Jasmine Peeples has a curiosity that engages in various interests.
When she sets her mind on something, the junior women’s basketball player from Selma is focused on achieving that goal in a speedy manner.
Peeples is not a person who waits for something to happen to her.
Rather, she’s the one to make it happen.
It’s that approach that has caused her to blossom into one of the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s most formidable players this season for the Lady Hornets.
The center is among the conference leaders in seven categories. The center is among the conference leaders in seven categories. Peeples ranks in the top 10 in the SWAC with 9.1 rebounds (first), 3.3 offensive rebounds (third), 5.8 defensive rebounds (first), 3.5 blocks (first), while shooting at .430 percent from the field goal (eighth) and
.571 percent from the free throw line (eighth). She ranks just outside the top 10 in points with 10.2 (13th).
It’s also that same drive that earned her an earlier than typical graduation with a degree in communications and public relations as she walked to receive her diploma on Friday, Dec. 12 at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome during fall commencement exercises.
Peeples set her educational route on the fast track from an early age, taking accelerated courses in high school, reading as much as she could, absorbing knowledge, and eventually taking college credits during her senior year of high school.
“I would read other books in class because I felt the classes were too easy,” Peeples admitted.
In order to challenge herself, she followed in her elder sister’s footsteps by enrolling in early college courses at nearby George Wallace State Community College while still attending Selma High School in Selma.
Taking high school classes mainly in the mornings and college courses later in the day, Peeples proved to be an apt pupil by gaining valuable credit hours. Her ambitious path continued when she enrolled at Alabama State University—all the way to her early graduation.
Her eligibility is still valid for another year and a half, however, so she does plan on returning to the court next season for her senior year at ASU. While she’s here, she’ll pursue her Master’s Degree in Applied Technology.
Basketball wasn’t her first love. Peeples was more of a tennis and softball player at a younger age. But her interests widened and she took to basketball at a rather late stage in her life during the ninth grade.
Her height advantage (now 6-foot-2) aided her in becoming a natural fit and within two years, Peeples was picking up on the nuances of the game playing on the low block.
Armed with much more discipline and schooled as a fundamental player, Peeples joined the starting lineup this season.
“I knew it was going to be up to me to step up my game this year,” Peeples said. “I was going to be the starting center.  I was playing behind an older player [and fellow 2014 fall graduate Quintori Alford] last season, so I knew that I had become a more serious player.  I decided that I should focus more on defense. I had to work on not fouling as much so I could stay in the game. And, if I got the chance to score, I would score.”
One of the team’s main goals behind the tutelage of coach Freda Freeman-Jackson is to play hard-nosed defense.
Peeples knew she would be afforded more playing time and would be a larger asset to the team if she could be tough in the post, so she worked out more in the weight room.
“I didn’t take weights that seriously until this past summer,” she said.  “I wanted to get stronger and get tougher so I could match up against bigger centers and handle them. I started working on my arms and working on my vertical jump by doing the box jumps.  I would do sets of 25 or 50. My cardio was pretty good but I wanted it to be better.”
The results have been highly noticeable. Peeples has been the strongest defender of the Hornets’ nest in the paint against opposing teams, squatting away a SWAC league high 3.5 blocks per game. To gain perspective, the second-ranked player in the conference for blocks is Shamiya Brooks of Prairie View A&M, who has just 1.4 blocks per contest.
With adjustments made in her blocking technique and the positioning of her body, Peeples has transformed herself into a rim protector for the Lady Hornets. Watching NBA games, she took note of what bigs like Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs and Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks were doing on the court.
“In the past, I would get called for fouls a lot more,” Peeples said. “I’ve tried not to swing down as much and I’ve become more disciplined. I had to stay straight up. Basically, it comes right to me and now I just time it. My timing is way better. It’s a great feeling [to get a block].  They’ll either slow down the next time down or they’ll pass back out.”
Freeman-Jackson and the other coaches on staff have now stressed to Peeples that she needs to be more aggressive in getting her shots. But, the fact that she is beginning to receive more attention from opponents and is drawing more fouls is proof that she is an improved offensive player.
“She’s quick, she can get to the basket, and she can score,” Freeman-Jackson said. “Quintori Alford was more of a physical post. Jasmine is very athletic and more of a finesse post, but you can still accomplish the same things. She has springs in her legs and is so quick off her feet.”
The shot-blocking ability of Peeples is something that she continues to refine and show improvement.
“During the first two games of the season, she got into foul trouble,” Freeman-Jackson said. “But now, she’s made up her mind that she wasn’t going to let that happen. She means a lot to the team. It’s night and day when she’s on the floor, so she concentrating on how to stay on the floor. I think she’s going to be a superb player for us if she gets just a little bit more consistent. I’m so glad that we are still going to have her here and I’m so proud of her for getting a degree and working on another.”
Peeples said she gets a boost of motivation from her mother, who will shoot her text messages of encouragement if she feels like she’s not playing her best.
“She’ll send me a random text message especially if I’m on the road and tell me that, ‘You know you’re good and nobody can play with you,’” Peeples said. “And, our team is really close enough to critique each other. We can also pick each other up.”
Career wise, she hopes to one day open her own sports agency. She likes writing, marketing, public relations, selling and creating designs.  Peeples wants to stay involved in sports even after she’s done playing and is looking to combine her loves into one.
Over this past summer, she had an internship with a Montgomery Public Relations firm called 24 Communication Systems, an award-winning agency run by Jennifer Solt and Callie Hincy. The company has worked on everything from brand designing to advertising. The firm also has worked on marketing campaigns for sports.
Since Peeples has family in both the Washington D.C. and Houston areas, she is interested in working in both cities.
“I’d like to be in Sports PR, represent players and make them look good,” she said. “Manage them and help players who are making bad choices and help them keep their head straight.”
As for this season, Peeples said that she is most comfortable in a home game setting at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome, mentioning that the stage is one she thrives to be on.
“Playing in the dome is really fun,” Peeples said. “The atmosphere is alive and the fans are diehard. I feel like it’s always a big stage setting because of the way it’s built. It’s everything. From the announcers to the place being big and loud, it has the feel of a tournament or championship atmosphere. I like playing on big stages and against top teams. I never want to feel bad about the game later on, so I just put forth the effort when it’s time.”

Although the women’s soccer season may be over, that hasn’t stopped the postseason accolades from coming through for Alabama State.
Top Drawer Soccer.com tabulates rankings for the top 20 players in Division I conferences for both men’s and women’s soccer at three times over the course of the season; for the preseason, midseason and postseason.
Sophomore forward Aaliyah Lewis, senior defenders Alexandria Cannon and Iita Pienimaki and junior Shelbi Vienna-Hallam were all ranked in the top 20 for the best women’s soccer players inside the Southwestern Athletic Conference for its postseason honors.
Lewis, the SWAC Player of the Year, led the conference with 17 goals and 11 assists and six winning goals. Lewis drew the top ranking in the conference.
Cannon, a SWAC First Team selection, was lauded for her toughness on defense and had a goal and an assist. Cannon was ranked seventh in the SWAC.
Pienimaki, a SWAC Second Team selection, was also vital to the success of the defensive unit and the midfield. She added a goal and an assist and was ranked 15th overall.
Vienna-Hallam saw her role with the team grow as the season wore on and was a SWAC Second Team selection. She had seven goals and 11 assists. Vienna-Hallam was ranked 17th.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M has announced the hiring of Alex Wood as its 17th head football coach.  Wood was introduced last week at a news conference at the Galimore-Powell Fieldhouse.
Wood has more than 35 years of coaching experience at the high school, collegiate and professional levels.
Prior to accepting the top job at FAMU, Wood served as offensive coordinator at the University of Buffalo (UB) from 2011-14.
This past October, he was tapped to serve as interim head coach replacing head Jeff Quinn, who was relieved of his duties, for the final four games (2-2).
Wood is credited with directing a prolific offense at Buffalo, which averaged over 400 yards and 30 points per game during his four-year stint. In 2014, the team finished fourth in total offense and third in scoring offense in the Mid-American Conference, and in 2012 became the first Division I FBS program to amass over 2,000 yards rushing and passing in the same season.
He served as running back coach at University of Miami from 1989-93 helping the team to a pair of national championships, including a perfect 12-0 in 1991.
Wood served as head coach at James Madison University (JMU) from 1995-1998 and led them to an 8-4 record and the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs in 1995.
Wood also served as a coach in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Minnesota Vikings.
Courtesy: FAMUAthletics.com

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Prairie View A&M University’s Johntá Hebert (Baton Rouge, La./Glen Oaks) was named to the 2014 American Football Coaches Association Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team Monday. The 5-10, 195-pound junior played at both the running back and return positions for the Panthers. He was named to special team as an all-purpose player.
The first Southwestern Athletic Conference AFCA All-American since 2012, he is the first for Prairie View since punter Pedro Ventura in 2009. Hebert is the nation’s statistical leader in all-purpose yards and finished atop the league in scoring average, kick return average, and all-purpose yards. He also ranks top 10 nationally in combined kick returns (6th), kickoff return touchdowns (4th), and kickoff returns (6th).
The SWAC is seventh among all FCS conferences with 55 appearances and 53 players named AFCA All-Americans. It also boasts three of the four schools to have more than two players named to the All-America Team in one year.  This year, South Dakota State joined the ranks of Alabama State, Grambling State, and Jackson State with multiple selections.
The AFCA has selected an All-America Team every year since 1945 as voted on by the coaches. This year’s team is comprised of 19 seniors, five juniors and one sophomore.

 by gloria dennard

T’was the night before Christmas
And out on the golf course
Not one golfer was playing
The curfew was in force

The golf carts were lined
Under the shed with care
The marshals had ensured
That no golfers were there

The clubhouse was closed
All staff had headed home
But a lone golf fanatic
Would soon come along

The stars on the crest
Of the golf course below
Gave a luster of magic
Over the hills and through the snow

The trees looked so enchanting
The cart path did flow
From the direction of the clubhouse
Amidst the flurries of snow

Then, up on the east side
There appeared so quick
A vision of Christmas
It was old jolly St. Nick

He was driving a golf cart,
And not his usual sleigh
He’d been busy all morning
And all throughout the day

Although he had many
Toys deliveries until late
He just had to stop
For some golf swings to make

More rapid than eagles
His reindeer, they came
As he whistled and shouted
And called them by name

Now Mike and Art and Fran
Now Chuck, Kim and Chris
Come on Earlie, Carole, and Evelyn
You can surely handle this!
On Jordan, Alvin and Darryl
On Vernita, LaSondra, Shirley and Corine
Dash away Michelle, Sherrel, and Gloria
You all can just do your  thing!

When they stopped at Hole One
Santa sprang from his cart
He pulled out his driver
And didn’t ponder a lot

He addressed the ball with confidence
And good contact he really made
As the ball flew from the tee
To an area full of shade

The course was dark and scary
Not a creature was seen stirring
That poor golf ball had flown
Across the golf course determined and hurrying

Santa played three holes
And then had to stop
His duties were calling
When he looked at his clock

It was time to resume delivering
Toys to the kids
He had satisfied his itch
For a quick golf gig

The golf cart transformed then
Back to a sleigh
As Santa took off in a hurry
In his own special way

And ere he exclaimed,
as he drove out of sight,
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL GOLFERS,
AND TO ALL GOLFERS, “GOOD NIGHT!”

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A total of 19 Alabama State University student-athletes graduated as part of the 2014 fall graduating commencement Friday in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
Graduates from all of ASU’s schools and colleges were recognized by name and walked across the stage to be congratulated by Alabama State President Dr. Gwendolyn E. Boyd and their academic deans as they embark on their lives as college graduates.
The graduates represented seven of Alabama State’s sport programs, including eight from football, four from women’s basketball, three from volleyball and one from women’s softball, track and field, bowling and tennis.
DECEMBER 2014 STUDENT-ATHLETE GRADUATES
Football (8): Derrick Billups (Criminal Justice), LeAndre Crawford, Enadiahe Eguaze, Marcus Gamble (Marketing), Raymond Heningburg (Communications), Nehemiah Henry (Physical Education), Jarret Neely (Criminal Justice), Dionte Ponders (Management)
Women’s Basketball (4): Quentori Alford (Criminal Justice), Jamicia Lewis (Biology), Jasmine Peeples (Criminal Justice), Nakiya Smith (Criminal Justice)

Volleyball (3): Brooke Beasley (Accounting), Latoya Ellington (Psychology), Ericka Thompson (Forensic Chemistry)

Softball (1): Tamara Williams (Criminal Justice)

Women’s Track (1): Latrice Lee (Criminal Justice)

Bowling (1): Briana Wells (Elementary Education)

Women’s Tennis (1): Melissa Telfer (Biology Pre-Health)

The Senior CLASS awards for NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer announced that Alabama State goalkeeper Kylee Hathaway was named to the Second Team.
The award, chosen by a vote of Division I women’s soccer coaches, national soccer media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in Division I women’s soccer. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – classroom, community, character and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete in 10 NCAA sports and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
The senior from Pomona, Calif. is the all-time leader in school history in career shutouts with 17 and saves with 495.
Hathaway enjoyed another successful season in which she tallied five shutouts and made 131 saves.  The saves total is the fourth highest single-season mark in Alabama State history.
She also set the school record for goals against average (1.56) in 2013 and the single-season record for most shutouts in a season with five on three occasions (2014, 2013, and 2012).
In the classroom, she majored in business management and scored a 3.52 grade-point average. A member of the Dean’s List, she was also selected to the Southwestern Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.
As a leader on and off the field, Hathaway is a Golden Ambassador and a member of the pathways program. Outside of school, she works with the Nehemiah Center and the Special Olympics of Alabama.
“She’s meant a lot to us in goal and been a four-year starter,” said ASU women’s soccer coach Jodie Smith. She’s got pretty much every goal-keeping record that we have in the program. She was a leader on the field for us and kept us in many games and has done a lot in the community. To be recognized is a great final piece for her career here.”

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Alabama State University men’s basketball team had a special visitor among their fans when they made their trip to Evansville to face the Purple Aces over the weekend.
Former Hornets standout and NBA/ABA draft pick Gregg Northington was among the many fans in attendance cheering for the Black and Gold during their game with Evansville.  He drove down from his home in Indianapolis and was able to spend some time with the coaches and team and recount his time at Alabama State along with all the stories that come along with a career.  He was very happy to see the team even though the outcome did not come out in the Hornets’ favor.
“I enjoyed every bit of the game,” Northington said.  “It is one of the few times I have had a chance to see them (ASU) play and it was enjoyable.  I know I will evaluate the game when I sit and think about it.”
“I think they played to stay in the game, but you can tell it is still a learning process for them.  I think they are going to be a good team as the year goes on.”
During the course of his career he has come in contact and played with several coaches across the nation and he saw some things out of the Hornets that he has seen from other coaches.
“I see some familiarity with some parts of the game now that I have seen in the past,” Northington said.  “You could see some of the Bobby Knight motion offense that he used to run and that offense is a tough offense to defend once you get it down.”
Head Coach Lewis Jackson has always been someone who has had great respect for those ASU players that came before him, and this was no different.
“This was a real pleasure and honor for Gregg to come back and visit with us,” Jackson said.  “He was probably the first seven-footer to play at State and those teams he played on were teams that won the old SIAC Championships and set a tradition and foundation for this program now.  He was truly one of the great Hornets.”
Northington played at ASU for Coach Bernard Boozer from 1969-72.  During those years the Hornets went 61-23 while winning the SIAC Titles in 1971 and 1972.
Following the 1971 season Northington was a two-time draft choice going in the second round to the New York Knicks of the NBA and being drafted by North Carolina, also in the second round, of the old ABA.  He did not sign with either team, choosing instead to come back to ASU for his senior season.
Following his senior campaign the NBA came calling again as he was drafted in the third round, 72nd overall, by the Los Angeles Lakers.
“We are so blessed at State to have the examples like Gregg for these players to talk with and learn from,” Jackson said.  “He came back to school and he talked with the team about the importance for them to get their education and to live for the minute and for your teammates because basketball doesn’t last forever.  It was a good lesson to hear from someone of his stature.”