JACKSON IN AS A-D AT SSU: After three years at the helm of Savannah State's athletic department, Robert "Tony" O'Neal has announced he is stepping down as athletic director. Dr. Claud Flythe, vice president for Administration, has appointed Paula Jackson as interim athletic director. Jackson, who has worked at Savannah State since 2005, is currently the senior women's administrator and assistant athletic director for compliance. SSU has not made plans to conduct a nationwide search at this time. Jackson, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, came to SSU from Morehead State where she served as an asst. athletic director and senior women's administrator. She has held the same positions at Clark-Atlanta University. O'Neal, a Detroit, Michigan native and graduate of Central State University, became the 14th athletic director at SSU on August 1, 2004. During his tenure, SSU was certified by the NCAA as a Division I program. O'Neal led the push in SSU's quest to join a Division I conference by submitting an application to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in May of 2005. The MEAC said it will reconsider SSU's application in 2009.

SIAC HOOPS PICKS UNVEILED: Kenny Jones of Kentucky State and Natasha Gray of Benedict were picked as the top returning men and women players while Benedict's men and Fort Valley State's women were voted as the top teams as the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2007 preseason basketball picks. Jones averaged 19.3 points and 9 rebounds per game and led his team to the quarterfinals of the SIAC Tournament. Gray averaged 17.5 points per game and led her team to the conference title and claimed both the conference's player of the year and tournament MVP awards. She leads eight returnees to the women's squad. The All Conference teams and Predicted Order of Finish were chosen by their respective SIAC Coaches Associations.

2007-08 SIAC MEN'S
ALL CONFERENCE TEAMS
First Team
Kenny Jones, 6-6, Jr., KSU; Anthony Ward, 6-5, Sr. Miles; Bennie Lewis, 6-6, Jr., Benedict
Zachary Barron, 67-5, Jr., Benedict; Sean Glenn, 5-9, Jr., Albany St.

Second Team
Eddie Ishman, 6-5, Jr., Miles; Marlon Ferguson, 6-4, Sr., Morehouse; Kwame Agbottah, 6-6, Sr., Morehouse; Najee Tolbert, 5-11, So, Paine; Julian English, 5-11, So., Paine;

2007-08 SIAC WOMEN'S
ALL CONFERENCE TEAMS
First Team
Natasha Gray, 5-11, Sr., Benedict; Takesha Riggs, 5-8, Jr., FVSU; Cortney Matthewis, 5-10, So., KSU; Lakeisha Bell, 5-10, So., Paine;
Rishaunda Gartrell, 5-10, So., Tuskegee

Second Team
Crystal Benton, 5-9, Jr., Tuskegee; Mattie Jones, 6-3, So., KSU; Bianca Burton, 6-0, Jr., Stillman; Aisha Johnson, 5-4, Sr. Tuskegee
Savoyia Barrett, 5-4, Sr., Paine.

Predicted Order of Finish
Men
1) Benedict 2) Kentucky State 3) Miles 4) Morehouse 5) Paine 6) Albany State 7) Lane 8) LeMoyne-Owen 9) Fort Valley State 10) Stillman 11) Tuskegee 12) Clark Atlanta

Women
1) Fort Valley State 2) Kentucky State 3) Tuskegee 4) Albany State 5) Paine 6) Benedict 7) Clark Atlanta 8) LeMoyne-Owen 9) Stillman 10) Lane 11) Miles

© 2007 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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