Marshall Football: Marques Aiken Joins Cincinnati Bearcats

Earlier today former Marshall University defensive tackle Marques Aiken announced via Twitter that he has found a new football home with the Cincinnati Bearcats.

A rising senior, Aiken graduated from Marshall in December and left the football program shortly thereafter. As a junior he played a vital role along the Thundering Herds defensive front, starting 10 of 12 games while registering 37 tackles, 6.5 for loss, and two sacks.

At Cincinnati Aiken will be reunited with former Marshall assistant Fred Tate, the Bearcats current defensive line coach. A graduate transfer, Aiken will be eligible to play immediately.

Marshall Football: Spring Practice, Day Five

A collection of articles from the fifth day of Marshall University's spring football practice.

Herd Insider

Doc Holliday mostly pleased with Herd at end of week two, and Big Bird flying around at safety

Huntington Herald Dispatch

Herd offense sets tone

All eyes on defense

Swede dreams

Herd numbers rising

Chuck Landon: Cato not only hot QB in practice for Marshall

Charleston Daily Mail

Spring Practice Report for Saturday, April 6

Marshall football: Heater, Herd defense get back to basics

Charleston Gazette

Herd's 'Big Bird' needs to get down at safety

Roberts Returns More than Depth to Corner

Marshall Football: Spring Practice, Day 4

A collection of articles from the fourth day of Marshall University's spring football practice.

Huntington Herald Dispatch

Herd defense doing some good things

Herd offense sets tone

Charleston Daily Mail

Spring Patrice Notes for Thursday, April 4th

Marshall football: Herd cornerback Leggett working to stay in the mix

Charleston Gazette

Hartley earning praise in new role

Marshall's Swedish import elevated to first team

Herd Zone

Combs' Late Arrival Works out Just Fine

C-USA Basketball: Jones Joins ODU & Pitino Leaves FIU

The basketball coaching ranks in Conference USA added and lost a member today.

After firing long time coach Blaine Taylor in February, Old Dominion University started a nation wide search for his replacement. The Monarchs found Taylor's successor in Washington D.C., hiring American University head coach Jeff Jones. Jones lead American for 12 seasons, accumulating a record of 212-182, four Patriot League regular season titles, and the schools only two NCAA Tournament appearances. Prior to AU, Jones served as head coach at Virginia, reaching the NCAA Tournament six times in eight years. He also won the 1992 NIT championship in his second season with the Cavaliers.

While ODU was hiring a new coach FIU was losing theirs. After only one year with the Golden Panthers Richard Pitino was hired away by Minnesota. In his lone season at the Miami based school Pitino reached the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship game before falling to Western Kentucky. 

Marshall Basketball: Herd Picks up JUCO Commitment Sane

Marshall's basketball program picked up a big addition Tuesday morning when Snow College forward Cheikh Tidiane Sane announced via Twitter that he would continue his college career with the Thundering Herd.

Standing 6-foot-9, Sane averaged 10.2 points and 9.1 rebounds in 31 games this season. He also blocked 49 shots.

A native of Senegal, Sane took an official visit to Marshall this weekend. Besides the Herd, he also received strong recruiting interest from Montana and Montana State. As a junior college transfer he has two years of eligibility remaining.

Sane joins fellow JUCO's Justin Edmonds and Shawn Smith in this years recruiting class along with division one transfers Ryan Taylor and TyQuane Goard.

C-USA: WKU Joins League

Earlier today Conference USA announced Western Kentucky University as its newest member. The Hilltoppers will officially join the league on July 1st 2014. In a corresponding move, Tulsa University will hold a press conference tomorrow announcing their move to the soon to be renamed Big East.

Western Kentucky has enjoyed a recent string of success in football and basketball. This year the Hilltoppers won the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament championship. In the last 13 years they have advanced to seven NCAA Tournaments.

Now head football coach at South Florida, Willie Taggart lead the Hilltoppers to a bowl game and a victory over in-state rival Kentucky last year. When Taggart departed, WKU replaced him with former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino.

With Western's move to C-USA, the Herd is looking for another out of conference football opponent. Marshall and WKU had agreed to a home and home football series in 2017 and 2018.

Marshall Baseball: Straily Starts Season in Majors

Later today Oakland Athletics pitcher Dan Straily will become Marshall University’s first alumni to crack an opening day roster in a decade.

Straily debuted with Oakland in 2012, making seven starts while accumulating a ERA of 3.89 over 39.1 innings with 32 strikeouts and 16 walks. Pitching on three different levels last season (AA, AAA, MLB), the California native punched out 222 batters, good for 6th most in all of professional baseball.

Straily’s time with the A’s could be short lived. Oakland starting pitcher Bartolo Colon has five games remaining on a 50 game suspension rendered last year after he tested positive for a banned substance.  When Colon comes off his suspension, he will likely take Straily’s spot in Oakland’s starting rotation.  

The last Marshall alum to make an opening day roster, long time reliever Rick Reed with the Minnesota Twins in 2003.