2011 NSU Tennis Media Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Athletics Department Directory................................... 3 NSU President........................................................................ 4 Director of Athletics............................................................ 5 Athletics Highlights............................................................ 6 2011 NSU Tennis Teams Coaching Staff.................................................................... 8 2011 Schedule................................................................... 9 2011 Men’s Roster...........................................................10 2011 Women’s Roster....................................................11 2011 Season Outlook....................................................12 Men’s Players....................................................................13

2010 Women’s Statistics...............................................20 MEAC Tennis History of The MEAC......................................................21 2011 Preseason Predictions........................................22 2010 MEAC Review........................................................23 About Norfolk State University NSU Overview..................................................................24 NSU Timeline....................................................................25 About Hampton Roads.................................................26 NSU Strength & Conditioning....................................28 NSU Athletics Administration.....................................29

Women’s Players..............................................................16 2010 Men’s Statistics......................................................19

NSU Athletics Foundation...........................................31

Norfolk State University Men’s & Women’s Tennis 2010-11

Quick Facts

University Information

Location....................................................................Norfolk, Va. Founded.................................................................................1935 Enrollment.............................................................Nearly 7,000 Mascot............................................................................ Spartans School Colors......................................................Green & Gold Affiliation......................................................... NCAA Division I Conference.....................Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Acting President..............................................Dr. Kim Luckes Athletics Director............................................ Marty L. Miller Athletics Phone...............................................(757) 823-8152 Ticket Office......................................................(757) 823-9009

Sports Information

SID......................................................................... Matt Michalec Email........................................................ mmichalec@nsu.edu Tennis Contact..........................................................Mike Bello SID Phone..........................................................(757) 823-2628 SID Fax................................................................(757) 823-8218 Cell........................................................................(814) 602-6678 Email...............................................................mjbello@nsu.edu Mailing Address.......... NSU Office of Sports Information

700 Park Ave., Norfolk, VA 23504 Website...............................................www.nsuspartans.com

Coaching Staff

Head Coach..................................................................................... ................. Matthew Halfpenny (Charleston Southern ‘98) Record at NSU (Men).......................................... 3-14 (1 Year) Record at NSU (Women)................................... 3-12 (1 Year) Career Record.....................................................................Same Office Phone.....................................................(757) 823-8821 Email.....................................................mjhalfpenny@nsu.edu Assistant Coach....... Torrie Browning (Wichita State ’09) Office Phone.....................................................(757) 823-8821 Email.....................................................tmbrowning@nsu.edu

Men’s Team Information

2009-10 Overall Record....................................................3-14 2009-10 MEAC Record/Finish.........0-3/4th MEAC South Letterwinners Returning/Lost......................................... 4/1 Newcomers.................................................................................. 4

Women’s Team Information

2009-10 Overall Record....................................................3-12 2009-10 MEAC Record/Finish.........0-4/5th MEAC South Letterwinners Returning/Lost......................................... 5/2 Newcomers.................................................................................. 2

The 2010-11 NSU Tennis Media Guide was written, edited and produced by the NSU Sports Information Office, director Matt Michalec and assistant Mike Bello. Editorial assistance was provided by Craig Cotton and Marty Miller. Photography was provided by Jerry S. Altares and Mark’s Digital Photography.

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ATHLETICS DIRECTORY

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... (Area Code 757)

Administration and Support Staff

Director of Athletics: Marty L. Miller.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8152 Faculty Athletics Representative: Dr. Carray Banks.............................................................................................................................................................................................823-2421 Assoc. AD for Internal Operations/SWA: Sherie Cornish Gordon...................................................................................................................................................................823-8404 Assoc. AD for External Operations/NSUAF Executive Director: Craig Cotton............................................................................................................................................823-2667 Assoc. AD for Development: Karen Holmes...........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8645 Assoc. AD for Student Services: Alisha Tucker......................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2337 Asst. AD for Sports Medicine: Meghan Antinarelli..................................................................................................................................................................................823-9547/8997 Asst. AD for Business Operations: Jamar Ross.......................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2105 Asst. AD for Strength and Conditioning: Reese Bridgman...............................................................................................................................................................................823-2187 Asst. AD for Academic Support: Jacqueline Nicholson.....................................................................................................................................................................................823-8751 Sports Information Director: Matt Michalec..........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2628 Asst. Sports Information Director: Mike Bello.......................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2628 Compliance Coordinator: Derrick Coles..................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2337 Academics Coordinator: Sherese Parker.................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8170 Head Assistant Athletic Trainer: Jessica Cole.............................................................................................................................................................................................823-9547/8997 Assistant Athletic Trainer: Nicole Dietrich..................................................................................................................................................................................................823-9547/8997 Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach: Brian Maurer.............................................................................................................................................................................823-2187 Administrative Specialist: Michelle MacFarlane...................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8152 Equipment Manager: William Wright.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2022 Asst. Equipment Manager: Nate Bell........................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2022 Cheerleading Coach: Carmen Harris........................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8200 Administrative Specialist/Football: Shirley Brooks..............................................................................................................................................................................................823-8824 NSUAF Administrative Specialist: Chelsea Hall.....................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8692

Men’s Coaches

Baseball: Claudell Clark, Head Coach.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8196 Asst. Coaches: A.J. Corbin/Quentin Jones.........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-9533 Basketball: Anthony Evans, Head Coach.................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8934 Asst. Coaches: Robert Jones/Larry Vickers/Kelvin Hawkins............................................................................................................................................................823-9192/2840 Cross Country: Kenneth Giles, Head Coach...........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8801 Asst. Coaches: Wycliffe Rotich/Harry Freeman................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8801 Football: Pete Adrian, Head Coach............................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8824 Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Line: Rod Holder.................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8779 Asst. Coach/Defensive Coordinator: Mark DeBastiani..................................................................................................................................................................................823-2582 Asst. Coach/Defensive Line: Mark Thurston.....................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8758 Asst. Coach/Defensive Backs: Marco Butler......................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2495 Asst. Coach/Quarterbacks: Steve Canter...........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2570 Asst. Coach/Wide Receivers: Paul Macklin........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8824 Asst. Coach/Tight Ends: Joe Blackwell................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8824 Asst. Coach/Defensive Assistant: C.J. Fayton....................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8824 Tennis: Matthew Halfpenny, Head Coach...............................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8821 Asst. Coach: Torrie Browning..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8821 Track and Field: Kenneth Giles, Head Coach..........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8801 Asst. Coaches: Serge Bengono/Harry Freeman...............................................................................................................................................................................................823-2104 Asst. Coaches: Wycliffe Rotich/Brandon Tynes................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8801

Women’s Coaches

Basketball: Debra Clark, Head Coach.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8441 Asst. Coaches: Lashondra Dixon-Gordon/Kenny Edwards..............................................................................................................................................................823-2132/8456 Bowling: Wilhelmenia Harrison, Head Coach........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8152 Asst. Coach: Aundray Darden................................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8152 Cross Country: Ronda Berard, Head Coach............................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2104 Asst. Coaches: Wycliffe Rotich/Harry Freeman................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2104 Softball: Heidi Cavallo, Interim Head Coach..........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8194 Asst. Coach: Amanda Haverman...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8343 Tennis: Matthew Halfpenny, Head Coach...............................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8821 Asst. Coach: Torrie Browning..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8821 Track and Field: Ronda Berard, Head Coach..........................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2104 Asst. Coaches: Serge Bengono/Harry Freeman...............................................................................................................................................................................................823-2104 Asst. Coaches: Wycliffe Rotich/Brandon Tynes................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8801 Volleyball: Brandon Duvall, Interim Head Coach.................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2804 Asst. Coach: Dave Albaugh.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2804

Miscellaneous

Football Press Box...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-2628 Basketball Press Row......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8195 Softball Press Box............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-0056 Baseball Press Box...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-8196 Ticket Office.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................823-9009

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NSU PRESIDENT KIM LUCKES

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

K

im Luckes (LEW-kus), J.D., the acting president of Norfolk State University, previously served as the liaison to the NSU Board of Visitors and assistant to the president. Luckes holds a bachelor’s degree from Elizabeth City State University and a juris doctor degree from North Carolina Central University’s School of Law. Additionally, she is a graduate of Leadership North Carolina, Class XII (2005) and has participated in the Mabel Parker McLean Women’s Leadership Development Forum of the United Negro College Fund, Inc. (April 2004).

A native of Newport News, Va., Luckes brings more than 20 years of administrative experience in higher education to Norfolk State. Prior to NSU, she served as executive vice president at Saint Augustine’s College in Raleigh, N.C. As executive vice president, she was responsible for the areas of institutional effectiveness, personnel management, and strategic planning and assessment. Additionally, Luckes was responsible for the day-to-day operations at Saint Augustine’s College. Before assuming the position of executive vice president, she held the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs at St. Augustine’s. In that role, Luckes was responsible for the oversight and execution of education policy; supervision of programs of instruction of faculty and instructional budgets, and faculty and staff effectiveness and development.

Luckes has also held several higher education administration positions at Hampton University, serving as the director of Human Resources and Executive Assistant to the Executive Vice President and Provost. She serves and takes great pride in her volunteer work as a peer evaluator with the Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (2005-2009).

Highlights from her career include the following: • Member, Cooperating Raleigh Colleges Operations Committee, Raleigh, N.C. • Member, Society of Human Resource Management • Member, Chief Academic Officers’ Task Force, Council of Independent Colleges • Member, College and University Personnel Association • Member, Association of College Administration Professionals • Member, Kid’s Voting North Carolina Wake County Board of Directors • Member, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. • Recipient of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education Distinguished Alumni Award (2009) • Recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Award from the City of Newport News (1995) • Recipient, Outstanding Educational Support Award from the City of Hampton (1994) • Nominee, Governor’s Emergency Medical Services Award, Commonwealth of Virginia, Office of Emergency Medical Services (1993) • Recipient, Distinguished Leadership Award, The United Negro College Fund, Inc. (1990)

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AD Marty Miller Marty Miller has been called

many things during his tenure at Norfolk State University. Some have called him a rock. Others have referred to him as one of Norfolk State’s greatest ambassadors. Regardless of the label, what’s clear is that Miller has served his alma mater in various capacities for nearly 40 years, providing NSU with stability in times of need.

His professional career at Norfolk State has included stints in the areas of financial aid, career services, student affairs and athletics. After winning more than 700 games as the school’s baseball coach, Miller was named NSU’s acting athletics director on December 16, 2004. He was appointed to the permanent athletics director post on March 18, 2005.

Early in Miller’s tenure, he was confronted with many challenges, the biggest one being the hiring of a football coach.

Miller and his search committee worked during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays to find a football coach. The hard work paid off when the decision was made to hire Pete Adrian from Bethune-Cookman. With approval of then-President Dr. Marie V. McDemmond, Adrian became the first white head coach in any major sport at NSU and the second ever in MEAC football history.

Shortly thereafter, with help from alumni, fans, friends and the Department of Facilities Management, the athletics department was able to raise funds to renovate and purchase new equipment for the weight room. In 2007, the school completed a major renovation of the NSU Softball Field, which included the installation of new team dugouts and a press box. Bleacher renovations to Joseph Echols Hall were completed for the 200809 basketball season. A new track surface is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2010.

Another highlight of his tenure as athletics director includes NSU capturing the last six Talmadge Layman Hill awards, given annually to the top men’s sports program in the conference. NSU has received a total of $145,000 for winning the awards. Miller was also presented in March 2006 with the Tom Fergusson Memorial Award, given annually to the area’s top sportsman by the Norfolk Sports Club.

Miller is no stranger to winning. His career record as baseball coach was 718-543-3. Miller first started making a name for himself as a player at NSU from 1965-68. He hit .380 as a sophomore; .438 with eight doubles, two triples, three homers and 27 RBI as a junior; and .406 as a senior, when he became the first Spartan player to be named an NCAA College Division All-American. Miller was an All-CIAA baseball selection in 1967 and 1968, and led the nation in doubles in 1968.

Miller graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1969. An ROTC member in college, Miller was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army after he graduated. While on active duty, Miller was signed by the Minnesota Twins. Miller returned to his alma mater in 1972 as an assistant to baseball

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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE coach Bob Andrews. The next season, Miller inherited the headcoaching job, which he held until early in 2005.

Miller is the winningest baseball coach in CIAA history, having led the Spartans to a 584-374-3 record in their years in the league. Miller’s ledger in the CIAA includes 17 conference championships, including seven in a row from 1987-93; 12 post-season appearances; 15 CIAA Coach of the Year awards; six All-Americans and 22 players signed to pro contracts. He also won the 1980 NAIA District 19 Coach of the Year award after his team won the District 19 title. Between 1993-97, Miller won five consecutive Louisville Slugger Awards, given to championship coaches. He was one of a select few baseball coaches to receive the award for five consecutive years.

In 1997, NSU honored Miller by building the Marty L. Miller Baseball Field. One year later, Miller led NSU to the MEAC Tournament championship round in the Spartans’ first year in the league. He was named the MEAC Coach of the Year in 2000, and NSU reached the championship round again in 2001.

The year 2003 was also a special one for Miller. In February, Miller was inducted into the CIAA’s John B. McLendon Hall of Fame. In May, Miller earned his 700th career win with the Spartans when sixth-seeded NSU upset No. 2 Delaware State in the MEAC tournament. In August, Miller the player was honored as one of eight inductees into the Norfolk State University Athletics Foundation Sports Hall of Fame.

To top it off, Miller was inducted into the Hampton Roads African American Sports Hall of Fame in November 2010, the third of his career.

Miller, a native of Danville, Va., serves as president of the Norfolk Sports Club Board of Directors. Miller was also elected to serve on the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Honors Court beginning in 2009. He and his wife Liz have one son, Marty Eric, a former NSU outfielder.

NSU ATHLETICS HIGHLIGHTS

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Nor folk State University

Athletics Five-Year Highlights (2005-Present)

The Norfolk State University intercollegiate athletics program has experienced unprecedented success at the NCAA Division I level during the past five years (2005-10). This period of progress has been highlighted by improvements in virtually every area critical to transforming the NSU athletics program into a highly competitive program that will consistently challenge for Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and NCAA Division I championships.

The catalyst for these advancements has been Marty Miller, who was appointed athletics director at NSU in December 2004. Miller believes that the mission of the athletics program is an extension of the mission of Norfolk State University. He places an emphasis on areas that impact the welfare of student-athletes. Improving graduation rates, gender equity, and the retention of student-athletes are equally, if not more important, than winning conference and national championships.

However, the initiatives designed to enhance the student-athlete experience and improve the overall administrative process have been successful due to the achievements of the teams and individual athletes.

Perhaps the biggest achievement came in early 2009, when the athletics department was recertified to receive NCAA accreditation for the next 10 years. By achieving certification status, NSU is considered to be operating its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by the NCAA’s Division I membership.

Numerous staff and coaching hires have been made to enhance the department’s efficacy. New personnel have been hired in the areas of academic support, compliance, business operations and development to meet the growing demand in those departments. A host of new head coaches joined the staff signaling new beginnings in several sports. They included Pete Adrian (Football), Claudell Clark (Baseball), Anthony Evans (Men’s Basketball), Heidi Cavallo (Softball), and Wilhelmenia Harrison (Bowling). Kenneth Giles (Men’s Track) and Ronda Berard (Women’s Track) were promoted from interim to full-time head coaches in their respective sports.

Giles’ cross country and track teams have dominated the MEAC. Adrian has orchestrated the steady progress of the football team, which came within a game of capturing its first MEAC title in 2007. Evans led the Spartans to the MEAC Tournament championship game in his second year. Clark and Cavallo helped guide their teams to runner-up finishes at the MEAC championships in their respective sports in 2008. Harrison guided the bowling team to its first MEAC Southern Division regular-season championship in 2008-09 and the No. 19 national ranking in 2009-10.

The accomplishments of NSU student-athletes in the classroom since 2005 have been equally impressive. The number of athletes annually named to the MEAC Commissioner’s All-Academic Team has steadily increased, and now numbers 40 or more each year.

Tennis player Stepanka Velebova (left) is presented with the 2009 Scholar Athlete of the Year Award by NSU Professor Dr. Norma Brumage.

Velebova was one of 42 NSU members of the 2009 MEAC All-Academic Team.

The following is a list of accomplishments and improvements the NSU athletics program has experienced since 2005.

Academics • Had 36 student-athletes (sophomores or higher) named to MEAC All-Academic team (min. GPA: 3.0) in 2005-06 • Had 34 student-athletes (sophomores or higher) named to MEAC All-Academic team (min. GPA: 3.0) in 2006-07 • Had 42 student-athletes (sophomores or higher) named to MEAC All-Academic team (min. GPA: 3.0) in 2007-08 and 2008-09 • Had 40 student-athletes (sophomores or higher) named to MEAC All-Academic team (min. GPA: 3.0) in 2009-10 • Increased student-athlete graduation success rate from 40% to 60% • Won the inaugural Division I Football Championship Subdivision Academic Progress Rate Award for having the MEAC’s highest cumulative APR for the 2008-09 school year • David Kemboi was one of 50 student-athletes nationwide named to the 2006-07 Division I Men’s Cross Country All-Academic team as selected by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Administrative • Hired a full-time assistant sports information director (January 2007) • Hired a full-time athletics academic coordinator (March 2008) • Hired a full-time strength and conditioning coach (August 2008) • Hired an associate athletics director for development (August 2009) • Hired an assistant athletics director for academic services, an assistant compliance coordinator and an additional athletic trainer (August 2010) • Developed comprehensive gender-equity and catastrophic incident guideline plans

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NSU ATHLETICS HIGHLIGHTS

Defensive back Don Carey became the first Spartan football player to be drafted in 13 years when the Browns selected him in the 2009 draft.

Football • Matched 2005 and 2006 win total (8-14) in 2007 with a record of (8-3) • Record 10 NSU players named All-MEAC in 2007 • Pete Adrian named NSU’s first MEAC Football Coach of the Year in 2007 • Earned school’s first-ever national FCS national ranking in 2007, reaching as high as 23rd • Had its first NFL draftee since 1996 when Don Carey was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2009 draft • Had three members of the 2009 team sign professional contracts – Chris Bell (New Orleans Saints), Terrell Whitehead (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Dennis Brown (CFL’s Calgary Stampeders)

Football Attendance • Ranked 20th in Division I FCS (I-AA) in 2005 • Ranked 23rd in Division I FCS (I-AA) in 2006 • Ranked 7th in Division I FCS (I-AA) in 2007 • Had the 2nd and 3rd-largest crowds in Dick Price Stadium history in 2007: vs. Hampton (27,756) and vs. Virginia State (26,970) • Set a stadium record in average attendance in 2007 (17,220 average for 6 games) Men’s Basketball • Won 16 games in 2007-08, a five-win improvement over the previous year • Competed in the conference championship game in 2009 for the first time since joining the MEAC Cross Country • Won nine of the last 10 MEAC men’s titles, including a conference-record seven straight from 2000-06 • Sent a runner to the NCAA Division I National Cross Country Championship for the first time in school and MEAC history in 2006 (David Kemboi) • Won the school’s first-ever MEAC women’s title in 2009

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

NSU completed a $550,000 renovation and resurfacing of the Dick Price Stadium track in the summer of 2010.

• Became first MEAC men’s track program to win both the indoor and outdoor conference championships for five consecutive academic years (2006-10) • Had two athletes (Marlon Woods, Corey Vinston) earn NCAA Division I All-American status in the same championship meet for the first time in school history in 2009 • Won the school’s first MEAC women’s indoor championship in 10 years in 2010 Facilities • Renovated weight room in Gill Gymnasium in 2005, increasing size of existing room and purchasing new equipment • Completed softball field renovations in 2007-08, including construction of a press box, dugouts and restrooms • Replaced the outfield wall at Marty L. Miller Baseball Field (summer 2007) • Completed refurbishing of women’s sports locker rooms in Gill Gymnasium (fall 2008) • Renovated the Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall basketball arena to add new chair-back seating (August 2008 and 2009) • Renovated and resurfaced the Dick Price Stadium track (summer 2010) Program Awards

• Won the last six MEAC men’s allsports awards (Talmadge Layman Hill Award) and earned the NSU Athletics Department $145,000 from 2005-10 • Had the baseball, men’s basketball and football teams all post winning records in 2007-08 for the first time in the Division I era

Track & Field

NSU became the first MEAC school since 2003 to sweep the MEAC men’s and women’s indoor track and field titles when they accomplished the feat in 2010.

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Media Exposure • Transitioned the department’s web site from the www.nsu.edu domain to a new and improved web site, www.nsuspartans.com, in the fall of 2007 • Hosted the school’s first two nationally-televised softball games in 2007 and 2008 • Had six sporting events televised on ESPN networks (thee football games, two men’s basketball, one softball) in 2007-08, most in school history • Had five sporting events televised on ESPN networks (three football games, two men’s basketball) in 2008-09 • Began airing a weekly radio show, Inside Spartan Sports, on Fox Sports affiliate WXTG 102.1 FM in January 2009 • Conducted live video streaming for the first time in 2009-10, broadcasting 16 athletic events on the department’s web site • Had two men’s basketball plays featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays on February 22, 2010 • Redesigned the school’s current web site again in the summer of 2010

COACHING STAFF

Matthew Halfpenny Head Coach

Matthew Halfpenny enters his second season as the Norfolk State University men’s and women’s tennis coach heading into the 2010-11 school year.

It was under Halfpenny’s tutelage that junior Arsenio Culver earned All-MEAC First Team honors in 2010, Halfpenny’s first full season with the program. Culver also finished the year at No. 20 in the Atlantic Region in the final Camp-

the Tribe’s recruiting coordinator, leaning on his extensive experience recruiting in the United States as well as in Europe.

Halfpenny has also served stints as an assistant men’s tennis coach at N.C. State (2002-06) and Brown University (1999-2002). At N.C. State, Halfpenny helped lead the Wolfpack to a school-record 20 wins and an ITA national ranking of No. 42 in 2006. While at Brown, Halfpenny assisted with the Bears’ first-ever Ivy League Championship team and NCAA tournament appearance in 2002. He was named the Region I Assistant Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year that season.

Halfpenny has been instrumental in running tennis camps, both indoor and outdoor, throughout his coaching career. He led the Nike Tennis Camp while at William & Mary and was the director of camps at N.C. State. Halfpenny has also run winter camps at both N.C. State and Brown.

As a collegian, Halfpenny was a four-year starter at Charleston Southern from 1994-98. He was a two-time All-Big South selection and a three-year captain. Halfpenny was a key player on the Bucs’ first-ever Big South Championship team in 1996.

CSU later won another Big South title in 1998 during Halfpenny’s senior season. Halfpenny graduated from Charleston Southern in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

A native of Philadelphia, Halfpenny and his wife, Christine, reside in Williamsburg with their sons Jackson (4) and Cole (1). Christine is the head women’s lacrosse coach at William & Mary.

The 2010-11 campaign will mark Torrie Browning’s second year as the assistant coach for the men’s and women’s tennis programs at Norfolk State.

Browning is a 2009 graduate of Wichita State University where she was a four-year member of the tennis team. She earned Missouri Valley All-Conference honors all four seasons and was named to the MVC Scholar Athlete First

had over 20 singles wins her freshman (24) and sophomore (22) years and posted double-digit doubles wins in her first three seasons.

Browning also excelled off the court, earning several academic and extracurricular honors. She made the WSU Athletics Director’s Honor Roll from 2005-09, was an ITA Scholar Athlete in 2009 and won the ITA Central Region Arthur Ashe Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award in 2008.

Browning also served as WSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative to the MVC SAAC and represented WSU at the 2007 NCAA Leadership Conference.

Browning, a native of Tucson, Ariz.., graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in integrated marketing communications and a minor in sociology. She resides in Virginia Beach.

bell/ITA rankings.

Prior to arriving at NSU, Halfpenny served as the facilities coordinator at Old Dominion University’s Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center for two years from 2007-09. In that capacity, Halfpenny was responsible for marketing and selling memberships and contracting court time.

While there, he was also responsible for developing and promoting programs for adult and junior tennis patrons and soliciting local and regional Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) and United States Tennis Association (USTA) events to the facility.

Prior to working at ODU, Halfpenny served as an assistant women’s tennis coach at William & Mary during the 2006-07 academic year. During his lone season there, he helped the Tribe capture the 2007 CAA Championship with a 22-3 record and advance to the NCAA tournament round of 16.

The team was ranked as high as No. 15 in the nation that season by the ITA. In addition, Halfpenny was also

Torrie Browning Assistant Coach

Team as a senior.

During her collegiate career, Browning tallied a 10054 singles record and went 57-41 in doubles matches.

She posted winning singles records every season, including a career-best 27-9 mark as a senior. Browning

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

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2011 SCHEDULE

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Norfolk State University 2011 Tennis Schedule Date Jan. 16 Jan. 22 ^ Jan. 22 ^ Jan. 23 ^ Jan. 29 Jan. 30 ^ Jan. 30 ^ Feb. 4 Feb. 12 # March 3 * March 3 * March 4 * March 5 * March 5 March 6 March 10 March 12 March 18 March 26 March 27 March 29 March 31 April 5 @ April 9 April 9 April 10 April 15-17

Opponent Old Dominion (M/W) Penn (W) UNC Wilmington (W) Virginia Commonwealth (W) Howard (M/W) Virginia Commonwealth (M) Richmond (M) Hampton (M/W) East Carolina (M) Bethune-Cookman (M/W) South Carolina State (M/W) North Carolina A&T (W) Florida A&M (M/W) UMES (M/W) NCCU (M/W) SOUTHERN MISS (W) TEMPLE (M/W) James Madison (M/W) Virginia State (M/W) Longwood (M/W) DELAWARE (M/W) CHOWAN (M/W) VIRGINIA WESLEYAN (M/W) UMBC (M) Navy (W) Bryant (W) MEAC Championships (M/W)

Location Norfolk, Va. Richmond, Va. Richmond, Va. Richmond, Va. Washington, D.C. Richmond, Va. Richmond, Va. Newport News, Va. Norfolk, Va. Sumter, S.C. Sumter, S.C. Sumter, S.C. Sumter, S.C. Sumter, S.C. Sumter, S.C. Norfolk, Va. Norfolk, Va. Harrisonburg, Va. Petersburg, Va. Farmville, Va. Norfolk, Va. Norfolk, Va. Norfolk, Va. Baltimore, Md. Annapolis, Md. Annapolis, Md. Raleigh, N.C.

Time 8 p.m.

Noon 3 p.m.

Noon 10:30 a.m.

Noon 5 p.m.

6 p.m.

9 a.m.

10 a.m.

2 p.m.

1 p.m.

10 a.m.

1 p.m.

9 a.m.

12:30 p.m.

Noon 2 p.m.

TBD 1 p.m.

Noon TBD 3 p.m.

10 a.m.

4 p.m.

10 a.m.

All Day

Home Matches in Bold ^ VCU 4-1 Invitational # Match Played at Old Dominion * Denotes MEAC South Match @ Senior Day

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2010-11 MEN’S ROSTER Name Kent Austin Brian Bullock Arsenio Culver Ben Marks Dexter McDowell Jonathan Sessom Justin Shuck Christian Romanzini Head Coach: Assistant Coach:

Ht. 6-2 5-10 6-2 5-10 5-8 5-5 6-0 5-10

Cl. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Fr. Jr.

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Hometown/Previous School Greenwood, Ind./Greenwood Community HS Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell HS Philadelphia, Pa./Benedict College (S.C.)/Cheltenham Academy Worcestershire, England/Old Dominion Suffolk, Va./King’s Fork HS Houston, Texas/New Braunfels Senior HS Lakewood, Wash./Lakes HS Curitiba, Brazil/Seward County CC/Dom Bosco HS

Matthew Halfpenny (Charleston Southern ‘98) Torrie Browning (Wichita State ‘09)

Pronunciation Guide Brian BULLOCK Christian ROMANZINI

BULL-ick Row-man-ZEE-nee

Front Row (Left to Right): Brian Bullock, Dexter McDowell, Jonathan Sessom Back Row: Head Coach Matthew Halfpenny, Justin Shuck, Kent Austin, Arsenio Culver, Ben Marks, Christian Romanzini, Assistant Coach Torrie Browning 10

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2010-11 WOMEN’S ROSTER Name Jennifer Astbury Naeemah Brooks Ashley Foster Rebecca Graff Chenge Tsapayi Maryna Kariuk Gabriella Jonsson Head Coach: Assistant Coach:

Ht. 5-5 5-9 5-9 5-8 5-6 5-7 5-5

Cl. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Fr. Fr.

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Hometown/Previous School Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch HS Galloway, N.J./Absegami HS Norfolk, Va./Granby HS Bastad, Sweden/Pendleton HS Harare, Zimbabwe/University of West Alabama Kharkiv, Ukraine/Gymnasium #6 Stockholm, Sweden/Jensen Gymnasium Vastra

Matthew Halfpenny (Charleston Southern ‘98) Torrie Browning (Wichita State ‘09)

Pronunciation Guide NAEEMAH Brooks CHENGE TSAPAYI MARYNA KARIUK

Ny-EE-mah CHEN-Geh Sah-PIE-ee Mah-REE-nah Kair-ee-OOK

Front Row (Left to Right): Jennifer Astbury, Chenge Tsapayi, Maryna Kariuk, Gabriella Jonsson; Back Row: Head Coach Matthew Halfpenny, Naeemah Brooks, Rebecca Graff, Ashley Foster, Assistant Coach Torrie Browning W W W. N S U S P A R TA N S . C O M

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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 SEASON OUTLOOK TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE Tennis Teams Gear Up for Year 2 Under Coach Halfpenny

Head Coach Matthew Halfpenny begins his second year leading the Norfolk State tennis teams in 2011, and following a challenging first season, Halfpenny is looking to continue the growth of the program as a good nucleus of players return from last year.

Just as important as having players back for a second go-around is having them back with the understanding of where Halfpenny and assistant coach Torrie Browning want to take the program.

“We are continuing to change the culture,” Halfpenny said. “From how to practice, how to train, making sure we condition the right way, eating well and how we handle and prepare our equipment, I’m a big believer in the handling the small details.”

Now that the players understand the importance of those small details and the expectations and challenges ahead of them, Halfpenny believes that will translate to their on-court success.

“It’s about understanding the value of doing a job well,” he said. “It’s going out onto the court, competing well and doing it with pride. At that point, you’ll have nothing else to worry about.

“The kids are excited. We’ve got a good environment established now.”

That challenging season last year began as the men’s team fielded a lineup of just five players during the 2010 campaign. After the graduation of senior Keenan Ruff, Halfpenny brought in three freshmen and one junior college player to combine with several standout juniors to strengthen this year’s lineup.

There was less of an overhaul with the women’s team, as the Spartans lost a pair of players but added two freshmen to a lineup that already brings back most of its firepower.

Both teams will need that talent, as the Spartans face a very difficult schedule that has each team playing five matches at home in addition to numerous uphill battles on the road both in the MEAC and out of conference.

Hope for the men’s team stems from the development of juniors Arsenio Culver and Ben Marks, NSU’s No. 1 and 2 players all of last year.

Culver, who ranked No. 20 in the final Campbell’s/ITA Atlantic Region rankings of the year in mid-June, boasted a 13-4 mark at the No. 1 spot, while Marks posted a 7-11 record at No. 2. The duo also paired up and went 7-4 in doubles competition.

The Spartans also return their No. 3 and 5 players in junior Jonathan Sessom and sophomore Dexter McDowell. Sessom posted a 4-13 mark at the No. 3 slot, while McDowell carded a 3-15 record at No. 5 singles. Sessom also competed with Culver and Ruff in doubles play throughout the year.

“The excitement has increased dramatically,” said Halfpenny. “It was a little deflating last year, but our returnees are going to have a very different experience this year after having just five players last season.”

The loss of Ruff, last year’s No. 4 player, will be overshadowed by the addition of freshmen Kent Austin, Brian Bullock and Justin Shuck and junior Christian Romanzini, who now give Halfpenny options when it comes to putting a team on the court.

“We’ll now be able to make adjustments to our lineup based on who we are playing,” said Halfpenny. “It takes the whole team of eight to be successful, especially on the road.”

All four newcomers will have an immediate impact with the team, starting with Romanzini, who brings a maturity and experience from junior college and international play. Bullock is a very skilled athlete hailing from the Charlotte, N.C., area, where the tennis talent is aplenty, stated Halfpenny, which will allow him to compete with Sessom and McDowell for the lower spots in the lineup.

Along with Romanzini, Austin is also expected to compete for one of the middle spots in the lineup and is one of those players who, “if you asked him to run through a brick wall because it would make him better,

12

he’d do it,” said Halfpenny. The last of the four, Shuck is more of a raw talent with less experience on the bigger stage.

“It was overwhelming at first, as far as all the conditioning and the hours of training, among other areas, but Justin has taken it in stride,” said Halfpenny. “It will be a process for him.”

On the women’s side, junior Naeemah Brooks and senior Jennifer Astbury return to lead the Spartans at the top of the lineup. Astbury was NSU’s primary No. 1 singles player last year, while Brooks had the team’s best mark at 6-9 at the No. 2, 3 and 4 slots. Brooks saw most of her action at No. 3 singles, where she carried a 5-6 record. Astbury also played three matches at the No. 2 position.

“We have good experience with Jennifer and Naeemah,” said Halfpenny. “They’ll provide a lot of leadership for us this year.”

The program also returns the primary No. 4-6 players as well in senior Chenge Tsapayi, sophomore Rebecca Graff and junior Ashley Foster.

Tsapayi posted a 4-11 mark that included 4-6 at No. 4 singles, while Graff had a 4-9 record, including 3-8 at No. 5 singles. Foster saw all of her time at No. 6 slot, where she collected a 2-7 record.

“Chenge is a senior with experience who will be a big force in the middle of our lineup,” said Halfpenny. “Rebecca was not here with us in the Fall of 2009, so last Fall was big for her as far as her development and getting the chance to work on her game.

“Ashley has matured a lot and has been progressing well. We’ll need all seven of our players to contribute this year.”

The Spartans did lose their No. 2 player, Brittany Foster – sister of Ashley Foster – who competed in 10 matches at the No. 2 spot and in three matches at No. 1 singles.

Also lost was Silvia Panush, who went 3-3 at the No. 3, 4 and 5 slots.

A pair of freshmen from Europe arrive on campus to take the place of the Foster and Panush. Gabriella Jonsson, who hails from Stockholm, Sweden, and Maryna Kariuk, who arrives in Norfolk from Kharkiv, Ukraine after a stop at Montana State, will both give the Spartans a boost in the lineup in their first collegiate seasons.

“We feel very good about Gabbi and her commitment to advancing her game on the court,” said Halfpenny.

“We’re going to look for her to play fairly high up in the lineup. It will be challenging at first, but she is mature and will be able to handle it.

“Maryna trained on her own last year while at Montana State, so she missed that whole year of competition. She’s got to overcome that.”

With everything in the program firmly set the way Halfpenny wants it to be, overcoming anything this year for both teams isn’t quite as daunting.

Chenge Tsapayi

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MEN’S PROFILES

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Arsenio Culver

Ben Marks

6-2 Junior Philadelphia, Pa. Benedict College (S.C.)/ Cheltenham Academy

5-10 Junior Worcestershire, England Old Dominion/ The Chase High School

2010: Named to the All-MEAC First Team … Team MVP … Finished the year No. 20 in the Atlantic Region in the final Campbell/ITA Regional tennis rankings released in mid-June … Earned MEAC Player of the Week honors Feb. 22 and March 1 … Posted a 14-6 overall singles record, including a 13-4 dual match record …

Competed at No. 1 singles the entire year … Posted win streaks of seven and five during dual-match season … Went 2-1 against MEAC competition … Also went 10-10 in doubles play … Had a 9-7 dual match record … Competed at No. 1 doubles the entire year with Ben Marks and Jonathan Sessom … Had a 7-4 record with Marks … Had a 0-3 mark against MEAC competition …

Posted a six-match win streak with Marks toward the end of the season … Earned an 8-4 win over the No. 1 duo from N.C. State March 13 in the match against the No. 40 Wolfpack.

2009: Finished with a 5-4 singles record in his first year as a Spartan … All of his singles matches came at the No. 2 spot … Went 6-4 in doubles competition with Jonathan Sessom, most at the No. 2 position.

2008: Attended Benedict College in Columbia, S.C. High School: Lettered four years in tennis … Was team captain for three years … Was a three-time member of the all-state first team … Finished in the top five at the state singles tournament as a junior, going 29-5 overall … Finished in the top 10 at the state singles tournament as a sophomore, posting a 32-2 overall record.

Personal: Full name is Arsenio Jay Culver … Was born Oct. 5, 1989 … Son of Alice Jean Culver … Majoring in elementary education with a minor in English.

CULVER’S CAREER RECORD Singles 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 5-4 13-4 18-8

MEAC 1 2 1-2 -- 5-4 2-1 13-4 -- 3-3 13-4 5-4

3 -- -- 0-0

Doubles Dual 2009 6-4 2010 9-7 Totals 15-11

MEAC 1 2 1-2 1-0 3-3 0-3 9-7 -- 1-5 10-7 3-3

3 2-1 -2-1

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4 -- -- 0-0

5 -- -- 0-0

6 --0-0

2010: Named the team’s Outstanding Newcomer … Posted a 7-14 overall singles record … Had a 7-11 dual match record …

Competed at No. 2 singles the entire season … Went 1-2 in MEAC play … Won three straight matches at one point … Also carded a 10-10 record in doubles action … Record included a 9-7 dual match mark … Competed at No. 1 doubles with Arsenio Culver most of the season … Also saw time at No. 2 doubles with Keenan Ruff … Went 7-4 with Culver, including a six-match win streak … Had a 0-3 mark against MEAC competition … Earned a 8-4 win over the No. 1 duo from N.C. State March 13 in the match against the No. 40 Wolfpack.

2009 (at ODU): Compiled a 6-2 singles record as a freshman at ODU, including a 4-0 mark at the No. 6 position in dual matches … Registered a 20-9 doubles record, including 15-8 in dual matches.

High School: Participated four years each on the tennis, rugby, soccer, track and cricket teams at The Chase High School …

Helped the tennis, soccer and rugby squads to regional championships each of his four years … Also ran cross country as a sophomore, placing seventh in the region and qualifying for nationals.

Personal: Full name is Benjamin Edward Marks … Was born on Aug. 30, 1990 … Son of Michael and Joanna Marks … Majoring in accounting.

MARK’S CAREER RECORD Singles * 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 4-0 7-11 11-11

MEAC -- 1-2 1-2

1 2 3 -- -- -- -- 7-11 -- 0-0 7-11 0-0

Doubles Dual * 2009 15-8 2010 9-7 Totals 24-15

MEAC -- 0-3 0-3

1 2 3 1-0 13-7 1-1 7-4 2-3 -8-4 15-10 1-1

4 -- -- 0-0

5 -- -- 0-0

6 4-0 -4-0

* At Old Dominion

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MEN’S PROFILES

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Christian Romanzini

Jonathan Sessom

5-10 Junior Curitiba, Brazil Seward County CC/ Dom Bosco HS Seward County CC: Competed for two years at Seward County Community College in Liberal, Kan. Personal: Full name is Christian Romanzini … Son of Tatiane Bellani and Vitor Antonio Romanzini … Has one sibling, Tatiane …

Majoring in marketing.

Dexter McDowell 5-8 Sophomore Suffolk, Va. King’s Fork HS

5-5 Junior Houston, Texas New Braunfels Senior HS 2010: Went 4-15 in singles play, including 4-13 in dual matches … Competed at the No. 3 singles slot the entire year … Had a 0-3 mark against MEAC opponents … Had a 3-13 mark in doubles action … Was 3-12 in dual matches, competing at both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles … Posted a 2-3 mark with Arsenio Culver at No. 1 singles in late February and early March … Competed with Keenan Ruff at No. 2 doubles the rest of the year … Went 0-3 in MEAC play.

2009: Finished the dual season with a 3-9 singles record, splitting time at the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 positions … Went 6-5 in doubles matches, including a 6-4 record with Arsenio Culver primarily at the No. 2 position.

High School: Lettered three years at Elkins High and one year at New Braunfels Senior High … Had an undefeated record his freshman and sophomore years … Helped New Braunfels win the 4A Division 1 state championship his senior year.

2010: Named MEAC Rookie of the Week on March 27 and Feb. 22 … Went 3-15 in singles action, all in dual matches … Went 0-3 against MEAC teams … Competed at the No. 5 singles slot the entire season … Posted two of his wins in back-to-back matches against UMES and Shaw … Competed in one fall match with Jonathan Sessom at the ODU Collegiate Invitational, falling 8-6 to a dual from the University of Delaware.

Personal: Full name is Jonathan Edward Sessom … Was born on June 26, 1990 … Son of Edward and Veronica Sessom … Has one older sister, Latasha … Majoring in electronic engineering …

Plans on becoming an engineer post-grad.

SESSOM’S CAREER RECORD

High School: Lettered four years in tennis at King’s Fork … A second-team All-Southeastern District selection as a senior …

Ran AAU track as a freshman.

Singles 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 3-9 4-13 7-22

MEAC 0-3 0-3 0-6

1 -- -- 0-0

2 3 4 -- -- 0-3 -- 4-13 -- 0-0 4-13 0-3

Personal: Full name is Dexter Roy McDowell … Was born on March 15, 1991 … Son of Dexter and Anita McDowell … Has one older sister, Nicole and a younger brother and sister, Alex and Alexis … Majoring in nursing … Plans on pursuing a masters and becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner.

Doubles 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 6-5 3-12 9-17

MEAC 1-2 0-3 1-5

1 2 3 1-0 3-4 2-1 2-3 1-9 -3-3 4-13 2-1

5 1-3 -- 1-3

6 2-3 -2-3

McDOWELL’S CAREER RECORD Singles 2010 Totals

Dual 3-15 3-15

MEAC 1 0-3 -- 0-3 0-0

2 -- 0-0

3 -- 0-0

Doubles 2010 Totals

Dual 0-0 0-0

MEAC 1 0-0 -- 0-0 0-0

2 -- 0-0

3 -0-0

14

4 5 6 -- 3-15 -0-0 3-15 0-0

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MEN’S PROFILES

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Kent Austin

Brian Bullock

6-2 Freshman Greenwood, Ind. Greenwood Community HS

5-10 Freshman Charlotte, N.C. Ardrey Kell HS

High School: Competed for four years on the varsity tennis team … Named first-team All-State as a junior … Tabbed to the AllState Second Team senior year … Earned all-county, all-district and all-conference honors junior and senior years … Also earned all-sectional honors sophomore and junior year and all-regional honors junior year … Led team to the conference championship senior year … Owned a 20-2 record at No. 1 doubles senior year for Greenwood Community HS … Reached the sixth round of the state doubles tournament junior year … Owned a 22-2 record at No. 1 doubles that year for Greenwood junior year … Competed in the state tournament in singles play sophomore year …

Competed at No. 1 singles for Greenwood that year … Led team to the sectional championship and reached the regional final as a freshman.

Personal: Full name is Kenton J. Austin … Goes by Kent … Born Nov. 23, 1991 … Son of Jamica and Patrick Austin … Has one younger sibling, Kaitlin … Majoring in accounting … Wants to eventually become a CEO.

High School: Competed on the varsity tennis team all four years … Earned first-team All-Conference sophomore, junior and senior years … Named to the All-Conference Second Team freshman year … Was a North Carolina Honors Athlete junior season.

Personal: Full name is Brian G. Bullock … Born Jan. 16, 1992 … Son of Michelle and Charles Bullock Jr. … Has three siblings, Kiara, Nicole and Charles III … Father Charles Jr. and brother Charles III both went to NSU … Majoring in business marketing … Wants to become a sports agent post-grad.

Justin Shuck 6-0 Freshman Lakewood, Wash.

Lakes HS

High School: Competed all four years on the varsity tennis team for Coach John Shelton … Earned first-team All-Conference and All-District honors junior and senior years … Posted a 9-6 record at No. 1 doubles as a junior … Went 13-3 in singles play senior year.

Personal: Full name is Justin M. Shuck … Born June 27, 1992 … Son of Joan and Jerry Shuck … Has one sibling, Lindsey …

Majoring in computer science … Wants to become a computer programmer.

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WOMEN’S PROFILES

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE Morris team went 2-0 at No. 2 doubles and 4-4 at No. 3.

Jennifer Astbury 5-5 Senior Chesapeake, Va. Western Branch HS 2010: Named to the MEAC All-Academic Team … Posted a 3-16 overall mark, including a 2-13 slate in dual matches and an 0-4 record in MEAC play … Competed at the No. 1 singles position for all but three of those 15 dual matches … Earned dual match wins over opponents from Chowan and UMES … Also went 4-13 in doubles competition, including 4-10 in dual matches and 0-4 in MEAC matches … Competed at No. 1 doubles the entire year, twice with Silvia Panush at the beginning of the dual season and with Naeemah Brooks in the other matches … Went 4-8 with Brooks.

2009: Was 5-4 overall and 1-3 in conference singles matches …

Has the most singles wins of all the returning players … Went 6-3 overall and 2-2 in the MEAC in doubles competition with Chenge Tsapayi at No. 3 doubles … Was 3-2 at No. 3 singles.

2008: Went 6-6 overall and 2-2 in the conference in singles matches … Had a 5-4 record at No. 5 singles … Teamed with Lerissa Morris to post a 6-4 overall doubles record … The Astbury-

Chenge Tsapayi 5-6 Senior Harare, Zimbabwe University of West Alabama/ Chispite Senior School 2010: Named to the MEAC All-Academic Team … Had a 5-12 record in singles play, including 4-11 in dual matches … Competed primarily at No. 4 singles but also saw time at the No. 3, 5 and 6 slots … Carried a 4-6 mark at No. 4 singles … Went 0-4 in MEAC play … Also had a 4-12 mark in doubles, including 3-11 in dual matches … Competed the whole year at No. 2 doubles with four different teammates … Had a 0-4 record in MEAC matches.

2009: Had a 4-6 overall singles record and was 1-3 in MEAC singles … Tallied a 2-3 record at No. 6 singles … Joined with Jennifer Astbury to go 6-3 overall in doubles play … Tsapayi-Astbury team went 2-2 in MEAC play and 5-3 at No. 3 doubles.

2008 (At West Alabama): Had a 15-8 overall record in singles

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High School: Won the Southeastern District Singles and Doubles titles her junior (2006) and senior (2007) years … Was named the Southeastern District Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007 …

Advanced to the district singles championship game in 2005 …

Was a member of the 2005 and 2006 Chesapeake Scholar Athlete Superintendant’s Teams.

Personal: Full name is Jennifer Lynn Astbury … Born on May 25, 1989 … Daughter of Joseph and Brigilda Astbury … Has one sister, Julie … Majoring in exercise science … Career plans include getting into physical therapy/rehabilitation and becoming a health fitness instructor.

ASTBURY’S CAREER RECORD Singles 2008 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 6-6 5-4 2-13 13-23

MEAC 1 2 2-2 -- -- 1-3 -- -- 0-4 2-10 0-3 3-9 2-10 0-3

3 -- 3-2 -- 3-2

Doubles Dual 2008 6-6 2009 6-4 2010 3-11 Totals 15-21

MEAC 1 2 2-1 0-2 2-0 2-2 -- 1-1 0-4 3-11 -- 4-7 3-13 3-1

3 4-4 5-3 -9-7

4 1-2 0-1 -- 1-3

5 5-4 1-1 -- 6-5

6 -1-0 -1-0

play, including a 12-5 mark at No. 3 singles … Joined with Mariana Freitas to go 12-9 in doubles play.

High School: Played in the Africa Junior Championship as a sophomore … Was a member of the Group 4 ITF Circuit as a sophomore and junior.

Personal: Full name is Chengetayi Tsapayi … Goes by Chenge …

Born on Oct. 28, 1990 … Daughter of Allan and Martha Tsapayi … Majoring in accounting.

TSAPAYI’S CAREER RECORD Singles 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 4-6 4-11 8-17

MEAC 1-3 0-4 1-7

1 -- -- 0-0

2 -- -- 0-0

3 -- 0-2 0-2

Doubles 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 6-4 3-11 9-15

MEAC 2-2 0-4 2-6

1 2 3 -- 1-0 5-4 -- 3-11 -0-0 4-11 5-4

4 1-2 4-6 5-8

5 1-1 0-2 1-3

6 2-3 0-1 2-4

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WOMEN’S PROFILES Naeemah Brooks 5-9 Junior Galloway, N.J. Absegami HS 2010: Named team MVP … Named to the MEAC All-Academic Team … Posted a 6-10 overall singles record and a 6-9 mark in dual matches, the best record on the team … Went 1-3 in MEAC matches … Saw action at No. 2, 3 and 4 singles … Earned a 5-6 mark at No. 3 singles … Also went 5-12 in doubles play, the most wins on the team … Teamed with Brittany Foster in the fall season then with Jennifer Astbury at the No. 1 slot in all but one dual match … Went 4-9 in dual matches, including a 4-8 mark with Astbury … Also had a 0-4 MEAC record.

2009: Had a 2-5 overall singles record … Went 0-3 in MEAC singles play … Spent most of the season playing doubles with Chenge Tsapayi, posting a 2-4 overall record and a 0-3 conference record.

Ashley Foster 5-6 Junior Norfolk, Va. Virginia State University/ Granby HS 2010: Had a 2-7 singles record in dual matches, including 0-4 in MEAC play … Competed at the No. 6 position … Earned wins over opponents from Chowan and North Carolina Central … Also went 4-8 in doubles competition, including 3-7 in dual matches and 0-4 in MEAC matches … Competed at No. 3 doubles with sister Brittany Foster in all but one dual match … Moved up to No. 2 doubles against North Carolina Central March 27 and competed with Chengetayi Tsapayi.

2009 (At Virginia State): Went 10-4 overall and 7-2 in CIAA singles matches … Played most of the season with teammate Lakevia Ingram, going 8-3 overall and 5-1 in conference doubles matches … Won the CIAA tournament title at No. 6 singles and teamed with Ingram to finish second at No. 3 doubles … Earned All-CIAA honors.

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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE High School: Was one of Absegmi’s star players during her four years there … Earned second-team All-American Conference honors as a freshman and was named to the first team her sophomore through senior years … Was also a four-time All-Cape-Atlantic League first team selection … Earned Group 4 first-team honors in her last three years at Absegami … Ended her prep career with a 65-15 record.

Personal: Full name is Naeemah J. Brooks … Was born on Jan. 18, 1991 … Daughter of Otis and Cheryl Brooks … Majoring in elementary education.

BROOKS’ CAREER RECORD Singles 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 2-5 6-9 8-14

MEAC 0-3 1-3 1-6

1 -- -- 0-0

2 -- 1-1 1-1

3 -- 5-6 5-6

Doubles 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 2-5 3-10 5-15

MEAC 0-3 0-4 0-7

1 -- 3-9 3-9

2 2-4 0-1 2-5

3 0-1 -0-1

4 1-3 0-2 1-5

5 1-2 -- 1-2

6 --0-0

High School: Won the Eastern District singles championship in 2007 and 2008 … Won the Eastern District doubles title in 2006 with her older sister Brittany … Advanced to the district doubles championship game with Brittany in 2005.

Personal: Full name is Ashley S. Foster … Was born on July 13, 1990 … Parents Laguna and Karana Foster are NSU alumni … Is the younger sister of former Spartan teammate Brittany Foster …

Also has one brother, Laguna … Father Laguna ran track for NSU … Majoring in political science … Plans on going to graduate school for elementary education and then to law school.

FOSTER’S CAREER RECORD Singles * 2009 2010 Totals

Dual 10-4 2-7 12-11

MEAC -- 0-4 0-4

1 -- -- --

2 -- -- --

3 -- -- --

Doubles Dual * 2009 10-4 2010 3-7 Totals 13-11

MEAC -- 0-4 0-4

1 -- -- 0-0

2 4-2 0-1 4-3

3 6-2 3-6 9-8

4 -- -- --

5 4-4 -- 4-4

6 6-0 2-7 8-7

* At Virginia State

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WOMEN’S PROFILES

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Rebecca Graff

Gabriella Jonsson

5-8 Sophomore Bastad, Sweden Pendleton School (Fla.)

5-5 Freshman Stockholm, Sweden Jensen Gymnasium Vastra

2010: Won team’s Outstanding Newcomer Award … Went 4-9 in dual matches in singles play … Had a 0-4 mark in MEAC matches … Won three straight matches in mid to late March … Also went 4-8 in doubles matches, all in dual play … Competed with Chengetayi Tsapayi at the No. 2 doubles slot and at No. 3 doubles with Silvia Panush for two matches … Had a 3-7 mark with Tsapayi …

Carried a 0-4 record in MEAC play.

High School: Played two years at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla., while attending the Pendleton School.

Personal: Full name is Rebecca Ursula Louise Graff … Born on Sept. 13, 1990 … Daughter of Lars and Madeleine Graff.

GRAFF’S CAREER RECORD Singles 2010 Totals

Dual 4-9 4-9

MEAC 1 0-4 -- 0-4 0-0

2 -- 0-0

3 -- 0-0

Doubles 2010 Totals

Dual 4-8 4-8

MEAC 1 0-4 -- 0-4 0-0

2 3-7 3-7

3 1-1 1-1

18

4 0-1 0-1

5 3-8 3-8

6 1-0 1-0

High School: Competed for three years on the tennis team at Bastad Tennis Academy … Captured the Salk-Open Swedish Championship in sophomore, junior and senior seasons … Took third place in doubles at the Swedish Championship junior year.

Personal: Full name is Gabriella Maria Eleonora Jonsson …

Daughter of Maria Salomon-Jonsson and Ulf Jonsson … Majoring in business.

Maryna Kariuk 5-7 Freshman Kharkiv, Ukraine Gymnasium #6

Personal: Full name is Maryna Kariuk … Born Feb. 25, 1990 …

Daughter of Jzyna and Oleksandr Kariuk … Majoring in mass communications … Wants to work in Hollywood after school.

W W W. N S U S P A R TA N S . C O M

2010 RESULTS/STATS

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

2010 Men’s Tennis Results/Statistics Overall record: 3-14 • MEAC: 0-3 • Region: 0-0 • Home: 2-3 • Away: 0-4 • Neutral: 1-7 Singles Arsenio Culver Ben Marks Dexter McDowell Keenan Ruff Jonathan Sessom Totals

Overall 13-4 7-11 3-15 3-15 4-13 30-74

Dual 13-4 7-11 3-15 3-15 4-13 30-74

Tour MEAC 1 2 3 4 5 6 0-0 2-1 13-4 --- --- --- --- --0-0 1-2 --- 7-11 --- --- --- --0-0 0-3 --- --- --- --- 3-15 --0-0 0-3 --- --- --- 3-15 --- --0-0 0-3 --- --- 4-13 --- --- --0-0 3-15 13-4 7-11 4-13 3-15 3-15 0-16

Doubles Overall Dual Tour MEAC Arsenio Culver/Ben Marks 7-4 7-4 0-0 0-0 Keenan Ruff/Jonathan Sessom 1-9 1-9 0-0 0-0 Arsenio Culver/Jonathan Sessom 2-3 2-3 0-0 0-3 Keenan Ruff/Ben Marks 2-3 2-3 0-0 0-3 Totals 12-34 12-34 0-0 0-9

1 2 3 7-4 --- ----- 1-9 --2-3 --- ----- 2-3 --9-7 3-12 0-15

2010 RESULTS Date Jan 17 Jan 22 Feb 12 Feb 13 Feb 27 Mar 04 * Mar 05 * Mar 06 * Mar 06 Mar 09 Mar 13 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 24 Mar 27 Apr 01 Apr 03 Apr 16 #

Opponent at Old Dominion vs East Carolina vs Hampton vs Christopher Newport CHOWAN vs Bethune-Cookman vs South Carolina State vs Florida A&M vs Winston-Salem State JAMES MADISON at #40 North Carolina State at Shaw MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE LIBERTY N.C. CENTRAL DELAWARE at William & Mary vs Hampton

Score L, 0-7 L, 1-5 L, 1-4 L, 2-5 W, 6-0 L, 2-5 L, 1-6 L, 0-7 W, 5-2 L, 1-6 L, 0-7 L, 2-5 W, 6-1 L, 1-6 Tf 0-0 L, 1-6 L, 0-7 L, 1-4

Overall 0-1 0-2 0-3 0-4 1-4 1-5 1-6 1-7 2-7 2-8 2-9 2-10 3-10 3-11 3-11-1 3-12-1 3-13-1 3-14-1

MEAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-2 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3

* MEAC Match # - MEAC Championship (Raleigh, N.C.) Home Match in BOLD CAPS

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2010 RESULTS/STATS

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

2010 Women’s Tennis Results/Statistics Overall record: 3-12 • MEAC: 0-4 • Region: 0-0 • Home: 2-4 • Away: 1-1 • Neutral: 0-7 Singles Jennifer Astbury Naeemah Brooks Ashley Foster Brittany Foster Rebecca Graff Silvia Panush Chenge Tsapayi Totals

Overall 2-13 6-9 2-7 2-11 4-9 3-3 4-11 27-63

Dual 2-13 6-9 2-7 2-11 4-9 3-3 4-11 27-63

Tour MEAC 1 2 3 4 5 6 0-0 0-4 2-10 0-3 --- --- --- --0-0 1-3 --- 1-1 5-6 0-2 --- --0-0 0-4 --- --- --- --- --- 2-7 0-0 0-4 0-3 2-8 --- --- --- --0-0 0-4 --- --- --- 0-1 3-8 1-0 0-0 0-0 --- --- 0-2 1-1 2-0 --0-0 0-4 --- --- 0-2 4-6 0-2 0-1 0-0 1-23 2-13 3-12 5-10 5-10 5-10 7-8

Doubles Overall Dual Tour MEAC 1 2 Jennifer Astbury/Silvia Panush 0-2 0-2 0-0 0-0 0-2 --- Naeemah Brooks/Chenge Tsapayi 0-1 0-1 0-0 0-0 --- 0-1 Ashley Foster/Brittany Foster 3-6 3-6 0-0 0-4 --- --- Brittany Foster/Chenge Tsapayi 0-2 0-2 0-0 0-0 --- 0-2 Jennifer Astbury/Naeemah Brooks 3-9 3-9 0-0 0-4 3-9 --- Rebecca Graff/Chenge Tsapayi 3-7 3-7 0-0 0-4 --- 3-7 Ashley Foster/Chenge Tsapayi 0-1 0-1 0-0 0-0 --- 0-1 Rebecca Graff/Silvia Panush 1-1 1-1 0-0 0-0 --- --- Totals 12-29 12-29 0-0 0-12 3-11 3-11

3 ----3-6 --------1-1 6-7

2010 RESULTS Date Jan 17 Jan 23 Feb 12 Feb 27 Mar 4 * Mar 4 * Mar 5 * Mar 6 * Mar 06 Mar 10 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 27 Mar 24 Apr 01

Opponent Score at Old Dominion L, 0-7 vs UNC Wilmington L, 1-6 vs Hampton L, 2-4 CHOWAN W, 7-0 vs Bethune-Cookman L, 0-7 vs North Carolina A&T L, 1-6 vs South Carolina State L, 0-7 vs Florida A&M L, 0-7 vs Winston-Salem State L, 3-4 PITTSBURGH L, 0-7 at Shaw W, 5-2 MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE W, 7-0 N.C. CENTRAL L, 2-5 LIBERTY L, 3-4 DELAWARE L, 0-7

Overall 0-1 0-2 0-3 1-3 1-4 1-5 1-6 1-7 1-8 1-9 2-9 3-9 3-10 3-11 3-12

MEAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-2 0-3 0-4 0-4 0-4 0-4 0-4 0-4 0-4 0-4

* MEAC Match Home Match in BOLD CAPS

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MEAC HISTORY The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) enters its 41st year of opera-

tion heading into the 2010-11 academic school year. The MEAC is made up of 13 outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Bethune-Cookman University, Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, Savannah State University and South Carolina State University.

HISTORY

In 1969, a bold ad hoc group of innovators long associated with intercollegiate athletics met in Durham, N.C., to discuss the feasibility of organizing a new conference. Dissected from these discussions, a steering and planning committee was formed to fully investigate the idea, present a detailed report with recommendations to interested collegiate institutions, and then construct a workshop to outline proposals.

After adopting a program, seven institutions (Delaware State College, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State College) agreed to become the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Its major objective was to establish, organize and supervise an intercollegiate athletic program among a compact group of educational institutions of high academic standards and with a sound philosophy of co-curricular activities. The conference agreed to seek Division I status for its sports.

The conference was confirmed in 1970, kicking off its first season of competition in football in 1971.

In 1978, a milestone was reached when the MEAC selected Kenneth A. Free to be its first full-time commissioner. Free served the conference for 18 years before stepping down in May of 1996. In July of 1996, Charles S. Harris was named commissioner and served in the capacity until April 2002. On September 1, 2002, Dr. Dennis E. Thomas was named the commissioner and has served in the position for nine years.

The conference’s first expansion occurred in October 1979 when Bethune-Cookman College and Florida A&M University were voted into the MEAC as new members. Original members Morgan State, North Carolina Central and Maryland Eastern Shore withdrew from the conference at the end of the 1979-80 fiscal year. Maryland Eastern Shore was readmitted in 1981 and Morgan State returned in 1984. Florida A&M opted to resign in 1984 but rejoined the conference in 1986. Coppin State College was granted admittance in 1985, becoming the ninth member institution.

The MEAC expanded again in the 1990’s with the inclusion of Hampton University (1995) and Norfolk State University (1997). The conference expanded in 2007 adding Winston-Salem State University. Following the 2009-10 academic/athletic season Winston-Salem State withdrew from the conference and returned to Division II. On July 1, 2010 the MEAC made its final expansion with the admittance of North Carolina Central and Savannah State University.

On June 8, 1980, the MEAC was classified as a Division I conference by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Prior to that year the conference operated as a Division II conference. The following month the MEAC received an automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

Currently, the conference has automatic qualifying bids for NCAA postseason play in baseball (since 1994), men’s basketball (since 1981), women’s basketball (since 1982), football (since 1996), softball (since 1995), men and women’s tennis (since 1998), and volleyball (since 1994).

The MEAC initiated cross country in 1980 and North Carolina A&T earned the inaugural men’s crown. The first women’s cross country championship took place a year later with Howard winning the first of its seven titles. Indoor Track and Field was also added in 1981 with South Carolina State capturing the men’s title and Howard winning the women’s crown.

Tennis and golf returned as MEAC governed sports in 1981, after a five-year hiatus.

South Carolina State won all seven of the conference’s golf championships from 19721983 before the sport was discontinued after the 1983 championship.

Morgan State dominated the conference in wrestling winning 13 of 24 conference championships during the sports tenure (1972-1995).

Baseball, which began in 1972, was discontinued following the 1977 season. It was brought back as a MEAC governed sport along with women’s volleyball in 1983. Women’s softball became a MEAC sanctioned sport in 1992.

Bowling was officially sanctioned as a MEAC sport in 1999. Before that season, the MEAC was the first conference to secure NCAA sanctioning for women’s bowling by adopting the club sport prior to the 1996-97 school year.

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE ship and junior Marvin “The Human Eraser” Webster was named the Division II Player of the Year.

The 1981 tournament champion Howard Bison became the first MEAC team to play in the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship.

Coppin State and Hampton made history in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament with first-round victories. The No. 15 seeded Coppin State defeated No. 2 South Carolina in 1997 and No. 15 seeded Hampton defeated No. 2 Iowa State in 2001.

Both victories ranked among the Top 10 greatest tournament upsets of all-time by ESPN’s SportsCenter.

In women’s basketball, South Carolina State won the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Division II National Championship in 1979.

In 1982, Howard became the first MEAC women’s team to participate in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. South Carolina State earned the conference’s bid in 1983 and became the first MEAC team, men or women, to win an opening-round game in the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament.

The No. 14 North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies faced No.3 Florida State in the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament. The 14th seed was the highest seed earned by a MEAC women’s basketball program since the inception of the 64-team bracket in 1994.

The Lady Aggies defeated Wake Forest and Charlotte before falling to Miami in the third round of the 2010 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). North Carolina A&T became the first MEAC team and historical black college/university to win two consecutive basketball games in a national postseason tournament.

In football, the MEAC was instrumental in constructing the Freedom Bowl All-Star Classic, the Heritage Bowl, and the Gold Bowl.

Prior to Division I competition, the MEAC competed in the Gold Bowl held in Richmond, Va., which matched the MEAC champion against the champion of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). South Carolina State represented the MEAC in 1976 and 1979, winning both outings over Winston-Salem State and Norfolk State respectively.

In addition to the 1976 and 1979 crowns, South Carolina State won MEAC football titles in 1974-78, 1980-83, 1994, 2004, 2008 and 2009. During the 1981 and 1982 seasons they reached the second round of the I-AA championships.

In outdoor track and field, North Carolina Central won the first three MEAC outdoor titles and finished fourth in the 1974 NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship. NCCU’s Larry Black was a member of the 1972 Olympic 400-meter relay team that won the gold medal. He won the silver medal in the 200-meter dash.

MEAC women began outdoor track and field conference competition in 1980. In 1982, South Carolina State won the AIAW Division II Outdoor Track and Field National Championship.

The MEAC has showcased over 27 athletes in the Olympics and 11 have earned medals during the Summer Games.

In 2003, Florida A&M became the first MEAC school to win a volleyball match in the NCAA Championship, with a first-round win over Winthrop. In 2004, the Lady Rattlers became the first historically black college/university to rank in the Top 25 of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) national poll.

South Carolina State’s women’s tennis team earned the conference’s first Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) ranking in a 2005 final poll reaching a No. 72 ranking.

In softball, Bethune-Cookman earned the conference’s first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA Softball Championship in 2005. The Lady Wildcats defeated Florida, Central Florida and South Florida in the Florida Regional to become the first MEAC school to win a NCAA Division I Softball Regional. Bethune-Cookman ended the 2005 season with the conferences’ first-ever rankings in the final softball polls, reaching No. 18 in the NFCA/ USA Today Coaches poll and No. 23 in the USA Softball/ESPN.com Poll.

Florida A&M was the first MEAC baseball team to advance to NCAA postseason play in 1994. The Rattlers took on Southeastern Louisiana in a best of three play-in series, falling after two games, 11-10 and 8-7. During the 2002 campaign, the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats advanced to the Gainesville Regional and became the first MEAC team to win in the NCAA Tournament with a 7-4 victory over Florida International. The Wildcats had previously lost to Florida in their first game 13-1 and were eliminated from the regional with a 21-10 loss in their second matchup against the Gators.

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS The MEAC has enjoyed tremendous athletic success over the years. In 2008, Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) defeated Arkansas State 4-2 to win the NCAA Women’s Bowling National Championship, a first for the conference and institution. With the victory, Lady Hawks’ head coach Sharon Brummell became the first female head coach to win a NCAA bowling title.

In men’s basketball, UMES became the first historical black college/university to participate in the 1974 National Invitational Tournament (NIT). The Hawks defeated Manhattan, 84-81, in the first round before falling to Jacksonville by two points in the second round. Before the Jacksonville loss UMES had the best record in the nation at 27-1.

That same year, Morgan State won the NCAA College Division II National Champion-

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2011 MEAC PREDICTIONS

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

2011 Men’s Preseason Predicted Order of Finish (First-Place Votes in Parenthesis) MEAC Northern Division Team

Points

1. Hampton (20)..................................... 249 pts.

2. Howard (1)........................................... 187 pts.

3. Morgan State...................................... 163 pts.

4. UMES..................................................... 131 pts.

5. Coppin State....................................... 106 pts.

MEAC Southern Division Team

Points

1. South Carolina State (16)............... 228 pts.

2. Florida A&M (4).................................. 188 pts.

3. Bethune-Cookman........................... 152 pts.

4. Norfolk State............................ 147 pts.

2011 Women’s Preseason Predicted Order of Finish (First-Place Votes in Parenthesis) MEAC Northern Division Team

Points

1. Howard (17)........................................ 223 pts.

2. Hampton (2)........................................ 187 pts.

3. Delaware State................................... 153 pts.

4. Morgan State...................................... 148 pts.

5. UMES (1)............................................... 118 pts.

6. Coppin State....................................... 111 pts.

MEAC Southern Division Team

Points

1. South Carolina State (18)............... 242 pts.

2. Florida A&M (2).................................. 189 pts.

3. Bethune-Cookman........................... 170 pts.

4. Norfolk State............................ 143 pts.

5. North Carolina A&T.......................... 138 pts.

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All-Time MEAC Tennis Champions 1981-2010 Men

2010..................................S.C. State 2009..................................S.C. State 2008..................................S.C. State 2007................................... Hampton 2006..................................S.C. State 2005..................................S.C. State 2004..................................S.C. State 2003................................... Hampton 2002................................... Hampton 2001................................... Hampton 2000.............................. Florida A&M 1999................................... Hampton 1998................................... Hampton 1997................................... Hampton 1996.............................. Florida A&M 1995.............................. Florida A&M 1994.............................. Florida A&M 1993.............................. Florida A&M 1992.............................. Florida A&M 1991.............................. Florida A&M 1990......................................Howard 1989.............................. Florida A&M 1988......................................Howard 1987......................................Howard 1986..................................S.C. State 1985..................................S.C. State 1984..................................S.C. State 1983......................................Howard 1982......................................Howard 1981......................................Howard

Women

2010..................................S.C. State 2009..................................S.C. State 2008..................................S.C. State 2007..................................S.C. State 2006..................................S.C. State 2005..................................S.C. State 2004................................... Hampton 2003................................... Hampton 2002................................... Hampton 2001.............................. Florida A&M 2000.................... Bethune-Cookman 1999.................... Bethune-Cookman 1998................................... Hampton 1997.............................. Florida A&M 1996................................... Hampton 1995......................................Howard 1994............................ Morgan State 1993......................................Howard 1992......................................Howard 1991.............................. Florida A&M 1990......................................Howard 1989.............................. Florida A&M 1988.............................. Florida A&M 1987.............................. Florida A&M 1986..................................S.C. State

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2010 MEAC REVIEW

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

men’s Team Standings

WOmen’s Team Standings

Teams Northern Division Hampton Howard Morgan State Delaware State Maryland E. Shore Coppin State

MEAC W L Pct. 5 0 1.000 4 1 .800 3 2 .600 2 3 .400 1 4 .200 0 5 .000

Overall W L Pct. 11 6 .647 5 13 .278 7 12 .368 2 7 .222 2 11 .154 1 6 .143

Teams Northern Division Howard Hampton Delaware State Morgan State Coppin State Maryland E. Shore

MEAC W L Pct. 5 0 1.000 4 1 .800 3 2 .600 2 3 .400 1 4 .200 0 5 .000

Overall W L Pct. 15 4 .789 8 9 .471 3 5 .375 5 14 .263 2 7 .222 0 16 .000

Teams Southern Division Florida A&M South Carolina State Bethune-Cookman Norfolk State

MEAC W L Pct. 3 0 1.000 2 1 .667 1 2 .333 0 3 .000

Overall W L 11 16 14 10 5 17 3 14

Teams Southern Division South Carolina State Florida A&M Bethune-Cookman North Carolina A&T Norfolk State

MEAC W L Pct. 4 0 1.000 3 1 .750 2 2 .500 1 3 .250 0 4 .000

Overall W L 16 5 9 8 11 10 4 16 3 12

Pct. .407 .583 .227 .176

MEN’S INDIVIDUAL STATS sINGLES (Min. 1 Decision) Player KOVALEYCH,Dmytro BELUCCI,Vitor VARGA, Gellet CULVER,Arsenio LANGER,Jan LANGER,Radek MALKO, Alexander KOVALEVYCH,Dmytro STEWART III, Isaiah FLUDD,Alvin

WOMEN’S INDIVIDUAL STATS Team SCSU BCU HAM NSU SCSU SCSU SCSU SCSU HAM HAM

Doubles (Min. 1 Decision) Player KOVALEVYCH,Dmytro/LANGER,Radek ALVES, Edson/GREEN, Kenneth GREEN, Kenneth/MATTOS, Nelio GRUND,David/MEANA,Gabriel Atkinson,Marc/Happy,Takura LANGER,Jan/PIVONKA,Radek JEFFREYS,James/WIGFULL,Jahra GRUND,David/MALKO, Alexander ATKINSON,Marc/WAMUKOWA,Maurice MEANA,Gabriel/PIVONKA,Radek

W 1 1 12 13 6 3 16 15 4 11

L 0 0 2 4 2 1 6 6 2 6

Team W SCSU 2 HAM 2 HAM 1 SCSU 1 FAMU 1 SCSU 1 CSU 1 SCSU 1 FAMU 1 SCSU 14

sINGLES (Min. 1 Decision) Player VARELA,Tatiana SEKERINA,Darla CUFF,Amber HOPKINS,Reijina LUKYANENKO,Viktoriva MORGAN,Brittney BROWN,Michelle BROWN,Alexis TORRES, Saria SEKERINA,Daria

Pct. 1.000 1.000 .857 .765 .750 .750 .727 .714 .667 .647 L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6

Pct. 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 .700

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS First Team Name Takura Happy David Jackson Michael Moore Nelio Mattos Gellert Varga Arsenio Culver

Second Team Name Christopher Kano Maurice Wamokowa* Alvin Fludd* Dymtro Kovalevych Alesandr Malko Gabriel Meana Radek Pivonka [*] Indicates Tie

Pct. .762 .529 .524 .200 .200

Team SCSU SCSU HOW BCU MSU HOW HOW FAMU SCSU SCSU

Doubles (Min. 1 Decision) Player CRACIUN,Maria/SEKERINA,Daria AMY CHEN, I-Chun/VARELA,Tatiana MANLEY,Janine/MUKAM,Lauretta BOSNEAG,Laura/VARELA,Tatiana BLOODNIECE,Iveta/TORRES, Saria SEKERINA,Daria/VALDANE,Beate DAVIS,Brittany/PAEZ,Andrea LUKYANENKO,Viktoriva/OLCZAK,Pola HANKOVA,Eva/HOPKINS,Reijina SANGRIA, Jovanna/SMALL, Janelle

W 3 3 2 2 1 16 15 12 8 11

Team SCSU SCSU CSU SCSU SCSU SCSU BCU MSU BCU HAM

L 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 3 2 3 W 15 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Pct. 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 .889 .882 .800 .800 .786 L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pct. 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

School Florida A&M Florida A&M Florida A&M Hampton Hampton Norfolk State

Class Fr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. So.

Hometown Mutare, Zimbabwe Indianapolis, Ind. New York, N.Y. Ribeiraro Preto, Brazil Becej, Serbia Philadelphia, Pa.

School Delaware State Florida A&M Hampton South Carolina St. South Carolina St. South Carolina St. South Carolina St.

Class Fr. Jr. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. Jr.

Hometown Lima, Peru Nairobi, Kenya Washington, D.C. Czech Republic Romania Gijon, Spain Prague, Czech Republic

Player of the Year: David Jackson, Florida A&M Rookie of the Year: Takura Happy, Florida A&M Coach of the Year: Dr. Carl Goodman, Florida A&M

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First Team Name Rachel Pye* Michelle Brown Brittney Morgan Jovana Sangria Maria Cracium Laura Bosneag* Daria Sekerina

School Florida A&M Howard Howard Hampton South Carolina St. South Carolina St. South Carolina St.

Class Sr. So. Fr. Jr. Fr. So. So.

Second Team Name School Class Eva Hankova Bethune-Cookman Sr. Valeshia Kendrick Bethune-Cookman So. Shereen Peterson-Paul Bethune-Cookman Fr. Alexis Brown Florida A&M So. Kathline Durden Florida A&M So. Na-Hyun Baek Hampton Sr. [*] Indicates Tie

Hometown Miami, Fla. Los Angeles, Calif.

Beverly Hills, Calif.

Long Beach, Calif.

Romania Romania Samara, Russia Hometown Prague, Czech Republic Winter Haven, Fla. Ontario, Canada Eagan, Minn.

Antioch, Tenn.

Seoul, South Korea

Player of the Year: Michelle Brown, Howard Rookie of the Year: Brittney Morgan, Howard Coach of the Year: Larry Strickland, Howard

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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

The Institution of Choice Norfolk State University was founded in 1935 as a beacon of hope to the region’s youth. Brought to life in the midst of the Great Depression, Norfolk State was named the Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University at its founding. By 1969, Norfolk State began its status as an independent college and was designated a university in 1979.

Today, the University remains a source of inspiration for those who aspire to fulfill their dreams. A four-year public institution, Norfolk State is located in the dynamic Hampton Roads region and is close to the Virginia Beach oceanfront and downtown Norfolk. NSU has an enrollment of nearly 7,000 students.

A Strong Academic Profile

NSU recently received reaffirmation of its accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Ga. 30033-4097, 404-6794501) which is effective through 2018. In addition, the College of Science, Engineering and Technology also was awarded accreditation from the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET. The School of Business received reaffirmation of accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, International and the School of Education received continuing accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Additionally, the National Collegiate Athletic Association recertified Norfolk State’s intercollegiate athletics programs for NCAA accreditation, effective February 2009 for a 10-year period. The certification means that Norfolk State is considered to be operating under the principles adopted by the NCAA’s Division I membership.

Norfolk State’s Athletics program is experiencing unprecedented success at the NCAA Division I level. Athletes are competitive on the field of play and in the classroom. During the academic year, NSU recognized more than 60 young men and women who were inducted into the Athletics All-Academic Team for 2008-2009. To qualify, the scholar-athletes had to have a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4 point scale. This team includes first-year and continuing students and represents all 15 of the department’s sports programs.

From 2005-2010, NSU athletics has won the last six MEAC Men’s All-Sports Awards (Talmadge Layman Hill Award) and earned the department $125,000 during that period.

Norfolk State University is also one of the top 50 producers of African-American Ph.D. recipients, according to Inside Higher Ed. The finding, based on a National Science Foundation report, says that Historically Black Colleges and Universities are graduating a growing share of African Americans who go onto earn Ph.D.s in science and engineering. Norfolk State’s Dozoretz National Institute for Mathematics and Applied Sciences (DNIMAS) is specifically geared towards increasing the number of Ph.D.s in science, engineering, technology and mathematics. The program has been in place since 1986. More than 50 percent of DNIMAS scholars have earned advanced degrees.

Moving Forward

Norfolk State is making the right changes to provide the best learning and living experiences for its students. The University is in the midst of $80 million worth of capital improvements. Projects just completed, underway, or in the pipeline include the 84,500 squarefoot New Student Center that was completed in August of 2009; a new library and a new classroom building. The New Student Center offers students a place to socialize as well as take care of student business. Offices for the Student Affairs division and the Office of Student

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Activities are also located in the new center. It provides students with a two-level book store, a two-level wellness center and student lounges.

The new library will be 132,000 square feet and will house library services, archives and a 24/7 café with Internet connection. The groundbreaking for the new library was held in June. The anticipated occupancy date is August 2011. A new nursing and general classroom building is in the planning stage. The building will have 13 labs, 33 classrooms, 39 group study/lounges and 63 offices.

From the university choirs to the 250-member Spartan Legion Marching Band, Norfolk State is known for its rich music tradition.

The marching band has made appearances at the Honda Battle of the Bands, while the University concert choir has toured the country. The choir is best known for its beauty of choral tone and the ability to render exemplary performances of masterworks. NSU Choirs are among the most ardent and prominent ambassadors of the University.

Behold, the Green and Gold!™

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

QUICK FACTS

Location: Historic Norfolk, Va.; 134-acre campus 2 miles

from downtown Norfolk Extended Campus Center: Virginia Beach Higher Education Center History: • Founded in 1935 as the Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University

• Became the independent Norfolk Polytechnic College in 1942

• Became an independent institution in 1969

• Granted University status in 1979 Enrollment: Nearly 7,000 President: Carolyn Winstead Meyers, Ph.D. Faculty: 300 + full-time equivalent Degree Offerings: 2 associate degrees; 32 bachelor’s degrees;

16 master’s degrees; 2 doctoral degrees Athletics: 15 intercollegiate teams (Division I; competing

in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – MEAC) Student Organizations: 125 Website: www.nsu.edu For more information on Norfolk State University, its academic programs and community service projects, research, campus facilities, and other amenities, please call the Office of Communications and Marketing at (757) 823-8373.

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NSU TIMELINE

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Norfolk State University Timeline

Sept. 7, 1935 – Samuel Fischer Scott appointed Director of Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University

1970

– Twin Towers dormitories erected

1972

– Lyman Beecher Brooks Library erected

1974

– Technology Center opened

May 1975

– College granted its first master’s degree

June 1975

– President Lyman B. Brooks retired

March 1942 – The Norfolk Polytechnic College was chartered to take over the functions and assets of the Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University.

July 1, 1975

– Harrison Benjamin Wilson became 2nd president

1977

– Samuel F. Scott men’s dormitory opened

Feb. 29, 1944 – The Norfolk Division of Virginia State College was established by an act of the General Assembly

1979

– Norfolk State became a University

Aug. 1979

– Academic programs re-organized into nine schools

April 25, 1951 – The City of Norfolk transferred the deed of the Memorial Park Golf Course to the college as a permanent site

1982

– Joseph G. Echols Hall erected

1984

– Harrison B. Wilson administration building erected

Sept. 1955 – The College moved into a new multipurpose administration classroom building on Corprew Avenue

1996

– L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center erected

July 1997

– Marie V. McDemmond became 3rd president

Sept. 1956 – Norfolk Division of Virginia State College changed from a two-year junior college to a four-year, degree granting institution

May 2000

– First independent doctoral degree awarded

2005

– Alvin J. Schexnider became interim president

1960

– James D. Gill Gymnasium erected

July 2006

– Carolyn W. Meyers became 4th president

1969

– Mills Godwin Jr. Student Center opened

2007 – The Marie V. McDemmond Center for Applied Research dedicated

Sept. 18, 1935 – Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University opened on the second floor of the Hunton Branch YMCA Building on Brambleton Avenue June 1938 – Lyman Beecher Brooks became Director of Norfolk Unit of VUU

Feb. 1, 1969 – Norfolk State College emerged as an independent, four-year institution

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2010

– University celebrates its 75th anniversary

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HAMPTON ROADS

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

The vibrancy of city life, the charm of the seashore, the verdant countryside, the wild preserves and the historic landmarks are just a few of the features found in Hampton Roads. The area, which includes the cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton and Suffolk, has a growing population of about 2 million.

There are numerous attractions within each city. Norfolk has its Waterside, a festive marketplace similar to those in Baltimore, St. Louis and Boston.

The financial and cultural hub of Virginia, Norfolk is the home of the world’s largest naval installation and serves as headquarters for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As a cultural center, its features include the Chrysler Museum, the Douglas MacArthur Memorial, the Nauticus National Maritime Center, the Virginia Symphony and several theater companies, including Norfolk State University’s own NSU Players.

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HAMPTON ROADS

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Besides a long and beautiful coastline, Virginia Beach offers numerous landmarks, including the first landing cross (where the first settlers touched the shores of the New World in 1607, 13 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock); The Adam Thoroughgood House, probably the oldest brick house in America, dating back to 1636; and Mount Trashmore, a project that turned a mountain of solid waste into an innovative recreational compound with bicycle trails, picnic areas, and soapbox derby and cross-country courses around two lakes used for a myriad of recreational water sports. The unique 17-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel links Virginia Beach with Virginia’s Eastern Shore and a national wildlife refuge.

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and the Children’s Museum are located in Portsmouth. Newport News has the Mariners’ Museum, which houses one of the world’s most extensive nautical collections, while Hampton is home of the Air and Space Museum.

NSU is just off Interstate 264 within walking distance of downtown and other major area attractions, such as the Scope, Chrysler Hall and MacArthur Center Mall.

Hampton Roads has three daily newspapers, one African-American weekly, three independent TV stations and more than 30 radio stations.

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STRENGTH & CONDITIONING The NSU Strength and Conditioning Program is administered by Reese Bridgman, NSU’s strength and conditioning coach. Bridgman has 26 years of coaching experience in athletics at the high school, college and professional levels. His resume includes a seven-year stint as head strength and conditioning coach at Central Florida, where he worked with future professionals such as Daunte Culpepper, Asante Samuel and Brandon Marshall of the NFL and Mike Maroth of Major League Baseball.

The NSU Strength and Conditioning Program exists to provide all 280+ NSU student-athletes with scientificallysound performance-enhancement programs in the areas of strength, speed, explosive power and sports nutrition.

Programs are conducted in the NSU athletics weight room, a 2,000-square foot facility in Gill Gymnasium that houses the equipment and accessories needed to develop championship-level NCAA Division I athletes.

The strength and conditioning program also uses the NSU athletics department’s game and practice fields.

The program develops athletes by means of functional strength training for strength and power utilizing Olympic lifts, power lifts, plyometric drills and additional supplementary lifts, particularly dumbbell exercises. The program trains speed in both linear and change-of-direction movement. Athletes are taught recovery by developing good eating habits that are appropriate for athletes training at the Division I level and by emphasizing the correct amount of rest.

Athletes are trained in a team setting as a part of a year-round program. Athletes train two times per week in season and three to four times per week during the remainder of the year with a break between semesters and at the end of their sport’s season. Their annual plan consists of in-season, offseason, preseason and holiday programs. All training schedules are administered within

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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

NCAA guidelines for contact time with athletes in both required programs and voluntary programs.

Part of the emphasis within the NSU Strength and Conditioning Program is on the athlete developing lifetime character qualities of teamwork, discipline, dedication, determination, respect for others and respect for hard work. Athletes are also expected to develop an interest in lifetime fitness.

“The Strength and Conditioning Program at NSU tries to remember that our athletes came to us to participate in and excel in their given sport, not to become weight lifters or body builders,” Bridgman says. “For this reason, we approach strength and conditioning as a means to an end, and we encourage our athletes to learn from and enjoy the journey.”

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ATHLETICS ADMINISTRATION CRAIG COTTON

Craig Cotton is in his 10th year as associate athletics director for external operations. He is also in his sixth year as executive director of the NSU Athletics Foundation. Cotton joined the NSU athletics staff after serving as marketing manager at Howard University.

Cotton’s primary duties at NSU include developing and managing marketing and public relations projects with particular focus on the “Team Spartan Corporate Partners Program,” a comprehensive sports marketing initiative designed to attract corporate sponsorship and funding for the athletics program.

Previously, Cotton worked for seven years in the Delaware State University Public Relations Office. He arrived at the Dover, Del.-based institution in 1992 and served as sports information director for two years before his appointment as the university’s director of public relations and marketing in 1994.

From 1988-1992, Cotton was associate director of sports information at Temple University. He worked for seven years (1981-1988) as sports information director and administrative assistant to the director of intercollegiate athletics at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore.

Cotton was also a press operations manager for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Ga.; 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina; and the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival in St. Louis, Mo.

Cotton is a native of Greensboro, N.C., and a 1980 graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English-mass communications. He received the M.Ed. degree at Temple University in 1995.

Cotton and his wife, Cynthia, reside in Norfolk, Va. SHERIE CORNISH GORDON Sherie Cornish Gordon is in her fourth year on staff in the NSU athletics department. In May 2010, she was promoted to the position of associate athletics director for internal operations after holding that title in an interim capacity since February 2009.

She also serves as the department’s senior woman administrator.

At NSU, Cornish Gordon is responsible for the supervision of the department’s internal operations, including management of the department’s budget, oversight of game-day management, and supervision of equipment and facilities. In addition, she oversees the volleyball, softball, bowling, men’s tennis and women’s tennis programs.

Cornish Gordon began her tenure at NSU in January 2006 as the assistant for business operations and was soon thereafter promoted to assistant athletics director for business operations.

She came to Norfolk State University in 2005 after serving as a senior administrative assistant at American University. She also served as an athletics department intern at the University of Maryland in 2004-2005 and as an assistant women’s basketball coach at her alma mater, Morgan State University, during the 2003-2004 school year.

Cornish Gordon is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA), the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the Collegiate Athletics Business Management Association (CABMA) and the Minority Opportunities Athletics Association (MOAA). She serves on the program committee for CABMA.

She is a 2006 graduate of NACWAA’s Institute for Administrative Advancement and a 2009 graduate of the NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Males and Females.

Cornish Gordon was an accomplished basketball player at Morgan State, where she scored more than 1,000 career points. She was a four-year letter winner and was a team captain her final three seasons.

The former Sherie Cornish of Severna Park, Md., she earned her bachelor’s degree in sports administration from

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Morgan State in 2002 and her master’s in sports management from Temple in 2004.

Cornish Gordon currently resides in Suffolk, Va., with her husband, Ross, and son, Ethan.

KAREN HOLMES Karen Holmes is in her second year as associate athletics director for development at NSU. Holmes’ primary responsibilities are to plan, coordinate and implement all development and fundraising activities for the athletics department. The ultimate goal is to increase funding for athletic scholarships, capital projects and other athletic enhancements.

Prior to NSU, Holmes has served as the foundation manager at the Norfolk Convention & Visitors Bureau since 2006. She was responsible for planning and directing the foundation’s operations to include fundraising, staffing, budgeting and research.

Holmes has also held positions as a business account representative at Opportunity, Inc. and as a marketing consultant at LNC (local news on cable) channel 5 and the Hampton Roads Radio Group in the Southeastern Virginia area.

Holmes is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA), National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD), Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and Hampton Roads Gift Planning Council.

Holmes, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from NSU in 1998.

ALISHA TUCKER Alisha Tucker is in her fifth year working in the Norfolk State University athletics department.

She assumed the role of associate athletics director for student services for the 2010-11 academic year after serving as assistant athletic director for compliance for the previous four

years.

This year, Tucker also begins a four-year appointment to the NCAA’s Amateurism Fact-Finding Committee and will also serve as an NCAA Division I Certification Peer Reviewer.

Before coming to Norfolk State, Tucker served as the athletics eligibility specialist and curriculum coordinator at Marshall University from 2005-06.

Tucker began her career as an assistant compliance coordinator at Michigan State University from 2001-02, and then earned a promotion to compliance coordinator at MSU in 2003. Tucker also worked as director of compliance at Villanova from November 2003 to June 2004, then was assistant athletics director for compliance at the University of Richmond from June 2004-January 2005.

Tucker earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature and composition from the University of Virginia in 1996. She earned her master’s in sports management from Old Dominion University in 2001.

A Hampton native, Tucker was a track and field athlete at Hampton High School. She was also a sprinter and hurdler on the U.Va. track team. Tucker was also the liaison between the student-government and the athletics department serving on various committees. She is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and currently resides in Hampton.

JAMAR ROSS Jamar Ross is in his second year as NSU’s assistant athletics director for business operations.

Ross served from July 2007 to April 2009 as associate sports information director at Old Dominion University. At ODU, he was the primary media contact for the Monarchs’ start-up football team.

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Previously, Ross was the sports information director at Hampton University from 2002-07. While at Hampton, Ross served on the Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance Subcommittee for Hampton’s NCAA Recertification Self Study.

Ross also served as Sports Information Director at Winston-Salem State University in 2001-02, was the assistant SID at Hampton 2000-01, and completed a postgraduate internship at Southern Illinois University in 2000.

He also served as a press room attendant at NCAA men’s basketball tournaments in 1997 and 2000.

Ross graduated cum laude from Winston-Salem State University with a bachelor’s degree in sports management in 1999. He received his master’s in sports management from ODU in 2008. Ross also completed the NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Males and Females in 2008.

DR. DELANYARD ROBINSON Dr. Delanyard Robinson is in his 18th year as faculty athletic representative for the Norfolk State Athletics Department. Robinson is also a professor in the Department of Psychology at Norfolk State.

Robinson is a native of Bessemer, Ala. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences in 1965 at Tuskegee Institute. He received his master’s degree in experimental psychology from St. Mary’s College (Tex.) in 1971, and in 1980 he received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Rutgers University.

Dr. Robinson and his wife, Barbara, are the parents of two sons, Michael and Delanyard II. REESE BRIDGMAN Reese Bridgman is in his third year as the Spartans’ assistant athletics director for strength and conditioning. Bridgman oversees the strength and conditioning efforts for all 15 of NSU’s sports programs.

Bridgman previously served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Newport News Apprentice School’s football program from 2005-07. He was also the Builders defensive coordinator in 2007 after coaching the defensive line in 2005 and 2006.

Before moving to the Hampton Roads area, Bridgman was the head strength and conditioning coach for the University of Central Florida from 1997-2003. Bridgman helped train 20 UCF football players who went on to make active NFL rosters, including the likes of Daunte Culpepper, Asante Samuel, Travis Fisher, Atari Bigby, Steve Edwards, Brandon Marshall and Rashad Jeanty. Other top-notch athletes he helped tutor at UCF include Major League pitcher Mike Maroth.

Along with his strength and conditioning expertise, Bridgman has an extensive background as a football coach at the high school, college and professional levels. Bridgman coached two seasons in the Arena Football League.

He coached linemen and was the strength coach for the Orlando Predators in their ArenaBowl runner-up season of 1995. The following year, he worked in the same capacity for the Milwaukee Mustangs (now defunct).

Bridgman’s one stint as a head football coach came at East Central Community College in his home state of Mississippi from 1992-94. He has also worked as an assistant football coach at NAIA Georgia Southwestern College and at a pair of Division II schools, Southeast Oklahoma State and East Texas State (now known as Texas A&M-Commerce). He also was men’s track coach during his tenure at Southeastern Oklahoma State.

Bridgman, a native of Tylertown, Miss., got his football coaching start at Hattiesburg (Miss.) Prep in 1983.

Bridgman, 47, received his bachelor’s degree in athletic administration and coaching from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1985. He earned his master’s in physical education with an emphasis in exercise physiology from East Texas State (Texas A&M-Commerce) in 1986.

Bridgman is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the Collegiate Strength

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ATHLETICS ADMINISTRATION and Conditioning Coaches Association, and the National Association of Speed and Explosion. He and his wife, Kelly, reside in Chesapeake.

JACQUELINE NICHOLSON Jacqueline Nicholson is in her third year working in the NSU athletics department. After serving as athletics academic coordinator the last two years, Nicholson was promoted to the position of assistant athletics director for academic support for the 2010-11 school year.

Nicholson’s responsibilities include advising all NSU student-athletes on issues of NCAA eligibility requirements and monitoring progress toward their degrees. Nicholson is also in charge of coordinating the academic support efforts for each team along with the academic enhancement counselors.

Previously, Nicholson worked as an academic coordinator intern at Virginia Tech during the 2007-08 school year, assisting with the Hokies football team. She also served as a graduate assistant in the university academic advising center at Virginia Tech from 2005-07.

A native of Clayton, N.J., Nicholson was a four-year letterwinner for the Hokies track and field team as a sprinter and hurdler. She was a member of the Virginia Tech all-academic team and athletics director’s honor roll. She earned her bachelor’s degree in human development in 2005 and her master’s in educational leadership in 2007, both from Virginia Tech.

MEGHAN ANTINARELLI Meghan Antinarelli is in her first year as assistant athletics director for sports medicine at NSU. Previously, she served for eight years as an athletic trainer within the department.

Antinarelli, who is originally from Wellesley, Mass., received her bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from the University of Massachusetts in 1998. She received her master’s degree in athletic training at Old Dominion University in 2001. She and her husband, Joseph, live in Suffolk and have one son, Nicholas.

MATT MICHALEC Matt Michalec is in his seventh full year as sports information director at NSU. He is in charge of coordinating media relations efforts for all 15 of NSU’s athletics programs. His duties include the production of press guides, serving as the media liaison for the athletics department, keeping statistics at all home athletic contests, and maintaining the university athletics web site. In 2006, he was named the Black College Baseball SID of the Year.

Previously, Michalec worked for two years as a parttime sports reporter and editorial assistant at the Daily Press newspaper in Newport News, Va.

Michalec graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in communications from Old Dominion University in 2002. He served as sports editor for ODU’s student newspaper during his time there.

He got his professional start by working for two years as a sportswriter at the York Town Crier and Poquoson Post newspapers in York County, Va.

Michalec is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of American (CoSIDA) and the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID).

Michalec and his wife, Annie, live in Newport News and have one son, Brandon.

MIKE BELLO Mike Bello was hired as the assistant sports information director in August of 2010. He came to NSU after a pair of internships at Division I institutions. At NSU, Bello will be the

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main contact for volleyball, women’s basketball, softball, tennis and bowling.

Prior to arriving at NSU, Bello spent the previous year at the University of South Florida as a full-time intern, where he was the main contact for track and field and cross country as well as the secondary contact for men’s basketball and football.

While at USF, Bello was part of a new initiative there that did away with traditional printed media guides and went to a new, interactive and online format that featured videos, photos and text all intermixed on a web-based platform.

During the 2008-09 athletics season, Bello worked as an intern in the sports information office at Harvard.

He also spent the 2007-08 season volunteering with the sports information office at Kent State University as part of his graduate work there. He has also volunteered with the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League and the Boston Breakers of the Women’s Professional Soccer League.

Bello earned a bachelor’s of arts degree from Penn State University in journalism in 2004, and a master of arts degree in recreation and sports management in 2009 from Kent State.

JESSICA COLE Jessica Cole is in her second year as the head assistant athletic trainer at Norfolk State University. Previously, Cole served as the assistant athletic trainer at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Va., for two years (200709). She also worked for two and a half years as the athletic trainer at Chelsea Community Hospital Outpatient Physical Therapy in her native Chelsea, Mich.

Cole earned her bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Florida Southern College in 2004. She completed her senior internship with the WNBA’s Detroit Shock in 2004, and earned her master’s degree in exercise physiology from Eastern Michigan in 2008.

NICOLE DIETRICH Nicole Dietrich is in her first year as the assistant athletic trainer at Norfolk State University. Previously, Dietrich served as the assistant athletic trainer at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pa., for the past two and half years.

A native of Lykens, Pa., Dietrich received her bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Lock Haven University in 2004. She earned her master’s degree in psychology from Shippensburg University in 2007.

Dietrich currently resides in Norfolk, Va. DERRICK COLES Derrick Coles is in his first year as the compliance coordinator at Norfolk State University. His duties consist of handling many of the day-to-day operations of Norfolk State University’s compliance office, specifically: monitoring playing/practice seasons, monitoring recruiting contacts/calls, overseeing the National Letter of Intent program, NCAA Special Assistance Fund and MEAC reports.

In addition, Coles assists the associate athletics director with rules education for coaches and student-athletes and serves as a member of the eligibility certification team.

Before coming to Norfolk State, Coles was the assistant director of sports information at Hampton University.

Derrick assisted with the day-to-day activities of the Office of Sports Information, as well as serving as the primary media contact for women’s basketball, volleyball, bowling and men’s and women’s tennis. He was also the secondary media contact for football.

Before coming to Hampton, Coles spent six years as an assistant within the athletic department at Virginia Union University. His duties included assisting the sports

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE information department with programs, media guides and game-day activities, as well as working with the compliance office in reviewing academic records, practice schedules and athlete eligibility matters.

Coles received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Virginia Union in 2007 and his master’s in sports management from Virginia State University in 2009. Coles is a native of Richmond, Va. and his volunteer work includes the Special Olympics, the Rudy Johnson Foundation, the James Farrior Foundation, Richmond Sports Backers and Upward Sports Academy.

He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. SHIRLEY BROOKS Shirley Brooks is in her 11th year as the football administrative assistant for the NSU athletics department. Brooks oversees all administrative of the program, including coordinating special events, player files and maintaining the recruiting database.

A native of Hertford, N.C., Brooks has three children: Derek, Dietrich and Verletita. She is currently working toward her degree in tourism and hospitality management at Norfolk State.

WILLIAM WRIGHT William “Ray” Wright is in his eighth year as the head equipment manager at NSU. Previously, Wright worked as a parking supervisor in NSU’s Office of Parking and Transportation. He has also served as a security officer at NSU. A native of Portsmouth, Wright lettered in football and track at NSU in the early 1980s. He was a member of the 1984 CIAA championship football team.

Wright earned his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and a minor in physical education in 1995. He is currently pursuing his master’s in administration.

Wright has four daughters, Chiquita, Nikeya, Britney and Ashley; two granddaughters, Kyra and Destini, and one grandson, Michael.

NATE BELL Nate Bell is in his 15th year as assistant equipment manager for the Norfolk State University athletics department. A native of Norfolk, Va., Bell is a 1994 graduate of Maury High School, were he lettered in football, and wrestling. Bell resides in Norfolk.

MICHELLE MacFARLANE Michelle MacFarlane joined the Norfolk State University athletics staff as an administrative specialist in Sept.

2010.

She comes to NSU after spending six years at Eastern Virginia Medical School as an administrative assistant.

While there, MacFarlane’s duties included composing correspondence, recording and distributed minutes of faculty meetings, handling travel and catering arrangements, organizing and creating flyers, and filing and organizing grades.

During her time at EVMS, she also worked for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service as a tax preparer and instructor of basic tax course.

MacFarlane completed classes at Old Dominion and Kee Business College, where she received her medical assistant diploma prior to working at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

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NSU ATHLETICS FOUNDATION

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 TENNIS MEDIA GUIDE

Total Sports - 15 Women’s Sports Basketball Bowling Cross Country Indoor Track & Field Outdoor Track & Field Softball Tennis Volleyball

Men’s Sports

Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Indoor Track & Field Outdoor Track & Field Tennis ...........................................................................

Norfolk State University Athletics Foundation Board of Directors

Fran Steward, President Mervin Pitchford, Vice President Phillip Brooks, Treasurer Craig Cotton, Executive Director Marty Miller, Athletics Director Robert Boyd Jacob L. Cheeks Harold Hagans John Hornbeck A. Graige Johnson Curtis Maddox* Langston Powell Zackery Rodgers James Satterfield* Donna Sample Smith John Warren

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

Norfolk State University’s proud legacy of achievement in collegiate athletics began at the NCAA Division II level as a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). NSU was one of the league’s most dominant programs, winning championships in every sport the school offered.

In 1997, NSU joined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), one of only two NCAA Division I conferences comprised of historically black colleges and universities.

Other conference members include: Bethune-Cookman College, Coppin State College, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, Savannah State University and South Carolina State University.

NSU made an immediate impression in the conference in 2000-01, winning the Talmadge Hill Award – presented annually to the member whose men’s teams compile the most points based on team finishes in conference competition. The Spartans won the T almadge Hill Award again each year from 2005-10. In all, NSU has won conference titles in men’s and women’s track, men’s and women’s cross country, and women’s basketball during its brief tenure in the MEAC.

Why Support Norfolk State University Athletics?

• NSU competes at the nation’s highest level of intercollegiate athletics competition – National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I - and is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

• The need to increase funding for scholarships for deserving studentathletes motivated by achievement both in athletics and academics.

• Improvements and maintenance of equipment and facilities that will enable NSU student-athletes to perform at their full potential.

• A competitive athletics program of the highest quality is consistent with the institution’s emergence an the “Institution of Choice.”

• A competitive athletics program contributes to the enjoyment of the student-athlete experience.

* - Emeritus

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