BCSP Notes . . .

Lonza Hardy to be AD at Hampton
Hampton University has named Lonza Hardy, Jr. as its new Director of Athletics. Hardy comes to the Tidewater Virginia campus from Mississippi Valley State in Itta Bena, Ms. where he served as director of athletics for six years. He is expected to assume his new duties after July 1.

Hardy succeeds Joe Taylor who had served as both AD and football coach for the past two years.

"Because the dual role of athletic director and head football coach was so taxing, I asked President (William) Harvey to again separate those functions so that I might solely concentrate on football", said Taylor. "After a search which yielded some very strong candidates, Mr. Lonza Hardy was a unanimous choice to lead the Hampton University Athletic Department. Along with a strong resume, Mr. Hardy comes highly recommended by top administrators at the university and NFL levels. I am personally looking forward to working with him as he moves us forward."

A 1978 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Journalism, Hardy has enjoyed a successful career in college sports for more than 29 years. During his stint at Mississippi Valley State, he worked relentlessly to elevate the school's dormant athletics program into a power in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. In fact, during his six-year reign, the school captured more league championships than it had in the previous 33 years combined. Accordingly, he is widely regarded as one of the premier directors of athletics on the collegiate level, capturing the 2006 General Neyland Outstanding Athletics Director Award by the All-American Football Foundation.

"When you think of institutions of higher learning which have affected positive changes in our society, Hampton University certainly comes to mind," said Hardy. "Therefore, I consider it a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to enhance the great traditions which have been established at Hampton through the years."

Prior to his current position at MVSU, Hardy served as associate commissioner of the SWAC for more than 11 years (1989-2001), where he helped to elevate the image of the 10-member league while handling the conference's public relations efforts and working hand-in-hand with the commissioner in managing the day-to-day operations of the conference headquarters. At the conclusion of his final year with the SWAC, Hardy was awarded the Kodak Good Person Award, an honor bestowed by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in recognition of outstanding community service.

From 1986 to 1989 Hardy served as sports information director at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a position he also held at Alcorn State University in Mississippi from 1980 to 1986. During those nine years he was tabbed SWAC Sports Information Director of the Year four times. Hardy's start in college sports came at Albany State University where he was a public information aide from 1978 to 1980.

Evans to lead Kentucky State women's hoops
Stephanie Evans will be the new head women's basketball coach at Kentucky State University. Evans, who played collegiate basketball at Bowie State and coached three seasons at Virginia State (2003-2006), will fill the vacancy left by the departure of Michelle Clark-Heard.

Coach Heard, who resigned following the 2007 sseason to accept an assistant coaching position at the University of Louisville, compiled a 24-30 record in two seasons, 2005-2007. Evans' tenure will begin on July 1, 2007.

"I am very excited to be apart of the KSU athletic family," said Evans. "It is an awesome opportunity to come to a program that has shown success, and has the tools to go on and do bigger things."

Evans' coaching experience also includes being head women's basketball coach at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C for three seasons, 2000-2003, and assistant coach from 1998-2000. Evans coached two seasons as assistant women's coach at Columbia Union College in 1997-1998.She received both a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology in 1997 and Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology in 1994 from Bowie State.

"She is a versatile professional," said Derita Ratcliffe, athletics director at KSU. "I believe that Stephanie will fit in well with our staff and the KSU community. She has the potential to serve the university in many ways and we are always looking for people with multiple skill sets."

Lane names Alexander as new AD
Lane College has appointed Dr. Alpha Alexander as the college's new director of athletics. Alexander is already familiar with the school having served as an Assistant Professor of Physical Education at Lane for the past two years. As Athletic Director, she will be responsible for all aspects of inter-collegiate sports at the College.

Alexander brings a wealth of sports experience to her new position. Formerly, she was the Executive Director for Knoxville's Promise, an affiliate of America's Promise ­ the national organization formed by Colin Powell. She earned her undergraduate degree at The College of Wooster in Ohio, and her master's and doctoral degrees in Physical Education from Temple University in Philadelphia.

Alexander began her career in 1976 as a graduate assistant in women's athletics at Temple. While there, she served as assistant director of athletics and acting women's athletic director. After completing her doctorate, she served as education officer and then director of community projects for the Women's Sports Foundation. Thereafter, she joined the YWCA of San Francisco as health and wellness director, and then became director of heath and sports advocacy for the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of the USA. Later on, she was named special assistant to the chief executive officer of the national YWCA organization.

She also has the provided more than a decade of service on the United States Olympic Committee Board of Directors as well as leadership roles with the Arthur Ashe Athletic Association. Her work with the USOC includes serving 12 years on the Member Services Committee and Legislative Committee. She has also served as a member of the Olympic and Pan-American Sports Advisory Council, and led the U.S. Delegation for Barcelona, Atlanta, and Nagano for the Olympic Youth Camps.

Alexander has been named one of the 30 most valuable professionals in the business of sports in the U.S. by Black Enterprise. She has been awarded the Nell Jackson Award, the Billie Jean King Contribution Award, and the Olympic Shield Award ­ the second female recipient in history.

Her professional and civic contributions include service as co-founder and vice-president of the Black Women in Sports Foundation. In 2001, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) named her as one of six Silver Anniversary Award recipients. Of particular note is the fact that in 2006, the NCAA named her one of the 100 Most Influential NCAA Student-Athletes of all time putting her in the same company with Arthur Ashe, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Billy Jean King, Tiger Woods, Vince Lombardi, Pat Summit, Jackie Robinson, Jackie Joyner Kersee, John Wooden, Jerry West, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Howard's Datcher named to NCAA Championships/Competition Cabinet
Howard University Director of Athletics Dwight Datcher has been appointed to serve as a member of the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet. The appointment begins July 1 and runs through July 1, 2011.

The members of the Cabinet perform oversight duties in the planning, operating and management of all NCAA championship events. The group is also responsible for the review of legislation that governs these championships.

"I think it is a great opportunity to represent the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Howard University and to work with the NCAA. It will give us a chance to be represented." said Datcher, who has been AD at Howard since January 2006.

© 2007 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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