FOOTBALL
Head Coach: Larry Little
NCCU head football coach Larry Little and his Eagle squad battled for their second consecutive winning campaign with a 6-5 record. After dropping the first three contests of the season, the Eagles rallied back to earn three victories, including a 24-5 thrashing of Division I-AA Bethune-Cookman, where Little played, coached and received his undergraduate degree. The Eagles dropped below .500 by losing the next two games, but ended the season with three straight wins, including a championship title at the Wilmington Sportsmen's Classic and a Homecoming victory over Johnson C. Smith.
NCCU players were showered with post-season individual honors, boasting more All-CIAA recipients than any other school in the conference with 11 representatives, including first team selections tight end Antoine Calloway, kickoff return specialist Monte' Southerland, and linebacker James Grant. Named to the second team were offensive linemen Rodney Armston and Kerry Harbor, punter Trei Oliver, place kicker Kevin Houston, defensive lineman Michael Lattimore, defensive backs Greg Williams-Evans and Buddy Crutchfield, and punt return specialist Adrian Jones.
Freshmen roommates Trei Oliver and Buddy Crutchfield made their presence felt by being named to the All-CIAA Rookie Team, Oliver as a punter and Crutchfield as a defensive back.
Place-kicker Kevin Houston, defensive end Michael Lattimore, and defensive back Greg Williams-Evans received mention outside the CIAA with selections to the NCAA Division II All-South Region Team. Williams-Evans and wide receiver Moses Ware were chosen to play in a National All-Stars Bowl Game, a showcase for college seniors with professional football potential.
Ware concluded his Eagle gridiron career fourth on NCCU's all-time receiving list with 132 receptions for 1,822 yards and 15 touchdowns. Williams-Evans finished eighth on the Eagle's all-time interceptions list with 13 INTs for 123 return yards.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Head Coach: Ingrid Wicker Cruz
In the inaugural women's volleyball season under head coach Ingrid Cruz, the Lady Eagles placed third in the CIAA Southern Division to advance to the CIAA Championships with records of 8-4 in the CIAA South, 13-6 in the conference, and 16-14 overall.
At the 1994 CIAA Women's Volleyball Round-Up, a weekend of competition between the conference's two divisions, the host Lady Eagles posted a near perfect 5-1 record to tie for second place.
During the season, three Lady Eagles earned weekly honors by the conference. On Oct. 17, freshman outside hitter Kimberly McClinton was named the CIAA Player of the Week, collecting 37 kills, 24 digs, 12 blocks, and four services aces in four games. On Oct. 26, senior Suzette Feemster was selected CIAA Player of the Week and freshman Vivian White earned CIAA Rookie of the Week honors. In NCCU's best performance that week against Fayetteville State, Feemster tallied 25 kills, 24 digs, five service aces and two blocks, while White added 21 kills, 41 digs, four blocks and a service ace.
Five Lady Eagles were honored with post season conference awards. Kimberly Jessup, Suzette Feemster and Vrlynda Wilkes earned All-CIAA honors, while Kimberly McClinton and Vivian White were named to the All-CIAA Rookie Team.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Head Coach: Greg Jackson
The 1994-95 Eagle basketball season was the year for "Poetry 'n Moton." Junior guard LeVelle Moton, nicknamed "Poetry 'n Moton" for his silky smooth jump shot and effortless play on the court, led the CIAA and the South Atlantic Region in scoring with 23.5 points per game. This season's 19th leading scorer in the NCAA Division II, Moton netted 611 points to become the 18th all-time leading scorer at NCCU with 1,140 points in three years. For his accomplishments, Moton was named All-CIAA, All-South Atlantic Region, and All-America Honorable Mention, making the Raleigh native one of the top 25 players in the country.
Two newcomers to the Eagle squad, Troy Boyer and Kenny Curtis, made lofty contributions in their first season. Each received CIAA Rookie of the Week honors three times, and each was recognized by the conference in the post-season. Curtis was named to the All-CIAA Rookie Team, while Boyer earned the CIAA Rookie of the Year award.
As a team, the Eagles finished fourth in the CIAA Southern Division with records of 6-6 in the South, 10-9 in the conference, and 13-11 overall. They advance to the CIAA Tournament and defeated Bowie State, 69-61, before losing to eventual champion Virginia Union, 72-64. The final tally - 14 wins, 12 losses - head coach Greg Jackson's fourth consecutive non-losing season.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Head Coach: Jacqueline Pinnix
After dropping their first five games, a young Lady Eagle squad battled to win 9 of their next 16 games for a third place position in the CIAA Southern Division. During that stretch, the Lady Eagles notched four consecutive victories, the longest win streak since the team's last winning season in 1989-90.
The momentum, however, came to a screeching halt, as the Lady Eagles lost their last three regular season games to place fourth in the South (7-5, 9-10, 9-15), and then lost their first round contest against Hampton in the CIAA Tournament.
Despite the appearance of a 9-16 overall record, the Lady Eagles earned much respect in the CIAA. Consisting of mostly freshmen and sophomores, the young team will be much improved next year, and looking for just the third winning season in NCCU women's basketball history.
Leading next year's charge will be 1994-95 team captain Michelle Harrison. The sophomore guard terrorized opposing guards this season both offensively and defensively. The Salem, VA, native averaged 18.0 points (6th in CIAA), 5.6 rebounds, 3.9 steals (2nd in CIAA), and 3.6 assists (10th in CIAA). Harrison established career-highs this season with 40 points (vs. JCSU, Feb. 1), 13 assists (vs. St. Paul's, Jan. 17), and 11 rebounds (vs. WSSU, Jan. 15), while earning the CIAA player of the Week award three times.
MEN'S & WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
Head Coach: Michael Lawson
"Small in quantity, big in quality." That's how one may describe the 1994-95 men's and women's track & field program.
During the indoor season, six NCCU student-athletes posted provisionally qualifying times and distances for the 1995 NCAA Division II Indoor Track Championships held in Indianapolis, Indiana. Freshman sensation Nzinga Poteat recorded the second fastest time in the country for NCAA Division II with a 55.74 in the 400-meter dash. Junior Pathereka Miller ran a 57.04 in the 400-meter dash to qualify for the national championships as a No. 7 seed. Other provisional qualifiers were sophomore Lynetta "Butterfly" Golden in the 55-meter dash (7.13), freshman Kimberly McPhatter in the high jump (5'-6"), and freshman Tyrone Fox in the triple jump (48'-11").
Miller, Poteat, Golden, and sophomore Tamica Burnett combined to form the Lady Eagle 4x400-meter relay team, which was seeded fourth entering the indoor championships with a time of 3:50.82. The four-some surpassed that time in the NCAA Division II Indoor Track Championships by notching a time of 3:46.74 to earn All-America honors.
The first meet of the outdoor season was a successful one for both the men's and women's squads, as NCCU hosted the fifth annual LeRoy T. Walker Olympic Development Meet.
Individually, Lynetta Golden took first place in both the women's 100-meter dash (12.31) and 200-meter dash (25.18). She also ran key legs for second place in the 4x100-meter relay (47.96) and first place in the 4x400-meter relay (3:55.43).
The women's 4x400-meter relay team, which raced for All-America honors just a week earlier, earned NCCU's fifth consecutive L.T. Walker Invitational 4x400-meter relay title.
Pathereka Miller, who ran the first leg of the winning 4x400-meter relay, also took first place in the women's 400-meter dash with a time of 55.94.
In her first outdoor meet as a Lady Eagle, Kimberly McPhatter won the women's high jump event with a meet record-tying leap of 5'-4".
For the men, Danny Williams took second place in the 800-meter dash (1:58.80), Troy Frazier captured second place in the long jump (21'-5.5"), Chris Ross placed third in the 400-meter dash (49.49), James Grant placed third in the shot put (42'-4"), and Tyrone Fox tied for third place in the triple jump (46'-5").
NCCU qualified seven student-athletes for competition at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Emporia, Kansas. Junior Pathereka Miller came away with All-America honors in the women's 400-meter dash, finishing third with a time of 54.86.
Entering the national championships, the Lady Eagle 4x400-meter relay team held the second fastest time in the NCAA Division II with a 3:41.53. During the championship race, however, the third leg of the relay team dropped the baton while trying to hold on to first place. The unfortunate incident dashed any hopes of a national championship for the Lady Eagle four-some.
Other NCCU results from the NCAA Division II National Championships are as follows: Lynetta Golden (women's 200m) 25.28, 13th overall; John Leak (men's 400m hurdles) 53.67, 13th overall; Tamica Burnett (women's 400m hurdles) 1:05.49, 15th overall; Nzinga Poteat (women's 800m) 2:13.20, 12th overall; and the women's 4x100m relay, 47.58, 10th overall.
SOFTBALL
Head Coach: Ingrid Wicker Cruz
After a slow start to the 1995 North Carolina Central University softball season, a young Lady Eagle squad won 12 of their next 14 games, including an eight-game win-streak, to earn a berth into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Spring Sports Championships in Norfolk, VA.
Led by head coach Ingrid Cruz and assistant coach J.D. Hall, 13 Lady Eagles, including nine first-year players, pulled together in the second-half of the season to capture fourth place in the CIAA Southern Division.
The '95 NCCU softball squad continued the Lady Eagle tradition as a national offensive power, finishing the campaign third in the NCAA Division II in both team batting (.417) and scoring (11.21 runs per game). Several Lady Eagles were also recognized as one of the nation's leaders in five offensive categories.
Sophomore center fielder Jura Gerald (St. Paul, NC) earned team M.V.P. honors for leading NCCU in hits (55), doubles (14) and home runs (13), while finishing as one of the nation's leaders in four NCAA Division II offensive categories. Gerald was fourth in the nation in hitting with a .545 batting average, fifth in doubles with 14, sixth in home runs with 13, and 11th in runs batted in with 48 RBI.
Sophomore first baseman/left fielder Tia Watlington (Winston-Salem, NC) also placed in four NCAA Division II offensive categories, finishing 11th in batting (.539), seventh in home runs (10), fifth in runs batted in (50), and 13th in stolen bases (33).
Sophomore shortstop Michelle Harrison (Salem, VA) was seven games shy of leading the nation in batting. In 18 games, Harrison led the Lady Eagles and the CIAA with a .780 batting average (39 for 50), while adding 37 RBI, 32 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, and 11 home runs.
Junior pitcher/designated hitter Katina Wagner (Mocksville, NC) was sixth in the NCAA Division II in home runs (9), ninth in runs batted in (43), and 13th in triples (6). Amazingly, in her first-ever outing as a pitcher, Wagner earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Hampton (VA) Invitational.
Freshman catcher Farrah Murden (Paoli, PA) caught every inning of all 33 games this season. Her consistent defensive skills and .368 batting average earned the Lady Eagle the NCCU Coaches Award and CIAA All-Rookie honors.
"Many of our student-athletes had outstanding individual seasons, and at one time or another, everyone made contributions and sacrifices for the team," said Cruz, following her inaugural season as Lady Eagle head coach.
"Considering we had nine first-year players, including two first-year pitchers, we had a respectable season," said Hall, the Lady Eagle assistant coach. "Next year we will have a veteran club returning, and our expectations are high."
MEN'S TENNIS
Head Coach: D. Curtis Lawson
North Carolina Central University head tennis coach D. Curtis Lawson preached to his team all season long about earning respect. Lawson continuously told his squad, "Win or lose, when you leave the court you should have won the respect of your opponent."
The 1995 Eagle tennis team responded with a record-breaking season, winning the CIAA Southern Division Championship and placing third at the CIAA Spring Sports Championships for the first time in more than 10 years, while finishing second overall in the CIAA for the first time since the legendary Dr. James W. Younge era back in the mid-70s. NCCU posted a record of 10-0 in the South, 12-2 in the CIAA, and 14-5 overall, to earn a new-found respect in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Lawson searched long and hard through the imperfect NCCU tennis files, but could not pin-point the last time the Eagle tennis squad has posted so many accomplishments in one extraordinary season. "I know for sure it has been at least 10 years," said Lawson, now in his fourth season as head coach, "but I believe it has been longer."
The tennis program at NCCU was started back in 1946, then called North Carolina College, but the record books are not complete. The team enjoyed national prominence under Dr. Younge from the late-40s into the mid-70s, but have not rekindled that kind of success ... until now.
"This '95 tennis season is a milestone for this administration and the University as a whole," Lawson said. "Our success was due to a combination of key leadership from our veteran players (Louis Perkins, Craig Harding), big play from our underclassmen (Jason Hampton, David Bowden), and an outstanding support staff led by Assistant Coach James Robbins." And while he admits that all of his players worked hard enough to earn the team's Most Valuable Player award, sophomore Terry Neal (Charlotte, NC) won the honor. "If we had one player as the 'ace in the hole' it was Terry," Lawson said. "We could count on Terry to win against just about any team we played."
After winning the regular season CIAA Southern Division crown, the Eagles travelled to Norfolk, VA, for the CIAA Spring Sports Championships. NCCU left Norfolk with the third place trophy, their only loss coming at the hands of host Norfolk State. Senior Malcolm Greene (Washington, DC) earned honorable mention Tournament M.V.P. honors by going undefeated during match play.
"We could have placed as high as second," Lawson said. "But the luck of the draw pinned us against Norfolk State (who handed the Eagles their only CIAA loss during the regular season) in the second round. The lottery draw adds excitement to any tournament, but in this case, it did not work in our favor."
NOTE:
Tragedy struck the Eagle football squad and the entire NCCU community when Alphonza Carpenter, Jr., a starting offensive lineman and celebrated student-athlete, died on September 27, 1994.
North Carolina Central University announced the hiring of Dr. William E. Lide as the new Director of Athletics, effective May 1, 1995.
