OWENS LEAVES ECSU FOR NSU: Norfolk State has hired Tara Owens as the Spartans' new women's basketball coach. Owens has served as the head coach at Elizabeth City State the last three seasons, compiling a 58-31 record. She led the Lady Vikings to the finals of the CIAA Tournament on two occasions (2005, 2007).

"We're very excited about the opportunity to acquire someone of coach Owens' caliber," NSU AD Marty Miller said. "We feel that she has the talent and leadership ability to propel our women's basketball program to higher levels."

"I'm very excited about the opportunity here at Norfolk State," Owens said. "I believe we can have a lot of success here, and I look forward to being a part of a great women's basketball program and athletics department."

In 2006-07, Owens led ECSU to a 21-10 record, one of two 20-win seasons during her three-year tenure. After falling to North Carolina Central in the CIAA Tournament championship game, the Lady Vikings earned an at-large berth to the NCAA South Atlantic Regional. That team was led by CIAA Player of the Year, center Celeste Trahan, a Daktronics Division II second-team All-American.

Owens got her start in coaching at Division II Cheyney (Pa.) University. She served as an assistant coach for two seasons prior to taking over as head coach from 1998-2004. At Cheyney, Owens also held the title of senior woman administrator and project administrator/activity director for the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP).

Owens played at Virginia State from 1988-91. She earned her bachelor's degree in physical education/health from VSU in 1993, and her master's in education administration and supervision from Cheyney in 1998.

Owens replaces James Sweat, who retired following the 2006-07 season, his 19th at the helm of the program.

CBI INVITES THREE: The 60 players who will compete in the inaugural Collegiate Basketball Invitational in Wadsworth, Ohio, April 19-21 have been announced by event sponsor McCarthy Sports, Inc. Bowie State's Gil Goodrich and St. Augustine's teammates Antonio Fitzgerald and Nicholas King are on the list.

The Collegiate Basketball Invitational is a major national basketball event that will gather the finest 60 senior men's basketball players from all of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II and Division III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

The event will take place at Wadsworth High School in Wadsworth, Ohio, and will consist of six teams of 10 players in double elimination tournament. Two sessions of two games each will be played both Thursday and Friday with the championship game being played Saturday at noon. The CBI will conclude with an all-star game Saturday evening in front of a live, ESPNU audience as 20 players will selected to play in the game.

The All-Star Game will consist of the top 20 players from among the 60 players selected to compete at the Collegiate Basketball Invitational (CBI).

BELL LEAVING AS DSU AD: Delaware State has announced that Athletics Director Chuck Bell will step down due to personal family reasons.

Bell said his 20-month tenure at Delaware State has been a professionally satisfying experience. "I appreciate the vision the president has for athletics at the University and it has been a privilege to play a role in advancing those goals," Mr. Bell said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to work in support of the DSU student-athletes and especially to experience the exciting success of the football, men and women's basketball and other DSU sports programs." Bell said his immediate plan is to remain in his post to continue to provide stable leadership and assist in a smooth transition. "I have promised the DSU president that I would not leave until the University had a new AD," he said.

© 2007 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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