Promise still has Williams at Coppin State

Photo: Coppin State University Coach Harvey Lee had some painful days last season going 0-44 with only 11 players. Better days are ahead for the Eagles in 2008 with a full roster of talented players.

No games have been played yet, but life as a Coppin State baseball player is better for Harry Williams (Potomac '06) this season than it ever was last season. It's easy to see why. All the sophomore first baseman has to do is scan the field.

There are players catching fly balls in the outfield, third basemen taking grounders and pitchers working out on the mound. Last season, Williams did all those things, filling in at all but two positions for a Coppin State team that fielded 11 total players and finished the season 0-44.

Williams could have bolted the program after 2007, but second-year coach Harvey Lee made a promise to Williams. If Williams stayed, Lee said he would not only find more players to field a competitive team. That team would be built around Williams. "Coach Lee guaranteed that we would have a team and it would be a lot better," said Williams, who hit a team-high .339 last season. "When he said that, I believed every word he said about it. He kept his word."

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The Coppin State baseball home opening weekend has been postponed due to snow and rain in the Baltimore area and instead the Eagles will travel to Hofstra for their season opener. The Eagles were originally scheduled to host the Pride for single games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Hofstra and Coppin State, pending weather in the Hempstead area, will play a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at noon.

FAMU quarterback jailed; reported attack a hoax

Photo: Division I transfer freshman quarterback and student Mike Johnson confessed to filing a false report on being attacked at Florida A&M University. The entire story was a fabrication.

Florida A&M freshman quarterback Michael Johnson was arrested Friday after he admitted to campus police that he lied about being attacked at gunpoint by three masked men in his dorm room earlier this week. Johnson, 19, was taken to the Leon County Jail. He faces charges of filing a false report to law enforcement and making false official statements. Both charges are misdemeanors.

"During the course of the investigation, he decided to confess to committing the act," FAMU Police Chief Calvin Ross said Friday evening.

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A Renaissance is on in the SWAC and MEAC

Photo: North Carolina A&T State University Aggies head baseball coach Keith Shumate (9th year). #23 is RH Pitcher Marquis Frink, 5-10/180 junior, Garner, N.C., Louisburg Junior College/Pine Forest H.S.

As Mississippi Valley State coach Doug Shanks looks around the Southwestern Athletic Conference, he likes the scenery.

He sees a traditional power like Southern University, the first historically black school to win an NCAA tournament game. He sees the new bully on the block at Prairie View A&M, the two-time defending SWAC champion. He sees vastly improved programs at Grambling and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He sees schools like Jackson State and Texas Southern with a stable of fine athletes. He sees improving facilities. He sees better attendance. He sees higher-caliber players.

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Rattlers trying to make the right pitch for '08 season

Photo: FAMU head baseball coach Robert Lucus.

The Florida A&M Rattlers were picked to finish fifth in the MEAC's preseason baseball poll. Whether FAMU finishes above, below or right at its preseason ranking could depend a lot on its effectiveness of their pitching.

Injuries decimated the unit last season, but the pitching staff appears relatively healthy heading into this weekend's season-opening series at Central Florida.

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Florida A&M University 2008 Baseball Schedule

Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result

02/16/08 Alumni Game Tallahassee, FL 10:00 a.m. ET
02/22/08 at UCF Orlando, FL 6:00 p.m. ET
02/23/08 at UCF Orlando, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
02/24/08 at UCF Orlando, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
02/28/08 at Concordia Al Selma, AL 3:00 p.m. ET
03/01/08 vs. Savannah State Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
03/02/08 vs. Savannah State Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
03/04/08 at Mercer Macon, GA 4:00 p.m. ET
03/05/08 at Mercer Macon, GA 1:00 p.m. ET
03/06/08 vs. Presbyterian Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
03/07/08 vs. Presbyterian Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
03/12/08 at Edward Waters Jacksonville, FL 6:00 p.m. ET
03/22/08 vs. Bethune Cookman @ Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
vs. Bethune Cookman @ Tallahassee, FL TBA
03/23/08 vs. Bethune Cookman @ Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
03/25/08 vs. Alabama State Tallahassee, FL 2:00 p.m. ET
03/26/08 vs. Albany State Tallahassee, FL 3:00 p.m. ET
03/27/08 at Albany State Albany, GA 3:00 p.m. ET
03/29/08 at North Carolina A&T @ Greensboro, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET
at North Carolina A&T @ Greensboro, N.C. TBA
03/30/08 at North Carolina A&T @ Greensboro, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET
04/01/08 at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL 3:00 p.m. ET
04/03/08 vs. Concordia Al Tallahassee, FL 3:00 p.m. ET
04/05/08 at Savannah State Savannah, GA 1:00 p.m. ET
04/06/08 at Savannah State Savannah, GA 1:00 p.m. ET
04/08/08 vs. Mercer Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
04/09/08 vs. Mercer Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
04/10/08 at Morehouse Atlanta, GA 3:00 p.m. ET
04/12/08 at Delaware State @ Dover, DE 1:00 p.m. ET
at Delaware State @ Dover, DE TBA
04/13/08 at Delaware State @ Dover, DE 1:00 p.m. ET
04/15/08 vs. Edward Waters Tallahassee, FL 3:00 p.m. ET
04/16/08 vs. Jacksonville Tallahassee, FL 3:00 p.m. ET
04/19/08 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore @ Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
vs. Maryland Eastern Shore @ Tallahassee, FL TBA
04/20/08 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore @ Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
04/22/08 at Alabama State Montgomery, AL 3:00 p.m. ET
04/23/08 at North Florida Jacksonville, FL 3:00 p.m. ET
04/26/08 vs. Coppin State @ Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
vs. Coppin State @ Tallahassee, FL TBA
04/27/08 vs. Coppin State @ Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. ET
05/03/08 at Norfolk State @ Norfolk, VA 1:00 p.m. ET
at Norfolk State @ Norfolk, VA TBA
05/04/08 at Norfolk State @ Norfolk, VA 1:00 p.m. ET
05/15/08 MEAC Baseball Tournament Norfolk, VA TBA
05/16/08 MEAC Baseball Tournament Norfolk, VA TBA
05/17/08 MEAC Baseball Tournament Norfolk, VA TBA
05/18/08 MEAC Baseball Tournament Norfolk, VA TBA

Fisk eliminates varsity sports as part of cost-cutting measures

The players on Fisk's men's basketball team knew they had only one game left to play this season. On Thursday they learned Sunday's game at Spalding University would be the last for the Bulldogs. The school announced Thursday it will transition from NCAA sanctioned athletic teams to an intramural and club sports system as part of an effort to cut costs.

Fisk's athletics program costs the school approximately $300,000 per year to operate and brought in only about $10,000 each year in revenue, according to Ken West, vice president of communications and public relations. Fisk competes on the NCAA Division III level, which means it does not provide athletic scholarships.

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This article is posted for my sister who is a Fisk University alumna...send more money!!

Texas Southern releases tenative 2008 schedule

Texas Southern University announced its tentative schedule Thursday, with the Tigers playing four of their five home dates at Alexander Durley Field, including a Nov. 15 game against Grambling. The school's Nov. 8 homecoming contest against Mississippi Valley State is at Delmar Stadium.

TSU will play Shaw (N.C.) University on Sept. 13 in Sacramento, Califorinia, and the Tigers will close out the season in Dallas against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 29. This will Coach Johnnie Cole first season as head of the football program.

TSU 2008 football schedule

Aug. 30: vs. Prairie View (Reliant)
Sept. 13 vs. Shaw (Sacramento, Ca.)
Sept. 20 vs. Texas College (Waco)
Sept. 27 vs. Concordia
Oct. 4 vs. Langston
Oct. 11 at Southern
Oct. 18 vs. Jackson State
Oct. 25 at Alcorn State
Nov. 8 vs. Miss. Valley St. (Delmar Stadium)
Nov. 15 vs. Grambling
Nov. 29 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Dallas)

Bethune Cookman Wildcats carry weight of expectations

Photo: BCU head baseball coach Mervy Melendez

Baseball is the flagship program at Bethune-Cookman as far as competitiveness goes. While a winning season in many other sports at the schools is reason to celebrate, that's not the case with the baseball teams. "If we don't make the NCAAs, there's a feeling that we haven't been successful," B-CU coach Mervyl Melendez said. B-CU has dominated the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and has advanced to the NCAAs in seven of the last eight seasons.

The journey toward the 2008 NCAA tourney begins tonight for both teams, as Bethune-Cookman plays host to Temple at 6 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

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2008 Bethune-Cookman Baseball Schedule

Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result

Fri., Feb. 22 vs. Temple Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 23 vs. Temple Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 24 vs. Temple Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Tue., Feb. 26 vs. Florida Atlantic Daytona Beach, Fla. 4:00 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 29 at USC Los Angeles, Calif. 10:00 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 1 at UCLA Los Angeles, Calif. 8:00 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 2 vs. Southern Los Angeles, Calif. 4:00 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 4 vs. Georgia Southern Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 5 vs. USF Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 7 vs. Illinois State Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 8 vs. Illinois State Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 9 vs. Illinois State Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 10 vs. North Florida Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 11 at Mercer Macon, Ga. 6:00 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 12 at Mercer Macon, Ga. 4:00 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 15 vs. Penn State West Palm Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
vs. Pittsburgh West Palm Beach, Fla. 5:00 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 18 vs. Florida Gulf Coast Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 19 vs. Florida Gulf Coast Daytona Beach, Fla. 3:00 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 22 at Florida A&M * Tallahassee, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
at Florida A&M * Tallahassee, Fla. 4:30 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 23 at Florida A&M * Tallahassee, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 25 at Miami Coral Gables, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 26 at Miami Coral Gables, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 28 vs. Savannah State Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 29 vs. Savannah State Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 30 vs. Savannah State Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 1 at Stetson DeLand, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 2 at USF Tampa, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 5 vs. North Carolina A&T * Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
vs. North Carolina A&T * Daytona Beach, Fla. 4:30 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 6 vs. North Carolina A&T * Daytona Beach, Fla. 2:00 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 8 at Stetson DeLand, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 9 vs. Jacksonville Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 12 vs. Norfolk State * Ormond Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
vs. Norfolk State * Ormond Beach, Fla. 4:30 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 13 vs. Norfolk State * Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 15 vs. Jacksonville Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 16 vs. USF Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 19 at Coppin State * Baltimore, Md. 1:00 p.m.
at Coppin State * Baltimore, Md. 4:30 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 20 at Coppin State * Baltimore, Md. 1:00 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 22 vs. Stetson Daytona Beach, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
Thu., Apr. 24 at North Florida Jacksonville, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 26 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore * Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
vs. Maryland Eastern Shore * Daytona Beach, Fla. 4:30 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 27 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore * Daytona Beach, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 29 at Jacksonville Jacksonville, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 30 at USF Tampa, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
Sat., May 3 at Delaware State * Dover, Del. 1:00 p.m.
at Delaware State * Dover, Del. 4:30 p.m.
Sun., May 4 at Delaware State * Dover, Del. 1:00 p.m.
Tue., May 6 at Florida Atlantic Boca Raton, Fla. 4:00 p.m.
Wed., May 7 at Florida Gainesville, Fla. 6:30 p.m.

MEAC Tournament
Thu., May 15 MEAC Tournament Norfolk, Va. TBA