Jackson State Tigers rehearse for spring game

The Jackson State football team held its final scrimmage before the spring game on Saturday. The conclusion of spring workouts takes place with a 1:30 p.m. kickoff inside Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium this coming Saturday.

Coming off a hiatus for spring break, the JSU defense was a bit ahead of the offense. Defensive end Sam Washington had the hit of the day, a blind-side sack that snapped back the head of Hinds CC transfer Terrance Barnes. Defensive back Willie Brown picked off an overthrown ball by quarterback A.J. McKenna and linebacker Malcolm Palmer recovered a fumble.

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Rattlers split a pair against North Carolina A&T, 2-9, 6-4

Photo: FAMU Rattlers P/IF Cirilo Manego, (0-4), 5-9/165 senior, New Orlean, LA/De La Salle HS.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Florida A&M Baseball team split a doubleheader with North Carolina A&T, dropping Game One 9-2 and winning Game Two 6-4, here Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium.

In game one FAMU (5-13, 1-4 MEAC) punched out 10 hit with Jared Jeffries leading the way with three, while N.C. A&T (11-13, 4-0 MEAC) finished with seven hits paced by Neil Rosser with two hits.

Tim Johnson (4-1) got the win for the Aggies giving up one earned run and striking out 11 in nine innings, while Cirilo Manego (0-4) took the loss for the Rattlers giving up five earned runs and striking out two in five innings.

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A clarion call from Bennett College new president

Photo: Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author and commentator, and the Founder & Thought Leader of Last Word Productions, Inc, a multimedia production company. She is also currently serving as the 15th President of Bennett College for Women, Greensboro, N.C.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Julianne Malveaux has but one major goal for Bennett College for Women: that it become an oasis for education.

"The mantra must be 'Education or extinction,' " she said.

Malveaux was installed as the college's 15th president in a Saturday-afternoon ceremony filled with dignitaries, scholars and celebrities.

Her speech: "Belle: A Clarion Call for Excellence and Equality — Right Here! Right Now!"

Her pledge: Bennett College will move from "good to great."

In her inaugural address, Malveaux said it is important that Bennett College answer the call to nurture the intellect, education and academic achievements of its students.

"If we do not educate this population, we fail," she said.

Malveaux, who has a doctorate in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discussed the importance of embracing global studies now that the American economy is on the brink of recession.

"We have to prepare our students for a global world," she said.

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Author and syndicated columnist Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Ph.D, gives an inspiring talk on the contributions of W.E.B. DuBois and other African-American scholars in this event marking UCSD's celebration of Black History Month. Dr. Malveaux received her BA and MA degrees in economics from Boston College in three years, and earned a Ph.D in economics from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She holds honorary degrees from Benedict College, Sojourner-Douglass College and the University of the District of Columbia.

SSU conducts first scrimmage of spring practice

Photo: SSU Tigers have won three games in two years playing Division I-AA, Division II and NAIA competition. The Tigers defeated the Golden Bulls, Johnson C. Smith University (D-II) 24-10 on Sept 7, for their only victory in 2007.

Running backs Edwards, Curry and Babb run for touchdowns.

The performances of Savannah State's running backs and offensive linemen highlighted the Tigers' first scrimmage of spring practice Saturday morning.

Antwan Edwards, Rashad Curry and Justin Babb each ran for touchdowns behind an offensive line that was proficient with the Tigers' zone-blocking scheme.

There was not a final score or a winning team among the blue and white squads (the quarterbacks wore orange jerseys). There was not a roster and no statistics were recorded. SSU coaches used the scrimmage to evaluate performances and develop techniques.

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JSU's Denardo Smith hopes to make mark at tailback

Denardo Smith knows this is his chance.

The redshirt freshman came to Jackson State last fall with the undefined "athlete" label. He played linebacker, and even some defensive end, at Carver High School in Montgomery, Ala. He started out as a safety/linebacker with JSU, but was quickly converted to running back.

Carver certainly wasn't getting any playing time behind the trio of Erik Haw, Lavarius Giles and Cody Hull in 2007 - hence the redshirt. But there weren't high expectations for 2008 either - until Haw decided to forgo his senior year and test the NFL waters.

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Golden Lions bounce back with pair of victories over Texas Southern

After Arkansas-Pine Bluff lost 15-2 to Texas Southern on Friday, the Golden Lions’ morale was at an all-time low.

My, how quickly things can change.

Daniel Gathright pitched a complete game and UAPB pounded out 18 hits in a 15-9 win over the Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader, and the Golden Lions scored 10 runs in the final three innings — including five in the bottom of the ninth — of the nightcap to pull off a thrilling 12-11 victory to take their first Southwestern Athletic Conference series of the season on Saturday at Regional Park.

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Southern Jaguars sweep Prairie View Panthers

Photo: Southern's head coach Roger Cador said, “We finally won an ugly game. We made more errors than hits and we came out on top by two runs."



Pitching stands out in wins over Panthers

Saturday was a day long in coming for two of Southern’s senior relievers. First, Theo Ycoy, in his fifth year, got his first win, going 1 1/3 innings as the Jaguars rallied for a 6-3 win over Prairie View.

Then, Cody Elliott, a sixth-year senior who has had Tommy John surgery and just got cleared to play earlier this month, earned his first save by pitching a scoreless seventh in a 4-2 victory at Lee-Hines Field.

As SU (10-9, 8-3 Western Division) rebuilds its bullpen, those are the performances the Jaguars will need as SU seeks its first Southwestern Athletic Conference title since 2005.

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Delaware State and UMES Hawks split doubleheader

Photo: Mike Roberts threw a six hitter in the second game win for the Hawks. The 5-11/165 junior LHP is from Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright H.S.

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - In one of the most exciting game played at Hawks Stadium in recent memory, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) picked up a very important conference win over local rival Delaware State University (DSU) 2-1 in extra innings. The Hawks dropped game one of the doubleheader 12-7 but with the one win moved to 4-1 overall in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

Game two was the definition of a pitcher's duel. UMES southpaw Mike Roberts faced off against the Hornet's Josh Schmidt and both went the complete game each allowing just one earned run. It was Roberts' day however as he would pick up his second win of the season, allowing just six hits, one walk and recording six Ks.

Schmidt took the hard-luck loss, giving up five hits, one walk and ringing up 10 strike outs. He may have gotten the win, but we will never know because with two on no outs Phillip Vaughn hit a ball to DSU third baseman Jose Portella that looked like a routine out but he overthrew first base, Vaughn reached and Michael Guy, who led-off the inning with a single, scored from third, giving the Hawk's the win.

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Southern Jaguars Coach Richardson not satisfied after first week

Southern coach Pete Richardson didn’t leave satisfied as the Jaguars closed their first week of spring practice by running 30 plays Saturday in A.W. Mumford Stadium.

“We were inconsistent, as far as not finishing on plays,” Richardson said. “Some of that is coming from conditioning, with some of them going a lot of plays. But some of the upperclassmen I’m not real pleased with, as far as going full speed.”

The Jaguars, who donned full gear for the first time, ran 10 plays from their own 20-yard line, then 10 from their own 5 and then 10 from the defense’s 20. The ball was never advanced.

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FAMU Rattlers' offense runs in first football scrimmage

Photo: No doubt, with MEAC all-purpose yards leader Philip Sylvester, #30, the Rattlers can run; but, can their 2008 defense stop the run of the other teams? That's the question the Joe Taylor staff will determine in spring training.

FAMU's first football scrimmage Saturday morning left coach Joe Taylor with a lot to think about. His analysis won't cover just the three phases of the game. Sacks and penalties will be right up there.

Through all of that on a balmy day, there were glimpses that hinted the Rattlers' meat-and-potato plays might be on the ground.

"I was glad to see that we're building our personality; we're trying to run the ball," Taylor said. "The best thing about this is we will go back and look at this on film. The plays that were positive we will keep running and the players that were zero we would probably take out."

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Southern University 'X' marks the spot

Photo: Southern's #88 Juamorris Stewart, 6-3/195 junior, Baton Roughe, LA/So. Miss. is nearly unstoppable.

Stewart ready to step in as SU’s 'go-to' receiver

Southern junior Juamorris Stewart has been around long enough to know the significance of his moving to the “X” receiver position as the school looks to replace Gerard Landry.

“In our system, the ‘X’ is the big man, the go-to position,” Stewart said. “It’s going to be a little different from last year, when I played on the side of the ‘X’ (at ‘H’). That’s the spot where you have to carry the team when you’re called on, the fourth downs and the third downs.

“It’s the big spot in our offense.”

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SCSU Bulldogs focusing on 'mental and fundamental' this spring

Photo: S.C. State coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough keeps watchful eye on the Bulldogs development during spring training.



Only 154 days remain before South Carolina State opens the 2008 season at Central Florida.

This provides the Bulldogs plenty of time to master the "mental and fundamental" part of their game, an area head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough has focused upon constantly during spring practice.

As SCSU conducted its first scrimmage Saturday before close to 100 onlookers at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, Pough continued to harp upon those themes as much as the overall team's execution.

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Norfolk State grad named one of Milwaukee's best

Dandridge proud of legacy he left with Milwaukee Bucks team.

The way Bob Dandridge sees it, he is the one who started a forward-thinking tradition with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The skinny player from Norfolk State was the first in a line of talented frontcourt players for the Bucks. When Dandridge looked around the room at a gathering to honor the Bucks' 40th anniversary team Friday morning inside the Bradley Center, he saw a few of his most successful replacements.

Marques Johnson, the third overall pick in the 1977 draft and former UCLA star, was sitting at one table.

Vin Baker, the eighth overall pick in the 1993 draft, was at another table.

And sitting nearby was Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson, the former Purdue star and No. 1 overall pick in the 1994 draft.

"I'm proud when I look at Marques, Glenn Robinson, Vin Baker," Dandridge said. "I can look down the line and say this tradition started with me."

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Bobby Dandridge legacy is even greater with the 1978 Washington Bullets NBA World Championship, i.e., Washington Wizards today.

FAMU Rattlers Tennis edges SCSU, 4-3

Photo: Artiom Podgainii, senior, 6-1/155, Secondary School No. 71, Chisinau, Maldova.

Win gives Florida A&M top spot in MEAC South Division

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida A&M Men's Tennis team won some hard-fought bouts in singles to edge past Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival South Carolina State, 4-3 at the FAMU Tennis Courts Saturday afternoon.

FAMU's Artiom Podgainii defeated SCSU's Ivan Milivojevic, 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 at #1, while Michael Moore went three sets with David Grund at #5, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Senior Clifford Malivert was a straight set winner over SCSU's Dmitry Lomakin, 6-2, 6-3 at #2 singles.

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Detroit native, CBS broadcaster Johnson's fame speaks for itself

Photo: Gus Johnson joined CBS Sports in 1995 as a play-by-play announcer for the CBS Television Network's coverage of college basketball, including the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. Johnson graduated from Howard University with a degree in political science and attended the university on a baseball scholarship.

Wherever he goes, Gus Johnson's head is on a swivel.

A longtime broadcaster of NFL and professional basketball games, he's often just another excitable announcer talking into a microphone.

But put Johnson, a Detroit native, in front of an NCAA tournament microphone and he becomes a rock star. His enthusiasm and passion have spilled over into many of the recent great moments of the tournament, and he's reminded everywhere he goes.

Best of Gus Johnson - Rise and Fire


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Dallas Cowboys Hayes deserves better place in sports history

Photo: The late FAMU Rattlers Hall of Famer, Olympic Gold Medalist and Super Bowl Champion Robert 'Bob' Hayes deserves a better place in sports history. Once considered the world's fastest man, Bob Hayes was a handful for opposing defenses. Despite averaging 20 yards per catch and being largely responsible for the advent of zone defenses, Hayes is often overlooked when the topic turns to WR greats.

It is now official, beyond quarrel or question. Bob Hayes is captain of the all-time All-Snub team.

The monopoly of indifference toward the former Dallas Cowboys receiver's NFL career has received another jolt of nonsupport. This time it was from an ESPN.com panel that help select the top 10 receivers in NFL history. Hayes wasn't on the list even though Terrell Owens made it and Raymond Berry didn't.

The top 10 list included:

(1) Jerry Rice; (2) Randy Moss; (3) Don Hutson; (4) Michael Irvin; (5) Paul Warfield; (6) Charley Taylor; (7) Steve Largent; (8) Cris Carter; (9) Owens; (10) Marvin Harrison.

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Savannah State announces 2008 football schedule

Savannah State on Friday released its 2008 football schedule featuring 12 games - the most since 2003.

The Tigers will play four home games - two on campus at T.A. Wright Stadium and two at Memorial Stadium. They will play three opponents - Jacksonville, Concordia and Webber International - for the first time.

SSU, which moved to NCAA Division I from Division II in 2002, competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) in football. Since the move, the Tigers have not been affiliated with a conference, forcing them to scramble to find opponents.

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SSU FOOTBALL 2008 SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Location Time

Aug. 30 JACKSONVILLE Memorial Stadium TBA
Sept. 6 LIVINGSTONE T.A. Wright Stadium TBA
Sept. 13 Winston-Salem St. W.-Salem, N.C. 6 p.m.
Sept. 20 Bethune-Cookman TBA TBA
Sept. 27 *Howard Miami, Fla. TBA
Oct. 4 Clark-Atlanta Atlanta 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 11 CHARLESTON SOUTHERN Memorial Stadium TBA
Oct. 18 Mississippi Valley St. Itta Bena, Miss. TBA
Nov. 1 #CONCORDIA T.A. Wright Stadium TBA
Nov. 8 Edward Waters Kingsland TBA
Nov. 15 Webber International Babson Park, Fla. TBA
Nov. 22 N.C. Central Durham, N.C. 1 p.m.

HOME GAMES INCAPS *Miami Classic #Homecoming

UAPB Golden Lions head on down the Valley Road

Sometimes in sports, whenever a certain team has success, the other teams in that respective sport will “copycat” the formula that allowed the team before them to have success.

Guess what? (No, I don’t have a fever.)

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff went down The Valley Road.

No, Bruce Hornsby didn’t make the trip to southeast Arkansas. But George Ivory did.

Ivory is back in southeast Arkansas. He’s the new head men’s basketball head coach at UAPB and not a moment too soon for some folks.

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Alabama A&M Bulldogs set to play Tuskegee on Oct. 4

Alabama A&M will rekindle an old football rivalry this season when the Bulldogs travel to Indianapolis on Oct. 4 to take on Tuskegee University in the Circle City Classic.

It will be the first meeting between the two teams since 1999 when A&M came away with a 54-0 victory. The Bulldogs lead the series 22-19-4.

Betty Austin, A&M's athletic director, released a trio of big games from the 2008 schedule, which is incomplete at this time.

Also, A&M will host Grambling for homecoming on Oct. 11 and will take on Alabama State in the Magic City Classic at Birmingham's Legion Field on Oct. 25. Start times are yet to be finalized.

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Southern, Prairie View working their way back

The teams which finished in the Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament’s title game last season — Southern and Prairie View — will meet today to start a three-game series.

Both are still among the Western Division contenders, but both lost two of three to division leader Grambling, both make way too many errors and both are trying to find some consistency as they retool.


In short, even this weekend, both have a lot of work to do.

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S.C. State's Campbell, Smalls looking to emerge as Ford's backup

Photo: RB William Ford #28 is back for his junior campaign in leading the Bulldogs rushing attack. The 5-11/185 RB is from Travelers Rest, S.C./Travelers Rest H.S.

Anthony Campbell and Kenneth Smalls fit the description of what type of player new South Carolina State running backs coach Danny Lewis wants to see.

Both last saw significant playing time in high school, yet remain hungry and eager to finally prove themselves as worthy of contributing after spending last season on the scout team. Each player is also motivated by a sense of urgency as the clock ticks down on their collegiate eligibility.

"I'm fortunate to have a coach like coach Buddy Pough to give me an opportunity to play my last season here and just to be a part of this and just see the future, try to play and compete with some of these guys in the MEAC and try to be the best at South Carolina State and move on and do great things," Campbell said.

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FAMU RBs compete for time

Photo: FAMU's Greg Arline #33 (5-9/190, RS senior RB, Lake City, FL/Columbia H. S. ) is competing for playing time for the 2008/09 season.

FAMU RB is over last year's chronic hamstring issues

If there was any question whether running back Demitric Henry is healed from the hamstring injury that sidelined him last season, he answered it during the first day of workouts in pads. A herd of defensive players swarmed him, some lifting him by one leg off the ground.

Henry gathered himself and trotted back to the huddle. There he joined Philip Sylvester. Before the afternoon was over, senior Greg Arline, another player who saw limited time on the field last season, and walk-on Xavier Smith got their fair share of carries.

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Southern's Michael Williams: Going through it all

Photo: SU Michael Williams #7 (5-11/195 DB, Natchez, LA/Natchez H.S.) makes open field tackle on FAMU Rattlers' sensational TB Philip Sylvester #30 (5-10/185, Marianna H.S./Marianna, FL) in last season's MEAC/SWAC Challenge, won by the Jaguars 33-27.

Southern DB keeps up solid play despite adversity

Michael Williams will graduate at Southern with his concentration in early childhood education and child development on May 9.

He’s not going anywhere right away, though. Williams will return in the fall to enter graduate school for administration and supervision and he has his final year at cornerback, where he’s started the past three seasons after redshirting in 2004.

“I’ve seen it all,” Williams said. “I’ve seen the good times and bad times. I’ve seen a lot of people come and go.”

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Spring football drills begin for Grambling State Tigers

Photo: GSU head coach Rod Broadway starts his second season preparation for the Tigers after toying in the off-season with coaching vacancies at Duke University and Florida A&M University.

by Grambling State University Sports Information

The Grambling State Tiger football team began spring practice Thursday afternoon in the friendly confines of Robinson Stadium.

The Tigers began the first day with non-contact drills as they wore only helmets, jerseys and shorts. The players opened practice with station drills followed by offense/defense breakout sessions before wrapping up the first day with conditioning exercises.

Grambling State, which finished 8-4 last year, begins year two of the Rod Broadway era with a total of 14 starters returning on both sides of the ball. While that number bodes well in terms of experience, the eight starters who departed were mainstays the past four years such as Clyde Edwards (WR), Tavarus Cockrell (OL), Zaire Wilborn (DB), Jason Banks (DL), Tim Manuel (P/PK), DeMichael Dizer (DB) and Reginald Jackson (WR).

Per NCAA rules, the Tigers are allotted 15 practice sessions which concludes with the annual Black and Gold Game on Apr. 19 at 1 p.m. in Robinson Stadium With only a limited to evaluate players, each practice is critical to both the staff and players as the Tigers won’t suit back up as a team until the first week of August for the start of fall camp.

Caribbean sings (literally) Obama's praises

Obama Girl, move over. Your I've Got a Crush on Obama video has got some rhythmic competition and it comes in the form of reggae and calypso from some hot Caribbean icons.

With big-name U.S. celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney already stumping for him, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is also striking a chord with Caribbean-born artists.

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Mighty Sparrow: Barack the Magnificent


Coco Tea's tribute to Barack Obama


Barrack Obama and hit song by Prince Thompson

Delaware State University Equestrian Team to compete for national championship

Photo: DSU Hornets 2008 Esquestrian Team (Courtesy: Carlos Holmes)

DOVER, DE -- Delaware State University's equestrian program has been selected to compete in the Varsity Equestrian National Championships, April 17-18 at the Heart O' Texas Fairgrounds in Waco, Texas.

Delaware State will compete in the Hunt Seat (English) Division championship. The Hornets are ranked 10th among the 12 teams in the tournament.

The national championship field is selected on the basis of winning percentage, strength of schedule and number of competitions. In 2007, University of South Carolina defeated the University of Georgia to win the national championship for the Hunter Seat Division.

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Alabama State's NCAA case still ongoing

The longest NCAA rules investigation in history still has no definite end in sight.

Alabama State's rules infraction case, which began when the school submitted a self-report to the NCAA in July 2003, is still ongoing, with an investigator requesting an interview in the case within the last month. In the meantime, the three coaches at the heart of the investigation have new college jobs, several key figures have passed away and a mountain of paperwork in the case continues to grow by the day.

"Honestly, this case might not be wrapped up in a year or a year and a half," said Montgomery attorney Don Jackson, who has represented several witnesses in the case and reviewed numerous documents. "If (the NCAA) sent out a notice of allegations (the next step in the process) next week, you're still looking at this case not going before the NCAA Committee on Infractions for a hearing until February at the earliest."

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Featured Multimedia: SCSU James Lee

Former S.C. State standout James Lee speaks about his performance at Pro Day and the performance of his former teammates.



Scouts from three NFL teams -- the Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears and Saints -- showed up to workout the 25 athletes in attendance for the S.C. State Pro Day.

It has been reported that James Lee, the MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, shined. Lee tied for the second most bench-press reps of 225 pounds with 26, ran a 5.2 40, and had a 31.5-inch vertical jump. He also turned in one of the days best broad jumps, 9'7".

"I feel like I went out there and made me some money today by increasing three of the six events, the bench, the broad and the vert, from last week in Athens,Georgia" Lee said. "I talked to the scouts and they said they were impressed. I feel like I put myself in a better predicament."

Lee said he also had a strong workout with the Cleveland Browns Sunday, and that the Browns, Chiefs, Saints and Bears all want him to come in for private workouts. Lee is a former transfer player from the University of Georgia and stands 6-6/300. The Bell Glade, FL/Glades Central HS native played offensive line for the Georgia and S.C. State Bulldogs, respectively.

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Southern U O-line eager after tough '07

Photo: SU head coach Pete Richardson will need to replace a defensive coach after losing line coach David Geralds to Shaw University. Richardson is also unsure if running backs coach Elvis Joseph will return.

As Southern huddled as a team at the close of football practice Thursday, center Ramon Chinyoung let out a challenge to the defense that the pads were coming on in the next few days.

Though some of that bellow is eagerness after being academically ineligible and missing last season, the enthusiasm — combined with just having Chinyoung and two others in similar circumstances, tackle Adrian Banks and guard Joshua Keelen, back at work — is welcome.

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Practice intensity picks up on FAMU Rattler football field

Photo: RS senior LB Vernon Wilder, 6-0/248, Miami Carol City H.S., Miami, FL

An unusually large crowd of onlookers gathered closer to the fence that separated them from the Florida A&M practice field, as the Rattlers lined up in pads for the first time Thursday during spring practice.

The onlookers were close enough to see some of the things that left coach Joe Taylor believing his team is finding its identity.

Running back Philip Sylvester dashed for 40 yards into the end zone. Kicker Troy Walker hit a 30-yard field goal before he had two blocked by special teams defense.

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UAPB to name Mississippi Valley assistant George Ivory head coach

Mississippi Valley State assistant coach George Ivory will be named the new head men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, according to UAPB Athletic Director Louis “Skip” Perkins.

A press conference has been scheduled for 11 a.m. today at Golden Lion Stadium. The press conference is open to the public.

Ivory served under James Green at MVSU for one season as the Delta Devils won the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament championship and played UCLA in the NCAA Tournament last Thursday. Mississippi Valley State ended the Golden Lions’ season on March 14 in the semifinals of the SWAC Tournament in Birmingham, Ala.

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Coach Ivory is expected to sign a four year deal worth $ 85,000 annually, not including incentives.

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SCSU holds second day of Spring Practice

By: By SCSU Sports Information

South Carolina State conducted its second day of spring drills Wednesday going through the basic fundamentals on offense and defense.

"Once again it was another pretty exciting practice going through the motions," said SCSU coach Buddy Pough. "The kids are working hard learning their assignments so when we do get into full gear everything goes smoothly."

Pough noted that all the players are enthusiastic and seemed to be taking to the new coaches well.

The Bulldogs will continue with a light workout the next few days before suiting up in shoulder pads on Friday.

"This will give us a chance to start more of our team style drills," stated Pough. "A lot of the guys are running around out there so now we get a chance to see what they can do in different positions."

SC State will resume practice on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and will conduct a light scrimmage beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The Bulldogs will wrap up spring drills Apr. 19 with their annual Garnet and Blue game.

Governor, Legislature salute DSU Football Champs

Photo: Seated (L-R): DSU Dir. of Athletics Rick Costello, Governor Ruth Ann Minner and DSU head coach Al Lavan surrounded by Hornet football team during visit to Governor's office.

By: DSU Athletic Media Relations

Dover, DE --- Delaware State’s 2007 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football champions were guests of honor during a recent visit to Legislative Hall. Led by Director of Athletics Rick Costello, along with head coach Al Lavan and his staff, more than 40 members of the Hornets were honored for their historic 2007 season by Governor Ruth Ann Minner and the General Assembly.

Last season, the Hornets posted a school record 10 wins (10-2), captured the school’s first MEAC championship since 1991 and made the first NCAA playoff appearance in team history. The ’07 Hornets became the third team in the 36-year history of the MEAC to post an 8-0 league record during the regular season.

Alcorn State football to play Southern Miss in 2009

Photo: Alcorn State University's new head football coach Earnest Jones is bringing excitement to the Braves program by playing Mississippi's Division I football programs.

LORMAN, MS — The Alcorn State Braves are on the verge of making some football history.

The Braves released their 2009 football schedule on Wednesday, which includes a trip to M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg to play Southern Miss. It will be the first time in the 88-year history of the football program that the Braves will play one of the three Division 1A schools in Mississippi.

Alcorn State football coach Ernest Jones said the game is a way to give the Alcorn State program some good recognition and step the program up a notch.

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The Golden Eagles will host Alcorn State on Sept. 12, 2009, in the first meeting between the two schools located about 150 miles apart.

USM will pay Alcorn between $150,000-$160,000. The Braves also will get the proceeds from the first 5,000 tickets they sell and the proceeds from a second allotment of tickets to ASU, if needed, would be split.

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Receivers shine for FAMU Rattlers

Florida A&M assistant football coach Jerry Stevens is still getting the names of all of the players under his watch down pat, but he can point them out one by one and give an account of their abilities.

Stevens, FAMU's receivers coach, already knows what lanky Isaac West can do with his height. Small but speedy Jarvis Funderburk is another one that Stevens is already familiar with. Even those whose names he's still learning bring something that Stevens is already getting a little ecstatic about.

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Southern U needs receivers to fill void

Archive Photo: SU Pete Richardson begins his 16th season as head of the Jaguars football program.

Who will be making up the 575 yards and nine catches of Gerard Landry and the 737 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and the other 566 yards and five touchdowns through the air of Darren Coates?

This was what Southern, 8-3 last season, was trying to figure out as spring practice began Tuesday.

Juamorris Stewart, who has teased with flashes in his first two seasons, and Corderious Gregory, who will be a sophomore but missed last season with a knee injury from spring practice a year ago, are in Landry’s “X” spot.

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Three-Run 8th Inning Rallies No. 2 Miami Past BCU Wildcats, 7-6

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Freshman catcher Yasmani Grandal drove in the game-winning run after junior Dave DiNatale hit a two-run game-tying single in the bottom of the eighth as No. 2 Miami rallied to defeat Bethune-Cookman, 7-6, Wednesday night at Mark Light Field. Junior right-hander Carlos Gutierrez tossed the final inning to record his fifth save for the Hurricanes, who improved to 19-2 on the season.

The Wildcats managed to the get the tying-run on base in the top of the ninth, but after back-to-back strikeouts by Carlos Gutierrez, Grandal threw out the baserunner trying to steal second to end the game.

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Tennessee State CB Rodgers-Cromartie on short list

Photo: On April 26, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie could become the first small-school cornerback drafted in the first round since 1995.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's renowned trainer believes he's the second coming of Deion Sanders.

Skeptics wonder if Rodgers-Cromartie can become a prime-time NFL cornerback.

A small-college standout with big-time athleticism, Rodgers-Cromartie has become one of the most hotly debated draft prospects. That's because he might become the first defensive back chosen despite a pedigree that normally scares NFL teams from taking such a gamble.

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Florida A&M pounds Albany State, 17-4

Photo: RF Jared Grace drove in four runs with two hits, including three-run HR in the 7th inning.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida A&M Rattler Baseball team snapped a four-game losing skid as they pounded Albany (Ga.) State, 17-4 in a non-conference affair at Moore-Kittles Field Wednesday afternoon.

Florida A&M (3-12) finished the day with 16 hits, riding not only their offense, but solid performances in the pitching and defensive departments.

Chris Fullman led the Rattler offense with three hits and two RBI. Thaddeous McBurrows and Jared Grace each had two hits and four RBI apiece, with Jared Jeffries and Tim Schalch each driving in two runs. Corey McFadden and Tim Jones also had an RBI each Wednesday.

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Hampton U. picks up basketball transfer

Photo: George DeGrout, #31 averaged 19.03 ppg, 10.52 rpg, 1.27 apg, 1.14 steals while shooting 62 percent from the floor for Allegany College of Maryland.

A former star forward at Norcom High School commits to Hampton University's men's basketball team.

George DeGroat, a former standout at Norcom High in Portsmouth, has given a commitment to Hampton University's men's basketball team.

The 6-foot-5 forward has played the past two seasons at Allegany Community College in Maryland, and prior to that spent a year at Genesis One Christian School in Mendenhall, Miss. He averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds this past season.

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Nutt withdraws from UAPB basketball search

Former Arkansas State head coach Dickey Nutt has withdrew his name from the head coaching search at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

UAPB Athletic Director Louis “Skip” Perkins said Tuesday that Nutt called him and told him that he was taking his name out of the running. Nutt told Perkins that he was grateful for the opportunity, but that he wanted to pursue other opportunities.

Nutt praised the administration at UAPB and hopes that the Golden Lions can find themselves a “great head coach.”

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UMES Hawks Bowlers get NCAA invitation

Photo: UMES Head Bowling Coach Sharon Brummell

Championship to be held April 10-12 in Omaha.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN---The NCAA's Bowling Committee met today to announce the eight teams that will comprise next month's NCAA Championship field.

Defending champion Vanderbilt was one of five Central Region teams chosen along with three Northeast Region squads to compete April 10-12 in Omaha. The selection criteria includes many factors including strength of schedule and success against top opponents.

Top-rated Nebraska, Minnesota State-Mankato, Arkansas State and Central Missouri are the other Central Region teams making the cut while Maryland-Eastern Shore, runner-up to Vanderbilt last year, New Jersey City and Sacred Heart are the Northeast teams with a chance to win.

This year's tournament will be held at Thunder Alley in Omaha, hosted by the University of Nebraska.

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Miami pulls away from tough Bethune-Cookman

For the sixth consecutive game, the Hurricanes (18-2) scored 10 or more runs, topping a five-game streak last set by UM's 1998 team. Miami also won its 15th game in a row over the Wildcats to lead the all-time series 16-1, but Bethune-Cookman (14-8) made it close.

The Wildcats tied the score at 4, with four runs in the second inning, and they threatened to take the lead in the seventh during a bases-loaded situation before reliever Kyle Bellamy got the Canes out of the jam. "The scoreboard doesn't show it,'' UM shortstop Ryan Jackson said. "They had some chances throughout the game that could have made things interesting."

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The comments made by UM Ryan Jackson and coach Jim Morris shows tremendous respect to the capabilities of the BCU baseball team. That's great coming from the #2 ranked Hurricanes team, and all MEAC/SWAC programs should be striving to be as competitive as BCU is in Division I baseball. The Wildcats started a freshman pitcher and was in a position to win. Wildcats and Hurricanes play again today.

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Lavan wary as Hornets look to build on 2007

Photo: Delaware State University Hornets head football coach Al Lavan.

DOVER -- Al Lavan has maintained an important principle during his more than 35 years of coaching football: Forget your accolades.

That's not easy, particularly when a team comes off a season like Delaware State had in 2007. But Lavan will be preaching his mantra when the Hornets open spring practice tonight at Alumni Stadium.

"You don't want to dwell on it," Lavan said of last season, when DSU went 10-2, won its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship since 1991 and qualified for the ...

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Cold weather challenges SSU quarterbacks

JaCorey Kilcrease and Brandon Webster also learning a new offense. Welcome to winter, uh, spring football practice at Savannah State. It was 35 degrees when the Tigers began drills at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday under the lights at T.A. Wright Stadium. It was their fifth practice since opening camp March 18.

"This is good for these kids," SSU first-year head coach Robby Wells said. "When you think spring practice, you don't think about 35 degrees. But my thing is I want to make it as tough on them in practice as possible so that when we get to the game it will be a little bit easier for them."

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McCoy impresses at SCSU Pro Day

File Photo: Cleve McCoy #19 is showing NFL scouts what the MEAC already knows--he's a talented hard nose player.

Cleve McCoy threw a few balls and then did what he had been expecting -- moved to wide receiver.

That's not to say the record-setting South Carolina State quarterback's passes were bad, actually, he was told he had good velocity on his ball. But, after McCoy, who measured in at 6-1 and 225 pounds, ran a 4.55 in the 40 and displayed a 35-inch vertical jump at South Carolina State's Pro Day at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium Tuesday, he became a very intriguing prospect at slot receiver. So, a Saints scout split McCoy out, gave him a few routes to run, and started slinging passes -- around 20 total -- in his direction. He didn't drop a one.

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Love among QB choices at FAMU

Archive Photo: RS Sophomore Eddie Battle, 6-2/215 starts Spring as the #1 Rattler QB.

Love showed Tuesday that he could become a solid backup should Battle remain the front runner coming at the end of spring drills.

"The reps felt good," he said. "It felt good to go out there with the ones and the twos and see what's going on with the installations," he said. "Most of all I want to get my timing with my receivers and my feet down with my linemen, letting them know how I feel about the protection and everything."

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FAMU to let Coach Clark's contract expire

Photo: Florida A&M University athletic director William "Bill" Hayes.










Calling the termination of women's basketball coach Debra Clark's contract one of the hardest decisions he's made since becoming athletic director at FAMU, Bill Hayes said the move was necessary to change the direction of the program.

Clark's $120,000 annual salary was one of the highest in the MEAC, Hayes said. Initial talks about renewing her contract began immediately after he became athletic director late last year, he said. "We had a lot invested ...

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Former Arkansas State Coach interviews with Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions

Photo: Former Arkansas State coach Dickey Nutt (right) has a 189-187 (.502) career mark .

Former Arkansas State head coach Dickey Nutt has interviewed for the vacant head coaching position at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Nutt, who resigned at ASU on Feb. 19, 2008, was 189-187 in 13 seasons at ASU. He was the school’s second-winningest coach behind John Rauth. In his 13 seasons at ASU, Nutt led the Indians to the NCAA Tournament in 1999. Nutt led ASU to the 2007 Sun Belt Conference West Division title and to the conference championship game, where the Indians lost to North Texas.

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FAMU issues farewell to women's basketball coach Debra Clark and staff

Photo: Debra Clark ends her FAMU career with an overall career record of 211-194. She was 100-109 in leading the Lady Rattlers program for seven years.

Florida A&M University officials announced Tuesday that the contract of head women’s basketball coach Debra Clark would not be renewed, and that a committee would be appointed shortly to conduct a search for a successor.

“We truly wish to express our appreciation to Coach Debra Clark and her staff for their service to the university for the past seven seasons. However, after a thorough evaluation of the program, the decision was made to pursue a different course,” said FAMU Athletic Director Bill Hayes on Tuesday.

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The assistant coaches released with Coach Clark were: her husband, John Clark (Hampton University/native - Chesapeake, VA); Niki Washington (Southern Illinois University/native - Sanford, Florida); and Melaney Denson (S.C. State/native - Fort Pierce, FL). Coach Clark was in the final year of her contract which was not renewed.

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