St. Aug's Falcons Ink 30 Football Signees

RALEIGH, North Carolina – Saint Augustine's College announced the signing of 30 football recruits for the 2012 football season on Wednesday, April 4, 2012. This is the largest incoming class since 2002 when the Falcons re-started football after 37 years.

The list of players includes 16 in-state players and 14 players from eight different states in addition to Washington, D.C. That is a marked departure from previous years when most of the recruits were out-of-state.

The Falcons stocked up on offensive linemen (8) and defensive backs (7), but they also focused on defensive linemen (5), wide receivers (4) and linebackers (4). Head Coach Michael Costa expects several of the recruits to make an impact this upcoming season.

“This is a good class,” Costa said. “We have a lot of kids that will help the program. We have good kids who are smart.”

The recruits will join 41 lettermen from last year's squad which finished 4-6 overall and 3-4 in the CIAA. Top returning lettermen for the Falcons include quarterback Teddy Bacote (Hampton, Va.), wide receiver-return man Tyron Laughinghouse (Greenville, N.C.) and wide receiver Brian Richards (Waldorf, Md.) on offense. Bacote and Laughinghouse were All-CIAA selections last season. Richards ranked first in the league and 10th nationally in receptions per game (7.0) last season.

Defensively, the Falcons bring back linebacker Chaz Robinson (Hampton, Va.), linebacker Antonio Stewart (Ellenwood, Ga.) and defensive tackle Shonquez Nelson (Lake City, S.C.). Robinson and Nelson both made the All-CIAA squad and Stewart was named 2011 CIAA defensive rookie of the year.

The Falcons open the 2012 season at home against Wingate University. The contest starts at 1:30 p.m.

The Falcons' list of recruits are as follows:

NAME POSITION STATE HIGH SCHOOL
Cory Craig RB Norwood, NC South Stanly High School
Dajon Montague DE Garner, NC Middle Creek High School
Alan (AJ) Gilford QB Savannah, GA Jenkins High School
Wesley Perkins DB Lincolnton, NC Lincolnton High School
Donald Brinkley OL Greenville, NC Rose High School
Craig Johnson LB Raeford, NC Hoke County High School
Sayer Robinson DB Statesville, NC West Iredell High School
Jamiah Johnson WR Durham, NC Southern Durham HS
John Perkins OL Fayetteville, NC Jack Britt High School
Jered Mckenzie OL Aberdeen, NC Pinecrest High School
William Jenkins OL Henrico, VA John Marshall High School
James Walls DB Richmond, VA John Marshall High School
Christian Kama OL Waimanalo, HI Kailua High School
Joseph Pelesasa LB Waimanalo, HI Kailua High School
Jaylynn Nicholas OL Graniteville, SC Aiken High School
Lionel Davis DT Memphis, TN Westwood High School
Antzale Henry WR Memphis, TN Westwood High School
Antoine Smith LB Washington, DC Friendship Collegiate Acad.
Marquis Pegues WR Laurinburg, NC Scotland County HS
JaQuice Oates-Bethea DE Laurinburg, NC Scotland County HS
Caison Murphy DB Laurinburg, NC Scotland County HS
Ryan Bowman LB Fort Valley, GA Peach County High School
Justin Jones DB Fort Valley, GA Peach County High School
Terrance North DB Prattville, AL Prattville High School
Kenneth Patten OL Winterville, NC South Central High School
Jordan Griffin DB Middletown, DE Middletown High School
Sharif Humes DE Statesville, NC Statesville High School
Justin Davidson WR Statesville, NC Statesville High School
Kyle Johnston DL Pennsauken, NJ Pennsauken High School
Henry Capers OL Raeford, NC Hoke County High School

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

XU men knock off another top-10 team; Nuggets lose by 1

COACH ALAN GREEN
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TENNIS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

SANTA BARBARA, California — Xavier University of Louisiana's Loic Didavi, Zach Taylor and Viktor Svoboda defeated ranked singles players Tuesday to lead the ninth-ranked Gold Rush to a 6-3 NAIA men's tennis victory against eighth-ranked Westmont.

Xavier (12-4) has beaten top-10 teams in consecutive duals for the first time in the program's history. The Rush defeated No. 7 Point Loma Nazarene 5-4 on Monday.

Xavier's women, who dropped out of the coaches' top 25 poll Tuesday, lost 5-4 to 21st-ranked Westmont.

Svoboda and Corey Huggins clinched against Westmont (7-7) with their 9-8 (10-3) victory at No. 3 doubles against Lukas Zielen and Joshua Barnard. Didavi and Taylor, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's third-ranked NAIA doubles team, beat second-ranked Bryan Cox and Rodrigo Schaefer 9-8 (11-9).

Didavi, ranked 11th, beat fifth-ranked Cox 6-4, 6-3. No. 17 Taylor defeated No. 23 Schaefer 6-0, 6-3, and 47th-rated Svoboda defeated No. 39 Tim Goranson 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-5).

The XU men are 8-2 this season against ranked NAIA opponents, 3-2 against top-10 teams.

"Our guys are stepping up on this trip," XU coach Alan Green said. "This was another tough battle. These matches are so hard, and I hope they can prepare us for the national tournament. Westmont had a good crowd, and they were loud and on us the whole time."

Although the Gold Nuggets (3-18) dropped their fourth in a row and ninth in the past 10 duals, they earned a pair of singles victories against ranked opponents. XU's Kourtney Howell, ranked 35th, beat No. 38 Nicci Yvanovich 6-3, 6-2. Amanda Materre defeated No. 45 Tara Yekrang (WC) 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-3.

The women's dual was not decided until the final completed match, when Alyson Meyer rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory against Nicole DeLoach at No. 5 singles. Sunset at Westmont's Abbott Tennis Courts, which has no lights, forced Meyer and DeLoach's final set to be moved to Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in nearby Carpinteria.

Xavier will continue its California trip with duals at 2 p.m. PDT Wednesday against Concordia — whose women are ranked eighth and men are ranked 10th — at Costa Mesa Tennis Center.

Results:  Men    Women

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, April 1) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Fresno Pacific (10) 16-1 250 1 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 13-2 242 2 3 Oklahoma Christian 10-3 232 3 4 Azusa Pacific 15-1 228 4 5 Auburn Montgomery 10-7 215 5 6 Point Loma Nazarene 9-6 211 7 7 Vanguard 9-7 202 6 8 Westmont 7-6 191 10 9 Xavier 10-4 186 9 10 Concordia (Calif.) 6-8 177 8 11 William Carey 11-2 174 11 12 Lindsey Wilson 13-4 163 12 13 Aquinas 14-1 152 13 14 Bethany (Kan.) 12-3 145 14 15 Belhaven 12-2 137 17 16 Cumberland 8-0 134 16 17 Warner 11-2 117 18 18 Lee (Tenn.) 7-5 114 15 19 Campbellsville 7-4 103 19 20 Martin Methodist 6-4 93 20 21 Our Lady of the Lake 6-6 89 21 22 Webber International 14-5 74 23 23 Northwestern Ohio 14-4 72 25 24 Lewis-Clark State 5-7 61 24 25 Shorter 7-13 53 22 Others receiving votes: Pikeville 41, Olivet Nazarene 35, Spring Arbor 35, McPherson 33, Biola 21, Northwood (Fla.) 19, Roberts Wesleyan 3, Mobile 3, Taylor 1, Indiana Southeast 1, SCAD Savannah 1, Cumberlands 1.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, April 1) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Auburn Montgomery (13) 15-2 343 1 2 Fresno Pacific 15-4 332 2 3 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 15-2 321 3 4 Oklahoma Christian 7-3 309 4 5 Azusa Pacific 14-2 300 5 6 Point Loma Nazarene 10-5 285 6 7 Brenau 9-3 280 7 8 Concordia (Calif.) 7-5 264 8 9 William Carey 11-6 257 9 10 Southern Nazarene 6-3 241 10 11 SCAD Savannah 11-2 236 11 12 Lindsey Wilson 10-2 222 12 13 Shorter 16-7 215 13 14 Lewis-Clark State 5-12 197 14 15 Vanguard 6-9 191 15 16 Indiana Wesleyan 16-2 171 17 17 Lee (Tenn.) 8-4 167 16 18 Martin Methodist 7-3 150 18 19 Campbellsville 8-4 131 20 20 St. Thomas (Fla.) 4-4 129 19 21 Westmont 4-7 126 21 22 Robert Morris (Chicago) 9-1 109 NR 23 Oklahoma Baptist 6-7 107 tie-21 24 Marian (Ind.) 19-6 89 23 25 Davenport 15-5 84 25 Others receiving votes: Xavier 78, Webber International 36, Bethel (Kan.) 35, Belhaven 29, Indiana Southeast 26, Northwestern Ohio 24, Milligan 5, Taylor 5, Nebraska Wesleyan 4, Northwood (Fla.) 3, Cumberlands 1, Olivet Nazarene 1, The Master's 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Keshia Campbell, hired as athletic director in July, resigns from Hampton University

HAMPTON, Virginia - Keshia Campbell's tenure as Hampton University's first female athletic director lasted less than a year. Campbell, hired on July 20, has left the school.

"In a nutshell, I did resign," Campbell told The Daily Press on Wednesday. She declined further comment.

HU issued a release late Wednesday afternoon that said Campbell "stepped down" for "personal reasons." The release said Rodney Smith, HU's vice president for administrative services, will act as athletic director "while the university conducts a national search."

"Ms. Campbell did a very good job for us and I hate to see her go," HU president William Harvey said in the release. "All of us wish her well in any future endeavor."

READ MORE

Southern U, Alcorn State game postponed due to weather

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Southern's mid-week contest at Alcorn State has been postponed due to weather.

At the present time, no specific rescheduled date has been determined. Today's postponement marks the fifth time this season the Lady Jaguars have cancelled or postponed a game due to weather.

Southern will host Southeastern La. Monday, April 9 at Lady Jaguar Field in a game which was originally scheduled for March 21.

For more news and information, visit http://www.gojagsports.com/.

Courtesy Southern University Athletic Media Relations

6:31 PM Update: Howard University investigating possible NCAA violations

Excerpt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Howard University said Wednesday that it is conducting an internal investigation into possible NCAA violations committed by its athletic department.

In an e-mail, school spokeswoman Kerry-Ann Hamilton said the school has “temporarily withheld a number of student-athletes from competition as a self-imposed action. Most teams will compete as scheduled.”

According to a Howard softball player, the school is investigating the practice by which some of its student-athletes acquire their textbooks. The student said some athletes apparently were pocketing the difference between the cost of their textbooks and their textbook allowance. 

The softball player and a former Howard football player, who both requested anonymity so they could speak freely without fear of repercussion, said this was a common practice for all of the school’s athletic teams.

“It’s been going on for a long time,” the softball player said. “A good majority of the athletes were taking advantage of this. There were some people who were saving the money. They didn’t spend it. Or some would go buy frivolous things, nothing that relates to school. Some people bought books and other school supplies.”

READ MORE 

Note:  Most NCAA revenue comes from a 14-year, $10.8 billion agreement with Turner Broadcasting and CBS Sports for rights to the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Projected NCAA revenue for 2011-12 is $777 million, $700 million of which (90 percent) is projected to come from media rights payments 

And these opportunistic business men and women are concerned about a poor University student-athlete getting $40 - $100 bucks to pay for school supplies, clothes or a few dollars to order a pizza.  Give me a break for crying out loud.  Change the rule and pay all NCAA players a stipend beyond their normal school scholarship expenses.  Then you won't have to worry about these silly rules that keep the players broke during their entire college careers. 

As my kids remind me monthly, there are no life lessons to learn in being broke hundreds of miles away from home at college with an empty debit card.  The heck with Kiplinger and his six principles of being broke.

(beepbeep)

Howard University Suspends Entire Athletic Department Over NCAA Violations, According To Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Howard University Bison, for the time being, are no more, according to a Washington City Paper report by Shani Hilton and Maya Rhodan, which cites a university spokesperson. According to the report, there appears to be some sort of a NCAA violation involved.

The statement:  "It is with great regret that we have temporarily suspended intercollegiate athletic competition. This is a self-imposed action while the University conducts a review. We are working quickly to resolve this issue."

Howard is a private school in Washington D.C. with an enrollment of about 10,000. Its teams compete in the MEAC, with three black college national championships in football among their achievements.

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Rutgers could need new football opponent after Howard 'temporarily suspends' athletics program

PISCATAWAY, New Jersey  -  Rutgers' Sept. 8 home football opener could be in jeopardy after Howard University, the Knights' scheduled opponent that day, "temporarily suspended" all sports for a possible violation of NCAA rules, the Washington City Paper reported today.

A Rutgers spokesman said the school is in the process of gathering more information before deciding whether to pursue a replacement opponent, which would almost certainly be another Football Championship Subdivision school if it comes to that.

Because the suspension is temporary there's the hope from Rutgers' standpoint that the situation will be resolved before the fall and that the game will go on as scheduled.

Athletic director Tim Pernetti was not immediately available for comment.

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FAMU's famed Marching 100 band may miss football season

TALLAHASSEE — Florida A&M University is making plans in case the famed Marching 100 band is not available during the fall football season.

FAMU trustees heard a lengthy presentation on Wednesday about a more than $1 million deficit in the school’s athletic program. It was during that discussion that FAMU officials acknowledged that they are looking at offering other entertainment in case the popular band remains on suspension.

FAMU President James Ammons suspended the band in the wake of the death of FAMU death major Robert Champion last November. He died following what police said was hazing while the band was in Orlando.

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FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY RATTLERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 2012

Sept. 1, at Tennessee State, "Big" John Merritt Classic, Nashville, TN
Sept. 8, at University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Sept. 15, Hampton,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL#
Sept. 22, at Delaware State,* Dover, DE
Sept. 29, at Southern, Atlanta Football Classic, Atlanta, GA%
Oct. 6, at Howard, * Washington, D.C.
Oct. 13, Savannah State* (Homecoming), Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL*
Oct. 20, South Carolina State,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Nov. 3, at North Carolina A&T,* Greensboro, NC
Nov. 10, North Carolina Central,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL$
Nov. 17, Bethune-Cookman, at Florida Classic, Orlando, FL+

Key:

# Hall of Fame Weekend
% Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic
* Homecoming
$ Prince Hall Shriner's Diabetes Classic/Community Day
+Blue Cross/Blue Shield Florida Classic
Games Times to be announced when confirmed.

Season Tickets Prices
$60 General Admission (Limited Quantity
$75 - Reserved
$100 Chair Back Box Seating (Renewal Only)
$125 - Reserved Basketball Included
$150 - Chair Back Box Seating with Basketball Included (Renewal Only)

For ticket information, please call (850) 599-3141

Rattler Booster packages are available now by calling their office at (850) 224-6093. For more information on the Rattler Boosters, please visit TheRattlerBoosters.com.

Don't forget, if you can't make it to a home game, you can sign up to Rattler Vision, where you can watch the game streamed to your laptop or home computer. To sign up to Rattler Vision, go to FAMUAthletics.com.