUGE -- The opening game of the 2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament provided plenty of fireworks as Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils -- the No. 3 Eastern Division seed -- pounded out a 12-2 victory over the second seed from the Western Division – the Grambling State Tigers.

The Tigers broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the third inning when Brandon Williams led off the inning with a single and scored on a triple into right field by Anthony Clifton. The run would be the only run the Tigers would manage until the bottom of the ninth when Williams scored on a Clifton ground out.

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Birds Add a QB

Photo: Former NSU Spartans QB Casey Hansen (Photo courtesy - Marks's Digital Sports Photography).

The NFL Philadelphia Eagles signed rookie free agent quarterback Casey Hansen from Norfolk State, on Wednesday.

In two years at Norfolk State, Hansen (6-6, 220) threw for 4,277 yards and 19 touchdowns. He led the MEAC in 2006 with 2,166 passing yards. Hansen spent his sophomore year at Chaffey Junior College in California after transferring from Colorado State.

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Hall of fame on resume for four FAMU football coaches

Photo: FAMU Coach Tim Edwards (Photo courtesy - Mark's Digital Sports Photography).

Tim Edwards one day may regard his term as a coach at Florida A&M in much the same way his boss Joe Taylor remembers the years he spent in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

While Taylor credits the oldest historically black conference for opportunities that led to his future success, coaching at FAMU is Edwards’ chance to be part of an era that could further enhance their legacies as coaches.

“To come here and be a part of the foundation...

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Southern faces Alabama State in SWAC opener

The Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament returns today to Southern’s Lee-Hines Field for the first time since 2003, but the Jaguars are far from the dominant favorite they were with Rickie Weeks tearing up the basepaths.

This one, with a new format concluding with a single, TV-friendly championship game, features teams with plenty to prove.

Photo: SU Jaguars Romey Bracey.

The tournament will be divided into two four-team brackets of double-elimination play. The survivors of those brackets meet at 1 p.m. Sunday for a single, winner-take-all game on ESPNU.

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DSU baseball faces Florida A&M in tourney

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Delaware State will take on the Florida A&M Rattlers on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the first round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament. The double-elimination tournament will take place on the campus of Norfolk State.

Thursday's game will be the teams' fourth meeting of the season. Florida A&M (19-20, 11-7 MEAC) won the last contest 14-13 on May 5. The first-round game will be the 16th meeting all-time in conference tournament action between the two squads (FAMU leads 12-3).

The Hornets (16-31, 11-7 MEAC) are making their 24th straight MEAC Tournament appearance. DSU has reached the championship game...

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Winston-Salem State Men's Basketball Announces 2008 Signing Class

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Winston-Salem State University men's basketball coach Bobby Collins announced a talent-laden 2008 signing class on Monday afternoon as he confirmed that four student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to play basketball for the Rams next season.

"We're addressing some issues and adding some quality depth to our team with these signees" Winston-Salem State head men's basketball coach Bobby Collins said Monday afternoon. "We have an opportunity to strengthen our program with these four talented freshmen. They are a welcome addition to the strong tradition of Rams basketball."

The Rams will strengthen their backcourt with the signing of three guards, including a pair of North Carolina natives.

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Restoration of AAMU's Elmore Gym set to begin today

Photo: AAMU athletic director Betty Austin.

After delays, A&M facility could now be ready by June.

Alabama A&M's much-anticipated renovation of Elmore Gym is slated to begin today, five months after it was originally scheduled.

School officials had hoped to have the project - which includes installing new chair-back seats in the facility's lower level - completed last December, in time for the Bulldogs' opening of Southwestern Athletic Conference play. But athletics director Betty Austin failed to submit the project for bidding on time.

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