AAMU First scrimmage: Ballard No. 1; Harris 'jumps out'

NORMAL, Alabama  – After Alabama A&M's first scrimmage Saturday, Head Coach James Spady spilled the beans on the "worst kept secret" of the fall.

"No. 1 (quarterback) belongs to 'Tootie (De'Angelo Ballard),' " Spady said. "'Tootie' took some steps today.

"Right now, we're looking for a backup."

First scrimmage photos



He said all three quarterbacks (Ballard, Cody Lui-Yuen, PJ Garrett) had good showings in the nearly two-hour scrimmage which saw four touchdown passes by the offense and a fumble return for a TD and an interception by the defense.

A fourth quarterback, Damion May, has missed several practices for medical reasons but Spady expects him to be cleared this week.

A highlight of the scrimmage was a 75-yard pass from Ballard to tight end Kalias Robertson. Lui-Yuen completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Tevin McKenzie after scrambling out of the pocket.

"They (quarterbacks) were making good reads," Spady said. "All three did well."

Spady said his staff still has to look at film from the scrimmage but "these guys got after each other ... It was a spirited competition."

Running back Harvey Harris' efforts "jumped out" at Spady. "Some stuff he did in the short runs really stood out."

He said All-SWAC defensive lineman Anthony Lanier "was his usual self" and he cited the defensive play of linebacker Bryan Brower and defensive back Dexter Reese, who had the lone interception of the day.

The Bulldogs are off Sunday and Monday and return to the practice field 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Their next scrimmage is Aug. 22 as the highlight of the annual Bulldogs Fan Day at Louis Crews Stadium. Fan Day starts at 11 a.m. and the scrimmage is scheduled for 2 p.m.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NCCU Men's Basketball Announces Coaching Additions

DURHAM, North Caolina -- North Carolina Central University's men's basketball program has added Eric Wilson.

NCCU men's basketball head coach LeVelle Moton is excited about the coaching additions, and what experience they bring to the program.

"Chuck is highly respected in the landscape of college basketball," Moton said.  "He's had success at all levels and his experience along with his recruiting ties will benefit our program immensely.

"Eric is a young, energetic coach that has excelled on the recruiting circuit in a short period of time. His ties to the Carolinas, Georgia, and other neighboring states will improve our program tremendously. We look forward to him serving as Recruiting Coordinator for our program."

Taylor comes to NCCU after five years as a head coach at Paris Junior College in Paris, Texas.  During his time there, he led the Dragons to a pair of conference titles, a regional title and a national tournament berth.  He earned Region 14 Coach of the Year honors twice in 2012 and 2014 and qualified his team for the conference tournament all five years of his tenure.

Taylor began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Paris Junior College from 2000 to 2002, and then went to Texas A&M Corpus Christi from 2002 to 2005.  He had his first collegiate head coaching job at Richland College in Dallas, Texas during the 2005-06 season and his team finished the season ranked third in the NJCAA poll.

Taylor then returned to his role as an assistant at the University of North Texas for the 2006-07 season, and then went to the University of South Alabama from 2007 to 2010 and was promoted to Associate Head Coach in 2009.  He is a graduate of Wayne State University.

A four-year player and graduate of Western Carolina University, Wilson comes to NCCU after spending six years on the Catamount coaching staff.  From 2009 to 2010 he operated as a Director of Basketball Operations before becoming an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator from 2010 on.

Prior to his time on the WCU coaching staff, Wilson was an Assistant Coach and Interim Head Coach at Truett McConnell Junior College in Cleveland, Georgia.

For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.
wo assistant coaches to the staff for the upcoming season, Chuck Taylor and

Heating Up: S.C. State holds first scrimmage of preseason

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- In an effort to prepare the team for possible hot weather in the 3:30 p.m. season-opening kickoff in Orlando’s Citrus Bowl on the first Sunday of September, the South Carolina State Bulldogs coaching staff held the first scrimmage of the preseason in the heat of the afternoon on Saturday.

As is normally the case early in the preseason, the defense had the upper hand most of the afternoon. But, the Bulldogs' offense found ways to move the ball and score a few times, both with first-string redshirt junior quarterback Adrian Kollock Jr. behind center and with freshman quarterback Caleb York calling signals.

“In the first scrimmage, you always get some good, you get some bad and you get some ugly,” S.C. State head coach Buddy Pough said afterwards. “We had a little bit of all three.

“You can see some potential there. We’ve got to get our ...



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North Carolina Central Eagles eye bowl game opportunity

DURHAM, North Carolina — When C.J. Moore committed to play for the North Carolina Central University Eagles, a trip to a bowl game seemed as likely as a mission to Mars.

"When I got here, that wasn't even a realistic possibility," the senior defensive back said.

But now, the MEAC and SWAC are preparing for liftoff. Earlier this year, the conferences announced the inaugural Celebration Bowl, a relaunch of the old Pelican and Heritage bowls. The Celebration Bowl will pit the MEAC and SWAC champions against each other on Dec. 19 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Now all that's left is for the Eagles to get there.

“It’s kind of surreal,” Moore said. "Anytime you get the chance to be the first at anything, like to be the first team representing this conference in that, would be amazing. It's definitely something we strive for everyday."

The tradeoff is that only the bowl game winner earns an automatic berth into the Football Championship Series Playoffs.

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Elston King leaves SUNO after 41 years and countless memories

Elston King was a part of 566 wins at SUNO as either an assistant or
head basketball coach.

NEW ORLEANS -- In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Elston King and his wife, Imogene, found themselves in the attic of their home; waters rising and in need of a rescue. Help did arrive, but they were only taking women, so King waded through the water with his wife on his back, getting her to safety. Eventually Elston King was lifted by helicopter off of the roof of his home and taken to Baton Rouge and reunited with his wife and with his other family; Southern University at New Orleans.

The recovery for both the Kings and SUNO started in those days and weeks while both were displaced in Baton Rouge. Elston and his wife in an apartment and SUNO temporarily housed by Southern University's flagship campus on the bluff. By 2005, Elston King had dedicated more than three decades to his beloved Knights and he wasn't about to let a storm wash all of that away. He thought about that time as his tenure at the University comes to a close. After 41 years as a student, coach and athletic director, Elston King is retiring.

"We stayed there [in Baton Rouge] for nine months but we knew we would come back", recalls King. "Out of everything I've done at SUNO, I think rebuilding the program after Katrina, from nothing, into a winning program...a program that can be respected, that's has to be right up there with anything I've done in my career."

It wasn't the first time that Elston King, who has been involved with Southern University at New Orleans since 1974, was asked to build something from nothing. After graduating from SUNO as a history major in 1981 he was tasked with restarting the women's basketball program at the university.

"Morris Bates found me coaching semi-pro ball and he asked for my help in bringing a women's basketball program back to SUNO", he added. "There wasn't any money in it (just $200 per month), but it was something I wanted to do."

"Things really changed when the great Harold Hunter came to SUNO in the mid-80's", said King. Hunter, who was the first African-American to sign an NBA contract, came to SUNO after successful stints at New Orleans' other two HBCU's (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Xavier and Dillard. "Coach Hunter was taught by John McClendon (legendary coach enshrined in both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame), who was taught the game by James Naismith. I was able to work under him as a women's basketball assistant until he retired in 1989. It's funny, but I see Phil Jackson and other coaches talking about "the Triangle", and that was the offense we were running in 1985. Coach Hunter just knew the game."

Hunter's retirement brought uncertainty for King's future, but a meeting with the new men's basketball coach Earl Hill would quickly bring everything into focus.

King said of his first impression of Hill, "I just knew we had a great first meeting and he asked me to join him as an assistant for the men's team and I was by his side for 15 years. It was Coach Hill that taught me about creating pressure on defense and about how to make the most out of your practices. He didn't believe in wasting time."

"I learned so much from both of those men", King added. "Outside of my own mother and father, there haven't been any greater influences on my life, not only as a coach but as a man."

In 1998, Elston King became the women's head basketball coach while still serving as an assistant for the men. His first year he went 9-15.

"The program needed something and I think Coach Hill thought I could have an impact. We weren't very good that first year, but we turned it around pretty quick. In 1999 we went 23-5 and won our first GCAC championship. That team was something special."

Led by GCAC Player of the Year Andrea Watson (25.9 points per game), the 1999-2000 Lady Knights averaged 92.8 points per game while allowing their opponents to score fewer than 68. They were ranked 21st in the nation and made the school's first trip to the NAIA tournament.

While he was taking the women's program to new heights, the men's program kept rolling. From 1998 until 2006, the Knights won three regular season GCAC crowns and four tournament titles, advancing to the NAIA's "Sweet Sixteen" twice.

"I got to work with players like Toshay Harvey and Leon Mitchell and Karriem Reed. There was so much talent. It was a great time and we won a lot of ballgames", said King.

Then Katrina happened. Hill decided not to return to the program and King was thrust into the role of Athletic Director. The first question he faced was whether there would be a program to direct.

"There was no doubt in my mind that we would rebuild. I've given my life to SUNO. I think the reason that I can leave now is because the program is on solid ground. Our teams are competitive. The gym is finally being restored. We're in good shape."

Others will fill his jobs, with track and field coach Yhann Plummer assuming the role of athletic director and assistant Roshaun Ambrose taking over as women's basketball coach, but neither can be expected to replace Elston King.

As head coach, Elston King compiled a record of 250-154 and won two GCAC regular season (1999-2000, 2014-15) and tournament championships (2013, 2015). His win total is 94 more than SUNO's other four coaches combined and is only two behind his mentor Earl Hill for the most by any coach in school history. All told he has been a part of 566 SUNO victory celebrations.

He may have saved his best for last. The 2014-15 Lady Knights finished 23-5 and were the first team in school history to win both the GCAC regular season and tournament championships. They finished the year 16-1 against GCAC foes and won the school's first ever NAIA tournament game with a resounding 84-56 victory over Vanguard University.

"I've seen it all. The national championships (seven in track and field), the conference championships (20 total), the All-Americans. I hope that my legacy is that I maintained the respectability of the program that was started by Artis Davenport and that in the end I raised our level of competition."

"The funny thing is, the game hasn't changed. The kids haven't changed. I mean, they are better athletically, but at the end of the day you still gotta put the ball in the hole. You still gotta defend. What it comes down to is do you have players that have talent and that are willing to work. I been fortunate with both of those."

Asked what he is most proud of during his tenure the answer is easy for Elston King, "I most proud of the fact that since I've been head coach more than 90 percent of my [women's basketball] players have been able to graduate. This doesn't mean anything if we're not educating people. Across our programs we've stressed the importance of academics and being student-athletes. Especially in the last few years we've had a number of athletes graduate with the highest overall grade point average in their class or in their department. Graduation day is my favorite day each year."

"There's no magic trick to success. I think we've done good things because I treat these young people like human beings. They know I'll go through a wall for them. I treat them with respect and all I ask in return is the same."

Though he plans to be around the program, offering advice to the new athletic director as well as Coach Ambrose, he knows things won't be the same.

"I'm going to miss it. I'm going to miss practice. I going to miss going up against Bo (Browder, head women's basketball coach at Xavier University). He's special because his teams are just like him. Very competitive, very tough. They play hard all the time. He demands that from them but there's no arrogance there. We have a great relationship because our philosophies are so similar."

"I was 17 years old when I first got to SUNO. SUNO means everything to me. SUNO gave me a chance. I know that's what this place means to a lot of people. So I always tried to remember that. I may be leaving a job, but I'm not leaving SUNO. This is home."

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Tougaloo Billups adds six to Bulldogs' 2015-16 recruiting class

TOUGALOO, Mississippi -- The Tougaloo College men's basketball team has announced the signings of six student-athletes for the 2015-16 season.

Head Coach Thomas J. Billups led the Bulldogs to a 13-13 record last season (9-5 GCAC) last season, his first at Tougaloo.  The team advanced to the semifinals of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament but lost six seniors including 2015 GCAC Newcomer of the Year Kelsey Howard, the team's leading scorer at 21 points per game.  Howard set the Tougaloo and GCAC scoring record with 49 points in an overtime defeat of Philander Smith College.  Coach Billups will be counting on this group of recruits to make up for the lost scoring punch and to continue to push the Bulldogs into the upper echelon of the GCAC.

Joining the Bulldogs for the 2015-2016 season are:

• Gregory Lee, a 6'0 junior guard from Jackson, Miss.  Lee is no stranger to the Bulldogs coaching staff, as he played for Coach Billups at Lanier High School. Lee will join the Bulldogs from Hinds Community College.  
• Denevian Tremaine Cunningham, a 6'5 junior forward from Southaven, Miss. Cunningham also joins the Bulldogs from Hinds Community College.
• Christopher Wallace, a 6'3 junior guard/forward from Jackson, Miss.  Wallace, who was a Wingfield High School standout during his high school career, will join the Bulldogs as a transfer from Henderson State University.  
• Ronald Ulmer-Kelly, a 6'6 junior forward from Maplewood, Minn.  Ulmer-Kelly will join the Bulldogs as a transfer from Century College.
• DeAndre Scott, a 6'3 senior guard from Yazoo City, Miss.  Scott will join the Bulldogs as a transfer from Southern Arkansas University.
• Mark Smith, a 6'7 junior forward from Memphis, Tenn.  Smith will join the Bulldogs as a transfer from Midsouth Community College.

These signees will join returning players Quintarius Porter, Andravious Smith, and Jarmell Anderson.  The Bulldogs will start their 2015-2016 season on the road November 3rd at William Carey University.

TOUGALOO BULLDOGS 2015-16 MEN'S BASKETBALL SIGNEES

Name	Yr.	Pos.	Ht.	Hometown	Previous School
Gregory Lee	Jr.	G	6-0	Jackson, Miss.	Hinds Community College
Denevian Tremaine Cunningham	Jr.	F	6-5	Southaven, Miss.	Hinds Community College
Christopher Wallace	Jr.	G	6-3	Jackson, Miss.	Henderson State University
Ronald Ulmer-Kelly	Jr.	G/F	6-6	Maplewood, Minn.	Century College
DeAndre Scott	Sr.	G	6-3	Yazoo City, Miss.	Southern Arkansas University
Mark Smith	Jr.	F	6-7	Memphis, Tenn.	Midsouth Community College

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Florida A&M Camp Report Weekly Wrap

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida A&M Rattler football team finished a full week of activities feeling like it was a solid week of work. Dodging the inclement weather that plagued the team all week, head coach Alex Wood altered the schedule to make sure that the team could get in all the necessary practice time.

The Rattlers will hold a Saturday practice at 10:30 a.m. on tomorrow. Wood and his staff will look to see where the team is in it’s retention of the new offensive and defensive schemes that have been implemented since the Spring.

COUNTDOWN

The Rattlers are now just three weeks away from kickoff of the 2015 season. The season opens on Sept. 5, in Tampa, Fla. at Raymond James Stadium, as the Rattlers take on the Bulls of USF. The Rattlers were routed 70-17 the last time out against the Bulls, but look to put together a much better outing this time around. The USF game starts a three game road sweep, with the Rattlers traveling to Birmingham, Ala., on Sept 12, to face the Samford Bulldogs and Orangeburg, S.C. on Sept. 17, to face MEAC rival South Carolina State on a game to be broadcasted on ESPN. The Rattlers open their home slate on Sept. 26, in the Hall of Fame game against the “Big Blue” Tigers of Tennessee State.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

DEFENSE:

Akil Blount – Blount led the Rattlers in tackles last season. He has good physicality from the linebacker position. Voted to the 2015 MEAC Preseason All-MEAC team, Blount is expected to dominate from his position.

Kashawn Butler – Butler is one of the most underrated players on the Rattler squad. He showed flashes of his intensity last season, which was a breakout one for him. His energy in the Spring and in the Summer indicates that he could be ready to have a great season from the linebacker post.

OL/DL:

Mateo Kambui – The quiet leader on the offensive line, Kambui had a solid season last year at center. With quick hands and feet, Kambui is a dependable center both with the quarterback under center and in the shotgun.

Michael Lovejoy – Battling injuries last season, Michael Lovejoy wasn’t able to realize his full impact, but with a successful Spring and a healthy offseason, look for Lovejoy to impose his frame on offensive linemen and wreak havoc in the backfield.

OFFENSE:

Gerald Hearns – Running back Gerald Hearns took over the running back spot as a true freshman. With tough competition in the backfield this season, he looks to improve on last season. Behind a veteran offensive line, Hearns should be able to improve on his rushing stats, while providing a sure pair of hands out of the backfield.

Brandon Norwood – As a freshman, Norwood came in and anchored the receiving corps with his crisp routes and sure hands. Adding a few more pounds of muscle should serve Norwood well as the talented group of receivers on the offense look to have an explosive season.

FAN DAY

Come out and meet the Rattler players and coaching staff on Aug. 22. At Fan Day. The event starts at 2 p.m. and there will be posters and other collectibles for fans. The FAMU Ticket office will also be open, just in case you haven’t picked up your season tickets as of yet. There will be a photo booth and all types of activities for the whole family.

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Southern passing game has big scrimmage

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern’s preseason camp ended the same way last season started: with the Jaguars cooling their heels while waiting to hit the football field.

Last season, they were stranded on the team bus while university officials sorted through which players would have to be left behind for the opener at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette because they lacked proper academic certification.

Saturday morning, the players waited 90 minutes for the buses that would transport them to the Louisiana Leadership Institute for the camp-closing scrimmage.

“It was a little joke in the locker room,” linebacker Demetrius Carter said with a laugh. “But it was nothing, just a little adversity. We’re used to it.”

A missed communication was cleared up, the buses arrived, and Southern’s 90-play scrimmage got under way at 10 a.m.

Photos: Fans mingle with players at Southern University's Fall Fan Fest Saturday

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The art of cheer: SCSU cheerleaders work hard to motivate teams, fans on game day

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- "Motivation, dedication and a lot of work" is what it takes to be a college cheerleader, says Oshia Smalls, a member of the South Carolina State cheerleading squad.

Smalls and Keylonda Walker, both SCSU sophomores, are no strangers to hard work and giving their all. Both are Orangeburg natives who began cheering at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School.

“It’s time consuming. You’ve got to love it because if you don’t, you’ll be doing this for nothing," Walker said. "We put a lot into it."

Smalls, a speech pathology major, says she wanted to be a cheerleader since first grade after she watched the sports comedy movie, "Bring It On."

“I thought to myself, 'That could be me,' " she said.

Walker, a pre-med major, got into gymnastics at the tender age of 3. She said cheerleading was the closest thing to it and told herself, "Hey, might as well try something new," when she got to high school.

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Chowan Hawks getting over the….er, hump!

Chowan University Head Coach, Tim Place

AHOSKIE, North Carolina -- I’m still chewing on my Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) predictions for the upcoming campaign. I’ll not delay you beyond the next two weeks since the season is nearly on us and it’s time to just throw my thoughts out there, have at it, and, well, just embarrass myself.

Before I go there, I looked at some of the games, and some of the personalities CIAA fans will be encountering this year. Elizabeth City State’s Waverly Tillar is always a favorite of mine because he always has something funny to say. The yucks come so fast and furious it’s sometimes hard to believe he can really be a hard-liner at practice and on game-day, but that’s what his players tell me, and his outstanding record proves it. No one else in the league’s Northern Division makes for good sports-copy, as we say in the business; but then sometime being a good ‘quote-meister’ isn’t all its cranked up to be. Chowan fans will see Tillar and the Vikings at Garrison Stadium a week before Halloween. After the controversy of that late play in 2013, maybe in this year’s home game the Hawks can scare up a win.

Perusing the Chowan football schedule further I noticed they will open at FayettevilleStateUniversity on Sept. 5 and a week later, return that way when they face the Fighting Camels of Campbell University. Not a bad docket, because even though gasoline is cheap, playing two schools back-to-back that are only 30 miles apart is some shrewd scheduling. Especially with road games later in the season in the likes of Delaware (Delaware State), D.C. (BowieState) and Pennsylvania (Lincoln); save that petrol while you can. Just stick it on I-95 and go.

I don’t know how far ahead they scheduled the Camels, but a good match-up between fellow in-state Baptist schools should bring out the fans, not to mention keep the cussin’ on the field down to a minimum.

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Maynor hopes former UVA QB can help ignite Hampton Pirates

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Coming off of a 3-9 season, Hampton Pirates coach Connell Maynor is back on the field for his second season as he continues to rebuild his team.

“We got a full recruiting class in, more bodies, more depth,” Maynor said. “Hopefully we can stop teams for 4 quarters in stead of 2 or 3 like we did last year.”

The defense is a big emphasis. Coach Maynor made it an off season priority and he’s expecting improvement.

“We weren’t very good on defense, that’s no secret, hopefully we addressed that, we feel good right now, but every coach in America feels good, so we’ve got to wait until September 5th.”

That’s when the Pirates open the season against Eastern Kentucky, and under center, former University of Virginia quarterback David Watford who also went to Hampton high school.



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Alcorn athletics welcome fans in Vicksburg

VICKSBURG, Mississippi -- It looks to be a promising year for Alcorn State University athletics.

Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Derek Horne is excited for the year and is now going into his second year as Alcorn’s athletics director.

“I feel very good and after being here for a year. I’ve had an opportunity really get to know the community, know the area and get to know our program. I feel very positive,” Horne said. The Braves hosted a meet and greet of its athletic departments for alumni and the community Saturday afternoon.

This allowed those fans and alumni to interact with the football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, softball and golf coaches in an relaxed intimate environment.

“With the meet and greet what we wanted to do is give our alums an opportunity to ...

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New coach Jenkins, Alabama State undeterred by SWAC poll

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Considering all of Brian Jenkins' success coaching Bethune-Cookman football the last five seasons, the Southwestern Athletic Conference's preseason poll might have seemed odd.

Alabama State was picked to finish only fourth of five teams in the East Division, even with Jenkins coming on board as the team's new coach. Jenkins compiled a 46-14 mark in five seasons at Bethune-Cookman, winning four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and reaching the FCS playoffs three times.

Nobody at Alabama State is believing the SWAC poll. With a solid roster, some of the conference's better facilities and an overall hunger after a disappointing 2014 campaign, the Hornets are expecting to have success similar to what Jenkins enjoyed in the MEAC, which, like the SWAC, is a conference of historically black schools.

"I'm OK with those expectations," Jenkins said. "I've never been a guy that says, 'next year,' or that it's going to take us two years or it's going to take us three years. I believe in right now because next year I may not be here, so I may not get the opportunity. Next year, these young men may not be here. So they understand the here and now."

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WR Jairockeis Jones hoping to make most of second chance at Florida A&M

RATTLERS FAN DAY

 

Come out and meet the Rattler players and coaching staff on Aug. 22, at Fan Day.  The event starts at 2 p.m. and there will be posters and other collectibles for fans.  The FAMU Ticket office will also be open, just in case you haven’t picked up your season tickets as of yet.  There will be a photo booth and all types of activities for the whole family.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Jairockeis “Jay” Jones says he knows Florida A&M didn’t have to give him a second chance.

Jones just wanted another opportunity to play football after being dismissed from Eastern Michigan prior to the first game of the 2014 season. Jones’ career with the Eagles ended after he entered a plea of no contest to an assault charge stemming from an August 2014 fight.

Three EMU players, including Jones, were charged with assaulting Demarko Taylor, the cousin of the man who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges in the 2013 death of Eagles receiver Demarius Reed. All three players involved in the incident were dismissed from the team.

It’s part of Jones’ past he said he wants to put behind him, and new FAMU head coach Alex Wood is giving him the opportunity to do so.

“I got to the school when FAMU was going through the coaching change,” Jones said.



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Lively Football Scrimmage Caps FAMU Training Camp Week

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – The Florida A&M Rattler Football team capped their second week of preseason training camp Saturday afternoon with a lively scrimmage in the cozy confines of venerable Bragg Memorial Stadium, highlighted by a nifty offensive effort.

Redshirt junior QB Carson Royal (Yulee, Fla.) ran the first team FAMU offense efficiently, directing his group on five scoring drives, tossing four touchdowns in the game. Royal connected on two long scoring plays, a 63-yard play to fullback Gerald Hearns (West Palm Beach) and a 93-yard catch-and-carry to sophomore Brandon Norwood (Atlanta, Ga.), who caught two scoring passes from Royal.

The Rattler ground game showed some serious signs of life, sparked by the combo of Hearns, Tysean Holloway (Asheville, N.C.) and Devondrick Nealy (Monticello, Fla.), who all got in their licks against the number one defensive unit.

FAMU got the day underway early with a 9:30 a.m. practice on the main practice fields south of the stadium as a warm up for the afternoon session.

The Rattlers are gearing up for their September 5 season opener in Tampa against the University of South Florida at Raymond James Stadium (7:00 p.m. – ESPN3.com).

Tickets for that game, and FAMU Season Tickets are available from the FAMU Athletic Box Office (850) 599-3141), through the FAMU Athletic Website, www.famuathletics.com, or from www.Ticketmaster.com.

LOOKING AHEAD: Week Three, which begins Monday will be the final week of two-a-day opportunities, as the Fall Semester begins on Monday, August 24. The daily practice schedules will be announced Monday.

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Saturday scrimmage concludes Football Fall Camp

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern University football will conduct its first scrimmage on the final practice of Fall camp Saturday at the Louisiana Leadership Insititute in North Baton Rouge.
The scrimmage, which is set for a 9:15 a.m. start, is scheduled to feature between 80-100 plays.

Following the scrimmage, fans will have the chance to celebrate the start of the 2015 football season and secure tickets for the Jaguars' season opener at Louisiana Tech at the fourth annual SU Fall Fan Fest on Aug. 15 in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

SU has partnered with Cumulus Radio Baton Rouge and Coca Cola to help Jaguar fans kickoff the 2015 season with the Cumulus Tailgate Party prior to the football team's arrival at 1:45 p.m.following the Jaguars final scrimmage of fall camp. Fan are asked to enter Fan Fest through Portal A of the F.G. Clark Activity Center located near Harding Blvd.

Doors for Fan Fest open at 1 p.m. The two-hour event is free to the public.

SU officials are encouraging fan to share their Fall Fan Fest experience through social media using the hashtags #SUFanFest and #TailgateParty on Twitter and Facebook. SU will also broadcast select portions of Fan Fest live, including the SU Human Jukebox perfomance, on the Periscope social media app.



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Former WSSU standout signs with NFL Eagles

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- Alfy Hill, a former player at Alabama and Winston-Salem State, has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Hill was signed after the Eagles waived linebacker Brandon Herburn and defensive lineman B.J. McBryde.

Hill, who is 6-4 and 283 pounds, played two seasons for the Rams on the defensive line after transferring from Alabama.

He went undrafted in May but did spend time in an Arizona Cardinals tryout camp.


 

“I’m excited,” Hill said by telephone Friday night from Philadelphia. “From what I’ve been told, I’m going to play on Sunday, so it’s hard to believe I’m going to play in an NFL game.”
 

Hill, who signed a three-year contract, was in Winston-Salem when he got a call from the Eagles.

Hill’s agent then did the rest of the work in getting a contract in Hill’s hands.

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CIAA Releases 2015 Volleyball Preseason Predictions and All-Conference Team

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CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in conjunction with its Volleyball Coaches Association has announced the 2015 Predicted Order of Finish and the Preseason All-CIAA Team.

Reigning champion Chowan University has been predicted to lead the conference into the 2015 season with the most votes. The Hawks swept Fayetteville State University 3-0 in the 2014 championship tournament to advance to the NCAA Atlantic Region Playoffs. The Hawks finished last season 26-7 overall and 14-2 in conference play under first-year head coach Dawn Peipher.

2014 CIAA Rookie of the Year Sydney Holland of Winston-Salem State University will highlight the Preseason All-CIAA Team. The outside hitter from Durham, NC was also named to the 2014 First Team All-CIAA squad. She finished last season with 272 kills and 26 service aces with 17 assists. Defensively, Holland recorded 250 digs and added 43 total blocks.

The 2015 season will begin on August 22 with Elizabeth City State taking on Johnson & Wales (NC) in the Lenoir Community College Invite in Kinston, N.C.

The predicted order and preseason team is announced as follows:

2015 Predicted Order of Finish
1.Chowan (1st North)
2.Winston-Salem State (1st South)
3.Fayetteville State (2nd South)
4.Virginia State (2nd North)
5.Virginia Union (3rd North)
6.Johnson C. Smith (3rd South)
7.Saint Augustine's (4th South)
8.Livingstone (5th South)
9.Elizabeth City State (4th North)
10.Bowie State (5th North)
11.Shaw (6th South)
12.The Lincoln (6th North)

2015 All-CIAA Preseason Volleyball Team

OUTSIDE HITTERS
#5	Sydney Holland	WSSU	SO	5-7		Durham, NC
#10	Samira Luis	FSU	JR	5-6		Willemstad, Curacao
#5	Suraya Chase	CU	JR	5-10		Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago
MIDDLE HITTERS
#8	Ashley Britton	FSU	SR	6-0		Woodbridge, VA
#2	Jayde Jacobs	FSU	SO	5-7		Fayetteville, NC
#6	Jocelyn Mills	WSSU	JR	6-0		Clinton, MD
SETTERS
#11	Esha Atkins	VUU	JR	5-7		Killeen, TX
#1	Juliseea Thomas	SAU	SR	5-4		US Virgin Islands
RIGHTSIDE HITTERS
#4	Brookie Dargan	VSU	JR	5-9	Newport News, VA
#1	Olivia Owens	WSSU	SR	6-3	Abbeville, SC
LIBERO
#16	Cindy Ehrich	CU	SR	5-0	Fredericksburg, VA
UTILITY
#12	Olivia Porter	SAU	JR	5-7	Bakersfield, CA

COURTESY CIAA MEDIA RELATIONS

NCA&T Women's Basketball Unveils 2015-16 Schedule

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- As the North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team continues to compete for dominance in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and chase after a conference championship, its 2015-16 schedule announced on Friday looks to prepare the Aggies for success.

The Aggies are coming off a 20-11 ledger during the 2014-15 season that produced their third consecutive 20-win season under head coach Tarrell Robinson. A&T has also maintained its supremacy at home by posting a 35-5 record at Corbett Sports Center for the last three seasons. Despite the Aggies success and two postseason appearances in the WNIT under Robinson, the Aggies are trying to advance beyond the MEAC tournament semifinals, where their dreams of earning an NCAA tournament bid have been halted the past three seasons.

A&T believes it has the answer which rests in its 2015-16 schedule which features five non-conference opponents who appeared in the postseason, 12 home games, and a pair of exciting holiday tournaments.

“Our 2015-2016 schedule is by far our toughest schedule in my tenure here,” Robinson said. “We will be fortunate enough again this season to open up at home which is special to us. We love giving our fans a first glimpse at what's in store for the upcoming season. We will also participate in two tournaments during Thanksgiving and before Christmas to give us that tournament feel before we participate in the MEAC tournament at the end of our regular season.”

After opening up the schedule at home against Florida Gulf Coast (Nov. 13) who is the reigning Atlantic Sun champion and appeared in the NCAA tournament, A&T will visit Campbell (Nov. 18) and Navy (Nov. 22) before heading to the New Mexico Thanksgiving Tournament in Albuquerque. The two-day tournament beginning on Nov. 27 will feature Duquesne who participated in last season’s WNIT, New Mexico who competed in the WBI last year and Southern Utah.

A&T returns to Corbett for a three-game homestand beginning with North Greenville (Dec. 2). The Aggies will kick off the conference schedule against Howard (Dec. 5) and UMES (Dec. 7) at Corbett.

Up next for the Aggies will be a road matchup against Ohio State (Dec. 13), who advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament last year. The Wichita State Christmas tournament (Dec.18-19) hosted by the Shockers, who also appeared in last season’s NCAA tournament, will also feature North Dakota State.

A pair of non-conference games against Pfeiffer (Dec. 30) and VCU (Jan. 2) are scheduled before the Aggies resume conference play on the road at Savannah State (Jan.9), the current MEAC tournament champions and S.C. State (Jan. 11).

“I think we put together a strong enough schedule to really give us a chance to compete for a championship when we start conference play in January,” Robinson said. “We understand that we need to give our ladies a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare them for the teams we compete against in the MEAC.”

Virginia foes Hampton (Jan. 16) and Norfolk State (Jan. 18) who haven’t faced A&T at Corbett Sports Center in five and four years respectively will make their way back as Delaware State (Jan. 25) and Savannah State (Jan. 30) close out the month of January.

A&T opens February in Durham against rival N.C. Central (Feb. 6) and continues its schedule including Florida A&M (Feb. 13), Bethune-Cookman (Feb. 15), Morgan State (Feb. 22), Florida A&M (Feb. 27), and Bethune-Cookman (Feb. 29). The Aggies conclude the regular season at home against N.C. Central (Mar. 3) before participating in the MEAC tournament March 7-12 at Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.

A&T 2015-16 Women's Basketball Schedule



COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

From Hampton to Hempstead: Deron Powers says he's transferring to Hofstra

HEMPSTEAD, New York -- Deron Powers will play his final collegiate season at Hofstra, the former Williamsburg Christian Academy standout said Friday.

After posting 1,080 points and 395 assists in three seasons at Hampton University, Powers announced his decision to transfer in June.

The 5-foot-11 point guard will have to sit out one season in compliance with NCAA rules before he's eligible to play a game for Hofstra, which finished fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association in 2014-15 with a 20-14 overall record. He'll have one year of eligibility remaining.

“The vibe I got up there when I went to visit,” Powers said, “how seriously they take basketball up there - I definitely think it's a good move.”

Powers averaged 10.1 points for Hampton last season and ...

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Alcorn State eyes back-to-back SWAC championships

LORMAN, Mississippi — Alcorn State jumped to the top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference heap in a hurry.

The Braves won their first SWAC championship in two decades last year by beating Southern 38-24 in the title game. With veteran quarterback John Gibbs Jr. returning, fourth-year coach Jay Hopson says his team has a chance to win another title.

Gibbs, the league's co-offensive player of the year last season, threw for 2,842 yards, 21 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in 2014 while also running for 1,006 yards and 11 touchdowns. He'll have several of his top running backs and receivers returning.

The defense will have several new faces after losing multiple key contributors. The defensive line will be anchored by Darien Moody, who had 10½ tackles for a loss, including 7½ sacks. Warren Gatewood is back in the secondary after a team-high 16 pass breakups last season.

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Jackson State hopes to bounce back from losing season

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State hopes an experienced offense can help the program bounce back from its first losing season since 2009.

LaMontiez Ivy returns after throwing for 3,209 yards, 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions last season. His top four receivers also return, including Daniel Williams, who caught 72 passes for 990 yards and nine touchdowns.

Second-year coach Harold Jackson will still have to find several new starters along the offensive line and improve a running game that ranked last in the Southwestern Athletic Conference last year with just 102.2 yards per game.

Jackson's first season leading the Tigers was difficult, but the program did get a needed boost when it beat eventual league champion Alcorn State in the regular season finale.

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Mississippi Valley trying to improve in Comegy's second year

ITTA BENA, Mississippi — Rick Comegy led Mississippi Valley State to one huge victory during his first season leading the program.

Now the veteran coach believes the Delta Devils can make those moments a little more common.

Mississippi Valley is trying to improve on a 2-9 record last season, which included the first victory over Jackson State in 20 years. The unexpected win over its in-state rival was a brilliant moment in an otherwise difficult season — the Delta Devils lost by at least two touchdowns in six Southwestern Athletic Conference games.

Mississippi Valley returns quarterback Quantavius Peterson, who threw for 874 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions last season while splitting time with now-departed Patrick Ivy. Peterson was also a running threat, with 297 yards rushing and five touchdowns.

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New Alabama State coach faces big learning curve in camp

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Brian Jenkins has had a steep learning curve with his Alabama State football team.

The new Hornets coach wasn't able to hold spring practices because of low Academic Progress Rate performance under his predecessor, Reggie Barlow. Jenkins also said he only watched "a little bit of film" from last year's team.

"We just haven't had enough time to look into what they did last year," he said. "We didn't have spring ball so we had to make sure that we came up with some ways to creatively get the guys to understand our scheme. We couldn't waste time on anything from the past.

"Our total concept and attitude was just to make sure that we introduced them to everything in our program and have them fully focused on our program."

The Hornets aren't eligible for the new Celebration Bowl featuring the champions from the Southwestern Athletic Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference because of the APR scores.



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B-CU's Jhomo Gordon Becomes Winnepeg Blue Bombers Starter

JHOMO GORDON
WR, 6-0, 195 LBS
HOMETOWN: PALM BAY, FL
CFL WINNEPEG BLUE BOMBERS

WINNIPEG MB, Canada -- Robert Marve may already be a household name in Winnipeg, but on Friday it appears the 26-year-old will make his first career start.

All signs are pointing in that direction after Marve took first-team reps on Wednesday, the team's only full practice during this short week as the Bombers get set to take on the Toronto Argonauts on Friday.

In addition to Marve, wide receiver Jhomo Gordon will be making his pro starting debut. The 21-year old Gordon impressed the Bombers at their mini-camp in Florida in April and has been awaiting his chance. The Bethune-Cookman grad will replace injured Darvin Adams at wide receiver.

TorontoArgonauts

WinnipegBlue Bombers

Preview

Friday, Aug 14   8:00PM ET

      

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