Edward Waters ends William Carey season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - William Carey University’s 2011 season came to an end Friday as the Crusaders fell 7-4 to Edward Waters College in NAIA National Tournament Opening Round action at Sliwa Stadium in the Daytona Beach Bracket.

Earlier Friday, No. 4 seed Carey overcame a five-run deficit to take a 10-6 victory over third-seeded Campbellsville (Ky.). Taylor Martin (4-2) went the full nine innings, surrendering six runs on 11 hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Carey finishes the 2011 campaign at 31-27.

Against Edward Waters, after a scoreless first and second inning, play was halted in the top of the third inning for nearly an hour due to inclement weather. Once the delay was over it was Edward Waters that struck the critical blow. The Tigers scored one run in the fourth and two more on an inside the park home run in the fifth inning.

Crusaders fall in tournament opener

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – William Carey University stranded 17 runners and surrendered eight two-out runs as it fell to Edward Waters College 10-7 in the NAIA National Tournament opening round Thursday. The Crusaders (30-26) left the bases loaded in the fourth, fifth and ninth innings.

The Tigers (34-24) opened a 2-0 lead in the third inning, scoring on a squeeze play and with an RBI single from Neil Martino. Carey got one run back in the bottom of the third as Quin Stokes doubled to right field to score Jordan Prout.

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ASU stars shine at annual Alice Coachman meet

ALBANY, GA — Brittany Carter found herself all alone as she approached the starting line Saturday for the 800-meter run.  “I didn’t believe it,” said the Albany State sophomore, who waited and hoped for another runner to step onto the track. “I was the only one on paper (scheduled to run in the 800), but I thought somebody else was going to run.”

But there she stood — all by herself on ASU’s home track during the 19th annual Alice Coachman Track & Field Invitational. She was just one of several athletes who were on the cusp of qualifying for the Division II National Championships. And Saturday’s meet offered those runners a final chance to post qualifying times.

Carter needed a 2:14 to provisionally qualify in the 800, something that becomes tougher to do as a solo runner.  “Usually I have someone to run with and get my first lap time. Usually I practice for a 1:03 first lap, so I kind of knew how to run that by myself,” said Carter, who ran her first lap in 1:04. “The second lap I had a strategy to pick it up at the 300 mark and at the 150 try to finish strong.”

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This fall marks a century for JSU Football

You knew about Walter Payton. You knew about Jackie Slater and Harold Jackson and Willie Richardson and Jimmy Smith and Robert Brazile and W.C. Gorden. If you follow football at all, you knew about Jackson State's remarkable pedigree in the sport. But did you know about John R. Pinckett?

I didn't, not until Thursday when JSU kicked off its centennial celebration of playing college football with a public relations event at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

One hundred years ago this fall, Pinckett gathered together a group of 22 students to form the first JSU football team. The Tigers - were they the Tigers then? - played one game that first season. We're not sure about the date or the site, but we do know the score. Then Jackson College lost 17-0 to Alabama State, then Lincoln Normal.

We're not sure how Lincoln Normal managed 17 points, but...

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Videographer: JSUTigers1877

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Pursuing QBs and criminals

Former Cavalier working on gridiron and DEA career

Winston Salem, N.C. - At 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, Justin Kee is built to enforce justice on a football field.

In his freshman year at Winston-Salem State, Kee did some of that, and he’ll likely do much more of it through the next three falls. More importantly, he’s already working toward the same mission in the classroom.

Kee, a 2009 Lakeland graduate, earned an All-CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) Scholar-Athlete award for the 2010-11 school year as he’s maintained a 3.0-plus GPA throughout the year. Kee, a defensive lineman for the Rams, is a Justice Studies major with the goal of becoming a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent.

“That’s exactly what I’m aiming for. I like learning about the justice system a lot and I’ve started looking at the things I want to do if I go to work for the DEA,” Kee said.

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JCSU football scrambles for Sept. 3 game

Golden Bulls look to replace St. Paul's College

Charlotte, N.C. - Wanted: One opponent for Johnson C. Smith’s Sept. 3 football season opener. Apply immediately.

The Golden Bulls are in negotiations with multiple schools to fill a hole opened by St. Paul’s decision earlier this month to shut down its athletics program. Neither JCSU Athletics Director Steve Joyner nor head coach Steve Aycock would identify the schools contacted, but suggested a deal could be struck by next week to remain on a 10-game schedule.

“Nothing is concrete yet,” Aycock said.  JCSU has contacted three non-CIAA schools about Sept. 3, including at least one Division I program, Joyner and Aycock said. The others are Division II teams. Schools in the South Atlantic, West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic conferences are in immediate proximity to Smith.

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Mississippi Valley Devils add Murray State to 2011 Football Schedule

The Mississippi Valley State University Department of Athletics announced recently that the Delta Devils have added another game to its 2011 slate. The addition of Murray State will give the Delta Devils 11 contests for the upcoming season and six home games for the program.

“We worked hard to find another contest for 2011 and we contacted a number of programs. In the end, an agreement with Murray State worked out well for both schools,” said interim athletics director Donald Sims.

The Racers went 6-5 last season, opening the season losing their first three games before closing out the season winning their last three contests. A member of the Ohio Valley Conference, this will be the first meeting between the Racers and the Delta Devils.

September

3 Alabama State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 5p

10 Murray State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 4p

17 @ Alcorn State Alcorn State, Miss. Jack Spinks Stadium TBA

24 @ Prairie View A&M Prairie View, Texas Blackshear Stadium TBA

October

1 Southern Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 2p

8 @ Alabama A&M Huntsville, Ala. Louis Crews Stadium 1p

15 Jackson State Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 2p

22 @ Grambling State Grambling, La. Robinson Stadium 2p

29 Texas Southern Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 2p

(Homecoming 2011)

November

3 (Thu.) @ South Alabama Mobile, Ala. Ladd-Peebles Stadium TBA

12 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Itta Bena, Miss. Rice-Totten Stadium 1p

19 OPEN

December

10 SWAC Championship 2011 Birmingham, Ala. Legion Field 1p

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JSU Softball Claims First SWAC Title

IRONDALE, Alabama - The Jackson State Lady Tigers softball team defeated the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes 6-2 in the 2011 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game Sunday evening at Shea Brothers Field. With the win Jackson State wins its first conference championship in softball and claims the SWAC's automatic bid to the NCAA regional.

The Lady Tigers never trailed in the championship finale against Valley. Wendi Reed, the tournament MVP, opened the game with a solo home run and Farren Wright scored on an Arianna Smith single to give JSU a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Reed scored a run for JSU in the third on a Wright single. Valley scored two runs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 3-2. Anesha McClendon helped increase JSU's lead to 4-2 when she hit a solo homer in the sixth. JSU put the game out of reach in the seventh when Reed hit a two run blast to off the left field foul pole, scoring LeEthel Guillory.

Jackson State entered the tournament as the second seed in the eight-team double-elimination field. The Lady Tigers were one game out from elimination, but came back to defeat Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Alcorn State twice to stay alive.


Videographer: SupportJacksonState

Jackson State became the third team from the state of Mississippi to win the softball crown in the last three seasons. Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State were the previous two winners.

Jackson State and first year head coach Rick Fremin will now await its seeding into the NCAA Softball Tournament. The selection show airs Sunday, May 15 at 9 p.m. CST on ESPNU.

2011 SWAC All-Tournament Team
CeCe Kolesar, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Kiah Williams, Southern
Audrey Phillips, Southern
Jasmine Hubbard, Alcorn State
Bianca Armstrong, Alcorn State
Nicole Burr, Mississippi Valley State
Alex Robertson, Mississippi Valley State
Janell Plaza, Jackson State
LeEthel Guillory, Jackson State
Wendi Reed, Jackson State (MVP)

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Florida Classic to stay in Orlando through 2015

ORLANDO, FL -- Bethune-Cookman University President Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed and Florida A&M University President Dr. James H. Ammons, in concert with the Florida Classic Consortium, announced today that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida has signed on to become the title sponsor for the annual football game between the two schools, as well as title sponsor of Battle of the Bands. The Consortium has also agreed to an extension with Florida Citrus Sports that will keep the game at Orlando’s Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium for the next five years.

The agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is for three years with an option to renew in years four and five. During that term, the game will be known as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Florida Classic, while the Battle will now be called Florida Blue Battle of the Bands.


Videographer: andremc69

The Florida Classic began in 1978 and has spent the last 17 years in Orlando. Since its move to Orlando in 1997, this annual clash between these two Historical Black Colleges and Universities has averaged more than 66,000 at the Citrus Bowl. The game has been a regular on national television -- the ESPN network of stations since 2005.

Due in large part to these strong attendance numbers and the number of people traveling to Orlando for the week leading up to the game, the Florida Classic generated an estimated $31 million in economic impact for Central Florida last year.



VIDEO: B-CU and FAMU renew rivalry in Orlando

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Alabama A&M continues search for men's basketball coach

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Alabama A&M could have a new men's basketball coach by the end of next week, a source close to the search committee told The Times Tuesday.

School officials, who were slowed by the recent tornado outbreak, are expected to conduct phone interviews with potential candidates today and Thursday. Based upon the phone interviews, the finalists will be brought on campus next week for additional interviews.

Two potential candidates,  former Butler High coach Jack Doss and Eugene Harris, who most recently served as the head coach at Florida A&M and has also coached at Auburn, Alabama and South Alabama, told The Times Tuesday afternoon they had not been contacted for phone interviews. John Douglas, who led Calhoun Community College to the junior college national championship game in ...

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Navy SEALs push CIAA athletes to get mentally tough

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — Five teams of Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association athletes hit the water and scaled walls as part of their training in April at the U.S. Navy SEALs’ Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Chowan University, Saint Paul’s College, Bowie State University, Saint Augustine’s College and Virginia State University players all got a taste of the rigors of training with the SEALs in a 12-foot-deep, Olympic-size pool and on the Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Confidence Course, a 17-station land obstacle course.

The training—part of a “Mental Toughness, Never Quit” campaign conducted by the SEALs for CIAA schools—occurred April 16-17. The event was a follow-up to on-campus seminars at the CIAA schools in February and March.



The “Mental Toughness, Never Quit” program, focusing on schools in the CIAA—the nation’s oldest black athletic conference, established in 1912—was developed as part of the Naval Special Warfare’s effort to attract top minority talent. More than 1,000 athletes from 11 schools attended the on-campus “Mental Toughness” seminars.

The goal of “Mental Toughness, Never Quit”—which includes goal-setting, visualization, positive self talk and 4x4x4 breathing skills—is to provide valuable training to athletes while making them aware of potential career opportunities within the SEAL Teams. The SEALs provided players with a unique look into how mental preparation is essential to winning.

Navy SEALs are a special breed of warrior who conduct special operations in any environment, but who are uniquely trained and equipped to operate from, around and in maritime areas. SEALs take their name from the environments in which they are trained to operate: sea, air and land. Their small highly trained teams usually work quietly at night conducting some of the nation's most important missions. SEALs are constantly deployed throughout the world to protect U.S. national interests.

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Alabama A&M baseball building on enthusiasm of coach Ed McCann

AAMU Coach Ed McCann

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- He had eight players and no uniforms. Mathematics, the rules of baseball and logic tell you that might not be the most ideal way to build a college baseball program.

"The uniforms had vanished in the middle of the night," said first-year Alabama A&M baseball coach Ed McCann of the situation he inherited. And, as for his office, "it was early-auction furniture. It looked like it came over on the Mayflower."

That Alabama A&M has a baseball team may be news to some. That is has a chance to reach the Southwest Athletic Conference tournament by winning two of three against Jackson State in the next two days may be more shocking news. Even, he will confess, to Ed McCann.

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Foreigners a net gain for Shaw Bears

RALEIGH, N.C. -- As a tennis player at Shaw, Sunday Enitan overheard students say mockingly, "We have a tennis team?"

That was years ago, before Enitan became coach of the Bears and ushered the tennis program into a new era. This season, the men's team claimed its seventh consecutive Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title. The Bears went undefeated in conference play and have a 25-1 overall record.

Last week, the Bears outlasted Bluefield State and earned the school's first berth into the NCAA Division II championships. They leave today for Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla., where they'll face Abilene Christian at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the first round of the 16-team tournament.

The Bears defeated the Big Blues 5-3 in the Atlantic Region No. 1 finals, defending their home court at Biltmore Hills Tennis Courts before a host of Shaw supporters.

Shaw Men's Tennis Begins NCAA Play Wednesday

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Shaw University men's tennis team opens NCAA Division II Championship Tournament play on Wednesday, May 11, when they take on Abilene Christian at 10:30 a.m. The NCAA Division II Championships will be contested May 11-14 at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The Bears earned their place in the tournament by winning the NCAA Atlantic Region 1 with a 5-3 win over Bluefield State last week. The Bears finished their regular season 25-1 and ranked first in the region by the NCAA and 48 in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). This is Shaw's first trip to the NCAA Championship Tournament, which includes the 16 regional pod winners.

Abilene Christian finished their season 19-9 and earned their place in the tournament by winning the NCAA South Central 2 championship. They are ranked third in that division by the NCAA and ranked sixth nationally by the ITA.

Abilene Christian is led by Hans Hach, ranked 15th in the nation by ITA. Hach and doubles partner Jake Hendrie are ranked 15th in the nation by ITA.

Shaw's number one doubles pairing of Gabriel Nicotra and Ataide Suca are ranked 39th nationally by ITA.

For more information on Shaw athletics, visit www.shawbears.com, and to follow the action live from Altamonte Springs, visit www.rollinssports.com and click on the Division II Tennis Championship banner.

By  Sherri Fillingham, Sports Information Director

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CIAA Board of Directors Addresses Discontinuance of Saint Paul’s College Athletics Program

Charlotte, NC -- In a closed-door meeting of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Board of Directors, the group of thirteen presidents and chancellors received a report from Saint Paul’s College President, Dr. Robert L. Satcher, Sr. of the action taken last Thursday by the SPC Board of Trustees to discontinue its athletic program.

On behalf of the CIAA Board of Directors, Chairman and Livingstone College President, Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr. “received the report with sadness, but also recognizes that since the college is no longer participating in collegiate athletics, it will not continue as a member of the CIAA. In accordance with that fact, the Board acknowledges that the CIAA’s Two-Year Transfer Rule will no longer prove relevant for Saint Paul’s College student-athletes who wish to transfer to any CIAA school.”

The Two-Year Transfer Rule is instituted when a student-athlete transfers between two conference member institutions. The discontinuance of the college’s membership cancels the effect of this rule.


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Rush get first-round bye at NAIA National Championship

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bracket

NAIA National Championship (seedings in parentheses) First Round — 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17 Aquinas (16) vs. St. Thomas (Fla.) (17) Vanguard (9) vs. Mobile (24) Graceland (12) vs. Huntington (Ind.) (21) Concordia (Calif.) (13) vs. Bethany (Kan.) (20) Lindsey Wilson (14) vs. Lewis-Clark State (19) Shorter (11) vs. Hastings (22) Union (Ky.) (10) vs. Brescia (23) William Carey (15) vs. Olivet Nazarene (18) Second Round — 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18 Fresno Pacific (1) vs. Aquinas-St. Thomas winner Xavier (8) vs. Vanguard-Mobile winner Azusa Pacific (5) vs. Graceland-Huntington winner Oklahoma Christian (4) vs. Concordia-Bethany winner Auburn Montgomery (3) vs. Lindsey Wilson - Lewis-Clark State winner Westmont (6) vs. Shorter-Hastings winner Point Loma Nazarene (7) vs. Union-Brescia winner Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (2) vs. William Carey-Olivet Nazarene winner Quarterfinals — 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 19 Semifinals — 9 a.m. on Friday, May 20 Championship — 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 21 Xavier at Nationals (2-2) May 12, 2009 (first round): Xavier 5, Oklahoma Christian 4 May 13, 2009 (second round): Auburn Montgomery 5, Xavier 0 May 18, 2010 (first round): Xavier 5, Tennessee Wesleyan 3 May 19, 2010 (second round): Fresno Pacific 5, Xavier 1

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Athletic Program Discontinued at Saint Paul's College

**LAWRENCEVILLE, VA — (May 09, 2011) At its recent Spring Meeting, The Saint Paul’s College Board of Trustees took a bold step towards restoring financial stability to the 123 year old historical Episcopal College. The Board resolved to discontinue the entire Athletic Program at the College, effective July 1, 2011. The Administration is establishing a time schedule for implementation of the resolution with regard to its effect on the student body and their moral responsibility to the Athletic Staff. There was no doubt that once the College becomes financially stable again, consideration would be given to reinstating the Athletic Program.

While the Board of Trustees acknowledged that some notable progress has been made in the financial affairs under the current administration, in that the College has achieved a balanced budget twice in the last three years; however, the longstanding financial problems have yet to be remedied. Also, the U. S. Department of Education and the accrediting agency, SACSCOC have acknowledged some improvement in the financial affairs of the College.

Meanwhile, Dr. Robert L. Satcher, Sr., President and his Executive Cabinet have begun establishing a time schedule for the College to implement a full-scale Intramural Program for its students.

The 123-year old school fielded 7 men's and women's teams and was a member of the CIAA.

CIAA Statement Regarding Saint Paul’s College Athletic Department Dissolution

Hampton, VA -- It is with much sadness that the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) has learned of the dissolution of the athletic program at St. Paul’s College. The CIAA remains dedicated to the welfare of each affected student-athlete and will make every effort to protect their interests.

In anticipation of the discussion of this matter at the CIAA Board of Directors’ meeting slated for this week, the conference and Commissioner will wait to make any official comment until after its conclusion.

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** From Saint Paul's College Press Release

Jury: Grambling State owes Coach Spears nearly $600,000

Alcorn State Coach Melvin Spears

An East Baton Rouge Parish jury awarded former Grambling State University head football coach Melvin Spears Jr. nearly $600,000 on Friday after finding the school breached his contract when it fired him in late 2006.

Spears, who guided Grambling to the Southwestern Athletic Conference and black college national titles in 2005, was named head football coach at Alcorn State University earlier this year.

“It’s a great opportunity to be vindicated. I’m elated,’’ Spears, 51, said of the verdict by a jury of nine men and three women.

The panel voted unanimously to award Spears $449,500 for breach of employment contract and tacked on $11,000 in penalty wages and $139,000 in attorneys’ fees.

Spears wins lawsuit against Grambling State

Baton Rouge, LA — Former Grambling State head football coach Melvin Spears Jr. was awarded nearly $600,000 by a jury that ruled the school breached his contract when he was fired in 2006.

Spears had a five-year contract when the university believed it could fire him with cause after the third season due to an NCAA investigation. However, the NCAA didn't find any major violations.

Spears, who was 20-14 at Grambling State and led the Tigers to Southwestern Athletic Conference and black college national titles in 2005, was named head coach at Alcorn State, also a SWAC school, earlier this year.

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Xavier Gold Rush eighth in final NAIA coaches poll of the season

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana climbed one notch Monday to reach a program-record-tying No. 8 in the final NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 of the season.

The Gold Rush (13-9), idle since winning a qualifying tournament for the NAIA National Championship at Chattanooga, Tenn., on April 30, swapped places with Vanguard from last week's poll. Xavier won 6-3 at Vanguard on March 4.

Xavier first reached No. 8 in the March 8 poll and remained there for two additional rankings. XU's men were in the top 10 in five of the final six polls.

This is the first Xavier team to reach the top 10 in a final NAIA poll since women's basketball was No. 4 in 1997-98.

The Gold Rush are in the the top 25 for the 32nd consecutive time dating to April 4, 2007 — that's the fifth longest active streak among NAIA men's teams — and it's the 23rd straight time dating to April 30, 2008, that the Gold Rush are among the top 18. It's the sixth consecutive season that the XU men are among the top 25 in the final poll.

Xavier has qualified for the national tournament for the third consecutive season. The NAIA will announce seedings and pairings for the 24-team event by 5 p.m. Tuesday. The tournament will begin May 17 at Mobile, Ala.

Fresno Pacific received all the first-place votes and is No. 1 in the final poll for the second straight season.

Xavier's women, whose season ended April 30 with a 5-0 loss to Milligan in the semifinals of the qualifying tournament, are out of the top 25 for the fifth consecutive time after 44 straight appearances. The Gold Nuggets collected three points, two more than last week, to tie for 33rd place.

In last season's final polls, Xavier's men were 16th, and the women were 19th. This is the first time since 2003 that the Gold Nuggets are not among the final top 25.

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, May 8) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Fresno Pacific (10) 21-2 250 1 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 14-6 242 2 3 Auburn Montgomery 23-3 233 3 4 Oklahoma Christian 21-1 226 4 5 Azusa Pacific 15-6 218 5 6 Westmont 12-5 210 6 7 Point Loma Nazarene 15-7 200 7 8 Xavier 13-9 192 9 9 Vanguard 7-13 183 8 10 Union (Ky.) 17-5 177 10 11 Shorter 12-4 166 12 12 Concordia (Calif.) 8-14 163 11 13 Graceland 11-5 151 13 14 Lindsey Wilson 14-5 147 15 15 William Carey 12-9 143 14 16 Aquinas 24-3 136 16 17 St. Thomas (Fla.) 14-3 119 17 18 Olivet Nazarene 14-3 110 18 19 Lewis-Clark State 10-8 103 19 20 McKendree 20-3 99 20 21 Tennessee Wesleyan 11-6 90 21 22 SCAD Savannah 7-4 84 22 23 Martin Methodist 14-5 82 23 24 Bethany (Kan.) 21-3 61 25 25 Webber International 13-6 60 24 Others receiving votes: Lee (Tenn.) 47, Campbellsville 33, Cumberland 22, Lindenwood 20, Northwood (Fla.) 18, Northwestern Ohio 15, Biola 8, Our Lady of the Lake 7, Georgetown (Ky.) 1.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, May 8) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Fresno Pacific (11) 18-4 312 1 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (1) 20-3 302 2 3 Auburn Montgomery 23-5 288 3 4 Azusa Pacific 19-4 281 4 5 Oklahoma Christian 17-2 274 5 6 Point Loma Nazarene 19-3 265 6 7 Concordia (Calif.) 14-7 252 7 8 Brenau 10-7 241 8 9 SCAD Savannah 10-2 231 9 10 Vanguard 10-10 222 10 11 Southern Nazarene 14-6 208 11 12 William Carey 14-6 203 12 13 Lee (Tenn.) 9-5 192 13 14 Olivet Nazarene 19-1 176 14 15 Shorter 11-4 173 15 16 Lewis-Clark State 6-14 155 tie-16 17 Indiana Wesleyan 21-1 154 tie-16 18 Martin Methodist 15-5 145 18 19 Lindsey Wilson 13-5 139 19 20 Oklahoma Baptist 9-10 112 20 21 Campbellsville 14-5 111 22 22 St. Thomas (Fla.) 9-9 108 21 23 William Jewell 17-7 96 23 24 Webber International 12-8 79 24 25 Belhaven 14-3 68 25 Others receiving votes: Westmont 49, Milligan 49, McKendree 27, Indiana Southeast 26, Robert Morris (Chicago) 18, Cumberlands 16, Taylor 6, Xavier 3, Marian (Ind.) 3, Georgetown (Ky.) 1, Spring Hill 1, Northwood (Fla.) 1, Mobile 1, Northwestern Ohio 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Surging Texas Southern tops Southern Jaguars

As Texas Southern coach Michael Robertson emerged from a postgame huddle Sunday at Lee-Hines Field, he carried three things — his trademark slow-motion stroll, two weekend victories under his belt and the kind of grin money can’t buy. This, Robertson concluded, had been a nice trip to Baton Rouge.

It wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t have to be. It simply served as affirmation that the Tigers can compete with, and defeat, any opponent they face in the upcoming Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.

Sunday afternoon, TSU scored four runs in the sixth inning and got a standout performance from starting pitcher Abel Flores en route to a 5-3 victory — one that gave the Tigers two wins over Southern on the final weekend of conference play.

Box Score

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Virginia State win PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship

In Division II, Virginia State University in Petersburg, Va., brought home its first-ever division title, defeating Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., by seven strokes. Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University finished alone in third place overall.

