Bluefield State Blues Terry Brown Retiring as Athletic Director

BLUEFIELD, West Virginia -- Terry Brown, the Athletic Director of Bluefield State College is retiring. During his tenure at BSC, Brown has been the athletic director for 27 years and coached the Men's Basketball team for 22 years as well as tennis and golf.

Brown is a Bluefield State alumnus and former men's basketball player. He is a native of Coaldale Mountain and a member of the Bramwell High School Millionaires State Championship team of 1971. "I went to Concord College for one day. Once I got there I felt so out of place and uncomfortable, so I went home." Brown said. "I'm at home and the next day I get a phone call and later a visit from Tony Mandeville. He said 'I hear you've dropped out of school and we'd love to have you at Bluefield State.'

Brown played his freshman and sophomore years for Mandeville and his final two years for John Quintier. Following graduation he joined Quintier's coaching staff. In 1980 Brown was named head basketball coach, a position he held until 2002. In 1987, Brown succeeded Barry Blizzard as athletic director.

Thirty-one of the 43 years Brown spent at BSC he was affiliated with the men's basketball team as either a player or coach. His 1996 Big Blues squad won the WVIAC Tournament championship. He praised the many assistant coaches he had over the years, including Charlie Maynard, Jack Lawson, Chuck Lambert and Jeff Stone. Also key were game-day workers such as Mike Proffitt and Rick Baker. Terry Sarver has operated the clock at games for more than 35 years.

"I've had the opportunity to play around the world," Brown said. "I've coached in South America, Australia, and it's all because of my affiliation with Bluefield State."

"It was a fantastic run," Brown said. Over the years, athletics at Bluefield State has evolved from 3 sports teams when Brown was a student to 10 sports teams currently. "I've had a great experience dealing with faculty and staff over the years, " Brown said. "The administration that we currently have, it's really hard to leave them. They have been super supportive."

Brown has worked with 11 presidents, interim and permanent, during his years at Bluefield State. He praised the work and efforts of current BSC President, Dr. Marsha Krotseng.

Asked what he was going to miss most, Brown said, "I'm going to miss the kids." "It's going to be very difficult to adjust, I'm sure; my three children are grown and all of them are former Bluefield State students. I am now a grandpa, " Brown said. " I'm going to miss the people I have been in contact with over the years.

Brown's retirement is effective immediately, but he will remain in the position at the request of Dr. Krotseng during the transition phase to a new athletic director.

Information from Bob Redd at Bluefield Daily Telegraph and Terry Brown
COURTESY BLUEFIELD STATE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Norfolk State Hoops to Compete in Sun Bowl Invitational

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The Norfolk State men's basketball program will take part in this year's WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational, the Sun Bowl Association and WestStar Bank announced on Thursday afternoon. The tournament will be played Dec. 21-22 at the Don Haskins Center on the campus of UTEP in El Paso, Texas.

NSU will join UC Irvine, Sam Houston State and the host Miners among the field of four. NSU will face UTEP at 7 p.m. on Dec. 21, while UC Irvine and Sam Houston State will play in the earlier game. The consolation and championship games will be played at 5 and 7 p.m., respectively, on Dec. 22.

This year will mark the 54th year of the tournament. The Spartans will make their second appearance after competing in the invitational during the 2009-10 season.

UC Irvine advanced to the NCAA tournament last year after winning the Big West Conference tournament. Sam Houston State won 26 games and, like NSU, played in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. UTEP competed in the NIT after placing second in the regular season Conference USA standings. All four programs in this year's Sun Bowl Invitational won 20 or more games last year and have averaged at least 20 wins the last three years.

The tournament is the second of the upcoming season that NSU has announced already. The Spartans will also compete in the Paradise Jam from Nov. 20-23 in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, their third appearance at the tournament.

The full 2015-16 NSU basketball schedule is expected to be released within the next week or two.

Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

ECSU Athletics to host Golf Tourney July 17th at the Pines

Proceeds to Support Viking Golf Program

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina -- The 2015 Athletic Department Golf Tournament will take place Friday, July 17th at The Pines at Elizabeth City.

The purpose of this event is to provide our alumni and friends an opportunity to support ECSU’s golf program.

The inaugural year (2014) paid off immediately as our Viking golf team finished third overall at this year’s CIAA Championship and two of our student-athletes went on to compete at the 2015 PGA Minority Golf Championship this past May in Port St. Lucie, Florida. We would like to keep that momentum going and simultaneously offer our area and visiting golfers an exceptional day of fun on the fairway.

For more information and a registration form click here .

COURTESY ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Chicago State Tennis Hosts Fourth-Annual Green and White Classic on July 24-26

2015 CSU Green and White Tennis Classic Application

CHICAGO, Illinois -- The Chicago State University tennis program is hosting the fourth-annual Green and White Tennis Classic on July 24-26, 2015 at the CSU Tennis Courts.

The tournament is open to all players and the proceeds from the event will benefit both CSU tennis programs.

Cost for competing in the classic is $25 for singles players and $40 for doubles teams. The USTA Tournament ID number is.

"The tournament is always well supported by the tennis community. They always have a good time in socializing and competition. They understand that it is going toward a great cause in our student-athletes so all the support is awesome!!!," Barton said.

For more information on the classic, please call Coach Barton at (773) 821-4959.

COURTESY CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Dynamic duo to represent Coppin State at Pan-Am Games

(L) DEANDRA DANIELS AND (R) CHRISTINA EPPS
COURTESY: COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Coppin State University will be well-represented at the prestigious XVII Pan-Am Games competition in Toronto later this month as senior high jumper Deandra Daniel along with triple jumper Christina Epps, a 2014 graduate, will compete against the world's best.

Epps, the current reigning USATF triple jump national champion and native of Morristown (N.J.), will represent the United States when she competes on Tuesday, July 21 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time. With a personal best mark of 14.09 meters, Epps is the best triple jumper in the United States.

Meanwhile, Daniel, a six-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) high jump champion, will compete for her native country of Trinidad & Tobago. Daniel takes center stage on Wednesday, July 22 at 10:05 a.m.

Epps and Daniel are using this event as a tune-up for the World Championship Games in Beijing, China next month.

"It's exciting and a blessing to have two Coppin State student-athletes participating at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto," said Coppin State head women's track and field coach Alecia Shields-Gadson. "It's a tremendous honor for these Eagles to represent their respective countries at this prestigious international competition."

Earlier this year, Epps won the triple jump at the Penn Relays and the Morgan State Legacy Meet.

Epps was named the 2014 MEAC Woman of the Year and one of the 30 finalists for the 2014 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. During her star-studded career, Epps earned NCAA Indoor All-America honors, was a 12-time All-MEAC student-athlete and a six-time triple jump champion in the conference. She is the current Coppin State triple jump record holder. Her school standard is 13.40 meters (43 feet, 11.75 inches).

Epps was selected as the Coppin State Female Presidents' Eagle Award Winner, Female Athlete of the Year and MVP in track and field for the 2013-14 season.

Daniel earned All-American honors during the indoor track and field season after placing third in the NCAA Championship meet in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Daniel tied her personal best and school record mark of 1.87 meters (6 feet, 1.5 inches) to claim a bronze medal in the high jump at the NCAA Championships. Daniel was named the 2015 Coppin State Female Athlete of the Year and 2015 Coppin State Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Daniel won the MEAC indoor and outdoor high jump championships. During the indoor MEAC championship meet, Daniel rewrote the record book by clearing 1.85 meters (6 feet, 0.75 inches) to erase a mark that had stood for 10 years. She ended the outdoor season by earning All-ECAC East honors and qualifying for the NCAA Division I East Region Preliminary Championships in Jacksonville (Fl.).

"Christina and Deandra have worked hard and it's great to see them be rewarded for their sacrifices and dedication to their craft," Shields-Gadson said. "I couldn't think of two better young ladies to compete on this international stage. They are great ambassadors of Coppin State and terrific role models for our youth. I have no doubt that they'll make Coppin proud in Toronto."

About the Pan American Games
Held every four years in the year before the Olympic Games, the Pan American Games are the third largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games. The history of the Pan American Games dates back to 1951 when the Games were first hosted by Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 2015 Pan American Games mark the 17th celebration of the Pan American Sports Organization event. The U.S. has hosted the event twice, in Indianapolis in 1987 and Chicago in 1959.

COURTESY COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Does NCAA unfairly punish sports programs at historically black colleges?

Of the 21 athletic teams that will face a postseason ban next season for failing to meet the NCAA’s academic standard during the 2013-14 season, 15 are at historically black colleges and universities.

Washington, D.C. -- When the NCAA announced scores in late May for its annual measurement of whether college athletes are adhering to minimum academic benchmarks, virtually all high-profile schools were spared. Across all institutions, Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores have improved since the measurement was first released in 2004. But another trend has persisted: the disproportionate penalization of historically black colleges and universities for failing to meet the standard.

Of the 21 athletic teams that will face a postseason ban next season for failing to meet the NCAA’s academic standard during the 2013-14 season, upon which the most recent scores are based, 15 are at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Twenty-five percent of HBCU teams had a single-year APR score below the minimum of 930 during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, compared with 6 percent of teams from non-HBCU institutions in 2012-13 and 4 percent in 2013-14, according to the NCAA’s most recent national and sport-group APR averages and trends.

Some critics of the APR see the gap more as a reflection of the disparity of resources between NCAA member schools than a measure of academic achievement. Many HBCUs face the challenge of serving their core mission of educating poor and academically underserved communities with less funding than more powerful programs to provide academic oversight geared at keeping athletes eligible.

“It really has nothing to do with the quality of education the student is getting,” said Gerald Gurney, president of the Drake Group, an NCAA watchdog, and a former associate athletics director at the University of Oklahoma. “It’s all about how well they play the game, so HBCUs and limited-resource institutions cannot manipulate the APR as big schools.”

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XU Rush sign 5 student-athletes, 2 from metro New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana announced Wednesday the addition of five student-athletes to its men's cross country and/or track and field programs for the 2015-16 academic year. Signed to scholarships were:

• Sprinter/jumper Keairez Coleman of Harrisville, Miss., an53d Mendenhall High School.
• Sprinter Ethan Gipson of Memphis, Tenn., and Houston High School.
• Sprinter Kameron Joyner of Fort Wayne, Ind., and South Side High School.
• Distance runner Felipe Perrier of Slidell, La., and Slidell High School.
• Distance runner Darrick Williams of New Orleans and John Curtis Christian School.

All will be freshmen and will compete in track. Perrier and Williams also will compete in cross country.

Coleman triple-jumped 43 feet, 5 1/2 inches to finish fifth in Mississippi's Class 4A state championships in 2014. His best time in the 400-meter dash is 54.49 seconds. Coleman also played basketball, football, baseball and tennis at Mendenhall and was an all-district, 1,000-yard passer his junior season.

As a junior, Gipson was a member of Houston's Class AAA state-champion 400-meter relay team, and he helped the Mustangs win the Class AAA team championship. He won five times his senior season and posted career-best times of 10.89 in the 100 and 22.00 in the 200 at the sectional meet.

Joyner was all-state in Indiana as a senior after placing ninth in the 100 at state meet. His best times are 10.91 in the 100 and 22.49 in the 200. He was a two-way starter in football as a junior and senior.
Perrier competed in track and powerlifting for three years apiece at Slidell and was a three-time powerlifting regional champion in the 162-pound weight class. He has honed his distance-running skills since joining the Army ROTC nearly seven months ago.

Williams was a member of John Curtis teams which swept state titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track each of the past two seasons and won indoor and outdoor track titles in 2013. His best 3-mile time in cross country is 16:52.25.

Coleman was salutatorian of his graduating class and will major in biology at Xavier. Gipson (XU major pre-pharmacy), Joyner (psychology) and Perrier (chemistry/pre-pharmacy) made the honor roll multiple times in high school, and Williams (business finance) graduated with a 3.25 GPA.

Xavier's men won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference cross country team championships each of the past nine seasons. The Gold Rush qualified for NAIA National Championship meets in cross country (team) and outdoor track (three events) this past season. The 2015 cross country season will begin in late August.

2015-16 Xavier men's cross country and/or track and field signees

Name Events Ht. Wt. Yr.* Hometown High School (College)
Keairez Coleman Sprints, Jumps 5-10 180 Fr. Harrisville, Miss. Mendenhall
Ethan Gipson Sprints 5-10 146 Fr. Memphis, Tenn. Houston
Kameron Joyner Sprints 5-7 160 Fr. Fort Wayne, Ind. South Side
Felipe Perrier Distance 5-11 162 Fr. Slidell, La. Slidell
Darrick Williams Distance 5-7 135 Fr. New Orleans, La. John Curtis Christian
* athletic classification at Xavier in 2015-16


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Marquette Men's Basketball 2015-16 Non-Conference Games #6 & #7: Jackson State & Grambling State

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin -- When you're assembling a non-conference schedule, you have to take a few things into consideration. Are there rivalry games we play every year? What multi-team event are we participating in? Do we have a home-and-home contract to honor? Do we have an inexperienced team that needs a chance to grow together? Do we have an experienced team that needs to be challenged?

All of those questions have to get answered, and the schedule you assemble has to relate to those answers. That, kids, is how you end up scheduling Jackson State and Grambling State.

I don't have a lot of rules when it comes to non-conference games, although most of that has to do with the fact that Deputy Athletic Director Mike Broeker doesn't let me pick the games. But if I was allowed to pick the games, one of my rules would be "Don't schedule teams from the SWAC." Rule #2 would definitely be "Don't schedule two teams from the SWAC." That's what we have here, though. Grambling State hasn't finished in the top 300 of the KenPom rankings since 2005, and that year they were #299 out of 330. Jackson State isn't much better, finishing below 300 on KenPom each of the past four seasons and carrying a peak KenPom era final ranking of 249 back in 2007 when they won the SWAC's auto-bid. They were slotted as a 16 seed in the tournament and got blasted by 43 points by defending champion Florida.

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XU Nuggets sign 7 more, including 4 state-champion relay runners

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana announced Friday the addition of seven student-athletes to its women's cross country and/or track and field programs for the 2015-16 academic year.

Signed to scholarships were:
• Sprinter Kee-Myah Henderson of Humble, Texas, and Summer Creek High School.
• Middle distance/distance runner Chinyere Jones of Jackson, Miss., and Murrah High School.
• Distance runner Dionysia Love of River Ridge, La., and Sophie B. Wright Charter School.
• Sprinter Ky'Reon McBride of Lafayette, La., and Lafayette High School.
• Sprinters Alexis Milton and Martina Wright of Opelousas, La., and Westminster Christian Academy.
• Distance runner Brianna Pace of Junction City, Kan., and Junction City High School.

All will be freshmen and will compete in track. Jones, Love and Pace also will compete in cross country.

Henderson was a district champion and region runner-up in the 100-meter dash her sophomore season. Her best times include 11.9 seconds for 100 meters and 24.4 for 200 meters. Henderson also was a national qualifier in the 100 for the Junior Olympics.

Jones placed third this year in the 400 and 800 in Mississippi's Class 6A state outdoor meet and ran the leadoff segment on the state-champion 1,600 relay team. She was third in the 800 at the 2014 state meet. Her best times include 2:20 in the 800 and 57.1 in the 400.

Love was a three-time qualifier for the 2A state cross country meet and had a best finish of 18th as a senior. As a junior she ran three miles in a career-best 20:01 to place third at the District 10-2A meet. In outdoor track she placed seventh in the 3,200 at this year's state meet.

McBride scored in the relays for four consecutive years at Louisiana's indoor and outdoor state meets. She was a member of Lafayette 3,200 relay teams which won indoor state championships in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Her best 400 time is 58.6.

Milton and Wright finished 2-3 in the 100 and 2-5 in the 200 at the 2A state outdoor meet this year. They also ran on Westminster's state-champion 400 relay team and state-runner-up 800 relay. Milton's state-meet times were 12.23 in 100 and 25.43 in 200, and Wright's times were 12.57 and 26.77.

Pace ran the anchor segment of Junction City's 3,200 relay team which placed fourth at this year's 6A outdoor meet. Pace ran the third segment in a third-place finish at state in 2014. Her best times include 2:24.08 in the 800 and 15:41.49 for 4,000 meters in cross country.

Xavier majors for these signees will be psychology/pre-med for Henderson, physics/bio-medical engineering for Jones, biology/pre-medical for Love, McBride and Wright, biology for Milton and computer science for Pace.

The Gold Nuggets have eight signed for next season. Previously announced was sprinter Janelle Jones of Baton Rouge, La., and Episcopal High School.

Xavier's women won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference cross country team championships each of the past nine seasons and GCAC outdoor track titles each of the past three years. The Gold Nuggets qualified for NAIA National Championship meets in cross country (team) and outdoor track (four events) this past season. The 2015 cross country season will begin in late August.

2015-16 Xavier women's cross country and/or track and field signees

Name Events Ht. Yr.* Hometown High School
Kee-Myah Henderson Sprints 5-9 Fr. Humble, Texas Summer Creek
Chinyere Jones Middle Distance/Distance 5-8 Fr. Jackson, Miss. Murrah
Janelle Jones Sprints 5-4 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. Episcopal
Dionysia Love Distance 5-3 Fr. River Ridge, La. Sophie B. Wright
Ky'Reon McBride Sprints 5-6 Fr. Lafayette, La. Lafayette
Alexis Milton Sprints 5-2 Fr. Opelousas, La. Westminster Christian
Brianna Pace Distance 5-1 Fr. Junction City, Kan. Junction City
Martina Wright Sprints 5-3 Fr. Opelousas, La. Westminster Christian
* athletic classification at Xavier in 2015-16


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Former NCA&T Aggie Makes Baseball All-Star Game

LUKE TENDLER
Courtesy: Hickory Crawdads

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Former North Carolina A&T baseball standout Luke Tendler continues to progress in the Texas Rangers farm system. Tendler is a member of the Hickory Crawdads (N.C.), a minor league Class A affiliate in the South Atlantic League.

As of July 10, Tendler is hitting .268 with a .326 on-base percentage and .433 slugging percentage. His power numbers have been impressive. He has seven home runs, 40 RBI, 19 doubles and four triples. He was recently named to the SAL North All-Star team. During the All-Star game, he went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 7-5 win over the South in Asheville, N.C.

Tendler, who played at NewBridge Bank Park, home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers, four times as a collegiate, plays in the same league as the Hoppers. In six games against the Hoppers at NewBridge, Tendler is 12-for-30 (.400) with two doubles, a triple, a home run, three RBI and four runs scored. Tendler returns to Greensboro Aug. 20-23 for a four-game series.

From 2011-14, Tendler was a key power hitter for the Aggies baseball team. Tendler led the Aggies in batting in three out of the seasons he played, while starting 199 out of the 200 games he played at A&T. His career highlights include being named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, a Louisville Slugger third-team All-American as a junior and he was named MEAC Preseason Player of the Year in 2013.

He was a career .349 hitter with 24 home runs and 179 RBI. He also finished with 66 doubles, 15 triples and a .561 slugging percentage. As a junior, he was fourth in the nation in doubles per game.

As an Aggie, Tendler played second, shortstop and in the outfield. He became the 18th Aggie in school history to be selected in the MLB draft. The Rangers selected Tendler with 876th overall pick in 2014 amateur draft to play the outfield. Tendler was assigned to the Spokane Indians, a Class Short-Season A affiliate of the Rangers in the Northwest League before being promoted to the Crawdads in 2015.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Former NCCU baseball star killed in motorcycle crash

CLAYTON, North Carolina — A former baseball star at N.C. Central University was killed Thursday night after his motorcycle crashed in Johnston County.

Dylan Lee Drayton, 23, of Charlotte was riding a 2003 Suzuki on McLemore Road when he lost control, said State Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Jeff Gordon.

Drayton’s mother, Deidre Wolfe, 44, of Clayton, was a passenger on the motorcycle and was taken to WakeMed Raleigh, where she was treated for injuries not considered life threatening, Gordon said.

The accident took place about 10:40 p.m. on McLemore Road near Cleveland Fire Road, in the Clayton-Cleveland area of Johnston County.

Wolfe told state troopers that her son was going too fast for a curve and ran off the right side of McLemore Road. Investigators determined the motorcycle struck a ...

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ASU football, Jenkins under NCAA investigation

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Three Alabama State University sports programs, including the school's football team, are currently under investigation for NCAA rules violations, two ASU officials revealed under oath in depositions, according to a source familiar with the proceedings.

ASU President Gwendolyn Boyd and athletic director Melvin Hines were questioned in lengthy depositions on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, as part of former football coach Reggie Barlow's wrongful termination lawsuit against the university.

According to the source, Boyd revealed that ASU had been notified by the NCAA that it was conducting an investigation into allegations that first-year ASU football coach Brian Jenkins' staff violated practice restrictions placed on the school due to poor academic progress rate (APR) scores.

Boyd also said the school was copied on a notice from the NCAA stating it was investigating numerous rules violations alleged by former coaches and players at Bethune-Cookman University during Jenkins' tenure at the Daytona Beach, Florida, college.

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CAU Lady Panthers Volleyball Announces 2015 Schedule

ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Clark Atlanta University Lady Panthers volleyball team and head coach Brittany Black released their schedule for the upcoming 2015 season on Monday. The team, which returns all but one student-athlete, will be looking to improve on their fourth place finish in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) last season, finishing with a record of 11-25 (9-8 SIAC).

The Lady Panthers will kick off their season as they take a short trip up I-85 on September 5th to participate in the Emmanuel College Tournament, which will see them take on the host school in addition to the University of West Georgia.

The squad will follow the opening games with a trip to Albany, Georgia, to participate in the SIAC Crossover (September 24-26), competing against all eight of the SIAC West Division teams including conference newcomer Central State University.

The first of eight home contests will take place on October 1st, as they play host to SIAC rival Benedict College. The team will also host a tri-match event on October 16th, with Loyola University (LA) and North Greenville coming to town. CAU will play Loyola in the first match of the day and North Greenville in the nightcap, with their two opponents facing off against each other in between.

Claflin University (10/18), Emmanuel College (10/27), Albany State University (11/3), Paine College (11/6) and Fort Valley State University (11/9) round out the home schedule for the Lady Panthers.

When asked about the upcoming season, Black replied, "This year we will rely on our senior outside Cori Smith, as well as our All-Conference and All-Tournament Junior middle Sierra Scoggins and sophomore middle Alexandria Baptiste. I am looking forward to seeing the growth and maturity these young ladies have displayed during our Spring season translate into competitive play this Fall. Returning almost our entire team with the addition of a few transfers will be an asset we will use throughout the season. I believe with maturity comes an aspect of development mentally on the court that helps a coach and team be successful."

All Clark Atlanta home matches take place in L.S. Epps Gymnasium. For more information, please log on to clarkatlantasports.com.

CLICK ON CAU SCHEDULE TO ENLARGE

CAU VOLLEYBALL 2015 SCHEDULE LINK


COURTESY CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Stillman College Tennis Coach Will Riley and Southern University Alumnus Avery Johnson (Cover Story) Featured in Tuscaloosa Magazine

COACH WILL RILEY
STILLMAN COLLEGE TENNIS
COURTESY: STILLMAN COLLEGE ATHLETICS

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama --  It took five cans of Pepsi, yards of pacing and a championship victory for Will Riley to overcome his nerves.

The Stillman College tennis coach always drinks Pepsi when he's nervous. That spring day in 2013, Riley's teams were competing for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles. He had all kinds of butterflies in his stomach as he paced from court to court.

His men's tennis team had claimed a quick 5-0 victory over Morehouse College. His women's team was taking longer, prolonging the players' nerves as well as his own. Finally, with a last effort, the Stillman women took the victory, 5-3, over Benedict College. For years, Riley's teams had been competing at the SIAC, but this was the first time they left as winners.

The rest can be read here.

CONTINUE READING (Pages 89-90 Tuscaloosa Magazine)

AVERY JOHNSON STORY ON PAGES 1, 45-51 (Link)

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Clark Atlanta Sets New Course for Football Turn-Around; New Interim Head Coach Kevin Ramsey on the Defense

KEVIN RAMSEY
INTERIM HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
CLARK-ATLANTA UNIVERSITY

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Looking to transform its current football program into one that consistently produces high-performing student-athletes, Clark Atlanta University (CAU) today announced a decisive shift in its approach to building what new president Ronald A. Johnson, Ph.D., intends to be a force in the SIAC that galvanizes students and alumni and garners national attention for the University. The first building block in what will become the "Panther Powerhouse" is the July 13 arrival of Interim Head Coach Kevin Ramsey.

"Coach Ramsey is a model of excellence who has consistently demonstrated his ability to build relationships that yield the highest standard of performance on the field and off," Johnson said. "His arrival signals a new, critical cornerstone in a strategic shift that, with the right balance of talent, coaching and training, can precipitate a long-awaited turn-around. Our goal is not simply to post a better record in one season," Johnson noted. "We are looking to build a comprehensive program that sets a new, higher standard in player training, education and safety within the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and across the HBCU competitive field. Suffice it to say," Johnson noted, "that CAU is on the defense."

Ramsey's pedigree, shaped considerably by three seasons as secondary coach for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals (2000-02) and NFL coaching internships with the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles, is one Johnson believes will be the right match for fortifying and elevating CAU's program. Ramsey presently serves as defensive coordinator for Alabama State University (ASU) where his aggressive brand of defense has since 2013 held opponents to a per-game average of 110.1 yards, leading the SWAC and ranking 11th nationally. With Ramsey at the helm, ASU led the SWAC in quarterback sacks with 50, a 4.17 per game average that placed ASU second among all NCAA Division I-AA/Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams.

Ramsey was defensive coordinator at Texas Southern University (TSU) from 2009-10 and, after serving as interim head coach during the 2011 season, returned to his post in 2012. His team record topped the FCS in total defense in 2010 (204.9 yards per game allowed) and 2011 (245.0 yards per game allowed), and in fewest first downs allowed (140 in 2010; 141 in 2011). His 2010 squad led the nation in six statistical categories: total defense, fewest first downs allowed, sacks (45), tackles for loss (112), lowest third down percentage allowed (22.5) and pass efficiency defense (78.9).

CAU PANTERS 2015 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE LINK

Prior to coaching at Texas Southern, Ramsey, who began his coaching career as a graduate assistant during Kansas State University's 1984-85 season, spent five seasons as defensive coordinator at Carson-Newman College (2004-08), where his units ranked in the top 20 in various national categories each season. He has coached at some of the nation's largest schools: Kansas State (1987-89, outside linebackers), Northwestern (1990-92, defensive line/defensive backs), West Virginia (1993-94, defensive backs), Tennessee (1995-98, defensive backs), Georgia (1999, defensive coordinator) and Michigan State (2000, defensive backs). He returned to Arizona State University in 2003 (defensive secondary), after serving as defensive coordinator with the Cardinals.

Ramsey's coaching acumen has helped secure numerous bowl game appearances, including: the Outback Bowl (Georgia, 2000); the Carquest Bowl (West Virginia, 1995): the Sugar Bowl (West Virginia, 1994); as well as the Citrus Bowl in (1996 and 1997), the Orange Bowl (1998) and the Fiesta Bowl National Championship Game (1999), all with the University of Tennessee. He most recently was the defense coordinator for the East Team in the Jan. 17, 2015, East vs. West Shrine Bowl, helping clinch a 19-3 East Team victory.

Ramsey earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Indiana State University where he was a three-time All-Missouri Valley defensive back from 1980-83 and a second team All-American as a senior. He also played baseball. A native of East St. Louis, Ill., Ramsey and his wife Doreen have four daughters.

"I will spend the next few weeks making a full assessment of the current program's viability and then we will begin the focused, deliberate work of building a solid, successful football program at Clark Atlanta University," Ramsey said.

Clark Atlanta University is a private, coeducational four-year university located in the historic heart of Atlanta. It is designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a Doctoral Research University. Our 3,500 students are engaged in 38 areas of study in our four schools: Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education and the Whitney M. Young Jr. School of Social Work. National business and consumer publications rank Clark Atlanta high among the best buys in American higher education. Clark Atlanta University is accredited to award the Bachelor’s, Master’s, Specialist and Doctoral degrees by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; Telephone 404-679-4501).  For more information, call 404-880-8000 or go to www.cau.edu.

COURTESY CLARK-ATLANTA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

University of the District of Columbia to Host 2015-16 East Coast Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournaments

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Championship NCAA Division II hoops is coming to the nation's capital as the University of the District of Columbia will host the East Coast Conference Men's & Women's Basketball Championship Tournament at its Sports Complex on March 5th-6th, 2016.

"The East Coast Conference is thrilled to come to Washington, DC in 2016 for UDC's first ever ECC Championship Tournament," ECC Commissioner Bob Dranoff said. "We look forward to presenting a fun and exciting event in our nation's capital for the student-athletes participating, as well as all the families and fans who will be there to support the ECC."

An action-packed weekend featuring a total of six games (four semifinal games Saturday and two championship games Sunday) will culminate with both a men's and women's team cutting down the nets and earning coveted automatic bids to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Additionally, an All-Tournament Team and Tournament MVP will be announced at the conclusion of each tournament final, and several contests and other promotional activities will be announced at a later date.

"We are excited about this tremendous opportunity to host the East Coast Conference Basketball Championships," UDC Director of Athletics Patricia Thomas said. "Washington, DC, recently named 'America's Coolest City,' is a sensational destination for fans and tournament participants, and we will showcase our campus throughout tournament weekend."

Ticket prices will be $7 for adults, $4 for students (with ID), kids (ages 5-12), senior citizens and military.

Requests for media or photography credentials should be made to Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications, Eric Zedalis (eric.zedalis@udc.edu)

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPORTS INFORMATION 

Tuskegee Women's Basketball Releases 2015-16 Schedule

Quacy Barnes-Timmons
Head Coach

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- Tuskegee University women's basketball coach Quacy Barnes-Timmons released the 2015-16 schedule this afternoon and it features non-conference contests against members from the Gulf South Conference (GSC), Peach Belt Conference (PBC), and two NCAA Division I foes.

The schedule is also highlighted by three teams who participated in the regionals last season in NCAA Division II. The schedule also features eight non-conference games, in which five of those teams finished with a winning record during the 2014-15 season, including three teams with 19 or more wins.

The Tigerettes play 11 games at home this season, including two non-conference match-ups against opponents from the Peach Belt Conference. Before they play their first home game, the Tigerettes travel to Valdosta to take on Valdosta State University and the University of West Georgia on November 14 and 15, respectively.

Tuskegee then travels to Florence to take on the University of North Alabama on November 19, before heading to Huntsville to take on the University of Alabama-Huntsville on November 20.

Following the contest against UAH, the Tigerettes will take 10 days off before playing their first home game of the season against Peach Belt Conference member Georgia College and State University on November 30. Following that contest, the Tigerettes will stay in state to open up SIAC play against Spring Hill College on the road December 3.

Tuskegee closes out the non-conference portion of the schedule the first two weeks of December, with one of the toughest stretches of games during the season. They return home to face Columbus State University, a team that made it to the regional semifinals before losing and is the former school of Timmons. The Tigerettes will then hit the road to face a pair of NCAA Division I members, beginning with Ohio Valley Conference member Jacksonville State on December 13 and then SWAC member Alabama A&M University on December 16 – closing out the non-conference portion of the schedule.

Following the Christmas break, the Tigerettes open up conference play beginning on the road with a pair of games in South Carolina. They play Benedict College in Columbia on January 2, followed by Claflin on January 4 in Orangeburg. The team will stay on the road for their next game, heading to Augusta to face Paine College on January 11.

Following the contest at Paine, Tuskegee returns home for a seven-game homestand beginning with Central State on January 16. They follow that contest up with games against Kentucky State, Lane, Lemoyne-Owen, Fort Valley, Albany State and Miles.

After the Miles contest on February 1, the Tigerettes head north to face Stillman on February 6 before returning home on February 8 to face Clark-Atlanta.

The Tigerettes close out the regular season with three of their final four contests on the road, with the only home game coming on February 20 against Stillman.

For more information on Tuskegee University athletics, follow us on Twitter @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook.

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKEBALL 2015-16 Schedule

Date		Opponent	Location	Time/Result	Details
HOLIDAY INN VALDOSTA CONFERENCE CENTER CHALLENGE
11/14/2015		Valdosta State University	Valdosta, GA	TBA	Details
11/15/2015		University of West Georgia	Valdosta, Ga.	TBA	Details
11/19/2015		University of North Alabama	Florence, ALA	TBA	Details
11/20/2015		University of Alabama in Huntsville	Huntsville, ALA	TBA	Details
11/30/2015		Georgia College and State University	Tuskegee, ALA	TBA	Details
12/3/2015	*	Spring Hill College	Mobile, ALA	TBA	Details
12/5/2015		Columbus State University	Tuskegee, ALA	TBA	Details
12/13/2015		Jacksonville State University	Jacksonville, ALA	TBA	Details
12/16/2015		Alabama A&M University	Huntsville, ALA	TBA	Details
1/2/2016	*	Benedict College	Columbia, SC	TBA	Details
1/4/2016	*	Claflin University	Orangeburg, SC	TBA	Details
1/11/2016	*	Paine College	Augusta, GA	TBA	Details
1/16/2016	*	Central State University	Tuskegee, ALA	1:00 PM	Details
1/18/2016	*	Kentucky State University	Tuskegee, ALA	5:30 PM	Details
1/21/2016	*	Lane College	Tuskegee, ALA	5:30 PM	Details
1/23/2016	*	LeMoyne-Owen College	Tuskegee, ALA	1:00 PM	Details
1/28/2016	*	Fort Valley State University	Tuskegee, ALA	5:30 PM	Details
1/30/2016	*	Albany State University	Tuskegee, ALA	1:00 PM	Details
2/1/2016	*	Miles College	Tuskegee, ALA	5:30 PM	Details
2/6/2016	*	Stillman College	Tuscaloosa, ALA	TBA	Details
2/8/2016	*	Clark Atlanta University	Tuskegee, ALA	5:30 PM	Details
2/11/2016	*	Fort Valley State University	Fort Valley, GA	TBA	Details
2/13/2016	*	Albany State University	Albany, GA	TBA	Details
2/20/2016	*	Stillman College	Tuskegee, ALA	1:00 PM	Details
2/22/2016	*	Miles College	Fairfield, ALA	TBA	Details
SIAC Basketball Tournament
2/29-3/3/2016		TBA	Birmingham, ALA	TBA	Details

COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Deon King Named to STATS FCS Preseason All-America 2nd Team

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State senior linebacker Deon King was named to the STATS FCS Preseason All-America second team, the organization announced on Thursday.

King is a two-time All-MEAC defender who earned first-team all-conference accolades as a junior in 2014. King ranked fourth in the MEAC with 106 total tackles last season for the No. 2 ranked defense in the nation among FCS squads. King's 18 tackles for loss tied for second-most in the MEAC, and his 7.5 sacks tied for sixth. In addition, King recovered three fumbles, forced two, intercepted one pass, deflected two others, and had nine quarterback hurries.


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King was at his best in the second half of the season. In the year's final six games, King tallied 66 tackles, 13.5 for losses, and five sacks. He had 15 tackles in the win at Hampton, a career-high 19 stops (four for loss) against Bethune-Cookman, and closed the year with a career-high five tackles for loss at South Carolina State.

King is one of six MEAC players on the first, second or third team All-America lists released Thursday by STATS, which has acquired The Sports Network and will continue TSN's FCS national coverage.

The entire preseason FCS All-America team can be found here.

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Southern University Football Unveils 2015 Fall Camp Schedule

A.W. MUMFORD STADIUM
COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern University's quest for a third straight SWAC Western Division crown begins when fall camp opens August 2 and players report to the A.W. Mumford Fieldhouse at 1 p.m.

The Jaguars, who travel to Ruston to face Louisiana Tech in the season opener on Sept. 5, will hold their first practice of fall camp on Aug. 3 at 4:35 p.m. For the second consecutive fall camp, freshman and newcomers will hold a brief practice session at 3:45 p.m. prior to the Monday's full team practice.

Head Coach Dawson Odum's Jaguars swop their practice shells for full pads on Aug. 7 for a 9:15 a.m. practice. The first of three scheduled two-a-day practices start Aug. 8 with a morning session set for 9:15 a.m. and an afternoon practice at 4:15 p.m. Southern concludes five straight days in full pads on August 11 with fall camps' first situational scrimmage at 9:15 a.m.

The final scrimmage of fall camp is slated for Saturday, August 15 at 9:15 a.m. before the Jaguars gather at the F.G. Clark Activity Center to host Fall Fan Fest at 2 p.m..

Classes for the Fall 2015 semester begin Monday, August 17.


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SOUTHERN FOOTBALL 2015 FALL CAMP SCHEDULE 

Aug. 2 - PLAYERS REPORT - 1 p.m.-3 p.m.; Equipment Pickup - 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.;
Physicals - 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Aug. 3 - PRACTICE #1 (HELMETS) - 4:35 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 4 - PRACTICE #2 (HELMETS) - 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Aug. 5 - PRACTICE #3 (SHELLS) - 3:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

Aug. 6 - PRACTICE #4 (SHELLS) - 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Aug. 7 - PRACTICE #5 (FULL PADS) 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Aug. 8 - PRACTICE #6 (FULL PADS) - 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. | PRACTICE #7 (SHELLS) 4:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Aug. 9 - PRACTICE #8 (FULL PADS) - 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Aug. 10 - PRACTICE #9 (FULL PADS) - 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. | PRACTICE #10 (SHELLS) 4:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Aug. 11 - PRACTICE #11 (FULL PADS) - 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.; Situational Scrimmage #1

Aug. 12 - PRACTICE #12 (SHELLS) - 5:15 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 13 - PRACTICE #13 (FULL PADS) - 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. | PRACTICE #14 (SHELLS) 5:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

Aug. 14 - PRACTICE #15 (FULL PADS) - 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Aug. 15 - PRACTICE #16 (FULL PADS) - 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m

Aug. 17 - Classes Begin - No Practice

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

NCCU Alum Dominique Sutton to Participate in NBA Summer League

OAKLAND, California -- Former North Carolina Central University men's basketball forward Dominique Sutton has been selected to play with the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors' Summer League team. The team will compete in the 2015 Samsung NBA Summer League in Las Vegas from July 10-20.

Sutton transferred from Kansas State University and played at NCCU during the 2011-12 season when he averaged 16.4 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game, and earned multiple weekly honors on his way to being named First Team All-MEAC.

The Tulsa 66ers selected Sutton sixth overall in the 2012 NBA Developmental League draft and he averaged 10.2 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game in his first season, appearing in 48 games and starting 29. During the season he won the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2013 NBA D-League Showcase event and was named to the All-Rookie Second Team at the end of that campaign.

Sutton went on to play for Ikaros Chalkidas B.C. in Greece and Air21 Express in the Philippines from 2013-2014 before returning to the NBDL after being claimed by the Golden State Warriors on December 4, 2014.



During the 2014-15 season for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Sutton poured in 13.1 points per game and pulled down 6.4 rebounds per game while appearing in 40 games and starting five. The Warriors won the NBDL Championship after sweeping the Fort Wayne Mad Antz, and Sutton was named to the 2015 All-Defensive Third Team at the end of the season.

"I couldn't be prouder of a basketball player," NCCU men's basketball head coach LeVelle Moton said about his former student-athlete. "Dom has worked his entire life to capitalize on his opportunity, and to do that with the world champs will only move him one step closer to his dream. He's the toughest kid I've ever coached."

Sutton is joined by his Santa Cruz teammate Aaron Craft, 2015 Golden State first round pick Kevon Looney, and Golden State reserve player James Michael McAdoo on the Summer League roster to name a few players. The team will play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, July 10 at the Thomas & Mack Center to open up the competition.

For more information on the Golden State Warriors' Summer League team and to view the full roster, click here.

For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern recruit signs with Boston Red Sox

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Nick Hamilton, who was a fall baseball signee for Southern University, inked a deal with the Boston Red Sox after being selected in last month's Major League Baseball Draft.

Hamilton, a 5-foot-11, 170 centerfielder, was selected in the 11th round, 321st overall but did not sign with the Red Sox until June 23 after graduating from Lockport High School in New York.

"We have to continue to recruit these caliber of student-athletes in an effort to rebuild the Southern baseball program to the success we enjoyed in the late 90's and early 2000's," said head baseball coach Roger Cador.

During Hamilton's senior campaign plaSying in Niagara Frontier League, he excelled as one of the league's top players, hitting .440 with four homeruns and 14 RBI. In 2014, Hamilton helped propel Lockport to a NFL championship as a junior.

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Funeral Arrangements for BSU's Dr. Freddie Vaughns Announced

Dr. Vaughns Remembered for His Dedication to Promoting Student Success

BOWIE, Maryland -- The homegoing services for Dr. Freddie T. Vaughns, assistant vice president of academic affairs at Bowie State University, will be held on Monday, July 13 at Shiloh Baptist Church. The viewing will be from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., and the service will start at 12 p.m.

The interment will take place immediately following the service at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery.

Dr. Vaughns, a champion for student achievement for more than 40 years, died on July 4. He was 65.

Learn more about Dr. Vaughns and his impact on the Bowie State community.

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU reveals game times for 2015 football season

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M on Tuesday announced game times for the 2015 football season.

The Rattlers play two 7 p.m. games this season, including the season opener against South Florida in Tampa. FAMU will also take on South Carolina State at 7:30 p.m in Orangeburg, S.C. That game will be televised on ESPNU.

FAMU's homecoming game is scheduled for Oct. 17 against Delaware State, a team the Rattlers thrashed 41-7 last season.

The Florida Classic will be played at 2:30 p.m. at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

Earlier this month, the MEAC and ESPN announced band performances from all televised games will be shown in the entirety on ESPN3, according to FAMU Athletics.

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