MEAC/SWAC Challenge 2015 Legends Class Announced

Coach Willie Jeffries
Courtesy: MEAC Media Relations

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida -- In recognition of their accomplishments and contributions as distinguished alumni of Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU), four honorees will be presented with the 2015 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Legends Award, to be given during the 11th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney.

The MEAC/SWAC Challenge Legends Reception, now in its seventh year, will be held Saturday, Sept. 5, at Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The event precedes this year’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge, which features South Carolina State University and University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Orlando Citrus Bowl. The game will be televised on ESPN.

The Legends Class of 2015 includes five-time NFL Pro Bowl player and four-time All-Pro safety Donnie Shell, a standout from South Carolina State; three-time Super Bowl winner and former Washington Redskins linebacker Monte Coleman, now head coach at University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff; legendary South Carolina State head coach and College Football Hall of Fame member Willie Jeffries, the first African-American head coach of a NCAA Division I-A football program at a predominantly white college (Wichita State, 1979); and, posthumously, six-time Pro Bowl player and two-time All-Pro defensive end L.C. Greenwood, named the 1968 Ebony All-American defensive end of the SWAC while at Arkansas AM&N, now University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Greenwood was one of the four members of the Steel Curtain who remains one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ top two franchise leaders in sacks.

“Every year, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Legends Award proves to be a remarkable representation of the contributions and successes across Historically Black Colleges & Universities,” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president, ESPN Events. “We are delighted that in 2015 we will again enjoy an outstanding class, with four distinguished men whose careers in sports started at HBCUs.”

Each honoree will receive an HBCU Trailblazer Award in recognition of the impact made to his or her respective career, community or alma mater. ESPN SportsCenter anchor Jay Harris will host the evening’s festivities.

The MEAC/SWAC Challenge, owned and operated by ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN, annually pits a MEAC team against a SWAC opponent at a neutral site located within the footprint of one of the conferences. Several additional events will take place around the game, including a high school career panel, pep rally and the halftime Battle of the Bands.

Tickets to the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney can be purchased through Ticketmaster online, by calling 800-745-3000 or by logging on to meacswacchallenge.com. For more information about the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, or to join the event’s following on Facebook and Twitter, please visit the event’s official website at meacswacchallenge.com.

The 2015 Legends Class

L.C. Greenwood (Honored posthumously; Representing University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
Monte Coleman (Representing University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
Willie Jeffries (Representing South Carolina State University)
Donnie Shell (Representing South Carolina State University)

Experienced guard Deron Powers will transfer from Hampton

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton junior guard Deron Powers will transfer a source confirmed to NBCSports.com. The 5-foot-11 guard started 94 games during his three-year career at Hampton, and helped the team reach the 2015 NCAA tournament, but he told Dave Johnson of the Daily Press that he wants to play at a higher level.

“Honestly, I want to play for a better program,” Powers said to Johnson. “I’m definitely up for anything, and it doesn’t have to be at the highest level. There are a lot of good programs I wouldn’t mind going to, but I am looking for a higher-profile team that needs a point guard.”



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Joe Thomas could turn some heads in the Green Bay Packers LB competition

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin  -- It’s no secret that both the inside linebackers and the special teams both went through major struggles last season for the Green Bay Packers. The coaching staff rotated numerous players through both groups and seemingly found a combination that worked at linebacker but never could figure out what to do with the special teams. The kick-off return unit, both coverage units, and the blocking for punts and field goals all could have been classified as arguably the worst in the league. Unfortunately, a player that could have made an impact on both defense and special teams had his season end before it ever really got going.

After the 2014 NFL Draft came to its end and teams and undrafted free agents were scrambling to find fits, the Green Bay Packers ended up signing three inside linebackers after not taking one in the draft. Among them was Joe Thomas, a highly productive player out of South Carolina State. As a senior, Thomas recorded 116 tackles (84 solo), 7.5 sacks, and broke up 5 passes on his way to being named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, an All-American, and a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award which is given to the best defensive player at the FCS level. Coming out of the college ranks, Thomas was known as an undersized yet very physical run-stuffing linebacker that was the main cog in a defense that led the FCS level in run defense.

During last year’s training camp, Joe Thomas competed in ...

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WSSU chancellor wants to play A&T, Central again

ADVANCE, North Carolina – Heading into his first summer as chancellor at Winston-Salem State, Elwood Robinson says he’ll look at a lot of different areas within the university, including athletics.

Robinson, a definite hands-on chancellor when it comes to athletics, has some ideas that he hopes will spring to life at some point. He has made it known that WSSU needs to play N.C. A&T in football again. He also hopes to strike a deal with UNC Charlotte to play an exhibition basketball game there.

“We have a vision for a lot of things, and one of those visions is for our football schedule,” Robinson said earlier this month while attending the Big House Gaines Golf Tournament at Oak Valley. “We also have a vision for what we are trying to do overall in athletics.”

Robinson has already had discussions with Harold Martin, the chancellor at N.C. A&T, about playing again. Robinson doesn’t have a timetable but a guess is it could happen in 2017.

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Jackson State's Jovany Felipe Signs to the Tampa Bay Rays

Jovany Felipe
Courtesy: JSU Athletics

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State’s senior catcher Jovany Felipe signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as a free agent on Monday, June 15.

During the 2015 season, Felipe maintained a .317 batting average with 40 runs, and 59 hits (12 doubles, two triples, and five home runs) for 54 RBIs. He posted a .406 on base percentage, a .484 slugging percentage, and a .974 fielding percentage. His honors included being named to the 2015 College Sports Madness Southwestern Athletic Conference Second Team, being named to the 2015 SWAC Postseason First Team, and ranking 16th nationally in runs batted-in.

COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Norfolk State transfer RaShid Gaston picks Xavier

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Six-foot-nine power forward RaShid Gaston received attention from multiple colleges after announcing plans to transfer from Norfolk State, but only one was the perfect fit.

Gaston committed to Xavier after a weekend visit. The 240-pound transfer will have one year of eligibility with Chris Mack and the Musketeers after his sit-out season in 2015-2016.

"Honestly, I fell in love with (Xavier)," Gaston said. "I went down there with my mom and my sister and they fell in love with it too. They just make you feel at home. I love the style of play there. I love how Coach Mack and his staff – they're about business but they're so down to earth. They're such good guys."

Gaston said he also garnered interest from Kent State, South Florida, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas State and DePaul, among others. He liked Xavier for its proximity to his hometown of Warren, Ohio (about 20 minutes from Youngstown), and the ease of travel for mom Lisa Carter, aunt Gwen Stargell and sister Gabrielle Jackson.

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XU SID Cassiere earns 3 more NAIA writing awards

ED CASSIERE
SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR
XULA

ORLANDO, Florida — Xavier University of Louisiana's Ed Cassiere received three awards Monday, including a first place, in the NAIA's 2014-15 Dr. W. Jack Bell Writing Contest.

All three of Cassiere's entries in the season preview/review category were honored. His men's cross country preview was the winner. His women's volleyball preview placed fourth, and his women's cross country preview tied for ninth.

All three of those award-winning stories previewed teams which eventually won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference championships and qualified for NAIA National
Championships.

Cassiere received his awards during the NAIA-SIDA Convention, a one-day event and part of the 2015 College Sports Information Directors of America Convention.

Cassiere — who in July will begin his 10th year as Xavier's SID — has received 22 NAIA writing awards the past seven years, including five firsts. During the past four years, Xavier and Cassiere's 14 awards are the most by a university or individual in the Dr. W. Jack Bell Writing Contest. No other university or individual has more than 10 awards during the past four years.

COURTESY XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA ATHLETICS