Virginia State Head Coach Jeff Hamilton was pleased with his team's performance. "This came all the way down to the wire and my kids played well enough to win," said Hamilton, in his fifth year as head coach. "It is always a battle with teams like Fayetteville State University and Lincoln University. It will be another battle next year, too."

John Cole of Fayetteville State University was the Division II medalist, finishing with a 220 three-day total.

Men's Team Division II
1. Virginia State  (+63) 315-307-305--927
Stephen Genchi 78-77-75--230
Stuart Larus 82-78-77--237
Brian Wood 77-76-78--231
Mike Swope 87-76-80--243
Rashad Hunt 78-81-75--234

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Champions are crowned at PGA Minority Collegiate Championship

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Bethune-Cookman University's men's team and the University of Texas-Pan American's women's team captured Division I titles Sunday in the 25th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship presented by Brown Capital Management. The 54-hole Championship was contested at PGA Golf Club.

The Bethune-Cookman men's team, which held a six-stroke lead heading into the final round, finished with an 887 total, 12 strokes ahead of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas. Savannah (Ga.) State University finished in third place overall in the division.

Matthew McKnight led the Wildcats and was also the Division I medalist, firing a final-round 71 for a 1-under-par 215 total.

"The team played solid all week, we kicked it into gear today and it feels so good to win this title," said McKnight, who was playing in his first Minority Championship. "I was able to keep my game steady all week and to do this for my team makes it that much more special."

PGA Professional Scooter Clark, in his first year as head coach at Bethune-Cookman, was proud of his team's accomplishment.

Final-Round Photo Gallery

Second-Round Photo Gallery

Championship field 

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B-CU 'Cats extend MEAC win streak to 43

DAYTONA BEACH -- Senior Joey Munoz couldn't remember the last time Bethune-Cookman lost a baseball game to a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival. Fellow senior Chris Anselmo, a junior college transfer, has never experienced a MEAC loss.

The Wildcats won their 43rd consecutive game against MEAC competition and finished undefeated in the conference for the second straight season Sunday with a 9-4 victory over Delaware State at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

"To say I'm proud of what these guys have accomplished doesn't even begin to tell the story," said B-CU coach Mervyl Melendez, whose squad improved to 32-20 and finished 18-0 in the conference for the second straight year.

Perfect Again: Wildcats Top Delaware State to Go 18-0 in Consecutive Seasons

B-CU Coach Mervyl Melendez

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Wildcats definitely came to play as they wrapped up both the Delaware State series in a sweep, and the MEAC regular season with another perfect 18-0 record, Sunday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Bethune-Cookman extended their current win streak against conference opponents to an NCAA all-time record of 43 games, while making it consecutive perfect seasons in MEAC play. The Wildcats used three big innings to push past the Hornets, coming away with the 9-4 victory on Senior Day.

Donning their pink-tinged uniforms in honor of the Mother’s Day holiday, the Wildcats celebrated their eight outgoing seniors in a ceremony prior to the game. In the spirit of the holiday, ceremonial first pitches were thrown out by the wives of Head Coach Mervyl Melendez and Associate Head Coach Jose Vazquez, Aixa Melendez and Janna Vazquez.

“We’re grateful for their contributions to this program,” Melendez said of his seniors, “there was a whole lot of dedication and time that they have put in to accomplish the things we have accomplished as a team. To say that I am thankful is an understatement.”

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Ex-Warrior baseball standout happy to help WSSU to first-ever title

Coach Kevin Ritsche 

GASTONIA, N.C. — Usually when a college or university starts up an athletic program, their coaches, players and fans simply hope to be competitive. So imagine what Winston-Salem University coaches, players and fans think of their Rams winning a CIAA tournament title in their first season fielding a baseball team in 37 years?

“People are really excited and happy,” said former East Gaston High standout Jordan Graham. “But when we got together last fall, we felt we could have a good team.”

But few could’ve imagined winning the school’s first-ever CIAA championship, which also means the Rams will make their first-ever NCAA Division in two weeks. That is, except for the WSSU players themselves.

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