Spring Sports Championships . . .
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WINNERS AND RECORD BREAKERS: Hampton
quarter-miler Francena McCorory (far left), UMES steeplechaser
Peter Sang (center left) and Bethune-Cookman freshman
hurdler Ronnie Ashe (left) set meet records at last weekend's
MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Morgan
State. McCorory ran a 51:54 in the 400 meters to break
Howard's Michelle Felder's 1989 mark of 52:10. Sang set a new
record of 9:20.07 breaking his own 3,000 meter steeplechase
mark set last year of 9:32.08. Ashe, a freshman sensation
from Raleigh, N.C., blazed to a time of 13.59 in the 110-meter
high hurdles to shatter the MEAC record of 13.72 set by
John Branch of Howard in 1989. Ashe's time is the sixth best in
the nation among NCAA hurdlers and represents the first time a
B-CU athlete has held a MEAC record. PHOTO CREDITS: Raquel Vasell, Marlon Woods, Francena McCorory and Peter Sang by Lawrence Johnson, All Pro Sports Photography; Ronnie Ashe by Mark Sutton; Maurice Pierce from Hampton Sports Informatiion; Kenneth Giles, Norfolk State Sports information, Dominique Ward-Holmes, TSU Sports Information; Matthew Pilgrim, HU Sports Information. |
MEAC
SOFTBALL - The Bethune-Cookman Lady Wildcats and the Hampton Lady Pirates earned the top seeds in the northern and southern divisions of the 2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Championship Tournament which gets underway May 8-10 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex, 700 Hull Road, in Ormond Beach, Florida.
Bethune-Cookman secured the number one seed in the south with a 9-3 divisional finish, 19-34 overall. The Lady Wildcats tied North Carolina A&T (9-3) in the division but obtained the top honor due to conference tiebreaking procedures. The Lady Aggies, who finished with the best overall record this season at 31-15, will be the number two seed in the south. Florida A&M (5-7) claimed the third spot while Norfolk State (4-8) is slated fourth.
Defending regular season champion Hampton (12-2, 31-16) clinched the number one seed in the north. The Lady Pirates, under the direction of new head coach Regina Gibbons, dominated conference play most of the season, losing their first of only two MEAC games to Howard on April 13.
The 2007 MEAC Tournament Champion Howard Lady Bison claimed the number two seed in the north with a 12-3 conference mark. Delaware State (10-5) and Morgan State (7-7) wraps up the third and fourth place positions in the north.
Only the top four teams in each division can compete for the conference title.
The 2008 MEAC Softball Championship Tournament begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 8 with Bethune-Cookman against Morgan State and Hampton facing interstate rival Norfolk State in games one and two. Howard drew Florida A&M for game three while North Carolina A&T will take on Delaware State in game four beginning at 1:30 p.m. The championship finale is set for Saturday, May 10 at 1 p.m.
Admission is $3 for children, students and seniors and $5 for adults.
SWAC
BASEBALL (men) - The Southwestern
Athletic Conference will host its 2008
Baseball Tournament at Lee-Hines Field on the campus
of Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.
from Wed., May 14 to Thurs., May 18. The May 19 championship game will be televised live
on ESPNU at 1:00 p.m.
There is a new format this year as the top four teams from the Eastern Division along with the top four teams from the Western Division will participate in the five-day event. It is a double-elimination tournament with the exception of the championship game.
Jackson State has clinched the top seed in the Eastern Division with a 18-5 conference record (34-18 overall). Alcorn State is currently in second place with a 13-8 conference record (26-12). The Braves will look to maintain that position as they face Alabama A&M this weekend. Mississippi Valley State is third with a 17-23, 13-10 conference record. Alabama State claims the fourth seed with a 13-20, 8-14 SWAC record.
In the Western Division, Southern captured top seed with an 18-6 conference record (26-15 overall). Grambling State (21-23, 15-9 SWAC) is the number two seed followed by 2007 defending SWAC champion Prairie View A&M (21-24, 14-10). Texas Southern defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff two games to one over the weekend to eliminate the Lions and advance to the tournament.
Play will begin on Wednesday, May 14 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets will be on sale for $10.00 per day and $40.00 for a tournament book. Student tickets are available for $3.00 with valid ID.
© 2008 Azeez Communications, Inc.