UMES Hawks signs 6'-11" developing "Big Man"

UMES Hawks Coach Frankie Allen

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball head coach Frankie Allen has announced the signing of 6-11 center Olatunji Kosile from Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, Miss. for the 2011-12 season. Kosile, who is known by his teammates and friends as TJ, averages 3.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game through seven contests for the Wolfpack this season.

"TJ is an excellent signee and he'll give us the size and strength that we need to compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference," stated Allen.

"His rebounding and defensive skills are formidable which will give us added strength on our front line. There is a tremendous wealth of potential in a player with his size, strength and ability and he is a very welcome addition into our program. We're excited to work with TJ and develop him into a quality Division I player."

Kosile inks with UMES

WESSON, Ms. - The game of basketball has taken Olatunji Kosile half way around the world. The game has taken the 6-11 center away from his home in Lagos, Nigeria, to the small town of Niceville, Fla. After playing one season for Northwest Florida State, Kosile has landed in the tiny town Wesson, suiting up to play this season for the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolfpack.

On Monday, Nov. 15, Kosile signed a national letter of intent to play basketball, which will take him on the next step of his journey, to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md.

Kosile, know by his teammates and friends as TJ, is coming off of his best game as a member of the Wolfpack. On Thursday, Nov.11, against Holmes Kosile scored 10 points, pulled down 8 rebounds, and blocked 2 shots in Co-Lin’s 68-58 win.

“The coaches from Eastern Shore view TJ as a big 6-11 ball of clay and I think that’s a great description of what he can be,” said Co-Lin Assistant Coach Cliff Furr.

Lady Jaspers Notch Fourth Straight Victory

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - On Monday night, the Manhattan College women's basketball team hit the road for the first time in three weeks looking to extend its winning streak to four straight. After Maryland Eastern Shore pulled within one in the second half, the Lady Jaspers (5-2) outscored the Lady Hawks (1-3) 16-4 over the final 7:08 to pull away for a 61-49 triumph in a tough, physical contest at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center.

"This was a very difficult game in an extremely hostile environment," Head Coach John Olenowski said. "Our girls really came through, and I'm proud of our effort."

With the score knotted at 10-10 early in the first half, Monica Roeder (Marlton, N.J.) and Toni-Ann Lawrence (Elmont, N.Y.) took over. The duo combined for all of Manhattan's points during a 16-5 run that gave the Lady Jaspers an 11-point, 26-15, advantage with 8:31 remaining before halftime. Maryland Eastern Shore responded with a pair of treys to get back within six, but another 10-4 Manhattan rally followed and the Lady Jaspers took a 36-25 lead into the locker room.

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MEAC entertains nixing FCS playoffs for new bowl

DAYTONA BEACH -- Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins may never again take the Wildcats to the playoffs, regardless of how well he coaches and how well his team plays.

Leaders of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference -- the school presidents, ultimately -- are expected to vote next March on whether or not to skip the Division I-AA (Football Championship Subdivision) playoffs and instead schedule a new mid-December game, the "Legacy Bowl," pitting the winner of the MEAC with the champion of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (the other major conference for Historically Black College and Universities).

Bethune-Cookman Football: New Boys on the BC Block

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – When college football fans see the initials BC, the team that immediately comes to mind is Boston College, a powerhouse among teams in the Northeast, nestled atop Chestnut Hill just outside of Beantown. But there's another BC football team, not quite holding the national stature of the Eagles, but climbing fast.

That would be Bethune-Cookman University tucked away in northeastern Florida, just this side of sunny, sandy Daytona Beach. The Wildcats, who prefer to refer to themselves as B-CU...

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Howard University fires football coach Carey Bailey

Carey Bailey era ends at 8-36, 2-30 MEAC.

Howard University fired football coach Carey Bailey on Monday, according to a source who requested anonymity because details of the financial settlement are still being worked out. Bailey, who just completed his fourth season, has two years remaining on his contract.

The firing was the first order of business for Howard's new athletic director, Louis "Skip" Perkins, who started at the school Monday. Perkins, who spent the previous three years in the same position at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, can immediately put his imprint on Howard's signature sport.

One of Perkins's first hires at UAPB in 2007 was former Washington Redskins linebacker Monte Coleman as football coach.

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KEEPING SCORE - COACHING CHANGES
1. 10/18/10, North Carolina Central, Moses Rison (18-21), Interim Coach Darryl Bullock,(1-5).
2. 12/01/10, North Carolina A&T State, Alonzo Lee (5-16), Interim Coach George Ragsdale
3. 12/02/10, Delaware State, Al Lavan (41-36), Interim Coach Rayford Petty
4. 12/06/10, Howard University, Carey Bailey (8-36)
5. 12/01/10, Stillman College, L.C. Cole (7-15); New Coach Teddy Keaton, 12/3/2010.
6. 10/04/10, Miles College, William "Billy" Joe, Interim Coach Patrick Peasant

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Maryland - Eastern Shore hosts Manhattan Lady Jaspers

Manhattan-Maryland Eastern Shore Game Notes

Game 7: Manhattan Lady Jaspers (4-2) at Maryland Eastern Shore Lady Hawks (1-2)

Monday, December 6, 2010-6 p.m.

Princess Anne, Md.-Hytche Athletic Center (5,500)

 

Live Webcast: www.umeshawks.com

Live Audio: www.gojaspers.com,www.umeshawks.com

TONIGHT'S GAME
Manhattan (4-2) hits the road for the first time in five games tonight, as the Lady Jaspers visit Maryland Eastern Shore (1-2). The Lady Jaspers have won three straight, including a 68-51 triumph over New Hampshire on Friday night.

The Lady Hawks defeated UMBC in their season opener, but have lost two straight since, including a 73-50 defeat at Syracuse on Wednesday night. Tonight's game is Manhattan's only non-conference contest outside the State of New York.

THE LADY HAWKS
Maryland Eastern Shore (1-2) has played just three games this season, the fewest among all Division I teams. The Lady Hawks enter tonight's contest on a two-game losing streak after suffering a 73-50 defeat at Syracuse on Wednesday night. This is the Lady Hawks' first home game since their season-opening 64-52 win over UMBC on Nov. 14.

Senior guard Casey Morton paces the Lady Hawks in both scoring and rebounding. She averages 11.7 points and 5.7 points per contest. Junior guard/forward Kwinnyata Mercer averages 10.5 points per game off the bench, while junior guard Amber Cook contributes 10.0 points and 5.3 rebounds to go along with a team-leading 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals per outing. As a team, the Lady Hawks are shooting .417 (20-of-48) from three-point land, while holding their opponents to just .151 (8-of-53) shooting from beyond the arc.

Maryland Eastern Shore was picked to finish ninth in the MEAC Preseason Poll.

THE LADY JASPERS
The Lady Jaspers (4-2), who are coming off a 68-51 home victory over New Hampshire, have won three straight and are two games above .500 for the first time in Head Coach John Olenowski's tenure. Manhattan is looking to win four straight for the first time since Jan. 2-11, 2004.

Senior guard Abby Wentworth is the only Manhattan player averaging double-figures in the scoring column with 14.0 points per game. She also leads the Lady Jaspers in assists (4.2 apg) and steals (3.0 spg), and ranks second in rebounding (5.3 rpg). Junior forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer averages 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, while junior forward Nadia Peters leads Manhattan with 6.7 boards per contest. Peters also averages 2.5 assists and a team-high 1.5 blocks per game.

After playing four straight at home, tonight's game is the start of the span where Manhattan plays three out of four on the road.

SERIES HISTORY
This is the first time that Manhattan and Maryland Eastern Shore areplaying in Princess Anne. Both previous meetings took place at Draddy Gymnasium, including last season's 88-58 Lady Jaspers victory. The only other time the teams met, Manhattan notched a 78-51 win on Nov. 30, 1991. The Lady Jaspers are 8-1 all-time against members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

N.C. A&T rides play of Coleman, Hill

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- In the aftermath of N.C. A&T's wild overtime win over Norfolk State on Saturday, Aggies head coach Jerry Eaves had already taken off his coat, loosened his tie and unbuttoned his top button. As he took the walk to his seat in the postgame interview room, Eaves carried a telling look -- one of exhaustion, joy and most clearly, relief.

"I can't complain," Eaves deadpanned in response to how he was doing. Talk about an understatement. Thanks to 25 points after intermission from Marc Hill and a brilliant all-around effort from center Thomas Coleman, A&T escaped with an 89-81 win.

Norfolk State loses league opener in OT

GREENSBORO, N.C. - After committing a foul in the final seconds of overtime, Norfolk State forward Kyle O'Quinn pounded the ball on the floor over and over again. The score was already out of reach and his foul had no effect on the outcome, but O'Quinn couldn't help himself. His team had been so close, only to see a late lead crumble away - again.

"For them to shoot the way they did and for us to stay that close, we let it slip out of our hands," O'Quinn said of his team's 89-81 loss to North Carolina A&T (5-3). "It kind of makes you mad at the end if you don't come out the victor." The game quickly boiled down to a battle between the two tallest players on the court.

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Auburn survives to beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff

AUBURN, AL -- Maybe some of the euphoria surrounding Auburn's SEC championship in football has rubbed off on the men's basketball team.

The Tigers survived a scare to beat winless Arkansas-Pine Bluff 76-72 Sunday in front of several hundred fans at a largely empty Auburn Arena. In a season that is likely to be full of indignities for Auburn (3-4), Sunday's game nearly became the most embarrassing.

The Golden Lions (0-7), a SWAC team that typically starts its season on an impossible non-conference barnstorming tour, had lost their first six games by an average margin of 26 points but led Auburn by seven late in the second half.

Auburn comes back to top winless Arkansas-Pine Bluff

AUBURN -- Auburn basketball coach Tony Barbee was still hoarse from cheering the Tigers' football team to victory a day earlier in Atlanta, so he shrugged off the sparse crowd Sunday afternoon at Auburn Arena. "It is what it is," he said. "Believe me, I'm caught up in the football hype, too."

The Tigers survived a scare to beat winless Arkansas-Pine Bluff 76-72 in front of a crowd listed at 4,561 fans -- and probably had about 4,000 fewer than that.

Payne's layup with 8 seconds left lifts Auburn past Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 76-72

AUBURN, Ala. — The play Auburn coach Tony Barbee called in the final seconds of a tie game broke down — and it worked out perfectly. Allen Payne hit a layup with 8 seconds left and Rob Chubb added two free throws to lead Auburn to a come-from-behind, 76-72 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday.

The Tigers (3-4) scored the final 11 points to rally from...

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Finney: In Lavan, Delaware State cuts loose a man who put Hornets back together

We live in a stinky world where we only care about the "W."

It is easy to sympathize with Al Lavan, who discovered he was fired as coach of Delaware State's football team on Thursday morning. That's because Lavan has poured his heart and soul into turning the Hornets into a consistent contender in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference since he took over the football program back in 2004.

In fact, he was originally supposed to be the coach -- the first major hire by then-university president Dr. Allen Sessoms -- who would spearhead the Hornets' move to Division I-A football, where Sessoms harbored dreams of playing the Notre Dames, Floridas and Penn States of the world at a new 30,000-plus seat stadium in Dover.

Upon his hiring, Dr. Hallie Gregory, who was then DSU's athletic director, said, "[Lavan's] got a lot of NFL and Division I experience. With his background...

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JFK High great going into Hampton’s Hall of Fame

Suffolk native Terrence Warren was an 11-time All-American, eight-time CIAA champion and two-time NCAA national champion as a sprinter at Hampton University. Warren won five state championships on the track for John F. Kennedy High School. On the gridiron, Warren went on to a pro career in the NFL and CFL. He’s been selected as part of the second class to enter the Hampton University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Suffolk, VA - Former John F. Kennedy High track and football star Terrence Warren was overcome with pride when he learned of his induction into the Hampton University Athletics Hall of Fame. Most of his emotion goes out to the people who helped and coached him along the way.

“The biggest part of this, for me, is not that it’s a celebration of my accomplishments, but a way to pay homage to those who guided me and gave me a chance to develop,” Warren said. “I can’t take credit without giving them credit.”

In high school and again as a Pirate, Warren was a track athlete first and a football player second. The football idea was good enough to take Warren to a career in the NFL and Canadian Football League.

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Jackson State hands FIU men third loss in a row

Jenniro Bush scored 23 points to help lead Jackson State to a 61-52 victory over visiting FIU on Saturday night. Jackson State (2-6), playing at home for the first time this season, struggled to take advantage of its surroundings and fell behind 22-12 with 3:57 left in the first half. But three consecutive three-pointers from Bush and a layup by Chris Hyche cut FIU's lead to 24-23 at halftime.

Jackson State surged in the second half, shooting 12 for 21 (57.1 percent) from the field to take a 59-46 lead with 50 seconds remaining. FIU has lost three in a row after starting the season 4-1.

No place like home: Bush, Tigers rally past Panthers

Jackson, Ms. - Starting the season with seven straight road gameEdit HTMLs looked like it was affecting Jackson State early in Saturday's home game against Florida International. Coach Tevester Anderson said he felt like he was coaching in a strange gym. Junior forward Jenirro Bush, a transfer from Arkansas-Fort Smith, was playing in a strange gym.

It didn't take long for either of them to overcome all that, however. Bush scored 23 points to lead the Tigers to a 61-52 victory over Isiah Thomas-coached Florida International in JSU's first home game of the season and Bush's first game as a Tiger at the Williams Athletic and Assembly Center.

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ATTENDANCE: 4,480

Big Apple Classic: Brad Byerson's 26 points power VUU past VSU in New York City

NEW YORK -- Braxton Byerson swiveled toward the Spike Lee seats at Madison Square Garden and yapped with the fans at yesterday's Big Apple Classic. He had just hit an important 3-pointer at the end of the first half to solidify a lead Virginia Union (2-0) did not relinquish in a 66-46 win over rival Virginia State (1-4).

Byerson soaked in the moment. His screams stretched through the iconic arena. His post-shot swagger made him the game's most theatrical performer. But it was his scoring -- 26 points, trumping the 23 he scored on the same court last season -- that made the difference in the victory.

"Coach said when I first got here, 'You're a crowd pleaser,'" Byerson said. "It just always stuck with me. I just get in touch with the crowd when they start talking to me. It just gives me energy. I feed off it. I tend to play better when I feed off it."

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Big Apple Classic: Funches scores 20, Hampton beats Howard 67-55

NEW YORK — Charles Funches scored 20 points and Hampton defeated Howard 67-55 on Saturday night in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams. The Pirates (7-1) used a 9-3 run to break a 41-41 tie midway through the second half and secure their seventh straight win.

The Bison (1-7), who trailed 34-27 at halftime, took a 38-36 lead with 15:54 left in the game following an 11-2 run. Mike Tuitt's 3 put the Pirates back on top with 14:50 to play before Dadrian Collins' 3 tied it one more time at 41-41.

Lack of Production from Bench Again Dooms Howard

New York, NY - Mike Phillips poured in a career-high 20 points and Anton Dickerson added 19 but it was not enough to offset the production of the Hampton bench as the Bison lost to Hampton, 67-55 in the 5th Annual Big Apple Classic at Madison Square Garden.

Phillips, a 6-7 sophomore forward from Fredricksburg, VA, recorded a double-double (20 points, 11 rebounds) and Dickerson, a 6-2 sophomore guard from Brooklyn, NY, tallied 14 of his points in the first half as the undermanned Bison (1-7 overall, 0-1 in the MEAC) battled the streaking Pirates (7-1 overall, 1-0 in the MEAC) through most of the contest.

Hampton which has now won seven in a row, was able to get some distance between them and their rival by using a late push to take a 34-27 lead to the locker room.

Hampton men run winning streak to seven

Hampton University ran its winning streak to seven, beating Howard 67-55 Saturday night in the Big Apple Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Pirates (7-1), who are giving up about 54 points per game, haven't lost since dropping a close season-opening contest at Wake Forest.

Howard tied the game at 41 on a 3-pointer by Dadrian Collins, a former Woodside High player. But the Pirates went on a 9-3 run to take a 50-44 lead with 9:42 to play on a dunk from junior guard Darrion Pellum.

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2nd-half explosion puts DSU in D-II semis

ALBANY, GA. — Delta State spotted undefeated Albany State an early touchdown, then used a dominating second-half performance to beat the Golden Rams 28-7 Saturday and advance to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II football playoffs.

DSU (10-3) will play Shepherd University (11-2) of West Virginia in the semifinals on Saturday. The site and time will be announced today. The game will be televised live by CBS College Sports.
Shepherd advanced with a 49-14 victory on Saturday over Mercyhurst.

Albany State (11-1) took the opening kickoff and drove 74 yards for a touchdown, scoring on a 35-yard pass from Stanley Jennings to Ronnie Childs. With the game barely four minutes old, DSU trailed.

Not to be

ALBANY, Ga. — The Rams came into their Division II quarterfinal playoff game Saturday on the verge of making history. Unfortunately, they repeated it. Albany State fell to another Gulf South Conference team in the postseason, this time, 28-7, to Delta State on Saturday at Albany State University Coliseum, thus ending another magical undefeated season. Only this go round, the Rams beat themselves.

“(Delta State) just played better than we did (Saturday). We made a lot of mistakes and they capitalized on them, and that really was the difference in the game,” ASU head coach Mike White said. “We talked a little about 2004 (when we lost to Valdosta State in the quarterfinals) and how we’ve (had) this opportunity before. We didn’t want to get behind because they have such a good combination on offense, so we knew we had to stay on top of them.

Albany State falls to Delta State in D-II quarters, season ends at 11-1

Albany State scores the first points of the game Saturday against Delta State in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals, then doesn't score again the rest of the game in a 28-7 loss to the Statesmen, ending their amazing season at 11-1 and two wins shy of the national championship.

SO LONG, SENIORS: A historic ASU team says goodbye to historic players

ALBANY, GA — This season has been one to remember for Albany State football fans. Close games, winning streaks and home-field advantage in the playoffs mean the area won’t be forgetting the 2010 Rams any time soon. But with the 28-7 defeat to Delta State on Saturday in the D-II quarterfinals, ASU lost more than just a game. It lost a bunch of key seniors — Jacob Hardwick, Ronnie Childs, Mario Fuller, Prathon Wilkerson, LiRonnie Davis and Robert Welton to name a few.

“That’s always a difficult one for a coach, because most of those guys are five-year guys. You’ve been with them for a while,” ASU head coach Mike White said. “It’s a good relationship and we hate to see it go out this way.”

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Saint Augustine's Falcons win Pioneer Bowl

COLUMBUS, GA -- Saint Augustine’s survived a conversion returned for a touchdown in the first half and the absence of standout Walter Sanders to score 14 second-half points and knock off Fort Valley State 20-9 on Saturday afternoon in the Pioneer Bowl. The Falcons ended their season at 9-2 while the Wildcats concluded at 8-3, losing their second game in a month at A.J. McClung Stadium.

Saint Augustine’s Jone’ Jones was named the offensive and game MVP for his three receptions for 54 yards, two going for touchdowns. FVSU’s Ricky Johnson was the defensive MVP. Deonte Toliver rushed for 70 yards on 17 carries for the Falcons, who got 220 yards passing from Joaquin Green and Teddy Bacote.

Wildcats stumble to finish

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- At least this time, Ricky Johnson had a positive momento. But being named the defensive MVP of the Pioneer Bowl didn’t help. “We had this nasty taste in our mouths here (four) weeks ago,” the senior from Fort Valley State said. “It came back.”

FVSU’s sudden quarterback problems were too much to overcome and a struggling offense was the roadblock as the Wildcats fell 20-9 on Saturday to St. Augustine’s in the Pioneer Bowl. A crowd of about 1,500 watched the bowl game between the SIAC and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, the site of the Fountain City Classic between FVSU and Albany State.



FVSU Ends Year With Loss in Pioneer Bowl

On Saturday the Fort Valley St. Wildcats made their first postseason visit since 1999. Don Pittman's team entered the Pioneer Bowl shorthanded thanks to the arrest and suspension of standout quarterback Eugene Smith, and the departure of backup Nick Stephens, who decided to leave the team for personal reasons.

Behind center for FVSU was freshman Chris Broomfield, getting his first start. A year ago Broomfiel as the team equiptment manager.

ATTENDANCE: 1,500

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FCS playoffs: UNH rolls past Bethune-Cookman

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – The University of New Hampshire survived a very shaky second period and roared back in the third behind junior quarterback Kevin Decker on the way to a 45-20 FCS playoff win over Bethune-Cookman University Saturday at Municipal Field.

The Wildcats, now 8-4, head to the NCAA playoff quarterfinal round for the sixth time in the last seven years, and will travel to Newark, Del., to take on No. 3 seed Delaware next weekend. Bethune-Cookman, which won its first 10 games of the season, lost its last two games and finished at 10-2.

B-CU backup QB played tough

DAYTONA BEACH -- It wasn't ideal circumstances for Bethune-Cookman quarterback Jackie Wilson to make his first college start on Saturday. To say the odds were against the true freshman would be an understatement. Wilson wasn't fully recovered from a high ankle sprain sustained two weeks earlier in B-CU's loss to Florida A&M, yet he was the best option for coach Brian Jenkins because Matt Johnson -- the senior who started every other game -- has a shoulder injury.

Playing against a New Hampshire team that has years of playoff experience, Wilson was sacked five times, fumbled twice and threw two interceptions in the 45-20 loss at Municipal Stadium.



Wildcats kept it close early on

DAYTONA BEACH -- Bethune-Cookman sophomore Kory Kowalski nailed a 44-yard punt and then was leveled by New Hampshire's Chris Setian in the second quarter Saturday. Kowalski lay flat on Municipal Stadium's Field Turf as trainers attended to him. Then he got up and fell down again.

Many of the 5,738 fans at Muncipal Stadium had to be wondering what B-CU would do if it had to go the rest of the game without the only healthy punter and kicker on its team. But Kowalski, who bruised his left knee on the play, admitted after the game that his second collapse was just milking the situation, giving B-CU's offense a little time to rest.

Backup QB Decker leads UNH football to 45-20 playoff win

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Making his first start of the season in place of injured starter R.J. Toman, junior quarterback Kevin Decker threw for three second-half touchdowns to lead the University of New Hampshire football team to a 45-20 victory over Bethune-Cookman in the second round of the Division I playoffs on Saturday afternoon.

Tenth-ranked UNH, which improved to 8-4 with the win, will meet No. 3 seed Delaware next weekend in the quarterfinals. The Blue Hens dispatched Lehigh, 42-20, in their second-round game Saturday. The Wildcats won a postseason game for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. Bethune-Cookman, the MEAC champion making its first postseason appearance since 2003, saw its season end with a record of 10-2.



Bethune-Cookman loses in 2nd round of FCS playoffs

DAYTONA BEACH — Game-changing adjustments usually happen on the field. But the decision to bench starting quarterbacks for both Bethune-Cookman University and New Hampshire came just hours before their 1 p.m. kickoff at Municipal Stadium.

BCU coach Brian Jenkins chose to sit Matt Johnson, voted MEAC offensive player of the year, Saturday despite receiving clearance from team doctors for a left shoulder injury. Jackie Wilson, a freshman backup, quarterbacked the Wildacts in a 45-20 loss in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Meltdown

DAYTONA BEACH -- For Matt Johnson the toughest game was his last one. And he never got off the sideline. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's Offensive Player of the Year had to stand and watch as his Bethune-Cookman Wildcats succumbed to a second-half offensive barrage that propelled visiting New Hampshire to a 45-20 victory Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division I playoffs at Municipal Stadium.

"It was hard -- very, very hard. I couldn't even put it in words," said Johnson, who broke his left shoulder blade two weeks ago in a loss to Florida A&M.

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ATTENDANCE: 5,738



BCU Wildcats 2010 a mix of success, promise

DAYTONA BEACH -- It was nearly 10 minutes into the third quarter when it began looking like Bethune-Cookman's football season would finally end on its 12th Saturday of the fall.

New Hampshire quarterback Kevin Decker lobbed a pass toward the right sideline, where receiver Chris Chandler, angling toward the B-CU bench, had a half-step on B-CU defender Dion Hanks. Chandler made the catch; Hanks missed the tackle. As Hanks fell aside, Chandler gathered his footing and took off down the sideline toward the end zone, with B-CU's Chris Perry giving a desperate chase that came up just short.

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NSU women have already tied last season's win total

Debra Clark is resurrecting the Lady Spartans at Norfolk State

If the early bird really does get the worm, Norfolk State's women's basketball team might eat its way out of its losing ways this season.

The Spartans have been in a decade-long decline that reached its bottom the past three seasons, which produced a combined two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victories. Included in the stretch was an 0-16 record in the MEAC last season and a 4-23 overall mark. That came on the heels of a 1-27 record in 2008-09.

But as the Spartans head for their MEAC opener at North Carolina A&T today, they feel the tide has actually turned. Norfolk State is off to a 4-1 start this season.

"It seems every time I turn around, someone's asking, 'Hey, what's going on? You guys are winning this season,' " said sophomore point guard Recca Trice. "What's going on is we have some pride and ambition."

I-AA Playoff fever captures Bethune-Cookman football

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Author a successful season at the highest level of college football, you're rewarded with a bowl game. It's a trip that includes gift bags, fancy downtown dinners and, depending on the host city, anything from a cow-milking contest to a group hug with Minnie Mouse.

But outside of that marquee world -- where the Alabamas, Ohio States and Floridas reside -- the rest of college football rewards its best with a different type of post-season action, the type recognized by nearly every other sport at every level: Playoffs. Win and continue; lose and go home. Or, in Bethune-Cookman's case, lose and stay home.

Quarterback Matt Johnson still a question mark as Bethune-Cookman hosts New Hampshire today

There will be one anxious moment at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium Saturday when the Bethune-Cookman offense first takes the field. Fans will be waiting to see if No. 13 runs onto the field to take his usual spot in the huddle.

Matt Johnson suffered a dislocation of his left, non-throwing shoulder two weeks ago in the Wildcats' loss to Florida A&M and B-CU coach Brian Jenkins has danced around questions about his senior signal caller's availability since then.

Saturday, however, will finally shed light on the mystery of Johnson, the MEAC offensive player of the year, when BCU takes on New Hampshire in the second round of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium. Game time is set for 1 p.m. and NCAA.com is supposed to have live coverage of the game.

New Hampshire (7-4) at Bethune-Cookman (10-1)
1 p.m. Saturday, Municipal Stadium, Daytona Beach, FL
Local Radio: WELE 1380-AM
LIVE GAME VIDEO BROADCAST VIA NCAA.COM - CLICK HERE

Eddie Poole helps lead Bethune-Cookman into NCAA Division I-AA playoffs

Eddie Poole has a steel rod in his left leg, the result of surgical procedures to support a broken fibula he suffered last year. One would figure, with the changing Central Florida weather this week, that the star Bethune-Cookman wide receiver might be having issues with his repaired leg. Of course, if he was hurting, as Wildcats' head coach Brian Jenkins has come to know, he wouldn't admit it.

"He'll just tell me, 'I ain't coming out, coach,' " said Jenkins, the first year coach who...

Dueling 'Cats face QB dilemmas: Bethune-Cookman, UNH ready for Saturday's battle

DURHAM, NH - Who will be playing quarterback? If it is the expected starters, how well will they be able to play through nagging injuries? Whether you're a University of New Hampshire Wildcat or a Bethune-Cookman Wildcat, those questions are being asked about your own QB and the other team's signal-caller. UNH senior R.J. Toman is nursing an ankle sprain. Bethune-Cookman run-pass threat Matt Johnson has an injured left (non-throwing) shoulder.

The two teams will meet for the first time Saturday in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. No. 13 Bethune-Cookman (10-1), champions of the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference is hosting No. 10/11 UNH (7-4), which finished third in the Colonial Athletic Association, at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium. Game time is 1 p.m. The game will not be televised. It will be broadcast live on radio (WGIN-AM 930, WQSO-FM 96.7, WASR-AM 1420).

UNH, Jellison now have totake it one game at a time

Thanksgiving was a little bit different this year for Amherst’s Sean Jellison. He was able to spend it at home instead of with his University of New Hampshire football teammates. But the Wildcats reassembled last weekend in preparation for Saturday’s game in Daytona, Fla., against Bethune-Cookman.

It’s the seventh straight post-season appearance for the Wildcats, who recovered from a rocky start to finish 7-4 and gain one of the 20 playoff bids in the Football Championship Subdivision. Because the field was expanded to 20 teams and UNH drew a first-round bye, the Wildcats had Thanksgiving weekend off for the first time in a long time.

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Jackson State new prez must deal with athletic issues

The hiring of a new president at Jackson State could greatly affect the school's athletic program at a time when key decisions have to be made. Carolyn Meyers, who the state College Board approved as the university's new president Wednesday, has two important athletic issues facing her when she begins in January.

Meyers will be in charge of hiring a new athletic director and dealing with football coach Rick Comegy's contract. JSU's current athletic director, Bob Braddy, plans to retire in the summer, and Comegy is heading into the final year of his contract. Meyers was caught by surprise Wednesday when asked about finding a new athletic director.

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Pioneer Bowl: FVSU Wildcats look to rebound from missing playoffs

FORT VALLEY, Ga. -- Not being included in the NCAA Division II playoffs was obviously disappointing for Fort Valley State. But getting three more weeks of practice and getting to play in one of three Division II bowl games and having the chance to end the season on a winning note is a pretty good consolation prize.

It took a little while for the Wildcats to realize it after getting over a loss to end the regular season that kept them out of the playoffs. “You saw some pep in their step,” FVSU head coach Donald Pittman said of recent practices. “Everybody’s about back.”

FVSU takes on St. Augustine’s at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the Pioneer Bowl at Columbus’ A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, home to the Fountain City Classic between FVSU and Albany State.

Former Huss standout hoping to help St. Aug's to school record

GASTONIA – Stedman Gardner says his St. Augustine’s College football coaches haven’t talked about the Falcons’ opportunity at history in Saturday’s 1 p.m. Pioneer Bowl at McClung Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Ga. “They’re just trying to keep us focused on what’s ahead,” said Gardner, a 2008 Hunter Huss High graduate. “But it would feel great to get in the record book.”

St. Augustine’s (8-2) missed its first opportunity at history when it dropped its regular-season finale to crosstown rival Shaw 10-6 in its Nov. 6 regular-season finale. Then, the Falcons could’ve taken a school-record 9th victory while also advancing to the CIAA championship game for the first time. St. Augustine’s, which restarted its football program in 2002 after a 35-year absence, had previously won eight games in 1950, 1965 and 2005. The 1950 team has a school-best 8-1 record.

The Pioneer Bowl appearance against Fort Valley State (8-2) gives the Falcons a second chance to win their 9th game of the season. The contest is in its 12th season and pits a CIAA team against a SIAC team.

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Stillman dismisses L.C. Cole; Names Teddy Keaton new head football coach

Coach L.C. Cole was 7-15 in two seasons

TUSCALOOSA -  L.C. Cole has been dismissed after two seasons as head football coach at Stillman College. “They were saying they were ready to make a change,” Cole said Wednesday. “That’s all I was informed of. Nothing I could do about it.”

Cole received word of the firing in a meeting on Tuesday with Curtis Campbell, Stillman’s athletics director. “We just thought we needed to go in a new direction,” Campbell said. “Our program wasn’t progressing the way I thought it should be and I just thought it was time to make a change. “I think L.C. is a good coach, but we just felt it was time to make a change at Stillman. I wish L.C. Cole the best and I’m sure he’ll do some great things in the future.”

Stillman names Teddy Keaton as football coach

Two days after dismissing L.C. Cole, the Stillman Tigers have a new football coach. Stillman officials have tapped Teddy Keaton, a 1999 graduate of the college and offensive coordinator at Webber International University in Babson Park, Fla as the new head football coach for the Tigers.

Keaton began his coaching career as an assistant football coach and director of football operation at Stillman. As an assistant coach for six seasons, he served as running backs coach, special teams coach and recruiting coordinator.

Keaton Bio, Read Here

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NCAA Division II Playoffs: Albany State Rams A.D. declares Saturday ‘ASU Day’

ALBANY — The Albany State University Coliseum can hold roughly 10,000 fans.

And come Saturday at 1 p.m. when the Rams host Delta State in the Division II quarterfinals, ASU Athletic Director Richard Williams says he would be shocked to see even one empty seat in the house. “I expect no empty seats whatsoever. I really think, for this game, (the Coliseum) will be busting at the seams,” Williams said Thursday evening, just two days before the Rams kick off in what could be a history-making moment for the football team if it’s able to beat the Statesmen and reach the D-II semifinals for the first time ever.

ASU Rams Quarterback Stanley Jennings SIAC MVP

“I was thrilled last week that we (got 5,392 fans) to come out (to the second-round game) against Wingate being that it was Thanksgiving and the students weren’t in town. And I say ‘thrilled’ because to have that many fans come out, it lets us know that the community — not just Albany State fans, but almost the entire community of Albany — showed up and supported us. I was pleasantly surprised and I think I will be again Saturday.”

GAME TIME: DECEMBER 4, 2010 @ 1:00 PM ET
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LOCAL RADIO: 98.1 FM (Albany, Ga.)
DELTA STATE INTERNET RADIO - CLICK HERE

Delta State (9-3) at Albany State (11-0), 12 p.m. CST

The Statesmen advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for fourth time, and first time since 2008, with a convincing 47-24 win over North Alabama last weekend, avenging a 31-7 regular season loss to the Lions. Delta State racked up 524 yards of total offense, including 359 yards on the ground, against the Lions, and held UNA to just 66 yards rushing.

The Rams moved on to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2004 and second time in program history as they fended off a pesky Wingate squad, 30-28, last Saturday. Wingate narrowed the Rams’ lead to just two points, scoring a TD with less than two minutes remaining and then tried an onside kick, but ASU’s LiRonnie Davis recovered the ball to squelch the comeback. Davis also scored two TDs on the day.

DSU sports a balanced offensive attack, and ranks seventh in the nation in total offense with 479.08 yards per game, led by quarterback Micah Davis, and running backs Trevor Deed and Brandon Lucas, who each ran for over 100 yards against UNA. The Rams will counter with the top scoring defense in the nation as they are allowing just 11.55 points per game, and giving up just 217.64 yards per game, which ranks third in Division II.

This will be the first meeting between the two programs. DSU is 10-4 all-time in NCAA postseason play, while the Rams are 3-11.

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B-CU: Change for good

B-CU Coach Brian Jenkins

Bethune-Cookman finished just 5-6 last season and Alvin Wyatt, the winningest coach in school history, was fired after 13 years on the job. The man replacing him, Brian Jenkins, had never been a head coach before and the Wildcats were picked to finish eighth in the nine-team Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The initial transition was hardly smooth for Jenkins, 39. He dismissed 20 players from the team as he established a strict set of rules for the program. But rather than turn the team against the coach, that proved to be the first step in a fast rebuilding process that has led No. 13 Bethune-Cookman (10-1) into Saturday's FCS second-round playoff game against No. 10 New Hampshire (7-4).

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TSU coach may call his own defense

Nashville, TN - Tennessee State Coach Rod Reed, who helped turned the Tigers defense into the best in the OVC in 2008, is prepared to take over the unit again. Kenny Ingram resigned this week as defensive coordinator after one season. Reed named himself the interim coordinator and said he may decide to handle the job on a permanent basis.

"I'm going to do it on the interim and that could change," said Reed, who replaced James Webster as the head coach this season. "Right now I am more inclined to do it." The Tigers (3-8) finished the season with a six-game losing streak and allowed an average of 26.7 points in that stretch.

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Delaware State Releases Head Football Coach

DOVER, Del. - Delaware State University Athletics Director Derek Carter announced December 2, 2010 that, effective immediately, Al Lavan will not be retained in the capacity of head football coach.

The DSU athletics director said after three consecutive losing seasons, "it is time for a change." Carter added that current defensive coordinator Rayford Petty has been appointed as the team's interim head coach.

"While we can note that there have been some successes during the Lavan era - most notably the 2007 conference championship - the team has not been as competitive following that accomplishment as we believe it should have been," Carter said.

The Al Lavan era included a 63-6 loss at Michigan on Oct 17, 2009, before 106,304 fans. In order to play the Michigan "money game" for $550,000, DSU forfeited a MEAC scheduled league game against North Carolina A&T-- for a rare two defeat day.

"While we hope to build on what we have seen is possible for the Hornet football program, presently we have determined that we need to move the team in a new direction," the DSU athletic director said. "We thank Coach Lavan for the dedication he has exhibited over these seven years."

Lavan ends his DSU tenure with a record of 41-36. His best coaching season took place in 2007 when he led DSU to a championship 8-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference record (10-2 overall), which earned the team its first-ever post-season appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Over the last three seasons under Lavan, the Hornets had a combined record of 12-20, which included the recently concluded 2010 season record of 3-8.

Carter said a national search for a new head coach will begin immediately.

Courtesy: DSU Athletic Media Relations

Delaware State Hornets football: Lavan shocked by firing

Lavan ends DSU era with 41-36 record 

DOVER, DE -- Over the past seven seasons, Al Lavan took Delaware State University's football team to heights it had never known. But the depths of the past three seasons cost Lavan his job Thursday when athletic director Derek Carter announced the head coach had been fired.

"It is time for a change," Carter said. "It's hard anytime you have to make these decisions, but you have to look at the big picture in trying to make the right decision."

Lavan said the move surprised him. "It was not on my mind at all," Lavan said. "I heard it [Thursday] morning for first time. It was unexpected."

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Dr. Carolyn Meyers named Jackson State University's first female chief

Carolyn Meyers describes herself as a "researcher," a "collaborative leader" and a "thinker." She plans to put those traits to use when she takes the helm as Jackson State University's first female president in January. "The university's vision is something that will be crafted with all of us working together," she said Wednesday. "This is not Meyers State University; this is Jackson State University."

The state College Board voted unanimously in favor of hiring Meyers, 64, as JSU's 10th president after she spent the day meeting with faculty, alumni, students and others on campus. "It was really enlightening and heartening to hear and see how committed all of the groups are," Meyers said after the interviews. "I think we have something here that's special and unique and appeals to a lot of people."



Former NSU president gets Jackson State job

JACKSON, Miss. - Jackson State University has hired Carolyn Meyers, the former president at Norfolk State University, as the school's president, making her the first woman to hold the top job there. The Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning named Meyers to the position Wednesday.

She replaces interim president Leslie McLemore, a political science professor appointed when Ronald Mason left in June to lead the Southern University System based in Baton Rouge, La. Meyers has more than 30 years of experience in higher education. Before working at Norfolk State, Meyers was provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at North Carolina A&T. She begins her new job in January.

PHOTO GALLERIES

• New Jackson State president

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Delaware State University: NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLASS-ACTION SETTLEMENT AND HEARING

TIME SENSITIVE: FAIRNESS HEARING SCHEDULED DECEMBER 20, 2010 AT 3:00 p.m.

ATTENTION: ALL CURRENT, PROSPECTIVE, AND FUTURE FEMALE STUDENTS OF DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY WHO PARTICIPATE, SEEK TO PARTICIPATE, OR HAVE BEEN DETERRED OR PREVENTED FROM PARTICIPATING IN DELAWARE STATE VARSITY ATHLETICS

PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AS IT ADDRESSES A LAWSUIT THAT MAY AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS.

I. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this notice is to inform you of a proposed settlement in a pending class action lawsuit brought against Delaware State University (“DSU”) on behalf of all present and future female students of DSU (including currently enrolled female students, female students admitted for the 2010-11 academic year, and prospective female students) who participate, seek to participate, or have been deterred or prevented from participating in, or obtaining the benefits of, intercollegiate athletics at DSU. A class-action settlement, which must be approved by the Court, was reached in this class action, which is captioned or otherwise referred to as Foltz, et al. v. Delaware State University, Civil Action No. 10-149 (LPS) (D. Del.), and which is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (the “Litigation”).

The plaintiff class in the Litigation alleges that DSU violated, and is continuing to violate, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681-88 (“Title IX”) by: (1) failing to provide equitable athletic opportunities for its female students (“Participation Claims”); and (2) failing to provide equal recruitment resources to women’s varsity athletic teams (“Recruitment Claims”).

The proposed settlement (the “Settlement”) resolves these claims.

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The DSU Equestrian Team legal action prevails and the parties agree to a Settlement Agreement, whereas,  DSU does not admit any fault or wrongdoing. The District Court ratification of the Agreement is expected December 20, 2010, or soon thereafter.