Tennessee State Early Signing Day 2018

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Tennessee State head coach Rod Reed announces the signing of players to join the Tigers for the 2018 fall season.

This is the first year players are able to sign a National Letter of Intent in December. Teams will also be able to sign players during the regular February signing period. The Tigers annual Signing Day Celebration introducing all signees, as well as midyear-transfers, will take place on Feb. 7.

DeMarco Corbin
Running Back 6-1 225
Euless, Texas (Pima CC)

• Carried the ball 42 times for 232 yards
• Scored two touchdowns on the ground
• Averaged 5.5 yards per carry
• Played 2016 season at Illinois State
• Led ISU with four rushing touchdowns
• Rushed for 494 yards on 96 carries
• Ranked as a two-Star recruit by Scout.com out of Colleyville Heritage HS
• Finished with 1,388 total yards with 18 touchdowns as a senior at CHHS

Reed's Take:"DeMarco Corbin is a change-of-pace back. He's a big back with small back athletic ability. He's a down-hill runner and is a kid we look forward to carrying the ball 15-20 times a game. We're excited to add him to our backfield."

10:39 a.m.

Josh Green
Cornerback 6-0 180
Orlando, Fla. (Olympia HS)

• Tallied 114 tackles, 67 solo, 8.0 for loss over final two seasons at OHS
• Averaged 6.0 tackles per game
• As a junior, earned 1.0 sacks, recovered two fumbles and picked off four passes
• Returned three kickoffs for a 21.3 yard average and five punts for 20 yards
• Offer from Florida Atlantic
• Brother of current Tiger, James Green

Reed's Take:"Josh Green was just named the MVP of the Central Florida All-Star game last week. He's the brother of James Green, a linebacker that we signed last year. He'll give us some depth and make a hard push for playing time as a true freshman. He's explosive and has great ball skills."

Te’kendrick Roberson
Running Back 6-0 180
Winter Haven, Fla. (Ellsworth CC)

• A 2017 Iowa Community College Athletic Conference All-Conference honoree
• Had 163 carries for 816 yards and five touchdowns
• Averaged 5.0 yards/carry and 74.2 yards/game in second season at ECC
• Rushed for 597 yards, scoring three touchdowns as a freshman
• Offers from Western Kentucky and Florida A&M
• Interest from Florida Atlantic, Florida International and South Alabama

Reed's Take:"He's an explosive back and a home-run hitter. He's a kid that we recruited out of high school, but it didn't work out. He ended up going to junior college and had a very productive junior college career rushing over 700 yards this last year. He's a home-run hitter, someone we need in our backfield. A really explosive kid."

Kalen Whitlow
Quarterback 6-1 190
Dothan, Ala. (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC)

• Went 72-of-122 for 733 yards and six touchdowns in first season at MGCCC
• Spent the 2015 season as a redshirt at Western Carolina
• Passed for over 2,500 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior at Northview High School
• Earned All-State Honorable Mention honors
• Listed as a three-star recruit by 247sports.com and a two-star recruit by Rivals.com
• Brother Jalen played quarterback at Kentucky before transferring and holding the same position at Eastern Illinois

Reed's Take:"Whitlow is a kid who originally signed with Western Carolina out of high school. He's a quarterback that's very elusive in the pocket and can make all the throws. We expect him to come in and push hard for the spot at the QB position."

Antonio Zita
Kicker / Punter 5-9, 170
Fayetteville, Tenn. (Lincoln County HS)

• Scored 40 points as a senior
• Connected on 7-of-12 field goals and 19-of-20 PATs
• Booted a season long 49 yard field goal
• Registered 33 touchbacks while averaging 66.1 yards per kickoff
• Totaled 1,527 yards on 41 punts, averaging 37.2 yards per punt
• Had a season long of 58 and pinned 15 punts inside the 20

Reed's Take:"A kid from Lincoln County, Fayetteville, Tennessee. He's a kicker who has an extremely strong leg. 85-90 percent of his kicks in high school were touchbacks, and he's a very accurate field goal kicker. With the departure of Lane Clark, we are going to need some guys to come in and step up for that position. He's also playing in the All-American game in New Orleans next week."

