The End of Hornets Wrestling

April 27 was the toughest decision for the Hornets' Athletic Department. The Hornets wrestling program has come to untimely end. According to Acting Director of Athletics Candy Young Saunders, she told reporters that concerns of financial viability, academic deficiencies, and lack of improvement with the APR at a Division I level.

I understand about the APR scores even though they made a perfect score the last two years, Delaware State needs to sources to bring money on equestrian, this sport, soccer, track & field, and bowling. Yes we are in economic recession, but the athletic department has got to do a better job with their money.

I feel bad that the wrestling program has got to go because the program has been in this up and running since the 1950's. In the last four years, there have have many coaching changes and the program fail to recover.

As for wrestlers here at DSU, they will transfer to other schools and keep their scholarships.

Men's & Women's Tennis Elimamated from the MEAC Tournament

On April 17, the men and lady hornets tennis team were looking to become the MEAC Tennis champions. Unfortunately, they were at the losing ends by the MEAC favorites.

On the ladies side, the lady hornets were taking on the Lady Rattlers of Florida A&M. The lady hornets competed well but it was too much FAMU at the end of day as DSU lost three of their four singles matches and two doubles contests. Polina Razborova posted the lone win for the lady defeating FAMU's Latreece Olagbegi 6-4, 6-0 in the second singles match.

Razborova's teammates Anna Kovtun, Cassandra Newton, and Hannah Adewumi each fell in straight sets. There were two streaks that ended: Adewumi's 16 single match winning streak (fall and spring seasons) was snapped and the lady hornets three match win streak has also ended.
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As for the men's tennis team they got their hands as they took on four time defending champion South Carliona State University. The Hornets were looking for an upset in the MEAC tournament. However, the Bulldogs are looking towards to become five time champions and no show no signs of rust as the hornets were shut out 5-0 in singles and double matches.

Both men and lady hornets tennis teams finished with winning records and looking forward toward next with some unfinished business.

The Recap of Hornets Baseball So Far

The Hornets baseball had the longest home stead in the programs history, 14 straight games. Instead of playing great baseball with a winning record, the hornets played with no sense of urgency as they conclude their home stead at 4-10. The reason behind a disappointing home stead is pitching and and their offensive bats to scored runs.

Heartbreak and Controversy Dooms the Lady Hornets

March 12 will be the date the lady hornets basketball will let them stinging and searching for answers. During the quarterfinals of the Delaware State-Hampton game, the lady hornets were ready for a fight and hoping to get one step closer to their goal.

Delaware State, the number three seed knew that they had very few wins against the lady pirates in the series.

When I was watching the game on meacsports.com it was a great ball game. Both teams had a series of runs. In the first half the lady hornets took a 20-13 lead until Hampton scored 21 straight points (before halftime and starting the second half) to take a double digit lead.

Head Coach Ed Davis and the lady hornets were almost in panic mode but they manage to climbed back in the game with their offense. With less than seven minutes in regulation, the lady hornets went on a 13-2 spurt to tied the game and retake the lead.

That's when the game went down to the nitty gritty:

Hampton's Ashlee Finley tied the game at 52 a piece by hitting two free throws followed by a lady hornet put back to regain the lead at 54-52.

Keyhana Wakefield tied the game at 54 on a pair of free throws with 20.9 seconds and two seconds later, Quanneisha Perry gave the lead Hampton right back.

On the lady hornets final possession, Keyhana put the petal to the metal with a strong move to the basket for the bucket to the tied the game.

That's when things when horribly wrong:
Hampton threw a long pass down court to Sherelle Leslie to hit the game-winning shot with 0.8 seconds left. The hornets defense did not recovered on that possession. After the basket was scored, a Hampton player storm out of her bench area and on to the court and circle around her coach.

I don't know if the referees saw it or not but a technical foul should be called so the lady hornets will shoot free throws and tied the game to forced overtime. Instead the lady hornets got cheated and heartbroken with some 808's from an echo Kayne West.

The lady hornets had the defense but they need more offense in order to win games and the championship. Not only does defense wins games but offense wins as well.

Hornets Visit to Winston-Salem a One Night Stay

The Hornets were eliminated before the game even started. On Tuesday, the Hornets were playing the Hampton Pirates in hopes of getting a fresh start. Instead they were dismissed from the start of tip-off.

Before the game started the hornets were short-handed because Marcus Neal was suspended for the game for a altercation during shoot-around and Arturo Dubois was already dismissed from the team three weeks ago.

More problems begin to set in when the hornets could not get out Hampton's 2-3 defense zone all night as the hornets shot a miserable 26%. The hornets offensive could not find any rhythm in making shot as Donald Johnson put up Jashua Bluntt like numbers from the conference championship round by shooting 1-10 from the field for two points.

Not only did the hornets score 16 in the first half but the smae number of points in the second half.

It was the lowest scoring game in the 37 year history of the MEAC Tournament and the lowest scoring for the Hornets this season. It's been a dissapointing end to the hornets season but Greg Jackson says in his final interview, "We will be back better than ever." I hope Greg Jackson knows what he is doing.

One Down Two to Go

The lady Hornets bowling team continue their winning ways by being crowned the 2009 ECAC Champions back on Sunday. The Lady Hornets goal is not over because they have the Valderbelt Tournament on the weekend of March 13 followed by unfinished business at the MEAC Tournament (weekend of March 20) and then the big dance of Bowling the NCAA Tournament.

Congratulations to the three lady hornets who made the ECAC Tournament team: Adrian Jamie, Jazmyne Hefflefinger, and Brooke Peterson.

The lady hornets finished the weekend tournament by going 5-1 in regular team play when they defeated teams like Kutztown, Adelphi, St. Francis, Long Island, and New Jersey. They also won the Baker Quad and the Best of seven series.

The lady hornets has a lot of of work to do when they go to the Vanderbilt and the MEAC Tournament but I will assured you that they will get the job done.

Sonia Johnson: The MEAC Rookie of the Year

Congratulations to Sonia Johnson for becoming MEAC Rookie of the Year for 2008-2009. Johnson became the first lady hornet to become MEAC Rookie of the Year since Marin Hightower was award back in 1996.

I am so proud of Sonia for accomplishing her efforts all year as a freshman. During the beginning of the season, I had no idea who Sonia Johnson was but during Christmas break I begin to realize how good she had become.

Let's think about it, I thought either Keyhanna Wakefield or Jamkea Smith would be the leading scorers for the lady hornets. But, Johnson was making her presence felt at Delaware State by tallying four 20 point games, 18 double figure games, and the leading scorer on the team by averaging 11.5 points per game.

Sonia leads the conference in the rookie category by averaging 14.5 points and 4.5 rebounds against MEAC opponents. To add more to her rookie resume, she is also named All-MEAC Second Team and All-MEAC Rookie Team.

So when ever Sonia plays next season as a sophomore, junior, and senior every Hornet fan will get to scream her name everytime she scores: SONIA!!!

Sonia can add one more award to complete her freshman year a MEAC championship. Let's see if Johnson and the Hornets can win the MEAC Championship tournament this week. First things first, the lady hornets will play the winner of the Norfolk/Hampton game Thursday.