Skip to main content

Pirates aim to extend ACC winning streak vs. UNC

By WTOP Staff

AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) — East Carolina quarterback Shane Carden knows the best way for the Pirates to earn national attention — beat the big names that annually appear on their nonconference schedule.

The Pirates certainly are doing that against the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Last weekend’s upset of then-No. 17 Virginia Tech marked the third straight win for the Pirates against ACC teams, all coming on the road in the last year. Next up is Saturday’s visit from instate rival North Carolina, a team the Pirates blew out last year to start the current streak against one of the five power conferences.

“You’ve got to win these games,” Carden said. “If you want respect around the nation, if you want respect from the bigger conferences, you’ve got to win these games. And that’s what we want.”

The game closes another demanding nonconference slate for the Pirates (2-1) ahead of their first season in the American Athletic Conference. Coming off the program’s first 10-win season since 1991, East Carolina opened with an easy win against North Carolina Central then played tough in a 33-23 loss at then-No. 21 South Carolina.

Last week, the Pirates ran out to a 21-0 lead, saw the Hokies rally to tie it late in the fourth before answering with a last-second touchdown drive for a 28-21 win.

Now they’re preparing to face the Tar Heels (2-0) in front of a sellout home crowd, which will be eager for the chance to stick it to one of the spotlight-grabbing instate ACC programs like UNC and North Carolina State.

Last year, the Pirates beat the Tar Heels 55-31 for their first win in Chapel Hill since 1975. They dominated all day and rolled to 603 total yards, a performance that UNC safety Tim Scott said this week left the Tar Heels “embarrassed on our home field.”

Two months later, the Pirates cruised to a 42-28 win against N.C. State in Raleigh.

East Carolina has played at least two ACC teams in four of coach Ruffin McNeill’s five seasons with his alma mater, winning four of those games.

It is part of an aggressive nonconference scheduling plan — launched in 2005 under former athletic director Terry Holland — that gave the Pirates more chances at reputation-boosting wins and toughened them for play in their former Conference USA home, where they won two championships.

In these games, McNeill said, his players have focused on doing their job and making the routine play regardless of who is on the other sideline.

“If we had just began this week preaching that, I’d be worried,” McNeill said. “But we’ve been doing it. Now I’ve got a group who has been through it for five years, and they’ve passed it on to the ones that have been here for four years, to three and two and so on.”

The scheduling plan won’t change, either. The Pirates have more games scheduled against Virginia Tech, UNC, North Carolina State and South Carolina, and are adding dates with BYU, West Virginia and Florida.

“That’s just kind of our mentality at ECU, that we’ve got a chip on our shoulder,” Carden said. “We don’t care who we’re going to play, we’ll go out there and play them hard.”

___

Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote