Month: April 2013
KJ Stroud signs free agent deal with NY Jets
Keith “KJ” Stroud
Former Bethune-Cookman receiver KJ Stroud has officially signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets of the National Football League.
Stroud, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior wide receiver from Brooklyn, N.Y., becomes the first B-CU player to ink a free agency agreement with an NFL team following this year’s NFL Draft. He arrived to the Wildcats program in 2011 after transferring from Rutgers where he spent the 2009 and 2010 campaigns.
BCU Football 1st Down Series; Episode 2 – “32º”
BCU Releases Official Statement Regarding the Harold Love Pro-Day Article
On April 11, 2013, NFLDraftZone.com ran an article written by self-described NFL scout Damond Talbot. Talbot’s article focused almost exclusively on his perception of an alleged injustice committed by Bethune-Cookman University and executed against former B-CU defensive tackle, Harold Love. The university’s official statement from Lynn W. Thompson, Director of Athletics is shown below.
BETHUNE-COOKMAN OFFICIAL STATEMENT from LYNN W. THOMPSON (Director of Athletics)…
“Our student-athlete handbook states ‘Student-athletes are highly visible representatives of the university and are expected to uphold the values and responsibilities of the institution while meeting all requirements set forth by the MEAC, NCAA, B-CU and the B-CU intercollegiate athletics program.’
The university reserves the right to prohibit, reduce and otherwise sanction the participation of any student-athlete who falls short of or compromises any of these standards.
The student-athlete was a repeat offender of university and team policies. He was and is fully aware of those policies and understands our stance and subsequent disciplinary actions imposed on him. In addition to the sanctions imposed by the university, which limit him to only academic related activities, the department of athletics also imposed additional penalties. While we have imposed these sanctions on him we also stand with him and will continue to provide the resources which will support him in his ultimate quest to graduate from our institution this spring.
We will issue no further statements on this matter and will consider it closed.”
Lynn W. Thompson
Director of Athletics
(Baseball) Wildcats look to remain atop MEAC standings
Jackie Robinson Stadium
Daytona Beach – A quick glance at the MEAC’s Southern division standings reflects Bethune-Cookman in a familiar position atop the table. However, a closer look at the standings reveals a more telling story. Two games in the loss column is all that separates first place BCU from 4th place North Carolina A&T. Savannah State is a game better than the Wildcats in the conference loss column (but the Tigers have a lower winning percentage against conference foes) and North Carolina Central is just a single game behind the Cats.
Jason Beverlin’s squad will look to cushion their lead and maintain their stranglehold on the conference when they take on North Carolina Central in a three-game set beginning today at 1:00 PM at Historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Daytona Beach’s City Island.
BCU (20-17, 10-5 MEAC) has won a season high six consecutive games with five of those victories occurring on the road. Anthony Stokes has paced the Wildcats offensively over the winning streak logging three home runs and 11 RBIs during the run.
The Wildcats defeated Jacksonville University 5-3 in their last outing (on Tuesday, April 9th). David Lee recorded three RBIs in the win for the Cats.
NCCU (21-15, 9-6 MEAC), who enters the weekend just a game behind the Wildcats in the MEAC’s Southern Division, are 1-2 against BCU this season and 2-6 against the Wildcats since re-joining the MEAC. NCCU dropped 2 of 3 games against rival NCA&T last weekend.
The pitching matchups are slated as follows:
Game One: NCCU’s Junior righty Terry McNabb vs. B-CU righty Scott Garner (3-4, 5.33 ERA) Garner is coming off a complete game, 4-1 victory over Florida A&M in his last outing.
Game Two (doubleheader 7 inning contest): righty Glenn Frye (3-3) against BCU lefty Ali Simpson (3-4, 5.77 ERA). Simpson also pitched solidly in his last outing allowing no runs in seven innings of work against FAMU. BCU won that contest 4-0.
Game Three (Sunday): Michael Romano (2-5, 5.43 ERA) vs. BCU right hander Montana Durapau (5-3, 4.07 ERA). Durapau earned his 5th win of the year in his last outing against cross-county rival Stetson.
Live Stats will be available from the link. Also, NCCU will provide live audio coverage of this weekend’s matchups on the NCCU Sports Network .
BCU (baseball) defeats Miami Hurricanes
Photo Credits: BCU Athletics
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (15-17) traveled to South Florida for the first of their two trips to Coral Gables this season and exited Wednesday night’s contest with a 5-3 victory over perennial power the University of Miami (20-12).Junior right hander Montana Durapau had another strong outing on the hill yielding just 2 earned runs and striking out 7 in seven innings of work for BCU.
Jordan Dailey entered the contest in the 8th and held the Hurricanes scoreless through the final 2 frames earning him his 5th save of the season.
BCU never trailed in the contest and plated all five of its runs in the middle innings: two each in the fourth and fifth and another in the sixth.
Eric Sams’ RBI single in the fourth brought home the Wildcats first two runs of the contest.
Shaun McCarty added an RBI in the 5th on a sharply hit double deep into the right field corner. McCarty scored on a Brandon Turner fielder’s choice later in the inning and pushed the BCU lead to 4-0
Miami responded with an Alex Hernandez RBI single through the left side to put the Hurricanes on the board, narrowing the lead to 4-1.
Freshman catcher Chris Biocic’s RBI single in the sixth capped the Wildcats’ scoring at 5.
Michael Broad launched a monster two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Wildcat lead to 5-3, but the Canes could get no closer.
BCU’s 5-3 victory adds Miami to an impressive list of out of conference foes Jason Beverlins’ squad has defeated this season. Arizona State, Miami, Central Florida, Central Michigan, Florida International, South Florida and Jacksonville University have all suffered defeat at the hands of the Wildcats in 2013.
The Cats return to MEAC play and will travel to Tallahassee on Friday for a three game weekend series against Florida A&M.
hailwildcats.com 