Showing posts with label college basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college basketball. Show all posts

Friday, March 15, 2024

Clark Atlanta University Panthers Win Sixth SIAC Basketball Title

The Clark Atlanta men's basketball team (25-5, 16-5 SIAC) are officially the 2023-24 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions after taking down Miles College 65-55 on Sunday afternoon inside Enmarket Arena. With the win, Clark Atlanta secures their first SIAC Championship since 2017 and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament.

"This is a full circle moment that I've dreamt about since I was a player. But there's still more work to be done." said head coach Alfred Jordan after the win.

Shemani Fuller led all scorers with a game-high 20 points, earning himself tournament MVP in his first season with the Panthers. Jalen NeSmith poured in a season-high 15 points on 4-of-8 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the charity stripe. Reigning SIAC Player of the Year Chris Martin chipped in 13 points to help power the Panthers to their sixth SIAC Championship in program history.

Sunday's contest was dominated by Clark Atlanta as Miles College only held a lead for 43 seconds. Fuller scored the game's first points and six of the Panthers' first nine to mount a 9-6 advantage at 15:55 mark. The Bronx, N.Y. native nailed a pair of free throws to ignite an 11-2 run to put the Panthers in front 20-8 with 10 minutes until halftime.

NeSmith knocked down a jumper with 25 seconds left in the half, keeping the Panthers ahead 33-25 headed into the locker room. Clark Atlanta shot 39% from the floor, 33% from three-point range, and 62% from the foul line in the first half.

Fuller and NeSmith combined for eight points to open the second half to put the Panthers in front 40-26 with 17:35 to left to play. The Panthers continued to assert dominance on the defensive end after holding Miles to just eight points in the first nine minutes of the second half. Clark Atlanta took their biggest lead of the day at the 11:10 mark as they mounted a 52-33 advantage over the Golden Bears.

Despite the deficit, Miles strung together a 19-4 run to climb back within four points (56-52) with just under two minutes to play. The Panthers responded with a 9-3 run to diminish the comeback effort and escape with the 2024 SIAC Championship.

Clark Atlanta outshot Miles from the field 41% to 30% for the game while also winning the paint-scoring battle 38-12. CAU's reserves outscored MC's 12-9 and held the Golden Bears scoreless in transition with zero fastbreak points.

[SOURCE: CLARKATLANTASPORTS]

Saturday, April 02, 2022

University of North Carolina's Hubert Davis wins Coach of the Year Award

University North Carolina coach Hubert Davis is the recipient of the 2021 John McLendon Award, which is presented annually to the top collegiate head basketball coach and includes Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA.

In his first season as the Tar Heels’ head coach, Davis orchestrated a remarkable turnaround and led the team to 28 victories and the Final Four.

Davis, 51, starred at UNC as a player, graduating as the program’s all-time leader in 3-point percentage. After a 12-year NBA career, he worked as a college basketball analyst at ESPN before joining Roy Williams staff at UNC in 2012. He was tabbed to replace the Hall of Fame coach when Williams retired following the 2020-21 season.

UNC struggled early in Davis’ debut season, suffering blowout losses to Tennessee, Kentucky, Duke and Miami and was 12-6 overall and 4-3 in the ACC in late January. But the Tar Heels won 16 of the next 19, spoiled Coach K’s final home game at Duke and advanced to the Final Four for the 21st time, extending their record. The Tar Heels’ success mirrored the in-season development of guards R.J. Davis and Caleb Love.

The John McLendon Award is named after one of the true legends of the sport. A trailblazer and one of the true pioneers of the game, McLendon became the first African American coach to win an integrated national championship. His team went on to win the NAIA Division I Men's Tournament in 1957, 1958 and 1959, making him the first coach in history to win three consecutive NAIA championships.

In 1962 he became the first African American head coach in a major professional league (ABL) with the Cleveland Pipers. In 1966 he became the first African American head coach of predominantly white university, when he took over the Cleveland State program. He led the team to their best record in school history.

In 1969, McLendon was hired by the Denver Rockets and became the first African American head coach in the American Basketball Association. After a brief stint with the Rockets, McLendon ended his 25-year professional coaching career with a winning percentage of .760 and a lifetime career average of 523 victories and 165 losses.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Daymond John: NCAA Tournament 'Is The Modern-Day Version Of Slavery’

Shark Tank star Daymond John spoke with TMZ Live on Friday and condemned the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) March Madness tournament calling it “modern-day slavery.” Watch his comments below.

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Norfolk State wins MEAC Tournament and earns automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament

Conference player of the year, Joe Bryant Jr. scored 23 points and top-seeded Norfolk State used 9-4 run to finish off Coppin State 72-57 on Saturday to win the Mid-East Athletic Conference tournament championship and an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament.

Bryant was 5 of 9 from beyond the 3 point arc and Norfolk State (23-6) was 11 of 23 from long range.

Head coach Robert Jones has now lead the Spartans to two consecutive NCAA Tournaments and an NCAA Tournament First Four win over Appalachian State in 2021.

The conference champions went 12-2 to claim the top tournament seed, and have won at least a share of the regular season title in three of the last four seasons.

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Inaugural HBCU All-Star Basketball Game to air on CBS

The 2022 HBCU All-Star Game, a new event that will showcase college basketball's top talent from Historical Black College and Universities. CBS Television Network is carrying the game live, which will take place at 4 p.m. ET April 3 at the University of New Orleans' Lakefront Arena on Sunday, the day between Final Four and the national title game, also in New Orleans this season.

"The University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena is a perfect location for this inaugural event," HBCU All-Stars co-founder Travis Williams said. "We are truly excited about the opportunity to honor HBCUs contribution to the great game of college basketball and showcase the nation's best HBCU student-athletes and brilliant coaches on a national stage during college basketball's biggest weekend. This historic endeavor with CBS Sports will raise national awareness of our prestigious HBCUs rich legacy of academic and athletic achievement."

Tickets for the game are available at www.arena.uno.edu, and a portion of ticket sales will go to the HBCU All-Stars Scholarship Fund. Players from the MEAC, SWAC and other Division I HBCU schools will be featured as well as players from the SIAC and CIAA from Division II.

Friday, October 15, 2021

South Carolina's Dawn Staley gets raise, contract extension

The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees approved a new contract for women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley on Friday. It will make her the highest paid African-American head coach in her sport and one of the highest paid women's basketball coaches in the country.

Monday, April 05, 2021

Hubert Davis becomes first African American coach in North Carolina's men's basketball history

North Carolina has promoted longtime assistant Hubert Davis to replace Roy Williams as the Tar Heels' new head basketball coach, the school announced Monday. That makes Davis the first African American coach in North Carolina's men's basketball history.

Davis has been an assistant coach under Williams for the past nine seasons in Chapel Hill and was one of the favorites as soon as the job opened.

"I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead this program," Davis said in a statement released by the school. "I would not be here without Coach Dean Smith, Coach Bill Guthridge and Coach Roy Williams; they taught me so much -- and I'm eager to walk their path in my shoes and with my personality. I also would not be here without Chancellor [Kevin] Guskiewicz and Bubba Cunningham. I appreciate their faith in me and I look forward to working closely with them."

"I love this University. I played here, I earned my degree here, I fell in love with my wife here, I got married here, I moved here after I retired from the NBA and I have raised my family here," Davis said. "I am proud to lead this team, and I can't wait for all that comes next."

A Virginia native, Davis played for Smith at North Carolina from 1988 to 1992 before being a first-round NBA draft pick by the New York Knicks. He spent 12 seasons in the NBA with six organizations. Davis also spent time as a college basketball analyst for ESPN.

[SOURCE: ESPN]

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Seton Hall and Prudential Center to host 2025 NCAA Regional in Newark NJ

Seton Hall University and Prudential Center in Newark NJ have been selected to host an NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament regional in 2025, the NCAA announced Wednesday as part of its unveiling of more than 450 selections of host sites for preliminary rounds and final sites of predetermined championships in Divisions I, II and III, with most to be held from 2022-23 through 2025-26. The regional will take place March 27 and 29 in 2025.

In response to the news, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Tweeted:

Happy to have @NCAA #MarchMaddness return to Newark in 2025!!!

This will be the first NCAA men's basketball tournament site in the state of New Jersey since Prudential Center and Seton Hall hosted the East Regional in 2011. Seton Hall is one of six BIG EAST schools to receive a men's basketball tournament site in this cycle, joining Creighton, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence and St. John's.

The proud home arena for Seton Hall men's basketball, Prudential Center was ranked a top-10 venue in the U.S. earlier this year and annually hosts the biggest names in entertainment and sports.

The NCAA sports committees made the nearly 450 selections of host sites based on criteria that included the ability to create an outstanding experience for student-athletes, along with adherence to NCAA sport-specific bid specifications.

Specifications can include, but are not limited to, providing optimal facilities; ease of travel to the location and ample lodging; and adherence to NCAA principles, which include providing an atmosphere that is safe and respects the dignity of all attendees.

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Laura Harper named as new head wbb coach Laura Harper Selected as Coppin State Women’s Basketball Head Coach

Former WNBA player, Laura Harper, has been named as the new Coppin State University women's basketball head coach, it was announced by Director of Athletics Derek Carter on Monday morning.

"It is a dream come true to be named the new head women's basketball coach at Coppin State University," said Harper. "I am very thankful for the special opportunity that President Jenkins, Mr. Carter, Mrs. Person and Mrs. Carrington-Johnson have granted me. Having a platform as a woman of color, while coaching at an HBCU during this racially sensitive time in our country, inspires me, and I am beyond ready to help lead this group of committed, young women into a new era of Eagles basketball."

Since the conclusion of her playing career, Harper worked as an assistant coach at four NCAA Division I institutions as well as a season as head coach at a top collegiate preparatory school.

"We are excited for Laura Harper to be joining the Coppin State family and look forward to her leadership during the next exciting phase of Eagles women's basketball," said Carter. "Laura will bring incredible passion, energy, and a championship mentality to our team. Throughout her career, she has worked hard to establish herself as a winner in all phases of basketball. I feel that she will provide a valuable influence in the lives of the young women in our program."

Harper most recently served as the head coach at Montverde Academy, one of the premier high school programs in the State of Florida. Harper guided the Eagles to an 18-6 mark this past season and helped all five of her seniors earn NCAA Division I scholarships.

Prior to her time at Montverde, Harper assisted the women's basketball team at the University of Florida for two seasons. Under Harpers' tutelage, Paulina Hersler, who is now playing professionally in Sweden, and 1,200-point scorer Haley Lorenzen, had career years as seniors.

Before moving to the Sunshine State, Harper spent the 2016-17 season at George Washington University under Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Jennifer Rizzotti. That season, the Colonials won an Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship and advanced to the WNIT, while Harper helped post players Lexi Martins and Caira Washington receive All-Conference honors.

For two years, Harper also worked as an assistant coach at High Point University. In her first season, senior Stacia Robertson was named the Big South Player of the Year and an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American before going on to play overseas. The Panthers won 20 games during the 2014-15 season and advanced to the Conference Championship Game.

Harper got her start in coaching as an assistant at Loyola University Maryland during the 2013-14 campaign where she was responsible for post player development, scouting, and served as an academic liaison for the Greyhounds.

A four-year standout at the University of Maryland, Harper was named the 2006 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player after leading the Terrapins to a National Championship. Harper was also part of two Maryland teams that advanced to the Elite Eight, a 2007 Naismith Award Finalist and a two-time Naismith Award Preseason Candidate. As a senior, Harper was a Third Team All-ACC honoree and Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American. Harper still owns the Maryland record with 198 blocked shots while scoring 1,407 points and ranked seventh in rebounds upon graduation before being named to the 2014 ACC Legends Class.

On February 5, 2009, Harper's No. 15 jersey was raised to the rafters at the Xfinity Center following a game against North Carolina State.

Also, a presence on the international scene, Harper was a starter for the 2004 USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship. Harper also played for the 2007 FIBA U21 World Championship Team and was a teammate of Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi and other Olympians at the 2008 Good Luck Beijing Tournament.

Following her collegiate career, Harper was the 10th overall selection of the Sacramento Monarchs in the 2008 WNBA Draft. As a rookie, Harper played in 34 games while making one start and put up 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds before starting in 11 games the following season. Harper also played professionally overseas in Turkey, Italy and Russia.

Friday, July 03, 2020

5-star basketball prospect, Makur Maker commits Howard University

One of the top high school basketball recruits in the country made history Friday, announcing he will play for Howard University, a historically Black university.

Makur Maker is No. 16 on the ESPN 100 list for 2020. As such, Maker is the first five-star prospect to commit to an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) since ESPN began ranking prospects in 2007.

"I need to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow," Maker tweeted. "I hope I inspire guys like Mikey Williams to join me on this journey. I am committing to Howard U & coach Kenny Blakeney."

Maker, a 6-feet 11-inch center, chose Howard over his three other finalists: UCLA, Kentucky and Memphis, according to The Undefeated.

ESPN reports Maker "averaged 14.7 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 73% on 2-pointers last spring and summer with Dream Vision on the Adidas grassroots circuit."

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley named AP coach of the Year

Dawn Staley helped guide South Carolina to No. 1 and has now earned coach of the year honors from The Associated Press for the first time.

The veteran Gamecocks coach received 20 votes from the national media panel that selects the Top 25 poll each week.

“It’s a great feeling. It’s cliche as I represent the best team in the country and our coaching staff and our support staff. Our trainers and everybody. It’s great,” she said. “It’s something that we haven’t been able to celebrate, but we will celebrate it together at a later time.”

South Carolina finished the season 32-1, winning the SEC season and tournament championships. The Gamecocks won their final 26 games and were No 1 in the AP poll for the final 10 weeks of the season.

became the second African-American coach to win the AP award, joining Carolyn Peck, who was honored in 1999 when she coached Purdue. The two have long been connected; Peck gave Staley a piece of the NCAA championship net she won that season.

Staley brought that story to light when South Carolina won the NCAA title in 2017. She thought the Gamecocks would have had a good chance to win the title again this season had the NCAA Tournament not been canceled by the coronavirus outbreak.

“I would have liked to continue to face the challenges in the NCAA Tournament,” she said.

[SOURCE: YAHOO SPORTS]

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Charles Barkley calls for cancellation of NCAA Basketball Tournament

CBS March Madness analyst and NBA great Charles Barkley appeared on ESPN's "Get Up" and called for the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

...I'm gonna say this and I'm probably going to get in trouble because I work for Turner, March Madness and CBS. I think Turner Sports and CBS need to close down March Madness, man...Because, even if there's no fans in the stands, you can't have these players breathing on each other for two weeks. Even if they had a hotel, they're going to be in different cities around the country. I hate to say it...like I said, I probably shouldn't say it because I work for CBS, I think we’re going to have to shut down March Madness until we know more."

As of right now, the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball tournaments will be played without spectators. The men's tournament will be played in 14 cities.

Saturday, February 15, 2020

John Thompson: First Black coach to win the NCAA Basketball Tournament

In 1984 John Thompson, of Georgetown University, became the first Black coach to win the NCAA basketball tournament. His Georgetown University Hoyas beat the University of Houston in the NCAA final, 84-75, to win its only national championship.

Thompson won seven Coach of the Year awards: Big East (1980, 1987, 1992), United States Basketball Writers Association and The Sporting News (1984), National Association of Basketball Coaches (1985) and United Press International (1987). Thompson coached many notable players, including Patrick Ewing, Sleepy Floyd, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo and Allen Iverson. Under Thompson, 26 players were chosen in the NBA Draft, eight in the first round including two players selected first overall, Ewing by the New York Knicks in 1985 and Iverson by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Bill Russell accepts Hall of Fame ring 44 years after induction

Bill Russell an 11-time NBA champion, five-time MVP, Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champ tweeted on Friday that he was presented with his Hall of Fame ring in a private ceremony with friends and family that came four decades after he was first selected for the shrine in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Russell didn't attend his induction ceremony in 1975 because he didn't believe that he deserved to be the first black player inducted. He felt that Chuck Cooper, who in 1950 was the first African American player drafted by should have been in the Hall of Fame before him. Cooper was finally inducted in 2019.

Congrats to both Bill Russell and Chuck Cooper

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Keith Gill becomes first-ever African-American FBS conference commissioner




The Sun Belt Conference made history with the hiring of its new commissioner.

The league announced Tuesday that it has hired Keith Gill to replace the retiring Karl Benson. Gill, most recently the executive associate commissioner of the Atlantic 10, becomes the first-ever African American commissioner of an FBS conference. The FBS represents the highest level of Division I athletics.

Read the announcement below:


The Sun Belt Conference announced on Tuesday that Keith Gill has been named the league’s sixth commissioner.

“On behalf of the Sun Belt Conference’s presidents and chancellors, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Keith Gill as the next commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference,” said Georgia State and Sun Belt President Dr. Mark P. Becker.  “Keith is a proven leader with deep experience across the many dimensions of intercollegiate athletics.  Combining that with his passion, integrity and enthusiasm, Keith will be an outstanding leader as the Sun Belt continues on its rising trajectory.”

“I am honored and excited to have been selected as the Commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference and I am grateful to President Becker and all of the Sun Belt presidents and chancellors for allowing me this opportunity,” said Gill.  “I look forward to serving and working with them, their outstanding institutions, the administrators and coaches of the conference and the student-athletes that continue to push the Sun Belt to the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics.”

With his appointment, Gill will become the first African-American commissioner of a NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision conference.

Gill replaces outgoing commissioner Karl Benson, who announced his decision to stepdown as commissioner this past August.  Benson, the only individual to be a commissioner of three I-A/FBS conferences, will begin to transition out of his role as it was mutually agreed that Gill’s start date will be May 1.

A veteran of intercollegiate athletics for nearly 25 years, Gill comes to the Sun Belt from the Atlantic 10 Conference where he currently serves as Executive Associate Commissioner.

At the A-10, Gill works directly with longtime commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade and serves as the primary liaison to the A-10 Men’s Basketball Advancement Committee which is responsible for identifying initiatives and strategies to ensure A-10 men’s basketball remains a top seven league and increases the number of A-10 at-large teams that annually advance to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. Gill supports the A-10’s digital and television broadcast strategy while also providing regular NCAA governance updates to the A-10 Council of Presidents.

Prior to his time at the A-10, Gill was a director of athletics for 10 years, serving at the University of Richmond for five years and American University for five years.

While at Richmond, he was appointed as the A-10's representative on the NCAA Council and served as the governing body's Vice Chair. He also was the Co-Chair of the NCAA Ad Hoc Transfer Issues Working Group in 2015. Gill was honored as an Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year by NACDA in 2015.

Under Gill's watch, Richmond's athletics programs won 14 conference championships and produced 19 All-Americans.  Additionally, the athletics department also made numerous improvements to its athletics facilities, including a complete renovation of the Spiders' basketball and multi-purpose arena, the Robins Center.

In five years at American, Gill led the athletics department to unprecedented heights, highlighted by 25 team conference championships, 16 individual conference champions and 25 All-Americans. In Gill’s first two seasons, the men’s basketball team won the Patriot League title, earning the school’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearances in 2008 and 2009.

More than 250 American student-athletes flourished in the classroom under Gill’s guidance as 16 teams earned a combined grade point average over 3.0 for 23 consecutive semesters. In 2011-12, 121 student-athletes were named to the university’s Dean’s List as the department posted a combined 3.36 GPA.

Prior to his time at American, Gill spent three years at the University of Oklahoma from 2004-07.  In Norman, he oversaw major portions of Sooner athletics, including men’s basketball, women’s soccer and baseball, as well as the supervision of personnel, budgets, facilities, fundraising, student-athlete issues and the selection and evaluation of coaches for those sports. He worked with Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione and senior staff in overseeing the strategic and annual planning process for the department.

Prior to Oklahoma, Gill served two stints at the NCAA national office from 1995-99 and 2000-04. During his second tenure, he was in the role of director of membership services, developing and communicating policies related to Division I intercollegiate athletics, including governance, rules compliance, diversity, gender equity, academic integrity, student-athlete welfare, fiscal integrity, strategic planning, sportsmanship and legislation. Gill oversaw and ensured the effective operation of the athletics certification program and managed a staff of 35 that provided education and guidance to Division I institutions conducting their periodic self-studies. During his first stint at the NCAA office, Gill worked as a membership services representative.

Between his time at the NCAA office, Gill was an Assistant Director of Athletics at Vanderbilt University, working with the director of athletics to implement the annual planning process to help 16 athletics teams achieve their academic and competitive goals. He worked with the National Commodore Club and the major gifts, media relations and marketing staffs and the athletics committee as a part of the Vanderbilt Board of Trustees.

A 1994 graduate of Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in history and sociology, the Orlando, Fla., native was a four-year letterman in football. He received a Master's Degree from Oklahoma in 2006.

CAREER HISTORY:
NCAA, Membership Services Representative (1995-99)
Vanderbilt, Assistant Athletics Director (1999-2000)
NCAA, Director of Membership Services (2000-04)
Oklahoma, Senior Associate Athletics Director (2004-07)
American University, Director of Athletics and Recreation (2007-12)
Richmond, Director of Athletics (2013-17)
Atlantic 10 Conference, Executive Associate Commissioner (2017-19)

NATIONAL COMMITTEES AND SERVICE:
NCAA Division I Council (2015-18)
NCAA Division I Council; Vice Chair (2015-17)
NCAA Division I Competition Oversight Committee (2017-18)
NCAA Division I Board of Directors Sport Organizational Structure Working Group (2016)
NCAA Division I Council Ad Hoc Transfer Issues Working Group; Co-Chair (2015)
NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Committee (2009-12)
NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee (2005-08)
NCAA Football Rules Committee (2005-2007)
NACDA Executive Committee (2015-present)
NACDA Professional Development Committee (2015-present)
NACDA McClendon Foundation Steering Committee (2010-16)

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:
Bernadette V. McGlade, Atlantic 10 Conference Commissioner
“Keith Gill has been an exceptional part of the A-10 team.  His leadership, experience and exceptional dedication are some of his finest qualities!  On behalf of the Atlantic 10 Conference I thank Keith for his service and have no doubt that he will be an asset to the Sun Belt Conference, continuing to build success for the conference in the future.”

Joe Castiglione, University of Oklahoma Director of Athletics
“Congratulations to the leadership of the Sun Belt Conference on selecting Keith Gill as their new Commissioner.  Simply put, they clearly and strategically positioned the league for continued success. Keith has always been very intentional about his preparation to lead from his days as a student-athlete at Duke through his professional journey at Vanderbilt, the NCAA, Oklahoma, American University, Richmond and the Atlantic-10 Conference.  Knowing his engaging communication style and big-picture thinking ability, his experiences have prepared him well to serve all the key stakeholders of the conference membership while building on the transformational vision and growth authored by his predecessor, the highly regarded Karl Benson.  I look forward to watching the great days ahead for the Sun Belt Conference.”

Mark Emmert, NCAA President
“In choosing Keith Gill as the new Sun Belt Commissioner the conference presidents have made an excellent decision.  Keith has established himself as a national leader in college athletics and will bring to the Sun Belt a wealth of knowledge, talent, and leadership. His work on campuses, conference offices, the NCAA national office, and leadership of the Division I Council all give him a remarkable background for this position.”

Bill Hancock, College Football Playoff Executive Director
"I have enjoyed knowing Keith since our days together in the NCAA national office.  He is a bright, energetic and savvy veteran of our business who will be yet another great leader for the Sun Belt, following in the footsteps of Vic Bubas, Jim Lessig, Craig Thompson, Wright Waters and Karl Benson.  And I look forward to working with Keith again, in his role as a member of the College Football Playoff management committee."

Greg Sankey, Southeastern Conference Commissioner
“Keith Gill is an outstanding leader and an even better person who will continue moving the Sun Belt Conference in to the future. His experience leading athletics departments, working on campuses in several conferences, and serving in the NCAA national office provide Keith with a depth of knowledge, experience and relationships that will benefit every Sun Belt member. I look forward to working with Keith and congratulate the Sun Belt Conference on selecting Keith Gill as its sixth commissioner.”

Saturday, May 05, 2018

Congressional Black Caucus Urges the NCAA to Consider Reforming its Operating Model




On April 30, 2018 the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), led by CBC Chairman Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02), sent a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, urging the organization to consider reforming its operating model since its current “state of play…may fail to properly serve a large component of the NCAA’s student-athletes.” 

The letter follows Chairman Richmond’s launch last month of the CBC NCAA Task Force and a staff-level meeting during the same month between the CBC and the NCAA. In the coming weeks, the CBC will bring experts to Capitol Hill to further explore a number of issues addressed in the letter, including whether student-athletes are truly given an opportunity to get an education, whether the NCAA is a monopoly, and whether student-athletes should benefit from a portion of the revenue they help generate. 
In the letter, Chairman Richmond wrote, “The NCAA’s operating model has become a liability for the organization, its student-athletes, coaches, member institutions, alumni, and other important stakeholders. The model has invited serious litigation, under-the-table payments, questionable recruiting practices, and now a criminal probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Our initial research has uncovered a number of items that we want to discuss with you. There are numerous issues that need further exploration by policymakers and by the public at large.” 
Secretary Condoleezza Rice, the Chair of the Commission on College Basketball, and Bill Hancock, the Executive Director of the College Football Playoff, were copied on the letter.

Full text of the letter is attached, online, and below. 
April 30, 2018
Mark Emmert
President
The National Collegiate Athletic Association
700 W. Washington Street
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222
Dear Mr. Emmert:
On behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and its NCAA Task Force, I write you today to urge you and the member institutions that you represent to seriously consider whether reforms to the operating model of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are needed. We are fans of college athletics and appreciate the competitive spirit and accomplishments of America’s student-athletes. That being said, the current state of play in the NCAA may fail to properly serve a large component of the NCAA’s student-athletes. We are encouraged that the Rice Commission has issued a series of important recommendations that, if adopted, could positively alter the current state of play. Given that the NCAA and its member institutions are now reviewing the report and its ideas for reform, the CBC views this as an opportune time to reflect on the fairness of the current approach. 
Now that you have crowned new national champions in college basketball, it is imperative that you and your members consider the talents and labors that made these occasions possible. College basketball players and their achievements provide significant revenues for the NCAA and its members. If you add the revenues driven by the efforts of NCAA college football players, these two cohorts of student-athletes produce the overwhelming majority of college athletics-related revenue. Under this arrangement, these athletes also drive the revenues that pay for massive coaching salaries and for high-value investments in athletic facilities and playing fields. It is not an embellishment to say that these athletes drive the economics of the NCAA itself. 
The NCAA’s operating model has become a liability for the organization, its student-athletes, coaches, member institutions, alumni, and other important stakeholders. The model has invited serious litigation, under-the-table payments, questionable recruiting practices, and now a criminal probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Our initial research has uncovered a number of items that we want to discuss with you. There are numerous issues that need further exploration by policymakers and by the public at large. 
Last month, the CBC formed an NCAA Task Force to study the NCAA’s operating model in order to determine whether policies are needed to ensure fairness in the relationship between student-athletes and the NCAA’s member institutions, including the economic well-being of the student-athletes. We will be performing extensive research, engaging in conversations, and bringing experts to Capitol Hill to explore these topics in further detail. We welcome your participation in a dialogue about the NCAA’s operating model, including your views on its benefits and shortcomings. We invite you and other important stakeholders to engage us in frank conversation in furtherance of our ultimate goal: thoughtful conclusions that we hope can bring about meaningful reforms if significant shortcomings are discovered.
We encourage you to engage us in a transparent exploration as we ask pertinent questions, including, but not limited to, the following: 
1. Does the NCAA’s emphasis on “amateurism” promote student-athletes’ best economic, mental, physical and educational well-being?

2. Is the NCAA’s current operating model promoting economic and racial inequality in the United States of America?

3. Does the NCAA apply similar penalties for similar infractions across all members, including incidents at Historically Black Colleges and Universities?

4. Does the NCAA’s current operating model promote anticompetitive effects in the college athletics marketplace?

5. Does the current length of scholarships for student-athletes maximize learning opportunities for student-athletes?

6. Is the NCAA exercising monopolistic market power or creating a monopsony effect in the market for college football and basketball players?

7. Should the NCAA allow its student-athletes to benefit from a portion of the significant revenue that they help generate?

8. Does the NCAA offer sufficient opportunities for its student-athletes to support themselves economically outside of their role as student-athletes?

9. Does the NCAA’s current distribution of revenue add value to the delivery of educational services for a high percentage of member institutions?

10. Does the NCAA audit or monitor revenue distributions to member institutions to ensure that they are being utilized for their intended purposes?

11. Do university athletic departments operate with sufficient oversight and accountability?

12. Does the NCAA have a responsibility to its student-athletes after their time as an athlete concludes?

13. How might changes to the NCAA’s operating model affect the ability of member institutions to finance NCAA sports programs that fail to generate sufficient revenue?

These are several of the many questions we will be asking relevant stakeholders in the weeks and months to come. We look forward to a dialogue with the NCAA and its leadership and invite you to come and meet with the CBC’s NCAA Task Force for an introductory conversation. We look forward to working with you to ensure that America’s student-athletes are well protected and provided for. 
Sincerely,
Cedric L. Richmond
CC: Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Chair, Commission on College Basketball Bill Hancock, Executive Director, College Football Playoff

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Southern wins SWAC championship: Advances to NCAA Tournament

The Southern Jaguars defeated the Jackson State Tigers 54-53 in a thrilling finish to win the SWAC championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament. The coach's son, Trelun Banks, scored a game-high 19 points for the Jaguars.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Hampton headed back to NCAA Tournament.

Led by Brain Darden's with 22 points, and Reginald Johnson Jr's 21 points, the Hampton pirates defeated South Carolina State and is the MEAC champion once again. . The Hampton Pirates are now headed to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. Congrats to the Hampton Pirates on their tournament berth, and to South Carolina State Bulldogs for a great season.

Sunday, April 05, 2015

African American college coaches form group to address minority hires

A group of prominent black coaches headlined by Tubby Smith and Shaka Smart are forming an organization to address the dwindling numbers of minority head coaches in college basketball.

The National Association for Coaching Equity and Development is in response to the dissolution of the Black Coaches Association. Ten years after minority coaches held more than 25 percent of the jobs across the country, the percentage dropped to 22 percent last year. And another 12 minority coaches have been fired this season.

As the NCAA's crown jewel — the men's Final Four — descends on Indianapolis this weekend with all four teams coached by white men, Smith, Smart, John Thompson III and a growing list of some of the game's most accomplished coaches say they are answering the call from those who came before them to speak up with authority and address the issues that have bubbled back to the surface.

"There hasn't been a voice for people speaking out and saying, 'Look, what are you all doing administratively? What's this about? Why has this all happened?' And question it," Smith, who won a national title at Kentucky and now coaches at Texas Tech, told The Associated Press.

Smith was one of the charter members of the Black Coaches Association, a once-powerful group headed by trail blazers like John Thompson, George Raveling and John Chaney to kick down the doors that colleges and universities slammed in the faces of minority coaches.

So it pained him to watch the BCA lose its influence in recent years while struggling to come up with funding from the NCAA and other sources. As the BCA started to disappear, so have the opportunities for black coaches across the country.

The new group, the National Association for Coaching Equity and Development, has more than 40 minority coaches on board and aims to replace the now-defunct BCA as the most influential advocate to push schools to give candidates of color more consideration for head coaching jobs. It also wants to better prepare the younger generation of coaches to succeed in those jobs and help athletes gain admission to college and excel when they get there.

Read more: Top college coaches form group to address minority hires

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Hampton beats Manhattan to win opening round NCAA Tournament game.

16th seeded MEAC champion Hampton and 16th seeded MAAC champions Manhattan played in the first game of the NCAA Tournament (the play-in game or a First Four game if you prefer) with Hampton coming out on top 74-64.

The Hampton Pirates were led by senior Quinton Chievous who scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Junior Reginald Johnson chipped in with 15 points.

With the win Hampton moves to 17-17 and gets to play the #1 overall seeded Kentucky Wildcats March 19 in the next round. This is Hampton's second ever win in the NCAA Tournament. They had better enjoy it because they want be getting that third win against Kentucky.