Southern offense stepping up

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  The Southern football team convened on the practice fields Saturday morning to conduct its final intrasquad scrimmage — and to hopefully put a stamp on what has been a long, grueling and hot preseason camp.

In the time between last week’s scrimmage and Saturday, the offense displayed signs of significant progress in moving the ball effectively against the first-team defense.

Unofficially, quarterback Dray Joseph completed 19 of 28 passes for 157 yards to go along with an interception and a touchdown.

Sophomore wide receiver Willie Quinn continued to shine in camp. He led the receiving corps with four catches for 47 yards — including a 35-yard touchdown play, on which he ran a 5-yard hitch route, caught the ball, made two defenders miss and scampered down the sideline for the score.

“That’s the type of things we are going to need out of Willie,” Joseph said. “We need for him to be explosive.”

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SU Jaguars’ Williams happy to be back on field after scare

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  No player wants to be on the sideline. And certainly not on the brink of a senior season. And definitely not with the frightening thought of not knowing that the season could somehow be off the table.

Yet that’s where Southern senior cornerback Virgil Williams found himself little more than a week ago.

A bout of heat exhaustion led to dehydration, a diagnosis of a kidney infection and, fortunately as the situation played out, just the lost time during the feisty, 5-foot-9 cornerback’s final preseason camp.



“I was definitely scared,” Williams said. “The injury came, and it was really close to the season opener. And not just the season opener, but I didn’t know if I would have to get surgery or just sit out for a year. So I just prayed every night, stayed positive and believed that I would be better.”

Being positive is what Williams — with all 5-feet-9 of him setting the tone — and his secondary mates are all about.

First, Williams said his teammates supported him. Meanwhile, Williams saw his injury as a window of opportunity for newer players and liked how his teammates would rather support each other than focus on taking spots.

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Jackson State ready to defend SWAC East Division title

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  In the unpredictable Southwestern Athletic Conference, Jackson State has been one of the few consistently successful programs.

Eighth-year coach Rick Comegy says he feels "really good about this year's team" and sees no reason why that consistency would change.

The Tigers, who are coming off an Eastern Division title last season, return eight starters on offense and another seven on defense.

Returning starting quarterback Clayton Moore, who threw for 1,863 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, is battling freshman LaMontiez Ivy for the starting job. Running backs Tommy Gooden and Rakeem Sims are also back after combining to rush for nearly 1,400 yards last season.

Cornerback Qua Cox was named the SWAC's preseason defensive player of the year after grabbing five interceptions last season.

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Alcorn State tries to continue improvement in Jay Hopson's second season

LORMAN, Mississippi  --  Alcorn State was surprisingly competitive during coach Jay Hopson's first season.

Now the Braves are trying to become a real factor in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division after finishing 4-7 last season.

Alcorn State's trademark under Hopson was a stingy pass defense that gave up just 156 yards per game. The Braves return all four starters in the secondary.

But the Braves struggled badly on offense, averaging just 16 points per game. Hopson hopes another year of learning can help improve production. Quarterback John Gibbs returns after completing just 48.6 percent of his passes for 1,406 yards last season.

Alcorn State has a very tough September schedule, playing the SEC's Mississippi State in the opener before key conference games against Mississippi Valley, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Alabama State.

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MVSU looking to rekindle offense to go with stingy defense

ITTA BENA, Mississippi  --  Mississippi Valley coach Karl Morgan is trying to keep his program's newfound momentum.

The fourth-year coach led the Delta Devils to a 5-6 record last season to gain some respect in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Mississippi Valley had a combined 1-20 record in 2010 and 2011.

The Delta Devils return several key players, including preseason All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selections like defensive lineman Robert Simpson, defensive back Kevin Eugene and receiver Julian Stafford.

MVSU had one of the league's best defenses a year ago, but must continue to improve on offense. The Delta Devils were easily the league's worst passing team a year ago and have a three-man race for the job this fall between Patrick Ivy, Carl Davis and Grant Sims.

Here are five things to watch as Mississippi Valley tries to gain on its new momentum:

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A&T reinstates QB Lewis Kindle

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  --  A&T quarterback Lewis Kindle has been reinstated to the football team by athletics director Earl Hilton but will be required to sit out the season opener at Appalachian State at 6 p.m. Sept. 7.

Kindle, who was charged with driving while impaired by campus police on July 5 after blood-alcohol tests measured him three times above the North Carolina limit, also will serve as a speaker for area middle school students about the importance of good decision-making, according to A&T.

The charges against Kindle, considered a first-time offender, have been resolved through a student judicial committee and will result in him performing community service. Kindle had a court date scheduled for Aug. 26.

Kindle's appearances before students are a separate requirement by the athletics department.

Kindle practiced Monday for the first time. Kindle would be eligible to play in A&T's home opener, at 6 p.m. Sept. 14 against Elon.

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B-CU Hoops Announces 2013-14 Schedule

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Four teams that made the 2013 NCAA Tournament are on the 2013-14 Bethune-Cookman Men’s Basketball schedule, announced Friday by head coach Gravelle Craig.

In addition to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opponent North Carolina A&T, the Wildcats will face New Mexico State, who has won consecutive WAC Tournament Championships and made two NCAA Tournament appearances;  Colorado State,  who earned an at-large berth out of the Mountain West; and Akron, the MAC Tournament champion as part of its non-conference slate.

“It’s all about getting ready for March and our conference tournament. The best way to do that is play against teams with tournament experience,” said Craig, who begins his third season as B-CU’s head coach. “It’s a challenging schedule, and it’s one that will help our team improve as the season progresses.”

The New Mexico State and Colorado State games are part of the Colorado State Classic, which will include a stop in Greeley, Colo., with games against the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s (SWAC) Prairie View A&M and host institution Northern Colorado.

That tournament is also the start of a 50-day span between B-CU home games.

After opening the season at home against Trinity Baptist, the Wildcats travel to the University of South Florida on November 12, then return home to play two of their next three (Trinity College, Nov. 19 and FIU, Nov. 21)  in Historic Moore Gymnasium, but won’t play at home again until their MEAC home opener January 11, 2014 against North Carolina A&T.

Included in the 12-game road trip: stops in Ohio (Akron and Youngstown State), Virginia, (A MEAC swing with Norfolk State and Hampton),  Michigan (Detroit Mercy) and Illinois (Northern Illinois), in addition to in-state games against Stetson and North Florida.

“It’s going to be a lot of travel,” Craig said. “Hopefully, it’ll help us come together as a team.”

B-CU advanced to the MEAC Tournament semifinals for the third consecutive year in 2013 after winning the MEAC regular season title in 2011, and appearing in the championship game in 2012.

SCHEDULE NOTES: The team will log approximately 17,763 air miles this season, surpassing the 2010-11 team’s total of 13,956… The Ohio swing will mark the third time in four years the Wildcats have played in the Buckeye State; Four Ohio natives are on the roster, and the Akron game will be a homecoming for junior point guard Ricky Johnson who played at the same St. Vincent-St. Mary HS that produced LeBron James …  B-CU’s last game against a SWAC team was a 68-61 win over Texas Southern in 2009; this will be the first meeting with Prairie View A&M since 1981;  In MEAC play, the Wildcats are 14-10 on the road the past three seasons.

B-CU Men's Basketball - 2013-14 Schedule

COURTESY BETHUNE COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

HU men's basketball benefits from Bahamas trip

HAMPTON, Virginia --  Hampton University basketball's preseason trip to the Bahamas provided all of the benefits coach Ed Joyner Jr. hoped when he scheduled it.

A bridge from the Pirates' run at the end of last season. Evidence of the individual improvement players made over the summer. An early start defining roles for the upcoming season. And, oh yeah, team building and camaraderie.

"Our guys left hugging each other," Joyner said.

The Pirates played three games against Bahamian competition during a recent six-day trip and had 10 practice sessions leading up to the trip. The NCAA permits such international trips once every four years, and Joyner said the makeup of the present roster made for ideal timing.

"We felt that this year it would be more beneficial to us now so that we're not going into the season trying to figure anything out," he said. "We're building off of what we did last year. We thought that we finished strong, and we thought that this would be a perfect time to take a trip, to build off of what we did last year."

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Fort Valley State’s quarterback competition is crowded

FORT VALLEY, Georgia  -- The preseason at Fort Valley State has a familiar question to it: Who’s the quarterback?

Former Peach County, Ohio State and Georgia Southern quarterback Antonio Henton finally got in uniform two years ago only to get injured and miss part of 2011. He finished 2012 seventh in the SIAC in passing efficiency and first in yards (2,604) and touchdowns (20), helping the Wildcats to a division title and trip to the playoffs.

But fifth-year head coach Donald Pittman is back in search mode at the position. Adding to the concerns is the fact that the Wildcats are also basically starting over at wideout, a spot that has been fairly strong regardless of the quarterback. Inexperienced veteran Chris Broomfield is back, and freshmen Isaiah Spencer and Michael Eddy have joined the race. A familiar face is in uniform again with the return of Eugene Smith. The Wildcats were 8-2 in 2010, mostly with Smith taking the snaps until a midseason knee injury. CONTINUE READING

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/08/18/2611565/fort-valley-states-quarterback.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/08/18/2611565/fort-valley-states-quarterback.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/08/18/2611565/fort-valley-states-quarterback.html#storylink=cpy

Hampton U's McCorory, U.S. women second-best in 4x400 relay at worlds

MOSCOW, Russia — With international veterans Jessica Beard, Natasha Hastings and Hampton's Francena McCorory in the lineup, Team USA's chances in the women's 4x400 relay final at the track and field world championships on Saturday looked golden.

It was a rookie team member, Ashley Spencer, though, who got the Americans in trouble.



A relay-zone glitch — Spencer, running third leg, cut to the inside lane instead of maintaining her clear path ahead, as she neared McCorory, the Bethel High and Hampton University alumna running anchor. Only problem was that Russia's Kseniya Ryzhova got to the exchange area before Spencer and was able to get the baton off cleanly to Antonina Krivoshapka while McCorory lost critical ground in the process.

McCorory, an Olympic gold medalist in the event and a member of past world championship teams, gave chase but couldn't make up the lost ground. With the big home crowd screaming encouragement to Krivoshapka, McCorory simply couldn't ...

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JCSU football pumped up for 2013 Eddie C. McGirt Classic

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- Johnson C. Smith University Athletics will celebrate the 2013 Eddie C. McGirt Kick-off Classic on September 12th and 14th on the campus of JCSU. The Golden Bulls football team will play their home opener on Saturday, September 14th at 2:00 p.m. against Bowie State University on McGirt Field at the Irwin Belk Complex.

The first home game of the JCSU football season has been marked as the "Eddie C. McGirt Classic" in honor and recognition of legendary coach Eddie 'Cut' McGirt. The 2013 Eddie C. McGirt Classic celebration begins with a Thursday Kickoff Luncheon inside Grimes Lounge at the Mary Joyce Taylor Crisp Student Union, scheduled from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.

 McGirt served as head football coach at JCSU from 1959-77 and led the Golden Bulls to their lone CIAA Football Championship in 1969. In addition, McGirt also served as the University's head basketball coach (1959-62), Director of Athletics, and Chair of the Department of Health and Physical Education (1978-85). He was inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Hall of Fame in 1977. McGirt retired with an overall football coaching record of 118-73.

Each year JCSU will extend a special invitation to members of the "Block S Club" (former JCSU lettermen athletes) and all Hall of Fame inductees for a return to campus to join in the weekend activities and celebrate the legacy of Coach Eddie C. McGirt.

"I'm delighted that the JCSU 100 Club, alumni, and the neighboring community will have an event to celebrate the life and contributions of Coach McGirt with Johnson C. Smith University," said Director of Athletics Stephen Joyner, Sr. "Eddie McGirt is certainly a deserving individual to be honored and have our Kickoff Classic carry his legendary name." 

JCSU football will square off against Bowie State University on Saturday, September 14th in a non-conference showdown scheduled to kickoff at 2:00 p.m.

During the classic luncheon; the JCSU Department of Athletics will further promote the 1,000 Golden Bulls Campaign. The 1,000 Golden Bulls is a campaign designed to raise at least $1 million  annually for assistance with student-athlete scholarships and to support the operating budget of JCSU's sport programs. With the initiative, the department of athletics can ensure that student-athletes receive a transformational education

The Kickoff Luncheon is scheduled for Thursday, September 12th beginning at 12:00 noon inside Grimes Lounge. The 2013 JCSU football home opener is slated for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 14th at the Irwin Belk Complex.



For more extensive information on the 2013 Eddie C. McGirt Kick-off Classic and the 1,000 Golden Bulls Campaign, please visit www.eddiemcgirt.com.

COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Benedict Offense Shines In First Scrimmage

COLUMBIA, South Carolina  --  The Benedict Tigers held their first controlled scrimmage on Saturday morning, with the offense excelling on several big plays.

Kendariss Brown had a 90-yard touchdown reception on the offense's first possession of the scrimmage on a third-down and long. Brown finished with two TDs.

While it was a good day for the offense, head coach James Woody was not happy with the defense giving up several big plays, especially on third-and-long situations such as Brown's big touchdown.

"I thought we did some good things out there and we did some bad things as well," Woody said. "We're still not where we should be. But the effort is there and we are getting better every day. We just have to get in football shape and make some better plays and find a way to stop the offense on second and third and long situations. I'm not satisfied with that yet. We have to get off the field on third and fourth down and can't let anybody get behind us."

Woody also said the running backs had a good day, especially senior running back Chris Johnson.

"We need that type of leadership, especially with a young team and the transfers we have," Woody said. "I am really excited about the offensive line, especially with A.J. Becton, who is really leading that offensive line. I'm a little disappointed in Stevon Wilkenson. He was our best lineman last year, but he just is not there yet. But we will work him and get him focused and get him to do what we need him to do. Marcus is our leader and I have great confidence in him and am 120 percent behind him. I've just got to get him to manage the game and not try to take over the game by himself."


 "I thought the running game was outstanding today," Woody said. "We just need more from the defense, stop looking in the backfield and understand third and fourth down and yardage and we will be OK."

On the defensive side, Brandon Beech stood out with an interception, a couple of batted balls and sacks and several punishing hits.

Woody said he is happy with the progress of the offensive line, as well as the leadership of several of the veteran players, including Beech, Martin Epps and quarterback Marcus Graham.

SIAC Unveils Logo, Events For Centennial Celebration

ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) officially unveiled its logo in commemoration of its upcoming centennial celebration. The conference was founded on December 30, 1913.

The official theme for the centennial celebration is "100 Years of Academic and Athletic Excellence." To that end,  the conference will host marquee events in recognition of the history and tradition of the SIAC.

"When we consider the 100 year span of the SIAC, we need to be sure not to view it simply through the lens of SIAC and African-American history, but rather through the prism of Intercollegiate and American history," said SIAC Commissioner Gregory Moore. "It is in this spirit that we will honor our past and recognize our future throughout the upcoming academic year in commemoration and recognition of the 100 Year History of the SIAC."

This year's list of events will be highlighted by the SIAC Football Legends Luncheon that will occur during the week of the 2013 Football Championship and the SIAC Hall of Fame Gala in February, which will mark the official return of the SIAC Hall of Fame. The conference will also celebrate its centennial through additional educational and community service related events that will occur during the 2014 SIAC Basketball Tournament.

For more information and updates on the SIAC's centennial, please visit www.thesiac.com.

WATCH IN 720p HD, WIDE SCREEN
 

About the SIAC: The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was founded on December 30, 1913 and today, nearly 100 years later, remains as one of the nation's most viable forces in intercollegiate athletics. The SIAC has one of the most celebrated legacies in all of NCAA athletics. Many of the conference's former and current athletes and coaches  have transcended to larger-than-life characters that continue to be monumental in the world of sports. Furthermore, the chronicles of many SIAC programs have been vital to foundation of American society. To date, 30 institutions have previously or currently held memberships with the SIAC. The present memberships includes 14 schools within a six state footprint in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee. By and large, SIAC schools are known for being staunch competitors, where many have even flourished to the realms of national and global celebrity. As a whole, the conference has claimed over 60 individual and team national championships.

COURTESY THESIAC.COM

Delaware State: Hornets' defense strong in first scrimmage

DOVER, Delaware  --  Kermit Blount was looking for mistakes more than perfection as the Delaware State football team held its first preseason scrimmage on Saturday morning.

Blount, entering his third season as the Hornets’ head coach, wanted to get all of those mistakes on film so the team can correct them before visiting Delaware for its season opener Sept. 7.

“It was pretty basic [Saturday],” Blount said of the scrimmage. “We did about 65 plays. We wanted to get our first one under our belt, not make it a full-out-fledged scrimmage, basically just a couple of basic things that we need to cover to make sure that we get these guys ready for the seventh of September.

“[It was] an opportunity to see their mistakes on film, and we can correct them. I’m hoping that they can grasp the fact that they did make some mistakes and have the opportunity to come back the next few weeks and correct them.”

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Good First Scrimmage For St. Aug Football Team

RALEIGH, North Carolina  --  Saint Augustine's University was impressive on both sides of the ball during an intra-squad football scrimmage at SAU Stadium on Saturday, August 17, 2013.

"The offense made big plays and the defense made key stops," Head Coach Michael Costa said. "We are coming along (as a team). The players are starting to see the things they need to do in order to get better."

The offense produced the first big play when Alex Munro (Jr./Ashburn, Va.) rolled right and ran untouched down the sideline. It would have been an 80-yard touchdown had play not stopped in the middle of his run. The defense responded minutes later when three-time All-CIAA linebacker Chaz Robinson (Sr./Hampton, Va.) deflected a pass and defensive lineman Josh Manners (Fr./Suwannee, Ga.) scooped up the interception.

Both units took turns making highlight-reel plays on a cloudy day with cool temperatures and sporadic light rain. Offensively, quarterbacks A.J. Gilford (So./Savannah, Ga.) and Munro threw pinpoint passes to wide receivers Jermaine Jones (R-Sr./Wilmington, N.C.), Brian Richards (R-Sr./Waldorf, Md.), Herman Reeves (R-Jr./Miami, Fla.) and Jordan Turkvant (R-So./Orangeburg, S.C.), whose long catch and run on one drive led to a score.

Costa heaped praise on the offensive line, which returns starters Jadarius Dean (Sr./Milledgeville, Ga.), Ruben Velazquez (R-Jr./Rock Hill, S.C.) and Au'Darius Blackwood (R-Sr./Mooresville, N.C.). The line allowed running backs Roderick Davenport (So./Orangeburg, S.C.), LeQuinton Williams (So./Cairo, Ga.), JJShawn Pinkston (R-Sr./Mooresville, N.C.) and Antonio Thomas (So./Lynchburg, Va.) to break off long runs up the middle. Pinkston was singled out for his aggressive running during the scrimmage.

The defense was stellar as well. All-CIAA defensive end Javarous Faulk (Sr./Macon, Ga.) and Chris Roberts (R-So/Albany, Ga.) led a stout defensive line which included solid play from Michael Oliver (R-Jr./Washington, D.C.) and newcomers Kiante Anderson (Fr./Greenville, S.C.), Maylon Rowland (R-Fr./Garner, N.C.) and Manners.

As usual, Robinson was a force on defense. He and fellow linebackers Carlton Butts (Jr./Thomasville, Ga.) and Dante Devouse (Sr./Phenix, Ala.) were often in the backfield making tackles. Linebacker Durrell Newby (R-Fr./Graham, N.C.) jarred a receiver with a hard hit on a short pass, which drew the biggest roar of the day from his teammates. Dezmon Hopkins (Fr./Manassas, Va.) played well in the secondary.

"My biggest concern (coming into the season) was the offensive line and they did a good job, " Costa said. "They opened some big holes and the backs had some nice runs. The D-line was tough. The linebackers did OK. Chaz did a good job. The secondary is missing a couple of starters but the young guys stepped up. Overall, it was good day."

This was the first of three scrimmages scheduled for the preseason. The next two are Saturday, August 24, at 10 a.m. and Saturday, August 31, at 1:30 p.m. SAU Stadium is the site and admission is free.

The Falcons are picked to finish second in the CIAA Southern Division and third overall in the conference. They are gunning for their third winning record in four seasons. The season opens on the road Saturday, Sept. 7, against North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., at 2 p.m.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Miles College Establishes Golf Program in 2013

FAIRFIELD, Alabama  --  For the first time in school history, Miles College will offer golf as a sponsored sport the school recently announced. The Golden Bears will begin its inaugural season during the 2013-2014 school year.

"This new golf team is a great opportunity for Miles College to show yet another component of the culture, class and civility that we instill in our students." says President George T. French. "It is a testament of the standard of excellence that we expect from our students academically and holistically".

Being charged with the task of building the Golden Bear program is first year head coach Leonard Smoot. A 24-year retired veteran of United States Marine Corps (USMC), Smoot brings over 20 years of competitive golf experience. He has several top-10 finishes in competitive tournaments throughout Southeast Asia and Europe, including wins at the Wago Championship (Okinawa, Japan) as well as the Staff & Officer Championship (Awase, Japan). In 2002, Smoot became just the third African-American to make the United States Marines Golf Team.

Since 2008, he also has served as a mentor/coach for the Professional Women's Golf Association while also previously serving in various roles for many regional golf tournaments, including the South Region Minority Supplier Development Council Golf Classic (SRMSDC), the Museum of Urban Art Golf Tournament, the Stillman College Scholarship Golf Tournament, and Alabama Leadership Foundation Golf Classic.

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JSU's Jobodwana finishes sixth in World Championships

MOSCOW, Russia – JSU’s Anaso Jobodwana finished sixth in the 200 meter dash Saturday in the finals of the World Championships. Jobodwana finished with a time of 20.14. Usain Bolt won the race with a time of 19.66.



In the semi-finals race, Usain Bolt (JAM) qualifies for the final 20.12 seconds, with Anaso Jobodwana (RSA) at 20.13 nipping at his heels the whole way.



COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

College basketball countdown: No. 61 Texas Southern

HEAD COACH MIKE DAVIS
TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL

HOUSTON, Texas  --  The first word: It was August of last summer when Mike Davis took over a Texas Southern team that was hit hard by the NCAA for breaking rules - recruiting violations among others - and lying about imposing sanctions. The NCAA's punishment, which came close to levying the "death penalty," included a men's hoops postseason ban for the 2012-13 season.

So although the Tigers finished in first place in the SWAC with a 16-2 record, their season ended before tournament play -- while riding a 12-game winning streak. Now, free of the postseason ban, TSU will have much more to play for - with the opportunity to win the SWAC Tournament and potentially garner a No. 14 or No. 15 seed. That'll be a tough task for Davis with the departure of go-to playmaker Omar Strong, who averaged 17 points per game last season. But don't count Davis out. He fueled one of the biggest turnarounds in all of college basketball last season after his team started a disastrous 1-13.

"We lost two big guys, but I think we have what it takes to be better than last year's team. The guys have an extra gear of hunger now with (the postseason). It's going to just come down to chemistry," said Davis, who previously coached at Indiana (2000-2006 as head coach) and UAB (2006-2012).

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SC State's Waller Named the 2013 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year

Desiree Waller

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  SC State outside hitter Desire Waller has been named the 2013 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Women's Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year.  She has also been named to the MEAC Preseason First Team.  Preseason honors, which were announced today by the league office, were voted on by the head volleyball coaches and sports information directors.  The Lady Bulldogs were picked to finish third in the Southern Division.

Waller, (Houston, Texas/Alief Taylor HS), who is the two-time reigning MEAC Volleyball Player of the Year, led the MEAC with 4.91 kills per set during her junior season. The senior ranked among the top ten in the conference in hitting percentage (.255) and kills (381). Waller surpassed the 1,000-kill mark last season, and added 169 digs, 2.19 digs/set and 42 blocks during the 2012 season. She concluded the regular season with eight 20-plus kill performances, including a MEAC season-high 31 kills in a conference win over North Carolina Central. Waller finished the 2012 season ranked 3rd in kills per set and 4th in points per set in the Nation.

The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers and the Hampton Lady Pirates were picked as the preseason favorites in the Southern and Northern Divisions, respectively. Florida A&M received 19 first-place votes, while Hampton garnered 14.

SC State will begin its 2013 campaign the weekend of Friday-Saturday, Aug. 30-31, when the Lady Bulldogs travel to Columbia, S.C. to participate in the Gamecock Invitational Hosted by the University of South Carolina.

See Below for the 2013 Predicted Order of Finish and complete Preseason Team.

2013 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish 

(First Place Votes In Parenthesis)

Northern Division                              Pts.
1. Hampton (14)                                  274 pts.
2. Maryland Eastern Shore (10)          249 pts.
3. Norfolk State (2)                              218 pts.
4. Coppin State                                   177 pts.
5. Morgan State                                  154 pts.
6. Delaware State                               130 pts.
7. Howard                                            123 pts.

Southern Division                             Pts.
1. Florida A&M (19)                             282 pts.
2. North Carolina Central (3)               225 pts.
3. South Carolina State (4)                 211 pts.
4. Bethune-Cookman                          191 pts.
5. North Carolina A&T                         177 pts.
6. Savannah State                              136 pts.

2013 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Team

Preseason Player of the Year: Desire Waller, South Carolina State

Name                          Pos.    Cl.       School            Hometown
Krista Kraskura           OH       Jr.        Hampton         Kuldiga, Latvia
ChristineAnthony        OH       So.       NCCU             Willemstad, Curacao
Desire Waller              OH       Sr.       SCSU              Houston, Texas
Goda Jankauskaite     MB       Sr.       NSU                Kaunas, Lithuania     
Kalin Russell               MB       Sr.       NCCU             Baldwin, N.Y.            
Bibiany Fonseca         S          Sr.       Hampton         Uberlandia, Brazil      
Noelle Eagles              L          R.-Jr.   NSU                Richmond, Ind.       

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Florida A&M Head Coach Earl Holmes Releases 2013 Roster

 TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  FAMU Head Coach Earl Holmes released his 2013 football roster to the public on August 15.  The 2013 roster is made up of veterans, high school recruits and transfers who will attempt to get the Rattler football program back on track after a disappointing 4-7 campaign last season.  Watch the video as Holmes sat down with sports information director Vaughn Wilson as they discussed this year's squad.

To view the full roster, CLICK HERE.



COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SC State Conducts Second Scrimmage

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --   SC State held its second preseason scrimmage Saturday morning and followed the workout with the annual "Meet the Players Day," hosted by The STATE Club, the Bulldog booster organization.

In the scrimmage, which lasted approximately two hours, the Bulldog coaching staff played all five quarterbacks listed on the 2013 roster, with redshirt senior Richard Cue and sophomore TeDarrius Wiley projected to push each other for the starting duties, senior cornerback Darrius Drummond who is nursing a minor injury did not participate in Saturday's scrimmage.

Wiley the most productive of the signal callers on the day, directing several scoring drives, two of which finished with touchdown passes to wide receivers Temarrick Hemingway and Brandon King.

Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough, who is entering his 12th season at the helm of the Bulldog football program, said he saw, in Saturday's scrimmage, some improvements from the first scrimmage conducted a week earlier (Aug. 10).

"We made some strides and did some good things on both sides of the ball," Pough said. "Obviously we still got some work to do. It's a work in progress.



In commenting on the play of the Bulldog quarterbacks, Pough said that both "have been a little bit better overall, and still got some work today. At this point it's too close to tell but both (Cue and Wiley) have earned the opportunity to play."

Freshman running back Dondre Brown led the ground attack on the day finding the end zone twice on different scoring drives. The 6-1, 236 Varnville, SC native, has filled void nicely for the Bulldogs with the absence of starter Jalen Simmons.

Redshirt sophomore Everette Shaw (5-8, 170) dazzled with crowd with some key catches, along with teammates Austin Smith (6-2, 205) and Brandon King (5-10, 170).

"There are a lot of young guys that can help us make this football team better," Pough said. "I think we are in pretty good shape but you never really know until you get there. We have a chance to be decent team we just have to keep working to get better."

Pough also noted that the Bulldog defense performed well most of the time during the scrimmage.

The kicking game did well on the day with senior kicker Nick Belcher connecting on a 47-yard earlier, while going 4-4 on PAT's. All-MEAC performer defensive lineman Javon Hargrave went down earlier with an injury, which is some concern to the SC State coaching staff.

South Carolina State will open the 2013 season at home against last year's Big South Champion Coastal Carolina on Aug. 31, in a 6 p.m. kickoff at O.C. Dawson Stadium.

SCORING SUMMARY 45-yard interception return for a touchdown by #48 Joe Thomas
5-yard touchdown pass from #9 TeDarrius Wiley to #87 Temarick Hemingway
3-yard TD run by #40 Dondre Brown
47-yard field goal good by # 37 Nick Belcher
6-yard touchdown run by #84 Everette Shaw
1-yard touchdown run by #32 Xavier Quick
1-yard touchdown run by # 40 Dondre Brown
36-yard touchdown pass from # 9 TeDarrius Wiley to #7 Brandon King

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

No worries! S.C. State hoops goes 2-0 on Bahamas trip

NASSAU, Bahamas — On Aug. 8, the South Carolina State men’s basketball team embarked on a journey to the Bahamas that was more business than vacation.

The trip centered around two basketball games against two all-star teams from the islands. The Bulldogs made their presence known in Nassau, coming away with two key victories over Grand Bahaman All-Stars 83-80 and PJ Stringers 78-74 in exhibition play.

In the first contest, S.C. State faced a very mature and polished Grand Bahaman All-Star team led by former Newberry College standout Clemente Martin and Jimmy Mackey, both of whom are playing professionally oversees.

Despite the physical disadvantage, the ...

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DSU scrimmage wrap up first full week of preseason camp

DOVER, Delaware  --  The 2013 Delaware State University football team wrapped up its first full week of preseason camp with a controlled scrimmage at Alumni Stadium this morning.

The offense vs. defense scrimmage consisted of about 65 plays, with all available players seeing action.

“We wanted to take a look at everyone to help determine our rotation as we move forward,” said DSU third-year head coach Kermit Blount. “Overall, I was pleased with the intensity on both sides of the ball. There are some areas that need improvement, but I saw enough good things to give me hope as we get closer to the season.”

The first-team offense, directed by quarterback Cory Murphy (sr.; Sunnyvale, Cal.), had drives of 52 and 70 yards early in the scrimmage. The first drive was halted by a fumble; the second resulted in a short field goal by Mitchell Ward (jr.: San Ramone, Cal.).

Murphy completed eight-of-11 passes with 117 yards in three series. He connected with Malik Golson (r-fr.; Smyrna, Del) for 32 yards and Gabe Sherrod for 25 yards (r-fr.; Perryville, Md.) during his time on the field.

Quarterbacks Esayah Obado (r-fr.; Hamilton, N.J.), Emmett Hunt (fr.; Coatesville, Pa.) and Garrison Duncan (fr.; Kernersville, N.C.).each had several series of plays during the scrimmage.

The Hornet defense forced three turnovers, highlighted by defensive back Rashawn Barrett’s (so.; Montclair, N.J.) 95-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The Hornets will return to the practice field for two sessions on Monday (8:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.).

DSU will kick-off the 2013 season at Delaware in the annual “First State Rivalry.” Game time is 3:30 p.m. at Delaware Stadium in Newark. The NBC Sports Network will televise the contest for the second straight year.

The Hornets’ 2013 home opener is October 5 against defending MEAC champ Bethune-Cookman. Kick-off is set for 2:00 p.m.

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU signs SW Guilford's Guard Terrell Leach

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Guard Terrell Leach of Southwest Guilford, one of the most prolific prep scorers in the state last basketball season, has signed with and is enrolled at Winston-Salem State.

 

“This was the best option for Terrell, and he’s excited about being there,” Coach Guy Shavers of Southwest said. “He had some prep-school options but didn’t want to have to go through moving to another school again after one year, so he felt like he needed to go to a four-year school.” 

 

Leach (6-0, 175) averaged 30 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season and led Southwest to a 27-1 finish, with the only loss to Reagan in Round 2 of the NCHSAA 4-A playoffs.

 

Leach made a non-binding commitment to WSSU in March, then changed his mind and looked at junior-college and prep-school options, Shavers said. After careful consideration, Shavers said Leach decided to re-commit to WSSU even though he won’t be eligible for the 2013-14 season.

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Southern basketball complete Canadian tour undefeated

LONDON, Ontario — Freshman guard Tre’Lun Banks had 15 points and 10 assists as the Southern men’s basketball team cruised to a 91-49 victory over Fanshawe College on Friday, finishing its three-game exhibition tour of Canada undefeated.

Banks, the freshman son of Jaguars coach Roman Banks, went 5-for-6 from the floor in 32 minutes.

Malcolm Miller scored a game-high 16 points for Southern, hitting 4 of 6 shots from 3-point range.

Chris Hyder had six assists and one turnover. Javan Mitchell came off the bench for 12 points.

The Jaguars held Fanshawe to 28 percent shooting and had a 31-24 advantage in rebounds.

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