School relay record, plus 5 new NAIA qualifying marks

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana set a school record and produced five new national qualifying marks Saturday at the Louisiana Classics track and field meet.
     
The women's 400-meter relay team of Martina Latting, Alexis Milton, Justyce Riggs and Ry-Anne Riley set a XULA mark of 46.66 seconds and finished fourth out of seven teams. The previous mark was 47.04 at the 2016 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships. Latting and Milton were members of that team as freshmen.
     
"The ladies knew it was going to be fast today," coach Joseph Moses said. "I'm just very pleased for the ladies working hard to get to this point."
     
The relay team met the A-qualifying standard for the NAIA National Championships for the third time in as many meets.
     
XULA's new B-qualifying marks were:
     •  Brandon Matthews in the men's triple jump — 14.31 meters/46 feet, 11 1/2 inches.
     •  Riggs (12.05), Latting (12.11) and Milton (12.13) in the 100.
     •  The 1,600 relay team of Milton, Riley, Janelle Jones and Clarke Allen (3:55.26).
     
XULA will compete next Friday and Saturday in Houston at the Rice Victor Lopez Classic.
     
Here are all the XULA Saturday results from the Louisiana Classics:

Women
     100:  Justyce Riggs, 12th in 12.05; Martina Latting, 15th in 12.11; Alexis Miltonm 17th in 12.13
     400:  Asja Thompson, 29th in 1:00.60; Junine Goodison, 42nd in 1:04.73
     800:  Brianna Pace, 9th in 2:25.52; Maluya Vaughan, 14th in 2:28.49
     1,500:  Taylor Price, 25th in 5:17.29; Maliya Vaughan, 26th in 5:21.28
     5,000:  Taylor Price, 14th in 22:47.15; Hajjia Mohammed, 15th in 26:04.84
     100 Hurdles:  Raven Davis, 22nd in 15.79
     400 Hurdles:  Toni Trail, 15th in 1:12.42
     400 Relay:  Martina Latting, Alexis Milton, Justyce Riggs, Ry-Anne Riley, 4th in 46.66
     1,600 Relay:  Alexis Milton, Ry-Anne Ro;ey, Janelle Jones, Clarke Allen, 6th in 3:55.26; Asja 
Thompson, Hillary Smith, Toni Trail, Junine Goodison, 11th in 4:18.93
     Discus:  Calah Williams, 15th in 29.55 meters/96 feet, 11 inches
     Long Jump:  Hillary Smith, 15th in 4.75 meters/15 feet, 7 inches
     Shot Put:  Calah Williams, 20th in 8.88 meters/29 feet, 1 3/4 inches
     Triple Jump:  Hillary Smith, 9th in 10.67 meters/35 feet, 0 1/4 inch

Men
     100:  Ethan Gipson, 34th in 11.31; Kyle Logan, 36th in 11.44
     400:  Ray Williams, 25th in 52.47
     800:  Damoy Boyd, 18th in 1:59.53; Ray Williams, 32nd in 2:22.09
     1,500:  Damoy Boyd, 13th in 4:16.89; Darrick Williams, 24th in 5:09.50
     5,000:  Darrick Williams, 18th in 19:43.42
     110 Hurdles:  Khalil Gallien, 8th in 15.27; Ayinde Abanu, 10th in 15.69; Jaland Green, 15th in 17.17
     400 Hurdles:  Ayinde Abanu, 15th in 59.80; Khalil Gallien, 16th in 1:03.45
     400 Relay:  Ethan Gipson, Jaland Green, Kyle Logan, Elijah Johnson-Henderson, 6th in 46.88
     Discus:  Evan Simmons, 17th in 40.03 meters/131 feet, 4 inches
     High Jump:  Edward Angel, tied for 5th in 2.02 meters/6 feet, 7 1/2 inches
     Long Jump:  Brandon Matthews, 20th in 6.26 meters/20 feet, 6 1/2 inches; Edward Angel, 29th in 5.65 meters/18 feet, 6 1/2 inches
     Shot Put:  Evan Simmons, 22nd in 10.07 meters/33 feet, 0 1/2 inch
     Triple Jump:  Brandon Matthews, 3rd in 14.31 meters/46 feet, 11 1/2 inches


Brandon Matthews

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Morgan State Men's Track & Field Capture Six Events at Maryland Invitational

COLLEGE PARK, Maryland -- In their second outdoor meet of the 2018 season, the Morgan State men's track and field team captured six events at the Maryland Invitational hosted by the University of Maryland.


Keon Rantin had a solid performance in the 100m dash where he took first place with a time of 11.26. Bear teammates Shindell Henry (11.38) and Caniggia Harriott (11.49) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

In the 200m dash, Desean White beat out the Terps' Alex Leto at the tape with an IC4A qualifying time of 22.13.

Morgan State also posted a pair of top times in the 400m, where Deyvon Howell placed fourth with a 50.00, and Stephen Varella ran a 50.31 which was good enough for sixth.

Complete Results

Vikarie Elliott placed first in the shot put. The sophomore recorded his best toss of the season with a throw of 15.04m (49'4.25"). Elliott also finished fourth in the hammer with a toss of 44.55m (146'2").

Sophomore Kurt Goodlitt finished fourth in both the shot (13.15m) and the discus (41.28m).

In long jump, Kobe-Jordan Rhooms was victorious with a jump of 6.71m (22'0.25"). Freshman Daenah Pressley finished seventh in the long jump (6.18m) and finished third in the high jump with a leap of 1.88m (6'2").

Morgan State 'A' team consisting of Kevin Leach, Desean White, Deyvon Howell and Keon Rantin clinched victory in the 4x100m relay with a time of 41.53. The Bears 'B' squad comprised of Shindell Henry, Caniggia Harriott, Lloyd Hylton and Stephen Varella finished as runners-up with a time of 43.65

The Bears return to action next Saturday (March 31) at the Navy Spring Invitational in Annapolis, Md.

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

2018 MSU Football Schedule Announced

BALTIMORE, Maryland --  Morgan State's 2018 football schedule has been announced and it features five home games in Hughes Stadium, including a home opener matchup against Towson.
 
Coming off a 1-10 season (1-7 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) in 2017, Morgan State will open their 2018 campaign at home against Towson on Sept. 1 in the Battle for Greater Baltimore at Hughes Stadium. It will mark the 24th meeting between the teams and their 10th time facing each other in a season opener since 1979. Last year, Towson outlasted the Bears 10-0 at Unitas Stadium.  
 
MSU's next three contests will be on the road beginning with an FBS matchup at Akron on Sept. 8. It will mark the third meeting between the teams since 2009, with the Zips posting a 66-6 win at InfoCisison Stadium in 2012. Next, the Bears will face CAA member Albany on Sept. 15 in New York. The Bears will look to avenge last season's 26-0 home loss in the first-ever meeting between the teams.
 
The Bears will head south to challenge the reigning MEAC champion Aggies of North Carolina A&T on Sept. 22 in Greensboro, North Carolina. It will mark the Bears first trip to Aggie Stadium since suffering a 45-0 loss to the Aggies in 2014. The Aggies finished the 2017 season ranked No. 7 in the STATS FCS Poll.
 
Following a bye, the Bears will open MEAC conference play when they host South Carolina State for Homecoming on Oct. 6. The Bulldogs will be making their first trip to Baltimore since falling to the Bears 24-21 during the 2014 MEAC Championship run.
 
MSU will travel to Savannah State on Oct. 13 for the Tigers' homecoming festivities, followed by a home matchup to square-off against Beltway rival Howard on Oct. 20.
 
The Bears travel to Florida A&M on Oct. 27 for their first meeting in Tallahassee since suffering a 22-21 loss in 2016.
 
The Bears entertain Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 3, followed by a home finale matchup with Delaware State on Nov. 10 for 'Senior Day'.
 
MSU concludes its 2018 regular season when Norfolk State hosts the Bears in Dick Price Stadium on Nov. 17. The Bears will attempt to post its first win against the Spartans since 2006 – Norfolk State will enter the contest holding an 11-game winning streak against the Bears.
 
Game times and television plans for MSU's 2018 games will be announced at a later date.

All home games will be played at Earl C. Banks Field in Hughes Stadium.
 
The Bears open the 2018 campaign under Ernest T. Jones, set to enter his first year at the helm as interim head coach, and his third year at Morgan State.
 
Morgan State opens spring drills on Monday, March 26 and the annual spring game at Hughes Stadium on Saturday, April 28.

Fans can keep up-to-date with all MSU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/MorganStBears. You can also become a fan of the Bears on Facebook at Facebook.com/MorganStateBears.
  
2018 MSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 1	TOWSON
Sept. 8	at Akron
Sept. 15	at Albany
Sept. 22	at N.C. A&T
Oct. 6	SOUTH CAROLINA STATE* (HC)
Oct. 13	at Savannah State*
Oct. 20	HOWARD*
Oct. 27	at Florida A&M*
Nov. 3	BETHUNE-COOKMAN*
Nov. 10	DELAWARE STATE*
Nov. 17	at Norfolk State*

* Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game
Game times to be announced at a later date

ABOUT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is celebrating its 150th year of excellence in higher education. A Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution, Morgan offers more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.  

UMBC's historic NCAA tournament win more than two decades in the making

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- For a little over two hours Friday night, Fang Mitchell went back in time. The former Coppin State men’s basketball coach was watching No. 16 seed UMBC’s historic NCAA tournament win over top seed Virginia in Charlotte, N.C.

Though he was sitting at home in the Atlanta suburbs, Mitchell was suddenly transported back more than two decades to another huge upset in the NCAA tournament.

Suddenly, Mitchell was reliving his former team’s victory as a 15th seed over No. 2 seed South Carolina in Pittsburgh in the opening round in 1997.

“I knew that you have to stay close at halftime, and when I saw it was 21-21 at half, I knew they had a shot,” Mitchell said Saturday. “The longer you stay in it, the better your chances become.

“When you get into that second half and things aren’t going right [for the higher seed], things get a little tight for the team that's supposed to win it. UMBC was as loose as they could be.”

In Coppin State's 78-65 win over the 30-point favorite Gamecocks, the Eagles fell behind by “seven or eight points” early in the second half and came back behind guards Antoine Brockington and Danny Singletary, who combined for 42 points in the game and forward Reggie Welch, who had 15 rebounds.

In UMBC’s 74-54 win over the Cavaliers, who came in as 20½-point favorites, the Retrievers built a seven-point lead before the first media timeout in the second half and saw the lead quickly climb behind senior guard Jairus Lyles, who scored 23 of his 28 points after halftime, as well as 5-foot-8 senior guard K.J. Maura, who dictated the pace at both ends, and sophomore forward Arkel Lamar, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds. It marked the first time since the tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 1985 — and eventually to 68 — that a No. 16 seed had beaten a No. 1 seed.



CONTINUE READING 

Dillards' Comeback Effort Falls Short Against Montana Western In NAIA Tournament

Lady Bleu Devils Fall To Bulldogs 66-54 In First Round; Finishes Season 23-6

BILLINGS, Montana -- The four-seed Montana Western used a strong third quarter to beat five-seed Dillard (La.) 66-54 in the final opening round game of the Duer bracket in the 2018 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship presented by Wells Fargo.

Dillard (23-6) held the lead after the game's first 20 minutes, though it was only by a point. That was quickly erased by Western who scored eight straight points to start the third quarter. With the Bulldog's offense not turning it over, a problem earlier in the game, and making shots, the Bleu Devil's struggled to score on the other.

By the time the buzzer sounded to end the quarter, Western had outscored Dillard 21-6 in the 10-minute stretch and held a double-digit lead for the rest of the game.

Just like at the start of the second half, Western started the game on fire. The Bulldogs went on a 12-4 run in the first in the first three minutes of play. After that, the team cooled off and got sloppy with the ball, allowing Dillard to climb back in it.

The Bleu Devil's defense forced 15 turnovers with 11 steals in the first half, which allowed their defense to get out in transition and avoid UMW's suffocating half-court defense. Dillard scored 14 points off turnovers in the first half and late in the third quarter took the team's first lead and carried it into the half.

What doomed Dillard was Western keeping a clean sheet in the second half, forcing DU to try and score against a set defense. That didn't happen very often, as the Bleu Devils shot just 26.9 percent in the game.

Western was led by point guard Brianna King, who led all scorers with 18 points on 7-12 shooting. She was balanced in the paint by forward Britt Cooper who finished with a double-double of 12 points and 13 boards.

BOX SCORE

Dillard's two starting post players, Alexia McDonald and Asia Partlow where the team's most effective scorers, combining for 23 points and 14 rebounds.

The Bulldogs advance beyond the first round for the second straight year. In 2017, they lost to eventual National Champion, Oklahoma City University on a buzzer beater in the second round. This time they will face another one-seed, Campbellsville (Ky.) on Friday, March 16 at 10:15 a.m.

DILLARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Dillard Falls On Late 3-Pointer Against LSU Shreveport In NAIA Championship Second Round

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- Dillard senior guard Quinton Jackson tied the game with 11 seconds remaining, however LSU Shreveport's Stevie Clark last-second 3-pointer lifted the Pilots to a 70-67 win Friday in the second round of the NAIA Championship.

With 1.2 seconds remaining, the Bleu Devils were unable to get off a final shot.

Dillard finishes the season 21-10, while LSU Shreveport moves to 29-4 and advance to the quarterfinal round to play the winner of Life (Ga.) and Wayland Baptist (Texas), Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.

NOTES

• LSU Shreveport (La.) improves to 29-4 on the season, and moves into the quarterfinal round for the first time since the 2013 national championship and third time overall.
• Dillard (La.) drops to 21-10 to end its season, and falls in the second round for the third-straight year and fourth-consecutive appearance overall.
• So far this year, 16 of the first 18 games have been decided by 10 points or less, including nine by six points or less and six by three points or less.
• Higher seeds are 9-9 thus far in the tournament, but two No. 1 seeds, three No. 2 seeds and the defending national champion are already out.
• The game featured 11 lead changes and seven ties

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES

• LSU Shreveport Guard Stevie Clark led all scorers with 27 points, including the game-winning three-pointer with 1.2 seconds to play. He also added eight rebounds and seven assists.
• LSU Shreveport Guard D.J. Clayton finished 8 of 11 from the floor, scoring 17 points.
• Dillard Forward Joshua Simmons recorded double-double No. 14 on the season with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
• Dillard Guard Jorori Coleman scored 15 points, and topped the 500-point mark on his season, scoring 508 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Dillard took an early lead, using four points from Quinton Jackson to hold a 6-2 advantage with three minutes played.
• LSU Shreveport followed with a run over the next three minutes, outscoring Dillard by a 14-2 margin, using five points from D.J. Clayton, to build up a 16-8 advantage.
• LSU Shreveport maintained at least a four-point lead through much of the remaining time in the first half, but Dillard finished the half on a 9-3 run in the final four minutes, and used a three-point field goal from Joshua Simmons to trim the LSU Shreveport lead to 33-31 at halftime.
• Dillard took its first lead of the game since early in the first half when Jorori Coleman sank a three-pointer to make the score 36-35 with 18:34 remaining in the game.
• The two teams traded the lead a total of seven times over the next nine minutes, with a D.J. Clayton field goal putting LSU Shreveport in front, 55-54, with 8:33 to play.
• Dillard held its final lead of the contest at the 5:17 mark when a fast-break field goal from Kristopher Allmon gave the Bleu Devils a 60-59 advantage.
• Dillard tied the game at 67-67 with 17-seconds left on the clock, but Stevie Clark hit a three-point field goal with 1.2 seconds remaining to give LSU Shreveport a 70-67 win.
• 
  

HOW THEY SAW IT

Dillard Head Coach Mike Newell: "It was a very well-played game.This is what March madness is all about. The transfer from Oklahoma State had 27 points and Quinton (Jackson) was right on him. He was as close as he could get. The kid just made a tough shot, but we had our opportunities. The difference in the game was free throws."

LSU Shreveport Head Coach Kyle Blankenship: "What a game! We've been on the wrong end of a last second shot out here before, but it sure felt good to see the game winner go down for us this afternoon. Dillard is as talented and well coached as anyone in this tournament. We expected a war and that's what it was today. I'm so proud of our guys for the toughness they showed for 40 minutes, and we are excited for our season to continue tomorrow."

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• LSU Shreveport was 1 of 18 from three-point range before Stevie Clark sank the game-winning three-pointer.
• LSU Shreveport Guard Josh Robinson finished with a season-high 13 rebounds.
• Dillard had four players play all 40 minutes, while Jorori Coleman and Kristopher Allmon played all 80 minutes in the team's two games at the national championship.
• Quinton Jackson entered the game ranked fifth in the NAIA in assists per game (5.6) and finished with seven assists.

GAME NOTES

LSU Shreveport
The Pilots are making its 14th appearance overall in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship, and 14th straight...LSU Shreveport lost in the first round of the 2017 national tournament to Montana Western, 99-94…The Pilots now advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time since 2013, when they defeated Evangel, 77-70… Overall, the Pilots are 1-1 all-time in the Quarterfinal round… The Pilots are now 9-13 all-time in national tournament games… LSU Shreveport is now 3-3 all-time in the second round of the national tournament…The Pilots are one of four teams from the Red River Athletic conference to qualify for this year's tournament… Prior to Stevie Clark's three to take the lead with 1.2 seconds remaining in regulation, the Pilots were 1-of-18 from behind the arc… Clark scored 27 points on 10-of-24 from the field… Collectively the Pilots shot 10-of 12 from the free-throw line…Forced 10 turnovers on seven steals…Eleven lead changes and seven ties…

Dillard

The Bleu Devils are making their ninth appearance in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship, including the last three-straight years...Dillard has never gotten to the quarterfinals, though the Bleu Devils have advanced to the second round in each of their last four national tournament appearances...The Bleu Devils are now 5-8 all-time in the national tournament...The Bleu Devils are 0-5 all-time in the second round of the tournament...Dillard is one of two Gulf Coast Athletic Conference teams in this year's tournament...The Bleu Devils are now 7-4 against national tournament teams this season... Coming into the game against LSU Shreveport, Dillard had won five straight games and 12 of its past 13 contests...The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference is now 1-2 in the national tournament...



DILLARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Tuskegee Adds Missouri S&T To 2018 Football Schedule

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- The Tuskegee University football team has announced the addition of a home game against Missouri University S&T to its 2018 schedule.

The game will be played at Cleve Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium on Saturday, September 22 at 1 p.m. Missouri S&T is located in Rolla, Mo. The Miners, a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), and like Tuskegee, competes in the NCAA Division II level. The Miners posted a record of (4-7, 3-4) last season. This will be the first ever meeting between the two schools.

The Golden Tigers will open the 2018 campaign in Montgomery (Ala.) against rival Alabama State. Last season, a sellout crowd of 25,442 witnessed TU improved to 2-0 over the Hornets in its fairly new stadium that opened in 2012. Tuskegee currently leads the overall series 62-34-4.

The Golden Tigers will remain on the road for week 2, participating the fifth annual Whitewater Classic against Albany State University (September 8) at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City (Ala.), a game in which the Golden Tigers will be the home team this season. Tuskegee has won three out of the four Whitewater Classics played against Albany State. In week three, TU faces Clark Atlanta University (September 15) to close out the trio of opening road games. The Golden Tigers lead the series 61-16-2, including winning the last nine contests against the Panthers.

Lane College will be the team's SIAC West Division home opener September 29. The Golden Tigers have won all 23 matchups against the Dragons. Weeks 6 features a trip to Columbus (Ga.) and a battle with Morehouse College in the 83nd annual Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic held at A.J. McClung Stadium. Tuskegee will be the away team in the contest against the Maroon Tigers and leads the series 72-28-7, including last season's 23-17 win in overtime.

A rematch of the 2017 SIAC Football Championship takes place on the road during week 7 (October 13) when TU squares off with Fort Valley State in Fort Valley (Ga.). The Golden Tigers claimed the league title over the Golden Wildcats, 13-6 last November.

The final three games include the Golden Tigers hosting Kentucky State University (October 20) for its annual Homecoming game, before finishing the regular season off at Central State (October 27) and ending on the road at Miles College (November 3) in the regular season finale. Last season's win over the Golden Bears clinched the West Division crown. Just like 2017, TU does not have a bye week, competing against 10 consecutive opponents.

Tuskegee University 2018 Football Schedule

SEP 1 (SAT) / TBA AT ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY MONTGOMERY, AL

SEP 8 (SAT) / TBA AT ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY ALBANY, GA / GARRETT-HARRISON STADIUM. WHITEWATER CLASSIC

SEP 15 (SAT) / TBA AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY ATLANTA, GA

SEP 22 (SAT) / 1:00 P.M. VS MISSOURI S&T TUSKEGEE, AL / ABBOTT MEMORIAL ALUMNI STADIUM

SEP 29 (SAT) / 1:00 PM VS LANE COLLEGE TUSKEGEE / ABBOTT MEMORIAL ALUMNI STADIUM

OCT 6 (SAT) / TBA VS MOREHOUSE COLLEGE COLUMBUS, GA. / A.J. MCCLUNG STADIUM. 83RD ANNUAL TUSKEGEE-MOREHOUSE CLASSIC

OCT 13 (SAT) / TBD AT FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY FORT VALLEY, GA

OCT 20 (SAT) / 1:00 PM VS KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY TUSKEGEE, ALA. / ABBOTT MEMORIAL ALUMNI STADIUM. 94TH ANNUAL HOMECOMING

OCT 27 (SAT) / TBA AT CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY WILBERFORCE, OH

NOV 3 (SAT) / TBA AT MILES COLLEGE FAIRFIELD, AL

2018 SIAC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
NOV 10 (SAT) / VS TBD SIAC WEST DIVISION CHAMPION

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATONS

Nuggets' Borodii makes unprecedented ratings splash

NEW ORLEANS — Mariia Borodii's first appearance in the Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association NAIA Women's National Rankings is a doozy.
    
The Xavier University of Louisiana freshman on Thursday became the first Gold Nugget to earn simultaneous top-3 rankings in singles and doubles. The resident of Zapozizhzhia, Ukraine, is No. 2 in singles, and Borodii and Yi Chen Pao are No. 3 in doubles.
     
Borodii fueled her ascent with five victories against ranked opponents — three in doubles — during the Nuggets' Arizona trip March 8-11. A highlight was a 9-7 victory for Borodii and Pao against San Diego Christian's then-sixth-ranked Sarah Urbanek and Nadine Geschke.
    
Another important victory for Borodii was 6-2, 6-2 Feb. 16 on the road against Georgia Gwinnett's then-third-ranked Emerald Able.
    
Also ranked nationally for the Nuggets are Charlene Goreau at No. 11 — she climbed from No. 23 in November — and freshman Angela Charles-Alfred, making her ratings debut at 35th.
     
XULA has four ranked singles players in the South Region. Borodii is second, Goreau is seventh, Charles-Alfred is 14th, and Manon Bonada is tied for 20th. Borodii and Pao are No. 3 in the South in doubles.
     
The Gold Nuggets will play SCAD Atlanta — which features a No. 13 national doubles team, Katrina de Guzman and Simran Kejriwal — at noon Sunday at XULA Tennis Center.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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XULA Williams places third in NABC-NAIA dunk contest

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Xavier University of Louisiana's Joseph Williams tied for third place Saturday in the dunk contest of the NABC-NAIA Shoot & Slam presented by U.S. Bank.

Williams — a 6-foot-6 senior forward from Memphis, Tenn. and a graduate of Lausanne Collegiate School — was one of four contestants. Williams scored 87 of a possible 100 points on two first-round dunks. Arsenio Arrington of Aquinas also scored 87.

Two dunkers advanced to the final round: Brandon Moss of LSU-Alexandria with 98 points and Titus Rice of Ottawa (Kan.) with 91. Moss scored 95 points in the finals to win the event.

Williams in February qualified for the event by receiving nearly 80 percent of approximately 3,000 fan votes cast online. Williams was the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2017-18, and his 49 blocked shots were the most in a season by a Gold Rush player since Frank Joshua's 53 in 1983-84.

Williams was the first from XULA to compete in the NAIA dunk contest.


Brandon Moss of LSU Alexandria (La.)  impressed the judges to claim the Slam Dunk trophy.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Gold Nuggets reach top 5 for first time since 2015

NEW ORLEANS — For the first time in nearly three years, Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis is among the NAIA's top five.

The Gold Nuggets vaulted from 10th to fifth Tuesday in the coaches poll after winning four dual matches in Arizona to stretch their winning streak to six.

XULA's 5-1 victory Sunday against San Diego Christian was its sixth of the season against a ranked NAIA opponent and third against a top-10 member. All the victories occurred on the road.

"We took some lumps early in the season, but now we're playing much better," coach Alan Green said. "Getting to the top five is nice and rewarding because we are playing a tough schedule and earning it. But we still have more work to do."

Before Tuesday, the last time the Gold Nuggets were in the top five was on May 20, 2015 — No. 4 in the postseason poll.

The Gold Nuggets will play 14th-ranked SCAD Atlanta at noon Sunday at XULA Tennis Center.
Here are all the Gold Nuggets' active poll streaks:

• 52 consecutive appearances in the top 25 . . . streak began May 1, 2012.
• 52 consecutive appearances in the top 20 . . . streak began May 1, 2012.
• 11 consecutive appearances in the top 15 . . . streak began Feb. 28, 2017.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through March 11)
Rank Previous School Record Points
1 1 Georgia Gwinnett (14) 9-1 374
2 2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 2-1 357
3 3 Keiser (Fla.) 13-1 355
4 4 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 6-1 338
5 10 Xavier (La.) 9-7 320
6 6 William Carey (Miss.) 6-1 313
7 7 Northwestern Ohio 4-2 302
8 9 William Woods (Mo.) 6-3 280
9 5 Indiana Wesleyan 23-1 276
10 12 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 1-1 270
11 11 LSU-Alexandria (La.) 4-1 260
12 8 San Diego Christian (Calif.) 4-4 252
13 14 Middle Georgia State 6-4 222
14 15 SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) 3-3 211
15 RV Westmont (Calif.) 4-5 210
16 18 Brenau (Ga.) 3-5 186
17 16 Campbellsville (Ky.) 8-0 182
18 13 Arizona Christian 7-4 172
19 17 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 3-5 158
20 19 Cumberland (Tenn.) 5-6 131
21 20 Mobile (Ala.) 5-4 127
22 RV Union (Ky.) 5-2 123
23 21 St. Thomas (Fla.) 4-6 118
24 RV Reinhardt (Ga.) 6-1 109
25 23 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 1-3 75
Others receiving votes: Georgetown (Ky.) 54; Tennessee Wesleyan 49; Coastal Georgia 48; Huntington (Ind.) 39; Southwestern (Kan.) 23; Marian (Ind.) 16; Loyola (La.) 13; Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 12; Cumberlands (Ky.) 4; Point (Ga.) 3; Asbury (Ky.) 3.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Four Transfer to Tennessee State Tigers Football

QB Demry Croft

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State head football coach Rod Reed has announced the arrival of four transfers to campus. Christion Abercrombie, Mekhi Brown, Demry Croft and John Robinson IV are officially enrolled and are attending classes at TSU.

The foursome will be eligible to practice during the upcoming spring.

Abercrombie comes to the Tigers after spending two seasons at the University of Illinois, while Brown was a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide for the past three seasons. Brown was a member of two national championship squads (2015 and 2017).

Croft transfers in from the University of Minnesota where he served as the starting quarterback for the final six games of the 2017 season.

Robinson comes to TSU after three seasons at the University of Connecticut.

The new Tigers will join fellow transfers Henry Covington (Georgia Military College), Te’Kendrick Roberson (Ellsworth CC) and Kalen Whitlow (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC), who signed with TSU during the early signing period in December.

Christion Abercrombie

Linebacker - University of Illinois
6-1, 230, R-Fr.
Atlanta, Ga. (Westlake HS)

At Illinois:

• Made 11 tackles, six solo, while playing in 11 games
• Made his Illinois debut in the opener against Ball State
• Redshirted the 2016 season

Westlake HS:

• Three-star recruit by ESPN.com and Scout
• Ranked the No. 89 outside linebacker in the nation by ESPN.com
• Ranked the No. 71 inside linebacker in the nation by Scout
• Totaled 106 tackles (55 solo), 4.0 sacks and four interceptions as a senior
• Led Westlake to a 10-3 record in 2015
• Georgia Sports Writers Association AAAAAA All-State first team as a senior
• All-Metro and Class AAAAAA All-State Honorable Mention by the Atlanta Journal Constitution as a senior
• Georgia Region 3-AAAAAA Defensive Player of the Year
• Led Westlake to 2014 and 2015 Region 3-AAAAAA championships
• Also played basketball as a freshman

Mekhi Brown
Linebacker - University of Alabama
6-5, 246, R-So.
Columbus, Ga. (Carver HS)

At Alabama:

• Played in 12 games during the 2017 season
• Recorded seven tackles, three solo
• Played on special teams in 2016
• First action came against Mississippi State, also earned playing time against Chattanooga and Florida
• Redshirted in 2015

Carver HS:

• A unanimous four-star prospect
• Selected to participate in the 2015 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
• Ranked No. 88 in the Top247, the No. 5 weakside defensive end and No. 10 player in Georgia by 247Sports.com
• Ranked No. 114 in the 247 Composite and the No. 6 weakside end
• Ranked No. 88 in the ESPN300, the site’s No. 10 outside linebacker and No. 12 player in Georgia
• Was No. 58 on the Prepstar Top 100 Dream Team
• Ranked 210th in the Rivals250 and the No. 9 weakside defensive end
• Collected 56 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and 11 sacks as a junior in 2013; along with four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries
• Was a three-time All-State selection for head coach Joseph Kegler at CHS in Columbus, Ga.
• Garnered first-team honors in 2013 and 2014 with honorable mention accolades in 2012
• Was recruited by Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Stanford, Auburn and Louisville

Demry Croft
Quarterback - University of Minnesota
6-5, 205, R-So.
Rockford, Ill. (Boylan HS)

At Minnesota:

• Played in nine games, starting the final six of the 2017 season
• Completed 41.5 percent of his passes for 674 yards and four touchdowns
• Rushed 79 times for 311 yards and four touchdowns
• Earned first career rushing touchdown with a 64-yard scamper at Oregon State
• Threw for three touchdowns versus Michigan State
• Redshirted in 2016
• Played in three games as a true freshman in 2015
• Completed 7-of-17 passes for 34 yards, while rushing nine times for 38 yards

Boylan HS:

• Passed for 2,011 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior
• Rushed for 845 yards and 10 scores during his final prep season
• Named All-State Honorable Mention All-State
• Competed in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, completing 12-of-15 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns
• Played in 12 games as a junior, passing for 1,879 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for 685 yards and 12 scores
• Prepped for head coach John Cacciatore
• Ranked as a three-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports and Scout
• 247Sports tagged him as the No. 7 prospect in Illinois, while Rivals had him at No. 18 and ESPN listed him at No. 41
• 247Sports ranked him as the No. 18 dual-threat quarterback in his class, while Rivals slotted him at No. 29 in their quarterback rankings and ESPN had him at No. 48
• Scout listed him as a the No. 1 quarterback in Illinois, the No. 4 quarterback in the Midwest and the No. 26 quarterback in the nation
• Also lettered in basketball, track and bowling

John Robinson IV
Defensive Back - University of Connecticut
6-2, 195, R-So.
Englewood, N.J. (Dwight Morrow HS)

At UConn:

• Played in five games, recording two tackles in 2017
• As a redshirt-freshman, registered seven tackles while playing in all 12 games
• Career-high two tackles at Boston College (Nov. 19)
• Redshirted in 2015

Dwight Morrow HS:

• Cornerback, safety and wide receiver at DMHS
• Ranked a top-50 prospect in New Jersey by 247Sports and ESPN
• Participated in the 2014 National Underclassmen Combine Five-Star East Showcase
• As a receiver, posted 24 catches for 372 yards and five touchdowns as a senior
• Totaled 22 tackles on the year
• Ranked No. 34 in New Jersey by Schulman's National Underclassmen Combine

2017-18 Transfers:
Christion Abercrombie: LB - Illinois
Mekhi Brown: LB - Alabama
Henry Covington: OL - Georgia Military College
Demry Croft: QB - Minnesota
Te’Kendrick Roberson: RB - Ellsworth CC
John Robinson IV: DB - UConn
Kalen Whitlow: QB - Mississippi Gulf Coast CC

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATION