Smaller schools face economic challenges

TUSCALOOSA, AL -- While the University of Alabama’s athletic program is able to fund itself at a multi-million dollar level, that’s not the case with most schools. And Division II schools and junior colleges with athletic departments at the lower end of the economic spectrum face their own challenges. Stillman College, a private school just down the road from the University of Alabama, moved up to NCAA Division II in 2005 after playing at the non-scholarship Division III level for a few years after reviving its football program in 1999 after a 49-year hiatus.

Stillman College 2007, 2008, 2009 SIAC CHAMPIONS.

The school doesn’t fund the maximum scholarships allowed for every sport, but stacks up well among its peers in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. “We’re not at that level yet,” said Athletics Director Curtis Campbell. “We make increases each year. Somewhere down the road, we’ll be close (to 100 percent scholarship-funded). “If you look at the conference we compete in, we’re at about the middle of the conference or a little bit above in terms of what we give in athletic aid as opposed to what others give. We’ve got 13 schools in the conference and we’re probably fifth or sixth. Of course we’d love to be No. 1.”

Campbell is confident that Stillman sports programs have the facilities and support needed to be successful. “Each of our programs have everything that they need, the resources to get done what they need to get done,” he said. “Coaches always want more. They have wants, but their needs are met.”

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Ashton Johnson signs with Stillman College

FAIRHOPE, AL – Fairhope High School Pirates right-hander Ashton Johnson signed with Stillman College Monday in the Fairhope library. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound pitcher, who also swings the bat well, helped the Pirates reach the semi-finals in the 6A division this past spring. Now he's looking forward to the college experience with the Stillman Tigers in Tuscaloosa.

"I am just really excited to go play," Johnson said. "My family needs this and it is going to help out a lot. I am just really excited to know where I am going and I am glad that it is a nice school like Stillman. They are a very strong team and I think I will be a good fit for the program. It is a very good academic school and it will fit me perfectly. That is why I like Stillman." Johnson plans to major in psychology.

As a All-County senior right-hander, he went 5-2 with 62 strikeouts in 49-2/3 innings for the No. 2-ranked Pirates. "He was one of our most affable kids in the program in the last four years," said Fairhope head coach Stu Fuller. "He got along with everybody and just pulled for his teammates so hard. If you ask me what I am going to remember about Ashton, it is going to be that." Combined, Johnson finished his 2009 and 2010 seasons on the mound with a 9-5 record, 131 strikeouts, 79 walks and an earned run average of 4.51. The Pirates finished 35-9 overall.

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Howard Bison signs Talented Twin Towers--Leary and Boyomo

Howard University signee Alphonso Leary, Maury H.S. (#13) dunks over Kecoughtan's Buster Tucker (32) and Dimitri Batten (4) in the fourth quarter, Feb. 27, 2010, during an Eastern Region semifinal at The Scope in Norfolk. Maury won 66-62.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – It did not take Coach Kevin Nickelberry long to show that he is on a mission to take the Howard University men’s basketball program to the next level. Nickelberry, who has been on the job less that than two months, addressed one of the team’s biggest needs by announcing the signing of Alphonso Leary to a national letter of intent and Theodore Boyomo to a written offer of financial aid.

Leary is a 6-10, 200-pound center from Maury High School in Norfolk, VA who will help fill the void left by three Bison frontcourt players who graduated this past May. Leary averaged 11.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while leading his team to a 22-8 record and the Eastern District Tournament championship. He recorded a career-high 24 points against Lake Taylor and was an All-Eastern District first team selection.

“I have been recruiting Alphonso for the past three years and he has grown and gotten better each time I have seen him,” said Nickelberry. “We are excited about his potential and what he brings to the program.”

A native of Yaounde, Cameroon, "Theo" Boyomo (#13) arrived at Kent in the fall of 2007 as a 16-year-old sophomore and quickly made his mark as not just an outstanding athlete but a superb citizen and student as well. With a 7’2” wingspan and tremendous athleticism, he has been widely recognized as the top defensive player in the region and was heavily recruited by high-profile Division I basketball programs, but also by Ivy League schools as well.

Boyomo is a 6-9, 225-pound senior from the Kent School in Kent, Ct. He was heavily recruited but Nickelberry was able to win out over such competitors as Canisius, Siena, Rutgers, Texas A&M, Colorado and Washington. Boyomo established himself as one of the premier defensive big men in the New England region and helped the Kent School to new heights, culminating with a Western New England championship this past March.

Boyomo was named to the New England All Defensive 1st Team as a center/forward. The big man is as college ready of a defensive anchor as there is in New England. He does it all on this end of the floor with the size and strength to guard opposing low post scorers without help on the block, the mobility and timing to erase teammate’s mistakes with his help-side shot blocking, and nose for the ball to finish plays by cleaning up the glass. On offense, he consistently makes the elbow jumper and has a reliable jump hook and up-and-under counter move in his arsenal with his back to the basket. Theo has a great NBA type frame, which should blow up with a serious weight lifting program at Howard. He led Kent to a 20-5 record his senior season and the Western New England championship.

An outstanding student, Boyomo finished as an honor roll student for six straight academic terms, despite having to learn English upon his arrival at the Kent School, Connecticut.

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Education and ministry focus of leadership for Rattlers' Blue

Former FAMU Rattlers defensive back Dr. Tyrone A. Blue is currently the principal of Grand Park Education Center in Jacksonville, FL and senior pastor at First Missionary Baptist Church of Gainesville, Florida. The West Nassau High School alumnus earned all-county honors as a Warrior student-athlete and was the first player in Nassau County to play in the North/South All-Star Game, competing in 1984.

As a former Warrior standout, Tyrone A. Blue took opposing teams to school. Now that he's an educator, he helps lead students and athletes down the path for success. Blue has served for four years as the principal of Grand Park Education Center in Jacksonville, which houses a wide gamut of students who have been forced out of the mainstream education system.

"This in itself is a ministry," he said. "Part of my ministry every day is to give them hope that they can be successful, but it's dependant on them to make good choices."

Education wasn't exactly the ideal career path for Blue, who had high ambition for the NFL as a defensive back for Florida A&M University. Two days prior to an NFL camp in the summer of his junior year, Blue suffered a broken neck from a car accident that permanently sidelined his career on the field. Being forced to rethink his path, Blue soon found the answer that would change his life.

"Through the experience, God spoke intimately," he said. "He told me, 'You saw yourself in the NFL, but I see you doing other work: my work.' That wasn't easy for me to take."

Before his career in education, Blue was a superior student athlete for West Nassau and FAMU. In 1984, he was the first player in Nassau County history to play in the North/South All-Star game in Winter Park. Despite losing a close game to the South team, Blue was blown away at the opportunity to be selected.

Winston-Salem State Rams to bring back baseball‎

Winston-Salem State University is bringing back baseball, a sport it last offered in the early 1970s. The team will start play in the spring of 2011, a condition of the school's readmission to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).

Leon Kerry, the CIAA commissioner, said: "We have a rule that was voted in by the CIAA Board of Directors that any school that comes into the conference had to have a baseball program. This was part of the deal with Winston coming back." Chancellor Donald Reaves of WSSU confirmed yesterday that plans to add baseball are in the works but said all details have yet to be worked out. Kerry said that WSSU is on the CIAA schedule for next season.

"I'm really excited about baseball coming to Winston-Salem State," Reaves said. "I think this will help raise the profile of athletics, and it's also great for the profile of the university.

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New Citrus Bowl field could end up in legal fight

Delay those purchase orders for new turf shoes -- MEAC/SWAC Challenge teams Delaware State University and Southern University. Same for you also, Florida Classic rivals Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University. You are not out of the mud yet, with the Citrus Bowl. Read on....

You thought the mud debacle at the Citrus Bowl was bad?

Just wait. The long-anticipated installation of artificial turf could be caught up in a legal tangle, potentially damaging the hopes of putting in the new turf in time for the 2010 season. FieldTurf has questioned the way the city awarded AstroTurf the contract to put in the new grass, and is now threatening legal action. Darren Gill, vice president of marketing for FieldTurf, said in a phone interview, “This is not a case of sour grapes, but when the bidding laws aren’t abided by it should be a concern of the citizens of Orlando.”

Gill said the company has requested various documents from the City of Orlando through the Freedom of Information Act and is in the process of determining whether it should take legal action. Rather than go through a public bidding process for the artificial turf, the City of Orlando chose to go through national purchasing co-ops. Both companies already have established contracts through their respective co-ops. The city is a member of both co-ops, so they were allowed to utilize their services. The city then took a look at both contracts and went with AstroTurf “because of the quality, installation, history and pricing,” according to City of Orlando spokeswoman Cassandra Lafser.

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Future Stars: Kailo Moore

Kailo Moore is fast. How Fast? He runs the 200 meters in a time of 21.14. Usain Bolt owns the world record with a time of 19.19. Michael Johnson previously owned the record with a time of 19.32. Michael Johnson previously owned the record with a time of 19.32. Bolt is 23 and Johnson was 28 when he set the mark in the 1996 Summer Olympics from Atlanta.

Moore is just 16.

Moore drives two hours to Vicksburg to train with the Mississippi Heat Track Team. The Heat are coached by Clarence Maxey a former All-SWAC sprinter at Alcorn State University.

NCCU Band Receives Walmart Gift

When members of North Carolina Central University’s Marching Sound Machine arrive in Pasadena, California, to take part in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day, they will not have to worry about lost luggage at the airport, thanks to a major in-kind gift from Walmart. The transportation services division of the discount giant will transport the band’s instruments, equipment, luggage and uniforms. This gift, valued at close to $100,000, is the largest donation received in support of the (Marching Sound Machine's) Tournament of Roses $1 million dollars campaign.

