After serving two years as the Dragons’ linebackers coach and video coordinator, Carter comes to Tuskegee. Lane’s linebackers’ group played a key part in the team’s success defensively. Last season, the Dragons’ defense tallied 644 total tackles, 65 tackles for loss and 23 sacks. The unit also forced eight fumbles while recovering seven and intercepted six passes.

In 2023, Carter anchored a defensive group that registered 633 total tackles, with 68 tackles for loss and 20 sacks. The unit also forced six interceptions and seven fumbles. 

Before Lane, Carter — a former Grambling State football standout — gained a wealth of experience from other high school and collegiate stops in his career. Those include serving as the assistant defensive line coach at SWAC HBCU Texas Southern, helping the Tigers elevate to No. 2 in the FCS in interceptions. 

Carter served as the defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach at Franklin High School. At Franklin, Carter’s defense led Class 2A in takeaways. He also served as the defensive coordinator at Pro-Vision Academy, helping the team capture its first state championship in program history.

The Houston native is no stranger to success. He gained recognition from the community as he was responsible for mentoring two high school All-Americans and multiple Division I prospects.

Before he entered the coaching ranks, Carter played for GSU from 2005 to 2009, helping the program secure a SWAC title and Black College Football national championship in 2005 under the leadership of Melvin Spears and a second SWAC title in 2008 under Rod Broadway’s leadership.

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SIAC coaches and sports information directors voted on the players selected for each team as well as the league’s Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year.

Miles College guard Alvin Miles was named the SIAC Player of the Year while Golden Bears head coach Fred Watson earned Coach of the Year honors. Fort Valley State forward Hassane Diallo earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, Lane guard Elijah Greer Dawson received Newcomer of the Year, Edward Waters forward Myles Hosten notched Freshman of the Year honors while Morehouse guard Cedric Taylor III earned Elite 16 honors.

Miles, a native of Memphis, Tenn., was one of the SIAC’s top 10 scorers this season, averaging 15.9 points per game (10th in the conference). He became the first player in program to earn the league’s top player award since Avery Brown accomplished the feat in 2020. Miles was the only SIAC player this season to score 400 points, grab 100 rebounds and notch 100 assists. He finished with double-figure production in 22 of the Golden Bears’ 26 contests while recording seven games of 20 or more points.

Diallo registered 177 rebounds with 120 coming on the defensive side of the ball in 28 games this season. He also finished second in the league in blocked shots (42) while registering 22 steals and averaging 10.5 points per contest.

Dawson averaged 16.8 points while shooting 44.4% from the field, dishing 3.0 assists and connecting on 76.9% from the free throw line per game in 18 contests this season. Beyond his scoring, Dawson averaged 4.1 rebounds per game while tallying a total of 39 steals and six blocks on defense.

Hosten averaged 8.0 points while shooting 38.8% from the floor and notched 4.8 rebounds in 13 games this season.

Watson registered his third Coach of the Year honors at Miles and the ninth of his career. He led Miles to a SIAC-best 23-3 mark that includes a 19-1 record in conference play and a perfect 12-0 mark at home, the Golden Bears best record inside Knox-Windham Gymnasium in program history.

Player of the Year

Alvin Miles

Defensive Player of the Year

Hassane Diallo

Newcomer of the Year

Elijah Greer Dawson

Freshman of the Year

Coach of the Year

Myles Hosten

The complete listing of the SIAC all-conference selections and individual awards winners can be found below.

All-SIAC First Team

• Shakur Poteat, Albany State
• Alvin Miles, Miles
• Walter Peggs, Jr., Miles
• Cedric Taylor III, Morehouse
• Lavar Miller Jr., Kentucky State

All-SIAC Second Team

• Kevin Sesberry, Tuskegee
• Jalen Williams, Clark Atlanta
• Prince Davies III, Edward Waters
• Kusamae Draper, Tuskegee
• Blaise Wallace, Albany State

All-SIAC Third Team

• Steven Lyles, Spring Hill
• Shemani Fuller, Clark Atlanta
• Corey Trotter, Miles
• Aziel Blackwell, Kentucky State
• Khalil Genwright, LeMoyne-Owen

All-SIAC Freshman Team

• Myles Hosten, Edward Waters
• Rocco Lamuno, Spring Hill
• Abdoul Sacko, LeMoyne-Owen
• Brandon Peters, Morehouse
• Christian Gary, Albany State

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. — Tuskegee University is pleased to announce the appointment of O.C. Williams II as the new Defensive Coordinator for the Golden Tiger HBCU football program. Williams brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of defensive excellence to Tuskegee.

Prior to joining Tuskegee, Williams served as the Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Line Coach, and Recruiting Coordinator at Fort Valley State University during the 2022 season. Fort Valley State’s defensive unit evolved into one of the premier defenses in the SIAC from 2022 to 2024, showing consistent improvement each season in key areas such as pass rush, run defense, and forcing turnovers.

Their ability to limit opponents’ scoring and dictate the tempo of games was instrumental in shaping the team’s identity and keeping them competitive in the conference. Stopping the run became a hallmark of Fort Valley State’s defensive identity, with opponents struggling to establish a ground game against their front seven. By 2024, they had developed into one of the best run-stopping units in the SIAC.

The continued improvement of Fort Valley State’s defense was a major reason for their competitiveness in the SIAC. By 2024, they had solidified their reputation as a physical, disciplined, and aggressive unit that dictated games. Their ability to consistently stop the run, pressure quarterbacks, and create turnovers allowed them to control field position and give their offense more opportunities to score.

Before that, he was the Cornerbacks and Special Teams Coach at HBCU Alabama A&M University in 2021. Williams spent four years (2017-2020) at Reinhardt University, where he contributed to four Mid-South Conference titles and an NAIA National Championship runner-up finish.

His tenure at Reinhardt included roles as Defensive Line Coach, Run Game Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator, and Defensive Coordinator. Under his leadership, the defense consistently ranked among the nation’s best, producing multiple All-Conference players and All-Americans. Williams’ coaching career also includes positions at the University of West Florida, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, McPherson College, East Mississippi Community College, and the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos.

A graduate of Alcorn State University, Williams played as a defensive back and long snapper. He also played defensive back at Holmes Community College in Mississippi. Williams is set to begin his role immediately, aiming to elevate the Golden Tigers’ defense in the upcoming season.

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Morehouse started strong, leading early in the first half, but Tuskegee took command before halftime and never looked back. Morehouse’s Sincere Key led his team with 15 points, but the Maroon Tigers struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 21.7% from three-point range. Despite solid efforts from Cedric Taylor III and Amahn Decker, Morehouse couldn’t overcome their shooting woes against Tuskegee’s disciplined defense.

The NBA’s involvement in hosting HBCU showcase games like this one highlights the growing recognition of Black college athletics on a national scale. Events like the HBCU NBA Classic provide student-athletes with major exposure while celebrating the rich culture and history of HBCUs.

In its fourth edition, the HBCU NBA Classic proved once again why these games are an essential part of the basketball landscape. Both Morehouse and Tuskegee showcased the best of HBCU basketball, leaving fans excited for future matchups on the NBA stage.

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OAKLAND, CA | The upcoming matchup between the Tuskegee Golden Tigers and the Morehouse Maroon Tigers is set to be a highlight of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Scheduled for February 15, 2025, at the Oakland Arena, this game is part of the NBA HBCU Classic presented by AT&T.

The Maroon Tigers, with their season’s momentum and recent significant victories, aim to showcase their growth and team cohesion. The Maroon Tigers have won four of their past five games, heading into the weekend.  

On the other hand, the Tuskegee Golden Tigers have lost four of their prior six games, as they have been preparing diligently for this marquee event. Their season has been characterized by strategic plays and a focus on defense. 

The NBA HBCU Classic not only highlights the athletic talents of these institutions but also celebrates HBCU culture and the longstanding rivalry between these two teams. Fans can anticipate a game filled with intensity, strategic plays, and a showcase of collegiate basketball excellence.

Morehouse Maroon Tigers

The Maroon Tigers have demonstrated a solid season, with a notable victory over Howard University on January 20, 2025, marking their first win against Howard in three seasons.

• Offense: The Maroon Tigers average 72.2 points per game, with a field goal percentage of 40.1%. Their three-point shooting stands at 29.0%, indicating room for improvement in perimeter scoring.
• Defense: Defensively, they allow an average of 66.5 points per game, showcasing a solid defense. They average 8.8 steals per game, reflecting their ability to force turnovers.

Tuskegee Golden Tigers

The Tuskegee Golden Tigers have a balanced offensive attack, with four players averaging double figures in scoring.

• Offense: In the game against Winston-Salem State, the Golden Tigers scored 71 points, with a field goal percentage of 54.2%, indicating efficient shooting.
• Defense: The Golden Tigers have held two opponents to 50 points or less this season.

Review of the Morehouse Maroon Tigers 2024-25 Basketball Season

Under the leadership of Head Coach Douglas Whittler, the team has navigated challenges and celebrated significant victories.

A highlight of the season was the historic win against Howard University on January 20, 2025. This victory was particularly momentous as it marked Morehouse’s first triumph over Howard in the past three seasons. Transfer student Sincere Key made a notable breakout game, contributing 15 points by the middle of the second half.  Jayen Gray led the way with a career-high 22 points.  The team’s preparation and defense were pivotal in countering Howard’s strong three-point shooting, ultimately leading to a final score of 79-76 in favor of Morehouse.

Earlier in the season, the Maroon Tigers secured a victory against Valdosta State Blazers, with a close score of 84-80. 

Senior Amahn Decker highlighted has anchored the post, while sharp-shooters Omar Rowe and Sincere Key provide outside shooting.  Transfer JerMontae Hill has been versatile, playing four positions throughout the season. Cedric Taylor III ranks in the top 10 in the conference in points, rebounds, field goal percentage, and blocked shots.  Mid-season addition, Dre Watson, has been a force defensively and on the boards.

As the season progressed, the Maroon Tigers continued to demonstrate their commitment to excellence, setting their sights on championship aspirations. Coach Whittler has emphasized the importance of sacrifice and teamwork, aiming to guide the team toward achieving their ultimate goals.

As both teams take the national stage at NBA All-Star Weekend, this matchup serves as an opportunity to honor their histories and display the high level of competition within HBCU basketball. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, NBA TV, and TruTV.

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The game is nationally televised, bringing well-deserved attention to HBCU athletics while educating fans on the impact of the Airmen.

Beyond the field, the Red Tails Classic fosters school pride, community engagement, and historical awareness. Events surrounding the game highlight the Tuskegee Airmen’s contributions, ensuring their legacy continues to inspire.

WSSU and Tuskegee first met in the Pioneer Bowl in 1999 and 2000 in the Georgia Dome, with the CIAA squad taking the first game and the SIAC squad taking the other. The two programs met in the 2013 Cleveland Classic, and most recently played each other at Tuskegee back in 2019. Tuskegee, the all-time winningest program in HBCU history, has 29 SIAC titles.WSSU has 12 CIAA titles, tied for second most among all CIAA schools behind Morgan State.

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“We are looking forward to another exciting year for Tuskegee football,” said Tuskegee Athletic Director, Reginald Ruffin. “Our fans have always been a huge part of our success, and we’re thrilled to host four home games in 2025. This is a great schedule that gives us the opportunity to face off against some top-level competition both within the SIAC and non-conference, and we look forward to the season.”

The Golden Tigers will open the season for the fifth consecutive year at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery in the Red Tails Classic on Sunday, Aug. 31. This year the non-conference showdown is against Winston-Salem State in the opener.

Tuskegee University will then host their home opener on Sept. 6, against Central State at Cleve Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium. This game will mark the Golden Tigers’ first home contest of the season as they look to establish a strong record in front of their fans.

On Sept. 13, Tuskegee will hit the road again, traveling to Jackson, Mississippi, for a clash against Jackson State. This will be their first matchup between schools since the teams met in the 5th Quarter Classic in Mobile in 2017, setting the stage for an exciting, high-energy game.

The Golden Tigers will then travel to Columbia, South Carolina, on Sept. 20, to take on Benedict in another crucial SIAC game. This road test will be the first meeting with Benedict since the 2022 SIAC title game and will be key for Tuskegee as they continue their SIAC slate.

Next, the Golden Tigers will return home on Sept. 27 to host Fort Valley State. The Golden Tigers will look to defend their home turf once more against a tough opponent in this important conference contest.

On Oct. 4, Tuskegee University will battle in the Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic, facing Morehouse in what is an historic and always highly anticipated matchup. This neutral-site game will showcase the fierce rivalry between the two programs, dating back to 1902.

On Oct. 18, Tuskegee will travel for a contest with the Albany State Rams. The matchup will revive another conference series that has not been played since 2019.

The next two games are both inside Abbott Memorial Stadium, first on Oct. 25 hosting Allen. Following Allen, the Golden Tigers will host their annual Homecoming game on November 1, as they take on Lane.

In the final conference game of the season, Tuskegee will head to Fairfield, Alabama, on Nov. 8 to face in-state rival Miles in a pivotal conference showdown.

“Our goal is to contend for the SIAC Championship and continue the legacy of excellence that Tuskegee football is known for,” said Head Coach Aaron James.

Dr. Mark A. Brown, President and CEO agrees. “I’m looking forward to what AD Ruffin and Coach James are doing. Our student athletes are powerhouses on and off the field and this will help position the university for a stellar season. That’s the Tuskegee Way!”

Kickoff times for all games on the schedule will be announced at a later date. Tuskegee fans are encouraged to stay tuned for more updates and to support the Golden Tigers throughout the 2025 season!

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. – Tuskegee University Quarterbacks Coach and Director of Football Operations, Clinton Smith Jr., has been selected to represent HBCU football as one of 25 NCAA coaches invited to participate in the prestigious 2025 NCAA and NFL Coaches Academy.

The NCAA and NFL Coaches Academy is designed to provide current, full-time college football coaches at NCAA member schools with an educational platform to develop leadership skills, build connections, and further their coaching careers.

As part of the program, Smith will engage in a wide range of discussions with industry professionals and esteemed peers, enhancing his ability to lead, serve, and teach student-athletes effectively both on and off the field.

Topics will cover a variety of essential areas, including fostering effective communication with campus and community stakeholders, building a program culture that prioritizes the holistic success of student-athletes, managing football program budgets, and refining coaching strategies and philosophies. Equally important will be discussions around managing the personal challenges that come with life as a coach.

The 2025 Coaches Academy, offered in partnership with the NFL, will provide Smith with a valuable network of supportive colleagues and mentors, who will guide him through the challenges of a coaching career. Upon completion, Smith will be better equipped to excel in his current role and advance his career, leveraging a wealth of leadership tools and a robust support system.

The program will take place February 20-22, 2025, in Indianapolis, Ind. In addition to the 25 NCAA coaches, the NFL will also invite 25 former NFL players who are now coaching at various levels, including collegiate, high school, or professional football.

About Clinton Smith Jr.

Clinton Smith, Jr. joined the Tuskegee University HBCU football staff in 2022 after a year at Miles where he served as the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator. In his lone season with the Golden Bears, Smith helped the program earn their third consecutive Western Division crown before falling in the SIAC Championship game.
 
Prior to joining Miles, Smith proved to be a prominent high school coach in the state of Alabama after six years as the head coach at Hillcrest-Evergreen (Ala.) High School where he led the Jaguars to six straight Alabama 3A Playoff appearances. Smith and his staff won the 3A State Championship in 2017 after defeating Randolph County, 26-14, setting school records for wins and points scored in a season.

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The HBCU has made significant upgrades in the last few years and exposed student athletes to competitive opportunities. In addition to lights, the university has purchased new buses branded with the Tuskegee logos to transport student athletes to all our athletic contests. 

“We have enjoyed upgrades for all of our athletic teams, and this fall celebrated lights on the football field,” said Athletic Director Reginald Ruffin. “The lights will be added to the baseball and softball fields and will help expand our schedule within the division. This funding will help to support athletics and student success and so much more.”

Tuskegee University is creating multiple opportunities to expose athletes to once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The university recently announced that the men’s basketball team would be competing in the NBA HBCU Classic against Morehouse College in California during the NBA All-Star weekend. The men’s team also competed in a tournament in the Virgin Islands.

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Winston-Salem State, long regarded as a powerhouse within the CIAA, ranks eighth in the nation with 7,200 fans per game at Bowman Gray Stadium. The Rams’ ability to attract significant crowds underscores the enduring impact of HBCU culture, where football games double as cultural events, bringing together alumni, students, and fans for a celebration of heritage and athleticism.

Virginia Union and Clark Atlanta round out the group, exemplifying how HBCUs continue to command attention and loyalty in Division II. Beyond the numbers, these schools demonstrate the unique role that HBCU football programs play in their communities, fostering pride and engagement through generations.

While some FCS and even FBS programs struggle to fill their stands, HBCUs have consistently proven their ability to galvanize support, reinforcing their vital role in shaping the landscape of college football. These attendance figures are a testament to the cultural significance and enduring appeal of HBCU football.

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La’Tavion Johnson, an 18-year-old, was killed in the mass shooting. Johnson was not a student at Tuskegee University. 

“An annual homecoming is something we have been doing for 100 years. It is a tradition at many schools and especially so at historically Black colleges and universities,” he said. “We have no plans to change that tradition.”

Four people went to the hospital with non-shooting-related injuries, and 12 others were hit in the mass shooting.  

“We did not nor could we have planned for security at an event that was not approved in advance or officially sanctioned by the university,” Brown said. “Nonetheless, it happened on our campus, and we take full responsibility for allowing a thorough investigation and implementing corrective actions.”

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The shooting occurred at the West Commons apartments on campus around 9:30 pm on Saturday. The unidentified person who was killed was not a Tuskegee University student according to university spokesperson Thonnia Lee.

“Several others including Tuskegee University students were injured and are receiving treatment at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika and Baptist South Hospital in Montgomery,” according to a university press release.

“The university is in the process of completing student accountability and notifying parents,” Tuskegee University said. “Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.”

Macon County Coroner Hal Bentley told AL.com that “quite a few people” were injured, but he did not know the exact number. The coroner did not provide information about the person killed.

Tuskegee City Police Chief Patrick Mardis provided more details on the shooting. He told AL.com that a female student was shot in stomach. “I helped load her up.” A male student was shot in the arm and Mardis said he did not have information about the third person injured.

Videos circulating on social media show the moments that gunfire erupted as people began to crouch on the ground and hide behind cars at the apartments.

“Some idiots started shooting,” Mardis said. “You couldn’t get the emergency vehicles in there, there were so many people there.”

Tuskegee city police were already nearby responding to another shooting. There was a double shooting with two minor injuries at a nearby Texaco station when the call came in about the fatal shooting.

This is a developing story.

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ATLANTA — Entering week ten of the football season, there is a lot left to be determined about who will compete in the 2024 SIAC Football Championship presented by Cricket. Matchups, contenders, pathways and possible outcomes are detailed below.

WEEK 10 SIAC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

MILES COLLEGE
Miles (7-2, 7-0 SIAC) secured the No. 1 seed with its win over Morehouse last week. The game against Tuskegee will not affect Miles’ position in the standings.

• Miles holds the common opponent tiebreaker over Fort Valley State after defeating Clark Atlanta in week 7. Clark Atlanta defeated Fort Valley State in the season opener.

FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Fort Valley State (6-3, 6-1 SIAC) controls its own destiny in week 10. The Wildcats will be the No. 2 seed if they defeat Albany State. Fort Valley State will be eliminated from contention with a loss because Albany State will hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY
Clark Atlanta (6-2-1, 5-2 SIAC) will need to win against Morehouse and Fort Valley State lose for an SIAC Football Championship berth. 

• The scenario will leave Clark Atlanta, Fort Valley State and Albany State with 6-2 SIAC records. 
• Clark Atlanta holds the head-to-head over Fort Valley State.
• Clark Atlanta will have a higher combined SIAC opponent win percentage than Albany State.

ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY
Albany State (5-4, 5-2 SIAC) will need to win against Fort Valley State, a Tuskegee loss and a Clark Atlanta loss. 

The Golden Rams will also have the potential to play in the championship if they win against Fort Valley State, Clark Atlanta loses, Tuskegee wins and Allen wins. 

• This scenario will create a combined SIAC opponent win percentage tie with Tuskegee. 
• The team ranked highest in the regional rankings will receive the No. 2 seed spot. 
• If neither team is ranked in the region, a draw by lot will occur.

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
Tuskegee (5-4, 5-2 SIAC) will need to win against Miles, a Fort Valley State loss, a Clark Atlanta loss and an Allen loss.

• In this scenario, Tuskegee will have the higher combined SIAC opponent win percentage over Albany State.

If Tuskegee beats Miles, Fort Valley State loses, Clark Atlanta loses and Edward Waters loses, the Golden Bears will also have the potential to play in the championship.

• This scenario will create a combined SIAC opponent win percentage tie with Albany State.
•  The team ranked highest in the regional rankings will receive the No. 2 seed spot. 
• If neither team is ranked in the region, a draw by lot will occur.

SIAC FOOTBALL STANDINGS 
**As of 11/3/24

Savannah State, Kentucky State, Benedict, Lane, Edward Waters, Morehouse, Allen, and Central State have all been eliminated from championship contention. 

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“We are thrilled to have Morehouse College and Tuskegee University compete in the fourth NBA HBCU Classic during NBA All-Star 2025,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum. 

“The HBCU Classic has become a staple event within our All-Star festivities, and we look forward to both programs showcasing their talents during the game, as well as celebrating HBCU culture throughout the weekend.”

The teams were selected in collaboration with the SIAC conference due to their rich traditions, on-court rivalry and commitment to excellence.  The 2025 game continues the league’s commitment to increasing support and awareness for HBCU athletics and advancing educational, career and economic opportunities in partnership with HBCUs.

“The SIAC is ecstatic that the NBA selected our conference to represent HBCUs during this year’s All-Star Weekend,” said SIAC Commissioner Anthony Holloman.  “The NBA has been a longtime supporter of HBCUs, and we are excited that two of our institutions will headline the Classic, bringing elevated exposure on a national stage and a once in a lifetime experience for our student-athletes.”

“We are honored that the NBA and the SIAC Conference chose these two historic institutions to participate in this event,” said Morehouse Director of Athletics Harold Ellis.  “This is an outstanding opportunity for our student-athletes to showcase their skills in front of a national audience.  As someone who played in the NBA, it thrills me even more to see the partnership between NBA and HBCUs.  We are looking forward to this enhanced student-athlete experience.”

“We are incredibly excited for the opportunity to showcase our men’s basketball program on such a grand stage in the 2025 NBA HBCU Classic during NBA All-Star Weekend,” said Tuskegee Director of Athletics Reginald Ruffin.  “Playing in the Bay Area is a tremendous honor for our student-athletes and university, and we are thankful to the NBA and its partners for making this event possible.  This experience will provide our university and student-athletes with invaluable exposure and memories that will last a lifetime.  We look forward to showing the talent of the SIAC to such a large audience.”

During All-Star 2024 in Indiana, in addition to the HBCU Classic matchup featuring Winston-Salem State University and Virginia Union University that featured a HBCU Classic record 9,691 in attendance, HBCU events and celebrations included pep rallies, career development sessions, a student art design showcase and the All-Star HBCU Event Intern Program. Additional details on HBCU events and opportunities at NBA All-Star 2025 will be shared at a later date. Since 2021, when the league expanded its commitment of HBCUs, the NBA family has contributed more than $5 million to HBCU institutions, partners and scholarships.

Tickets for the 2025 HBCU Classic presented by AT&T are on sale now.  Visit here to purchase while tickets last.  To learn more about the NBA’s commitment to HBCUs, visit https://www.nba.com/hbcus.  

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The game was highlighted by standout performances, particularly from JCSU QB Darius Ocean and RB Quavaris Crouch. Ocean showcased his passing prowess, completing 13 of 25 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, while Crouch dominated the ground game with 161 rushing yards on 21 attempts, including a 75-yard touchdown run that set the tone early in the second half.

The first quarter saw Johnson C. Smith take a 7-0 lead with a touchdown pass from Ocean to Brevin Caldwell. Tuskegee University responded in the second quarter with a touchdown pass from Raequan Beal to Karon Taylor, but a missed extra point kept them trailing 7-6. In the third quarter, Crouch’s explosive run extended Johnson C. Smith’s lead, though Tuskegee answered with a rushing touchdown by Johnny Morris III. However, Tuskegee’s failure to convert the extra point left them behind 14-13.

The decisive moment came late in the third quarter when Ocean connected with Caldwell for a 37-yard touchdown pass, sealing the game for JCSU. Despite Tuskegee’s efforts, Johnson C. Smith’s defense held firm, preventing any further scoring. The victory marks a significant win for Johnson C. Smith, setting a strong tone for its season.

JCSU will look to improve to 2-0 next week when it takes on Morehouse College next week.

Here are five key plays from the Red Tails Classic between Johnson C. Smith University and Tuskegee University:

1. Darius Ocean’s 7-yard Touchdown Pass to Brevin Caldwell (1st Quarter): This play gave Johnson C. Smith an early 7-0 lead, setting the tone for the game.
2. Quavaris Crouch’s 75-yard Touchdown Run (3rd Quarter): This explosive run extended Johnson C. Smith’s lead to 14-7, proving to be a momentum-shifting play.
3. Johnny Morris III’s 1-yard Touchdown Run (3rd Quarter): Tuskegee closed the gap to 14-13 with this rushing touchdown, but a missed extra point kept them from tying the game.
4. Darius Ocean’s 37-yard Touchdown Pass to Brevin Caldwell (3rd Quarter): This play put Johnson C. Smith ahead 21-13, providing the final margin of victory.
5. Johnson C. Smith’s Defensive Stand in the 4th Quarter: The defense held firm, preventing Tuskegee from scoring and securing the win for Johnson C. Smith.

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. ^__ The Tuskegee Athletic Department has announced plans to expand the in-house coverage and production on the flagship program, the Golden Tiger Sports Network, as part of the conference-wide partnership with HBCU GO, Byron Allen’s Media Group free-streaming platform.

Released earlier this year, HBCU GO — the leading media provider for the nation’s 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) — has publicized a 10-year media rights partnership with the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). This agreement grants HBCU GO cable, linear, streaming, broadcast, VOD, and pay-per-view rights coverage of all SIAC team sports through 2032 worldwide. Those sports include regular season contests for football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and Olympic sports.

As part of the partnership, Tuskegee will expand the in-house production on the Golden Tiger Sports Network (GTSN). GTSN will be the one-stop shop for all Tuskegee Athletics digital content and serve as the exclusive streaming home for live and on-demand coverage of the department, with on-air talent from a pool approved by the SIAC and Commissioner Holloman.

GTSN broadcasts will include all home regular season conference and non-conference games all varsity sports at Tuskegee University, voiced by Play-by-Play veterans Charles Ward and Mark Lassiter. Fans can expect more than 80 live events to be streamed through the network on a yearly basis.

“This is a historic moment for the SIAC and Tuskegee University,” Reginald Ruffin, Director of Athletics said. “Now our alumni and fans will continue to see the Tuskegee brand displayed worldwide with the HBCU GO platform. This new platform gives Tuskegee University the opportunity to increase and generate revenue to help support athletics.”

The partnership with Byron Allen and HBCU Go will boost the profile of the SIAC and Tuskegee University by providing more nationally televised athletic events than ever before. Starting with the upcoming football season, HBCU Go will televise at least nine regular-season games involving schools from the SIAC before continuing coverage for all other sports throughout the year. Viewers will be able to watch games in large markets and on TheGrio Television Network in addition to digital platforms like the HBCU GO mobile app and FAST channel, which is available on AMG’s free streaming platforms TheGrio Gold and Local Now.

The HBCU Go platform is available in mobile/tablet apps (iOS and Android), connected TV device apps (AppleTV, FireTV, and Roku), and a web-based browser interface (hbcugo.tv).

“This partnership will help us continue to grow within the conference imprint, as well as help promote our in-house production and value on our Golden Tiger Sports Network. Our network will continue to be the standard, as we provide coverage for all sports in our department.” Ruffin added.

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. ^__ Tuskegee University football’s game times and broadcast information are slowly beginning to take shape for the 2024 season. The Golden Tigers can now boast a schedule this year that features nine HBCU football games that can be viewed on television and/or live stream, including five games available on the ESPN family of networks and two broadcasts on HBCU Go.

Thanks to a conference-wide deal, home games that are not picked up by the ESPN Network will also be available to be viewed on HBCU Go platform.

With the release of game times against Johnson C. Smith in the Red Tails Classic (6 p.m. CT) and the annual Turkey Day Classic on the road against Alabama State on Thanksgiving (2 p.m. CT), Tuskegee now knows five-game times for the year as they will host Savannah State on September 21 at 1 p.m., before facing Edward Waters on September 28 at 7 p.m. ET in Jacksonville to close out the opening month of the season.

The Golden Tigers will compete in the Morehouse Tuskegee Classic on October 5 at 2 p.m., before hosting Kentucky State in their second home game inside Abbott Memorial Stadium on October 19 at 1 p.m.

The remaining game times will be announced following the release of the full SIAC television schedule later this summer.

2024 TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 1    vs. Johnson C. Smith, 6 p.m., ESPNU
Sept. 7     at Grambling State*, TBA, HBCU Go
Sept. 21   Savannah State, 1 p.m., GTSN (also available on HBCU Go Stream)
Sept. 28   at Edward Waters, 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT, HBCU Go
Oct. 5       vs. Morehouse*, 2 p.m., ESPN+
Oct. 12     at Lane*, TBA
Oct. 19     Kentucky State*, 1 p.m., GTSN (also available on HBCU Go Stream)
Oct. 26     at Central State*, TBA
Nov. 2      at Clark Atlanta*, TBA, ESPN+
Nov. 9      Miles*, TBA, ESPN+
Nov. 28    at Alabama State, 2 p.m., ESPNU

* SIAC game
GTSN — Golden Tiger Sports Network
Remaining game times TBA

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. ^__ The time for the 2024 Boeing Red Tails Classic was announced on Thursday afternoon, with television and kickoff set for Tuskegee University’s season-opening trip down 85 South to face fellow HBCU Johnson C Smith (JCSU) at the historic Cramton Bowl. The Golden Tigers and Golden Bulls will play Sunday, Sept. 1 at 6:00 p.m. CT in a nationally televised game on ESPNU, the fifth consecutive year the game will make an appearance on the ESPN family of networks since the game’s creation. Tuskegee is currently 1-3 in the classic, including a win last season over Fort Valley State.

The two programs last played in the inaugural Inner City Classic in Atlanta, Ga. on Sept. 8, 2012, with Tuskegee earning a 35-17 victory. Tuskegee leads the all-time series by a 12-5-1 count, with eight of the games being decided by 10 points or less.  The series has had several streaks, with Tuskegee having won the last eight meetings dating back to 1970.

Both HBCU programs are coming off 7-4 records in 2023, while also finishing 6-2 in their respective conference standings.

“We are excited to once again open our upcoming football season with a nationally televised game in the Red Tails Classic,” Tuskegee head coach Aaron James said. “Our program has enjoyed tremendous support over the past few seasons with Montgomery being one of our surrounding areas, while we also look to bring home a win again like we did in 2023.”

“The Red Tails Classic has so much tradition and playing against Tuskegee University, one of the most storied championships football programs makes it meaningful,” Johnson C Smith head coach Maurice Flowers said. “It is an honor to be able to play in the Red Tails Classic. We are excited, this is great for our football program to be playing in a nationally televised game.”

Ticket and tailgate information for the 2024 Boeing Red Tails Classic airing on the ESPN family of networks can be found on the Montgomery Kickoff Games website, or by clicking here.

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The Board of Trustees approved the retired Air Force Major General’s nomination after several talented leaders stepped forward to succeed Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, the university’s ninth president.

The university announced the retirement of Dr. Morris last fall after almost 40 years of service. At that time, the search firm Storbeck developed a committee of university representatives at all levels — Trustees, faculty, staff, alums, and students — to develop the confidential process to review candidate applications and participate in interviews.

“The Board of Trustees conducted a thorough search process, considering candidates from across the nation, and was impressed by Dr. Brown’s vision, expertise, and passion for higher education,” said Norma Clayton, Chair of the Tuskegee Board of Trustees. “Working with the Board, we are confident that he will provide a clear vision, direction, strong leadership, and guidance  to evolve and grow the university.”

Dr. Brown’s extensive executive experience includes the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business,  and the Robert and Edith Broad Academy for Urban School Superintendents, now hosted at the Yale School of Management.

An educational leader

Dr. Brown, who received his bachelor’s from Tuskegee in accounting, earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Troy University, a Master’s of Strategic Studies from the Air Command and Staff College, a Master’s in National Security Strategy from the National War College, and his doctorate in Education from Baylor University. His experience in education is varied and distinguished.

While a Major General in the Air Force, Dr. Brown served as Deputy Commander of Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. AETC recruits, trains, and educates Air Force personnel. His command included the Air Force Recruiting Service, two numbered Air Forces, and two fully accredited graduate and doctoral degree-granting universities: Air University and the Air Force Institute of Technology. AETC operates more than 1,400 trainer, fighter, and mobility aircraft, 23 wings, 10 bases, and five geographically separated groups. The command trains more than 293,000 Airmen annually, with approximately 60,000 active-duty, Reserve, Guard, civilian, and contractor personnel.

After retiring from the Air Force with 32 years of service, Dr. Brown expanded his educational service as the chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid, which had a lending portfolio of $1.7 trillion equivalent to that of the nation’s five largest consumer lending banks. As COO, he was responsible for all of the nation’s Title IV funding.

Most recently, he has served as president and chief executive officer of the Student Freedom Initiative based in Washington, D.C. The Student Freedom Initiative is the vision of billionaire philanthropist Robert F. Smith after his historic gift to eliminate the student loan debt of the Morehouse College class of 2019.

As the first President and Chief Executive Officer, he and his staff provide four components to 63 HBCUs, which also includes two Tribal Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions. The capabilities include agreements to fund any educational attendance requirements beyond what is paid for through Federal programs, such as Pell Grants, Work-Study, and Federal Student Loans. SFI is also focused on elevating the communities around its school by providing critical resources such as access to highspeed broadband, cybersecurity upgrades, affordable living spaces and solar energy.

“I am grateful and humbled by the Board of Trustees, Faculty, Alumni, Students, Community Leaders, and all of Mother Tuskegee for the opportunity to return home to lead our University into the second quarter of the 21st Century,” said Dr. Brown. “Thanks to the leadership of Dr. Morris, I am convinced that Tuskegee is well positioned to continue its global impact by producing students ready for leadership in our rapidly changing world, yet grounded in the journey of our forefathers. Gwen and I can’t wait to get started!”

Building a distinguished career

Dr. Brown was commissioned through the Tuskegee University Air Force ROTC program in 1986. He served in comptroller, command, and staff positions at all U.S. Department of Defense levels, including two assignments as congressional liaison to the United States House of Representatives.

His global experience includes serving in the Philippines, Spain, England, Turkey and Iraq. In addition, he has commanded four times at ascending levels, deploying in support of operation Provide Comfort, and served as the Assistant Executive Officer for the 17th Air Force Chief of Staff. He was also the Financial Management Senior Military Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Chief Financial Officer for Air Force Materiel Command, responsible for a portfolio greater than $60 billion, 38 percent of the Air Force budget.

Leadership for Tuskegee’s future

“The Board’s nomination reflects our confidence that Dr. Mark Brown is the right leader to sustain and enhance Tuskegee University’s momentum as one of our nation’s top universities,” said Trustee and alum Jonathan Porter, who chaired the search committee.  “Dr. Brown has the right combination of experience and innovative thinking that will propel TU to the next level nationally and globally.  I appreciate his commitment to serving his alma mater and his dedication to improving the lives of its students.”

A statement from the Board of Trustees said:  “On behalf of the entire Tuskegee family, we extend a warm welcome to Dr. Brown and his family. We look forward to working together toward the success of the university and the broader Tuskegee community.”

Dr. Brown is married to Gwendolyn Jackson Brown, his wife of 33 years. They have two adult children, Mark II and Michael.

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Tuskegee University students from different majors worked together to complete a reimagined design of Legion Field Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. The project is part of a partnership with the Alabama HBCU, the NFL, and the Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science that was announced last fall.

The HBCU students participated in this multi-disciplinary initiative that created opportunities for students to focus on design, leadership, and collaboration. The students designed the stadium with a focus on the fan and player experience, architectural design, engineering, and construction. Students worked to complete the project throughout the semester and their experience culminated in a presentation of their proposed plan at the NFL league office in New York with league executives and members of the American Institute of Architects.

The students presented a proposal of renovations to Legion Field Stadium that included 65,000 seats, 100 luxury suites, a retractable roof, retractable fields, and seats to accommodate soccer, and track and field events. The stadium is designed with solar panels, modern water harvesting and cooling systems, a community village, and a garden for high-end concessions contributing to the stadium’s sustainability. A hotel has been incorporated into the design as a destination location. This unique NFL pilot program is a multi-disciplinary initiative creating opportunities for students across several schools and a part of the league’s larger goal to engage with HBCU campuses through its Campus Connection program.

“This is exactly the kind of experience we want our students to enjoy,” said President Charlotte P. Morris. “Giving them real-world experience in an industry they are working to join, gives them invaluable insight into what they should expect and the success they can ultimately accomplish.”

Professor Roderick Fluker, Associate professor of the Tuskegee University School of Architecture and Construction Science and a faculty advisor, was impressed with how well the students worked together.

“We were really impressed with the knowledge and professionalism they exhibited throughout the process and certainly the final results,” he said. “Through the design process, the team was able to research and implement stadium design innovations while also being sensitive to an urban neighborhood context.”

In addition to architecture, the disciplines they represent include construction science, mechanical engineering, sales and marketing, and supply chain management.

Jordan Pettway, a senior Sales and Marketing major from Mobile, appreciated the exposure.

“The NFL Case Study opened my eyes in so many ways,” she said. “I was able to work alongside the team learning about different aspects of their fields of study. The stadium design came to life piece by piece and I honestly could not believe my eyes when I saw what we created together in the end. This is an experience I’ll never forget.”

Senior Architecture major Chanse Huff agrees. “This project has broadened our perspectives far beyond our individual majors. My greatest takeaway is the power of true teamwork.”

Walter P. Cooper Sr., who leads the university career center, said interacting with NFL leaders gave the students an experience that exceeded expectations. “Students engaged with NFL representatives working in a variety of capacities affording each student invaluable exposure to various career pathways within the NFL. We look forward to growing this partnership to expand to other special projects with the NFL.”

The objective of the NFL’s HBCU Campus Connection program is to form relationships with students year-round through collaborative initiatives including lectures, speaking opportunities, case studies, and various events promoting career development. Since 2018, the program has reached over 2,000 students.

“We are proud of the innovation and creativity the students displayed while suggesting solutions to a real issue within the NFL,” said NFL Senior Vice President of Football Operations Arthur McAfee III. “Through the Campus Connection program and our partnership with Tuskegee, the NFL’s commitment to HBCUs extends beyond the field by driving awareness around career opportunities and providing access to the business of sports.”

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Tuskegee University is pleased to announce that it has received a $20 million gift to support the University’s STEM programs and a variety of campus enhancements from an anonymous donor. 

This is the second $20 million gift the university has received in less than four years. This donation will support a faculty leadership position, an endowed scholarship, enhance on-campus student affairs and campus security staffing, develop STEM programs and applied research and match our UNCF endowment fund. 

“This gift will allow us to invest in our students, faculty, programs and infrastructure, enabling us to enhance our academic reputation, enrich the student experience and continue our work to reach milestones within our strategic plan,” said Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, Tuskegee University president. “It will provide additional resources for us to implement vital initiatives, further securing the campus, and fostering a more dynamic community.” 

The gift will provide: 

• Endowed faculty leadership positions
• Endowed scholarships
• Enhancement of on-campus student affairs and campus security staffing
• Development of STEM programs and applied research
• Fulfill a UNCF pooled endowment fund match

“We are grateful for this extraordinary act of philanthropy, which will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on our university and its community,” said Dr. Morris. “This contribution is a testament to our collective efforts and the enduring trust inspired by the Tuskegee legacy.” 

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“The Power lies in the tongue and speak it into existence!!!” Ruffin wrote. “I took this picture in 2022 and everyone said we got lights!!! Wow the power of the tongue.  God said let there be Light and there was Lights!!! Praise God not only Lights but Lights on all three fields football, baseball, and softball.  Just know we most definitely don’t look like we use to look!! Please know I’m here to help and give my coaches, staff, and student athletes the best possible support.  Let There Be Light!!!! Give him Praise!!!!!! One Love.”

The lights will be installed and ready to go by the time the football season kicks off, according to Ruffin.

So will Tuskegee University host a football game in 2024? 

“We’re in the market for our new president,” Ruffin told HBCU Gameday in an exclusive interview. “So if the lights are finally installed – which they will be – the president may want to have a game-change time. But that’s going to be strictly up to the next president to make the decision in a timely manner.”

Ruffin hit the ground running after being hired as head football coach and director of athletics at the end of 2021. He announced his intention to upgrade the school’s athletic facilities, and getting lights at the stadium was a big part of that. Free from his coaching duties (he passed the baton to Aaron James after the 2022 season) he’s dove heavily into fundraising. That includes giving $50k to the Marching Crimson Pipers as well as several other organizations on campus.

Tuskegee University is currently the winningest HBCU program of all-time with over 800 wins. Its home stadium is a big part of that lure, as it routinely fills up with more than 30,000 students, alumni and fans during homecoming. This year will mark its centennial homecoming game. 

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“I am very excited about our upcoming schedule, which consists of some key non-conference opponents in representatives from the CIAA and two Division I SWAC programs,” TU head coach Aaron James said. “These opportunities will not only allow us to showcase our talents to our normal fan base and supporters, but also give us the chance to show the pride and culture of Tuskegee football as a whole. Playing in the SIAC already provides us with a very strong strength of schedule, but we have added these out of conference games to continue to push ourselves so that we may be prepared in any situation.”

The season begins for the fourth consecutive year in the Boeing Red Tails Classic inside of the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. The 2024 matchup will feature a new team on the opposing sideline, as CIAA member Johnson C. Smith will battle against the Golden Tigers on Sunday, Sept. 1.

Johnson C. Smith is coming off a 7-4 record and a 6-2 mark in the CIAA, marking the first winning season for JCSU since 2012. The Golden Bulls finished the season in the inaugural Florida Beach Bowl in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Dec. 13, as they fell to Fort Valley State 23-10. The two programs last met Sept. 8, 2012, in Atlanta, Ga., in the Inner City Classic with Tuskegee winning 35-17. 

Tuskegee University then makes its first road trip of the season to meet Grambling State, a historic matchup as the teams will meet for the first time since 1949. The meeting will be the first of two games between the Golden Tigers and an opponent from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Tuskegee and Grambling have met three times in program history, with Tuskegee holding a 2-1 mark after winning consecutive games in 1946 and 1947.

The Golden Tigers then open the 2024 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference slate with Savannah State on Sept. 21 at Abbott Memorial Stadium. The two programs met last season in Savannah, where Tuskegee pulled out a 21-14 road win.

Three straight games away from home follow, starting at Edward Waters (Sept. 28), where TU will look to avenge an upset loss at last year’s Homecoming contest. The Golden Tigers won their only matchup in Jacksonville during the series history in 2019, 27-26.

Next up is the 88th Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic on Oct. 5, as the storied rivalry returns to the Fountain City of Columbus, Ga., and A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2019.

The final game of the stretch is at Lane (Oct. 12), where Tuskegee won a double-overtime home matchup 28-22 in the 2023 meeting.

Tuskegee then hosts Kentucky State at home on Oct. 19, followed by a trip to Ohio for a battle with Central State on Oct. 26, before the month of November begins with a trip to Atlanta, Ga., against Clark Atlanta on Nov. 2.

Tuskegee University then returns home to host rival Miles for the 2024 Homecoming game on Nov. 9, as the Golden Tigers look to avenge last year’s final second loss on Homecoming. Tuskegee is 72-23-3 all-time on the occasion and 17-4 against the Golden Bears.

The regular season then concludes with the annual Turkey Day Classic game against another rival in Alabama State in Montgomery on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 21).

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. ^__ Kansas City Chiefs and NFL coaching legend Andy Reid had a new look in an interview this week with a local paper, the Kansas City Star, a look all too familiar to Golden Tiger fans everywhere. In the lead up to this weekend’s NFL Championship Round, Reid spoke with the paper for the interview with columnist Sam McDowell, sporting a Tuskegee Airmen jacket, gifted from Golden Tiger head coach Aaron James.

James connected with current Chiefs assistant coach Terry Bradden to present the gift to Andy Reid. Reid went on to wear the jacket in the interview this week, spotlighting the historic Tuskegee Airmen and the community at large.

Bradden is now in his third season as the assistant defensive line coach with the Chiefs in 2023 after serving three seasons as the defensive quality control coach (2018-20) and one as a defensive assistant (2017).

Before joining the Kansas City Chiefs, Bradden served as a quarterback graduate assistant at Bethune Cookman University for the 2016 season. He was named to the first American Football Coaches Association top 30 under 30 class that year.

Bradden earned his Bachelor of Science from Tuskegee University, where he played football for three years after transferring from Howard. Following graduation, he also spent time as a Special Team Quality Control Coach at Florida Atlantic and became the youngest head football coach and athletic director in the state of Florida at the age of 24.

The Chiefs will take on the Baltimore Ravens on the road inside of M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, January 28 at 2 p.m. The winner will move on to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, home of the Las Vegas Raiders.

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Jackson State leads the SWAC with nearly 30k. That’s an impressive number, but it is a significant drop from its 2022 number. Norfolk State got a slight bump as it led the MEAC. North Carolina A&T got another sellout it’s first season in the CAA.

Here are the numbers of attendance at each HBCU homecoming game. All numbers were taken from official box scores from each school’s athletic website.

MEAC

Norfolk State-24,976

South Carolina State-22,269

North Carolina Central-13,626

Howard-7,684

Delaware State-6,300

Morgan State-Canceled

SWAC

Jackson State-30,947

Alabama A&M-26,391

Florida A&M-22,338

Southern-21,492

Alcorn State-21,012

Alabama State-17,995

Prairie View A&M-14,224

Arkansas-Pine Bluff-13,469

Bethune-Cookman-9,458

Mississippi Valley State-8,752

Grambling State-8,657

Texas Southern-6,352

CAA

North Carolina A&T-21,500

Hampton-13,811

CIAA

Winston-Salem State-8,200

Virginia Union-5,250

Shaw-5,022

Livingstone – 4,501

Bowie State-4,395

St. Augustine’s-3,719

Fayetteville State-3,680

Elizabeth City State-3,579

Johnson C. Smith-3,452

Virginia State-3,409

Lincoln (PA)-2,117

Bluefield State-N/A

SIAC

Tuskegee-31,726

Clark Atlanta-19,597

Savannah State-12,723

Fort Valley State-12,113

Morehouse-10,213

Benedict-8,589

Albany State-8,371

Kentucky State-2,898

Edward Waters-2,472

Lane-1,753

Allen-905

Central State-N/A

Miles-N/A

Other

Tennessee State-13,975

West Virginia State-3,954

Lincoln (MO)-3,333

Virginia University-Lynchburg-1,753

Florida Memorial-1,200

Langston-N/A

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This contribution reinforces the university’s commitment to enhancing all athletic programs, while simultaneously aiming to drive economic development to the Tuskegee community and beyond.

“We are honored and grateful for this gift to continue to support and give our student-athletes and coaches the best possible experience at this prestigious university,” Athletic Director Reginald Ruffin stated. “This gift will continue to build on our legacy of commitment to all our athletic programs. We will continue to set the standard and be the standard here at Tuskegee.”

The department has gone through a wave of improvements over the last 18 months, adding multiple scoreboards, video boards, and other amenities and upgrades around the athletic complexes.  

“This incredibly generous gift is another testament to the believe in our vision in Athletics,” Ruffin added. “I’m thrilled by the outpouring of support from our alumni, fans, and supporters. Investing in our student athletes and facilities is essential to success on the conference and national level and we are committed to doing that.” 

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During her tenure, she led the development of the five-year strategic plan, which set the university’s direction, and celebrated a very significant increase in research grants awarded to the university   Ì¶ including some focused on health disparities for African Americans in general and others targeting cancer in the Black community.

The Board of Trustees has hired an executive search firm to conduct the search for the university’s 10th president with particular interest in including feedback from alumni and friends. Dr. Morris is supporting the Board during this process.

“My hope is that I am leaving a legacy that shows the power of collaboration, the importance of integrity and the value of servant leadership,” she said.

When reflecting on her legacy of leadership, there are many accomplishments that make Dr. Morris proud, foremost among them is the completion and implementation of the first two years of the university’s five-year Strategic Plan — Embracing the Legacy, Transforming the Future.

“Outlining the roadmap for the university’s success was an essential, collaborative mission and I am confident the planning and two-year implementation has provided a foundation to support the 10th President and our next generation of students,” she said. “I am also proud of raising millions to expand research, providing resources to ensure students in need are able to continue their academic pursuits, and watching our enrollment grow.”

Board of Trustees Chair Norma Clayton thanked Dr. Morris for her dedication to the university for four decades.

“Your selfless service to Mother Tuskegee over the past 40 years, as a professor and interim dean in the business school and your tenure as the chief of staff to Tuskegee’s fifth president, Dr. Benjamin Payton, demonstrate your unwavering commitment and devotion to university’s founding principles of knowledge, leadership, and service,” Clayton said.

University Trustee Jonathan Porter ’95, senior vice president for customer operations for Alabama Power, will chair the 15-member search committee, which includes Trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni and the broader Tuskegee community. They will provide a recommendation to the full Board. 

The university will provide regular updates from the search committee on the university website and communicate directly in some cases to ensure transparency as the Board works through the decision process. 

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Tuskegee, Alabama- Conceding a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Edward Waters was left with just :25 to respond. Driving down to the Tuskegee 46-yard line with :02 remaining, Jyron Russell fired up a Hail Mary, which was answered by Arsiah McCorker, giving the Tigers a monumental 41-38 victory over the Golden Tigers on their Homecoming, Saturday afternoon at Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium. The victory for the Tigers extends their winning streak to four in a row, gives them their first victory in four tries over Tuskegee, and gives the Golden Tigers their first conference loss of the season.

Edward Waters (4-3, 4-2 SIAC) had to withstand an early attack from Tuskegee (5-2, 4-1 SIAC) as the Golden Tigers scored on their first two drives of the contest. Tuskegee got into the scoring act quickly on their opening drive, on a three play, 60 yard drive that was capped off with a four-yard rushing TD to take an early 7-0 lead. After an Edward Waters three and out on their opening drive, the Golden Tigers doubled up their lead, thanks to a 28-yard rushing TD to give them a 14-0 advantage. The EWU offense stalled once again, forcing a punt to the Tuskegee 16-yard line. On the drive opener, Jaren Wilson knifed into the backfield, hitting the TU quarterback which caused a fumble that James Gary recovered in the end zone, giving the visitors their first points of the contest at 14-7. Back-to-back three and outs occurred for both squads, setting the Golden Tigers up with a 1st & 10 at the Tuskegee 33-yard line. The quarter closed with Jonathan Gregory recording his first interception of the season, putting the ball at EWU’s 34-yard line.

Quarter #2 saw the Purple & Orange drive down to the Tuskegee 36, where Russell, who appeared to be sacked, never went down and was able to break away for a 36-yard touchdown to knot the scoring up at 14-14. Tuskegee was able to drive down and kick a 31-yard field goal with :29 remaining in the half to take a 17-14 halftime lead.

The third quarter scoring was opened by Johntarrious Thomas, who capped off a five play, 91-yard drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown that gave Edward Waters its first lead of the game at 21-17 with 7:27 remaining. Tuskegee wasted no time, scoring on a 59-yard touchdown pass to quickly retake the lead at 24-21 with 6:19 remaining.

The frenetic fourth quarter scoring opened at the 6:34 mark, when Nathan Rembert hauled in a 13-yard TD reception on a WR pass from Yanez Rogers, allowing EWU to retake the lead at 28-24. On the ensuing kickoff, it appeared that Edward Waters recovered a Tuskegee fumble and would have the ball deep in Golden Tiger territory, but the official indicated that the returner was down prior to the ball being fumbled. Edward Waters was able to force a fumble on the Tuskegee running back on the first play from scrimmage, setting them up at the Golden Tiger 28-yard line. Taking two plays, DeShaun Hugee scored on a 21-yard rushing TD to give EWU their largest lead of the contest at 35-24 with 5:27 left. The Golden Tigers would not go quietly, especially on their Homecoming as they fired back immediately on a five-play, 63-yard drive, taking all of :54 and finishing with a seven-yard rushing TD to cut into the Tiger lead at 35-31 with 4:26 left. 

Edward Waters was charged with trying to bleed as much time on the clock to escape with victory, but were only able to take off 1:59, and punting the football back to TU with 2:21 remaining. With the ball placed at the Tuskegee 30-yard line, the Golden Tigers began a march of 10 plays and 70 yards which was topped off with an 11-yard, go ahead touchdown with :25 remaining, making it a 38-35 TU lead and setting up the penultimate drive. The Purple & Orange took over at their 35-yard line and got to work, ultimately driving to the Golden Tiger 46-yard line with :10 remaining. Russell’s first attempt a Hail Mary was broken up in the endzone, leaving just :02 remaining. The Golden Tigers went into a prevent defense, with their defenders standing within the TU 20-yard line looking to end the contest again with another pass breakup. On the Tigers’ final attempt, Russell heaved up a prayer toward the endzone as time expired, where McCorker was able to snatch the football away from a Golden Tiger defender, sending the EWU sideline into a frenzy, and giving Edward Waters its most enthralling victory since the program was reinstituted in 2001.

The Tigers offense took some time to get started, but was able to eclipse the 400 yard mark in total offense for the sixth time in seven contests, finishing 428 yards. As has been the case throughout the season, the bulk of the offense output came through the air, posting 354 yards passing, while 74 yards came on the ground. Russell finished his afternoon, going 17-31 passing for 341 yards and a touchdown. For the second straight contest, Nathan Rembert went over the 100-yard receiving mark, finishing with four catches for 123 yards and a touchdown, while Johnny Jones finished with seven snags for 58 yards. Defensively, Edward Waters was able to force four takeaways in the contest with three fumble recoveries and an interception, despite surrendering 461 yards of total offense. Jaren Wilson led the Tiger defense with six tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble. Freshman LB Ahmarion Moultrie also had his best contest of his young EWU career with six tackles and one forced fumble while Alabama native Quintorio Powell and LB Jonathan Nesbit also recorded sacks. Jonathan Gregory also stepped in front of a pass his first INT of the season. 

The Tigers win also keeps them within one game of a top two spot in the SIAC and keeps them alive for a potential SIAC Championship Game berth. Edward Waters returns home next Saturday evening, October 21st for a 6:00pm kick against Albany State at the Nathaniel Glover Community Field and Stadium. The contest is designated as EWU’s Breast Cancer Awareness game and supporters are encouraged to were pink to show support of those in the fight against the disease. 

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“I decided to take that land right across the street and turn that into a welcoming place, not only for visitors coming to Tuskegee, but also for the students and faculty to be able to sit and basically bathe and meditate in the history of Tuskegee University and the surrounding area,” Richie said in a July interview with Southern Living. “There’s George Washing Carver, Booker T. Washington, the Tuskegee Airmen … there’s so much history in that area. It needed a gathering spot. It needed a place where people could come and talk and reflect.”

American Idol is currently preparing for its 22nd season of television. 

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Tuskegee, Alabama – Tuskegee University’s Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science is partnering with the National Football League (NFL) to design an innovative, state-of-the-art, fictional football stadium.

“This is the first time the NFL has utilized architecture and construction science students in this way,” said Walter P. Cooper Sr., Director of Career Education/Leadership Development Center.  “They see the connections between engaging students at the collegiate level and allowing them to explore future career opportunities with the NFL.”

The partnership is a multi-disciplinary initiative that is creating opportunities for students in several schools.

“To conform to the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) accreditation criteria, we will use this project in the 4th-year and 5th-year architecture studios to design an NFL Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama,” said Dr. Carla Jackson Bell, dean of the Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science. “For this project, we will target two student criteria – Design and Leadership and Collaboration – during the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters.”

In Professors Roderick Fluker’s and Vicki Carter’s studios, the students will focus specifically on designing better, safer, more equitable, resilient, and sustainable built environments and will practice design as a collaborative, inclusive, creative, and empathetic enterprise with other disciplines, the communities they serve, and the clients for whom they work, Dr. Bell said. Professor Harold Kippy Tate will serve as the construction science faculty lead on this project.

Arthur McAfee III, Senior Vice President of Football Operations, said the project was developed from discussions around Hall of Famers and their experiences as student-athletes.

“To support their institutions, we started doing work with HBCU conferences,” he said. “With football, comes student-athletes, the band, and players. What’s a better way to continue to highlight on-the-field activities, than off the field? We have several initiatives where we introduce career opportunities.”

McAfee said typically the NFL works with three or four institutions around the country to answer a particular question. This year, they worked on a question as if they were going to hire people to design a stadium, with a focus on the fan experience, the player experience, architectural design, engineering, construction, and a business pitch to sell the project.

“We picked Birmingham because there is no professional team there. The Commanders in D.C. are also looking for a new site,” he said.

“Partnering with organizations like the NFL prepares our students for real-world problem-solving that allows them to use the skills they’ve learned in the classroom in meaningful ways,” said Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, President of Tuskegee. “I am proud to know that our programs continue to garner the respect and attention of organizations like the NFL in ways that our students see a direct benefit. I am looking forward to seeing what they develop.”

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Quincy Casey led the way for Alabama A&M, throwing for 296 yards and four touchdowns in this one. The Bulldogs ran for 201 yards on the ground and threw for 338 yards through the air.

Corey Petty, Rashad Sager, and Karon Taylor were all contributors for Tuskegee in the loss. Much of the Golden Tigers’ limited offensive success came on early downs. They went just 1-for-11 on third down attempts, and then failed on each of their two fourth down attempts.

Key Metrics to Victory: Alabama A&M

• Play selection – leaned on the run game, with a 56-44 run-pass split with 36 rushing attempts and 28 passing attempts
• Possession – controlled the ball for 29:45 (50% of the game)
• Third down success – converted on 50% of third downs (4-8) while Tuskegee converted just 9% (1-11)
• Penalties – recorded six penalties for 45 yards while Tuskegee had eight penalties for 70 yards

Each team has its next game on Oct. 7. Alabama A&M faces Jackson State at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, where the Bulldogs will look for a repeat of their success here this afternoon. Meanwhile, Tuskegee will try to rebound when they take on Morehouse at Legion Field.

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Alabama A&M (2-2 Overall, 1-1 in SWAC)

The Bulldogs’ defense has shown it can be a relative strength at times this season. They are allowing an average of 360 yards per game, with opposing offenses averaging 233 passing yards and 127 yards rushing. Attacking on the ground has netted opponents 3.9 yards per carry while passing attempts are gaining 7.1 yards on average.

Quincy Casey is looking to continue the play he showcased in Alabama A&M’s last game. Casey threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s win.

Alabama A&M’s offense is constantly looking to get their star receiver involved. Terrell Gardner has collected 28% of the team’s receiving yardage this season.

The Bulldogs’ record sits at 2-1 for their last three games, averaging 364 offensive yards per game over that span. They are 2-0 at home so far this year, averaging 41.0 points per game in those games. This is one of Alabama A&M’s two games against a SIAC opponent this season.

Tuskegee (3-0 Overall, 2-0 in SIAC)

The Golden Tigers’ performance this season has established them as a threat both offensively and defensively. The proof is in the numbers, as they put up 347 yards of total offense per contest while holding opposition offenses to 310 yards per game. They’re particularly strong against the run, as they only allow an average of 3.3 yards per carry.

Wideout Antonio Meeks will be leading the way for Tuskegee. Meeks has accumulated 13 receptions for 306 yards and three touchdowns thus far this season.

Photo Courtesy of Chris Etienne/Tuskegee Athletics

Tuskegee relies on a committee rushing offense. No single player claims more than 30% of rush attempts.

Tuskegee enters after putting up an 8-3 campaign in 2022. They’ve only had one away game this season, in which they put up 36.0 points to come out with the win. This is one of Tuskegee’s two games against an FCS HBCU opponent this season.

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. ^__ Tuskegee University running back Johnny Morris took the game into his own hands on the first play of the second overtime, rushing for 25 yards up the middle to for his first touchdown of the year to help the Golden Tigers to a 28-22 win over Lane on Saturday at Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium.

Following the score from Morris, the defense held the Dragons scoreless to secure the win as the seven-play drive ended on an incomplete pass to the end zone, broken up by junior Christian Ramsey.

Tuskegee’s offense struggled to establish any consistency for much of the game. TU led 14-0 at the half – with one of its touchdowns coming on a short field off an interception from Vincent Hill – and looked to be in danger when Lane tied the game at 14-14 two unanswered scores in the third. Neither team managed to get on the board in the fourth, forcing overtime for the second of three games inside of Abbott Memorial.

Lane put the pressure on in the first overtime, completing a fourth-and-eight pass for 20 yards, followed by a short yard run to take a 22-14 lead after converting on the two-point effort. But the Golden Tigers responded quickly, as Malik Davis connected with Noah Hart for a 28-yard score on second down. Davis connected with Miles transfer Marcus Lodge with a fade route in the back corner of the endzone on the next play to tie the game at 22-22 to force the second overtime.

Tuskegee finished with 321 yards total offense, led by Davis who finished 16-for-28 for 148 yards and one touchdown in his first start of the season. The back field duo of Morris and Zina Mulbah went for 110 total yards on the ground, with both accounting for 55 yards on 19 combined carries. 

Lane had 414 yards total offense, but the Dragons also threw a pair of interceptions, including one deep in Tuskegee territory to end a potential scoring drive and punted the ball seven times in the matchup, compared to nine for Tuskegee.

The Golden Tigers won the opening toss and voted to receive the kickoff yet could not jump on the board off the initial drive, as the team was forced to punt after just four plays and just ten yards to start the game. Davis got the nod at quarterback after providing a spark on offense coming off the bench in the second half last weekend, however the offense never really got on track in the first half.

Despite the slow offensive start, the Tuskegee University defensive unit came out strong, forcing multiple turnovers for the fourth straight game to start the season. Sophomore linebacker Vincent Hill earned his second interception of the year to stall the first drive from Lane, giving Tuskegee the ball on the opposing 40-yard line.

The Golden Tigers did get on the board first however, taking a 7-0 lead thanks to good field position a 12-yard scamper from Mulbah, following the interception from Hill near midfield, the first turnover from the Dragons on the day. 

Both offensive units hit a snag on their ensuing possessions, as both went three-and-out, before a third punt from Tuskegee University to close right before the close of the quarter. The Dragons looked to put themselves in scoring position on their next drive, starting at their own 11-yard line before an eventual 39-yard completion to find themselves inside the red zone, however Mikael King ended the promising drive with his third interception of the year and second turnover forced on the game with 13:22 in the second.

The Golden Tigers pushed down the field following the turnover, starting with a 30-yard run from Mulbah, who ran for a total of 44 yards on the possession. However, the seven-play drive ended after a pair of penalties knocked the team out of field goal range, as the special teams unit downed a punt from Duff at Lane goal line.

Following another punt from Lane, Tuskegee got on the board again before the half, as Davis went 3-for-4 on the drive for 30 yards, along with a pair of rushes, including a one-yard score to help TU take a 14-0 lead into the locker rooms.

Lane came out strong out of the break, marching down the field in to start the second half with a five-play 77-yard drive. Following a 22-yard pass on first down, the Dragons put together rushes of 11, 17, and 27 yards with the last being a touchdown run, making the score 14-7 with just 12:37 to play in the third.

After a failed fourth down attempt from Tuskegee University, Lane scored again on their next drive, as a 17-yard rush on fourth-and-two, followed by the extra point, tied the game at 14-14, a score that remained until overtime.

Two Golden Tigers recorded double figure tackle efforts in the win, as Hill led the way with 15 total tackles and the interception, followed by 13 tackles from Malik Moore, and eight tackles and an interception from Mikael King, his third interception on the year.

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The victory in the head coaching debut of Aaron James was the first Tuskegee University win in the three years of the classic, started in 2021 between the two programs inside of the Cramton Bowl.

The new era started with a bang on the offensive side of the ball, gaining a lead in the second quarter and scoring the more points in just the first half than combined over the last two matchups, as they were shut out in 2021 and scored just six points in 2022.

The connection between returning starting quarterback Bryson Williams and receiver Antonio Meeks picked up right where they left off last season, with Meeks finishing with six catches for 149 yards and a touchdown on his way to being named the game’s Most Valuable Player, while Williams completed 12-of-17 passes (70.6 percent) for 217 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. Meanwhile, the running back duo of freshman Zina Mulbah and sophomore Chase Sellers combined for a pair of scores on the ground.

Defensively, the Golden Tigers forced timely turnovers, with interceptions from newly converted cornerback Mikael King Jr. and junior Christian Ramsey, while also forcing and recovering a Wildcat fumble in the fourth quarter.

But despite the spectacular offensive output, the game came down to the defense needing to produce a game-winning stop – and they delivered to seal the game in the closing seconds.

After the gaining a 37-17 lead in the third quarter, the Golden Tigers held off strong comeback from Fort Valley as the Wildcats scored 24 straight points before TU’s defense made a goal line stand, holding the opponent out of the endzone despite five plays inside the five-yard line to clinch the win.

“We have emphasized bend but don’t break to our defense and within our program all off-season,” James said. “Yes, I may be an offensive coach, but offense may win games, but defense wins you championships, and they showed up there in the end.”

Until that point, the game had hung in the balance. While Tuskegee took the lead in the first half and extended its edge to as many as 20 points in the second half, Fort Valley State fought back, closing the gap in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats – who finished with 400 yards of offense – got within six fourth quarter on a two-yard run from Kentrelle Williams.

The two teams were both forced to punt on their next drives, followed by turnovers from both sides, with a Golden Tiger fumble followed by an interception thrown by the Wildcats. FVSU earned its final possession after a second punt from Tuskegee with 1:24 to play, before the Golden Tigers final stop of the game. 

“Our fan base is amazing, as you saw, they packed the house for us tonight,” James added. “Our team was very resilient, it was a back-and forth game, we tried to keep our foot on the gas, but our defense came up big when the offense sputtered as well as made some plays on special teams.”

After a balanced first quarter, ending in a 7-7 score, Tuskegee gained control in the second, taking a 14-7 lead after rushing scores from Mulbah and Sellers. Tuskegee University forced a punt on the next Wildcat possession, before going 47 yards on five plays and kicking a field goal to take a ten-point lead. FVSU responded soon after, driving down 72 yards on seven plays and scoring on the ground to pull back within three at 17-7.

After the teams traded punts over the next two drives, the Golden Tigers reached the endzone again, on a four-play 67-yard drive. Williams and Meeks were excellent on the drive, connecting twice for 64 yards including a 20-yard pass to cap off the drive with under a minute remaining in the half.

Williams added his second touchdown pass with just over nine minutes to go in the third on a 10-yard toss to Noah Hart to put the Golden Tigers up 31-14, before the Wildcats responded with a field goal.

The special teams’ units were keys in the third, as freshman Dejuan McGhee returned the next kickoff for 92 yards and a touchdown to put TU up 20, before a 94-yard return by Dejuan Bell form FVSU to make the score 37-23 after a missed extra point from Tuskegee, a lead they held for the remainder of the quarter.

After the second comeback effort from the Wildcats in the fourth, the Golden Tiger defense came up with the crucial stop in the final possession to wrap up the win.

NEXT UP
Tuskegee University officially starts Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) play on Saturday, September 9, as it will travel to face Kentucky State in Frankfort at 1 p.m. EST at Alumni Stadium.

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The recent round of renovations are just a continuation of upgrades across athletic facilities throughout campus, as the changes initially started with new scoreboards on the baseball and softball fields, followed by work being done to the Pepsico Tennis Courts, the upgrades to Cleve L. Abbot Alumni Memorial Stadium and the new football facility that included a new training room, locker rooms, and player lounge.

The advancements to the locker rooms and addition of video board are possible after a $78,000 donation from the Tuskegee Alumni Housing Foundation. The funds will also be allocated to new flooring, ceiling, lounge area, nutrition station and upgraded training room inside of the facility.

The video boards are part of the partnership between Tuskegee and Boostr Digital Displays, who has outfitted boards now for football along with scoring tables already inside of the Chappie James Arena.

Meanwhile, the Tuskegee University athletic department has also announced that they will be gifting donations to the Marching Crimson Piper Band and Student Government Association (SGA).

“We are so excited at the continued advancement on our campus and among our facilities,” Director of Athletics Reginald Ruffin stated. “Our goal is to continue to give our students, student-athletes, and fans the best experience possible when they come visit our beautiful campus.”

In terms of the gift from athletics to the band and Student Government Association, Ruffin hammered home the importance of the impact of the Tuskegee family and working together.

“We are one Tuskegee,” he explained. “Our athletic department will always do what we can to support President Morris and the university as a whole, as we all work together for the betterment of Tuskegee.”

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For complete coverage of Tuskegee University athletics, follow on social media at @MyTUAthletics (Twitter/Instagram), @GoldenTigerSports on Facebook, and visit the official home of Tuskegee University athletics at www.goldentigersports.com.

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The Golden Tigers hit the ground running in the first practice of the summer, a vast difference from the situation at the same time in 2022, where the team had over 70 new players looking to mesh into the system.

This season, Tuskegee returns a wealth of experience on both sides of the ball for the first year under the helm of head coach Aaron James, including six All-SIAC Preseason honorees, starting with First Team members in defensive back Zelly Aldridge, defensive lineman Jeremy Dees, punter Ryan Duff, linebacker Vincent Hill, and Second Team members in defensive back Antonio Kennon Jr.and receiver Antonio Meeks.

After opening practice on Sunday, the Golden Tigers had their first two practices in helmets and shorts before ramping up to helmets and shoulder pads for two days before the first full pad practice on Thursday.

The Tuskegee University program will also hold two scrimmages prior to the season-opening Red Tails Classic, where Tuskegee will take on Fort Valley State for the third straight year to start the season on Sunday, September 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.

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“The cause of death, in layman’s terms, ‘Big Pokey’ had a massive heart attack,” Jefferson County, Texas Justice of the Peace Tom Gillam III told KFDM/Fox 4 News.

“He had hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.”

Gillam signed the death certificate on Monday afternoon.

“Atherosclerosis is a hardening of your arteries due to gradual plaque buildup. Risk factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, tobacco use, obesity, lack of exercise and a diet high in saturated fat,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Atherosclerosis develops over time and may not show symptoms until you have complications like a heart attack or stroke.

Big Pokey and Tuskegee

Powell recorded the song Ball N-Parlay on his debut album, “Hardest Pit in the Litter” which debuted in 1999. The song has since become the signature song of the Marching Crimson Pipers at Tuskegee University.Powell would later put out two subsequent albums, D-Game 2000 and Da Sky’s Da Limit, over the course of the next three years. But his lore within the circles of HBCU bands and fans lies with the hit song Ball N-Parlay. The marching band does not appear during football season without playing the song. Members of the crowd at Tuskegee sing the lyrics along with the band with a slight alteration to customize the song for the University. It is instantly recognizable when the music starts and the crowd reacts accordingly every time.

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. __Chiante Wester has been named the new head coach of the women’s basketball program at Tuskegee University, Director of Athletics Reginald Ruffin announced on Wednesday.

“The goal of this department is to always continue to build on the standard that has been set,” Ruffin stated. “In the hiring of Coach Wester, we believe that Tuskegee women’s basketball will again have a coach that can carry the recent momentum along with maintain the duty to educate, dominate, and graduate our student-athletes.”

Wester comes to lead the Golden Tiger program after serving the three previous seasons as the head coach at Livingstone College. While with the Blue Bears, she led the team to the CIAA Tournament Semifinals in 2021-22 after inheriting a rebuilding program.

Prior to her stint at Livingstone, Wester spent over a decade coaching at Virginia State in the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association). During her tenure, the Trojans won five regular-season Division Championships in the CIAA, a 2015 CIAA Championship, and four NCAA Tournament appearances. VSU also captured 200 wins with Wester on the bench, along with the staff being responsible for more than 40 players achieving all-conference recognition, league Players of the Year, and produced the First ever VSU HBCU/CIAA Player of the Year and Academic All-Americans.

Wester worked primarily with the guards in her role at Virginia State. She assisted Coach Hill in all facets of player development, on the court coaching, individual skill instruction as well as on the recruiting trail. Her administrative responsibilities consisted of coordinating and directing community relations, outreach projects, managing and organizing team managers. She also oversaw the academic study hall and academic progress of the student-athletes within the Women’s Basketball program. In 2013 Wester was selected to attend the NCAA Black Coaches and Administrators Achieving Coaching Excellence (ACE) program. In 2008 Wester attended the NCAA Women’s Coaches Academy.

Wester started coaching while serving as a mentor while assuming the title of Youth Basketball Director with the Garner Road YMCA before reuniting with her former coach James Hill, Jr. at Virginia State University.

A native of Havana, Florida, Wester was a dynamic high school player while attending Havana Northside High School under the legendary Rosa Hughes-Browning. Following a successful prep career, Wester played collegiately for two seasons at the University of North Florida from 1998-2000, earning Panhandle 2nd Team All-Conference honors consecutively. She later transferred to Shaw University for the 2000-2002 seasons, resulting in the numerous team awards during her tenure.

Wester graduated cum laude from Shaw University in 2003 earning her bachelor’s degree in allied health and recreation, before going on to attain her master’s degree in Sports Management from Virginia State University in 2010.

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Stay connected with Tuskegee Women’s Basketball on Twitter (@Tuskegee_WBB) and Instagram (@tuskegeewbb). For complete coverage of Tuskegee University athletics, follow on social media at @MyTUAthletics (Twitter/Instagram), @GoldenTigerSports on Facebook, and visit the official home of Tuskegee University athletics at www.goldentigersports.com.

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“Everything hasn’t soaked in yet,” James told HBCU Gameday at media day. “I guess when game day – opening game day…I guess the jitters and all of that will come into play.”

James was a star quarterback for Tuskegee from 1998 through 2001. During that time he compiled an impressive record of 42-5 as a starter – something he mentioned during his time at the podium. He has the most wins of any signal-caller in school history. He won three SIAC championships during his career, led the Golden Tigers to a 12-0 season and HBCU National Championship in 2000.

He spent last season as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, helping the team go 8-3 overall and make an appearance in the SIAC Championship Game. But James knows – better than most – that expectations are always high for the Golden Tigers.

“We are the winningest HBCU in the nation, so that’s a plus as well,” James said. “We’ve just got to come out this year and just add on to the 707 wins.”

Even though he is the face of the football program, James finds himself in the familiar position of working with and for Reginald Ruffin. It’s something that he’s used to and comfortable with. 

“I mean, his office is like four doors down from me,” James said. “So his door is always open, and if I have any questions or if he sees anything, he pulls me to the side and we’ve conversate on everything. But he’s always been helpful. So I appreciate him.”

Besides his coaching insights, Ruffin has helped James and Co. by working to secure facility upgrades to help the program stay relevant and ahead of the curve. 

“We’ve got a great leader in Dr. (Charlotte) Morris and our administration and the board of trustees,” Ruffin said. “The most important thing is giving our students the best experience. And for me, Tuskegee is the standard. Tuskegee is the brand. And so as the leader in the athletic department, I need to make sure that we are building our facilities, and our programs, our scholarships, gender equity and all of that that we’re doing and trying to just give our kids the best experience because we understand that is what it’s about.”

Because of the efforts of Ruffin, the players that James coaches will play on turf instead of the grass which he played on. And they’ll likely get a chance to play under the lights at Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Stadium, something he was never able to do.

“It helps us tremendously. Even in recruiting. It’s way overdue,” James said of the rapid changes taking place at Tuskegee University. “AD Ruffin came in and put his stamp on it and got us a new facility, field turf and everything and a Jumbotron. Now we’re working on getting some lights on in the stadium. So I mean, he came in, hit the ground running, and he’s got everything under his feet right now. And I’m just blessed to have him as my AD.”

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. ^__ Deborah Rodgers, Tuskegee’s Deputy Chief Athletic Director, has been chosen by the NCAA to participate in its 2023-24 Pathway Program cohort.

The program is a yearlong initiative designed to prepare senior-level athletics administrators for the next career step as directors of athletics or conference commissioners.

Under the direction of NCAA leadership development, the Pathway Program is an intensive, experiential learning opportunity for selected participants who work at an NCAA school or conference in Divisions I, II or III. The 21 participants will be paired with and have regularly scheduled meetings with a campus or conference mentor during the year. The mentors include directors of athletics, conference commissioners, and school presidents, among others in leadership roles. 

The Pathway Program is designed to help cement their leadership purpose and enhance their skills in areas that focus on strategic planning; fundraising; message articulation; diversity, equity and inclusion; organizational leadership; hiring processes; and engagement with search firms. The 2023-24 cohort will meet June 25-30 for a weeklong education session in Indianapolis and will return in October for more programming and to observe their divisions’ respective governance meetings. The program will conclude in the summer of 2024.

“The 2022-23 cohort saw four learners ascend into the director of athletics or conference commissioner role, as well as five additional learners promoted into elevated positions that bring them one step closer to leading an athletics department or athletic conference,” said DeeDee Merritt, director of leadership development at the NCAA. “The Pathway Program continues to illustrate why it is a signature developmental opportunity for senior-level administrators in the membership. We are excited to embark on another year of transformative change with the 2023-24 cohort and extend sincere thanks to our selection committee for their work.”

The Pathway Program was created in 1997 and has produced more than 282 program alumni, with nearly 30% of the graduates moving on to become athletics directors or conference commissioners. Additionally, more than 70% of the program alumni have received some level of promotion in relation to their title or job responsibilities.

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Autopsy results are pending toxicology which could take from anywhere between one and three months.

Powell passed away on Saturday night after collapsing during a performance at “Pour09”, a bar in Beaumont, Texas.

Big Pokey linked to Tuskegee

Powell recorded the song Ball N-Parlay on his debut album, “Hardest Pit in the Litter” which debuted in 1999. The song has since become the signature song of the Marching Crimson Pipers at Tuskegee University.

Powell would later put out two subsequent albums, D-Game 2000 and Da Sky’s Da Limit, over the course of the next three years. But his lore within the circles of HBCU bands and fans lies with the hit song Ball N-Parlay. The marching band does not appear during football season without playing the song. Members of the crowd at Tuskegee sing the lyrics along with the band with a slight alteration to customize the song for the University. It is instantly recognizable when the music starts and the crowd reacts accordingly every time.

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Powell would later put out two subsequent albums, D-Game 2000 and Da Sky’s Da Limit, over the course of the next three years. But his lore within the circles of HBCU bands and fans lies with the hit song Ball N-Parlay.

The marching band does not appear during football season without playing the song. Members of the crowd at Tuskegee sing the lyrics along with the band with a slight alteration to customize the song for the University. It is instantly recognizable when the music starts and the crowd reacts accordingly every time.

Powell was 45 years old at the time of his death, and was performing during a Juneteenth celebration in Texas.

The rapper was a legend in Houston as a member of the city’s “Screwed up Click” music group. Houston mayor Sylvester Turner offered his condolences on Twitter Saturday night.

“The City of Houston and I extend our prayers and condolences to our own Screwed Up Click legendary rapper #BigPokey family and friends. Though many called him “low key”, his presence was larger than life in helping to catapult our hip hop scene nationally. We are grateful,” Turner posted.

The sound of Houston

Powell helped to craft the sound of Houston’s “chopped-and-screwed” style when it came to hip-hop. That particular style is described as slowing down the pitch of the underlying track to create a real heavy, laid-back sound.

Fellow Houston rapper Bun-B, member of rap group UGK, honored his friend Big Pokey via Instagram on Sunday.

“I wasn’t ready for this. One of the most naturally talented artists in the city. Low key, humble mountain of a man who moved with honor and respect. He was easy to love and hard to hate. He’d pull up, do what he had to do and head home. One of the pillars of our city. If heart of gold was a person. Iconic member of the SUC. There will never be another and will be missed dearly. We love and honor you Sensei. Rest in heaven,” he wrote.

Powell can be seen collapsing on the stage in a video that’s circulating widely online. According to reports he was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead after unsuccessful attempts to revive him through CPR.

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In a recent Facebook post, Ruffin addressed the Tuskegee University supporters and alumni asking for feedback on the addition of lights to the historic stadium, which broke ground in 1924. 

One of the first reasons listed was one Allen Iverson would love – PRACTICE.

“Coaches have to schedule different practices times to meet the NCAA minimum practice hours,” Ruffin wrote. “Not having full team participation for practices and dividing up practice time to fit in practices each day.  Currently we have a few teams practicing at 8:00pm to fit in practice hours.”

Ruffin also says mid-day games are too hot, and a health hazard.

“Not protecting the student athletes, visiting teams, and fans in the stands,” he wrote. “Currently we have limited service in Macon County with EMT’s.  The football games cannot continue when the EMT’s are transporting people from the stands to the hospital.” 

Perhaps the biggest reason to add the lights – it’s impacting the competitiveness of the team, according to Ruffin. 

We have had 6 games between baseball and softball called because of darkness and not be able to finish the series. This is not fair to the coaches and student athletes.  I know you remember as Head Football Coach I made the decision to go for it on 4th down at homecoming.  It was because the referee had already said the game would be called and continued on Sunday morning because of darkness.  Well you know the outcome but I was placed in a tough decision that worked out and it could have went the other way!!! 

Ruffin did not give a specific amount needed to raise for the lights, but he asked if supporters would be willing to contribute $75-100 to the effort. 

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. — The NCAA Division II Softball Committee announced the field of 64 teams for the upcoming NCAA Division II Softball Tournament, with Tuskegee softball earning the No. 8 seed in the South Region.

Tuskegee garnered an automatic berth from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference due to postseason champion Edward Waters being in only the second year of a three-year transition from NAIA to the NCAA Division II ranks.

The Golden Tigers have now made the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year, after taking on Auburn Montgomery and UAH in Montgomery last year in same tournament.

As the No. 8 seed, Tuskegee will open the 2023 NCAA Division II South Region Tournament against Sunshine State Conference member and top seed Tampa, and is paired with the matchup between Gulf South Conference members No. 4 seed UAH and No. 5 seed Mississippi College.
 
The Golden Tigers will have the first game of the South 1 Regional at 11 a.m. CT on Thursday, followed by UAH and MC at 2 p.m. CT.
 
In the South 2 Regional, the No. 2 seed Saint Leo will host no. 3 seed Nova Southeastern, no. 6 seed West Alabama and No. 7 seed AUM.
 
At the conclusion of the two double elimination tournaments, the two winners will face next week in the South Super Regional to determine the South’s representative at the 2023 NCAA Division II Softball National Championship.

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Albany, Georgia-Former professional wrestling star and Hall of Famer Ric Flair had a saying that he made famous throughout his legendary run. He would often say “To Be The Man, You Have To Beat The Man.” That case rang true for Edward Waters in their first appearance at the Cricket SIAC Softball Championship Game locking up with multiple time and defending champion Tuskegee on Thursday afternoon at the Gordon Sports Complex. The Lady Tigers were able to serve notice that they were the new “Queens of the Diamond” in the SIAC, defeating the Golden Tigers 8-4, completing an undefeated run through the tournament, and capturing the SIAC title in their first full season competing as a member of the conference.

It was the second time that Edward Waters and Tuskegee met in the tournament, with the Lady Tigers taking an 8-4 victory in their second contest. Tuskegee went in the contest knowing that they had to defeat Edward Waters twice to keep their conference domination going.

TU plated the first two runs in the bottom half of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. After a scoreless second inning, the EWU offense got going in a big way in the top of the third. First team All-SIAC and Minority Softball Prospects All-Star Kylah Gardner connected on a two-run opposite field homer over the right field wall that tied things up at 2-2. The Lady Tigers plated two more runs in the top of the fourth on Laura Scott’s two-RBI single to give Edward Waters their first lead of the contest at 4-2.

The Golden Tigers cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the fifth, but Edward Waters pushed the lead back out to two in the top of the sixth on a Tuskegee throwing error that scored Jamiah Holmes to make it a 5-3 lead. The Lady Tigers added three critical insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning. Brooke Rice scored on another TU throwing error, Jade Mention scored on a wild pitch, and Scott hit another RBI single to give EWU an 8-3 advantage. Tuskegee was able to add a run in the bottom half of the seventh inning, but relief pitcher Milani Sablan was able to strike out the Golden Tigers’ final batter, giving Edward Waters their first softball conference championship since the 2015 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference title.

In her final collegiate contest of her career, Tiara Peters led the Lady Tigers at the plate going 2-for-2 with two walks in the matchup, while Brooke Rice finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Scott also had a multiple hit game for EWU going 2-for-5 with three RBI’s and a run scored.  The Lady Tigers got it done on the basepaths as well with seven stolen bases on eight attempts in the matchup. Alyssa Charter-Smith was phenomenal in the circle for Edward Waters, going 6.0 innings, allowing four earned runs, and striking out seven Golden Tigers in the matchup.

Kylah Gardner, Brooke Rice, and Jodasea Peterson were selected to the All-Tournament Team, while head coach Mike Ellison was named to Coach of the Tournament. Peterson was also named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player as well. 

Due to the fact that Edward Waters is in the second year of their three-year transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II, the squad unfortunately will not be able to represent the conference in the NCAA Division II Softball Tournament and the conference’s automatic bid will go to Tuskegee. Despite that news, Edward Waters can hang their hat on the fact that they set a new program record for victories, ending the season with a 16-game winning streak, finishing the year with a remarkable 43-7 overall mark while also going 19-3 in SIAC play in the regular season. The Lady Tigers also claimed the SIAC Regular Season East Division Championship, the SIAC Tournament Championship, and will likely be unanimously chosen as the HBCU Softball National Champions for the second consecutive season.

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Powell was announced as the new head coach at the University of New Orleans on Tuesday morning. She becomes the sixth head coach in program history.

Trelanne Powell guided the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers to a 96-32 record in her five seasons at the helm. Her final season resulted in a 26-4 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Powell’s squad went undefeated (20-0) in the SIAC and won the postseason championship.

In the most recently completed season, Tuskegee University had the conference’s Player of the Year (Ashiala Jackson), Defensive Player of the Year (JuToreyia Willis) and the Coach of the Year (Powell).

“Coach Powell rose to the top of our list because she is an amazing coach and an even better person”, said UNO Vice President of Athletics and Recreation, Tim Duncan.  “She has had tremendous success at every stop in her career and has done it by using her impressive coaching acumen and the authentic relationships she has with her student-athletes and coaching staff.  With her background of working in mental health, I think she is perfectly positioned to be successful in this modern era of women’s basketball.”

“Finally, I’d like to thank Kim Gallow, Associate Athletic Director for Operations and Capital Projects/Senior Woman Administrator and Renaissance Search & Consulting’s Herb Courtney and Adam Gordon for their tremendous help.  The value and professionalism they added to this process was immeasurable.”

Last season, the Golden Tigers ranked in the top ten in the NCAA Division II ranks in offensive rebounds per game (fifth), steals per game (fourth), turnover margin (sixth) and scoring margin (ninth). Tuskegee outscored their opponents by an average of 16.6 points per game.

“This is an incredibly amazing opportunity,” said Powell. “Any time you are chosen to lead young people in any arena is a testament to something you’ve accomplished. I can’t wait to get to work and start this new chapter. I’m so grateful to be the next head women’s basketball coach at New Orleans.”

Powell guided Tuskegee to 20 or more wins three times. The Golden Tigers also went 22-5 in 2021-22. They also defeated Division I foe, Alabama State in an exhibition game before the season began.

“After an extensive search, we’re excited to welcome Coach Powell to the Privateer Family,” said Kim Gallow, Associate A.D. for Operations and Capital Projects. “She brings great knowledge of the game as well as skills that will elevate our program while providing a world-class experience for our women athletes. The team, our department, our university, and the city has gained a great asset.”

Prior to her time in Tuskegee, Powell was an assistant at Mercer. In her three seasons, the Bears went to two WNIT tournaments and earned an NCAA Tournament berth in 2018 after winning the Southern Conference regular season and tournament title. During Powell’s tenure, the Bears were first in the league in steals and fewest points allowed in two seasons. In that three-year stretch, Mercer won 79 games.

Last season was Powell’s second Coach of the Year honor. She also won the award at Chattahoochee Valley Community College in 2014. Powell also had a stint at Francis Marion.

Powell played at Hiawasee Community College from 2000-02 and finished her collegiate career at Columbus State, playing there from 2002-04.

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But down the stretch, the Golden Tigers were unable to get the big shots when they needed them. Ultimately, No. 2-seeded West Alabama was able to hold No. 7-seed Tuskegee to just one field goal over the final four minutes to earn the come-from-behind 70-64 win in the opening round of the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament at Rick Case Arena.

The Tigers (27-5), who won the Gulf South Conference, will advance to the semifinals.  The Golden Tigers, who won the SIAC Western Division crown, finish the season with a 20-9 mark.

Tuskegee found its stride midway through the opening half, breaking open a close game. Down by two points with nine and a half minutes left in the half, Martez Jones converted a three-point play to put the Golden Tigers in front. That started a run of 14 consecutive points. Gregg Boyd and D’Anthony Pennington hit consecutive 3-pointers and Pennington added another three-point play before Jones scored again for a 28-14 advantage with 5:28 to go before the half.

The Golden Tigers shot 50 percent from the field in the first half and when Steve Dulley scored with 1:05 left, the lead was 13 points. Going into the half, the margin was 37-27 and Tuskegee was feeling good going into the break.

UWA, though, came out of the half and went right to chipping away at the deficit. Twice in the first 10 minutes of the final half, the Tigers came to within two points. But each time, Dulley drained a 3-ball to give Tuskegee some space.

A 3-pointer by Shardarrion Allen with 7:19 left finally put UWA on top 55-54 but four straight TU free throws quickly erased the lead. When Jones scored with 4:06 to go, the Tigers were still up 60-58. But from there, the shots that had fallen earlier in the game came up short. Tuskegee missed six of its final seven shots from the field as West Alabama pulled away in the final minutes.

Allen had 21 points and C.J. Melton had 11 points and 10 rebounds to pace West Alabama. Dulley had 15 points, Jones added 14 points and Pennington and Boyd each had 10 points for Tuskegee.

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Head Coach Trelanne Powell set down with HBCU Gameday for an exclusive interview to discuss the season and the Golden Tigers’ NCAA tournament journey.

Before accepting the challenge in Tampa, Tuskegee had to climb the mountain to the SIAC Championship. The Golden Tigers had a successful season with 26 regular wins and a 20-0 conference record; the championship was icing on the cake even though it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine.

“But we did have we had a lot of ups and downs on our team. We played I want to say six games without our point guard this year. So we’ve been through some things this year, this season. And I think it’s a testament to this program. Like I said, our upperclassmen who found a way to get it done” said Powell.

Starting at Tuskegee in 2018, Powell had to shape the Golden Tigers to be the winning bunch they are today.

The Tuskegee women’s basketball team had only won 6 games during the 2017-2018 season. In her first season as head coach, Powell and the Golden Lions racked up 20 wins; the largest winning season since 2000. During the 2019-2020 season, Powell led the program to their second NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008. Honoring her accomplishments, Powell was named 2022-2023 SIAC Coach of the Year

Tuskegee women’s basketball has done a full 180 since Powell’s entrance. Powell understood she had a major assignment to rebuild the infrastructure of this program. “I just think coming in with the mindset of we cannot fail, we cannot let our administration down, we can’t fail this program and these student-athletes. So it was amazing to see the turnaround to have one of the biggest NCAA turnarounds in history.”

Low Rankings in the NCAA Division II South Regional Rankings

Despite its impressive record, Tuskegee was sitting at No.8 in the NCAA Division II rankings. During the interview, Powell explained that the unpredictable accessibility to non-conference games for HBCUs and even for women’s basketball in SIAC hinders the chances of a higher ranking.

When deciding who to challenge, the coaching staff is tasked to build games utilizing current stats, rosters, and other factors that could change going into the next season. Along with this, Powell mentioned the risk in setting Tuskegee up for the tough matches.

“We we basically have to be like our men’s team and just go play the top teams in both conferences and see, you know, if we win or not.”

Why is it harder for women’s sports in HBCU conferences like SIAC to gain the competitive respect they deserve? Student-athletes deserve to be recognized for the dedicated efforts they put in for a winning season. But there are no definite criteria to define a competitive schedule to make both the conference and the NCAA satisfied therefore diminishing the respect.

“I just think it’s really unfair to our kids who are conference champions. And we are ranked behind people who had to receive an at-large bid in the regional but, you know, I just feel like fair is fair. But a lot of people will say, well, it’s fair playing the tougher opponents. So I get it, you know there’s two sides to it; all we can do is make the best of the opportunity that we have. And I’m going to tell my kids is Tampa is the number one team, if we want to win this region, we got to go through them anyway. Or through the people that beat them.”

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On the women’s side, CIAA champion Elizabeth City State earned the eighth seed, which means it will face the top seed in the Atlantic Region. That would be Glenville State, the defending NCAA Division II champion. ECSU comes into the tournament 20-10 after winning the CIAA as the fifth overall seed. 

Joining ECSU in the Atlantic region is West Virginia State out of the Mountain East Conference. WV State picked up the no five seed in the region with its 22-6 record. It will take on Shippensburg of the PSAC, which was granted a no. 4 seed with a 24-6 record.

SIAC champion Tuskegee, like their CIAA counterpart, earned the no. 8 seed in its respective region. Tuskegee will be an eighth seed despite a gaudy 26-3 record, which included a perfect 22-0 record against SIAC opponents. 

NCAA D2 HBCU men get two at-large bids

The NCAA D2 Tournament will feature four HBCUs on the men’s side – two from both the SIAC and two from the CIAA. 

CIAA Champion Winston-Salem State (21-8) was awarded an eighth seed. It will face no. 1 seed Indiana University of Pennsylvania, which enters the tournament with a 30-1 record. One of those wins came early in the season against WSSU as it came away with a 67-50 win after WSSU cut an early deficit to single digits. 

Virginia Union received an at-large bid to the NCAA D2 Tournament, picking up a no. 4 seed despite falling in the semifinals of the CIAA Tournament to WSSU. VUU (23-7) will take on no. 5 Fairmont State of the MEC. 

SIAC Champion Miles College picked up a – you guessed it – no. 8 seed in the South Region. Miles (23-6) will get to take on top seed Nova Southeastern which comes in with a 30-0 record. 

Like Virginia Union, Tuskegee managed to pick up an at-large bid. ‘Skegee picked up a no. 7 seed in the South Region and will take on no. 2 seed West Alabama in the first round. 

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