John Montgomery takes Alabama State's golf team to new heights

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - After John Montgomery made history as a freshman by becoming the first Alabama State golfer to participate in the NCAA tournament, coach Gary Grandison had a brief talk with him.

"Western Kentucky was hosting the tournament back in 2009, and I knew they'd earned a bid to host again in 2012," Grandison said. "So I asked John to help me in making sure our entire team played that course."

Montgomery, now a senior, and the rest of the Hornets team gave Grandison exactly what he wanted: For the first time in the program's history, the men's golf team claimed the SWAC championship to earn a spot in an NCAA regional -- the one in Bowling Green on the Western Kentucky course.

Grandison, a Mobile native and graduate of Shaw High, guided the ASU women's golf team into the NCAA field a year ago.

"This proves that last year was not a ...

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Alabama A&M volleyball: After SWAC setback, Brown high on recruiting class

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Alabama A&M had its streak of four straight Southwestern Athletic Conference volleyball championships snapped last season. The Bulldogs also lost three key seniors, including four-year starter Karensa Beckford, who was the league's Most Valuable Player last season in addition to being a two-time MVP of the league tournament.

While Beckford will be hard to replace, A&M coach Nedra Brown has restocked the cupboard with a recruiting class she believes will keep the Bulldogs among the league's best teams.

Headlining the group is former Lee High School star Kyanna Sales, a 5-foot-8 outside hitter.

"We're excited to have Kyanna," said Brown, who has struggled getting local kids to sign with A&M. "We're looking for her to contribute right away. She's smart, hits hard, reads defenses and she can serve and pass. She's just a good all-around player."

Robyn Hancock, who comes to A&M from ...

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George, Seals set to run at 2012 NCAA Regional

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - Southern track sprinters Tiffany George and Erich Seal will compete in the 2012 NCAA East Preliminary Round Track Meet in Jacksonville, Fla. May 24-26.

George, a Tulane transfer, posted a 11.55 in the 100 meter dash during the outdoor season. She is scheduled to run in Heat 5 during the first round of the 100 meter dash which is scheduled to begin at 6:55 p.m Thursday, May 24.

"Tiffany has changed sprinting at SU," said Southern head coach Brian Johnson. "She has become one of the nations best sprints in a short period of time. I am so proud to call her a SU Lady Jag."

Seal, a two-time winner in the 110 meter hurdles, ran a best time of 14.17 during outdoor. Seal is slated to run in Heat 2 of the men's 110 meter hurdles on Friday, May 25 at 5 p.m.

"Erich has taught me what having the will to win at all cost is," said Johnson. "He has made tremendous strides in two years of being here at Southern University."

To watch George and Seals run their respective heats live,  click here.

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James "Shirt" Williams, '70s Gold Rush standout, dies

JAMES "SHIRT" WILLIAMS
Feb. 6, 1953 - May 22, 2012

NEW ORLEANS — James "Shirt" Williams, one of the top 20 scorers in the history of Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball, died Tuesday (May 22, 2012) of heart failure in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  He was 59.

A 6-foot-4 forward, a native of New Orleans and a graduate of Xavier (1975) and Booker T. Washington High School (1971), Williams played four seasons for the Gold Rush and averaged 13.1 points and 6.7 rebounds in 90 games. The Gold Rush were 71-30 during his tenure and won NAIA District 30 championships each of his first two seasons. Both those teams qualified for the NAIA National Championship, and the 1972-73 Gold Rush upset unbeaten and top-ranked Sam Houston State 67-60 to reach the quarterfinals.

Williams ranks 18th at Xavier with 1,179 career points. He grabbed 600 rebounds in his XU career and shot 51.9 percent from the floor and 69.1 percent from the line.

"Shirt was a warrior," said XU teammate Sammy Young. "He went full blast from the time he hit the court to the end of the game."

Williams averaged 11.1 points as a sophomore on a team which featured two future NBA players, Don "Slick" Watts and Bruce Seals. Williams caught a full-court pass from Watts and scored a layup with 40 seconds remaining to give Xavier its final points in a 79-77 victory at Tulane on Feb. 1, 1973, in the first meeting between the schools.

"That game meant a lot to us," Watts said. "We were small beans trying to get with the big boys."

Though Watts and Seals played professionally the following season, Xavier defeated Tulane again. Williams scored 14 points against the Green Wave at The Barn, and his basket started a 13-4 run during the final 4:15 to rally the Rush to a 61-53 victory on Jan. 30, 1974.

Williams is one of just two Gold Rush players of the past 39 seasons to lead the team in scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage in the same season. Williams did it as a junior in 1973-74 when he averaged 17.9 points and 6.4 rebounds and shot 52.8 percent from the floor and 74.8 percent from the line. As a senior Williams averaged 14.5 points and 9.9 rebounds, both team highs.

At Booker T. Washington, Williams was a starter on basketball teams which were 53-2 his final two seasons. The Lions won a state championship in the Louisiana Interscholastic and Literary Organization when Williams was a junior in 1970, then lost in the semifinals of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Class AAAA playoffs to Woodlawn of Shreveport (and future hall-of-famer Robert Parish) in 1971 after a 24-0 regular season.

Although BTW did not win a state championship in '71, The Times-Picayune newspaper in 2003 ranked the team among the 10 best in New Orleans history. Williams' BTW teammates included Seals, Greg Berniard and Ames Growe, all of whom signed with Xavier for the 1971-72 season.

"Shirt was every bit the All-American I was," Seals said. "Without him and everyone else on that team, I may not have become the player I was. Those teams were all for one and one for all, period.

"He was a funny guy. He was tough as nails. Indestructible. His passing makes us realize how fragile life is."

Watts called Williams invincible and, like Seals, expressed surprise at his death. "Shirt was like Wilt Chamberlain," Watts said. "I never thought either of them would go away so soon."

Watts also called Williams one of his best teammates. "Shirt was always happy, always having fun. He always found a way to make you smile and make things all right. I never got tired of talking with him.

"He was a tough man. He was Superman. If you got in a fight, you wanted him in your corner."

Williams was a longtime employee of Camelot College in Baton Rouge, where he worked in student services.

"Shirt never wanted anyone to hold a grudge," said Ronnie Owens, a BTW and Xavier classmate and longtime friend. "He always believed in moving on, moving forward. His final words in any conversation were, 'God bless you.'"

Williams was known as Shirt the majority of his life. "He wore a white shirt to school every day," Owens said.

"He was known as 'white shirt' until he got to high school," Seals said. "When he got to Booker T., the white got dropped."

Survivors include his wife, Gloria Levy Williams; a daughter, Enjolee; a son, Jarrett; one sister and three brothers. Four brothers preceded Williams in death. His funeral will start at 11 a.m. Tuesday (May 29) at Second Baptist Church, 914 North Acadian Thruway West in Baton Rouge (zip code 70802, phone 225-344-8743).

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Steelers RB Redman ready to carry heavy load

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — They don't celebrate NFL backups in southern New Jersey. Trust Isaac Redman on this.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers running back returned to his hometown of Paulsboro, N.J., during the offseason after his rookie year in the NFL in 2009, people just kind of shrugged their shoulders.



Three years later, things have changed. The overweight kid from Division II Bowie State who barely made the practice squad during that miserable first season is now the centerpiece for a running attack geared at taking pressure off quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

And the fine folks in Paulsboro know it.

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Kelly Merkel signs with Tennessee State

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State University head women's golf coach Chris Seibel has announced that Kelly Merkel has signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play golf for TSU.

Merkel, a native of Columbia, Tennessee, considered several golf offers before committing to Tennessee State, according to the Columbia Daily Herald.

"For a long time, I have wanted to play golf at a Division I school," commented Merkel. "I'm really looking forward to playing for him (Coach Seibel) and continuing my education at Tennessee State."

Merkel advanced through the District 8-AAA tournament to the Region 4 tournament four consecutive seasons at Central High School. She qualified for the TSSAA State as a sophomore shooting an 82-83-165 at Old Fort (Murfreesboro) and again as a senior when she placed 10th behind a score of 160 (82-78) at Willowbrook Country Club.

In 2011 she was runner-up to eventual state champ of Lawrence County in the District 8-AAA tournament. She placed third in the Region 4 meet at Bear Trace Tims Ford in Winchester.

Kelly Merkel signs with TSU
PHOTO COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Central golf coach Chris Lawson had this to say about Merkel: "Kelly worked extremely hard from a young age to develop her golf swing. She never missed any practices and was always ready to work. She showed gradual improvement in the maturity of her game and how she approached it every year."

Merkel also participated on the Tennessee Golf Association Junior Tour the past two summers in the 15-18 Masters Division and tied for ninth place in the tour's postseason state meet at the Cookeville Country Club.

Merkel was the low medalist in the Tennessean Schooldays Tournament at McCabe in Nashville last June, shooting a 68. She also received the annual Joanne Ramsey award for the Outstanding Female Athlete at Central and made All-District 8-AAA in softball for three consecutive years.

"Kelly will be a great leader for the women's golf program," said head TSU Chris Seibel. "She has proven that she can shoot low rounds and compete with other girls. I am excited to bring her in to start building this program to a competitive level in the OVC. I am glad to keep a good player like her in the Nashville area. She will be a top player in the OVC the next four years."

VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
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COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

It's 7th heaven for Gold Rush in NAIA postseason poll

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana capped the best season in the modern era of its men's tennis program with a No. 7 ranking Tuesday in the postseason NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The XU men (18-8), who maintained their school-record ranking from 15 days ago, are one of eight NAIA teams in the final top 10 for the second consecutive season. The Gold Rush were eighth a year ago. This is the first time since 2002 that the last rating occurs after the NAIA National Championship.

Xavier is in the top 10 for the 11th straight time, including all nine this season, and in 14 of the last 15 polls. It's the 41st consecutive top-25 appearance for the Gold Rush in a streak which began April 4, 2007.

Xavier justified its top-10 status by defeating then-ninth-ranked Point Loma Nazarene 5-0 Wednesday in the second round of the national tournament. That made coach Alan Green's team the first from Xavier in any sport to reach the national quarterfinals since men's basketball in 1973.

2011/12 XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MEN'S TENNIS ROSTER
HEAD COACH: Alan Green (Xavier 2002), ninth season

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through end of season)
Rank Team Record Points Last
1 Oklahoma Christian (12) 20-3 312 3
2 Fresno Pacific 25-2 302 1
3 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 20-4 292 2
4 Azusa Pacific 21-3 282 4
5 Auburn Montgomery 17-8 272 5
6 Vanguard 15-10 262 6
7 Xavier 18-8 251 7
8 Westmont 12-10 242 8

9 William Carey 17-5 228 10

10 Lindsey Wilson 19-6 219 12

11 Point Loma Nazarene 13-11 217 9

12 Concordia (Calif.) 9-13 205 11

13 Aquinas 26-3 187 13

14 Bethany (Kan.) 22-4 183 14

15 Belhaven 16-4 174 15

16 Cumberland 18-3 164 16

17 Campbellsville 19-7 148 18

18 Warner 13-5 137 17

19 Lewis-Clark State 11-9 131 19

20 Olivet Nazarene 15-5 126 21

21 Northwestern Ohio 19-7 114 20

22 Shorter 12-15 101 22

23 Webber International 15-7 88 23

24 Spring Arbor 24-3 73 RV

25 Our Lady of the Lake 7-7 69 24

Others receiving votes: Lee (Tenn.) 66, Pikeville 48, Biola 27, Hastings 16, McPherson 14, Bethel (Tenn.) 11, Asbury 11, Roberts Wesleyan 8, Northwood (Fla.) 5, Graceland 3, SCAD Atlanta 3, Davenport 1, Georgetown (Ky.) 1, Oklahoma Baptist 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Xavier Gold Nuggets in final top 25 for the 7th time in 8

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana climbed one place to 19th Tuesday in the postseason NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

It's the seventh time in eight seasons that the Gold Nuggets (7-22) appear in the final top 25 of the season. This is the first time since 2002 that the last rating occurs after the NAIA National Championship.

Excluding the 2005-06 season, when Xavier did not compete because of Hurricane Katrina, the Gold Nuggets appeared in the top 25 in 48 of the past 58 polls. They were no lower than 20th in the final three polls of 2012 after a stretch of 10-of-11 polls outside the top 25.

Despite their losing record, the XU women won an NAIA unaffiliated group tournament to qualify for nationals for the sixth time in eight seasons. They lost 6-3 to 15th-ranked Vanguard in the opening round a week ago.

Auburn Montgomery, which won the championship for the second straight year and the 11th time in 14 seasons, was a unanimous No. 1 for the sixth straight poll. The Warhawks were first in all nine polls this year. Embry-Riddle (Fla.), a 5-2 to loser to AUM in the championship dual Saturday, finished No. 2.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through end of season)
Rank Team Record Points Last
1 Auburn Montgomery (13) 26-2 343 1
2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 23-4 332 3
3 Fresno Pacific 22-5 321 2
4 Oklahoma Christian 18-4 310 4
5 Azusa Pacific 18-4 299 5
6 Brenau 14-6 285 7
7 Concordia (Calif.) 15-8 274 8
8 Lindsey Wilson 17-4 269 11
9-tie William Carey 15-10 251 9
9-tie Point Loma Nazarene 16-6 251 6
11 Shorter 21-9 227 12
12 Southern Nazarene 13-6 226 10
13 SCAD Savannah 9-4 209 13
14 Lewis-Clark State 8-15 196 14
15 Vanguard 10-15 193 15
16 Indiana Wesleyan 25-5 179 16
17 Campbellsville 14-8 155 17
18 Westmont 7-11 148 19
19 Xavier 7-22 142 20
20 Lee (Tenn.) 9-7 141 18
21 Robert Morris (Chicago) 17-3 128 22
22 Martin Methodist 11-4 125 21
23 St. Thomas (Fla.) 5-4 93 23
24 Oklahoma Baptist 10-8 79 24
25 Marian (Ind.) 21-6 74 25

Others receiving votes: Northwestern Ohio 65, Davenport 42, Bethel (Kan.) 36, Nebraska Wesleyan 33, Webber International 26, Olivet Nazarene 20, Belhaven 14, Missouri Valley 12, Georgetown (Ky.) 10, Indiana Southeast 3, Milligan 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

ASU's fast four chasing NCAA glory

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Four members of the Alabama State women’s track team are looking for bigger accomplishments this weekend after leading the Hornets to a sweep of the Southwestern Athletic Conference championships.

Alabama State won the SWAC title in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track, but the NCAA regionals present a steeper challenge for the conference’s top track athletes.

Tia Rolle qualified for both the 200-meter dash and as a member of the Hornets’ 4x100 relay team. Her performance this weekend could also land the Bahamas’ native on her country’s track team in the upcoming Olympics.

“I just take it one step at a time,” Rolle said. “I’ll go this weekend and give it everything I’ve got, and hopefully it’s good enough to take me further. I feel pretty good. During the season, we competed against Auburn, we competed against Penn State, we’ve competed against the majority of the schools we’re going to face this weekend.”


SWAC Women's Championship: 4X100m
Finals 1 Alabama State 'A' 45.03 1) Pope, Jasmine 2) Rolle, Tia 3) Tavernier, Asha 4) Lee, Latrice 2 Prairie View 'A' 46.52 1) Hill, Keely 2) Dixon, Myesha 3) Turner, Raven 4) Moody, Terracia 3 Southern 'A' 46.86 6 1) Parker, Kayante 2) George, Tiffany 3) Doucett, Janessa 4) Sims, Jazzmin

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In the FCS Huddle: Ten FCS receivers to watch

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The prototypical receiver has changed in the last decade with wide receivers taking on tight end height and tight ends taking on wide receiver speed. The ones who have both traits are especially lethal.

The Football Championship Subdivision will feature such receivers this season.

Elon senior Aaron Mellette headlines a contingent of 10 FCS receivers to watch (OK, we've thrown in a tight end to make it 11) and only one of them stands below 6-foot-2.

Yes, it's a group that sizes up well.

Following are FCS receivers to watch this season:

Xavier Boyce, Norfolk State, Sr., 6-4, 220 - The Virginia Beach, Va., product took the MEAC by storm last season after transferring home to Norfolk State from Virginia Tech, catching 68 passes for 750 yards and four touchdowns. He has an ability to break tackles and make yardage after the catch, especially on screen passes. His size doesn't just come up big in the passing game, he uses it well in run blocking.

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Hampton again seeking CAA affiliation?

HAMPTON, Virginia - Might the Colonial Athletic Association respond to the loss of a member located in Hampton Roads by considering another university from the same area?

Hampton University has belonged to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference since 1995. HU president William R. Harvey in the past expressed interest in the CAA, which is losing state schools Virginia Commonwealth University (in July) and Old Dominion University (in 2013).

Harvey, HU's president since 1978, approached the CAA about membership when the Pirates elevated to Division I in the mid-1990s. The CAA opted not to invite HU then, or when the league expanded to include Towson, Delaware, Drexel and Hofstra for 2001-02.

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TSU's Williams Signs Two for 2012-13 Season

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University men's basketball coach Travis Williams announced the first two signings under his tutelage on Monday. Jordan Gaither and Chaed Wellian inked National Letters of Intent (NLI) with the Tigers.

Gaither, a native of Snellville, Ga., comes to Tennessee State after helping Shiloh High School to the best record in school history. Wellian, a native of Amsterdam, Netherlands, comes to TSU after two seasons at Atlanta Metro College.

"I am extremely excited about coaching these two young men this season," said Williams. "I appreciate the opportunity to help prepare them for success on and off the basketball court."

While at Shiloh, Gaither garnered All-County and All-Region honors. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 14 points, five assists and three steals. He was a four-year starter for the Generals, helping guide Shiloh to a 25-5 record this past season.

Gaither is the son of Ben and Sherry Gaither. His cousin Trey Thompkins currently plays for the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.

"Jordan has shown the talent, work ethic and leadership that I was looking for in the guard position," noted Williams. "He has the versatility to play both guard positions and wanted to be a Big Blue Tiger. He will bring some defensive tenacity. I love his mental approach to the game. Jordan is a very coachable young man and comes from one of the top high school programs in the state of Georgia."

Wellian averaged 14.9 points and seven rebounds for the Atlanta Metro Trailblazers last season. Offensively, he hit forty percent of his three-point attempts. On the defensive side, the forward averaged two steals a contest.

"Chaed Wellian is a very versatile and skilled combo forward," said Williams. "He competes, plays hard and is capable of scoring inside and outside. He is a good three-point shooter. He has solid ball handling and passing skills for his size and will bring an added dimension to our team."

Tennessee State is coming off a 20-13 season and an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Coach Williams enters his first season as the head coach at TSU after serving three seasons as first assistant.

CLASS OF 2012 TSU MEN'S BASKETBALL SIGNEES
Name HT WT POS Hometown (Previous School)
Jordan Gaither 6-3 180 G Snellville, Ga. (Shiloh HS)
Chaed Wellian 6-8 225 F Amsterdam, NL (Atlanta Metro College)

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Law could severely limit potential damages in FAMU hazing lawsuit

EXCERPT:

ORLANDO, Fla. _ With every troubling new revelation about Florida A&M University's Marching 100, the pending civil case against FAMU seems to grow stronger for the parents of Robert Champion, the drum major who died from being hazed on a charter bus in Orlando.

But the prospects of Robert and Pamela Champion collecting a large financial settlement or jury award is another matter. That's because the university enjoys the legal protection of sovereign immunity, which could severely limit the amount of money the Champions ultimately collect if they win a lawsuit.

But no matter how negligent FAMU may be proved to be, sovereign immunity could limit the university from liability payouts greater than $200,000 per claim. That would be $200,000 for Robert and $200,000 for Pamela. In the Champions' home state of Georgia, the claim cap is higher -- $1 million per claim, Chestnut said.

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Former Hampton Pirates Kenrick Ellis to serve 45 days in jail

HAMPTON, Virgina -- When the New York Jets' mandatory minicamp ends June 14, backup nose tackle Kenrick Ellis will go to jail for 45 days, but will avoid deportation.

Ellis, who reached a plea agreement last week in which he accepted a reduced charge of misdemeanor assault and battery, was sentenced Monday in Hampton, Virginia, to 179 days in prison, with 89 days suspended. The deal also includes two years of supervised probation.


KENRICK ELLIS, DT, 6'- 4"/346 LBS, NEW YORK JETS
2011 NFL DRAFT 3RD RD PICK, HAMPTON UNIVERSITY


ESPN VIDEO

Based on Virginia law, Ellis will serve 45 days with good behavior, his attorney, Timothy Clancy, said in a phone interview. Ellis will report June 15 to the city jail in Hampton, where two years ago he was arrested and charged with malicious wounding -- a felony that carried a five- to 20-year sentence. He was a Hampton University student at the time.

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UMES' Nelson Townsend Named to NACDA 2012 HOF Class

Nelson Townsend, a 1962 graduate of then
Maryland State College (UMES) holds
the distinction as A.D. of moving Buffalo
and Delaware State from NCAA
Divisions III and II, respectively, to
NCAA Division I.
(Photo Courtesy: UMES Athletics)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The 2012 Hall of Fame class includes: Nelson Bobb, University of North Carolina Greensboro; Bob Bottger, St. Louis Community College Meramec; Rudy Carvajal, Cal State Bakersfield; Oval Jaynes, Jacksonville State University; Laing Kennedy, Kent State University; Andrea `Andi' Seger, Ball State University; and Nelson Townsend, University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

The inductees will receive their awards on Tuesday, June 26 at NACDA's 47th Annual Convention at the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Awards Luncheon, located at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

Nelson Townsend began his storied athletics administration career when he was named director of athletics at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in 1975, and again, in 2003. During his career, Townsend oversaw athletics programs at Delaware State, Florida A&M and the University at Buffalo.

While at Buffalo, he became the first African-American AD in 1987, and worked to move the athletics program from NCAA Division III to Division I in just three-and-a-half years. During his time at Delaware State, Townsend oversaw the athletics department transition from Division II to Division I.

During his time as an administrator, he served on various committees, including the NCAA Olympic Liaison Committee, NCAA Nominating Committee, Board of Directors for the Boy Scouts of America and National Education Association.

In February, Townsend was inducted into the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletics Hall of Fame, which only has 199 total members. This marked the second time that he has been inducted into a collegiate hall of fame. In 1987, he was selected into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame.

About NACDA: NACDA, now in its 47th year, is the professional and educational association for more than 6,500 college athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 2,200 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. Additionally, NACDA administers 11 professional associations, including six for the separate business units that report directly to the athletics directors and two foundations. For more information on NACDA, visit www.nacda.com.

READ MORE AT NACDA.COM

Hampton Football Releases 2012 Schedule

HAMPTON, Virginia -- The Hampton University football team released its 2012 schedule on Monday, a slate that included four home games.

The Pirates, coming into their fourth year under head coach Donovan Rose, will look to build on last year’s 7-4 campaign.

Hampton will open the 2012 campaign on the road, taking on Tennessee Tech on Aug. 30 in Cookeville, Tenn. The Pirates will then come home on Sept. 8, holding their 2012 Armstrong Stadium debut at 6 p.m. against local rival Old Dominion.

After traveling to Tallahassee, Fla. on Sept. 15 to take on Florida A&M and former coach Joe Taylor, Hampton will have a bye week before returning to Armstrong Stadium on Sept. 29 to take on Bethune-Cookman at 6 p.m.

After another bye week, the Pirates will take on defending MEAC champion Norfolk State in the annual Battle of the Bay at Armstrong Stadium on Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. The Pirates will then head to Durham, N.C. on Oct. 20 to take on North Carolina Central.

Homecoming will be on Oct. 27, when the Pirates play host to Savannah State at 2 p.m.

The Pirates will then close the 2012 season with three straight road games, beginning on Nov. 3 in Washington, D.C. against rival Howard. Hampton will then head to Dover, Del. on Nov. 10 to take on Delaware State.

Hampton will close the regular season on Nov. 17 in Baltimore, Md. against Morgan State.

All dates and times are subject to change.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.



Full Schedule

Date	Opponent	Location	Game Tag	Time/Result
8/30/2012	Tennessee Tech	Cookville, TN		TBA
9/8/2012	Old Dominion	Hampton, VA		6:00 pm
9/15/2012	Florida A&M	Tallahassee, FL		6:00 pm
9/29/2012	Bethune-Cookman	Hampton, VA		6:00 pm
10/13/2012	Norfolk State	Hampton, VA	Battle of the Bay	1:00 pm
10/20/2012	North Carolina Central	Durham, NC		2:00 pm
10/27/2012	Savannah State	Hampton, VA	Homecoming	2:00 pm
11/3/2012	Howard	Washington, DC		1:00 pm
11/10/2012	Delaware State	Dover, DE		1:00 pm
11/17/2012	Morgan State	Baltimore, MD		1:00 pm

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FVSU to compete in NCAA DII Championship

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- After a grueling season of competition, the Fort Valley State University (FVSU) Track & Field Program has a total of five (5) female student-athletes who will compete for national championships. When the 2012 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championship gets underway on May 24-26th in Pueblo, CO, the Lady Wildcats will be contending for titles in the 4x100 meters relay; the 100 and 200 meter dashes; and the triple jump. This year's championship will be held at the Neta & Eddie DeRose Thunderbowl on the campus of Colorado State at Pueblo.

Junior Portia Wilson will be vying for three national titles at this year's Championship. The former Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Female Track Athlete of the Year will compete in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. During the course of the season Wilson posted qualifying times of 11.69 in the 100 meter event and 24.18 in the 200 meter dash.

Wilson will join teammates Victoria Ingram (JR); Shakeyla Faulk (FR); and Shankevia Burke (JR) in the 4-x100 meter relay event. The Lady Wildcats posted their best time of 46.32 in season competition. In what's expected to be a very competitive field, FVSU will have to shave almost two seconds off of its best time to beat last year's championship winning time of 44.7 posted by Lincoln University.

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Missing track and field nationals doesn't dampen season for Paine athletes

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- Ever since the conclusion of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, Victoria Claytor, Baiesha Johnson and Mason Rhodes have been been putting in extra work.

The Paine College track trio continued to hone their skills in preparation for the national tournament. Yet when the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships begin Thursday in Pueblo, Colo., Claytor, Johnson and Rhodes won’t be there.

The Paine athletes all provisionally qualified for nationals during the season, making themselves eligible for selection to the event. But days ago, they learned they were not among the top participants chosen to compete at the national meet.

“They know they did their best,” Paine track coach Latasha Clark said. “They’re still national qualifiers. They’re champions.”

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PV rules the SWAC

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Promoted to head coach of the Prairie View baseball team four years ago, Waskyla Cullivan struggled early on.

During his first two years in charge, the Panthers missed the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament, finishing last in the Western Division after winning back-to-back titles in 2007 and ’08. Fans had to wonder how long Cullivan might last.

“There was a transitional period for me,” he said. Evan Richard, a catcher from Sugar Land, Texas, with a good bat and leadership skills, came to Prairie View with one goal in mind: to win the SWAC championship. After three seasons, he was ringless.

On a steamy, sweat-soaked Sunday afternoon at Lee-Hines Field, after the Panthers held off Mississippi Valley State for a 7-4 victory in the championship game of the conference tournament, Cullivan and Richard shared a congratulatory hug. Along with some very important hardware.

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University of the District of Columbia Women’s Tennis Team’s Storybook Season Comes to Close in NCAA Round of 16

ROSTER
HEAD COACH: T. Richard Mahaffey, III

(PHOTO COURTESY UDC SPORTS INFORMATION)

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – The University of the District of Columbia women's tennis team's storybook 2011-12 season has come to an end in the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Tournament Round of 16 as the Firebirds succumbed to the reigning national champion Barry University, 5-0 on Wednesday afternoon at EP Tom Sawyer State Park.

The Firebirds surrendered to a 3-0 deficit after dropping all three doubles matches, and the Buccaneers went on to secure the match victory with singles wins at No. 3 and 6, respectively. Barry, ranked No. 2 in the nation, improved to 25-0 on the season and advances to play the winner of the Cal (Pa.) vs. Cameron match tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

District of Columbia finished the season with a mark of 17-4, more than doubling their win total (7) from the previous year. The Firebirds also earned the school's first-ever East Coast Conference championship this Fall, which earned them an automatic bid to the school's first-ever NCAA Regional Tournament. There, they knocked off No. 6 Adelphi, 5-4 in the first round and then upset the tournament host and No. 2 seed Southern New Hampshire, 5-3 to advance to the Sweet 16 as the East Region's No. 2 representative.

ECC Coach of the Year Dickie Mahaffey returns five of the six players on this year's roster, including First Team All-ECC honorees Kristyna Nepivodova and Jessica Nunez and Second Team All-ECC honoree, Maxime Duijst.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU Receives Green Light by Governors for Stadium & Deck

EXCERPT:

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- UNC’s board of governors will ask state legislators in their upcoming session to approve more than $60 million in construction projects at Winston-Salem State University and UNC-Greensboro and to authorize planning for more than $100 million in future projects at WSSU and N.C. A&T State University.

All of the projects approved to move forward in the budgeting process at the governors April 13 meeting are “non-appropriated capital improvement projects,” meaning the money for them comes not from the state budget but from long-term debt repaid over time by user fees. Dorm buildings, dining halls and athletic facilities are among the projects that generally fall under that process.

Also given the green light by governors for WSSU was $7.5 million for the acquisition and renovation of Bowman Gray Stadium from the city of Winston-Salem, and $7 million for the construction of a 300-500 car parking deck near the K.R. Williams Auditorium and adjacent to the sciences campus.

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Morgan State mourns loss of former student-athlete, Gene Johnson

Gene H. Johnson, Jr. 
OCT. 6, 1987 - MAY 17, 2012
Photo Courtesy: Morgan State University Media Relations

BALTIMORE, Maryland – Morgan State former basketball student-athlete, Gene Johnson, died in his sleep last night (5/17/12) while at home in Hagerstown, Maryland. Emergency medical crews were called but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. The exact cause of the 24-year old's death has not been confirmed and our thoughts are with his family, friends and former teammates at this time.

Johnson, a Hagerstown, Maryland native, began his career in 2007-08 as a walk-on and during his career he has been a member of one of the most dominant squads in the MEAC. He played a role in the Bears three regular season championships, finished with two MEAC championship rings, including an NIT appearance and two berths in the NCAA Tournament.

He was a versatile and athletic player who was one of the most liked players during his time as a Bear. Johnson graduated with a Sociology degree from Morgan State in May of 2011.

"Gene Johnson was one of MSU Athletics' brightest young talents who was loved by everyone in the Bears Family,” said MSU Athletics Director Floyd Kerr.

“His sudden loss has sent a ripple of sadness throughout the Morgan community. Gene was one of the best examples that gave meaning to the saying 'teamwork makes the dream work' because of his significant contributions and dedication to the championship basketball teams he played on. More importantly, he was a classy young man who had a dream to be successful, and I had high confidence that Gene would succeed. He will be missed by all. Personally, I will always remember him fondly as 'Radar Gene, with the built-in screen.'”

“This is a very sad day and a devastating loss of a great young man that we were very proud of,” said MSU head coach Todd Bozeman. “He played four years and started in a couple of games for us. Upon graduation, he started pursuing his master's degree. Our sincere condolences go out to his family and to all of those who knew him. He will be missed by many friends, teammates and others throughout campus.”

By MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

2012 ASU Football Schedule Announced

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A nationally-televised season opener and the opening of the new on-campus football stadium on Thanksgiving Day highlights the 2012 Alabama State University football schedule.

2012 Alabama State Football Schedule

The Hornets will play five games in Montgomery, four of them at Cramton Bowl prior to the inaugural game in New ASU Stadium on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22 vs. Tuskegee in the 89th Turkey Day Classic.

In addition to the 71st Magic City Classic in Birmingham, one of nine Southwestern Athletic Conference games, Alabama State will open the season in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney vs. Bethune-Cookman on Sunday, Sept. 2 in Orlando, Fla. in a nationally televised game (kickoff TBD) on one of the ESPN family of networks.



“I'm very excited about our 2012 schedule,” said 6th-year head coach Reggie Barlow, coming off posting an 8-3 campaign in 2011 which included a 7-2 mark in conference play. “To be able to open on national television against Bethune-Cookman is a good way to start the season. The conference schedule will bring excitement and is a challenge as it is every year. The final regular season game against Tuskegee on Thanksgiving Day to open our new stadium will be something we all will remember. It should be a fun year.”

Alabama State will play its home opener Sept. 8 vs. Mississippi Valley State, before travelling to face defending SWAC Champion Grambling State on Sept. 15. The Hornets will return home Sept. 22 to host the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and end the month at Alcorn State on Sept. 29.

October will bring back-to-back home game games, as the Hornets will host Texas Southern on Oct. 6 and Jackson State Oct. 13. Following an open date on Oct. 20, Alabama State will take on arch-rival Alabama A&M in the Magic City Classic at historic Legion Field on Oct. 27.

The Hornets will play consecutive road games to open November, with contests at Prairie View A&M Nov. 3 and at Southern Nov. 10. Following an open date, ASU will open its new on-campus football stadium in the 89th Turkey Day Classic vs. Tuskegee on Nov. 22.

The 2012 SWAC Championship game is set for Dec. 8 in Birmingham.

2012 ALABAMA STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
Sept. 2 Bethune-Cookman Orlando, Fla. TBD
(8th MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney)
Sept. 8 MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ST.* Montgomery, Ala. 6 p.m.
Sept. 15 at Grambling St.* Grambling, La. TBD
Sept. 22 ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF* Montgomery, Ala. 6 p.m.
Sept. 29 at Alcorn St.* Lorman, Miss. 2 p.m.
Oct. 6 TEXAS SOUTHERN* Montgomery, Ala. 1 p.m.
Oct. 13 JACKSON ST.* Montgomery, Ala. 1 p.m.
Oct. 20 open date
Oct. 27 ALABAMA A&M* Birmingham, Ala. TBD
(71st Magic City Classic)
Nov. 3 at Prairie View A&M* Prairie View, Texas 1 p.m.
Nov. 10 at Southern* Baton Rouge, La. 6 p.m.
Nov. 17 open date
Nov. 22 TUSKEGEE Montgomery, Ala. TBD
(89th Turkey Day Classic)
Dec. 8 SWAC Championship Birmingham, Ala. TBD
Home games in CAPS; * denotes SWAC games; all dates and times subject to change.




COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Wilson's Davis to play hoops at Johnson C. Smith University

FLORENCE, South Carolina -- Alandre Davis has improved as a player during his last three seasons on the Wilson basketball team. Now, Davis hopes to continue that in college as he signed a letter of intent to play at Johnson C. Smith, a Division II school in Charlotte, N.C.

“I haven’t nearly reached my potential yet and I feel like if I keep working hard then the possibilities are endless for me,” Davis said.

The 6-foot-7 Davis also considered Francis Marion and USC Aiken before settling on Johnson C. Smith. The Golden Bulls play in the CIAA and went 12-15 this season. Davis will probably play power forward in college.

Davis came off this bench as a sophomore and junior before cracking the starting lineup this year. He averaged 11.9 pts, 9.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks this year and selected to play in the North-South All-Star game.

“He has had continuous improvement during his last three years and he was better at the end of the season than he was at the beginning,” said former Wilson coach DeAndre Scott, who coached Davis the last three years. “At the end of the year, he was playing great ball and really think his best basketball is in front of him.

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XU's Green selected NAIA Region IV Coach of the Year

COACH ALAN GREEN

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Alan Green has been chosen Wilson Coach of the Year in NAIA Region IV men's tennis by the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association.

It's the first regional coaching award for Green, a New Orleans native who has bachelor's and master's degrees from Xavier.

Green's Gold Rush were 18-8 this year and set a school record for victories in a season. The XU men earned their highest ever ranking (No. 7) in the national poll, won a conference/group championship for a school-record seventh straight season and, for the first time since 1973, became the first XU team in any sport to reach the quarterfinals of an NAIA National Championship. The Gold Rush had 10 victories against ranked NAIA opponents, including a school-record four against the top 10, and three victories against NCAA Division I.

Region IV comprises nine southern states. The other regional coaching recipients were Oklahoma Christian's Kris Miller, Spring Arbor's Terry Darling and Fresno Pacific's Neil Castro. Miller was selected national coach of the year for the fifth time.

All five of Xavier's head coaches won at least one coach-of-the-year award on the conference, state or regional level in 2011-12.

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