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RICHMOND, Virginia -- Derrick Jones Jr. didn’t have a way to get to Virginia Tech for his interview for veterinary school, so his biology professor at Virginia Union University drove him there — in a snowstorm. And then the professor made the six-hour round trip to Blacksburg again to pick him up the next day.
His trip to Alabama for an interview at Tuskegee University was a similar team effort — pooled resources to pay for his airfare and rides to and from the airport.
That’s why Jones, a Maryland resident now in veterinary school at Tuskegee, feels he has many aunts, uncles and grandmothers at Virginia Union.
“My real family always says, ‘Every time you come home from Alabama, you don’t come straight home. You have to stop in Richmond and see those people,’ ” Jones said.
And he said he always tells them that if it weren’t for his other family at Virginia Union, “I wouldn’t be the man I am today. I wouldn’t be in vet school.”
His experiences speak to why proponents maintain that historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, remain a vital part of academia.
Virginia Union was one of six universities Jones applied to and the only HBCU. He was rejected by the five predominantly white institutions, sometimes called PWIs.
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Former NBA coach Avery Johnson has verbally agreed to become the head coach at Alabama, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
The 50-year-old Johnson, an ESPN analyst, is from New Orleans and played in the NBA. He coached the Dallas Mavericks from 2005 to 2008 and the Brooklyn Nets from 2010 to 2012.
Johnson, who played 16 years in the league and was a point guard on the 1999 champion San Antonio Spurs, achieved his greatest coaching success with the Mavericks. Dallas won 60 games twice, and Johnson was the NBA coach of the year in 2006 after guiding the Mavs to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Miami Heat in six games.
His son, Avery Johnson Jr., also plays in the SEC as a freshman point guard at Texas A&M. CONTINUE READING
Johnson is a 50-year-old native of New Orleans, was a player at Southern University in Baton Rouge. was the NCAA’s leader in assists his junior and senior seasons at Southern, where he was the two-time SWAC Player of the Year. He made his NBA debut in 1988-89. Johnson played in the NBA from 1988 through 2004 with six different teams and won a NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.
BOWIE, Maryland -- As the NCAA and NBA sprint towards their tournament finals and playoffs, locally all eyes were focused on Bowie State University football and senior tight end Khari Lee. On Thursday, April 2, 2015, over 24 NFL team General Managers, Scouts and Staff evaluated everything from Lee's height, weight and flexibility to his agility as the Bulldog coaching staff hosted their 2015 Pro Day.
With a host of supporters, staff, former and current players watching and cheering him on to include Douglas McNeil, III, (Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks), Lee completed running, blocking and receiving routes with crisp precision to the delight of Head Coach Damon Wilson.
"Khari being our fourth player in the last few years to have an opportunity to continue to play football and make a living is great", said Wilson. "It is very rewarding to be in our current position with graduating over eighty percent of the football players that we recruit and to see a number of them have an opportunity to pursue their dream. We are building something great here and a student athlete with Khari's qualities continues to be so fulfilling to watch flourish. This is a young man that walked on to our program and followed the plan that was laid before him without hesitation. I look forward to watching him continue to grow and represent our University well on the next level."
Aside from being a proud Head Coach and Bowie State alumnus, Wilson lamented that Lee finished up his senior season as a three-time All CIAA selection at tight end; coincidentally as did his head coach. Wilson also added, "I gave Khari my number (#86) his freshman year because I knew then that he would be something special and was even more proud that he played at my former position."
COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
(From left): QB Coach Aaron Corp, OL Coach Anthony Parker, RB Coach Montario Hardesty Courtesy: Norfolk State University Athletics
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State University football coach Latrell Scott announced Wednesday three more additions to his coaching staff: quarterbacks coach Aaron Corp, offensive line coach Anthony Parker and running backs coach Montario Hardesty.
Corp comes to NSU from Scott's previous staff at Virginia State, while Parker arrives from a stint at the University of Tennessee and Hardesty from Chowan University. Scott also coached each of the three new additions in college during their highly distinguished playing careers at the Division I level.
Corp was quarterbacks coach last season under Scott at VSU, helping the Trojans finish 10-3 overall en route to the CIAA championship. VSU also advanced to the Division II playoffs for the first-time ever, winning a first-round game before falling in the second round. Trojan quarterbacks Tarian Ayres and Niko Johnson combined to pass for 2,270 yards and 15 touchdowns against just five interceptions. The duo also rushed for eight scores under Corp's guidance.
After an acclaimed high school career in Villa Park, Calif., that saw him earn numerous prep All-America accolades, Corp spent three seasons as a quarterback at Southern California (2007-09) before transferring to the University of Richmond for his final two years (2010-11). At USC, he redshirted in 2007 before appearing in five games as a freshman in 2008. He played in three games and started once in 2009 before transferring to Richmond.
