BSU Scuttlebutt
Softball
Prince George's County Council member Ingrid M. Turner presented a proclamation on behalf of herself and the County Council to the Bowie State University women's softball team for its achievement of winning the CIAA Championship.
"Teamwork is so very important from beginning to end in order to accomplish goals such as this," said Turner. "What makes this even more special is that these ladies not only won the CIAA Championship this year, they also won it last year as well."
The Lady Bulldogs (25-14) captured their second consecutive CIAA softball championship title and advanced to its second straight NCAA softball regional.
"We try to use college athletics to allow our student-athletes to learn about life as they go through this process of participating in athletics," said BSU athletics director Derek Carter. "They have a tough schedule trying to maintain an academic standard we hold them accountable for and expect them to be championship-minded teams."
Scholars
Senior Angelica Barrett and junior Tiffany Toney have been named 2008 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award winners by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine.
Barrett, a member of the Lady Bulldogs tennis team, was a Second Team selection and maintains a 3.58 cumulative grade-point average. The psychology major from Lancaster, S.C., ended the season with a 6-5 individual record.
Toney was named to the conference volleyball Second Team, but also participates in softball and track and field. The Abilene, Texas native wrapped up the 2007-'08 academic year with a 3.31 cumulative GPA in her broadcast journalism major. Some of Toney's other '08 accolades include All-CIAA softball honors, CIAA Player of the Year in softball for the second consecutive year, CIAA All-Tournament (softball) and CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team Second Team.
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education established the Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who have made achieving both academically and athletically a winning combination.
To be included, students had to compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2, and be active on their campuses or in the community.
Prince George's Classic
The annual Prince George's Classic is scheduled for Sept. 29 through Oct. 5. Sponsored by State Farm Insurance and hosted by the Prince George's Black Chamber of Commerce, the Classic is in its fifth year of providing an extravaganza celebrating sports, culture and community within "Gorgeous Prince George's County."
"With the Prince George's Classic reaching its five-year milestone, we are expecting this to be the best Classic to date," said Mike Little, president and founder of Prince George's Classic Inc. "We have so many great events planned this year and several surprises too," he added.
The Classic will feature a variety of ancillary events, including a welcome reception, golf tournament, college fair, battle of the bands and a step show. The organizers also hope to host a comedy show, an official "after party" and a gospel musical.
It wouldn't be a "classic" without an entertaining black college football game and a halftime show featuring the soulful musicianship of the marching bands. The other main attraction of this year's Classic will be the 50,000,000 Pound Challenge Walk - an initiative created by Dr. Ian Smith (author of Extreme Fat Smash Diet) and State Farm to address the health and fitness concerns of the African American community. Along with the walk, there will also be a health and wellness fair taking place prior to the football game.
"As our slogan states, the Classic is 'not just a football game,' " stated Hubert Green, president of the PGBCC. "We have events that will appeal to every age group."
