Livingstone Blue Bears Grind Out 93-81Win Over Johnson C. Smith University

Salisbury, North Carolina -- Hakeem Jackson had a game-high 27 points leading the offensive surge, followed by Eric Mayo with 18 points, as the Blue Bears outlasted the Golden Bulls for a 93-81 victory Saturday (Jan. 24) inside New Trent Gym.

The game started off as a close one, and remained that way for majority of the first half until the Blue Bears kicked into gear leading by as much as 20 points at the 5:00 mark. But a couple of three-pointers and easy lay-ins by the Golden Bulls' leading scorer Stedmon Lemon, helped cut the Blue Bears' deficit to nine, to a score of 49-40 heading into halftime.

After the break, the Golden Bulls tried to hang tough, but the Blue Bears were unstoppable knocking down shot-after-shot and tearing through the Bulls' defense.

The Blue Bears led in double-digits numerous times throughout the second half, but the Golden Bulls would tease a competition scare coming in as close as eight points, but it wasn't before long that the Blue Bears' offensive flows began to take over.

Impressive plays by Robert Flint, Eric Mayo and the impressive dunk by Eric Dubose all helped stretched the lead throughout the closing of the second half, giving the Golden Bulls no hope for return on the 93-81 win.

The Blue Bears shot a blazing 53.8 % over the Golden Bulls' 35.1 % from the floor.

The Blue Bears out-rebounded the defender 50/43 and forced 12 turnovers.

Jackson finished with an incredible double-double, 27 points and 14 rebounds (7 off, 7 def).

Jackson added three blocks and one assist.

Consistent contributor Eric Mayo was the only other player in double figures with 18 points and pulling down nine rebounds (1 off, 8 def).

The Blue Bears advance 12-6 overall and 6-3 in the CIAA, while the Golden Bulls drop 9-11 overall and 3-6 in the Conference.

The Blue Bears will hit the road to face the Falcons of Saint Augustine's University this Wednesday (Jan. 28) at 7:30 P.M.

For athletic news please visit the website at www.bluebearathletics.com.

Written By: Tenai Staley

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

13th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands Showcase

ATLANTA, Georgia (Jan. 24, 2015) -- The Georgia Dome was the site of Saturday’s annual Honda Battle of the Bands, featuring the marching bands from eight historically black colleges and universities.

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NCCU Holds Off Coppin State for 30th Straight Win at Home

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- In a matchup that had 13 lead changes and 12 ties, North Carolina Central University needed a basket in the closing seconds and one last defensive stand to hold off Coppin State University for a 79-77 victory on Saturday, as the host Eagles escaped McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium with their 30th straight win at home.

Trailing by two points with less than a minute-and-a-half left, NCCU senior forward Jordan Parks tied the game at 77-77 with a layup off a pass by point guard Nimrod Hilliard with 1:18 remaining.

Parks then used his athleticism to reject a shot attempt by the visiting Eagles to keep the score even and provide NCCU with possession.

After a timeout, NCCU senior forward Karamo Jawara missed a shot, but Parks was there to clean it up, giving NCCU a 79-77 lead with 11 seconds left.



Following another timeout, CSU guard Taariq Cephas, who finished with 10 points and 12 assists, drove to the basket and passed the ball back outside to teammate Christian Kessee for an open look at the potential game-winning three-pointer. Kessee, who had already drained three from long distance as part of his team-high 19 points, missed the mark and it was Parks that secured the rebound and the win for NCCU as the buzzer sounded.

Parks wrapped up a productive afternoon with game-highs of 25 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. Jawara also recorded a double-double, the first of his career, with 15 points and 10 boards. Dante Holmes contributed 19 points for NCCU, including 13 points in the first half to keep the host Eagles close, trailing 41-38 at intermission.

NCCU (15-5, 7-0 MEAC) has won its last nine games, and has beaten 25 consecutive teams from the MEAC. Coppin State (2-17, 1-5 MEAC) has lost all 14 road games this season.

Up next, NCCU hosts Delaware State on Monday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m., televised live on ESPNU.

BOX SCORE 

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NSU's Trail Continues Quest for Pros with Senior Bowl Appearance

MOBILE, Alabama  –  Norfolk State linebacker Lynden Trail continues his quest to reach the ranks of professional football, a quest which continued Saturday when he became the first Spartan to ever participate in the Senior Bowl.

The 66th version of college football's most prestigious all-star game took place Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Trail was credited with a solo tackle for the South, which lost 34-13 to the North squad.

Trail displayed some of the versatility Saturday that made him a hit during the week of practices leading up to the game. He lined up at defensive end, outside linebacker and inside linebacker during the game and also played special teams. Trail nearly came up with a sack in the second quarter and recorded a solo tackle in the third.


Trail at 5:05 mark

Trail also took some reps at tight end during the three days of practice during the week, drawing praise from many draft analysts and media who covered the event. Trail was featured during the week by the Florida Times-Union, NFL.com, the Baltimore Sun and the Virginian-Pilot.

Next up for Trail will be the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., from Feb. 17-23. He will perform position-specific drills in addition to the normal speed, strength and agility tests in front of all 32 NFL teams. He will also have a chance to interview with NFL team personnel during the event. Trail is the first Spartan to be invited to the combine since 2009, when defensive back Don Carey, now with the Detroit Lions, participated.

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
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Governance Matters -- Confronting harsh realities: black colleges and their future

Dr. Alvin J. Schexnider is a former chancellor of Winston-Salem State University and former interim president of Norfolk State University. He is an AGB Senior Fellow and the author of “Saving Black Colleges” (Palgrave Macmillan 2013). Contact him at ASchexnider@agb.org.

RICHMOND, Virginia  -- For reasons both personal and professional, I have refused to weigh in on events swirling around two of Virginia’s tax-supported institutions. Full disclosure: I served on the Board of Visitors of Virginia State University in the 1980s and I was interim president of Norfolk State University in 2005-2006. The wise former president keeps a low profile and takes a vow of silence, particularly on matters regarding his former institution.

As someone who spent more than four decades in the academy and is a product of one of this country’s more than 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, I am compelled to speak.

Consequential Boards: Adding Value Where It Matters Most (.pdf)

Whether public or independent, HBCUs face an uncertain future. Ironically, 60 years after Brown v. Board of Education our public schools are now re-segregated while the majority of African-American students attend white colleges and universities. Today, 11 percent of black students attend HBCUs. From Maryland to Louisiana, every state save North Carolina enrolls more than 60 percent of its black students in a majority-white public four-year university. In Florida, 90 percent of African-American students attend a majority-white university.

HBCUs struggle to maintain market share in this competitive environment. Even in an era of increasing tuition costs, public universities, for-profit colleges, online universities and community colleges are attractive to African-American students. 

CONTINUE READING 

FAMU's Robinson: ‘Student-athletes need to see the support’

"It’s about FAMU”

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Earl D’Wayne Robinson has been at the helm of Florida A&M’s athletic department for about two weeks and already has a grip on where the program is.

More importantly, he has a sense of where the program needs to go in order for it to survive.

Robinson knows it’ll take about $2.5 million to renovate the Field House — he said a plan is in the works to begin fundraising. He eventually wants to renovate the Bragg Memorial Stadium. Changes to the baseball field and other facilities will come in the future, he said.

First, he wants to bring together the fans, alumni and supporters of FAMU athletics. It’s a key part of his vision, and he said he believes the rest will fall into place once everyone affiliated with the university is moving in the same direction.

“We have earned the right to say we’re great,” Robinson said.

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XU's Wright makes six 3's in victory at Edward Waters

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- Junior guard Morris Wright made a career-high six 3-pointers Saturday, leading NAIA No. 20 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 61-50 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Edward Waters.

Wright scored 20 points, and the Gold Rush (15-6, 4-1) won its fourth in a row, all in conference.

"Mo hit some shots early and kept on going," XU coach Dannton Jackson said. "Collectively, we played well on the road, and I was happy to see our guys do that."

Wright was 6-of-7 from behind the arc -- 4-of-5 in the first half -- and became the ninth Gold Rush player to make six or more treys. He's the first to do it since Renard Smith made six at home against Tougaloo on Jan. 12, 2013. The Gold Rush record for single-game 3-pointers is eight, set by Percy Bland in 1989 and tied by Mark Stewart in 2008.

Wright missed a 3-pointer on Xavier's first possession, then made his final six attempts. His last trey at 13:46 of the second half gave Xavier its largest lead, 44-22.

After a tie and two lead changes, Xavier took the lead for good, 10-9, on Troy Salvant's basket at 12:13. But the Gold Rush did not gain separation until a 12-0 run in the final 3:15 of the first half, including Wright 3-pointers at 1:22 and 0:47.

"That was a real special moment for Mo," said Jackson, whose team led 36-18 at halftime.

Sydney Coleman, with 12 points, was Xavier's only other double-figure scorer. But Jackson got points from all 10 players he used.

Dontay Sheppard scored 19 points for the Tigers (10-9, 1-5), and Charles-Eddie Smith made four 3-pointers and scored 12 points. Nathaniel Hill -- the reigning GCAC Player of the Week and averaging 13.7 points and 16.3 rebounds the previous three games -- had six points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 5:31 remaining.

"Hill is a very good player," Jackson said. "We went at him, tested him, and we were lucky to get calls on the road. Our post guys did a great job catching the ball and attacking inside."

Xavier outshot the Tigers 41.5 to 39.2 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 34-27. The Gold Rush dominated at the line, making 21-of-26 to the Tigers' 5-of-9. It's the sixth time in seven road games this season that Xavier made more free throws than its opponent.

Coleman led the Rush with six rebounds and had two assists and two blocks. The blocks were his first in 10 games.

Xavier will stay on the road and travel to Denmark, S.C., for a GCAC game against Voorhees at 7:30 p.m. EST Monday.

NOTES: This is Xavier's second four-game win streak this season . . . Xavier is 6-0 against Edward Waters since the Tigers joined the GCAC in the summer of 2010 and 8-2 all-time . . . Xavier is 126-of-300, 42 percent, from 3-point range this season. Through 21 games last season, the Gold Rush were 88-of-253, 34.8 percent . . . Xavier has made 45.7 percent of its 3's on the road this season . . . Wright made 8-of-9 3-pointers the last two games.

Box score

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 

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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Lady Rattlers Down Howard Bison 65-51 To Snap Skid

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers (5-13, 2-4 MEAC) snapped a six game losing skid with an impressive 65-51 victory over the Bison of Howard University (2-16, 2-3 MEAC), tonight on Student Organization Night at the Al Lawson Center.

Head coach LeDawn Gibson was pleased to get back on the win side.  “It’s good to get a win.  No matter what coaching we try to do, it helps to keep the ladies focused by getting a win.  We needed this for our confidence and we need it to build as we are moving toward the MEAC tournament,” Gibson said.

Olivia Antilla, led the Rattlers with 19 points.  Freshman Shalaunda Burney-Robinson scored a season-high 11 points and Alicia Jones scored 10.

In the first half, the Lady Rattlers were led by a spark from senior Jaleesa Blue who played big on the boards.  Blue pulled down four rebounds and a blocked shot to lead the Lady Rattlers from the defensive front.

Antilla lit up the Bison for 12 first half points on five-of-six shooting from the field, going two-for-three from the three point arc.  Dawn King added six first half points to power the Lady Rattlers to an 18-point lead at the break.

For the first half, the Lady Rattlers shot 53.3 percent from the field, while limiting the Bison to 28.6 percent.  While the Bison struggled from the three-point line with 16.7 percent success, FAMU lit it up at a 50 percent clip.

The Lady Rattlers got a team effort with three freshman forwards and centers playing significant time and making their most productive outputs of the season.  Burney-Robinson pulled down eight rebounds for the game with Antilla, Jones and Khadejra Young grabbing five rebounds each.

FAMU shot 51.9 percent from the field for the game and 45.5 percent from the three point line.  FAMU managed to win with 25 turnovers on the day.

The Bison were led by Syndi Johnson with 18 points for the game.  Cheyenne Brown scored 12 points, while Victoria Gonzales rounded the double figure scorers with 11.

The Lady Rattlers will take on the Hawks of UMES on Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the Al Lawson Center.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Paine Lions Continue Hot Streak with Win Over ASU Golden Rams, 110-79

AUGUSTA, Georgia – The Paine College Lions men's basketball team continues their reign atop the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference by defeating Albany State on Saturday, 110-79. The win is the 12th straight for the Lions and ninth straight in conference.
 
With the win, Paine improves their record to 12-3 overall and 9-0 in SIAC play. The Golden Rams drop to 6-10 on the season and 2-6 in league play.
 
Arnis Libazs dominated on both ends of the court for the Lions despite having four fouls. He finished the game with a double double of 30 points and 12 rebounds.Denzel Dillingham followed him with 22 points and six rebounds. Patrick Petty led the Lion in assists for the second game in a row with 11. Dillingham, Arnold Okechukwu, and Takija Knight each had a block for the night. Petty, Jordan Banks, and Jeremiah West finished the night with two steals each.
 
As a team, Paine finished the game with 42 rebounds, 27 assists, 12 steals, and three blocks. The team was 65.5 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from the arc, and 61.9 percent from the free throw line.
 
Davetom Odom led Albany State with 18 points. The leading rebounder was Demetri Wheeler with eight. Wheeler also led the team in assists with four and steals with two. Earl Farnum accounted for the lone block of the night for the Golden Rams.
 
Albany State finished the game with 32 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, and one block. As a team, the Golden Rams were 45.6 percent from the field, 26.3 percent from the arc, and 42.9 percent from the free throw line.
 
Paine takes their show on the road on Monday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. as they face Clark Atlanta.
 
For complete coverage of Paine College Lions basketball, please follow @PaineAthletics on Twitter and Paine Athletics on Facebook. You can also find up-to-date information on all things Paine Athletics at www.paineathletics.com.

BOX SCORE 

Next Game: at Clark Atlanta University 1/26/2015 - 8:00 PM

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SSU women end Hampton's MEAC streak

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- You never want to be caught thinking about March in January, but …

“If we play like we did against Florida and Hampton, I think we can win the MEAC,” Savannah State women’s center Tiyonda Davis said.

The Tigers’ 61-55 victory over the Hampton Pirates on Saturday afternoon was the latest signature win for a program that deserves to be in the early conversation of conference contenders.

SSU (9-9, 4-2 MEAC) built a lead midway through the first half and staved off the Pirates’ desperation comeback attempt to snap Hampton’s 54-game conference winning streak.

Hampton (9-10, 5-1 MEAC) last lost to Coppin State 69-66 in overtime on Jan. 28, 2012. The Pirates have won five straight MEAC championships.

CONTINUE READING 

Norfolk State Post Victory Over S.C. State Bulldogs In MEAC Play

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The South Carolina State Bulldogs dropped a tough, 76-63, defeat to the Spartans of Norfolk State Saturday (Jan.24) in Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) play at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

The Bulldogs fall to 6-15 overall, 4-3 in the MEAC, while the Spartans improve to 13-9, 6-1 in the league.

Freshman guard Edward Stephens paced South Carolina State with a team-high 16 points, while sophomore guard Karon Wright added 14.

NSU had four players in double figures with junior guard Jeff Short leading the way with 20 points and seven rebounds.  Senior forward Rashid Gaston posted the games only double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.  D'Shon Taylor and Malik Thomas each tossed in 16 in the win.

Despite the loss, the Bulldogs forced 22 turnovers but only shot 32.8 % (22-of-67) from the field, 22.2 % (6-of-27) from three-point range and 48.1% (13-of-27) from the free-throw line.

SC State returns to action on Monday against the Pirates of Hampton University in a pivotal MEAC doubleheader with the women beginning at 5:30 p.m., and the men following immediately afterwards in a 7:30 p.m. start.

For more information on South Carolina State University basketball, please call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 536-7060, or visit the official Bulldogs website at www.scsuathletics.com



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ASU hoops: Men stay unbeaten in SWAC play

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State junior Jamel Waters finished with a game-high 14 points and dished out four assists as the Hornets got an 84-60 win over Alcorn State on Saturday at the Acadome.

The Hornets (10-5, 6-0 SWAC) are off to their best conference start since the 2002-03 season, when the Hornets won their first seven conference games.

Alabama State, known for slow shooting starts this season, shot 45.7 percent from the field in building a 43-26 halftime lead. ASU ended the first half on a 12-2 run.

“It’s really important for us to play a complete game,” Waters said. “We know we play good defense. It was good to keep the pressure on them and off of us.”

Alabama State head coach Lewis Jackson said his team has been trying to get the offense going early.

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Nuggets bounce back, never trail in GCAC road victory

JACKSONVILLE, Florida  -- Xavier University of Louisiana got career highs of 14 points from Donyeah Mayfield and 13 points from Alesha Smith in a 63-57 women's basketball victory Saturday at Edward Waters.

The Gold Nuggets (11-10, 4-1 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) bounced back from a 30-point home loss to GCAC leader SUNO and moved into second place after SUNO defeated Philander Smith 80-67.

Mayfield, starting for the first time in eight games, was 7-of-10 from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds in 20 minutes. For the first time this season, she did not commit a turnover.

Smith, who matched her career scoring best, produced seven of her 11 first-half points in a 12-0 Xavier run to open the game. The Gold Nuggets never trailed and led for 38 1/2 minutes, including the final 24:56.

Also in double figures for Xavier was Whitney Gathright, who scored 14 points and made three 3-pointers. Her final trey ended the scoring with 22 seconds remaining and made her the seventh Gold Nugget to reach 100 3-pointers in a career.

Kyeshia Dawkins scored 14 points, Amber Antoine 13 and Britany Rowell 12 for the Lady Tigers (12-9, 1-5). Antoine grabbed 10 rebounds.

Edward Waters tied the score three times after its early deficit. Xavier went ahead to stay, 24-21, on a Trana Hopkins 3-pointer at 4:56 of the first half. Two Gathright free throws gave Xavier a 33-24 halftime lead, and the Nuggets held their biggest advantage, 42-26, after Mayfield's basket with 16:22 remaining.

Edward Waters cut Xavier's lead to 58-57 on Antoine's 3-point play with 2:33 remaining, but the Lady Tigers failed to score on their final four possessions. Gathright passed to Briggs for a basket which gave Xavier a 60-57 lead with 2:02 remaining.

Edward Waters outshot Xavier 38.2 to 35 percent from the floor. The Nuggets, led by Emoni Harvey's nine rebounds, won the boards 42-35. Xavier made 10-of-10 first-half free throws and finished 14-of-17.

Harvey and Gathright had five assists apiece, and Harvey matched her career high.

Xavier made 7-of-13 3-pointers after going a combined 0-of-9 the previous two games. Hopkins made two, and Taylor Norman's first-half trey was her first field goal of the season. This was Norman's fourth game after missing the first 17 because of a ruptured right achilles tendon.

Xavier will stay on the road and travel to Denmark, S.C., for a GCAC game against Voorhees at 5:30 p.m. EST Monday.

NOTES: Before Gathright, the last Gold Nugget to reach 100 career 3-pointers was Jasmine Grant on Feb. 25, 2010 . . . Xavier is 10-0 all-time against Edward Waters . . . They'll meet again Feb. 2 in the Nuggets' next home game . . . Harvey, a 5-foot-6 junior guard, leads Xavier with 42 rebounds in five conference games. Last season she grabbed 34 rebounds in 11 GCAC games . . . Xavier won both its GCAC road games this season and 29 of its last 34.

Box score

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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TSU Tiger Softball Caps Off First Week With Winter Futures Camp

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Tiger softball team closed out the first week of practice by hosting the Winter Futures Camp. The one day event was attended by 85 middle school-to-high school aged athletes from 10 states, stretching from California to Massachusetts.

“I am pleased with the turnout,” said head coach Tom Opdenbrouw. “It is great to have that many athletes and their parents visit our campus and participate in our first camp.”

The Tigers returned to the field for practices on Wednesday and Thursday, but were pushed indoors on Friday due to the weather in the Nashville area. The team joined the TSU coaching staff in guiding the campers on Saturday where they covered all facets of the game.

The Tigers return to practice on Monday after a day off on Sunday. TSU is 12 days away from the season opener on Feb. 6 in Lafayette, La.



COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Ricky Johnson scores 24, but B-CU falls short to UMES, 74-70

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- — Maryland Eastern Shore coach Bobby Collins was not happy with his team's free-throw shooting down the stretch. But the Hawks hit enough to withstand Bethune-Cookman's late rally.

Brandon Stewart hit a long 3-pointer with 16 seconds left to pull B-CU to within two points, but Devin Martin broke the Wildcats' press and dunked with 8 seconds to go to give Eastern Shore a 74-70 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory Saturday at Moore Gymnasium.

“If we didn't get the steal, we wanted to foul them right away, but they threw it real quick, and then another quick pass got them the dunk,” B-CU coach Gravelle Craig said. “We've played some of the top teams in the MEAC real tough, but we have to get over the top.”

CONTINUE READING

WSSU’s Covington named All-America

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina --Defensive lineman Duvontae Covington of Winston-Salem State, the CIAA’s defensive player of the year, was named to the SBN Sports Black College All-America Team.

Covington (6-2 and 285 pounds), who is from Greensboro, tied for second in tackles for the Rams with 52. He had one sack and 6.5 tackles for losses with one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles.

Covington, whose father, Richard Hayes, was co-defensive coordinator for the Rams last season, has also been invited to a regional combine at the Baltimore Ravens’ practice facility at the end of February.

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Delaware State, Delaware to Resume Football Series for Four Games in 2016-2020

NEWARK, Delaware -- The football series between the State of Delaware’s lone NCAA Division I programs will continue. 

University of Delaware Director of Athletics and Recreation Services Eric Ziady and Delaware State University Director of Athletics Candy Young announced jointly today that the schools have reached an agreement to meet on the gridiron four times between the 2016 and 2020 seasons.

The four games, which will all be played at the University of Delaware’s 22,000-seat Delaware Stadium, are scheduled to take place on Sept. 3, 2016, Sept. 2, 2017, Sept. 7, 2019, and Sept. 12, 2020.

“We are excited to announce this agreement between Delaware and Delaware State to continue this football series,” said Ziady. “This game is important for the State of Delaware. The fans, players, and coaches from both schools look forward to this game each year and I’m thrilled that we were able to work out the dates so that it works well for both parties. All of us at UD look forward to working with Candy and her staff to help build excitement around the series and provide a great college football environment that all of Delaware can enjoy.”

“We are excited to resume the in-state competition,” said DSU’s Young. “We look forward to the fans supporting these great events.”

The Blue Hens and Hornets have met six times previously for the First State Cup, beginning with the first meeting in 2007 when Delaware posted a 44-7 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Division I FCS Tournament.

Delaware has won all six previous meetings, including a 27-9 victory this past Sept. 7. No game is scheduled for the 2015 season but the series will resume in 2016.

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FSU's Michael Johnson gets to play in front of pro scouts

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  --Michael Johnson's football career at Fayetteville State ended in early November, but the two-time All-CIAA safety hasn't taken a day off since.

"I've been in the gym or on the field constantly,'' Johnson said. "I've been playing football since I was 4 years old and I'm not ready to give it up just yet.''

Apparently, there are plenty of significant people who believe Johnson has the potential to keep playing - at the professional level.

The 6-foot-2, 196-pounder from Raleigh has been signed by the HOF Player Representatives out of Canton, Ohio, a sports agency that serves several NFL players, and he's been invited to participate in the 2015 College Gridiron Showcase on Jan. 31 in Arlington, Texas.

CONTINUE READING

Yonker: DSU's Collins finally the right man at the right time

DOVER, Delaware -- Ok.

Here goes.

Take a deep breath Shawn.

I was wrong …

Yeah, I know — that sounded just as weird in my head as I typed it. But wait for it …

I was wrong about the University of Maryland Eastern Shore basketball team.

Yeah, I didn't think I'd ever type that either. And during a decade of suffering on the sidelines at the Hytche Center, I'd never had to say it before.

Unless you are my wife who hears those first three words too often, I hardly ever have to say them — much less type them for the world to see.

But I was wrong about first-year head coach Bobby Collins.



CONTINUE READING  

Lady Rattlers Make Strides In Final Meet At UF O'Connell Center

GAINESVILLE, Florida (Jan. 23) – The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers had a good showing at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational today at the final event at the indoor track at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on the campus of the University of Florida.

One of the highlights of the meet was the performance of Ashley Ivey. Ivey won the 55 meter hurdles in 7.98 to top the collegiate division. Ivey got stronger as the meet progressed, as she qualified for the finals nearly a full second slower.

Head coach, Darlene Moore, saw many positives in the meet. “It was a privilege to be able to compete in the last event at the historic O’Connell Center. It has been a big part of the track and field scene for the last quarter century. It was good to see our young ladies put on strong performances in this last meet,” Moore said.

Ashley Giacomucci took first place in the triple jump with a leap of 11.44m (37:06.50). Battling injuries, she performed well enough to win, which should bode well for the Lady Rattlers who are preparing for the MEAC Indoor Championship.



Sprinter Jharna Alston blazed to a second place finish in 57.27 in the 400m dash. Raven Diggs finished in sixth place (59.91) and Destiny Johnson finished in seventh (59.99). Alston also posted a third place finish in the 200m dash in 24.94

Andrea Aaron placed third in the shot put with a toss of 13.54m (46:05.25).

Ivey would also take fifth in the long jump, leaping 5.50m (17:04.25), while Jharna Alston placed 10th in 4.68m (15:11.75).

Quandra Shanks finished seventh in the mile run in 5:23.33. Newcomer Fridah Limo got a ninth place finish in 5:26.31.

Distance and middle distance runner Judith Kibii raced to a second place finish in the 3000m run, with a time of 10:19.25. She also navigated to a 2:25.25 finish in the 800m dash, good for 12th place overall.

Moore was pleased with the progress the team has made at this point in the season. “We saw some good things from the young ladies, but we also saw some areas we need to concentrate on. We’ll go back to work next week to make sure we can make the best of our talents in order to compete for a MEAC championship,” Moore said.

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Former NSU player Lynden Trail makes plays, shows versatility at Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Alabama -- When defensive end Lynden Trail arrived at Florida in 2010 he looked more like Corey Brewer than Jevon Kearse.

Trail was listed at 6-foot-7, weighing 203 pounds. The Gators were hopeful Trail would fill out into a disruptive defensive end.

Trail filled out, but at Norfolk State. He transferred after two years at UF in which he redshirted and then didn’t play his second season in 2011 as he struggled to add weight.

Three years later, Trail has morphed into one of the most impressive athletes at the Senior Bowl. During Tuesday’s official weigh-in, Trail was listed at a shade over 6-6 and checking in at 262 pounds. He has emerged as perhaps the most intriguing prospect from a Football Championship Subdivision school in the draft.

“I left Florida weighing around 225,” Trail said. “The thing that really helped me at Norfolk was my girlfriend. She changed my nutrition. I went from eating junk food and fast food to home-cooked meals. I’m not a greens guy, but she sneaks vegetables into dishes she makes. Slowly, I started to gain weight, it started to stick and form in the right ways.”



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Alcorn State Athletics Releases 2015 Football Schedule

LORMAN, Mississippi -- The Alcorn State athletics department announced the 2015 Braves football schedule today.

Fourth-year head coach, Jay Hopson and the 2014 SWAC and Black College National Champion Braves have a tough road ahead of them as they look to defend their title in 2015. The schedule consists of two non-conference opponents and as always a competitive nine-game SWAC schedule.

An early non-conference challenge kicks off the 2015 season as the Braves travel to Atlanta, Ga. on September 3rd for a Thursday night matchup against the 2014 Orange Bowl Champions, Georgia Tech, at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

After a nine-day rest period, the Braves hit the road once again on Sept. 12th to face their first SWAC Eastern Division opponent of the season, Alabama State.

Back-to-back home games wrap up the month of September with Mississippi Valley State coming to town on September. 19th followed by the Braves final non-conference game of the season against Concordia College (Selma) on Sept. 26th.

The Braves have only three games in October beginning with a trip to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Oct. 3rd. After an open date on Oct. 10th, Grambling State makes their way to Spinks-Casem Stadium on October 17th. October ends on Halloween Night with a rematch of the 2014 SWAC Championship game in Baton Rouge, La. as the Braves take on Southern University.

November will be full of excitement with Prairie View A&M coming to "Reservation" on Nov. 7th. On November 14th, the Braves travel to Houston to face Texas Southern before returning to Lorman, Miss. for their home finale against Alabama A&M on November 21st.

The 2015 regular season ends versus heated rival Jackson State on Nov. 28th at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss.

Coach Hopson had this to say about the 2015 schedule; "We are very excited about the schedule for the upcoming season, especially with the opportunity to open up against a very good Georgia Tech team from the ACC," said Hopson. "We encourage our alumni and fans to come out and support us this season as we look to defend our SWAC title.

Season ticket packages will be finalized within the next few weeks. For more information about ticket prices, call the ASU ticket office at 601.877.6822.



ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY BRAVES 2015 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date		Opponent	Location	Home/Away	Conf. Game	Location		Day

9/3/2015 Georgia Tech Atlanta, Ga. A Atlanta, Ga. Thu. 
9/12/2015 Alabama State Montgomery, Ala. A * Montgomery, Ala. Sat.
9/19/2015 Mississippi Valley State Lorman, Miss. H * Lorman, Miss. Sat. 
9/26/2015 Concordia College (Selma) Lorman, Miss. H Lorman, Miss. Sat. 
10/3/2015 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, Ark. A * Pine Bluff, Ark. Sat. 
10/10/2015 Open H Sat. 
10/17/2015 Grambling State Lorman, Miss. H * Lorman, Miss. Sat.
10/24/2015 Open H Sat.
10/31/2015 Southern Baton Rouge, La. A * Baton Rouge, La. Sat.
11/7/2015 Prairie View A&M Lorman, Miss. H * Lorman, Miss. Sat.  
11/14/2015 Texas Southern Houston, Texas A * Houston, Texas Sat. 
11/21/2015 Alabama A&M Lorman, Miss. H * Lorman, Miss. Sat. 
11/28/2015 Jackson State Jackson, Miss. A * Jackson, Miss. Sat.  


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COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

UDC Firebirds Fend off Spartans for Third Straight Win

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- University of the District of Columbia held St. Thomas Aquinas without a field goal for nearly the final five minutes of regulation as the Firebirds pulled away late to win their third straight game, 62-48 in East Coast Conference play Thursday night in the nation's capital.

The Firebirds, ranked No. 8 in the D2SIDA East Region poll this week, improved to 14-3 overall and 7-2 in ECC play. They are currently 3^rd in the league standings behind Queens and NYIT – who each have one loss in league play. STAC fell to 8-11 overall and 4-6 in league play with tonight's loss.

 

After shooting a paltry 30-percent (10-of-30) in the first half from the field, the Firebirds made up for it by shooting 48-percent (14-of-29) in the second half. UDC also owned a sizeable, 43-24 rebounding advantage thanks in large part to its two forwards, senior Denikka Brent (Mechanical Engineering – Chesapeake, VA/Booker T. Washington HS) and junior Tatyana Calhoun (Architecture – Disputanta, VA/Sussex Central HS) combining for 26 rebounds. Brent finished with a team-high 17 points and 10 rebounds while Calhoun hauled in a season and game-high 16 rebounds (nine on the offensive glass), scored 10 points and had three steals.

 

UDC outscored STAC 30-18 in the paint and 18-6 in second-chance points courtesy of 22 offensive rebounds. The Firebirds also forced 18 Spartan turnovers and cashed them in for 22 points.

 

STAC had just one scorer in double figures – guard Jenna Erickson with 13 points. Erickson shot 5-of-11 from the field and also registered four assists and three steals. Kaitlyn McCue had a game-high five assists for the guests and KC Sokolski pitched in with a team-high nine rebounds.

 

The first half featured three ties and three lead changes as the two ECC foes were never separated by more than five points the entire half. The Firebirds, led by Calhoun's six points and nine rebounds, took a 25-21 lead into halftime.

 

Still a five-point game halfway through the closing period, the Firebirds used a 6-0 run to take their first double-digit lead of the night, 47-36 just past the eight-minute mark. The Spartans came charging back with a 10-2 surge, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers by Samantha Lane and consecutive layups by Erickson. The second of Erickson's layups brought STAC within three, 49-46 with 4:52 remaining.

 

On the ensuing Firebirds possession, UDC had the ball for 38 seconds including four shot attempts before junior guard Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore (Criminal Justice – Newport News, VA/Denbigh HS) converted a layup to put the Firebirds up five. Then, following a STAC turnover, Brent earned a trip to the free-throw line and converted a pair to extend the lead to seven with 3:45 left to play.

 

In the final 4:52, STAC managed only two free throws (on four attempts), shot  0-for-6 from the field and turned the ball over three times. Meanwhile, UDC made 7-of-8 free-throws and made its last two shots from the field, closing out the game on a 13-2 run to win by its largest margin of the night, 14.

 

Next up, UDC visits ECC foe Mercy in Dobbs Ferry, NY on Saturday, January 24^th at 12:30 p.m.

 

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COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPORTS INFORMATION

Shaq Roland ‘pretty excited’ about moving on to Prairie View

Roland considered going to Winston Salem State, West Georgia, West Alabama and Coastal Carolina before deciding on Prairie View.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- A local legend and would-be USC superstar will finish his collegiate career far away from his home state, and that’s probably where Shaq Roland should have started it, say some of the people closest to him.

Roland will play his senior season at Prairie View A&M, an FCS program 45 miles northwest of Houston, his mother told The State on Friday.

“He’s pretty excited,” Petina Etheredge said.

Roland played in 10 games for the Gamecocks in 2014 but left the team Dec. 23, the day his teammates departed Columbia for the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. It was a quiet and disappointing ending to a career that began with plenty of promise.

Roland was named a PARADE All-American after leading Lexington High to an 11-1 record while gaining more than 2,000 yards and scoring 24 touchdowns as a senior in 2011. He was tabbed a five-star recruiting prospect by Scout.com. Alabama, Florida and Georgia all wore out U.S. 1 making recruiting visits to Lexington, but Roland spurned them and became the state’s fourth straight “Mr. Football” to sign with the Gamecocks.

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College Basketball Teams Most Likely to Stay Undefeated in Conference Play: NCCU Eagles

Record: 14-5 (6-0)

Biggest Hurdles Remaining: at North Carolina A&T (Feb. 7)

Chance Undefeated: 54.7 percent

It's been more than a full year since North Carolina Central lost a game in one of the worst conferences in the nation. The Eagles opened MEAC play in 2013-14 with a three-point loss at Florida A&M before winning 18 straight—most of them in blowout fashion.

Even without last year's outstanding backcourt of Jeremy Ingram and Emanuel Chapman leading the way on both offense and defense, it's been more of the same this year.

Scoring has been much more balanced, but the Eagles are winning games thanks to the evolution of senior Jordan Parks and the addition of transfers Nimrod Hilliard (Lamar) and Anthony McDonald (Mississippi Valley State).

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