Where is Bluefield State College Blues heading?

School in limbo with regard to new conference affiliation.

BLUEFIELD, West Virginia   — Don’t think football controls college athletics at every level?

Just look at the blight of Bluefield State College, which still doesn’t have a place to call home 11 months after the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference began to implode.

The primary reason: Bluefield State hasn’t offered football since 1981, and there are no plans to do so in the near future.

“Day one it was football driven and took us out of the loop,” Bluefield State Athletic Director Terry Brown said. “We were not a consideration, but as time goes on, things change so once they change now we are back in the hunt.”

 Eight members of the WVIAC formed what would become the newly-created 12-team Mountain East Conference. One of those schools was fellow WVIAC program, Wheeling-Jesuit, which was added a month or so later as the only non-football playing school in the league.

It was that move that continues to give Brown hope that the fledging Division II circuit will also accept Bluefield State as a member.

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WSSU Rams looking forward to NCAA Tournament

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Winston-Salem State’s baseball team won its third straight CIAA championship last weekend — but its work this season is not finished.

The Rams, who are 38-9 and ranked 30th in the Division II Collegiate Baseball poll, are gearing up for NCAA regional play by playing more regular-season games.

“Definitely, we are not finished and the guys have really responded in continuing to work to get better,” Coach Kevin Ritsche of the Rams said

WSSU is ranked second in the Atlantic Region behind Seton Hill; Ritsche said the Rams have a good shot at playing host to the regional May 15-19. There is one problem — finding a place to hold the regional. BB&T Ballpark, which is the Rams’ home field, will be in use by the Winston-Salem Dash during the regional, so that field is not an option.

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Felony weapons charges against Alabama State RB Isaiah Crowell dropped

MONTGOMERY, Alabama --  Isaiah Crowell can exhale and just focus on his family, school and football now.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported that both felony weapons charges against the Alabama State running back, who transferred from Georgia where he was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2011 before the start of last season, were dropped Wednesday.

A piece written by longtime Montgomery Advertiser reporter Tim Gayle chronicles Crowell's journey from a guy coaches described as defiant and out of shape when he arrived on campus at ASU to the focused father he appears to be as he heads into what could be his final season of college football this fall.

Atlanta lawyer Steve Sadow represented Crowell in the case.

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Isaiah Crowell prepares for 2013 season: Alabama State football video


Charges dropped against ASU's Isaiah Crowell

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  There are plenty of attractive goals in front of Isaiah Crowell. And that’s just the way one of the nation’s highest profile college football players wants to keep his focus – looking ahead, not reflecting on past mistakes.

In his first interview since being dismissed from the University of Georgia after facing one misdemeanor and two felony criminal charges, the 20-year-old Alabama State University running back shows a more mature side willing to embrace leadership roles and interviews he once would have shied away from.

Crowell, considered by many the top high school running back in the nation as a senior at G.W. Carver High in Columbus, Ga., in 2011, was quickly thrust into the limelight after Georgia’s starting tailback, Washaun Ealey, was dismissed from the team and his backup, Caleb King, was declared academically ineligible.

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Profile: Norfolk State's James Taylor

Profile: Norfolk State's James Taylor

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Norfolk State University is known for its outstanding Track and Field program, and James Taylor appears to be the Spartans' next big star.

The young man from Suffolk had to be persuaded by his high school coach to even try the sport, and has since fought through highs and lows to become one of the top sprinters in the nation.

Now a Junior at NSU, James Taylor is a second team all American track athlete.

Monday, Norfolk State named Taylor the male Athlete of the Year, leaving him a bit surprised. A lot of people, including Taylor, thought the award would go to Pendarvis Williams of the NSU Men's basketball team.

Winning the award meant James overcame hurdles both on and off the track.

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WVSU Yellow Jacket Women's Tennis Opens NCAA Play

West Virginia State University 2012/13 Women's Tennis Team
ROSTER
(Click photo to enlarge)

INSTITUTE, West Virginia  --  The West Virginia State University women's tennis team has been seeded third in the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament being held this weekend at Indiana University of Pennsylvania it was announced Tuesday night.

The Yellow Jackets (17-8) face sixth seeded Slippery Rock (12-8) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday with host IUP (17-7) taking on CIAA champion Shaw (24-2) at 1 p.m. The winners meet Sunday with a spot in the Final 16 in Arizona May 8-11 on the line.

This is the sixth straight NCAA appearance for the program.

Chowan Spring football game set for Friday night

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina – The Chowan University football team will play their annual Blue-White scrimmage on Friday evening, April 26^th under the lights at Jim Garrison Stadium at 8 p.m.

The Blue-White scrimmage concludes the team’s spring practice season.

The Hawks are coming off one of the most successful seasons in recent history.  The 2012 team surpassed expectations in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) after ending their season with a 5-2 record in league play good for a 2^nd place finish in the Northern Division after being picked to finish 5^th.  The Hawks also enjoyed their first winning season since 1999 with a 6-4 overall record.

Anticipation and expectation will be even higher for the 2013 season which kicks off at ...

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Shaw Men's Tennis To Open NCAA Play Against Kutztown

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Shaw University men's tennis team will open play in the NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Tournament when they travel to Bluefield, W.Va., to take on Kutztown.

 

The Bears, the number five seed in the Atlantic Region, are 14-6 on the season while Kutztown, the five seed is 11-6.  Shaw earned an at-large bid after ranking third in the region going into CIAA Tournament play, where they lost to Winston-Salem State in the semifinals.

 

The winner of the match between the Bears and Golden Bears will face host and number one seed Bluefield State, who is 20-3, and defeated Shaw 5-0 earlier in the season.  The winner of that match will advance to the NCAA Tournament (the tennis equivalent of the Sweet Sixteen) to be held in Surprise, Ariz., May 8 through 11.

 

The other half of the region features number two Charleston (WV), who will meet seventh seed WSSU in the opening round.  The winner of that game will face off against the winner of the match between Shepherd and West Virginia Wesleyan.

 

Play begins Saturday, but times have yet to be announced.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION