Saadia Doyle was named MEAC Player of the Week (Howard Media Relations)
Howard junior forward Saadia Doyle was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Week after a standout performance against Wake Forest that resulted in a 63-59 victory on Dec. 18.
The Atlanta, Ga. native scored 28 points along down seven rebounds, one block and one steal in the win over Wake Forest at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston Salem, N.C. Doyle shot 53-percent from the field, making 10-of-19 shots, while also converting 89-percent of her free-throws (8-of-9) while playing all 43 minutes of the game.
In that same game, junior guard Tamoria Holmes also played well, adding 14 points while fellow junior guard Cheyenne Curley-Payne also scored double digits with 10 points.
The non-conference win helped Howard extend its current winning streak to five games as the team now carries a 5-5 overall record. The Lady Bison will see more nonconference road action on Dec. 28 with a contest against Seton Hall in Orange, N.J.
The Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education Inc. is engaged in a lawsuit to help close the disparities between HBCUs and PWIs in Maryland. (commons.wikimedia.org)
The road has been an arduous one, but a lawsuit filed more than five years ago seeking $2.1 billion to remedy what it contends are disparities between Maryland’s historically Black colleges and universities and its traditionally White institutions is nearing trial in Baltimore.
Its outcome could affect higher education for decades to come.
“The best thing is that we are cleared for trial,” John C. Brittain, a professor at the University of the District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law, said Tuesday after a pre-trial hearing in United States District Court in Baltimore. The lawsuit, for which Brittain serves as co-counsel, asserts that inequities between Maryland’s Black colleges and its White institutions have long existed. “All the preliminary issues have been settled. We are cleared for trial.”
The lawsuit, filed in October 2006 by a group of students and alumni of historically Black colleges known as the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education Inc., contends that Maryland has operated a higher education system of “de jure segregation” – racial segregation imposed by law – in violation of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court and of Title VI of the U. S. Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The disparities in operational funding and programs asserted in the lawsuit have been most apparent over the years to many students at historically Black colleges and universities.
For instance, Eugene Smith recalls the day he first spotted mold on the ceiling of the Jenkins Behavioral Science Building at Morgan State University in Baltimore.
“There was a lot of mold and residue build-up,” said Smith, 23, who graduated last year and is now pursuing a master’s degree in higher education administration, also at Morgan. “There were cracks in the ceiling – and when it rained, there was mildew, and it grew over time.”
Meanwhile, Zenia Wilson, a Morgan graduate two years earlier who now is studying civil rights and public-interest law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, had to pay out of pocket to spend a summer studying in Mexico.
“I became very intrigued with the idea of studying abroad and didn’t understand why there wasn’t a program at Morgan that helped students with this endeavor,” said Wilson, also 23. “Friends at traditionally White institutions had centers and programs that encouraged study abroad, but we didn’t. I was not able to receive classroom credits for the summer that I spent in Mexico.”
And, nearly a dozen years after graduating from Coppin State University, Keith Reed, now a Senior Editor at ESPN The Magazine, still remembers when the computers broke down while trying to put out the student newspaper. He had to use Morgan’s operations to get the job done.
“What I did was get on the bus and rode over to the East Side – and got off the bus and went over to Morgan and used their facility to put out our proofs for the student newspaper,” said Reed, now 34, who edited The Courier his senior year. “Our computers would regularly break down. It was very difficult.”
“The equipment was outdated,” Reed said. “We were working on PCs instead of Macs like we should’ve been. The computers rarely worked.”
During his years at Morgan, Smith found the conditions so deplorable that he became involved in the school’s Student Government Association, ultimately running for president his senior year on a platform that included seeking improved resources for the university.
Smith was elected. “Someone had to fight for the rights of the university,” he said.
Fort Valley, GA–The significance of Saturday’s (December 17th) basketball game between the Lady Wildcats of Fort Valley State University (FVSU) and the Lady Wolves of West Georgia University (WGU) was evident early in the HPE Arena. With FVSU Head Coach Lonnie Bartley on the brink of reaching his 600th career win in front of a hometown crowd, you would expect that he would be a little bit nervous.
However, you might not expect that nervousness to flow to his players. For the game’s first 5:58 it did! The clearest evidence of their nerves was the fact that the Lady Wildcats did not get their first basket until the 14:02 mark in the first half.
“We were uptight at first, said senior forward Jasmine Birdsong. We let them dictate the tempo. Instead of settling down and playing Lady Wildcat basketball, we played their brand of basketball. We just had to settle down and play our brand of basketball.”
Trailing 5-0 at that point, FVSU got its first score on a lay up by Carmenonique Dawson. After breaking the scoring ice, the Lady Wildcats thawed out completely on their way to a 63-56 win which gave Bartley his 600th career victory.
After shaking off the slow start, FVSU finished the first half shooting 31% (13 of 42) from the floor. And while WGU took an early lead, their shooting accuracy took a noticeable dip for the remainder of the half. In fact, they made only five first half field goals on 25 attempts. With a 31-19 lead at halftime, the Lady Wildcats had what appeared to be enough cushion to ensure the history-making win for Coach Bartley
In the second half, the Lady Wolves made several attacks on the FVSU lead. By increasing their second half shooting percentage to 40.5% (15 of 37), WGU, at one point cut the Lady Wildcat lead to six points. For each attack, however, the Lady Wildcats were able stave off the Wolves. For the half, the Lady Wildcats shot 37% from the field by converting 11 of 29 shots.
Overall, FVSU shot 33.8% for the game. They converted 24 of 71 shot attempts, made eight of 26 three point shots, and made seven of 14 free throws. Freshman Carmenonique Dawson led the Lady Wildcats in scoring with 18 points. She also pulled in nine rebounds. Point guard Whitley Smith finished with 12 points and four assists. D’Ambria Thomas added nine points and Tamara Andrews contributed eight points.
When asked his feelings about winning his 600th game, Bartley said jokingly, “Well it means I’ve been here a pretty long time.” He continued, “Seriously though, as I reflect on tonight’s win, I remain amazed at how truly blessed I am, said Bartley. As a kid growing up in LaGrange, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined winning 600 games as a college basketball coach; and to boot, at my alma mater! This win tonight is not a celebration of me, instead it is a recognition of all the former players and supporters of this program who have made this night possible.”
“600 is quite a number, said FVSU Athletics Director Percy Caldwell after the Lady Wildcats win. There are only about five NCAA Division II coaches, including men and women, in the entire country to achieve that type of goal. And Lonnie’s situation is unique. How many other coaches have been at the same school for 28 years? I’m glad to be the athletics director just so I can shake his hand for 600 wins.”
“It’s privilege. I’m so proud of my coach, continued Birdsong. We also have to thank the people who came before us and paved the road for us to get to this point. We have to be appreciative and keep building on that road.”
With Bartley’s 600th win, the Lady Wildcats are now 6-2 overall and remain 4-0 in conference play. The Lady Wildcats return to the hardwood on January 3, 2012 when they host the Thorobrettes of Kentucky State University at 6 p.m. in the HPE Arena.
#11 Pendarvis Williams inbounded to his teammate Kyle O'Quinn for the game winning shot (Frank Selden)
Toledo, Ohio – Kyle O’Quinn scored off an inbound pass from Pendarvis Williams with 2.4 seconds left to break a tie and give Norfolk State a 72-70 win at Toledo’s Savage Hall on Tuesday night, the Spartans’ first-ever win in three tries against Mid-American Conference opposition.
Toledo (7-4) rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit to tie the game at 70-all on a Rian Pearson basket with 34 seconds left. The Spartans got the ball back and Brandon Wheeless missed a layup at the other end for NSU. The Rockets’ DeLino Dear collected the loose ball, but stepped out of bounds with 3.8 seconds remaining to turn the ball back over to the Spartans. After both teams called timeouts, Williams inbounded to O’Quinn, who scored the last of his 16 points to give NSU (8-5) the lead.
The Rockets were unable to get off a shot in the closing seconds.
Williams led NSU with 17 points, O’Quinn had 16 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, and Chris McEachin scored 15 points. The trio combined to make 22 of their 36 field goal attempts.
Ryan Gesiakowski scored 12 points for the Panthers. (Andre Odums)
Eugene, Ore. — Demondre Chapman scored 14 points as Prairie View defeated Stephen F. Austin 53-50 Tuesday in the opening game of the Global Sports Hoops Showcase on the campus of the University of Oregon.
Ryan Gesiakowski scored 12 for the Panthers (4-7), who have won back-to-back games after losing seven straight.
Jereal Scott had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Lumberjacks (5-5), who had two chances to tie in the final 5 seconds but missed 3-pointers.
The Panthers led 23-22 at halftime, but consecutive jumpers by Hal Bateman put the Lumberjacks up 43-40 with 7:29 to play.
But Gesiakowski hit a 3-pointer with 3:03 left to put Prairie View back on top 49-48. It was Gesiakowski’s third 3-pointer in 13 attempts.
After Chapman made it 51-48 with 1:55 remaining, Desmond Haymon had a chance to tie it with 28 seconds left but made just 2 of 3 free throws, and the Panthers held on.
Coach Vanessa Taylor of JCSU reached 200 wins in her 11th season with the team. (Durane Smith)
Longevity can be defined as the long continuance in a particular occupation. Success is defined as the achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted. Johnson C. Smith University head women’s basketball coach Vanessa Taylor is a shining example of longevity and success in coaching. In the midst of her 11th season, Taylor has reached her 200th victory at the helm of the women’s basketball program at JCSU. With such as impressive milestone in tow, the opportunity to reflect on the journey is available.
After 10 seasons as head coach at JCSU, Taylor continues to strive for new heights instead of resting on her laurels. Last year, JCSU concluded the 2010-11 season in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 poll at No. 22 after a historic best 26-5 overall record. The Golden Bulls advanced to the championship game in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournaments. The victory over Glenville State (74-69) in the quarterfinals was the first ever regional tournament win for the women’s basketball program.
Taylor was elected as the 2011 CIAA Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year; her third time winning the honor, but first at JCSU. She has the most wins all-time as the head women’s basketball coach at JCSU with a school record of 200-108 and an overall record of 283-203. Taylor has never had a losing season at Johnson C. Smith, including four seasons with 20 plus victories and no season with few than 16 wins.
Despite the success, Taylor remains humble, focused, and energized to accomplish more.
“I love to win, but within my career I was never really concerned about numbers,” replied Taylor when asked her feelings on the 200th win. “I always focus on my players and the small successes along the way. I understand as the head coach that I’m in the spotlight, but this is definitely a team accomplishment.”
Florida A&M University continues to receive national recognition for its outstanding achievements. This year alone the historically black university has been named one of the top 100 national universities by Washington Monthly Magazine, one of the Best Colleges in the nation by Forbes Magazine, a Top Green College in America by The Princeton Review and ranked the No. 1 public historically black college or university by U.S. News and World Report.
What is FAMU’s latest feat? FAMU was named one of Jet Magazine’s most affordable colleges in the nation. “An education is the key to changing one’s socioeconomic status,” said Vice President for Student Affairs William Hudson Jr. “It is important that we do not price out students who want a quality education. An education is truly something that no one can take from you.”
With the rise of college tuition all around the nation, students often cannot afford the fees associated with attending college. Other public schools highlighted in the magazine included the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, the University of Florida and the University of Virginia.
“It’s beneficial to students that FAMU be affordable because we hope to earn our degree without a lot of debt to go with it,” said Markia Butler, a senior journalism student from Jacksonville, Fla. “Being more affordable is really ‘Excellence with Caring.’”
Two Dillard University alumni, including the first black president of an Ivy League university, have been named to the school’s Board of Trustees. They are Ruth Simmons, a 1967 Dillard graduate, and Ronald V. Burns Sr., a member of the Class of 1973.
Simmons, who went on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees at Harvard University, is president of Brown University, a position she has held since 2001. She plans to retire at the end of this academic year.
Before being named Brown’s president, Simmons had been the first African-American president of Smith College, a member of an elite group of women’s schools in the Northeast known as the Seven Sisters. She also has held administrative positions at the University of New Orleans, California State University in Northridge and Princeton University.
Morgan State University, the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland — known for its lavish homecomings, prominent scholars, and even an occasional late night party — also has a rich legacy in the Civil Rights Movement.
At this year’s Convocation and other campus events, MSU honored the legacy of hundreds of former Morgan State students who played a pivotal role in the sit-in movement seven years before the widespread launch of the tactic.
Back in 1953, Morgan State students were lining up daily at a lunch counter in Read’s Drugstore in Baltimore, demanding desegregation. A manager or waitress would try to lure the daily protesting bunch from their seats by reading Maryland’s trespassing statute. The students didn’t budge.
Picketing, sit-ins, and hundreds of arrests eventually led to some changes in segregated Baltimore. As a result of Morgan State’s relentless student activism, in 1955 owners of Read’s Drugstore opened their lunch counter to Blacks; in 1959 Arundel Ice Cream would also began to change their practices.
This year’s festivities, surrounding the commemoration of the brave MSU alumni, were accompanied by a range of students, faculty, visitors, and influential Black leaders from around the country. A list of attendees included John Lewis, the Freedom Rider-turned congressman, Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
“It is important that our students know the legacy of their school and whose footsteps they are walking today,” said Morgan President David Wilson as he stood at the unveiling ceremony of the recreated lunch counter at Read’s Drugstore. Along the walls near the lunch counter exhibit, there are also lies a stunning pictorial exhibit that takes viewers on a tour of Civil Rights activism in Baltimore from 1947-1963.
University of Maryland law professor Larry S. Gibson, the person responsible for the timeless exhibit, donated his collection to Morgan State and it will remain in the main hall of the University Student Center.
The Hampton University Flight Team, the Air Pirates, is holding a raffle to benefit the team’s efforts to attend the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) SAFECON competition in Kansas this spring.
There are two prizes available for the raffle. A grand prize of a private pilot training course that includes 55 hours of combined flight and ground training, an instrument rating training course that includes 55 hours of combined flight and ground training, or a $7,500 aircraft rental credit to be used at Horizon Flight Center in Chesapeake, Va. The second raffle prize is a Bose A20 Aviation headset.
The grand prize is worth more than $8,500, while the aviation headset is worth $1,095. There is no limit to the amount of raffle tickets that may be purchased.
The HU flight team, along with Horizon Flight Center in Chesapeake, Va., is selling 250 raffle tickets for $99. The odds of winning are 1-in-125.
All proceeds from the raffle will go to the HU flight team to help with expenses of the national competition in Kansas. The team, who recently placed third in the NIFA Region X SAFECON competition, will incur aircraft rental, travel, hotel and registration cost for the competition.
“This is a great prize for those in the aviation field that are interested in receiving their private or instrument certificate,” stated Diane Blandino, assistant professor in the Department of Aviation and advisor to the flight team. “This is also a great prize for anyone interested in learning to fly or anyone who wishes to support the flight team. ”
Visit http://www.hamptonflightteam.com/ to purchase a raffle ticket and for more information about the raffle and the HU flight team, Air Pirates.
Jackson State University recently unveiled two new JSU-themed JATRAN buses. The buses, wrapped in JSU colors and images, were displayed on campus Monday, Dec. 12.
Make that two in one 24-hour period for senior defensive end Ryan Davis, as he added his fifth All-America honor on Monday afternoon. Davis joins the ranks of the 2011 The Sports Network/Fathead.com All-America Second Team. The TSN announcement comes just hours after Davis was recognized on the College Sporting News’ 2011 Inside The HBCU Huddle Black College Football Division I FCS All-America team.
“First off, I want to thank God for this blessing,” said Davis of the news. “It’s very exciting to receive national recognition. It’s a great opportunity to not only shed some light on me, but also on my teammates and this institution. It’s a great honor and I’m very thankful.
With the TSN nod added in, Davis Post-Season All-America honors comes to a total of five on the year.
Davis was the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and among the leaders in both the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision in sacks and tackles for loss.
Joining him on the TSN All-America Team is fellow MEAC player Keith Pough (LB, Howard) on the second team defense. This is the second straight year for a B-CU player named to the TSN All-America Team. Center Natiel Curry was honored on the third team last season. Additionally, Davis is expected to find his place among the HBCU All-America Team, to be announced by the Sheridan Broadcasting Network in January.
The ASU family teamed up to provide holiday food boxes to 100 area families during the University’s third annual “Yuletide Giving Project.”
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The spirit of giving and sharing was on full display at Alabama State University’s Dunn-Oliver Acadome on Friday, Dec. 16.
ASU volunteers provided boxes of food for 100 Montgomery-area families as part of the University’s third annual “Yuletide Giving Project.”
“It is part of the mission of the University to devote efforts to public service and to do its part to advance the welfare our state,” said Tina Harris, project coordinator. “Projects like this really help to bring our ASU family together, as we pitch in and help give back to the community.”
Alumni, students, faculty and staff donated a bounty of food, from green beans and stuffing, to onions and potatoes, to sugar and flour. Student organizations and ASU’s leadership team donated turkeys for the dinner boxes.
Annie Daniels, a Montgomery native, was grateful to ASU for making her holiday a little easier.
“This is truly a blessing,” she said. “I didn’t know anything about it until I received a letter in the mail. ASU’s generosity is a blessing from God.”
It was ASU’s goal to provide a complete meal for each family. Each box contained a turkey and trimmings, dessert and a beverage.
“Providing one meal to a family in need may appear to be a very small token of assistance to those who are not in need; however, this small token will help to lift a burden, provide hope and remind the community of the power of a humble and generous spirit,” Harris said.
Article Referenced from ASU
Huntsville, Ala. —- An Alabama A&M University researcher and his colleagues have won a major contract from the Army Research Office. Dr. Satilmis Budak, an AAMU electrical engineering associate professor, is the lead on a contract involving improvements to thermoelectric power generation and cooling systems. Article Referenced from AAMU
Myrtle Beach, S.C.–SC State rallied from 14 down to defeat Coastal Carolina, 61-59, in a non-conference women’s matchup. The was the third game of the Crescent Bank Carolinas Challenge held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Lady Bulldogs finished the contest with three players in double-figures led by Cabriel Duren with 22. Tiara Knotts scored 16 and Trinese Fox dropped in 11 in the game. Duren also led the team in rebounding with four.
RICHMOND, Va. — Senior Crystal Whittington scored a season-high 18 points and Ashle Craig added 16, but Coppin State fell to Virginia Commonwealth 74-66 on Sunday in the Verizon Wireless Arena.
The Eagles were unable to overcome the play of Courtney Hunt who had 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead the Rams to the victory.
Virginia Commonwealth (6-3) out-rebounded Coppin State 52-31, which included 25 offensive rebounds. The Rams used that advantage to outscore the Eagles 22-8 on second-chance points.
Andrea Barbour added 12 points and 11 rebounds for Virginia Commonwealth, while Christina Carter had 10 points.
Coppin State (2-8) also received 10 points from Shawntae Payne.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The FIU Panthers shot a season-high 56.8 percent for the game and an astounding 85.0 percent (17-for-20) in the first half en route to a 73-57 victory over the Delaware State University women’s basketball team Sunday afternoon at the UNF Osprey Holiday Classic.
Sophomore Tasia Bristow (Baltimore, Md.) led the Lady Hornets in scoring for the third straight game with 18 points. She added in a game-high three steals and one blocked shot. Junior Kianna D’Oliveira (Newport News, Va.) grabbed a game-high nine rebounds in addition to six points.
FIU received double figure scoring from three players in Jerica Coley (18), Mansare (14) and Fanni Hutlassa (12).
The loss is DSU’s second straight as they move to 3-9 on the year while the Panthers improve to 7-4.
