Howard University swim team moving tradition forward

LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY

Hidden one floor beneath a college gymnasium, tucked at the end of a hallway and through two sets of heavy double doors, Matt Salerno checked his stopwatch and shouted time results to swimmers crisscrossing a small, six-lane pool whose very existence is unknown to even some students at Howard University.

As one of three historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to field a swimming and diving team, Howard faces a number of challenges - lack of recognition, for one, but also in recruiting, resources, competitiveness and its role in the continued expansion of a sport across racial boundaries. But despite those issues, many on the team believe they are on the right path toward forming a competitive program over the next few years - and one that can continue to break down barriers.

"I don't even know if they know how much of an inspiration they are to many black swimmers or African American swimmers or divers," Salerno said. "That they're doing something that's 1 in 50. And I think when they look back on it, they'll feel a lot of pride for their accomplishments."

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Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions Football Releases 2011 Schedule

PINE BLUFF, Ark.- The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Athletics Department has released its 2011 Football Schedule highlighted by a total of five home games and two classics.

The Golden Lions will open their 2011 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 3rd at the Delta Classic 4 Literacy in Little Rock against Langston University. Arkansas-Pine Bluff will then get set to open Southwestern Athletic Conference play at home against Alcorn State on September 10th.

After facing the Braves, the Golden Lions will compete in their first road outing of the year as they travel to face Prairie View A&M (Sept. 17th) before traveling to St. Louis to participate in the Gateway Classic on September 24th against Clark Atlanta.

UAPB will take on SWAC East foes Alabama A&M and Jackson State on October 1st and October 8th in Huntsville, Ala. and Jackson, Miss. respectively. The Golden Lions will then host the Southern Jaguars on October 15th.

The following week Arkansas-Pine Bluff will have a bye followed by a meeting with the Grambling State Tigers at Golden Lions Stadium (Oct. 29th). Homecoming 2011 has been slated for November 5th as the Golden Lions will take the field against the Alabama State Hornets.

The Golden Lions last road game of the season will take place on Nov. 12th versus Mississippi Valley State in Itta Bena, Miss. UAPB’s home finale will take place the next week on November 19th against Texas Southern (Senior Day).



Videographer: bleuismOMG; UAPB M4 at in Shreveport, 1/2011.

UAPB Golden Lions 2011 Football Schedule

September 3 Langston University Little Rock 5:00pm Delta Classic 4 Literacy
September 10 Alcorn State University * Home 6:00pm
September 17 Prairie View A&M Univ. * Away TBA
September 24 Clark Atlanta University St. Louis, MO 3:00pm Gateway Classic
October 1 Alabama A&M University * Away TBA
October 8 Jackson State University * Away TBA
October 15 Southern University * Home 6:00pm
October 22 OPEN
October 29 Grambling State University * Home 2:00pm
November 5 Alabama State University * Home 2:00pm Homecoming
November 12 Mississippi Valley State* Away TBA
November 19 Texas Southern University * Home 2:00pm Senior Day

(*) Denotes Southwestern Athletic Conference Game
Head Football Coach Monte Coleman

Printable 2011 Football Schedule
by UAPB Media Relations



Videographer: bleuismOMG; UAPB in Shreveport Jan. 2011 "Power"

Maxey, Tigers rip Jags, set up SWAC showdown

Grant Maxey scored 20 points and had 14 rebounds and Jackson State rebounded from Saturday's loss at rival Alcorn State with a 72-43 whipping at Southern University on Monday night.

"Every one's a big win for us," JSU coach Tevester Anderson said on his postgame radio interview. "You need big wins when you're competing for a championship."

With Mississippi Valley State's loss Monday, the Tigers (13-10, 9-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) now hold sole possession of second place in the conference standings with a home showdown against SWAC-leading Texas Southern set for Saturday.

"It should be a big game. I hope our fans will come out," Anderson said. "We'll be competing for first place. They win, they'll take a two- game lead."

SU back in top gear; Jaguars ride big 2nd half to run over Jackson State

The slump is over. The streak lives. And the Southern women’s basketball team may be close to reaching its full potential — just in time for the stretch run.

Locked in a tight game against Jackson State on Monday night, the Jaguars used a sharp, timely second-half run to pull away for a 72-55 victory inside the F.G. Clark Activity Center, extending their winning streak to eight games and maintaining their grip on first place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference standings.

But it wasn’t just that Southern (13-8, 10-1) put an opponent away. It was how the Jaguars did it, using the talents of four seniors to stretch out their advantage. Leading 52-46 with less than six minutes remaining, the Jaguars went on a 16-0 run.


Videographer: tarentulami; Southern University Drumline performs in Algeria.

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FAMU guard McKelton scores her 1,000th point in win over Coppin State

With 46.9 left on the clock Monday night, Tameka McKelton walked to the free-throw line. She seemed relaxed. She hit the two shots. They were mere formality as the Florida A&M women's basketball team was about to wrap up a 73-62 victory over Coppin State University.

More importantly, the foul shots were McKelton's 20th and 21st points of the night as she became the first junior in a decade to score 1,000 career points at FAMU. The night's work at the Lawson Center was enough to give McKelton a career total of 1,011 points on a night that she obviously was pressured more by the probability of the milestone than anything that the Eagles did defensively.

FAMU protects home floor vs. Coppin State

Florida A&M might want to put up a sign outside the Lawson Center that lets visiting teams know that they're likely to come out of the place nicknamed the snake pit with a loss. Or so it seems.

Coppin State University became the sixth team to find out that the Rattlers are very protective when it comes to their home court. FAMU used the long ball in the second half to build a 14-point cushion then held off a late surge by the Eagles for a 60-58 victory.

The Eagles became the second consecutive team of the top three in the MEAC standings to stumble...


Videographer: atomicdog1983; FAMU vs. MSU, 2/5/11.

Grandmother should inspire FAMU fans to pack Lawson Center

His men's basketball team had just taken down Morgan State University, the team that the rest of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference had been looking up to for the past two seasons. Florida A&M head basketball coach Eugene Harris couldn't help feeling a little proud Saturday night. FAMU had won its eighth game in the Lawson Center for an 8-1 home record.

So you're feeling real good about this, eh coach? "Our motto is we're going to defend to the end," seems a good enough response. It was a beauty to watch. Just like Harris said, every player on the floor brought some hustle. Larry Jackson matched up tough against the Bears' two big men. Yannick Crowder was swatting rejections all over the place.

Let Harris tell it for those who weren't there.

PHOTO GALLERY: FAMU vs. Coppin State


Videographer: cvc318; SCSU VS. FAMU-- HALFTIME

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HU Bison Bulldoze through S.C. State Bulldogs for Fifth Straight Win

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In its largest margin of victory on the season, the Howard Bison overtook fellow MEAC opponent South Carolina State, 59-25, extending its winning streak to five-straight games. Cheyenne Curley-Payne got the Bison (10-14, 6-4 MEAC) rolling with three crisp shots behind the arc to immediately put HU up, 15-3.

“Cheyenne hit big shots for us,” Bison assistant head coach Brian Johnson said. “We had good execution of our plays and in our defense. We made key stops and we scored which resulted in great execution tonight.”

With a little over five minutes into the game, Bison threat Tamoria Holmes temporarily left the game with a shoulder injury. She would return later in the half where she quickly converted back-to-back field-goals, including a three-pointer and a layup on a breakaway steal to push up the Bison, 32-5. Holmes finished with 10 points after the first 20 minutes.

Offensively, the Bison would break away to a 36-7 lead going into halftime as the Bulldogs (2-8, 6-14 MEAC) failed to convert shots and recorded a mere five offensive rebounds.

The Bison outpaced the Eagles in rebounding, 23-11, as HU capitalized on 14 defensive rebounds. Howard would score six of its first half points on second chances, whereas the Bulldogs were limited to none. South Carolina State’s Tiara Knotts, however, would attempt to bring her team up late in the game after landing three baskets from behind the arc, closing the scoring gap, 54-23.

Holmes, Curley-Payne, and MEAC leading-scorer Saadia Doyle would return to the game in attempt to slow down the Eagles’ momentum. The dynamic trio powered forward with an impressive Bison defense until the close of the game, holding SCSU to 18 points in the second stint. In their noteworthy defensive stance, the Bison tallied 14 assists, three blocks, 12 steals and a season high of 44 total rebounds.

Curley-Payne dominated with 12 rebounds (three offensive, nine defensive) in the conference win. Meanwhile, Doyle finished with 12 points in the game, leaving her 103 points shy of the monumental 1,000 point mark. Tasia Majors made an appearance in the second half and recorded her first points in her collegiate career.

“Minutes are valuable for preparing for tournaments,” Johnson said. “We try to give everybody at least two to three minutes, here and there. As for today’s game, we were focused on playing hard against a team that beat us twice and knocked us out of the tournament last year. We made sure we won and Cheyenne helped with key shots early on.”

In the final stretch of the regular season, every game is crucial for the Bison. Entering in Monday’s battle with South Carolina State, the Bison were locked in a five-way tie for third place in the conference and look to stay on pace to break higher the conference ranks as they hit the road to take on North Carolina A&T on Sat. Feb. 12.

“Our focus was to win the home games, and we accomplished that,” Curley-Payne said. “Now we have to take the confidence we build with us on the road.”

by Jamilah Corbitt
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Howard University

Jackson State Athletic Director Retires

Jackson State University announces that Athletics Director Robert Braddy has retired.

“The entire Jackson State University family joins me in thanking Coach Braddy for his more than 30 years of service to this university,” said Carolyn Meyers, university president. “I know that all who know him join the university in wishing him and his family well.”

Braddy, affectionately known as “Coach,” started his retirement February 1.

Having served as athletics director for five years, Braddy previously served as the Tigers’ baseball coach for 28 years. A 1964 JSU graduate, Braddy also served as the university’s interim director of athletics in 2000. Under his leadership, the JSU athletics programs have won 17 SWAC titles and captured the Commissioner’s Cup (the James Frank Award) four times, as well the men’s and women’s all sports awards.

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Super Bowl: Former Bethune-Cookman player Nick Collins has interception return in Packers win

Nick Collins etched his name into the Green Bay Packers history books on Sunday when he helped his team beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, in Super Bowl XLV.

Collins, a former Bethune-Cookman University player from Cross City, Florida (Dixie County High School), intercepted a first-quarter pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. The score put the Packers up 14-0 at the time.

Collins, who also had four solo tackles and a pass deflection, was one of 13 players with Florida ties on the Steelers or Packers. That included Steelers rookie All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey (Florida/Lakeland HS). Pouncey was injured in the AFC championship game and did not play. His absence was noticeable, as the Packers successfully put pressure on Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger with a variety of blitz packages.


Videographer: SBSuperBowl; Collins ran for 37 yard touchdown, scoring on the 13th interception return in Super Bowl history.

Super Bowl XLV: Nick Collins, Jarrett Bush, Clay Matthews force turnovers that vault Packers to win

ARLINGTON, Tex. - For all the hype swirling about the star quarterbacks, the Packers' defense made the three most pivotal plays of Super Bowl XLV. Dom Capers' unit intercepted Ben Roethlisberger twice in the first quarter and forced a game-changing fumble in the fourth to help the Pack win its fourth Lombardi Trophy.

"You can't turn the ball over," Steelers wideout Hines Ward said. "You can't do it at this stage of the game for the Super Bowl."

Aaron Rodgers converted the Steelers turnovers into three TDs to help prevent Pittsburgh from winning its seventh title.

The Packers got help from Jets castoff Howard Green, who forced the first mistake of the night. Green, who was released by Gang Green in October for being overweight, forced Roethlisberger into an errant throw in the first quarter with pressure up the middle. Green hit Roethlisberger, whose underthrown pass was intercepted by Nick Collins. The safety weaved through traffic before leaping into the end zone for a 14-0 lead.


Videographer: akaGameBoy; Nick Collins post-game interview.

Super Bowl XLV: Packers' Collins weaves way into spotlight with interception return

ARLINGTON, Texas — Throughout the week, Nick Collins was the forgotten free safety in Super Bowl XLV. While the Pittsburgh Steelers' Troy Polamalu garnered the lion's share of the attention for his flowing locks, friendly demeanor, big-play reputation and newly minted NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, Collins, the Green Bay Packers' six-year veteran, quietly went about his business.

Once the Super Bowl rolled around, however, it was Collins, not Polamalu, who made the biggest defensive play of the game. He gave the Packers a 14-0 lead when he intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown, a critical play in their 31-25 victory over the Steelers on Sunday.

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Super Bowl: Prairie View A&M Marching Storm has its moments on World Stage before 100 million viewers

Super entertainers had their moments -- both good and bad

Excerpt:

Finally, somebody found a more entertaining use for Cowboys Stadium's gigantic video board than punting footballs into it.

The Black Eyed Peas, who were lowered onto the Super Bowl stage from the massive HD scoreboard, delivered a 15-minute halftime performance layered with spectacle and studded with guest stars. The Peas are frequently derided for being pop music aimed at the lowest common denominator -- and make no mistake: the songs comprising the set list were not artistic gems -- but the quartet did exactly what a Super Bowl halftime show should -- it entertained.

The setlist spanned most of BEP's more recent career; current hits like "The Time (Dirty Bit)" were blended with older hits like "Pump It" (which featured the Prairie View A&M University marching band).


Videographer: BBellidos

Black Eyed Peas delivered, but Slash's performance wasted

Excerpt:

ARLINGTON, TX — One should never expect art during a Super Bowl halftime show. A barely 15-minute mini-concert in the middle of a football field surrounded by the cacophonous spectacle of a gargantuan, glass-and-metal stadium is not the ideal setting for musical revelations.

So anybody complaining about the Black Eyed Peas’ 13-minute gig Sunday night sandwiched between the two halves of the biggest sporting event in the country needs to realize that will.i.am, Fergie , Apl.de.ap and Taboo dished out exactly what made them famous in the first place.

That field was mighty busy during the show, what with the 60 members of the Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm marching band doing its thing and a slew of dancers on the platform with the Peas as well as on the surrounding Astro turf.

Former PV Marching Storm Drum Major Smith Makes Career Mark at Super Bowl

Jimmy R.O. Smith

Super Bowl XLV will be much more than a high-profile football game in Texas for PVAMU alumnus and Fort Worth native Jimmy R.O. Smith. The 2003 graduate will have a hand in choreographing the event’s half-time show.

Smith will assist in orchestrating the show, which will be headlined by the Black Eyed Peas. Smith’s close proximity to the production has also opened the door for 60 members of the PVAMU Marching Band to participate in the show.

I was asked by a friend and a driving force in the industry, Fatima Robinson, to assist her with this elaborate piece of work that I feel could possibly be my largest one to date,” Smith said. “She hired me earlier in my career as a member of Eddie Murphy's band in feature film ‘Dreamgirls’ and now she’s bringing me on to assist her in one of her largest projects.”

Smith credits his years at PVAMU in helping him to shape his character. After serving as drum major in the PVAMU’s award-winning Marching Storm, he ventured to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of a career in entertainment. Fast forward and Smith has choreographed, danced and produced alongside some of the biggest names in the industry. He has appeared in major motion pictures such as “Stomp the Yard” and “Burlesque” and has toured with top notch artists like Keri Hilson, Jennifer Lopez and Fergie.

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Coppin State Upends First-Place Bethune-Cookman on Road

Tony Gallo missed all five of his shots in regulation, but made up for it with all eight of his points in overtime as Coppin State upset Bethune-Cookman in overtime, 90-79, in a MEAC contest at Moore Gym in Daytona Beach Saturday.

Gallo went 0-5 in regulation, but outscored BCU 7-1 in the first two minutes of the extra period, part of a 19-8 drubbing in overtime for the Eagles (11-10, 6-3).

C.J. Reed scored a career-high 34 points for the Wildcats (13-10, 7-2), who fell a half-game behind Hampton (18-5, 8-2) for the MEAC lead. Reed sent the game into overtime when he nailed his sixth three-pointer of the game just before the buzzer.

Coppin State Tops Bethune-Cookman 90-79 in Overtime

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Akeem Ellis and Tony Gallo combined to score 15 of Coppin State’s 19 points in overtime leading the Eagles to a 90-79 victory over Bethune-Cookman in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game on Saturday in Moore Gymnasium.

Led by Ellis and Gallo, Coppin State outscored the Wildcats 19-8 in the extra session to win for the fifth time in the last six games. The Eagles improved to 11-10 overall and 6-3 in the MEAC. Bethune-Cookman, which entered the contest in first place in the MEAC, fell to 13-10 overall and 7-2 in league play.

Eagles Win for Sixth Time in Last Eight Games

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Shawntae Payne led five players in double figures with 14 points and Coppin State used a strong second half shooting performance to defeat Bethune-Cookman 76-57 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game on Saturday in Moore Gymnasium.

Coppin State (8-12, 5-4 MEAC) shot 57.7 percent from the floor in the second half to pull away from the Wildcats. The Eagles won for the sixth time in their last eight games and moved over the .500 mark in conference play at 5-4.

Payne was 6-of-13 from the floor to lead the Eagles, while Leola Spotwood and Larrisa Carter each added 13 points for Coppin State. CSU also received 11 points each from Ashle Craig and Kyra Coleman.

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Houston Dynamo/Texas Southern Tigers break ground on new downtown stadium

Texas Southern University President Dr. John M. Rudley
“One of our major initiatives was to bring a state-of-the-art stadium to Texas Southern University athletics. This new stadium has helped us reach that goal. It also gives us one of the best facilities in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. It’s a huge boost to the overall athletic program.”


Videographer: Khou.com

The Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer broke ground on February 5, 2011 on their $95 million dollar, 22,000-seat soccer stadium in downtown Houston's East End. Dignitaries such as AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke, Dynamo equity partner Oscar de la Hoya, MLS President Mark Abbott, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett participated in the groundbreaking festivities, while Dynamo all-time leading scorer Brian Ching kicked a ceremonial first goal on the stadium site.

Excavation of the site and construction of the stadium is expected to begin shortly, and the Dynamo hope to play their first game in the new stadium by mid-2012. The stadium is located in downtown Houston, within walking distance of Minute Maid Park, the George R. Brown Convention Center, and the Toyota Center. In addition to soccer games, the new stadium will host Texas Southern University football, concerts, boxing matches, and more.

The stadium will be operated by the Dynamo and leased from the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. It is located closer to downtown than any other American stadium built for soccer and will be easily accessible to fans from the entire Houston area.

AEG Facilities, the world's largest venue manager, will manage the stadium on behalf of the Dynamo. The stadium will be included in AEG Facilities' worldwide network of more than 100 elite venues across five continents.

Renowned architectural firm Populous designed the stadium, which will be constructed by Houston-based Manhattan Construction and overseen by the ICON Venue Group. Additional companies working on the site are landscape architect Clark Condon, structural engineer Walter P. Moore, and civil engineer WGA, all companies based in Houston.

RELATED LINK: DYNAMO STADIUM 2012

TSU sitting pretty after ugly victory over PVAMU

Texas Southern survived an ugly contest to claim another victory over rival Prairie View A&M.
The Tigers’ prize? Sole possession of first place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

TSU rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit and benefited from a slew of Prairie View miscues in the closing minutes to capture a 63-58 victory before an energetic crowd of 5,578 Saturday night at the H&PE arena.

The Tigers (11-10, 9-1 SWAC) shot better from the field (40.7 percent) than it did from the free throw line (39.4 percent), but the Panthers were equally as bad. Prairie View (6-17, 3-7) shot only 36.5 percent from the field and made only eight of 24 free throws (33.3 percent) en route to suffering its fifth loss in the last six games.

TSU rallies by Prairie View to claim 1st place in SWAC



HOUSTON—Travele Jones snagged his third double-double of the season, scoring a game-high 20 points and pulling down 12 rebounds, to lead Texas Southern past Prairie View 63-58 on Saturday night.

After shooting just 25.9 percent from the field in the first half, the Tigers (11-10, 9-1 Southwestern) came back in the second to hit 55.6 percent. Jones made two free throws with 6:47 remaining to put Texas Southern ahead for good. The Tigers led by as many as seven points down the stretch.

Lady Panthers Open Round Two of SWAC Play With Win Over TSU

HOUSTON - The Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers claimed their fourth straight victory defeating rival Texas Southern 43-38 on Saturday evening at HP&E Arena. The Lady Panthers stormed out to a 15-8 lead to kickoff the first half before the Lady Tigers crawled back via a 9-3 run cutting the deficit to 18-17 at the 6:37 mark.

Texas Southern continued to chip away at the lead and earned their first lead of the contest with Jasmine Cannon’s slashing drive to the basket that gave the Lady Tigers a 19-18 advantage in the closing five minutes of the period. However, Prairie View wouldn’t trail long as they turned up the heat defensively holding Texas Southern scoreless the remainder of the half as sophomore guard Latia Williams nailed a string of jumpers which ignited a 6-0 spurt en route to a 24-19 edge at the half.

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Military man to head Paine College golf

After taking a devastating shot to the nose, Herman Belton Jr. decided his basketball career was over. The military man found a new sport when his cousin in the Air Force invited him to hit balls at a driving range. Belton hit his borrowed 7-iron farther than his cousin's 6-iron.

After 20 years of playing the sport, Belton's now a plus-1 handicap. "I just love the game," he said. At a Friday news conference, Belton was introduced as the new head golf coach at Paine College. He took pictures with his players and spoke with the media at Jones Creek Golf Club.

Belton last coached the South Carolina State men's golf team in the 2009-10 season before the school dropped the program because of financial difficulties. He said friends called him and recommended him for the Paine job after the school fired Hoover Johnson last week.

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A RECORD FOR THE AGES

Perry's double-double, Jenkins' 17 assists propel MEAC-leading Hampton past S.C. State

The MEAC-leading Hampton University women's basketball team beat South Carolina State 77-57 Saturday at the Convocation Center as Quanneisha Perry had 25 points and 16 rebounds.

HU's Jericka Jenkins had 17 assists — second only in school history to Jackie Wyche’s 20 in 1986 against Virginia Union. Choicetta McMillian scored a career-high 22, hitting six 3-pointers. Sophomore Keiara Avant scored a career-high 11 points, and junior Sherena Abercrumbia tied her career high with eight.

Pirates win third in a row


Videographer: wvec.com

HAMPTON– The Hampton University men’s basketball team picked up its third straight win Saturday night, beating South Carolina State 64-53 at the HU Convocation Center.

Junior guard Kwame Morgan led the Pirates with 14 points – going 7-for-9 from the free throw line – while junior guard Darrion Pellum added 12 points and sophomore forward Koron Reed scored a career-high 10 points, all in the first half.

Junior forward Danny Agbelese pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds and blocked three shots. Pellum added a team-high five assists.

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CIAA Basketball: Livingstone 81, Winston-Salem State 73

WINSTON-SALEM — The Livingstone men’s basketball team pulled off a big road upset Saturday against Winston-Salem State 81-73.

With the victory, James Stinson’s Blue Bears (12-5, 7-3 CIAA) improved to 3-1 in the division and move into a tie with the Rams for first place in the Southern Division at 3-1. The Rams (15-4) came into the contest as the fourth-ranked team in the latest NCAA Atlantic Region rankings.

Donte Durant had his best offensive output of the season, leading the Blue Bears with 18 points. Darius Cox fell just short of a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds while Quentin Redfern added 13 points with 11 of them coming at the charity stripe.

Rams lose to Blue Bears 81-73

Winston-Salem State failed to answer the bell against Livingstone on Saturday night at the Gaines Center. Playing their sixth straight home game the Rams thought they could turn it on whenever they needed to but that wasn’t the case as the Blue Bears won 81-73. It was the Blue Bears first victory at the Gaines Center since the 1997-98 season.

“We can’t just flip a switch,” said guard Shelton Carter of the Rams, who was one of many who struggled and scored just seven points. “We need to defend better and not just in spurts – we need to do that the entire 40 minutes.”

The Rams (15-4, 3-1) finally flipped the switch late but...

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Videographer: UrbanSportsITG; Fayetteville State vs. Winston-Salem State 1/28/11

Alcorn beats rival Jackson State 81-75

ASU Braves Coach Larry Smith

LORMAN, MS — Alcorn State took the lead with 1:25 left in the second half over SWAC rival Jackson State with a three-pointer by Marquiz Baker. The late shot put Alcorn up 73-71 and they were able to close out the visiting Tigers with an 81-75 victory.

“Jackson State is a good team, they’re solid. Our defense did a great job, we shut them down in terms of percentage,” head coach Larry Smith said. “Our kids played hard for 40 minutes and we stepped up down the stretch.”

Early in the game, the Braves led by as many as 10 as the offense took advantage of many put backs and fast breaks points. Meanwhile, the defense contested every shot well, not allowing the Tigers to have any open looks at the basket.

JSU Turnovers lead to Alcorn State Lady Braves 66-54 win

The Lady Braves of Alcorn State defeated conference rival Jackson State 66-54. Alcorn, now 7-12 (6-4), outscored the Lady Tigers despite shooting a lower field goal percentage. However, the Lady Braves were more efficient from with three-pointers and from the free throw line.

The Lady Braves shot 50 percent from downtown, making eight while shooting 20-29 from the free throw line.

Baker, Braves ambush Tigers

Not this time, Marquiz Baker told Jackson State. Not this time. Baker, Alcorn State's fiery shooting guard, scored 23 points - seven of those coming inside 2 minutes - and the Braves beat Jackson State 81-75 on Saturday night, upsetting the conference-leading Tigers and breaking a seven-game losing streak to their bitter rivals.

Said Baker: "I was determined not to let Jackson State beat us at home this time."

The conference's ninth- place team entering the day, Alcorn State (3-17, 3-8 Southwestern Athletic Conference) rarely trailed and knocked off the the Tigers (12-10, 8-2) three weeks after losing to them by 26 points in Jackson.

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Videographer: UrbanSportsITG; Valley vs. JSU 2/3/11

Florida A&M defeats Morgan State 63-59

Rattlers dominant at home against Morgan State

They haven't won a game on the road all season, but that might be just fine with coach Eugene Harris for right now. His Florida A&M men's basketball team is making gains when it plays at home.  For the second consecutive game at the Lawson Center, the Rattlers knocked off one of the powers of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference by downing defending conference champion Morgan State University 63-59 Saturday night.

The win gave the Rattlers (8-18, 3-6) an 8-1 record at home and snapped a two-game losing streak, while preventing the Bears (10-10, 6-3) from creating a logjam at the top of the conference standings. The display that the Rattlers put on was the result of having the entire roster back after injuries had depleted the team, Harris said.


Videographer: RattlerBoosters

Women's Basketball Needs Overtime to Silence Lady Rattlers, 63-54

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.- Moneshia Davis came off the bench and scored a game-high tying 15 points and Brittany Dodson added 13 points to lead Morgan State to a 63-54 overtime victory over host Florida A&M in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game on Saturday evening at the Al Lawson Center. The win was the Lady Bears' sixth straight over the Lady Rattlers and just the ninth win in the series' 40 meetings.

Morgan State's Theresa Davis also came off the bench and fell shy of a double-double with a team-high nine rebounds and 10 points to help Morgan State to a 40-10 advantage over FAMU in bench scoring.

Shooting woes keep Rattlers under wraps

The Florida A&M women’s basketball team shot poorly in the first half, picked it up in the second, but reverted to its bad ways in overtime in losing Saturday night at the Lawson Center.

The Rattlers' two leading scorers Antonia Bennett and Tameka McKelton struggled and the team's inefficiency at the free-throw line added up to a 63-54 loss to Morgan State University. It was a loss that could haunt the Rattlers as they head into the final weeks of the regular seasons.

FAMU (10-11, 5-4) fell to a fourth-place tie with North Carolina A&T.

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Rattlers withstand late surge by MSU, 63-59

Harris: Does anyone care about Elizabeth City State's Michael Bonner?

Harris: Does anyone care about Michael Bonner?

At one end of the basketball court in the R.L. Vaughan Center are team photos for the Elizabeth City State teams. In the men’s basketball picture, one of the biggest smiles belongs to Perquimans graduate Michael Bonner. Although he didn’t know it then, it was the only time Bonner would put on an ECSU uniform.

Since then, Bonner has been getting a raw deal. And that is about as nice as I can put it and get it past my editors.

He should be playing with the Vikings and contributing as they make a run in the final weeks of the season. Instead, Bonner is watching the games from the stands. Always with a smile on his face...

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ECSU's Bonner in limbo - The Daily Advance

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NOTE TO VIKINGS AND HBCU FANS:

Please pass the link to this story "Harris: Does anyone care about Michael Bonner?" on to your friends and let us all assist this deserving student-athlete in receiving a fair decision from CIAA Commissioner Leon G. Kerry.

ECSU beat writer Will Harris of the Daily Advance Newspaper is on point -- that student Michael Bonner has received a raw deal from the professionals that he and his family trusted to provide the proper guidance for both his academic and athletic careers. Why should he suffer for their incompetency?

Will you help by bringing political pressure on the CIAA Commissioner's Office to provide Mr. Michael Bonner with a quick waiver of this silly two-year rule, that should not be applied to the Winston Salem State University situation? Please express your support and ask the Commissioner to render a decision, now, that is long overdue to Mr. Bonner and his family.

You may contact the CIAA commissioner's office at:

Mr. Leon Kerry, Commissioner
E-mail: LeonKerry@aol.com
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Post Office Box 7349
22 Enterprise Parkway, Suite 210
Hampton, Virginia 23666
E-Mail: TheCIAA@aol.com
Office: 757-865-0071
Fax: 757-865-8436

We appreciate your support and assistance on this effort for this deserving CIAA student-athlete. Thank you.

beepbeep

P.S. If this was my son, I would be breaking out a can of whoop ass on the Commissioner's office -- but I won't go there today.


Videographer: UrbanSportsITG

Savannah State's Shannon Sharpe elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

Shannon Sharpe: Sharpe also gets call to the Hall

After two years of waiting, TE Shannon Sharpe was one of the seven players chosen to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday evening.

A seventh-round draft choice in 1990, Sharpe went on to be named to the 1990s All-Decade team. He racked up four All-Pro nods and three Super Bowl titles before calling it quits in 2003. At the time of his retirement, he was number one all-time amongst tight ends in both receiving yards and receptions. He's since been passed in both categories by Tony Gonzalez, but is unquestionably one of the greatest to ever play his position.


Videographer: gridironvids; Top Ten Draft Steals: Shannon Sharpe

Hall of Fame Class of 2011 profile: Shannon Sharpe

Position: Tight end
Height: 6-2 Weight: 230
Teams: 1990-99, 2002-03 Denver Broncos, 2000-01 Baltimore Ravens
• 14 seasons, 204 games
• Selected by Denver in the seventh round (192nd overall) of 1990 draft.
• At time of retirement, his 815 career receptions and 10,060 yards and 62 TDs were all NFL career records for a tight end.
• His 214 receiving yards vs. Kansas City in 2002 is an NFL single-game record for a tight end.
• Tied NFL record with 13 receptions in single postseason game (vs. Raiders, 1993).
• Three times during career amassed over 1,000 yards receiving.

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Tennessee State's Richard Dent voted to Pro Football Hall of Fame

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Videographer: TheNFLhistory; 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame class Announcement

DALLAS — Former Bears defensive end Richard Dent, a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist in seven of the last eight years, was voted in Saturday as part of the Class of 2011. “It’s very appreciated, and I’m very happy,” Dent said on NFL Network. “Long time coming.”

Dent was the MVP of Super Bowl XX, but he had to be patient to earn election, joining coach Mike Ditka (1988), running back Walter Payton (1993), linebacker Mike Singletary (1998) and defensive tackle Dan Hampton (2002). The Bears have a record 27 enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Dent will be inducted Aug. 6 in Canton, Ohio, along with running back Marshall Faulk, linebackers Chris Hanburger and Les Richter, contributor Ed Sabol, cornerback Deion Sanders, and tight end Shannon Sharpe.

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UAPB Golden Lions Ink 13 Student-Athletes On National Signing Day

UAPB Golden Lions Head Coach Monte Coleman

PINE BLUFF, Ark.- The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff football program has announced the addition of 13 student-athletes who have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Golden Lions.

"We are elated to be the position to bring in a list of several talented players that we feel can come in and make immediate impacts within our football program," said UAPB Head Coach Monte Coleman.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff expects to continue to receive additional letters of intent over the upcoming days. Today marked the official National Signing Day for prepsters across the country. For the Golden Lions coaching staff It was a day that was greeted with much optimism for the near future.

"Are coaches were extremely diligent in searching for the best possible student-athletes to bring into our program to address our needs both offensively and defensively. This signing class while not extremely large in numbers, is very rich with quality student-athletes that should be able to be productive in the systems we have in place on both sides of the ball."

Arkansas-Pine Bluff will open the season on September 3rd against Langston University. The 2011 Golden Lions football schedule is set to be released later this week.

Please feel free to continue to check back for an updated list of student-athletes as Arkansas-Pine Bluff receives additional commitments during the upcoming days and weeks.


Videographer: coachsaulsberry; Mose Frazier Full Senior Year Highlights

2011 University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Football Signees (as of Feb. 2nd at 5:00 pm)

2011 UAPB Signees

Kendon Andrews LB 6’2 215 El Dorado HS (El Dorado, AR)

Caleb Ealy OL 6’2 260 Westfield HS (Houston, TX)

Mose Frazier WR 6’0 170 Whitehaven HS (Memphis, TN)

Troy Goss DL 6’3 270 Shiloh Christian HS (Springdale, AR)

Wesley Hawthorne WR 6’1 180 James Martin HS (Arlington, TX)

Jawahn Hunt RB 6’0 180 Pine Bluff HS (Pine Bluff, AR)

Antonio Jenkins LB 6’0 190 Watson Chapel HS (Pine Bluff, AR)

Lyron McClenney OL 6’3 285 Arkansas Baptist College (Little Rock, AR)/Miami Norland

Toddre Pamplin OL 6’2 295 West Memphis HS (West Memphis, AR)

William Ross LB 6’3 225 New Mexico Military Institute (Roswell, NM)

Ryan Savage OL 6’6 325 New Mexico Military Institute (Roswell, NM)

Kevin Rucker, Jr. ATH 5’11 185 Idabel HS (Idabel, OK)

Dewayne Watts QB 6’1 198 Arkansas Baptist College (Little Rock, AR)

by UAPB Media Relations

16 Student-Athletes Sign FVSU Letters of Intent

Fort Valley State University Head Football Coach Donald Pittman has announced that 16 student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to play football with the Wildcats beginning in the 2011 season. The class includes two quarterbacks, two running backs, four receivers, two offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, one linebacker, and one kicker.

"As a program, we are extremely pleased with the student-athletes who have decided to become a part of the Wildcat football family," said Pittman. "We believe that these recruits have the potential to help us take Wildcat Football to next level. I, and the rest of the coaching staff, look forward to working with these recruits to make them better players and quality young men."

2011 Fort Valley State Football Signees

Name                          Pos.   HGT   WGT         Hometown/Previous School

Jonathan Adams        DL      6'4     280           Stone Mtn., GA/S.W Dekalb H.S. 
Brandon Baker           OL       6'4     290          Columbus, GA/Northside H.S. 
Tony Collins                OL       6'3     270          East Point, GA/Tri-Cities H.S. 
Chartavious Danzy     C         6'1     285          Tennile, GA/Washington Co. H.S. 
Jonte Davis                 QB       5'8    170           East Point, GA/Tri-Cities H.S. 
Deonzo Farrie             DE       6'6    240           Stone Mtn., GA/S.W. Dekalb H.S. 
Eric Horsley                 RB      5'8    180            Dallas, TX/Madison H.S. 
Tyler Hunt                    K         5'10   165           Jonesboro, GA/Lovejoy H.S. 
Alex Martin                   LB       5'10   190           Tifton, GA/Tift Co. H.S. 
Cameron Pearson    QB       6'7     215           Dallas, TX/Madison H.S. 
Travis Richmond       RB       5'7     165           Fort Valley, GA/Peach Co. H.S. 
Justin Scott                 TE        6'4     200           Bessemer, AL/Hueytown H.S. 
Tarvarus Talley           DT       6'1     270          Columbus, GA/Carver Col.H.S. 
Jevon Watson            WR       6'3    185           Hampton, GA/Lovejoy H.S. 
Jacovi White               WR       6'2     225          Cusseta, GA/Chatta. Co. H.S. 
Ronald Wilcots          WR       6'2     180          Dallas, TX/ Madison H.S 

by FVSU Office of Sports Information

Robinson named Grambling interim head coach

GRAMBLING, LA – Grambling State University President Frank G. Pogue today announced that he has appointed GSU Linebackers Coach Andre Robinson as interim head football coach. Mr. Robinson, an alum and standout collegiate linebacker has been the University’s linebackers coach since 2004.

While a student athlete, Robinson became the first defensive player to be named as Grambling State’s Most Valuable Player. During his collegiate career, from 1977 to 1981, he helped lead the G-Men to three straight SWAC championships. Robinson was named the Bayou Classic’s Most Valuable Player in 1980 in the Tigers’ 43-6 victory over the Southern Jaguars. The following year, he was a consensus All-American selection by the Associated Press, Kodak, The Sporting News and the Sheridan Press and also was named the SWAC’s Defensive Player of the Year.

“Andre Robinson links the legacy of Eddie Robinson to the present football championship era. Andre was an accomplished player at Grambling who was recognized nationally,” says GSU Athletic Director Lin Dawson. During his 30-year coaching career, he has built on his success as a player by developing excellent athletes who were under his tutelage.”

The University is launching its search for a permanent head football coach. While announcing interim appointment, President Pogue noted that Grambling State University enjoys the finest reputation in athletics of any other HBCU and most other institutions in the country: “Our goal is to maintain this cherished reputation of being winners,” he said. “Andre Robinson’s willingness to assume the interim role will allow the University time to identify the strongest candidates.”

Robinson called it an honor and privilege to be asked to step in as the interim head coach. “We will stay our course and remain focused on our young men and keep them together and have a winning football team this season,” he said. “I’m ready and up for the task before me.”

By GSU Public Relations