Arrests cast shadow over Alcorn spring game

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Saturday’s Purple and Gold Spring Game never had a chance to be Alcorn’s finest hour, because it didn’t last that long.

The arrest of 18 players this week in connection with a brawl that broke out on April 10 cast a shadow over the annual spring scrimmage, which ended after four offensive possessions about halfway through the second quarter.

Coach Fred McNair addressed the media for the first time since the arrests, and said he planned to let the process play out before he made any decisions about potential penalties for the players involved.

“Anybody who has been a football player or a student on campus knows things like that happen,” ASU coach Fred McNair said. “It’s no problem. We’re going to handle that. The University did a great job putting out a statement on it. So we’re just going to take it and wait until they get done with their process.”

Saturday’s scrimmage had a weird feeling from the get-go, when it started in earnest about 45 minutes later than the scheduled 2 p.m. kickoff.

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S.C. State Wins 2017 MEAC Women's Tennis Championship

NORFOLK, Virginia — South Carolina State, the top seed out of the Southern Division, won its second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women's tennis championship with a 4-3 win over Hampton in the championship match Saturday morning at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University.

The Lady Bulldogs have won 12 of the last 13 titles.

Hampton, the No. 1 seed out of the Northern Division, grabbed early control by seizing the doubles point. Mariam Mitaishvili and Kristina Titova came away with a 6-1 victory, while Mikaela Pierce and Cherise Slocombe emerged victorious 6-2 to give the Lady Pirates the opening point.

With the match tied at 3-3, Andjela Vasic took Slocombe to three sets before emerging with the 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 win to clinch the match.

All told, South Carolina State picked up singles wins in the Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 positions – all while Titova and Mitaishvili won the Nos. 1 and 2 singles matches in straight sets. Titova defeated Marketa Marcanikova 6-2, 6-2, while Mitaishvili won her match 6-2, 6-2.

Marcanikova was named the tournament's Outstanding Performer, while head coach Hardeep Judge was named the Outstanding Coach.

The Lady Bulldogs earn the MEAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Div. I Women's Tennis Championships; the selection show will be on Tuesday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.

Outstanding Performer: Marketa Marcanikova, South Carolina State
Outstanding Coach: Hardeep Judge, South Carolina State

All-Tournament Team
#1 Doubles: Mariam Mitaishvili/Kristina Titova, Hampton
#2 Doubles: Mikaela Pierce/Cherise Slocombe, Hampton
#3 Doubles: Oleksandra Filippova/Smaranda Petreanu, South Carolina State

#1 Singles: Kristina Titova, Hampton
#2 Singles: Mariam Mitaishvili, Hampton
#3 Singles: Andjela Vasic, South Carolina State
#4 Singles: Marketa Marcanikova, South Carolina State
#5 Singles: Claudia Roca, South Carolina State
#6 Singles: Smaranda Petreanu, South Carolina State

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU Rattler Men Capture 2017 MEAC Tennis Championship

NORFOLK, Virginia  — Florida A&M ended South Carolina State’s string of dominance on Saturday at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University, defeating the Bulldogs 4-2 in the championship match of the 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Tennis Championship.

The Rattlers won their first MEAC title in men’s tennis since 2000.

The Bulldogs captured the doubles point to begin the match, but the Rattlers bounced back in a big way during singles play. Of the five singles matches that ran to completion, Florida A&M won four of them; the Bulldogs’ lone singles win came in the No. 6 slot, where Aleksander Stupar came away with a 6-1, 6-4 victory.

Karlyn Small and Walner Espinoza picked up straight-set victories for the Rattlers; Small defeated Jakub Vitek 6-3, 6-4 in the No. 3 slot, while Espinoza won in the No. 4 position 6-2, 6-4 over Soufiane Mouline.

The clincher came in the No. 5 spot, where Frederico Nani overcame a 4-3 deficit in the final set, scoring the last three points to secure a 0-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Stanislav Baco.

Carlos Waitman, in No. 2, also had a three-set win – 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 over Vladyslav Yanchenko.

Espinoza was named the tournament’s Outstanding Performer, while head coach Rochelle Goldthreate was named the Outstanding Coach.

The Rattlers earn the MEAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Div. I Men’s Tennis Championships; the selection show will be on Tuesday, May 2 at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.

TOURNAMENT HONORS
Outstanding Performer: Walner Espinoza, Florida A&M
Outstanding Coach: Rochelle Goldthreate, Florida A&M

All-Tournament Team
#1 Doubles: Martin Figura/Jakub Vitek, South Carolina State
#2 Doubles: Vladyslav Yanchenko/Stanislav Baco, South Carolina State
#3 Doubles: Frederico Nani/Jalen Evans, Florida A&M
#1 Singles: Courage Okungbowa, Florida A&M
#2 Singles: Arjun Ramakrishnan, Morgan State
#3 Singles: Karlyn Small, Florida A&M
#4 Singles: Walner Espinoza, Florida A&M
#5 Singles: Frederico Nani, Florida A&M
#6 Singles: Aleksander Stupar, South Carolina State

FLORIDA A&M 4, SC State Bulldogs 2
Apr 22, 2017 at Norfolk, Va.

MEAC MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RESULTS
Singles competition

1. FIGURA,Martin (SCSUM) vs. OKUNGBOWA,Courage (FAMUM) 4-6, 6-3, 2-4, unfinished

2. WAITMAN,Carlos Agust (FAMUM) def. YANCHENKO,Vladyslav (SCSUM) 2-6, 6-2, 6-0

3. SMALL,Karlyn (FAMUM) def. VITEK,Jakub (SCSUM) 6-3, 6-4

4. ESPINOZA,Walner (FAMUM) def. MOULINE,Soufiane (SCSUM) 6-2, 6-4

5. NANI,Frederico (FAMUM) def. BACO,Stanislav (SCSUM) 0-6, 6-2, 6-4

6. STUPAR,Aleksander (SCSUM) def. SKOROMNYY,Illya (FAMUM) 6-1, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. FIGURA,Martin/VITEK,Jakub (SCSUM) def. ESPINOZA,Walner/WAITMAN,Carlos Agust (FAMUM) 6-3

2. YANCHENKO,Vladyslav/BACO,Stanislav (SCSUM) def. OKUNGBOWA,Courage/SMALL,Karlyn (FAMUM) 7-5

3. MOULINE,Soufiane/DIAZ,Edgar (SCSUM) vs. NANI,Frederico/EVANS,Jalen (FAMUM) 5-6, unfinished

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU Interim Head Basketball Coach resigns

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- FAMU Interim Head Basketball Coach Lamont Franklin has resigned and left the FAMU program. Franklin was the last member of Byron Samuels’ coaching staff at FAMU.

Franklin was given the interim title after the university informed Samuels he would not be brought back after the Rattlers season ended. Currently only Gerald Gillion who is not an employee with FAMU is on the Rattlers coaching staff. Gillion is on a temporary contract with the school to help with recruiting.

FAMU is just one of four division one schools in the country with out a head coach.

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Cheyney Wolves To Play at Alabama State in Turkey Day Classic

CHEYNEY, Pennsylvania -- Cheyney University football will head to Montgomery, Alabama to face Alabama State University on Thanksgiving Day in the 94th Annual Turkey Day Classic on Thursday, November 23, 2017 at ASU Stadium on the Alabama State campus.

The contest scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m., (2:00 p.m. in Alabama), will mark the first meeting between two of the nation's oldest Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU). Cheyney University celebrating its 180th Anniversary as the nation's First HBCU founded in 1837 and Alabama State, who are commemorating their 150th year anniversary, founded in 1867.

The Turkey Day Classic features a week of activities and acts as the homecoming game for Division I Alabama State out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) eastern division. The Hornets have hosted the Turkey Day Classic every year since 1924.

The Turkey Day Classic is the longest running HBCU Classic in the nation, and has featured just seven different opponents including Tuskegee (1924-'70, '72-'85, '88-'90, and '93-2012), Mississippi Valley State ('71), Clark Atlanta ('86), Johnson C. Smith ('87 and '91), Fayetteville State ('92), Stillman (2013-14) and Miles (2015-16).

Cheyney Head Coach Chris Roulhac, Albany State '70, competed against Alabama State as a member of the Albany State football teams. "I look forward to going back to Alabama State and being a part of this historic event." Roulhac sees this as a great opportunity to grow the Cheyney brand and understands the significance of the contest. "It's an honor to travel to Alabama for the 94th Annual Turkey Day Classic, and to play in their new stadium, in our 180th year as they celebrate their 150th."

The Wolves are in the midst of spring practice and have an open practice scheduled for tomorrow Saturday, April 22, inside O'Shields-Stevenson Stadium at 1:00 p.m. as part of the Community Day festivities at Cheyney University.

The Annual Blue-White Scrimmage to close out the spring will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 inside O'Shields-Stevenson Stadium.

To see the official Turkey Day Classic release from Alabama State University, click HERE.

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CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Albany State Rams football set to showcase talent in spring scrimmage

ALBANY, Georgia — The Albany State football program believes they have the talent in place to withstand the personnel changes that may come.

Interim head coach Anthony Kelly said he expects a number of players on both sides of the ball to give Rams’ fans a taste of what’s to come in the annual Blue-Gold Spring Scrimmage Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Albany State University Coliseum.

Under center will be former Monroe High School standout Charles Stafford and Billy Cobb, who is returning this season from injury. Both players have overcome obstacles, but it is Stafford who is expected to get the nod when the season officially begins. Kelly said he’s already seeing what made him such an impressive signee out of high school.

“We are now beginning to see the kid we recruited from Monroe High School a few years ago,” he said. “You see the arm strength, you see the poise as he stands in the pocket and gets rid of the ball. You see the leadership in terms of he’s leading the offense. He’s a little bit more vocal. He’s showing the confidence that we have expected from him, that you would want from a quarterback. He’s just matured.”

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Tuskegee second in Division II football attendance

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- For the 14th consecutive year, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) led all NCAA Division II conferences in football attendance.

In Division II, there was a record-breaking attendance of over 3.2 million across the 930 games with an increased average of 3,459 per game.

Tuskegee was second among Division II teams with an average attendance of 10,130. Miles (9,624), Fort Valley State (8,850), Morehouse (8,370) and Albany State (8,057) rounded out the top 10.

In 2016, the SIAC recorded an attendance of 376,763 fans throughout 49 games. The average attendance at SIAC games last season was 7,689.



The SIAC has led all NCAA Division II conferences in football attendance for 25 of the last 27 seasons, dating back to the 1990 season. Since 1990, the SIAC has led NCAA Division II football attendance 25 times including totaling an attendance of at least 300,000 on 19 occasions.

“The support shown to SIAC student-athletes and member institutions underscore the unique and special relationships which SIAC schools share with their students, alumni and fans,” said SIAC Commissioner Greg Moore.

“We take great pride in these relationships as well as various game day traditions that bring families together and engage our respective college and university communities in such a positive manner.”

Among the most well attended games last season were the Chicago Football Classic (34,003) between Clark Atlanta and Central State, Kentucky State at Tuskegee (25,691), the Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic (23,612), Fort Valley State at Morehouse (22,476), and the Circle City Classic (21,024) featuring Central State and Kentucky State.

COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY NEWS