Braves blow past Greenville State on the road

(photo - uncpbraves.com)
UNCP running back Travis Daniels looks for room to run.

By Nick Phillips
Asst. Sports Editor
Nov. 12, 2009

The UNCP football team’s third season of football in modern history isn’t over yet.

A 42-14 victory on the road against North Greenville in the regularseason finale Nov. 7 improves the Braves record to 9-1 as they await the NCAA Division II Football Playoff Selection Show on Nov. 8 to see if they will be among the 24 teams whose season will continue.

The Braves came into the game ranked in a variety of polls, which were updated at the beginning of November. In the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, UNCP sits at No. 10.

The D2Football.com Top 26 Media Poll has the Braves ranked at No. 19 and in the NCAA Super Region 2 Poll, the Braves check in with a No. 4 ranking.

The NCAA Super Region Poll is the poll that the NCAA uses in their playoff decision process.

Rushers lead

The Braves finished their second-straight 9-1 season with strong efforts by junior quarterback Corey Smith and a rushing attack that totaled 222 yards on the day.

North Greenville scored early on a 49-yard punt return, and the game was tied 7-all after the first quarter.

The Braves would go on to score 42 straight points before they allowed another North Greenville touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Eight different Braves tallied carries in the game. Junior Rashon Kennedy started the scoring for UNCP in the first quarter with a 4-yard run.

Kennedy finished the game with 10 carries for 65 yards. Sophomore Travis Daniels scored twice in the second and third quarters as part of his 11 carry, 82 yard performance.

Junior Keith Gore finished the Braves’ scoring with his fourth quarter, 2- yard touchdown. Gore finished the game with eight carries for 29 yards.

Smith finished the day with 164 yards through the air, completing 13 of his 16 pass attempts while tossing two touchdowns. Junior Jamelle Banks finished the game with two catches for 44 yards, including Smith’s first touchdown pass in the second quarter.

Senior L.J. Johnson hauled in a 16-yard touchdown from Smith in the third quarter as part of his three catch, 28 yard performance.

Overall, seven Braves tallied at least one reception on the day.

“I am very happy. I am very happy for both our players and our coaches,” UNCP head coach Pete Shinnick said. “Our guys have worked really hard this year and it is going to pay off.”

“We know that we have played a much tougher schedule this year than we did a year ago. I don’t want to take anything from what we did a year ago, but we played better this year. We feel good about the position that we’re in heading into tomorrow,” he said.

Braves football prepares; perplexed

Ranked #4 in the NCAA Region 2 rankings heading into the final week of the regular season, UNCP football seemed to be in good shape.

In Division II, generally, the top 6 teams from each region receive berths in the playoffs. #1 and #2 each get a first round bye, while #3 hosts #6, and #4 hosts #5.

After a 42-14 win in the regular season finale, the Braves would surely get a home game in the first round next Saturday right?

Add to that - the #1 AND #3 ranked teams in the region both LOST Saturday. With that said, UNCP would surely be a #4 at the worst. Maybe move up to #3??

Approximately 200 people, including Braves football players and coaches, students, parents, faculty, and community members gathered inside UNCP's University Center for the announcement.

Time Warner Cable loaned the university a box so that we could see the announcement live on ESPN NEWS. The picks came on, and that may be the quickest a group of 200 has ever gotten quiet.

And then it came.

"UNC-Pembroke" came through the speakers. A roar went up through the room.

"...will be a #5 seed and travel to take on Arkansas Tech, the #4 seed, on Saturday."

The room went dead silent as everyone tried to comprehend what just happened.

There must be another UNC-Pembroke. How did we win, #1 AND #3 lose, and us drop a spot in the rankings? Better yet, what did Arkansas Tech do to jump from #6, past us to #4??

Our Athletic Director, Chancellor, and Head Coach all spoke, pointing out that regardless, UNCP is in the playoffs. But the disappointment was obviously on their sleeves as they spoke. Players showed mixed emotions as well.

The Braves became the youngest team ever (this is the third season of football at UNCP) to make the Division II playoffs.

To this point, there is only one glaring fact that people can point to for the Braves low seed. The Braves became the first Independent team since 2002 to earn a spot in the playoffs.

If this is the case, it is a shame that that was taken into consideration. But it will also further speed up the search for a conference that the football team can be a part of. (The Peach belt Conference that UNCP is a part of doesn't have enough teams playing football for it to be included in the PBC listing.)

The Braves began the season unranked. They have now climbed to the #10 spot in the nation. Add to that a #19 ranking in the D2Football.com poll heading into the weekend, and then the Region 2 now-#5 ranking.

The Braves will travel to Russellville, Ark., to face the Wonder Boys on Saturday with a 12 noon CST, or 1 p.m. local time, start.

(Yes, Wonder Boys is the correct nickname for Arkansas Tech. Their women's teams are referred to as the Golden Suns.)

GO BRAVES!!!

A little help please....

I am asking for everyone's help please.

If you would please go down a little on my blog, this page, on the right side, and vote for the 2009 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year.

Everyone at UNC-Pembroke is pushing hard for our head coach, Pete Shinnick, some recognition. He may not win, but many at UNCP believe his hard work should not keep going unnoticed.

The voting process is simple - follow the link a little farther down this right column, click vote now, click Division II on the header bar, and enter in an email address. In the coach's name box, either Pete Shinnick OR UNCP will bring up Shinnick's name. Submit your vote. One vote per day.

Your help is greatly appriciated.

Entering the final week of the regular season, the Braves are 8-1, ranked #19 in the latest D2Football.com poll released November 3rd. The most important ranking, however, is the ranking in the NCAA Super Region 2. The Braves are ranked #4 in this all important poll. This is the poll that will decide which teams make the playoffs.

Generally, the top six teams from each of the four regions are presented with postseason invitations. The No. 1- and No. 2-ranked teams will receive first round byes when the NCAA Division II playoffs begin on November 14, with the No. 3 seed hosting the No. 6 seed and the No. 4 seed hosting the No. 5 seed.

The NCAA Division II Football Committee will announce the 24-team field for the 2009 championship in a 15-minute window between 3-3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Sunday, November 8, on ESPNEWS.

Lady Braves Volleyball 'Digs Pink'

(photo - Nick Phillips)
The UNCP volleyball team hosted second annual “Dig Pink” match to help raise awareness for breast cancer research on Oct. 21st.

By Nick Phillips
Asst. Sports Editor
Matt Smith
Sports Editor
Oct. 29, 2009

The Lady Braves volleyball team at their second annual “Dig Pink” game on Oct. 21 against Elizabeth City State University got back on the winning track with a 3-1 victory.

The “Dig Pink” fundraiser raised both awareness and money for breast cancer research and drew a big crowd of UNCP students, many dressed in pink.

The Lady Braves marked the occasion by wearing pink jerseys, and both coaches and officials wore pink ribbons. UNCP head coach Jeff Billington sported a pink tie as well.

The Lady Braves totaled a season-high 84 digs as a team on defense, while offensively they had 53 kills on the night.

Freshman Shay Peterson and sophomores Tiara Anderson and Allie Schneider each tallied nine kills, as UNCP had 11 different players recording a kill.

Freshman Sam Wylie gave out a gamehigh 31 assists for UNCP, while freshman teammate Morgan Ridge added 12 assists of her own.

Senior libero Andrea Laza recorded a game-high 22 digs on the defensive side of the net, while four other Lady Braves had 10 or more digs.

UNCP took a close set one 25-22, helped by Anderson’s kills late in the set. The second set also saw ties and lead changes before UNCP pulled out a 25-21 set victory.

In the third set, the Lady Braves rallied from Elizabeth City set point before falling by a 27-25 score. In set four, UNCP built a lead that would not be overcome, as they would secure the 25-15 set win and wrap up the match.

“Collectively as a group, we did what we needed to do, but we’ve probably played better volleyball. We have to continually work on putting 100 percent effort into everything we do. It’s a W, and it wasn’t pretty, but we will take it,” Billington said.

The Lady Braves improved their overall record to 9-15 and evened their home record out to 4-4 with the win.

Awareness continues
After the Braves’ Oct. 21 win over Elizabeth City State University, the team traveled to Greenwood, S.C., to participate in the Dig Pink Volleyball Tournament at Lander University on Oct. 23-24.

The Black and Gold finished 1-2 in their three matches in the two day tournament, blasting Limestone in day one action, while falling to Anderson and Lees-McRae on the tournament’s second day.

In day one action, the Braves bested Limestone 3-1 (28-26, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21). Laza set a career-high with 51 digs.

Jessica Hartley led the Braves with 16 kills while Anderson added 12 in the contest.

Wylie led the Black and Gold with 29 assists.

On the tournament’s second day, the Braves fell 3-0 to the Anderson Trojans and 3-2 to Lees-McRae.

Against Anderson, UNCP dropped three straight sets 21-25, 21-25 and 23-25 for their first loss in three games.

Senior Lizzie O’Connor led the Black and Gold with nine kills and Schneider totaled 16 digs in the match.

In the Braves’ second game, UNCP lost in a tough five setter 3-2 (24-16, 22-25, 25- 17, 27-15, 9-15) to Lees-McRae.

Anderson led the Braves with 18 kills and Wylie piled up 29 assists in the loss.

The Braves will next be in action Halloween night as they take on conference newcomer Montevallo at the English E. Jones Center.

Gryphon Wrestlers Take Aim at 11-18-09

Rocky Mount's wrestling team is on short notice. Practice will begin November 2 to get ready for the season. A season that may resemble that of the Football Gryphons.

Although the Grapplers have not quite enjoyed the same success as the football team has over the past several years, coach Jermaine Jones has led the team up the ladder. The Gryphs have qualified 3 years in a row for the State Playoffs and have been co-champions of the NEW 6 Conference 2 years running. Just as the football team, though, Jones has lost a ton of starters to graduation. Gone are the Big Four from last year - Alfaro, Silver, Williamson and Cross. The team will be without their 400 or so individual wins, Conference Championships, State Qualifiers and leadership.

The torch has been passed to this year's seniors: 2009 State Qualifiers Chandler Phillips and Ahmir Scott, along with Johnny Stewart (who missed qualifying for states by one match) and Justin Atkinson. Add in returning Sophomore J.K. Williamson, and that's the bulk of the team's varsitiy experience on the mat. This year's Gryphons will rely on returners with less experience stepping up to fill big shoes and to what appears to be a fairly solid set of freshmen coming up.

At this point, it's hard for me to expect the same level of success from this year's team with so many question marks. Jones will need to fill a lot of weight classes with inexperienced guys, but who is to say there can't be two or three guys who can have the kind of freshman campaigns that Alfaro, Scott, Phillips, or Williamson had as freshmen? There are a couple of returners who didn't see much action last year, but did well when they were called on. Just as with the pre-season chatter about this year's football team, there is both reason for concern and optimism.

Last year's team, as good as they were individually and competitive as a team, didn't have the roster to fill all the weight classes. They perpetually wrestled teams & gave away 3 or 4 matches by forfeit. Can this year's team field a full squad?

First things first. Each potential member must pass a hydration test before he can compete. Along with that test, they will do their initial weigh-ins and have a skin-fold test. These tests are designed to protect each athlete. The sport of wrestling is demanding in the fact that each wrestler has to get down (or up) to - and maintain - a certain weight. Coaches "assign" weights that each wrestler will compete at, based on their rosters. The skin-fold and initial weight measurements determine the lowest weight an athlete can compete at. In addition, there is a set amount of weight wrestlers can lose per week to get down to their competitive weights.

Although the combination of hydration and skin fold tests and initial weigh-in, plus a cap on weight loss per week seems to be complicated, the bottom line to the experienced athlete is to come in to the season in shape. Or, as we say; a lean mean wrestling machine - from day one.

I'm sure several of the team's veterans have spent the off-season wrestling in tournaments, working out, rolling on the mat, working on moves and pumping iron. They'll be ready to go when the first match rolls around. The Season opener will be at Home against Tarboro High on November 18 at 7:00pm. Come out and support this year's model.


(photo - Dedrick Silver, 2008 RM graduate)
- the 2009-2010 version of the Gryphons will look to rack up a number of medals that rivals the amounts of last year and years prior

Braves’ wrestler Davis continues quest for Olympic gold

- this is the third story in a three part series on Braves wrestler J.J Davis -

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By Nick Phillips
Asst Sports Editor
Oct 15, 2009

Two years ago, Braves senior wrestler J.J Davis was walking the campus of UNCP as any other student, any other athlete. A sixth place finish in the Division II National Championships in the spring of 2008 and a summer training trip to the United States’ Olympic Training Center changed that.

Last winter, Davis sat out a year of collegiate wrestling to train for his trip to the OTC, and this summer Davis rolled around and went head-to-head with some of the best in his sport. The dream that he had worked towards since high school was a reality. But standing and admiring his idols and Olympic icons was not the reason Davis was in Colorado. He had work to do.

“I got to hang around like I was an Olympic athlete too, everyone was treated the same, it was just an experience of a lifetime for me,” were Davis’ first thoughts about his experience.

Culture Shock

The change in altitude can be hard for anyone experiencing it for the first time, let alone someone training and competing against the nation’s best.

“The altitude was crazy, the first week I couldn’t talk on the phone and walk at the same time,” said Davis, “given that, wrestling was difficult too, because it was closed in like a sauna almost.”

Along with the altitude came the mountains. Davis, admittedly scared of heights, had to suppress that fear, as many training exercises centered around the mountains, valleys, and hills.

“It took some time, but eventually I got rid of my fear of heights…ok, I didn’t get rid of it completely,” Davis joked.

“I accommodated everyone by facing my fears and doing it, but I just know my heart dropped every time I looked down.”

Star Watch

Upon arrival, Davis says he was star struck, recognizing faces and names of athletes that he had seen on TV and read about. Gold medalists, runners up in the Olympics, they were all there. Davis was an equal.

Steve Fraser, who became the United States’ first Olympic Gold Medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Games, is now the US Greco National Team Coach. His words brought Davis from out of the clouds and set Davis back on track.

“He told me to get in there and do what I do best…get in there, fight hard, do what I did to get out there. After that I was hanging with the best of them,” said Davis on that conversation with Fraser.

Davis also had the opportunity to hear several Olympians speak, including 1996 Olympic Decathlon Gold Medalist Dan O’Brian, who instilled in Davis a valuable lesson that Davis has taken to heart and is passing along to his teammates back here at UNCP.

“He said that you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable, and it makes so much sense, because whatever you are doing, you are never going to be completely comfortable.”

Summer Vacation

The biggest point that gets lost in Davis’ story is that he did this over summer vacation, a time in which most other students at UNCP were hanging out at home or the beach, or working a job for a little money.

“I can’t think of a better way to prepare for a senior year,” said UNCP head wrestling coach Jamie Gibbs.

“If six weeks of training with the world’s elite doesn’t motivate you, then not much will,” Gibbs added.

In any sport, coaches speak of commitment, practice, and dedication as something that is year-round with no offseason. Davis took this to heart, and took a chance to train and learn from the best.

Two-a-day practices against the country’s best are far different from lifting weights and working on technique with teammates on your own. Davis traded this idea in for his suitcase and a journey, away from family and friends and everything that he was familiar with.

Down Time

Aside from training, Davis also had a little bit of free time. It was summer, after all.

Ping-pong, pool, and YouTube were three of Davis’ favorite things to do when he wasn’t on the wrestling mat.

“Call of Duty, oh man, do they play Call of Duty all the time up there. It’s almost a religion up there to play Call of Duty, they even have their own team up there,” Davis said.

And of course the musician in Davis found a guitar and strummed a few beats, which led to another YouTube video for him. The video shows Davis with members of the Croatian National Team, which also was at the OTC.

“I’m just messing around playing stuff, and they are loving it,” says Davis.

“But I’m mad because they won’t put the one up that the Croatian is rapping to one of my beats, in their language. I didn’t know what he was saying, but it was hilarious.”

Music Lover

Davis is still playing guitar now that he is back on campus. He has already performed several small gigs, and has some other people playing with him, forming his own little band.

Students across campus have taken a liking to something that Davis calls his way to “not be so intense and grrr all the time.”

When students, faculty, and anyone else reads Davis’ story, he hopes that both his musical and athletic abilities will cross over.

“Whenever they read it, hopefully they will swap sides and be like ‘Oh he wrestles too?’ or ‘He plays music?’ So hopefully everything continues to work out,” said Davis on his talents.

Senior Campaign

Coming back to UNCP and going up against Division II competition after facing the best of the best all summer long, it would be easy for Davis to get complacent and sit back.

But Davis is back on the mats as fearless as ever, ready for what lies ahead. Davis has not only began using O’Brian’s saying in his own life, but it trying to instill that thought pattern in his teammates as well. After a recent practice, no one could leave until they did some sort of tumble, something they didn’t think they could do, but to at least try it. And they could all thank Davis for that idea.

“The whole thing was to surpass your fears and try it, because that’s the difference between a guy that gets a pin and the guy who doesn’t, or the guy who wins a close match. He’s not afraid to try things, he’s fearless, he’s going to go all out, and that’s what I’m trying to instill in the guys now,” said Davis about his mental coaching.

Davis’ senior season will not be complete for him unless he finishes his collegiate career with a National title.

“I don’t care if I win any other tournaments, but I want to end it with a National title. It will be the first one at UNCP, and history is what I like making.”

Regardless of his final season statistics, Davis has already accomplished more than he could have envisioned and will go down as one of the Braves’ wrestling greats. A permanent residency and opportunity to train at the OTC full time after graduation is another choice that awaits him, but for the time being, Davis has switched his sights from Olympic gold to collegiate greatness.

Davis’ Golden Opportunity Awaits

- this is the second story of the three part series on Braves wrestler J.J Davis -

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By Nick Phillips
Asst Sports Editor
April 23, 2009

he time has come for UNC-P senior J.J Davis to travel and compete with the best wrestlers in the country. As many students are busy preparing for final exams and getting ready for the summer, Davis is set to take off on the first step in his Olympic goals on April 24.

Davis, who placed 6^th at the Division II National Championships as a junior last spring, used his red-shirt option this season, allowing him to train and prepare for the Olympics without having to worry about college wrestling at the same time.

Davis, whose Olympic journey first became known throughout the campus after the March 12 edition of The Pine Needle, says he has received tremendous support from everyone, faculty and students alike, all across the university.

“Ever since the story came out, I’ve always gotten questions about if I was trying to make the Olympic team. It’s been great, I’ve gotten a lot of support from the faculty and the coaching staff has been there every step of the way.”

Many may wonder how Davis is going to juggle studying for final exams while traveling and focusing on his opponents.

“The faculty has been great helping me get certain things I need to get turned in earlier, so I don’t miss stuff.

This is something that I was planning for, so me going to class and keeping my grades up was all part of it. Coach defiantly wouldn’t let me go off and miss days of class if I didn’t have the grades to.”

Davis is set to embark on the University National tournament, the first of many steps. If he places there, he will move onto the University World trials, all giving him exposure and recognition, with the ultimate goal of receiving an invitation to the Olympic Training Center.

Braves head wrestling coach Jamie Gibbs expressed the entire staff’s opinion of Davis when he called the wrestler a “second coach” on the practice mat.

“J.J has bought into the system. He’s resisted the system, very much, early on in his career, and now he’s just like having another coach.

“Overall, his constant improvement and his commitment to constantly keep improving, and that he never really hangs his head and gets discouraged with things” said Gibbs on his first thoughts when thinking of Davis and his work ethic during his time at UNC-P.

Gibbs said he and his staff, along with Davis’ fellow teammates, have all helped push and train Davis in the practice room, noting that Davis knows his goals and is now on “cruise-control” as the tournament approached.

Upon hearing his coach’s words, Davis said “I hope I’m going to be able to be on cruise control, but most likely, I’m going to be pedal to the medal, going as hard as this little car can go. If I can be on cruise-control and make my way to the finals, so be it. But I’m going to do whatever it takes to win.”

Since he was red-shirting this season on the collegiate level, Davis was unable to get many matches in, so while trying to do well and place, he will also be using this time and tournament to “gain momentum towards next year, my senior year.”

The musician in Davis has already given his senior wrestling campaign with the Braves a title – Vin Vini Vinci.

“Just like Caesar said, ‘I came, I saw, I conquered,’ and that’s how I want to start off my year. And this tournament starts everything."

In the earlier March 12 edition, Davis was contemplating which weight division to compete in. With the tournament rapidly approaching, Davis has pretty much locked down his Greco weight at 174 pounds, and “if the facilities and my weight permit, I will go 174 in the Freestyle as well. If not, I will go 185 for Freestyle” said Davis.

Davis said he won’t be able to make his final decision until he sees the facilities and can decide if the equipment and available amenities are in place for him to stay the same weight for both styles.

Regardless of his placement and outcome, Davis will be back on campus next fall as a part of the Braves program, as he quickly adds to his sights the goal of a National Championship. After his surprising 6^th place finish last season, the All-American has his eyes towards winning the D-II Championship.

“All-Americans at the D-II level, people with those types of credentials are a dime a dozen,” said Gibbs, “but he’s got the ability to wrestle at that level…and become UNC-P’s first National Champ.”

“We want the best for him. He deserves the best; he’s a hard working kid who has bought into the system here. We wish him luck” said Gibbs.

As Davis prepares for his final days before embarking on the next chapter in his college career, he will have the entire university at his back, on his side rooting for him. His fan base will not falter or be effected by his placement, as he has built up a following here at UNC-P - students, faculty, and coaches – that have all expressed their support towards another student reaching for his dreams.

Even if it is a chance at Olympic gold.