Penny a profit to volleyball program, ASU says

Montgomery, AL - Alabama State athletic director Stacy Danley opened Monday's news conference with a simple declaration. "The transformation continues," he said.

And with that, the Hornets introduced Penny Lucas-White as the program's new volleyball coach, taking another step in the school's goal to be competitive in the Southwestern Athletic Conference as well as an annual participant in NCAA postseason play.

The spirit of optimism echoed the news conference in June announcing Mervyl Melendez as the Hornets' baseball coach. Monday's gathering showcased a program coming off its finest season in SWAC competition that now has its sights set still higher.

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Southern football highlights fall camps

BATON ROUGE — Student-athletes from three Southern University programs will return to Baton Rouge this week as fall camp opens in preparation for the 2011 campaigns in football, women's volleyball and women's soccer.

Eager to erase the lingering effects from last season's 2-9 record, head football coach Stump Mitchell will welcome his Southern Jaguars to fall camp Wednesday at the A.W. Mumford Fieldhouse as the Jaguars prepare for the 2011 season.

"There's no question we're excited (about the start of fall camp) with a lot of guys coming back with a lot of experience and a coaching staff that I feel will take us to the next level," said Mitchell. "We're just excited to get started."

The Jaguars first practice is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Thursday and is open to the public. The Jaguars kickoff their 2011 season in LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans, for the John Merrit Classic against Tennessee State at 6 p.m. Sept. 3.



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ASU to begin football practice Wednesday

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The 2011 Alabama State football team begins its quest for the SWAC Championship Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. when fall practice opens at Hornet Stadium.

"We have high expectations," head coach Reggie Barlow said of his team, which won the Eastern Division title last season. "We're coming from a different place; far different from where it was five years ago or even three years ago. We are at a place where we want to get back to the championship game and win it all this time."



Barlow and the football coaching staff will welcome approximately 90 players to camp, which opens with six consecutive practice days. The first two-a-day practice is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 8.

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SC State Begins Football Drills; Elmore Declared Ineligible

ORANGEBURG, SC – South Carolina State conducted its first preseason football workout Tuesday night as the Bulldogs began preparing for the 2011 campaign.

Tuesday’s practice was originally set for 3:10 in the afternoon, however, head coach Buddy Pough and his staff moved the drill to the evening to avoid scorching temperatures. Bulldog practices through Saturday will also begin in the evening at approximately 7 p.m.

Almost 100 players were on hand for Tuesday’s practice, which was conducted in shorts and helmets and concentrated mostly on conditioning.

Pough noted his team appeared to be in reasonable good shape but added that he and his staff considered it a sense of urgency that his players hit the ground running and learn quickly because of the many unknowns for a team that lost 11 starters, among them the Bulldogs’ three-year starting quarterback, three starting offensive linemen and the starting linebacker corps.

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NSU-BCU Football Game Moved to Thursday, Oct. 20 for ESPNU

Norfolk, VA - Norfolk State's home football game against Bethune-Cookman has been moved up two days to Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. to accommodate a live ESPNU broadcast. The game was originally slated for Saturday, Oct. 22.

The teams have split their last four meetings in the series, with B-CU winning 21-7 last season en route to a share of the MEAC regular-season football title. The Spartans have won the last two meetings at Dick Price Stadium.

This will be NSU's first home Thursday night game since an Oct. 6, 2005 matchup against South Carolina State.

“We are very excited about having the opportunity to play on national television this year,” NSU Athletics Director Marty L. Miller said. “This televised game will showcase the outstanding student-athletes who are major contributors to the success of the athletic programs as well as the great facilities that we have at Norfolk State University.”



By Matt Michalec, Sports Information Director
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Ex-Bethune-Cookman's Weems signs 1-year deal with Falcons

Atlanta, GA - Former Seabreeze and Bethune-Cookman standout Eric Weems signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday. Weems was a restricted free agent. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

With the changes to kickoffs this year, it was thought his value to the Falcons would diminish. He also returns punts, plays on coverage teams and fills in at times at wide receiver. He made his first Pro Bowl last season after returning 40 kickoffs for 1,100 yards and one touchdown and 18 punts for 230 yards and one touchdown. He added six receptions for 61 yards.

Weems was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month in December after a franchise-record 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and 55-yard punt return for a touchdown.



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Detroit land ex-Jaguars linebacker Justin Durant (Hampton U.)

Justin Durant, Detroit Lions 

Detroit, MI - Their front four is one of the best in the game. Now the Detroit Lions are on their way to upgrading their back seven.

The Lions made their first significant move of the free-agent signing period late Wednesday, agreeing to terms on a two-year contract with linebacker Justin Durant (Hampton University), according to a team source.

Reached by phone shortly before 11 p.m., Durant's agent, Adisa Bakari said, "Not yet. Deal's not done." But Bakari and the Lions were heavy in contract talks late into the night. Durant, who played four seasons for the Jacksonville Jaguars, appeared to confirm the signing, first reported by the Chicago Tribune, on Twitter.

Now everybody from the 313, put ya (...) hands up and follow me!!!" he wrote.

Durant, who turns 26 in September, has never played a full 16 games in a season and missed six games last year with a groin injury.

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