Gold Nuggets to open fall season at SLU's tournament

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will play the first of three fall tennis tournaments this weekend when its women travel to Hammond, La., for the Green and Gold Invitational.
     
XULA has one of the top NAIA programs of recent years. Both teams were NAIA national semifinalists last season. The women reached the semifinals for the fourth time in six years, and the men got there after national runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2017.
     
The Gold Nuggets return 7-of-8 letterwomen from last season, including NAIA All-Americans Mariia Borodii, Angela Charles-Alfred, Charlene Goreau and Yi Chen Pao. Goreau, a senior from Toulouse, France, is a three-time first-team All-American.
     
Also competing this weekend will be host Southeastern Louisiana, city rival Loyola, Jackson State and LSU-Alexandria. Matches will be played at Southeastern Tennis Complex. The event will consist of modified duals — four singles matches and one doubles match — but will count only for individual season statistics. Intercollegiate Tennis Association rules require dual matches to consist of six singles matches and three doubles matches.
     
Both XULA teams will compete Sept. 20-22 in the HBCU National Championships at Orlando, Fla., and Oct. 12-14 in the XULA Invitational on their campus.
     
Alan Green, a three-time ITA national coach of the year, returns for his 16th season to lead the Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush.
Green and Gold Invitational
Saturday, Sept. 8
8:30 a.m. — Southeastern Louisiana vs. LSU-Alexandria
10 a.m. — Loyola (N.O.) vs. XULA
11:30 a.m. — LSU-Alexandria vs. Jackson State
1:30 p.m. — Southeastern Louisiana vs. Loyola (N.O.)
3 p.m. — Southeastern Louisiana vs. XULA
4:30 p.m. — Jackson State vs. XULA

Sunday, Sept. 9
8:30 a.m. — LSU-Alexandria vs. Loyola (N.O.)
10 a.m. — LSU-Alexandria vs. XULA
11:30 a.m. — Loyola (N.O.) vs. Jackson State
1:30 p.m. — Southeastern Louisiana vs. Jackson State

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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