Top three AD candidates meet with FAMU committee (Video)

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M President Elmira Mangum has three final candidates to choose from as the search for a new, permanent athletic director at the university nears its conclusion.

Interim athletic director Earl D'Wayne Robinson isn't in contention for the job. Instead, Eric McCurdy, Milton Overton Jr., and M. Dianne Murphy on Monday each met with a 10-person committee of FAMU staff members at Lee Hall.

The committee – which had three head coaches and the university's sports information director – asked questions about the candidates' reasons for wanting the job, their backgrounds and what they planned to bring to the table.

Mangum is expected to hire a new athletic director before the start of the fall semester.

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Update: FAMU AD candidate list narrowed to 3, access to meetings limited

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Reporters were told to leave a meeting on FAMU's campus with an athletic director candidate an hour after they were initially let in.

The list of candidates has been narrowed to three people: Eric McCurdy, Milton Overton Jr., and Dr. M. Dianne Murphy.

Absent from the list is D'Wayne Robinson, who has been the interim athletic director since January.

Sharon Lettman-Hicks, a consultant brought on by the university to assist with the search, told reporters because the 10-person committee was made entirely of FAMU staffers without public officials and because the meeting was only a "fact-finding" discussion with findings that will be presented to President Elmira Mangum, it was not subject to Florida's Sunshine Law.

She added the meeting was not an interview of the candidates and was only meant to gather information that would be presented later to Mangum, who will make a final appointment.

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Arizona Cardinals Rookie Profile: Defensive Lineman Rodney Gunter

TEMPE, Arizona -- Did the Arizona Cardinals get a steal when they drafted defensive end/defensive tackle Rodney Gunter?

Perhaps.

The Red Birds certainly improved their depth on the defensive line by drafting Gunter in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago, IL last month.

The Delaware State product is 6-foot-5 and weighs 305 pounds. He was a second-team All-MEAC selection in 2014, a first-team All-MEAC pick in 2013 and a second-team All-MEAC selection in 2012.



The Cards moved up seven spots to select Gunter, swapping places with the Browns in the fourth round and sending sixth and seventh-round picks to Cleveland to obtain him.

A productive player in college, some scouting services think Gunter can play both end and tackle. According to the Delaware State web site, Gunter is a cousin of former Cardinals tight end D.C. Jefferson, a seventh round pick in 2013. Jefferson lasted one year with the club. Gunter played just one season in high school. As the oldest of three sons to a single mother, he worked as a dishwasher and waiter to make ends meet. His character traits are solid.

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NCAA changes shot clock to 30 seconds, makes other changes to game

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  -- The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Monday approved a package of proposals and areas of focus for officials in men’s basketball to improve the pace of play, better balance offense with defense and reduce the physicality in the sport.

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee made similar recommendations before the 2013-14 season, and it felt the changes improved the game. But after gaining some positive traction, the balance between offense and defense again tilted toward the defense last season. Scoring in Division I men’s basketball dipped to 67.6 points a game last season, which neared historic lows for the sport.

The key areas officials will focus on in the upcoming season are:
• Perimeter defense, particularly on the dribbler and strictly enforcing directives established before the 2013-14 season.
• Physicality in post play.
• Screening, particularly moving screens and requiring the screener to be stationary.
• Block/charge plays.
• Allowing greater freedom of movement for players without the ball.

Pace of play

With an eye on reducing inaction, the panel approved several proposals to improve the pace of play. The most significant is reducing the shot clock to 30 seconds. The shot clock was last reduced for the 1993-94 season when it went from 45 seconds to 35.

Teams will also have one fewer team timeout (only three can carry over instead of four) in the second half. Officials will focus more on resuming play quickly after a timeout and will issue a delay-of-game warning when a team does not comply and a one-shot technical foul on subsequent violations.

The rest of the package designed to improve the pace of play includes:
• Adjusting the media timeout procedures to allow a timeout called within 30 seconds of a break (at the 16:30 mark) or at any time after the scheduled media timeout becomes the media timeout.
• Removing the ability for a coach to call timeout when the ball is live.
• Allowing a total of only 10 seconds to advance the ball to the front court (with a few exceptions).
• Reducing the amount of time allotted to replace a disqualified player from 20 to 15 seconds.

Restricted-area arc

The panel also approved the expansion of the restricted-area arc from 3 feet to 4 feet. This arc would be effective in 2015-16 for Division I and 2016-17 for Divisions II and III. Moving the arc a foot farther from the basket is part of a continued focus on reducing the number of collisions at the basket.

Games in the 2015 Postseason NIT were played with the 4-foot arc on an experimental basis.

When compared to the 2013 NIT, which had the same block/charge standards as the 2015 event (aside from the 4-foot arc), the number of block/charge plays decreased from 2.77 per game to 1.96 per game.

Faking fouls

During the use of a video review to see if a possible flagrant foul occurred, the panel approved a rule that would allow officials to penalize players who fake fouls. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee felt that players trying to draw fouls by deception is a growing issue.

Other changes

Other proposals approved by the panel include:
• Allowing officials to use the monitor to review a potential shot clock violation on made field goals throughout the entire game.
• Making Class B technical fouls (hanging on the rim and delaying the resumption of play, for example) one-shot technical fouls. Previously, two shots were granted for these types of technical fouls.
• Eliminating the five-second closely guarded rule while dribbling the ball.
• Removing the prohibition on dunking in pregame warmups and at halftime.

Experimental rule

The panel also approved an experimental rule to allow players six personal fouls, instead of five, in the 2016 postseason tournaments other than the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

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Savannah State's Cameron Hall Finishes 8th in NCAA Championships; Earns 1st Team All-America Status

CAMERON HALL
NCAA DIVISION I FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN
110-METER HURDLES
Courtesy: Savannah State University Athletics

EUGENE, Oregon — Savannah State senior Cameron Hall finished eighth in the 110-meter hurdle finals at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships held at Hayward Field Friday.

Hall matched his mark of 13.61 that he ran in the semifinals. Omar McLeod, a sophomore from Arkansas, won with a time of 13.01, beating Oregon’s Johnathan Cabral (13.22) and Houston’s Isaac Williams (13.31), who finished second and third.

McLeod’s mark was an NCAA meet record, besting the mark of 13.16 set by Oregon’s Devon Allen last year. McLeod’s time was a hundredth of a second off the college record set by Maryland’s Renaldo Nehemiah in 1979.

Hall, a Camden County High School graduate, equalled the SSU school record with his time, which he has run three times this year. He earned first-team All-America status with his eighth place finish.

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Ray Lewis shares powerful message at Lane College inaugural fundraiser event

JACKSON, Tennessee -- Derrick Burroughs still couldn't seem to believe Lane College was able to get Ray Lewis to come to Jackson.

The former star linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens was the featured speaker at Lane's "Dinner with the Pros" banquet Saturday night at Oman Arena, set up to raise money for improved locker room and weight room facilities for the football team.

"It's just a blessing that this guy would come way to Jackson, Tennessee and help us out and have no ties to Lane College whatsoever," Burroughs, the school's athletic director and head football coach, said.

Lewis took advantage of the moment, telling a couple hundred people gathered at tables on the Oman Arena floor about the role of faith, guidance from adults and individual motivation in his life.

Helping his mother, not starring in sports, drove Lewis' desire to work hard and stand out. He recalled being seven years old and seeing his mother beaten by a man and, despite the trauma, quickly preparing to go to work.



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Morgan State's Mason Places Ninth At NCAA Championship; Earns All-American Second Team Honors

JAILAH MASON
 NCAA Division I All-American
Second Team

EUGENE, Oregon -- Morgan State women's high jumper Jailah Mason's run to an NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship came to an end last night at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon. Mason, who was the only freshman to qualify for the finals, finished ninth out of 24 athletes with a height of 5-11 ¼.

Mason, who would fall just short in her goal to be among the top eight high jumpers, would earn All-American second team honors.

A native of Sterling Heights, Michigan, Mason's run to the NCAA Championship started with a combined 96 student-athletes during the East and West NCAA Preliminary Championships. Mason would capture the NCAA East Preliminary with a first-place tie with Claudia Garcia Jou of the University of Akron with a height of 5-11.50.

Mason's stellar freshman campaign included second-place finishes at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the ECAC championships. She also set a Penn Relays and school record with a height of 6-00.50 to capture the 2015 Penn Relays' high jump-college section.

Mason will now represent Morgan State at the 2015 USATF National Junior Championship held here in Eugene on June 21 through 29, 2015 with an opportunity to represent the United States of America at the 2015 World Junior Track & Field Championship to be held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at the end of July.

"It was a pleasure coaching Ms. Mason this 2015 season because she is coachable and has the desire to reach her full potential," said Morgan State head coach Neville Hodge. "It is exciting when you have student-athletes who totally buy-in to the program and the coaching staff's philosophy. As a staff we are very proud of Ms. Mason's accomplishment during the 2014-2015 season and look forward toward a bright 2015-2016 season and beyond."

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Walker: Rhythmically named Earl Burl III, a New Orleans native, was thrilled to hear his name called in the MLB draft

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NEW ORLEANS -- The name that Earl Burl III got teased about so much as a kid finally scrolled across the bottom of his iPad screen Wednesday.

All the jokes he grew up hearing, stuff like “Earl Burl the Girl” and “Earl Burl with the Curl,” didn’t matter anymore.

The only thing that mattered for the 21-year-old from Marrero was this: Earl Burl III, 30th-round draft pick by the Toronto Blue Jays.

“It was a relieving feeling, and everybody went crazy in my house,” said the outfielder, who just completed his third season at Alcorn State. “I knew there was a chance I’d get picked, but you just never know.”

Burl is the first member of the New Orleans Urban Youth Academy to be drafted. He could have returned and played his final year of eligibility at Alcorn, but there really was no use in doing that. He has earned a degree in business administration and plans to go to law school eventually.

“Hopefully I can build some great relationships in baseball and eventually work in the front office,” he said.

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Get to Know a DSU Hornet – Edition 1: J.R. ROBINSON

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Hopkins, Shaw go back to the future

RALEIGH North Carolina -- The good times are getting ready to roll for Shaw men’s basketball program. And that’s going to spell bad times for many a CIAA opponent.

Joel Hopkins returns to Shaw University carrying a heavy load on his broad shoulders – some of which he’s bringing on himself.

After being re-introduced to Bear Nation on Tuesday – 13 years after leaving Shaw – Hopkins quickly laid down the gauntlet.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge and bringing back a CIAA championship this year to the city of Raleigh,” he said. “This train is already moving, so get on board…Tell James Stinson at Livingstone that I’m coming to see him.”

The Blue Bears are the two-time defending champions.

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NC A&T Running Back Becomes Internet Sensation

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Tarik Cohen is a star running-back at North Carolina A&T. Last month became an internet sensation when a video of him doing a back flip while catching footballs went viral.

Cohen told WFMY News 2's Liz Crawford that he and his twin brother started doing back flips when they were young. Recently, Cohen had another idea and asked his Aggie teammates to help him execute his plan.

Cohen saw a video of someone doing a back flip and catching a football at the same time on Instagram. He tried it and easily mastered the trick.



"Everybody kept saying that the first back flip catch was easy and everybody could do it, they've seen people do it before so I was thinking what can I do that no one has done before so I thought about catching two footballs at one time in the back flip." said Cohen.

Sure enough he did that too and Cohen is still soaking in the instant fame.

"I've been loving it. I'm glad all my friends and former classmates have seen me on Instagram. They saw me on ESPN."

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XU Produces Another Top-50 Finish In NAIA All-Sports Standings

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana finished 50th in the NAIA Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings of 2014-15 and was No. 1 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and No. 1 among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

It's the fourth consecutive year that Xavier finished in the top 60 and third time in four years that Xavier was among the top 50. Xavier was a school-record 42nd a year ago.

"It has been another excellent year for Xavier Athletics and Team Gold," said Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn. "We are proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff for their collaboration and hard work to produce this national ranking. We look forward with optimism and enthusiasm to another great year for the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets in 2015-16."

The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup was developed by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today newspaper. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 12 sports — six women's and six men's. This is the 20th year of the NAIA all-sports standings.

Xavier scored 286 points, its second-highest total ever, after a tie for third place nationally in women's tennis, a tie for fifth in men's tennis, a tie for 17th in men's basketball, a tie for 25th in women's volleyball, 36th in men's cross country, 38th in women's cross country and a tie for 52nd in women's track and field. Seven of Xavier's nine teams scored nationally.

Three other GCAC members were ranked. SUNO was 52nd with 274.25 points, Talladega tied for 136th with 83 points, and Philander Smith tied for 170th with 25 points. Xavier and SUNO were the top two HBCUs, followed by Wiley (Red River Athletic Conference) in 58th place with 249 points and Langston (Red River) at No. 79 with 181.5 points.

Xavier finished ahead of five schools it trailed a year ago.

For the second consecutive year, Xavier was the only HBCU with a top-50 finish from the NAIA or NCAA divisions II or III.

The top three NAIA schools were Oklahoma Baptist with 854.5 points, Lindsey Wilson with 823.5 and Oklahoma City with 802.75. Oklahoma Baptist led for the third consecutive year. Seven top-10 schools were the same as a year ago.

Xavier in NAIA all-sports standings
2014-15 50th
2013-14 42nd
2012-13 56th
2011-12 50th
2010-11 102nd
2009-10 83rd
2008-09 tie-92nd
2007-08 141st
2006-07 156th
2005-06 no teams (Hurricane Katrina)
2004-05 not in top 100
2003-04 86th
2002-03 tie-163rd
2001-02 tie-238th
2000-01 tie-199th
1999-2000 not in top 234
1998-99 tie-210th
1997-98 tie-194th
1996-97 164th
1995-96 146th

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorXULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Gold Nuggets' Volleyball Recruiting Fills a Tall Order

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana announced Friday its women's volleyball recruiting class for 2015. Two of the three signees will be the Gold Nuggets' tallest players in five years.

Signed to scholarships were:

• Ruby Hunt-Thompson, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter and right-side hitter from Evanston, Ill. She was home-schooled.
• Sarah Pitts-Groce, a 6-foot middle blocker and right-side hitter from Atlanta and Atlanta International School.
• Patricia Young Yen, a 5-9 middle blocker and outside hitter from Magna, Utah, Cyprus High School and Otero (Colo.) Junior College.

Hunt-Thompson, Pitts-Groce and Young Yen will join an XU program which was 20-6 overall and 14-0 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in 2014. For the fourth consecutive year, the Gold Nuggets won GCAC regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the NAIA National Championship.

"We focused on a little bigger presence at the net for blocking and terminating," third-year head coach Hannah Lawing said. "It was a thorough process of navigating the recruits. There was a lot of good talent, and it took a lot of work to narrow it down. (Assistant coach) Hilary (Lobenstein) and I are confident that these three ladies will make a difference in our program on and off the court. We think that their personalities will further diversify our team in a positive way, and they'll add something to our team coming from different parts of the country."

Hunt-Thompson was a member of the Crossroads Crusaders team which finished second in the gold division of the National Homeschool Tournament. She was MVP of the midwest regional tournament and led her team to the championship. In club she played for Sports Performance's 2014 AAU national-champion team.

"Ruby has always competed and performed at a high level in Illinois," Lawing said. "She has athleticism and technique. She has a big block, and she hits high over the net with a lot of power."

Hunt-Thompson is a multiple honor-roll student and graduated with honors. Her father is LaSalle Thompson, a 15-year NBA center and an All-American at the University of Texas.

Pitts-Groce was a two-year starter at Atlanta International and helped her club team, Atlanta Boom, win a regional tournament in 2014.

"Sarah has a well-rounded repertoire of abilities," Lawing said. "She works hard. She transitions well. She has a decent-sized block and can put a ball away. She will also be a unifying factor with a personality and sense of camaraderie that is hard to find."

Hunt-Thompson and Pitts-Groce will be the Nuggets' tallest players since 6-footer Allison Dawson and 6-1 Sierra Lyons in 2010.

Young Yen produced 485 kills, 195 blocks and 149 digs the past two seasons at Otero. Her match highs included 17 kills, eight blocks, eight digs and two aces. She was Otero's No. 2 attacker in 2014 with 272 kills and 10 matches of 10-or-more kills.

"Patricia is fundamentally well-rounded," Lawing said. "She's got the technique, and she knows how to put a ball away. She will bring to our team collegiate experience and a hunger for the ball."

Xavier will begin the regular season in late August and will announce soon its 2015 schedule.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Ray Belton named new chancellor and president of Southern U.

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Ray Belton will be the new president and chancellor of Southern University, overseeing both the Baton Rouge campus and the overall Southern system, the system's Board of Supervisors determined Friday (June 12).

Belton, who currently serves as chancellor of Southern's Shreveport campus, will be tasked with navigating a new position, as the combined president-chancellor job was only just created. He'll also have to work to breathe new life into an institution that has faced declining enrollment and funding, low graduation and retention rates, and the challenge of finding continued relevance for historically black colleges and universities in a changing world.

The board voted 13-1 to hire Belton over Ivory Toldson, who began his career as an assistant professor at Southern and now works in Washington, D.C. as deputy director for the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The roles of both chancellor and president were vacant because the board opted not to renew the contracts of both system president Ronald Mason Jr. and former chancellor James Llorens.

KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana

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ASU Lady Hornets Have All America Performance at NCAA's

EUGENE, Oregon -- Alabama State had an exciting day at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships which concluded with the Lady Hornets 4x400m relay team receiving 2nd Team All-America status after their great run in the day's final event.

The 4x400m relay is always one of the most exciting and entertaining race of any track meet and that was never more a reality than the third and final heat of the relay. The Lady Hornets may not have won, but they gave the crowd which was announced as 10,015, a great race which saw them finish ahead of nationally ranked teams such as Stanford, Kansas State, Arizona State and host Oregon.

The Lady Hornets finished 14th with a time of 3:36.04, but it was their heat, the third, where they put in a great performance coming up just short of qualifying for Saturday's finals. The first eight teams are first team All-America teams where the second eight teams receive the 2nd Team honors.

Final Results

Alexis Ferebee started the relay for ASU and handed the baton off to Tatiana Etienne in second place. Etienne handed the baton off to Williams as ASU started the third leg in the middle of a bunched pack. Williams didn't stay there long as she ran a 52.50 lap, the fastest of the third legs, and had the Lady Hornets in the lead heading into the fourth and final leg.

Kimberly Wedderburn held off the competition until the final 100 meters when the group became bunched with the Lady Hornets finishing the heat fifth. It was another strong performance by the ASU Lady Hornets Track Team on the largest stage of collegiate track the Nationals and before an ESPN national audience.

Their 3:36.04 finish was the third fastest time in the history of the event and the second fastest time this season.

"We knew coming in with the 4x4 our backs were against the wall, but the ladies rose to the occasion," Head Coach Ritchie Beene said. "Having the lead going down with 150 meters to go was outstanding for Alabama State."

"We are pleased we are coming out of here as All-Americans and it is something good we can take back home. It came down to hard work and perseverance and that is what the staff and I have done and that is what the ladies have done and we were proud to be here representing Alabama State Hornet track and field."

Santina Williams ran earlier in the day with her appearance in the 400m run. She ran the race in 53.54 placing her 19th in the three-heat event. Her time was a little off from her qualifying time and school-record 52.56 she ran two weeks ago at the NCAA Preliminaries, but it was not only her third fastest career-time, but the third fastest in the history of the event at ASU.

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SSU Men's Basketball Announces 2015-16 Recruiting Class

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Savannah State head men's basketball coach Horace Broadnax has announced his signing class for 2015-16, introducing eight new players who will join the Tigers for the upcoming season.

The class includes one transfer from a NCAA Division I institution, three junior college players, three incoming freshmen and a transfer from the University of the District of Columbia (UDC).

Chris Martin (5'11", Upper Marlboro, MD) joins the Tigers after playing at Mount St. Mary's last year where he averaged 7.4 points, three rebounds and two assists per game. He started his collegiate career at Marshall. He also played at St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Video: Shooting Drills (ft. Chris Martin Mount St. Marys) - Coach ...

Junior college additions include Troyce Manassa, Teslim Idris and Casey Wells.

Manassa (6'4", Mobile, Alabama) comes to SSU from Wallace Community College where he averaged 19 points and 6 rebounds per game. Manassa won back-to-back Alabama Junior College Player of the Year honors and was a two-time junior college All American. Manassa attended Murphy High School in Mobile.



Idris (6'6", London, England) comes to Savannah State from Miles Community College where he averaged 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and two blocks per game. Idris was named Region 9 third team. Idris attended Westminister City School in London where he averaged 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks per game in his last year of action.



Wells (6'4", Jonesboro, Georgia) played at Georgia Perimeter where he averaged 13.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He was named to the Georgia Athletic Association Region 17 all region first team. Wells attended Jonesboro High School.


Casey Wells Basketball Recruiting Video from American Sports Memories on Vimeo.

The high school signees include: Kamil Williams, Isaiah Felder and Ibrahima Diallo.

Williams (6'0", Palm Beach, Florida) played his senior season at Park Vista High School where he averaged 26 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals per game. Williams was named the Palm Beach Player of the Year and the 8A-7A-6A Player of the Year and made the Class 7A first team.



Felder (5'10", Orangeburg, South Carolina) prepped at Orangeburg-Wilkerson High School where he averaged 19 points, 7 assists and 4 steals per game. Felder was named to the AAA All-State team and was named Region 8 AAA Player of the Year.



Diallo (6'9", Dakar, Senegal) comes to SSU from Boyd Anderson High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.



Rounding out the newcomers is Lenjo Kilo (6'8", Silver Spring, MD). Kilo played at the District of Columbia where he averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds. He was named to the All-East Coast Conference second team during the 2013-14 season. He started his college career at Seton Hill and played in high school Northwood High School.

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Elizabeth City State releases two coaches

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina -- Elizabeth City State released two of its coaches earlier this week, one of whom coached three sports at the school.

Two sources, speaking to The Daily Advance, confirmed the terminations of interim women’s basketball coach Ron Woodard and assistant Tiffany Tucker.

Tucker had also just completed her first year as head coach for the ECSU volleyball and women’s tennis programs in 2014-15.

Reached on Wednesday, new ECSU Athletic Director Derrick Johnson declined to comment when asked about the firings, directing questions to university spokeswoman Kesha Williams.

Williams also declined comment Wednesday, saying ...

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Bethune-Cookman Mourns Passing Of Raymon Thornton, Athletics Hall of Famer

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - Raymon Thornton, Sr., one of the top quarterbacks in Bethune-Cookman history and a member of the University’s Athletics Hall of Fame inaugural class, passed away on June 2, 2015.  He was 87 years of age.

As a student-athlete, Thornton helped lay the groundwork for the success of Wildcats Football. He was named the program’s second All-American in 1951, and also garnered the top quarterback award from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) after setting the record for most touchdowns in a season with 14.

The previous year, he was named first team quarterback on the SIAC in Bethune-Cookman’s final year with that league.

Thornton returned to Bethune-Cookman as an assistant football coach and head basketball coach from 1956-61. As a basketball coach, he compiled an overall record of 43-34 with his best campaign being a 15-4 mark during the 1958-59 campaign.

In 1960, Thornton served as head football coach after the legendary Rudolph “Bunky” Matthews suffered a heart attack before the start of the season. The Wildcats finished the year 3-4 overall.

After Bethune-Cookman, Thornton went to serve as a teacher and school administrator in South Florida.

His contribution to Bethune-Cookman Athletics was so appreciated that he was selected as one of 20 inaugural members of the Hall of Fame in 2000.

He is survived by one son, Raymond, Jr.

A visitation was held on Thursday, June 11 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Royal Funeral Service, 17475 NW 27th Avenue, Miami Gardens, Fla. The funeral is set for Friday, June 12 at 10 a.m. at Mt. Hermon AME Church, 17800 NW 25th, Miami Gardens, Florida.

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Savannah State's Cameron Hall Qualifies For NCAA Finals

CAMERON HALL

EUGENE, Oregon -- Savannah State senior Cameron Hall qualified for the finals of the men's 110m hurdles in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at Hayward Field.

Hall, had a time of 13.61 in the semi-finals and finished second in his heat. The time tied the school record which was set by Hall in the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships in May.

The St. Mary's, Georgia native qualified for the NCAA Championships by wining the quarterfinals of the East Preliminary championships held in Jacksonville, Florida at North Florida's Hughes Stadium on May 30 with a time of 13.68 in the quarterfinals.

Hall (6-3, 220) will compete in the finals on June 12 at 8:15 EST.

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Edward Waters College Football to Play Jacksonville U. in 2015; Plus 2 TV Games

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- Edward Waters College, Wednesday, released its 2015 football schedule which features one game that could have Jacksonville locals buzzing.

The Tigers have scheduled an inner-city match up against the Jacksonville University Dolphins. The game is scheduled for October 17 at 1 p.m. on JU's campus and will be televised on ESPN3.

The schedule is also headlined by games against Kennesaw State, Morehouse College and Concordia College.

"This is one of the tougher schedules in Edward Waters College history because of the exciting opponents we are competing against this year," said head football coach, Alvin Wyatt. "Kennesaw State plays for the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision). Jacksonville University is also a NCAA Division I FCS school. Morehouse and Concordia are both NCAA Division II powerhouses."

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EWC Tigers 2015 Football Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time Score Special Event
August 22 University of Faith  Home 7:30 p.m.
August 29 University of God's Chosen  Home 7:30 p.m.
September 5 Morehouse College  Away 7:00 p.m.
September 12 **Kennesaw State University  Away 4:00 p.m.
September 19 OPEN
September 26 Point University Away 12:00 p.m.#
October 3 *Southeastern University Home 1:00 p.m.#
October 10 Webber International University Away 5:00 pm.#
October 17 %Jacksonville University Away 1:00 p.m.  Jacksonville Football Classic
October 24 Concordia College - Selma Home 3:00 p.m. Homecoming 2015
October 30 Ave Maria University Away 12:00 p.m.#
November 7 Warner University Away 12:00 p.m.#

ALL HOME GAMES PLAYED AT STANTON COLLEGE PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL.
SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
SUN CONFERENCE GAMES#
** Game will be televised in Atlanta market on WUPA-TV/CW 69.
% The Jacksonville Football Classic will be played at D.B. Milne Field on JU's campus. This game will be televised on ESPN3.

EWC enrollment increases

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- When classes start this fall, one local college is expects to see more students than they predicted.

Officials at Edward Waters College say they have seen a 70 percent increase in applications over last year. And even more students have been admitted.

Officials say they have really been focused on recruiting, reinventing themselves here in Duval County and also focusing on some of the biggest cities in our state, like Miami, Orlando and Tampa. That's where the majority of the students who have applied come from, here in Florida.

When Andre Stevens first came to EWC, he came to play football. Now, when this math major graduates next year he'll be the first in his family to earn a college degree.

“It's definitely the family vibe here because once you find that close knit feeling, it's like you guys are there forever,” said Stevens. That's why it’s good for him to know more students will be walking this campus next year than expected.

EWC's Office of Admissions is reporting a dramatic increase in the number of applications to the institution for the 2015-2016 academic years. This time last year, the school received just over 1800 applications. This year, the school has more than 3,100 -- a 70 percent increase.



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Saint Augustine's Falcons Sign Two Men’s Basketball Recruits

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Head Men's Basketball Coach MarQus Johnson announced on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, that Devin Derry and Antonio Watson have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Saint Augustine's University. The two scholar-athletes will play for the Falcons' men's basketball team in the 2015-16 season.

"I'm excited to have these two young men join the Falcon family," said Johnson, who will enter his second season as Falcons' Head Coach this fall. "These two scholar-athletes are not only great players but also extraordinary young men."

Derry is an athletic 6-foot-5 wing player who earned all-state and all-region honors at Furtah Prep in Acworth, Ga. The high-flying Derry, who averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks as a high school senior, played in the Georgia-South Carolina independent all-star game.

Watson, a 6-foot point guard, was the conference defensive player of the year and the runner-up for conference player of the year at Knightdale High School in Knightdale, N.C. He averaged seven points, eight assists and four steals his senior season at Knightdale.

"Devin is a great athlete who can really shoot," Johnson said. "His size on the wing is something that we stressed in our recruiting this year. He comes from a good program and his team played a competitive schedule in Georgia. Antonio is a true point guard with a pass-first mentality. He was the floor general for a great Knightdale team, and he led Knightdale to the third round of the state playoffs this year. We are very lucky to have signed both young men."


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Johnson is looking to add more scholar-athletes to the 2015-16 men's basketball roster.

"We are still recruiting a couple of more players to finish out our recruiting class," Johnson said.

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Sentencing set for ex-SCSU chief, trustee

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The men who’ve admitted to being involved in the various schemes surrounding former South Carolina State University Chairman Jonathan Pinson will be sentenced next month.

In the meantime, Pinson has hired new attorneys and they’ve notified a federal court that they plan to appeal Pinson’s convictions and sentence.

A jury convicted Pinson last summer on 29 of 45 federal charges in schemes involving S.C. State’s 2011 homecoming, an effort to sell the 121-acre Sportsman’s Retreat to the university, a Marion County diaper factory and a Columbia-area housing complex called the Village at River’s Edge.

Pinson was sentenced on May 20 to serve five years in prison and five years of supervised release once he’s released. He also has to pay restitution in the amount of $337,843.

Co-conspirators in the various schemes previously pleaded guilty to charges and will be sentenced July 6 in Charleston at the Hollings Judicial Center with U.S. District Judge David Norton presiding.

The men connected to S.C. State who will be sentenced are:

• Florida developer Richard Zahn, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the federal government. Zahn owned Sportsman’s Retreat in Orangeburg County. His hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m.

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SC State University Keeps Its Accreditation

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State University found out Thursday it gets to keep its accreditation, but will remain on probation for up to another year as it deals with financial problems. Losing accreditation would have essentially closed the school, since students cannot get federal financial aid to go to a school that's not accredited.

“SC State University is open for business and we are here to stay,” said acting president Dr. W. Franklin Evans. The school was already on probation for non-compliance on governance and financial issues.

The school's financial problems go back years, blamed on mismanagement, falling enrollment and less state funding. James E. Clark, vice chairman of the Board of Trustees, said the problems and probation caused enrollment to fall even more, making the situation worse. "Yes, it has had some effect, but that's in the past,” he said Thursday. “We're looking forward to the things that we are doing in a most positive way to make this an even more exciting place for the students to come."

The Board of Trustees fired president Thomas Elzey in March, and then state lawmakers passed a bill that Gov. Nikki Haley signed in May to fire the entire board. The permanent board was replaced with a temporary, fix-it board. The newly appointed board has met twice.

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SAU Falcons Announce 2015 Football Schedule

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Five home games on campus and a non-conference road encounter against Division I North Carolina Central University highlight the 2015 Saint Augustine's University football schedule, which was released on Tuesday, June 9, 2015.

The Falcons will play their entire home schedule at the George Williams Athletic Complex for the first time ever. In the past three years, they hosted six games at the stadium including four Homecoming contests and two match-ups against crosstown rival Shaw University. Their record at the stadium is 5-1 including a 2-0 mark against Shaw.

"It is a blessing to have five home games on campus," said Michael Morand, who enters this season as the Falcons' full-time head coach after directing the team on an interim basis in 2014. "The team is really looking forward to playing on its home turf. What a way to start my first full season as head coach."

The Falcons begin the 10-game regular season Sept. 5 with an eye-opening road contest against state rival and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) member North Carolina Central in Durham, N.C., at 6 p.m. In 2013, the Falcons nearly de-clawed the host Eagles in their season opener before succumbing 23-20 in two overtimes. The Falcons topped the Eagles in Durham in 2003 and 2005.

After tangling with North Carolina Central, the Falcons are home for two consecutive weeks against CIAA foes in non-conference affairs. They open their home schedule Sept. 12 against Virginia Union University and Sept. 19 against Elizabeth City State University with both games beginning at 1 p.m. The contest against Virginia Union is a rematch of the "Hurricane Game" in 2011 which was played in heavy rain and extremely strong winds in Richmond, Va. Elizabeth City State will visit the Falcons for the second time in three seasons.

The Falcons open the CIAA conference season with two away games. They travel to Chowan University Sept. 26 for a 1 p.m. kickoff in Murfreesboro, N.C., and visit defending CIAA champion Virginia State University Oct. 3 in Ettrick, Va., at 2 p.m. Last season, the Falcons edged Chowan at home 33-31 on a late touchdown and lost 42-35 to Virginia State after they rallied from a 28-point second-half deficit.

Two key Southern Division home games await the Falcons in mid-October. They take on Livingstone College Oct. 10 and Winston-Salem State University Oct. 17 with both contests beginning at 1 p.m. The Falcons have won their last seven games against Livingstone since the 2008 season including a 31-30 road win in 2014. Winston-Salem State is the four-time defending Southern Division champion, but the Falcons always contest the nationally-ranked Rams when they meet. The Rams won 36-13 last season, but the outcome wasn't decided until the fourth quarter.

The Falcons will attempt to snap a two-game losing streak to Fayetteville State University when the teams meet in Fayetteville, N.C., on Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. On Oct. 31, the Falcons will take on Johnson C. Smith University on Homecoming Day and Senior Day at 1 p.m. The Falcons have won their last three home contests against Smith, including a 34-15 Homecoming thumping in 2011 which was the first-ever game at the George Williams Athletic Complex.

The regular season concludes Nov. 7 against Shaw in Durham, N.C., at 1 p.m. The Falcons gained bragging rights after knocking off the Bears 16-9 at the George Williams Athletic Complex last season. This year's contest will be played on Shaw's Homecoming Day.

2015 Saint Augustine's University Football Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time
Sept. 5 at North Carolina Central Durham, NC 6 p.m.
SEPT. 12 VIRGINIA UNION RALEIGH, NC 1 P.M.
SEPT. 19 ELIZABETH CITY STATE RALEIGH, NC 1 P.M.
SEPT. 26 Chowan* Murfreesboro, NC 1 p.m.
Oct. 3 at Virginia State* Ettrick, VA 2 p.m.
Oct. 10 LIVINGSTONE* RALEIGH, NC 1 P.M.
Oct. 17 WINSTON-SALEM STATE* RALEIGH, NC 1 P.M.
Oct. 24 at Fayetteville State * Fayetteville, NC 2 p.m.
Oct. 31 JOHNSON C. SMITH*# RALEIGH, NC 1 P.M.
Nov. 7 at Shaw* Durham, NC 1 p.m.
Nov. 14 CIAA Championship Durham, NC 1 p.m.

* - CIAA conference games
# - Homecoming
Home games in BOLD CAPS at George Williams Athletic Complex

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