PHENIX CITY, Alabama -- A new Whitewater Classic college football match-up is coming to Phenix City, the city announced Friday.
The game, a meeting of Tuskegee and Albany State, will be an annual event starting this September 13, the city said. Officials hope the game will boost tourism and have an economic impact for the city.
Mayor Eddie Lowe announced the game will bring in about $400,000 for the city. He tells us it will cost the city $100,000 to host the game. Tuskegee officials say it was the recent $800,000 renovation of Garrett-Harrison Stadium that made them want to play the game in Phenix City.
The Whitewater Classic will be a return of college football to Phenix City and will be the first such game played at the newly renovated Garrett-Harrison stadium. In May, WRBL News 3 visited the stadium after new turf was installed.
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Saturday, July 19, 2014
Alabama State well represented on SWAC preseason teams; linebacker Kourtney Berry selected as defensive player of year
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its preseason team selections at today's Media Day in Birmingham, with Alabama State linebacker Kourtney Berry headlining the list as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Former walk-on Berry was arguably the biggest surprise from last year's SWAC season. He finished his redshirt freshman season with seven sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, one interception and a team-leading 105 tackles that was also second in the league.
The Merrillville, Ind. native was named last season's SWAC Newcomer of the Year and earned First-Team All-SWAC honors.
Named alongside Berry was Arkansas-Pine Bluff quarterback Ben Anderson as Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He finished the 2013 season second in the league in passing with 2,787 yards and scored 19 touchdowns.
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SWAC Media Day has plenty of style -- and one-liners
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- "You done coach?"
"As you can see from that list, we're not going to be very good."
"We're not defending it in 2013. We're chasing it in 2014."
"Close only counts in horseshoes."
"I'm looking to sneak up on some people. I'm hoping I get overlooked so I can sneak up on you. Watch out."
One of those four guys we have on campus is going to be our quarterback so there is no need to ask that question."
This was just the beginning of SWAC Media Days Friday morning at the Birmingham Marriott.
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What motivated SWAC to move its football title game to Houston? The commissioner explains
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Southwestern Athletic Conference Commissioner Duer Sharp said today Birmingham's inability to "control the controllable" was a key factor in the SWAC moving its football championship game to Houston.The conference held its football Media Day at the Birmingham Marriott and representatives of the 10 member schools met with an eye toward the title game again being at NRG Stadium.
Asked what Birmingham could have done to keep title contest between the East and West division champs, Sharp said there was little else the city could have done.
"One thing I know was consistent was (league chancellors and presidents) wanted to take the weather out of the equation," he said. "It was always that, what happens when you wake up Saturday morning and it's raining? In Birmingham, there's no dome. There's nothing you could do."
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TSU Picked Second in First-Ever OVC Media Poll
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Tennessee State football team was pegged to finish second in the inaugural OVC Preseason Football Media Poll. The Tigers garnered 105 points and four first-place votes.
In total 13 voters around the league cast a ballot on who they thought would be the 2014 football favorites and preseason players of the year.
The OVC will release its official preseason poll and All-OVC voted, as voted on by league head coaches and sports information directors, on Monday during the league's annual Media Day which is being held in Nashville.
The media panel picked the Jacksonville State Gamecocks as the preseason favorite, picking up 9 of 13 first-place votes and 111 total points. Tennessee State picked up the other four first-place votes and 105 total points in being picked second. Two-time defending champion Eastern Illinois was picked third (89 points) and followed by Eastern Kentucky (73), UT Martin (72), Murray State (52), Tennessee Tech (42), Southeast Missouri State (26) and Austin Peay (15).
In addition the pollsters tabbed Jacksonville State senior running back DaMarcus James as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Tennessee State senior defensive end Anthony Bass as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The pollsters for the 2014 OVC Media Poll were: Bob Belvin, ESPN Clarksville; Catlin Bogard, OVC Ball; Mike Bradd, Eastern Illinois Radio; Neal Bradley, Murray State Radio; Chris Brinkley, UT Martin Radio; Craig Haley, The Sports Network; Brian Nielsen, Journal Gazette/Times-Courier; Mike Organ, The Tennessean; Mike Parris, Jacksonville State Radio; Erik Sean, Southeast Missouri Radio; Greg Stotelmyer, Eastern Kentucky Radio; Craig Thomas, Jackson Sun; Donal Ware, Boxtorow.com.
