B-CU names women's basketball coach

DAYTONA BEACH -- Bethune-Cookman's new women's basketball coach is anxious to hit the court and start working with her new players. Hitting the road can wait.

Vanessa Blair-Inge, who was the head coach for nine seasons at Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg, Maryland, takes over a B-CU team that has had little success on the court during the past four seasons but returns 13 players, including nine rising sophomores. The Wildcats signed one player, center Chelsea Gordon from Fort Myers Dunbar, for next season and expect to have just two more spots available for 2009-10.

"Our biggest class will be in 2011," said Inge, who was on campus Tuesday. But that doesn't mean it will take her that long to assemble her own team. "This is my team," she said. "This is the here and now. These players are here and ready to play for Bethune-Cookman. And my job is to serve the university. These are my players."

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Blair-Inge is the first and only person in league history to have been named both Player of the Year and Coach of the Year in the Northeast Conference (NEC). Garnering two NEC Player of the Year awards, NEC Player of the Decade (1985-1995) and NEC Coach of the Year (1998-99), Blair-Inge holds three of the highest honors given to a player or coach in the NEC. In the Spring 2003, Inge was honored for her dedication to Mount St. Mary's University and its athletic department by being inducted into the Mount's Sports Hall of Fame.

She is married to former Mount St. Mary's star basketball player and assistant women's coach Riley Inge.

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Southern University making summer news

The lull in the Southern University sports year is on the verge of ending. Next month, football players will be on campus and Brian Johnson will be making long jumps in the Beijing Olympics. The full-on gumbo will be ladled hot and heavy later. Here’s a little summertime shrimp-and-corn soup to tide Jaguars fans over for now.

• Friday, in cool, hip and beautiful San Francisco, the Giants host the Milwaukee Brewers and leading off for both teams will be two former Southern players: Fred Lewis with the Giants and second baseman Rickie Weeks with the Brewers.

Both players arrived with little fanfare, Weeks as a freshman in 2001 and Lewis as a junior-college transfer in ’02, his only season at SU.

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Documentary: The Saint Augustine Marching 100 - A Band Reborn

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a New Orleans, male, Catholic, African American, high school marching band must rebuild to continue its proud legacy.

Much of SU offseason work done off campus

Southern University strength and conditioning coach Thomas Hall said he spends between an hour and an hour-and-a-half most weekday nights calling football players to keep up with the progress of their summer workouts. The reason? A reduction in scholarship money available for student-athletes to attend summer school has sliced into the number of players who usually participate in voluntary conditioning sessions.

File photo: Southern University QB Bryant Lee.

Because of the cutback, more than half the team is away from campus this summer. As a result, Hall calls to check on the progress of those players. “I know the guys are working out,” Hall said. “These guys, I can count on.”

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2008 SWAC - MEAC Television Schedule

2008 SWAC TELEVISION SCHEDULE

August
30 Prairie View vs. Texas Southern (Houston) 7 p.m. ESPNU
31 Jackson State vs. Hampton (Orlando) 1 p.m. ESPN2

September
18 Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alcorn State 6:30 p.m. ESPNU
25 Miss. Valley State at Alabama State 7 p.m. ESPNU

October
18 Florida A&M at Southern 7 p.m. ESPNU
25 Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State (Birmingham, Ala.) 2:30 p.m. ESPNU

November
20 Grambling at Texas Southern 8 p.m. ESPNU
22 Jackson State vs. Alcorn State (Jackson, Miss.) 1 p.m. ESPNU
29 Grambling vs. Southern (New Orleans) 1 p.m. NBC

December
13 SWAC Championship Game (Birmingham, Ala.) 1 p.m. ESPN Classic




2008 MEAC Television Schedule

August
31 Hampton v. Jackson State ESPN2 2 p.m. Live
(MEAC/SWAC Challenge)

September
4 Florida A&M @ Delaware State ESPNU 7:30 p.m. Live
13 North Carolina A&T @ Norfolk St. ESPNU 4 p.m. TBD (taped delayed)
27 Florida A&M vs. Tennessee State at Atlanta, GA, FoxSports South TV 3 p.m. Live (Atlanta Football Classic)

October
9 Winston-Salem State @ Florida A&M ESPNU 7:30 p.m. Live

November
1 South Carolina State @ Delaware State ESPNU 1:00 p.m. TBD (taped delayed)
6 Howard @ South Carolina State ESPNU 7:30 p.m. Live
8 Bethune-Cookman @ Hampton ESPNU 2 p.m. TBD (taped delayed)
15 Delaware State @ Norfolk State ESPNU 1 p.m. TBD (taped delayed)
22 Bethune-Cookman v. Florida A&M ESPN Classic 2 p.m. Live
(Florida Classic)

All times Eastern Time Zone

NSU Announces 2008-09 Track & Field Recruiting Class

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State University men’s track and field coach Kenneth Giles announced Friday the addition of 11 athletes to his program, which has won the last three MEAC indoor and outdoor titles.

