Howard's James Daniel is going for another national scoring title, but for him, that's not enough

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The nation’s scoring champion was quietly absent from the NCAA Tournament last year. Actually, Howard’s James Daniel, who averaged 27.0 points per game, didn’t hoist a shot in any postseason tournament. That didn’t sit well with the soon-to-be senior guard.

"We’re trying to build something that’s going to last a long time," Daniel told the Las Vegas Review-Journal back in November, when his name had shot to the top of the national scoring list to begin the season. "Nobody likes to lose. But we’ve got a group of guys who really get along and care about each other. We all want to make this team successful and that’s more important to me than leading the country in scoring."



Unfortunately for Daniel and coach Kevin Nickelberry, nothing was built last season, at least in terms of postseason appearances. The Bison went 12-20, including 6-10 in MEAC play, and lost in the first round of the conference tournament to North Carolina Central. This was a step back from a 16-16 (10-6) campaign the year before, and showed that despite Daniel’s scoring, losing James Carlton to graduation was too much.

Yet Daniel makes Howard a team to watch next season, and history has placed an exciting opportunity in front of him. No player has repeated as the country’s leading scorer since Saint Peter’s Keydren Clark did so in 2003-04 and 2004-05. And here sits Daniel, who is perfectly positioned to make the repeat a reality in a league that registered the lowest conference RPI in 2015-16.

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Grambling Legends return to help induct 2016 class

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State is amid trying times both institutionally and as an athletic department with the revolving door of presidents that have come through the university of late.

The most recent news came when Willie Larkin resigned as president last month, a move that signified more uncertainty for the Grambling faithful.

This weekend, dozens of prominent former athletes will be on campus in hopes of providing a bit of positive reinforcement to the legacy of Grambling. A star-studded cast of the likes of Doug Williams, Willis Reed, Willie Brown and Shack Harris, to name a few, will all be in attendance Saturday to help introduce new members of the 2016 Grambling Legends Hall of Fame class.

"It's important we come together and try to have a positive reflection on Grambling regardless of what we're going through. If we remain strong, we got a chance of hopefully ending up with a stronger administration that can keep growing like it's been going since 1901," Williams said Thursday before he left for north Louisiana.

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ASU's Jackson Announces Men's Basketball Signing Class

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Alabama State University men's basketball coach Lewis Jackson has announced the signing class for the 2016-17 Hornets.

Of the seven signees, two are incoming freshmen while the other five are transfers. Four of the seven are from the state of Alabama.

The two freshmen are from here in Montgomery. Reginald Gee (6-3, 205) is a guard from Edgewood Academy. He averaged 25 points and nine rebounds per game in leading Edgewood to a state title. He also averaged three assists and two steals during his senior season.

Following the season he was named Third Team All State and First Team All-Metro.



The other freshman is Austin Rogers, also a guard. At 6'4" and 185 pounds the Brew Tech graduate averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds per game. He was named All State and All Metro following the season.

Rogers name is a familiar one around the ASU campus and the SWAC. His father Steve, Sr., is currently a member of the Hornets coaching staff and a 2015 SWAC Hall of Fame Inductee. His older brother Steve, Jr., will enter his junior campaign with the Hornets and was the 2014-15 SWAC Freshman of the Year.

The Hornets have also signed a talented shooting guard in Rodney Simeon (6-5, 195) from Lawson State Community College. The Miami native averaged 15 points, five rebounds and two assists per game. The sharp-shooter shot 45 percent from beyond the three point line.

ASU signed another guard in Mehdy Ngouama (6-1, 175) from Chipola Community College. He is from LeBlanc Mesnil, France and averaged eight points, three assists and two rebounds per game.



Artis Cleveland (6-11, 220) will add some nice size to the ASU lineup. He played at Lawson State Community College the past two years and hails from Birmingham. He averaged six points, six rebounds and two blocks per game.

Forward Demetrius Houston (6-7, 210) will transfer to ASU from Mississippi State. Houston is a Montgomery native and played at nearby Carver High School. He averaged just over three points and two rebounds at Mississippi State when he played during the 2014-15 season.

At Carver he averaged 19 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and two steals during his senior season. He was named the 6A Alabama Player of the Year and the Metro MVP. He was selected to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game and finished with nine points and three rebounds.

A player who can play at forward or center is Amir Warnock (6-8, 240). The Suwannee, Georgia native will transfer to ASU from South Georgia Tech College. As a sophomore he averaged seven points and six rebounds per game. He played his high school basketball at Peachtree Ridge High School.



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Alabama State assistant coach to compete in Olympic Trials

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Jacquelyn Coward came to Alabama State in August of 2015 to help the young ASU runners reach for the best they could be and in the process has found herself on her way to Eugene, Oregon for the 2016 Olumpic Trials which will run Monday-Friday, July 4-8.

Coward will compete in the 100 meter hurdles and has been training with ASU assistant coach Charles Ryan, who coached Coward when she was a Knoxville, Tenn., teenager several years ago. ASU Head Coach Richie Beene and assistant Michael Snapp have also been helping the Central Florida graduate along the way. It is an opportunity she is ready for after qualifying for the trials back in April at the Florida Relays.

"I'm excited and ready to go and compete against some of the best runners and right now my event is the hardest team to make," Coward said. "I'm excited and very confident. Coach Charles Ryan has implemented a really good program for me to use to go and compete. I'm taking his advice, I'm taking the lessons I've learned from Coach Beene and Coach Snapp. I am going to go out there and let the chips fall where they may."

This is not the first trials for the Central Florida graduate who finished her collegiate career a six-time All-American in both indoor and outdoor events. She was good enough coming out of high school to earn her first trip to the Olympic Trials and then again four years later coming out of college.

Olympic Trials Schedules

"The first time I went to the trials I was 17 years old. I was a young lady that didn't know what was going on and was star struck. So at 17 I was not supposed to make the team, but four years later coming out of college I was 22 and I had learned a lot since my first time. It was different because I was older, but I still made small mistakes. Fast forward four years later and life has taught me a lot of lessons of how to persevere, how to be strong, how to continue to go after the things that you're passionate about," Coward added.

As Coward used her experience to teach the ASU runners she found out she was learning some things herself just by teaching. Coward said, "Being around the ASU runners has taught me a lot as far as developing my own craft and getting better. So going into these trials I think I have a little advantage because I have been through a lot and I have taught it to other people to help them get better and it has helped me learn some things as well."

Coward will be flying to Oregon Monday with the 100m hurdles actually running Thursday. So she will be able to get to Oregon and do some training there before the excitement begins and she is looking forward to another shot at the Olympics.

"I am more confident than I have been in the past and I am healthier now than I have ever been, I am happy and this is a great opportunity for me," Coward said. "These (Olympics) only roll around every four years so I have prepared a lot and doors have opened up. People have been pouring into me giving me donations here and there and words of encouragement and it has all been a blessing. I'm excited and ready to see what happens."

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SIAC: Spring Hill College Men's Basketball Adds Nine for 2016-17 Season

MOBILE, Alabama -- Spring Hill College (SHC) men's basketball head coach Aaron Niven has announced the commitment of nine student-athletes for the upcoming 2016-17 season. "We are very proud of this year's class," Niven said. "Not only is it deep in numbers, but it is an extremely talented class that will help us improve our program not only this season, but for years to come."

Arguably the most noteworthy addition to the Badger roster is 6-foot, 2-inch transfer guard Andrew Dotson  who joins SHC after spending his freshman season at NCAA Division I member the University of New Hampshire where he appeared in six games and averaged 1.5 points per game. Dotson prepped at Arlington Martin High School in Texas where he was the 2014-15 District Offensive MVP and finished his senior season as the second highest scoring player in his Area with 20.3 points per game. Also in 2014-15, he earned a spot on the Star Telegram All-Area Super Team and played in the Metroplex 24 All-Star Game. As a junior in 2013-14, Dotson earned 1st Team All-District accolades while averaging 15 ppg. He was the 2012-13 District Sophomore of the Year with an average of 14 ppg after earning a spot on the varsity team as a freshman in 2011-12.

"Andrew is a player that can really score the basketball," said Niven. "He has the ability to create shots off the bounce as well as off the catch. With a year of Division I experience under his belt we feel that he will be very valuable to our team this season."

Brandon Fischer is a 6-foot, 7-inch forward from Buford, Ga. He played his freshman season at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, N.Y., and appeared in 24 games with one start for a 1.5 ppg average, 1.7 rebounds per game, and a season high of 11 points versus Merrimack on January 16, 2016. He played is prep career at Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, N.Y., where his team won the New York State Championship in 2014-15. In his senior year, Fischer was a New York State All-Star Honorable Mention player, a Suburban Council All-Star and a Saratogian 1st Team Basketball All-Star.



"Brandon is a big, strong player who is very tough," Niven said. "He finishes well with either hand around the basket and has the ability to hit shots from the perimeter, as well. We feel that he will help add toughness and experience to our frontcourt."

Forward Ryan Littel is a 6-foot, 7-inch player from Enterprise (Ala.) High School who earned his team's Most Improved Player Award in 2015 while also appearing on the Alabama South All-Star Team roster. He won the 2016 Marcus Hornsby Mr. Basketball Award at EHS and was named to the 2016 Dothan Hoops Classic All-Tournament Team. Littel won the Southeast Sun Defensive Player of the Year Award as well as the EHS Team MVP Award as a senior. "Ryan is a long, athletic big man who can hit shots from the perimeter and really runs the floor well," says Niven. "We think that with his athleticism and his ability to run the floor he has the chance to develop into a very good player for us."

Hailing from Madison Preparatory Academy in Baton Rouge, La., William Loyd is a 6-foot, 4-inch wing/forward who won the 2015 Scouts' Focus Dunk Contest as well as the 2015-16 Louisiana State Championship. He held the highest GPA on his team and won The Advocate Player of the Week Award in January of his senior year when he also earned a spot on the All-District 1st Team. "William is a strong, athletic wing who can really get to the rim off the bounce," Niven said. "He also has the strength and athleticism to guard multiple positions well and is a very good rebounder. Will is a winner and will be able to do a lot of things to help our basketball team."



Standing 6-foot, 5-inches, Shawn Moore is large for a guard, but Niven likes his style of play. "Shawn is a long point guard who sees the floor well and can really defend well," he says. "We think his length and ability to knock down shots will allow him to be a very good player for our basketball team." He prepped at Avon High School in Indiana where his team won the Conference Championship in 2014 and was Sectional Runner-Up in 2016. He was the Team MVP in 2015and a 1st team All-Conference selection. Moore led the conference in steals as well as performing in the classroom as a Presidential Scholar Award winner and making his school's High Honor Roll. He completed his career with the seventh most steals in AHS history and the ninth most career blocks.

Gresyn Rogers is a strong 6-foot, 5-inch wing player who prepped at Casa Grande (Ariz.) Union High School under head coach Gino Crump where he was named Team MVP as a senior. "Gresyn is an athletic wing who is very skilled with the basketball," said Niven. "He has the ability to knock down open shots and is both athletic and strong enough to get to the rim and finish through contact. We believe Gresyn's best basketball is ahead of him."

Forward Jeffery Pharr joins the parade of 6-foot, 7-inch student-athletes signed by the Badgers this summer. He prepped at Canyon High School in New Braunfels, Texas, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and All-District 2nd Team. He earned Academic All-District and Academic All-State honors while winning two varsity basketball letters. "Jeffery is long forward who can really run the floor," says Niven. "We believe that his athleticism and length will allow him to be an asset to our basketball team."

Danny Bajrami is a 6-foot, 2-inch guard from Cypress Lakes High School in Houston, Texas, where he won recognition as a 2nd team All-District athlete on the court as well as Academic All-District honors in the classroom. "Danny is a very athletic guard who can get to the basket off the bounce and knock down the open jumper," Niven said. "We believe with his athleticism and his ability to score in a variety of ways, Danny will be a good addition to our basketball team."

Deandre Lacy is also a 6-foot, 2-inch guard who joins the Badgers after playing his freshman season at Bishop State Community College in Mobile. Lacy played his prep career at Greenwood (Miss.) High School where he graduated with honors and was a member of the Greenwood Commonwealth All-Star 1st team. He was the GHS Basketball Team MVP and a member of the GHS baseball and football teams. "Deandre is an experienced guard who can play a variety of positions," says Niven. "With his ability to get to the rim off the bounce and hit shots, we believe Deandre will help our basketball team immediately."

The Badgers will open the 2016-2017 season at the annual Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)/Gulf South Conference (GSC) Challenge hosted by Union University in Jackson, Tenn., beginning on Friday, November 11, versus Shorter University.

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LuWanna Williams Named Acting Director of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics

LuWanna Williams

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- Fort Valley State University president Dr. Paul Jones has named an experienced athletics administrator and compliance expert as acting director of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.

LuWanna Williams' appointment was effective July 1. Williams, who is currently the associate director of athletics, compliance director and deputy Title IX officer at Fort Valley State University, is replacing Dr. Joshua Murfree, who resigned, but will assist with the transition through August 1. Williams will also be actively engaged in the process of selecting the next athletics director.

"I'm pleased that Ms. Williams has accepted my invitation to provide leadership for the athletics department during our search for a permanent replacement," Jones said. "I am confident she will provide strong leadership and be a tremendous asset during this transition."

For the past eight years, Williams has served in a variety of capacities at FVSU, including overseeing all aspects of student-athlete recruiting and certification by the university, ensuring adherence to all rules and regulations set forth by FVSU, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Williams earned her bachelor's degree from Mercer University in middle grades education and a Master of Science degree in education from Troy State University.

Williams has served on several FVSU committees, including: Judicial/ Student Conduct, Academic Appeals, Registration, Title IX and the Scholarship Committee. She successfully spearheaded the completion of the NCAA Compliance Audit and Blueprint Review visit in 2010 and the NCAA Institutional Self Study in 2012. Williams was selected to attend the 2010 NCAA Effective Facilitator Workshop, the 2015 and the 2016 NCAA Advanced Compliance Director Seminar and Training.

Before joining the Wildcat family, Williams was the executive director of a small school initiative with Communities In Schools of Georgia, Inc., where she was responsible for the oversight of more than 29 small schools spanning six different states. Williams managed and renewed a $6.1 million grant with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and was one of the keynote speakers at the foundation's small school initiatives conference.

Williams was a member of the 2001 class of Leadership Macon. She also is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and a life member of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and Youth Affiliates, where she was named Woman of the Year on three separate occasions.

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Top 5 quarterbacks Jackson State will face in 2016

JACKSON, Mississippi -- There were a few opposing quarterbacks who had their way with Jackson State's defense in 2015.

The Tigers will face some more dangerous signal callers this fall, which will be Tony Hughes' first as JSU's coach.

In preparation of those challenges, The Clarion-Ledger has decided to take a look at the top five quarterbacks the Tigers will face in 2016.

5. DeVante Kincade, Grambling: DeVante Kincade originally attended Ole Miss, but announced his intention to transfer to Grambling in January. He was a three-star dual-threat prospect coming out of high school, but couldn't find much playing time with the Rebels. Kincade, who attended Skyline High in Dallas, is slated to replace SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Jonathan Williams. The return of Martez Carter and Jestin Kelly at running back and Chad Williams at receiver provide Kincade with plenty of weapons with which to work.



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