BCSP Notes . . .
MEAC announces football award winners, all-conference team
South Carolina State running back Deshawn Baker, Hampton linebacker Justin Durant and coach Joe Taylor were selected for the top individual awards in 2006 Mid Eastern Athletic Conference football in voting by league coaches and sports information directors.
Baker, who led the MEAC with 1,289 rushing yards and had 11 TDs, was named the
offensive player of the year. Durant posted 98 total tackles,
led the MEAC with 65 solo stops and had 13 tackles
for losses to win his third straight defensive player of
the year award. Taylor, who led the Pirates to a
10-1 regular season mark, their third straight
regular season title and I-AA playoff berth, took home
his fourth straight coach of the year award.
Additionally, SC State lineman Clyde Reed, was named the league's top offensive lineman and his teammate, freshman RB Willi am Ford (752 yds., 10 TDs) was selected rookie of the year.
FIRST TEAM
OFFFENSE QB - Princeton Shepherd, Sr., Hampton;
RB - DeShawn Baker, Sr., SCSU; Alonzo Coleman, Sr., Hampton;
TE - John Allen, Sr., NSU; WR -
Shaheer McBride, Jr., DSU; Eric Weems, Sr., B-CC;
OL - Nevin McCaskill, Sr., Hampton; Clyde Reed, Sr., SCSU; Daniel Parrish, Sr. FAMU; Jeremy Breath, Jr., DSU;
C - Raymond Harrison, So., SCSU
DEFENSE DL - Rudolphe Hardie, Sr., Howard; Kendall Langford, Jr., Hampton; Edwin Piner, Sr., Howard; Eric Turner, Sr., SCSU; LB - Justin Durant, Sr., Hampton, Timothy Lockett, Sr., Howard; Darius Leak, Sr., MSU; DB - Bobbie Williams, Jr., B-CC; Travarous Bain, Sr., Hampton; Jason Beach, So., FAMU; Jamel Trott, Sr., DSU; P - Wesley Taylor, Jr., FAMU; PK - Andrew Paterini, Sr., Hampton; RET - Roosevelt Kiser, Sr., FAMU
Florida A&M volleyballers head to Gainesville, again
The Florida A&M women's volleyball team, led by head coach Tony Trifonov, opens play in the 2006 NCAA Volleyball Championships Thursday (Nov. 30), as they take on the University of Florida in the Gainesville subregional at the Stephen O'Connell Center.
Thursday's Gainesville pairings will pit Pac
10 power Arizona State (15-14) against Big South
Conference winner College of Charleston (27-7) in
the first match, followed by FAMU (21-6),
champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
, against their longtime nemesis Florida (28-2), champions
of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in the nightcap.
Friday's lone match will feature Thursday's survivors vying for a trip to the Sweet 16 next weekend.
This year's NCAA appearance is the sixth straight for the Lady Rattlers, who will be going to the postseason for the eighth time in the last nine years.
This will mark the third straight year that FAMU and UF have contested in the same subregional in NCAA play, and the second straight year FAMU will appear in Gainesville. It is also their third NCAA appearance in Gainesville overall since 2001.
In 2001, the Gators eliminated FAMU, 3-0 and last year, FAMU lost to Kansas State in the first round at Gainesville. In 2004, UF was a 3-0 winner at the Tallahassee subregional in Gaither Gym. The Gators will also host regional finals next weekend, with the winner advancing to the Final Four in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Pettway Hill Trophy finalist
A field of 24 candidates has been trimmed to eight national finalists including Albany State defensive lineman Alton Pettway in regional voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year.
Pettway, a senior from Bay Minette, Ala., helped lead Albany State into the Division II playoffs this season while racking up some impressive defensive statistics of his own. He led Division II in quarterback sacks with 14.5 for 103 yards in losses and was third nationally in tackles for loss with 21.5 for 134 yards in losses. He also forced three fumbles to rank 30th in Division II in that category. He has 53 total tackles this season.
The winner of the 2006 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the Harlon Hill Trophy and Division II Football Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, December 15 in Florence, prior to the NCAA Division II Football Championship Game on Dec. 10.
© 2006 Azeez Communications, Inc.