Steven Robinson back at it for Florida A&M

Steven Robinson

Tallahassee, FL - For a while after Steven Robinson put down the crutches that he'd walked on for three months, things seemed surreal. His entire football career flashed before his eyes and he didn't like what he saw at first.

"I felt like I wouldn't be able to play football again," said Robinson.

But with every attempt he made to walk without the crutches, each step brought hope that he'd be back on the field with the Florida A&M football team. "It was stiff, but after a couple of months of walking on it getting those muscles back to working it started to feel like normal," he said.

Robinson, a 2008 Lincoln High School graduate who started his college career at Central Florida, began to feel an even greater sense of normalcy this week. He is back on the football field after months of rehab and a summer of grueling workouts that signaled his comeback would be on track.

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SSU football team conducts first scrimmage

Savannah, GA - Savannah State University’s football team held its first scrimmage of preseason camp Saturday morning at T.A. Wright Stadium. As is the case with most teams at this point, the defense was ahead of the offense.

“I saw what I thought I would see,” first-year SSU head coach Steve Davenport said.

The two-hour scrimmage was open to the public, but the 50 or so fans who attended had to stand behind a fence because of stadium construction. SSU did not keep score or statistics. SSU will hold its second scrimmage at 5 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium. This scrimmage also will be open to the public. The Tigers’ scrimmage at 5 p.m. Aug. 25 at T.A. Wright Stadium will be closed to the public.

Senior Justin Babb, the Tigers’ starting tailback, was in uniform but did not play.




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Former Texas Southern University Coach Wins More than $700K in Federal Lawsuit Against School

Houston, TX - Surina Dixon, former women's basketball coach at Texas Southern University, won her federal lawsuit against the school and was awarded more than $700,000 in damages. Dixon's lawsuit concerned Title IX and Title VII claims of gender discrimination and retaliation.

Dixon was hired by TSU in March of 2008 and was fired three months later, having never coached a game at the school.

"The jury found in my client's favor today based on Surina Dixon's complaints of gender discrimination and retaliation for complaining about gender inequities and NCAA compliance issues," said Todd Slobin, Dixon's attorney, in an interview with FOX 26 Sports.

"The jury awarded approximately $730,000 and we'll seek interest and attorney's fees on that money."

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NSU starter puts pride aside for two-quarterback attack

(Photo Courtesy Mark W. Sutton)

Norfolk, VA - Norfolk State quarterback Chris Walley has won preseason honors but lost playing time. He completed every pass for the Spartans last year and was named preseason All-MEAC first team heading into 2011. He finished third in the conference in total yardage and helped NSU average 30 points during the final four games.

Now he has been demoted into a timeshare with Nico Flores, a potentially touchy situation Walley insists won't be an issue. "As long as we're winning," said Walley, who probably will get most of the playing time. "All those other things, passing yards and All-MEAC, I'll trade them all, as long as we're winning."

It marks the second straight year NSU will have quarterback questions entering the season. Instead of who, NSU's issues center on how. "The one thing we want is to be unpredictable," coach Pete Adrian said.

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Bowie State's 7-0 Basketball Star Hyman Emerges As NBA Prospect

Washington, D.C. - As a 6-foot-7 high school senior, Travis Hyman wasn’t courted by big-name college basketball programs. In fact, the Annapolis native and 2005 Old Mill High School graduate says he received no offers from Division I colleges but smaller college programs expressed an interest instead.

“It wasn’t that many,” Hyman said, who noted that Lebanon Valley College and Allegany College of Maryland were among the interested schools. However, after a brief stint at Anne Arundel Community College, Hyman landed at Division II Bowie State University in Prince George’s County.

“They gave me a full scholarship,” said Hyman, now a 7-foot, 245-pound center. “I took it.”



Hyman, a rising senior, helped lead Bowie State to a 23-6 record last season including a 16-2 conference mark. The Bulldogs finished the 2010-2011 campaign unbeaten at home with a 13-0 record. Hyman averaged 15.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and registered 104 blocked shots.

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Honors aside, B-CU's Curry focused on 2011 season

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Natiel Curry is the center of attention for Bethune-Cookman's offense. The senior center is on six preseason All-America teams, including The Sports Network and Lindy's first teams, as well as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason first team.

But it doesn't seem to matter to the 6-foot-2, 300-pound offensive lineman that he's getting all kinds of preseason honors.

"It doesn't really mean anything to me for this season, because it's stuff that people are recognizing me for from last season," Curry said after Friday's morning practice. "Last time I checked, this is a brand new season with some different opponents."

Curry helped B-CU go 10-2, win a share of the MEAC championship and advance to the FCS playoffs last season. That he can keep the preseason accolades from going to his head is just one reason why head coach Brian Jenkins is so happy to have the veteran lead the Wildcats' offensive line.

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UAPB Athletics Announces Staff Additions

Pine Bluff, AR - The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Department of Athletics has announced the additions of Nyeshia Aldridge and Christopher McCoy for the 2011-12 athletic season.

Aldridge has been named interim head volleyball coach while McCoy is set to take over the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Cross Country and Track and Field programs serving as head coach for both the men's and women's programs.

Last season Aldridge served as an assistant coach for the Lady Lions volleyball team. Arkansas-Pine Bluff finished the regular season in second place in the SWAC's Western division marking the programs highest finish in school history.

The Texas native played a significant role in the programs overall operations assisting with running practices in addition to providing instruction on the court. Under the direction of Aldridge UAPB's Britta Wilmers was named to the 2010 SWAC All-Conference team while also being named the conference Player of the Week (9/20-9/24).

Prior to being named head coach Cross Country and Track and Field coach at UAPB McCoy spent three years as an assistant coach with the Hampton University women's track & field program. His responsibilities included coaching the sprint athletes, while also implementing the team's strength and conditioning programs.

Before arriving at Hampton, McCoy spent three years (2006-09) as an assistant track & field coach at Bethune-Cookman University, while also serving as a volunteer strength and conditioning coach for the Wildcats. At Bethune-Cookman, he coached sprints, hurdles, jumps, throwing events and multi events, while also designing and implementing the teams' strength and conditioning programs.

He began his coaching career at St. Augustine's as a part-time assistant for three years, before he moved on to Murray State where he served as a graduate assistant and coached jumpers and hurdlers in 2002 and 2003. McCoy returned to St. Augustine's from 2003-04, where he served as assistant track & field coach and assistant strength and conditioning coach.

McCoy graduated from St. Augustine's College in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in Human Performance and Wellness. While at St. Augustine's, McCoy primarily ran the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash, and he earned All-CIAA honors six times. He was also named an NCAA Div. II All-American in the 400-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay.

A native of West Memphis, Ark., McCoy is a member of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, and he is a certified Level I and II coach; he earned the designation in sprints, hurdles and relays in 2005, and in jumps in 2007.

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