Early in my career, I worked as a newspaper reporter for The Shelby Star, and my colleagues there bestowed on me a nickname: Lite Brite. It was a small paper and I had to cover several different beats, but I quickly became known as the writer of choice for the happy features. I loved the personality profiles, the human interest pieces, the types of stories that would prompt … [Read more...]

Last week, with a 2-4 record and a meeting with UNC-Charlotte on the horizon, East Carolina sophomore Dominique Claytor reflected on her young team’s growth through the early part of the season. “We’re learning each of our roles and what we need to do to help our team out individually and as a team,” said Claytor, the Lady Pirates’ second leading scorer with 8.4 points per … [Read more...]

Originally, Thursday was supposed to unfold for Jeff Lebo much like home game days have for the last seven-plus seasons — last-minute scouting of UNC-Wilmington, mapping out game strategy, and making sure the players are focused, warmed up and ready to play. On Wednesday afternoon, with his decision to resign as the head basketball coach at East Carolina, that slate was … [Read more...]

Josh Hawkins has been playing football for so many years – way back to Pop Warner when he was swallowed by the shoulder pads – that sometimes he keeps his head down, working to excel at each stage, and forgets to savor the big moments. But on October 8, in AT&T Stadium, Hawkins stopped and tried to soak it all in. The Green Bay Packers cornerback was standing on the … [Read more...]

Spending 17 years employed by the same company would be considered decent longevity in any business. It is even more striking in the merry-go-round world of collegiate coaching. But in the East Carolina swimming and diving program, years on the job are subjected to a different standard. Former head coach Rick Kobe retired this spring after leading the team for 35 years. … [Read more...]