Aycock predicts success, but can JCSU back it up?

The guarantee: 3-1

Charlotte, N.C. - Johnson C. Smith football coach Steve Aycock went out on a limb at last week’s CIAA roundup.

He guaranteed – twice – that the Golden Bulls would start the season 3-1, a bold prediction given JCSU’s combined 5-15 over Aycock’s first two seasons. The league’s coaches weren’t impressed, however, picking the Bulls to finish fifth in the six-team South Division.

But Aycock stands by his pronouncement.

“It’s not from an arrogance standpoint, it’s not being cocky,” he said Tuesday. “It’s just that I feel good about the young men who are coming back and the way they’ve dedicated themselves over the last six months. We’ll see a difference come Sept. 3.”

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Jason Beverlin to succeed Melendez at Bethune-Cookman

Daytona Beach, FL - Bethune-Cookman University Athletic Director Lynn W. Thompson announced today, July 26, that an agreement in principal has been reached with Jason Beverlin to become the Wildcats' new Head Baseball Coach.

Beverlin, 37, was the pitching coach at the University of Tennessee and played professionally with the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers after being selected by the Oakland A's in the fourth round of the 1994 Major League Draft.

"We have a championship caliber team returning, and we wanted to make sure that we placed significant attention on the pitching aspects of our program." Thompson said. "New bat regulations in college baseball have made pitching and defense more important than ever, and to have a new head coach with extensive knowledge of pitching, professional experience and upper Division I recruiting savvy is the right combination for us to continue our quest to reach the College World Series."

B-CU Head Coach Jason Beverlin
 with his wife, Heather,
and sons Cole and Lucas
(Courtesy B-CU Athletics)

Beverlin replaces Mervyl Melendez, who accepted the head coaching position at Alabama State after 12 seasons with the Wildcats.

"I think it's an extreme honor to join the Bethune-Cookman Athletic Department family," said Beverlin. "Coach Melendez did an unbelievable job here; and while we hope to continue the tradition of success he started here, we want to take that to the next level in getting this program to a Super Regional and the ultimate goal of going to the college world series."

VIDEO INTRO - COACH JASON BEVERLIN

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RELATED ARTICLE: Bethune-Cookman Announces Jason Beverlin as New Head Baseball Coach

FSU announces football ticket package

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Perhaps the most appealing games on the Fayetteville State Broncos 2011 football schedule this season will be the ones right at home in Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium.

And now that Fayetteville State has released its 2011 football season ticket package, the Broncos’ most faithful fans can reserve their place at those games as the Broncos prepare to make a run at their fourth CIAA Championship in the last nine years.

Fayetteville State is offering a wide variety of season ticket packages for the five home football games this season.

The Family Package includes general seating tickets for two adults and two children for $200, which gives the buyer a savings of $100. The Half Family Package costs $175 for the full season (a savings of $65), and can be purchased as one adult and two children tickets or two adults and one child tickets in general seating.

Fayetteville State also is offering the Reserve Adult Package...

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Hampton Pirates vs. Florida A&M Rattlers Football Game Moved

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University football team’s contest against Florida A&M at Armstrong Stadium will be played on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

The contest, the Pirates’ first MEAC game of the season and Joe Taylor’s second trip to Hampton as coach of the Rattlers, had been originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at http:/// .

Where Are They Now? UAPB's Sidarren Freeman/Jackie Skipper

Newly-wed Sidarren Freeman now living by Madden rules

Bastrop, LA — Sidarren Freeman, Bastrop High’s co-offensive line coach, married the former Tonia Madden on Friday, July 22.

Balancing football and marriage is no easy feat, especially with the long hours coaches put in during the season. Freeman says he did his explaining before saying “I do,” and that his bride fully understands what she was getting into by marrying a coach. “I explained that to her,” Freeman laughed.

Freeman “celebrated” his one week anniversary by joining the Rams at the National Select 7-on-7 Championships in Hoover, Ala. Freeman is sharing the offensive line duties with former college teammate Jackie Skipper. A former Ram and Division I-AA Rimington Trophy winner, Skipper has rejoined the Bastrop High staff after a couple of years away.

“Jackie and I have been friends...

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Chasing Respect: SWAC schools hopeful its players can again be selected at NFL draft

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Forty years ago, three of the top 15 picks in the National Football League draft - Grambling's Richard Harris and Frank Lewis and Southern's Isaiah Robertson - were products from the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Look a little deeper and you will find that eight of the first 46 players selected that year came from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

These days, players from HBCUs and particularly the SWAC are rarely taken in the NFL Draft anymore despite a long history of success.


Videographer: hbcusportsonline

Since 2005, the SWAC has had five players drafted, and none were taken in 2009 and 2010 according to league officials.

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Florida A&M Rattlers swim team closer to getting own pool

Tallahassee, FL - A portion of one side of its walls is ripped out with steel rods dangling all around as a demolition has its way with the 25-meter pool that for years sat abandoned behind Gaither Gymnasium.

Within three to four months the face-lift is expected to be completed, marking a high-water mark for the Florida A&M swim teams. For the first time in more than five years the Rattlers will have a home pool. Meanwhile, they've been working out at Florida State's pool.

They've been waiting for work to begin on the pool, too.  For more than a year, there have been...

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