Commentary: Let's Give the Rich and Powerful Their Own NCAA Division

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  With sports playing an increasingly vital role in the finances of some major-conference universities, and with the courts questioning long-held beliefs about what amateur athletes deserve, the collegiate landscape is shifting in an unavoidable reality—change is coming.

It's time to revise the framework of college athletics to accommodate the evolving commercial environment of an exclusive group of institutions. Responding to growing criticism, the NCAA's president, Mark Emmert, last month acknowledged the inadequacies of the existing system by suggesting that the creation of another NCAA division would be welcome.

While there are 1,066 active NCAA member institutions across three levels (Divisions I, II, and III), it is abundantly evident that concerns within college athletics—conference realignment, the power of coaches, multibillion-dollar contracts for broadcast rights, and issues of student-athletes' welfare—involve only a small number of them. There is no compelling reason to change the operations of college athletics at the 726 colleges in Divisions II and III. They are successful in offering sports for transformative educational lessons in ways difficult to recreate in the classroom.

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Proposed Montgomery football bowl game: The Legends Bowl at Alabama State's stadium

Alabama State University Hornets Stadium
(Courtesy: ASU Athletics)

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  Is the state of Alabama going to get a third bowl game? A proposed college football bowl in Montgomery would be called the Legends Bowl and get played at Alabama State's new stadium starting in December 2014.

Brian Woods, a New York sports consultant heading the Legends Bowl Group, said today the organization is in active talks with NBC and smaller conferences such as the Sun Belt, Mountain West, MAC and Conference USA. Montgomery is one of several possible destinations for a new bowl, along with Miami, Orlando, Little Rock, Ark., Los Angeles, Boca Raton, Fla., Ireland, Dubai, Toronto and Nassau, Bahamas.

"We feel we're in the top two or three of possible new bowls going forward," Woods said. "We feel we might be in direct competition right now with Little Rock. We feel we're ahead of the Orlando group to some capacity and ahead of the Los Angeles group. We'd love to have NBC at least give us a preliminary agreement and get us leverage. That's a big sticking point with Little Rock's efforts."

The efforts for a bowl in Montgomery represent the new world of college football's postseason.

Smaller conferences are seeking more tie-ins, different television networks are trying to crack ESPN's near monopoly of the postseason, and sports marketers are attempting to pair the conferences and TV network together.

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Montgomery, Little Rock look to host new bowl games

ASU HORNET STADIUM
(Courtesy: ASU Athletics)

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Much of the follow-up coverage on ESPN's midweek report on new possible bowl locations focused on its most exotic, far-flung possibilities: Dubai, the Bahamas, Ireland. But the organizers who seem best prepared to argue for NCAA approval of new games are much closer to home.

al.com reported Saturday that a group is looking to host the new "Legends Bowl" in Montgomery, Ala., starting in 2014. The game would be played in the new stadium (2011 new) on the campus of FCS Alabama State University and would feature teams from the Sun Belt, Conference USA, Mountain West or MAC.

But the Legends Bowl isn't the only potential new postseason game in SEC country. Officials from the MAC and Sun Belt -- including the commissioners of both leagues -- met with the War Memorial Stadium Commission in Little Rock, Ark., Thursday, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. The two conferences would play in the "Rice Bowl," a nod to the state's (surprisingly large-scale) rice-farming industry.

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Prairie View A&M selects new athletic director

Ashley Robinson

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  --  Prairie View A&M will name Ashley Robinson as the new athletic director at a press conference at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, an athletic department source said.

Robinson returns to Prairie View after serving as the AD at Mississippi Valley State for the past 10 months. Prior to his stint there, he was the Assistant Vice President of Athletic Compliance  at Prairie View A&M.

Robinson replaces Fred Washington, who served as the athletic director since ...

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Uphill Battle for HBCU Athletes

HAMPTON, Virginia  --  It was striking, yet not particularly surprising, that sports teams from historically black colleges and universities made up the vast majority of those the National Collegiate Athletic Association banned from postseason play next year because of poor academic performance. The National Collegiate Athletic Association itself recognizes that the institutions face extra challenges: When the NCAA voted to raise academic standards in October 2011, it gave HBCU’s and other “low-resource institutions” an extra year to come into compliance (they have until 2016-17). The association has also dedicated about $6 million over the next several years to help those institutions meet the new standards.

EXCERPT:

William Harvey, president of Hampton University and a member of the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, wrote the proposal that led to the NCAA giving HBCUs more time and money to meet the new standard. While he’s pleased with the support and believes HBCUs will adjust accordingly, he had advocated for an extra three years to transition, not the one year that the NCAA allowed.

However, Harvey praised the NCAA’s financial support, which awards $300,000 to six different HBCUs for academics each year for three years. Through the pilot project, created in 2012 and called the Accelerating Academic Success Program, institutions can apply for funding via a detailed submission, requiring presidential involvement, that includes “concrete measurements for success.” Where the money goes depends on the individual needs of the applicant – for example, one might need to hire more academic advisers, while another might want to buy iPads to keep athletes in touch with professors when they’re on the road.

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Heritage High graduate sparks Winston-Salem State to CIAA tennis tournament championship

Creighton Jones
(Courtesy: WSSU Rams Athletics)

NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia  --  Creighton Jones of Newport News played an instrumental role this spring in perhaps the finest tennis season in Winston-Salem State University history.

As a junior, Jones played No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles throughout the season, and the Rams captured the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament championship. They went 13-9 overall, gaining a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament by virtue of their CIAA crown.

In singles, Jones was 6-6 in dual matches, including 5-2 in the CIAA. Except for one loss at No. 3, all of those matches were on line 2. In doubles, Jones was 10-8, all on line 1, and 7-1 in the CIAA. In all but one doubles match, he played alongside Jonathan Aubrey. WSSU responded well to a six-match losing streak, which included a pair of 6-3 losses to conference rival Shaw. Immediately following the second 6-3 defeat, the Rams won eight consecutive matches.

The most memorable of those were the last two. In a CIAA semifinal, Winston-Salem State posted a 5-2 victory over Shaw, which had won the previous nine conference tournaments.

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The father-son bond Roman and Tre'Lun Banks have will only get stronger at Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Both Roman Banks and Tre'Lun Banks readily describe their closeness as more brotherly than father-son.

They have their own special way of communicating and the share so much, including the love of basketball.

But that line of not keeping secrets was blurred this past spring when Tre'Lun, a quality point guard recruit out of Scotlandville, made the decision to keep his dad, who the head coach at Southern, out of the loop on where he would play college ball this upcoming fall. Tre'Lun had clued in the rest of the family but he kept his dad guessing, even going as far as to have him pick up several different school caps for the late signing day.

"I had a feeling a couple of days before, but Tre'Lun played so many games around the house," Roman said as he laughed. "He had us a little nervous."

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2nd Annual Clemon Johnson Celebrity Golf Tournament

 DATE: FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013
PLACE: SOUTHWOOD GOLF CLUB, TALLAHASSEE
TIME: 8:30 AM
 

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Get ready for the 2nd Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament, hosted by Florida A&M University Men's Head Basketball Coach, Clemon Johnson.  The 2012 inaugural event featured a few of his former teammates from the 1983 NBA World Champions Philadelphia 76ers, Julius "Dr. J" Erving and Andrew Toney.

If you missed the 2012 Celebrity Golf Tournament, this year's event is scheduled to be bigger and better. Coach Johnson has invited "Dr. J.”, Charles Barkley, Moses Malone, Andrew Toney, Artis Gilmore and former NFL All-Pro Quarterback Daunte Culpepper to the 2013 Golf Tournament.

Click the Related Link to register and get more information. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Register early so you don't miss out on this great opportunity.

   Golf Tournament Registration Form

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Colorado State basketball lands North Carolina Central transfer Stanton Kidd

FORT COLLINS, Colorado  --  Stanton Kidd wants to win against the best.

The former North Carolina Central forward informed The Coloradoan on Saturday of his decision to transfer and attend CSU.

Why the Rams?

Aside from feeling comfortable with coach Larry Eustachy and his staff, Colorado State University plays in the Mountain West — last season’s strongest conference in terms of RPI.

“I wanted to get more exposure so I can have a better shot playing with top competition,” Kidd said. “It’s not that the MEAC isn’t good competition, 15-9 in the MEAC is OK, but you won’t get recognized much by scouts. If you go 15-9 in the Mountain West, that’s a lot better. There are a lot of pro guys who have come from the Mountain West, plus the conference sends four or five teams to the NCAA tournament.”

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FAMU Rattlers focus on building school spirit

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  During his recent State of the University Address at the FAMU National Alumni Association conference, interim president Larry Robinson stoically made his points when he talked about ways to increase enrollment and coping with budget cuts.

His demeanor didn’t change when touched on the Rattler spirit and student attendance at athletic events on campus.

Brief as his comments were on steadily amping up the Rattler spirit a notch, Robinson struck a chord.

Members of FAMU student government liked it. Angela Suggs, who handles marketing for the athletic department loved it.

And, the groups have actually been doing something about ...

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NCCU Athletics Highlight Video 2012-13

2013 MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney

ORLANDO, Florida -- Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State will face off in the ninth annual HBCU game on Sept. 1. First-year coach Earl Holmes can't wait for game-day. For more information, visit www.meacswacchallenge.com.

MORE | The Matchup | Get Tickets 

A New Band Director Has Some Hoping FAMU's Band Will Return This Fall

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  In the halls of Florida A&M University’s band room, a lone baritone burbles along. It’s a sound that hasn’t been heard much in the year since FAMU’s Marching band was placed on suspension as a result of the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion. Today, the band room is in a state of disarray. Bookshelves, boxes, piano’s parts of instruments and garment bags are strewn about. Equipment manager Donald Beckwith says the department is doing a bit of Spring cleaning.

The man responsible for the clutter is new band director Sylvester Young. The 66-year-old came out of retirement to take the job. His new office is above the band rehearsal hall with a window that looks out over the chaos. His first day was June 14th. But he’s two days early. Young says he and his wife are renting for now. And he’s got plans for the band. Not only does he want to change the culture, he wants to clean up the performance fundamentals.

“Bands should be about precision," Young explained. " When the Roman army marched, they always had a drummer and they marched in step because they could go further. Precision is important. We’re going to tighten the belt and bring Dr. Foster’s dream back to reality.”    

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Former New Hanover athlete runs into NCAA record book

Jermaine Jones #4
(Courtesy SAU Athletics)

WILMINGTON, North Carolina  --  Jermaine Jones was not always a runner. The 2009 New Hanover High School graduate played football first. He said it took a bit of encouragement from friends and family to finally start on the track.

“I really wasn't a sprinter,” he said. “But they were just like, ‘Try it out and see how it works, and they kept pushing me and pushing me and pushing me until I did it. Then I started getting a little faster. Everybody said don't give up even if I lose. That's just the mentality that I came in with.”

 

Now the Wilmington native is winning a lot.

 

Jones, who plays football and runs track for St. Augustine's University, ran the anchor leg on the winning 4x100-meter relay team that recently set the NCAA Division II national record with a time of 38.91 seconds.

 

The team first set the record in the preliminaries of the national championship meet in Colorado. Then, in the final on May 25, Jones and his teammates became the first relay in DII history to run under 39 seconds.

 

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Bethune Cookman Wildcat Football 2013 Season

Printable Schedule

Season Ticket Brochure

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Football 2013

Date Opponent Location Time (ET)     Sun, Sep 01  @&Tennessee State Nashville, Tenn.   TBA     Sat, Sep 07  Virginia Union Daytona Beach, Fla.   4:00 p.m.     Sat, Sep 14  @FIU Miami, Fla.   6:00 p.m.     Sat, Sep 21  @Florida State Tallahassee, Fla.   TBA     Sat, Oct 05  @Delaware State * Dover, Del.   2:00 p.m.     Sat, Oct 12  @Howard * Washington, D.C.   1:00 p.m.     Sat, Oct 19  Savannah State * Daytona Beach, Fla.   4:00 p.m.       Sat, Oct 26  #South Carolina State * Daytona Beach, Fla.   4:00 p.m.     Sat, Nov 02  @North Carolina Central * Durham, N.C.   2:00 p.m.   Sat, Nov 09  Norfolk State * Daytona Beach, Fla.   4:00 p.m.   Sat, Nov 16  Hampton * Daytona Beach, Fla.   4:00 p.m.   Sat, Nov 23  +Florida A&M * Orlando, Fla.   TBA

* Conference Games + Florida Blue Florida Classic & John Merritt Classic # B-CU Homecoming 2013

Georgia's Mark Richt says he handled Isaiah Crowell situation properly

DESTIN, Florida – University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt said he did what was best at the time in how he handled Isaiah Crowell.

Last year, Richt dismissed the star tailback after Crowell was charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor after a handgun was found underneath his seat at a checkpoint on campus.

Crowell transferred to Alabama State before the 2012 season.



With the charges against Crowell being dropped last month, the Montgomery Advertiser asked Richt at the SEC Spring Meetings in about how he handled situations like Crowell’s.

“I really just have to base the decision on not only the incident that happens, but history prior to that,” Richt said. “You just got to try to do what you think is in the best interest of that young man and your program."

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Belton, Flournoy, Rogers sign with Xavier Gold Nuggets

Reeka Belton
Katy, Texas

NEW ORLEANS — Reeka Belton of Katy, Texas, Ashley Flournoy of Richmond, Texas, and Danielle Rogers of Lafayette, La., have signed scholarships with Xavier University of Louisiana's women's cross country program. They also will compete in the spring for XU in outdoor track and field.
    
All three will be freshmen in the 2013-14 academic year. 

Belton was a member of the cross country and track programs at Katy High School. The cross country team placed seventh at the 2012 Class 5A state meet and won a district championship. Belton was an academic all-state selection in track. Her best cross country times are 11 minutes, 45 seconds for two miles and 20:06 for 5,000 meters, and her best track times include 2:26.82 in the 800, 5:17 in the 1,500 and 5:35 in the 1,600.    

Ashley Flournoy
Richmond, Texas

While running for the club Track Houston, she posted top-8 finishes in the 3,200 relay at the USATF National Junior Olympics in 2010 and 2011.
    

Flournoy competed for George Ranch High School and helped the Longhorns win district championships in cross country and outdoor track her junior year and in cross country her senior year. She was a district track champion in the 800 and 1,600 outdoors as a junior.
    

Best times of Flournoy include 15:47.68 in the 4,000 and 20:42.43 in the 5,000 in cross country and 2:23 for the 800, 5:39.68 for the 1,600 and 12:46 for 2 miles in outdoor track.
    

Rogers competed for Northside High School — where she won Class 4A state outdoor championships at 800 meters and in the 3,200 relay in 2012 — and had a combined 10 years of club competition with Focus Athletics and U.S. Express Track Club. She placed eighth in the 800 in the young women's division of the 2012 USATF National Junior Olympics.

Danielle Rogers
Lafayette, Louisiana

The best times of Rogers include 21:47.48 for three miles in cross country and 5:41.77 in the indoor 1,600 and 2:17 in the 800 on the track. She also played basketball for Northside and was a two-time all-defensive team selection in her district.
    

Belton will be a pre-pharmacy major at Xavier, Flournoy is undecided on her major — she hopes for a career as a physical therapist — and Rogers will be a biology/pre-pharmacy major.
    

In women's and men's cross country, Xavier is a seven-time defending Gulf Coast Athletic Conference champion and a 4-time qualifier during the past five seasons for the NAIA National Championships. Xavier won GCAC women's outdoor track championships in 2011 and 2013.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

XULAATHLETICS

XU seeks a women's volleyball assistant coach: CLICK HERE for information.

Former Alabama State QB Tarvaris Jackson signs one-year deal with Seahawks (report)

SEATTLE, Washington  --Former ASU standout

Tarvaris Jackson quarterback is back in Seattle.

After being released by the Buffalo Bills two days ago, the 30-year old has reportedly inked a one-year deal with the Seahawks.

Jackson's all too familiar with the Pacific Northwest. He started 15 games for the Seahawks in the 2011 season, throwing for 3,091 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 271 of 450 attempts before being dealt to Buffalo for a seventh-round draft pick 10 months ago.

Despite receiving a $500,000 signing bonus the writing was likely on the wall for Jackson in upstate New York when the Bills took Florida State product EJ Manuel with the 16th overall pick in the draft back in April.

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Coppin State transfer chooses Siena

#1 PATRICK COLE MAKES DRIVE ON TEXAS

LOUDONVILLE, New York --  Coppin State transfer Patrick Cole, a 6-foot-5 guard from Newark, N.J., committed to Siena College during his visit to the campus.

Cole will sit out next season in accordance with NCAA rules and will have three years of eligibility starting with the 2014-15 season.

Cole’s commitment comes even though Siena appeared to already have all of its 13 scholarships taken for next season. It suggests that redshirt sophomore forward Trenity Burdine won’t return after being suspended twice last season and having academic problems.

Jason Rich, Siena’s assistant athletic director for communications, said he couldn’t confirm whether any current players are departing.

Cole is familiar with new Siena coach Jimmy Patsos because they both spent the past season in Baltimore, where Cole played Coppin State and Patsos was the coach at Loyola University. Cole had seven points in a 67-51 loss to Loyola this past season.

“I picked Siena because Coach Patsos is very ...

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USM Report on Coppin State: More Unkept Promises?

Coppin State University Physical Education Complex

BALTIMORE, Maryland  --  The recently released University System of Maryland report on Coppin State University has generated mixed reaction among Coppin supporters and other observers of Historically Black Colleges across the country.  The most generous of individuals reacting to the report give the University System of Maryland and the state of Maryland the benefit of the doubt as to their purpose in issuing the document. They simply say “It’s about time,” obviously referring to many years of benign neglect of the North Avenue campus by the state and the University System of Maryland.

Critics who have watched more closely the politics surrounding the Coppin campus are less forgiving and more skeptical. They question not only the necessity for the report, but also its objectivity, content and timing. They are particularly sensitive to attempts to blame the Coppin administration, faculty and students for the failures of policymakers and others responsible for the academic program approval, the awarding of operating funds, and the funding of facilities. The USM report on Coppin is, for these critics, a self-serving “report of convenience” designed more to change the narrative on the failures of the University System of Maryland and the state than to demonstrate a genuine interest in Coppin.

There appears to be a good reason for skepticism.  Of Coppin’s many needs, it has never suffered from a shortage of reports and studies. Several have been issued over the last three decades with the best examples being a 1981 study on the status of Maryland’s HBCUs; the 2001 Toll Report on the revitalization of Coppin State College; and the 2008 HBI study issued in conjunction with a special state higher education funding commission report. Each of these documents speaks objectively to the critical needs of Coppin and, by implication, to the lack of state investment in the campus. None blamed the administration, the faculty or even the students for any underperformance. Apparently, the authors of these reports realized that even the most skillful president would find it difficult, if not impossible, to effectively and efficiently manage an institution without the required resources. Note that the earlier reports were done under the watchful eye of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights and were developed by independent groups.

 VIEW CSU Physical Education Complex Slideshow
 
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Coppin State University Physical Education Complex

 

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MEAC/SWAC CHALLENGE: Charlie Neal, The Voice of Black College Sports, To Be Recognized Labor Day Weekend

Charlie Neal

ORLANDO, Florida  --  Over the past 30-plus years, Charlie Neal has become the voice of black college sports. The Philadelphia native brings a keen insight to Historically Black College/University athletics—mainly because he has seen it up close.

With his signature baritone, Neal—a 2013 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Legend—first hit the national scene in 1980, when he started doing play-by-play for the upstart Black Entertainment Network (BET). In 2005, Neal brought his talents and experience to ESPN, primarily serving as play-by-play announcer for HBCU football and basketball telecasts on ESPNU.

“Covering the games, of course, I knew everybody,” says Neal. “Jerry Rice, Steve McNair, Avery Johnson…. Basketball or football, I was involved with all these people.

“Eddie Robinson, for example, was always very kind and accessible and courteous. He carried a briefcase on the sidelines at every game. I always used to make fun of him with that briefcase. He would say that he had a ham sandwich in there in case he got hungry during the game. I don’t know if it was true or not, but that was our joke.”

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Florida A&M Holmes makes his sales pitch

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Earl Holmes is raising the stakes when it comes to how much reach his football team will have in his first season as head coach at FAMU.

On Tuesday afternoon at the North Monroe Conference Center, he told a group of business owners if they make an investment in FAMU athletics by advertising at Bragg Stadium, they will realize dividends. That, he said, will be possible because of how many fans he is convinced will show up for the five games that the Rattlers play at home.



Without providing an exact number, Holmes said ticket sales are well above where they were at this point last year. The Rattlers had the second-highest paid attendance in the MEAC and 16th among all FCS programs, averaging just over 14,000, in 2012.

“When you’re talking about building a bridge and building relationships, it’s about ...

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Jackson State avoids APR sanctions

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  No Jackson State athletic program faces a postseason ban, despite two sports falling below the 900 APR four-year benchmark.

The Jackson State men’s basketball (898) and baseball (899) programs both fell below the NCAA’s academic progress report benchmark, but weren’t subject to a postseason ban because of a two-year APR average above 930.

As a whole, however, 94 percent of Jackson State’s athletic programs had single-year scores of 930 or better. The school’s football program had a 53-point single-year increase from 918 last year to 971.

JSU men’s basketball avoided any major penalties, but not all of its Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) brethren were as lucky. Four of the 10 men’s basketball SWAC teams will be ineligible for the NCAA Tournament in 2013-14, barring a successful waiver appeal.

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XU adds South Carolina standout and another Reuther

Emily Reuther

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has added Destiny Jackson of Gaston, S.C., and Emily Reuther of Metairie, La., to its women's volleyball roster for the 2013 season. Jackson signed an athletic scholarship with XU, and Reuther received an academic scholarship. They are the first signees of Hannah Lawing, who was promoted to head coach in December.
     
Jackson, who is 5-feet-4, was a Coaches Association for Women's Sports Class AAA All-State selection in 2012 while competing for Airport High School in West Columbia, S.C. She was a two-year starter and helped the Lady Eagles reach the state semifinals in 2012.
    

Destiny Jackson

Reuther, 5-2, helped St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans reach the Division I (Class 5A) state semifinals in 2011 and 2012. As a senior she led Dominican with 53 aces was second with 203 digs. As a junior she ranked second on her team with 37 aces and 189 digs.
    
Reuther's sister Taylor is an XU outside hitter and was a third-team Capital One Academic All-American as a sophomore in 2012.
    
Xavier was 22-8 in 2012, won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the NAIA National Championship. The 2013 season will begin in late August.

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

 

Ten UMES Baseball Players Earn MEAC All-Academic Honors

   NORFOLK, Virginia  --  The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference has announced that ten UMES student-athletes have been recognized on the league's 2013 Baseball All-Academic Team.

Dustin Aigner (Melfa, Va.), Jordan Bone (Pittston, Pa.), Stephen Bull (Millsboro, Del.), Nick Cooper (Delmar, Del.), Thomas Gray (Delmar, Del.), Tim Gray (Dover, Del.), Joshua James (Milford, Del.), Brandon Schott (Warren, Pa.), Zach Townsend (Salisbury, Md.) and Tyler Witte (Westminster, Md.) all were honored with a place on the MEAC Baseball All-Academic Team.

Bull, Schott and Witte earned MEAC All-Academic honors for the second consecutive season.

To qualify, student-athletes must be of at least sophomore standing athletically and academically, hold a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average and be enrolled at the MEAC institution at least one full academic year.

"I congratulate our baseball student-athletes who have maintained a 3.0 or better grade point average during this academic school year," said Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas in the MEAC press release. "In addition to recognizing the student-athletes achievements, I also applaud the athletic academic support staffs, coaching staffs and all persons who contributed to the academic success of these student-athletes."

 In all, 91 MEAC baseball student-athletes were named to the All-Academic Team.

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