Washington Redskins to host former Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette (Stillman College) for visit

RICHMOND, Virginia -- The day after they signed Ryan Kerrigan to a lucrative contract extension, the Redskins will explore the possibility of further bolstering their pass rush by meeting with free agent outside linebacker Junior Galette, two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed.

Galette arrived in Richmond on Wednesday night and on Thursday was to meet with general manager Scot McCloughan, Redskins president Bruce Allen and other members of the organization, according to a person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak for the team. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also have expressed interest in Galette, but it’s believed that

Washington ranks first on his list of destinations, another person familiar with Galette’s thinking said.

A fifth-year veteran out of Stillman College, the 6-foot-2, 258-pound Galette boasts great talent, having recorded a total of 22 sacks in 2013 and 2014 – his first two seasons as a starter.

His signing  would give Washington a dominant pass rusher to pair with Kerrigan, who last season recorded a career-high 13.5 sacks and on Wednesday signed a five-year, $57.5 million extension.

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FAMU Football Opens Training Camp August 3

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – The 2015 Florida A&M University Football team will open final preparations for the coming season Monday, August 3, as prospects for the team are slated to report to campus.

Head coach Alex Wood and his staff will conduct two days of orientation for the players on Tuesday and Wednesday, a time frame which will include physical exams and conditioning evaluations.

The Rattlers will hit the field for initial drills in helmets and shorts, Thursday through Saturday, then will open their full contact regimen on Monday, August 10, with two work sessions.

FAMU opens the 2015 regular season on Saturday, September 5 agains the University of South Florida (USF) at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Kickoff will be 7:00 p.m.

2015 FAMU FALL FOOTBALL CAMP SCHEDULE

Monday, August 3 ……………. Players Report

Tues-Wed, August 4-5 ……… Orientation Period

Thu-Sat, August 6-8 ………… Drills In Shorts and Shells

Monday, August 10 …………. First Day of Full Contact Drills

Two-A-Day Dates …………….. August 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21

Single Practice Dates ……….. August 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22

Monday, August 24 ………….. First Day of Fall Classes

Saturday, September 5 ……… SEASON OPENER – BEAT USF!!!


2015 FAMU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 5 #at University of South Florida (7:00) Tampa, Fla.

Sept. 12 at Samford University (2:00) Birmingham, Ala.

Sept. 17 +at South Carolina State* (7:30) Orangeburg, S.C.

SEPT. 26 TENNESSEE STATE (4:00) HOME

Oct. 3 at Savannah State* (7:00) Savannah, Ga.

OCT. 10 N.CAROLINA CENTRAL*(4:00) HOME

OCT. 17 DELAWARE STATE* (3:00) HOMECOMING

OCT. 31 NORTH CAROLINA A&T*(3:00) HOME

Nov. 7 at Hampton University* (1:00) Hampton, Va.

Nov. 14 at Morgan State University*(1:00) Baltimore, Md.

Nov. 21 Bethune-Cookman * (2:30) Orlando, Fla.

*-MEAC games; +-ESPNU Thursday Night game; #-ESPN3

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Russell Barbarino Hired as Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Michigan



RUSSELL BARBARINO
HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
(Photo Courtesy: FAMU Athletics)

ANN ARBOR, Michigan --University of Michigan director of strength and conditioning Mike Favre announced Russell Barbarino Wednesday (July 29) as a head strength and conditioning coach for Olympic sports. He will direct strength and conditioning for women's basketball and field hockey during the 2015-16 athletic season.

Prior to Michigan, Barbarino spent five years as the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Florida A&M University. He was responsible for the supervision of more than 300 student-athletes from FAMU's 18 intercollegiate athletics teams and coordinating all strength and conditioning programs, including the direct supervision of three full-time assistants. During his time there, the football team won the 2010 MEAC Conference football championship. He also trained two NFL Draft selections and nine players selected to free agent NFL professional contracts. Additionally, he trained the 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 MEAC Conference South Division volleyball champions, a team that was 38-2 in MEAC conference play and 44-6 including MEAC Tournament play from 2011-2014.

Prior to FAMU, he was a successful business owner and nationally certified fitness and athletic performance specialist in Tallahassee and surrounding areas, including owning and operating Anytime Fitness of Tallahassee Mahan Drive and Anytime Fitness of Crawfordville, Florida.

Barbarino previously served as the director of strength and conditioning at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, from 2005-2006. Due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina, he relocated to College Station, Texas, and set up a training schedule in conjunction with Texas A&M University officials. He coordinated strength and conditioning programs for all of Tulane's 16 men's and women's division I varsity sports programs, which were located at four different universities, including Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Louisiana Tech and Southern Methodist. Also, he worked together on a daily basis with the Texas A&M Strength & Conditioning Staff, assisting with the training of the Texas A&M football, men's basketball and a variety of Olympic sports programs.

Prior to Tulane, Barbarino served as the Director of Strength and Conditioning at the University of Delaware from 1999-2005. While at Delaware, he coordinated, designed and implemented strength and conditioning programs for all 23 men's and women's Division I varsity sports programs. The football team garnered its best record in school history, going 15-1 and winning the 2003 Division I-AA (FCS) national championship while also capturing the 2000, 2003 and 2004 Atlantic-10 Conference Football championships. On their way to winning the 2003 national championship, Delaware outscored its playoff opponents, 149-23, including a 40-0 victory in the championship game -- all current FCS records. The women's basketball program posted five 20-plus win seasons, participated in the WNIT in 2005, 2003 and 2002 and earned a trip to the 2001 NCAA Tournament. They also won the 2005 and 2003 Colonial Athletic Association regular-season championships and 2001 America East Conference championship. The men's basketball program also had a pair of 20-plus win seasons and an invitation to the 2000 NIT. He also trained the 2004 CAA field hockey champions and 2000 women's lacrosse team to the NCAA Championship tournament.

Prior to his stint at Delaware, Barbarino served as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning coach at Florida State University from 1995-1999. While Barbarino was at Florida State, the program won the 1999 NCAA FBS championship, had two national runner-up finishes and won five Atlantic Coast Conference football titles. Barbarino assisted with the development of 11 first-round NFL draft picks and 38 athletes drafted or signed to free-agent contracts by NFL teams.

Barbarino is no stranger himself to the iron game. As a competitive powerlifter, he has become a two-time world, four-time national and nine-time state powerlifting champion who has held world and national records in both the bench press and deadlift while competing in the WNPF, ADFPA, WPA and APA organizations.

Barbarino also has experience working as a volunteer/intern with the following NFL professional organizations including: New Orleans Saints (2005), Baltimore Ravens (2004) and Philadelphia Eagles (2002).

Barbarino is Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) by the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa). He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a member of the U.S. Weightlifting Federation (USAW) as a coach.

A former football letterwinner at Kean University in New Jersey, Barbarino earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science from the school in 1995 and added a master's degree in sports administration from Florida State in 1997. He and his wife, the former Jennifer Engelbrecht, have three boys named Kyle, Bryce and Ryan.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Spirit is high around N.C. Central football

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Jerry Mack has many reasons to be excited about the upcoming football season.

First, North Carolina Central is the co-MEAC defending champion from Mack’s inaugural season.

Second, the Eagles return 15 starters (seven on offense, eight on defense), including starting quarterback Malcolm Bell who passed for 1,982 yards and 15 touchdowns against just five interceptions, and rushed for another 416 yards and five TDs.

Third, NCCU was voted as having the No. 1 HBCU recruiting program by Box To Row, a sports talk radio program.

And fourth, with the exception of one replacement, Mack’s staff remains intact for another season. Ask any head coach how important that is.

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JSU Tigers Report for Fall Camp on August 5

JACKSON, Mississippi -- With the official kickoff of the 2015 football season just around the corner for Jackson State, the Tigers football team is set to report for fall camp on Wednesday, August 5. Returning players and newcomers are set to check in at noon.

The Tigers will hit the field for the first day of practice on August 6. Below is the 2015 JSU fall camp practice schedule. JSU opens the 2015 season on Saturday, September 5 when the Tigers travel to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to take on Middle Tennessee State.

2015 JSU Football Fall Training Camp Schedule
(Practices are scheduled to last approx. two hours, locations are subject to change)
(Practice sessions are scheduled to be at the T.B. Ellis Annex practice field)

Thursday, Aug. 6 – Practice (helmets), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7 – Practice (helmets), 3:45 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 8 – Practice (shells), 3:45 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 9 – Practice (shells), 3:45 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 10 – Practice 1 (full pads), 8:45 a.m., Practice 2 (full pads), 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 11 – Practice (full pads), 3:45 a.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 12 - Practice 1 (full pads), 8:45 a.m., Practice 2 (full pads), 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 13 – Practice 3:45 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 14 - Practice 1 (full pads), 8:45 a.m., Practice 2 (full pads), 3:45 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15 – Scrimmage, 10 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 16 - Practice (full pads), 3:45 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 17 - Practice 1 (full pads), 8:45 a.m., Practice 2 (full pads), 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 18 - Practice, 3:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 19 - Practice 1 (full pads), 8:45 a.m., Practice 2 (full pads), 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 20 - Practice, 3:45 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 21 - Practice 1 (full pads), 8:45 a.m., Practice 2 (full pads), 3:45 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 22 - Scrimmage, 10 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 23 - Practice (full pads), 3:45 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 24 – No Practice
Tuesday, Aug. 25 – Practice, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 26 – Practice, 3:15 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 27 - Practice, 3:15 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 28 - Practice, 3:15 p.m.

COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

Alexander Completes North Carolina A&T Recruiting Class

GREENSBORO, North Carolina --  North Carolina A&T men’s basketball coach announced the completion of his recruiting class Tuesday. Aggie fans will be introduced to four new players next season including two Division I graduate transfers, a junior college transfer and one true freshman.

The Aggies class includes Ede Egharevba (6-6, 210, Queens, N.Y., Albany University), Joshea Singleton (6-4, 211, Kinston, N.C., Bucknell University), Mike Owona (6-9, 250, Bel Air, Md., Northwest Kansas Technical College) and Deion James (6-8, 205, Tucson, Ariz., Empire).

Fourth-year head coach Cy Alexander also had two players sitting out last year in Division I transfer and Greensboro Dudley High School graduate Sam Hunt (6-2, 175, Greensboro, N.C., Jacksonville University) and Jamin Lackey (6-8, 200, Los Angeles, Calif., California Community College), who missed the 2014-15 season because of a shoulder injury.

“I don’t think we ever fully recovered from losing seven seniors at one time,” said Alexander referring to the 2013 MEAC championship team that featured seven seniors.

“Two guys from the class we signed transferred, and then (Richaud) Pack transferred before last season. He was a guy we felt could score close to 20 per game for us. During our (men’s basketball) staff meetings we expressed the need to bring in guys that can help us right away because of some of the setbacks we’ve had. I think my staff did an excellent job of doing that.”

The Aggies lost Pack to the graduate transfer rule. Pack, an A&T graduate, transferred to the University of Maryland to complete his eligibility. By rule, he was allowed to play the 2014-15 season with the Terrapins after playing the 2013-14 season with the Aggies because he already had his undergraduate degree.

Instead of getting upset, Alexander decided to utilize the rule himself. The Aggies signed Egharevba and Singleton with the intention of the two graduate students starting the 2015-16 season as starters.

“Ede is a highly-intelligent young man who graduated college in three years,” said Alexander.

“We’re looking for him to be a double-digit scorer and a fierce defender because of his length on the wings. He brings a lot to the table including maturity in the locker room.”

Over a two-year period, Egharevba played in 18 games with one start for the Great Danes. He initially singed with Wichita State out of Evelyn Mack Academy (N.C.). He took a redshirt season before transferring to Midland where he averaged 5.9 points and 3.2 rebounds before transferring to Albany. He was a 2010 All-New York City performer out of Edison High School, and was the leading scorer at Mack Academy in 2011.

Singleton will team with fellow Kinstonian Denzel Keyes in 2015-16 after graduating from Bucknell. Singleton played in 46 games with 24 starts over a four-year period at Bucknell. He was the 2011 valedictorian at Kestrel Heights School in Durham, N.C. He averaged 14.6 points as a junior and 16.0 points as a senior at Kestrel Heights.

“He is a high intense and high character guy,” said Alexander. “He is going to bring a lot of energy to our team. He played in the Princeton offense, so he is also going to bring some offensive discipline with him as well.”

A&T’s lack of success over the past two seasons is due in part to a lack of physicality, according to Alexander. He hopes to solve that problem with the addition of Owona. Owona played one year each at Farleigh Dickinson and NW Kansas Tech. He played in 30 games as a freshman at FDU where he averaged 1.2 points and 2.3 rebounds as a reserve. He played in 28 games with 26 starts at NW Kansas Tech and posted 4.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

“He is a bruiser and banger with a big body,” said Alexander. “He is not a fine-tuned offensive player but an excellent rebounder. He gives us a presence and toughness in the paint, which is something we need.”

The only true freshman in the class is James. But he is talented enough to come in and play major minutes immediately. He had numerous offers from mid to high mid-majors before choosing A&T and its engineering program.

He can play small forward, power forward and shooting guard. He will likely play shooting guard to start the season. He played in 103 games for Empire and averaged 16.0 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. James averaged better than 20 points and averaged a double-double in each of his final two seasons in high school.

“Once he learns how hard you have to work on the collegiate level, I think he has the potential to be an outstanding player for us,” said Alexander. “He certainly has the speed and the intensity to play on this level. And when you look at the schools who were pursuing him, it tells me we signed a pretty good player.”

With the addition of three veteran players and a talented true freshman along with Hunt and Lackey entering the fold, the Aggies will have a new look in 2015-16. But not all is brand new. The Aggies also have 12 returning players, which makes them one of the deepest teams in the MEAC.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Benedict Will Host Livingstone In Palmetto Capital City Classic

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- A week-long schedule of events will lead up to the 14^th annual Palmetto Capital City Classic on Sept. 5, classic organizers announced on Tuesday.

The Palmetto Capital City Classic will feature Benedict College, in its season opener under new head coach Mike White, taking on Livingstone College from Salisbury, N.C. A game time change was also announced, as kickoff will now be at 4:30 p.m., a half hour earlier than originally planned in order to accommodate the soldiers and staff from Fort Jackson who will be attending the game.

The other big announcement was the Friday night PCCC Old School Funk Party and R&B Show at the Township Auditorium. This year's musical lineup will feature Cameo, Brick and Lakeside. Tickets for this event will go on sale Monday.

Events kick off on Monday, Aug. 31, with the Sponsors Kick-Off Reception and PCCC Alumni Mixer at the First Citizens Café & Outdoor Center on Main Street at 5:30 p.m. The Media and Sponsor Luncheon and crowning of Miss PCCC is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1. Wednesday, Sept. 2, will feature the PCCC Battle of the Drumline Show at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium starting at 5:30 p.m. This will showcase drumlines from high school bands from Columbia and surrounding areas. Thursday will have the PCCC annual Game Day Rally and Fan Celebration at EdVenture/Coble Plaza starting at 5:30 p.m. The annual PCCC Garnell McDonald Memorial Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday, starting at 9 a.m. at Oak Hills Golf Club. The Old School Funk Party is Friday night at Township Auditorium, with the first band taking the stage at 8 p.m.

Saturday's pre-game festivities start at noon with the PCCC Alumni Old School Music Festival and Tailgate Party on the football practice field. The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. with a special halftime show featuring the Benedict College Marching Tiger Band of Distinction and the Livingstone College Marching Blue Bear Band.

Benedict is coming off a 4-6 season, but Tiger fans are optimistic that coach White will turn things around. White told media and supporters at Tuesday's press conference that the team will be young with a lot of new faces.

Livingstone went 5-5 in 2014, winning their first four games. The Blue Bears averaged 32.7 points per game and return quarterback Drew Powell and wide receiver Jalen Hendricks, who were both first-team All-CIAA selections last year. Hendricks was named the CIAA's Offensive Player of the Year after 71 receptions for 1,070 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Tickets for the PCCC game are available at the Benedict College athletic office, 2317 Laurel Street.

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION