UNDER THE BANNER
What's Going On In and Around Black College Sports
ROLLE HAS B-CC TIES THAT BIND: Baltimore Ravens defensive back Samari Rolle didn't play a down
of football for
Bethune-Cookman, but there's still a strong connection between
the Historically Black College and the NFL star.
Rolle's mother, Alicia Leggett Rolle, is a 1971 graduate of B-CC. Not to mention the fact that his aunt (Donna Leggett Kidd) and uncle (Julius Kidd), were Miss B-CC and the President of the Student Government Association in 1969. Over 20 of his cousins, including current B-CC Director of Athletics Lynn Thompson, have graduated from B-CC as well.
Even though Rolle played his collegiate football for Florida State University in Tallahassee—almost a four-hour drive from the Daytona Beach home of B-CC, Rolle is a frequent visitor to the Walt Disney World Florida Classic football game between Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M University, despite it regularly being held on the same day as the intrastate football contest between Florida State and the University of Florida.
Rolle further strengthened his connection to Bethune-Cookman College earlier this week with a generous $50,000 contribution to the Football Training Center initiative to build and maintain a state-of-the-art home for the Wildcats' football program.
The eight-year National Football League veteran will also serve as an ambassador for the initiative, which has a goal of raising $13 million.
"It's a great project and I'm thrilled to be a part of it," Rolle acknowledged. "Bethune-Cookman has always been a part of my life, and I hope I can help out."
A 2000 Pro Bowl performer, Rolle spent seven years with the NFL's Tennessee Titans, registering 23 interceptions. To date, he has played in over 100 games, including an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV.
"There's always been some great football played at B-CC," Rolle admitted. "Just because you're not at a Florida or a Florida State _ well, maybe Florida State _ doesn't mean you can't play at the next level. I played with Steve McNair when I was with the [Tennessee] Titans and he came from a small school (Alcorn State). Look at what [former B-CC star] Rashean Mathis is doing with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"This project is all about giving football players the necessary environment to be successful both on the field … and in the classroom, and I'm all about that," said Rolle.
The Football Training Center will include locker rooms and showers, a weight room, coaches' offices, meeting and film rooms and a reception area featuring a B-CC Football Hall of Fame. The 19,000 square-foot football building will serve the football program's approximately 90 student-athletes, 25 coaches and support staff, as well as approximately 600-700 young student-athletes throughout Florida participating in the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) and summer camps hosted by B-CC each year.
"Samari will be a big addition to our initiative," stated Thompson. "He will open new doors for our efforts."
ALBANY STATE AD: Albany State has announced the appointment of Dr. Joshua W. Murfree, Jr. as interim director of athletics. A professor and the chairman of the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Murfree serves as the NCAA faculty athletics representative for Albany State. He is also the director of the Center for the African-American Male and former director of the ASU Honors Program. As Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Murfree will oversee and manage the operations of Albany State's 11-sports programs, which include football, volleyball, baseball, softball, women's tennis and men's and women's basketball, cross country and track and field. Murfree plans to enhance the athletics program to ensure and improve student-athletes' academic and athletic success. In addition to his duties, Murfree serves as the national/international mentoring chairman and vice chairman of Programs for 100 Black Men of America, Inc., and is a well-known motivational speaker throughout the country.
© 2006 Azeez Communications, Inc.