Tag: athletic

HBCU Athletic Conference appoints Dr. Adrienne Barnes as Softball Coordinator of Officials, Chris Booker as Baseball Coordinator of Officials
NEW ORLEANS- September 19, 2024- The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Adrienne Barnes as the Softball Coordinator of Officials and Chris Booker as the Baseball Coordinator of Officials, beginning in the 2025 season.

SOFTBALL COORDINATOR OF OFFICIALS DR. ADRIENNE BARNES
Dr. Adrienne Barnes brings over a decade of experience in coordinating and assigning softball officials at various levels, making her an excellent fit for the role of Softball Coordinator of Officials for the HBCUAC. Since beginning her officiating career in 2009, Dr. Barnes has served as the Umpire-in-Chief (UIC) and assignor for several fastpitch organizations, including high school, collegiate, and recreational leagues. Her expertise in managing officials and her passion for developing young talent have earned her a respected reputation in the softball community.

In addition to her officiating roles, Dr. Barnes has an extensive background in education, having worked as an educator from 1996 to 2017. She currently runs ThinkRtI Educational Consulting, and she collaborates with EdFirst Consortium in Educational Leadership, serving as an external evaluator and IT consultant. Her experience in both education and sports officiating will bring a strong organizational structure to the conference’s softball program.

Postseason Accomplishments of Adrienne Barnes Include:
- 2017- SCAC conference tournament (NAIA); SWAC conference tournament- Alabama State
- 2018- DII Regional and Super Regional -Southern Arkansas
- 2019- SWAC Conference tournament-Alabama State
- 2021- SWAC conference tournament -Gulfport
- DIII Regional/Super Regional- ETBU
- 2022- DIII Regional-ETBU
BASEBALL COORDINATOR OF OFFICIALS CHRIS BOOKER
Chris Booker, a veteran umpire with more than 20 years of experience, will take on the role of Baseball Coordinator of Officials. Booker’s distinguished career began in 2003, and since then, he has officiated across various levels, including NAIA, NCAA D-I, D-II, and D-III events. A graduate of the Jim Evans Umpire Academy (Class of 2011), Booker has been a fixture at multiple Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Sunbelt, and American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship tournaments.

His impressive resume includes officiating several high-profile tournaments, such as the 2019 NCAA D-I Regional Championship and the 2015 NCAA D-II National Championship, where he served as a crew chief for the South Central Regional. Booker’s dedication to the development of baseball officials aligns with the HBCUAC’s mission of providing continued professional growth and opportunities for postseason consideration within the NAIA.

Postseason Accomplishments of Chris Booker Include:
- 2024 AAC Conference Tournament Umpire
- 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 SWAC Conference Tournament Umpire
- 2021 Sunbelt Conference Tournament Umpire
- 2019 NCAA D-I Regional Championship Umpire
- 2015 NCAA D-II National Championship Umpire (Crew Chief)
Leadership and Vision
The HBCUAC is confident that Dr. Barnes and Chris Booker will elevate the conference’s officiating standards and ensure consistency and excellence across softball and baseball programs. Both coordinators bring a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to mentoring the next generation of officials, aligning with the HBCUAC’s goal of fostering leadership and professional growth throughout collegiate athletics.

For more information about the appointments and upcoming events, please contact the HBCUAC at communications@hbcuac.org.
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September 19, 2024
Charlton Athletic must act now to avoid cut-price Miles Leaburn move

Charlton Athletic should be looking to extend Miles Leaburn’s contract, with the striker’s current deal due to expire in the summer of 2025.

Miles Leaburn is one of the most exciting young strikers in League One, having scored 15 goals in 48 appearances in the third tier for Charlton Athletic at just 20 years of age.

The promising forward, who is the son of former Charlton striker Carl, broke into the Addicks’ first team on the opening day of the 2022/23 season, marking his debut with a goal against Accrington Stanley before going on to score a further 11 times in the league over the course of the campaign.

He continued his good form into the start of last season, scoring seven goals in all competitions during the first few months of the campaign, before suffering a serious hamstring injury in Charlton’s win over Cheltenham Town at the end of November last year.

The club reported at the time that, following successful surgery, Leaburn would be sidelined for up to five months, but now, almost ten months later, he is still yet to have featured again in a first team matchday squad.

The youngster spent six weeks on a rehab programme at St George’s Park over the summer, and started for the Addicks’ under-21s against Leeds United under-21s at The Valley last week, so he could be in line for a return soon.

Charlton Athletic should try and keep hold of Leaburn

Charlton should look to take advantage of the fact that Leaburn has been sidelined for so long by tying him down to a new contract before his stock rises again once he returns to first team action.

Prior to his hamstring injury last year, Premier League clubs including Chelsea and Brentford were reportedly interested in making an offer for the physical striker during the January transfer window.

Leaburn has also attracted interest from Aston Villa, while Charlton rejected an offer of £3 million from an unnamed Bundesliga club for his services in the summer of 2023.

With his contract set to expire next year, Charlton should do everything they can to try and agree fresh terms with Leaburn, or they will risk losing him for a cut-price transfer fee in January, or worse, seeing him leave for a compensation figure in the summer.

Considering his latest injury, there will of course be concerns about Leaburn’s ability to stay fit, but the Addicks seem to have become better at looking after their players since the arrival of Dr Will Abbott from Brighton & Hove Albion, with Chuks Aneke’s improved availability a vindication of the impact that he has seemingly had in his first year at The Valley.

Abbott arrived at Charlton a few days after Leaburn sustained his injury. If the Addicks can tie the striker down to a new deal and keep him fit for an extended period, they will have a valuable asset on their hands as well as a talented striker.

Miles Leaburn may want to continue his development at Charlton Athletic

Leaburn left Chelsea’s academy prior to joining Charlton as a teenager, so there could be a chance that he is happy to stay in SE7 and continue his development in a first team environment.

His pace and physicality make him the ideal profile of striker for Nathan Jones’ system, so if he stays, it would be no surprise if he becomes one of the first names on the teamsheet under the Welshman once he returns to full fitness.

Miles Leaburn’s stats for Charlton (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

Goals

Assists

62

21

5

Leaburn’s mother, Tracey, is Player Liaison Officer at Charlton, and she plays a key role in looking after the players, which could potentially increase the chances of her son extending his stay at the club.

Chelsea signed striker Mason Burstow from Charlton for £1.5 million in January 2022, and Leaburn has done more for the Addicks than he had at the time, so it would be a real disappointment if he left the club for a lower fee. Therefore, it is vitally important that the club tries to negotiate a new contract over the next few months.

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September 19, 2024
Arkansas’ Athletic Director Wants 10,000 Households Across The State To Give $100 A Month To Get Them In The NIL Game

So the entirety of the interview with Arkansas Athletic Director, Hunter Yurachek, is very good. The article hits the nail on the head how the intention behind NIL has completely missed it’s mark, and it’s the wild Wild West out there in which teams are being bought instead of players being paid their market value. Am I crazy or was the plan not simply to just give them money if fans wanted to buy their uniforms and allow them to appears in commercials and in advertisements for companies that wanted to market them? Now we’ve got these thousand person collectives pooling their money together to offer millions of dollars to transfers and high school kids that haven’t even taken a snap of the Senior Year yet. And the numbers are so all over the place that no one knows what’s real and what isn’t, which makes it even harder to barter with these kids and their families about how much they should be paid to come get free school, lodging, food, and to get to play D1 football on the game’s biggest stage? Is it true that DJ U is making $400,000 to quarterback the 0-3 Florida State Seminoles…..?

Sorry, I’m going off the rails here. The point of this blog was that the Arkansas AD proposed a solution to the apparent NIL problems down there and that is to have 10,000 households add a $100 bill to their monthly expenses and the Hogs would be right in the thick of things. Folks, I don’t like this idea…..I LOVE IT. People will say that the Tysons and the Waltons and all the other rich as fuck Arkansas families should fit the bill, but that’s a lot to ask of them, despite how much money they may have. No, I don’t want corporations writing million dollar checks to 18 year olds. I want the great people of the state to set aside a tax each month in order for their school to get the best players this country has to offer. And if you don’t want to be apart of it, you only have yourself to blame on Saturdays when Auburn jams the ball down your throat. Which they just might, this Saturday after the Barstool College Football Show…..

That’s what we in the business call a smooth transition.

Anyways, final point: NIL sucks. I hate everything about what college football is becoming with NIL and the transfer portal and conference realignment, and it’s still the best product in sports. Do you think we’ll ever go back to the way it was? Probably not all the way back, but something has to change, right? We can’t have 18 year old kids making more than the Assistant Coaches at the school they play at….

You think he’s able to tell DJ U that he’s ass and his DBs are picking him apart? DJ U would just need to rebuttal to get your bread up, poor boy. (Yes, I’m aware he played 11 seasons in the NFL. That’s called a joke).

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September 18, 2024

Miles Leaburn’s stats for Charlton (Transfermarkt)
62	21	5

Carlton Palmer sends Miles Leaburn contract warning to Charlton Athletic

Carlton Palmer has warned Charlton Athletic that they will have to consider cashing in on Miles Leaburn in January if he does not sign a new contract.

The 20-year-old has missed the start of the new season due to suffering a hamstring injury last year that required surgery.

His last appearance for the Addicks came in November of 2023, playing 13 times in League One before his season was cut short (all stats from Fbref).

It was reported by London News Online last year that Chelsea, Brentford and Aston Villa all had an interest in the youngster, with a £3 million bid from a foreign club also being rejected by Charlton.

It’s hoped that Leaburn will return to action soon, but there is concern about his future due to the player now being in the final year of his contract.

Season	Appearances (Starts)	Goals (Assists)
Miles Leaburn – Charlton Athletic league goals and appearances (per Fbref.com)
2022-23	35 (18)	12 (2)
2023-24	13 (9)	3 (1)

Carlton Palmer makes Miles Leaburn future claim

Palmer believes that it would be a big blow to Charlton’s promotion hopes if Leaburn was sold midway through the season.

However, he feels it may be their only option if he does not sign a new deal in order for the third tier side to earn a fee for his departure.

“Charlton Athletic are looking to get promotion under Nathan Jones but there’s a lot of interest in Miles Leaburn in recent years,” Palmer told Football League World.

“They reportedly rejected a £3 million offer from a foreign club last summer. The likes of Chelsea, Brentford, and Aston Villa are believed to have been interested as well at points.

“Of course, if you’re wanting to get promotion, which is what Nathan Jones wants to do this season, they have to keep hold of the players.

“Again, he’s down to the last year of his contract, so I think it’s important that they get him to sign a new contract.

“It protects the club in terms of asking for a fee, and how they’ve allowed him to get down to the last year of his contract is beyond me.

“Maybe that’s all the shenanigans behind the scenes, with different owners and everything moving on.

“But it’s imperative that they get him tied down because, obviously, there are going to be suitors for him, especially if he’s going to have another good season for Charlton, and they do well.

“If he doesn’t sign a new contract, then it’s highly likely that they’re going to have to move him on in the January transfer window, and try and get some money for him with his contract expiring in the summer.

“And that would be a massive blow for them, cause he’s a handful, he’s big, he’s athletic, he’s direct, it’s exactly what you need in League One.

“I’m sure they will be working behind the scenes to tie him down to a new deal.”

Miles Leaburn’s importance to Charlton

Leaburn has come through the academy system at Charlton and has earned his way into the first team squad.

Injury has kept him out of action for almost a whole calendar year, but it is hoped he will return to action soon.

The club has confirmed that he is back playing with the U21 side as he continues his recovery to full fitness.

The Addicks will be hoping to fight for promotion this year, meaning Leaburn’s return to the squad will be especially welcome.

Leaburn contract situation is tricky for Charlton

Charlton have very little control over the situation surrounding Leaburn at this stage.

Their best bet is to make a contract offer that can convince him to stay at the Valley beyond this year.

However, if he is still attracting such big transfer interest then it will be difficult for him to turn that down.

This is why clubs will always look to avoid letting important players run down their contracts because there’s just not a whole lot they can do now to turn around their position.

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September 14, 2024

Is Julian Fleming’s Mother a Former Athlete? Everything To Know About Penn State WR’s Family & His Athletic Roots

The team comes above everything: A common yet superlative motto that has been shaping the reality of a lot of football phenoms, including Penn State football’s high-stakes transfer, Julian Fleming. The former Ohio State receiver made a pivotal choice to land on the transfer portal as the future looks only sweeter for him and the collective. Despite starting on a lackluster note and not contributing much to the Nittany Lions’ impressive victory against the Mountaineers on the season opener last week, Flaming rightfully became the centerpiece of the night, not breaking off-the-record pre-season hype. Coach James Franklin sees it on a quite positive note, considering how he did everything that was needed for the team.

While we are bracing up to see better use of the talented receiver in the rest of the season, let’s take a quick trip to his upbringing and the influence of his mother Betsy Fleming.

Meet the ‘lady’ of Julian Flaming’s life, Betsy Fleming:

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The former Ohio star underwent a distinct childhood with an absent father who abandoned him and his mom when he was just a toddler. The Richmond But that doesn’t mean it made him any less emotionally sound than any other kid in the community because mom Betsy didn’t let him feel the void father. Once, in a candid chitchat, Flaming explained how the negligancy of his dad didn’t bother him at all, rather it worked as a fuel to do better in life, and in his career, making his mom’s struggle worthwhile. So, when the crowd on the ground used to mock him chanting, “Where’s your dad-dy?, the kid had the maturity to not pay heed even at his 16. But his mom did. “My mom doesn’t like it. I had to calm her down after the game.”, he noted revealing Betsy’s sentiment toward that humiliating racial overtone. However, it’s also his mom who later tamed down the bitter taste of racism from his heart with a ”let them think what what they’re gonna think” approach.

Coming to the prodigious lady, Betsy Fleming chose his kid over everything ever since her husband left him in the dark. She had a deep profound impact on his son’s life both as a mother and father figure. But the most salient thing about her was she was an eminent athlete. Despite not pursuing the sport as a career, possibly due to the responsibility of her child, Betsy was widely popular as a hockey and track star in the community during her high school days.

But she picked up the sporty gene from her father, Flaming’s grandfather, Mick Fleming, the central male figure of the Penn State sensation.

How did Mick Flaming shape the childhood and early life values of his grandson?

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Mick Fleming, an esteemed Southern Columbia basketball coach, provided little Julian a father-like care. The beloved pop-pop (the adorable nickname given by Julian Flaming) to the star receiver of the Nittany Lions, taught him the basics about the sport. He also upskilled in bike riding just at the age of three and a lot of other activities, including tractor running and tree planting, to name a couple.

But the most important lesson the kid gathered from his noble grandfather was how to be a man of virtue, a man of higher value in life, guiding the future generation to the right path. Mick helped an innately competitive Julian to be friendly and sporty with other kids on the field when the competition faded out.

It will be interesting to see how the new tenure with Penn State treats the phenom going forward and how he shines through his career even more, doing justice to his instilled family values and care.

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September 7, 2024
Everton will have looked at Wigan Athletic with envy over Roberto Martinez favourite: View

Wigan Athletic achieved Premier League survival at the end of the 2011/12 campaign courtesy of a run in which the Latics won seven out of their last nine games, including an improbable victory against then-defending champions Manchester United at the Brick Community Stadium, as well as unlikely away triumphs at Liverpool and Arsenal.

This great escape effort epitomised the indomitable fighting spirit Roberto Martinez had instilled in his Latics side, who eventually finished seven points clear of the relegation zone.

But the return of 43 points the Greater Manchester outfit made that season did not tell the full story, as Wigan sat bottom of the Premier League as late on in the season as 17th March 2012, as per BBC Sport.

Martinez therefore knew that in order to beat the drop once more come the end of the 2012/13 season, the Latics would have to enjoy a successful summer transfer window, and the Spaniard signed striker Arouna Kone, who had scored 15 La Liga goals for Levante during the 2011/12 campaign.

Kone was a Wigan hero

Despite the signing of Kone, the Latics were unable to beat the drop to the Championship by the spring of 2013, but the Ivory Coast international played a major role in the club’s most historic season.

Wigan won the FA Cup in 2013, an achievement no fan would swap for the feat of Premier League survival, by defeating Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley Stadium in one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s rich history.

In doing so, Martinez’s side became the first-ever team to win the FA Cup and face relegation from the Premier League in the same season.

Kone was pivotal towards the Latics’ unlikely cup success, as he scored two goals and assisted a further two in just four appearances during his side’s memorable run to Wembley glory.

Furthermore, despite the 18th-place finish in the Premier League, Kone scored 11 goals and created five assists in 34 top-flight outings.

Arouna Kone Wigan Athletic stats as per TransferMarkt

Appearances

38

Goals

13

Assists

7

Only Henri Camara has scored more goals for the Greater Manchester club in a single top-flight season, scoring 12 goals during the 2005/06 campaign.

Everton never saw the best of Kone

After the Latics’ FA Cup triumph, boss Martinez left to join Everton, replacing David Moyes who joined Manchester United, following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

The Spaniard’s former Latics star players, such as cup final goalkeeping hero Joel Robles, midfield stalwart James McCarthy, central defender Antolin Alcaraz, and Kone, all followed the manager to Goodison Park.

The Toffees faithful may have been hopeful that the Ivorian striker could emulate, or even better the form he had displayed during his tenure at the Brick Community Stadium.

However, during his first season with the Merseyside outfit, Kone failed to register a single goal contribution in five Premier League appearances.

He left the Toffees for Turkish Super Lig side Sivasspor in 2017, while the five goals he managed during the 2015/16 top-flight campaign was the best return he produced during his Goodison Park days.

Meanwhile, upon his move to Turkiye, Kone began displaying the sort of form he had shown in Latics colours, scoring 13 goals in his first Super Lig season as Sivasspor landed a seventh-place finish.

Backing Martinez after his appointment was without doubt the right move from an Everton perspective but they were left more than a little envious of Kone’s Wigan stint, having seen none of that quality at Goodison Park.

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September 1, 2024
Long-serving Rutgers athletic director under investigation for alleged ‘inappropriate relationship’ – after resigning due to ‘health concerns’

By Leocciano Callao

Published: 10:22 EDT, 31 August 2024 | Updated: 10:24 EDT, 31 August 2024

Rutgers University has launched an investigation on former athletic director Pat Hobbs for a possible ‘inappropriate, consensual relationship,’ according to a report from NJ Advance Media.

Hobbs resigned on August 16, citing health concerns, after holding the position for nine years.

NJ Advance reported that the ‘investigation is believed to have spurred his abrupt resignation.’ The school has yet to address the allegation.

Earlier this week, NJ Advance Media also reported the Rutgers’ gymnastics program was in disarray before Hobbs’ departure, with head coach Umme Salim-Beasley at the center of complaints from the athletes.

Several gymnasts alleged that Salim-Beasley fostered a ‘toxic’ environment, among many complaints. When they went to Hobbs for help, they were reportedly ignored by the AD.

Rutgers is investigating former athletic director Pat Hobbs after his abrupt resignation

Hobbs is allegedly in a ‘inappropriate, consensual’ relationship, according to reports

The outlet reported that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy spoke publicly about the ‘internal investigation’ on Friday.

‘I know there is an investigation underway, so I don’t want to preempt that,’ Murphy said. ‘I have no insights into that. But that was really ugly and very disturbing. I’ve reached out to Rutgers at the highest levels.

‘I know they have an internal investigation going, but that was a pretty disgusting set of facts in the paper. We shall see.’

The University sang its praise for Hobbs after stepping down from the position.

‘I want to thank Pat for his remarkable nine-year tenure at Rutgers, during which we have seen our men’s and women’s teams become leaders and successfully compete in the Big Ten, both on and off the field,’ school president Jonathan Holloway said in an email to university leaders.

Hobbs was credited for ‘enhancing the student-athlete experience’ and emphasizing ‘elevated communication, improved resource allocation, and enriched customer service,’ during his tenure.

According to his contract, Hobbs was on deck to make at least $635,000 in base salary this school year with his pay adjusted to the median of other Big Ten athletics directors.

His biggest move in charge of the Scarlet Knights was bringing Greg Schiano back as the football coach in 2019.

After Hobbs’ abrupt departure, Ryan Pisarri has stepped in for him on an interim basis. According to the Rutgers Athletics website, Pisarri was the Deputy Athletic Director for Competitive Excellence and Chief of Staff and is in his 14th year with the program.

Hobbs is married and shares three children with his wife Patrice. He served as the dean at Seaton Hall from 1999 to 2015 before moving to Rutgers.

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Long-serving Rutgers athletic director under investigation for alleged ‘inappropriate relationship’ – after resigning due to ‘health concerns’

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August 31, 2024