UAPB goes into 2015-16 with no APR-related penalties

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- For the first time in four years, Arkansas-Pine Bluff has avoided penalties for poor Academic Progress Rates.

Most of the athletic programs at the university have reached the APR benchmark of 930, but none were penalized in any fashion by the NCAA, as the results for all Division I athletic programs were released this week. This also means that no UAPB team faces any postseason ineligibility for any reason going into the 2015-16 school year, now that five of its sports teams have served postseason bans for this school year only for lack-of-institutional control violations separate from APR issues.

Earlier this week, the NCAA publicly cited the women’s tennis team for ranking among the top 10 nationally in its sport in multi-year, or four-year, APRs. The team scored a perfect 1,000.

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Davis, former WSSU basketball star, has seen the world

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WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- For the first time in his professional basketball career Paul Davis is at a crossroads.

Davis, 27 and a former Winston-Salem State star, is torn between continuing his playing career and pursuing a coaching career.

“Some days I think I’d be fine in a coat and tie and sitting on the bench,” said Davis, a 6-9, shot-blocking machine who has played for eight different teams all over the world. “And then there are other days where I still want to play.”

What has Davis, a 2012 graduate of WSSU, thinking about his post-playing career is that he doesn’t have any solid offers to play abroad. After playing stints in Lithuania, Australia, Ireland, Chile, Saudi Arabia, Colombia and Tunisia he admits to leading a charmed life.


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SWAC approves a seven-game football schedule starting in 2017; Annual Spring Meetings Completed

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- The annual Southwestern Athletic Conference Spring Meetings concluded Thursday in New Orleans as the league office hosted the Council of Presidents and Chancellors, Athletics Directors, Senior Woman Administrators, Faculty Athletics Representatives, Director of Bands and various corporate partners for its 10 member institutions and the upcoming 2015-16 season.

The meetings launched on Tuesday with administrators discussing key topics, including the all new Celebration Bowl, gender equity, scheduling, revenue distribution and strategic planning.

The conference approved a new seven game conference football schedule starting with the 2017 season. The league’s current format is a nine game schedule.

The SWAC baseball regular season series will now be a Friday, Saturday and Sunday format migrating from the Saturday/Sunday layout. This goes into effect for the 2016 season.

In an effort to address the Academic Progress Report (APR) issues, academic support staff at member institutions will be required to become members of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A).

Sites for conference championships and tournaments were determined for 2015-16. The SWAC Football Championship has been set for December 5, while the 2016 SWAC Basketball Tournament is scheduled for March 8-12. Both will be held in Houston, Texas at NRG Stadium and the Toyota Center respectively.

The first official event of the 2015-16 year begins with the SWAC Football Media Day which is slated for July 17 in Birmingham, Alabama.


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2015-16 SWAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

11th Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge – September 6 - Orlando, Florida

Basketball Tip-Off Media Teleconference – October 14 – Via Teleconference

Cross Country - October 26 - Clinton, Mississippi

Volleyball Tournament - November 20-22 – Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Football Championship - December 5 – Houston, Texas

Celebration Bowl – December 19th – Atlanta, Georgia

Indoor Track and Field Championship – February 20-21 – Birmingham, Alabama

Basketball Tournament – March 8-12 – Houston, Texas

Bowling Championship – March 25 – 27 – Arlington, Texas

Tennis Tournament – April 15 – 17 – New Orleans, Louisiana

Golf Championship – April 18 – 20 – Alexandria, Louisiana

Softball Tournament - May 4 – 7 - Decatur, Alabama

Outdoor Track and Field Championship – TBA - Huntsville, Alabama - TBA

Baseball Tournament – May 18 – 22 – New Orleans, Louisiana


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COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Marlon Gibbs, FAMU Rattlers ready to face Florida Gators

Friday, May 29, 2015
Game 1: South Florida vs. Florida Atlantic – 1:00 PM (ESPN3)
Game 2: Florida A&M vs. Florida – 7:00 PM (SEC Network)

GAINESVILLE, Florida -- When looking for Marlon Gibbs in the dugout, it might be best to bring a picture for reference.

Florida A&M's soft-spoken outfielder doesn't do too much to draw attention to himself when he's sitting down. He'll sit, give words of encouragement to his teammates and wait for his chance on the field.

Once he's on the field, everyone knows exactly who he is. He's the one helping to set the tone for the Rattlers' offense, which recently lit up the MEAC tournament with 38 hits and 26 runs.

"I just try to stay humble," Gibbs said.

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Saint Augustine's Shaw brings home NCAA title, Makes Daddy Proud

 David Shaw Jr. won his first individual national championship
on Friday in the triple jump at the NCAA Division II Outdoor
Track and Field Championships in Allendale, Michigan. The 
St. Pauls native leaped a career-best 51 feet, 11 inches
 on his first jump to claim the title.
CIAA |Contributed photo

ST. PAULS, North Carolina — On Friday afternoon, David Shaw Sr. was sitting in his backyard, waiting to receive a call from his son, D.J., who was competing at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Allendale, Michigan.

When Shaw Sr. finally got the call from his 22-year-old son, there was a brief moment of silence on the other end.

“He sort of paused on me,” Shaw Sr. said. “Then finally he went to laughing and said, ‘Daddy, I won nationals.’

“We probably talked about 20 more minutes and I couldn’t have been prouder.”

David Shaw Jr., or D.J. as he’s commonly known, won the D2 men’s national championship in the triple jump at Grand Valley State University, his first individual title as a member of the Saint Augustine’s University track and field team.

“I couldn’t believe it, it was one of the best feelings ever,” said D.J., who leaped a career-best 51 feet, 11 inches on his first jump to claim the victory. “All I could do was thank God for opportunity. It’s every college athlete’s dream to win a national title.”

The St. Pauls native secured 10 points for the Falcons en route to the school’s third consecutive national team championship on Saturday, making D.J. a five-time national champion. The win also gave legendary coach George Williams his 36th national title, which is the most NCAA track and field championships for any coach, regardless of division.

Shaw Sr., a legendary track coach in his own right after 33 seasons at St. Pauls High School, ran track for Williams at Saint Augustine’s. That made his son’s national title even more special.

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UMES Recognized for MEAC's Highest Graduation Success Rate for 6th Straight Year

MIAMI, Florida -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has been recognized by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for having the league's highest graduation success rate (GSR) for the sixth consecutive year. UMES earned an 88% Graduation Success Rate for student-athletes that competed from 2004 to 2007.

It is a great honor to win this award for the sixth straight athletic season," said UMES athletic director Keith Davidson. "It shows how successful our athletic program has truly been. The graduation success our student-athletes have had shows the quality of people we are recruiting and that the university is doing its part in preparing student-athletes for life after college."

UMES earned the highest GSR among MEAC members from 1999-2002, with a 77% GPR, and 2000-2003, with an 84% GSR. In 2001-2004 they had a 90% GSR, in the 2002-2005 and 2003-2006 cohort, they posted an 89% rate both years.

The GSR measures graduation rates at Division I institutions as well as those transferring into those schools, according to the NCAA. The rate was created to reflect mobility of college students in graduation data.

In addition to the recognition, UMES was presented a check for $25,000 from the MEAC for the achievement.

At the reception where UMES was recognized, the conference also announced the All-Sports Award winners. Hampton University won its 14th-straight Mary McLeod Bethune Women's All-Sports Award while Bethune-Cookman University won its second straight Talmadge Layman Hill Men's Award.

The All-Sports Award highlights the overall strengths of the conference's men's and women's athletic programs. Each winning institution was presented with a $20,000 check during a reception at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in South Beach, Miami on Wednesday evening, May 27.

With the resurgence of men's basketball and baseball, and strong outings from track and field, including the men's cross-country championship, the Hawk's men's teams skyrocketed up the standings for the Talmadge Layman Hill Men's Award. UMES took second place overall to the Wildcats, posting 75 total points, trailing the 86.2 amassed by Bethune-Cookman. The Hawks scored in double figures in all three track disciplines, baseball and basketball, posting no sport tally worse than eight points. The conference awards 14 points for a first-place finish, second earns 12 points and so on down the line. Tied teams split the totals. UMES and Bethune-Cookman were the only two programs to amass more than 69 points.

Last season the men were fifth overall and in 2012-13 they were last at 13th, showing the leaps the program has made in just a short period of time.

On the women's side the Hawks took seventh overall in a more closely contested category. They tallied 73.5 points, getting double figure production from cross-country, volleyball and bowling, who won their eighth MEAC title in March. No UMES program scored lower than 6.5 points meaning no program finished worse than eighth place out of the 13 conference schools. They missed sixth place by just 1.5 points. Hampton won with 94 points.

"I think this speaks to the commitment of our department in all of our core values. Academics is the priority and we have shown that year in and year out. Now athletics are taking shape and we are seeing meaningful progress across the board in all of our sports," said Davidson. "Those two areas along with our efforts in the community are what are key for us to producing student-athletes who are productive members of society beyond their time in Princess Anne."

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton University and Bethune-Cookman selected as the MEAC 2015 All-Sports Award Winners

2014-2015 Talmadge Layman Hill Men's Award: Bethune-Cookman

MIAMI, Florida -- Hampton University won its 14th consecutive Mary McLeod Bethune Women’s All-Sports Award and Bethune-Cookman recorded its second straight Talmadge Layman Hill Men’s Award, the conference announced on Wednesday.

The All-Sports Award highlights the overall strengths of the conference’s men’s and women’s athletic programs. Each institution was presented with a $20,000 check during a reception at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in South Beach, Miami on Wednesday evening.

“I would like to congratulate Bethune-Cookman University including President Dr. Edison Jackson, Director of Athletics Lynn Thompson, and the administrators, coaches, student-athletes and support staff for winning the 2015 Talmadge Layman Hill Award,” said MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas. “I also extend congratulations to Hampton University and President Dr. William R. Harvey, Director of Athletics Eugene Marshall and all of the outstanding individuals including staff, coaches and student-athletes who were involved in the women’s programs winning the Mary McLeod Bethune Award.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore was recognized during the reception as the 2014 recipient of the MEAC Highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for the sixth straight year. In addition to the recognition, UMES was presented a check for $25,000. UMES’ 88-percent GSR is the highest among MEAC institutions spanning the 2004-07 cohorts.

2014-2015 Mary McLeod Bethune Women's All-Sports Award: Hampton

Hampton’s women’s programs totaled 94 points in the All-Sports tally. The Lady Pirates won conference titles in Indoor Track and Field and Women’s Basketball. Hampton also finished second as conference runners-up in Outdoor Track and Field.

Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M finished tied for second place with 88.5 points. This is the third straight year that the Lady Rattlers athletic programs have finished second in the tally. North Carolina A&T State finished third (78 points) and Norfolk State edged out Morgan State by five-tenths of a point to finish fourth respectively.

Bethune-Cookman continues to strengthen its men’s programs, totaling 86.2 points to secure its second overall All-Sports trophy. The Wildcats earned a share of the football title and finished first in Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field. B-CU also garnered runners-up finishes in men’s tennis, golf and baseball.

Maryland Eastern Shore finished second on the men’s side with 75 total points and North Carolina A&T State and North Carolina Central finished tied for third with 68.7 total points. Hampton concluded the season fourth (63.5) and Florida A&M (62) rounded out the top five finishers.

Points are awarded in a descending order beginning with 14 points for champions or first place regular season finishes. The second place team receives 12 points. Tied teams split the point total.

The Mary McLeod Bethune and Talmadge Layman Hill Awards

The Mary McLeod Bethune Award, named after the founder of Bethune-Cookman College, awards the top overall women’s athletic program during the course of one full academic year. The first Mary McLeod Bethune award was giving in 1987 to Delaware State University. Hampton leads all MEAC schools with 14 Women’s Awards. The men’s All-Sports Award is named after the late Talmadge Layman Hill, a former player and coach at Morgan State, and former Chairman of the MEAC Steering and Planning Committee, as well as the conference’s first President. Howard University was the recipient of the first Talmadge Layman Hill Award in 1972. South Carolina State holds the men’s record with 11 awards from 1973-84.


COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Culver column: FAMU's baseball turnaround shows athletic program's potential

GAINESVILLE, Florida -- Like it or not, right now, Florida A&M's baseball team is the flagship program of the school.

The Rattlers, MEAC champions for the first time since 1994, are in the middle of a baseball renaissance. After back-to-back seven-win seasons, Florida A&M is 49-49 since the 2013-14 season with a MEAC title and a 4-3 win over the Florida Gators.

Let's just think about that for a second.

The baseball team is .500 over the last two years. No other team in FAMU's athletic program can match it. No other team can say it brought down a nationally-ranked program. No other team has 16 members of the 2015 MEAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team.

The wins and academics were there last season, and now the national spotlight is there, too.

That's not to say the softball and women's track programs — both MEAC champions — are not feathers in FAMU's cap. They're strong teams and have been strong teams for awhile.



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5 benefits from FAMU's regional berth

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M head coach said tallying wins over his first two season as head coach has helped immensely with recruiting after the Rattlers had to suffer through back-to-back seven-win seasons before he arrived.

1. Recruiting

The Rattlers are 49-49 with a MEAC title — the team's first since 1994 — with Shouppe at the helm.

"Players want to be a part of a winning culture," Shouppe said.



"We've been able to turn the tide a little bit and start winning a few more ball games. We don't have a whole lot of scholarship money for this year to recruit with. But we're getting some walk-ons, kids that want to be part of what we're trying to do, that are coming to the program.

"Those walk-ons may be better than some of the kids we've got on scholarship."

Before leaving for the NCAA tournament, Shouppe told members of the 220 Quarterback Club, a group of FAMU sports enthusiasts, had had more recruits visiting the school in the coming weeks.

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Florida, FAU, South Florida, Florida A&M: Gainesville Regional Preview

COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

4. Florida A&M Rattlers (23-23, MEAC automatic)

Florida A&M comes into the Gainesville Regional at the MEAC Champion with a 23-23 record. The Rattlers finished 15-9 in the conference to receive a regional bid for the first time in program history. Head coach coach Jamey Shouppe will have his hands full with an opening game against a national power in Florida, a game with David and Goliath overtones.

FAMU hit .261 as a team, hit 20 home runs and stole 47 bases in 58 attempts, led by Jared Walker (.324/.444/.423) and Marlon Gibbs (.311, 30 RBI, 15 SB).

Having seen FAMU earlier this year in a three game series against USF, don’t be surprised to see coach Shouppe make frequent pitching changes with nine pitchers on the roster that have logged 21 innings or more.

FAMU has an opportunity to measure their program against four of Florida’s more established programs.

Top Hitters:

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Grambling women’s hoops hit with APR penalties

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Just when Grambling’s men’s basketball team found its way out of an Academic Progress Rating mess that has hindered the program for the past several years, the women’s hoops team was hit with APR penalties of their own Wednesday.

The NCAA announced the Lady Tigers are among 13 teams hit with Level One APR penalties, which is described as losing “four hours and one day of practice time per week in season.”

Grambling’s APR had been going strong with recent marks of 956 in 2012-13, 977 in 2011-12 and 972 in 2010-11, but that number dipped to 918 in 2013-14. Teams are subject to penalty with anything below 930.

“We’re coming up with a game plan to be able to address these issues so they don’t come up with these issues in the future,” Grambling coach Nadine Domond said. “At the end of the day, this matters and we want to make sure we’re not in that situation.”

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Alcorn basketball hit with postseason ban

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Academic trouble is leading to athletic trouble for Alcorn State and a few other schools in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Alcorn’s men’s basketball team received a postseason ban for the 2015-16 season when its Academic Progress Report score stayed below the NCAA’s threshold of 930 for the second consecutive year.

APR measures the academic progress of student-athletes. Every Division I team is scored, with student-athletes earning one point each semester they remain eligible and one point for staying in school or graduating.

Teams are subject to NCAA penalties if their multi-year APR falls below 930. Alcorn’s basketball team had a score of 893 in 2012-13, and 839 for 2013-14. The latter is the academic year this year’s APR is based on.

The low APR made Alcorn’s basketball team eligible for a level two penalty, which includes restrictions on practice time and a postseason ban.

No other athletic programs at Alcorn State were sanctioned. The football program, which had a 915 APR in 2012-13, raised that to 931 in 2013-14.

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Former HBCU basketball legend Bob Hopkins dies at age 80

As a player at Grambling State,  Hopkins set an NCAA career record of 3,759 points and has been No. 2 on that list for the past 43 seasons.

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- Robert M. "Bob" Hopkins Sr. was a tremendous basketball coach and player. Hopkins, the head basketball coach of Xavier University of Louisiana from 1969-74, died on Friday, May 15, 2015, of heart and kidney disease. He was 80.

Hopkins' Xavier University stint was his longest in 17 seasons as a college head coach — he also worked at Prairie View A&M, Alcorn State, Grambling, Southern and Maryland-Eastern Shore — and it was one of his best. He jump-started an Xavier University program which had resumed in 1967 and produced NAIA District 30 championships and appearances in the NAIA National Championship in 1972 and 1973. His 1972-73 team — led by Donald "Slick" Watts and Bruce Seals, both eventual NBA players — upset top-ranked and unbeaten Sam Houston State 67-60 in the second round of the NAIA's national tournament. Until 2012, the 1972-73 Gold Rush were the only Xavier University team in any sport to reach the NAIA national quarterfinals.

"Once I met the vice president [Anthony Rachal] and president [Dr. Norman C. Francis], I was elated," Hopkins said in November 2013 of his interview with Xavier. "They did everything in their power to enhance the program. They were very supportive. I didn't even have to negotiate with them. We had some great teams at Xavier. We won the City Series. We beat Tulane, a major D-I at the time. You didn't need an airplane and a million dollars a year to make a good program."

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Alabama State Claims Second Consecutive Commissioner's Cup

14-15 Commissioner's Cup Standings

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Southwestern Athletic Conference has recognized Alabama State University as the winners of the Sadie Magee/Barbara Jacket Award and James Frank Commissioner’s Cup for the 2014-15 academic year. ASU brought seven SWAC championships back to Montgomery this past year to garner the honors. Texas Southern University won the C.D. Henry Award.

The announcement was made during the league’s annual spring meetings. This is the third consecutive year that ASU has won Magee/Jacket Award, and its second consecutive Commissioner’s Cup.

Magee/Jacket Award
The Magee/Jacket Award is presented to the top women’s athletic program in the SWAC. The Lady Hornets beat their point total from last year, finishing over 20 points ahead of second place with 104. They captured five team titles: cross country, volleyball, indoor track and field, golf, and outdoor track and field.

Texas Southern finished second with 83 points and Prairie View A&M University placed third with 76.5 points.

C.D. Henry
The Henry Award is presented to the top men’s athletic program in the SWAC. It was a tight race this year with only five points separating the top three universities. This is the first time in program history the Tigers have won the men’s all-sport award. They finished with 70.5 points after winning three team titles in basketball, indoor track and field, and baseball, and finishing second in three others: cross country, golf, and outdoor track and field. TSU beat out second place Alabama State by just two points.

The Hornets earned 68.5 points and Prairie View A&M finished a close third with 65.5 points.

James Frank Commissioner’s Cup
The Commissioner’s Cup is awarded to the university compiling the highest combined total of men’s and women’s all-sport points. With 104 points from the Magee/Jacket Award and 68.5 from the Henry Award standings, ASU took first place with a 172.5 points. Texas Southern came in second at 153.5 points. And Prairie View earned third at 142 points.

Click here to view a summary of the Commissioner’s Cup and all-sport award points.

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

TSU Football works to improve academic standing following NCAA Notice of Postseason Ban

NCAA RELEASE

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State University has implemented new programs to improve academic performance of its football-student athletes. This comes following notification from the NCAA’s Committee on Academic Performance that the program will be banned from postseason competition for the 2015 season.

 The notice states that the TSU football program failed to meet the academic standards required by the NCAA Academic Progress Rate. This year marks the first time that a TSU athletic program has ever been issued a post-season ban or Level I penalty since the NCAA started collecting APR data 11 years ago.

“While 14 of our athletic programs have scored at or above the NCAA’s APR benchmark, unfortunately, the football team fell short,” said Teresa Phillips, director of Athletics. “We take the academic progress of our student athletes very seriously and have implemented new processes and procedures for our coaches and students to address this issue and improve the overall administration of the football program. I am confident that these new measures will rectify the problem going forward.”

The sanctions against TSU are a result of the multiyear APR calculations—a four-year measurement covering the academic years 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14. The football team’s multiyear APR score was 915, falling short of the 920 benchmark set forth by the NCAA for limited resource institutions.

As a result, the football program will be subject to a Level I penalty. This penalty reduces the number of hours allowed for regular season athletic related activities – an amount that must be replaced with activities related to academics. Last fall, the TSU athletics department made serious and substantive modifications to the football program to address the APR score decline. Some of the measures include:

• Developing and submitting an improvement plan outlining future expectations;
• Increasing academic support for student-athletes, including the proposed addition of an advisor specifically assigned to football;
• Improving accommodations, support and access to student-athlete tutoring services;
• Relocating to an upgraded facility that includes a larger computer lab, tutoring room and quiet study area;
• Developing a new policy that requires increased study-hall hours for students with GPAs that are below standards;
• Implementing a zero-tolerance policy for class and study hall absences; and
• Requiring head football coach and key assistants to attend the yearly NCAA Rules Seminar

TSU President Glenda Glover issued the following statement regarding the NCAA's announcement citing the university.

“Educating and graduating our student athletes is a top priority for all our programs, including football," said Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover. "It is clear we should have done a better job monitoring the academic progress of our football student-athletes. However, recent changes within our (football) program have already had a significant impact in achieving the success we expect in the classroom. We will strive to maintain that standard as we move forward. Winning on the field is important, but the most important thing to all of us is for our student-athletes to obtain their degrees.”

All intercollegiate sports programs at NCAA member institutions receive an APR score during the academic year. Scores are compiled based on points given for eligibility and retention for student-athletes that receive athletic scholarships and financial aid each semester. Teams lose points when a scholarship player is not academically eligible to play at the end of a semester or transfers without a minimum 2.6 GPA.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Four schools given postseason ban for poor APR scores in NCAA report

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The NCAA has released its annual Academic Progress Rate scores, and once again, a few schools were not able to meet proper standards.

Four schools who failed to clear the minimum APR multi-year bar of 930 points will be ineligible for postseason play in 2015-16. Those schools: Alcorn State (SWAC), Florida A&M (MEAC), Stetson (Atlantic Sun) and Central Arkansas (Southland). These four schools combined for a total of 19 wins last season.

APR postseason bans have been a constant since its inception more than a decade ago, but at least the number of schools affected is going down. Last season eight programs were barred from postseason play due to poor APR scores. That number's been cut in half, though Central Arkansas and Florida A&M are repeat offenders.

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ASU ineligible for 2015 football postseason for poor APR

Alabama State is the only SWAC school ineligible for postseason.

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Poor Academic Progress Rate marks continue to haunt Alabama State's football program.

The NCAA reported Tuesday the Hornets are ineligible for postseason play this season due to poor APR results under former coach Reggie Barlow from the 2010-11 academic year to the 2013-14 academic year.

An ASU graduate, Barlow coached eight seasons from 2007 to 2014 before being fired and replaced by former Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins.

So ASU won't be eligible to play in the newly formed Celebration Bowl that pits the SWAC and MEAC champions against each other Dec. 9 in Atlanta, NCAA associate Michelle Hosick confirmed Wednesday. An ESPN network is televising the bowl at the Georgia Dome.

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All-America Awards Announced for 2015 NCAA DII Outdoor Season

NEW ORLEANS – All-America honorees for the 2015 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season were announced Tuesday afternoon by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Student-athletes earned First-Team USTFCCCA All-America honors by virtue of finishing among the top eight in their events, including as a member of a relay, at this past weekend’s NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Allendale, Michigan.

For the first time, Second-Team honors were bestowed upon those finishing ninth through 12th. Those athletes who qualified for, but could not compete in, the final of his or her event(s) earned Second-Team honors.

The Saint Augustine’s men outlasted Findlay, 53-50, to win their third consecutive outdoor national title, thanks to a nation-leading 12 First-Team All-Americans. Those 12 All-Americans were the best of the meet, regardless of gender.

Eighth-place Texas A&M-Commerce and 11th-place Johnson C. Smith both earned 11 All-America awards.

Saint Augustine’s women also led the way for their gender, posting 11 to tie host Grand Valley State for the national lead.

However, those teams finished eighth and fourth in the final team standings, respectively. It was Central Missouri’s women with nine All-Americans that prevailed over Lincoln (Mo.)’s 10, 59-50, in a team race that came all the way down to the 4×400-meter relay and was decided by a dropped baton by Lincoln.

No individual earned more All-America awards than the meet’s high-point scorer in Salcia Slack of New Mexico Highlands, who came home with five First-Team honors and another Second-Team award. She was the heptathlon champ and runner-up in the two hurdles races.

Four more women finished with three First-Team honors apiece, including high jump champ Erika Kinsey of Central Missouri, 400-meter hurdles champ Tia-Adana Belle of Saint Augustine’s and 100-meter/4×100-meter relay champion Janae Johnson of Lincoln (Mo.). Southern Connecticut State’s Shatajah Wattely also claimed three awards.

Two men shared top honors with four apiece in Waynee Hyman of Johnson C. Smith and Dontavius Wright of Stillman. Hyman was a national champion as part of the 4×100 relay and finished runner-up at 200 meters, while Wright was the national runner-up at 400 meters.

Four more men earned three All-America awards each, including two-time national champion and high-point scorer Emmanuel Matadi of Minnesota State. His teammate Kyran Stewart joined him as a three-time winner, as did Burkheart Ellis, Jr., of Saint Augustine’s and Miguel Barton of Lincoln (Mo.).

The GLIAC was the best-represented conference for the men with 34 First-Team honors, followed by the MIAA with 33 and the Lone State with 31.

For the women, it was the MIAA that came out on top with 35 First-Team honors, followed by the GLIAC with 29 and the CIAA with 23.

Find the list of All-Americans below. The lists are separated by men’s and women’s and First-Team and Second- Team.



2015 USTFCCCA First-Team All-America – NCAA Division II Men (HBCUs)

Patrick Campbell Johnson C. Smith 4×400 Relay
Joshua Cunningham Johnson C. Smith 4×100 Relay
Joshua Cunningham Johnson C. Smith 4×400 Relay
David Ellis Johnson C. Smith 4×100 Relay
Waynee Hyman Johnson C. Smith 200 Meters
Waynee Hyman Johnson C. Smith 400 Meters
Waynee Hyman Johnson C. Smith 4×100 Relay
Waynee Hyman Johnson C. Smith 4×400 Relay
Michane Rickets Johnson C. Smith Long Jump
Rajiv Service Johnson C. Smith 4×100 Relay
Rajiv Service Johnson C. Smith 4×400 Relay
Miguel Barton Lincoln (Mo.) 200 Meters
Miguel Barton Lincoln (Mo.) 400 Meters
Miguel Barton Lincoln (Mo.) 4×100 Relay
Wesley Best Lincoln (Mo.) 4×100 Relay
Roger Blake Lincoln (Mo.) 4×100 Relay
Winston Edwards Lincoln (Mo.) 400 Meter Hurdles
Romone Hill Lincoln (Mo.) 4×100 Relay
Moussa Dembele Saint Augustine’s 110 Meter Hurdles
JaQuan Demiel Saint Augustine’s 4×100 Relay
Burkheart Ellis Jr. Saint Augustine’s 200 Meters
Burkheart Ellis Jr. Saint Augustine’s 400 Meters
Burkheart Ellis Jr. Saint Augustine’s 4×100 Relay
Khari Herbert Saint Augustine’s 400 Meters
Kevaughn Hewitt Saint Augustine’s 4×100 Relay
Immanuel Hutchinson Saint Augustine’s 800 Meters
Daniel Jameison Saint Augustine’s 100 Meters
Daniel Jameison Saint Augustine’s 4×100 Relay
Omar Johnson Saint Augustine’s 400 Meters
David Shaw Saint Augustine’s Triple Jump
De’Mon Anderson Stillman 4×100 Relay
Solomon Atosona Stillman 4×100 Relay
James Bigham III Stillman 4×400 Relay
Michael Newton Stillman 4×100 Relay
Michael Newton Stillman 4×400 Relay
Marcus Victorian Stillman 4×400 Relay
Dontavius Wright Stillman 200 Meters
Dontavius Wright Stillman 400 Meters
Dontavius Wright Stillman 4×100 Relay
Dontavius Wright Stillman 4×400 Relay
Clive Cameron Virginia State 4×400 Relay
Te’Shad Chambers Virginia State 4×400 Relay
Devon Thompson Virginia State 4×400 Relay
Justin Williams Virginia State 4×400 Relay

2015 USTFCCCA Second-Team All-America – NCAA Division II Men (HBCUs)

Joshua Cunningham Johnson C. Smith 400 Meters
Darius Hyacinth Stillman Triple Jump
Berfrantz Charles Virginia Union 4×100 Relay
Malcolm Morris Virginia Union 4×100 Relay
Artneil Reid Virginia Union Triple Jump
Antoine Whitaker Virginia Union 4×100 Relay
Ed’Treon Wilcox Virginia Union 4×100 Relay

2015 USTFCCCA First-Team All-America – NCAA Division II Women (HBCUs)

Krishanda Campbell-Brown Benedict Triple Jump
Trisana Fairweather Claflin 100 Meters
Trisana Fairweather Claflin 200 Meters
Kimberley Bailey Lincoln (Mo.) 4×100 Relay
Keja Christie Lincoln (Mo.) 4×100 Relay
Yanique Ellington Lincoln (Mo.) 200 Meters
Yanique Ellington Lincoln (Mo.) 4×100 Relay
Jhevere Hall Lincoln (Mo.) 800 Meters
Janae Johnson Lincoln (Mo.) 100 Meters
Janae Johnson Lincoln (Mo.) 200 Meters
Janae Johnson Lincoln (Mo.) 4×100 Relay
Ladonna Richards Lincoln (Mo.) 100 Meter Hurdles
Ladonna Richards Lincoln (Mo.) 400 Meter Hurdles
Quanera Hayes Livingstone 200 Meters
Quanera Hayes Livingstone 400 Meters
Sherri-Ann Ashman Saint Augustine’s 4×100 Relay
Sherri-Ann Ashman Saint Augustine’s 4×400 Relay
Tia-Adana Belle Saint Augustine’s 400 Meter Hurdles
Tia-Adana Belle Saint Augustine’s 4×100 Relay
Tia-Adana Belle Saint Augustine’s 4×400 Relay
Shakinah Brooks Saint Augustine’s 4×100 Relay
Shakinah Brooks Saint Augustine’s Long Jump
Fanta Fofana Saint Augustine’s 4×400 Relay
Ornella Livingston Saint Augustine’s 4×100 Relay
Cherrisse Lynch Saint Augustine’s 4×400 Relay
Amenze Uhunmwangho Saint Augustine’s Long Jump
Raven Covington Winston-Salem State 4×100 Relay
RoDaijah Faucette Winston-Salem State 4×400 Relay
Raven Hamilton Winston-Salem State 4×400 Relay
Ty-Leah Hampton Winston-Salem State 4×100 Relay
Ty-Leah Hampton Winston-Salem State 4×400 Relay
Tajanel McNeill Winston-Salem State 4×100 Relay
Tajanel McNeill Winston-Salem State Triple Jump
Nya Michaux Winston-Salem State 4×100 Relay
Tametris Morrison Winston-Salem State 400 Meter Hurdles
Tametris Morrison Winston-Salem State 4×400 Relay

2015 USTFCCCA Second-Team All-America – NCAA Division II Women (HBCUs)

Krishanda Campbell-Brown Benedict Triple Jump
Carrie Byrd Claflin 4×100 Relay
Chante Durant Claflin 4×100 Relay
Trisana Fairweather Claflin 4×100 Relay
Aliyah Miller Claflin 4×100 Relay
Tovea Jenkins Johnson C. Smith 400 Meters
Yanique Ellington Lincoln (Mo.) 4×400 Relay
Jhevere Hall Lincoln (Mo.) 4×400 Relay
Lovan Palmer Lincoln (Mo.) 4×400 Relay
Willomena Williams Lincoln (Mo.) 4×400 Relay
Amenze Uhunmwangho Saint Augustine’s Triple Jump
Raven Covington Winston-Salem State 100 Meters
Nya Michaux Winston-Salem State 200 Meters

By Kyle Terwillegar, USTFCCCA

RaShid Gaston's transfer decision caught coach by surprise

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State coach Robert Jones said Tuesday that he was as surprised as anyone when star forward RaShid Gaston walked into his office recently and asked for his release so he could transfer.

Gaston, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound rising senior, is leaving NSU after finishing second on the team in scoring last season, at 15.5 points per game, and second in the MEAC with 9.6 rebounds per game. His destination is unknown.

Gaston came to Jones about three weeks ago to request his release, Jones said, saying he wanted to play for a higher-profile school and enhance his professional possibilities.

"He felt like he would have a better chance to play in the NBA if he played at a higher level," Jones said.

Gaston, a Warren, Ohio, native, was traveling Tuesday and wasn't available for ...

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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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