HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Obie Trotter was one of the best basketball players in the country during the early to mid-2000s.
A former Alabama A&M star, Trotter led the Bulldogs to the 2005 Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and a berth in the NCAA Division I Tournament. That year, Trotter was named the league's Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player during the SWAC Tournament.
He finished his illustrious career as a three-time All-SWAC first team selection and was twice named the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Trotter was also a two-time All-American, led nation in steals as a junior and finished third as a senior.
Trotter has spent the last six years playing professionally in Europe, but could find himself on a bigger stage later this month.
He recently received his Hungarian citizenship and was named to the Hungarian National Team and could find himself in the Olympics if Hungary is fortunate enough to make it there.
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Sunday, July 22, 2012
Blount hopes low ranking motivates Delaware State
DOVER, Delaware - Delaware State University’s football team struggled to a 10th-place finish in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in Kermit Blount’s first year as the Hornets’ head coach last season.The league’s coaches and sports information staffers don’t think much will change this season, as the Hornets were picked to once again finish 10th out of the 11 teams in the MEAC at the conference’s annual kickoff luncheon in Norfolk, Va., on Friday.
Blount, whose team went 3-8 overall, 1-7 in the conference last season, took the preseason ranking in stride.
“Predictions are just what they are,” Bount said. “We are not going to let predictions keep us from moving forward as a football team. I know this is not going to be a 10th-place football team. We’ll just take what we did last year and keep moving forward.”
Norfolk State was picked to win ...
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Prairie View picked to finish 2nd in SWAC
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Five members from the Prairie View A&M Panther football team were selected to the 2012 Preseason All-SWAC Team prior to the start of the league’s annual media day in Birmingham, Ala. on Monday. As a team, the Panthers were selected to finish second in the SWAC West by fellow coaches, sports information directors and media personnel.
Wide receiver Spencer Nelson, defensive tackle Ryan Love and outside linebacker Raheem Cardwell led the way with first team honors.
Nelson is the team’s top returning offensive threat as the senior from Georgia caught a career-high 53 receptions for 659 yards and five touchdowns. He also returned both punts and kickoffs on a part-time basis last fall and is slated to do both heading into fall camp. Cardwell was the third-leading tackler on the team last fall with 66 stops and seven tackles for loss.
The redshirt junior from Alexandria, Va. also logged a sack with two pass breakups. Redshirt senior defensive tackle Ryan Love rounds out the first teamers as the Houston native is coming off a career-best season with 42 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries.
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Wide receiver Spencer Nelson, defensive tackle Ryan Love and outside linebacker Raheem Cardwell led the way with first team honors.
Nelson is the team’s top returning offensive threat as the senior from Georgia caught a career-high 53 receptions for 659 yards and five touchdowns. He also returned both punts and kickoffs on a part-time basis last fall and is slated to do both heading into fall camp. Cardwell was the third-leading tackler on the team last fall with 66 stops and seven tackles for loss.
The redshirt junior from Alexandria, Va. also logged a sack with two pass breakups. Redshirt senior defensive tackle Ryan Love rounds out the first teamers as the Houston native is coming off a career-best season with 42 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries.
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Life of Riley: ASU safety doesn't let honors distract him
MONTGOMERY, Alabama - The awards came pouring in for Alabama State safety Kejuan Riley last year, but the former Wetumpka High star didn’t let the acclaim go to his head this offseason.
“I put in twice the work I usually do,” he said. “I just know what I have to do and keep working. I just thank my teammates for (all the awards) because without them I wouldn’t have any of this.”
Riley was the Southeastern Athletic Conference’s only returning Football Championship Subdivision All-American, a consensus pick in 2011 along with Prairie View A&M defensive end Adrian Hamilton, but was not the preseason choice as SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. That award went to Jackson State defensive end Joseph LeBeau, who was voted the league’s top newcomer in 2011.
Both Riley and LeBeau are among the 20 players on the watch list released Thursday for the 18th annual Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the nation’s top FCS defensive player. The watch list includes six finalists from last season, including Riley, who ranks second among returning players who received votes for last year’s award.
With 17 career interceptions, he is the FCS leader among active players and needs just one this season to set the school record. He had nine last season to rank second nationally.
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“I put in twice the work I usually do,” he said. “I just know what I have to do and keep working. I just thank my teammates for (all the awards) because without them I wouldn’t have any of this.”
Riley was the Southeastern Athletic Conference’s only returning Football Championship Subdivision All-American, a consensus pick in 2011 along with Prairie View A&M defensive end Adrian Hamilton, but was not the preseason choice as SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. That award went to Jackson State defensive end Joseph LeBeau, who was voted the league’s top newcomer in 2011.
Both Riley and LeBeau are among the 20 players on the watch list released Thursday for the 18th annual Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the nation’s top FCS defensive player. The watch list includes six finalists from last season, including Riley, who ranks second among returning players who received votes for last year’s award.
With 17 career interceptions, he is the FCS leader among active players and needs just one this season to set the school record. He had nine last season to rank second nationally.
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Fayetteville State Broncos picked for fourth in CIAA football poll
FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina - The Fayetteville State Broncos are expected to be one of the best football teams in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 2012.
But living up to those expectations won't be easy with two teams predicted to contend for the league championship competing in the Southern Division with the Broncos.
Head coaches predicted a third-place finish in the Southern Division for FSU on Thursday at the CIAA's annual preseason press conference in Petersburg, Va. Picked ahead of the Broncos were the preseason favorite for the conference title, defending champ Winston-Salem State, and Saint Augustine's.
In overall rankings, FSU was picked as the fourth-best team in the league behind the Rams, Northern Division favorite Elizabeth City State and the Falcons.
"We're looking forward to an exciting year,'' FSU coach Kenny Phillips said. "But we have a tough challenge ahead in the Southern Division race.''
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CIAA football: Union, State picked to finish in bottom half
ETTRICK, Virginia -- One century down. That's the motto as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association kicked off the 2012 football campaign with its press luncheon Thursday at Virginia State University. This season will mark the 100th year of CIAA football.Three CIAA programs made it to the postseason in 2011, with Johnson C. Smith winning the 13th annual Pioneer Bowl over Miles College. Elizabeth City State and CIAA champion Winston-Salem State advanced to the Division II playoffs. The Rams fell to Wayne State in the Division II semifinals and the Vikings lost in the first round.
Virginia State, coming off a 5-5, 4-3 CIAA record and a second-place finish in the North, is slated to finish seventh.
"It's preseason rankings," Trojans coach Andrew Faison said. "The coaches do it, the SIDs (sports information directors) do it, so it's exactly what it is. It's not how you start, but how you finish."
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Saturday, July 21, 2012
S.C. State picked 2nd for MEAC title in 2012
NORFOLK, Virginia — South Carolina State was picked Friday to finish second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2012 behind defending champion Norfolk State.The Bulldogs, who had been given the first-place nod each of the last four seasons, received four first-place votes and 432 points, while the Spartans earned 11 first-place votes and 454 points in the poll of MEAC head coaches and sports information directors announced at the league’s annual Press Luncheon at the Sheraton Waterside Hotel.
Behind Norfolk State and S.C. State was Bethune-Cookman with three first-place votes and 417 points, Florida A&M with two first-place votes and 354 points and Hampton, which along with North Carolina A&T is ineligible for the MEAC title due to low APR scores, was fifth with one first-place vote and 268 points.
Despite finishing in last place last season and in the preseason poll, Savannah State received the only other first-place vote.
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