What's Going On In and Around Black College Sports
COMEGY IN AT
NORFOLK ST.: It didn't take long after the cancellation of Pioneer
Bowl VI for Norfolk State to swoop up Tuskegee Football
Coach and Athletic Director, Rick Comegy as its new head football
coach. Comegy, who was to lead his Southern Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference champion Golden Tigers (10-1) into the Dec. 15 game vs. CIAA
runner-up Bowie State before it was cancelled on Dec. 5, was
introduced last Wednesday (Dec. 11) as the Spartans new head man. Apparently,
NSU moved quickly after the cancellation to sew up Comegy, perhaps the hottest
coach in black college football. Comegy, 49, had compiled a 64-17 record
in seven years at NCAA Div. II Tuskegee including winning 34 of his last
36 games and four of the last five SIAC titles. The Golden Tigers finished
10-1 this season, 10-1 in 2001 and 12-0 in 2000 when they were declared
black college national champions. Prior to coming to Tuskegee, Comegy succeeded
Billy Joe as head coach at Central State, after Joe left to
become the head coach at Florida A&M. The Marauders went 18-3
in two years under Comegy winning the NAIA national title in 1995 before
the school discontinued its football program. He was also head coach at
Cheyney State for two season posting back-to-back 0-11 campaigns.
He takes over at NSU after the resignation of five-year head coach Maurice
"Mo" Forte. The Spartans, who left the CIAA to join
the MEAC in 1997, finished this season at 5-6 and have not had a
winning season on the gridiron since moving up to Div. I-AA.
WHITE ALL-STAR BOUND:
Two-time Mid Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of
the Year, senior linebacker Tracey White of Howard, has
been selected to play in the 78th Annual East-West Shrine Football Game,
Jan. 11 at PacBell Park in San Francisco. A 6-0, 230-pound linebacker
from St. Stephens, S.C., White is the first player from Howard to be selected
to play in the game that features some of the top seniors in the country
showcasing their skills for scouts and a national television audience.
White will be a member of the East squad and has the distinction of being
the only player from a black college or the 1-AA ranks to play in the
game. White finished the 2002 season as the team leading tackler for the
fourth straight season. He recorded 62 solos, 35 assists, 10 tackles for
losses and two interceptions. He was named first team all-MEAC for the
third straight season. He is a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given
to the top defensive player in 1-AA, for the second straight season. He
is also a two-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Year (2000 and '01) and
was selected as national defensive player of the year by several organizations
last season, including Sheridan Broadcasting Network (SBN). White started
all 44 games played during his career and finishes as the school's all-time
tackler with 500 career tackles, 65 tackles for losses, 22 sacks and six
interceptions.
© 2002 Azeez Communications, Inc.