Duck Joins Chowan's Women Basketball Coaching Staff

MURFREESBORO -- The Chowan University athletic department along with Associate Athletic Director/Head Women's Basketball Coach Patrick Mashuda announced the addition of Dominique Duck to the women's basketball coaching staff.  Duck enters her first season with the Hawks and serves as the Assistant Women's Basketball Coach. 

Mashuda noted, "We are blessed to find such a quality person with a true passion for the game.  Dominique brings with her outstanding experience as a player at Western Kentucky as well as her time as a coach in the Western PA Bruins AAU program.  I believe we have two young coaching superstars working with our program". 

Duck added, "I am extremely excited to work with Coach Mashuda and to be part of the Chowan Hawks family.  I look forward to this upcoming season and to bringing my passion and love for the game of basketball with me every day to work". 

Prior to coming to Chowan, Duck gained coaching experience in the youth basketball arena.  She has served as head coach for the Western PA Bruins tenth and fifth grade AAU teams, respectively, and has also served as Assistant Coach/Head Junior Varsity Coach at Penn Hills High School and the Pittsburgh Obama Academy.  At each stop, Duck worked to mentor youth basketball players while teaching them fundamentals of the game, sportsmanship, teamwork and discipline. 

Duck served as a graduate assistant at Slippery Rock University from 2010-2011 where she assisted in opponent scouting, developed practice plans, monitored student-athlete academic progress and aided the coaches' recruiting efforts. 

Duck competed as a women's basketball student-athlete at Western Kentucky University.  She served as a team captain for two seasons and was named Sun Belt Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2008.  Duck concluded her collegiate playing career as the No. 16 scorer in Western Kentucky program history with 1,344 points while setting the school record for career games played (137), tied for third in games started (121) and was ranked seventh in blocked shots (113). She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Western Kentucky University.  The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native resides in Murfreesboro.  

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Clemons Joins NSU Spartans Men’s Basketball Coaching Staff

C.J. CLEMONS
ASSISTANT MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

NORFOLK, Virginia --  The Norfolk State athletics department announced today that local native and Norfolk State graduate Carlton "C.J." Clemons has joined the Spartan men's basketball program as an assistant coach.

Clemons arrives at NSU after spending two seasons as the head coach of Bryant & Stratton College in Virginia Beach. A graduate of Salem High School, Clemons brings extensive knowledge of Hampton Roads basketball after spending time at Booker T. Washington High in Norfolk and coaching with the Boo Williams 17 and under AAU team.

"Adding C.J. to our program was a huge accomplishment," said NSU head coach Robert Jones. "He has a big presence in Virginia basketball and especially in the 757 community. He will immediately strengthen our recruiting ties in the area. As an NSU grad, he possesses a special Spartan passion. He is a great basketball mind, and I look forward to working with him."

In addition to his coaching duties at Norfolk State, Clemons will serve as the liaison for the athletics compliance department, supervise the team's student managers, help run the program's summer camps, and handle all of the team's community outreach initiatives. Because of his extensive ties in the area, Clemons will also be in charge of local recruiting.

He led Bryant & Stratton, a Division II member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), to a two-year record of 38-16 during the program's first two years of existence beginning in 2013-14. The Bobcats advanced to the NJCAA Region 10 semifinals in 2015 on the way to averaging 78 points per game and finishing as the No. 13 ranked team in NJCAA D-II.

Before joining Bryant & Stratton, Clemons spent time as the junior varsity head coach and assistant varsity coach at Booker T. Washington HS from 2008-13. Prior to his start with NSU, he coached with the Boo Williams 17 and under AAU team from 2009-15, including the final three years as the head coach. Clemons also coached with the S.M.A.R.T. Athletes Basketball Camp, run by former Spartan Kyle O'Quinn, from 2012-15.

Clemons graduated from Norfolk State in May 2005 with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies. His hiring completes NSU's coaching staff after the appointment of Kevin Jones as an assistant coach earlier this month.

 

By Mike Bello, Asst. SID

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

 

Savannah State University security remains heightened; Deal comments; GBI says killer still unknown

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- As Savannah State University President Cheryl Dozier took the podium in front of Hill Hall late Friday morning, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation forensics truck was parked in front of the school’s police department.

“The Savannah State University family is grieving today,” she told reporters and faculty members in the wake of the Thursday night slaying of 22-year-old student Christopher Starks on campus. “Each of our students’ lives are precious and valued. It is a sad day any time a life is taken by senseless violence, and this is a particularly sad day for the Savannah State University family.”

Starks, a junior from Stone Mountain, died at Memorial University Medical Center after being shot at 9:15 p.m. during a fight in the university’s Student Union, said Cathy Sapp, the special agent in charge of the GBI’s local office.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Starks was an aspiring musician who started his college career at Appalachian State University on a football scholarship.



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WSSU Rams' Johnson doing it all on special teams

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Just about every day, Winston-Salem State’s Will Johnson gets asked a simple question by fellow students.

“So, do you play on the baseball team?”

And Johnson, who is white, usually answers with a no, but sometimes he can’t resist.

“A few times I’ve said: ‘Yes, I’m a pitcher,’” he said with a smile.

That’s how life is for a kicker on the Rams’ football team.

Johnson is one of the more valuable players this season because he’s a rarity. He’s an actual returning starter for a team that lost close to 35 players off a 9-2 team from a year ago.

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Meet the Hampton Pirates Set for Saturday

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- University President Dr. William R. Harvey, Hampton University, and the Department of Athletics invite fans to the Hampton University football team's annual "Meet the Pirates" Day, which will be this Saturday.

The event will start at 9 a.m. with the team's final scrimmage before the start of the season.

"We would like to invite our fans to come out and support Coach Maynor and the football student-athletes as they wrap up their preparations leading up to the start of what should be a successful 2015 season," Dr. Harvey said.

Admission is free and open to the public.

The first 200 fans in attendance will receive something in a giveaway. There will also be a Quarterback Challenge and a bouncy house for children.

Players will also be available for autographs after the scrimmage.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.


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Hampton Announces Time Change for Richmond Game

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

HAMPTON, Virginia --  Hampton University Director of Athletics Eugene Marshall, Jr. and athletic officials at the University of Richmond have announced a change in the kickoff time of the football game on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Armstrong Stadium.

Originally scheduled for 6 p.m., the game will now kick off at 12 p.m.

Marshall and Keith Gill, Director of Athletics at Richmond, mutually agreed that an earlier start time would be in the best interest of both parties, with Hampton holding a major event on campus the same evening as the game.

"We want to thank the University of Richmond, the Department of Athletics, Athletic Director Keith Gill and head coach Danny Rocco for accommodating Hampton on this time change," University President Dr. William R. Harvey said.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

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Randall Kerrick, North Carolina Police Officer, Won't Be Retried For Killing Jonathan Ferrell

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The North Carolina police officer who shot an unarmed former college football player to death in 2013 won't be retried, an official said Friday, a week after a judge declared a mistrial in the case.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Randall "Wes" Kerrick, 29, killed Jonathan Ferrell, 24, after a traffic accident on Sept. 14, 2013, and was accused of voluntary manslaughter. Kerrick is white; Ferrell was black.

Prosecutors argued Kerrick should have used nonlethal force to subdue Ferrell, a former defensive back for Florida A&M, after Ferrell climbed out of his wrecked car and dragged himself to a nearby house to get help. The woman in the house called 911 to report a possible break-in.

North Carolina senior deputy attorney general Robert Montgomery said the case would not be retried after the jury deadlocked, with eight jurors voting for an acquittal and four for a conviction.



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FAMU’s defensive line coming together before season opener

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- All of Florida A&M’s defenders are getting used to a new scheme, but some players are working on getting used to entirely new positions.

Junior Calvin Darville will put his hand in the dirt as a defensive end for the first time this season, after playing outside linebacker to start his career at FAMU. Darville rounds out a starting defensive line of himself, sophomore Daikwon Fuse, senior Michael Lovejoy and redshirt sophomore Danzell Williams.

Darville said he’s looking forward to shining in his role in defensive coordinator Theo Lemon’s new 4-3 scheme.

“We’ve got what it takes up front,” he said. “It’s a different feeling (playing defensive end), but I’m getting used to it. Getting that pass rush is definitely important. It helps the linebackers, safeties and defensive backs out.”

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Preview: Alcorn State at Georgia Tech

LORMAN, Mississippi --  After winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) for the first time in over two decades, the Braves’ contest versus Tech will mark the beginning of their title defense. All three of the team’s 2014 losses were one-possession games, including a 20-26 defeat at the hands of FBS opponent Southern Miss. Since the SWAC chooses not to compete in the FCS playoffs, Tech’s Week 1 opponent capped off its season by defeating reigning champion Southern University 38-24 in the conference championship. With the Jackets as Alcorn State’s only FBS opponent this year, the latter will look to make a statement that it can compete with a nationally recognized program.

Alcorn State was an offensive juggernaut in 2014, finishing second in the FCS in points per game and tying for first with an incredible 6.91 yards per play. At its helm this season will be senior quarterback John Gibbs, Jr., the reigning SWAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Ted Roof and the Tech defense will be forced to respect the Houston native; he not only passed for 21 touchdowns to the tune of 8.77 yards per attempt but also rushed for more yards than anyone else on the team.

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Auntwan Riggins hired as Prairie View A&M's baseball coach

AUNTWAN RIGGINS
HEAD BASEBALL COACH
COURTESY PVAMU ATHLETICS

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The Prairie View A&M baseball team began its latest chapter Friday when the school announced it hired Auntwan Riggins as its head baseball coach.

Riggins comes to Prairie View A&M from the Warriors Baseball Academy in Houston, Texas. Prior to that, he spent 13 years with Houston's Proway Baseball Academy as one of its premier instructors and coaches. Both academies train baseball players ages 7 through 18 years old, and can claim numerous players who went on to play NCAA Division I baseball among its alumni.

"I'm very excited to join the Prairie View A&M family," Riggins said. "It's almost like the day of the draft for me. You wait and you know they are going to announce at some point; it's a feeling that you can't really describe."

Riggins has provided individual instruction to numerous players who have gone on to successful NCAA Division I careers, some of whom were also drafted professionally. His most recent alumnus to be drafted was Kyle Survance, who played collegiately at the University of Houston; Survance was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the eighth round of the 2015 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft.

"I'm very happy to bring him on as our head coach, and am excited about his vision for the baseball program," Prairie View A&M Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson said. "He brings a wealth of experience, has a great knowledge of baseball, and can teach the game and its fundamentals."

Another player Riggins trained was Spencer Dennis, whom Prairie View A&M fans may remember as a key player on the Panthers' 2007 SWAC championship team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

Riggins is no stranger to the Southwestern Athletic Conference, having played collegiately at Texas Southern, concluding his career at the close of the 1998 season. In two seasons with the Tigers, he hit .364, and knocked 19 doubles, 11 triples, and six home runs. In 1997, he was named the SWAC's Newcomer of the Year after hitting .341 with five home runs.

At the conclusion of his junior season in 1998, Riggins was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball Draft. He reached the AAA level in 2001 while playing with the Portland Beavers in the San Diego Padres organization.

After he retired from professional baseball, Riggins eventually returned to Texas Southern to receive his degree, graduating from the school in 2011.

A native of east Texas and a graduate of Houston's Madison High School, Riggins looks forward to being part of the Prairie View A&M community.

"I don't think I've ever encountered people who have so much love and passion for their university and alma mater as a whole, than I have seen with the Prairie View A&M community. I was drawn to that," Riggins said.

The Panthers qualified for the 2015 SWAC Baseball Tournament. Prairie View A&M has won three SWAC championships in the last 10 years, winning the tournament in 2006, 2007, and 2012.

Riggins will be the seventh head coach in Prairie View A&M's baseball history – which dates back to the 1925 season – and will be the Panthers' fourth coach since 1970. He and his wife, Deveka, have been married eight years, and they have a 5-year-old daughter, Masyn.

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New Atlanta bowl game names executive director

ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Celebration Bowl, Atlanta’s new college football postseason game, Friday announced local businessman John Grant as its executive director.

The game will match the champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the Southwestern Athletic Conference, two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) leagues. The inaugural game is scheduled for noon Dec. 19, live on ABC.

Grant has been CEO of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta organization for 14 years.

The MEAC and SWAC announced in March a six-year agreement to play the Celebration Bowl here: the first two years in the Georgia Dome and the next four in the new Falcons stadium, which opens in 2017 and this week was officially named Mercedes-Benz Stadium.



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Tennessee State University Mourns Death of Former President James A. Hefner

Dr. James A. Hefner
Sixth president of TSU
 

“We have lost a visionary and one of the best leaders to serve this great institution.” – President Glenda Glover

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  The Tennessee State University family is saddened to announce the death of Dr. James A. Hefner, the sixth president of the University. He died early Thursday morning surrounded by family in his Brentwood home following a long illness. Dr. Hefner was 76. Hefner served TSU as president from 1991-2005.

In a statement on the passing of Dr. Hefner, Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover said:  “The Tennessee State University family sends its deepest condolences to the Hefner family. Dr. Hefner devoted his entire adult life to serving others and expanding educational opportunities to all. As educators, we have lost a visionary and one of the best leaders to ever serve this great institution. He loved inspiring students and challenging them.”

The university’s progress during Dr. Hefner’s tenure was unprecedented. While President of Tennessee State University, Dr. Hefner transformed TSU into a top-tier research university. He was deeply committed to TSU’s land-grant mission. He pursued programs and efforts that aligned the resources of the university with the needs of students. His legacy will serve the university, the nation and the world.

Under his leadership, Tennessee State University saw marked physical, infrastructural and academic improvement, including the implementation of a $112 million capital improvement plan. The improvement was part of the Geier agreement that attempted to end race-based disparity in higher education funding in Tennessee. Several new buildings were constructed, including the Floyd-Payne Student Campus Center, the Ned McWherter Administration Building and the Performing Arts Center.

He was viewed as the students’ president and enrollment reached an all-time high of 9,100 students, an achievement that has only been recently achieved during the 2014-2015 academic school year. The TSU endowment also experienced remarkable growth from $500,000 to more than $25 million (through fund-raising and settling a Federal Consent Decree). He positioned Tennessee State University as a premier institution of higher learning.  TSU was listed in U.S. News & Worlds Report’s “Guide to America’s Best Colleges” for 11 consecutive years (1994-2005).

Dr. Hefner occupied the Thomas and Patricia Frisk Chair of excellence in entrepreneurship, a $2.3 million endowed chair at Tennessee State University.  He also established two other endowed chairs of excellence at Tennessee State. An advocate and proponent of African American intellectual achievement throughout his career, Dr. Hefner established two of the nation’s top honor societies, Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi, at Tennessee State University and Clark Atlanta University.

After retiring as president of Tennessee State University in 2005, Dr. Hefner was a non-resident fellow at Harvard University in the W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research; Visiting Distinguished Professor of Economics and Presidential Leadership at Texas Southern University; and most recently as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Clark Atlanta University, where he worked diligently as he fought cancer up until the very end.

When recently asked how he wanted to be remembers, Dr. Hefner said: “As an educator who cared about black higher education and the welfare of students.”

He earned his undergraduate degree from North Carolina A&T University, his master’s degree in economics from Atlanta University, and his doctorate in economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

“My father lived a life of service to historically black colleges and universities and the students who attend them,” said Dr. David Hefner, the youngest son of Dr. Hefner and a 1993 graduate of Morehouse College. “He was an intellectual disciple of W.E.B. DuBois – a Fisk University graduate – in that he believed in the liberation that academic excellence promised to those who lived a life of service to the African American community, to truth and to humanity. So his legacy is a living one because there is still much work to do. And my father serves as an example of what service to HBCUs looks like, and we celebrate his life and legacy.”

TSU will be the site of a memorial service on Wednesday, September 2, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Poag Auditorium of the Davis Humanities Building. A reception will follow immediately afterwards in the Ferrell-Westbrook Building (the Barn). The funeral service will take place on Thursday, September 3, at 1 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral, 900 Broadway, downtown Nashville.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorial gifts be made to the Dr. James A. Hefner Scholarship Foundation in his honor to the Tennessee State University or Morehouse College Development Offices. You may reach the TSU Foundation at 615-963-5481, for Morehouse 404-215-2660.

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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2015 North Carolina A&T State University Blue and Gold Marching Machine

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Tuskegee Golden Tigers preparing for Clark Atlanta September 5

COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

TUSKEGEE, Alabama  -- After an early morning practice, Tuskegee University head coach Willie Slater spoke to the media in the first weekly press conference of the season.

Slater begins his 10th year at the helm of the Golden Tigers and currently stands nine victories shy of becoming the second-winningest coach in school history.
"This has been the fastest 10 years of my life," Slater said. "It seems like everything is a blur since the last game we played, that's how fast it has gone by. It is a privilege for me to be here, this is a great institution for young men and young women."

With just nine days before the opening game against Clark Atlanta, the focus was on the offensive line and replacing the starters from last year.

"With the offensive line and tight end we are going to be brand new all the way through," Slater said. "It will be interesting to see how it unfolds. But at the same time, we have talent there we just don't have much experience. We are trying to make sure we take care of our guys, we are going to make sure we don't make our line do something they are not comfortable doing and go from there"

Although the Golden Tigers are young up front, the first three weeks of practices have been a learning experience and a chance to teach the new guys coming in. At the same time, the last week has been a week of preparation of the season opener.

"Practices are going good," Slater said. "Our guys are working hard, they are giving us good effort, and we are getting better. I can see us getting better each day, so hopefully we will be where we want to be when the time gets here. We are trying to get ready for Clark Atlanta. We don't worry about the next game, we worry about this one and we have to find a way to get through it. Our guys understand and are coming along accordingly."

The Golden Tigers were picked to win the SIAC West Division by the coaches in the preseason poll, and although Clark Atlanta is not a conference game it still a big one for Tuskegee.

"We know every time we play we are going to get the other team's best," Slater said. "We have to be ready to play. I wouldn't have it any other way to be honest. If you can win the conference with everyone putting the target on your back, then you know you deserve to win it. That is our goal every year."

Although the focus of the day was offense, Slater spoke highly about the defense and special teams before the end of the day.

"I am excited about our defense," Slater said. "We have improved ourselves on that side of the ball, particularly up front and in the secondary. We lost our two interior linemen, and we replaced those guys with two impact players. We have a lot of guys coming back on defense, including our two ends and two of our linebackers. We have had to replace some guys on defense, but the guys we have had stepped in. I am excited on seeing them play.

"At the same time I am excited about our special teams," Slater said. "We have a few guys returning the ball that will be exciting to watch, as well as our kicker."

Tickets are still available for the season opener and can be purchased by calling 334-727.8594 or 334-724-4385. Tickets are also on sale for the Whitewater Classic (September 12) in Phenix City, and the Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic (October 10) in Columbus.

Tuskegee Ranked in SBN Preseason Poll

The Sheridan Broadcasting Network released their preseason poll Tuesday morning with Tuskegee appearing in the top 10.

The Golden Tigers, coming off a 9-3 record and the SIAC championship in 2014, are the highest ranked NCAA Division II school in the poll as they are ranked seventh in the preseason. They are joined in the rankings by a pair of Division II schools, Virginia State (eighth) and Winston-Salem State (10th). The Golden Tigers are the only ranked SIAC member school in the poll.

Follow us on Twitter @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook for up to the minute information on Tuskegee University athletics.

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WSSU impressive in final scrimmage

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- With a long and grueling preseason camp nearly behind them, the Winston-Salem State Rams had a bounce in their step Wednesday night under the lights at their practice field.

Coach Kienus Boulware watched his team go through its final scrimmage before next week’s opener at UNC Pembroke. The Rams wanted to simulate the 7 p.m. start for next week’s game and the scrimmage under the lights worked out well.

“Guys can kind of get a feel for what it will be like next week,” Boulware said.

Boulware said he saw a lot of good things, but what he loved the most was the energy level.

“I’m thinking that the night atmosphere gets the guys going a little faster, and that’s good to see,” Boulware said after the scrimmage. “And I thought the conditioning is the best that it’s been, because I see guys moving very well and not sucking wind.”



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FAMU Lady Rattler Volleyball Starts 2015 Season Today

FAMU Volleyball Game Notes

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COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

CORAL GABLES, Florida  – The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers open their 2015 season with high aspirations.  The team was picked to win the MEAC southern division, by the conference's head coaches and SIDs.  But, head coach Tony Trifonov seeks much more.  In a five year drought, the Lady Rattlers have their sights on winning the MEAC tournament.

Florida A&M received 22 first-place votes and posted a 9-1 record in the Southern Division and 13-15 overall finish last year.  The Lady Rattlers will be anchored by Pamela Soriano and 2014 All-MEAC First Team middle blocker Ginna Lopez-Chavez. Soriano, the 2014 MEAC Rookie of the Year, ranked second in the conference and 31^st in the NCAA in kills per set (4.25), and second in the MEAC and 39^th nationally in points per set (4.73). Lopez-Chavez ranked fourth in the MEAC in hitting percentage (.304) and fifth in blocks per set (0.90) and was selected to the preseason team.  Soriano was selected the MEAC preseason player of the year.

The Lady Rattlers will take on Kansas State on Friday at 5 p.m. to open the season.  That will be followed by Saturday matches with the University of Miami (12;30 p.m.) and Illinois State (5:30 p.m.).

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from THE EDITOR DWIGHT FLOYD: Is FAMU Divided?

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Used to be that football games against Bethune Cookman were no contest. Competing wasn’t about the game. It was about getting together and having a good time.

Now that the Wildcats have become a big rival most of us hate losing to them even in marbles. Make no mistake though. We can butt heads on the field or in the gymnasium. We can debate history and quarrel over who is the best. Yet, at the end of the day you had better not harm a Wildcat or you’ll have to face me because after all, when all is said and done they are my brothers and sisters.

Such is the case with the Rattler family.  Yes, we are quarreling and we don’t know how to handle it. It’s the tar baby effect. We are bewildered and frustrated about what we see unfolding. Once you voice an opinion about it you get stuck in the conversation trying to defend your point of view. We all know we are right in our opinion and are confident we know where to st
and on an issue. It is called being stubborn.

People say that Floyd men are stubborn, but being a Floyd man I just don’t see it!

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UAPB’s Rucker wins 2015 Walter Payton Achievement Award

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

ORLANDO, Florida  --  The winners of the eighth annual Walter Payton Achievement Award, which is given to one player from each team participating in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney, were announced today by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN. The 11^th annual game, which showcases and celebrates teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, will feature the South Carolina State University Bulldogs of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 6, at the newly renovated Orlando Citrus Bowl and will be televised live on ESPN.

The 2015 Walter Payton Achievement Award winners, voted on by students and fans, are South Carolina State senior tight end Temarrick Hemingway and Arkansas-Pine Bluff redshirt senior safety Kevin Rucker Jr.

First presented in 2008, the Walter Payton Achievement Award is named in honor of the late Walter Payton, a former All-American at Jackson State University (1971 to 1974) and Professional Football Hall of Fame running back who spent his entire NFL career (1975 to 1987) with the Chicago Bears. The award recognizes exemplary student-athletes, shining a light on character and embodiment of team spirit.

Finalists are selected by a committee consisting of academic advisers and coaches from the two participating schools. Voting, open on the MEAC/SWAC Challenge website to students, fans, alumni and fans for a month leading up to the game, closed Wednesday, Aug. 26. Award winners are celebrated at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge kickoff banquet at the Walt Disney World Resort. The award, to be given out this year on Friday, Sept. 4, is regularly presented by Walter Payton’s son, Jarrett Payton.

Past winners of the Walter Payton Achievement Award include, for 2014: Alan Cruz, Alabama A&M, and Quentin Todd, North Carolina A&T State University; 2013: Jonathan Pillow, Florida A&M University, and Kevin Eugene, Mississippi Valley State University; 2012: Bobby Wenzig, Alabama State University, and Arlen McCray-Nibbs, Bethune-Cookman University; 2011: Nesly Marcellon, Bethune-Cookman University, and Raheem Cardwell, Prairie View A&M University; 2010: Kevin Green, Delaware State University, and Gary Hollimon, Southern University; 2009: Van Phillips, Grambling State University, and Zachary Middleton, South Carolina State University; 2008: Kevin Teel, Hampton University, and Marcus Smith, Jackson State University.

Tickets for the game are available via Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com. Special packages for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Walt Disney World Theme Park admission can be purchased via this link. For travel packages that include resort accommodations, game tickets, theme park tickets and much more, visit AnthonyTravel.com/MEACSWAC or call 1-888-632-6951. The MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney is owned and operated by ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN. For more information, visit meacswacchallenge.com.

 

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VUU Fans to get Sneak Peek of 2015 Football Team

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Fans of Virginia Union University football will get a sneak peek at the 2015 team when the inaugural "Panther Walk" takes place at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 28, on the VUU Campus in Richmond, Va.

The football team, led by head coach Mark James, will walk from the Belgium Building to the Dr. Claude G. Perkins Living & Learning Center during the event.

The VUU Marching Band and the cheerleaders, the Rah Rahs, will accompany the team on the premiere walk.

Then on Saturday, August 29, the Panthers will take to the Historic Hovey Field turf in the final pre-season scrimmage.



The inter-squad scrimmage will begin at 1 p.m., but members of the team, including pre-season All-American Addison Hayes, will start signing autographs and posters at 10 a.m. in Hovey Field that same day.

Admission is free to all!  Come join the Panthers for this historic walk and see what's in store for the 2015 season!  VUU finished 7-3 in 2014 and looks to dethrone defending CIAA Champion Virginia State University for the CIAA crown this season!

Virginia Union kicks off the 2015 season when the Panthers meet Brevard College at 1 p.m. in Hovey Field in Richmond, Va.

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JCSU Continues Partnership with AM 1450 WGNC

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- For the seventh consecutive year, all 10 Johnson C. Smith University football games will be broadcast on AM 1450 WGNC.

The 1,000 watt station, located in nearby Gastonia, N.C. reaches into the Charlotte market and provides JCSU with another valuable tool to highlight Golden Bulls Athletics.

WGNC Owner and General Manager Scott Neisler once again looks forward to the start of football season. "We're excited to continue our partnership with JCSU athletics and to the start of the upcoming football season," he said. "We're Golden Bulls through and through and we enjoy bringing JCSU football and other top-notch programming to the fans of the Gold and Blue."

Dave Friedman will once again be charged with providing play-by-play duties. Josh Diggs will join Friedman in the booth providing color commentary.

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WSSU’s Massey: a burly back with speed

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- A year ago, Tyree Massey was not an every-down running back at Winston-Salem State. Instead, he was a key element in a three-player rotation which totaled 1,555 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns.

Although Massey was third on the depth chart, he made the most of his opportunities – 402 yards, six touchdowns and he averaged 5.4 yards per carry. With the departure of seniors Maurice Lewis and Mustafa Greene, Massey figures to be the featured Rams runner coming out of the backfield this season.

“I’m ready for the challenge,” said Massey, a senior from Bunnlevel. “Things went real well during the off-season. I stayed here all summer and worked out. As a result, I came to this year’s training camp in real good shape and I’m ready to go.”

Look for the Rams to give opponents a healthy dose of Massey at tailback all season long. And for good reason. At 5-feet-11, 240 pounds, he’s a punishing runner between the tackles. But that’s just one aspect of his game. Massey said his best time in the 40-yard dash is 4.7 seconds. Yet, he looks much faster under game conditions. Aside from that, he’s agile, elusive and rarely goes down after initial contact.



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Tyreece Brown Names FSU Head Cross Country Coach

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  --  Fayetteville State University Athletics has announced Tyreece Brown as the head men’s and women’s cross country coach for the upcoming 2015 season. This will be Brown’s first collegiate head coaching opportunity.

Brown has worked with FSU Athletics since his appointment as assistant women’s basketball coach in 2012. He was named athletics facility manager in 2014. Brown has been a volunteer assistant for cross country in previous seasons.

“The focus of the program is to compete at a championship level,” said Brown. “Our team this year is full of strong, motivated runners. Our student-athletes have been pushing themselves and each other in preparation for this upcoming season. Our program definitely has a championship mindset.”

Brown is a native of Philadelphia, PA and a 2008 graduate of Fayetteville State. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Brown later completed his master’s degree in Business with a Leadership concentration from Liberty University in 2013.

He was a two-year starter for the men’s basketball program and former cross country student-athlete. Brown served as a captain on the 2005 FSU men’s basketball team, which advanced to the CIAA Championship Game.  In his role with women’s basketball, Brown is primarily responsible for backcourt development and recruiting.

FSU men’s and women’s cross country have five meets scheduled before the 2015 CIAA Championships. Both teams open the season on September 4th at the Catawba College/Chik-Fil-A Invitational held at Salisbury Community Park in Salisbury, NC.

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Presumption of Innocence: Football player in Vanderbilt rape case signs with Lane College

Brandon Banks is a local kid from Gwynn Park High School in Brandywine, located in Southern Prince George's County, Maryland. 

JACKSON, Tennessee -- Brandon Banks, a Vanderbilt football player dismissed from the team two years ago and charged with rape, has been admitted to Lane College, President Logan Hampton said Monday night.

Lane head football coach Derrick Burroughs said Banks, a defensive back, is signing to join the Lane football team and is on campus.

Banks is accused with three other Vanderbilt football players in a June 2013 rape. He is charged with five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. His lawyer has entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, and Banks is awaiting trial.  

Hampton said he and the school’s chaplain and executive vice president, the Rev. Dr. Moses Goldmon, asked themselves what good the college could do in this situation.

“If the church isn’t open to him, who is?” Hampton said. He later added, “The church has an opportunity and an obligation to try to do what it can.”

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New coach, but expect more of the same from MEAC power Bethune-Cookman

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman University only had to go down the hallway to complete its national search for a football coach.

Now it’s Terry Sims’ turn to maintain, if not improve, the Wildcats’ prominence.

As an assistant to Brian Jenkins — who left for Alabama State — for the previous five years, Sims was a logical and popular choice. While he intends to make his own thumbprint on a program that has won or shared a piece of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title for the past three years, B-CU never lost a step in the transition.

“It makes it easier on the players,” Sims said. “We’ve all been around each other for a while. I know all their little quirks.

“We all take ownership of this team.”



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Southern settles depth chart

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern began the preseason with few doubts about who would be in its starting lineup.

Now that the preseason is winding down, the few preseason competitions at the top of the Jaguars depth chart seemed to have been settled — at least for the time being.

Performances in games and in practice can always produce promotions and demotions, but barring something unforeseen between now and Sept. 5, Southern seems to have settled on its first unit for the opener at Louisiana Tech.

Junior Nicholas McDonald, a native of New Orleans and incoming transfer from Southwest Mississippi Community College, has passed Blake Monroe as the starter at strong safety. That spot was unexpectedly thrown into a competition when incumbent starter Bryan Anderson was declared academically ineligible before the start of preseason camp.

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