Influence of Grambling coach remains strong

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State University is a small college in north Louisiana. Despite the size, it’s home to legendary figures in the sporting world.

None bigger than Eddie Robinson.

It’s been almost ten years since Coach Eddie Robinson passed away, nearly 20 since he last coached a game. But as the year’s pass, his legend grows. It’s because of how he lived.

“There’s no question. It is alive and well” said former Grambling State University football player Lee Fobbs.

Jim Crow laws influenced whom Robinson recruited and what teams his squad could play. During a time of institutionalized discrimination Robinson excelled.

“It’s pretty amazing that someone could start with so little and make so much” said GSU President Rick Gallot.

Robinson was hired in 1941 by Ralph W.E. Jones, to coach players just a few years younger than he was.

CONTINUE READING

Catholic High's Tre Square reconnects Southern football with recruiting hotbed

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- It’s about a 20-minute drive from Catholic High’s campus in Baton Rouge’s garden district to A.W. Mumford Stadium — give or take a few minutes, depending on traffic.

Over the years, the Bears produced some of the best football talent to come out of the capital from former NFL pro bowler Warrick Dunn to current LSU running back Derrius Guice.

But in Catholic senior defensive end Tre Square’s lifetime, the Jaguars struggled to find players willing to make the less than 9-mile trip across town.

The last Catholic Bear to suit up for the Jaguars was tight end Brian Washington in the early 2000s.

Washington signed with Southern in 2002, eventually rising to take a starting spot. He was a part of Southern’s most recent Black National Championship team in 2003.

Square doesn’t remember much of Washington’s career, but he was there.

CONTINUE READING

Roger Cador won't leave until Southern baseball is back on its feet, but he knows the end is getting closer

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Roger Cador won’t die in a Southern uniform. He simply refuses.

After 32 years at the helm of Southern baseball, Cador watched the program grow out of a stolen grocery basket filled with nothing but a few dirty uniforms and a handful of used balls to become one of the most successful historically black college programs in the country.

In 1987, Southern became the first HBCU to win a game in the NCAA tournament. In 2003, Rickie Weeks won the the Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the nation’s top amateur player.

Cador is a legend in the baseball community, but all things come to an end. Cador just hopes it’s on his own terms, whenever that may be.

“I’m not looking to die (in this position),” he said. “Now, I may go out tomorrow and die, but that’s not my goal. My goal is not to die in this program. And I’m not going to hold over this program and make them think it’s my program. I want that to be known. I have no plan of dying in this program.”

Cador has been open about his exit strategy. The Jaguars are struggling to get out from under the NCAA’s thumb after the lack of institutional control ruling it handed down last year. In preparation for the ruling, Cador purged his roster before the start of last season, which helped limit the number of scholarships the Jaguars lost.

CONTINUE READING

2017 MEAC Basketball Tournament Ticket Books on Sale Now

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Ticket books are on sale now for the highly-anticipated 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament. This year’s tournament gets underway March 6-11 at the Norfolk (Va.) Scope Arena.

Each ticket book contains nine tickets, one for each session, which provides entrance for one (1) person to attend all 23 men’s and women’s games including the championship finals on Saturday, March 11 beginning with the men’s game at 1 p.m. and the women’s title game at 3 p.m.



Ticket books are available for purchase at all 13 member institutions, the Scope Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, the MEAC Administrative Office and online at ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available by calling the MEAC at (757) 951-2055 or Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Ticket books for general admission are available for $140 plus handling fees. Senior and student prices are also available with proper identification for $106.50. Floor seating is also available for weekly packages.

Fans interested in sitting within their university’s fan block are encouraged to contact their institution’s ticket office directly.

For more information about the 2017 MEAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament visit www.MEAChoops.com.

Session 1 - Monday, March 6 - 5 games - 11 a.m.
Session 2 - Tuesday, March 7 - 4 games - 12 p.m.
Session 3 - Wednesday, March 8 - 2 games - 12 p.m.
Session 4 - Wednesday, March 8 - 2 games - 6 p.m.
Session 5 - Thursday, March 9 - 2 games - 12 p.m.
Session 6 - Thursday, March 9 - 2 games - 6 p.m.
Session 7 - Friday, March 10 - 2 games - 12 p.m.
Session 8 - Friday, March 10 - 2 games - 6 p.m.
Session 9 - Saturdays, March 10 - 2 games - 1 p.m.

About the MEAC Tournament

The MEAC Basketball Tournament is a single elimination championship playoff that involves Division I historically black colleges and universities located across the Atlantic coastline: Bethune-Cookman, Coppin State, Delaware State, Florida A&M, Hampton, Howard, Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central, Savannah State, and South Carolina State.

The tournament games are played at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Virginia. Both the men’s and women’s champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Tournament. The North Carolina A&T State University Aggies and the Hampton Pirates won the 2016 women’s and men’s titles, respectively and received bids to the NCAA Tournament.

MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

2017 Toyota SWAC Basketball Tournament

North Carolina A&T State Women's Track Captures First Indoor Title In School History

WATCH ESPN3 BROADCAST

FINALS RESULTS

LANDOVER, Maryland -- North Carolina A&T State captured its first-ever MEAC women’s indoor championship, tallying 145 points and finishing well ahead of runner-up Florida A&M (94), third-place Hampton (73.5) and fourth-place Norfolk State (72).

Aggies coach Duane Ross was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Coach.

Martha Bissah of Norfolk State was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Runner on the women’s side after adding two more titles to her ledger on Saturday, taking gold in the women’s mile with a time of 4:53.48 and the 3,000-meter run with a 10:13.70.

These titles came in addition to the 800 and distance medley titles she won on Friday.

Morgan Knight of North Carolina A&T State defended her title in the women’s pole vault, leaping 3.52 meters (11 feet, 6.5 inches). It was the first of six event titles on the day for the Lady Aggies; in other field action, Most Outstanding Field Performer Anisa Toppin won the women’s triple jump with a mark of 12.73 meters (41 feet, 9.25 inches).

India Brown gave North Carolina A&T State the women’s 200 title with a time of 24.08, and her teammate Tori Ray won the women’s 400 in 55.77.

Kayla White ran an 8.36 to win gold in the women’s 60-meter hurdles.

The Lady Aggies also took gold in the 4x400m relay, as Ray, Brown, Asya Macon and Taliyah Townsend turned in a time of 3:46.63.

Bethune-Cookman’s Catoria Sirmon won the women’s shot put with a mark of 15.22 meters (49 feet, 11.25 inches).

Shenel Crooke of Morgan State won the 60m dash with a time of 7.41.

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Florida A&M Rattlers Upset Maryland, 5-1

GAINESVILLE, Florida – The FAMU Softball Team (1-8) snapped an early season slide here Saturday morning, knocking off Big Ten foe University of Maryland, 5-1 in their third game of the 2017 Aquafina Softball Invitational at KSP Stadium.

Senior pitcher Kenya Pereira (1-3) went the distance against the Terps (0-8), allowing one run on five hits, striking out three against no walks in seven innings of work.

Pereira scored FAMU’s first run in the top of the second, drawing a leadoff walk, eventually scoring from third on a fielding error for a 1-0 lead.

Maryland tied the game in the bottom of the third at 1-1, but FAMU clinched their first win with a four-run top of the seventh.

Shakayla Nixon scored from second on a Taylor Rosier RBI single for a 2-1 FAMU lead. Tashayla Irvis scored from third on a RBI fielder’s choice grounder by Amber Fullwood for a 3-1 lead.

Rosier scored from third on a fielder’s choice grounder by Jamesia Stoudamire for a 4-1 edge, then Fullwood tallied when Toni Anderson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the 5-1 final.

Whtiney Farris led FAMU with three hits, with Rosier and Miesha McBride each finishing with two hits, and Nachelle Watson and Irvis each adding a hit apiece.

FAMU was slated to play FIU at 3:45 p.m. Saturday evening, and close their appearance in the event Sunday morning against Northwestern (La.) State at 9:00.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS