3 from Xavier receive GCAC's weekly player awards

Devinn Rolland

Joseph Moses III

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana received three Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Athlete/Performer of the Week awards for March 9-15: Devinn Rolland in women's outdoor field, Joseph Moses III in men's outdoor track and Caroline Vernet in women's tennis.

Rolland, a senior from Harvey, La., and a graduate of Cabrini High School in New Orleans, long-jumped 5.57 meters (18 feet, 3 1/4 inches) to finish seventh Saturday at the McNeese Cowboy Relays in Lake Charles, La. Rolland reached the B-qualifying standard for the NAIA National Championships.

Moses, a freshman from Baton Rouge, La., and a graduate of Christian Life Academy, placed sixth in the 100-meter dash at McNeese. His time of 10.65 seconds met the NAIA's national A-qualifying standard. Moses finished ahead of 27 NCAA Division I sprinters in that event.


Caroline Vernet

Vernet, a home-schooled freshman from Lyon, France, won in doubles and singles Sunday in the Gold Nuggets' 4-3 victory at NCAA DI Southern University. Vernet's 6-3, 6-1 victory against Laura Syori at the No. 1 flight improved her singles win streak to six.

Rolland extended her GCAC career record for most weekly field awards, 11. Moses won for the first time, and Vernet won for the second consecutive week and the third time overall.

Xavier's men's and women's tennis teams will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., for 1:30 p.m. Thursday dual matches against William Carey. Competition will begin 90 minutes earlier than originally scheduled. All four teams are in the NAIA's top 25.

XU's men's and women's track and field teams will travel to Lafayette, La., for the Louisiana Classics meet Friday and Saturday.
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NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Caroline Vernet and Tushar Mandlekar are the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Players of the Week in tennis for March 2-8. Both are two-time recipients this season.       Vernet, a home-schooled freshman from Lyon, France, won all three of her singles matches this past week and is 7-2 this semester. Sunday she defeated Auburn Montgomery's Paula Diaz, No. 21 in the ITA's NAIA rankings, 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-5) at the AUM Invitational in Montgomery, Ala.       Mandlekar, a sophomore from Bhilai, India, and a graduate of Deepak Nagar, went 3-0 in singles and 2-0 in doubles at the AUM Invitational. He was the lone Gold Rush player to win in singles and doubles Sunday at NAIA No. 3 Auburn Montgomery. His current win streaks are eight matches in singles and, with Manav Chakma, seven matches in doubles.       Mandlekar won the GCAC award for the second consecutive week and has four in his career.       The Gold Nuggets' next dual match will start at noon Sunday at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. The XU women are 9-6 and ranked xseventh in the NAIA. Next for the Gold Rush will be a 3 p.m. Thursday dual (March 19) at 11th-ranked William Carey in Hattiesburg, Miss. The XU men are 8-2 and ranked sixth. Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director XULAATHLETICS XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA  https://twitter.com/xulagold https://www.facebook.com/