Gold Rush defeat Spring Hill in a Goode way, 65-59

NEW ORLEANS -- Junior guard Anthony Goode scored a career-best 18 points Monday to lead NAIA No. 24 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 65-59 men's basketball victory against Spring Hill.

The Gold Rush (14-4) have won five in a row, a season high.

Goode, who did not start, reached double figures for the fifth time this season. He was 7-of-10 from the floor, made his only 3-point attempt and was 3-of-4 from the line in 22 minutes. Goode scored 11 second-half points.

Lucas Martin-Julien had 12 points, four assists and three steals for Xavier, and Sydney Coleman, Xavier Rogers and Wesley Pluviose-Philip scored nine apiece. Pluviose, a freshman, grabbed 10 rebounds to reach double figures for the third time.

Jackson Fos scored 12 points, all on 3-pointers, for the Badgers (2-13). Jarrett Calhoun scored 11 points, and Alex Looney had nine.

There were seven ties and 16 lead changes. Martin-Julien's basket with 3:57 remaining, part of a 7-0 run, but Xavier ahead to stay, 57-52.

Spring Hill made nine 3-pointers to Xavier's one, but the Gold Rush had an 18-2 advantage in second-chance points and a 20-10 margin in points after turnovers. Xavier outshot the Badgers 48.1 to 46.7 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 32-23.

Xavier committed nine turnovers, a season low, for the second consecutive game.

Xavier led 31-28 at halftime after Goode and Coleman scored seven points apiece.

The Gold Rush completed a two-game regular-season sweep of Spring Hill and denied the Badgers a second consecutive victory against a ranked NAIA opponent. Xavier has won nine of its last 10 games overall and five straight at home.

Xavier, 3-0 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, will continue a six-game home stand with a 5 p.m. GCAC game against Edward Waters.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS 
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Vernon Jordan to head Howard University’s presidential search committee

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- Howard University’s board of trustees announced Monday that veteran Washington lawyer Vernon E. Jordan Jr. will lead a presidential search committee charged with replacing Sidney A. Ribeau, who retired abruptly last year after months of internal debate over the condition of the university.

Howard, one of the nation’s preeminent historically black universities, weathered a series of challenges in 2013.

First the vice chairwoman of the board, Renee Higginbotham-Brooks, warned trustees that the university in Northwest Washington was in “genuine trouble” because of fiscal and management issues. Her letter became public in June. The university’s academic deans echoed some of her concerns in another letter asserting that Howard was in jeopardy because of “fiscal mismanagement.”

Ribeau denied that allegation, and board Chairman Addison Barry Rand has maintained that ...

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VUU Hall of Famer Roland McDaniel Passes Away

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Roland McDaniel, the last surviving member of the 1939 Virginia Union University "Dream Team" and the only CIAA Men's Tennis Champion produced by VUU, passed away on Friday, January 10, in Richmond, Va.

McDaniel won the 1940 CIAA Men's Tennis Championship, will be inducted into the Virginia Union University Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 6.

McDaniel, who is still the only men's CIAA champion to ever attend VUU, was the subject of the article "The Forgotten Champion" written by Virginia Union Sports Information Director Jim Junot. The article was the basis of the television documentary "Bringing Home the Bacon: The Roland McDaniel Story."

McDaniel was also the only surviving member of the 1939 VUU Dream Team, which won the CIAA Championship and the mythical national championship in 1939.

Information on funeral services is pending.

The Forgotten Champion by Jim Junot



"Bringing Home The Bacon: The Roland McDaniel Story" tells the story of how this 1940 Virginia Union University (VUU) tennis champ achieved the honor of being the first and only individual tennis champ from VUU and the unique way he and the Dream Team helped to bring the Belgian Friendship Tower to campus. This 26 minute film includes amazing archival pictures and film footage of VUU, Billie Holiday, and the Harlem Globetrotters as well as interviews with VUU Sports Information Director, Jim Junot and history professor, Dr. Raymond Hylton. The film is based on the Jim Junot article, "The Forgotten Champion."

"Bringing Home the Bacon" (documentary produced by Bundy Films)

COURTESY THECIAA.COM

Jackson State Press Conference Announcing Harold Jackson As New Head Football Coach

Watch live streaming video from jacksonstateu at livestream.com

JSU head coach Harold Jackson will be paid $260,000 per year under his new three year agreement.

Harold Jackson named new JSU head football coach

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Jackson State named Harold Jackson as its next head football coach, the school announced Monday morning in a press conference.

A Hattiesburg native and former JSU wide, Jackson played in the NFL from 1968 to 1983. He served as an NFL assistant coach for teams, such as the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints. He landed his first head coaching job at Benedict College for one season, and followed up as a wide receivers coach at Kentucky (2001 to 2002) and Baylor (2003 to 2006).

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Sources: Boulware will be next WSSU football coach

Coach Kienus Boulware

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Kienus Boulware, the defensive coordinator at Winston-Salem State University the past four seasons, will be named the school’s next head football coach Tuesday.

Two people in the WSSU athletics department and another person at WSSU who all have knowledge of the coaching search confirmed that Boulware, 39, will replace Connell Maynor, who resigned in December after four seasons to become the head coach at Hampton University in Virginia.

The three spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the hiring and because WSSU had not made an official announcement.

“As long as the (WSSU) board of trustees approves his contract, he’ll be the next coach,” one source said over ...

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PVAMU Men's Tennis Prepares To Defend SWAC Title With New Recruits

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  -- The defending Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship Prairie View A&M Men's Tennis team bolstered its stacked roster by adding a few top recruits. 

Junior Bruno Snyder transfers from Lamar out of the Southland Conference was undefeated against Southwestern Athletic Conference players in 2013. Junior college transfer James Jackson advanced to consecutive NJCAA National Tournament in singles competition in, while freshman Malik Norris advanced to UIL Regional Tournament as a senior at Beaumont Ozen High School.

 

In singles competition against conference opponents including the 2013 SWAC Tournament, Prairie View A&M players combined to go 34-2. They did not drop a single match in the conference tournament. Under the direction of coach John Cochran, the Panthers plan on repeating those results and repeating as SWAC Tournament Champions. 

Bruno Synder
Height: 5-9
Weight: 162
Class: Junior
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Previous School: Lamar

 

SOPHOMORE: Went 5-13 as a sophomore at Lamar in singles competition…Snyder compiled a 4-9 record in doubles competition…Went 2-2 in conference play in singles competition…He went 2-0 at the No. 3 position against Southwestern Athletic Conference Opponents and defeated Prairie View A&M's Craig Wiltz 6-3, 6-4…Went 2-1 the final three matches of the season with wins over Oral Roberts and Texas Pan-American.

 

FRESHMAN: Went 8-9 in singles play with a 1-4 conference record ... Posted 1-1 record at No. 4 singles, defeating Matt Himmelsbach of Marist ... Played primarily at fifth position, going 7-8 with wins against Troy's Tadju Davies, Southern Miss' Jovan Zeljkovic, UMKC's Conner Edwards, Nicholls' Roy Knight, Louisiana's Damian Farinola and Air Force's Grant Taylor ... Teamed with Mikko Rajamaki to go 5-10 at No. 3 doubles with a 1-4 mark in the Southland ... Posted wins over Andres Sanchez and Tommy Cundy of Troy Fabrice Myrtil and Temuera Asafu-Adjave of Florida A&M and Nicolas Moreno and Jason Lateko of UT Arlington.

 

HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked among the top 400 juniors internationally by the ITF ... Played junior tennis in Frankfurt, Germany ... Also participated in two junior Davis Cup qualifiers.

James Jackson Jr. 
Height: 5-6
Weight: 180
Class: Junior
Hometown: Clarksdale, Miss.
Previous School: Itawamba CC

 

SOPHOMORE: In the No. 2 Singles spot Jackson helped lead Itawamba CC to a Top 25 finish in the Men's National Tennis Tournament at the Collin Tennis Facilities in Plano, Texas…Jackson was eliminated in the consolation round of singles competition…Finished ranked No. 78 Nationally among all junior college players. 

 

FRESHMAN: Made it to the NJCAA DI Men's Tennis Region 23 Tournament Singles Championship match…Led Itawamba CC to a 2012 Conference Championship…

Malik Norris
Height: 5-3
Weight: 125
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Beaumont, Texas
Previous School: Ozen

 

HIGH SCHOOL: Won first place in the 2013 District 20-4A Tennis Tournament…Advanced to the UIL Regional Tournament for three consecutive years as a varsity letterman…Was the first player in Beaumont Ozen High School History to advance to the Regional Round of The State Tennis Tournament. 

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SU Jaguars eager after 3-0 SWAC start

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  - The Southern men’s basketball team is eager to get back on the court after winning its first three Southwestern Athletic Conference games.

“We’re ready for the next practice, and we’re ready for the next game,” forward Malcolm Miller said. “We’re excited and love playing.”

The Jaguars (7-9, 3-0) play Jackson State (5-10, 1-2) at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Clark Activity Center.

Southern beat Grambling 73-49 in its conference home opener Saturday after beginning league play with victories at Prairie View and Texas Southern last week.

“We’re starting to jell,” Miller said. “Everybody knows their roles, and they’re being aggressive when they have the opportunity to attack. It’s all clicking.”

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Monday Morning Football Punts...

• Jackson, Mississippi WLBT Sportscaster and Radio Announcer Rob Jay has reported from sources that Mississippi Valley State University is set to name former JSU head coach Rick Comegy as Delta Devils head football coach. Comegy was fired after posting an 8-1 record in the SWAC, 8-4 overall, and losing in the SWAC Championship game in overtime for the second straight season.  He finished with a career record of 55-35 in eight seasons at JSU, winning the SWAC championship in 2007. Comegy will replace Karl Morgan.
• John Dell, Winston-Salem Journal beat writer is reporting that sources have indicated that Kienus Boulware, the defensive coordinator at Winston-Salem State University the past four seasons, will be named the school’s next head football coach Tuesday.
• Rob Jay has also announced from sources, that Jackson State University will introduce 68-year old Harold Jackson as the Tigers new head football coach during an 11am press conference Monday, January 13.  Jackson is a first-time head coach in the FCS and his name surfaced after Bethune-Cookman's Head Coach Brian Jenkins declined to interview with JSU.  Jackson previous coaching stops in college football has been at NCCU (1990), VUU (1994), Benedict (1995-96), Kentucky (2001-2002) and Baylor (2003-2006).  No doubt, most of the JSU players' parents were not born when Jackson was drafted into the NFL in 1968, but he brings over 19 years combine of college, NFL and minor league coaching experience.  Local recruits, 4-5 star game changers, forget it; it did not happen with Doug Williams at Grambling State and he had more NFL glitter than anyone in HBCU sports. 
• East Carolina Pirates will open the 2014 football season by hosting FCS North Carolina Central University on August 30.  ECU finished the 2013 season with a 10-3 record and won the Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg, defeating Ohio 37-20.  NCCU's new head coach Jerry Mack will make his Eagle debut against the Pirates.  This will be ECU first season in the American Athletic Conference after 17 seasons in Conference USA. 
• Monmouth University, West Long Branch, New Jersey will host Delaware State in its 2014 season opener on August 30.  The Hawks are a first year member of the Big South Conference.  This will be a first-time match up between the two programs. 
• Morgan State will get tested on the road on Aug. 30 with their season opener at Eastern Michigan.  Lee Hull is the new head football coach for the Morgan Bears. Hull is coming from the Maryland Terrapins, where he served six seasons as the wide-receivers coach.  He replaces Donald Hill-Eley who lead the Bears for 12 seasons, ending with a 59-76 record. 
• Northern Iowa Panthers will host Morgan State Bear on Sept. 6 for their home opener at the UNI Dome, Cedar Falls, Iowa.  The Missouri Valley Football Conference power ended last season with a 7-5 record. The Bears finished last season with a record of 5-7.
• CIAA powerhouse Winston-Salem State will travel to Valdosta State on Sept. 13. The Blazers defeated the Rams in the 2012 NCAA Division II National Championship game. This will be the first regular season game between the CIAA and Gulf South powers.
• Delaware State is scheduled to face Temple in football in 2014 with the date TBD.
• Florida A&M will travel to Miami Gardens on Sept. 6 to battle the Miami Hurricanes.
• Savannah State has been done in again by their schedule maker.  The Tigers have non-conference road games scheduled with three FBS teams: Aug. 30, Middle Tennessee State, Sept. 6, Georgia Southern, and Nov. 21, Brigham Young.  Head Coach Earnest Wilson III is in his second season and the Tigers finished last season with a 1-11 record.  The Tigers are 4-41 over the past four seasons with their only wins being recorded against lower division Edward Waters, Fort Valley State and two wins against Division I transitioning North Carolina Central.  Good luck Tigers!
• Bethune-Cookman will host Grambling State on Sept. 13, 2014. The return game at Grambling, Louisiana will be held on Sept. 12, 2015.
• Howard Bison will open the 2014 football season on Aug. 30 at the University of Akron. The Zips and Bison will play at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field in Akron, OH. 
• The Howard Bison are the scheduled home opener for new Big Ten member Rutgers University, on Sept. 6, 2014. The Scarlett Knights are upgrading from the American Athletic Conference.
• Norfolk State will travel to the University of Buffalo Bulls on Sept. 20, 2014.  It's a money game for the Spartans.
• South Carolina State Bulldogs have a Sept. 6 date with Clemson.  The Tigers also have the Bulldogs on their schedule for 2016. 
• The Coach Connell Maynor era at Hampton University kickoffs on Aug. 30 at C-USA member Old Dominion.  Coach Maynor moves up in class from Division II powerhouse, Winston-Salem State to FCS Hampton University.
• Alcorn State will play at Southern Mississippi on Sept. 6. 
• Alabama A&M will face University of Alabama-Birmingham on Sept. 13 at Legion Field. This is the same venue for the Magic City Classic.  Last season, Alabama State and Alabama A&M attracted 63,113 fans to the Magic City Classic football game, making it the most attended HBCU game in the nation.  The UAB Blazers posted a 2-10, 1-7 record in Conference USA. The Bulldogs have a new head football coach in former Nevada tight-ends coach, James Spady. The first-time head coach is replacing Anthony Jones, whose contract was not renewed after going 83-57 in 12 years, the third-best winning percentage in Alabama A&M history. Football Scoop is reporting that Jacksonville State head coach Bill Clark name has surfaced for the head coaching job at UAB.  The school reports the search is still on-going with others to be interviewed.
• Division II Johnson C. Smith University Golden Bulls will play at UNC- Charlotte 49'ers on Sept. 6, 2014. 
• North Carolina Central University will host UNC - Charlotte on Sept. 13.  The Eagles will be in their first season with Jerry Mack as head football coach.  Charlotte will transition to Conference USA in 2015.
• Arkansas Pine Bluff travels to new Sun Belt Conference member Texas State Bobcats on Aug. 30 to open their season. 
• Defending SWAC Champions Southern University open the 2014 campaign on Aug. 30 at Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns.

