Friday, February 9, 2018

2018 MEAC Football Recruiting Classes

NORFOLK, Virginia -- MEAC football teams are building for the future as Wednesday, Feb. 7 marks the third official date (Regular Period) student-athletes can sign National Letter of Intents with the program of their choice. The 2017-18 academic year ushered in a new era as a new Early Period from Dec. 20-22 was introduced which allowed high school football athletes to sign early in addition to the football midyear JC transfer period from Dec. 20-Jan. 15. Click to view the 2018 MEAC football recruits as MEACSports.com will update once announced by each university. 

Bethune-Cookman (full bios)
Henry Miller, DB, 6-3, 205, Kissimmee, Fla.
Alvin Harper, Jr., WR, 5-10, 175, Lakeland, Fla.
Nico Lima, TE, 6-3, 250, Camarillo, Calif.
Maurice Gardin, OL, 6-4, 340, Los Angeles, Calif.
Marc Martin, RB, 6-1, 225, Atascadero, Calif.
De'Ron Maxwell, CB, 6-2, 205, Woolwich, N.J.
Bryan Jefferson, WR, 6-0, 195, Leesburg, Fla.
Victor Harvey, DB, 6-0, 180, Hollywood, Fla.
Tydarius Peters, SAF, 6-0, 190, Jayess, Miss.
Kyeree Wallace, WR, 6-2, 175, Los Angeles, Calif.
Lebronze Allen, WR, 6-4, 185, New Iberia, La.
Kaelin Humphrey, WR, 6-4, 215, Long Beach, Calif.
Desmond Pete, DT, 6-3, 275, Pompano Beach, Fla.
Terrell Ware, CB, 6-1, 176, Orlando, Fla.
Darryl Powell, WR, 6-4, 190, Pompano Beach, Fla.
Aaron Thompson, RB, 5-9, 180, Orlando, Fla.
Albert Fuller III, TE, 6-2, 237, Williston, Fla.
Anthony Bingham, DE, 6-4, 200, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Trenten Jackson, WR, 6-3, 175, Jesup, Ga.
Tyrese Spain, WR, 5-9, 170, Tampa, Fla.
Devin Black, QB, 6-2, 190, Ruskin, Fla.
Kyle Smith, QB, 6-2, 186, Jacksonville, Fla.
Zeryus Coleman, WR, 5-11, 175, Miami, Fla.
Rakeem Terry, DT, 6-1, 280, Homestead, Fla.
Judas McKenzie, DT, 6-2, 270, Ft. Myers, Fla.

Delaware State
DECEMBER SIGNEES (full bios)
Quadir Gibson, RB, 6-0, 240, Glen Mills, Pa. (The Glen Mills Schools)
Khan Jamal, SS/OLB, 5-11, 210, Lansdale, Pa. (North Penn HS)  
Mohamet Thiam, DB, 6-1, 180, Union City, N.J. (Union City HS)

Florida A&M (full bios)

Abu Bangura, DE, 6-3/240, Stockbridge, Ga. (Stockbridge HS)
Cameron Colvin, T, 6-5 /285, Leesburg, Ga. (Lee County HS)
Justin Cooks, DE, 6-1/180, Tampa, Fla. (Durant HS)
Ferante Cowart, WR, 5-10/161, Tallahassee, Fla. (Rickards HS)
Jordan Dillard, SAF, 6-2/165, Miami, Fla. (Southridge HS)
Quinlan Gatlin, LB, 6-2/220, Tampa, Fla. (Hillsborough HS)
Bryce Ingram, WR, 5-9 /185, Glenville, W.Va. (Glenville St. Col.)    
Herman “Tre” Jackson, CB, 6-0/175, Miami, Fla. (Southridge HS)
Davonne “Bo” Kendrick, RB, 5-11/190, Miami, Fla. (Miami Northwestern)
Isaiah Land, DE, 6-4 / 210, Loganville, Ga. (Grayson HS)
David Manigo, WR, 6-4/175, Decatur, Ga. (Towers HS)
Chris Metayer, SAF, 6-3/194, Miami, Fla. (Miami Central HS)
Tony Mills, DL, 6-2/255, Miami, Fla. (Columbus HS)
Stephen Nagbe, OL, 6-3/295, Lake Mary, Fla. (Lake Mary HS)
Courtney Perkins, OL, 6-3/295, Albany, Ga. (Monroe HS)
Demetrius Powell, LB, 6-1/220, Tampa, Fla. (Tampa Blake/ASA JC)
Eric Smith, SAF, 5-10/170, Miami, Fla. (Miami Norland HS)
Eddie Tillman, RB, 5-10/180, New Orleans, La. (McDonough HS)
Tim Williams, SAF, 6-2/178, Miami, Fla. (Dr. Krop HS)

Hampton (full bios)

DeAndre Faulk, LB, 6-2, 225, Suffolk, Va. (Lakeland HS)
Ohmante Jenkins, DE, 6-3, 250, Winchester, Ky. (George Rogers Clark HS)
Anthony Jones, LB, 6-0, 230, Va. Beach, Va. (Bayside HS)
Darran Butts, RB, 5-9, 185, Suffolk, Va. (Kings Fork HS)
Mason King, LB, 6-2½, 215, Mt. Holly, N.C. (Mountain Island Charter HS)
Clifton Mack Jr., DE, 6-3, 270, Clemmons, N.C. (W. Forsyth HS)
Chancellor Herbert, Long Snapper, 5-11, 220, Wesson, Miss.  (Copiah Lincoln CC/Brandon HS)
Devin Marcano, DE, 6-5½, 255, Lorton, Va. (South County HS)
Andy Matthews, Jr. DT, 6-3, 295, Richmond, Va. (Varina HS)
Bryson Glenn, DR/DE, 6-3 ½, 275, Kernersville, N.C. (Glenn HS)
Kentrelle Groom, De, 6-3½ , 240, Charlotte, N.C. (Rocky River HS)
Quinton Ragland, OL, 6-6½, 325, Mineral, Va. (Fork Union Military Academy)
Cameron Walker, DE, 6-2½, 230, Gloucester, Va. (Gloucester HS)

DECEMBER SIGNEES (full bios)
Dallas Hall, QB, 6-4, 200, Elizabeth City, N.C. (Northeastern)*
Evan Lomax, K/P, 5-11, 170, Suffolk, Va. (Nansemond River)*
Ja’Cori Shaw, T/DT, 6-4, 270, Elizabeth City, N.C. (Northeastern)*

Howard (full bios)

Jomier Augustine, LB, 5-10, Suwanee, Ga. (Collins Hills HS)
A'Jae Boyd, WR, 5-9, 170, Pittsburgh, Calif. (Pittsburgh HS)
Myles Butler, DL, 6-4, 270, Fort Worth, Texas (Bishop Dunne Catholic HS)
Rodney Dennard, DB, 6-1, 182, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Woodland Hills HS)
Alfred Gansallo, OL, 6-3, 320, Sugar Land, Texas (Dulles HS)
Gerone Hamilton, Jr., DL, 6-5, 245, Minneapolis, Minn. (Academy of Holy Angels HS)
Alexander Holiday, LB, 6-3, 225, Newport News, Va. (Denbigh HS)
Jemichael Jones, QB, 6-0, 185, Waldorf, Md. (North Point HS)
Jayde Pierre, DL, 6-2, 310, Sterling, Va. (Dominion HS)
Tayshaun Porter, WR, 6-0, 185, Newport News, Va. (Warwick HS)
Iggy Reynoso, RB, 5-11, 205, Reading, Pa. (Wilson HS)
Zamon Robinson, LB, 6-3, 225, Silver Springs, Md. (Montgomery Blair HS)
Jalen Smith, DB, 6-1, 175, Virginia Beach, Va. (Ocean Lakes HS)
John Smith VI, DB, 6-0, 175, Muskogee, Okla. (Muskogee HS)
Robert Teahan, OL, 6-2, 270, Winchester, Va. (John Hadley HS)
Antonio Turner, LB, 6-4, 250, Chesapeake, Va. (Deep Creek HS)
Jaylaan Williams, OL, 6-3, 300, Miami, Fla. (Coral Reef HS)
Anthony Young, Jr., OL, 6-3, 290, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Central Catholic HS)
Timothy Young, OL, 6-4, 320, Hampton, Va. (Phoebus HS)

