Norfolk State Giles Announces 10-Member Men's Track Recruiting Class

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Norfolk State Director of Track & Field Programs Kenneth Giles announced Tuesday the addition of 10 new athletes who will join his men's program for the 2013-14 season.

Eight of the 10 are high school recruits, while two were enrolled at NSU but did not compete last year. The 10 recruits consist of two athletes who both jump and sprint, two throwers, two distance runners, one hurdler, one jumper, one pole vaulter and one additional sprinter.

"I feel this is the best group of recruits we've brought in since the 2006 class that led to the resurgence of the program," Giles said. "It helps replace what we lost from the last two years and will keep us at a high level for years to come. All the athletes are strong both academically and athletically."
Below are brief highlights on each recruit:

Shaw Barfield, Norfolk, Va./Lake Taylor HS, Pole Vault
The skinny: Barfield was the Eastern District and Eastern Region pole vault champion during both indoor and outdoor seasons as a senior at nearby Lake Taylor. He also placed fifth in the state Group AAA outdoor meet this spring with a personal-best height of 13 feet, 3 inches.

Giles says: "Shaw will team with Willard Ward to prove an outstanding one-two punch in the pole vault. He is the first all-state pole vaulter we've recruited from Virginia and has the best PR of any incoming pole vaulter we've had in the Division I era."

Joseph Boyd, Fairfax Station, Va./South County HS, Jumps
The skinny: Boyd placed in the top six at the state Group AAA outdoor meet in the long jump, high jump and triple jump as a senior. He owns personal-bests of 6-6 in the high jump, 22-5 in the long jump and 45-2 in the triple jump.

Giles says: "Joseph will provide much-needed help in the triple jump and help replace MEAC champion John James in the high jump."

William Brown, Hampton, Va./Bethel HS, Middle/Long Distance
The skinny: Brown, a 2012 graduate of Bethel, sat out at NSU last season. He is a former AAU Junior Olympics champion in both the 1,500 and 3,000 meters. As a sophomore at Bethel, he was fourth in the state indoor meet in the 1,000, and sixth at the outdoor meet in the 800m. He has PRs of 1:55 in the 800 and 4:20 in the mile.

Giles says: "William will add depth to our cross country team. He is a versatile middle distance runner with range from 800-5,000 meters."

Xavier Collins, Chesapeake, Va./Oscar Smith HS, Sprints
The skinny: Collins ran a leg on Oscar Smith's fourth-place 4x400 relay team at the state Group AAA outdoor meet as a senior. He was also a state qualifier in both the 200 and 400 meters, and placed in the top sixth in both events at the Eastern Region meet.

Giles says: "Xavier should help replace Kenneth Smith as a valuable member of our relay teams."

Romero Hines, Portsmouth, Va./Norcom HS, Jumps/Sprints
The skinny: Hines is a versatile athlete who was Eastern District outdoor champion in the 100m, 200m, long jump and triple jump. He was a state qualifier in the 100m, 200m and long jump, and placed sixth in the state outdoor meet in the 100. Hines was state indoor champion in the long jump as a senior, and has a PR of 23-1.

Giles says: "Romero is a versatile student-athlete who can excel in multiple events. He reminds me of (former All-American) a Marlon Woods-type of athlete."

Da'trail Hockaday, Portsmouth, Va./Churchland HS, Throws
The skinny: Hockaday won the state Group AAA title in the discus throw this past spring with a personal-best effort of 176-0. He was also Eastern District runner-up in the shot put and was a state qualifier in the discus as a junior, as well.

Giles says: "Da'trail is a talented thrower who will help give us a solid nucleus in the throwing events. He is the first state champion discus thrower we've had in our program in the D-I era."

Allan Frye, Smyrna, Ga./Campbell HS, Hurdles
The skinny: Frye is the most decorated high school hurdler to sign with NSU in the Division I era. He ranked fourth in the nation as a senior in the 300m hurdles (36.54) and 11th nationally in the 110m hurdles (13.81). He was Georgia state, sectional and regional champion as well as an outdoor All-American at the New Balance nationals in both distances. He also owns a PR of 52.63 seconds in the 400 hurdles.

Giles says: "Allan is a true blue-chip recruit who was coveted by SEC schools. Before he leaves NSU, I feel he will rewrite the NSU hurdles record book."

David Kibet, Iten, Kenya/St. Patrick's HS, Distance
The skinny: Kibet should be the next in a long line of standout distance runners NSU has recruited from Kenya. He comes to NSU with personal bests of 14:54 in the 5,000 meters and 25:01 for 8,000 meters.

Giles says: "David has the ability to give us a true No. 1 runner on the cross country team, which will make an already solid team even stronger."

Michael Thomas-Brown, Alexandria, Va./Mount Vernon HS, Jumps/Sprints
The skinny: During outdoor season, Thomas-Brown was National District champion in the 100m, 200m and long jump, then went on to win the Northern Region title in the 100m as well as a senior. During indoor season, Thomas-Brown was fifth at the state Group AAA meet in the long jump and sixth in the 55 meters. He boasts PRs of 10.55 in the 100, 21.58 in the 200, 6.42 in the 55, and 23-5.5 in the long jump.

Giles says: "Michael will give us a true sprinter which we really need. He ran faster in the 100m than (NSU All-American) James Taylor did, and he'll also give us a threat in the long jump."

Clifton Thompson, Richmond, Va./Meadowbrook HS, Throws
The skinny: Thompson, who originally enrolled at West Virginia Wesleyan after graduating high school, sat out while attending NSU last year and has three years of eligibility left. As a senior at Meadowbrook, he was Central Region and Central District champ and third at the 2011 state outdoor meet in the discus throw. He was also runner-up at the state meet as a junior and is a former AAU Club national champion. His PR is 175-6.

Giles says: "Clifton is a very strong thrower who will challenge (fellow Spartan) Ian Copeland for conference supremacy in the discus. I feel Clifton would have placed in the MEAC this past year."

By Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
Norfolk State University
nsuspartans.com 

Alabama State announces six men's basketball signees

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  After having six players transfer out of the program after the end of the 2012-2013 season, Alabama State has replenished its men's basketball roster, announcing the signing of as many players Monday.

 

The Hornets' 2013 recruiting class includes two sets of former junior college teammates and pair of guards from the high school ranks. 

 

ASU adds former Snead State Community College tandem point guard DeMarcus Robinson and forward Brandon Graham of Munford and Aiken Technical (S.C.) products  forward Maurice Strong and center Robert Ojeah to go along with former Wetumpka standout Terrance Leflore and Mundy's Mill High's (Ga.) Darius Sizemore. 

 

Sizemore is the most recent addition to the Hornets' recruiting class. The 6-foot-4  wingman averaged 13.5 points as a senior this past season.

 

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Offseason Q&A with Alabama A&M men's hoops coach Willie Hayes

NORMAL, Alabama  --  Why are you excited about having the two guys you signed (Shelton State Community College's Ladarius Tabb and Central Park Christian's Xavier Williams) in and what you're looking forward to working with them on?

Hayes: "Well with Xavier Williams, you're talking about a 6-8, 6-9 young guy that can post and also can face up and that's very athletic and that can get up and down the floor. You put him along with Justan Banks. You got big Jerome Hunter returning this year that sat out last year, along with Nicholas West and (Demarquelle) Tabb, that's going to be pretty good for us."

With Ladarius Tabb, you're talking about a very athletic guy. Can play two or three positions. He's one of them guys that can you give you a double-double from that wing spot."

Did you feel like you needed to add some size with a guy that can play in the backcourt as well?

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Delaware State duo Romain, Hurst teammates again, with Philadelphia Soul

VOORHEES, New Jersey — James Romain and Tyron Hurst have found themselves in a new environment, but with plenty of friendly, familiar faces nearby to provide support and guidance.

The two former Delaware State University football players are in their first season with the Philadelphia Soul. Along with former Caesar Rodney and Wesley College star Bryan Robinson, they form a solid Delaware contingent on the Arena Football squad.

And all three players are making an impact for the Soul (8-5), who seek their fourth win in a row at Cleveland (2-11) tonight.

“It makes it feel like home,” said Hurst, a 6-foot-2, 318-pound defensive lineman who graduated from Dover High. “We’ve got B-Rob, James Romain, and it just feels good to be playing back on the East Coast.”

Hurst, 27, and Romain, 25, came to the Soul following stints in the Indoor Football League. They played together on the Fairbanks Grizzles IFL team in Alaska two years ago.

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Former South View basketball player Amber Calvin transfers from N.C. A&T to Fayetteville State

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- Amber Calvin led South View to the state 4-A girls' basketball title in 2007 with a 32-0 record.

Now, she's coming back to Cumberland County to join the roster at Fayetteville State for her senior season.

Calvin, who spent the last four years on the squad at North Carolina A&T, confirmed Monday she's transferred to FSU and will be on coach Eva Patterson-Heath's team this fall.

Even though Calvin will only be with the Broncos one season, Patterson-Heath expects her to fit in perfectly and make an immediate impact.

"We really didn't have a consistent 3-point shooter last year, and Amber can knock it down,'' Patterson-Heath said. "She's going to bring Division I experience, which includes a work ethic we always want to instill in our players.



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SHU Pioneer Football Adds Lincoln University to 2013 Schedule

FAIRFIELD, Connecticut  --  Sacred Heart head football coach Mark Nofri announced that the Pioneers have added a twelfth game to their 2013 schedule this fall and will play host to Lincoln University.  The Pioneers will have six home games and six road trips this coming fall.

The Pioneers will host the Lincoln (Pa.) Lions under the lights on Campus Field on Saturday, September 14th.  Kick-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm in the SHU's 2013 home opener. Lincoln competes at the Division II level in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.  The Pioneers play back-to-back CIAA members this fall, hosting Chowan on September 21st for "Homecoming Weekend".

The Lincoln Lions will be led by first-year head coach Ramon Flanigan, the former Division I offensive coordinator for Mississippi Valley State.  The Lions will take on Northeast Conference in consecutive weeks when they head to Saint Francis University the week after taking on the Pioneers.

With the addition of Lincoln, Sacred Heart will play a 12 game schedule for the first time in program history (1991 through present).  The Pioneers will open the season with four of their first five games featuring a 6:00 pm start time (at Marist, at Lafayette, vs. Lincoln, at Bucknell).

2013 Football Schedule

COURTESY SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

JCSU's Danielle Williams Arrives in Russia for World University Games

Charlotte, North Carolina – Johnson C. Smith University junior track and field student-athlete Danielle Williams is set to compete in the semifinals of the women's 100 meter hurdles at the 2013 World University Games held in the newly built “Karan Arena” Stadium.

The opening ceremonies took place on Saturday, July 7th and the Summer Games will run through July 17th.

Williams (St. Andrew, Jamaica) will be competing in the 100m hurdles semifinals on Wednesday, July 10th at 10:25 a.m. EST. Live coverage of the event will be shown on ESPN 3 (an online channel).

Williams recently won the 100m hurdles final with a time of 12.69 seconds at the 2013 Jamaican National Trials held June 23rd.  JCSU alumna and Danielle's older sister Shermaine Williams finished third with a time of 12.92 seconds. Both will compete in the World Championships in Athletics held in Moscow, Russia on August 10-18, 2013.

Danielle Williams continues to have a stellar year in track and field. Williams has been named the 2013 U. S. Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women's National Track Athlete of the Year after turning in a pair of all-time performances to win both the 100 and 200 meters at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships, in addition to a runner-up showing in the 100 hurdles.

She blazed to the win at 200 meters in an all-time Division II record 22.62 (-0.7m/s) after having run a 22.63w (+5.4m/s) during the prelims. Her win at 100 meters came in 11.24 (-0.7m/s), giving her the win by more than a quarter of a second and the No. 4 wind-legal mark in division history. Her runner-up performance in the 100 hurdles in 12.89 (+1.8m/s) makes her the third-fastest performer in DII history. She did not lose a final at either 100 or 200 meters throughout the duration of the outdoor season, including CIAA titles at 100 and 200 meters and the 4×100 relay to go along with a second-place 100 hurdles finish.

COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ohio State-Florida A&M 2013: Know Your Enemy

COLUMBUS, Ohio  --  In spite of all the talk about the sugary, frosted goodness of Ohio State's 2013 schedule, Florida A&M is the only non-FBS team on the schedule. The Rattlers are going to make $850,000 to make a trip to Ohio State to receive their whomping and head home, but it's worth noting that despite their HBCU status, the Rattlers have a proud football history. Even though their most famous attribute is the Florida A&M Marching 100 (and we will avoid any talk of the hazing scandal here, because football), they still have had some extremely notable players come through the program in past years.

 

We'll get into that later, but first, the nuts and bolts:

 

Ohio State vs. Florida A&M Kickoff Time, TV Schedule

Both are yet to be announced. I fully expect, however, that this will be a noon game, probably on the Big Ten Network.
 

Q: Wait, I want to hear more about this band! Are they as good as TBDBITL?

Well, they're certainly different. Here they are performing at halftime of the game against Southern in 2011.
 

 

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FAMU vs. Ohio State Football Tickets

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Shouppe among 3 finalists for FAMU baseball job

Dr. Larry Robinson
FAMU Interim President

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  FAMU has narrowed its search for a new head baseball coach to three candidates, including former interim coach Brett Richardson and former Florida State associate head coach Jamey Shouppe.

Both names, along with that of Santa Fe assistant coach Bruce Larkin, will be sent to Larry Robinson, interim president at FAMU, by the end of this week, said interim athletic director Michael Smith.

Smith said a new coach should be named within a week.

Smith headed up the searched committee, which began its work shortly after the Rattlers’ season ended in May.

Smith stressed on Monday that new coach must have a solid understanding of the urgency in turning the program around, knowledge of FAMU culture and the community.

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Former NFL coach tackles VSU defensive line

ETTRICK, Virginia --  Coaches in the National Football League often lead transient lifestyles as they travel from team to team. Such was the life of Larry Brooks, a former football standout at Prince George High School and Virginia State University.

But, after an NFL playing and coaching career that spanned four decades, Brooks retired and returned to his hometown. The 61-year-old now lives in Dinwiddie and coaches the defensive line at his alma mater.

"This is home," Brooks said. "And every time I'm out of work in the NFL I come home."

While the right offer might coax him out of retirement, Brooks said he is happy to be back in the Tri-Cities area and content to remain on the VSU coaching staff.

One thing is for sure, the Trojans are happy to have him back.

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Ex-Michigan State WR says he’s transferring to Florida A&M

EAST LANSING, Michigan  --  It was announced in late May that backup Michigan State wide receiver Juwan Caesar would be transferring from the program, though no destination for the wideout was announced at the time.

While there’s still nothing official from the program, Caesar said via his Twitter account that he’s at Florida A&M, which is significantly closer to his hometown of Miami.



A three-star member of the Spartans’ 2011 recruiting class, Caesar was rated as the No. 67 receiver in the country and the No. 77 player in the state of Florida. He was one of three wide receivers — the other two being Jay Harris and Kyle Kerrick – to leave the program over the course of a month for one reason or another.

Caesar’s true freshman season was ...

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Former B-CU quarterback Johnson thriving in German football league

Matthew Johnson, QB
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes

KEIL, Germany  --  Matt Johnson knew life in Germany would be totally different, even before stepping foot in his new home country.

“Descending in the plane, I looked out of the window and thought to myself, ‘all of that can't actually be snow, right?,' ” Johnson said. “I happened to come to Germany on one of the longest winters in years. I started my journey in Fort Lauderdale in 80-degree weather.”

While the weather may be extremely cold this year in Germany, the former Bethune-Cookman quarterback has been red hot in his first season with the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes of the 16-team German Football League.

On Sunday, he contributed four touchdowns -- two by ground and two by air -- as the Hurricanes hammered the Dusseldorf Panthers, 47-10. Johnson has helped guide his team to a 6-1 start -- Kiel is averaging more than 38 points per game.

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West Virginia State and Mountain East Conference Takes Flight

WHEELING, West Virginia – As of Monday, July 1st, the Mountain East Conference (MEC) officially welcomed its twelve charter members of the newest NCAA Division II league.

West Virginia State University is a charter member of the Mountain East Conference.
    
"While we are still more than a month away from when action begins in the Mountain East Conference, we are very excited that our twelve members are moving forward as members of the MEC as of today,” said Commissioner Reid Amos. “This is one of several landmark days for the Mountain East as we officially become the newest active NCAA Division II conference this year. We have every confidence that our new conference will be highly competitive and will provide great opportunities and memorable experiences for our student-athletes.”
   
The new league's charter members include: Concord University (W.Va.), Fairmont State University (W.Va.), Glenville State College (W.Va.), Notre Dame College (Ohio), Shepherd University (W.Va.), The University of Charleston (W.Va.), The University of Virginia's College at Wise (Va.), Urbana University (Ohio), West Liberty University (W.Va.), West Virginia State University (W.Va.), Wheeling Jesuit University (W.Va.), and West Virginia Wesleyan College (W.Va.).
     
The new conference will begin begin competition in the fall of 2013 after receiving approval from the NCAA in February.  Eleven schools are currently members of NCAA Division II with Virginia-Wise nearing completion of Candidacy Year 1 of the NCAA Division II membership process.
    
The 12-team regional all-sports league will sponsor championship competition in 16 men's and women's sports during the 2013-14 academic year. 

VISIT: MOUNTAINEAST.org

West Virginia State University is a public, land grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.

COURTESY WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Tennessee State Peters to Play Pro Ball in Germany

WIL PETERS

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  Earlier this week, former Tennessee State guard Wil Peters signed a deal to play basketball overseas with the BSW Sixers of the German ProB Bundesliga.

 

“I appreciate all the support from family and friends. This is only the beginning. All the praise and glory to God,”Peters said shortly after inking the deal. “One of the scriptures I stood by is Galatians 6:9: ‘and let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap is we faint not.’”

Last season, the Sixers went 10-12 in Group North, which tied the club for seventh place. The squad also had two American-born players in Jeremie Simmons (Ohio State) and Paul Harrison (North Greenville).

Peters starred for the Tigers from 2008-2012, amassing 951 career points and 386 assists.

The Sixers will begin its season in the first week of October.

 

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern falls behind in championship chase

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Charles McClelland had the toughest assignment in the Southwestern Athletic Conference when the Prairie View grad was named athletic director at his alma mater in 2001.

Though just 29 and with a background in accounting, his mission was to turn around an athletic department that long had been the laughingstock of the SWAC.

McClelland figured his best bet was to look 300 miles east, to a Southern University program that treated the conference’s athletic fields like its own personal playground.

“When I became the athletic director at Prairie View, Southern was on top,” said McClelland, who has spent the past five years as AD at Texas Southern. “Not only were they winning, they had the attitude to go with it. They knew they were going to win. So I really looked in-depth at what Southern was doing in order to try to elevate Prairie View.”

The Jaguars ruled the SWAC with such authority that their fans claimed the acronym should stand for Southern Wins Another Championship. Never was Southern’s reign more prominent than in ...

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NC A&T Quarterback Lewis Kindle Suspended Indefinitely

Lewis Kindle
(Courtesy: NCA&T Athletics)
 

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  --  North Carolina A&T senior quarterback Lewis Kindle has been suspended from all football related team activities pending the resolution of two criminal charges.

At approximately 3:06 a.m., Friday, July 5, Mr. Kindle was stopped by an A&T campus police officer while driving his vehicle on East Lindsay Street and attempting to make a left turn onto Sullivan Street with no operating headlights, and at what appeared to be an accelerated speed.

Mr. Kindle was later charged with failure to burn headlights from sunset to sunrise and driving while impaired. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 26, 2013.


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Ex-OC Smith a candidate to resume old job at Albany State

ALBANY, Georgia  — Albany State expects to officially name its new offensive coordinator next week, and it could end up being a familiar face to the Rams program.

 

Several sources have told The Herald that former Rams offensive coordinator Steve Smith is a candidate to return to his job after being away from the program for two seasons.

 

Neither Smith nor head coach Mike White would confirm an impending hire, but sources associated with the team and school believe that Smith is the leading candidate.

 

Smith spent last season as an assistant offensive line coach with the Kansas City Chiefs, and if he takes the job at ASU he will replace Uyl Joyner, who stepped down as ASU’s offensive coordinator in the spring to take a similar job at Dougherty High.

 

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Former Alabama A&M professor Salah Yousif, who launched Bulldogs national championship soccer program, dies in Ethiopia

Coach Salah Yousif

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Salah Yousif, hired at Alabama A&M as an economics professor but later to become coach of two national championship (men's) soccer teams, has died in his native Ethiopia. Yousif, 77, was a college professor in Ethiopia at the time of his death. Sources said he died of an apparent heart attack on campus.

Yousif, who seven months ago suffered the loss of a son, died June 27, according to former co-workers at Alabama A&M.

Yousif won 238 games in 21 seasons as the A&M soccer coach and 50 in four seasons as soccer coach at Howard University.

His was a turbulent career at A&M, where he arrived in 1976 to ...

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Hotard: Star power aplenty for SWAC football in 2013

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Because the All-Southwestern Athletic Conference first and second teams included 21 juniors and sophomores last year, the league promises to have a heavy dose of football star power this season.

Southern quarterback Dray Joseph returns for his senior year after passing for a SWAC-best 2,511 yards — with 25 touchdowns and only seven interceptions — in his first season as a full-time starter.

Some other notable players to keep an eye on:

• Arkansas-Pine Bluff quarterback Ben Anderson beat out Joseph for first-team All-SWAC honors while distinguishing himself as the league’s top dual threat. The junior, who lit up Southern for 371 yards of total offense in a 50-21 rout, will look to build on a 2012 in which he used his arm (2,356 passing yards) and legs (519 rushing yards) to lead UAPB to the conference title.
• Alabama State running back Isaiah Crowell made a predictably big impact on the SWAC last year after rushing for ...

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Southern University Football Marine Day 2013 & Highlights

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TSU's Reed to Appear on 102.5 The Game Saturday at 8 a.m. CT

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY COACH ROD REED
(Courtesy: TSU Athletics) 

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  Tennessee State football coach Rod Reed is scheduled to be a guest on 102.5 The Game for City College Sports Saturday at 8 a.m.

The TSU football program is coming off of an 8-3 year, which is the best winning percentage for the team since 2001.

Expectations are high for the 2013 season as Reed, who enters his fourth year at the helm of the program, has improved his win total by at least two games in each of the past two campaigns.

Big Blue also returns 20 starters, including 11 from the Ohio Valley Conference’s top-ranked defense in terms of yards per game.

Fans can hear Reed talk about these subjects and more by tuning their radios to 102.5 or by listening online, here.

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Two B-CU football players get preseason All-America honors

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Bethune-Cookman football players Terrance Hackney and LeBrandon Richardson were named to The Sports Network FCS Preseason All-America team Monday.

The three-team All-America squad is 98 players deep and includes players from 59 schools and all 13 conferences.

Hackney was a second-team selection as an offensive lineman, while Richardson earned second-team honors as a defensive end.



Hackney finished the 2012 campaign listed on three All-America squads. Selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year as a sophomore, the 6-foot-6, 310-pound tackle from Chapel Hill, N.C., had 15 pancake blocks with just a single sack yielded in 11 starts.

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Stillman's Henderson on U.S. team for World Championships

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama | Second chances do not come often, but leaving a winning mark in the sand makes all the difference when they do.

 

Stillman Tigers track and field star Jeffrey Henderson will represent the United States in the World Championships on Aug. 10-18 in Moscow, Russia. Henderson will be competing for the U.S. for the second time in three years.

 

Henderson was recently named the fastest man in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and placed second in the long jump at the 2013 U.S. Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, which helped him qualify for the national team.

 

Henderson competed in the long jump in the 2010 World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar, and said he is competing this time for redemption.

 

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CIAA Volleyball Championship Moves to Winston-Salem State

HAMPTON, Virginia – For the first time since 2005, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) fans will be able to witness the crowning of two Conference champions the same weekend in the same city.

The 2013 CIAA Volleyball Championship will move to Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, N.C., and take place November 15 – 17 on the university’s campus.  In addition, the CIAA Football Championship game will crown its champion on Saturday, November 16 at Winston-Salem State University’s Bowman Gray Stadium.

First round volleyball action begins on Friday, November 15 as the top four teams from the Northern and Southern Division meet in a double-elimination tournament.  Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, N.C., is the 2012 defending champion.

"Winston-Salem State University will be a fantastic host for both the CIAA volleyball and football championships.  Their experience in hosting will assist the conference in ensuring the fans, sponsors and student-athletes have a spectacular weekend.  This is a great opportunity to support and showcase volleyball and football in the community, while celebrating the athletic and academic achievements of some of the best student-athletes in Division II," said Jacqie Carpenter – Commissioner, CIAA.  

Specific match times and locations will be released at a later date.

COURTESY CIAA.com

Slain Howard University student is mourned

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Friends could count on Omar Sykes. For a smile, a hug, an attentive ear, he was always open to helping others.

Sykes, a 22-year-old rising senior and business marketing major at Howard University, was shot and killed Thursday night just outside the college’s Northwest Washington campus in what police said was a random robbery attempt. A second student was struck with a handgun and is recovering.

Friends and family were shocked by the death of the community service-oriented young man, who was a leader of Howard’s chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a coed service fraternity. He was also a member of the Noble Black Society, an organization founded at Howard that defines itself on its Web site as a “family oriented entertainment collective focused on the purpose of Redefining Black.”

“Just to think something like this could happen is just unheard of,” said Lance Coleman, a 22-year-old Howard student and a close friend of Sykes’s. “He was probably the most well-liked guy in my life. He was always about helping people. . . . The world just lost someone pretty amazing.”

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