EDWARD WATERS

Here is your Week 5 Florida HBCU football recap:

A preview of Week 5 football games of HBCUs located in Florida.

Edward Waters football opens the season hosting Florida Memorial Saturday in the Big Cat Classic.

Edward Waters University prepares for their last season before they fully become a member of the NCAA Division 2 and the SIAC.

Edward Waters University women’s basketball player La’Quanza Glover is a rising star on and off the basketball court.

Edward Waters University came back at the finish to open play in its new stadium — and a new division — in style.

The Tigers open the Toriano Morgan era and the new stadium era on Saturday afternoon against Florida Memorial at 4 p.m.

The momentum continues for Edward Waters University.

A new era in Edward Waters football is on the way.

Jackson State quarterback Quincy Casey (8) passes against Edward Waters during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Jackson, Miss., Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. Jackson State won the game, which was also the college coaching debut of Jackson State head football coach Deion Sanders. – Jalon Jones threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as Jackson State rolled past NAIA Edward Waters 53-0 in Deion Sanders' coaching debut on Sunday. JSU racked up 435 yards of total offense to Edward Waters 104. Jackson State had elected to receive to open the second half and scored in just under three minutes after a 50-yard kickoff return set the Tigers up at Edward Waters 47.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Spring football this year is quite a bit different at Edward Waters. Normally, spring football is all about practice and preparing for the fall, but in 2021 the Tigers are preparing for their regular season … in February. COVID-19 not only canceled fall football for the Tigers in 2020, but it scrapped the team’s traditional spring football workouts, too. “They didn’t have spring football either, every football team’s playing in the spring. It ain’t going to be about Coach Ruffin.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are building off of a successful high school baseball classic and branching out into college. The Jumbo Shrimp are partnering with BCSG 360 to host Historically Black Colleges and University programs Edward Waters and Savannah State in the inaugural JAX Diamond Classic on March 22, 2021 at 121 Financial Ballpark. “We are excited and honored to host the JAX Diamond Classic,” said Jumbo Shrimp executive vice president/general manager Harold Craw. “It is with great pride we showcase our facility to not only the teams from Edward Waters and Savannah State, but also to their fans, alumni and supporters.”Last February, the Jumbo Shrimp hosted the inaugural High School Heritage Classic between Raines and Ribault at the Ballpark. Part of the proceeds from the game between EWC and Savannah State will be donated to bolster programs for college admittance, scholarships and college preparation for students.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Edward Waters is adding men’s volleyball to its college athletics program, the school announced on Friday. The school received a $100,000 grant from the First Point Volleyball Foundation and USA Volleyball to help get the sport off the ground. Those organizations helped six Historically Black Colleges and Universities launch men’s volleyball last year with a $1 million grant. EWC is the first HBCU in Florida to add men’s volleyball. Pending a successful transition this year, EWC will be positioned to qualify for and compete in the SIAC Championships.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. When the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference decided to not play football this fall, it put Edward Waters College in a strange position. The Tigers are not a member of the SIAC but the majority of their football schedule was filled with schools from the conference. Bryant did not set a timeline for the announcement of EWCs new football schedule. EWC is set to debut a new football stadium this year and this will be the first season for the soccer program. The Tigers currently have 152 players on their football roster and have ordered 175 Schutt splash shields for the football team.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. NFL training camps get under way at the end of the month and Jean Dessein is preparing for the chance of a lifetime. The Coaching Fellowship has been around for more than 30 years and has helped over 2,000 minority coaches since its inception. Dessein will get the chance to learn from the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff. Im just there to soak it all in and just work.Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn got their starts as a part of this fellowship program. Dessein will spend three weeks with the Chiefs, spending time in the quarterbacks room and learning directly from veteran head coach Andy Reid.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Edward Waters first football game of the season against Morehouse has been canceled after its opponent announced that it would not field a football team in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Morehouse, a historically Black college in Atlanta, plays at the NCAA Division II level. The cross country team will also not compete this fall. Among local products on the Morehouse team, defensive back Ladedric Castellanos (Ware County) was on the Tigers team. Bowdoin College announced Monday that it was canceling the entire fall sports season.

Now, the project is nearing completion, and this will give the Tigers football team a place they can finally call home. Mayor Lenny Curry first designated funds to the football field in 2017. Just as a student body they like to see some excitement and now with the football field we are generating that excitement, he said. Like many other teams around the country the Tigers football program has not had a chance to work out together in months because of COVID-19. Once the field is completed it will be the home to more than just the EWC football team.