2013 AT&T Nations Football Classic

HBCU Gametime: Top 5 Players to Watch -- Vol. 4

FUQUAY-VARINA, North Carolina -- Defense is definitely the theme in this year’s top five HBCU players to watch – Vol. 4. Five players (six players were ranked because of a tie) are on the defensive side of the ball and of those three are cornerbacks. This is the year of the defensive back.

When looking at the four conferences – CIAA, MEAC, SWAC, and SIAC – nine of the 17 defensive backs who were named preseason all-conference were first team all-conference last year. The preseason selections to the defensive backfield this year were very fortunate to make it, and if any of them are fortunate enough to make it to a postseason all-conference team this year, they will be amongst the elite defensive backs in the nation.

This could be a tough year for quarterbacks. There are some very good quarterbacks this year, but of those returning, none were close to putting up the numbers that Boxtorow All-American Kameron Smith of Winston-Salem State put up last year (completed 59 percent of his passes for 3,312 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 334 yards rushing).

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Westlake graduates Florence, Jordan sign with CIAA’s Virginia Union

WALDORF, Maryland -- Since transferring from McDonough High School to Westlake as a junior, De’Ana Florence and Amber Jordan were always together like one union.

Both were on the Westlake varsity softball team under head coach Carl Bowman, and they had a close friendship and sister-like bond on and off the field.

Now, the two Wolverines will continue that bond to college. They recently signed to the Virginia Union University Panthers, an NCAA Division II outfit in Richmond, Va., a historically black university that competes in the Eastern Division of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Florence received a scholarship to play basketball and will walk on the softball team, where she will play with Jordan, who received a softball scholarship.

Florence said it felt great not only to continue her education and officially sign, but that it will be fun to go to school with her high school teammate.

“Me and Amber are very close, and we are even closer now that we are up here at school now,” Florence said. “We’ve been hanging out a lot, and we are living in the same dorm and are right next to each other. So we are close friends, and our families are becoming real close.”

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Howard Adds Mason and Gittens to Women's Basketball Staff

COACH TENICHA GITTENS

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Howard University has named Jonathan Mason and Tenicha Gittens to the women's basketball coaching staff.

Mason comes to the Hilltop from Towson University where he served as an assistant coach during the 2012-13 season. Prior to that, he was the Director of Operations for the Women's basketball team during the 2011-12 season.

As an assistant, Mason served as camp director, assisted with recruiting, scouting assignments and skill development instruction with the Tiger perimeter and post players. While in that capacity, he developed a second team All-CAA player and another player who was selected to the conference all-conference team.

As director of operations, Mason handled team practice and travel arrangements, coordinated various functions and served as a general point of contact for the women's basketball program.

COACH JONATHAN MASON

Prior to arriving at Towson, Mason was the head coach of the girls' basketball team at Meade High School for a year and a half. During his tenure, he directed the Lady Mustangs to a 19-6 record and its first county championship in 14 years.

Mason coached two All-County team selections, with one of them being named to the All-Met team by the Washington Post.

Mason's duties with the Lady Bison will include recruiting, scouting assignments and skill development instruction.
"I am very excited to have Jonathan join the Bison family," said Howard University first year head coach Tennille Adams. "I thought it was very important to bring someone to Howard who was familiar with the regional landscape. His ties to the DMV should have an immediate impact on our recruiting. I believe his energy and enthusiasm will resonate with our players."

Mason, who received his undergraduate and Masters' degrees in Health and Physical Education and Interdisciplinary Studies, respectively from Frostburg State, started his coaching career as a manager and worked his way up to a graduate assistant with the Bobcats' men's team.

During the 2008-09 season, Mason helped the Bobcats post their best overall and conference records in six seasons (17-10; 13-5 conference). He worked primarily with perimeter player development.

Gittens comes to Howard from St. Francis University of Pennsylvania where she served as an assistant there. She played an integral part in the success of the team which finished 17-16 last season and earned a post-season invitation to the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI).

Before St. Francis, Gittens worked at LaSalle University as the Director of Women's Basketball Operations from 2010 to 2012.

"I am pleased to have Tenicha become part of our Bison family," said Adams of her hire. "I believe Howard has the ability to recruit internationally and Tenicha can help us tap into that area. She was a great player at Hofstra and she is someone our players will be able to relate to on and off the court."

Prior to her time at La Salle, she spent one season as the women's assistant basketball coach at McGill University in Canada. Other coaching stops for Gittens included a season as the head varsity coach of the boys' team at St. George's High School and head coach of the Blue Hounds Under-17 and Under-15, AAU girls basketball teams.

Gittens played collegiately at Hofstra University, where she competed for two seasons. While there, she earned the honor of Sixth Player of the Year as a junior. Before coming to Hofstra, Gittens played one season of junior college basketball at Eastern Arizona College where she led the team to its best finish in school history. While there, she earned a first team all-star selection, averaging 13 points, four assists and three steals per game as a senior.

Originally from Montreal, Canada, Gittens played for Dawson and was also a member of the St. Vincent & the Grenadines women's national basketball team.

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON SPORTS INFORMATION

1490 AM to Broadcast NSU Football Games and Pete Adrian Show

2013 Football Radio Broadcast Schedule

NORFOLK, Virginia --  The Norfolk State University athletics department announced Tuesday that it has agreed with Local Voice Media to broadcast all 12 Spartan football games and the Pete Adrian Coach's Show on 1490 AM The Game this fall.

In addition, the season-opener against the University of Maine will also be carried on 1490's sister station, 102.1 FM. All 12 games will be audio streamed live at www.1490amthegame.com and simulcast on the NSU campus radio station, 91.1 FM.

1490 AM will also carry the Pete Adrian Coach's Show on Thursdays from 7-8 p.m. The show will be aired in a tape-delay format at 9 p.m. on 102.1 FM the same night. The only exception is the season kickoff show, which will air from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on 1490 AM on Thursday, Aug. 29.

This will be NSU's fourth straight year being affiliated with 1490 AM The Game and its sister station, 102.1 FM. Local Voice Media purchased the two stations earlier this month from Red Zebra broadcasting. 1490 AM will remain in an all-sports format, while 102.1 FM has switched to a Triple-A music format.

"We are happy to announce this partnership with Local Voice," said Matt Michalec, NSU's assistant athletics director for communications. "We are excited about their commitment to building a local audience for their stations and their enthusiasm about Spartan football."

Local Voice Media began in Williamsburg and now includes a classical station, 107.9 BACHfm, an online-only daily newspaper Williamsburg Yorktown Daily (known by the shorthand WYDaily.com) and the Save30 Store for discounted gift certificates to local businesses. Local Voice Media specializes in combining online newspapers powered by their hometown radio stations, which led to its expansion to Wilmington, N.C., with a five-station cluster and the online daily Port City Daily (PortCityDaily.com); and to Columbia, S.C., with two radio stations and the launch of the online Cola Daily (ColaDaily.com) in the next several weeks.


By Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
VISIT: NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: NSUSPARTANS.COM

Tennessee State University Football Fan Day Set for Aug. 24

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  The Tennessee State football team would like to invite all fans and Big Blue supporters to Fan Day on Aug. 24 at 3 p.m. in the Indoor Football Facility.

The event will be the first chance to pick up the 2013 football poster featuring all of the seniors and members of this year’s Tiger team will be in attendance to sign autographs and take pictures.

There will also be a D.J. at this year’s Fan Day to entertain fans and supporters are encouraged to stick around following the autographs to see the team scrimmage at 4 p.m. at Hale Stadium.

Last season, hundreds of fans showed up and most received signatures from the entire 2012 team.

Admission to the 2013 Tennessee State Football Fan Day is free and will occur eight days before Big Blue squares off against Bethune-Cookman in the 15^th annual John Merritt Classic on Sept. 1.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

John Merritt Press Conference Set for Aug. 22

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  The Tennessee State Athletic Department has announced that the 2013 John Merritt Press Conference will be held on Thursday, Aug. 22 at LP Field.

The event will start at 11 a.m. and feature the Athletic Directors from both TSU and Bethune-Cookman as well as the Tigers’ head coach Rod Reed.

This year’s press conference will come nine days before the 15th John Merritt Classic on Sept. 1 and will allow both sides to give an update to their team’s progress during spring and fall practices.

TSU’s opener will be the first test on the road to building off of last year’s 8-3 record that included a road victory over BCU on Sept. 22.

The Tigers return 18 starters from 2012 including all 11 from the Ohio Valley Conference’s top-ranked defense. TSU also brings back Preseason All-American tight end A.C. Leonard and cornerback Stephen Godbolt III.

In last season’s John Merritt Classic, the Tigers defeated the Rattlers of Florida A&M, 17-14, thanks to a pair of goal-line stands made by the Big Blue defense.

TSU is 10-4 all-time in John Merritt Classic games.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

 

PV Football Training Camp Day 15: Quarterback Luxury

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- While some people may label it a quarterback controversy, the Prairie View A&M coaching staff refers to it as a quarterback luxury as the Panthers head into the season with two experienced signal callers in juniors Jerry Lovelocke and De'Auntre Smiley.

Last season, the duo combined to throw for 2,462 yards and 16 touchdowns as both saw plenty of action. On the ground, Smiley was also a threat as he rushed for 367 yards and three scores followed by two rushing touchdowns from Lovelocke. Both players have intangibles you can't teach which complement the team well.

"We're confident with either quarterback as the offense does not have to change much with either one of those guys playing," said head coach Heishma Northern. "We have some comfort as both guys have been in and able to put up a good numbers of points on the (score) board versus a variety of opponents and have been in contention for a number of awards."

Northern said each quarterback brings something different to the table when on the field and complements each other well on-and-off the field while splitting snaps.

"Jerry brings a little bit more of an accurate arm while Smiley brings a little bit more of athleticism from running the ball," said Northern. "Both of them can put the ball where we want them to and both have pretty good command of the offense. They understand that both of them may play so there's nothing personal between the two guys as one may start but one will play more snaps. They both understand the situation and they help each other on the field as they can both talk about what they see from opposing defenses. It's good for our team as they have confidence in both players."

The Panthers are in their fourth round of two-a-days on Monday and will practice once at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday before their final set of two-a-days on Wednesday.

Season tickets are still available by calling (936) 261-9111 in addition to special hotel rates for selected games through the month of August.

Keep up with all the action through PVAMU's official Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram social media websites. Also stay connected through daily updates delivered right to your e-mail by subscribing to PVPanthers.com's newsletter.

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

In the FCS Huddle: 2013 MEAC Preview

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- This could very well be the year for the Wildcats. Or the Eagles, or the Aggies, even the Rattlers.

It could be the year for any Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference team, really. Not just to win the league championship and earn a berth to the FCS playoffs. This could be the year - the first in over a decade - the MEAC could produce a contender.

For a conference that hasn't had a national playoff win since 1999, this year promises to be loaded with talent and depth.

Bethune-Cookman has reigned over the league in two of the past three seasons, and has the depth in 2013 to return to the playoffs. Led by all-conference preseason selections Isidore Jackson and Jarkevis Fields, the Wildcats come into this season loaded with leadership and playmakers.

Coach Brian Jenkins enters his fourth year with B-CU after having posted a perfect 8-0 conference record in 2012 for the first time. But he and his squad will certainly be challenged this upcoming season for the conference crown, as they have an enormous target on their backs.

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Stillman College Names Paul Bryant Director of Athletics

PAUL BRYANT, Ed.D.
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
STILLMAN COLLEGE

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Paul Bryant has been selected to serve as Director of Athletics at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He previously served as Director of Athletics at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois, where his responsibilities included overseeing 18 intercollegiate teams and recreational sports; assisting in the development of the institution’s Strategic Plan; instituting branding guidelines; and serving as Eureka’s first Chief Diversity Officer. He comes to Stillman with 20 years of experience in senior level administration and 22 years of coaching experience.

Stillman President, Dr. Ernest McNealey, stated, “After an extensive search, which included applicants from across the nation, Bryant was the unanimous choice for the position. I commended Anthony Holloman, our Vice President for Institutional Advancement, and our entire Search Committee for identifying a candidate of this caliber. Mr. Bryant brings a values-based approach to athletics that is consistent with the philosophy of the College.”

In his previous position, Bryant was noted for successfully motivating a record number of athletes to make the academic honor roll while they also made strides on the playing field. “I started an honor roll for student athletes, and I want to continue this. I want to be a leader in this area,” said Bryant, who added that Stillman’s focus on academic success among student athletes was one of the many factors that attracted him to the College.

“Stillman’s tennis team set a precedence for all sports,” he said. In addition to winning both the men and women’s 2013 SIAC Championships, the men’s team was named 2013 SIAC Academic Team Champion as a result of their outstanding performance in the classroom.

Bryant, who begins his new position on September 16, said that he looks forward to expanding community outreach efforts; attracting more fans to sporting events; and aiding in the College’s ongoing efforts to raise funds for the continued enhancement of facilities.

Prior to joining Eureka as Director of Athletics in 2008, he served as Associate Director of Athletics for Urbana University, where he was also Head Basketball Coach. He holds a Doctorate of Education in Athletic Administration from Northcentral University, an M.Ed. from Urbana University, and a B.A. from Alaska Pacific University.

COURTESY STILLMAN COLLEGE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Shaw University Releases 2013-2014 Basketball Schedule

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Shaw University today released its 2013-2014 men's basketball schedule, which features ten home dates, as well as an appearance at a tournament at Barton and a trip to Florida over the holiday break.

"This schedule gives us regional challenges with a trip to Indiana (PA) and a home-and-home with Charleston (WV). Our trip to Florida will test us on a national level before starting what should be a competitive CIAA season," said Shaw men's basketball head coach Cleo Hill, Jr.

The Bears open the season on November 8 and 9 with an appearance at the Barton College Tournament where they will face Mount Olive on the 8th and Barton on the 9th.

Shaw opens its home season on November 18 with the first game of the home-and-home with Charleston. They will travel to Charleston for a rematch on December 14. On the 23rd, Georgia Regents (formerly Augusta State) travels to Shaw to begin a home-and-home which will be completed when the Bears travel to Augusta, GA for the second contest on December 12.

CIAA play begins on January 2, when the Bears host Elizabeth City State in the first game of a three-game homestand. Shaw hosts Chowan on the 4th and Virginia State two days after that.

The Bears will then take to the road for four games in 16 days, including trips to Virginia Union, Bowie State, Lincoln (PA) and Livingstone.

Winston-Salem State visits C.C. Spaulding on January 22 while the Bears will host cross-town rival Saint Augustine's on February 15.

All Shaw home games will be played at C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium. Non-conference matchups will begin at 7:00 p.m., while CIAA contests will begin at 8:00 p.m. on weeknights and 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. A combined season ticket package with both football and basketball goes on sale June 15, while basketball-only season tickets will go on sale August 16.

2013-2014 Lady Bears Basketball ScheduleDate Opponent Result Time/Status

Nov. 16 at Elizabeth City State TBA

Nov. 26 at Belmont Abbey TBA

Dec. 11 at Dist. Columbia 6:00 PM

Dec. 14 Goldey-Beacom 1:00 PM

Jan. 4 Chowan * 2:00 PM

Jan. 6 Virginia State * 6:00 PM

Jan. 9 at Virginia Union * 5:00 PM

Jan. 11 at Bowie State * 5:00 PM

Jan. 13 at Lincoln (Pa.) * 5:00 PM

Jan. 18 at Livingstone * 5:00 PM

Jan. 22 Winston-Salem State * 6:00 PM

Jan. 25 at Saint Augustine's * 5:00 PM

Jan. 29 at Fayetteville State * 5:30 PM

Feb. 1 Johnson C. Smith * 2:00 PM

Feb. 5 Elizabeth City State * 6:00 PM

Feb. 8 Livingstone * 2:00 PM

Feb. 12 at Winston-Salem State * 5:00 PM
Feb. 15 Saint Augustine's * 2:00 PM

Feb. 19 Fayetteville State * 5:30 PM

Feb. 22 at Johnson C. Smith * TBA

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

Shaw Bears Football To Scrimmage Saturday, August 24

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Shaw University will hold its annual football scrimmage on Saturday, August 24 at noon at Chavis Park in southeast Raleigh. Following the contest, fans will have the opportunity to meet their favorite Bears.

The scrimmage will give Shaw fans the chance to get a first look at the 2013 Shaw squad. Head Coach Robert Massey - entering his second season at the helm - has confidence the team will perform much better than last year's 4-6 record.

"Our goals haven't changed; our motto hasn't changed," he said. "We're still 'all in' and it takes a while, but in year two we should be ready to turn the corner."

Chavis Park is located at 505 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue.

The scrimmage won't be the only chance the Bear faithful have to meet the team. A Pigskin Preview will be held on Wednesday, August 28 which will give media and fans a chance to meet the Bears and hear about the upcoming season. The event is at 6:30 p.m. at the Courtyard Marriott Crabtree.

Shaw opens the 2013 football season with a home contest against Charleston (WV) on Saturday, September 7 at 1:00 p.m. at the Durham County Memorial Stadium. Both single game and season tickets are on sale now.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

UMES' Lenora Guion-Firming Sets Personal Best at World Championships

MOSCOW, Russia  -- University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) track star Lenora Guion-Firmin (La Trinite, Martinique, France) notched her place as one of the fastest women in the world in the 200 meter dash last week at the 14th International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Championships, held in Moscow.

Guion-Firmin, coming off of gold, silver and bronze showings at the European Athletics U23 (Under 23) Championships held last month in Tampere, Finland, ran her way out of the heats and into the semi-final rounds of the 200m, falling short of the finals.

She started in the fifth heat and posted a new personal best with a 22.91 to take third in the heat and earn one of 24 berths into the semi-final round. Just two hours later Guion-Firmin was back on the track in the third heat running with world renowned and Olympic medaling stars like Allyson Felix and Kimberly Duncan from the United States and Blessing Okagbare from Nigeria.

While she was not one of the final eight, Guion-Firmin can hold her head high as she took sixth in her heat and posted the 16th best time in the round while running among the world's fastest women.

Earlier this summer in Finland, the speedster took a gold medal in the women's 400-meters, fell just short in the 200-meters to take silver, and her relay team took bronze in the 4 x 400 meter relay.

In Moscow however, it was a different story, as she bested Jodie Williams of Great Britain in the 200 meters, the same woman who topped her in Finland for gold. Williams would post the 19th fastest time. While Guion-Firmin did not run the 400 meters in Moscow, she would run the relay.

The French coaches held Guion-Firmin back in the heats of the 4 x 400 relay and the team set a season best of 3:27.75 to qualify for the finals. They did not however hold her out of the final round. Stepping into the second leg of the relay, the French team posted another season's best of 3:24.21 to take fourth place and miss another medal by less than two seconds to Great Britain. Russia took gold and the United States the silver.

The IAAF Championship started August 10th and ran through the 18th. The IAAF World Championship is a biennial event, held in the opposite years of the Olympics. Several world renowned track and field stars have competed in past events, including Michael Johnson, Usain Bolt and Carl Lewis.

Guion-Firmin is the most decorated woman track and field athlete in school history, holding school records in the 200 and 400 meter outdoor events. She is a three-time All-America selection. Guion-Firmin served as an alternate in London last year and is just the second woman ever from UMES to participate in the Olympics.

"We are all so proud of her," said UMES head coach Ernest Barrett. "She set a personal best, and just keeps getting better. Running against the best in the world will continue to make her faster."


August 15, 2013: The 14th IAAF World track and field championships in Moscow, Russia; Athletics women's 200 meter dash opening round heats. The top 3 finishers in each heat advance along with the next 3 fastest times.

Heat 1
Kimberlyn DUNCAN
Ana Claudia SILVA
Johanna DANOIS
Hanna-Maari LATVALA
Moa HJELMER
Gloria HOOPER
Janet AMPONSAH

Heat 2
Blessing OKAGBARE
ChaRonda WILLIAMS
Kimberly HYACINTHE
Viktoriya ZYABKINA
Kineke ALEXANDER
Ángela TENORIO
Marika POPOWICZ

Heat 3
Shaunae MILLER
Patricia HALL
Crystal EMMANUEL
Andreea OGRAZEANU
Maria BELIMPASAKI
Isidora JIMÉNEZ
Yelena RYABOVA
Afa ISMAIL

Heat 4
Shelly-Ann FRASER-PRYCE
Elyzaveta BRYZGINA
Franciela KRASUCKI
Kai SELVON
Melissa BREEN
Justine PALFRAMAN
Chisato FUKUSHIMA

Heat 5
Anthonique STRACHAN
Mariya RYEMYEN
Anyika ONUORA
Lenora GUION-FIRMIN
Eleni ARTYMATA
Olga BLUDOVA
Toea WISIL

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

SSU Defense Picks Off 4 Passes In Blue & Orange Scrimmage

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Savannah State's offense scored 33 points and its defense intercepted four passes Saturday night, but first-year head coach Earnest Wilson III found a number of things he said the Tigers must improve upon.

“I'm always looking for perfection so I wasn't pleased with anything. I hate to say it like that,” Wilson said following SSU's annual Blue & Orange scrimmage at T.A. Wright Stadium. “But I think that we're getting there, it's just that we've got to put it all together. The players are not understanding, and we're still teaching, all aspects of the game. Down and distance, playing hard; we're still taking a little bit more time to teach effort. And we don't want to teach effort. Effort's got to come. When that happens, we'll be fine.”

SSU's cheerleaders and marching band, The Coastal Empire Sound Explosion, also performed. A Fan Appreciation Day event consisting of players signing posters before kickoff was moved to Tiger Arena because of rain. The rain ended in time for the scrimmage.

Offensive players wore white jerseys, except for the quarterbacks (orange), and scored 33 points. The scrimmage's format was 20 plays from the 20-yard line, 20 plays from the 40-yard line, 20 plays from the other 40-yard line, and 20 plays from the other 20-yard line.

When the scrimmage began, sophomore Zach Hutcheson started at quarterback. Redshirt freshman Leon Prunty was the second QB to get action, followed by junior Victorian Hardison and senior Antonio Bostick, who is considered the favorite to be the starting quarterback again this season.

“No, right now he's not the starter,” Wilson said of Hutcheson. “We're just changing things up. We want to see how people respond … I don't have a starter yet … We wanted to shake the guys up, to be able to have what we call 'sudden change.'”

Hutcheson finished 6-of-10 passing for 46 yards and one touchdown. Hutcheson, a 6-foot-4, 208-pound transfer from Yuva College, threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to sophomore running back Devine Noel. Hutcheson was intercepted one time by sophomore safety Dontre' Douse.

Prunty finished 7-of-15 passing for 66 yards. He was intercepted three times, twice by sophomore defensive back Alfred Ansley and once by freshman cornerback Jordan Jackson in the end zone.

“I was just reading his shoulders and reading his arm, just reading the direction he was throwing the ball,” Ansley said of Prunty. “We do drills every day, picking the ball, reading the quarterback. We do drills every day on breaking to the ball. It's just happening. It's coming naturally because we do it every day.”

In the first half, junior defensive back Brandon Jackson-Bell made a spectacular play, diving and batting down the ball with one hand to deny a pass from Hardison to senior wide receiver Simon Heyward.

The defense scored on a safety that could have been a touchdown had junior punter Preston McCarthy not alertly kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone.

The offense made it 7-2 on 1-yard touchdown plunge by Hardison. McCarthy kicked the extra point.

In the second half, Bostick threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Heyward, who beat sophomore defensive back Wayne Johnson for a jump-ball in the left corner of the end zone. Freshman John Barron kicked the extra point to make it 14-2.

“That's just timing,” Heyward said. “We've been together for three years. Before the play, I looked at Bostick and we saw the 1-on-1 (coverage) so we already knew we were checking out (of the called play) and going over the top.”

Hardison finished 4-of-5 passing for 39 yards without an interception and a 7-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Cantrell Frazier, followed by Barron's kick for the extra point, made it 21-2.

Freshman running back De'Quan Daniels' 2-yard touchdown run made it 27-2. McCarthy's kick for the extra point missed. McCarthy attempted a 33-yard field goal earlier in the scrimmage and it had the distance but missed to the right.

Hutcheson's 18-yard touchdown pass to Noel made it 33-2. Senior wide receiver/holder Jake Durham's pass for a two-point conversion was intercepted in the end zone by freshman linebacker Marquis Smith.

Bostick was 6-of-9 passing for 59 yards, including the 23-yard touchdown strike to Heyward. Bostick did not throw an interception.

Overall, SSU's quarterbacks were 23-of-39 passing for 210 yards and three touchdowns. They were intercepted four times and sacked six times.

Playing without two offensive linemen who were sidelined with injuries, the Tigers' running game accounted for minus-14 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. Sophomore Alex Simmons ran for 24 yards on six carries.

Junior tight end Kris Drummond made three catches for 46 yards, and Heyward had two catches for 40 yards and a touchdown.

SSU's season opener is at 6 p.m. Aug. 31 against Georgia Southern at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro.

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Tiger Camp Report: Day 15

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State football team started the third week of fall camp on Monday on the hottest day to date. The heat affected the players early on, but the Tigers persevered to finish a productive session.

“The sun came out for the first time today, and it finally felt like a real camp day,” head coach Rod Reed said. “I thought that the tempo picked up as practice went on and there was good competition between the offense and defense.”

The defense, especially senior defensive end Marquaveus Jackson and junior linebacker Mike West, made some big plays on Monday morning including several stops in the backfield.

On one play early in the team drills, the offense tried to set up a screen play that sucked in the defensive line. Quarterback Holt Claiborne found running back Tevin Spells wide open in the flat, but before he could turn around, West wrapped him up for a big loss.

The practice ended with a simulated overtime session in which quarterback

Ronald Butler threw a perfect pass to Lavatiae Kelly. Kelly located the ball between two defenders, contorted his body and made the back shoulder catch before falling to the turf. He was officially marked down at the one-yard line with a 23-yard gain.

Senior running back Tim Broughton capped off the drive and the day with a touchdown two plays after the big grab.

Big Blue will hold a late practice on Tuesday night from 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. It will also serve as a scrimmage between the offense and defense.

This Week's Practice Schedule

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2013- 5:45-7:45 p.m. PRACTICE #15
(FULLWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013- 9:15-11:30 PRACTICE #16
(FULL\THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013- 5:45-7:45 p.m. PRACTICE #17
(FULLFRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013- 8:00-10:00 PRACTICE #18
(FULL) FAN DAY- SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013- 4:00p.m.
PRACTICE #19(FULL)

 

 COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

High school football preview cover story: A hope for glory days - Past ASU players set sights high as four Montgomery prep head coaches

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- It has been 16 years since a Montgomery public school won a football championship, and 10 years since a team reached the title game.

But the new faces of the Montgomery public school teams plan to change that, and fast.

New hires Lee Carter at Jeff Davis, and C.J. Harris at Sidney Lanier, join G.W. Carver’s Billy Gresham and Robert E. Lee’s Tyrone Rogers as the four leaders of the Montgomery public school teams. But the four share more than a home field. All played at Cramton Bowl when they were at Alabama State.

Even though they are city rivals, all four have a common goal: bring Montgomery football back to the glory days.

“I was excited for those guys getting the opportunity,” Rogers said. “It just makes it more of ...

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The Heritage Sports Radio Network Releases 2013 HBCU Broadcast Schedule

HARTLY, Delaware  --  The Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN) will broadcast plenty of exciting HBCU football games. The broadcasts will be national on Sirius XM Satellite Radio and on local stations across the country.

HSRN 2013 HBCU Football Broadcast Schedule
Date	Game	Site	Time
8/30/13 (Fri)	Morgan State @ Army	West Point, NY	6:00pm (1st Time Army Has Played an HBCU)
8/31/13 (Sat)	North Carolina Central @ Duke	Durham, NC	3:00pm (Bull City Gridiron Classic)
9/1/13 (Sun)	FAMU vs. Mississippi Valley	Orlando, FL	11:45pm (MEAC/SWAC Challenge)
9/1/13 (Sun)	Bethune-Cookman @ Tennessee State	Nashville, TN	6:00pm (John Merritt Classic)
9/7/13 (Sat)	Delaware State @ Delaware	Newark, DE	5:00pm (Rival Game)
*9/14/13 (Sat)	Benedict vs. Virginia State	East Rutherford, NJ	2:00pm (New York Urban League Classic)
*9/14/13 (Sat)	Jackson State vs. Tennessee State	Memphis, TN	6:00pm (Southern Heritage Classic)
9/21/13 (Sat)	Winston-Salem vs. Tuskegee	Cleveland, OH	12:00pm (Cleveland Classic)
9/26/13 (Thu)	Howard @ N.C.A&T	Greensboro, NC	6:30pm (MEAC Match Up)
9/28/13 (Sat)	Fayetteville State vs. Elizabeth City State	Rocky Mount, NC	3:00pm (Down East Classic)
9/28/13 (Sat)	Jackson State @ Southern	Baton Rouge, LA	6:00pm (Battle of the Big Cats)
*10/5/13 (Sat)	N.C. A&T vs. South Carolina State	Atlanta, GA	3:00pm (Atlanta Football Classic)
10/10/13 (Thu)	S.C. State @ NCCU	Durham, NC	6:30pm (MEAC Match-Up)
*10/12/13 (Sat)	Morehouse vs. Tuskegee	Columbus, GA	1:00pm (Morehouse/Tuskegee Classic)
10/12/13 (Sat)	Texas Southern @ Arkansas Pine Bluff	Pine Bluff, AK	6:00pm (Conaway Cup Presentation)
10/19/13 (Sat)	Morgan State @ North Carolina Central	Durham, NC	1:00pm (NCCU Homecoming)
10/24/13 (Thu)	Lane @ Miles	Birmingham, AL	6:00pm (SIAC Encounter)
*10/26/13 (Sat)	Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M	Birmingham, AL	2:30pm (Magic City Classic)
11/2/13 (Sat)	Shaw @ WSSU	Winston-Salem, NC	12:30pm (CIAA Match-Up-1-Thousand Horns Classic)
11/9/13 (Sat)	Albany State vs. Ft. Valley State	Columbus, GA	1:00pm (Fountain City Classic)
11/14/13 (Thu)	Morgan State @ S.C. State	Orangeburg, SC	6:30pm (MEAC Battle)
11/16/13 (Sat)	CIAA Championship Game	Winston-Salem, NC	TBA (Conference Championship)
11/16/13 (Sat)	SIAC Championship Game	Atlanta, GA	6:00pm (Conference Championship)
*11/23/13 (Sat)	FAMU vs. Bethune-Cookman	Orlando, FL	TBA (Florida Blue Florida Classic)
11/28/13 (Thu)	Stillman @ Alabama State	Montgomery, AL	1:00pm (Turkey Day Classic)
*11/30/13 (Sat)	Southern vs. Grambling	New Orleans, LA	1:30pm (Bayou Classic)
12/7/13 (Sat)	SWAC Championship Game	Houston, TX	12:00pm

All times are (EST) 

Schedule is Subject to Change

Kameron Smith, former WSSU QB, signs with German team

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Quarterback Kam Smith, the career passing leader at Winston-Salem State, has signed to play for the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes of the German Football League.
         
Smith was a three-year starter for the Rams and last season led them to a school-best 14-1 finish, but he admitted that he didn’t know if he would ever play again.

"I really miss it,” Smith said by telephone on Friday night, “but now I get to put the pads on again.”

Smith left Sunday for Germany and will play Saturday in the Hurricanes’ final regular-season game.

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NOTE:  Smith received the 2012 Doug Williams Black College Offensive Player of the Year, 2012 Pigskin Club Offensive Player of the Year, 2012 CIAA Offensive Player of the Year/1st team All Conference, 2012 Don Hansen D2 football Gazette 2nd Team All Super Region 1, 2012 BoxToRow Offensive Player of the Year/1st team All American and 2012 AP Little America d2 2nd Team All American, amongst many other awards, during his elite career at Winston-Salem State University.  Smith joined the Rams in the spring of 2010, after playing a season at the U.S. Naval Academy where he spent two seasons with the Midshipmen. 

As John Dell, beat writer for the Winston-Salem Journal stated in December 2012, "all Smith did was go 31-4 as a starter and throw for 7,540 yards with an incredible 96 touchdown passes." No doubt, Kam Smith raised the bar very high for future Ram quarterbacks in both the classroom (Economics major) and playing field.

Florida A&M Rattlers' offensive line makes its push

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Offensive line coach Edwin Pata came into preseason camp with FAMU looking for five good men.

After two weeks, he thinks his need is met with a solid pool of backups.

“The good thing about this is now we are able to build depth and that’s positive,” Pata said.

“They’re getting reps and we can keep the same chemistry so in case we have to play a young guy we can have confidence in playing him.”

Pata is trying to establish an offensive line that he hopes will be more effective than it was last season, when quarterback Damien Fleming and his backup Tyler Bass were sacked 31 times.

While there were enough reasons to go around over the lack of offensive production last year when FAMU finished 4-7, the line took some pretty good hits.



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Hampton University Sailing Releases Fall Schedule

THE HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SAILING FLEET
(Courtesy Hampton University Athletics)

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton University head sailing coach Alessandro Ambrosi released the program's fall 2013 schedule on Friday, a slate that includes one home regatta.

Ambrosi is entering his fifth season with the program.

The Pirates will open the season on Sept. 14-15 with a pair of regattas: the Navy Radial Open in Annapolis, Maryland and the Old Dominion Riley Open in Norfolk, Virginia. Hampton will then host its lone regatta of the fall, the Edward Teach Memorial at Strawberry Banks on Sept. 21-22.

The Faye Bennett MAISA Women's Singlehanded will be held in Annapolis, Maryland on September 28-29, as will the William & Mary Colony Cup in Williamsburg, Virginia. Giuditta Di Laghi finished seventh in the Faye Bennett MAISA Women's Singlehanded last season.

The Pirates will be in St. Mary's City, Maryland on Oct. 5-6 for the South #1 Regatta hosted by Saint Mary's College, before heading to Alexandria, Virginia on Oct. 12-13 for the South #2 hosted by Georgetown University.

Hampton will be in Newport News, Virginia on October 26-27 for The Webb Open hosted by Christopher Newport University, and the War Memorial will be held Nov. 2-3 in Norfolk, Virginia.

The fall schedule will wrap up on November 8-10 with the Women's Singlehanded Nationals in Newport, Rhode Island.

For more information on Hampton University sailing, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

Fall 2013 Sailing Schedule

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES SPORTS INFORMATION

Defense dominates in GSU scrimmage

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — The offense found a little bit of running room in Saturday’s scrimmage, but junior quarterback D.J. Williams summed up the performance — “the defense dominated.”

“They came out and played fast football, flew to the ball, and made a lot of plays on our side of the football,” Williams said. “We can’t have that as an offense — tackles for loss, sacks and bad decisions by me.”

The defense forced only one turnover compared to the first scrimmage, but the first and second teams allowed fewer yards and first downs.

The defensive line supplied plenty of pressure, accounting for the majority of the team’s nine sacks. Quarterbacks wore no-contact jerseys and were whistled down upon contact.



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WSSU’s Carlos Fields Jr Named Preseason First Team All-America; Top Returning Linebacker In DII



CARLOS FIELDS, Jr.
(Courtesy WSSU Rams Athletics)

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State University senior linebacker, Carlos Fields Jr, has been named preseason first team Division II All-America by Phil Steele's College Football Preview.

This is another preseason honor for the Henderson, NC native and 2012 CIAA Defensive Player of the Year, as he was also recently tabbed first team HBCU All-America by Boxtorow.com, and was selected for the second consecutive season as a preseason first team All-CIAA selection.

Nate Hartung joins Fields on the team, as he was selected to the third team offensive line and defensive tackle, Donnie Owens, was selected to the fourth team. Offensive lineman, Chris Beardon, who has also been tabbed as a preseason selection on the fourth team, is sitting out this season after being diagnosed with lupus during the offseason.

Carlos Fields Jr (6-2, 235, Sr, Henderson, NC) was also selected by Phil Steele's College Football Preview as the top returning linebacker in NCAA Division II football. Nate Hartung (6-2, 380, Butler, PA) was tabbed as the fourth best retuning offensive guard, while Donnie Owens (6-3, 295, Sr, Fayetteville, NC) was ranked as the seventh best returning defensive tackle.

The Rams will open their season on a Thursday night at UNC Pembroke on Sept. 5 at 8 p.m.

COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU’s Daren Hart Named to East Carolina All-Time Defensive Team

COACH DAREN HART
WINSTON-SALEM STATE FOOTBALL

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State University assistant football coach, Daren Hart, has been named to the East Carolina University All-Time Defensive Team as named by the fans as during a recent vote celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

Daren Hart was selected to the All-Time Defensive second team as a defensive back.

Hart was a four-year letter winner and a three-time All-South Independent selection (1993-95). He earned second-team freshman All-America honors by Pro Football News and was named Defensive Most Valuable Player of the 1995 St. Jude Liberty Bowl, where he returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown. Hart was selected as a 1996 USA Today Player-of-the-Week for his 13 tackle, one sack and one interception performance against national football power Miami (FL).

Daren Hart is in his fourth season as a member of the Winston-Salem State University football coaching staff where he focuses on leading the safeties in the defensive backfield. Hart's arrival at WSSU was a homecoming of sorts, as he returned to the city of Winston-Salem where he played his high school football at nearby Carver High School.

"I am so honored that the fans of East Carolina noticed my career", says Daren Hart. "It was definitely some of the best years of my life."

"I like to coach with the same passion that I played with, and so far it has helped me develop some pretty good players. Thanks again for all the support and I hope to continue my rise to the top", added Hart.

COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Florida A&M Rattler Fans Have Reason to Be Excited

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  It was the first full scrimmage by the 2013 FAMU Rattler football team on this, a rainy day. Before the rain started you could hear the Marching 100 practicing a quarter mile away. That might not seem important, but if you have grown up around Rattler Nation then you know that when performing at its best the band can be heard miles away. Given the smaller size of the band there is a concern about them sounding like a tinker toy. Not to worry! They haven’t created that earth-quaking sound just yet, but you will be able to hear them in the nosebleed section.

Yesterday, It seemed like everybody was on the field practicing, the players, referees, trainers in training, coaches, they were all there; so much so that a fan was heard asking “where is the band?” One strange gentlemen in a University of Georgia jersey paced around the practice area as if he was exercising. If he was there to support the team then someone please get him a Rattler jersey. Otherwise, if he is a spy for some other team then he shouldn’t be so obvious.

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Week 1: FAMU's "The Marching 100"

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- A total of 325 student musicians have auditioned for the 2013 band. The institution's certification process continues as does the rigors of returning Florida A&M University's Incomparable Marching 100 to its future days of glory.