FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 20 - 26, 2014

11 HBCUs SANCTIONED OVER ACADEMIC

PROGRESS RATES; JSU, B-CU WIN BB TITLES
AZEEZ Communications, Inc. Vol. XX, No. 42
REPORT CARD: NCAA
working with HBCUs and
other 'limited-resource'
schools struggling to get
student-athletes academ-
ic performance up to par.
FOCUS ON
THE BOOKS
NCAA Photo
BCSP Tidbits
Robert Mathis gets
four-game NFL suspension
The NFL and the Indianapolis Colts an-
nounced Friday that former Alabama A&M and
SWAC standout, outside linebacker Robert
Mathis, who led the league in sacks last season,
has been suspended four games for violating the
league's performance-enhancing drug policy.
In a statement released through NFL Me-
dia Insider Ian Rapoport, Mathis said the failed
test came from taking fertility drugs. He admit-
ted that he made the mistake of not checking
with the NFL or NFL Players Association about
whether the drugs would present a problem for
drug testing.
"The union has worked very closely with
me to present all of the facts and medical records
for consideration of discipline that does not in-
clude a suspension because of the unique facts
of my case, but the Commissioner refused the
Spring Sports Round-Up
RENS BACK AS UMES VB COACH:
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Former University of
Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
head women's volleyball coach Toby
Rens is now the new head women's
volleyball coach at UMES, Direc-
tor of Athletics Keith Davidson
announced last week. Rens, returns
to the Hawks, a program he left in
2004, to once again rebuild the pro-
gram.
In his frst stint at UMES, Rens
inherited a program who had not
won in over two years. In his second season (2002) the
Lady Hawks went 20-15 and one season later, in 2003,
his last with the Hawks, the program set a school record
26-12 mark. He won Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
(MEAC) Coach of the Year in 2002.
Rens left the Hawks after three years to coach Long
Island University-Brooklyn for four years. He left the
Blackbirds for the University of Pittsburg, where he stayed
for fve seasons. Last season he was at Chicago State.
He carries an overall record of 300-219, a winning
percentage of almost 58% for his career.
BURKE NEW VA. STATE VB COACH:
ETTRICK, VA - Virginia State named Rose Burke
as the University's head volleyball coach. Burke comes to
VSU with 13 years of volleyball experience, both as a coach
and player.
The Gainesville, Florida native honed her coaching
skills as an assistant at NCAA Division I schools Florida
International and Morgan State.
At Morgan State (July 2010-July 2012) Burke's frst
recruiting class took the MSU Bears from ffth in the Mid-
Eastern Athletic Conference to second the following sea-
son.
Burke was a four-year starter at NCAA Division I
California State University -- Sacramento. She was part
of three Big Sky Conference championship teams while
at Sacramento State, earning all-conference honors in
2007 and 2008 as a setter. Those teams also competed in
the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship
Tournament between 2005 and 2007.
UNDER THE BANNER
WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS
Jackson State repeats
in SWAC baseball
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Jackson State re-
peated as SWAC Baseball Tournament champi-
ons with a close 9-8 win over top seeded Ala-
bama State on Sunday at MLB UYA at Wesley
Barrow Stadium.
It's the fourth time JSU has won back-to-
back league championships.
With one out, a runner on frst, and facing
the potential winning run at the plate twice, relief
pitcher Alex Juday (3) struck out back-to-back
runners to secure the come from behind win for
JSU (31-23) and earn the save.
Starting pitcher, Desmond Russell (9-4),
was named tournament MVP, fnishing with
three strike outs for the game and 11 for the
tournament. For the game, he gave up six earned
runs in fve innings on the bump.
JSU will receive the SWAC's automatic bid
and will play a team to be announced during the
NCAA baseball Selection Show on May 26, at
11 a.m. CT on ESPNU.
SWAC BASEBALL ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Julio Nunez, Alabama State; Scotty Peavey, Alcorn
State; Juan Bueno, Grambling State; Dominic Harris,
Greg Salcido, Chad Flick, Prairie View A&M; Felix
Gomez, Texas Southern; Emmanuel Marrero, Richard
Amion, Waldyvan Estrada, Alabama State; Alex Juday,
Jackson State
TOURNAMENT MVP
Desmond Russell, Jackson State
Bethune-Cookman claims
another MEAC baseball crown
NORFOLK, Va., May 19, 2014 Bethune-
Cookman clinched the title and posted an unde-
feated mark throughout the double-elimination
MEAC baseball tournament with a 4-2 champi-
onship victory over Norfolk State Monday.
The title is the seventh in eight years for
the Wildcats (26-31) and the eighth in the last
ten seasons. B-CU has won 17 titles overall.
The 'Cats had their string of seven straight title
snapped in last year's fnal.
B-CU head coach Jason Beverlin was
named the tournaments Most Outstanding
Coach, while Wildcats pitcher Montana Du-
rapau was selected the Most Outstanding Per-
former.
Although the Spartans made the frst strike,
scoring in the top of the frst on a Cameron Day
RBI single to right feld, the Wildcats were quick
to counter. B-CU capitalized on a Josh Johnson
leadoff walk, as the senior right felder crossed
the plate on Eric Sams' RBI double into the left
feld corner for the tie at 1-1.
A base-clearing double by B-CU left felder
Bryant Munoz that drove in three runs in the
second inning was the big hit.
The Wildcats used three pitchers to secure
the game from the mound. Starter Gabriel
Hernandez carried the Wildcats through four
innings before yielding to Christopher Wal-
termire. John Sever took over the fnal three
frames with no hits and three strikeouts for his
third save.

2014 MEAC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Zach Brigham, Mendez Elder, Savannah State; Ste-
phen Bull, Maryland Eastern Shore; Bennie Robinson,
Marlon Gibbs, Florida A&M; Matt Outman, Joshua
Vales, Ross Caldwell, Norfolk State; Shawn McCarty,
Zach Olszewski, Bethune-Cookman
TOURNAMENT MVP
Montana Durapau, Bethune-Cookman
CIAA hosts Spring Awards
Hampton, Virginia - The Central Intercol-
legiate Athletic Association (CIAA) held its
annual Spring General Assembly Awards where
more than 22 awards were distributed.
The 2014 awards winners included:
COACHES OF THE YEAR:
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY - George
Williams, Saint Augustine's; VOLLEYBALL - Ivana
Rich, Virginia State; MEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
- George Williams, Saint Augustine's; WOMEN'S IN-
DOOR TRACK & FIELD - Lennox Graham, Johnson
C. Smith; MEN'S BASKETBALL - Alphonza Kee. Fay-
etteville State; WOMEN'S BASKETBALL - James Hill,
Virginia State; BOWLING - Bobby Henderson. Fay-
etteville State; BASEBALL - Kevin Ritsche, Winston-
Salem State; SOFTBALL - LaTasha Branch, Virginia
State; MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK - George Williams,
Saint Aug's; WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK - Lennox
Graham, J.C. Smith; GOLF - Jeff Hamilton, Virginia
State; MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TENNIS - Chris Stam-
baugh, Chowan
STUDENT-ATHLETES:
C.H. WILLIAMS ALL-SPORTS AWARD - Virginia
State; LORETTA TAYLOR ALL-SPORTS AWARD -
Virginia State; MALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE
YEAR - Mark Thomas, Livingstone; FEMALE SCHOL-
AR ATHLETE AND WOMAN OF THE YEAR - Danielle
Williams, J. C. Smith
ADMINISTRATION:
JEANETTE A. LEE AWARD (StandOut Athletic Ad-
min) - Dr. Ed McLean of Fayetteville State; ATHLETIC
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR - George Williams, St.
Aug's; SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR OF THE
YEAR - Allie Kolezynski, Chowan; SENIOR WOMAN
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR - Natasha Wilson,
J. C. Smith
TEAMS FACING LEVEL ONE APR PENALTIES

Alcorn State Womens Volleyball
Delaware State Mens Indoor Track and Field
Florida A&M Football
Howard Mens Soccer, Womens Lacrosse
Norfolk State Baseball, Mens Cross Country
Savannah State Womens Basketball
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Football
TEAMS FACING LEVEL TWO APR PENALTIES
Alabama A&M Mens Golf
Alabama State Football, Mens Basketball
Florida A&M Mens Basketball
Norfolk State Mens Indoor Track and Field,
Mens Outdoor Track and Field
Mississippi Valley State Baseball, Football
Prairie View A&M Football
Savannah State Football
TEAMS WITH POSTSEASON
INELIGIBILITY IN 2014-15
FOOTBALL Alabama State, Florida A&M
Mississippi Valley State
Prairie View A&M, Savannah State
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
MENS BASKETBALL Alabama State, Florida A&M
MENS GOLF Alabama A&M
MENS SOCCER Howard
MENS INDOOR TRACK Delaware State, Norfolk State
MENS OUTDOOR TRACK Norfolk State
WOMENS LACROSSE Howard
Level One penalties focus on practice restrictions, allowing teams to use that time to
focus on academics. Teams facing this penalty lose four hours and one day of practice time
per week in season, replaced with academic activities. This year, 42 teams face this level of
penalty.
Level Two penalties include the Level One penalty and a reduction of four hours of
practice time out of season replaced with academic activities. This level also includes the
elimination of the nonchampionship season or spring football. Teams without nonchampion-
ship seasons face a reduced number of contests. This year, 14 teams fall in this category.
Level Three penalties include all Level One and Two penalties, plus a menu of poten-
tial additional penalties. These can include fnancial aid reductions; additional practice and
contest restrictions, coach-specifc penalties (including game and recruiting restrictions); re-
stricted access to practice for incoming students who fall below certain academic standards;
restricted membership; and potential multi-year bans on postseason competition. In 2014-15,
one faces this level of penalty.
THE STAT CORNER
WHO ARE THE BEST PERFORMERS IN BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS
BLACK COLLEGE TEAMS FACING NCAA
SANCTIONS FOR LOW APR SCORES
Toby Rens
request," Mathis said.
Rapoport reported the drug was Clomid,
citing a source close to Mathis. However, the
drug Mathis tested positive for is "not approved
by the FDA for fertility in males and is a perfor-
mance-enhancing drug that has been prohibited
for years," said NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello
in a statement obtained by NFL Media's Albert
Breer.
Mathis and his wife had twins in 2012,
and they are expecting another baby this year.
Mathis apologized to the team, his fans and his
teammates. His coach spoke on his behalf on
Saturday.
"With regards to the recent suspension
of Robert Mathis, we're going to honor the
League's policy as far as confdentiality goes,"
Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. "We love and
respect Robert Mathis. He's a horseshoe guy,
he's a pillar guy, and like I said before, we've
got his back. Everybody in this organization has
his back and we'll get through this and at the
end of the day, we'll all be better for it."
Mathis, who won the NFL 101 AFC De-
fensive Player of the Year award last season,
posted 19.5 sacks for 120.5 yards in losses last
season. He recorded 65 total tackles and forced
a league-best eight fumbles. He led the Colts to
an 11-5 record and the AFC South division title.
He will be eligible to return to the team's
active roster on Sept. 29 after the team's Week
4 game versus Tennessee. Mathis will miss the
season opener against the Denver Broncos, a
rematch against his old teammate Peyton Man-
ning. (Mathis delivered the game-changing sack
of Manning in last year's upset against Denver.)
Mathis will also miss games against the Phila-
delphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jerry Rice's son
gets 49ers tryout
Wide receiver Jerry Rice Jr., son of Pro
Football Hall of Famer and Mississippi Valley
State and SWAC legend Jerry Rice, will attend
the San Francisco 49ers' rookie minicamp.
He took to Twitter on Monday to announce
the news:
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Rice had a week-
end tryout with the Baltimore Ravens, but the
team declined to sign the undrafted receiver. The
49ers' minicamp is scheduled for Friday, Satur-
day and Sunday.
Rice caught 11 passes for 86 yards for
UNLV last season, his frst after four years at
UCLA. He will now try out for the team his
father, the NFL's all-time leader in receptions,
yards and touchdowns, helped win three Super
Bowls.
Black colleges hit hard by APR sanctions
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
Historically black colleges
were again hit hard with sanc-
tions by the NCAA as it released
its latest Academic Progress Rates
fgures for Division I schools last
week.
Six black college football
teams and two men's basketball
squads were among the programs
banned from postseason play based
on not meeting the NCAA's thresh-
old of a 900 score over four years
or 930 over two years to qualify.
Both the football and men's
basketball teams at Alabama State
of the Southwestern Athletic
Conference (SWAC) and Florida
A&M of the Mid Eastern Athletic
Conference received postseason
bans.
ASU is among fve SWAC
football programs facing the ban.
The Hornets are joined by Missis-
sippi Valley State, Prairie View
A&M and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Southern, also of the SWAC,
is facing a postseason ban in all
sports, including football, because
the NCAA has judged their APR
data to be unusable.
That leaves just fve SWAC
schools to compete for this year's
football championship.
Savannah State is the only
other MEAC football team banned
from the postseason.
Other postseason bans were is-
sued to Alabama A&M men's golf,
men's soccer at Howard, men's
indoor track and feld at Norfolk
State and Delaware State, men's
outdoor track at Norfolk State and
women's lacrosse at Howard.
In all, eleven (11) HBCUs
were hit with Level One and Level
Two penalties which include reduc-
tion in practice time, elimination of
non-championship season or spring
football and a corresponding in-
crease in academic activities (See
STAT CORNER).
In 2014-15, the NCAA stan-
dards get stricter. By then, the
NCAA will require teams to post
a four-year score of 930 or a two-
year average of 940 to play in the
postseason.
The NCAA says in its report
that it will work with the schools
to provide the resources needed to
improve academic performance.
"The NCAA continues to
work closely with limited-resource
schools and Historically Black Col-
leges and Universities as they con-
tinue to improve the academic per-
formance of their student-athletes,"
the report says. HBCU's average
APR now sits at 953, a 23-point
uptick over the past three years.
Alabama State President Dr.
Gwendolyn Boyd told TSPN's
Kendrick Marshall that the univer-
sity is determined to overcome the
setback.
"In order for athletics pro-
grams to be successful in com-
petition, a team effort is required.
The same is true of winning in the
classroom. It takes student-athletes,
faculty, coaches, academic advisors
and administrators working togeth-
er to ensure academic success. We
remain committed to that effort."
FAMU President Elmira
Mangum released this statement.
"FAMU is committed to the
success of our student-athletes both
on and off the playing feld. Their
academic success is our frst prior-
ity, and we take the regulations of
the NCAA very seriously because
they are designed to be applied
consistently across all programs, at
all member institutions, and repre-
sent best practice."
SACKED!: Indianapolis Colts' NFL sack leader
Robert Mathis, formerly of Alabama A&M, fac-
ing four game suspension for violating league's
performance-enhancing drug policy.
THE APPLE AND THE TREE: UNLV WR Jerry Rice
Jr. (l.), who poses here with his father, Miss. Valley
State and NFL legend Jerry Rice, will try out this
week with San Francisco, his father's former team.
SPRING SPORTS
RESULTS
NCAA DIV. II
BASEBALL REGIONALS
ATLANTIC
Shepherd 4, WSSU 3
Kutztown 1, WSSU 0
(WSSU eliminated)
SOUTH
Tampa 3, Stillman 2
Lynn 14, Stillman 6
(Stillman eliminated)