Lincoln University President announces retirement

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Written by  Ayana Jones 

After 12 years at the helm of Lincoln University, President Ivory V. Nelson, Ph.D., is stepping down. During an interview with the Tribune, Nelson said he plans to retire by the end of the year. He did not give an actual retirement date. “For the first time in my life, I don’t have a set of five-year goals in my pocket,” said Nelson, who worked in higher education for 48 years. “I’ll be leaving a profession that I’ve loved. I’ve been president of four colleges and universities, and Lincoln University is my finest hour.”

Nelson, who is 76, joined Lincoln in 1999, after serving in leadership positions at Central Washington State University, Prairie View A&M University and Texas A&M University. Nelson’s academic career includes teaching graduate and undergraduate chemistry and serving as department head, assistant dean of academic affairs and vice president for research. He has also enjoyed a career in the corporate sector where he was a research chemist for both Union Carbide and American Oil Company.

When Nelson arrived at Lincoln, the institution was $15 million in debt. Nelson is credited with leading the nation’s oldest historically Black university out of debt and spearheading major construction projects that transformed Lincoln’s campus.

“When I came into Lincoln we were having tough times public relations wise, financial wise and perception wise,” said Nelson, who eliminated operating deficits, removed Lincoln from financial aid probation and secured over a quarter of a billion dollars in state funding for capital construction and renovation projects.

“I do believe that with the help of a lot of folks that we have been able to provide a strong message of the academic quality of what Lincoln is all about, provide a strong message of how important Lincoln University is to this commonwealth especially,” Nelson said, noting that 54 percent of Lincoln graduates stay in Pennsylvania. Read More at LU

MSU Professor Named to Governor’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council

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 Council to Lead Integration of Electric Vehicles Into Maryland Communities Governor O’Malley recently named Morgan State Professor Z. Andrew Farkas to a newly formed state Electrical Vehicle Infrastructure Council. Dr. Farkas joins automobile manufacturers and dealers, electrical vehicle (EV) charging manufacturers and environmental and energy experts to plan and coordinate the successful integration of electric vehicles into Maryland’s communities and transportation system. Article referenced from MSU

The Council will develop recommendations on the supply, support systems and consumer awareness strategies the state will take to promote the use of electric vehicles in commercial and private use.

Dr. Farkas is also the Director for the National Transportation Center at Morgan State University.

Surpassing $100 Million, The Campaign for Spelman College Nears Goal

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 Thanks to the commitment and generosity of donors to Spelman, the College has passed the $100 million mark in The Campaign for Spelman College and is off to a great start in securing the remaining $50 million.
“The willingness of donors to share their time, treasure and talent will ensure that future Spelman women have life-changing experiences that will enable them to change the world,” said President Beverly Daniel Tatum. Kassandra Jolley, vice president, Institutional Advancement, agrees. “Our vision for the campaign is to enhance the educational opportunity for every Spelman student scholar and we’ve made significant progress toward our goal of raising $150 million,” said Jolley. “To produce forward-thinking, socially conscious change agents, we need continued support of our fundraising efforts.” Since the Campaign was launched in 2004, the College has achieved the following important milestones:

Raised to Date
Scholarships: $37.9 million
Faculty and Academic Programs: $36 million
Annual Fund/In-Kind Support: $20 million
Campus Environment: $9.5 million
The gifts from contributors have allowed Spelman to uphold its reputation as a leading national liberal arts college for women. The College has awarded more scholarships; more students have been able to travel abroad; faculty and students have had more research opportunities; important campus initiatives such as the endowment for the Women’s Research and Resource Center and support for the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art have flourished; and the institution was able to break ground on LEED Silver level renovation of Laura Spelman Rockefeller Hall, which includes a state-of-the-art 24-hour study commons. Read Full Article at Spelman

Virginia State University student charged with homicide

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Credit: HENRICO COUNTY POLICE

A Virginia State University student has been indicted by a grand jury on charges that she killed her romantic rival. The victim was found in shot, stabbed and burned in Henrico County in 2008.

Authorities are now looking for the suspect, Kayla Camille Armstrong, 28, of Richmond, who is currently enrolled for the fall semester at VSU.

Henrico police say that at about 6:40 a.m. on New Years Eve of 2008, the fire department was dispatched to an apartment building on Crenshaw Road for a report of smoke coming from inside. Fire personnel forced their way into the residence, where they found 26-year-old Keiona Cecilia Braxton, barely alive. Efforts to stabilize her condition failed and she died at the scene.

An autopsy later determined that the victim did not die as a result of the fire, but her death was ruled a homicide. Braxton was three months pregnant.

According to news reports, Braxton was living with her boyfriend at the time of her death – the man was Armstrong’s ex-boyfriend and father of her daughter.

Henrico police did not want to comment on the case yesterday. But apparently, investigators quickly established a rivalry between Armstrong and Braxton dating back to at least 2006, when Armstrong was convicted of felony assault and served four months in jail for stabbing Braxton.

In December 2008, Armstrong allegedly attacked Braxton another time and was charged with misdemeanor assault. She was arraigned on these charges on Jan. 5, 2009 – less than a week after Braxton’s death. Armstrong remained in jail until her June 2009 trial, where she also faced vandalism and breaking and entering charges. She was found not guilty and was released. Read more: Progress-Index

UAPB Students attend Thurgood Marshall conference

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Thirteen students from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff attended the 11th annual Thurgood Marshall Leadership Institute Recruitment Conference and Career Fair, hosted by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) in New York. This year’s theme was, “Developing Minds…Delivering Dreams of the Next Generation of Global Leaders.”

The four-day leadership institute is the largest recruitment conference in the nation dedicated to providing leadership and professional development training to HBCU students. The leadership institute brings together students attending the forty-seven public HBCUs with top executives of major corporations to help prepare students to be more competitive professionals. The conference had a recruiting component that provided access for students to potential career opportunities with many of the nation’s leading corporations and government agencies.

This year Ja’Nay Hawkins and Nicole Folson, the Campus Relations Team from Thurgood Marshall interviewed and selected students based on their grade point average of 3.0 or better, exceptional leadership, community involvement and Cooperative Education/internship experiences. During the wrap-up session with the Office of Career Services’ staff, Ms. Hawkins stated, “As I travel to HBCU campuses, I also look for students who are self-aware, confident, and passionate about fulfilling their purpose. There are a few Institutions that come to mind that embody all of those characteristics. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff students are definitely a well-kept secret; showing that when preparation meets opportunity, success will be the reward!” Read Full Article at UAPB

McDonald’s charity to sponsor UMES’ teen science camp

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The sixth annual “Reach for the Stars!” summer camp for teens will be held in 2012 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, thanks to a generous grant from the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Baltimore.

Tina Baxter, an RMHC of Baltimore board member, and representatives of Salisbury-based Baxter Enterprises presented a $23,000 check to the university’s Institutional Advancement Office to sponsor next summer’s program. Baxter Enterprises is the franchisee for most McDonald’s restaurants on Delmarva.

“Reach for the Stars!” offers 40 teens from Worcester and Wicomico counties an opportunity to learn about robotics from engineers who work at NASA and UMES. Six college students enrolled in UMES’ Rehabilitation Services Program also participate to apply their skills with children with special needs.

Baxter visited the camp at UMES this past summer to investigate how it focuses on science education targeted specifically to middle schoolers.

“The Reach for the Stars program is so representative of the type of children’s organizations that our grants program supports, by directly serving the needs of children within a community,” Baxter said. “It is a program that addresses a much underserved area in the exploration of math and science while learning how to partner with students of different abilities.”

The summer program, which began in 2007, is a collaborative project of UMES, NASA (Wallops), Worcester County Economic Development and the Mid-Atlantic Institute for Space and Technology.

“This gift will make it possible for us to provide more students, particularly those students who are often overlooked, with an opportunity to get excited about science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said Brenda Dingwall, equal opportunity specialist for NASA’s Wallops Flight Center.

The two-week camp encourages participants to pursue careers in those academic disciplines that educators commonly refer to collectively as STEM. The camp serves children with disabilities, at-risk students as well as those who are gifted and talented. Read Full Article at UMES

Verizon Makes Generous Scholarship Donation to UDC

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Pictured left to right: President Allen Sessoms, Interim Provost Graeme Baxter, Verizon Vice President of Government Relations and UDC Board Chairman Joseph Askew, Jr., 2010 Verizon Scholarship recipient Andrea White, Dr. Beverly Hartline, 2010 Verizon Scholarship recipient Brice Koukoua, Associate Vice President for Advancement John Butler, and Dr. Valerie Epps.

Dr. Allen Sessoms on Tuesday accepted a check for nearly $17,000 from the Verizon Foundation for the purpose of funding scholarships for deserving students.

WSSU’s Center for Community Safety Moves Toward More Problem-Solving

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The Center for Community Safety (CCS) of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has recruited three new academic professionals to support its efforts to better translate research on social justice problems into more meaningful solutions for communities in North Carolina and across the country.

“We need to provide the types of interventions that get at the root causes of problems if we are to stop the cycle of issues that continue to keep our adolescents from realizing their full potential,” said Alvin Atkinson, director of the CCS.  “Too often, well-intended programs have been implemented without having any reliable proof of what contributions they can make towards the outcomes that are being sought.  As resources are becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain, it is imperative that we begin to rely upon data-drive collaborate research and analysis to ensure that we have the problem-solving actions in place that address the issues we have and the outcomes we desire.

“We are fortunate to have three new professionals joining us who each have a distinguished track record for measurable transformation and reform in both urban and rural neighborhoods across the nation,” Atkinson added.  “This new multicultural team of established clinical and social scientists will lead our collaborative partnership toward achieving the goals of moving from dialogue to action as outlined in our 2012-2015 strategic plan.”

The new team members are:  Dr. Richard Moye, Jr., research director and faculty-in-residence whose research areas include equity and excellence in public education, urban change and social policy, patterns of residential segregation and race relations; Dr. Pedro Hernandez, research and data analytics manager whose research interests include culturally adapted interventions, solution-based child welfare practices, family systems and prisoner reentry services for mothers; and Marcellete Orange, training and engagement manager whose research interests include applied community studies, community development and violence prevention. Read Full article at WSSU

HBCU Women’s Basketball Preview: Grambling

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Grambling Signees (GSUtigers.com)

Grambling, La–With the No. 9 recruiting class in the country for the class of 2012 among mid-majors, the Lady Tigers are now playing with NCAA implications.

Last year their chance to play for a NCAA tournament bid was ruined by the Prairie View Lady Panthers in the semi finals of the SWAC tournament.

This year the Lady Panthers are picked to finish first in the conference and despite the Tigers being picked to finish sixth in Preseason South Western Athletic Conference Poll, they feel like with the talent on their roster they can take the finish at the top.

“We’ve did a great job with recruiting this year,” said Lady Tiger head coach Donnita Rogers.“We have some young players who will be getting the opportunity to play early and I think the fans are going to fall in love with this team. We hope this year we can finally get that number one spot,” Rogers said.

The additions to the Lady Tigers who signed on signing day include, Alexis Andrews (5-11, PF) from Kilgore Junior college, Dayla Threatt, (5-10, G) from Oklahoma City, OK and Bria Venson, (6-2, C) from Fayetteville, GA. They will join Gramblings early signees Maaeah Howell from San Francisco, CA and McDonald’s All-American nominees Savannah Carter from Tulsa, OK and Cierra Ceazer from Topeka, KS.

Key returnees from last year’s squad include senior guards Rachele Dobbins and Brittney Allen and junior guard Alexis Waston.

They Lady Tigers landed some top recruits for next year. ESPN  No.71 recruit in the nation Alexus Johnson, a (6-2) athletic forward from Broomfiled, CO who finishes well around the rim and Breonna Johnson, a (5-11) three star forward from Little Rock, AR who’s ranked No. 44 in the nation at her position, both verbally committed to take their talents to Grambling for the 2012-2013 season.

Coach Rogers said the new Lady Tigers are going be exciting to watch. She said the fans could expect high energy, high tempo and high scoring. In their Black and Gold scrimmage against each other coach Rogers was impressed that both teams scored 71 points.

Their first game will be Nov.11 in a preseason match up against Paul Quinn in the Hobdy Assembly Center. Tipoff starts at 7p.m.

Five Join Xavier Board of Trustees

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New Orleans LA – Xavier University of Louisiana added five new members to its Board of Trustees at the October meetings of the governing board.

Newcomers to the Board are Sister Jane Norton, S.B.S., who works in parish ministry in New York NY; Sonia Perez, president of AT&T Louisiana; Sister Marianne Poole, S.B.S., a project manager in educational ministry in Nashville TN; and Phyllis Taylor, chairman and CEO of Taylor Energy Company and president/chairman of the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation.

Rejoining the Board is Michael Rue, president of Marketplace Properties in Anaheim CA, who had previously served from 2005-2010.

Norton, who resides in New York NY, has served as an elementary school teacher, school principal and parish minister during her 50+ years as a member of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, working in such cities as Chicago IL, Cincinnati OH, New Orleans, Philadelphia PA and Harlem NY.

Perez has served as president of AT&T Louisiana since March 2010, where she works closely with community leaders, elected officials, stakeholders and others at the company to bring the best technology and the most advanced services to Louisiana customers.

Poole, currently serving as a project administrator in educational ministry in Nashville TN, has been member of the S.B.S. for 50 years. She previously served as a principal, administrator and teacher in such cities as Philadelphia PA, Cleveland OH, Santa Fe MX, Harlem NY and New Orleans.

Taylor, chairman and CEO of Taylor Energy Company and president/chairman of the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation, has previously held positions as an In-house Counsel for John Mecom Sr. and as a law clerk for the Supreme Court of Louisiana and Orleans Parish District Court. Read Full Article at Xavier

2011 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship (Day 2 Recap)

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Albany, GA— The second day of the 25th Annual SIAC Volleyball Championship was the start of the elimination round. Held in the Albany State University Health and Physical Education & Recreation (HPER) Gymnasium, the following are recaps from day two of tournament action:

#5E Paine College defeats #5W Miles College (25-14, 25-16, 25-14)

In the first match of the day, Paine College defeated Miles College in three games to advance in the elimination round of the 2011 SIAC Volleyball Tournament. With the loss Miles was eliminated from further action in the tournament.

Miles College was led by Jessica Franklin with seven kills and Nicole Toombs with 12 assists. Defensively Jessica Likely was credited with 10 digs.

Victoria Claytor led Paine College with 12 kills, and eight digs; followed by Janae’ Kearse with eight kills and Fernisha McMillan with two service aces and seven digs. Camachio Harris recorded 26 assists.

#2W Stillman College defeats #3W LeMoyne-Owen College (25-14, 25-16, 21-25, 25-14)

The second match of the elimination round featured the Lady Tigers of Stillman College and the Lady Magicians of LeMoyne-Owen College. The four game win by Stillman College was highlighted by the play of Jamila McKinnis who finished with a game-high 17 kills. She also registered 14 service aces; five digs, and two blocking assists. Januar Page contributed a game-high 25 assists and three digs to the win. The Lady Tigers continue tournament play and are now 19-15 overall.

While the loss by the Lady Magicians eliminates them from the tournament, Rachel Walton provided the spark for LeMoyne-Owen during the match with five kills, five service aces, and three digs. Sharita Jones also tallied five kills. The Lady Magicians finish the 2011 season with a 10-18 record.

#4E Clark Atlanta University defeats #4W Tuskegee University (25-15, 25-14, 25-18)

In the third game of the day Clark Atlanta University (13-17) defeated Tuskegee University (6-18) in three games of the 2011 SIAC Volleyball tournament.

Tuskegee was led by Christen Blackledge with six kills and Denavia Harrison 5 kills. Christian Pleasant tallied 12 assists. Tanesha Foster led the defense with 12 digs.

Chanel Trice led Clark Atlanta University with nine kills, while Danika Lawrence and Ashely Brooks added eight kills each. Kailyn Blackmon came away with 21 assists. Tyneshia Spears led the defense with 10 digs.

#6E Fort Valley State University defeats #6W Lane College (25-18, 25-19, 25-16)

The fourth match of the elimination round paired the Lady Wildcats of Fort Valley State University against the Lady Dragons of Lane College. The straight set win for the Lady Wildcats propelled them forward in the elimination round and loss by Lane concluded their season.

The Lady Wildcats were spurred to victory by Briana Shepherd who recorded 12 kills, five digs, two solo blocks, and one block assist. Zakkiya Vincent logged six kills and two digs in the win. The Lady Wildcats continue tournament play and are now 8-27 for the season.

Tamvernisha Huery led the Lady Dragons in the elimination match. She totaled five kills, two service aces, and three solo blocks. Erica Oliver added four kills and two service aces.

#4E Clark Atlanta University defeats #6E Fort Valley State University (25-14, 25-13, 25-23)

The tournament came to an end for the Lady Wildcats when they met the Lady Panthers of Clark Atlanta University at 2 p.m. In spite of the collective effort of Briana Shepherd, Stephanie Brownlee, and Andrea Stephenson, FVSU was unable stave off the defeat. Shepherd finished six kills and two solo blocks; Brownlee added 4 kills and three assists; and Stephenson had nine assists and eight digs.

In the end, however, the Lady Panthers proved simply too much. Alexandria Mattox had 10 kills, one service ace, and eight digs to empower the Lady Panthers. Ashley Brooks added eight kills and two block assists. As the Lady Panthers advance, the season for the Lady Wildcats comes to close with a record of 8-28.

#1W Kentucky State University defeats #2E Benedict College (25-16, 22-25, 25-20, 25-15)

The sixth match of day, two of the upper seeds met, as Kentucky State wins over Benedict in a four set match.

Benedict was led by Terae Sweeting with 11 kills, two service aces and four digs; Latayvia Mack with 10 kills and five digs; and Ashley Jackson tallying 26 assists. Defensively, Lorena Leao totaled six digs.

Emily Grieshaber led Kentucky State with a game-high 17 kills. Ayanna Parker contributed 14 kills, two service aces, and four digs. Brittany Stewart logged a game-high 50 assists and six digs. Markeshia Williams ended the match with a game-high 19 digs.

#3E Albany State University defeats #1E Claflin University (19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-17)

In what is one of the biggest upsets in the tournament so far, the Lady Rams of Albany State University delivered a stunning blow to the number one seed Lady Panthers. After dropping the first game, the Lady Rams reeled off back-to-back-to-back game wins to advance in play and remain undefeated. The loss was the first of tournament for the Lady Panthers.

Sabrina Garcia and Sharme Ridley led the Lady Rams offensive attack with 15 and 13 kills, respectively. Jillian Anderson and Amber Gatlin contributed 10 and eight kills each. The Lady Ram defense was anchored by Adrienne Morris who finished with 19 digs; followed by Ridley with 14 and Jennifer Johnson with 9.

While the loss dropped the Lady Panthers to the loser’s bracket, Claflin, by no means, played like losers. Offensively, they were led by Chelcey Foster and Lauren Calvin who logged 14 and 13 kills, respectively. Katherin Fischer finished with a total of 42 assists.

The Claflin defense rallied around the 19 digs provided by Courtney Pearson and 12 by Caitlyn Marsh.

#2E Benedict College defeats #2W Stillman College (25-23, 13-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-10)

In the eighth match of the day, Benedict College eliminated Stillman College from the tournament with a five set victory. Jamila McKinnis recorded a triple-double with 30 kills, 22 assists, and 18 digs for Stillman. Cynteria Jones added 12 kills, as Januar Page tallied 28 assists. Christine Mallory collected 15 digs to lead Stillman defensively. The Lady Tigers of Stillman College finished the season with a 20-16 record.

Benedict was led by Latayvia Mack, with 27 kills, two service aces and eight digs. Lorena Leao contributed 14 kills, 2 service aces, and 15 digs. Terae Sweeting added 13 kills. Defensively, Ashley Jackson recorded a match-high 48 assists. Ruth Ann Simms ended the evening with 26 digs.

Benedict, now 16-6, advances with the win and will face Claflin University tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.

#1E Claflin University defeats #4E Clark Atlanta Univ. (20-25, 25-17, 16-25, 25-15, 15-13)

The most grueling match of the tournament featured the two sets of Panthers. The Lady Panthers of Claflin University and the Lady Panthers of Clark Atlanta University tangled for five games to determine which set of Panthers would advance. When the dust finally settled, it was the Panthers of Claflin University who earned the right to continue tournament play.

Claflin’s offense was ignited by the 22 kills delivered by Lauren Calvin and the 19 by Chelcey Foster. Katherin Fischer distributed 51 assists in the five-game match.

Fischer also aided the Claflin defense with 15 digs. The Lady Panther defense was further assisted by Courtney Person’s 13 digs and the two solo blocks by Foster.

Clark Atlanta University was led offensively by Ashley Brooks and Alexandria Mattox who finished with 10 kills each. Kaitlyn Blackmon had 39 assists in the match.

Defensively, Tyneisha Spears recorded 19 digs for Clark Atlanta and Danica Lawrence had two solo blocks. The Lady Panthers of Clark Atlanta University finish their season with a 14-18 overall record.

#1W Kentucky State defeats #3E Albany State (25-19, 27-29, 25-19, 21-25, 17-15)

Kentucky State University (KSU) (22-17) stayed undefeated in the SIAC volleyball tournament with a five game win over Albany State University (ASU) (20-15). ASU moves into the losers’ bracket with the loss.

KSU was led by Emily Grieshaber and Ayanna Parker with 16 kills each. Audrey Sherles had 11 kills, and Ashley Jones finished with 10 kills. Brittany Stewart tallied 53 assists. Markeshia Williams led the defense with 15 digs, as Jordan Foyer added 12 digs, and Stewart with 10 digs.

Sabrina Garcia led ASU with 21 kills; Sharma Ridley added 11 kills and 17 digs; and Jillian Anderson had 10 kills. Jennifer Johnson collected 36 assists to go along with 12 digs and Adrienne Morris ended with 17 digs.

Ben Baxter
Assistant Commissioner for Communications & New Media
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)
Peachtree Center- South Tower
225 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 1975
Atlanta, GA 30303
Office: 404-221-1041
Fax: 404-221-1042
Cell: 404-423-1214
Email: bbaxter@thesiac.com
Website: www.thesiac.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thesiac
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSIAC
YouTube: www.youtube.com/siacsports

KSU Remains Undefeated; One Win Away from Second Consecutive Title

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KSU Volleyball (www.ksuthorobreds.com)

ALBANY, Ga. (November 9, 2011) – After defeating Benedict College, Kentucky State moved on in the SIAC Tournament to play the home team, Albany State. The Thorobrettes took the court to play in front of a crowd almost entirely composed of Lady Rams’ fans. A win would secure the Thorobrettes a place in the championship game.

The first half of the game was a point struggle between the two teams until Coach Kyetta May called a timeout at 12-14, Lady Rams lead. The timeout was followed by 2 back-to-back kills by Audrey Sherles, and another kill by Emily Grieshaber, putting the Thorobrettes ahead 17-15. After losing possession, the Thorobrettes regained the serve, and Sherles delivered 2 more kills (20-15). The next 5 points were a bit of a hassle, but the Thorobrettes emerged with a win with a final set score of 25-19.

The next set started off similar to the tune of the first until the Lady Rams went on a 5 point rally that ended with a block by Grieshaber (16-12). The rest of the game became a scramble for points, each team was holding on for the win. The set went past 25 points, and ended with the Lady Rams taking the second set in the best of five with a score of 29-27.

In the third set Ayanna Parker ended the Lady Rams’ 4 point rally with a kill, and Jordan Foyer followed up with an ace to pull KSU within two (2-4). Then, the Brettes went on a 3 point rally including a block by Ashlie Jones and Foyer and an ace from Sherles (8-9). The lead kept changing sides until the Brettes went on another 3 point rally, this time including 2 kills from Sherles (18-15). A few points later Jones as able to stun the Lady Rams’ offense with back-to-back blocks (16-22). The Brettes then took the third set 25-18.

KSU went into game four hoping to finish the game. The Lady Rams had a 3 point rally early in the game, and took a 6-3 lead over KSU. The Brettes were later able to tie the score at 11 then took the lead (15-14) following a heart-stopping moment as Parker had to leave the game with a dislocated shoulder. After the injury the Brettes struggle to regain their momentum and fell to the Lady Rams (25-21).

Coach May had the task of reformulating her line-up to make up for her injured key player. The Brettes took the lead after a kill by Erica Coleman, a block by Jones and an ace from Grieshaber (7-5). Then, the Lady Rams got a side out, but only scored one point before a kill by Coleman gave the Brettes the side out and point. A short combat for points ended with a Brettes’ side out and consecutive aces by Jones (14-9). Sherles sealed the victory with an authoritative kill to win the game 15-9 and sealed the KSU victory 3-2.

KSU was led by Emily Grieshaber and Ayanna Parker with 16 kills each. Audrey Sherles had 11 kills, and Ashley Jones finished with 10 kills. Brittany Stewart tallied 53 assists. Markeshia Williams led the defense with 15 digs, as Jordan Foyer added 12 digs, and Stewart with 10 digs.

Sabrina Garcia led ASU with 21 kills; Sharma Ridley added 11 kills and 17 digs; and Jillian Anderson had 10 kills. Jennifer Johnson collected 36 assists to go along with 12 digs and Adrienne Morris ended with 17 digs.

The Brettes (22-17) will play in the championship game against Claflin, Benedict or Albany State at 3 p.m.

Diana Martinez
Office of Sports Information
Kentucky State University
(502) 597-6399
ksu.sid3@gmail.com

Thorobrettes Secure a Win on the Second Day of SIAC Tournament

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Kentucky State defeats Benedict College to advance in the SIAC Tournament (www.ksuthorobreds.com)

ALBANY, GA (November 8, 2011) – After a victory on the first day of the SIAC conference tournament in Albany, GA, the Kentucky State University Thorobrettes followed their winning performance with a 3-1 win over Benedict College.

Benedict served first and put the first point on the board in the match, but the Brettes got the sideout on BC’s next serve. On the Brettes’ first opportunity to serve, Ayanna Parker got the kill to put them in the lead 2-1 for the set. For the next two serves, the points went back and forth between the teams. On Parker’s first chance to serve, she served her first ace of the match.

Neither team could get ahead more than two points until Audrey Sherles served three consecutive points to put the Brettes in the lead 8-6. With a net violation on the Brettes, Benedict was able to rally up enough points to tie the set and then took a 15-14 lead.

Parker served four consecutive times and Emily Grieshaber and Sherles were able to grab kills. Grieshaber finished off the set with six consecutive successful serves giving KSU a second set win with a final score of 25-16.

In the second set, KSU served first, but Benedict got on the scoreboard first. The Brettes tied the score directly after. On Jordan Foyer’s service, Grieshaber and Parker got kill, but the Brettes were called for a double hit, giving BC the point and sideout. On Benedict’s next serve, Parker got her fifth kill of the match up and gave the Brettes the point and sideout.

The Brettes were able to rally up four more points before Benedict scored again. KSU kept a four point lead on Benedict until Benedict struck back late in the set. The Lady Tigers tied the game at 21 points all and with three consecutive serves, took a 24-22 lead over KSU. Benedict won the second match 22-25 after another net violation on the Brettes.

The third set began as a back and forth game between the Thorobrettes and Lady Tigers. The Brettes took the lead of 9-8 with an ace and a tip from senior, Brittany Stewart. During this set, Sherles and Grieshaber was a powerhouse blocking team with two assisted blocks. The Brettes took a five point lead over Benedict and Sherles served six consecutive times to put the Brettes in the lead 23-14. Benedict rallied back getting six points but their final serve was an error and the Brettes won the set 25-20.

For six serves, the fourth set was a back and forth game. Parker then served seven consecutive times to put the Brettes in the lead 11-4. Sherles got two kills to keep the Brettes in the lead 15-5. The powerhouse blocking team of Sherles and Grieshaber were back in full effect in the set. Jones, Parker and Grieshaber’s kills in the fourth secured the team’s victory. The Brettes ended the set 25-15.

The Thorobrettes displayed why they are the defending SIAC champions here in Albany. The Thorobrettes move on to play the Albany State Golden Rams tonight at 8 p.m.

Charmar Green
Office of Sports Information
Kentucky State University
ksu.sid2@gmail.com

Thorobrettes Defeat Fort Valley in First Match of SIAC Tournament

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Kentucky State University Volleyball players (Steve Lockhart)

ALBANY, Ga. (November 7, 2011) – After securing the SIAC Western Division with a conference record of 15-1, Kentucky State embarked on a difficult journey as they defend their SIAC Championship at the conference tournament held at Albany State University. The Thorobrettes faced Fort Valley in their first match of the tournament.

Following a Fort Valley service error, Jordan Foyer served 6 consecutive times and forced the Lady Wildcats to take a timeout (7-0­). After the timeout the Lady Wildcats had a 4 point run, which ended with a kill from Ayanna Parker (8-4). The Thorobrettes went on a 4 point rally, and were able to get a side out on the Lady Wildcats’ serve (13-6). In the rest of the set FVSU scored 4 points on side outs, and the set ended with Foyer serving 3 points for a KSU win with a final score of 25-10.

Setter, Brittany Stewart began the second set by serving back-to-back aces. Then the Brettes had a minor defensive struggle as the Lady Wildcats remained in the game. Fort Valley’s Andrea Stephenson served three consecutive aces keeping them within arm’s length of the Thorobrettes (10-8). Their rally was ended by a kill from Parker. KSU slowly crept away with the lead until they went on a four point rally lead with Foyer as the server, which extended their lead (21-13). After the Lady Wildcats were unable to score on their serve, KSU ended the set by scoring the final 3 points.

The third game was more of a struggle between the two teams, but the Thorobrettes never gave up their lead. After being tied at 3, Audrey Sherles got a kill to secure the lead. Foyer had 2 two kills in the third set including an ace to end the match (25-18).

The Thorobrettes were led by Ayanna Parker, who finished with 13 kills and a .857 hitting percentage. Brittany Stewart totaled 26 assists while Markeshia Williams led the way defensively with 20 digs.

After their first match the Brettes made it clear they are here to defend their title with their best foot forward. They will move on to play Benedict College tomorrow at 4 p.m.

For more information about the 2011 Tournament, visit www.thesiac.com for up-to-date results on all teams in the championship. For updates on KSU’s volleyball team, visit www.ksuthorobreds.com.

Diana Martinez
Office of Sports Information
Kentucky State University
(502) 597-6399
ksu.sid3@gmail.com

Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion Joe Frazier dies at 67

Posted by HBCU Editors
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Joe Frazier (Bill Kostroun AP Photo)

Former heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic winner Joe Frazier died Monday night due to liver cancer at the age of 67.

Joe Frazier was born in Beaufort, South Carolina and raised in Philadelphia. Joe Frazier personified the spirit of Philadelphia: gritty, determined and hard working. Frazier fought his way up the ladder to become the undisputed heavyweight champion in 1971.

Frazier’s most hated and fierce rival was Muhammad Ali, who have fought three times over their storied careers. The first fight was billed “The Fight of the Century” held on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden. The match lived up to its publicized tagline, as Frazier went 15 rounds to secure the victory over Ali, giving him his first loss. Ali defeated Frazier in the next two meetings (Ali-Frazier II & the Thrilla in Manila).

Muhammad Ali said the Thrilla in Manila was “the closest I’ve come to death.” Ali said of the late Smokin’ Joe:

“The world has lost a great Champion. I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration. My sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones.”

George Foreman, another rival of Frazier, had this to say about Frazier: “Good night Joe Frazier. I love you dear friend.”

Frazier was a boxing legend, having been enshrined into both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. Joe Frazier retired in 1976 after losing to George Foreman. He tried to make a comeback, albeit unsuccessful, in 1981. His career boxing record was 32-4-1, with 27 wins by KO.

Despite his great success and legendary status, Frazier always had to live in the shadow of Muhammad Ali. The intensity of their rivalry escalated when Ali called Frazier a gorilla and mocked him and his followers as Uncle Toms. Frazier’s hatred of Ali was evident when asked about Ali lighting the torch at the 1996 Olympic Games. “They should have thrown him in,” Frazier responded.

Their rivalry waned over the years, as Frazier felt sympathetic to Ali as he suffers from Parkinson’s disease. “I forgive him,” Frazier said. “He’s in a bad way.”