Former SU, Astros player Pittman dies at 60

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Former Southern baseball player Joe “Shoes” Pittman, who played for three Major League teams, died last week. He was 60.

Pittman, who was an infielder with the Jaguars from 1973-75, was a native of Houston and played with and was later a scout for the Houston Astros.

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Joe Pittman, who was a member of the Astros organization for many years as a player, scout and minor league instructor,” the Astros said in a statement.

“To those that played with him, Joe was known as a fun and enthusiastic individual that brought energy to the ball club.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Joe’s family and many friends throughout the game and beyond.”

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Joseph Wayne Pittman (Shoes)
 January 1, 1954 – June 12, 2014

Astros statement on the passing of Joe Pittman
 

The Astros released the following statement on June 14, 2014 regarding the recent passing of former player, scout and Houston native Joe Pittman. He was 60 years old:

 

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of Joe Pittman, who was a member of the Astros organization for many years as a player,

scout and minor league instructor. To those that played with him, Joe was known as a fun and enthusiastic individual that brought energy to the ballclub. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Joe's family and many friends throughout the game and beyond."

 

An infielder, Pittman, who had the nickname "Shoes", was drafted by the Astros in 1975 and played for the Major League club for two seasons (1981-82). He also played in the Major Leagues for San Diego (1982) and San Francisco (1984). He later served as a scout for the Astros from 1988-2003, which included a stint as a minor league instructor in 1996.

Press Release  -- Houston Astros

Shaquille Duncan has been dismissed from the Morgan State basketball team

BALTIMORE, Maryland  --   Shaquille Duncan is no longer a member of the Morgan State men's basketball team.

Duncan, a junior of the Bears team last season, has been dismissed from the team today by head coach Todd Bozeman.

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UAPB Lady Lions inks Barnes and Corby for 2014 season

COURTESY UAPB ATHLETICS

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  --   The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Volleyball Team adds two-more newcomers for the upcoming 2014 season in outside hitters/middle blockers Valiyah Barnes and Lauren Corby.

Barnes, was a four-year letter winner in volleyball and a three-year starter at Simeon Career Academy High School in Chicago, Ill.  Last season, she was a First Team All-Conference selection and was a Second Team All-Conference selection in 2012 as she led her team to second place finish in conference play in 2012.   In addition, Barnes played club volleyball for the Powerhouse Volleyball Club.

Corby comes to UAPB from Edwardsville High School in Dorsey, Ill, where she was a four-year letter winner and a four-year starter for EHS.  Last season, Corby led her team to a conference championship, regional championship and to a second place finish in sectional play.  During her junior season of play, Corby was named the Team's Most Valuable Player.  Also, Corby was a member of the High Performance Club Volleyball Team.

With the addition of Barnes and Corby, this brings the Lady Lions grand total to five newcomers for the upcoming season.

Kayla Dowdell, a 5-10,  outside hitter from Jonesboro, Ga., led Miami Dade College to a 21-7 overall record and an a perfect 8-0 in Southern Conference play, earning them a bid for the FCSAA State Tournament, last season.   She finished the season with 174 kills in 373 total attacks with 57 errors for a .314 hitting percentage, averaging 2.07 kills per set.  Also, she recorded 81 digs and four service aces on the season.

Jade Sanlin, a 5-8 liberio/outside hitter from Fairview Heights, Ill., was a four-year letter winner in volleyball at Atlthoff Catholic High School where she reaped First Team All-South Honors and earned Belleville New Democrat 3A-4A All-Area Honorable Mentions.  As a member of the High Performance STL Club Team, Sanlin finished the season third on the team in digs with 349 and was a two-time USAV High Performance SA3 Pipeland program selectee.

Rounding out the cast of 2014 signees is Jahkishm Soto, a 5-10 outside hitter/middle blocker from Rockdale County High School in Conyers, Ga.   This four-year letter winner was a two-year starter for the Lady Bulldogs as she earned Second Team 8AAAAAA All-Area honors.  In addition, she led the Lady Bulldogs to a third place finish in the 8AAAAAA Regionals.

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US Senate calls out NSF’s Support of HBCUs

In language included with a 2015 spending bill, legislators ask that HBCUs receive at least three NSF Innovation Corps awards.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- The U.S. Senate reportedly wants more robust support for science faculty and students at America’s historically Black colleges and universities but National Science Foundation officials don’t like being told how to do it, according to AAAS’s Science Insider.

In the article on a 2015 spending bill, elected and public education officials in Maryland indicated that the extent to which Black colleges have National Science Foundation (NSF) buy-in should correlate closely with their appearance on NSF’s award listings.

Jeffrey Mervis’s report in Science Insider reveals that only one historically Black college—Florida A&M University—ranks in the top 200 institutions receiving NSF research funding. Similarly, Mervis showed that while the NSF took issue with the Senate’s assertion that their six research directorates have been traditionally reluctant to support faculty at HBCU institutions, to date, only one of roughly 140 I-Corps awards has gone to an HBCU faculty member.

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HBCU Alumni Association 10k/5k Run Walk Coming Sat June 28

ATLANTA, Georgia  --  Going on seven years now, the Atlanta HBCU Alumni Alliance (AHBCUAA) has galvanized thousands of HBCU alumni, family and friends in support of health awareness and scholarship with their annual 5k/10k Run-Walk.  This year's event takes stages from Grant Park on Saturday, June 28.

The theme, Run For You, Run For Them, Run For Us, highlights our three-fold purpose:  Run For You embodies the health aspect and the importance of getting active, Run For Them represents the scholarship dollars raised for future students of the great participating HBCUs, and Run For Us represents the strength and success we achieve when we work collectively.

Both the 5K and 10K are USA Certified Track and Field courses. This event is open to everyone, and various alumni groups have created teams to compete and re-connect. #Team WCLK will feature several of our team members, including Wendy Williams, Debb Moore, Kiplyn Primus, Aaron Cohen and Shed Jackson.

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FAMU taking second look at APR scores

KELLEN WINSLOW SR.
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
Photo Courtesy FAMU Athletics
 

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- FAMU has started a review of how Academic Progress Report scores were tallied for football and men’s basketball in hopes that it can take one more shot at appealing postseason bans on both programs.

Athletic director Kellen Winslow said the process will be meticulous, although he wasn’t sure if the end result would be enough to take the case back to the NCAA.

FAMU had already launched its appeal before the postseason sanctions were announced in April.
“We are going to look at every detail, turn every rock and try to find every point we possibly can,” Winslow said. “Will the adjustments be enough to move the needle? We don’t know, but we have to look at it.”

FAMU faced a similar situation last year with volleyball, which eventually...

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Former Rutgers assistant Brian Jenkins credits Greg Schiano and Kyle Flood for his success at Bethune-Cookman

HEAD COACH BRIAN JENKINS
BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- Brian Jenkins spent only one year as an assistant at Rutgers, but he said the time was crucial to his development as a coach.

After serving as the wide receiver coach under Greg Schiano for the 2009 season, Jenkins was hired as the head coach at Bethune-Cookman, a Division 1-AA program in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Jenkins has a 37-11 record and has been named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference coach of the year three times in four seasons.

"Working under Greg and working with guys like Kyle (Flood) helped prepare me for the job that I have now," Jenkins said. "I think it taught me the last little things that I needed to know in order to run a program. It was really phenomenal. I've got a lot of respect for Greg. I learned so much about running a program and I learned a lot from Kyle football-wise. The experience that I got from being there for one year was tremendous."

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Rutgers football coaches to work camp in Florida at Bethune-Cookman University

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Penn State's James Franklin isn't the only coach taking advantage of a loophole in an NCAA rule that allows coaches to work at camps for high school prospects in different parts of the country.

Rutgers coach Kyle Flood and his staff will be guest coaches at a camp held Sunday at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla.

NCAA rules prevent programs from holding high school camps at out-of-state locations more than 50 miles from campus. But coaching staffs are allowed to work at camps outside of the 50-mile radius that are hosted by other schools.

Flood has a relationship with Bethune-Cookman head coach Brian Jenkins, who was the wide receivers coach at Rutgers in 2009, so this was a natural collaboration.

"Both of us are out trying to do the same thing, and that's to get as many kids and ...

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FSU's Bess taking basketball reins at alma mater

LAWNDALE, North Carolina  -- “…There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home…”

Former Burns High basketball standout Joreka Bess is certainly going to put that notion to the test this coming winter. She might not click her heels to do it but Bess will be bouncing a few basketballs and blowing a whistle in familiar territory.

That’s because Bess has been named the new girls’ head basketball coach at her alma mater, Burns High principal Chris Blanton announced this week.

The 1999 Burns High graduate was a standout on the court and off during her playing days. A four-year varsity performer for the Bulldogs and coach Tommy Pruett, she was a three-time all-conference selection and earned Southwestern Conference Player of the Year honors during her senior season.

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FAMU Music Professor Longineu Parsons to Play Carnegie Hall

LONGINEU WARREN PARSONS II
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Florida A&M University (FAMU) Department of Music Professor Longineu Parsons will perform alongside Broadway’s elite at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall on June 23.

Parsons, a celebrated trumpet player, will appear in the Broadway reunion production, “Black Stars of the Great White Way Reunion: Live the Dream.”

The reunion pays tribute to the role African Americans have played in Broadway’s history and will honor the work of such entertainment legends as Louis Armstrong, Eubie Blake, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Louis Jordan, Paul Robeson and Fats Waller.

Parsons will share the stage with some of Hollywood and Broadway’s greatest contributors such as Obba Babatunde, Keith David, Dule Hill, Norm Lewis, Phylicia Rashad, Chapman Roberts, Glenn Turner, Cicely Tyson and Ben Vereen.

“It’s a big day at the office, a good day at the office,” said Parsons, who will play a tribute to Armstrong. “I look forward to being a part of this historic occasion.”

Parsons himself is etched in the rich history of Broadway. He was the lead trumpeter in the hit Broadway musical revue “Bubbling Brown Sugar” for several years.

“Black Stars,” billed as the largest cast of African-American men to share a Broadway stage in history, is Parsons’ second performance at Carnegie Hall. In 1993, he made an appearance during a tribute to the Nicholas Brothers, taking the stage with celebrities such as Bill Cosby and Lena Horne.

In addition to Carnegie Hall, Parsons has also played at some of the world’s most iconic concert halls, including the Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center and Theatre de Paris.




The protégé of jazz legend and FAMU alumnus Nat Adderley, Parsons has performed in more than thirty countries and has been invited to play for such dignitaries as the king of Morocco, the president of Gabon, the royal family of the Netherlands, the president of Austria, the U.S. ambassador to France, the royal family of Monaco and members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

He has performed and recorded with an impressive list of music greats, including: Adderley, Calloway, Frank Foster, Billy Harper, Philly Joe Jones, Herbie Mann, David Murray, Sam Rivers, Cecil Taylor, Joe Williams and Nancy Wilson.

According to Parsons, among the many achievements he’s made in his career, his role as a music educator is at the top of the list.

“I leave work with a smile,” he said, “because everyday I’m with these wonderful young people and I get to share what I have with them.”

MUSIC MENTOR AND EDUCATOR

Longineu is Associate Professor of Trumpet at Florida A&M University, the institution from which he obtained a Bachelor of Music degree. He earned his Master of Music in classical trumpet from the University of Florida. He also pursued supplementary jazz studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and studied composition at the doctoral level at Florida State University and the University of Florida. He holds a weekly Jazz Jam at a local jazz club to provide a performance opportunity for students, and coaches the trumpet section of the celebrated Florida A&M Marching 100 Band. He was a guest clinician for the Universidad Autonoma de Bucaramanga, in Colombia (1999 and 2000); High School of the Arts, in Bogota, Colombia (2000), and the Conservatoire Nationale de la Region, in Nantes, France in August 2001.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

Curry, Price Named PVAMU Men's Assistant Basketball Coaches

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  -- Prairie View A&M University head men's basketball coach Byron Rimm II announced that Keenan Curry and Ryan Price will join the staff as assistant coaches for the 2014-15 campaign. Curry comes to PVAMU from Emporia State University while Price was at Southern University.

Ryan Price joins the basketball staff Prairie View A&M University for his first season as an assistant coach.  Price previously spent three years at SWAC rival Southern University and played a major part in helping the program rank as one of the SWAC's best as the team's recruiting coordinator and assistant coach.

"Ryan Price is one of the top young up-and-coming assistants in the country," said ESPN College Basketball Insider Jeff Goodman. "Price is a grinder as a recruiter and will turn over every stone in order to recruit a player. He has tremendous relationships throughout the country and will help Prairie View A&M in its effort to become one of the top mid-major programs in the country."

At Southern, Price was very instrumental in helping the Jaguars ascend to the top of the SWAC standings from the moment he stepped foot on campus in 2011. In his first season at Southern, Price helped the Jaguars complete a 13-game turnaround from the previous season as Southern went from a last-place team in the SWAC standings to a second place team. In his second season, the Jaguars took the next step as they claimed the top seed in the SWAC Tournament with a 15-3 regular season mark and a 23-10 overall record. 

Southern won the SWAC Tournament and earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time since 2006. The Jaguars made national headlines that postseason as they nearly pulled off an upset over No. 1 ranked Gonzaga in the second round of tournament action.

Last season, Southern claimed the SWAC's Regular Season Championship for the first time since 2006 as they finished with a 19-13 overall mark. While at Southern, Price was responsible for recruiting and skill development with the post players and in 2013, he orchestrated a recruiting class which was ranked 33rd in the nation by HoopScoopOnline. In addition, Price recruited the 2013 SWAC Newcomer of the Year and All-Conference Selection Malcolm Miller, 2014 SWAC Newcomer of the Year and All-Conference Selection Calvin Godfrey and 2014 SWAC Freshman of the Year Tre'lun Banks.

Prior to Southern, Price spent two seasons at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith as the team's assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Price also had a major undertaking with the program as he helped UA Fort Smith transition from the junior college ranks to a NCAA Division II program during his tenure.

During his two seasons at Arkansas-Fort Smith, Price helped guide the Lions to a combined 28-28 win-loss record. The Lions finished 19-10 during the 2010-11 season, and had the best record in the Heartland Conference. Price recruited 2011 Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year Jake Toupal and 2011 Heartland Conference First Team member Josh Simmons.

Price was a student assistant coach at Henderson State University during the fall of 2007 while completing his bachelor's degree in general studies before joining the coaching staff at NCAA Division II Gannon University in Erie, Pa. During his two seasons at Gannon, Price helped guide the Golden Knights to a combined 56-9 win-loss record. The Golden Knights finished 30-4 during the 2008-2009 season, won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship, won the Atlantic Region Championship and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Price also mentored and worked with NCAA Division II All-American and NBDL standout Kyle Goldcamp. At Gannon, Price was in charge of recruiting, coaching post players and monitoring academics.

The Roanoke, Va. native is a 2002 graduate of William Fleming High School, where he earned All-District and All-Region honors. He played three seasons at McNeese State before finishing his collegiate playing career at NCAA Division II Henderson State.

While at McNeese State, Price was named McNeese State's Newcomer of the Year as a freshman and was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year for the Cowboys – a feat accomplished only once before in school history by NBA Hall of Famer and former Detroit Piston Joe Dumars.

During his only season at Henderson State, Price, who played guard, started 32 games and averaged eight points and 3.7 rebounds per game. He helped lead the Reddies to a 23-9 win-loss record, the Gulf South Conference West Division championship and the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Price hails from a basketball family as his father, Tic, is the head men's basketball coach at Lamar University. Price has served as head coach at McNeese State, Memphis and the University of New Orleans.

Keenan Curry begins his first season as an assistant basketball coach at Prairie View A&M University.  Curry comes to Prairie View A&M after a two-year at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas.

A native of Kansas City, Mo., Curry spent two seasons at Emporia State University as an assistant coach and played a large role in helping the Hornets achieve their most wins in five years following the 2013-14 season.  ESU finished with 18 wins in Curry's final season and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the MIAA Tournament.  A total of six players earned MIAA Honors under Curry's watch with four players named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. 

Off the court, Curry wore several hats as ESU's camp coordinator, social media director, recruiting coordinator and academic liaison.  As camp coordinator, Curry forged relationships with the nationally acclaimed University of Kansas men's basketball program and had four Jayhawks serve as camp guests and speakers during ESU's annual basketball camps.

Prior to ESU, Curry spent two seasons as an assistant basketball coach and recruiting coordinator at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas.  At Fort Scott, Curry coached three players whom averaged in double figures in his final season at FSCC while also helping the team rank fourth in free throw percentage amongst Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference teams.  Curry, who also played two seasons at FSCC from 2007 to 2009, was also in charge of film exchange, opponent breakdowns, summer camps and team workouts.

Curry graduated from Pittsburg State University in 2011 and holds a master's in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from Emporia State.  

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Bayou Classic here to stay for now

Superdome officials clarify comments, back annual GSU, Southern game

GRAMBLING, Louisiana --The annual Bayou Classic that pits bitter rivals Grambling and Southern is here to stay for now, or at least that’s what Superdome officials are reiterating.

The general manager of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome said in a statement Thursday evening Grambling and Southern have their full support in continuing the annual game in New Orleans.

The news comes a day after WWL-TV reported a board member of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District brought up the possibility of Grambling being replaced in the Bayou Classic.

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Tickets Now On Sale For Second Missouri Classic

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri  -- Tickets are now on sale for the second Missouri Classic, which will feature the football teams of Lincoln and Langston playing at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Sept. 6, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. CDT.

Tickets for the game are $28 for Lower Level general admission seating and $45 for tickets on the Scout Investments Club Level. Student tickets are available for $18 while general admission tickets for groups of 15 or more at $25. Tickets can be ordered by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, online atwww.ticketmaster.com or at the Arrowhead Stadium Ticket Office located between Founder's Plaza and the Hy-Vee Gate on the north side of the stadium.

Tickets are also on-sale at participating Ticketmaster outlets, as well as other local participating ticket outlets which are listed below. Tickets can also be ordered through both schools by calling the Langston University Ticket Office at (405) 466-3262 or the Lincoln University Ticket Office at (573) 681-5054. Fans interested in tickets for groups of 15 or more can get more information by calling (888) 99-CHIEFS (24433). Arrowhead Stadium suites are also available for the contest by calling (816) 920-4894.

Parking for the game is $20 per car and $35 for RV/bus parking. Parking on gameday is cash only.

"We are excited to once again be participating in the Missouri Classic," said Lincoln athletic director Betty Kemna. "Lincoln and Langston have a long rivalry and this should be another great game. This is a fantastic opportunity for our student-athletes and fans to experience a great football game in a historic NFL setting in Arrowhead Stadium. ALWE and the Kansas City Chiefs do a wonderful job of promoting and producing this game, and we would like to thank them both for inviting us back to Kansas City."

Lincoln won the inaugural Missouri Classic, beating NCAA Division I Grambling State, 47-34, in front of over 20,000 fans at Arrowhead Stadium. Lincoln's rivalry with this year's opponent, Langston, dates back to 1924, with this year's meeting being the 61st in the all-time series. Langston, an NAIA program, is coming off a 6-4 season. The Blue Tigers, meanwhile, will begin their first year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference this fall.

Both teams also have ties to the Super Bowl. Lincoln is coached by Mike Jones, famous for making "The Tackle" on Kevin Dyson at the one-yard line that clinched Super Bowl XXXIV for the St. Louis Rams. Langston, meanwhile, has a connection to the Kansas City Chiefs, who play in Arrowhead Stadium. Langston's athletic director is Mike Garrett, a former running back with the Chiefs who helped the team win Super Bowl IV.

"I'm thrilled that Kansas City is hosting the Missouri Classic again. This event is a huge win for this community any way you to look it," Kansas City Mayor Sly James said. "The Missouri Classic connects young people, particularly from our urban core, with the college experience and it has a positive impact on our local economy. I welcome the visitors the event brings to our City and look forward to an energetic, fun game."

For more information on The Missouri Classic, as well as a schedule of the events that will take place in Kansas City leading up to the game and a list of television and radio stations providing coverage, visit http://www.themissouriclassic.com/, the game's official website. 

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations

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Grambling's spot in Bayou Classic being debated

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New Orleans, Louisiana  --  Organizers of the Bayou Classic reportedly have considered dropping Grambling State as one of the permanent teams in the annual Southwestern Athletic Conference showcase.

WWLTV.com reported managers of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the host site for the Bayou Classic, have discussed replacing Grambling as a participant against Southern University, citing low attendance by Grambling fans in recent years. The Thanksgiving weekend event between the two schools turns 41 this year.

"If Grambling has fallen off that bad, maybe Southern could take the lead and it could be an earned-in game and bring in somebody else," Robert Bruno, the commissioner of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, told WWLTV. "I just don't know if Grambling can carry the load."

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NCCU junior transfer QB named MEAC newcomer of year by TSN

ST. LOUIS, Missouri —

The Sporting News has named N.C. Central University junior transfer quarterback Quinn Billerman the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year in its college football preview magazine.

A native of Raleigh and the son of Ravenscroft basketball coach and former Duke University point guard (1973-1975) Kevin Billerman, Billerman enters his first season with the Eagles after breaking passing records at Ravenscroft High School and New Mexico Military Institute.

“Quinn is the type of quarterback that can dissect the defense, make all the throws and is intelligent,” said first year NCCU football head coach Jerry Mack when announcing Billerman’s signing in December. “Hean a similar style of offense at NMMI, so the transition should be an easy one for Quinn as he comes into our system.”

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Hampton adds Tennessee graduate transfer Quinton Chievous

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- Hampton picked up a graduate transfer on Thursday as former Tennessee wing Quinton Chievous committed to the Pirates, a source told NBCSports.com.

The 6-foot-6 Chievous is the son of former Missouri star Derrick Chievous and Quinton will have two years of eligibility remaining and can play right away after graduating from Tennessee in three years.

After redshirting his first season in Knoxville, Chievous never made much of a dent in the SEC as the wing played 22 games as a freshman and nine games as a sophomore, averaging 10.6 minutes a game his first season and seeing only 32 minutes in 2013-14.

Chievous averaged 2.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game during the 2012-13 season.

Hampton has done a nice job adding some pieces via transfer as they also picked up guard Reggie Johnson from Miami of Ohio during January. 

Reggie Johnson, Miami of Ohio

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Deadline is Approaching for Alcorn State Season Ticket Holders

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LORMAN, Mississippi  -- Season tickets for the Alcorn State 2014 football season are on sale.  Previous season ticket holders can keep their same seats, but must purchase by June 30, 2014.  After June 30, 2014, all reserved and purple seats will be released for purchase.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or by downloading the ticket order form at www.alcornsports.com.  Tickets are also available at ticketmaster locations, including area Wal-Mart stores and Simon Malls.  Season ticket packages will remain on sale until August 29, 2014.  You may contact the ticket office at 601-877-6818, 6822, or 6823. Get your season tickets today.

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South Carolina State Releases 2014 Volleyball Schedule

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- SC State head women's volleyball coach Valerie Jones released the 2014 volleyball schedule on Wednesday. This year's schedule features 17 non-conference matchups and eight home matches.

The Lady Bulldogs open the season in Montgomery, Ala. at the Alabama State University Tournament on August 29-30. They then travel to Tampa, Fla. and Charleston, S.C., respectively, to play in tournaments at the University of South Florida (Sept. 6-7) and Charleston Southern (Sept. 12-13).

SC State makes a quick pit stop at home on September 16 to host The Citadel at 6 p.m. then hits the road again to participate in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Tournament from September 19-20.

The Lady Bulldogs begin conference play with a weekend swing through the Sunshine State, taking on Bethune-Cookman on September 26 and Florida A&M two days later.

Six of October's eight matches will be played at home, highlighted by non-conference contests against Charleston Southern (Oct. 7) and UNC-Asheville (Oct. 18). The Lady Bulldogs close out the regular season with a home match on November 2 against Savannah State and then they travel to North Carolina Central (Nov. 7) and North Carolina A&T (Nov. 9) for the final conference road trip of the season.

The 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Tournament is hosted by Coppin State University in Baltimore, Md. and will run from November 14-16.

Click here for the complete schedule.

Date		Opponent	Location	Time/Result
Alabama State Tournament
8/29/2014		University of Tennessee at Martin	Montgomery, AL	10 a.m.
8/29/2014		Murray State University	Montgomery, AL	5 p.m.
8/30/2014		Southern University	Montgomery, AL	10 a.m.
8/30/2014		Alabama State University	Montgomery, AL	6 p.m.
University of South Florida Tournament
9/6/2014		University at Buffalo	Tampa, FL	2 p.m.
9/6/2014		Florida International University	Tampa, FL	5 p.m.
9/7/2014		University of South Florida	Tampa, FL	11 a.m.
Charleston Southern Tournament
9/12/2014		Charleston Southern University	Charleston, SC	6 p.m.
9/13/2014		University of South Carolina - Upstate	Charleston, SC	9 a.m.
9/13/2014		Jacksonville University	Charleston, SC	1 p.m.
9/16/2014		The Citadel	Orangeburg, SC - Dukes Gymnasium	6 p.m.
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Tournament
9/19/2014		University of Tennessee at Martin	Chattanooga, TN	3 p.m.
9/20/2014		University of Tennessee at Chattanooga	Chattanooga, TN	12:30 p.m.
9/20/2014		Stetson University	Chattanooga, TN	4:30 p.m.
9/26/2014	*	Bethune-Cookman University	Daytona Beach, FL	7 p.m.
9/28/2014	*	Florida A&M University	Tallahassee, FL	TBA
10/3/2014	*	Savannah State University	Savannah, GA	6 p.m.
10/7/2014		Charleston Southern University	Orangeburg, SC - Dukes Gymnasium	6 p.m.
10/10/2014	*	North Carolina A&T State University	Orangeburg, SC - Dukes Gymnasium	6 p.m.
10/12/2014	*	North Carolina Central University	Orangeburg, SC - Dukes Gymnasium	2 p.m.
10/15/2014		Wofford College	Spartanburg, SC	7 p.m.
10/18/2014		UNC Asheville	Orangeburg, SC - Dukes Gymnasium	3:30 p.m.
10/24/2014	*	Florida A&M University	Orangeburg, SC - Dukes Gymnasium	6 p.m.
10/26/2014	*	Bethune-Cookman University	Orangeburg, SC - Dukes Gymnasium	2 p.m.
11/2/2014	*	Savannah State University	Orangeburg, SC - Dukes Gymnasium	2 p.m.
11/7/2014	*	North Carolina Central University	Durham, NC	6 p.m.
11/9/2014	*	North Carolina A&T State University	Greensboro, NC	2 p.m.
MEAC Championship
11/14/2014		TBA	Baltimore, MD	TBA
11/15/2014		TBA	Baltimore, MD	TBA
11/16/2014		TBA	Baltimore, MD	TBA

Home Games are in bold

Neutral Site Games are in italics

* denotes a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest 

Karen M. Carty, Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations
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SSU Volleyball Announces 2014 Recruiting Class

Jolanta Graham
Head Volleyball Coach, SSU Lady Tigers
Courtesy SSU Athletics

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  The Savannah State Lady Tiger volleyball program announced the official signing of four new recruits ahead of the program's 29th season.

During the 2014 off season, two-year interim head coach Jolanta Graham was hired as the permanent head coach for Savannah State women's volleyball.

Graham lost five of her letterman last year to graduation and matriculation. In the vacancy, she has added four recruits, and five walk-ons to the six returners.

Graham's top recruit comes to Savannah from Mansfield, Ohio. Elexius Harris, a 5-9 outside hitter/middle hitter will help to fill the gap left by departing senior Bryana Gadis.

Harris, a graduate of Mansfield Senior High School, played in 72 games in her senior year. She concluded the season with 24 aces, a .442 attack percentage, 221 kills, 65 blocks and 194 digs. Harris was the team's MVP, a two-year Junior Olympics Gold Medalist, and won the Pete Henry Ward for Top Female Athlete.

Durham, North Carolina native Zariya Thomas will also help as an outside hitter. The 5-11 true freshman comes to Savannah State from Riverside High School. She finished up her senior year with 489 kills, 30 blocks, 178 digs, and 28 aces. She was named to the All-Conference team and was the 2013 MVP.

True freshman Autumn Session joins the Lady Tigers as a middle hitter. The 6-0, Baltimore, Maryland native joins the Lady Tigers from Riverwood International Charter School. In the 2012 and 2013 seasons, she was named most improved player. Session also earned the Best Blocker award in her final year.

Rounding out the class is setter Lynae Bryant. The 5-8, Murrieta, California native is a graduate of Vista Murrieta High School. Bryant will assist returning setter Caitlynn Masoe.

Also joining the 2014 SSU squad are walk-ons Olivia Wasdin (defensive specialist/libero), Vanessa Foster (outside hitter/right side hitter), Miyah Davis (outside hitter/right side hitter), Kayla Glover (outside hitter), and Zakiya Barnes (defensive specialist).

Graham took over duties as the interim head coach midway through the 2012 season. She was named the permanent head coach in early 2014.

During her two years as interim head coach, Graham slowly began to build a stronger program. She culminated her progress with the program's first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) win in the final game of the 2013 season.

The 3-1 win over North Carolina Central broke a 91-match losing streak for the program that dated back to 2010.

2014 Full Recruiting Class (Click Here)

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

An unexpected path to nuclear engineering

MAREENA ROBINSON
Hometown: Miami, Florida
 Doctoral Candidate: Nuclear Science and Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
B.S. (2011) Physics, Florida A&M University
Courtesy MIT News

With ample family support, PhD student Mareena Robinson focuses on research in nuclear security.

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts  -- When she was accepted into the undergraduate business program at Florida A&M University (FAMU), Mareena Robinson thought she had her future all figured out: She would go to law school and become an attorney, like her father, or else a businesswoman.

But when she and her father arrived on campus at the beginning of freshman year, he made an offer the self-described “obedient daughter” couldn’t refuse: to pay a visit to the physics department, where he had a distant connection to a friend-of-a-friend.

“I said, ‘OK, I’ll just check it out,’” Robinson says. “I had no intention of going into physics. But when I got up there they treated me like a football player.”

She was surprised — after all, the department didn’t know anything about her, and had no idea whether she could cut it as a physics major. “They were so excited about anybody who was even willing to talk about the possibility of doing science because it is a select few people who have the audacity to try something like that,” she says.

Her father was sold on the program, telling her: “Mareena, I don’t know anything about this physics stuff. I can’t do one equation. But I feel like this is the wave of the future and I just need you to try it. And if you hate it or you can’t do it, you can be a theater major for all I care. But just give it a shot.”

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