Southwest Athletic Conference 2004 Offseason News Recap
It’s been a long summer for the Southwestern Atlantic Conference. Some losses of good friends and some fresh new faces, the SWAC is prepping up to elevate the conference to one of the major, mid – majors in the country.
Conference News
A teleconference featuring the men’s and women’s basketball coaches of all 10 Southwestern Athletic Conference teams will start the 2004-05 season off for the SWAC’s basketball programs. The teleconference will be on October 20, at 11 a.m. Eastern time.
Alabama A&M
The 2004-05 season could mark the first year the Bulldogs get a bid in the Division I NCAA tournament since moving up to the Division I level in 1998. There wasn’t really any big news for Alabama A&M. They lost two starters and have three returning ones as the enter head coach, L. Vann Pettaway ‘s 17th season as head coach of the Bulldogs.
Alabama State
Alabama State assistant coach Courtney Stephens will return to the Army to serve his country. Stephens was reactivated after finishing his tour of duty 10 years ago. After leaving the Army as a specialist in communications, he played basketball and earned a degree at Alabama State. Stephens has been an assistant at Alabama State for the past four seasons.
The Alabama State Hornets have a new Director of Athletics. Patrick Carter has assumed the role after eight seasons working for the offices of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Brother of NBA rookie Chris Bosh, Joel, has signed with Alabama State along with 5’10” point guard Dustin Richmond from Memphis.
The 2004-05 schedule for Alabama State was just released and they are facing a very difficult non conference slate. This includes six teams that made the NCAA Division I tournament last season. They open regular season play on the road at NCAA runner up from last year Georgia Tech. They will also face Alabama, who was exited late in the tourney last year, by eventual champion UConn. They will also play the University of Tennessee and play in the Sun Bowl Tournament.
Alcorn State
The Braves are optimistic about the 04 – 05 season after a strong run in the conference tournament last year. The only real news about the Braves is that they have been announced in the field of the Guardians Classic. This is a twelve team field and it takes place November 15 and 16. Missouri, Creighton, and Ohio State will host opening rounds.
Arkansas – Pine Bluff
The University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff has a news Athletic Director and a new men’s college basketball coach. Craig Curry was the assistant AD at the University of South Carolina before taking the helm a UAPB.
Curry has just recently appointed a new interim head coach, Van Holt. Holt has served as an assistant for the Golden Lions for the past six years.
And Pine Bluff received some discouraging news as the Sporting News ranked the city the worst out of 369 sporting municipalities. A 1-26 record playing in the 31st-rated Division I college basketball conference made the Golden Lions’ hometown reappear after claiming the same distinction in 2002. Greeley, Colorado was worst in 2003.
Grambling State
A former forward for the Grambling State Tigers, Paul Haynes was named the Most Valuable Player in the 2004 Black College All – Star game. It took place in Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The game was a showcase of the best players from historically black colleges around the country. This was the first time a black all – star game was held in an NBA arena.
Jackson State
After a 12 – 17 finish in the SWAC conference the Jackson State Tigers are looking to turn things around for the 04-05 season. In the second year of head coach at Jackson State, former Murray State Golden Racers coach Tevester Anderson is already making moves for his program to implement a more aggressive and effective style of play.
Jackson State just signed the 2003 Mr. Basketball for the state of Mississippi after months of speculation. Charlie White a standout point guard from Provine High School signed with the Jackson State Tigers. He is the big name in a group of newcomers who are looking to return Jackson State basketball back to supremacy under their fairly new coach.
Mississippi Valley State
MSVU head coach and the SWAC coach of the year, Lafayette Stribling shared coaching duties for the West team at the Black College All – Star game in Cleveland. He shared coaching duties with Fred Watson from Benedict College. Six players from the SWAC Conference played in this all- star event.
It has also been a very sad off season for the Delta Devils as their former leading scorer in school history, Alphonso Ford died of leukemia at age 32. He had been battling leukemia while playing in Europe. He died less than two weeks after announcing his retirement from professional basketball. He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1993.
Prairie View
Three members of last years Prairie View Panthers received Southwestern All – Conference honors. Panthers’ freshman Tyrone Nelson was named to the all – conference second team and was also named the SWAC’s freshmen of the year. Seniors Kevin Cooper and Roderick Riley received ALL – SWAC Conference Honorable Mention.
However, Tyrone Nelson fled Baylor last season in the wake of the Patrick Dennehy slaying and the NCAA investigation of former coach Dave Bliss’ rules violations. He arrived at Prairie View A&M, where he started his career prior to transferring to Baylor. He was the Southwestern Athletic Conference freshman of the year and, in his second stint at Prairie View, he averaged 15 points and eight rebounds per game. Now, Nelson has transferred to New Mexico State and hopes he can call the school home for more than one season.
Southern
Things have been very quiet in Baton Rouge for the Southern Jaguars. Nothing major has occurred. They have four starters returning and are hoping to rebound from a sub par 12 – 16 record. They have four newcomers all JuCo transfers.
Texas Southern
Things have been relatively slow in Houston for the Texas Southern Tigers. Nothing really exciting or big going except for the signing of four newcomers. Two guards, a swing man, and a forward will bring a quicker more versatile look to the
Tigers’ backcourt.