On Christmas morning, two 18-wheelers will roll into Durham, load up and head west, crossing eight states and arriving in California by Dec. 28. Walmart will also transport the equipment back to Durham on Jan. 5. “This gift is saving the university thousands in transportation costs,” said LaTanya Afolayan, vice chancellor of Institutional Advancement.

NCCU is anticipating a total cost of $500,000, or $2,000 per student, for the band to take part in the prestigious parade. They still have a ways to go, but Afolayan, whose office is leading the fundraising effort, is confident that NCCU will reach its goal. “This gift sets precedence for other major supporters,” she said. “In these economic times to have Walmart step up at this level, it really means a lot. It signifies Walmart’s commitment to higher education, and we hope it will inspire others to join us in this endeavor.”

NCCU alumnus James Dockery, a member of the board of the NCCU Foundation, was instrumental in securing the donation, Afolayan said. Dockery is a former Walmart employee.

Through their dedication to musicianship, electrifying performances and the artistic expression of band director Jorim Reid, the Marching Sound Machine has gained the attention of several sponsors, including Michael Jordan Nissan, which has donated a 2010 Nissan Versa, valued at $18,000, to be raffled during the NCCU homecoming game on Oct. 30.

The Marching Sound Machine was selected as one of 16 bands to perform at the 2011 Rose Parade. Band members will assist with float preparation and perform in the annual Bandfest event before taking center stage as the first HBCU from North Carolina invited to the Tournament of Roses.

To join the parade and help the Marching Sound Machine get to Pasadena, visit www.nccu.edu/tournamentofroses.



The NCCU Marching Sound Machine Band is under the leadership of Mr. Jorim Edgar Reid. Mr. Reid is a former band member of Miami Norland High School, Miami, Florida, and a drum major of the incomparable "Marching 100" at Florida A&M University. Reid earned his undergraduate degree at Florida A&M University, his masters from Florida State University and is currently pursuing a doctorate at Boston University. He has been NCCU Director of Bands for the past seven years, retooling the marching band, which then featured only 32 members to over 200 musicians.

Ukpai, FAMU receivers stress timing during workouts

There was no question who was in-charge during a lively 1-on-1 session involving Florida A&M receivers and defensive backs. Quarterback Martin Ukpai ran the show from start to finish Tuesday afternoon. His mission during the unsupervised workouts the team will be going through the next few weeks is to establish timing between himself and the receiving corps. "When timing connects, it's almost impossible to defend," Ukpai said. "I'm making sure they catch the ball every time and that we can move the chains."

There was a lot of conversation going on between both units. The upper classmen made time to illustrate execution of routes, on both defense and offense. "This is the line of scrimmage," receiver Brian Tyms told one of the newcomers. "You go 5, 10 (yards), then come back down to make the catch." Ukpai spent the first 20 minutes or so working strictly with his receivers before the defensive players took the field. At that point, he seemed to have more authority with his throws and as the workout progressed the cohesion seemed to intensify.

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SWAC Basketball Tournaments moving to Dallas Area

Birmingham, AL - The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted Tuesday to approve the bid submitted to the league office by The Special Events Center in Garland, Texas to host the SWAC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament Championships in 2011, 2012, and 2013. The 2011 SWAC Basketball Tournament will be played March 9-12 at the 7,500-seat Special Events Center. The conference office requested bids from as many as 15 cities within the league's five-state footprint.

"We look forward to working with the Special Events Center in Garland over the next three years to develop the SWAC Basketball Tournament into more than just a basketball tournament, but a total entertainment and destination event," SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said. "The league is thankful to the cities that submitted bids and optimistic about the growing relationship between the league office and the Special Events Center, the Garland Independent School District, the city of Garland, and surrounding cities."

The Dallas metropolitan area is second only to Atlanta in the number of living SWAC alumni, and it is the fifth-largest media market in the United States. Bids from 15 cities from Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas were requested by the SWAC. The tournament is moving from Bossier City, Louisiana, who also submitted a bid, but did not offer the SWAC a free venue or a reduced-cost venue and hotel rooms that the conference was seeking.

MEAC/SWAC Challenge getting new AstroTurf at Citrus Bowl

The Florida Citrus Bowl is getting a quick makeover--grass is out and new AstroTurf is going in with completion due by September 1, 2010 -- just in time for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. This year's event features Southern University Jaguars vs. Delaware State University Hornets on Sept 5. However, it took the embarrassment of last year Capital One and the Champs Sports Bowls, respectively, for the City Fathers to make a $1.5 million investment to improve the aging venue.

