The "unofficial" meeting place for intelligent discussions of Divisions I and II Sports of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
America's #1 blog source for minority sports articles and videos. The MEAC, SWAC, CIAA, SIAC and HBCUAC colleges are building America's leaders, scholars and athletes.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jackson, MS - A white visor pulled low shielding most of his face, Eddie Payton scans the packed locker room at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. His eyes fall on the greatest football players in Jackson State history.
There's Rodney Phillips, a two-time All-Southwestern Athletic Conference tight end, and Willie Richardson, a four-time All-SWAC receiver.
There's Jesse Griffin, who led JSU's 1977 defense that ranked No. 1 in the nation, and Mario Kirksey, the 1982 SWAC defensive player of the year. And there's Perry Harrington and Jeffrey Moore, the first pair of players on the same team to rush for 1,000 yards each in Division I-AA.
Lorman, MS - Alcorn State University seeks to add Marino “The Godfather” Casem’s name to Jack Spinks Stadium. After conversations with alumni groups, university staff, and athletic stakeholders, Alcorn’s President M. Christopher Brown II hopes to bring good news on this agenda item request after next week’s Mississippi Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) meeting.
“Coach Casem is the Braves all-time leader in career wins,” explains President Brown. “He complied a 139–70–8 (86–48–7 in the SWAC) record, capturing seven (7) SWAC championships. His legendary legacy of leadership still demonstrates the highest level of professionalism and personal integrity. His achievements and courage serve as an inspiration for all student athletes in their pursuit of excellence on-and-off the field. This recognition is long overdue and the Alcorn family is honored to acknowledge the achievements of Coach Casem. It is important to note that Spinks and Casem were close friends and even coached together.”
If IHL approves the name change, new temporary signage will greet fans at the Braves first home game. The total renovation needs for the stadium are currently being assessed, in particular campus compliance with ADA, the ingress and egress of traffic during sporting events, and the audiovisual notification system given the University proximity to the Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Plant.
“One of the hardest parts of my job is walking into Alcorn’s stadium and not seeing Coach Marino Casem’s name anywhere,” says Braves Head Football Coach Melvin Spears ’83. “He was not only my coach, but whatever I or any of his players needed him to be. Coach insured we succeeded on the football field, in the classroom, and in life.” Numerous Alcorn alumni and friends agree with Coach Spears.
Coach Willie “Rat” McGowan ’61 added, “Coach Casem put Alcorn State University athletics on the map. This is a tremendous idea and no one deserves to have their name on a building at Alcorn more than Coach Casem. I am proud of our president and Alcorn State University for making this honor a priority.”
Alcorn State University alum and ASU Foundation Board member Nathaniel Hughes ’79 agreed. “This is the house that Coach Casem built and it is time to recognize his achievements.”
As Alcorn moves forward with repositioning the University and its programs, President Brown has reached out and engaged stakeholders. “This is one of the first steps in Alcorn’s new athletic development plan,” says Vice President for Institutional Affairs Marcus Ward. “Renewing relationships with alumni and professional athletes is a priority for our new director of athletic fundraising, Larry Smith. Alcorn will renew relationships and continue to raise funds to support student athletes.”
About Coach Marino Casem
Marino H. Casem is fondly known as “The Godfather of the SWAC” and the man who made the Alcorn Braves football program a household name during his over 20-year reign as head football coach and athletic director between 1964 and 1986. Coach Casem brought national acclaim to Alcorn when he assembled a winning team of coaches and staff members who made the University one of the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s most revered powerhouses. As head football coach from 1964 to 1985, he captured seven SWAC Championships, seven national black college championships, and was named both the National Black College and SWAC Coach-of-the-Year a total of seven times. The University produced an Olympic Gold Medalist, a world record holder in the 100-yard dash, first round draft picks in basketball and football, and built a world-class athletics complex and arena under Coach Casem’s reign.
In 1984, Coach Casem led Alcorn to a perfect 9–0 regular season. The team was ranked No. 1 in the final NCAA Division I-AA poll, the first time a black college had ever finished the regular football season in that position. He ranks 5th overall in victories amongst Division II-A football coaches. Throughout his career in athletics, Coach Casem served on many national committees including: NCAA Special Events, NCAA I-AA Football, NCAA Football Television, NCAA Football Rules and the NCAA Executive Committee. Other committees include the U.S. Olympic Committee Minority Task Force and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Visiting Committee.
Coach Casem has received numerous awards and citations throughout his professional career. A few of his notables include: Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame (1992), Alcorn State University Hall of Honor (1993), Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame (1994), All-America Football Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award (1994), Football Writers Association of America Citation of Honor (1994), Alcorn State University Sports Hall of Fame (1996), The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame’s Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award (1998), The Louisiana Association of Athletic Directors’ The Carl Maddox Award (1999), College Football Hall of Fame (2003), and the 28th NACDA/NIT Athletics Directors Award (2009).
About Jack Spinks Stadium
Jack Spinks Stadium is home to the Alcorn Braves football team, winners of nine SWAC championships with seven wins under the leadership of Coach Casem. The multi-purpose stadium seats 22,500 and opened its doors in September of 1992. The stadium is also the site of annual rivalry games between the Braves and its Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) foes including Southern University, Mississippi Valley State.
University, Grambling State University and Texas Southern University. The field inside the stadium is named after Dwight Fisher, the all-time second winningest football coach in Alcorn’s history who coached from 1948-1956.
The stadium was named in honor of Johnnie Robert “Jack the Ripper” Spinks (August 15, 1930- September 29, 1994), a Toomsuba, Mississippi, native who played fullback for Alcorn from 1948-1952. In 1952, Spinks graduated from Alcorn and became the first African-American Mississippian to be drafted and play professional football in the National Football League (NFL). Spinks was selected number 126 in the 11th round by the Pittsburg Steelers and went on to play fullback for five seasons with the Chicago Cardinals, the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants. In 1958, Spinks retired from the NFL and returned to Alcorn to serve nearly thirty years as an Offensive Line Coach and Assistant Head Football Coach under legendary coaches Frank Purnell, E.E. Simmons and Marino Casem until his retirement from the state of Mississippi in 1984.
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.
