Will Black bowl players be academic losers?
PHILADELPHIA, Penn. – Data released Monday from the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education details the low graduation rates of Black male student-athletes on teams participating in the 2014 Bowl Championship Series (BCS). Based on six-year graduation rates at the 10 schools, at least half the Black players taking to the gridiron in a BCS game in the coming weeks will not graduate. Teams playing in the five BCS Bowls were announced Sunday night.
This year’s data is focused on the top 25 BCS schools. The data also show that although Black men make up 60 percent of the top 25 BCS football teams, only 12 percent of coaches and athletic directors are Black.
“In some instances, at Florida State University, for example, Black men comprise nearly 70 percent of the football team, yet just over one-third of those Black male student-athletes will graduate,” said Dr. Shaun R. Harper, a professor in the Penn Graduate School of Education and the Center’s Executive Director. “These numbers are shameful. In my view, no team with rates this low for a population that comprises such a significant portion of the team should be allowed to play in any BCS Bowl. These schools and their athletic conferences must be held more accountable.”
This updated research on Black male student-athletes and racial inequities in college sports examines the poor performance of these colleges and universities in graduating their Black male athletes. Only 50 percent of Black male student-athletes graduate within six years from universities in the seven major NCAA Division I sports conferences, compared to 67 percent of student-athletes overall, 73 percent of undergraduate students overall, and 56 percent of Black undergraduate men overall. To download the original Harper, Williams, and Blackman report on Black male student-athletes, please visit www.gse.upenn.edu/equity/sports.
Bowl Breakdown of Black Male Student-Athlete Graduation Rates:
National Championship:
Florida State: 37%
[21% lower than student-athletes overall]
Auburn: 51%
[8% lower than student-athletes overall]
Sugar Bowl:
Alabama: 53%
[15% lower than student-athletes overall]
Oklahoma: 42%
[13% lower than student-athletes overall]
Orange Bowl:
Clemson: 47%
[20% lower than student-athletes overall]
Ohio State: 50%
[25% lower than student-athletes overall]
Fiesta Bowl:
Baylor: 50%
[14% lower than student-athletes overall]
Central Florida: 47%
[13% lower than student-athletes overall]
Rose Bowl:
Michigan State: 49%
[23% lower than student-athletes overall]
Stanford: 82%
[11% lower than student-athletes overall]
The Harper, Williams, and Blackman report notes that problems as pervasive as the underrepresentation of Black men in the undergraduate student population at predominantly white colleges and universities, their overrepresentation on revenue-generating NCAA Division I sports teams, and their comparatively lower six-year graduation rates warrant a multidimensional response from various stakeholders. The report authors offer numerous concrete strategies and recommendations for five groups: the NCAA and Sports Conference commissioners; college and university leaders; coaches and athletic departments; journalists and sports media, and Black male student-athletes.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Lady Hornets’ Soccer Assistant Coach Kathryn Saunders was named the Senior Women’s Regional Assistant Coach of the Year for the Central Region. Coach Saunders has been with the soccer program for three years. Her primary roles are handling administrative duties, coaching attacking (offensive) players and recruiting.
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America has announced the 24 individuals named Regional Assistant Coaches of the Year, as well as the four assistants named NSCAA/Field Turf Assistant Coaches of the Year for senior college, junior college and high school.
“I am very happy for Kathryn to receive this tremendous honor,” said head coach Jodie Smith. “She has played a major part in the growth and recent success of our team both on and off the field, especially with our team’s community service, something that she is very passionate about. She is most deserving of this award from the NSCAA.”
Saunders assisted Head Coach Jodie Smith in coaching the Lady Hornets to its first 14 win season. During this season the team claimed its first Eastern Division Championship by going undefeated in conference play. The Lady Hornets also advanced to its first conference championship match.
Saunders is a coach of the Alabama Olympic Development Program as well as being a part of local soccer club, FC Torajeger’s, coaching staff. She holds a US Soccer B License as well as a NSCAA State Goalkeeping Diploma. Saunders played collegiality at Campbell University. During her time there she helped lead the Lady Camels to the A-Sun Regular Season and Conference Tournament Championships while earning A-Sun All-Conference and A-Sun All-Tournament honors along with being a four-year member of the A-Sun All-Academic Team.

The newly formed Birmingham Golf Network (BGN) is hosted a Christmas golf mixer, Monday, December 9th at the Historic Tutwiler Hotel in downtown Birmingham. BGN is a group of minority golfers and leaders in the community focused on networking, sharing golf events, the love of the sport and giving back to the community. The organization is the brainchild of Gloria Dennard, who is an avid golfer and wanted a way for various golf groups and those interested in the game to be able to connect.
For BGN’s second event in less than one year since forming, this installment featured golf celebrity Dr. Catana Starks, a former swim coach at Tennessee State University, who made history becoming the first woman golfer and first African-American woman to coach a men’s college golf team. With determination, passion, and courage, Dr. Catana took an unlikely group of young men from around the world, who would not have had an opportunity to play nor succeed in golf, and created a world class golf team. She then coached them to an all-time record at the PGA National Collegiate Minority Championship. Her efforts inspired the movie “From the Rough,” which depicts her exciting experience which led to her spot in golf history.
Coach Starks retired in 2011 as Professor and Chair of the Department of Human Performance and Sports Science at Tennessee State University. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but reared in Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Starks currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
In a beautiful setting of festive holiday decorations of the Ridgely Ballroom at the Historic Tutwiler Hotel, various golfers and golf groups from throughout the Greater Birmingham Area, were able to join in exciting networking activities, while enjoying various speakers who shared information about golf activities. Keeping the event lively was the master of ceremony, Chris Osborne, American Red Cross;  accompanied at times by BGN committee members: Gloria Dennard, Mike Gunn, Garfield Campbell, Jameka Brown,  Evelyn Hayes, Arthur Bailey, Ed Sanders, and Sunny Slaughter.
The mixer was held from 6-8 p.m. In addition to a brief address by Dr. Cantana, who shared an excerpt of the movie, “From the Rough,” recognitions were made of the accomplishments of Miles College’s new golf team, coached by Leonard Smoot, accomplishments of local golfers at the national level, a brief promotion of Regions Golf Classic by Bill Horton, and other information advocating the merits of golf. Entertainment of soft, holiday jazz was provided by Foxxy Fatts Band. Door prizes were given and a few golf vendors were on hand.
The mixer was hosted by The Historic Tutwiler Hotel, Jameka Brown. Co-Sponsors included: Professional Women Golf Association (PWGA), Coca-Cola Company, Birmingham Westin and Sheraton Hotels, and  Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Nashville, Tenn. – On Monday, Tennessee State offensive lineman Kadeem Edwards accepted an invitation to play in the 2014 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Edwards and the South team will square off against the North squad at 3 p.m. on Jan. 25 at Ladd-Peeples Stadium in Mobile, Ala.
This year, Edwards was selected to the All-Ohio Valley Conference Team for the third consecutive time following a season in which he started 13 games at left guard. He played a pivotal role in recording TSU’s winningest season since 1999 and a berth into the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division I Playoffs.
Edwards, a native of Sanford, Fla. was a four-year starter for Big Blue, amassing 43 career starts. Edwards is also on the President’s List, the All-OVC Academic Team and is a National Football Foundation Student Athlete.
The guard is the first Tennessee State player to be invited to the Senior Bowl since Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in 2008, and the first TSU offensive lineman since Michael Thompson in 2000.
With Edwards, Tennessee State has now had 24 players selected to the Senior Bowl including Big Blue legends Claude Humphrey, James Marsalis, Vern Holland, Waymond Bryant and Ed “Too Tall” Jones.
Last season, seven players from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) made Senior Bowl rosters and all were taken in April’s NFL Draft.
The last player drafted for TSU was running back Javarris Williams who was selected in the seventh round by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009.

SEATTLE, Wash. – Alabama State’s volleyball team made their first trip to the NCAA Tournament and faced the third-ranked team in the Tournament in the Huskies of Washington.  The host was able to defeat ASU 3-0 (11-25, 5-25, 16-25) and the NCAA Tournament game closes the Lady Hornets’ season which turned out to be the most successful season in the history of the program.
ASU finished the season 25-16 overall after winning the program’s first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) tournament title which also gave ASU its first berth in the NCAA Tournament. ASU went undefeated in conference play at 8-0 which gave them the East Division title.
“We couldn’t have played against a better team,” Head Coach Penny Lucas-White said. “To me you play against the best if you expect to be the best and I’m very, very proud of my young ladies.  They have had a great season and they have gone out on a great note.”
Amber Bennett led the Lady Hornets with three kills against Washington while Brooke Beasley and Rachel Smith each had two. Ellyn Jones had seven assists to lead ASU and Luiza Griz, playing in her final game as a Hornet, led ASU with six digs.
“They (Washington) are so athletic, they are still having a lot of fun and I think the crowd was awesome,” Lucas-White said. “I think Jim (UW Head Coach Jim McLaughlin) has done a phenomenal job here at Washington for years. We went up to each other before the game and I told him I had been a big fan of his for years.  I have always loved his system and he has done a phenomenal job.”
“You can’t say you have one good player, he has a phenomenal team and it’s a phenomenal team effort and everyone shows up to play on the Huskie team, as well as our team.  I just think it is a matter of experience.  They have been to the dance so many times and the level of expectation and the competition they compete with, week in and week out, is totally different from what we’re used to.”
In the first set of the game, the Huskies used three runs to pull away from ASU 25-11.  The first run came with the score even at two and UW went on a 5-0 run to push the lead to 7-2.  ASU actually cut the lead to 9-7 before UW goes on another 5-0 run to extend its lead to 14-7.  From there the host team was able to go on a 6-0 run to end the first set.
ASU hit .095 in the first set with Beasley, Bennett, Khryssnee Madison and Dragana Cvoric picking up kills and Griz with three digs.
ASU could get nothing going in the second set as the PAC 12 Champions could do no wrong. Washington picked up 10 kills and hit .667 while ASU got kills from Myla Marshall and Smith.
The third set saw ASU score the first two points of the set, before UW scored five straight to take a 5-2 lead.  The Lady Hornets never went away in the set and only trailed 18-14 and 19-15 before the Huskies were able to put the set and game away scoring six of the final seven points in the 25-16 final.
“I think this was a very, very good experience for my young team,” Lucas-White said. “It is the start of a great tradition at Alabama State.  I think it is a matter of time for this young team.  I am so thankful my team was exposed to this level because now I know what they are going to go back and do and how they are going to train.  It is what they do away from the court during the off season that brings the benefits of what they get during the season.  So I am really excited about it.”
CSM Names 14 Hornets ALL SWAC
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—College Sports Madness (CSM) has named 14 Alabama State Hornet football players to its 2013 All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) team.
Heading the list the ASU First-Team members is the 2013 Freshman of the Year Kourtney Berry.  Joining Berry, a linebacker, on the defensive first team are defensive end Edward Mosley, punter Bobby Wenzig and fellow linebacker Leland Baker.
ASU had another three players named to the offensive first team.  Isaiah Crowell was named to one of the running back positions while center Edmund Davis joins Crowell on the first team. Wenzig was also named to the first team as the punter.
The Hornets had five members named to the second team.  On defense, defensive tackle Derrick Billups and defensive end Carlton Jones are joined by defensive back Deandra Rashada.
Second team offensive members are offensive lineman Tovar Allen and kick return specialist Myles Everett.
CSM also names a third team and the Hornets have three offensive players listed on that team.  Running back Malcolm Cyrus leads joins fellow offensive player’s tight end Justin Robinson and offensive lineman Damian Love.

 MONTGOMERY, Ala. – With head coach Reggie Barlow being inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame on Thursday evening, the Alabama State University football team placed eight players on the 2013 All-SWAC team.
Highlighting this list of recipients is redshirt freshman linebacker Kourtney Berry; Berry a 6-0, 215, LB, from Merrillville, Ind., was named the SWAC’s Newcomer of the Year and also received first team All-SWAC honors at the linebacker position.
In his first collegiate season after responding from an injury that applied a redshirt year, Berry posted a team-leading 107 total tackles (57 solo, 48 assists) in the 11 games. In addition, he complemented his stops with seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss. He also finished the year with an interception, two fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. Berry was named the SWAC Defensive Player of the Week once, the league’s Newcomer of the Week twice, while spotlighting a defense that finished second in the SWAC in points allowed (25.8). He was also selected as a nominee for the Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman of the Year).
Joining Berry on this year’s list of postseason honors, on the first team All-SWAC is Isaiah Crowell (RB), Edmond Davis (OL), Derrick Billups (DL), and Bobby Wenzig (P). Representing the Hornets on the second team are Robert Roquemore (OL), Carlton Jones (DL), and Myles Everett (RS). There was one lone Hornet that received both first and second team honors. Bobby Wenzig was selected to the second team as a kicker.
“I’m so excited for these young men. I’m sure they would like to thank the coaches and their teammates for these honors,” head coach Reggie Barlow said. “I’m honored to be their coach.”
A full listing of all of the ASU honorees on this seasons All-SWAC teams are as follows:

Bobby Wenzig – Alabama State (P, K, 6-2, 185, Sr., San Diego, Calif.) – Bobby has fought through injuries this season and has still been a success on the field with his punting…he has 74 punts for 3,197 yards averaging 43.2 yards per punt…24 of his punts have been downed inside the 20 yard line and has 24 punts that have traveled over 50 yards…his longest punt of the year has covered 67 yards…Bobby holds school records in punts, yardage and punting average…he has been named the SWAC Specialist of the Week three times and the CFPA Specialist of the Week. Bobby’s mid-season injuries only allowed him to punt, but he still averaged over five points per game in scoring…he hit 26 of his 27 PAT’s and 10 of 15 field goals to score 56 points.

Isaiah Crowell– Alabama State (RB, 5-11, 190, Jr. Columbus, Ga.)Has played in all 11 games with 10 starts…has carried the ball 163 times for 1,089 yards…averaged 6.7 yards per carry and scored 15 times…he has also caught seven passes for 31 yards…was leading the conference in yards and touchdowns until ankle injury limited his playing time…scored 24 points against Alcorn State…has longest rushing play in the SWAC of 84 yards at Jackson State…Leads SWAC in scoring (8.2)…enters final game of the season second in the conference in rushing yards, touchdowns and average per game…still leads SWAC in yards per carry average…has been named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week and the CFPA Running Back of the Week three times…He is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award.

Edmond Davis– Alabama State (C, 6-1, 285, Sr., Montgomery, Ala.)Edmond is a four-year starter for the Hornets and is the leader on the Hornets offensive line at center…played and started in all 11 games this season…helped the Hornets lead the conference in rushing averaging over 200 yards per game and scoring over 32points per game…makes all the blocking assignment calls at the line of scrimmage.

Derrick Billups- Alabama State (DT, 6-3, 3-8, Jr., Carrollton, Ala.) Derrick has started all 11 games at defensive tackle…he has 49 total tackles (18 solo, 31 assists)…has 5.0 sacks (-23 yards) and another 12.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (-49 yards)… has four quarterback hurries and has recovered a fumble, forced three fumbles and blocked a kick…another reason why ASU leads the SWAC in quarterback sacks and rushing defense…has been named the SWAC Defensive Player of the Week twice, the College Sports Madness Player of the Week and was named the Defensive Player of the Game in the Magic City Classic…he is tied for first in the SWAC in forced fumbles, tied for 8th in sacks and is seventh in the conference in TFL’s…has helped ASU lead the SWAC in sacks with 48 and rushing defense.

Robert Roquemore– Alabama State (RG, 6-5, 313, So., Oxford, Ga.) Robert has played and started in all 11 games this season at guard…helped the Hornets lead the conference in rushing averaging over 200 yards per game and scoring over 32 points per game.

Carlton Jones– Alabama State (DE, 6-1, 250, Sr., Shreveport, La.) Started each game at defensive end…has recorded 36 total tackles (19 solo, 17 assists)…has 6.5 sacks (-56 yards) and 10.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (-70 yards)…also has five quarterback hurries and has forced a fumble…he is third in the conference in sacks and 15th in the SWAC in tackles for lost yardage…his sack total is one of the reasons ASU has 48 league-leading sacks and leads the conference in rushing defense.

Edward Mosley- Alabama State (DE, 6-3, 260, Jr., Atlanta, Ga.) Edward has started all 11 games at left defensive end…he has 26 total tackles (15 solo, 10 assists) with 8.0 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (-26 yards) and 7.0 sacks (-23 yards)…he leads ASU with six pass breakups and has six quarterback hurries…he has recovered two fumbles and forced one…he is second in the SWAC in sacks and tied for second in recovered fumbles and tied for 14th in passes broken up…has helped ASU lead the SWAC in sacks with 48 and rushing defense.

Myles Everett-Alabama State (KR, 5-10, 170, So., Marietta, Ga.) – Myles has returned 29 kickoffs for 660 yards a 22.8 yards per return average…He returned a kick 86 yards for a touchdown at Jackson State…he has also returned 17 punts for another 114 yards…he has averaged 6.7 yards per punt return with a long of 20 yards…in all he has 774 yards in return yardage this season…he has been named the CFPA Kickoff Return Player of the Week and the BSN Kickoff Return Player of the Week.

The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), established in 1920, is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., which is comprised of historically Black universities in the Southern United States. It participates in the NCAA’s Division I for all sports and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

Hornets Fall To Troy 85-69

Troy, Ala. – This week  in basketball action, the Alabama State University Hornets battled the Trojans of Troy.

The Trojans got on the scoreboard first on a lay-up by Wes Hinton, but a lay-up by ASU’s Maurice Strong would give the ballgame its first tie at two just under a minute into the ballgame.

The Hornets would gain their first lead of the ballgame 8-7, on a jumper by Luther Page at the 17:59 mark. The lead changed hands twice before the Trojans, with a one point lead 11-10, went on an 11-0 run that would push the score to 22-10 at the 10:56 mark and give the Trojans their largest lead of the first half.

The Hornets would whittle away at the Troy lead getting as close as two, with 5:01 on the clock, as DeMarcus Robinson knocked a three pointer to make the score read 30-28.

That would be as close as the Hornets would get in the first half, as Troy pushed the lead back to seven 41-34, and would take that lead into the locker room for the intermission.

“It was a tough day. They were a little more aggressive than us,” head coach Lewis Jackson said. “We started a little slow and couldn’t get our shots to fall early.”

In the second half, the Trojans looked to capitalize on their half time and would hold on to the lead the entire second half.  ASU would get as close as three 50-47, with 15:03 left in regulation, when Robinson would get a tip-in off of missed lay-up by Bobby Brown. Troy would push the lead to as much as 16, 81-65, in the second half, hitting on 55 percent of their shots from the field.

The Hornets outscored the Trojans on points off of turnovers, 19-8, but would lose the edge on points in the paint, second chance points, and in bench scoring.

Robinson led all Hornets scores with 17 points, 5-13 shooting and connecting on all six of his opportunities from the free throw line. Jamel Waters would add 14, on 50 percent shooting, going 6-12 from the field. Maurice Strong, despite fouling out, chipped in with 10. Both Luther Page and Bobby Brown would grab seven rebounds apiece, respectively.

Troy would have four players in double figures, led by Kevin Thomas who turned in a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Antoine Myers also recorded 19 points, on 6-10 shooting from the field. Jeff Mullahey would add 16points, knocking down three of his five attempts from behind the arc. Hinton would add 11, as the Trojans would hold off the Hornets 85-69.

“Our defense was off today. We’ve got to do a better job of defending the basketball,” said Jackson. “Being off for the last two and a half weeks had us not as sharp as we could’ve been. It’s part of the game and we have to go back to the drawing board.”

Next up for the Hornets will be a home match-up against Western Illinois on December 16. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

#Go Hornets#

Lady Hornets Defeat Samford In Overtime
 
Led behind the efforts of senior Nakiya Smith’s 12 points the Lady Hornets of Alabama State defeated the Bulldogs of Samford University in an overtime victory, Wednesday night at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
A slow first half saw the Lady Hornets down 20-15, with 11 turnovers to add to the damage.  Alabama State couldn’t find their rhythm from the beginning and the shots just weren’t falling, shooting only 23 percent from the field (6-26) in the first half. The Lady Hornets attacked the boards hard grabbing 21 rebounds with center Quentori Alford getting four. Smith led the team with four points in the half.

“Our girls had great discipline which is what we have been working on leading into this game,” said head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson. “Samford is a good team that plays with that international stlye. They love to go backdoor and shoot the ball deep we defended them great.   We think we have really got the ladies (said of ASU) to buy into the concept that defense wins ball games. ”

The Lady Hornets came out strong in the second half as they held Samford to only 15 points as they scored 40. Alford recorded six points and 6 rebounds before the Lady Bulldogs were still able to push the game in to overtime.

Alabama State (4-1) secured the game for the Lady Hornets by making a series of crucial shots.  Alford led on the boards with 11 rebounds and being one point shy of a double-double with only nine points.

“Alford Started off slow in the first half but she really stepped up and was there for us in the second half when we needed her the most,” stated Freeman-Jackson.  “Nakiya did what we was looking for out of her, she was taking good shots in regulation but just couldn’t get them to stay down, in overtime she gave us that separation we needed to win the game.”

Samford (2-5) was led by Ellen Riggins with 15 points and Christy Robinson who had seven.  Krista Stricklin was the leading rebounder for Samford with 13.

The Lady Hornets shot 70 percent from the striped line (12-17), while Samford was 14-22 shooting 63 percent.  Alabama State out rebounded Samford 41-32.

Alabama State will return to play on Saturday as they travel to Starkville, Miss. to face the Bulldogs of Mississippi State.  Game time is set for 5 p.m.