Apparently, after the 30th Florida Classic between Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats vs. Florida A&M University Rattlers, the City decided to replace the turf with fresh sod. But after heavy rains hit the Orlando area, the Miami (FL) Hurricanes and the Wisconsin Badgers did more slipping and sliding on the loose sod in the Champs Bowl (Dec. 29) than either team wants to remember. Penn State and LSU didn't fare any better in their January 1, 2010 showdown in the Capital One Bowl.

Since the Big Ten, ACC and SEC want no parts of the Mud Bowl when Florida gets a deluge of heavy rains, City Officials had no choice but to upgrade.

Bethune-Cookman University and Delaware State University will have the upper hand on Florida A&M University and Southern University with the new AstroTurf surface. B-CU is receiving new Field Turf on its home field at Daytona Beach Memorial Stadium with installation to be completed by Sept 1.

DSU has TenCate Thiolon Field Turf at its 7,193 seat Alumni Stadium. FAMU and Southern home stadiums, Bragg Memorial and A.W. Mumford Stadiums, currently have natural grass surfaces that can become a dust or mud bowl in late October based on the erratic Louisiana and North Florida weather patterns.

The Jaguars new coach Stump Mitchell is attempting to raise the necessary funds to replace the surface at Mumford Stadium with new Field Turf.

The 31st Florida Classic rivalry between Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M is scheduled for November 20, 2010. This year's event is expected to be a sellout with the Wildcats sporting a new head coach in former Rutgers position coach, Brian Jenkins. The Rattlers are coached by Joe Taylor who is in his third season at FAMU.

UFL adding team in Norfolk, with former Redskins great Doug Williams as GM

Grambling State University and Washington Redskins legend Doug Williams has been named General Manager of the new Norfolk UFL franchise.

The United Football League board has agreed a conditional approval for Norfolk, Virginia, to host the league’s sixth team that will commence play in 2011.

Meeting at the Cornell Club in New York, the board agreed that Virginia businessman Jim Speros will become the provisional Tidewater region team’s owner. Speros was a founding owner of the Baltimore Stallions, the only American-based team to win a Canadian Football League Grey Cup in 1995.

From 1993 to 1997 he was the President and owner of the Stallions and the Montreal Alouettes and was the vice chairman of the CFL and chairman of its US expansion committee. Speros played college football at Clemson University and was the youngest full time assistant coach in the NFL under Joe Gibbs at the Washington Redskins before moving into team ownership.

Washington Redskins and Grambling State University legend Doug Williams, the MVP of Super Bowl XXII and the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, will take on the role of General Manager of the Norfolk team.

“I am very fortunate to be able to bring a pro football team to the state of Virginia and especially to the Tidewater region,” said Speros. “There is already a lot of football history in this area and I believe Norfolk will become the shining star of the United Football League.

“Virginia is a great state, but it does not have a professional sports team. It has the legendary 757 area code that has produced the likes of Bruce Smith and Michael Vick and is truly a hotbed for football. The fans are knowledgeable, there is a military presence here and I am sure they will all enjoy the opportunity to watch quality football.”

Williams, reached Monday night, said he has fond members of the Norfolk area, having played Norfolk State in football when he was quarterback at Grambling under the legendary Eddie Robinson. "It was like a rivalry when Dick Price was the coach there," William said of the former Spartans coach whose name now graces the NSU football stadium. Williams said that NSU also played Grambling in Louisiana as well in New York in the Urban League's Whitney M. Young Classic. "I also used to come to the Norfolk Scope for the CIAA all the time," Williams said, referring to the popular basketball tournament put on by the Hampton-based Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue added: “We are delighted to welcome Norfolk, Virginia, and the Tidewater region as our sixth city and are excited to have a successful team owner in Jim Speros and a proven winner in Doug Williams on board to lead the team.

“Like Omaha, which came on board as an expansion team in April and has already generated considerable excitement, Norfolk fits the ideal UFL model of having a passionate fan base that we believe deserves a professional football team.”

The Norfolk team will face the Florida Tuskers, Hartford Colonials, Las Vegas Locos, Omaha Nighthawks, Sacramento Mountain Lions and additional potential expansion teams when the third United Football League season kicks off in 2011. Football fans eager to learn more about the UFL and buy tickets for the 2010 season can visit the www.UFL-Football.com website.

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Complex grad Williams to play hoops at Tuskegee University

Tuskegee University head basketball Coach Leon Douglas has big Clint Williams coming in from the Virgin Islands, as the Golden Tigers prepare to make another run on repeating as SIAC Champions.

St. Croix, Virgin Islands - Big Clint Williams has chosen a school. The 6-foot-10/330 pound post man has decided to play his final two years at Tuskegee University. Williams chose the Golden Tigers over NAIA powerhouse Mid Continent.

“It was a long process, and I took into consideration the name of the school and the coaching staff,” said Williams. “I love the atmosphere at the school, and coach Leon Douglas can help me become a better basketball player.”
Tuskegee University is coming off its most successful season in more than three decades. The Golden Tigers finished the season 20-11 and received an automatic bid to the NCAA Division-II tourney by winning the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) title.  TU lost in the first round of the brackets to No. 1 seed Arkansas Tech.

“Coach Douglas has turned the program around,” said Williams. “I hope, with me aboard, we can make the NCAAs every year.” Williams, a St. Croix Educational Complex graduate, played his last two seasons at Arkansas Baptist College, (a private, two year program located in Little Rock, Arkansas under the presidency of Dr. Fitzgerald (Fitz) Hill, a former professor at the University of Central Florida and the former head football coach at San Jose State University.)

“Coach Charles Ripley gave me an opportunity, when most did not,” said Williams. “I am thankful to him and the Arkansas Baptist College family. “In my two years at AB, it was nothing that I had expected,” added Williams. “I did not know I would have been tutored by a former NBA player in Corliss Williamson, and I did not expect that I would be so heavily recruited."

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TUESDAY: 2010 Michael Vick Football Camp Meet & Greet

Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick

For all Hampton Roads/Hampton University Pirates football and Michael Vick/Philadelphia Eagles fans, the 2010 Michael Vick Football Camp Meet and Greet will be held tomorrow, June 22, 2010 from 4-6 p.m., at the NASCAR Sports Grille in Hampton, Virginia. The 2010 Michael Vick Football Camp will be taking place on the campus of Hampton University from June 23-25. The three-times NFL Pro Bowler and Hampton University's football Coach Donavan Rose will conduct a question and answer session regarding the camp.

So far, two current NFL players with ties to Hampton University--Jacksonville Jaguars middle linebacker Justin Durant and Miami Dolphins defensive end, Kendall Langford are confirmed for the event. Plus Aaron Brooks (University of Virginia), retired NFL quarterback for the New Orleans Saints and Vick's second cousin will be there.

Michael Vick and Coach Donovan Rose are hosting the meet and greet and it will be broadcast on the Tony Mercurio (aka "The Blastman") show as he will be at the Sports Grille too. The Blastman program is on ESPN Radio 94.1 FM (Hampton Roads) between 3 and 7 weekday afternoons, and is where listeners turn for sports talk.

The event is free and open to the public. The NASCAR Sports Grille is located at 1996 Power Plant Parkway, Hampton, VA 23666, Telephone:757.224.5802. Stop by after work for some sports talk and fun.

Printers and BC Lions lose a thriller at Empire Field

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Fans at Empire Field were pleased with the facility but not with the result of the game. In their first game in their new temporary home the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League lost 36-32 to the Edmonton Eskimos. It was a last second touchdown pass from Jason Maas to Skyler Green that proved to be the winner for the Eskimos. Overall, the Lions had a pretty good game as starting quarterback Casey Printers (Florida A&M University) got a feel for some of his new receivers and running backs. Printers hooked up with Jamal Robertson twice for a couple of scores.

Big plays also came from Printers as he connected with Jamall Lee for a 95-yard play that resulted in a touchdown. Eskimos linebacker T.J. Hill picked off a Casey Printers pass that went off of Jamel Robertson's hands and went 60 yards for a major score on just the second play from scrimmage for a 7-0 lead 54 seconds in. Printers guided the Lions through the first half and finished the day completing 13-of-22 passes for 263 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Attendance at the first ever game at Empire Field was 24,763. The B.C. Lions ended pre-season with a 1-1 record.

Next Game: SEASON OPENER - Sunday, July 4 at Edmonton Eskimos, 4 p.m.

PHOTOS ( 10 )

S.C. State University drops president’s contract

President George E. Cooper, top S.C. State Bulldogs supporter.

The S.C. State University board of trustees voted Tuesday afternoon not to renew the contract of President George Cooper, according to a university spokeswoman. Cooper, whose contract ends June 30, became S.C. State’s 10th president after he was voted unanimously into the presidency in 2008. He has served in the role slightly less than two years. Cooper replaced Andrew Hugine, who was fired in December 2007 by the board before his contract ended. Hugine filed a lawsuit over his firing and eventually settled out of court.

The last five presidents at South Carolina State University have been fired or asked to resign. The average tenure of a university president is eight-and-a-half years, nearly double that of recent leaders at South Carolina State University. University spokeswoman Erica Taylor confirmed that the board decided not to renew Cooper’s contract, but she referred all other questions to the school’s board of trustees. Several messages were left with board members, who could not be reached this morning. During his time, Cooper faced a slate of problems, including declining state funds and stalled construction of the James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center.



Note: Dr. Cooper earned his Ph. D. in Animal Nutrition from the University of Illinois, Urbana; a master’s degree in Animal Science from Tuskegee University; and a bachelor’s degree in Animal Husbandry from Florida A&M University. Dr. Cooper is uncle to C. Houston Sr. (Videographer, Editor, Graphics) who has shared his video of football, family and fun in Orangeburg, S.C. with the Shaw Family. The Rattlers' sophomore Derrick Shaw (#14) was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 41st round of the MLB draft on June 9, 2010. Unknown at the time, this would be the last 'FAMU vs. SCSU' game in their present roles, as Rattler football player and SCSU president. Dr. Cooper is a native of Tallahassee, Florida.

C. Houston Sr.--Thank you for showing the world what FAMU vs. SCSU football, family and fun is all about! We are all connected...

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Johnson introduced as new New Jersey Nets coach

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — There have been doubts about Avery Johnson at every level in his NBA career. Some felt he wasn’t good enough to be a player. Others said the Spurs would never win a title with him at the point guard, and there were many who felt he didn’t have the characteristics or the experience needed to be an NBA head coach. All Johnson, a former Southern University standout, did was play 16 years in the league, win a ring with San Antonio and post the NBA’s all-time coaching record in 3 1/2 years with the Dallas Mavericks.

Johnson took on a new challenge Tuesday, the job of turning around the league-worst New Jersey Nets, and there was a cockiness about him. He smiled broadly, spoke of optimism and gave off a feeling of confidence that one expects from someone expecting to succeed again. “I am all about the positive,” Johnson said after being introduced as the Nets’ 16th coach. “I am about hard work. I am about dreaming. I have a big dream right now in my mind in terms of where this franchise can go and where we can take it and I see all the possibilities.”




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Savannah State and Tuskegee signs Beach High teammates

Teammates on Beach High School’s girls basketball and track and field teams, seniors Brianna Little and Alicia Champion sat side by side Thursday and secured their collegiate futures. Little signed to play basketball at nearby Savannah State University, while Champion will run track at Tuskegee University. “I’m very excited knowing that I will have the opportunity to play on the next level,” Little said. Champion received a greater financial package via a full academic scholarship, rather than accepting an athletic scholarship, to attend Tuskegee.

“I know without academics, you can’t go as far as you want in life,” Champion said. “Plus, running track is something I love. I try to do my best on the field and in the classroom.”

Little, a 5-foot-6 point guard, spent the first three seasons of her basketball career at Beach overshadowed by star teammates Khalilah Watson and Monique Willis. But in her senior year, Little flourished for the Bulldogs in a prominent role. Little averaged 18.3 points and 3.6 assists per game while using her speed and quickness defensively to disrupt and frustrate opposing teams while coming up with an average of five steals.

“Savannah State has come in and gotten, what I think is, a major D-I player,” Beach coach Ronald Booker said. “She has tremendous potential because you can teach a lot of things, but you cannot teach the quickness she possesses. And she finishes well at the basket and she shoots the ball well.”

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Jon Teitel's Interview Series: Maryland-Eastern Shore Legend Talvin Skinner

University of Maryland-Eastern Shore Talvin Skinner is a MEAC Hall of Famer (2002), UMES Athletic Hall of Fame inductee (2010); an all-conference selection (72-73 & 73-74) as well as the MEAC Tournament's Most Outstanding Performer (1974) . Skinner led the Hawks in rebounding in his final two seasons; was the 1973 NAIA Tournament's leading rebounder, and totaled nearly 400 points and rebounds the same year. Skinner's final year saw him post 456 points and grab 353 boards. He still stands eighth all-time in NAIA rebounding. Skinner was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics in 1974 in the third round and played under NBA Hall of Famer, (Coach) Bill Russell. The 6-5/195 forward is from Berlin, Maryland.

In the most recent installment of his series of interviews on players who are among the best pros to come out of their particular schools, CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) great Talvin Skinner. Skinner was the leader of a UMES squad in 1974 that led the nation in scoring with an average of 96.7 points per game without the benefit of a three-point shot, and they also became the first HBCU to take part in the NIT.

Jon Teitel: In 1974 your team went 27-2 and you were named conference tournament MVP. How were you able to play your best when it mattered the most?

Talvin Skinner: Now you are starting to get serious, because the team that we played for the championship was Morgan State, which was Marvin Webster's team (which is kind of touching, because we lost Marvin in 2009). They had beaten us earlier in the year when we were 20-0, and had just became nationally ranked as the #20 team in the AP poll as a Division II school. They played a hard road trip from North Carolina through DC and back to Baltimore (four games in five days), which is something that I do not think that many basketball analysts or fans are aware of.

Basketball history, baby; I do not know if that has ever happened before. As a team, we were determined that they would pay and pay dearly. We beat them twice in 2 weeks by convincing margins, and took the championship. It was not just me: our team does not get the credit that it deserves. We did something that may never be done again in the MEAC or at any level of basketball (leading the nation in scoring with 96.7 PPG despite no three-point shot), and they did not even give us an invite to the NCAA tourney. I guess to answer your question: my teammates needed me to play my best.

JT: You played for Coach John Bates, who was the first coach to take a Historically Black College to the NIT. What was it like to play for Bates, and how big a deal was it to go to the NIT?

TS: Going to the NIT was okay by me as a senior, as well as for the other five seniors on the team. Our eyes were on the BIG dance; we had already proved that we belonged by playing in the then-64 team NAIA tourney in Kansas City and going to the 1973 national championship game against Guilford College (who had World B. Free & ML Carr: you know their legacies). Although we lost by three points, we felt that we could play with anyone in the country, and our records spoke for themselves.

As far as Coach Bates is concerned, I have nothing but respect fro him as a man and as a person, because he understood talent and he trusted us. He did not try to restrain that "something special" that he knew we had; as a matter of fact, he pushed the envelope. However, I can honestly say that he loved us as people: we were not some meal ticket to him who he was trying to exploit for his future. The funny thing is that it just worked out that way for him: it could not have happened to a better person. He is genuinely a good and honest human being, and we all love him.

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Former Howard Bison Elected Mayor of Trenton, NJ

Honorable Tony Mack, Mayor-Trenton, New Jersey

Former Mercer County Freeholder Tony Mack, was elected the next mayor of Trenton, New Jersey following Tuesday’s convincing runoff victory over Manuel “Manny’’ Segura. Born and raised in the Wilbur section of the city, Mack captured 7,257 votes (62.24 percent), compared to 4,375 (37.52 percent) for Segura.

Mack, a former three-sports student-athlete at Howard University graduated from the Hilltop in 1989, and was a member of the football, wrestling and baseball teams from 1984-88. The HU Hall of Fame inductee played baseball under former head coach Chuck Hinton. He wrestled under former wrestling coach and current Howard alumni trustee, Dr. Paul Cotton. Mack played football under former head coach and College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Willie Jeffries. Mack was also a teammate of current Bison director of athletics, Charles Gibbs. He was a member of the 1987 football team that won the MEAC title and finished 9-1.

Mack will succeed Douglas H. Palmer, whose 20-year run as mayor officially comes to an end when Mack is sworn in July 1.

“I do not have the words to express my appreciation for the love and support I have received throughout this incredible journey,” Mack told his supporters at the Trenton Marriott Downtown. “The Wilbur section wasn’t New York, but the sentiment was that if you could make it there, you could make it anywhere. This is a humbling experience for me. We are going to put you first in everything we do … and I mean that. Things did not deteriorate overnight, and we can not fix it overnight. But we can get started right away.”

Will Coach Moton fly from NCCU Eagleland?

North Carolina Central University athletics director Ingrid Wicker-McCree, Ed.D., has been one of the driving forces behind the Eagles reclassification to NCAA Division I and membership in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The well-respected Wicker-McCree is a member of the NCCU Eagles Athletic Hall of Fame.

When LaVelle Moton was announced as N.C. Central's men's basketball coach in March 2009, it was his dream come true. The NCCU alumnus and third all-time leading scorer (1,714 points) had come full circle from NCCU, where he graduated in 1996; then overseas to play professional ball; back to Raleigh to coach at West Millbrook Middle before moving on to Sanderson High, where he led the Spartans to two straight Cap 7 tournament championships; and then back to the Eagles in 2007 as an assistant.

Now, just over a year after taking the head job, the honeymoon may be over. At press time, Moton was mulling over an offer from Xavier (Ohio) University to join the Musketeers coaching staff as an assistant. Six months ago, the mere thought of Moton leaving his beloved Eagles was as improbable as another gulf oil spill. But in the year since his hire, sources say his relationship with NCCU has been likened to dating a pretty woman. At first she looks good, talks good, even smells good, but the longer you get to know her, the uglier she gets. (And vice versa with men, of course).



LaVelle Moton, Men's Basketball Coach for NC Central University, speaks at the NC Center for After school Program...

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Doing More--With Less: Most budgets rise, but not at Mississippi Valley State

Mississippi Valley State University Devilettes Softball Team ended the 2010 season with an overall record of 27-23. The Devilettes lost 6-3 in the SWAC Championship game to eventual champion Alcorn State University Lady Braves.

Mississippi State and Ole Miss will each spend about four percent more on athletics than they did a year ago, according to athletic department budgets approved Wednesday by the state College Board. Ole Miss has the larger of the two totals, checking in with a projected $43.7 million. Mississippi State's 2010-11 budget is $37.4 million. Both budgets are among the smallest in the Southeastern Conference. Southern Miss projects a $19.7 million budget, up 2.3 percent from last year.

