Connell Maynor leads WSSU into the NCAA Division II playoffs

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Coach Connell Maynor is leading Winston-Salem State into the Division Two playoffs.

His Rams faced some big adversity in Saturday’s CIAA Championship game against Elizabeth City State, losing his quarterback and a couple of offensive linemen to injuries.

 Ram nation was getting nervous. But Winston-Salem State rallied to win the conference title. Then the next day, they gathered to watch the Division two selection show.

The rams got a first round bye and home field advantage all the way up until the national championship game. Last year they got so close to winning it all.

“I want it bad man,” said Senior Center Markus Lawrence. “More than anything.”

READ MORE

TSU Tigers Advance to Semifinals at OVC Championships

Morehead, Kentucky - Tennessee State advanced to the second round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament with a win over fourth seeded Austin Peay. The Tigers earned a 3-1 (25-15, 18-25, 27-25, 25-17) victory over the Governors in Wetherby Gym on Thursday afternoon. The win is the first for the Tigers in the OVC Championships since winning the tournament in 2007.

 

Naomi Wells led the Tigers with a double-double as she recorded a game-high 16 kills (.324) and picked up 13 digs. Rachel Ambroch added offensive support with 13 kills (.250).

 

Setter Erika Moss added five kills to go along with her 41 assists. Libero Britani Hathorn registered four assists and a game-high 15 digs.

 

The two teams traded points to start the match and were tied at 7-7 when the Tigers used consecutive kills by Moss, Lindsay Hornsby and Wells to take a 10-7 lead. Austin Peay would respond with two quick points before TSU exploded with six straight points behind the serving of Wells.

 

Hornsby added two kills during the stretch before Wells picked up her only ace of the night. Emilie Aase closed out the run by taking advantage of an over pass by the Governors and delivering a booming kill for a 16-9 lead.

 

To close out the set, Ambroch made a great save on an APSU tip allowing Hathorn the opportunity to get the ball up enough for Ambroch to put the ball down for the 25-15. TSU hit .424 during the first set with 16 kills and 2 errors on 33 attempts. Austin Peay was held to a .152 percentage (11-6-33).

The rolls reversed in the second set as APSU hit .481 (15-2-27), while the Tigers hit .212 (13-6-33). The two teams would stay close early with Aase picking up a kill to bring the Tigers to within one at 8-7. But the Governors went on an 8-2 run to give them a comfortable 16-9 lead. TSU would never get any closer than a four point deficit as they dropped the second set 25-18.

 

Both teams came out of the break fired up, but neither team could get away from the other. Late in the set, the Governors used a Lauren Henderson kill to take a 21-19 lead. But the Tigers fought back with three straight points as Hornsby recorded a kill and teamed with Aase for a block.

 

APSU would come back to tie the set at 24-24 before Moss and Ambroch each recorded kills to give the Tigers a 27-25 win. TSU hit .222 (16-6-45) to Austin Peay's .191 (14-5-47).

 

The fourth set opened with the Tigers getting a little momentum as they used a Wells kill to take a 10-7 lead. APSU would come back to tie the game at 13-13 only to see the Tigers go on a 12-6 run to end the match. Ambroch and Butler led the charge as they teamed up for two blocks. Ambroch added two kills and an ace, while Butler recorded a kill along with Wells.

 

TSU will play their semifinal match at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday evening against host and top seeded Morehead State who defeated UT Martin 3-0.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Mr. 100: Ross puts stamp on title-game season by reaching plateau again

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  --  Monte Coleman wasn’t even asked what life in Arkansas-Pine Bluff football will be like without Bill Ross when he uttered: “I’m going to miss him.”

There are two games left, of course, for the Golden Lions. Two games Ross has remaining in his college career.

“Two games aren’t enough,” said Coleman, the Lions’ head coach. “I’d like to have two more years with him. We’re definitely going to miss him. He’s definitely one of the leaders, to say the least, not just in tackles or interceptions or any of that type of stuff.”

But he is a statistical leader.

Ross has 105 tackles to lead the SWAC, reaching the 100 plateau for the second straight year. He’s two away from his total last season.

That’s a nice stat for just one of the key players in Coleman’s standout 4-3 defense, which also boasts the Football Championship Subdivision’s leading sack man in defensive end Brandon Thurmond and another 100-plus tackler in linebacker Jer-ryan Harris (129 in 2010).



READ MORE

'Soul Bowl' has lot on line for Jackson State and Alcorn State

JACKSON, Mississippi — It doesn't get much bigger than this for Jackson State — or rival Alcorn State, for that matter.

Since July, Saturday's meeting between the in-state SWAC rivals has been one of the most anticipated in series history, simply because of the location.

That was when Alcorn announced it was moving the game to its stadium in Lorman, ending an 18-year run at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium (JSU's home turf) as the Capital City Classic. Braves fans rejoiced, while some Jackson State fans and city of Jackson employees fumed.

The Magnolia Heritage Classic: Return of the Soul Bowl — as it's billed by Alcorn — is set for a 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Spinks-Casem Stadium. Alcorn added 2,500 temporary seats to accommodate what school officials expect to be a record crowd at the 22,500-seat stadium.

Those added seats could come in handy. Not only does the game mark the return of the series to the Alcorn campus for the first time in nearly 20 years, but both teams have plenty to play for.

READ MORE

TSU deeply saddened by the loss of legendary football coach Joe Gilliam, Sr.

Nashville, Tennessee --- The Tennessee State University family is saddened by the passing of legendary coach, hall of famer and mentor Joe Gilliam, Sr.

"The passing of Coach Joe Gilliam has cast a sadness across the Tiger nation this evening," said TSU Director of Athletics Teresa Phillips. "A great teacher, a genius coach, a developer of men, he will be missed but never forgotten in the hearts and souls of all who bleed blue."

JOE GILLIAM SR.
(Photo Courtesy TSU Athletics)

From 1963-1981, Gilliam was the assistant head football coach and defensive coordinator for Tennessee State University. During this period, TSU had nine Black National Championships, and four undefeated teams. As an assistant coach under John A. Merritt, Gilliam helped create one of the best defenses in the country, including NFL Hall of Famer Richard Dent and former Dallas Cowboy Ed 'Too Tall' Jones.

In 1989, he took the helm as head coach for four seasons and was selected as Coach of the Year in the Ohio Valley Conference in 1990. Over 80 TSU student-athletes reached the NFL during Gilliam's tutelage.

Not only was Coach Gilliam a success on the field, approximately 74 percent of his student-athletes graduated from Tennessee State. The men have professions in the business, education and in the medical field to just name a few.

His illustrious career record of 254-93-15 included coaching five undefeated teams and five other teams that lost only one game. In the process, he coached 10 teams to national championships, and helped guide 144 players into professional football careers with the National Football League.

During the 25 years that Gilliam was at Tennessee State, the Tigers had a 164-31-6 record.

He is father of former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Joe Gilliam, and the grandfather of R&B singer Joi.

Gilliam was inducted into the TSU Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Tennessee Sports Hall Of Fame in 2007.

In August 2011, coach Gilliam served as Richard Dent's presenter at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony.

This past May, former Tennessee State University football athletes honored coach Gilliam in a Roast Gala. The fundraiser supported the Joe Gilliam Sr. Scholarship fund. 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Florida Classic ticket sales down without FAMU band

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Florida A&M University verses Bethune-Cookman University is one of the biggest state rivals. It brings thousands of people into Orlando for the Florida Classic football game.

"I've never gone before so I want to know what all the hype is about," said BCU student Joyel Williams.

Some might argue that that the biggest competition is during the halftime show.

"You have state bragging rights for the next 12 months depending on how well you do at the game," said Donovan Wells, the director of Bands for the B-CU wildcats.

However, this year is definitely different since FAMU's Marching 100 won't be there. A hazing scandal at the school began at the classic a year ago. FAMU's band is still suspended for the death of drum major Robert Champion.

The loss of one half of the halftime show has affected ticket sales. Projections show that there will be around 30,000 people in attendance. That's a little less than half of the number of people that attended last year's game. Fewer ticket sales mean fewer dollars that each school can take home for scholarshipships .



READ MORE

In the FCS Huddle: No right or wrong answers

Philadelphia, PA – Some potential FCS playoff teams could still be riding high come midnight Saturday.

It's during the wee hours of Sunday, when the NCAA football selection committee is expected to finalize their 20-team field for the FCS playoffs, that the carriage could turn into a pumpkin.

Unfortunately for too many teams with playoff-worthy resumes, the bubble is bigger than Donald Trump's ego.

"There seemed to be at least a consensus (among selection committee members) that this may be the most difficult year to pick the at-large teams," said Appalachian State athletic director Charlie Cobb, the chair of the committee.

In recent years, the committee has wrapped up discussions around midnight on the eve of Selection Sunday.

The members are ready for some overtime this year. The field will be announced at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPNU.

It's the final year before the FCS playoffs are increased to 24 teams, so there will be 10 automatic bids for conference champions and 10 at-large bids.


READ MORE