Dear Summer,
Summer 2009 was the year of making moves and starting over as we prepared for the 2009-2010 Hornets Sports season. Even though our Hornet Athletes have taken the summer break to train, take summer classes, jobs/internship, family and others, there were some summer headlines there were taken place on the campus of Delaware State University.
Lady Hornets Bowling
June 30 will be the most shocking day ever. After winning the MEAC Championship back in March and going to their first ever NCAA appearance, Kim Terrell-Kearney announced that she will be stepping down as the head coach of Lady Hornets Bowling. I was asking myself why did she step down? The answered is simple she accepted the job to work at United States of Bowling Congress in Arlington, Texas.
Kim told dsuhornets.com that it was very tough decision to leave Delaware State because of the wonderful student athletes and staff, plus she was privileged to work with the Lady Hornets for two years.
Terrell-Kearney guided the Hornets to a school-record 119 wins and first-ever appearance in the NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship Tournament this past season. The Hornets advanced to the national semifinals, two wins shy of reaching the national championship. Named the 2008-09 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Coach-of-the-Year, Terrell-Kearney also captured the bowling team’s first MEAC Tournament championship in March.
Kim has a very good resume as a coach and as a professional bowler. The Hornet family will miss Kim Terrell-Kearney. Is the lady hornets bowling program in trouble? We don't know but they are currently looking for a new head coach before the new season starts this winter.
Hornets Baseball
On June 10th, former Hornets pitcher Dan Perkins was selected the 27th Round draft pick by the Colorado Rockies. He was sixth Hornets player to be drafted to Major League Baseball since 1991 and the first since 2004. Welcome to the big leagues Rocky Mountian Perkins. (New nickname I made up).
Three days before the students begin their first day of classes head coach J.P. Blandin named former Delaware Blue Hen Scott Shockley as their new outfielders coach while assisting in hitting instructions with Assistant Coach Mike August. A great move for Hornets baseball.
Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Even though Alston Bolt may have dominate the summer breaking world records, the Hornets Track & Field took over the month of June. From Donte Holmes All-American recognition, advancing to the NCAA track Nationals, coach Bell's First State Track honorship, to Leslie Murray's accomplishment in the NCAA's and Nationals the men's outdoor track & field is gaining momentum for next season.
Lady Hornets Softball
Softball Jeff Savage signed Penn State transfer Janelle Lukens to compete for Lady Hornets for the 2010 softball season. She will bring a Big Ten experience and should be a team leader for the Lady Hornets. Lady Hornets is expecting to sign five new players before the upcoming season.
Lady Hornets Basketball
Head Coach Ed Davis has signed four new players to join the Lady Hornets family: Guard/Forward Crystal Pitt, forward Kianna D’Oliveira, guard Jamarra Robinson, and center Uchechi Ahaiwe. These ladies will bring a greater bench production for the lady hornets for the upcoming 2009-2010 season.
Also the new lady hornets schedule is out with 14 home games and some big non-conference games including being in L.A. for the Women of Troy Classic tournament playing USC. This will be a tough year but I think the lady hornets will pull through but they still have Hampton in their heads from the MEAC Tournament back in March.
Men's Basketball
Head coach Greg Jackson Sr. has wanted the Hornets to play the toughest non-conference games ever and this year will be no different from last year and the previous years. They will be playing 21 teams from nine different conferences. Here's some good news though the Hornets will begin the 2009-2010 season with five straight home games November 14-December 1. A lot of momentum heading towards their always brutal non-conference schedule. Mark your calenders for December 1 when the Hornets will play the Blue Hens of the University of Delaware at home. What an early Christmas present!!!
Delaware State Football
After 19 days of training camp the Hornets are ready for their first game against Joe Taylor and Florida A&M. But before the hornets prepared to look at game film they will begin the season 0-1. Why? Because of ESPN and other sports writers criticize the Hornets Football team for playing Michigan instead of the conference rival North Carolina A&T. The scheduling started back in the spring when Norfolk refuse to change the date with Delaware State and A&T didn't want to swap dates either forcing the Hornets to forfeit.
Finally we have a new Athletic Director back in April and his name is Derek Carter from Bowie State University. I wish him the best of luck on turing Athletic Department into a promising future without conflict.
Well Summer it was a great off season now the real season begins with fall sports. Until then see you again in Summer 2010 with more off season headlines.
Sincerely,
Clarence Varnado III
P.S. HORNETS!!!
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