Morehouse’s David Carter Named to AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-American Team

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The 2011 AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team was recently announced by the American Football Coaches Association and Morehouse College running back David Carter was named to the team.

Carter, a native of Marietta, GA, was one of three running backs named to the team and was the lone representative from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).

In 2011, the 5-10, 225-pound junior led the SIAC in rushing with 1,495 yards and scoring with 19 touchdowns while being named SIAC Player of the Year. The two-time All-SIAC selection also broke an NCAA Division II record for most rushing yards in a half with 251 yards in the first half against Fort Valley State.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.

2011 AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team

Offense

 Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)

WR Trevor Kennedy 6-0 200 Sr. Mercyhurst Marty Schaetzle Akron, Ohio (Firestone)

WR Tyler Steffan 6-4 210 Jr. Mary Myron Schulz Dickinson, N.D. (Dickinson)

OL Garth Heikkinen 6-4 305 Jr. Minnesota-Duluth Bob Nielson Duluth, Minn. (Central)

OL Amini Silatolu* 6-3 320 Sr. Midwestern St. Bill Maskill Tracy, Calif. (West)

OL Kyle Thornton 6-4 345 Sr. North Alabama Terry Bowden Dallas, Texas (St. Mark’s)

OL Rob Stoner 6-2 295 Sr. Edinboro Scott Browning Edinboro, Pa. (General McLane)

OL Ryan Schraeder 6-7 319 Sr. Valdosta St. David Dean Wichita, Kan. (Maize)

QB Dane Simoneau 6-3 227 Sr. Washburn Craig Schurig Salina, Kan. (Sacred Heart)

RB David Carter 5-10 225 Jr. Morehouse Rich Freeman Marietta, Ga. (Sprayberry)

RB Joe Glendening 5-10 188 Jr. Hillsdale Keith Otterbein East Grand Rapids, Mich. (East)

RB Jonas Randolph*** 5-10 185 Sr. Mars Hill Tim Clifton Daleville, Ala. (Daleville)

Defense

Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)

DL Brandon Williams* 6-3 325 Jr. Missouri Southern St. Bart Tatum Kirkwood, Mo. (Rockwood Summit)

DL Aston Whiteside 6-2 285 Sr. Abilene Christian Chris Thomsen Vernon, Texas (Vernon)

DL Todd Storm 6-3 250 Sr. Michigan Tech Tom Kearly Calumet, Mich. (Calumet)

DL Tim Green 6-1 215 Jr. Lincoln (Pa.) O.J. Abanishe Fanwood, N.J. (Scotch Plains)

LB Deon Lacey 6-2 208 Jr. West Alabama Will Hall Brighton, Ala. (Hueytown)

LB Chad Kilgore 6-1 230 Sr. Northwest Missouri St. Adam Dorrel Orrick, Mo. (Excelsior Springs)

LB Nate Dreiling 6-4 228 So. Pittsburg St. Tim Beck Hutchinson, Kan. (Hutchinson)

DB Dontae Smith 6-1 176 Sr. East Central Tim McCarty Deland, Fla. (Deland)

DB Jeremy Jones 5-10 189 Sr. Wayne St. (Mich.) Paul Winters Grand Rapids, Mich. (Rockford)

DB Rontez Miles 6-1 210 Jr. California (Pa.) John Luckhardt Braddock, Pa. (Woodland Hills)

DB Marvin Matthews 6-0 197 Jr. St. Cloud State Scott Underwood Roseville, Minn. (Roseville Area)

Specialists

Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)

P Gregg Berkshire 6-2 210 Sr. Ashland Lee Owens Ashland, Ohio (Ashland)

PK Greg Zuerlein** 6-0 190 Sr. Missouri Western St. Jerry Partridge Lincoln, Neb. (Pius X)

AP Dominique Fitzgerald 6-0 180 Sr. Winston-Salem St. Connell Maynor Danville, Va. (George Washington)

*-2010 AFCA All-American **-2009 AFCA All-American ***-2009 & 2010 AFCA All-American

 

Ben Baxter
Assistant Commissioner for Communications & New Media
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)

VIDEO – Alexandria Phillips Named Allstate’s ‘Give Back Day’ Hero

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Source: Allstate Newsroom

For international studies major Alexandria Phillips, C’2012, giving back is second nature. When she was 5 years old, she moved with her mother to the Dominican Republic for a yearlong stay in a poverty-stricken village. This year, she extended her global reach as a Clinton Foundation Haiti Team intern. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy of service, Phillips and three other community volunteers will be recognized by Allstate and serve as spokespersons for Give Back Day on January 16

Researchers at TSU Conduct Study to Ensure Freeway Safety

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Researchers in the Transportation Studies Department at Texas Southern University are investigating the Freeway Auxiliary Problems for Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). TxDOT has awarded a two-year research grant project to TSU, to study the Design and Scope of Impact  Auxiliary Lanes have on Texas Freeways.

Researchers at TSU, led by Dr. Yi Qi and Dr. Lei Yu, will develop guidelines and recommend best practices for freeway auxiliary lanes to reduce conflicts, improve safety, and reduce delays for the weaving area near the entrance and exit of freeways. Dr. Qi and Dr. Yu are national experts in this field and have plenty of experience in  geometric design and traffic operations.

The Mini TranStar laboratory at TSU will be used extensively for the data collection of this project.  Real-time traffic videos of local freeways will be extracted from this lab that will allow the TSU team to pursue some research activities that could not be achieved in the past.

It is anticipated that the successful completion of this project will help to decrease crash rates, reduce traffic delays, and improve traffic progress on Houston freeways.

Referenced article from Texas Southern

VSU enters dual-enrollment agreement with Richmond Public Schools

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VSU President Keith T. Miller signs Dual Enrollment agreement with Richmond City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Yvonne W. Brandon (l) and Richmond Seventh District Councilwoman Cynthia I. Newbille (r)

Virginia State University has entered into an agreement with Richmond Public Schools to offer college courses to juniors and seniors in Richmond Public High Schools. These dual enrollment courses will be available in Richmond’s five comprehensive and three specialty high schools.

Under the terms of the Virginia State’s Academic Partnership Program (VSAPP), qualified high school students may enroll in university courses through VSU. The courses will be taught at high schools, but course curricula, syllabi and tests will be identical to those used at VSU. Grades earned will be considered dual credit for high school and VSU. Should the high school students matriculate to VSU, their transcripts will reflect both the college credits and earned GPA.
VSAPP students and their teachers are encouraged to utilize VSU resources and facilities. Students will be issued VSU identification cards so they can access the University’s library and laboratories. Some classes and tutorial sessions will be held on campus and VSU faculty will assist high school faculty in teaching the courses.
There is currently no tuition charge to the students taking dual enrollment courses. Textbooks are usually purchased by the high school system hosting the classes. Dual enrollment students typically enter college with close to a semester’s worth of credits, resulting in savings of several thousand dollars.
VSU currently has dual enrollment agreements with Petersburg, Prince George and Dinwiddie. The university is pursuing similar initiatives with school systems in Hampton Roads.
 Read Full article at VSU

 

UMES graduate to speak in Washington

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A December graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore will be among eight panelists in the 2011 College Round Table in Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 20—one of the D.C. Achievers Scholarship Program’s success stories funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Kierrah Norman, 21, from (Northeast) Washington, D.C., is one of the first two students graduating who received the scholarship funded by a $117 million grant from the Gates Foundation in 2007.

Norman will have a lot on her mind as she packs up her room, dons her graduation gown and turns her tassel.  She is headed back home to Washington to speak not only at the College Success Foundation-D.C. event, but also to her high school, Friendship Collegiate Academy, to tell other students with her background how to achieve success.

Norman will “motivate students to get on track,” sharing how she started looking into higher education, finding out about financial aid and her college experiences.

Her advice to high school students thinking about college:  “Stay focused, work hard—play later!”  Norman recommends doing research on scholarships.  “They’re out there…there’s no reason anyone should be taking out loans,” she said.

The College Success Foundation-D.C. helps underserved, low-income students graduate from high school and college by providing a support system and financial means through scholarships to succeed.

Read full article at UMES

NCCU Welcomes Fourth Family Into Habitat for Humanity Home

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The public is invited to a dedication Saturday for the fourth Habitat for Humanity home built by volunteers from North Carolina Central University.

The keys to the newest Eagle Habitat home will be given to Yopond Helms and her family during a noon celebration at the house at 814 Colfax St., Durham.

About 340 students have worked on the house since the Sept. 17 groundbreaking, giving at least one four-hour shift of labor. The total number of volunteer hours easily tops 1,360, said Dr. Deborah Bailey, director of the Office of Community Engagement at NCCU.

“This was a student-led project from beginning to end,” Bailey said. “This really showcases what President Obama describes as service that meets America’s needs.”

NCCU first partnered with Habitat for Humanity in 2006. After raising nearly $50,000 in donations toward building the first home at 1101 Simmons St., the university in 2008 received a three-year grant from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to complete the project.

The grant, which was designated specifically for historically black colleges and universities to use for activities benefiting the wider community, enabled NCCU to continue its partnership with Habitat. The school also used grant money to create other programs, including micro-entrepreneurship training for residents.

Dr. Rebecca Winders, associate professor in the Department of Public Administration, led a committee of faculty, staff and administrators who pulled together the application to HUD. For Winders, Saturday’s event will be bittersweet. The professor, who taught at NCCU for 14 years, is retiring next year.

“Dr. Winders has been absolutely pivotal to the Eagle-Habitat project. Her work, and the work of the committee, has helped transform a neighborhood,” Bailey said. “While we celebrate Dr. Winders’ retirement and the next chapter in her life, we will miss everything that she has done. She’s leaving behind a legacy of care for the development of low-wealth communities in Durham.”

After the success of the first house, the university and the nonprofit went on to build a second house at 615 Hickory St., a third house at 808 Colfax St., and the fourth a few doors down on Colfax. All the homes are within a four-block area, part of a multipronged effort by NCCU to restore prosperity to the surrounding neighborhood.

Read Full Article at NCCU

WSSU Appoints EEO/AA Officer

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Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has named Silvia C. Ramos as Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Officer effective January 2, 2012.
In addition to being the university’s Chief Compliance Officer, Ramos will be responsible for interpreting and analyzing policies and procedures related to Equal Employment regulations, assess and respond to the needs for training programs, and develop plans to promote equity, diversity and cultural competency.  She will report to Provost Brenda Allen.
“We are delighted that our search committee found someone with experience in aligning diversity efforts with a university’s strategic plan as well as the ability to manage compliance, events and projects,” said Allen.  “Silvia also has extensive experience in assessing diversity strategies and was instrumental in impacting the increase of diversity in the student body at Virginia Tech.”
An educator with a background in diversity efforts, Ramos was associate director of diversity education and training at Virginia Tech for three years.  There she managed a wide range of diversity programs, led university-wide projects and events, and also worked with campus teams on a variety of diversity issues.

Read Full article at WSSU

Howard University Facing Sexual Harassment Charges from Five Female Students

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Five female students have alleged in a lawsuit that Howard University failed to take action when a supervisor of a campus work-study program on campus allegedly sexually and verbally assaulted them.

According to the lawsuit filed on behalf of the students, George Bright-Abu, a supervisor of the work-study program at The Founders Library on campus was accused last July of “unwanted touching, flirting, fondling and degrading propositions of a sexual nature.”

The students also reported the conduct to police. Bright-Abu was arrested, charged and found guilty of two counts of sexual abuse and one count of simple assault.

Graduate Mercedes Woodson, one of the victims, told NBC4 in Washington, D.C. that after she reported the abuse to university officials, they failed to investigate.

Bright-Abu “asked me to come into his office and he came pretty close to me and touched my chest area,” Woodson told the station. “I did say something and I rushed out.”

Another student, Rukayatu Bello, told the station that she was also assaulted at a later date, that she reported the incident to university officials and that nothing was done about it.

Bright-Abu “said inappropriate things to me,” said Bello, who also has since graduated. “He came on to me, was aroused, rubbed up against me, was trying to kiss me, all in his office.”

Both students filed a police report in April and Bright-Abu was arrested and charged.

Bright-Abu was tried and convicted in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced to serve 60 days for each count of sexual abuse and is serving 120 days in jail.

Since then, three other students have claimed they too were victims of Bright-Abu and the university had yet again failed to act on the information. They are filing a civil lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and abuse against Howard University and Bright-Abu.
The students’ lawsuit also asks for unspecified monetary damages.

In a statement to The Afro, Howard said it takes student safety seriously and moved to terminate Bright-Abu.

“While the University is unable to provide details on matters in current litigation, we can say that we take the safety of our students very seriously and have a strict sexual harassment policy in place. When the University administration became aware of the allegations, we worked closely with appropriate law enforcement authorities as well as conducted an internal investigation. The employee was quickly placed on administrative leave and later terminated from the University.”

Article Referenced from Afro

Details on FVSU warning on fiscal affairs released

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The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission released more details Thursday about a warning dealing with fiscal affairs issued to Fort Valley State University earlier this month.

The accrediting organization placed the school on warning for a year at its general meeting Dec. 5 because the Commission’s Board of Trustees determined Fort Valley State failed to demonstrate compliance with three standards — faculty competence, control of finances and Title IV responsibilities, which deal with federal student aid, according to a disclosure statement released Thursday explaining the reason for the warning and what it means for Fort Valley’s status with the organization.

The warning is related to finance office processes and staffing and training of employees in the offices of general accounting, financial aid and support services, according to a news release from Fort Valley State.

A year ago, a commission panel reaffirmed the school’s accreditation for 10 years but wanted reforms in the administration of fiscal affairs. The warning stems from the commission’s belief the school had made significant progress toward correcting the issues.

University officials said steps are under way to re-staff personnel in the departments cited.

“Fort Valley State University has been involved in a multiyear effort to address concerns and enhance its fiscal procedures. This effort has benefitted from the assistance of the United States Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the Georgia Board of Regents and Georgia Department of Audits,” Fort Valley State President Larry Rivers stated in a news release. “Since all issues had not been resolved completely, we knew that a warning was a possibility. We respect SACS, understand the very serious nature of this warning, and will work to resolve its concerns fully.”

Read more at Macon

Death of Florida A&M drum major ruled a homicide

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The state medical examiner’s office has ruled that the death of a Florida A&M University drum major last month was a homicide after concluding that the student was severely beaten in a hazing incident and died within an hour.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement Friday evening saying it planned to work with the State Attorney’s office “to identify the charges that are applicable” in the death of 26-year-old Robert Champion.

The medical examiner’s office in Orlando found that Champion had bruises to his chest, arms, shoulder and back and internal bleeding that caused him to go into shock, which killed him.

“The Champion family’s worst fears were realized tonight when their son Robert’s death was ruled a homicide by hazing,” the victim’s family said in a statement Friday evening. “We now hope that all those responsible for this act will swiftly be brought to justice. Our goal is that no other family will have to live through this pain.”

“We don’t want to stop the music,” the statement said, “we want to stop the hazing.”

Champion’s Nov. 19 death and the severe beating of another band member during a hazing ritual three weeks earlier have brought new scrutiny to a culture of hazing within the Tallahassee school’s famed Marching 100 band.

State and local authorities are investigating the death. Any death involving hazing is a third-degree felony in Florida, but no charges have been filed so far. Three male band members were arrested in a separate probe involving the recent beating of a female member whose thigh bone was broken.

Witnesses told emergency dispatchers that Champion was vomiting before he was found unresponsive aboard a band bus outside an Orlando hotel after the school’s football team lost to rival Bethune-Cookman.

The report by Dr. Sara Irrgang, an associate medical examiner, described Champion as “previously healthy” and showing “no evidence of natural disease” except for a slightly enlarged heart. Immediately after the hazing, Champion complained of thirst and fatigue, then loss of vision and signs of shock, the report said.

Read Full article at Google News

Grambling State women’s face tough road trip

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The Grambling State women’s basketball nondistrict schedule is heating up.

The Lady Tigers play at Oral Roberts at 7 tonight. GSU then travels to Tulsa on Saturday. The road trip ends with games at Texas (Dec. 20) and LSU (Dec. 22).

GSU won its last game, a 64-52 victory over Sam Houston State, on Saturday. Markisha Patterson led the Lady Tigers with 16 points and six rebounds while Tonieshwa Mack added 14 points.

Michelle Dobbins came off the bench to play a big role for GSU, scoring 15 points and three assists, three rebounds and two steals.

No. 14 Louisville 64, Cincinnati 59: At Cincinnati, Shoni Schimmel scored 16 points to lead No. 14 Louisville past Cincinnati on Wednesday night in the Big East opener for both teams. After trailing for much of the second half, Louisville (9-2, 1-0) tied the score at 55 with 2:37 left in the game and went ahead on Schimmel’s 3-pointer.

With less than a minute left, Bjonee Reaves’ jumper pulled Cincinnati (6-3, 0-1) within one, but Cardinals forward Shawnta’ Dyer responded quickly to give Louisville a three-point lead with 39 seconds remaining.

Becky Burke, who had 14 points for the Cardinals, made four free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the win.

Read Full Article at shreveporttimes

Towson Tigers lose to Coppin State Eagles, fall to 0-10

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The Towson Tigers men’s basketball fell again as they were defeated by Coppin State, 57-71. The Tigers are now 0-10 to start the season, but only 0-1 in CAA play.

Towson played Coppin State on the road which was just a short drive for the Tigers as Coppin State is in Baltimore City. Coppin State is still undefeated at home with a 4-0 record; overall they are 4-5.

Tigers’ forward Marcus Damas led the team with 16 points and forward Robert Nwankwo had 15 points. Damas and Nwankwo have been the only Tigers players that have been able to get into double digits in points on a consistent basis this season.

Eagles guard Tony Gallo destroyed the Tigers with 27 points, with included six three-point baskets. Taarig Cephas also did solid damage to the Tigers scoring 19 points.

The Tigers next game is against the Manhattan Jaspers, who are 7-4, they will play at the Towson Center.

Florida Gov. Wants FAMU President Suspended From Job

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Florida’s governor wants the president of Florida A&M University suspended amid multiple investigations spurred by a drum major’s death.

Republican Rick Scott called the chairman of the FAMU board on Thursday and asked him to suspend James Ammons immediately. The board met last week and discussed suspending Ammons, but instead voted to publicly reprimand him. The board meets again Monday.

It was Scott who ordered Florida’s law-enforcement agency to join an investigation into the death of Marching 100 band member Robert Champion. He died following a FAMU football game last month and hazing is suspected in his death.

State law enforcement officials said earlier this week they have opened a second investigation into possible criminal violations dealing with the band’s finances.

Article Referenced from ABC

Elizabeth City ministers offer help fighting diabetes

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1 of 3 photos: Pastor Larry Brown and wife, Gloria, left, exercise after their service at the Faith & Victory Christian Center in Elizabeth City, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011. A professor at Elizabeth City State University implemented a program to try to get the black population to exercise more and eat better in order to cut back on that population's high frequency of diabetes. (Jason Hirschfeld | For The Virginian-Pilot)

Some 35 people wearing sweats and T-shirts shook their stuff to blasting, beating music Dec. 4 with Pastor Larry Brown and his wife in the lead, sweating along with the rest.

Each Sunday, about an hour after the worshiping ends at Faith & Victory Christian Center, the workouts begin. The program is a way for Larry and Gloria Brown to help their congregation ward off diabetes – the fourth-leading cause of death among blacks in this country.

The Browns and four other ministers in the Elizabeth City area have signed on to an effort that uses spiritual leaders, rather than medical experts, to persuade those in the black community to get more diabetes screenings, eat better, get more exercise and generally improve their chances of avoiding the disease.

The incidence of diagnosed adult diabetes is 13.4 percent among blacks, compared with 6.4 percent among whites, according to a 2006 national study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By far, Southeastern states have the highest occurrence – including northeastern North Carolina and parts of southeastern Virginia, according to CDC maps.

But few blacks volunteer for clinical studies on diabetes, and in general blacks are not heeding warnings about the disease, said Dr. Anthony Emekalam, an assistant professor of pharmacy at Elizabeth City State University.

“Why?” Emekalam asked. “Studies show that African Americans do not trust the health care system. Who do they trust? You’ll find that they trust their pastors. How about using pastors as a channel to reach them?”

Reasons for the mistrust go back generations, to a time when blacks were sometimes the subjects of medical experiments, he said.

Last year, Emekalam received a $27,000 grant from the Medical University of South Carolina, paid for by the CDC. He is getting another $20,000 grant this year.

Ministers who become part of his program receive training in diet, exercise and blood screening, among other things. They lead the effort, not Emekalam, the professor said. Members get reminders in the church bulletin – and from the pulpit, as well. Church socials feature less fatty foods and more vegetables.

Read Full Article at Elizabeth City

Bennett College removed from financial probation

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Bennett College has been removed from a six-month probation for financial instability by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .

The college was placed on probation in June for incidences in 2010, said Julianne Malveaux, Bennett’s president. She said those instances were one-time occurrences that were not systemic issues that affected the college’s future fiscal outlook.

Bennett was able to demonstrate its financial stability in October to a SACS team that reviewed records and spoke with the college’s stakeholders, Malveaux said.

“I was elated to receive the official notice that by action of the SACS Board of Trustees, Bennett College has been removed from probation,” Malveaux said in a statement. “As part of the college’s five-year report, we must evidence continued compliance with the SACS principle on financial stability.”

Read Referenced article from Bennett College

UMES Percy Woods Leads MEAC Basketball of the Week Honors

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Percy Woods of University of Maryland Eastern Shore (www.umeshawks.com)

Norfolk, VA – Maryland Eastern Shore’s Percy Woods was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday. Prince Okoroh of Howard was named Rookie of the Week while Yannick Crowder of Florida A&M earned Defensive Player of the Week accolades.

Woods (G, 6-1, 190, Jr., Hyattsville, Md.) scored 16 points with 10 assists, and five steals to lead Maryland Eastern Shore to a 95-69 win over Mercy. Woods connected on 6-of-11 baskets (54%) including 4-of-6 from long range. He also hit 6-of-7 free throws and added two rebounds in just 25 minutes of play.

Okoroh (F, 6-5, 190, Fr., Glenarden, Md.) averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks to help the Bison finish 1-1 last week. In a 75-67 win over Delaware State Okoroh scored a career-best 21 points, shooting 10-of-12 from the field, with four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.

Crowder (F/C, 6-8, 215, Sr., Stone Mountain, Ga.) averaged 10.0 rebounds, 4.3 blocks and 2.0 steals in three games last week for the Rattlers. He grabbed 13 boards and blocked seven shots with four steals against Allen. He recorded another 13 rebounds against Southeastern and blocked five shots against South Florida. For the week Crowder totaled 30 rebounds, 13 blocks and six steals while playing 25.3 minutes per game.

For the rest of the MEAC Weekly Honors Basketball Honors, click here.