Southern U, Alcorn State game postponed due to weather

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Southern's mid-week contest at Alcorn State has been postponed due to weather.

At the present time, no specific rescheduled date has been determined. Today's postponement marks the fifth time this season the Lady Jaguars have cancelled or postponed a game due to weather.

Southern will host Southeastern La. Monday, April 9 at Lady Jaguar Field in a game which was originally scheduled for March 21.

For more news and information, visit http://www.gojagsports.com/.

Courtesy Southern University Athletic Media Relations

6:31 PM Update: Howard University investigating possible NCAA violations

Excerpt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Howard University said Wednesday that it is conducting an internal investigation into possible NCAA violations committed by its athletic department.

In an e-mail, school spokeswoman Kerry-Ann Hamilton said the school has “temporarily withheld a number of student-athletes from competition as a self-imposed action. Most teams will compete as scheduled.”

According to a Howard softball player, the school is investigating the practice by which some of its student-athletes acquire their textbooks. The student said some athletes apparently were pocketing the difference between the cost of their textbooks and their textbook allowance. 

The softball player and a former Howard football player, who both requested anonymity so they could speak freely without fear of repercussion, said this was a common practice for all of the school’s athletic teams.

“It’s been going on for a long time,” the softball player said. “A good majority of the athletes were taking advantage of this. There were some people who were saving the money. They didn’t spend it. Or some would go buy frivolous things, nothing that relates to school. Some people bought books and other school supplies.”

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Note:  Most NCAA revenue comes from a 14-year, $10.8 billion agreement with Turner Broadcasting and CBS Sports for rights to the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Projected NCAA revenue for 2011-12 is $777 million, $700 million of which (90 percent) is projected to come from media rights payments 

And these opportunistic business men and women are concerned about a poor University student-athlete getting $40 - $100 bucks to pay for school supplies, clothes or a few dollars to order a pizza.  Give me a break for crying out loud.  Change the rule and pay all NCAA players a stipend beyond their normal school scholarship expenses.  Then you won't have to worry about these silly rules that keep the players broke during their entire college careers. 

As my kids remind me monthly, there are no life lessons to learn in being broke hundreds of miles away from home at college with an empty debit card.  The heck with Kiplinger and his six principles of being broke.

(beepbeep)

Howard University Suspends Entire Athletic Department Over NCAA Violations, According To Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Howard University Bison, for the time being, are no more, according to a Washington City Paper report by Shani Hilton and Maya Rhodan, which cites a university spokesperson. According to the report, there appears to be some sort of a NCAA violation involved.

The statement:  "It is with great regret that we have temporarily suspended intercollegiate athletic competition. This is a self-imposed action while the University conducts a review. We are working quickly to resolve this issue."

Howard is a private school in Washington D.C. with an enrollment of about 10,000. Its teams compete in the MEAC, with three black college national championships in football among their achievements.

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Rutgers could need new football opponent after Howard 'temporarily suspends' athletics program

PISCATAWAY, New Jersey  -  Rutgers' Sept. 8 home football opener could be in jeopardy after Howard University, the Knights' scheduled opponent that day, "temporarily suspended" all sports for a possible violation of NCAA rules, the Washington City Paper reported today.

A Rutgers spokesman said the school is in the process of gathering more information before deciding whether to pursue a replacement opponent, which would almost certainly be another Football Championship Subdivision school if it comes to that.

Because the suspension is temporary there's the hope from Rutgers' standpoint that the situation will be resolved before the fall and that the game will go on as scheduled.

Athletic director Tim Pernetti was not immediately available for comment.

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FAMU's famed Marching 100 band may miss football season

TALLAHASSEE — Florida A&M University is making plans in case the famed Marching 100 band is not available during the fall football season.

FAMU trustees heard a lengthy presentation on Wednesday about a more than $1 million deficit in the school’s athletic program. It was during that discussion that FAMU officials acknowledged that they are looking at offering other entertainment in case the popular band remains on suspension.

FAMU President James Ammons suspended the band in the wake of the death of FAMU death major Robert Champion last November. He died following what police said was hazing while the band was in Orlando.

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FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY RATTLERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 2012

Sept. 1, at Tennessee State, "Big" John Merritt Classic, Nashville, TN
Sept. 8, at University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Sept. 15, Hampton,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL#
Sept. 22, at Delaware State,* Dover, DE
Sept. 29, at Southern, Atlanta Football Classic, Atlanta, GA%
Oct. 6, at Howard, * Washington, D.C.
Oct. 13, Savannah State* (Homecoming), Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL*
Oct. 20, South Carolina State,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Nov. 3, at North Carolina A&T,* Greensboro, NC
Nov. 10, North Carolina Central,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL$
Nov. 17, Bethune-Cookman, at Florida Classic, Orlando, FL+

Key:

# Hall of Fame Weekend
% Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic
* Homecoming
$ Prince Hall Shriner's Diabetes Classic/Community Day
+Blue Cross/Blue Shield Florida Classic
Games Times to be announced when confirmed.

Season Tickets Prices
$60 General Admission (Limited Quantity
$75 - Reserved
$100 Chair Back Box Seating (Renewal Only)
$125 - Reserved Basketball Included
$150 - Chair Back Box Seating with Basketball Included (Renewal Only)

For ticket information, please call (850) 599-3141

Rattler Booster packages are available now by calling their office at (850) 224-6093. For more information on the Rattler Boosters, please visit TheRattlerBoosters.com.

Don't forget, if you can't make it to a home game, you can sign up to Rattler Vision, where you can watch the game streamed to your laptop or home computer. To sign up to Rattler Vision, go to FAMUAthletics.com.

One Florida teacher gets all his kids to graduate

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida - (CBS News) -- If you worry about the future of our kids, listen to the story of Miramar High School. Miramar was one of the worst schools in Florida, but in 10 years, with a new administration and dedicated teachers, it's now among the best. Leading the way is Alvin A. Davis, the band director, who is now a finalist for National Teacher of the Year.

CBS News correspondent Byron Pitts reports that Davis is more than the music teacher and band director. He's old-school, no-nonsense, and an inspiration.

"I see every report card. I see every interim, and if the grades aren't up to par, they're gonna take a break from being in my program," Davis said.

Davis' program was key to Miramar High's turn around. The band grew from 40 students to 150 and became the pride of the school. Ninety-percent of Miramar students graduate, but nobody beats the band. For four years in a row, 100 percent of the band has graduated and gone on to college. Davis said his kids would probably describe him as "rough."

"His number one priority and goal is to get all of us to college," said Sandra Romero, a member of the band.



Davis doesn't just get kids to college, he keeps them there. Andrew Wan is one of Davis' former students. Like Davis, Wan enrolled at Florida A&M University and joined the famous MARCHING 100 band. When college got tough Wan wanted out.

"He said it so simply: 'If you quit band now and you come back home, what are you gonna do?'" Wan said.

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Miramar High School (Florida) teacher Alvin Davis named finalist for nation’s top educator

Miramar High School Director of Bands
 Alvin A. Davis is a finalist for
 the 2012 National Teacher of the Year.
The Chicago native and Florida A&M
University graduate is Broward County
and Florida's Teacher of the Year.

(Photo Courtesy: Broward County

School District)

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/19/2597433/miramar-high-school-teacher-alvin.html#storylink=cpy

MIRAMAR, Florida - He’s already been named top teacher in Broward County and Florida for 2011, but now Miramar High School music teacher Alvin Davis is in the running for National Teacher of the Year.

On Thursday, the Council of Chief State School Officers announced their four finalists for the nation’s top K-12 educator — including Davis who has taught music for the past 11 years.

“Alvin is a competent and passionate educator who makes sure his students have every chance for success,” Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson wrote in a press statement. “He knows that teachers are the most influential factor in a student’s academic accomplishments and I am honored to congratulate him for this nomination.”

As band director, Davis requires a one-hour study hall for all band members, and also pairs students with mentors to track their academic progress. Before Seniors even think about performing in the band, they must show Davis proof that they’ve applied to college and have registered to take their college entrance exams.

As Florida’s Teacher of the Year, Davis also serves as the state’s Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education, visiting schools throughout Florida to speak on education issues.

Davis’s competition for the national prize includes the teachers of the year for Alabama, California, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

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FAMU linebacker Brandon Hepburn puts his passion into research

BRANDON HEPBURN
SENIOR, BIOCHEMISTRY MAJOR
6'-4"/235 LINEBACKER
HOMETOWN: POMONA, NEW YORK
POMONA HIGH SCHOOL

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- At the end of almost every workout since spring practice began two weeks ago, Florida A&M linebacker Brandon Hepburn gathers the defensive unit, his voice bellowing over the circle of helmets.

Seldom does his talk last more than a few minutes, but it's important, he insists.

"I'm a high-intensity guy," he said. "I know a lot of times people get into a monotonous rut. As a leader, it's my responsibility to make sure that my teammates are prepared to play. I do my best to encourage them through the intensity to get them super-charged."

He has the same attitude when it comes to his studies in biochemistry. Hepburn was just as wired last week when he presented the results of his findings for a cure for cancer to an international audience at the American Chemical Society conference in San Diego, California.

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TSU Spring Football Update: Coach Roberts Talks Defense

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University football completed another practice on Monday afternoon. The Tigers are midway through the spring calendar and conclude next week with the Blue-White Spring Game on Saturday, April 14.

TSUTigers.com sat down with Co-Defensive Coordinator Justin Roberts to talk about the Tigers' progression on defense. Coach Roberts highlighted some of the focus for the Tigers, while addressing the absences of OVC Defensive Player of the Year Rico Council, HBCU All-American Jospeh Wylie, linebacker John Jones and stalwart lineman Donte'e Nicholls.

TSU practices again on Wednesday at 4 p.m. and scrimmages Saturday at 9:15 a.m. at Hale Stadium.



Next week provides a full slate of activities for Big Blue fans. The Tigers host the annual Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Celebrity Slam Jam on Friday, April 13 at 7 p.m. The TSU Legends football game with Vanderbilt takes place Saturday, April 14 at 1 p.m. followed by the Blue-White Spring game at 3:30 p.m.

UPCOMING SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, April 4 - 4 p.m.
Saturday, April 7 - 9:15 a.m.
Monday, April 9 - 4 p.m.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU Gold Rush defeat seventh-ranked Point Loma Nazarene

SAN DIEGO, California — Loic Didavi defeated Tyler Bowman 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 Monday to clinch a 5-4 NAIA men's tennis victory for ninth-ranked Xavier University of Louisiana against No. 7 Point Loma Nazarene.

Point Loma's sixth-ranked women defeated No. 24 Xavier 8-1, but XU's Kourtney Howell defeated Maika Adair 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 7-5 in a matchup of ranked singles players.

The Gold Rush (11-4) won for the seventh time in nine duals this season against ranked opponents and beat a seventh-ranked team for the second consecutive year. The XU men have two victories this season against top-10 teams.

Didavi's victory gave Xavier a 5-2 lead. The Gold Rush won all three doubles matches, two against ranked teams.

The other Xavier singles victory came from Amir Rahbar, who is 5-0 in three-set matches this spring after his 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 decision against Diego Tavera to give the Rush a 4-2 lead.

Didavi and Zach Taylor completed the doubles sweep with their 8-5 victory against Bowman and Gregory De Andrade. It was Didavi and Taylor's sixth consecutive victory and their 13th in 14 matches this spring. Including fall tournaments, Didavi and Taylor are 20-3.

Viktor Svoboda and Corey Huggins scored XU's first point with an 8-0 decision against Andrew Combs and Kaptan Kaster, then Steffen Giles-Osborn and Sean Richardson won 8-4 against Angel Tavera and KC Ensley.

Chad Rubin ended the 10-match singles win streak of XU's Sean Richardson with a 6-3, 6-1 decision at the sixth flight.

"This was a hard-fought match," XU coach Alan Green said, "and a great start for us in doubles."

Howell's victory was her third of the season against a ranked singles player. Freshman teammate Amanda Materre also went three sets but lost 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to Jessica Kwan at No. 2.

Wileen Chiu improved to 13-0 in singles this semester with her 6-0, 6-0 victory against the Gold Nuggets' Jordyn Goody at No. 5.

Point Loma's men are 9-7, and its women are 11-5. Xavier's women are 3-17, 1-7 against ranked teams.

This was the first of four consecutive days that both XU teams play ranked teams in California. They'll travel to Santa Barbara on Tuesday to play Westmont's 10th-ranked men and 21st-ranked women at 2 p.m. PDT.

Results: Men Women

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

GSU still in second after PVAMU victory Sunday

Prairie View, Texas -- Grambling had an opportunity to move into a first-place tie in the Southwestern Athletic Conference's West Division with a win in Sunday's series finale.

But Prairie View A&M quickly put an end to that thought en route to a 10-4 victory at Grambling, winning the series at GSU two games to one. The Panthers (18-10, 9-2 SWAC) retain the top spot in the SWAC West while Grambling (14-11, 8-4) remains in second place.

Prairie View outhit Grambling 14-5 in the win. Grambling's Joel Deleon gets the loss with four earned runs in five innings.

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SSU's Broadnax receives inaugural John McLendon Award

HORACE BROADNAX
HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Savannah State men’s basketball coach Horace Broadnax received the inaugural John McLendon National Coach of the Year Award at the CollegeInsider.com awards banquet in New Orleans. The award will be presented annually to the top collegiate head coach. The award encompasses Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO.

Broadnax, one of 15 finalists, won the award after leading Savannah State to a 21-12 record and winning the regular-season Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title in SSU’s first year in the conference with a 14-2 record.

In addition to this award, Broadnax was also tabbed the MEAC Coach of the Year for the 2011-12 season.

The former Georgetown point guard took over a program that went 0-28 during the 2004-05 and his teams have shown steady progress going from two wins during the 2005-06 season to 21 wins during the 2011-12 campaign.

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Stillman baseball stays perfect in SIAC

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama | The Stillman College baseball team erased a five-run deficit by scoring 10 in the bottom of the fifth inning en route to a 21-11 win over Paine College on Sunday.

Stillman (15-14, 12-0 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic COnference) has won 10 of 11. Paine (15-15, 7-5 SIAC) has lost three straight.

Stillman sent 14 batters to the plate in the fifth. Shortstop Kameron McCreless ripped a two-run double that hit off the top of the left field wall and third baseman Paul Winterbottom added a three-run triple that put the Tigers ahead to stay.

Paul Winterbottom went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and five RBIs. He had two triples and one double.

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TSU Men's golf prepares for Red Wolf Intercollegiate

JONESBORO, Arkansas - The Tennessee State University men's golf team will return to action on Monday, April 2 at the 16th annual ASU Red Wolf Intercollegiate.

The tournament, hosted by Arkansas State, will be played at the RidgePoint Country Club in Jonesboro, Ark., on Monday and Tuesday.

The field of 22 teams features OVC members Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Jacksonville State, Murray State, SIU Edwardsville, UT Martin and Tennessee State while the rest of the participating schools include host Arkansas State, UALR, Belmont, DePaul, Drake, Louisiana-Monroe, Meridan Community College, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Oklahoma City Univ., Oral Roberts, Southern Illinois, Texas-Pan American, Troy and Vanderbilt.

RidgePoint is a par-72 golf course that plays to 6,565 yards. Live scoring will be available for the tournament on golfstat.com. Rounds one and two are scheduled for Monday while the final round will be played on Tuesday.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

West Rowan's Laster signs with Livingstone

MOUNT ULLA, North Carolina — Most of Zay Laster’s friends had some advice for the West Rowan quarterback when he told them he was going to sign a football scholarship with Livingstone. “They told me, ‘Don’t go there. Don’t do this. Don’t do that,’ ” Laster smiled.

Laster has obviously been taught to listen to his elders, not his buddies. He took the advice of West coach Scott Young and the invitation of Livingstone coach Elvin James and decided, “This is what’s best for me and my family.”

So Laster, the 6-foot signal-caller is going to be taking his talents the 12 miles from Mount Ulla to Monroe Street. He’s going to be a Blue Bear. And he brings exactly what James’ team needs — an athletic quarterback with leadership skills and an ability to throw the ball downfield.

“Coach James came in and watched film,” Young said. “They just hired a new offensive coordinator and they like how Zay throws the deep ball. They’re going to give him a chance to play immediately.”

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FAMU's backs shine in scrimmage

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Piece by piece, Florida A&M coach Joe Taylor seems to be getting the kinks ironed out during spring football practice. Special teams personnel emerged last week and this week the confirmation came from the running backs.

While the statistics are unofficial, LaVante Page, Eddie Rocker, James Owens and even seldom-used Jordan Stanley combined for more than 150 yards rushing. Owens, Page and Stanley each scored once, the only touchdowns during Saturday's scrimmage.

Page alone ran for about 70 yards. He got 20 of those on consecutive runs during a series that featured quarterback Damien Fleming repeatedly handing off to one of the runners out of the backfield.

"Today we got hot and coach put ...

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Saint Augustine’s College announces name and status change

RALEIGH, North Carolina - The Saint Augustine's College Board of Trustees announced today (March 30, 2012) that the College is moving into a new phase as it joins peer institutions in moving to the status of University to become Saint Augustine's University (SAU) effective August 1, 2012. The change to university status aligns the College’s public identity with the structure and breadth of academic, athletic and student development programs currently being offered at Saint Augustine’s College.

"This isn't just a name change," states President Dianne Boardley Suber. "We're committed to changing the way we do business. Our guiding principle will continue to be the training of leaders and change agents. All of our curricula, student organizations and student life will have leadership training as its backdrop – the common thread that runs through and drives, all of our standing programs and new initiatives.

We've completely retrenched the general education core of courses for the freshman class of 2012. The new general education courses, which are required of all freshmen and sophomores, ensure that the content and objectives of all courses are relevant to the goal of retaining and graduating students who are prepared to compete and succeed in today’s challenging work force or graduate and professional level programs following their graduation.”

Saint Augustine’s University will expand its programs for nontraditional students to include students seeking a four year degree that includes online courses and expanding off-site access to campus programs. The University has established Centers of Excellence that will serve as the anchor programs of a Saint Augustine’s University degree.

The Center for Forensic Discovery (forensic science, forensic accounting, and forensic psychology) and the Center for Applied Medical Sciences are two signature academic programs that are expected to enhance and expand students’ marketability for a global workforce. The third Center of Excellence will be the Center for Athletic Facilities and Sports Management. This center affords students a unique concentration in the operational and administration aspects in the world of professional, collegiate and leisure sports. Graduates from this center would have the competitive advantage to secure positions in the “front office.”

An additional center of excellence being considered is the Center for Athletic Scholarship. “The University will focus on being NCAA championship contenders while continuing to raise the four-year graduation rates of student athletes,” says President Dianne Boardley Suber.

The University will move towards offering its first master's degree program as early as 2014. The Physician Assistant (PA) Master’s Degree Program will focus on training PAs for rural and other underserved communities.

While the complete branding package is still under development, preparations for the name change will begin next month. Full implementation will take place this summer including the launch of a new Saint Augustine’s University web site and revised materials for new student orientation and prospective student events.

“When students return in the fall, we will officially be Saint Augustine’s University not only in name, but also in look and feel. There will be a full overhaul of paraphernalia in the bookstore and our presence throughout Raleigh and the country will be seen as Saint Augustine’s University. We’re very excited and look forward to sharing our new look with the world,” says Marc Newman, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Development.

DSU's Meagley Strikes Out Nine in 5-0 Shutout Over Hampton

Rachel Meagley
5-5 pitcher, Sophomore
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Courtesy Mike Baker

DOVER, Delaware  -  Sophomore  Rachel Meagley (Seattle, Wash.) continues to impress in her first season with the Delaware State University softball team as she struck out a career-high nine strikeouts to lead the Hornets to their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory of the season in a 5-0 win over Hampton University Saturday afternoon at the Hornets' Nest.

In addition to nine strikeouts, Meagley allowed just four hits and held a perfect game through the first two and two-thirds innings as she struck out the first seven batters and forced a pop up before senior Brooke Boykin singled back to the pitcher. Meagley got out of the inning by striking out the next batter.

Del State (11-11-1; 1-0) got on the board in the fourth inning as senior Tawny Reeger (Simi Valley, Calif.) doubled to right center to lead off the inning and fellow senior Casey Beighley (Los Angeles, Calif.) followed up with a two-run home run to left field. Freshman Bria Green (Wheatley Heights, N.Y.) then singled through the left side and advanced to second on a passed ball with senior Rachel Carroll (Oxard, Calif.) at bat. Carroll continued the onslaught with an RBI double to right field to score Green

Carroll moved to third on a groundout from freshman Kelsey Doherty (Harbeson, Del.) and eventually scored the fourth run of the game for the Hornets on a wild pitch from Hampton freshman Jailynn Jackson before the end of the inning.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Green singled to third base as sophomore Stephanie Martello (Oxnard, Calif.) scored to give DSU a 5-0 lead. The Hornets had the opportunity to end the game in the fifth via the mercy-rule, but recorded three straight outs to leave three runners stranded.

The Lady Pirates (13-21; 2-2) posed a threat in the top of the seventh inning as junior Carla Trimble walked to lead off the frame. Sophomore Margaret Wilkins reached on an error by Carroll, the shortstop, before junior Nina Ferguson walked to load the bases.

DSU head coach brought in sophomore Stephanie Sarris (Rohnert Park, Calif.) in relief and she immediately struck out junior Kelsei Saunders to end the game.

Beighley and Green led the Hornets from the plate, each going 2-for-3 on the day.

The Hornets and Lady Pirates wrap up their weekend series on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at noon at the Hornets' Nest. Live stats can be found via www.DSUHornets.com and also www.twitter.com/DelStSB

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

FAMU baseball drops doubleheader to NCCU

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Florida A&M baseball coach Willie Brown almost came up with the right moves Saturday in an attempt to avoid dropping a doubleheader to North Carolina Central at Moore-Kittles Field.

Starting with a lineup shuffle to start the second game, Brown seemed to have the right personnel in the right place for the Rattlers to force an extra inning of the seven-inning game. But the Eagles mounted a six-run rally to beat FAMU 8-3 and sweep a MEAC doubleheader.

The Eagles took the first game 18-3, pounding out 18 hits. The doubleheader win was a first for NCCU against the Rattlers since the 2006 season. The loss was FAMU's sixth in a row, dropping the Rattlers to 3-5 in the MEAC and 7-22. Eagles improved to 5-6 in the league and 5-25 overall.

FAMU had never lost two consecutive games to the Eagles on its home field. Brown was attempting to avoid that when he made wholesale changes to the lineup that started the first game.

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Spring Football Update: TSU Holds Another Scrimmage

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University football held its' second scrimmage on Saturday morning at Hale Stadium.

Third year head coach Rod Reed thought the Tigers showed significant improvement from last weekend's scrimmage.

“I thought we played hard, competed and showed improvement,” noted Reed. “Offensively, we moved the ball well, but we stalled in the red zone. Defensively, we have to be much better against the run, but we did stand strong in the red zone.”

Tennessee State was solid in special teams as junior Jamin Godfrey knocked in four-of-five field goal attempts – his longest from 40 yards out.

The Big Blue returns to the gridiron on Monday/Wednesday with 4pm practices before participating in its' final scrimmage next Saturday, April 7.

During the week of the University's Centennial Celebration, TSU hosts the second annual Domnique-Rodgers Cromartie Celebrity Slam Jam on Friday, April 13 at 7pm.

The Tigers then host a Legends game against Vanderbilt on Saturday, April 14 at 1pm with the Blue-White game following approximately at 3:30pm.

UPCOMING SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Monday, April 2 - 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 4 - 4 p.m.
Saturday, April 7 – TBD

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

ASU Freshman Turning Heads on the Field

ALBANY, Georgia - It's track time for the Albany State “Running Rams”. ASU hosts the Alice Coachman Invitational Saturday, but the early focus for the ASU team has been with the field events.

Only five meets in to her college career, freshman CreeAnn Perkins is throwing the discus and shot put with the best in the nation. Perkins has placed first in both events three times netting SIAC Athlete of the Week awards in the process.

At the Morehouse Relays, Perkins earned a seventh place national ranking for a discus throw of 43.57m. Whether Perkins was expecting it or not, success has come quickly for the Golden Ram freshman. “I thought I would have to work harder to get it and it kind of came a little bit easier,” Perkins said. “I was just like "whoa, I'm getting all of this…I’m getting first and breaking records."

Perkins’ teammates are starting to take notice, but it’s not all about her performance on the field.

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SU Board approves Broussard as Athletics Director

Dr. William Broussard
Director of Athletics
SOUTHERN UNVERSITY

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana - After a two-week wait following the Athletics Committee of the Southern University Board of Supervisors approval, Dr. William Broussard is officially a member of the 'Jaguar Nation'.

The Southern University Board of Supervisors approved Broussard to become its new director of athletics Thursday by a vote of 15-0 during its March board meeting.

Broussard will assume his post at the helm of the athletics departments at Southern Monday, April 1. He anticipates working intensely to rectify the current trends involving three critical areas, including Southern's APR scores, which will be released to the public in April.

"The way that you go about addressing (APR issues) is your assessment has to be thorough," said Broussard. "Sometimes numbers don’t give you the full picture so you have to spend time looking at the data but also spend some time talking with coaches, student-athletes, and staff about what we are doing in those areas to help our student-athletes achieve success."

At the recommendation of SUBR Chancellor Dr. James Llorens, the Crowley, La. native was introduced to the board's athletics commitee chaired by attorney Patrick McGee during a March 15 special session held on the Baton Rouge campus.

Before Broussard's appointment became official, a final vote of the board was required in Shreveport. Board member and attorney Warren A. Forstall was not present at today's meeting but voted in favor of Broussard at the March 15 special session and offered a ringing endorsement of the prospective hire.
Highly regarded as a visionary with superb fundraising capabilities, Broussard delivers a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new post as Southern University's Director of Athletics.

Broussard's versatility is derived from a variety of administrative, athletic, and academic experiences garnered throughout his career and will be instrumental in his supervision of five men's and eight women's Division I programs at Southern.

His hire comes after 11-months of intense searching and the board's rebuttal of one finalist who was amongst two other finalists identified by a search committee.

Following his unanimous approval by the athletics committee, Broussard stated his most important task will be "to cultivate relationships, learn about the student-athletes who are here, the coaches who are here and their concerns, spend some time reviewing policies and procedure and ensuring that those are properly lined up so that the program performs adequately and excellently."

Broussard, 33, recently served as athletics director at Centenary College in Shreveport and cited NCAA rules compliance, academic performance and "institutional advancement" as areas he deemed vital to the success of the athletics department during his tenure.

"We want to reach the point where Southern is a flagship of the SWAC and a beacon for all historically black colleges and university athletic departments," said Broussard.

"We must identify private donors, corporate sponsors, alumni, friends of the university and supporters of the athletic program who want to help us continue to expand what we offer to student athletes and ensure that they have the best athletic experience and the best student experience they could possible have."

A 2000 graduate of the Louisiana Scholars' College at Northwestern State University, Broussard earned a master's and doctorate in Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of the English Language in 2007 from the University of Arizona. While in graduate school, he served as an undergraduate instructor, research supervisor, and held positions in athletics and student life. He also gained academic experienced as a faculty member at Pima community College in Tuscon.

Broussard, a graduate of Crowley High School, returned home to Louisiana and his alma mater to serve as Associate Athletic Director for External Relations as well as the Executive Director of the NSU Athletic Association.

In these roles, he oversaw all areas of athletic fundraising and external relations, breaking university records for attainment, annual fund, and corporate sponsorships. He garnered the largest gifts in the history of the department as well as the university as a whole. In addition, he worked closely with several sports, managing football game operations and coordinating schedules and contracts. He also served as the department's ambassador at campus events and on a wide variety of committees and working groups.

Concurrently with his work in the athletic department, Broussard worked closely with students on an academic level. He served as an assistant professor first in the journalism department and later in the language and communication department, teaching several traditional and online courses. In this role, he volunteered as a faculty advisory for the National Association of Black Journalists as well as NSU's Student Alumni Association.

During his two-year stint at Northwestern St., Broussard was an active leader in the community, serving on the Executive Board of the Boys and Girls Club and is a past president of the Natchitoches Lions Club. He also represented the NSU Athletic Department at regional and national conferences and the Southland Conference at the National Association of Athletic Development Directors conference.

As an undergraduate, Broussard was a varsity letter winner for NSU's Division I football team from 1997-2000. A two-time All-American center, Broussard was a member of the All-Conference, All-Louisiana, All-District teams and received several notable awards for his success both in the classroom and on the playing field.

Broussard, who is the son of Grambling State alums Wilfred and Elizabeth Broussard, is married to Kendra Broussard, also a Northwestern State alum and former volleyball student-athlete.

COURTESY: SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

O'Quinn Named Nation's Top Mid-Major Player, Wins Lou Henson Award

NORFOLK, Virginia – Norfolk State senior center Kyle O’Quinn added yet another impressive honor to his growing resume when he was named the winner of the 2012 Lou Henson Award as the nation’s top mid-major player on Wednesday evening.

The award – named in honor of former Illinois and New Mexico head coach Lou Henson – is awarded by CollegeInsider.com to the nation’s top player who does not compete in what are generally regarded as the country’s 10 best conferences: the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC, Conference USA, Mountain West, WAC and Atlantic 10. O’Quinn is the third winner of the award, following Butler’s Matt Howard in 2011 and Oakland’s Keith Benson in 2010.



O’Quinn won the award over an impressive field of 24 other athletes from around the country. Other finalists included AP All-American forward Doug McDermott of Creighton, center LaRon Dendy of Middle Tennessee State, and standout guards Isaiah Canaan of Murray State, Matthew Dellavedova of St. Mary’s and Casper Ware of Long Beach State.

The MEAC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Performer, O’Quinn averaged 15.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game while leading the Spartans to a 26-10 record, the program’s first-ever MEAC title and a second-round NCAA Tournament win over No. 2 seed Missouri.

O’Quinn will receive his award this Friday during Final Four festivities in New Orleans.

By Matt Michalec, Sports Information Director

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VISIT: NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

Xavier's Richardson selected GCAC Player of the Week

SEAN RICHARDSON

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Sean Richardson is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men's tennis for March 19-25.

Richardson, a senior from Ellenwood, Ga., and a graduate of Stockbridge High School, was the only Gold Rush player to win in singles and doubles against NAIA No. 5 Auburn Montgomery during a 6-3 dual-match home loss to the Warhawks on Saturday. Richardson's 6-4, 7-5 decision against Matias Dasso was his 10th consecutive victory in his past 11 singles matches

This is the third time that Richardson was won the GCAC's weekly award and the first time since his sophomore season. The Gold Rush have received four GCAC awards this season; Zach Taylor won it twice, and Viktor Svoboda won it once.

Both Xavier teams will compete Monday at Point Loma Nazarene in the first of four consecutive days of dual matches in California against ranked opponents. The XU men are No. 9 in the NAIA, and the women are 24th. The next top 25 polls will be announced Tuesday.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Shaw's Curtis wins national coach of year award

RALEIGH, North Carolina - Coach Jacques Curtis said it has been hard to get any work done around his office at Shaw University since the Bears won the NCAA Division II women’s basketball national championship. “The kids are always dropping by, wanting to talk and just enjoy it some more,” Curtis said. “We don’t talk about enjoying ‘the moment’ any more, we just talk about enjoying ‘it.’ ”

The “it” grew this week when Curtis was named the national Division II women’s coach of the year by Schelde North America and Women’s Division II Bulletin.  The award has helped keep Curtis, his staff, his team and the Shaw community in a celebratory mood. “We’re all on Cloud Nine,” he said.

Curtis said he was excited about the award, but stressed that it is much more of a coaching staff award than a head coaching award. He said assistants Jonas Richard, Ashante Timoll and Carl Hatchell deserved much of the credit.

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SUUC resurfacing completed as SU host SWAC Round Up

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - As Southern University women's tennis prepares to host the SWAC Tennis East-West Round-Up Friday, the perennial SWAC title contenders received a much needed facility upgrade in hopes of elevating the program to new heights.

Southern University University Courts underwent a month-long resurfacing project, which culminated with a dedication Tuesday afternoon. Interim Athletic Director Sandy Pugh, Coca-Cola Executive Ron Sutton and members of the 2012 tennis squad were on-hand to break in the new courts.

"When you get a facility upgrade, its definitely a plus. It helps you with your recruiting and it helps the girls be happy," said head tennis coach Jeff Conyers.

"It's been a long time. A lot of (former) Jaguars spent some good years on these courts. To finally please this group of ladies following behind (past SU tennis alumni) and to get the courts resurfaced is a great honor."

The project, which cost $22,000 dollars, included leveling the playing area of five of the seven SUUC courts before painting the courts a vibrant green and royal blue.

"Tennis has been incredible. These young ladies are 4.0 students, they graduate, they've excelled, they represent and they optimize what you want in a student-athlete. We're just really happy that we were able to find them and fund it to make this happen. To be apart of this wonderful," said interim athletics director Sandy Pugh.



The SUUC is among four Baton Rouge area courts that will host the two-day round robin tournament. All 10 SWAC programs are schedule to participate and Southern will play all of its games on the newly resurfaced playing area at the SUUC.

Here is a complete listing of games scheduled for the 2012 SWAC Round-Up:

March 30th
9:00 a.m.
Alabama A&M vs. Jackson State - IPTC
Southern vs. Mississippi Valley - SUUC
Grambling vs. U of Arkansas Pine Bluff - GPTC
U of Arkansas Pine Bluff vs. Alabama A&M - HPTC

2:00 p.m.
Jackson State vs. Alcorn - IPTC
Grambling vs. Prairie View - SUUC
Mississippi Valley vs Alabama State - GPTC
U of Arkansas Pine Bluff vs Alabama A&M - HPTC

5:00 p.m.
Southern vs. Alabama State

March 31st
9:00 a.m.
Alabama A&M vs. Grambling - GPTC
Prairie View vs. Southern - SUUC
Alabama State vs. Jackson State - HPTC
Mississippi Valley vs. U of Arkansas Pine Bluff - IPTC

2:00 p.m.
Alabama A&M vs Mississippi Valley - GPTC
Alcorn vs. Alabama State - IPTC
U of Arkansas Pine Bluff vs Prairie View - HPTC
Southern vs. Jackson State - SUUC

5:00 p.m.
Grambling vs. Alcorn - SUUC

Highland Park Tennis Center - HPTC
Independence Park Tennis Center - IPTC
Greenwood Park Tennis Center - GPTC
Southern University Univertsity Courts - SUUC

Courtesy: Britany Brown, Media Relations Student Assistant
SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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VISIT: GOJAGSPORTS.COM

UMES earns trip to ninth straight NCAA Championship

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - The NCAA Women's Bowling Committee announced the eight-team field that will compete for the 2012 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship today. The field includes the 2011 NCAA Champions, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) who will make their ninth straight trip to the event.

"Now we have to work harder," said Interim Head Coach Kristina Frahm, who won a title as a player in 2008 and 2011. "It's always an honor to attend but we plan to do more than that, we plan on defending our championship."

The field is made up of eight at-large selections that include Central Missouri and Nebraska. The pair, along with UMES, are the only three teams in the nation to make each of the nine championships the NCAA has sponsored since 2004.

The other teams attending include Arkansas State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Sacred Heart, Valparaiso and Vanderbilt.

All of the National Champions to date are represented in the field.

Nebraska won back to back titles in 2004 and 2005 and again in 2009. FDU won in 2006 and 2010 with UMES winning in 2008 and 2011. Vanderbilt won the other title in 2007. The Hawks were runners up to Vandy in 2007, finished fifth in 2010 and seventh in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009. UMES won last year when they rebounded from a two-games-to-one deficit to top Vanderbilt and capture the 2011 Championship at Skore Lanes in Taylor, Michigan.

UMES will bring a squad of eight bowlers to the event, four of which saw action in last season's win. Lone senior Paula Vilas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) was excited by the news as the team watched the announcement at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center on campus today. "It feels really good, I am very excited, and I want to go out bowl well and defend our title, this is my final year and I want to go out on top," she said.

The Hawks bring four freshmen to Ohio for their first NCAA Championships. "I am so excited for my first NCAA Championship, this is a big reason I wanted to bowl here, to be the best," said one of those freshmen, Victoria Jones (Baltimore, Md.). "UMES is one of the best teams in the nation and that is what I expected, to have a chance to win an NCAA championship."
UMES is currently ranked fifth in the National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) Coaches' and Media polls. This season the field represents the top eight teams in both polls.

The selection show aired on NCAA.com today at 4 p.m. ET and is archived for viewing.

Competition begins with qualifying rounds in which each team bowls one five-person regular team game against each of the other seven teams participating in the championship for a total of seven games. Teams will be seeded for bracket play based on their win-loss record during the qualifying rounds. Teams will then compete in best-of-seven-games Baker matches in a double elimination tournament. In the Baker format, each of the five team members, in order, bowls a complete frame until a complete 10-frame game is bowled.

A Baker match tied 3½ games to 3½ games after seven games will be decided by a tiebreaker using the Modified Baker format.

The Mid-American Conference and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission will host the championship, which will be held April 12-14 at Freeway Lanes in Wickliffe, Ohio, the nation's largest bowling center. Tickets can be purchased on ncaa.com/tickets prior to the championship.

Qualifying through semi-final rounds will be streamed live on NCAA.com. This year's championship finals will air on ESPNU at 8 p.m. ET Saturday, April 14. A replay of the championship finals will air on ESPN at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday, April 15.

Portions of this release appear compliments of NCAA.com and UMESHawks.com.