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TALLADEGA, AL — After learning of the cuts in athletic programs in junior colleges, Lindsey Javinswasn’t sure what the future held for her. But on Tuesday, she secured plans for the next three seasons by signing a scholarship to play with the Talladega College Lady Tornadoes softball team.
“I’m excited to have a new team and a new coach,” Javins said. “I’m excited to see what we can accomplish.” TC head coach Mallory York is excited about the addition of Javins to the softball squad.
“She is another great pick,” York said. “She comes from a great coach that I have actually competed with. We played at Jeff State so in know the coach very well. She called and told me about Lindsey. I was very opened minded; I knew she was going to be a great athlete also because where she was coming from. She also has a very good attitude, I am looking forward to coaching her.”
The bill aimed to solve problems, but it also created problems for SUNO Athletic Director Elston King. He waited for months, not knowing if he would have an athletic program to oversee in the future. The bill forced him to put recruiting on hold.
"We're very relieved, because our athletes didn't know for sure if there was going to be a SUNO," King said. "That's what stopped us from recruiting some great kids. But now that this is over with for at least this year, I really do believe we're going to put that on a platform for next year."
Now free to address the future of his program, King hopes to add golf and tennis within...
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - Most people recognize Bethune-Cookman University as a school with a great marching band, "The Marching Wildcats," but this past year, the band might have played second fiddle to the upstart football program.
Under the direction of second-year head coach Brian Jenkins, the Wildcats completed a 10-2 season in 2010, which saw them claim a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship, advance to their first NCAA FCS playoff appearance since 2003 and take the National Black College Football title.
With the recent success of last season, Jenkins must rely on stellar student athletes including senior linebacker Ryan Lewis. Lewis was named preseason MEAC Defensive "Player of the Year." Lewis has been named to the All-MEAC First Team as well and is joined by offensive linemen Natiel Curry and Alex Monroe, defensive end Ryan Davis, linebacker Reggie Sandilands, and safety Michael Williams.
Named to preseason All-MEAC Second Team are running back Isidore Jackson, wide receiver Eddie Poole, and offensive lineman Marquell Rozier. No defensive players were named.
Houston, TX - Doug Williams returned to his alma mater, Grambling State, for a second stint as head football coach earlier this year to find the Southwestern Athletic Conference seemingly encountering one problem after another.
"If we keep doing business the way we've done it, we are going to put ourselves right out of business," Williams said last month at SWAC media day in Birmingham, Ala.
Since January, the SWAC has faced a wide range of indiscretions that include a current NCAA investigation into the Texas Southern football and men's basketball programs and postseason bans for three schools because of poor academic performances. In two other embarrassing instances, a former football coach sued — and won — a lawsuit for wrongful termination and an athletic director at another SWAC school (Southern) was arrested for allegedly soliciting a prostitute.
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -- Hawks women's basketball head coach Fred Batchelor has announced the addition of four student-athletes for the 2011-2012 season.
All four players will enter the University of Maryland Eastern Shore as freshmen: Porsha Barr (Waldorf, Md.), Jessica Long (Fort Washington, Md.), Shawnee Sweeney (Colonial Heights, Md.) and Alexis Udoji (Randolph, Mass.).
"We are extremely excited about this recruiting class," says Batchelor. "With these strong freshmen, this class represents a group that will come in and help us immediately."
Porsha arrives on campus after being the top scorer from Westlake High School. She averaged a double-double a game in her senior season with the Wolverines, getting 17 points and 10 rebounds per contest, leading Westlake to a combined 38-9 record in her final two seasons. Barr scored a season high 29 points twice in her senior year. She has competed with the AAU squad Lady Pearls, based out of Washington D.C. and was named an All-Star at the INDY 100 last summer.
"Porsha is a high energy player who will compete and challenge her teammates every day. She is capable of creating opportunities to help the team by making plays out of pure effort and out working her opponents. She is a strong rebounder who is most effective in transition. She will assist in our consistency of building a foundation of hard work. She is what every coach would love to have; a self motivated, determined young lady on and off the floor."
Jessica Long - Freshman - 5'7" - Guard - Fort Washington, Md. (Oxon Hill HS)
Jessica will suit up for the Lady Hawks as the 79th-ranked point guard in the Class of 2011 as ranked by ESPN. Long scored over 1,000 points in her high school career and was the leading scorer in Prince George's County in 2011 with Oxon Hill High School, averaging over 23 points per game for the Clippers. She spent her first three years at Paul VI Catholic in Fairfax, Virginia, being named the Best Defensive Player in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference twice plus named all-conference 3rd-Team in 2010. Long helped the Panthers to two straight Virginia Independent State Championships in 2009 and 2010. She has competed with AAU squads Team Unique, Team MD Sure Shots and the U-16 Fairfax Stars.
"I see Jessica as a throw back, old school point guard. She has the ability to run a team like a true floor general, which will make the players around her better. I love the way she defends the ball. Her ability to pressure and contain the opponents' point of attack will allow us to be a more effective team on both ends of the floor. I also believe she will be a great teammate. She will have an opportunity to learn and grow into the challenge of being a Division-I point guard."
Shawnee comes to UMES as one of the strongest scoring shooting guards from the state of Virginia. She led Thomas Dale High School to their first two state tournament appearances in its history, finished ranked #6 in the state in 2010 and #8 in 2011 plus led the Knights to three straight Central District regular season and tournament championships from 2009 to 2011, amassing a combined 71-12 record. Sweeney averaged 15.3 points a game in high school, being named 1st-Team All-District and All-Metro 2nd-Team her senior year. She has also played for the AAU teams James River Blaze and Virginia Storm. Sweeney was named to her high school's Distinguished Honor Roll all four years.
"Shawnee is an extremely sharp young lady that has the ability and mentality to be an assassin from three point range. What I love about her the most is that she is just not a three point shooter. She is a tough, physical guard that is capable of attacking the basket to create for her teammates as well as get to the free throw line. Her passion and desire to produce excellence in every facet of her life is what's most impressive."
Alexis comes to Princess Anne as one of the top players in New England at the five position. As Cardinal Spellman High School's starting center, Udoji led the Cardinals to the Central Catholic League Championship in 2011, being named the league's Most Valuable Player that season after being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. She averaged a triple-double a game in her final three seasons, including 31 points, 16 blocks and 13 rebounds in the CCL title game, helping her be named The Enterprise Player of the Year in basketball. She set her school's record in blocked shots in a game with 20 in 2009.
"I believe this young lady will make a considerable contribution to our program as well as our league over her playing career. Her ability to effect the game on the defensive end will allow us to extend our pressure along with being able to take more risk because of her ability to block shots and make up for her teammates mistakes. Her development is critical to the overall effect she will have as a Lady Hawk. Alexis has a great spirit and a servant attitude which I believe will make her a pleasure to coach."
Udoji is #5 is this clip...
With an 8-8 record in the MEAC, the Lady Hawks earned a .500 or better conference finish for the fourth season in a row last year.
By University of Maryland Eastern Shore Sports Information
Bowie, MD - Trevon Bennett is still waiting for his chance, and he may have to wait one more year. A Riverdale Baptist graduate, Bennett is a rising sophomore quarterback at Bowie State University as the Division II Bulldogs get ready to begin practice later this month. Bennett was a true freshman last season and played behind starting quarterback Clifton Budd, who returns this season as a senior after throwing for 1,538 yards last year.
"I want to be the No. 1 backup," Bennett told Patch on Tuesday. "The hopes are real high going into the season." "We had a better turnout this year than last year," he said. "Everyone is on the same page this year. And after attending eight weeks of summer workouts at Bowie State, "everything is going pretty well."
The Bulldogs open the season Sept. 3 at Assumption in Worcester, MA. The first home game for Bowie State is 1 p.m., Sept. 10 against Benedict College.
Grambling, LA - Finally, football is here again. Grambling State's players report for training camp Wednesday, then have two workouts Thursday: a 6 a.m. conditioning test, then the first official practice at 7 p.m. After a long summer of keeping tabs on his players from a distance, head coach Doug Williams is eager to get back on the field.
"I really am," Williams said. "You go through the spring, and you go through some things from an evaluation standpoint, and then you spend the next few months with the kids away from you. You're just with the coaches, trying to figure out who is going to go where. You're trying to put the puzzle together."
Wednesday is mostly an administrative day. Players will be checking in, getting their equipment, getting room assignments, going through admission, registration and financial aid paperwork, sitting through meetings with trainers and campus security, and spending a little time hobnobbing with each other.
TALLADEGA, AL — After learning of the cuts in athletic programs in junior colleges, Lindsey Javins wasn’t sure what the future held for her. But on Tuesday, she secured plans for the next three seasons by signing a scholarship to play with the Talladega College Lady Tornadoes softball team.
