Rep. Mark Walker Congratulates the NC A&T Football Team in the United States House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- United States Representative Mark Walker (R-N.C.) congratulates the North Carolina A&T State University Aggies Football Team as the 2017 HBCU National Champions, in the United States House of Representatives on December 20, 2017.  

The Aggies, two-time Celebration Bowl winners finished their historic season with a perfect 12-0 record, defeating Grambling State University (11-2)  21-14 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

“I'm just extremely proud of our players and the job our coaching staff has done,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway. “It's an awesome feeling right now to be 12-0 and to win our second national championship in three years at A&T. I'm happy for our school. We've come a long way.”

N.C. A&T is the first-ever Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) school to finish the entire season undefeated. They are the first Division I FCS black college football team to finish a season unbeaten and untied and they broke the school and conference record for wins with 12.

During the season, the Aggies defeated Division I FBS University of North Carolina at Charlotte 35-31 in front of a record-crowd 18,651 at Jerry Richardson Stadium.  They defeated an FBS for the second straight season (FBS schools are awarded approximately 20 more scholarship equivalents than the FCS level, the level N.C. A&T plays on). 

Head Coach Rod Broadway has led the Aggies to their second national HBCU football title in three years.  In athletics director Earl M. Hilton's III seven years as North Carolina A&T's AD, the Aggies have won three national titles and nine MEAC championships. 

AGGIE PRIDE!!!



NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU Marching 100 prepares for 2019 Rose Bowl

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- They're one of the oldest, most successful marching bands in the world.

FAMU''s Marching 100 has performed at Super Bowls, the Grammys, presidential inaugurations and, in 2019, will be gracing the stage at the 2019 Rose Bowl Parade.

WTXL ABC 27's Jarell Baker has more as they prepare to head out west.

Seventy-one years and counting, FAMU's Marching 100 has been "representing" and entertaining audiences across the globe.

Now a new opportunity to add to the band's history books comes on New Years Day, ‪January 1, 2019,‬ when the pride of FAMU and Tallahassee, the Marching 100, takes the show on the road playing in the Rose Bowl Parade.

Shelby Chipman, the Marching 100 band director, expressed excitement about the opportunity.

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Alcorn Braves Add Two More To 2018 Early Signing Day Class

LORMAN, Mississippi -- The Alcorn State University football program continued to bulk up its roster with the additions of Creo Argue Jr. and Chris Blair, head coach Fred McNair announced.

Both signed National Letters of Intent.

"We're proud to say that Creo and Chris are apart of the Alcorn Braves family. They are both transfers who can come in and make an immediate impact for us next season," McNair said. "We'll be looking for both Creo and Chris to play big rolls in the upcoming years for this program."

Argue is a 6-2, 220-pound defensive end from Crete, Illinois. He was ranked the No. 51 defensive end in the state of Illinois by maxpreps.com.  He anchored a defense at Crete-Monee HS that finished with an 8-4 overall record and 5-0 in conference his senior year.

According to rivals.com, Argue also had interest out of high school from Eastern Michigan, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois and Western Illinois.

This past season, Argue played at Independence CC in Kansas where he tallied 13 tackles, three sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in 10 games. Argue will have three years of eligibility remaining at Alcorn.



"Creo is a great player and will certainly help us a lot on the defensive line. He's filling a position of need since we're losing some guys there. I'm really excited to have him with us because he's an outstanding player," McNair said.

Blair is a 6-3, 200-pound wide receiver from Louisville, Mississippi. He's spent the last two seasons at Hinds CC and will have two years of eligibility left with the Braves.

This past season, Blair caught nine passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns in six games. The big-play threat averaged 19.1 yards per catch.

"Chris had an offer from Mississippi State, but after the coaching change there he decided to go a different way," McNair said. "I'd been trying to get Chris to come to Alcorn for a while, and I just kept in contact with him and we're very happy to have him."

Argue and Blair join an early 2018 signing day class that includes Delshun Bradwell, Daylon Burks, Wanya Morris and Jyron Russell.

2018 Early Signee Roster (Position, Height, Weight, Previous School, Hometown)
Creo Argue Jr. (DE, 6-2, 220, Independence CC, Crete, Illinois)
Chris Blair (WR, 6-3, 200, Hinds CC, Louisville, Miss.)
Delshun Bradwell (OL, 6-4, 290, Godby HS, Quincy, Fla.)
Daylon Burks (CB, 5-11, 200, Pearl River JC, Lumberton, Miss.)
Wanya Morris (OL, 6-2, 290, Southwest Mississippi JC, Brookhaven, Miss.)
Jyron Russell (QB, 6-3, 195, Timberview HS, Grand Prairie, Texas)

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Buddy Pough's reach is beyond S.C. State

COACH BUDDY POUGH

CLEMSON, South Carolina — South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough has impacted hundreds, if not thousands, of lives during his 16-year head-coaching tenure.

However, year 17 will be the last for the legendary head coach as Pough will exit as the head coach of his alma mater following the 2018 season. But Pough’s reach and impact are not lost on one coach in particular — Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott.

"Man, he gave me my start. He took a chance on me,” Elliott said. “Here I was a guy that was kind of at a crossroads in life -- figuring out what I wanted to do with my future. I was working at Michelin as an engineer, had a bright future ahead of me, but I wanted to fulfill a purpose and I felt like coaching was the best opportunity to fulfill that purpose. He took a chance on me. He gave me a job, no experience.”

Following a two-year absence from football, Elliott decided that he wanted to get back into the game that he loved.

In 2006, former Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden had an open spot on his coaching staff for a graduate assistant and Elliott jumped at the opportunity to return to his alma mater and begin his coaching career, but that spot was filled by another candidate.

Elliott did not give up on his dream — using his contacts, and former coaches, at Clemson to give him a chance at a small school in Orangeburg.

CONTINUE READING

Texas Southern Football Announces Two Signees During Early Signing Period

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Texas Southern Tigers football team has announced the signing of two student-athletes during the early signing period.

TSU Football has signed defensive end Isaiah Chance (6-3, 240) from Dawson high school, Pearland, Texas and tight end Chris Long (6-4, 245) from Itawamba Community College and Nettleton High School, Nettleton, Mississippi.

Long caught 12 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown in seven games this season.

The Tigers are expected to announce additional signings in the upcoming months.  National Signing Day is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Basketball set to be broadcast on AT&T Sports Network Southwest

HOUSTON, Texas -- Texas Southern University Athletics has announced a new television deal with AT&T Sports Network Southwest that will expand the networks' coverage of TSU Athletics to include Tigers and Lady Tigers Basketball for the 2017-18 season.

A total of 16 TSU home basketball games are slated to be broadcast live on the network beginning with Texas Southern's men's and women's doubleheader against the Alcorn State Braves on Wednesday, January 3rd.

"We're extremely pleased to announce our new television partnership with AT&T Sports Network Southwest that will allow for the coverage of 16 TSU basketball games at the H&PE Arena," said Dr. Charles McClelland, TSU vice president of Intercollegiate Athletics. "This platform will undoubtedly help both of our basketball programs along with our entire Athletics department continue the process of expanding our overall brand awareness and exposure."

Butch Alsandor and Nick Strong will provide the play-by-play and color commentary.

Six of the scheduled 16 games will be shown on the AT&T Sports Network primary channel with a total of 10 games slated to be broadcast live on the alternate channel. A complete schedule of upcoming game broadcast dates can be found at www.tsusports.com.



TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Real Talk with Nik Lewis on Stamps receiver Marquay McDaniel (Hampton Pirates) going from practice roster to CFL star

CALGARY, AB, Canada --  Football is a game of inches and smart play.  Just ask former Hampton University wide-receiver Marquay McDaniel.  His Calgary Roughriders came within two plays of securing McDaniel's second CFL Grey Cup Championship in November.

At age 33, you don't have many opportunities left.  Especially for a 5'-10"/208 pound All-CFL speedster who's body is beginning to wear down from the injuries.

McDaniel had a strong season leading the Stamps in receiving yards for a fourth consecutive year.

Kamar Jorden's fumble in the waning minutes of the 105th Grey Cup will be a major talking point of the Calgary Stampeders' off-season after the team suffered their second straight upset in the championship game.

Jordan fumbled the ball on the Toronto Argos' four-yard line with the Stampeders up by eight with less than five minutes to play. Argonauts defender Cassius Vaughn scooped up the loose ball and returned it 109 yards for a touchdown. Toronto would tie the game on a successful two-point conversion and win the game with a field goal four minutes later.

MCDANIEL's CAREER STATS

“The fumble was a big-time fumble. I cost this team the game,” Jorden said. “Whatever good I did in that game doesn’t really count when you make a play like that. That’s the biggest moment. I let my team down, and I’ll deal with the consequences.”

Jorden, 28, was the Stampeders' leading receiver on Sunday, posting 117 yards and a touchdown on six receptions. He took responsibility for the mistake, admitting he tried to do much while the Stampeders were already leading.

“In a play like that in that position of the field, I just have to be smart with the ball,” said Jorden. “I should have had two hands on it, and I let it get away from me, and you guys saw what happened. In weather like that and conditions like that, you have to keep the ball to keep your team in a position to win the game. I didn’t do that, it’s simple - just like that. It hurts man. It sucks.”

Fellow receiver Marquay McDaniel, who posted eight catches for 46 yards against the Argonauts, did not appear ready to forgive Jorden.

“It’s a stupid play,” McDaniel said. “You can talk all you want about doing this, doing that, but it’s a dumb play.



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CIAA Leader Chowan Hawks Crush St. Augustine;s Falcons

#2 CHANTEL ROBERTS
Redshirt Senior 

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- The Chowan Women's Basketball team continued their remarkable start as the Hawks dominated St. Augustine's in an 81-42 victory in CIAA play Monday evening on the road.

THE BASICS

FINAL | Chowan 81, St. Augustine's 42

RECORDS | Chowan 11-1 (3-0), St. Augustine's 4-8 (1-2)

LOCATION | Raleigh, N.C. (Emery Gym)

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

Chantel Roberts paced the Hawks with a double-double scoring 23 points and hauling in 11 boards. Danielle Weldon chipped in with a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Dhyamond Crenshaw tallied 12 points.

Mariah Coker scored eight points as Jada Lee, Alyssa Humes, and Jordan Pettaway rounded out the scoring with seven points each.

The Hawks outrebounded the Falcons 60-32 to continue to lead the nation in rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Quarter:

Chowan got on the board first thanks to the defensive effort to start the contest. Mariah Coker picked the Falcons pocket and allowed Chantel Roberts for the easy bucket. Dhyamond Crenshaw gave the Hawks a 4-0 lead with a bucket off an offensive board.

St. Augustine's knotted things up following a fastbreak basket and a pair from the stripe. Chantel Roberts would not allow the Falcons to take the lead knocking down a pair of triples on back-to-back possessions.

The Hawks' defense kept the Falcons scoreless from the field as St. Augustine's notched one field goal in the first 5:18 of the contest. St. Augustine's would cut the deficit to 10-8 notching their second field goal.

Danielle Weldon kept the Hawks ahead with six points before Dhyamond Crenshaw put the Hawks up by double-figures late in the opening stanza, 18-8.

The teams traded baskets down the stretch as the Hawks led 20-11 after 10 minutes.

Second Quarter:

The Falcons notched the first bucket of the quarter before Mariah Coker countered with a pair from the charity stripe. Dhyamond Crenshaw and Jordan Pettaway kept the Falcons at-bay trading buckets to keep the lead at nine, 26-17.

Chantel Roberts finished off the old-fashioned three point play followed by two quick buckets pushed the Hawks to a 34-17 advantage forcing a timeout by the Falcons midway through the quarter.

St. Augustine's closed the gap slightly to 34-22 before Mariah Coker knocked down a trey with over two minutes left in the half. The Hawks added four points from the stripe followed by a layup by Danielle Weldon and a triple by Mariah Coker and Jordan Pettaway allowed the Hawks to lead 49-25 at the half.

The Chowan defense held the Falcons scoreless from the field the final 2:29 of the quarter.

Third Quarter:

Chantel Roberts opened the quarter with a pair of buckets to spark the offense. St. Augustine's tallied their first bucket in over five minutes of action before Roberts scored another bucket to keep pushing the Hawks ahead.

Jada Lee continued the run as Lee went on a 7-0 run with two buckets and an old-fashioned three-point play that forced a Falcon timeout.

The scoring slowed for the Hawks as Chowan led 61-28 with 2:46 left in the third frame. Danielle Weldon ended the scoreless streak with a layup 30 seconds later. Alyssa Humes tallied a layup to keep the run moving. The Falcons were held without a field goal for the final 8:42 of the quarter.

Chowan held the Falcons to a season-best three points in the quarter.

Fourth Quarter:

Dhyamond Crenshaw opened the quarter with two buckets to keep the Hawks run going. Chantel Roberts and Alyssa Humes notched buckets before a three pointer by the Falcons ended the 25-3 run by the Hawks.

St. Augustine's went on a 7-0 to cut into the deficit 74-35, with 5:29 remaining in the game. Both teams went without a bucket until Danielle Weldon knocked down a trey with 3:26 left to push the Hawks back to a 40 point advantage, 77-37.

After a pair of free throws, Alyssa Humes hit a jumper off a pass from Jada Lee with under two minutes to play. Danielle Weldon notched the final bucket of the contest for the Hawks.

BOX SCORE

UP NEXT
Chowan will return to the hardwood on December 31 against nationally ranked Wingate. Tip-off is slated for 3pm.

CHOWAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Melvin Helps VSU Trojans Hold Off The University of Mount Olive on the Road

MOUNT OLIVE, North Carolina -- The Virginia State University men's basketball team defeated the Trojans of the University of Mount Olive, 84-71,  at Kornegay Arena.

Cyonte Melvin led the way for the Trojans (9-1) with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor. Melvin also contributed five total rebounds, four assists, and one steal.

Richard Granberry finished the contest with a double-double performance, with 15 points and 15 total rebounds. Brandon Holley added 15 points to round out VSU's double-digit scorers.

The University of Mount Olive were led by Darius Spragley, who tallied 13 points and five rebounds in the contest, including 12 points in the second half to help the University of Mount Olive attempt to stay within striking distance.

VSU, scoring the opening basket of the game, to go on a 2-0 run in the opening minutes to set the tone for the first half of the contest by building a 35-28 lead going into halftime. The University of Mount Olive tried to rally, but could never cut the VSU Trojans lead in the opening frame.

The VSU Trojans' continued to bring the same energy into the second half, as they continued to extend their lead. Cyonte Melvin contributed 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor. VSU's second leading scorer Richard Granberry secured nine points and eight total rebounds in the half. Virginia State added 49 points to close out the contest with an 84-71 victory.

Virginia State finished the contest shooting 47.9 (34-71) percent from the field, 30.4 (7-23) from the arc and 69.2 (9-13) percent from the free throw line.

BOX SCORE

CLOSING OUT WITH THE FREEBIES: After attempting only three free throws in the first half, the Trojans of VSU made it to the charity stripe 20 times in the second period, converting on 70 percent (7-10) of those trips. Of the second-half attempts, four came in with six minutes of action to help VSU seal the victory.

UP NEXT: After tonight's win, VSU returns home as they host King University on Saturday, December 30 to close out the year 2017. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. at the VSU Multipurpose Center.

For the most up-to-date information on VSU men's basketball, please visit www.govsutrojans.com and follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Washington & Jefferson's Charles 'Pruner' West, first black QB to play in Rose Bowl, to be honored at 2018 Rose Bowl Game

Dr. Charles West was a Howard University Medical School distinguish alumnus, graduating in 1928.  During his medical school years at Howard, he also coached (as an assistant) the Bison varsity football team, including the 1926 team that went undefeated.

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia -- Growing up, Linda Nickens didn’t hear her dad talk about his accomplishments much.

But Charles Fremont “Pruner” West, a former Washington & Jefferson standout who became the first black quarterback to play in a Rose Bowl when he took the field in 1922, left behind a legacy that his daughter — and grandchildren — are eager to celebrate.

Following a push by Washington & Jefferson, West will be inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame during the New Year’s Day contest between Georgia and Oklahoma.

Nickens will make the trip to Pasedena, Calif., with her son, Michael, and daughter, Crystal, and will represent her father in the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

During the ceremony, she will stand on the field alongside former Texas coach Mack Brown, former UCLA quarterback Cade McNown and former Michigan Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson between the third and fourth quarters.

As a child, Nickens learned the value of resilience and hard work from her father, who played 25 years before Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, and had several noted experiences with racism.

As the first black quarterback to play in “The Granddaddy of Them All,” he led Washington & Jefferson to the first scoreless tie in the history of the game against the University of California — a record that’s likely to stick as the game was played without an overtime rule.

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Dr. Charles 'Pruner' West -- 1st Row, 3rd from Right

W&J COLLEGE HOLDS HISTORIC PLACE IN ROSE BOWL HISTORY

WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania -- As the 2018 Tournament of Roses approaches, Washington & Jefferson College celebrates its historic 1922 appearance and the induction of Dr. Charles “Pruner” West ’24 into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.

The story of the 1922 Rose Bowl has reached legendary status: the improbable tale of a small school from western Pennsylvania that overcame obstacles, made it to Pasadena, and made history in the process.

The game remains the only scoreless tie in Rose Bowl game history, an accomplishment likely to remain with the implementation of overtime to settle ties in college football. Unique to W&J that day was that despite traveling across the country with 17 players, the Presidents played just 11, meaning that those 11 played every snap on both sides of the ball. It was also the final Rose Bowl game at Tournament Park in Pasadena before the event was moved to Rose Bowl Stadium, where it is held today.

Washington & Jefferson College had the best college football team on the east coast, coming off of an undefeated 1921 season, when the Tournament of Roses Association unanimously voted to invite the school to play in the 1922 Rose Bowl. The Bowl game posed a significant challenge: W&J’s opponent, the University of California “Golden Bears,” was arguably the best college football team on the west coast, and were still riding the high of topping Ohio State University in the 1921 Rose Bowl. W&J accepted the Rose Bowl invitation, but traveling to Pasadena proved to have its own set of difficulties.

According to E. Lee North’s football history, “Battling the Indians, Panthers, and Nittany Lions … The Story of Washington & Jefferson College’s First Century of Football, 1890-1990,” W&J could only afford to pay for the minimum number of players – 11 men – to travel by train to the Rose Bowl. North’s book notes that R.M. “Mother” Murphy, W&J’s athletic administrator, didn’t want to spend College funds on his own ticket and mortgaged his house to afford the trip.

When teammate C.L. Spillers came down with pneumonia and had to be left in Kansas City for treatment, W&J risked not having enough men to field a team, and there are differing accounts about how this problem was solved. According to North’s account, reserve player J. Ross “Bucky” Buchanan had stowed away on the train, and was given Spillers’s ticket when he was discovered. However, a Dec. 28, 1921 edition of the New York Tribune notes that Murphy sent for Al Haddon to take Spillers’s place. Buchanan is shown in team pictures taken in Pasadena.

Coached by Earle “Greasy” Neale, an athlete in his own right – he was an outfielder for the Cincinnati Redlegs when they played in the famed 1919 World Series – and led on the field by Charles West, the first black quarterback to play in the Rose Bowl, W&J fought the Golden Bears to a historic scoreless tie.

West was a phenomenal athlete who normally played halfback for W&J but stepped in as quarterback for the Rose Bowl due to team injuries and illnesses. His athletic endeavors didn’t stop at the Rose Bowl and weren’t limited to football. He also was an accomplished track and field competitor who won the National Collegiate Pentathlon at the Penn Relays in 1922 and 1923, and who was named to the 1924 U.S. Olympic team, although he did not participate due to injury. He went on to sign with the Akron Pros professional football team after graduating from W&J in 1924, but instead chose to retire from athletics and attend Howard University Medical School in Washington, D.C.

For the next 50 years, West maintained a general medical practice in Alexandria, Virginia and his community service outshined his work on the athletic field. Despite encountering numerous instances of racism in the pre-Civil Rights era in both his athletic and medical career, West was respected and highly regarded by his teammates and those who knew him on and off the field. The Alexandria Urban League awarded him for his community service in 1973, and in 1978 he received a Howard University Medical Alumni Association citation for his years of practice. West also received the W&J Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 1978, and passed away the following year, on Nov. 20, 1979.

West is one of four men being inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame this year, joining former University of Texas head coach Mack Brown, UCLA quarterback Cade McNown and University of Michigan Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson. He joins teammate Russ Stein '21 in the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. Stein, the Most Outstanding Player in the 1922 Rose Bowl, was part of the third class of inductees in 1991.



COURTESY: WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

From Florida A&M Walk-On to Super Bowl and Grey Cup Championships, WR Brian Tyms Moves Forward

Brian Tyms joins a small exclusive group of 12 players that have earned both a Super Bowl and a Grey Cup ring in the history of both leagues. 

TORONTO. Canada -- The Toronto Argonauts announced  on September 14, 2017 that the team has added international wide receiver Brian Tyms to the practice roster.

As a practice squad member, Tyms earned a championship ring as the Argonauts defeated Calgary Roughriders 27-24 in the 105th Grey Cup.

BRIAN TYMS (SEPT. 2010)

Tyms, a 6-foot-3, 204-pound native of Seattle, Washington, has played in nine career CFL games over the past two seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Through eight games in 2017, the Florida A&M product has hauled in 25 passes for 204 yards. In last year’s Eastern Division Semi-Final game, he set career-highs with eight receptions for 114 yards.

Prior to signing with Hamilton in 2016, Tyms appeared in 18 games in the NFL with the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns. In 2014, he played in 11 games for the Pats, starting two, while posting five receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown. He dressed in one postseason game with the club against the Baltimore Ravens on January 10, en route to becoming a Super Bowl Champion in Super Bowl XLIX. Along with the Browns and Patriots, Tyms saw stops with the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins.

After making the team as a walk-on, Tyms played in 22 games in two seasons (2010 - 2011) at Florida A&M, starting 13 contests. He registered 45 receptions for 661 yards and four touchdowns for the Rattlers. Prior to enrolling at Florida A&M, attended Broward Community College and Tallahassee Community College.

Tyms attended Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and started playing football in the 12th grade. He also played basketball and was a member of the track and field team that went to the state championships for basketball and the high jumper.



COURTESY Toronto Argonauts Media Communications and the CFL

Plans progressing for Black College Football Hall of Fame at Canton

The Louisiana-based Shack Harris and Doug Williams Foundation started the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2009. 

CANTON, Ohio -- The Black College Football Hall of Fame exhibit is expected to open at the Pro Football Hall of Fame sometime in late 2019 or early 2020.

The exhibit is in the design phase, said Joe Horrigan, the Hall’s executive director. Other plans for the partnership — announced in mid-2016 — include moving the college hall’s induction ceremonies to Canton, hosting a football classic and creating a traveling exhibit.

The Black College Football Hall of Fame will occupy between 5,000 to 5,400 square feet in the museum to the right off the entrance, where the interactive area is now. The back wall is expected to be removed to make more space.

Here’s what has happened so far:

• Meetings in Washington: The executive director of the National Museum and of African American History and Culture — a Smithsonian institution — and the head of the White House’s initiative on historically black colleges and universities both have participated in discussions about the exhibit.

• Design: Horrigan jokes work has focused on all the “non-sexy” stuff, such as traffic flow in the museum, integrated technology with the rest of plans for Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, and design elements that fit the content planned for the museum

Here’s what could happen:



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Morgan State Alumnus Ray Washington Jr., Makes Inspiring Impact on Hometown Community with Pint-Sized Marching Band

Start Video at 1:27

The school has the only elementary school marching band in the State of Maryland.  

CAMBRIDGE, Maryland -- Drum lines and marching bands are deeply ingrained in the culture of America's historically black colleges and universities.

In elementary schools? Not so much.

But on a recent Wednesday afternoon, around 45 fourth and fifth-graders at Maple Elementary School in Cambridge stood in formation, awaiting their cue to begin. "Band!" yelled drum major Hallmark Pinanzu, 10, with a baton in hand. "One, two, ATTENTION!""M-E-S!" the children called. Hallmark blew his whistle.

"Up, two, three, four!"

The band began to march and drum. Flags, glistening green, silver and black began to wave.



The Marching Lions have been making waves, here and across the country. They've appeared on local TV stations and on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Oct. 13. They performed at a high school pep rally earlier this month and in a parade at Morgan State University's homecoming. They performed last weekend during a football game at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School and in the Elks Lodge Parade in Cambridge.

The band has a profound impact on the pupils, say those involved with the school, where 87 percent of children qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

"It's given kids that wouldn't have a focus, a focus," said Principal Patricia Prosser. "I don't think it would have been possible without the success of the drumline."

It's all sprung from Ray Washington Jr., who founded the marching band. As a Morgan State student, he performed for four years in the drumline of the university's Magnificent Marching Machine. He moved back to his hometown in 2015 in search of temporary work but instead landed a full-time position that has changed pupils' outlooks on what they could achieve.

"Drumline was life," said Washington, 32. "I didn't know band could be like that."



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A Legacy of Opportunity: The History of Delaware State University

DOVER, Delaware -- “A Legacy of Opportunity” is a documentary film to commemorate Delaware State University and its 125 year legacy. It tells the institution’s story, 1891-2017 using contemporary footage, archival photos, and personal interviews with university alumni and executives. The film is commissioned by Delaware Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the federal agency which provides specialized funding for humanities programs nationwide.

North Carolina A&T Aggies Win In Vegas, Defeat Lamar Cardinals

COURTESY: Lamar University Athletics

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Lamar did everything it could to overcome a double-digit second-half deficit. The North Carolina A&T men’s basketball team would have none of it.

The Aggies resisted every comeback attempt the Cardinals came up with Saturday afternoon to win 74-70 in their final game of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic at Orleans Arena. The Aggies (7-7) went 1-3 in the classic but more importantly they picked up their seventh non-conference win, they defeated their fifth Division I program after defeating only one last season and they picked up a morale booster heading into conference play in two weeks.

“Lamar plays extremely hard and we knew that coming into the game,” said N.C. A&T coach Jay Joyner. “I have to commend these young men (N.C. A&T) for bouncing back after 24 hours and giving maximum effort. I wrote on the board before the game “max effort.” I think we did that for about 35 minutes. The goal is to get to 40 minutes.”

The Aggies completed a road swing that required them to play four games in seven days including back-to-back days at Orleans Arena. Radford defeated the Aggies 66-60 on Friday. Despite the loss, a more energized, spirited and feisty team entered the arena against the Cardinals on Saturday. There were also a few lineup changes from the day before. Senior forward Davaris McGowens, the Aggies leading rebounder from a year ago, made his first start of the season. Also making his first start of the year was junior college transfer guard Milik Gantz who previously served as a spark off the bench in close games at Georgetown and against Radford.

Inserting both men had immediate benefits. McGowens played strong defensively and finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Gantz was also strong defensively. His two blocks led to transition layups for the Aggies. He also had four assists on the afternoon.

Fifth-year forward Denzel Keyes also gave the Aggies a lift. He came off the bench to score eight points in the game with all eight points occurring during a 15-0 first-half run in which the Aggies overcame a 12-8 deficit to take a 23-12 lead with 5:39 remaining in the first 20 minutes. Keyes scored in a variety of ways – on the break, at the free throw line, on a tip-in and on a short jumper – to give the Aggies a lead they never relinquished. The Aggies went into the half ahead by 11, 32-21, on a 3-point basket from junior guard Aaren Edmead at the buzzer.

“It was a team win tonight. Everybody excepted their roles,” said Joyner. “We wanted to play a lot of guys to stay fresh. We decided to play zone the entire game because I thought yesterday guys weren’t as fresh and our zone started to break down.”

There was no relenting from the Aggies early in the second half. They raced out to a 43-25 lead over the first 2 ½ minutes and then witnessed the Cardinals (8-5) slowly take away that advantage. With 11:43 remaining in the game, Lamar had the Aggies lead down to five, 43-38. The Aggies gathered themselves by getting out on the fastbreak. Gantz scored on two transition buckets and graduate guard Devonte Boykins scored on another transition basket to balloon the Aggies lead to 10 at 50-40 with 8:28 to play.

Over the next two minutes Lamar had the lead down to four, 50-46, on a Nick Garth 3-pointer. The Aggies sprinted out again, however, as a bounce pass from Edmead to freshman guard Kameron Langley highlighted a 9-0 run that put the Aggies ahead by 13 with 3:50 to play.

That double-figure lead held until the final 40 seconds of the game. A 3-pointer from Lamar’s James Harrison cut A&T’s lead to 8, 69-61. Another 3-pointer from Harrison got Lamar to within five, 70-65, with 10 seconds remaining. An Aggies turnover on the in-bounds pass gave Lamar the ball back with 7.2 seconds remaining.

Harrison then hit a double-pump, fall-away 3-point shot with 2.7 seconds remaining to make it a 72-70 game. But Olujobi iced the game with two free throws with two seconds remaining to give the Aggies the victory. In fact, the Aggies were 23-for-27 from the line for the game and 10-for-13 over the final two minutes of the game.

Olujobi led the Aggies with 21 points and nine rebounds on 6-for-12 shooting. Edmead was 5-for-5 from the line and finished with 10 and five assists. Boykins also reached double figures with 10. Colton Weisbrod led the Cardinals with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

The Aggies will face Virginia Tech before starting conference play on Jan. 6 at home against Norfolk State at 4 p.m. The Hokies will host the Aggies noon Thursday, Dec. 28, at Cassell Coliseum.

“The way we fought tonight tells me we have a chance to be really good,” said Joyner. “We're not a finished product yet. We have to continue to keep working. I'm a firm believer in hard work pays off in the end. You must pay the price every single day and for the most part we do. But until we pay the price every single day, we're going to have moments where we lose big leads.

I’m proud of the fact they never surrendered the lead. They kept fighting, and I’m proud of them for that. We’re still trying to figure things out, but I like what I saw tonight.”

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Texas Southern had a lot to deal with during Saturday's 73-52 loss to the BYU Cougars

PROVO, Utah — If Texas Southern appeared to run out of gas during a 73-52 loss to BYU on Saturday, it would be hard to blame.

Sure, there’s the factor of playing at just over 4,500 feet — something a lot of teams struggle with when visiting BYU, but considering the other extenuating circumstances, the altitude was just an afterthought.

Saturday’s game marked the 13th-straight game for the Tigers this season, compared with no games played at home. Since its season-opener, a 97-69 loss at Gonzaga on Nov. 10, Texas Southern has traveled across the country and back, making stops at such places as Syracuse, Kansas and Oregon.

But that’s just the travel.



Absent in Saturday’s game was leading scorer Demontrae Jefferson, who averages 23.4 points per game. The 5-foot-7 guard’s father passed away earlier this week, and therefore Jefferson was absent from the team, leaving a huge void in what the Tigers do offensively.

"He's seventh in the nation in scoring, and his points are true points because he's going against the No. 1 schedule in the country," said Texas Southern coach Mike Davis. "So it's not like he's padding his stats against some bad basketball teams. … I think he's one of the top 10 players in the country, offensively."

"I with them and their team the very best," added Dave Rose, speaking specifically about the loss of Jefferson and the difficult circumstances he's going through. "I think Mike's got a really talented squad and we didn't get to see the whole group tonight."

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Sounds of the Season From Our HBCUs

A 415-pound recruit, a father's (SCSU/NFL) legacy and the making of a star

NORMAN, OKlahoma -- Sweaty and fatigued after practice, Oklahoma's Orlando Brown, an All-American left tackle, giggles when he thinks about the day his father tried to use Adam Sandler to motivate him.

Disappointed by his son's lack of aggression in a youth football game, former NFL veteran Orlando "Zeus" Brown (S.C. State) rushed home and told his son to sit on the couch while he sifted through his DVD collection. Brown assumed that his father, who died in 2011 from a diabetes-related condition he never knew he had, would show him old clips from his lengthy pro career.

Instead, Zeus stood in his living room and preached about the strengths of Bobby Boucher, an angry, underdog linebacker played by Sandler in "The Waterboy."

As they watched the movie together, Brown -- an eighth-grader then -- wondered if his father had finally gone too far with his inspirational tactics.

"He's like, '[Orlando], you gotta be this guy,'" Brown said. "He said, 'You gotta go get him. I mean, I know it's a movie, but you get what the f--- I'm saying.' He showed me that clip, and he said, 'When you get out there, I expect you to put a m-----f----- on their back.'"

Today, the nimble, 6-foot-8, 339-pound offensive tackle chuckles when he tells stories about his late father.



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Rush win 5th straight; season-high 25 for Davison

MOBILE, Alabama — Virgil Davison scored a season-high 25 points Friday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to its fifth consecutive men's basketball victory, 61-49 against the University of Mobile.
     
Davison, a junior guard, made five 3-pointers in eight attempts. He was the only XULA player to score in double figures. Teammate Jeff Dixon had eight assists, and Rayshawn Mart had three steals.
     
The Gold Rush (11-4) led wire-to-wire and opened the game with a 13-2 run. It was 34-18 at halftime. XULA's largest lead was 42-20 after a Joseph Williams free throw with 15:02 remaining.
     
Will Stanford scored 12 points and Darius Curry 10 for the Rams (5-8).
    
 XULA outshot Mobile 44 to 33.3 percent from the floor and made eight 3-pointers to the Rams' three. Dixon made a pair of treys.
     
The Gold Rush swept the two-game regular-season series from the Rams. XULA won 17 of its last 19 meetings with Mobile.
     
XULA exceeded its victory total of last season, when it was 10-20. The win streak is XULA's longest since winning five in a row Feb. 16-March 7, 2015. XULA has not won six straight since an eight-game streak Jan. 10-Feb. 5, 2015.

XULA will break for Christmas, then play its first Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game of the season Jan. 8 at Edward Waters at 7:30 p.m. EST in Jacksonville, Fla. The next home game will be Jan. 17 against William Carey at the Convocation Center.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Hometown Heroes: Ocala native Eason acting interim FAMU AD

Dr. John Eason

OCALA, Florida -- Last month, Florida A&M needed a leadership change inside its athletic department after former athletic director Milton Overton accepted a job at Kennesaw State University. FAMU needed someone with experience and familiarity with the school itself to run the athletic department in the interim while the brass looked for a new full-time AD.

That person was none other than Dr. John Eason, 72, a 1963 graduate from Howard High School in Ocala.

After graduating from Howard, Eason played football and earned both his bachelors and masters degrees from FAMU. He earned his doctorate from FSU. Additionally, Eason was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1984.

While the FAMU connections are great, the Rattlers brass still needed someone with plenty of experience in the college athletics world, as well as someone who would be able to oversee the university’s search for a new head football coach.

And again, they felt Eason was the best choice.

After a few years playing in both the NFL and CFL, Eason spent 12 seasons at Florida State as the receivers coach and then four years at South Carolina as offensive coordinator. In 2001, he went to Georgia with head coach Mark Richt to serve as receivers coach and assistant head coach. He would serve in that role at UGA until 2009, when he was named director of football operations with the Bulldogs.

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Meet Aaron Ray, Southern's high-energy sixth man and biggest surprise, says coach Morris Scott

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Specifically related to a box score, Southern coach Morris Scott knows what Southern will receive nightly from star forward Jared Sam. Points, rebounds and production that will overcrowd and cluster a stat sheet.

But to Scott, the biggest surprise of Southern's youthful and developing season is found elsewhere — and the first-year coach doesn't hesitate expressing he's proud.

"Aaron Ray," Scott said.

"I think he's really been a solid glue guy for us that can really come in and seems like every night when you look at the stat sheet, he's doing something positive."

"He's one of these guys that comes off the bench and brings with a lot of energy. Plays with a lot of effort, emotion. He's a competitor. He always wants to win."

Ray, a hyper and reliable spark as Southern's sixth man off the bench, enrolled at Southern as one of a handful of transfers Scott's program acquired during the past offseason. Hailing originally from Middleton, New York, Ray left Garden City Community College in Kansas and ventured south to Louisiana, where he now calls Southern's basketball team home.

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Get to know the recruits in JSU's 2018 recruiting class

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Here's a look at JSU's signees who pledged their services to JSU Wednesday:

Derrick Ponder, QB, Navarro CC (Texas): The latest addition to the 2018 Tiger recruiting class is the juco freshman from Bells, Texas. He's been on a shelf at Navarro for a year, but his senior year in high school, he attempted an average of 41 passes a game, completed better than 63 percent of them and threw for 4,000 yards, 47 touchdowns and 12 picks.

Kobe Gates, WR, Copiah-Lincoln CC: Originally signed with JSU out of high school before landing at Co-Lin. Had 15 catches for 172 yards and three TDs in nine games as a sophomore last year.

Ti’Morrius Conner, ATH, East Mississippi CC: A former Noxubee County standout who served as a backup as a sophomore last year at East Mississippi Community College. He completed 12 of 17 passes for 113 yards and ran 11 times for 23 yards and one score as a sophomore last year.

Ra’meik Wallace, WR, Hinds CC: A former Wayne County standout who caught 33 passes for 378 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore at Hinds last season.

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JSU gets 11th-hour commitment from Texas juco quarterback

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Tony Hughes and Hal Mumme have apparently found the guy to run their new offense.

JSU received a verbal commitment from Navarro College (Texas) quarterback Derrick Ponder Monday, a pro-style quarterback who has experience with the air raid scheme that Mumme helped invent.

After playing for his father, Scott Ponder, at Bells High School in Bells, Texas, Ponder redshirted in 2016 and served as a backup this season at Navarro.

He may have been watching at Navarro, but his last year as a starter — his senior year at Bells — the 6-foot-2, 200-pound quarterback attempted 41 passes a game, completed better than 63 percent of them and threw for 4,001 yards, 47 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

"That's my background, the air raid," Ponder said late Monday evening. "I'm familiar with coach Mumme and I've always followed his career, so getting a chance to play under he and coach Hughes, who I have great respect for, is just too good an opportunity to pass up."

Ponder, who still has three years of eligibility left, visited Jackson for the first time last weekend and got a chance to meet Hughes, check out JSU's campus and sit down and talk offense with Mumme.



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SCSU settles lawsuit in 2014 shooting death of Football Player

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State University and related groups have settled a lawsuit involving the shooting death of one of its students for $437,000.

Lawyers for the estate of junior football player Brandon Robinson said the university didn’t do enough to protect him before he was killed on Jan. 24, 2014.

“We are pleased to bring some resolution to this unfortunate incident,” attorney Shane Burroughs said. “Initially, we believed that additional security or campus police would have prevented this tragedy from occurring.

“However, we discovered throughout the course of the case several institutional failures that we believe contributed to the shooting and Brandon’s death.”

The 20-year-old Robinson graduated from O-W in 2011 and was set on attending S.C. State with the hopes of becoming an engineer.

He played as an outside linebacker and defensive end for the S.C. State Bulldogs.

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Cole, Williams Propel Howard Bison Over UNC--Wilmington Seahawks

EL PASO, Texas – Freshman RJ Cole and sophomore Charles Williams combined for 72 points and propelled the Howard University Men's Basketball team over UNC-Wilmington (UNCW), 80-75, at the Weststar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational. As a result, HU placed third in the historic tournament.

"The young freshman [RJ Cole] and [Charles] Williams took over the game with a lot of help," said Kevin Nickelberry, Howard Men's Basketball head coach. "[There's] a lot of things that don't show up in the box score. We did a lot of screens to get them open. The extra rebound by Jalen Jones and free throws down the stretch were key."

Cole produced with a new career-high 42 points, including 32 after intermission. His 42 points set a new freshman record in program history. The New Jersey native shot 59-percent (13-of-22) from the floor, including 5-of-8 from long range. He also added six boards, four dimes, and four steals in the win.

Williams tied a season-high 30 points after shooting 11-of-19 from the field, including a perfect 4-of-4 from downtown, in the victory.

"These are two special guards," Nickelberry stated. "They both do a lot of different things. They're getting better and use to each other. They're learning to become a tandem and that's going to be scary down the road."

Overall, the Bison shot a season-best 50-percent (26-of-52) against the defending Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Champions, including 56-percent (9-of-16) from beyond the arc.

UNCW's Ty Taylor made two freebies and gave the Seahawks their largest lead of the game, 50-39, with 16:16 remaining. For the next 10 minutes, HU trimmed the deficit down to single-digits and kept themselves in striking distance.

With under five minutes left, Cole drilled a long ball and cut the margin down one, 70-69. A minute later, Cole made a jumper and gave Howard their first lead of the game with 3:07 remaining, 71-70.

UNC-Wilmington regained the lead with more than two minutes left, 74-72, but Williams connected on a jumper and tied the contest at 74.

With less than 90 seconds remaining, a steal and layup from Cole put HU ahead for good. Cole and fellow classmate Zion Cousins made clutch free throws down the stretch to give Howard the victory.

Cousins had a team-high seven boards in the victory.

Williams made a jumper and tied the game with 14:26 left before halftime, 10-10. UNCW regained the advantage and extended its lead as much as 10 with more than three minutes remaining in the period, 36-26.

Williams kept HU in the game, scoring 18 of his 30 points in the first half. UNC-Wilmington took an eight-point advantage at the break, 40-32.

"All year, we've been telling the guys to trust the process," Nickelberry continued. "We were down, and we challenged them. My gut was telling me to go into a zone, but for us to win, we need to play man-to-man. RJ Cole said, 'let's go man' and we went man. Tonight, they trusted the process."

For UNCW (2-9), they shot a respectable 44-percent (27-of-61) from the floor. Devontae Cacok recorded a double-double, posting 19 points and 17 rebounds. Taylor chipped in 14 points in a losing effort.

On Dec. 30, HU concludes its nonconference schedule with a road contest at Hawaii. Tipoff is slated for midnight (ET) / 7 p.m. (HT).

For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

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