Giles signed an array of accomplished sprinters, hurdles, middle distance specialists and throwers who he feels will help NSU remain among the top track programs on the East Coast. The recruiting class includes two national champions and five state champions.

Leading the list of sprinters to join the Spartans is Sean Holston (Fairfax, Va./Robert E. Lee HS). Holston, a 2007 high school graduate who originally signed with Florida State, has enrolled at NSU and plans to join the track team this season. He won the 200 and 400 meters at the 2007 Nike Indoor National Championships. Holston clocked a meet-record time of 47.12 seconds in the 400, the seventh-fastest time ever run by a U.S. high school athlete. He went on to run a PR of 46.47 outdoors last year at the Southern Track Classic.

Holston, the 2007 Virginia (VHSL) outdoor champion in the 200 and 400, has also run personal-best times of 21.07 in the 200 and 10.59 in the 100. ,

“Sean could be the next Chris Brown for us,” Giles said, referring to the NSU All-American and current Olympian for the Bahamas. “Simply put, Sean is one of the top recruits we’ve ever had here.”

Sean Holston may re-write the MEAC record book before his career is over at NSU. In the 200 meter race on this clip, Spartans signee Thomas Speller finishes second to Holston for a 1-2 finish. Look out MEAC!


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Kids work with former MVP Steve McNair

A chance to learn some life lessons and brush up on some football skills, all while brushing shoulders with a local legend, brought some 700 youngsters out on a scorching-hot morning. The 10th annual Steve Air McNair Football Camp drew a large, enthusiastic crowd Friday to the University of Southern Mississippi campus, where the focus was on more than just football.

"We have a lot of people here talking about alcohol, drugs and crime," McNair said. "We touch a little of everything to try to get kids on the right track. It's about life. You can't succeed on the field if your life is not on track. Football comes second to that."

This is the first year the camp, which was free of charge, has come to the USM campus, after previously being held at Gulf Coast Community College, Alcorn State and in Nashville, Tenn., where McNair played for the Tennessee Titans.

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Sneak Peek: Clemson vs S.C. State Football

Photo: Running back Will Ford will be tough to stop by opponents in 2008, including Clemson and Central Florida.

S.C. State offense vs. Clemson defense

The Bulldogs have put up some impressive offensive numbers under sixth-year coach Buddy Pough. A big reason this team is knocking on the door to its first playoff trip in over two decades is an offense that's considered among the best in the MEAC. The Bulldogs finished second in scoring offense last year, averaging 26.7 points per game. They averaged 264 yards rushing per game, and all-conference tailback Will Ford returns.

At quarterback, S.C. State will enter the season with a quarterback battle between Malcolm Long and DeWain Clark. Long was Cleve McCoy's backup last season, but Clark's performance in the spring game (21-of-27 passing, 160 yards, two touchdowns) demonstrated that Long won't secure the starting spot easily. Ford will have some company — and competition — in the backfield. Tailback Anthony Campbell, a transfer from Auburn, had 15 carries for 133 yards in the spring game.

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Teacher, artist, coach, Mann

Excerpts:

Alvis Mann, who warned a generation of Hampton High football players not to get "snuck on," was explaining how one day you look up and three-and-a-half decades have whizzed past and suddenly you're bearing down on 60. Next thing you know, it's a long and happy marriage and two grown daughters. It's double-figure state championships and more Peninsula District titles and playoff appearances than you can count. It's an immense role in the bonafide dynasty that is Hampton Crabbers football.

Mann, who graduated from Hampton University with a degree in art education, will tell you that he loves color. The almost caricature-like figures of Ernie Barnes, the "Porch People" series by A.B. Jackson, the scenes of Barclay Sheaks. He has a long list of influences and artists he admires. How much time do you have?

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Langford signed, Favre-to-Miami rumors escalate

Photo: Former Hampton University All-American Kendall Langford inks multi-year contract with the Miami Dolphins. (Mark's Digital Photography)

Seven down, two to go for the Dolphins’ 2008 rookie class. While many teams are struggling to sign any of their draft picks, the Dolphins moved one step closer on Friday to having all of theirs under contract by the opening of training camp on July 26.

The Dolphins inked defensive end Kendall Langford, the team’s third-round pick, to a multi-year contract today, the team announced. The 6-foot-6, 287-pound Langford was the No. 66 pick in April’s draft out of Hampton University and is expected to fit the Dolphins’ 3-4 defensive scheme. With two weeks to go before players are expected to report, the Dolphins are hoping to sign their two second-round picks, defensive end Phillip Merling and quarterback Chad Henne.


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SCSU players say happy early birthday to Willie Jeffries this weekend

SANTEE - By sheer coincidence, Willie Jeffries shares the same January 6 birthdate with another coaching legend, Lou Holtz. Over the next two days, however, the South Carolina State coaching great will celebrate his “birthday” six months in advance. Along with former players, close friends and his wife, Mary, Jeffries will be feted as part of a birthday party weekend taking place at Santee Resort.

Following brunch and a round of golf Saturday morning, the celebration kicks off at 3 p.m. where Jeffries will get roasted by his former players, including Greg Holden and team captains from the two periods he coached at SCSU (1973-78; 1989-2001), and receive special recognition. For event co-organizer John Alford, who played on the 1976 Bulldog team which won the Black College National Championship, Jeffries remains more than just a head coach.

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Lakewood hires B-CU alumnus Cory Moore as football coach

Cory Moore is going home. Returning to his alma mater, Moore was named head football coach at St. Petersburg, Florida
Lakewood High School, the school where he first found success as a running back from 1991 to 1994, athletic director Javan Turner announced Friday.

"It's a dream come true," said Moore, 32. "The opportunity to come back to the school where I played and to be the head coach. It's a great school with so much history." Moore beat out 15 other finalists. He replaces Otis Dixon, who resigned last month to take a job in the insurance business. The decision came down to Moore, Gibbs assistant Dave Cleppe and Largo assistant Jeremy Frioud, according to Turner.

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Jackson State's Shasta Averyhardt ousted in semis of Michigan Women's Amateur Golf Championship

EAST LANSING, Michigan — For the first time in four years, the championship match of the Michigan Women's Amateur Golf Championship doesn't include a Flint-area player. Flint's Shasta Averyhardt and Grand Blanc's Ashley Bauer both bowed out of the state's premier amateur event for women in today's semifinals at Walnut Hills Country Club.

Averyhardt, who finished second a year ago, was beaten 1 up in 21 holes by Stephany Fleet of DeWitt while defending champion Laura Bavaird of Grosse Ile eliminated Bauer 1 up. Averyhardt and Bauer were both making their second appearance in the final four. Bauer lost in last year's semifinals to Averyhardt, who fell in the championship match when Bavaird rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.

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ASU's Bosh joins NBA summer league team

Alabama State senior forward Joel Bosh has been named to the Toronto Raptors' summer league team. Bosh, a two-year starter, played an integral role as the Hornets ran away with the SWAC regular season title last season. "This is a well-deserved opportunity for Joel," said Lewis Jackson, ASU's head basketball coach. "He spent a lot of time in the offseason working on ball handling and shooting. And now it's paying off."

Bosh averaged 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, while also leading ASU in steals. It was that defensive prowess that Jackson pointed to as one of Bosh's greatest assets. Bosh's older brother Chris is an NBA All-Star with the Raptors and a member of the United States Olympic basketball team that will be competing in Bejing, China, next month.



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TSU, Southern renew rivalry at Merritt Classic

Tennessee State fans and alumni are finally getting the game they want to see. The Tigers will take on old rival Southern University in the John Merritt Classic on Sept. 6 at LP Field. And make no mistake, it will be a battle — during the game and at halftime.

The schools’ competition between the football teams and the marching bands was a point of emphasis on Thursday at the annual news conference promoting the John Merritt Classic. “I don’t know who’s going to win the game, but I know who’s going to have the best halftime show,” said Southern athletic director Greg LaFleur to the good-natured jeers of the TSU fans and alums in attendance.

TSU athletic director Teresa Phillips then grabbed the microphone, saying, “We’re going to have to get a police escort for him.” This is the 10th year of the game that honors the legendary TSU coach, but it is the first game the Tigers will take on the Jaguars in the classic. The game will also be the teams’ first meeting since 1991.



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Stepping Up: Highly touted JSU QB recruit ready for fall challenge

Calvin Britt calls it the "man-step." It's the moment a teenager makes a life-changing decision based on his own belief in what's best for himself. It's that first time he steps out of the comfort zone provided by parents or friends and accepts the risks and rewards of making an adult decision all on his own.

"We all have got to take that man-step," Calvin said.

Calvin watched his son, Domonick, step forward on Feb. 6 when he signed a letter of intent to play football at Jackson State. Domonick (pronounced Dom-oh-neek) was the star quarterback for Ohio powerhouse Trotwood-Madison and was offered scholarships by West Virginia, Illinois and Pittsburgh - and that was before things got interesting.

QB Domonick Britt, #2--2007 Trotwood-Madison Rams Highlights


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Justin Higgins ready to continue quarterbacking dominance at Grambling

Any football fan that saw Justin Higgins in a Rayville uniform over the past three years knows he is a playmaker. Whether Higgins was throwing the ball downfield to the Hornets’ prized receivers or taking the ball and barreling through the line, the three and a half-year high school starter could change the momentum of any game.

Grambling — where Higgins signed a national letter of intent in February — has no doubt Higgins can continue that dominance on the field. There is just one gray area hanging overhead. Higgins finished his immaculate high school career with a torn ACL in the second round playoff loss to E.D. White last November.

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Southern University adds RV site near stadium

NEW ORLEANS — In addition to the ongoing expansion of A.W. Mumford Stadium, Southern University President Ralph Slaughter said Thursday, construction also has begun for a new recreational vehicle parking area.

The lot would add 62 RV spots to more than make up for the loss of some parking from the stadium expansion, Slaughter said. The new lot will be across the street from Mumford near the school of nursing.

“We have to have that lot ready before football season starts,” Slaughter said, when asked why parking construction began before notifying the Southern Board of Supervisors on Thursday.

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Less uncertainty at Southern University now

A year has made plenty of difference for Southern football program. At this time a year ago, there was so much to feel uneasy about:

• The project to enclose the north end zone and give the program direly-needed facilities had yet to begin. …
• The team had suffered back-to-back losing seasons for the first time under Pete Richardson. …
• Richardson, in turn, was entering the final year of his contract and the pressure was on to get the program back on track. …
• And a rash of academically ineligible players, particularly to the offensive line, made the prospect of a turnaround even harder.
  
  
  
  

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Hardin-Simmons basketball coach named MVSU assistant

ABILENE, TEXAS — Hardin-Simmons basketball coach Dylan Howard has resigned to become an assistant coach at Mississippi Valley State. Howard had a 78-103 record in seven seasons at Hardin-Simmons. The Cowboys had winning seasons each of the past four years and went to the American Southwest Conference tournament three of the past four years, reaching the finals in 2007.

The move was announced Monday.

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Black schools winning more Fulbright awards

Parents who want to send a child to a black college know they have to look south, but if they prefer one that will also offer a good opportunity for international exposure, the right school may not be as far away as they might think.

The black college that has produced the most students who win a Fulbright fellowship, the prestige program of international exchanges, is not Howard, or Hampton University in Virginia, or Morehouse College or Spelman College in Atlanta, or any other private school.

The top producer is Morgan State University, a state school in Baltimore. Since the Fulbright program began in 1946, 120 Morgan students have won awards to conduct research or teach English in 30 different countries from Jamaica to New Zealand.

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Leon's Patterson, Miami native Joseph seek second chances at FAMU

They use summer workouts to angle for spot on Rattlers

Anytime during the upcoming football season that coach Joe Taylor decides to show living examples of perseverance, he might just call Darrius Patterson and Marcus Joseph to the head of the line.

Like the other walk-ons who have been toiling through the offseason, they've got their stories. Patterson had to shed the demon of academic ineligibility. Joseph just refused to take no for an answer in pursuit of his dream to play college football.

Their journey had similar beginnings. Patterson played well enough to earn a starting role at linebacker on Leon High School team, and Joseph was a better-than-average cornerback at Miami Columbus. Neither drew interest from major college scouts.

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Robbery charges against NSU's Monroe are dropped

Charges of armed robbery against Norfolk State University basketball player Brandon Monroe were withdrawn Wednesday, a little over two months after his arrest following an incident on Old Dominion University's campus.

Monroe's attorney, Michael Fasanaro, described the case against his client as simple mistaken identity. "The description by witnesses was of a guy being about 6-foot-2," Fasanaro said. "We're talking about a basketball player who is 6-7 or 6-8."

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Former WSSU Wedlock comes clean about DVD

I have been talking with former WSSU football player Jonathan Wedlock via e-mail and myspace for about two months now. I’ve been looking forward to doing an interview with him because I knew quite a few people wanted to hear about from him.

I ran a story (by Steven Gaither) about his professional football career taking off in the American Indoor Football Association and quite a few readers hit me up about that piece. Some wanted to know if his “So Hard To Be A Ram” DVD was still available. Yes, it’s still available. And he’s still willing to give out a copy or two.

I wanted to ask him about that infamous Youtube classic, as well as his football career. Wedlock is one of the leading running backs for the Florence (South Carolina) Phantoms. We also discussed a number of other things like Division I, differences in arena leagues, homecoming and late night partying.

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FAMU Taylor will lean on Lee at backup QB

Rattlers' coach likes freshman athleticism

A second look was all it took for Tobias Lee to return to playing quarterback for Florida A&M. After all of the film-watching and performance evaluations from spring practice, coach Joe Taylor was impressed with Lee's athleticism.

Taylor was even more impressed with the 3.5 GPA Lee maintained while carrying 18 hours in the classroom during the spring. "He has not only got it physically, but he has it mentally," Taylor said Monday. "That's the kind of kid you want at quarterback because he's very intelligent." So Lee will go into the fall practice as the primary backup to Eddie Battle. The move reverses Taylor's decision after spring practice to shift Lee, a redshirt freshman, to tight end.

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