ESPN Announces Early Season College Football Schedule

BRISTOL, Connecticut -- ESPN will celebrate the return of COLLEGE FOOTBALL with an early season schedule that is UNRIVALED and unmatched in the industry, featuring marquee teams from all 10 FBS conferences and the nation's top programs playing key conference and non-conference matchups across ESPN's networks. ESPN's first three weeks schedule launches a season-long regular season campaign which culminates with the six conference championship games and leads into a postseason featuring 35 Bowl Games - including the New Year's Six - and the COLLEGE FOOTBALL Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T. ESPN will also air every snap of the NCAA Division I Football Championship.

ESPN begins the season riding the momentum of a widely successful 2017 campaign, which concluded with the CFP National Championship generating the second largest audience in cable history and the CFP Semifinal at the ROSE BOWL GAME with the third largest cable audience ever. Furthermore, ESPN's entire presentation of the New Year's Six plus the CFP National Championship was the most-watched in the system's four-year history. The post season success was a continuation of the regular season superlatives, which included ABC's Saturday Night Football being the most-watched COLLEGE FOOTBALL franchise for the second consecutive year.

Welcome Back: ESPN's Networks Annual Five-Day Labor Day Weekend Extravaganza Celebrates the Return of COLLEGE FOOTBALL with Nearly 50 Games

ESPN's annual five-day kickoff weekend slate (Aug. 30 - Sept. 3) is peppered with the nation's best teams, including the top 4 teams and seven of the top 8 in ESPN.com's latest Way-Too-Early Top 25, playing key conference and non-conference games. Across all its networks, ESPN will carry nearly 50 games in the season's first week.

The defending CFP National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide open their title defense on ABC's Saturday Night Football vs Louisville (Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. ET) in the 2018 Camping World Kickoff from Orlando, only the fourth meeting between the two schools and the first in more than 25 years. The season debut of Saturday Night Football will cap a kickoff Saturday tripleheader on ABC, with all three games featuring a New Year's Six participant from last season. Ohio State hosting Oregon State (noon) will lead into the 2018 Chick-fil-A Kickoff between Washington and Auburn (3:30 p.m.). The Buckeyes are reigning Big Ten CHAMPIONS and went on to win the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, while Auburn participated in the Chick-fil-A Bowl PEACH BOWL last season.



ESPN Airs the Most Games of Any Network in Week 1 and the 2018 Season

ESPN will air the most games of any network in week 1, a theme that will continue throughout the season. The network's seven game kickoff weekend slate kicks off in earnest on the season's first full Saturday with a quadruple-header beginning with the 2018 AdvocCare Texas Kickoff from Houston between Ole Miss and Texas Tech (noon) and continues with the defending SEC Champion and COLLEGE FOOTBALL Playoff finalist Georgia Bulldogs hosting Austin Peay (3:30 p.m.).

ESPN's primetime slate will features familiar faces in new places, as Chip Kelly and Kevin Sumlin make their debuts with their respective programs. Both head coaches will be at home, with Kelly's UCLA Bruins hosting Cincinnati (7 p.m.) and Sumlin's Arizona Wildcats welcoming in BYU (10:45 p.m.)

Sunday and Monday Primetime Telecasts Featured in Season's Kickoff Week: Both Matchups Potential Top 25 Showdowns

A signature of kickoff week returns with special primetime telecasts on both Sunday and Monday night of Labor Day weekend, with two potential top-25 showdowns. Miami vs. LSU from AT&T Stadium in Arlington will air on ABC, the network's third consecutive year airing a Sunday night game during kickoff week. On Labor Day night, Virginia Tech travels to Florida State in a pivotal ACC matchup. This is the 15th year ESPN has aired a Labor Day night matchup.



Additional ESPN Kickoff Week Highlights:

Big Ten Opener: For the second consecutive year, a Big Ten matchup begins ESPN's kickoff week when Northwestern travels to Purdue (Aug. 30 at 8 p.m. on ESPN)

• 2018 MEAC/SWAC Challenge: Prairie View A&M vs. North Carolina Central (Sept. 2 at noon on ESPN2) will meet in the annual challenge, which will be played in ATLANTA for the first time.

SEC Network Begins Fifth COLLEGE FOOTBALL Season

SEC Network begins its fifth season airing football with an abundance of games in the season's first three weeks, beginning with Texas A&M hosting Northwestern State on the season's first Thursday (Aug. 30 at 8:30 p.m.). The game marks the debut of new Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher. The network, combined with its alternate channel, will air six additional games on Saturday, including Florida's home opener in primetime. A complete look at their schedule is below and available here.

ESPN+ Streams More than 20 Games in First Three Weeks, More than 100 Exclusive Games Throughout the Season

ESPN+, the first multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN, will stream more than 20 football games during the season's first three weeks, beginning a season where the subscription service carries more than a hundred exclusive games this season.

ACC Network Extra Streams Clemson's Home Opener, Five Total Games in Week 1

ACC Network Extra will stream the home openers for Boston College, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Virginia during week 1, beginning a season-long slate where the digital network will carry a number of games from ACC stadiums.



Week 2: Penn State-Pitt and Colorado-Nebraska Rivalries Take Center Stage, Dabo Swinney and Jimbo Fisher Meet Again

ABC will feature two of college football's oldest rivalries in week 2 as Penn State travels to Pitt (Sept. 8 at 8 p.m.) and Colorado heads to Nebraska (Sept. 8 at 3:30 p.m.). ABC's Saturday Night Football will feature the 99th meeting between the Nittany Lions and the Panthers in a rivalry that was renewed the last two seasons, with both schools winning on their home field. Earlier in the day, the Buffaloes will take on the Cornhuskers for the first time since 2010 and 70th matchup overall.

ESPN's primetime game will feature Clemson at Texas A&M (7 p.m.), as head coaches Dabo Swinney and Jimbo Fisher face off for the ninth straight year; however, it will be the first ever non-conference matchup between the two national championship coaches, as the matchup will be just Fisher's second as head coach of the Aggies.

Additional ESPN's Networks Week 2 Highlights:

· Sweet Home Alabama: The Crimson Tide return to Bryant-Denny Stadium to host Arkansas State (3:30 p.m. on ESPN2)

•  Sparty Heads West: Michigan State will play its first road game of the year, traveling to Arizona State in a Big Ten-Pac 12 Showdown (ESPN at 10:45 p.m.)

Longhorn Network Airs Texas Football Games for Eighth Consecutive Year

Longhorn Network will televise a Texas football game for the eighth straight year when the Longhorns host Tulsa (8 p.m.). The 24-hour network devoted to the University of Texas is also expected to televise another game this season, with details announced at a later date. More details on LHN's production can be found here.

