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NORMAL. Alabama -- As the 104th season of football approaches "The Hill" another crop of Bulldog football players have been named to another preseason lists.
Offensive lineman Justin Goodrich was named to the first team while wide receiver Montaurius Smith captured the second team offensive honors. Defensive lineman Reginald Bailey, linebacker Jeremy Isabelle and defensive back A. J. Clark rounded out the second team defense on the 2013 Phillip Steele All-SWAC team.
This is Goodrich's second preseason team this season and second year in a row he was named to the Phillip Steele squad. Smith and Bailey both earn their second preseason accolade as they were named to the official All-SWAC preseason list.
Single and season tickets are available by visiting AAMUTIX.COM or by calling 256-372-4700.
HOOVER, Alabama — First-year Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops doesn’t know much about Alabama State, and he hopes the Hornets don’t take that personally.
At Wednesday’s SEC Media Days, Stoops said he’s not familiar with Alabama State, which travels to Lexington for a Nov. 2 game. Stoops was a defensive coordinator at Florida State before taking the Kentucky job.
“It is a ways down in the schedule for me,” Stoops said when asked by the Montgomery Advertiser about playing Alabama State. “To be honest with you, I’m just trying to keep my head on my shoulders and get our team so much better and get prepared for about the first four or five opponents. So I truly don’t know a whole lot about Alabama State.”
As the SEC moderator pointed to a journalist for the next question, Stoops said: “No disrespect to (Alabama State).”
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- George Zimmerman is not innocent; he was found not guilty of the charges of Second Degree Murder or Manslaughter. This verdict was not about justice for Trayvon Martin, which he deserved. We are profoundly saddened by this verdict because it means that there is yet another unarmed young black male's death at the hands of someone relying on racial stereotypes. This is why last year, Howard Law students insisted on raising the profile of this case by creating a video, “Am I Suspicious,” which was posted on YouTube and why they rallied with others in Washington, D.C. and Florida to have Zimmerman charged.
The verdict does not mean that Zimmerman is innocent or that he did not kill Trayvon Martin. At best, the verdict means that the prosecution did not sustain its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a steep burden. As a former prosecutor, my experience with juries is that they take their responsibility quite seriously which means they conscientiously consider the evidence and follow the law as given to them by the court. Until we learn otherwise, we have to believe that this jury did its job.
This case has initiated a national conversation about race and especially about the power of racial stereotypes that so often adversely affect young black men in Florida and around the country. Although it has been over 50 years since the horrific death of Emmett Till, young black boys are still being senselessly killed because they are black and male, which apparently translates into “suspicious” and results in the unthinkable – death.
One positive outcome of Trayvon Martin's death would be to continue this important discussion, and to examine the laws that can lead to a not guilty verdict in situations where an armed adult male kills an unarmed child who is lawfully where he should be. We must fight to change those laws so that they comport with common sense, fairness, and justice. This is why protecting the right to vote is so important. The electorate should vote for legislators who are more concerned about the lives of our children rather than protect those who carry concealed weapons. This is the surest way to truly give Trayvon Martin justice.
Howard University School of Law will remain committed to its mission of providing leadership necessary to advocate and defend the rights of all, but particularly of African Americans and other minorities, and to provide students with the education needed to do so. (View our Mission Statement here). I have offered the resources of the law school to support Trayvon Martin’s family as they pursue various legal remedies. Furthermore, we will host another program that will focus on the legal, social, and political implications of the Trayvon Martin case.
In March 2013, Howard Law School held such a program featuring Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, Benjamin Crump, the family attorney; Greg Carr, Ph.D., professor of African American Studies at Howard; Josephine Ross, professor of Law and supervisor of the Criminal Justice Clinic at Howard; and Howard law students who worked diligently on behalf of Howard Law and the Martin family. The program this fall will examine the trial strategy of both sides, discuss critical evidentiary rulings by the court, and critique the role of race in influencing the outcome of this case.
We will continue this conversation at Howard Law School where we are preparing the next generation of social engineers. We will continue to support the family of Trayvon Martin and will keep them in our thoughts and prayers.
Yours in the struggle,
Okianer Christian Dark Howard University Professor of Law and Interim Law School Dean
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- As Edmond Davis prepares for his senior season at Alabama State, the former G.W. Carver High standout doesn’t think of past accomplishments. When he does reflect, he’s simply grateful his head coach gave him the opportunity to be a part of Hornets football.
