FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 29 - AUGUST 4, 2014

CIAA, MEAC UNVEIL FOOTBALL PICKS;

JCSU'S DANIELLE WILLIAMS LAUDED
AZEEZ Communications, Inc. Vol. XX, No. 52
MOVING AHEAD: At
football confab, CIAA
Commissioner Jacqie
McWilliams outlined initia-
tives for the 2014 season.
FINAL
FOOTBALL
PRELIMS
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams said last Thursday as she
kicked off the 2014 Pre-
season Football Media Day
at the Durham Convention
Center that the cancellation
of last year's CIAA Football
Championship Game was
a "dark day in history" for the conference but a signifcant lesson was
learned.
"It reminded us," McWilliams said, "of what we should be focused on
and what is most important to this conference, and that is the welfare and
the experience of our student/athletes."
Speaking prior to media interviews with coaches and players from
each of the league's 12 teams, McWilliams said an ad hoc committee of
the conference's Board of Directors, the league's presidents, decided that
no further action would be taken against the institutions involved but also
made changes to the conference's constitution so that "what happened last
year will never happen again."
"The bottom line," McWilliams said in also announcing conference
initiatives to promote fair play, ethical conduct and sportsmanship, "is
there is zero tolerance for behaviors that diminish the values and the mis-
sion of this great conference."
When it got down to play on the feld, Winston-Salem State in the
South and Virginia State in the North, the two teams that were scheduled
to meet in last year's championship game, were the preseason selections
by the league's head coaches and sports information directors to repeat in
their respective divisions. But things will be a little different, at least at
WSSU.
Former Defensive Coordinator Kienus Boulware has taken over the
Rams' head coaching duties from Connell Maynor, who took the job as
head coach at Hampton University of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Con-
ference.
Boulware inherits a team that has made three straight trips to the con-
ference championship game and three straight NCAA Div. II playoff ap-
pearances. He also inherits what he termed in his on-stage interview as a
"quarterback controversy" involving returning starter Rudy Johnson, a
frst team all-CIAA selection last year, and highly-regarded former Parade
All-American Phillip Sims, a transfer who played at both the University
of Alabama and the University of Virginia now in his frst season with the
Rams.
"I would like to go back and erase that 'quarterback controversy' and
call it a 'quarterback competition,'" Boulware explained in a one-on-one
interview. "The problem would be if you only had one and that one got
hurt. The rule of thumb an old guy told me once before is, 'if you have one,
you have none. If you need one, get two.'"
JCSU'S WILLIAMS TOP SCHOLAR ATHLETE:
HAMPTON, VA The Central Intercollegiate Athletic
Association's (CIAA)
Danielle Williams of
Johnson C. Smith has
been named the women's
Indoor and Outdoor Track
Scholar Athlete of the
Year in Division II for
the 2013-14 track & feld
season by the U.S. Track
& Field and Cross Coun-
try Coaches Association
(USTFCCCA), the associ-
ation announced Tuesday,
July 22, 2014.
Considering accomplishments in the classroom and in
competition during the recently completed academic year,
a class of 422 women and 241 men earned USTFCCCA
All-Academic honors. The CIAA received representation
by 18 student-athletes.
Separate awards are given to track athletes and feld
athletes for the indoor and outdoor seasons, resulting in
four categories.
Williams, a May graduate with a business adminis-
tration degree with a 3.89 cumulative GPA, swept both
the indoor and outdoor track Scholar Athlete of the Year
awards following a season in which she won fve indi-
vidual national titles defending her outdoor track award
from 2013. The native of St. Andrew, Jamaica, is the third
woman to have won the track award for both seasons since
it frst began in 2007, and is the frst to have won the out-
door track award in two consecutive seasons.
She won indoor national titles at both 60 and 200
meters and in the 60-meter hurdles, and claimed the 100
and 200 meters crowns at the outdoor championships. She
was also just fractions of a second away from a 100-meter
hurdles title.
Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards are determined
from among those who earned All-Academic status and
placed highest in individual events at the NCAA Cham-
pionships. Those who earn multiple individual champi-
onship titles rank higher in the tie-breaking process, and
cumulative GPA is weighed as the fnal tiebreaker to estab-
lish a winner.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track
and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a
cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have reached
a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the
NCAA Championship in either indoor or outdoor seasons.
CHASE POWELL LEAVING WSSU:
The leading receiver for Winston-Salem State last
season, Chase Powell,
has announced that he
will be leaving WSSU to
join former Rams' head
coach Connell Maynor
at Hampton.
Powell announced the
change Monday night on
his Instagram account.
"God opened up a
new chapter in my life,"
he wrote. "I committed to
Hampton University."
If the entry is true, Powell, who will be moving from Div.
II to Div. I, will have to sit out this season per NCAA rules.
Powell, a 5-8, 175-pounder, hauled in 64 passes for
770 yards and seven scores last year as a freshman to lead
the Rams earning all-Rookie honors as a receiver and kick
returner. He averaged 12 yards per reception and also led
WSSU with a 17.8 yards per return average off kickoffs.
Powell's loss is a big blow to the WSSU offense which
returns all-conference quarterback Rudy Johnson and has
added highly touted transfer quarterback Phillip Sims. The
Rams had already lost Tevyn Brantley who had used up his
eligibility. Brantley led receivers with nine scoring catches
last season.
UNDER THE BANNER
WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS
Danielle Williams
NORFOLK, Va. - Last year's co-champi-
ons, Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina
State, were picked to fnish 1-2 in 2014 and
Howard quarterback Greg McGee Norfolk
State linebacker Lynden Trail were projected
as the top offensive and defensive performers
Friday as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Confer-
ence Preseason Media Day was held here.
B-CU narrowly edged S.C. State in the
voting by the league's head coaches and sports
information directors for the top spot. North
Carolina A&T was the third choice followed
by Howard, Delaware State and Norfolk
State. Hampton, North Carolina Central
and Morgan rounded the voting. Florida
A&M and Savannah State are not eligible for
postseason competition because of low APR
scores and were not included in the voting.
Hampton (Connell Maynor), N. C. Cen-
tral (Jerry Mack) and Morgan State (Lee
Hull) will have new coaches on the sidelines
this season. Gary Harrell returns to Howard
after taking a one-year leave of absence.
McGee, the defending Co-Player of the
Year, led the MEAC in total offense last season
accumulating 272.9 yards. He ranked second in
the MEAC in passing yards with 198.2. McGee
completed 59 percent of his passes last season
(228-385) while compiling a 16 to 12 touch-
down to interception ratio in 12 games. A true
dual threat McGee ran for 896 yards, third best
in the conference, with three rushing touch-
downs.
The 6-foot, 7-inch Trail recorded 94 tack-
les last season on a Spartan defense that ranked
fourth in scoring defense and ffth in overall
defense in the conference. He recorded the sec-
ond most sacks for the Spartans (8.5), ffth best
in the MEAC. He also registered 12.5 tackles
for a loss, intercepted two passes, posted eight
pass breaks, forced fve fumbles, recovered
two and blocked two feld goal attempts. He
fnished tied at the number one position in the
Bethune-Cookman, SC State lead
2014 MEAC football predictions
CIAA looks to the future; Makes
2014 preseason football picks
said Boulware of Sims. "He's shown us why he was rated the top quarter-
back in the country coming out of high school." The WSSU competition at
signal-caller will be one of the main stories to watch in the 2014 season.
WSSU placed seven players on the preseason all-CIAA squad to lead
all teams. Fayetteville State, under second-year coach Lawrence Ker-
shaw, was picked to be WSSU's chief challenger in the South followed by
Shaw, Johnson C. Smith, Saint Augustine's and Livingstone.
Virginia State, led by second-year head coach Latrell Scott, is riding
the momentum of its 9-1 fnish in Scott's frst season. The Trojans placed
four players on the preseason team. In the North, Elizabeth City State is
the second choice followed by Bowie State, Chowan, Virginia Union and
Lincoln.
In addition to Boulware, Mark James of Virginia Union is the other
new head coach in the conference.
PRESEASON ALL-CIAA
OFFENSE
QB Rudy Johnson, Sr., W-S State
RB Marquise Grizzle, Jr., Shaw
RB Keith Brown, Sr., Bowie State
OL Marcus Reed, Sr., Fayv. State
OL Ronnie Ransome, Jr., Va. State
OL Jahmil Haley, So., Va. State
OL Michael Sabb, Sr., W-S State
OL Justin Kee, Sr., W-S State
TE Khari Lee, Sr., Bowie State
WR Akeem Jordan, Sr. Lincoln
WR Chase Powell, So., W-S State
KR Antonio Huff, Jr., Eliz. City State
PK Mario Diaz-Aviles, Sr. Bowie State
DLAnthony McDaniel, Sr., Bowie State
DL Jovantey Williams, Sr. JC Smith
DL Ronald Lewis, Sr., Virgina State
DL Casey Davenport, Sr., W-S State
LB Kenneth White, Sr., Livingstone
LB Brandon Robinson, Sr. Va. State
LB Danny Bunn, Jr., W-S State
DB Michael Johnson, Sr. Fayv. State
DB Corey Davis, Sr., Eliz. City State
DB Brion Robinson, Jr., Lincoln
DB Everett Roctor, Sr., W-S State
P Matias Lambrecht, So., JC Smith
PR Antonio Huff, Jr., Eliz. City State
2014 PREDICTED
ORDER OF FINISH
1. Winston-Salem State
2. Fayetteville State
3. Virginia State
4. Shaw
5. Elizabeth City State
6. Bowie State
7. Johnson C. Smith
8. Chowan
9. Saint Augustine's
10. Virginia Union
11. Livingstone
12. Lincoln
SOUTHERN DIVISION
1. Winston-Salem State
2. Fayetteville State
3. Shaw
4. Johnson C. Smith
5. Saint Augustine's
6. Livingstone
NORTHERN DIVISION
1. Virginia State
2. Elizabeth City State
3. Bowie State
4. Chowan
5. Virginia Union
6. Lincoln
Randy Singleton Photo
nation with 0.42 forced fumbles per game.
In January, Trail was named Black College
All-American by SBN Sports. Additionally,
Trail was awarded frst-team Division I FCS
All-American and was a frst-team All-MEAC
performer last season.
Listed below are the 2014 MEAC Preseason
Predicted Order of Finish. The Preseason All-
MEAC teams are at the beginning of the article:
2014 PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
SCHOOL POINTS
1. Bethune-Cookman 487
2. South Carolina State 457
3. North Carolina A&T 338
4. Howard 309
5. Delaware State 229
6. Norfolk State 225
7. Hampton 200
8. North Carolina Central 187
9. Morgan State 148
SETTING THE AGENDA: CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams ad-
dressed the conference's recent past, its present and future at the 2014
Preseason Football Media Day in Durham, N.C. Thursday.
2014 FOOTBALL ALL-MEAC
PRESEASON TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Greg McGhee, Sr., Howard; RB - Tarik Cohen, So., NC
A&T; Anthony Philyaw, So., Howard; WR - Milton Williams
III, Sr., DelState; Desmond Lawrence, Sr., NC A&T; TE - Kris
Drummond, Sr., Savannah State; C - Andrew Edouard, Sr., B-
Cookman; OL - Domanic Wilson, r-Sr., SC State; Willie Robin-
son, r-Sr., NC A&T; Darren Pinnock, Sr., Morgan State; Devin
Flowers, r-Sr., SC State; Toree Boyd, So., Howard
DEFENSE
DL - LeBrandon Richardson, Jr., B-Cookman; Miles Grooms,
Jr., Hampton; Alex Glover, Jr., SC State; Andrew Carter, Sr.,
SC State; Lynden Trail, r-Sr., Norfolk State; D'Vonte Grant, Gr.,
NC A&T; Tavarus Dantzler, Sr., B-Cookman; DB - Darrin Mar-
row, r-Sr., Norfolk State; Cameron Alston, r-Sr.Howard; Mike
Jones, Sr., NC Central; Marquis Drayton, Jr., B-Cookman ; P
- Lawrence Forbes, r-So., Morgan State; PK - Anthony Provost,
r-So., Hampton; RS - Adrian Wilkins, r-Jr., NC Central
SECOND TEAM
QB - Quentin Williams, r-Sr., B-Cookman; RB - Lamont Brown
III, r-So., Morgan State; Justin Taylor, r-Jr., SC State; WR - Jo-
seph Cervalo, r-Sr., DelState; Tomas Martin, r-So., Morgan
State; TE - James Lynch, r-Jr., Norfolk State; TE - Temarrick
Hemingway, r-Jr., SC State; C - Ronald Canty, r-Sr., NC A&T;
John Smith, r-Jr.,Howard, Jerron Searles, Jr., DelState; Keonte
Cash, So., Florida A&M; Justin Myler, r-Sr., Norfolk State; Chris
Pressley, Sr., NC Central
DEFENSE
DL - Rodney Gunter, Sr., DelState; Damon Gresham-Ch-
isholm, Jr., Howard; Ronnie Barrow, Sr., B-Cookman; Demarco
Bisbee, r-Jr., Morgan State; Javon Hargrave, r-Jr., SC State;
LB - Joshua Thorne, Jr., Hampton; Cody Acker, Sr., Morgan
State; Marquis Smith, So., Savannah State; DB - Khambrel
McGee, Sr., Hampton, Devonte Johnson, Sr., Florida A&M;
Tony McRae, Fr., NC A&T; Patrick Aiken, r-So., Florida A&M;
Keenan Lambert, r-Sr., Norfolk State; P - Christian Faber-Kin-
ney, r-So., Hampton; PK - Chase Vanadore, Sr., Florida A&M;
RS - Tony McRae, Jr., NC A&T
THIRD TEAM
QB - Damien Fleming, Sr., Florida A&M; RB - Jorrian Wash-
ington, r-Sr., Hampton; Dae-Hon Cheung, Sr., Delaware State;
WR - Dennis Rowe, r-Sr., SC State WR - Jhomo Gordon, Sr.,
B-Cookman; TE- Nathan Scruggs, r-Jr., NC Central, Nate In-
gram, Grad., Howard; C - Erick Dickerson, r-So., SC State; OL
- Mike Phillips, Jr.,Norfolk State; Clevonne Davis, Jr., NC Cen-
tral; Afolabi Ayangbayi, So., Savannah State; Ryan Templeton,
Sr., Florida A&M
DEFENSE
DL - Michael Neal, Jr., NC A&T; Daniel Pinnix, Jr., NC A&T;
Deon King, Jr., Norfolk State; George Riddick, Sr., Norfolk
State; LB - Justin Hughes, Jr., SC State; Marcell Coke, Sr.,
Norfolk State; Justin Dixon, Jr., Savannah State; DB - Ron-
ald Robinson, Sr., Delaware State; Julien David, Sr., Howard;
Ryan Smith, r-So., NC Central; Greg Brown, So., Savannah
State; DeShaun Summers, Jr., Morgan State; P - Domnic
Frescura, So., NC A&T; PK - Cody Jones, So., NC A&T
Norfolk State LB
Lynden Trail
Howard QB
Greg McGee
Johnson Boulware Sims
Johnson is a known commodity having led WSSU to a 10-win season,
the conference title game while throwing for 2,401 yards and 25 TDs in his
frst season with the Rams. Fans are waiting to see what Sims brings to the
table.
"He has confdence, he has poise in the pocket and he throws darts,"
Chase Powell
Randy Singleton Photo