SPORTS WITH WALTER MOORE


Walter Moore
Walter Moore

Trio leaves SSU Basketball Team

Three players who were members of the Savannah State men’s basketball team last season will not return for the 2015-16 campaign. Deciding to explore other options were Saadiq Muammad, Alante Fenner and Jamal Norman. The 6-7 Muhammad averaged 6.7 points, 4 rebounds and led the team with 18 blocks during his sophomore year while the 6-5 Fenner averaged 9.2 points, 4 rebounds and was second on the squad in steals (43) and assists (45) as a sophomore. Norman (6-5) started 14 games as a freshman and finished the season averaging 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds. Muhammad (Johnson High) and Norman (Savannah High) are both Savannah natives while Fenner is from lake Wales, Florida. Norman plans to play at South Georgia Tech this season.

Hall Steps Back from Coaching

After resigning from his job as head football coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State because of health concerns in 2014, Alan Hall is now the assistant director of San Jose Academy and Preparatory High School in Jacksonville, Florida. Hall was diagnosed with a form of lymphoma cancer in December 2013. A former Miami Hurricane quarterback, Hall was an assistant coach at Savannah State on two occasions, in 2008 and 2010.

Super Tigers Award Two Scholarships

In what was the 10th anniversary of the SuperTiger Fest, the SuperTiger Foundation awarded two scholarships this summer at the annual SuperTiger Fest Picnic which was held in Atlanta. Receiving scholarships this year were Kristen David and Kaleb Johnson. The scholarships totaled $5,000. The committee is headed and ran by former SSU football players Chennis Berry, Michael Stovall and Dramel Ware. Other committee members include SSU grads Stacey Golden, Cass Huntley, Jora Ethridge, Tanya Singleton, Chris Holmes and Ken Albright.

Stubbs, Others Depart SSU Athletics

Stanley Stubbs has left his job as one of the Savannah State assistant baseball coaches and has been hired as the new head baseball coach at Texas College. Others who have recently departed SSU athletics include Ken Coggins (strength and conditioning coach), James Dagget (athletic video) and assistant football coaches Willard Scissum (offensive line) and Mister Askew (running backs).

Six HBCUs Awarded NCAA Academic Success Grants

Six historically black colleges were among nine schools chosen by the NCAA to receive the (AASP) Accelerating Academic Success Program grant. More than $4 million in grants will be distributed to Division I schools to support academic programs that help student-athletes earn their degrees.

The recipients of the (AASP) Accelerating Academic Success Program Comprehensive Grants (multi-year) include: Alcorn State University ($900,000), California State University, Bakersfield ($870,686), Hampton University ($675,000), Florida A&M University ($675,000) Delaware State University ($449,850) and North Carolina A&T State University ($277,284.38). Recipients of Accelerated Academic Success Program Initiatives Grants (single year) include: California State University, Northridge ($100,000), Idaho State University ($8,333.33) and Texas Southern University ($80,608).

The grants help schools improve the academic success of their student athletes. The goal is to support the school’s efforts to meet the requirements of the Division I Academic Performance Program, which was developed to ensure schools provide an environment that supports education while enhancing the ability of student-athletes to earn a degree.

The comprehensive grants will be distributed over a three-year period and used to fund increased academic support services staffing and space; technology upgrades (software and hardware); career planning; professional development; and increased availability of summer financial aid for student-athletes.

Schools eligible to apply for the program are non-FBS Division I schools in the bottom 10 percent of resources as determined by per capita institutional expenditures, athletics department funding and Pell Grant aid.


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