Week 3: Top Teams Face Conference and Non-Conference Road Competition

ESPN's week three slate features many top teams heading on the road, including Alabama, Ohio State and Oklahoma's first true road test of the season. The Buckeyes and Crimson Tide will be in primetime, as Ohio State plays TCU from AT&T Stadium in Arlington on ABC's Saturday Night Football (Sept. 15 at 8 p.m.) and Alabama heads to Ole Miss (7 p.m., ESPN) as both teams begin SEC play. Oklahoma will begin its Big 12 campaign looking to avenge its lone regular season loss last season as it heads to Iowa State (noon, network TBD). In the late afternoon, West Virginia travels to NC State (3:30 p.m., network TBD), playing in Raleigh, N.C. for the first time since 1978.

Additional conference matchups in week three include: Florida State at Syracuse (noon, network TBD) and Washington at Utah (10 p.m., ESPN). Other non-conference matchups set to air: UCF at North Carolina (noon, network TBD) and Middle Tennessee at Georgia (7:15 p.m., ESPN2).

Penn State, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma at West Virginia Highlight ESPN's Networks Additional Games

ESPN's has locked in a number of games to BEYOND the first three weeks of the season, including: Penn State at Indiana on Oct. 20 (time and ESPN network TBD), Notre Dame at Northwestern on Nov. 3 (time and ESPN network TBD), and Oklahoma at West Virginia on Black Friday (Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. on ESPN)

ESPN Televises Six Conference Championship Games, Most in the Industry

ESPN will televise six conference championship games to conclude the regular season, with the Marathon MAC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP on Friday, Nov. 30 and the Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game, American Championship, Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game, Mountain West Championship and Sun Belt Championship on Saturday, Dec. 1.

FCS Kickoff Highlights Week 0 Schedule

The 2018 Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff featuring North Carolina AT&T vs. Jacksonville State in primetime highlights ESPN's week 0 schedule. Additional games from both FBS and FCS will be added in the coming weeks.

ESPN's Networks COLLEGE FOOTBALL Current Schedule

Week 0

Date Time (ET) Game Network

Sat, Aug. 25 7 p.m. 2018 Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff featuring North Carolina AT&T vs. Jacksonville State from Montgomery ESPN

Week 1

Date Time (ET) Game Network

Thu, Aug. 30 7 p.m. UCF at Connecticut ESPNU Central Connecticut State at Ball State ESPN+ Kennesaw State at Georgia State ESPN+ 8 p.m. Northwestern at Purdue ESPN Southeastern Louisiana at Louisiana-Monroe ESPN+ 8:30 p.m. Northwestern State at Texas A&M SEC Network

Friday, Aug. 31 6:30 p.m. Monmouth at Eastern Michigan ESPN+ 7 p.m. Army at Duke ESPNU 9 p.m. Western Kentucky at Wisconsin ESPN

Sat, Sept. 1 Noon Oregon State at Ohio State ABC 2018 AdvoCare Texas Kickoff: Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech from Houston ESPN James Madison at NC State ESPNU Coastal Carolina at South Carolina SEC Network Villanova at Temple ESPNEWS 12:20 p.m. Furman at Clemson ACC Network Extra 12:30 p.m. Alcorn State at Georgia Tech ACC Network Extra 1 p.m. Massachusetts at Boston College ACC Network Extra 2 p.m. Howard at Ohio ESPN+ 3:30 p.m. 2018 Chick-fil-A Kickoff: Washington vs. Auburn from ATLANTA ABC Austin Peay at Georgia ESPN Central Michigan at Kentucky ESPNU Marshall at Miami (Ohio) ESPN+ Albany at Pittsburgh ACC Network Extra 4 p.m. Eastern Illinois at Arkansas SEC Network Tennessee-Martin at Missouri SEC Network Alternate 6 p.m. Delaware State at Buffalo ESPN3 South Carolina State at Georgia Southern ESPN+ Richmond at Virginia ACC Network Extra Boise State at Troy ESPNEWS North Carolina A&T at East Carolina ESPN3 Elon at South Florida ESPN3 7 p.m. Cincinnati at UCLA ESPN Louisiana Tech at South Alabama ESPN+ Mercer at Memphis ESPN3 Central Arkansas at Tulsa ESPN3 VMI at Toledo ESPN3 Nicholls at Kansas ESPN3 Grambling at Louisiana ESPN3 Southeast Missouri State at Arkansas State ESPN+ 7:30 p.m. Charleston Southern at Florida SEC Network Middle Tennessee at Vanderbilt SEC Network Alternate Stephen F. Austin at Mississippi State ESPNU 8 p.m. 2018 Camping World Kickoff from Orlando: Louisville vs. Alabama ABC 10:45 p.m. BYU at Arizona ESPN

Sun, Sept. 2 Noon 2018 MEAC/SWAC Challenge from Atlanta: Prairie View A&M vs. North Carolina Central ESPN2 7:30 p.m. Miami vs. LSU from Arlington, Texas ABC

Mon, Sept. 3 8 p.m. Virginia Tech at Florida State ESPN

Week 2

Date Time (ET) Game Network

Fri, Sept. 7 8 p.m. TCU at SMU ESPN2

Sat, Sept. 8 Noon Arizona at Houston ABC and ESPN2 Mississippi State at Kansas State ESPN Duke at Northwestern ESPNU Nevada at Vanderbilt SEC Network Towson at Wake Forest ACC Network Extra 12:30 p.m. Georgia State at NC State ACC Network Extra 1 p.m. Holy Cross at Boston College ACC Network Extra 2 p.m. William & Mary at Virginia Tech ACC Network Extra 3 p.m. Kansas at Central Michigan ESPN+ 3:30 p.m. Colorado at Nebraska ABC Arkansas State at Alabama ESPN2 North Carolina at East Carolina ESPNU Howard at Kent State ESPN+ Morgan State at Akron ESPN+ Wagner at Syracuse ACC Network Extra Buffalo at Temple ESPN3 4 p.m. East Tennessee State at Tennessee SEC Network Southern Illinois at Ole Miss SEC Network Alternate 6 p.m. Savannah State at Miami ACC Network Extra Maryland at Bowling Green ESPN+ Massachusetts at Georgia Southern ESPN+ 7 p.m. Clemson at Texas A&M ESPN Wyoming at Missouri ESPN2 or ESPNU Southeastern Louisiana at LSU ESPN2 or ESPNU Florida A&M at Troy ESPN+ UAB at Coastal Carolina ESPN+ Indiana State at Louisville ACC Network Extra Texas Southern at Texas State ESPN3 7:20 p.m. Samford at Florida State ACC Network Extra 7:30 p.m. Kentucky at Florida SEC Network Alabama State at Auburn SEC Network Alternate Utah at Northern Illinois ESPNEWS 8 p.m. Penn State at Pittsburgh ABC Tulsa at Texas Longhorn Network Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio) from Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati ESPN3 Nicholls at Tulane ESPN3 10:15 p.m. Connecticut at Boise State ESPN2 or ESPNU California at BYU ESPN2 or ESPNU 10:45 p.m. Michigan State at Arizona State ESPN



Week 3

Date Time (ET) Game Network

Thur, Sept. 13 7:30 p.m. Boston College at Wake Forest ESPN

Fri, Sept. 14 7 p.m. Georgia State at Memphis ESPN

Sat, Sept. 15 Noon Oklahoma at Iowa State ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU Florida State at Syracuse ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU Miami at Toledo ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU UCF at North Carolina ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU UTEP at Tennessee SEC Network Murray State at Kentucky SEC Network Alternate Rhode Island at Connecticut ESPN3 12:20 p.m. East Carolina at Virginia Tech ACC Network Extra 12:30 p.m. Georgia Tech at Pittsburgh ACC Network Extra 3 p.m. Ohio at Virginia ACC Network Extra 3:30 p.m. BYU at Wisconsin ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 Boise State at Oklahoma State ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU Georgia Southern at Clemson ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU West Virginia at NC State ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU Central Michigan at Northern Illinois ESPN+ Southern Miss at Appalachian State ESPN+ 4 p.m. Colorado State at Florida SEC Network North Texas at Arkansas SEC Network Alternate Eastern Kentucky at Bowling Green ESPN3 6 p.m. Eastern Michigan at Buffalo ESPN+ 7 p.m. Alabama at Ole Miss ESPN Delaware State at Western Michigan ESPN+ Texas State at South Alabama ESPN+ Alabama A&M at Cincinnati ESPN3 Oregon State at Nevada ESPN3 Campbell at Coastal Carolina ESPN3 7:15 p.m. Middle Tennessee at Georgia ESPN2 7:30 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe at Texas A&M SEC Network Marshall at South Carolina ESPNU Western Kentucky at Louisville ACC Network Extra Louisiana at Mississippi State SEC Network Alternate 8 p.m. Ohio State vs. TCU from Arlington ABC 10 p.m. Washington at Utah ESPN



Additional Games

Date Time (ET) Game Network

Thu, Sept. 20 7:30 p.m. Tulsa at Temple ESPN

Fri, Sept. 21 7 p.m. Florida Atlantic at UCF ESPN Harvard at Brown ESPNU 10:30 p.m. Washington State at USC ESPN

Sat, Sept. 22 Noon Boston College at Purdue ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 6 p.m. McNeese at BYU ESPN3 TBD Air Force at Utah State TBD

Thu, Sept. 27 8 p.m. North Carolina at Miami ESPN

Fri, Sept. 28 7 p.m. Princeton at Columbia ESPNU 8 p.m. Memphis at Tulane ESPN2

Sat, Sept. 29 6 p.m. Northern Illinois at Eastern Michigan ESPN+ TBD Toledo at Fresno State TBD TBD Nevada at Air Force TBD

Thu, Oct. 4 7:30 p.m. Georgia State at Troy ESPNU 8 p.m. Tulsa at Houston ESPN

Fri, Oct. 5 6 p.m. Dartmouth at Yale ESPNU 7 p.m. Georgia Tech at Louisville ESPN 9 p.m. Utah State at BYU ESPN2

Sat, Oct. 6 3:30 p.m. Ohio at Kent State ESPN+ Bowling Green at Toledo ESPN+ Miami (Ohio) at Akron ESPN+ TBD San Diego State at Boise State TBD TBD Fresno State at Nevada TBD

Tue, Oct. 9 8 p.m. Appalachian State at Arkansas State ESPN2

Thu, Oct. 11 7:30 p.m. Texas Tech at TCU ESPN Georgia Southern at Texas State ESPNU

Fri, Oct. 12 7 p.m. South Florida at Tulsa ESPN 10 p.m. Arizona at Utah ESPN

Sat, Oct. 13 Noon Iowa at Indiana ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 3 p.m. Western Michigan at Bowling Green ESPN+ 3:30 p.m. Ohio at Northern Illinois TBD TBD Hawai'i at BYU TBD TBD Army at San Jose State TBD TBD Wyoming at Fresno State TBD

Thu, Oct. 18 7:30 p.m. Georgia State at Arkansas State ESPNU 9 p.m. Stanford at Arizona State ESPN

Fri, Oct. 19 7 p.m. Yale at Penn ESPNU 9 p.m. Colorado State at Boise State ESPN2

Sat, Oct. 20 2 p.m. Bowling Green at Ohio ESPN3 3 p.m. Eastern Michigan at Ball State ESPN+ Western Michigan at Central Michigan ESPN+ TBD Fresno State at New Mexico TBD TBD Penn State at Indiana ABC, ESPN, ESPN2

Tue, Oct. 23 8 p.m. Troy at South Alabama ESPN2

Thu, Oct. 25 7:30 p.m. Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech ESPN Appalachian State at Georgia Southern ESPNU

Fri, Oct. 26 7 p.m. Miami at Boston College ESPN 10:30 p.m. Utah at UCLA ESPN

Sat, Oct. 27 TBD Northern Illinois at BYU TBD TBD San Diego State at Nevada TBD TBD Hawai'i at Fresno State TBD Tue, Oct. 30 8 p.m. Kent State at Bowling Green ESPN2 or ESPNU Miami (Ohio) at Buffalo ESPN2 or ESPNU Wed, Oct. 31 7:30 p.m. Ball State at Toledo ESPN2 Thu, Nov. 1 7:30 p.m. Temple at UCF ESPN Fri, Nov. 2 6 p.m. Penn at Cornell ESPNU 7:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at Virginia ESPN2



Sat, Nov. 3 TBD Notre Dame at Northwestern ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 TBD BYU at Boise State TBD TBD San Diego State at New Mexico TBD

Tue, Nov. 6 7:30 p.m. Kent State at Buffalo ESPNU

Wed, Nov. 7 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. Ohio at Miami (Ohio) ESPNU or ESPN2 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. Toledo at Northern Illinois ESPNU or ESPN2

Thu, Nov. 8 7:30 p.m. Wake Forest at NC State ESPN

Fri, Nov. 9 7 p.m. Louisville at Syracuse ESPN2 10:15 p.m. Fresno State at Boise State ESPN2

Sat, Nov. 10 TBD UNLV at San Diego State TBD Colorado State at Nevada TBD

Tue, Nov. 13 6 p.m. Western Michigan at Ball State ESPN2

Wed, Nov. 14 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. Buffalo at Ohio ESPNU or ESPN2 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. Miami (Ohio) at Northern Illinois ESPNU or ESPN2

Thu, Nov. 15 8 p.m. Tulane at Houston ESPN

Fri, Nov. 16 9 p.m. Memphis at SMU ESPN2



Sat, Nov. 17 TBD New Mexico State at BYU TBD TBD Yale vs Harvard from Fenway Park in Boston TBD TBD Air Force at Wyoming TBD 2 p.m. 2018 Florida Classic: Florida A&M vs. Bethune-Cookman from Orlando ESPN Classic

Tue, Nov. 20 7 p.m. Ball State at Miami (Ohio) ESPNU or ESPN+ 7 p.m. Northern Illinois at Western Michigan ESPNU or ESPN+

Thu., Nov. 22 7:30 p.m. Mississippi State at Ole Miss ESPN

Fri, Nov. 23 TBD UCF at South Florida TBD TBD Virginia at Virginia Tech TBD TBD Houston at Memphis TBD 8 p.m. Oklahoma at West Virginia ESPN

Sat, Nov. 24 TBD Utah State at Boise State TBD TBD Hawai'i at San Diego State TBD TBD San Jose State at Fresno State TBD

Please Note: Not all ESPN3 and ACC Network Extra games are exclusive

Conference Championship Weekend

Date Time (ET) Game Network

Fri, Nov. 30 7 p.m. Marathon MAC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP from Detroit ESPN2

Sat, Dec. 1 TBD Dr Pepper ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME from Charlotte TBD TBD American Championship Game (campus site TBD) TBD TBD Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game from Arlington TBD TBD Mountain West Championship Game (campus site TBD) TBD TBD Sun Belt Championship Game (campus site TBD TBD

Atlanta couple among parents fighting to end college hazing practices

ATLANTA, Georgia -- A metro Atlanta couple whose son died from injuries suffered in a hazing ritual, will be featured Sunday on Dateline, the NBC News magazine show, with other parents fighting to end college hazing.

Robert and Pam Champion’s son, Robert, was found unresponsive on a bus parked outside of the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando on Nov. 19, 2011. A drum major in Florida A&M University’s famed Marching 100, the 26-year-old was pronounced dead at an Orlando-area hospital. Robert Champion graduated from DeKalb County’s Southwest DeKalb High School.



Fifteen FAMU students were charged in connection with Champion’s death. Many took plea deals.

The Champions will be among 16 parents included in the show, including parents of hazing victims from incidents at West Virginia University, Penn State and Texas Tech.

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TSU hopes to use speed to stun UT in NCAA baseball opener

AUSTIN. Texas — Nothing went right the first time around.

Texas Southern allowed 10 runs, committed three errors and left 11 men on base in a 10-2 loss to Texas on April 18 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land. But that was the last real shellacking coach Michael Robertson’s team endured.

In 15 games since that meeting, TSU (27-26) has outscored opponents 165-70, including 46-19 in a four-game SWAC tournament sweep. That high-octane production has generally been enough to offset a pitching staff that ranks as one of the nation’s worst.

Now TSU enters the Austin Regional as the No. 4 seed, and another matchup with Big 12 champion and No. 1 seed Texas (37-20) looms. The two meet Friday at Disch-Falk Field.

“When you look at Texas Southern, who we were matched up with down in Houston, this is a team that is a little different from the SWAC team you’ve seen in the past,” UT coach David Pierce said. “First of all, they’re older. They’re very physical and they can run. They are a very qualified four seed.

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2018 CIAA Basketball Tournament Deposit $50.5 million into Charlotte Economy

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) made a significant impact during the 13th hosting of its annual men's and women's basketball tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This year's tournament delivered record attendances at many of the conference's annual community service events, crowned Virginia Union University men's and women's basketball teams as tournament champions and created welcoming atmospheres both in-arena and at other official events, while boosting the local economy. 

CIAA Tournament By The Numbers

Approximately, $1.6 million were raised in scholarship funds for current and future students to receive an education across the CIAA's 12-member institutions. These dollars are generated from support provided by our sponsors, alumni and fans who purchase tickets, and tax dollars generated from visitors traveling to town to be a part of the CIAA tournament experience. 

According to the 2018 CIAA Post-Tournament survey and economic impact report conducted by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority:

• $28.8 million in direct spending was made by visitors on hotel accommodations, local transportation, food, shopping and entertainment during their tournament week stay
• $9.7 million in indirect spending was made by local businesses who increased their advertising and communications efforts, and purchases of miscellaneous supplies and services to meet the incremental demand of CIAA tournament visitors
• $12 million in labor wages were earned by the high volume of workers needed to support activities during tournament week and re-spent by those employees within the local economy. 

These figures combine for a total economic impact of $50.5 million, which is a 6.5 percent increase from 2017, and supportive of 436 jobs.

"This year's tournament was truly a homecoming celebration for CIAA students, alumni and fans," said Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams. "We are grateful for the continuous support of our alumni and fans who attend from near and far, member institutions, and local and national partnerships. The combined efforts play a key role in the annual successes of the CIAA Basketball Tournament, and we look forward to forging stronger partnerships with the hospitality community to ensure that the support of our alumni and fans can benefit our CIAA institutions."

For the second year, the conference held early round games sessions at Bojangles' Coliseum on Tuesday and Wednesday and continued with the quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship finals at Spectrum Center on Thursday through Saturday. The collective game attendance for both venues was 73,343—a 5.8 percent increase from 2017.

"We are pleased with the continued growth we've been able to achieve by moving our early-round games to Bojangles' Coliseum," stated Dr. James Anderson, Chairman of the CIAA Board of Directors. "Not only have we created an exciting atmosphere for our student-athletes, alumni, and fans; but we've been able to deepen our relationships and persistently expand our engagement within the communities outside of Uptown Charlotte." 

CIAA Supports The Community

Throughout tournament week, CIAA staff, student-athletes, and corporate partners demonstrated their commitment to service through CIAA Supports community initiatives.

Approximately 5,544 high and middle school students from Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools and surrounding counties were reached during the annual CIAA Education Day program. Approximately 537 high school seniors were admitted to CIAA member institutions on-site.

Approximately 95 volunteers, including 40 student-athletes, distributed 800 pairs of new shoes to Nathaniel Alexander Elementary students. This initiative was a part of the 4th Annual Shoes of Hope project in partnership with Samaritan's Feet and Coke Zero.

The CIAA Career Expo drew a record crowd of 550 attendees, providing over 60 vendors inclusive of employers and recruiters with the opportunity to meet recent graduates, graduation candidates, current students from CIAA member schools and area universities, as well as local residents seeking job opportunities.

The CIAA Minority Business & Leadership Symposium drew in 215 minority and small business owners, and featured a panel discussion of candid conversations with business leaders on building and achieving generational wealth and prosperity through business ownership. President & CEO of Black Enterprise, Earl "Butch" Graves Jr., delivered a keynote address to attendees.  The CIAA also provided leadership development training to 40 of its student-athlete leaders from across all 12-member institutions.

The 2018 John B. McLendon CIAA Hall of Fame ceremony welcomed 508 attendees who celebrated the four individual inductees and the 13 members of the 1967 WSSU men's basketball team (under the leadership of legendary Head Coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines) into the new class.

Toyota Fan Fest and Super Saturday, part of the tournament's annual lineup of free activities for families, welcomed over 23,000 students, alumni, and fans to the Charlotte Convention Center.

CIAA Tournament Remains in Charlotte

The 2019 CIAA Tournament will be held in Charlotte from February 26 to March 2, 2019.

Early-round basketball games will be played at Bojangles' Coliseum on February 26 and 27, followed by quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals competitions at Spectrum Center from February 28 to March 2.

The conference plans to continue building upon its past year's efforts of weaving the Charlotte community and beyond into the fabric of the CIAA experience from basketball games and family-friendly activities to community programs that focus on components such as employment, diversity and inclusion, and entrepreneurship.

For more information about the upcoming 2019 CIAA Tournament and the conference, visit CIAATournament.org and TheCIAA.com.

About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first African American athletic conference and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 16 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Chowan University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University and Winston-Salem State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com. For more information on the CIAA Basketball Tournament, visit CIAATournament.org, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

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S.C. State Porcher Headlines 2018 Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Class

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Former South Carolina State standout and All-Pro defensive end Robert Porcher headlines the latest class to enter the 2018 Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

The Mount Pleasant, South Carolina native made history in 1992 when he became the first Bulldog player to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. Porcher was selected by the Detroit Lions as the 26th overall pick. In his 13-year career with the Lions (1992-2004), he led the team in sacks in eight seasons and earned three trips to the NFL Pro Bowl (1998, 2000 and 2002). Porcher retired in 2004 as Detroit's all-time sack leader.



Following his professional football career, Porcher became actively involved in the Detroit community. He currently has a foundation for cancer research and relief that raises thousands of dollars for programs at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. He was inducted into the South Carolina State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Bulldogs retired his jersey (#94) in 2001. He was recently inducted into the Black College Football and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame in 2017.

The 2018 Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Class
Robert Porcher- Detroit Lions
TJ Duckett-Michigan State
BJ Armstrong- Detroit native and longtime Chicago Bulls guard
Daedra Charles-Furlow-Detroit native and Tennessee basketball star
Charlie Coles-Basketball Coach
Cullen Finnerty-Grand Valley State
Kate Sobrero-Markgraf-USWNT (Bloomfield Soccer Standout)
Mick McCabe – Detroit Free Press Writer

For more information on South Carolina State Athletics visit www.scsuathletics.com or call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 536-7060.

Filmmaker and Alumnus Rob Hardy Introduces FAMU Rising Campaign

“FAMUly” we need you to invest in our students as we continue to grow a prosperous Florida A&M University. Join us today and contribute to FAMU’s transformational future! Donate at www.myfamu.edu/famurising.

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2018 College Baseball World Series Odds: Texas Southern vs. Texas Preview and Pick

AUSTIN, Texas -- After the Texas Southern Tigers won their third SWAC Tournament Title in four seasons (2015, 2017, 2018), they drew a tough matchup in the College World Series: the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns (37-20) landed the No. 1 seed in the region.

The top-seeded Longhorns, who dropped both games in the Big 12 championship (to Kansas and Oklahoma), will host Texas Southern Friday at 9 p.m. EST. It will be the second game of the regional doubleheader, which kicks off with Texas A&M versus Indiana at 5 p.m. EST. The No. 4 seed Tigers will face a tall task in this bracket.

1. 

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Texas coach Pierce learned not to underestimate Texas Southern

AUSTIN, Texas — Before emerging from the home dugout at Disch-Falk Field to meet with the media, Texas coach David Pierce gathered his team and spun a yarn he hoped would hit home ahead of Friday’s NCAA tournament opener against SWAC tournament champion Texas Southern (27-26).

Fourteen years ago, defending national champion Rice entered the NCAA tournament as the sixth overall seed. Pierce was in his second season as an assistant on Wayne Graham’s staff, and the Owls were a viable threat to repeat.



Future third-overall MLB draft pick Philip Humber was on the mound for Rice’s regional opener against Texas Southern, a team that at one point that season had lost 17 of 18 games. Not even the most degenerate gambler would have wagered anything substantial on the underdog.

“We played Texas Southern and got beat 4-3,” Pierce recalled, “and we were devastated. We had to go through the losers’ bracket and we started a first-rounder that day, so it’s just an interesting game. Anything can happen.”

That loss sent Rice into a tailspin, and its season ended early with a loss to Texas A&M in the Houston Regional.\

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Morgan State Women’s Basketball To Participate In 2018 Preseason WNIT

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- The Morgan State women's basketball team has been announced to the 16-team field of the 2018 Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT). The field was announced Tuesday morning by Triple Crown Sports.

This will be the first time the Lady Bears' program will participate in the preseason tournament. Morgan State is also the only Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in this year's field.

This will be the 25th edition of the Preseason WNIT; the November event features a three-game guarantee for all teams, with first-round matchup and the bracket to be announced later this spring. All games are hosted by participating schools, with the championship game televised on CBS Sports Network.

In 2011, Morgan State made history when it advanced to the WNIT Postseason Tournament, where it faced host Virginia in the first round. It was the program's first and is still the only Division I postseason appearance in school history.

"The preseason WNIT is always prestigious in the fact that you will get tested very early against the teams your university tends to play," said Morgan State head coach Ed Davis. "And it kind of tests where you are in terms of that level of competition. We're going to do our best to compete. We will be a totally different team with the graduation of all the seniors, but hopefully we can meet the challenge."

This year's 16-team field represents 15 conferences with both Nicholls and Stephen F. Austin playing in the Southland Conference.

The field features 10 teams that won 19-plus games, nine teams that advanced to postseason play and a national champion during the 2017-18 season.

Three schools (Marquette, Miami, Nicholls) reached the NCAA Tournament, five (Delaware, New Mexico, Northern Iowa, Stephen F. Austin, Texas State) advanced to the WNIT, while Yale captured the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) title, becoming the first Ivy League team to win a national postseason women's basketball tournament.

"I've been fortunate enough to take part in the [Preseason] WNIT before and had the luxury of beating Princeton, who was ranked at the time. It gives you an opportunity to go after some good teams," said Davis on the caliber of teams in the field. "Hopefully this experience can carry over with the young kids into the rest of the non-conference season and definitely into the conference season."

Since its creation in 1994, as a preseason counterpart to the then National Women's Invitational Tournament the MEAC has been represented six previous times. Morgan State becomes the fifth MEAC school to be invited, joining two-time participants, Hampton (2005, 2010) and North Carolina A&T (2009, 2013), along with Delaware State (2007) and Howard (2011).

In 2005 Hampton became the first MEAC team to play in the event. The 2007 tournament shifted from single elimination to a three-game event with Delaware State representing the conference.

Davis recalls that Delaware State team all too well, as he was the head coach then. His Hornets would play three very competitive contests, falling to State rival the University of Delaware by seven in the opener, before losing to East Tennessee State in overtime by three points in Round 1 of the Consolation. Delaware State's second consolation game would be one to remember, as the Hornets would defeat a ranked Princeton team, 63-62 in overtime.

"For us, we thought we had a great shot to win two games. For the kids to even win against that caliber of team, it was just a big jolt and big boost for the program, said Davis whose Delaware State squad became the first MEAC team to win a game in the Preseason WNIT. "I thought we had a shot at East Tennessee State. We lost in overtime and then came back and beat a high ranked Princeton team.

"All three of those teams ended up going to the NCAA Tournament that particular year and we ended up going too. It kind of gave us a luck charm that we ended up in the NCAA against those types of teams that we played well against in the WNIT."

Davis would guide Delaware State to the program's first MEAC Tournament title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament that season. The Hornets would trail the second-seeded and 13th ranked Vanderbilt Commodores by four points (28-24) at the half and was down three points late in the game, before eventually falling in the first round.

Davis believes that the experience the Hornets gained during the Preseason WNIT helped to prepare them for an always tough MEAC schedule as well as the NCAA Tournament. He hopes it will do the same for Morgan State.

"It just made us tougher and stronger and made this particular team at Delaware State hungrier to win the MEAC and to try to get to the NCAA," said Davis. "I would hope that it would do the same thing for this Morgan team."

2018 Preseason WNIT Participants
School: 2017-18 Record - Postseason Results
Auburn: 14-15, 5-11 SEC
Delaware: 19-13, 11-7 Colonial - WNIT 1st Round
Hartford: 19-13, 9-7 America East
Iowa State: 14-17, 7-11 Big 12
Marquette: 24-10, 15-3 Big East - NCAA 2nd Round
Miami: 21-11, 10-6 ACC - NCAA 1st Round
Montana State: 16-15, 9-9 Big Sky
Morgan State: 16-15, 8-8 MEAC
New Mexico: 25-11, 10-8 Mountain West - WNIT 3rd Round
Niagara: 13-18, 9-9 Metro Atlantic
Nicholls State: 19-14, 11-7 Southland - NCAA 1st Round
Northern Illinois: 15-15, 7-11 Mid-American
Northern Iowa: 19-14, 13-5 Missouri Valley - WNIT 1st Round
Stephen F Austin: 25-7, 16-2 Southland - WNIT 1st Round
Texas State: 23-10, 14-4 Sun Belt - WNIT 1st Round
Yale: 19-13, 8-6 Ivy - WBI Champions

About Morgan
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering 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.

About The WNIT
The Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) is a women's college national basketball tournament with a preseason and postseason version played every year. It is operated in a similar fashion to the men's college National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and NIT Season Tip-Off. Unlike the NIT, the women's tournament is not run by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), but is an independent National Championship. Triple Crown Sports, a company based in Fort Collins, Coloradothat specializes in the promotion of amateur sporting events,[1] created the WNIT in 1994 as a preseason counterpart to the then-current National Women's Invitational Tournament (NWIT). After the NWIT folded in 1996, Triple Crown Sports resurrected the postseason version in 1998 under the NWIT name, but changed the following season to the current name.

About Triple Crown Sports
Based in Fort Collins, Colo., Triple Crown Sports has been producing college and youth events for more than 30 years. TCS runs both the preseason and postseason WNIT basketball events and produces the men's and women's Cancun Challenge tournaments in Novemeber at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya. Triple Crown is also powering "WNIT" concept events in D-! softball (NISC) and volleyball (NIVC), with those two events debuting in 2017. TCS youth fastpitch tournaments (including the 900-team Sparkler/Fireworks event) draw the nation's finest club programs and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes.

Kevin C. Paige, MSU Athletic Communications

Riverwood track champion, Pache Caldwell, earns full track and field scholarship to Florida A&M University.

SANDY SPRINGS, Georgia -- Riverwood International Charter School is proud to congratulate class of 2018 graduate Paché Caldwell for receiving a full scholarship to attend Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. The Division I Rattlers recruited Caldwell for their Men's Track & Field program. The Rattlers compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Caldwell is the 2018 and 2017 Georgia State High Jump Champion (Class AAAAA). His 6'10" jump in the 2018 State Class AAAAA Meet was the best across all classifications in the state. At the time of this article, Caldwell is ranked the #6 high jumper in the nation. In 2018, Caldwell also repeated as the Fulton County High Jump champion and became the back-to-back Region 6-AAAAA High Jump champ.

Caldwell served as co-captain of the Raider Track and Field team his senior year. His other track and field events include the long jump, triple jump, the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, and the 200m dash. In 2017, Caldwell was the Region 6-AAAAA triple jump champion. Caldwell played Varsity Football for the Raiders for three years as a wide receiver. Following the fall 2017 season, Caldwell was named to both the North Fulton Forsyth Touchdown Club's Chamber Bowl Senior All-Star team and the Georgia Southwestern Senior Bowl team.

A member of the Raider Chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Caldwell also earned "Principal's Honor Roll" academic honors. Outside of school, he volunteers at a local non-profit sickle cell foundation and is on an AAU track team. He competed in the AAU National Championships in the High Jump and the 4x100 relay. Caldwell is the son of Staci Caldwell and Carlos Chambers of Sandy Springs.

COURTESY: Riverwood International Charter School

The College that developed College Football Hall of Famer Jake Gaither (FAMU) makes a comeback

The Historic Black College and University (HBCU) Knoxville College was established in 1875 . The Skeleton still stands strong, yet the Body was left in a heartbreaking condition. It was once a beacon of hope with a Message of "Stronger Together." Located in Knoxville and the only HBCU in East Tennessee, it was the for a Chance at Higher Education for the Urban Communities and Children who were not presented with the opportunities of the large and prestige universities. Knoxville College was that opportunity for the natives of East Tennessee and that of a far reaching beacon bringing students and families from as far north and east as Harlem NY to the West.

Knoxville College is the alma mater of College Football Hall of Famer, the late Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither, Head Football Coach at Florida A&M University (FAMU) compiling a record of 204–36–4 for a .844 winning percentage. The legendary Coach Gaither graduated from Knoxville College, where he had played football, in 1927. Coach Gaither later completed a master's degree at Ohio State University in 1937. The Jake Gaither Trophy has been awarded to the best Black collegiate football player each year since 1978.  His legacy is celebrated with the Jake Gaither Classic each Fall as the Florida A&M University Rattlers battle their historic rivals on the  gridiron at Bragg Memorial Stadium. 

Like the legendary Coach Jake Gaither, Knoxville College is A Recovered Historic Treasure! 

COACH A.S. "JAKE" GAITHER

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — It seemed like a dream that would never come true; many had tried but to no avail, but the efforts by District 15 State Representative Rick Staples to see Knoxville College, one of the oldest HBCU schools in the nation reopened prevailed and the dream is finally a reality.

May 17th, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission voted YES to give Knoxville College back it’s accreditation. The college built by slaves in 1875 was given permission to begin receiving students this fall.

The initial classes will begin online with a goal of students returning to the physical campus by 2019.

The first degree to be offered will be an Associate Degree of Arts with four concentrations in the areas of mathmatics, natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

Applications are now being accepted for this historic next class of KC Bulldogs who like a phoenix, has risen yet again.

CONTINUE READING

What's Up? Media to Sponsor HBCU Athletic Director Panel on June 8

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland -- What's Up? Media, a major media company and one of the largest magazine publishers in the State of Maryland, will sponsor the panel discussion and filming of "The Culture of Sports" consisting of all of the athletic directors of the Historic Black Colleges and Universities from the State of Maryland to be held from noon to 3 pm on June 8, 2018 at the Anne Arundel County Delegation Room in the Lowe House Office Building of the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis, Maryland. James Houke, the Editor of What's Up? Media, will be attending.

Jonathan Yates, creator of The Culture of Sports, a television show, will host the forum to discuss the choices, challenges and opportunities of those working in that position.

Participating will be:

*Morgan State University Athletic Director Edward Scott
*Bowie State University Athletic Director Clyde Doughty, Jr.
*Coppin State University Athletic Director Derek Carter
*University of Maryland-Eastern Shore Athletic Director Keith Davidson
*Lincoln University Athletic Director Harry Stinson III

The Culture of Sports focuses on its business, community, economic, educational, philosophical, political, and spiritual aspects. Interviewed for the show have been Members of Congress, state legislators, county executives, coaches, sports psychologists, and athletic directors, among others. This is the first of a series of panel discussions to be filmed for The Culture of Sports.

*********************************************************************************

Jonathan Yates is the host of, "The Culture of Sports", a show that focuses on its business, community, economic, educational, philosophical, and political features.

He has degrees from Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Georgetown University Law Center; and has also matriculated at the U.S. Naval War College and The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Much of his career was spent working for Members of Congress and state legislators in positions such as Chief of Staff, General Counsel, Legislative Director, Press Secretary, and Legislative Assistant. Twice he was granted "Top Secret" clearance in accordance with his duties on Capitol Hill. In the private sector, he was General Counsel for a publicly traded corporation and Assistant Washington Counsel for a major trade association. He has taught courses on government, business-government relations, and national security policy.

Thousands of his interviews and pieces under his byline on politics, sports and other topics have appeared in media outlets such as CNBC, NPR, American Politics, Atlantic Community Quarterly, Baltimore magazine, Baltimore Sun, Boston Herald, Buffalo News, Charlotte Observer, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, CollegeAD, Des Moines Register, Detroit News, Foreign Policy, Fuels & Lubes, The Gazette, Hartford Courant, Houston Chronicle, Investor's Business Daily, Legal Times, Michigan Law Weekly, New York Times, News American, Philadelphia Inquirer, Toronto Daily Mail, and The Washington Post, among others.

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

MEAC Football Press Luncheon Set for July 27

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will host the annual Football Press Luncheon, Friday, July 27, at the Hilton Norfolk The Main hotel (100 E. Main Street, Norfolk, Va. 23510/ (757) 763-6200). MEAC head football coaches and two student-athletes from each team will be on hand to offer an inside view on the upcoming 2018 football season.

A limited number of tickets are available to the public for the press luncheon and can be purchased by calling the MEAC Office at (757) 951-2055. Tickets are $30 per seat or $300 per table (10 persons) and must be purchased by 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 20 in order to obtain the special rate.

Credential information for media interested in covering the event will be distributed in the near future. One-on-one interviews will begin promptly at 9 a.m.

The 2018 season will kick off on Saturday, Aug. 25 with the ESPN FCS Kickoff featuring defending MEAC champion North Carolina A&T State and Jacksonville State in Montgomery, Ala.

North Carolina Central will travel to Atlanta, Ga. to face Prairie View A&M in the 14th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge on Labor Day Weekend, Sunday, Sept. 2 at 12 p.m. Details and ticket information can be found on www.meacswacchallenge.com.

For more information about the MEAC, log on to www.MEACsports.com.

Morgan State Signs 6-8 Forward Victor Curry

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Morgan State's basketball program has added forward Victor Curry to Todd Bozeman's 2018 recruiting class.
 
"We welcome Victor Curry to the MSU family as he adds much needed experience and maturity," said Bozeman. "Victor is an athletic forward that can in many ways scores and rebounds at a high level."

The versatile 6-foot-8, 215-pounder from Crete, Illinois spent the past two seasons at Cleveland State Community College in Ohio. He averaged 14.4 points and 10.8 rebounds and shot 45.7 percent from the field last season and received All-Conference 1st team honors and finished ranked 1st in the conference and 8th nationally for rebounds. 
 
Curry was also ranked 72nd among the top 100 JUCO level players. During his two years at Cleveland State, Victor Curry played 516 minutes over 44 games played and scored a total of 596 points on 187 made field goals and 222 free throws. Curry also collected a whopping 469 rebounds, 37 assists and 22 blocks over his career as a Cougar. 

Curry joins point guard Sherwyn Devonish-Prince and guard Malik Miller as members of the Bears' 2018-19 recruiting class..

Bozeman says Curry "is a tireless worker that will strengthen our front court."
 
Curry completed his prep career at Crete-Monee High by capturing a regional championship title and being named All-Conference.

The Bears completed the 2017-18 season with a 13-19 overall record and finished 7-9 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) standings.

About Morgan
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering 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.

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Lang to Play Volleyball at Coppin State University

SANDY SPRINGS, Georgia -- Congratulations to Brianna Lang (Class of 2018) for signing a letter of commitment to play volleyball at Coppin State University in Baltimore. She received a full athletic scholarship to serve as a setter for the Eagles, an NCAA Division I team that competes in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Coppin State, part of the University System of Maryland, is a highly ranked historically black college (HBCU).

Lady Raider head volleyball coach, Nikia Bynum-Isler, remarks, "Brianna is a very agile setter with great volleyball IQ. I have watched her progress in her setting skills for the last two years and she will do well on the collegiate level. I wish her the best of luck at Coppin and I will be following her career closely as she makes her mark in the MEAC Conference"

Lang played Lady Raider volleyball all four years of high school, two on the JV team and two on Varsity. On Varsity, Lang was team captain each year and earned All-Area honors. As a senior, she made the First Team All-Area; as a junior, she was Second Team All-Area. Her team recognitions include being named a Student-Athlete of the Month and earning the Most Assists awards.

Lang was an active member of the Raider Chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and was also in the Chorus. Outside of school, Lang played AAU Volleyball for four years and served as a team captain.

COURTESY: Riverwood International Charter School

Lewis Receives Howard University Track Scholarship

SANDY SPRINGS, Georgia -- Congratulations to Kennedy Lewis (Class of 2018) for receiving a full athletic scholarship for Women's Track and Field at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The Bison recruited Lewis as a sprinter; they participate in Women's Track and Field in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Lewis specializes in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash events and has been a member of the Lady Raiders Track and Field program all four years of high school. She served as team captain her junior year and returns to that leadership position for the 2018 spring season. Her 100m PR is 11.95 seconds and her 200m PR is 24.6 seconds. In addition to the Lady Raiders, Lewis is a member of the Glenarden Summer Track Club in Glenarden, Maryland, and the RSS Indoor Track Club in Atlanta.



Georgia State Class AAAAA Track & Field Championships. May 2018. Lady Raider Kennedy Lewis (white top), 3rd place (11.97 seconds).

The Honors Magnet student is a member of the Raider Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and the Community Service Clubs. She plans to travel with the Community Service Club to Nicaragua to serve in a rural community during spring break 2018. During her junior year, she had professional shadowing experiences at CNN and with a Georgia Tech Doctoral Candidate to gain exposure to Information Technology, Computer Science, and Physics. Additionally, Lewis participated in a three-month long Microsoft STEM Program. Lewis aspires to concentrate her studies at Howard in Audio Technology, Information Technology, and Photography.

Lewis is a lifelong member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. and attended the 2017 Regional Teen Leadership Conference. She has also been involved with community service projects through both Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Shades of Black Civic and Social Awareness Group. For the 2016-17 school year, she participated the ASCEND Leadership Program with the Phi Phi Omega Chapter. As the daughter of a Howard University alumnus, it has been her dream since elementary school to follow in her father's footsteps. She looks forward to joining her sister McKenzie (Riverwood class of 2016) at Howard University this coming fall.

COURTESY: Riverwood International Charter School

NCAA Verdict: North Carolina Central University failed to monitor its certification process

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- North Carolina Central did not monitor its certification process when it improperly certified 22 student-athletes in seven sports as eligible for competition, according to a Division I Committee on Infractions panel.

This case was resolved through the summary disposition process, a cooperative effort where the involved parties collectively submit the case to the Committee on Infractions in written form. The NCAA enforcement staff, university and participating individuals must agree to the facts and overall level of the case to use this process instead of a formal hearing. The panel held an expedited penalty hearing because the university did not agree with some of the panel’s proposed penalties.

Download the May 2018 North Carolina Central University Public Infratcion Decision

The improper certifications came from a single, but repeated, error of counting foundational courses toward student-athletes’ percentage-of-degree completion. Outdated degree auditing and academic advising systems were another factor that contributed to the violations. Additionally, the academic support and certification groups did not have enough staff to oversee the certification process.

Because of the improper certifications, 22 student-athletes competed while ineligible. The university also did not withhold six of the student-athletes from competition before they were reinstated.

The panel noted eligibility certification is a fundamental responsibility with touchpoints throughout the university and it is a basic requirement for college competition.

The panel used the Division I membership-approved infractions penalty guidelines to prescribe the following measures:

• Two years of probation from May 30, 2018, through May 29, 2020.
• A vacation of records in which student-athletes competed while ineligible (men's track & field, men's cross country, women's cross country, women's track and field, baseball, men's basketball and football) for period 2012 through 2017 academic years. 
• Completion of an internal academic audit by the end of the 2017-18 academic year (self-imposed by the university).
• A $5,000 fine (self-imposed by the university).

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 Michael F. Adams, chancellor at Pepperdine; Thomas Hill, chief hearing officer for this panel and senior vice president emeritus at Iowa State; and Joel Maturi, former Minnesota athletics director.

Download the May 2018 North Carolina Central University Public Infratcion Decision

By Emily James
NCAA MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Tennessee State Men's Tennis Signs Maksims Kazijevs

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Head Coach Monroe Walker III and the Tennessee State men's tennis program announced the signing of Maksims Kazijevs (Riga, Latvia) to a National Letter of Intent. 

Kazijevs is the second to join the 2018-19 roster for men's tennis. 

"I'm very excited about having Maksims join us this fall," said Walker. "With a new direction I'm taking the tennis program, I'm looking for a lot of experience in the players joinging the team. Maksims comes with a lot of tournament experience, and he'll push the guys already on the roster."

Maksims Kazijevs | 6-1 | 150 | Incoming Freshman | Riga, Latvia

• Placed 2nd in the Latvian Masters - U18
• Placed 3rd in singles and doubles of the Latvian National Championship
• Riga Juniors Champion

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

FMU George Chery Wins National Champion Title & Nekeima Obike earned All-American

GULF SHORES, Alabama -- George Chery earned the title of National Champion in the Men's High Jump, While Nekeima Obike earned All-American Honors at the 2018 NAIA Outdoor National Championships at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium in Gulf Shores, Ala.

George Chery, a sophomore from Kissimmee, Florida, won the championship with a leap of 7.0 1/4 feet" (2.14 meters).

Nekeima Obike Earned All-American Honors for her 5th place finish in the Women's Triple Jump with a leap of 37-11 1/2(11.57 meters).

Deshawn Frazier, the reigning Sun Conference 200 Meters Dash Champion, ran an impressive performance in the 200 Meters Dash in a personal best time of 21.60 for 23rd overall and 10.59 in the 100 Meters Dash.

FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Fit for the pit: NASCAR recruiting HBCU athletic crew members

CONCORD, North Carolina — It takes power and finesse to make a NASCAR pit crew team.

Thirteen college athletes from eight schools competed in the third annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine at the NASCAR Research and Development Center on May 25. Participants came from North Carolina A&T, Alcorn State, Winston-Salem State, and Bethune-Cookman universities as well as Morehouse College, Kentucky Christian and Virginia University of Lynchburg, who participated in tryouts earlier in the spring. Success in the combine results in an invitation for further training throughout 2018.

“One of the biggest things to bringing an athlete into NASCAR is, because they know how to perform when a car comes down in first place, they can go out in first place,” said Drive for Diversity Crew Development Program coach Phil Horton, who is also director of athletic performance at Rev Racing. “Not only from the athletic standpoint—the bigger, stronger, faster athlete—but the mindset to be able to perform under pressure, and make sure that their car and their team is successful at winning.”



Templates for college athletes who would likely perform well as a pit crew member primarily center on football players for men, and softball and basketball players for women. Nine of the combine’s 13 participants played football.

“Basketball players tend to be a little bit too tall, unless they are a point guard, and they’re probably out of the equation,” Horton said. “It just depends on how well they fit in that template of what we’re trying to do, which includes finesse for the changers, power positions for the carriers and finesse and power for the jackmen. There’s a lot that goes into that, and especially trying to find that type of individual who can make that happen.”

Said A&T’s Joshua Patrick, a linebacker who earned a pair of HBCU national championships with the Aggies: “It’s definitely comparable to the technique of the sport. It’s definitely a technique that you have to master.”

CONTINUE READING

Florida A&M University Softball Camp June 19-21

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida A&M Lady Rattler softball staff will host their annual softball camp on June 19-21 at the Lady Rattler Softball Complex. The application is available for download on this page. More information to follow.

DOWNLOAD CAMP APPLICATION