Three ex-FAMU students sentenced to 10 years probation in fatal hazing case

ORLANDO,Florida -- State Attorney Jeff Ashton wanted to send a harsh message Friday during the sentencing hearing of three ex-FAMU Marching Band members convicted in the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion.

But Circuit Judge Renee A. Roche, in determining their sentences, had other considerations:

First, she said, Champion willingly participated in the ritual that ended his life that November evening in 2011.

Second, the young men convicted of manslaughter and hazing in April will have to live with felony records for the rest of their lives.



Finally, Roche said, it was important to balance their sentences against the other nine former FAMU band members charged in the case.

Most were given probation.

At the end of the day Friday, so were Aaron Golson, Benjamin McNamee and Darryl Cearnel. All received 10 years probation.

"The court recognizes that perhaps Mr. Champion had thoughts or philosophical objections or reservations about this conduct, but there was no evidence of that presented in this case," Roche said prior to handing down the sentences.

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UMES grad Myers working hard for pro hoops career

MICHAEL MYERS
6"-9"/245 lbs. Forward
HOMETOWN: CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY
Photo Courtesy: UMES ATHLETICS

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- When the NBA draft is over on Thursday night, University of Maryland Eastern Shore graduate Michael Myers doesn't expect to have received a phone call making him one of just 60 picks over two rounds.

But that doesn't mean he's given up on making it to the NBA.

"I'm more worried about what comes after the draft," he said. "I'm probably not going to be a draft pick because of all the high major guys. But I'm still going to be working hard. I'm just going to try and get more workouts and try and make someone's summer team."

Ever since he left Princess Anne after graduation, he's been working toward his goal of being a professional basketball player.

A morning workout with his trainer in the morning at a college campus is how he starts his day. He runs through various drills to work on different aspects of his game including his handle and shooting.

In the afternoon, he'll go and put up shots on his own and then head out to the gym or the pool for a workout.

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Jackson State: Caught in the Middle

JACKSON, Mississippi -- With names like Walter Payton and Jackie Slater, Jackson State boasts a long, storied history. From 1977 to 1990, the Tigers won at least 8 games 13 times in 14 seasons. Jackson State plays in a 60,000 seat stadium, and has finished in the Top 10 in FCS attendance in all but five years from 1978 to 2009. In 1997, they had over 38,000 in average attendance; by 2013, that number had dropped to a little over 17,000 per game, but that's still higher than plenty of Division 1 FBS schools.

For some reason, the Tigers never had much postseason success; they are 0-12 all time in the FCS playoffs, with a 28-7 loss to MTSU in 1990 and a 48-7 loss to Montana in 1989 their most recent chances.

Then again, the FCS playoffs never were appealing to the SWAC; largely due to the cost of traveling to places like Montana and Delaware, it wasn't worth it for SWAC teams to participate. In 1999, the SWAC split into two divisions and started a championship game. JSU has made the championship game five times, winning once.

This season, the MEAC has also dropped out of the FCS playoffs. There will be a SWAC-MEAC championship game starting this fall. Is that enough to keep Jackson State happy?

In 2011, former Athletic Director Bob Braddy said "Our limits have been reached" in the SWAC.

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Stillman Releases 2015 Football Schedule

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Stillman College announces the 2015 football schedule and kickoff times for the nine-game 2015 schedule, featuring four home contests.

The Tigers will open the season on the road at West Alabama in the second year of the Tiger Bowl on Sept. 5. Stillman will host Concordia-Selma the following week in the home opener.

Homecoming is set for Oct. 3 versus Lane College. After back-to-back road games at Clark Atlanta and Tuskegee, Stillman will host two home games. Central State will visit on Oct. 24 before Miles College visits for a Thurs. night kickoff on Oct. 29 at 6:00 p.m. The regular season will conclude at Kentucky State on Nov. 7 with the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship set for the following week.

"We are eager to return to the winning ways that Stillman is accustomed to," said head coach Teddy Keaton. Keaton is 24-20 over four seasons coaching his alma mater. The 2014 Tigers went 5-6 and suffered the first losing season since the 2010 team went 3-8. "Stillman fans have been a great supporter over the years and we look forward to playing in front of a great fan base."

Stillman is 35-35 versus 2015 opponents since the 2004 season, when the Tigers became an NCAA Division-II program. Stillman holds winning records versus Concordia-Selma, Lane, Clark Atlanta, Central State, and Kentucky State. All times listed are Central Time Zone.

STILLMAN COLLEGE TIGERS 2015 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

9/5/2015 | 6:00 PM | @ University of West Alabama (UWA leads series 2-0)
9/12/2015 | 3:00 PM | Concordia College-Selma (Stillman leads series 5-2)
9/19/2015 | 6:00 PM | @ Albany State University (ASU leads series 5-0)
10/3/2015 | 1:00 PM | Lane College - Homecoming (Stillman leads series 7-4)
10/10/2015 | 1:00 PM | @ Clark Atlanta University (Stillman leads series 6-2)
10/17/2015 | 1:00 PM | @ Tuskegee University (Tuskegee leads series 9-1)
10/24/2015 | 3:00 PM | Central State University (Stillman leads series 4-1)
10/29/2015 | 6:00 PM | Miles College (Miles leads series 8-3)
11/7/2015 | 12:00 PM | @ Kentucky State University (Stillman leads series 9-2)

COURTESY STILLMAN COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION 

Xavier University Cuts the Ribbon on its New Fitness Center

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA NEW FITNESS CENTER

PHOTO GALLERY

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana unveiled another athletics facility Wednesday when it introduced its Fitness Center.

At 12:13 p.m., retiring president Dr. Norman C. Francis cut the ribbon at the front entrance of the newly built $3.6 million facility, which is located at the corner of Drexel Drive and South Clark Street — between the Living Learning Center and St. Martin de Porres Hall, Xavier's two largest student residences. The Fitness Center is on the site of the former B. Samuels building, which Xavier purchased and demolished.

PHOTO GALLERY

The facility will be open to XU students, faculty and staff. Through July 3, the Fitness Center will be open Monday-Thursday from 4-11 p.m., Friday from 4-10 p.m. and closed during the weekend. Hours of operation will be expanded beginning July 6. Beginning in the fall 2015 semester, XU faculty and staff will pay to use the Fitness Center.

The first floor of the two-story facility offers an NCAA/NAIA regulation-sized basketball court, an office, a lounging area and an area with free weights and weight machines. The second floor consists of a three-lane walking/running track, a cardio room, spin studio and other multifunctional studios. State-of-the-art exercise machines will be available throughout the facility.

The basketball court will be mostly used for intramural events such as basketball and volleyball, large exercise classes, fitness activities, yoga, dance and Zumba classes. The court can be divided with a retractable curtain to offer multiple activities simultaneously.

"The opening of this much-requested new facility on campus has generated a great deal of interest from faculty, staff and especially students," said Francis, who will retire June 30 after 47 years as president. "It will provide the Xavier community with a safe, convenient and comfortable state-of-the-art facility in which to pursue their individual health and wellness goals."

This is the fourth XU athletics facility to open in three years. During the fall of 2012, Xavier opened the Convocation Center — a multipurpose facility which seats nearly 4,000 as the home of XU basketball and volleyball — the Convocation Center Annex and the XU Tennis Center.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Top Scholar, National Achievement Finalist Heads to FAMU

BRYAN ANDERSON
TOP SCHOLAR

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- On June 29, National Achievement Award Finalist, Bryan Anderson, will begin the pursuit of a degree in computer engineering at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU).

Not only did Anderson, a graduate of Deerfield Beach High School in Deerfield Beach, Fla., earn a full academic scholarship to FAMU, but he was also one of the top high school seniors in the nation, earning a 5.07 weighted GPA, a 2090 SAT score, and a composite score of a 33 on the ACT. He was also named a National Achievement Finalist.

It was Anderson’s eye for technical excellence that drew him to FAMU. He said he learned about FAMU when his high school band had the opportunity to be a part of the 2014 Florida Blue Florida Classic and experienced the world-class innovation of the Marching “100.”

“It was a great experience to be a part of the Florida Classic and witness two remarkable bands,” said Anderson.

He decided to take a tour of FAMU’s campus, during which he learned about qualifying for the FAMU Life-Gets-Better Scholarship. It provides high-performing students who focus on engineering with full-cost coverage for books, room and board, and tuition and provides a laptop.

Anderson expressed how he fell in love with the campus environment and instantly knew that FAMU was the right place for him.

“I plan to use my education in computer engineering to segue into biomedical engineering,” Anderson said. “One of my goals is also to obtain a master’s degree in business administration. I like to explore my options. I am thrilled to be in an environment that supports growth and creativity.”

Anderson gave a lot of credit to his parents for all of his academic success and expressed how he was blessed to have a strong support system that was always there to help him along the way. He said that their support is what gives him the confidence to pursue his dreams and undertake multiple discipline interests, no matter how challenging it may get.

“My parents kept me grounded and balanced,” Anderson said. “They will help me navigate through obstacles and turns in the road.”

ABOUT MY ALMA MATER

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is one of the largest single-campus historically Black colleges or universities in the nation. The University blends a strong research focus on economic empowerment and community service.

The University was founded in 1887 as the State Normal School for Colored Students, Today, FAMU continues its mission to be a best-in-class, land-grant University with a global reach that focuses on science, technology, research, engineering, agriculture, and mathematics (STREAM).

FAMU contributes to a strong workforce by providing a high-quality, affordable education to students from diverse backgrounds. The U.S. News & World Report lists FAMU as the nation’s top public historically Black college or university (HBCU) for 2015. FAMU was recognized in 2014 by the U.S. News & World Report as among the “Best National Universities.” It is listed among The Princeton Review’s “Best in the Southeast” colleges, as well.

FAMU is also one of the top universities for providing a high-quality education at an affordable price in Florida, according to The College Database (2013).

For more information about FAMU, visit: www.famu.edu.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

JSU's O'Neal comes up short at U. S. Open

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington -- Former Jackson State and SWAC standout golfer Timothy O'Neal came up just short of playing the weekend in his first professional major golf tournament. O'Neal shot a 4-over par 74 in the first round Thursday and a 3-over par 73 in the second round Friday at the par 70 Chambers Bay Golf Club in University Place, Washington where the U. S. Open was staged last week. Jordan Spieth won the title at 5-under par. The 7-over par 147 total was just two strokes off the +5 cut in the year's second major. He beat Tigers Woods' score by nine strokes.

In his two days, O'Neal had three double-bogeys, eight bogeys and nine birdies over the links-like layout at Chambers Bay. He was perhaps done in by a quadruple bogey 8 on the par-4 11th hole Friday that soared his score to +7 after he had gotten inside the cut at +3. He finished the back nine Friday at even par with two bogeys, two birdies and three pars to finish at +7. He birdied his 18th and final hole.

The circuitous route O'Neal, 42, has taken to play in his first major is quite a story and was chronicled last week in Golfweek Magazine and by ESPN.com.


In the final round of the Abierto de Chile at Club de Golf Los Leones, Timothy O'Neal captures his second NEC Series - PGA TOUR Latinoamérica victory in the 2014 season with a playoff win over Sebastian Saavedra and Ryan Blaum.


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