Lane takes huge step in improving athletics

JACKSON, Tennessee -- Lane College is receiving a major boost to their athletic facilities. The school unveiled their new weight room to the community on Thursday afternoon.

It was one of athletic director Derrick Burroughs immediate goals when returning to Lane in January.

"Our kids have endured so much and so with out. This gives our kids a great opportunity to get a great workout in," Burroughs said at the grand opening. "Compared to other schools, I think this may be the best field house in our conference."

Burroughs credits President Dr. Logan Hampton's for sharing the same vision as him.

He says Hampton's support says a lot about the school's commitment to athletics.



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Spring Hill College Notified of NCAA Division II Membership Decision

SHC Joined the SIAC in 2014

MOBILE, Alabama -- Spring Hill College received notification from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) that the Division II Membership Committee recommended that the college repeat candidacy year two of the membership process. The Membership Committee's decision is subject to final approval from the NCAA Division II Manage-ment Council which will meet in late July. Spring Hill College President Dr. Christopher Puto received the notification via a phone call on Thursday afternoon.

"We are absolutely committed to achieving full membership status in NCAA Division II," Puto said. "The added preparatory time will allow us to assure the highest quality ed-ucational and athletic experience for our student-athletes and we fully expect to compete at the highest level."

Spring Hill College was accepted into the NCAA Division II membership process in July 2013. The Membership Committee's decision means Spring Hill will repeat year two of the membership process during the 2015-16 academic year. Upon successful completion of year two, the college will become a provisional member of NCAA Division II during the 2016-17 academic year before potentially gaining full membership status for the 2017-18 academic year.

The decision also means that Badger athletic teams will not be eligible for NCAA post-season competition for the next two years.

"Obviously, we are disappointed in this outcome," said Athletic Director Jim Hall. "However, as an institution, we understand the Committee's rationale. All indications are that the committee's decision is based on giving the college an additional year to test all of its compliance related policies and procedures thoroughly given the fact that we have several new people in key compliance related positions. The decision is not reflective of anything we did wrong, problems with any of our teams or coaches, issues of student-athlete eligibility, or non-compliance with the rules of competition."

The college will receive official notification of the NCAA Division II Management Council's final decision regarding the Membership Committee's recommendation in late July. At that time the college will decide whether to file an appeal of the decision.

SPRING HILL COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Chowan's Chaussee Named Head Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach

MURFREESBORO -- The Chowan University athletic department has named Melanie Chaussee Head Coach of the Men's and Women's Cross Country teams. Chaussee embarks on her first season as Head Coach of both cross country teams after serving as the Assistant Volleyball Coach during the 2015 off-season.

She noted, "I am very excited for the opportunity to coach cross country. I look forward to working with a great group of student-athletes who will strive for their individual best, yet work for team cohesiveness as well."

Chaussee competed for the Chowan University volleyball team for two seasons. She was an integral part of the team's 2014 CIAA Northern Division title and CIAA Championship. Chaussee earned All-CIAA recognition, Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team recognition and NCCSIA All-State honors her senior year while tallying 334 season kills and 61 blocks (eight solo, 53 assisted) for the Blue and White.

She graduated in December 2014 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Prior to attending Chowan, Chaussee earned an Associate's degree from Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. She served as a student athletic trainer during her two years there.

The Lawrence, Kansas native currently resides in Murfreesboro, North Carolina.

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UDC Announces Hiring of DeWayne Burroughs as Head Women’s Basketball Coach

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- University of the District of Columbia Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Patricia Thomas, has announced the hiring of DeWayne Burroughs as the new Head Women's Basketball Coach. Burroughs, an Assistant Women's Basketball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at UDC since 2011, replaces Lester Butler, Jr., who was announced the new Head Men's Basketball Coach at his alma mater, Virginia Union.

"DeWayne Burroughs has solid coaching experience and has been an integral part of the women's basketball program's success every step of the way," Thomas said. "Under his leadership, I am confident our women's basketball program will continue on its current path of success."

During his four-year tenure as Butler's assistant coach, Burroughs helped the Firebirds reach three NCAA Tournaments (2012, 2014 and 2015), win the program's first East Coast Conference Tournament Championship (2014) and its first ECC Regular Season Championship (2015), as well as set school single-season records for wins (25) and consecutive wins (14). In 2014-15, the Firebirds were ranked as high as No. 18 and finished No. 22 in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll.

As recruiting coordinator, Burroughs brought in three All-ECC performers: Denikka Brent, Telisha Turner and Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore. Brent was an ECC All-Rookie Team selection in 2012, a two-time First Team All-ECC performer in 2013-14 and 2014-15, the 2014-15 ECC Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team Daktronics All-East Region selection. Turner was a First Team All-ECC performer in 2013-14 and a Second Team All-ECC selection in 2014-15. She was also the ECC Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2014. Baldwin-Kollore (Criminal Justice – Newport News, VA/Denbigh HS), who is one of nine returning student-athletes from last year's record-setting squad, was an All-ECC Honorable Mention selection last season.

Burroughs' previous college coaching stops were Chesapeake College and Bowie State University. While at Bowie State, Burroughs served as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator. He helped guide BSU to two 9th-place Atlantic Region rankings, two Eastern Division titles and two CIAA Finals appearances. Burroughs also recruited two CIAA defensive players of the year, three CIAA All-Rookie team selections and several players that went on to earn CIAA All-Conference honors.

Before advancing to the college level, Burroughs served as head coach at Woodlawn High School, St. Paul School for Girls, and Northwestern High School. He compiled a high school coaching record of 143-40. While at Woodlawn High School, Burroughs won four Baltimore County Championships and three Regional Championships, and earned one State Semi-final appearance and two State Final appearances.

Burroughs also served as an AAU coach for Maryland Freeplay from 1991-2006. He produced numerous student-athletes that went on to very successful playing careers and are now coaching on the high school and collegiate levels.

"I would like to thank our Athletic Director Patricia Thomas and the entire search committee for affording me the opportunity to be the new Head Women's Basketball Coach at the University of the District of Columbia," Burroughs said. "I am honored and humbled to be selected as the new coach, and I am eager to lead this program with the goal of cultivating an enjoyable and successful environment for our student-athletes."

Burroughs played baseball at his alma mater Coppin State University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a minor in Sports Management. He was recently inducted into the Coppin State University Hall of Fame Class of 2015. Burroughs later went on to receive his Masters Degree from Mountain State University in Organizational and Strategic Leadership.

Burroughs is married to the former Tabby Rideout (Columbia, MD) and they are the parents of three children: Kristina, Christopher and Stephanie.

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Howard University Unveils New Athletics Logo

New Logo Athletics Style Guide 

WASHINGTON, D.C.  ---  #OurNewBison is finally here

This afternoon, Howard University unveiled the highly anticipated new brand identity for its athletic department. A gathering of more than 50 Howard coaches, staff, and supporters caught a glimpse of the new logos that will represent Howard's 19 NCAA Division I sports moving forward.

The unveiling was moderated by Interim Director of Athletics Shelley Davis, with University President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick, head football coach Gary Harrell and head women's volleyball coach Shaun Kupferberg also giving remarks about the meaning of the new logos and what being a Bison means to them personally and professionally.

"Getting a new symbol is exciting. It is the visual evidence of our Bison spirit and pride," said Davis about the new logo set. "The new logo represents a fresh opportunity for our student-athletes to rally around the values that make Howard University great."

Added President Frederick, "Athletic competition is an important part of the Howard experience, and this new logo is evidence of our commitment to excellence in sports alongside our pursuit of excellence in academics and research. The logo will provide a unique, unifying image which the entire Howard University community can share."

The complete brand identity consists of several elements:
- The primary logo will be a combination of the new "Howard Bison" word mark and the "Bison Face" mark;
- In addition, a revitalized "Charging" or "Leaping" Bison will act as secondary mark and a link to Howard's past;
- The logo set is brought to life by three distinct colors: Bison Blue, Bison Pewter and Bison Red.

The development of the new logo began in 2014, using a process that engaged all stakeholders in the Howard community. In January 2015, the University solicited input from students, faculty, staff and alumni via social media, asking, "What makes you a Bison?" using the #OurNewBison campaign. Chief Brand Strategy, the firm chosen to direct the process, incorporated those ideas in developing a set of draft designs. Then, focus groups were convened to narrow down the options. Students, faculty, staff and alumni were surveyed before a final design was selected.

Those in attendance were also treated to a sneak peek of possible team uniform designs as student-athletes Rasheeda Ansari (women's soccer), Jasmine Sasser (women's volleyball) and John Smith (football) modeled generic uniform prototypes with Howard's new branding emblazoned on them.

Over the next several months, the logo and the associated wordmarks will become integrated across the athletic department and with the assistance of the University administration, become part of the institution's marketing and promotional materials.

Below are reactions from the event and across social media regarding the new logo:

New Logo Athletics Style Guide 

Gary Harrell, Head Football Coach
"This is our logo and we look forward to going out and representing the logo the right way. As a Howard Man, I stand behind this logo and I stand behind the brand."

Shaun Kupferberg, Head Women's Volleyball Coach
"We're entering a new phase for our athletic department and with our University, with our new president...there are a lot of great things going on and nothing quite wraps that up like a new logo."

Marc Harrison, Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
"The new logos are a step into the future and they embody a lot of Howard pride. The boldness of the Bison symbolizes the strength behind the University and the support that Howard University has around the world. I think this logo is going to send us in the right direction."

Brent Leiba, Head Women's Soccer Coach
"It represents a very exciting time, a new era and a changing of the guard for us. This logo perfectly represents what direction this program is going in. We are looking for this logo to glorify our brand well into the future."

Shana Ervin, President of Howard University Alumni Association of Greater Washington DC
"I love the new logo. I am excited about it and the alumni are excited about it as well. We hope it helps get more student-athlete alumni engaged with the program moving forward."

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Offseason has Grambling eager for start of 2015

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- An offseason full of 27 newcomers, summer camps and workouts has Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs eager for the 2015 season opener in September.

To put Fobbs’ enthusiasm in perspective, the second-year coach used the word ‘excited’ 10 times during an eight-minute interview earlier this week.

And this was before Grambling garnered attention Friday as the preseason pick to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division.

“Summer has really, really gone well. All of our guys … they’re basically policing themselves and really getting better — lifting, running and all the things they need to do to be prepared for training camp,” Fobbs said Tuesday. “I’ve been very, very excited and pleased with just the little bit I’ve seen.”

Fobbs, who made it clear back in April he wants to win the SWAC title, is tasked with getting 27 newcomers up to speed before players report Aug. 5 for a fall camp start date of Aug. 7.

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Five UAPB Golden Lions Earn Preseason Honors

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference released its 2015 SWAC Preseason Teams and predicted order of finish with five Golden Lions earning preseason honors as UAPB was predicted to finish fifth in the Western Division, voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information.

UAPB was predicted to finish fifth in the Western Division with 34 votes, whereas Grambling State was predicted to win division as they received 93 points and eight first-place votes. Southern received 91 point, followed by Prairie View (72), Texas Southern (40).

On the Eastern Side, defending SWAC Champion Alcorn State was predicted to win the East as the Braves tallied 95 points and 10 first place votes. Jackson State followed with 83 points, Alabama A&M tallied 66 points, with Alabama State (50) and Mississippi Valley state (31) closing the division's preseason rankings.



UAPB had three Golden Lions to earn First Teams All-SWAC Preseason honors in Demarcus Berry, Willie Duncan, III and Kevin Rucker and had two player to received Second Team All-SWAC honors in Brian Handley and Willie Young.

Berry, a 6-3. 250, junior defensive lineman from Alexandria, La., who led the Golden Lions in sack with 8.5. He was the team's third leading tackler with 53 total tackles and four quarterback hurries.

Duncan, a 6-0, 220 sophomore linebacker from Southfield, Mich., finished last season as the team's leading tackler with 100 (43 UA, 57 Asst.) and 5.5 tackles for loss.

Kevin Rucker, a 5-11, 195, red shirt Junior from Idabel, Okla., led the team and the conference in interceptions with five. He also finished the season as the team's fourth leading tackler with 50 total takedowns and four pass break ups.

Young, a 6-1, 180, red shirt sophomore wide receiver from New Orleans, La., last season led the Golden Lions in receiving with 727 yards on 45 receptions with nine TDs.

Handley, 5-9, 200, junior running back from Monticello, Ark., he finished last season with 820 rushing yards on 137 carries with two TDs.

UAPB will open their 2015 campaign in Orlando, Fla., against South Carolina State in the 11th Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney at the Florida Citrus Bowl.

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