Before we get to the sports highlights for this week, I am sad to report that one of our Historical Black Colleges, Saint Paul’s College in Virginia, is closing its doors June 30, 2013 after 125 years of serving the community and the needs of minority students both in the United States and the world. Some of the notable students and athletes who attended Saint Paul’s College include: Rep. Barbara Boyd (Ohio House of Representatives-Democrat); NFL cornerback Greg Toler; and former basketball player Antwain Smith, who was drafted by the then Vancouver Grizzlies now known as the Memphis Grizzlies. Due to financial reasons, Saint Paul’s College dropped its athletic program in 2011 hoping to return to athletics once the college was able to secure money. There have been massive attempts to raise money through alumni and fundraisers without success. With the campus losing accreditation and very few students enrolling, the college had no choice but to close its doors.
Now on to the HBCU highlights:
Morgan State Bears: The 2013 outdoor track and field season came to an end, June 5, 2013 for the Morgan State women’s program of the 2013 NCAA Track & Field National Championship at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon. The Lady Bears’ 4 X 100 meter relay team of senior Britney Wattley and juniors Teyanna Green, Charisma Green and Ekundayo Sogbesan ran a time of 45.32 during Wednesday’s semifinal round. The squad which was Morgan State’s only representative at this year’s championship event, finished eighth in their Heat and placed 22nd overall in the nation out of the 24 team field.
Coppin State Eagles: Coppin State senior Jibri Victorian concluded his collegiate career with a 16th-place finish in the semifinals of the 400-meter hurdles at the 2013 Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 5, 2013 at the historic Heyward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon. Victorian placed fifth in the first of three heats in a time of 51.74.
University of the District of Columbia Firebirds: Junior Miguel Uzcategui of the University of the District of Columbia men’s tennis team has earned Third Team Capital One Academic All-America honors as the College Sports Information Directors of America announced on Friday, June 7, 2013. Uzcategui is the first male Firebird student-athlete to be named an Academic All-American.
University Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks: Hawk Megan Buja has become just the second student-athlete from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) to ever earn The 2013 Capital One Academic All-America Award. A native of Rockford, Illinois, Buja is a junior human ecology major with a perfect grade point average. A starter and four-time national champion on the women’s bowling team, Buja posted a total pin fall of 11,920 and had a 198.67 average with a 266 high team game in 2012-2013. She was the 2012 and 2013 NCAA Elite 89 Award winner. A two-time All-MEAC selection and MEAC All-Academic honoree, she was named the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Star of Tomorrow and was the 2012 and 2013 UMES Scholar Athlete of the Year.
That’s a look at HBCU sports for this week. Please send any questions, comments, or HBCU Sports and news to pdemps@btimes.com