Trenton native Kwaheem Smith is looking for his chance in the NFL

TRENTON, New Jersey  --  All Kwaheem Smith needs, and wants, is a chance.

It’s something he’s never really gotten, not in high school when Trenton Catholic Academy dropped its football program just before his senior year, and not from pro scouts who basically ignored his efforts at Globe Junior College and then Lincoln University.

Yet his talent and athletic ability still give the Trenton native hope that one day he’ll get that elusive opportunity to play football with, and against, the best players in the world.

Now would be the time.



Smith just finished a brilliant season in the Continental Indoor Football League for the league champion and unbeaten Erie Explosion.

In his second season in the league, Smith, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound cornerback with a 40 time in the 4.4 range, intercepted eight passes, returned six for touchdowns, broke up another six passes, forced two fumbles and also brought a kickoff back for a touchdown.

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Howard University mourns slain student at memorial service

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  More than 500 people gathered at Howard University’s Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel on Wednesday evening to remember Omar Adam Sykes, a rising senior who was shot and killed during an attempted robbery just outside the campus July 4.

Relatives, friends, Howard officials and Mayor Vincent C. Gray spoke about the student, who had turned 22 days before his death.

“This just simply should not have happened,” Gray said to the packed chapel as he chastised federal lawmakers for not taking “sensible steps” to keep guns off the streets.

Gray also said at the service that police had made an arrest recently in the June 1 burglary of Sykes’s Northwest Washington apartment. Police have not indicated any connection between that burglary and Sykes’s death nearly five weeks later. No one has been arrested in the slaying.

VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

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The potency of Jobe: Outspoken 80-year-old basketball icon reflects on life, sport

Ben Jobe talks about his life in basketball last week at the Downtown YMCA. A
former college head coach and NBA assistant, Jobe, 80, now works as a scout for the New York Knicks.

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Ben Jobe has never been like any other basketball coach or person for that matter.

He values “brain power” over freakish athleticism.

He’s a historian who’s unapologetic about his views on race in this country and beyond.

“Most people think slavery ended in 1865,” Jobe said. “Yes (Abraham) Lincoln did sign the Emancipation Proclamation, but the Southern states said the hell with Lincoln and kept slavery going for 80 more years. I was 12 years old when they came into Alabama and arrested slave owners and put them in prison. That’s 80 years we lost that we probably could have developed a lot of brain power.”

At age 80, Jobe can’t remember every errand for the day, but his thirst for knowledge enables him to stay current in today’s society.

He had 524 wins tucked away years before ESPN introduced him to the world in “Black Magic,” a documentary about the role African-Americans played in shaping and molding the game of basketball.

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Note: The legendary Coach Ben Jobe is best known as the former head coach of the Southern University Jaguars, a position he held for 12 years. He has also been head coach of the men's college basketball teams at Tuskegee University, Talladega College, Alabama State University, South Carolina State University, University of Denver and Alabama A&M University.  Mr. Jobe has also served as assistant coach at the University of South Carolina, Georgia Tech, and briefly served as an assistant with the NBA's Denver Nuggets. He is an extraordinary American that has so much wisdom to share with all...  (beepbeep)

ECSU's Sharpless makes NBA Summer League Roster

Angelo Sharpless

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina  --  Angelo Sharpless has held many titles over the past year; All-American, CIAA Player of the Year and Box To Row Player of the Year.

Throughout his high school and college careers, his uniform said Vikings; first for his hometown Plymouth High School (Plymouth, NC) and most recently for Elizabeth City State University.

As of July 2013, you may call him a Pacer.

Nearly a year after making #1 on SportsCenter's Top ten with a self made reverse alley-oop (see YouTube) Angelo Sharpless has been invited to play for the NBA's Indiana Pacers as member of their Orlando Summer League team.

The games will take place July 7-12 in Orlando can be seen on both NBA TV and online at NBA.com.   Heralded as one of the most athletic and gifted players in the country, Sharpless spent last month impressing NBA scouts from coast to coast. He displayed a solid all-around game in workouts for the Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns, Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats.

This past season Sharpless was named CIAA Player of the Year after averaging 20.5 points and a league best 8.8 rebounds per game.

At the conclusion of the Orlando swing he will hope to earn a spot for the Las Vegas Summer League July 12-22.

In their opener on Sunday, (Sharpless did not play; coaches decision) the Pacers fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 65-68.

The remaining Pacers' schedule for the Orlando Summer League is as follows;

Monday, July 8, 2013 vs. Philadelphia - 1:00pm Tuesday, July 9, 2013 vs. Boston- 11:00am Thursday, July 11, 2013 vs. Utah- 11:00am Friday, July 12, 2013- 8:00am (seeding determine game times)

Complete Orlando League Schedule



COURTESY ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Eriel Jeffery Named BSU Head Volleyball Coach

Coach Eriel Jeffery 

BOWIE, Maryland  --  Bowie State Athletic Director Anton Goff announces the appointment of Eriel Jeffery as head volleyball coach of the Lady Bulldogs volleyball team. Jeffrey's previously served four seasons as an assistant coach for the Lady Bulldogs.

Before coaching at Bowie State, the Southern California native coached the high school varsity volleyball team at Archbishop Carroll, a Catholic college preparatory program located in Washington, D.C., and assisted various high school programs and camps around the area.

Prior to her coaching career, Coach Jeffery played collegiate volleyball at The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, located in Princess Anne, MD, where she earned many accolades and awards. Coach Jeffery was a dominant force on the volleyball team while attending UMES and was no stranger to being a scholar athlete, as she was also in the honors program and an active member of Sigma Tau Delta (an English honor society).

Coach Jeffery earned her bachelor's degree in English from UMES and is currently completing a master's degree (in the same field) from Bowie State University. Additionally, she is a full-time employee of Prince George's County, who works as a high school English teacher.

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Dobbins named Southern head softball coach

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Southern University athletics director Dr. William Broussard has announced the appointment of Lee Dobbins as head softball coach.

Dobbins is expected to begin his tenure as the second head coach in SU softball history once Broussard's recommendation is approved by SU Chancellor Dr. James Llorens.

"We're excited to have Coach Dobbins join the Jaguar Nation," said Southern athletics director Dr. William Broussard. "With his extensive experience as a Division I assistant and Division II head coach, and his reputation as an excellent teacher and tireless recruiter, we expect great things moving forward from Jaguar softball."

During two seasons at Emory, Dobbins helped the Eagles amass a 76-10 overall record while leading the team's pitching staff to a 1.43 ERA in 2012.

"Southern has a great athletic tradition and I see a lot of potential in the softball program being not only the best in the SWAC, but in the region and the nation," said Dobbins. "Personally, the Baton Rouge area is a great spot to put down roots. With great leadership in Chancellor Llorens and Dr. Broussard in athletics, the potential of building something great was a big draw for me."

"We will recruit nationally and even internationally and utilize talent pools from all over to build the program into a consistent SWAC and NCAA competitor. Strategically, we are going to be a team that has solid defense and pitching and, offensively, will run the gamut to use the speed game to power as our personnel calls for. We won't restrict what we need to do strategically or instructionally to make Southern softball successful."

Prior to his stint at Emory, Dobbins served as an assistant coach at Division I University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2010-11, where he worked primarily with the pitchers and catchers. In 2011, he helped the Lady Mocs to an overall record of 44-14 that set a school single-season record with a winning percentage of .759 and claimed the school's 12 Southern Conference regular season championship and 11th SoCon Tournament title.

It was his third stint with the Mocs, starting as a volunteer assistant in 2005 before returning for the 2006-2007 school year as the director of softball operations

Dobbins played an instrumental role in aiding Kandice Irwin first place finish in saves in the NCAA with eight in 2011. In addition, SoCon Player of the Year Michelle Fuzzard led the team with an 18-6 won-lost mark in the circle.

Dobbins inherits a program that went 13-75 over the past two seasons but has won two SWAC titles and finished as the conference tournament runner-up five times.

"If you believe you will lose or bad things will happen, then they probably will," Dobbins said. "We are going to create a culture of winning and positivity by shaping how our players, coaches, and support staff conduct themselves and think, and therefore create a culture of hard work and winning. Doing (things) the right way will eventually create the successful atmosphere we desire and the Jaguar Nation deserves."

During the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, Dobbins was an assistant on the Austin Peay State University staff where he handled recruiting along with coaching the pitchers and catchers. In his first year with the Lady Govs, the team’s ERA dropped from 5.75 to 3.59 while the mounds corps struck out an average of two more batters per game.

Dobbins head coaching experience began as the head at Lander University during the 2006 season where the Bearcats went 27-28-1. He also served as head softball coach at Texas A&M International in Laredo, Texas.

Before landing the head coaching spot at Lander, Dobbins gained experience as an assistant at Tusculum from 2003-04. He broke into the collegiate ranks as a student assistant at Chattanooga State Technical Community College in 1997 and also served at Tennessee from 1999-2000.

In addition to coaching, Dobbins also has served as the executive director of the Ace Softball Inc. Fun-In-The-Sun Classic. The Bradenton, Fla. tournament draws college teams from all NCAA Divisions throughout the country during the spring.

Dobbins claims international experience as well, recently return from Argentina where he worked with their softball federation and national teams as a technical and instructional consultant for their players and coaches.

He also served as the head coach of the 2006 Athletes International College Goodwill Team from Munich, Germany. Dobbins worked at the National Training Facility in Barcelona, Spain as a video consultant for the Spanish National Softball Team in 2002.

An active member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), Dobbins has also served as camp instructor and camp director at several high-level college camps throughout the southeast over the past several years.

Dobbins obtained his bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Tennessee in 2002. He is the owner of Dobbins Softball Consulting and Development, which is a national and international consulting firm that assists in the development softball clinics and camps.

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

SWAC Official Website to Undergo New Layout

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  --  The Southwestern Athletic Conference official website, SWAC.org, will undergo a new design on Thursday, July 11. The league announced the change prior to the 2013 SWAC Football Media Day on July 15 at the Birmingham Marriott.

"With the increase in interactive multimedia accessibility, the Southwestern Athletic Conference acknowledges swac.org as the primary source of information related to the league and its member institutions," SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said. "The conference office analyzed the site and we believe the new layout (swac.org) gives fans, student-athletes and media outlets an easier way to navigate and locate pertinent information."

The new website features an improved homepage design, a concise layout of page content, with an intuitive and consistent site-wide navigation. It is also accessible through a wider range of web browsers and devices, including mobile applications and tablets. It has been redesigned to meet all relevant accessibility standards for users.

It will continue to feature a multimedia player, photo gallery, a panel with live twitter feed and direct links to SWAC social media outlets. Visitors can access the new site through the original swac.org uniform resource locator (URL) or web address.  Like the original design, a direct link to the SWAC's member institution will remain intact.

   

ABOUT THE WEBSITE

SWAC.org is powered by NeuLion with its maintenance and functionalities operated through its Titan content management system. Since joining NeuLion support on September 1, 2011, swac.org has averaged nearly 900,000 visits a year by new users with more than one million users returning to access the website. 

Conference chaos is not a part of the OVC

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  While its mid-major neighbors in the Southern Conference and Colonial Athletic Association have seen teams come and go, especially in the past year or so, the Ohio Valley Conference has enjoyed a period of stability.

The OVC’s only movement in the past five years has been Samford’s departure in 2008 to the SoCon – which came well before the present conference realignment chaos – and the addition of Belmont in 2012, bringing the OVC up to 12 members.

You don’t want to say that there’s a magic plan, because I don’t know that there is,” OVC commissioner Beth DeBauche said of the league’s stability. “We have a similarity in institutional mission, similarity in athletics budgets, similarity in geography – and all of that helps us. At the same time, we’ve also had good fortune.

“Given the volatility in Division I, membership changes can happen in any conference, and we’re aware of that as well.”

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Trial set for woman accused of murdering FAMU basketball player

Starquineshia D. Palmer
(Courtesy: Leon County Jail)

UPDATE (July 10, 2013 - 4:28 P.M.)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- A continuance has been issued for the trial against Starquineshia Palmer. A case management hearing is scheduled for August.
-------------------

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Opening arguments are scheduled for July 10 in the trial against Starquineshia Palmer.  She allegedly admitted to murdering her long-time girlfriend, and FAMU women's basketball player, Shannon Washington.

A six-person jury was selected Monday to hear the case starting Wednesday.
Palmer, 22, is charged with First Degree Murder.
According to a Probable Cause report released to WTXL, Palmer and Washington, 20 at the time, had been dating for approximately 3 years.

On September 4, 2011, investigators say Palmer and Washington had gotten into an altercation around 2:00 a.m. at ...

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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

Ticket Liquidator

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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