Saturday, September 1, 2018

Lincoln Kick Off 2018 at Lane

Victor Williams and Isaiah Gray Celebrating2018 Lincoln Football Media Guide

Complete Game Notes
Game 1:
 Lincoln (0-0) vs. Lane (0-0)
Date/Time: 
Saturday, Sept. 1 - 4:00 p.m.
Location: 
Memphis, Tenn.
Stadium (Capacity): 
Arthur Halle Stadium
Tickets: 
Available at Site
Special Event: 
Bluff City Kickoff Classic
Series - 
Lincoln leads, 9-6

THE KICKOFF  
The Lincoln football team kicks off its 2018 season in Memphis, Tenn. on Saturday (Sept. 1) when the Blue Tigers take on Lane in the Bluff City Kickoff Classic. This neutral site contest, which will be played at Arthur Halle Stadium, is set to begin at 4:00 p.m. CDT as the two teams meet for the first time since 2016.


The Blue Tigers won their home opener in 2017 in convincing fashion, beating Lincoln (PA) 49-19, but that was LU's sole win of the season. Lincoln, in its second season under head coach Steven Smith, returns 14 starters, including defensive linemanIsaiah Gray and wide receiver Blake Tibbs, who were both All-GLVC selections.

Lane opened and closed 2017 with victories, but dropped all of its games in between and is also seeking a resurgence in 2018. Lincoln and Lane first met in 1931 and have played each other 15 times, with the Blue Tigers leading the series, 9-6.

QUICK HITS  
- Lincoln and Lane renew a rivalry that dates back to 1931 on Saturday, with the two teams meeting for the 16th time. The Blue Tigers lead the all-time series, 9-6, and won the last meeting, 12-9, in Jefferson City back in 2016.

- If the Blue Tigers win on Saturday, it will be the first for Lincoln away from home since opening the 2015 season with a 35-32 win at Langston in Oklahoma. That was also LU's last season-opening victory.

- The Blue Tigers are seeking their first victory in a neutral site contest since 2013, when LU beat Grambling State in the Missouri Classic in Kansas City.


- This will be the fifth-straight year that Lincoln will open the season by playing against a Historically Black College or University. The Blue Tigers opened the past four years with games against Langston, and have secured at least one win over a fellow HBCU in each of the past five years.

- Saturday marks the first time Lincoln will open a season with a neutral site contest since 2014, when LU played Langston in Kansas City. The Blue Tigers were edged in that game, 49-48, and have not played in a neutral site game since then.

- A win would be the second in a row for Lincoln over Lane. The last time LU secured consecutive wins over an opponent was in 2008, when the Blue Tigers defeated Haskell for the second-straight season.

- The Blue Tigers enter Saturday with an all-time record of 253-452-24.

Steven Smith is in his second season as the head coach of the Blue Tigers and has a career record of 1-9.


- Lincoln is in its fifth season as a member of the GLVC. LU was in the MIAA for 23 years, including three-straight from 2011-13, for football before making the switch in 2014. The GLVC is the fifth different conference in which the Blue Tigers have been a member, joining the Midwest Athletic Association, the Great Lakes Football Conference, the Central States Football League and the MIAA.

- This is the 88th season of Lincoln football. The Blue Tigers first fielded a team in 1920 and played every year until 1943, when Lincoln took a year off due to World War II. LU then played each season from 1944-1989. The football program was disbanded at that point, but was brought back in 2000.

BLUE TIGERS TO WATCH
OFFENSE - 
Lincoln returns a pair of sophomore quarterbacks, Henry Ogala and Drake Davidson, both of whom saw extensive playing time in 2017. Ogala completed 55.1-percent of his passes and threw for a touchdown while starting Lincoln's opener against Langston. Davidson, meanwhile, appeared in seven contests and completed 71 of his 139 pass attempts for 459 yards. Blake Tibbs led LU with 38 receptions for 372 yards and three scores, earning All-GLVC honors in the process, and is back for his senior season. A'Jani Johnson (281 receiving yards) and Justin Korakakos (182 yards) also return after finishing second and third, respectively, among the Blue Tigers in receiving. Terry Hunter, who gained 264 yards on the ground in 2017, is Lincoln's top-returning running back while Kimbo Ferguson also returns after tallying one of LU's rushing touchdowns last season. 

DEFENSE - Isaiah Gray was named to the All-GLVC second team a year ago after finishing with 46 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and eight QB hurries, and is among the top returners from an LU defense that was ranked second in the conference at the end of the season. Edwin Durassaint is Lincoln's top-returning defender after compiling 54 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, a blocked kick and a forced fumble. Victor Williams (31 tackles) and JaJuan Chambers (4.5 tackles for loss) also anchor a deep returning group of defenders, as LU brings back 10 players who saw significan playing time on that side of the ball in 2017. Amani Nelson, who made 21 tackles, joins Antonio Watts and Joseph Madrigal (29 total tackles combined) as other notable returnees.

SPECIAL TEAMS - Wolky Belancourt is expected to handle the punting duties once again after a 2017 campaign in which he landed 18 kicks inside the 20 and forced 24 fair catches without having a single punt blocked. Fernando Ramirez is likely the kicker while Blake Tibbs, who recorded 768 total yards on kick and punt returns, averaging 11.9 yards in the latter category is also back. Brenton Wrigley returns as LU's long snapper.

LANE AT A GLANCE  
The Dragons averaged 21.5 points per game while giving up 22.3 in 2017, and excelled in the rushing game, gaining 187.9 yards per contest. Defensively, Lane forced seven fumbles and picked off six passes while blocking four kicks and posting a safety. As a team, the Dragons made 31 sacks and 98 tackles for loss. Quarterback Marcus Reynolds returns after playing in eight games in 2017, throwing for 674 yards while adding another 446 on the ground. Reynolds had seven passing touchdowns last year and was Lane's top quarterback on the season. Lane also brings back its top receiving threat in Omari Hampton, who gained 216 yards on 21 catches, three of which went for touchdowns. Ahmad Isaac is back after making 18 grabs for 192 yards, placing him second on the Dragons' receiving chart. 


THE COACHES
Steven Smith 
was named the 22nd head coach of the Blue Tigers last December after a successful four-year run as the offensive coordinator of Albany State. Smith, who has also coached at Tennessee State, Delta State and Virginia State, helped Albany State go undefeated in league play in three of his four seasons. Smith's teams have made for NCAA Division II playoff appearances and he has coached 21 all-conference honorees and eight All-Americans. Smith additionally has coached with six NFL teams, most recently serving as an assistant under Romeo Crennel with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012.

Derrick Burroughs begins his eighth season as the head coach at Lane, and his fourth as the program's athletic director, in 2018. A former first round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills following a stellar career as a defensive back at Memphis, Burroughs has also coached at Jackson State, helping the Division I program place third in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in total defense in 2014.  As the head coach at Lane, Burroughs has compiled 25 wins, including directing the Dragons to their first winning campaign in years in 2013.

BLOCK PARTY:  With eight blocked kicks in 2017, the Blue Tigers finished fifth in NCAA Division II and led the GLVC. That total was four more than the total that Lincoln posted in 2016, when LU was fourth in the GLVC standings. Lincoln also ended the year second in the country in blocked punts, while Cody AlexanderJoseph Madrigal and Victor Williams, who each recovered kicks in the end zone, were 12th in DII in punt return touchdowns.  

FIRST DEFENSE:  The Lincoln defense was staunch last season, allowing only 170 first downs, the second-fewest by any GLVC program behind Missouri S&T's 163. The Blue Tigers ended the year ranked 15th in the country in that statistic.

ALL-CONFERENCE:  The 2018 Blue Tigers feature a pair of All-GLVC performers in Isaiah Gray and Blake Tibbs. Gray, a defensive lineman, had 5.0 tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries last year and made 46 total takedowns en route to an all-league second team award. Tibbs, meanwhile, was LU's top receiver with 38 catches and three touchdowns and earned honorable mention status.

PENALTY-FREE:  Lincoln did an excellent job of avoiding penalties, committing only 54 in 2017. LU finished 14th in the nation in fewest penalties, 21st in fewest penalty yards (530) and 22nd in penalties per game (5.4).

NO FREE PASS:  Only three of LU's opponents in 2017 threw for at least 200 yards in a game as the Blue Tigers were second in the GLVC in passing yards allowed. Lincoln gave up just 183.9 yards per contest, the 41st-fewest in NCAA Division II.

BALL CONTROL:  Lincoln's offense was good at controlling the clock last year, with the Blue Tigers leading in time of possession in six of their 10 games. LU finished 21st in DII, and second in the GLVC with 32:08 minutes of possession per game.

CALL HIM MR. TIBBS:  Blake Tibbs was one of the top returners in the country in 2017, ranking second in the GLVC and 25th in Division II with 11.9 yards per return. Tibbs additionally finished 20th in the country, and second in the conference, in combined kick return yardage with 768 on the season.

DII DEFENSE:  
Lincoln's strength in 2017 was on the defensive side of the ball, as LU finished the year ranked highly in both the GLVC and Division II in several stats. The Blue Tigers were second in the conference, and 41st in the country, in passing defense (183.9) as well as 42nd in the nation and second in the league in total defense (330.8). Lincoln also rated 70th in DII in rushing defense (146.9), and was among the country's leaders in blocked kicks, finishing fifth in the nation with eight overall and second nationally with five blocked punts on the season.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:  Lincoln will play a Thursday night game for the first time since 2013 when the Blue Tigers play at Missouri State on Sept. 6. Lincoln opened 2013 at Lindenwood on a Thursday, and then beat DI program Grambling State the following week, 47-34. That was the last time LU played a Division I school.

NICE TO MEET YOU: Lincoln will play two teams for the first time ever in 2018, beginning a series against UW-Oshkosh on Sept. 15 and vs. Tarleton State on Nov. 3. Wisconsin-Oshkosh is a Division III program that plays in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, with LU's only other game vs. an opponent from that league being a 3-0 victory over UW-La Crosse in 1975. Tarleton State, meanwhile, plays in the Lone Star Conference.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Blue Tigers will spend a lot of time on the road in 2018, as Lincoln will play only four games at Dwight T. Reed Stadium. That's the fewest in a season for LU since 2008, when the Blue Tigers played four home contests in a nine-game season. LU plays 11 contests in 2018, including six true road games as well as a neutral site contest in Memphis on Sept. 1.

ON THE AIR:  Blue Tiger football is back on KJLU, as six of Lincoln's 11 games will be broadcast this season. All four of Lincoln's home contests, as well as the road games at Truman State on Oct. 13 and Missouri S&T on Oct. 27, will air on 88.9 FM in Jefferson City.

GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  LU fans can get everything they need for the game at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store for LU athletics. Everything from jerseys to office supplies can be found on the site, with a portion of all sales going to benefit Lincoln athletics.

UP NEXT:  
Lincoln is back in action on Thursday (Sept. 6) as LU travels to Springfield, Mo. to play Missouri State, an NCAA Division I program, at 6:00 p.m. CDT.


Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

Friday, August 31, 2018

5 storylines for Grambling State football in 2018

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Under Broderick Fobbs, losing games seems like a foreign concept to Grambling State fans and supporters. The Tigers have dropped five contests in the last three seasons.

Just losing the HBCU National Championship Game and Celebration Bowl, 21-14, to North Carolina A&T isn't why the G-Men's head coach has thought about that game almost daily since last December. It's not that simple. For Fobbs, all the uncharacteristic mistakes, his team not playing like the Grambling State of recent bothers him.

Here's what to watch for as the Tigers look to put the end of 2017 away.

1. All eyes on QB
The quarterback position is open the widest it’s been since Broderick Fobbs took over his alma mater back in 2014. After two stellar seasons of leading Grambling State’s offense, DeVante Kincade has graduated and moved on, leaving a massive, two-time SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, 3,000-yard hole left to be filled.

Sophomore and Kincade’s primary backup last season Geremy Hickbottom led the small group of signal callers into spring practice, but has yet to do enough to completely nail down the job.

CONTINUE READING

Future of football: SWAC enjoys unique success among FCS conferences

JACKSON, Mississippi -- In a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world, most national pundits wouldn’t consider the Southwestern Athletic Conference an up-and-coming league.

Ask anyone what sets the SWAC apart from the rest of the leagues in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision (or FCS) and you’re likely to get an answer that involves some combination of the league’s rich tradition and its pageantry.

What you won’t get is an argument that the league boasts teams that will compete on the national stage, ready to go toe-to-toe with national title contenders like North Dakota State, Sam Houston or James Madison in football or the Dukes and North Carolinas of the world in basketball.

But there’s a handful of people working diligently to change that.

Jackson native leading SWAC

“I think it’s growing,” JSU athletic director Ashley Robinson said. “I think when you look at the athletic directors in the league, you see young, energetic people. The coaching hires, not just football but all sports, are better quality hires than you have seen in the past. The league is growing. We’re desperate for leadership.”

CONTINUE READING

HBCU Judgment Day Scoreboard - Week 0 +1



Week 0

North Carolina A&T State 20, #6 Jacksonville State 17
Rice 31, Prairie View A&M 28
Saint Andrews 15, Edward Waters 13
Virginia University Lynchburg 30, Louisburg 28

Thursday, AUGUST 30

Wagner 40, Bowie State 23
Wingate 36, Johnson C. Smith 0
Pikeville  52, Livingstone 23
Campbell 49, Chowan 26
Charleston (WV) 35, West Virginia State 31
North Dakota 35, Mississippi Valley State 7
Alabama-Birmingham 52, Savannah State 0
Mississippi College 31, Clark Atlanta 30

Friday, August 31

Lindsey Wilson 50, Edward Waters 13



XULA strikes gold on Champions of Character scorecard

Xavier University of Louisiana AthleticsNEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana Athletics achieved gold status — the highest level possible — on the NAIA's Champions of Character Five-Star scorecard for the 2017-18 academic year, the NAIA announced Thursday.
     
XULA was one of 171 schools to earn the Champions of Character award and one of 74 to reach the gold level: a minimum of 90 points out of 100.
     

"We are proud to receive this honor from the NAIA and to return to the gold level," XULA Director of Athletics & Recreation Jason Horn said. "Our coaches, student-athletes and staff work diligently to represent the values of the NAIA to the highest level in the classroom, community and in competition. This recognition is a direct reflection of the entire athletics department's efforts of living the mission of Xavier University to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society."
     

The NAIA measures institutions on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earned points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. Institutions earned points based on exceptional student-athlete GPAs and by having minimal to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the academic year.
     

Sixteen NAIA conferences earned the prestigious award, — including the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, of which XULA is a member — by having at least 60 percent of their member schools achieve gold, silver or bronze status.

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

www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Morgan State Bears Set For 'Battle for Greater Baltimore' Rematch

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GAME TIME
Morgan State will face Towson in the season opener on Saturday (Sept. 1) at Hughes Stadium. The Bears open the 2018 season under the leadership of interim head coach Ernest T. Jones. Towson completed the 2017 season with a 5-6 overall mark and were 3-5 in Colonial Athletic Association play. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast by SPORTSfever Television Network (STN) and WEAA, 88.9FM. The game will mark the second of the "Battle for Greater Baltimore" series between the teams.
 
GAME COVERAGE


TELEVISION: SPORTSfever Television Network (STN) will be broadcasting the game live ... Phil Schoener will handle the play-by-play duties with color analyst Emory Hunt.

RADIO: WEAA, 88.9 FM is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Renard Stubbs and Austin Wardin the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org. 

LIVE STATS: www.morganstatebears.com

SOCIAL NETWORKS
Fans can keep up-to-date with all MSU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/MorganStBears and @MorganStateFootball. You can also become a fan of the Bears on Facebook at Facebook.com/MorganStateBears.

TICKETS
Season ticket plans—which include a ticket to all five home games, including homecoming start at only $95. Premium seats are now available for purchase by calling 443.885.1522 or visiting MSU Student Center Athletics Ticket Office during business hours (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or visit  morganstatebears.com/tickets.
 
THE SERIES
• Saturday, Sept. 1stwill mark the 25th meeting in the series that began with a 34-7 Morgan Sate win at Towson on Sept. 1, 1979. 
• The Tigers hold an 18-6 advantage in the series vs. MSU.
• SPORTSfever's broadcast will mark the fifth time the Towson-Morgan game has been televised in the Baltimore area. In 1998, WMAR-TV aired the Tigers' 15-10 win and again carried the 1999 contest. In 2011, ComCast SportsNet telecast the Tigers' 42-3 victory, and in 2017 Sportsfever carried the Tigers' 10-0 win.

THE COACHES
•  Morgan State - Ernest T. Jones (Alcorn State, '95) joined the Bears as the Defensive Coordinator in 2016 and was previously a head coach at ASA Miami (2015); he has also worked at Connecticut, Notre Dame, Univ. of Buffalo, Cincinnati, Alcorn State, Central Michigan, Oberlin, Kentucky State and Concordia. CAREER RECORD (11-10, 2yrs)
•  Towson - Rob Ambrose (Towson, '93) has led the Tigers to four winning seasons, two CAA championships, two playoff appearances and a trip to the 2013 FCS National Championship game. CAREER RECORD (55-61, 9yrs); RECORD AT TOWSON (52-54, 8yrs).
 
LAST TIME OUT vs. THE TIGERS
•  Sept. 2, 2017 -- Monty Fenner's interception set up the only touchdown which led to Towson beating Morgan State 10-0 in a defensive struggle as the cross-town rivals met in the Battle for Greater Baltimore.
•  The game marked the first meeting between the two schools since 2011. 
•  Fenner intercepted an Elijah Staley pass, returning it 32 yards to the Morgan State 2. Shane Simpson took a quick pitch in for the score on the next play. Aidan O'Neill's extra point gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 9:04 left in the first half. 
•  Aidan O'Neill added a 42-yard field goal with nine seconds left in the first half. The Tiger defense picked off three Morgan State passes before halftime. 
•  Towson quarterback Morgan Mahalak had his struggles also as he was picked off three times too. Brandon GriffinIanMcBorroughand Cravon Rogers all grabbed one.
 
A WIN WOULD ... 
...give Ernest T. Jones his first win as MSU's head coach and his 12th career win.
... would mark the Bears' second win against Towson in the last four meetings since 2009. 
... mark MSU's first home non-conference win since defeating Bowie State (28-23) on Sept. 13, 2014. 
... mark MSU's first home win since defeating Savannah State on Oct. 14, 2017. 
... mark the Bears first home win against Towson since a 12-9  win on Sept. 26, 2009.
... .mark MSU's first season-opener victory since recording a 30-27 OT win against Sacred Heart on Sept. 1, 2012.
 
QUICK HITS
• Junior DeAndre Harris, a 6-4, 210-pound quarterback from Washington (Ga.) split time with Elijah Staley last year and should take over the duties full-time in '18. He completed 62-of-196 passes for 781 yards, with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He completed 58.5 percent of his passes.
• The frontrunner for the starting RB job looks to be talented redshirt-freshman Josh Chase (6-1, 210, Severn, Md.). Behind Chase is 6-3, 230-pound true freshman Jordan Riggins (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) who had a solid spring and will also provide competition in the backfield throughout preseason. 
• LB Rico Kennedywas the team's leading tackler in 2017 with 70 stops, in addition to 19.5 tackles for loss (No. 3 in the FCS).
• DE Malachi Washington was a force on the Bears' defensive line in '17 where he ranked No. 3 in the league with eight sacks and ranked T-No. 3 in the tackles for loss (17; ranked T-No. 8 in FCS). He completed the season with 39 tackles, including a forced fumble and fumble recovery .
 
A GLANCE AT THE TIGERS
•  Towson finished the 2017 season with an overall mark of 5-6 and a 3-5 conference record. They capped the season with a 29-10 home win against Rhode Island, and finished the season by winning three of its last four games.
•  Rob Ambrose (Towson, '93) leads the Tigers in his 10th season at the helm.
•  Towson was tabbed to finish 10th in the CAA's preseason predicted order of finish and did not have a single player selected to the preseason All-Conference Team. James Madison was tabbed No. 1 with 21 first-place votes and New Hampshire was No. 2. 
•  The Tigers ranked No. 9 in the CAA in total offense (301.8/g), No. 10 in scoring offense (17.5 avg), and ranked No. 4 in the league in kickoff returns (21.8 avg). Towson ranked No. 6 in sacks allowed (25) and finished No. 9 in sacks (27).
•  R-junior QB Tom Flacco (6-1, 208), the younger brother of Joe Flacco, is battling with  r-sophomore QB Ryan Stover (6-4, 210) to be the starter. Flacco is a transfer who spent the 2017 season at Rutgers as a walk-on on the scout team and the 2015 and 2016 seasons at Western Michigan. He played in 13 games total during the 2015 and 2016 seasons at Western Michigan, running for 336 yards, passing for 188 yards and accounting for three TDs. Western Michigan went 13-1 during the 2016 season.
• One of the defensive leaders for the Tigers is senior LB Diondre Wallace. In 2017, Wallace (6-0, 233) led the team with 52 solos tackles. In 2016 he appeared in all 11 games, making seven starts, ranked third on the team with 66 tackles, added four tackles-for-loss, one sack, one interception and one forced fumble. 
• R-senior Monty Fenner (6-3,270) leads the Tigers secondary from his S position where he racked up 69 stops with three interceptions.
• PK Aidan O'Neill returns after earning All-CAA Third Team honors as a sophomore a season ago. He ranked No. 2 in the league by connecting on 18-of-22 field goals and was perfect in PATs (25-25).
• The Tigers ranked No. 4 in the league in pass defense (187.0 yds/gm) and recorded 11 interceptions. They also ranked No. 7 in pass offense by averaging 200.1 yards per game.

PRESEASON PICKED 9TH 
Morgan State was picked to finish ninth (9th) to MEAC defending champion and Preseason #1 North Carolina A&T and #2 Howard.
 
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
Seven (7) Morgan State football players were named to the 2018 MEAC preseason team, which was voted on by the conference head coaches and sports information directors.  Senior defensive lineman Malachi Washington and junior linebacker RicoKennedy were first-team selections. Senior offensive linemen Joshua Miles and Matthew Thompson were third-team picks, along with junior wideout Manasseh Bailey, junior linebacker Ian McBorrough, and senior defensive back Carl Garnes. The seven preseason All-MEAC performers are part of a group of 37 lettermen and 16 starters returning for the 2018 Morgan State football season.
 
BEARS OPEN 120th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 120th season of football and will open the 2018 campaign under interim head coach Ernest T. Jones, set to enter his first year at the helm and his third year at Morgan State.
 
RETURN MEN 
The 2018 Morgan State Bears return 37 letterwinners, including 16 starters - 7 on offense, 8 on defense and 1 on special teams.
 
CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS 
The Bears enter the 2018 season looking to post their first winning season since going 6-5 in 2009. MSU's 7-6 record in 2014 was vacated. 
 
NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Bears will open the 2018 campaign against four non-conference opponents. MSU opens the season against Towson (Sept. 1) in the 'Battle for Greater Baltimore', followed by road trips versus  Akron (Sept. 9), Univ. at Albany (Sept. 15) and the N.C. A&T (Sept. 22) game will also be recorded as a non-conference contest. 
 
BEARS OPEN 41st SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open its 41st season in the MEAC when they host South Carolina State for Homecoming on Oct. 6.
• The Bears opened the 2017 MEAC schedule with a 49-17 loss against #15 N.C. A&T at Hughes Stadium. 
• The Bears kicked off its first season in the MEAC in 1971. Morgan State withdrew from the conference at the end of the 1979-80 fiscal year, before returning to the MEAC in 1984.
 
EDWARD SCOTT NAMED TO FCS ADA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Division I Football Subdivision Athletics Directors Association announced that Morgan State's Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Edward Scott will serve on its Executive Committee. Scott represents the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE CLASSROOM
The Morgan State football team has had great success in the classroom.
 Most recently, the Bears produced a 3.24 GPA during Summer 2018.
 The 2017-18 school year saw the Bears achieve their highest single-year GPA in program history.
 The program had 31 Athletic Director Honor Roll Members in the Fall of 2017, a 41% increase from the previous Fall. 

MSU LEGEND EDDIE P. HURT NAMED TO 2019 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BALLOT
76 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks make-up the 2019 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.  Morgan State head coach Eddie P. Hurt is among the list of nominees.
•  Hurt led Morgan's football teams to six Black College National Championships and won 14 CIAA titles. 
• Eleven of his squads executed undefeated seasons, including a non-losing string of games from 1932 to 1938. 
•  His 1943 team did not allow a score from a single opponent.
 
FOLLOW US IN CYBERSPACE 
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. 
• Follow us on social media:
            Facebook: /MorganStateBears
            Twitter: @MorganStBears
            Instagram: /MorganStateBears




MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Lincoln Football Team Holds Orange and Blue Scrimmage

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania -- As classes have now begun on the campus of Lincoln University, the Lincoln Football team concluded their pre-season camp Saturday afternoon with their annual Orange and Blue Scrimmage game.
brice-scrimmage
COURTESY: LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
The Lions offense looked sharper with their execution of plays than they did in the team's earlier scrimmage.   "Offensively we were a bit crisper," said Head Coach Josh Dean.  "We executed well with our first group, but we still have to get our backups - our 2's to pick it up."
 
A continued bright spot during camp has been the play of freshman Zach Green (Chesapeake, Va. ) as he battles at the quarterback position with veterans Vincent Espinoza (Madera, Calif /Madera (West Hills)) and Eban Jackson II (Los Angeles, Calif. /Narbonne).  "The great thing about him (Green) is he gives us the ability to make a quick strike play – get easy points and easy yardage.  I was definitely excited about that."
 
Jackson meanwhile ran in for a touchdown and tossed another while Espinoza also tossed a touchdown pass as the intensity level among the offense remained high.
 
"We have tried to match the intensity that defense has been brining since game one, adds Dean.  "I felt that we executed at a higher rate today and feel positive going into week one."
 
This year's scrimmage was also done in conjunction with the Lincoln Football Media Day.  The Lions players had their head shots taken along with team and positional group photos and other photos for marketing purposes.  This year several players also were part of a media training session put on by the athletic communications office.  A press conference like setting was achieved with questions being asked by Lincoln students majoring in mass communications, the Lincolnian (student run school newspaper), and administrative staff.
 
The Lions football team opens the regular season at home against the CIAA South Division Champion Fayetteville State University on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at 7 p.m.  


LINCOLN UNIVERSITY LIONS ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS 

Langston Volleyball Sweeps Bears To Open Season

News Photo
LANGTON VOLLEBALL ROSTER 2018-19
HAVILAND, Kansas – The Langston University volleyball team opened the season on a high note by knocking off the Barclay College Bears 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-17) on Tuesday night in Haviland, Kansas.
Inside the Lion's Den …
The Lady Lions came out early and didn't relent in the 25-17 set one victory; Langston managed to collect victories in sets two and three by a final count of 25-16 and 25-17.

Langston clinches a season-opening victory for the first time in program history.

Looking at the Stats …
Brittani Bailey and Serena Torres anchored the Lady Lions attack with eight and six kills respectively; Lashon Chew wasn't far behind, finishing third on the team in kills with five.

Jada Roland led Langston in assists with 12 and Jordyne Bigan tallied a team-high five digs.

Up Next?
Langston (1-0) turns their attention to conference play by traveling to Southwestern Assemblies of God in Waxahachie, Texas on Aug. 31. The Lady Lions first home match is scheduled for Sept. 4 against Sooner Athletic Conference opponent Oklahoma City.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

2 national runners-up on 2018-19 Gold Rush schedule

Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketballNEW ORLEANS — For the third consecutive season, Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball will play a slew of games against teams that qualified for national postseason tournaments the previous year. Four of those games will be against national runners-up.
     
Third-year head coach Alfred Williams announced the 2018-19 schedule Wednesday, which will tip off the final weekend of October with a pair of games on the Virgin Islands.
     

The 2018 national postseason teams on the schedule will be:
     •  Keiser — Oct. 26 on the Virgin Islands and the first regular-season game.
     •  William Carey — Nov. 5 home, Nov. 19 road.
     •  LSU-Alexandria — Nov. 12 road, Nov. 26 home. LSUA was the NAIA Division I national runner-up last season.
     •  Clark Atlanta — Nov. 17 for homecoming. The NCAA Division II team will be coached this season by former New Orleans Hornet and University of North Carolina standout George Lynch.
     •  Campbellsville — Dec. 29 at the Cumberlands Classic in Williamsburg, Ky.
     •  Cumberlands — Dec. 30 at the Cumberlands Classic.
     •  Oakwood — Jan. 17 home, Jan. 31 road. Oakwood was the USCAA national runner-up last season.
     •  Dillard — Jan. 26 home, Feb. 16 road.
     

XULA returnees include last season's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, Rayshawn Mart, and senior Jeff Dixon, the NAIA Division I leader in assists prior to the national tournament. XULA finished 24-9 in 2017-18 and shared the GCAC regular-season championship with Dillard. The Gold Rush qualified for nationals for the 11th time in the past 14 seasons.
     

"We will be improved this season in several key areas," Williams said. "Scoring ability, leadership, toughness and team chemistry. We are looking forward to building off of last year's season and taking more steps forward."
     

Campbellsville, Cumberlands and Oakwood will be first-time opponents. So will Thomas, a Georgia school that will visit XULA Dec. 18. Campbellsville and Dillard reached the round of 16 at NAIA nationals last season.
     

Half of the 30 regular-season games will be at home. The first game at the Convocation Center will be Nov. 1 against a familiar recent early-season opponent, Carver College of Atlanta.
     

Rust College of Holly Springs, Miss., joined the GCAC in July, giving the GCAC eight teams for the first time since 2014-15.
     

The GCAC Tournament will be March 1-3 in Jacksonville, Fla., followed by the NAIA Division I National Championship March 20-26 at Kansas City, Mo. 
2018-19 Schedule Page

Xavier University of Louisiana
2018-19 Men's Basketball Schedule


Oct. 26 (Fri.):  Keiser (at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands), 7 p.m. AST
Oct. 28 (Sun.):  at Virgin Islands, 2 p.m. AST
Nov. 1 (Thu.):  CARVER, 7 p.m.
Nov. 5 (Mon.):  WILLIAM CAREY, 7 p.m.
Nov. 10 (Sat.):  at Loyola (N.O.), 5 p.m.
Nov. 12 (Mon.):  at LSU-Alexandria (DH), 7 p.m.
Nov. 17 (Sat.):  CLARK ATLANTA, 1 p.m. (Homecoming)
Nov. 19 (Mon.):  at William Carey (DH), 7 p.m.
Nov. 26 (Mon.):  LSU-ALEXANDRIA, 7 p.m.
Nov. 29 (Thu.):  JARVIS CHRISTIAN, 6 p.m.
Dec. 18 (Tue.):  THOMAS, 3 p.m.
Dec. 19 (Wed.):  VIRGIN ISLANDS, 3 p.m.
Dec. 29 (Sat.):  Campbellsville (Cumberlands Classic, Williamsburg, Ky.), 6 p.m. EST
Dec. 30 (Sun.):  at Cumberlands (Cumberlands Classic), 4 p.m. EST
Jan. 7 (Mon.):  •  TOUGALOO (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 12 (Sat.):  •  at Rust (DH), 5 p.m.
Jan. 14 (Mon.):  •  at Philander Smith (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 17 (Thu.):  OAKWOOD, 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 (Sat.):  •  EDWARD WATERS (DH), 5 p.m.
Jan. 21 (Mon.):  •  at Tougaloo (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 26 (Sat.):  •  DILLARD (DH), 5 p.m. (Crosstown Classic)
Jan. 28 (Mon.):  •  at SUNO (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 31 (Thu.):  at Oakwood, 7 p.m.
Feb. 2 (Sat.):  •  at Talladega (DH), 5 p.m.
Feb. 4 (Mon.):  •  at Edward Waters (DH), 7:30 p.m. EST
Feb. 11 (Mon.):  •  TALLADEGA (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 16 (Sat.):  •  at Dillard (DH), 5 p.m.
Feb. 18 (Mon.):  •  RUST (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 20 (Wed.):  •  SUNO (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 25 (Mon.):  •  PHILANDER SMITH (DH), 7:30 p.m.
March 1-3 (Fri.-Sun.):  Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, Jacksonville, Fla.
March 20-26 (Wed.-Tue.):  NAIA Division I National Championship, Kansas City, Mo.

Home games in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS
•  Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game
(DH) Doubleheader with XULA's women
All times are Central except where noted
Schedule is subject to change


Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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