Winston-Salem Rams can clinch division with win Saturday

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Winston-Salem State has a tangible goal it can reach this weekend.

If the Rams beat Shaw at Durham County Stadium on Saturday they will clinch the CIAA Southern Division title for the second straight season and will punch their ticket to the CIAA championship game.

The Rams (8-0, 5-0 CIAA) are playing their best football of the season, as they showed in a 58-0 rout of Livingstone last Saturday. They have won 13 straight conference games over the last two seasons and are ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II.




"We are playing for a little more this week," Coach Connell Maynor said. "We've been playing for something every week because we want to keep winning…."

Maynor said that while it would be nice to clinch a spot in the CIAA title game, that's not the ultimate goal.

"You have to keep winning to get to the national-championship game and that's what our goal is every week," Maynor said.

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Big games for SWAC, MEAC this weekend

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania  --  This is a huge weekend for black college football in the SWAC and the MEAC, as two games should attract major attention.

In the SWAC, Alabama A&M battles Alabama State in the 71st annual Magic City Classic at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. The longstanding HBCU rivalry game should draw between 55,000 to 60,000 fans on Saturday afternoon and is for bragging rights for black college football in Alabama.

There’s a lot riding on this game. Alabama A&M (6-1 overall, 5-1 in SWAC) and Alabama State (4-3 overall, 4-2 league) are both coming off losses. Two weeks ago, Alcorn State nipped Alabama A&M, 21-20 in an upset, while Alabama State dropped a 37-34 decision to Jackson State. The first-place Bulldogs could put some distance between them and the Hornets in the Eastern Division. Conversely, the Hornets could tighten the decision race with a victory.

This game could be decided on the ground. Alabama A&M has a the league’s leading rusher in Kaderius Lacey. Alabama State has a terrific running back in Isaiah Crowell, who is the league’s second-leading rusher.

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Bethune-Cookman hosts surprising Eagles in MEAC showdown for first place

DAYTONA BEACH — Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins smiles when he's asked about North Carolina Central's surprising football success this season.

The Eagles will visit B-CU at 4 p.m. Saturday in a showdown of undefeated Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams.

While the Wildcats (5-2, 4-0) have been a contender since Jenkins took over in 2010 — winning 17 of 20 conference games — the Eagles (5-2, 4-0) were picked to finish ninth in the MEAC preseason coaches' poll and have not had a winning season since 2007.

“If everybody was to go off the (preseason) predictions, then there would be no need to play the games,'' Jenkins said.

He is not surprised in the least to see coach Henry Frazier turn N.C. Central around in just his second season. He knows Frazier has done it before.

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Howard for homecoming: SCSU's Pough expects motivated opponent

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Saturday’s 27-20 overtime win over Florida A&M did more than lift South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough’s spirits for the first time in two weeks.

While a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and postseason appearance are not in the picture, the Bulldogs still have a purpose in trying to extend a streak of 11 consecutive winning seasons with three games remaining.

At his weekly press conference Monday, Pough said a loss would have been “devastating” to the program’s morale and left the players dispirited for having the distinction as the first S.C. State team since 2000 to post a losing season.

“I’ve got to be happy for our team in the fact that we were able to stave off the losing record deal, because at this point, we didn’t have much of a chance to survive the year with a winning record past that game,” Pough said. “So that was a big part of our weekly preparation in the fact that we were trying to really say our backs were against the wall and the guys went down and played really well I thought.”




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PREVIEW: NCCU Eagles head to Daytona with title in mind

DURHAM, North Carolina — Sole possession of first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference will go to the last squad standing after Saturday’s game between N.C. Central and Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Fla. (4 p.m., WNCU 90.7-FM).

The Eagles have shown that they can handle business on the road, winning their first three MEAC games away from O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

That is a big deal compared to a year ago when the season was almost over when NCCU finally got a conference win against a Delaware State team that joined NCCU and Savannah State at the bottom of the league with 1-7 records.



A year ago, the Eagles did not win a game at home and finished 2-9 overall for its fourth straight losing season.

Coach Henry Frazier III, in his second season at NCCU, would tell anybody that he inherited a football team that simply wasn’t strong enough to finish MEAC games even if it has a lead in the fourth quarter.

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TSU's Scitern Tied For First Heading Into Final Day at APSU

Cameron Scitern

HOPKINSVILLE, Kentucky -- Cameron Scitern shot a career best in the first round of the Austin Peay State University Intercollegiate Monday morning and is tied for first after two rounds. Scitern shot a 3-under 69 before carding a 2-under 70 in the afternoon session on the Par-72, 7,132 yard course at the Links at Novadell on a warm 75 degree day with a solid breeze.

Colin McCarty of SIU-Edwardsville matched Scitern in each round and shares the lead with a 5-under, 139.

The Rockdale, Texas native recorded three birdies over the first 15 holes, but remained at even par. He would make a charge with three consecutive birdies, including the par-5, 590 yard 9th hole, to close out the round. The result was a tie with McCarty for second after the opening round, one shot behind leader 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Golfer of the Year Patrick Newcomb of Murray State.

Scitern opened the second round with a birdie on the par-4 11th, giving him his fourth straight birdie. His pinpoint play resulted in four more birdies during the afternoon, as well as hitting the flag on the par-4 8th with his second shot leaving him with a four foot putt. Scitern and McCarty hold a one-shot lead over Newcomb after 36-holes.

"It was an honor to watch his play today," said head coach Chris Seibel. "Was glad to see him shoot a career round and it helps the team heading into tomorrow's play."

The Tigers (300-297=597, 21-over) enter play on Tuesday in 12th out of 14 teams, 22-shots behind host Austin Peay. TSU is within striking distance of a run to the top half of the field. "We need to play hard and beat the players we are playing against," Seibel said. "If we can accomplish our goal, we move up the field".

James Stepp recorded two straight 3-over 75's for a 6-over 150 and is tied for 42nd. The morning round for Stepp was highlighted by a birdie on the par-5 590 yard 9th hole. The sophomore used a monstrous tee shot and a 4-iron on his second shot to reach the green. His eagle putt missed by six inches before tapping in for the birdie. Stepp stayed steady with 14 pars and registering a birdie on the par-3 17th to close out play.

Andrew Warner (74-77=151) used three birdies to shoot a 2-over and was 27th after the morning session. Warner just missed a hole-in-one on the par-3 7th as his tee shot landed on the green and rolled to within six inches of the cup.

Codie Welborn (82-76=158) recorded a birdie on the par-4 2nd, but struggled to stay even during morning play. Welborn was able to rebound in the afternoon cutting six strokes off his opening score. The Murfreesboro product began the second round with a birdie on the par-4 14th and pared the next nine holes, including the 248 yard par-3 5th. The hole played as the toughest of the day for the competitors with all golfers using a driver or a 3-wood to reach the long hole through a strong head wind. Wellborn, Stepp and Dallas Hill were the only Tigers to notch a par on the challenging 5th.

Hill (82-76=158) shot a 4-over during the second round and improved by six shots from the morning to the afternoon. The sophomore used birdies on the 4th, 8th and 15th to score for TSU, while Shane Sampair, playing as an individual, is 13-over after two roundes. Sampair snared four birdies on the first day of the tournament.

The final round begins with a shotgun start on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

SCORECARD

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: CIAA commish ready for all challenges

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Being the commissioner of the CIAA is no easy job. That’s something I’ve learned in the 17 years of covering Winston-Salem State. But I was looking forward to meeting and talking with the new commissioner, Jacqie Carpenter, on Saturday during WSSU’s homecoming.

I interviewed her at length at the Bowman Gray Stadium fieldhouse for a story that will run in Wednesday’s Winston-Salem Journal. She comes across as a very positive person and is excited to steer the CIAA through the good and the bad times.

While she’s the first women CIAA commissioner in the 101-year history she’s also a former student-athlete in the conference. Carpenter, 43, played volleyball and basketball at Hampton so she’s familiar with what it’s like as a student in the CIAA.



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XU's Jackson, Pieri collect GCAC's weekly awards

Zahri Jackson NEW ORLEANS — League cross country champions Zahri Jackson and Matt Pieri of Xavier University of Louisiana are the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runners of the Week for Oct. 15-21. It's the third time this season that each was honored.   Jackson, a sophomore from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School, tied a GCAC women's career record with her eighth weekly award. She shares the mark with Kate Imwalle of former member Spring Hill. Pieri's award is his 13th, which extends his GCAC record. No other GCAC male has won more than five times.      Jackson repeated as GCAC individual champion Saturday in Clinton, Miss. She ran 5,000 meters in 18 minutes, 54.69 seconds to break her school record by nearly 21 seconds. The time was the second fastest at the GCAC Championships since 1998.   Matt Pieri Pieri, a senior from New Orleans and a graduate of Brother Martin High School, won the GCAC individual title for the second time in three years. He ran 8,000 meters in 26:54.21 — the fastest at this meet since 2003. His winning margin of nearly 45 seconds was larger than the previous four GCAC Championships combined. Pieri was All-GCAC for the fourth straight year and never finished lower than fourth in this event.      Both the Gold Nuggets and the Gold Rush recorded the first perfect team scores at the GCAC Championships since 1996. Both won team championships for the seventh consecutive year.      Both XU teams will conclude the season Nov. 17 in the NAIA National Championships at Vancouver, Wash. The Nuggets and Rush qualified for nationals for the second consecutive year and the fourth time in five seasons.

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

Top Six Unchanged in AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll

WACO, Texas -- A second straight loss from Pittsburg State (Kan.) caused a shakeup in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll from No. 7 on down, but the top six teams remained unchanged. Colorado State-Pueblo held onto the No. 1 spot with 24 first-place votes, followed by Winston-Salem State (N.C.) at No. 2 with six first-place votes. New Haven (Conn.), Bloomsburg (Pa.), Northwest Missouri State and Ashland (Ohio) round out the top six.

Missouri Western State rebounded from its first loss of the season to upset then-No. 7t Pittsburg State, 63-14, moving the Griffons up four spots to No. 12. The Gorillas dropped 15 places to No. 22 with the loss. Hillsdale (Mich.) beat then-No. 15 Saginaw Valley State (Mich.), 34-17, and jumped back into the poll at No. 24. Also entering the poll for the first time since 2009 is Charleston (W.Va.). The Golden Eagles, ranked No. 25, recorded a 27-14 victory over West Liberty (W.Va.) to move its record to 7-1.

There are four Top 25 matchups this week, with the first being a Top 10 battle as No. 4 Bloomsburg travels to No. 10 Shippensburg (Pa.) for a pivotal Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference contest. The other matchups feature No. 5 Northwest Missouri State traveling to No. 16t Washburn (Kan.), No. 15 Emporia State (Kan.) hosting No. 12 Missouri Western State and No. 23 Grand Valley State (Mich.) traveling to No. 24 Hillsdale.


2012 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – October 22, 2012

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week Eight	Next Game
1.	Colorado St.-Pueblo (24)	8-0	743	1	D. Black Hills St. (S.D.), 45-13	Oct. 27 at Colorado Mesa
2.	Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) (6)	8-0	720	2	D. Livingstone (N.C.), 58-0	Oct. 27 at Shaw (N.C.)
3.	New Haven (Conn.)	7-0	679	3	D. Stonehill (Mass.), 45-41	Oct. 27 vs. Southern Connecticut St.
4.	Bloomsburg (Pa.)	8-0	629	4	D. Cheyney (Pa.), 27-13	Oct. 27 at No. 10 Shippensburg (Pa.)
5.	Northwest Missouri St.	7-1	623	5	D. Missouri Southern St., 38-14	Oct. 27 at No. 16t Washburn (Kan.)
6.	Ashland (Ohio)	8-0	589	6	D. Malone (Ohio), 31-7	Oct. 27 vs. Findlay (Ohio)
7.	Minnesota St.-Mankato	8-0	544	9	D. Winona St. (Minn.), 30-20	Oct. 27 at Wayne St. (Neb.)
8.	Minnesota-Duluth	7-1	537	7t	D. Bemidji St. (Minn.), 30-0	Oct. 27 at Minnesota-Crookston
9.	Henderson St. (Ark.)	8-0	484	11	D. East Central (Okla.), 49-14	Oct. 27 at Southern Arkansas
10.	Shippensburg (Pa.)	8-0	457	13	D. West Chester (Pa.), 42-24	Oct. 27 vs. No. 4 Bloomsburg (Pa.)
11.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	6-1	453	12	D. Abilene Christian (Texas), 35-31	Oct. 27 vs. Eastern New Mexico
12.	Missouri Western St.	7-1	421	16	D. No. 7t Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 63-14	Oct. 25 at No. 15 Emporia St. (Kan.)
13.	California (Pa.)	7-1	390	14	D. Gannon (Pa.), 41-0	Oct. 27 vs. Slippery Rock (Pa.)
14.	West Texas A&M	7-1	365	17	D. Eastern New Mexico, 44-21	Oct. 27 at West Georgia
15.	Emporia St. (Kan.)	8-0	354	18t	D. Truman St. (Mo.), 52-26	Oct. 25 vs. No. 12 Missouri Western St.
16t.	Indiana (Pa.)	7-1	274	20	D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 31-13	Oct. 27 vs. Clarion (Pa.)
16t.	Washburn (Kan.)	7-1	274	18t	D. Lindenwood (Mo.), 19-16	Oct. 27 vs. No. 5 Northwest Missouri St.
18.	Miles (Ala.)	7-1	209	21	D. Lane (Tenn.), 38-20	Oct. 25 vs. Stillman (Ala.)
19.	Harding (Ark.)	6-1	164	25	D. No. 10 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 34-14	Oct. 27 vs. Arkansas Tech
20.	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	6-1	162	10	Lost to No. 25 Harding (Ark.), 34-14	Oct. 27 at East Central (Okla.)
21.	Sioux Falls (S.D.)	7-1	145	23	D. Augustana (S.D.), 32-31 2OT	Oct. 27 vs. Upper Iowa
22.	Pittsburg St. (Kan.)	5-2	119	7t	Lost to No. 16 Missouri Western St., 63-14	Oct. 27 at Truman St. (Mo.)
23.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	6-2	71	24	D. Northwood (Mich.), 42-28	Oct. 27 at No. 24 Hillsdale (Mich.)
24.	Hillsdale (Mich.)	6-2	62	NR	D. No. 15 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 34-17	Oct. 27 vs. No. 23 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
25.	Charleston (W.Va.)	7-1	59	NR	D. West Liberty (W.Va.), 27-14	Oct. 27 at Glenville St. (W.Va.)

Dropped Out: Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) (15), Michigan Tech (22)

Others Receiving Votes: West Alabama, 52; Wayne St. (Mich.), 36; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 28; Tuskegee (Ala.), 26; Indianapolis (Ind.), 24; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 20; Southern Arkansas, 14; American International (Mass.), 13; Chadron St. (Neb.), 6; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 2; Missouri S&T, 2.


COURTESY AMERICAN FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION

Orangeburg ‘thirsty’ for classic match-up between SCSU, Claflin

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Monday’s press conference/luncheon highlighting the annual Garden City Basketball Classic match-up between Claflin and South Carolina State University was an affair fitting of two longtime, peaceful neighbors.

A spirit of goodwill and fellowship was exhibited between the two schools’ basketball coaches, athletics directors and other city representatives inside the Maroon and White Room on Claflin’s campus.

It did not, however, stop representatives from this year’s host school from friendly ribbing the visitors, particularly in reminding S.C. State of the last time it played at the Jonas T. Kennedy Center 16 years ago.

“The last scores for the record in the women’s contest was Claflin 64, South Carolina State 59. On the men’s side, it was Claflin University 69, South Carolina State 61,” read Lionel Sabb, Claflin sports information director, at the behest of university President Henry N. Tisdale.

The playful “trash talk” was the closest thing to bulletin board material at the one-hour event. The men’s and women’s head coaches expressed mutual admiration and talked about their expectations for their second time around in the revived classic.

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DWIGHT FLOYD COMMENTARY: Should Tennessee State Drop from the Polls?

Dwight Floyd
"The Editor"
SportsEdit.Org NCAA FCS Fan Poll

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Still trying to figure it out? In week 4 the Eastern Kentucky Colonels of the Ohio Valley Conference was 1-0 in the conference and 3-1 overall. For that same period the Tennessee State Tigers was 1-0 in the conference and 4-0 overall. Yet, Eastern Kentucky was ranked 23 in the official NCAA Coaches Poll while Tennessee State polled 33. In week 6 when an undefeated Tennessee State beat the Colonels their position in the Coaches Poll was reversed with TSU ranked 20 and Eastern Kentucky 23. In the last poll preceding Tennessee State’s first loss, the Tigers ranked a stingy 18 in that same poll and Eastern Kentucky 24. So, with their first loss in week 8 should we expect the Tigers to drop out of the Coaches Poll top 20?

Given the current trend we can probably expect it, but that doesn’t make it right. More respected teams can stand to take a conference loss and still remain in the top 20 and TSU should be no different. At 7-1 they have proven that they are a pretty good team. With one of the fiercest offensive lines in the country they are major contenders in a major-minor division. We will have to wait and see how the coaches and fans feel about the loss.


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Virginia Union Hands Bowie State A Setback Loss

RICHMOND, Virginia  --  Virginia Union University used a 16-point second quarter to gain all the momentum needed en route to a 37-13 victory over Bowie State University on Oct. 20 in Richmond, Virginia.

The win improved Virginia Union’s record to 4-4 overall (2-3 CIAA). Bowie State fell to 4-4 overall (2-3 CIAA).

Redshirt quarterback Jared Johnston led the Bowie State offense with 98 passing yards, completing nine-of-19 passes with one interception before being pulled in the third quarter.

Redshirt sophomore Keith Brown was Bowie State’s top rusher with 68 yards on 18 carries and junior Corwin Acker added 60 rushing yards on 12 carries. Redshirt junior Delante White paced the Bulldogs defense with eight tackles in the loss. Another bright spot for Bowie State was the play of junior Anthony Gary, who recorded two interceptions, two pass breakups and collected five tackles.

The Bowie State defense surrendered 250 total yards in the first half, but only allowed Virginia Union 71 total yards in the second half.

“We had the ball in red zone several times off defensive turnovers but were unable to take advantage of the opportunities”, said Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson.


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Judge rules no jail time in first FAMU hazing death sentencing

"Mercy bears richer fruit than strict justice"

ORLANDO, Florida  --  The first of 12 defendants in the deadly hazing case of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion was sentenced by an Orlando court on Monday.

Brian Jones, 23, avoided a jail term, but was sentenced to six months of community supervision — a strict monitoring arragement that requires an ankle monitor and frequent check-ins with probation officials — followed by two years of probation. He is also required to do 200 hours of community service, The Associated Press reported.

The band had traveled to Orlando from Tallahassee to perform at a football game when the fellow band members subjected Champion to a severe beating on the bus — in a ritual called "crossing Bus C" — which caused him to fall unconscious, and then die, on Nov. 19, 2011.

Jones, a percussionist, faced up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. But the judge said Jones’ role had been relatively limited.

"This young man's part in this horrible act ... as compared with many others from what I've seen is minimal," said Judge Marc Lubet, ruling in Orange County Court. "It was an isolated incident in this man's life for which he's shown remorse."

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Miles College ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II regional poll

FAIRFIELD, Alabama  --  The NCAA released its Division II football regional rankingsfor the first time this season Monday and Miles College is second to no one.

The Golden Bears (7-1, 5-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference), winners of seven in a row, sit atop the Super Region 2 standings ahead of No. 3 West Alabama as well as conference foes Fort Valley State, ranked sixth, and No. 10 Albany State.

It's the first time the school has ever been ranked in the NCAA poll. The Golden Bears also moved up three spots to No. 18 in the American Football Coaches Association top 25 poll and are No. 7 in the Boxtorow HBCU Football Media Top 10 poll, which ranks the best black college football programs in the nation regardless of classification.

"That's always been our goal since I've been here," second-year Miles coach Reginald Ruffin said. "No. 1 is to win the conference, No. 2 to make the playoffs and No. 3 to win the national championship. So, we're within reach of taking it one step at a time."

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NCAA Regional Rankings

	Super Region 1					Super Region 2
	Team	D2	Overall			Team	D2	Overall
1.	Shippensburg	8-0	8-0		1.	Miles	7-1	7-1
2.	Winston-Salem	8-0	8-0		2.	Mars Hill	5-1	5-3
3.	Bloomsburg	8-0	8-0		3.	West Alabama	4-1	6-2
4.	California	7-1	7-1		4.	Valdosta State	5-2	6-2
5.	New Haven	7-0	7-0		5.	Carson-Newman	5-2	5-2
6.	Charleston	7-1	7-1		6.	Fort Valley	5-2	6-2
7.	IUP	7-1	7-1		7.	Lenoir-Rhyne	4-2	5-2
8.	Shepherd	6-2	6-2		8.	Wingate	5-3	8-3
9.	American International	6-1	6-1		9.	Newberry	5-3	5-3
10.	West Chester	5-2	5-3		10.	Albany State	5-3	5-3
	Super Region 3					Super Region 4
	Team	D2	Overall			Team	D2	Overall
1.	Minnesota State	8-0	8-0		1.	CSU-Pueblo	8-0	8-0
2.	Henderson State	8-0	8-0		2.	Ashland	8-0	8-0
3.	Harding	6-1	6-1		3.	Chadron State	6-1	6-1
4.	Emporia State	8-0	8-0		4.	Indianapolis	6-1	6-2
5.	Northwest Missouri	7-1	7-1		5.	West Texas A&M	7-1	7-1
6.	Minnesota Duluth	7-1	7-1		6.	Hillsdale	6-2	6-2
7.	Winona State	6-2	6-2		7.	Saginaw Valley	6-2	6-2
8.	Sioux Falls	7-1	7-1		8.	Midwestern State	6-1	6-1
9.	Missouri Western	7-1	7-1		9.	Wayne State (Mich.)	5-2	5-2
10.	Ouachita Baptist	6-1	6-1		10.	New Mexico Highlands	6-1	6-1

COURTESY D2FOOTBALL.COM (Oct. 22, 2012)

Elizabeth City holds off Chowan U.

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina  –  And now it becomes a new battle.

Their hopes of first place outright in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) North dashed at the hands of Elizabeth City State, 47-21, Chowan now moves on to its next challenge: that of seizing second-place in the division race.

That and quickly putting the bitter memory of Saturday’s trip to Pasquotank County behind them.

Saturday marked the third time the Hawks had come to Roebuck Stadium and their second time as the Vikings’ Homecoming opponent. The result, well, it was the same.

This time the culprit was turnovers (four, including three fumbles) and for the second straight week over a hundred yards in penalties (12-for-129 yards).

On the bright side, senior running back Elliot Smalls had his second career hundred-yard rushing day with 23 carries for 109 yards.

Though not as sharp as he’d been in his previous five games, quarterback Cameron Stover amassed 165 passing yards completing 13-of-26. Ryan Nolan collected four of those passes for 74 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Defensively, T.J. Batchelor added to ...

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Alabama State Hornets turns attention to Alabama A&M Bulldogs

The Alabama State University football team turned its attention to Saturday's 71^st Magic City Classic with in-state rival and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Eastern Division foe Alabama A&M.

“This is almost like a bonus practice for the guys tonight,” head coach Reggie Barlow said. “We didn't want to tax them too bad after being off. We just wanted to get the guys focused and ready for Tuesday night's practice, when we begin acclimating plays into the system for Alabama A&M.

The contest can be heard on WVAS 90.7 FM and can be followed online via live stats at: http://www.sidearmstats.com/aamu/football/scoreboard.aspx. Also, the contest will be aired live on ESPN3.com. ESPNU will air the contest at 9:30 Saturday night.

The Hornets (4-3 overall/4-2 SWAC) got back in the groove of things, working hard on their defensive and offensive schemes.

“This is one of those games that will take care of itself,” said Barlow. “These kids will be more motivated Tuesday. It'll be an exciting time as the week continues to build up. It's Sunday, so they'll come back Tuesday night much more focused for practice.”

For the third time this season, the national spotlight will shine on the football program and Alabama State University on the ESPN Family of Networks. The Hornets' season opener with Bethune-Cookman was televised on ESPN, the Arkansas Pine-Bluff contest was televised on ESPNU, and Saturday afternoon's contest will be tape delayed on ESPNU.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

S.C. State Bulldog football showing signs of life

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  There’s still some life in the South Carolina State football team in this disappointing 2012 season.

The Bulldogs could have headed to Bragg Memorial Stadium this past Saturday and put forth an effort which would have guaranteed their first losing season in 12 years. They faced a Florida A&M team looking to snap a four-game home losing streak to S.C. State and remain in striking (no pun intended) distance for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title.

Instead, the Bulldogs (3-5, 2-3) managed to overcome the adversity created by the environment, injuries on defense and inconsistency on offense to pull out a 27-20 overtime victory.

The numbers will show another low production effort by quarterback Richard Cue in completing only 13-23 passes for 113 yards and a rushing TD. However, this was the first game this season in which the Florence native did not throw an interception and made timely plays which were uncredited such as a second touchdown run nullified by a blocking penalty, a dropped scoring pass by Caleb Davis and a third-down conversion on a scoring drive thwarted by a blocked field goal.

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Maryland's HBCU Segregation suit reaches hands of federal judge

Judge will decide whether Maryland's higher-education policies cause racial divisions to persist for historically black universities

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- A lawsuit alleging that Maryland's historically black colleges and universities continue to suffer from policies that promote racial segregation is now in the hands of a federal judge, six years after it was first filed.

U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake interrupted attorneys for both sides during the four hours of closing arguments Friday with questions and comments that gave hints at the issues she will weigh as she sorts through the six weeks of testimony and hundreds of pages of documents. She did not give an indication Friday when she will issue her ruling, saying only that it would not be "immediate."

Michael C. Jones, the attorney for the colleges' alumni and students, argued that the state's four historically black colleges — Morgan State University, Coppin State University, Bowie State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore — have never been given the chance to throw off the legacy of segregation, held back by a lack of money and decisions by the state to favor traditionally white institutions.

Blake paid particular attention to the issue of whether disparities between the historically black institutions and other schools in the state system can be traced to segregation-era policies, and the problems caused by the similarities in the course offerings at state colleges.

"I'm troubled by what seems to be a duplication of programs at geographically proximate institutions," she told Craig Thompson, the attorney representing the state.  The judge noted that the issue seemed especially serious in Baltimore and suggested that it was fairly easy to trace the duplication back to segregation, which required two of each program, one for whites and one for blacks.


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Robert Champion's Parents Hear From Son's FAMU Band Mates Before Trial On 'Katie'

NEW YORK -- Days before 12 former members of the Florida A&M University Marching 100 go on trial in connection with the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion, two of them sent a message to Champion's parents during a taping of the TV talk show "Katie."

In recorded statements, both Keon Hollis, 22, and Rikki Wills, 24, expressed regret for not doing something to stop the hazing or protect Champion. They also asked for forgiveness from his parents.

"I really ask for your forgiveness for what happened," Hollis said. "And if there's anything I can do, anything my family can do, please let me know."

"If there's anything else that I could've possibly done, I would've done it," Wills said. "I loved your son like a brother."

Pamela Champion, Champion's mother, responded simply, "I have no hate."



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Champion’s family seeks to end ritual ‘senselessness’

As the one-year anniversary of the death of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion approaches, a foundation created in his name is working to eradicate hazing.

Pam Champion, his mother, said she created the Robert D. Champion Drum Major for Change Foundation last December, a month after the Nov. 19 death of her son after a hazing ritual aboard a FAMU band bus.

“We put together a foundation to end the senselessness of hazing,” his mother said.

She says she and her husband, Robert Sr., have been aggressively trying to develop a program to take into the schools.

Their son, a graduate of Southwest DeKalb High, was a member of the Marching Panthers during his high school career there. The Champions still live in Decatur.

“We want to give the real picture of what hazing is,” she said. “The dangers, a visual of what it actually is in true color.”

On the day he died, her 26-year-old son and the FAMU band were in Orlando for the Florida Classic.

Orlando officials ruled his death a homicide after an autopsy showed he died of internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma.

More than a dozen people have been charged, and Champion’s parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against FAMU.


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NOTE: MEAC/SWAC SPORTS MAIN STREET first posting was made on August 5, 2007, because I was sick and tired of negative media stories on HBCUs.  More importantly, I was seeking one location on the Web that I could read about the positive happenings in black college sports, see marching bands, and read about leadership, without pop-ups or commercial advertisements. Such a comprehensive site did not exist at the time, so I made it happen by linking  the articles that I read each day to this Blog.

Today, we reached a milestone by posting our 10,000th blog, and I think it is appropriate to post on Mr. & Mrs. Champion leadership to eradicate hazing in our HBCU and schools.  Please take a moment and read the two articles (above) and reflect on what you can do to make a difference in removing hazing from our culture.

Over the course of this journey with the Blog, I have posted 2-3 negative articles.  I have attempted to stay away from negative journalism and to stay true to my calling. 

As an alumnus of the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, the Department of Music and the FAMU Marching 100, I have a vested interest in the affairs of Florida A&M.  Like you, we all are stakeholders in our respective Alma maters.

Thank you for reading this Blog, and hopefully it has met your expectations.

Do not forget to vote in the upcoming elections and to give generously to your HBCU. `

(Beepbeep)
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Four Finalists Selected in Search for TSU President

Ainsley Carry

Campus Visits Scheduled Oct. 29 – Nov. 1

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — The search advisory committee for a new president of Tennessee State University narrowed the candidate pool to four finalists today.

They are:

Ainsley Carry, vice president for Student Affairs at Auburn University;

Glenda Glover, dean of the College of Business at Jackson State University;

Bennie Harris, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations at Lipscomb University; and

Glenda Glover

Candace Campbell Jackson, vice president and chief of staff at The University of Akron.

Each will visit the TSU campus during the week of Oct. 29 – Nov. 1 to meet with a variety of university constituent groups, including faculty and staff, students, alumni and the community.

“The search committee is pleased to recommend an excellent group of candidates for consideration,” said Greg Duckett, vice chairman of the Tennessee Board of Regents and search committee chair.

“We look forward to learning more about each of them and giving them an opportunity to meet with TSU family and friends.”

Candace Campbell Jackson

A series of campus forums will take place at the Floyd-Payne Campus Center. Open receptions for community members, alumni and friends of the university will be scheduled each evening. A detailed schedule for each finalist will be posted at www.tbr.edu and www.tnstate.edu as soon as they are available. The campus forums will be streamed live via a link available on the websites as well.

The finalists were screened and selected by the committee from 86 applicants from around the country. Eleven applicants were invited to meet with the committee, and nine were interviewed. The finalists were then selected from that group. The finalists’ resumes are available on the presidential search websites.

The search committee’s charge is to interview and identify the finalists for the position of president. Committee members will also participate in the campus meetings and gather feedback from constituents. Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan will gather feedback from committee members and make the final selection for recommendation to the Board for approval within a few weeks after the campus visits.



Bennie Harris

TSU, Tennessee’s only public HBCU (historically black colleges and universities), is a doctoral/research intensive institution located in Nashville. It recently earned a Top 20 ranking for HBCUs by U.S.News & World Report and has been listed as one of the Top HBCUs in the United States by Black Enterprise magazine. Washington Monthly named TSU as one of the nation’s top universities in its 2011 College Rankings because of its success in educating and graduating academically talented, low-income students who become service-oriented leaders in their professions and communities.

The TBR is the nation’s sixth largest higher education system, governing 46 post-secondary educational institutions. The TBR system includes six universities, 13 community colleges and 27 technology centers, providing programs across the state to more than 200,000 students.

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university and is a comprehensive, urban, coeducational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top Universities in the county by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912 Tennessee State University celebrates 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

THE SHOW: Sights & Sounds from Homecoming Saturday