SHS golfer signs with SSU Tigers

STATESBORO, Georgia -- In front of friends, family and fellow golfers, Statesboro High School’s Jordan Woody signed his national letter of intent to attend Savannah State University on a golf scholarship Tuesday afternoon in the school’s media center.

The Blue Devils’ senior was all smiles for his big day and wasted no time thanking everyone for his accomplishment.

“I would like to thank God and my family for putting golf in my life, and I would like to thank Statesboro High for letting me compete with them and thank Savannah State and Coach (Art) Gelow for letting me compete (Division I),” Woody said after signing to play with the Tigers.

Woody’s uncle attended Savannah State, which played a big role in his decision to don the Tigers' blue and orange for the next four years.

“They have a really good golf team and I had the opportunity to hit a couple with Coach Gelow and he gave me the opportunity to come play with them next season so I said ‘hey why not?” Woody said, laughing.

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TSU's Welz ready to shake up regional

"No Fly Zone" 
Courtesy: TSU Athletics

HOUSTON, Texas -- When a center fielder is nicknamed "No Fly Zone" by the coaching staff and his teammates embrace and encourage the moniker, it says a lot about the player. Especially when he lives up to the billing.

Zach Welz was named the most valuable player of the SWAC baseball tournament in New Orleans that was won by Texas Southern. In earning the conference's automatic berth in the 64-team NCAA tournament, the Tigers were sent to the College Station regional, where they play top-seeded Texas A&M at 6 p.m. Friday.

Welz relishes the nickname that was bestowed on him by assistant coach Anthony Dilligard.

I like it," Welz said. "It shows they have a lot of confidence in me playing the outfield. It's been fun. I made a few diving catches and a few catches at the wall. The pitchers are always real thankful."

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Chicago Football Classic 2015 Release Schedule

CHICAGO, Illinois -- The 18th Chicago Football Classic will welcome the Bears of Morgan State University vs. the Bison of Howard University at Soldier Field on September 26, 2015,

SOLDIER FIELD!!! LET'S DO THIS!!!

NFL Hall of Famer donates $500,000 to Morgan State University

WILLIE LANIER

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Morgan State University was good to Willie Lanier. Now Mr. Lanier is being good to Morgan State.

The historically black university in Baltimore announced that Mr. Lanier has given a $500,000 gift to establish the Willie E. Lanier Sr. Endowed Lectureship in Business Ethics.

Starting in 2016, the lectureship will provide a two-year award to a selected faculty member in the university’s Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management who conducts research in business ethics, according to Dr. Fikru Boghossian, dean of the school.

Mr. Lanier is a 1967 graduate of Morgan State who went on to become a Hall of Fame linebacker with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. He made his mark in business as president and CEO of Virginia-based Lanier Group LLC, an investment firm.

He also serves as chair of the Morgan State University Foundation.

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Paine assistant Chase Campbell named new Lions head coach

HEAD COACH CHASE CAMPBELL
Courtesy: Paine College Athletics

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- The search for a new coach at Paine College is over and they didn't have to go far to find the new man in charge as assistant Chase Campbell has confirmed he's taken over as new coach of the Lions.

Campbell had been an assistant with Jimmy Link this past year and now takes over the team after Link was hired at Clayton State.

Campbell has plenty of connections with Paine, having gone to school there and was even a student assistant a couple of years ago.

Look for him to make the smooth transition into the head coaching gig and will have plenty to work with. Remember, Paine doesn't graduate a single player and they won the SIAC regular season title.

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Bryan Henry column: Watching FAMU history unfold on television fun

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The text arrived from a good friend early Monday morning saying, "You're heading to Gainesville bro."

And, a few hours later, it was official. We, the Florida A&M Rattlers, were placed in the NCAA Gainesville Regional, where we will open against host and No. 4 national seed Florida on Friday.

We could not be more excited. For the first time in the history of FAMU baseball, we will be participating in a NCAA Regional Tournament.

I was relieved to find out where we were going, but honestly, I wanted to stay in town. For me personally, it would have been an awesome experience to coach in a regional tournament at Florida State, where I played my collegiate career and got my coaching career started.

I love FSU with a passion and just thought how awesome that would've have been. Another huge reason I wanted to stay was to be home and sleep in my own bed. We kept hearing how we wanted to travel to get the "whole experience." Our last bus trip was 16 hours long and that was the "whole experience" I could handle for the year.



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NSU Spartan Basketball Adds Craig to 2015 Recruiting Class

DEVARUS CRAIG
Courtesy: Odessa College

NORFOLK, Virginia  –  The 2015 Norfolk State men's basketball recruiting class expanded by one more on Friday, when head coach Robert Jones announced that junior college transfer Devarus Craig has signed a national letter of intent to join the Spartans for next season.

Craig is a 6-foot-8, 255-pound forward who competed last year at Odessa College in Texas. A native of Murfreesboro, Tenn., he will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2015-16.

"Devarus adds much needed size and strength to our front line," said Jones. "He is a bruiser inside who also has good range on his jump shot, which should keep defenses honest. He has a tremendous work ethic which will bode well for his future success. We look forward to seeing him in a Spartan uniform."

Craig averaged 9.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 29 games last year for Odessa, which finished the season 20-9 overall. He connected on 57.3 percent from the floor and 65.9 percent from the free throw line while also adding 18 blocks, 13 assists and 11 steals on the year. He scored a career-high 20 points in a game twice, including in a win over Southwest Texas Junior College when he also had a career-best 10 rebounds.

He also competed at Columbia State Community College in Clifton, Tenn., in 2012-13 as a freshman. Craig posted 8.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in just six games that season before missing the rest of the year due to injury. He shot 18-of-31 (58.1 percent) from the floor and also made 14-of-20 (70.0 percent) from the free throw line while adding five assists, four blocks and two steals.

Craig played at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

He is the sixth player to join the Spartans as part of the 2015 recruiting class. Shooting guard Jonathan Wade and small forward Preston Bungei, a pair of junior college players, signed earlier this month. JC point guard Brian Kelley and incoming freshmen center Moses Toriola and power forward Alex Long signed back in November.

Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION