SAN FRANCISCO, California - Before I asked Carlos Rogers a question about Brian Tyms on Wednesday, a thought crossed my mind: Would the Pro Bowl cornerback have any idea who in the world I was talking about?
Just to be safe, I inserted Tyms’ jersey number – No. 9 – into the question in case Rogers didn’t know the undrafted rookie wide receiver from Florida A&M by name.
Maybe that bit of information helped. Whatever the case, Rogers smiled. Yes, he was familiar with The Fade Guy.
“Most of the time I’ve gone against him he’s run a fade route against me.” Rogers said. “In my mind, that’s what I’m trying to cover. But seeing him going against some of the other (cornerbacks), he does pose that deep threat. A guy that can catch the jump ball. A fade guy that you can put the ball up to in the back of the end zone. He’s a guy that’s learning and getter better and better each and every day.”
49ers QB Scott Tolzien to Brian Tyms #9 and Kyle Williams at Training Camp - August 14, 2012.
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Saturday, August 18, 2012
Stillman: D-II school calls on Purnell
The football team of the historically black college — stuck in the vast shadows of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa — hadn’t had much success in the three years before Purnell’s arrival. The Tigers finished at or near the bottom of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings in each of those years.
But when Stillman alumnus Teddy Keaton took over the program in 2011, it was the perfect opportunity for Purnell to come in and show what he could do. That’s exactly what he’s done.
“I had to compete and earn my job as a freshman,” Purnell said. “There wasn’t a spot guaranteed to anybody, and we all had to work to start and get playing time.”
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Friday, August 17, 2012
FAMU trying to settle suit in band hazing death
TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Florida A&M University wants to try to settle a family's lawsuit against the school over the hazing death of a band member.
FAMU trustees on Thursday voted to enter a voluntary mediation session with attorneys for the parents of Robert Champion, who authorities said died last November after Marching 100 members beat him during a hazing ritual.
Eleven FAMU band members face felony hazing charges, while two others face misdemeanor counts. They have pleaded not guilty.
The Champions, who live in the Atlanta suburb of Decatur, Ga., claim university officials did not take action to stop hazing even though a school dean proposed suspending the band because of hazing three days before their son died.
School officials also fell short in enforcing anti-hazing policies and did not keep a close eye on band members to prevent hazing, the lawsuit said.
Chris Chestnut, an attorney for the Champions, said ...
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Hampton University Co-Ed Sailing Releases Fall 2012 Schedule
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| Fall 2012 Hampton University sailing schedule (Photo Courtesy: HU Pirates Athletics) |
HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton University head sailing coach Alessandro Ambrosi announced the fall 2012 schedule on Friday, a slate that includes a home regatta and five other meets within the Hampton Roads area.
The Faye Bennett MAISA Women’s Singlehanded will be held Sept. 22-23 in Annapolis, Md. to help set the field for the national regatta in November. Giuditta di Laghi (Albenga, Italy) ran in the national meet last season, becoming the first Hampton sailor ever to compete for a national title.
Hampton will also compete in the William & Mary Colony Cup in Williamsburg, Va. on Nov. 22-23.
The South #1 at ODU will be held in Norfolk, Va. on Sept. 29-30, before the Pirates head to Alexandria, Va. on Oct. 6-7 for the South #2 at Georgetown. On Oct. 13-14, the Pirates will return to Annapolis, Md. for the Navy Fall Intersectional, before heading to Newport News, Va. on Oct. 20-21 for The Webb Open hosted by Christopher Newport.
The War Memorial will be held on Oct. 27-28; if Hampton does not qualify, the Pirates will compete in the Henry Luce Regatta that weekend at a site yet to be determined.
The ICSA Women’s Singlehanded Nationals will be held in Long Beach, Calif. on Nov. 2-4. Di Laghi finished 12th in last year’s meet.
Hampton will close out the fall 2012 portion on its schedule on Nov. 10-11 in The Brennan Russell hosted by CNU – a regatta in which the Pirates finished second last season.
COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Pro Football Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow to lead Lakeland College athletics, wellness
Winslow, 54, will serve as Lakeland's director of athletics. He will also lead development of a college-wide focus on wellness designed to help all students understand how lifestyle choices they make in college impact their personal health and their ability to get a job after college.
"This role at Lakeland fulfills two things I've been looking for — a place where I can continue to be involved in athletics and to implement a comprehensive student wellness plan," said Winslow, who becomes the 11th person to lead Lakeland athletics since intercollegiate athletics was organized in 1932.
"President Grandillo shares my vision and is giving me his support in making the vision a reality. Athletics is a major portion of campus life and community engagement."
Winslow and Grandillo met approximately four years ago. Grandillo started as Lakeland president in July.
See photos from the event.
To most, Winslow is best known for revolutionizing the tight end position while playing for the San Diego Chargers from 1979 to 1987. A fixture in San Diego head coach Don Coryell's passing-oriented offense, Winslow transitioned the position from primarily a line blocker to a major part of the offense. He led the NFL in receptions in 1980 and 1981 and had three 1,000-plus yard seasons.
At the time of his retirement, Winslow ranked fifth among active receivers and 14th among all NFL pass-catchers. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.
Prior to coming to Lakeland, Winslow served four years as athletic director at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. He helped the school, an athletic independent for decades, become a founding member of the Great-Midwest Athletic Conference and a member of the football-only Great Lakes Valley Conference.
He also launched a speaker series that brought leaders from the world of sports to inspire and motivate community leaders in business, government and nonprofit organizations. The series, modeled after a similar series led by Grandillo when he served at Tiffin University, included Pro Football Hall of Famers Anthony Muñoz and Gale Sayers and pro basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
Winslow plans to start a similar series at Lakeland.
Former Central State University of Ohio athletic director, Kellen Winslow Sr. has been named vice president for athletics and wellness at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, a NCAA Division III athletic program.
Kellen's accomplishments on the football field speak for themself, and we're obviously excited to have such an accomplished athlete leading our athletic department," Grandillo said. "But that's not why we hired him. In the four years we have known each other, we've had a number of discussions about ways to ensure that college students — especially first generation college students — have success.
"I share the vision of the wellness plan that Kellen will implement at Lakeland, and I believe our shared vision is fully in sync with Lakeland's mission. It will help make Lakeland distinctive by bringing healthy lifestyles to the forefront for all our students, not just our student-athletes."
Winslow said as more employers search for ways to control rising healthcare costs, colleges and universities can help by producing graduates who understand the importance of wellness.
"I believe this program will help Lakeland draw students and attract interest from parents," Winslow said. "It will also make our graduates more attractive to employers."
A firm believer in that academics and athletics go hand in hand, Winslow graduated from University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor's degree in counseling psychology. He returned to school after his football career and earned his jurist doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1993.
A native of East St. Louis, Ill., Winslow did not play football at East St. Louis High School until his senior season. Despite that, he earned a football scholarship to attend Missouri.
After earning consensus All-American and Big Eight Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior tight end at Missouri, he was drafted in the first round by the Chargers in 1979, the 13th overall pick. He ended his college career as the sixth leading receiver in school history, and Missouri retired his jersey in 1995. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
His athletic accomplishments have been paralleled with a successful career in the media. He served as an analyst for Fox Sports Net College Football Saturday Studio Show, and has provided color commentary for NFL broadcasts on CBS Radio, ESPN college football and for University of Missouri football.
He has appeared on ABC's Nightline, ESPN, Fox Sports and most major local and national radio and television sports talk shows. He is often called upon to speak on social, political, economic and racial issues relating to sports.
He recently served as the executive director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, an affinity group made up of minority members of the National Football League front office, coaching and scouting personnel and as the Director of Planning and New Event Development for the Walt Disney World Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Recently, Winslow agreed to serve on the NFL Advisory Committee on Wellness and Transition.
His son, Kellen Winslow, Jr., is entering his ninth season as an NFL tight end and his first with the Seattle Seahawks.
COURTESY LAKELAND COLLEGE MEDIA RELATIONS
Alabama A&M's construction plan: broader unity is as important as the new football field
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- There is the incessant beep-beep-beep-beeping of a dump truck, backing up to expel a load of gravel. There is a dozer devouring heavy blankets of sod behind the north end zone. An armada of heavy equipment is on the scene.
Right now, the football field inside Louis Crews Stadium is bald as Mr. Clean. Now an oval of red clay, it more resembles a small-town quarter-mile race track than a football field.
Alabama A&M is to play its first home football game Sept. 15 on new artificial turf. A month to go, "they're actually ahead of schedule" in laying the new carpet, A&M coach Anthony Jones said Thursday morning. Weather has blessed the effort. The Hellas Construction team has been outstanding, Jones said.
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Right now, the football field inside Louis Crews Stadium is bald as Mr. Clean. Now an oval of red clay, it more resembles a small-town quarter-mile race track than a football field.
Alabama A&M is to play its first home football game Sept. 15 on new artificial turf. A month to go, "they're actually ahead of schedule" in laying the new carpet, A&M coach Anthony Jones said Thursday morning. Weather has blessed the effort. The Hellas Construction team has been outstanding, Jones said.
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Ellender's Aaron Yarmush will join his sister at Xavier
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| AARON YARMUSH |
NEW ORLEANS — Aaron Yarmush of Houma, La., and Ellender Memorial High School has signed a men's cross country scholarship with Xavier University of Louisiana. He also will compete for XU's track and field program.
Yarmush finished eighth in 2011 and 2010 in the Class 4A state cross country meet. His best three-mile time is 16 minutes, 38.85 seconds.
On the track Yarmush won MVP awards at five outdoor meets in 2012, including the District 8-4A championships, where he placed first in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. At the 4A state meet he finished among the top nine in the 3,200 each of the past three seasons. His highest finish at state was seventh in the 800 in 2011.
Other best times for Yarmush include 2:04.84 in the 800 and 4:43.63 in the 1,600. His best 3,200 time was 10:26.28 indoors. He was the 8-4A track MVP as a junior.
He will join his sister Hali, a sophomore, in XU's cross country program. Hali was All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference a year ago. Aaron and Hali will be one of two sibling pairs in Coach Joseph Moses' program this year. The others are 2011 GCAC individual champions Kwame and Zahri Jackson, both sophomores.
Yarmush will major in computer science at Xavier and be one of two Gold Rush freshmen this season. David Holobowicz of Montgomery, Texas, signed in May.
The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets this year will seek their seventh consecutive GCAC team championships and fourth appearances in five years at the NAIA National Championships. Both teams will start the season Aug. 31 in the Mississippi College Opener at Clinton, Miss.
Xavier is one of 38 U.S. colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2013 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.
2012-13 Xavier University of Louisiana Cross Country Signees MEN Ht. Wt. Yr.* Hometown High School
David Holobowicz 5-5 130 Fr. Montgomery, Texas Montgomery
Aaron Yarmush 6-3 173 Fr. Houma, La. Ellender
WOMEN Ht. Wt. Yr.* Hometown High School
Hannah Finnegan 5-2 116 Fr. Pekin, Ill. Tremont
Briana Simms 5-7 103 Fr. Hendersonville, Tenn. Station Camp
* athletic classification at Xavier in fall of 2012
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorVISIT: XULAATHLETICS
Hornets' Love line: ASU freshman makes a quick impact on offensive front
MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Reggie Barlow figured that Damian Love would see action as a true freshman.
The Alabama State football coach couldn’t exactly pinpoint how much time or where on the offensive line the former Stanhope Elmore star would contribute.
But just a few weeks into summer training camp, the speculation halted, when Love walked on to the field at Hornet Stadium with the first-team unit at right guard during ASU’s first scrimmage last week.
“When we recruited him we knew we were going to get a good one, if he came,” Barlow said. “We felt like if he came here that he could start or play for us right away as a freshman. The kid is athletic, he’s strong, he’s smart and he loves to complete.”
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The Alabama State football coach couldn’t exactly pinpoint how much time or where on the offensive line the former Stanhope Elmore star would contribute.
But just a few weeks into summer training camp, the speculation halted, when Love walked on to the field at Hornet Stadium with the first-team unit at right guard during ASU’s first scrimmage last week.
“When we recruited him we knew we were going to get a good one, if he came,” Barlow said. “We felt like if he came here that he could start or play for us right away as a freshman. The kid is athletic, he’s strong, he’s smart and he loves to complete.”
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Lincoln (Pa.) Hoping To Break Through In 2012
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| Lincoln University senior defensive end Tim Green #51,(Fanwood, N.J./Scotch Plains- Fanwood HS) continued to add to his list of honors as he was named to the USA College Football NCAA Division II Preseason All-American Team. |
The Lions, out of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, were in just about every game last year with four of their losses coming by 12 points or fewer. And they have some experience as seventeen starters are back from 2011, but they were picked to finish 11th in the 12 team CIAA.
The headlines for this team come from the defense, specifically from their wonderful senior defensive end Tim Green.
A 6’1″, 215-pound native of Fanwood, New Jersey, Green led all of Division II last season by averaging 1.50 sacks a game and that helped him become Lincoln’s first-ever Division II All-American. He also has been named to several preseason All-American teams this summer. Lincoln head coach O.J. Abanishe says Green’s dominance on the edge helps open things up for the rest of their defense.
Listen to Matt Leon’s interview with O.J. Abanishe: CLICK HERE
Former South Carolina standout joins XU Gold Nuggets' staff
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| ASSISTANT COACH HANNAH LAWING GOLD NUGGETS VOLLEYBALL |
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has hired former University of South Carolina standout Hannah Lawing as an assistant women's volleyball coach. She worked her first practice Tuesday as the Gold Nuggets prepare for their season opener next week.
This is the first collegiate coaching job for Lawing, 23, who was a varsity assistant at Heathwood Hall Episcopal High School in Columbia, S.C., in 2011 and co-head coach of the South Carolina Midlands 18s Elite club team this year.
Lawing graduated from South Carolina in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She played four seasons of volleyball for the Gamecocks and as a senior set a school record for digs per set with 4.89.
"We're excited to have Hannah join the Xavier volleyball family," XU head coach Christabell Hamilton said. "She has collegiate experience and brings energy to our program. She fights right in with our team."
Lawing was an outside hitter and defensive specialist with the Gamecocks. She was SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice as a senior and once as a freshman. She excelled in the classroom as a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and made the dean's list.
Lawing is third all-time at South Carolina with 1,334 digs and fifth with 3.35 digs per set. As a senior she posted the second-most digs in program history and the most in the rally-scoring era with 523. That year she also recorded a USC match-record 38 digs against Mississippi State. Lawing had 23 career double-doubles, including a career-high 28 kills and 14 digs in a four-set victory against Harvard in 2009.
Lawing is a Winston-Salem, N.C., native and lived there 10 years before moving to the Atlanta area. She is a 2007 graduate of Lassiter High School in Marietta, Ga.
Lawing replaces Darrilyn Broussard, who split time with volleyball and women's basketball coaching a year ago. Broussard, the associate head coach of XU women's basketball, returns for her 12th season with that program.
Xavier was 23-7 in 2011 — the Gold Nuggets' first winning season — and didn't lose a match en route to the program's first Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and first appearance in the NAIA National Championship. The Nuggets will open their season Aug. 24 with matches against 20th-ranked Lindsey Wilson and third-ranked Lee in the Lee Invitational at Cleveland, Tenn. The home opener will start at 7 p.m. Sept. 4 against city rival Loyola.
Xavier is one of 38 U.S. colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2013 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorVISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
JSU Welcomes Olympian Anaso Jobodwana Back Home
JACKSON, Mississippi - Jackson State University welcomed back JSU sophomore and 2012 Olympian Anaso Jobodwana during a congratulatory celebration on Aug. 15 in the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.
The event featured the Sonic Boom of the South marching band, greetings from Athletics Director Dr. Vivian L. Fuller, men's track coach Mark Thorne and David Hoard, vice president for Institutional Advancement.
A native of Eastern Cape, South Africa, Jobodwana ran for his home country during the 2012 Summer Olympics. He had the honor of qualifying for the men's 200-meter Olympic final. During the race, which included Jamaican world record holder Usain Bolt, Jobodwana finished eighth. The 20-year-old ran a personal best of 20.27 seconds.
The 2012 Olympics was the first race for Jobodwana on the world stage, but certainly not the last. He's expected to continue as one of the world's top contenders in the 200 meter and is also expected to dominate national competitions as well.
COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Hall to coach WSSU women's basketball
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina - A.G. Hall, a veteran college assistant who played basketball at N.C. Central, is the new women's basketball coach at Winston-Salem State.Hall, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant at Bethune-Cookman, replaces Steve Joyner Jr., who left WSSU after two seasons to coach at his alma mater, Johnson C. Smith.
"I'm extremely excited," Hall, 37, said by phone Thursday afternoon. "I've been waiting for this chance to be a head coach, and I'm really looking forward to the challenge."
Athletics director Bill Hayes said that WSSU's board of trustees approved Hall's hiring Thursday morning. "A.G. is a great young coach, and we're thrilled to have him," Hayes said.
Hall also spent two seasons as an assistant women's coach at Clemson and six season's as an assistant at Providence. He played for N.C. Central in the 1990s, graduating in 1998, and started his coaching career there as a graduate assistant.
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Thursday, August 16, 2012
Former Florida High star making splash for Florida A&M Rattlers
TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Going back to his days at Florida High, DeWayne Harvey had quite a reputation for making good on all of his opportunities on the football field.
When he was brought on as a back-up quarterback, he demonstrated such consistency that Florida High coach Jarrod Hickman didn’t think twice about making him a starting quarterback in his last two seasons as a Seminole.
Then in his freshman season last fall at Florida A&M, he was so effective in the few chances he got to touch the ball as a converted wide receiver that Joe Taylor and his coaching staff began to take a hard look.
Harvey gave them confirmation he could be a player of the future with a touchdown catch during a last-ditch effort to rally against Bethune-Cookman.
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Tennessee State Tiger Camp: Practice Heats Up
NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Rising temperatures and higher humidity gave Tennessee State the conditions they were looking for Wednesday at fall camp.
"It got a little bit warm out here, which I like," said head coach Rod Reed. "We were a little flat at times, but you could see some areas in practice where we picked up the intensity."
One of the more important aspects that Coach Reed has been preaching this fall is maintaining a high level of energy throughout practice and hoping that it translates into the games.
"Championship football teams have that type of intensity all the time and that’s one of the things that we keep preaching to these guys. We’ve got to play at a high level every play. If somebody goes down, then the next man steps in. We don’t have the luxury to take plays off. We’ve got to be 100 percent all the time."
The defensive line shined through on the day as Reed was pleased with what his saw upfront despite a lack of depth.
"I thought we played well on the defensive front. We’re thin at that position, but we’ve got some guys that really got after it today. I am sure it will be a tug of war. The offensive line will come back tomorrow and we’ll get some good play out of them."
Fan Day Set
TSU Fan Day will be Saturday, Aug. 25 at the indoor practice facility. Fans are invited to come out and collect autographs and photos with the 2012 football team.
Kick-Off Times Confirmed
TSU Athletics announced last week that kick-off times have been set for all home games. The John Merritt Classic against Florida A&M is slated for a 6pm contest on Sept. 1. All Hale Stadium games (Austin Peay - Sept. 15, Eastern Kentucky - Oct. 6 and Tennessee Tech - Oct. 27) are scheduled for a 1pm start time. TSU kicks off Homecoming against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 29 at 5pm.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
"It got a little bit warm out here, which I like," said head coach Rod Reed. "We were a little flat at times, but you could see some areas in practice where we picked up the intensity."
One of the more important aspects that Coach Reed has been preaching this fall is maintaining a high level of energy throughout practice and hoping that it translates into the games.
"Championship football teams have that type of intensity all the time and that’s one of the things that we keep preaching to these guys. We’ve got to play at a high level every play. If somebody goes down, then the next man steps in. We don’t have the luxury to take plays off. We’ve got to be 100 percent all the time."
The defensive line shined through on the day as Reed was pleased with what his saw upfront despite a lack of depth.
"I thought we played well on the defensive front. We’re thin at that position, but we’ve got some guys that really got after it today. I am sure it will be a tug of war. The offensive line will come back tomorrow and we’ll get some good play out of them."
Fan Day Set
TSU Fan Day will be Saturday, Aug. 25 at the indoor practice facility. Fans are invited to come out and collect autographs and photos with the 2012 football team.
Kick-Off Times Confirmed
TSU Athletics announced last week that kick-off times have been set for all home games. The John Merritt Classic against Florida A&M is slated for a 6pm contest on Sept. 1. All Hale Stadium games (Austin Peay - Sept. 15, Eastern Kentucky - Oct. 6 and Tennessee Tech - Oct. 27) are scheduled for a 1pm start time. TSU kicks off Homecoming against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 29 at 5pm.
2012 TSU FOOTBALL CAMP SCHEDULE
Thursday, Aug. 16 - Scrimmage - 7:30-9:30am/Special Teams 5:45-7:45pm
Friday, Aug. 17 - Practice (full) - 9:15-11:30am
Saturday, Aug. 18 - Scrimmage - 7:30-9:30am/Special Teams 5:45-7:45pm
Monday, Aug. 20 - Practice (full) - 9:15-11:30am
Tuesday, Aug. 21 - Scrimmage - 7:30-9:30am/Special Teams 5:45-7:45pm
Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers and Twitter @TSU_Tigers.
Friday, Aug. 17 - Practice (full) - 9:15-11:30am
Saturday, Aug. 18 - Scrimmage - 7:30-9:30am/Special Teams 5:45-7:45pm
Monday, Aug. 20 - Practice (full) - 9:15-11:30am
Tuesday, Aug. 21 - Scrimmage - 7:30-9:30am/Special Teams 5:45-7:45pm
Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers and Twitter @TSU_Tigers.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Jenkins ready to take B-CU team all the way
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - With the 2012 football campaign around the corner, Bethune-Cookman University held its B-CU held Media Day on Sunday, Aug. 12.
Head Coach Brian Jenkins stressed keeping his team living in the moment.
“We have to learn to stay in the moment. I think that sometimes we jump ahead. We can’t look forward to certain games or opponents. We have to stay focused and work the moment. We have to be consistent and master the fundamentals,” stated Jenkins.
Players dressed in shirt and tie spoke to the press about the upcoming season.
“At first they didn’t agree with it but now they’ve come to understand it. Our players represent us well. It’s more than just football. It’s also about making young men,” added Jenkins.
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Head Coach Brian Jenkins stressed keeping his team living in the moment.
“We have to learn to stay in the moment. I think that sometimes we jump ahead. We can’t look forward to certain games or opponents. We have to stay focused and work the moment. We have to be consistent and master the fundamentals,” stated Jenkins.
Players dressed in shirt and tie spoke to the press about the upcoming season.
“At first they didn’t agree with it but now they’ve come to understand it. Our players represent us well. It’s more than just football. It’s also about making young men,” added Jenkins.
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JCSU driven to beat history, preseason poll
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Johnson C. Smith quarterback Keahn Wallace isn’t impressed by the league’s preseason poll.
Conference coaches picked the Golden Bulls to finish fifth in the six-team South Division despite coming off a 6-5 season and Pioneer Bowl win in 2011. Wallace, the league’s offensive rookie of the year, was livid.
“It’s motivation at the same time it’s disrespect,” said Wallace, who accounted for 2,478 total yards and 24 touchdowns (16 passing) as a freshman. “What we did last year put a big dent in the CIAA from the standpoint of scoring, making plays, keeping our defense off the field. I look at it as disrespect because we’re building on what we have done and for them to rank us fifth in our side of the conference is disrespectful.”
Golden Bulls coach Steve Aycock is ...
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Conference coaches picked the Golden Bulls to finish fifth in the six-team South Division despite coming off a 6-5 season and Pioneer Bowl win in 2011. Wallace, the league’s offensive rookie of the year, was livid.
“It’s motivation at the same time it’s disrespect,” said Wallace, who accounted for 2,478 total yards and 24 touchdowns (16 passing) as a freshman. “What we did last year put a big dent in the CIAA from the standpoint of scoring, making plays, keeping our defense off the field. I look at it as disrespect because we’re building on what we have done and for them to rank us fifth in our side of the conference is disrespectful.”
Golden Bulls coach Steve Aycock is ...
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XU revises schedule, will travel to Florida 2 weeks earlier
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| XU seeks its seventh consecutive conference championship in women's cross country. |
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana announced two changes Monday to its 2012 men's and women's cross country schedules.
The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets still will compete in Florida, but two weeks earlier than originally announced. Xavier will run Sept. 22 in the ASICS Embry-Riddle Classic at Daytona Beach, Fla. The other new meet will be Oct. 5 in the Mississippi College/Watson Ford Invitatiional at Clinton, Miss.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorVISIT: XULAATHLETICS
In the FCS Huddle: 2012 MEAC Preview
Philadelphia, PA – In the past, MEAC football has been overlooked. The conference has always had some of the best bands, game-day atmospheres and rivalries (particularly with the SWAC), but not the national attention.
Usually, in FCS football, conferences achieve that through national championships, playoff appearances and quality competition. But, it doesn't happen overnight, it takes time.
Few have noticed the changes the MEAC has made in the last couple of years in order to take the next step forward. Teams are scheduling tougher out-of- conference opponents as well as adding FBS games, which the conference had never been accustomed to on a regular basis. The talent of athletes has increased and multiple teams can now fight for the title because there isn't just one premiere program.
"Dr. (Dennis) Thomas (the MEAC commissioner) had a firm direction for us about 10 years ago, he wanted us to become more competitive," Florida A&M coach Joe Taylor said. "Since 1996, MEAC football has evolved and become a lot more competitive. The trend in FCS football is playing FBS games and we do it now, too. We can use that as a recruiting tool and as revenue games. Now with the economy, it's a pretty good purse of money not just for MEAC teams, but for other teams as well."
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Lumberton picks FSU's Moses as hoops coach
LUMBERTON, North Carolina — Seated between opposing fans at a Fairmont basketball game in 2010, Fayetteville State assistant coach Mike Moses Jr. quickly realized this was no ordinary recruiting visit.“I’ve been to a lot of high school games around North Carolina, but those games between the Tornadoes and Red Springs are some of the most memorable,” Moses said. “They take their basketball very seriously.”
Moses liked the intensity so much he threw his name into the local coaching ring recently after Ted Gaskins retired from Lumberton High as boys basketball coach. Headlining the hiring committee with county athletic director Jason Suggs was Pirates A.D. Tripp Satterwhite who was immediately impressed with the former All-CIAA standout’s interview and vision.
Hand-picked from a list of 25 applicants, Moses, 28, becomes the county’s youngest head coach
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Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Moss Makes All-OVC, TSU Predicted to Finish Fifth
NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Ohio Valley Conference has announced the All-OVC Preseason Volleyball team and the team's predicted order of finish for the upcoming season. Junior setter Erika Moss was selected to the squad, while TSU is predicted to finish fifth in the league according to league coaches and sports information directors.Moss, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was selected to the all-preseason team after receiving all-conference honors at the end of last season.
In 2011, Moss was second in the conference and first on the team in assists and assists per game with 1201 and 10.44, respectively. She was also fourth on the team in blocks with 38.
Moss also contributed to the team's success on offense- placing fifth on the squad in both points per set and service aces.
The selection of Moss marks the second time in school history that any volleyball player has been selected to the all-conference first team and the preseason all-conference team in consecutive years. The other occurrence was when Shaquita Williams made All-OVC in 2010 and the preseason All-OVC team in 2011.
Last season, TSU finished in second place in the conference following a 13-7 league record. This year's squad loses two starters, but returns four in addition to last season's libero.2012 Preseason All-OVC Volleyball Team
(as Selected by OVC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors)
Nikki Doyle, Austin Peay*
Ashley Edmund, Eastern Kentucky*
Ellie Roberson, Morehead State*
Caitlin Clark, Morehead State*
Emily Coon, Southeast Missouri*
Erika Moss, Tennessee State*
Ashley Edmund, Eastern Kentucky*
Ellie Roberson, Morehead State*
Caitlin Clark, Morehead State*
Emily Coon, Southeast Missouri*
Erika Moss, Tennessee State*
Kasey Elswick, UT Martin*
Laura McDermott, Morehead State#
Aryn Bohannon, Morehead State
Emily Franklin, Eastern Illinois
Kelsey Augustine, SIUE
Julie Shives, Southeast Missouri
Alison Berens, Eastern Illinois
Leslie Schellhaas, Morehead State
Laura McDermott, Morehead State#
Aryn Bohannon, Morehead State
Emily Franklin, Eastern Illinois
Kelsey Augustine, SIUE
Julie Shives, Southeast Missouri
Alison Berens, Eastern Illinois
Leslie Schellhaas, Morehead State
*- Denotes All-OVC in 2011
#- Denotes All-Newcomer in 2011
#- Denotes All-Newcomer in 2011
2012 OVC Volleyball Predicted Order of Team Finish
(as Selected by OVC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors)
1. Morehead State (22 first-place votes)
2. Belmont
3. Southeast Missouri (2 first-place votes)
4. UT Martin
5. Tennessee State
6. Eastern Kentucky
7. SIUE
8. Murray State
9. Austin Peay (tie)
9. Eastern Illinois (tie)
11. Jacksonville State
12. Tennessee Tech
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Yankee Stadium to Host New York Urban League Football Classic; Hampton University to play Morgan State University
NEW YORK, New York - Yankee Stadium will once again play host to a classic college football matchup, as Hampton University and Morgan State University will meet in the New York Urban League Football Classic on November 17, 2012, at the home of the Yankees. The two-year agreement calls for the two schools to play at Yankee Stadium in 2013 as well.
The original Yankee Stadium was host to what would become known as the annual New York Urban League Football Classic from 1968-73 and ’76-87. Morgan State played 11 times in the contest, going 1-10 as they faced off against Grambling and head coach Eddie Robinson each time. For Hampton, it will mark their first football game at Yankee Stadium (original or current).
“It’s wonderful that the New York Urban League Football Classic can once again call Yankee Stadium its home,” said Hal Steinbrenner, New York Yankees Managing General Partner. “As everyone knows, college football was a passion of my father’s, as was providing opportunities for future generations. The return of this rich tradition showcases both of those tenets, and our organization couldn’t be prouder to be hosting the NYUL Football Classic this fall.”
Now in its fourth year of existence, Yankee Stadium has already played host to elite college football games, including the annual New Era Pinstripe Bowl, the 50th all-time matchup between Notre Dame and Army in 2010, and Army vs. Rutgers in 2011. The home of the Yankees is also scheduled to play host to Army-Boston College in November 2014. Additionally, Yankee Stadium has hosted the Public School Athletic League Football Championship Game in each of the last two years.
Since its inception, proceeds from the New York Urban League Football Classic have helped to leverage over $20 million in Whitney M. Young, Jr. Educational Scholarships to nearly 4,000 college bound students. Whitney M. Young, Jr. who the scholarship was named after, was the President of the National Urban League. His distinguished career was marked by his effectiveness in bringing the business community into full participation in the struggle for Civil Rights. Young focused on gaining equality for blacks in business and politics, along with improving opportunities for the urban poor.
The New York Urban League continues the mission to enable African Americans and other underserved communities to secure a first-class education, economic self-reliance and equal respect of their civil rights through programs, services and advocacy in our highly diversified city.
The original Yankee Stadium played host to numerous college and professional football classics, serving as the home of the New York Yankees football team and the New York Giants as well as the secondary football home for NYU from 1923-48. As one of the world’s most prestigious addresses, the original Yankee Stadium was also the home for scores of other sports, entertainment and cultural events, including boxing, professional football, soccer, political assemblies, three Papal masses, religious conventions, concerts, NYU commencement and the circus.
From: Yankees Press Release
The original Yankee Stadium was host to what would become known as the annual New York Urban League Football Classic from 1968-73 and ’76-87. Morgan State played 11 times in the contest, going 1-10 as they faced off against Grambling and head coach Eddie Robinson each time. For Hampton, it will mark their first football game at Yankee Stadium (original or current).
“It’s wonderful that the New York Urban League Football Classic can once again call Yankee Stadium its home,” said Hal Steinbrenner, New York Yankees Managing General Partner. “As everyone knows, college football was a passion of my father’s, as was providing opportunities for future generations. The return of this rich tradition showcases both of those tenets, and our organization couldn’t be prouder to be hosting the NYUL Football Classic this fall.”
Now in its fourth year of existence, Yankee Stadium has already played host to elite college football games, including the annual New Era Pinstripe Bowl, the 50th all-time matchup between Notre Dame and Army in 2010, and Army vs. Rutgers in 2011. The home of the Yankees is also scheduled to play host to Army-Boston College in November 2014. Additionally, Yankee Stadium has hosted the Public School Athletic League Football Championship Game in each of the last two years.
Since its inception, proceeds from the New York Urban League Football Classic have helped to leverage over $20 million in Whitney M. Young, Jr. Educational Scholarships to nearly 4,000 college bound students. Whitney M. Young, Jr. who the scholarship was named after, was the President of the National Urban League. His distinguished career was marked by his effectiveness in bringing the business community into full participation in the struggle for Civil Rights. Young focused on gaining equality for blacks in business and politics, along with improving opportunities for the urban poor.
The New York Urban League continues the mission to enable African Americans and other underserved communities to secure a first-class education, economic self-reliance and equal respect of their civil rights through programs, services and advocacy in our highly diversified city.
The original Yankee Stadium played host to numerous college and professional football classics, serving as the home of the New York Yankees football team and the New York Giants as well as the secondary football home for NYU from 1923-48. As one of the world’s most prestigious addresses, the original Yankee Stadium was also the home for scores of other sports, entertainment and cultural events, including boxing, professional football, soccer, political assemblies, three Papal masses, religious conventions, concerts, NYU commencement and the circus.
From: Yankees Press Release
In the FCS Huddle: 2012 SWAC Preview
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania – Perhaps it is getting too cliche, corny or common for coaches to emphasize the importance of conference games. It's supposed to be simple. Win your conference, get the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.
While that may be the case for the large majority of FCS teams, in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, those games make or break your season, literally because the highest reward is winning the SWAC title.
If last year's title race was any indication, 2012 should put forth an even better show.
Take, for example, Alabama State, which finished 8-3 overall and 7-2 in conference. In the first eight weeks of the season, the Hornets had six wins and their only loss came against FBS opponent Eastern Michigan, 14-7. They then went 2-2 the rest of the season, losing to Alabama A&M by one point and Southern by three points, and it cost them the Eastern Division title.
2012 College Football Preview: Morgan State Bears
BALTIMORE, Maryland - As coach Donald Hill-Eley starts his 11th season at the helm, he will rely on his most veteran-laden team in an attempt to record his fifth winning season.
The Bears return 24 seniors, including a strong offensive core. Senior offensive linemen Joshua Durden and Jerry Evans, running back Travis Davidson and wide receiver Tyrone Hendrix surround quarterback Seth Higgins, giving the sophomore a variety of options.
Davidson was the No. 4 rusher in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2011, plowing for 732 yards and seven touchdowns during 10 games. Hendrix, the team's third-leading receiver, averaged 16.6 yards per catch. They're expected to make big contributions to an offense that runs through Higgins, a 6-foot-4, 225-pounder entering his second year as a starter. During eight games (seven starts) last season, Higgins completed 52 percent of his passes for 1,186 yards and nine touchdowns. He threw seven interceptions.
Defensively, the Bears return ...
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The Bears return 24 seniors, including a strong offensive core. Senior offensive linemen Joshua Durden and Jerry Evans, running back Travis Davidson and wide receiver Tyrone Hendrix surround quarterback Seth Higgins, giving the sophomore a variety of options.
Davidson was the No. 4 rusher in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2011, plowing for 732 yards and seven touchdowns during 10 games. Hendrix, the team's third-leading receiver, averaged 16.6 yards per catch. They're expected to make big contributions to an offense that runs through Higgins, a 6-foot-4, 225-pounder entering his second year as a starter. During eight games (seven starts) last season, Higgins completed 52 percent of his passes for 1,186 yards and nine touchdowns. He threw seven interceptions.
Defensively, the Bears return ...
READ MORE
Where Are They Now? Father, son migrate from basketball to business
Anthony Witherspoon Sr. has adjusted quite nicely and so has his son, Anthony Witherspoon Jr., with the opening of Spoon’s BBQ Restaurant and Sports Bar in College Park.
After eating at Gates Bar-B-Q and Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City, Mo., and introducing it to his father, Witherspoon Jr. saw the beginning of a family business.
“If we could get this quality of barbecue here in Georgia, there is no doubt that this could be successful,” Witherspoon Jr. said. “The food industry is one that is always going to be stable — people got to eat. We just saw an opportunity and ran with it.”
Before becoming the restaurant’s owner and general manager, Witherspoon Sr. spent more than 20 years coaching basketball at Grambling State, Fort Valley State and his alma mater, Clark-Atlanta.
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