shof magazine 81-96b

F L O R I D A
A & M
U N I V E R S I T Y
HOLIDAY EDITION • DECEMBER 2012
RATTLER BOOSTERS
AND ATHLETICS
A Winning
Combination
THE STATE OF
RATTLER
FOOTBALL
2012 RATTLER FALL
SPORTS REVIEW
2013 FAMU BASKETBALL
TEAM PREVIEWS
2013 FAMU WINTER
SPORTS SCHEDULE
Happy Holidays & Happy New Year
From the Rattler Boosters
Snake Bite • The Magazine 1
Rattler Boosters Quarterly 1
BOOSTER NEWS & FEATURES • HOOPS OUTLOOK • FALL REVIEW
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SNAKE BITE SPRING EDITION 2013
Coming in March
2 Snake Bite • The Magazine
PREMIERE EDITION
What’s Inside
FAMU Athletics And The Rattler Boosters:
A Winning Partnership for over 50 Years
Page 10
6
12
14
Rattler
Boosters
Honor Roll
The State
of Rattler
Football
2012 Fall
Sports
Review
Departments
2
4
Corporate Sponsors
President’s Message
Rattler Booster
Contributions
5 Membership
Information 2013
6 Rattler Booster
Honor Roll
8 Boosters in FAMU’s
125 Distinguished
Alumni/
2013 FAMU Basketball
Homecoming
9 Broadcasts, Internet,
Social Media
10 Rattler Athletics and
The Boosters:
A Winning Partnership
12 Rattler Football:
State of the Program
14 Fall Sports Review
15 2012-13 Basketball
Previews
16 Winter Sports
Schedule 2012-13
(December-March)
Credits
15
2012-13 FAMU
Basketball
Preview
16
2012-13 FAMU
Winter Sports
Schedule
Publisher ....... Mickey Clayton
Editor/Design .... Alvin Hollins
Contributing
Editor ..... Sabrina Thompson
Contributors ...... Sharon Bee
Photo Credits:
Rattler Boosters
Athletic Media Relations
Snake Bite • The Magazine 3
Rattler Boosters Quarterly 3
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Hello Rattler Supporters,
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read the Rattler Boosters Snake
Bite the Magazine. We hope that you find it informative and interesting.
As the President of the Rattler Booster Board of Directors I would like to take
this time to thank you for your support of the Rattler Boosters. It is because
of your support that the Rattler Boosters have contributed more than a
million dollars over the past six years in support of the FAMU Athletic Department.
We have only been able to accomplish these significant contributions because of your generous support.
Presently our University is going through a very difficult time in its history. It is incumbent that all of us
continue to stand and to stand even taller in the face of this adversity. We need all of our supporters to be
there in this time of need and to be there even stronger than we have been.
We want our student-athletes that have chosen Florida A&M University as the place they want to continue
their education that they made the correct choice.
Those entering freshmen for this year and next will be the backbone of our institution because they selected us at a time when others felt the fog was too thick for them.
Let’s stand and make sure that all of those student-athletes that don the orange and green know that they
have our complete support.
Loving FAMU,
Dorothy Williams
Dorothy Williams
RATTLER BOOSTER CONTRIBUTIONS
• Basketball Recruiting for Men and Women in July
Rattler Boosters contributed
• Shooting Guns for Football (2)
more than $115,000 for summer
school for student-athletes
• Dugout Enhancement for Baseball
in the past four years,
• Rattler Football Radio Network
• Coach Joe Taylor Television Show
• Football JumboTron Scoreboard
• Basketball Scoreboard
• Live Streaming used by Athletics on Athletic Website
• Summer School Contributions for student-athletes
• Legacy Weekend Celebration - featuring 30-minute
TV special featuring all four (4) living FAMU Presidents
4 Snake Bite • The Magazine
• Tailgating around the Parking Garage will be available to Rattler Booster Members ONLY.
• Payroll deduction has already started, you can start paying on your membership TODAY.
VENOM MEMBERS
• Will have parking for Home football games at the Information Center.
DIAMONDBACK AND ABOVE MEMBERS
• EARLY BIRD REWARD
For complete payments received in January, Diamondback and above Boosters will receive a complimentary 100% Booster Membership parking that can be used for a guest, friend or family member for the Gravel Lot (Band practice Field Parking lot).
DIAMONDBACK MEMBERS ($500)
• Is the minimum level to receive reserved, individualized parking within
Bragg Sta dium parking lot
• Receive ONE name on parking sign
• ONE name placed within the Strike Magazine
• Scramble Parking for Basketball Games in Reserved Area
• Receives ONE premium giver “theme t-shirt” and more
FANG MEMBERS ($1,000)
• Receive one membership but can place TWO names on the parking sign
• Names in Strike Magazine
• Access for ONE guest to Fang Cafe Pre-Game
• Free Parking at Atlanta Classic
• Free Parking at Florida Classic
• Access to Florida Classic Pre and Post-Game for Florida Classic
• Reserved, individualized parking for season ticket holders for basketball
• Receive ONE premium giver “theme t-shirt”
• Receive ONE premium giver “collared shirt” and more
STRIKE LEVEL MEMBERS ($2,500)
• Receives up to 4 Reserved Seating Tickets for FAMU Home Football Games
SUPER RATTLER BOOSTER ($5,000)
• Receives up to 8 Reserved Seating Tickets for FAMU Home Football Games
Receives 2 tickets for Box at Atlanta Classic, when available
* Tickets can not be secured until your membership is paid in full. The Booster Office is NOT responsible for reserving your tickets for you with the ticket office if the deadline has passed for securing your tickets.
For More Information, Contact:
THE RATTLER BOOSTERS • (850) 224-6093
www.TheRattlerBoosters.com
2013 RATTLER BOOSTER MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
MEMBERSHIP NOTES
AND BRIEFS FOR 2013
Snake Bite • The Magazine 5
Rattler Boosters Quarterly 5
RATTLER BOOSTER HONOR ROLL
Goldenback Rattlesnakes
5 Consecutive years totaling over $10,000
RODNEY CLAYTON
RUDY MAXWELL
BISHOP A.J. RICHARDSON
TED TAYLOR, PA
THORNTON WILLIAMS, PA
Silverback Rattlesnakes
5 Consecutive years @ Fang Level $5,000
Rattler Booster Ted Taylor was honored
during halftime of this year’s Oklahoma
game for his support of Rattler Athletics
6 Snake Bite • The Magazine
Jacqueline Beck
Vanessa Byers
John Brown
Dr. Leonard Campbell
Selvin Cobb
Lloyd Cobb
Angela Cola
Thomas Demps
Johnnie Ruth Dennis
Sterling Dupont
EW Bryant & Associates
Thad & Penni Fortune
Roosevelt & Agnes Freeman
Henry & Pauline Gunn
Caleb Hannah
Willie & Annette Harris
James & Betty Hart
Dr. Marvin Henderson
John Haugabrook
Rev. Theodore Houston
Dr. Carolyn D. Jones
John & Virginia Lawrence
Arthur Lawson, Jr
Eddie Lee
Lowery Masonry, LLC
Ray Mathews
Lee McElroy
Damon Miller
Willie Norwood
Ann O’Neal
Jackie & Danny Pendleton
Maurice Pickett
William Ravenell
Estrellita H. Redmon
James O. Ricks, Jr
Drs. Ephraim & Victoria Riggins
Dr. Gary Rolle
Dr. Fred Ross
Vernell Ross
Dr. Edward Scott
Johnny Session
Garry Simmons
Dr. & Mrs. Walter Smith
Walter Spencer, Jr.
Dexter Stallworth, M.D.
Eugene Stephens
Eddie Strong
Robert Wilkins, Jr
Dr. Arthur Woodard
Dorothy Williams
SHOW YOUR
SUPPORT
CONTACT THE
BOOSTERS
RATTLER BOOSTERS DIRECT
(850) 224-6093, Phone
www.TheRattlerBoosters.com
OFFICE LOCATION
1338 South Bronough Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
MAILING ADDRESS
The Rattler Boosters, Inc.
Post Office Box 5865
Tallahassee, FL 32314
Snake Bite • The Magazine 7
Rattler Boosters Quarterly 7
RATTLER
RATTLER BOOSTERS
BOOSTERS
Among The FAMU 125 Distinguished Alumni
The Rattler Boosters, Inc. is truly committed to Florida A&M
University. In fact, over two dozen Rattler Boosters were recognized by
the university as members of FAMU’s 125 Outstanding Alumni
during this year’s Homecoming Weekend, part of the school’s
125th Anniversary Celebration
Dr. Alfreda Blackshear
Richard “Dick” Blake
Ms. Charlie Brown
Maj. Gregory l. Clark
Dr. Makeba S. Earst
Mr. Roland Gaines
Dr. Fred Gainous
Dr. Freddie Groomes-McLendon
Ms. Cheryl A. Booker
Atty. Joseph Hatchett
Mr. John Haugabrook
Mr. Eddie Jackson
Sen. Alfred Lawson,Jr.
Mr. Charles R. Lewis, lll
Mrs. Altha F. Manning
Dr. Spurgeon McWilliams
Mr. Tommy Mitchell
LTC(Ret) Maurice Pickett
Mr. Vernell Ross
Dr. Walter L. Smith
Atty. Theodore N. Taylor
Dr. Leila A. Walker
Dr. Joseph Webster
Mr. Nathaniel Wesley
Mrs. Dorothy P. Williams
Dr. Arthur Woodard
FAMU Basketball Reunion
Saturday, February 16, 2013 • Lawson Center
FAMU vs. Howard University • 4:00/6:00 p.m.
••• Reunion Special Honorees •••
FAMU’s FAMED
FINAL FOUR OF 1952
1952 SIAC Tourney
Champions
8 Snake Bite • The Magazine
1994-95 RATTLERETTE
BASKETBALL TEAM
MEAC Champions
1st NCAA Tournament
Qualifier
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INTERNET
&
& SOCIAL
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Sponsored Broadcasts/Internet
RATTLER SPORTS NETWORK
96.1 FM Tallahassee • www.96.1.com
Radio broadcasts of every FAMU Football game,
anchored by play-by-play veteran Keith Miles, and
expert analyst Mike Thomas. Also featuring pre-game reports, sideline updates, halftime features and postgame
wrapups.
FAMU FOOTBALL HIGHLIGHTS
ABC-TV 27 HD • Sundays at 11:30 a.m.
Highlights and statistics from each week’s game, along with
commentary from FAMU’s head football coach.
RATTLER PRIME TIME
Comcast TV-20 • Weeknights
Complete replays of every Rattler football game, including
wrapups and final team and individual statistics.
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Snake Bite • The Magazine 9
Rattler Boosters Quarterly 9
SNAKEBITE Magazine Feature
THE RATTLER BOOSTERS AND FAMU ATHLETICS
A winning partnership for over 50 years
Florida A&M University
Athletics has enjoyed
tremendous success over
the past half century of
competition, and the one
constant source of support throughout that
scintillating time span
has the Rattler Boosters,
Inc.
Founded in 1961, the
Bragg Stadium JumboTron
Rattler Boosters have
stood the test of time,
the leadership of Hall of
rallying Rattler sports
Fame coaching legend and
fans, FAMU alumni,
athletic director A.S. “Jake”
faculty, staff and stuGaither, to the present day
dents, along with local
of Division One competibusinesses to support the
tion, the Rattler Boosters
school’s storied athletic
have been right alongside
program.
offering financial and moral
Those last 50 years
support.
have seen some of the
most groundbreaking
Rattler Athletics: The
and memorable moments
Last 50 Years
in Florida A&M
From its’ humble beginUniversity’s century-plus
nings as a varsity program
history of competition,
in 1906, FAMU Athletics
featuring great athletes,
grew into a collegiate sports
outstanding coaches and
power by the late 1930s and
championship teams.
early 1940s, becoming a
From the golden era
dominant contender in all
FAMU Athletics under
10 Jake
Snake BiteGaither
• The Magazine
Bob Hayes
sports in the Southern
Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (SIAC), winning over 70 league championships by the time they
exited in 1978.
In 1961, FAMU won the
fifth of its’ six Black College National Championships under Coach
Gaither, and the third in
the previous five years
(1957, 1959, 1961), and it
was against that backdrop
of success that the Rattler
Boosters were born.
During this golden era,
outstanding studentathletes such as Olympic
gold medalist and NFL
Hall of Famer Robert
“Bullet Bob” Hayes, AllAmerica gridders Curtis
Miranda, Bob Paramore,
Henry “Killer” Lawrence,
Ken Riley and Major
Hazelton, NBA champion
center Clemon “C.J.”
Johnson (Philadelphia
76ers), who played over a
decade in the NBA, along
with Major League Base-
1978 NCAA Champions
Andre Dawson
Clemon Johnson
Pam Oliver
ball Hall of Famer Andre
Dawson, plus baseball great
Harold “Hal” McRae, and
Olympic sprinter Rey
Robinson helped build the
Rattler Legacy.
Rattler Athletics, which
made its’ transition from
Division Two to Division One
in the late 1970s, expanding
its’ menu of sports programs
to include women’s varsity
sports, also joined the MidEastern Athletic Conference
in 1980, beginning a reign of
dominance which has netted
them 80-plus league championships in a variety of sports
since 1980.
Highlighting the Divisi0n
One Era of FAMU Sports was
the football team capturing
the first-ever NCAA Division
I-AA national title in 1978,
then upsetting Miami in
1979; men’s basketball winning four MEAC Tournament
titles (1991, 1999, 2004,
2007), with two-time NCAA
three-point shooting kind
Terrence Woods (2003,
2004) leading the Rattlers to
the NCAAs in 2004; men’s
track, coached by Bobby Lang
and Rey Robinson, winning
11 indoor and outdoor MEAC
titles; men’s tennis winning
seven MEAC crowns between
1989 and 2000; while the
Amber Alford
baseball team won six
MEAC titles between 1987
and 1994.
Women’s sports came into
full bloom during this time,
too, winning nine straight
MEAC All-Sports Awards
after leaving the New South
Women’s Conference,
where the basketball team
won the inaugural regular
season and tournament
titles in 1985-86.
Volleyball leads the way
with 12 conference titles,
followed by track with nine
indoor and outdoor championships; softball with a
league-best nine pennants;
tennis with six crowns, with
basketball winning three
regular season and two
tournament titles.
In the 1980s, track produced an All-America 4x100
relay team led by current Fox
Sports broadcaster Pam
Oliver; basketball counts
nearly a dozen FAMU Sports
Hall of Famers including
scoring aces Cynthia Lee,
Rosa Hudgins and Sybil
Rivers, along with NCAA
career steals leader Natalie
White, who is in the MEAC
Hall of Fame along with AllAmerica softball pitcher
Amber Alford.
The Rattlers Boosters:
The Major Partner
Much like a title or presenting sponsor for a Classic
event or tournament, the
Rattler Boosters have assisted FAMU Athletics in
numerous ways over the
years, providing financial
support of both the academic and the competitive
aims of the department.
The Boosters, have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars toward
such activities as summer
school scholarships; underwriting summer recruiting
for men’s and women’s
basketball; sponsoring
athletic awards banquets
and the annual football
kickoff dinner, as well as
equipment purchases and
facility improvements for
football and baseball.
In addition, the Boosters
are assisting FAMU Athletics in its’ marketing efforts
with its’ sponsoring of the
Rattler Sports Radio Network (football); The Rattler
Football Highlights Show;
providing streaming video
and audio of athletic events
via the FAMU Athletic
website.
The crowning achievement of the Rattler Boosters’ tireless dedication to
FAMU Athletics came in
2010, when the organization underwrote a Jumbo
Tron video and scoreboard
for Bragg Stadium, as well
as a four-sided score and
display board for the spacious new Alfred Lawson Jr.
Multipurpose Center and
Teaching Gymnasium.
FAMU Athletics and the
Rattler Boosters - a winning
partnership.
Snake Bite • The Magazine 11
Rattler Boosters Quarterly 11
RATTLER
RATTLER FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL
Quarterback
Damien
Fleming
The sophomore completed
a school record 69.5 percent of his passes for over
2,100 yards and 16 TDs,
against just five (5)
inteceptions.
State of the Program Report
Rattler Football is at a crossroads in its’
long-running history, as the program is facing leadership change for the third time since 2005.
FAMU Football has 500-plus wins, 13 national
titles, 38 conference championships, with over 100
All-Americans and professional alumni to its’ credit
since beginning varsity play in 1906, fashioning an
incredible legacy of excellence which places it among
the elite programs in college football.
That standard of success has set a high bar to which
all FAMU coaches and teams are judged, and with
just one MEAC title in the last 11 years and no NCAA
playoff appearances since 2001, it is fair to say that
the partisans of Rattler Nation are growing restless
as the competitive drought lingers.
was appointed acting head coach for the remaining
games, during which the Rattlers went 1-1, winning the
Homecoming game, 22-21 over North Carolina Central,
before dropping a hard-fought 21-16 decision to
Bethune-Cookman in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Florida Classic.
It was unclear at press time how the FAMU coaching
situation would be resolved, although FAMU was
certain to conduct a search for their third head coach
since 2005, aiming to quickly name a full-time replacement for Taylor.
The Rattler Roster Moving Forward
So as the university leadership moves quickly to resolve the coaching staff dilemma, let’s take a first look
at the 2013 Rattler Football team roster:
The Coaching Situation
Needless to say, the most pressing issue facing FAMU • Key Losses: FAMU is set to lose nine (9) starters,
Football is settling on who will be at
headed by middle linebacker Brandon
the helm of the program moving
Hepburn, the club’s leading tackler,
forward in 2013 and beyond.
with 86 stops, 9.5 tackles for loss and
Departed veteran head coach Joe
5.5 quarterback sacks, along with
Taylor, who arrived in Tallahassee
defensive ends Ellie Hyppolite and
with much fanfare after a scintillatBrandon Davis, who combined for 14
ing 16-year run at Hampton Univertackles for loss and 10 sacks.
sity, presided over a five-year stint
Also gone will be nose tackle Padric
with the Rattlers which yielded
Scott, who had 5.0 tackles for loss and
diminishing returns, ranging from a
a trio of sacks; four-year starting
sizzling 9-3 debut season in 2008 to
cornerback Marvin Ross, who had 34
a disappointing 3-6 record in 2012,
tackles and two pass interceptions;
before he was placed on administrapunter Branden Holdren, a two-time
tive leave for the final two games.
MEAC punting leader, who averaged
FAMU all-time great Earl Holmes,
37.3 yards per kick this season; top
Interim coach Earl Holmes
the team’s defensive coordinator,
rusher halfback Eddie Rocker, who
addresses the media after the
homecoming win over NCCU.
12 Snake Bite • The Magazine
had 694 yards and one score; four-year starting tackle
Robert Hartley, and wide receiver Travis Harvey, who
made 65 catches for team-highs in yards (808) and
TD receptions (7).
• Key Returnees: Hoping to offset the loss of
some critical veterans will be the return of 15 starters
headed by nine offensive stalwarts, five defensive
aces and a clutch special teams performer.
• Offensively, sophomore quarterback Damien
Fleming will return after a stellar campaign, during
which he passed for 2,157 yards and 16 TDs against
just five (5) interceptions, setting a new FAMU singleseason record for completion percentage at 69.5,
surpassing the previous mark of 63.6 percent by Ben
Dougherty in 2003.
Fleming will have his top receiver, sophomore
Lenworth Lennon returning after make 71 catches for
699 yards and 4 TDs, along with the club’s number
two rusher, James Owens, who ran for 341 yards on
65 carries and 5 TDs, while averaging 23.2 yards per
kickoff return.
Also back with Fleming will be four of five offensive
line starters, along with tight end Michael Ethridge,
who had 14 catches for 123 yards and 2 TDs, plus
powerful fullback Lonnie Lockett.
• Defensively, linebackers Brandon Denmark (54
tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks) and Bobby
Jackson (22 tackles, 3.0 for loss) return, along with
secondary aces Terry Johnson (26 tackles, 3.0 tackles
for loss), Jonathan Pillow (66 tackles, 5,5 tackles for
loss, 2.0 sacks) and Devan Roberts (59 tackles, 8.5
tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks).
• On Special Teams, former Florida High star kicker
Chase Varnadore returns after a solid debut in 2012,
hitting 22 of 25 point after touchdowns, while cashing
in on 15 of 18 field goals, good for a team
high 67 points.
The MEAC & FCS Football
One of the other pressing concerns
involving FAMU Football is the
program’s standing both nationally and
in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
With the MEAC’s recent expansion to
11 football teams, and an influx of six
new coaches in the last three years that
have effectively led to a change in the
established order within the league, the
pressure will be on to keep up with the
upstarts.
MLB Brandon Hepburn led FAMU in tackles in 2012.
Led by third-year coach Brian Jenkins, archrival
Bethune-Cookman has won two MEAC titles the last
three years, while second-year coaches at Howard,
North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central and
Delaware State have elevated their programs from
the second division into the league’s top five in just
two years, pushing established powers like FAMU,
South Carolina State, Hampton and Norfolk State
down in the standings.
Although FAMU reeled off six straight wins in
2010 to claim a share of the MEAC title, with
Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State, it has
been 11 years since they last won an outright conference title (2001), and made the NCAA Division I
Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff
field (under coach Billy Joe in 2001).
Adding to the sense of urgency in the FAMU
Football camp is the fact that the NCAA will be
expanding the FCS playoff field from 20 to 24 teams
beginning in 2013, giving FAMU even more incentive to get things turned around as quickly as possible.
In Summary
The new Rattler coaching staff will have a solid core
of returning veterans to build the 2013
team around, and if they can reel in some
solid recruits in their first class, FAMU
Football may very well be back in the
fight for the MEAC title and the NCAA
playoffs sooner rather than later.
2013 NOTES: FAMU will have a 12-game
schedule next year, with Ohio State, Tennessee State and Southern on tap, along
with Norfolk State and Morgan State
replacing Hampton and North Carolina
Central in their conference lineup.
WR Lenworth Lennon led
FAMU in pass receptions.
Snake Bite • The Magazine 13
Rattler Boosters Quarterly 13
FAMU FALL SPORTS UPDATE
FALL SPORTS REVIEW
FAMU Track sweeps MEAC Cross Country titles
PRINCESS ANNE, MD (Oct.27)- The FAMU
Rattlers and Lady Rattlers took home their first
MEAC Cross Country Championships in over a
decade as both teams swept the races on the campus of the University Maryland Eastern Shore.
• The Lady Rattlers last won a cross country
championship in 2001 under then coach Rey
Robinson, but the men’s team had not won in 24
years, winning last in 1988, during the tenure of
legendary coach Bobby Lang.
Simone Durden, the team’s leader, took third
place overall running the 5K race in 19:08.68.
Coach Darlene Moore was named the 2012 MEAC
Most Outstanding coach for the team’s performance.
Volleyball
Pamela Barrera
BALTIMORE (Nov. 18) All-MEAC
The Florida A&M Lady
Rattler Volleyball team
reached the finals of the
2012 MEAC Tournament,
falling in five sets to Maryland-Eastern Shore, 3-2, at the Coppin State Center.
FAMU (14-11) was led by a trio of All-MEAC performers:
outside hitter Pamela Barrera, libero Karol Marquez,
and outside hitter Yeisha Arcia, along with All-Tournament middle blocker Maria Ceccarelli, who helped the
team lead the league in kills and digs, while ranking in the
top five in hitting percentage.
Head coach Tony Trifonov, named MEAC Coach of
the Year for the fifth time, led FAMU to their 10th Southern Division title with a perfect 10-0 record.
14 Snake Bite • The Magazine
• On the men’s side, sophomore Elias Chesire
named the Co-Most Outstanding Athlete for the
2012 MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship, took first place, winning the 2012 MEAC Cross
Country Most Outstanding Athlete.
Chesire finished the 8K race in 24:54.96, just
ahead of teammate Shuaib Winters. Winters, who
was the 2010 MEAC Cross Country Most Outstanding Athlete, finished in 24:56.89.
Five Rattlers made the All-MEAC team for their
top 15 finishes. Chesire, Winters, Kimaiyo,
Marindich and Duclos all earned the honor.
Head coach Wayne Angel, also earned MEAC
Most Outstanding Coach for the team’s victory.
Men’s Tennis
JONESBORO, GA (Sept.
29) - The Florida A&M
Men’s Tennis team
defended their HBCU
National Championship title, defeating
Chidi Gabriel
Bethune-Cookman at the
Clayton County Tennis Complex .
FAMU’s Chidi Gabriel defeated Salif Kante to earn
the men’s Flight A singles title. In the Flight B singles title
match, FAMU’s Admire Mushonga defeated Takura
Happy. Bethune-Cookman’s Moritz Pronath defeated
FAMU’s Temuera Asafu-Adjaye for the Flight C singles
title.
• Top team finishers were: FAMU (22 pts), B-CU
(21) and Prairie View (11).
2012-13 FAMU BASKETBALL OUTLOOK
Lady Rattlers at a Glance
The Florida A&M Women’s
Basketball team is looking to
pick up where they left off last
season after recording 22
wins (22-8), the second most
in school history.
2012 MEAC Women’s Coach
of the Year LeDawn Gibson is
in her fifth season with a 6951 record.
Gibson will have a talented
group to battle for the MEAC
title.
BACKCOURT
FAMU will have several
guards returning from last
season, headed by Kimberly
Sparkman and Jasmine Grice,
to go along with some new
recruits.
• Sparkman, a 5-8 junior,
averaged 10.3 points, 2.6
points and 3.2 assists per
game; Grice, a 5-9 redshirt
junior, averaged 12.9 points,
Jasmine Grice
4.9 rebounds; and Jaleesa Blue, a
6-0 sophomore, played in 11 games,
missing most of last season due to
injury,
• Also returning will be Keturah
Martin, a 6-0 senior who averaged
1.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6
assists; Carrington Caise, a 5-9
sophomore, who averaged 1.6
points and 1.1 assists per game; and
Andreya Lacy, who averaged 1.0
points and 1.3 rebounds.
• FAMU will also welcome Ashley
Watson, a 5-6 junior from Detroit,
Mich., and Tiera Prothro, a
5-9 junior from Villa Rica,
Ga.
FRONTCOURT
FAMU will have an experienced front court trio
returning, featuring twin
sisters Kaylin and Jamie
Foreman, along with
Patrice Collie.
• Jamie Foreman, a 5-11
sophomore, averaged 3.8
points, 3.8 rebounds last
year; Foreman’s twin sister
Kaylin, averaged 1.4 points
and 1.0 rebounds, while
Collie, a 5-11 junior, averaged 1.5 points, and 1.3
rebounds.
• Joining the Lady Rattlers
will be Taniqkqua
McFarlane, a 6-3 junior
from Queens, N.Y. and Ariel
Johnson-Thomas, a 6-2
junior from New York, N.Y.
Rattlers at a Glance
Florida A&M Head Men’s
Basketball Coach Clemon
“C.J.” Johnson is entering
his second season at the
helm, hoping that the momentum from last year’s
strong finish will carry over
into 2012-13.
The Rattlers’ 2012 season
ended on a good note as they
reached the semifinals of the
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament, finishing
the campaign 10-23 overall,
and 6-10 in conference play.
This season for FAMU, fans
will see a lot of new faces
thanks to the loss of four
seniors, along with the departure of underclassmen Avery
Moore, Amin Stevins, Vaughn
Rose and Nathaniel Drayton.
The Rattler Cagers will
return three players from last
season’s team though, in
Reggie Lewis, D’Andre
Bullard and Markee Teal.
Jakari Bush
• Lewis, a 6-2 junior guard from
Cleveland, Ohio, started in 30 of the
Rattlers 33 games, averaging 11.2
points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists
per game.
• Bullard, a 6-3 sophomore guard
from Apopka, Fla., started in 26 of
the Rattlers 33 games as their floor
general, averaging 4.0 points, 2.5
rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
FAMU will increase depth in their
backcourt with the additions of
Jamie Adams, 5-10 junior transfer
from Colby CC from Chicago, Ill.;
Muhammad Abdul-Aleem, a 6-4
junior transfer from Georgia Perim-
eter from Atlanta, Ga.;
Jamari Bradshaw, a 6-6
junior from Lake Land
College from Louisville, Ky.;
Jakari Bush, a 5-7 freshman
from Tallahassee Rickards
High; and Walter Davis, 6-5
junior transfer from Mott
CC in Memphis, Tenn.
• In the front court, Teal
will be counted on to head
the pack, after playing 28
games a year ago, averaging 3.1 points and 2.6
rebounds per game.
FAMU will also have the
services of McWisdon
Badejo, a 6-9 forward/
center out of Timberview
High School in Dallas,
Texas; Trey Kellum, a 6-6
freshman forward out of
Peoria High School in
Peoria, Ill.; and
Onyekachukwu Odi, a 6-8
junior forward transfer
from Nigeria by way of State
College of Florida.
Snake Bite • The Magazine 15
Rattler Boosters Quarterly 15
2012-13 FAMU WINTER SPORTS SCHEDULE
DECEMBER
Sat., Dec 1 • BOWL
MEAC Southern @Norfolk, Va.
Sat., Dec 1 • W BKB
VCU • HOME • 4 p.m.
Sat., Dec 1 • M BKB
Bethune-Cookman • HOME • 6 p.m.
Sun., Dec 2 • BOWL
MEAC Southern @ Norfolk, Va.
Tue., Dec 4 • W BKB
@Wake Forest •6:30 p.m.
Tue., Dec 4 • M BKB
Edward Waters • HOME • 7 p.m.
Sat., Dec 8 • M BKB
Allen University • HOME • 4 p.m.
Sat., Dec 8 • W BKB
SE Louisiana • HOME • 6 p.m.
Sat., Dec 15 • M BKB
@Clemson • TBA
Sun., Dec 16 • W BKB
@Mississippi State • 2 p.m.
Tue., Dec 18 • M BKB
@Texas Tech • TBA
Wed., Dec 19 • W BKB
St. Francis @Wright State Tny • 3 p.m.
Fri., Dec 21 • W BKB
@Wright State Tny 4:30 p.m./7 p.m.
Sat., Dec 29 • W BKB
@South Florida • 7 p.m.
Sat., Jan 12 • W BKB
N.C. Central • HOME • 4 p.m.
Fri., Feb 15 • BOWL
@Morgan State Invit • 9 a.m.
Sat., Jan 12 • M BKB
N.C. Central • HOME • 6 p.m.
Sat., Feb 16 • BOWL
@Morgan State Invit • 9 a.m.
Mon., Jan 14 • W BKB
Sat., Feb 16 • W BKB
N.Carolina A&T * HOME• 5:30 p.m. Howard • HOME • 4 p.m.
Mon., Jan 14 • M BKB
N.Carolina A&T • HOME• 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Feb 16 • M BKB
Howard •HOME • 6 p.m.
Sat., Jan 19 • W BKB
@Savannah State • 2 p.m.
Sun., Feb 17 • BOWL
@Morgan State Invit • 9 a.m.
Sat., Jan 19 • M BKB
@Savannah State • 4 p.m.
Sat., Feb 23 • W BKB
Savannah State • HOME • 4 p.m.
Mon., Jan 21 • W BKB
@S.C. State • 6 p.m.
Sat., Feb 23 • M BKB
Savannah State • HOME • 6 p.m.
Mon., Jan 21 • M BKB
@S.C. State • 7:30 p.m.
Mon., Feb 25 • W BKB
S.C. State • HOME • 5:30 p.m.
Fri., Jan 25 • BOWL
@Kutztown (Pa.) Invitl
Mon., Feb 25 • M BKB
S.C. State • HOME • 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Jan 26 • W BKB
Maryland-E.S. • HOME • 4 p.m.
MARCH
Sat., Jan 26 • M BKB
Maryland-E.S. • HOME • 6 p.m.
Sun., Jan 27 • BOWL
@Kutztown (Pa.) Invitl
Mon., Jan 28 • W BKB
Delaware State • HOME • 5:30 p.m.
Mon., Jan 28 • M BKB
Delaware State • HOME • 7:30 p.m.
FEBRUARY
Sat., Mar 2 • BOWL
@MEAC Southern * Durham, N.C. •9 a.m.
Sat., Mar 2 • W BKB
@Hampton • 2 p.m.
Sat., Mar 2 • M BKB
@Hampton • 4 p.m.
Sun., Mar 3 • BOWL
@MEAC Southern * Durham, N.C. • 9 a.m.
Mon., Mar 4 • W BKB
@Norfolk State • 6 p.m.
Sat., Dec 29 • M BKB
@Georgia • TBA
Sat., Feb 2 • W BKB
@Bethune-Cookman • 2 p.m.
Mon., Mar 4 • M BKB
@Norfolk State • 8 p.m.
JANUARY
Sat., Feb 2 • M BKB
@Bethune-Cookman • 4 p.m.
Thu., Mar 7 • W BKB
@Morgan State • 5:30 p.m.
Sat., Feb 9 • W BKB
@N.C. Central • 2 p.m.
Thu., Mar 7 • M BKB
@Morgan State • 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Feb 9 • M BKB
@N.C. Central • 4 p.m.
Mon., Mar 11 • W BKB
2013 MEAC BKB TNY • Norfolk, Va.
Mon., Feb 11 • W BKB
@N.C. A&T • 6 p.m.
Tue., Mar 12 • M BKB
2013 MEAC BKB TNY • Norfolk, Va.
Wed., Jan 2 • W BKB
FIU • HOME • 2 p.m.
Wed., Jan 2 • M BKB
@FIU • Miami * TBA
Sat., Jan 5 • M BKB
@UCF • Orlando • TBA
Mon., Jan 7 • W BKB
Bethune-Cookman • HOME • 7
p.m.
16 Snake Bite • The Magazine
Mon., Feb. 11 • M BKB
@N.C. A&T • 8 p.m.