Alcorn State coach's contributions earn Journey Award

Davey L. Whitney, the men's basketball coach at Alcorn State University, has been named the first recipient of the NCAA Hall of Champions Journey Award.

The award was created to honor those who have encouraged excellence in collegiate student-athletes.

At age 72, Whitney is the oldest African-American current head basketball coach in the NCAA. Whitney has led Alcorn for 26 years, and he has a career record of 551-338. A graduate of Kentucky State University, Whitney has been chosen as Southwestern Athletic Conference coach of the year nine times.

Whitney received the Journey Award as part of the festivities surrounding a traveling exhibit -- "Discover Greatness," which contains baseball photographs and memorabilia from the Negro Leagues -- currently on display at the Hall of Champions. Whitney played professional baseball as a shortstop with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Baseball Leagues from 1952 to 1954.

The NCAA will give the Journey Award annually. To be eligible for the award, nominees must have:

Inspired NCAA student-athletes;

Championed the purpose of the NCAA;

Established and maintained an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equity; and

Exemplified the RICHER principles in their daily lives. RICHER

stands for Respect, Integrity, Caring, Harmony, Excellence and Responsibility. Those are the values of the NCAA Stay in Bounds program for youth in grades 3 through 8.

Fresno State feels a three-way draft

The athletics department at California State University, Fresno, felt a major draft this year -- in three sports.

It's believed that Fresno State became the only school in the nation this year to produce a first-round draft choice in football, men's basketball and baseball.

Quarterback David Carr was drafted first overall in the NFL draft, where he was selected by the Houston Texans. Carr became the first Bulldogs football player ever selected with the top pick in the NFL draft.

Center Melvin Ely was drafted 12th overall in the NBA draft, where he was picked by the Los Angeles Clippers. Ely became the highest-drafted Fresno State men's basketball player ever. Fresno State's Chris Jeffries was the 27th pick overall in the NBA draft, going to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Ben Fritz, pitcher, catcher and first baseman for the Bulldogs, was picked 30th overall in the Major League Baseball draft by the Oakland Athletics.

WBCA puts magazine on the Web

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced recently that it had placed its magazine, Coaching Women's Basketball (CWB), online at wbca.
org.

The magazine, which is the mainstay publication of the association, moved online as part of the re-launch of the Web site and the association's new Web-driven strategy.

"This has been a major initiative for us over the last 18 months," said Beth Bass, the association's chief executive officer. "We are always trying to find ways to better serve our members and with this tool, we will be able to supply them with the most real-time information possible."

The WBCA will publish 12 online issues and three printed copies of the magazine annually. The CWB debuted in September 1987 and remains the only magazine dedicated solely to women's basketball coaches.

Beginning in August, the online issues of CWB will be available only to members of the WBCA.

-- Compiled by Kay Hawes

Number crunching

Looking back

July 1964

The NCAA Council sponsors the sixth Conference of Conferences July 20-21 in Denver. The meeting includes 92 individuals representing 22 conferences, affiliated members and other organizations.

Among the recommendations that emerge are those that would establish a minimum academic admissions standard as a prerequisite to NCAA competition. The so-called "1.600" rule, subsequently adopted at the 1965 Convention, requires institutions to award scholarships only to prospective student-athletes who have achieved the minimum 1.600 grade-point average. Violations would result in ineligibility for NCAA competition.

NCAA President Robert F. Ray says the legislation "establishes an academic floor for NCAA competition, including bowl games," and it also "inhibits the recruitment of extreme scholastic risk."

* * *

Also in July 1964, the NCAA backs high schools and junior colleges in their opposition to legislation that would permit pro football to televise indiscriminately on Friday nights.

"The NCAA has no intention of interfering or infringing in any way in the affairs of professional football except when those affairs influence its own traditionally established and accepted position, or that of high schools and junior colleges," President Ray says. "In this particular case, it is protection of high-school and junior college football that is at stake."

* * *

"Beating the heat" also was a concern in July 1964. Tips offered by Ernest B. McCoy of Pennsylvania State University, past chair of the NCAA Committee on Sports Injuries and Safety, include:

Acclimatize athletes to hot weather activity by carefully graduated practice.

Provide rest periods of 15 to 30 minutes during workouts of one hour or more.

Watch athletes carefully for signs of trouble, particularly the determined athlete who may not report discomfort.

Remember that temperature and humidity, not the sun, are the important factors. Heat exhaustion and stroke can occur in the shade.