Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

BCU (baseball) defeats Miami Hurricanes

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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.

(Basketball) BCU upsets Norfolk in MEAC tourney

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Courtesy of BCU Athletics

Courtesy of BCU Athletics

Norfolk — The Bethune-Cookman basketball team pulled out a dramatic 70-68 upset victory over regular season MEAC champions Norfolk State on Wednesday night in the Conference Tournament.

The Spartans, who played the role of Cinderella in the first round of last year’s NCAA tournament by defeating the #3 ranked Missouri Tigers, finished the MEAC’s regular season with an unblemished conference record.  The Wildcats came closes to defeating NSU during the regular season but came up 1 point short (61-62) when the two teams squared off eleven (11) days ago in Norfolk. Interestingly, the last four contests between the Wildcats and Spartans have come down to the final possession.  The Spartans prevailed in the previous three (3) contests but Wednesday night belonged to Bethune-Cookman.

Gravelle Craigs’ squad trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half and seemed unable to overcome the hostile, pro-NSU crowd or the regular season champs.  But a second half energy boost from senior Paul Scotland and a bit of sharp shooting from the entire squad helped the Wildcats erase the double-digit halftime deficit and force the game into overtime. 

BCU shot 59% from the field in the second half and 50% in the overtime session.  The Cats are now two games away from making their first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament

Full story to be updated soon.

BCU to hold Annual Spring Game on April 13th

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SBethune-Cookman football will hold its first spring practice of the year on Saturday, March 23 to begin a 13-session schedule that culminates with the Spring Showcase to be held Saturday, April 13. The location for the Spring Showcase will be announced at a later date.

The Wildcats will pull on the pads under head coach Brian Jenkins for the fourth time and again hold practices on campus at the Wildcat Practice Field.

B-CU is scheduled to work out four times a week beginning March 23, with practices taking place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. All practices are closed to the public.

During spring practice, only head coach Brian Jenkins and assistant coaches will be made available to the media. Student-athletes will speak with the media after the Spring Showcase.

Read on: http://www.bcuathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=23910&ATCLID=206647160

(Baseball) Wildcats sweep FAMU

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Let's Go Wildcats

Scott Gardner

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (6-6, 3-0 MEAC) completed their first series sweep of the 2013 season, taking down in-state rivals Florida A&M Rattlers  (0-11, 0-3 MEAC) in a three game set at Jackie Robinson ballpark.

The Wildcats used a pair of bottom of the 8th inning comebacks in games one (8-6 final) and  three (3-2 final); and a complete game shutout by junior right-hander Scott Gardner in game two (7-0) to secure the weekend sweep. 

Gardner pitched all 7 innings in the second game of Saturday’s double-header and registered 3 strikeouts, 1 base on balls, 4 hits, and no runs.  Other standouts this weekend included closer Jordan Dailey who saw action in games one and three recording a win and save respectively; and third baseman Matt Noble who had a hit in each of the 3 contests batting .455 (5 for 11) with 5 RBIs in the process.

BCU’s record now stands at 6-6 on the year with wins over perennial power Arizona State and last year NCAA Regionals participant UCF.

The Cats conclude their seven (7) game homestand with a couple of midweek matchups against Central Michigan on Tuesday and Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m.

THE BELT

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The beltAt the conclusion of this past season’s Florida Blue Florida Classic, coach Brian Jenkins was seen hugging players, celebrating with the Marching Wildcats, and very conspicuously wearing a 2012 MEAC Champions Belt that was large enough and elaborate enough to make Hulk Hogan envy.

Some fifteen (15) or so minutes after first being spotted with his new ornate accessory, coach Jenkins met with members of the media for his normal postgame recap.  There it was again; this time prominently displayed on the conference room table almost touching the fiery coach’s left elbow.  There was no attempt at modesty.  No attempt to conceal it.  It was as if coach Jenkins was silently screaming for someone to ask about THE BELT…and so I did.

The third year coach rather foxily revealed that THE BELT was an inside thing between him and his team.  “I have been telling (our football team) about the belt.  You want to be the one to put on the belt in the end” Jenkins exclaimed.

At this past Saturday’s 2012 Championship Team Banquet inside the North Tower Ballroom at the Hilton Hotel located directly on Daytona Beach, coach Jenkins revealed to the 350 Wildcat supporters in attendance the inside story behind THE BELT.

The story goes as follows: 

Shortly after being named as the fifteenth (15) head football coach at Bethune-Cookman, Brian Jenkins had a chance encounter with a Florida A&M football fan.  The FAMU fan approached the newly appointed coach and said let me show you something.  He reached into his back pocket and unfolded a piece of paper.  Listed on the paper were the results of all of the Florida Classics including the previous two (2); both of which FAMU won. 

The FAMU fan was undoubtedly sending a clear message to the precocious new coach of what he should expect when facing the mighty Rattlers.

As fate would have it, coach Jenkins bumped into the same Rattler fan nearly a year later.  The FAMU fan, feeling emboldened by his Rattlers’ upset victor over the Wildcats in the 2010 Florida Classic, even more vigorously than the year before flagged down coach Jenkins and again pulled out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket.  It was an up-to-date history of the Florida Classic results.  The FAMU fan proudly and boastfully pointed to his team’s upset win in 2010.  It was shortly after that encounter that the idea of THE BELT was conceived in Brian Jenkins’ mind.  Jenkins decided if his team could win the MEAC crown and win the Florida Classic, he would supply every graduating senior with his very own Championship Belt.

Senior Class awarded Championship Belts

Senior Class awarded Championship Belts

What better way to memorialize the hardwork, sacrifice, and dedication that’s required to become MEAC and Florida Classic champs than to provide the senior class with Championship Belts.  And besides, a Heavyweight caliber Championship Belt trumps a folded piece of paper any day.

Coach Jenkins’ statement to the media after the 2012 Florida Blue Florida Classic now makes so much more sense: “…in the end, you want to be the one to put on the belt.” 

THE BELT is brilliant in everything that it represents.  It is the proverbial gauntlet slap in the face, a one-upper, a ‘step ya game up’ if you will.  It is a unique memento, it epitomizes excellence, symbolizes hardwork and manhood, and it is meant to draw a line in the sand.  If you want THE BELT, come and take it.  If you want to keep THE BELT, then be prepared to defend it.  So keep your folded piece of paper and I will raise you a Championship Belt.

Interestingly, coach Jenkins stated that the last time he spotted the FAMU fan who flagged him down and showed off his folded piece of paper was shortly after the 2010 season.  Coincidence? Maybe but not likely!

A source within the BCU Athletic department could not confirm whether THE BELT is a one year phenomenon or a new tradition for each senior class who wins both a MEAC and Florida Classic championship in the same season.  Personally, I hope this becomes a new tradition.  A new goal of sorts for each class of seniors.  I think coach Jenkins said it best: “in the end, you want to be the one to put on the belt”. 

Congratulations to all the guys who earned the right to wear THE BELT!!!

Top 12 Moments of 2012

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Before 2012 takes its final curtain call and 2013 takes center stage, here is a look back at the Top 12 highlights of the 2012 football season.

(In no particular order)

IkeIsidore Jackson joins 1,000 yard club:

Junior running back Isidore Jackson became just the 7th player in BCU history to rush for 1,000 in a season.  It was the first time that a BCU player reach the 1,000 yard milestone since Allen Suber reached the magical mark in 2002.  Jackson finished the year with 1,069 yards on the ground.  He now has 2,449 yards rushing for his career which is good enough for 3rd all-time.

Eddie PSteady Eddie:

Eddie Poole has played in every game of Brian Jenkins’ head coaching career.  All Poole has done in that 35 game span is catch a pass in every contest and move into sixth (6th) place all-time on BCU’s touchdown receptions list with seventeen (17).  No sweat; just another day at the office for Steady Eddie.

Preston Cleckley’s one hander:

The final score in the BCU/Tennessee State game did not favor the good guys; however, Preston Cleckley’s one handed grab in the back of the end zone against the Tigers may have been the single most spectacular play of the season. 

The 9 yard TD strike to Cleckley was quarterback Quentin Williams’ first collegiate TD pass.  The two hooked up again in the North Carolina Central game when Cleckley ran under a 76 yard Williams’ TD pass.   The 76 yarder was the longest pass play of the season for the Wildcats.

Brock Waters

Brock Waters

Comeback kids:

17 minutes into the 2012 season, BCU fans were frozen in disbelief.  The Wildcat faithful watched Alabama State seize all the momentum and a 21-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter.  But help arrived in the form of Louisiana Tech transfer Brodrick Waters.  Waters replaced Jackie Wilson at quarterback midway through the 2nd quarter and BCU scored 38 unanswered points.  BCU went on to win the contest 38-28.

The comeback theme was repeated the following week when BCU scored 27 unanswered points after South Carolina State jumped out to a 14-0 lead. 

Courtesy of BCU Athletics

Courtesy of BCU Athletics

Defense plays lights out in the 3rd and 4th quarters:

7, 0, 0, 16, 3, 3, 3, 7, 6, 7; no those aren’t the winning Powerball numbers.  Those numbers represent the total number of points the Wildcat defense surrendered to FCS competition in the second half of contests this season.  That averages out to a measly 5.2 points per game in the 3rd and 4th quarters. 

The Wildcat D surrendered no 2nd half touchdowns in the entire month of October.  Hopefully the defense will figure out a way to extend their 2nd half achievements over 4 quarters of football and elevate themselves to a dominant defensive team in 2013.

Nick Addison’s coming out party

Redshirt freshman Nick Addison put on a display against Hampton that caused the Maroon and Gold faithful to reminisce of the days of Mathis, Collins, Williams, and Wyatt.  Addison intercepted 2 passes against the Pirates including 1 he returned 90 yards for a touchdown, he recorded 11 tackles (9 solo, .5 tfl) in that contest, and he forced a fumble.  That makes for one heck of a coming out party.

Henry Frazier none-to-happy….Is there a rivalry brewing???

NCCU head coach Henry Frazier disapproved of coach Jenkins’ decision to throw a pass while leading 35-17 late in the 4th quarter.  A visibly upset Frazier stated after the contest that he would have elected to simply run the ball if he was in the same position and not attempt to “run up the score”.  Frazier went on to state that he would remember Jenkins’ actions and have his team ready when the two schools meet again.

Could this evolve into another Bill Hayes/Alvin Wyatt type rivalry……we shall see!

8-0

For the first time in school history, the Bethune-Cookman football team finished the season with a perfect 8-0 record in MEAC play.  The last time BCU finished undefeated in conference play was 1984 when quarterback Bernard Hawk led the Cats to a 4-0 mark.  BCU has now won 14 straight MEAC contests dating back to 2011 and can tie South Carolina State’s all-time consecutive MEAC win mark of 22 if they finish undefeated in conference play in 2013.

DSC_0091Offensive line play

The BCU offensive line paved the way for the league’s leading scoring offense (29.4 points per game), rushing offense (244 yards per contest) and total offense (388.75 yards per contest).  Ole Miss transfer, Terrence Hackney led the big men upfront.  Hackney was named to several postseason All-American squads including the Beyond Sports College Network, The Sports Network, and Box-To-Row All-American teams.  The best news for BCU fans is that Hackney has 2 years of eligibility remaining. 

Lavon McCoy and Eugene Solomon were also noteworthy performers in the trenches in 2012.

The beltHe’s staying:

After entertaining offers from other colleges, namely Southern University, and at least one NFL team, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brian Jenkins decided to sign a new deal and remain the leader of the BCU football team.

Jenkins has amassed a 27-8 record, 2 conference crowns, and 2 playoff berths during his brief time at Bethune. 

Run Ike Run:

Isidore Jackson’s 93 yard touchdown scamper against NCCU displayed many of the attributes that make a running back great.  Jackson broke 2 tackles (power), made a couple of guys miss (vision), and outran the rest of the field (speed) on his way to the endzone. 

It was the 4th longest touchdown run in school history and good enough to make the Top 12 in 2012 countdown.

Larry R. Handfield Athletic Training Center/Photo Courtesy of Daytona Beach News Journal - David Massey

Larry R. Handfield Athletic Training Center/Photo Courtesy of Daytona Beach News Journal – David Massey

State of the Art

BCU Football Operations moved into the 16,378 square foot Larry Hanfield Athletic Training Center in September.  The facility features a state of the art strength and conditioning center, hydrotherapy, x-ray and treatment rooms, technology equipped meeting rooms, a Hall of Fame lobby as well as other amenities.

The Training Center adds a huge boost to BCU’s recruiting, athletic facilities and footprint along the International Speedway corridor.

Brian Jenkins to remain as BCU’s head coach

/ J Bell / 1 Comment

HAIL-WILDCATS_GOLD LogoDaytona Beach – Bethune-Cookman interim president, Dr. Edison Jackson, athletic director Lynn Thompson, and head coach Brian Jenkins announced to an assembly of media and Wildcat supporters that Brian Jenkins will remain as the head football coach at BCU.

“Mr. Jenkins has given me an early Christmas gift by remaining with (the Bethune-Cookman) family” Dr. Jackson stated. 

Less than 24 hours ago, coach Jenkins was scheduled to spend all day Thursday completing a comprehensive interview for the same position at Southern University in Louisiana.  But in an 11th hour change of heart, Jenkins cancelled his interview with Southern on Wednesday night and inked a contract extension to remain at the Daytona Beach institution.

Jenkins stated “it’s not all about finances and it’s not all about football”.  “It all boils down to family and wanting to be with family”.  He went on to state: “if I were to end my career at Bethune-Cookman I would be okay with that”.

The Wildcats are 27-8 under the fiery third year head coach.  Jenkins led BCU to their first ever 10-0 start in 2010, their first ever 8-0 mark in MEAC play in 2012, and two (2) of the last three (3) MEAC titles.

Check back to read more details on today’s press conference including quotes from the head coach and administration.

Coach Jenkins continues to rack up the accolades

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Photo Credits: Jerrime Bell

Photo Credits: Jerrime Bell

WACO, Texas – Bethune-Cookman football head coach Brian Jenkins has been named as this year’s American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Football Championship Subdivision Region Two Coach of the Year announced Monday morning by the AFCA office.

Recently completing his third year at the helm in Daytona Beach, Jenkins shares this year’s award with Stony Brook’s Chuck Piore who led his team to the second round of the FCS Playoffs. For Jenkins, this is the second time in the last three years he has won the award for Region Two, also picking up the honor in 2010.

Jenkins, the 2012 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Coach of the Year, led the Wildcats to an MEAC title and the first undefeated conference season for the Maroon and Gold since 1984. This past season, the Wildcats went 9-3 (8-0 MEAC) and played host to Coastal Carolina in the opening round of the FCS Playoffs at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach. It was the second MEAC title for the Cats under Jenkins – the fifth of its kind in school history – and they played host to an FCS Playoff competition for the third time in the past 10 years.

Since his arrival in Daytona Beach, Jenkins has compiled an overall record of 27-8, and an unprecedented 21-3 mark in league play. He has helped the Wildcats to two MEAC titles, two FCS Playoff appearances and been named the MEAC Coach of the Year twice.

Read on: http://www.bcuathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=23910&ATCLID=205819638