Lee Smith appointed Interim Athletic Director at Mississippi Valley

ITTA BENA, Mississippi  --  Lee C. Smith, head softball coach and intramural director at Mississippi Valley State University since 2001 has been appointed Interim Athletic Director of the University, pending IHL Board approval.

"Coach Smith's organizational skills and commitment to the success of student athletes on the field and in the classroom is what we need during this transition", said MVSU Acting President Dr. Alfred Rankins.

Smith, a Valley alumnus, was hired as the women's head softball coach in 2001 and has high standards of excellence for the student athletes. As head softball coach, he led the women's softball team to victory in eight Southwestern Athletic Conference titles in the last 10 seasons along with eight NCAA tournament appearances. Forty-five of his players have been National Fast Pitch Coaches Association Scholar Athletes; the team has an overall grade point average of 3.20; 95 percent of his student athletes graduated successfully; and in 2008, the team ranked 32nd among Division I all-academic programs by the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association.

Other highlights of Smith's leadership include:

· 61 student athletes being named All-SWAC
· MVSU became the first HBCU softball team to win a game in the 2004 NCAA Tournament
· In that same tournament, they became first HBCU softball team to win multiple games
· Being named SWAC Coach of the Year seven times in his 12 years at MVSU.
 

 WATCH IN HD, FULL SCREEN

 

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Queens College Hires VSU's Darryl Jacobs as New Head Men’s Basketball Coach

QUEENS, New York  --  In an historic day for the Queens College athletics department, Darryl Jacobs has been hired as the first full-time Head Men’s Basketball Coach in nearly two decades for the Knights, it was announced on Thursday, by Assistant Vice President for Athletics, China Jude.  This milestone marks a new person roaming the sidelines in nearly 20 seasons.

Jude reflected upon the hiring of Coach Jacobs: “I am excited to have Darryl Jacobs join our family.  His skill set and personality fits perfectly into our Knights family.  We look forward to him returning home to the Northeast to make a significant impact on our community.”

The Paterson, New Jersey native; returns to the northeast from Petersburg, Virginia, where he was the head men’s basketball coach at Virginia State for the past two seasons.  Under Jacobs’ leadership, the Trojans improved in victories each year and had back-to-back six win records in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association; culminating with his 2012-13 team advancing into the second round of the CIAA playoffs.



Before his time in Petersburg, Jacobs was the head men’s basketball coach at Clark Atlanta University from 2006-2011. While there, he built the Panthers into one of the elite programs in the country. He led the Panthers to two consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (2009-2011); while also leading them to their first SIAC Tournament Championship (2011) in 46 years.

Coach Jacobs was also named SIAC Coach of Year, Atlanta Tip-Off Club/Naismith Georgia College Coach of the Year and HRSN runner-up for National Coach of the Year in 2010.

His teams at Clark Atlanta from 2009-2011 were rank nationally on numerous occasions; culminating in a 22nd national ranking in 2010. With a reputation as a tireless worker and game strategist, his teams have been able to defeat several DI programs during his career.

Coach Jacobs has over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to his credit. He was a two sports standout at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, starting as a running back on the football team and point guard on the men's basketball team. He played several years of professional basketball following graduation in both South America and the USBL.

Jacobs currently Chairs the NCAA Men’s Basketball South Region Rankings Committee, is a member of the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Committee and Vice President for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Coaches Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Center for High Blood Pressure of Richmond.

Jacobs is a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Black Coaches Association.  Jacobs received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Finance/Accounting from William Penn University in 1988 and is pursuing his Master’s in Sports Management at Virginia State University.

COURTESY QUEENS (N.Y.) COLLEGE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Former CFL QB Worman added to MVSU football coaching staff

Coach Rick Worman
MVSU DELTA DEVILS

ITTA BENA, Mississippi  –  Mississippi Valley State University head football coach Karl Morgan has added a new coach to his coaching staff.

Rick Worman has begun his duties at MVSU as quarterbacks coach, replacing Mike Pizinski who recently left to pursue other opportunities. Worman will also assist with wide receivers and running backs.

The former Canadian Football League (CFL) quarterback hopes to use his professional experience as a teaching tool for MVSU student-athletes.

"I want to use my knowledge from the pro ranks to help develop student-athletes on this level," said Worman.

The Fresno, California native comes to Valley after serving as a scout for the Ottawa-based CFL team. Before that, he served as the running backs coach for the CFL's Hamilton Tigercats. He also spent seven seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos, working as a West Coast Scout for four years before joining the coaching staff as a quarterbacks coach in 2007. He added the title of offensive coordinator in 2008.

Prior to joining the Eskimos, Worman spent time as the head coach of the Arena Football League 2's Fresno Frenzy in 2002 and the offensive coordinator of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2001. That season, the Bombers led the league in virtually every offensive category en route to a 14-4 record and a Grey Cup appearance.

Worman's coaching career includes three Grey Cup appearances and two Grey Cup championships. He previously coached former CFL quarterback MVPs Ricky Ray and Khari Jones.

He also spent one season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the College of the Siskiyous.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 1, 2013, FLORIDA CITRUS BOWL
 

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NCAA Lifts ALL Postseason Bans Against Alabama State

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- All of Alabama State University's athletic programs are eligible to participate in postseason play due to decisions on Friday and earlier this week by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Acting Athletic Director Melvin Hines was notified Friday that the NCAA had completed its evaluation of the data and other information that was submitted to the NCAA following the initial announcement of penalties related to APR scores.

"We are thrilled that our student-athletes will now be eligible to compete in postseason play," said Hines.

According to Hines, after the initial APR penalties were imposed against the baseball, volleyball, football and men's basketball teams, ASU was given an adjustment phase with the opportunity to submit additional data.

"Once the NCAA evaluated that additional academic performance data, assessed our ASU Academic Improvement Plan and reviewed us according to its Limited Resource Institution component, the NCAA staff determined that ASU will not be penalized," said Hines.

The NCAA had announced earlier that the bans against baseball and volleyball had been lifted. Today's announcement lifts bans against both football and men's basketball, which means all 18 Alabama State University athletics teams are eligible for postseason play for the upcoming 2013-14 season, should they qualify.


WATCH IN HIGH DEFINITION (HD) FULL SCREEN

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Five HBCU tracksters make U.S. team

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  Black college products finished 1-3 in the men's 400 meter hurdles and three others earned top three finishes at the recently concluded USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.                        

    

All five HBCU products earned spots and will represent Team USA at the IAAF World Championships August 10 - August 18 in Moscow, Russia.

 

Reigning Olympic silver medalist Michael Tinsley out of Jackson State took home the title in the 400 meter hurdles and former Saint Augustine's hurdler Bershawn "Batman" Jackson finished third in Saturday afternoon's men's final.

    

Tinsley held off Kerron Clement to capture his first national outdoor title. Tinsley finished in 47.96 seconds, the best time in the world this year, nipping Clement who ran 48.06. Jackson was a close third in 48.09. Tinsley runs for adidas while Jackson is with Nike.

    

In the long jump, current Stillman junior sprinter and long jump specialist Jeffrey Henderson, who won NCAA Div. II national titles in the long jump and 100 meters two weeks prior, was narrowly edged for the top prize by George Kitchens, Jr.

    

Henderson leaped 8.22 meters (26 feet, 11 3/4 inches) in his next-to-last (fifth) jump Sunday afternoon to come up just short of Kitchens' winning jump of 8.23 meters (27 feet). This will be Henderson's second trip to the World Championships.

    

"This is my second time making the team, so I'm just preparing for Moscow," Henderson said in an interview after the meet. "The first time I was kind of scared. I was shocked that I made the team but I'm really prepared now."
 

 

CONTINUE READING

Palmetto's Jordan Smith shoots way into Division I scholarship at S.C. State

JORDAN SMITH

PALMETTO, Florida -- Jordan Smith has been known to make the most of his opportunities on the basketball court.

He scored more than 1,450 points during his high school career at Palmetto and gained a reputation is a deadly long-range shooter, knocking down 66 attempts from beyond the arc (42 percent) during his senior year, when he averaged 20-plus points per game in earning Bradenton Herald All-Area honors. Smith had to change his game last season at Brevard Community College, coming off the bench while being asked to be primarily a shooter, and his averaged dipped to 7.4 points per game.

But against arch-rival Indian River, Smith drained 7 of 10 three-pointers and scored 29 points in 23 minutes in a big Southern Conference game. In the previous game, Smith was 6-for-6 shooting 3-pointers and scored 18 points against Miami Dade.

CONTINUE READING 

XU's Franklin named HBCU Female Athlete of the Year

SiMon Franklin
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

JACKSON, Mississippi --  Xavier University of Louisiana's SiMon Franklin was named HBCU Female Athlete of the Year for 2012-13 on Friday evening.

Franklin, from Baton Rouge, La., and a graduate of Xavier and St. Joseph's Academy, received the honor during the HBCU Awards banquet at the Jackson State University Student Center. The banquet is part of the inaugural National HBCU Media Week, which will conclude Saturday.

Franklin was a standout for Xavier in basketball and track and field. In basketball, Franklin was a four-year starter at guard who earned honorable mention as a senior on the NAIA Division I All-America Team. She was All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference for the second consecutive season after leading the Gold Nuggets with 10.7 points, 2.4 steals ands 24.9 minutes per game in 2012-13. The MVP of the 2012 GCAC Tournament, Franklin is one of nine Gold Nuggets to reach 1,000 points, 300 rebounds and 200 steals in a career. Franklin had 1,136 points, 331 rebounds, 208 assists, 220 steals in 128 career games at Xavier and helped the Gold Nuggets win three GCAC regular-season championships, two GCAC Tournament championships and qualify for the NAIA Division I National Championship three times.

In track and field, Franklin was the 2013 GCAC outdoor champion in the 400-meter dash, and her time of 56.74 seconds at that meet qualified her automatically for the NAIA National Championships. She ran the anchor leg of the 400 relay team which finished second in the GCAC and also qualified for nationals.

"I am extremely honored," Franklin said. "I thought I was done with athletics and receiving awards after track season ended, but then this happened. To be honored nationwide, that is amazing. I never though anything like that is possible."

Franklin recently began her first full-time job, in the mortgage department of Iberia Bank in downtown New Orleans.

"Monee is first-class person, a wonderful choice for this award and a great representative of Xavier University," said her basketball coach, Bo Browder. "She is the type of student-athlete we continue to recruit for Xavier."

Runners-up to Franklin were Dillard's Jazzmin Smith and Albany State's April Thomas, both basketball players.

XU nominees who did not win were Christabell Hamilton (women's volleyball) for female coach of the year, women's tennis for female team of the year and the College of Pharmacy for best STEM program (science, technology, engineering, mathematics).

Xavier is one of 38 U.S. colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2013 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.

A list of all the winners:

Female athlete of the year: SiMon Franklin, Xavier

Male athlete of the year: Anaso Jobodwana, Jackson State

Female coach of the year: Toyelle Wilson, Prairie View A&M

Male coach of the year: Connell Maynor, Winston-Salem State

Female team of the year: Hampton basketball

Male team of the year: Southern basketball

Best marching band: Jackson State

Best choir: Oakwood's Aeolian Choir

Best student government association: Albany State

Best student organization: Spelman's SpelBots team

Best student newspaper: North Carolina Central's Campus Echo

Best alumni publication: Morgan State's Morgan Magazine

Female alumna of the year: Nicole Bernard, Howard

Male alumnus of the year: Tom Colbert, Kentucky State

National alumni association of the year: University of the Virgin Islands

Best research center: Howard's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- Center for Atmospheric Sciences

Best STEM program: Hampton

Best social work program: Fayetteville State

Best fine arts program: Alabama State's Department of Theater Arts

Best business program: Paul Quinn

Best nursing program: Dillard

Female student of the year: Olivia Stinson, Winston-Salem State

Male student of the year: Polite Stewart, Southern

Female faculty member of the year and lifetime achievement award: Myrlie Evers Williams, Alcorn State

Male faculty member of the year: Kinfe Ken Redda, Florida A&M

Female president of the year: Dianne B. Suber, Saint Augustine's

Male president of the year: M. Christopher Brown, Alcorn State

HBCU of the year: Spelman

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