Thursday, August 1, 2013

Alcorn State's Giles - Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Inductee



BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  --  Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame enshrinee and Alcorn State football standout, Jimme Giles, is among six inductees slated to be enshrined in Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame during The 51st annual BanCorpSouth Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Induction.

The weekend of events is slated for August 2-3, highlighted by the induction banquet at the Jackson Hilton on Friday night, August 2, and include activities at the Hall of Fame Museum on Saturday.

Giles, a native of Greenville and a former standout for SWAC and Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer, Marino Casem at Alcorn State, was inducted into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor in 2011.

He was named to the All-Time Tampa Bay Buccaneer team in 2004 and the All-Time NFC Central Division team in 2001. Giles, a tight end, played in 188 NFL games. Giles recorded 350 receptions for 5,084 yards and 41 touchdowns. He was selected and played in four Pro Bowls.


Jimmy Giles speech during his Ring of Honor Ceremony at Buccaneers Throwback game 12/4/2011.

Giles was All-SWAC in football and baseball at Alcorn State for two seasons and was enshrined in the league's Hall of Fame in 2008.

He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1977 in the third round with the 70th overall pick. Giles played with the Buccaneers along side SWAC Hall of Famer and current Grambling State football coach Doug Williams from 1978-1982 before joining the Detroit Lions in 1986 for one season. He closed out his career with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1987-1989

The reception will be held Friday night at the Hilton beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by the banquet at 7 p.m. Saturday’s activities include a meet and greet with Hall of Famers starting at 9:30 followed by the annual Drawdown of Champions, sponsored by Wells Moore Simmons & Hubbard and Puckett Machinery. In addition to the Drawdown, there is a silent auction of sports memorabilia and other items.

All times are central.

With an enshrinement into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, Giles will join a long list of SWAC notable and conference Hall of Famers which include: Lemuel “Lem” Barney, Willie Brown, Rober Brazile, Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Willie Totten, W.C. Gorden, Jack Spinks, Jackie Slater, T.B. Ellis and L.C. Greenwood.

 
COURTESY SWAC.org

Legendary Alcorn Men's Basketball Coach Davey L. Whitney Hospitalized

 

AAMU's Anthony Jones speaking on the 2013 Preseason Camp




COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU's Shouppe hustles to beef up roster

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Jamey Shouppe knew he was getting into the recruiting fray a little late to land players to fit the blueprint he outlined two weeks ago when he was named head baseball coach at FAMU.

He set out at warp speed anyway, realizing today would be the cutoff for signing the junior college players that he hoped would give a young Rattlers team some experience. As of Wednesday, he and his assistants were still frantically pushing to fill some of the team’s immediate needs.

The fact that several of the possible targets fell short of academic requirements has made it tough.

“It’s been impossible to basically fill all of our needs,” Shouppe said. “The unfortunate thing is at this stage there are less guys in the pool than we can choose, and (we have) to find the best players that are academically eligible.”

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Former Virginia Union University Women's Basketball Coach Lou Hearn Dies at Age 73

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Lou Hearn, who guided the Virginia Union University women's basketball team to the 1983 National Championship, passed away on Monday, July 29, at the age of 73.

Hearn, who coached the Lady Panthers from 1982-88, compiled a 96-61 record during his time as head coach.

Hearn also coached VUU to a school record 27 wins in 29 games in the 1982-83 season, including a 73-60 win over previously unbeaten Cal Poly-Pomona in the 1983 NCAA Division II Championship Game.

He was preceded in death by his son, Louis Nelson Hearn, II. Surviving are his wife, Andrea C. Hearn; son, Eric A. Hearn (Dionne);two granddaughters, Erin and London Hearn and two brothers, Robert (Ruby) and George Hearn.

Memorial services will held 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 3, at Garland Avenue Baptist Church, 2700 Garland Ave. Rev. Willie Woddson, officiating.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Virginia Union University Women's Basketball Team, 1500 Lombardy St. Richmond, Va., 23220.


VUU Lady Panthers Winning 1983 National Championship

COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

Former JSU coach Judge Hughes passes away

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  Former Jackson State football coach, Robert “Judge” Hughes passed away this morning following complications of diabetes. Hughes, who has been in and out of the hospital over the last several months, will be remembered by JSU fans as one of the great football players and coaches in the history of Tigers football.

In 1999, Hughes was named as JSU’s 15th head football coach. In his first season, he led the team to a 9-3 record. That season JSU won the Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division title and played Southern in the Inaugural SWAC Championship game in Birmingham, Alabama. The game was played on December 10 in front of a crowd of 47,621 fans (the largest crowd ever to watch a SWAC championship football game) at Legion Field. The Tigers fell 31-30 in a heartbreaker to the Jaguars.

The following season, Hughes’ Tigers finished with a 7-4 record and matched that 7-4 mark in 2001. 2002 was the final year that Hughes led the Tigers and the team finished with a 7-4 record. During his four year coaching career at JSU, Hughes finished with a 30-15 record (.667 winning percentage).

During his tenure at JSU his teams won a SWAC Eastern Division title, set the NCAA D-IAA (now FCS) record for highest passing efficiency rating in a game (389.9 rating by Mark Washington vs. Alcorn St. in 1999), was named NCAA Rushing Defense Champions (allowing only 67.8 rushing yards per game in 1999), was named NCAA Passing Champions (averaged 344.4 passing yds per game in 2001), set single game passing yards mark (Robert Kent passed for 668 yards against Alabama St.) and was named the NCAA Total Offense Champion (the team averaged 485.5 yards per game in 2002).

As a player, Hughes was named to the JSU All-Century team in 2011 as a defensive lineman. Information regarding funeral services for coach Hughes will be made available upon receipt.

COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

XU Gold Nuggets announce tryouts, two schedule changes

Xavier in 2012 repeated as GCAC regular-season and tournament champion.
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball coach Hannah Lawing announced Wednesday a date for walk-on tryouts and two changes to her team's 2013 schedule.
    

The Gold Nuggets will conduct tryouts from noon-2 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the Convocation Center for students enrolled at Xavier during the fall 2013 semester. For more information, contact assistant coach Kenneth Marroccoli at (504) 520-5344 or kmarrocc@xula.edu.
    

Lawing said the Nuggets' Sept. 23 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference home match against Tougaloo was moved to Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. Added to the schedule was a 4 p.m. match Oct. 5 against St. Thomas (Texas) at the Convocation Center. It will be one of 10 home matches this season.

The Gold Nuggets will begin their season Aug. 23 with matches against Spring Hill at 2 p.m. and Asbury at 4 p.m. in the UMobile/Spring Hill Tournament at Mobile, Ala. The Gold Nuggets' first home match will start at 1 p.m. on Sept. 14 against GCAC newcomer Voorhees in the Convocation Center.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA