Jan. 22, 2008

PITTSBURGH, PA -- Winston-Salem State University defensive end William Hayes has been named to the American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) 2007 SBN Sports Black College All-American (BCAA) Team.  He will be honored during the annual BCAA Awards Weekend Feb. 15-16 in Atlanta.

Hayes led WSSU with 8.5 sacks and was second on the team in total tackles with 78. He also broke up three passes and recovered four fumbles, two of which he returned for touchdowns for the Rams. 

Over his past two seasons at WSSU, Hayes, a former star at High Point Andrews, combined for 16 sacks and 129 tackles.

Eighteen schools are represented on the list, led by three honors for the SBN Black College National Champion Tuskegee Golden Tigers.

Special recognition was given to quarterback Jacary Atkinson of Tuskegee, who was named SBN Sports Doug Williams Offensive Player of the Year. Bethune Cookman linebacker Ronnie McCullough was named the SBN Sports Mel Blount Defensive Player of the Year, and Tuskegee head coach Willie Slater was named SBN Sports Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.

SBN All-American Offense

The quarterback on the 2007 SBN All-American Team - and winner of the Doug Williams Offensive Player of the Year Award -- is Jacary Atkinson of Tuskegee. Atkinson was the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. The junior signal caller led the conference and Division II football in passing efficiency (188.0). He also led the conference in passing yards per game (241.4), total passing yards (2,979), passing touchdowns (34) and total offense (276.6 yards per game).

The running backs are Alabama State's Jay Peck and Chad Simpson of Morgan State.  Peck was named Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Offensive Player of the Year. He led the conference in carries, rushing yards and 100-yard rushing games.  He finished the season with 246 carries for 1,186 yards and six touchdowns. Simpson led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in rushing and set a single-season school record by accounting for 1,402 yards. He led the MEAC in scoring (90 points) and ranked second in all-purpose yards by averaging 161.8 yards per game.

Grambling State's Clyde Edwards, Howard University's Jarahn Williams and Charles Moody of Alabama A&M make up the receiving corps. Edwards is a member the SBN All-American team for a second straight season, having received the SBN Scholar Athlete Award on the 2006 team. In 2007, he had 57 receptions, 12 touchdowns and 804 receiving yards. In addition, the 5-10 senior became GSU's career record holder for career receiving yards, (2484) receptions (147) and touchdown receptions (37). Williams, a 5-10, 185-pound senior, led all MEAC receivers with 15 TD receptions while tying for the conference lead in scoring.  He also caught a TD pass in every game this season, setting a new school record for TD passes in consecutive games (11) and averaged over 12 yards per reception. One out of every four catches he made went for a TD. Moody was a key weapon on an Alabama A&M offensive attack that led the SWAC in scoring and total offense. The Bulldog tight-end led all conference receivers at his position with 38 receptions for 423 yards and 11.1 yards per catch. He also caught two touchdown passes.

The All-American offensive linemen selections include Jackson State's Lorenzo Breland, Norfolk State's Jason Kressen, South Carolina State's James Lee, Tuskegee's Larry Peoples and Virginia Union's Kenneth Moses. Breland was a junior member of an offensive line that helped Jackson State win its 16th SWAC Championship. Kressen was part of a Norfolk State team that finished with an 8-3 record to give the school its most wins since 1984. Lee was a dominating force on South Carolina State's MEAC-leading offense. The Bulldogs averaged 401 yards per game and 26.7 points each time out. Peoples was the offensive line anchor on Tuskegee's 2007 National Championship team. The Golden Tigers lead the SIAC with 495 yards per game on offense and in scoring with 46.8 points per game. Moses was a leader on a Virginia Union offensive unit that paved the way for a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA)-leading 399.5 yards per game. This season, the Panthers recorded a 9-2 record for the best finish of any VUU football team since 1990.

SBN All-American Defense

The defensive line is led by repeat performers Rudolph Hardie of Howard University and Hampton University's Kendall Langford. They are joined by William Hayes of Winston-Salem State and Curtis Johnson of Clark-Atlanta. Hardie led the MEAC and the nation in tackles for losses with 25.5. He also led the conference in sacks and was fourth in the nation with 12.  Hardie recorded 73 tackles, forced two fumbles, recovered one and was credited with 10 quarterback hurries. Langford led the Pirates in total tackles with 72 (32 solo, 40 assists). He also accumulated 13.5 tackles for loss, six sacks for 57 yards, and scored one touchdown on an interception, broke up one pass, forced two fumbles and blocked a kick. Johnson finished first in the nation (NCAA Division II) in tackles for loss with a 2.5 average per game, and finished first in pass sacks with a 1.2 per game. He led the SIAC in both categories and finished second in total tackles with 112.  The Panther lineman was also voted SIAC Defensive Player of the Year. Hayes led WSSU with 8.5 sacks and was second on the team in total tackles with 78. He also broke up three passes and recovered four fumbles, two of which he returned for touchdowns for the Rams.  

Zach East of Prairie View, Marquez Davis of Norfolk State and Bethune Cookman's Ronnie McCullough - the Mel Blount Defensive Player of the Year Award -- comprise the linebacking corps. East finished third in the nation in tackles per game with 12.5, and finished the season with 127 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He was also named SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. Davis, a senior who recently earned his degree, led NSU and ranked second in the MEAC with 107 tackles, 9.5 of which came behind the line of scrimmage. He added a team-high 3.5 sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. McCullough was named  MEAC Defensive Player of the Year after finishing atop the nation with 149 tackles. During the season he garnered five MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. That mark includes a stretch of four awards in a row.

The defensive secondary is made up of Alabama A&M's Al Donaldson, Southern's Jarmaul George, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Bobbie Williams of Bethune Cookman.  Donaldson was the nation's co-leader in interceptions, as he totaled nine in 11 games to go along with his 51 tackles and 11 pass breakups. George had a Jaguar career-high 64 tackles along with four interceptions, four breakups and a blocked PAT.  Rodgers-Cromartie finished the 2007 season with two interceptions, both returned for TDs (69 and 71 yards). On the year, he had 11 pass break-ups, 37 tackles (28 solo) and 2 tackles for losses. Additionally, he returned 33 kick-offs this season for 806 yards and one TD, and four punt returns for 16 yards. He also finished the year with four blocked kicks (three FGs and one PAT). Williams ended the year with two interceptions and a team second-best 77 tackles. He also had two tackles-for-loss, as well as four pass breakups. The hard-hitting safety made the SBN All-American Team for a second straight season.

SBN All-American Specialists

Peter Gaertner of Delaware State University is SBN's 2007 placekicker. During the season he led the MEAC with a DSU-record 19 field goals (19-for-25). He led all conference kickers with 80 points (6.7 ppg). He also made good on 23 of 24 extra point attempts. Brandon Larkin of Clark-Atlanta is this year's All-American punter. He finished second in the nation (Division II) in punting with 46.3 yards per game average. His longest punt of the season was for 74 yards and he placed 30 punts inside the 20 yard line.

The Coach (Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award)

In just his second season as Tuskegee's head coach, Willie Slater led the Golden Tigers to a perfect 12-0 season and their second SBN Black College National Championship this decade. He also helped Tuskegee become the first Historically Black football program to win 600 career football games.


The 2007 SBN Sports Black College All-American Team will be honored at the 34th annual BCAA Awards Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 16 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.  Master of Ceremonies for the event is Comedian/Actor Anthony Anderson, who appeared in The Departed and Hustle & Flow, among other films. Anderson will be joined on the stage by co-hosts Ty Miller, SBN Director of Sports and On-Air Personality Anji Corley.

The Black College All-American Awards Weekend (BCAA) recognizes and celebrates the academic and athletic achievements of student athletes who play football at America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Weekend activities include a welcoming reception, an NFL "Skull Session" brunch and the gala awards ceremony.  In addition to the honorees, their families and event sponsors, a number of past and present NFL players are expected to attend.

BCAA honorary committee members include Lem Barney, Mel Blount, Robert Brazile, Ken Burrough, Harry Carson, Nesby Glasgow, L.C. Greenwood, James Harris, Larry Little, Greg Lloyd, Eddie Robinson Jr., Art Shell, Rick Upchurch, Everson Walls, Doug Williams and Rayfield Wright.

About American Urban Radio Networks

AURN, a Sheridan Broadcasting Corp. company,  is the only African-American owned radio network company in the United States.  It is the largest network reaching Urban America with more than 20 million listeners each week.  Through three programming networks and its marketing division, American Urban Radio Networks reaches more African-Americans than any other medium in America and produces more programming than all other broadcasting companies combined.

American Urban Radio Networks broadcasts 200 weekly news, entertainment, sports and information programs to more than 300 radio stations nationwide.   It is the only Black broadcaster with a bureau in the White House.  AURN has offices and bureaus in New York, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and Washington, DC.