PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- In what can only be described as an historic moment at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), the $60 million dollar Football Stadium & Athletic Field House project scope and budget were approved by the Texas A&M System Board of Regents.
The 2-year project, slated to begin in December, includes the demolition of the existing Blackshear Field and the construction of a new state-of-the-art facility in the same location. The complex will feature a 15,000-seat stadium, with the capability of expansion to 30,000-seats.
Planned stadium amenities include:
· West side (home) grandstand capacity of 9,000 and east side grandstand capacity of 6,000
· Artificial turf playing surface
· Press level
· Covered concourse including concessions and merchandising space
· Premium seating and luxury seats
· The Athletic Field House immediately adjacent to the stadium will house a strength and conditioning area, sports medicine suite, team meeting rooms, academic support space and locker rooms.
"Indeed this is truly a momentous occasion for the entire Prairie View A&M University community," said Dr. George C. Wright, President, Prairie View A&M University. "Alumni, students, faculty and staff wanted a state of the art, first class facility that was worthy of our beloved Panthers and we all worked together make the dream come to fruition. We are excited to be moving forward from the initial planning to the approval stage and we will be breaking ground in the coming month."
About Blackshear Stadium
For 66 years, Blackshear Stadium, formally known as Blackshear Field, served as the home field for the Prairie View A&M University Panther football team as well as the track & field teams. The stadium is named after Edward L. Blackshear, a former principal of the university who served from 1897 to 1915. The 1948 Football team were the first team to play in Blackshear stadium and since then the team has brought home 11 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) titles and 5 national championships.
The new complex is scheduled to open for the 2016 football season.
For a look at the sports complex visit http://www.panther-stadium.com.
COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
PVAMU Announces Football Coaching Staff Changes; National Search for New Head Coach Begins Immediately
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M University Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson has announced that the contract of head football coach Heishma Northern will not be renewed. The decision is effective immediately.
Northern completed his fourth season as head coach of the Prairie View A&M Panthers. The 2014 team finished with a record of 5-5. His four-year record stands at 19-25.
"I wish to thank Coach Northern for his contributions to Prairie View A&M both on and off the field," said Robinson. "This was a difficult decision but after careful review and consideration, I have decided to take the program in a different direction."
Northern served as the 31st head football coach in Prairie View A&M history. Before accepting the position of head coach in 2011, Northern spent six seasons as the team's defensive coordinator. During his tenure as defensive coordinator, Northern produced several All-Americans and fielded a nationally ranked defensive unit.
"We are grateful for the progress Coach Northern made both as head football coach and as defensive coordinator. His leadership and dedication to the students helped to create exceptional student athletes. It is important as we prepare to break ground on our new multi-million dollar stadium and athletic facility, that Coach Northern's successor shapes the program into a championship level team," stated Robinson.
Defensive backs coach Bubba McDowell will serve as interim head football coach. A national search for Northern's replacement will begin immediately.
COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
FAMU trustees OK no-confidence vote in Winslow
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| PHOTO COURTESY: FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY |
That apology didn't carry much weight with the FAMU Board of Trustees, who approved a vote of no confidence in Winslow on Monday night by a 6-3 margin.
The vote has no impact on Winslow's tenure at FAMU, but it sends a message to President Elmira Mangum that FAMU's governing body expects significant changes from the head of its athletic department., her first hire since becoming the university's 11th president April 1.
Mangum did not address board members during Monday's conference call.
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West St. John High School community to honor fallen football coach at Friday's playoff game
His younger brother, Dray Joseph, was named the most valuable player for 2013's SWAC championship-winning Southern University Jaguars.
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- West St. John High School's football team will begin its first playoff game of the season on a somber note, but with one main focus, "do it for Juan."
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- West St. John High School's football team will begin its first playoff game of the season on a somber note, but with one main focus, "do it for Juan."
Friends, family, co-workers and students of Juan Joseph, 27, who was fatally shot outside a nightclub during the early morning hours of Nov. 16, will honor his memory during a 27-balloon release and moment of silence before Friday's game.
Joseph, a quarterback coach at West St. John High School, was walking toward a car in the parking lot outside Allure nightclub at 4700 Bennington Ave. with two men around 2 a.m. when at least one of the three got into an argument with two men in a vehicle. One of the men in the vehicle fired shots, striking Joseph in the upper torso. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he died of his injuries. No one else was injured, police said.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Gathright, Hopkins rally Gold Nuggets past LSUS, 80-69
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| The 2014-15 Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball team. Roster |
The Gold Nuggets (2-3) gained a split of their two games in the four-team event and earned their first road victory of the season.
Gathright and Hopkins both went 2-for-2 from 3-point range during a decisive second-half run. Xavier trailed 48-44 with 16:38 remaining, then outscored the Lady Pilots 30-7 during the next 11 1/2 minutes to take a 74-55 lead. Gathright scored eight points, Hopkins seven and Eliqua Brooks five during the comeback.
Brooks finished with 13 points and a season-high-tying four steals, and Vinnie Briggs scored 12 points for Xavier. Kourtney Pennywell had 22 points, 12 rebounds and three steals for LSUS (1-1), Myeisha Williams scored 19, and Alexandra Miller had 11.
Xavier led 42-36 at halftime. There were nine ties and nine lead changes before a Brooks 3-pointer with 14:40 remaining put the Gold Nuggets ahead to stay, 52-49.
Xavier reached 80 points for the first time this season. The Gold Nuggets shot a season-best 46.2 percent from the floor and limited LSUS to 36.8 percent. Xavier made a season-high seven 3-pointers, and Gathright and Hopkins both finished 3-of-4 from long range.
"We shot pretty well on the road and had some new players step up," XU coach Bo Browder said. "We did a much better job making free throws (76.5 percent) than we did yesterday. We're getting a little better each game."
Xavier blocked six shots, two apiece by Amara Person-Hampton and Kelsee Singleton.
Xavier beat LSUS for the third consecutive time and the eighth time in their last nine meetings. They'll meet again Dec. 29 in the Xavier Holiday Classic.
The Gold Nuggets will visit NCAA Division I's Louisiana-Lafayette at 7 p.m. Tuesday, then play Warner at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center during homecoming.
NOTES: NAIA No. 11 Our Lady of the Lake, a one-point winner Saturday against Xavier, defeated Lindenwood-Belleville 112-69 in Sunday's first game . . . Gathright reached 20 points for the fifth time at Xavier . . . It was the third straight game that the Gold Nuggets reached 70 points -- first time that's happened in five years . . . Brooks, Briggs and Gathright have scored in double figures four times apiece in five games . . . Brooks has made 11-of-22 3-pointers this season.
Box score
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XU to visit No. 12 Lindsey Wilson at 6:30 p.m. Saturday
NEW ORLEANS -- For the second time in three years, Xavier University of Louisiana will travel to Kentucky for the NAIA Volleyball National Championship Opening Round.The Gold Nuggets (20-5) will play 12th-ranked Lindsey Wilson (32-3) at 6:30 p.m. CST Saturday at Biggers Sports Center in Columbia. It'll be one of 12 first-round matches nationwide, and winners will advance to the NAIA National Championship, presented by J&L Enterprises, in Sioux City, Iowa, from Dec. 2-6.
Xavier qualified for nationals for the fourth consecutive year by defeating SUNO 25-9, 25-19, 25-17 at home Saturday in the championship match of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. Lindsey Wilson earned an at-large bid after losing 25-18, 25-18, 25-19 to Georgetown (Ky.) in the Mid-South Conference tournament final. The loss ended the Blue Raiders' 28-match win streak.
"It's exciting," XU coach Hannah Lawing said. "We like playing challenging teams, and I know that Lindsey Wilson is an extremely competitive team.
"I know their coach (Andy Cavins) really well, and he's looking forward to hosting us. He's a fantastic coach who will be prepared for us -- and we will be as well-prepared as possible for them. We'll need to stay focused and not let our surroundings affect our performance."
Thirty-six teams qualified for nationals, 12 with opening-round byes. Twenty-two qualifiers were in last year's tournament, but only six have a longer active streak of tournament appearances than Xavier.
The Gold Nuggets never have won in the opening round. They were three points from advancing in four sets at Spring Hill a year ago, but the Badgers rallied and defeated Xavier 15-6 in the fifth.
In the 2012 opening round, Xavier won the first set before losing at 13th-ranked Georgetown (Ky.) 23-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-20. Xavier's other opening-round loss was 25-13, 25-11, 25-21 at Spring Hill in 2011.
Lindsey Wilson will be Xavier's first top-25 opponent since No. 23 Spring Hill last season. It will be the second meeting between the Gold Nuggets and Blue Raiders. Xavier opened its 2012 season with a 25-16, 25-23, 25-7 loss to Lindsey Wilson in the Lee Invitational at Cleveland, Tenn.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Culver Column: All eyes on the Florida Classic
DOVER, Delaware -- From the outside looking in, Florida A&M's win on Saturday was just a victory over a team with a losing record and one of the worst offenses in FCS football.
Look a bit closer though.
That win over the Hornets was Corey Fuller's first as interim head coach. That win made it impossible for the Rattlers to finish with 10 losses. That win creates some positive vibes heading into the Florida Classic, which is arguably FAMU's biggest game of the year, regardless of whether or not the team is undefeated or sub-.500.
COURTESY: WDSU-TV WATCH IN 720 HD, WIDE SCREEN
Most importantly, that win put smiles on the faces of players and coaches who haven't had much to smile about since before Homecoming.
Beating Delaware State prevented a lost season from becoming a disastrous one.
CONTINUE READING
Look a bit closer though.
That win over the Hornets was Corey Fuller's first as interim head coach. That win made it impossible for the Rattlers to finish with 10 losses. That win creates some positive vibes heading into the Florida Classic, which is arguably FAMU's biggest game of the year, regardless of whether or not the team is undefeated or sub-.500.
COURTESY: WDSU-TV WATCH IN 720 HD, WIDE SCREEN
Most importantly, that win put smiles on the faces of players and coaches who haven't had much to smile about since before Homecoming.
Beating Delaware State prevented a lost season from becoming a disastrous one.
CONTINUE READING
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