Basketball Transfer Daniel Giddens May Turn Pro
Daniel Giddens
Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports
He committed to the University of Alabama basketball program back in mid-May. Now 6' 10" former Ohio State center Daniel Giddens may bypass the Crimson Tide and instead opt to go pro and play in the National Basketball Association.
The Mableton, Georgia native was a freshman last year at Ohio State and had decided, and announced, his commitment to Avery Johnson and the Crimson Tide. He would, however, have to sit out the 2016-17 season due to NCAA transfer rules. He would still have three years of eligibility remaining with the Tide.
Strong rumors have emerged that rather than sitting out a season, the young Giddens would make the jump to the professional ranks.
At this point it is still labeled as a rumor since no announcement or confirmation of any kind has been forthcoming.
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Tide Women's Golf Picks Up Transfer Lauren Stephenson
UA Women's Golf Transfer Lauren Stephenson
Photo Supplied by RollTide.com
The sport of football seems to lend itself to "transfer" additions or departures from institutions across the nations. Add golf to that list.
University of Alabama women's golf coach Mic Potter has announced that transfer Lauren Stephenson from Clemson University has joined the Crimson Tide team. Stephenson recently qualified for the 2016 U.S. Women's Open as an amateur, and became the first Clemson women's golfer to play in the NCAA Championships when she competed just last month at the 2016 tourney at the Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Oregon.
Potter said, "We’re thrilled Lauren Stephenson has decided to join our team at the University of Alabama. We’re looking forward to having her in our program for the next three years."
As a freshman during the just-ended 2015-16 season, Stephenson was the Tigers stroke leader for the season (73.36). She finished fifth at the Shoal Creek Regional to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the individual category. Stephenson was one of only four golfer to shoot 75 or better for all three rounds at the championships (74-75-74). She was also the only golfer to record two eagles at the regional.
The lass out of Lexington, South Carolina had a stroke average that ranked as the second-lowest season average in Clemson women's golf history. Stephenson led the Tigers in rounds shot in the 60s (four) as well as rounds of par or better (12) this past season. She shot a seven-under par 209 at the Briar's Creek Invitational, the second-lowest 54-hole score in Clemson history.
Stephenson, in only her third collegiate appearance this past season as a freshman, earned co-medalist honors at the Yale Women’s Intercollegiate in October. She was Clemson’s low scorer in six of the team’s 10 tournaments this season.
Stephenson will begin competing for Alabama in 2016-17 and will have three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Welcome to Tuscaloosa, Lauren.
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4-Star Will Ignont No Longer Favors Bama Football
4-Star LB Prospect Will Ignont
Photo Credit: ajc.com
Four-star linebacker prospect Will Ignont out of Buckhorn High School in New Market, Alabama no longer is "silently" committed to Crimson Tide football, according to Mike Farrell of Rivals.com.
Ignont now says that the Georgia Bulldogs are the leaders for his college football services. Alabama is still in the mix but trailing. Also under consideration are Michigan and Florida State University.
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Annual Birmingham News SEC Football Poll Picks Bama
It's that time of year again. Every "early summer" The Birmingham News will poll the sports information directors of all 14 Southeastern Conference athletic departments as to who each believes will win the SEC Championship of the upcoming football season. The one big restriction facing each A.D. is that they cannot vote for their own football team or players.
An overwhelming choice, the Alabama Crimson Tide was selected to be the victor of the 2016 Southeastern Conference Championship.
The News reports that Alabama was selected by the athletic directors to win the SEC Western Division, garnering five first place votes and one second place vote. Second was LSU, followed by third-place Ole Miss, Auburn and Arkansas tied for fourth, Texas A&M came in sixth and Mississippi State was last in seventh place.
The SEC Eastern Division had Tennessee capturing the division crown, Georgia was second, followed by Florida, Missouri, South Carolina, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
The Birmingham News showed the Crimson Tide first in the overall voting with 12 first-place votes and one second-place voted. While the Volunteers didn't receive any first place votes, Tennessee came in second in the overall voting. LSU was third, followed by Georgia, Ole Miss, Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, Texas A&M,
Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt.
The Crimson Tide was well-represented on The News' preseason All-SEC team. Repping Bama on the first team is wide receiver Calvin Ridley, tight end O.J. Howard, tackle Cam Robinson, punter JK Scott, linebacker Reuben Foster, linebacker Tim Williams, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and safety Eddie Jackson. Making the second team is guard Alphonse Johnson.
Alabama Crimson Tide tight end O.J. Howard was voted most underrated by the athletic directors.
As expected, Leonard Fournette picked up several firsts. He was selected as Most Valuable Player, top Heisman candidate, best athlete as well as best running back.
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University Of Alabama Football National Championships: 1925
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide football program proudly lays claim to 16 National Championships, with the most recent being this past 2015 season. We're going to take a short look at each one, year-by-year and one per day. Also you will find the organization(s) that presented that particular national championship.
While the NCAA doesn't officially recognize national champions, it does provide a partial listing of the champions as listed by various organization. That includes more than one team in the same year, as was the case many times in years past.
It should be noted that, while Alabama claims 16 national titles in football, the Official NCAA Football Records Book actually cites five additional Alabama championships. Those are in the years 1945, 1962, 1966, 1975 and 1977.
Alright, today we start with the first national championship Bama earned in football. We go all the way back to 1925. The Crimson Tide was coached by Wallace Wade when winning the first one. Bama captured the crown of the Southern Conference (before it was changed to the Southeastern Conference) that year, completed the regular season with an unblemished 9-0-0 record, and was invited to play Washington in the January 1, 1926 Rose Bowl. The Tide won that game 20-19, finishing the season at 10-0-0.
Outstanding player of the game was Johnny Mack Brown, who had become a household name in Alabama and would soon become so nationally. This national championship was awarded to Alabama by Football Annual and the Helms Athletic Foundation.
Wallace Wade
Alabama's 1st National Championship Coach
Photo Credit: AL.com
