Countdown to Football: 86 Days -- Alabama State off probation

This season, Alabama State will finally be free from the NCAA sanctions placed on the program in 2008.

The probation included a ban on postseason play in 2009 and a reduction in recruiting activities and scholarships in addition to the elimination of victories in the 2000 and 2001 seasons, including the 2001 SWAC championship.

"You can tell the student-athletes we're free and can get on with the business at hand," said fifth-year ASU coach Reggie Barlow.

Photo Galleries:
The Week in Pictures at ASU
May 15-21, 2011

The Week in Pictures at ASU
May 22-28, 2011

The Week in Pictures at ASU
May 29-June 4, 2011



Watkins Steps Down as Baseball Coach; Hornets Make Coaching Changes

Longtime Head Baseball Coach Larry Watkins has stepped down to take an administrative position within the Athletic Department, Athletic Director Stacy Danley announced Tuesday.

In other coaching moves, Head Volleyball Coach Sonia Price and Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach Bernard Sewell were relieved of their duties.

Assistant Coach Anthony Macon has been named Interim Head Baseball Coach, and Assistant Coach Frederick Whitt has been named Interim Head Volleyball Coach.

Watkins served as head baseball coach for 30 seasons and was just the third baseball coach in the school's history. A 1974 ASU graduate who played centerfield, Watkins became assistant coach upon graduation and was named head coach in 1982. This past season, the Hornets went 14-29 overall, 6-18 in conference play and were eliminated in the first round of Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament.

"To be associated with a program for more than 40 years takes a special individual," Danley said. "Coach Watkins is truly that person, one who has been tremendously dedicated to ASU and the baseball program. In this day and time, serving as head coach for 30 consecutive years at one school speaks of Coach Watkins' devotion and is a milestone that will be difficult to match. I am looking forward to working with him in this new capacity."



Price had served as head volleyball coach for 16 seasons (1995-2010), while Sewell led the tennis programs for 14 seasons (1997-2011).

“After careful evaluation of the past history of each program, we are not receiving the needed results and will go in a different direction,” Danley said. “We will conduct a national search for whom we believe is the best candidate to lead these respective programs to a championship level.”

Last season, ASU Volleyball posted a 12-21 overall record and 3-5 in conference play as the Lady Hornets were eliminated in the second round of the SWAC Tournament. Price came to Alabama State in 1992 as an assistant coach in volleyball and women's basketball. She was named interim head volleyball coach in 1995 and became the permanent head coach one year later after relinquishing her role with women's basketball. Price also was Interim Athletic Director from August 2003-April 2004.

Sewell led the Lady Hornets to the 1999 SWAC Tennis Championship. This past season, the men's team was eliminated in the first round of the SWAC Tournament, while the women's team failed to qualify for postseason play.

By Alabama State University Sports Information

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Florida A&M Rattlers inks four hoopsters

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida A&M University men's basketball announces their 2011 signing class. The mixture of athletes concentrated on increasing the size of the Rattlers' front line. Four athletes have signed, with three coming from within the state of Florida and one from Georgia.

First year head coach Clemon Johnson, charged assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Tony Sheals, to get some size to bulk up the inside play and toughen the defense. The result is the signing of Eddie D'Haiti, Markee Teal, Nathaniel Drayton and D'Andre Bullard.  



D'Haiti, is from Orlando, Fla., and is a junior college transfer from Santa Fe College. He is 6'8" tall and weighs 235 lbs. He should help the Rattlers in the post position. He was an All-Mid Florida Conference player. He attended Oak Ridge High School in Orlando, where he led the team to a 43-13 record while playing there. He was shown interest by West Virginia, Valdosta St. and FAU.

Teal, is from State College of Florida (formerly Manatee Community College). He is from Ocala, Fla., where he attended Westport High School. He was also a first team Suncoast All-Conference selection as a post player. Teal stands 6'7" and weighs 220 lbs. He was shown interest by B-CU and St. Peters College.

Drayton, who goes by the name "Nate," is originally from Savannah, Ga. He is a junior college transfer from Salkehatchie Community College, where he was an All-Conference performer. Drayton plays the post and is 6'7" and 245 lbs. He was shown interest by Towson State, Coastal Carolina, and S.C. State.

Bullard, is a true freshman from Apopka, Fla. He attended Wekiva High School and was an All-County and All-Region player. He has good height for a point guard, standing 6'4" and 175 lbs. He was shown interest by Northeastern and Stetson University.

By Florida A&M Sports Information

Grambling State Eldred Barnett taken in MLB Baseball Draft

Grambling, LA---Grambling State Tigers junior outfielder Eldred Barnett was taken in the 29th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft by the World Champions San Francisco Giants.

The Benton, Louisiana native becomes the second consecutive Tiger outfielder taken in the MLB draft under head coach James Cooper who himself was taken in the 33rd round as an outfielder by the Houston Astros in 2004.

Barnett (6-2, 200), who was named to the All-Conference first team was also tabbed the Southwestern Athletic Conference newcomer of the year and selected to the 2011 SWAC Tournament All-Tournament team. Barnett led the team in hitting with a .355 batting average on 59 hits. He tallied 11 doubles on the season along with 41 runs scored and 44 RBI's.

“By far he was the best hitter on the team this past year, a guy you could just pencil in in the three hole for us, led the team in average and RBI and one of our top base stealers,” said Cooper.

“I'm proud of him. He started off here and had to transfer to another school because he wasn't a qualifier coming out of high school. The difference between him as a freshman here and after the JUCO did him some justice. He was able to come in and produce right away. It's going to be a tough road for him to make it to the big league but if he works hard and continues to get better day by day he will be able to make it.”

By GSU Sports Information

Former Claflin star Salley fields pro offers

Orangeburg, S.C. - Eric Salley has been spending a good deal of his time of late on Google. Tus far, the majority of the former Claflin star guard's searches have revolved around the country of Iceland. He hopes to have a few more destinations to search, but for now, it is the volcanic island in the North Atlantic that draws his interest because that is where his basketball career figures to take him.

"My agent has an offer for me from a team in Iceland," Salley said. "They are looking for a guard, and when they saw me, they went back and forth with my agent. Right now, we are just waiting to figure out the money situation."

And, Salley said, he is waiting on other offers. He said Spain would be an ideal destination.

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Saint Augustine's Rashaad Ingram Selected By San Diego Padres In MLB First-Year Player Draft

Raleigh, N.C. - Star shortstop Rashaad Ingram (Savannah, Ga.) of Saint Augustine's College was drafted Tuesday by the San Diego Padres on the second day of the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Ingram was taken by the Padres in the 28th round with the 863rd pick. He becomes the second Saint Augustine's College player in three seasons to be drafted. Anthione Shaw, also a shortstop for the Falcons, was picked by the Oakland Athletics in 2009.

Ingram was drafted after a remarkable senior season in 2011. He captured national, regional and conference honors after leading the Falcons to a modern school record of 36 wins. The NCAA Division II leader in steals (80) and stolen bases per game (1.48), Ingram was named Daktronics Third Team All-American, Daktronics First Team All-Atlantic Region, All-CIAA first team and CIAA player of the year. He was one of 36 players nationally who was named to the College Baseball Lineup DII All-Star Team. Ingram led the Falcons in batting average (.390), hits (67), runs (72) and doubles (15) as a senior.

Ingram, tied for third in Division II in runs, finished his four-year career as one of the most decorated baseball players ever at Saint Augustine's College. He was part of a senior group that sparked a resurgence in the baseball program after four straight losing seasons including six wins the year before Ingram arrived.

The Falcons amassed 119 wins in four years. The baseball team won two CIAA regular-season titles, one CIAA Tournament crown, and made four consecutive CIAA Tournament finals appearances during that period.

By Saint Augustine's College Sports Information

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Southern University's Frazier Hall and Cody Hall get drafted by Major League Baseball

Baton Rouge, LA --When the big day began, Frazier Hall had a few phone conversations with baseball people — scouts, advisors and the like — who gave him encouraging news. They told the Southern first baseman that when the second day of the Major League Baseball draft got under way, he might go as early as the seventh round.

Then the waiting began. And continued. And continued. Frazier Hall was about to leave for an afternoon workout when the 16th round began. He took a few more phone calls, then checked his computer. The wait was over. The Los Angeles Angels took Frazier Hall in the 16th round Tuesday, giving him the shot at pro baseball he’s always dreamed of.


Videographer: MLB, SU's Frazier Hall

Less than an hour later, the San Francisco Giants took his teammate, right-hander Cody Hall, in the 19th round. The celebration began.

Frazier Hall, Cody Hall get a shot at pro ball

Frazier Hall and Cody Hall are both off the board.

Southern’s top two baseball prospects were selected within an hour of each other Tuesday during the Major League Baseball draft — first baseman Frazier Hall going in the 16th round to the Los Angeles Angels; right-hander Cody Hall going in the 19th round to the San Francisco Giants.

Frazier Hall earned his second straight Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year award this season, thanks mostly to his sparkling offensive numbers.

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Bethune-Cookman's Peter O'Brien selected by Colorado Rockies in 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft

Daytona Beach, FL - Bethune-Cookman University catcher Peter O'Brien became the first area player selected in the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft Tuesday, chosen with the 107th overall pick by the Colorado Rockies. O'Brien, a junior catcher for the Wildcats and a Miami native, was selected in the middle of the third round. This season he helped lead Bethune-Cookman to another NCAA Regionals appearance, batting .304 with 14 home runs and 69 RBIs.

"It's awesome and I'm so excited," O'Brien said by phone, a few minutes after being chosen. "It was a hectic time but I'm glad its over." O'Brien said the Rockies were one of the most interested teams in him this spring.



Peter O'Brien, C: Rockies third round selection / 107th overall out of Bethune-Cookman University

O'Brien, 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, spent three seasons at Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, FL where he started all 61 games behind the plate for the Wildcats in 2011. In his junior season, O'Brien hit .304 (70-for-230) with 29 extra-base hits, including a team-high 14 home runs. O'Brien led the Wildcats with 20 home runs and a .384 batting average and picked off nine runners and catching 20 attempted base stealers during his sophomore season. He also drove in 56 RBI 2010. O'Brien was also named the MEAC Player of the Year following his sophomore season. O'Brien was rated the 13th-best prospect in the state of Florida, and the 103rd-best prospect overall in the draft by Baseball America. Additionally, he was ranked the seventh-best catcher available in the draft by Baseball America.

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