BNN: BULLDOG NATION NEWS

Out with the old and in with the new!!

2010-08-05T02:36:00.000-07:00

Were back!!!! The old writers of this blog have moved on, and handed this blog over to us. We will keep the "Bosshogg" name alive, but we have more to say, more on-campus news sources, and some of us are current students. As this school year approaches, we will use this blog to comment on everything from what is going on with our president getting fired and rehired, to SCSU sports, and how athletics director Charlene Johnson is crippling our athletics coaches. We have some cleaning up to do with the blog so give us a second, but we are back and better than ever!

Tuesday with President Cooper for Carter

2009-08-07T16:30:00.001-07:00

Tuesday with President Cooper for Carter

August 7th, 2009 by Following the Bulldogs

The start of preseason camp and reinstatement of Greg Harrison may have temporarily quieted head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough’s concerns about the athletics department.

Now it’s the school’s turn to placate men’s basketball coach Tim Carter. A source at S.C. State has confirmed Carter will meet Tuesday with School President George Cooper to address issues which he claims have resulted in a breach of contract.

Carter was still on vacation Friday and had no comment about when or if a meeting will take place.

According to a letter delivered to the school by attorney Joseph R. Lefft, Carter was concerned about S.C. State not living up to a plan to develop the Bulldogs into a mid-major contender. The plan included a guarantee that Carter would be able to comprise his own staff of three assistants and one director of basketball operations. According to Lefft, South Carolina State has reduced Carter’s staff by one assistant following the departure of Kyle Perry to USC-Upstate.

The lack of investment in building modern athletic facilities, specifically a new gymnasium to replace the 40-year-old Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, to keep up with the other Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Schools, has also concerned Carter.

Despite these adversities, Carter led the Bulldogs to their first winning season in three years and the semifinals of the conference tournament. Also significant was the fact he became the first S.C. State coach hired by current athletics director Charlene Johnson to post a winning record.

Given the way the Harrison situation was handled, Cooper and the S.C. State administration needs to seriously address this matter. The problem is many of Carter’s concerns will not be settled overnight, especially since the school let go the man in charge of athletics facilities Brantley Evans.

It would seen this is another example of S.C. State finding itself reactive instead of proactive towards any program it faces. If all of these promises were made in writing, the school should have taken steps to at least assuage Carter.

Instead, this raises the prospect of perhaps other S.C. State coaches coming forward to express concerns. Even worse, the possibility that if the administration does not right itself, some other school will manage to snatch these quality coaches away.

Truly, the ball is in the administration’s court.

THE SC STATE UNIVERSITY "DOG HOUSE" MESSAGE BOARD

2009-07-23T06:40:00.000-07:00

Our friends over at THE DOG HOUSE, have done a great job not only getting out our blog post about Charlene, but also serving as a sounding board and communication tool for other Bulldog fans who are tired of Charlene's mess. We would strongly recommend that you got to that site and sign up if you feel the same way. There are several discussions going on concerning Charlene, her need to be fired, her hatred for Buddy Pough & Coach Carter, and more. We are even hearing that there may be some sort of protest at the SCSUNAA convention next week if she is still the athletics director at that time. We can confirm that several newspaper and television stations have been notified of this website, and monitor the discussions.

Maybe one day when Charlene is gone, we will finally get to know those behind the site, and celebrate Charlenes dismissal, rassignment, removal, or whatever it takes for her to be gone.

You can click the title to this blog to be taken to "THE DOG HOUSE"

CHARLENE: WHETHER YOU MAKE IT THROUGH THIS MESS OR NOT, EITHER WAY, YOU ARE FINISHED

2009-07-23T06:08:00.001-07:00

Lord knows we hope that you are fired, or reassigned soon. You have no business running the athletics department when its clear that you dont want Pough, Carter, or anyone who knows what they are doing, to succeed. But even if somehow you do slither your way out of this mess you created, you still have no credibility. No alumni are going to give as long as you are there. No real improvements will be made. We cant even get pictures of the improvements that ARE being made. No corporation is going to sponsor anything as long as you are in charge.

Sadly, we know that all to be true. What is even sadder is we know THATS WHAT YOU WANT. As long as the expectations are low, you dont have any pressure on you. You want the program to be average, with butt kissing coaches and staff that will only do exactly what you say instead of having creative thoughts and ideas to advance the department. Dr. Cooper doesnt seem to realize that most of our alumni never wanted you to have that job, and none of us think you are doing a good job. But somehow, you convinced Cooper to give you another year.

In an athletics department that has run a deficit every year you have run it, it is mind boggling that he renewed the contract of a lady who is already retired, and dont know what she is doing. Unexplainable that he would hire a whole new cabinet EXCEPT for your position. Former players are lining up to say you are doing a horrible job, and coaches would too if they didnt fear retribution. None of your staff thinks you are doing a good job. Ask them. We have. The only reason some support you is because they know that as long as you are in charge, they can continue to be slackers just like you. The mediocrity is sytemic. And you are the cause. You are the cancer that that is killing our athletics department. That causes us to lose good coaches. That causes bad coaches to seemingly never get fired. That causes us to still have a high school weight room, and a joke of a softball field.

Everyone has a cross to bear. Charlene Johnson is the cross that the athletics department, and anyone who supports it, bears. And its the worse kind of cross. Its the kind that weighs heavy, but is invisible. Its not bad enough that she does a bad job, but she gets in the way of anyone else who does a good job, or tries to. If she would just let people do their job without getting in the way, the department would be 50% better right away.

The real question is, why would she stifle and cripple the athletics department of her own alma mater? Why would she cripple coach poughs program, which generates more money than any other in athletics? Why is she so upset that Pough is well known and liked? Why does she choke the life out of Carters basketball program, when she herself played basketball at SCSU?

The answer?

Because Charlene is a selfish person who does not care about the success of the athletics department. She is so subpar at her job that she wants everyone else to look average so she doesnt look like the fool she is. She wants SCSU athletics to be back at the middle of the pack, because you actually have to WORK, and be INNOVATIVE, to lead the pack. She doesnt want to work. She wants to sit back in her office, duck interviews, and collect hre paycheck for another year, while doing as little as possible. We wish that the coaches that we have spoken to, from almost every sport, would go public with their feelings. We wish her staff would go public with their stories of how inept she is. But they all have families to feed, and to quote one we spoke to just yesterday in orangeburg, "we dont want to get cut like evans and harrison. They had too many ideas about how to move forward, and you see what happened to them"

What kind of culture does it breed when you have to be afraid to do anything smart because your boss isnt able to do the same. She never would have fired mackey if presseure had not been put on her. Sources inside the department say that she actually wanted to RENEW her contract instead of firing her. She never would have fired JB, no matter what he did or didnt do with a trainer. She never would have hired Carter, the 2nd time. She doesnt want people around who have seen it done and run the right way. She wants people like Mackey and JB, who will be so beholden to her because she gave them jobs that they didnt deserve, that they wont "rock the boat"

Well, the boat needs to be rocked. And she needs to be thrown overboard. PLEASE! PRESIDENT COOPER. SCSU BOARD OF TRUSTEE MEMBERS, SCSU ALUMNI, GOVERNOR SANFORD. PRESIDENT OBAMA. SOMEONE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!! PLEASE JUST REMOVE HER FROM THE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR POSITION! LET SOMEONE ELSE RUN IT FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE!! THE COACHES MORALE IS HORRIBLE. PLAYERS MORALE IS HORRIBLE. ALL OF THIS WILL CHANGE IF SHE IS GONE.

AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE. PRESIDENT COOPER. IS CHARLENE JOHNSON BEING IN CHARGE WORTH ALL OF THIS? WHY WONT YOU MAKE A CHANGE? IS IT THAT YOU DONT KNOW, OR DONT CARE? WE HOPE ITS THE FORMER, AND YOU REALLY JUST DONT KNOW.

PSST! CHARLENE! THIS WOULD ALL END IF YOU WOULD JUST STEP DOWN!

2009-07-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Charlene, there would really be no shame if you just resigned. You are already retired, so you would still have a revenue source. You could then just sit back, and see how well the department would run without you. You could go home to allendale, and hang out with your family. And you wouldnt have to be concenred about the rising tide of alumni hatred directed towards you. There are already protest being planned for the alumni convention, demanding that you go, and former players like Nygel Pearson are already saying that they will not give money to the athletics department as long as you are in charge. You have been in the department in some capacity for over 20 years. Why not just let it go? Do your alma mater, and yourself, proud.

BOSSHOGG

SCSU ATHLEITICS EMPLOYEES! WANT TO TELL SOME STORIES ABOUT HOW INCOMPETENT CHARLENE JOHNSON IS, WITHOUT GETTING INTO TROUBLE FROM HER?

2009-07-22T08:28:00.001-07:00

We are getting hundreds of comments to this blog, with current SCSU athletics employees and coaches saying that they have information to share, but are afraid to do so publically, fearing retribution from Charlene.

If you are a scsu athletics employee, and you have some inside information that you want to shar with us, email the SCSU Dog House Crew at scsudoghousecrew@gmail.com

you have our 100% promise that your name will never be used or divulged to anyone.

NOW IS THE TIME EVERYONE! WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. SEND YOUR INFORMATION TO

scsudoghousecrew@gmail.com

FORMER SCSU FOOTBALL PLAYER SAYS HE WONT GIVE A DIME TO SCSU ATHLETICS UNTIL THERE IS A NEW ATHLETICS DIRECTOR!!!!

2009-07-22T04:33:00.000-07:00

Nygel Pearson is recently graduated SCSU football player. A great athlete, who knows first hand what the support of SCSU alumni does for athletes. He sees our athletics program from a perspective that we dont. Here is what he said last night on his twitter, which can be found at

www.twitter.com/npearson54

A SCSU athletics administrator just had the nerve to ask to make sure I give back to athletics, until there is a new AD u won't get a dime.

Now this is a kid that just graduated. He sees the AD and her antics up close. And he is pissed. And you wonder why its hard for SCSU athletics to raise money? Our own athletes are getting turned off by our AD!!!

President Cooper. Is out entire athletics department worth keeping the one person (Charlene)? A change must be made!

GREAT (YET STUPID) MOMENTS IN CHARLENE JOHNSON HISTORY

2009-07-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

Still no comment from Charlene the Coward. Guess she only comes out on days she can hire an old underserving friend into a leadership position.

We will continue to highlight the lowpoints of Charlenes career (and there are so many of them!)

http://scstate.blogspot.com/2008/02/why-charlene-johnson-must-go.html

http://scstate.blogspot.com/2008/02/our-great-ad-charlene-johnson-has.html

http://scstate.blogspot.com/2007/12/flashback-to-how-charlene-johnson-was.html

Charlene Johnson is a COWARD

2009-07-21T02:49:00.000-07:00

It wasnt enough to just fire Coach Harrison. She did it by messenger. She didnt even have the guts to tell him in person. Didnt tell Pough either. Then, when the T&D asked her about it, she says :

“We are dealing with some personnel issues,” Johnson said. “And questions have to be directed to Dr. (George) Cooper.”

Why is that Charlene? You made the call right? You made the decisison to fire Harrison and Evans from a revenue generating team, when you could have RIF'ed some of the retired employees from the staff. Like yourself and others. Is it fair to continue to get your salary AND retirement checks while you give other young employees who are vital to the program a 2 week notice? Why be afraid to comment on it? Face up to your decisions. Could it be that you know they are bad decisions? Why hide behind Cooper when this decision was yours and is about people in your department.

As usual, when the doodoo hits the fan, Charlene hides. Department runs a 5 year deficit, run and hide. Jamal Brown fooling with students? Charlene no where to be found. USC game tickets causing a ruckus? Charlene is in Allendale. Anytime there is something in the media about athletics thats good, that big face of hers is right in the middle of it. When its bad?

“We are dealing with some personnel issues,” Johnson said. “And questions have to be directed to Dr. (George) Cooper.”

Maybe she is right though. Maybe questions should be directed to Dr. Cooper. Like why did he renew her contract? Like why has she been allowed to shoot down any good idea from anyone in the athletics department? Like why she didnt request the summer school funds, which were available, for the football team? Rumor around Orangeburg is that she doesnt like Pough because he doesnt let her control him. He's too "big for his britches" He goes about the business of running a successful program instead of doing her bidding. Rumor is that she is trying to run him off.

Same thing with Coach Carter. Carter, who was a finalist when she hired JB, is another enemy. She didnt want to hire him, and some say she tried to scuttle him even being in the search. Just like when she hired Tonya Mackey instead of Joli Robinson from NCCU a few years back. Clearly Robinson was more qualified, but Mackey was her friend.

Through all the president changes, VP, changes, etc, Charlene has always been able to snake her way into keeping her job, while doing nothing.

Isnt enough enough? She has already retired. And still gets paid while firing great coaches. When will SCSU stand up and stop allowing mediocre performance to continue on? Our coaches win in spite of her. Our players vow to win in spite of her. They want to be in school and working out together, but she doesnt allow it. Guess Buddy Pough and that MEAC title last year got too much shine on him. Well, she will stop that. By cutting one of the major things that help Pough grow the program. Summer workouts. Will Ford is a all-american, but he is at home. Why didnt she ask the STATE Club to pay for summer school. They are the booster club right?

AND MOST OF ALL, LETS BE CLEAR. THE MONEY FOR SUMMER SCHOOL WAS THERE. CHARLENE DID NOT REQUEST THE FUNDS FROM THE FINANCE VP. THE MONEY WAS THERE AND SHE INTENTIONALLY DID NOT ASK FOR IT!

When is enough enough. Is it going to take alumni cutting off contributions as long as she is in place as Athletics Director? Thats whats on the way people. Alumni all over that support Pough, and common sense, are tired of this.

President Cooper is a smart man. But continues to be duped by this con-artist.

How with good conscience can you let retired employees stay on and let go young employees. Then hide when asked about it.

Just like a coward to throw the rock then hide his hand when the window breaks. Thats what we have running our athletics department. Cowardice. What are we going to do about it?

A NEW STATE IF MIND, right? But we allow the same mess to continue.

CHARLENE JOHNSON MUST GO. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WRITE ON THIS TOPIC UNTIL A CHANGE IS MADE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE ALUMNI TO CUT OFF HER SUPPORT. WE HEAR THAT A LETTER WILL BE DRAFTED SOON ON THAT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE CHARLENE TO FACE HER DECISIONS AND COMMENT ON THEM. WE DONT CARE WHO REPLACES HER IN THE INTERIM, BUT SHE HAS TO GO. IF SHE CANNOT BE FIRED THEN SHE CAN BE REASSIGNED. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. SHE WOULD RATHER SEND US BACK TO MEDIOCRITY UNDER HER FULL CONTROL THAN TO PROSPER WITH ASSISTANCE. SHE DOESNT WANT ANYONE AROUND WHO HAS IDEAS. COACH HARRISON IS THE COACH WHO WORKED OUT THE GAMES WITH GEORGIA TECH AND AIR FORCE. ACTUALLY BRINGING MONEY IN THE PROGRAM. SO THATS WHO SHE CUTS. IT DOESNT HELP THAT HE IS EVANS BROTHER IN LAW.

IF CHARLENE JOHNSON HAS ONE OUNCE OF RESPECT FOR HERSELF AND THE SCHOOL, SHE WILL STEP DOWN. THIS HAS TO END. ONCE AND FOR ALL

Charlene Johnson has finally done it!

2009-07-20T07:31:00.001-07:00

In her grand scheme to destroy the SCSU athletics department, and anyone in it who tries to accomplish anything positive, Charlene has given 2 week lay off notices to Brantley Evans, and Gerald Harrison. This is a part of an overall 100+ person layoff at the school. We have not issue with layoffs or restructuring, if it is done to make the university more efficient, but here is our problem.

Charlene gave notice to assistant football coach Harrison without notifying or consulting Coach Pough. This is a breach of Coach Pough's contract. If Pough had to let a staff member go, wouldnt it be prudent to discuss this with him? Maybe Harrison, who is one of our best recruiters, would not have been the one Pough chose. More so, why is it that the football team has to lose a staff member, when they are the main team generating revenue? Could it be that Harrison, was let go because of his relation to Brantley? It has been rumored for months that Charlene was looking for a way to get rid of Brantley. Word around town is that he had several good ideas on how to get a health and wellness center built, as well as other things. It is widely known around campus that Charlene will kill any idea that she feels will "make her look bad" because it wasnt hers. Charlene has retired and is on TERI, as are several other athletics department employees. So why is it that harrison and evans were let go as opposed to some of those guys? You keep people who are retired to let young people go? Even if in doing so, you breach the contract of our most successful coach and possibly put us in position for that coach to leave SCSU? She is already well into a plan to push Coach Carter, our mens basketball coach out. Now is she focusing on coach pough? She already hurt him by not requesting the funds for the players to come to summer school this summer, now she is getting rid of coaches just weeks before camp?

Something must be done about this. We have commented on how we need a real athletics director before, but she is really going to far. We are going to lose every coach that is successful if nothing is done. She has run a department deficit for the past 5 years, and it is unexplainable why President Cooper, who we feel is a smart man, would renew her contract. This situation is going to get very messy. Stay tuned.

Welcome to the new SCSU Women's Soccer Coach!

2008-04-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

Glad Bugariu Head Coach
Alma Mater: University of North Carolina

Glad Bugariu begins his fourth year as Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Belmont Abbey College. The Abbey is coming of an impressive 2008 season, finishing 18-4-1, winning the conference regular season with an 11-0 record and finishing second in the conference tournament. Numerous conference records were broken during their unbeaten run, including most shutouts in a season (10), least goals allowed (1), and lowest goals against average (.09). The Abbey also finished ranked 4th in the region by the NSCAA, had the 3rd best defense in the country for NCAA Division II teams (9 goals allowed), and reached as high as 22nd in the nation during the season. Awards included five players named First Team All Conference with three gathering All-Region honors.

In the 2006 season, the Abbey finished 16-4-1 and won the CVAC tournament championship. It was the first time a Belmont Abbey coach has led the women’s soccer program to back to back conference championships. Additionally, two players were named to the NSCAA All-Region team, while four earned All-CVAC recognition.

In 2005 Bugariu guided the team to an 18-4 record, the best at the college since 1999, capturing the CVAC Tournament Title, sharing the regular season championship with Pfeiffer, and placing fifth in the regional poll. Other accolades include being ranked as the second most improved team in the nation by the NCAA, finishing 11th in the country for shutouts, defeating both the #3 and #10 teams in the nation, and having two players earning NSCAA All-Region honors.

Bugariu came to the Abbey from the state of New Mexico where he served as the Director of Coaching for Northern Soccer Club in Santa Fe. During this time the club not only grew in size, but had a number teams appear in the New Mexico Youth Soccer Association State Cup semi-finals and finals, with one team reaching the USYSA Region IV quarterfinals, something unprecedented for a club from Northern New Mexico. He also played a key role in the development of the Pueblo soccer outreach program, a project geared to introduce soccer into Native American communities.

In addition to his club duties, Bugariu worked with the Grenada Football Association, serving as assistant men’s national team coach during the World Cup and Gold Cup qualifying tournaments. During his time with Grenada, the country climbed a record 13 places in the FIFA (soccer governing body) rankings and narrowly lost to the United States during World Cup qualifying.

While in New Mexico, Bugariu was also very involved with the Olympic Development Program (ODP) serving as head coach of the ’88 Girls team and later as the Director of Goalkeeping for the New Mexico Youth Soccer Association. He also served on the state coaching education instructional staff and as an NSCAA Regional Staff Coach.

From 2000-2002, Bugariu was the Technical Director / National Team Coach of the U.S. Virgin Islands, coaching both the men’s and women’s national teams in international competition. In his tenure the Virgin Islands advanced in the FIFA rankings for the first time in their history, while recording such historic achievements as the creation of a women’s national team program, qualifying for the Copa Caribe, and increasing soccer participation 120% in the country. During this time he was responsible for the overall development of soccer in the country and coached over 30 international games.

Bugariu also has experience in the collegiate field as he served as the head women’s soccer coach at Louisburg Junior College and Meredith College prior to his accomplishments in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Born in Bucharest, Romania, Bugariu came to the United States at the age of 10 and holds a degree in Recreation and Leisure Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was an All Region selection goalkeeper at Brevard College in North Carolina and had a stint with Romanian 4th division club Soimii Sibiu.

Bugariu holds coaching qualifications from three different countries including:

USSF “A” License
USSF “National Youth” License
UEFA “B” License
NSCAA “Advanced National” Diploma
NSCAA “Goalkeeper Level 2” Diploma
NSCAA “National Youth” Diploma
CONCACAF “Level 1” Coaching License
FIFA Sports Medicine Certificate

Malcolm Long leads the Dogs in spring practice!

2008-04-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

Bulldogs kick off Spring Practice

2008-03-25T07:14:00.001-07:00

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Leave a Comment | Default | Large

From a weather standpoint, the start of spring practice Monday at South Carolina State was anything but season-like.

Chilly temperatures and occasional heavy winds brought out the heavy gloves and long sleeves among the returning players. From head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough's perspective, the less than warm temperatures provided an early look for what conditions his team could expect on a road visit this fall to Dover, Del.

"This will get us ready for Delaware State," joked Pough in reference to facing the Hornets on Nov. 1.

Overall, the Bulldogs remained in good spirits throughout the 2 1/2 hour practice session which was low on heavy contact and high on refining team fundamentals after a four-month layoff.

"I don't know if you can be physical enough now to really get much done that way," Pough said. "You're so afraid of getting people hurt and that kind of stuff, you take your physical when you can. But most of it is mental. Most of it is fundamental. Some of those kinds of things you try to do to find a way to be able to make sure your kids have a chance to develop. But more than anything else, what you're really trying to do is you're trying to develop your kids to the point where they feel comfortable with the fact that they know what the heck they're doing."

It was a difficult first day for rising sophomore quarterback Malcolm Long. He did complete a long touchdown pass to Denmark-Olar's Semaj Moody, but the heir apparent to Cleveland McCoy was picked off four times during passing drills against the SCSU secondary.

Gaffney teammate and MIKE linebacker Julius Wilkerson had one pick, while the other three came at the hands of two-sport defensive back Phillip Adams.

"I told Malcolm before we came out here that I was going to go after him," said Adams, who just completed his stint with the men's basketball team two weeks ago. "We vowed to each other that we were going to go after each other and that's what I did. He understands."

Redshirt freshman quarterbakck DeWain Clark fared slightly better, even completing a touchdown pass on an over-the-shoulder catch by Matt Washington. Although tentatively slated to back up Long, Clark sees spring practice as an opportunity to earn more playing time.

"I understand why he got all the hype, you know 'Mr. Football' in South Carolina," Clark said. "He's good. But I'm just trying to get out there too."

As the spring progresses, Pough expects both players to become more comfortable in the offense.

"Both kids I thought are coming along," Pough said. "They're both freshman for practical purposes. I'm exited about both of them. I think they're both scrapping kids and they're great people and as long as you've got good people around you, somehow or another, they'll end up doing good things for you."

Monday's practice was also the first for new assistant coaches Danny Lewis (running backs), Howard Feggins (wide receivers), Kevin Magouirk (quarterbacks) and Maurice Drayton (defensive backs), it has not taken long for some players to bestow high praise.

"We've got a very, very, very, very good coach to keep us going," running back Kenneth Smalls said about Lewis. "He k.jpg us very energized about going through the drills and everything. He makes sure we hit everything right and he likes perfection."

"He's an excellent coach," Adams said about Drayton. "He's an excellent coach...and he brings that intensity that Coach Adams brings. I love working with him."

SCSU will resume spring drills at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday and will hold its first scrimmage at 10 a.m. Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

SCSU should take different approach in hiring women’s hoops coach

2008-03-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

March 21st, 2008

The bold headline on the media cover for the 2007-08 South Carolina State women’s basketball team read “The Road to the Championship Begins Here!”
Unfortunately, the path taken was the one most traveled by Lady Bulldog teams the past 15 years. Instead of finding championship glory and a spot at the “Big Dance,” SCSU once again reached a “dead end” in the form of another losing season and an early exit in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season tournament.
As it was during head coach Tonya Mackey’s four-year tenure, injuries, inconsistency and ill-timed luck prevented the Lady Bulldogs from reaching their own lofty preseason expectations. What potentially had the makings of a successful season from a favorable non-conference schedule was undermined by a 3-6 homestand, losses to five 20-plus loss teams and the injury bug.
Still, the outgoing head coach had reason to call her swan song a “breakthrough” season. Not only did the Lady Bulldogs produce their first winning season in conference play since 2002, young players like center Marie Reid, guard Sophilia Hipps and Patience Figgins began to blossom.
With only one senior (guard Brittany Baity) graduating, all SCSU now needs is an energetic, motivated new head coach who will be able to navigate the potholes and bumps along the road to lead the Lady Bulldogs to the “promisef land” of the NCAA Tournament.
For that to happen, SCSU athletics director Charlene Johnson may want to use a different approach toward finding the right hire:
1. It’s time to think outside the box.
With the exception of Germaine MaCauley, SCSU has kept the women’s basketball coaching position “in house” dating back to the glory days under Willie Simon. While promoting from within worked with Lyman Foster, the philosophy was generally less successful under Keshia Campbell and Tonya Mackey. This is not to say current assistant coaches Tasha Stinson and Antonio Davis are not capable of leading the program and may have a better feel for the strengths and weaknesses of the current players as compared to a coach from the outside.
At the same time, given the lack of success the past 11 seasons under former assistant coaches who were promoted, perhaps it’s time the Lady Bulldogs look outside the “family” for a candidate. If it means going the route of other MEAC schools (i.e., North Carolina A&T hiring former Hampton coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs) or locating a hot, hungry assistant coach at a large Division I school, SCSU should keep all of its options open.
2. The position should not be gender-specific.
The numbers don’t lie. The SCSU women’s basketball teams had more success under male coaches Simon (305-93, 1978-79 AIAW national championship) and Foster (79-68, three MEAC championships) as compared with female counterparts MacAuley (47-63), Campbell (71-123) and Mackey (43-72). The truth is, the women’s basketball program has produced only three winning seasons since Foster’s departure in 1993.
While this criteria should not be used to automatically disqualify potential female candidates, SCSU should not take a strict approach toward abiding by Title IX requirements in hiring a qualified women’s basketball coach. Once again, SCSU does not have to look far to find such success stories involving male coaches such as Donald Beasley, who has led Morgan State to a school-record 37 victories over the past two seasons, or Savannah State head coach Cedric Baker, who’s proven his acumen at his current location and previously at Voorhees and Benedict College.
3. High school coaches should also receive consideration.
I always believed if former Orangeburg-Wilkinson head coach Edward Pellman was still alive, he would have been a perfect fit at either Claflin or SCSU. Although some critics believe such a move is a risk, those coaches who possess the right temperament and ability to develop an instant rapport with the players can succeed at any level.
What’s also to stop SCSU from considering the likes of Lee Central’s Dorothy Fortune or Lower Richland’s Debbie Stroman? There’s also Darren Mazyck of newly crowned Class A champion C.E. Murray, who already has a strong relationship with SCSU through the summer individual and team camps.
4. Form a hiring committee similar to the one used to hire men’s basketball coach Tim Carter.
After the coaching tenures of good friends Jamal Brown and Tonya Mackey proved unsuccessful, AD Johnson should avoid giving any impression of playing favorites with the candidates. She should replicate the impartial approach used in hiring Carter by putting together a 10-person committee of various backgrounds. This will also assure a more thorough coaching search which keeps in the spirit of the first two suggestions.
5. Hire someone who’s ready to win from Day One.
This program has long sought a return to its national championship days. With a young talented group which with the right direction and push could contend for a conference title next season, now is the time to bring in that person who’s ready to win.

– T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

Long's time coming

2008-03-24T04:50:00.000-07:00

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Monday, March 24, 2008
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For sophomore quarterback Malcolm Long, the time is now.

Since the arrival last fall of the former South Carolina "Mr. Football" winner out of Gaffney, South Carolina State fans have anticipated the day he would take the reins as the starter. The glimpses of potential Long exhibited during spot appearances late in the season only added to the hype.

Now that record-setting quarterback Cleveland McCoy has graduated, the Bulldogs have essentially handed Long the keys to the offense. It's a responsibility Long is anxious to seize hold of and guide in the direction of a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship.

"People always want to play, but me personally, I just liked the way I was used," Long said. "I didn't want to rush into anything. Hopefully, this year I can make the best of things."

Long was used sparingly last season as McCoy's backup, seeing action in seven games and completing just 14 of 34 passes for 273 yards, three TDs and a passer rating of 131.86. While his playing time was limited, Long said the time spent around McCoy was invaluable in helping him make the transition from high school.

"So many different teams play so many ways as far as defensive coverages," Long said. "It helped me out a whole lot last year, being behind Cleve and him teaching me about the college experience. Hopefully, I can make the best of it."

Most of Long's numbers were accrued against Howard when he threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns on only 5 of 8 passing. The performance further fueled Long's motivation.

"After the Howard game, I didn't get complacent with myself," he said. "I just told myself I had to work and strive to be the best. That's what I'm trying to do and trying to get this team where it needs to be which is win the MEAC championship."

Head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough is counting on Long quickly asserting himself as a team leader. When asked what expectations he has for Long for the spring, Pough simply stated "to get him" or "somebody" ready to play.

"If we don't play him," he said, "we've got to find a quarterback that's ready to go."

The 'somebody' could be redshirt freshman DeWain Clark or even incoming freshmen Ronald Holliday of Douglass High School in Atlanta, Ga. or Derrick Wiley of Richmond City High School. While Long does not see a quarterback battle brewing, it does motivate him to stay sharp at every practice.

"I've got a real good quarterback in DeWain Clark and he's got good potential," Long said. "I'm not going to get complacent about starting or whatever. I'm still going to come out here and work hard every day and practice hard every day to try to be the best."

"Both the guys coming in can play and the fact that we've got other good players around him makes him understand that he's got to go," Pough said. "Otherwise, those other guys will pass him."

In preparation for this season, Long also rededicated himself to his overall diet and physical conditioning. Acknowledging he did not arrive to SCSU in the proper condition to play football, hitting the scales at 270 pounds at one point, Long is down to a manageable 245 and plans to use the summer to shed 10 more pounds to reach his effective playing weight.

"Right now, I'm in shape, but there's a little more I want to lose," he said.

Long credited strength and conditioning coach Thomas Stallworth with pushing him during the team's off-season workouts and encouraging him to demonstrate self-discipline in watching what he eats. Stallworth called Long a "natural born leader" who was willing to put in the extra work even during the team's off days.

"He understands that this is his time now," he said. "Last year, it was predominately Cleve and Malcolm played sparingly. But he understands right now going in that he is going to be looked upon as a leader going into camp as far as the quarterback situation between him and DeWain (Clark). And even going into the fall when you have two more freshman coming in, the pressure is still going to be on him. So he's actually put the work in. He's mentally prepared himself and that was the biggest thing. I can't really take the credit for the kids' work ethic because as he's gotten mature, it's gotten a lot better."

Pough is counting on that maturity extending to Long mastering the intricacies of the offense.

"Quarterback is more of a mental position than a physical position," he said. "We want him to run around a little bit, but we really want him to be able to think the position through as he gets a little bit far along, the mental and physical part will cross."

Whether or not Long is ready to take over and handle the S.C. State offense is the first and foremost question the Bulldogs need to answer heading into the spring. Below are a few more questions that SCSU will be looking to answer.

2. WHO ARE SOME OF THE OTHER PLAYERS LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION DURING THE SPRING?

Long is not the only Gaffney native looking to fill big shoes. His Indian teammate linebacker Julius Wilkerson is expected to get a major look at the MIKE position, replacing departing senior LaTavis "Trap" Henderson. Defensive back Devonne Quattlebaum will also look to capitalize on getting significant playing time during the spring. On offense, Johnny Culbreath, Josh Harrison and Jake Johnson are expected to get plenty of .jpg with a starting lineup which lost Nathanial Richardson, Derrell Pringle and MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year James Lee to graduation.

There's also the return of junior BANDIT Marshall McFadden, who ended up getting red-shirted after injuring his elbow against Bethune-Cookman. Pough had initially hinted at using McFadden at inside linebacker, especially after he bulked up to 225 pounds during the off-season. For now, McFadden will remain in the BANDIT role.

3. WHAT IS THE STRONGEST POSITION FOR THE BULLDOGS?

Despite the graduation hits, the offensive line remains the front-runner for the Bulldogs. The group is anchored by arguably the MEAC's best center Raymond "Duck" Harrison, Nygel Pearson appears ready to display his potential after two injury-plagued seasons and Culbreath, Harrison and Johnson were heavy contributors during the second half of the season.

A close second may be the wide receiving corps which returns virtually intact (save for Tron Jackson and Chase Robinson who both tore ACLs last season) and could get even stronger in the fall with the arrivals of Trey Williams and Randall Hawkins of J.F. Byrnes.

4. WHO IS UNAVAILABLE FOR THE SPRING?

The injury bug hit the defensive line the hardest during the off-season, with Sterling Blunt, Patrick Brooks, Jason Ayers and Markus James all expected to miss the entire spring recovering from various surgeries. In fact, new defensive coordinator Mike Adams said expect the Bulldogs to utilize mostly three-man fronts with only six linemen available.

Wide receivers Jackson and Robinson and BANDIT David Erby, all of whom suffered ACL injuries last season, will also sit out the spring. Meanwhile, all-MEAC tailback William Ford is expected to see only limited action. This leaves Travil Jamison as the lone back with experience playing this spring. Auburn University transfer Anthony Campbell, freshman walk-on Derrick Middleton and Kenneth Smalls and Zachary Middleton of Orangeburg-Wilkinson will also get looks running the football.

5. HAVING COMPILED A 47-21 RECORD, BUT NO PLAYOFF APPEARANCES IN SIX SEASONS, IS THE HEAT ON HEAD COACH OLIVER 'BUDDY' POUGH?

Highly unlikely. With Joe Taylor now at Florida A&M, only Bethune-Cookman's Alvin Wyatt has enjoyed a longer active tenure at the same school in the MEAC than Pough and Morgan State's Donald Hill-Elay. Compared to Wyatt and Hill-Elay, Pough is least likeliest to appear on this year's "Hot Seat" list. Just eight wins shy of surpassing Bill Davis for second most victories by an SCSU head, the lack of a postseason appearance remains the only hole in Pough's resume. An outright conference championship and a strong showing in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs is the elusive step the program needs to take to reach the next level.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by office phone at 533-5547 or by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com. Visit his blog at TheTandD.com.

Adams reigns as SCSU Defensive Coordinator

2008-03-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Friday, March 21, 2008
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During his two seasons as South Carolina State's secondary/special teams coach, Mike Adams has incessantly preached about being "ready for the moment."

Whether it's a starter or reserve, Adams expects his players to be ready to make a big defensive stop during a game. When that time comes, he does not expect them to back away from the challenge.

Adams is now taking the same approach as the newly-promoted Bulldogs defensive coordinator, replacing John Hendrick who left to become the new defensive line coach at South Florida. With spring drills starting Monday, various defensive schemes Adams plans to cover during the first two practice sessions are scribbled all over his office's chalkboard.

It's all about "being ready" from day one for the confident Adams.

"I was happy to see Coach (Oliver "Buddy") Pough decide to go in that direction," he said. "I felt like the number one thing we needed on defense was continuity. We've gotten to a point where the kids know what we're doing, they've had success doing it and we needed somebody I felt that could come in and kind of continue on, maybe add a little bit of things that maybe we did last year or maybe take away a thing or two we had to do last year and put their own stamp on it. But mostly, we needed continuity with everything."

"When a guy does good at what he does, you give him better assignments," said Pough about Adams.

While looking to put his own personal stamp on the Bulldogs' defense by further stressing fundamentals, Adams still plans to incorporate much of Hendrick's philosophy in directing a group which ranked second overall in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

"I liked the idea of having a combination of what we had two years ago along with what we had last year," Pough said. "I thought if we could combine the two, we would be even better."

This means allowing the coaches to run their respective positions, while providing the necessary oversight.

"I'd like, as every coach likes to think, that they're going to facilitate throughout the staff all kinds of responsibilities and certainly I will," Adams said. "But I'll be honest. I'd definitely like to have my stamp on just about every part of it. I'll be involved with it and I'd like to be a big part of the decision-making. But I'd also love the staff members to kind of have their input and, really, those guys will take pride in their position and what they're coaching if it's stuff they really believe in. The more we can come to a common ground on the way we want to teach things, the better. But there's certain things I'm definitely looking for."

From a defensive standpoint, look for the Bulldogs to continue presenting multiple schemes all with the designs of creating havoc with the opposing offenses.

"Although a lot of people kind of saw us as a blitzing and stunting team, there were plenty of times where we moved a few guys and really played based up behind it and that's really where my personality is," Adams said. "I like to be aggressive and put the pressure on the offense to perform. But I also think there's a time to just outplay people in your fundamentals and your reads. So, we'll kind of mix it up. But when it's crunch time, you want your kids to be aggressive."

Look for SCSU to utilize mostly a three-man front during the spring as injuries have left the team with just six healthy defensive linemen. In taking over the linebacking corps, Adams will have some intriguing possibilities. Freshman Julius Wilkerson will look to replace LaTavis "Trap" Henderson at middle linebacker, a move once prominently marked for BANDIT Marshall McFadden after his return from a season-ending arm injury.

Adams instead believes the Bulldogs are better off utilizing McFadden's versatility in the hybrid role rather than at just one position.

"Marshall is an interesting situation because he is the one player we always felt like at his position, he creates an advantage with his size and speed and physical ability," Adams said. "So, the great thing about him is that he learns well and he's going to be hungry to get back on the field. So we're going to use him at different spots. We want to use him to create pressure on the quarterback. We also want to use him to cover people down the field and also put him in a zone and let him read a quarterback and those type of types."

As for the secondary, Adams is also excited about what cornerback Phillip Adams will bring following his stint with the men's basketball team. He believes playing the sport allowed the Rock Hill native to stay limber and active during the off-season, attributes necessary to being an effective coverman.

"I think he's looking forward to a huge season," Adams said. "He'll have to knock a little rust off and learn to get physical again with some guys and do different things. But he's going to have a great spring."

The addition of Maurice Drayton to take over Adams' cornerback coaching duties at SCSU especially makes the transition easier.

"I would not have given up the secondary because I felt like it's such a critical area when you're this kind of team, when you've got a lot of different coverages and blitz points and all these things," Adams said. "But Maurice is going to be great. He'll have a great relationship with the kids. He has tremendous knowledge of the secondary and the overall defense and all of the things he's trying to do. So really, I'm just really looking for great continuity there."

SCSU will hold team practices at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and a 10 a.m. scrimmage each Saturday leading to the April 19 spring game at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

SCSU men to have lighter hoops schedule

2008-03-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

SCSU men to have lighter hoops schedule
March 17th, 2008 by Following the Bulldogs Fewer early ‘money’ games against upper Division I teams, more winnable contests at home.

That’s how South Carolina State men’s basketball coach Tim Carter wants to formulate his 2008-09 basketball schedule. After lopsided early-season losses this season to bigger schools likes of top-ranked North Carolina and in-state foe the University of South Carolina, Carter is looking towards matching SCSU against teams closer to its size and level as well as within the friendly confines of the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

Making this possible was the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, which this season began allowing teams to play four non-conference games against non-Division I teams. Since 1997, the conference had an edict in place which required all of the conference teams to schedule Division I opponents for the purpose of strengthening the MEAC’s overall RPI rating with the NCAA.

The new policy could potentially open the door for SCSU to resume its ‘Garden City Classic’ rivarly with next-door neighbor Claflin University, especially since the school has moved up to Division II, and even schedule Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Benedict College.

While Carter is still in the early stages of completing his schedule, he believes scheduling such non-conference games can better serve the Bulldogs’ overall team confidence as compared to facing upper Division I teams, at least early in the season.

The SCSU men have gone 10-24 the past three seasons in non-conference play and the last victory over an upper Division I opponent took place Nov. 23, 2004 against the University of Miami.

Carter says future could be bright for SCSU Men

2008-03-18T06:24:00.000-07:00

Carter says future could be bright for SCSU Men
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Tuesday, March 18, 2008
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It takes Tim Carter a few seconds to find the word to describe his just-completed inaugural season as South Carolina State men's basketball coach.

When he does, the word of choice is more than understandable and fitting following a campaign which saw the Bulldogs lose the most games in school history.

"Without a doubt, I was say this was the most challenging year in my coaching career," Carter said Monday.

The 13-20 overall record only tells a part of the story for what Carter experienced in his first season. Taking over a program demoralized by three straight losing seasons and the controversy which ultimately led to the firing after one season of predecessor Jamal Brown and a brutal non-conference schedule, Carter faced the dual challenge of trying to erase the damage on the fly while putting together a winning product on the floor.

It was a painful process, made harder after the dismissals of starting point guard Derrick Davis and reserve forward David Cobb. Yet towards the end of the season, SCSU showed semblance of becoming the team Carter eventually hopes to have in place.

"We started playing very well late," he said. "I just think taking over a program which hadn't won in a long time and the challenges of trying to change attitudes of how you go about winning - I had been around winning for so long that it was just very challenging."

Ironically, the Feb. 9 loss to Coppin State after which Cobb was kicked off the team proved to be a critical turning point for both teams.

The Eagles won six of their last seven regular-season games after beating SCSU to finish tied for seventh with the Bulldogs in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings. Because of the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage, Coppin State (16-20) claimed the higher seeding for the conference tournament where it won four straight games, including a 62-60 win over in-town rival and regular-season champion Morgan State, to earn the automatic NCAA tournament bid and a spot in tonight's opener in Dayton, Ohio against Mount St. Mary's.

"The team that gets hot is the team that can really shock some people and that's exactly what happened," Carter said. "Coppin got hot late. Not necessarily late, but they got on a roll. They got into the tournament and never really looked back."

As for SCSU, it went 5-4 after returning from Baltimore and enduring the fallout from the Cobb departure. Two of the losses against Hampton (77-74) and North Carolina A&T (73-71) came in the final seconds and only SCSU trailed Morgan State by a point at halftime in the conference semifinal before losing 77-68.

Through the adversity, Carter witnessed the Bulldogs become a more cohesive, hustling competitive unit.

"All year long, I kept telling our staff let's find ways to get better," Carter said. "Sometimes fans don't understand that you can get better by deduction - and we definitely got better. And I'll leave it at that."

A major reason for the turnaround was the improved play of point guard Jessie Burton. Once used sparingly in the final minutes of games because of turnover problems, Burton developed into a solid floor leader and the Bulldogs' top threat from 3-point range (hitting 40.6 percent from behind the arc).

"Jessie Burton is without a doubt the most improved player on our basketball team," Carter said. "Jessie was playing so well the last 5 to 7 games that when we lost Jessie (late in) the A&T game, we floundered. Jessie was playing great basketball."

In MEAC Rookie of the Year guard Carrio Bennett and team-leading scorer and rebounder and second team All-MEAC forward Jason Johnson, Carter found two newcomers to serve as building blocks for the solid foundation he's trying to build at SCSU. With College of Charleston transfer Josh Jackson on board to go with Johnson and swingman Jason Flagler in the post and Julius Carter and Wesley Telfaire available off the bench, the Bulldogs' frontcourt will be its deepest in years.

With three scholarships available, Carter is focusing his attention of signing a point guard (after highly-touted prospect Darian Norris de-committed to SCSU) and a couple of wing players. Brandon Smalls, a 6-5 swingman out of North Charleston currently playing for Harcum College in Bryn Marr, Penn. indicated back in January his intentions to sign with SCSU once the signing period starts April 1.

"We've got to get a couple of more wings to get over the hump," Carter said. "Our wing play this year was the weakest part. Carrio was very consistent all year long. Carrio gave us great effort all year. He may not have scored points, but he always gave great effort.

"We always knew what we were going to get out of Carrio, but we were very inconsistent otherwise on the wing. I really feel like we need to get additional help on the wing and get another point guard to go with Jessie, and then I think we're going to be in good shape."

Speaking of shape, Carter plans to hire another strength and conditioning coach to put the returning SCSU players through a off-season summer weight lighting program. The same coach is also expected to work with the women's basketball team.

Carter's staff is also looking forward this summer to holding individual and team camps after a one-year hiatus.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

Bulldogs, be sure to pass this info to kids in your areas!

2008-03-15T11:35:00.001-07:00

Freshman Scholarships
Scholarships at South Carolina State University are established through the generosity of private donors, organizations, business and industry, and the University community. These scholarships are designed to recognize leadership qualities, to reward exceptional academic performance, and to assist academically talented students financially.

Scholarships are available to incoming freshman who enroll at the University as full-time, degree seeking students. The deadline for submitting scholarship applications is March 31, unless otherwise stated. All students applying for scholarships must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form (the University Title IV school code is 003446) and have the Student Aid Report (SAR) sent to the Office of Financial Aid at South Carolina State University by May 1.

Scholarships are renewable (unless otherwise stated) up to three years if all requirements for renewal are satisfied.

Persons interested in any of the scholarships listed below should contact:

Freshman Scholarships
Office of Admissions & Recruitment
South Carolina State University
300 College Street, NE
Orangeburg, SC 29117

Presidential Scholarship
Full or partial scholarships designed to cover tuition, fees, room and board. Qualifications: Rank in the top twenty five percent (25%) of the senior class, SAT score of 1200, or ACT composite score of 27, Outstanding leadership qualities. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Honors Program Scholarship
Award varies from $5,500 to $10,700 over four years. Qualifications: Is typically reserved for a National Merit finalist or semi-finalist, an applicant score four or more on Advanced Placement tests, and an applicant with an outstanding GPA, SAT or ACT score.

General University Scholarship
Full or partial scholarships designed to cover tuition, fees, room and board. Qualifications: SAT score of 1100 or ACT score of 24, Rank in the top 25% of the senior class, GPA of 3.0.

Valedictorian Scholarship
(Deadline June 1) In each high school graduating class, the student designated for this honor will receive a $2,000 scholarship.

School of Applied Professional Sciences
Scholarships are available valued at $1,000. Qualifications: SAT score of 920 or ACT composite score of 19, rank in the top 25% of the senior class, a declared major in Nutrition and Food Management, or Family and Consumer Sciences Education.

School of Business
Scholarships including books are awarded up to $6,000, per academic year. Applicants must pursue a degree in a business major. Qualifications: High School GPA of 3.0, SAT score of 1100, or ACT composite score of 24, rank in the top twenty percent of the senior class.

USDA Capacity Building Grant stipends
Awards vary from $500 to $1,500. Applicants must pursue a degree in a business, preferably agribusiness major. Qualifications: SAT score of 1100, or ACT composite score of 24, two letters of recommendation from high school counselor and principal.

School of Engineering Technology and Sciences
Awards are valued up to $5,000 a year. Applicants must pursue a degree in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Electrical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering Technology. Qualifications; SAT score of 1100, or ACT composite score 24, Rank in the top 25% of the senior class. GPA of 3.0, Participation in the Summer Bridge Program is required.

Army ROTC Scholarship
Four year scholarships valued at approximately $10,920. Application deadline November 15. Scholarship awards include a tax exempt stipend of $150 per month. Applicants must be interested in Active Army, Army National Guard, or Army Reserve. Qualifications: Must be a U.S. citizen, rank in the upper 25% of the senior class, SAT score of 850, or ACT composite score of 19, possess leadership potential and have good moral character, be oriented toward the Army.

Alumni Association
National Alumni Association Scholarship
Scholarship valued at $4,000 over four years. Application deadline June 15. Qualifications: must rank in the top ten percent of the senior class, SAT score of 700 or 17 on the ACT, demonstrate leadership qualities, have clearly defined educational goals.

Walmart Competitive Edge Scholarship
Scholarship valued at $5,000 funded by the Walmart stores, Inc. Applicants must pursue a degree in Biology, Chemistry, Civil Engineering Technology, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering Technology, Industrial Engineering Technology, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering Technology, and Physics. Qualifications: Must be a U.S. Citizen, SAT score of 1100, or ACT composite score of 27, GPA of 3.5, Rank in the top ten percent of the senior class, demonstrated community service and leadership.

Robert Shaw Evans Endowment Scholarship
Scholarship valued at $700 per year. Application deadline: June 15. Persons applying for this scholarship should contact: Chairperson Robert Shaw Evans Endowment Scholarship; address: P.O. Box 7034, South Carolina State University, 300 College Street, Orangeburg, SC 29117. Qualification: minimum GPA of 3.0.

Welcome Coach Lewis

2008-03-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

Director of Football Operations
Danny Lewis, a former assistant coach and administrator in the collegiate ranks, serves as the director of football operations for Rick Stockstill's staff. Lewis made his way to Murfreesboro after spending the previous five years at The Citadel.

Along with overseeing the day-to-day logistics of the football program, Lewis works closely with the head coach on virtually every aspect involving the Blue Raider football program.

Lewis, who spent 2005 as an assistant athletic director for compliance and academic services, was an assistant coach for the Bulldogs his first four years. From 2001 through the 2004 season, Lewis served as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. In 2003 and 2004, he was elevated to assistant head coach.

Much of the Bulldogs' successes with recruiting from 2001 to 2004 were a direct result of Lewis' work. Lewis had strong recruiting ties in the state of South Carolina and was a driving force behind two of the largest recruiting classes in school history. He came to The Citadel from the University of South Carolina, where he assisted with recruiting for Coach Lou Holtz's Gamecocks.

During Lewis' tenure at The Citadel, he coached back-to-back-to-back-to-back All-Southern Conference performers at running back with Maurice Murphy taking home the hardware in 2001 and junior Nehemiah Broughton earning all-league accolades in 2002 and 2003. Under Lewis' guidance, Broughton excelled and became only the 11th Bulldog in history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season in 2002. Broughton was taken in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.

A native of Lexington, S.C., where he played wide receiver at Lexington High, Lewis played tight end and lettered at Charleston Southern before graduating in 1995 from the University of South Carolina. He began his coaching career at Newberry College under Mike Taylor from 1998 to 1999 and guided the offensive line and acted as the Indians' recruiting coordinator. While at Newberry, which broke various school records during his stop there, Lewis coached four all-South Athletic Conference performers, including left tackle Van Williams, who participated in the Division II All-Star Game.

He spent the spring of 2000 on Coach Tony Felder's staff at Benedict College as the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator before accepting a graduate assistant's position under Holtz at USC, working primarily with recruiting. He was a member of the USC coaching staff that led the Gamecocks to one of the most memorable seasons in their history, including a victory over Ohio State in the 2000 Outback Bowl in Tampa.

Born June 16, 1972, Lewis is married to the former Kim Shaw of Lexington. They have two sons, Eric and Alex.

Welcome Coach Feggins

2008-03-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

Howard Feggins, a former assistant football coach at Northwestern University, is entering his fourth season as an assistant football coach at Eastern Michigan University. He will coach the running backs.

Last year, the 42-year-old Feggins (5-6-65) oversaw an offense that averaged 276.2 yards per game. One of his wide receivers, Eric Deslauriers, finished 12th in the nation in receptions per game (6.17) and 26th in receiving yards per contest (74.83 ypg) en route to being named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.

In 2004, EMU piled up the yardage using the spread offense , finishing 21st in the nation in total offense, rolling up an average of 427.91 yards per game. The Eagles were also 33rd in the Division I-A ranks in scoring offense at 29.82 points a game.

The Eagle offense had six games of 30 points or more, including a 61 point output in a four overtime victory over rival Central Michigan University. He saw Deslauriers and tailback Anthony Sherrell garner second team All-MAC honors. In addition, Deslauriers was fourth in the nation in receiving yards (114.27), fifth in receptions (7.64) and his 13 touchdowns set an EMU record for most touchdowns caught in a season. Quarterback Matt Bohnet was also sixth in the nation in total offense (293.7).

During his last four years at Northwestern, Feggins coached three all-Big Ten receivers Teddy Johnson, Sam Simmons and Kunle Patrick. Simmons is currently a member of the Miami Dolphins and Patrick tied the NCAA record with 47 straight games with a reception. The 2003 season marked the second straight year that three of Feggins’ receivers finished with 30 or more receptions.

Feggins joined the Northwestern staff after spending two seasons coaching the wide receivers at Miami under Walker. In his first season with the RedHawks, Feggins tutored All-MAC selection Jay Hall, who set a school single-season reception record.

Prior to being selected to the Miami post, Feggins spent two seasons as assistant coach in charge of defensive backs and kick returners at Wingate University (N.C.). He also oversaw the Bulldog’s speed development program. While at Wingate, Feggins coached third-team All-America defensive back Dorian Lane, the school’s first-ever defensive All-American.

A 1987 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Feggins was a four-year letterwinner for the Tar Heels. A cornerback and strong safety, Feggins totaled 169 tackles during his career. As a sophomore, he ranked sixth on the team with 83 tackles. During Feggins’ junior year, the Tar Heels posted a 7-4-1 record and played in the Aloha Bowl.

Following his college graduation, Feggins played for the New England Patriots in 1988 and 1989 and during the preseason for the New York Giants in 1990. He played two seasons for the London Monarchs of the World Football League before closing out his career with the Hamilton TigerCats of the Canadian Football League.

Feggins and his wife, Renee (Dickerson) have two children, Jensen (10-29-96) and Kevin (4-21-93).

The Howard Feegins File
Full Name Howard Feggins
Date of Birth May 6, 1965
Hometown South Hill, Va.
Alma Mater North Carolina, `87
Family Wife-Renee (Dickerson)
Sons-Jensen (10-29-96), Kevin (4-21-93)

Coaching Experience
Eastern Michigan University
2006 Asst. Coach/Running backs
2004-2006 Asst. Coach/Off. Coord./Wide receivers
Northwestern University
1999-2003 Asst. Coach/Wide Receivers/Special teams
New England Patriots - NFL
Summer of 2003 NFL Minority Coaching Internship
Miami University
1997-1998 Asst. Coach/Wide Receivers/Special teams
Wingate University
1995-1996 Asst. Coach/Defensive backs
Finneytown (Ohio) High School
1994 Asst. Head Coach/Def. Coord./Defensive backs
Colerain (Ohio) High School
1993 Asst. Coach/Def. line/Running backs
New York Giants - NFL
Summer of 1991 NFL Minority Coaching Internship

Great hires...most have coordinator experience, and most have recruiting experience.

2008-03-15T05:18:00.000-07:00

SCSU Football brings in some new faces
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Saturday, March 15, 2008
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Another spring, another round of staff changes for the South Carolina State football team.

During head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough's seven-year tenure in Orangeburg, replenishing his staff has become as commonplace as posting winning seasons.

In many instances, Pough has assistant coaches make an immediate impact, only to depart just as swiftly after receiving lucrative offers from Football Bowl Subdivision schools. Chris Rumph (Clemson), Billy Napier (Clemson) and Troy Douglass (Indiana) are among several former Bulldog assistants who were snatched up by larger programs after just one season.

Such an opportunity presented itself for S.C. State defensive coordinator John Hendrick. Presented with, in Pough's words, "an offer he could not refuse," Hendrick resigned after one season to become the new defensive line coach at FBS rising power South Florida.

Hendrick's departure came on the heels of second-year coaches Tony Elliott (wide receivers) and J.C. Harmon (tight ends) leaving the program to accept jobs at Football Championship Subdivision schools Furman and the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and Pough's decision not to return quarterbacks' coach Jonathan Pry.

Such job turnover is an aspect of coaching on the FCS level which Pough has come to accept, though he sees how this may frustrate some fans.

"I get a lot of feedback from people, from our fans saying that we're tired of us training coaches for other schools," Pough said. "I take it as a compliment that we hire people here who are taken by other coaches. I think that means more than anything that we hired the right people. At the same time, I need to get more out of them when I get them here."

Having added four new coaches to the fold, Pough is hoping to get those results and more in his quest to reach the postseason for the first time in his tenure:

- Quarterbacks coach Kevin Magouirk (Pronounced Ma-gurk) - A former running back and wide receiver at the University of South Carolina, he spent last season at The Citadel as the assistant receivers coach. Previously, he spent two seasons as an offensive coordinator at Husson College and was a wide receivers coach at Lehigh University and St. Anselm College.

- Running backs coach Danny Lewis - Spent five years at The Citadel as the running backs coach, recruiting coordinator and assistant head coach. Coached three consecutive Southern Conference rushing champions in Maurice Murphy in 2001 and Nehemiah Broughton in 2003 and 2004. The 35-year old Lexington native also worked previously at Benedict College, Newberry and Middle Tennessee State.

- Defensive backs/special teams coach Maurice Drayton - A native of Moncks Corner, he spent a total of 12 seasons at The Citadel as a player, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. In 2006, he was the defensive coordinator for the Seinajoki Crocodiles of the European Football League in Seinajoki, Finland. Last season, he was the defensive coordinator at Goose Creek High School.

- Wide receivers coach Howard Feggins - The 42-year-old University of North Carolina graduate, who played briefly with the New England Patriots, he spent four seasons at Eastern Michigan. He oversaw the Eagles' offense in 2004 which finished 21st in the season and had wide receiver Eric Deslauriers named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. He also coached all-Big Ten receivers Teddy Johnson, Sam Simmons and Kunle Patrick, who tied the NCAA record with 47 straight games with a reception. Previously, Feggins spent two seasons at Wingate University in charge of the defensive backs and kick returners.

In hiring Magouirk, Lewis and Drayton as the defensive backs coach, Pough reached back to his connections with The Citadel (where he son Oliver III played wide receiver).

"Maurice I tried to hire before," Pough said. "I thought I had him hired. It didn't quite work out. Known him for years and recruited against him, all of those different kinds of things you do when you work in a state right next to a guy. I observed him and I use to go down and visit when I was at Carolina. He would be there, we talked and talked about my son when he was there."

Pough's relationships with Magouirk and Lewis go back even further to his USC days. He coached Magouirk as the Gamecocks' running backs coach during the 2001 season and worked with Lewis on the 2000 coaching staff of Lou Holtz. In both years, USC emerged victorious in the Outback Bowl.

"(Lewis) and I have been talking about coming to work for me for some time now," Pough said. "It just has never worked out. I tried to make that happen a time or two before, but I couldn't quite get it worked out. It just didn't quite fit. Magouirk played for me at Carolina. He and I have been talking for a long time. Almost every one of these guys that I just hired, I've had relationship with for some time and have talked to them about working here for some time."

The exception was Feggins, whom Pough almost hedged about hiring because of his head coach-like credentials. In the end, Feggins' down to earth personality and Southern background made him a perfect fit for the staff.

Feggins could end up playing an even bigger role in the offense. Currently, offensive line coach Joseph Blackwell handles the play-calling duties, but Pough said he'll use spring practice to evaluate whether to give Feggins those responsibilities.

Pough knows the high likelihood of the bigger colleges raiding his staff again should the Bulldogs have a successful season. At the same time, he's not about to change his approach towards bringing in people who love the game and working with young people.

"You can hire ordinary fellows...who stay where they are, but are not very innovative in their approach at this point or you can continue to hire up and coming guys who are extra innovative, who've got all kinds of ideas and connections and experiences and that kind of stuff, but continue to move around," Pough said.

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF CHANGES

2007 2008

Offensive coordinator Joseph Blackwell/Oliver 'Buddy Pough *Joseph Blackwell/Oliver "Buddy" Pough

Quarterbacks Johnathan Pry Kevin Magouirk

Running backs Johnathan Pry Danny Lewis

Wide receivers Tony Elliott Howard Feggins

0fensive line Joseph Blackwell/Demetrius Davis Joseph Blackwell/Demetrius Davis

Tight ends J.C. Harmon Joseph Blackwell/Demetrius Davis

Defensive coordinator John Hendrick Mike Adams

Defensive backs Mike Adams Maurice Drayton

Defensive line Gerald Harrison/David Blanchard Gerald Harrison/David Blanchard

Linebackers John Hendrick Mike Adams

Special teams Mike Adams Oliver "Buddy" Pough/Maurice Drayton

Strength & Conditioning Thomas Stallworth Thomas Stallworth

*subject to possible change

S.C. State Men’s Tennis defeats Boston University

2008-03-14T05:29:00.000-07:00

| Friday, March 14, 2008

ORANGEBURG, S.C. - South Carolina State defeated Boston University 7-0 in men’s

tennis action at the SCSU Tennis Complex on Wednesday.

Coach Hardeep Judge and the Bulldogs had a dominating performance in the Clemson Spring Invitational posting a 3-0 record in a 15-team field on Feb 29.

“We really played strong today,” said Judge. “We gained a great deal of confidence going undefeated during the Clemson tournament.”

SC State junior Ivan Milivojevic is currently ranked 100th in the nation in singles with an average of 5.46 by the ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings.

“Our team worked really hard on our doubles play and it paid off with all three teams winning and playing well,” stated Coach Judge. “We were able to carry that strong play into our singles matches."

The Bulldogs, improve to 9-1 on the season and 3-0 in the MEAC will play host to Jacksonville State on Tuesday, March 18.

Crime declines at SC State, but chief believes rate can go lower

2008-03-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

Crime declines at SC State, but chief believes rate can go lower Monday, March 10, 2008

The South Carolina State University Police Department says the number of reported crimes on campus went down 23 percent in 2007, compared to the previous year.

S.C. State Police Chief Greg Harris attributes the decline to increasing crime prevention awareness and beefing up security throughout the campus.

"We think we are doing an excellent job in responding to our faculty, staff and students," Harris said.

Harris cited the placement of call boxes across the campus as a big boon to security at the institution. The call boxes became operational last spring and allow anyone on campus to contact the police department directly to address their concerns.

This has enabled the S.C. State police to arrive at the scene of an incident quickly. According to Harris, the national average response time for law enforcement is 20 minutes. He said the response time for his department it is less than four minutes.

The university is also working to prevent potential tragedies at the institution in the wake of the Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois shootings.

S.C. State has had a plan to deal with an active shooter on campus since June of last year. It includes coordination with building supervisors and local law enforcement agencies. The plan also has an evacuation procedure.

A lack of proper communication was perceived to be a primary reason why the Virginia Tech shootings escalated to their tragic conclusion.

S.C. State isn't taking any chances with its emergency communications.

In addition to other communication protocols such as e-mail n.jpgication, the university will soon install two large sirens on opposite ends of the campus to alert people of an incident, Harris said.

"You'll be able to hear those sirens all over campus if they go off," he said.

Harris believes that S.C. State is as prepared as Clemson University and the University of South Carolina to handle emergencies on its campus.

The university has also installed a new security and surveillance system to monitor the entire campus via cameras. Harris hopes this new system will allow the department to better ide.jpgy crime and make more arrests.

"Technology plays an important role," he said of the new measures to make the institution more secure.

In 10 of the 14 crime categories S.C. State tracks, the number of reported incidents decreased in 2007. Only burglary and weapons offenses went up slightly.

In addition, only 12 drug and alcohol offenses were reported last year.

"I attribute it to the fact our students don't have a sense that this is place to party," Harris said. He noted that many of the students party off campus due to the restrictions on traffic flow at night and the number of people that can be in a dorm room at a time.

Every night starting at 6 p.m., the university closes all but one of its gates onto campus. Traffic is monitored extensively, he said.

During the past year, the S.C. State Police Department has engaged in a vigorous campaign to increase awareness of crime prevention measures. Harris has spoken at every freshman orientation and residence hall, offering safety tips such as not walking alone at night.

The department has also passed out cards with safety tips and phone numbers. That information is also available on the university's Web site.

While the crime rate is dropping on campus, Harris says there is still work to be done.

The most frequently reported crime at S.C. State is petty larceny, which is theft of an item valued at $500 or less. In 2007, there were 23 fewer reported incidents of petty larceny than in the previous year.

Harris expects petty larcenies to continue to decline on campus because of the heightened awareness.

He acknowledged that many petty larceny cases do not get solved because many of those incidents are crimes of opportunity.

"The potential victims are more aware now. They are starting to listen and those numbers are going to go down," he said.

Officers in the department also undergo intense training through conferences and in-house training. During these sessions, officers go over an array of situations such as hostage negotiations, active shooter scenarios and incident commands.

"All officers will be trained to deal with all situations," Harris said.

SC State Falls to Top-Seeded Bears 77-68

2008-03-13T08:49:00.001-07:00

RALEIGH, NC – South Carolina State’s first season under Tim Carter came to an end Wednesday at the RBC Center where the 7th-seeded Bulldogs fell 77-68 to top-seeded Morgan State in quarterfinal action of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Tournament.

Guard Jessie Burton had a game-high 22 points and center Jason Johnson added 17 and a game-high 10 rebounds in the loss for SC State which completed the season at 13-20. Julius Carter came off the bench for 10 points and eight boards for the Bulldogs.

Morgan State, which is having its best season in 14 years, improved to 21-9 and advanced to Friday’s semifinals.

Marquise Kately and Reggie Holmes each had 19 points to lead the Bears while Jamar Smith added 15 in the victory. MEAC Defensive Player of Year Boubacar Coly contributed nine points and nine boards each for the Bears.

SC State fell behind 18-6 in the first eight minutes of the contest, but chipped away at the Bear lead and went to the locker room behind just 27-26.

“In the first half, we did mostly what we hoped to do and that was to stay close,” Carter said. “We wanted to make their non-shooters be the ones taking shots and we did a very good job in the last 10 minutes of the first half.

“In the second half, things were much different. They (the Bears) made some adjustments, put another guard in the game at the top of their offense and eventually took control.”

The Bears began the second half with a 17-7 run that turned their one-point half time lead into a 44-33 advantage when Holmes made on of two free throws with 13:08 left.

Six consecutive Bulldog free throws – two each by Carrio Bennett, Burton and Johnson pulled SC State to within 44-39 with 11:04 showing. Carter’s team stayed close, trailing between five and six points over the next five minutes until Kately and Holmes sparked a 10-4 Bear spree that gave Coach Todd Bozeman’s squad an insurmountable 68-55 cushion with just 2:39 remaining.

The Bulldogs could only get as close as the final margin the rest of the way.

“I hope my team learned something from this experience,” said Carter. “When we played Morgan earlier in Baltimore, they beat us (81-55) like we stole something. I thought this time out, we did a much better job against them, however, we came up a little short.”

The Bulldogs had only one senior – guard Robert Baker – on this year’s team and are expected to be among the MEAC contenders next season.

Bailey Among MEAC HOF Enshrinees

2008-03-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

RALEIGH, NC – Former South Carolina State All-American and Seattle Seahawk standout Edwin Bailey is among five members of the 2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame Class scheduled for induction Thursday (Mar. 13) at the Marriott Crabtree Valley Hotel.

The enshrinees will be honored during a 9:30 a.m. reception that occurs in conjunction with the 2008 MEAC Basketball Tournament at the RBC Center in Raleigh.

This year’s class is made up of two former student-athletes -- including Bailey -- two coaches and a former conference administrator.

Bailey, a Savannah native, started every game during his four-year football career at SC State (1977-80). A two-time All-American, he helped the Bulldogs to a 35-7-2 mark, three MEAC championships and as many post season appearances.

He earned All-MEAC honors three times and was named a Sheridan Broadcasting Network All-American in 1979 and an American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) I-AA All-American in 1980.

He was chosen in the fifth round of the 1981 college draft by Seattle of the National Football League and went on to an 11-year career with the Seahawks, setting several club records.

Bailey was inducted into the SC State Hall of Fame in 1998 and was recently honored (Nov. 9) as a member of the school’s Centennial Football Team (1907-2007).

Since his NFL career ended, Bailey has coached on the high school and college levels, including stints as an assistant at both SC State and Savannah State.

In addition to Bailey, others scheduled to be inducted are Twana Allen, a track and field star at Coppin State in the mid-90s; William “Billy” Joe, former head football coach at Florida A&M, the second-winningest coach in Black College football behind the late Eddie Robinson; Jack “Cy” McClairen, a standout athlete and basketball and football coach at Bethune-Cookman; and Larry Barber, retired media relations director at the MEAC.

"RUN FOR THE DREAM" - 5K Road Race at SC State Saturday, March 22, 2008

2008-03-13T06:01:00.001-07:00

The Beta Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. will host the inaugural “Run for the Dream” 5K run/walk and Community Health Festival at SC State University on March 22, 2008. The purpose of the event is to raise funds for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington D.C., as well as a local charity.

WHAT: Charity Athletic Event (5K Run/Walk) & Health Fair
WHERE:SC State University, Orangeburg, SC
WHEN: March 22, 2008

Starting Time: 9 a.m.
Early morning registration/check-in: 7:45 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

For more information contact Mr. Aaron Haire, Event Coordinator at 803-707-1487.

BULLDOG ROUND UP!

2008-03-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone......BNN is going to the next level. Everyone check out www.bulldogroundup.ning.com

This will be the new home of BNN!!! We will still use this site as a repository just incase there is a problem on our new home, but www.bulldogroundup.ning.com is the place you should go to find all your SCSU news, AND reconnect with your friends,see videos, etc!
www.bulldogroundup.com

come check us out...and join up!

Bulldogs defeat Bethune-Cookman in MEAC Tourney opener

2008-03-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

Bulldogs defeat Bethune-Cookman in MEAC Tourney opener
| Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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RALEIGH, NC - Jason Flagler scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half as South Carolina State broke used a 15-4 run to break away from a 56--all deadlock and go on to a 78-69 win over Bethune-Cookman Monday in first-round action of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament at the RBC Center.

Jessie Burton added 15 points and Julius Carter 13 and a game-high nine rebounds, and Everett Spencer contributed 12 points in the victory.

The Bulldogs, who improved to 13-19 on the season, will face top-seeded Morgan State Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

Bethune-Cookman, which ended its campaign at 11-21, was paced by John Holmes and Dewayne Pettus with 17 points each and Dominique Whatley with 16. Holmes led the Wildcats on the boards with six rebounds.

SC State trailed 30-25 at the half, but started the second stanza with a 19-12 run to grab a 44-42 advantage on one of Burton's four 3-pointers with 13:37 to play. The Wildcats came back to take a 47-46 lead on a Whatley drive with 11:15 showing.

There was one lead change before the score was deadlocked at 56 all when Wildcat reserve Kevan Creppy got a layup inside with 6:28 showing.

Flagler got two free throws for the Bulldogs with 6:61 on the clock to trigger the decisive 15-4 run that gave Coach Tim Carter's team a 71-60 edge on Carter's inside basket with 2:52 showing.

The Wildcats closed to within six twice, the last time at 73-67 with 1:34 to play but could get no closer.

SC State's Carter, elated with the win, said his team has been a slow-starting squad all year, but picked things up in the final seven minutes Monday.

"We seem to always get off to a slow start," Carter said. "It's been that way all season, but I was please at our intensity down the stretch tonight. We really picked things up when we needed to.

"Now, we have to play the game of our lives in order to have a chance against Morgan State Wednesday. But, this is what you play for."

In their only meeting this year, Morgan rolled over the Bulldogs 81-55 in Baltimore Feb. 11.

The Bulldogs got off to a quick start, taking leads of six points twice, the last time at 24-18 on Burton's second 3-pointer of the contest with 5:35 left in the opening period, however the Wildcats went on a 12-1 run to end the half and take a 30-25 cushion to the locker room.

The B-CU run was fueled by five SC State turnovers on their last six possessions, leading eight Wildcat points. The Bulldogs had 10 miscues to just four for the Wildcats in the opening 20 minutes.

Reid leads Lady Bulldogs past Bethune-Cookman

2008-03-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

By SCSU Sports Information | Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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RALEIGH, NC - Left off the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's All-Star team despite being one of the league's top scorers, South Carolina State's Marie Reid poured in 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to power the seventh-seeded Lady Bulldogs to a 66-45 victory over 10th-seeded Bethune-Cookman Tuesday in first-round action of the MEAC Tournament at the RBC Center.

Reid, a transfer from the University of Memphis, only played 25 minutes in the contest in earning her third double-double of the season.

Junior Janell Moore added 15 points, 13 in the first half, and a game-high 12 rebounds in the Lady Bulldogs' victory, which moved Coach Tonya Mackey's team into Wednesday's quarterfinal match-up with second seeded Coppin State, beginning at 12:30.

SC State, which climbed to 13-16 on the season, also got six points each from Brittany Baity, Sophilia Hipps and Rasheeda Jones.

The Lady Wildcats, who defeated S.C. State 54-53 March 1 at Daytona Beach, ended their year at 6-24.

Traci Fountain of Hartsville, SC, had 10 points to lead B-CU. Natasha Ferguson added nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds, and Jalisa Isaac seven points.

The Lady Bulldogs led by as many as seven points in the first half, but had to score the final two baskets of the period for a 37-33 edge at the break.

Mackey's team started the final stanza with a 14-2 run that gave the Lady Bulldogs a 53-35 lead when Reid scored her 10th point of the second half with 9:26 remaining. The closest B-CU, which was held scoreless for 9:42 after scoring a basket with 18:58 left in the second half, came after that was 16 points.

"During the season, we struggled in the second half of a lot of games," said Moore. "So we knew we had to step it up for the tournament. Today, we played two halves. Getting off to the quick start in the second half helped.

"Also, we felt we had to stop their shooters and contain their post players, especially Ferguson. And, our team made an effort to rebound hard after every shot."

Mackey said she was a little worried when the Lady Wildcats made a run near the end of the first half, scoring seven straight points to deadlock the game at 33-all when Fountain scored on a follow shot with 2:22 left in the period. Mackey took a quick timeout.

"They (B-CU) did a good job in making that run," she said. "I thought we had a breakdown near the end of the half and took a timeout to regroup. Both Marie (Reid) and Janell (Moore) had two fouls and they are the meat of inside game and we were out of synch at little."

After the Lady Wildcats pulled into a 33-tie, Moore got two inside baskets to send the Lady Bulldogs to the locker room up four at 37-33.

In looking ahead to Coppin State, which defeated SC State 65-51 Feb. 9 in Baltimore in their only meeting of the season, Mackey said her team had a big task ahead.

"Coppin State is a very tough team?the name speaks for itself," she said. "(Rashida) Suber and (Shalamar) Oakley are very tough guards on the perimeter and Coach (Derek) Brown's inside play has improved as well. We will have to do some things differently from the last time we played them."

BNN is going to the next level.....

2008-03-12T05:58:00.001-07:00

Coming soon....there will be some big changes to BNN that you all will be happy with....We will let you know as soon as our plan is active!

SCSU Football staff to get makeover

2008-03-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

SCSU Football staff to get makeover
March 11th, 2008 by Following the Bulldogs A change is truly coming soon to the South Carolina State football team.

When the Bulldogs open spring practice on March 24, the coaching staff is expected to look much different than the one which left Johnson Hagood Stadium following the season-ending victory over North Carolina A&T. Since November, a total of four assistant coaches - Jonathan Pry (quarterbacks), John Hendrick (defensive coordinator), Tony Elliott (wide receivers) and now J.C. Harmon (tight ends), who accepted a position at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga as an offensive line coach, have either departed or did not have their contracts renewed.

Not to worry, Bulldog fans. SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough is apparently planning to bring in four new assistants to fill those roles. At least two of the coaches (whose names will not be released by the school until after March 15) share ties with Pough dating back to his final season as University of South Carolina running backs’ coach and another was a longtime assistant at The Citadel who spent a season as a defensive coordinator at a Lowcountry high school.

A fourth new assistant is arriving from the Midwest where he once coached a Biletnikoff Award Watch List candidate and another wideout who tied an NCAA record.

What can be confirmed is that defensive backs coach Mike Adams is being promoted to defensive coordinator.

Adams is the Bulldogs’ fourth DC in the past six years, following Robbie Wells (now the head coach at Savannah State), Tom Evangelista (now the cornerbacks’ coach at Furman) and Hendrick (now the defensive line coach at South Florida). Ironically, he was brought in by Evangelista who also served as the defensive backs’ coach before he was promoted to the DC position.

SCSU fans can also expect other major position adjustments by Pough, including a possible change in the play-calling duties. Last season, offensive line coach Joe Blackwell served as offensive coordinator and it appears one of the new incoming coaches will take over those duties.

Pough has said he hopes to finalize his staff before the start of spring practice. More details should be expected within the coming week.

SC State's Bennett Named MEAC Rookie of the Year

2008-03-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

RALEIGH, NC -- South Carolina State freshman Carrio Bennett has been named Rookie of the Year in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and to the league's All-Rookie Team. Bulldog center Jason Johnson earned a spot on the All-MEAC second team.
Bennett, a 6-1, 155 guard of Piedmont, SC and Berea High School, averaged 9.7 points, and 3.9 rebounds to help a young Bulldog team to a 12-19 overall record and a 7-9 MEAC mark. He was named Rookie of the Week four times during the season.
Johnson, a 6-7, 200 JUCO, led the Bulldogs in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounds (7.3 rpg) and recorded five double-doubles duing the year.
SC State, the eighth seed, opens play in the MEAC tournament at the RBC Center in Raleigh Tuesday in a 9 p.m. contest against Bethune-Cookman, a team the Bulldogs swept this year, winning 51-48 at Orangeburg and 85-81 in overtime at Daytona Beach.

SCSUs Milivojevic Ranked Nationally Among Tennis Players

2008-03-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

SCSUs Milivojevic Ranked Nationally Among Tennis Players

ORANGEBURG, SC—South Carolina State men’s tennis player Ivan Milivojevic is currently ranked 100th in the nation in singles with an average of 5.46 by the ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings.

Milivojevic, a junior, native of Serbia , is 8-1 in the spring competition and 18-3 overall, including fall play.

SC State men’s team is currently 8-1 overall, and 3-0 in the MEAC.

The Bulldogs will host Boston University on Wednesday in a 2 p.m. contest.

Good job ladies.....Smalls still needs to go!

2008-03-09T15:47:00.001-07:00

SC State Softball Picks Up Wins versus UMES and Coppin State
Romanda Noble, Asst. SID

Polite, UMES Winner

UMES Box Score
Coppin State Box Score

Orangeburg, SC—The SC State softball team today defeated the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) and Coppin State at Lady Bulldog Field on the campus of SC State University.
SC State (2-12) hosted UMES (1-5) and Coppin State (0-6) in the Lady Bulldog Tournament. The Tournament was scheduled for two days but due to inclement weather day one of the tournament was cancelled.

Thompson, Coppin State Winner

SC State opened the day with a win over UMES. In the game, the Lady Bulldogs put up runs in four of the six innings and held UMES scoreless. The Lady Bulldogs scored one run in the first, second and third innings and three runs in the fifth as the downed UMES 6-0 to pick up its first win of the season. Krystal Anthony and Emerald Freeman each recorded two hits in the game. Anthony also crossed home plate twice in the victory.
In its second game of the day, the Lady Bulldogs put up one run in the first, two in the second, one in the third and five in the fifth in route to defeating Coppin State, 9-1. The Lady Eagles lone run came in the top of the third off an RBI single by Coralys del Mar Rivera that bought in Ashley Brine.
TaTreka Polite was the winner of the UMES game while Channell Thompson picked up the win in Coppin Game. Polite picked up her first save of the season in Game Two. For UMES Bonnie Heinekien was the losing pitcher and Nichae Alston was the losing pitcher for Coppin State.
In the middle game of the day, UMES defeated Coppin State, 14-4 in six innings. With the win the Lady Hawks improved to 1-5 on the season while Coppin dropped to 0-6 on the season. Dawnita Leigh scored three runs off one hit and three walks for the Lady Hawks. Mishayla Truttman was the winning pitcher while Nichae Alston was the loser of the game.
The Lady Bulldogs will return back to action on Saturday, March 15 when they travel to Savannah State. The next home game for SC State will be Saturday, March 29 when they host the Lady Aggies of North Carolina A&T in the 2008 MEAC season-opener.

S.C State to Host High School Track Meet Saturday

2008-03-08T07:06:00.001-08:00

South Carolina State will host the inaugural SCSU High School Track and Field Invitational Saturday, March 8 at the Lorry H. Dawkins Track and Field Facility on campus. Field events get underway at 9 a.m., with running events set to start at 11 a.m.

Eight teams are scheduled to participate in Saturday's event. They include nearby Denmark-Olar, Military Magnet of Charleston, Colleton County, Woodland, St. John's, Battery Creek, Fort Dorchester and Beaufort. Individual performers from both Summerville High and Hopewell(NC) High will also compete.

First-year head coach Tyree Price said SC State's hosting of Saturday's meet is an opportunity to enhance the University's image and bring more exposure to the campus and its offerings.

"We are extremely happy to bring high school track back to SC State," Price said. "Many years ago, high schools from all over this state gathered annually on the campus for statewide meets. Those events were instrumental in helping to bring notoriety to the school, and this meet is an effort to rekindle that."

SC State's Honors and Awards Convocation 2008 Tuesday, April 01, 2008

2008-03-06T08:52:00.002-08:00

South Carolina State University will formally recognize student scholars who have achieved academic excellence at its annual spring Honors and Awards Convocation on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at 3:00 pm in the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. The theme of this year’s convocation is: “SC State: A University With A New STATE of Mind.”

SC State's Educators Day 2008 Thursday, April 03, 2008

2008-03-06T08:52:00.001-08:00

The Educators Day Recruitment Fair, sponsored by SC State’s Career Center, will be held in the Kirkland W. Green Student Center on Thursday, April 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For additional information, contact the Career Center at (803) 536-7033.

SC State to Host Spring Open House 2008

2008-03-06T08:50:00.001-08:00

SC State to Host Spring Open House 2008 Saturday, April 05, 2008

Prospective students will have an opportunity to see all that SC State has to offer during its Spring Open House 2008, Saturday April 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium

Prospective students and their parents will be introduced to educational offerings and opportunities at SC State, meet university officials, staff, departmental representatives and experience ‘Bulldog Pride’ first hand. Registration is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The day’s activities, which will begin at 9 a.m., include a welcome and informational program hosted by SC State’s interim president, Dr. Leonard A. McIntyre, Bulldog greetings, University highlights, financial aid options and admissions/scholarship requirements. The formal program will be followed by workshops on admissions, financial aid, student life, student health and wellness and Army ROTC. Tours of the SC State’s historic campus are among the activities planned for the day. There will also be an opportunity to dine in the state-of-the-art dining facility, J. W. Washington Dining Hall.

Mackey to coach final game at Smith-Hammond-Middleton tonight

2008-03-06T05:56:00.001-08:00

By BRIAN LINDER
, T&D Sports Editor | Thursday, March 06, 2008
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Tonya Mackey struggled to find the words to express herself.

"In all honesty...it is sad that it has come to an end," she said. "I am fairly said that it has come to an end. I have a group of young ladies that have worked extremely hard this season. I think we have had some good runs this season. Overall, I think we gave the home fans a decent showing as far as the home games were concerned."

Mackey, who will resign at the end of the season, will coach the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs (12-15, 9-7) for the final time at home today at 5:30 p.m. against Winston-Salem State in the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. It's also "Senior Night," with the Lady Bulldogs' Brittany Baity scheduled to play her final game at the venue. Baity leads S.C. State with 3.92 assists and 3.04 steals per game. She also leads the MEAC in assists/turnover ratio at 1.09.

"I am sure (Baity) will share some of the same feelings...to hear that horn go off the last time," Mackey said. "It will be a feeling of...I am going to miss the young ladies and the kids."

The Lady Bulldogs are coming off a 67-59 win over FAMU in Tallahassee, Fla. Monday. They overcame a 10-point halftime deficit behind the play of Sophilia Hipps. Hipps, who averages 14.1 points per game, finished with a game-high 24 points, 21 of which came in the second half. Marie Reid, who leads S.C. State with 14.3 points per game, added 20 points in that game and Patience Figgins had 10.

Things didn't go quite as well for Winston-Salem State (2-25) in their last outing, a 66-39 loss to Bethune-Cookman. Jalesa Byrd led the Rams with nine points in the loss.

"They have been down a little," Mackey said. "They have come into the (MEAC), but they are not eligible for postseason play this year. Dee Stokes is their coach, and she has done a great job with the ladies. They have a slew of freshman, and we all know that when you bring in freshman it takes them time to adjust. They are a team that fights hard. They do not give up. They are very scrappy. We are going to have to play basketball. It's not going to be a game where you can sit and let it come to you."

Tonight's game will be broadcast on WSSB 90.3 FM.

T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be contacted via e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553. Check out his blog, Welcome to Linderland, at www.thetandd.com.

OCSD 5, SCSU team up to train future teachers

2008-03-06T05:55:00.001-08:00

By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer | Thursday, March 06, 2008
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Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5 and South Carolina State University are teaming up in hopes of getting more students interested in the field of education.

Interim S.C. State Dean of Education Dr. Gail Joyner-Fleming gave the OCSD 5 board a rundown of their joint venture, called the Bridge Project, during a board meeting last week. The project will allow students in OCSD 5 and other school districts along the Interstate 95 corridor to take part in summer workshops.

It will also allow students to take the first part of the Praxis exam in high school. Aspiring teachers must pass the two-part Praxis exam to gain teacher ce.jpgication in the state. Joyner-Fleming said she hopes 100 students will pass the first part of Praxis and enroll at S.C. State.

"It will be expanded if successful," she said.

The state-funded program will begin this summer.

The board also recognized two students for winning the Lt. Governor's Writing Award Program for the district.

Desarie Hooks won the fifth-grade award while Pressley Stevens took home the eighth-grade honors. Both will take part in the S.C. Young Writer's conference later this year.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Nancy Ford reported a S.C. Department of Education external review team found the district met all standards.

Teams are sent to districts that receive an unsatisfactory rating on the state report card. OCSD 5 received unsatisfactory absolute and improvement ratings last year.

"The district displayed a sense of urgency to ensure student success by the adapting and pacing of the district curriculum," the report said.

It also commended the district for its leadership team's continuity and longevity.

"We do try to make it our business to do the best for OCSD 5," Ford said to the board.

Trustee Susan Gleaton said it will be nice when the state report card reflects the strong effort of the district.

Board Chairman Julius Page said he wants to strengthen the district's dress code policy in the future.

In other business:

* English/Language Arts Specialist Judith Johnson and Math Specialist Teresa Battle gave the board updates on the direction of the district's ELA and math programs.

* The board gave second reading approval to a policy revision regarding district employees suspected of misconduct or poor performance. It authorizes the administration to place an individual suspected of such actions on paid leave while an investigation is conducted.

* Sheridan Principal Xennie Weeks gave the board an update on the school.

* Assistant Superintendent for Finance Donnie Boland said the actual 2007-2008 budget was in line with the projected budget through the month of January.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060.

BNN unconfirmed rumor!

2008-03-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

BNN has been told that current SCSU faculty senate president, and interim chair of the department of education, Evelyn Fields, is not certified to teach in that area.

Is this true? If you know anything, please leave a comment below!

BNN Challenges the SCSU National Alumni Association

2008-03-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

The SCSUNAA wants to have control of 6 of the 13 SCSU Board of Trustee seats. BNN thinks that is a joke. The SCSUNAAhas less than 10% of the total SCSU alumni in its membership. And the organization is not experiencing any real growth. BNN challenges Patricia Lott, or any other officer in the NAA to provide the number of people who are members of the organization. Also show what the membership was over the last 5 years, so that we can see if you are doing a good job increasing the membership. The NAA wants all this power, but it cannot even get people to join!

SACS: SCSU accreditation not at risk

2008-03-05T10:51:00.001-08:00

By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer | Wednesday, March 05, 2008
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Contrary to the rumors, South Carolina State University's accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is not in any immediate danger.

"There's nothing on the horizon at this point that would cause them to lose that accreditation," said SACS Vice President Dr. Rudolph Jackson during a Friday phone interview. Jackson said that SCSU is a university in good standing with the organization.

SCSU will be up for reaccreditation by SACS in 2010. The next step for SCSU in the accreditation process is to submit a certificate stating that it is in full compliance with all SACS standards, Jackson said.

"I don't see any reason the institution shouldn't be able to do that," he said.

SCSU Board Chairman Maurice Washington hopes the news will allow the university to move on from the accreditation scare and focus on the important issues facing it.

"I consider that wonderful news. Now we can focus on what our students, faculty, staff and alumni want us to focus on, that being the 'Eye on America' as a gem in higher education; being named the Tom Joyner School of the Month, which we hope will raise $500,000 in scholarship funds for our students; the $650,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to provide full scholarships for students; President (Dr. Leonard) McIntyre's comprehensive security plan; his student growth committee to deal with the record growth we anticipate this fall and above all else readying the university for the next president," Washington said.

However, Jackson said he does have concerns about information he has received from third parties involving dissension among the university's supporters.

Some in the university community have grown increasingly concerned that the removal of former SCSU President Dr. Andrew Hugine in December and allegations of board micromanagement could jeopardize the university's accreditation.

The board voted by a 7-3-1 margin to not renew Hugine's expiring contract on Dec. 11 and to place him on administrative leave. The board tapped McIntyre to be the interim president while a national search is conducted to find a permanent replacement.

Jackson said his office has received letters and several newspaper clippings from individuals concerned about the direction of the university. He mentioned that his organization has received varying accounts of what is occurring on the campus.

SACS allows third parties to submit information regarding an institution to the organization as part of the accreditation process. No investigation has been launched by SACS in response to the information.

Jackson said that SACS is looking at issues at SCSU involving the separation of policy making and the administration.

"Those are very clear things we look at in terms of standards," he said. It is the SACS philosophy that an institution's board makes policy and the administration carries out that policy.

Jackson said Hugine's removal is an internal issue and that SACS looks at the way an institution is run as a whole.

During a hearing Wednesday on a bill sponsored by state Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, that would remove the current board of trustees, some voiced concerns that such a dramatic removal of board members could have an impact on the university's accreditation.

Washington, SCSU Faculty Senate President Dr. Evelyn Fields and Student Government Association President Jeremy Rogers all expressed strong opposition to the bill for that reason at the hearing. The House Higher Education Subcommittee did not take a vote on the future of the bill this week.

Opponents of the bill said it violated SACS standard 3.2.4, which states the board should be free from political influence and pressure in the decision-making process.

The SCSU Faculty Senate voted to oppose the bill during a Tuesday meeting. Fields denied she suggested during the meeting that the university could lose its accreditation because of the bill and that SACS visited SCSU for the sole purpose of discussing it, as Times and Democrat reported on Wednesday.

"I never said once that this bill could jeopardize accreditation," she said during a phone interview.

Jackson said that SACS never came to SCSU to solely discuss the bill. He also went on to say that the bill is a state issue and not an accreditation issue.

Jackson has met with SCSU officials and trustees several times on campus to discuss accreditation. He noted that the latest session on campus was not to look at anything in particular but to discuss concerns about what SACS has been hearing about the institution.

"It was a very informative session," Jackson said.

A university's accreditation status is tied directly to its students being able to receive financial aid, according to Jackson.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060.

Can someone at SCSU ask the man impersonating a softball coach why we only have 1 pitcher on the team?

2008-03-05T09:27:00.001-08:00

Fire this guy now!

SC State’s largest reunion class donation to fund teacher education scholarships

2008-03-05T06:30:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

SC State’s ‘Golden Class’ of 1957, contributed $122,000 to the University and recently decided how they wanted their gift to be used.

Class members, Geneva G. Heggins, Lena M. Dowling, Connie H. Terry, Thurman D. Shuler, Thea W. Cleckley, Rev. Leroy Thomas, Claude S. Terry and Ulysses Jarvis met with interim vice president for Institutional Advancement, Dr. Jackie Epps and assistant vice president of Development, Dr. John Berry to sign their gift agreement.

The class decided to place $100,000 in an endowment for teacher education scholarships; $10,000, to the College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences to be used to recruit teacher education majors and to assist education students to succeed on required certification examinations; $4,000 to the football program; $4,000 to the Miller F. Whittaker Library, and $4,000 to the Marching 101 band.

“Dr. McIntyre (then Dean) impressed upon us the need to support the University,” said Thea Cleckley, 1957 class member. “Our class, wanted to ensure that we leave a perpetual source of funding to support our future educators,” she stated.

“When I met with members of the Class, then as dean of the College of Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and presented to them the need for their support, I learned that they were visionaries, who wanted to ensure the continued success of SC State, most especially the teacher education program,” said Dr. Leonard A. McIntyre, interim president of SC State University. “I sincerely thank the Class of 1957 and all who support SC State by providing scholarships to deserving University students,” he continued.

“I am extremely euphoric to be a member of the Class of 1957 and to be a part of the sizable monetary contribution that we made to my Alma Mater,” said class member Thurman D. Shuler who supported the effort by donating the largest single gift by a class member, more than $30,000.

“As a Christian, I adhere to the principle of caring and sharing. As a retired educator, I believe in giving back to the community, especially to those individuals and institutions that so caringly molded me in to the person I am. I shall always be a loyal, supporting son of South Carolina State University and will always sing her well-deserved praises,” Shuler continued.

The 1975 Class Reunion Committee, officially organized in 1982 has historically been a close group of SC State supporters. They keep in touch, and involved in each others lives via a newsletter called Tidbits. Published bi-annually, class members share their accomplishments, changes in their family, children’s marriages, grandchildren’s births, and of course, sometimes deaths.

“Our closeness isn’t something that’s new,” said Ulysses Jarvis, class member. “We held hands, studied together, borrowed each others books, and now we are collectively giving back to the University that has given us so much,” Jarvis said.

“More than 77 individual class members contributed to the $122, 000,” said Connie H. Terry, 1957 Class Reunion Committee Chairperson since the group organized in 1982. “Our class received acknowledgement for making the largest reunion class contribution in 1997 and 2002,” she continued. “Our class was challenged and we extend a challenge to other classed to give to our Alma Mater.”

Hendrick leaves SCSU for South Florida

2008-03-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer

For the third time in four years, South Carolina State will be seeking a new defensive coordinator.

Defensive coordinator John Hendrick, who arrived at SCSU following a five-year stint as Benedict head football coach, has been hired as the new defensive tackles coach at South Florida. The University of Pittsburgh graduate, who was a former All-Big East Defensive Lineman, joins a fledgling Football Bowl Subdivision program which made great strides last season in reaching as high as number two in the Bowl Championship Series rankings.

The move also reunites Hendrick with South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt, whom he worked with for two seasons at Kansas State in 1991-92. Hired to replace Tom Evangelista last March, Hendrick led a group which ranked second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in points allowed (19.6 points per game) and total defense. Previously, he was a defensive assistant at a Mississippi State which led the nation in total defense in the mid-1990s.

"Sometimes when you hire these guys, really good guys, they’re really in demand," SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough said. "When these Football Bowl Subdivision schools come after you and they really want you, they really make an offer you sometimes can’t refuse. I think John enjoyed his time here, but they just made him an offer he couldn’t refuse."

Hendrick’s departure creates a third vacancy on Pough’s coaching staff. He declined to renew quarterbacks coach Jonathan Pry’s contract following the season and wide receivers coach Tony Elliott accepted an offer to coach at Furman University two weeks ago.

Pough said he hopes to fill those vacancies in time for the start of spring practice March 24 and is not worried about the potential of losing them down the road.

"We’ll continue to hire top notch guys, guys that other people want," Pough said. "As long as that happens, we have either got to do one or two things. We’ve got to step up to the plate and try to find ways to keep them or expect that they’ll continue to be lured away. But I think you get the best out of them while they’re here and just continue to hire great people."

"As Seen on TV" for Inventor/Entrepreneur and SC State Alumnus

2008-03-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

"As Seen on TV" for Inventor/Entrepreneur and SC State Alumnus

A product developed by a SCSU graduate launched yesterday through a national direct response television campaign. To view the TV commercial and product go to www.FreeFromOdor.com, or click the link above. The unique and powerful odor controlling chemistry in the FREE! Oxi-Odor Eliminating product was discovered, patented and developed by SCSU alumnus Eric McGill (B.S. '94). Let's support our fellow Bulldog by buying the product and telling others about it.

SCSU alumni spotlite: Carlos Cave

2008-03-04T05:53:00.001-08:00

North's Cave takes Battery Creek job
By BRIAN LINDER, T&D Sports Editor | Tuesday, March 04, 2008
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As far as "big" days go...Monday was huge for Carlos Cave.

Around 8:30 Monday night his wife had a daughter, and earlier that morning he got confirmation that he had been approved to be the head coach of the Battery Creek Dolphins.

"It's been a long day to say the least," Cave said Monday night. "There is a lot of opportunity with this chance to coach on the 3-A level so I am looking forward to that."

Cave, who led North High School for the past two seasons, takes over for former Edisto head coach Doc Davis who headed the Dolphins for just one season. On the field, Battery Creek has lost 25 consecutive games, although they were awarded a victory after Fort Dorchester was forced to forfeit its game from the past season for dressing an ineligible player. Cave said turning Batter Creek -- which drops from 4-A to 3-A this upcoming season -- around will be a challenge, but said he was encouraged after meeting with the players.

"The situation reminds me a lot of Beaufort High School when it was struggling," he said. "Coach (Mark) Clifford came in and changed the mindset. I think they went 13-1 that first year and were a game away from the state championship. I am not saying that is going to happen, but we will win some games, and we will be competitive.

"The kids are hungry. The kids are extremely hungry. The kids I met already are ready to put in the work to do what it takes to get the monkey off their back. They are better than the losing streak. They have some very talented kids. It just hasn't happened for them, but I am excited about going there with the kids remaining and doing something."

Cave led North to a 3-8 record this past season. The Eagles qualified for the playoffs, losing 44-8 to Whitmire in the first round.

"I had two years with the Eagles, and in a perfect world I would still be there," he said. "I really enjoy the people I work with there, and I enjoy the kids. I just hate the fact they have to hear what I am going to do without telling them first. I am going to miss the kids and the community. I had some good things going on, and I felt like this year was going to be the year we took another step.

"We are leaving some good things for whoever gets that job," he continued. "I definitely am going to miss that tailback (Terry McFadden). He is a special kid. If I had a team full of McFaddens I wouldn't go wrong. It bothers me to leave him there knowing how good of a kid he is and not being able to coach him through his senior year."

T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be contacted via e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553. Check out his blog, Welcome to Linderland, at www.thetandd.com.

SC State Bulldog HS Invite Info

2008-03-04T01:55:00.000-08:00

Below please find information pertinent to the 2008 Bulldog High School Invitational. For the complete package (all three items) please click on the .pdf below. For the individual letters contained in the .pdf click on the microsoft word document.

THESE LINKS ARE FOUND BY CLICKING THE ABOVE TITLE LINK.

SC State Golfers Finish 5th at FAMU Invite

2008-03-04T01:54:00.001-08:00

TALLAHASSEE, FL – The South Carolina State men’s golf team carded a 36-hole team total of (309-310) 619 to finish fifth at the eight-team Florida A&M Spring Invitational which concluded Sunday at the Par 72, 6998-yard course at the Killearn Country Club.

Coach Richard Arrington’s team was unable to improve its position from Saturday when they were also fifth after the first 18 holes.

Spearheading the SC State effort was senior Matt Gilliard, who finished 15th with a 10 over par (76-78) 154. He was followed by teammates Robert Biggers (79-76), Cory Jozefiak (97-76), and first-day team leader Hector Arroyave (75-80), all at 155. Also participating for the Bulldogs was Aaron Robinson who had a (85-85) 170.

Bethune-Cookman, who was tied with Johnson and Wales after the first round, took nine strokes off its first day card of 292 with a 290 Sunday to win the event with a 36-hole total of 582.

Johnson and Wales was at (292-299) 591, followed by host Florida A&M with a (310-299) 609, Thomas University at (308-307) 615, with the Bulldogs rounding out the top five.

Savannah State was sixth at (312-312) 624, followed by Morehouse, two strokes back at (301-325) 626, and Winston-Salem State at (332-327) 659.

SC State Men's Tennis Improves to 8-1

2008-03-04T01:53:00.000-08:00

CLEMSON, SC – The South Carolina State men’s tennis team defeated Dubuque (Iowa) University 7-0 Sunday to earn a sweep of its three matches at the Clemson Tennis Spring Classic. A scheduled fourth match against Emory was cancelled, according to Bulldog head coach Hardeep Judge.

Sunday’s win, coupled with identical 6-1 victories over Austin Peay and Southern Mississippi Friday and Saturday, respectively, gave the Bulldogs a perfect 3-0 record in the 15-team field and pushed their overall record to 8-1 on the season. SC State is 3-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs won all six singles and swept the three doubles match in dominating Dubuque.

The SC State men resume their schedule Mar. 8 against Longwood in Charleston SC.

SC State Track Teams Open Outdoor Season Strong

2008-03-04T01:52:00.002-08:00

Savannah, GA—The SC State Bulldogs Track Teams had an impressive showing at its first outdoor meet of the 2008 season. The teams competed in the Savannah State Eye Opener Meet in Savannah, GA on Saturday, March 1.

The 4x400 meter relay team of Shari Sampson, Tempest Vance, Lauren Lawson and Shaneka Lee was the top producer on the women’s side. The team finished first with a time of 3:56.39. Individually, Ashley Maddox and Lee finished first and second in the high jump with jumps of 1.78 meters (5-06) and 1.71 meters (5-04) respectively. Renee McWilliams finished second in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 14.51.

On the men’s side, Garrett Blakely and Jahwaun Blair finished first in the 400 meter dash (48.51) and the shot put (50-03) respectively. Brian Coleman finished second in the shot put with a throw of 45-11 while Levar Knight finished second in the triple jump with a distance of 13.55 meters.

“For the first meet of the outdoor season, I feel that both teams did well,” said head coach Tyree E. Price. “We opened the season better than anticipated despite being shorthanded.”

Both teams will have a week off before traveling to Atlanta, GA to participate in the Morehouse Relays on March 13. The SC State track teams will host the SCSU Bulldog High School Invitational on Saturday, March 8. Information about the high school meet can be found on www.scsuathletics.com; click on men’s or women’s track link.

SC State Women Rally for 67-59 win over FAMU

2008-03-04T01:52:00.001-08:00

TALLAHASSEE, FL – South Carolina State’s Sophilia Hipps had 24 points, all but three in the second half, and Marie Reid added 20 to lead the Lady Bulldogs to a 67-59 come-from-behind win over Florida A&M Monday night at Gaither Athletic Center.

Coach Tonya Mackey’s team outscored the host 39-21 in the second half to bounce back from Saturday’s heart-breaking 54-43 loss at Bethune-Cookman and improve to 12-15 overall and 9-7 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The difference in Monday’s victory and the one-point loss at Daytona Beach Saturday was the Lady Bulldog perimeter shooting, according to Mackey.

“We have a strong inside presence with Marie (Reid) and Jenell (Moore)” Mackey said. “And most of the teams in the conference recognize this and try to do things to try and shut us down inside.

“But tonight,” she continued, “We got a big game from Hipps on the perimeter. In the second half, it was like she was in a zone. On Saturday, Marie had 26 points against Bethune-Cookman on the inside, but we could not buy a basketball from outside. When we get strong scoring both inside and from the perimeter, I think we can contend with any of the teams in our conference.”

The Lady Bulldogs trailed by 10 – 38-28 -- at the half and fell behind 43-29 when Joslyne Jackson, who had 14 points for FAMU, scored on a spin move with 17:26 left in the contest.

Reid scored two of her points at the 17:01 mark but Stephanie Foster, who led the Lady Rattlers with 19 points in the contest, countered with two free throws to build the margin to 14 points again with 15:48 showing.

Reid then made one of two from the line with 15:32 left and followed with a layup to trigger a 19-8 run that pulled SC State to within 53-50 with 9:37 showing. Consecutive baskets by FAMU’s Foster pushed the Lady Rattler lead to 57-50 with 7:20 left but the Lady Bulldogs would close out the game with a 17-2 run.

Evette Young, who had 15 points in the contest for the host, would score the Lady Rattlers’ final basket on a layup with 5:06 on the clock, give her team a 59-57 advantage after seven straight Lady Bulldog points, all by Hipps had deadlocked the contest at 57-all with 6:03 on the clock.

After Young’s bucket, Hipps nailed her fourth 3-pointer of the game to give Mackey’s team its first lead of the contest – 60-59 – with 4:43 left.

The Lady Bulldogs got a lay up from reserve Sasha Sales, a three-point play from Hipps and a Hipps layup off a feed from Reid to close the contest on a 7-0 run for the final margin.

The Lady Bulldogs end their regular season Thursday in a 5:30 p.m. home contest against Winston-Salem State.

SC State Men's Track Continues to Build for Next Season

2008-03-04T01:51:00.001-08:00

Orangeburg, SC—Head Coach Tyree E. Price has today announced an additional signee for the 2008-09 cross-country/track season. Mason Gould, Jr. has signed a National Letter of Intent to run for the Bulldogs next season.

Gould, distance runner from Benjamin E. Mays High School in Atlanta, GA joins teammate Quinton Green as the second runner from Mays High School to sign with the Bulldogs.

“Mason will add a much needed depth to our growing distance program,” says Price. “I like his enthusiasm that he shows for the sport and his desire to get better. He is still young to running but with his work ethics will make improvements as the year goes on.” Price continued, “Mason as well as the other signee's are all part of the new innovative towards greatness of a program.”

More than 40 seek presidency of SCSU

2008-03-04T01:24:00.000-08:00

By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer | Tuesday, March 04, 2008
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South Carolina State University has a large, diverse pool of applicants desiring to be the university's 10th president, says SCSU Board of Trustees Chairman Maurice Washington.

"We're very encouraged," Washington said after the SCSU presidential search committee emerged from a 2.5-hour executive session Monday morning.

Washington, who also chairs the search committee, said more than 40 applicants have filed for the position.

No deadline has been established for the committee to stop receiving applications, but its members will begin reviewing applications on March 24. The university has set a target date of July 1 to name a new president.

SCSU's top administrative position has garnered interest from current and former university presidents, vice presidents, deans and individuals from the corporate sector, Washington said. The search has generated responses from across the nation.

Academic Search Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based firm, is assisting the university with the search. Thus far, Academic Search says SCSU's list of potential presidents is very impressive, Washington said.

He said that with the high quality of the candidates the position has attracted, narrowing down the field will be a tough task. However, that is a good problem to have, Washington says.

"We want there to be some difficulty in terms of narrowing the field," he said.

Washington said that during the executive session, the committee discussed the qualities members desire in the new president, as well as the need to keep the candidates' names confidential at this juncture. He said that ensuring the transparency and fairness of the process was also discussed.

Qualities the committee would like to see in the new president include: the ability to raise funds and put together a strong team, an understanding of higher education and a strong background in finance and leadership.

By the end of March, the committee hopes to narrow the field to between eight to 10 candidates.

On April 19, the committee will begin conducting preliminary interviews to further whittle down the field to five candidates or less. The names of those finalists will be made public and the candidates will be invited to campus, to be further interviewed and meet with community stakeholders.

At that point, the SCSU board will take over the process to find a permanent replacement for former President Dr. Andrew Hugine. The SCSU board decided to not renew Hugine's contract last December and placed him on administrative leave. Trustees tapped Dr. Leonard McIntyre to serve as interim president.

The committee's next meeting is scheduled for March 31.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

Coach Smalls, your softball team is 0-12 on the season and has been outscored by a total of 115-19. You have not had a winning season in years.

2008-03-01T00:27:00.001-08:00

PLEASE RESIGN! MRS JOHNSON, IF HE WILL NOT RESIGN, PLEASE FIRE HIM. PRESSURE IS MOUNTING!

TIme to make a change Charlene. There is no way to defend Smalls still being the coach....

2008-03-01T00:07:00.000-08:00

South Carolina State Softball Drops Two to Furman

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

Orangeburg, SC – The South Carolina State softball team dropped a double-header to the inter-state foe Furman University, losing 14-0 and 9-0, in a non-conference match-up at Lady Bulldog Field.
In Game One the Lady Bulldogs (0-12) battled with the Paladins (5-7) through six innings, finding themselves down by only four, 0-4, entering the top of the seventh inning. Furman put up 10 runs in the top of the seventh and held SC State scoreless in the bottom half of the inning thus winning Game One, 14-0.
Game Two was all Furman, as they scored in four of five innings. The Paladins put up four runs in the first, three runs in the second, one run in the third and one run in the fifth to down South Carolina State 9-0.
Lana Mackey was the winner in Game One and Bethany Ulrich picked up the win in Game Two. TaTreka Polite and Channell Thompson were the losers in Game One and Two respectively.
South Carolina State will have a week off before returning back to action on March 8-9 when they host the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Coppin State at the 2008 Lady Bulldog Tournament.

Here is how the FCS HBCUs stacked up for 2007 in home attendance:

2008-02-29T06:10:00.000-08:00

1. Southern University, ranked #6 in FCS; 18,913 average attendance; 5 home games, 78.81 accumulated percentage of stadium capacity. Record: 7-3* (* game w/Grambling on 11/24/07).

2. Norfolk State University, ranked #7 in FCS; 17,220 average attendance; 6 home games, 62.17% of stadium capacity. Record: 8-3

3. Tennessee State University (OVC), ranked #8 in FCS; 16,278 average attendance; 4 home games, 24.17% of stadium capacity. Record: 5-6

4. Jackson State University, ranked #11 in FCS; 16,100 average attendance; 6 home games, 25.75% of stadium capacity. Record: 7-4* (* in SWAC championship game w/Grambling).

5. Florida A&M University, ranked #12 in FCS; 15,193 average attendance; 4 home games, 59.58% of stadium capacity. Record: 3-8

6. North Carolina A&T, ranked #15 in FCS; 14,245 average attendance; 5 home games, 67.83% of stadium capacity. Record: 0-11* (27 game losing streak)

7. South Carolina State, ranked #19 in FCS; 13,206 average attendance; 4 home games, 60.03% of stadium capacity. Record: 7-4

8. Arkansas Pine Bluff, ranked #24 in FCS; 12,542 average attendance; 3 home games,
209.04% of stadium capacity. Record: 4-7

9. Grambling State, ranked #25 in FCS; 12,448 average attendance; 3 home games, 63.51% of stadium capacity. Record: *8-2 (has Southern and SWAC championship game w/Jackson State remaining to play).

10. Alabama State, ranked #28 FCS; 11,138 average attendance; 4 home games, 45.28% of stadium capacity. Record: 5-6

11. Prairie View, ranked #48 FCS; 7750 average attendance; 3 home games, 129.17% of stadium capacity. Record: 7-3.

SCSU Presidents Report

2008-02-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Click the link above. Good job Dr. McIntyre.....keep these coming!

Spotlite on SCSU alum: Jim Clyburn

2008-02-29T05:56:00.000-08:00

Clyburn named one of many "Best Representatives for Children"
By T&D STAFF | Friday, February 29, 2008
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Washington, DC - Sixth District Congressman and House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn today thanked the Children’s Defense Fund Action Council (CDFAC) for naming him one of the “Best Representatives for Children.” The CDFAC today released its 2007 Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard, which grades every Member of Congress based on key votes affecting children, and Congressman Clyburn voted to protect the health and well being of South Carolina’s children 100 percent of the time. Congressman Clyburn achieved this distinction by voting to support the first increase in the minimum wage in a decade, access and quality improvements in Head Start, and additional funds for student loans.

“My service in the Congress is about improving the lives of people, and especially children, in the Sixth Congressional District,” Congressman Clyburn said. “Many of the initiatives included in the Children’s Defense Fund scorecard were on the Congressional agenda because of our new leadership team’s focus on strengthening our families in meaningful ways.”

“I applaud Congressman Clyburn for his commitment to improving the lives of children in South Carolina,” said CDFAC President Marian Wright Edelman. “With 9.4 million uninsured children in America and nearly 13 million living in poverty, it is critical that we have Representatives committed to making children a priority. Congressman Clyburn is a dedicated advocate for children and has truly earned the distinction of being one of the best Representatives for children.”

The Children’s Defense Fund Action Council educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventative investment before they get sick or into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown. The CDF Action Council began in 1969 and is a private, non-profit organization that has never taken government funds.

Gumbel's "Eye" to focus on SCSU

2008-02-29T05:40:00.000-08:00

Gumbel's "Eye" to focus on SCSU
By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer | Friday, February 29, 2008

South Carolina State University will once again be in the national spotlight when it is featured on the syndicated television talk show "Eye on America," hosted by Greg Gumbel.

The university will be acknowledged as a "Hidden Gem in Higher Education" during the program. The segment on SCSU will be around five minutes in length and is set to air sometime in the spring.

SCSU trustees received good news in a number of areas during their board meeting Thursday.

The university announced it received a five-year grant totaling $654,533 from the U.S. Department of Energy to provide full scholarships for six students in hopes of recruiting them to work at the new Savannah River Site mixed oxide facility after graduation.
The university was also named the "Tom Joyner School of the Month" for March. Tom Joyner is nationally known radio personality and his show has an audience of about 8 million listeners per weekday.

Joyner will assist SCSU in getting scholarship contributions from national corporations by featuring the university on his radio program during the month.

SCSU officials also unveiled a campuswide security and surveillance system to trustees. The computer-controlled system enables first responders to make an accurate assessment of any situation that should arise on the campus.

The system cost $500,000, Vice President of Financial Affairs John Smalls said.

The university is also working to beef up campus lighting to improve safety and to help the surveillance system ide.jpgy potential criminal activity.
SCSU interim President Dr. Leonard McIntyre said there is a grave need for a comprehensive security plan. While the new system is a step in the right direction, McIntyre says the planning for handling an attack such as the ones that occurred at Virginia Tech or Northern Illinois is far from complete.

"I shudder to think if something like this should happen on this campus. I'm not sure we would be prepared," he said.

SCSU Police Chief Greg Harris said the university is as prepared as most other institutions for such an incident.

The university is looking to improve ways to n.jpgy people in case of such an event, Harris said. He said two large sirens may be placed on campus that would be activated in an emergency. Harris said the university is also developing a plan to deal with an active shooter on the grounds.

McIntyre said the university is deploying a student growth committee to deal with a projected enrollment increase in the coming year. The committee will look for ways to provide sufficient faculty, housing and financial aid, among other items.

Smalls announced that bidding for the long-awaited restoration of historic Lowman Hall will soon be underway and construction is slated to begin this summer. The budget for the project is $7.5 million.
SCSU board Chairman Maurice Washington encouraged each trustee to sign a disclosure form for the upcoming internal audit. The trustees and administrators said they will do so.

"We take very seriously our duties and responsibilities and we do so in a transparent way," Washington said.

He said that the presidential search process should be closed by in March and the target date for naming a permanent president will be July 1.

Washington said trustees already have a good pool of applicants.

"(We are) very exciting about this process," he said. The presidential search committee will meet Monday morning.

Where does SCSU rank in all this?

2008-02-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

A Banner Year for Endowment Growth at the Black Colleges

The National Association of College and University Business Officers reports that from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007, the typical college endowment fund increased its value by 17.2 percent. The universities with the largest endowments of over $1 billion did even better. They posted an average growth of 21.3 percent.

The historically black colleges and universities traditionally achieve smaller than average gains in their endowment funds. But for this year at least, many of the historically black colleges and universities outperformed the nation’s wealthiest universities in endowment growth. Howard University continues to have the largest endowment of any black college or university. As of June 30, 2007, its endowment stood at $523,690,000. This was a whopping increase of 23.5 percent from a year earlier.

Hampton University in Virginia had endowment resources of $257 million as of June 30, 2007. This is the third-largest endowment among the black colleges. Hampton’s endowment grew by 18.1 percent from the earlier year. This bested the national average.

Several other historically black institutions in the NACUBO survey outperformed the nation’s wealthiest institutions. This year the Morehouse School of Medicine endowment grew 22.3 percent to $56.4 million. Bethune-Cookman University saw its endowment increase by nearly 21.2 percent in the July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007 period. Virginia State University posted a 23.5 percent increase in endowment value over the past year.

SCSU Should follow a similar process in getting its law school

2008-02-28T19:02:00.001-08:00

Presybterian College trustees approves pharmacy school
Presbyterian College plans for first class in 2010
By JAMES T. HAMMOND - jhammond@thestate.com
Related Content
Pharmacy Facts
CLINTON — Presbyterian College trustees voted Wednesday to create a college of pharmacy to eventually serve about 300 students.

“The college has a pervasive commitment to providing graduates who go on to serve their community,” president John Griffith said. “Preparing people to serve the state and region in pharmacy where there is a critical need is one factor.

“The second factor is that our graduates have been very successful in medicine and pharmacy,” he said. “And a third reason is that from our analysis, it appears to be a good business decision.”

Presbyterian College expects startup costs for the pharmacy college to be $7 million to $10 million, half of which he said already has been pledged as a gift to the college from a donor he declined to identify.

Bob Staton, executive vice president for external relations, said he expects the college to spend two years organizing itself before it admits its first class in the fall of 2010.

Activities during those two years, he said, would include hiring a dean to run the college, and beginning the accreditation process, which would last until after the school graduates its first class in 2015.

Staton said no one has been identified as a possible dean.

The pharmacy school would be a four-year program. Presbyterian College is considering a formula they call two-plus-four that would allow a student at the college to apply for admission to the pharmacy college after completing two years of undergraduate study.

Some students earn an undergraduate degree before applying for pharmacy school, but the Presbyterian program could allow students to earn their pharmacy degree in just six years instead of eight years.

Staton said he expects the tuition for the pharmacy school to be $26,000 to $30,000 a year.

Current tuition, room and board for undergraduate students at Presbyterian College is about $36,000 a year.

The new school, however, is not expected to be on the school’s campus in Clinton. Instead, it could be at a yet undetermined location in Clinton, or elsewhere in Laurens County, or as far afield as Greenwood, Greenville or Spartanburg counties, Staton said..

Clinton has buildings that could be adapted to house the pharmacy school, he said.

“We would like for it to be in Clinton, if we can make it work,” said Staton, adding that “we have a short list” of potential locations. Staton declined to identify those locations.

“This is a competitive situation,” Griffith said. “We have a great deal of loyalty to Laurens County. This area has been very good to us. But in the final analysis, we must make the best decision for the school of pharmacy.”

Reach Hammond at (803) 771-8474.

112th Founders’ Day

2008-02-28T07:28:00.000-08:00

“SC State: A University With A New STATE Of Mind”

Founders’ Day Activities 2008

Saturday, March 1, 2008

6:00 p.m.

BOOK SIGNINGS

SC State Faculty, Retirees, and Community Authors

MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS

“Harlem on My Mind Part II: 1940-1968”

“Hubble Space Telescope: New Views of the Universe”

FELTON LABORATORY SCHOOL REUNION

featuring

Eugene H. Robinson

I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium

Orangeburg, South Carolina

presented by

Friends of the I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium and

Friends of the Miller F. Whittaker Library

Sunday, March 2, 2008

4:00 p.m.

112th FOUNDERS’ DAY PROGRAM

“SC State: A University With A New STATE Of Mind”

Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center

Orangeburg, South Carolina

~Speaker~

Eugene H. Robinson

Associate Editor and Columnist

The Washington Post

Not SCSU news, but HBCU news....should SCSU do something similar? Thoughts?

2008-02-28T07:15:00.000-08:00

Reconsidering Open Enrollment
Two historically black colleges that have long been open to any student who graduates high school or passes an equivalency test could be changing their admissions policies if their presidents get their way.

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George T. French Jr., president of Miles College, in Alabama, has charged a task force with reviewing the institution’s open enrollment policy with the aim of “creating a more stringent, selective admissions process,” according to a statement from French.

The group is looking at enrollment patterns of peer institutions and expects to make a recommendation to the president this academic year, with the possibility of putting a new admissions policy in place by as early as the fall, according to the university. Trustees must first sign off on the decision.

French said in the statement that the college’s “liberal” policy of admissions has served the college well, but that it’s time for a change.

“We are serving a different clientele and in a different arena than the past,” his statement says. “Additionally, serious-minded students should be given the benefit of matriculating with peers who share similar values and are serious about their education. While it is not the college’s goal to exclude, we have a responsibility to our students, faculty and staff to cultivate an atmosphere which is safe, civil and conducive to learning.” (That last reference is, perhaps, explained by the fact that Miles had a recent shooting on its campus.)

Geraldine W. Bell, a professor and director of Miles’s Learning Resource Center, who heads the task force, said the committee of mostly faculty and administrators will probably consider what role high school grades and standardized tests should play in admissions decisions, as well as whether the college should require an essay.

“I hope that we can improve the quality of students who are attending — those who are interested in obtaining a higher education,” Bell said, adding that it’s her impression that some students there lack the motivation needed to succeed.

Department of Education statistics put Miles’s graduation rate at 50 percent.

John M. Rudley, president of Texas Southern University, has indicated that he’d also like to see changes to his institution’s open enrollment policy in order to increase its sagging graduation rate, which the department lists at hovering around 12 percent.

“A university shouldn’t have to accept anybody with a GED,” The Houston Chronicle quoted Rudley as saying. “That means they didn’t complete high school but they can come here without the same preparation as others and then be expected to compete.”

That article quoted a Texas Southern professor as saying that many alumni and parents would be unlikely to go along with the change.

Proponents of open enrollment typically argue that the policies are in line with some colleges’ missions of serving the most academically needy students.

The conversation comes at a time when Texas Southern is on a 12-month probation from its accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, for failing to comply with standards relating to governance, financial management and other administrative issues.

The university said in a statement that the issues raised by SACS aren’t related to its academic programming and are a reflection of “past troubles.”

Rudley, who began as president earlier this month, replaced Priscilla Slade, who was fired after being charged with using hundreds of thousands of dollars in university funds for personal purchases. (An interim president had been in place since late 2006.)

Coach Smalls Coach Smalls Coach Smalls......Charlene Charlene Charlene.....

2008-02-28T06:13:00.000-08:00

SCSU softball drops doubleheader
By SCSU Sports Information | Thursday, February 28, 2008
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The South Carolina State softball team dropped a doubleheader to the Oakland University (Michigan), losing 9-2 and 9-0, in a non-conference matchup at Lady Bulldog Stadium.

In the first game, the Lady Bulldogs (0-10) battled with the Golden Grizzles (3-5) through six innings, finding themselves down by only two, 2-4, entering the top of the seventh inning. Oakland put up five runs in the top of the seventh and held SC State scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to win 9-2.

The second game was all Oakland University as they scored in three of the five innings. The Golden Grizzlies put up three runs in the third, two runs in the fourth, and four runs in the fifth inning to down South Carolina State 9-0.

Jessica Granger was the winner in game one, and Alison Transel picked up the win in game two. TaTreka Polite was the losing pitcher in both games for the Lady Bulldogs.

South Carolina State will return back to action this Friday, Feb. 29 when they host Furman. First pitch of the double-header is set for 1 p.m. at the Lady Bulldog Field on the campus of SC State.

Rhetoric heats up over SCSU board seats, actions

2008-02-28T06:03:00.000-08:00

By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer | Thursday, February 28, 2008
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What started as a hearing on a bill that would remove the current South Carolina State University board transformed into a verbal sparring match between State Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, and SCSU Board Chairman Maurice Washington.

"I will gladly compare my integrity to yours any day," Govan told Washington during a House Higher Education Subcommittee meeting Wednesday in Columbia.

The two traded jabs over numerous subjects regarding the university, including its accreditation, the removal of former SCSU President Dr. Andrew Hugine and the merit of Govan's bill.

The subcommittee met to discuss Govan's bill, which would remove the current board of trustees by July 1. The bill would also set up a new process for selecting trustees, with six trustees elected by the General Assembly, six chosen by the SCSU National Alumni Association and the governor selecting one. If the bill becomes law, current board members could be reelected to the board.

Currently, 12 trustees are selected by the General Assembly and one is selected by the governor.

The subcommittee made no decision on the future of the bill Wednesday.

During the hearing, Washington said the board does what is in the best interest of SCSU. He said because the board went against lawmakers who wanted to retain Hugine, the bill was created to micromanage the board.

"Is there any board in the state that has that responsibility and is second guessed?" Washington asked the subcommittee.
The board decided not to renew Hugine's contract on Dec. 11 and placed him on administrative leave until his final day, Jan. 4.

Govan, an SCSU alumnus, insists the bill is not a retaliatory measure against the board for ousting Hugine, but instead is designed to give the university's stakeholders more say in the board selection process. He said Clemson University and The Citadel use similar board selection practices.

The university's reaccreditation in 2010 was central to the debate between Washington and Govan.

Washington claimed that Govan's bill would jeopardize the university's accreditation because it violates Southern Association of Colleges and Schools standards regarding the board being free from political influence and pressure.

Govan said the board has already violated SACS standards by micromanaging the administration.

Washington said he understands how some people might feel that way, but the board was simply correcting the university's significant financial woes at the time.

"If folks want to interpret that as micromanagement, that's their problem," he said.

Govan, in turn, questioned how Washington and the board could take credit for turning SCSU around and at the same time claim they did not run the institution.

"You can't have it both ways," he said.

Washington said the credit should be shared collectively between the board, administration, faculty, staff and students.

"The institution takes credit," he said.

Washington cited a conversation he had with SACS Vice President Rudolph Jackson about Govan's bill impacting SCSU's accreditation. SCSU Faculty Senate President Dr. Evelyn Fields said members of SACS recently came to campus to speak with the administration and trustees about the bill, which was filed on Jan. 23.

A letter from SACS dated Dec. 20 of last year asked the SCSU administration to address the following: "As you are aware, allegations have been made through the local press and other media outlets in Orangeburg, including public statements from an elected official related to trustees overstepping their authority. These comments further amplify the apparent discord between the administration and board members at SCSU."

Govan emphasized the phase "further amplify" in that statement to suggest that SACS had already ide.jpgied a disconnect between the board and the administration.

The university's interim president, Dr. Leonard McIntyre, responded in a letter dated Jan. 17, stating: "The enclosed materials demonstrate that S.C. State University has a number of policies and procedures in place to ensure that governance is a shared responsibility between the administration and its governing body, the S.C. State board of trustees."

Govan then accused Washington of shifting the board's responsibility for jeopardizing accreditation onto him for filing the bill, which currently has 33 sponsors in the House.

"To imply it is our fault is an insult to my intelligence," he said.

In regard to high turnover among SCSU presidents in the last 20 years, Washington said Clemson University and the College of Charleston have had similar presidential turnovers. He also noted that the average tenure for a college or university president is five years. Hugine served nearly five years as SCSU president.

Several individuals spoke before the subcommittee both in favor and against the bill.

SCSU National Alumni President Patricia Lott said the bill would restore public confidence in the SCSU board. She submitted a petition supporting the bill that she claimed had 1,400 signatures on it.

"I ask each of you if not now, then when?" she said.

Fields spoke against the bill, saying "What will be the consequences when the next board falls out of favor, and it will."

The Faculty Senate voted to oppose the bill during a special called meeting Tuesday.

Following the proceedings, Washington made rounds, shaking hands with subcommittee members. The mood was amicable until he reached Govan. The two were seen having a heated discussion, with Washington repeatedly pointing his finger toward Govan's chest.

Also discussed during the hearing was a bill, also sponsored by Govan, that would prohibit college or university trustees from accepting jobs at the institutions they serve until they have been off the board for at least four years.

Govan has also introduced a bill that would allow out-of-state residents to serve on state college and university boards.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

SCSU tennis teams keep rolling

2008-02-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

By KENDRICK D. LEWIS, SCSU Assistant SID | Wednesday, February 27, 2008
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The SC State men's and women's teams continued its winning ways with the Bulldogs posting a 2-0 record, while The Lady Bulldogs went 3-0 in tennis action this past weekend.

Coach Hardeep Judge's men's team defeated Bethune-Cookman (7-0) and Winston-Salem State (7-0) on Saturday, while the Lady Bulldogs posted wins over Savannah State (4-1), Winston-Salem State (7-0) and Bethune-Cookman (6-1).

With the wins both SC State men's and women's team improve to 5-1 overall, 3-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The Bulldogs defeated Bethune-Cookman 7-0, winning a clean sweep in doubles at the No.1, No.2, and No.3 slot to take a 1-0 lead. SCSU picked up single victories from Ivan Milivojevir (6-1, 6-1) at the No.1 spot, Dmitry Lomakin (6-4, 6-2) at No.2, Radek Pivonka (6-3, 6-2) at No.3, Gabriel Meana (6-4, 6-2) at No.4, David Grund (6-1, 6-3) at No.5 and Tomas Dobrotka at the No. 6 spot.

SC State would then go on to defeat Winston-Salem State 7-0, winning all three doubles and six singles.

On the women's side the SCSU defeated Bethune-Cookman sweeping all three doubles. Picking up single victories were Marcela Rodezno (6-0, 6-0) at the No.2 spot, Sarai Torres (6-1, 6-2) at No.3, Andrea Davidova (6-2, 6-4) at No. 4, Daria Sekerina (6-2, 6-2) at No.5 and Chun Amy Chen (6-0, 6-1) at the No.6 spot.

The Lady Bulldogs only loss came at the No.1 slot Mirian Cruz was defeated by Bethune-Cookman's Monika Musilova (3-6, 6-4, 1-0). SCSU would then go on to defeat Savannah State 4-1and Winston Salem State 7-0, winning all three doubles and six singles.

SC State men will return to action on Saturday in the Clemson Invitational a three-day event hosted by Clemson University. The Lady Bulldogs will travel to Davidson, NC

to take on Davidson University on Friday in a 3 p.m. match up.

Brantley Evans: Since you apaprently are not very good at doing your job, lte BNN help you. Click the link here and see how DSU is upgrading

2008-02-26T11:28:00.000-08:00

Maybe it will cause you to get up and do your job. Probably not though, looking at the way you got the job in the first place.

Project
Strength & Conditioning Addition and Wellness Center

Owner
Delaware State University
1200 N. DuPont Highway
Dover, DE 19901

Architect
Holzman Moss Architecture
214 West 29th Street Tower
17th Floor
New York, NY 1001

Size
Strength & Conditioning Facility
2-Story
13,500 sf Footprint
17,388 sf Total

Wellness Center
2-Story
25,782 sf Footprint
43,474 sf Total

Type
New

Cost
$21 Million

Time Frame
Strength & Conditioning Addition
begins January 2007
Anticipated Completion August 2007

Wellness Center begins Fall 2007
Anticipated Completion December 2008

Specifics
The Strength & Conditioning Addition and Wellness Center are new one and two story sports complexes and recreation facilities for Delaware State University.

The Strength & Conditioning Addition is Phase I of this project. The addition will be located to the north of the existing DSU Basketball Gymnasium. The addition will include a 2-story tall entry and lobby with ticketing area and 9,000 sf of open strength and conditioning area for the students. The facility will also include two team locker rooms, new offices and support space.

The Wellness Center is Phase II of the project. This new 2-story building will be south of the existing DSU Basketball Gymnasium. It includes a re-use of the existing gym from the current facilities as well as adding an additional gym and many more training and exercise opportunities for the student population. The Center will include a 2-story entry Lobby/Social Lounge with a Juice Bar. There will be two full sized gymnasiums, a 1/8 mile elevated indoor jogging/walking track, two exercise/multipurpose rooms, two large fitness and weight training areas as well as large locker rooms with a laundry area and equipment room. There will be offices and administration areas for faculty and staff.

S.C. State trustee hopefuls say they'd welcome audit

2008-02-26T06:05:00.001-08:00

By LEE TANT, T&D Staff Writer | Tuesday, February 26, 2008
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COLUMBIA - A panel of state lawmakers voted to approve all the candidates for seats on the South Carolina State University Board of Trustees Monday after grilling them about the Orangeburg institution.

The only incumbent trustee to go before the panel, Sky Foster, was asked directly about the high turnover of presidents at S.C. State over the past 20 years.

"When facts are in front of you, you make decisions based on those facts," Foster told Rep. Olin Phillips, D-Cherokee, chairman of the Legislative Screening Committee. Foster said she could not comment on the recent ouster of former SCSU President Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr. because of legal reasons.

Foster was one of seven trustees to vote against renewing Hugine's expiring contract in December. The board tapped Dr. Leonard McIntyre to be interim president while engaging in a national search for a permanent replacement.

She was elected to fill an unexpired term on the board in 2007, and is up for re-election this year. Foster is facing two challengers for her seat, Lancelot D. Wright and Ronald Hannigan.

Each candidate for the SCSU Board was asked if he or she would approve of an audit of the board, and all including Foster agreed they would welcome such an audit. State Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, has been clamoring for an audit of the board since Hugine's dismissal, claiming trustees benefitted from contracts they voted to approve.

Phillips asked Foster if Hugine's ouster could harm SCSU's reaccreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 2010. She said the proper staff is in place across the campus and the controversy surrounding Hugine's dismissal should not affect accreditation.

Wright is the president and CEO of National Direct Home Pharmacy, which he said employs many graduates of S.C. State. He said he would bring diversity and the ability to build relationships to the board.

Hannigan is a native of Bennettsville and retired educator. He, in addition to several members of his family, is a graduate of SCSU. Hannigan said he has experience working with budgets and would be a good ambassador who would get SCSU back on its feet.

Candidates vying for trustee positions at other public higher education institutions were barely questioned after giving the panel a brief statement. However, all candidates for SCSU Board seats were asked multiple questions. Phillips said the reason for the heavy questioning was to ensure that SCSU would continue to grow and be the viable institution that South Carolina needs it to be.

Six candidates alone are vying for the vacated seat of former trustee Col. John Bowden. Only Dr. Walt Tobin Sr. is up for former trustee Charles Williams' seat. Both Williams and Bowden resigned in protest following their fellow trustees' decision to oust Hugine.

Phillips said the election for SCSU trustees will likely be held in May. In the meantime, the candidates will seek support from members of the General Assembly who will vote on the three spots.

The following is a look at what candidates vying for Bowden's seat said before the panel:

* Robert Nance

Nance is the son of the iconic former SCSU President Dr. M. Maceo Nance. He said the university is a place he holds dear to his heart, noting that he has worked closely with it in his capacity as U.S. Congressman Jim Clyburn's district director. He told the panel he helped the university with two fund-raisers that garnered $1.7 million in donations.

"I have the knowledge and experience to begin working immediately," Nance said.

Nance said the university has had a lack of stability because of the recent trend of presidents coming and going from the university.

"I would like to serve to bring stability," he said.

Responding to a question about the SACS accreditation from Phillips, Nance said the SACS committee will definitely take a look at the high turnover of the university's presidents.

* Diane Talley

Talley is a graduate of SCSU and has a 20-year career in the education field. She said her experience in education will give her insight into the inner workings of the university.

In terms of fund-raising, Talley said it is important to seek donations from the local business community. She said she wants to serve on the board to have the opportunity to give back to her alma mater.

"The thing I love about SCSU is it has a strong history of producing great young people," she said.

* Ben Spearman

Spearman is a resident of North and has been in the telecommunication industry the past 25 years. He said SCSU has the unique opportunity to capitalize on the new economic development around the Interstate 95 corridor.

Spearman said he wants to serve to allow SCSU to take a lead in transportation planning in the state.

* Bryan Jeffries

Jeffries has his own law practice based in Orangeburg, where he was lived the past three years. He graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law, and he told the panel he has a variety of experience in serving on boards.

Jeffries cited his strengths as strong communication skills, possessing the ability to resolve conflicts and bringing a fresh perspective to the governing body.

"I want to be an advocate for the university in this critical time in its history," he said.

* Rico Snell

Snell is a 1995 graduate of SCSU and a native of Orangeburg who currently resides in Richland County.

He said his 15 years in corporate banking will help bring financial structure to the university. Snell said it is time to create a new legacy at SCSU.

"I would welcome the opportunity to serve my hometown," Snell said.

* Leslie McIver

McIver lives in Horry County and has a 40-year career in education. He is a graduate of Claflin University, but his wife and five brothers all attended SCSU.

He is a former member of the Conway City Council and currently serves on the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments.

McIver said he can build consensus at the university. He told the panel he had discussed SCSU's ups and downs with a friend from Conway and discovered the trustee spot was open through his brother.

* The following is a look at Walt Tobin Sr., who is the only candidate going Williams' former seat:

Tobin is an alumnus of S.C. State and is a retired school administrator. He is a former superintendent of Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5. A native of Blackville, Tobin said attending S.C. State was a transforming experience for him.

Tobin told the panel he has had a continuing relationship with the university since his graduation. He said he knows the issues, needs and assets of the university.

"Its an opportunity to give back," Tobin said of his candidacy.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060.

SC State Registers 97-86 Upset over Norfolk State

2008-02-24T09:38:00.002-08:00

ORANGEBURG— Sophomore guard Jason Flagler poured in a team-high 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while junior guard Jessie Burton added 20 points as South Carolina State (10-17, 6-7) pulled out a key 97-86 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win over Norfolk State (14-11, 10-3) at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center Saturday.

Burton scored 14 of his 20 points in the first-half, including a 3-4 effort from behind the three-point line, in the victory, the second in a row for Coach Tim Carter’s team which climbed to 10-17 overall and 6-7 in the league.

Leading the way for the Spartans, who came into the contest tied with Morgan State at the top of the MEAC standings, were junior forward Corey Lyons and senior guard Tony Murphy with 23 points each. Norfolk State fell to 14-11 and 10-3 in the league.

The host Bulldogs trailed by as many as nine in the first half and were down 47-42 at the break, but Carter’s team caught fire in the final 20 minutes, blistering the nets at a 63 percent accuracy and finishing the contest connecting on 55 percent of its shots.

A 22-7 run to start the final half turned a five-point halftime deficit into a 64-54 lead with 14:27 left in the game. Flagler had nine points during the spree. The Bulldog lead remained between eight and 12 points over the next eight minutes and climbed to 14, at 85-71, when Burton hit a driving layup with 4:59 on the clock.

The Spartans, who earlier handed SC State its worst loss in league play in several years – 97-71 at Norfolk Jan. 26 – came storming back and pulled to within 91-86 but by that time, less than a minute remained and the Bulldogs made six of eight from the line to pull away for the victory.

The win was the biggest of the year for the Bulldogs and could not have come at a better time for Carter and his team.

“We did not compete hard in the first half”, said SC State head coach Tim Carter. “We can’t win ball games playing pretty; we have to get after the basketball and when we do this, good things happen.

“Out of all our guys today, Burton has really stepped up his game,” continued Carter. “But it was a team effort. Norfolk State is a great team and one of the premier teams in the MEAC, so by no means did we get an easy win. Now we have to get ready for NC A&T, another good ball club, on Monday.”

SC State had five players in double-figures with Spencer tossing in 16 points, Julius Carter 14 and Jason Johnson 12, along with eight rebounds in the win.

SC State will return to action on Monday in a MEAC doubleheader with conference rival NC A&T. The women’s game will begin at 5:30 pm followed by the men’s contest at 7:30 pm.

SC State Women Defeat Norfolk State 83-60

2008-02-24T09:38:00.001-08:00

ORANGEBURG, SC – Center Marie Reid came off the bench for 16 points and added a career-high 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season to lead South Carolina State to an 83-60 triumph over Norfolk State Saturday at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

Guards Brittany Baity and Sophilia Hipps contributed 14 points and six assists each in the victory, the third in a row for Coach Tonya Mackey’s team. Jenell Moore, Rasheeda Jones and Patience Figgins added eight points each.

Moore and Jones also pulled down nine rebounds apiece for the Lady Bulldogs, who climbed to 11-13 overall and 8-5 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with the win, which gave Mackey’s team a sweep of the series this season. The Lady Bulldogs won 75-58 earlier at Norfolk.

The visiting Lady Spartans, who had just seven players for the game, were led by Danelle Tate, who had 24 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Raychele Payne added 11 points and Genor Dalton 10 for Norfolk State, which also got a team-high eight rebounds from Ebony Gibbs.

The visitors lost their fifth in a row and their six in the last seven outings to fall to 4-18 and 1-12 in the league.

SC State built a 39-29 lead at the half and was never seriously challenged thereafter.

Norfolk State closed the gap to eight points, at 41-33 with 17:22 left in the game, but the host went on a 22-10 run to stretch the margin to 63-43 with 9:38 remaining. SC State took its biggest lead of the game at 77-49 when Figgins converted a layup with 2:56 on the clock.

The Lady Bulldogs return to action Monday when they host North Carolina A&T in the first game of an MEAC doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Good luck coach Elliot.....you did a great job while you were here! We need to make a big splash naming his replacement. A good coach AND recruiter!

2008-02-23T08:43:00.000-08:00

Elliott leaves SCSU football staff for Furman
By BRIAN LINDER, T&D Sports Editor | Friday, February 22, 2008
Leave a Comment | Default | Large

South Carolina State football head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough confirmed Friday afternoon that Bulldogs wide receivers coach Tony Elliott had left to take the same position at Furman.

"It's a big loss for us," Pough said. "He has done a tremendous job, built great relationships with the kids and is an all-around quality guy. When you lose a guy of that quality it's tough, but we are going to try to replace him with somebody just as good or better."

Elliott spent the past two years at SCSU, and was a graduate of Clemson University where joined the Tiger football program as a walk-on. He lettered all four years at Clemson and was voted team captain in 2003. As a senior, Elliott caught 23 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown in helping Clemson to a 9-4 record that included a 27-14 Peach Bowl victory over sixth-ranked Tennessee.

"Tony Elliott is an outstanding young football coach who comes to us very highly recommended by eveyrone who has worked with him," Furman head coach Bobby Lamb said in release issued by the school. "He has strong state roots, is highly motivated and intelligent, and will be a fine role model and coach here at Furman.

"We are very pleased he is now a member of our staff."

Pough said SCSU had already contacted a potential replacement for Elliott, and that it would "take about another week to make it all come together,"

T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be contacted via e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553. Check out his blog, Welcome to Linderland, at www.thetandd.com.

BNN readers...your voices are heard!

2008-02-22T17:57:00.000-08:00

We have been asking for answers from our athletics administrators for years now. We finally get a response from the AD, as well as our marketing director. Just another set of examples of how your voices are heard through this site. BNN does not want to have to be the attack dog. But we will do what we have to do to get asnwers for you. We look forward to future responses from our athletics leadership.

Mrs. Johnson. Thank you for listing the goals. Now we would like to see the plans. A goal with no plan is just a dream. How do you plan to acheive the goals you have set?

Thank you for the response you gave. We look forward to future responses.

Thanks Mrs. Johnson. Please make this a regular thing

2008-02-22T17:53:00.000-08:00

A MESSAGE FROM THE AD

Charlene Johnson, AD

Dear Fellow Bulldogs:

Please allow me to thank you for your support of South Carolina State University Athletics over the years. As we continue our journey towards reclaiming our rightful place among the elite of the MEAC and earning recognition and acclaim outside of our conference, I felt the need to begin this dialogue.

Let me begin by sharing the Goals of the department.

GOAL #1 – To graduate athletes in a timely manner.

We are proud to say that every effort is made to graduate our student-athletes. – SCSU’s graduation success rate is 74%. Twenty five (25) students were Arthur Ashe Sports Scholars last year, the second highest in the nation, and twenty four (24) student-athletes graduated in the Fall of 2007.

GOAL #2 – To build self-disciplined and competitive teams.

We can no longer rest on the laurels of the past when it was inevitable that SCSU would reign at the top of the MEAC. We recognize that and commend the men and women’s teams for their championship feats. And, as we revamp our approach towards turning our programs around, we ask for your indulgence.

GOAL #3 – To meet academic and operation standards as set by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and South Carolina State University.

GOAL #4 – To serve as ambassadors for the University through Athletics.

Not only are our athletes expected to serve as ambassadors, but so are our athletics administrators and staff. We will certainly make ourselves available for alumni meetings, functions, etc. Please contact us at (803) 536-7242 or email me directly at cmjohnson@scsu.edu alerting us of your functions so that we may make plans to attend.

GOAL #5 – To promote life after athletics and a life-long relationship with the University after graduation via involvement in alumni chapters.

A database of former athletes is being updated in an effort to reach out to those who wore the “Garnet and Blue” in the past. Please help us by emailing your contact information to Ms. Valerie Dinkins at Vdinkin1@scsu.edu.

GOAL #6 – To solicit corporate sponsors to enhance varsity and non-revenue producing sports (watch for more specifics in subsequent web postings).

GOAL #7 – To devise marketing and advertising campaigns which encourage attendance at athletic events.

We need your help. Our goal is to get the information out early, giving alumni and supporters adequate time to make plans to attend athletic events We feel that we have a very attractive 2008 football schedule, and prices are affordable. Our athletes need to see our fans in attendance as they compete in all of our sports.

GOAL #8 – To enhance the professional development of the Department’s coaching staff.

Coaches are encouraged to attend conferences and clinics in order to stay abreast of changing coaching trends. In fact, it is part of the evaluation process.

GOAL #9 – To improve the physical facilities for identified varsity sports.

A Health, Wellness, Physical Education Activity and Sports Complex Task Force has been charged to explore the feasibility of building a facility to cover all aspects of our student population. In order to keep pace in the recruiting wars, we recognize that our facilities need to be upgraded.

This year the men and women’s basketball teams moved into newly-renovated locker rooms at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, where new laundry and training rooms were also added and a new gym floor installed. These upgrades come on the heels of the addition of the new scoreboard and artificial turf at the Stadium. So, as you can see, we are making strides but recognize we still have much to do.

There are still challenges ahead, as the football locker room, strength and conditioning and training rooms, as well as the track need immediate renovations. The department will continue to push forward towards renovations.

GOAL #10 – To administer a scholarship program for athletes.

GOAL #11 – To adhere to the University’s standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and fair play.

There is so much going on in the Athletics Department that I cannot begin to cover them all in this initial web post. But, please feel free to contact me via email or call me with concerns or questions that you have about SCSU Athletics. We need and want your support and we certainly welcome your input.

I will be attending the MEAC Basketball Tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina March 10-15, 2008 and will be available during the National Alumni Meeting being conducted in Raleigh in conjunction with the tournament. I will be addressing the group Saturday morning and can answer any questions that you may have.

Again, I can be reached at (803) 536-7242 or cmjohnson@scsu.edu. Thanks for your support and together we can make it happen!

Congratulations to former football All-American Edwin Bailey, who is scheduled for induction into the MEAC Hall of Fame March 12 in Raleigh, NC during the league’s Basketball Tournament and to former Bulldog athletics director Dr. Willis Ham, who will be inducted into the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) in June!

GO BULLDOGS,

Charlene M. Johnson
Director of Athletics

Elliott leaves SCSU football staff for Furman

2008-02-22T17:51:00.001-08:00

By BRIAN LINDER, T&D Sports Editor | Friday, February 22, 2008

South Carolina State football head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough confirmed Friday afternoon that Bulldogs wide receivers coach Tony Elliott had left to take the same position at Furman.

"It's a big loss for us," Pough said. "He has done a tremendous job, built great relationships with the kids and is an all-around quality guy. When you lose a guy of that quality it's tough, but we are going to try to replace him with somebody just as good or better."

Elliott spent the past two years at SCSU, and was a graduate of Clemson University where joined the Tiger football program as a walk-on. He lettered all four years at Clemson and was voted team captain in 2003. As a senior, Elliott caught 23 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown in helping Clemson to a 9-4 record that included a 27-14 Peach Bowl victory over sixth-ranked Tennessee.

"Tony Elliott is an outstanding young football coach who comes to us very highly recommended by eveyrone who has worked with him," Furman head coach Bobby Lamb said in release issued by the school. "He has strong state roots, is highly motivated and intelligent, and will be a fine role model and coach here at Furman.

"We are very pleased he is now a member of our staff."

Pough said SCSU had already contacted a potential replacement for Elliott, and that it would "take about another week to make it all come together,"

Official BNN response to Valarie Dinkins

2008-02-21T20:25:00.000-08:00

First of all, Ms. Dinkins, we at BNN appreciate your response. You didn't have to respond, but you did. And we appreciate that, as do our readers. At the end of the day, we all want what is best for SCSU.

To answer your questions, yes we do give. Every one of our BNN writers is a season ticket holder, even those who live out of state who can rarely attend games. Do we give, yes we do, not only of our time posting articles which SCSU fans care about, but also money, and other things.

We appreciate your service. We have said repeatedly here that maybe there is a marketing plan and other things. But you, in the athletics department, do not do a good enough job sharing that with the masses. Believe BNN when we say, we WANT to support you. But as stakeholders, we need information to keep us in the loop. Too many times in the past, we have been left out by Mrs. Johnson's staff. We have asked repeatedly for a "State of the athletics department" speech or article from our AD, describing new initiatives, such as the capital campaign for facilities you speak of. That is great. But why did it take an article attacking you for us to know? We know we cannot know the intimate details of EVERY action going on over there, but we need something to go on. SCSU fans, and BNN WILL support any campaign you offer. We just want to know what the plans are. Can you REALLY say that the level of communication coming from the athletics department is satisfactory in your opinion?

BNN apologizes for attacking your viability as a marketing director. We credit you for what you did as far as the scoreboard. We just are kept in the dark too much about what else you are doing, and we can help more if we know. Your response to this site is exactly what our fans have been wanting. We apologize for putting you in the position to have to defend yourself. You should not have to do that. But we, on the other hand, should not have to BEG for what other Universities freely give......information as to the plans, desires and overall strategy of our athletics department.

Again, BNN offers apologies for our attacks, our appreciation for your response, and our desire for a continued dialogue with you.

Continued Blessings to you.....

Bosshogg
Bosshogg
Bosshogg
Bosshogg
Bosshogg

Response to BNN article about Valarie Dinkins.....from Valarie Dinkins

2008-02-21T20:24:00.000-08:00

Greetings Fans and Supporters of the Bulldog Nation News. I am Valerie Dinkins, Director of Marketing for Athletics and former Interim VP of Institutional Advancement. I will be more than happy to discuss my track record, while employed with SC State University.

I am not afraid of real questions, real answers and real solutions. Yes, there is a marketing strategy in place and it's forthcoming.

For the record, I don't need Mrs. Johnson to let me just hang around. I am a skilled African American female that feels confident about what she brings to the table. I am a assest, not a liability.

I give, I support the University with my dollars. Do you contribute? Did you purchase a season ticket for football? Did you purchase a season ticket for basketball? If not, I encourage you to do so, because every dollar counts.

The program needs your help. One day we will launch a capital campaign for Athletic facilities, when this happens we need the donors to feel confident and good about giving to SCSU. You can help by not bashing the program with unfounded comments and inappropiate comments regarding staff. Negative press will continue to hurt prospective donorship, not the athletic staff.

In closing, I look forward to the overwhelming number of calls and emails I will receive as a result of this blog message. I would like to offer correct information on how to reach me. My email address is vdinkin1@scsu.edu, my cell number is 539-1457 and my office is located in Rowe Hall, Room 114.

Blessings,
Valerie

Is SCSU targeting Baker to replace Mackey?

2008-02-21T19:49:00.000-08:00

Colleges might try to steal SSU coaches Baker, Broadnax

Submitted by Noell Barnidge on Thu, 2008-02-21

Don't be surprised if Savannah State University women's basketball head coach Cedric Baker and men's basketball head coach Horace Broadnax pop up as candidates for other coaching jobs throughout the nation.

South Carolina State is rumored to be interested in pursuing Baker to fill the void that will be left by Tonya Mackey, who has announced that she will resign at the end of the season.

Baker has proven that he can take programs with less financial resources and turn them around.

Consider NCAA Division I SSU's record during Baker's tenure:
2007-08: 13-15 (with one game remaining)
2006-07: 12-17
2005-06: 4-24
2004-05: 6-22
2003-04: 6-20
SSU BEFORE BAKER ARRIVED:
2002-03: 3-19 (first season in Division I)
2001-02: 4-24
2000-01: 7-20
1999-2000: 7-17
1998-99: 15-14
1997-98: 3-24
1996-97: 4-23
1995-96: 14-14

Not since Tamica Smith's 1998-99 team has SSU won this many games. And not since Phillip Wallace's teams (105-38 record from 1990-95) has SSU consistently produced wins in double digits.

Wednesday night, Baker's Tigers beat North Florida to set a school record for most wins since joining Division I in 2002.

Last season, Baker's Tigers were named to the NCAA Division I Most Improved list.

Before coming to SSU, Baker was the head coach at Benedict College in Columbia, S.C., where guided the program to a 192-113 record. In 2003, Baker's team finished third in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Eastern Division with a 19-9 record.

Baker guided Benedict to back-to-back Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships in 2001 and 2002, and he was named EIAC Coach of the Year in 2002.

Before coming to Benedict, Baker was the head coach at Voorhees College in Denmark, S.C.

Baker guided Voorhees to a 114-85 record during his seven years at the helm. His teams won four EIAC championships and made three NAIA Division I national tournament appearances.

Baker recruits South Carolina. He knows South Carolina. He graduated from Voorhees in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and applied sciences. This season, Baker's Tigers crushed South Carolina State, 70-46, at Tiger Arena.

Broadnax has proven that he, too, can take programs with less financial resources and turn them around.

Consider NCAA Division I SSU's record during Broadnax's tenure:
2007-08: 13-17 (with one game remaining)
2006-07: 12-18
2005-06: 2-28
SSU BEFORE BROADNAX ARRIVED:
2004-05: 0-28
2003-04: 0-28 (forfeited four wins for using ineligible player, who was the head coach's son)
2002-03: 3-24 (first season in Division I)
2001-02: 2-26
2000-01: 4-21
1999-2000: 8-18
1998-99: 9-18
1997-98: 11-16
1996-97: 10-18
1995-96: 13-14
1994-95: 7-20
1993-94: 13-14
1992-93: 12-15
1991-92: 5-21
1990-91: 6-20
1989-90: 5-21
1988-89: 11-16
1987-88: 8-19
1986-87: 12-15

SSU men's basketball was a joke from the time Russell Ellington left after the 1984-85 season until Broadnax arrived, with the exception of the 1985-86 season when Jimmy Westley took over for Ellington and produced a 17-8 record. It was SSU's last winning season.

Before leaving his law practice to coach SSU, Broadnax was the head coach at Bethune-Cookman from 1997-2002.

During his second season at Bethune-Cookman, Broadnax was voted Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. His program was 1-26 during his first year and 10-9 in the MEAC in his second year.

Broadnax was named MEAC Coach of the Year a second time during the 1999-2000 season.

And anybody who knows college basketball knows about his playing career at Georgetown (1984 NCAA champions), so I won't even go into that.

So, SSU Tigers fans, don't be surprised if Baker and Broadnax start popping up soon as candidates for coaching jobs at bigger colleges with deeper pockets.

http://savannahnow.com/node/451631

Great job Coach Price!

2008-02-21T19:34:00.000-08:00

Mens Track Inks Another for 2008-09 Season

Orangeburg, SC—Nationally ranked hurdler, Marchello Sinkfield, has signed a national letter of intent to run for the SC State Bulldogs for the 2008-09 track season.
Sinkfield, from Douglas High School in Atlanta, GA, has various national and state rankings in the 110 and 400 meter hurdles. In the state of Georgia, Sinkfield has been ranked second and third in the 110 meter and 400 meter hurdles respectively. His nationally rankings include being ranked number eight and 17 in the 400 meter hurdles and number 11 and 35 in the 110 meter hurdles. His fastest times were clocked at 14.06 in the 110 meter hurdles and 53.97 in the 400 meter hurdles.
“We are ecstatic to have Marchello as a part of our program for the 2008-09 season,” says head coach Tyree E. Price. “He will add much vigor to the style of program that we envisioned when we arrived in June.” Price continued, “Marchello will come in and be a potent force to the Conference, Regional, and National Track & Field stage; the performances he posted during his junior year are great and we expect that he will do greater things in his season. We have definitely signed a “Blue Chip Recruit!”
Assistant coach Donald Cooper added this about Marchello; “As the last SC State MEAC Hurdle Champion Indoor and Outdoor, I believe Marchello has the qualities and opportunity to be the next dominate SC State hurdler in the MEAC.”

SCState Softball picked to finish near the bottom of the MEAC. Why is it that Coach Smalls is still on staff?

2008-02-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament champion
Howard University was predicted to win the 2008 MEAC Softball Championship, as voted on by the league’s
head softball coaches and sports information directors. Florida A&M were slated to finish first in the Southern
Division while the Bison were picked to win the Northern Division and the tournament title.
The Lady Bison finished the 2007 season with a 35-21 overall record and earned their first berth to the NCAA
post season tournament. They return six starters, three of which earned All-MEAC honors including senior
pitcher Dale McNeal, infielder/catcher Kristina Cordova and tournament MVP Courtney Young. Young was
one of three players to earn all conference honors as a freshman after leading the MEAC in doubles and RBIs
per game during a stellar rookie campaign.
Howard received 11 first place votes for a total of 101 points to earn the preseason honor.
Florida A&M earned the nod in the Southern Division after posting a 7-7 MEAC finish in 2007 and a 16-46
overall record. The Lady Rattlers received eight first place votes for a total of 78 points and will look to return
to their elite status after winning the tournament title in 2006.
The Delaware State Lady Hornets were selected to finish second in the Northern Division with 95 total points.
The Lady Hornets finished the 2007 campaign with a 10-4 MEAC record and 24-29 overall mark.
Hampton was predicted to finish third in the North, receiving 83 total points. The Lady Pirates dominated
conference play last year with an unblemished 14-0 MEAC record but suffered a tough blow closing out the
regular season after the death of head coach Tiny Laster. The Lady Pirates faltered in the championship losing
to both Howard and N.C. A&T.
The N.C. A&T Lady Aggies were picked to finish second in the Southern Division. The Lady Aggies
recovered after an early loss to Howard in the opening round of the championship tournament to compete
against the Lady Bison for the title. The Lady Aggies, who received 71 total points, finished the 2007 season
with a 9-5 MEAC record and 30-30 overall mark.
Norfolk State, Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State were predicted to finish third, fourth and fifth in the
Southern Division.
Conference play begins March 29 with all MEAC northern and southern teams pitted against one another. The
2008 MEAC Softball championship is scheduled for May 8-10 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex in
Orlando, Florida.
For the latest news on MEAC sports and events, log on to www.meacsports.com.

2008 Preseason Softball Predictions
As voted by the conference head coaches
And sports information directors

Northern Points MEAC Overall
1. Howard 101 10-4 35-21
2. Delaware State 95 10-4 24-29
3. Hampton 83 14-0 36-13
4. Morgan State 62 5-9 15-24
5. Maryland E. Shore 22 0-12 4-36
6. Coppin State 21 0-12 0-27

Southern Points MEAC Overall
1. Florida A&M 78 7-7 16-46
2. N.C. A&T 71 9-5 30-30
3. Norfolk State 69 13-1 26-25
4. Bethune-Cookman 55 5-9 22-36
5. South Carolina State 22 2-12 6-41

Psst...hey SCSU athletics administrators...need ideas for the SCSU Spring Football Game? Try this!

2008-02-21T06:11:00.001-08:00

For years, I have been going to spring football games all over the southeast. I've found when you go to places like UT, Alabama, Ole' Miss, and Florida the spring game is an event unto itself. Even TnSU has caught on and made the spring game an event the past couple of years by adding rumage athletic sales and other events to draw TSU fans from both near and far.

Yet, overall HBCU' are lagging far behind its contemporaries. There is no way that Divison one HBCU's should not have some sort of fanfare for their commercial fan base......Therefore, I propose that we, the fans should create a joint design for a Spring football day blowout by joining our spring football day ever!!!!

Here's my contribution!

Possible Schedule:

7AM-9AM Alumni breakfast

9AM-11AM Open House by individual colleges

11AM-12PM or 1PM-2PM Campus Tours

12PM-2PM Campus Cookout and Tailgate

12:30PM-4PM Family pavilion
1:30PM-3PM Alumni Flag Football game

3 PM-4:45 PM Pep Rally and Pre game meet and great

5PM-7PM 2008 Spring Game

7PM Tailgate give away contests (season tickets, university paraphernalia, single game tickets, )

7:30PM 5th Quarter (Band Performance)

The small details:

How to spruce up your spring football game

 Family pavilion (carnival type area for all) providing music, games, food and entertainment right outside football Stadium. Balloons, Face Painting

 Alumni association:

 Taste of (courtesy of local eateries)

 Post game meet and great (auto graph signings) and photo opportunities

 Marketing pack: including free spring media guide (for first 500 guests), poster with team leaders, coupons to promote buy university gear, upcoming season schedule, and a small souvenir. Already prepackaged for distribution

 Build website for info:

Game Day Web Cam
• Stadium Info
• Tickets
• Parking/Picnicking Policies
• On Campus RV Parking
• Parking Map
• Campus Map
• Important Phone Numbers
• Wireless Internet Access
• Lodging Guide
• Dining Guide
• City of
• Bookstore Hours
• Athletics Gameday Info
• Fight Songs
• Spirit Groups
• University Home page

 Align game with Baseball, Soccer, Track and Field or Softball all on same day as part of package

 Admissions Open House”: with T-shirts, Campus tours and Information booths

 Get local support by inviting community groups, local media and other interest groups.

From www.rattlernation.blogspot.com: Road trip will take FAMU to potential students (Good idea SCSU)

2008-02-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

FAMU President James Ammons will "hit road" on an eight-city tour across Florida from March 8-11, 2008, to meet potential students, parents, business executives and alumni. Ammons is on a mission to aggressively rebuild FAMU's enrollment and spread the university's message to potential donors and the corporate community.

“This tour will give us the opportunity to tell our story to people across Florida and help us continue to boost enrollment while recruiting some of the state’s best and brightest students,” said Ammons.

The tour will take Ammons and a team of administrators, recruitment advisors, and students to Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, Miami, Pensacola, Dothan, Ala., Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach and Sarasota. Ammons also will pay a visit to the homes of two high school seniors who have been offered full scholarships to FAMU for fall 2008.

“This is an excellent opportunity for me to personally meet students and tell them why they should attend Florida A&M University,” said Ammons. “Florida is a very competitive market in terms of choices for higher education, and I want students, parents and supporters to understand that FAMU has something very unique to offer.”

Psst! Hey Brantley....yeah you, SCSU's supposed AD over facilities...you see how this guy makes announcements to the public about what he is doing?

2008-02-20T11:13:00.000-08:00

It works.....try it......BNN is not comparing the money in this article....but the fact that the AD actually lets the public in on what they are doing.....people are more willing to give when they understand the plans....

West Zone's next phase may start by spring
Football operations could move in for 2009

Published: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 2:00 am
By Ed McGranahan
STAFF WRITER
emcgrana@greenvillenews.com

Bids on the second phase of the project are due Feb. 28, said Robert Rickets, associate athletic director for facilities and grounds. If everything falls into place, work could begin "around the first week in April," he said, and football operations could move in time for the 2009 season.

Clemson reached its $27 million goal during a WestZone Initiative capital campaign , said Bill D'Andrea, senior associate athletic director for external affairs, allowing the athletic department to proceed with plans to raise money for the third phase.

Cost of the total project will exceed $70 million and could approach $80 million. The first phase ran more than $40 million and was funded through private donations, the assistance of IPTAY, existing athletic department funds and state-issued bonds.

Ricketts said the budget for the project won't be revealed until a contractor is secured, but the scope includes all the elements of the football operations currently spread from the Jervey Athletic Center to the McFadden Building.

New training, equipment and strength and conditioning facilities will be either added or expanded on the ground floor of the Westzone. The facility has been used the past two seasons for game-day operations.

The entire facility will be outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. The strength and conditioning area will cover roughly 13,000 square feet.

Offices for the coaches and the football support staff will be housed on the second floor.

In addition, there will be separate rooms for offensive and defensive meetings, each position will have a meeting room as it does now in McFadden, and there will be a video support annex.

"The plans are for completion by April of '09," Ricketts said. "I would hope we would have them moved by July."

Ricketts said it would require another season of working around the construction.

"This time it should be not nearly as difficult as it was last time," he said. "Because of the location of the construction, it impacts the home team a little more."

The centerpiece of the third phase is the oculus and a museum.

"We have placed the initial renderings in the hands of the fund-raisers," he said.

D'Andrea said he anticipates an August kickoff for fund-raising.

Join the STATE Club and do your part to help SCSU athletics!

2008-02-20T11:01:00.000-08:00

Click the link above to go to the membership form!

Ujimaa Dancers & Drummers of S.C.S.U. presents "A Beautiful Coffeehouse",

2008-02-20T10:53:00.001-08:00

The Ujimaa Dancers & Drummers of S.C.S.U. presents "A Beautiful Coffeehouse", Feb. 22nd,2008 at 7pm, In The Fine Arts Recital Hall.

Prepare yourself for a night of creative art, deep "spoken word", smoothe "riffs", hypnotic beats and colorful talent.

There will also be vendors with exotic spoils from the east & Tropical Refreshments to be served in the lobbey before the show... An event for the entire family.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission is $5 for all seats.

SCSU alumni need to give back

2008-02-20T10:25:00.000-08:00

One of our readers left us a comment asking us to write an article about how SCSU alumni need to give back more. They do. Right now, only 9% of SCSU alumni actually give back to the school. That is sad. part of that is apathy from the SCSU alumni base. Many people have just lost touch with the school and the school does not do enough to reestablish contact. One of our BNN writers receives a alumni guide asking for money and giving updates as to what’s going on on Furmans campus.....she did not go to FURMAN! Her name is similar to a guy who did, and they sent her the stuff anyway. SCSU does not do enough to keep people informed on what they do. What’s going on with the Clyburn Center construction? When will construction start on the new engineering building? If people felt more in touch with what is going on, they would give more.

But some of the lack of giving comes from a lack of confidence in our leadership. Who would want to give money to Charlene Johnson? First of all, she rarely gets out and ask for it from anyone...but even if she did, I would be hesitant to give her any money seeing as she has no strategic plan on what to do with it. I would write a check to coach Pough personally and denote on it what it is to be spent on before I gave her the money and made it out to SCSU athletics....BNN questions if she would know what to do with it.

Yes...SCSU alumni giving is low, but so is SCSU's effort to increase it. You got to do more than have a fish fry SCSU. Go out and observe what successful fundraising entities do, and emulate it. For people like Charlene, emulate means to see something and then do the same thing you just saw. That means if School A is good at raising money for athletics, then go see how they do it. Then come back to SCSu and do the same thing, or something close. Now go back to Allendale and rest. We at BNN know that the big words make you and your fellow associate AD's heads hurt. We'll only give you one today. Today's word for you is EMULATE.

Tomorrow's is RESIGN.....look it up, see what it means...and then please, for the love of SCSU...DO IT!

Athletics department org chart.....is there one?

2008-02-20T10:14:00.000-08:00

Who works for who over there?

What are each of our 2 associate AD's in charge of? Do they each have definite responsibilities? If so, what are they and how are they held accountable? What is their success criteria?

Who do the coaches of our sports go to when they need something? Is it Charlene, or one of the associates? Has that even been made clear to our coaches?

We have 3 people working in the Sports Information Department. Bill Hamilton, Romanda Noble, and Kendrick Lewis. Who covers what sports? Why can't we get some articles on the SCSU athletics site about more than just game scores? Why not informative pieces about our athletes, or proposed facility upgrades, or at least the occasion article from our AD about the State of the Program? maybe because our out of touch AD doesn't know the state of the program? that is very possible.

BNN will continue to expose truths about our athletics department administration until something is done about them!

BNN on why Valarie Dinkins needs to go

2008-02-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

She used to be the Director of Athletics marketing, then she was the Interim VP of Institutional Advancement....of course that was after the whole Mechelle English situation......now Dinkins is back in athletics marketing....but what is she doing?

Does SCSU athletics have a marketing strategy? Do we do any marketing for our spring sports? She has been in this position at least a year. What are her deliverables to Charlene? Is she making them? Just another person in that department that Charlene keeps around that does little or nothing constructive.

Is she working with the head coaches of our programs on how to market all of them...from football to bowling?....no? THEN WHAT IS SHE DOING!!!!

People...start asking your own questions....stop letting people get a free ride at the expense of SCSU!

Want to know what she is doing? Give her a call or email...get your own answers

Valerie Dinkins
Director of Athletics Marketing
vdinkin7@scsu.edu
803-536-8578

SCSU needs to get involved in this and not miss the boat

2008-02-20T05:39:00.001-08:00

Bowman area could draw $1 billion investment
By GENE CRIDER, T&D City Editor | Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Leave a Comment | Default | Large

BOWMAN - Two groups with competing plans say they want to develop 1,200 acres near Bowman into a business center that could eventually draw $1 billion in investment.

World Trade City Orangeburg LLC plans a mixed-use logistics center combining office and exhibition space with warehousing and distribution facilities, according to The Charleston Regional Business Journal. The company, which has ties to China, seeks to attract manufacturers around the globe to the site.

But a separate developer, Fred Frankel, says he wants to build a mixed-use development including housing, a country club, office building, and warehousing and manufacturing space.

Orangeburg County is "a great area," Frankel said in an interview Tuesday. "The location between Charleston and Columbia is excellent. It's not too far to get to the port. It has good infrastructure, good roads."

State Sen. John Matthews, D-Bowman, said Tuesday night that he could not comment on any specific project, but said Orangeburg County's investment in infrastructure is drawing interest to the area dubbed the "Global Logistics Triangle."

"We're beginning to see the results," he said.

Both groups want to develop land owned by SuperSod and the Weathers family of Bowman. World Trade City Orangeburg LLC has the property along Interstate 26 under contract.

Jim Roquemore, who heads SuperSod, was one of the partners who sold land to Jafza International in the Santee area. Dubai-based Jafza is planning to build a $600 million to $700 million logistics megahub there that could create an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 jobs.

S.C. Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers, one of the owners of the Bowman land, said the sale has not been finalized. However, he said he has been impressed with the World Trade City Orangeburg LLC partners.

"Their business plan, along with the people involved, is a pretty good combination," he said.

That partnership includes Mark Condon, former executive director of the South Carolina World Trade Center; Jimmie Gianoukos, president and CEO of ATS Logistics; Dean Allen, broker-in-charge of World Trade Realty LLC and Richard Weiser, president of the Weiser Companies, according to the Journal.

The partnership's plans call for a $100 million mixed-use logistics center in the first, 1,200-acre phase. The project could expand to cover 3,300 acres, with the total investment reaching $1 billion over 10 to 15 years, according to The Journal.

The Journal reports the development will consist of four zones: a mixed-use zone, a zone focused on distribution and logistics, a manufacturing and logistics zone and a zone with "high-end" residential development.

"What we want to do is turn 'Made in China' back into 'Made in America' by inviting Chinese manufacturers to establish facilities in Orangeburg," Summer Xia, president of World Trade City Orangeburg, told the Journal.

Frankel's plans include a residential core with office buildings and a business park. It would expand beyond the core to include manufacturing and logistics.

Despite Tuesday's announcements, Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson would not provide details about the plans.

"We don't comment on projects we may or may not be working on," Robinson said.

Why Charlene Johnson Must Go

2008-02-19T17:43:00.000-08:00

BNN is really getting tired of writing the same story.

An athletics director is supposed to provide leadership and overall direction to the department. BNN feels that Charlene provides no direction, nor do any of her associate athletics directors. She has continued to let losing coaches like the softball coach remain on staff, and has continued to allow a marketing director to remain on staff who has shown no marketing strategy to improve the awareness of the athletics programs. BNN is told that she was integral in getting the money for the scoreboard. OK...What have you done for me lately.

Do we have facility upgrade plans? Or at least a list of our facility priorities? Do we have plans on how to increase our overall revenue stream, or our season ticket sales?

Most of all, do we have a criteria in place to evaluate the performance of athletics officials? I think not, because if we did all of our athletics administration would be gone. It really angers us here at BNN to see the potential of our athletics programs, but then to know that our athletics leadership does little if anything to spport them. We have an AD that monst people in the business community cannot even identify. She should be out everywhere drumming up support and money for the programs. She should be out there everywhere working with marketing people on how to get more exposure for our programs. Figuring out how to increase ticket sales.

She should be hungry..but we see how it would be easy to get complacent when you have had a job in a athletics department for over 25 years and you haven't had to do much of anything. Why start now? When you have gotten by doing little or nothing for so long, we can see how it might be hard to break that habit. We see how she could accept losing from so many coaches for so long. BNN feels that Charlene Johnson must go. Her contract is up next year, but she could easily be reassigned to some other duty.

BNN will work to ensure that our next president takes a good look into our athletics administration. We have some great coaches. But they have no leadership from Mrs. Johnson. Imagine if we did. We might actually win some MEAC all sports trophies again.

Click here to read an interesting report on SCSU

2008-02-19T07:29:00.000-08:00

Click the link above

Time Warner VP to speak at SCSU

2008-02-19T05:37:00.000-08:00

By T&D Staff | Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Charlene Keys, vice president for operations and voice with Time Warner Cable's South Carolina Division, will be featured this week in South Carolina State University's Executive Speaker Series.

Keys will speak at noon Wednesday in the fourth floor auditorium of Belcher Hall. She will share with students a lecture entitled "Essential Toolkit for the 21 Century Executive." The lecture is open to the public.

Keys joined Time Warner Cable in 2004 as vice president and general manager of voice, responsible for leading the launch and management of the division's residential voice service.

She is now vice president of operations and voice for Time Warner Cable's South Carolina Division. In this position, she oversees business operations, construction, technical operations, quality assurance and service delivery for voice, video and data products. She is also responsible for the division's wireless line of business.

Prior to joining Time Warner Cable, Keys served as managing partner/co-founder of Civature Consulting, Inc., a management consulting firm in Atlanta. She also served in senior management positions at KMC Telecom, MCI WorldCom Inc., Ameritech, Inc. and Sprint Corp.

Keys has a bachelor's degree in business from the University of the State of New York in Albany and a master's degree in business administration from Mercer University in Atlanta.

Carter Leads Bulldogs to Victory over Howard

2008-02-18T19:24:00.001-08:00

Washington, DC—February 18---Julius Carter scored a game-high 19 points, including a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line, to lead South Carolina State to a 74-61 win over Howard University in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men’s game at Burr Gymnasium.

Carter and Carrio Bennet each scored 11 first half points as the Bulldogs took an early advantage and led, 40-29 at halftime. Eugene Myatt led the Bison with 8 points in the first 20 minutes.

SC State increased the lead to 56-42 in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but the Bison put together an 8-0 run that got them to within six at 56-50 with 7:49 remaining. Then turnovers and botched opportunities reared their ugly heads again it allowed the Bulldogs to up the margin to 64-51 with 5:07 remaining. Carter was a key factor during the run.

“I was extremely proud of how the team withstood the run,” said SC State head coach Tim Carter, whose team was coming a heartbreaking loss to Hampton on Saturday. “Julius played extremely well and Thomas Bookman gave us some outstanding minutes off the bench.”

Howard, however, was still not done as the Bison rallied with an 8-1 run that cut the deficit to 65-59 with 1:52 still left on the clock.

But again, the Bison were plagued by bad decisions and missed free throws. After making 8 of 11 from the charity stripe in the first half, Howard missed 9 of 17 after intermission.

“We have to make our free throws,” lamented Howard head coach Gil Jackson. “We have guys going to the line that we think can make free throws, but they end up missing them. I don’t know if it’s lack of confidence, fatigue or lack of poise.”

Jackson continued, “We spent a lot of effort trying to come back. We don’t seem to have the poise to complete a run. A lot of the players are trying to do things by themselves. And you have to give them (SC State) credit. They hit some big shots.”

The Bulldogs (9-17 overall, 5-7 in the MEAC) were able to hit their free throws, converting 9 of 11 in the second half. Carter and Bookman were a combined 11-for-11.

“When you are on the road like this, it is important that you make your free throws,” said Carter (no relation to the coach). “All I was thinking was that I had to knock them down.”

Randy Hampton scored 12 of his 17 in the second half for the Bison while Myatt also tallied 17 and Adam Walker just missed a double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds.

Bennett chipped in with 14 for the Bulldogs and Bookman had 13.

Reid Powers SC State Women to Easy Win over Howard

2008-02-18T19:23:00.001-08:00

Howard Sports Information

Washington, DC — Marie Reid came off the bench to score a career-high 31 points and lead four players in double figures as South Carolina State rolled to an easy 106-78 win over Howard University in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women’s game at Burr Gymnasium.

The Lady Bison overcame an early first half, 14-point deficit to get within three at 34-31 at the 4:14 mark. Howard guards Shannon Carlisle (10 points) and Asha Santee (9 points) combined to get their team within striking distance during a key run.

But that was as close as Howard would get as Reid (10 points) and Sophilia Hipps (13 points) helped the Lady Bulldogs regain momentum and take a 47-36 lead to the locker room.

“Our defense was able to get us close, but we let up and took some bad shots,” said Carlisle, who had another fine outing with a team-high 18 points to go along with 7 assists and 5 steals. “When you get behind like that and your shots don’t fall, this is what happens.”

With Reid and Jennell Moore dominating inside for SC State, guards Brittany Baity and Hipps were able to get good looks from the perimeter as they combined on 8 of 16 from the floor, including 5 of 8 from the arc. That balanced attack proved to be too much for the Lady Bison to overcome.

Howard (3-21 overall, 2-9 in the MEAC) tried to get back in the game via the three-point shot, but the team misfired, missing 40 of 49 attempts. The guards Reyna Gross, Carlisle, Santee, Lonice Kenley and Zykia Brown combined for 49 attempts from beyond the arc among them.

Reid, a 6-4 sophomore, who hit on 14 of 17 from the field in 25 minutes of play, affected the game plan for both teams.

“Howard is one of those teams we match up with well,” explained SC State Coach Tonya Mackey. “Marie was able to get shots inside the paint and that was a big part of our success. It is a nice luxury to have her come off the bench and give us what she gives us. It is her comfort zone.”

“We wanted to make it a 94 feet game, but they were able to get points off their half court sets and that gave us problems,” said Howard Coach Cathy Parson. “The difference was the play in the middle.” Howard was able to force the visitors into 33 turnovers that it converted into 24 points

SC State (10-13 overall, 7-5 in the MEAC) shot 63 percent from the field, held a 58-33 rebounding advantage and dominated points-in-the-paint, 62-26.

Santee finished with 15 while Kenley and Tamaya Daniels tallied 10 and 11, respectively off the bench.

Hipps scored 24, Moore 20 and 13 rebounds and Baity 12 for the Lady Bulldogs.

NEXT UP: SC State hosts Norfolk State next Saturday at 1 pm while the Lady Bison will try to re-group when they travel to Baltimore, MD to take on Morgan State University next Saturday at 2 pm.

Our great AD, Charlene Johnson, has agreed to move our game with FAMU from oct 4th to the 18th, to help FAMU and Southern...what do we get for it AD?

2008-02-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

FLORIDA A&M SPORTS ROUNDUP
SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE • ROOM 204D • GAITHER GYM • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32307 • 850.599.3200/561.2701

FLORIDA A&M, SOUTHERN FOOTBALL
GAME NOW ON 2008 SCHEDULE
Resolution of schedule issue will allow rivals to play October 18

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Feb. 18) – Florida A&M University, in co-operation with officials from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and member schools, announced Monday the resolution of a conflict on their 2008 schedule which will allow them to play Southern University in Baton Rouge.

The two longtime rivals will play in A.W. Mumford Stadium on the Southern campus on October 18, 2008, a move from the originally contracted date of September 20.

Florida A&M will now play 12 games in 2008 with the addition of the Southern game, with one open date on September 13.

FAMU President James Ammons and Athletic Director Bill Hayes worked for the past several weeks with MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas and South Carolina State Athletic Director Charlene Johnson to move the Rattlers’ October 18 home game with SCSU to October 4, paving the way for the Southern game to be played.

“We want to express our thanks to Commissioner (Dennis) Thomas and Ms. Charlene Johnson and her staff at South Carolina State for working with us in this matter,” said President Ammons upon announcing the resolution.

“The FAMU-Southern series has a rich tradition behind it, dating back to the 1940s, and it is extremely popular with the alumni and supporters of both schools, so we felt it important to do all we could to preserve the relationship between us by working out this situation,” Ammons concluded.

With the recent expansion of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, an additional league game was added to all schedules, causing a shift in play dates beginning with the 2008 campaign.

Since the FAMU-Southern contract was agreed to prior to the 2007 season, the newly-aligned MEAC scheduling format was not taken into account.

The new MEAC schedule alignment eliminated the open date that FAMU had on the third week in September for the past several years, causing the conflict.

The result left the Rattlers with road games at both Southern University and Howard University on September 20.

Additionally, the agreement between FAMU and Southern was to have begun in 2007, but both schools agreed to put the four-year deal on hold for one season to accommodate the SWAC/MEAC Challenge in Birmingham, Alabama last year.

BNN challenge to Brantley Evans, our supposed AD in charge of facilities

2008-02-18T06:21:00.000-08:00

Yeah...we are calling you out Brantley...
when you were hired, you supposedly were incharge of facilities....for those of you who forgot, here is an excerpt from the article announcing his hire (you can go to that article by clicking the link above):

Once Evans accepted the job offer and began work on July 19, he subsequently gave up his trustee slot, where he most recently served as chairman of the athletics committee.

“This is an opportunity to serve the university in a different capacity,” he said.

Evans' duties have him working more closely with SCSU athletics director Charlene Johnson and puts him right in the epicenter of issues involving the improvement of athletic facilities. Not only will Evans oversee renovations, upgrades and remodeling projects taking place at the university, but will also oversee academic enhancement, strength and conditioning and serve as the executive director of an athletics foundation to provide additional assistance to the school's athletics programs.

Where is that athletics foundation? Where are the facility upgrades? the one that you did oversee ran late (field turf installation)

Yes, BNN is saying it. We think Brantley is doing very little if anything productive in the athletics department. We think he should have never gotten that job. We think the job was created for him, since it didnt exist before he got it. We think that Evans, as well as whoever is in charge of marketing are getting away with robbery, and are just 2 examples of people with positions in the athletics department (and on campus for that matter) who dont need to be there. Imagine the types of recruits we would get if we didnt have a high school weight room. Imagine if we had a modern gym.

Yeah Brantley...BNN thinks you are a joke of an AD, and we hope that your contract is not renewed. We don't know when it expires, but we know that Charlene's expires in June of 2009. BNN will continue to expose the facts of your hire, and your lack of effort, until we have some AD's who care about the marketing and promotion of the program. And not just sitting back and collecting a paycheck. BNN hopes our new president does a good evaluation of all athletics administration. if so, you know that you will be looking for a job Brantley.

Yeah Brantley.....its personal.....

Are youready to come home to SCSU Tyquan?

2008-02-17T10:34:00.001-08:00

Mickens takes leave from The Citadel
February 16th, 2008 by Brian Linder Former Bethune-Bowman standout Tyquan Mickens, the 2006 Class 6A Player of the Year, has left The Citadel due to personal reasons, according to The Post and Courier (Charleston).

Mickens played in eight games for the Bulldogs last season and was in on three tackles.

The "STATE" newspapers rankings of SC small school recruiting classes

2008-02-17T08:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.thestate.com/recruiting/story/309725.html

They have it ranked as follows with the key recruits.

1. Furman
BEST OF THE CLASS: All-state QB Dakota Derrick has the size and skills (2,472 yards and 27 TDs) to be a leader in a good class.

2. Wofford
BEST OF THE CLASS: Derek Boyce was a four year letterman, rushing for 1,386 yards and earning all-state honors in Tennessee last season.

3.Coastal
BEST OF THE CLASS: Local talent William Chandler (Aynor) could be the most versatile man on the team.

4.Newberry
BEST OF THE CLASS: Quarterback John Carnell, a two-time all-stater, is third all-time in S.C. in yardage, fourth in TDs and sixth in completions.

5.SC State
BEST OF THE CLASS: State does not often win recruiting battles with big-time schools like Arkansas, but may have gotten one away from the Razorbacks in QB Ronald Holiday of Atlanta.
6. The Citadel
BEST OF THE CLASS: If you are looking for a go-to guy, you don’t have to go much further than Manning’s Chris Hammett. He won 41 games as the Monarchs’ QB, and was the basketball team’s MVP two years running

7. PC
BEST OF THE CLASS: Blythewood defensive back Justin Bethel played for a state championship team as a junior and a 10-0 squad his senior season, and played well. He helps fill a need in the defensive backfield.