Howard Women's Basketball Releases Stout 2016-17 Schedule

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Howard University women's basketball team has finalized its schedule for the 2016-17 season, as announced by head coach Ty Grace on Monday. The 28-game slate includes matchups with three teams that made the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

The 2016-17 regular season opens with a seven-game road trip, beginning at Brown on Friday, Nov. 11. The Bison will head to face West Virginia on Nov. 15, who made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Howard will spend the rest of November making stops at Michigan (11/18), Cornell (11/22), Cincinnati (11/26) and St. Francis (N.Y.) (11/30).

After a Dec. 4 game at Robert Morris, the squad will have its 2016-17 home opener on Saturday, Dec. 10 when it welcomes Mount St. Mary's to the Nation's Capital. The Bison travel to NJIT on Dec. 16 before coming back home to face UIC on Dec. 19. The team will have a quick turnaround to play at Fairleigh Dickinson (12/22) then hosts Vermont (12/30) to close out the year and non-conference schedule.

Howard commences Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) action with a showdown against Florida A&M on Jan. 4 in Burr Gymnasium. The Bison will play home-and-home series against Maryland Eastern Shore, North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T, the 2016 MEAC Champion. The rest of the conference schedule will be single-play matchups.

The Bison will play their final home game on Feb. 27 when it battles UMES before closing out the regular season on the road against Delaware State on Mar. 2.

"I felt we did a good job putting together a diverse schedule," said Ty Grace. "While we are playing some of the best teams in the country in West Virginia and Michigan, we are also giving ourselves an opportunity to be competitive and pick up some wins in our non-conference action. I think our non-conference schedule will definitely help us prepare for the MEAC season, which I know will be tough once again."

The 2017 MEAC Tournament will be played from Mar. 6-11 at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va. 

       

Full schedule listed below:

HOWARD BISON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2016-17 SCHEDULE

DATE	OPPONENT	LOCATION	TIME (ET)
11/11/16	at Brown	Providence, R.I.	TBA
11/15/16	at West Virginia	Morgantown, W. Va.	TBA
11/18/16	at Michigan	Ann Arbor, Mich.	TBA
11/22/16	at Cornell	Ithaca, N.Y.	TBA
11/26/16	at Cincinnati	Cincinnati, Ohio	TBA
11/30/16	at St. Francis (N.Y.)	Brooklyn, N.Y.	TBA
12/4/16	at Robert Morris	Pittsburgh, Pa.	TBA
12/10/16	Mt. St. Mary's	Washington, D.C.	2 p.m.
12/16/16	at NJIT	Newark, N.J.	7 p.m.
12/19/16	UIC	Washington, D.C.	2 p.m.
12/22/16	at Fairleigh Dickinson	Teaneck, N.J.	TBA
12/30/16	Vermont	Washington, D.C.	2 p.m.
1/4/17	FAMU*	Washington, D.C.	TBA
1/14/17	at UMES*	Princess Anne, Md.	TBA
1/16/17	Coppin State*	Washington, D.C.	TBA
1/21/17	at North Carolina A&T*	Greensboro, N.C.	TBA
1/23/17	at North Carolina Central*	Durham, N.C.	TBA
1/28/17	Savannah State*	Washington, D.C.	TBA
1/30/17	S.C. State*	Washington, D.C.	TBA
2/4/17	at FAMU*	Tallahassee, Fla.	TBA
2/6/17	at Bethune-Cookman*	Daytona Beach, Fla.	TBA
2/11/17	at Hampton*	Hampton, Va.	TBA
2/13/17	Morgan State*	Washington, D.C.	TBA
2/18/17	North Carolina A&T*	Washington, D.C.	TBA
2/20/17	North Carolina Central*	Washington, D.C.	TBA
2/25/17	at Norfolk State*	Norfolk, Va.	TBA
2/27/17	UMES*	Washington, D.C.	TBA
3/2/17	at Delaware State*	Dover, Del.	TBA
3/6-11/17	MEAC Tournament	Norfolk, Va.	TBA

Home Games in BOLD

*Denotes MEAC Contest

by Candace Johnson, Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Here's how Southern's Jose De Leon made himself a prized L.A. Dodgers prospect

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma — Jose De Leon knew little to no English. He was a little pudgy — baby fat as some called it — and he was in a new world.

A freshman in his first semester at Southern University in 2010, De Leon was wide-eyed and struggling. Baton Rouge was different from Isabela, Puerto Rico, and he missed his family.

“I was lost,” De Leon said.

Then he stepped into the classroom of an aging history professor who possessed a deep Southern accent. Many students dropped the class, citing an inability to understand the professor.



De Leon moved closer to the front of the room.

“I was going to stay there because if I end up understanding him I could understand anybody,” De Leon said. “By the end of the year I was understanding.”

That was the first sign of what De Leon could do if he applied himself.

Four years later, De Leon became a “teacher’s pet” in a baseball classroom, taking the necessary steps to rise from the 24th-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers to a prized pitching prospect currently in Triple-A Oklahoma City.

CONTINUE READING

from THE EDITOR Dwight Floyd: FAMU at Coastal Carolina, Game 2 Preseason Pick

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Coastal Carolina is going to score. All of last year there was not a team that seriously slowed their offense. In the three games they lost they scored 21, 25, and 38 points.

The last time FAMU played them in 2014, the Rattlers gave the game away with interceptions and fumbles, but then again causing turnovers is a part of Coastal’s game. This time they will be playing a Carolina team that is ranked 16th in preseason polls.

The biggest advantage that Coastal Carolina will have is a successful offensive scheme they have been using for four years now. They also have solid running backs and big receivers. Coastal will have a new defensive coordinator to try to shore up their defense.



CONTINUE READING

ASU Up-Tempo Scrimmage Results in Big Plays on Both Sides of Ball

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Junior LENORRIS FOOTMAN threw for two touchdowns and ran for one to highlight the Alcorn State University football Purple vs. Gold preseason scrimmage Saturday in front of a strong turnout at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.

The new scoreboard was officially turned on for the first time and operated for the entire scrimmage. Fans got their first look at instant replays in addition to enhanced video and score content.

The scrimmage featured the entire offense wearing gold, playing against the entire defense wearing purple. A total of six touchdowns and two field goals were registered by the gold after two 15-minute halves.

The fast-tempo game also saw the defense record eight sacks, six pass break-ups and three quarterback-hurries.

Footman ended with 158 yards passing. He split time at quarterback with redshirt-freshman NOAH JOHNSON who also threw for 97 yards and two touchdowns.

The scoring began with a 40-yard field goal by freshman COREY MCCULLOUGH. The first touchdown came on a 15-yard pass from Footman to junior NORLANDO VEALS.

Also catching touchdowns on the day were junior JALEN WALKER and sophomore CORBIN JOHNSON.

The biggest play of the scrimmage came on a 40-yard spurt by junior ARRON BAKER who busted through the middle and could not be caught. Baker finished with 80 yards on seven carries.

Defensively, TERRY WHITTINGTON shined with 6.5 tackles including 3.0 sacks. Junior BRADY SMITH was also all over the field with 7.0 tackles and a pair of pass breakups.

Sophomore LASHAUN EALEY got his hands on the lone interception of the contest in the closing minutes.

On special teams, McCullough and fellow freshman VARRICK DYER JR. split duties between kicking and punting. Dyer drilled a 45-yarder on his lone field goal attempt.

Freshman Tavares Johnson broke-off a pair of big kick returns including a 53-yarder and a 47-yarder. Junior CHARLES HUGHES returned punts, with his longest of the day resulting in a 32-yarder.

Alcorn has two more weeks to prepare for its 2016 season opener as it takes on Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Sunday, Sept. 4 at noon (CT) as part of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge on ESPN.

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Dr. Darryl A. Pope Named Fort Valley State Director of Athletics

Dr. DARRYL A. POPE

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- Following a nationwide search, Fort Valley State University President Paul Jones announces the appointment of Dr. Darryl A. Pope as the university's director of athletics. Pope will join FVSU from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where he has served as athletics director since March 2014.

In announcing Pope's hiring, President Jones expressed confidence that FVSU's athletics teams will reach new heights in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and National Collegiate Athletics Association competitions.

"I'm excited about having someone with his extensive background and experience join the Wildcat family. I'm looking forward to his leadership during this exciting time in our university's history," said Jones.

With more than 20 years' experience, Pope has extensive knowledge in leadership and management in intercollegiate sports. His accomplishments include: developing compliance and fundraising programs, writing and managing strategic plans for a progressive and growing athletic program, oversight of facilities and athletic budgets, external relations and game-day management. He also served on the NCAA Peer Review Program, from 2000 to 2011, evaluating Division I institutions for compliance with NCAA guiding principles.

"I'm looking forward to working with the staff and administration at Fort Valley State University. FVSU has potential to make some great strides in athletics that will have a positive impact on the school and community. I enjoy moving programs forward and making a positive difference. I thank Dr. Jones for the opportunity and know that together we are going to do some great things at FVSU," stated Pope.

At FVSU, Pope will oversee 11 intercollegiate sports programs, including football, men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball, track and cross country, tennis and softball.

Prior to his 2014 arrival at Lincoln, Pope spent two years as director of athletics and physical activity at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Ill. He also worked in the Department of Athletics at Kennesaw State University and served as associate athletics director for internal affairs. He earned his bachelor's degree in communication management, with a minor in business administration from Howard University, a master's degree in sport administration from Grambling State University in Louisiana, and a doctoral degree in education in sports management and leisure studies from Temple University in Pennsylvania.

Tentatively, Pope begins Sept. 12, 2016.

FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Alcorn State Braves Unveil Loaded 2016-17 Schedule

LORMAN, Mississippi -- With eight of its 11 non-conference games on the road against bigger schools, the Alcorn State University men's basketball program released its 2016-17 schedule, head coach Montez Robinson announced Friday.

"I'm really excited for the upcoming season. We are going to play a very difficult non-conference slate which will have us well-prepared for conference play," said Robinson, who enters his second year at the helm. "Even our non-Division I games are against quality opponents and we'll have to play our best every night to win."

The Braves open the 2016-17 campaign Friday, Nov. 11, when they travel to Evanston, Ill., to take on Loyola-Chicago. Alcorn will hang around the Midwest a few more days to play at Evansville Monday, Nov. 14.

The home opener will be Friday, Nov. 18, when Selma University comes to town to play inside the Davey L. Whitney HPER Complex. The Braves will stay at home to host Blue Mountain Tuesday, Nov. 22. Both games will begin at 7 p.m.

Alcorn will kick-off a big six game road trip starting Sunday, Nov. 27, which will include games at Colorado State, San Francisco, California, Louisiana Tech, Georgia Tech and Grand Canyon. After almost a month away from home, the Braves will play their non-conference finale at home against Rust College at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 22.

Southwestern Athletic Conference action starts Monday, Jan. 2 when the Braves host Texas Southern, followed by Prairie View A&M Wednesday, Jan. 4. SWAC play will feature a double round robin format where all 10 schools play each other twice, home and away, to complete an 18-game conference schedule.

The top-eight teams from the SWAC regular season standings will qualify for the 2017 conference tournament beginning Thursday, March 7. The higher seed will host the first round, and both the semifinals and finals will be held March 10-11 at a neutral site in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center.

Date Time Opponent Location Home / Away Conference Game Location 
1/11/2016 TBA Loyola-Chicago Evanston, Ill. A Evanston, Ill. Fri.
11/14/2016 TBA Evansville Evansville, Ind. A Evansville, Ind. Mon.
11/18/2016 7 p.m. Selma University H Davey L. Whitney Complex Fri.
11/22/2016 7 p.m. Blue Mountain College H Davey L. Whitney Complex Tue.
11/27/2016 TBA Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO A Fort Collins, CO Sun.
11/30/2016 TBA San Francisco San Francisco, Calif. A San Francisco, Calif. Wed.
12/3/2016 TBA California Berkeley, Calif. A Berkeley, Calif. Sat.
12/5/2016 TBA Louisiana Tech Ruston, La. A Ruston, La. Mon.
12/18/2016 TBA Georgia Tech Atlanta, Ga. A Atlanta, Ga. Sun.
12/20/2016 TBA Grand Canyon Phoenix, Ariz. A Phoenix, Ariz. Tue.
12/22/2016 7 p.m. Rust College H Davey L. Whitney Complex Thu.
1/2/2017 7 p.m. Texas Southern H Conference Game Davey L. Whitney Complex Mon.
1/4/2017 7 p.m. Prairie View A&M H Conference Game Davey L. Whitney Complex Wed. 
1/7/2017 TBA Jackson State Jackson, Miss. A Conference Game Jackson, Miss. Sat. 
1/9/2017 TBA Grambling State Grambling, La. A Conference Game Grambling, La. Mon. 
1/14/2017 5:50 p.m. Mississippi Valley State H Conference Game Davey L. Whitney Complex Sat. 
1/16/2017 7 p.m. Arkansas-Pine Bluff H Conference Game Davey L. Whitney Complex Mon. 
1/21/2017 TBA Alabama State Montgomery, Ala. A Conference Game Montgomery, Ala. Sat. 
1/23/2017 TBA Alabama A&M Huntsville, Ala. A Conference Game Huntsville, Ala. Mon. 
1/28/2017 5:30 p.m. Southern H Conference Game Davey L. Whitney Complex Sat. 
2/4/2017 5:30 p.m. Jackson State H Conference Game Davey L. Whitney Complex Sat. 
2/6/2017 7 p.m. Grambling State H Conference Game Davey L. Whitney Complex Mon. 
2/11/2017 TBA Mississippi Valley State Itta Bena, Miss. A Conference Game Itta Bena, Miss. Sat. 
2/13/2017 TBA Arkansas-Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, Ark. A Conference Game Pine Bluff, Ark. Mon. 
2/18/2017 5:30 p.m. Alabama State H Conference Game Davey L. Whitney Complex Sat. 
2/20/2017 7 p.m. Alabama A&M H Conference Game Davey L. Whitney Complex Mon. 
2/25/2017 4 p.m. Southern Baton Rouge, La. A Conference Game Baton Rouge, La. Sat. 
3/2/2017 TBA Texas Southern Houston, Texas A Conference Game Houston, Texas Thu. 
3/4/2017 TBA Prairie View A&M Prairie View, Texas A Conference Game Prairie View, Texas Sat. 
SWAC Tournament
3/7-11/2017 TBA TBA TBA N TBA Tue.-Sat. 

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

SCSU's Pitt Promoted to Associate Head Basketball Coach

COACH RIO PITT

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State men’s basketball coach Murray Garvin announced the promotion of assistant Rio Pitt to associate head coach.

Pitt, who is entering his sixth season as a member of the SC State basketball staff, will -- among other duties -- coordinate recruiting and academics for the Bulldogs and also be responsible for developing the SC State post players along with on-the-floor coaching duties.

“Coach Pitt is one of the brightest young coaches that I have had the pleasure to work with over the span of my career on the collegiate level,” said Garvin. “He is hard-working and has demonstrated the characteristics that will one day allow him to run his own program as a head coach.”

Garvin noted, “With the recent departure of Coach Ken Spencer to Fayetteville State University, many wondered who would replace him as my right hand guy. I never had that concern as Rio has demonstrated over the years that he is ready for the responsibility of being second in command.”

CONTINUE READING