DelState Hornet Fans Gear Up for Season Opener at Delaware

Date: Saturday, September 7, 2013 – 3:30 p.m.

Game will be televised live by NBC Sports Network

Game Time @ 3:30 pm

DSU vs UD Football

Delaware Stadium (Tubby Raymond Field)

DSU Hornets Fan Pride Tent

Saturday, September 7, 2013

University of Delaware

Hospitality Village

(Located off College Ave., near the Bob Carpenter Center)

1:00 – 3:00 pm

Game Time: 3:30 pm

Free admission, food and giveaways while supplies last!

Show your colors…assert your Hornet Pride!
For more information call 302.857.6050

Delaware State expects a big season for Gunter



RODNEY GUNTER



DOVER, Delaware — Kermit Blount has laid down a challenge for defensive lineman Rodney Gunter.

“I think he’s getting to the point where he is ready to dominate this conference,” Delaware State’s football coach said.

Blount makes sure to remind Gunter, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound junior, of that challenge and his lofty goals for him every practice.

“He tries to influence me every day to be great,” Gunter said.

With the Hornets preparing for their opener at Delaware on Sept. 7, Gunter is coming off a season where he finished seventh in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and first on the squad with 0.5 sacks per game (5.5 total).

He led the Hornet defensive line in unassisted tackles (27) and was named to the All-MEAC second team.

Those are impressive numbers, but Gunter and Blount know he has the potential for more.

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New signee Rashean Mathis (B-CU) already working with Detroit Lions' first team, replacing Bill Bentley

ALLEN PARK, Michigan -- Rashean Mathis was signed by the Detroit Lions on Friday.

Four days later, the defensive back is working with the first-team defense.

The longtime Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback got his first major reps with the first team on Tuesday at nickelback. He split time there with Bill Bentley, once the clear favorite to win that job.

He also has repped at corner and especially safety, providing a veteran versatility that could help him land a spot on the 53-man roster.

"We value versatility," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "He's a very experienced player and a very savvy player. It showed in his ability to pick things up quickly and be able to get him on the field."

Mathis was a standout safety at Bethune-Cookman, and played the position for 10 games as a rookie with the Jaguars before an injury to another player forced him to corner.

He found a home there, playing 10 years for the Jaguars and making one Pro Bowl in 2006.

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Le Bon Temps Bar and Grill to host The SU Jaguar Football Show

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Le Bon Temps Bar and Grill is the new home for The Jaguar Football Show with Coach Dawson Odums this fall. The show will air on three Cox cable channels, Southern University announced Monday.

The Jaguar Football Show with Coach Dawson Odums will recap the Jaguars’ highlights from their previous game, have player interviews, and will look ahead to the team’s next scheduled contest.

Fans are encouraged to visit Le Bon Temps in the Panache Plaza located at 8342 Perkins Road for the show’s live taping at 7 p.m. on Monday evenings.

Hosted by Todd Sterling, and produced by Alpha Media and Pelican Sports, the show will air for 15 weeks this fall starting Aug. 26 on Monday nights at 9 p.m. on Cox 4. A replay will be shown on Pelican Sports, Cox channel 113, at 9:30 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, and on Thursdays at 8 p.m. The show will also be streamed live on PelicanSportsTV.com during airings on the Pelican Sports channel.

The Jaguar Football Show with Coach Dawson Odums will also replay Wednesday’s at 5:30pm on Cox Sports Television (CST), Cox channel 37, and Saturday's on Cox 4 at 5pm baring a previously schedule football game. Lastly, you can catch the show on the Alpha Media – You Tube Channel.

“Producing the show has a been a labor of love,” said host and producer Todd Sterling. “We’ve had the pleasure of producing the coach’s show for 18 years now, and it never ceases to amaze me how much people, including women, love football, and SU Football in particular."

"We’re looking for a great year from Coach Odums and the Jaguars, and we’ll be along to show all the best plays and hear what Coach Odums and the players have to say about the 2013 season.”

Offering a unique twist on the Ameican sports bar featuring upscale Louisiana cuisine and a modern classy atmosphere, Le Bon Temps Bar and Grill will serve as the perfect compliment to a SU football program eager to establish a new era of winning football.

"We're not the typical sports bar," said Mike Sylvester, owner of Le Bon Temp bar and grill. "We are an upscale sports bar that aims to seperate itself from the other restaurants. "We have excellent service and wonderful food and are looking forward to this partnership with The Jaguar Football Show blossoming."

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Tiger Camp Report: Day 17

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State football team hit Hale Stadium on Wednesday morning in what turned out to be the hottest day of fall camp yet.

“I thought we fought through the heat a lot better than we did on Monday morning,” head coach Rod Reed said. “We have to continue to fight and guys have to get better every day regardless of the temperature.”

With starting linebackers Nick Thrasher and Wilson Robinson sitting out with minor injuries, junior Mike West took it upon himself to step up and the coaching staff took notice.



“Mike West was definitely one of the top guys out there on defense today. He was making a lot of great plays with some of the others banged up,” Reed said.

Notables from the defense also included senior safety David Van Dyke who hauled in a nice interception during the full team activities.

The offense, by and large, practiced against the second-team defense. The coaches also wanted to limit the hits, so ball carriers were ruled down when wrapped up by a defender.

The practice squad players also ran Bethune-Cookman’s offense and defense to prepare Big Blue as to what they might see come Sept. 1 at the John Merritt Classic.

This Week's Practice Schedule
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013- 5:45-7:45 p.m.
PRACTICE #17 (FULL)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013- 8:00-10:00
PRACTICE #18 (FULL)

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Comegy pleased with JSU Tigers progression

Southern’s Dawson Odums is seeking that killer instinct

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Maybe it’s fitting that the Southern football team will open its 2013 season on a Friday. Too bad it’s not Friday the 13th.

To relate a camplong message, coach Dawson Odums reached into the wayback machine and pulled out the villain from a famous 1980s horror franchise.

“He told us he needed a bunch of Jasons on defense and to be relentless,” Southern defensive back Virgil Williams said, referring to Jason Voorhees from the “Friday the 13th” movies. “That’s our goal in this camp and going into the season.”

If Southern fans start wearing hockey masks to games, it would mean the message got through and the Jaguars are playing just the way Odums wants.

CONTINUE READING

Southern’s Dray Joseph is crafting his own path

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  When he represented the Southern football team at Southwestern Athletic Conference media day last month, quarterback Dray Joseph may have been asked as many questions about his attire — a bright silver suit with a bow tie and pocket square — as he was his leadership skills or physical tools.

When he and his teammates moved into their dorm rooms at the start of fall camp, Joseph carried not an Xbox or PlayStation but “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.”

The senior’s haircut began as a mohawk but has grown into something harder to define.

“He sets his own path,” said West St. John coach Robert Valdez, who coached Joseph in high school. “He’s never been one to follow the crowd.”

CONTINUE READING

Aaron Hall takes long road back for Southern

BATON ROUGE --  As he looked down and panned his hand over a scarred right knee, Southern center Aaron Hall reminiscently pointed out the injury that ended his season in late October and then for all of spring practice, pushing him in front of one of the biggest obstacles he would have to face.

“See all these cuts? I was cut in about six places,” Hall said of the scars left from the surgery that came as the result of a rare and traumatic injury for any athlete: tears in all three stabilizing knee ligaments, the medial collateral ligament, the posterior collateral ligament and the anterior cruciate ligament.

“When you get hit like that, you don’t even see it coming,” Hall said. “I was hit from the side. It was just a little pain, but I knew it was serious once I got up and I couldn’t put any weight on it. It just gave out.”

CONTINUE READING

Jaguars’ White ready to hit field for second shot

BATON ROUGE -- Just two years ago, Corey White was wrapping up his first collegiate fall camp in making final preparations for the top-five showdown between LSU and Oregon in the Cowboys Classic in Dallas.

Fast forward to present day, and once again White finds himself preparing for a trip to Texas, yet this time wearing blue and gold rather than purple and gold.

Currently in competition for Southern’s right guard position, White is entering his sophomore season for the Jaguars after transferring from LSU following the 2011 season.

“I talked to my parents about Southern,” White said in reference to the transfer. “My parents supported it, saying that it would be a good option for me. It would be close to home, and there would be a lot of support around me.”

CONTINUE READING 

Savannah State To Host Miami Hurricanes December 19

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- The Savannah State men's basketball team will welcome the University of Miami-FL to Tiger Arena for the first time when the Tigers and Hurricanes square off on December 19 at 7 p.m.

The contest will be the fourth match-up between the teams and the first meeting since the 2003-04 season. The teams have also met in 1989 and 2002. Miami holds a 3-0 lead in the series.

“It's always a great opportunity to bring a team to Savannah from one of the big five conferences,” said SSU head men's basketball coach Horace Broadnax. “Hopefully the fans from Savannah and the surrounding cities will come out to support the Tigers in our quest for an upset.”

SSU will travel to Miami for a game next season.

The Tigers are coming off a 19-15 season and earned a berth in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

Miami, who won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), posted a 29-7 record last year and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The Hurricanes will be the second ACC team to play SSU in Tiger Arena. The Tigers hosted Georgia Tech during the 2011-12 season.

Other major programs that have visited Tiger Arena are UMASS and Georgetown.

The game will be a homecoming for Hurricanes senior guard Rion Brown who is from nearby Hinesville, Georgia and played at Liberty County High School.

The full 2013-14 men's basketball schedule will be released at a later date.

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: Some common sense to the WSSU-N.C. A&T argument

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- There’s been plenty of Internet discussion about the article I cobbled together on Winston-Salem State and N.C. A&T not playing each other in football in the foreseeable future.

Back when WSSU was making a transition to Division I and the MEAC a few years ago the rivalry was renewed and it was big fun. During those five years t
he Rams owned a 3-2 record over the Aggies but in the overall series the Aggies are in command at 37-12.

In the years I’ve covered WSSU athletics, this will be football season 18 for me, the excitement level of a WSSU-A&T game is different than anything else. The schools are close to each other, there’s a lot of history and from what I understand there hasn’t been that hatred between the two schools like some rivalries.

Regardless of how exciting the game would be for ...

CONTINUE READING

WSSU wants to revive rivalry with N.C. A&T

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State and N.C. A&T have one of the best college rivalries in the state. But in football, it’s on hold, possibly dead.

Administrators and coaches at WSSU have made no secret about their desire to play A&T in Greensboro, Charlotte or anywhere else. The same can’t be said for A&T.

As a Football Championship Subdivision program, A&T doesn’t benefit from scheduling a Division II program such as WSSU, despite the prospects for large crowds and big gates.

“Scheduling certainly requires a lot of attention,” Athletics Director Earl Hilton of A&T said.

Hilton said there have been no discussions about resuming the WSSU-A&T series.

Athletics Bill Hayes of WSSU, a former head football coach at both schools, says he would love to see the series revived. The last meeting was in 2010, a 21-14 Rams’ victory in Connell Maynor’s second game as a head coach.

“We would love to play A&T or (N.C.) Central any time or any place ...

CONTINUE READING

Howard Bison Have Good Showing in Scrimmage

Washington, D. C. -- With the season opener less than two weeks away, the Howard University football team is in its fine tuning in mode. The team had its first full intra-squad scrimmage on Saturday and head Coach Ray Petty came away pleased with the outcome.

"I thought that overall we did well in all three phases of the game," said Petty, in his first season as interim head coach. "On special teams, we got some good efforts including a 51-yard field goal from John Fleck. On offense, I thought Greg McGhee was especially sharp. The offensive line was an area of concern for us coming into the season because of inexperience, but I thought that the young guys did a good job out there today and showed improvement."

When assessing the play of the defense, Petty cited depth as the area that most pleases him.

"Our defensive line and the secondary are where we have the most depth," said Petty. "That's going to be a strong point for us. We will be able to rotate people and keep them fresh. That is something we lacked last season."

As for individuals who stood out, Petty says he was especially pleased with some of the newcomers who he expects to make an impact.

"On the offensive line, Toree Boyd looked very good out there," said Petty of the 6-4, 290-pound true freshman guard from Miami, FL. "He is going to start."

The Bison played without the services of running backs Aquanius Freeman and William Parker, who have been out with minor injuries. Meanwhile freshman Anthony Philyaw, a 6-1, 210-pound native of Los Angeles, CA and Terrance Tusan, a 5-6, 150-pound red-shirt sophomore from Dallas, TX, both showed well in the scrimmage.

"Philyaw is out there competing and both he and Tusan showed that they are prepared to help us when called on," said Petty.

On the defensive side of the ball, Petty singled out freshman defensive end Marquese Blanchard and sophomore linebacker Khari Brown. Blanchard is a 6-3, 245-pound native of Miami, FL while Brown is 6-2, 240-pound linebacker who transferred from the University of Buffalo.

The Bison open the season on August 31 against Eastern Michigan University in Yipsilati, MI.

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON SPORTS INFORMATION

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.

CONTINUE READING

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