Newspaper Page Text
CAU MVP set goals for the NFL
file photo
Chris Ryan, #36, voted MVP in the AUC
Charysse Esinam Handy
Contributing Writer
Playing football wasn’t a
childhood hobby for Chris Ryan,
but this late bloomer has emerged
as one of the best running backs
in the Southern Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference.
Ryan, a junior health and
physical education major, was a
key member of the Clark Atlanta
University Panther football team
as captain and a leader.
“Chris is one of the best
running backs in the league and
I have no doubt that he will make
it to the National Football
League,” Head Coach Willie
Hunter said.
The coach may not have to
wait long to see his prediction
become a reality as, at present,
Ryan is being sought after by the
New York Giants, Dallas
Cowboys, Baltimore Browns and
the Carolina Panthers, to name a
few.
As a Panther, some of Ryan’s
greatest games included playing
Alabama A&M, Albany State
and an 86 yard touchdown run
against rival Morehouse College,
which resulted in a 21 -6 victory.
The Panthers' overall record for
the 1995-1996 season was 5-5.
A transfer student from Pearl
River Junior College in
Mississippi, Ryan is a two-time
All-American.
While at CAU, he has rushed
over 2,000 yards in two years
and was named Most Valuable
Player in the Atlanta University
Center.
Other accomplishments
include representing CAU in the
1996 Snow Bowl; the All-Star
Game, featuring the best football
players in Division II, where he
was leading rusher with 78 yards
and 10 carries.
AnativeofSuIphur,LA., Ryan
started playing organized football
whenhewasl7. Nowatage23,
Ryan holds numerous awards
for his talent, which is deemed
remarkable for a guy weighing
265 pounds and is able to run a
40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.
“I attribute my talents to
working out everyday, keeping
to myself and preparing mentally
and physically for the next level,”
Ryan said.
Ryan’s ultimate goal is to
become the best running back in
the NFL and with his motto,
“Live and Learn,” he moves a
step closer each day.
CAU track team
long on talent,
short on support
CAU baseball team
improves in spirit, scores
Mya McGary
Contributing Writer
Dave Edwards, Clark Atlanta
University’s head track and field
coach, said this year’s team is
well on its way to the top.
“I brought in a few recruits,”
Coach Edwards said. He is also
relying on the host of veterans
who know how to run.
With the women’s team
placing second and men’s placing
sixth in last year’s Southern
Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference tournament, Coach
Edwards said the 1996 team looks
extremely promising.
This year, Edwards is trying a
different approach to success by
putting more emphasis on
stretching and warming up rather
than conditioning, which he said
most people take for granted.
“Think of the muscles as a
rubber band,” Edwards said. “If
it is tight, it is going to pop.”
He likened an athlete’s
muscles to a car. “The better it’s
lubricated, the better it runs,” he
said.
When asked what events will
the team be the most successful
in this year, Coach Edwards
placed high faith in the women’s
4 X 100,4 X 400 relay teams and
the 400 meter runners.
Those athletes leading in
events are senior distance runner
Makeeta Nash, second-year
distance runner Latifa Johnson,
longjumpers Roxanne Singleton
and Charlene Moore and
freshman sprinter Shonta
Alexander in the 200 meters.
Leaders in the men’s events
include the 4 X 100 team
consisting of Ken Browning,
Wayne Wiley, Willie Jones and
Corey Wyatt. In hurdling,
Wilkinson Nestor leads the pack
and newcomer Jonathan Tate
excels in distance running.
Edwards also puts great
emphasis on Chris Ryan, a CAU
football running back, who
captured 1st and 2nd place in
shotput and disc respectively in
last year’s SI AC tournament.
Sophomore shotput thrower
Monte Dilworth said of his
teammates, “I think it’s a big
improvement from last year.
Everyone seems to be focused.”
Edwards said his team is
superior, despite the odds. Even
though he is relying on the
veterans, “we still have a young
team...but they know how to run
the game.” He added that when
Continued on PI 4
Mya McGary
Contributing Writer
Clark Atlanta University’s
baseball team has been working
hard to improve their skills and
now they said they are ready to
play ball for Spring ’96.
The team, headed by
newcomer Coach Johnny
Millen, has won two games so
far and plan on taking many
more.
By Kendra Story
Contributing Writer
With a dash of strength and a
hint of pure talent added to their
game, the Clark Atlanta
University tennis team is
confident in capturing the
Southern Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference
championship in May.
Last season, the Panther
women’s team placed first in
the conference, while the men
placed third.
This season, the men’s team
is back and has played well,
Although Coach Millen said
his entire team will lead him to
success, he said those players
who are most promising are short
stop Stacey Little, who is being
scouted by the pros, and catcher
Fred Lavendar.
Coach Millen also said
Roderick Walker, the teams
pitcher, has an ERA of 2.0 and
has picked off at least 10 base
runners.
“This year’s team is definitely
with only one loss among them
against Savannah State in
February. Both teams have won
matches against Tuskegee,
Morris Brown and Fort Valley
State College.
Morehouse has always been a
rival for the men’s team, but this
time sophomore Eric Fresh said
he expects a good match.
“Morehouse isn’t as strong as
they have been in the past,” said
Fresh, one of the four team
members on a tennis scholarship.
“I think we have a real good
shot of winning the conference,”
he added.
Fresh’s teammates agree,
better than last year,” Millen said.
“We’re more competitive."
Millen said his team could go
farther if they had more support
from CAU students. The
Panthers' home field is the Bill
Evans Baseball Field, located in
College Park, which makes the
games less accessible to students.
Also, many of Coach Millen’s
players are in other sports,
contributing a loss due to the
saying that a repeat to the
conference looks hopeful. And
as far as talent is concerned, the
team knows they have just that
and plan to use it throughout the
season.
Coach Oliver McClendon,
equipped with his jocular
character and canny smile that
team members are so fond of,
added that the team as a whole
“is doing o.k.,” and must keep
strength a part of their game.
And if anyone knows the
potential
Continued on P14
CAU men, women tennis team
matched in high hope for future wins