XU Gold Nuggets set school record with 12th victory of season

XU head women's volleyball coach
Christabell Hamilton

NEW ORLEANS -- Taylor Reuther's nine kills, five digs and three aces Friday led Xavier University of Louisiana in a 25-8, 25-7, 20-25, 25-6 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against Philander Smith at Dillard's Dent Hall.

The Gold Nuggets (12-4, 6-0) set a school record for victories in a season -- the 2010 team won 11 -- and assured themselves of a winning record in the GCAC for the first time in the program's four seasons. Xavier entered the year 5-17 in regular-season conference matches.

Reuther, who hit .000 in Xavier's previous two matches, played only in the first and fourth sets and hit .500 in 14 attempts. She served all her aces consecutively during the final set.

Kerris Crier had six kills, three blocks and hit .455 in 11 attempts for Xavier, and Moira Kirk continued her hot stretch by hitting .625 with five kills in eight attempts, three aces and four blocks. Kirk hit .480 in the Gold Nuggets' past seven matches and was errorless on attack in four of those contests.

Xavier hit .490 in its three winning sets, but a minus-.056 in the third set dropped the Nuggets to .264 for the match. The Nuggets served a season-best 18 aces, led by Jeanay Butler's season-high-tying four. Nine of the 11 Nuggets who served had at least one ace, and Morgan Stallings and Alexandria Rencher had two apiece.

Celeste Poe and Butler led Xavier with eight digs apiece. All 12 Nuggets played at least two sets, and Kirk and Crier were the only Nuggets to start in all four.

Philander Smith (1-10, 0-3), a first-year GCAC member, lost its seventh straight. But the Lady Panthers extended the match by scoring six of the final seven points in set three. Whitney McDaniel scored the final three points on kills.

Dillard is playing host to 12 matches involving six of the GCAC's eight teams Friday and Saturday. Xavier will play Tougaloo at 7 p.m. Friday, then close its weekend against Edward Waters in a 10 a.m. Saturday match.

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

Xavier Gold Nuggets beat University of New Orleans, set school record for home victories

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Moira Kirk and Jeanay Butler led Xavier University of Louisiana with seven kills apiece Wednesday in a 25-18, 25-21, 25-12 women's volleyball victory against the University of New Orleans at The Barn.

The Gold Nuggets (11-3) tied a school record for victories in a season and set another XU season mark with their sixth home victory. Xavier has won 10 of its last 11 matches and is 6-0 at The Barn.

UNO (2-11), loser of seven straight, got seven kills from Jasmyne Walker and four aces from Tory Hearn.

Xavier trailed 10-7 in the first set before consecutive aces from Taylor Reuther and five UNO attack errors feuled a 10-3 run that put the Gold Nuggets ahead to stay. Reuther ended the set with another ace.

Xavier University of Louisiana's 2011 women's volleyball team
      Front row, from left: Kia Smith, Chinedu Echebelem, Joyy Joseph,
 Celeste Poe, Patrice Hightower and Alexandria Rencher.
      Back row, from left: Morgan Stallings, Kerris Crier, Iva Bobkova,
Moira Kirk, Jeanay Butler and Taylor Reuther.

(Click on photo to enlarge)

The Privateers scored eight consecutive points to reduce a 21-11 second-set deficit, but a Butler kill and blocks from Kerris Crier and Reuther helped Xavier close. The Gold Nuggets outhit UNO .476 to minus-.057 in the third set and rolled to a 19-7 advantage. A UNO attack error, the Privateers' 27th and their 46th overall, ended the match.

Kirk attacked errorlessly for the third time in five matches and is hitting .488 in 82 attempts during that span. Butler 's kills and.438 attack percentage were season highs.

Xavier outhit UNO .257 to minus-.027 for the match and had a 45-34 advantage in digs. Chinedu Echebelem led the Nuggets with nine digs, and Jessie Mouton had the same number for UNO.

Reuther, who won her third Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week award Monday, had season lows of five kills and a .000 attack percentage.

"We never let down," Xavier coach Christabell Hamilton said. "We made mistakes, but we kept the tempo of the match on our side. That's an important thing to do for a young team like ours with four freshmen starting. It also was also good to get all our players into the match. Because we're playing five times in four days, all of them need to be ready to play."

It was the first volleyball meeting between the schools. They'll meet again Oct. 25 at UNO. For Xavier, an NAIA member, it was the fourth victory in five attempts against NCAA Division I opponents this season. Xavier will play another D-I opponent, Prairie View A&M, at 5 p.m. Thursday at The Barn.

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

XU wins 10 of 11 in singles at HBCU Championships

JONESBORO, Ga. -- Xavier UniversIty of Louisiana's men's and women's tennis teams won 10 of 11 singles matches Thursday in the HBCU National Championships. Five players -- Jordyn Goody, Kourtney Howell and Amanda Materre on the women's team and Loic Didavi and Viktor Svoboda on the men's -- opened their XU careers with victories.

Xavier, an NAIA member, won all eight of its matches against NCAA Division I.
Howell defeated Alcorn State's Keti Mebuke 6-2, 0-6, 1-0 (10-3) to reach the A-flight quarterfinals. Materre beat Hampton's Tabita Daolo 7-5, 6-0 in the B-flight, Goody beat Savannah State's Ge'Anne Hilton 6-2, 6-0 in the C-flight.

Didavi and Taylor, both second-team All-Americans this past season, both reached the men's A-flight semifinals. Didavi defeated Bowie State's Piotr Kruk 6-1, 6-3 and Alcorn's Ernesto Santillian 6-1, 6-2. Taylor beat North Carolina Central's Jack Waissen 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 and
Bowie's Shikhar Kapur 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (12-10).

In the men's B-flight, Amir Rahbar defeated Prairie View A&M's Trenton Johnson 6-2, 6-4, and Steffen Giles-Osborn lost 6-3, 6-7, 1-0 (10-6) to Bowie's Conner Pickering. Svoboda won 6-0, 6-0 in the C-flight against Hampton's Isaiah Stewart, and Sean Richardson beat Prairie View's Jamaal James 6-2, 6-1.

Svoboda, Richardson and Materre all were up one set in their second matches when rain halted play.

The tournament, Xavier's first of two in the fall semester, will continue through Sunday.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Gary joins Xavier staff as athletics trainer

Tiffany Gary

NEW ORLEANS — Tiffany Gary has joined Xavier University of Louisiana as athletics trainer.

Gary's position is funded through an agreement between Xavier and Ochsner Health System's sports medicine division. She works primarily with the women's volleyball, women's basketball and men's and women's tennis teams.

Gary, a native of New Iberia, La., joined XU on Aug. 1 after working the past six years for Willis-Knighton Health System of Shreveport and Bossier City, La. During that time Gary was the athletics trainer for Bossier Parish Community College and the high school teams at Calvary Baptist Academy.

Gary also worked five years as assistant athletics trainer at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette — there she handled women's soccer, women's basketball, men's and women's tennis, football and baseball — and was a graduate assistant trainer at Clemson University, where she received a master's degree. Gary received her bachelor's degree from UL Lafayette.

She is certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association and the Louisiana Athletic Trainers' Association.

Xavier's other athletics trainer, Melvin Wallis, remains on the staff and is in his fifth year at XU. Wallis will work primarily with men's basketball, men's and women's cross country and men's and women's tennis.

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

XU Nuggets defeat Southern, extend school-record win streak

NEW ORLEANS — Freshmen Taylor Reuther, Chinedu Echebelem and Moira Kirk combined for 31 kills Monday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-20, 25-22, 25-22 women's volleyball victory against Southern at The Barn.

The Gold Nuggets (6-2) extended their school-record win streak to five and tied another XU mark with their fifth home victory of the season. Xavier is 3-0 against SWAC opponents and unbeaten at home.

Reuther had 12 kills — her team-leading sixth match of the season in double figures — Echebelem had 11, and Kirk had eight. Reuther also had two aces and a season-high-tying 17 digs in her fourth kill-dig double-double. Echebelem had a season-best .385 attack percentage with just one error in 26 attempts.

Xavier University of Louisiana's 2011 women's volleyball team
      Front row, from left: Kia Smith, Chinedu Echebelem, Joyy Joseph,
Celeste Poe,  Patrice Hightower and Alexandra Rencher.
      Back row, from left: Morgan Stallings, Kerris Crier, Iva Bobkova,
Moira Kirk, Jeanay Butler and Taylor Reuther.
(Click photo to enlarge)

XU senior setter Patrice Hightower, in her first start since an injury in late August, had nine digs and a season-high 34 assists.

Ja'Quincia Willliams had 13 kills for Southern (3-11), and Beonka Savoy and Amber Shelby had seven apiece. Savoy and Kirsten Buggage had 10 digs apiece, and Payton Mitchell had five blocks.

Xavier rallied from deficits of 15-12 in the first set, 12-5 in the second set and 5-1 in the third. Kills by Kerris Crier, Jeanay Butler and Reuther ended the sets.

Xavier used a 7-1 first-set run which included three consecutive Southern attack errors to take the lead for good at 19-16. The Gold Nuggets never led in the second set until a Williams attack error gave them a 19-18 advantage. The Lady Jaguars tied the set at 22, but Kirk's kill put Xavier ahead to stay.

Four Southern attack errors fueled an 8-1 Xavier run in the final set which put the Nuggets ahead to stay at 9-6. Blocks by Williams and Chanda Journet against Reuther closed Xavier's lead to 21-20, but a Kirk kill and two straight Southern attack errors moved the Nuggets to match point.

Xavier outhit Southern .275 to .189 and had advantages of 43-37 in kills and 5-1 in aces. The Lady Jaguars committed 29 total errors, one more than Xavier.

It was the first match between the teams. They'll meet again at 7:30 p.m. next Monday in Baton Rouge. But before then Xavier will travel to Talladega, Ala., for three Gulf Coast Athletic Conference matches. The Nuggets will play Friday against Talladega at 1 p.m. and Edward Waters at 5 p.m., then play Fisk at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

XU Gold Nuggets beat SUNO for school-record 4th straight victory

NEW ORLEANS -- Taylor Reuther had a season-high 20 kills Saturday, and Celeste Poe had a career-best 20 digs to help Xavier University of Louisiana defeat SUNO 25-12, 22-25, 28-26, 24-26, 15-9 in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball at The Barn.

The Gold Nuggets (5-2, 1-0) set a school record with their fourth consecutive victory. It was the first time they beat the Lady Knights (3-3, 0-1) after going 0-4 against them a year ago.

Chinedu Echebelem had 10 kills and a season-high 17 digs for Xavier. Moira Kirk had seven kills, five digs and five blocks, and Kerris Crier had six kills, five digs and five blocks. Reuther had three aces and 13 digs.

Zipporah Washington had 16 kills and 14 digs for SUNO. Sabrina Scott had 10 kills, and Christal Hollins had nine kills and 12 digs. Shametria Gonzales had 15 digs.

Reuther had five kills in the final set, but it was an out-of-bounds SUNO attack -- one of the Lady Knights' 67 total errors -- which put Xavier ahead to stay at 4-3. Two late Reuther kills moved the Nuggets to match point, and another SUNO attack error ended the two-hour, five-minute contest.

Xavier scored 19 of the first 24 points to open the match, but SUNO evened at one set apiece after rallying from a 20-18 deficit.

Xavier saved three set points before winning the third set, but SUNO evened the match again with the help of 15 fourth-set kills, including four by Hollins.

"Our first set was phenomenal. I was so confident," Xavier coach Christabell Hamilton said. "But then we became individuals instead of staying together, so it was a long night.

"We have to continue to focus and work on being more consistent. We left the door open for SUNO, gave them a little room, and they walked right in and made it a match."

SUNO, which finished second in the 2010 GCAC Tournament and eliminated Xavier in the semifinals, dropped its second straight.

The victory was just the second for Xavier in 21 matches against in-city opponents.

Xavier, which had 46 total errors, outhit SUNO .193 to .083 and had advantages of 52-48 in kills, 9-3 in aces and 74-58 in digs.

For the first time in the program's four seasons, Xavier is 4-0 at home and three victories above .500. The Gold Nuggets will conclude a three-match home stand with a 7 p.m. Monday contest against Southern. SUNO will play host to city rival and defending GCAC Tournament champion Dillard at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

NOTES: It was the first time that Xavier won its GCAC opener . . . Xavier has two five-set victories in each of its four seasons. The other one this year was Aug. 29 at home against Mobile . . . Southern will be Xavier's third NCAA Division I opponent this year. The Nuggets already have beaten Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley . . . Xavier's Sept. 4 match at Loyola, which was postponed because of Tropical Storm Lee, was rescheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 13 at The Den.

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

Jacksons, Pieri, Fakler go low in Ragin' Cajuns Invitational

LAFAYETTE, La. — Xavier University of Louisiana freshman Kwame Jackson ran four miles in 21 minutes, 46.1 seconds — the second-fastest time in school history — and placed third out of 40 runners Friday evening in the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational cross country meet at Acadiana Park.

Teammate Matt Pieri was fourth in 22:04.4 with the fifth-fastest time in XU history.

Xavier University of Louisiana's 2011 women's cross country team
      From left: Anna D'Souza, Hali Yarmuth, Catherine Fakler, Darian Towns, 
Donye Coleman, Zahri Jackson, Paige Rochelle, Ashley Taylor.
(click on photo to enlarge)

Freshman Zahri Jackson, Kwame's sister, placed fifth out of 41 in the 5,000-meter race in 20:04.6, the seventh-best time in XU history. Freshman teammate Catherine Fakler was eighth in 20:20.2 with the 12th-fastest time in school history.

Xavier's women finished second, and the men placed third in team scoring. Nicholls State won the women's title, and Louisiana-Lafayette won the men's division.

Individual winners were Ingvild Vedde of Nicholls (19:12.8) in the women's race and the Ragin' Cajuns' Zachary France (21:36.4) in the men's.

It was the third competition of the season for Xavier, which will run next Saturday morning in the LSU Invitational at Baton Rouge, La.

Results:  Men    Women

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
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Xavier Nuggets sweep at Alcorn State for first road win of season

LORMAN, Miss. — Xavier University of Louisiana's women's volleyball team won 25-16, 25-14, 25-21 Friday at Alcorn State for its second three-set victory in as many days and first road victory of the season.

"We did great," Xavier coach Christabell Hamilton said. "I gave our players the game plan after watching Alcorn play Dillard the other night. Then they went out and carried out the game plan. Our hitters stepped up, our defense was solid, and Alex (Alexandra Rencher) was much more comfortable as our setter than she was the last two matches.

"All around we played well. We never faced any serious deficits. We were in front most of the match. It was good to get a win on the road."

The Gold Nuggets (3-2) will play Mississippi Valley at 3 p.m. Saturday at The Barn. It will be Xavier's fourth match in five days.

Alcorn State, an NCAA Division I member, is 1-7 and winless in two home matches. The Lady Braves are 5-155 since the start of the 2005 season.

Xavier, an NAIA member, has 11 victories in four seasons against NCAA Division I. The Nuggets have won four straight against Alcorn dating to 2004.

Box score

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

Lee and Wallace sign scholarships with Gold Nuggets

Cleosha Lee

Crystal Wallace

NEW ORLEANS — Guard/forward Cleosha Lee of Memphis, Tenn., and center Crystal Wallace of College Park, Ga., have signed athletic scholarships with Xavier University of Louisiana. Both will be freshmen on XU's 2011-12 women's basketball roster.

Lee, 5-feet-9, averaged 12 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists per game this past season at East High School. She led the Lady Mustangs in rebounding and steals and shared the team lead in scoring. Lee shot 52 percent from the floor and 79 percent from the line as a senior.

"Cleo Lee is a guard who can really defend," Xavier coach Bo Browder said, "and she has a very skilled mid-range game."

Lee was all-district in basketball and volleyball and a four-year varsity starter in both sports. As a freshman Lee was a teammate of Brandi Young, a senior guard at Xavier this season. East also produced Jarryn Cleaves, who finished her XU career in 2008 as the program's No. 5 scorer.

Wallace, 6-feet-3, played in every game as a reserve her senior year at Westlake High School in Atlanta and had single-game bests of eight points and 11 rebounds. She first played basketball in 10th grade after competing several years in netball in her native Brooklyn, N.Y.

As a junior Wallace was a teammate of Dalila Robinson, a redshirt freshman guard at Xavier this season.

"Crystal Wallace is the best sleeper of a prospect that we've signed in the last 10 years," Browder said. "She has the potential to be an outstanding post player."

The Nuggets' other signee for 2011-12 is guard/forward Jessica Savannah of Shreveport, La., who was announced in December.

Xavier was 27-7 this past season, repeated as Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament champion, reached the second round of the NAIA Division I National Championship and led NAIA Division I in scoring defense for the second consecutive season.

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

NAIA kills leader helps 7-0 Badgers defeat Xavier in three

MOBILE, Ala. — Yiting Cao, the NAIA leader in kills per set and a third-team All-American in 2010, had 15 kills, a .542 attack percentage, 12 digs and two aces Tuesday to lead Spring Hill to a 25-10, 25-20, 25-12 women's volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.

The Badgers, 7-0 for the first time in the program's history, never trailed in any set and outhit the Gold Nuggets .442 to .061. Spring Hill also had advantages of 43-24 in kills, 7-3 in aces and 46-33 in digs.

Taylor Reuther led Xavier (1-2) with 12 kills, three digs and three aces but was denied a third consecutive kill-dig double-double. Moira Kirk had six kills and four digs, and Celeste Poe had nine digs. Alexandra Rencher, a freshman setter playing in her hometown, led the Nuggets with 18 assists.

Four XU errors in the first seven rallies helped Spring Hill grab an 8-1 lead. The Nuggets closed to 9-4 after a Reuther kill, but Cao produced a kill and an ace to start the Badgers on an 8-3 run. Cao finished the set with her sixth kill, three more than Xavier.

Xavier and Spring Hill traded points on the first 14 rallies of the second set, then consecutive kills by Megan Haber, Sha Sha Buchanan and Cao put Spring Hill ahead to stay at 10-7. Xavier was within 16-14 after Reuther's kill and consecutive aces, but three Cao kills helped the Badgers clinch.

Abbey Roam led the Badgers in the final set with four kills, including the match-ending attack.

Buchanan finished with 12 kills, a .611 attack percentage and three aces. Roam had seven kills and 12 digs.

Spring Hill is 34-5 since the start of the 2010 season and has won 14 of its last 15 at home. The Badgers are 10-0 all-time against Xavier and have the most victories of any XU opponent.

It was Xavier's third consecutive match against a Southern States Athletic Conference opponent to start the season, but it was the first time the Nuggets failed to win a set. They lost in five sets at Belhaven on Aug. 26 and defeated Mobile in five at The Barn on Aug. 29. Spring Hill has lost just one set this season.

Xavier will play Judson (Ala.) at 7 p.m. Thursday at The Barn in the first of three matches in as many days. The Nuggets will travel to Alcorn State on Friday and play Mississippi Valley at 3 p.m. Saturday at The Barn.

NOTES: XU's match against Judson will be White Out Night — fans are encouraged to wear a white shirt Thursday . . . Spring Hill received four points in the Tachikara-NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday and ranked 39th overall . . . Xavier will play four of its next five matches at home.

Box score

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

Tropical Storm Lee postpones Xavier's match at Loyola

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's women's volleyball match at city rival Loyola was postponed due to deteriorating conditions caused by Tropical Storm Lee.

The Gold Nuggets and the Wolfpack were scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Sunday. XU coach Christabell Hamilton said she will attempt to reschedule the match.

The Associated Press reported Saturday afternoon that Lee stalled just before making landfall and threatened to dump more than a foot of rain across the northern Gulf Coast and into the Southeast in coming days. The storm's center was about 45 miles southwest of Morgan City, La., Saturday afternoon, spinning intermittent bands of stormy weather, alternating with light rain and occasional sunshine. Maximum sustained winds were 60 mph.

The next match for Xavier (1-1) will start at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Spring Hill. Judson (Ala.) will be the Nuggets' next home opponent — 7 p.m. Thursday at The Barn.

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

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

XU Nuggets' Reuther is GCAC Player of the Week

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana freshman Taylor Reuther is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in women's volleyball for Aug. 22-28, the conference announced Monday.

Reuther — a 5-foot-7 outside hitter from Metairie, La., and a graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans — earned the award after recording 16 kills and 17 digs Friday in Xavier's 25-19, 25-17, 18-25, 24-26, 15-12 season-opening loss at
Belhaven. Reuther did something no Gold Nugget did in 2010 — reach 15 kills and 15 digs in the same match. Xavier had only three individual kill-dig double-doubles in 37 matches last season.

Xavier (1-1) will play city rival Loyola in its next match at 6 p.m. Sunday at Loyola's home facility, The Den. Xavier's next home opponent will be Judson (Ala.) on Sept. 8.

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

Broussard, Johnson, Williams join Hamilton's XU staff

Coach Christabell Hamilton

NEW ORLEANS — Head coach Christabell Hamilton has completed her first-year women's volleyball staff at Xavier University of Louisiana with the addition of Darrilyn Broussard as assistant coach, Brittney Johnson as graduate assistant coach and Lashira Williams as volunteer assistant coach.

The Gold Nuggets will begin their season at 7 p.m. Friday at Belhaven, then play their first home match at 7 p.m. Monday against Mobile at The Barn.

This will be Broussard's second stint on the volleyball staff. She was Greg Castillo's assistant on the first two XU teams in 2003 and 2004. Broussard will retain her duties as women's associate head basketball coach, and the 2011-12 season will be her 11th on Bo Browder's staff. The Nuggets are 260-76 during Broussard's basketball coaching tenure, winning a combined 10 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and qualifying for nine NAIA National Championships.

Darrilyn Broussard

Brittney Johnson

Lashira Williams

Johnson recorded 326 kills, 1,932 assists, 501 digs and 166 blocks the past four seasons as a setter and right-side hitter at LSU and helped the Tigers reach the NCAA Tournament every year. As a senior she led the SEC in assists per set, earned All-South Region honorable mention from the American Volleyball Coaches Association, was first-team All-Louisiana, second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District and COBRA Magazine's Setter of the Year. She won the Jesse Owens Athletic Award, presented to the LSU student-athlete with the highest grade-point average, two consecutive years. She was LSU's nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year in 2010-11.

Johnson is a native of Baton Rouge, La., and was a volleyball and basketball standout at University High School.

Williams had 695 kills, 651 digs and 101 aces the past four seasons while playing outside hitter and middle blocker at Virginia Union University in Richmond. She was VUU Female Athlete of the Year in 2010-11 and had a 3.7 grade-point average in college.

Williams is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a graduate of Glenville High School. She coached the 16s volleyball team in 2010 at U-TURN Sports Performance Academy in Richmond.

Johnson and Williams are first-year students in Xavier's College of Pharmacy. Both received bachelor's degrees in the spring — Johnson in accounting and Williams in biology.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Gold Nuggets offer campus tryouts Tuesday at The Barn

Xavier won its second straight Gulf Coast Athletic
Conference Tournament championship in 2011.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will conduct women's basketball tryouts for the 2011-12 season from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at The Barn.

Participants must be full-time Xavier students and enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours for the fall 2011 semester.

Contact head coach Bo Browder at (504) 520-7333 or rbrowder@xula.edu for more information.

Xavier was 27-7 in 2010-11, ranked 20th in the final NAIA Division I poll and qualified for the NAIA Division I National Championship for the 15th time in 17 seasons. The Gold Nuggets led NAIA Division I in scoring defense and won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament each of the last two seasons.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Six more 2011 graduates sign scholarships with Xavier Nuggets

Jeanay Butler

Chinedu Echebelem

Moira Kirk

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball coach Christabell Hamilton announced Tuesday the signing of six more student-athletes for the 2011 roster. All will be freshmen this season, and four are from Texas.

Signed to scholarships with the Gold Nuggets are:

• Jeanay Butler, a 5-foot-8 outside hitter from Fort Mill, S.C., and Charlotte (N.C.) Country Day School.

• Chinedu Echebelem, a 5-6 outside hitter/defensive specialist from Dallas and Duncanville High School.

• Moira Kirk, a 5-9 middle blocker from Dallas and Bishop Lynch High School.

• Kia Smith, a 5-6 setter from Humble, Texas, and Nimitz High School.

•Morgan Stallings, a 5-7 middle blocker/right-side hitter from Spring, Texas, and Klein Oak High School.

• Alexandra Rencher, a 5-6 setter from Mobile, Ala., and W.P. Davidson High School.

Alexandra Rencher

Kia Smith

Morgan Stallings

Butler, a native New Orleanian, was all-state last season and led all North Carolina players with 5.6 kills per game. She had 452 kills in 2010 and produced more than 1,000 kills, a school record, during her career. She helped Country Day finish second in Class 3A in the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association state playoffs in 2007 and 2008.

Echebelem was first-team all-district each of her last three years for Duncanville. She helped the Pantherettes win a District 5-5A co-championship in 2010 and the 7-5A championship in 2009.

Kirk was first-team all-state each of her final three seasons in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools. She had 301 kills and 143 blocks as a senior for Bishop Lynch, which was 34-8 and finished second in the 5A state playoffs. Kirk played for First Baptist Academy from grades 9-11.

Smith was first-team all-district in 2010, team MVP and president of her senior class. Stallings did not play for her high school but played two years of club volleyball for the Houston Slam. Rencher was a three-year starting setter for Davidson and was honorable-mention all-county as a sophomore. She also played basketball and helped Davidson reach the 6A state semifinals her junior season.

Kirk, Smith and Stallings ae biology/pre-medical majors. Echebelem and Rencher are chemistry/pre-medical majors, and Butler is majoring in psychology. Xavier's first day of classes was Monday.

Seven of Xavier's 12 players this season will be freshmen. Announced in February was the signing of outside hitter Taylor Reuther of Metairie, La., and Dominican High School. The Gold Nuggets will open their season at 7 p.m. Friday at Belhaven and play their first home match at 7 p.m. Monday against Mobile at The Barn.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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4 NCAA Division I opponents on XU Nuggets' home schedule

NEW ORLEANS, LA — Nine home matches, four against NCAA Division I opponents, and 10 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference matches await the 2011 Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball team.

First-year head coach Christabell Hamilton announced Friday the schedule, which includes 25 regular-season contests.

Xavier's first home match will start at 7 p.m. on Aug. 29, one week from Monday, against Mobile at The Barn. The Gold Nuggets will begin their fourth season of intercollegiate competition next Friday with a 7 p.m. match at Belhaven in Jackson, Miss.

Division I opponents visiting Xavier will be Mississippi Valley on Sept. 10, Southern on Sept. 19, New Orleans on Oct. 5 and Prairie View A&M on Oct. 6. Xavier will travel twice to play DIs: Sept. 9 at Alcorn State and Oct. 25 at New Orleans.

GCAC membership increased from six to eight with the addition of Philander Smith and Talladega in July. Each team will play 10 league matches this season — two apiece against three opponents and one each against the other four. Neutral sites will be employed for part of the GCAC schedule, with Xavier traveling to Talladega for three matches Sept. 23-24 and to crosstown rival Dillard for three matches Oct. 7-8.

Xavier will play two GCAC matches apiece against SUNO, Edward Waters and defending tournament champion Dillard and one each against Fisk, Philander Smith, Talladega and Tougaloo. The Nuggets' GCAC opener will be Sept. 17 against SUNO at The Barn.

The GCAC will crown a regular-season champion this year, and the winner of the league tournament Nov. 9-12 at Nashville, Tenn., will earn the GCAC's automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship.

First-time opponents will be New Orleans, Philander Smith, Prairie View, Southern and Talladega.

Five Gold Nuggets — sophomore Kerris Crier and seniors Iva Bobkova, Joyy Joseph, Patrice Hightower and Celeste Poe — return from last season's 11-26 team, which finished third in the GCAC Tournament. Bobkova was All-GCAC. The seniors will be honored Nov. 5 during the regular-season finale against Dillard.

2011 Xavier University Women's Volleyball Schedule Click here for detailed schedule information Aug. 26:  at Belhaven, 7 p.m. Aug. 29:  MOBILE, 7 p.m. Sept. 4:  at Loyola, 6 p.m. Sept. 6:  at Spring Hill, 7 p.m. Sept. 8:  JUDSON (ALA.), 7 p.m. Sept. 9:  at Alcorn State, 7 p.m. Sept. 10:  MISSISSIPPI VALLEY, 3 p.m. Sept. 17:  •SUNO, 1 p.m. Sept. 19:  SOUTHERN, 7 p.m. Sept. 23 or 24:  • at Talladega, TBA Sept. 23 or 24:  • Edward Waters, TBA (1) Sept. 23 or 24:  • Fisk, TBA (1) Sept. 26:  at Southern, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1:  • at Dillard, 6 p.m. Oct. 5:  NEW ORLEANS, 7 p.m. Oct. 6:  PRAIRIE VIEW A&M, 5 p.m. Oct. 7:  • Philander Smith, noon (2) Oct. 7:  • Tougaloo, 7 p.m. (2) Oct. 8:  • Edward Waters, 10 a.m. (2) Oct. 15:  at Judson (Ala.), 1 p.m. Oct. 22:  at Mobile, 11 a.m. Oct. 25:  at New Orleans, 7 p.m. Oct. 28:  FAULKNER, 3 p.m. Oct. 29:  • at SUNO, 6 p.m. Nov. 5:  • DILLARD, 1 p.m. (Senior Day) Nov. 9-12:  GCAC Tournament, Nashville, Tenn. Nov. 19  NAIA National Championship opening round at campus sites, TBA Nov. 29-Dec. 3:  NAIA National Championship final site at Sioux City, Iowa, TBA Home matches in BOLD • Gulf Coast Athletic Conference match TBA — To be announced All times are Central except where noted (1) — at Talladega, Ala. (2) — at Dillard's Dent Hall, New Orleans Call (504) 520-7329 for ticket information

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