Golden Ram Becomes New Athletic Director

BAINBRIDGE, Georgia - Stanley Bell, a native of Bainbridge, has been hired as the new Athletic Director for Bainbridge Leisure Services. Bell has been tasked with managing Bill Reynolds Sports Park, as well as coordinating all of the city’s baseball, softball and adult sports leagues.

A 2002 graduate of Bainbridge High School, Bell was a member of the BHS baseball team, where he played for Coaches Heath Horn and El Willis. After graduation, Bell attended Albany State University and was a pitcher for the Rams. While there, they earned three SIAC Conference Championships in 2003, 2004 and 2006. Bell earned a degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from ASU in 2007.

After graduation, Bell joined the staff of Albany Parks and Recreation as a Recreation Supervisor, focusing on adult sports and assisting with their youth sports programs.

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Texas Southern's Joe Anderson Signs with the Chicago Bears

HOUSTON, Texas - Texas Southern wide receiver Joe Anderson signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears. During his senior year, Anderson, 6-1, 195, Texarkana, TX, had 47 catches for 638 yards and four touchdowns. He was 6th in the conference for receptions per game and 9th in the SWAC for receiving yards per game.

Over his three year career at Texas Southern, Anderson played in 34 games. He recorded 154 catches for 2010 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also returned 16 kickoffs for 289 yards.



COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS 2012

2012 HBCU NFL FREE AGENT SIGNEES

1. Brian Tymes, WR, Florida A&M, San Francisco 49'ers
2. Ryan Davis, LB, Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Jean Fanor, Safety, Bethune-Cookman, Kansas City Chiefs
4. Nicholas Cooper, RB, Winston-Salem State, Green Bay Packers
5. Donovan Robinson, LB, Jackson State , New York Jets
6. Donovan Richard, LB, South Carolina State, Jacksonville Jaguars
7. Micah Pellerin, Cornerback, Hampton U., Indianapolis Colts
8. Adrian Hamilton, DE, Prairie View A&M, Dallas Cowboys
9. Lamont Bryant, TE, Morgan State, Baltimore Ravens
10. Rico Council, LB, Tennessee State, Atlanta Falcons
11. Casey Therriault, QB, Jackson State, Atlanta Falcons
12. Demario Pippen, RB, Tuskegee, Denver Broncos
13. LaQuinton "Smoke" Evans,WR, Southern U., Tennessee Titans
14. Mario Louis, WR, Grambling State, Houston Texans
15. Marquette King, P, Fort Valley State, Oakland Raiders
16. James Dekle, G, Prairie View A&M, Arizona Cardinals
17. Kevin Elliott, WR, Florida A&M, Jacksonville Jaguars
18. Delano Johnson, DE/LB, Bowie State, Houston Texans
19. Jared Green, WR, Southern U., Carolina Panthers
20. Paul Cox, WR, Mississippi Valley, San Diego Chargers
21. Dominique Ellis, DB, South Carolina State, Kansas City Chiefs
22. Joe Anderson, WR,  Texas Southern, Chicago Bears
Updated 3:00 p.m. EDT, 5/4/12.

TSU Track & Field Turns Focus to OVC Championship

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University's men's and women's track & field teams participate in the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championship this Friday and Saturday, May 4-5. The championship starts Friday at Noon at Abe Stuber Track Complex in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Majority of the field events take place on Friday, while most running events are in the preliminary stages. On Saturday, the opening ceremony kicks off field events at 10 a.m., followed by the final running events beginning at 1 p.m.

As of Thursday, TSU has 15 top-5 marks in the OVC. Freshman Ashontae Jackson has two top-5 marks.

The Gordonville, Va., product ranks second in the women's long jump, leaping 5.93m (19-5 ½) at the Vanderbilt Invitational. In the 200-meter dash, Jackson sprinted 24.25 seconds for fifth in the league.



Senior Arthur Combest has two top-5 marks. Combest is third in the high jump, clearing 2.03m (6-8) at the Boston-Moon Classic. He ranks fourth in the 110-meter hurdles, pacing a time of 14.72 seconds.

Also in the high jump, freshman Sean Jenkins is tied for fourth after his distance of 1.98m (6-6) at the Vanderbilt Invitational.

Jahleel Michael, a freshman for the Flying Tigers, is fifth in the 400-meter hurdles with his time of 53.88.

The Tigerbelles have two top-5 marks in the women's triple jump. Ja'Lyn Burr's distance of 11.60m (38-0 ¾) is third, followed by Daniecce Ward's fourth-place leap of 11.58m (38-0).

