Grambling football focused on finishing the race in 2016

GRAMBLING — Broderick Fobbs likes to use the word hangry, a mix between hunger and anger, to describe his Grambling football team.

Both words stem from an agonizing defeat in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game just three months ago, a hunger and an anger that will be a theme Wednesday during the Tigers' first spring practice of 2016.

"Basically, to get all the way there and to not obtain the goal is very, very painful and more painful than actually not having even been there at all," Fobbs told The News-Star on Tuesday in regards to Grambling's loss to Alcorn State. "Our guys are very determined and they're driven to complete the task from beginning to end."

Fobbs met with Grambling's returners Monday for a team meeting with the discussion centered around completing the race. The Tigers experienced a breakout year in 2015 by finishing 9-3 including a perfect 9-0 run through the SWAC until Alcorn handed them a blowout loss in Houston.

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SWAC title game loss the driving force behind Grambling's 2016 season

HEAD COACH BROADRICK FOBBS

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- It's July, and the 2016 college football season is less than two months away yet the Grambling football program is still talking about 2015.

Why? Because the way the season ended will serve as a driving force and motivation for the upcoming year.

A series of nine straight wins helped Grambling become the first Southwestern Athletic Conference team to go wire-to-wire in the regular season. Success in the regular season turned to bitterness in the offseason when Alcorn State routed Grambling, 49-21, for the 2015 SWAC Championship.

"The thing that it does for you is it's a hunger and a thirst there and it gives you a little more drive because you weren't able to do what you set out to do," Fobbs told The News-Star on Friday. "Probably something worse and better for you than actually not being there at all is being there and reach out for it and grab it and not be able to touch it. It's a teasing effect, but it's also something that makes you very, very driven and hungry and grab it the next time."

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MEAC Announces 2016 Volleyball Preseason

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

NORFOLK, Virginia – Howard junior outside hitter Khaila Donaldson was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year, the conference announced today. Howard was predicted to claim the Northern Division, while Bethune-Cookman was chosen to win the Southern Division.

All awards are voted on by the conference’s head volleyball coaches and sports information directors.

Defending MEAC tournament champion Howard garnered 19 first-place votes to receive the top spot. The Bison recorded an 18-14 overall record last season, including an 11-1 MEAC mark, under the direction of head coach Shaun Kupferberg. Donaldson, the tournament’s most outstanding player last season, led the team in points (468.0) and kills (405). Libero Morgan Marlbrough returns for her senior year and joins Donaldson on last year’s All-MEAC First Team. Marlbrough finished second for the Bison in digs (181).

Bethune-Cookman received 16 first-place votes after posting an undefeated 10-0 record in the Southern Division and a 15-16 overall mark last season. Starting middle blockers Rakaya Neely and Phylecia Armstrong will return for another season with the Lady Wildcats. Neely earned a spot on the 2015 All-MEAC First Team, while Armstrong received All-MEAC Third Team honors.

Maryland Eastern Shore was picked to finish second in the Northern Division. The Hawks return five starters, including 2015 MEAC Rookie of the Year Zuzana Ondruskova. She led the team in points (403.5) and kills per set (3.38) last season.

Morgan State was predicted to finish third in the Northern Division, followed by Coppin State, Hampton, Norfolk State and Delaware State to round out the division

Florida A&M returns five starters from last season to earn the second-place preseason ranking in the Southern Division. The Lady Rattlers are led by senior middle blocker Dei’Ja Martin. Martin, an All-MEAC First Team selection, led the conference in hitting percentage (.472) last season.

North Carolina A&T State and North Carolina Central were chosen to finish third and fourth in the Southern Division, while South Carolina State and Savannah State were slated fifth and sixth.

The 2016 season begins August 26, with conference play starting Friday, September 23.

The 2016 MEAC Volleyball Championship will be held November 18-20 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md.

2016 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
(First-Place Votes In Parenthesis)

NORTHERN DIVISION	POINTS
1.       Howard (19)	163
2.       Maryland Eastern Shore (5)	142
3.       Morgan State	109
4.       Coppin State	87
5.       Hampton	72
6.       Norfolk State	54
7.       Delaware State	45

  

SOUTHERN DIVISION	POINTS
1.       Bethune-Cookman (16)	134
2.       Florida A&M (8)	124
3.       North Carolina A&T State	89
4.       North Carolina Central	83
5.       South Carolina State	48
6.       Savannah State	26

                                                                                     

2016 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Team

Preseason Player of the Year: Khaila Donaldson 

Name	Pos.	Cl.	School	Hometown
Rakaya Neely	MB	Jr.	Bethune-Cookman	Lake Wales, Fla.
Phylecia Armstrong	MB	r-Sr.	Bethune-Cookman	Tacariqua, Trinidad & Tobago
Dei’ja Martin	MB	Sr.	Florida A&M	Glenns Ferry, Idaho
Reeana Richardson	OH	So.	Hampton	Ellicott City, Md.
Khaila Donaldson	OH	Jr.	Howard	Vernon Hills, Ill.
Morgan Marlbrough	L	Sr.	Howard	Mandeville, La.
Zuzana Ondruskova	OH	So.	Maryland Eastern Shore	Bilovec, Czech Republic

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Football Gameplan's FCS Kickoff 2016 SWAC Season Preview

COURTESY Football Gameplan

Benedict Tigers, Livingstone Blue Bears Ready To Meet In Palmetto Capital City Classic Rematch

Livingstone coach Daryl Williams, left, and Benedict coach Mike White

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Benedict College and Livingstone College will play in a rematch of last year's Palmetto Capital City Classic on September 3 at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, and both head football coaches are looking forward to getting the season started.

The 15th annual Palmetto Capital City Classic will once again feature a week-long schedule of activities leading up to the 5 p.m. kickoff on Sept. 3. Events kick off on Monday, Aug. 29, with the Sponsors Kick-Off Reception and PCCC Alumni Mixer. The Media and Sponsor Luncheon and crowning of Miss PCCC is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 30. Wednesday, Aug. 31, will feature the PCCC Battle of the Drumline Show, at a site to be determined. The annual PCCC Garnell McDonald Memorial Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday at Oak Hills Golf Club. The Old School Funk Party is Friday night, with the announcement of the entertainment to come at a later date.

Saturday's pre-game festivities start at noon with the PCCC Alumni Old School Music Festival and Tailgate Party on the football practice field. The game kicks off at 5 p.m. with a special halftime show featuring the Benedict College Marching Tiger Band of Distinction and the Livingstone College Marching Blue Bear Band.

Livingstone won last year's contest 49-6, and Benedict coach Mike White still remembers how fast and physical the Blue Bears were, and expects nothing less from this year's squad.

"One of the best teams we faced last year was Livingstone," White said. "They have a high-powered offense and what a way to start off the year with a team that is that ready. They were impressive, offensively and defensively. We don't look for them to step back at all. We have to go up where they are. We'll be a better team and we've got a better group."

Livingstone coach Daryl Williams said the Blue Bears have to replace several key players from last year's squad that finished 5-4, including their quarterback and star wide receiver, but this year's team should be deeper. He said he expects a tougher game from Benedict this year knowing the history of coach White.

"We just pray you guys take pity on our little football team," Williams joked. "We've got to validate what we did last year. A lot of people don't believe we're a decent football team because we were down for so long. We just want to validate what we did last year."

Tickets for the PCCC game are available at the Benedict College athletic office, 2317 Laurel Street.

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU signee Robert Colon hopes to end prep career on high note

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Robert Colon hopes to put an exclamation mark on his high school basketball career Monday night at the East-West All-Star Game at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Colon, who has signed to play at Winston-Salem State, will play for the East team and has a chance to play with some of the best talent North Carolina has to offer.

“It’s a big deal,” Colon said by telephone from Jacksonville. “I’m looking forward to going there and playing well and getting a win for the East.”



Colon, a 6-2 combo guard, averaged 18.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists a game last season for Northside High.

One reason Colon, who scored more than 1,000 points in his career, is adamant about getting a victory is that’s what he was used to in high school. Northside went 23-4 in the 2015-16 season. What also excites Colon is that he and Matt Elmore, who is from Dixon High, are from the same area, and the two played AAU basketball together.

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SIAC: NCAA advances Spring Hill College to Provisional Membership status

MOBILE, Alabama – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) notified Spring Hill College (SHC) on Thursday that the Membership Committee determined the College has successfully completed Candidacy Membership (Year Two) and recommends that Spring Hill be advanced to Provisional Membership (Year Three) in its process toward full membership in NCAA Division II as directed by the Division II Membership Committee. The decision is subject to final approval from the NCAA Division II Management Council that meets July 18-19. Spring Hill College president Dr. Christopher Puto received the official notification via a phone call on Thursday afternoon.

"We are excited and very pleased to be taking this next important step in the NCAA membership process." Puto said. "This represents a great deal of hard work by not only our Athletics staff but many other offices on campus as well and it is rewarding to see everything moving forward so well. We are looking forward to successfully fulfilling all requirements as this final provisional year progresses."

The Provisional Membership year is the third and final year of the NCAA candidacy process after which Spring Hill will achieve full NCAA Division II membership status for the 2017-18 academic year. During the upcoming 2016-17 academic year, the 16 SHC varsity athletic programs making the transition to NCAA Division II will play full slates of NCAA Division II conference and non-conference regular season competition, but will remain ineligible for NCAA or conference post-season competition. SHC will become eligible for post-season competition in 2017-18 when full membership status is achieved.

In October 2012, Spring Hill College accepted an invitation to join the 13-member Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and began the application process for NCAA membership. The College also holds affiliate membership in the Gulf South Conference in the sports of men's soccer, women's soccer and women's golf.

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