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Delaware State Hornets Early Sign 4 Baseball Stars

DOVER, Delaware -- Delaware State head baseball coach J.P. Blandin has announced that four high school seniors have taken advantage of the early signing period to accept offers from DSU and compete for the Hornets beginning next Fall. The list includes three Delaware high school standouts and one from Maryland.

The future Hornets are: LHP/OF Austin Warrington of St. Mark’s High School in Wilmington; RHP C.J. Loper of Middletown (Del.) High School; RHP Jeremy Carrow of Smyrna (Del.) High School; and INF/C/RHP Amani Stevens of Randallstown (Md.) High School.

Warrington helped lead St. Mark’s to the 2017 state tournament championship game. His two-run double in extra innings propelled the Spartans past Appoquinimink in the state quarterfinals last season. He’s also expected to be a major contributor as a starti
ng pitcher for St. Mark’s this coming season.

Loper posted a 2.86 earned run average, struck out 19 batters and recorded one complete game in 22 innings as a junior at Middletown in 2017. He also threw 25 scoreless innings in summer ball following his junior season. As a hitter, he posted a .428 batting average with the Cavaliers last year.

Carrow was 2-2 with a 1.62 earned run average, while striking out 71 batters and walking just 16 as a junior at Smyrna last season.

Stevens was an All-Maryland Second Team selection as a junior in 2017. In 16 games, the left-handed hitter had a .479 batting average, .559 on-base percentage , 20 runs batted in, 25 runs scored and was perfect on 19 stolen base attempts. He also posted a 3-1 record on the mound with a 3.82 ERA and team leading .111 opponents’ batting average. In addition to being selected as Randallstown Player- of- the- Year, Stevens also earned All-Division First Team and All-Baltimore County First Team honors.

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY HORNETS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Norfolk State Football Gets Jump on 2018 Recruiting Class, Signs 5 in Early Period

EARLY SIGNING PERIOD: DEC 20-22, 2017

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The NCAA added  a new mid-year signing day for football recruits for 2017-18. Norfolk State head football coach Latrell Scott and the Spartans took advantage of the early start to their signing class by adding five new recruits Wednesday, three of whom will enroll at the University in January for the spring semester.

"We're very fortunate to be able to add five high-caliber student-athletes in our first early signing period," Scott said. "Our coaching staff deserves a tremendous amount of credit for identifying talented players early in the process who wanted to be at NSU and were willing to commit to us early."

The Spartans received national letters of intent Wednesday from three players who will transfer to NSU mid-year: junior college running back Cameryn Brent (Atlanta, Ga./Holmes Community College), junior college linebacker Levi Shockley (Salem, N.J./Monroe College) and prep school quarterback D'Andre Thomas (Washington, D.C./Fork Union Military Academy). Also signing Wednesday were two standout prep seniors who will join the program next summer after graduating high school: linebacker Allen Boykins (Portsmouth, Va./Norcom HS) and defensive back Brandon Savage (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill Academy).

2018 NSU Early Football Signees

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown / Previous School	Highlights
Allen Boykins	LB	6-1	200	Portsmouth, Va. / I.C. Norcom HS	Click Here
Cameryn Brent	RB	5-9	205	Atlanta, Ga. / Holmes (Miss.) Community College	Click Here
Levi Shockley	LB	6-2	210	Salem, N.J. / Monroe (N.Y.) College	Click Here
Brandon Savage	DB	5-10	170	Baltimore, Md. / Milford Mill Academy	Click Here
D'Andre Thomas	QB	6-4	210	Washington, D.C. / Fork Union Military Academy	Click Here

Brent was the leading junior college rusher in the nation this past fall, averaging 152.6 yards per game. His nine-game total of 1,373 yards ranked him third nationally in total yardage. He scored 15 touchdowns en route to first-team Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) honors. Brent has two years of eligibility remaining and will enroll mid-year at NSU.

"Cameryn is a big-time player who should make an immediate impact at running back," Scott said. "In addition to leading the nation in rushing as a JC player, he also comes from a great high school program in the Atlanta area (Grayson). He is a welcome addition to our skill group."

Shockley was a first-team All-Northeast Football Conference selection as a sophomore at Monroe. He made 30 tackles, three for loss, and broke up for passes. As a freshman, Shockley earned second-team all-conference honors. Shockley was also a two-time first-team all-conference selection at Salem High School. He will also enroll at NSU next semester and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

"Levi is a big-play outside linebacker who runs well," Scott said. "We also liked how physical he is and feel like he should also make an immediate impact for us."

Thomas accounted for 20 touchdowns (12 passing, eight rushing) this past fall during his post-graduate year at Fork Union Military Academy. Thomas was named his conference's Offensive MVP as a junior at Briar Woods High in Northern Virginia before graduating from Ballou High in Washington, D.C. Thomas joins nine other current Spartans who played at Fork Union.

"D'Andre is an incredible athlete at the quarterback position," Scott said. "We look for him to come in and compete for playing time and make us that much stronger at that position."

Boykins was a first-team all-district and all-region performer as a senior at Norcom, the same school that produced two-time All-MEAC linebacker and graduating senior Kyle Archie. Boykins was in on 96 tackles, 21 for a loss last season. He also notched six sacks, six fumble recoveries and four pass deflections on defense and scored twice on offense (once rushing, once receiving).

"Allen played multiple positions in high school and is very athletic. He's also a two-sport athlete," Scott said. "We feel he will grow into a strong inside linebacker in our defense."

Savage was a Super 22 selection as a defensive back as a senior who was selected to play in the Crab Bowl and Baltimore Touchdown Club all-star games. In addition to cornerback, he also played quarterback, receiver and punt returner for state runner-up Milford Mill, scoring 28 total touchdowns. Defensively, he intercepted seven passes and broke up 14 others. He is the younger brother of Spartan running back Aaron Savage.

"Brandon is a shut-down cornerback who has a nose for the ball," Scott said. "He's also extremely athletic and was a great two-way player in high school."

This group of five is just the beginning of NSU's 2018 recruiting class, which figures to focus more on quality than quantity. The Spartans lost just 14 seniors from last year's team.

Added Scott: "Over the next few week weeks, we'll continue to identify players who fit our needs and look forward to more additions on the next signing day in February."

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NCAA: Morgan State Athletics lacked institutional control

Download the Dec. 2017 Morgan State Public Infractions Decision

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- Morgan State lacked institutional control due its failure to manage the eligibility certification and financial aid processes, according to a Division I Committee on Infractions panel. For four years, the university improperly certified the eligibility of 94 student-athletes in 10 sports. Over the same period, the university improperly provided financial aid to student-athletes in nine sports.

This case was resolved through the summary disposition process, a cooperative effort in which the involved parties collectively submit the case to the Committee on Infractions in written form. The NCAA enforcement staff, university and involved parties must agree to the facts and overall level of the case to use this process instead of a formal in-person hearing.

Due to the university’s lack of monitoring and control, student-athletes practiced and competed while ineligible. This included those who had not yet received their eligibility certification or met the eligibility standards. Other student-athletes competed while enrolled less than full-time, without meeting their progress-toward-degree requirements or after their eligibility was exhausted.

The panel noted the substantial advantage the university and student-athlete received when ineligible student-athletes were able to compete and receive tens of thousands of dollars in financial aid and expenses.

Penalties in the case include:

• Four years of probation through Dec. 18, 2021.
• One-year postseason ban for softball, tennis and football.
• A $5,000 financial penalty plus one percent of the 2017-18 budgets of football, softball and women’s tennis programs.
• During the 2018-19 academic year, scholarship reductions of five percent in the ten sports where violations occurred.
• Recruiting restrictions in the ten sports, including a seven-week ban on unofficial visits and off-campus recruiting, official visit reductions, communications restrictions.

Members of the Committee on Infractions are drawn from NCAA membership and members of the public. The members of the panel who reviewed this case are Bobby Cremins, former head basketball coach at Georgia Tech; Thomas Hill, senior vice president for student affairs at Iowa State University; Stephen A. Madva, retired attorney; Gary L. Miller, chancellor at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; David M. Roberts, chief hearing officer for the panel and special advisor to the president at Southern California; and Sankar Suryanarayan, university counsel, Princeton.

NCAA MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Grambling’s Dooley makes case for top UAPB job

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff took another step in their head football coaching search on Tuesday morning as Grambling State University offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Eric Dooley addressed a crowd of Golden Lions faithful during his meet and greet session.

Dooley followed Henderson State University head coach Scott Maxfield and Alcorn State University defensive coordinator Cedric Thomas, both of whom spoke at UAPB last week. Maxfield has since bowed out of consideration after HSU offered him a contract extension to stay in Arkadelphia. UAPB began its coaching search a few weeks ago after firing Monte Coleman following a string of losing seasons.

As a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Dooley is highly familiar with the Southwestern Athletic Conference due to the fact that he’s been coaching in the league since 1997.

Dooley earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern University, and he later earned a master’s degree from Grambling.

Dooley said that football has always been a part of his life, and he has had a long-time passion for the game. Getting to play on the highest level of football was Dooley’s goal as young high school, college, and professional wide-receiver. After his high school playing career, Dooley went on to play at Grambling.

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UAPB coaching search narrowed to 2 hopefuls

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff athletic department said Tuesday it expects its search for a head football coach to end within "the next few days."

UAPB Athletic Director Lonza Hardy Jr. said through a spokesman that a decision could be made as soon as today. The search is down to two candidates.

The athletic department named three finalists last week, and each candidate spoke and answered questions before an open audience at a "meet and greet" on campus.

Henderson State University Coach Scott Maxfield and Alcorn State defensive coordinator Cedric Thomas spoke Dec. 12, and Grambling State offensive coordinator Eric Dooley spoke Monday.

Dooley, whose scoring offense (31.2 points per game) ranked 25th in the Football Championship Subdivision, coached in the Tigers' 21-14 loss to North Carolina A&T State on Saturday in the Celebration Bowl.

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North Brunswick punter signs with North Carolina A&T

LELAND, North Carolina -- Hard work has paid off for North Brunswick football player Mike Rivers.

Rivers signed a national letter of intent Tuesday to play at North Carolina A&T.

The punter chose the Aggies, who won the HBCU national championship last weekend, completing a 12-0 season with a win over Grambling.  A&T is the first MEAC team to ever have a perfect season.

Rivers said he always knew that football would help him pay for college.

"I knew right away because in fourth grade, I won my first competition,” said Rivers, who chose A&T over Elon and Coastal Carolina.  “So I was like, I am going to put my hard work in and try to get something with this”.

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North Carolina A&T Aggies Hold Off WCU On Education Day At Corbett

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team played six sophomores Tuesday afternoon against Western Carolina at Corbett Sports Center. Only one of those sophomores played significant minutes last season. They played one graduate transfer, Jade Scaife, who did not play on the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship team in 2016. The Aggies also played one senior, Quenswayla Story, who averaged 9.5 minutes that season.

But it is Kala Green who garnered the most experience from that championship run, averaging 27.9 minutes per game. And it is Green, with all of her experience, who has caught fire recently which is good news for the Aggies. Green followed up her 23-point, six 3-pointers performance against Georgia last Thursday with 17 points and four assists in the Aggies 68-59 win over the Catamounts in front hundreds of cheering Guilford County students on Education Day at Corbett.

Sophomore C’Coriea Foy added 18 points, six assists and five rebounds, while Scaife posted 11 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Le’on Hill finished with a career-high 16 rebounds, seven on the offensive end. Green is 9-for-20 from 3-point range in her last two games.

“(Kala) is going to be very important to our chances of winning a championship,” said N.C. A&T coach Tarrell Robinson. “If and when we win a championship, it will be on the backs of her, Q and Scaife. But Kala and Q know what it takes. I really want them to take ownership of this team and this program.”

Green, who comes off the bench for N.C. A&T, made her first appearance at the 7:48 mark of the first quarter. A minute later she was into the scoring column with a 3-pointer that sparked an 11-0 run that included five points from Green and four points from Scaife as the Aggies took a 17-4 lead with 3:06 remaining in the first quarter.

N.C. A&T, who led from tip to finish and saw their lead increase to as many as 20 during the game, had moments where it appeared they were going to let the Catamounts (2-9) back into the game.

The Catamounts were within six by the end of the first quarter, 18-12. They were within four 3 ½ minutes into the second quarter before the Aggies sprinted out to a 15-1 run thanks to seven points from Foy and a three from Green that gave the Aggies a 35-17 lead with 1:42 remaining in the first half. The Aggies (4-6) maintained an 18-point lead at the half, 37-19, before WCU got the lead down to 45-35 by the end of the third quarter.

The inconsistencies, Robinson says, is the reason why his senior leadership is so vital. Sophomores Shantell Bostick, Cinia McCray and Hill averaged a little more than 10 minutes per game last season. Foy sat out last season, and sophomore Chrishyanah Alston sat out the majority of last season.

“A lot of our ladies have not played significant minutes before, so we’re still maturing,” said Robinson. “We didn’t do a good job of staying on (WCU). We jumped on them early, then got laxed, so we have to get better. It’s definitely going to be a maturation process with this group.”

WCU threatened to take down the Aggies sizable leads twice in the fourth quarter. A Tess Harris 3-pointer brought the Catamounts to within eight at 50-42 with 6:05 remaining in the game. But a bucket from Green followed by a 3-pointer from Foy rebuffed that attempt. WCU was within eight again, 58-50, on a JonTay Mitchem layup with 2:07 to play.

A corner three from Green and another three from Foy finally put WCU away as the Aggies took a 64-50 lead with 1:18 remaining.

Sherae Bonner led the Catamounts with 20 points and 14 rebounds. N.C. A&T does not return to action until Thursday, Oct. 28 when they travel to Athens, Ohio to face the Ohio Bobcats. The Aggies defeated the Bobcats 63-57 last season in Corbett.

BOX SCORE

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MVSU announces Dancy as new head football coach

HEAD COACH VINCENT DANCY
MVSU DELTA DEVILS

ITTA BENA, Mississippi — Mississippi Valley State University is pleased to announce that it will be removing the interim tag and naming Vincent Dancy as its 17^th head football coach. 

Dancy, 33, is a native of Shuqualak, Mississippi and the son of Mississippi Valley State University alumnus Willie Dancy '74 and Evelyn Murray. 

He served as MVSU football's defensive coordinator since Feb. 2015 before being appointed to the interim role late last month. 

MVSU Director of Athletics Dianthia Ford-Kee said promoting Dancy to the lead the Delta Devils is in the best interest of the program.  

"I have had the opportunity to evaluate his energy, synergy, and love for Mississippi Valley State University along with his desire to change the culture of this program," said Ford-Kee.  With all hands on deck—the campus community, Itta Bena, Greenwood and surrounding communities, alumni, fans and most important our football athletes— I am confident that Coach Dancy will give us 100 percent of his effort to build a competitive program that will position MVSU football to win a SWAC Championship and the opportunity to vie for the National Black College Championship," said Ford-Kee. 

Since his appointment as interim head coach, Dancy has been visiting future players, parents and coaches across the state in hopes of strengthening relationships with the Mississippi high schools and community colleges to build our new brand. 

According to Ford-Kee, Dancy's first order of business as head coach will be to assemble a staff and secure future members of the 2018 recruiting class. 

"He has really taken on the commitment of our new president's (Dr. Jerryl Briggs) addition to the motto, 'One Goal. One Team. Once Valley…In Motion," she said. 

"My goal is to build a championship program for the players, alumni, faculty, staff and fans of Mississippi Valley State University," said Dancy. My immediate concerns are filling the gaps in those areas that we were missing as it relates to player personnel, and meeting with our alumni chapters and community stakeholders to reconnect and assist us in restoring our brand from the glory days of Delta Devil football." 

"I will be in the trenches with my staff to build a program that meets the expectation of our fans," he said. You will not want to miss our home opener and fan experience. The stakeholders have expectations for the new head coach, and I have expectations for myself.  I will be accountable for this program's success on and off the playing surface." 

Dancy will officially assume his new role on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018.   

"I want to first thank the search committee for taking time out of their very busy schedules and participating in this process," said MVSU President Dr. Jerryl Briggs.  I trust this process and I am very excited and supportive of the decision to promote Dancy to head coach of the Delta Devils football program.    Valley is truly in motion and the efficiency in the way the committee handle this process is evidence of that."  

Dancy will available to greet fans during MVSU's home basketball game against The University of Arkansas Pine Bluff at 2 p.m. Jan. 1 in the R.W. HPER Complex. 

The official press conference reception introducing Dancy to the public will be held the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 9. 

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS 

ODU-Norfolk State basketball series is steeped in history. Why isn't it an annual affair?

NORFOLK, Virginia -- When Old Dominion and Norfolk State began playing basketball more than five decades ago, it may have been the best rivalry in the commonwealth.

Both were Division II powerhouses. ODU twice went to the Division II Final Four and won the 1975 national championship. Norfolk State advanced to the Elite Eight in 1974, upsetting the Monarchs in an NCAA regional game at ODU along the way.

Sellout crowds usually packed Scope or the old ODU fieldhouse. Most contests were physical, and victories were celebrated by players and fans .

I was there for many of them and got to see legendary players such as Bobby Dandridge, Dave Twardzik, Charles Bonaparte and Joel Copeland.

Unfortunately, the rivalry tailed off after ODU made the jump to Division I in 1977 and didn't pick back up much after the Spartans made the same move two decades later.

Friday night, the teams meet again at Scope in what officials view as a test drive to see if the rivalry still has drawing power.

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Willie Simmons adds to FAMU Football staff with two legendary Miami high school coaches

TALLAHASSEE, Floirida -- New Florida A&M head football coach Willie Simmons is adding some big names to his staff.

A source close to both coaches tells WCTV's Kenny Morales that the Quincy native is adding Miami Southridge head coach and FAMU alum Billy Rolle and Booker T. Washington head coach Tim "Ice" Harris to his staff.

Harris and Rolle both have had very successful high school coaching careers in South Florida, combining to win seven state championships and two national championships.

According to the source, both have already signed contracts with FAMU and are now negotiating relocation expense details.



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Welcome Home Willie: 2018 FAMU Investing in Champions Annual Giving Campaign

TALLAHASSEE, Florida --The fact that you are here, means the world to the success of the student-athletes of Florida A&M University, and we would like to thank you for your time and consideration.  Without your help, we would not be able to provide our student-athletes with the necessities required to compete at the highest levels.  In recent years, not only have they competed, they have won championships, bringing wide spread attention to our University, our region, our culture.

FAMU Athletics operates as an auxiliary enterprise of the University, relying on private donations, ticket sales, student fees and conference revenue to fund 16 varsity sports. As the costs of higher education and maintaining a successful athletic program continue to escalate, sustained private annual contributions are critical. In addition to funding annual scholarships (including tuition, fees, room and board), donations will supplement general operating costs, maintenance and upkeep of facilities, and provide budget support for individual sports.

As such, we must reach out to the masses in an effort to substantially increase philanthropic giving to the FAMU Athletics Department through the Investing in Champions Annual Giving and Lockers of Legacy Capital Campaigns.  Join us TODAY by making your championship investment.  Help us to preserve the rich legacy of Rattler Athletics by BUILDING CHAMPIONS:  IN THE CLASSROOM, ON THE FIELD, AND IN LIFE.  DONATE ONLINE NOW OR DOWNLOAD FORM - INCLUDES PAYROLL DEDUCTION OPTIONS.

Year two of the Investing In Champions Football Season Ticket and Annual Giving Campaign resulted in more records being smashed for FAMU Athletics.

• A third straight season ticket of over 5,400 season tickets
• Annual fund collection of over $780,000, up over 100%
• #1 in HBCU home average attendance for football in the country

Your tremendous support and committment for this program helped our exceptional student-athletes reach new heights in the classroom, on the field and in life.

• Combines sports GPA of 2.8
• 3 MEAC Championship titles in Men's Tennis, Women's Cross Country and Softball
• Runner-Up in MEAC Volleyball Tournament
• 45 Student-Athletes graduated in 2017 in 13 major sports

With the support of our Rattler FAMUly, we are confident we will achieve our 2018 goal of 6,500 football season tickets and $1 million Investing In Champions support.  Its a new era in FAMU Athletics and we will continue to persevere in our mission to Build Champions in the Classroom, on the Field, and in Life with Academic Excellence and Integrity.

PDF Release

PDF Release

We cannot thank you enough for your supporting through athletics scholarships.  Through your support the Rattlers will continue to Strike, Strike, and Strike Again!

Dr. Alvin Parker Named Virginia Union Head Football Coach

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Virginia Union University has announced that Alvin Parker, PhD, will be the 27th Head Coach in the history of the VUU Football Program at a press conference on Monday, December 18, at the L. Douglas Wilder Library on the VUU campus.

Dr. Parker served as offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Virginia Union for five successful seasons. At VUU, Dr. Parker was part of a program that played in the 2000, 2001 and 2003 CIAA title games.

PHOTO GALLERY

The Panthers won three CIAA Eastern Division crowns, one CIAA title and played in the 2001 Pioneer Bowl. During his time at VUU, Dr. Parker coached André Braxton, the CIAA's all-time leading rusher and single season touchdown scorer. Braxton won the Alonzo "Jake" Gaither Award as the top black college football player.



"Dr. Parker won CIAA championships here at VUU as a player and later as an assistant coach under Willard Bailey," said Virginia Union Athletic Director Joe Taylor. "He also won CIAA championships as the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator at Elizabeth City State University. While experiencing success on the field, he has earned his undergraduate, Master's and Ph.D. An accomplishment that few football coaches in America have obtained."

During his collegiate playing days at VUU, Dr. Parker earned offensive MVP honors in 1996 and 1998. He holds the school record for single season TDs and the Gold Bowl record for the longest TD — a 79-yard reception.

Dr. Parker returns to VUU after serving the past two seasons as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh, N.C.

A 2016 AFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year Finalist, Dr. Parker has 19 years of coaching experience including 14 as a highly successful offensive coordinator.

During his years as an offensive coordinator, Dr. Parker helped guide teams to five CIAA title games, two NCAA playoff appearances and three Pioneer Bowls. As leader of one of the nation's premier offensive attacks at Elizabeth City State University, Dr. Parker was recognized as a 2015 National Assistant Coach of the Year Finalist by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Under his guidance, ECSU averaged more than 30 points per game in CIAA games his last five seasons including 2013 when the Vikings were one of two teams to average over 30 points and over 400 yards per game. The Vikings won CIAA division titles in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012 and played in the Pioneer Bowl in 2009 and 2012.

A native of Washington, D.C., Parker is the proud father of Alan and Lani.

VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Morgan State fires football coach Fred T. Farrier; Names Interim Head Coach for 2018

Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Ernest T. Jones Will Serve as Interim Head Football Coach for the 2018 Season

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND --  Morgan State University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Edward Scott announced that head football coach Fred T. Farrier has been released from his contract, effective immediately. Associate head coach Ernest Jones will serve as the interim head coach for the 2018 season.

"After having an in-depth opportunity to fully assess all aspects of our football program for the past year, we have decided to go in a new direction" said Scott. "We thank Coach Farrier for his contributions and service to Morgan State University and our football team. We are confident that Coach Jones and the remaining coaches on staff are committed to serving the scholar-athletes in our football program throughout this period of transition."

Bears assistant coach Jones, who currently serves as the team's associate head coach and defensive coordinator will assume the interim head coach role for the 2018 season while a national search is conducted for a permanent replacement.

During his term as interim coach, Farrier guided the Bears to a 3-8 overall record and a 3-5 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference mark. In his first full season after having the interim tag removed, Farrier was unable to build on the previous season posting a 1-10 record, finishing last in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Farrier, who has been with the program since 2014 was as a member of former Head Coach Lee Hull's coaching staff and was promoted to the full-time position in December 2016.

Before joining the Bears, Coach Jones was previously the head coach at ASA Miami, a two-year college. Prior to that he worked briefly as the running backs coach for UConn in 2014, following a three-year stint at Notre Dame that began in 2011 as the Fighting Irish's director of player development and engagement. During 2010-11, Jones was associate head coach of the University of Buffalo football team. In addition to his title of associate head coach at Buffalo, Jones coached the Bulls' cornerbacks and served as recruiting coordinator. Jones' other head coaching experience came at Alcorn State in 2008.

About Morgan
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is celebrating its 150th year of excellence in higher education. A Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution, Morgan offers more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.

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A&T's Rod Broadway to consider retirement or contract extension

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- It will be an anxious two weeks for the N.C. A&T football program.

Fresh off the best season in historically black college football history, Coach Rod Broadway is set to meet with athletics director Earl Hilton and Chancellor Harold Martin “at the beginning of the year” to discuss his future with the Aggies.

The 62-year-old Broadway, 59-22 at A&T with two Celebration Bowl victories, is considering retiring or signing a contract extension.

He didn’t tip his hand one way or the other when reached by phone this afternoon.

“We’re going to sit down and discuss the direction of the program and go from there,” Broadway said.

Broadway made $299,290 this season in what was the final year of a two-year extension. With no contract, he’s considering retiring after resurrecting an A&T program that was hampered by sanctions when he took over and guiding it to two black college football national championships and A&T's first 12-0 season.



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Hiring Hal Mumme is a Hail Mary for JSU that just might pay off

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Imaginations ran wild as rumors persisted about Jackson State coach Tony Hughes adding air-raid guru Hal Mumme to his staff as offensive coordinator.

What would it mean for a Tiger team built around running the football? Can any quarterback on the current roster run that kind of offense? What role would the 26-year head coaching veteran play on the recruiting trail?

More to the point — is this a smart hire or a Hail Mary for head coach Tony Hughes?

"Look, we've struggled offensively the last two years," Hughes said. "The bottom line is we've got to be more productive and we've gotta score more points. What we were doing just wasn't working."

Mumme's offense, he hopes, will do just that. Despite Belhaven's 2-9 record last season, the Blazers rolled up 445.3 yards of total offense a game.

That's a lot more productive than JSU, which ranked dead-last in the SWAC in both scoring offense (12.7 points a game) and total offense (231.8 yards) last season and averaged just 128 yards passing with five touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

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Gold Rush pull away in 2nd half for 3rd straight win

NEW ORLEANS — Virgil Davison scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half Sunday to help Xavier University of Louisiana pull away for a 73-52 men's basketball victory against the University of the Virgin Islands in the Xavier Classic.
     
Davison made three 3-pointers, all in the second half, and had a career-best five steals for the Gold Rush (9-4).
     
The Buccaneers (0-11) led 31-29 at halftime, but XULA outscored them 44-21 in the second half.
    
Rayshawn Mart scored 14 points for XULA, and Jalen David scored 13. Jeff Dixon had 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
     
Jonathan Harley scored 14 points, Justin Syphoe 13 and Anthony Goss 10 for UVI, a first-year NAIA member.
     
XULA shot 69.2 percent from the floor in the second half to finish at 51.7 percent overall. XULA extended its winning streak to three.
     
In the other Xavier Classic men's game, Dillard got 41 points and 14 rebounds from Jorori Coleman in a 102-86 victory against Rust. Dillard will play UVI at 1 p.m. Monday.

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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Gold Nuggets roll past UVI in Xavier Classic

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana scored a wire-to-wire 76-30 women's basketball victory Sunday against the University of the Virgin Islands in the Xavier Classic.
     
The Gold Nuggets (6-3) got a pair of 3-pointers from Essence Wells during a 14-1 run in the first four minutes. XULA led 39-13 at halftime and 60-21 through three quarters. The final margin was XULA's largest in four years.     



Dasia Pitre, in her season debut, and Ireyon Keithscored 12 points apiece for XULA. Gina Smith had 11 points and nine rebounds, and Wells scored 10. Maya Trench had a season-high-tying nine assists.
     
Aizia Travis scored 12 points for UVI (0-7), a first-year NAIA member.
     
XULA outshot UVI 37.7 to 20.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Buccaneers 57-31. XULA made 19-of-22 free throws to UVI's 6-of-14. The Gold Nuggets committed a season-high-tying 25 turnovers but gained 30.
     
Pitre made 8-of-8 free throws, the best performance by a Gold Nugget this season.
     
XULA will play NAIA No. 9 Lindsey Wilson at 5 p.m. Monday. Lindsey Wilson lost 59-54 to 20th-ranked Dillard, which will play UVI at 3 p.m.

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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Holland's Amsterdam Crusaders sign Deleware State QB Gilbert Rivera to Pro Contract

AMSTERDAM, Holland -- The Amsterdam Crusaders have signed quarterback Gilbert Rivera from the Delaware State University Hornets for the 2018 season.

The Crusaders have decided to play only against international competition in 2018 and have left the Dutch American Football League.

The 23 year old Rivera, a 6’3″, 220 lb native of Los Angeles, played high school football at Jordan High School in Los Angeles before starring with the Hornets (NCAA FCS Div. I). In his three seasons, he threw for 2,406 yards and 15 touchdowns while starting 12 games. In his senior year, he had a QB rating of 129.2 completing 62% of his passes. At Jordan, he threw for more than 4,000 yards and 42 touchdowns.

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