Stanley Jennings leads Albany State to brink of SIAC title

QB Stanley Jennings

Atlanta, Georgia -- Stanley Jennings says it’s not in his nature to be a vocal leader, but there came a point during Albany State’s season when he realized he had no choice. His position, quarterback, demands it. His team needed him to speak up if it hoped to repeat as Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions. His coaches prodded him to do it.

“That was one thing I lacked, being a great vocal leader,” said Jennings, a former Marietta High School standout. “I got a little help from Coach [Uyl] Joyner [the offensive coordinator]. He was telling me that everybody is going to look at me because I am the quarterback.”

Eventually Jennings started speaking up, the Golden Rams picked up their play and now they are in position to win another SIAC title. East division champion Albany State (8-2, 6-1 SIAC) faces Miles (6-4, 5-2) in the inaugural SIAC championship game Saturday at Clark Atlanta.

The Golden Rams are seeking their sixth SIAC title in 12 seasons under coach Mike White. A victory Saturday also likely would assure Albany State of its eighth consecutive berth in the Division II playoffs when bids are announced Sunday.

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Georgia Tech men, women sweep FAMU Rattlers and ASU Hornets

Atlanta, Georgia - Georgia Tech opened the season without its most accomplished scorer and in unfamiliar surroundings. The Yellow Jackets had little trouble adjusting to both circumstances and rolled to a 92-59 victory against Florida A&M Friday. Their guards picked up the scoring slack left by suspended swingman Glen Rice Jr. to lead an energetic effort in front of a crowd announced at 2,590 at Gwinnett Arena.

Coach Brian Gregory won his debut for Tech, which finished 13-18 last season.

“Excited to get that first win,” Gregory said. “It's great and something you will always remember. I told the guys how much I appreciated their effort, not only over the last 40 minutes but the last six months. We are asking a lot of these guys and they are doing a good job of responding to it”




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WSSU seniors now reaping the rewards

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Michelle Fitzgerald-Foster remembers talking to her son, wide receiver Dominique Fitzgerald, about whether he should transfer after a coaching change at Winston-Salem State in the spring of 2009.

She has a vivid memory of her son's response to the prospect of leaving. "He said he was a Ram for life," she said. That decision by Fitzgerald, and similar decisions by several others who are now seniors, are among the main reasons the Rams are in position to win the school's first CIAA title since 2000.

Fitzgerald, named Wednesday as the CIAA special-teams player of the year, was among those who endured a 1-10 season in 2009. After Kermit Blount was fired and Connell Maynor was hired as coach, 25 players chose to transfer. Fitzgerald, cornerback Alton Keaton and defensive end Akeem Ward were among those who stayed.

"Keaton and I talked about that right after the game the other day," said Fitzgerald, referring to the win at UNC Pembroke. "It's crazy how we've gone from 1-10 to 10-0 in two seasons.

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2011-12 NSU men's basketball schedule has homey feel

Norfolk, Virginia -- For the past six seasons, the Norfolk State Spartans were set up to struggle. Each year, they would pack their bags and hit the road in November and December. There were athletic department bills to pay and schools across the country were offering the Spartans guaranteed money to play at their place. Over that six-year period, they played just eight total home games in November and December, never more than two in a season.

Last year, they had two home games in their first 12 and didn't play their third home game until Jan. 8. This season, the Spartans have six home games before the New Year arrives.

"Obviously, there were financial obligations that we had, and we needed to meet them," Spartans coach Anthony Evans said. "But we also knew it wasn't helping us to be on the road that much. So we worked at seeing what we could do to be at home more this season."

The Spartans ended up with balance. They will play 14 home games, 14 road games, and three neutral-site games when they take part in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.

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Marquette Hosts Mississippi Valley State in Season Lidlifter

Game Notes | Watch Live Video (MUTube)

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin - The Marquette University women's basketball team will open the 2011-12 season against Mississippi Valley State at the Al McGuire Center on Saturday, Nov. 12. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Marquette will stream the game live, free of charge, on GoMarquette.com's multimedia platform, MUTube with Kent Sommerfeld (play-by-play) and Kyle Dlabay (analyst) calling all of the action.

Prior to the game there will be a Marquette rummage sale held on the concourse of the arena. Items being sold include old promotional items and extra t-shirts from the past few years. All items will be priced to sell.

Following the game, the Golden Eagles will have a quick turnaround as they are back in action against Wisconsin, Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Al McGuire Center.

The Golden Eagles claimed a 64-38 win in their exhibition tune-up against Carthage on Nov. 5. The Golden Eagles saw freshmen Apiew Ojulu and Arlesia Morse crack the starting five and contributed 10 and nine points, respectively. Sarina Simmons, the Golden Eagles’ returning leading scorer from 2010-11, contributed a game-high 12 points, seven rebounds, five blocks, five steals and four assists.

The Devilette’s were picked to finish fourth in the SWAC according to the league’s preseason coaches’ poll. Mississippi Valley State returns three of its leading scorers from last season’s squad in Alia Frank, Ka’Neshia Smith and De’Kisha Fondon who averaged 11.5, 10.7 and 9.7 points, respectively. Frank was named to the SWAC’s Preseason Second Team along with Smith who was also named the league’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The Devilette’s finished the 2010-11 season 14-17 overall and 11-7 in conference play.

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Pius X High School baseball players sign college letters of intent with MEAC Teams

Lehigh Valley, PA -- A pair of Pius X High School baseball standouts will be heading south next season. First baseman Jay Maletz and middle infielder Connor Breslin, both seniors, signed letters of intent on Thursday to continue their college careers at the Division I level.

Maletz is heading to Coppin State University in Baltimore and Breslin will play at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md.

"I'm on the "Be Recruited" website and the coach from Coppin State (Sherman Reed) bookmarked me," Maletz said. "My father said 'why not contact him?' I started a dialogue and it led to a conference call. I went down to visit. We had a meeting, went out to lunch and by the end of the day they offered me a scholarship. It was pretty exciting."

Dylan Dando, Maletz's coach at the Lehigh Valley Baseball Academy, put in a good word for him.

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2011 Road To The SIAC Championship Episode 9

The Clark Atlanta Panthers duel the Stillman Tigers in their last game of the season.