2014 Media OVC Preseason Football Predicted Order of Finish
1. Jacksonville State (9 first-place votes) - 111 points
2. Tennessee State (4) - 105
3. Eastern Illinois - 89
4. Eastern Kentucky - 73
5. UT Martin - 72
6. Murray State - 52
7. Tennessee Tech - 42
8. Southeast Missouri - 26
9. Austin Peay - 15
2014 Media OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: DaMarcus James (RB), Jacksonville State
The OVC will release its official preseason poll and All-OVC voted, as voted on by league head coaches and sports information directors, on Monday during the league's annual Media Day which is being held in Nashville.
The media panel picked the Jacksonville State Gamecocks as the preseason favorite, picking up 9 of 13 first-place votes and 111 total points. Tennessee State picked up the other four first-place votes and 105 total points in being picked second. Two-time defending champion Eastern Illinois was picked third (89 points) and followed by Eastern Kentucky (73), UT Martin (72), Murray State (52), Tennessee Tech (42), Southeast Missouri State (26) and Austin Peay (15).
In addition the pollsters tabbed Jacksonville State senior running back DaMarcus James as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Tennessee State senior defensive end Anthony Bass as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The pollsters for the 2014 OVC Media Poll were: Bob Belvin, ESPN Clarksville; Catlin Bogard, OVC Ball; Mike Bradd, Eastern Illinois Radio; Neal Bradley, Murray State Radio; Chris Brinkley, UT Martin Radio; Craig Haley, The Sports Network; Brian Nielsen, Journal Gazette/Times-Courier; Mike Organ, The Tennessean; Mike Parris, Jacksonville State Radio; Erik Sean, Southeast Missouri Radio; Greg Stotelmyer, Eastern Kentucky Radio; Craig Thomas, Jackson Sun; Donal Ware, Boxtorow.com.
2014 Media OVC Preseason Football Predicted Order of Finish
1. Jacksonville State (9 first-place votes) - 111 points
2. Tennessee State (4) - 105
3. Eastern Illinois - 89
4. Eastern Kentucky - 73
5. UT Martin - 72
6. Murray State - 52
7. Tennessee Tech - 42
8. Southeast Missouri - 26
9. Austin Peay - 15
2014 Media OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: DaMarcus James (RB), Jacksonville State
2014 Media OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Bass (DL), Tennessee State
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Former FAMU coach Wayne Angel Named Tennessee Tech Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach
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| Wayne Angel, former head coach at Florida A&M, Illinois and Iowa, has been named to new Tennessee Tech Cross Country and Track & Field head coach. (Photo Courtesy: TTU & FAMU Athletics) |
Angel comes to the Golden Eagles after four years at Florida A&M, and has a resume that includes leading top-notch programs at the University of Illinois, Iowa and Wichita State, along with stops at UT Martin and high school programs in Illinois and Indiana.
"I'm excited about Tennessee Tech, the school, the people, the community, and honored to be part of the TTU family," Angel said. "I look forward to competing for championships down the road, and doing my part to help win the OVC Commissioner's Cup.
"We have only one place to go right now and that's up," he said of the Tech running programs. "Tennessee Tech is a great opportunity. The programs are sleeping giants. We have the resources and a strong commitment from the administration, and I think the sky is the limit. It's just a question of me getting out there and recruiting great athletes and developing the ones we have now."
Angel's coaching resume features several outstanding programs, most recently at Florida A&M, where he took a struggling Rattler program to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship. Prior to FAMU, he spent six seasons as men's head coach at the University of Illinois from 2003 to 2009.
"We are excited for the direction that we feel our track and field and cross country programs will be headed in the coming years under Wayne Angel," said Director of Athletics Mark Wilson. "Coach Angel has done a tremendous job and every program he has led, he has turned them into winners. We think he can achieve similar results at Tennessee Tech.
"He connects with his student-athletes, he does a remarkable job of recruiting and identifying young talent, and he is an outstanding teacher and coach who knows how to develop his athletes to become the very best they can be. We're fully committed to building winning programs at Tennessee Tech in cross country and track and field, and Wayne Angel is the right person to work with our student-athletes to reach our goals."
At Florida A&M, he lifted the men's cross country program from the bottom of the MEAC to back-to-back conference championships. In track & field, he coached All-Americans in the long jump and triple jump. He was twice named the MEAC Outstanding Coach of the Year, guiding more than 40 all-MEAC winners and three MEAC individual cross country champions and 12 individual MEAC champions in track and field.
While at Illinois, he produced 30 Big Ten Champions (14 individual / four relays). In 2006, Angel had 23 top NCAA finishes, 17 All-Americans and his 4x400-meter relay team finished as runner up. In addition, he developed 17 NCAA Championship qualifiers, two regional champions in the 400-intermediate hurdles in 2004.
At Illinois, Angel produced an Olympian, who participated in the 2008 Games in Beijing, China, had two individuals participate in the 2004 Olympic trials and coached a Canadian National Champion.
Before entering the college coaching ranks, Angel was a highly successful head track and field coach at Pike High School in Indianapolis, Ind., from 1993-1998. He led his 1997 girl's team to an undefeated season (15-0), the Indiana State High School Championship and a No. 17 national ranking. The team was state runner-up in 1998. Angel's Red Devils won three conference and four regional championships during his tenure. He also received numerous Coach of the Year honors during this period.
Angel's collegiate coaching career began in 1998 when he became the head men's and women's cross country coach and assistant men's and women's track and field coach at UT Martin. He guided one first-team all-OVC performer and three school-record setters.
In 1999, he was named head track coach and assistant cross country coach at Wichita State, where he was part of two Missouri Valley Championship Outdoor Championships (2000, 2001) and his runners captured numerous conference individual titles. His 2001 cross country team finished second in the Missouri Valley Championship and was in the USA top 30. During his tenure at Wichita State, Angel's athletes accounted for nine school track records, and he coached five athletes to NCAA or provisional qualifying times as well as five Missouri Valley titles.
Angel ventured to the University of Iowa in 2002, where he became the head women's cross country coach and assistant men's and women's track and field coach.
In the spring of 2003, Angel made a move within the Big Ten when he was named the men's cross country and track and field head coach at the University of Illinois. The former world-class 400-meter hurdler and Illinois alum made an immediate impact on the Illini track and field program.
Angel established himself as one of the top sprint and middle distance coaches in the Big Ten. In his six seasons at his alma mater, Angel coached and developed two Olympic Trial participants, seven All-Americans that earned 15 All-America citations, 31 Big Ten Champions, one NCAA Regional Champion and record holder, and 69 All-Big Ten accolades. In all, 12 school records fell in his six years.
This Rantoul, Illinois native holds a B.S. in Physical Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana -Champaign (1982), where he was a stellar track and field athlete for the Fighting Illini.
He was a two-time Big Ten Champion as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team. He set the school record in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles with a time of 50.56 seconds in 1982 and currently ranks fourth on the school's all-time list in the event.
Angel was a tri-captain for the Illini in 1981, winning his first Big Ten title at the 1981 Big Ten Indoor Championships in the 4x4 relay with a time of 3:12.7, then claiming the same title outdoors with a time of 3:08.1. He also finished fourth for the Illini at the Big Ten Indoor Championships in the 500-meters and fourth in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles outdoors.
The new Golden Eagle coach is a former Army Airborne Ranger, and a distinguished honor graduate of the Army's Air Assault School. He is a three-time Gold Medalist at the World Military Games and holds the Armed Forces record in the 400-meter hurdles. In addition, Angel was an Olympic Trials participant in 1980 in Eugene, Ore., and again in Los Angeles in 1984. During his competitive career, he represented the United States in international competitions in Finland, Korea, Germany, Egypt, Algeria, Mexico and Great Britain.
Angel has served as the sprint coach at the World Scholar Athlete Games in Rhode Island and served as the sprint coach for Latvia at the World Championships in Edmonton, Canada.
He is a member of the two Hall of Fames, the Parkland College Hall of Fame and the Rantoul (Ill.) High School Hall of Fame.
COURTESY TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
Quinn, Mosley lead six SU Jaguars on All-SWAC team
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Southern University landed six athletes on the 2014 Preseason ALL-SWAC teams and was selected to finish first in the west division, the Southwestern Athletic Conference announced during the 2014 SWAC Football Media Day Friday. OL Anthony Mosley, who earned ALL-SWAC second team honor last season, and WR Willie Quinn received first team honors, while OL Zach Brown, RB Lenard Tillery, DE Arthur Miley and LB Daniel Brown landed on the second team.
Quinn also earned a spot on the Preseason All-SWAC second team as a return specialist, matching the honor achieved by former CB/KR Virgil Williams in 2013.
Ballots were completed by the league’s head coaches, sports information directors, and selected national media members.
Twenty-five players were named to this year’s preseason teams as a result of receiving 2013 All SWAC honors. In the event that a player was named to the first team during the post season, and does not return, the second team player for that position was elevated to the first team. Players were ranked in their position based on the number of votes received.
For the second consecutive year, Arkansas-Pine Bluff QB Ben Anderson was tabbed as the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Alabama State LB Kourtney Berry was named the SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Mosley and Quinn are joined on the preseason first-team offense with running backs Courtney Brown (Prairie View) and Malcolm Cyrus (Alabama State), wide receiver Montarious Smith (Alabama A&M) , tight end Jordan Payne (Alcorn State), along with offensive linemen Isaac Sampson (Alcorn State), Dillon Bonnet (Prairie View), Johnathan Smith (Jackson State) and Jonathan Scott (Alcorn State).
Others to join Berry include: defensive linemen Derrick Billups (Alabama State), Amir Bloom (Texas Southern), Javancy Jones (Jackson State), and Deion Roberson (Alcorn State), linebackers Jerome Howard (Prairie View), Antonio Jenkins Arkansas Pine Bluff) with defensive backs Avery Boykin (Mississippi Valley State), C.J. Morgan (Alcorn State), Devon Francois (Alcorn State) and Deandre Rashada (Alabama State) rounding out the voting.
For the special teams, kicker Haiden McCraney (Alcorn State), punter Kory Carter (Texas Southern), and return specialist Julian Stafford (Alabama State) were all tabbed as first team selections.
For the predicted order of finish in both divisions, the defending champion Southern Jaguars totaled 95 votes including eight first place votes to become the preseason favorite out of the West Division. Prairie View A&M followed with 88 points, Arkansas-Pine Bluff gathered 66 points, with Texas Southern (50) and Grambling State (31) closing the division’s preseason ranking.
In the East Division, Alabama State totaled 93 points with 10 first-place votes. Alcorn State received 91 points followed by Jackson State (72), Mississippi Valley State (40) and Alabama A&M (34).
2014 Preseason All-SWAC - First Team
FIRST TEAM
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OFFENSE
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QB
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Jerry Lovelocke
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Prairie View
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RB
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Courtney Brown
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Prairie View
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RB
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Malcolm Cyrus
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Alabama State
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OL
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Isaac Sampson
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Alcorn State
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OL
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Dillon Bonnet
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Prairie View A&M
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OL
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Johnathan Smith
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Jackson State
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OL
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Jonathan Scott
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Alcorn State
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OL
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Anthony Mosley
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Southern
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WR
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Montarious Smith
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Alabama A&M
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WR
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Willie Quinn
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Southern
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TE
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Jordan Payne
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Alcorn State
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DEFENSE
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DL
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Derrick Billups
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Alabama State
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DL
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Amir Bloom
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Texas Southern
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DL
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Javancy Jones
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Jackson State
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DL
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Deion Roberson
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Alcorn State
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LB
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Kourtney Berry
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Alabama State
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LB
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Jerome Howard
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Prairie View
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LB
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Antonio Jenkins
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Arkansas Pine Bluff
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DB
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Avery Boykin
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Mississippi Valley State
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DB
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C.J. Morgan
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Alcorn State
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DB
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Devon Francois
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Alcorn State
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DB
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Deandre Rashada
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Alabama State
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SPECIAL TEAMS
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K
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Haiden McCraney
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Alcorn State
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P
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Cory Carter
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Texas Southern
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RS
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Julian Stafford
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Mississippi Valley State
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2014 Preseason All-SWAC - Second Team
SECOND TEAM
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OFFENSE
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QB
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Benjamin Anderson
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Arkansas Pine Bluff
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RB
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Rakeem Sims
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Jackson State
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RB
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Lenard Tillery
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Southern
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OL
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Robert Roquemore
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Alabama State
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OL
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Detonio Dade
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Alcorn State
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OL
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Tovar Allen
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Alabama State
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OL
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Zach Brown
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Southern
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OL
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Tre Glover
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Prairie View
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WR
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Julian Stafford
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Mississippi Valley State
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WR
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Tobias Singleton
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Jackson State
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TE
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Natron Brooks
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Mississippi Valley State
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DEFENSE
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DL
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Tedderick Terrell
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Jackson State
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DL
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Arthur Miley
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Southern
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DL
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Edward Mosley
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Alabama State
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DL
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Justin Mitchell
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Alabama State
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LB
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Ariane McCree
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Jackson State
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LB
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Daniel Brown
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Southern
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LB
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William Thomas
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Alcorn State
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DB
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Quinton Cantue
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Alcorn State
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DB
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Antonio Sutton
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Jackson State
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DB
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Anthony Williams Jr.
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Alcorn State
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DB
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Tray Walker
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Texas Southern
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SPECIAL TEAMS
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K
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Ryan Deising
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Jackson State
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P
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Darcy Williamson
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Jackson State
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RS
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Willie Quinn
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Southern
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Predicted Order of Finish
East
School
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Points
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Alabama State
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93
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Alcorn State
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91
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Jackson State
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72
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Mississippi Valley
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40
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Alabama A&M
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34
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West
School
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Points
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Southern
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95
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Prairie View A&M
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88
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Arkansas-Pine Bluff
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66
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Texas Southern
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50
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Grambling
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31
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COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
Alabama State picked first in East in preseason SWAC poll; 'we expect to win,' say players
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Alabama State junior running back Malcolm Cyrus said that he and his teammates are used to being picked to do well in the Southwestern Athletic Conference each season, but that they are ready to push it to the next level this year.Alabama State was announced at today's SWAC Media Day in Birmingham as the top pick to win the league's East Division this season.
The Hornets received 93 points with 10 first-place votes from the league's head coaches, sports information directors and selected national media members.
Defending SWAC champion Southern University received 95 total and eight first-place votes as they were selected to win the West.
In the FCS Huddle: Year of the SWAC quarterbacks
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A team that wins a conference championship generally has something the competition is lacking.In the year of the quarterback in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, that isn't such a good thing for reigning champ Southern.
The Jaguars have a need at quarterback because they must replace Dray Joseph, who shared 2013 SWAC offensive player of the year honors as a senior.
Veteran quarterbacks are widespread in the 10-team conference that on Friday installed Southern as the favorite in the West Division as well as Alabama State atop the East Division.
"A lot of defensive coordinators are going to stay up late," said Prairie View A&M head coach Heishma Northern, whose team is led by one of the SWAC's top quarterbacks in senior Jerry Lovelocke.
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Friday, July 18, 2014
Southern in the spotlight at SWAC media day
BIRMINGHAM, North Carolina -- Southern figures to be the center of attention during Southwestern Athletic Conference media day Friday in Birmingham, Alabama.The Jaguars are the reigning conference champions, and coach Dawson Odums is one of just six incumbent coaches among the 10 in attendance. He’s operating under a new four-year contract the university gave him in anticipation of long-term success being built after Southern’s first conference title in 10 years.
The spotlight that will shine Friday is merely preparation for what the Jaguars will face on the field in the fall.
“I think that’s a good thing. Every team would want to have that problem,” Odums said. “We’ll be ready to handle it. We’ll get our mindset to a point where being targeted doesn’t faze us.”
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Thursday, July 17, 2014
NSU Grafton baseball standout Robbie Hiser
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Robbie Hiser, an all-state selection who helped Grafton High reach the 2012 Group AA state tournament semifinals, signed recently to play collegiate baseball at Norfolk State University. Hiser, who played the past two years at Lenoir Community College in North Carolina, said the scholarship will pay for most of his expenses.
“I think Norfolk State is an up-and-coming program,” Hiser said. “They won 23 games last season (against 26 losses) and went 14-10 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
“I’d like to come in and help them break Bethune-Cookman’s string of (seven of the past eight) MEAC championships.”
The role he’ll likely play for NSU, as closer, would be a key to that objective. Hiser, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound rising junior, had a good sophomore season for Lenoir, going 2-0 with a 1.65 earned-run average in 10 games, with 41 strikeouts in 27 innings.
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FAMU receivers have their eyes on the ball this season
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Backup quarterback Carson Royal called FAMU receiver Admasen Felix into a huddle, just to make sure that he got a clear understanding of the route on the next pass during 7-on-7 drill.Felix jogged off to get set for the play. A defender covered Felix' every stride, as Royal let loose the ball. It popped out of Felix's hands about 35 yards down field.
"I'm the kind of player who doesn't like to drop balls at all," Felix said. "I don't care if it's on my shoestring. So, yes, it gets to me when I drop a ball. Catching the ball is something simple."
Making every catch look simple isn't only expected of Felix, but the three other seniors in FAMU's receiving corps. They bring a level of experience that the Rattlers haven't had from as many receivers at one time for at least three seasons.
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Mitchell on board as Voorhees’ new head men’s basketball coach
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| Head Coach Derrick Mitchell Voorhees College |
Prior to coming to Voorhees, Mitchell served as assistant coach of the women’s basketball team at Division II Southern Arkansas University. While at Southern Arkansas University (SAU), he assisted the team in reaching the conference tournament for the first time since 2006-2007 season. Just a year removed from a 0-25 season, with Mitchell’s assistance, the team won more games (12) than the previous three seasons combined.
Before his appointment at SAU, Mitchell was a middle school coach at R.B. Hudson High School in Selma, Ala. While there, Mitchell had a record of 25-2 in two seasons as well as winning two championships.
Mitchell also previously served as assistant coach at Wallace Community College in Selma, Ala. In that role, he served as recruiting coordinator and worked specifically with the team guards.
Mitchell earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Tougaloo College in 2002. He later received a master’s degree in coaching and sports studies from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Ala. in 2009. He is engaged to QuShawanda Fields of Flint, Mich.
Mitchell said he looks forward to this new challenge. “I would like to bring more awareness to the men’s basketball program at Voorhees and would like the program to be known not just regionally but nationally,” Mitchell said.
“I’m also excited about being able to lead young men and showing them that through hard work, dedication and faith in God, they can achieve all of their dreams.”
COURTESY VOORHEES COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
Morgan State officially sign 7-3 center Jordan Omogbehin
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Morgan State University men's basketball coach Todd Bozeman has a new big man on campus who may be poised to make a big splash for the Bears.MSU has officially signed 7-foot-3, 325 pound center Jordan Omogbehin, who instantly will be the biggest player in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Association.
Omogbehin, born is Lagos, Nigeria, transferred from the University of South Florida and will be a graduate student with two years of eligibility with the Bears.
Prior to playing at USF, Omogbehin averaged 15 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocked shots at the National Christian Academy.
He also played AAU for Team Takeover, a squad that had 10 players in the class of 2011 commit to Division I schools. Additionally, he also played at Montrose Christian and Atlantic Shores Christian.
Todd Bozeman has led NCAA appearances in 2009 and 2010. Morgan State has won three MEAC Tournaments (1977, 2009 & 2010) and made its sixth championship appearance in eight seasons under Coach Bozeman. The Bears finished the 2013-14 season with a 15-16 record.
MSU's other 2014-15 newcomers
COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
NCCU Coach LeVelle Moton Releases New Book
The Championship Coach Shares Inspiring Stories of Overcoming Adversity to Eventually Lead North Carolina Central University to its First Division I NCAA Tournament
DURHAM, North Carolina -- The Worst Times Are The Best Times is an honest look at growing up struggling with the world working against you and finding a way to the life you dreamed for yourself. It’s the unique story of Coach LeVelle Moton overcoming the challenges of boyhood in the ghettos of Boston and Raleigh N.C., and using those personal experiences to provide valuable perspective for young people today. Written by Coach Moton and journalist Edward G. Robinson III, the book is moving for adults and poignant for youth, informative for basketball fans, and relevant and engaging to all.
As part of Coach Moton's ongoing commitment to support youth in his community, a portion of proceeds from all book sales is being donated to the Boys & Girls Club of America.
All pre-orders for the book will ship September 2, 2014.
Click here to Pre-Order Today!
Savannah State to play Colorado State Rams Football in 2015
SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The 2014 football season has yet to begin but one non-conference matchup for the 2015 campaign will have Savannah State traveling to Fort Collins, Colorado to play Colorado State. The game will be on September 5, 2105 at Hughes Stadium. CSU will pay the Tigers a $300,000 guarantee. There will be a second game in the series with the Rams to be played either in 2017 or 2018. CSU was 8-6 in 2013 and beat Washington State in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.
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Wednesday, July 16, 2014
XU women's tennis, volleyball are NAIA Scholar-Teams
NEW ORLEANS -- High grade-point averages by two Xavier University of Louisiana's women's teams -- volleyball and tennis -- have earned them NAIA Scholar-Team awards for the 2013-14 academic year.
This is the first time that Xavier has been honored. The NAIA announced the awards Tuesday.
The Gold Nuggets compiled a 3.11 team GPA in volleyball and a 3.00 GPA in tennis.
For a team to be considered for the NAIA Scholar-Team award, it must have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale as defined by the institution. The team GPA includes all eligible varsity student-athletes.
"Being named an NAIA Scholar-Team is a tremendous honor for our women's tennis and volleyball teams and a fitting reward for their hard work in the classroom," said Jason Horn, XU director of athletics and recreation.
Both XU teams qualified for NAIA National Championships this past season. Volleyball was 26-8 and won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships. Tennis was 17-7, won the NAIA Unaffiliated Group 2 Tournament, ranked No. 1 twice in the coaches poll and advanced to the national semifinals.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Seven TSU Tigers Enter NFL Camps
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Seven former Tennessee State football players are set to open NFL Fall Camps including 2014 draftees Kadeem Edwards and Demetrius Rhaney.Edwards was drafted in the fourth round, the 143rd overall pick, by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Edwards has a solid shot to start as a rookie for the Bucs, after starting 13 games for the Tigers, who finished the season 10-4 overall, 6-2 and second place in the OVC.
An explosive Pro Day by Rhaney caused the St. Louis Rams to call his name in the seventh round, pick No. 250. Rhaney played in all 14 games his senior campaign in 2013, starting 13 at center
The 2014 draft marks the first time since 2000 for two Tigers to go in the same draft. Tackle Michael Thompson was selected in the 4th round, #100, by the Atlanta Falcons, while receiver Avion Black was taken 21 picks later by the Buffalo Bills.
The two offensive lineman are joined by AC Leonard (Vikings) and David Van Dyke (Chiefs) who inked contracts after the draft. Leonard finished second on the Tigers with 34 receptions and 441 yards, while Van Dyke picked off four passes and made 58 stops.
In addition to Edwards and Rhaney, offensive lineman Rogers Gaines enters camp with the New York Giants after spending much of his rookie season with the Baltimore Ravens. While in Baltimore, Gaines was a teammate of former Tiger Anthony Levine who already has a pair of Super Bowl Rings.
NFL veteran Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie joins Gaines on the Giants, Cromartie’s fourth team in seven years. In his career, Cromartie has amassed 246 stops (222 solo), 19 interceptions and five touchdowns and appeared in two Super Bowls including last year with the Denver Broncos.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
New Orleans Saints Sophomore Spotlight: UAPB's Terron Armstead
NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints struggled here and there on the offensive line in 2013. It was apparent that the weak spot of Drew Brees‘ protection was at left tackle. When Coach Sean Payton finally had enough of Charles Brown, he called upon Terron Armstead during the Week 15 matchup against the St. Louis Rams.
Armstead was taken as the Black and Gold’s No. 76 overall selection in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Manufactured at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, he earned All-SWAC honors in 2010, 2011 and 2012 . He was not only an outstanding football player, but he played an essential role on the schools’ track and field team as a shot put champion. Armstead passed on several Division 1 scholarships because Pine Bluff’s coach was the only one that would allow him to participate in both sports.
S.C. State standout DE Andrew Carter looks to show he’s no ‘one-trick pony’
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Whether it’s forcing a turnover or making a crushing tackle for a loss, Andrew Carter enjoys playing defensive end for South Carolina State.Yet nothing makes the North Carolina native and 6-1, 240-pound redshirt senior happier than having the opportunity to wrap up the opposing quarterback for a loss.
It’s a personal satisfaction only four other Football Championship Subdivision defensive linemen fulfilled more than Carter, who accounted for 11 of the Bulldogs’ nation-leading 62 sacks in 2014 in earning All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference first-team honors.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
NSU Athletics to Host Spartan Fan Fest on Aug. 23
NORFOLK, Virginia -- The Norfolk State University Department of Athletics will host the inaugural Spartan Fan Fest beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23.
The event, which is free and open to the public, features a day full of Spartan athletics, fun and entertainment. Fans will have the chance to see the final preseason intrasquad scrimmages for both the NSU football and volleyball teams. The day will also include an open house at Joseph Echols Hall for fans to view the recent facility improvements made to NSU's basketball and volleyball facility.
Coaches and athletes from all of NSU's teams will be on hand to sign autographs as well as meet and greet the fans in attendance. Food and live entertainment will also be provided. The Fan Fest will also serve as the kickoff event to register this year's Spartan Youth Club or join the NSU Athletics Foundation.
The day gets underway with the final NSU football scrimmage of the summer at 10 a.m. at Dick Price Stadium. The open house at Echols Hall will commence at 11:30 a.m., preceding the NSU volleyball Green vs. Gold scrimmage at 1 p.m. All events are free of charge.
More details will be released in the coming weeks at www.nsuspartans.com.
By Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Monday, July 14, 2014
FAMUan Pam Oliver out, Erin Andrews in on Fox's No. 1 NFL broadcast team
LOS ANGELES, California -- Pam Oliver has been replaced by Erin Andrews as the sideline reporter for Fox's No. 1 team for NFL broadcasts.
And after this season, her 20th on NFL sidelines, Oliver will be switched to other duties within Fox Sports, including "long-form pieces, specials, major interviews and some producing as well," according to the SI.com article that broke the news Monday morning.
“Disappointment is not really a word I’d use right now because I’ve had some weeks to process it,” Oliver said. “I think my emotions during the season will be sadness because I had been around that group for a decade."
She added: "But you have to move forward and deal with what is on your plate. I went through a range of emotions, but as I speak with you today, disappointment has passed me and I have reached a point of trying to move forward with some sadness."
Oliver first learned of the decision in April during a meeting with Fox executives, who originally told her she would be removed immediately from the sidelines altogether. But she talked them into one last year, with the No. 2 broadcast team of Kevin Burkhardt and John Lynch.
First African-American woman to win an Olympic Gold Medal, Alice Coachman Davis passes away
ALBANY, Georgia -- Alice Coachman Davis, the first African-American woman to win an Olympic Gold Medal, passed away Monday at the age of 90.Albany State University released the following biographical history of one of their most famous alumni:
Olympic gold medalist and Albany State University alumnae Alice Coachman Davis passed away on Monday, July 14, 2014. She was 90 years old.
Coachman became the first African American woman from any country to win an Olympic gold medal when she competed at the 1948 Olympics in London. Born November 9, 1923 in Albany, Georgia to Evelyn and Fred Coachman, Coachman was the fifth of ten children.
She first developed an interest in high jumping after watching the event at a track meet for boys. She and her friends began devising all sorts of makeshift setups to jump over, from strings and ropes to sticks and tied rags. This unorthodox training led her to adopt an unusual jumping style.
Paine College names Selina Kohn interim athletics director
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| SELINA KOHN INTERIM DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS PAINE COLLEGE |
"Mr. Duncan is to be commended for his work at Paine College and in the return of the football program that was in hiatus for 50 plus years," said Dr. Bradley. “The Paine College community wishes Tim Duncan in his future endeavors.”
Selina Kohn will serve as the interim director of athletics effective July 14. This marks the second time in Kohn’s 15-year
with the Paine College Department of Athletics that she has held this position.
Kohn has most recently been serving as the associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator where her main focus has been on the internal operations and progression of the department. The former basketball and volleyball coach has also been instrumental in the increased academic success of Paine student-athletes and the department’s operational growth since taking the role in 2007.
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with the Paine College Department of Athletics that she has held this position.
Kohn has most recently been serving as the associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator where her main focus has been on the internal operations and progression of the department. The former basketball and volleyball coach has also been instrumental in the increased academic success of Paine student-athletes and the department’s operational growth since taking the role in 2007.
CONTINUE READING
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