BCSP Notes . . .

The Farmers Insurance Southwestern Athletic Conference Women's and Men's Basketball Tournament has moved from Birmingham, Al. to Shreveport, LA, Commissioner Duer Sharp announced last week.

The 2010 Farmers Insurance SWAC Basketball Tournament will be played March 10-13 at CenturyTel Center. The women's and men's tournament finals will be televised live on ESPNU.

This will be the first time the basketball tournament will be played in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. The metropolitan area has a population of more than 300,000 residents and is the second-largest tourist destination in Louisiana.

Opening in the fall of 2000, CenturyTel Center has hosted numerous world-class concerts, sporting events, and family shows. Among its amenities, the venue boasts a large center hung video scoreboard, able to show close-up action and instant replays, as well as 75 TV monitors located throughout the concourse areas. Seating capacity for the SWAC Tournament will be approximately 8,000.

"It has been a great experience working with the Commissioner and his staff to this point and I look forward to our staffs working closely over the next couple of months planning and executing one of the most successful tournaments in SWAC history," said Mike Cera, General Manager, CenturyTel Center. "Hosting the SWAC tournament gives us the opportunity to showcase the versatility of the CenturyTel Center and provides the Bossier City-Shreveport Community with another prestigious event."

UAPB in SWAC, Norfolk State in MEAC sweep Cross Country Championships

The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff women's and men's teams swept the 2009 SWAC Cross Championships Monday at Highland Park.

Alabama State's Kesia Derilius won the individual women's title and Jimmy Oribo of UAPB won the men's individual title.

The UAPB women's team won with 25 points, ahead of defending champion Alabama State (39) with Grambling State finishing third (81).

On the men's side, UAPB won with 36 points, ahead of second-place Mississippi Valley State (57) and third-place finisher Alabama State (60), the 2008 defending champion.

Norfolk State's women's and men's cross country teams won the 2009 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Cross Country Championship titles Saturday morning at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md.

The Spartan women captured their first-ever title with 49 points. Aurora Scott paced NSU with a time of 18:44.97, while three teammates finished among the top 15 finishes to earn All-MEAC honors. Hampton's Jahlisa Smith won the individual title. NSU head coach Rhonda Berard earned Outstanding Coach accolades.

In men's action, the Spartan men won their ninth overall crown in ten years. Philemon Kimatui was the top performer for NSU and finished in second place with a time of 25:46.66. Morgan State's Justus David crossed the tape first for the men with a time of 25:44.36 to earn Outstanding Performer accolades.

© 2009 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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