2012 Cleveland Classic to Feature Morehouse College and Winston-Salem State University

CLEVELAND, Ohio  -- The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission will host the second annual Cleveland Classic HBCU football game presented by McDonald's on September 15, 2012 where Morehouse College will battle Winston-Salem State University at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

The Cleveland Classic is an entire weekend full of dynamic activities and events for all ages while celebrating premier historically black universities. Festivities will include a College Readiness Fair presented by McDonald's and College Now Greater Cleveland, Greek Step Show, Tailgate Party presented by University Hospitals, KeyBank Marching Band Half-time Show and the Cleveland Classic game presented by McDonald's.

The Cleveland Classic is one of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission's proprietary events that will serve as a vehicle to bring the community together through exciting sports, educational and cultural activities.

“We are thrilled to once again host the Cleveland Classic. We have two high-caliber schools playing in the game and have enhanced the offering of cultural and educational weekend activities in which the Cleveland community can participate. It's our goal to continue to build an exciting tradition and economic generator for our region,” stated David Gilbert, President and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. “This year, the Cleveland Classic weekend is expected to infuse an estimated $3 million of economic activity.”



The weekend will begin on Friday, September 14 with a College Readiness Fair presented by McDonald's and College Now Greater Cleveland. The College Readiness Fair offers an opportunity for the Cleveland Municipal School District and surrounding suburban area students to prepare for life after high school by learning the different options for post-graduate education and methods to achieve their learning goals. An estimated 1,500 select students will be transported free of charge to Cleveland Browns Stadium where lunch will be provided.

The festivities continue Friday evening with a Greek Step Show at Quicken Loans Arena from 7:00pm-10:00pm.

This exciting competition will celebrate the cultural art of stepping as nine nationally recognized HBCU fraternities and sororities showcase their talents and compete to be named the 2nd Annual Cleveland Classic Greek Step Show Champion. Kym Whitley, actress and comedian, along with Ahmaad Crump of the Cleveland Cavaliers will host the evening once again. The Greek Step Show is free to attend with a Cleveland Classic game ticket which will be available for purchase at the event.



On Saturday, September 15th, before entering the stadium for the main event, fans can show their spirit by attending the official Tailgate Party presented by University Hospitals on the north side of Cleveland Browns Stadium. Admission to the Tailgate is free with a Cleveland Classic game ticket. This family-friendly event will feature live entertainment, health screens, vendors, food, beverages, games and more.

The Cleveland Classic football game presented by McDonald's will kick off at noon on Saturday and will feature Morehouse College versus Winston-Salem State University at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Tickets to the Cleveland Classic football game are now on sale through Ticketmaster and are $15 for general admission seats or $40 for reserved seating (processing fees are additional). Groups of 20 or more individuals can purchase tickets for $10 general admission or $35 for reserved seating.



“It is an honor and a privilege to play in the 2012 Cleveland Classic. We look forward to coming to Cleveland, Ohio to face a very formidable Morehouse College Tiger football team. This is a great opportunity for Winston-Salem State University to face a tough opponent in a professional football venue and we look forward to putting on a great show,” said Connell Maynor, Head Football Coach for the Winston-Salem State University Tigers.

“The entire Morehouse family – players, coaches, fans and alumni – is looking forward to participating in the Cleveland Classic,” said Yusuf Davis, Morehouse College Sports Information Director. “We are certain that the Classic will be a success on every level and we anticipate that this will be one of the highlights of our season.”



Additional highlights of the Cleveland Classic include:

Tom Joyner, heard on Cleveland's 93.1 WZAK and host of the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, will broadcast live from 6:00am-10:00am from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum on Friday, September 14th. Joyner is also slated to attend the Tailgate party and toss the coin at the beginning of the Cleveland Classic game.

The National Anthem will be performed by national R&B recording group, Dru Hill.

The KeyBank Marching Band Half-time Show will electrify the crowd with high-light performances by Morehouse College and Winston-Salem State University marching bands and drum lines.



“Radio One is honored to partner with the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission to build the Cleveland Classic into a pillar of Cleveland's rich history. This year, we are thrilled to welcome Tom Joyner back to Cleveland and his live national broadcast from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame preceding the Cleveland Classic that will showcase this great city and event,” stated Jeff Wilson, Regional Vice President of Radio One, Inc.

The Cleveland Classic Local Organizing Committee (LOC) is chaired by Jakki Nance, Spelman graduate and Chief Operations Officer for Swin Cash Enterprise, along with Eddie Taylor, Practice Leader for Oswald Companies, Donnie Perkins, Vice-President of Diversity and Inclusion for University Hospitals and Herb Washington, Owner and Operator of McDonald's. Their leadership and resources will enhance the efforts of the Sports Commission and bring much awareness to the community.

TJ Ward, starting safety for the Cleveland Browns, has been named honorary chair for the 2012 Cleveland Classic. He is a fan favorite that is known for his hard-hitting, aggressive playing style on the field and his commitment to inspiring youth in the community. Ward is slated to attend the Greek Step Show on Friday, September 14th and participate in various
promotional efforts leading up to the event.



For more information on the Cleveland Classic weekend or to purchase tickets, visit www.clevelandclassicfootball.com.

ABOUT THE GREATER CLEVELAND SPORTS COMMISSION:
The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission prides itself on being one of the most distinguished Sports Commissions in the country, effectively leveraging sports events and activities to further economic development in Northeast Ohio. The philosophy of the Sports Commission sets it apart from others by operating as an economic and community development organization utilizing sports as a vehicle to forward other community agendas. The organization takes the unique approach of becoming a management and financial partner in each event with the goal of producing events that are more successful in Cleveland than other cities in which they have been held. Since 2000, the Sports Commission has been responsible for attracting, creating and/or managing over 124 sporting events resulting in more than $385 million in economic activity. For more information, please visit www.clevelandsports.org.


Yusuf Davis, Sports Information Director
VISIT: MOREHOUSE COLLEGE
VISIT: MOREHOUSE MAROON TIGERS

Zimbabwean-Born Businessman Commits $6.4 Million to Send 40 African Students to Morehouse

Econet Wireless Cbairman Strive Masiyiwa with
incoming Morehouse College African Students
(Photo Courtesy Morehouse College)

ATLANTA, Georgia - Nigena Hamim knew exactly why he wanted to leave the African nation of Burundi and come to the United States to attend Morehouse College.

“I have a dream of fighting ethnic divisions in my country and I am encouraged to realize my vision…After all, I believe that I was born at a time like this to serve and develop my community.”

Zimbabwean-born businessman and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa is helping to make Hamim’s dream a reality. Hamim is one of 10 students – two from Burundi and eight from Zimbabwe – who will be attending Morehouse on full, four-year scholarships, beginning this fall.

They are the first class of the new Ambassador Andrew Young International Scholars program. Masiyiwa, founder and chairman of Econet Wireless, wants African students to earn a world-class education that they can take home with them after graduation. Forty African students in all – representing an investment of $6.4 million – will go through the program.



Masiyiwa believes Morehouse and Atlanta, the center of the civil rights movement with leaders such as Ambassador Andrew Young, will be the perfect place for the students to develop.

“For us, the civil rights movement and our fight against colonialism was almost synonymous,” he said. “We knew people like Ambassador Young and Martin Luther King Jr. I remember reading about King and his life, and of course I got to know about Morehouse and the fact that he had been here and (HBCUs) were very proud institutions. So I got to know about Morehouse fairly early and it really resonated in the struggle that we were involved in.

“What I want to see coming from the student who comes out of the Morehouse system is a much more confident, self-assured, more complete young man who is not struggling to find out who he is in the world,” he said.

The 10 students, some of the top students in their countries, were chosen from a larger pool of 20 young men, chosen by Capernaum Trust, the education arm of Masiyiwa’s Higher Life Foundation.

“Mr. Masiyiwa and his wife really have a heart for seeing talented students who have leadership potential go get the best education in the world and then come back to Africa to lead the kind of changes they want to see on the African continent,” said Philip Howard ’87, vice president for Institutional Advancement.

“They hope the young men will bring the kinds of 21st -century management, leadership, social justice, civic engagement, all those things Morehouse provides, back to the continent to lead Africa into the 21st century.”

Howard; William Bynum, vice president for Student Services; and Kevin Williams ’85, dean of Admissions, flew to Zimbabwe to interview the 20 students in June. Ten were chosen, though the other 10 received scholarships to a South African university.


CNN's Don Lemon talks to Morehouse College senior Derrius Quarles about helping students tap into scholarships.

“All of them, without fail, talked about returning home to do something related to their fields to improve the conditions of their fellow countrymen,” said Bynum. “I’m very excited about these young men. They are academically talented, driven, and once they make that cultural adjustment, the sky’s the limit on what they can achieve.”

The students arrive in Atlanta on Aug. 5, four days before New Student Orientation so they can adjust to their new surroundings. All will have American roommates in the College’s Dubois International House residence hall.

Spelman College officials will observe the Morehouse program this year as Masiyiwa will send 10 female students to Spelman next year.

For now, the 10 young Africans are ready to take advantage of their time at Morehouse.

“I expect Morehouse to help me become the agent of positive change in the community and in people’s lives,” said Abel Gumbo.

By ADD SEYMOUR JR. COURTESY MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

2012 Labor Day Classic: PV Panthers vs. TxSU Tigers

ASU to play at Soldier Field against Kentucky State

CHICAGO, Illinois — Albany State football players got an experience of a lifetime last season when they played in the Circle City Classic against Kentucky State at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. This year, the Rams are going a little more north and a little more historic.

The Rams will play Kentucky State in the 15th annual Chicago Football Classic at Soldier Field on Sept. 29, making one of the longest road trips in the history of the program.



“The players were very excited last year when we went to Indy where the Super Bowl was and where the Colts played, and I expect them to feel the same this year,” said ASU coach Mike White, who played against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field when he was a defensive lineman in the NFL three decades ago. “I think they will look forward to the trip. How we get there is a question I have been asked several times.”

Transportation was White’s biggest concern when the Rams played in Indianapolis last October, and he remained uneasy about it when talking about this year’s trip.

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SWAC teams ‘motivated’ as practice starts

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - The poll released at Southwestern Conference Media Day on July 16 represented one of the last gasps of speculation that fuels football fans during the offseason, but a few coaches in the room were happy to use it for their purposes as well.

Southern coach Stump Mitchell, whose Jaguars were picked fourth in the five-team SWAC West, made extra sure his players saw that prediction, and it made an impact.

“It brings up a bit of anger inside of me because I know we shouldn’t be in this position,” defensive tackle Casey Narcisse said. “But we got ourselves here, and all we have to do is get in a dog fight and win it all out so six months later we’ll be crowned champs.”

Though the first punches in that fight are a little more than a month away, the SWAC’s teams will begin lacing up their gloves in the next few days.  With the exception of Texas Southern, which will hold its first ...



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Barbarino gives FAMU Rattlers high marks

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Still trying to catch his breath after completing the final dash of a shuttle run Thursday morning, Florida A&M freshman defensive end Caleb Helms walked into the direction of strength and conditioning coach Russell Barbarino.

“My legs are about to explode, coach,” the former North Florida Christian standout told Barbarino. “Oh yeah,” Barbarino responded, stop-watch and time charts in hand with a whistle around his neck as he kept an eye on the next group of runners.

Several other groups went through the shuttle drill, one of the many physical tests that the entire FAMU football team will go through next week. The players who ran Thursday, providing they passed, will skip the run when testing begins Monday as a prelude to the start of pre-season camp on Aug. 8.

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S.C. State Bulldogs have a rallying cry after summer practice

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Time will tell if South Carolina State will regain the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football title this season. From an overall physical health standpoint, team strength and conditioning coach Trumain Carroll is ready to declare the Bulldogs championship-ready.

“The team is in a lot better shape actually than they were last year,” Carroll said. “The volume has increased dramatically. We took those guys up. They’re doing probably 30 percent more work in probably 20 percent shorter time. They just responded to it great.”



A total of 78 returning players and incoming freshmen participated in the monthlong workouts held during the Summer II session at S.C. State. Four times a week — two days in the weight room and two days on Willie Jeffries Field at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium — the players were put through the rigors physically in preparation for the upcoming season.

Donations raised from the “Lift-The-Bulldog” campaign made the workouts possible for the third straight year. Yet for the investment to pay dividends, Carroll said ...

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ASU AD: Bigger schools ‘scared’ to play Rams on football field

ALBANY, Georgia — Albany State’s 2012 football schedule is one of the toughest in recent years. Before the Rams enter their grueling conference schedule, they will be battle tested with a trio of non-conference games against three teams that are no strangers to postseason success.

On Friday, ASU interim Director of Athletics Richard Williams said he has tried to make that schedule even tougher. During the annual Quarterback Club Football Kickoff Reception, Williams said he has tried to add several larger schools — such as Division I Alabama State — to ASU’s schedule.

The only problem, Williams said to a room full of supporters, is that those larger programs are scared.

“I’ve been approached often with the (question), ‘Why don’t we play the FAMUs, the Bethune-Cookmans and the Norfolk States?’ ” Williams said. “If you can understand, because we have had such a rich tradition and rich history of Golden Ram football, to be honest they are scared. They are scared that someone from Albany, a smaller program but mighty in force, to come down and run the gamut on them.”



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Towson Football Adds former MEAC Coach Rubin Carter As Defensive Line Coach

TOWSON, Maryland  - Veteran Coach Rubin Carter, a football coach at the collegiate and professional level for nearly 25 years, has been named as the Defensive Line Coach at Towson University, it has been announced by Coach Rob Ambrose.

Coach Carter will join the program in time for the start of the Tigers’ pre-season camp next week.

A native of Pompano Beach, Fla., Carter was the head coach at Florida A&M University from 2005 to 2007.  In three seasons, he led FAMU to a 16-17 record, including a 7-4 mark in 2006. Most recently, he was the Defensive Line Coach at the University of New Mexico where he worked with Head Coach Mike Locksley, a 1992 Towson graduate.

“Rubin Carter is a proven coach with plenty of success and experience,” said Coach Ambrose, the winner of the 2011 Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS National Coach of the Year. “He is a great mentor for young men and he is a tremendous addition to our staff.”

A 1975 graduate of the University of Miami (Fla.), Carter earned his degree in business administration. An All-American defensive lineman for the Hurricanes, he was the Most Valuable Player of the Hula Bowl in 1975. A 1992 inductee into Miami’s Hall of Fame, Carter was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft by Denver.

During an outstanding 12-year career with the Broncos, Carter appeared in 152 games for Denver as a member of the Broncos’ legendary “Orange Crush” defense. During his career with Denver, he was a member of two American Football Conference (AFC) championship teams and helped the Broncos win five AFC West titles. Carter played in Super Bowl XII against Dallas and Super Bowl XXI against the New York Giants.

The winner of the NFL’s Ed Block Courage Award in 1986, he finished his career with 1,036 tackles and 33 sacks.

After he retired, Carter got his start in coaching when Dan Reeves hired him as an assistant coach with the Broncos. He spent the 1987 and 1988 seasons as a member of the Denver staff.

In 1989, he started his college coaching career when he was named as the Defensive Coordinator at Howard University.  He joined former Denver teammate Steve Wilson’s staff at Howard. In five years as a member of the Howard staff, he helped the Bison post a 34-22 record. In his first season, Howard compiled an 8-3 record. In 1993, he was a member of Howard’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship team. During the 1993 season, Howard went 11-0 in the regular season and lost to Marshall in the NCAA I-AA playoffs.

During his tenure at Howard, Carter coached against Towson twice. In 1990, he was part of a Howard team that lost to the Tigers, 17-7. In 1993, he helped Howard pull out a 44-41 victory on the final play of the game, preserving the Bison’s undefeated season.

After his stint at Howard, Coach Carter joined the coaching staff at San Jose State. He was the Spartans’ Defensive Line Coach in 1995 and 1996. In 1997, he joined Coach Ron Vanderlinden’s staff at the University of Maryland where he was the Terrapins’ Defensive Line Coach.

After two seasons in College Park, Coach Carter returned to the NFL as the Defensive Line Coach for the Washington Redskins. As a member of Coach Norv Turner’s staff, he helped the Redskins compile a 19-15 two-year record. In his first season in Washington, the Redskins posted a 10-6 record and qualified for the NFL playoffs. After a 27-13 win over Detroit, Washington dropped a 14-13 decision to Tampa Bay in the playoffs. In 2000, he was part of a Redskins team that finished with an 8-8 record.

In 2001, he joined the New York Jets’ coaching staff when Herm Edwards was named as the Jets’ new head coach. In three years with the Jets, he was their Defensive Line Coach and helped them win 25 of 48 regular season games in addition to earning back-to-back playoff appearances. In 2001, the Jets had a 10-6 record and made the playoffs. One year later, New York posted a 9-7 mark and tied for first place in the AFC East, earning another playoff appearance.

He returned to college football coaching in 2004 when Coach Bobby Wallace hired him to be part of his Temple University staff. He spent one season at Temple as the Owls’ Defensive Line Coach. After the 2004 season, he received his first opportunity to be a head coach when Florida A&M hired him.

In 2009, he joined Coach Locksley’s staff at New Mexico. Carter had worked with Locksley at Maryland.

A member of the Florida Track & Field Hall of Fame and the Fort Lauderdale Hall of Fame, he and his wife, Karen, are the parents of four children, Andre, Diandra, Alvin and Joshua.

Their oldest son, Andre, is an 11-year NFL veteran who played for the AFC champion New England Patriots last season. An outstanding defensive end, he is a product of the University of California who was a first round draft pick by San Francisco in 2001. He played five years with the 49ers and five seasons with Washington before joining the Patriots last year.

Coach Carter is joining a Tiger coaching staff that led Towson to a 9-3 record last season and its first Colonial Athletic Association championship.

He will be working with some talented defensive linemen at Towson, including senior defensive end Frank Beltre. A pre-season All-American selection, Beltre is a third-year starter for the Tigers. He is one of three returning starters on the defensive line for the Tigers. Senior defensive end Romale Tucker and senior defensive tackle Matt Morgan also return.

Towson opens its season at Kent State University on Thursday, August 30 at 7:00 p.m.

COURTESY TOWSON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Former HU record-setter starts CFL season well as Calgary receiver

CALGARY, Alberta  -  Wide receiver Marquay McDaniel, 28, a former Hampton University standout, caught four passes for 85 yards last Thursday night for the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders (1-2), though they lost 33-32 to the Montreal Alouettes.

McDaniel, a 5-foot-10, 205-pounder who grew up in Virginia Beach, is in his fourth year in the CFL. He spent his first three seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

In 2009, he caught 57 passes for 688 yards and three touchdowns. In '10, he increased his totals to 76 receptions for 994 yards and seven TDs, boosting his average per catch by a full yard to 13.1.


#16 MARQUAY MCDANIEL, CALGARY STAMPEDERS

Last year, when McDaniel spent most of the year on the injured list, he had just four receptions for 60 yards. But his Week 3 effort against Montreal was more productive than his entire 2011 season. It gave him eight catches for 147 yards for the season, ranking him 18th in the league in receiving yardage. Also against the Alouettes, he gained 10 yards on his only rush.

CFL play differs from the NFL in that ...

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ASU Golden Rams fans get 2012 season preview

ALBANY, Georgia - The Albany State Rams find themselves in an unfamiliar position heading into the 2012 college football season. For one of the few times, the Rams are not picked to win the SIAC in the preseason.

That is something that is likely going to motivate head coach Mike White and the Golden Rams when they report for fall camp next week.

Coach White previewing the season to the ASU Quarterback Club at their annual gathering at the ASU Coliseum tonight. The Rams, who lost the SIAC Championship game and their first round DII playoff game, are picked to finish 2nd this season in the east division behind Morehouse.

Coach White says he is ready for the team to report and to get to work so Albany State can get back on top in the SIAC.

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Moore adds twist to Jackson State QB derby

JACKSON, Mississippi - There's a new, albeit familiar, name in the Jackson State quarterback race - Clayton Moore. Yep, that Clayton Moore.

"One way or the other, I've always been in the news," Moore said. Moore's journey to Jackson has been anything but straight and narrow.

He's bounced back and forth between the Division I and junior college ranks, spending last season as the starter at Akron University in Ohio, where he enjoyed modest success for a team that was 1-11.


QB Clayton Moore, #8, Akron Zips (2011)

Now in the mix at JSU, Moore adds more intrigue to what was already an eagerly anticipated position battle to replace the school's all-time leading passer, Casey Therriault. So, have the Tigers found a second "White Tiger," the moniker given to Therriault by fans during his time at JSU?

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Doug Williams Among Five Inductees to Enter Ark-La-Tex Sports Museum August 4

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana  –  The Ark-La-Tex Sports Museum of Champions will induct five new members during ceremonies beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 4 in the Shreveport Convention Center. The five new members will join the list of 119 past inductees.

The list of 2012 inductees includes Pro Football Hall of Famer Y.A. Tittle, legendary Shreveport high school football coach Lee Hedges, Grambling and NFL quarterback Doug Williams, Northeast Louisiana University and Olympic basketball player Glynn Saulters, Jr., and Centenary College and NBA basketball star Larry Robinson.

Receiving a special lifetime achievement award for his contribution to sports is renowned sports writer and author Jerry Byrd, Sr.

The museum will be open at 5 p.m. on Aug.4 for an open house followed by the banquet at 7 p.m. Individual and group tickets can be purchased for the event by contacting Dr. George Bakowski at (318) 221-8445.

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SCC's Horne Signs With Fayetteville State Lady Broncos

PINEHURST, North Carolina - According to Sandhills Community College volleyball coach Alicia Hill, Paige Horne loves to play the game.

Before a small gathering at the John Dempsey Center Wednesday afternoon, the Flyer setter’s opportunity to keep playing and continue her education at Fayetteville State was celebrated.

The attendees included Horne’s mother, Myra White; Barbara Foxx, her coach at Pinecrest High School; and SCC athletics director Aaron Denton and friends.


2011 Sophomore Paige Horne, Setter, #14 Black Jersey

Horne was an all-region selection in 2010 as a freshman when the Flyers made it to the NJCAA Division III national tournament in Rochester, Minn., in the program’s second year. She was the team MVP last fall when they lost in the regional championship match. The Flyers were a combined 39-17 during her two seasons.

“We’re going to miss a huge leader on and off the court,” Hill says. “They are big shoes to fill because she was our captain and she’s been our setter the last two years.”

Horne lives in Aberdeen with her mother and stepfather, Chuck Phillips.

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Lindsey Burgess signs with Tennessee State

Lindsey Burgess
(Photo Courtesy TSU Athletics Department)

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University head softball coach Jeff Dabney has announced the signing of Lindsey Burgess to a National Letter of Intent.

Burgess, a native of Palmdale, Calif., attended Desert High School where she competed under head coach Pam Camble for four years. She also played for Coach Sarah Adams' California Stealth during the summer and is a former teammate of current Tiger sophomore Savannah Gutierrez.

"Lindsey is the final piece of a very athletic class for us," Dabney said. "It was important for our program that we continue to add versatile and athletic kids that can help us at any position. Lindsey fits that mold perfectly! In high school she pitched and was a catcher. For her summer team she caught, played shortstop, third base and first base. With her ability to play multiple positions, I anticipate her pushing for a starting spot immediately."

During her high school career, Burgess was a three-time All-League First-Team selection while garnering First-Team All-Valley honors twice.

Some of her 2012 accomplishments with the California Stealth include: TCS Colorado Sparkler, Long's Peak Champions; So Cal Premiere Qualifier, Huntington Beach, CA; TCS qualified World Series.

Additionally, Burgess also participated on the Desert High basketball team. For her efforts on the court, she made the All-League First Team two consecutive years.

"Lindsey's size, athleticism, and power potential will add a new wrinkle to our team," Dabney continued. "I am really looking forward to seeing how she develops over the next four years here at TSU."

Burgess will join fellow classmates Shelby Dawson, Audrey Sensing, Jayna Hanawahine, Kacie Daugherty, Kiarra Freeman, and Brianna Roberts as the seventh member of the 2012-13 recruiting class.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU Alumnus/Florida Filmmaker Takes the Gold With Underground, A Slave Story Told Through Song

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- If there were an Olympics for short film, Director Akil Dupont and his film, Underground, would take the gold medal. Underground has won 17 awards and played at 24 film festivals in the U.S. and abroad.

Featuring haunting Negro spirituals and beautiful cinematography, Underground tells the story of a slave who plans to escape after learning that his daughter has been sold to another slave owner.

Dupont says the inspiration for Underground came from watching two films: Sweeney Todd, starring Johnny Depp, and Ray, starring Jaime Foxx. Both of these films feature realistic stories told through song.

"After seeing these films, everything that FAMU taught me eventually bubbled up and I wanted to create a dark and real slave story told through song where the music was very organic and made sense to be in the story," says Dupont, who received his undergraduate degree from FAMU.



Filmed in Tallahassee, FL, the film stars Ken Wester, Tomi Townsend and Nike Eaton. Music was provided by the FAMU Gospel Choir.

Dupont co-wrote Underground with Ariya Watty and directed the film while attending the MFA program at The Florida State University College of Motion and Picture Arts, rated by The Hollywood Reporter as among the top 25 film schools in the world.

Underground has won two student Emmys: One for first place in Best Use of Music, and one for The Bricker Humanitarian Award. It placed first out of 287 films at the Palm Beach International Film Festival, and it received the Audience Award at the Beijing Film Academy's ISFVF Festival, Beijing, China. The list of awards goes on and on, making it one of the most decorated films at FSU.

The film plays July 27 to August 2 at http://www.redmoviehouse.com.  Red Movie House (RMH) is an online social movie theater featuring rising stars - exceptional new talent in the film industry. Like your hometown theater, RMH plays movies for a week at a time. Films continue to be free as long as you rate and share them.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Akil.DuPont

Website: www.DuPontProductions.com

Mini Biography

Akil DuPont was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida. A proud Rattler, Akil attended FAMU DRS from Kindergarten until he graduated from Florida A&M University with his Bachelor's Degree in Economics! After 20 years of education from FAMU (Dec. 2004), he worked as a Bank Manager in Orlando, Florida for several years.

During this time, Akil was very involved in the world of Fashion and Modeling. Akil rediscovered his passion for creating and directing while serving as the CEO of Faces Modeling Troupe Inc., a statewide, 300+ member modeling organization.

With Faces, Akil honed his skills in Photography, Fashion/Costume Design and Directing. Seeing the opportunity to fulfill his childhood dreams of working in the film industry, he was accepted into the Master of Fine Arts program at one of the top Film Schools in the nation, Florida State University.

While working with his classmates, Akil furthered his craft in Directing, Production Design, Storytelling and the Photography Arts. During his time at the Film School, he was honored by his classmates as one of the Top Production Designers and Cameraman in the class, as well as a stand out Director! With his MFA degree completed (Aug. 2010) and a student Emmy award winning short film "Underground" that he directed and co-wrote, Akil hopes to bring stories to the screen that entertain, captivate and educate!

Film director and producer Akil DuPont joins a growing list of Florida A&M University alumni that are taking the film industry by storm.  Most noted are Will Packer (Magna cum laude, B.S. Electrical Engineering, 1997) and Rob Hardy (B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 1997) co-founders of Atlanta based Rainforest Films (1994).  Packer and Hardy are most noted for directing and producing blockbuster films  -- Chocolate City (1994), Stomp The Yard (2007- Grossed over $65 Million), Trois (2001), Pandora's Box (2002), Obsessed (2009), This Christmas (2007 - Grossed over  $50 Million) and Think Like A Man (2012).

 Psychedelic Shack, a family comedy by FAMU’s own Professor Kenneth Jones, will keep you laughing until you are crying with the creative antics in this flick, as seen below.



James Bland, a 2008 graduate of the FAMU School of Business and Industry made a splash with Cocoa Love, at the inaugural Shadow and Act Black Filmmaker Showcase in 2011.  While a student at FAMU, he produced his first short film -- Dreaming in Color, starring Whitney Reed and Bryan Brown.

No doubt, this list will be expanding in the coming years as other young talented Rattlers break into the film industry as writers, directors and producers. 

FAMU taught me!

-beepbeep

Vikings, Falcons anticipate weekend of football and fun

ROCKY MOUNT, North Carolina  -  What started as a simple idea, through care and a community effort, has turned into one of the more important community events in Rocky Mount.

An idea for Elizabeth City State to play a home football game in Rocky Mount every season bred The Down East Viking Football Classic, which will celebrate its 15th anniversary at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex on Sept. 29.

“It’s really a win-win for everybody involved: Rocky Mount, the university, recruiting and our students, and not just athletes, but all students,” Elizabeth City State coach Waverly Tillar said. “The fanfare at the game is incredible, and it’s something we look forward to every year.”

The event, which Rocky Mount mayor David Combs called “a second homecoming,” features a week full of events leading up to the game between the Vikings and St. Augustine’s College on
Saturday.

“This has become ...
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Climer: TSU's Ed Temple Olympic honor was long overdue

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - It was one of the most noteworthy races in Olympic history, and the coach didn’t see a step of it. Wilma Rudolph, the 20th of 22 children who had suffered from polio in her youth, sped past the competition to claim the gold medal in the women’s 100 meters at the 1960 Summer Games in Rome.

“I heard it, but I didn’t see it,” says Ed Temple, who coached Rudolph both at Tennessee State University and in the ’60 Olympics. “I was over in the warmup area working with some of the girls to get ready for the next event. “I heard the crowd go crazy and then somebody said, ‘Wilma won!’ I was so happy for her.”

That’s classic Ed Temple. He was so busy preparing a runner for the next race that he didn’t have time to stop and enjoy the fruits of his labor. Fifty-two years after that remarkable Olympic moment, Temple is getting his just due. He is being inducted to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.




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UMES Men's Basketball Releases 2012-13 Schedule

 HEAD COACH FRANKIE ALLEN
UMES HAWKS MEN'S BASKETBALL

PRINCESS Anne, Maryland  -  The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletics Department and Head Coach Frankie Allen released its 2012-13 men's basketball schedule Wednesday. The Hawks will compete in 27 total games, including eight home contests. UMES will open its season November 9 in the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Rainbow Classic hosted by the University of Hawaii.

Following the Rainbow Classic, UMES will travel to Tampa, Florida to compete in the University of South Florida Tournament Nov. 16-18. Other teams in competition at that tournament will be Loyola-Chicago, Western Michigan and host South Florida. The Bulls had the best record of teams competing in the tournament, finishing 22-14 and 12-6 in the BIG EAST last season. Both Loyola and UMES finished the season 7-23, while Western Michigan went 14-20.

Following two trips to sun-soaked areas of the country, UMES will return east to play MEAC opponent Delaware State (Dec. 1). The Hawks will then go on a five-game non-conference road trip. UMES will face three former national champions-Maryland (Dec. 5), Cincinnati (Dec. 8) and UConn. (Dec. 17), before traveling to Ohio University (Dec. 22) and American University (Jan. 2) to open the 2013 season. UMES topped American 64-62 in overtime last season in the W.P. Hytche Athletic Arena.

The Hawks have its home opener January 12 when it hosts MEAC foe Norfolk State University, followed by its second meeting with Delaware State (Jan. 19). Its other home contests will include North Carolina A&T (Feb. 2) and North Carolina Central (Feb. 4), as well as a four-game home stint that will include its homecoming game versus Morgan State (Feb. 16).

Coppin State (Feb. 18), Hampton University (Feb. 23) and Howard (Feb. 25) will all make appearances in the Hytche.

UMES will make trips to Florida A&M (Jan. 26) and Bethune-Cookman (Jan. 28), which it did not do last season. The Hawks will conclude the regular season with a trip to Savannah, Ga. to meet up with Savannah State (Mar. 7) before the conference tournament.

A change in venue for the MEAC Tournament will have the Hawks traveling to Norfolk, Virginia March 11-16.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

ASU's Riley on Buchanan watch list

MONTGOMERY — The awards came pouring in for Alabama State safety Kejuan Riley last year, but the former Wetumpka High star didn’t let the acclaim go to his head this offseason.

“I put in twice the work I usually do,” he said. “I just know what I have to do and keep working. I just thank my teammates for (all the awards) because without them I wouldn’t have any of this.”

Riley was the Southeastern Athletic Conference’s only returning Football Championship Subdivision All-American, a consensus pick in 2011 along with Prairie View A&M defensive end Adrian Hamilton, but was not the preseason choice as SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. That award went to Jackson State defensive end Joseph LeBeau, who was voted the league’s top newcomer in 2011.



Both Riley and LeBeau are among the 20 players on the watch list released Thursday for the 18th annual Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the nation’s top FCS defensive player. The watch list includes six finalists from last season, including Riley, who ranks second among returning players who received votes for last year’s award.

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Ex-Lake Taylor star is newest NSU transfer

MIKE PRIVOTT
(Photo Courtesy U. of Louisville)

NORFOLK, Virginia - Norfolk State didn't have to look past Corprew Avenue to fill its vacancy at inside linebacker. Mike Privott, the all-time leading tackler at Lake Taylor, spent the previous three seasons at Louisville and will transfer to Norfolk State this season.

Raised largely by his brother, Ramon, his grandmother and his uncle Vaughn Parker, Privott grew up in Norfolk around Park Place, Lambert's Point and, eventually, his grandmother's house on Corprew Avenue.

"If we weren't (at the games), we could hear the stadium," Parker said. "Excited isn't the word. He's elated to come home and play in front of his hometown. We'll have 100 people in the stands on Saturdays."

Privott, who said he took an NSU physical on Tuesday, hopes to make as immediate an impact on the field as his family intends to make on NSU's attendance.

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Annual tournament has helped Paine College's golf program

AUGUSTA, Georgia - The Paine College Golf Tour­nament started in September 2009 in response to a travel fiasco. The golf team had qualified for the PGA Mi­nority Collegiate Golf Champ­ionship and was ready to go, then found out at the last minute that there wasn’t enough money in the budget to cover expenses. The team stayed home.

Thanks to the Paine tournament, that problem was quickly solved. Plus, the money raised the past three years has helped turn around the program.

Proceeds from the tournament – $71,000 so far, according to the college – go to the golf program. That money played a role in the Lions’ first Southern Inter­collegiate Athletic Con­fer­ence golf title last season and their sixth-place finish in the Division II portion of the PGA Minor­ity Collegiate Golf Champ­ionship.

The fourth edition of the Paine College Golf Tour­nament will be Aug. 27 at Gordon Lakes Golf Course.

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Passion for game brings Mays south to FAMU

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -  Frank Mays was so convinced that a high school janitor was onto something when he mentioned football as an extra curricular that he practiced an entire season without playing a single down.

When he got his opportunity to play in his senior year of high school, he simply showed out. Mays recorded 96 tackles, enough to catch the eyes of coaches at Minnesota Central Lakes College, although he was shunned by bigger programs.

FAMU is the next stop for Mays, a 6-foot-10, 285-pound defensive end. Coming to Tallahassee to play at FAMU is much farther than he thought he’d go after his high school janitor told him his size could get him somewhere in the game, Mays said.

“I figured I’d give it a shot,” Mays said Monday during a break between strength and conditioning drills. “I really wasn’t looking for anything bigger than high school (but) I fell in love with the game.”

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North Carolina A&T Bowling Announces Recruiting Class

GREENSBORO, North Carolina - The North Carolina A&T bowling program announced the signing of five talented bowlers to join the Aggies for the 2012-13 season.

"All in all, the coaching staff is really excited about this year, really excited about what [the recruits are] bringing to the table, and knowing that this is the first step in returning A&T back to winning MEAC championships, which is what we used to do quite often," said A&T head coach James Williams, referring to the Aggies previous four MEAC titles, the last one occurring during the 2003-04 season.

Joining the Aggies this fall are freshmen Najah Owens (Sanderson, Knightdale, N.C.), Briana Jackson (Davie County, Winston-Salem, N.C.), Emily Strombeck (Kestrel Heights School, Durham, N.C.) and Khadijah Clark (West Johnston, Garner, N.C.) and junior college transfer Courtney Crook (GTCC, Jamestown, N.C.)

Three of the recruits-Owens, Strombeck, and Crook-have qualified for the 2012 North Pointe Junior Gold Championships, a national tournament for the top youth bowlers in the country which was held July 14-21 in Indiana. Youth bowlers have an opportunity to earn a spot on the USA Junior Team at the tournament as well.

"For this coming season, we were looking for spare consistency, we were looking at approach consistency as far as if you are able to reproduce the same thing over and over again, and just basically overall talent with the releasing of the ball, generating revolutions and just making sure that you are able to make a quality shot and leave yourself a makeable spare," Williams said. "We were able to get that with each one of the girls. But each one also brings her own special piece to those things."

Each of the ladies has competed in state youth leagues and travel leagues because of the lack of organized high school bowling in North Carolina, Williams said. He added that his recruits have run across each other in these tournaments as opponents. Now they will join forces in an effort to lead the Aggies back to MEAC dominance.

Owens earned plenty of accolades in competition over the last two years. She earned a top-10 finish in the 2012 N.C. State High School Bowling Championship in individual play for Sanderson High School. She also helped her league team garner a first-place team finish in the All-Stars Interstate Tournament, and as an individual she earned first place in the High Game at the Sectional Pepsi Tournament, a third place finish in the 2012 State Pepsi Tournament, and a second place finish in the 2012 N.C. State Youth Championship Tournament with a 2,010 score. She also earned a first-place finish in the 2011 Premier Junior Gold Tournament, which allowed her to compete in the Nationals and North Point Tournament in Las Vegas in July 2011. She also had a strong high school career in varsity golf as well.

"With Najah, she has a quiet assassin-type demeanor. She's very focused, very raw in talent and just has a tremendous upside," Williams said, adding that she'll be a major asset in bakers play with her accuracy.

Williams is also excited about Strombeck's accuracy. She took first place in the 2012 N.C. United States Bowling Congress Association Pepsi Youth Championship Finals, and finished fifth in the 2011 N.C. USBC Pepsi Youth Championship Finals. She also finished ninth in the 2012 N.C. USBCA Youth Championship Tournament with a 1,786 score. At home, she has a collection of rings that the North Carolina State Association of the USBC gave her commemorating her 300 game performances. She also played women's basketball in high school.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Former Grambling coach Eddie Robinson rises in record books after fall of Penn State's Joe Paterno

GRAMBLING, Louisiana - The fallout of the devastating NCAA sanctions laid on Penn State on Monday spread around the country, from coast to coast and North to South.

Louisiana wasn't spared. In fact, the sanctions had a direct link to one of the state's own coaching legends: Grambling's deceased coach Eddie Robinson.



As part of the unprecedented sanctions, Penn State will vacate 112 victories gained from 1998 to 2011, 111 of those by Nittany Lions icon Joe Paterno. That allows Robinson to regain his title as the winningest Division I college coach in history with 408.

Robinson's son, Eddie Jr., was hardly gratified by the reordering of the names in the history books.

"I can't find anything to be happy about," said Robinson Jr., a Grambling assistant for 16 years. "It's not a win-win situation for anybody. He and my dad were good friends.

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