For the Week oF July 18 - 24, 2017

© AZEEZ Communications, Inc. Vol. XXIII, No. 51

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Lane Sports Photo

SO ARE THOSE FOR STREET & SMITH'S MAGAZINE; HBCUs IN D2 SHOWCASE; NEW COACH AT FVSU

UNDER THE BANNERWHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS

STREET & SMITH'S 2017 PREDICTIONS: Three black college teams are in the preseason Foot-

ball Championship Subdivision (FCS) Top 25 and just one is in the NCAA Div. II Top 25 as the 2017 Street & Smith's College Football Annual hit newsstands early this month.

Defending Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and Celebration Bowl cham-pion Grambling State was se-

lected 15th in the FCS preseason poll. Tennessee State, picked second in the 2017 Ohio Valey Conference pre-view, was ranked 21st. Three-time defending Mid-East-ern Athletic Conference champ North Carolina Cen-tral was 22nd. Grambling finished 11-1 a year ago while TSU was 7-4. NCCU, who lost to Grambling (10-9) in the Celebration Bowl, was 9-3. Three-time defending CIAA champion Winston-Salem State was the only HBCU program in the Div. II preseason Top 25. The Rams, who finished 9-3 in 2016, were 23rd. Grambling State (West) and Alcorn State (East) were picked to repeat as SWAC division champs. N. C. Central, who won last year's MEAC title outright after sharing the previous two crowns, was predicted to win its fourth straight league title. In individual accolades, North Carolina A&T senior offensive tackle Brandon Parker, a two-time MEAC lineman of the year, and South Carolina State senior linebacker Darius Leonard, the 2016 MEAC de-fensive player of the year, were named FCS all-Amer-icans. Leonard, who amassed 124 tackles a year ago to lead the MEAC, was selected as the league's top NFL prospect. Grambling's do-everything back Martez Carter, who ran for 891 yards and 10 TDs and averaged 172 all-purpose yards per game, was selected the SWAC's top pro prospect. Tennessee State defensive end Ebenezer Ogundeko, who totalled 11 sacks a year ago, was named the OVC's top NFL prospect. On the Div. II side, three black college senior de-fenders made the all-America team. Lane defensive end Whitney Richardson, who racked up 17.5 sacks a year ago, tied for tops in the nation, is joined by Tuskegee linebacker Osband Thompson and Johnson C. Smith safety Carlo Thomas. Thompson is the preseason SIAC defensive player of the year after leading the league with 136 total tackles (8th in the nation) a year ago. Thomas, who led Div. II with 13 interceptions in 2015, picked off another seven passes last year to finish second nationally. Look for Street & Smith's on newsstands as the ven-erable magazine has gone back to that name after spend-ing the last ten years under the Sporting News name.

STREET & SMITH'S CONFERENCE PREDICTIONS MEAC SWAC 1. North Carolina Central EAST 2. North Carolina A&T 1. Alcorn State 3. South Carolina State 2. Jackson State 4. Bethune-Cookman 3. Alabama A&M 5. Florida A&M 4. Alabama State 6. Norfolk State 5. Miss Valley State 7. Hampton WEST 8. Morgan State 1. Gramblng State 9. Savannah State 2. Southern 10. Howard 3. Prairie View A&M 11. Delaware State 4. Texas Southern 5. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

SWAC picks Grambling, Alcorn StateLUT WILLIAMSBCSP Editor BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference released its 2017 predic-tions and top players Friday at the league's pre-season Media Day here and coaches and sports information directors predicted a three-peat in what will be the last SWAC Championship Game. Defending SWAC and Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl champion Grambling State was picked to win its third straight West Divi-sion championship while three-time defending division champ Alcorn State was selected to take the East for the fourth straight year. If those predictions pan out, it would set up the third straight SWAC Championship Game meeting between the two in Houston on Dec. 2. Among 49 players voted preseason first or second team all-SWAC, Grambling led all teams with 14 selections, eight (8) first teamers. Prai-rie View A&M had eight (8) players voted in including four first teamers. Alcorn State and Southern both had seven (7) overall selections with two and three first teamers respectively. Alabama A&M garnered five selections. Jackson State nabbed three spots, Alabama State and Mississippi Valley State each had two representatives while Texas Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff had one selection apiece. After helping lead Grambling to a confer-ence-best 11-win season, quarterback Devante Kincade was the voters' choice for the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year award. In 2016, Kincade completed 63 percent of his passes and threw for 3,022 yards with 31 touch-

Leonard

BCSP NotesFour HBCUs included in ESPN3'sNCAA Div. II Football Showcase INDIANAPOLIS — NCAA Division II has announced the 18 regu-lar-season football games that will be streamed live on ESPN3 as part of an ongoing three-year agreement to highlight Division II athletics events. Two of the games will match Central Intercollegiate Athletic Associa-tion (CIAA) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) opponents. Both black college games are scheduled for Sept. 9. The CIAA game will be a rematch of the 2016 league championship game as defending three-time conference and South Division champ Win-ston-Salem State hosts defending North Division winner Bowie State. The BSU at WSSU match up begins at 4 p.m. Later that day, beginning at 5 p.m. Central Time, perennial SIAC powers and 2017 favorites Tuskegee and Albany State will meet in Phe-nix City, Alabama. The neutral site game is billed as the White Water Clas-sic. The first 18 games of the football showcase are predetermined match-ups. Four additional flex games — highlighting crucial match ups — will be finalized later in the football season and played in November. "The collaboration with ESPN provides a continued opportunity to showcase Division II's balanced student-athlete experience," said Terri Steeb Gronau, vice president of Division II. "The student-athletes who will be featured in these games have made incredible achievements on and off the field, and we’re excited to share their abilities with a broad national audience on ESPN3." Ten teams in the 2017 package appeared in the Division II playoffs, and nine finished the 2016 season ranked in the top 25 of the American Football Coaches Association Division II poll. All 18 games currently scheduled are conference matchups. Tuskegee finished 20th in that final poll. "The quality of Division II football continues to rise," said Steve Mul-lins, incoming chair of the Division II Football Committee and director of athletics at Arkansas Tech.

J. C. Smith's Graham to coach on Jamaican National Team at IAAF World Championships CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Johnson C. Smith University head track and field coach Lennox Graham has been selected to serve as an assis-tant coach for the Jamaican National Team at the upcoming IAAF World Championships in London, it was announced by the Jamaica Athletics Ad-ministrative Association (JAAA). No stranger to coaching on the international stage, Graham has coached at the IAAF World Championships since 2011, with his most recent trip coming in 2015 in Beijing where he coached JCSU alum Dani-elle Williams to the 2015 IAAF world title in the 100 meter hurdles.

downs against just four interceptions. Two other senior quarterbacks, Austin Howard of Southern and Lenorris Footman of Alcorn State, are the other top signal callers expected to lead the biggest challenges to Kin-cade and the G-Men. Howard was selected as the second team quarterback. Jackson State defensive end Keontre Anderson was tabbed as the SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after leading the nation with 25.5 tackles for a loss to go along with nine sacks and six hurries. Southern led the defense with two first-team selections, defen-sive lineman Aaron Tiller and defensive back Danny Johnson. Joining Kincade on the preseason first-team offense are: running backs Martez Carter (Grambling State) and Jordan Bentley (Ala-bama A&M), offensive linemen Trent Scott (Grambling State), Donovan Wheaton (Prairie View A&M), Timothy Gardner (Alcorn State), William Waddell (Grambling State), and Sam Baptiste (Alabama State), wide receivers Kha-Darel Hodge (Prairie View A&M) and Devohn

Graham will be coaching the Ja-maican hurdlers as well as the women’s 4x100 team. Last summer, Graham coached in his first Olympic Games for team Ja-maica in Rio. He also coached at the Pan American Senior Championships in 2006 in Rio while coaching at the high school level in his native Jamaica. "I'd like to thank JCSU for support-ing my endeavors in making the JCSU track and field program visible at the global level," said Graham. The IAAF World Championships will take place Aug 4-13, 2017 at the London Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, home of the 2012 London Olympics.

Willingham named new women's basketball coach at Fort Valley State FORT VALLEY, GA – Fort Valley State University's Director of Athletics Dr. Darryl Pope announced on July 17 that Le'Coe Willing-ham, a 10-year WNBA veteran, will be the Lady Wildcats next Head Women's Basketball Coach Willingham comes to Fort Valley State after serving as the women's

assistant coach at Tennessee State University and served as TSU's individual post coach, defensive coordinator, and helped with recruiting. She was an integral part in Tennessee State capturing their first OVC Championship in over 20 years and earning an automatic bid to the 2014-2015 NCAA Tournament. Under Le'Coe's leadership as defensive coordinator, the Tigers were the number one defensive team in the conference. A native of Augusta, Ga., Willingham played

her last WNBA season with the Atlanta Dream in 2013. She was a three-time All-SEC selection out of Auburn and the program's seventh all-time scorer and sixth all-time rebounder, but went undrafted before being signed by Connecticut (2004-07). She then spent two seasons with the Phoenix Mercury (2008-09) and two in Seattle (2010-11). Willingham's best seasons came in Phoenix, where she averaged 10.1 points and 5.9 rebounds in 2008, and 10.0 points and 4.2 boards in 2009. She set a franchise record for field goal percentage in 2008, by making a league-leading 57.0 percent of her shots. She helped the Mercury to a WNBA championship in 2009 and also was a key reserve for the 2010 Seattle team that defeated Atlanta in the WNBA Finals. Willingham was also a member of the Chicago Sky. She returned to Auburn to obtain a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and is currently pur-suing her Masters in Professional Counseling with an emphasis in Trauma.

Graham

THE STAT CORNERWHO ARE THE BEST PERFORMERS IN BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS

THIS WEEK'S HBCU PRESEASON FOOTBALL EVENT

CIAA FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY Thursday, July 20

Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center2801 Hershberger Road

Roanoke, VA

Kincade Anderson

Lindsey (Grambling State) and tight end Dillon Beard (Southern). Joining Anderson on the preseason first-team defense are: Tiller (Southern), Michael Brooks (Alcorn State), and DeVohn Reed (Prairie View A&M) on the defensive line, linebackers Kenneth Davis (Alabama A&M), Sean Jones (Texas Southern), De'Arius Christmas (Grambling State), and Johnson (Southern), Everett Nicholas (Mis-sissippi Valley State), Tere Calloway (Alabama A&M) and Derrick Dixon (Grambling State) in the defensive secondary. Kicker Nick Carden (Alabama A&M), punter Owen Hoolihan and Carter (Grambling State) were each tabbed as first team selections for special teams. Carter was the only player to double as a first team selection at separate posi-tions (also made first team as a running back). Alcorn State totaled 80 points as the voting favorite in the East. Alabama State was selected to finish in second with 66 points, Jackson State received 59 points, followed by Alabama A&M (45) and Mississippi Valley State (20). In the West Division, Grambling State was chosen as the overall favorite after amassing a conference-best 85 points in the voting. South-ern was selected second after it received 68 points. Prairie View A&M followed closely in third place with 59 points while Texas Southern (37) and Arkansas Pine Bluff (21) rounded out the order of predicted finish.

OFFENSEQB Devante Kincade, Grambling StateRB Martez Carter, Grambling StateRB Jordan Bentley, Alabama A&MOL Trent Scott, Grambling StateOL Donovan Wheaton, Prairie View A&MOL Timothy Gardner, Alcorn StateOL William Waddell, Grambling StateOL Sam Baptiste, Alabama StateWR KhaDarel Hodge, Prairie View A&MWR Devohn Lindsey, Grambling StateTE Dillon Beard, Southern DEFENSEDL Keontre Anderson, Jackson StateDL Aaron Tiller, SouthernDL Michael Brooks, Alcorn StateDL DeVohn Reed, Prairie View A&MLB Kenneth Davis, Alabama A&MLB Sean Jones, Texas SouthernLB De’Arius Christmas, Grambling StateDB Danny Johnson, SouthernDB Everett Nicholas, Mississippi Valley StateDB Tere Calloway, Alabama A&MDB Derrick Dixon, Grambling StateSPECIAL TEAMSK Nick Carden, Alabama A&MP Owen Hoolihan, Prairie View A&MRS Martez Carter, Grambling State

PRESEASON ALL-SWAC FIRST TEAM 2017 PRESEASON ALL-SWAC SECOND TEAMOFFENSEQB Austin Howard, SouthernRB Sta’Fon McCray, Prairie View A&MRB De’Lance Turner, Alcorn StateOL Skylar Prol, SouthernOL Deonte Brooks, Alcorn StateOL Vincent Hunter, Jackson StateOL Austin Simmons, Alabama A&MOL Alvin Solomon, Mississippi Valley StateWR Norlando Veals, Alcorn StateWR Darius Floyd, Prairie View A&MTE Jordan Jones, Grambling State DEFENSEDL Christopher Johnson, Grambling StateDL James Harper, Prairie View A&MDL Brandon Varner, Grambling StateDL Ramonte Bell, Alcorn StateLB Kentavious Preston, SouthernLB Malcolm Williams, Grambling StateLB Shawn Bishop, Jackson StateDB Ja’Terious Pouncy, Grambling StateDB O.J. O’Neal, Alcorn StateDB Jamar Mitchell, SouthernDB Percy Cargo, Grambling StateSPECIAL TEAMSK Trevor Vincent, Alabama StateP Jamie Gillan, Arkansas-Pine BluffRS Joshua Simmons, Prairie View A&M

PRESEASON OFFENSIVEPLAYER OF THE YEARDevante Kincade, Sr., QB

Grambling State

PRESEASON DEFENSIVEPLAYER OF THE YEAR

Keontre Anderson, Sr., DEJackson State

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

EAST DIVISIONSchool Points

Alcorn State 80Alabama State 66Jackson State 59Alabama A&M 45Miss. Valley State 20

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

School Points

Grambling State 85Southern 68Prairie View A&M 59Texas Southern 37Ark.-Pine Bluff 21

SWACGRIDIRONPICKS ARE IN

Carter

Reed

Howard

RICHARDSON: One of three HBCU players on 2017 Street & Smith's NCAA Div. II all-America football team.

Willingham