Jackson State's $6.8 million, which increased by 3.3 percent, is the largest of the state's three Southwestern Athletic Conference teams. Budgets didn't rise everywhere, though. Mississippi Valley State's $3.3 million budget is 20 percent less than last year's edition. Alcorn State's $5.3 million budget stayed basically the same. Division II school Delta State has the smallest budget, at $2.7 million. That's down 2.5 percent from last year.

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FAMU coaches adapting to cuts

Florida A&M's Volleyball Coach Tony Trifonov has dominated the MEAC with nine consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Championships. He has one of the smallest recruiting budgets in all of NCAA Division I, but the Lady Rattlers annually participate in the NCAA Tournament against teams with budgets at least one-hundred times greater.


While the two revenue-generating sports — football and basketball — have been able to weather the financial storm hovering over Florida A&M and stay in the recruiting hunt with their mid-major counterparts, coaches of Olympic sports have been finding ways to keep their programs competitive. From bowling to swimming, navigating the recruiting landscape could be a little bit of a landmine without enough full scholarships. But somehow bowling, tennis, softball and volleyball have done well enough to make it to the postseason in the face of cuts over the past three years.

Even men's and women's track have been able to get a handful of athletes into the NCAA regionals this past season, despite finishing in the bottom half of the standings at their conference meet. With that kind of success, there's a renewed emphasis to give more to non-revenue sports, said interim athletic director Mike Smith. "It ignites us to continue to look for ways to get them resources to enhance their recruiting effort to get the kind of athletes that we need," Smith said. "We are putting our efforts to give our coaches an opportunity to get out and recruit. They're doing a good job in looking at student-athletes that will bring success to the program.

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Peach State Pig Skin Preview

It’s that time again, between spring training ending and just before fall practice begins, when you get those old pre-season jitters with anticipations of your team winning it all this year. Thanks to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in Macon, and to all the college head football coaches and their players who attended the Pig Skin Preview media event last week, here’s a few hints, stats and innuendoes which might help you determine how your team will actually perform this fall.

Savannah State University seems to change head coach’s more often than most teams change quarterbacks. Interim Head Coach Julius Dixon will direct the team this fall after a 2-8 season last year. Even though the Tigers are returning eight offensive and seven defensive starters things won’t get much better this year. They begin the season by traveling to Statesboro on September 4 to face GA Southern, and things won’t get any better after that. The team could be hard pressed to match last year’s record.

Fort Valley State University, last year under second year Head Coach Donald Pittman, the Wildcats finished number one in total offense and third in total defense within the SIAC, and with most of last year’s team in tact, will probably win their conference and advance to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. It all starts on August 28 when they travel to Miles College.

Clark Atlanta University Panthers are scheduled for the Gateway Classic in St. Louis, Missouri facing the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions on September 25, 2010.

Clark Atlanta University Head Coach Daryl McNeill said, “Starting strong and finishing strong is not just a goal for each game, it’s the goal for the season and will commence with our first game.” They’ll attempt to resurrect their program on August 28 when they travel to Jackson TN to take on Lane College.

Albany State University continues to be guided by Head Coach Mike White in his 10th season with the Golden Rams. Coach White has led his team to appearances in the NCAA Division II Championships in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. With 14 starters returning on offense and defense, he may be poised to win the SIAC again this fall. The team begins play on August 27 versus Chowan University in Murfreesboro, NC.

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Virginia State Trojans' Merrill Morgan Coaching AL Ball

Virginia State University Trojans coach Merrill Morgan has compiled over 100 wins and has guided VSU to four Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships, including three consecutive championships. Morgan is a 1986 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, and batted .308 in Rams baseball his junior season.

While high school baseball has ended, American Legion baseball has only just begun within the Tri-Cities for the Colonial Heights (Virginia) Post 284 Bucs and Pirates teams. For fourth-year Post 284 Bucs coach Merrill Morgan, also the head baseball coach at Virginia State University, he is excited to get going. "I just like helping young players develop. I love baseball and working with young players improve for college," Morgan said. "I get a chance to watch and follow many of the players because I coach at Virginia State and live within the area."

As a Dinwiddie native, both of Morgan's sons, M.L. (Merrill,Jr.) Morgan and Marcus have gone to play collegiate baseball. M.L. is currently on the Virginia Commonwealth baseball team and also graduated from Dinwiddie High School while Marcus went to VSU. Both sons last year coached with Morgan during the American Legion season and this year M.L. will join him again.

While at Virginia State, Morgan has coached six seasons - leading the Trojans to over 100 wins with four Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships, including three straight titles. He has also been named CIAA baseball coach of the year three times (2004, 2006 and 2007). Because of the good relationships that the Morgan family has developed over the years within the local community, it has only made the teams under the fourth-year coach that much closer.

"The kids that we get are pretty polished. All we try to do is give them the guidance and confidence to play college ball," Morgan said. "They already come from good programs so that experience certainly helps."

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