FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 17 - 23, 2012

Grambling, Alabama State lead SWAC choices

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Defending champion Grambling State and Alabama State were voted by league football coaches, sports information directors and selected media to win the West and East Division championships respectively Monday as the Southwestern Athletic Conference announced the 2012 Preseason predicted order of nish and all-SWAC football teams at its annual Media Day event at the Birmingham Marriott. Grambling, who won last year's championship game over Alabama A&M, 16-15, was picked to repeat in the West garnering 20 rst place votes. Prairie View A&M was second despite just one rst-place vote. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Southern received two rst-place votes to nish third and fourth. Texas Southern, who is ineligible for postseason play because of APR issues, did not receive a rst-place vote and was fth. There was a much tighter race for the East preseason honors. Alabama State led the way with 11 rst-place votes. Jackson State and Alabama A&M followed with seven rst-place votes. Alcorn State had one to nish fourth with Mississippi Valley State in fth. The Media Day event saw the introduction of new coaches Darrell Asberry at Texas Southern and Jay Hopson at Alcorn State and Toyota as the new corporate title sponsor of the SWAC Football Championship Game and the Basketball Tournament. Earlier in the week the SWAC announced a marketing communications relationship with French/West/Vaughn, a public relations company out of Raleigh, N.C. Grambling State running back Dawarence Roberts was chosen as the preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Jackson State defensive lineman Joseph LeBeau was tabbed preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Roberts rushed for 1,102 yards in 2011, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He scored eight touchdowns and averaged 110.2 yards per game. Meanwhile, Lebeau was ranked in the top 10 in the SWAC in tackles last season with 75, He led the conference in tackles for loss and fourth in FCS with 24.5. He was also second in the FCS in sacks with 16. In addition to his SWAC preseason

NC A&T Sports Photo

laurels, Lebeau is a BSN 2012 Preseason 1st Team All-American and is on the CFPA preseason watch list, In 2011, he was named SWAC Newcomer of the Year.
SWAC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH (1st-place votes) WESTERN DIVISION 1. Grambling State (20) 119 points 2. Prairie View A&M (1) 82 points 3. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2) 69 points 4. Southern (2) 54 points 5. Texas Southern 51 points EASTERN DIVISION 1. Alabama State (11) 108 points 2. Jackson State (7) 95 points 3. Alabama A&M (7) 94 points 4. Alcorn State (1) 42 points 5. Mississippi Valley 36 points 2012 PRESEASON ALL-SWAC 1ST-TEAM OFFENSE QB Deaunte Mason, SR, Alabama A&M RB Kaderious Lacey, SR, Alabama A&M RB Dawrence Roberts, Grambling State WR Rico Richardson, SR, Jackson State WR Spencer Nelson, SR, Prairie View TE E.J. Drewery, SR, Jackson State OL Jamal Johnson-Webb, SR, Alabama A&M OL Terren Jones, SR, Alabama State OL Terron Armstead, Arkansas-Pine Bluff OL Sanford Banks, Grambling State OL Zion Pyatt, SR, Jackson State 1ST-TEAM DEFENSE DL Joseph LeBeau, SR, Jackson State DL Carlton Jones, JR, Alabama State DL Ryan Love, SR, Prairie View DL Devon Carter, Grambling State LB Todd Wilcher, Jackson State LB Raheem Cardwell, Prairie View LB Jacarde Carter, Grambling State DB Kejuan Riley, ALST DB Qua Cox, Jackson State DB Saeed Lee, Alabama State DB Vernon Marshall, Alabama A&M 1ST-TEAM SPECIALISTS PK Chance Wilson, Alabama A&M

FOOTBALL RUNDOWN

ROSS: Former Olympian and successful head coach named new Director of Track at NC A&T.

Photo by Edison Hogan

PRESEASON FAVORITES, TOP PLAYERS PICKED IN CIAA, SIAC AND SWAC

FRESH BLOOD: Texas Southern head coach Darrell Asberry (above) and Alcorn State's Jay Hopson are the two new head men in the SWAC.
P Bobby Wenzig, Alabama State RET Terrance Lewis, Alcorn State 2ND-TEAM OFFENSE QB Greg Jenkins, SR, Alabama State RB Arnold Walker, JR, Alcorn State RB Trey Bateaste, SR, Mississippi Valley State WR G'Alonzo Milton, SR, Alabama A&M WR T.C. McWilliams, SR, Alabama State TE Mike Berry, Southern OL Clint Marsh, Grambling OL Stephen Capler, SR, Jackson State OL Tre Glover, SO, Prairie View OL Chris Browne, Southern OL Justin Goodrich, JR, Alabama A&M 2ND-TEAM DEFENSE DL Leployer Franklin, JR, Mississippi Valley St. DL Johnathan Billups, SR, Jackson State DL Jarvis Wilson, Prairie View A&M DL Tim Tillman, Alabama A&M LB Bill Ross, Arkansas-Pine Bluff LB Brandon Slater, Alabama State LB Jer-ryan Harris, Arkansas-Pine Bluff DB Naquan Smith, Grambling State DB Virgil Williams, Southern DB Casey Freeman, Alcorn State DB Tyree Hollins, Grambling State 2ND-TEAM SPECIALISTS PK Carlos Sanchez, Mississippi Valley State P Fabian Carter, Grambling State RET B.J. Lee, Jackson State

UNDER THE BANNER

WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS

Longtime coach and administrator and current Clain Athletic Director, Dr. Timothy J. Autry, has ofcially retired from his position this month. In 2005, Autry took on perhaps the greatest challenge of his diverse career in transitioning Clain from an NAIA school to NCAA Division II. That goal was accomplished almost four years ago but Autry still Autry presided as Clain's athletics director. Among his most recent accomplishments, Clain's men's basketball team won a conference title, the volleyball and baseball squads won divisional crowns, members of the track team were named all-Americans and Donald Smith became the rst Panther to be drafted by a Major League Baseball team, the Boston Red Sox, this summer. After a stint as a high school coach in Wilmington, Delaware, Autry served as an assistant basketball coach at Maryland under Lefty Driesell in 1972. He later was head coach at South Carolina State, worked at Voorhees College for 16 years, served as commissioner of the Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1985 to 1995 and athletic director at S.C. State for seven years, retiring in June 2005. "It has been a truly unbelievable career for me over the years," said Autry. "I would like to thank Dr. (Henry) Tisdale and our Board of Trustees for entrusting this great responsibility upon me to lead Clain University into the NCAA. The time has come for me to retire and pass the reigns along. I look forward to watching the institution's athletics rise to even greater heights." After serving in an interim capacity, Dr. Jerome Fitch has been named to replace Autry. GREENSBORO, North Carolina A&T has announced the appointment of Duane Ross as the new director of track and eld programs. Ross, a former member of the U.S. Olympic team, will oversee and run the operations of A&T's six track and eld programs, including men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor track and eld and men's and women's outdoor track and eld. "I am extremely excited about this opportunity and the future of this program," said Ross. "North Carolina A&T State University has a heritage and history that is unmatched. I intend to keep us on that path by building a championship program of which the administration, faculty and staff, student-athletes and alumni can all be proud of." Ross has spent the past ve years serving as the director of track and eld programs at Division III Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. During his time there, seven Monarchs have won individual NCAA Championships. Thirty-eight Monarchs have earned All-American honors. On 57 occasions a Monarch has achieved an NCAA qualifying mark, and Methodist has won 71 individual Mason Dixon conference championships on his watch. The last four Mason Dixon Athletes of the Year have been Monarchs, and the last two Cross Country Mason Dixon Athletes of the Year were also from Methodist. In 2011 and '12, Ross earned consecutive USTFCCCA South/Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors. He also earned Mason Dixon Indoor and Outdoor Coach of the Year honors in 2011. As an athlete, Ross earned a spot on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team. He was a silver medalist at the 2004 Olympic Trials in the men's 110 meter hurdles. He nished ninth in the 110 hurdles at the Games in Athens, Greece in 04. Ross is a four-time member of the U.S. World Team. In 1995 as a member of the Clemson track and eld team, Ross won the NCAA Championship in the 110 hurdles. Ross received his B.S., degree in nancial management from Clemson in 1996, and he earned his M.S., degree in physical education and sports management in 2012 from Aspen University (Colo.).
AZEEZ Communications, Inc. Vol. XVIII, No. 51

AUTRY OFFICIALLY RETIRES:

Miles, Morehouse atop SIAC preseason picks

Defending SIAC champion Miles, led by rst team quarterback David Thomas and rst team running back Jordan Lewis, has been picked by conference coaches in the preseason to win the West Division and face East Division favorite Morehouse in the Nov. 10 SIAC Championship Game. The conference unveiled preseason selections for the 2012 football season Tuesday afternoon in Atlanta at the Occasions Event Center, the second of four black college conference preseason football events held this week. Miles was picked ahead of Tuskegee and Stillman in the West, garnering ve rst-place votes. Tuskegee got three votes for the top spot and Stillman had one. Miles, who was 7-4 overall a year ago, nished last year as the top team in the West and defeated East Division champion Albany State, 20-17, in the rst SIAC Championship Game. Morehouse nished behind Albany State in the East last season but was picked to dethrone the Golden Rams on the strength of an attack led by rst team running back David Carter. The Maroon Tigers, led by head coach Rich Freeman, polled ve rst-place votes. Albany State had four with Clark Atlanta getting the nal vote for the top spot. Miles leads with nine players selected to the rst and second team all-SIAC preseason squad. Morehouse and Albany State placed eight players on the team.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH EAST WEST 1. Morehouse 1. Miles. 2. Albany State 2. Tuskegee 3. Fort Valley State 3. Stillman 4. Clark Atlanta 4. Kentucky State 5. Benedict 5. Lane 1st Team OFFENSE
POS NAME CL SCHOOL

QB RB RB WR WR TE OL OL OL OL OL DL DL DL DL LB LB LB DB DB DB DB KR PR K P

A&T GETS NEW TRACK DIRECTOR:

David Thomas SR Miles Jordan Lewis SR Miles David Carter SR Morehouse Chris Slaughter SR Ft. Valley State Ronnie Tubbs SR Albany State Vondragus Hudson SR Miles Hakeem Lassiter SR Albany State Mike Coke SR Morehouse Marlon Jones SR Morehouse Lester Jackson SR Miles Monterio Taylor SR Miles 1st Team DEFENSE Justin Blash SR Albany State Carlos Ware SR Kentucky State Jeremy Hall JR Stillman Scottie Williams SR Morehouse orey Jones SR Lane Brandon Houston JR Morehouse Larry Whiteld SO Albany State Justin Oliver SR Morehouse Tyrell Kinder SO Miles Keith Richburg SR Miles Bernard Crawford SR Kentucky State 1st Team SPECIAL TEAMS Orian Ponder SO Albany State Mark Hughes SR Tuskegee Alej. Perez-Huerta SR Stillman Gene Moody JR Tuskegee

QB RB RB WR WR TE OL OL OL OL OL DL DL DL DL LB LB LB DB DB DB DB KR PR K P P

2nd Team OFFENSE Dondre Purnell SO Stillman Nathan Hoyte SR Albany State Travis Richmond SO Fort Valley State Antonio Pitts SO Miles Orion Ponder SO Albany State Saledeem Major SO Clark Atlanta David Garbo SR Fort Valley State Ryan Hill JR Fort Valley State Zach LaGrange JR Kentucky State Octavio Wilson SO Lane Shea Martin SO Morehouse 2nd Team DEFENSE Adontavius Turner SR Tuskegee Vauchard Goodridge SR Clark Atlanta Aaron Bennett JR Tuskegee Dyrell Porcha SO Benedict Terry Horton JR Kentucky State Elijah Anderson JR Morehouse JacQuan Persley JR Kentucky State Grandson Brown SR Kentucky State ustin Farrell SO Miles Ronrico Dunn SO Stillman Martin Epps JR Benedict 2nd Team SPECIAL TEAMS Adrian Alexander SO Albany State Travis Richmond SO Fort Valley State Cade Berryman SO Kentucky State Kemuel Lawrence JR Clark Atlanta Duncan Pope SO Kentucky State

WSSU, Elizabeth City pegged for CIAA honors

Winston-Salem State and Elizabeth City State, who won the CIAA South and North Division football titles respectively a year ago were chosen by league coaches to meet again for the championship in the 2012 season. The conference released the results Thursday during its annual Kickoff Luncheon at Virginia State University dubbed "CIAA Football: One Century Down." Last season, WSSU beat ECSU 22-17 in the regular season and again in the league title game, 38-18, en route to winning 13 straight games before falling in the NCAA Div. II national seminals to Wayne State. Connell Maynor's WSSU Rams were the faraway leader placing seven players on the preseason all-conference team led by senior quarterback Kameron Smith on offense and junior linebacker Carlos Fields on defense. ECSU, under head coach Waverly Tillar, placed only three players on the preseason team. The Vikings selections were led by senior running back Daronte McNeill, who rushed for over 1,600 yards and scored 23 touchdowns a year ago and defensive lineman Brad Davis. Bowie State, who placed two players on the all-CIAA team, was picked to nish behind ECSU in the North. Virginia State, Virginia Union, Chowan and Lincoln lled out the North roster. St. Augustine's, Fayetteville State, Shaw, Johnson C. Smith and Livingstone were picked behind WSSU in the South.

2012 CIAA PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH Winston-Salem State Elizabeth City State Saint Augustines Fayetteville State Shaw Bowie State Virginia State Johnson C. Smith Virginia Union Chowan Lincoln Livingstone NORTHERN DIVISION Elizabeth City State Bowie State Virginia State Virginia Union Chowan Lincoln SOUTHERN DIVISION Winston-Salem State St. Augustines Fayetteville State Shaw Johnson C. Smith Livingstone

2012 PRESEASON ALL-CIAA FOOTBALL TEAM TE OL OL OL OL OL WR WR QB RB RB PK KR Khari Lee OgheneMaro Erhie Rico Arellano Kyle Catterton Markus Lawrence Daven Gray Robert Holland Tyron Laughinghouse Kameron Smith Daronte McNeill Jerell Washington Alejandro Suarez Terry Anderson BSU BSU JCSU VSU WSSU WSSU CU SAC WSSU ECSU VUU WSSU LC ECSU JCSU LU SAC LC SAC WSSU ECSU FSU SU WSSU WSSU SAC SO SR JR SR SR JR SR SR SR SR SR SO JR SR SR SR JR JR JR JR JR JR JR SR SR SR

DEFENSE DL Brad Davis DL Derrick Johnson, III. DL Tim Green DL Shonquez Nelson LB Tyheim Pitt LB Chaz Robinson LB Carlos Fields, II. DB Nigel Rios DB Joshua Scales DB Darnell Evans DB Malcolm Rowe P Landen Thayer PR Tyron Laughinghouse