First-class basketball facilities

A support staff committed to the success of the student-athlete

One of the most livable cities in America with great weather all year long

A campus of champions with 10 conference basketball championships

A University with deep and rich tradition and spirit

Big game rivalries and quality nationally ranked opponents

LADY RAM BASKETBALL

One of the top public liberal arts universities in the South

A Division I basketball program on the rise

A member of a competitive basketball conference

A team receiving national media exposure

Alumni in the National Basketball Association and playing overseas

Unparalleled gameday atmosphere at the C .E . Gaines Center and the LJVM Coliseum Complex

This is...OFFICIAL 08-09

1

For the second straight season, the Winston-Salem State University Lady Rams will take part in the Womens Basketball Coaches Associations breast cancer awareness initiative . On February 14th, the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum Annex will become the PinkZone .

The WBCA Pink Zone initiative is a global unified effort for the Womens Basketball Associations (WBCA) nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, around campuses, in communities, and beyond .

Last season, the Lady Rams will be one of over 1,000 university and high school teams to take part in the WBCAs Think Pink initiative . The response featured one of the highest attended single womens games of the season for the Lady Rams .

Last seasons Think Pink game included face painting and a number of other activities . The effort helped raise money for the North Carolina affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Sister Speak Foundation .

OFFICIAL 08-092

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OFFICIAL 08-09

A Nationally Recognized University

Ranked by U.S. News and World Reports Best Colleges and Universities publication as one of the best public liberal arts colleges in the south for the last seven years .

The present day Winston-Salem State University has come a long way from its humble beginning as Slater Industrial Academy in 1892 . WSSU now enrolls nearly 6,000 students, offers bachelors degrees in nearly 43 academic majors, masters degrees in 10 programs and employs nearly 250 full-time faculty and 400 full-time staff members .

WSSUs low student:faculty ratio of 18:1 encourages personal attention and one-on-one interaction between teachers and students helping to foster students quest for knowledge and create an interpersonal relationship between faculty and students .

Enter to learn, Depart to serve, is the motto of Winston-Salem State University . With a shared vision of academic excellence, the students, faculty and administration of WSSU work together to create a sense of community and a nurturing atmosphere in order to promote leadership and responsibility .

WSSU placed 78th among all universities in conferring baccalaureate degrees to African-American men and women in the most recent ranking of the Top 100 Degree Producers by the respected publication Black Issues in Higher Education .

WSSU placed 36th among all universities in conferring baccalaureate degrees in Computer and Information Science to African-American men and women according to the most recent ranking of the Top 100 Degree Producers by the respected publication Black Issues in Higher Education .

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WSSU placed 40th among all universities in conferring baccalaureate degrees in the Social Sciences to African-American men and women according to the Top 100 Degree Producers study .

WSSU ranks 37th among all universities in conferring Health Sciences baccalaureate degrees to minority students according to the most recent ranking of the Top 100 Degree Producers by the respected publication Black Issues in Higher Education .

With WSSUs focus on cutting-edge technology all WSSU entering freshmen are required to bring or purchase a desktop and personal data assistant (PDA), or laptop, or PC tablet that meets the Universitys Technology Requirement Initiative (TRI) specifications. WSSUs campus is completely wireless with three computer labs in the Virginia K . Newell Academic Computer Center, as well as at least one computer lab per residence hall . Students have the opportunity to engage in computing anywhere, anytime at WSSU .

With approximately 100 clubs and organizations, life on campus is what students make it . Whether they march in the WSSU band, work on the yearbook, join a fraternity or sorority, sing in the WSSU Choir or play intramural sports, students have many great ways to interact, make new friends and have fun .

There are a variety of campus traditions that keep the spirit and energy of Winston-Salem State University going strong . From new student and freshman activities to homecoming to International Week, Black History Month, Greek Week, Career Day and the Coronation Ball, there are plenty of campus traditions to make a students time here truly memorable .

5

The WSSU Department of Athletics prides itself on a strong commitment to the academic success of the student-athletes, giving student-athletes an opportunity to not only play their chosen sport at the highest level, but also allow the student-athlete an opportunity to take advantage of the wealth of academic opportunities that are available .

The WSSU Office of Athletics-Academic Services provides support to WSSUs 300-plus student-athletes and helps them realize higher academic achievement along with a higher level of maturity and self-responsibility .

WSSU is consistently recognized for its outstanding student-athlete graduation rates . The national average for student-athletes is 68 percent . Since 2003, WSSU has graduated an impressive 80 percent of its basketball players on schedule .

Over the last two seasons nearly 30 percent of scholarship basketball student-athletes have earned a grade point average of 3 .0 or better in either the fall or spring semesters, or both .

Over the last two seasons 10 WSSU basketball student-athletes have been named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Commissioners All-Academic team .

The average cumulative GPA for WSSUs student-athletes over the 2007-08 academic year was an impressive 2 .61 .

71 Winston-Salem State University student-athletes earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 3 .0 in the 2007-08 academic year .

Four Winston-Salem State University student-athletes carried perfect 4 .0 grade point averages at the conclusion of the 2007-08 academic year .

Championship Academics

OFFICIAL 08-096

7

The 2008-09 season marks the third year for the Rams at the NCAA Division I level and will again continue to usher in a new age of basketball history for Winston-Salem State University . The transition from Division II to the nations highest level of intercollegiate athletic competition at the NCAA Division I level will require changes and improvements to nearly every facet of the basketball program, with the uniforms that the players wear being no different .

The Rams, as part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, have partnered with world-renowned corporate entities Russell Athletic and Nike to help outfit their teams. As part of the partnership between Nike and Russell Athletic, the MEAC, and the 12 conference member schools, each institution receives complimentary uniforms from Russell Athletic and an allotment of footwear from Nike, the worlds most esteemed footwear brand . The 2008-09 season marks the third consecutive year that the Rams have participated in this partnership and the Rams will again wear apparel and footwear from the pair of industry leaders .

From its beginnings in 1902, Russell Corporation has prided itself on the quality and value of its products -and on its commitment to its employees and the communities where it operates . Russell has long been a company that is able to take advantage of changes in the marketplace, changes in technology, and changes in its products . Building on its heritage as an athletic company, Russell has become a global leader in the sporting goods industry with apparel and equipment for all levels of activity - from the playing fields of major colleges to the backyards of homes across the country .

With its well-known brands such as Russell Athletic, JERZEES, Spalding, Moving Comfort and a variety of technically designed running shoes from Brooks Sports, Russell Corporation has the products to meet the needs of the serious athlete to the weekend warrior - and everything in between . That is why the Rams and all 12 members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, as well as over 500 other NCAA member institutions choose Russell Athletic for all of their uniform and apparel needs .

The Rams, like all other college basketball programs in the NCAA, will wear dark colored jerseys on the road and light colored jerseys at home . The Rams will wear a scarlet red (PMS 199) road jersey with white taping for all road games . The dri-power jerseys will

feature tackle-twill numbers on the front and back with name plates adorning the back of the jersey . The Rams athletic mark will be embroidered on the front placket, and the MEAC logo will emblazon the left chest . The 2008-09 season will see the Rams unveil a new road uniform designed by Russell Athletic . The game jersey is composed of 86 percent nylon and 14 percent spandex and is a loose-fitting jersey designed to help control overheating with a state-of-the-art moisture management system .

WSSUs home jersey will be a white Russell Athletic dri-power top with red taping . The home jersey is nearly the mirror opposite of the road jersey with tackle-twill numbers on the front and back with name plates adorning the back of the jersey . The Rams athletic mark will again be embroidered on the front placket and the MEAC logo will emblazon the left chest . The 2008-09 season will be the second season of use for the Rams home jersey which is also designed by Russell Athletic . The home game jersey is composed of 86 percent nylon and 14 percent spandex and is also a loose-fitting jersey designed to help control overheating with a state-of-the-art moisture management system . The Rams also possess a third color alternate jersey that is identical to the home and road jerseys with the exception of being black in color (PMS Black) .

The footwear of choice for the Rams will be emblazoned with the world-famous Nike Swoosh . Nike, Inc . operates on six continents with suppliers, shippers, retailers and service providers employing close to one million people . The diversity inherent in such size is helping Nike evolve its role as a global company . Nike, Inc . is committed to an attitude whereby they see a bigger picture today than when they started, one that includes building sustainable business with sound labor practices . Nike, Inc . retains the zeal of youth yet acts on their responsibilities as a global corporate citizen . As a direct result of these future-minded business practices, Nike, Inc . has become the worlds largest supplier of footwear to the NCAA and currently holds a market share near 65% .

The Rams will wear up to five different models of footwear in 2008-09 including, but not limited to, the Nike Powermax TB, Nike Hyperdunk, Nike Zoom Soldier II TB, Nike Shox Slam TB, and the Nike Air Bizness . As long as the Rams continue to stay on the cutting edge of athletic performance, they will wear Nikes cutting-edge footwear and Russell Athletic uniforms .

A Nike &Russell School

OFFICIAL 08-098

The Rams are a high profile team that receive local, regional and national media attention in print, on the Internet, and on the radio and television .

Over the past five seasons, the Winston-Salem State University mens basketball team has appeared on television five times and has posted a 2-3 mark when doing so . The Rams have appeared on live television in all five of those contests.

Winston-Salem State University athletic teams have appeared on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, BET, Fox Sports Net, MASN (the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network), the NFL Network, and MediaComm over the past five seasons.

As part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference television partnership, the WSSU football and mens and womens basketball teams appear on television at least one time each during their regular seasons .

In 2007 WSSU football defeated Florida A&M by the score of 27-23 in the 2007 Circle City Classic at the RCA Dome in a game aired live on the NFL Network . The broadcast marked the first college game ever shown on the NFL Network .

In 2008-09 the Rams will host a pair of nationally televised mens basketball contests as they face Morgan State (Feb . 7) and Bethune-Cookman (March 2) on ESPNU HD .

In 2003, the WSSU football team defeated arch rival North Carolina Central by the score of 47-0 in a nationally-televised contest that was shown live on Black Entertainment Television (BET) .

With a first-class athletic website and a partnership with CBS Sports Online, WSSURAMS .com receives over 10,000 hits a month and hosts over 1,000 unique visitors each day .

National Media Exposure

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OFFICIAL 08-09

The Lady Rams pride themselves on their defensive effort that features a high-pressure on-the-ball effort that looks to force opponent mistakes .

The Lady Rams had the sixth highest blocked shots per game average among Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams in their first season of MEAC play. The team totaled 76 total blocked shots last season .

The Lady Rams totaled 183 team steals and averaged 6 .5 steals per game with a season-high 12 steals against Auburn in the opening round of the 2007 Klosterman Buckeye Classic tournament .

The Lady Rams recorded at least 10 steals in a three games last season .

The Lady Rams forced 529 opponent turnovers last season . The team forced 18 .9 opponent turnovers . The Lady Rams forced a season-high 39 Norfolk State turnovers in front of the home crowd in Winston-Salem, N .C . last season .

WSSU opponents found points hard to come by as the team held opponents to scoring 68 .0 points per game and a .412 field goal percentage.

The Lady Rams forced at least 20 opponent turnovers in 13 games last season . The team forced opponents into a 0 .8 assist-to-turnover ratio .

The Lady Rams had a season-high nine blocked shots at South Carolina State in last seasons season finale. The team added seven blocked shots against the Longwood Lancers .

The Lady Rams had at least one blocked shot in 24 of the teams 28 games last season .

A Dominating Defense10

The Lady Rams feature a fast-paced offense that allows each player the opportunity to utilize their individual offensive skills in a team environment .

Winston-Salem State averaged 45 .6 points per game last season, but will bring a wealth of offensive talent to the table in the 2008-09 season .

The Lady Rams were efficient on offense last season with a .300 team field goal percentage last season . WSSUs Vontisha Woods led the way with a team-best .420 field goal percentage.

Eight different Lady Rams led the team in scoring last season with forward Vontisha Woods leading the team in scoring in six games last season . Seven of the eight players will return to the team this season .

The Lady Rams had a knack for shooting from long distance with 25% of the teams shots made coming from beyond the three-point line .

The Lady Rams will return their top five scorers from last seasons team . The team returns over 80% of their total offense from last seasons squad .

A Potent Offense11

Basketball Game Day - An Unparalleled Atmosphere

OFFICIAL 08-0912

The Rams play their home games at any one of three of the most impressive basketball venues in the nation as WSSU calls the C .E . Gaines Center, the LJVM Coliseum and the Coliseum Annex home .

WSSU will play home games at the C .E . Gaines Center on the campus of Winston-Salem State University several times in 2008-09 . The 3,200-seat arena, bearing the namesake of legendary WSSU coach Clarence Big House Gaines, puts Ram fans right on top of the action .

The Rams will face their biggest rival, the North Carolina A&T Aggies at the LJVM Coliseum, one of the most beautiful basketball facilities in America . The 14,665-seat venue has seen WSSU take on cross-town rival Wake Forest, Hampton, Howard, MD-Eastern Shore and a host of others .

The LJVM Coliseum will serve as the home for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament for the next three years beginning in 2009 . The venue has also hosted the NCAA Mens Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds four times (1993, 1997, 2000 and 2007) .

WSSUs primary home is the Coliseum Annex, a 4,200-seat venue that the Lady Rams call home . WSSU posted a 2-11 record at home in 2007-08 including a thrilling 56-51 win over the Bethune-Cookman Lady Wildcats .

The Rams five largest attended games in WSSU history have come in the last three seasons as WSSU has renewed rivalries with and played host to long-time foes and drew the largest single-game crowd in history when they faced North Carolina A&T in front of more than 4,200 fans .

The C .E . Gaines Center is an on-campus facility that saw its first action in 1971. The 3,200-seat venue is owned by Winston-Salem State University and is managed by the WSSU Department of Athletics .

The LJVM Coliseum and Coliseum Annex are owned and operated by the city of Winston-Salem, and sitting only a short three miles from the main WSSU campus are a convenient location for Ram fans and WSSU students . Shuttles to and from campus are made possible by a joint venture between the WSSU Department of Athletics, WSSU Office of Student Affairs and the City of Winston-Salem .

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The Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics recently opened a state-of-the-art 20,992 square foot athletic fieldhouse which was welcomed by an official ribbon-cutting ceremony in May of 2008.

The five-million dollar building was designed by Carlos Espinosa of Thomas H . Hughes Architecture, P .C . and was built by Triad Builders of King, North Carolina under the guidance of Project Manager, Aric Bullington and Superintendent, Doug Boelsche .

The fieldhouse houses all of WSSUs football, sports medicine, and athletic administration offices as well a pair of general-use offices, two skyboxes, and over 4,000 square feet of meeting space .

Perched atop of the back of the fieldhouse is the newest and most advanced video board in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference . With a total cost approaching nearly $400,000 dollars, the board was assembled by Texas Star Solutions and manufactured by Lighthouse . The Rams video board is built to the same exacting standards as a pair of Lighthouse video boards that adorn Qwest Field in Seattle, the home of the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL .

The fieldhouse is the home of Winston-Salem State University football with a cutting-edge pair of locker rooms, training rooms, and a 4,000 square foot speed, strength and conditioning training facility .

Adjacent to the fieldhouse, the Rams are putting the finishing touches on their new practice facility which will be home to a full 100-yard grass football field and a 50-yard next generation FieldTurf surfaced practice field.

The focal point of the new WSSU Athletic Fieldhouse is the 1,600 square foot hospitality room that sits adjacent to the open-air, full-length deck with accommodations for over 400 VIPs and guests of WSSU football .

Also included in the fieldhouse are offense and defense meeting rooms with a state-of-the-art video editing software system for breaking down game film. Each assistant football coach has access to video playback capability in their individual offices.

WSSU Athletic Fieldhouse

OFFICIAL 08-0914

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OFFICIAL 08-0916

Student-Athletes at Winston-Salem State University have full calendars: classes, labs and study groups plus practices, workouts, and team meetings . Nonetheless, most WSSU student-athletes find time in their schedules to reach out to their community and prepare for life after their athletic careers at WSSU are over . The Rams and Lady Rams are extremely active in the community . From youth reading programs to after school activities, the student-athletes at WSSU are constantly giving back to their communities .

CHAMPS/Life SkillsCHAMPS (CHallenging Athletes Minds for Personal Success) was implemented in NCAA institutions beginning in 1994 . The CHAMPS/Life Skills program was created to improve and enhance the student-athlete experience within their selected communities . The program was founded at Winston-Salem State University in 1998 and is under the guidance of Associate Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator Tonia Walker .

The purpose of CHAMPS/Life Skills is to prepare student-athletes for their life after athletics, says Tonia Walker, WSSUs CHAMPS/Life Skills Director . The student-athletes help to mentor youth in the community, thereby strengthening not only their bond with the community but the communitys bond with the students and athletes of WSSU .

The CHAMPS/Life Skills program has five commitments for the establishment of a well-rounded student-athlete . Those commitments include academics, athletics, career development, personal development, and community service. It is through those five areas that the program works to develop not only quality student-athletes, but also exceptional individuals .

Student-Athlete Advisory CouncilCHAMPS/Life Skills offers student-athletes the opportunity to enhance their experience as Rams through leadership opportunities . In addition to community activities, the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program has a Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) that meets once a month to discuss issues dealing with the welfare of the student-athletes .

The SAAC consists of one representative from every varsity sport at WSSU, with the exception of football, which is represented by two student-athletes . Each team is guaranteed one seat on the Council . The council is governed by a constitution and is student-athlete led .

Involvement in the CHAMPS/Life Skills program is voluntary, yet each year over 150 WSSU student-athletes participate . In 2007-08, CHAMPS/Life Skills members volunteered more than 800 hours, reaching thousands of local children .

Rams In The Community17

All Winston-Salem State University student-athletes receive first-class care from the WSSU Sports Medicine staff which is comprised of a team of certified athletic trainers, family practice physicians, orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine consultants, and a group of undergraduate students who are completing clinical experiences in the Department of Human Performance and Sport Sciences .

The Sports Medicine program at WSSU is closely associated with the WFU Baptist Medical Center Department of Sports Medicine . As a result, all injured student-athletes at WSSU receive immediate attention from physicians with the highest credentials .

The Winston-Salem State University Sports Medicine philosophy is two-fold: to assist in preventing injuries through effective seasonal and research-oriented programs, and to facilitate an aggressive post-injury total-body rehabilitation program for a timely return to competition .

In all cases, the ultimate total well being of each student-athlete is the top priority . WSSUs aggressive and functional approach encompasses a wide array of Sports Medicine consultants . Several rehabilitation programs may include osteopathic manual medicine, exercise physiology, nutrition, biomechanical evaluations, sports psychiatry, massage therapy and orthopedic surgeons .

The WSSU Sports Medicine staff is comprised of certified athletic trainer and Director of Sports Medicine, Darrell Turner, M .Ed ., ATC, LAT; Sarah Muslim, M .S ., ATC, LAT, COCS; Felicia Tucker, M .S ., ATC; Sharron Elliott, M .S ., ATC, CSCS; Dr . Cristin Ferguson, M .D ., team orthopedic surgeon; Dr . Daryl Rosenbaum, M .D ., team physician, and Dr . Heath Thornton, M .D ., team physician .

The most important aspect of the Sports Medicine program is the athletes . At WSSU we utilize a family approach where we try to provide the athletes with the same exceptional level of healthcare that we would want our own family to receive, Director of Sports Medicine, Darrell Turner, M .Ed ., ATC, LAT said .

ExceptionalSports Medicine

OFFICIAL 08-09

Darrell TurnerHead Athletic Trainer

Heath ThorntonTeam Physician

Felicia TuckerAssistant Athletic Trainer

Cristin FergusonOrthopedic Surgeon

18

Much of what it takes to become a successful student-athlete at Winston-Salem State University begins in the weight room .

Mike Ketchum, Winston-Salem State University footballs Defensive Coordinator also serves double-duty as the WSSU Athletic Departments strength and conditioning advisor . Ketchum, with the cooperation of WSSU Director of Sports Medicine, Darrell Turner M .Ed ., ATC have implemented a strength and conditioning program that challenges each and every player to the utmost . It is the goal of Ketchum and Turner to help each student-athlete at WSSU maximize their athletic potential while adding speed, strength, and size .

Under the direction of both Ketchum and Turner, the WSSU Strength and Conditioning program has adopted an aggressive attitude in making a commitment to winning . This commitment applies to the teams efforts on the fields and courts of play and to the teams hard work and dedication in the weight room .

To fulfill this commitment, Winston-Salem State University has completely remodeled its athletes-only Whitaker Strength and Conditioning facility .

Inside the 3,800 square foot facility there are nine workstations that each include a power rack, Olympic lifting platform, squat stand, bumper and a complete weight tree . As well, the facility houses two complete sets of dumbbells from 10-125 pounds, a 0-90 degree utility bench, chin-up bars and a dip rack .

The Rams also make use of the new 4,000 square foot WSSU Athletic Fieldhouse weight room that contains 10 Hammer Strength power stations, six Olympic dead lift stations, a full complement of dumbbells from 10-125 pounds, a neck machine and a new, state-of-the-art treadmill .

These tools afford Winston-Salem State University student-athletes the opportunity to maximize their athletic potential .

Both Ketchum and Turner are constantly monitoring the progress of WSSU student-athletes as well as tailoring sport-specific strength and conditioning programs in order to fully take advantages of the innovations in their developing field.

Speed, Strength & Conditioning

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First Class FacilitiesWinston-Salem State University student-athletes have the privilege of playing in some of the finest quality facilities in the nation . From the lush green playing surface at Bowman Gray Stadium to the premium quality hardwood adorning the C .E . Gaines Center, the LJVM Coliseum and Coliseum Annex to the unparalleled quality of the WSSU Athletic Fieldhouse and football practice facility, WSSU athletes have access to the finest athletic resources in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The Winston-Salem State University football team plays its home games in the friendly confines of nearby Bowman Gray Stadium. Constructed in 1948, Bowman Gray Stadium is owned by the city of Winston-Salem and is located one block from the Winston-Salem State University main campus . The stadium holds 18,000 fans for exciting Winston-Salem State Rams football games each fall .

For concerts and special events, Bowman Gray Stadium holds more than 25,000 fans . Every Saturday night from spring until football season in the fall, Bowman Gray features the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series . Seating is available for 20,000 race fans, with most races selling out . Races begin at 8:00 p .m . every Saturday evening, with gates opening at 6:00 p .m .

Bowman Gray Stadium and Winston-Salem State University football are both local legends that attract multitudes of fans on a regular basis . The Rams have been playing at Bowman Gray stadium since the 1946 season

and have amassed a record of 42-24-1 at home since head football coach Kermit Blount took over as Head Coach of the Rams in 1993 . The stadium was also host to Wake Forest University football until the cross-town Deacons moved into Groves Stadium in 1968 .

The stadium houses a natural grass field and an impressive 3,748 square-foot, dual-level, press box. A new $5.1 million fieldhouse was completed in May of 2008 following an 18-month construction process that began following the 2006 football season. The old fieldhouse which stood at Bowman-Gray Stadium for the better part of two decades was removed and a new, state-of-the-art 20,992 square foot athletic fieldhouse was welcomed in an official ribbon-cutting ceremony in May of 2008 .

The five-million dollar building was designed by Carlos Espinosa of Thomas H . Hughes Architecture, P .C . and was built by Triad Builders of King, North Carolina under the guidance of Project Manager, Aric Bullington and Superintendent, Doug Boelsche .

The fieldhouse houses all of WSSUs football, sports medicine, and athletic administration offices as well a pair of general-use offices, two skyboxes, and over 4,000 square feet of meeting space .

Perched atop of the back of the fieldhouse is the newest and most advanced video board in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference . With a total cost approaching nearly $400,000 dollars, the board was assembled by Texas Star Solutions and manufactured by Lighthouse . The Rams video board is built to the same exacting standards as a pair of Lighthouse video boards that adorn Qwest Field in Seattle, the home of the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL .

Measuring 18 feet high and 18 feet wide in the viewable area, the newest generation hi-definition LED display has the capability to reproduce over 16 million colors and is the crowning jewel which sits atop of the Rams state-of-the-art athletic fieldhouse.

Bowman Gray Stadium

OFFICIAL 08-0920

The Clarence E . Gaines Center, known to most as The Gaines Center is one of the trio of sites in which the Winston-Salem State University mens and womens basketball teams compete . It serves as not only a competition site, but as the primary practice facility for both the Rams and Lady Rams, in addition to being the home site for the WSSU womens volleyball team .

What was once considered to be state-of-the-art is now deemed too small for the larger than capacity crowds that both the mens and womens basketball teams generate . While the Gaines Center seats over 3,200 persons, the majority of games have sell-out attendance, prompting the Rams and Lady

Rams recent moves to the LJVM Coliseum and Coliseum Annex .

The Gaines Center is a very hostile place for visiting teams to play, and the Rams and Lady Rams very seldom lose in its friendly confines amassing a home winning percentage near 70 percent for the last decade .

The playing surface, constructed of premium quality hard wood, is resurfaced every year to optimize playing conditions . When fans pack into the Gaines Center to watch WSSU take on opposing teams, the gymnasium becomes a sea of raucous fans, and the temperature inside rises to nearly unbearable levels in the facility which does not have air conditioning .

Originally planned to be a classic Division II arena, the Gaines Center was constructed in 1971 and hosted its first basketball contest in November of that same year . Named after legendary WSSU basketball coach and the NCAAs fifth winningest coach ever, Clarence E . Gaines, and adorned with rows of championship banners hanging from the ceiling, the Gaines Center is a testament to the tradition and history that is Winston-Salem State basketball . Plans for a new 6,500-seat basketball arena/convocation center are in development with construction slated for the 2010-11 academic year .

The Clarence E. Gaines Center

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One of the newest arenas in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, and one of the most beautiful basketball facilities in the country is the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum with a capacity to seat 14,665 fans .

The facility has served as the part-time home of Winston-Salem State University basketball since 2002 and has been home to WSSU basketball more frequently with the Rams transition to the NCAA Division I level . Though the facility is owned by the city of Winston-Salem, with the major tenant being the cross-town Demon Deacons of Wake Forest University, the Rams and Lady Rams play a large portion of their home schedules at the LJVM Coliseum every season .

Since its opening in 1989, the Joel Coliseum has hosted many nationally-known entertainment acts, a wide variety of university and community affairs, and a number of professional and amateur sporting events that have brought the focus of the entire country to the city of Winston-Salem . The coliseum is owned and operated by the city of Winston-Salem, and only through a cooperative effort from civic and corporate leaders did the facility become a reality .

A wonderful basketball facility, the LJVM Coliseum has played host to the CIAA

Basketball Championship and the NCAA Mens Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds (1993, 1997, 2000 and 2007) . It also played host to a prestigious Davis Cup tennis match between the United States and India. The facility hosted the first and second rounds of the 2007 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship in March of 2007 marking the fourth time that the arena has hosted this event .

In June of 2008 the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced that the MEAC Basketball Tournament would be played at the LJVM Coliseum for the next three years, marking the second conference championship played in the arena in the twenty-year history of the facility .

Lawrence Joel Coliseum was actually almost two decades in the making . Twice during the 1970s (1976 and 1979), the voters of Winston-Salem rejected bond proposals that would have led to the replacement of the aging memorial coliseum . In December of 1984, however, the process was renewed again, and this time the plan was approved . A citizens committee determined the best size for the proposed facility, as well as a plan for an adjacent annex that could be used to supplement the calendar of events anticipated .

That annex, referred to as the LJVM Coliseum Annex, is used by the Rams for basketball in addition to the C .E . Gaines Center and the LJVM Coliseum . The total cost for the facilities was estimated at $26 million .

The new coliseum was named for Lawrence Joel, the only native of Winston-Salem, N .C . who has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nations highest combat award . Joel, an Army medic who passed away in 1984, was recognized for saving the lives of 13 fellow soldiers during a Viet Cong attack north of Saigon in 1965 . Although twice wounded in the legs by enemy machinegun fire, Joel crawled across the battle area for more than 24 hours, administering aid to his comrades . Nearly 500 other Forsyth County veterans who gave their lives for their country in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Grenada Invasion, and the Persian Gulf War are also honored in the unique memorial at the entrance of the coliseum .

Ground was broken on April 23 of 1987, and work was completed on Aug . 28, 1989 with a dedication ceremony that officially announced the opening of what now is the LJVM Coliseum Complex .

LJVM Coliseum/Coliseum Annex

OFFICIAL 08-0922

With the transition to NCAA Division I, the Rams and Lady Rams have experienced tremendous growth within the athletic department . New staff positions, additional coaches, increased scholarships and improvements to athletic facilities have all added to the overall student-athlete experience at Winston-Salem State University and have translated into success on the field and in the classroom.

While the new WSSU athletic fieldhouse was completed this past May and the WSSU tennis complex was completed just prior to the fieldhouse opening, the Rams and Lady Rams refuse to rest upon their laurels and the WSSU Department of Athletics will be welcoming groundbreakings on two additional athletic department facilities projects as the Lady Rams softball team and the mens and womens track

and field teams will witness the building of their new homes as well .

Located adjacent to the new WSSU tennis complex, the mens and womens track and field team will receive a completely new, state-of-the-art track and field facility which will house an eight-lane rubberized running track, high jump and long jump pits, pole vault, hammer throw and javelin stations and will house a 100-yard football practice field.

The new track and field facility will allow the Rams and Lady Rams to continue their dominance on the track and is slated for completion prior to the outdoor track and field season in the spring of 2009 .

As well, the lady Rams softball team will see a brand new, state-of-the-art softball stadium

being built adjacent to the track and field facility with plans to add a neighboring baseball facility in the coming years . The site for the new softball facility is the old Civitan Park location where the Lady Rams have enjoyed years of softball success en route to earning four conference softball titles .

The improvements in facilities for WSSU student-athletes is possible through the generous donations and endowments of alumni, fans, and supporters of WSSU athletics . With the help of everyone in the Ram Nation, WSSU will continue to be an athletic power, one that carries on the tradition of excellence that has long been associated with Winston-Salem State University .

Additional Facility Upgrades

23

As exciting as WSSU football and basketball games are, the experience would not be complete without the Winston-Salem State University Red Sea of Sound marching band .

Records have determined the existence of an instrumental music program at Slater Industrial Academy (now Winston-Salem State University) as early as 1933 . The ensemble was known as the Slater Industrial Academy Orchestra .

In 1925, Slater Industrial Academy became known as Winston-Salem Teachers College. The first tangible efforts in the direction of starting a band came between the years of 1937-1941 . During this four year period, a group of young college students organized a musical group and named themselves the Teachers College Collegians . The Teachers College Collegians performed and played primarily dance music .

Between 1943 and 1944, in an effort to stimulate growth and development with the band, the Winston-Salem Teachers College National Association created the Band Project, a fund raiser for the band program . The Association raised $1,507 .25 to purchase eighteen (18) instruments for the band program . During that time the band played at chapel services each week .

The colleges first band was organized in 1945 under the direction of music instructor Hamlet Goore . Mr . Goore served as band director until 1950 . During the five-year period spanning from 1945 to 1950 the organization made tremendous progress .

During the 50s and early 60s, not much information exists concerning the Winston-Salem State Teachers College Band . It is known that in 1966 or 1967, the band was under the direction of Mr . Harry Pickard .

In 1969 the band was under the baton of Dr . Fred Tanner . At the end of the 1969-70 football season, the band was presented with an award for being the Biggest Sound in the CIAA . Many

notable achievements occurred during the early and late 1970s which include:

A half-time performance for the Baltimore Colts 1971

Participation in the Afro- American Day Parade New York City, 1974

A performance for the arrival of President Jimmy Carter, 1976

Participation in the RJR Rodeo Parade

Participation in the parade for the new Masonic Lodge, Winston-Salem

In 1972, Winston-Salem State College became known as Winston-Salem State University . The notoriety of the band program excelled during Dr . Tanners career and the WSSU band became nationally recognized as one of the best instrumental ensembles in the country .

The program changed hands several times after Dr . Tanner relinquished the position . The most notable change occurred in 1994 when Mr . Emory Jones became the band master . Mr . Jones is a 1971 graduate of WSSU and he devoted ten untiring years to the WSSU band program . In his honor, The Emory Jones Endowed Scholarship in Music has been established .

The Winston-Salem State University Band is now under the direction of Dr . Michael Magruder . His no-nonsense approach to the band and primarily to the sound philosophy of the band has transformed the entire instrumental band program at WSSU .

In the three years under Dr . Magruder the band program has continued moving forward . A quality sound along with a comprehensive musical philosophy has seen the WSSU band continue to grow and develop . The change has been significant, however future endeavors will undoubtedly be witness to the greatness which is yet to come .

The Red Sea of Sound

OFFICIAL 08-0924

Spirit & Tradition

The pride of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference are the Winston-Salem State University cheerleaders, one of the finest competitive cheerleading squads in the nation .

WSSU Red Team cheerleaders lead the crowds at all WSSU football and mens basketball games while the WSSU White Team cheerleaders entertain the masses and create a highly charged atmosphere at all WSSU womens basketball contests .

The Winston-Salem State University cheerleading squads made history on March 15, 2008 with a dynamic performance at the 2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Cheerleading Championship where they captured second-place team honors .

Alma Mater:As we go forth from Old State U ., A song of love we sing to thee And praises to thy memory Of days at State University Thy sons and daughters bring thee fame Through knowledge which we here have gained Exultingly we praise thy name, Oh Winston-Salem State University

As we go forth from Old State U ., Good leaders we will always be And stand for all humanity As you have taught us State University

In all we do we shall proclaim To all the world the enduring fame As we go forth we praise thy name Oh Winston-Salem State University

25

Lady Rams vs. Demon DeaconsThe Lady Rams and the Demon Deacons first squared off in 1979 with Wake Forest heading across town to take on the Lady Rams in the C .E . Gaines Center . Wake Forest has hosted the next four meetings between the two teams .

The Lady Rams took the Demon Deacons to overtime in their first full season of NCAA Division I competition, falling short in the 66-82 loss . The two teams battled to a 65-65 tie at the end of regulation . It was WSSUs Keoshia Worthy who hit the game-tying lay-up with 00:04 left on the clock .

The two teams have met five times with Wake Forest winning all five games . The two teams have met just twice as NCAA Division I members .

The Lady Rams and Demon Deacons will meet as a part of a double-header . The two mens teams will square off following the womens game at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum .

WSSU head coach Dee Stokes played two seasons at Wake Forest . Last season, the starting line-up featured three former high school teammates . Lady Rams guard Nikki Kee, former Lady Ram guard Montague Austin, and former Wake Forest center Mekia Valentine all went to Dudley High School where they were former teammates .

Lady Rams vs. Lady AggiesThe rivalry between the Lady Rams and the Lady Aggies is a heated one . The two teams met dates back to the earliest recorded season of Lady Rams basketball. The two teams first met in 1981 with the Lady Aggies taking a pair of wins over the Lady Rams . Since then, the two teams have met 19 times with Lady Rams trailing the Lady Aggies, 4-17 in the series .

Last seasons meeting with the Lady Aggies set an attendance record for Lady Rams basketball with more than 4,200 fans packing into the LJVM Coliseum Annex .

WSSU and North Carolina A&T are separated by only 31 miles of interstate 40 as the Lady Rams call Winston-Sale, North Carolina home, while the Lady Aggies home campus in nearby Greensboro, North Carolina .

North Carolina A&T and Winston-Salem State are two of five NCAA Division I womens basketball teams in the Piedmont Triad .

The WSSU/North Carolina A&T rivalry dates back to a time when both teams were members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) .

The Lady Rams have not won a game over North Carolina A&T since the 1997-98 season .

OFFICIAL 08-09

The Winston-Salem State Lady Rams give their all in every game that they play, but there are some games that bring out an extra bit of intensity from the squad . Especially with the team playing so many quality rivals within such close proximity .

With both teams in such close proximity, there is more on the line than win-loss records when the Lady Rams take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies . From former teammates squaring off to players returning as coaches, anything can happen when the Lady Rams take on either of these rivals .

Big Game Rivalries26

With WSSUs transition to NCAA Division I and the cost of fielding championship-winning

athletic programs ever-increasing, the Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics is in

need of the support of alumni, fans, and friends of Winston-Salem State University Athletics as they continue to further the national prominence of both the University and the Athletic Department .

It is the goal of the Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics to consistently fill the Rams and Lady Rams athletics venues in the pursuit of athletic excellence as well as to provide the services and support necessary for WSSU student-athletes in their pursuit of their goal of higher education in the classroom .

The Amon Booster Club serves as the platform for increasing the number of student-athlete scholarships and operational resources necessary for a top-quality Division I athletic program . The Amon Booster Club also enhances the visibility of loyal donors and community stakeholders of the WSSU Athletics program .

Through the generous support of current Amon Booster Club members the remarkable student-athletes of Winston-Salem State University, along with their skilled coaches, have achieved tremendous victories for the university .

The continued success of these student-athletes will be achieved with the support of the current, and future, Amon Booster Club members .

The funds generated from the Amon Booster Club will be used to continue to recruit student-athletes and staff members of the highest standards of professionalism, sportsmanship, integrity, skill and behavior .

The funds will be used in the most efficient manner possible to maintain state-of-the-art facilities for our student-athletes in their pursuit of both athletic and academic excellence. With the financial gift of loyal Amon Booster Club members it enables the WSSU Department of Athletics to provide student-athletes with an education from one of the best universities in the nation .

Annual Giving Levels

Championship Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$20,000 +

MVP Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,500 +

Fast Break Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,000 +

Hole-In-One Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $500 +

Fifth Quarter Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250 +

Young Graduate Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50 +

Current Student Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20 +

Championship

Clarence Jones, Jr .*

Wanda Jones*

Curtis Richardson*

Earline Richardson*

Harden Wheeler*

Janet Wheeler*

MVP

Kelvin Farmer*

Tammy Farmer*

Edna Sigers*

Johnny Sigers*

Annie Sherard*

Reginald Sherard*

Kelvin Walton*

Johnny Hunter

Victor Johnson

Merdis McCarter

Fast Break

Jakay Ervin, Sr .

Gordon Everett, Sr .

Mildred Griffin

Peyton Hairston, Sr .

Willis Johnson

Veronica Jones

Godfrey Laws

Harold Martin, Sr .

(Fastbreak Cont)

Elizabeth Newton

Verndene Pettiford

Otis Sellers

James Shaw

Clark Stewart

Betty Terry

Spurgeon Webber

Claudette Weston

Harry Williams*

Billy Williams*

Victor Bruinton*

Sheree Bruinton*

Paige Cherry*

Yvette Cherry*

Cleveland Ellison*

Marlene Ellison*

Donald Faison*

Patsy Faison*

LaVerne Gaither*

Clark Gaither*

Verlia Haynes*

Charles Haynes*

Jacqueline Hill*

Rudy Hill*

Annie Lindsay*

Elmo Lindsay*

Andre Mallette*

Mary Mallette*

Paulette Marshall*

Walter Marshall*

George Packenham*

Ruthie Packenham*

Samuel Puryear*

Barbara Puryear*

Eugene Weeks*

Wilma Weeks*

Hole-in-One

None

Fifth Quarter

Jessica Bailey

Morteza Sadri

Xuri Allen

Joyce Douglas

Wilma Foster

Terrence Hines

Danny Moore

Claude Page, III

Glen Holmes

Cornell ONeal

Young Graduate

Bayyinah Brown

Latoya Whitfield

Current Student

None

Current Amon Booster Club Members

* Denotes co-membership

27

Earl The Pearl MonroeOFFICIAL 08-09

28

His high school teammates at John Bartram High School called him Thomas Edison because of the many moves he invented . His nicknames include Earl The Pearl, Black Magic, and his Philadelphia nickname, Black Jesus .

A two-time All-America selection for the Rams

Led WSSU to the 1967 NCAA National Championship

Was the second pick overall in the 1967 NBA Draft where he was selected by the Baltimore Bullets

Named the 1968 NBA Rookie of the Year

Named to the 1969 All-NBA First Team

Earned an NBA Championship in 1973 as a member of the New York Knicks

Was named an NBA All-Star four times (1969, 1971, 1975, 1977)

Named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990

Was named to the NBAs 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996

Is credited as the inventor of the spin move

Was a feature in, and coproducer of, last years BLACK MAGIC, an ESPN original production .

Vernon Earl The Pearl Monroe rose to prominence playing basketball at Winston-Salem State University, a college career that he parlayed into a successful 13-year career in the National Basketball Association . Under the coaching of legendary Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach Clarence Big House Gaines, Monroe averaged 7 .1 points per game his freshman year, 23 .2 points per game as a sophomore, 29 .8 points per game as a junior and 41 .5 points per game his senior year en route to becoming the Rams all-time leading scorer with 2,935 total points . In 1967, he earned NCAA College Division Player of the Year honors and led the Rams to the NCAA College Division Championship .

29

OFFICIAL 08-09

Clarence Big House GainesClarence Big House Gaines was a national coaching legend at Winston-Salem State University where he led the Rams to 18 20-win seasons and guided WSSU to eight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) titles . In 1967, he led WSSU to a 31-1 record and coached the Rams, and future NBA star, Earl The Pearl Monroe, to an NCAA Championship, making the Rams the first basketball program from a historically black college or university to capture an NCAA national championship .

Gaines was named the CIAAs coach of the year a record five times during his 47-year coaching career at WSSU . Over the span of those 47 seasons, Gaines

compiled an overall record of 828-447, good enough to place fifth in wins in NCAA history behind Bob Knight (Texas Tech, Indiana and

Army), Dean Smith (North Carolina), Adolph Rupp (Kentucky), and Jim Phelan (Mount Saint Marys) . He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982 .

Coach Gaines, the history-making coach, athletic administrator, mentor and friend passed away on April 18, 2005 at the age of 81 and has been missed by the WSSU family every day since .

Clarence Big House Gaines is the fifth-winningest NCAA basketball coach of all-time .

Coach Gaines is the winningest African-American NCAA basketball coach of all time .

30

Winningest NCAA Basketball Coaches1 . Bob Knight (Army, Indiana, Texas Tech) 902 victories

2 . Dean Smith (North Carolina) - 879 victories

3 . Adolph Rupp (Kentucky) - 876 victories

4 . Jim Phelan (Mt . St . Marys) - 830 victories

5 . Clarence Big House Gaines (WSSU) - 828 victories

Led the Rams to the 1967 NCAA Basketball National Championship

Guided WSSU to eight conference basketball championships (CIAA)

Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982

Cleo Hill Former WSSU & NBA StarHe was a like a father to so many, and if you had a problem you could go to him, and he helped you out, Hill said . And he even helped you out after you were done playing there . He helped all of us as student athletes - athletically, academically and socially .

Earl The Pearl Monroe Former WSSU & NBA StarHe was Winston-Salem as far as all of us are concerned, Monroe said from New York, where he starred for the Knicks in the 1970s . He was somebody who never left Winston, and his heart was in Winston and with that university . Coachs legacy will be more about how he helped create men and women while they were at Winston-Salem State . Coach knew that we all needed to get our diplomas so we could have careers outside of basketball . What I will remember most is that we were so close and played so well together - its something that Ive never had on a team before or since .

31

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) expanded its membership to 12 members during the 2007-08 academic year, as the league voted to admit Winston-Salem State University into the league beginning at the conclusion of the 2006-07 academic year .

We are elated to welcome Winston-Salem State into the MEAC family, said Commissioner Thomas at the time of the announcement . Obviously we think that WSSU is an outstanding academic institution with an excellent athletics program .

Winston-Salem is entering into the fourth year of its reclassification from Division II to NCAA Division I status. Despite the reclassification, WSSU began a full MEAC schedule in all sports beginning last season (2007-08) . However the Rams and Lady Rams are not be eligible for MEAC Championship play until 2010-11 following completion of an NCAA site survey .

Following the announcement that the Rams and Lady Rams would become the 12th member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Winston-Salem Director of Athletics, Dr . Chico Caldwell explained how the move to the MEAC is one of several steps the institution is making in their transition to the next level .

First of all, as we prepared for the years ahead, and the move to Division I, one of the keys to the puzzle was membership in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, said Dr . Caldwell .

We felt that the opportunity to be a member of the MEAC would afford us a way of rekindling several of our longstanding rivalries and establishing others, and we are happy and pleased that the vote has gone in our favor and we look forward to our future competition in the MEAC .

The addition of Winston-Salem State marks the first expansion for the MEAC since 1997, when Norfolk State University became the 11th member of the league (Hampton University joined in 1995) .

WSSU becomes only the second MEAC institution located in the state of North Carolina and the third in the Carolinas, joining North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, N .C .) and South Carolina State (Orangeburg, S .C .) .

Our goal is to become a strong and viable member of the MEAC in order to represent well within the conference, both regionally and nationally, Dr . Caldwell added . We truly believe that the MEAC is value-added to the direction of both WSSU and the WSSU Department of Athletics . Everyone here at WSSU, our alumni and supporters are truly excited about this opportunity .

About The Mid-Eastern Athletic

Conference (MEAC)

The MEAC is a Division I conference comprised of 12 historically black colleges and universities located across the Atlantic coastline . The league, established in 1970, is located in the Town Center of Virginia Beach, Va. in the Armada Hoffler Tower.

Overview

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, an NCAA Division I Conference, is in its 39th year of operation heading into the 2008-2009 academic school year . Housed in the Armada Hoffler Tower at the Town Center of Virginia Beach, Va ., the MEAC is currently made up of 12 outstanding, historically black institutions across the Atlantic Coastline: Bethune-Cookman University, Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, South Carolina State University and Winston-Salem State University .

The MEAC has enjoyed great success over the years in athletics . Currently, the league has automatic qualifying bids for NCAA postseason play in baseball (since 1994), mens basketball (since 1981), womens basketball (since 1982), Division I-Championship Subdivision football (since 1996), softball (since 1995), men and womens tennis (since 1998), and volleyball (since 1994) .

History

In 1969, a group of innovators long associated with intercollegiate athletics met in Durham, N .C . to discuss the feasibility of organizing a new conference based along the Atlantic coastline . A number of representatives from different institutions joined the steering committee in a two-day discussion about the new conference .

Seven of these institutions agreed to become the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Delaware State College, Howard University, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University .

The MEAC headquarters remained in Durham, N .C . until 1981, moving to Greensboro on Mar . 26, 1982 where it stayed for three years before relocating to its current location in Virginia Beach, Va . in 1985 .

The league was confirmed in 1970, kicking off its first season of competition in football in 1971 . In 1978, the MEAC selected its first full-time commissioner, Kenneth A . Free, and the following year, expanded to nine schools with the admission of two Florida schools: Bethune-Cookman College and Florida A&M University .

The MEAC operated with nine schools until 1985 when Coppin State College was admitted . The final expansions, prior to the most recent addition of WSSU, occurred in the 90s with the inclusion of Hampton University in 1995 and Norfolk State University in 1997 . On June 8, 1980, the MEAC was classified Division I by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the following month, received an automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship .

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

MEAC Staff

Dr . Dennis Thomas, MEAC Commissioner

Raynoid Dedeaux, Director of Championships

Patricia Porter, Director of Media Relations

Sahar Abdur-Rashid, Asst . Director of Media Relations

Jonathan Gattis II, Director of Finance

Shamaree Brown, Asst . Director of Compliance/Championships

Sonja Stills, Director of Compliance/Executive Assistant

Daniel Evans, Coordinator of Football Officials

Larry Rose, Coordinator of Mens Basketball Officials

Dwight Barbee, Coordinator of Womens Basketball Officials

Adonis Hill, Supervisor of Baseball Officials

Stacey Kiger, Administrative Assistant

MEAC Commisioners

Dr . Dennis E . Thomas . . . . . . . . 2002 - present

Brenda H . McCoy (Interim) . . . . . .1996 & 2002

Charles S . Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1996 - 2002

Kenneth A . Free* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1978 - 1996

Dr . James Young (Part-time) . . . . . . 1975 - 1978

Earl Mason (Part-time) . . . . . . . . . . 1974 - 1975

Dr . Leroy Walker (Part-time) . . . . . 1971 - 1974

*First full-time MEAC Commissioner

MEAC Sponsored SportsWomens Sports Basketball Bowling Cross Country Indoor Track & Field Outdoor Track & Field Softball Tennis Volleyball

Mens Sports Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Indoor Track & Field Outdoor Track & Field Tennis

OFFICIAL 08-0932

Teams of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

MEAC Athletic HighlightsThe MEAC has enjoyed great success over the years in athletics . Currently, the league has automatic qualifying bids for NCAA postseason play in baseball (since 1994), mens basketball (since 1981), womens basketball (since 1982), Division I-Championship Subdivision football (since 1996), softball (since 1995), men and womens tennis (since 1998), and volleyball (since 1994) .

MEAC womens bowling teams have had unprecedented success at the Division I level as the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore has become a national power, appearing in the NCAA womens bowling championships almost annually . UMES earns the distinction of being the most successful program in conference history as the Lady Hawks earned the NCAA Division I Womens Bowling National Championship in 2008 .

MEAC basketball had two teams featured in the ESPN Sportcenter Top 10 All-Time upsets in the NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament . No . 15 seed Coppin State defeated No . 2 South Carolina (1997) and No . 15 Hampton defeated No . 2 Iowa State (2001) .

MEAC football has produced many NFL and professional football greats, including ten pro football Hall of Famers: Marion Motley (1968), Roosevelt Brown (1975), Len Ford (1976), David Deacon Jones (1980), Willie Lanier (1986), Art Shell (1989), Larry Little (1993), Leroy Kelly (1994), Elvin Bethea (2003), and Harry Carson (2006) . Currently there are over 32 former MEAC football players on NFL rosters .

Florida A&M became the first MEAC school to win a volleyball match in the NCAA Tournament

with a win over Winthrop in the first round of the 2003 Tournament . In 2004 the Lady Rattlers became the first HBCU ranked in the Top 25 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) national poll .

Bethune-Cookman earned the leagues first-ever at-large bid into the NCAA Softball Tournament in 2005 . The Lady Wildcats went on to defeat Florida, Central Florida (UCF), and South Florida (USF) to win the Florida Regional in Gainesville, the first time any MEAC school has won an NCAA Regional . B-CU ended its remarkable 2005 season with the leagues first-ever ranking in the final softball polls, reaching No. 18 in the NSCA/USA Today Coaches poll and No . 23 in the USA Softball/ESPN .com poll .

Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats

Nestled in the heart of Daytona Beach, Florida, the 70-acre campus of Bethune-Cookman University is home to a diverse student body of over 2,700 . The main campus, with 35 buildings spanning over 70 acres of land, is

situated on Dr . Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard bounded by George W . Engram Boulevard and Lincoln Streets, International Speedway, and Dr . Martin Luther King, Jr . Boulevards .

Founded by Dr . Mary McLeod Bethune in 1904, the college is a historically-black, United Methodist Church-related, liberal arts, career-oriented, co-educational, and residential institution offering bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in 37 major areas through six academic divisions: business, education, humanities, nursing, science/mathematics, and social sciences .

Sports sponsored: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, tennis, and volleyball.

Coppin State University Eagles

Coppin State University is located in a residential neighborhood on the west side of Baltimore, Maryland . The 45-acre campus is 15 minutes from the Inner Harbor and within 20 minutes from most other parts of the city .

Founded in 1900 and named after the late Fanny Jackson Coppin, Coppin State is a public, urban, liberal arts college with an enrollment of 4,000 students, offering bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and masters degrees in arts and science, education, humanities, mathematics, nursing, social sciences, and sports management .

Sports sponsored: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross-country, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, tennis, softball, and volleyball .

Delaware State University Hornets

Delaware State University is a 400-acre pedestrian complex located in North Dover, Delaware on the corner of U .S . 13 and College Road . Founded in 1891, Delaware State is a

public, progressive, comprehensive, 1890 land-grant institution, offering bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in 67 undergraduate majors, 18 graduate majors, and two doctoral programs through: agriculture and related sciences, mathematics, natural sciences, technology, education and sports sciences, humanities, social sciences, health, and public policy and management .

Sports sponsored: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, track and field, tennis, softball, soccer, volleyball, wrestling, and equestrian .

Florida A&M University Rattlers

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is a four-year, public, co-educational, and fully accredited institution of higher learning . The main campus is comprised of 131 buildings spread over 419 acres located on the highest of seven hills in Tallahassee, the capital of the state of Florida .

The enrollment population consists primarily of undergraduates . The university offers 62 bachelors

degrees in 103 majors/tracks, with 36 masters degrees with 56 majors/tracks being offered within 11 of the universitys 13 schools and colleges: allied health sciences, architecture, arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, journalism and graphic arts, communications, nursing, pharmacy, and public health . Two professional degrees and eleven Ph .D . degree programs are offered .

Sports sponsored: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, softball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.

Hampton University Pirates

Resting on the banks of the Hampton River, Hampton University is a beautiful 285-acre waterfront campus located in southeastern Virginia . The university is located near the Chesapeake Bay, 20 minutes from Norfolk, 15 minutes from Newport News, and 25 minutes from Williamsburg .

Founded in 1868 by General Samuel Chapman Armstrong, Hampton is a four-year, private, independent, co-educational institution . The university offers 45 undergraduate programs, 14 masters programs and four doctoral degree programs through seven divisions: business, engineering and technology, liberal arts and education, journalism and communications, nursing, pharmacy and science, and the College of Continuing Education .

Sports sponsored: basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, sailing, softball, and volleyball.

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OFFICIAL 08-09

Howard University Bison

Howard University, located in the heart of urban northwest Washington, D .C ., has produced more African-Americans with advanced degrees than any other institution in the

world . Founded in 1867, the main campus is spread over 89-acres with separate campuses for the School of Law and the School of Divinity .

Howard consists of 12 schools and colleges offering degrees in: allied health sciences, business, communications, architecture, engineering, computer sciences, the natural sciences, pharmacy, nursing, medicine, dentistry, divinity, law, the arts, social work, and education .

Sports sponsored: basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, indoor track and field, lacrosse, outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling .

University of Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks

The University of Maryland -Eastern Shore is located in the small town of Princess Anne on the eastern shore of the state of Maryland . The campus is located 13 miles south of the town of Salisbury

which provides shopping and recreational facilities . The quiet community environment is excellent for learning, yet it is only three hours by car from the abundant cultural and recreational facilities of Washington, D .C ., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Virginia Beach .

Founded in 1886, UMES is a land-grant, historically black university which awards bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in African-American studies, accounting, agriculture, airway Science, art, biology, business administration, special education, English, hotel restaurant management, and physical therapy .

Sports sponsored: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross-country, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, softball, tennis, and volleyball .

Morgan State University Bears

Known as Marylands Public Urban University, Morgan State University is a co-educational institution strategically located in the picturesque northeastern section of Baltimore, Maryland . The campus covers an area of more than

143 acres and is surrounded by rapidly growing residential communities .

Morgan State was founded in 1867 with the mission to train men for the ministry . Today, the public university offers degrees in business, engineering, education, social work, hospitality management and arts and sciences .

Sports sponsored: basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, softball, tennis, and volleyball .

Norfolk State University Spartans

Norfolk State University is an urban, four-year, co-educational institution . The 134-acre campus is located in the Tidewater area of Norfolk, Virginia, surrounded by Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, and Newport News all rich in

culture, recreation and human resources . The Tidewater area serves as a hub for the United States Army, Air Force and Navy .

Founded in 1935, Norfolk State University has an enrollment of over 8,000 students and offers 39 baccalaureate degrees, 16 masters degrees, and two doctoral programs in business, education, liberal arts, sciences and technology, social work, and graduate studies .

Sports sponsored: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, softball, tennis, and volleyball.

North Carolina A&T State University Aggies

The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a comprehensive, land-grant institution spread out over 188 acres at the center of the Piedmont region near downtown

Greensboro, North Carolina . Founded in 1891, A&T was temporarily located in Raleigh, N .C . until it moved to Greensboro in 1893 .

N .C . A&T offers degrees at the baccalaureate, masters and doctoral levels from two programs and six schools: arts and sciences, engineering, agriculture, business and economics, education, nursing, technology, and graduate studies .

Sports sponsored: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, softball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.

South Carolina State University Bulldogs

South Carolina State University is a four-year, public, co-educational institution located in Orangeburg, South Carolina . More than 60 buildings sprawl across the 160-acre campus with an enrollment of over 4,700 students .

Founded in 1896, South Carolina State University offers 60 baccalaureate programs in applied professional sciences, biology, education, business, engineering and technology, arts, and humanities . The University is one of the two schools in the state of South Carolina to offer masters degrees in speech-language pathology .

Sports sponsored: basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball.

Winsotn-Salem State University Rams

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), founded in 1892, is one of 16 constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina . The university occupies a 117-acre campus and enrolls a diverse student population of nearly 6,000 students, offering bachelors

degrees in 43 majors and 12 masters degrees . WSSU employs over 800 full-time faculty and staff and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .

Winston-Salem State University is a premier public institution that develops the skills and values students need to contribute to and succeed in the changing economy of the 21st Century . Its world-class degree programs in growing fields such as health sciences, information technology, financial services, and teacher education offer the flexibility to accommodate diverse life situations of both traditional and non-traditional students ranging from recent high-school graduates to working adults . The universitys curriculum also prepares all students to use the latest technologies as powerful tools for continuous learning, career advancement, and personal enrichment . Beyond technical skills, the WSSU educational experience inspires individual commitment to community service through classroom and field experiences that develop civic leadership and prepare students to make lifetime contributions to society .

Sports Sponsored: basketball, bowling, cross-country, football, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, softball, tennis, volleyball, and golf .

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About Winston-Salem State University

WSSU History 36-37 Campus Map 38 Winston-Salem, N C 39-41 Chancellor Donald Julian Reaves 42

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WSSU HistoryWinston-Salem State University was founded as the Slater Industrial Academy on September 28, 1892 It began in a one-room frame structure with 25 pupils and one teacher In 1895, the school was recognized by the state of North Carolina, and in 1897 it was chartered by the Slater Industrial and State Normal School

From the beginning, the school has insisted upon the vital importance of elementary school teachers in building an improved citizenship Emphasis has, therefore, constantly been placed upon the quality and quantity of training for these teachers In 1925, the General Assembly of North Carolina recognized the schools leadership in this field and granted the school a new charter, extending its curriculum above high school The school changed its name to Winston-Salem Teachers College and empowered it, under the authority of the State Board of Education, to confer appropriate degrees Winston-Salem Teachers College thus became the first Negro institution in the nation to grant degrees for teaching in the elementary grades

The Nursing School was established in 1953, awarding graduates the degree of Bachelor of Science The basic nursing program covers four years of study with equal emphasis on academic and professional education

In 1957, the North Carolina General Assembly revised the charter of the college and authorized the expansion of the curriculum to include secondary education and any other specific types of training as directed and determined by the State Board of Higher Education

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1963 authorized the changing of the name of Winston-Teachers College to Winston-Salem State College A statute designating Winston-Salem Teachers College as Winston-Salem State University received legislative approval in 1969 On October 30, 1971, the General Assembly reorganized higher education in North Carolina, and on July 1, 1972, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) became one of 16 constituent

institutions of The University of North Carolina, subject to the control of the Board of Governors

Winston-Salem State University is located on 117 acres in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, a city of over 190,000 residents This thriving Twin City is part of the Piedmont Triad, which encompasses the neighboring cities of Greensboro and High Point The Triad is one of the most heavily populated and fastest growing metropolitan areas between Washington, D C and Atlanta, Ga (U S Census Statistical Information)

Winston-Salem State University is rapidly changing its well-kept secret status The University has been ranked by U.S. News and World Reports Best Colleges and Universities publication as one of the best public liberal arts colleges in the south for the last seven years. WSSU is perhaps best defined by part of the Universitys mission statement which reads: Excellent academic programs with a strong liberal arts foundation will be offered within a learning culture which exemplifies excellence in teaching and scholarship; emphasizes faculty-student interaction; promotes lifelong learning; and prepares individuals for leadership and service in the global society

The present day Winston-Salem State University has come a long way from its humble beginnings as Slater Industrial Academy in 1892 WSSU now enrolls nearly 6,000 students, offers bachelors degrees in nearly 43 academic majors, masters degrees in 10 programs, and employs nearly 250 full-time faculty and 400 staff members It is accredited by the Commission on College of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools WSSU has a diverse student population with increasing enrollment of non-traditional and part-time students

On March 5, 1998 the Universitys Strategic Framework for Change was unveiled to the Board of Trustees and the Winston-Salem community The

document provides the context for transforming todays Winston-Salem State University into one of the regions finest public undergraduate institutions. Nursing at Winston-Salem State University offers a global health curriculum and international student and faculty exchange Gottenburgs University in Sweden, the Nightingale Institute at Kings College in London, the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland, Waterford Regional Technical College in Southern Ireland, and WSSU are all partners in this exciting venture

The pass rate for Winston-Salem State University nursing graduates on the state board examination is above 90 percent, one of the highest in the state of North Carolina and the highest among historically black colleges and universities nationally

During the summer of 1997, a team of scientists and students were lauded for the early detection of breast cancer The project was conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Helsinki in Finland WSSU also leverages partnerships with Duke University, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and National University of Singapore to expand research opportunities and curricula for students and faculty

WSSUs GAMMA Center for computer graphics, animation and multimedia applications received national recognition in the 1998 edition of Animation Magazines Guide to Schools and Recruitment

In the 1990s, Fortune 500 corporations increasingly recruited business, economics, and accounting graduates Recently, the Universitys student chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants was recognized in the national competition at the Associations annual meeting

Sport Management at WSSU is one of the top undergraduate programs of its kind in the country and is seeking wider accreditation by the North American

The sole public liberal arts university in the Winston-Salem area

A community of scholars with one-fourth of the 2008 graduating class receiving cum laude honors

A university that enrolls nearly 6,000 students pursuing nearly 43 undergraduate courses of study and 12 masters programs

A source for scholarship opportunities through internships, continuing education, professional development, community involvement, and life- long education

A major employer, providing nearly 2,500 jobs and generating approximately $80 million in income, $50 million in retail sales, and $10 million in state and local taxes

A campus of champions with 10 mens basketball conference championships, one NCAA basketball national championship (1967), eight conference football titles and numerous post-season appearances

One of U.S. News and World Reports top public liberal arts colleges in the South for seven straight years

A public, masters level, co-educational, constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system with an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio possessing a diverse enrollment and proud historically black college/university (HBCU) heritage where 86 percent of students receive financial aid assistance.

The One Room Schoolhouse is Now...

OFFICIAL 08-0936

Society for Sport Management and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education Therapeutic Recreation and Physical Education for Mature Adults at WSSU and across the nation are among the fastest growing health-related curricula Only a handful of colleges and universities offer bachelors degrees in these disciplines, and even fewer are accredited by related professional organizations

WSSU is the only four-year university in the country and the only Historically Black College and University to offer a Bachelor of Science degree program in Motorsport Management; a unique opportunity for students to learn the business, and grow the sport With plenty of opportunities for hands-on experience throughout the curriculum, studies within this major will prepare students for entry-level positions in motorsport operations, motorsport marketing, and event planning WSSU has built great relationships with many racing venues and a required internship in the motorsports field provides students with experiential learning and serves as an avenue for enhanced career placement

Winston-Salem States Diggs Gallery is a cultural meeting place where art is the common language for a wide range of campus and community discussions Founded by James Gordon Haines in 1990, the gallery is committed to exhibiting African and African-American visual arts and is highly regarded by the art community as one of the areas premiere galleries

Winston-Salem State University students, faculty, and administrators truly embody the University motto Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve

University Mission Statement

Winston-Salem State University is a public university whose primary mission is to offer high quality educational programs at both the baccalaureate and masters level for a diverse student population Masters level programs for professional study are also available from the university and through inter-institutional agreements While the primary focus is on teaching and learning, the university encourages scholarship and creative activities by faculty and students, and engages in mutually beneficial relationships with a global community in ways that complement its educational mission

The university is strategically positioned to provide unique opportunities for students through four centers of academic excellence in health services, teaching and learning, science and technology, and financial services. The instructional program comprises three componentsgeneral education, specialized education, and lifelong learning General education provides for all students the academic foundations and cultural experiences essential to a liberal arts education Specialized education provides students with the experiences necessary to master an academic discipline in preparation for employment and/or graduate and professional programs, including masters degree programs offered at WSSU Through the Division of Lifelong Learning, traditional and non-traditional students have opportunities for continuing education, distance learning, and summer programs that provide coursework for professional and/or personal enrichment

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Well Rounded Academics

With a shared vision of academic excellence, the students, faculty and administration of Winston-Salem State University work together to create a sense of community and a nurturing atmosphere in order to promote leadership and responsibility In particular WSSUs small class sizes mean that students receive personalized instruction from highly qualified faculty members individuals who care about their success as a person, not just as a student

Since its establishment in 1892, Winston-Salem State University has continued to strive for the best in academic programs, resources and technology WSSUs health sciences and education programs have enjoyed excellent reputations for decades in training and graduating highly skilled health care professionals and educators However, opportunities also include outstanding business, financial services, information technology, mass communications and other academic majors New and expanded facilities, such as WSSUs new computer science building, new state-of-the-art science building and new residence halls, have added even greater capacity for living and learning in a world-class campus environment Plus, WSSUs innovative and completely wireless campus connects students in and

out of the classroom to professors, classmates, research and the world The result is a college experience that provides students with endless possibilities for achievement in their education career and life

Winston-Salem State University understands that prospective students are getting ready to make a big decision one that will affect their lives well into the future The college a student chooses depends greatly on what they imagine themselves achieving At Winston-Salem State University, students will find an outstanding range of quality academic programs centered on a thriving campus community with vibrant artistic and cultural experiences

Students will also find a university that is consistently ranked among the top public comprehensive colleges in the South by U S News & World Report So, no matter where they see themselves going in life, they will have the degree and experience they need to succeed

Winston-Salem State University offers a wide variety of academic programs to help students find the area o