MEAC Announces 2016 Baseball All-Conference Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia  — Florida A&M infielder Dylan Dillard was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Baseball Player of the Year, the conference announced on Tuesday.Danny Rodriguez, of Bethune-Cookman, was selected Rookie of the Year, while Norfolk State’s Matt Outman earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Florida A&M’s Jamey Shouppe received Coach of the Year accolades.

All awards are voted on by the conference’s head baseball coaches and sports information directors.

Dillard started 48 games and batted .335 in 167 at-bats. He finished the season with 56 hits, including eight doubles, six triples, six home runs, 53 runs batted in and 46 runs scored. He led the conference in RBIs and triples. Dillard was a two-time MEAC Player of the Week honoree.

Rodriguez, a two-time MEAC Rookie of the Week honoree, led the Wildcats in RBIs (40). He recorded 60 hits, including nine doubles and seven home runs, with 29 runs scored. Defensively, he notched a .988 fielding percentage.

Outman, the 2015 Pitcher of the Year and 2016 Preseason Pitcher of the Year, appeared in 12 games and registered seven wins, including five shutouts, in 79.0 innings pitched. He led the conference in innings pitched, batters struckout looking (30) and wins. He ranks second in the MEAC in earned run average (2.62) and runs allowed (26).

Shouppe earned Coach of the Year honors after leading the Rattlers to a 19-5 conference mark and 30-19 overall, along with clinching the number one seed from the southern division in the upcoming 2016 MEAC Baseball Championship. This season marks Florida A&M’s first 30-win season since 2003.

Joining Dillard and Outman on the first team are Jonathan Mauricio (NSU), Andrew Vernon (NCCU), Alex Mauricio (NSU), Clay Middleton (B-CU), Brian Davis (FAMU), Alec Wong (FAMU), Ben Ellzey (FAMU), Milton Rivera (NCAT), Nathan Bond (B-CU), Carlos Ortiz (NCCU) and Michael Cruz (B-CU).

The 2016 MEAC Baseball Championship tournament gets underway Thursday, May 19 beginning at 12 p.m. at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. A complete tournament bracket can be found on www.MEACsports.com.

2016 Baseball All-MEAC Teams

As voted on by the conference’s head baseball coaches and sports information directors

Player of the Year: Dylan Dillard, Florida A&M

Rookie of the Year: Danny Rodriguez, Bethune-Cookman

Pitcher of the Year: Matt Outman, Norfolk State

Coach of the Year: Jamey Shouppe, Florida A&M

First Team

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
P	Matt Outman	Norfolk State	r-Sr.	6-3	210	Chesapeake, Va.
P	Jonathan Mauricio	Norfolk State	Jr.	6-2	175	Midlothian, Va.
RP	Andrew Vernon	North Carolina Central	Sr.	6-4	240	Raleigh, N.C.
RP	Alex Mauricio	Norfolk State	So.	6-0	175	Midlothian, Va.
C	Clay Middleton	Bethune-Cookman	r-Jr.	6-0	205	Oviedo, Fla.
1B	Brian Davis	Florida A&M	So.	5-10	195	Pensacola, Fla.
2B	Alec Wong	Florida A&M	Sr.	5-6	160	Rockledge, Fla.
3B	Ben Ellzey	Florida A&M	Jr.	6-0	205	Ocala, Fla.
SS	Milton Rivera	North Carolina A&T State	So.	5-9	175	Humacao, Puerto Rico
OF	Nathan Bond	Bethune-Cookman	Sr.	6-2	195	Orlando, Fla.
OF	Dylan Dillard	Florida A&M	Gr.	6-1	205	Kissimmee, Fla.
OF	Carlos Ortiz	North Carolina Central	Jr.	5-9	197	Cleveland, Ohio
UTL	Michael Cruz	Bethune-Cookman	Jr.	5-11	210	Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Second Team

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
P	Ricky Page	Florida A&M	Sr.	5-11	185	Ocala, Fla.
P	Tyler Norris	Bethune-Cookman	So.	6-1	160	Coral Springs, Fla.
RP	Joseph Calamita	Bethune-Cookman	So.	6-0	175	Lake Worth, Fla.
RP	Michael Parmentier	Norfolk State	So.	6-0	170	Suffolk, Va.
C	Adan Ordonez	North Carolina A&T State	So.	5-7	185	Clermont, Fla.
1B	Danny Rodriguez	Bethune-Cookman	Fr.	6-3	240	Pembroke Pines, Fla.
2B	Mike Escanilla	Maryland Eastern Shore	Sr.	5-7	150	Waldorf, Md.
3B	Ellington Hopkins	North Carolina Central	Jr.	5-6	174	Lansing, N.Y.
SS	Tom Prospero	North Carolina Central	Jr.	6-0	180	Batavia, N.Y.
OF	Austin Bentley	Delaware State	So.	5-11	205	Waldorf, Md.
OF	Denathan Dukes	Norfolk State	Jr.	6-2	180	Woodbridge, Va.
OF	Marlon Gibbs	Florida A&M	r-Sr.	5-9	185	Orange Park, Fla.
UTL	James Dey	North Carolina Central	Sr.	5-10	198	Charlotte, N.C.

Third Team

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
P	Alex Dandridge	North Carolina Central	Sr.	6-3	204	Arlington, Texas
P	Chase Jarrell	Florida A&M	Jr.	6-3	175	Winter Springs, Fla.
RP	Devin Repine	Maryland Eastern Shore	r-Sr.	6-9	250	Salisbury, Md.
RP	Ryan McCranie	Savannah State	Sr.	6-2	220	Covington, Ga.
C	Jacky Miles, Jr.	Florida A&M	Jr.	6-0	205	Graceville, Fla.
1B	Kyle Clary	North Carolina A&T State	Jr.	5-11	175	Lakewood, Calif.
2B	Jonathan Moore	Savannah State	Sr.	6-1	160	Cairo, Ga.
3B	Bryant Miranda	Coppin State	Jr.	5-10	175	Cidra, Puerto Rico
SS	Demetrius Sims	Bethune-Cookman	r-So.	6-2	200	Ann Arbor, Mich.
OF	George Dragon	Coppin State	Sr.	6-0	215	Ashtabula, Ohio
OF	Zachary Marszal	North Carolina Central	Jr.	6-0	211	Cary, Ill.
OF	Rakeem Quinn	Bethune-Cookman	Sr.	5-10	205	Port St. Joe, Fla.
UTL	Kyle Vaas	Norfolk State	Sr.	6-0	205	Chesterfield, Va.

MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

MEAC Announces 2016 Baseball Championship Seedings

MEAC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will host the 2016 MEAC Baseball Championship beginning Thursday, May 19 through Sunday, May 22 at the Delmarva Shorebirds Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Md. The Norfolk State Spartans and the Florida A&M Rattlers will enter tournament play as the number one seeds.

Norfolk State clinched the northern divisional title with a 19-5 conference record, including sweeping Coppin State to end the regular season. The Spartans are 10-3 in their last 13 games and 27-19 overall heading into the tournament.

Florida A&M enters tournament play with a 19-5 MEAC record and a 30-19 overall mark for their first 30-win regular season since 2003. The Rattlers secured the top spot winning six of their final eight games, including a sweep of North Carolina A&T State on the final weekend.

Delaware State (13-10) took the number two seed in the north, while Coppin State (8-16) earned the third seed from the north.

Bethune-Cookman (17-7) secured the number two seed in the south, and North Carolina Central (11-13) took the third seed from the south.

Bethune-Cookman (S2) will face Coppin State (N3) in the opening game at 12 p.m. on Thursday. Delaware State (N2) will meet North Carolina Central (S3) in game two, beginning at 3:30 p.m. The losers of the first two games on Thursday will play an elimination game at 7 p.m. that night.

The Spartans will take on the winner of Bethune-Cookman and Coppin State at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, while the Rattlers tangle with the winner of Delaware State and North Carolina Central at 12 p.m. on Friday. A third game will take place at 7 p.m. between the lowest seeded loser from Friday’s first games and the winner of the 7 p.m. game from Thursday.

Only the top three teams from each division will compete for the tournament title. Maryland Eastern Shore, Savannah State and North Carolina A&T State were eliminated from conference play based on its regular season finish.

The championship finale is set for Sunday, May 22 beginning at 1 p.m.

The 2016 MEAC Baseball Championship tournament begins Thursday, May 19 at 12 p.m. at the Delmarva Shorebirds Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. Admission is $8 per day or $25 for the four-day tournament. A complete tournament bracket can be found on www.MEACsports.com.

NORTHERN DIVISION
School
Conference Record/Overall Record

1. Norfolk State  19-5/27-19

2. Delaware State  13-10/13-34

3. Coppin State  8-16/12-36

SOUTHERN DIVISION
School
Conference Record/Overall Record

1. Florida A&M 19-5/30-19

2. Bethune-Cookman 17-7/25-25

3. North Carolina Central 11-13/24-28

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Claflin baseball to play West Florida to start NCAA regional play

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The Claflin University baseball team learned on Sunday night where it will continue postseason play.

The Panthers will enter the 2016 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship Regionals as the No. 7 seed and will face the No. 2 seed (West Florida) in the South Region in a game this Thursday, May 19 at 3 p.m.

It will be the opening game of the 2016 NCAA Division II Baseball Regionals. The regional rounds of the double-elimination tournament will run Thursday-Monday, May 19-23, 2016.

Claflin, who received the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) automatic bid after defeating Stillman College twice in the conference tournament, will enter the tournament with a 24-27 overall record.

The Panthers are a true underdog-type team in the field, carrying the only losing record out of the 56 teams in the tournament.

West Florida enters the tournament with a 33-15 overall record.

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Claflin University Panthers Captures SIAC Championship Through Building Process

JAMES RANDALL
HEAD BASEBALL COACH
CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY PANTHERS

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Winning a baseball championship, regardless of the level of competition, is special. What makes the feat more amazing is accomplishing it for the first time.

 
The Claflin University baseball team recently experienced that felling.  The Panthers brought home the program's first-ever Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Championship.  Claflin swept through the double-elimination tournament, winning four straight games.
 
Reginald Rogers' two-out single drove in Jeturi Brown with the winning run as the Panthers upended overall #1 seed Stillman College 8-7 in 10 innings.
 
The championship was nine years in the making for Claflin Coach James Randall, who inherited only nine players when he took over the program.  The former collegiate standout and head coach at Grambling University, was drafted and played in the Minor League with the California Angles.  He also spent time in the minors and major leagues with Chicago White Sox.
 
Under Randall's guidance, the Panthers improved each season, claiming a division title and several divisional runner-up finishes.  All that hard work came to past this season, according to Randall.
 
"It was a long time coming, but we accomplished it this season, meaning an SIAC championship," Randall said. "It was a combination of several things, starting with peaking at the right time."
 
"As a coach, it's what you prepare for during the regular season. We played a tough non-conference schedule, taking our bumps and bruises along the way. It made our team more productive down the stretch, especially in the SIAC tournament."
 
In the tournament, Randall's team exemplified the four important tools of the game: pitching, hitting, scoring opportunities and playing solid defense.
 
The Panthers pitching were superior as Randall used nine in the tournament. The group gave up 32 hits that resulted in 24 runs, of which 19 were earned.
Lyndale Morley pitched a complete game in Claflin 9-6 win over Stillman in the semifinals.  The tournament's most outstanding player, allowed 11 hits, but held the high-powered Stillman offense to just five earned runs while fanning eight batters.
 
Offensively, the Panthers produced 44 runs off 53 hits and batted .351 as a team during the tournament. They also drew 29 base-on-balls.
 
Rogers led the way, going seven-for-18 with 6 RBI's. Morley was six-for-12 with 4 RBI's, while Elliott Melton had seven hits.
 
As for defense, Claflin committed only seven errors.
 
Now that the SIAC championship trophy is displayed in the athletic department case, it's back to business for Randall. The focus is on the upcoming NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament.
 
"It's back to business for us," Randall said. "I gave them [our players] some time off, but it's time to start preparing for the NCAA Tournament. We will work on the basics and fundamentals of the game."
 
Claflin will represent the SIAC in the upcoming national tournament. Pairings will be announced Sunday (May 15) during the selection show via NCAA.com at 10 p.m.

COURTESY CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State faces #1 Florida in NCAA softball tournament

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- It's Florida. 
 
With members of the Alabama State softball team watching from the ASU Football Stadium's club lounge, the Lady Hornets learned where their next path would take them in the NCAA Softball Tournament. 
 
The NCAA Selection Show revealed that the Alabama State softball team will be headed to the NCAA Regional Tournament in a four-team grouping in Gainesville starting Friday with a match up against the nation's two-time defending champions and overall No. 1 seed Gators at 2:30 ET/1:30 CT.
 
The game will air on the SEC Network. 
 
Joining ASU and Florida will be two other teams from the Sunshine State: Central Florida and Florida Atlantic.
 
ASU was one of five teams from the state of Alabama to make the tournament. 
 
The others were No. 4 Auburn, No. 6 Alabama, Jacksonville State and Samford. 
 
Alabama State is one of five teams, who will be making their first appearance in the tournament joining Butler, Samford, Ole Miss and CSU Bakersfield. 
 
"We're just really excited about seeing our name flash up on the screen after playing a great weekend of softball in the tournament, ASU head coach Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson told WSFA sports reporter Maria Martin. 
 
The 64-team field was selected from 283 NCAA Division I institutions sponsoring the sport of softball.
 
Of the 64 teams, 32 teams received automatic qualification while the remaining best 32 teams were selected on an at-large basis. Sixteen teams were seeded and each of the seeded teams earned the right to host at one of the regional sites.
 
At each campus site, a four-team, double-elimination tournament will be conducted and the 16 winning teams will advance to the Super Regionals.
 
The Lady Hornets made school history after winning its first SWAC softball championship by defeating Texas Southern 18-8 in the SWAC Championship on Saturday in Irondale.
 
It was the most runs that ASU had scored in a game since March 8, 2008 when it put up 18 runs against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. 
 
Alabama State (28-25) pounded out a SWAC Championship game record 19 hits and had an unforgettable second inning in which the team sent 14 batters to the plate as part of a nine-run inning.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Howell Nabs a Pair of Titles, Morgan Bears Capture First-Ever IC4A Outdoor Championship

PRINCETON, New Jersey -- One week after posting an eighth place finish in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships, the Morgan State men's track and field team rebounded with a historic victory on an even bigger stage.
 
The Bears finished with 68 points on the third and final day of the at the IC4A Outdoor Championship, claiming the team title by 11 points over second-place Cornell at Princeton's Weaver Stadium this weekend. It marked Morgan State's first-ever IC4A Outdoor Championship, and the first-ever by a MEAC school.
 
LIU Brooklyn finished in third place with 55 points, followed by Hampton (4^th, 41 pts) and Princeton (38.33 pts).
 
The first of Sunday's (May 15) titles came from Deyvon Howell who edged out teammate Desean White to win the 100-meters. Howell crossed the finish line with a time of 10.63, while White came in second place with a 10.66.
 
Less than two hours later, Howell would also take first place in the 200-meter dash with a personal best of 21.11, this time finishing in front of Bear teammate Desean White who placed second with a 21.31.
 
By himself, Howell earned 20 total points for the team this weekend.
 
The men's relay teams also turned in solid performances on the final day. The 4x400-meter relay team, which featured Evan Johnson, Stephen Varella, Donovan St. Louis and was anchored by Joel Roberson, finished second in 3:12.51.
 
The men's 4x100-meter relay team comprised of Fonyi Agendia, Desean White, Deyvon Howell and Joel Roberson ran a 40.64, good enough for fourth place.
 
The Bears also got points from in the 400-meter dash where Joel Roberson turned in a second place time of 46.66. Evan Johnson also posted a second place finish by recording a time of 52.15 in the 400-meter hurdles.

Complete Results | Past IC4A Champions

2016 IC4A Championship Results
Weaver Field
Princeton, N.J.
Winner: Morgan State, 68 pts
 
Morgan State Finishers
 
100m Dash
1. Deyvon Howell, 10.63
2. Desean White, 10.66
6. Fonyi Agendia, 10.64
Semi-Finals
4. Deyvon Howell, 10.63
5. Fonyi Agendia, 10.60
8. Desean White, 10.66
 Preliminaries
6. Deyvon Howell, 10.70
7. Desean White, 10.63
13. Fonyi Agendia, 10.67
 
200m Dash
1. Deyvon Howell, 21.11
2. Desean White, 21.31
--. Joel Roberson, 21.58
Preliminaries
1. Deyvon Howell, 21.38
4. Desean White, 21.55
7. Joel Roberson, 21.58
12. Donovan St. Louis, 21.73
28. Kevin Leach, 22.25
 
400m Dash
2. Joel Roberson, 46.66
Preliminaries
1. Joel Roberson, 46.69
23. Donovan St. Louis, 48.79
 
400m Hurdles
2. Evan Johnson, 52.15
10. Stephen Varella, 53.04
 
4x100 Relay
4. Morgan State 'A', 40.79
(Fonyi Agendia, Desean White, Deyvon Howell, Joel Roberson)
Preliminaries
4. Morgan State 'A', 40.64
 
4x400m Relay
2. Morgan State 'A', 3:09.19
(Evan Johnson, Stephen Varella, Donovan St. Louis, Joel Roberson)
2. Morgan State 'A', 3:12.51

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MEAC: Augusta University returns to familiar course for regionals appearance

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- The site of Augusta University’s next regionals appearance will be a familiar one for those who know the history of the men’s golf program, and one that draws favorable memories.

The Jaguars will return to Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla., for the first time since 2011 when they won the NCAA National Championship for the second consecutive year. This time, they’re competing for a chance to make the finals for the first time since that year.

The regional will be held today through Wednesday.

“It’s always the goal to get to regionals and, from there, contend and get a chance in the national championship,” Augusta coach Jack O’Keefe said. “We’re getting better each day, and we’re very excited.”

The only member still in the program from the 2011 team is assistant coach Mitch Krywulycz, who had crucial match-play victories for the Jaguars in the two national championships. O’Keefe said Krywulycz will be a “valuable asset” during regionals by offering advice on the course and tournament.

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Florida State, Florida A&M to meet in NCAA softball tournament

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- At first, Florida A&M’s softball team was happy there wasn’t another trip to Gainesville in its future.

The Rattlers (27-28) won the MEAC tournament and were anticipating a trip to a place the program hadn’t been before for the 2016 NCAA tournament. Players were hoping for UCLA, Michigan, maybe even Kentucky as they watched the Tournament Selection Show at Dreamland BBQ on Monroe Street.

Instead, the Rattlers will travel around the corner to JoAnne Graf Field to play in the Tallahassee Regional, hosted by the Florida State Seminoles. Both teams will be joined by South Carolina and South Florida.

“I mean, it was crazy. We were excited we weren’t going to Gainesville because for the past few years, we went to Gainesville,” said junior pitcher Kenya Pereira. “It was kind of… I don’t know if ‘disappointed’ is the right word, but it was kind of bummer that we’re not traveling somewhere.”

Florida State earned the No. 8 overall seed in the tournament, and will have the chance to host until the Super Regional round. The Seminoles won their third straight ACC tournament title over the weekend.

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Florida A&M Rattlers clinch No. 1 seed in MEAC tournament, post best win total since 2003

JAMEY SHOUPPE
FAMU HEAD BASEBALL COACH

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M’s baseball team closed its best regular season in more than a decade with a showcase of what the group is capable of against MEAC competition.

The Rattlers (30-19, 19-5 MEAC) posted two run-rule victories over North Carolina A&T and swept the Aggies by a combined score of 39-8 over three games at Moore-Kittles Field over the weekend.

FAMU’s weekend capped the first 30-win regular season for the program since 2003. Plus, the team’s 19-5 conference record is the best in program history. The Rattlers also clinched the No. 1 seed in the MEAC’s Southern Division.

Not a bad way to end the regular season.

“We’re doing what we wanted to do,” said head coach Jamey Shouppe. “We’re hopefully getting hot at the right time. It’s always good to win. We clinched the No. 1 seed and that puts our hopes of repeating as MEAC champions in a better position.”

The Rattlers open MEAC tournament play on Friday at noon against the winner of Thursday’s game between Del. State and North Carolina Central.

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S.C. State's Hemingway says hello to Hollywood

OXNARD, California -- It’s a long way away; definitely not right around the corner.

In fact, it’s 2,458 miles to be exact—the distance former South Carolina State standout tight end Temarrick Hemingway traveled from Orangeburg to reach the Rams rookie training camp in Oxnard, California in recent days.

Hemingway, a 6-5, 245-pound tight end, was the 177th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft on April 30. Since then, he left his dorm room on the SCSU campus, caught a flight headed West, and continued on until he stepped onto the Rams practice field.

Once there, he entered a new chapter in his life, filled with wide-eyed excitement and pride at being a member of the newly minted Los Angeles Rams, after their recent return move from St. Louis after the 2015 season.

Hemingway says he is “ready and willing to work hard for this opportunity of a lifetime.”

When asked about his thoughts as he took the field as a professional for the very first day, Hemingway didn’t hesitate to talk of a close family bond.

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