FAIRFIELD, Ala. – Following a Miles College 6-4 campaign and an SIAC Western Division Title in 2013 including the Golden Bears second trip to the SIAC Football Championship in the last three years, MC head coach Reginald Ruffin and his staff announced the names of 34 future Golden Bears that make up the 2014 recruiting class.
 
The Golden Bears class includes 18 defensive players, 15 offensive players and one specialist from four different states. MC added 23 recruits from Alabama, nine from Georgia and one signee apiece from Mississippi and Tennessee. 
 
“I feel really good about this 2014 group,” Ruffin said. “We stayed close to home as Alabama dominated the list. We felt that we needed to get bigger in the interior of our defensive line and we addressed the need in that area. I feel good that every kid on the list will be able to come in and develop and help us.” 
 
Miles College opens 2014 spring practices on Monday, March 3rd with the annual spring game set for Saturday, March 22nd at Albert J. Sloan Stadium in Fairfield, Alabama.
2014 Miles College Football Recruiting Class
1. Jacob Allen
Pos             HT     WT           Hometown              High School
LS             5’11     240       Alabaster, AL             Thompson
Highlight Link:
2. Camron Gordon   Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
LB
5’10
185
Stockbridge, GA
Stockbridge
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1447563/highlights/107709399
3. Ta’Varis Odom
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
LB
5’11
190
Ellenwood, GA
Stockbridge
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1447572/highlights/51049376?autoplay=1
4. Tayler Thomas
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DE
6’3
220
Dublin, GA
Dublin
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/561812/highlights/91436376
5. Sherrod Postell
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DL
6’0
285
Troy, AL
Charles Henderson
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1688734/#highlights/118510383
6. Robert Kimble
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
OL
6’3
250
Palmetto, GA
Creekside
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1231702/highlights/97933375?autoplay=1
7. Kenledjuan Moxey
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
WR
5’11
180
Fairburn, GA
Langston Hughes
Highlight Link:  http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1044598/highlights/86930375
8. Quatrez Sparkman
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DB
5’11
180
Union City, GA
Creekside
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2024298/highlights/65301375?autoplay=1
9. Jaquan Morris
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
QB
6’0
185
Lawrenceville, GA
Berkmar
Highlight Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRyVo8xXTws

10. Jamarcus Hill
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
HB
5’10
205
Silas, AL
Southern Choctaw
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2039115/highlights/69399378?autoplay=1
11. Jalen Pearson
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DB
6’2
185
Stone Mountain, GA
Tucker
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/505815/highlights/63407375?autoplay=1
12. Javontae Jackson
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
HB
5’10
195
Lisman, AL
Choctaw
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13. Rashard Deloach
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
ATH
5’10
175
Butler, AL
Choctaw
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14. Calvin Burns JR
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DL
6’0
300
Birmingham, AL
Pinson Valley
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1904481/highlights/90783380?autoplay=1
15. Kyantrae Lewis
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DB
5’10
180
Evergreen, AL
Hillcrest Evergreen
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/2985853/highlights/91671379
16. Ronderek Rice
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
LB
5’11
197
Tuscaloosa, AL
Tuscaloosa Central
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/455439/#highlights/25402390
17. De’Marius Abercromibie
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DL
5’11
275
Centreville, AL
Bibb County
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1018993/highlights/103508378
18. Dikembe Aaron
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DL
6’0
260
Brent, AL
Bibb County
Highlight Link:   http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1018991/highlights/103882376
19. Malik Campbell
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
QB
6’0
185
Mobile, AL
M.T. Blount
Highlight Link:  http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/570091/highlights/100212375
20.  LaBarron Rodgers
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
LB
5’10
195
Mobile, AL
M.T. Blount
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/569861/highlights/88297380
21. Jaryus Wilson
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
ATH
5’10
180
Verbena, AL
Stanhope Elmore
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2740345/highlights/69543386?autoplay=1
22. Christien Rogers
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
LB
6’2
230
Gallion, AL
Linden
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1488268/highlights/90874396?autoplay=1
23. Tamarcus Russell
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
LB
5’11
195
Dadeville, AL
Dadeville
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/515334/highlights/51085376?autoplay=1
24. Kynard Craig
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DB
6’4
190
Gallion, AL
Linden
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1488723/highlights/82095375?autoplay=1
25. Charles Gooden
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
OL
6’2
255
Memphis, TN
Memphis Central
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1733049/highlights/28933373
26. Aaron Bly
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
OL
6’2
300
Montgomery, AL
Carver
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1824654/highlights/42670378
27. Antonio Dunn
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
WR
6’0
180
Montgomery, AL
Carver
Highlight Link:  http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/178248/highlights/42670377
28. Justin Martin
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
LB
6’1
205
Montgomery, AL
Carver
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3059498/highlights/119173378?autoplay=1
29. Michael Howard
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
RB
5’10
205
Spanish Fort, AL
Spanish Fort
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1435726/highlights/87426379?autoplay=1
30. Joseph Jall
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
OL
6’3
270
Montevallo, AL
.Jemison
Highlight Link:
31. Keyshawn Jemison
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
HB
5’10
225
Jemison, AL
.Jemison
Highlight Link:
32. Latarrius Powell
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
DB
5’9
175
Birmingham, AL
Wenonah
Highlight Link:
33. Trey Smith
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School
WR
6’2
175
Lawrenceville, GA
Norcross
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/1244710/highlights/38549373
34. Fred Ward
Pos
HT
WT
Hometown
High School/JUCO/COLLEGE
DE
6’4
235
Aberdeen, MS
Itawamba CC
Highlight Link: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/484967/highlights/30389377

While America’s athletes are going for the gold in Sochi, four Stillman College student competed on Saturday, February 15, in trials for the “Olympics of the mind,” Honda Campus All‐Star Challenge.
Honda Campus All‐Star Challenge (HCASC) is a knowledge game of quick recall for America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Now in its 25th year, more than $7 million dollars in grants have been awarded by Honda to participating HBCUs and nearly 100,000 students in 22 states have participated.
Stillman HCASC Varsity Team members Lawrence Allen Brown, II, Franchesca Jannet Jefferson, Brian Clinton Johnson, Tamba Lamin Sama Mondeh and their coach Dr. Thomas Jennings, Associate Professor of History are representing the College at the National Qualifying Tournament at Alabama State Univ. in Montgomery, Ala.
Forty-eight teams from the qualifying tournaments will advance to the National Championship Tournament at Honda’s Torrance, California headquarters. Over $300,000 is at stake this year, with the champion HBCU earning a $50,000 grant. The 48‐team field will be announced on February 20th via a live Webcast.
“This is the 25th anniversary of HCASC. It is the silver anniversary, and it’s a privilege to know Stillman is a part of a group of over 100,000 students who have participated in this program over the past quarter century.  It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, the social networking, friendships and connections that students make through Honda are invaluable.  The Honda All-Star motto is friends  for life.  Students keep in contact for years and years. I’ve heard that there have even been marriages of former Honda players.  The program also gives them access to networking opportunities that they might not otherwise have.  They meet VPs from Honda and other companies and develop friendships with the top students from HBCUs around the nation.  These are students who go on to be leaders in business, government and industry,” said Dr. Jennings, who has coached Stillman’s  team for six years.

“Honda would like to wish good luck to all the HCASC teams attempting to qualify for the National Championship tournament this weekend. The journey started at the beginning of the school year and has included long hours of hard work, practice and study, in addition to your regular     academic course load.  Good luck to all the teams, we look forward to greeting the Great 48 in Torrance in April.” said Mr. Stephan Morikawa, Assistant Vice President for Corporate Community Relations, American Honda.

Talladega ARCA Race Kicks Off a Super Saturday Quadruple Header During Aaron’s Dream Weekend
Also features newly enhanced Sprint Cup Qualifying, Nationwide Race and Concert

If fans want a full day of fun, speed and the most competitive racing on the planet, then Talladega Superspeedway’s Aaron’s Dream Weekend (May 2-4) has it – a quadruple header like no other on Saturday, May 3!
The much anticipated Saturday will not only include the always action-packed Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, but also ARCA’s International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200, which in year’s past was held on Friday of the Aaron’s Dream Weekend. In addition, a new kind of race will emerge – NASCAR’s new and exciting Sprint Cup Series qualifying format – and the popular Saturday Night Infield Concert in the track’s iconic infield.
“We have one heck of a lineup for Saturday, with a full day of racing and a night full of music,” said Grant Lynch, Chairman of Talladega Superspeedway. “The landmark changes NASCAR has made to qualifying will stand out with the Sprint Cup Series cars battling it out for their starting positions like never before. It will be hard racing. There is no other track where the new format will have as much impact as Talladega.”
“I would venture to say that fans will see more side-by-side racing battles and drivers swapping position on Saturday of the Aaron’s Dream Weekend than on any single day in the history of our track. We have a variety of Saturday ticket options, plus kids 12 and under get in free. This year is a watershed moment for the biggest and most competitive racetrack of all, and we want all of our loyal fans to join us for it!”
ARCA’s International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 is scheduled to kick off the day with a 10 a.m. (CST) start. The highly competitive race has seen young guns like Ty Dillon (grandson of Talladega all-time winning team owner Richard Childress) go to Victory Lane as well as veterans like Frank Kimmel, the series’ 10-time Champion who outduelled the field last year.
Following the ARCA race the new format for Sprint Cup Series qualifying will be showcased. Three elimination rounds will determine the Pole Winner. Unlike the old system where cars took to the track one at a time, all cars can now make their way onto the high banks and can utilize the draft just as they will in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499. The first round will be 25 minutes in length with the speeds of the top 24 moving on to the second round, which will be a 10-minute session reducing the field to 12. The third and final qualifying round will be five minutes in duration and the fastest single lap speed will determine positions first through 12th in descending order. It will be a qualifying session like no other in the history of Talladega!
The stars of the Nationwide Series will try for glory in the Aaron’s 312 Nationwide Series race once Sprint Cup qualifying has ended. Last year, it couldn’t get any closer as JR Motorsports driver Regan Smith edged Joey Logano and Kasey Kahne at the finish. This year’s event promises to provide more of the same as newcomers like Chase Elliott (son of Talladega speed record holder Bill Elliott) make their debut at the 2.66-mile mammoth track.
The Saturday Night Infield Concert, which will take place once the sun has set on the racing action, is a tradition that gathers fans in the rowdy Talladega infield near the infamous Talladega Boulevard to party to the music of top-tier artists. Access to the concert requires a ticket to Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 event.
Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will be monumental this season. With NASCAR’s recent announcement for the new “Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup” format, the winner of the Aaron’s 499 is practically locked in to make the 10-race, 16-driver end-of-the-season battle for the championship. With the incredible urgency to win, fans can expect all 43 drivers to compete like never before. David Ragan was the surprise winner last year in the always unpredictable Aaron’s 499.
Fans have the option to purchase a special 2-day ticket package for Saturday’s events and Sunday’s Aaron’s 499. In designated areas of the Gadsden and Talladega grandstands, the regular price for a 2-day ticket is $50, with kids 12 and under getting in free.
Friday of the Aaron’s Dream Weekend will host a whole day of action as well, with NASCAR’s new qualifying format making its Talladega debut to determine the starting order for the Aaron’s 312.
In addition, the ARCA Series drivers will introduce a new qualifying procedure where teams will qualify together for added excitement. Instead of one car going against the clock, the cars will be placed into groups based on their speeds from Friday morning’s practice session. The fastest lap during qualifying, which will surely showcase drafting, will determine each car’s numerical starting position in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 on Saturday.
Friday also marks the first time the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors will take to the high banks – for two practice sessions – during the weekend. The teams will fine-tune their machines in final preparation for Saturday’s all-new qualifying. Grandstand tickets for Friday’s activities are $20.
NASCAR returns to Talladega Superspeedway in 2014 with the Aaron’s Dream Weekend, which is set for May 2-4. The NASCAR Nationwide Series and ARCA Racing Series will take to the track on Saturday, May 3 while NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series machines take the green flag on Sunday, May 4. For ticket information, log onto www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.

New Orleans Pelicans to play home games in city’s newly-named entertainment venue

NEW ORLEANS –  New Orleans Pelicans Owner Tom Benson and Smoothie King Owner Wan Kim has announced a multi-year agreement reached between the Pelicans and Smoothie King to name the New Orleans Arena the “Smoothie King Center.”
“Smoothie King and the NBA are a perfect fit,” said Wan Kim, CEO of Smoothie King which created the original nutritional smoothie in 1973. “Both organizations are global brands that continue to grow in status and stature. Smoothie King supports the NBA and the New Orleans Pelicans franchise, and we think this partnership reflects our joint interests in nutrition, health and athletics from an international to a local perspective.”
New Orleans Pelicans and Saints Owner/Chairman of the Board Tom Benson said, “When we purchased the franchise and became the Pelicans, we were establishing a new winning tradition for our hometown NBA team. Introducing our home court as the Smoothie King Center is one of the goals we set when we purchased the team and we’re excited to partner with a locally-incepted company in Smoothie King. They are an international brand with more than 600 locations in the United States and Asia and they have experienced that growth while remaining local. The NBA, Smoothie King, and the Pelicans are committed to excellence on and off the court.”
Pelicans Owner/Vice Chairman of the Board Rita Benson LeBlanc said, “This is an exciting time for the franchise as we introduce the Smoothie King Center and prepare to host the 2014 NBA All-Star Game, where New Orleans will once again be an international stage to host the league’s most exciting event of the season. As a venue, the Smoothie King Center will continue to be enhanced with custom, state-of-the-art improvements into next season. The Smoothie King Center will complement the recent renovation of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and Champions Square, giving fans three of the premier venues for sports and entertainment. In addition, both the Pelicans and Smoothie King brands are passionate about healthy living and supporting athletics at all levels. We look forward to working together to enhance the quality of life of all our collective fans.”
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said, “I want to congratulate and thank everyone on this exciting news. What a great Louisiana success story. I want to thank Wan for not only growing this brand across the country and around the world, but for expanding Smoothie King’s headquarters and keeping it here in Southeast Louisiana. This is a great marriage between Smoothie King and our New Orleans Pelicans. I know the Smoothie King Center is going to be home to many exciting games and events, starting with next weekend’s NBA All-Star Game.”
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said, “We are thrilled to have a hometown company supporting both the New Orleans Pelicans and one of our premier event facilities. This exciting partnership with Smoothie King will help promote the ongoing events we welcome to our city every month starting with the upcoming 2014 NBA All-Star Game.”
The naming rights agreement between the Pelicans, the State of Louisiana and Smoothie King is for 10 years. A new Smoothie King Center logo will adorn the roof of the building and the new Smoothie King Center name and logo will appear on the facility’s exterior façade, on the Pelicans home basketball court, the team’s scoreboard and in numerous locations throughout the facility.
The Smoothie King Center will also feature visuals that reinforce the brand’s new purpose-driven positioning. Fans will see messages encouraging them to “Feel Taller” and “Get More Jump in Your Game” with Smoothie King’s Energy and Fitness Blends.
With the NBA hosting its annual All-Star Game and associated activities in New Orleans the weekend of February 14-16, fans attending the newly-named Smoothie King Center will be greeted by a 20-foot high Smoothie King cup at the building’s main entrance on Gravier Street across from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. A new Smoothie King retail outlet will offer visitors numerous varieties of its signature purposeful smoothies to enjoy for sporting events and other entertainment offerings held at the Smoothie King Center.