Fobbs: 'Ideal' for SWAC to not play championship game

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Grambling State head football coach Broderick Fobbs believes the Southwestern Athletic Conference's decision to discontinue the championship game was the right move for the league and his team.

SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp announced Tuesday morning that the league decided to discontinue the title game following the 2017 season, ending the showcase’s 18-year run.

"I think it's something that's probably good for our team and our league," Fobbs said Thursday. "Financially, it's a little difficult at times to add another game, especially when a lot of times we're responsible for getting to that particular game. I think it's a situation where I think it puts us at a disadvantage.

"Being that we play in the Bayou Classic a week after the final week of the season. Then we also have to play in the conference championship game the following week. The team in the East doesn't necessarily have to worry about that. Their season is pretty much two weeks over by the time the conference championship game is played."

The Tigers' annual rivalry showdown with Southern University in New Orleans gives them one more game at the end of the season, giving Fobbs' team one less week to prepare for a team it would meet in the SWAC title contest.

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Stillman Tigers Fills Open Positions, Announces New Conference Affiliation

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama |-- Stillman College president, Dr. Cynthia Warrick, is pleased to announce that Ken Alston will assume the role of Athletic Director for the Tigers beginning July 1st.

Alston has spent the past 10 years in various athletic administration roles. He most recently served as an assistant men's coach at Grambling State University. Prior to that, he was the Assistant Athletic Director for the Washington D.C. Public Schools system. Alston's extensive and diverse background led him to be the ideal candidate to lead the Stillman athletic program into their new era.

"I am very excited to be a part of Stillman College," Alston stated. "Stillman has a rich tradition in education and athletics, and I am here to add to that tradition. I would like to thank our president, Dr. Warrick, for this awesome opportunity. While there is still much work to be done, great things are on the way!"

Dr. Warrick filled another key role in the athletic department, promoting John Teasley to head men's head basketball coach. Teasley has served as an assistant coach for the past three seasons. Prior to coming to Stillman, Teasley was as an assistant coach at Spring Hill College for two years. He has eight years of experience as a head coach at the high school level, including three ACAA state championships and a .893 winning percentage.

Below is a statement from Coach Teasley:
"I would like to start by saying thank you to our new president, Cynthia Warrick, for this incredible opportunity. I feel blessed and honored to be the new head men's basketball coach at Stillman College. I am looking forward to continuing the success that we have built with our men's basketball program over the last three years. This is a dream come true for me and my family and I am very excited to the days ahead.​"

Stillman also received word that the Southern States Athletic Conference Board of Presidents unanimously approved the addition of Stillman College effective July 1, 2018, with competition to begin in all sports during the 2018-19 academic year.

Commissioner Mike Hall stated that they "are very excited to welcome Stillman College into the SSAC for the 18-19 academic year. Dr. Warrick has a great vision for the campus and its growth, and she sees how the athletics department can be a tremendous asset in moving Stillman College forward in the greater Tuscaloosa area. Stillman has a long-standing tradition of winning championships and a very strong alumni base that will fit in well with the SSAC."

Dr. Warrick echoed Commissioner Hall's excitement stating that the college was "honored and thrilled to join the Southern States Athletic Conference. Sincere thanks to the Board of Presidents; we're looking forward to the competition, collegiality, and growth for our athletic programs with the SSAC."

Stillman will continue their membership with the Association of Independent Institutions, and will be eligible for postseason play in the NAIA beginning this upcoming academic year (2017-2018).

STILLMAN COLLEGE TIGER SPORTS INFORMATION

MEAC Players Picked Up in MLB Draft

\NORFOLK, Virginia -- Five players from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) were taken in the late rounds of the 2017 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft on Wednesday, including the reigning conference Player and Pitcher of the Year.

Norfolk State led the conference with two draft picks.

Player	School	Drafted By	Round Drafted
Demetrius Sims	Bethune-Cookman	Miami Marlins	14th
Noah "Cutter" Dyals	North Carolina A&T State	Atlanta Braves	17th
Aubrey McCarty	Florida A&M	Colorado Rockies	26th
Devin Hemmerich	Norfolk State	Los Angeles Dodgers	26th
Alex Mauricio	Norfolk State	New York Yankees	27th

Sims was a First Team All-MEAC selection this past season, helping Bethune-Cookman win its 19th MEAC championship and advance to the first NCAA regional final in school and conference history. He was also a MEAC All-Tournament Team selection.

Dyals was named First Team All-MEAC, coming out of the bullpen to help the Aggies finish second in the MEAC Southern Division this past season -- after being picked to finish last in a preseason poll. He was 6-0 this season with seven saves and an 0.50 ERA.

McCarty was named Second Team All-MEAC as a utility player this past season.

Hemmerich is the reigning MEAC Pitcher of the Year and a First Team All-MEAC selection. He was also named to the MEAC All-Tournament Team, and he became Norfolk State's first Div. I All-American, as named by Collegiate Baseball News, after breaking the school record in both career and single-season strikeouts.

Mauricio is the reigning MEAC Player of the Year and a semifinalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year award. He helped the Spartans win their third straight MEAC Northern Division regular-season title and advance to the title round of the MEAC Championship.

