Falando Jones is a Greenwood native who just finished playing at Mississippi Delta Community College in Moorhead, Mississippi. The 6-foot-4 forward averaged 15.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 72 percent from the free throw line while shooting 47 percent from the field including 33 percent from three-point range. He has a season-high 26 points along with eight rebounds, two assists and three steals and 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and a steal in two separate contests against East Mississippi Community College. He garnered 20 points, four rebounds, seven assists and two steals against Itawamba while tallying 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals versus Coahoma Community College. As a freshman at MDCC, he averaged 12.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists while shooting 57 percent from the field and 33 percent from long range.

A two-sport star at Greenwood High School, Jones had 101 tackles including eight pass breakups while catching 21 passes for 500 yards and eight touchdowns his junior season. His senior season he participated in the Alabama-Mississippi Basketball All-Star game in 2008. In his senior season on the hardwood, he averaged 18.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 56 percent from the field and 38 percent from three-point range.

Jerome Harris comes to MVSU from Spoon River Community College and Collins High School in Illinois. The Chicago, Illinois, native is a 6-foot-3 guard who averaged 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists last season for Spoon River. He connected on 18 three-pointers while shooting 45 percent from the field and 26 percent from three-point range. He had ten points and five rebounds against Robert Morris and 14 points, three rebounds and three assists against Milwaukee Tech. He also had 19 points and two steals versus Kishwaukee College while tallying 19 points and two assists against Lincoln Land Community College. He also finished with 13 points, four rebounds and three steals against Illinois Central.

The month of September features road contests at Alabama State, South Carolina State of the MEAC and Jackson State which bookend the home opener against Alcorn State on September 18. In October, MVSU will face traditional conference title contenders in Prairie View A&M, Southern, Grambling State and Texas Southern. In the final month of the season, the Delta Devils will face rival institution Arkansas-Pine Bluff and will celebrate Homecoming 2010 against Alabama A&M.
“We are excited about the challenge that the upcoming schedule presents,” said new MVSU head coach Karl Morgan. “Starting the season with Alabama State, followed by the MEAC champion and FCS playoff participant South Carolina State and closing the month of September with our in-state rivals Alcorn State and Jackson State – we are going to see just where we are in the opening four weeks of the season.”
MVSU 2010 Tentative Football Schedule

Sep. 4 at Alabama State Montgomery, Ala. Cramton Bowl 7 pm
Sep. 11 South Carolina State Orangeburg, SC Oliver C. Dawson Stadium TBA
Sep. 18 Alcorn State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 5 pm
Sep. 25 at Jackson State Jackson, Miss. Veterans Memorial Stadium 7 pm
Oct. 2 Prairie View A&M Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 1 pm
Oct. 9 at Southern Baton Rouge, La. A.W. Mumford Stadium 6:30 pm
Oct. 16 OPEN
Oct. 23 Grambling State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 1 pm
Oct. 30 at Texas Southern Houston , Texas Durley Stadium 4 pm
Nov. 6 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, Ark. Golden Lion Stadium 1 pm
Nov. 13 Alabama A&M (HC) Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 1 pm
Dec. 11 SWAC Championship Birmingham, Ala. Legion Field 1 pm

Among the Class of 2009-10 include two former coaches, a baseball standout, a football stalwart and four hardwood legends.

The induction ceremony will take place at the H.M. Ivy Cafeteria on MVSU’s campus with the program beginning at 7 p.m. Below is a short sketch on each of the inductees.

Harry Breland retired at the start of the 2008 prep baseball season at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Miss., as one of the most decorated coaches in the state. He complied an overall record of 824-223 in 37 years. He led his teams to nine MHSAA state championships since 1971. In addition to the state titles, he finished second twice and has won 11 south state titles and 21 district titles. Eight of his former players have been drafted by Major League Baseball.

George D. Darden is currently the mayor of the village of Spring Valley, New York. He was elected mayor in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. Prior to his time in politics, he was a highly-regarded educator for more than thirty years. Darden entered MVSU in 1960 where he was a four-year letterman and co-captain of the baseball team by his senior year. He pitched a no-hitter against Paul Quinn College and a one-hitter against Mississippi Industrial at Holly Springs. His athletic achievements were matched by his academic achievements as he finished ranked number seven in the 1964 graduating class.

James Denson currently serves as the Mayor of the City of Rolling Fork. From 1965 to 1970, he was the head football coach and P.E. instructor at Weathers High School in Rolling Fork where he guided the program to the school’s first championship and amassed a 35-4-1 record with three championships and two undefeated seasons. His football team at South Delta amassed a 39-game win streak at one point. He was chosen district coach of the year seven times, Mississippi Coaches Association Coach of the Year three times and led his teams to nine football championships and six undefeated seasons. In other sports, he has seven track division championships, two baseball conference titles, four basketball championships including a state tournament appearance.

Herman Harris finished his career at the Valley as one of the more celebrated players to play at MVSU. He averaged double-figures for most of his career including averaging 24 points and 18 rebounds as a junior and 26 points, 20 rebounds as a senior. He was the team most valuable player his final three seasons as well as a sophomore co-captain and a junior and senior team captain. He was named second-team all-conference as a sophomore and first-team all-conference his junior and senior seasons. Known as “the Helicopter” he never lost a jump ball to start a game and even set game highs of 46 points, 21 blocks and 29 rebounds. As a senior, he was named third-team NAIA All-American. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers with the 11th pick of the 1976 National Football League Draft as well as the Harlem Globetrotters.

Nathaniel Kilbert just completed his ninth year at the helm of the Devilettes basketball program. As a point guard at MVSU, Kilbert lettered four years under legendary Lafayette Stribling, from 1982-1986. Kilbert was a heavy contributor on the Delta Devils’ 1985-86 SWAC tournament championship team. Upon graduating from MVSU with a Bachelor of Science degree, he worked with Stribling as a student assistant. Kilbert moved on to Alcorn State as a graduate assistant from 1987 to 1989, earning his master’s of science degree in secondary education in 1989, before returning to MVSU as an assistant to then-head women’s basketball coach Jessie Harris from 1989 to 1991.

Donna McGray completed her at Mississippi Valley State as one of its most respected performers. In 1989, she led the NCAA Division I in steals – averaging 5.4 steals per game – and was second in assists. She finished her career averaging 425 steals ranking her 12th all-time – and at the time, the NCAA leader. McGray was a first-team all-conference performer in both volleyball and basketball in 1991. She was named SWAC Most Valuable Player in 1991. In 1992, she was a member of the Women’s World Basketball Association All-Star Tour Exhibition Team.

Robert Sanders currently serves as the Director of Public Safety at Mississippi Valley State, a post he has held since 2007. During his collegiate tenure at the Valley, he was a two-time SWAC All-Conference performer as well as a Black College All-American. He was also named Phi Beta Sigma Athlete of the Year. Upon leaving MVSU, he was a teacher and boys basketball coach at Shaw High School. He began his career in law enforcement in 1988. Among his career decisions, he also served as the sergeant-at-arms for the Mississippi State Senate from 2000-2004.

Percy Thornton graduated from Addison High School before accepting a football scholarship to Mississippi Valley State. He was rated as a first-string offensive starter. Active in the community, he was a deacon at Second Baptist Church, a member of Phi Beta Sigma, former president of area NAACP chapter, founder of the Arthur Shorter-Wes Goings Scholarship Foundation, member of the Mississippi Black Supervisors Association and a member of the Claiborne County Port Commission.

ITTA BENA, Mississippi – The Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils will open the 2010 baseball season with a three-game series against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. The teams will meet at Magnolia Field on MVSU’s campus at 1 pm on Friday with the Saturday and Sunday contests being played at Greenville’s Legion Field with 1 pm starts on both days.

Notre Dame and Mississippi Valley State have met twice in the history of the two programs with the Irish picking up both wins in the series. In a series played April 29-30, 2008, the Irish claimed 4-0 and 13-2 victories over MVSU. In the first game, shortstop Paul Olson went 2-for-4. In game two, Olson went 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Looking at the 2010 version of the Delta Devils, MVSU will have both young and experienced players on the field. Centerfielder and leadoff hitter Chris Herron (5-9, 175, Sr., R/R) will return and likely be a vital performer in run scoring for the team. Herron is the team’s top returning offensive player batting .271 last season with 30 runs scored and 26 stolen bases (37th in the nation). Second baseman Curtis Ford (5-8, 155, Jr., R/R) returns after an exciting sophomore campaign. Ford finished 2009 batting .262 with 35 runs scored, five doubles, and 19 stolen bases.

Play-everywhere Britt Goodman (6-3, 205, Sr., R/RHP) who saw time on the mound, in the hot corner of third base and even in the outfield also gives some promise to the program. As a third baseman, he batted .231 with seven runs scored and four runs batted in. On the mound, he went 4-1 with over 58 innings pitched, 45 strikeouts, and a 2.01 ERA. Designated hitter Denarvus Turner (6-3, 235, Soph., R/R) will probably occupy first base and could be a promising power provider for the program. Nick Fangonilo (6-1, 180, Soph., R/R) is slated as the lead catcher and backup outfielder for the team while Paul Olson (6-2, 190, Sr., R/R) should see some action at shortstop alongside Ford. Fangonilo played in 19 games batting .231 with five runs batted in and six run scored. Cody Parker (5-10, 180, Soph., R/R) saw action on the mound and should have even more presence during his second season. He struck out ten batters in 22 relief innings pitched.

A trio of East Central Community College transfers also highlights the 2010 newcomers: pitchers Steven Barnes and Eric Dowell along with catcher/second baseman Kylie Ming will bring some needed assistance to the team. Ming had three doubles, 15 runs batted in and a .290 batting average last season while Dowell had two wins while striking out 18 in 18 innings. Barnes had four wins while striking out 51 in 40 innings of work.

Other newcomers to watch include: pitcher Jesus Aleman (6-1, 195, Jr., R/R) – who should vie for a position in the starting rotation and was a member of the Delta Devils football team this season and outfielder Luke Walker (5-11, 165, Jr., L/L) who finished with 38 hits, two doubles, 10 runs batted in and a .355 batting average last season at East Mississippi Community College. Erie Community College transfer Brad Gibson should also bring experience to the MVSU battery. Last season, the right-handed catcher finished with 23 runs batted in, seven doubles, seven home runs and a .306 batting average.

Weekend’s Probable Starting Pitchers

Friday

MVSU – Britt Goodman (RHP, 6-3, 205, Sr.) – Had a 4-1 record last season with 45 strikeouts in 58 innings pitched … had an ERA of 2.01 while allowing only 13 earned runs on the season.

ND – Cole Johnson (RHP, 6-3, 200, Jr.) – led team with a 7-3 record last season and a 4.47 ERA … worked 94 innings on the mound striking out 64 and walking 36.

Saturday

MVSU – David Brauhn (RHP, 6-5, 225, Jr.) – Pitched at the College of the Siskiyous in California for the past two seasons … in 2009, he finished with a 2-6 record in 82 innings pitched … ha struck out 45 batters and registered an ERA of 5.03 … in 2008, he struck out 35 in 68 innings of work with four wins on the season

ND – Brian Dupre (RHP, 6-3, 200, Jr.) – had a 7.13 ERA last season with a 6-5 record … pitched 82 innings over 14 appearances … had 48 strikeouts while walking 16.

Sunday

MVSU – Eric Dowell – (RHP, 6-2, 190, Jr.) – Pitched two season at East Central Community College … threw 18 innings with 18 strikeouts with a 5.17 ERA … had a 2-3 record on the season.

ND – Eric Maust (RHP, 6-1, 185, Sr.) – worked 85 innings last season with a 6-3 record and a 4.94 ERA … struck out 26 batters while waking 28.