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Santa Fe College graduate Britany Doty will bring a big stick to the Rattlers softball team, with a .371 batting average.
Gainesville, FL - Britany Doty, a Tallahassee native and standout starting right fielder for the Saints, will attend and play for Florida A&M University beginning this Fall, SF Head Coach Chris Ahern announced today. "Britany did a great job for us on the field this year, stepping her game up even more from last season," said Ahern. "We are excited for her opportunity at FAMU."
Doty hit .371 on the season, with 15 doubles, two triples, six homeruns and 42 RBI in 54 games played this season, improving her batting average over .100 from the year before, earning First Team Mid-Florida Conference honors and was Second Team FCCAA All-State. She was not only successful on the field, but also in the classroom, earning FCCAA All-State and Mid-Florida Conference Academic Team honors in both of her years at Santa Fe.
Doty will join a FAMU team that finished the 2010 season with a 17-14 overall record and a 7-5 mark in the NCAA Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Rattlers, led by Veronica Wiggins in her 19th year as the head coach, won the MEAC in 2009 and competed in an NCAA Regional at the University of Florida.
Bethune Cookman University President Trudie Kibbe Reed, Ed.D., said the Wildcat students have a $350 million dollar economic impact on the Daytona Beach area.The proposed Larry R. Handfield Athletic Training Center will address NCAA Title IX concerns for balancing men's and women's athletics sports facilities at the college.
DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Bethune-Cookman University has a new addition coming: a 27,000-square-foot athletic facility on International Speedway Boulevard where students can work out and coaches can strategize. Students at the private, United Methodist school also will have a new place to pray together, and someday kids in the neighborhood might have a place to connect with mentors. The city's Midtown Redevelopment Area Board voted Wednesday night to let the $4 million project move ahead. Construction is slated to start in about a month, and should wrap up in roughly a year.
The vote brought smiles to dozens of students who packed into the City Hall meeting room. "Behind me you see a group of young men who probably would not have had an opportunity for higher education without the football program," said Bethune-Cookman President Trudie Kibbe Reed. University officials hope the sports complex will save their NCAA division status, something that came into question several years ago after NCAA inspectors called for improvements to Bethune-Cookman athletic facilities. Preserving that status should also protect the $1.5 million the school gets each year to play in the Florida Classic football game, money that goes toward academic programs.
South Carolina State University Bulldogs have signed Polk State College 6-8/230 basketball center Presano Bell to a National Letter of Intent.
Cracker Barrel, a retail store and restaurant, is an institution in much of American, offering southern comfort food, rocking chairs for post-meal relaxation, and a checker’s table within the dining room for an added country feel. It’s more than just a place to eat and relax for Presano Bell. The former Thomas Edison star developed a bond with South Carolina assistant coach Dwight Evans, talking about why the restaurant chain is absent in New York, one of only nine states in American it doesn’t exit. Soon, the two realized, they were not only both from New York, but from Springfield Gardens, Queens, and raised just a few blocks away from one another.
“We hit it off,” said Bell, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound center who plans to major in nursing and become an anesthesiologist. “That made me feel like I could trust him. That’s the most important thing in a relationship. He got that right away.” As a result of their bond, in addition to the immediate playing time the Bulldogs could offer, Bell signed a National Letter of Intent to play at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) school recently. The decision ended a two-year journey for the physically imposing forward.
After helping Edison reach the PSAL Class AA semifinals in 2008, Bell landed at Snead State in Alabama. It was a culture shock, he said, although Bell made the best out of it. Following his one year there, he transferred to Polk Community College (Fla.) and averaged 11 points and 7 rebounds per game. His two JUCO years transformed Bell, as much as a player as a person. He improved academically in the classroom and defensively on the court, one of his shortcomings at Edison.
A lot of what was said about Brittany Jones’ ability as a runner was like old hat to her parents, as they flanked their daughter Tuesday morning at Rickards High School when she signed to run for Florida A&M University. Joseph and Stephanie Jones have been hearing their daughter referred to as a “phenomenal athlete” and “future Olympian” for several years. The first time the Joneses heard such glowing description of their daughter, she was just a middle school runner.
They got their first glimpse of things to come when Brittany ran the anchor leg to bring her Fairview Middle School team from the back of the pack to a second-place finish. Since then, she’s captured countless ribbons and trophies and even won a state high school title in the 300-meter hurdles for the Raiders last season. Her signing to attend FAMU makes her the third Rickards athlete to become a Rattler within a week. She also had offers from Georgia Southern and the University of North Florida. “I’m very thankful for this opportunity,” Jones told the audience that included classmates, coaches and several Rickards administrators. “I want to thank my parents. They’ve been very supportive and they’ve been with me from Day One.”
Texas Southern University head football coach Johnnie Cole has the Tigers moving in a winning direction.
Texas Southern University Tigers of the Southwestern Athletic Conference are coming to Connecticut vs. the U-Conn. Huskies.
When: Sept. 11, 2010, Rentschler Field. First meeting
Last season: 6-5, 5-2 SWAC
Quick facts about TSU: School colors are maroon and gray and the mascot's name is Pretty Baby II. TSU is an HBCU -- Historically Black College and Universities -- located in Houston. Its most famous football alumni is probably former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, but the Tigers have actually produced 15 All-Americans. Some well-know players were Horace Young, Herman Driver, Ernest Calloway and Kenny Burroughs in the 1960s to Mike Holmes and Ernie Homes in the '70s and Donald Narcisse in the 1980s. The 6-5 finish was one of the best in the last 10 years and it included a 42-0 loss to Rutgers. The Tigers are coached by Johnnie Cole, a former quarterback at TSU in the 1980s. He took the job at his alma mater in 2008 (4-8).
Who's gone, who's back: The Tigers will lose four starters – total. In this case, who's gone isn't nearly as important as who's back. So who is back? How about all three leading ground gainers from 2009: running back Martin Gilbert (644 yards, six touchdowns) quarterback Arvell Nelson (325, four TDs) and RB Joseph Warren (142, one) return. Nelson threw for 2,392 yards but also threw 13 interceptions compared to 12 TDs. Most of the TDs went to Joseph Anderson, who had seven TD receptions. Anderson is back, too. Warren also returns kickoffs and averaged 18 yards on 17 returns in 2009. All three leading tacklers are back including linebacker Dejuan Fulghum (88 tackles), defensive back Robert Joseph (80) and Shomari Clemons, also a linebacker who had 63 tackles.
The UConn-Texas Southern rivalry: There isn't one and probably won't be. UConn raced to fill a nonconference void after it had scheduled Northeastern and was left scrambling when the school decided to drop football last year.
Austin Hochman, Annapolis HS, Annapolis, MD (OL, 6-4, 265) � Team Captain, 1st Team All-Anne Arundel County, Honorable Mention MD/ESPN Rise Big School All-State Football team, NCU Baltimore/Washington Combine Co-MVP Offensive Lineman and Two Star on Rivals.
Rodney Johnson, North County HS, Glen Burnie, MD (OL, 6-5, 290) � 1st Team All-County, 2nd Team All -State, Honorable Mention, All-County, 1st Team All-Metro, BTC Super 22 and BTC All Star Team.
Anthony Kees, Woodlawn HS, Baltimore, MD (LB, 6-2, 210) Baltimore All-County Honorable Mention, Team Captain, 11 game starter (89 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery).
Trevon Bennett, Riverdale Baptist HS, Upper Marlboro, MD (QB, 6-2. 200) 3-year starter, threw for over 1,000 yards and averaged 4.0 yards per carry.
Brandon Miller, Forestville Military Academy, Forestville, MD (LB, 6-1, 215).
Sean Garland, Westlake HS, Waldorf, MD (DL, 6-3, 245) PG/ SMAC All Star game participant
Delante White, Crossland HS, Temple Hills, MD (DB, 6-0, 180) 4-year varsity player, Team Captain junior and senior seasons, PG Gazette 1st Team DB, All-State Honorable Mention, Attended the All-American Camp for ASA Prep Star in Santa Ana, California
David Brockenberry, Potomac HS, Temple Hills, MD (TE, 6-4, 220) All-Met and All County Tight End
Greg Koepping, South River, Crofton, MD (K/P, 6-0, 160) 4-year HS K/P, averaged 38 yards per punt and over 80% in FG/XPA.
Keith Brown, Suitland HS, Forestville, MD (RB, 5-11 190) Jr year All-League DB, All PG County DB Honorable Mention, All Met DB Honorable Mention and All Gazette Honorable Mention, senior season All-League RB, All PG County RB Honorable Mention, All Met RB Honorable Mention. Rushed for over 700 yards, accounted for 200 receiving yards and scored 12 TD�s during senior season. Also participated in the PG/SMAC All-Star game.
2010 Bowie State University Bulldogs Football Schedule
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME 8/28/2010 Seton Hill University Greensburg, PA 3 p.m. 9/4/2010 Morgan State University Baltimore, MD 6 p.m. 9/11/2010 Fayetteville State University Fayeteville, NC 6 p.m. 9/18/2010 Livingstone College Salisbury, NC 6 p.m. 9/25/2010 Virginia Union University Bowie, MD 1 p.m. 10/2/2010 Virginia State University Bowie, MD 1 p.m. Western Virginia Education Classic (William Fleming H.S.) 10/9/2010 Saint Paul's College Roanoke, VA 1 p.m. Details 10/16/2010 Lincoln University of Pennsylvania (HOMECOMING) Bowie, MD 1 p.m. 10/23/2010 Elizabeth City State University Bowie, MD 1 p.m. 11/6/2010 Chowan University Murfreesboro, NC 12 noon
The Florida Citrus Bowl is home to the Florida Classic played between Bethune Cookman University and Florida A&M University. The 2010 MEAC/SWAC Challenge featuring Delaware State University and Southern University will also be played at this venue.
Orlando has taken a double-whammy to the gut in recent weeks, losing potential neutral-site games featuring Notre Dame and Florida State. Nothing surprising there, right? Orlando simply cannot lure marquee college football matchups with its woefully out-of-date Citrus Bowl. You know it. I know it. Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan knows it. While the $10 million in initial renovations is a nice measure, it is going to do nothing to get Orlando into the neutral-site game. Sadly, this is the worst time for the Citrus Bowl to be lagging behind its competitors.
Neutral-site games are in vogue once again. This season alone, there will be some 23 games played outside home stadiums across the country, up from 13 in 2007. The Georgia Dome, new Cowboys Stadium and FedEx Field, are just a few of the stadiums hosting games in 2010. Now University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., wants a piece, too, announcing earlier this week it would begin to court teams to play a neutral-site game there. Fiesta Bowl director of public relations Andrew Bagnato said the game would provide another way to bring money to Arizona. "The tourism industry needs anything we get right now," he said.
Indeed, Orlando is losing anywhere between $30 and $40 million in potential economic impact because it cannot draw teams to play here. While the Citrus Bowl does host the Capital One Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl, Florida Classic and MEAC/SWAC Challenge, the last time it hosted a marquee FBS regular-season game was in October 2000 when Notre Dame played Navy.
Santa Fe College graduate Britany Doty will bring a big stick to the Rattlers softball team, with a .371 batting average.
