Two Virginia State University student athletes were selected as the finalists for the fourth annual CIAA Division of the highly recognized Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award program. Women’s basketball senior guard, Marquilla Evans (Portsmouth, VA) and men’s basketball senior forward, James Shambley (Norfolk, VA) were chosen to represent VSU in the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award as the CIAA’s top senior men’s and women’s basketball players. This award program focuses on the total student athlete and encourages those leaders to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact on their circle of influence.
Evans earned 2010-11 All-CIAA Academic Honors and was on the 2010-11 Dean’s List. She helped her team achieve the highest team GPA award. Evans serves as the captain of the 2011-12 Lady Trojans basketball team. Evans contributes to her community by attending an afterschool program, located in Petersburg, VA, to help children with their school work. She participated in the building of a house, through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, in 2011. Evans is also a member of VSU’s SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee). In 2010 and 2011, she joined other student athletes at VSU and walked for breast cancer research. This year, she has volunteered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters as a mentor. She helped at an ABA professional basketball game by getting kids to participate in a halftime show in 2011. Evans was named CIAA Newcomer of the Week during the 2010-11 basketball season. She played in 25 games during the 2010-11 season, averaging 6.8 points per game.
Shambley is a senior leader, on and off the court, for the Trojan basketball team. His teammates look up to him as a “big brother” figure. He has a work hard mindset that the team follows. He was a member of the 2010-11 All-CIAA Academic Honors list and the 2010-11 Dean’s List. Shambley has been an active leader for community efforts throughout his two years at Virginia State. He participated in the building of a house, through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, in 2011. He is a member of VSU’s SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee). In 2010 and 2011, he joined other student athletes at VSU and walked for breast cancer research. This year, he has volunteered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters as a mentor. He also does community service on the campus of VSU with the Facility Management Service. Shambley played in 32 games during the 2010-11 season, averaging 3.2 points per game.
PLEASE VOTE FOR MARQUILLA EVANS AND JAMES SHAMBLEY
@ http://www.seniorclassaward.com/ciaa/vote/
Several Trojans Post Personal Records at Doug Raymond Invite
The Virginia State men’s and women’s track teams had several athletes finish with personal records at the Doug Raymond Invitational held at the Kent State Field House on Saturday, Jan. 14 in Kent, OH.
Leading the way for the Lady Trojans was Samantha Edwards (senior/Elmont, NY) winning the women’s 400 meter dash event in a time of 54.67. Sierra Clayton (senior/Chesapeake, VA) recorded a personal best (2:18.77) in the women’s 800 meter dash, arriving in third place. Taylor-Ashley Bean (freshman/Sandy’s, Bermuda) competed in the women’s 1 mile run and placed ninth with a time of 5:10.53, also a personal record.
In the field events, Millicent Barber (freshman/Virginia Beach, VA) and Chelsey Fuller (freshman/Norfolk, VA) provided solid personal records in the women’s shot put event. Barber fired the shot put 10.93 meters, placing twenty-sixth, and Fuller placed thirty-second with a toss of 10.19 meters.
For the men, the team of Daniel Ross (junior/Baltimore, MD), Jonathan McMillon (junior/Alexandria, VA), Eric Thomas (sophomore/Hampton, VA), and Jarius Reed (sophomore/Natchez, MS) won the men’s 4×400 meter relay event with a time of 3:18.30.
Individually, four Trojans recorded personal records at the Doug Raymond Invite. Kenja Hanniford (junior/Woodbridge, VA) won the preliminary round in the men’s 60 meter hurdles in a time of 8.45. Justin Pittman (freshman/Dale City, VA) placed fifth in the men’s 800 meter run (1:56.68)
In the men’s 400 meter dash, Jonathan McMillon had a personal best time of 50.63 as he placed ninth overall and teammate Daniel Ross placed fourth with a time of 49.92 in the same event.
VSU Announces Lorraine D. Cone as Athletic Academic Advisor
Mrs. Lorraine D. Cone joined the Virginia State University Athletics Department staff in October of 2011. She recently retired after teaching in the Chesterfield County Public Schools, at Thomas Dale High School, for 40 years. She taught Business and Career Education. She is the new Athletic Academic Advisor for all student athletes at Virginia State University.
Mrs. Cone is a Virginia State graduate. She graduated with a B.S. and M.S. Ed. in Business Education. She loves teaching and working with children. Academic excellence has always been a major goal in her life. While attending school at Virginia State as an undergraduate, she was “Big Sister” to the football team; therefore , she feels right at home as the new, and first time ever, Athletic Academic Advisor.
She is a Suffolk, Virginia native, but has made Petersburg her home since her graduation from VSU, then Virginia State College. Tabernacle Baptist Church is her church home. She serves on the Trustee Board and is a greeter at the 11:00 a.m. service. Mrs. Cone is a long time member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Omega Chapter. She has a daughter, Devon, also VSU alumnus; and a 2-year old grandson, Michael. They reside in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mrs. Cone has eagerly and energetically been at work to see to it that our athletes are “academically fit.” She emphasizes the use of good character, strong ethics, and core values as she advises our athletes.
