MARION, Ala. – Two Judson Eagle student athletes were named to the NCCAA South Region All-Tournament soccer team. The Judson College soccer team also won the South Region Sportsmanship Award.
Mary Milliron of Alabaster, Ala., and Breelle Hunter of Richland, N.C., were both named to the Regional All-Tournament Team; Milliron was also selected for the All-Regional Team.
“The Sportsmanship Award is given to the team showing great sportsmanship throughout the entire season, as the team receiving the fewest cautions during the season,” said Justin Pino, Head Coach of Women’s Soccer at Judson College.
The 2014 NCCAA South Region Women’s Soccer Tournament was held November 21-22 at Emmanuel College, Franklin Springs, Ga. The final game was between Shorter University of Decatur, Ga., and Emmanuel College, with the Shorter Hawks winning the match 2-0.
“The girls played extremely hard not only in the tournament, but the entire season. I would like to thank everyone who helped to make this an outstanding year for women’s soccer at Judson College,” Pino said.

MONTGOMERY – Bowling was always the familiar and dependable to Alabama State University senior Danielle Walker.
It was something the Central High School alum from Keller, Texas could always count on to showcase her talents, bolster her self-esteem, grow as a leader, and build long life friendships through the sport.
So when Walker underwent surgery to repair a large torn ligament in her wrist toward the end of March 2013 and had to retrain her muscle memory for the simplicity of the game, such as holding the ball and getting her throwing motions down pat again, it was life’s way of giving her a seven-ten split.
The tear was thought to have resulted from gradual wear and tear of continuous bowling, and from loading trucks and lifting boxes in her part-time shipping job.
For Walker, bowling has always been a humongous part of her life. The bowling alleys are where she would spend nearly every day since she was 4 years old. It was a safe haven where she would filter out the noise and stresses of her life and zero in on the pins.
And, it was a skill where she excelled. In high school, Walker was named 2011 Dallas/Ft. Worth United States Bowling Congress Bowler of the Year. Walker averaged 203 her last season and was named 2008 and 2011 Texas High School girls singles champion, the first two-time winner in the history of the state.
When Walker matriculated to Alabama State, she immediately set off on an ambitious path. In her first season, she was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Freshman Bowler of the Year and First-Team All-SWAC.
  Walker finished third overall in the conference with an individual average of 190.2, including a game high of 247, which was fourth overall in the league and an individual total pin fall of 5,328, which ranked her second in the SWAC.
Needing surgery, Walker knew that she’d have to be patient and find strength through adversity in her rehabilitation.
After the procedure, Walker wore a brace and still wears a brace today for precautionary measures. She returned to the alleys in July 2013 after a four-month layoff and admittedly had missed playing the game.
“I bowled every day for my entire life,” Walker said. “It was weird not being able to do what I was so passionate about for that long. I actually did [miss it].”
The problem was compounded when Walker began to feel knee pain and was told she had patella tendinitis in her knee.
Walker did the work and went through an aggressive workout program. She dropped 35 pounds over this past summer to take the pressure off her knees.
After getting her strength back, Walker’s game came back strong too.
Last season, Walker captured the Most Valuable Player title with a pin fall count of 5,637 in conference play to complement a 201.3 average against the league. She finished 15 games above 200 pins including five over 225 while eclipsing the 250-mark twice.  She bowled her best game among the SWAC field recording a score of 284 against Alabama A&M in the SWAC West Bowling Round Up.
Thus far, Walker has rolled a solid 184 average and expects to improve as the season moves on.
“Her mental aspect of the game has been greatly improved,” Lady Hornets bowling coach Andrew Chatmon said. “When she came in, she was a huge raw talent. But as time as gone on, she’s learned so much more about the game. Her leadership and teamwork skills have evolved.”
A big portion of that is how she helps the team.
“Danny has always been a clutch player,” Chatmon said. “You can count on her when you need her. However, what she is doing now as far as her mental capacity goes, makes her team better. Michael Jordan can score 60 points, but if the team only scores 60 points then the team doesn’t win. Even if Danny has an errant shot, she brings back positive energy to the team. When the team sees Danny is still up and engaged, they feel like it’s going to be okay.”
Walker credits her mother Renee for guiding her with advice.
“Years ago, I used to look at the big picture and get stressed out,” Walker said. “My mom would say, ‘Danny, you have to look at one thing at a time.’ So now, I look at it as long as I get this assignment done, then I can move on to the next one. I have relayed that to bowling for one shot at a time. That’s also correlated into my personal life as far as not being overwhelmed by the big picture.”
She also points to coaches Chatmon and Rick Wilson for developing her mental growth.
“They have definitely reinforced that as far as my mental game is concerned,” Walker said.
Walker sports a full commitment to the team and assists Chatmon with organizational activities, such as where the team eats, uniform choices, ensuring that warm ups are conducted on time, and making sure that everybody knows where they have to be.
Walker said that she loves helping people and would like to join the Air Force after Alabama State and enlist in officer training school. She’s majoring in Computer Information Systems and will pursue a position within a cybersecurity unit.
She lists the SWAC regular season championship, and losing in the conference finals last season as her favorite moment at Alabama State.
“We went through a lot of adversity in general and we really came together as a team,” Walker said. “Everybody played with the hearts. There was nothing more that we could have done. It just wasn’t our time. It was the intensity and the passion that the entire team brought that made it special. We executed great shots. It just didn’t fall in our favor, but that’s okay because it doesn’t always happen.”
Chatmon believes the team is strong enough to make another strong run this season, and possibly reach the NCAA Tournament, which would be a program first.
“I think we are a top team in the nation talent-wise,” Chatmon said. “We’ve got some development to do on the mental side.  However, you have to realize that we had a very good team last season with two seniors, a junior, and a sophomore. Now we have one senior, one junior, one sophomore and three freshmen. So it’s flip-flopped. I love the potential I see though from this team. It’s like an apple before you polish it. It’s ready. It’s going to be good. You just have to polish it.”
Alabama State will resume play in the SWAC West Round up in Baton Rouge, La.  January 9-11.

With the end of the CIAA football season came the end of the officiating career of Donald Ware. 
  After 31 years of service in the CIAA, Ware called it a career.  His career highlights as an official include officiating in three CIAA championship games (2001, 2004 and 2007), five NCAA playoff games and the Division II national championship game in 2004.
  But the Ware name in the CIAA carries on.
  His grandson Blake just completed his junior season on the Shaw football team.  His son Donal is host of the national sports talk show FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW as well as the play-by-play radio voice for Shaw basketball on WSHA-FM 88.9 in Raleigh.
 
Donald and beginnings in the CIAA
  Donald played football at Howard University from 1966-69 back when the Bison was in the CIAA. He was a four-year starter at safety and was named All-CIAA his senior year. He finished his Bison career with 24 interceptions, which at that time was a Howard record for interceptions in a career. 
  Expected to be drafted in the 1970 NFL Draft, he wasn’t and on February 3, 1970, signed a free agent contract with the Washington Redskins. Former Redskin and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell was instrumental in the Redskins signing him. Ware recalls going to the Redskins’ offices in Washington to meet with then head coach Vince Lombardi.
  “When Coach Lombardi asked me to come in, I nearly fainted at the door,” said Ware.
  With Lombardi and a nervous Bobby Mitchell in the room, along with Pro Football Hall of Famer Charlie Taylor (who was not part of the meeting), Lombardy heaped praises on Ware and said he would like him to play cornerback.
  “Do you think you can check Charlie Taylor?” Ware recalls Lombardi asking.  After a pause and with Mitchell looking on nervously and Taylor now paying attention to the conversation, Ware said, “No one can.”  A smile came over the legendary coach’s face.  His hand moved towards a blue piece of paper. 
  It was Ware’s NFL contract.
  Ware also received a $12,500 signing bonus.
  He was second on the depth chart behind Mike Bass at cornerback during camp, but a lingering Achilles injury as a senior at Howard plagued him at camp.  After two weeks at camp and the diagnosis looking grim, he left camp and decided to move on from playing football.
  Still with the itch for football, he coached the defensive backs at Howard for three years and completed the six hours he needed to obtain his degree. During his time, he coached Haywood Corley, Greg Butler, Bruce Williams and Ron Mabra who are all now Howard Athletic Hall of Famers, the latter three spending time with NFL teams.
  After nine years of playing touch football in the Northern Virginia leagues, he decided to get into officiating in 1981. He joined the Eastern Board of Officials and officiated DC Interscholastic Athletic Association games for two years before joining the CIAA in 1983, where he became fulltime in 1992.
  He excelled so much in the profession that the NFL began to scout Ware as a side judge in the mid to late ’90s.  At one point as Ware tells the story, the NFL had openings for two spots.  In 1998, he was invited to the NFL office for a meeting where he was up against two other officials from the SEC and ACC.
  All three had the exact same scores, but the other two officials were chosen.
  “That’s the way things go sometimes,” he said.  “It didn’t however discourage me one bit.”
 
 Life after officiating
  On November 8, the Winston-Salem State and Fayetteville State contest for the CIAA Southern Division crown was Donald’s last game as an official.  He was honored prior to the game for his 31 years of service.  He will now look to get back into coaching. 
  “Officiating and all of my experiences good and bad have helped me to become a better man,” he said.  “If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change anything.”

Congratulations to the Wylam Gators, Youth Football Association. The Magic City  “Walter Payton Bowl”,  Ages 4-5 and 6, 9-10 year old champions for the 2014 Season.

Thank you all!!

 MONTGOMERY – Alabama State junior guard Jamel Waters has been named the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.
Waters led the Hornets into tournament play at the University of Utah where he scored in double digits each game, averaging 16 points per game.  That includes a 19-point game against nationally-ranked Utah.
The Birmingham native also averaged four rebounds, a steal and 5.8 assists per outing.  On the season he averages 13 points per game and leads the SWAC averaging 6.2 assists per game and also leads the conference in assists-to-turnover ratio at 2.8.

The goal of the ambitious student-athlete is always two-fold: exceed expectations on both the field and in the classroom.
For the second consecutive year, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America has recognized the Alabama State women’s soccer team as high achievers on the academic front.
The NSCAA annually recognizes college and high school soccer programs that have excelled in the classroom, in addition to their work on the field.
A total of 864 soccer teams (281 men and 583 women) posted a team grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, thereby earning the NSCAA Team Academic Award for the 2013-14 academic year.
“This is an award that any coach would be proud to receive,” said Lady Hornets head coach Jodie Smith.
“We’re doing all that we need to do in the classroom. This is always a big part of the equation when it comes to recruiting players who would like to play at Alabama State.”
The Alabama State soccer team collectively earned a 3.21 grade-point average as a team and have now been awarded this academic award three times (2010, 2013 and 2014).
The award runs one school year behind. This season’s (2014-15) will be announced next November.

MONTGOMERY – There are three former Alabama State University football players on National Football League teams this fall, and that includes former All-SWAC offensive tackle performer Terren Jones who was signed off the Baltimore Ravens practice squad to the 53-man active squad of the Tennessee Titans.
Jones has spent the last two years as a member of the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins and Ravens before joining the Titans.  Jones was looking to see his first action of the season last Sunday as Tennessee hosted the New York Giants at LP Field.
Isaiah Crowell made another start for the Cleveland Browns and gained 29 yards in the Browns’ loss to Buffalo. He now has 475 yards on 107 carries.  His 4.4 yards per carry average leads the team as does his seven rushing scores and his long rush of 35 yards.
Tarvaris Jackson and the reigning Super Bowl Champions may have found their groove.  They have won two straight and five of their past six games.  They enter their week 14 contest with the Philadelphia Eagles with an 8-4 record.

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama State University tennis teams are both coming off record seasons and Head Coach Anuk Christiansz released a highly-competitive schedule as the Hornets continue to build a championship program.
“Well the most important thing is for us to play a schedule that will push us to improve as the season goes along,” Christiansz said.  “We are now in our third year and some of our players could have a breakthrough year.  I’m looking forward to an exciting season filled with exciting matches we have been able to put together.”
The men will begin their season on Jan. 17 when they travel to Starkville, Miss., to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference.
“This is an incredible start for both the men and women to be able to go to Mississippi State,” Chrisiansz said.  “I think last year we went over there and were competing in the doubles and it came down to the fact they were more experienced than we were, but for our teams it showed them they could compete at that level against a top-20 team.  So it is going to be a great start for both teams.”
The Hornets will continue the road swing with games at Georgia Southwestern (Jan. 25) and South Alabama (Feb. 1) before facing Southern Mississippi (Feb. 7) at a neutral site in Troy, Ala.
ASU has 11 home matches scheduled for the 2015 season and will begin a three-game home stretch against North Alabama (Feb. 13), Mercer (Feb. 15) and Jacksonville state (Feb. 20).
The first of two SWAC Round Ups will be played Feb. 27-29 in Jackson, Miss., with that schedule being released at a later date.
Following the Round Up ASU will be back home to hosting seven consecutive home matches.  Columbus State (March 6) starts the home stand followed by South Dakota State (March 11), Troy (March 13), Kennesaw State (March 14), Chattanooga (March 19), Indiana University Southeast (March 21) and Alabama-Huntsville (March 23).
The second of the SWAC Round Ups will be played March 27-29, with this one being held in Houston, Texas.  Again, the round up schedule will be released later.
ASU will host Alabama A&M on April 4 as a final tune up for the SWAC Tournament, which will be held April 10-12 in New Orleans, La.
The women will begin their season a day later than the men, but will begin play at the same site, against Mississippi State University on Jan. 18.
Another road date is scheduled for Georgia Southern (Jan. 25) before opening the home portion of the 2015 schedule hosting Troy (Jan. 30).
Following another road match at South Alabama (Feb. 1) the Lady Hornets will return home for four consecutive matches beginning with Oral Roberts (Feb. 6), followed by North Alabama (Feb. 13), Mercer (Feb. 15) and Jacksonville State (Feb. 20).
Like the men’s team, the ladies will play in Jackson, Miss., for the first of two SWAC Round Ups.  The dates are the same, Feb. 27-29.
The Lady Hornets will host another three consecutive matches following the round up as Columbus State (March 6), South Dakota State (March 11) and Alabama-Huntsville (March 23) visit Montgomery.
March 27-29 ASU will travel to Houston for the second SWAC Round Up, and will come home with the regular season finale hosting Alabama A&M on April 4.
The women’s SWAC Tournament will be held in conjunction with the men’s tournament in New Orleans April 10-12.