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Seven FAMU players named to Phil Steele MEAC Preseason Team

July 26, 2020July 26, 2020 Brandon King

From Florida A&M Sports Information: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Florida A&M University football placed seven student-athletes on Phil Steele’s 2020 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Preseason teams on Friday. Xavier Smith (wide receiver/AP), Keenan Forbes (offensive lineman), Markquese Bell (defensive back), Chris Faddoul (punter) and Christian Mastramico (long snapper) were tabbed to the first team, while Derrick Mayweather (linebacker) and David Manigo (wide receiver) earned second and third honors, respectively. Smith, who was selected to the College Football America Yearbook’s FCS Preseason Starting Lineup, College Sports Journal Preseason FCS All-American Team and Hero…

FAMU partners with HBCU Change to launch a new donation platform

July 16, 2020July 16, 2020 Brandon King

from Florida A&M Sports Information: Atlanta, Ga., July 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — HBCU Change, is currently on track to serve as the nation’s fastest-growing micro-donation app totally committed to the sustainability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the nation. Committed to developing an innovative way to raise $1 billion over the next 5 years, the HBCU Change app is answering the call of solution oriented methods to tackle the grossly growing financial shortage that HBCUs are facing as a result of the pandemic. Many HBCUs rely on money generated from…

FAMU’s Alelee Figueroa named 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee

July 15, 2020July 15, 2020 Staff

Courtesy of Florida A&M Athletic Communications TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Florida A&M University’s Alelee Figueroa, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Woman of the Year, has been selected among 605 female college student-athletes as a 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Award nominee, the NCAA announced on Tuesday. Rooted in Title IX and directed by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics, the NCAA Woman of the Year program celebrates the accomplishments of female college athletes across all three NCAA divisions. In 2020, nearly 220,000 women are competing in college sports, and the NCAA…

Pillow Names Nayreau and Powell as Assistant Women’s Basketball Coaches

July 8, 2020July 8, 2020 Brandon King

From Florida A&M Sports Information: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Florida A&M University new head women’s basketball coach Shalon Pillow announced on Wednesday the appointments of Jaye Nayreau and Jalen Powell as FAMU assistant women’s basketball coaches. “Jaye is a veteran coach with experience on all levels. He has a great basketball mind and is a proven recruiter,” Pillow said. “Jalen is an up-and-coming coach who has a deep passion for the game and thrives in skill development,” Nayreau comes to FAMU after spending the past season as the assistant coach of the Trinity Valley Community College…

Florida A&M introduces Michael Johnson as Associate AD of Administration and Operations

July 1, 2020July 1, 2020 Brandon King

From Florida A&M Sports Information: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Florida A&M University’s Director of Athletics, Kortne Gosha, announced the appointment of McNeese State University’s Associate AD for Operations & Facilities, Michael Johnson, as the new Associate AD for Administration and Operations of FAMU Athletics. “We are excited to welcome Michael Johnson to our administrative staff,” Gosha said. “As we implement our strategic plan and vision for Athletics, it was imperative that we identified a high-energy creative thinker and dynamic professional with a lense of experience as a former student-athlete, student-leader, and athletic…

FAMU’s Kyle Coleman will pitch in CSBI

June 8, 2020June 8, 2020 Brandon King

From Florida A&M Sports Information: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Kyle Coleman was one of Florida A&M University’s student-athletes affected by COVID-19 as the senior right-handed pitcher saw his season end on March 12. Coleman, who was one of seven graduating seniors this season, will now have the opportunity to pitch again in the Collegiate Summer Baseball Invitational (CSBI). “I am excited about being able to play baseball again, especially against some of the best in the nation,” Coleman said. “Not only am I excited about being able to play baseball again, but I…

FAMU legend and NFL great Ken Riley passes at 72

June 7, 2020June 7, 2020 Brandon King

From Florida A&M Sports Information: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The football world and the Florida A&M University family lost a legend. Ken Riley, former FAMU football standout, former head coach and athletics director, passed away early Sunday morning at the age of 72. “FAMU Athletics and the entire Rattler Nation is deeply saddened of the passing of former FAMU football player, Head Coach, Athletics Director and NFL great Ken Riley,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha said. “We wish his family our deepest condolences.” “I woke up this morning with a heavy…

Florida A&M heading to SWAC

June 5, 2020June 5, 2020 Brandon King

This was initially reported by HBCUGameday but the MEAC will suffer another major loss. The conference is losing North Carolina A&T to the Big South and now FAMU is moving to the SWAC. From Florida A&M Sports Information: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Board of Trustees (BOT) has approved the University’s move to join the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), beginning with the 2021-22 academic year. The move was approved by SWAC member schools 10-0 Thursday afternoon. “While we have had a long-standing relationship competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference,…

Florida A&M to introduce Shalon Pillow as new Women’s Ball Coach

June 1, 2020June 1, 2020 Brandon King

From Florida A&M Sports Information: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The Florida A&M University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will hold a virtual press conference Tuesday afternoon to formally introduce Shalon Pillow as the new head women’s basketball coach. Pillow, who was named the program’s head coach on Thursday, will meet formally with the media via Zoom Tuesday afternoon beginning at 2 p.m. (EST). Fans and alumni will be able to watch the press conference live on Facebook. For media availability, interviews, or other questions, please contact the office of Athletic Communications at 850-599-3849 orbrian.howard2@famu.edu #Follow The Rattlers For…

Florida A&M Basketball signs Johnny Brown

May 13, 2020May 13, 2020 Brandon King

From Florida A&M Sports Information: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Florida A&M University head men’s basketball coach Robert McCullum announced the signing of Johnny Brown on Tuesday. Brown, who played one season at Florida State College in Jacksonville, Fla., graduated from Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Fla. He will enter FAMU as a sophomore and with three years of eligibility remaining. Last season at Florida State College, Brown averaged 12.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and made 54 3-pointers. He shot 47.4 percent from the floor, 43.5 percent from behind the three-point line and…