Fired VUU coach plays hardball

MICHAEL BAILEY
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR/HEAD
FOOTBALL COACH
VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY

RICHMOND, Virginia - March 2011 was good for almost everyone in the local college basketball world.

But while Shaka Smart, Chris Mooney and their teams at VCU and the University of Richmond grabbed headlines as dueling Cinderellas, Willard Coker made news of a different sort.

Coker was fired as head coach of Virginia Union University men’s basketball team last year during March Madness, and now he has sued VUU for defamation and millions of dollars in damages.

The suit alleges that VUU Athletic Director Michael Bailey knew his statements to the press about Coker’s dismissal being tied to supposed recruiting issues were false when Bailey announced the hiring of Coker’s replacement at a news conference.

“The bottom line is we think Virginia Union went out of its way to throw Willard under the bus when they hired their new coach,” said Richard Hawkins, Coker’s attorney.

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Note: Why is Michael Bailey still the head football coach at VUU?  He has a career record of 14-16 (.466) over the past three seasons. With season records of 6-4, 3-7 and 5-5, athletic director Bailey should fire head football coach Bailey.

Willard Coker was fired with a 55-25 (.687) career record over three seasons.  In his first season, he lead the Panthers to a 21-7 (16-4 CIAA) record and a NCAA Division II Tournament Championship berth where they were defeated in the first round by Indiana of Pennsylvania 69-63. Coker also was defeated in the 2009 CIAA Tournament Championship game by Johnson C. Smith University, 70-63.

The Panthers bounced back with a 19-9, 12-4 CIAA record in 2009/10, but lost to Shaw University 76-70 in the 2010 CIAA Tournament.  Coker's contract was not renewed after a 15-9, 12-5 CIAA record in 2010/11, and a 2011 CIAA Tournament defeat to Livingstone College, 59-58.

As an assistant coach, Coker helped guide the Panthers to 2 National Championships, 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances and 10 CIAA Championships.  He served 23 years as an assistant coach to VUU's legendary head men's basketball coach Dave Robbins. 

Coach Robbins ended his 30 season career with a record of 713-194 (.786), including three NCAA Division II National Championships (1980, 1992, 2005); 21 NCAA Tournament Appearances; 14 CIAA Championships; 4 NCAA Division II Player of the Year; 5 NBA Stars -- Ben Wallace, Charles Oakley, Terry Davis, A.J. English and Jamie Waller.

Coach Robbins will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, November 18, 2012 at the Midland Theatre in Kansas City.

As a VUU player, Coker was a 4-year letter winner, capturing 2 CIAA Championships, 1 Regional Championship and 1 NCAA Division II National Championship.  Coker also won the 1975 North Carolina 4-A State Championship during his senior year in high school.

Coach Coker was replaced by his assistant coach, 30-year old Luqman Jaaber, that had two years total of coaching experience.  Jaaber ended his first season with a 15-14, 10-6 CIAA record.  The Richmond native started three seasons for the Panthers, winning the 2005 Division II National Championship and serving as team captain.  Jaaber is also a two-time CIAA Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The $2.35 million dollar question is why 53 year-old Coach Coker has been unable to continue his coaching career with a strong resume' and proven accomplishments with a hall of fame, legendary head coach Dave Robbins as a reference?  Published articles have previously stated:

 "Coker, has long been Robbins' choice to succeed him at one of the country's most successful Division II programs.  Coker was the only coach Robbins recommended to VUU athletic director Michael Bailey." "I couldn't have hand-picked a better person than Willard Coker," Robbins said.

Something is not right with this scenario... and unfortunately, a Court may have to resolve this matter.

-beepbeep

Spring Football Update: TSU Takes in Final Scrimmage

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University football closed out its final scrimmage of spring on a beautiful Saturday morning. The Tigers shift to the final week of spring activity before culminating with the annual Blue-White spring game on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers held out a few players in order to get healthy for next weekend's spring game. Coach Rod Reed saw some sluggish performances on Saturday, but is optimistic the Tigers will come out strong next weekend.

Watch his comments about Saturday's scrimmage:



TSU returns to the practice field next Monday, Wednesday and Friday with 4pm scheduled practices.

On Friday, April 13 the Tennessee State hosts the annual Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Celebrity Slam Jam. Tickets are $15 in advance for adults and $10 for children. They can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling the TSU Ticket Office at 615-963-5841.

Spring game festivities begin with the Legends Game against Vanderbilt at 1 p.m. inside Hale Stadium. At the conclusion of that inaugural event, the Tigers host the Blue-White Spring Game at 3:30 p.m. National radio pundit Donal Ware and Boxtorow will broadcast live from Hale Stadium and will talk to numerous guests during the show. Admission to Saturday's events is free.

UPCOMING SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Monday, April 9 - 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 11 - 4 p.m.
Friday, April 13 - 4 p.m.

UPCOMING TSU FOOTBALL EVENTS:
Celebrity Slam Jam - Friday, April 13 - 4 p.m. (Gentry Center)
TSU vs. Vanderbilt Legends Game - Saturday, April 14 - 1 p.m. (Hale Stadium)
Annual Blue-White Spring Game - Saturday, April 14 - 3:30 p.m. (Hale Stadium)

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NSU lineman finally getting chance to turn heads

CAMERON L. JUDE
DL 6-4/290
REDSHIRT SENIOR
HOMETOWN: RICHMOND, VA
TRANSFER: MICHIGAN STATE
MANCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL

NORFOLK, Virginia - Cameron Jude will be worth the wait.

The Norfolk State defensive lineman, who transferred from Michigan State but was ineligible last season because some credits didn't transfer, was the star of the Spartans' scrimmage on Friday afternoon.

Jude's status was up in the air until the middle of last season, and his unexpected absence left NSU woefully short on defensive line depth.

During practice on Friday, when the Spartans ran about 70 plays, he had three sacks. Jude will have only one year as a Spartan, but seems poised to make it count.

"He's as good as I've seen in a while," coach Pete Adrian said. "The only question now is can he carry that over into a game."

Perhaps the most impressive part of Jude's spring success is he hasn't played in a game in four years. "He's looked real good," Adrian said.

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Spring Football Update No. 1: Adrian Pleased with Team's Intensity

NORFOLK, Virginia — After seven of the team’s allotted 15 spring practice sessions, one thing is clear to Norfolk State head football coach Pete Adrian: the 83 players participating in spring drills aren’t content with their accomplishments from the 2011 MEAC championship season. They have been eager to start laying the foundation for a successful 2012 year.

“The thing that has pleased me most so far is just the intensity of our team on both sides of the ball,” Adrian said. “Our kids are practicing really hard and practicing well from the start of the spring.”

Adrian said the emphasis of the first week and a half of spring practice was to fine-tune fundamentals and knock the rust off individual skills which haven’t been drilled since November. Adrian also said that the three-plus weeks of spring practice will also be key for his team this year on both sides of the ball. Though the Spartans return starters at nine of 11 positions on offense, the team is learning a new scheme employed by new offensive coordinator Howard Feggins, who assumes play-calling duties after coaching the team’s wideouts last fall.

Defensively, the Spartans lost seven seniors from the MEAC’s top-rated defense and are incorporating four mid-year enrollees, three of whom originally signed with BCS conference schools.

“Offensively, we’ve been working on multiple formations, playing with more two-back sets in the backfield, and changing to different formations with the same personnel group,” Adrian said. “Defensively, we are trying to make sure the new players are comfortable with our base defense and know what adjustments to make in game situations.”

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SU Jaguars strand 12 runners, fall 5-3 to Texas Southern Tigers

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Southern head coach Roger Cador glanced at the postgame boxscore and found the one stat certain to doom even the most talented baseball squads.

"We just left to many men on base," said Cador. "We left 12 men on (base), (Texas Southern) left four. That's way too many."

Despite belting out eleven hits, including Demario Ellis' 3-hit outing, Southern stranded 12 baserunners and struck out 13 times in a 5-3 loss to Texas Southern Friday night at Lee-Hines Field.

"We had our opportunities with runners on base and we had several opportunities with less than two outs with runners on third and we didn't get them in once," said Cador.

Friday's loss marked the third time this season, Southern (15-14, 6-7) has dropped the opening game in a conference series. Ellis finished 3-for-4 with one RBI. Stephen Wallace and Cameron McGriff each added one RBI apiece.

"The one thing I told (the team), 'Forget about March in Houston,'" said Cador, referring to the Jaguars 3-game sweep of the Tigers during the opening weekend of SWAC play.

Texas Southern (15-14, 4-8) quickly erased the notion of another sweep, sprinting out to a 3-0 lead. Starting pitcher Robert Pearson held Southern at bay, pitching 5.2 innings and striking out 9 batters.

For the first three innings, Pearson retired seven batters, including four straight.

"Against the pitching we faced, the kinds of swings (we) were trying to take, the result is not going to be successful," said Cador. "We just refuse to make the necessary adjustments that it was going to take to beat that pitching tonight."

Southern will look to avoid losing its third SWAC home series of the season Saturday in a doubleheader against Texas Southern at Lee-Hines Field. First pitch is scheduled for noon.

Final Stats

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

TSU's Cooper Accepts Head Coaching Job at Miami (Ohio)

TERESA LAWRENCE PHILLIPS
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University Athletic Director Teresa Phillips announced Friday that men's basketball coach John Cooper has accepted the head coaching position at Miami University (Ohio).

"Coach Cooper came to Tennessee State at a time when our men's basketball program needed a bolt of energy," said Phillips. "He has been a breath of fresh air with his direction and vision of our program. We are much better off after having him here for three years. We wish Coach Cooper much success as he continues his career at Miami (Ohio)."

Coach Cooper spent three seasons at Tennessee State, helping the Tigers to a 20-13 record in 2011-12. Cooper was a finalist for four coach of the year awards: Hugh Durham Award, Ben Jobe Award, Jim Phelan and the John McLendon Award.

The Tigers knocked off No. 7 Murray State earlier this year and defeated a SEC opponent for the first time in school history. The Tigers also recorded 20 wins for the first time in 32 years and made a postseason appearance (CIT) for the first time since 1994-95.

TSU will begin a search for a new head coach immediately.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Stillman coach is watching for signs of improvement

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama | Head coach Teddy Keaton and his staff produced a winner in their first season with the Stillman College football team.

The Tigers finished at 7-4 overall, 5-2 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Stillman was a contender in the West Division until it lost to Miles (9-7) on Oct. 27. The season ended with a loss to Concordia (12-7).

Keaton and his assistants were able to stress winning when they recruited in the winter, and help is on the way. But Keaton said spring training offered an opportunity for the current players to improve.

Keaton will be watching for signs of progress in today’s spring game, which pits the defense against the offense in a controlled scrimmage. Dedrick Dodge, the defensive coordinator, will direct the defensive unit. Offensive coordinator James Johnson will be in charge of the offense.

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Howard University reinstates all student athletes

WASHINGTON, D.C. -  An unusual week for Howard University athletics concluded Friday when the school reinstated all of the student-athletes it had ruled ineligible a week earlier. The school said in a press release that all of its five spring sports teams would “compete as scheduled for the remainder of the season.”

Despite the reinstatements, Howard’s internal investigation, which is a review of the entire athletic department, remains ongoing, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity. On Thursday, a school spokesman said Howard recently self-reported violations to the NCAA.

Howard had suspended intercollegiate activity for its spring sports March 30, when a number of student-athletes competing in those sports were ruled ineligible as a result of the school’s internal investigation. Howard canceled several sporting contests in the following days as it worked to reinstate those student-athletes.

On Wednesday — the day the school’s decision to suspend its spring sports became public — a Howard softball player said the school was investigating the practice by which some of its student-athletes acquired their textbooks. The student said some athletes apparently were pocketing the difference between the cost of their textbooks and their textbook allowance.

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Colts’ Pro Bowl Safety Antoine Bethea Encourages Higher Education through Free College Tour for Hometown Students

NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia -- Elite NFL safety, Antoine Bethea will give Newport News Public School students the opportunity to experience college life for a day. The 2nd Annual Antoine Bethea Safe Coverage Foundation Free College Tour will visit the campuses of the prestigious Georgetown and Howard Universities.

The Newport News native started the tour in 2010 with his former high school counselor, Eric Hairston at his alma mater, Denbigh High School for a group of 20 students. The success of that initial tour is apparent as this year’s participation has more than doubled, and the overwhelming response from students at schools throughout NNPS system.

The proud Howard University alum consistently champions education and accessibility through his Safe Coverage Foundation. He started his foundation to encourage youth to strive for their dreams and broaden their horizons. The college tour is the cornerstone of SCF and truly embodies Antoine’s mission.

“My parents instilled an understanding of the importance of education in me,” says Bethea. “My time at Howard further solidified that and was really the spark that motivated me to start the tour. I’m grateful that I’m in a position where I can put actions behind my words. This tour is truly about inspiring these students to dream bigger, because there is no limit to what you can accomplish if you work hard.”



The tour, which is sponsored in part by Williamsburg-based, Oleta Coach Lines will begin at Georgetown University’s undergraduate campus. From there the group will go to Howard University for a tour and lunch in the campus dining hall. The trip will conclude with a visit to some of the Capital’s great monuments and dinner in Fredericksburg, VA, before returning to Newport News.

The college tour kicks off the busy season for Bethea’s Safe Coverage Foundation. Upcoming events include free football camps in Newport News, Washington, D.C. and Indianapolis throughout the summer. SCF is also gearing up for its official East Coast launch with a fundraising mixer in D.C. to support its scholarship program.

About Antoine Bethea: Bethea is a two-time pro-bowler and has made two trips to the Super Bowl. He has developed a reputation as one of the top tacklers in the NFL and was selected to the 2010 USA Football/NFLPA All-Fundamentals Team.

About Safe Coverage Foundation: The Antoine Bethea Safe Coverage Foundation is committed to providing access and resources for students to achieve their dreams of a higher education. The Safe Coverage Foundation believes that by providing exposure to opportunities, enrichment experiences and the tools needed to succeed, SCF can change communities, one student at a time.

From Press Release - Katrina Leonce, Dow Lohnes Sports & Entertainment

Gold Rush, Nuggets lose to Vanguard in California finales

COSTA MESA, California — Vanguard, ranked seventh in NAIA men's tennis, won all three doubles matches and a pair of three-set singles matches Thursday in a 6-3 victory against ninth-ranked Xavier University of Louisiana.

Vanguard's 15th-ranked women defeated Xavier 5-4.

Loic Didavi and Zach Taylor of the Gold Rush (12-6) defeated ranked opponents in singles. Sean Richardson earned XU's other singles victory. In the women's dual the Gold Nuggets (3-20) got singles victories from Amanda Materre, Nicole DeLoach and Ashley McGill, plus a doubles victory from DeLoach and Kourtney Howell.

Vanguard's women (8-9) overcame a 4-3 deficit by winning two doubles matches.

The Lions' Lucas Pereira, ranked ninth by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, retired with an injury against No. 11 Didavi, who led 6-3, 1-0. XU's 17th-rated Taylor defeated No. 43 Roger Muri 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

Vanguard's men, who eliminated Xavier in the second round of the 2011 national tournament, are 10-7. The Lions clinched when Robin Wagner beat Viktor Svoboda 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 at No. 4 singles.

"Our men got off to a slow start and dug a huge hole by losing all the doubles," XU coach Alan Green said. "It is almost impossible to come back from that. We fought hard and came within the final three matches. It was too much to overcome."

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
MEN'S TENNIS TEAM
ROSTER

Nicole DeLoach ended her five-match singles losing streak when she defeated Gabriele Alford 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4, and Ashley McGill snapped her four-match losing streak by beating Ashley Tebeau 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 at No. 6. Tebeau and Ekaterina Gabashvili clinched at No. 3 doubles with an 8-3 decision against McGill and Jordyn Goody.

"The Nuggets almost pulled off a big upset," Green said. "The match was back and forth the whole time. I was proud of the fight we gave them."

The Gold Rush finished 2-2 on their California trip, and the Nuggets were 0-4. All the matches were against ranked NAIA teams.

Results:  Men    Women

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Texas Southern's Wells-Broughton resigns

HOUSTON, Texas - Texas Southern women's basketball coach Yolanda Wells-Broughton has resigned after four seasons.  The Tigers were just 5-26 this past season and reached the semifinals of the SWAC Tournament, bowing out to Mississippi Valley State.

"I want to sincerely thank coach Broughton for her years of dedication to Texas Southern," said Texas Southern athletic director Dr. Charles McClelland. "She has truly laid a solid foundation for the program. I am extremely appreciative for her dedication and hard work, and I will forever be grateful and supportive of her future endeavors."

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HU to debut latest offense in spring game

HAMPTON, Virginia — Earnest Wilson had proven all he could where he was. Wilson, offensive coordinator for the past two seasons at Jackson State, directed the most prolific attack in FCS play last year. Wilson's Tigers led the nation with 490.9 yards per game and averaged 6.58 yards per play, finishing 9-2 and ranked in top 25.

Wilson, hired to replace Willie Snead as Hampton University's offensive coordinator last month, wanted more. "In the SWAC, you can't compete for a national championship," he said. "We took the program as far as we could go."

The Southwestern Athletic Conference, home to Jackson State, competes in a post-season conference championship game. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, where HU plays, is part of the FCS playoff system, and Wilson is eager to see how his offense, descended from the Air Raid attack of former Kentucky and New Mexico State coach Hal Mumme, stacks up against broader competition.

Wilson, HU's fifth offensive coordinator in the past five seasons, debuts his system during Friday's annual Blue-White game, which caps two weeks of spring practice

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Interim coach pleased with Alcorn State spring practices

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Interim Alcorn State football coach Todd McDaniel has been pleased with the Braves' progress as they wrap up their first week of spring practices.

McDaniel has provided stability for the Southwestern Athletic Conference program while the university seeks to replace Melvin Spears Jr., who was fired in February.

"The team has been grasping the systems over the past two days," McDaniels, who coaches the defensive line, said. "They understand the type of offensive, defensive and special teams schemes that we are trying to incorporate. Practice has been high tempo and all business. The team has been having fun while learning the system."

Quarterbacks Darius Smith and Brandon Vessel have...

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TSU Spring Football Update: A Focus on the Quarterbacks

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State football added a few wrinkles to the offense on Wednesday as the Tigers near the backstretch of spring practice.
Coach Rod Reed and the coaching staff added a few more offensive plays and started the day with goal line scenarios.

"We took the first 13 plays or so to focus on goal line situations," said Reed. "We then shifted our focus to 7-on-7 before turning to individual workouts."

TSUTigers.com sat down with quarterbacks coach Jeff Parker to discuss the return of OVC Freshman of the Year Michael German and a look at how the quarterback situation sits for the fall.



TSU takes a final scrimmage on Saturday at Hale Stadium. The scrimmage is slated for a 9:15 a.m. start.

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:
Saturday, April 7 - 9:15 a.m.
Monday, April 9 - 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 11 - 4 p.m.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Concordia (California) doubles up to defeat Rush, Nuggets

COSTA MESA, California (April 4) — For the third straight day at a Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis dual match, higher rankings didn't guarantee success. But Wednesday the disappoinment belonged to the Gold Rush.

Needing one victory from either of its NAIA-ranked doubles teams to clinch a dual against Concordia (Calif.), ninth-ranked Xavier lost both and dropped a 5-4 decision to the 10th-ranked Eagles.

Concordia's eighth-ranked women defeated Xavier 9-0.

The Gold Rush (12-5) were looking for a third victory in as many days against a higher ranked opponent. The XU men got singles victories from Zach Taylor, Steffen Giles-Osborn and Sean Richardson and led 4-3 after Viktor Svoboda and Corey Huggins defeated Rafael Coutinho and Ashkon Babaee 8-2 at No. 3 doubles.

But the Eagles (7-9) tied the dual when Ryan McNamara and Patrick Szeremeta rallied for a 9-7 victory against 25th-ranked Richardson and Giles-Osborn at No. 2, then Bruno Santarelli and Gernot Hagemann upset third-ranked Loic Didavi and Taylor 8-5 to complete the comeback. Neither of Concordia's winning tandems was ranked, and the Santarelli-Hagemann triumph gave the Eagles their only lead of the day.

On Tuesday Didavi and Taylor defeated second-rated Bryan Cox and Rodrigo Schaefer to cap a 6-3 victory against No. 8 Westmont. What's more, the XU men had won at least two doubles matches in their previous eight duals against ranked NAIA teams this season.

"It was a crushing way to lose," XU coach Alan Green said. "Our guys fought hard, and we had a match point up 7-6 at No. 2 doubles. Hats off to Concordia. They played very well and showed how tough it is to win out here."

Didavi and Amir Rahbar, both three-set singles winners Monday in a 5-4 victory at No. 7 Point Loma Nazarene, both lost in three sets this time. Bruno Santarelli defeated Didavi 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in a matchup of top-15 players, and McNamara beat Rahbar 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-1 to give the XU sophomore his first defeat in six three-set matches this spring.

"The sun will rise tomorrow," Green said, "and we will have to do the same."

The Gold Nuggets (3-19) didn't win a set against Concordia's women and lost for the 10th time in 11 duals. Seven of the losses in that stretch are against ranked NAIA teams.

Ninth-ranked Bettina Radke of Concordia (9-6) improved to 14-1 in singles this spring by defeating No. 35 Kourtney Howell 6-1, 6-1. Howell beat top-40 players the previous two days. Jordan Kimura, ranked 16th, clinched the dual with a 6-3, 6-1 decision against Amanda Materre.

Xavier will conclude its spring-break trip by returning to Costa Mesa Tennis Center for 10 a.m. PDT Thursday duals against Vanguard's seventh-ranked men and 15th-ranked women.

Results:  Men    Women

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

Former WSSU basketball player killed in wreck

Jillian Rose Charlet
22-year old senior Accounting
major was scheduled to graduate in
May 2012, passed away from injuries
 in a one-car crash on April 4, 2012.
The Mabe, Indiana native was a
graduate of  New Washington H.S.

  WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (March 28, 2012) — A former Winston-Salem State University women’s basketball player was killed in a single-car wreck early Wednesday in Winston-Salem.

Police said Vince Sherman Williams Jr., 27, was driving a 2005 Honda Civic north in the 3700 block of Cherry Street when he lost control at the intersection with Reynolds Boulevard and crashed into a telephone pole around 2:30 a.m.

Jillian Rose Charlet, 22, of Brownsboro Road in Winston-Salem, died at the scene of the wreck, police said. The driver and another passenger, 21-year-old Choloe Claudette Morse, were both taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Police said speed and alcohol appear to be factors in the crash.

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Former New Washington student killed in crash

CLARK COUNTY, Indiana (March 28, 2012) — A former New Washington High School student and basketball player was killed early Wednesday morning in a car accident in Winston-Salem, N.C., where she was attending college.

Jillian Rose Charlet, 22, a 2008 New Washington graduate died at the scene when Vince Sherman Williams Jr., 27, lost control of the car he was driving, a 2005 Honda Civic, police told the Winston-Salem Journal. The car then struck a utility pole. Williams and Charlet’s roommate, Choloe Claudette Morse, 21, who was also in the car, were taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Terry White, basketball coach at New Washington, had coached Charlet during her junior and senior years in high school. He said the team won sectionals during her junior year. He described Charlet as a strong-willed person, who was also a gentle giant.

White said Charlet had visited two weeks ago when she was on spring break.

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Howard University self-reported violations to NCAA, ruled some athletes ineligible

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In the midst of an ongoing internal investigation, Howard University recently self-reported violations to the NCAA, a school spokeswoman said Thursday. Howard last week ruled ineligible a number of athletes participating in a variety of spring sports, and the school’s ability to compete in those spring sports remains in question.

Kerry-Ann Hamilton, the school’s director of strategic communications and marketing, declined in a telephone interview to reveal the number of student-athletes who have been ruled ineligible. She also declined to state whether the self-reported violations were secondary or major in nature or whether the NCAA is now conducting its own investigation.

Multiple NCAA media relations representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hamilton denied requests to speak with Howard’s athletic director, provost and university president.  “The university is working aggressively to reinstate student-athletes as quickly as possible,” Hamilton said. “That process has begun. I don’t know how long those processes take.”

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FAMU athletics in deep debt

DEREK HORNE
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M trustees and administrators are determined to see the university's athletics department stop hemorrhaging money.

The department came into the 2011-12 school year almost $5 million in the hole and it has added another $1 million to its deficit this school year, Athletic Director Derek Horne reported during the trustees' Budget and Finance Committee meeting Wednesday.

"It's a huge concern," FAMU President James H. Ammons said. "We have a rich athletic tradition at Florida A&M, but at the end of the day athletics has to be self-sufficient."

Teresa Hardee, FAMU's CFO, said she does not believe the athletics department is "wasting money." She added that she doesn't know where it can cut expenses, either. "What they have to do is increase their revenue," Hardee said.

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After loss of mentor, Stillman Tigers Savage excelling

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Ashley Savage lost her most prized possession one week before her collegiate softball season began. Savage’s longtime softball mentor, coach and friend, Tommy Barnhill, lost his three-month battle with lung cancer Feb. 1. He was diagnosed with the disease in October, while Savage was playing on the Stillman College volleyball team.

“It was tough not being there, but I honestly thought nothing would stop him or slow him down,” Savage said. “I never thought it would come down to this or that it was as bad as it really was.”

He lost his battle 10 days before her debut with the Tigers.

“He taught me everything I know about ...

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St. Aug's Falcons Ink 30 Football Signees

RALEIGH, North Carolina – Saint Augustine's College announced the signing of 30 football recruits for the 2012 football season on Wednesday, April 4, 2012. This is the largest incoming class since 2002 when the Falcons re-started football after 37 years.

The list of players includes 16 in-state players and 14 players from eight different states in addition to Washington, D.C. That is a marked departure from previous years when most of the recruits were out-of-state.

The Falcons stocked up on offensive linemen (8) and defensive backs (7), but they also focused on defensive linemen (5), wide receivers (4) and linebackers (4). Head Coach Michael Costa expects several of the recruits to make an impact this upcoming season.

“This is a good class,” Costa said. “We have a lot of kids that will help the program. We have good kids who are smart.”

The recruits will join 41 lettermen from last year's squad which finished 4-6 overall and 3-4 in the CIAA. Top returning lettermen for the Falcons include quarterback Teddy Bacote (Hampton, Va.), wide receiver-return man Tyron Laughinghouse (Greenville, N.C.) and wide receiver Brian Richards (Waldorf, Md.) on offense. Bacote and Laughinghouse were All-CIAA selections last season. Richards ranked first in the league and 10th nationally in receptions per game (7.0) last season.

Defensively, the Falcons bring back linebacker Chaz Robinson (Hampton, Va.), linebacker Antonio Stewart (Ellenwood, Ga.) and defensive tackle Shonquez Nelson (Lake City, S.C.). Robinson and Nelson both made the All-CIAA squad and Stewart was named 2011 CIAA defensive rookie of the year.

The Falcons open the 2012 season at home against Wingate University. The contest starts at 1:30 p.m.

The Falcons' list of recruits are as follows:

NAME POSITION STATE HIGH SCHOOL
Cory Craig RB Norwood, NC South Stanly High School
Dajon Montague DE Garner, NC Middle Creek High School
Alan (AJ) Gilford QB Savannah, GA Jenkins High School
Wesley Perkins DB Lincolnton, NC Lincolnton High School
Donald Brinkley OL Greenville, NC Rose High School
Craig Johnson LB Raeford, NC Hoke County High School
Sayer Robinson DB Statesville, NC West Iredell High School
Jamiah Johnson WR Durham, NC Southern Durham HS
John Perkins OL Fayetteville, NC Jack Britt High School
Jered Mckenzie OL Aberdeen, NC Pinecrest High School
William Jenkins OL Henrico, VA John Marshall High School
James Walls DB Richmond, VA John Marshall High School
Christian Kama OL Waimanalo, HI Kailua High School
Joseph Pelesasa LB Waimanalo, HI Kailua High School
Jaylynn Nicholas OL Graniteville, SC Aiken High School
Lionel Davis DT Memphis, TN Westwood High School
Antzale Henry WR Memphis, TN Westwood High School
Antoine Smith LB Washington, DC Friendship Collegiate Acad.
Marquis Pegues WR Laurinburg, NC Scotland County HS
JaQuice Oates-Bethea DE Laurinburg, NC Scotland County HS
Caison Murphy DB Laurinburg, NC Scotland County HS
Ryan Bowman LB Fort Valley, GA Peach County High School
Justin Jones DB Fort Valley, GA Peach County High School
Terrance North DB Prattville, AL Prattville High School
Kenneth Patten OL Winterville, NC South Central High School
Jordan Griffin DB Middletown, DE Middletown High School
Sharif Humes DE Statesville, NC Statesville High School
Justin Davidson WR Statesville, NC Statesville High School
Kyle Johnston DL Pennsauken, NJ Pennsauken High School
Henry Capers OL Raeford, NC Hoke County High School

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

XU men knock off another top-10 team; Nuggets lose by 1

COACH ALAN GREEN
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TENNIS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

SANTA BARBARA, California — Xavier University of Louisiana's Loic Didavi, Zach Taylor and Viktor Svoboda defeated ranked singles players Tuesday to lead the ninth-ranked Gold Rush to a 6-3 NAIA men's tennis victory against eighth-ranked Westmont.

Xavier (12-4) has beaten top-10 teams in consecutive duals for the first time in the program's history. The Rush defeated No. 7 Point Loma Nazarene 5-4 on Monday.

Xavier's women, who dropped out of the coaches' top 25 poll Tuesday, lost 5-4 to 21st-ranked Westmont.

Svoboda and Corey Huggins clinched against Westmont (7-7) with their 9-8 (10-3) victory at No. 3 doubles against Lukas Zielen and Joshua Barnard. Didavi and Taylor, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's third-ranked NAIA doubles team, beat second-ranked Bryan Cox and Rodrigo Schaefer 9-8 (11-9).

Didavi, ranked 11th, beat fifth-ranked Cox 6-4, 6-3. No. 17 Taylor defeated No. 23 Schaefer 6-0, 6-3, and 47th-rated Svoboda defeated No. 39 Tim Goranson 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-5).

The XU men are 8-2 this season against ranked NAIA opponents, 3-2 against top-10 teams.

"Our guys are stepping up on this trip," XU coach Alan Green said. "This was another tough battle. These matches are so hard, and I hope they can prepare us for the national tournament. Westmont had a good crowd, and they were loud and on us the whole time."

Although the Gold Nuggets (3-18) dropped their fourth in a row and ninth in the past 10 duals, they earned a pair of singles victories against ranked opponents. XU's Kourtney Howell, ranked 35th, beat No. 38 Nicci Yvanovich 6-3, 6-2. Amanda Materre defeated No. 45 Tara Yekrang (WC) 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-3.

The women's dual was not decided until the final completed match, when Alyson Meyer rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory against Nicole DeLoach at No. 5 singles. Sunset at Westmont's Abbott Tennis Courts, which has no lights, forced Meyer and DeLoach's final set to be moved to Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in nearby Carpinteria.

Xavier will continue its California trip with duals at 2 p.m. PDT Wednesday against Concordia — whose women are ranked eighth and men are ranked 10th — at Costa Mesa Tennis Center.

Results:  Men    Women

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, April 1) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Fresno Pacific (10) 16-1 250 1 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 13-2 242 2 3 Oklahoma Christian 10-3 232 3 4 Azusa Pacific 15-1 228 4 5 Auburn Montgomery 10-7 215 5 6 Point Loma Nazarene 9-6 211 7 7 Vanguard 9-7 202 6 8 Westmont 7-6 191 10 9 Xavier 10-4 186 9 10 Concordia (Calif.) 6-8 177 8 11 William Carey 11-2 174 11 12 Lindsey Wilson 13-4 163 12 13 Aquinas 14-1 152 13 14 Bethany (Kan.) 12-3 145 14 15 Belhaven 12-2 137 17 16 Cumberland 8-0 134 16 17 Warner 11-2 117 18 18 Lee (Tenn.) 7-5 114 15 19 Campbellsville 7-4 103 19 20 Martin Methodist 6-4 93 20 21 Our Lady of the Lake 6-6 89 21 22 Webber International 14-5 74 23 23 Northwestern Ohio 14-4 72 25 24 Lewis-Clark State 5-7 61 24 25 Shorter 7-13 53 22 Others receiving votes: Pikeville 41, Olivet Nazarene 35, Spring Arbor 35, McPherson 33, Biola 21, Northwood (Fla.) 19, Roberts Wesleyan 3, Mobile 3, Taylor 1, Indiana Southeast 1, SCAD Savannah 1, Cumberlands 1.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, April 1) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Auburn Montgomery (13) 15-2 343 1 2 Fresno Pacific 15-4 332 2 3 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 15-2 321 3 4 Oklahoma Christian 7-3 309 4 5 Azusa Pacific 14-2 300 5 6 Point Loma Nazarene 10-5 285 6 7 Brenau 9-3 280 7 8 Concordia (Calif.) 7-5 264 8 9 William Carey 11-6 257 9 10 Southern Nazarene 6-3 241 10 11 SCAD Savannah 11-2 236 11 12 Lindsey Wilson 10-2 222 12 13 Shorter 16-7 215 13 14 Lewis-Clark State 5-12 197 14 15 Vanguard 6-9 191 15 16 Indiana Wesleyan 16-2 171 17 17 Lee (Tenn.) 8-4 167 16 18 Martin Methodist 7-3 150 18 19 Campbellsville 8-4 131 20 20 St. Thomas (Fla.) 4-4 129 19 21 Westmont 4-7 126 21 22 Robert Morris (Chicago) 9-1 109 NR 23 Oklahoma Baptist 6-7 107 tie-21 24 Marian (Ind.) 19-6 89 23 25 Davenport 15-5 84 25 Others receiving votes: Xavier 78, Webber International 36, Bethel (Kan.) 35, Belhaven 29, Indiana Southeast 26, Northwestern Ohio 24, Milligan 5, Taylor 5, Nebraska Wesleyan 4, Northwood (Fla.) 3, Cumberlands 1, Olivet Nazarene 1, The Master's 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Keshia Campbell, hired as athletic director in July, resigns from Hampton University

HAMPTON, Virginia - Keshia Campbell's tenure as Hampton University's first female athletic director lasted less than a year. Campbell, hired on July 20, has left the school.

"In a nutshell, I did resign," Campbell told The Daily Press on Wednesday. She declined further comment.

HU issued a release late Wednesday afternoon that said Campbell "stepped down" for "personal reasons." The release said Rodney Smith, HU's vice president for administrative services, will act as athletic director "while the university conducts a national search."

"Ms. Campbell did a very good job for us and I hate to see her go," HU president William Harvey said in the release. "All of us wish her well in any future endeavor."

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