In the men's triple jump, senior Avian Hughes ranks fourth with his three-step distance of 14.12m (46-4). Brittani Logan enters the OVC Championships with a fifth-place ranking of 13.64m (44-9) in the shot put.

The TSU relay 4x400-meter teams are both ranked third with the men logging a time of 3:16.75 and the women pacing 3:47.31.

Live results of this weekend's OVC Championships will be available online at GoSoutheast.com. Recap and official results will be posted online at TSUTigers.com.

OVC Championship Central

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU hazing suspects turning themselves in

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Eight of the 13 people facing hazing charges after the death of a Florida A&M University band member had turned themselves in by Thursday afternoon, a state police spokeswoman said.

All eight who have surrendered so far face felony charges in the November death of 26-year-old Robert Champion, said Gretl Plessinger, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Of the remaining three who face the same count, two are in Georgia and one is in Delaware, she said.



"We're in contact with their attorneys or their families, and are expecting them to turn themselves in," Plessinger said.

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N.C. Central football coach: Building something special

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Henry Frazier III is still on his honeymoon. “We are building something special, something that will stand for years to come, and we are doing it the right way,” Frazier, into his second year as head coach at N.C. Central, told the Durham Sports Club on Wednesday.

“Our student-athletes are going to represent N.C. Central, Durham and the state of North Carolina very well, but it’s going to take time.” Frazier arrived in Durham 16 months ago with a trunk-load of coaching awards and something of a reputation as a miracle worker after reviving a moribund football program at Prairie View A&M, which had the nation’s longest losing streak (80) before he turned it into a conference champion.

After a 2-9 record in Frazier’s first year at N.C. Central, the Eagles will return their entire coaching staff, 57 lettermen and 16 starters, convinced they can do better in their second year as a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team, Frazier said.

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Frazier: Eagles are building football program for future

DURHAM, North Carolina — N.C. Central football will be better this season, Eagles coach Henry Frazier III told the Durham Sports Club on Wednesday afternoon at Croasdaile Country Club. Of course, after NCCU’s fourth losing season in a row, there’s hardly anywhere for the Eagles to go except up.

Frazier said the 2011 season was so bad for NCCU that he figured the Durham Sports Club wouldn’t let him return as a guest speaker for their luncheons. “I didn’t think I was getting another invitation after going 2-9,” Frazier said. But things are going according to plan, Frazier said.

This will be NCCU’s second season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, which Frazier said has some good teams. But NCCU can run with every single one of them, Frazier said. NCCU lost four games after surrendering leads in the fourth quarter. Frazier said part of that had to do with his decision to redshirt 25 players, which cost the Eagles some lumps.

But that’s how a program establishes a foundation, said Frazier, whose most recent recruiting class added 30 more players to the program.

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A&T Selects Robinson As New Women's Head Basketball Coach

COACH TARRELL ROBINSON
HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY
(PHOTO COURTESY: VCU ATHLETICS

GREENSBORO, North Carolina - North Carolina A&T has a new head women's basketball coach. Today, Director of Athletics Earl Hilton announced Tarrell Robinson will head the program. A press conference will be held next week to introduce the new head coach.

In choosing Robinson, A&T didn't stray far from the formula that has made the women's program successful over the past seven seasons. Robinson replaces legendary coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs, who resigned last month to take the head women's basketball coaching position at her alma mater Grambling State University.

Robinson, 34, served as an assistant coach to Bibbs for four seasons. Prior to the 2008-09 season, he was promoted to associate head coach. The four-year working relationship resulted in the program's most prosperous era in terms of championships and player accolades.

After a 9-19 season in 2005-06, Robinson made his mark at A&T through rigorous recruiting. He assisted Bibbs in landing Fayetteville, N.C., native Ta'Wuana Cook. Cook went on to be the program's first MEAC Rookie of the Year, its second all-time leading scorer and its all-time leader in assists. He was also instrumental in signing two-time MEAC all-tournament performer Lamona Smalley and 2009 MEAC Player of the Year Brittanie Taylor-James. When Jaleesa Sams, who was ranked as high as No. 31 nationally by Scouts.com, signed to play at A&T in 2007, the women's basketball team had its most highly-touted recruit in history.

The recruiting efforts helped the Aggies compile a 51-15 record, two MEAC regular-season championships and a MEAC tournament championship from 2007-09. Three current players - guard Amber Calvin, forward JaQuayla Berry and center Nikia Gorham - were also a part of Robinson's recruiting efforts. Cook, Sams, Taylor-James and Berry are all 1,000-point career scorers and all-conference performers.

"I am humbled and honored to be named the new head women's basketball coach at North Carolina A&T State University," said Robinson, who is a 2001 graduate of the school. "I want to thank Chancellor Harold Martin, Earl Hilton and the Board of Trustees for giving me this opportunity. North Carolina A&T stands for excellence. Excellence is what we will strive for every day in the classroom as well as on the basketball court. I am excited to be back in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, one of most competitive leagues and fun atmospheres in the country."

Robinson has spent the previous three seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University as an assistant under then head coach Beth Cunningham. Prior to the start of the 2011-12 season, he was promoted to associate head coach after serving as the program's recruiting coordinator in 2010-11. During his first two seasons at VCU, the Rams earned WNIT bids, including a run to the third round in 2010. Robinson's impressive recruiting credentials were evident in Richmond, Va., as well. He helped Cunningham land 2011 second-team All-CAA performer Andrea Barbour, a one-time McDonalds High School All-American Semifinalist. In the process, he also signed four players ranked among the top 30 at their positions in the country.

The Rams' freshman class this season included 6-foot-3 center Aprill McRae, who was the 22nd ranked post player in the nation by ESPN.

Robinson played for the Aggies men's basketball team for four seasons, starting in 1997. He scored more than 900 points and grabbed more than 700 rebounds during his career. As a junior, he led the Aggies in rebounding.

"I have known Coach Robinson for a long time, dating back to his days as a player, and my days as A&T's compliance director," said Hilton. "I have always liked him as a person, and I've always respected how hard he works. I think he is just the person to replace a coaching legend. He worked under Coach Bibbs for a number of years, and therefore is knowledgeable on what it takes to win here. It is important to me that we take what has already been established as one of the best programs in the MEAC, and make it better. I think Coach Robinson can get us there."

By NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Howell is NAIA Player of Week; Taylor wins GCAC award

Kourtney Howell rallied Xavier to victories
in the semifinals and title round of
an NAIA unaffiilated tourney.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Kourtney Howell has been selected NAIA Women's Tennis Player of the Week for April 23-29.

Howell also was selected Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week, and Xavier's Zach Taylor won the GCAC award in men's tennis for the third time this season and the sixth time in two years to extend his conference career record.

Howell, a sophomore from Cypress, Texas, and a graduate of Cypress Woods High School, was 3-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles to help the Gold Nuggets win an NAIA unaffiliated group tournament at Norcross, Ga., and earn an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship. She rallied her team in the final two rounds after trailing 2-0 against Milligan and 2-0 against then-17th-ranked Martin Methodist.

Howell clinched the semifinals dual with her 6-1, 6-3 singles victory against Milligan's Kayla Kelly, then she put Xavier ahead to stay in the championship round with her 6-4, 6-1 victory against Martin Methodist's 47th-ranked Paloma Cortina.  It was Howell's fifth victory this season against a ranked singles opponent and her second against Cortina. Howell teamed with Nicole DeLoach for an 8-5 decision against Martin Methodist's Maria Charrys and Jeanna Stanford — their sixth consecutive doubles victory.

This is the third time this year and the fourth time in two seasons that a Xavier tennis player was NAIA Player of the Week. The XU men produced the other three recipients — Corey Huggins for April 9-15, Loic Didavi for April 2-8 and Taylor for April 25-May 1, 2011. Howell is the first XU female athlete to win the NAIA award since Brittany Powell (women's basketball) did it for Jan. 18-24, 2010.

The conference award is Howell's fourth this season, which ties a GCAC record set by Xavier's Anastesia Opata in 2009.

Zach Taylor

Taylor, from Monroe, La., and a graduate of St. Frederick High School and Ventura (Calif.) College, also was 3-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles at the unaffiliated tournament to help the Gold Rush qualify for nationals and, for the second consecutive year, win the men's title of the qualifying event. He did not lose a game in the quarterfinals or semifinals.

In Xavier's 5-0 championship victory against 16th-ranked Cumberland, Taylor and Didavi defeated Evan Sanna and Jeremy Fleming 8-3 in doubles, and Taylor defeated Sanna 6-1, 6-2 in singles. The singles victory was Taylor's seventh in a row.

The national tournaments for men and women will begin May 15 in Mobile, Ala., Pairings will be announced Tuesday. Xavier's men are ranked seventh, and the women are 19th.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA