WSSU Athletics Posts Stellar Academic
Performance in Fall 2017
Rams send record number of student-athletes to dean’s list
Trevin Q. Goodwin
WINSTON-SALEM, NC – In addition to some terrific performances in the
field of competition, the Winston-Salem State University Rams
student-athletes had several even more impressive performances in
the classroom. With 127 student-athletes making the dean’s list,
the department set a new high for student-athletes to earn the
prestigious honor.
Winston-Salem State student-athletes turned in their best academic
performance in four years. The effort marks a steady academic
improvement for WSSU athletics. For the term, WSSU student-athletes
combined for a 2.86 GPA, marking the sixth straight semester with an
improved term GPA. The Rams combined for a 2.84 cumulative
grade-point average (GPA).
The steadily improving academic efforts are a direct result of the
implementation of the university’s Academic Enhancement Program (AEP).
A program in which al WSSU student-athletes receive academic support
through the University College & Lifelong Learning (UCaLL)
department.
The academic progress of the student-athletes featured several
performances by different teams. The Rams softball team had the best
term GPA with a 3.2. The squad was one of six teams to post at least
a 3.0 GPA. The Rams softball team barely edged out the Rams women’s
basketball team with a 3.19 GPA. The Rams men’s basketball team had
the best overall improvement, jumping up by .12 points. The effort
marked the third straight semester with an improved GPA for the Rams
men’s basketball team.
For more information on Rams athletics, log on to www.WSSURams.com.
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Chowan Swimming Travels For Tri-Match
Evann Carpenter
MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The Chowan Swimming team dives back into the
pool after a month off from competition to compete at St. Andrews in
a tri-match with the host and Conference Carolinas member, Barton,
on Saturday, January 13.
WHEN Saturday, January 13
WHERE Laurinburg, N.C.
HAWKS, KNIGHTS, BULLDOGS
Chowan will face off in their fourth head-to-head competition of the
season. Chowan is 2-3 in those meetings.
In their last competition, the Hawks broke five school records,
including four by Kjahna O.
St. Andrews is 0-2 this season in head-to-head competitions. The
Knights finished ninth at the Wingate Fall Frenzy in their last
competition in November.
Barton, first season of competition, is 2-4 this season. The
Bulldogs picked up their two wins in their first meet of the year
defeating William Peace and UNC Pembroke.
Chowan and Barton will compete against each other again in the
conference meet in February. |
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Chowan Hoops Travels To Rival
Elizabeth City State
MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The Chowan Men's and Women's Basketball opens
up CIAA Northern Division play against cross-town rival, Elizabeth
City State, on Saturday, January 13.
WHEN Saturday, January 13 | 2:00 pm (W) and 4:00 pm (M)
WHERE Elizabeth City, N.C. (Vaughan Center)
FOLLOW GAME DAY CENTRAL
Women's Basketball
HAWKS HIGHLIGHTS
Chowan rebounded after a two game skid with a win over Livingstone
to move to 12-3 overall and 4-1 in CIAA play. The Hawks have fared
well on the road this season posting a 9-1 record away from the
Helms Center.
The Hawks dropped into a tie for ninth in the recent D2SIDA poll
released on Monday. Chowan was #7 in the poll leading up to the
recent loss.
The Hawks are led by seniors Dhyamond Crenshaw and Chantel Roberts.
Crenshaw leads the team with 17.8 points per game. Roberts is
averaging 16.6 ppg and 12.4 rebounds per game in the last five
games.
Mariah Coker chips in with 12.8 points and 5.7 assists per contest.
Danielle Weldon adds to the mix with 11.2 points and 8.3 rebounds a
game.
Dhyamond Crenshaw is 21 points away from the 1,000 point plateau.
She can become the fourth player in Chowan's DII history to reach
the mark joining former players: Talaya Lynch, Ransheda Jennings and
Alisha Mobley.
VIKINGS FILE
Elizabeth City State is 7-6 on the season and 1-2 in CIAA play. The
Vikings earned their first win in league play last week against
Winston-Salem State. ECSU fell to Shaw and St. Augustine's in close
contests to round out league action.
Jalyn Brown and Devona Stell leads the Vikings in scoring with 17.3
and 15.2 points per contest respectively. Stell has been named CIAA
Newcomer of the Week three times this season.
Men's Basketball
HAWKS HIGHLIGHTS
Chowan dropped to 5-8 overall and 1-4 in CIAA play falling to
Livingstone last week. Chowan picked up their first win in CIAA
action against Winston-Salem State.
The Hawks have four players in double-figures in scoring. Tim Hewett
leads the attack with 16.5 ppg with Robert Grubbs (13.1), Demetrius
Sanders (11.5), and Gus Rowland (11.4).
Dino Muminovic has thrown a block party since his arrival on campus.
The senior transfer has produced 43 blocks so far this season.
Muminovic sits fifth in the nation in total blocks.
VIKINGS FILE
Elizabeth City State is 5-5 on the season and 1-2 in CIAA play. The
Vikings are 3-0 at home this season. ECSU defeated Winston-Salem
State for their first CIAA win of the year.
John Maynor and Zaccheus Hobbs lead the Vikings in scoring with 14.4
and 11.9 points per game respectively. Corey Mendez posts 9.8 ppg to
round out the top scoring for the Vikings.
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@NCCUWBB Hosts Coppin State and Morgan State
Kevin Buczek
GAME NOTES #16: Coppin State at NCCU
GAME NOTES #17: Morgan State at NCCU (will be posted online Sunday
morning)
DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University women’s
basketball team will try and move over .500 in the Mid-Eastern
Athletic Conference (MEAC) when the Eagles host a couple of matinees
against Coppin State University on Saturday and Morgan State
University on Monday. Both contests are scheduled to tip-off at 2
p.m.
NCCU will be providing FREE live video, audio and stats for those
that cannot attend the contest inside McDougald-McLendon Arena. Mike
Wood will be on the air providing the play-by-play on the NCCU
Sports Network. Fans can follow NCCU women’s basketball all season
by visiting NCCUEaglePride.com and on social media at Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram.
Game Info
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2 PM – Coppin State at NCCU
McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
WATCH | LISTEN | STATS
Monday, Jan. 15, 2 PM – Morgan State at NCCU
McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
WATCH | LISTEN | STATS
N.C. Central Women’s Basketball
The Eagles were handed their first conference loss in a 75-60 home
setback to the league’s hottest team in Norfolk State University on
Monday. NCCU (3-12 Overall, 1-1 MEAC) is 2-3 at home.
Freshman guard Kieche White is the reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week
and sophomore forward Paulina Afriyie was tabbed MEAC Co-Defensive
Player of the Week. White scored a career-high 20 points in NCCU’s
league-opening win at Delaware State and then she led the Eagles
with 12 points against the Spartans. White is averaging 6.9 points
per game, including 4.0 made 3-pointers per game in conference play.
Afriyie ranks amongst the league’s statistical leaders with 7.3
rebounds per game, 1.1 blocks per game and a field-goal percentage
of 46.5%. Afriyie, who has four double-doubles on the season, is
second on the team in scoring (8.3 ppg) has pulled down double-digit
rebounds in five of the last six games.
Junior guard Rodneysha Martin continues to lead the maroon and gray
with 12.7 points and 2.3 assists per game. She also ranks as the
league’s third best free-throw shooter at 82.1%.
A pair of junior transfers in Sami Oliver-Alexander and Caira Benton
supplement NCCU’s scoring with averages of 7.0 and 5.4 points per
game, respectively, while classmate Jayla Calhoun is contributing
5.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
NCCU knocked off Coppin State, 58-46, last season with junior
Dominique Adams scoring a career-high 17 points in that triumph. Two
days earlier, NCCU dropped a narrow 44-42 tilt to Morgan State in
its first of two games in Baltimore last season. Junior Deja McCain
led the Eagles with 13 points and six rebounds.
Coppin State Women’s Basketball
After losing their MEAC opener at Norfolk State (71-57), the Eagles
have won their last two league contests at home to Savannah State
University (66-57) and Florida A&M University (62-56). Coppin State
(3-12 Overall, 2-1 MEAC) is still searching for its first road win
(0-11).
The CSU Eagles are led by a pair of preseason All-MEAC selections in
senior guard Genesis Lucas and sophomore center Chance Graham. Lucas
is the reigning MEAC Player of the Week and leads the conference
with 19.0 points per game, 4.3 assists per game and an 84% free
throw percentage. She also ranks third in the league with 2.6 steals
per game and 2.1 made 3-pointers per game. Graham shared MEAC
Co-Defensive Player of the Week laurels with Afriyie and she is the
league’s top rebounder at 9.3 rebounds per game. Graham also
contributes 11.2 points per game.
Freshman guard Maraiyah Smith (8.3 ppg) and senior forward Candice
Beverly (7.6 ppg) add scoring depth for Coppin State.
Lucas led the CSU Eagles with 12 points in last year’s 12-point loss
to NCCU while Graham grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
Morgan State Women’s Basketball
The Bears have won four straight games, including their first three
MEAC clashes against University of Maryland Eastern Shore (63-50),
Florida A&M University (61-56) and Savannah State University
(73-67). Morgan State (10-6 Overall, 3-0 MEAC) is a perfect 8-0 at
home, but just 2-6 on the road. MSU will play at North Carolina A&T
State University on Saturday before arriving in Durham.
The senior trio of forward Lexus Spears, guard Breannan Farrar and
forward Tykyrah Williams are playing their fourth year together to
give the Bears a ton of veteran experience. They have started all 16
games and are each averaging over 10 points and four rebounds per
game.
Spears, who is coming off an injury-plagued junior season, tops MSU
in both categories with 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and is
the conference’s top shooter with a field-goal percentage of 54%.
Farrar (12.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg) leads the league with 2.9 steals per game
and ranks fourth with 3.9 assists per game. Williams chips in 10.5
points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Morgan State is one of four MEAC women’s basketball programs that
currently has a positive rebounding margin on the season and its
aided by six rebounds per game from junior Adre’onia Coleman, who
also scores 9.3 points per game.
Farrar and Williams scored eight and seven points, respectively, in
the Bears two-point win over NCCU last February. |
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MEN'S Bb FULL STORY) Livingstone Blue Bears Top
Bowie State Bulldogs 70-63
Gregory Goings
SALISBURY, N.C. - It's been up and down for the Bowie State
University men's basketball season over the past week as the
Bulldogs dropped a tough 70-63 road decision at Livingstone College
in New Trent Gymnasium on Wednesday night. The setback puts the
Bowie State record at 7-10 overall and 2-4 in the league.
Sophomore Saiquan Jamison led the Bulldogs with his sixth
double-double of the year with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Joining
Jamison in double figure scoring were sophomore Cameron Hayes (Upper
Marlboro, Md.) with 11 points and seniors Dayshawn Wells (Baltimore,
Md.) and Ahmaad Wilson (Baltimore, Md.) with 10 points each. Senior
Omari George came off the Bowie State bench to add nine points and
six rebounds.
Neither team shot the ball particularly well on the night with Bowie
State going 20-of-53 from the field (37.7 percent) compared to
23-of-65 (35.4 percent) for Livingstone. Both team were pretty even
at the charity stripe. Livingstone made 22-of-30 (73.3 percent)
while Bowie State made 21-of-31 (67.7 percent). The Bowie State
Bulldogs won the battle on the glass, out-rebounding the Blue Bears
45-39 but committed 22 turnovers.
Bowie State held a 26-24 lead at the break but relinquished that
lead at the 16:26 mark of the second half following a jumper by
Livingstone’s Rashard Todd.
Bowie State regained a brief lead (31-30) after a pair of Wilson
free throws. The games sixth tie occurred at the 11:34 mark when
BSU’s Jamison made one of two free throws.
From that point, Livingstone used a 14-5 run to take a 53-44
advantage with 7:21 left in the game.
The Bulldogs outscored the Blue Bears 11-4 over the next four
minutes to pull within two at 57-55 at the 3:06 mark but would get
no closer.
Livingstone (5-6 / 3-2 CIAA) played 16 players in the contest and
Malik Smith was the only player to score in double figures with 12
points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. Ramel Belfield came off
the Blue Bears bench to lead the team in rebounds with six. The next
closest scoring players were Todd and Cameron Buchannon with eight
points apiece and Austin Walker with seven points.
The Blue Bears had advantages in points in the paint (34-26), points
off turnovers (18-12), second chance points (22-17) and bench points
(47-28).
Bowie State men’s basketball will look to get back into the win
column on Saturday (January 13), but will face a tough Lincoln (Pa.)
University team on the road at 4 p.m. |
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(WOMEN;S Bb FULL STORY) Bowie State Bulldogs Win
Fifth Straight with 74-62 Road Victory at Livingstone
Gregory Goings
SALISBURY, N.C. - Bowie State University women's basketball won its
fifth game in a row on Wednesday evening, downing Livingstone
College by a final count of 74-62 and improved their record to 12-3
overall and 5-1 in conference play.
Bulldogs senior Kyah Proctor (Capital Heights, Md.) led all scorers
with 24 points while teammate Sade Chatman added 17 points in the
win. Redshirt junior Pere Alexander (Baltimore, Md.) and sophomore
Kyaja Williams (Baltimore, Md.) recorded eight points each and
senior Kiara Colston chipped in seven points for Bowie State.
Williams and Alexander ripped down 13 and 12 rebounds respectively.
Bowie State held a slim 15-13 after one quarter of action and
carried a 32-21 advantage into halftime.
The Livingstone Blue Bears led most of the first quarter until a
Colston layup with 10 seconds left that gave Bowie State all the
lead they needed.
Bowie State outscored Livingstone 9-3 over the first five minutes of
the second quarter and reached a double-digit lead of 28-18
following a Chatman jumper in the paint. Both team went cold over
the next three minutes with Livingstone’s Kayla Searcy ending the
drought with a jumper with 1:15 left in the first half.
The Bulldogs turned it up in the third quarter, leading by a
game-high 15 points (54-39) at the 3:25 mark which allowed Bowie
State a 60-48 cushion after three quarters.
Livingstone (5-10 / 0-5 CIAA) mounted a rally late in the final
period, behind the play of Searcy. A 3-pointer with 3:48 left pulled
Livingstone within six (66-60), and at the 3:04 mark Searcy knocked
down a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 66-62, but would
get no closer.
Searcy led three Livingstone players in double figures with 22
points while Asia Green and Nina Robinson tallied 10 points apiece
in the loss. Searcy was also the Blue Bears’ top rebounder with
eight to go along with a game-high four assists.
Livingstone shot 32.8 percent (20-of-61) from the field and 21.7
percent (5-of-23) from the three-point line while making 17-of-26
(65.4 percent) shots from the free throw line.
Bowie State ended the game shooting 32.5 percent from the field
(26-of-80). The 80 attempts was a season-high for the Bulldogs.
Bowie State made 20-of-30 free throws (66.7 percent) and tied its
season-high in rebounds with 54.
The Bulldogs travel to Lincoln (Pa.) University this Saturday
(January 13) for the CIAA Norther Division opener for both teams.
Game time in the Manuel Rivero Hall is set for 2 p.m. |
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Hawks Track gears up for first meets of 2018
The Shore travels to NYC for HBCU Invite, Towson Invite
MATT MCCANN
PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — A pair of meets await the Maryland
Eastern Shore track & field teams this weekend, as The Shore kicks
off 2018 with the HBCU Invitational on Friday (Jan. 12) and the
Towson Invitational on Saturday (Jan. 13). Both meets will take
place at The Armory in Manhattan.
General Admission tickets for the HBCU Invitational and Towson
Invitational cost $15 each for adults. Students are free with ID for
Friday, but $10 for Saturday. Reserved seating (https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-armory-11329813392)
is available for the HBCU meet.
Meets begin at 2 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday. Live stats
(https://results.armorytrack.com/meets) are accessible for both
meets.
Representatives from all four HBCU conferences—the MEAC, SWAC, CIAA,
and SIAC—will be competing Friday. Joining the Hawks from the MEAC
will be Bethune-Cookman, Coppin State, Delaware State, Hampton,
Howard, Morgan State and Norfolk State. Saturday’s meet will feature
teams from all over the Mid-Atlantic region, including several
Maryland institutions.
This weekend marks the first meet for the team since last December,
and both will be scored by team. Full results and a recap will be
posted at easternshorehawks.com following each meet.
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Chowan Softball Adds Kylee Polsley To
Staff
MURFREESBORO, N.C. – Chowan Softball and head coach Brian DeWitt
announced on Wednesday afternoon the addition of Kylee Polsley to
the staff as an assistant coach.
"Kylee brings with her a vast knowledge and experience of softball,"
said DeWitt. "She will be a crucial component in helping to continue
our success, both in the classroom and on the field."
Kylee joins the staff after spending three seasons as an assistant
coach at Chadron State in Chadron, Neb. specializing in the pitching
staff. During her time with CSC, Polsley helped the staff set
program records in ERA (3.60), opponent batting average (.285), and
walks allowed per 7 innings (2.2).
In 2017, Polsley aided Dallas Magnusson to a school record six saves
and Jessica Jarecki being named RMAC Co-Freshman of the Year. During
the 2016 season, Tayler Hall was named RMAC Pitcher of the Year
under Polsley's direction.
Before stepping into the coaching realm, Polsley had a successful
career at Chadron State and Iowa Western CC. While at CSC, Polsley
compiled a 22-16 record inside the circle finishing off her career
with a 16-8 record. As a pitcher, Polsley helped the program produce
a winning season for the first time in program history.
While at Iowa Western CC, Kylee compiled a 43-8 overall record
including a 19-2 record during her freshman season. She finished her
sophomore season 24-6 in the circle.
The Omaha, Nebraska native graduated from Chadron State College in
December of 2015 with a bachelor's degree in Sport & Recreation
Management with Exercise Science. Polsley will receive her master's
degree in Organizational Management with an emphasis in Sport
Management from Chadron State in May of 2018. Polsley also has an
associate's degree in PE and Health Education K-12 from Iowa Western
CC. |