FSU’s Brian Walker to Kickoff Professional Career in the CFL Fayetteville, NC -- Former Fayetteville State defensive back Brian Walker will kick off his post-collegiate football career with the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. His debut will be Saturday, July 1st against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 9 pm. Walker finished his senior season accumulating 25 total tackles, seven pass breakups, and two interceptions. As a kick returner, he amassed 11 returns for 373 yards with two touchdowns. In the Broncos season opener against Chowan, Brian had six total tackles and an assisted sack (four yards behind the line of scrimmage). In the final game of the season against Winston-Salem State, Walker returned a kick 99 yards for his second score of the season. In the Blue Bombers two preseason games, Walker finished with a combined five tackles and one interception. He signed as a free agent on May 22. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers finished third last season in the CFL’s Western Division with an 11-7 record. Their defense ranked first in turnovers forced (59) and defensive touchdowns (5). Brian Walker is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina and a former standout at Mallard Creek High School. He transferred to Fayetteville State from UNC-Chapel Hill, where he played three seasons. Fayetteville State will open its football season on September 2nd in Murfreesboro, NC against Chowan.

CHASE NOMINATED FOR NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR Evann Carpenter INDIANAPOLIS, IND.- A record 543 female college athletes have been nominated by NCAA member schools for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award. Chowan University's Suraya Chase was nominated for the Hawks after a stellar collegiate career for the Blue and White. Chase is also nominated for CIAA Woman of the Year in the conference. The Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago native, was named CIAA Player of the Year while totaling a CIAA-high 384 kills. Established in 1991 and now in its 27th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers. The school nominees represent all three NCAA divisions, with 229 from Division I, 117 from Division II and 197 from Division III. The nominees competed in 21 different women's sports, and 122 were multisport athletes during their time in college. The NCAA encourages member schools to honor their top graduating female student-athletes each year by submitting their names for consideration for the Woman of the Year award. Next, conferences will select up to two conference nominees each from the pool of school nominees. The Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will then choose the top 30 honorees — 10 from each division. From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three honorees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then chooses the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine. The top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the annual award ceremony Oct. 22 in Indianapolis.

MEAC TO HOLD 5TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT ON JULY 27 IN SUFFOLK Ryan McGinty NORFOLK, Va. - The fifth annual Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Golf Tournament, presented by Towne Bank, will take place Thursday, July 27, 2017 at the Riverfront Golf Club in Suffolk, Va. This year’s tournament will be held in conjunction with the MEAC’s annual Football Press Luncheon as it officially kicks off the 2017 football season. The event will feature appearances from MEAC head football coaches while WVEC-13 local news personality Regina Mobley will also be in attendance as the tournament’s honorary golf captain. Proceeds raised from the tournament will directly benefit the MEAC in its student-athlete initiatives. The cost for the event is $100 for individuals and $380 for a foursome. The registration fee includes green fees, breakfast, lunch, beverages and a goodie bag. Tournament check-in begins at 8 a.m. on Thursday, July 27 followed by a putting contest at 8:30 a.m. The tournament tees off with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Registration is ongoing with a July 15 deadline. The registration form can be accessed via the above link or by logging on to www.MEACSPORTS.com. For more information regarding registration or sponsorships, contact Director of Corporate Partnerships Patricia Easley at (757) 951-2055 or via e-mail at easleyp@themeac.com.

FSU Broncos Land Gold Medallion Status with LGBT SportSafe Partnership June 5, 2017 Fayetteville, NC - The Department of Athletics at Fayetteville State University has earned the LGBT SportSafe ‘GOLD Medallion’ status and Founders Club membership for its efforts in creating a climate of respect for LGBTQ student-athletes and participation in the LGBT SportSafe Inclusion Program. The program was developed to create an infrastructure for athletic administrators, coaches, and recreational sports leaders through policy, programming, and public awareness initiatives that support LGBTQ inclusion in athletics. “LGBT SportSafe will help strengthen the entire athletic community,” says FSU Athletics Director Anthony Bennett. “We support all of our current and future student-athletes. We want them, our fans, and visitors to have a positive and conducive experience while at Fayetteville State.” Fayetteville State University, along with Bowie State University, will be among the first two institutions in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association to implement the program. The FSU Broncos logo will be featured on the LGBT SportSafe website (www.lgbtsportssafe.com) as a Founders Club member. The Founders Club is comprised of an elite group of institutions who are early leaders of LGBT inclusion. On March 28, 2017, the FSU athletics department collaborated with the Division of Student Affairs to host an LGBTQ Diversity and Inclusion Workshop. The five-session workshop included meetings with coaches and athletic administrators, athletics and student affairs administrators, student-athlete advisory committee and team captains, a student body keynote address, and a meeting with the Chancellor. In May, athletics’ staff and administrators participated in a two-day Safezone Training Workshop conducted by the university’s Safezone Program Coordinator, Brent Lewis. The goal of the Safezone Program at Fayetteville State University is to create an affirming and supportive campus climate by identifying and educating members of the campus community who are opened to and supportive of all individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has future plans to help demonstrate FSU’s continuous commitment to inclusion by hosting LGBT SportSafe Game Night with various sports teams and initiating SAAC versus SAAC challenges between other conference member institutions. Yours in sports, Department of Athletics