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

SWAC to drop football conference championship game after 2017 season to focus on Celebration Bowl

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) today announced that it will forgo its football championship game following the 2017 Toyota SWAC Football Championship.

“With the creation of the Celebration Bowl as a national showcase for HBCU football, the Council of Presidents and Chancellors decided to suspend the championship game format after the 2017 season,” said Commissioner Duer Sharp. “By focusing on the Celebration Bowl, we can continue to grow the AFRCB as an HBCU classic for the teams and fans of both conferences and for HBCU football nationally.”

The championship game will be played on December 2, 2017 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The SWAC champion will earn an invitation to play in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on December 16, 2017. Established in 2015 and recognized as one of the premier events in HBCU college football, the Celebration Bowl features the champion of the SWAC versus the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion.

Beginning in 2018, the SWAC football championship title will go to the team with the best regular season conference record. The conference office along with SWAC administrators and coaches will work to solidify a tie-breaker procedure, scheduling and other factors that contribute to dissolving the championship format.

Originally introduced in 1999, the SWAC championship game was originally played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, for 14 years before moving to Houston in 2013.

SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Florida A&M athletics releases annual report

FAMU ATHLETICS ANNUAL REPORT

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M's athletic department on Tuesday released an annual report detailing the department's expenditures and revenues, as well as its future goals.

The biggest goal is one fans have been asking for: $60 million for an improved Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Other priorities for the department are $11 million for a new field house, $3 million for academic scholarships, $500,000 for athletic transportation, $100,000 for a new health and nutrition program and $150,000 for what's being called a "mobile learning initiative."

The athletic department increased its revenue from $7.4 million in the 2015-16 fiscal year to $8.6 million in the 2016-17 fiscal year. During the same time, the department decreased spending from $10.4 million to $8.5 million.

According to the report, "Fiscal year 2018 athletics revenues are projected to increase by 17% to $9.7 million largely due to an increase in men’s and women’s basketball game guarantees, increased revenue from other Olympic sports, increased football revenue from a new FAMU owned classic football game in Tampa and increased philanthropic fundraising."

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Virginia Union Home Football Games To Be Televised

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Virginia Union University's first two home football games will be broadcast live on Comcast channel 206 and Verizon channel 466 though an arrangement with WTVR in Richmond, Va.

Virginia Union's home opener against Newberry College will be broadcast on Saturday, September 9, beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET while the Panthers' game against Winston-Salem State University on Saturday, September 16, will be broadcast live beginning at 6:00 p.m.

"CBS-6 is excited about televising Virginia Union's first two home games of the 2017 Football season," said WTVR President and General Manager Stephen Hayes. "Both the Newberry and the Winston-Salem State games will be broadcast live on WTVR 6.3. We are looking forward to cheering the Panthers on this fall!"

Future home games are also being planned for broadcast, and the games will also be streamed live over the Internet. VUU will have a total of five home football games this season, all to be played at Historic Hovey Field.

VUU PANTHERS 2017 Football Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time
9/2/2017 LIU Post Brookville, NY 1:00 p.m.
9/9/2017 Newberry College Richmond, VA 4:00 p.m.
9/16/2017 Winston­Salem State University Richmond, VA 6:00 p.m.
9/23/2017 * Fayetteville State University Richmond, VA 1:00 p.m.
9/30/2017 * St. Augustine's University Raleigh, NC 1:00 p.m.
10/7/2017 * Lincoln University (Pa.) Lincoln University, PA TBA
10/14/2017 * Chowan University Richmond, VA 1:00 p.m.
10/21/2017 * Bowie State University Bowie, MD 1:00 p.m.
10/28/2017 * Elizabeth City State University Richmond, VA 1:00 p.m.
11/4/2017 * Virginia State University Petersburg, VA 2:00 p.m.
11/11/2017 CIAA Championship TBA TBA

VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Benedict College Launches Redesigned Athletic Website

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Benedict College is proud to once again partner with SIDEARM Sports to unveil the latest redesign of its athletics website, BenedictTigers.com, which was re-launched Tuesday. The new site reaffirms the department's commitment to providing Benedict College fans with a top-of-the-line place to find all the latest news and information for all of the Tigers' 13 varsity programs.

"We are very excited to unveil this new look," said Dennis Switzer, Sports Information Director for Benedict College. "It is fresh and exciting and a destination our students and fans will want to return often. We realize that for many people the first point of contact with Benedict College is our website. And therefore we wanted to put our best foot forward."

Switzer worked with the designers and project managers at SIDEARM Sports on the redesign and will be responsible for uploading new content.

The redesign reinforces Benedict College's continued partnership with SIDEARM Sports, an innovative company that powers the websites of more than 750 colleges, universities, athletic conferences and high schools throughout North America. Benedict is a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conferece, which became the first collegiate athletic conference to integrate all its members with the same website company.

The newly redesigned BenedictTigers.com keeps all of your favorite aspects of the previous incarnation, while also providing a fresh new look and enhanced features. The new website includes larger photos, easier navigation between pages, quick access to the department's social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

The new BenedictTigers.com site will give Tiger followers a visually appealing, easy-to-use site that provides every bit of information that a Benedict College supporter is looking for. The responsive layout and design to fit the user device on desktop, tablet and mobile so fans will be able to access information easily on the go.

BENEDICT COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION