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
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

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



VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Xavier Volleyball tryouts scheduled for July 16 at The Barn

Coach Christabell Hamilton

NEW ORLEANS — Tryouts for the 2011 Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball team will be conducted from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 16 at The Barn.

Junior-college players, high-school students in the class of 2011 and Xavier students are eligible to try out. Prospects may bring a DVD of themselves in competition or in skills demonstration, an academic transcript and a player profile/resume.

There is no fee for the tryout, and water will be provided. Contact Coach Christabell Hamilton at (504) 520-5344 or chamilt5@xula.edu for more information.

Driving directions to The Barn, Xavier's gymnasium, can be found online by using 3999 Short Street and the 70125 zip code as the destination.



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

Goody becomes Gold Nuggets' 3rd newcomer for 2011-12

Jordyn Goody

NEW ORLEANS — Jordyn Goody of Lake Charles, La., and St. Louis Catholic High School has signed a women's tennis scholarship with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Goody and Juliann Baggett were the Division II (Class 4A) state runner-up in girls doubles in May and the Division II-Region II champion in April. Goody helped St. Louis finish second in the team standings at the state tournament and win the regional team championship.

Goody was a regional champion for St. Louis in singles as a sophomore and junior and in doubles with Maggie Laborde as a freshman. Goody and Laborde reached the Division III (Class 3A) semifinals in 2008 and helped St. Louis win the team championship.

A right-hander, Goody was 10th in Louisiana in the final USTA girls 18 singles rankings of 2010 and qualified for Southern Closed tournaments in each of the five age groups. She will be a biology/pre-medical major at Xavier.

Also signed with Xavier for next season is Amanda Materre of Richmond, Texas. Also eligible for the Gold Nuggets next season will be Kourtney Howell of Cypress, Texas, who enrolled at XU in January after transferring from Navy.

Xavier competes in the NAIA's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. The Gold Nuggets qualified for the NAIA National Championship five of the last seven seasons and won first-round dual matches at nationals all five times.

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

Xavier hires Christabell Hamilton as women's volleyball coach

CHRISTABELL HAMILTON 
Xavier University's new
women's volleyball coach

NEW ORLEANS — Christabell Hamilton is the new head coach of women's volleyball at Xavier University of Louisiana.

Hamilton, who has coaching experience at the college, high school and club levels, worked her first day at Xavier on Tuesday.

"We are confident that Christabell will do an outstanding job," XU Athletics Director Dennis Cousin said. "She impressed our search committee with her knowledge, her enthusiasm, her confidence and her personality. She's a great fit for Xavier."

Hamilton, 29, coached five seasons (2005-09) at Tarleton State University, an NCAA Division II member in Stephenville, Texas. She was a graduate assistant in the 2005 and 2006 seasons and was promoted to full-time assistant after receiving her master's degree there. She helped the TexAnns go 22-10 in 2008 — the program's first winning record in 16 seasons — and reach the semifinals of the Lone Star Conference Tournament for the second time in three years. Tarleton's 2008 team placed second in the LSC regular season.

She moved to New Orleans in August after her husband, Ronnie, was hired as a men's basketball assistant coach at Tulane University. She was a middle-school volleyball coach at Metairie Park Country Day School, then a varsity girls volleyball assistant coach at Louise S. McGehee School, where she helped the Hawks reach the semifinals of Louisiana's Division IV state playoffs in 2010. She was coaching the girls 17s at Krewe Volleyball Club when Xavier offered her its position.

"I want all my kids to graduate from Xavier, first and foremost," Hamilton said. "I want them to succeed in volleyball and get recognition on the conference, NAIA and national levels. And most importantly, I want them to be great people — to represent our community, Xavier, as well as their families in a positive light."

Hamilton was a three-time All-LSC selection — she was known then as Christabell Mariner — at NCAA Division II member Eastern New Mexico University in Portales. She played middle blocker and outside hitter for the Zias from 1999-2002, set school records for kills in a season (575 in 2001) and career (1,695) and was inducted into the ENMU Hall of Honor in 2009. She received her bachelor's degree from ENMU in 2005.

Hamilton is a native of Pago Pago, America Samoa, and was a standout volleyball player at Tafuna High School, where she had a 4.0 grade-point average and was valedictorian of the Class of 1999. Her uncle, Jesse Sapolu, was a San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman from 1983-97, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and a member of four Super Bowl champions.

"Samoans are known as happy people," Hamilton said. "We are very family oriented, always put God first and respect others."

Because of her hiring at Xavier, Hamilton was forced to resign as a player on the American Samoan national team which will compete in the Pacific Games in Nouméa, New Caledonia, in August.

Hamilton replaces Al'lisa Hale, who coached the Gold Nuggets for one season. Xavier was 11-26 in 2010 and placed third in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. The Gold Nuggets will begin the 2011 regular season in late August.

What They're Saying About Christabell Hamilton

Christabell Hamilton coached five seasons at Tarleton State University,
 an NCAA Division II member in Stephenville, Texas.

Mike Maguire, Eastern New Mexico Women's Volleyball Coach: "You couldn't have gotten a better coach. Christabell is an extremely fine young lady. She played here four years, broke a lot of records and was as humble as can be. She did a great job when she coached at Tarleton State. I know she'll do a great job at Xavier. She's fun-loving and hard-working. You guys are extremely lucky to get her."

Mary Schindler, Tarleton State Women's Volleyball Coach: "I am so excited for Christabell. This is going to be a great job for her — to build a program and establish something. She can recruit very well. She has a great personality, and she got along great with our players at Tarleton. She wants to win and she's driven to win, but she wants to do it the right way. She wants her kids to graduate and do the right things."

Val Whitfield-Dunn, Louise S. McGehee Girls Volleyball Coach: "There are no negatives about Christabell. She is very lively and upbeat. She has an excellent personality. She's hilarious. She's a people person. We are extremely disappointed that she left McGehee, but she is fulfilling one of her dreams, which is to be a head coach. She will do extraordinary and fabulous things for Xavier University and your volleyball program."

By Ed Cassiere, Xavier University of Louisiana
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

The Xavier Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets compete in Division I of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) as a member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Xavier fields men's teams in basketball, cross country and tennis and women's teams in basketball, cross country, tennis and volleyball.

Dekine is Xavier's first female Academic All-District athlete

NEW ORLEANS — Brianna Dekine is the first female athlete from Xavier University of Louisiana to be chosen to a Capital One Academic All-District team.

Dekine, a sophomore chemistry/pre-medical major from Culver City, Calif., and a graduate of Culver City High School, was announced Thursday as a member of the District 6 College Division track and field/cross country team. The College Sports Information Directors of America selected the 12-member team.

Dekine was All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in cross country in 2009 and 2010, helping the Gold Nuggets win GCAC team championships both years and qualify for the NAIA National Championship in 2009. She finished fourth in the GCAC meet in November.

An honor-roll student all four semesters at Xavier, Dekine is a charter member of the XU chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society and a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta pre-medical honor society. She also was part of a team visit to Children's Hospital patients and a volunteer worker at the United Negro College Fund's Fund Run/Walk.

District 6 comprises schools from six states: Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. There are eight districts nationwide, and teams represent the university division (NCAA Division I members) or the college division (everyone else, including Xavier). Nominees must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. They also must have completed at least one full calendar year at their current institution and reached sophomore athletic eligibility. First-team Academic All-District members advance to the Academic All-America® ballot.

Dekine is the only athlete from an HBCU (historically black college or university) to be chosen to an Academic All-District team in women's track/cross country this year. She is one of 10 from the NAIA to be recognized and one of five from Louisiana colleges.

Dekine is the first XU athlete since 2008-09 to be named Academic All-District. That year three Xavier men — basketball's Kelechi Okoroha (second team), cross country's Joe Drexler-Dreis (first team) and tennis standout Terry Richardson (first-team at-large) — were recognized. Drexler-Dreis was chosen second-team Academic All-America®.

BRIANNA DEKINE
Capital One Academic All-District
Xavier University of Louisiana

2010-11 Capital One Academic All-District
Women's Track and Field/Cross Country College Division District 6 Team

Name School Year Hometown GPA Major
Samantha Alvarez Texas A&M-Kingsville So. Victoria, Texas 3.75 Pre-Med
Sarah Banman Southern Arkansas Sr. Pottsboro, Texas 3.92 Physical Education, Wellness & Leisure
Rachel Brady Trinity (Texas) Sr. Jakarta, Indonesia 3.90 Biology
Sonia Brady Trinity (Texas) Sr. Jakarta, Indonesia 3.93 Engineering
Emeline Crutcher Angelo State So. Wellman, Texas 3.72 Biology
Brianna Dekine Xavier So. Culver City, Calif. 3.92 Chemistry / Pre-Medical
Katie Dugie Texas A&M-Kingsville Sr. Yorktown, Texas 3.78 Business Marketing
Elana Edwards Trinity (Texas) So. Austin, Texas 3.93 Mathematics
Lauren Karnitz Arkansas Tech Sr. DeSoto, Kan. 3.82 Nursing
Cathryn Rittenberry Angelo State Jr. Carthage, Texas 4.0 Integrated Accounting
Rhiannon Roper Harding Jr. Fortuna, Calif. 3.94 Early Childhood
Ashley Teague Ozarks (Ark.) Jr. Lavaca, Ark. 3.84 Pre-Law & Strategic Communication

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

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
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

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
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

XU Nuggets beat Union to reach semifinals of NAIA qualifier

Xavier freshman Nicole DeLoach won doubles and singles matches.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Freshman Nicole DeLoach earned doubles and singles victories Friday to help Xavier University of Louisiana's women's tennis team earn a 5-0 decision against Union (Ky.) in the opening round of an NAIA National Championship qualifying tournment.

The Gold Nuggets (4-17), seeded second, snapped a six-dual losing streak and advanced to a 10 a.m. EDT Saturday semifinal against third-seeded Milligan, a 5-0 winner against Bethel (Tenn.). Cumberland defeated Tennessee Wesleyan 5-2, and top-seeded Martin Methodist beat Reinhardt 6-1 in th other quarterfinals.

DeLoach, paired for the first time this season with freshman Amber Brown, defeated Marah Rice and Meredith Dambrus 8-0 at No. 2 doubles. DeLoach clinched the dual with her 6-0, 6-1 victory over Dambrus at No. 4 singles.

Melissa DeLoach, a senior and Nicole's sister, teamed with Carmen Nelson for an 8-5 victory over Diane Proteau and Ximena Aguilar at No. 1. The Gold Nuggets also earned default victories at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles.

XU's women won for just the second time in their last 17 duals and won on the road for the first time since Feb. 11. It was the first time this season the Gold Nuggets won without dropping a match.

Xavier defeated Union (2-9) in the postseason for the second time in three years. The first time was in the opening round of the 2009 NAIA National Championship.

Results

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

Xavier Gold Rush to conduct tryouts Saturday at The Barn

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will conduct men's basketball tryouts for the 2011-12 season on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Barn.

Participants must bring an academic transcript. The tryout is open to current XU and junior-college students and to 12th-graders graduating in 2011.

The Barn, Xavier's gymnasium, can be found on online maps by using 3999 Short Street and the 70125 zip code.

Contact assistant coach Alfred Williams at (504) 520-6778 or awilli39@xula.edu for more information.

Xavier 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.

PDF brochure

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

South Alabama Jaguars dominate XU Gold Nuggets in 9-0 victory

NEW ORLEANS -- South Alabama ended its losing streak and extended Xavier University of Louisiana's with a 9-0 women's tennis decision Saturday at Tulane's Goldring Stadium. The match was scored under NAIA rules.

The Jaguars (2-11) had lost eight consecutive duals. The Gold Nuggets (3-16) have lost five straight and 14 of their last 15. It was Xavier's eighth loss of the season against an NCAA Division I opponent.

South Alabama picked up default victories at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles and dropped just eight games in seven completed matches. The closest match was at No. 2 doubles, where Alina Volman and Jess Courtnell defeated sisters Melissa and Nicole DeLoach 8-4.

Chané Hines teamed with Katie Welch for an 8-0 doubles victory over Amber Brown and Carmen Nelson at No. 1, then Hines beat Nicole DeLoach 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles. Welch defeated Brown 6-1, 6-0 at No 1 singles.

Bridgette Gale clinched the dual with her 6-1, 6-0 victory over Ashley McGill at No. 5 singles.

South Alabama will remain in the city and play at Tulane at 1 p.m. Sunday. Xavier will close its regular season with a 4 p.m. Tuesday dual against Southeastern Louisiana at City Park Tennis Center, then travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., for an NAIA National Championship qualifying tournament April 29-30.

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

Gold Rush Andrew, Simmons are third-team HBCU All-Americans

Anthony Simmons

Devin Andrew

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Devin Andrew and Anthony Simmons are third-team selections on the Boxtorow.com Division II/NAIA HBCU All-America team announced Tuesday.

Andrew — a 6-foot-4 senior guard from Harvey, La., a graduate of Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma and a former student at Karr High School in New Orleans — led the Gold Rush this season with 10.9 points per game, 1.2 steals per game and 111 free throws in 147 attempts. He won two January home games with points in the final two seconds. Andrew played in 32 games and started 17.

Simmons, a 6-8 sophomore forward from Rochester, N.Y., and a graduate of Allendale Columbia School, averaged nine points and 5.5 rebounds in 32 games with 19 starts. He was Xavier's No. 2 scorer and rebounder and led the team with a .598 field-goal percentage.

Xavier recorded its first 13-0 start since 1940-41 and winningest season (27-6) since 1983-84. Xavier earned an at-large berth to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship and ranked 17th in the final coaches poll.

The team was selected by media members from around the country who cover NCAA Division II and NAIA basketball.



2010-11 Boxtorow.com Division II/NAIA HBCU All-America Team
First Team
Sharif Bray, Cheyney
Paul Davis, Winston-Salem State
Marcus Goode, Benedict
Najee Lane, Clark Atlanta
Raheem Smith, Shaw

Second Team
David Burton, Cheyney
Braxton Byerson, Virginia Union
Mario Luckett, Tougaloo
Trevin Parks, Johnson C. Smith
Eric Vann, Bowie State

Third Team
Devin Andrew, Xavier
Darius Cox, Livingstone
Josh Miller, West Virginia State
Lajay Sears, Stillman
Anthony Simmons, Xavier

Player of the Year: Raheem Smith, Shaw
Coach of the Year: Cleo Hill, Shaw

Honorable Mention: Shelton Carter, Winston-Salem State; Andre Davis, SUNO; Sidney Evans, Fayetteville State; Kerry Harvis, Talladega; Tony Johnson, Kentucky State; Myron McGowan, Dillard; Denzel Mooney, Lincoln (Pa.); Ibn-Saed Rasoull, Saint Paul's; Maurice Reevy, Saint Paul's; Eric Salley, Claflin; Rondy Tucker, Elizabeth City State

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

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
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

XU Gold Rush doubly disappointed in loss at William Carey

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — William Carey swept three doubles matches and rolled to a 6-3 victory over Xavier University of Louisiana in a meeting of ranked NAIA men's tennis teams Sunday.

William Carey's 13th-ranked women defeated Xavier 8-1.

Carey's men (10-8), ranked 19th, avenged a 5-4 loss to the No. 8 Gold Rush (11-8) from four weeks ago at the AUM Invitational, when Xavier won two of three doubles matches. Jody Claassen and Thomas Rizk, a 9-8 loser to Zach Taylor and Hassan Abbas in March, won 8-2 against the ITA's 15th-ranked tandem to give the Crusaders their first point of the dual. Anton Ivanov and Alvar Ribalta made it 3-0 when they beat Steffen Giles-Osborn and Sean Richardson 9-8 (7-5), and Claassen clinched at No 1 singles when Giles-Osborn retired while trailing 5-7, 6-1, 1-0.



Results:  Men    Women

Abbas, Amir Rahbar and Richardson won in singles for Xavier. Abbas rallied to beat Toni Gauta 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 at No. 2, Rahbar defeated Younes Hidass 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 at No. 4, and Richardson beat Dominik Kardell 6-2, 6-3 at No. 6. But the Abbas and Rahbar victories came after the dual was decided.

Xavier (3-15) scored its only point of the women's dual when sisters Melissa and Nicole DeLoach snapped a three-match losing streak by holding off Anastasia Khabirova and Petra Pesic 8-6 at No. 2. But the Gold Nuggets again were shorthanded, defaulting the No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles matches, and William Carey (12-5) clinched when Joyce Oliviera defeated Ashley McGill 6-1, 6-0 at No. 5 singles.

Melissa DeLoach lost 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-6) to Alexandra Kaluza at No. 3 in DeLoach's first singles super-tiebreaker of the season.

Both William Carey teams have four-dual win streaks. Xavier's men have lost three in a row, and the Gold Nuggets have lost four straight and 13 of their last 14.

Both Xavier teams will close the regular season this week — the Gold Rush at Tulane at 3 p.m. Wednesday, the Gold Nuggets against South Alabama at 11 a.m. Saturday at City Park — then travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., for an NAIA National Championship qualifying tournament April 29-30.

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

2010-11 All-Louisiana includes XU's Warren on 3rd team

Xavier Gold Nugget Christina Warren

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Christina Warren is third team on the All-Louisiana collegiate women's basketball team announced late Friday.

Warren, a 5-foot-9 senior forward/guard from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and a graduate of Los Osos High School and Chaffey College, averaged a team-leading 11.9 points in 34 games for the Gold Nuggets, who were 27-7, repeated as Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament champion and reached the second round of the NAIA Division I National Championship. Warren helped Xavier lead NAIA Division I in scoring defense for the second consecutive year.

A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel selected the team.


2010-11 LSWA All-Louisiana Women's Basketball Team
First Team
Adrienne Johnson, Louisiana Tech
Ashlyn Baggett, McNeese State
LaSondra Barrett, LSU
Danielle Nunn, Tulane
Tillisha Givens, Louisiana College

Second Team
Keiva Council, Loyola
Mercedes Johnson, Louisiana-Lafayette
Adrienne Webb, LSU
Ricshanda Bickham, Nicholls State
Tarkeisha Wysinger-Mackey, Louisiana Tech

Third Team
Tiffany Aidoo, Tulane
Hannah Kador, Southern
Secrett Anderson, Grambling
Christina Warren, Xavier
KK Babin, Nicholls State

Player of the Year: Adrienne Johnson, Louisiana Tech
Newcomer of the Year: Jordi James, Northwestern State
Freshman of the Year: KK Babin, Nicholls State
Coach of the Year: Brooks Donald-Williams, McNeese State

Honorable Mention: Freda Allen, Southern; Caitlyn Baggett, McNeese State; Roshaunda Barnes, Tulane; Jasmine Bendolph, Louisiana Tech; Jasmine Brewer, Loyola; Sharday Cotton, LSU-Shreveport; Jordi James, Northwestern State.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Xavier's Abbas repeats as GCAC Player of the Week

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Hassan Abbas is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men's tennis for the second consecutive time.

Hassan Abbas

Abbas, a senior from Saltaire, England, and a graduate of Bingley Grammar School and Ventura College, won in doubles and singles Saturday in a 4-3 loss at the University of New Orleans, an NCAA Division I member. Abbas and Zach Taylor won 8-6 against Benjamin Bouhana and Hossam Meligy at No. 1 doubles, then Abbas tied the dual at 3 with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) victory against Vinay Kamineni at No. 1 singles.

Abbas — 12-5 in singles and 13-5 in doubles this season — also won the GCAC award for March 7-13. There were no nominees for March 14-20 or March 21-27. Abbas won the award once in 2010.

Xavier's men and women will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., for duals with William Carey at 10 a.m. Sunday. Xavier's men are 11-7 and ranked eighth in the NAIA.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Visit: Xavier University of Louisiana
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XU Gold Rush are eighth in NAIA for third consecutive time

NEW ORLEANS — For the third straight time Xavier University of Louisiana is No. 8 in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The fifth of eight polls this season was announced Tuesday.

The No. 8 ranking is the highest ever for an XU men's tennis team.

The Gold Rush (11-7) are in the the top 25 for the 29th consecutive time dating to April 4, 2007. It's the 20th straight time dating to April 30, 2008, that the Gold Rush are among the top 18.

The top nine teams are the same as the previous poll, with Fresno Pacific ranked first for the 12th consecutive time.

A new team in the rankings, No 19 William Carey, will play host to the XU men at 10 a.m. Sunday. Xavier defeated the Crusaders 5-4 on March 13 in the AUM Invitational at Montgomery, Ala.

The Gold Rush will close the regular season April 13 at city rival Tulane in a 3 p.m. dual, then travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., for an NAIA National Championship qualifying tournament April 29-30.



NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, April 3)
Rank Team Record Points Last
1 Fresno Pacific (10) 15-2 250 1
2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 10-5 240 2
3 Auburn Montgomery 17-3 231 3
4 Azusa Pacific 13-4 227 4
5 Oklahoma Christian 13-1 220 5
6 Point Loma Nazarene 11-3 211 6
7 Westmont 8-5 202 7
8 Xavier 11-7 191 8
9 Concordia (Calif.) 6-9 189 9
10 Vanguard 5-11 174 12
11 Graceland 4-4 171 11
12 Shorter 7-1 163 13
13 St. Thomas (Fla.) 10-2 151 14
14 Aquinas 16-3 139 16
15 Lewis-Clark State 8-7 136 15
16 SCAD Savannah 7-3 126 25
17 Olivet Nazarene 11-0 121 19
18 McKendree 12-1 117 tie-20
19 William Carey 6-8 103 RV
20 Martin Methodist 8-4 102 24
21 Webber International 13-4 91 17
22 Cumberland 4-2 83 18
23 Lee (Tenn.) 3-4 76 22
24 Lindenwood 5-1 56 RV
25 Bethany (Kan.) 11-3 50 RV

Others receiving votes: Northwood (Fla.) 49, Biola 30, Oklahoma Baptist 30, Northwestern Ohio 28, Huntington (Ind.) 28, Belhaven 19, William Jewell 1, Bethel (Tenn.) 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Xavier University of Louisiana
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Xavier Gold Nuggets lose more ground in NAIA rankings

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana was among the others receiving votes for the second consecutive time when the NAIA announced its women's tennis top 25 Tuesday.

The Gold Nuggets are 29th overall after receiving 16 points and missing the top 25 by 41 points. Xavier's women had appeared in 44 consecutive top 25s dating to 2004 before falling short in the March 22 poll.

Defending NAIA champion Fresno Pacific is No. 1 for the fifth time in as many polls this season. The Sunbirds collected nine of 10 first-place votes, with No. 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) receiving the other.

Xavier (3-14), loser of three straight duals and 12 of its last 13, will travel to 13th-ranked William Carey for a 10 a.m. dual Sunday. The Gold Nuggets will close the regular season against South Alabama at 11 a.m. on April 16 at City Park, then travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., for an NAIA National Championship qualifying tournament April 29-30.



Videographer: EdFunders; Dr. Norman Francis, America's longest serving university president, speaks at Grantmakers for Education's 2010 conference, "The Fierce Urgency of Now: Fulfilling the Promise of Excellence and Equity."

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, April 3)
Rank Team Record Points Last
1 Fresno Pacific (9) 12-4 250 1
2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (1) 15-3 242 2
3 Point Loma Nazarene 12-1 233 3
4 Auburn Montgomery 17-5 227 4
5-tie Oklahoma Christian 10-2 214 6
5-tie Azusa Pacific 15-3 214 5
7 Concordia (Calif.) 10-5 196 tie-8
8 Brenau 5-5 194 7
9 SCAD Savannah 9-1 192 tie-8
10 Vanguard 8-6 174 10
11 Shorter 8-0 173 11
12 Southern Nazarene 7-4 161 12
13 William Carey 8-5 156 13
14 Olivet Nazarene 13-1 142 NR
15 Oklahoma Baptist 7-5 137 15
16 Lee (Tenn.) 7-3 124 18
17 Indiana Wesleyan 17-1 116 14
18 St. Thomas (Fla.) 9-7 111 17
19 Lewis-Clark State 5-11 102 19
20 Martin Methodist 7-4 96 22
21 Campbellsville 8-4 95 RV
22 William Jewell 11-6 90 20
23 Cumberlands 6-8 72 RV
24 Webber International 12-5 68 21
25 Belhaven 12-2 57 24

Others receiving votes: Lindsey Wilson 54, Westmont 45, Indiana Southeast 23, Xavier 16, Northwestern Ohio 8, Taylor 7, Georgetown (Ky.) 5, McKendree 3, Spring Hill 3, Mobile 1, Northwood (Fla.) 1, Robert Morris (Chicago) 1, The Master's (Calif.) 1, Marian (Ind.) 1, Milligan 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Xavier University of Louisiana
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS