8 riie News Argiis
Sports
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
www.thenewsargiis.com
Recruits continued from Page 7
Stokes continued from Page 7
LATASHA
MILES
Sports Editor
to not only
how very tal
ented these
future WSSU
student-ath-
letes are but
also to how
hard my
coaching staff
worked in
securing this
talented class," Maynor
added.
The Rams addressed issues
on the defensive side of the
ball with four of the five
defensive recruits playing at
line positions. The defensive
line recruits include
Duvontae Covington, Davin
Gray, Jermaine Kesler, and
DeAngelo Johnson. The
incoming class averages a
weight of 295 pounds, while
the 2009 class averaged 256
pounds.
The fifth recruit on defense
is linebacker Jalaquon
McNeill, from Lumberton
High School in Lumberton,
N.C.
McNeill led in tackles for
two consecutive years,
including 114 tackles and
three interceptions for the
Pirates.
He was also named the 4-
A Southeastern Conference
Defensive Player of the Year.
"I had offers to other
schools, but their programs
did not move me to commit
[like] WSSU," McNeill said.
"The hope [is] that my
teammates at WSSU are ready
for change. The school
[WSSU] seems to have a great
atmosphere that I just could
n't say no."
The Rams addressed
offense as well, adding line
men, receivers, and two quar
terbacks.
The Rams offensive line
class includes Kaleb Carter,
who is the only recruit from
South Carolina and Thomas
Warren, a local talent from
Mount Tabor High School.
WSSU also recruited wide
receivers Graham Love,
Anthony Short, Eric Wolff,
and Damontra Yates.
Yates also plays the free
safety position.
The Rams also picked up
quarterbacks Vernon Brandon
and DeShean Townsend.
Townsend, a 6-3, 210 pound
quarterback from Fayetteville
chose WSSU over Catawba,
UNC-Pembroke,and
Fayetteville State.
Townsend, an effective
pocket passer with a big arm,
was the 2008 and 2009 Mid-
South Conference Offensive
Player of the Year.
Townsend threw for 45
touchdowns his last two
years at South View High
School.
"I wanted to choose a
school that I was comfortable
at and was going to enjoy,"
Townsend said.
"When I took my official
visit to [WSSU], it felt like
home. It was nice. I liked the
campus. It was beautiful.
"I also met a few of the
players currently on the team,
and the coaches. They were
good, and the football facili
ties were really nice."
as an assistant and head coach
for 11 years at Hampton. He
led them to a playoff berth in
the MEAC Basketball
Championship title game in
2009.
Mebane also has experience
as an athletic director for
Atlantic Shores High School in
Chesapeake, Va. and a volun
teer coach for WSSU's men's
basketball team.
"He has a mannerism and
demeanor that will encourage
our student-athletes to play at
their best," Hayes said of
Mebane.
Hayes said there were 62
applicants that applied for the
women's head coach vacancy,
however Mebane was not one
of them.
He also said there is a selec
tion committee in place and
the position is expected to be
filled on a permanent basis by
the end of February.
Since Mebane has taken
over, the Lady Rams have lost
four more road games, against
Morgan State, Coppin State,
Norfolk State and NC A&T.
A highlight during Stokes's
tenure was success recruiting
quality student-athletes, who
have excelled academically.
With Stokes at the helm, the
Lady Rams placed in the
higher rankings of athletic pro
grams at WSSU. In each semes
ter except for one, her teams
finished with GPAs of 2.8 to
3.0.
"My team has gotten a lot
better academically," Stokes
said in a December 2009 article
published in The News Argus.
"Mentoring kids and having
an impact on them means
more than just coaching them
to wins, and I think that we've
done that, and [I'm]very proud
of that."
Stokes also said in that same
article with The News Argus
that she had interest in assist
ing with the decision on the
next coach for the women's
basketball team, but Hayes
said that she is not a part of the
selection process.
Department of
Veterans Affairs
n
3 STEPS TO YOUR
POST-9/11 Gl BILL BENEFITS
The Post-9/11 Gl Bill provides vets great education
benefits, but YOU must take action to ensure the
assistance you deserve is paid in a timely fashion.
Follow these steps to simplify the process and
help VA expedite your benefit payments.
Text “GIBILL” to 99702 or visit
www/.gibill.va.gov for more informat'ioin.
Standard Message and Data Rates May Apply
YOU
SERVED
GET
BENEFITS
oxpp Review your benefit options
online at www.gibill.va.gov.
CTCp Submit your application
VA Form 22-1990 or 22-1990E.
STEP Check with your School Certifying Official (SCO)
to confirm that your VA enrollment certification
Ohas been sent to the VA. This triggers your
payment.
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