Nov. 30, 2006

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - In what will be their second consecutive home game, the Lady Rams basketball team will host the Highlanders of the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Saturday afternoon at the C.E. Gaines Center on the campus of Winston-Salem State University.  Tip-off is slated for 5:00 pm as the Lady Rams (1-6) look to earn their second win of 2006-07 over NJIT (2-4).

Setting The Scene...It's game eight for the Lady Rams and the second consecutive home game for Winston-Salem State University.  WSSU is coming off of a loss on Wednesday night as they fell in defeat to the Delaware State University Lady Hornets by the score of 67-51.  With the loss the Lady Rams fell to 1-6 on the season. 

A Quick Look Back...The Lady Rams posted a 10-18 overall record last season and posted a 5-11 conference record in their final year of membership in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).  WSSU lost in the opening round of the CIAA Women's Championship tournament in Charlotte, NC to the Bowie State University Lady Bulldogs by the score of 52-51 as they closed out 31 years of CIAA basketball play before departing Division II for the ranks of Division I.

Last Action...The Lady Rams may have dropped the decision to the Lady Hornets but that is not say that WSSU was without stellar play from its players.  All-Everything forward Shalonda Carter dropped in a game-high 22 points and seven rebounds in the loss and Lavontay Johnson chipped in with 14 points in a losing effort.

The Series...The contest between the Lady Rams and the Highlanders marks the first meeting between the two teams.  Winston-Salem State University has never faced the New Jersey Institute of Technology.   The Lady Rams are in the second year of a five-year transition from NCAA Division II to Division I and will join the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2007-08.  The Highlanders are also transitioning to the NCAA Division I level and compete as an independent in 2006-07 as well.

WSSU Radio Coverage...The WSSU Department of Athletics will broadcast the women's game on WSNC 90.5 FM with Maurice "Big Mo" Stanfield calling all the play-by-play action and LA Batchelor providing color commentary.  The game is also available on the Internet at www.WSSU.edu by clicking on the link "Listen To WSNC 90.5 Online".

What's On Tap...The Lady Rams have their most difficult schedule in the 25-year history of the women's basketball program.  WSSU opened the season with four road games during the season's first week of play.  Winston-Salem State University lost at #2 North Carolina (83-32) on November 12 before traveling to Towson, MD to face Towson on November 14 where they lost 76-51.  WSSU traveled to Auburn, AL to face Auburn University on November 17 where they dropped an 85-47 decision, and then traveled to face Alabama State on November 19 (L, 76-63).  The Lady Rams' lost their first home contest (November 25) when they fell to Johnson C. Smith University at the C.E. Gaines Center in Winston-Salem, NC by the score of 73-63 and then earned their first win of the season, and first road win, on Monday when they defeated Norfolk State in overtime 75-64.  Wednesday night the Lady Rams fell to Delaware State University by the score of 67-51 and will look to bounce back as they face NJIT on Saturday afternoon.

Making History...History was made on Monday night in Norfolk, Virginia as the Lady Rams recorded their first Division I win in the program's history.  Coach Dee Stokes netted her first win as WSSU's head coach and the Lady Rams improved to 1-5 at the Division I level with a win over a Division I opponent on the road at Delaware State University.

New Head Coach...WSSU is led by Dee Stokes who is entering into her first year as head coach of the Lady Rams.  Stokes is no stranger to the Division I coaching ranks as she is entering into her fifth season overall and has posted an all-time mark of 51-58.  She comes to WSSU by way of Winthrop University where she spent two seasons as an assistant coach following a spell as the head coach at East Carolina University.  Stokes has posted a 1-5 record at WSSU as head coach and earned her first win as head coach at WSSU this past Monday.  She has posted an overall head coaching record of 51-57.

Stokes Versus Teams From New Jersey...WSSU head coach Dee Stokes has never faced a team from the state of New Jersey and has never coached a team that has played a game in the Garden State.  Saturday's meeting will be a first for a Stokes-led team as they face the Highlanders of the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

A Look At The Opposition...The Lady Rams face off against a team that they have never met on Saturday in the Highlanders of NJIT.  NJIT, like the Lady Rams, are making the transition to NCAA Division I status.  However, the Highlanders are one year ahead of WSSU in the five-year process and will achieve championship-eligibility in 2009-10 as opposed to WSSU's championship eligibility which comes in 2010-11.

Not Burning Up The Nets...The Lady Rams are not exactly burning up the nets thus far this season.  WSSU has connected on only 126 of their 379 field-goal attempts for a shooting percentage of 33.2%.

A Second-Half Team...The Lady Rams are a better second half team.  That is evidenced by the fact that WSSU has been outscored 261-165 in the first half and has been outscored only 260-203 in the second half this season.  The Lady Rams own a 14-3 overtime advantage over their opponents.

Nine Conferences Strong...The Lady Rams will face nine different conferences during the 2006-07 season.  WSSU will face the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) three times, the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) three times, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) once, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA - NCAA Division II) twice, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) nine times, the Southern Conference (SoCON) twice, the Big East once, the Big South once and the Patriot League once.  WSSU will also battle five teams that are classified as NCAA Independents.

Right Where She Left Off...Senior forward Shalonda Carter is again picking up where she left off last season.  Carter has averaged nearly a double-double for her entire career, a span of 89 career games (of which she has started 85 of them).  Carter is averaging 14.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game this season with a career average of 11.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.  It took Carter only 77 games to break the 1000-point plateau at WSSU, something she did as a junior.

Transition Year Two...The Lady Rams are currently in the second year of a five-year transition from the Division II level to the highest level of competition in Division I.  The Lady Rams are an independent team that will join the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2007-08.  Winston-Salem State University will become a full-fledged Division I member that is eligible for championships during the 2010-11 season.

12th MEAC Member...On July 20, 2006, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced that it will expand its membership to 12 members next year, as the league voted to admit Winston-Salem State University into the league beginning in 2007-08. "We are elated to welcome Winston-Salem into the MEAC family", said Commissioner Dennis Thomas. "Obviously we think that WSSU is an outstanding academic institution with an excellent athletics program." Winston-Salem State University is currently in the second year of its reclassification from Division II to NCAA Division I status. WSSU will begin a full MEAC schedule in all sports beginning in 2007-08. However they will not be eligible for MEAC Championship play until the 2010-11 football season. The addition of WSSU marks the first expansion for the MEAC since 1997, when Norfolk State University became the 11th member of the conference.

Road Weary...The Lady Rams must improve their record on the road in 2006-07 as they recorded only one victory on the road in 2005-06 en route to posting a 1-9 record away from home.  The Lady Rams have posted a losing record on the road for the last three consecutive seasons.  WSSU is currently 1-4 on the road during the 2006-07 season.

Honors Candidate...Despite not officially joining the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference until the 2007-08 season, the Lady Rams are eligible for Division I Independent honors in 2006-07.  The most decorated of the Lady Rams is senior forward Shalonda Carter (#40) who is a national favorite for playing honors this season.  Carter garnered CIAA Rookie of the Year honors and All-CIAA honors her freshman season and again graced the CIAA First-Team last season.  Carter averaged nearly a double-double last season as she tallied 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest.  She will again be on the "watch list" for national honors this season.

Experienced Team...Despite the newness of the transition to Division I play, the Lady Rams will have the benefit of a team that has playing experience.  The lone freshman on the team is Ja'Pel Sumpter, a 5'7" guard.  She will join a team laden with three seniors, one junior, and five sophomores.

Glass Matters...Whoever wins the rebounding battle wins the basketball war.  The Lady Rams, who are currently 0-3 on the season, have lost the rebounding battle in all three of their losses this season.  Last season when the Lady Rams were out-rebounded, they posted a record of 2-15 overall.  Rebounding may very well be the key to the success, or failure, of this young women's basketball team.

A New Era; A Proud History...The Lady Rams are entering into a new era at WSSU as they are heading into the Division I ranks.  However, the Rams have a history of basketball excellence as they have recorded 12 winning seasons en route to posting an overall mark of 330-328 over the span of 25 years of play.

A Look At The University...Winston-Salem State University was founded as the Slater Industrial Academy on September 28, 1892. It began in a one-room frame structure with 25 pupils and one teacher. In 1895, the school was recognized by the state of North Carolina, and in 1897, it was chartered by the Slater Industrial and State Normal School.

                From the beginning, the school has insisted upon the vital importance of elementary school teachers in building an improved citizenship. Emphasis has, therefore, constantly been placed upon the quality and quantity of training for these teachers. In 1925, the General Assembly of North Carolina recognized the school's leadership in this field and granted the school a new charter, extending its curriculum above high school.  The school changed its name to Winston-Salem Teachers College and empowered it, under the authority of the State Board of Education, to confer appropriate degrees.  Winston-Salem Teachers College thus became the first Negro institution in the nation to grant degrees for teaching in the elementary grades.

                The Nursing School was established in 1953, awarding graduates the degree of Bachelor of Science. The basic nursing program covers four years of study with equal emphasis on academic and professional education.

                In 1957, the North Carolina General Assembly revised the charter of the college and authorized the expansion of the curriculum to include secondary education and any other specific types of training as directed and determined by the State Board of Higher Education.

                The North Carolina General Assembly of 1963 authorized the changing of Winston-Teachers College to Winston-Salem State College. A statute designing Winston-Salem Teachers College as Winston-Salem State University received legislative approval in 1969.  On October 30, 1971, the General Assembly reorganized higher education in North Carolina, and on July 1, 1972, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) became one of 16 constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina, subject to the control of the Board of Governors.

                Winston-Salem State University is located on 110 acres in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, a city of 185,470 residents. This thriving Twin City is part of the Piedmont Triad, which encompasses the neighboring cities of Greensboro and High Point. The Triad is one of the most heavily populated and fastest growing metropolitan areas between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA (U.S. Census Statistical Information).

                Winston-Salem State University rapidly is changing its "well-kept secret" status.  The University has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report's "Best Colleges and Universities" publication as one of the best public liberal arts colleges in the south for the last five years.  WSSU is perhaps best defined by part of the University's mission statement which reads: "Excellent academic programs with a strong liberal arts foundation will be offered within a learning culture which exemplifies excellence in teaching and scholarship; emphasizes faculty-student interaction; promotes lifelong learning; and prepares individuals for leadership and service in the global society."

                The present day Winston-Salem State University has come a long way from its humble beginnings as Slater Industrial Academy in 1892;  WSSU now enrolls over 5,557 students, offers bachelor's degrees in over 40 majors, master's degrees in seven degree programs, and employs nearly 250 full-time faculty and 350 staff members.  It is accredited by the Commission on College of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.  WSSU has a diverse student population with increasing enrollment of non-traditional and part-time students.

                On March 5, 1998 the University's "Strategic Framework for Change" was unveiled to the Board of Trustees and the Winston-Salem community.  The document provides the context for transforming today's Winston-Salem State University into one of the region's finest public undergraduate institutions.  Nursing at Winston-Salem State University offers a global health curriculum and international student and faculty exchange.  Gottenburg's University in Sweden, the Nightingale Institute at King's College in London, the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland, Waterford Regional Technical College in Southern Ireland, and WSSU are all partners in this exciting venture.

                The pass rate for Winston-Salem State University nursing graduates on the state board examination is above 90 percent, one of the highest in the state of North Carolina and the highest among historically black colleges and universities nationally.

                In the 90's, Fortune 500 corporations increasingly recruited business, economics, and accounting graduates.  Recently, the University's student chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants was recognized in the national competition at the Association's annual meeting.

                Sport Management at WSSU is one of the top undergraduate programs of its kind in the country and is currently seeking accreditation by the North American Society for Sport Management and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.  Therapeutic Recreation and Physical Education for Mature Adults at WSSU and across the nation are among the fastest-growing health-related curricula.  Only a handful of colleges and universities offer bachelors degrees in these disciplines, and even fewer are accredited by related professional organizations.

Winston-Salem State's Diggs Gallery is a cultural meeting place where art is the common language for a wide range of campus and community discussions.  Founded by James Gordon Haines in 1990, the gallery is committed to exhibiting African and African-American visual arts and it highly regarded by the art community as one of the areas premiere galleries.