Morgan State (full bios)

Dallas Caporaletti, OL, 6-4, 280, Catlett, Va. (C.D. Hylton HS)
Zachary Castano, LS, 6-0, 205, Miami, Fla. (Christopher Columbus HS)
Jordan Cofield, RS/WR, 5-8, 145, Owings Mill, Md. (New Town HS)
Brendan Easley, WR, 6-5, 190, Orlando, Fla. (East River HS)
Marvin Francois, DT, 6-3, 290, North Miami, Fla. (North Miami Beach Sr. HS)
Bryan Giron, DT, 6-2, 265, Annandale, Va.(Falls Church HS)
Xavier Gravette, WR, 6-4, 190, Nottingham, Md. (Calvert Hall HS)
Tyler Holley, QB, 6-4, 180, Nottingham, Md. (Perry Hall HS)
Cory Holmes, WR, 6-2,185, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Univ. of Notre Dame/St. Thomas Aquinas High)
Tariq Irving, DB, 6-1, 190, New Carrollton, Md. (West Hill College Coalinga)
Jalen Jackson, RB, 5-9, 210, Detroit, Mich. (Detroit MLK HS)
Tarik Johnson, OL, 6-4, 300, Liberty, N.Y. (Liberty HS)
Jared Lewis, QB, 6-3, 220, Baltimore, Md. (Dunbar HS)
Saleem Lockett, DL, 6-3, 295, Chester, Pa. (The Hill School/Imhotep Charter)
Nicholas O'Shea, K/P, 5-9, 165, Detroit, Mich. (West Bloomfield HS)
Jordan Presley, DB, 6-3, 200, St. Petersburg, Fla. (Clearwater Central Catholic)
Marcus Parker Jr., DB, 5-10, 180, Wilson, N.C. (Beddingfield HS)
Jordan Riggins, RB, 6-0, 200, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Cardinal Gibbons HS)
Eric Roy, DB, 5-11, 180, Woodbridge, Va. (C.D. Hylton HS)
Detrick Washington, LB, 5-11, 220, Largo, Md. (DeMatha Catholic HS)

Norfolk State

February Signees (bios)
R.J. Coles, DB, 5-9, 170, Richmond, Va. (Varina HS)
D.J. Djonkam, DL, 6-3, 260, Springfield, Va. (Fork Union Military)
D’Montre’ Smith, OL, 6-5, 310, Columbia, S.C. (Keenan HS)
Shaviaea Williams, DB, 5-11, 185, Norfolk, Va. (Granby HS)
Isaiah Wilson V, QB, 6-1, 170, Smyrna, Del. (Smyrna HS)

December Signees (bios)
Allen Boykins, LB, 6-1, 200, Portsmouth, Va. (I.C. Norcom HS)
Cameryn Brent*, RB, 5-9, 205, Atlanta, Ga. (Holmes CC)
Brandon Savage, DB, 5-10, 170, Baltimore, Md. (Milford Mill Academy)
Levi Shockley*, LB, 6-2, 210, Salem, N.J. (Monroe College)
D’Andre Thomas*, QB, 6-4, 210, Washington, D.C. (Fork Union Military)
* Enrolled at NSU for spring 2018 semester

North Carolina A&T State (full bios)

Michael Branch, DL, 6-2, 300, Greensboro, N.C. (Presbyterian College Transfer/SE Guilford HS)
TeVaughn Higgins, ATH, 6-2, 225, Laurinburg, N.C. (Scotland County HS)
KeAndre Jones, LB, 6-0, 240, Columbia, S.C. (Spring Valley HS)
Lawrence Lagrone, OL, 6-3, 330, Douglasville, Ga. (Douglas HS)
Jah-Maine Martin, RB, 5-11, 210, Conway, S.C. (Coastal Carolina Transfer/Conway HS)
Justin Nwachukwu, DL, 6-1, 290, Wake Forest, N.C. (Northern Illinois Transfer/Heritage HS)
Chance Pride, WR, 5-8, 165, Taylors, S.C. (Eastside HS)
Michael Rivers, PK/P, 6-0, 165, Wilmington, N.C. (North Brunswick HS)
Zareik Rush, OLB, 6-2, 205, Greensboro, N.C. (Dudley HS)
Miles Simon, DB, 6-0, 190, Lenoir, N.C. (Hibriten HS)
Israel Spivey, WR, 5-9, 165, Ellenwood, Ga. (Cedar Grove HS)
Joseph Stuckey, OLB, 6-0, 210, Hillside, N.J. (Milford Academy/Hillside HS)
Wizdom Vaughn, WR, 5-10, 170, Wilmington, N.C. (New Hanover HS)
Chris Williams, LB, 6-1, 225, Laurinburg, N.C. (Scotland HS)
Tim Williams, OL, 6-0, 210, Laurinburg, N.C. (Scotland HS) 

North Carolina Central (full bios)

Tyler Barnes, WR, 6-4, 200, Charlotte, N.C. (West Mecklenburg HS)*
Marcel Bell, DE, 6-3, 230, Lake City, Fla. (Columbia HS)
Alejandro Hall, CB, 6-1, 186, Duluth, Ga. (Alpharetta HS)
Ricky Lee, OL, 6-5, 270, Jacksonville, Fla. (Robert E. Lee HS)
Chuck Manning, DE, 6-2, 225, Durham, N.C. (Riverside HS)
Marquise Nelson, DB, 6-1, 170, Charlotte, N.C. (Harding University HS)
John Pecaro, P, 5-11, 175, Boynton Beach, Fla. (Atlantic HS/LA Pierce College)
Joseph Pete, OL, 6-4, 300, Dallas, Texas (Cisco College)
Mashion Powell, RB, 5-11, 185, Winston-Salem, N.C. (Reagan HS)
Sonnie Richardson, WR, 5-9, 185, Raleigh, N.C. (Leesville Road HS/Mesa CC)*
Easton Senior, DT, 6-2, 302, Durham, N.C. (Southern Durham HS)
Zach Simmons, LB, 6-1, 220, Broward County, Fla. (Deerfield Beach HS)*
Manny Smith, DB, 6-2, 185, Laurel Hill, N.C. (Scotland HS)
Romeo Stancil, CB, 6-0, 160, Clayton, N.C. (Clayton HS)
Daeshawn Stephens, WR, 6-2, 190, Durham, N.C. (Hillside HS/N.C. State University)*
Jesse Urbina, OL, 6-1, 320, Jacksonville, Fla. (Trinity Christian Academy)
Travon Wallace, DB, 6-0, 185, Jacksonville, Fla. (Atlantic Coast HS)
Tyquan Watson, RB, 6-0, 192, Tallahassee, Fla. (Godby HS/Eastern Arizona College)
Marvin Zanders, QB, 6-2, 205, Jacksonville, Fla. (Raines HS/University of Missouri)*
* - early signee

Savannah State (full bios)

Ny'Em Bozeman, DB, 5-11, 170, Trinity Christian Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.
Quintaevious Brown QB, 6-4, 245, Westside, Macon, Ga.
Christin "Zaine" Burton, LB, 6-2, 220, Heritage, Ringgold, Ga.
 Timothy Campbell, LB, 6-0, 215, First Baptist, Charleston, SC
Monyez Crowe, QB, 6-5, 200, Troup County, LaGrange, Ga.
Khalid Davis, DB, 6-1, 170, Lakewood, St. Petersburg, Fla.
D'Angelo Durham, RB, 6-1, 200, Grovetown, Grovetown, Ga.
Rod Evans, QB, 6-0, 195, Boca Raton, Boca Raton, Fla.
Tahmaj Faust, OL, 6-5, 275, North Springs HS, Atlanta, Ga.
Jattorious Galloway, QB, 6-2, 180, Southeast, Bradenton, Fla.
Nicholas Garner, DB, 6-3, 175, Ribault, Jacksonville, Fla.
Vincent Gray, DB, 6-1, 170, Cook, Adel, Ga.
Kiwon Harris, DB, 6-3, 190, Sandalwood, Jacksonville, Fla.
Logan Kesler, OL, 6-3, 300, Buford, Buford, Ga.
Jamarcus McCoy, QB, 6-3, 180, Mays, Atlanta, Ga.
Evan McGhee, LB, 6-1, 225, Trinity Christian Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.
Salik McRae , QB, 6-3, 260, Ribault, Jacksonville, Fla.
Zatavian Morgan, TE, 6-3, 250, Pahokee, Pahokee, Fla.
Michael Police, QB, 6-2, 285, Pahokee, Pahokee, Fla.
Treveyon Pratt, QB, 6-3, 190, Ragsdale, High Point, NC.
Fred Raynes, QB, 6-2, 230, Grayson, Loganville, Ga.
D'Armani Ridley, DB, 6-1, 180, North Gwinnett, Suwanee, Ga.
Rico Sanders , K, 6-0, 170, Stockbridge, Stockbridge, Ga.
Chris Smith, LB, 6-2, 210, Norland, Miami, Fla.
Stephen Vourilvee-Greaves, QB, 6-2, 250, South Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Todd Witherspoon QB, 6-0, 280, Olympic Heights, Boca Raton, Fla.
Walter Yates, III, DB, 6-1, 200, Gulf Breeze, Gulf Breeze, Fla.
Dentarrius Yon, QB, 6-2, 180, Gadsden County, Havana, Fla.

South Carolina State (full bios)

Antonio Anderson, DL, 6-3, 235, Lower Richland HS, Hopkins, SC
Dillon Bredesen, K, 5-10, 160, West Florida HS, Cantonment, FL
Jaydon Brunson, DB, 5-10, 192, Blythewood HS, Blythewood, SC
BJ Davis, LB 6-2, 189, South Pointe HS, Blair, SC
Sha-Quan Davis, WR, 6-5, 200, Summerville HS, Summerville, SC
De-Markiis Doe, DB, 6-3, 183, Williston Elko HS, Williston, SC
Zachary Felder, WR, 6-3, 205, Orangeburg Wilkinson HS, Orangeburg, SC
Corey Fields, QB, 6-0, 188, Baptist Hill HS, Hollywood, SC
Xzavion Gordon, WR, 5-11, 190, Chapin HS, Chapin, SC
Jeblonski Green, LB, 6-3, 230, Lamar HS, Timmonsville, SC
Quincy Hill, QB, 6-2, 165, Spring Valley HS, Columbia, SC
Jordan Johnson, RB, 5-9, 195, Prior Lake HS, Savage, MN
Justin Keitt, OL, 6-8, 330, Ben Lippen School, Columbia, SC
Austin Kemp, K, 6-1, 173, Liberty HS, Liberty, SC
Jerrell Moore, OL, 6-3, 282, Brookland Cayce HS, W. Columbia, SC
Kendall Moultrie, DB, 5-11, 170, Latta HS, Latta, SC
Scott Robinson, WR, 5-11, 162, South Pointe HS, Rock Hill, SC
Chris Simon, OL, 6-4, 260, Crestwood HS, Dalzell, SC
Avery Snipes, OL, 6-3, 270, Fort Dorchester HS, N. Charleston, SC
Brandon Tucker, OL, 6-1 285 Blythewood HS, Columbia, SC
 

MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Goreau's 10th ties GCAC career record; Fifea earns 3rd

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Charlene Goreau tied a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's tennis career record Tuesday when she earned her 10th Player of the Week award.
     

XULA also captured the men's honor. Catalin Fifea won for the first time this season and the third time in his career.
     

Goreau, a junior from Toulouse, France, tied the mark set by XULA's Nour Abbes from 2014-15. Abbes is back at XULA this season as a tennis graduate assistant.
     

Goreau's only completed match of Jan. 29-Feb. 4 was a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 2 singles against Elena Sava of NCAA Division I Louisiana-Lafayette.
     

Fifea, a senior from Bucharest, Romania, won in doubles and singles against NCAA DI Jacksonville State. He and Gabriel Niculescu defeated Pablo Caffarena and Joaquin Vallejo 8-2 at No. 3 doubles, then Fifea defeated Aljaz Kaplja 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (5-7), 1-0 (10-5) at No. 1 singles.
     

Next for XULA will be a 2:30 p.m. Thursday women's dual at Southern Miss. Next competition for the men will be Feb. 16.
     

NOTES:  Coach Alan Green announced several schedule updates this week:
     — The Friday women's dual against Grambling at Baton Rouge, La., was canceled.
     — Opponents for the Grizzly Invitational at Lawrenceville, Ga., will be Georgia Gwinnett (men and women) at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 16 and Bluefield State (men and women) at 9 a.m. Feb. 18.
     — Atlanta-area duals Feb. 17 — but not part of the Grizzly Invitational — will be 10 a.m. at Brenau (women) and 3 p.m. at Emory (men), the 2017 NCAA Division III champion. All times Feb. 16-18 are Eastern.


Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Rush, Nuggets to compete in 6 NCAA Division I meets

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has no current intentions of joining NCAA Division I, but XULA's 2018 outdoor track and field schedule has a distinct DI flavor.
     

Coach Joseph Moses announced Wednesday the eight-meet schedule, which includes competitions hosted by DI members Tulane, McNeese, Louisiana-Lafayette, Rice, South Alabama and Southeastern Louisiana.
     

XULA, an NAIA member, will open the season March 2 at the Tulane Twilight Early Bird at Tad Gormley Stadium. XULA will return to Gormley April 21 for the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships, where the Gold Nuggets will take aim at a second consecutive team championship and their seventh in nine attempts.


Five of the eight meets, including the first three, will be in Louisiana.
     
Student-athletes who meet qualifying standards will be eligible to compete at the season-ending NAIA National Championships May 24-26 at Gulf Shores, Ala.
     

"Our student-athletes and coaches are eager to get this season started next month," Moses said. "We put in a lot of work this fall, and we are looking forward to see where we stack up this spring. We have a lot of freshmen and transfers who we hope will step up and help us with their performances."

Schedules:  Men   •   Women

2018 Xavier University of Louisiana
Outdoor Track and Field Schedule


March 2 (Fri.):  Tulane Early Bird Twilight at Tad Gormley Stadium, New Orleans, La.
March 10 (Sat.):  McNeese Cowboy Relays at McNeese Cameron Communications Track and Field Complex, Lake Charles, La.
March 16-17 (Fri.-Sat.):  Louisiana Classics at Cajuns Track/Soccer Facility, Lafayette, La.
March 23-24 (Fri.-Sat.):  Rice Victor Lopez Classic at Wendel D. Ley Track, Houston, Texas
March 30 (Fri.):  University of Mobile Invitational at Jaguar Track, Mobile, Ala.
April 6-7 (Fri.-Sat.):  South Alabama Invitational at Jaguar Track, Mobile, Ala.
April 14 (Sat.):  Southeastern Strawberry Relays at Southeastern Track Complex, Hammond, La.
April 21 (Sat.):  Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium, New Orleans, La.
May 24-26 (Thu.-Sat.):  NAIA Outdoor Championships at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium, Gulf Shores, Ala.


Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Twice as nice — David repeats as GCAC winner

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball standout Jalen David is a repeat winner as Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week.
     

David, a 6-foot-4 guard/forward from Mount Vernon, N.Y., and a former Mount Vernon High School and Moberly Area (Mo.) Community College standout, was the GCAC's honoree for Jan. 29-Feb. 4 after scoring 20 points and grabbing six rebounds in the only Gold Rush game of the week, a 90-72 home victory against SUNO. It was the fourth time in six games that David reached 20 points.
     