That may sound a little strange for a player who was a first-team selection to the preseason all-SWAC team at Monday’s SWAC Media Day, but Davis remembers a time in the spring of 2009 when he wasn’t sure he would get to live out his dream of playing for the Hornets.
“I broke my ankle two days after graduation, lifting weights,” Davis said. “That was very disappointing, missing camp my first year. I already had a lot to prove, and then you come in with a broken leg. I respect Coach (Reggie) Barlow for giving me the opportunity. ... He gave me a chance to come in and fight for a position my redshirt freshman year, and the rest is history.”
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- It was a dream come true. For a coach who spent 21 years as an assistant, today marked a step to the forefront for Jamey Shouppe as he was announced to the FAMU community as the next head baseball coach. For a team coming off back-to-back 44 loss seasons and single digit wins, this was a prized catch.
Shouppe feels the benefits are mutual. “In my presentation to the selection committee, I had three words…Why not FAMU? That sums it all up. When you look at Al Washington, Al Davis, Andre Dawson, Hal McRae, Vince Coleman and Marquis Grissom, there need to be more of that caliber players coming out of this university,” Shouppe said. While Shouppe, who spent 21 years as an assistant coach at Florida State University, mostly as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, it wasn’t just about returning to familiar territory. “ This is not all about coming home. This is about a Division I opportunity,” he said.
Shouppe has a concentration in pitching, in which he has produced 10 ACC team ERA pitching titles, recruited and coached 63 professional drafted pitchers including six first round draftees, recruited and coached 26 first team All-Americans and coached in nine College World Series.
Shouppe will be the first permanent coach for the Rattler baseball team since the departure of Willie Brown early this year. Kevin Clethen coached the Rattler baseball squad on an interim basis this past season, with assistance from Brett Richardson. Shouppe credited Clethen and Richardson for being team players and holding the FAMU baseball program together in his absence.
Accompanied by his wife Karen and two sons in the audience, he holds family values close to him. He’s no stranger to FAMU either. His oldest son Jake is in the Pharmacy school at FAMU, where he will earn his doctorate in pharmaceutical medicine in the Spring. Shouppe’s ties include a friendship with FAMU faculty athletic representative Dr. Ebenezer Oriaku, who works in the FAMU School of Pharmacy.
In an over-capacity crowd in the media room of the Al Lawson Center, Shouppe was greeted by well-wishers from across the city. Leon County Commissioner Nick Maddox, City of Tallahassee Commissioner Scott Maddox and State Representative Alan Williams (D-Tallahassee), were all in attendance at the event. FAMU National Alumni Association president Tommy Mitchell and Capital City Bank’s Bill Smith were also in attendance. Several former players, current players, friends and fans were on hand to catch a glimpse of the future of FAMU baseball.
Michael Smith, who is interim director of athletics, felt the selection committee vetted the candidates well, resulting with the eventual hiring of Shouppe. “Our committee represented some of the most successful eras of Rattler baseball, and we feel they were solid in their commitment to finding someone who could restore success to our program,” Smith said. “Judging by the faces and numbers in this room, I think they’ve done just that,” he added.
Shouppe revealed his spiritual side during the press conference. “I’ve been carrying around a note in my bible, that I’ve had for over 20 years. The note says ‘to be the best leader of men, you must first be a follower of God,’ ” Shouppe said. He added, “My job as a believer is to do uncommon things here at this university.”
Shouppe is currently a coach with USA baseball. In 2012 and 2013, he was the pitching coordinator for 18-up Summer league baseball. Professionally, he played with the Houston Astros from 1982-1985, where he was drafted in the eighth round of the 1982 draft.
Shouppe is confident that he can build the program through mental toughness. “I believe that I am the man to lead FAMU baseball to a level of success that no one believes possible,” Shouppe said. He added, “anything can happen with a plan for success. I have a plan and I possess the characteristics that are necessary to lead FAMU baseball to unprecedented levels.”
With a core of returning players, the Rattlers could rebound with some additional firepower. Shouppe is very focused on junior college players to add some immediate help for the Rattlers. “Good recruiting makes coaching easier. Bad recruiting or not recruiting makes coaching more difficult,” he said. He went on to describe a mix of junior college transfers and high school players to make the team successful.
As for the MEAC, his only experience was a few games against Bethune-Cookman in the NCAA playoffs. He feels it’s not imperitive to have in depth knowledge of the conference to be successful at this point. “I am not that familiar with the MEAC but I am familiar with baseball. I know what a good baseball team looks like. If you play the game and are proficient at what you do, you will win,” he said.
Shouppe was approved by FAMU interim president Dr. Larry Robinson, who is excited about the hire. “We look forward to Coach Shouppe establishing a winning baseball program,” said Robinson. “We want to celebrate the success of our students athletes on the field and in the classroom for many seasons to come.”
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Scott Monarch spent much of Wednesday unavailable to media and on the college basketball recruiting trail.
Claflin University leaders had hoped hiring him as men’s hoops coach this past May would bring a stable of top high school or junior college prospects to Orangeburg.
Instead, the school finds itself back to the drawing board in finding a new sideline leader to revive the program. On Tuesday, Monarch was named an assistant coach at the University of North Texas.
Claflin Athletics Director Jerome Fitch released a statement a day later announcing the resignations of both Monarch and men’s track and field coach Christopher Woods. The latter left the school to accept a position at his alma mater Mississippi State.
ALBANY, Georgia -- Steve Smith is returning to Albany for his second stint as the Albany State offensive coordinator. Golden Rams head coach Mike White confirms to WALB ASU has hired Smith to the vacant position.
"It's one of the top D-II schools in the country," Smith says. "I think it's a great opportunity to come back and have the opportunity to be a part of something special."
In his first stint as offensive coordinator, Smith led his "Gold Rush" offense to a 19-4 record between 2009-2010. Smith says he believes the Rams can get back to that level of success. "It's very possible ...
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Jamey Shouppe hasn't wasted one minute as FAMU's new head baseball coach. He had two recruits visit on Wednesday and he expects at least four more to join him on campus during the rest of the week.
Shouppe was officially introduced as FAMU's head baseball coach on Wednesday at the Al Lawson Center. He will become FAMU's fourth coach in four years, but only the second permanent coach.
"These press conferences are great and they make you feel good but, that's not gonna keep you in a job," he said. "It's rolling up your sleeves and finding the players and coaching the players the right way."
FAMU Interim Athletic Director Michael Smith chose Shouppe over ...
ST. LOUIS, Missouri -- The Missouri Baptist football program has hired its first offensive coordinator on Wednesday as the newly-created program continued its growth. The University announced the hiring of Charles Coe, who has been at the high school, collegiate and professional ranks throughout his 40 years of coaching.
Coe was an All-American shortstop at Kansas State University, which led him to be drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the first-round of the 1971 draft. He spent two seasons in the Tigers organization before joining the St. Louis Football Cardinals in 1974.
Since then, Coe has portrayed a very extensive resume, one that requires mentioning every coaching accomplishment. He began at Central High School in St. Louis in 1973. He was the Defensive Coordinator for three years before becoming the Linebackers coach at the University of Iowa in 1976. After spending one season as a Hawkeye, he moved on to the University of Cincinnati, taking over the running backs and special teams for two seasons. He coached freshman Allen Harvin, who rushed for over 1,200 yards. Coe spent four years at Normandy High School before coaching the defensive line at Ball State in 1982 and 1983.
The University of Louisville gave coach Coe reigns over the wide receivers from 1983-85. Ernest Givens was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the second-round during Coe's tenure. He spent four seasons at the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1985-1989 and coached the running backs and special teams. During his time as a Tiger, he tutored Robert Delpino, who was a fourth-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams. The Kansas State Wildcats hired Coe as the running backs coach from 1989-90. At the University of Tennessee from 1989-93, Coe coached two first-round draft choices, two second-round draft picks and two fourth-round picks. The University of Pittsburgh hired Coe as assistant head coach and running backs coach from 1993-96. Running back Curtis Martin, a third-round draft pick, rushed for over 1,000 yards under the guidance of Coe.
From 1997-98, Coe was hired as the running backs coach at the University of Memphis. During this time, Memphis produced the first 1,000-yard rusher in over 20 years at the university. Coe was promoted to assistant head coach and special teams coordinator from 2000-2002.
Coe's coaching career took a major turn when he was named head coach at Alabama State University in 2003. There, he earned numerous awards. In 2003, the Hornets won the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Eastern Division and produced second-round draft pick, quarterback Tavaris Jackson. Coe was an Eddie Robinson Award Finalist, which honors the top coach in Division I Football Championship Subdivision. In 2004, Alabama State again won the Eastern Division of the SWAC and Coe was again named an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. Coach Coe was named SWAC Coach of the Year after the Hornets went 10-2 and won the SWAC Championship. The Hornets finished 29-18 in Coe's four seasons as the head man.
An opportunity in the National Football League was the next stop in Coe's coaching career. From 2007-08, Coe was the wide receivers coach for the Oakland Raiders. Following that season, Coe was invited to be the wide receivers coach at the Senior Bowl All-Star Game in Mobile, Alabama in 2008. Following the Raiders stint, Coe was the head football coach at Gateway High School in St. Louis from 2009-11. His most recent coaching position was the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for Texas Southern University from 2011-12.
Coe is ready to get things started at Missouri Baptist.
"I am excited and pleased to become a part of the Missouri Baptist University family," said Coe. "I look forward to working with Head Coach Burianek, as well as with the other coaches and the administration and consider myself fortunate to be identified with such a fine and promising Christian institution as Missouri Baptist."
Head Coach Jason Burianak is extremely excited to begin talking 'x's and o's' with Coe. "He has the same offensive philosophy that I have, which has already helped smooth out the transition," said Burianak. Coe not only has a strong passion for playing the game of football, but to be successful in the classroom as well. Coe's son Michael, earned his degree in three years at the University of Arkansas and then transferred to Alabama State for his final year to play for his father. Michael Coe became a fifth-round draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts. He earned a Super Bowl rung in 2011 with the New York Giants.
Coe's grandson, Rodney, was a standout running back at Edwardsville High School in Edwardsville, Ill. and a US Army All-American.
COURTESY MISSOURI BAPTIST UNIVERSITY SPARTANS SPORTS INFORMATION
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Members of the 2013 Tennessee State football team received a great amount of
national recognition in Phil Steele’s annual Preseason Football Championship
Subdivision (FCS) Publication.
Senior left
guard Kadeem
Edwards, junior redshirt cornerback Steven
Godbolt III and junior tight end A.C.
Leonard were all selected to Steele’s FCS Preseason All-American First
Team.
Leonard is
listed as the nation’s top tight end and the No. 11 overall best
player.
“At 6’4, 245
pounds with great speed he is a matchup problem for most and could be the best
tight end in FCS in recent memory,” Josh Buchanan of JBScouting.com
said.
At No. 15 on
the 100 best FCS players list, Godbolt is just four slots behind Leonard, but
draws similar rave reviews.
“The 6’1,
180 pounder reminds many of [former Tennessee State cornerback]
Dominique-Rodgers Cromartie as a shutdown cover corner,” Buchanan said. “His
ability to shut down his side of the field makes him one of the best players in
the country.”
Godbolt was
also selected as the Ohio Valley Conference’s Preseason Player of the Year.
Edwards
cracked the top-50 at No. 41 and Steele ranks him as the best guard and the
third-best offensive lineman in the country.
“TSU has
been known to have very talented offensive lineman and Edwards is no different.
He will be a four-year starter and has already been named All-OVC twice. The
6’4, 320 pounder has a shot at the next level with his ability,” Buchanan
said.
In addition
to that TSU All-American trio, Steele also chose senior defensive end Antonio
Harper for the Preseason All-OVC First Team.
DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University head men's basketball coach LeVelle Moton has announced that Brian Burg and Michael Cotton have been added to the program as assistant coaches, completing his coaching staff for the 2013-14 campaign.
"I am absolutely thrilled to have these two guys on the staff here at NCCU," said Moton. "They both came from great programs and will immediately be positive contributors to this program in so many different ways."
Burg comes to NCCU after spending the last four seasons down the road at Campbell University where he was assistant coach/recruiting coordinator. During his tenure, the Camels won the 2010 Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season championship, defeated both Auburn (Nov. 2010) and Iowa (Nov. 2011) along with beating East Carolina three-out-of-four times. The Houston, Texas product was credited with signing of the 2012 Big South Freshman of the Year, Trey Freeman.
"Brian is one of the best recruiters in the nation… period," said Moton. "His regional connections and ties to outstanding programs have given him a credible track record in this business. The talent he's recruited in the past such as, Eric Griffin and Darren White, has certainly demonstrated that."
Cotton joins the coaching staff at NCCU after spending a year at Rider College in Lawrenceville, N.J. Prior to his time at Rider, Cotton was on the coaching staff at Bucknell University for four years, helping the Bison win the 2011 regular season and Patriot League Tournament championships to earn a berth to the NCAA Tournament. Bucknell actually won the regular-season title again in 2011-12, but lost to Lehigh in the championship game and beat Arizona in the 2012 Postseason NIT (National Invitation Tournament).
The Detroit, Mich., native has ties to North Carolina as he spent time in Durham, N.C., at Kestrel Heights School from 2007-08 prior to taking the job at Bucknell. Cotton also was the head basketball coach at Western Vance High School in Henderson, N.C., from 2005-07.
"I have known and competed against Michael as a player for years," said Moton. "He was a tremendous talent on the court and he will definitely be able to share those experiences with our young men. Having served as the head coach at Kestrel Heights, which is one of the top programs in the state, gives him some major ties here in North Carolina. He's a fierce recruiter and his experiences at Bucknell and Rider will serve NCCU well."
For more information about NCCU athletics, visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.
By Chris Hooks, Assistant Sports Information Director/Broadcast Media Coordinator
Natasha Wilson Associate Athletic Director Johnson C. Smith University (Courtesy JCSU Athletics)
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Johnson C. Smith University Department of Athletics announces the hiring of Natasha Wilson as the Associate Athletic Director, Compliance Coordinator, and Senior Woman Administrator. Wilson will serve in a senior leadership role and report directly to the Director of Athletics.
Wilson comes to JCSU after serving six years in athletic administration at fellow Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) institution, The Lincoln University (Pennsylvania). She began as the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and the department's Senior Woman Administrator in 2006. Wilson was elevated to the role of Associate Athletic Director in 2010.
While at Lincoln (PA), Wilson served as a sport administrator for sports including bowling, women's tennis, men's tennis, women's soccer, baseball, softball, and cheerleading. She was instrumental in revamping the compliance policies and procedures as well as successfully transitioning the athletic department from NCAA Division III to Division II.
Wilson helped to develop a Gender Equity Plan for the department as well as the creation of a five-year strategic plan. During her tenure at Lincoln (PA), she established the first ever Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and launched the NCAA CHAMPS/ Life Skills program for athletics.
"We're thrilled to have Natasha Wilson joining our athletic administrative team here at JCSU," said Director of Athletics Stephen Joyner, Sr. "She brings a wealth of knowledge pertaining to compliance and NCAA rules and regulations. I'm confident that this will be an environment for her to continue flourishing as an athletic administrator and she'll be a valuable component for our athletic programs to continue growing."
"I am very excited and thankful for this new opportunity with Johnson C. Smith's Department of Athletics," said Wilson. "Everyone on campus has been so helpful in assisting with my transition into the position, I really feel at home. I look forward to working with all the University constituents: student-athletes, athletic staff, campus community, alumni and program supporters."
Wilson represents the Atlantic Region as a member of the NCAA Division II nominating committee. She was recently elected as President of the CIAA Compliance Officers Association. Wilson is also an active member of the CIAA Compliance Officers Association. Wilson is also an active member of the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and a 2009 graduate of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) Hers Institute.
Wilson has earned a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Sports Management from Winston-Salem State University. Prior to accepting the position at Lincoln (PA), Wilson interned with the athletic departments at Minnesota State University-Moorhead and Wake Forest University.
COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- FAMU will introduce Jamey Shouppe as its next head baseball coach Wednesday at a 1 p.m. news conference. Shouppe becomes the second permanent head coach for the Rattlers in the last four seasons. He replaces Willie Brown, who was fired following sexual harassment charges brought by a former walk-on player, who wasn’t on the team last season. The Rattlers went 7-47 last season under interim coach Kevin Clethen. He was assisted by Brett Richardson, who also was an interim head coach before Brown was hired two seasons ago.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Prairie View A&M football team had three players selected to the Southwestern Athletic Conference Preseason First Team and seven players selected overall as Preseason All-SWAC athletes. The Panthers were also predicted to finish third in the SWAC West in the voting conducted by conference coaches and sports information directors, tallying 82 points and three first place votes. Arkansas Pine Bluff was picked to finish first with 105 points and Southern finished just ahead of Prairie View A&M with 88 points and six first place votes.
Offensive linemen Dillon Bonnet and Tre Glover were named to the All-SWAC first team. Bonnet, a junior center, and Glover, a junior tackle, blocked for the No. 1 ranked offense in the SWAC (414.7 yards per game) and the 29th ranked offense in the NCAA. The Panthers were balanced in all aspects offensively, with the second-ranked rushing offense (187.7 yards per game) and the No. 2 ranked pass offense (228 yards per game).
Junior outside linebacker Jerome Howard was selected on the All-SWAC First Team Defense. Howard finished with 101 tackles, ranking fifth in the SWAC and 47th in the NCAA. He was also ranked sixth in the SWAC in tackles for loss with 15 and 47th nationally. At the linebacker position he was a threat in coverage too with eight passes defended (15th in the SWAC).
The Panthers had four players selected to the second-team offense in junior tight end Olatunde' Idowu, sophomore kicker Chris Barrick, junior punter Travis Jatzlau and sophomore return specialist Johnta' Hebert. Barrick ranked third in the SWAC with a 95 percent (38-of-40) PAT rate and finished second in the SWAC with nine field goals made. Jatzlau ranked fifth in the SWAC with an average of 39.6 yards per punt and placed 14 punts inside the 20-yard line with 6 punts over 50 yards.
Hebert returned 49 kicks for 926 yards (18.8 per kick). He ranked second in the SWAC with an 18.8 yards per kick average; he also returned one kickoff for a touchdown. As a freshman he led the SWAC with 121.7 all-purpose yards per game.
Prairie View A&M football preseason camp begins on Sunday Aug. 4 with the first practice scheduled for Monday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. The 2013 season opener will take place in Houston, Texas on Saturday, Aug. 31 versus longtime rival Texas Southern at BBVA Compass Stadium beginning at 7 p.m. Season tickets for this year's PV athletic contests are also available by clicking on the above link or here.
2013 Preseason All-SWAC Football Preseason - First Team
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- James Owens was looking forward to the 2011-12 season at Florida A&M, until a setback forced him to miss the entire year. Now a redshirt junior, the running back from Apopka, Fla., was ruled academically ineligible, which forced him to put his athletic goals -- and NFL dreams -- on hold.
“Everything was going good, then I was declared ineligible for one year due to grades, so I had to bounce back from that,” said the 21-year-old Owens, a criminal justice major whose career goals also include starting an after-school and summer program for young people.
Setbacks aren’t new territory for Owens. While poised to have a strong season for the Rattlers this year, he’s also focused on his other priority: 1-year-old son Jaden.
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has hired Kenneth Marroccoli as a women's volleyball assistant coach. He began work July 1.
Marroccoli, 24, was an assistant coach at city rival Loyola University the past two seasons. The Wolfpack were 51-20 during Marroccoli's tenure, including 28-9 in 2012 to break that program's season record for winning percentage. The 2012 Wolfpack began the season with eight consecutive victories and won 11 straight during the second half of the season — the Wolfpack's longest streak in 10 years.
"I am pleased to welcome Kenny to the XU volleyball family," said first-year head coach Hannah Lawing. "I look forward to working with him this season and to his contributions to the continued growth and improvement of our program."
Marroccoli — a New Orleans native and a 2008 graduate of Archbishop Rummel High School in suburban Metairie, La. — also has coaching experience at the club, high school and elementary levels. He was an assistant on the Cabrini High School team which reached the Division II (Class 4A) state semifinals in 2010. Marroccoli's club experience is with the New Orleans-based Cajunland and Krewe programs.
Kenneth Marroccoli
Xavier is a two-time defending Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champion. The Gold Nuggets were 22-8 in 2012 and return all their major contributors from that team, including GCAC Player of the Year Taylor Reuther, first-team All-GCAC players Moira Kirk and Franziska Pirkl and second-teamers Chinedu Echebelem, Jodi Chatters and CeCe Williams. Echebelem was the GCAC Tournament MVP.
The Gold Nuggets will begin their season Aug. 23 with matches against Spring Hill at 2 p.m. and Asbury at 4 p.m. in the UMobile/Spring Hill Tournament at Mobile, Ala. The Gold Nuggets' first home match will start at 1 p.m. on Sept. 14 against GCAC newcomer Voorhees in the new Convocation Center.
HAMPTON, Virginia – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's (CIAA®) annual Football Media Day on Thursday, July 25, serves as the official kick off to the 2013-2014 season. Media attending will begin the day for the first time with interviews of 16 key returning student-athletes. Following a short intermission, media will hear from the 12 member institutions' football coaches. Football Media Day will be held in the Donald J. Reaves Student Activities Center on the Winston-Salem State University campus.
The schedule is as follows:
9:30 a.m. – Media arrive to set up
10 a.m. – Welcome from CIAA Commissioner Jacqie Carpenter
11:15 a.m. – Welcome from Allen Joines, mayor of Winston-Salem and Gerald Hunter, vice chancellor of administration and finance at Winston-Salem State University
11:30 a.m. – CIAA predicted order of finish and preseason all-conference team
11:40 a.m. – Coach interviews
1 p.m. – Conclusion with invocation by Steve Aycock, president of CIAA Football Coaches Association and head football coach at Johnson C. Smith University, followed by lunch and one-on-one interviews
2 p.m. - Adjourn
"CIAA's Football Media Day is an outstanding opportunity for members of the media to have exclusive access to our student-athletes and coaches as we start the season. I look forward to the continued hard work and support of the local and national media and the great exposure they provide us throughout the year." said Jacqie Carpenter, commissioner - CIAA.
The student-athletes will be interviewed in alphabetical institutional order, beginning with Bowie State University and concluding with Winston-Salem University. The line-up of players will include:
Bowie State University: Jared Johnston – senior quarterback Delante White – senior defensive back Chowan University: TJ Batchelor – senior defensive end Robert Holland – senior wide receiver Fayetteville State University: Michael Johnson – junior free safety Blade Shoop – senior offensive lineman Johnson C. Smith University: Jimmy Dye – senior tight end Justin Smith – senior defensive end Saint Augustine's University: Kharea Roseboro – junior free safety Shaw University: Darnell Evans – senior defensive back Virginia State University: Andre Rawls – junior free safety Jaivon Smallwood – sophomore wide receiver Virginia Union University: Devin Wallace – senior defensive back Matias Parker – senior wide receiver Winston-Salem State University: Carlos Fields, Jr. – senior linebacker Nathaniel Hartung – senior offensive lineman
Interested in attending the CIAA's 2013 Football Media Day? Click here to complete the online credential request form. Deadline is Tuesday, July 23 at 5 p.m.
LYNCHBURG, Virginia -- Morgan State visits Liberty on Sept. 14 for the Flames’ annual Hall of Fame game, the Bears’ first trip to Lynchburg since 1995. A closer look at the Bears:
MORGAN STATE BEARS
COACH: Donald Hill-Eley, 54-69, 12th year at Morgan State 2012 RECORD: 3-8, 2-6 MEAC
A LOOK BACK
After years of toying with making the leap into the upper half of the MEAC football hierarchy, the Bears took a major step back last season, their 3-8 mark their worst since going 2-9 in 2005. Hill-Eley’s best season in Baltimore was his first, when Morgan State went 7-5 in 2002. Since then, the Bears have recorded just one winning season, a 6-5 mark in 2009.
The Bears opened 2012 with a 30-27, four-overtime victory over Sacred Heart. Those overtimes weren’t exactly an offensive showcase. The teams combined for three field goals in the four extra frames, with Ervin Gonzalez’s 20-yard kick in the fourth overtime serving as the game winner. Morgan State grabbed some guarantee money and got smacked around by Buffalo (56-34) and Akron (66-6) before beating North Carolina A&T and Savannah State to open MEAC play 2-0.
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- After securing spots on the 2013 Preseason All-SWAC first team at defensive back and returner specialist, Southern University senior Virgil Williams became the fourth Jaguar to be named on the College Football Performance Awards watch list for 2013.
College Football Performance Awards, the largest awards organization in D-I college football, recently announced its 2013 CFPA Punt Returner Award Watch List. The initial list highlights 33 returning performers, vying for the top national punt return specialist award in the FCS.
"Congratulations to Virgil Williams on earning a spot on the 2013 CFPA Watch List," said CFPA Executive Director Brad Smith. "With Williams returning for the 2013 season, Southern University is well-positioned for success on punt return."
Williams joins SU quarterback Dray Joseph, wide receiver Lee Doss and linebacker Anthony Balancier on the CFPA watch list. Doss and Balancier were also named to the All-SWAC first team with Joseph receiving a second team selection.
More than 130 CFPA recipients have signed professional contracts, and twenty-one have been first-round NFL Draft selections.
The CFPA's best college returner awards date back to 2008 with Alabama's Javier Arenas earning the inaugural award. Other CFPA recipients performing as NFL return specialists include: Tavon Austin (West Virginia), Patrick Peterson (LSU), Giovani Bernard (North Carolina), C.J. Spiller (Clemson), Jayron Hosley (Virginia Tech), Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss), Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State), Golden Tate (Notre Dame), LaMichael James (Oregon), Laron Scott (Georgia Southern), Damian Williams (USC), Taiwan Jones (Eastern Washington), Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma), Eric Page (Toledo), Cliff Harris (Oregon), Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State), Asa Jackson (Cal Poly), Tyrann Mathieu (LSU), Joe Adams (Arkansas), Fozzy Whittaker (Texas), Jerodis Williams (Furman), Miguel Maysonet (Stony Brook), and Reggie Dunn (Utah).
Last season, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel earned the 2012 CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy, while Harvard quarterback Colton Chapple earned the 2012 CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy. Multiple award presentations were broadcast live nationally on ESPN, CBS, Fox Sports, Big Ten Network, Pac 12 Network, as well as internationally on BYUtv.
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he full list of 2013 recipients, including the 2013 CFPA FCS Awards, will be announced on January 8, 2014.
For more information, visit the Official CFPA Website (http://www.collegefootballperformance.com). Follow CFPA on Twitter @CFPerformance.
COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- We’re at the point now where we can measure the distance between now and the 2013 Ohio State football season in weeks rather than months. Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’ into the future, so it’s time to get to the second part of our “Villains” series.
Last week we told you about the villains from the first quarter of the 2013 OSU football schedule — Buffalo, San Diego State and Cal. Herein, we’ll discuss the most villainous members from the season’s second quarter (games 4, 5 and 6). That segment includes the Florida A&M Rattlers as our last non-conference foe of the regular season, plus Leaders (Legends?) Division rival Wisconsin, and a vastly improved Northwestern team from the one we last saw in 2008.
As with last time, the goal here isn’t to break down the opponent or provide keys to victory, but merely to point out some of the players you’re going to be rooting against. Chances are, if the Buckeyes can keep these players under wraps, the game should conclude with a favorable result. Here are the young men we all need to start hating now. As conference opponents are included in this installment, you no doubt already hate some of them.
Florida A&M
The lone FCS school on Ohio State’s 2013 slate, the Florida A&M Rattlers are coming off a 4-7 season. The only comparable opponent the Rattlers faced last year was Oklahoma, in Norman. The Sooners ...
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Linebacker Jer-ryan Harris still isn't convinced Arkansas-Pine Bluff has made believers out of its Southwestern Athletic Conference rivals.
The Golden Lions won their first outright SWAC title last season and are the pick to repeat as West Division champions going into the season. But now feel they must prove they're not one-year wonders.
"I believe last season got us an added respect level, but at the same time, I also feel like teams are still kind of looking at it like that was luck," Harris said Monday at SWAC media day. "I believe that in order for us to actually get the respect we deserve, we will have to repeat. That's kind of the mindset all the players have."
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The SWAC named Jackson State cornerback Qua Cox its preseason defensive player of the year on Monday. But Cox was not buying it as some kind of accomplishment.
“It’s really not anything that I’m excited about really because I’m trying to get back to the SWAC championship,” Cox said. “Because a ring is what I need.”
Cox, who had five interceptions to lead the conference as a junior, is apparently not the only one who feels that way. A year after winning the East Division but losing the SWAC Championship Game, the Tigers are pushing to make it to Houston in December for another chance at winning the title.
“The last time I’ve seen a team acting like this we went undefeated,” coach Rick Comegy said, referencing his 2000 Tuskegee team. “You don’t have to push them. You don’t have to tell them to be here or go there.”
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Montaurius Smith, Corey Johnson, Reginald Bailey, Justin Goodrich and Derrick Harris were each named to the Preseason All-SWAC second-team announced today at the Southwestern Athletic Conference football media days.
Bailey, Johnson, Smith and Harris each received their first preseason nod while Goodrich earns his second straight as he was named to the 2012 squad.
Also for the second straight year the Bulldogs were picked to fininsh third in the Eastern Division. At the beginning of 2012 A&M was in a similar situation after coming off their fifth championship game in the last ten years. They finished the season third with a 6-3 record. Defending champion, UAPB, led the way with 11 selections including nine voted to the first team. Alabama State, Jackson State, and Prairie View A&M had seven picks apiece. ASU and PVAMU tallied three players on the first team with JSU posting two.
Alabama A&M and Southern each recorded five picks with SU finishing the tally with three players making the first team.
Rounding out the selections include: Mississippi Valley with four players, registering two on the top team. Alcorn State, Grambling State and Texas southern posted one player apiece on the second team.
For the predicted order of finish in both divisions, Arkansas-Pine Bluff totaled 105 points, including 14 first-place votes, to become the favorite out of the West Division. Southern followed with 88 points, Prairie View A&M gathered 83 points, with Grambling State (51) and Texas Southern (38) closing the division's preseason ranking.
In the East Division, Alabama State claimed 108 points with 15 first-place votes. Jackson State received 102 points followed by Alabama A&M (60), Mississippi Valley State (51) and Alcorn State (40).
COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
