MEAC Football Press Luncheon Kicks Off July 25

NORFOLK, Virginia --  The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will host the annual Football Press Luncheon, Friday, July 25 at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel (235 E. Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510/ (757) 627-4200).  MEAC head football coaches and two student-athletes from each team will be on hand to offer an inside view on the upcoming 2014 football season. 

A limited number of tickets are available to the public for the press luncheon and can be purchased by calling Jane Vega at (757) 951-2055 or jvega@themeac.com.  Tickets are $30 per seat or $300 per table (10 persons) and must be purchased by 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 18. 

Media members may obtain a credential for the luncheon and/or one-on-one interviews by completing an application found onwww.MEACSports.com.  One-on-one interviews will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. in the James I-III room.

The 2014 MEAC football season kicks off on Saturday, August 30 featuring nine MEAC institutions in non-conference action. 

North Carolina A&T will compete against Alabama A&M in the 10^th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge also on Labor Day Weekend, Sunday, August 31.  Details and ticket information to be distributed at a later time. 

For more information about the MEAC, logo on to www.MEACsports.com.

Fobbs seems the right fit to revive Grambling football

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- New Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs refuses to talk about last season and all the turmoil and embarrassment that came with it.

"There is a team rule — we don't discuss what happened last year," Fobbs said at Friday's SWAC Media Day. "Last year is old news. We're basically focused on what's going on now and the future."

Why is that, Coach?

"In order to jump the next hurdle, you've got to move forward," Fobbs answered "You can't look backward."

Mum's the word.

CONTINUE READING

Quarterback position is Ivy's job to lose

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama --The last few years, quarterback battles were among the top storylines for Jackson State in the fall.

But not this time.

Coach Harold Jackson brought LaMontiez Ivy to SWAC media day on Friday in Birmingham, and that was enough to hint Ivy was the leading man under center.

He made it clear during interviews.

"You know what, he was the starting quarterback for us last season before he got hurt," Jackson said. "And I don't think no body loses a job because of injury. ... When we go back, that's his job to lose."

Ivy suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the first game of the 2013 season and couldn't fully participate in spring practices.

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JSU, Alcorn, MVSU All Have Expectations for 2014

WJTV News Channel 12

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- At Friday's SWAC Media Day, Jackson State head coach Harold Jackson said he felt no pressure going into his first season, despite his team's consecutive trips to the SWAC Championship game that resulted in overtime losses the last two years. Alcorn State is being dubbed as a favorite in the league's East Division, and Rick Comegy is not circling Valley's trip to the Capital City on October 11th.

Watch the video to see Mike Alzamora's story and to hear from all three head coaches from the Magnolia State schools in the SWAC.

CONTINUE READING

Comegy moving on at MVSU

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- After nearly two hours of interviews, Rick Comegy was able to sit and decompress.

The first-year coach at Mississippi Valley State was a hot commodity at Friday's Southwestern Athletic Conference football media day in Birmingham.

Comegy knew he'd be bombarded with questions relating to his former team, Jackson State.

He was ready.

"Oh I expected it, yes," Comegy said. "You know how life is."

"I prayed before I came down. I gave it up to God and said, 'Just let me stand tall.' "

It was his first time addressing numerous media outlets since his firing from JSU in December, after guiding JSU to the SWAC title game. The Tigers lost to Southern University in double overtime.

CONTINUE READING 

ASU Hornets picked to win division

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama --Reggie Barlow has established Alabama State as the team to beat in the Southwestern Athletic Conference on an annual basis. Now he has to guide his team through the season to finish where it started.

The Hornets once again were picked to win the SWAC East Division in preseason balloting by the league's coaches, media directors and beat writers, a tribute to the type of program built by Barlow, who is beginning his eighth year.

"I think we've been picked before, and I just look at it as respect from the coaches and the sports information directors to see that we have brought along some good players and student-athletes and our coaches are doing a good job of recruiting," Barlow said. "And our concepts and philosophies on offense and defense are good. We'll take it as a pat on the back, but obviously we know we still have to play the game on the field.

Ever since he guided his team to ...

 


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Southern University coach Dawson Odums eGxpects big season despite a new QB

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- Southern University football coach Dawson Odums decided to head off the media at the pass before the first question could be posed at theSWAC media day in Birmingham, Ala., on Friday. He said not to ask him who the Jaguars starting quarterback will be when Southern opens the 2014 season against the University of Louisiana-Lafayette on Aug. 30.

Odums said as many as four players will be in the mix although at the end of spring drills it appeared freshmen Deonte Shorts and Francis Kanneh were the top two with Shorts in the lead.

But Odums has been clear since Dray Joseph threw his last pass for the Jaguars – a touchdown strike to Lee Doss for the victory in last year's SWAC Championship game against Jackson State – that whoever wins the job won't have the weight of Jaguar Nation upon their shoulders.

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Alcorn State adjusts to contender status in SWAC

COACH JAY HOPSON

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- It may sound like coach speak, but Jay Hopson calls it real talk.

The third-year Alcorn State coach is pleased his team was selected to finish second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division, two points shy from the first spot.

But that doesn’t mean much if his players don’t put in the work.

“A lot of times when you finish strong, a lot of people will think it will carry over to next season,” Hopson said. “But these guys (the players) know that they still have to go out and prepare for this year.”

After finishing 4-7 in 2012, the Braves jumped to 9-3 in Hopson’s second year. It was the most wins for the program since 1994, when Alcorn went 8-3-1 with the late NFL star Steve McNair at quarterback.

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Transfer Pickett looks to step in as safety at FAMU

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Since his arrival on FAMU's campus seven months ago, Antoine Pickett has been hearing about John Ojo and how he was considered one of the best safeties in the MEAC.

Picket, a safety who transferred from Contra Costa College, knows he's only hearing about Ojo because of his departure and the Rattlers need for an experienced replacement.

Getting an opportunity to fill the void only excites Pickett, who comes with proven talent and leadership skills.

"I'm really honored to be considered in the same breath as Ojo," said Pickett, who was the Comets' captain. "Right now I'm just working my butt off to just try to help the team. Coming from California, I'm trying my best to stay focused and keep my intelligence on the field."

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College football to return to Phenix City for first time in 25 years

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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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

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

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)

COOKEVILLE, Tennessee  --  A veteran coach who has delivered successful programs and individual winners at every college and high school he has directed, Wayne Angel has been named cross country and track & field head coach at Tennessee Tech University.

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
OFFENSE
QB	Jerry Lovelocke	Prairie View
RB	Courtney Brown	Prairie View
RB	Malcolm Cyrus	Alabama State
OL	Isaac Sampson	Alcorn State
OL	Dillon Bonnet	Prairie View A&M
OL	Johnathan Smith	Jackson State
OL	Jonathan Scott	Alcorn State
OL	Anthony Mosley	Southern
WR	Montarious Smith	Alabama A&M
WR	Willie Quinn	Southern
TE	Jordan Payne	Alcorn State

DEFENSE
DL	Derrick Billups	Alabama State
DL	Amir Bloom	Texas Southern
DL	Javancy Jones	Jackson State
DL	Deion Roberson	Alcorn State
LB	Kourtney Berry	Alabama State
LB	Jerome Howard	Prairie View
LB	Antonio Jenkins	Arkansas Pine Bluff
DB	Avery Boykin	Mississippi Valley State
DB	C.J. Morgan	Alcorn State
DB	Devon Francois	Alcorn State
DB	Deandre Rashada	Alabama State

SPECIAL TEAMS
K	Haiden McCraney	Alcorn State
P	Cory Carter	Texas Southern
RS	Julian Stafford	Mississippi Valley State

2014 Preseason All-SWAC - Second Team

SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB	Benjamin Anderson	Arkansas Pine Bluff
RB	Rakeem Sims	Jackson State
RB	Lenard Tillery	Southern
OL	Robert Roquemore	Alabama State
OL	Detonio Dade	Alcorn State
OL	Tovar Allen	Alabama State
OL	Zach Brown	Southern
OL	Tre Glover	Prairie View
WR	Julian Stafford	Mississippi Valley State
WR	Tobias Singleton	Jackson State
TE	Natron Brooks	Mississippi Valley State

DEFENSE
DL	Tedderick Terrell	Jackson State
DL	Arthur Miley	Southern
DL	Edward Mosley	Alabama State
DL	Justin Mitchell	Alabama State
LB	Ariane McCree	Jackson State
LB	Daniel Brown	Southern
LB	William Thomas	Alcorn State
DB	Quinton Cantue	Alcorn State
DB	Antonio Sutton	Jackson State
DB	Anthony Williams Jr.	Alcorn State
DB	Tray Walker	Texas Southern

SPECIAL TEAMS
K	Ryan Deising	Jackson State
P	Darcy Williamson	Jackson State
RS	Willie Quinn	Southern

Predicted Order of Finish

East

School	Points
Alabama State	93
Alcorn State	91
Jackson State	72
Mississippi Valley	40
Alabama A&M	34

West

School	Points
Southern	95
Prairie View A&M	88
Arkansas-Pine Bluff	66
Texas Southern	50
Grambling	31

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.

CONTINUE READING

Alabama A&M Bulldogs gear up for MEAC/SWAC Challenge

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.

CONTINUE READING

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.”

CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING 

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.

CONTINUE READING

Mitchell on board as Voorhees’ new head men’s basketball coach

Head Coach Derrick Mitchell
Voorhees College

DENMARK, South Carolina  -- Voorhees College has recently hired Derrick Mitchell as the new head men’s basketball coach.

 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!