XULA's archives of Gold Rush GCAC weekly winners goes back only to the 2006-07 season. David is the second Gold Rush player during that time to win GCAC awards in consecutive weeks; Anthony Simmons did it January 2012.
     

The Gold Rush will travel to SUNO for a 7:30 p.m. game Monday (Lundi Gras), then play host to Dillard at 5 p.m. Feb. 17 in the opening game of the Crosstown Classic presented by Raising Cane's at XULA's Convocation Center.
     

Persons with information about XULA's GCAC Player of the Week winners from 1981-82 through 2004-05 should send email to athletics@xula.edu.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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XULA's Trench shares Louisiana Player of the Week award

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Maya Trench has been named Louisiana Women's Basketball Co-Player of the Week for Jan. 29-Feb. 4 by a panel of the state's media.

Trench, a 5-foot-2 point guard from Edgard, La., and a graduate of West St. John High School, shared the award with another sophomore, LSU forward Ayana Mitchell. Trench averaged eight points, 8.5 rebounds and seven assists in two games, and her triple-double against SUNO — 11 points and career bests of 13 rebounds and 12 assists — was the Gold Nuggets' first in 30 years.

The Louisiana Sports Writers Association sponsors the award. Trench is the Gold Nuggets' fourth LSWA honoree on the weekly or monthly level and the first since Trana Hopkins won for Feb. 22-28, 2015.

The Gold Nuggets will travel to SUNO for a 5:30 p.m. game Monday (Lundi Gras), then play host to NAIA No. 21 Dillard at 3 p.m. Feb. 17 in the opening game of the Crosstown Classic presented by Raising Cane's at XULA's Convocation Center.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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John Curtis standout Virgil is Nuggets' third signee


NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball secured its third newcomer for the 2018-19 academic year when Da'Jha Virgil of Kenner, La., and John Curtis Christian School signed an athletic scholarship Wednesday.
     

Virgil, a 5-foot-7 guard, is averaging nine points per game this season for a 24-1 Curtis team that has the state's No. 1 unofficial power rating in the LHSAA. A four-year varsity starter and a three-time all-district selection, Virgil has scored 849 career points for the Lady Patriots.

"I am just so proud of Da'Jha's development in the four years I have coached her," Curtis coach Barbara Farris said. "She is not allergic to the gym. She has a tremendous feel in terms of her basketball IQ. She's been a silent leader on this team. She's a consistent hard worker who holds this team together and manages the team very well."
     

Da'Jha Virgil
 Curtis, in the New Orleans suburb of River Ridge, is the same school that produced Whitney Gathright, the Gold Nuggets' No. 7 career scorer, a XULA graduate and a WBCA NAIA first-team 
All-American her senior year (2015-16).
     

"Da'Jha is a true point guard who can also play shooting guard," XULA coach Bo Browder said. "She can really knock down 3-pointers, and she will run our offense extremely well. Right now Da'Jha is a little bit ahead of Whitney's curve coming from high school."
     

As a junior, Virgil averaged eight points per game for a Curtis team that won the LHSAA Division I state championship. Virgil has played five seasons of AAU ball — one with the Louisiana Lady Pumas and four previously with the Kenner Angels.
     

The Gold Nuggets' other signees for next season are forward Kyla Duncan of Metairie, La., and East Jefferson High School and forward/center Shae Johnson of Riverside, Calif., and Martin Luther King High School. XULA is a longtime member of NAIA Division I and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

2018-19 XULA women's basketball signees

NamePos.Ht.Yr.*HometownHigh School (College)
Kyla DuncanF5-10Fr.Metairie, La.East Jefferson
Shae JohnsonF/C6-2Jr.Riverside, Calif.Martin Luther King
Da'Jha VirgilG5-7Fr.Kenner, La.John Curtis Christian

* athletic classification at Xavier in 2018-19


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