-beepbeep

Gold Rush rally late for 60-56 victory against SUNO

ROSTER 

NEW ORLEANS -- Freshman guard Lucas Martin-Julien made six free throws in the final 5:07 to help NAIA No. 24 Xavier University of Louisiana rally for a 60-56 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against city rival SUNO at the Convocation Center.

The Gold Rush (13-4, 3-0) have won four straight and 8-of-9. It was Xavier's first home game after six straight on the road.

Xavier trailed 54-50 after SUNO's Joshua Major made a 3-pointer with 5:15 remaining, then outscored the Knights 10-2 thereafter. Xavier Rogers' two free throws with 3:16 remaining put the Rush ahead to stay, 55-54.

Martin-Julien made four free throws with six seconds remaining -- the last two  after SUNO exceeded its limit of timeouts and was assessed a technical foul -- to conclude the scoring.

Martin-Julien scored a career-high 13 points. Rogers scored 18 points, and Sydney Coleman produced his fifth double-double of the season, 15 points and 11 rebounds. Morris Wright had five assists, and Olivier Siewe grabbed seven rebounds.

Russell Hill and Merlin Walker scored 14 points and points for SUNO (9-6, 1-2). Walker's total was a season high, and he also had six assists.

Xavier outshot the Knights 41.3 to 40 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 32-24. The Gold Rush committed a season-low nine turnovers and limited Major, the GCAC leader in made 3-pointers per game, to 1-of-7 from long range.

Xavier led 30-29 at halftime.

Xavier will continue its six-game home stand with a 7 p.m. Monday game against non-conference opponent Spring Hill.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Gold Nuggets defeat SUNO 74-52

NEW ORLEANS -- Senior forward Danielle Tucker scored 13 of her season-high-tying 15 points in the first half Saturday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana in a 74-52 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against SUNO at the Convocation Center.

The Gold Nuggets (13-6, 3-0) won for the ninth time in 10 games and snapped the seven-game win streak of the Lady Knights (8-3, 2-1). Xavier has won 12 in a row at home since losing to SUNO last season.

Chelsea Broussard and Paige Gauthier scored 11 points apiece for Xavier, and Vinnie Briggs scored 10. Whitney Gathright had seven points and a career-high 11 assists.

Brandy Broome had 14 points, four rebounds and three steals for SUNO, and Sabrina Scott and Victoria Davis scored eight points apiece. Sharilyn Reed grabbed 10 rebounds.

Tucker and Emoni Harvey led Xavier with seven rebounds apiece, and Tucker had a career-high-tying four steals.

Xavier led 43-28 at halftime. The Gold Nuggets outshot the Lady Knights 43.1 to 27.3 percent from the floor for the game and outrebounded them 49-43. Xavier committed 19 turnovers and gained 24.

Xavier will play Edward Waters in a GCAC game at 3 p.m. next Saturday.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 

from THE EDITOR: FAMU Upends NCCU EAGLES – Makes Statement

DWIGHT FLOYD
The Editor

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The students, cheerleaders and Rattler Pep Band were all absent when FAMU beat FIU during the holidays at the Al Lawson Center. This time they got a chance to see for themselves that in spite of a losing record the Rattler men’s basketball team is intent on being a contender in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference race. In dramatic fashion the Rattlers came from behind in the last few minutes to defeat perhaps one of the best teams in the MEAC, the North Carolina Central University Eagles 63-60. What really makes this win important for FAMU though is that there is still much room for improvement.

It seemed a good omen for the Eagles when the Rattlers were called for a technical foul to start the game. Jeremy Ingram made both free throws giving the Eagles a ...

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Vote for Claude Humphrey to Enter the Pro Football HOF

CLAUDE HUMPHREY
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY TIGERS

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- Fan voting for the 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame is open now, and Tennessee State’s Claude Humphrey is one of the senior nominees on the ballot.

Vote for Humphrey, here.

 

Claude Humphrey was an All-American defensive tackle at TSU who went on to be one of the greatest passes rushers in the National Football League. Humphrey played for the Tigers from 1964 to 1967. He was initially an Offensive Tackle, but was switched to Defensive End in his freshman year, where he became a 3-time All-American.

During his senior season, Humphrey played in four college all star games: the Senior Bowl, the Blue-Gray Game, the Coaches All-American Game and the College All-Star game.

 

Humphrey ended his collegiate career as the all-time leader in sacks at TSU with 39. Currently, he is tied for second behind Lamar Carter along with fellow TSU legend Richard Dent.

 

He was selected in the first round of the 1968 NFL Draft going third overall to the Atlanta Falcons. During his rookie season in Atlanta, he was name AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.

 

Humphrey played 13 seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons (1968-74, 76-77) and the Philadelphia Eagles (1979-81).

 

While with Atlanta, he was named All-NFL or All-Pro eight times and was selected to the Pro Bowl on six different occasions.

 

During the 1980 season with the Eagles, Humphrey totaled a team-high 14.5 sacks on the way to an NFC Championship and an appearance in Super Bowl XV.

Even though the sack didn't become an official NFL stat until after he retired, Humphrey is still credited with 122 career sacks, including holding the all-time career sacks mark for the Falcons with 94.5

 

Humphrey is in the Tennessee State University Hall of Fame, the Georgia Hall of Fame, the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Hall of Fame, the Atlanta Falcons Hall of Fame, is a multiple time finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and his high schools Hall of Fame. Humphrey's college and high school both retired his jersey.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

 

Balanced Scoring Pushes A&T By Bethune-Cookman

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- A great shooting performance placed three players in double figures as the North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team defeated Bethune-Cookman 69-55 in its MEAC opener at Moore Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.

The Aggies (11-2 overall, 1-0 MEAC) shot 52.7 percent from the field and were led by senior forward Tracy King with 17 points and a game-high nine rebounds. King was 8-for-13 and added four steals. Redshirt sophomore Christina Carter chipped in 16 points and dished out a game-high seven assists. Redshirt junior Debbie Smith came off the bench to add 10 points, five rebounds and four assists to tally her second straight game scoring in double figures.

The Wildcats fell to 3-12 overall and 0-3 in the MEAC.

“I thought we did a good job of sharing the ball,” head coach Tarrell Robinson said. “We want to work our way to the top of the conference and this game was a great way to start that journey.”



After taking a 30-26 halftime lead, the Aggies opened up the second half on a 16-6 run capped off with a 3-pointer by Smith from Carter to extend their advantage to 46-32 with 10:24 remaining.

Bethune-Cookman took advantage of an A&T turnover to score its next basket, cutting the score to 46-32. That was the closest the Wlidcats got the rest of the way. 

The Aggies controlled most of the first half as freshman Kenya Hailey put them on top 17-12 with a jumper at the 9:45 mark. BCU didn’t go away easily as it scored five straight points to trail the Aggies by two. A&T used a quick 9-2 rally to push their lead to 28-19 with 6:19 left. The rally was short-lived as the Wildcats halted the Aggies offense for nearly six minutes until DeAndra Davis hit a jumper with seven seconds remaining to give A&T a 30-26 edge heading into halftime.

Chastity Taylor led all players in scoring with 20 points. Shakeyia Colyer finished with 14 points, five steals, and three steals.

A&T dominated the paint where they scored 40 points and held BCU to 16. However both teams committed 21 turnovers which converted into 19 points for both squads.

A&T continues its MEAC schedule when it visits Florida A&M on Monday, Jan. 13. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

A&T 69, BCU 55

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton Lady Pirates Stifle Delaware State in Road Win

DOVER, Delaware  --  The Hampton University women's basketball team stifled Delaware State all afternoon on Saturday in Memorial Hall en route to a 79-39 win to remain unbeaten in conference play.

In fact, the Lady Pirates (12-4, 3-0 MEAC) have won their last 33 games against MEAC foes, including the conference tournament, dating back to the 2011-12 season.

Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) led all scorers with 29 points on 10-for-22 shooting and a 7-for-10 effort from the free throw line. Senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) added 25 points and nine rebounds, reaching 500 rebounds for her career.

Redshirt-sophomore forward Brielle Ward (Baltimore, Md.) grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds.

After the Lady Hornets took an early 2-0 lead, the Lady Pirates scored the next seven points to go up 7-2 at the 17:37 mark after a jumper from Tate-DeFreitas. Tierra Hawkins hit a jumper at the 9:29 mark to cut Hampton's lead to 17-12, but the Lady Hornets would go cold after that, as the Lady Pirates went on a 19-3 run, taking a 36-15 lead with 3:51 left in the half on a pair of Tate-DeFreitas free throws.

Raven Bankston hit a trey at the 2:58 mark, ending Delaware State's nearly seven-minute drought.

Hampton outscored Delaware State 5-1 over the remainder of the half, heading into the locker room with a 41-19 lead. Tate-DeFreitas had a team-high 19 points at the break, while Bennett had 12 points after the first 20 minutes.

The second half was more of the same, as Delaware State went until the 14:43 mark without a field goal – until ankston hit a layup to cut Hampton's lead to 49-22. Hampton answered by scoring nine of the next 12 points, taking a 58-25 lead on a trey from junior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) with 10:40 left.

A Bennett layup with 5:22 left gave the Lady Pirates a 68-32 lead, and sophomore guard Blake Jenkines (Clarksville, Tenn.) hit a pair of free throws with 3:49 left to play to put Hampton up 72-33.

Redshirt-freshman guard Sade King (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) gave the Lady Pirates their largest lead of the game, hitting a 3-pointer from the wing with 1:38 left to put Hampton up 79-37.

Delaware State had five field goals and six turnovers in the second half.

The Lady Pirates shot 42.9 percent (24-for-56) from the floor and hit six of their 14 3-pointers. Hampton also held a 53-45 edge on the glass, and the Lady Pirates turned 21 Delaware State turnovers into 19 points.

Delaware State (4-10, 0-3 MEAC) shot just 20.3 percent (12-for-59) from the floor – going 5-for-33 (15.2 percent) in the second half – and made just one of their six 3-pointers.

Bankston led the Lady Hornets with 17 points.

The Lady Pirates will return to the HU Convocation Center on Saturday, when they take on Coppin State at 4 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

Box Score

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern women hold on for win over Grambling

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern women’s basketball team appeared headed to an easy victory against Grambling in the Jaguars’ Southwestern Athletic Conference home opener Saturday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

But the Tigers, who like the Jaguars entered with a 2-0 league record, made Southern work to the end.

The Jaguars grabbed a 17-point halftime lead and built it to 25 twice before Grambling fought back to cut the lead to single digits in the final minute.

Southern made enough plays at the end to come away with a 100-92 victory. It hosts Jackson State on Monday.

“That’s my fault; I take full responsibility,” Southern coach Sandy Pugh said of the lead that shrunk but never disappeared. “It’s a rival game. Grambling has a lot of pride. I’ve got to keep the foot on pedal.”

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Hampton Pirates Run Past DSU Hornets, Still Unbeaten in MEAC

DOVER, Delaware  –  The Hampton University men's basketball team ran past Delaware State with a strong second half on Saturday, beating the Hornets 73-60 in Memorial Hall to remain undefeated in conference play.

The Pirates are now 8-8 overall and 3-0 in the MEAC.

Senior forward Du'Vaughn Maxwell (Manhattan, N.Y.) led the Pirates with 21 points – including a pair of highlight-reel dunks – and eight rebounds. Redshirt-freshman guard Lawrence Cooks (Charlotte, N.C.) added 13 points, going 5-for-7 from the floor and hitting both 3-pointers.

The Pirates led 5-2 early in the first half following a pair of free throws from sophomore guard Dwight Meikle (Baltimore, Md.), before the Hornets went on a 5-2 run to tie the game at 7-7 at the 14:40 mark after a dunk from Kendall Gray.

A Hampton 7-1 run gave the Pirates a 14-8 lead with 10:14 left in the first half after a layup from Cooks. A layup from Maxwell at the 4:04 mark gave the Pirates a 23-14 lead. The Pirates kept a multiple-possession lead for the rest of the half, going into the locker room up 28-24.



Maxwell, Cooks, and Meikle each had six points at the break.

Maxwell's first dunk was a two-handed stuff on an alley-oop play with 19:08 left in the second half to give Hampton a 32-26 lead. Cooks hit a 3-pointer with 15:54 left in the second half to give the Pirates a 39-30 lead, and Maxwell followed with a windmill slam at the 15:37 mark to put Hampton up 41-30.

Sophomore forward Jervon Pressley (Charlotte, N.C.) followed with a monster one-handed slam of his own with 15:16 left to put Hampton up 43-32. Cooks added a fastbreak layup with 14:21 left in the second half to give the Pirates a 46-34 lead.

Delaware State cut the lead to 50-41 with 10:54 left, but senior guard Ramon Mercado (Hollywood, Fla.) hit a corner trey at the 9:24 mark to put the Pirates up 53-41.

Hampton held control of the contest from then on, leading by double digits the rest of the way. The Pirates led by as many as 15 points on multiple occasions, including a 69-54 margin with 1:15 left to play after a jumper from Maxwell.

The Pirates shot 70.4 percent (19-for-27) from the floor in the second half.

The Pirates shot 52.7 percent (29-for-55) from the floor and hit four of their 11 3-pointers – as well as 11 of their 16 free throws. Hampton out-rebounded the Hornets 43-36, and the Pirates held a 40-24 edge in points in the paint.

Delaware State (4-11, 0-3 MEAC) shot just 27.9 percent (17-for-61) from the floor and went 0-for-17 from behind the arc.

Gray led the Hornets with 17 points.

The Pirates will return to the HU Convocation Center on Saturday to take on Coppin State at 6 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.


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Lewis And Adams Lead FAMU Rattlers Past NCCU 63-60

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The Florida A&M Men’s Basketball team extended their home-court winning streak to four with a 63-60 win over North Carolina Central, here Saturday night at the Al Lawson Center.

With the win, it gives FAMU their second ever win against NCCU as the Eagles came into today’s contest leading the series 5-1.

Head coach Clemon Johnson was pleased with the way the Rattlers carried themselves in the clutch.

FAMU vs NCCU Gallery



"This should help get the fans in because they now believe we can play basketball.  This was considered one of the toughest teams in the conference. They were voted to be No.3, but right now they were probably the best team, but fortunately the Rattlers have taken that spot for today," Johnson said.

A dunk by Jordan Parks would give NCCU a 58-44 lead with 10:37 to go in the game.

The Rattlers would then erase a 14 point lead with an 18-2 run, capped off by a Jamie Adams three pointer with 22 seconds left in the game, giving FAMU a 62-60 lead, the Rattlers' first lead of the of the game.

Reggie Lewis would then nail a free throw with three seconds left in the game, giving the Rattlers the 63-60 win.

Seniors Adams and Lewis were key to closing out the game.  "Coach told me he brought me here to finish the games, so I didn’t want to miss that one.  It was a great play by Reggie Lewis.  He drew two guys and kicked it out and I was wide open," Adams said.

FAMU finished the contest shooting 41.8 percent (23-of-55), whereas NCCU shot 33.3 percent (18-of-54).

In the first half, the Eagles jumped out to a 9-2 lead, capped off by a Jeremy Ingram free throw with 15:39 to in the first

FAMU would cut NCCU’s lead to 13-12 on a Walter Davis put back with 12:33 to go in the first.

The Eagles would extend their lead to 29-19 with a 16-7 run, capped off by a Jay Copeland layup with 6:12 to go.

FAMU would go into the break trailing NCCU, 42-34 as the Rattlers finished the first half shooting 48.1 percent (23-of-55), while the Eagles shot 41.9 percent (18-of-54).

The Rattlers were paced by both Adams and Reggie Lewis as they both finished the contest with 19 points each.  Kellum would lead FAMU on the boards with eight.

NCCU had four Eagles to score in double-figures with Alfonzo Houston scoring a team high 16 points, followed by Ingram with 13, while both Jay Copeland and Emanuel Chapman finished with 11 points each.  Karamo Jawara led the Eagles on the boards with 13.

With the win, FAMU goes to 5-11 and 1-2 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play, while NCCU goes to 8-5 and 0-1 in conference play.

"What we did was put the ball in our best player’s hands.  He was open from a dribble-drive.  We spread the floor with all five players to get him that shot.  We put the ball in Reggie’s hand and told him to make a play and he found Jamie.  It worked out for us.  What we realized is that going down the stretch you’ve got to put the ball in the best players hands and that’s what we did tonight," Johnson said.

FAMU will return to play on Monday, January 13 against North Carolina A&T at the Al Lawson Center in a 7:30 p.m. start.

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January 11: HBCU Basketball ScoreCard

NCAA Division I - Men

WAC
Chicago State 68, Missouri-Kansas City 66

OVC
Southeast Missouri State 102, Tennessee State 94

MEAC
Hampton 73, Delaware State 60
Norfolk State 66, Maryland Eastern Shore 62
Florida A&M 63, North Carolina Central 60
Morgan State 73, South Carolina State 56
North Carolina A&T 70, Bethune-Cookman 67
Savannah State 75, Coppin State 53

SWAC
Texas Southern 87, Prairie View A&M 83
Southern 73, Grambling State 49
Arkansas Pine Bluff 72, Alabama A&M 64
Alcorn State 64, Jackson State 51
Alabama State 93, Mississippi Valley 62

NAIA Division I - Men

GCAC
Talladega 103, Tougaloo 66
Philander Smith 91, Voorhees 84
Xavier 60, Southern - New Orleans

OTHERS
Wiley 89, Texas College 73
Harris-Stowe State 83, Mid-Continent (Ky.) 70
LSU Shreveport 83, Jarvis Christian 80
St. Thomas (Tx) 80, Huston-Tillotson 51
Our Lady of the Lake 125, Paul Quinn 77

NAIA Division II - Men

Milligan (Tn.) 92, Virginia University Lynchburg 71
Southeastern (Fl.) 78, Florida Memorial 66

NCAA Division II - Men

SIAC
Benedict 78, Kentucky State 73
Morehouse 62, Lemoyne-Owen 60
Fort Valley State 78, Stillman 61
Clark Atlanta 100, Tuskegee 99
Paine 89, Lane 69

CIAA
Lincoln (Pa.) 69, Saint Augustine's 48
Bowie State 60, Shaw 59
Johnson C. Smith 78, Elizabeth City State 75
Fayetteville State 94, Virginia Union 77
Virginia State 67, Livingstone 58
Winston-Salem State 64, Chowan 55


NCAA Division I - Women

WAC
Missouri - Kansas City 83, Chicago State 60

OVC
Tennessee State 75, Southeast Missouri State 67

MEAC
Hampton 79, Delaware State 39
Norfolk State 73, Maryland Eastern Shore 66
North Carolina Central 71, Florida A&M 64
North Carolina A&T 69, Bethune-Cookman 55
Coppin State 68, Savannah State 53
South Carolina State 80, Morgan State 53

SWAC
Mississippi Valley State 56, Alabama State 54
Alabama A&M 87, Arkansas Pine Bluff 63
Southern 100, Grambling State 92
Texas Southern 63, Prairie View A&M 59
Jackson State 64, Alcorn State 52

NAIA Division I - Women

GCAC
Philander Smith 72, Voorhees 63
Talladega 104, Tougaloo 80
Rust College 51, Fisk 49
Xavier 74, Southern - New Orleans 52

OTHERS
Wiley 104, Texas College 61
Harris-Stowe St. 71, Mid-Continent (Ky.) 44
Our Lady of the Lake (Tx) 82, Paul Quinn 43
LSU Shreveport 77, Jarvis Christian 69

NAIA Division II - Women

Southeastern (FL) 70, Florida Memorial 34
Virginia University Lynchburg vs. Milligan PPD

 NCAA Division II - Women

SIAC
Benedict 62, Kentucky State 50
Clark Atlanta 84, Tuskegee 63
Fort Valley State 71, Stillman 69 O.T.
Paine 87, Lane 68

CIAA
Lincoln (Pa.) 56, Saint Augustine's 50
Johnson C. Smith 59, Elizabeth City State 44
Shaw 69, Bowie State 58
Chowan 64, Winston-Salem State 58
Virginia State 63, Livingstone 49
Virginia Union 68, Fayetteville State 63

Rejuvenated Rattlers return to Lawson Center

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Practices for the FAMU women’s basketball team have been starting before the sun comes up.

But there wasn’t a single sign during one of their recent workouts that the Rattlers had been on a grueling road schedule heading into the holiday break. Just fresh legs tearing up and down the court.
Coach LeDawn Gibson attributed that to the Rattlers having a full week’s rest before resuming practice last Saturday. There was no obvious sign of rust — just a lot of energy.

By the time that FAMU gets on the floor to face North Carolina Central today, it will have been two weeks since its last game.

“I think they are more focused now,” Gibson said. “They were drained from the road trips and constantly traveling. I’m happy with where they are right now.

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Mangum has no plans to shake up FAMU leadership

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- New Florida A&M President Elmira Mangum said Friday she has no plans to clean house when she settles into Lee Hall later this year.

Mangum, the vice president for budget and planning at Cornell University, was selected by FAMU’s trustees on Thursday to be the university’s 11th president, the first female CEO in the school’s 126-year history.

Already back in Ithaca, N.Y., home to the land-grant Ivy League university where she has worked since 2010, Mangum said during a Friday phone interview that she will need time to assess the current leadership team at FAMU before she makes any decisions about who she wants working side by side with her.

“I need to understand the staff, what the current leaders’ strategic plan is and their willingness to continue the services they’ve been providing,” Mangum, 60, said. “The whole higher education community is on the drawing board. The first people on the drawing board are the people at FAMU.”

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Bethune-Cookman pushing for stadium renovations in Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- The stadium Bethune Cookman uses for its home football games may be getting a $1 million upgrade.

Channel 9's Roy Ramos spoke with Daytona Beach city leaders about what the renovation project means for the local economy.

The stadium is used by high schools and universities but it has clearly seen better days. The lighting alone is over 25 years old, but Ramos obtained documents that may have city commissioners approving the money for upgrades.

"We are excited about the possibilities of upgrading municipal stadium here in Daytona Beach," said Bethune Cookman director of athletics, Lynn Thompson.

Thompson said she has high hopes the stadium will get the much-needed upgrades the program has been pushing for two years.

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Mack Announces NCCU Football Coaching Staff

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- North Carolina Central University football head coach Jerry Mack has assembled his first coaching staff, the recently appointed head coach announced Friday (Jan. 10).

Mack was revealed as the Eagles' gridiron leader on Dec. 19 and officially took the reins on Jan. 6.

The head coach has retained the services of Mike Mendenhall (special teams coordinator/linebackers) and Andre George (cornerbacks) from the prior staff, and welcomes the return of former NCCU assistant coach and standout defensive back Adrian Jones (running backs).

Mack's new staff hires include Granville Eastman (defensive coordinator/safeties), Chris Buckner (recruiting coordinator/wide receivers), T.C. Taylor (quarterbacks), Jason Onyebuagu (offensive line), Mike McCarthy (tight ends), and Jon Bradley (assistant defensive line).

Jashell Mitchell has also been added to the staff as director of football operations.




In his first season on the job, Mack will serve as offensive coordinator, stating that he will be responsible for installing the offense and calling offensive plays on game day. Mack added that he will reevaluate that role at the end of the year.

In the near future, Mack plans to finalize his staff with the addition of one more position coach.

Mendenhall joined the NCCU coaching staff in 2011 to work with linebackers and serve as a special teams assistant. In the past two seasons with Mendenhall as special teams coordinator, the Eagles have been one of the nation's top kick return units with 12 kick return touchdowns.  Before moving to Durham, he coached at the University of New Mexico for two seasons. Mendenhall was a four-year starter at Temple University from 2002-05, earning first team all-Big East honors as a defensive end.

George, a four-year starter in the NCCU secondary (2002-03, 2005-06), has been with the Eagles' coaching staff since the 2010 campaign, working with defensive backs. Prior to the return to his alma-mater, he spent three seasons (2007-09) coaching defensive backs and assisting with outside linebackers at Southern High School (Durham, N.C.), helping the Spartans to three straight PAC-6 titles. As a student-athlete at NCCU, George amassed 150 tackles and 10 interceptions, including seven picks during his senior season in 2006, when he earned first team all-CIAA and first team all-region honors.

Jones, who roamed the Eagles' defensive backfield from 1994-97 and served as an assistant coach at NCCU from 2003-06, returns to his college alma-mater after leading his high school alma-mater to the NCHSAA 3-AA state championship title. In his seventh season as the head coach at Southern High School (Durham, N.C.), Jones led the Spartans to the state title in the program's seventh straight playoff appearance under his supervision. As a student-athlete at NCCU, Jones earned first team all-conference and second team all-region honors twice and remains among the school's career leaders in in passes defended (41) and interceptions (10). As an assistant coach at NCCU, he was a part of two CIAA championship teams (2005 and 2006), including the 2006 black college national championship squad. Jones played in the Arena Football League for four seasons (2000-03) with the Carolina Cobras, Augusta Stallions and Greensboro Prowlers. He also worked as the defensive coordinator for the South Georgia Wildcats of the AFL2 in 2006.

Eastman boasts 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, including the last nine seasons as the defensive coordinator at Austin Peay State University in Clarkesville, Tenn.  He has interned with five NFL teams since 2002, lending his services to the Detroit Lions (2002), Arizona Cardinals (2004), Tennessee Titans (2006), Indianapolis Colts (2011) and Minnesota Vikings (2012). During his 11 seasons at APSU, he coached defensive backs and linebackers, and also served as special teams coordinator (2003-04) and interim head coach (winter 2013). Eastman was also defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for three seasons at Tiffin (Ohio) University. A native of Toronto, Canada, Eastman secured his first coaching position at York University in his hometown, where he spent two seasons (1994-95) working with defensive backs. He then served as a defensive graduate assistant for three seasons (1996-98) at Arkansas State University, earning a master's degree in sociology in 1999. Eastman played defensive back at St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, from 1989-92.

Buckner comes to NCCU after serving as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Savannah State University during the 2013 campaign. He spent two seasons (2011-12) as the wide receivers/tight ends coach at Jackson State University, after working as a graduate assistant coach at JSU in 2010. In 2011, Jackson State boasted the most prolific offense in the nation, topping the NCAA Division I-FCS ranks with an average of 490 yards of total offense per game, including 348 yards through the air. A native of Arlington, Texas, Buckner played both wide receiver (2006-07) and defensive back (2008-09) at New Mexico State University.  In May 2010, he went through OTAs with the Dallas Cowboys.

Taylor has nine years of college coaching to his credit, including the past two seasons at Texas Southern University as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. He spent seven seasons (2005-11) at Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, Miss., serving as offensive coordinator in the final six years after a year as the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach.  A native of McComb, Miss., Taylor played quarterback and wide receiver at Jackson State University from 1998-2001. As a senior, he broke the JSU single-season record with 84 receptions, earned FCS and black college all-America honors, and was the runner-up for the 2001 Conerly Trophy, presented to Mississippi's top college football player, behind Eli Manning. Taylor signed as a rookie free agent with the New England Patriots in 2002, played wide receiver for the NFL Europe World Bowl XI champion Frankfurt Galaxy in 2003, and participated in the 2003 NFL preseason with the Detroit Lions before a nagging injury ended his playing career.

Onyebuagu (pronounced On-yay, booah-gah) spent the previous three seasons on coaching staffs at Syracuse University (2013) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2011-12) as an assistant offensive line coach and offensive graduate assistant. His Syracuse stint ended with a win in the Texas Bowl, while the Tar Heels played in the 2011 Independence Bowl during his first year at North Carolina. He started his coaching career in 2010 as an assistant offensive line coach at his alma-mater Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, Ind.  Onyebuagu was a standout offensive lineman at Northern Illinois University, where he played in all 51 games during his career (2006-09), including three bowl game appearances.  As a senior captain in 2009, he earned first team all-Mid-American Conference honors.  In 2010, he was invited to training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars and played for the Milwaukee Mustangs of the Arena Football League in 2011.

McCarthy joins NCCU after spending the past two seasons at Tulane University as an offensive graduate assistant. He also served as an offensive graduate assistant at Western Michigan University during the 2010-11 campaigns. McCarthy made one-year stops at the College of New Jersey as offensive line coach (2009), the New York Jets as scouting and coaching intern (2008), and Rutgers University as a video assistant (2007). He played outside linebacker and long snapper at Widener University in Chester, Pa.

Bradley, who played four seasons in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions, spent the last two seasons on the Arkansas State University coaching staff as an assistant with the defensive and offensive lines.  During his two years with ASU, the Red Wolves captured back-to-back Sun Belt Conference titles and posted consecutive GoDaddy.com Bowl victories. A three-time all-conference defensive lineman at Arkansas State, Bradley garnered first team all-Sun Belt honors during his final two seasons after recording eight sacks in 2002 and a team-high four sacks in 2003. A native of West Helena, Ark., he played running back, fullback and defensive line in the NFL, spending three seasons with the Buccaneers (2004-06) and one season with the Lions (2007).

Prior to accepting the role as director of football operations at NCCU, Mitchell spent the past three years at the University of Memphis, working two seasons (2010-11) as the executive assistant to the head football coach and last year as administrative assistant to the deputy athletics director. She successfully completed her master's degree from Memphis in August 2013. From 2008-10, Mitchell served as academic coordinator for athletics and life skills director at her alma-mater Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla.  During her undergraduate career at B-CU, she was a three-year letterwinner in women's basketball and an administrative assistant for football (2003-04) and men's basketball (2004-05). From 2006-08, Mitchell was the coordinator of women's basketball operations at the University of Arizona.

For more information about NCCU football, visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

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from THE EDITOR: NCCU – FAMU Look to Make A Statement

vs   
6:00 PM EST
Al Lawson Center, Tallahassee, Florida

Webcast: Rattler Vision

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Who has the best overall record in the MEAC? Who has played the toughest non-conference schedule by far? Who defeated the ACC Conference North Carolina State Wolfpack on the opponent’s home court? That would be the University of North Carolina Central Eagles, who sit tied for second place in the MEAC conference, but may be the best team in the MEAC this year? 

 

At 4-11 the Florida A&M Rattlers do not have as much to talk about. Coming off of their worst game this season against the SEC Auburn Tigers, the Rattlers are still looking to convince others they ...

 

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Fobbs First Staff at Grambling Has Tremendous Experience

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  -- Since being named the head football coach at Grambling State University, Broderick Fobbs has hit the ground running with recruiting, speaking to student-athletes and assembling a staff.

 Fobbs has had to multi-task as he also developed a recruiting plan. With the majority of the staff in place, Fobbs is concentrating on recruiting as he, the coaches and staff, sell his vision for the program to perspective student-athletes.

"We wanted to recruit coaches, we wanted to make sure that they were from different parts of the state of Louisiana," said Coach Fobbs. "We want to cover every part of the state and make sure we are getting the best student athletes to come to Grambling. It was important that we also found coaches that had the potential to be coordinators here at Grambling. With the way that the coaching industry is, you never know when a coach will earn an opportunity to move on so we wanted to make sure that we brought in coaches that could be promoted within."

On the offensive side of the ball, Eric Dooley will serve as the offensive coordinator and the quarterbacks coach. Dooley spent the 2012 campaign at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where he helped the Golden Lions become 1^st in rushing and 2^nd in total offense in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

"Coach Dooley has a tremendous amount of experience," said Fobbs "He knows the SWAC, has played in the SWAC and has helped programs such as UAPB get into the top five in total offense, so he will be a tremendous asset."

Reginald Nelson will lead the offensive line. Nelson worked with Fobbs at McNeese State University. He was a consensus Associated Press All American at McNeese in 1998. Nelson served as the offensive line coach from 2007-2011. During the last two years he coached in the high school ranks.

Former Grambling State University quarterback Kendrick Nord will be over the tight ends and will assist the Tigers recruit the state of Alabama. Last season, Nord served as an assistant coach at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia.

Robert "Mickey" Joseph has been named associate head coach and wide receivers coach for the Tigers. He previously served as head coach at Langston University and was a four-year letterman for the University of Nebraska under coaching legend Tom Osborne. Joseph will assist the Tigers in recruiting south Louisiana.

Wayne Cordova will serve as the Director of Player Personnel and Running Backs Coach. Cordova comes to Grambling from Destrehan High School, where he served as special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach. Cordova also served as the head coach at St. Augustine High High School in New Orleans, where brought in players like Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu and Lee Doss.

On the defensive side of the ball, Everett Todd will serve as coordinator and direct the defensive line. Todd served as the defensive line coach at the University of Louisiana at Monroe the last four years. During the 2007 and 2008 seasons Todd served in the same capacity at the University of New Mexico.

"It was exciting for me to meet with Coach Todd." said Fobbs. "After speaking with Coach Todd I knew that I had to have him as part of the staff."

Nathaniel Brown will serve as the defensive backs coach. He was a graduate assistant under Todd in 2012 and then moved to Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss. as the pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2013. Millsaps ended the campaign ranked in the top 25 in the NCAA Division II.

There will be two more staff members that will assist the football team and help the athletic department return to excellence. Grambling State University legend Lee Fobbs will serve as the director of football operations and recruiting coordinator. Lee Fobbs was a standout student-athlete under Grambling State University's Eddie Robinson, and he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from the division one level. He has served as an assistant coach at Baylor University, the University of Alabama and the University of Minnesota, and has been a head coach in the high school and college ranks.

Jarwarski Beckum will direct the student-athletes in the Grambling State University Athletic Department as the strength and conditioning coach. Beckum comes to Tigerland from the University of Alabama. He was a part of the Crimson Tide national championship coaching staff assisting the team with sports performance.

"Now that we have this core together, we can get to work." said Fobbs. "I've had a chance to meet with the student-athletes and let them know that we want 110 percent not only on the field, but in the classroom as well."

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