XU celebrates Midnight Madness on Friday at The Barn

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana will celebrate the 2011-12 basketball season with Midnight Madness at The Barn.

The free event will run from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Friday (Oct. 21), followed by a block party with free food and soft drinks from 10:30 p.m. to midnight in the parking lot in front of The Barn. Midnight Madness and the block party will be open to all.

The 2011-12 Xavier Gold Nuggets basketball team
Last season: 27-7, GCAC Tournament champion, ranked 20th in NAIA
(click photo to enlarge)

The 2011-12 Xavier Gold Rush basketball team
Last season: 27-6, GCAC Tournament runner-up, ranked 17th in NAIA
(click photo to enlarge)

"We want Midnight Madness to generate strong spirit for XU on our campus and in the community," said Dannton Jackson, in his ninth season as coach of Xavier's men. "And we hope it will boost our attendance at The Barn this season and give the Gold Rush and the Gold Nuggets the best possible home-court advantage."

Fans can participate by entering a costume contest — the person whose costume best demonstrates Xavier spirit will win $100 — and more prizes will be awarded during a 3-point shooting contest.

The Rush and Nuggets, both 27-game winners and NAIA Division I National Championship participants this past season, will conduct 15-minute intrasquad scrimmages. Xavier's three spirit groups — the cheerleaders, the Gold Star Dancers and the Golden Girls pom squad — also will perform.

"You can expect a few surprises too," said Bo Browder, in his 13th season as coach of XU's women. "Our fans will have fun and be entertained at Midnight Madness."

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Ellender distance standout joins Xavier Gold Nuggets

Hali Yarmush

NEW ORLEANS — Hali Yarmush, a top-10 finisher three consecutive years at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association cross country championships, has enrolled at Xavier University of Louisiana and joined the women's team.

Yarmush, a May graduate of Ellender Memorial High School in Houma, placed 10th in the state in Class 4A last season and in 2009. She ran her fastest three-mile time, 19 minutes and 37 seconds, in a fourth-place finish at the 2008 state meet.

In outdoor track Yarmush was the District 8-4A champion in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs the past two seasons and the 2010 Region III-4A champion in the 1,600. She was selected track MVP of the 2011 and 2010 8-4A girls meets.

Yarmush's fastest track times are 2:32.08 in the 800, 5:46.87 in the 1,600 and 12:25.05 in the 3,200.

Both XU teams will begin the 2011 season Thursday in the Mississippi College Opener at Clinton, Miss.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Return of Edward Waters College Tiger Pride

Jacksonville, FL - The Edward Waters College Tigers scrimmaged Saturday at the Bob Hayes Sports Complex. The Tigers will open their season Saturday, September 3rd at 2 p.m. under new head coach Brad Bernard.

Bernard is taking over a team that finished 2-8 in 2010 and a program that has gone 14-48 since winning the Southeast Atlantic Conference Title in 2004. The Tigers are returning nine starters from last year's team.




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Smith and Haywood sign scholarships with Xavier Gold Rush

Nick Haywood

Renard Smith

NEW ORLEANS — Two in-state guards — Renard Smith of New Orleans and Nick Haywood of Monroe — have signed men's basketball scholarships with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Both will be juniors at XU during the 2011-12 season.

Smith, 6-feet-3 and 180 pounds, averaged 15.4 points for Delgado Community College in New Orleans this past season and was All-Miss-Lou Conference. Although not a starter during the first half of the season, Smith finished the year as the Dolphins' No. 2 scorer.

Smith was All-District 10-4A in basketball and baseball (right-handed pitcher) his senior year at McDonogh 35 High School.

He helped the Roneagles reach the Class 4A state playoffs each of three varsity basketball seasons, and as a baseball senior he ranked among the metro New Orleans leaders with a 1.17 ERA.

As a freshman at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pa., Smith started 22 of 24 games and averaged 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals and made 29 3-pointers.



Haywood, 6 feet and 175 pounds, is transferring to Xavier from NCAA Division I member Houston, where he averaged 1.6 points and 9.1 minutes in 50 games with two starts during the past two seasons. He was chosen Class 5A Player of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches as a senior at Ouachita High School. That season Haywood averaged 19.3 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 steals and led the Lions to a 39-4 record and the 5A state championship. He also earned Academic All-State honorable mention from the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.

Haywood was a four-year member of Ouachita's varsity and started the final three years. The Lions reached the state quarterfinals in each of Haywood's four seasons and were the 4A runner-up his freshman year. In the 2009 5A championship game, a 70-53 victory over Hahnville, Haywood scored a game-high 21 points and made five 3-pointers.

At Xavier Smith will major in business administration, and Haywood will major in computer information systems.

"Renard and Nick will give our program an immediate boost," ninth-year Xavier coach Dannton Jackson said. "They're great basketball players, great students and great people. They both will bring a deep shooting presence, a defensive presence and leadership to our team. They come from two of the best high-school programs in Louisiana."

Smith and Haywood are the first two signees of the year for Xavier, which was 27-6 in 2010-11, ranked 17th in the final NAIA Division I poll and qualified for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship for the fifth time in seven seasons.



By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Boys In The Hall: John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil

John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil (1911–2006) loved baseball, and immersed himself in the game from age 12 to 94. A standout Negro League player and two-time batting champion, O'Neil went on to become the first black manager of a major league team.

Kansas City, Mo. - If anybody in baseball ever had every reason to be surly and sullen during his life, Buck O'Neil is that man. Instead, nobody ever saw O'Neil when his face didn't look like a template for the yellow smiley face.

The first time I saw him was when the Cincinnati Reds played an interleague series against the Kansas City Royals. I visited the Negro League Baseball Museum and he was there, a broad smile splashed across his pleasant face.

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Video: Buck O'Neil: 'It's who you are'

When I told him how sorry I was that he was never afforded the opportunity to display his talents in the major leagues because of his skin color, the smile broadened and he said, "You'll never hear me complain about anything because I've had a wonderful life and I'm still living a wonderful life."

At the time, he was in his 80s and as sharp as ever. And he remained that was into his 90s, a man whose memories of life in the Negro Leagues were lucid, vivid and highly entertaining.



After chatting, he handed me a Kansas City Monarchs cap, like the one he wore as a first baseman for the Negro American League team and I cherish it to this day.

Few people, even knowledgeable baseball people, ever heard of O'Neil until he was 84 years old and Ken Burns used him as the spokesman/historian for his documentary, "Baseball." And a legend was born.

Video
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Note: Buck O'Neil of born in Carrabelle, Florida (Franklin County) and earned his high school diploma and two years of college credits from Edward Waters College, Jacksonville, Florida. O'Neil was initially denied the opportunity to attend high school in Sarasota, Florida (Sarasota High School) due to racial segregation. He later moved in with relatives in Jacksonville to finish his education in one of the four schools for blacks in Florida during that period.  His father built the building and his mother and grandmother opened a restaurant in Sarasota in 1934. On May 13, 2006, O'Neil received an honorary doctorate in education from Missouri Western State University where he also gave the commencement speech.

Alvin Brown and the Decline of the Willie Gary Football Classic

Early in the campaign, several local reporters commented on the elusive nature of his work history, lamenting that it was difficult to accurately assess Mayor-elect Alvin Brown’s performance in a seemingly endless series of over-lapping jobs held since leaving the Clinton Administration more than a decade earlier. It seems that Brown’s role as president and executive director of the once-promising Willie E. Gary Football Classic, a scholarship program featuring an annual match-up of historically black colleges, might provide the most important clue as to his leadership abilities.

Founded by flamboyant trial attorney Willie Gary in 2002, the annual football game started out as something of a smashing success. In its early years, the classic was played at Alltel Stadium and drew relatively decent crowds — averaging about 15,000 per game between 2002 and 2004. Not bad for an annual match-up between two smaller schools.

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Videographer: TheOProductions1907

Jacoby Jones Celebrity Basketball Slam Jam to benefit XU men's basketball program

NFL Houston Texans WR Jacoby Jones
Lane College/Marion Abramson HS (New Orleans) 

NEW ORLEANS — The Jacoby Jones Celebrity Basketball Slam Jam, a fundraiser game for the Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball program, will tip off at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 3 at The Barn, Xavier's gymnasium.

Jones is a New Orleans native and a four-year member of the NFL's Houston Texans who caught a career-best 51 passes last season. Several of his teammates, including Duane Brown, Andre Johnson, Vonta Leach, Brice McCain and Torri Williams, also are expected to participate in the Slam Jam.

Tickets, available at The Barn or by calling (504) 957-9539, cost $8 for adults and $5 for students with a school ID.

The event will include a free autograph session from 5:45-6:15 p.m. Also scheduled to attend will be New Orleans Saints wide receiver Robert Meachem, Arizona Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, veteran NBA player Darius Miles, Rep. Cedric Richmond and the Honeybees dance team. There will be a special appearance by Heisman Trophy winner and Saints first-round draft pick Mark Ingram.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XU JOB OPENING: HEAD VOLLEYBALL COACH - View the job opening here. All prospective coaches must apply online and create an online profile

Cerritos Hoops Stars Boatner and Perry Sign with SUNO

APRIL PERRY

ROSE BOATNER

Norwalk, California -- Cerritos College women's basketball players April Perry (5'-6") (Cabrillo HS) and Rose Boatner (5'-10") (Centennial HS), who were both two-time 1st Team All-South Coast Conference selections, have both signed scholarships to continue their collegiate careers at Southern University of New Orleans, and NAIA school. The duo helped the Falcons finish in a tie for second place in the SCC, as the team concluded with a 23-7 record.

Perry led the team with a 15.7 scoring average and netted a team-high 40 three-pointers, while dishing off a team-high 3.8 assists per game. She scored a season-high 31 points in the team's 83-70 upset win over Mt. San Antonio College, while she scored over 20 points in five other games and was held in single-digits just five times all year. As for Boatner, she averaged 7.4 points a game, while pulling down a team-high 10.2 rebounds a game. She added a team-high 12 blocked shots and was second on the team with 35 steals. Boatner hauled in 16 caroms against East Los Angeles College and had 15 rebounds in three games, including the last two contests of the season.

In her career, Perry finishes with 801 points, which is the 12th most in school history, while her 470 points this season were the 21st-highest in one season. Boatner, a rebounding specialist, concludes her Falcon career second in all-time rebounds with 616, with Ebony Charles holding the all-time record with 854 rebounds from 1995-97. The 306 rebounds this season for Boatner are the seventh-most in school history, while her 10.6 rebound average as a freshman ranks as the fifth best and her 10.2 average this year tied for the eighth best.

They will be joining a Lady Knights team that went 18-6 last season and lost their opening game in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament to end their year. The team, which finished in a tie for third place in the GCAC, is losing their shooting guard and power forward, which are roles that both Perry and Boatner can fill for the team.

By Cerritos College Athletics

Hale will not return as XU Gold Nuggets' head volleyball coach

Al'lisa Hale

NEW ORLEANS — Al'lisa Hale will not return next season as head women's volleyball coach at Xavier University of Louisiana, Athletics Director Dennis Cousin announced Wednesday. A national search for a successor will begin immediately.

Hale coached the Gold Nuggets to an 11-26 record and third place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament in 2010, her lone season at Xavier.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Vanguard eliminates XU Gold Rush in NAIA second round

MOBILE, Ala. — Vanguard's reversal of fortune resulted in a 5-3 victory Wednesday against Xavier University of Louisiana in the second round of the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship.

The Lions (9-13), seeded ninth in the 24-team tournament, advanced to the quarterfinals for the third straight year and the seventh time in eight seasons. They avenged a 6-3 March 4 home loss to Xavier.

Xavier, seeded eighth, got a doubles victory from freshmen Amir Rahbar and Jonathan Aubrey and singles victories from Zach Taylor and Hassan Abbas, but the Gold Rush (13-10) were eliminated in the second round for the third straight season.

"Vanguard was much more intense, focused and determined than earlier in the season," Xavier Coach Alan Green said.

The Lions' turnaround began in doubles, where they dominated at the top two flights after losing those matches to Xavier in the regular season. Lucas Pereira and Alexandre Piccin throttled Abbas and Taylor 8-0 at No. 1 — the first shutout loss of the season for the NAIA's 15th-ranked tandem — and Yahor Kryvaruchka and Sandro Bucher beat Steffen Giles-Osborn and Sean Richardson 8-2. It was the first time since March 15, 2003, that XU's top two doubles teams combined to win just two games.

"Vanguard came out and destroyed us in the top two doubles matches," Green said.

Xavier finally scored when Rahbar and Aubrey defeated Nils Iwdal and Robin Wagner 8-4. Abbas tied the dual at 2 with his 6-2, 6-1 victory against Kryvaruchka at No. 2 singles, and Taylor made it 3-all with his 6-0, 6-4 decision against seventh-ranked Pereira at No. 1. But Piccin put Vanguard ahead to stay with a 6-1, 6-3 victory against Richardson at No. 5, and Bucher clinched the dual at No. 3 with a 6-4, 6-4 decision against Giles-Osborn.

"Vanguard was a different team than the one we faced in California," Green said. "They never gave us any opportunity to get into the match. We fought hard in singles but couldn't gain a lead in the overall score."

Still it was a record-setting season for Xavier. The March victory at Vanguard was the first for the Gold Rush against a top-10 NAIA opponent, and it propelled the XU men into the top 10 for the first time. Xavier was top 10 in five of the final six polls and finished at a program-record eighth.

But with high achievements come higher expectations — and the chance of bigger letdowns.

"The season shouldn't have ended the way it did for us," Green said. "This was a very disappointing loss."

Results

NAIA National Championship (seedings in parentheses) First Round — 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17 St. Thomas (Fla.) (17) d. Aquinas (16) 5-4 Vanguard (9) d. Mobile (24) 9-0 Graceland (12) d. Huntington (Ind.) (21) 8-1 Concordia (Calif.) (13) d. Bethany (Kan.) (20) 5-3 Lindsey Wilson (14) d. Lewis-Clark State (19) 6-3 Shorter (11) d. Hastings (22) 8-1 Union (Ky.) (10) d. Brescia (23) 9-0 William Carey (15) d. Olivet Nazarene (18) 6-3 Second Round — 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18 Fresno Pacific (1) d. St. Thomas (Fla.) (17) 5-0 Vanguard (9) d. Xavier (8) 5-3 Azusa Pacific (5) d. Graceland (12) 5-1 Oklahoma Christian (4) d. Concordia (Calif.) (13) 5-0 Auburn Montgomery (3) d. Lindsey Wilson (14) 5-0 Westmont (6) d. Shorter (11) 5-1 Point Loma Nazarene (7) d. Union (Ky.) (10) 5-2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (2) d. William Carey (15) 5-1 Quarterfinals — 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 19 Fresno Pacific (1) vs. Vanguard (9) Azusa Pacific (5) vs. Oklahoma Christian (4) Auburn Montgomery (3) vs. Westmont (6) Point Loma Nazarene (7) vs. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (2) Semifinals — 9 a.m. on Friday, May 20 Championship — 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 21 Xavier at Nationals (2-3) May 12, 2009 (first round): Xavier 5, Oklahoma Christian 4 May 13, 2009 (second round): Auburn Montgomery 5, Xavier 0 May 18, 2010 (first round): Xavier 5, Tennessee Wesleyan 3 May 19, 2010 (second round): Fresno Pacific 5, Xavier 1 May 18, 2011 (second round): Vanguard 5, Xavier 3

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Xavier Gold Rush to play Vanguard in second round of nationals

The 2010-11 Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis team: from left,
 Zach Taylor, Jonathan Aubrey, Steffen Giles-Osborn, Coach Alan Green,
 Amir Rahbar, Sean Richardson and Hassan Abbas.
(Photo courtesy - Xavier University Sports Information)

MOBILE, Ala. — Xavier University of Louisiana will get a rematch with Vanguard in Wednesday's second round of the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship at Copeland-Cox Tennis Center.

Xavier, 13-9 and the No. 8 seed, had a first-round bye Tuesday. Vanguard, 8-13 and the No. 9 seed, advanced to the second round with a 9-0 victory against No. 24 Mobile.

The XU men won 6-3 at Vanguard on March 4 for their first-ever victory against a top-10 NAIA opponent. The Gold Rush won at the top two doubles flights and got singles victories from Zach Taylor, Hassan Abbas, Amir Rahbar and Sean Richardson. Taylor clinched the dual with his 6-2, 7-5 victory against Pereira, the NAIA's 10th-ranked singles player.

This is Xavier's third consecutive appearance at nationals. The Gold Rush lost in the second round to the eventual runner-up each of the past two seasons after first-round victories against Oklahoma Christian in 2009 and Tennessee Wesleyan in 2010.

The Gold Rush will try to become the second Xavier team in any sport to reach the NAIA quarterfinals. The only time it happened was in men's basketball in 1973.

NAIA National Championship (seedings in parentheses) First Round — 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17 St. Thomas (Fla.) (17) d. Aquinas (16) 5-4 Vanguard (9) d. Mobile (24) 9-0 Graceland (12) d. Huntington (Ind.) (21) 8-1 Concordia (Calif.) (13) d. Bethany (Kan.) (20) 5-3 Lindsey Wilson (14) d. Lewis-Clark State (19) 6-3 Shorter (11) d. Hastings (22) 8-1 Union (Ky.) (10) d. Brescia (23) 9-0 William Carey (15) d. Olivet Nazarene (18) 6-3 Second Round — 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18 Fresno Pacific (1) vs. St. Thomas (Fla.) (17) Xavier (8) vs. Vanguard (9) Azusa Pacific (5) vs. Graceland (12) Oklahoma Christian (4) vs. Concordia (Calif.) (13) Auburn Montgomery (3) vs. Lindsey Wilson (14) Westmont (6) vs. Shorter (11) Point Loma Nazarene (7) vs. Union (Ky.) (10) Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (2) vs. William Carey (15) Quarterfinals — 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 19 Semifinals — 9 a.m. on Friday, May 20 Championship — 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 21 Xavier at Nationals (2-2) May 12, 2009 (first round): Xavier 5, Oklahoma Christian 4 May 13, 2009 (second round): Auburn Montgomery 5, Xavier 0 May 18, 2010 (first round): Xavier 5, Tennessee Wesleyan 3 May 19, 2010 (second round): Fresno Pacific 5, Xavier 1

Vanguard, from Costa Mesa, Calif., reached the NAIA quarterfinals six of the last seven seasons and was a semifinalist in 2004 and 2000. The Lions tied for fifth place in the Golden State Athletic Conference and are one of six GSAC teams ranked among the final top 12.

Higher seeds won seven of eight first-round matches Tuesday. The exception was No 17 St. Thomas (Fla.), which defeated No. 16 Aquinas 5-4.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Xavier rises to the top, collects first GCAC all-sports trophy

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana is the 2010-11 winner of the Thomas Howell Cup, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's all-sports award.

It's the first time that Xavier has won the award. The athletics department finished in the top three the past six seasons.

The Thomas Howell Cup, named for the GCAC's longtime commissioner, is awarded annually to the school with the most points based on order of finish in various sports. Xavier, boosted by repeat championships in men's cross country, women's cross country and women's basketball, finished the year with 31 points. First-year member Edward Waters was second with 23 points, and Dillard and SUNO tied for third with 20 points apiece.

Xavier has won 26 GCAC team championships and earned 20 berths in NAIA national championships during its last six seasons. Xavier suspended intercollegiate athletics in 2005-06 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In five seasons since then, the Rush and Nuggets have combined for 22 GCAC team championships and 17 berths in NAIA national championships.

The GCAC this summer will add two members, Philander Smith and Talladega, to increase league membership to eight schools for 2011-12.

Thomas Howell Cup 2010-11 Standings No. School Points 1. Xavier 31 2. Edward Waters 23 3. Dillard 20 SUNO 20 5. Tougaloo 16½ 6. Fisk 9½

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Edward Waters ends William Carey season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - William Carey University’s 2011 season came to an end Friday as the Crusaders fell 7-4 to Edward Waters College in NAIA National Tournament Opening Round action at Sliwa Stadium in the Daytona Beach Bracket.

Earlier Friday, No. 4 seed Carey overcame a five-run deficit to take a 10-6 victory over third-seeded Campbellsville (Ky.). Taylor Martin (4-2) went the full nine innings, surrendering six runs on 11 hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Carey finishes the 2011 campaign at 31-27.

Against Edward Waters, after a scoreless first and second inning, play was halted in the top of the third inning for nearly an hour due to inclement weather. Once the delay was over it was Edward Waters that struck the critical blow. The Tigers scored one run in the fourth and two more on an inside the park home run in the fifth inning.

Crusaders fall in tournament opener

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – William Carey University stranded 17 runners and surrendered eight two-out runs as it fell to Edward Waters College 10-7 in the NAIA National Tournament opening round Thursday. The Crusaders (30-26) left the bases loaded in the fourth, fifth and ninth innings.

The Tigers (34-24) opened a 2-0 lead in the third inning, scoring on a squeeze play and with an RBI single from Neil Martino. Carey got one run back in the bottom of the third as Quin Stokes doubled to right field to score Jordan Prout.

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Xavier Gold Rush eighth in final NAIA coaches poll of the season

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana climbed one notch Monday to reach a program-record-tying No. 8 in the final NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 of the season.

The Gold Rush (13-9), idle since winning a qualifying tournament for the NAIA National Championship at Chattanooga, Tenn., on April 30, swapped places with Vanguard from last week's poll. Xavier won 6-3 at Vanguard on March 4.

Xavier first reached No. 8 in the March 8 poll and remained there for two additional rankings. XU's men were in the top 10 in five of the final six polls.

This is the first Xavier team to reach the top 10 in a final NAIA poll since women's basketball was No. 4 in 1997-98.

The Gold Rush are in the the top 25 for the 32nd consecutive time dating to April 4, 2007 — that's the fifth longest active streak among NAIA men's teams — and it's the 23rd straight time dating to April 30, 2008, that the Gold Rush are among the top 18. It's the sixth consecutive season that the XU men are among the top 25 in the final poll.

Xavier has qualified for the national tournament for the third consecutive season. The NAIA will announce seedings and pairings for the 24-team event by 5 p.m. Tuesday. The tournament will begin May 17 at Mobile, Ala.

Fresno Pacific received all the first-place votes and is No. 1 in the final poll for the second straight season.

Xavier's women, whose season ended April 30 with a 5-0 loss to Milligan in the semifinals of the qualifying tournament, are out of the top 25 for the fifth consecutive time after 44 straight appearances. The Gold Nuggets collected three points, two more than last week, to tie for 33rd place.

In last season's final polls, Xavier's men were 16th, and the women were 19th. This is the first time since 2003 that the Gold Nuggets are not among the final top 25.

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, May 8) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Fresno Pacific (10) 21-2 250 1 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 14-6 242 2 3 Auburn Montgomery 23-3 233 3 4 Oklahoma Christian 21-1 226 4 5 Azusa Pacific 15-6 218 5 6 Westmont 12-5 210 6 7 Point Loma Nazarene 15-7 200 7 8 Xavier 13-9 192 9 9 Vanguard 7-13 183 8 10 Union (Ky.) 17-5 177 10 11 Shorter 12-4 166 12 12 Concordia (Calif.) 8-14 163 11 13 Graceland 11-5 151 13 14 Lindsey Wilson 14-5 147 15 15 William Carey 12-9 143 14 16 Aquinas 24-3 136 16 17 St. Thomas (Fla.) 14-3 119 17 18 Olivet Nazarene 14-3 110 18 19 Lewis-Clark State 10-8 103 19 20 McKendree 20-3 99 20 21 Tennessee Wesleyan 11-6 90 21 22 SCAD Savannah 7-4 84 22 23 Martin Methodist 14-5 82 23 24 Bethany (Kan.) 21-3 61 25 25 Webber International 13-6 60 24 Others receiving votes: Lee (Tenn.) 47, Campbellsville 33, Cumberland 22, Lindenwood 20, Northwood (Fla.) 18, Northwestern Ohio 15, Biola 8, Our Lady of the Lake 7, Georgetown (Ky.) 1.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, May 8) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Fresno Pacific (11) 18-4 312 1 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (1) 20-3 302 2 3 Auburn Montgomery 23-5 288 3 4 Azusa Pacific 19-4 281 4 5 Oklahoma Christian 17-2 274 5 6 Point Loma Nazarene 19-3 265 6 7 Concordia (Calif.) 14-7 252 7 8 Brenau 10-7 241 8 9 SCAD Savannah 10-2 231 9 10 Vanguard 10-10 222 10 11 Southern Nazarene 14-6 208 11 12 William Carey 14-6 203 12 13 Lee (Tenn.) 9-5 192 13 14 Olivet Nazarene 19-1 176 14 15 Shorter 11-4 173 15 16 Lewis-Clark State 6-14 155 tie-16 17 Indiana Wesleyan 21-1 154 tie-16 18 Martin Methodist 15-5 145 18 19 Lindsey Wilson 13-5 139 19 20 Oklahoma Baptist 9-10 112 20 21 Campbellsville 14-5 111 22 22 St. Thomas (Fla.) 9-9 108 21 23 William Jewell 17-7 96 23 24 Webber International 12-8 79 24 25 Belhaven 14-3 68 25 Others receiving votes: Westmont 49, Milligan 49, McKendree 27, Indiana Southeast 26, Robert Morris (Chicago) 18, Cumberlands 16, Taylor 6, Xavier 3, Marian (Ind.) 3, Georgetown (Ky.) 1, Spring Hill 1, Northwood (Fla.) 1, Mobile 1, Northwestern Ohio 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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