Thursday, June 2, 2016

3 Tide Softballers NFCA All-American; Chance Remains Cam Robinson Could Play In 2016; Golfer Cheyenne Knight Is Honda Award Nominee; Alabama-Ole Miss Football Kickoff Set; Haugh Named SEC Co-Freshman Field Athlete Of The Year; Single Game Football Tickets For Select Games On Sale Now; Saban Responds To Harbaugh Comments; Tide-Sooners Tonight at WCWS; Humphrey, Junior Nominated To College Football Hall Of Fame; History Of Denny Chimes (Part 3)




Three Crimson Tide Softball Players NFCA All-American




The honors continue to roll in for members of the University of Alabama athletics family, and softball has been one of the programs benefiting from outstanding players. Three Crimson Tide softball players have been selected at NFCA All-Americans for this season, with Haylie McCleney capturing first team honors. Sydney Littlejohn and Leona Lafaele have been selected to the second team. 

This now makes nine of the last 10 seasons that Alabama softball has had at least three players earn All-America honors. McCleney is now Alabama softball's sixth four-time All-American, earning first team honors in each of her last three seasons. The second team honors for Littlejohn and Lafaele are the first of their careers. Overall, the Southeastern Conference dominated all other conferences with 18 selections. Nine of the league’s 13 schools are represented.

McCleney's name was called early and often since coming to play softball at the University of Alabama. She is Bama’s career leader in batting average (.447), on-base percentage (.570), walks (198) and triples (16) and owns top-five marks in runs (2nd, 279), stolen base percentage (2nd, .944), slugging percentage (3rd, .690), hits (4th, 310) and stolen bases (5th, 118). This season, she became the fourth player in program history and the 21st in NCAA history to surpass 300 career hits, 200 runs and 100 stolen bases.

Sydney Littlejohn has been a real power on the pitcher's mound, leading the pitching staff in wins (23) and ERA (2.32) this season. She was a top 25 finalist for USA Player of the Year and second team All-SEC selection. McCleney earned national pitcher of the week honors following a pair of road wins over then top-ranked Florida. The Crimson Tide has had at least one pitcher earn All-America honors every year since 2005.

Leona Lafaele has really come on strong during her senior season with the Tide, leading the team with 15 home runs and 61 RBIs. She was named first team All-South Region, second team All-SEC and SEC All-Defense. Lafaele has hit 11 home runs and driven in 24 runs over her last 19 games.


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Chance Remains Cam Robinson Could Play In 2016






The University of Alabama Crimson Tide opens its 2016 College Football Season on September 3rd against the University of Southern California Trojans. One of the big questions is whether or not Bama offensive lineman Cam Robinson will be playing in that game. 

Robinson had been expected to be one of the best lineman available in the next year's NFL draft, but then he and fellow Tider Hootie Jones were arrested last month in Louisiana. Both were sent to jail, and both later bonded out. While most charges between the two were somewhat "minor", but most serious of those was possession of a handgun where drugs were present and possession of a stolen firearm. That felony demands a five-year minimum prison stay if convicted.

According to an ESPN.com report, there is still a possibility that Robinson could play for Bama this coming season. Alabama head football coach Nick Saban has not yet made a decision as to Robinson's status for the 2016 season.

Saban stated, "It's the first time Cam has ever had an issue or a problem. We're handling it and managing it internally, and making him do things to hopefully change his behavior. I'm waiting to see how this whole legal thing plays out because it's not really what it seems to be."

While he is willing to give Robinson the benefit of the doubt for now, eventually all the facts will be laid out (from both sides). So somewhere down the road a definite decision will have to be made. Saban continued, "We'll see what the due process does relative to what the circumstance is and make the best decision for everybody from there."



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Alabama Golfer Cheyenne Knight Is Honda Award Nominee



University of Alabama freshman golfer Cheyenne Knight
Photo Credit: RollTide.com


Only a freshman. 

"Only" is the wrong word. Sensational freshman.

University of Alabama women’s golfer Cheyenne Knight is one of four nominees for the Honda Award for women’s golf. The announcement was made yesterday by the College Women’s Sports Awards (CWSA). 

If selected Knight could become the third Crimson Tide women’s golfer to win the award and the second in two seasons. Emma Talley was honored following her junior year this past season in 2015. Brooke Pancake became the first Honda Award winner in Alabama women's golf history in 2012.

Knight has been a sensation her freshmen season, posting a team-low 72.28 stroke average while recording six top-10 finishes, including a victory at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate. She was Alabama’s top finisher at the NCAA Championships, tying for fourth place with a school-record 72-hole score of 6-under par 282. The Aledo, Texas native also led Alabama women's golf at the SEC Championships. 

For 40 years now the Honda Award has been presented annually by the CWSA to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.” The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. The 2016 Honda Cup will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 27, 2016 in the Founders’ Room at the Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California in downtown Los Angeles.

Each of the nominees were chosen by a combination of NCAA Championships finish and national golf rankings. The Honda Sport Award winner for golf will be announced the week of June 5th following the vote by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each of the NCAA member schools have a vote. 


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Alabama-Ole Miss Football Kickoff  Set





The kickoff for the Alabama-Ole Miss football game for 2016 has been announced. The teams will square off on Saturday, September 17th with a kickoff time of 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi. 

The Crimson Tide and Rebels have met a total of 60 times since 1894. Alabama holds a 47-11-2 advantage in the series, including a 7-4 record in Oxford. 



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Haugh Named SEC Co-Freshman Field Athlete Of The Year



Daneil Haugh
Photo Credit: RollTide.com




University of Alabama freshman Daniel Haugh has been named the SEC co-Freshman Field Athlete of the year according to an announcement by the SEC office yesterday. Haugh is the current Southeastern Conference discus champion. 

Alabama track and field head coach Dan Waters said, "I'm thrilled that Daniel has been recognized as one of the top field athletes in the conference. He has been a key part of a very strong group of throwers for us this season and I look forward to seeing him compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships."

Haugh won the discus title at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 14th with a personal-best throw of 195 feet, 3 inches (59.53 meters). Haugh also finished seventh in the hammer throw at the SEC meet.

Haugh will be one of four Alabama men competing in the men's discus finals in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday, June 10th. 



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Single Game Football Tickets For Select Games On Sale Now



Photo Credit: RollTide.com



The University of Alabama has announced the public sale of football tickets for select 2016 football home games begins today and will continue until they are sold out. Only a limited number of tickets are available for the games against Western Kentucky (Sept. 10), Kent State (Sept. 24), Kentucky (Oct. 1) limit of 2 each, and Chattanooga (Nov. 19). These tickets were made available from unsold allotments returned by visiting teams.

Tickets to three of the games come with an added premium. Tickets purchased through RollTide.com for Western Kentucky ($50), Kent State ($50) and Chattanooga ($45) will include a $10 value that can be used at designated concessions and merchandise stands inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Also available are limited number of individual seats located in the South End Zone Field Suite area for the, Western Kentucky (Sept. 10), Kent State (Sept. 24), Kentucky (Oct. 1), Mississippi State (Nov. 12), and Chattanooga (Nov. 19) games. According to RollTide.com, the Field Suite is an upscale area of the stadium, which includes a food amenity and close proximity to the action.

Crimson Tide fans may order tickets online at RollTide.com, or may also be ordered by calling (205) 348-BAMA (2262) or toll free at 1-877-TIDETIX (843-3849). The Alabama Athletics TIDE PRIDE/Ticket Office in Coleman Coliseum is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Extended hours for phone orders are through 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.



Photo Credit: RollTide.com



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Saban Responds To Harbaugh Comments


University of Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban
Photo Credit: RollTide.com




Unless you've been hiding under a rock (okay, or extremely busy), we've all heard of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh's comments concerning University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban and the football program breaking rules and hypocritical. That came via a tweet on Tuesday night.

Yesterday, Saban responded, and pretty much laid it out there. Saban really doesn't care what Jim Harbaugh has to say.

Again, all this is basically "satellite camp" oriented.

Harbaugh doesn't like what Saban had to say earlier in the day. "I'm not blaming Jim Harbaugh, " Saban said. "I'm saying it's bad for college football. Harbaugh can do whatever he wants to do if he thinks that's what's best. There needs to be somebody who looks out for what's best for the game, not the SEC or the Big Ten or Jim Harbaugh. But what's best for the game of college football. The integrity of the game. The coaches, players and people who play it. That's bigger than all this. Now who does that? Now because we have the Power 5, everyone is doing what they want. There needs to be a [college football] commissioner."

Stay tuned, folks. Pretty sure there is more to come, whether by these or others.



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Crimson Tide Faces Sooners Tonight At 6 p.m. CT On ESPN2


Photo Credit: RollTide.com


The University of Alabama softball team is appearing in its 11th Women's College World Series beginning tonight. The Crimson Tide faces the Oklahoma Sooners this evening at 6 p.m. CT at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, and can be seen live on ESPN2.

The 2016 WCWS is the 11th for the Bama ladies, and the fifth in the last six years, including a streak of three consecutive appearances.

Alabama and Oklahoma have already faced off once this season, and that one found the Crimson Tide on the short end of a 2-0 score back on March 19th at the Easton Tournament in Fullerton, California. The pair have faced each other five times at the Women's College World Series, with the Tide winning three of those contests, including winning the national championship series in 2012.

Eight schools will face one another in the tournament. The field includes two, four-team brackets set up in a double-elimination format. The two bracket winners then meet in a best-of-three series for the 2016 NCAA Women's College World Series Championship.



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Bobby Humphrey, E.J. Junior Nominated 
To 2017 College Football Hall Of Fame



A pair of University of Alabama football greats have been nominated to the 2017 College Football Hall of Fame. Former Crimson Tide running back Bobby Humphrey and former linebacker E.J. Junior will join a total of 75 players and six coaches from the Football Subdivision, according to the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Football Hall of Fame.

Humphrey completed his career as Bama's all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 4,958, He scored 40 total touchdowns for the Crimson Tide.

E.J. Junior played linebacker for the Crimson Tide, and was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 1980. He was a member of Bear Bryant's final two national championship teams. He completed his career with Bama with 39 tackles for loss, which was a Tide record at the time. 

To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been named a First Team All-American by a major/national selector as recognized and utilized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams, played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 years prior, played within the last 50 years and cannot currently be playing professional football.

The announcement of the 2017 Class is to be made Friday, January 6, 2017, in Tampa, Florida. The induction ceremony will take place during the 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner in New City, with the 2017 class being inducted on December 5, 2017,  


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History Of University Of Alabama's Denny Chimes


Denny Chimes
Photo Credit: RollTide.com


We're looking at the significance, purpose, and history of Denny Chimes in this three-part series. Today is the final installment, as we take a look at the Walk of Fame.

Surrounding Denny Chimes is what has come to be known as the Walk of Fame, where the captains of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team have placed their hand and footprints in cement slabs at the base since 1948. There is an annual ceremony as a part of A-Day festivities associated with the placement of the prints. Captains of the latest football team/season are honored at the ceremony.

Here is a list of the names inscribed on the Walk of Fame:





  • 1947: Harry Gilmer, John Wozniak
  • 1948: Billy Cadenhead, Ray Richeson
  • 1949: Billy Cadenhead, Ed Holdnak, Doug Lockridge
  • 1950: Ed Salem, Mike Mizerany
  • 1951: Jack Brown, Harold Lutz
  • 1952: Bobby Marlow, Bobby Wilson
  • 1953: Ralph Carrigan, Bud Willis
  • 1954: Thomsa Tharp, Sid Youngleman
  • 1955: Nick Germanos
  • 1956: Jim Cunningham, Max Kelly, Wes Thomas
  • 1957: Jim Loftin, Clay Walls
  • 1958: Bobby Jackson, Dave Sington, Bobby Smith
  • 1959: Jim Belvins, Don Cochran, Marlin Dyess
  • 1960: Bobby Boylston, Leon Fuller
  • 1961: Billy Neighbors, Pat Trammell
  • 1962: Lee Roy Jordan, Jimmy Sharpe
  • 1963: Not awarded
  • 1964: Steve Allen, Benny Nelson
  • 1965: Joe Namath, Ray Ogden
  • 1966: Richard Cole, Ray Perkins, Steve Sloan
  • 1967: Bobby Johns, Kenny Stabler
  • 1968: Mike Hall, Donnie Sutton
  • 1969: Danny Ford, Alvin Samples
  • 1970: Dave Brungard, Danny Gilbert
  • 1971: Johnny Musso, Robin Parkhouse
  • 1972: Terry Davis, John Mitchell




  • 1973: Wilbur Jackson, Chuck Strickland
  • 1974: Ricky Davis, Sylvester Croom
  • 1975: Lee Roy Cook, Richard Todd
  • 1976: Thad Flanagan, Charles Hannah
  • 1977: Ozzie Newsome, Mike Tucker
  • 1978: Marty Lyons, Tony Nathan
  • 1979: Don McNeal, Steve Whitman
  • 1980: Alan Gray, Major Ogilvie
  • 1981: Warren Lyles, Randy Scott
  • 1982: Randy Edwards, Steve Mott
  • 1983: Walter Lewis, Eddie Lowe
  • 1984: Paul Ott Carruth, Emanuel King
  • 1985: Thornton Chandler, Jon Hand
  • 1986: Cornelius Bennett, Mike Shula
  • 1987: Kerry Goode, Randy Rockwell
  • 1988: Derrick Thomas, David Smith
  • 1989: Marco Battle, Willie Wyatt
  • 1990: Philip Doyle, Gary Hollingsworth, Efrum Thomas
  • 1991: Siran Stacy, Robert Stewart, John Sullins, Kevin Turner
  • 1992: Derrick Oden, George Teague, George Wilson, Prince Wimbley
  • 1993: Chris Anderson, Lemanski Hall, Antonio Langham, Tobie Shiels
  • 1994: Jay Barker, Tommy Johnson, Tarrant Lynch, Sam Shade
  • 1995: Shannon Brown, Brian Burgdorf, Tony Johnson, John Walters
  • 1996: John Causey, Fernando Davis
  • 1997: Curtis Alexander, Paul Pickett, Rod Rutledge, Deshea Townsend
  • 1998: Calvin Hall, John David Phillips, Daniel Pope, Kelvin Sigler, Travis Smith
  • 1999: Shaun Alexander, Cornelius Griffin, Miguel Merritt, Ryan Pflugner, Chris Samuels
  • 2000: Paul Hogan, Bradley Ledbetter, Kenny Smith
  • 2001: Jarret Johnson, Terry Jones, Jr., Saleem Rasheed, Tyler Watts, Andrew Zow
  • 2002: Lane Bearden, Ahmaad Galloway, Jarret Johnson, Kenny King, Kindal Moorehead, Tyler      Watts
  • 2003: Derrick Pope, Shaud Williams
  • 2004: Todd Bates, Wesley Britt
  • 2005: Brodie Croyle, DeMeco Ryans
  • 2006: Le'Ron McClain, Juwan Simpson
  • 2007: Antoine Caldwell, Rashad Johnson, Darren Mustin
  • 2008: John Parker Wilson, Rashad Johnson, Antoine Caldwell
  • 2009: Javier Arenas, Mike Johnson, Rolando McClain
  • 2010: Greg McElroy, Dont'a Hightower, Mark Barron
  • 2011: Mark Barron, Dont'a Hightower, Trent Richardson
  • 2012: Barrett Jones, Damion Square, Chance Warmack
  • 2013: A.J. McCarron, C.J. Mosley, Kevin Norwood
  • 2014: Amari Cooper, Blake Sims, Jalston Fowler, Landon Collins
  • 2015: Jake Coker, Derrick Henry, Ryan Kelly, Reggie Ragland