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UNDER THE BANNER What's Going On In and Around Black College Sports
 WSSU LOSES DUCKETT, TOO: Winston-Salem State
University head men's basketball coach Rick Duckett,
intent on landing a Div. I head coaching
position someday, resigned last week to become an assistant coach at the
University of South Carolina. Duckett, 43, will serve as the top assistant
to head coach Dave Odom, who recently left Wake Forest
University, also located in Winston-Salem, for the position at USC. In his
short three-year stint with the Rams, Duckett restored the program to
the winning ways of legendary former WSSU coach
Clarence "Big House" Gaines'
heyday, posting a 74-18 overall record and claiming back-to-back
CIAA championships in 1999 and 2000. His teams received
berths to the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional
Tournament each year under his leadership. Duckett said
taking Odom's offer brings him a step closer to his goal of
leading a Div. I program. In his talks with USC Athletic
Director, Mike McGee, he was told that it was easy to be
overlooked (for a Div. I job) if he was still coaching on the Div. II
level. "This is a great opportunity for Coach Duckett and
his family," said WSSU athletics director Anne
Little. "He will be missed, but the University supports his decision and
feels good about Division I institutions seeking leadership
from within our program. When you are successful, great
opportunities will present themselves the case with both
our men's and women's basketball coaches." Duckett is
joining former WSSU women's coach Debra Clark
in the Div. I ranks. Clark resigned two weeks ago to become the
head women's coach at Florida A&M. Prior to coming to
Winston-Salem State, Duckett was the head men's
basketball coach at Fayetteville State
University where he went 76-57 from 1992-97. He also served stints as an assistant at
Harvard, Jacksonville, Central Florida, Wichita State and
South Carolina. Duckett has recommended his top WSSU
assistant, Phillip Stitt, 33, as his replacement.
BERNSTEIN OUT AT SPC: St. Paul's head basketball coach Jeff Bernstein announced last week that he has resigned. Bernstein took over the program last year from Ed Joyner, who left to become head coach at Livingstone College. Bernstein posted a 5-22 record this past season on a squad led by six-nine CIAA Player of the Year, junior center Derrick Singleton.
HOWARD CHOOSES AD: Howard University announced last week that long-time administrator Sondra Norrell-Thomas will be the school's new athletic director. Norrell-Thomas had served as interim athletics director since July 1, 2000 and becomes the first woman named to the position at Howard. Prior to serving as interim AD, Norrell-Thomas had been executive assistant to the vice president for student affairs and is currently the senior women's administrator for athletics. She stepped into the position after formers athletics director Hank Ford's contract expired and wasn't renewed. "Ms Norrell-Thomas possess a wealth of professional and administrative experience in collegiate athletics. Her stellar career in athletics speaks to her ability to build programs rooted in discipline and integrity," said Raymond Archer, Interim Vice Provost for Student Affairs. Norrell-Thomas is a 36-year university employee who has been integrally involved in collegiate athletics for most of her career. She served as the university's associate athletics director from 1974 to 1986, and was named as the university's first coordinator of women's athletics in 1972. She currently serves as one of Howard's representatives to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the NCAA. She is the first female to be inducted into the MEAC Hall of Fame and was also the first female to serve as a consultant to the MEAC Council of Presidents/Chancellors. © 2001 Azeez Communications, Inc.
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