Obama on Trayvon Martin: ‘If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon’

WASHINGTON, D.C. -  President Obama, addressing the shooting of an unarmed Florida high school student, made a personal appeal for further investigation into an incident he described as a “tragedy.”
“If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” Obama said from the Rose Garden, referring to 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was killed by a neighborhood watch guard last month. “When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids.”

The case has stirred immense passions nationwide for its racial element: Martin, who was black, was killed by George Zimmerman, 28, a Hispanic neighbor, who has since claimed self-defense. Zimmerman has not been charged in the shooting.

Obama had refrained from commenting on the case, leaving it to Attorney General Eric Holder to navigate the details, and on Friday, Obama chose his words carefully. He did not declare the shooter guilty, and said it is “imperative that we investigate every aspect of this.”

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Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.)

Rep. Allen West on Trayvon Martin: ‘This is an outrage’

EXCERPT: 

President Obama isn’t the only political leader speaking out about the case of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed Florida high school student shot to death by a neighbor last month. 

But comments by Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) — one of two African American Republicans in Congress — were far more direct.

In a lengthy, pointed discourse posted Thursday night on his Facebook page, Allen said, “This is an outrage.” Noting that he had taken some time to “assess the current episode,” West wrote: “The US Navy SEALS identified Osama Bin Laden within hours, while this young man laid on a morgue slab for three days. The shooter, Mr Zimmerman, should have been held in custody and certainly should not be walking free, still having a concealed weapons carry permit. From my reading, it seems this young man was pursued and there was no probable cause to engage him, certainly not pursue and shoot him….against the direction of the 911 responder.”

The congressman added: “Let’s all be appalled at this instance not because of race, but because a young American man has lost his life, seemingly, for no reason.”

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Students from Miami-area schools walk out in protest of Trayvon Martin shooting

MIAMI, Florida -- Miami Central high school students walk out in protest of the Trayvon Martin killing. Walkouts continued Friday morning at several South Florida high schools Friday in protest of the recent killing of Miami Gardens teen Trayvon Martin.

Students joined national appeals for the arrest of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood crime captain who is accused of shooting Martin in Sanford.

Schools participating in the walkouts included Miami Northwestern, Central, Dr. Michael Krop, Norland, Carol City, William H. Turner Technical Arts and Edison high schools. At Norland Senior High, hundreds of students left the school about 9 a.m. They coordinated the walkout through text messages and received support from their principal, Luis Solano.

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Dwyane Wade offers 'hoodie' support in Trayvon Martin case

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — On the day President Obama commented for the first time on the fatal shooting of unarmed Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade also injected himself into the conversation.

Martin, 17, was shot nearly a month ago after a confrontation in a gated community with neighborhood-watch captain George Zimmerman, with the youth's body discovered Feb. 26. Zimmerman who has claimed he shot Martin in self-defense, has not been charged.

Martin was wearing a "hoodie" hooded sweatshirt when he was shot, which has added to the debate about racial profiling.

To that end, Wade on Friday posted to his Facebook page a picture of himself wearing a hoodie. On his Twitter accounted, he simply posted, "#hoodies #stereotype #trayvonmartin" with a link to the photograph of himself wearing a hoodie.

Later, LeBron James posted a picture on his Twitter account of the entire Heat team in hooded sweatshirts, apparently taken at the team hotel upon the return from practice, with the Twitter post, "#WeAreTrayvonMartin #Hoodies #Stereotyped #WeWantJustice."

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Golden State Warriors sign Mickell Gladness to 10-day contract

MICKELL GLADNESS
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

SAN FRANCISCO, California - The Warriors have been looking for a backup center since Kwame Brown tore a chest muscle Jan. 10, and after flirtations with Kyrylo Fesenko and a three-week audition for Earl Barron, they settled on Mickell Gladness on Thursday.

The Warriors were interested in inking Gladness earlier, but he opted to sign a second and final 10-day contract with Miami last month. Since the Heat didn’t t sign him for the rest of the season, the Warriors were able to make another run at him.

The 6-foot-11, 220-pound rookie averaged 0.3 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.1 blocked shots in his first eight games for the Miami Heat, but the Warriors are banking on flashes he’s shown in the past. Gladness, who was waived by Miami on Feb. 7 and re-signed to an initial 10-day contract Feb. 12, has displayed improvement in three NBA Development League seasons and was one of the best rim protectors in college history.

He played three seasons at Alabama A&M after transferring from ...

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FAMU Rattlers find their man at center in Kawika Pieper

TALLAHASSSEE, Florida -- Drenched in sweat, sophomore center Kawika Pieper walked from the field with a little concern that was obvious by the expression on his face Thursday afternoon. He wanted to know if his stepping was right.

Pieper turned to upperclassman Steven Robinson for advice. Robinson had a ready response: "You've got to be forceful." Pieper smiled. He knew he'd been taking the right tact.

Coach Joe Taylor had been watching, knowing that Pieper's youth might be a factor as he takes over a role that was held down by Shelley Anthony last season. It was only the Rattlers' first day of spring practice in pads, but Taylor gave Pieper satisfactory marks for execution.

"He did some things in terms of blocking," Taylor said, "and he is not afraid."


FAMU Pro Day 2012

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Albany State releases 2012 football schedule; VSU left off

ALBANY, Georgia — Mike White still feels the sting, and so do his players.
It’s been less than four months since the Albany State football team was blown out by North Greenville in the opening round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, but the pain is still fresh from the Rams’ 63-14 loss — White’s most lopsided defeat in his 12-year coaching career.

The Rams now have a shot to avenge that loss. Albany State’s 2012 schedule was released Thursday evening, and the Rams will open up the season Sept. 1 at home against the Crusaders. “I think that definitely catches the eyes of the players and gets the coaches’ attention,” White said. “They really beat up on us.”

The rematch with North Greenville, which went on to rout Mars Hill in the second round of the playoffs before falling to Delta State in the quarterfinals, is just one of several marquee matchups the Rams have on their 2012 schedule — but noticeably absent is bitter rival Valdosta State.

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Jackson ready to build Bluefield State program

JAMAAL JACKSON
HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
BLUEFIELD STATE COLLEGE

BLUEFIELD, West Virginia — Have a house for rent? Give Jamaal Jackson a call. He’s planning on staying for a while. Jackson has had the ‘interim’ tag taken off his job title, making Jackson simply the head coach of the Bluefield State men’s basketball team.

“I am thankful to be able to stay here and really build a program the way I envisioned doing the program,” Jackson said. The process of finding a house continues, with Jackson hopeful of bringing his wife, Mary, and children, Jarius and Laila, to Bluefield.

“We are looking now. We are trying to find a house to rent, but it has been difficult,” said Jackson, who added with a smile, “you can stick that in there, somebody reading might contact me.”

Hired less than two days before practice began last fall, Jackson’s family stayed behind in Alabama while Jackson served for a season in an ‘interim’ role. It hasn’t been easy time for Jackson, whose Big Blues finished the season with just eight players and one win, compared to 26 losses.

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WSSU football team already back to work

WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina -- Quarterback Kameron Smith of Winston-Salem State is hoping for better results from spring practice this year after a run of bad luck. "One spring at Navy I got hurt, and then last spring I got sick, so I'm just hoping for a healthy spring," Smith said Thursday after a team meeting.



Smith had surgery for Crohn's disease last year, missed most of spring drills and lost about 30 pounds. He recovered quickly enough to lead the Rams to a school-best 13-1 record, the CIAA title and a trip to the NCAA Division II semifinals.

WSSU's spring practices started this week and will continue until April 14 and the spring game at Glenn High School. Until then, coach Connell Maynor and his staff will focus on seeing what the team's younger players can do.

The Rams lost ...

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TSU Track & Field Visits Palmetto State

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Tennessee State Track & Field keeps pace this weekend with a visit to the Palmetto State as the Flying Tigers and Tigerbelles partake in the Weems Baskin Invitational at the University of South Carolina.

The two-day meet begins with field events at Noon on Friday, March 23 and concludes Saturday, March 24 with the 4x4 relays.

27 schools are participating in this weekend's meet. Among those schools include: Appalachian State, Charlotte, Dartmouth, host South Carolina and St. John's.



As of Thursday, TSU has nine top mark on the Ohio Valley Conference performance list.


Travon Alexander's time of 11.22 in the 100-meter dash set at the Morehouse Relays is the best in the OVC, just two tenths ahead of Royce Dates (11.24) set at the Florida A&M Relays.

In the long jump, Dates is 23rd nationally and tops in the OVC with his leap of 23-8 ¼ (7.22m) at the FAMU Relays.

Senior Arthur Combest is the league's top hurdler, clocking a blistering speed of 14.72 at the 110-meter hurdles and a time of 56.37 in the 400-meter hurdles.

For the Tigerbelles, Ashontae Jackson has two of the league's best marks. The freshman is the leader in the 200-meter dash, clocking a time of 25.04. She also leads in the long jump with a distance of 18-5 ¼ (5.62m).

TSU has been strong in the triple jump as well with Ja'Lyn Burr leading the way (38-0 ¾, 11.60m) and Felicia Oladokun in second (36-7 ¾, 11.17m).

In the 400-meter dash, Gabrielle Todd has the top time of 57.16 recorded at the FAMU Relays. The junior is second in the high jump with a cleared height of 5-3 ¼ (1.61m).

In the relay events, the Flying Tigers clocked in league-best time of 42.13, while running 3:18.90 in the men's 4x4. The Tigerbelles are second in the 4x4 after pacing 3:51.72.

After this weekend's meet, Tennessee State takes a two week breather before hosting the annual Boston-Moon Classic on April 13-14. Results of the Weems Baskin Invitational will be posted online at TSUTigers.com.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: CLICK HERE

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Norfolk State left Omaha a winner

NORFOLK, Virginia - Norfolk State returned home Monday to a warm welcome, coming upon patches of fans at the airport and along campus streets before a crowd of almost 500 took part in a 5 p.m. reception at the student center. It was lively and special, Athletic Director Marty Miller said, after the Spartans pulled off the biggest basketball upset in school history three days earlier in Omaha.

"It was a big celebration," Miller said. "I think the players were surprised." But Miller said the appreciation for what Norfolk State had done started long before the Spartans were eliminated from their first NCAA tournament by Florida on Sunday night at the CenturyLink Center.

"It was a surprise to us the way that we seemed to win over the fans (in Omaha)," Miller said Tuesday. "We didn't expect that. But for some reason, the fans seemed to have gotten attached to our program and our student-athletes, and it was such a warm feeling."


Norfolk State made an impression in its first NCAA tournament, getting standing ovations across Omaha.

The main reason, of course, was the giant-killer role the Spartans played in upsetting Missouri 86-84. Before that second-round game, only four No. 15 seeds had beaten No. 2s under the current NCAA tournament format — and none since Hampton clipped Iowa State in 2001.

Some Norfolk State players were given a standing ovation by fans when they re-entered CenturyLink Center on Friday to watch some of the Purdue-St. Mary's game. The Spartans continued to get pats on the back or asked for autographs throughout their Omaha stay.

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Shaw Lady Bears Downs #15 Rollins 87-71, to Advance to NCAA D-II Championship Game

THE SHAW UNIVERSITY LADY BEARS AND HEAD
COACH JACQUES CURTIS WILL GO FOR THE
 DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ON FRIDAY
AGAINST ASHLAND.  THE GAME WILL BE 
NATIONALLY TELEVISED LIVE ON
CBSSPORTS CHANNEL AND VIDEO STREAMED
AT http://www.ncaa.com/ AT 8 PM EDT. 

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Three Lady Bears had double-doubles to lead Shaw past #15 Rollins 87-71 in a game played at Bill Greehey Arena on the campus of Saint Mary's University. With the win, the Lady Bears advance to play #2 Ashland for the Division II NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship Friday night.

The game is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EDT and will be nationally televised live on CBSSports Channel and video screamed at NCAA.com.

Crystal Harris led the Lady Bears with 24 points and 14 rebounds, while Kyria Buford had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Aslea Williams scored 12 and pulled in 14 boards.

Rollins had no answer for Shaw's "bigs" and could not find an outside shooting touch, hitting only five of 29 from beyond the arc and only 36.5 percent from the field. In contrast, Shaw sank 40.3 percent of its shots.

"Rollins is a good team," said Shaw head coach Jacques Curtis. "You don't get to the Final Four by being lucky. We had a good start and were able to ride it out. We went with our bigs and they did the job. Now we have the chance to win the national championship."

The Lady Bears broke on top early, then built a 20-point lead before halftime. The Tars fought back in the second, trimming the Shaw lead to as little as 12 early in the half employing a full-court press and sinking key shots.

"We knew they'd make the run. There were just times they played harder than we did," said Curtis. "We beat a good team tonight."

The game started slowly, with neither team hitting the scoreboard for nearly two full minutes. Williams finally broke the ice with a jumper in the lane with 18:05 left in the first half.

It would be another three minutes before the Tars hit the scoreboard, and by then, Shaw had scored eight.

At the 12:52 mark, Shemieka Brown missed a jumper, got her own rebound and hit the layup to give Shaw a 15-5 lead.

Rollins fought back, trimming the Shaw lead to only four when Ashley Jones hit a three pointer for the Tars with 10:20 left on the first half clock.

Shaw then reeled off a 17-2 scoring run, culminating in a Sequoyah Griffin layup on the fast break that gave Shaw a 36-17 lead with 5:47 left in the half. The Lady Bears would build the lead to as many as 22, and led by 18 at the half, 48-30.

Buford hit a layup to open the scoring in the second half, but the Tars responded with an eight-point run punctuated by Jasmine Bradley's layup that cut the Shaw lead to 50-38.

With 12:56 left in the game, Paris Moore hit a jumper in the paint for the Tars, was fouled, and sank a free throw for the old-fashioned three-point play to trim Shaw's lead to 13.

Buford and Harris then combined for six straight points, extending the lead to 19 and effectively putting the game out of reach, even with 11:31 left on the clock. It took five minutes for the Tars to cut the lead to 13 again, and the Lady Bears answered with five straight.

In addition to the three double-doubles, Shaw was led in assists by Brittney Spencer and Allyssa Lane who had three apiece.

For Rollins, Jones and Paris Moore led the way with 13 points apiece. Three players had five rebounds and another three had four apiece. McDaniel had three assists to pace the Tars.

Shaw will now face Ashland, the second-ranked team in the nation, in the title game Friday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern. The Eagles are led by Kari Daugherty who averages 21.2 points and 14.0 rebounds per game.

"We're going to pound the ball inside," said Curtis of the upcoming game, "and they're going to pound the ball inside. We hope to have a chance to play a triple-post against them with all three of our bigs (Williams, Buford and Harris) in the game at a time. We haven't had a chance to play our jumbo offense yet, but this might be the game."

VIDEO: Bears oust Tars, off to finals 

 

BOX SCORE

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Rollins women fall 87-71 to Shaw in NCAA Division II semifinals

SAN ANTONIO -- The Rollins women's basketball team made much history during the 2011-12 season but the ride stopped one game short of a shot at the national title.

The Tars fell behind big early and never recovered in an 87-71 loss to Shaw in an NCAA Division II Final Four semifinal game late Wednesday night in San Antonio.

Shaw (27-6) jumped to an 8-0 led in the first four minutes. Rollins battled back to trail only 19-5 when Ashley Jones sank a 3-point basket with 10:20 to play in the first half. That was as close as the Tars could get. Over the next 6 minutes, Shaw ripped off a 22-4 run for a 44-19 lead, and from there coasted into a berth in Thursday's national championship game against Ashland.

It was the first time Rollins played in the Final Four. Rollins (28-5) had ...

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Savannah State Releases 2012 Football Schedule

SAVANNAH, Georgia - The Savannah State 2012 football schedule includes games against Football Championship Subdivision schools and features four home games.

The Tigers will open the season September 1 on the road against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Oklahoma and the following week, on Sept. 8, SSU will play Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida. It will be the first time SSU has met OSU and FSU in football.

After a bye on Sept. 15, Savannah State will play their home opener against North Carolina Central at Theodore A. Wright Stadium. SSU defeated NCCU 33-30 last season.

Other home games include Morgan State on October 6, Edward Waters on Oct. 20 and Bethune-Cookman on November 10. The Tigers have not played Edward Waters since the 2009 season, a 45-24 victory.

Kickoff for the North Carolina Central and Morgan State games will be 7:00 p.m. The contest against Edward Waters is Homecoming and will start- at 2:00 p.m. while the Bethune-Cookman game is slated to begin at 5:00 p.m.

Other road games include Howard (Sept. 29), Florida A&M (Oct. 13), Hampton (Oct. 27), Norfolk State (Nov. 3) and South Carolina State (Nov. 17).

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contests are North Carolina Central, Howard, Morgan State, Florida A&M, Hampton, Norfolk State and South Carolina State.

Coming off a 1-10 season, the Tigers are entering their second season in the MEAC and are looking for their first winning season since 1998.

View Full Schedule (Click Here)



Template for success: SSU's football team sees model in men's hoops squad

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The success of the Savannah State men’s basketball team in winning the MEAC regular-season championship and playing in the NIT could have some unexpected side benefits for other Tiger teams.

“I know we can win in the MEAC because we beat North Carolina Central,” rising junior quarterback Antonio Bostick said following SSU’s first day of spring football practice. “That was the most memorable win I’ve been a part of, and then after going to the arena and watching what the basketball team did, the only thing I can think is, ‘Why not us?’

“What they did was amazing to watch,” Bostick said. “It was great to go with my teammates and the teams from our other sports and support the basketball team.

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Arkansas-Pine Bluff sets 2012 schedule

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -/- Arkansas Pine-Bluff will open its 2012 football season against Langston in the Delta Classic 4 Literarcy and play four home games as part of an 11-game schedule.

The Delta Classic will be played on Sept. 1 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The Golden Lions will return home to play Alabama A&M in their SWAC opener on Sept. 8.

They will face Jackson State (Oct. 6), Mississippi Valley State (Oct. 27, Homecoming) and Prairie View A&M (Nov. 17) in their other home games.

UAPB also will go on the road to face Alcorn State (Sept. 15), Alabama State (Sept. 22), Tennessee State (Sept. 29), Southern (Oct. 20), Texas Southern (Nov. 3) and Grambling State (Nov. 10).

Last year, the Golden Lions finished with a 6-5 record, including 5-4 in the SWAC, under coach Monte Coleman.



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Xavier's Iles, Hall earn NAIA All-America honorable mention

KELDRA HALL
Xavier Gold Nuggets

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana basketball players Chris Iles and Keldra Hall received honorable mention on the NAIA Division I All-America teams announced Wednesday.



Iles, a 5-foot-11 senior point guard from Houston and a graduate of Alief Hastings High School, led the Gold Rush with 9.9 points per game, 4.0 assists per game, 55 made 3-pointers and a .433 3-point field-goal percentage. He ranked 14th in NAIA Division I in 3-point field-goal accuracy, and his percentage is the fifth best in a season in Xavier history.

Hall, a 6-foot senior center from Dallas and a graduate of Angelina College and Molina High School, averaged 9.7 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Gold Nuggets and had a team-leading .504 field-goal percentage and 22 blocked shots. She had three consecutive double-doubles over five days, all on the road in early January, and amassed 54 points and 44 rebounds in just 60 minutes. Her 17 rebounds in a 60-59 victory at then-NAIA No. 18 Shorter were the most in a game by an XU female since the start of the 2003-04 season.


CHRIS ILES
Xavier Gold Rush



The XU men finished 23-9, shared the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship, qualified for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship and ranked 21st in the coaches poll of March 7. The XU women finished 26-9, won GCAC regular-season and tournament championships, reached the national tournament and ranked 18th in the coaches poll.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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UAPB's Shelton resigns as head women's basketball coach

LONZA HARDY JR.
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
AT PINE BLUFF

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas - The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has announced the resignation of head women's basketball coach Cary Shelton, effective at the conclusion of his contract on June 30, 2012.

Shelton held the position for three years, compiling a cumulative record of 10-79. His best season came in 2008-09, when the Lady Lions were 8-22.

Prior to being tabbed as head women's basketball coach, Shelton served as an assistant coach with the women's basketball program.

“We appreciate the work that Coach Shelton did in attempting to elevate our women's basketball program,” said Lonza Hardy Jr., UAPB's Director of Athletics. “We all wish him the very best in all of his future endeavors.

Our plan now is to launch a national search for a replacement who can come in and have an immediate positive impact on our program.”

Hardy said he plans to immediately begin evaluating applications as soon as they begin to come in and to select a new coach at the appropriate time.

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Spring Football Update: TSU Picks Up Tempo on Day 3

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The third day of practice was a lot better for Coach Rod Reed and the Tennessee State football team. The Tigers completed 24 periods and went full pads for the first time during the spring.

"Today we wanted to stress high tempo," said Reed in his third year at the helm of TSU football. "We still had a few drops, but I am excited because we made some big plays and moved the ball better today."



Coach Reed was particularly impressed by his wide receiver corps that made some big catches from the arm of redshirt sophomore gun slinger Michael German.

"Our wide receivers caught the ball much better today," Reed noted. "Joshawn Bowens has been a bright spot so far this spring. Our tight ends also did a great job and Michael German was very sharp with his passes."

TSU hosts its annual pro day Friday, which is closed to the public. A scrimmage takes place Saturday with a 9 a.m. start time. All practices and scrimmages are free and open to the public.

UPCOMING SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 23 - Pro Day (closed to the public)
Saturday, March 24 - Scrimmage - 9 a.m.
Monday, March 26 - 4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 28 - 4 p.m.

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XU's Taylor wins GCAC-record fifth award in two seasons

ZACH TAYLOR
XAVIER GOLD RUSH TENNIS

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — For the fifth time in two years — a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference record — and the second time this season, Xavier University of Louisiana's Zach Taylor is the GCAC Player of the Week in the men's tennis.

Taylor, a senior from Monroe, La., and a graduate of St. Frederick High School and Ventura College, earned the award for March 12-18 after being the only XU player to go 2-0 in singles and 2-0 in doubles. The Gold Rush lost 5-4 to NCAA Division I member Nicholls State and defeated city rival Loyola 9-0.

Taylor and Loic Didavi, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's No. 3 NAIA doubles team, won 11 of their past 12 matches. Taylor, ranked 17th in singles, won 10 of his past 12 matches.

Taylor broke a tie with former teammate Hassan Abbas, now an XU student assistant coach, for most conference awards in a career. This is the fourth year that the GCAC has bestowed weekly tennis honors.

The Xavier men and women will play nationally ranked Auburn Montgomery at 4 p.m. Saturday at the University of New Orleans in the final home match for Taylor and three other seniors: Steffen Giles-Osborn and Sean Richardson on the men's team and Ashley McGill on the women's.

All four teams are in the NAIA top 25. The Gold Rush are ninth, and the Gold Nuggets are 24th; AUM's men are fifth, and the women are first.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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5 questions the Tigers must answer

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Five quarterbacks are set to battle this spring for the job held by Casey Therriault, the most prolific QB in JSU history.

The Tigers return 16 of 22 starters but without a capable QB JSU might find itself reliving the 3-7 season of 2009. Long-time backup Dedric McDonald, junior Mark Thigpen, sophomore Tevin Chapman and walk-ons Drew Jackson and Termarcus Conner (East Mississippi CC transfer) will vie for the gig. Come fall practice, Lamontiez Ivy, a three-star rated signee from Illinois is expected to join the mix.

Who is the starting QB?

The Air Raid is expected to make its return to JSU for Year 3 but this year it will be without offensive coordinator Earnest Wilson, who brought the offense to Jackson in 2010 but now coaches at Hampton.

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Grambling women's basketball coach Donnita Rogers let go

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State women's basketball coach Donnita Rogers has been let go, which was confirmed by GSU spokeswoman Debra Johnson. Johnson didn't comment when asked about details of Rogers' dismissal.

Rogers coached four years at Grambling, finishing the 2011-12 season with a 15-15 record and 10-8 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (sixth in the league. Grambling had winning records in the SWAC for the last three seasons under Rogers, going 10-8 in both 2010-11 and 2009-10.

Rogers overall record over four seasons was 51-67, 36-36 in the SWAC. In the four previous seasons before Rogers, Grambling posted a 41-75 mark and a 28-43 conference record.

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B-CU's QB Matt Johnson signs with Saskatchewan Roughriders

QB MATT JOHNSON

Regina, Saskatchewan Canada -- The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced today that they have agreed to terms with import quarterbacks Levi Brown and Matt Johnson. Financial details were not released.

Johnson (5’9 – 168 lbs) appeared in 32 games over four seasons at Bethune-Cookman throwing for a total of 3,283 yards on 243 completions as well as 18 TD’s. As a senior, Johnson led the Wildcats to a program-best 10-2 record and a share of the 2010 MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Championship.

The 2010 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year led the conference in total offense (2,753 total yards) and completion percentage (65.1%). He also ranked second in the MEAC and FCS in passing efficiency (152.5) and sixth in the MEAC in scoring touchdowns (20). The 24-year-old signed as a free agent with the B.C. Lions in 2011 and went on to attend training camp with the team.

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Wiley on field as S.C. State begins spring practice

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina - The start of spring offered plenty of excitement for the South Carolina State football team Tuesday night at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

It was evident in the eyes and actions of quarterback Derrick Wiley. For the first time since tearing his meniscus five months ago, the rising senior was running, throwing and making plays on the field again.

“I’m happy to be back,” Wiley said. “For the first time, I’m excited. Very excited. Right now, I’m back at Square One. Taking mental reps. Taking it one day at a time with the knee. I’m still rehabbing. So I’m looking to move forward.”

Bulldogs’ head coach Buddy Pough also sensed a high level of enthusiasm despite coming off a 2011 in which his team failed to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and reach the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the first time in four years.

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Five questions facing the Bulldogs as spring practice begins

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina - The arrival of spring today ushers in the return of football in Orangeburg at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

At 8 p.m. tonight, South Carolina State will hold the first of 15 spring practice in preparation for the 2012 season. Coming off a 7-4 season and a second-place finish in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference behind Norfolk State, the Bulldogs look to rebound from a season marked by inconsistency, injuries and an influx of new talent.

“We want to work hard this spring to get better and smarter,” S.C. State head football coach Buddy Pough said. “A big part of this spring will be improving our short-yardage and goal-line offense. We need to figure out how to get our fullbacks and tight ends going, get them more involved in our offense.

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ASU Hornets step up to the Challenge

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Alabama State officials have not finalized the Hornets’ 2012 football schedule, but they have contracted to play the season opener against Bethune-Cookman in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge on Labor Day weekend.

ASU athletic director Stacy Danley and Southwestern Athletic Conference commissioner Duer Sharp had discussed the possibility of the Hornets playing in the Sept. 2 game, but continued to explore options with several Football Bowl Subdivision teams while awaiting a deal.

Now the signed contract with Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference power Bethune-Cookman and a nine-game conference schedule leaves only the 11th game open. Alabama State and Tuskegee officials continue to negotiate details of a renewal of the Turkey Day Classic.

While at least four SWAC schools will use their open date to play FBS schools, the Hornets finally opted for...

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WSSU Announces Restructuring of Athletics Program

March 21, 2012

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) today announced that it was restructuring its athletics program as part of its strategic plan to be more competitive at a national level.

“We are more aggressively striving to elevate our sports programs to a higher level of regional and national success,” said Bill Hayes, athletics director. “We cannot, however, develop and sustain a consistently high caliber program within our current budget. Therefore, we have made the decision to reallocate funds currently supporting three of our athletic teams to provide more financial support for our remaining program.”

Effective August 2012, WSSU will eliminate its men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field, and men’s golf teams. The change will impact one coach and 13 scholarship-supported student-athletes.

“The university will request that the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) provide a waiver to the effected students that would enable them transfer to other conferences without facing any penalties,” Hayes said. “In addition to supporting students who want to find a new sports home, we have committed to providing financial support to any of the students who stay with us for the next academic year.”

Even with the reduction of the three teams, WSSU athletics will still be above the minimum number of sports required for NCAA Division II and CIAA membership. The elimination of these men’s teams will also improve the gender equity of the overall program.

“We have been trying to support 16 sports when the NCAA only requires that we field 10 teams,” Hayes explained. “If we want to be a DII national contender, then we need to focus our efforts on getting better at the things we do best.”

We believe that we can be successful at a higher level both regionally and nationally if we have fewer teams. Our recent performances have proven that we can compete on a regional basis in women’s track and field, women and men’s tennis, softball, volleyball and baseball. We also have begun to show that we can compete at the national level in DII football and, with additional resources, we believe we can strengthen that position and also improve our standing in women’s and men’s basketball as well as in the other sports.

“While this was a difficult decision because it does affect our students and our staff, the vision for Rams athletics continues to be to create and preserve an elite DII athletics program,” Hayes continued. “The additional resources that this restructuring will provide can make a difference in our ability to recruit the additional talent we need for our football and basketball teams. We also are focusing on additional fundraising efforts to support our efforts to renovate facilities, upgrade equipment and, most importantly, to see that our student-athletes meet our academic goals as well.”

By Kevin Manns

Assistant AD for Media Relations/Communications

Winston-Salem State University

VISIT: WSSURAMS.COM

Shaw downs Pittsburg State to advance

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Shaw battled back from an eight-point deficit in the second half to down Pittsburg State 61-58 and advance to the NCAA Division II semifinals for the second consecutive year in a game played Tuesday night at Bill Greehey Arena on the campus of St. Mary’s University.

The Lady Bears outscored the Gorillas 9-1 midway through the second half, and battled to build and hold onto a small lead as PSU found a hot shooting touch from beyond the arc.

Shaw (27-6) advances to the national semifinal where they will take on Rollins. Last season, the Lady Bears lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Clayton State 63-46. Pittsburg State finishes its season with a 27-6 mark.

The Lady Bears shot only 29 percent on the evening, but held the Gorillas to 35.1 percent and forced 20 PSU turnovers, compared to only 12 for Shaw. The Lady Bears scored 17 points off the miscues.

“Sometimes you have to win ugly,” said Shaw head coach Jacques Curtis. “This was the type of game we expected. At this level, everyone can play. This was two teams battling it out and not wanting to go home. Our girls just found a way to win.”

Shaw’s defense carried the game, holding the normally high-powered PSU offense – which averages 71.6 points per game – to only 58.

“Defense is our image,” said Shaw senior Kyria Buford. “I’m not the best at defense, but I do what I can. We do well in either 2-3 [zone] or man-to-man.”

The Lady Bears ran the risk of losing the game in the first half, trailing the Gorillas by eight, 27-19, with 2:39 remaining on the first half clock. Sparked both by five points from Aslea Williams and a defensive effort by Shaw substitute Shemieka Brown, the Lady Bears scored nine in a row to close out the half and take a one-point lead into the locker room.

Box Score Highlights

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Bordewick, Gorillas ousted by Shaw Lady Bears

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The best season in Pittsburg State women's history came to a disappointing end Tuesday night.

Despite a team-high 16 points from Topeka native Alexa Bordewick, the Gorillas dropped a 61-58 decision to Shaw in the Elite Eight at Bill Greehey Arena on the campus of St. Mary's University.

Aslea Williams scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Shaw (27-6) advanced to a national semifinal game against Rollins. Kyria Buford added 13 points for the Bears.

Shaw won despite shooting only 29 percent and trailing by eight with less than 13 minutes to play. The Bears relied on a strong defensive effort that forced 20 Pitt State turnovers and limited the Gorillas to 35 percent shooting.

"Sometimes you have to win ugly," Shaw coach Jacques Curtis said.

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TSU Netters Host Pair of Midweek Matches

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University's men's and women's tennis teams continue a three-match homestand with contests against Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday and Western Kentucky on Thursday afternoon at the TSU Tennis Complex.

Tuesday's Ohio Valley Conference match is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first serve, while Thursday's non-conference tilt is tabled for 3 p.m.

The netters dropped a season opener to Morehead State, as the men (0-1, 0-1 OVC) fell 5-0 and the women (0-1, 1-0 OVC) 4-0 to the Eagles.

Eastern Kentucky's men enter Tuesday's match with an 11-6 record (1-0 OVC), but fell last weekend to No. 7 Virginia, 7-0. Before that, EKU had won four straight including a 4-3 decision over Jacksonville State.

The Colonels women (8-5, 1-0 OVC) have dropped four of their last seven decisions. On March 11, EKU snagged a 7-0 shutout at Jacksonville State.

The Western Kentucky men are 4-6 this season victories in four out of their last five contests. The Hilltoppers knocked off Alabama A&M 6-1 on March 9 and return to the court for the first time in nearly two weeks.

WKU's women are off to a 7-3 record with wins in seven out of the last eight matches. WKU has won three straight with victories over North Alabama, Alabama-Huntsville and Alabama A&M.

After the conclusion of Thursday's match, the Tigers hit the road for a pair of matches at SIUE and Eastern Illinois. Results of this week's midweek matchups will be posted online at TSUTigers.com.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION