WSSU Rams' schedule opens with 5 game at home

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Winston-Salem State’s basketball schedule will test Coach James Wilhelmi’s team early and often.

“We have such a new group of players we felt it was in our best interests to load up on home games early,” Wilhelmi said. “And we were able to get five straight home games, and I think that’s going to help us.”

The Rams will open Nov. 13 against Concord and then play the next night against Charleston at the Gaines Center. On Nov. 17, the Rams will take on UNC Pembroke before playing host to Elizabeth City State on Nov. 21. The fifth home game to open the season will be Nov. 24 against Morris College.

“Our track record is pretty good at the Gaines Center, and this is a good way to get those guys acclimated early,” said Wilhelmi, who will begin his second season as head coach.

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Alabama State preview

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1: Top-shelf line: Senior Damian Love and junior Jylan Ware are both happy to be preseason All-Southwestern Athletic Conference offensive linemen. Check back at the end of the year to see if they’re happier. “It’s a pat on the back right now, but I’d rather get the handshake later,” Love said. “It’s a motivator.” Love, a Stanhope Elmore graduate, said he was preseason All-SWAC as a sophomore. He didn’t make the postseason list. “It’s an honor, definitely, but I see that as a ‘who to watch’ award,” Ware said. “It’s preseason. It’s more of a ‘he was good last year, and he should be good this year.’”

2: Ripe Berry: Middle linebacker Kourtney Berry, after reaching triple-digit tackles each of the last two years, returns for the Hornets. Oh, he’s just a junior. Berry also faces massive expectations. SWAC coaches pegged him as the league’s preseason defensive player of the year. Berry made a league-high 128 tackles last year, including a career-high 20 in a mid-November game with Grambling. He reached double figures in seven games. He was also first-team All-SWAC as a freshman when he started every game and made 105 tackles.

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2015 preview: New faces hope to improve Tigers’ offensive line

JACKSON, Mississippi -- “Tender” and “passive” were two adjectives people within the Jackson State program used to describe last season’s offensive line.

The big men up front struggled mightily, and the rest of the offense took a hit because of it. The running game averaged a measly 3.3 yards per carry, and quarterback LaMontiez Ivy was sacked 39 times.

So it’s not hard to figure out why Tigers coach Harold Jackson went out and stocked up on a bunch of linemen during the most recent recruiting cycle.

Some of those new faces were in the mix for playing time during training camp earlier this summer. Those practices served as a preview of what they’ll see on Saturdays this fall in the SWAC.

“They need to adapt to this league,” offensive line coach Steven Aycock said. “This (the SWAC) is the SEC of the HBCU circuit, and that’s the only way that I look at it. Everybody in this conference plays fast football, and they need to adjust to that.”

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SCSU Hamilton ready to dazzle in final season

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- • ANTONIO HAMILTON (r-Sr., Defensive Back/PR, 6-0, 185, Johnston) – The top returner in the nation and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference will suit up for his final season in the Bulldog uniform. A double threat as a defender and return specialist ranks among the top academic scholars in this year’s senior class.

• LAST SEASON: Earned Second-Team and Third-Team All-MEAC honors while playing in 12 games. Led the nation (FCS I-AA) and MEAC with 15 punt returns for 384 yards (25.6 yards per return) and two touchdowns. Returned a 91-yard and 51-yard punt return for touchdown in back-to-back MEAC contests. On defense finished with 36 tackles (34 solo); 4.5 tackles for loss (18 yards); one sack, three interceptions; six pass deflects, and one fumble recovery.

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Tuskegee preview

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1: Lacey’s time: Former Wetumpka star Kevin Lacey went into last season as the unproved backup, but he knows 2015 is his year. The 6-foot-6 quarterback took over as the starter midseason last year, but is coming into this year with the same attitude. Lacey completed 54 percent of his passes for 1,287 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions last season. He also ran for 220 yards and a touchdown. “Last year, coming in as a backup, you kind of want to work harder and practice like the starter. Now I am the starter, but I still don’t want to get complacent,” Lacey said. “I work hard and try to get better each and every day.”

2: Questions along O-line: The thing that’s worried Tuskegee coach Willie Slater most this offseason is, who’s going to block? The Golden Tigers have to replace all five starters along the offensive line, including All-SIAC selections Matthew Reese, Jamil McKenzie and Darrius Moore. “We’re going to be new all away across the front on the offensive line, so there’s a big question mark there,” Slater said. “I don’t know how good we can be, I do think we have potential there though. But we don’t have experience there, that’s the scary part.”

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Albany State Season Review: Season of Change

ALBANY, Georgia  — Dan Land still has his trademark smile.

He’s still the same approachable coach who is easy to talk to, and his players love him.

 

About the only thing different about Land this year is he’s the head football coach at Albany State instead of an assistant. Land took over, getting promoted to be the interim coach when longtime Albany State coach Mike White unexpectedly took the same job at SIAC rival Benedict at the end of the 2014 season.

 

Land vows that not much is going to change when the Rams open their 2015 season by playing host to Valdosta State Saturday night.

 

“We’re not trying to recreate the wheel here,” Land said. “All we did was took exactly what we had, that we know we’re good at, and just change some things that would best benefit us on defense and on offense. Normally on offense, we would do more offensive sets and on defense, what we’re doing now is more zone defense…making the quarterback read more.”

 

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Fort Valley State shooting for conference championship

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- With two games remaining last season, Fort Valley State had its sights set on an SIAC championship. In good shape at 6-2, the Wildcats traveled to Atlanta to face Morehouse, but despite a near-miracle comeback, FVSU fell 24-21 to the Maroon Tigers.

“That just put a damper on everything,” FVSU head coach Donald Pittman said. “We lost motivation. The next game against Albany State, we always get up for that game; if we would have won, we would have had something to play for. But we did not win against Morehouse, so we weren’t playing for the conference championship. Dropping those two really dampered the whole season, really.”



FVSU finished the season with a 6-4 record. Boasting five players who earned preseason All-SIAC honors, the Wildcats expect more this year. As voted on by the conference’s head coaches, the preseason All-conference team features wide receiver Drelon Freeman, defensive back Brian Walker and place-kicker/punter Juan Serna on the first team, along with quarterback Otis Brown, who earned the recognition as a running back, and offensive lineman Michael Brown on the second team.

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Terry Sims takes over Bethune-Cookman, says program won’t miss a beat

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- The coach has changed but the philosophies and schemes remain the same at Bethune-Cookman.

Brian Jenkins went 46-14 in five seasons with the Wildcats, losing just six Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference games, before moving on to Alabama State. Bethune administrators selected one of Jenkins’ longtime assistants, Terry Sims, to take over the program.

The 43-year-old Sims is a head coach for the first time, but he has been the Wildcats’ assistant head coach, working with defensive backs and the special teams units since 2010.

“Everything is the same,” Sims said. “It was a group of men that got together and came up with a blueprint for this program. The majority of those men are still here. We’re still operating the program that has been in place.”

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Rutgers Week 1 opponent: Norfolk State at a glance

PISCATAWAY, New Jersey -- One week from today, Rutgers will open its 2015 campaign. For the first time in the Kyle Flood era, the Scarlet Knights have the luxury of beginning their season at home versus a team from the Division I-AA ranks.

With training camp coming to a close Friday, the Scarlet Knights will begin game-week preparations Monday. Kickoff for the opener next Saturday is slated for 12 noon at High Point Solutions Stadium.

Here are some things to know about the Norfolk State Spartans:



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2015 preview: SWAC at a glance

Coach with the toughest job

Rick Comegy, Mississippi Valley State: No coach has really been able to figure out how to succeed consistently at Mississippi Valley State since Archie Cooley led the program to three consecutive winning seasons in the early-to-mid 1980s.

Newcomers to watch

Guy Stallworth, Grambling, DB: The 6-foot-3, 215-pound junior college transfer will aim to help a pass defense that ranked last in the 10-team SWAC last season.

Derrick Griffin, Texas Southern, WR: Griffin was one of the top receiver prospects in the country coming out of high school in 2013. He signed with Miami, but didn’t qualify. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound Griffin should be a matchup nightmare for the rest of the SWAC.

Toughest schedule

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TSU Tigers Football Head Coach Rod Reed talks about the final scrimmage before the Sept. 6 opener

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- TSU Tigers Football Head Coach Rod Reed talks about the final scrimmage before the Sept. 6 opener in the John Merritt Classic vs. Alabama State.



COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Former SC State Hall of Famer Bobby Hemby Passes

Robert M. (Bobby) Hemby Sr.
Courtesy: SCSU Athletics

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Robert M. (Bobby) Hemby Sr., a standout football player at South Carolina State during his collegiate days (1968-72), and an SCSU Hall of Fame inductee, died Thursday, August 27, 2015 at the MUSC Medical Center in Charleston following a brief illness. A lifelong educator, Hemby was 65.

The funeral will be held Thursday (Sept. 3) at 1 p.m. at New Mount Zion Baptist Church, 1785 Amelia Street, Orangeburg. Carroll Mortuary of Bamberg, SC is in charge of arrangements. Friends may call at the residence, 392 Woodberry Drive, Orangeburg, or the funeral home.

A Brooklyn, NY native, Hemby lettered four years as a defensive back at SC State. He intercepted 16 passes, including three in one half against Morgan State in 1971, during his Bulldog career. He played in the inaugural Black College East/West All-Star Game where he had one interception as a senior, and later signed a free agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1972. Hemby was inducted into the SCSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.

Hemby earned both a bachelor's and a master's at SC State, where his three sons also played football. Robert II, played quarterback and defensive back for the Bulldogs; Ryan played defensive back; and Russell, quarterback and defensive back. His widow, Grace Hemby, and daughter Robyn Hemby, are also SC State graduates.

In addition to the family members mentioned above, Hemby is survived by his mother, Mattie Johnson and a sister, Patricia Means, both of Syringa, Virginia.

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Countdown To Kickoff: NCCU Eagles Quarterbacks

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- The NCCU Football "Countdown To Kickoff" video series continues with fall camp interviews with co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach T.C. Taylor.

Hear from the coach as he discusses the student-athletes in their positions, how they've progressed through camp, and who to look for during the upcoming season.

The NCCU football team opens the 2015 season at home inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium on Sept. 5 versus Saint Augustine's University at 6:00 p.m. in the sixth annual Prince Hall Shriners Diabetes Football Classic.

Single game and season tickets are still available. For ticket information, call the NCCU Ticket Office at 919-530-5170 or visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com.



COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Smart. Fast. Physical. AAMU Football season tickets, tailgate spots on sale

NORMAL, Alabama --  Football season will be here before you know it so don't hesitate in getting your tickets to make sure you don't miss a minute of the action.

The Bulldogs' fast, physical and smart brand of football is sure to excite the fans of the Maroon and White. Arkansas-Pine Bluff visits Sept. 26 to kick off the season for Homecoming and the Louis Crews Classic. Also coming to The Hill are Jackson State (Oct. 17), Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 7) and Texas Southern (Nov. 28).

With the aroma of barbecue in the air, tailgaters enhance the legendary Bulldog football atmosphere and there are still spots available for the 2015 season for you gridiron grillers.

For our fans' convenience, the Louis Crews Stadium ticket office has expanded hours to Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Don't be left on the sidelines. Join the excitement of Bulldog football with your friends and family in the crowd and at the smokers.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Dawn of a new era for Delaware State football

DOVER, Delaware -- The Delaware State football team was up with the rising sun Saturday inside Alumni Stadium.

With their first game under new coach Kenny Carter a week away, the Hornets can’t wait to get started.

The same could be said for Saturday’s crack-of-dawn practice, even though alarms had to be set early.

“That’s what you want to do,” said senior safety Terrick Colston, who woke at 4:30 a.m. for the 6 a.m. session, referring to the Hornets’ willingness to work. “I was one of the first ones in there, too.”

Delaware State has more difficult challenges ahead than wee-hours wakeups.

Liberty, which DSU visits Saturday night in Lynchburg, Virginia, is ranked No. 15 nationally in FCS.



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Six-figure payday awaits ASU with 2018 game at Auburn

ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

The Hornets and Tigers will meet on The Plains on November 17, 2018

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Talk about providing a boost to its athletic budget.

Montgomery Advertiser confirmed through an Auburn spokesperson that Alabama State is scheduled to receive $515,000 to play at Auburn in 2018 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. For the 2013-14 academic year, ASU reported to the U.S. Department of Education it spent $2,803,620 on football and made the exact same amount from Oct. 1, 2013 to Sept. 30, 2014.

The school also reported it spent $1,068,488 on the salaries of all head coaches, a total of $565,820 on operating expenses for football games (football scholarships) and $278,709 for recruiting expenses for all men's and women's sports in 2013-14.

In 60 minutes of football, ASU is about to make nearly twice as much money than it spent on recruiting for all its sports in 2013-14.

ASU president Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd and interim athletic director Melvin Hines, an Auburn graduate and former player for the Tigers, signed the contract for the 2018 Auburn game July 30 and Auburn AD Jay Jacobs signed it Aug. 20. My suggestion for Auburn fans is to stick around for halftime of that one.


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

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Xavier goes 1-1 in Big Easy Blastoff volleyball

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
2015/16 WOMEN'S VOLLEY TEAM
ROSTER
(Click on Photo to Enlarge)

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball split its two matches Friday in the Big Easy Blastoff at the Convocation Center.

The Gold Nuggets defeated Mississippi Valley State 26-24, 25-17, 25-16 in the tournament's opening match, then lost 25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-14 to Mobile in the final match of the day.

Xavier (1-1) will play Saturday at 9 a.m. against NAIA No. 19 Wayland Baptist and 3 p.m. against Faulkner. Admission is free.

The Gold Nuggets' Jodi Hill hit .600 with 10 kills and four aces against Mississippi Valley, and Taylor Reuther had eight kills and nine digs in her first match since 2013. The victory was Xavier's first against an NCAA Division I opponent since 2011.



Against Mobile, freshman Ruby Hunt-Thompson had 14 kills, and CeCe Williams had 11.

In the other matches, Wayland Baptist defeated Mobile 24-26, 26-24, 27-25, 27-25, Mobile beat Mississippi Valley 25-13, 25-13, 25-18, and Wayland Baptist defeated Faulkner 25-17, 23-25, 28-26, 25-17. Wayland Baptist, 6-0 this season, was the only team to finish unbeaten Friday.

In Saturday's other matches, Mississippi Valley will play Faulkner at 11 a.m., Wayland Baptist will play Loyola at 1 p.m., and Mississippi Valley will meet Loyola at 5 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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XU's Jackson wins women's race at Big Easy Opener

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
2015/16  WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM
ROSTER
(Click on Photo to Enlarge)

NEW ORLEANS— Xavier University of Louisiana's Zahri Jackson ran two miles in 14 minutes, 27.3 seconds Friday to win the women's division of the Big Easy Opener cross country meet at City Park.

Jackson, a fifth-year senior, earned her fourth collegiate victory and her first since winning her second straight Gulf Coast Athletic Conference title in 2012.

Freshman teammate Brianna Pace, in her collegiate debut, was second in 14:48.0. XU senior Briana Simms was third in 14:56.3.

The Gold Nuggets outscored city rival Dillard 17-45 to win the team title.

Power Miler Track Club scored 15 points to win the men's division. Xavier was second with 61 points, and Dillard was third with 64.

Power Miler's Drew Haro ran 5,000 meters in 15:56.9 to finish first. The first collegiate men's finisher was Xavier junior Christopher August, in eighth place at 17:03.6. Brent Kitto was the second Gold Rush finisher, placing 11th in 17:22.9.

The Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush will compete next Friday in the Southern Miss Invitational at Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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JSU Tigers’ Cook settling in at center

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Off the field, Jackson State junior center Markus Cook has spent enough time studying to compile a 3.3 grade-point average as a special education major.

On the field, Cook, who has hopes of becoming a coach someday, has to put in his fair share of studying, too. He’s had to learn defensive fronts and tendencies, protection calls and the rest of his fellow linemen’s assignments.

It’s that kind of preparation that has turned Cook into one of the more steady presences along the Tigers’ offensive line during the first few weeks of practice.

“His consistency through camp (stood out), there was a good battle between he and Alem (Amores at center) but he’s been the more consistent guy making calls …,” offensive line coach Steven Aycock said.

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Benedict Season Opener Selected As Part of SIAC TV Package With ASPiRE Network

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference will broadcast four SIAC football games on ASPiRE Network for the upcoming 2015 football season, including Benedict College's season-opener.

"We are pleased to have SIAC football games on the ASPiRE Network this fall," said SIAC Commissioner Gregory Moore. "This partnership will provide our fans with multiple opportunities to follow our exceptional SIAC football programs and student-athletes throughout the season."

The SIAC football broadcast schedule will debut on ASPiRE on September 5th when Benedict College hosts Livingstone College in the annual Palmetto Capital City Classic in Columbia, South Carolina. The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m.

ASPiRE is available in the Columbia area on Time Warner Cable channel 185. For other areas, please check with your local cable provider. ASPiRE is not available on either satellite service – DISH and DirecTV.

In addition, ASPiRE will broadcast the Morehouse College against Tuskegee University at the historic A.J. McClung Stadium in Columbus, Georgia for the 80th annual Tuskegee/Morehouse Classic on October 10th.

ASPiRE will also broadcast games during the final two weeks of the season starting on November 7, with the 26th annual Fountain City Classic game between Albany State University and Fort Valley State University at AJ McClung Stadium in Columbus, Georgia, and the 2015 SIAC Football Championship Game between the East and West Division Champions at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama on Saturday, November 14.

The upcoming games include:

Saturday, September 5 – Livingstone College at Benedict College. 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 10 – Morehouse College vs. Tuskegee University. 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 7– Albany State University vs. Fort Valley State University. 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 14 – SIAC Football Championship. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

About ASPiRE
ASPiRE is a television network that celebrates the groundbreaking achievements of African-Americans. ASPiRE offers a diverse programming mix of movies, series and specials featuring music, comedy, drama, faith/inspiration, theater/performing arts, lifestyle and news/information. The network was launched June 27, 2012 by Magic Johnson Enterprises, which acts as a catalyst for driving unparalleled business results for its partners and fosters community/economic empowerment by making available high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse urban communities. ASPiRE is available in over 20 million homes in 22 of the top 25 African-American markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.aspire.tv, facebook.com/aspireTV and on Twitter @tvASPiRE.

ABOUT THE SIAC:
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically black colleges and universities with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC sponsors six women's sports and seven men's sports. Last year 388,787 fans attended SIAC football games as the SIAC once again led NCAA Division II in average football attendance for twenty-third time out of the past twenty-five years.

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Coppin State alum Stephanie Ready named first full-time female NBA game analyst

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- FOX Sports Southeast announced that Coppin State alum Stephanie Ready will make the move from the Charlotte Hornets sidelines to the broadcast booth with Eric Collins and Dell Curry, becoming the first full-time female NBA game analyst.

Ready has been a fixture with the Charlotte Hornets. She will be entering her 12th season with the Hornets telecasts. She was previously the host of Hornets LIVE! and an in-game sideline reporter.

"I've had a love affair with the game of basketball for as long as I can remember, both as a player and a coach," Ready said. "I'm honored and excited to be able to share my passion for this sport with our audience. FOX Sports and the Hornets have always taken pride in being innovative and forward-thinking. I'm extremely proud to be a part of history."



Prior to her broadcasting career, Ready was an assistant coach in the WNBA and the NBA D-League, making her the first woman to coach a men's professional sports team. Ready also spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the men's basketball program under former head coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell. At the time, Ready was the first female to hold the position of full-time recruiting assistant on an NCAA Division I men's basketball staff.

Ready was also a part-time sideline reporter for The NBA on TNT during the 2006 and 2007 NBA Playoffs, and the WNBA Playoffs on ESPN2 during 2006. Also in 2006 and 2007, Ready worked as a sideline reporter during the first and second rounds of the Women's Final Four of college basketball for ESPN2.

"I'm excited about it," Ready said about becoming the first full-time female NBA game analyst. "I look back at my career and the careers of other ladies who are in the same industry and I think of Ann Meyers, who is with the Phoenix Suns organization. She's a vice president there, so she's on the executive staff but she also is a television analyst. She's been on their broadcasts for a while, just not on a full-time basis because, as I said, she's an executive as well. She has proven herself and proven to people out there who might be a little more narrow-minded, that women are perfectly capable of doing the same jobs in this industry that men can do."

A native of Takoma Park, Maryland, by the time she graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in psychology, Ready was ranked in the top-10 on the career women's basketball list at Coppin State in steals (second), assists (fourth), points (eighth) and rebounds (tenth).

The following is courtesy of Matt Rochinski of hornets.com, who caught up with Ready to discuss her historic move.

On making the move to the Hornets broadcast booth:
I am thrilled – I'm over the moon with excitement. When I was a coach and considered getting into television, this was the job that I wanted. This was the reason that I got into sports broadcasting, because I wanted to be a game analyst. Even though I've done it all these years – some college games and some NBA games on a fill in basis – this will be the first time I get to focus primarily on the job that I love the most in television. I couldn't be more excited.

CLICK TO READ THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW HERE FROM NBA.COM

COURTESY COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Smith Named Chowan Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina -- The Chowan University Athletic Department along with Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Melissa Nakasuji announced the addition of Kyle Smith on Wednesday afternoon. Smith enters his first season with the Hawks and serves as the Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach. He noted, "I am so excited to be part of a developing program and am thankful to Coach Nakasuji for bringing me in at such an exciting time".

Prior to joining the staff at Chowan, Smith served as the Women's Lacrosse Coach and Program Director at Otay Ranch High School in California during the 2014-15 season. While serving in that capacity, Smith was responsible for the development and supervision of the varsity and junior varsity programs. Under Smith's direction, the Otay varsity lacrosse team posted a 19-2 overall record and made an appearance in the Division 2 State Semi Finals. The team had four First Team All-Conference recipients and four Second Team All-Conference honorees. That same season, the program enjoyed an 11-game win streak and a Mesa Conference Championship.

Smith also gained experience as the Assistant Coach and Vice President of the Black Widow LAX Women's Lacrosse Club. As part of the organization, Smith organized practice and tournament schedules, developed practice plans and was an integral part of player recruitment and skill development and budget management.

Additionally, Smith served as an Assistant Coach/Defensive Coordinator for the Olympian High School men's varsity lacrosse program in 2014. After the program posted a 4-16 record in their inaugural season, Smith helped guide the team to a 13-7 record the following season including a Semi-Final playoff appearance in the state's Division 2 playoff. Smith also coached the South Bay Outlaws Boy's Lacrosse Club for three seasons.

Smith has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Western Michigan University and gained Professional Trainer/Nutritional Specialist Certifications from the International Sports Science Association in Carpenteria, California.

The Chesterfield, Michigan native currently resides in Murfreesboro with his wife, Kelly.

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Norfolk State Spartan Fan Fest is Aug. 29

NORFOLK, Virginia --  The Norfolk State University Department of Athletics will host Spartan Fan Fest beginning at noon on Saturday, Aug. 29.

The event, which is free and open to the public, begins with the Spartan football team's final preseason intrasquad scrimmage at noon at William "Dick" Price Stadium. Following the scrimmage, fans will have the opportunity to meet the football coaches and players, get autographs, play games, shop from vendors on site, and purchase their football season tickets and game-day parking passes. Football pocket schedules and posters will also be available for pickup.

Also at the Fan Fest, parents will be able to register their children for the 2015-16 Spartan Youth Club. Kids in attendance can also take advantage of face painting and back-to-school giveaways. Concessions will be available and a DJ will also be on location.

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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.  

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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