Breakfast of Champions salutes the best of the best
COPPIN STATE ATHLETICS WEEK IN REVIEW
September 8-15, 2014
Breakfast of Champions salutes the best of the best
Members of the Coppin State 4.0 GPA club include Kandace Thomas, Candice Van Horn, Cindy Okpegbue, Carentxa Goede and Kendra Ireigbe. They share a moment with Coppin State president Dr. Mortimer Neufville and Director of Athletics Derrick K. Ramsey. The Coppin State department of athletics held its annual Breakfast of Champions event Tuesday morning in the Talon Center to honor the academic achievements of its student-athletes. Coppin State student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding scholastic achievements of the spring 2014 semester while eating pancakes, eggs, sausage, ham, potatoes, fruit, cereal and muffins. Shane Davies (baseball), Oleksiy Krylchuk (tennis), Candice Van Horn (softball), Kendra Ireigbe (volleyball), Cindy Okpegbue (volleyball), Kandace Thomas (volleyball), Carentxa Goede (tennis), Shena Brownell (women’s track
and field) and Christina Epps (track and field) were each honored for achieving a perfect 4.00 grade-point average during last spring’s semester. Headlining the group of 4.0 student-athletes is Epps, an All-American track athlete, MEAC champion and MEAC Woman of the Year. Van Horn, Thomas and Okpegbue earned all-MEAC recognition in their respective sports. The Coppin State volleyball team earned the highest overall GPA for the 14 sports at 3.698, the fourth consecutive semester it has earned that distinction. CSU student-athletes enrolled in the 2014 spring semester had a collective
term grade point average of 3.012, marking the 12th consecutive semester since the appointment of Director of Athletics, Derrick K. Ramsey that the combined term grade point average has been above a 3.0. Three programs had team grade point averages of 3.0 or better (volleyball, bowling and men’s track and field). Other superlatives included the men’s basketball team earning the most improved award for increasing its grade point average from the fall to the spring semester. Sixtyfour percent of Coppin State student-athletes earned at least a 3.00 grade-point average during the spring semester.
Coker leads Coppin Volleyball adds another accomplishment to men at DSU; Medas- its early season success with win at UMBC Though the Coppin State volleyball King earns top 10 team has a single focus on winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference finish for women (MEAC) championship, sometimes The Coppin State men’s cross-country team turned in its second consecutive solid outing as it had four runners finish in the top ten at the Delaware State University Hornet Invitational Saturday morning at the DSU Outreach Center. Leading the Eagles was Alaric Coker (pictured above) who completed the four-mile course in 20 minutes, 33.8 seconds. He finished in sixth place. In each of the two meets this fall, the Eagles were led across the finish line by somebody different. Mark London, who was CSU’s top finisher last week at UMES, was eighth (20.58.6). Michael James was ninth (20:58.9) and Fabian Hayles was 10th (21:04.4). Delroy Davis rounded out a strong effort by the Eagles by finishing 15th (22:53.8). Other schools who competed on the men’s side were Morgan State, UMES, Delaware State and Wesley College. On the women’s side, Kesha MedasKing and Kadeem Curtis were top 20 finishers for Coppin State. MedasKing was 10th overall (19:46.6) and Curtis was 20th (21:43.7).
it’s good to pause along the ultimate road to glory to appreciate and savor significant accomplishments. Coppin State’s 3-0 triumph over cross-town foe UMBC at the RAC Saturday afternoon in the final match of the Madison Bingaman Tournament was one of those moments. The very tense and close 25-23, 25-20, 25-21 victory was the Eagles first in program history over the Retrievers. In less than three years, Coppin State coach Ashley Preston has turned the Eagles into one of the best programs in the MEAC. In each of the last two years, the Eagles have increased their win total and raised the bar of excellence for success. This season, the Eagles are 5-5 overall. Everybody who played for Coppin State made significant contributions in the victory over UMBC. Junior Cindy Okpegbue enjoyed a season-high .400 hitting percentage after smashing a match-high 14 kills. She had backup as Kandace Thomas and Ariel Richard added eight kills each. Nicole Malave-Adams was a double threat for Coppin State finishing with four kills and had 12 digs. Kendra Iriegbe had an active game with four kills and three blocks. Chelsee Sauni had 38 assists on the Eagles’ 40 kills. Gabrielle Otero led the Eagles with 15 digs. Denali Sturgeon made her presence felt with crucial plays during the match. BY THE NUMBERS During the Eastern Michigan match, (special academic edition) Richard notched her 1,000th career kill. She has 1,008 for her outstand- 3.012: Overall Coppin State ing career. In finishing with at least Departmental GPA. 30 assists for the ninth time this sea9: Student-Athletes who earned a 4.0 son, Sauni topped the 2,200 mark in GPA in the spring semester. her spectacular career. She has 2,216 career assists and is now 193 away 12: Consecutive semesters that the from becoming the all-time program Coppin State Department of Athletics has boasted a GPA of 3.0 or higher. leader in that category.
23:
COPPIN STATE’S WEEK AHEAD
Monday Sept. 15
Friday Sept. 19
Saturday Sept. 20
VOLLEYBALL
at Wildcat Tournament at Arizona, 1:30 p.m. vs UMBC, 7:30 p.m.
at Wildcat Tournament vs. Tulane 1:30 p.m.
MEN’S CROSSCOUNTRY
at Towson, 4 p.m. (Oregon Ridge Park)
WOMEN’S CROSSCOUNTRY
Tuesday Sept. 16
Wednesday Sept. 17
Thursday Sept. 18
at UMES, 10 a.m.
Sunday Sept. 21
Student-Athletes earned a 3.5 GPA or higher.
58:
Student-Athletes earned a 3.0 GPA or higher.
64.2:
Percentage of CSU StudentAthletes who earned a 3.0 GPA or higher during the Spring 2014 semester.
A PHOTO FINISH.....
BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS
Coppin State celebrated another semester of academic success with its annual Breakfast of Champions. Above members of the 4.0 GPA club sit as Director of Athletics Derrick K. Ramsey delivers remarks. Men’s track and field athlete Michael James shows off his certificate. In the middle, Ramsey and CSU president Dr. Mortimer Neufville present head men’s basketball coach Michael Grant with the Most Improved Team GPA certificate. Volleyball player Chelsee Sauni holds up the Director’s Cup as her team achieved the highest GPA for the fourth consecutive semester. On the bottom, women’s basketball players Keena Samuels, Bria Harris and Jordan Swails hold up their T-shirts they received. following the ceremony. Each student-athlete who had a GPA of 3.0 and above received a T-shirt. Baseball player Jhar Devilme holds up his certificate during the breakfast ceremony.
September 8-15, 2014
Breakfast of Champions salutes the best of the best
Members of the Coppin State 4.0 GPA club include Kandace Thomas, Candice Van Horn, Cindy Okpegbue, Carentxa Goede and Kendra Ireigbe. They share a moment with Coppin State president Dr. Mortimer Neufville and Director of Athletics Derrick K. Ramsey. The Coppin State department of athletics held its annual Breakfast of Champions event Tuesday morning in the Talon Center to honor the academic achievements of its student-athletes. Coppin State student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding scholastic achievements of the spring 2014 semester while eating pancakes, eggs, sausage, ham, potatoes, fruit, cereal and muffins. Shane Davies (baseball), Oleksiy Krylchuk (tennis), Candice Van Horn (softball), Kendra Ireigbe (volleyball), Cindy Okpegbue (volleyball), Kandace Thomas (volleyball), Carentxa Goede (tennis), Shena Brownell (women’s track
and field) and Christina Epps (track and field) were each honored for achieving a perfect 4.00 grade-point average during last spring’s semester. Headlining the group of 4.0 student-athletes is Epps, an All-American track athlete, MEAC champion and MEAC Woman of the Year. Van Horn, Thomas and Okpegbue earned all-MEAC recognition in their respective sports. The Coppin State volleyball team earned the highest overall GPA for the 14 sports at 3.698, the fourth consecutive semester it has earned that distinction. CSU student-athletes enrolled in the 2014 spring semester had a collective
term grade point average of 3.012, marking the 12th consecutive semester since the appointment of Director of Athletics, Derrick K. Ramsey that the combined term grade point average has been above a 3.0. Three programs had team grade point averages of 3.0 or better (volleyball, bowling and men’s track and field). Other superlatives included the men’s basketball team earning the most improved award for increasing its grade point average from the fall to the spring semester. Sixtyfour percent of Coppin State student-athletes earned at least a 3.00 grade-point average during the spring semester.
Coker leads Coppin Volleyball adds another accomplishment to men at DSU; Medas- its early season success with win at UMBC Though the Coppin State volleyball King earns top 10 team has a single focus on winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference finish for women (MEAC) championship, sometimes The Coppin State men’s cross-country team turned in its second consecutive solid outing as it had four runners finish in the top ten at the Delaware State University Hornet Invitational Saturday morning at the DSU Outreach Center. Leading the Eagles was Alaric Coker (pictured above) who completed the four-mile course in 20 minutes, 33.8 seconds. He finished in sixth place. In each of the two meets this fall, the Eagles were led across the finish line by somebody different. Mark London, who was CSU’s top finisher last week at UMES, was eighth (20.58.6). Michael James was ninth (20:58.9) and Fabian Hayles was 10th (21:04.4). Delroy Davis rounded out a strong effort by the Eagles by finishing 15th (22:53.8). Other schools who competed on the men’s side were Morgan State, UMES, Delaware State and Wesley College. On the women’s side, Kesha MedasKing and Kadeem Curtis were top 20 finishers for Coppin State. MedasKing was 10th overall (19:46.6) and Curtis was 20th (21:43.7).
it’s good to pause along the ultimate road to glory to appreciate and savor significant accomplishments. Coppin State’s 3-0 triumph over cross-town foe UMBC at the RAC Saturday afternoon in the final match of the Madison Bingaman Tournament was one of those moments. The very tense and close 25-23, 25-20, 25-21 victory was the Eagles first in program history over the Retrievers. In less than three years, Coppin State coach Ashley Preston has turned the Eagles into one of the best programs in the MEAC. In each of the last two years, the Eagles have increased their win total and raised the bar of excellence for success. This season, the Eagles are 5-5 overall. Everybody who played for Coppin State made significant contributions in the victory over UMBC. Junior Cindy Okpegbue enjoyed a season-high .400 hitting percentage after smashing a match-high 14 kills. She had backup as Kandace Thomas and Ariel Richard added eight kills each. Nicole Malave-Adams was a double threat for Coppin State finishing with four kills and had 12 digs. Kendra Iriegbe had an active game with four kills and three blocks. Chelsee Sauni had 38 assists on the Eagles’ 40 kills. Gabrielle Otero led the Eagles with 15 digs. Denali Sturgeon made her presence felt with crucial plays during the match. BY THE NUMBERS During the Eastern Michigan match, (special academic edition) Richard notched her 1,000th career kill. She has 1,008 for her outstand- 3.012: Overall Coppin State ing career. In finishing with at least Departmental GPA. 30 assists for the ninth time this sea9: Student-Athletes who earned a 4.0 son, Sauni topped the 2,200 mark in GPA in the spring semester. her spectacular career. She has 2,216 career assists and is now 193 away 12: Consecutive semesters that the from becoming the all-time program Coppin State Department of Athletics has boasted a GPA of 3.0 or higher. leader in that category.
23:
COPPIN STATE’S WEEK AHEAD
Monday Sept. 15
Friday Sept. 19
Saturday Sept. 20
VOLLEYBALL
at Wildcat Tournament at Arizona, 1:30 p.m. vs UMBC, 7:30 p.m.
at Wildcat Tournament vs. Tulane 1:30 p.m.
MEN’S CROSSCOUNTRY
at Towson, 4 p.m. (Oregon Ridge Park)
WOMEN’S CROSSCOUNTRY
Tuesday Sept. 16
Wednesday Sept. 17
Thursday Sept. 18
at UMES, 10 a.m.
Sunday Sept. 21
Student-Athletes earned a 3.5 GPA or higher.
58:
Student-Athletes earned a 3.0 GPA or higher.
64.2:
Percentage of CSU StudentAthletes who earned a 3.0 GPA or higher during the Spring 2014 semester.
A PHOTO FINISH.....
BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS
Coppin State celebrated another semester of academic success with its annual Breakfast of Champions. Above members of the 4.0 GPA club sit as Director of Athletics Derrick K. Ramsey delivers remarks. Men’s track and field athlete Michael James shows off his certificate. In the middle, Ramsey and CSU president Dr. Mortimer Neufville present head men’s basketball coach Michael Grant with the Most Improved Team GPA certificate. Volleyball player Chelsee Sauni holds up the Director’s Cup as her team achieved the highest GPA for the fourth consecutive semester. On the bottom, women’s basketball players Keena Samuels, Bria Harris and Jordan Swails hold up their T-shirts they received. following the ceremony. Each student-athlete who had a GPA of 3.0 and above received a T-shirt. Baseball player Jhar Devilme holds up his certificate during the breakfast ceremony.
