NC A&T CANS SMALL: North Carolina A&T Director of Athletics, Dee Todd, announced Monday that head football coach George Small and his staff will not return to the Aggie sideline in 2006. "Today, Coach George Small and his staff were dismissed after careful review and consideration of the direction of our football program," said a release from Todd's office. "In line with our commitment to the development of student-athletes and to our Division I-AA status, we feel that it is in the best interest of our football program to make this change. This allows the University to begin the process of finding Coach Small's successor." Small, a 1979 A&T grad and former all-MEAC lineman and Aggie captain, took over the program in 2002 after the firing of 15-year head coach Bill Hayes. The Aggies, who had finished 4-8 overall and 2-6 and at the bottom of the MEAC standings in Hayes' final season, went on to post a 10-3 mark including winning the 2003 MEAC championship and representing the conference in the I-AA playoffs. Small was named the conference's coach of the year. Since then he has posted back-to-back 3-8 marks. The Aggies have been the lowest scoring team in the MEAC both of the last two seasons. The four-year contract Small signed in 2003 includes a provision that allows for a buyout after the third year at fifty percent of his $110,000 salary.

LADY EAGLES FALL: The two-time defending CIAA volleyball champion North Carolina Central Lady Eagles came up short in their attempt to defeat No. 1 seed Lock Haven, losing 3-0 (30-14, 30-12, 30-25) on Lock Haven's home court for the second consecutive year in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional playoffs. NCCU (29-14) was led with 11 kills by Brenda Brown, who also added seven digs. NCCU all-time kills and blocks leader Danielle Johnson-Webb finished with eight kills and four block assists. Senior setter Ariel Germain contributed a match-high 24 assists, while senior defensive specialist Dorian Mills amassed a team-high nine digs.

LADY RATTLERS TAB MALONE: Florida A&M has announced the appointment of Maicel Malone as the university's head women's track and field coach. A graduate of Arizona State University, who also enjoyed a supremely distinguished track career, Malone comes to FAMU after a lengthy stint as assistant women's track coach at Florida State University. Malone joined the FSU staff in 1999, becoming instrumental in the success of the women's program in Atlantic Coast Conference competition. She also assisted with men's 2002 and 2003 ACC championship teams.

STITH GOING TO HULA BOWL: Three seasons ago, Walter Stith began his collegiate career as a 265-pound tight end at Western Michigan University. Now, he stands as a 6-foot-8, 320-pound National Football League prospect at N.C. A&T. Stith has been invited to play in the 60th annual Hula Bowl on Jan. 21, 2006 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, an environment that showcases talent in front of scouts from every NFL team. The game will be televised on ESPN2. Stith was honored as the MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week after opening holes for a 252-yard rushing performance by the Aggies in a win over Norfolk State. Stith also had outstanding performances against N.C. Central, where he recorded six pancake blocks. He has been a consistent blocker all season with an average grade of 87% on his blocking. Grades are determined by assignment and execution. Stith becomes the third Aggie player in eight seasons to play in the Hula Bowl, joining All-Americans Chris McNeil (1997) and Curtis Deloatch (2002), now of the NFL's New York Giants.

© 2005 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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