GSU returns home to face UAPB

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- The Grambling State University football team will look to bounce back from a road loss to Alcorn State on Saturday when Arkansas-Pine Bluff comes to town for a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game. Saturday's game is Military Appreciation and Breast Cancer Awareness Day as kickoff from Eddie G Robinson Stadium is set for 2 p.m.

Grambling State will broadcast the game on the Grambling State Sports Radio Network. The game can be heard in Ruston (KPCH 99.3 FM) and in Monroe (KJMG 97.3 FM). The Tigers broadcast crew of Santoria Black, Ossie Clark, Nick Harrison and Leon Thomas will call all of the action.

Grambling State (3-4 overall, 2-2 SWAC) comes into Saturday's tilt having won two of their last three games. The Tigers suffered a 33-26 loss to Alcorn State last Saturday in Lorman, Miss., which hadn't happened in 21 years (1997). Marc Orozco enters the game against the Golden Lions needing just one point to break Brian Morgan's all-time SWAC and GSU career record for scoring points.

"It's kind of hard not to know, because people keep talking about it," Orozco said about the record. "I can't wait to get it off my chest and get it out of the way, so I can focus more on the season."

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-6, 0-3) is still searching for its first SWAC victory after being edged last week, 48-47, in double-overtime to Mississippi Valley State. The Golden Lions' lone win came in Week 2 (55-0 over Cumberland University).

"Watching them (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) on film, they play extremely hard and you can tell that they are well-coached," Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs said. "They're going to be tough. Right now we are the reigning champ in our league, and everyone is taking their shots at us, so we have to make sure we are prepared to compete."

About The Game
> This will be the 43rd meeting, with Grambling State leading the series, 29-11-2
> The series began in 1951 with Arkansas-Pine Bluff capturing a 25-13 victory
> The most points Grambling State scored in the series was 70 in 2016, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff scored 54 points in 1998
> Grambling State holds the longest win streak in the series at 11 games and is currently on a four-game win streak against the Golden Lions

Grambling State - Last Time Out
> Grambling State enters the game off a 33-26 SWAC loss against Alcorn State
> For the first time in the Broderick Fobbs era, the Tigers suffered a defeat in the month of October
> The loss at Alcorn State was the first for Grambling State in 21 years (1997), which was also the final season Eddie Robinson roamed the sideline
> Grambling State recorded 19 first downs finished with 376 total yards (nearly 100 yards more than Alcorn State), including 292 through the air
> Marc Orozco booted four fields for the first time in his collegiate career, including a career-long 52-yard field goal in the third quarter
> With either a field goal or an extra point on Saturday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Marc Orozco will break Brian Morgan's SWAC and GSU career record for points. Both are sitting on 325 career points
> Geremy Hickbottom was 20 of 36 passing for 279 yards and one interception
> Geremy Hickbottom led the ground game with 17 touches for 115 yards, but gained only 54 net yards

Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Last Time Out
> Arkansas-Pine Bluff is still searching for its first SWAC win as the Golden Lions were edged in double-overtime by Mississippi Valley State, 48-47
> The Golden Lions had 25 first downs and 503 total yards of offense against the Delta Devils
> Skyler Perry was 18-of-33 passing for 257 yards and three scores, while Taeyler Porter rushed 37 times for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

• GRAMBLING STATE NOTES (PDF)
• INSIDE THE GAME
• BRODERICK FOBBS WEEKLY INTERVIEW
• LIVE STATS
• LISTEN LIVE

Last Time Against Arkansas-Pine Bluff
> Grambling State held off a late charge by Arkansas-Pine Bluff to capture a 31-26 victory last season in Pine Bluff, Ark.
> The Tigers racked up 365 total yards, including 254 through the air, and 21 first downs
> Devante Kincade was 28 of 42 passing for 254 yards and three touchdowns, while carrying the ball six times for 36 yards
> Darrell Clark and Calief Samon each caught five passes
> Ja'Terious Pouncy registered seven tackles and one interception

Inside The Numbers
> Grambling State has won 27 out of its last 29 SWAC games, dating back to the beginning of the 2015 season
> The Tigers are 15-1 in the month of October under head coach Broderick Fobbs
> Grambling State has won its last 11 home games and has not lost at home since Sept. 19, 2015 (56-53 loss to Bethune-Cookman)
> The Tigers look to remain perfect (4-0) against Arkansas-Pine Bluff during the Broderick Fobbs era
> Marc Orozco needs just one (1) point to become the all-time career GSU and SWAC leader in points scored
> Alcorn State is averaging 26.7 points and 442.0 total yards per game
> Grambing State is averaging 28.0 points and 382.7 total yards per game

Accolades
> Marc Orozco was named the SWAC Specialist of the Week
> De'Arius Christmas is a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy

SWAC Scenarios
> In order for Grambling State to reach the SWAC Championship, the Tigers will need help and it all starts this weekend when Alcorn State and Prairie View A&M meet. A win for Alcorn State keeps the Tigers' chances alive. However, a loss would more than likely knock Grambling State out of the hunt

Up Next
The Tigers wrap up their home campaign on Saturday, Nov. 3 with Homecoming and Senior Day as Mississippi Valley State visits Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium. Kickoff against the Delta Devils is set for 2 p.m.

Remaining Home Game Tickets Still Available
Remaining home game tickets are on still sale at the GSU Ticket office and fan are encouraged to visit www.gsutigers.com or call the ticket office to purchase tickets. For more information on purchasing season tickets, call (318) 274-2625 or (318) 274-2629.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

By: Deja Harrison, Sports Information Staff
GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Grambling State avenges loss to Centenary

GRAMBLING, Louisiana| Chasity Nicks and Kevreion Ward each had 14 kills as the Grambling State University volleyball team avenged an earlier loss to Centenary (La.) with a 3-1 non-conference victory on Wednesday evening at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
 
Grambling State (9-21) took the opening set, 25-22, and had set point twice in the second, but fell, 26-24, to even the match at 1. The Lady Tigers had four set points in the third and came away with a 25-17 win, before rallying in the fourth set, 25-19, to take the match.
 
Ward led the offensive attack with 14 kills, seven errors and 37 total attacks for a .189 hitting percentage, while Nicks added 14 kills, eight errors and 34 total attacks for a .176 hitting percentage. L'Muriell Thrower registered a double-double of a match-high 32 assists and 13 digs, while Sheila Borders dished out 18 assists. Erineka Mollere tallied a match-high 31 digs to lead the defense.
 
Lauren Kelly paced Centenary (14-15) with 10 kills and hit .156 for the match. Rachel Demerjian handed out 22 assists and 10 digs, while Marissa Sandoval chipped in with a team-high 14 digs.

BOX SCORE
 
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State finished with a .183 hitting percentage (56 kills, 28 errors, 153 total attacks)
> Centenary registered 40 kills, 25 errors, 155 total attacks (.097 hitting percentage)
> The Lady Tigers tallied 69 digs, 54 assists, 13.5 total team blocks and eight service aces
> The Ladies finished with 58 digs, 37 assists, five service aces and five total team blocks
 
Up Next
Grambling State steps back into Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play on Monday, Oct. 29 with a home contest against Texas Southern. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m. at the Men's Gymnasium on the campus of Grambling State University.
 
Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

MEAC Football Teleconference Week 9

2018 Week 9 MEAC Football Teleconference Willie Simmons (Florida A&M) 00:04 Terry Sims (Bethune-Cookman) 9:39 Rod Milstead (Delaware State) 25:06 Mike London (Howard) 30:58 Latrell Scott (Norfolk State) 41:50 Erik Raeburn (Savannah State) 48:30 Buddy Pough (SC State) 57:58 Sam Washington (North Carolina A&T State) 1:11:15 Granville Eastman (N.C. Central) 1:23:46 Ernest Jones (Morgan State) 1:32:10

MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

MEAC Announces First Fans' Play and Players of the Week

NORFOLK, Virginia -- After more than a thousand combined votes were cast both on MEACSports.com and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's (MEAC) Twitter account, the conference has announced its first winners of the Fans' Play and Fans' Players of the Week awards.



