Both XU teams receive vote in NAIA national polls

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana received one point Wednesday in each of the NAIA Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 polls.

The Gold Nuggets collected their first national vote since Sept. 18, 2008, and the Gold Rush gained its first vote since the 2010 preseason poll. It's the first time since the '08 preseason polls that both teams received votes the same week.

Both XU teams closed the regular season Saturday by winning team championships at the University of Dallas Invitational in Irving, Texas. The victories gave the Gold Rush a 35-16 record and the Gold Nuggets s 36-14-1 record entering the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships at Clinton, Miss., on Oct. 22.

Xavier is the five-time defending GCAC men's and women's champion, and both teams are aiming for their third berth in four years in the NAIA National Championships. Both GCAC team champions will earn automatic berths in the national meet, and the top five men and women not on the winning teams also will qualify.

LINK TO NAIA COACHES TOP 25 POLLS

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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XU climbs to fourth on Champions of Character Scorecard

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana is in the top 10 for the second straight year on the NAIA Champions of Character Scorecard released last week by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Xavier scored 91 points in 2010-11 to tie for fourth nationally with Biola University of La Mirada, Calif. Xavier climbed three places and four points from the previous year. NAIA members earned the Champions of Character Five Star Award by scoring at least 60 points.

Schools earned points in each of the following categories: character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. Institutions earned points based on exceptional student-athlete grade-point averages and by obtaining zero ejections during competition throughout the academic year. The scorecard process is based on the NAIA's flagship program Champions of Character, which emphasizes the five core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.

Cornerstone University of Grand Rapids, Mich., repeated as the NAIA leader with 103 points. Xavier's point total ranked first in Louisiana, first among Catholic universities, first in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, first among HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) and first in the South. A year ago Xavier was second in the South but first in the other categories.

The GCAC was the only conference with three of the top 10 schools and four of the top 22. The GCAC's Tougaloo College of Tougaloo, Miss., placed eighth with 88 points, Talladega College of Talladega, Ala., tied for ninth with 87 points, and Edward Waters College of Jacksonville, Fla., tied for 18th with 85 points.

More than 80 percent of NAIA members — 220 in all — will receive the Champions of Character Five Star Award for 2010-11.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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XU's Jacksons still keeping GCAC awards in the family

Zahri Jackson

NEW ORLEANS — The streaks continue for Xavier University of Louisiana's cross country teams and freshman siblings Zahri and Kwame Jackson.

XU has won all the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runner of the Week awards this season. Zahri Jackson is 3-for-3 as the women's recipient, and brother Kwame earned his second in a row after teammate Matt Pieri won for the opening week.

Zahri Jackson placed fifth out of 41 runners Friday in the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational at Lafayette, La. Her time of 20 minutes, 4.6 seconds for 5,000 meters is the seventh fastest in school history. Kwame was third out of 40 men, and his four-mile time of 21:46.1 is XU's second fastest ever.

Kwame Jackson

The Jacksons are from Kingwood, Texas, and graduates of Kingwood Park High School. Each has three top-10 finishes in the first three meets of the season.

Zahri Jackson is the first XU female runner to win three consecutive GCAC awards.

Both XU teams will compete Saturday morning in the LSU Invitational at Highland Road Park in Baton Rouge, La. The women's 6K will start at 8:05, followed by the men's 8K at 9:15.

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

XU Jacksons, Fakler have times of their lives at Loyola meet

Catherine Fakler

METAIRIE, La. — Zahri Jackson was in record form again. Catherine Fakler and Kwame Jackson weren't far behind.

All three Xavier University of Louisiana freshmen produced memorable performances Saturday in the Four Points by Sheraton Loyola Wolfpack Invitational at Lafreniere Park.

Zahri Jackson broke her second XU women's record in as many meets. She ran 5,000 meters in 19 minutes, 15.18 seconds to break the previous mark by nearly 11 seconds. She placed third out of 71 runners and was the first collegiate finisher.

Fakler was fifth overall and third among collegians in a career-best 19:48.50. Her time is the fifth fastest in XU history. Like her teammate, Fakler recorded her second top-10 finish in as many meets.

Ebony Harding set the previous XU mark of 19:26 in 2009 as a senior. Before Saturday, Harding was the only XU female to run a 5K in less than 20 minutes, and Harding recorded the eight fastest times.

Kwame, left, and Zahri Jackson

Kwame Jackson, Zahri's older brother, also recorded his second top-10 in as many meets. He produced a personal best in the men's race. running the 5K in 16:12.13 to finish fourth out of 56 and No. 2 among collegians. His 5K is the fastest by an XU male since Farris Gransberry set the record of 15:46.80 in 2000.

Both Xavier teams produced upper-division finishes for the second straight meet. The Gold Nuggets scored 63 points to finish second out of eight college teams, and the Gold Rush scored 64 points to place third out of seven.

Xavier's good times were not limited to the Jacksons and Fakler. Sophomore Donyé Coleman ran her fastest collegiate 5K and placed 18th in 20:45.78. Anna D'Souza was 21st in 21:00.99, her fastest since the 2008 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference meet her freshman year. In the men's race Ray Walston was seventh with a career-best 16:27.76, about 45 seconds faster than his time in this race a year ago.

City rival Loyola won both team titles. Former Canadian collegiate runner Sarah Skotty (17:35.17) was the fastest female finisher for the second straight year, and former LSU runner Patrick Gavin led the men in 14:56.39. Mississippi College's Tino Gonzales was the fastest male collegian and third overall in 16:09.02.

The next meet for both XU teams will be the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational at Lafayette, La., on Friday evening.

Results:  Men    Women

Xavier Women's Cross Country Best 5,000-Meter times
No. Time Name Class Location Date

1. 19:15.18 Zahri Jackson Freshman Loyola Wolfpack Invitational, Metairie, La. Sept. 10, 2011

2. 19:26 Ebony Harding Senior Gulf Coast Stampede, Pensacola, Fla. Oct. 3, 2009

3. 19:41.33 Ebony Harding Senior Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships, Clinton, Miss. Nov. 7, 2009

4. 19:47.14 Ebony Harding Senior Southern Miss Invitational, Hattiesburg, Miss. Sept. 4, 2009

5. 19:48.50 Catherine Fakler Freshman Loyola Wolfpack Invitational, Metairie, La. Sept. 10, 2011

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Edward Waters College hires basketball coaches for men's and women's programs

Jacksonville, FL - Edward Waters College introduced its new men's and women's head basketball coaches on Thursday, with both coaches making a pledge to bring an exciting style of basketball back to the EWC campus.

Frank Burnell, formally the head coach at Daytona Beach Community College and a standout at Ribault High School 30 years ago, will take over as coach of the men's team. Charmaine Wilson, who was the top assistant coach at Bethune-Cookman University, will coach the women's team.  Burnell has been coaching men's college basketball for 25 years. While at DBCC, he led his team to four Mid-Florida conference championships, two tournament titles and a Florida Community College Activities Association state championship.

"We're going to work our tail off to try and bring in the best basketball players we can get and to bring an exciting brand of basketball back to EWC," Burnell said. Burnell is a four-year letterman and graduate of Stetson.

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Xavier University of Louisiana's Athletic Director Dennis Cousin oversees mix of academic and athletic success

Manning Architects' rendering of Xavier's Convocation Academic Center, which is 
under construction and is expected to be completed in late summer 2012.  The
 facility will include a 4,500 seat arena suitable for athletic and other large-scale events.

New Orleans, LA - Following 35 years in the Saint Tammany Parish school system, Dennis Cousin said when he accepted the job as Xavier's athletic director in July 2004 he never expected to last this long.

"Honestly, I came here with the intention of staying maybe two or three years, and you look up and now all of a sudden, it's been seven years," Cousin recently said. In six seasons of competition under Cousin's stewardship -- the 2005-06 season was lost because of Hurricane Katrina -- Xavier's seven sports squads have combined for 27 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference or NAIA unaffiliated group championships and 20 appearances in NAIA Division I championships, an unprecedented run of success for the Mid-City school with an enrollment of 3,200.

That level of consistency is a point of pride for Cousin.

"When I took over, I wanted to elevate the status of our athletic program to that of our academics," the 65-year-old Cousin said. "When you think of Xavier, you think of the medical doctors and the pharmacists. My goal was to make athletics a part of our reputation."

While Xavier athletics were far from inadequate before Cousin's arrival, he has expanded the program's reach, leading the athletic department through Katrina's aftermath, reinstating women's volleyball in 2009, and acting as a key force in getting the new arena approved.

READ MORE



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SUNO releases 2011-2012 basketball and volleyball schedules

New Orleans, La. - The Southern University at New Orleans Lady Knights will open their 2011-2012 season on November 5th in Dallas, Texas against Paul Quinn with the home opener on November 12th against Concordia-Selma. SUNO's women will also play two exhibition games, one at Southern on November 11th and the other at Nicholls State on November 30th. SUNO will also participate in the University of St. Thomas Tournament in Houston, Texas on December 19th and 20th.

SUNO's women finished the 2010-2011 season 18-5 and 3-4 in conference. A team made up mostly of underclassmen, Coach Elston King is licking his chops at the prospect of taking his young team's performance to the next level after a record-breaking season.

Forward Christine Conner, who will be a senior, was named an NAIA Honorable Mentiona All-American. She and former standout guard/forward LaTiondra Smith both made the All-GCAC team while guard Lydia Ross grabbed GCAC Co-Freshman of the Year honors.

2011 SUNO Volleyball Schedule Released

Coming off the most impressive one-season turnaround in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, the SUNO Lady Knights are preparing for what promises to be an intense season. After finishing their inaugural 2009 season with one win, SUNO achieved the improbable by reaching the finals of the GCAC Tournament in 2010. The season features matches against NCAA opponents the University of New Orleans and Alcorn State University.

The Lady Knights will also renew acquaintances against former conference rivals. The season opens in The Castle against Loyola on August 27th with Spring Hill College also on the docket. SUNO's conference schedule will consist of three in-season tournaments at Philander Smith, Talladega, and Dillard.

For Coach Naomi Washington the name of the game will be hustle and communication on the court. Washington feels that freshman signee, Christal Hollins, will add an athletic spark to the team. Plus she brings championship experience from the high school level. The Lady Knights also promise to be a more diverse team, which Washington feels will add an air of professionalism on the court. German setter Stephanie Bruhl will add to the mix in addition to players from two other countries.

SUNO 2011 Men's Basketball Schedule Released

The Knights' 2011-2012 schedule features the season opener at home against Florida Memorial University on November 4th. Other non-conference match-ups include former GCAC rivals Loyola, Spring Hill, and William Carey. SUNO will also get a visit from Johnson & Wales (North Miami) on September 11th in The Castle.

Having finished 11-14 and 4-3 in conference, SUNO will move forward inspired by individual contributions. Former point guard Brent Leduff was an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American and a Louisiana Sports Writers Association Honorable Mention All-Louisiana team member. He, former center Andre Davis, and former shooting guard Ricardo Porter were all named to the GCAC All-Conference team.

Although all three players have played their final games in Knights uniforms, Coach Dale Valdery, will be looking to refine the current talent on the roster in addition to bringing energy to the team with new blood.



SUNO 2011/12 women's basketball schedule
SUNO 2011 women's volleyball schedule
SUNO 2011/12 men's basketball schedule

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Stansberry, Towns sign scholarships to run for Xavier

Lawrence Stansberry IV

NEW ORLEANS — Lawrence Stansberry IV of New Orleans and Darian Towns of Memphis, Tenn., have signed cross country scholarships with Xavier University of Louisiana. Both will be XU freshmen in August.

Stansberry finished 12th for Brother Martin High School in the District 10-5A championship meet as a junior in 2009 and recorded his best three-mile time, 16 minutes and 57 seconds, while finishing 13th at the Brother Martin Invitational in October. His other best times include 2:15.60 for 800 meters, 4:50.61 for the 1,600 and 18:29.73 for the 5,000.

Darian Towns

Towns, competing for White Station High School, was the Region 8-AAA girls cross country champion in 2008 and 2010 and finished 10th as a sophomore in the state meet. Her best times are 19:24 for 5,000 meters — she has broken 20 minutes three times in that event — 2:29.72 for the 800, 5:22.86 for the 1,600, 5:35.49 for one mile and 11:45.94 for the 3,200.

Xavier has signed three men and three women for next season. XU competes in the NAIA's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and won the last five GCAC women's and men's team championships.

NOTES: Zahri Jackson, who signed with Xavier during the winter and is graduating a year early from Kingwood Park High School in Kingwood, Texas, won the 1,600 Friday in 4:57.33 at the University Interscholastic League state track and field meet in Austin. Jackson is unbeaten in the 1,600 in five meets this year, including district and region championships, and she's 10th among U.S. juniors at that distance this outdoor season.

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

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
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Rush get first-round bye at NAIA National Championship

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana received a first-round bye when pairings were announced Tuesday for the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship.

The Gold Rush (13-9) are seeded eighth — the same position as in the final coaches poll announced Monday — and will play at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18 against the winner of a first-round match between ninth-seeded Vanguard (7-13) and 24th-seeded Mobile (6-7).

All matches will be played at Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala. The Vanguard-Mobile dual will be one of eight played May 17, and the tournament will conclude May 21. Twenty-four teams qualified, and eight received byes.

Xavier qualified automatically for nationals by winning the Unaffiliated Group 2 Tournament April 29-30 at Chattanooga, Tenn. Vanguard received an at-large bid, and Mobile qualified as host institution.

Xavier earned its first victory against a top-10 NAIA opponent with its 6-3 decision at Vanguard on March 4. The Lions, a quarterfinalist five of the last six seasons and a semifinalist in 2000 and 2004, beat the Gold Rush 6-3 in 2010 and 5-4 in 2008 in regular-season duals.

Xavier did not play Mobile this year, but the Gold Rush were 8-0 against the Mobile the previous three seasons, including victories in the finals of Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournaments in 2008 and 2009. Mobile competed in the Southern States Athletic Conference this year.

This is the third consecutive year that the XU men qualified for the national tournament. In 2009 the Gold Rush defeated Oklahoma Christian 5-4 in the first round, then lost to eventual runner-up Auburn Montgomery 5-0. Last year the Gold Rush beat Tennessee Wesleyan 5-3 in the first round, then lost 5-1 to eventual runner-up Fresno Pacific.

Fresno Pacific, a 5-2 loser to Auburn Montgomery in the 2010 final, is the No. 1 seed and could play Xavier in the quarterfinals May 19.

Bracket

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

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Student-athletes, managers receive Xavier degrees

An all-time winner, 89 year old Herbert P. Douglas Jr., 
 founder of International Amateur Athletic Association 
(1980) to honor Jesse Owens and XU's only Olympian
(Bronze Medal, Long Jump, 1948 London Olympics)
was awarded the honorary doctor of human letters
at Xavier University 84th Annual Commencement.

NEW ORLEANS -- Twelve student-athletes received degrees Saturday at Xavier University of Louisiana's 2011 commencement at Lakefront Arena.

Also graduating were three student managers employed by the athletics department.
Student-athletes graduating were:

* Devin Emile Andrew, Harvey, La. (Vandebilt Catholic and Karr high schools), men's basketball, bachelor of arts

* Ashley Jennise Broden, Baton Rouge, La. (Baton Rouge Magnet), women's cross country, doctor of pharmacy

* Landon E. Bussie, Baltimore, Md. (Woodlawn), men's basketball, bachelor of science

* Melissa Lauren Tshepi DeLoach, Fort Washington, Md. (Bishop McNamara), women's tennis, bachelor of science

* Yuliem Dominguez, Destrehan, La. (Destrehan High School), women's tennis, bachelor of science

* Ebony Kashim Harding, Baton Rouge, La. (Baton Rouge Magnet), women's cross country, doctor of pharmacy

* Danielle Christine Jones, Baton Rouge, La. (Episcopal), women's basketball and volleyball, bachelor of science

* Colleen Tracy McArthur, Marietta, Ga. (Pace Academy), women's tennis, bachelor of arts

* Brittany Marie Powell, Milwaukee, Wis. (Divine Savior Holy Angels), women's basketball, bachelor of arts

* Mikhail Jeffrey Vaval, New Orleans (Da Le Salle), men's tennis, bachelor of science

* Erin Whitney Vincent, The Woodlands, Texas (Oak Ridge), women's volleyball, bachelor of science

* Stacey Ann Windon, Prairieville, La. (Redemptorist), women's cross country, bachelor of arts.
Student managers graduating were:

* Tamorah Marie Hawthorne, men's basketball, bachelor of science

* Valencia Latrice Johnson, women's basketball, bachelor of arts

* Mark C. Raymond Jr., men's and women's tennis, bachelor of science.

Bussie, Jones, McArthur, Powell and Vaval completed degree requirements in December. Vincent graduated cum laude. Jones -- who graduated summa cum laude and with honors in English, history, chemistry and biology -- will attend medical school at Johns Hopkins University beginning in August.

Herbert Douglas, an XU men's track and field standout from the early 1940s, was one of three recipients of honorary degrees. Douglas received a doctor of humane letters.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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XU Gold Rush back in NAIA top 10 after climbing two places

NEW ORLEANS — For the fourth time in five polls, Xavier University of Louisiana is among the top 10 in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25.

The Gold Rush (13-9) climbed two spots Tuesday to No. 9 after beating Bethel (Tenn.) 6-0 and Martin Methodist 5-2 to win an NAIA National Championship qualifying tournament at Chattanooga, Tenn. XU's men qualified for the national tournament for the third consecutive year.

Xavier was No. 8, a program record, for three consecutive polls beginning March 8.

The Gold Rush are in the the top 25 for the 31st consecutive time dating to April 4, 2007 — that's the fifth longest active streak among NAIA men's teams — and it's the 22nd straight time dating to April 30, 2008, that the Gold Rush are among the top 18.

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, May 1) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Fresno Pacific (12) 21-2 312 1 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 14-6 302 2 3 Auburn Montgomery 23-3 291 3 4 Oklahoma Christian 21-1 279 5 5 Azusa Pacific 15-6 276 4 6 Westmont 12-5 262 6 7 Point Loma Nazarene 15-7 252 7 8 Vanguard 7-13 228 12 9 Xavier 13-9 225 11 10 Union (Ky.) 17-5 217 10 11 Concordia (Calif.) 8-14 207 8 12 Shorter 12-4 206 15 13 Graceland 11-5 193 13 14 William Carey 12-9 183 9 15 Lindsey Wilson 14-5 176 17 16 Aquinas 24-3 174 14 17 St. Thomas (Fla.) 14-3 157 16 18 Olivet Nazarene 14-3 132 19 19 Lewis-Clark State 10-8 127 18 20 McKendree 20-3 122 tie-20 21 Tennessee Wesleyan 11-6 115 22 22 SCAD Savannah 7-4 109 tie-20 23 Martin Methodist 14-5 90 23 24 Webber International 13-6 79 24 25 Bethany (Kan.) 19-3 69 tie-25 Others receiving votes: Lee (Tenn.) 59; Campbellsville 41, Northwood (Fla.) 23, Huntington (Ind.) 23, Cumberland 22, Lindenwood 19, Northwestern Ohio 13, Walsh 6, Our Lady of the Lake 5, Georgetown (Ky.) 1, Biola 1.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, May 1) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Fresno Pacific (10) 18-4 281 1 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (1) 20-3 272 2 3 Auburn Montgomery 23-5 260 4 4 Azusa Pacific 19-4 253 6 5 Oklahoma Christian 17-2 244 5 6 Point Loma Nazarene 18-3 242 3 7 Concordia (Calif.) 14-7 226 7 8 Brenau 10-7 218 8 9 SCAD Savannah 10-2 207 9 10 Vanguard 10-10 201 10 11 Southern Nazarene 14-6 184 12 12 William Carey 14-6 182 13 13 Lee (Tenn.) 9-5 171 16 14 Olivet Nazarene 19-1 160 14 15 Shorter 11-4 156 11 16-tie Indiana Wesleyan 21-1 139 17 16-tie Lewis-Clark State 6-14 139 21 18 Martin Methodist 15-5 127 18 19 Lindsey Wilson 13-5 121 23 20 Oklahoma Baptist 9-10 110 15 21 St. Thomas (Fla.) 9-9 102 19 22 Campbellsville 14-5 96 20 23 William Jewell 17-7 90 22 24 Webber International 12-9 68 24 25 Belhaven 14-3 60 25 Others receiving votes: Westmont 42, Milligan 41, Cumberlands 27, Robert Morris (Chicago) 23, Indiana Southeast 19, McKendree 17, Taylor 5, The Master's 3, Northwood (Fla.) 3, Xavier 1, Mobile 1, Georgetown (Ky.) 1, Spring Hill 1,; Marian (Ind.) 1.

Lee (Tenn.) dropped out of the top 25 after being tied for 25th in the previous poll. That snapped the Flames' streak of 47 consecutive appearances in the top 25. There are no new teams in this week's top 25, and Xavier was one of seven teams to climb. The top three teams are the same as the previous poll, with Fresno Pacific ranked first for the 14th consecutive time. Martin Methodist, 0-2 this season against Xavier, remained 23rd.

This was the seventh of eight polls this season. The final rankings will be announced Sunday.

The Gold Rush will play May 17 in the first round or May 18 in the second round of the NAIA National Championship at Mobile, Ala.

Xavier's women, whose season ended Saturday with a 5-0 loss to Milligan in the semifinals of the qualifying tournament, are out of the top 25 for the fourth consecutive time. The Gold Nuggets collected one point to tie for 35th place.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Athlete Honor Society Welcomes Seven From XU's New Chapter

NEW ORLEANS — Seven from Xavier University of Louisiana — Iva Bobkova, Brianna Dekine, Patrice Hightower, Danielle Jones, Marchelle Jones, Jamaan Kenner and Ashley Taylor — became XU's first members of the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society on Tuesday.

The organization recognizes outstanding academic achievement by intercollegiate varsity letterwinners.  Members must have junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative 3.4 grade-point average.

Xavier's first Chi Alpha Sigma members: 
From left, Iva Bobkova, Brianna Dekine, Danielle Jones,
Marchelle Jones, Ashley Taylor, Patrice Hightower and Jamaan Kenner.

Bobkova (women's volleyball) is from Brno, Czech Republic, and a graduate of Ludvika Danka and New Mexico Military Institute. Dekine (women's cross country) is from Culver City, Calif., and a graduate of Culver City High School. Hightower (women's volleyball) is from New Orleans and a graduate of McGehee School. Danielle Jones (volleyball in 2010, women's basketball from 2007-10) and her sister Marchelle (women's basketball) are from Baton Rouge, La., and graduates of Episcopal High School. Kenner (men's basketball) is from LaPlace, La., and a graduate of East St. John High School. Taylor (women's cross country) is from LaPlace and a graduate of New Orleans' Cabrini High School.



By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) To Receive MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street Global Exposure

GCAC president Kiki Baker Barnes

The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) and its member institutions of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division I level, need our support for their athletic programs.

The GCAC was established in 1981 and recently (2010) went through a major transformation with the six (6) non-HBCU institutions leaving for the Southern States Athletic Conference and the Red River Athletic Conference. This move left six (6) small, mostly private HBCUs institutions under the GCAC banner.

The president of the GCAC is Dillard University's Athletic Director and head women's basketball coach Kiki Baker Barnes. Barnes was unanimously voted in by her peers as the 17th president of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference at the 2009 fall meetings, making her the first African-American woman to hold the position.

She is one of only two African-Americans named to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' (NAIA) newly formed National Administrative Council and a member of the Black Coaches and Administrators (BCA) professional organization. Upon her installation as conference president, Barnes stated, "now is a critical time in the history of the conference as it attempts to draw new members and build new rivalries, and I look forward to the challenge."

Talladega College will be leaving the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) and will be rejoining the GCAC in 2011-12 academic year, along with Philander Smith College  (Little Rock, AR). Voorhees College decided in July 2010 not to accept an invitation to join the conference. Further expansion of the GCAC remains one of the conference's most important goals, in addition to raising its profile and sports branding by member institutions.

The conference fields 13 sports programs--Men's Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Cross Country, Track and Field, Tennis and Baseball; and Women's Softball, Volleyball, Basketball, Cross Country, Track and Field, and Tennis. Not all institutions are able to field teams in each sport, and may have as few as three programs, like Fisk University. Playoff bids for sports like tennis, soccer, baseball and golf will have to come by way of play-in tournament games with the NAIA's Association of Independent Institutions.

Current GCAC member institutions are: (click each name for auto link to each college athletic website)

1. Dillard University Bleu Devils, New Orleans, LA
2. Edward Waters College Tigers, Jacksonville, FL
3. Fisk University Bulldogs, Nashville, TN
4. Southern University at New Orleans Knights, New Orleans, LA
5. Tougaloo College Bulldogs, Tougaloo, MS
6. Xavier University of Louisiana Gold Rush/Gold Nuggets, New Orleans, LA
7. Talladega College Tornadoes, Talladega, AL
8. Philander Smith College Panthers, Little Rock, AR

Edward Waters College is the only football playing member of the conference and plays as an NAIA Independent for football. The EWC Tigers recently selected Bethune-Cookman University's assistant Brad Bernard as its new head football coach. Bernard tapped B-CU assistant coach Greg Ross as the Tigers new offensive coordinator and Millsaps College (Miss.) assistant Lane Powell as his defensive coordinator.

The basketball powerhouses this season are Tougaloo Bulldogs (27-4) and Xavier Gold Rush (men) (27-5) that are bracketed in the NAIA Division I National Championship Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri on March 16-22.  The Xavier Gold Nuggets women's team (26-6) are also participants in the national championship tournament in Kansas City.

Many thanks to Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director at Xavier University of Louisiana who has been sending us stories on the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets nationally ranked Tennis Teams. This pushed us to take a closer look at what was going on with the GCAC and examine the historic academic powerhouses that are charter member institutions, i.e., Dillard University, Tougaloo College and Xavier University of Louisiana.

Check back often for links to articles on our student-athletes from the fifth HBCU conference -- the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

Thank you to our growing 380,706 readers world-wide that continue to confirm that Historically Black Colleges and Universities are as relevant today, as they will be when Jesus comes.  Please continue to provide your financial support to our HBCU Institutions, especially to the sports and music programs which are a cornerstone to American society and culture. Thank you also for the nearly one million page views from the readers from 176 countries/territories, above all, our active members of the American military services.

This amazing Blog continues to prove each day that "one person can make a difference in the world."

-beepbeep

VISIT: the naiasports and GCAConf.com

Videographer: ewc1777; Edward Waters College Triple Threat Marching Band vs. North Carolina Central University Marching Sound Machine ( Nov. 2010)