Virginia Union's David Mims Signs with the Kansas City Chiefs

Richmond, VA - Virginia Union University's David Mims has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League, Mims announced on July 26. Mims announced the signing via his Twitter account.

"Happy to say that I am officially a Kansas City Chief" Mims tweeted on the morning of July 26.

Mims, a 6-8 offensive lineman from Charlotte, N.C., anchored a VUU offensive line which allowed Panther runners to rush for 1,884 yards in 2010 and set a school-record 490 rushing yards against Virginia State University in 2009.

Mims becomes the first Virginia Union football player to sign with an NFL team since Jerome Leslie signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004.

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Former FAMU Rattlers Sylvester signs with Atlanta Falcons

Marianna, FL - Former Marianna Bulldogs football star Philip Sylvester has signed a contract with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, and will participate in the team’s training camp in hopes of making the final 53-man roster.

Sylvester, who spent the last four seasons playing for the FAMU Rattlers, wasn’t selected in the April NFL Draft, but was offered a free agent contract by the Falcons on Monday, and then left for Atlanta on Tuesday.

Efforts to contact Sylvester were unsuccessful, but the speedy running back’s former high school coach Don Dowling said he couldn’t be happier to see the mild-mannered former Bulldog get his shot.

“It’s a big deal. Someone mentioned to me that he was my first former player to sign an NFL contract, which I thought was pretty cool,” said Dowling, now the head coach at Sneads. “He’s one of those kids who deserve it. He has worked hard his entire career, and he’s a great kid. Back at Marianna, you wouldn’t have even known he was some big-time running back in the hallways. He’s just a regular kid.

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Chowan Hawks projected fifth in CIAA-North

ETTRICK, VA. — Michael Jordan used to say about winning championships, “It’s the shoes”.

Thursday at the annual pre-season football Media Day for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) you could have said, “It’s the hair”. Or maybe, the ‘lack’ thereof.

The coaches of the four top picks to win the 2011 CIAA Football championship are: (1) from the league’s South Division, and (2) happened to have been sporting bald heads on Media Day. Members of the CIAA Football Coaches Association have picked defending 2010 champion Shaw University to repeat in 2011. Winston-Salem State was picked second, followed by St. Augustine’s College, and Fayetteville State.

Elizabeth City State edged out Virginia State to win the North Division and play November 12 in Raleigh for the league title. Meanwhile, Chowan was picked fifth in the division and ninth among the dozen league teams. The Hawks were among the teams who had to adjust their schedules...

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Tuskegee picked to win SIAC West, Miles a surprising second

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- First-year Miles College coach Reginald Ruffin said no one is surprised that Tuskegee was tabbed to be the team to beat this year in the West Division of Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football.

"Tuskegee is the team," said Ruffin, a former Tuskegee assistant. "They have been the mecca of the conference, they have been the mecca in black college football. They are a big measuring stick of where you would like your program to be."

SIAC POLL
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Football Coaches Association released its preseason football poll on Wednesday in Atlanta.

EAST
1. Albany State
2. Fort Valley State
3. Morehouse

4. Clark Atlanta

5. Benedict

WEST

1. Tuskegee

2. Miles

3. Kentucky State

4. Stillman

5. Lane

SIAC Champion: Albany State

Source: SIAC Football Coaches Association

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Stillman picked 4th in SIAC West

Atlanta, GA - The Stillman College football team, under the direction of new head coach Teddy Keaton, has been picked to finish fourth among five teams in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s West Division.

Results of the preseason poll were announced Wednesday during the SIAC Kickoff Luncheon in Atlanta. The conference features two divisions this season, with the East and West winners meeting in a championship game. The title game is scheduled for Nov. 12 in Columbus, Ga., but Keaton said Stillman would not be able to participate if it qualifies because the Tigers’ homecoming game against Concordia of Selma is set for the same day.

Tuskegee was picked as the West favorite, followed by Miles, Kentucky State, Stillman and Lane. Albany State, the defending champion, was the top choice in the East. Fort Valley State was picked second, followed by Morehouse, Clark Atlanta and Benedict. Albany State was chosen to win the overall conference title.

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SportsGroove Presents CIAA 2011 Football Media Day

Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN) Mark Gray report from the CIAA 2011 Football Media Day as the conference prepares for its 100th season of intercollegiate athletics with the start of the gridiron action.

HSRN Announces 2011 Football Broadcast Schedule

Hartly, DE – The Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN) will broadcast 23 exciting football games including the Super 7 Series of classic events. The broadcasts will be national on Sirius XM Satellite Radio and on local stations across the country. “This will be our most exciting broadcast schedule yet. The staff is proud to present the HBCU community a national radio platform that will give all fans and alumni consistent coverage,” said HSRN CEO Omarr Bashir.

HSRN will kickoff the schedule on (Sept. 1) with the Division I FBS vs. Division I FCS match-up in Piscataway, NJ, N. C. Central and Rutgers.

The highlight of the schedule is the “Super 7 Series” which includes seven events that will bring the Major Classics to the HBCU national community. The series will open on (Sept. 3) in Nashville, TN with the John Merritt Classic featuring Tennessee State and Southern. The “Super 7 Series” will also feature (Sept. 10) Cleveland Classic – N.C. Central vs. Central State, (Sept. 24) Atlanta Classic – Florida A&M vs. Southern, (Oct. 1) Circle City Classic – Albany St. vs. Kentucky St., (Oct. 29) Magic City Classic – Alabama A&M vs. Alabama St., (Nov. 19) Florida Classic – Bethune Cookman vs. Florida A&M and (Nov. 26) Bayou Classic – Grambling St. vs. Southern.

HSRN will feature three additional classic games (Sept. 3) Battle of the First/Wade Wilson Classic – Lincoln vs. Cheyney, (Sept. 10) Nations Classic – Morehouse vs. Howard, (Oct. 1) and (Oct. 8) Morehouse/Tuskegee Classic. There will also be four double header weekends including the championship games for the CIAA and SIAC (Nov. 12).

Top non-conference match-ups this season will be the Hampton Roads, VA CAA vs. MEAC rivalry (Sept. 17) between Hampton and Old Dominion, FBS/FCS match-up (Nov. 3)) between Mississippi Valley St. and South Alabama, and (Nov. 24) Annual Turkey Day Classic – Alabama St. vs. Tuskegee.

Conference rival match-ups will include (Sept. 17) Bowie St. homecoming vs. Livingstone (Oct. 15), N.C. A&T homecoming vs. Delaware St., and (Oct. 22) Florida A&M vs. S.C. State.

Founded in 2006, HSRN was created to provide a sports voice for the HBCU community. For over 100 years HBCU's have participated in collegiate athletics with little to no media coverage. Stars like Walter Payton, Doug Williams, and Michael Strahan are just a few of the many superstars who were HBCU athletes. There are approximately 7 million fans of HBCU sports who were media orphans in search of a home. HSRN is the only national radio network dedicated to HBCU sports. Our goal is to fuse the greats of the past with the stars of today to showcase the significance of this unique colorful and underserved sports community.

HSRN 2011 Football Broadcast Schedule

Date	Game	Site	Time
09/01	N.C. Central vs. Rutgers	Piscataway, NJ	7:30pm
09/03	Lincoln @ Cheyney Battle of the First/Wade Wilson Classic	Cheyney, PA	1:00pm
09/03	$ - Southern vs. Tennessee St. John Merritt Classic	Nashville, TN	6:00pm CT
09/04	Bethune Cookman vs. Prairie View MEAC/SWAC Challenge	Orlando, FL	12:00pm
09/10	$ - Central St. vs. N.C. Central Cleveland Classic	Cleveland, OH	12:00pm
09/10	Howard vs. Morehouse Nation’s Classic	Washington, DC	3:30pm
09/17	Bowie St. vs. Livingstone	Bowie, MD	1:00pm
09/17	Hampton vs. Old Dominion	Norfolk, VA	6:00pm
09/24	$ - Florida A&M vs. Southern Atlanta Classic	Atlanta, GA	3:30pm
10/01	$ - Albany St. vs. Kentucky St. Circle City Classic	Indianapolis, IN	2:30pm
10/08	Morehouse vs. Tuskegee Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic	Columbus, GA	2:00pm
10/15	Delaware St. vs. N.C. A&T	Greensboro, NC	1:30pm
10/22	Florida A&M vs. S.C. State	Orangeburg, SC	1:30pm
10/29	$ - Alabama A&M vs. Alabama St. Magic City Classic	Birmingham, AL	3:30pm
11/03	Mississippi Valley St. vs. S. Alabama	Mobile, AL	TBA
11/05	Albany St. vs. Ft. Valley St. Fountain City Classic	Columbus, GA	2:00pm
11/12	CIAA Championship Game	Durham, NC	TBA
11/12	SIAC Championship Game	TBA	TBA
11/19	$ - Bethune Cookman vs. Florida A&M Florida Classic	Orlando, FL	2:00pm
11/24	Turkey Day Classic	Montgomery, AL	1:00pm
11/26	$ - Grambling vs. Southern Bayou Classic	New Orleans, LA	3:00pm
12/03	Pioneer Bowl	Columbus, GA	2:00pm
12/10	SWAC Championship Game	Birmingham, AL	2:00pm
	$ - Super Seven Series Schedule is Subject to Change

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Aycock predicts success, but can JCSU back it up?

The guarantee: 3-1

Charlotte, N.C. - Johnson C. Smith football coach Steve Aycock went out on a limb at last week’s CIAA roundup.

He guaranteed – twice – that the Golden Bulls would start the season 3-1, a bold prediction given JCSU’s combined 5-15 over Aycock’s first two seasons. The league’s coaches weren’t impressed, however, picking the Bulls to finish fifth in the six-team South Division.

But Aycock stands by his pronouncement.

“It’s not from an arrogance standpoint, it’s not being cocky,” he said Tuesday. “It’s just that I feel good about the young men who are coming back and the way they’ve dedicated themselves over the last six months. We’ll see a difference come Sept. 3.”

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Jason Beverlin to succeed Melendez at Bethune-Cookman

Daytona Beach, FL - Bethune-Cookman University Athletic Director Lynn W. Thompson announced today, July 26, that an agreement in principal has been reached with Jason Beverlin to become the Wildcats' new Head Baseball Coach.

Beverlin, 37, was the pitching coach at the University of Tennessee and played professionally with the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers after being selected by the Oakland A's in the fourth round of the 1994 Major League Draft.

"We have a championship caliber team returning, and we wanted to make sure that we placed significant attention on the pitching aspects of our program." Thompson said. "New bat regulations in college baseball have made pitching and defense more important than ever, and to have a new head coach with extensive knowledge of pitching, professional experience and upper Division I recruiting savvy is the right combination for us to continue our quest to reach the College World Series."

B-CU Head Coach Jason Beverlin
 with his wife, Heather,
and sons Cole and Lucas
(Courtesy B-CU Athletics)

Beverlin replaces Mervyl Melendez, who accepted the head coaching position at Alabama State after 12 seasons with the Wildcats.

"I think it's an extreme honor to join the Bethune-Cookman Athletic Department family," said Beverlin. "Coach Melendez did an unbelievable job here; and while we hope to continue the tradition of success he started here, we want to take that to the next level in getting this program to a Super Regional and the ultimate goal of going to the college world series."

VIDEO INTRO - COACH JASON BEVERLIN

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RELATED ARTICLE: Bethune-Cookman Announces Jason Beverlin as New Head Baseball Coach

FSU announces football ticket package

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Perhaps the most appealing games on the Fayetteville State Broncos 2011 football schedule this season will be the ones right at home in Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium.

And now that Fayetteville State has released its 2011 football season ticket package, the Broncos’ most faithful fans can reserve their place at those games as the Broncos prepare to make a run at their fourth CIAA Championship in the last nine years.

Fayetteville State is offering a wide variety of season ticket packages for the five home football games this season.

The Family Package includes general seating tickets for two adults and two children for $200, which gives the buyer a savings of $100. The Half Family Package costs $175 for the full season (a savings of $65), and can be purchased as one adult and two children tickets or two adults and one child tickets in general seating.

Fayetteville State also is offering the Reserve Adult Package...

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Hampton Pirates vs. Florida A&M Rattlers Football Game Moved

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University football team’s contest against Florida A&M at Armstrong Stadium will be played on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

The contest, the Pirates’ first MEAC game of the season and Joe Taylor’s second trip to Hampton as coach of the Rattlers, had been originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at http:/// .

Where Are They Now? UAPB's Sidarren Freeman/Jackie Skipper

Newly-wed Sidarren Freeman now living by Madden rules

Bastrop, LA — Sidarren Freeman, Bastrop High’s co-offensive line coach, married the former Tonia Madden on Friday, July 22.

Balancing football and marriage is no easy feat, especially with the long hours coaches put in during the season. Freeman says he did his explaining before saying “I do,” and that his bride fully understands what she was getting into by marrying a coach. “I explained that to her,” Freeman laughed.

Freeman “celebrated” his one week anniversary by joining the Rams at the National Select 7-on-7 Championships in Hoover, Ala. Freeman is sharing the offensive line duties with former college teammate Jackie Skipper. A former Ram and Division I-AA Rimington Trophy winner, Skipper has rejoined the Bastrop High staff after a couple of years away.

“Jackie and I have been friends...

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Chasing Respect: SWAC schools hopeful its players can again be selected at NFL draft

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Forty years ago, three of the top 15 picks in the National Football League draft - Grambling's Richard Harris and Frank Lewis and Southern's Isaiah Robertson - were products from the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Look a little deeper and you will find that eight of the first 46 players selected that year came from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

These days, players from HBCUs and particularly the SWAC are rarely taken in the NFL Draft anymore despite a long history of success.


Videographer: hbcusportsonline

Since 2005, the SWAC has had five players drafted, and none were taken in 2009 and 2010 according to league officials.

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