At UR, Corp started 16 times in his two seasons. He started five times as a junior before sustaining a season-ending injury. As a senior in 2011, Corp started every game and passed for 2,682 yards and 17 touchdowns while completing 63.7 percent of his passes. He set an NCAA FCS single-game record for completion percentage, completing 31-of-34 (91.2 percent) against Towson.
A 2012 NFL Scouting Combine invitee, Corp had brief pro stints with the NFL's Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. He earned his bachelor's degree from UR in interdisciplinary studies in 2012.
"Aaron is an extremely talented young coach," Scott said. "He has a great background and I'm excited about him coaching our quarterbacks."
Parker spent the last two seasons as an offensive quality control assistant at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee. Prior to his time on staff at UT, Parker served as an offensive graduate assistant at Mississippi State (2011-12) and Morgan State (2009-10). Parker coached on a pair of bowl teams at Mississippi State and helped UT reach the TaxSlayer Bowl after this past season.
Parker had a distinguished playing career for the Volunteers. He was a four-year letterman from 2005-08, playing in 44 career games with 39 starts on the offensive line, predominantly as a guard. He started his sophomore through senior seasons. Parker was a second-team Associated Press All-American as a junior in 2007. He also earned first-team All-SEC honors from both the league coaches and AP that year while helping the Volunteers reach the SEC Championship Game. Parker was also a second-team All-SEC selection as a senior in 2008.
Parker a native of Jonesboro, Ga., earned his bachelor's degree from in political science and sociology from Tennessee in 2008.
"Anthony is a dynamic young coach with a strong pedigree," Scott said. "He will relate will to our players in teaching fundamental football."
Hardesty served as an intern at Chowan last fall under the NFL Players Association internship program. Prior to Chowan, Hardesty had a successful career at UT that culminated in his selection by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
Hardesty played at Tennessee from 2005-09. He rushed for 2,391 yards in his career, including 1,345 in All-SEC second-team campaign as a senior in 2009. Hardesty ranked fourth in the SEC and had the fourth-best season in terms of rushing yardage in school history that year, when he also scored 14 total touchdowns (13 rushing, one receiving).
Hardesty was drafted by Cleveland in 2010 and spent four seasons with the team. Injuries sidelined him for the 2010 and '13 seasons. He played in 23 games with the Browns in 2011 and 2012, compiling 537 rushing yards, 138 receiving yards and one touchdown.
A native of New Bern, N.C., Hardesty earned his bachelor's degree in sports management from Tennessee in 2009.
"Montario is another excellent young coach who brings a strong background to our program," Scott said. "His experience as a collegiate and pro player will also be beneficial for our players."
Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
MOBILE, Alabama -- The Spring Hill College (SHC) softball won a 4-0 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) decision from the Tuskegee on Saturday afternoon at Murray Field in Mobile as junior Caroline Sagrera threw her seventh career no-hitter, coming one error away from a perfect game.
Sagrera struck out 11 batters and allowed just one Tuskegee base runner off an infield error in the 4th inning to record the 76-pitch no-no and improve her record to 23-6 on the season.
Tuskegee (8-19, 6-9 SIAC West) starter Morgan Burrell did her best to match Sagrera's effort and allowed just two hits and four Badgers on base over the first four innings, but two infield errors behind her in the 5th inning led to four Spring Hill runs as senior shortstop Shea Blanchard provided the game's big hit with a three-run double to left with one out.
Burrell went the distance in the loss giving up just three hits and four walks with no strikeouts.
Spring Hill (32-7, 16-0 SIAC West) next hits the road for ,,,
Tailgating, Kids Zone Activities are Also Free to the Public
GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The Norfolk State University football team will hold its Green & Gold Game on Saturday, April 18 at Dick Price Stadium at 2:30 p.m. The game and all events surrounding it are free to the public.
Beginning at noon, fans are invited to tailgate in Lot 9, between Dick Price Stadium and Marty L. Miller Baseball Field. Vendors will also be on campus to allow fans access to purchase various merchandise. Youth will have the opportunity to meet the Spartan mascot, play games, receive giveaways and more in the Kids Zone. The NSU band and cheerleaders will also be in attendance.
Following the intrasquad scrimmage, first-year head football coach Latrell Scott, assistant coaches and football student-athletes will be available to meet and greet fans, autograph NSU football schedule posters and take photographs. Fans in attendance can also purchase 2015 NSU football season tickets.
Fans interested in tailgating are requested to email Jeremy Faulk at jrfaulk@nsu.edu by Tuesday, April 14 to reserve their space. There is no charge to tailgate, but fans must reserve their space by April 14.
SAVANNAH, Georgia – South Carolina State junior defensive end Reggie Owens, was a part of a heroic effort that saved the lives three young children involved in a three-vehicle accident near Savannah Saturday (April 4). Officials are still investigating a terrible three-vehicle wreck that shut down the intersection of West Gwinnett Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, around 1:45 a.m., Saturday morning. According to Georgia State Patrol, three young children were thrown from a vehicle after being T-boned by another vehicle. Frederick Cobbs was arrested on the scene after witnesses say he ran the red light at the intersection. He was given a blood test after performing poorly on his field sobriety test. "MAIT is handling the full investigation of the crash. Further charges can be pending against him, but right now, we have charged him with a DUI," said Corporal J.K. Crews, GSP. Owens who was traveling back home from college (SC State) for the holiday weekend saw the accident happen. He says three children were ejected after the white car that Cobbs was driving T-boned the vehicle, ejecting them as it spun through the intersection. "I stopped; I was the first on the scene. I rushed out to make sure everyone was okay. As I approached the cars, I saw one child that fell from under the car. I had to pull him from under the car to keep him from being run over," said Reggie Owens, witness. Owens, a current junior and All-MEAC performer on the SC State Championship football team at South Carolina State University, never thought he would be in this position. "I thought 'this is bad,' I immediately had somebody tend to him. I had a shirt; I took my shirt off. I plugged his wound. I had to stop the bleeding; he was bleeding profusely. I knew I couldn't move the bodies but I could at least stop the bleeding," said Owens. The children and two adults in the vehicle have been transported to Memorial, but we do not yet know the extent of their injuries. Only one of the young boys in that car was in a car seat, according to GSP. They are all around seven-years-old or younger. Savannah Fire, GSP, and Savannah-Chatham Metro all worked the scene. WTOC-TV: Savannah, Beaufort, SC, News, Weather
COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Spring practice has begun for N.C. A&T with 76 players in camp.
The Aggies are practicing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays until their spring game on April 18 at noon.
“We have so much room for improvement,” said head coach Rod Broadway, whose team finished in a five-way tie for the MEAC title. “We need to focus on fundamentals and techniques. And this is a little embarrassing to say, especially four years into the program, but we need to work on effort.”
Broadway is 28-17 in four years at A&T. He has at least one conference title in all three leagues he has coached: CIAA, SWAC and MEAC. He also is just four wins shy of his 100th career victory.
In an effort to lead the Aggies to back-to-back titles, Broadway wants to ,,,
MEMPHIS, Tennessee - The Spring Hill College (SHC) baseball team completed a three-game Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) series road sweep on Saturday with a 20-4 victory over the LeMoyne-Owen College Magicians at Bellevue Park.
Junior third baseman Pete Spradlin homered for the second consecutive day and was joined in the long-ball barrage by senior designated hitter Ryan Stevens, who cranked out his fourth dinger of the year.
Junior catcher Alex Jones collected three hits against Magician pitching as did sophomore shortstop Thomas Smith.
The Badgers (23-10, 14-0 SIAC) will next travel to ...
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- For what has been a season filled with accolades, University of Maryland Eastern Shore senior forward Michael Myers added yet another honor to his resume.
Myers, on Friday, was named the Riley Wallace Player of the Year, which is presented annually to the top transfer player in Division I college basketball.
The award is named after legendary coach Riley Wallace, who, during his career at the University of Hawaii welcomed many transfers to his program, which propelled him to the winningest coach in Hawaii history.
"I am blessed to win this recognition," said Myers via social media posts from the event where he accepted the award. "I want to thank all the people who supported me throughout my career. I really appreciate it a lot. It is such an honor to win this award."
The award was presented at the CollegeInsider.com Awards Banquet held in Indianapolis, the site of the 2015 men's final four. CONTINUE READING
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- University of Maryland Eastern UBanquet held in Indianapolis, the site of the 2015 men's final four. The banquet was held at the Hyatt Regency, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) headquarters hotel. "I'm blessed to be the winner of the 2015 Ben Jobe Award," Collins posted on a social media account. "This is an honor, I have to thank God, my coaching staff, my team, and the UMES family for believing and trusting in me." Collins was already piling up the hardware, having been named the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Coach of the Year. He was also named a finalist for the Hugh Durham Award, presented annually to the top mid-major coach in the nation. Collins led UMES to the best season in 41 years, the 1973-74 season when UMES amassed 27 wins and made a second round appearance in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). This season he guided the Hawks to an 18-15 record, third-place in the league with an 11-5 mark, up from 13th the previous season, and an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com Post Season Tournament. It was the first NCAA post-season appearance for UMES since that 73-74 campaign and the first of any kind in over 30 years. The Hawks had more wins this season than the last three combined and posted a sold non-conference record as well with a 3-1 mark against the Atlantic-10. They were one of the top three teams in the nation in road wins. The Jobe award was created in 2010 and is presented annually to the top minority coach in Division I basketball and voted on by a 30-person award committee consisting of five current DI head coaches, five retired head coaches, 10 athletic directors and/or conference administrators, five NBA scouts and/or administrators and five collegeinsider.com staff members. Coach Ben Jobe is the chairman of the awards committee. Past recipients include Kevin Ollie of Connecticut in 2013, Sean Woods from Mississippi Valley State in 2012, Cuonzo Martin from Missouri State in 2011, Ed Cooley of Fairfield in 2010 and last year's winner, Willis Wilson of Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Collins was one of 16 finalists for the 2015 award that included fellow MEAC coaches Robert Jones of Norfolk State and LeVelle Moton of North Carolina Central. Other nominees included: Tommy Amaker of Harvard, John Thompson III of Georgetown, Mike Davis of Texas Southern, Kevin Keatts of UNC Wilmington and Marvin Menzies of New Mexico State. Past winners Wilson and Cooley were also nominated. The award is named after Coach Jobe, who spent the majority of his career coaching at historically black colleges or universities (HBCUs). He won 524 games in 31 seasons and is best known for his work at Southern University. During a ten-year stretch (1986-1995) he took the Jaguars to four NCAA Tournaments and one NIT appearance. He was 209-141 while at Southern. HE never posted a losing season while with the Jaguars. His resume includes five SIAC Championships, 11 SWAC titles and two NAIA Tournament Championships. One of his most memorable moments was a 93-78 win by Southern over Georgia Tech in the first round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament, one the most memorable upsets in tournament history. He has also served as head coach at Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Talladega, Tuskegee and South Carolina State. The following is provided by CollegeInsider.com:
"This is such an honor for me," said Jobe. "So many people have helped me throughout my career and they are the reason for this award. People like John McClendon, Clarence "Big House" Gaines and so many others have helped to get where I am today. I have been truly blessed. This is the biggest honor I have ever had," Jobe said at the time the award was established.
"Coach Jobe is one of the great coaches of our time," says CollegeInsider.com co-founder Joe Dwyer. "If he had coached at a high profile program he would be a household name. Today's game needs more people like Ben Jobe. He is a success as both a coach and a person. He truly is a legend in every sense of the word."
Jobe's coaching career began at Cameron High school in Nashville in 1959. His very first team won 24 games, a school record. One year later he went to West Africa to coach junior college ball. In Sierra Leone, his team posted back-to-back undefeated seasons.
He returned to the states to coach at Talladega in 1964. Throughout the 1960s and in the decades that followed, Jobe established himself as a program builder. He changed the fortunes of Alabama State and South Carolina State where he took the Bulldogs to five NAIA Tournaments in five seasons. In 1979 Jobe took over at the University of Denver. The program had suffered through 11 straight losing seasons, but under Jobe's guidance the Pioneers finished 15-12 in his first season. One year later Denver won 20 games and had its first postseason invite since 1947.
Jobe went on to the NBA's Denver Nuggets (assistant coach and director of player personnel, 1980-81); Georgia Tech University (assistant coach, 1981-82); and Alabama A&M University (head coach, 1982-86). At A&M he posted a record of 83-36 in four seasons, taking the Bulldogs to three SIAC championships and two NCAA Division II tournaments.
During the early 1970s Jobe was also a member of Frank McGuire's staff at the University of South Carolina, a staff that included Bobby Cremins and Donnie Walsh.
"It is an honor to be included in this prestigious panel to commemorate the impressive career of my friend, Ben Jobe," says Donnie Walsh, General Manager of the New York Knicks. "Ben was not only a great coach, but a wonderful mentor for generations of young athletes. I consider it a privilege to have a vote for Coach of the Year honors."
Walsh and Bobby Cremins are among the 30 members of the Ben Jobe Award selection committee, which includes Tony Bennett (Virginia), William Brown (Talladega), Tim Carter (formerly of South Carolina State), Paul Hewitt (George Mason), Arthur Hightower (San Diego Chargers), Avery Johnson (ESPN), Leon Kerry (CIAA Commissioner), Floyd Keith (Black Coaches Association), Jim Larranaga (Miami), Vann Pettaway (Alabama A&M), Tubby Smith (Texas A&M), Mike Wilson (Washington Wizards) and Steve Yoder (New York Knicks).
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION
Courtesy: Herman Shelton, Sports Information Assistant
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas — The Southern baseball team had to hang on for its latest victory Saturday, but its winning streak is intact and growing.
Heck, given the Jaguars’ early struggles, what does it really matter that an 8-7 win came after they bolted to an 8-0 lead at Prairie View? Nobody knows better the value of a “W,” no matter how it gets added to the table.
“At the end of the day, it’s better to get an ugly win,” Southern coach Roger Cador said.
The Jaguars pushed their winning streak to seven games as they hit the midway point through their Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule. Once 3-15 overall, SU stands at 10-15, including an 8-6 conference mark.
The Jaguars lost two of three to PV (8-22, 4-10) in late February, so sweeping the Panthers further punctuates the turnaround.
Have you visited Xavier's new athletics website? http://XULAgold.com launched March 26.
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana received four Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Athlete/Player of the Week awards for March 23-29: Joseph Moses III in men's outdoor track, Devinn Rolland in women's outdoor track, Carmen Nelson in women's tennis and Adam Albrecht in men's tennis. It's the fifth consecutive week and the eighth time in nine weeks that Xavier received multiple GCAC awards.
Moses was honored for third consecutive week and the third time overall. Rolland won the track honor for the first time this season and the seventh time in her career. Rolland also has 11 career GCAC field awards. Nelson and Albrecht are first-time honorees.
Moses, a freshman from Baton Rouge, La., and a graduate of Christian Life Academy, posted an NAIA B-qualifying time of 21.60 seconds in the Bobcat Invitational at San Marcos, Texas. Moses finished seventh and was faster than 11-of-14 sprinters from NCAA Division I schools.
Rolland, a senior from Harvey, La., and a graduate of Cabrini High School, produced a season-best of 24.93 in the Bobcat Invitational 200 and an NAIA B-qualifying mark. It's the fourth consecutive year that Rolland qualified for nationals in that event. Rolland also ran the leadoff segment of the 1,600 relay which recorded a season-best time of 3:59.56. Rolland's relay teammates were Tylor Row, Tramaine Shannon and Clarke Allen.
Nelson, a senior from Jonesboro, Ga., and a graduate of Faith Academy, was 3-0 in singles and 2-1 in doubles and helped the Gold Nuggets defeat NAIA No. 11 Westmont and No. 24 Northwestern Ohio on the road. Nelson beat Claudia Castella of NCAA DI Southern Miss in straight sets, then beat NAIA No. 40 Haley Strandness of Westmont and NAIA No. 48 Raquel Marques. Nelson teamed with Nour Abbes to defeat Strandness and Alyson Meyer, No. 8 in the NAIA West, in doubles.
Albrecht, a sophomore from Ladna, Czech Republic, and a graduate of Gymnasium Breclav, was one of two Xavier players to go 2-0 in doubles and 2-0 in singles in the Gold Rush's road victories against NAIA No. 8 Westmont and No. 10 Northwestern Ohio. Albrecht clinched Xavier's victory at Westmont. The next day against UNOH, Albrecht and Kevin Chaouat won 9-7 in doubles after trailing 6-3.
Xavier's spring teams are idle for Easter weekend. Next for track and field will be the GCAC Championships April 11 at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans. XU men's and women's tennis teams will play Auburn Montgomery — whose women are ranked second in the NAIA and men are ranked third — at 2:30 p.m. next Friday (April 10) at XU Tennis Center.
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Defense dominated S.C. State’s first scrimmage of the spring, but just six days later, the Bulldogs’ offense was able to turn the tide.
Rising junior quarterback Adrian Kollock Jr. threw for a touchdown and ran for another as the Bulldogs’ first team moved down the field with ease Friday morning at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. The two units will have a rubber match in the April 11 Garnet and Blue Spring Game.
“I think we did some things at times that we can think we have a decent looking little offense,” S.C. State head coach Buddy Pough said. “You see some signs of life. You see us making some plays and stringing some drives together. We’ve got some guys where if you can put them together, and we’ll have a decent little offense.”
Lynard Jamison, Everette Shaw and Taquan West each pulled in 30-yard receptions Friday morning. Pough said he was particularly pleased with the work of Jamison. The redshirt freshman spent much of the scrimmage beating S.C. State’s secondary.
MEMPHIS, Tennessee -- The Spring Hill College (SHC) baseball team swept a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) road doubleheader away from the LeMoyne-Owen College Magicians by the scores of 11-4 and 11-0 at Bellevue Park on Friday in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Badgers benefited from home runs by catcher Alex Jones, third baseman Pete Spradlin and first baseman Willie Floros in the first victory over the Magicians (4-17, 4-6 SIAC) while senior pitcher Jack Howard (7-0) picked up the complete-game victory.
Senior starter Keller Douglas improved to 5-1 on the year as he pitched the first five innings before yielding the mound to senior leftie Brady Hitt for the final two innings of the combined shutout.
Senior right fielder Taylor Eads continued his tear through the season with five more hits for the Badgers lifting his total to 63 in 32 games played this season.
HOUSTON, Texas -- It didn't dawn on us how big it was to beat Michigan State until we were on the two-hour bus ride to Detroit to fly out the next day.
Everybody on the bus was getting text messages. I got over 500 of them. It was like "shock the world," but it really shocked college basketball that we won the game 71-64 in overtime Dec. 20 in East Lansing, Michigan.
I don't think anyone slept that night. I know I didn't, because we had to fly out of Detroit to Auburn, Ala., really early the next morning. It was like a cloud-nine deal.
It was a great program-changer for us. I think everyone who knows basketball knew that Texas Southern had beaten Michigan State, then ranked 25th in the Associated Press poll.
Heading into the game, we had just lost by 40 (94-54) to one of Mark Few's best Gonzaga teams ever. But I wasn't really concerned.
PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Baseball Team swept Texas Southern in a doubleheader with the Golden Lions winning game one, 11-9 and pulling out a 6-5 victory in game two, here Friday afternoon at the Torii Hunter Baseball, Softball and Little League Complex. In game one, UAPB (13-12, 8-3 SWAC) scored 11 runs on 18 hits, while only committing one error. The Golden Lions had four batters to record three hits in the contest inRashawn Tillman, Westin Hinkel, Chris Burns and Jerimiah Figueroa. TSU scored nine runs on nine hits and committed two errors in the contest. Zach Welz led the Tigers from the plate with three hits in five at-bats, scoring four runs and driving in two. Billy Olson (5-3) received the win for the Golden Lions, allowing eight hits, six earned runs and striking out six in six inning of work, while Kevin Walsh pitched three scoreless innings in relief and striking out four for his first save of the season. Larry Romero (4-1) received the loss for the TSU, allowing six hits and striking out one earned run in one and one-third inning of relief. Felix Gomez made the start for the Tigers, allowing 11 hits and five earned runs in three and two-third innings of work. Also making an appearance on the mound for TSU was Ryan Rios, pitching three innings in relief, allowing one hit and striking out three. TSU scored the first run of the contest on a Ryan Lazo single to left field scoring Welz, who doubled to center field to lead off the inning, giving the Tigers a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first inning. UAPB reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the first with Hinkel homering to left field and Davis scoring on a Burns single to left field, giving the Golden Lions a 2-1 lead. The Tigers regained the lead in the top of the third inning to take a 5-2 lead as TSU plated three runs in the inning. UAPB plated five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 7-4 lead. TSU tied the contest at 7-7 in the top of the fifth inning as the Tigers plated three runs in the inning. UAPB broke the tie with a four-run fifth inning to take an 11-7 advantage into the sixth inning. The Tigers scored two more runs in their half of the sixth inning to cut UAPB's lead to 11-9. In game number two, both teams finished with 10 hits apiece and one error each. The Golden Lions where led by both Tommy Haas and Davis in game two as they both finished with two hits each for UAPB, while TSU had three player to finish with two hits each. Davis (2-1) received the win for the Golden Lions, striking out two in two scoreless innings of work. Humberto Medina made the start for UAPB, allowing 10 hits, four earned runs and striking out one in seven inning of work. Seth Oliver (0-3) received the loss for the Tigers, allowing one hit and striking out one in one inning of relief. Frank Cruz made the start for UAPB, allowing eight hits, four earned runs and striking out three in in seven innings of work. TSU took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning. UAPB scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning with Haas, who led off the inning with a triple, scoring on an Andre Davis double to right field. Davis tied the contest at 5-5 as he scored on a passed ball, followed by Vladimir Gomez single to scoring Collin Drury, giving the Golden Lions, 6-5 victory. The Golden Lions will return to action on Saturday, April 4 against Texas Southern in a 1 p.m. start at the Torii Hunter Baseball, Softball and Little League Complex.
Box Score COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF SPORTS INFORMATION
DALLAS, Texas -- On the field, Everson Walls was known for taking the ball away from the offense.
The former Dallas Cowboys cornerback picked off 57 passes in his illustrious career, and he and former Baltimore Ravens star Ed Reed are the only two players in NFL history to lead the league in interceptions in three different seasons.
Off the gridiron, Walls’ giving nature has often shined through, most notably in 2007 donated a kidney to Ron Springs and became the first athlete to give an organ to a former temamate.
Walls, who grew up two miles from the Cowboys’ practice facility in North Dallas, was considered too slow to play cornerback in the NFL coming out of Grambling State in the 1981 draft and wasn’t selected in the 12-round event.
He was picked up as a free agent and quickly showed incredible instincts and ball skills that allowed him to overcome his lack of top-end speed and made him one of the league’s top thieves during his 13-year career with the Cowboys, New York Giants and Cleveland Browns.
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Morgan State University President David Wilson today announced that the Honorable Graca Machel will be the commencement speaker for the University’s 139th spring graduation ceremonies on May 16, 2015. Machel is the widow of former South African President Nelson Mandela.
“This is an extraordinary honor for Morgan and for our graduates,” said Dr. Wilson. “Madam Machel is an international leader in many respects and her work to improve the conditions of people around the world is inspirational for our students and fits well with the mission of this great university.”
As the widow of both Nelson Mandela and of former Mozambican President Samora Machel, Graca Machel is the only woman in history to have been first lady of two republics at different times. She served as first lady of Mozambique from 1975 until 1986 and, after marrying Mandela in July of 1998, served as the first lady of South Africa until 1999. She is known around the world for her humanitarian work and is a staunch advocate for the rights of women and children. She helped establish, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, and currently chairs the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. A graduate of the University of Lisbon, Machel was named among Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2010. She is author of the book, “The Impact of War on Children.”
Madam Machel will join her late husband, Nelson Mandela, in receiving an honorary doctorate at the Morgan Commencement. He will be posthumously awarded the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters and she is to receive the Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree. The University will also honor Dr. James E. West, a research professor at Johns Hopkins University, who will receive the Honorary Doctor of Science degree for his ground breaking work developing the Electroacoustic Transducer Electret Microphone. Dr. West helped create the technology on which most microphones used today are based.
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie classified doctoral research institution offering more than 60 academic programs leading to bachelor’s degrees as well as programs at the master’s and doctoral levels. As Maryland’s public urban university, Morgan serves a multi-ethnic and multi-racial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information on Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Congressman James Clyburn said Thursday that if he could wave a magic wand, the first thing he would do for South Carolina State University is put a three-person management team in place and let the board remain.
The three-member management team would be responsible for developing a management plan for the school, while the board would set policy, he said.
Two ideal candidates for the proposed management team would be Ronald Thompson, a Chrysler Group board member, and retired Maj. Gen. Clifford Stanley, who served as the U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Stanley is a 1969 graduate of S.C. State.
Clyburn discussed his alma mater’s recent problems Thursday during a 90-minute press conference in Columbia. State lawmakers are considering bills to remove the university’s entire board in the face of financial troubles.
The Democratic congressman chastised S.C. State’s trustees for not making substantial financial contributions to the institution.
“I bet if you looked at it, I bet the contributions of this board of trustees, if you add up all of the contributions (of members) that are on there today, … I bet you it’s hardly $10,000,” Clyburn said.
“That’s what’s wrong at the school, you’ve got a lot of people setting policy and they can barely spell policy,” Clyburn said of the trustees.
Clyburn said that he and his wife Emily have given almost $1.7 million to S.C. State over the past several decades.
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Claflin University recently announced that it has exceeded its phase one capital campaign goal, raising nearly $90 million – the largest amount raised in the history of the University. The funds have been used to build the endowment, strengthen academic programs and enhance facilities.
“When we launched the campaign, we were focused on making a strong university even stronger. We wanted to bolster Claflin’s capacity to serve as a resource for the state of South Carolina,” said Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, president at Claflin University. “This campaign is unique. It is big. It is the most ambitious campaign in the history of the University.”
The overall goal for the Campaign for Claflin University is $96.4 million, with an $80 million Phase One goal. To date, a staggering $89.6 million has been raised to achieve the University’s vision.
“It is bold, but we believe that the founding of the University was bold. In 1869, it took quite an imagination for those founders to believe that they could establish a degree-granting University to educate the newly freed slaves in the state of South Carolina. Therefore, we could do no less to try to continue achieving the dreams and the ambitions of the founders of the University. We’re just continuing to imagine and continuing to build on that vision for this great University.”
The campaign’s success can be attributed, in large part, to the generosity of Claflin University’s inner family – its Board of Trustees, Board of Visitors, alumni, administrators, faculty, staff, students and parents – which has contributed more than $19 million so far to the Campaign. One hundred percent of the trustees have given over the life of the campaign, and some 87 percent of alumni have done so.
“I have had the honor and privilege of serving on Claflin’s Board of Trustees for over 14 years and I have never been part of a more high-performing board,” said Paul Fant, chair of the Board of Trustees. “Together, we have given our time, talents and treasure to help make this campaign a success and we have done so not just because of our duties or obligations as board members, we have done so because of our belief in this great institution and the promise that it holds for the future of our state, nation and world.”
An astonishing 98 percent of Claflin’s administrators, faculty and staff have donated to the cause. The student body has surpassed its original $100,000 goal, raising $162,438, and is well on its way to achieving a new goal of giving $200,000 to the capital campaign. Claflin parents are also an integral part of the campaign, having surpassed their original $50,000 goal. They are closing in on a new goal of giving $100,000 to the capital campaign.
“This campaign was about individuals, and believing that those who were closest to the University would be willing to give first and give the most,” Tisdale said. “I think all who come to this University really share a vision and mission.”
Because of the fundraising efforts associated with the campaign, Claflin University made history in 2013 when it achieved a record 52.2 percent alumni giving rate – first among historically black colleges and universities and among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report.
“We have a culture of giving back on this campus – even among the students,” said Rev. Whittaker V. Middleton, vice president of Institutional Advancement. “That’s one of the reasons we have the highest alumni giving among HBCUs. A large number of our students are on some type of financial aid, but they are taught that if someone has helped you, then you must help someone else.”
There have also been a number of tremendous gifts from businesses and individuals who are not a part of Claflin’s inner family, including a $4.35 million gift from Sodexo Campus Services – the corporation that provides integrated food and facilities management services for Claflin – to support student scholarships, enhance facilities, and promote health and wellness on campus. Also, famed financier, philanthropist and South Carolina native Darla D. Moore donated $1,000,000 for the University’s Department of Music through The Rainwater Charitable Foundation.
“We’re not asking for a handout– we’re asking people to invest,” Middleton continued. “In this campaign we have received 15 gifts of one million dollars or more compared to five in the last campaign. People want to invest in something that is growing, that is multiplying, that is showing fruits, and when they can see that in our students – in the way that they walk and their confidence, and the way that they talk and the jobs that they’re getting – people don’t mind making the investment.”
James Bennett, University trustee and chairman of the Campaign for Claflin University, said the secret is out about Claflin.
“I think they (campaign donors) discovered what we always knew – how great of an institution Claflin is,” he said. “When we started the campaign, the good news and the bad news was that Claflin is the best-kept secret. If nothing else, we wanted to eradicate the fact that Claflin was a secret. During the campaign, that’s what we strived to do – to tell the Claflin story.
“We’re raising money to take Claflin to another level, to invest in the future. We’re really taking it to another level of imagining the possibilities.”
Of the $89.6 million raised, $20,271,565 has gone to build the University’s endowment – offering students more financial aid support than ever before. The number of endowed scholarships at Claflin has doubled, from 100 to more than 200 scholarships offering support to deserving students. Additionally, some $1,685,877 has gone to endow faculty chairs and professorships to continue building a world-class faculty at the University.
Nearly $7,947,599 has gone to strengthen academic programs by way of much-need technology upgrades both in the classroom and throughout the campus. Claflin’s wireless access and smart classrooms campus-wide make its learning and living environment second-to-none. The University has also joined Internet2, providing its faculty and students the opportunity to connect and share research with major institutions, government entities and industry officials around the world.
Two of the most significant changes to the physical plant – Claflin’s new Molecular Science Research Center and the James and Dorothy Z. Elmore Chapel – are products of the capital campaign, as well. These additions were possible because of the $21,396,000 that has been donated for upgrading facilities at the University. The MSRC has not only been designated a core research facility by the South Carolina Research Authority, but it also houses a 700 megahertz NMR – nuclear magnetic resonance – which, until recently, was the only one of its kind in the state of South Carolina.
The work at Claflin University isn’t done. The completion of phase one simply segues into the campaign’s final stretch.
“It’s an unfinished agenda, but we will complete that agenda and exceed the $96.4 million goal. We know we’ll do it,” Tisdale said. “We hope to end this campaign in such a way that that next campaign will be a little easier and more believable when they launch that next campaign.”
“We must remain competitive. We cannot rest on our laurels. Every year, we want to do more, we want to be more, we want to have a greater impact in serving our state and the nation.”
PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- The Sifford Fund, UMES’ new scholarship created to support undergraduates studying PGA golf management, has gotten another boost – this time from the PGA TOUR.
The organization of touring golf professionals that operates six tours internationally, has presented a $10,000 donation to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
The PGA TOUR designated its gift go to the Sifford Fund acknowledging the passing of Dr. Charlie Sifford, the first black man to play regularly on TOUR in the early 1960s alongside some of the game’s greats of that era, including Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.
“Dr. Sifford was a trailblazer and true role model who displayed tremendous dignity, courage and spirit throughout his career,” said Charlie Zink, Co-Chief Operating Officer of the PGA TOUR.
“He provided inspiration to aspiring players of diverse backgrounds and helped change our sport for the better. We are pleased to help continue his legacy by supporting this wonderful program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and assisting those who are passionate about pursuing a career in the golf industry,” Zink said.
UMES is among 19 universities with a PGA of America-accredited golf management program, where students earn a bachelor’s degree in a specialized field of hospitality-tourism studies with an emphasis on developing golf skills and knowledge of the industry.
“The gift from the PGA Tour, which represents a broad spectrum of golfers walking in the footsteps Dr. Sifford boldly trod many years ago, is an important boost to our program,” UMES President Juliette B. Bell said. “This contribution will help support deserving students in their pursuit of careers in the golf industry.”
UMES is the lone historically black institution offering this unique degree and is making important strides training the next generation of golf industry professionals who will diversify the game.
UMES hosted a reception Nov. 24 on Capitol Hill in Sifford honor following a White House ceremony where he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. Sifford, Palmer and Nicklaus are the only golfers to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor.
That event, where Sifford and his extended family met UMES students – many of them African-Americans pursuing careers in the golf industry, sparked a conversation about how the university could partner with Sifford to help those inspired by his story.
Motivated by a passage in Sifford’s autobiography, university leaders floated the idea of establishing a named scholarship fund.
"I want golf to reach out to people from all walks of life and to be the sport that puts itself above issues of race and class and economic levels,” Sifford wrote. “We should give everybody equal access to the game, with equal facilities to play and we should give them the same opportunities to pursue the game throughout their lives."
UMES’ PGA golf management program currently enrolls 44 students, more than half of whom are women and minorities. Upon graduation, they will be positioned for careers in recreational or competitive golf, business, marketing, media and hospitality.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE MEDIA RELATIONS
RICHMOND, Virginia -- Derrick Jones Jr. didn’t have a way to get to Virginia Tech for his interview for veterinary school, so his biology professor at Virginia Union University drove him there — in a snowstorm. And then the professor made the six-hour round trip to Blacksburg again to pick him up the next day.
