UMES wins appeal; Subritzky eligible for play in 16-17

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Moengaroa Subritzky was supposed to get several awards at a banquet hosted by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

During the 2015-16 season, Subritzky, 23, led the Hawks' women's basketball team in three-point percentage, three-pointer's made, steals and was an All-MEAC First Team selection. She was instrumental to the Hawks' success as a redshirt sophomore.

But when Subritzky stood up to collect her honors, her teammates told her no. They wouldn’t let Subritzky go up to accept her senior awards at The Harry’s, an annual awards event for all student-athletes at UMES.



“They were like, ‘What are you doing? Sit down,’ so I just sat down,” Subritzky recalled with a laugh.

Although Subritzky had just finished her second season in maroon and gray, the NCAA viewed her as a senior. But her teammates were optimistic. Subritzky and the school had submitted an appeal to the NCAA in an attempt to get her back one year of her eligibility.

The Hawks’ confidence paid off earlier this month.

CONTINUE READING

Fallen Baton Rouge officer was nephew of JSU QB great

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Fred Jackson, whose name is known by many football fans in Jackson, tweeted something Sunday that echoed in the hearts of many people.

"Montrell Jackson was a great young man, my nephew. A great father and husband. He will be missed by so many," the former Jackson State University standout wrote.

Fred Jackson, a native of Baton Rouge, played quarterback at Jackson State from 1968-1971, earning All-SWAC honors. He led the conference in passing his senior season.



Fred Jackson's son, Jeremy, played wide receiver at Michigan from 2010-13. His youngest son, Josh, plays quarterback at Virginia Tech. Josh Jackson's Tweet was one of the first to identify Montrell Jackson as one of the fallen.

Montrell Jackson was one of the Baton Rouge officers who was killed in the attack on police Sunday morning. He was 32, a new father, and someone who loved his community and took his 10 years with the Baton Rouge Police Department seriously. He was killed alongside fellow BRPD officer Matthew Gerald and East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Deputy Brad Garafola.

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Searching for a championship, Southern QB Austin Howard "poised for a major breakout year"

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern coach Dawson Odums did not mince any words when asked about the importance of junior quarterback Austin Howard, who was named to the preseason All-SWAC first team at last week’s media day.

“He’s the best in the conference,” Odums said. “Look at the numbers.”

The numbers present a pretty compelling case. Howard finished with the best passer efficiency in the league last season, at 155.8, while completing a SWAC-high 65.4 percent of his passes.

He finished the season with 16 touchdowns against four interceptions through the air and added another eight scores on the ground.

It was an impressive season, especially for a sophomore who has never benefited from spring practice as a college football player.

But there’s still one number that is missing when Odums looks at Howard’s résumé.

CONTINUE READING

Football Gameplan's FCS Kickoff 2016 MEAC Season Preview

COURTESY FOOTBALL GAMEPLAN

Simmons has Prairie View A&M on rise

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Better sooner than later.

Willie Simmons didn’t put a time frame when he’d turn Prairie View A&M into a serious SWAC contender, but did so in his first season as head coach as he led the Panthers to an 8-2 record.

“The thing I told the team in our first-team meeting was that we’ll be successful when everyone buys in,” Simmons said Friday at SWAC media day. “I said, ‘I don’t know when that will be. It might this year. It might be next year. It might be five years down the road,’ but I said when everyone in this room buys in to what we’re trying to build here, we’ll be successful. They bought in last year.”

Now the former Clemson quarterback looks to lead Prairie View to its first conference title since 2009. Riding a six-game winning streak that includes a win over two-time defending SWAC champion Alcorn State, the Panthers have been picked to win the SWAC West this season.

Prairie View was picked to finish fourth last year, but went 8-1 in conference play with loss coming to SWAC West champion Grambling. The Panthers haven’t lost since under the 35-year old Simmons.

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SWAC coaches, players call for change after recent shootings

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Brian Jenkins didn’t hesitate to say how his players have been affected by the recent fatal shootings involving black men and police in Louisiana, Minnesota and Dallas.

“You’d be surprised how many of our young people are actually scared,” the second-year Alabama State coach said at SWAC Media Day last week. “They’re actually scared. No one should have to live in fear.”

Jenkins is one of many in the Southwestern Athletic Conference who expressed concern about the recent events that have provided a serious reality check about what has always been an issue in America.

“To have to drive around and immediately become frightened if you see blue lights, that’s a hard way to live, but that’s happening in this day and time,” Jenkins said. “Why is it happening? We don’t know. How do we stop it should be our main thing.”

Grambling senior safety Guy Stallworth’s outlook on the situation is simple, yet heartfelt and poignant.

“First the world needs to understand no matter what color you are, you’re still a human,” he said. “White, black or blue. Everyone is still a human.”

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WTXL Road Trip: Florida A&M Is Lifting Big Weights And Hoping For Big Results

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Milton Overton, Jr's accomplished quite a bit in first year as Athletic Director at Florida A&M University. The men's basketball team's postseason ban was lifted, and football can participate in spring practice starting in 2017.

Overton also brought several ideas from where he came from- the University of Alabama. One of those ideas? Parker Brooks, the new Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Rattlers, and Brooks has big goals when it comes to lifting big weights.

"I don't have to wear a suit," laughed Brooks as to the biggest perk to his job. "I can wear sweatpants and a gym shirt. I get to work out with the strongest dudes in Tallahassee. It doesn't get much better than that!"



Coming from where Brooks has been, that's saying a lot. He arrived in January from Alabama, where he spent six seasons grooming the Crimson Tide, and he's taken that elite level of play and brought it to Tallahassee.

"Speed is king," he said. "We do a lot of Olympic lifting, so we're running the same program and the strength and conditioning that Alabama does. They trust in the process because they've seen the results."

The Rattlers are hoping those results, transfer to the football field. FAMU's coming off a 1-10 2015 campaign, one they're ready to avenge, and it all starts in the weightroom.

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Lincoln’s Legends & Legacy: Lincoln product Henry Lawrence (FAMU), Manatee County’s most successful NFL player

Through the Tunnel: Henry Lawrence earned All-America status as a junior at Lincoln Memorial High but was benched as a senior at Manatee High School because of Race.

PALMETTO, Florida -- Henry Lawrence’s life depicts the plight of the Lincoln High football program and how the players used camaraderie to overcome adversity.

A NFL first-round draft pick and three-time Super Bowl winner with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, Lawrence is the most successful professional football player Manatee County ever produced.

First, he had to conquer the effects of racism that almost derailed his career in high school and cost him significant money as a professional.

The offensive lineman played on the last Lincoln High football team in 1968. That year as a junior, he earned first-team All-American honors as a two-way lineman who played defensive end, tackle and tight end.

Integration came the following year and nearly the entire Lincoln team came to Manatee High to play the 1969 season. Most wound up on the bench and many quit. The coaching staff at Manatee was not prepared for the new era and treated the Lincoln players as second-class citizens not good enough to warrant playing time.

Lawrence was a standout defensive end who could terrorize quarterbacks and a person who believed in standing up for his rights regardless of the personal consequences.

After three games, he went to head coach Jack Mackie and explained his concerns about how the black players were being treated. The response: He was benched for the rest of the season. At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Lawrence was replaced by an 155-pound white player at defensive end.

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Tennessee State Ebo Ogundeko Named Media Preseason Player of the Year, Tigers Picked Sixth

NASHVILLE. Tennessee - The Tennessee State football team was picked to finish sixth in the Preseason Media Poll for the Ohio Valley Conference, while redshirt-junior defensive end, Ebo Ogundeko was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

The Tigers received 60 total points, behind Jacksonville State (135), Eastern Kentucky (111), Eastern Illinois (105), UT Martin (93) and Southeast Missouri (63). TSU is picked to finish ahead of Murray State (52), Tennessee Tech (37) and Austin Peay (19).

Tennessee State is coming off their first non-winning season since 2011 after finishing 4-6, 1-6 in the OVC. Head coach Rod Reed enters his seventh season and will rely on 65 returners from last year's team, including six offensive and eight defensive starters.

Ogundeko collected 52 tackles in his first season with the Tigers after transferring from Clemson. The redshirt-junior registered 10 tackles-for-loss and five sacks, while forcing a fumble and picking up three quarterback hurry’s. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native was the lone Tiger to earn First Team All-OVC honors for in 2015.

The Tigers will report for fall camp on Aug. 4 in preparation for the John Merritt Classic on Sept. 3.

2016 Media OVC Preseason Football Predicted Order of Finish
1. Jacksonville State (15 first-place votes) - 135 points
2. Eastern Kentucky - 111
3. Eastern Illinois - 105
4. UT Martin - 93
5. Southeast Missouri - 63
6. Tennessee State - 60
7. Murray State - 52
8. Tennessee Tech – 37
9. Austin Peay - 19

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Eli Jenkins (QB), Jacksonville State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Ebenezer Ogundeko (DE), Tennessee State

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Baltimore's Keron DeShields (TSU) to Begin Pro Career in Italy

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Former Tennessee State men's basketball star Keron DeShields (Baltimore, Md.) signed his first professional contract to play the upcoming season with Latina Basket in Italy.

The guard, who is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, led TSU with 16.5 points per game during the 2015-16 season. A prolific scorer, DeShields poured in 1,110 career points during his collegiate career that included three seasons at the University of Montana before transferring to Tennessee State. He sat out the 2014-15 season at TSU per NCAA transfer rules and played his final season with TSU in 2015-16.

“Thank you to my TSU family for helping me along the way these past two years: my teammates, assistant coaches, teachers, administration, compliance and the media personnel for pushing me to be the best I can be and allowing me to be myself,” DeShields said. “I want to thank Dana Ford for letting me play my game and teaching me the importance of defense and AD Teresa Phillips and Associate AD Valencia Jordan for giving me a chance to be part of their athletic department and wear the TSU uniform with pride and dignity.”

For the Tigers, DeShields scored in double figures 27 times and had seven games with 20 or more points.

For his efforts at TSU, DeShields earned First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors and a place on the OVC All-Newcomer Team. He was also named NABC First Team All-District 19, BOXTOROW First Team All-America and TSU Male Athlete of the Year.

DeShields is set to begin preseason camp with his teammates in Italy on August 22 to get ready for the start of the season on Oct. 2.

“This first professional contract means a lot to me because I can now take care of my son’s wants and needs,” DeShields said. “It shows true resiliency on my end because the odds were stacked up against me my whole life coming from a city like Baltimore, but with my family, friends and mentors, I'm now a role model to our community. I can be a voice for the kid that comes from the bottom and works his way to the top and I'm not done yet.”



COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Lincoln’s Legends & Legacy: Upcoming football season marks 50th anniversary of LMHS Ray Bellamy’s historic signing with Miami that broke down racial barriers

Lincoln Memorial Ray Bellamy broke the color barrier in major college football in the Southeast. Bellamy was the first African-American on a football scholarship at University of Miami.

PALMETTO, Florida -- Ray Bellamy sat in a holding cell waiting for help to arrive. His crime: Riding in a car driven by a white female, who was giving him a tour of the University of Miami campus.

When Bellamy signed with Miami in 1966 to become the first African-American to play college football in the Southeast, the Lincoln High School graduate knew things would happen that would defy his sense of logic and justice.

But he had the resolve to respond without anger. He understood breaking barriers would not come without encountering obstacles meant to crush his spirit.

It’s why Miami chose Bellamy when school president Dr. Henry King Stanford decided it was time for his university to give an athletic scholarship to its first African-American.

School officials put out the word they were looking for someone similar to Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947. Robinson was articulate, a college graduate and a person who had the strength to handle harassment without striking back. At the time, this last point was crucial. Bellamy and Robinson shared some traits.

The son of illiterate migrant workers, Bellamy was a three-sport standout, an excellent student, the student council president at Lincoln High School in Palmetto. His classmates in the Class of 1967 voted him most likely succeed.

CONTINUE READING

Howard Bison Men's Basketball Early Pick to Win MEAC by CBS

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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- It has been reported by CBS that Howard University is projected as one of the 65 teams to make the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The Bison, who return all five starters, including senior guard James "J-Byrd" Daniel, III, the nation's leading scorer in 2016, to go along with some quality depth, are ranked 141st among all Division I programs in the pre-season projections.

Howard will be tested early and often as it embarks on its most challenging schedule in more than decade. The Bison have early road games against George Washington, Georgetown, Maryland, VCU and Old Dominion.

The winner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Bison last reached the tournament during the 1991-92 season.

HOWARD UNIVERSITY 2016-17 MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent	Location	Time/Result
2K Classic
11/11/2016	University of Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI	TBA
11/14/2016	Marquette University	Milwaukee, WI	TBA
11/18/2016	IUPUI	Indianapolis, IN	TBA
11/19/2016	Gardner Webb/Eastern Mich.	Indianapolis, IN	TBA
11/26/2016	Georgetown University	Washington, DC	TBA
12/3/2016	American University	Washington, D.C.	7 pm
12/7/2016	University of Maryland	College Park, MD	TBA
12/10/2016	George Washington University	Washington, D.C	7 PM
12/14/2016	Jacksonville State University	Washington, DC	7 PM
12/16/2016	Shenandoah University	Washington, DC	6 PM
12/18/2016	Central Pennsylvania College	Washington, DC	7 PM
12/22/2016	Old Dominion University	Norfolk, VA	TBA
12/27/2016	Virginia Commonwealth University	Richmond, VA	TBA
12/30/2016	Harvard University	Cambridge, MA	TBA
1/4/2017	Florida A&M University	Washington, DC	7 PM
1/7/2017	Columbia University	New York, NY	TBA
1/14/2017	University of Maryland Eastern Shore	Princess Anne, MD	12 PM
1/16/2017	Coppin State University	Washington, DC	7 PM
1/21/2017	North Carolina A&T State University	Greensboro, NC	4 PM
1/23/2017	North Carolina Central University	Durham, NC	7:30 PM
1/28/2017	Savannah State University	Washington, DC	4 PM
1/30/2017	South Carolina State University	Washington, DC	7 PM
2/4/2017	Florida A&M University	Tallahassee, FL	4 PM
2/6/2017	Bethune-Cookman University	Daytona Beach, FL	8 PM
2/11/2017	Hampton University	Hampton, VA	8 PM
2/13/2017	Morgan State University	Washington, DC	7 PM
2/18/2017	North Carolina A&T State University	Washington, DC	6 PM
2/20/2017	North Carolina Central University	Washington, DC	7 PM
2/25/2017	Norfolk State University	Norfolk, VA	8 PM
2/27/2017	University of Maryland Eastern Shore	Washington, DC	8 PM
3/2/2017	Delaware State University	Dover, DE	8 PM
MEAC Tournament
3/7-12/2017	TBA	Norfolk, VA	TBA

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

FSU Head Football Coach Richard Hayes to Appear on the Overtime Sports Show

DURHAM, North Carolina – Fayetteville State University head football coach Richard Hayes, Jr. will be a guest on The Overtime Sports Radio Talk Show this week. The show will air live on Monday, July 18th at 6:30 p.m.

Hayes will take the helm of a football program that finished last season 4-6 overall and 4-3 in the CIAA. The Broncos have competed for the Southern Division crown for the previous two seasons.

Hayes brings over 15 years of coaching experience into the leadership role of the football program at FSU. Prior to taking charge at Fayetteville State, Hayes served as the defensive coordinator for the 2015 CIAA champion Winston-Salem State Rams. He won three CIAA Championships (2011, 2012, 2015), made four conference championship appearances (2011-12; 2014-15), and complied a record of 60-13 as a member of the Rams coaching staff.

The Overtime Sports Show airs Monday through Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The show is based out of Durham, NC, and showcases high school, college, and professional sports in the surrounding area.

Mike Wood serves as the host of the Overtime Sports Show. Those interested in the interview with Coach Hayes can tune in live with the following link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-overtime-sports-show/2016/07/18/the-overtime-sports-show-with-mike-wood .

COURTESY FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Brewton Jr. Added to Chowan's Women's Basketball Coaching Staff

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina -- The Chowan University athletic department along with Head Women's Basketball Coach LaToya Jones announced the addition of Eric Brewton Jr. to the coaching staff. He will serve as an assistant coach with the women's basketball program.

Jones noted, "I am excited to welcome the final piece to an amazing staff. Eric is a young, energetic, purpose-driven, hard worker by design. His experience at Middle Tennessee State University will benefit our program greatly. He is going to do great things in this profession as he continues to grow in various roles. Eric comes from a very successful program and that mentality will carry over in the future success of this program".

Brewton Jr. added, "First, I'd like to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to be Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Chowan University. I am looking forward to working with Coach Jones, the student-athletes, and the entire Chowan family. I will help build a winning and successful women's basketball program for years to come".

Prior to coming to Chowan, Brewton Jr. served as a student assistant, manager, and video coordinator at Middle Tennessee State University. In that capacity, he recruited men's practice players, oversaw other student managers, coordinated transportation and handling of equipment and apparel, organized personnel clips, and scouted opponent game film.

Brewton Jr. has also worked the AAU circuit since 2012. He hires and manages court staff and assists with game management.

Brewton Jr. graduated from Middle Tennessee State in May of 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication.

He resides in Murfreesboro.

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard Bison Predicted to Win MEAC Northern Division Crown

HOWARD UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM 2016
Courtesy: Howard University Athletic Media Relations

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Coming off winning the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship, the Howard University volleyball team was predicted to take the Northern Division title in a vote of the conference's head volleyball coaches and sports information directors, as announced on Friday. Bethune-Cookman was selected to win the Southern Division.

Additionally, junior outside hitter Khaila Donaldson was named the league's Preseason Player of the Year. Donaldson is joined on the 2016 MEAC Preseason Team by senior libero Morgan Marlbrough.

Howard topped the preseason poll with 163 total points and 19 first-place votes. The Bison are looking to claim their third consecutive Northern Division crown after recording an 18-14 overall record last season, including going 11-1 in MEAC play. Under the guidance of head coach Shaun Kupferberg, Howard took home the 2015 MEAC Championship and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1994.

Donaldson had a breakout sophomore campaign in 2015, leading the team with 405 kills (3.49 kills/set) while coming in second in service aces (34) and digs (322). She received numerous honors for her outstanding season, including MEAC All-Tournament honors and being named the tournament's most outstanding player.

Marlbrough topped the squad with a career-high 493 digs for a team-best 4.25 digs per set last season. She finished her junior year with 27 matches with at least 10 digs, including 16 straight outings. She also ranked third on the team with 109 assists and tallied 25 aces.

The Bison open up the regular season on the road in the DC Volleyball Challenge, facing George Mason (8/26), Georgetown (8/27) and American (8/27) during the two-day event in Washington, D.C. and Fairfax, Va.

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

UDC's Oudat Sisters, Lana and Yara Featured in Lacrosse Magazine

SPARKS, Maryland  – The University of the District of Columbia's Lana and Yara Oudat are featured in the June 2016 issue of Lacrosse Magazine in a story entitled "Finding Refuge: Oudat Sisters Find Home in Lacrosse" written by Matt Hamilton.

Lana, who graduated from UDC with a BS in Architecture this past May, and Yara, a rising junior defender entering her third season with the Firebirds women's lacrosse program in 2017, fled from Syria with their mother four years ago. As the civil war escalated there, the sisters discovered an unlikely source of solace here. Lacrosse.

The following article originally appeared in the June 2016 issue of Lacrosse Magazine, the flagship publication of US Lacrosse, the sport's national governing body. Join more than 450,000 US Lacrosse members today and have Lacrosse Magazine delivered right to your mail box.

Finding Refuge: Oudat Sisters Find Home in Lacrosse

Photo courtesy of Brian Schneider - Lacrosse Magazine

Yara Oudat doesn’t need to look far on most game days. There, in the front row, she’ll find her mother, Lama, and her sister, Lana. She’ll hear them, too, screaming louder than anyone else at the University of the District of Columbia women’s lacrosse games.

Lama Oudat is still learning English, but she’s an expert in the phrase, “Go Yara!” and once mastered, “Go Lana!”

“She finds me before I find her,” said Yara Oudat, a 21-year-old defender for the Firebirds. “She also takes pictures of me every single game. It’s embarrassing.”

Lana Oudat, 24, remembers a time when her name was the subject of her mother’s chants. She was a midfielder for UDC before graduating last year. Unlike her sister, she found a way to enjoy the adulation.

“You know how some people, they don’t want their mom to scream so loud?” she said. “I don’t care. I love it. I feel support because she’s always there for you.”

Lama Oudat has been there every step of the way, but now it’s a new world. She’s no longer driving her daughters to basketball practice like she did when they were younger. Now, lacrosse is what strings this family together.

The Oudat family has been a mainstay in the UDC program for three seasons now. Win or lose — the Firebirds are 1-33 since debuting in 2014 — the Oudat family continues to take in the moment.

CONTINUE READING

INTERVIEW: John Grant - AFR Celebration Bowl

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Executive Director of the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl John Grant joins the SWAC Digital Network during its annual football media day.



COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Grambling football focused on finishing the race in 2016

GRAMBLING — Broderick Fobbs likes to use the word hangry, a mix between hunger and anger, to describe his Grambling football team.

Both words stem from an agonizing defeat in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game just three months ago, a hunger and an anger that will be a theme Wednesday during the Tigers' first spring practice of 2016.

"Basically, to get all the way there and to not obtain the goal is very, very painful and more painful than actually not having even been there at all," Fobbs told The News-Star on Tuesday in regards to Grambling's loss to Alcorn State. "Our guys are very determined and they're driven to complete the task from beginning to end."

Fobbs met with Grambling's returners Monday for a team meeting with the discussion centered around completing the race. The Tigers experienced a breakout year in 2015 by finishing 9-3 including a perfect 9-0 run through the SWAC until Alcorn handed them a blowout loss in Houston.

CONTINUE READING

SWAC title game loss the driving force behind Grambling's 2016 season

HEAD COACH BROADRICK FOBBS

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- It's July, and the 2016 college football season is less than two months away yet the Grambling football program is still talking about 2015.

Why? Because the way the season ended will serve as a driving force and motivation for the upcoming year.

A series of nine straight wins helped Grambling become the first Southwestern Athletic Conference team to go wire-to-wire in the regular season. Success in the regular season turned to bitterness in the offseason when Alcorn State routed Grambling, 49-21, for the 2015 SWAC Championship.

"The thing that it does for you is it's a hunger and a thirst there and it gives you a little more drive because you weren't able to do what you set out to do," Fobbs told The News-Star on Friday. "Probably something worse and better for you than actually not being there at all is being there and reach out for it and grab it and not be able to touch it. It's a teasing effect, but it's also something that makes you very, very driven and hungry and grab it the next time."

CONTINUE READING

MEAC Announces 2016 Volleyball Preseason

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

NORFOLK, Virginia – Howard junior outside hitter Khaila Donaldson was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year, the conference announced today. Howard was predicted to claim the Northern Division, while Bethune-Cookman was chosen to win the Southern Division.

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

Defending MEAC tournament champion Howard garnered 19 first-place votes to receive the top spot. The Bison recorded an 18-14 overall record last season, including an 11-1 MEAC mark, under the direction of head coach Shaun Kupferberg. Donaldson, the tournament’s most outstanding player last season, led the team in points (468.0) and kills (405). Libero Morgan Marlbrough returns for her senior year and joins Donaldson on last year’s All-MEAC First Team. Marlbrough finished second for the Bison in digs (181).

Bethune-Cookman received 16 first-place votes after posting an undefeated 10-0 record in the Southern Division and a 15-16 overall mark last season. Starting middle blockers Rakaya Neely and Phylecia Armstrong will return for another season with the Lady Wildcats. Neely earned a spot on the 2015 All-MEAC First Team, while Armstrong received All-MEAC Third Team honors.

Maryland Eastern Shore was picked to finish second in the Northern Division. The Hawks return five starters, including 2015 MEAC Rookie of the Year Zuzana Ondruskova. She led the team in points (403.5) and kills per set (3.38) last season.

Morgan State was predicted to finish third in the Northern Division, followed by Coppin State, Hampton, Norfolk State and Delaware State to round out the division

Florida A&M returns five starters from last season to earn the second-place preseason ranking in the Southern Division. The Lady Rattlers are led by senior middle blocker Dei’Ja Martin. Martin, an All-MEAC First Team selection, led the conference in hitting percentage (.472) last season.

North Carolina A&T State and North Carolina Central were chosen to finish third and fourth in the Southern Division, while South Carolina State and Savannah State were slated fifth and sixth.

The 2016 season begins August 26, with conference play starting Friday, September 23.

The 2016 MEAC Volleyball Championship will be held November 18-20 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md.

2016 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
(First-Place Votes In Parenthesis)

NORTHERN DIVISION	POINTS
1.       Howard (19)	163
2.       Maryland Eastern Shore (5)	142
3.       Morgan State	109
4.       Coppin State	87
5.       Hampton	72
6.       Norfolk State	54
7.       Delaware State	45

  

SOUTHERN DIVISION	POINTS
1.       Bethune-Cookman (16)	134
2.       Florida A&M (8)	124
3.       North Carolina A&T State	89
4.       North Carolina Central	83
5.       South Carolina State	48
6.       Savannah State	26

                                                                                     

2016 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Team

Preseason Player of the Year: Khaila Donaldson 

Name	Pos.	Cl.	School	Hometown
Rakaya Neely	MB	Jr.	Bethune-Cookman	Lake Wales, Fla.
Phylecia Armstrong	MB	r-Sr.	Bethune-Cookman	Tacariqua, Trinidad & Tobago
Dei’ja Martin	MB	Sr.	Florida A&M	Glenns Ferry, Idaho
Reeana Richardson	OH	So.	Hampton	Ellicott City, Md.
Khaila Donaldson	OH	Jr.	Howard	Vernon Hills, Ill.
Morgan Marlbrough	L	Sr.	Howard	Mandeville, La.
Zuzana Ondruskova	OH	So.	Maryland Eastern Shore	Bilovec, Czech Republic

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Football Gameplan's FCS Kickoff 2016 SWAC Season Preview

COURTESY Football Gameplan

Benedict Tigers, Livingstone Blue Bears Ready To Meet In Palmetto Capital City Classic Rematch

Livingstone coach Daryl Williams, left, and Benedict coach Mike White

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Benedict College and Livingstone College will play in a rematch of last year's Palmetto Capital City Classic on September 3 at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, and both head football coaches are looking forward to getting the season started.

The 15th annual Palmetto Capital City Classic will once again feature a week-long schedule of activities leading up to the 5 p.m. kickoff on Sept. 3. Events kick off on Monday, Aug. 29, with the Sponsors Kick-Off Reception and PCCC Alumni Mixer. The Media and Sponsor Luncheon and crowning of Miss PCCC is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 30. Wednesday, Aug. 31, will feature the PCCC Battle of the Drumline Show, at a site to be determined. The annual PCCC Garnell McDonald Memorial Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday at Oak Hills Golf Club. The Old School Funk Party is Friday night, with the announcement of the entertainment to come at a later date.

Saturday's pre-game festivities start at noon with the PCCC Alumni Old School Music Festival and Tailgate Party on the football practice field. The game kicks off at 5 p.m. with a special halftime show featuring the Benedict College Marching Tiger Band of Distinction and the Livingstone College Marching Blue Bear Band.

Livingstone won last year's contest 49-6, and Benedict coach Mike White still remembers how fast and physical the Blue Bears were, and expects nothing less from this year's squad.

"One of the best teams we faced last year was Livingstone," White said. "They have a high-powered offense and what a way to start off the year with a team that is that ready. They were impressive, offensively and defensively. We don't look for them to step back at all. We have to go up where they are. We'll be a better team and we've got a better group."

Livingstone coach Daryl Williams said the Blue Bears have to replace several key players from last year's squad that finished 5-4, including their quarterback and star wide receiver, but this year's team should be deeper. He said he expects a tougher game from Benedict this year knowing the history of coach White.

"We just pray you guys take pity on our little football team," Williams joked. "We've got to validate what we did last year. A lot of people don't believe we're a decent football team because we were down for so long. We just want to validate what we did last year."

Tickets for the PCCC game are available at the Benedict College athletic office, 2317 Laurel Street.

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU signee Robert Colon hopes to end prep career on high note

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Robert Colon hopes to put an exclamation mark on his high school basketball career Monday night at the East-West All-Star Game at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Colon, who has signed to play at Winston-Salem State, will play for the East team and has a chance to play with some of the best talent North Carolina has to offer.

“It’s a big deal,” Colon said by telephone from Jacksonville. “I’m looking forward to going there and playing well and getting a win for the East.”



Colon, a 6-2 combo guard, averaged 18.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists a game last season for Northside High.

One reason Colon, who scored more than 1,000 points in his career, is adamant about getting a victory is that’s what he was used to in high school. Northside went 23-4 in the 2015-16 season. What also excites Colon is that he and Matt Elmore, who is from Dixon High, are from the same area, and the two played AAU basketball together.

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SIAC: NCAA advances Spring Hill College to Provisional Membership status

MOBILE, Alabama – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) notified Spring Hill College (SHC) on Thursday that the Membership Committee determined the College has successfully completed Candidacy Membership (Year Two) and recommends that Spring Hill be advanced to Provisional Membership (Year Three) in its process toward full membership in NCAA Division II as directed by the Division II Membership Committee. The decision is subject to final approval from the NCAA Division II Management Council that meets July 18-19. Spring Hill College president Dr. Christopher Puto received the official notification via a phone call on Thursday afternoon.

"We are excited and very pleased to be taking this next important step in the NCAA membership process." Puto said. "This represents a great deal of hard work by not only our Athletics staff but many other offices on campus as well and it is rewarding to see everything moving forward so well. We are looking forward to successfully fulfilling all requirements as this final provisional year progresses."

The Provisional Membership year is the third and final year of the NCAA candidacy process after which Spring Hill will achieve full NCAA Division II membership status for the 2017-18 academic year. During the upcoming 2016-17 academic year, the 16 SHC varsity athletic programs making the transition to NCAA Division II will play full slates of NCAA Division II conference and non-conference regular season competition, but will remain ineligible for NCAA or conference post-season competition. SHC will become eligible for post-season competition in 2017-18 when full membership status is achieved.

In October 2012, Spring Hill College accepted an invitation to join the 13-member Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and began the application process for NCAA membership. The College also holds affiliate membership in the Gulf South Conference in the sports of men's soccer, women's soccer and women's golf.

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FAMU Band Camp wraps up another successful year

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Over 200 high school and middle school students from all over the country have been practicing for their weekend performances at FAMU.

The Marching 100 Summer Band Camp is one of the most comprehensive band camps in the country offering students the opportunity to improve their music proficiency and marching concepts.

Along with band, the staff also instructs the color guard, dancers, twirlers and drum majors.

The band camp will wrap up this weekend with performances both Friday and Saturday at the FAMU campus.

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