[epiphany2019]

UMES Hoops Has A New Look, Name New Players, New Coaches, & A New Schedule

Aug. 22, 2007

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - New Head Coach William Hughes thinks he has a "great opportunity." While he inherits what many think is the worst team in Division I hoops, he doesn't see it as a problem at all.

Hughes, beginning his first year as a head coach at the college level, served as a high school coach the past three seasons. Two of those seasons resulted in New Jersey state championships. Meanwhile, Maryland-Eastern Shore totaled only 13 wins in those years.

Also new to the UMES program will be several new players. Gone are seniors Corey Brown, Antonio McMillion, Shondale Robinson and Art Valentine. Also gone are Jahmal Bivins and former All-MEAC Rookie Team member Jesse Brooks.

In however, are several new players. First and foremost is the Hawk's lone commitment in the off-season, Ishmawiyl McFadden. A product of Simon Gratz H.S. in Philadelphia, McFadden is a 6-5, 200lb. forward who has an impressive resume. An intelligent player, McFadden was a member of the National Honor Society, he averaged 13.3 points per game his senior season and earned a first team All-Public League selection. His team went to the Public League Finals and to the PIAA semifinals boasting a season ending 25-7 mark. McFadden was also a All-City Honorable Mention selection averaging nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks per game.

New to the court but not the program will also be Ahmad Nicholson. Nicholson signed with the Hawks last season but sat out. He averaged 13.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game as a senior (2005-06) at Camden Catholic H.S, there he led the Fighting Irish to a State Championship his freshman year (2003). He holds the highest career 3-point shooting percentage (48%) in the school's history and had a career high 34 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists against Woodrow Wilson High School. Nicholson was voted team MVP in 2005-06.

Joining McFadden and Nicholson this season on the Hawks will be several other standouts. Another Philadelphia native Mardell West will see some time. The 6-5, 210 lb. forward played at Roxborough H.S. In-state players include Marc Davis, a 5-10 guard who played with Ed Tyson in at Walbrook H.S. in Baltimore and Davven Miller from nearby Pocomoke City H.S. Miller (6-2, 205 lb.) and Davis will see time at the guard spot this season. Roland Dunston is another new guard. The 5-11, 175 lb. freshmen is from Bear, Del. and played at Glasgow H.S.

Returning this season is Mr. All-Everything Ed Tyson (6-2, 200lb). The rising junior guard had a breakout year last season averaging 16.4 points per game and 4.3 rebounds. He will be counted on once again spur the UMES offense.

The Hawks return two other starters from last year in the form of Aleksandar Popovic and Milutin Mirjacic. Both hailing from Serbia, Popovc averaged 5.1 points per game and 4.8 rebounds. He tallied a team high 23 blocks at his center position. While his game is more of a forward, the 6-10, 210lb. junior held his own in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) last season. Mirjacic (6-7, 200 lbs.), a rising sophomore guard, averaged two points and three rebounds per game, seeing limited minutes despite his starting role.

UMES returns three more players. Fellow Serbian Danijel Krleski averaged less than five minutes a game in 22 contests and still managed to average a little over a point a game. The rising sophomore guard (6-4, 185lb.) is deadly quick and has a shot to match. Opponents can count on seeing more of him this season.

Also returning is junior Brandon Moore. A 6-9 forward, Moore also played the center position. His long arms hauled in almost two rebounds a game and accounted for 0.9 points per game.

The young Hawks have one senior, B.J. Nimocks. The junior college transfer averaged 0.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last season, his first in DI. The 6-7, 210 lb. forward is a solid on ball defender and usually draws one of the opponent's better players.

The last addition to the program is a new schedule for the Hawks. Several new opponents, a big tournament, and the always tough MEAC opponents highlight the schedule.

UMES opens the season at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond Va. on November 9.

In a return game, Stony Brook comes to the Hytche Center on November 15th. The Seawolves were one of the Hawk's four wins last season in a 64-58 road decision.

Then it is off to the Mid-West as UMES plays at Bradley University and at Iowa University on the 18th and 20th of November. Those two games are part of the South Padre Island Invitational. They conclude that tournament in South Padre Island Texas on the 23rd and 24th of the month with games against Austin Peay State University and Florida Gulf Coast University. The Hawks close the month out at West Virginia on the 27th.

December sees the first MEAC game for the men as Delaware State comes to town on the first on the month for a 4:00 pm showdown. Games at George Washington, where the Hawks only trailed by four at the half last season, and at Old Dominion are regional contests on the fifth and eighth of December. Another opponent from last year, Kennesaw State comes to town on the 11th and Navy comes to the Hytche in a return game on the 22nd. Those two games sandwich a return trip to Wagner in Staten Island N.Y.

UMES closes out their non-conference dates with a trip to Nebraska on the fourth of January. The Hawks enter their MEAC schedule on the 12th, when they travel to new MEAC member Winston-Salem State. From there on out it is MEAC games the rest of the way with one exception. UMES travels to Dartmouth for a return game on January 23rd. The Hawks meet rival Delaware State on the sixth March in Dover to finish out the regular season. They play a Homecoming game against Florida A&M on the 23rd of February.