WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Obama is joined by President Jimmy Carter and President Bill Clinton, members of the King family and other civil rights leaders and luminaries at the Let Freedom Ring Commemoration and Call to Action event at the Lincoln Memorial, to commemorate Dr. King's soaring speech and the 1963 March on Washington.
VIDEO STARTS AT 30:20 minute mark
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
B-CU Cats In Preseason Top 25 for First Time Under Coach Brian Jenkins
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats enter the 2013 season at No. 23 in The Sports Network FCS Preseason Top 25, it was announced by The Sports Network office in Philadelphia, Pa. This is the first time the Wildcats have been a member of TSN’s preseason poll under head coach Brian Jenkins.
With Brian Jenkins set to embark upon his fourth year in Daytona Beach, the Wildcats finished the 2012 campaign ranked No. 22 after winning their second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) title in three years with an overall record of 9-3 (8-0 MEAC). B-CU advanced to the opening round of the FCS Playoffs, hosting the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers to Municipal Stadium – the third time the Cats hosted a playoff game since 2003.
The poll's national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries confirmed North Dakota State as the preseason No. 1, giving the Bison 127 of the 134 first-place votes and 3,340 points. NDSU was followed by Montana State in second place; defending runners-up Sam Houston State at third; Eastern Washington in fourth; and Villanova rounds out the top five.
Bethune-Cookman opens the 2013 slate at Tennessee State this coming Sunday, September 1, as part of the John Merritt Classic at L.P. Field in Nashville, Tenn. At 8 p.m. The Tigers of TSU received 151 votes in the preseason poll, figuring them at No. 30, respectively.
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MEAC/SWAC Challenge tops in FCS Week 1
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| ROBERT SIMPSON, DL MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY |
Although the MEAC certainly has the advantage in regards to wins in this series with a 6-2 record, the game always has some big-time players to watch. And this year is no exception. The MEAC/SWAC Challenge has arguably two of the best players in HBCU football in Florida A&M quarterback Damien Fleming and Mississippi Valley State defensive lineman Robert Simpson.
Fleming has a bundle of talent. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound junior, was selected preseason MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year. A year ago, he displayed a strong passing arm throwing the ball down the field. Fleming completed 214 of 308 passes for 2,157 yards including 16 touchdowns to just five interceptions.
He shows a lot of poise in the pocket. In last season’s 24-22 victory over Delaware State, he connected on 30 of 37 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns. Fleming has a bright future.
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11 SIAC Teams in 11 Days: Central State University Marauders
WILBERFORCE, OHIO -- When finding the recipe for success, Central State University head football coach EJ Junior should not have to look no further than two decades ago, when the program was the poster child of Black College Football. Under the direction of legendary head football coach Billy Joe and former Tuskegee head football coach Rick Comegy, the Marauder football team experienced much success in the NAIA and Division II during the 1980's through mid 1990's. In 1983 the Marauders were Division II runner's up and NAIA National Champions in 1990 and 1992. The program also reached the same heights in 1995.
Consequently, the program was dropped in 1997, but returned in 2005. Now that Central State has taken off its training wheels, the program will look to place its stamp in its first season competing as a member of the SIAC.
"Being from the south and playing college football in the south, the style of play never left me," said Junior, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama. "I am very old school so our plan is to be very physical in all phases of the game."
Junior's philosophy should mirror the array of budding talent he has on his football team this season. Spearheaded by dual-threat quarterback Michael Wilson, a senior who accumulated over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns passing and rushing last season, Central State will offer many matchup problems for opposing defenses next season. Sophomore tight end Zach Thomas had 45 catches as a freshman and was named to the First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) team. The 6-foot-5 phenom, along with receivers Steven Heard and Jeremy Turner will be primary targets for Wilson. Seniors Kyle Jackson and DeQuan Slaughter anchor the offensive line that will return all five players. Terrell Clement and Jordan Hughes will provide the team with a 1-2 combo out of the backfield for Central State.
Matching the prospect of the offense's success, Central State's swarming defense, which returns six starters. Defensive end Jorden Paige, a Preseason All-SIAC selection, along with Justin Wood-West will lead the defensive line that ranked 3rd in the GLVC last season. Safeties Joseph Blount, another Preseason All-SIAC selection and Derryon Smith will be impact players, who will shepherd the inexperience of Devin Polzot and Trezz Shipmon Jr. in the defensive backfield. The biggest void will come in the absence of 2012 GLVC Defensive Player of the Year Darius Wilson, who was lost to graduation. Robert Martin and Blake Riley return to give the team some experience at the linebacker position.
Senior Gracewell Mahbena K/P returns and will be challenge by redshirt freshman Dustin Bryan for the kicking duties and Sr. Special Teams captain Paul Sains returns with Sophomore Aaron Wade as kick and returners
2013 Marauders At Glace
Head Coach: EJ Junior (5th Season)
Last SIAC Championship: 1st Year in Conference
Last Playoff Appearance: 1995
Players to Watch: QB Michael Wilson, TE Zach Thomas, DL Jordan Page, DB Joseph Blount
Strengths: Wilson is arguably the best All-Around player in the conference and can be a human-highlight film if not contained. The rest of the offense will be just as strong as their leader. The true testament will be how the team will be able to adjust to the style of play in the SIAC.
Schedule: The Marauders will travel 7 of their 11 games on the road with one of the toughest schedules since football returned to CSU. Besides playing conference foes Benedict, Kentucky State, Morehouse, Miles, Lane, Tuskegee, and Stillman, CSU will also face the likes of Tennessee State, West Texas A&M, West Alabama and Johnson C. Smith.
COURTESY CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS & THESIAC.COM
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| (COURTESY CSU ATHLETICS) |
"Being from the south and playing college football in the south, the style of play never left me," said Junior, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama. "I am very old school so our plan is to be very physical in all phases of the game."
Junior's philosophy should mirror the array of budding talent he has on his football team this season. Spearheaded by dual-threat quarterback Michael Wilson, a senior who accumulated over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns passing and rushing last season, Central State will offer many matchup problems for opposing defenses next season. Sophomore tight end Zach Thomas had 45 catches as a freshman and was named to the First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) team. The 6-foot-5 phenom, along with receivers Steven Heard and Jeremy Turner will be primary targets for Wilson. Seniors Kyle Jackson and DeQuan Slaughter anchor the offensive line that will return all five players. Terrell Clement and Jordan Hughes will provide the team with a 1-2 combo out of the backfield for Central State.
Matching the prospect of the offense's success, Central State's swarming defense, which returns six starters. Defensive end Jorden Paige, a Preseason All-SIAC selection, along with Justin Wood-West will lead the defensive line that ranked 3rd in the GLVC last season. Safeties Joseph Blount, another Preseason All-SIAC selection and Derryon Smith will be impact players, who will shepherd the inexperience of Devin Polzot and Trezz Shipmon Jr. in the defensive backfield. The biggest void will come in the absence of 2012 GLVC Defensive Player of the Year Darius Wilson, who was lost to graduation. Robert Martin and Blake Riley return to give the team some experience at the linebacker position.
Senior Gracewell Mahbena K/P returns and will be challenge by redshirt freshman Dustin Bryan for the kicking duties and Sr. Special Teams captain Paul Sains returns with Sophomore Aaron Wade as kick and returners
2013 Marauders At Glace
Head Coach: EJ Junior (5th Season)
Last SIAC Championship: 1st Year in Conference
Last Playoff Appearance: 1995
Players to Watch: QB Michael Wilson, TE Zach Thomas, DL Jordan Page, DB Joseph Blount
Strengths: Wilson is arguably the best All-Around player in the conference and can be a human-highlight film if not contained. The rest of the offense will be just as strong as their leader. The true testament will be how the team will be able to adjust to the style of play in the SIAC.
Schedule: The Marauders will travel 7 of their 11 games on the road with one of the toughest schedules since football returned to CSU. Besides playing conference foes Benedict, Kentucky State, Morehouse, Miles, Lane, Tuskegee, and Stillman, CSU will also face the likes of Tennessee State, West Texas A&M, West Alabama and Johnson C. Smith.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Location | H/A | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Dayton Classic | |||||||
| 1:30PM | Benedict College | McPherson Stadium | Home | ||||
| 1:30PM | Kentucky State University | McPherson Stadium | Home | ||||
| Chicago Classic | |||||||
| 4:00pm CT | Morehouse College | Chicago, IL | Neutral | ||||
| Gateway Classic | |||||||
| 2:00pm CT | Tennessee State University | St. Louis, MO | Neutral | ||||
| 3:00pm CT | West Texas A&M University | Canyon, TX | Away | ||||
| 1:30PM | Miles College | McPherson Stadium | Home | ||||
| 2:00pm CT | Lane College | Jackson, TN | Away | ||||
| 6:30pm CT | Stillman College | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Away | ||||
| 1:00pm CT | Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, Alabama | Away | ||||
| 1:30PM | Johnson C. Smith University | McPherson Stadium | Home | ||||
| 6:00pm CT | University of West Alabama | Livingston, AL | Away | ||||
COURTESY CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS & THESIAC.COM
INDUCTION WILL BE AIRED LIVE ON ESPN3: UMES' Art Shell to be Inducted Into College Football Hall of Fame TODAY
ATLANTA, Georgia -- University of Maryland Eastern Shore alumnus and Hall of Famer, Art Shell, will be inducted today in the College Football Hall of Fame in a ceremony held in Atlanta. Shell, an alumnus of then Maryland State College in 1968, is already an NFL Hall of Famer and the modern era's first African-American NFL head coach.
The event, in coordination with the National Football Foundation (NFF), will be broadcast live on ESPN3 at 7:30 p.m. ET., August 28, 2013. A press conference starts the activities today at 11 a.m. It will be hosted by the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta and is sold out.
The event will be emceed by award-winning broadcaster Wes Durham. In addition to the enshrinement ceremonies, the show will feature a preview of the 2013 college football season by a panel of top television analysts, including Tony Barnhart, Desmond Howard (a 2010 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame), Mark Schlabach and Matt Stinchcomb (the 1998 recipient of the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy).
Hosted by the Atlanta Hall Management and the Atlanta Sports Council, in partnership with the NFF, the event marks the first time that Atlanta will preside over the Enshrinement Ceremony. he celebration builds on the significant progress made on the construction of the new 94,256-square-foot home for the Hall, which will open in the fall of 2014 in the heart of Atlanta's sports, tourism and entertainment district surrounding Centennial Olympic Park.
Shell is being inducted as part of the Division College Football Hall of Fame, which, according to its mission statement, honors players and coaches from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. In the 1960s, UMES competed in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, a Division II conference.
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| Art Shell in his playing days at then, Maryland State College (Courtesy UMES Media Relations) |
"This is a truly exceptional group of College Football Hall of Fame inductees from the divisional ranks," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning in the official press release.""We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments, and we applaud them for reaching the pinnacle of recognition in our great sport."
Shell played four seasons with the Hawks from 1964 to 1967. He was a two-time All-American as an offensive and defensive lineman in his junior and senior seasons plus earned All-CIAA honors his final three years. He would go on to have a strong professional career with the Oakland Raiders, being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after winning three Super Bowls and making eight Pro Bowls.
Shell is part of a seven-member 2013 Divisional College Football Hall of Fame Class along with Elby Jordan, Joe Micchia, Jeff Wittman, Frank Cignetti, James "Boots" Donnelly and Jess Dow.
He is one of 24 members of the overall class of 2013 and also includes: Charles Alexander (LSU), Otis Armstrong (Purdue), Steve Bartkowski (California), Hal Bedsole (Southern California), Dave Casper (Notre Dame), coach Frank Cignetti (West Virginia, Indiana [Pa.]), Ty Detmer (BYU), coach James "Boots" Donnelly (Austin Peay State, Middle Tennessee State), coach Jess Dow (Southern Connecticut State), coach Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee), coach Jimmy Johnson (Oklahoma State, Miami [Fla.]), Shelby Jordan (Washington University in St. Louis [Mo.]), Tommy Kramer (Rice), Joe Micchia (Westminster College [Pa.]), Art Monk (Syracuse), Greg Myers (Colorado State), Jonathan Ogden (UCLA), Gabe Rivera (Texas Tech), Mark Simoneau (Kansas State), coach R.C. Slocum (Texas A&M), Scott Thomas (Air Force), Jeff Wittman (Ithaca College [N.Y.]) and John Wooten (Colorado).
ABOUT ESPN3
ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of global sports events annually, and it is accessible online via WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members and Apple TV. It is currently available to more than 85 million households at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks. A list of participating providers for ESPN3 can be found HERE. For questions, contact ESPN Customer Care at 1-888-549-3776 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET daily.
ABOUT ATLANTA HALL MANAGEMENT
Scheduled to open in the fall of 2014, the new College Football Hall of Fame will be a 94,256-square-foot attraction located in the heart of Atlanta's sports, entertainment and tourism district. Adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park, the new Hall will provide visitors with a highly-immersive, interactive and engaging experience using a blend of historic college football artifacts and state-of-the-art, interactive multimedia exhibits. The National Football Foundation (NFF) launched the Hall in 1951 to stand as one of the nation's premier sports shrines, immortalizing the game's greatest players and coaches as positive role models for future generations. In 2009, Atlanta Hall Management, Inc., partnered with the NFF to construct and operate the new Hall of Fame facility, which will also provide a platform for community outreach, education and character development initiatives, as well as serve as one of Atlanta's premier special event spaces. For more information, please visit www.cfbhall.com.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA SPORTS COUNCIL
The Atlanta Sports Council promotes the value of sports growth in Atlanta and Georgia by acting as an authority on the economic impact, visibility and quality of life issues associated with sports. Its mission is to lead, organize and support sports development. The Atlanta Sports Council was created in 1985 under the original name of Sports 2000, and is a division of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. For more information, visit www.AtlantaSportsCouncil.com.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Award presented by Fidelity Investments, Play It Smart, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Bowl, the William V. Campbell Trophy endowed by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. NFF corporate partners include the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the BCS, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, Liberty Mutual Insurance, NCAA Football, and Under Armour. For more information, please visit www.footballfoundation.org.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION
Oral Roberts University Opens 2013 Season at TSU Invitational
TULSA, Oklahoma -- Oral Roberts University will open their 2013 volleyball season
this weekend when they travel to Houston for three matches as the TSU
Invitational. ORU will face host Texas Southern in their season-opener, a 1 pm
CT first serve on Friday, August 30. One day later, the Golden Eagles will face
Prairie View A&M at 9 am CT and Southern University at 1 pm CT to close the
weekend.Live statistical coverage of all three matches is available on Texas Southern’s official athletics website, athletics.tsu.edu.
Oral Roberts posted a 17-15 record in 2012, with an 11-7 record in Southland Conference play. The Golden Eagles return four starters and eight letter winners from last season’s team, while the roster includes six newcomers who could potentially make their debut for Sheera Sirola's team this weekend.
Game NotesLast season, the Golden Eagles became the first No. 6 seed in Southland Conference history to advance to the SLC Tournament Championship Match when they swept No. 3 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and No. 2 seed Sam Houston State in the first two rounds. ORU was beaten by tournament host and No. 1 seed Central Arkansas in the SLC Championship Match, 3-1, to end their Cinderella run through the postseason.
Three of ORU's returners were named to the Preseason All-SLC 1st Team last week. Reigning SLC Libero of the Year Bruna Silva, Jessica Pancratz and Laura Taylor were all recognized among the league's top performers heading into the 2013 campaign.
Opinions were varied on the Golden Eagles in last week's Southland Conference Preseason Polls. SLC Coaches picked the Golden Eagles second, with two first place votes, while the league's media relations personnel slotted ORU in a tie for 5th.
Defending champion Central Arkansas was the preseason favorite in both SLC polls.
All three of ORU’s opponents at the TSU Invitational are members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Golden Eagles are 5-0 all-time against SWAC members, with the most recent victory coming on September 9, 2011, a 3-1 win over Prairie View A&M in Lake Charles, La.
Texas Southern posted a 15-15 record in 2012 and finished the season with an RPI of 297. The Tigers went 6-2 in the SWAC West Division, good for a 2nd place finish. Sophomore Robyn Shannon led the Tigers as a freshman last season with 3.02 kills per set and a .275 hitting percentage.
Prairie View A&M was 14-21 in 2012, with an NCAA Division I RPI of 289. The Panthers were much stronger in SWAC play, going 7-1 to win the SWAC West Division regular season championship. Senior Kelsey Espinosa is Prairie View’s top returner after averaging 7.94 assists per set last season, 4th-best in the SWAC.
Southern struggled in 2012, posting a 4-25 record and finishing with an RPI of 324. The Jaguars were 1-7 in SWAC West Division play last season Junior Marisol Macias led Southern with 1.45 kills per set and 25 service aces last season, while senior Michelle Williams added a team-best 3.12 digs per set.
Oral Roberts is 15-10 all-time in the city of Houston, although they’ve made the trip to America’s 4th-largest city just once since 1981, going 2-1 at the 2007 Mizuno Invitational, hosted by Rice.
This is the eighth consecutive season that the Golden Eagles have opened the season on the road at a four-team tournament. ORU went 2-1 at the UB Invitational in Buffalo, N.Y., to open the 2012 season, and they last opened the season 3-0 in 2009, when they knocked off UT-Arlington, Gardner-Webb and Illinois State at the Redbird Classic in Normal, Ill.
Following the season-opening TSU Invitational, ORU will head back to Oklahoma for their first local appearance of 2013. The Golden Eagles will bus across town to face city rival Tulsa on Tuesday, September 3. First serve at the Reynolds Center is scheduled for 7 pm CT.
COURTESY ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
HBCU Football Preview: Arkansas Pine-Bluff Is Not To Here For Your Amusement
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- It’s important to keep in mind the intimacy of HBCU sports. You often hear the question of why the Southwestern Athletic Conference doesn’t send a team to the FCS playoffs, or why don’t black college sports compete on more of a national scale.
Wouldn’t it help them with recruiting, if players knew they could compete for a national title at the end of the season?
It all depends on whether a young, promising athlete can be sold on that localized fame appeal. You win the SWAC, MEAC or an HBCU classic, and it means just as much or more than a chance to take on Montana or North Dakota State in the FCS title game.
Unfortunately, most black colleges don’t have the resources that elite FCS programs do, so it’s an uneven playing field economically. Best to do like the south did for so long in Hip-Hop – keep the money and attraction local, then shine in any weather.
The college football season gets started this week with a lot of the writing on the HBCU football wall. Here’s a look at the black football college hierarchy of the moment.
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