Howard's Dedrick Parson was the overwhelming fan favorite for Play of the Week, thanks to his 31-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of the Bison's 35-26 win over Morgan State on Saturday. North Carolina A&T State swept the Fans' Player of the Week honors, with quarterback Lamar Raynard the fans' choice for Offensive Player of the Week and defensive lineman Justin Cates the fans' pick for Defensive Player of the Week.

Parson, a sophomore running back from Philadelphia, Pa., needed just one play to help the Bison complete the comeback. After Howard, trailing 26-20, forced a Bears' three-and-out, Parson took the handoff from Caylin Newton, spun out of a tackle at the line of scrimmage, and ran 31 yards to paydirt.

That play gave the Bison a 27-26 lead with 7:07 left in the contest.

Raynard went 11-for-14 in the air in the Aggies' 35-10 win over Bethune-Cookman this past Saturday, throwing for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores came in the second quarter, including a 55-yarder to Ron Hunt that put the Aggies up 26-3 at the half.

Cates led the Aggies with 3.5 tackles for loss against the Wildcats, accounting for 10 yards, while also recording a sack and a quarterback hurry. Of his six total tackles on the afternoon, three were solo stops.

The fans will again have their say next week, beginning on Monday afternoon when the Fans' Play of the Week poll goes live on the front page of MEACSports.com. On Tuesday, the polls for Fans' Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week will go live on the conference's Twitter page (@MEACSports).

MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

MEAC Announces 2018-19 Men's Basketball Preseason Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Howard University sophomore guard RJ Cole was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year, the conference announced today. Bethune-Cookman was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the MEAC this season.

 
All awards are voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
Last year's MEAC Freshman of the Year, Cole ranked seventh nationally and led the MEAC with 23.7 points per game and 6.1 assists in his first collegiate season. The 6-1 Union, N.J. native also led the MEAC in three-pointers made with 109 and rarely took a break as the league leader in minutes played. He had the second-highest single game scoring output in 2017-18 with 42 points versus UNC Wilmington and has scored 30-plus points on five occasions while scoring 20-plus points 25 times. Cole rewrote the MEAC record books with 13 Rookie of the Week awards.
 
Bethune-Cookman captured a share of the MEAC Championship last season under then first-year head coach Ryan Ridder. The Wildcats finished 12-4 in MEAC play and 18-14 overall. They return nine players and four starters from last year’s squad. Back-to-back MEAC Tournament Champion North Carolina Central was picked second followed by Norfolk State.

Rounding out the rest of the preseason poll are Howard, North Carolina A&T State, Morgan State, Florida A&M, Savannah State, Coppin State, South Carolina State, Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware State.
 
Joining Cole on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Howard’s Charles Williams, the Bethune-Cookman duo of Shawntrez Davis and Soufiyane Diakite and N.C. Central’s Raasean Davis. Williams received All-MEAC First Team honors last season while Diakite is the reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Year.
 
The 2018-19 season begins on Tuesday, Nov. 6, with seven teams in action.
 
The 2019 MEAC Basketball Tournament will be held March 11-16 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.

 

2018-19 Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors
 

School	Points
Bethune-Cookman	237
North Carolina Central	217
Norfolk State	192
Howard	176
North Carolina A&T State	157
Morgan State	138
Florida A&M	109
Savannah State	105
Coppin State	91
South Carolina State	90
Maryland Eastern Shore	80
Delaware State	46

2018-19 Preseason All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors

Preseason Player of the Year: RJ Cole, Howard
 

First Team
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Class	School	Hometown
RJ Cole	G	6-1	So.	Howard	Union, N.J.
Charles Williams	G	6-6	Jr.	Howard	Richmond, Va.
Shawntrez Davis	F	6-9	Sr.	Bethune Cookman	Atlanta, Ga.
Raasean Davis	C	6-8	R-Sr.	N.C. Central	Chicago, Ill.
Soufiyane Diakite	F	6-6	Sr.	Bethune Cookman	Bronx, N.Y.
Second Team
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Class	School	Hometown
Lamar Morgan	G/F	6-6	Sr.	Coppin State	Willingboro, N.J.
Reggie Gardner, Jr.	G/F	6-2	So.	N.C. Central	Bowie, Md.
Isaiah Bailey	G/F	6-6	Sr.	Bethune-Cookman	Compton, Calif.
Steven Whitley	G	6-3	R-Jr.	Norfolk State	Norfolk, Va,
Alex Long	F	6-8	Sr.	Norfolk State	Clinton, Md.
Third Team
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Class	School	Hometown
Jordan Perkins	PG	6-0	Jr.	N.C. Central	Greensboro, N.C.
Dejaun Clayton	G	6-2	R-So.	Coppin State	Bowie, Md.
Kameron Langley	G	6-2	So.	North Carolina A&T State	Greensboro, N.C.
Justin Ravenel	F	6-1	Sr.	Florida A&M	Lithonia, Ga.
Damani Applewhite	F	6-8	Jr.	S.C. State	Fayetteville, N.C.

MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

77th McDonald’s Magic City Classic set for Saturday for Alabama State Hornets

Hornets and Alabama A&M Will Face Each Other For The 81st Time Overall

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama | In what has been billed as the largest HBCU Classic in the country, Alabama State and Alabama A&M will meet for the 77th time at the McDonald's Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola Saturday afternoon at Birmingham's Legion Field.

Game time is set for 2:30 pm (cst) and will be carried on ESPN3, and tape delayed to ESPNU. The game can be heard on the Hornet Sports Network beginning with pregame at 2 pm.

Last season, Alabama State scored late in the contest to take a five-point advantage at 21-16, before thwarting an Alabama A&M comeback deep in Hornet territory to capture the victory. The win was the fifth in the last nine games for Alabama State in the storied classic.

A week full of activities began in Birmingham on Tuesday, and will culminate with the game Saturday afternoon. And a game that means much more this season as Alabama State is battling for the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Although they have five conference games remaining on the schedule, with the five-overtime win over Alcorn State, Alabama State has put itself in a position to win the division over the last five games.

The Hornets come into the contest fresh off their second bye week of the season, following a 45-7 loss to South Alabama two weeks ago. The last off week the Hornets had this season was after the loss to Grambling State in which Alabama State bounced back with the victory over Alcorn State.

Alabama State (2-4, 1-1 SWAC) is playing their sixth consecutive contest away from home after opening the season with a win over Tuskegee in the Labor Day Classic. They will return home for three of their final four games following the Magic City Classic. Meanwhile, Alabama A&M (3-4, 2-2 SWAC) comes into the contest after having their two-game winning streak stopped by Alcorn State two weeks ago. Much like Alabama State, the Bulldogs enter the week off a bye week.

The two teams had split the previous eight meetings, until Alabama State won in the final seconds last season. The two longest winning streaks in the rivalry belong to Alabama State as they won the first seven contests in the series from 1924 until 1941, while not allowing a point from Alabama A&M until 1940. They also own a six-game winning streak from 1990 until 1995 in the series. The series has been played continually since 1945 with 13 years off since the series began in 1924. During the series, there are have been 11 times where a team has not scored in the contest, and eight of those belong to Alabama State with a scoreless tie in 1956.

• ALABAMA STATE GAME NOTES (.PDF)
• ALABAMA A&M GAME NOTES (.PDF)

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For complete  coverage  of Alabama State University football, follow us on social media at @BamaStateFB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook), and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama  State University athletics at BamaStateSports.com. 



ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Kiptoo, Davis, Sweep MEAC SPORTS Weekly Cross Country Honors

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman swept the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference weekly Cross Country Runner of The Week awards with Daniel Kiptoo and Deja Davis garnering the Men's and Women's honors.

Kiptoo, a senior from Eldoret, Kenya, won the men's 8K race at the Sand Shark Invitational this past Saturday, clocking in at 25:03.90 in helping the Wildcats to a 1-2 finish in the individual standings. He currently holds the seventh-fastest time in the MEAC and has finished in the top ten all four meets this season.

Davis, a senior from Des Moines, Iowa, ran an 18:55.70 over 5K in the Sand Shark Invitational over the weekend, posting a top-15 finish to pace the Lady Wildcats. Her time currently ranks as the fifth-fastest in the conference at 5,000 meters this season.

The Wildcats compete in the MEAC championships Saturday morning at the Delaware State University Outreach and Research Center in Smyrna, Delaware.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

MEAC Announces Cross Country Academic Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia — The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced the 2018 Cross Country All-Academic Selections, honoring 72 student-athletes from the conference’s 12 institutions who achieved academic success during the 2017-18 academic year.

MEAC sophomore, junior and senior student-athletes with a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average, as well as transfer student-athletes who have been in residence at the institution for at least one year, are eligible for All-Academic accolades.

“It is my honor to congratulate our women’s and men’s cross country student-athletes for maintaining a 3.0 or better grade point average,” said MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas. “I would also like to acknowledge the academic support staff, parents and coaches who have contributed to the academic success of these student-athletes.”

Listed below are the 2018 Cross Country All-Academic honorees (by institutions):

Bethune-Cookman (6)
Cameron Berryhill
Bernita Brown
Deja Davis
Damaris Jepkorir
Paige Johnson
Daniel Kiptoo

Coppin State (5)
Lunnise Gibson
Jona Hanson
Jasmine Henery
Erika Hightower
Erykah Jerome

Delaware State (14)
Rebecca Altidor
Komlan Attiogbe
Lananda Correla
Kavante Dawson
Caleb Giles
Hassan Gill
Precious Igwebuike
Hanquaamo Lintiso
Gregory Moore
Elton Quansah
Slyvia Okafor
Jose Infante Rosales
Katarzyna Rosikon
Martina Smalls

Florida A&M (4)
Emmax Kiplagat
Fridah Limo
Nancy Murgor
Mercy Rotich

Howard (13)
Sydney Benson
Mekhi Closson
Aaron Coates
Jessika Gbai
Anthony Gordon-Bester
Aliyah Hale
Jade Hardy
Oluchi Ike
Steven Imes IV
Zachare Lane
Michael Riddick
Ozioma Scott
Destiny Stanford

Maryland Eastern Shore (8)
John Akakeya
Hector Cime
Judah Corriette
Luan Gabriel
Amirah Jones
Ayanna Lynn
Neus Quinero
Jessica Roney

Morgan State (7)
Annastacia Barham
Fernandes Boyd
Halim Joseph
Valencia McDowell
Jalon Robinson
Nahshon Robinson
Chantai Smith

Norfolk State (8)
Fetus Bett
Candice Higgins
Nelly Jerop
Felix Kiprotich
Ashah Koech
Caroline Samoe
Joeseph Wanene
Lanei Woodson

North Carolina A&T State (4)
Kristoni Barnes
G’Jasmyne Butler
Dequan Maddox
Camille Martin

Savannah State (3)
Cameron Pack
Atakilti Sahlu
Jaylen Sewell

MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Alabama State Sports inviting the community to game on November 3

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will hold Community Day in conjunction with the football game against Texas Southern on November 3 at ASU Stadium.

The game will kick off at 2 pm and can be heard on the Hornet Sports Network, with gates opening at 12 noon.

Alabama State is inviting all community groups that include churches, schools, youth groups and any other community organization. Groups can register by going to BamaStateSports.com – the official home for Alabama State University athletics.

Community Day tickets are on a first come-first serve basis, and are limited to the first 2,000 people. Each organization will be allowed to request up to, but not over, 50 tickets; and the link will be made available through Tuesday of game week (October 30) or until the tickets are exhausted.

Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University football, follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateFB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.



ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Wells chosen preseason All-GCAC; Nuggets picked 3rd

NEW ORLEANS — Essence Wells, the leading scorer for Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball a year ago, has been named to the preseason All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference team in a poll of the league's head coaches.
     
The coaches also picked the Gold Nuggets to finish third in the GCAC.
     
Wells, a 5-foot-10 junior guard from Irving, Texas, and a graduate of MacArthur High School, was second-team All-GCAC last season. She averaged 10.2 points in 2017-18 and led the Gold Nuggets with 41 made 3-pointers and 77 made free throws.
     
"Essence Wells showed major improvement last season," said 20th-year head coach Bo Browder. 

"We expect her this year to have another outstanding season."
     
The Gold Nuggets will open their season Oct. 31 at 6 p.m. against Stillman at XULA's Convocation Center. The XULA women will play their first four games at home, including the Xavier Classic Nov. 2-3 with Florida Memorial, Langston and LSU-Alexandria, then a Nov. 6 visit from city rival Loyola, ranked 17th in NAIA Division I.

GCAC Women's Basketball 2018-19 Coaches Poll
First-place votes in parentheses
Rank	School
1	Dillard (6)
2	Edward Waters
3	XULA
4	Talladega (1)
5	Philander Smith
6	Tougaloo
7-tie	Rust
7-tie	SUNO

XULA in previous GCAC polls
2017-18 — 2nd-tie 2016-17 — 3rd 2015-16 — 1st 2014-15 — 1st 2013-14 — 1st 2012-13 — 1st 2011-12 — 1st 2010-11 — 1st 2009-10 — 2nd		2008-09 — 1st 2007-08 — 2nd 2006-07 — 3rd 2004-05 — 1st 2003-04 — 2nd 2002-03 — 2nd 2001-02 — 1st 1999-2000 — 1st 1993-94 — 1st

2018-19 Preseason All-GCAC Women's Basketball
Player	School
Jermisha Collins	Edward Waters
Terralyn Dominick	Philander Smith
Adriiana Jackson	Dillard
Alyssa Washington	Dillard
Essence Wells	XULA
GCAC Preseason Player of the Year:  Terralyn Dominick, Philander Smith

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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GCAC champion Price runs into 10th weekly award

 NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Taylor Price, the 2018 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference individual champion in women's cross country, has been named GCAC Runner of the Week for Oct. 15-21.
     
Price, from the Houston suburb of Missouri City, Texas, and a graduate of Ridge Point High School, ran 5,000 meters in 21 minutes, 20.07 seconds at Clinton, Miss., to win her second GCAC title in three years. She led the Gold Nuggets to their 12th consecutive GCAC team championship.
     
The GCAC weekly award is Price's first of 2018 and the 10th of her career. Former Gold Nugget Catherine Falker won the award a conference-record 11 times from 2011-14.
     
Next for both XULA teams will be the NAIA National Championships Nov. 16 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush qualified automatically by winning GCAC team titles.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Mart named preseason All-GCAC; Gold Rush picked 2nd

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Rayshawn Mart has been named to the preseason All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball team in a poll of the league's head coaches.

The coaches also picked the Gold Rush to finish second in the GCAC. XULA received three first-place votes.

Mart, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard from Houma, La., and a graduate of H.L. Bourgeois High School, was GCAC Freshman of the Year last season. Mart averaged 10.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in 2017-18 and led the Gold Rush with 39 steals and 30.3 minutes per game.

XULA, announced Tuesday as the No. 23 team in NAIA Division I, will open its season Friday against Keiser at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. AST/6 p.m. New Orleans time. The home opener will start at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 against Carver in the Convocation Center.

GCAC Men's Basketball
2018-19 Coaches Poll
First-place votes in parentheses
Rank School
1 Dillard (4)
2 XULA (3)
3 Edward Waters
4 Philander Smith
5 Talladega
6 Tougaloo
7 Rust
8 SUNO

XULA in previous GCAC polls
2017-18 — 6th
2016-17 — 3rd
2015-16 — 3rd
2014-15 — 2nd
2013-14 — 2nd
2012-13 — 1st
2011-12 — 2nd
2010-11 — 1st
2009-10 — 8th
2008-09 — 2nd
2007-08 — 1st
2006-07 — 6th 2004-05 — 3rd
2003-04 — 4th
2002-03 — 5th
2001-02 — 1st
2000-01 — 2nd
1999-2000 — 3rd
1992-93 — 2nd
1991-92 — 1st
1989-90 — 6th
1988-89 — 4th
1987-88 — 2nd

2018-19 Preseason All-GCAC
Men's Basketball
Player School
Malik Amos Dillard
Tonzell Handy Tougaloo
Will Ibeh Edward Waters
Christopher Journet Philander Smith
Rayshawn Mart XULA
GCAC Preseason Player of the Year: Tonzell Handy, Tougaloo

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold