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NORFOLK, Virginia -- The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will host the annual Football Press Luncheon, Friday, July 29 at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel (235 E. Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510/ (757) 627-4200). MEAC head football coaches and two student-athletes from each team will be on hand to offer an inside view on the upcoming 2016 football season.
A limited number of tickets are available to the public for the press luncheon and can be purchased by calling Natiara Satsatin at (757) 951-2055 or satsatinn@themeac.com. Tickets are $30 per seat or $300 per table (10 persons) and must be purchased by 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 22.
Media members may obtain a credential for the luncheon and/or one-on-one interviews by completing an application found on www.MEACSports.com. One-on-one interviews will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m.
The 2016 MEAC football season kicks off on Thursday, September 1 as Delaware State visits Delaware in a non-conference game.
Bethune-Cookman will compete against Alcorn State in the 12th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge also on Labor Day Weekend, Sunday, September 4. Details and ticket information can be found on www.meacswacchallenge.com.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Alabama State coaches, players and fans learned Saturday just how hard it can be to win an NCAA regional game.
With ASU just nine outs from accomplishing a program-defining victory and staving off elimination in Tallahassee, South Alabama scored the game’s final five runs for a 6-3 win that sent the Hornets home.
Saturday was the first game in 37 opportunities this season ASU lost when leading after six innings and the first game the Hornets lost after hitting two home runs. In a season of firsts for the ASU program, going winless in its first NCAA regional experience was a bitter feeling to have as they left Dick Howser Stadium.
“Not the way we wanted to go out,” Alabama State coach Mervyl Melendez said. “We didn’t want to be and thought we were better than 0-2. The players now need to shift the focus from not getting here but doing better than we did this year.”
Melendez is now 1-24 in NCAA Tournament play as a head coach after making 11 regional appearances while at Bethune-Cookman (2000-04, 06-11). The win was in 2002 over Florida International.
Alabama State (39-17) quickly erased the memories from an 18-6 loss to host Florida State from the night before with the help of the home run. CONTINUE READING
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania -- Lincoln Athletics is proud to introduce its' new Head Women's Soccer Coach Emmanuel Awotula. Coach Awotula comes to Lincoln from Oakland City University, where he was the head coach for the women's soccer program as well as the Intramural Director. While at Oakland City University he posted a record of 16-14-1 and currently holds the highest winning percentage in a single season.
Prior to his time at Oakland City University Awotula coached his alma mater Tennessee Temple five years. Originally from Nigeria, he played for Tennessee Temple University for two years before a career ending injury. He later joined the coaching staff his senior year as the assistant coach for both the men and women's soccer programs. He eventually became the head coach for the women's program. In his first year at Tennessee Temple University he posted the best record in school history. He produced six players that finished top ten in GOALS, assists and goals per game. He also had two players on the all-academic team. While at Tennessee Temple University he also started their track and field team.
The committee was impressed with Coach Awotula's ability to recruit. The institutions he has coached are small colleges not unlike Lincoln and during his time at both schools Awotula was able to bring in good players from around the country and improve on the teams previous records. When asked about his recruiting philosophy Coach Awotula says "I will go anywhere to find students who want to play". During his interview the new coach remarked that he would like to bring in some students from his home country because of the history of Lincoln and Nigeria - he says" there are good student athletes there who would love to come to Lincoln to play where Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of our country earned his degree. Directr of Athletics Dr. Pope believes Coach Awotula will prove to be a valuable asset to Lincoln Athletics upon the coach's hiring he stated " Coach Awotula has the right temperment and approach to recruiting. He is dedicated to education and his sport, thats what we need and look for here" in the Lion's athletic program.
Coach Awotula holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Tennessee Temple University. He also holds a Master's of Science in Education degree as well as a Master's of Science in Curriculum and Instruction degree from Oakland City University. He is currently working on his doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at Oakland City University.
Coach Awotula and his wife Jennifer have three sons: Noah (7), Isaiah (6) and Micah (4).
Welcome to Lincoln Coach Awotula.
Darryl Pope Ed.D. COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Alabama State knows exactly what mixed emotions felt like Saturday afternoon.
The Hornets left Dick Howser Stadium on Saturday afternoon with the disappointment of a 0-2 performance in the program’s first NCAA regional appearance but also knowing they’ll likely be back as soon as next year.
The message has been changed from the players in their dugout and in the opposing dugout as well: This isn’t the same Alabama State baseball anybody is familiar with anymore.
“The future is bright,” Alabama State head coach Mervyl Melendez said after Saturday’s 6-3 loss to South Alabama. "We have a lot of freshmen that stepped up and they weren't intimidated. They have a good mindset."
ASU’s lineup Saturday consisted of six players guaranteed to return and three juniors who will have the option to return after the draft is completed next weekend.
“I was doing everything I could for the team,” Alabama State pitcher Angel Alicea said Saturday after a 120-pitch no-decision.
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Wayne Brent knew he was under the gun last season. The third-year Jackson State coach had led the Tigers to consecutive 11-win seasons and was working under a contract set to expire at season’s end. But this wasn’t something he shied away from.
"You come into a situation and you have three years on a contract and you start counting," Brent told Jackson’s WJTV12 in March. "Year one, 11-20. Year two, 11-21. You come back your third year and you say okay, if this is going to work, we’re going to have to win. That was something we talked about and I thought our guys responded well to the adverse situation we were placed in."
That pressure may have played a role in a 20-win season that featured the Tigers first postseason victory since 1993. After losing to Southern 54-53 in the SWAC tournament final, Jackson State beat Sam Houston State in the first round of the CIT before bowing out to Grand Canyon on the road. The 20 wins were the program’s most since 2006-07, and represented just the fourth 20-win season since 1977.
Unsurprisingly, Brent was rewarded with a contract extension shortly after the season. He not only has job security going into next year, but also a roster talented and experienced enough to challenge for a SWAC title.
GAINESVILLE, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman’s 15th NCAA Regional appearance ended with a 12-3 loss to Georgia Tech Saturday afternoon at McKethan Stadium at the University of Florida.
Demetrius Sims posted two hits and Nathan Bond drove in two runs for the Wildcats, who erased a 3-0 deficit to manage a 3-3 tie on Michael Cruz’s RBI single in the fourth.
Georgia Tech regained the lead with a three-run fifth, and the Yellow Jacket pitchers would limit the Wildcats to two base runners over the final five innings to remain alive in the double-elimination tournament.
A six-run ninth, highlighted a three-run Tristen English three-run homer, pushed Georgia Tech’s lead to 12-3.
After Georgia Tech took an early 3-0, B-CU came back with two runs in the third. Cruz walked, Danny Rodriguez singled and Bond stroked a two-out double to right.
The Wildcats used a two-out rally in the fourth to tie it with Rakeem Quinn, Sims and Cruz hitting consecutive singles.
Alex Seibold, who had relieved German Hernandez and got the Wildcats out of a third-inning jam and had a solid 1-2-3 fourth, finally gave up a run after three consecutive scoreless relief appearances, including the 1-0 victory over Norfolk State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament final.
Jameel Edney also had a hit for the Wildcats. Ivan Coutinho had two scoreless innings of relief before getting reached for two runs in the ninth.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Alabama State baseball team saw its historic championship season come to an end with a 6-3 loss to South Alabama in an NCAA Tournament elimination game Saturday in the Tallahassee Regional.
The Hornets, who won their first SWAC Championship in legendary fashion in going unbeaten in 28 games against conference opponents in setting a school record for wins (38-17), got home runs from Eriq White and Ray Hernandez, but it was not enough to withstand a late-game rally by South Alabama (41-21).
White's 2-run homer to left field in the second inning, his third of the season, came on the first pitch of the at-bat and scored Hunter Allen for a 2-0 lead.
Leading 2-1 in the fourth, Hernandez hit an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left to give the Hornets a 3-1 lead. It was his 16th homer of the season, adding to his school-record total.
However, Alabama State would not score again. South Alabama chipped away at its deficit, adding single runs in the fourth and seventh to tie the game at 3-3. The Jaguars scored three runs in the eighth to take their first and only lead of the game.
Angel Alicea pitched seven innings for the Hornets, allowing 10 hits and three runs, walking three and striking out five on a career-high 120 pitches. BOX SCORE
COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
