Black college football heads to the Bahamas: Central State takes on Texas Southern

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- For the first time, two Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) will play a football game in Nassau, Bahamas.  HBCUX, a recently launched digital media network, and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism are teaming up to produce the inaugural"Bahamas HBCUX Classic."

HBCUX is planning a weekend of events this fall in Nassau highlighted by a football game and battle of the bands competition between Central State and Texas Southern Universities, preceded by a star-studded tailgate concert. The game will be held in Nassau's refurbished 15,000-seat, multi-purpose Thomas Robinson Stadium on Saturday, September 13, 2014.



HBCUX Network founded by President & CEO Curtis Symonds and General Manager & COO Clint Evans showcases the talent, diversity and value of HBCUs that have been around for 177 years.  "Bringing an HBCU football game to the Caribbean will truly be a unique experience on many different levels," Symonds said.

"This is the culmination of a dream, and a combination of 'out-of-the-box' thinking, hard work, commitment and faith on our part as well as the Minister of Tourism Obediah Wilchcombe and his staff to advance tourism in the Bahamas.  The game allows two HBCU presidents to provide a cultural experience for their students in addition to promoting their universities to a wider audience.  Paramount to this experience is allowing the Caribbean and international communities to see first-hand the educational value HBCUs have to offer." Symonds added that HBCUX Network is committed to hosting the event for the next three years.

Representing The Bahamas, the Permanent Secretary for the Bahamas Ministry of Financial Services Harrison Thompson said, "The Bahamas HBCUX Classic not only supports our goal to bring more people to our beautiful islands, but Bahamians can experience American football at home, and gain insight into what two HBCUs have to offer should one decide to continue their education in the United States."  Both schools will have staff available to speak to potential students during the weekend.

Jahan Culbreath, athletic director, Central State University said "This is a wonderful opportunity for Central State to participate in the inaugural Bahamas HBCUX Football Classic.  It will allow Central State to showcase our university while broadening our reach within the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Participating and traveling to another country always adds to a quality collegiate experience for our students. We look forward to establishing new relationships with the wonderful Bahamian community."



President of Texas Southern University (TSU) Dr. John M. Rudley, stated, "For Texas Southern University, accepting an invitation to be a part of the first American football classic in Nassau, Bahamas highlights our willingness to take the lead in educational innovation, even as it relates to athletics. This is a tremendous opportunity for Texas Southern University to showcase academic and athletic programs to the citizens of the Bahamas. Texas Southern University must chart new directions so that we can take full advantage of opportunities to introduce Historically Black Colleges and Universities athletics to individuals in places like the Bahamas and abroad.

Athletics, like academic programs and student life, can be the vehicle that we use to introduce college to high school students everywhere.  One never knows the interest of the student, so why not expose them to everything we have to offer. We will do that by offering, not only an opportunity to see competitive football, but TSU will participate in a career and recruitment fair while in the Bahamas. 

Our Student Government Association leaders will also be on the trip.

We are especially excited and hopeful this first endeavor will create a lasting relationship between the government of the Bahamas, its citizens and Texas Southern University. We are an inclusive university and we welcome this opportunity to create long-lasting relationships and opportunities for our students."

HBCUX Network, the Ministry of Tourism and both universities participated in a joint news conference in Nassau, Bahamas to announce the event. Symonds hopes to attract thousands of existing students, alumni and football enthusiasts to the inaugural Football Classic. Tickets to the game start at $25.00. HBCUX Network will be offering packages starting around $375.00 for a two-night hotel stay at the Atlantis resort, transfers, game tickets and a one month subscription to the HBCUX Network.

HBCUX Network headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a 24/7, education, entertainment, lifestyle and sports programming network. The programming includes original series, student productions, music, movies and specials. HBCUX Network is an advertiser and subscription supported service, with a portion of the proceeds generated going to scholarship funds to attend HBCUs.

The Bahamas, located 50 miles off the east coast of Florida, is an ecological oasis featuring 700 islands over 100,000 square miles of ocean with the world's third largest barrier reef and the clearest water on the planet—with a visibility of over 200 feet. The Bahamas attracts almost six million international visitors each year.

About Texas Southern:Texas Southern University, in Houston Texas, was founded in 1927. With an enrollment of 9,700 undergraduate and graduate students, it is one of the nation's largest historically black universities. The TSU Tigers football team, a member of the NCAA Southwestern Athletic Conference, is in a rebuilding mode with 16 new recruits for the 2014 season. "The Ocean of Soul" marching band promotes excellence and the school's legacy is that of preparing and developing accomplished professional men and women to take their rightful place in the global society.

About Central State:Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, is one of the nation's oldest historically black universities, with a 125-year legacy of academic and athletic achievements. With the return of football to Central State in 2005, the Mighty Marauders are reviving a legacy that produced several conference championships. Central State's marching band, the Invincible Marching Marauders, have twice performed at the national Honda Battle of the Bands and been featured in the 2006 film "Dave Chappelle's Block Party."

Tone deaf NCAA deals FAMU a low blow

The penalties FAMU was forced to accept say far more about the NCAA than they do about Florida A&M University

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Florida A&M University's two prime-time sports programs suffered a low blow a couple of weeks back when the NCAA ruled that the Rattlers' football and men's basketball teams will be banned from post-season competition during 2014-2015.

Student-athletes on those teams did not satisfy the APR (Academic Progress Rate) standards the NCAA instituted 10 years ago.

Shame on the NCAA for being tone deaf in a surround-sound world.

The well-staffed NCAA should know better than to take a one-size-fits-all approach to evaluating the hundreds of universities it governs.

Simply put, FAMU does not have the resources required to play the APR game. Not to diminish the value of what happens in the classroom, but APR numbers are not an accurate reflection of a school's student-athletes' academic performance.

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Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins ready for MMA fight

The 5-foot-9 Jenkins could potentially have his face rearranged by the 6-foot Green.

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- When Brian Jenkins and Chris Green meet in the middle of the cage Saturday night at Breakthrough MMA 12, they will be coming from very different backgrounds.

Jenkins, 43, is the head football coach of the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats.

 

Green, 27, is a cook at Joe's Crab Shack.

 

Perhaps as close as they will ever come to sharing common ground will be in the moments following the signal to start the fight because, for however long it takes to sort itself out, the cook and the coach are going to try to beat one another into submission.

 

“People are in disbelief that (Jenkins) is actually going to go in there and do this,” Breakthrough MMA Promoter Jason Arnett said. “But this is for real. This is the same Jenkins that led his team to a (MEAC) championship. People are just in awe.”

 

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Green hopes to shock B-CU coach Brian Jenkins in MMA bout

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- Chris Green knows the chips will be stacked against him when he steps into the cage to face Bethune-Cookman football coach Brian Jenkins in their mixed martial arts bout Saturday at Breakthrough MMA 12.

Jenkins is a rare athlete, good enough to earn a scholarship to play at Cincinnati, where he set a few records. He even had some pro football looks after college.

 

Green went to Mainland, took a few classes at Daytona State and is currently a cook at Joe's Crab Shack.

 

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UNCG and N.C. A&T will play home-and-home in 2015-16 and 2016-17

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  --  UNCG and N.C. A&T's men's basketball programs reached a verbal agreement to play a home-and-home in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.

The two schools are working on the contract and couldn't work out scheduling to play next season. The Spartans will travel to N.C. A&T's Corbett sports Center in the 2015-16 season, and the Aggies will play UNCG in the Coliseum in 2016-17.
“We ought to be playing that game every year," Record said. "I can’t speak for A&T, because obviously the Coliseum is our home court, but the opportunity to have a maximum of 21,000 people see our two community teams play to me is a bigger impact than playing in a smaller venue on each other's campus. But again, they value playing at home and I respect that. We’re looking forward to playing there.”

UNCG and N.C. A&T didn't play this season for the first time since the 2009-10 season.  The two teams didn't play from the 2002-03 season until the 2010-11 season.

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Elizabeth City State University Chancellor Becton declares ECSU a “Beacon of Hope”

CHARLES L. BECTON
Interim Chancellor
B.A. Howard University
J.D., Duke University School of Law
L.L.M, University of Virginia School of Law

 

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina  -- The North Carolina Senate is considering a budget provision that would dissolve constituent institutions with large declines in student enrollment. That decision could impact Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). This provision has not passed the NC House nor the NC Senate. It has not been signed into law.

“In my view, ECSU is, and will remain, a vital part of the University of North Carolina system. It has always been the premier four-year educational, economic, and cultural entity in northeastern North Carolina,” said Chancellor Charles Becton.

ECSU is a force for growth in northeastern North Carolina, bringing education, jobs, grants, and cultural events to a part of the state that has been historically underdeveloped. ECSU is the third-largest employer in the region, and its total economic impact on the Elizabeth City community is 118 million in output sales, 83 million in value added (gross regional product), and 59 million in labor income. The university provides 64.06% of the elementary and 38.46% of the secondary teachers for our geographic area. Over 60% of our students come from the 21 counties in northeastern North Carolina, and most of them, upon graduation, remain in the area filling much-needed jobs.

We have seen a decline in our enrollment during the past four years, but we are working hard to reverse that trend. Even at our current size, we are larger than hundreds of universities in this country and several in this state. Efforts are currently underway to right size the university and to develop signature areas to attract more students.

During the school year, even with a $4+ million budget deficit and an enrollment decline this academic school year we had our largest fall and spring graduation classes.

“During this year, when naysayers question our worth, we have been recognized nationally for our educational and other offerings,” Becton said.

For the second year in a row, ECSU was ranked #1 among baccalaureate colleges in one of Washington Monthly’s College rankings. We were ranked number one in the Top Public School Regional Colleges (South) category by U.S. News & World Report’s 2014 edition and #18 among the nation’s 100+ Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In 2014, ECSU was ranked seventh best out of the Top 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) where college freshman return after their first year. (U.S. News and World Report 2014); ECSU ranked #3 among the top 10 greenest historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) in the public institution category. (Building Green Initiative, 2014). ECSU has the lowest tuition among UNC system schools, and we represent one of the best values in education. ECSU will continue to be a beacon of hope for those wanting access to education and an enhanced opportunity for a better future.

ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

N.C. Senate to consider closing Elizabeth City State University

RALEIGH, North Carolina  -- The North Carolina Senate’s proposed $21 billion budget would have the University of North Carolina system shut down “small, unprofitable” Elizabeth City State University.

ECSU, a historically black school in the northeast corner of the state, reports an enrollment of 2,421, including 2,155 full-time students. Among its students, 1,777 are black, 380 are white, according to the school’s website. North Carolina residents account for 2,163 students and the average SAT score is 889. Entering students have a 3.15 high school grade point average.

The proposal is the latest turn by Republican leaders to trim the UNC system. Last year, Gov. Pat McCrory suggested merging or closing campuses as well as eliminating course offerings to save money. That tone rankled HBCU alumni and supporters who fear the state will target the state’s black colleges, which generally are smaller and perennially underfunded compared to their larger peers.

A study published last month by University of Pennsylvania researchers found that North Carolina’s public black colleges have struggled to keep recover from the recession of 2008, which led to deep cuts in state funding. With a higher proportion of first-generation and low-income students on campus, HBCU enrollments have fallen or remained stagnant over the last five years.

ECSU enrollment has dropped from 3,307 in the 2010-11 academic year to 2,421 in 2013-14.

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UPDATED: 3 DSU football players, 2 students charged in U. of Delaware burglaries

Really? Give all of 'em the ole Hornet boot!

Students laptops stolen from Christiana Towers one day before start of UD final exams

NEWARK, Delaware  -- Five Delaware State University students, three of who are active members of the school’s football team and two who no longer play for the team, have been arrested in connection with two separate burglaries at the University of Delaware.

The men were identified by University of Delaware Police as Rashawn G. Barrett, 20, of Montclair, N.J., Malik Golson, 19, of Dover, Shubasz Gordon, 23, of Bloomfield, Conn., Cameren Judge, 21, of New Britain, Conn, and Gabriel E. Sherrod, 20, of Dover.

DSU spokesman Carlos Holmes confirmed the five are students at the Dover university. Golson, Barrett and Sherrod all are members of the school’s football squad; Gordon and Judge have exhausted their eligibility to play NCAA intercollegiate sports and no longer are on the Hornets roster, Holmes said.

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