Dillard Coach Assists in Capturing 1st AAU National Title

COACH NORBERT ROME JR.

NEW ORLEANS - Norbert Rome Jr., assistant basketball coach for the Dillard Lady Bleu Devils, is no stranger to basketball. He also knows a thing or two about winning. But he has never helped coach a team to a national championship, until now.

Despite several attempts in recent years, the Angels Basketball team overcame tremendous adversity during some very intense basketball games as they were crowned 2012 11th Grade Division I AAU National Champions in Orlando. Led by head coach Denis Aidoo and assistant coaches Alton Clivens, Rome Jr. and his younger sibling Norvell Rome, the team managed to battle through two crucial games where they trailed by double digits in the second half to remarkably come back and win.

After six straight wins in the tournament, Angels Basketball entered the championship game and had to face the Saratoga Sparks. The 2012 11th Grade Division I AAU National Championship Game,
which was televised live on ESPN 3, was dominated by the post players Paije Hall (St. Thomas More High-Lafayette) and the unannounced MVP, Kaitlyn Pratt (McDonogh 35-New Orleans) of the Angels.

Pratt's size allowed her to shoot high percentage shots from the paint as she also dominated the boards, marvelously collecting a double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) in the championship game. Although the Saratoga Sparks produced a valiant effort, it wasn't enough as Angels Basketball won the championship game by the score of 53-46.

"We really believed we had a shot to win it all because everything was falling in place at the right time," said Coach Rome Jr. "We came into this tourney without our star point guard, Di'Mond Jackson (University High-Baton Rouge), and despite injuries, we rode the wave as our bench stepped up huge and played a major role."

In the first round, the teams participated in pool play. The teams were split into six groups of four teams each, with the top two advancing. Angels Basketball breezed through the first game with a 79-43 victory over Jacksonville Lady Tarheels.

However, their second game proved to be a rollercoaster ride. In the first half, Angles Basketball found themselves up by 10 points over Germantown Lady Panthers half, but after a twenty point swing, they trailed by 10 points in the second half.

The Angles cut the lead down to three with less than 30 seconds to go and forced Jacksonville into a turnover on the following possession. With just seconds remaining in the game, Coach Rome's team buried a three pointer to face overtime where they went on for the 55-52 victory.

In the third and final game of pool play, Angels Basketball would cruise on to yet another easy victory, this time defeating Lady Shottas by the score of 65-32. Their impressive 3-0 record in pool play earned them a first round bye as they advanced to the next round.

Angels Basketball won its next game 64-60 against a formidable opponent, N.M.B. Hoop Dreams Blue and eased its way into the final four after a 56-45 defeat over Illinois Wolverines Elite.

According to Coach Rome Jr., the semi-final game versus Ohio Lady Attack was the most challenging game throughout this AAU National Tournament in Orlando.

"Their ability to drive and dish it to the three-point line made it tough to stop them, especially when they hit almost all their shots," said Rome Jr. "We were down by 18 at one point, and our coaching staff made a key substitution when we put in Alexandra Seale (Ponchatoula High-Hammond) who is our lock down defender."

The Angels cut the deficit to 10 by halftime, and after a tough third quarter, they trailed by only seven points entering the fourth quarter.

Ohio Lady Attack could feel the lead slowly slipping away throughout the fourth quarter as the Angels applied heavy pressure on the defensive end. With three minutes remaining in the ball game, Angels Basketball's Kolbi Morgan (John Curtin High-River Ridge) buried a three-point shot as the shot clock expired to tie the game. The 18 point deficit which seemed insurmountable was overcome by the will to never give up as Angels Basketball defeated Ohio Lady Attack 49-45.

"I really feel like Angels Basketball was very special," said Rome Jr. "The team was on board and believed from the very beginning and had to overcome a lot of adversity throughout the tourney in order to win the championship."

By Habtom Keleta, Sports Information Director
VISIT: DILLARD UNIVERSITY
VISIT: DILLARDBLEUDEVILS.COM

Morgan State Lacrosse Club Seeking Funding

BALTIMORE, Maryland - The Morgan State Lacrosse Club is seeking donations to fund its return to varsity status.

From 1970 through 1975, the "Ten Bears," as the team was called, ranked in the Top 10 four times and made the NCAA tournament twice. In 1975, Morgan State defeated top-ranked Washington and Lee, which had not lost a regular-season game in three years.

The program folded in 1980. For more information, contact coach Bill Krehnbrink at 410-733-3432.





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Former TSU Merritt Coaches, Players & Staff Invited to JMC

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Former coaches, players and staff of Coach John A. Merritt will be honored by the John Merritt Classic Committee on Aug. 30 through Sept. 1.

The JMC Committee would like to extend a personal invitation to all former players, coaches and staffers who played or worked under coach Merritt during his tenure at TSU.

All former players, coaches and staff members please register now to reserve your space for this exciting reunion weekend.

JMC Honorees Registration Form

John Merritt Football Reunion Highlights

Friday, August 31, 2012
9:00 p.m. - Until
Welcome Mixer & Dance
Location: Millennium Maxwell House Hotel
Hosted by the TSU Football Alumni Chapter
Cost: $10 in advance; $15 at the door

Saturday, September 1, 2012
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Honoree Meet & Greet
(for all former players, coaches and staffers under Coach Merritt)
Location: Tiger Town Honoree Tent at L.P. Field
All registered honorees will receive two wristbands for admittance to the game.

6:00 p.m.
Tennessee State Tigers vs. Florida A&M Rattlers
Location: L.P. Field

Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers and Twitter @TSU_Tigers.



COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Miles College sign Nine Basketball Players

FAIRFIELD, Alabama - Miles College head women's basketball coach Phillip Wallace has announced the signing of nine basketball players for the 2012-13 season. Included in this class is eight freshman and one junior college player. “I am extremely excited about this signing class. The young ladies are not just basketball players, but tremendous student-athletes,” said head coach Phillip Wallace.

Wallace signed the following players:

Aleasa Allen (6'2, FR, Center) from LoveJoy, GA (LoveJoy High School)
Allen scored 15 points per game and 10 rebounds

Darlicia Bond (5'7, FR, Guard) from Riverdale, GA (Mundy Mill High School)
Bond averaged 14 points per game and grabbed 5 rebounds

Ashley Curry (5'7, FR, Point Guard) from Birmingham, AL (Minor High School)

Rone Francis (5'8, FR, Guard) from Ozark, AL (Ozark High School)

Bianna Jones (5'10, FR, Forward) from Fairfield, AL (Fairfield High School)

De'Oshia Long (6'0, FR, Forward) from Adamsville, AL (Dora High School)

Ebony Mcneill (5'8, JR, Guard) from Fairburn, GA (Chattahoochee Valley Community College)

Shonkerria Nelson (5'6, FR, Point Guard) from Sandersville, GA (Washington County High School)
Nelson dished out 9 assist and scored 10 points per game

Imani Simmons (5'8, FR, Guard) from Sandersville, GA (Washington County High School)
Nelson scored 11 points per game

COURTESY MILES COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Renewed zeal: S.C. State Bulldogs want the MEAC title back

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina - The rigors of training camp have not gotten old for South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough. If anything, coming up short for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title last season has reenergized Pough’s focus entering his 11th season at the helm.

The same is apparently true for returning players like senior running back Asheton Jordan of Charleston, who’s hungry to retaste the championship success from the previous three seasons.

“It’s just the fact that we’re not on top,” Jordan said. “We lost the MEAC last year and that hasn’t happened at (S.C.) State in a while and everybody’s attitude is to win the MEAC championship and that’s what we’re working to. There’s no exceptions. We want to win the MEAC championship and advance in the (Football Championship Subdivision) playoffs.”

The serious tone was evident at Friday’s opening preseason practice at ...

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Delaware State Hornets Gear Up for Preseason Camp

DOVER, Delaware - The 2012 Delaware State University football team begins preseason camp next week. Hornet second-year head coach Kermit Blount expects about 85 players, including more than 50 returning letter winners, to report for camp.

Blount is eagerly anticipating his second preseason camp in Dover. Joining the Hornets just days before the beginning of the 2011 recruit signing period and weeks before the start of spring camp, DSU managed just three wins (3-8 overall; 1-7 MEAC) in his first season with the team.

Despite the record, the Hornets showed noticeable improvement on the field last season. DSU closed out the 2011 campaign with a 39-36 win over Howard, which featured one of the nation's stingiest defenses entering the contest. The Hornets racked up 412 total yards, including 324 passing during the game. The Bison were third among all FCS schools in pass defense (141.3 ypg) and fourth in total defense (288.5 ypg) prior to the contest.

Delaware State was also the most ...

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A&T Aggies haven’t lost hope despite NCAA sanctions

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — All the progress, all the momentum built from N.C. A&T’s four-game improvement in Rod Broadway’s first season as head football coach last year has gone for naught.

The Aggies welcome back almost all of their core, including back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher Mike Mayhew and three preseason first-team All-MEAC performers on defense, but their 2012 season is over before it has even started because of a one-year postseason ban levied by the NCAA as a result of poor Academic Progress Rate showings.



At least, that’s one way to look at it. Broadway and his players are choosing to approach the setback from another direction. They’re building something.

“We knew some of the situation when we accepted the job. To be honest, I didn’t know it was as bad as it is,” Broadway said. “We’re not going to complain about it. We’re just going to try to go to work and build a football team.”

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ASU Rams report to camp, amped to start 2012 season

ALBANY, Georgia — Justin Blash stepped on campus Thursday morning ready to push himself, ready to prove he and his teammates are better than they looked the last time they stepped off the field.

Albany State’s senior defensive lineman and the rest of his teammates reported to campus for the first time this season, and Blash said they all came together with one thing on their minds: hard work.

So when he ran into teammates Travis Walker and Darvel Nelson minutes after arriving, his first question was pretty simple.

“I said, ‘Y’all ready to get it?’ ” Blash said to the pair of offensive linemen, who will be going head-to-head against one another once practices start next week. “Darvel laughed at me and told me he is down to 328 (pounds), and Travis just gave me a little head nod. So I think we are ready to go.”



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Grambling starts fall practice

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — "First" couldn't come soon enough for the Grambling football team. The defending SWAC champions were eager to return to the field Thursday for their first fall practice, marking the earliest start by any local Division-I college and one that couldn't come quickly enough.

Several Tigers were outside by 5 p.m., more than two hours before a practice that didn't end until dark.

"It's pretty exciting, man," senior punter Fabian Carter said. "The team has got a lot of young, humble guys, and it's good as a senior and a leader, kinda workin' with 'em. We haven't even seen that first ring yet, but we're workin' on getting another one already. We're very excited."

Coach Doug Williams talked beforehand about how much he and his assistants looked forward to finally seeing several newcomers in action. He was pleased with attendance in summer ...

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Hampton Uniuversity Athletics Announces New Staff Appointments

HAMPTON, Virginia - Rodney D. Smith, administrative vice president at Hampton University has announced the appointment of Novelle Dickenson as the new athletics director, Alexiss Robinson as assistant athletics director and senior woman administrator and Kristen Drummond as compliance coordinator.

A university committee, made up of faculty, staff and administrators reviewed the credentials of thirty candidates over the past four months and conducted on-campus interviews with eight candidates for the position of director of athletics. The university was looking for an individual who was experienced in athletics and academics with a clear understanding of the need for balance between the two. In the end, the University assembled a team that would maximize skills and expertise for optimum athletics administrative leadership with a clear understanding of the role that academics play with student athletics.

“I believe Mr. Dickenson’s background in academics as well as athletics is a perfect fit for the athletic director position here at Hampton University,” said Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey. “He is passionate about Hampton athletics and is a staunch educator with more than 30 years of experience in the classroom and academic administration.”

Dickenson assumes duties today, August 2, replacing Interim Athletic Director Malcolm Avery, who held the position for the past four months. Dickenson is no stranger to Hampton or the athletic department having served as the faculty athletic representative for the past 12 years. Over the past three decades, Dickenson has also served as chair of the Hampton Department of Political Science and History, interim chair of the Department of Sociology, interim chair of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, pre-law advisor, faculty representative to the Hampton University Board of Trustees, member of the Tenure and Promotions Committee in the School of Liberal Arts.

Dickenson has served as President of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), and is a former member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Academic/Eligibility and Compliance Cabinet, including the Continuing Eligibility sub-committee. Dickenson received his undergraduate degree in political science from Hampton University, a master’s degree in political science from Howard University, as well as completed further post-graduate studies at Howard University.

Robinson joins the staff as the assistant athletic director/SWA with direct oversight of academic support and compliance. She will also have joint oversight with the athletic director over athletic performance and trainers. She is a 2003 graduate of Hampton University and holds a Master of Science degree in kinesiology-athletic administration from Indiana University. She comes to Hampton after serving as director of student-athlete support services at Howard, assistant director of compliance and student services at Temple University and compliance coordinator at Norfolk State University.

Drummond, who has been named compliance coordinator, spent the last year at Hampton as a coordinator of athletic academic support. She was responsible for monitoring athletic eligibility and degree advancement, while also advising student-athletes of course selection, career planning and working with at-risk student-athletes. Drummond has served as athletic academic graduate intern at the University of Iowa and athletic Academic program specialist at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Drummond earned both a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: WSSU trying to sell tickets for Cleveland Classic

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina - Now that I’ve received a copy of the Winston-Salem State’s new football media guide I guess that means the season can’t be that far away.  While I still have a week of vacation next week that won’t stop the Rams and coach Connell Maynor from starting practice on Aug. 9. The players will report for physicals on Aug. 7.



Big things are expected from the Rams, who are coming off a 13-1 record, the best in school history. It’s been known for years that the Rams’ fans love to travel and they will be put to the test this season. One of those tests will be showing up to take on Morehouse in the Cleveland Football Classic on Sept. 15.

That will be the Rams second game of the season and the WSSU athletics department is making a big push to get fans to buy tickets. The benefit of purchasing the tickets through the WSSU ticket office is the department gets to keep a percentage of tickets sold by WSSU.

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NCCU Eagles look for speed, strength in preseason drills

DURHAM, North Carolina - The Eagles were preparing for warmups Thursday evening at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium when they spotted their leader heading toward the field. “Frazier, what’s up, baby!” a player yelled. “Where’s the horn, baby?” another player asked.

N.C. Central head coach Henry Frazier III returned the love. “What’s up?” Frazier said. The coach wasn’t clutching his trademark bullhorn, but that big smile of his was there. The day was a long time coming for Frazier and the Eagles after going 2-9 in 2011, the team’s fourth straight losing season.



It was the first day of practice for NCCU’s second season as a Football Championship Subdivision team. The Eagles flew around during a practice that started at a fast pace with the quarterbacks taking turns running offenses. One set of guys would run a play, and then another group would follow in rapid succession.

“I thought tempo was really high,” Frazier said.

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Mike Davis: Former Indiana, UAB Coach Named Interim at Texas Southern

HOUSTON, Texas  -  Former Indiana and UAB head coach Mike Davis has resurfaced with an interim position at Texas Southern. Davis, who led Indiana to the 2002 National Championship game, has accepted the position after parting ways with UAB this past spring.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to get back into coaching,” Davis said in an interview with KRIV-TV in Houston. “I’ve researched Texas Southern’s program.

Davis, who spent six seasons at each Indiana and UAB, led the Hoosiers to four NCAA Tournament appearances. During his tenure at UAB, the Blazers won 20+ games on four consecutive occasions, but managed to qualify for the Big Dance only once (2011).

UAB finished the 2011-12 season at 15-16 overall, a mark that ultimately led to the school moving forward with ...

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UMES track star Guion-Firmin in London for Olympics

Lenora Guion-Firmin

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Sprinter Lenora Guion-Firmin, a rising senior on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore's track team, will have one heckuva story about her summer vacation to share when she returns to campus this fall.

Guion-Firmin, who is from Martinque, a French overseas territory in the Caribbean, qualified for France's 2012 team that will compete in the London Olympic games that begin July 27. She is a member of the French 4x400-meter relay team.

She earned a silver medal July 1 in the 4x400-meter relay in the 2012 European Athletics Championships. Running the event's second leg, Guion-Firmin helped her teammates finish with a time of 3:25.49 behind Ukraine (3:25.07) and earned her nation its best finish in the women's track competiton held in Helsinki, Finland.

"This is such a privilege for (Guion-Firmin) to represent her country," UMES head coach Ernest Barrett said. "It is every track athletes dream to run in the Olympic Games."

Guion-Firmin represented UMES in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships in June. Her 52.65-second time in the 400-meter dash earned her NCAA first-team All-American honors. She is the only female athlete in UMES history to receive All-American recognition in indoor and outdoor track.

She produced a personal best time -- and school record -- of 52.20 seconds in the 400-meter event during a Princeton, N.J. meet in mid-May of this year. Guion-Firmin also holds the UMES record of 23.49 seconds in the 200-meter dash. In the outdoor track season she ran a team's best 12.07-second time in the 100-meter dash.

Guion-Firmin finished first or second in eight events during the 2012 collegiate outdoor track season, including the NCAA Championships. She had four first-place finishes, two in the 400-meter dash and one in the 100 and 200-meter events.

"Her points alone helped elevate UMES into the top 60 track and field programs in the country," Barrett said.

Her Olympic teammates in the 4x400-meter relay are: Phara Anacharsis, Marie Gayot and Floria Guei. Guion-Firmin is making her first appearance for the French team.

Preliminary heats will be run Aug. 10 -- three days after Guion-Firmin's 21st birthday -- and the medal race will be held the following day, Aug. 11, according to the official London Olympics' website.

Bonne chance, Lenora!

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Kynard, Owens will team up in college at Bethune-Cookman

TOLEDO, Ohio - Tony Kynard and Clemmye Owens have been teammates on the basketball court since junior high school. The Rogers seniors apparently plan to continue serving as backcourt mates beyond their final season wearing a Rams uniform. Both gave verbal commitments on Monday to attend Bethune-Cookman University after graduating from high school next spring.

"We've been playing basketball together since the seventh grade, so we decided to go to the same school," said Kynard, the 6-foot-1 point guard who averaged 13.9 points and 8.2 assists during his junior season.




Owens, a six-foot shooting guard, pumped in a team-high 18.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest in his junior campaign. "I liked the school, and it seems like it's the best [college] program for me," Owens said. "Their style of play fits me."

Kynard and Owens, who have been key members of the Rams backcourt the last two seasons, made their decision to verbally commit to Bethune-Cookman during a recent unofficial visit to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference university. Toledo native and former Tiffin University coach Rodney Martin is an assistant coach on Bethune-Cookman's coaching staff.

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Norfolk State's Goldberg named one of top 44 kickers in country

NORFOLK, Virginia - We'll discuss all the questions the Norfolk State football team faces heading into training camp here for the next few weeks (key questions will be in The Pilot on Monday), but for the moment, let's discuss somewhere the Spartans can feel secure.

Everett Goldberg was named a finalist for the Fred Mitchell Award watch list on Thursday, which is given to the top college kicker in the country at all levels. Ryan Estep, an All-American last year, was a finalist for the award last year.

If there's any area NSU seems set heading into ...

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Title target is prime story line as S.C. State players report

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina - After a one-week break following the completion of summer workouts, the South Carolina State football team is headed back to campus today.

Just over 90 returning and new players are expected to report to the team before the start of preseason practice at 7 p.m. Friday at the Oliver C. Dawson Stadium practice field. It will be the first of 20 practices planned by head coach Buddy Pough, entering his 11th seasons at the helm of his alma mater.



The Bulldogs, ranked 24th in the preseason by the College Sportings News Preseason Football Championship Subdivision Top 25 rankings, head into the Aug. 30 season-opener in Atlanta against Georgia State with a myriad of story lines: ‘Bulldog’ empire strikes back

To a man, the players want nothing more than to add a 15th Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship year to the “Wall of Champions” outside Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

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Bethune-Cookman fall football camp kicks off

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - There is one game film that Bethune-Cookman head football coach Brian Jenkins keeps going back to. The game does not feature the Wildcats and predates his time at B-CU. But Jenkins said he keeps watching South Carolina State's 37-21 playoff loss to Appalachian State in 2008.

The Bulldogs led that game 14-10, before the Mountaineers pulled away. If they just could have held on, Jenkins reckons, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference may be viewed in a different light as it pertains to the Football Championship Subdivision title picture.  Instead, the league is winless in the playoffs since 1999 -- 0-for-14.

"They were right there," Jenkins said of S.C. State. "If they would've done that, we wouldn't have these conversations about schools in the MEAC and (the FCS title)."

In his first two seasons at B-CU, Jenkins produced a solid 18-5 record. Season 3 under Jenkins is slated to kick off with the start of fall camp around 9 a.m. today at New Smyrna Beach Sports Complex. Bethune-Cookman will spend its first two weeks of practice in New Smyrna Beach while its on-campus practice facilities undergo renovations.



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ASU to hold first fall practice Thursday

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - The Alabama State football team reports to camp Wednesday and will hold its first fall practice Thursday afternoon at Hornet Stadium.  Approximately 95 players are set to check in to dorm rooms today and get settled in before getting down to business on the practice field Thursday at 3 p.m.

The Hornets are coming off an 8-3 season in 2011, with a 7-2 mark in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. Each victory total was one more than what was achieved in 2010.

"We're excited; it's been a long time," Barlow said since last season ended with victory in the Turkey Day Classic over Tuskegee to the eve of fall camp. "It's kind of been surreal as I think about it. I remember early in the summer thinking ‘when will that day get here'. Now, report day is here and we're a month away from the first game (on Sept. 2 in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge vs. Bethune-Cookman in Orlando, Fla.). I think the players are excited; many of them stayed here over the summer, and we are looking forward to getting started."

Barlow has an experienced group reporting ...

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Savannah State football team gets back to work

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Quarterback Antonio Bostick looked leaner, stronger and swifter, and he wasn’t the only Savannah State football player who underwent a transformation this summer.

“The kids are in good shape,” said second-year head coach Steve Davenport as the Tigers opened preseason camp Wednesday morning with 95 players on the field. “Bostick had a tremendous off-season.”

Coming off a 1-10 season that included seven straight losses to end the year, Davenport is not dwelling on the past. And he’s not dwelling on season-opening games at Oklahoma State and Florida State, which figure to push the losing skein to nine straight.

In Davenport’s world, the days ahead for the Tigers are going to do nothing but get better.

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QB biggest question mark as Jackson State football starts practice

JACKSON, Mississippi - Not long after being promoted to offensive coordinator, Jackson State assistant coach Derrick McCall stated his plans for the Tigers' offense this season. In short, he wanted to keep the train moving.

"Offensively, our job is to score points," McCall said. "We want to do it in a way that has never been done before. I want to be better than we were last year.

"What we want to do is try to continue to build on what we've been doing."

As players report today in advance of Thursday's first practice, there's understandable skepticism among JSU faithful as to whether or not that can truly occur.

Can the Tigers' Air Raid offense - a unit that led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in passing offense and total offense each of the past two seasons - keep up its frantic pace without record-breaking quarterback Casey Therriault?

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GSU football returns after short, hot summer

GRAMBLING, Louisiana - This summer may have been — and continues to be — hot, but it wasn't particularly long for the Grambling football team.

The Tigers report for training camp today, and will meet with their coaches and hit the field Thursday evening for their first full team practice of the fall.

"It's here, and the kids this year should be a little more excited because of how we ended last year," coach Doug Williams said. "Hopefully some of the younger guys who played and some of the younger guys who were waiting their turn will be ready for their opportunity and show some enthusiasm."

Fresh off 2011 Bayou Classic and SWAC championships, Grambling will be ...



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Hometown Olympics - SSU's Amara Jones

SAVANNAH, Georgia - In an Olympic 100 meter dash, every step, every arm movement could be the difference between a spot on the medal stand and a long trip home. This year, one of Savannah's State's own headed to the biggest stage in sports.

"It's a life changing experience even to know you will be a part of something that's so much bigger than yourself," said Jones.

Amara Jones is just 20 years old, a MEAC track champion, a college graduate, and now a member of the Bahamas Olympic Team. "She does not think she can lose, and that's a good thing," said Ted Whitaker.



Ted Whitaker was Jones' track coach at Savannah State, and one of the first to recognize her talent.

"Wish I could take all the credit, but you have to come with the desire, with the heart," explained Whitaker. "And she's an extremely strong young lady."

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UMES conducting search for new baseball coach

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is in the middle of a search for a new baseball coach after declining to renew the contract of Will Gardner. Gardner was 61-260 over six seasons with the Hawks. His teams went 39-73 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play.

Gardner's contract expired June 30; UMES does not announce personnel changes.

"I want to thank Coach Gardner for all of his hard work and I think that he has left the program in a stronger position than when he found it in terms of moving it forward and our level of competitiveness and talent," said UMES athletic director Keith Davidson. "It was my opinion that there were some benchmarks and expectation that had been set before the beginning of the year that weren't quite met and we need an opportunity to turn the corner with a fresher approach."

The Hawks did finish 11-13 in the MEAC this past season and won two games in the postseason conference tournament, but still finished 14-39 overall.

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North Carolina A&T Aggies Schedule First Practice

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  -   The 2012 North Carolina A&T football season starts in 31 days. The Aggies will have to take a few more preparatory steps before traveling to Conway, S.C., to face Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.

The Aggie football players will report to preseason camp on Friday, Aug. 3. Their first official practice will be Saturday, Aug. 4 at 4 p.m. On Sunday, Aug. 12, the Aggies will hold a picture/media day at 9 a.m., inside Aggie Stadium. Six days later on Aug. 18, the Aggies annual Fun Fest Day to kickoff the 2012 season will start at 10 a.m., at the Aggie Stadium parking lot.

"We're looking forward to it," said second-year A&T head coach Rod Broadway. "We're excited. Hopefully, we can make improvements as a football team and get better. That's the key, constant improvement."

The Aggies had a four-win improvement from 2010 to 2011, as they went 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the MEAC. The progress is starting to be recognized.

Senior running back Mike Mayhew was recently named preseason MEAC Offensive Player of the Year and the Aggies return 10 starters from a defense that was ranked eighth nationally. Three of those starters on defense - senior defensive end Tony Mashburn, junior strong safety Travis Crosby and junior linebacker D'Vonte Grant - joined Mayhew on the preseason All-MEAC team. Junior right guard Nathan Isles and senior defensive tackle Brandon Young were preseason second teamers.

A few milestones reached could also signal growth for the Aggies football program. Mayhew is 139 yards shy of breaking the school's all-time rushing record. He could also join Hampton's Alonzo Coleman and Howard's Harvey Reed as the only backs in MEAC history to record three straight 1,000 yard seasons. In addition, quarterback Lewis Kindle has a chance to become the only quarterback in school history to throw for more than 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons.

"I think everyone gets excited at the start of a new season," said Broadway. "It's our job as coaches to hold that excitement. If you hold it, they can see themselves getting better. Hopefully, that translates into us winning some football games. I think we have a core group of guys who understand how we want to get things done. Guys are really putting forth the effort and going for it."

Preseason Schedule

Date                                       Event                                     Time

August 3                                Players Report                     All Day
August 4                                Practice                                 4 p.m.  
August 5                                Practice                                 7 p.m.
August 6                                Practice                                 9 a.m.
August 7                                Practice                                 9 a.m.
August 8                                Practice                                 9 a.m.
August 9                                Practice                         9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
August 10                              Practice                                 9 a.m.
August 11                              Practice                          9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
August 12                              Media/Picture Day                  9 a.m.
August 13                              Practice                                 9 a.m.
August 14                              Practice                         9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
August 18                              Fun Fest                                10 a.m.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION