Wednesday, May 29, 2013

All-Louisiana teams: Top honors for Didavi, Montrel, Green

Kyle Montrel
NEW ORLEANS — Led by Loic Didavi, a repeat selection as men's Player of the Year, Xavier University of Louisiana was well-represented on the 2012-13 All-Louisiana tennis teams announced late Saturday by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.


Loic Didavi
Kyle Montrel joined Didavi on the men's team — Xavier was the only school with a pair of first-team men — and was chosen Freshman of the Year. Viktor Svoboda received honorable mention. Kourtney Howell was selected to the women's first team, and Alan Green is the women's Coach of the Year.
    
Both XU teams had their best seasons ever. The women were the first XU team in any sport to reach No. 1 in an NAIA coaches poll or reach the semifinals of an NAIA National Championship. The men reached their highest-ever NAIA ranking, fifth, on three occasions, including the postseason poll. The Gold Rush became the first XU program to reach the national quarterfinals in consecutive years.
    

Kourtney Howell
Kourtney Howell
Didavi, a senior from Cotonou, Benin, and a graduate of Lycée Jean Dautet, La Rochelle, shared the Player of the Year award with LSU sophomore Chris Simpson. The only two-time first-team NAIA All-American in Gold Rush history, Didavi was 16-6 in singles and 18-5 in doubles this season and was chosen ITA NAIA National Senior Player of the Year.    

"Loic has been a program-changer for our men since the moment he stepped on campus," Green said. "He has vaulted our team into a top-5 NAIA ranking for the first time in the program's history, and he has been our leader on and off the court. In addition to his accomplishments as a player, he has been our hardest worker in practice. He has been a coach's dream and will be almost impossible to replace. He also displays good sportsmanship and respect to the opposing players and coaches."
Viktor Svoboda
Viktor Svoboda
Didavi was 41-12 in singles and 45-13 in doubles in his two Xavier seasons.
    
Montrel, from Atlanta, Ga., and a graduate of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, was 16-4 in singles and 18-4 in doubles. He led the Gold Rush in singles and doubles winning percentage and, with Didavi as his partner, won his first eight doubles matches. In March he became the first XU freshman to reach the top 30 in the ITA NAIA singles rankings. He set a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference season record with four player-of-the-week awards, and he received All-America honorable mention.  


"Kyle was a pleasant surprise for us this season," Green said. "He is by far our most talented guy on the team. He wins matches by virtue of talent mostly, and he really enjoys the competition of playing college tennis. Kyle has a very bright tennis future ahead of him."
    
Montrel is the Gold Rush's second Louisiana Freshman of the Year and the first since Cameron Knowles in 2007.
Alan Green
    
Svoboda, a junior from Kamenice, Czech Republic, and a graduate of Vitezna Plan, was 18-10 in singles and 20-6 in doubles. He led the Gold Rush in singles victories and won 13 of his last 15 singles matches, including victories against nationally ranked NAIA teams Embry-Riddle, William Carey, Belhaven and Northwood (Fla.) and three victories against NCAA Division I, including a road victory at Southland Conference runner-up New Orleans. He and Nikita Soifer won 15 of their last 16 doubles matches.
    
Howell, a junior from Cypress, Texas, and a graduate of Cypress Woods High School, was 20-11 in singles and 23-11 in doubles, all with Brion Flowers, and led the Gold Nuggets in singles and doubles victories. Howell was a first-team NAIA All-American, a three-time GCAC Player of the Week and led the Nuggets with eight dual-clinching victories. She and Flowers were No. 1 in the ITA NAIA doubles rankings of April 17.
    
"Kourtney is the one person on the team I can always count on to go above the call of duty as a student-athlete," Green said. "We have received numerous compliments from referees this season, and most of it is because of the leadership Kourtney provides to her teammates."
    
Howell and Flowers were the USTA/ITA NAIA South Regional doubles runner-up during the fall. It was the first time the Gold Nuggets reached the finals of that event.
    
Green, in his 10th season at Xavier, won the women's coaching award for the second time and the first time since 2009. He was the men's Louisiana Coach of the Year in 2009, 2011 and 2012. His women finished 19-8 and were 12-1 against ranked NAIA opponents, including victories on consecutive April days against Auburn Montgomery and William Carey, the finalists at the NAIA National Championship. The Gold Nuggets had a program-record 11-dual win streak from March 26-May 16. Green was chosen the women's ITA NAIA National Coach of the Year.
    
An LSWA panel of sports information directors selected the teams.

2012-13 All-Louisiana Tennis

WOMEN
 
FIRST TEAM
Klaudia Gawlik, freshman, McNeese State
Kourtney Howell, junior, Xavier
Polina Konop, junior, Northwestern State
Emma Levy, senior, Tulane
Ella Taylor, freshman, LSU
Renee Villarreal, freshman, Southeastern Louisiana
Klara Vyskocilova, junior, Tulane

SECOND TEAM
Medy Blankvoort, junior, Louisiana-Monroe
Isabel Brito, senior, Southeastern Louisiana
Joanna Nalborska, freshman, Louisiana Tech
Alexandra Starkova, freshman, Louisiana Tech
Demetria Woods, senior, Southern

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  (tie) Klaudia Gawlik, McNeese State; Klara Vyskocilova, Tulane
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Klaudia Gawlik, McNeese State
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:  Valya Rusakova, Southeastern Louisiana
COACH OF THE YEAR:  Alan Green, Xavier

HONORABLE MENTION
Sandra Ahlqvist, Louisiana-Lafayette
Andrea Nedorostova, Northwestern State

MEN

FIRST TEAM

Rick DeGroot, junior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Loic Didavi, senior, Xavier
Dmitry Kozionov, senior, Nicholls State
Dominik Koepfer, freshman, Tulane
Kyle Montrel, freshman, Xavier
Chris Simpson, sophomore, LSU

SECOND TEAM
Damian Farinola, sophomore, Louisiana-Lafayette
Hunter Johnson, freshman, Louisiana-Lafayette
Idan Mark, senior, Tulane
Hossam Meligy, senior, New Orleans
Nico Mertens, freshman, Nicholls State
Rui Silva, sophomore, New Orleans

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  (tie) Loic Didavi, Xavier; Chris Simpson, LSU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Kyle Montrel, Xavier
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:  Rui Silva, New Orleans
COACH OF THE YEAR:  Jeff Brown, LSU

HONORABLE MENTION
Mark Bowtell, LSU
Viktor Svoboda, Xavier


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 

Xavier's Cousin on list of best HBCU athletics directors

XU teams have won 46 conference and unaffiliated group championships since
Dennis Cousin was named director of intercollegiate athletics in 2004.
 NEW ORLEANS — Dennis Cousin, director of intercollegiate athletics at Xavier University of Louisiana since 2004, is on HBCUDigest.com's list of the five best ADs at an HBCU (Historically Black College or University).
During Cousin's tenure, XU teams have won 46 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and NAIA unaffiliated group championships and made 34 appearances at NAIA National Championships. Under Xavier’s current head coaches, 125 of 130 senior student-athletes received degrees from Xavier or are still enrolled.

Xavier made two major facility upgrades during 2012-13  with the October opening of the XU Tennis Center and the November opening of the Convocation Center, a multipurpose arena which seats nearly 4,000 for basketball and volleyball.
  
 "Leading an HBCU is not an enviable gig," HBCUDigest.com wrote, "but there are many who are making the most of the job that, next to being an HBCU president, is the hardest at any institution."
    
Also on the list of best HBCU ADs are William Broussard of Southern University, Marty Miller of Norfolk State, Lynn Thompson of Bethune-Cookman and William Hayes of Winston-Salem State.
    
Xavier is one of 38 U.S. colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2013 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.

Note to media: Dennis Cousin's last name is pronounced COO-zan.


By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Family claims hazing in suit over B-CU band member's death

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Bethune-Cookman University failed to stop fraternity hazing which led to the death of a Marching Wildcat band member, according to a lawsuit filed in Volusia County.

Marcus Thomas, 19, died when the car in which he was riding crashed into a utility pole on Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard near Orange Avenue about 8:30 a.m. Feb. 20, 2012.
 
The suit filed by the dead student's mother claims hazing by members of the Pi Gamma chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America subjected Thomas and other pledges to sleep deprivation. The pledges, including the car's driver, Carl A. Beasley Jr., fell asleep, leading to the fatal crash, according to the lawsuit. All the others in the car besides Thomas survived.
 
B-CU officials said Tuesday they have a zero tolerance policy for hazing.
 
Thomas' death came ...
 

Robert Vowels named athletic director at UDM

Robert Vowels was named the new UDM Director of Athletics
 on Tuesday

 
DETROIT, Michigan  -- Robert C. Vowels, NCAA Vice President of Membership and Student-Athlete Affairs, has been named Director of Athletics at University of Detroit Mercy. The announcement was made today at a press conference by UDM President Dr. Antoine M. Garibaldi. Vowels will oversee the 19 men's and women's athletic teams in the University's Division I intercollegiate athletic program.

“Robert Vowels has a tremendous amount of intercollegiate athletics leadership and management skills and experiences, and we are very fortunate to have him as our Director of Athletics,” Garibaldi said. “Our student-athletes, coaches, and other athletics staff will benefit greatly from his current work at the NCAA.”  More than 70 individuals applied for the position.

With more than 23 years of intercollegiate athletics experience, Vowels is Vice President of Membership and Student-Athlete Affairs at the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) where he oversees educational programs designed to improve student-athlete well-being, leadership development and inclusion. At the NCAA, he leads a department of 26 NCAA staff members and oversaw a budget of $17 million.

Prior to that position, Vowels served as the Commissioner of two intercollegiate athletic conferences at Division I (Southwestern Athletic Conference) and Division II (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) programs. Some of the accomplishments during his years as a Conference Commissioner included league expansion and television packages. He also worked as an Associate Commissioner at the Big Ten Conference and Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at Vanderbilt University.

While at the SWAC, Vowels revised the conference's strategic plan, compliance programs, championships and corporate alliance programs to make them more efficient and effective. In 2004-05 he also negotiated a multi-year media agreement with ESPN/ESPNU on behalf of the SWAC. He worked with ESPN and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to develop the concept of the initial MEAC-SWAC Challenge.

During his time at SIAC, Vowels oversaw the expansion of the conference to 11 institutions and negotiated the first multi-year SIAC football and basketball television agreement with Urban Sports and Entertainment. He also negotiated the league's first licensing and agreement program and developed the conference's first corporate partnership program.

Vowels also served on the Division I Management Council, Division I Men's Basketball Committee, Division I Football Board of Directors and the Collegiate Commissioner's Association (CCA). He also served as Chair of the Minorities Opportunities and Interest Committee (MOIC).

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina where he was a full scholarship football student-athlete and his Juris Doctorate from the North Carolina Central University School of Law.

Photo Gallery

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Chowan University's David Fulton Signs with Green Bay Packers

Courtesy: Chowan University Athletics
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin  --  The Green Bay Packers have signed recent Chowan University graduate David Fulton.  The transaction was announced on Tuesday by Ted Tompson, Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations.

David Fulton graduated from Chowan University in the spring of 2013 with a degree in Criminal Justice.  The Raleigh, NC native played in 34 games over the course of his career and compiled 101 total tackles for the Hawks (66 solo, 35 assisted).  As a senior, Fulton hauled in four interceptions in CIAA play, ranking 2nd in league play in that same category.  Fulton collected nine break-ups during his senior campaign to contribute to a career total of 15.  Additionally, he was one of six Hawks to receive an invitation to compete in the DII vs. NAIA Senior Bowl Game in Myrtle Beach, SC in December of 2012.

A student-athlete that flew “under the radar” for most of his career, used a monster senior year to ready himself for future professional opportunities.  Fulton joined the Hawks as a walk-on, but grew to become an integral part of Chowan's success as his career progressed.

Fulton was part of the Hawks' most successful season in Division II program history as Chowan turned in a 6-4 overall record and 5-2 record in league play this past season.  The 2012 season was the most successful in terms of wins and conference finish since the school began its transition to a four year school in 1992.  Predicted to finish 5th in the CIAA North, the Hawks continues their rise in the conference with a 2nd place finish in the Northern Division.

Fulton will wear No. 40 for the Green bay Packers, and is the 21st Hawk to go on to the professional ranks.

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Outdoor USTFCCCA DII All-America Honorees Announced

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Tuesday those who earned USTFCCCA All-America distinctions for the 2013 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season. Honors are awarded for performances at the final site of the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships occurring this past weekend at Pueblo, Colorado.

USTFCCCA All-America honors are awarded to those who earn any portion of a team point at the national championships. Student-Athletes listed are participants in programs that are members of the USTFCCCA.

Vashti Thomas of the indoor/outdoor champion Academy of Art women’s team led all student-athletes with six All-America honors — championships in the long jump and 100 hurdles, runner-up showings in the 200 meters and 4×100 relay, third place in the triple jump and eighth in the 4×100 relay.

Two other women earned four honors apiece in 100, 200 and 4×100 champ Danielle Williams of Johnson C. Smith and Shavine Hodges of Grand Canyon.

Ashland sprinter Joe Horn collected the most All-America honors on the men’s side with four, while eight other men earned three awards each. Men’s champion Saint Augustine’s and Lincoln (Mo.) both had a pair student-athletes with three All-America honors. For Saint Augustine’s it was 200/4×100 champ Jermaine Jones and 4×100 champ Taffawee Johnson, while for Lincoln it was 110h/400h champ Sabiel Anderson and Michael Ashley.

The Saint Augustine’s men won the meet by a wide margin, and they also claimed the highest number of All-America honors with 23 in total. Runner-up Ashland was next with 18, while Lincoln (Mo.) earned 12.

A testament to how closely contested the women’s competition was, neither champion Academy of Art (16) nor runner-up Johnson C. Smith (nine) claimed the most All-America awards. That honor is split three ways between Grand Valley State and Lincoln (Mo.) — who finished tied for third — and Grand Canyon at 17 All-Americans each.

The GLIAC was the best-represented conference on the men’s side with 37 awards, edging out the MIAA with 35 and the CIAA with 30. Conference competition on the women’s side was even closer, with the MIAA taking home 34 to the PacWest’s 33, with the GLIAC at 27 and the CIAA at 25.

FINAL Season Information:NCAA Team Scoring Summary | National Team Rankings FINAL Week-by-Week
2013 Men’s Team Winner: Saint Augustine’s, 105 | NCAA Recap
2013 Women’s Team Winner: Academy of Art, 60 | NCAA Recap
Final Results: TFRRS
Championships Video (NCAA): Men | Women
USTFCCCA National Championships Central


USTFCCCA ALL-AMERICA HONOREES - MEN

EventNameSchool
DiscusAndrew HudsonAbilene Christian
HammerBaptiste KerjeanAbilene Christian
Long JumpJohnny CarterAcademy of Art
1500 MetersMatt DanielsAdams State
1500 MetersStephen EmeryAdams State
10,000 MetersJovanny GodinezAdams State
Long JumpCarlton LavongAdams State
Triple JumpCarlton LavongAdams State
Shot PutWesley LavongAdams State
5000 MetersDavid SanchezAdams State
SteeplechaseTabor StevensAdams State
5000 MetersTabor StevensAdams State
JavelinFranz BurghagenAlaska Anchorage
JavelinCody ParkerAlaska Anchorage
5000 MetersMichael  BiwottAmerican International
10,000 MetersMichael  BiwottAmerican International
5000 MetersGlarius RopAmerican International
10,000 MetersGlarius RopAmerican International
4×400 RelayIsidro GarciaAngelo State
4×400 RelayDallas GrayAngelo State
4×400 RelayLuis PerezAngelo State
Triple JumpAustin SloneAngelo State
4×400 RelayRobbie ThayerAngelo State
HammerZac BallAshland
1500 MetersBrian BaumAshland
200 MetersKeith ClevelandAshland
4×400 RelayKeith ClevelandAshland
400 Meter HurdlesWaquiem ComarAshland
4×400 RelayJacob CookAshland
4×100 RelayDeAndre DavisAshland
HammerGarrett GreyAshland
4×100 RelayJordan HoppelAshland
100 MetersJoe HornAshland
200 MetersJoe HornAshland
4×100 RelayJoe HornAshland
4×400 RelayJoe HornAshland
4×400 RelayCory LamarAshland
800 MetersTom ScottAshland
DiscusKyle SteinhauserAshland
4×100 RelayEric ThompkinsAshland
800 MetersDrew WindleAshland
SteeplechaseTravis BeniakAugustana (S.D.)
DecathlonHenrik HolmbergAugustana (S.D.)
Shot PutAaron JungAugustana (S.D.)
1500 MetersRobert SandlinBellarmine
DecathlonScott HubbardCal State LA
800 MetersTerrance EllisCal State Stanislaus
HammerThomas  GesserCal State Stanislaus
Pole VaultCaleb MonticalvoCal State Stanislaus
Shot PutJosh UikilifiCal State Stanislaus
1500 MetersDawson VorderbrueggeCal State Stanislaus
5000 MetersAaron DinzeoCalifornia (Pa.)
800 MetersKellin LochCentral Missouri
JavelinChris SwearinginCentral Missouri
DecathlonBrent VogelCentral Missouri
Shot PutCody HuntChadron State
110 Meter HurdlesKarl McFarlaneChadron State
10,000 MetersIsaac ChavezChico State
DecathlonJ Patrick SmithChico State
800 MetersAyrton AzcueClayton State
SteeplechaseTyler CurtisColorado Mines
1500 MetersRussell DrummondColorado Mines
10,000 MetersPhil SchneiderColorado Mines
JavelinJosh HontzEast Stroudsburg
JavelinMatt TholisEast Stroudsburg
High JumpMarcus CallejaEmporia State
110 Meter HurdlesAndrew EtheridgeEmporia State
4×100 RelayAndrew EtheridgeEmporia State
4×100 RelayDerwin HallEmporia State
4×100 RelayVincent HowzeEmporia State
DecathlonPayson MaydewEmporia State
High JumpBriar PloudeEmporia State
4×100 RelayShjuan RichardsonEmporia State
Shot PutDarren BassFindlay
4×400 RelayJohn GuagentiFindlay
Shot PutTaylor MillerFindlay
400 Meter HurdlesTimothy SandersFindlay
4×400 RelayTimothy SandersFindlay
4×400 RelayMichael TravisFindlay
Shot PutDerrick VicarsFindlay
DiscusDerrick VicarsFindlay
HammerDerrick VicarsFindlay
4×400 RelayDillon WebsterFindlay
Long JumpRamon CooperGrand Canyon
Pole VaultEric FrawleyGrand Canyon
Pole VaultVince FrawleyGrand Canyon
100 MetersDario HorvatGrand Canyon
4×100 RelayDario HorvatGrand Canyon
4×100 RelayCarl HoustonGrand Canyon
Triple JumpKevin  LashleyGrand Canyon
4×100 RelayLance ParkerGrand Canyon
100 MetersFred TaylorGrand Canyon
200 MetersFred TaylorGrand Canyon
4×100 RelayFred TaylorGrand Canyon
High JumpTrent ChappellGrand Valley State
HammerDarien ThorntonGrand Valley State
4×100 RelayJoshuah BassIndianapolis
4×100 RelayJerel FlournoyIndianapolis
4×100 RelayRobert Gardner IIIIndianapolis
4×100 RelayQuinntyn QuallsIndianapolis
400 MetersRolando BerchJohnson C. Smith
110 Meter HurdlesAndre CollinsJohnson C. Smith
High JumpEdward DudleyLake Erie
Triple JumpJoseph PostwaiteLake Erie
400 Meter HurdlesEthan SnyderLake Erie
DecathlonJustin BalczakLake Superior State
High JumpJordan ManningLimestone
4×400 RelayAlonzo AllenLincoln (Mo.)
110 Meter HurdlesSabiel AndersonLincoln (Mo.)
400 Meter HurdlesSabiel AndersonLincoln (Mo.)
4×100 RelaySabiel AndersonLincoln (Mo.)
400 MetersMichael AshleyLincoln (Mo.)
4×100 RelayMichael AshleyLincoln (Mo.)
4×400 RelayMichael AshleyLincoln (Mo.)
4×400 RelayJermaine BlakeLincoln (Mo.)
4×400 RelayTyrone HawkinsLincoln (Mo.)
4×100 RelayDevin HillLincoln (Mo.)
100 MetersRomel LewisLincoln (Mo.)
4×100 RelayRomel LewisLincoln (Mo.)
110 Meter HurdlesDarius ReedMetro State
4×100 RelayAnthony GustafsonMinnesota State
200 MetersJerrell  HancockMinnesota State
4×100 RelayJerrell HancockMinnesota State
4×100 RelayCarmono LaneMinnesota State
DiscusGrant  LuerMinnesota State
4×100 RelayNicholas NelsonMinnesota State
Pole VaultDan  NovakMinnesota State
Shot PutChristopher  ReedMinnesota State
DiscusChristopher  ReedMinnesota State
HammerChristopher  ReedMinnesota State
DiscusDustin GreenMissouri Southern
SteeplechaseDylan LafondMount Olive
400 MetersDerek BredyMSU Moorhead
Long JumpDerek BredyMSU Moorhead
Long JumpDavid  ThomasNew Haven
4×100 RelayJason CrowPittsburg State
Triple JumpMarquise CushonPittsburg State
Long JumpSteven MannPittsburg State
Pole VaultJeff PiepenbrinkPittsburg State
4×100 RelayKeenan SolesPittsburg State
Long JumpKeenan SolesPittsburg State
DiscusJohn TalbertPittsburg State
4×100 RelayKyle UtseyPittsburg State
4×100 RelayGreg WrightPittsburg State
DecathlonTyler GrobSaginaw Valley State
4×100 RelayRamaan AnsleySaint Augustine’s
200 MetersJosh EdmondsSaint Augustine’s
400 MetersJosh EdmondsSaint Augustine’s
4×400 RelayJosh EdmondsSaint Augustine’s
400 MetersBurkheart Ellis Jr.Saint Augustine’s
4×100 RelayBurkheart Ellis, Jr.Saint Augustine’s
4×400 RelayBurkheart Ellis, Jr.Saint Augustine’s
400 MetersDane HyattSaint Augustine’s
4×400 RelayDane HyattSaint Augustine’s
100 MetersDaniel JameisonSaint Augustine’s
100 MetersTaffawee JohnsonSaint Augustine’s
200 MetersTaffawee JohnsonSaint Augustine’s
4×100 RelayTaffawee JohnsonSaint Augustine’s
100 MetersJermaine JonesSaint Augustine’s
200 MetersJermaine JonesSaint Augustine’s
4×100 RelayJermaine JonesSaint Augustine’s
800 MetersMarcelis LynchSaint Augustine’s
400 Meter HurdlesElhadji MbowSaint Augustine’s
110 Meter HurdlesTy’reak MurraySaint Augustine’s
400 MetersJames QuarlesSaint Augustine’s
4×400 RelayJames QuarlesSaint Augustine’s
High JumpEddie SheltonSaint Augustine’s
Triple JumpDeJon WilkinsonSaint Augustine’s
JavelinDerek NothsteinShippensburg
Triple JumpSteve WaitheShippensburg
Pole VaultJagger GranSioux Falls
Pole VaultCameron DaughertySlippery Rock
800 MetersKevin JewelSlippery Rock
4×400 RelayTwayne ForthSouthern Connecticut
JavelinOmar GonzalezSouthern Connecticut
HammerArthur GuerraSouthern Connecticut
4×400 RelayJimm GuerrierSouthern Connecticut
DecathlonNick LebronSouthern Connecticut
4×400 RelaySelasi LumaxSouthern Connecticut
800 MetersBrian NillSouthern Connecticut
400 Meter HurdlesLogan SharpeSouthern Connecticut
4×400 RelayLogan SharpeSouthern Connecticut
5000 MetersJohnnie GuySouthern Indiana
10,000 MetersJohnnie GuySouthern Indiana
SteeplechaseMichael JordanSouthern Indiana
1500 MetersTrenton MorrisSouthwest Baptist
400 MetersWilliam ShellSouthwest Baptist
100 MetersJeffery HendersonStillman
200 MetersJeffery HendersonStillman
Long JumpJeffery HendersonStillman
Triple JumpCJ GriggsTexas A&M-Kingsville
High JumpJeron RobinsonTexas A&M-Kingsville
Pole VaultJordan YamoahTexas A&M-Kingsville
High JumpEugene CannadayTiffin
DiscusMacklin TudorTiffin
JavelinNash HoweUC San Diego
4×400 RelayCraig BennettUMass Lowell
4×400 RelayKeith LewisUMass Lowell
4×400 RelayCasey O’BrienUMass Lowell
4×400 RelayTimothy ReganUMass Lowell
10,000 MetersJeff  VeigaUMass Lowell
5000 MetersPardon NdhlovuUNC Pembroke
4×400 RelayClive CameronVirginia State
4×400 RelayTe’Shad ChambersVirginia State
4×400 RelayPrince Owusu-MensahVirginia State
400 Meter HurdlesDaniel RossVirginia State
4×400 RelayDaniel RossVirginia State
110 Meter HurdlesCameron LacourWest Texas A&M
SteeplechaseTrevor BlackmanWestern State
1500 MetersVegard OlstadWestern State
5000 MetersGabe ProctorWestern State
10,000 MetersGabe ProctorWestern State
SteeplechaseAdam SindaWestern State
SteeplechaseStewart JonesWheeling Jesuit


 USTFCCCA ALL-AMERICA HONOREES - WOMEN

EventNameSchool
JavelinAmeilia MitchellAbilene Christian
Triple JumpAmanda OuedraogoAbilene Christian
1500 MetersChloe SussetAbilene Christian
100 Meter HurdlesDinesha  BeanAcademy of Art
4×100 RelayDinesha BeanAcademy of Art
4×400 RelayDominique BerryAcademy of Art
4×400 RelayKeanna MoodyAcademy of Art
100 Meter HurdlesJesseka RaymondAcademy of Art
4×100 RelayJesseka RaymondAcademy of Art
HeptathlonJesseka RaymondAcademy of Art
400 Meter HurdlesBriana StewartAcademy of Art
4×100 RelayBriana StewartAcademy of Art
4×400 RelayBriana StewartAcademy of Art
200 MetersVashti ThomasAcademy of Art
100 Meter HurdlesVashti ThomasAcademy of Art
4×100 RelayVashti ThomasAcademy of Art
4×400 RelayVashti ThomasAcademy of Art
Long JumpVashti ThomasAcademy of Art
Triple JumpVashti ThomasAcademy of Art
Shot PutKatie KrugerAdams State
SteeplechaseKelly LambAdams State
5000 MetersLauren MartinAdams State
SteeplechaseAlicia NelsonAdams State
5000 MetersAlicia NelsonAdams State
200 MetersKayon RobinsonAdams State
400 MetersKayon RobinsonAdams State
HeptathlonKarolin AndersAlaska Anchorage
5000 MetersRuth KeinoAlaska Anchorage
10,000 MetersRuth KeinoAlaska Anchorage
SteeplechaseSusan TanuiAlaska Anchorage
5000 MetersSusan TanuiAlaska Anchorage
Triple JumpKearah DanvilleAngelo State
800 MetersJaylen RodgersAngelo State
Long JumpTheresa SueAngelo State
Shot PutKimberly WilliamsAngelo State
JavelinKimberly WilliamsAngelo State
HeptathlonKendra BassittAshland
Shot PutJessica BridenthalAshland
High JumpJennifer FosterAshland
Pole VaultKatie NageotteAshland
Shot PutJamie SindelarAshland
HammerCynthia WattAshland
10,000 MetersRuna FalchAugustana (S.D.)
1500 MetersAngela MuskBellarmine
1500 MetersAmy VarsellBentley
SteeplechaseVictoria DavisBloomsburg
5000 MetersVictoria DavisBloomsburg
High JumpJill SchmidtCal Poly Pomona
HeptathlonJill SchmidtCal Poly Pomona
DiscusSamantha GutierrezCal State LA
1500 MetersLisa OhbergCal State LA
JavelinChanning WilsonCal State Stanislaus
HeptathlonZoe SharplinCentral Missouri
DiscusBrooke SwearinginCentral Missouri
HeptathlonRobin HannahChico State
SteeplechaseAmy  SchnittgerChico State
High JumpShannon SmithClayton State
10,000 MetersSarah KrolickEdinboro
4×400 RelayJackie JacobsEmporia State
Long JumpCarmen KingEmporia State
4×400 RelayLindsay KunkelEmporia State
4×400 RelayMarqueita MarisetteEmporia State
4×400 RelayPeyton WeissEmporia State
HammerJessica PillingFerris State
HammerJessica RowlandFindlay
JavelinMakayla McPhailFort Hays State
Shot PutTiffany OkiemeGeorgian Court
100 MetersSamantha BogatzGrand Canyon
200 MetersSamantha BogatzGrand Canyon
4×100 RelaySamantha BogatzGrand Canyon
4×400 RelayJennifer DowtyGrand Canyon
400 MetersPetra FantyGrand Canyon
4×100 RelayPetra FantyGrand Canyon
4×400 RelayPetra FantyGrand Canyon
Pole VaultLauren  GrahamGrand Canyon
100 MetersShavine HodgesGrand Canyon
200 MetersShavine HodgesGrand Canyon
4×100 RelayShavine HodgesGrand Canyon
4×400 RelayShavine HodgesGrand Canyon
4×100 RelayBrianne KeeGrand Canyon
DiscusVanessa LevyGrand Canyon
400 MetersMoya MckenzieGrand Canyon
4×400 RelayMoya MckenzieGrand Canyon
Triple JumpAmber YinglingGrand Canyon
4×100 RelayKayla AddisonGrand Valley State
4×100 RelayBrittney BanisterGrand Valley State
4×400 RelayBrittney BanisterGrand Valley State
10,000 MetersCourtney BrewisGrand Valley State
100 Meter HurdlesKalena FranklinGrand Valley State
4×400 RelayKalena FranklinGrand Valley State
Pole VaultKristen HixsonGrand Valley State
4×400 RelayAndrea KoberGrand Valley State
4×100 RelayMichaela LewisGrand Valley State
Shot PutSam LockhartGrand Valley State
DiscusSam LockhartGrand Valley State
HammerSam LockhartGrand Valley State
SteeplechaseHannah OsbornGrand Valley State
HammerLaura SchroederGrand Valley State
4×100 RelayCarly ScottGrand Valley State
4×400 RelayBrittany TerryGrand Valley State
HammerAlyssa ZokoeGrand Valley State
1500 MetersEwa ZaborowskaHarding
Pole VaultKayla CaldwellHillsdale
4×100 RelayNaffene BriscoeJohnson C. Smith
100 Meter HurdlesSamantha ElliottJohnson C. Smith
400 Meter HurdlesSamantha ElliottJohnson C. Smith
4×100 RelaySamantha ElliottJohnson C. Smith
4×100 RelayTrudy-Ann RichardsJohnson C. Smith
100 MetersDanielle WilliamsJohnson C. Smith
200 MetersDanielle WilliamsJohnson C. Smith
100 Meter HurdlesDanielle WilliamsJohnson C. Smith
4×100 RelayDanielle WilliamsJohnson C. Smith
100 Meter HurdlesLeslie MitchellLake Superior State
High JumpSheri Kaye CampbellLincoln (Mo.)
Triple JumpSheri Kaye CampbellLincoln (Mo.)
100 MetersCardine CopelandLincoln (Mo.)
4×100 RelayCardine CopelandLincoln (Mo.)
400 Meter HurdlesMichelle CumberbatchLincoln (Mo.)
4×400 RelayMichelle CumberbatchLincoln (Mo.)
100 MetersYanique EllingtonLincoln (Mo.)
4×100 RelayYanique EllingtonLincoln (Mo.)
400 Meter HurdlesYanique HayeLincoln (Mo.)
4×400 RelayYanique HayeLincoln (Mo.)
4×100 RelayAnna-Kay JamesLincoln (Mo.)
4×100 RelayJenea JohnsonLincoln (Mo.)
400 MetersLovan PalmerLincoln (Mo.)
800 MetersLovan PalmerLincoln (Mo.)
4×400 RelayLovan PalmerLincoln (Mo.)
1500 MetersTwishana WilliamsLincoln (Mo.)
4×400 RelayTwishana WilliamsLincoln (Mo.)
200 MetersQuanera HayesLivingstone
400 MetersQuanera HayesLivingstone
5000 MetersBrenae EdwardsMansfield
10,000 MetersBrenae EdwardsMansfield
5000 MetersJessica ScordinoMansfield
10,000 MetersJessica ScordinoMansfield
1500 MetersBreanna HemmingMetro State
5000 MetersJanelle LincksMetro State
High JumpWhitney  HardyMissouri Southern
Long JumpKaylee MorganMissouri Southern
Long JumpBrittani ReaganMissouri Southern
Triple JumpBrittani ReaganMissouri Southern
800 MetersMarissa BongersNeb.-Kearney
4×100 RelayBriana ConyersNew Haven
4×100 RelayMarshae HoltNew Haven
4×100 RelayAlissa HowellNew Haven
100 MetersAda UdayaNew Haven
200 MetersAda UdayaNew Haven
4×100 RelayAda UdayaNew Haven
DiscusYvonne FreeseNorthern State
400 Meter HurdlesEmily BallockPittsburg State
JavelinAmber KlosterPittsburg State
Shot PutLarissa RichardsPittsburg State
DiscusLarissa RichardsPittsburg State
800 MetersKimone HewittQueens (N.C.)
Long JumpNikia SquireQueens (N.C.)
4×400 RelayJaivairia BacoteSaint Augustine’s
400 MetersNicketa BernardSaint Augustine’s
4×400 RelayNicketa BernardSaint Augustine’s
400 MetersCherrisse LynchSaint Augustine’s
4×400 RelayCherrisse LynchSaint Augustine’s
400 MetersKelly ShawSaint Augustine’s
4×400 RelayKelly ShawSaint Augustine’s
4×400 RelayMcKayla FrickerSeattle Pacific
HeptathlonKaty GrossSeattle Pacific
4×400 RelayJasmine JohnsonSeattle Pacific
4×400 RelayKishia MitchellSeattle Pacific
4×400 RelayEmily QuatierSeattle Pacific
HeptathlonAli WorthenSeattle Pacific
JavelinMallory SannerSeton Hill
High JumpTiana WillsSF State
10,000 MetersKatrina SpratfordShippensburg
400 Meter HurdlesCaitlin StuetzShippensburg
800 MetersLindsey  ButterworthSimon Fraser
800 MetersHelen CroftsSimon Fraser
800 MetersSarah SawatzkySimon Fraser
Pole VaultKayla CoffeeSioux Falls
Pole VaultBrigitte GrossSioux Falls
Pole VaultKristin MajerusSioux Falls
JavelinAlexandra ArnoldSlippery Rock
Pole VaultJulia CainSlippery Rock
Long JumpEuphemia EdemStillman
Triple JumpEuphemia EdemStillman
High JumpNikki McNortonTarleton State
High JumpAmanda HavenTexas A&M-Kingsville
Triple JumpShauna Kay CrearyUDC
SteeplechaseJennifer AgnewU-Mary
1500 MetersMelissa AgnewU-Mary
200 MetersKathryn StewartU-Mary
4×400 RelayShannon CunninghamUMass Lowell
Shot PutCandace GreeneUMass Lowell
400 Meter HurdlesElisabeth MontyUMass Lowell
4×400 RelayElisabeth MontyUMass Lowell
4×400 RelayTaelour MurphyUMass Lowell
400 Meter HurdlesAntoinette ToussaintUMass Lowell
4×400 RelayAntoinette ToussaintUMass Lowell
800 MetersTaylor-Ashley BeanVirginia State
100 MetersCam’ree JacksonVirginia Union
4×100 RelayCam’ree JacksonVirginia Union
100 MetersC’evon JonesVirginia Union
4×100 RelayC’Evon JonesVirginia Union
4×100 RelayG’Ana RobinsonVirginia Union
4×100 RelayS’Kaylah WoodsVirginia Union
HammerCarly FehringerWayne State (Neb.)
HammerLachel MilanderWayne State (Neb.)
DiscusSara  WellsWayne State (Neb.)
4×100 RelayMarisa HoliwellWest Texas A&M
4×100 RelayBri LeeperWest Texas A&M
SteeplechaseBrenda SindetWest Texas A&M
4×100 RelaySarah SniderWest Texas A&M
4×100 RelayLibby StricklandWest Texas A&M
JavelinAmanda SchumakerWestern Oregon
10,000 MetersTara RichardsonWestern State
High JumpBarbara SzaboWestern State
DiscusAlissa RauschWinona State


Courtesy: Kyle Terwillegar, USTFCCCA

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

JCSU WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD FINISHES SECOND AT 2013 NCAA DII OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

PUEBLO, Colorado – The Johnson C. Smith University women's outdoor track and field team recorded a total of 54 points to place second overall at the 2013 NCAA Division Outdoor Championships held at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl on the campus of Colorado State University at Pueblo (May 23-25). The second place finish is the best in school history and surpasses a fourth place finish at the 2011 championships.

Junior and USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year Danielle Williams (St. Andrew, Jamaica) put on a monumental performance over the championship weekend. She won two individual national titles, set three JCSU records, and set a new NCAA record. In the 100m hurdles, Williams finished second to Vashti Thomas from the Academy of Art (12.70) with a time of 12.89. Williams' time of 12.89 set a new school record for the event and earned her All-American honors.

In the 100m dash, Williams won the event by crossing the finish line in 11.24 seconds. She set another JCSU record and collected All-American status with her performance. Williams returned for the 200m dash to win the national crown with the fastest time (22.62) ever for NCAA Division II. Those three performances alone earned JCSU 28 team points.

Sophomore Samantha Elliott (Kingston, Jamaica) won the national title in the 400m hurdles with a time of 56.38. Elliott established a new NCAA DII and JCSU record for the event by beating out former record holder Michelle Cumberbatch from Lincoln University (MO). Cumberbatch held the record for the facility (57.25) since 2012 and the NCAA Championship record (56.85) since 2010.

Elliott also placed third behind Williams in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.31. She earned All-American honors for both the 400m hurdles and 100m hurdles. Elliott holds the national and Penn Relay titles for the 400m hurdles.

The women's 400 meter relay team of senior Naffene Briscoe (St. Catherine, Jamaica), Williams, freshman Trudy-Ann Richards (St. Thomas, Jamaica), and Elliott won the fourth national title for JCSU with a victory in a time of 44.05. All four members claimed All-American honors and set a new NCAA DII record. The previous record of 44.17 stood since 1995.

Sophomore Monique Lovelock (St. Catherine, Jamaica) competed in the 400m hurdles, but did not qualify for the finals in the event.

The Golden Bulls were edged by just six points to champions from the Academy of Art University.

“It was an excellent meet; rarely will you see a team break three national records and six school records all at the same meet,” said JCSU head coach and USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year Lennox Graham. “We had the altitude to content with, but our student-athletes listened and remained hydrated, and it showed in the results.”

Williams and Elliott will continue their seasons for the Jamaican Trials and possibly the World Championship Games.

Results


COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU baseball team signs 10 players

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Coach Kevin Ritsche of the Winston-Salem State baseball team said that recruiting has become a little easier after winning three straight CIAA championships.

Ritsche, whose Rams are coming off the most successful season in school history, announced a class of 10 signees for this season. Many of the newcomers are former local high-school players.

“I think all of them can compete for starting spots,” said Ritsche, whose team was 39-13 this past season and played host to the Atlantic Region at Wake Forest. “Both Rob (Woodall) and my brother, Keith, did a nice job in recruiting and looking for players who can help us.”

Woodall and Keith Ritchie are both assistant coaches for the Rams.

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Ram Ramblings: Hayes already looking ahead to this fall

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Bill Hayes, the athletics director at Winston-Salem State, has done a lot for the school since he took over Jan. 1, 2010 and he’ll be rewarded later this week with a contract extension.      

Hayes, who will turn 70 on June 1, said earlier this month he’s full of energy and shows no signs of slowing down.

Hayes, who makes around $145,000, is sure to get a raise when WSSU’s board of trustees vote in a meeting later this week. But for Hayes, it’s not about the money at this stage of his career.

Hayes current contract, which expires on June 30, was a three-year deal. The next contract will also be for three years but whether he finishes out the new contract will most likely be up to him.

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Monday, May 27, 2013

Jackson State relishes shot in NCAA tournament

Interactive Bracket  Print Bracket
JACKSON, Mississippi — Jackson State has waited years for another chance to prove it can compete with the nation's best baseball teams in the NCAA tournament.
 
The Tigers will get it in their first trip to the postseason since 2000. No. 4 national seed LSU (52-9) — and its home crowd of 10,000-plus fans at Alex Box Stadium — will be waiting when Jackson State (34-20) takes the field at the double-elimination Baton Rouge regional on Friday.
 
But after years of frustration just trying to make the NCAA tournament, the opportunity to knock off one of college baseball's most storied programs is something catcher Jose Cruz relishes.
 
"At the end of the day, it's baseball," Cruz said. "LSU has to come and play us, too. We're going to play hard enough that we can give them some competition. It's going to be pretty tough. They're one of the best teams in the country. They have a big advantage because they have all those fans. But to be the best you've got to beat the best."
 

SSU draws Florida State in Division I baseball regional

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SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Savannah State’s baseball players gathered at Coach’s Corner on Monday afternoon and cheered after hearing their university announced on the NCAA Division I selection show.

Not that it was a surprise to be among the top 64 teams in the nation — the Tigers earned an automatic entrance to a regional by winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament on May 19.

But the announcement on ESPNU was an affirmation that SSU was indeed getting a chance to show it belonged being mentioned with the top collegiate baseball teams in the nation. The Tigers will be opening the double-elimination Tallahassee Regional on Friday at 5 p.m. with No. 7 Florida State.

The game will be shown live on ESPN3.

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NC man captures sports at historic black college

SALISBURY, N.C. — Back in the early 1960s, John Daniels played three years of varsity tennis at Livingstone College.

He practiced hard every summer, and by the end of his career, Daniels improved from the sixth-best man on the squad to the third.

But if you go through the sports archives at Livingstone, yearbooks or even Daniels' personal files, you won't find any photographs of him playing tennis at the college.

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Art Shell golf classic draws UMES and NFL greats

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — Some NFL greats and University of Maryland Eastern Shore alumni will return to their roots on the Eastern Shore to help raise money for UMES’s Professional Golf Management Program and Division of Athletics by participating in the annual Art Shell UMES Celebrity Golf Classic and Junior Tournament June 11-12.

The event, which will occur at Great Hope Golf Course in Westover, Md., is hosted by NFL, UMES and CIAA Hall of Famer Art Shell.

Following the Junior Tournament, for golfers age 11 to 18 on June 11, Shell and other former NFL players, such as the UMES Golf Academy director and men’s golf head coach Marshall Cropper, will partner with foursomes to play in the 18-hole tournament June 12. They will attend an awards dinner in the Henson Center on campus that evening.

Cropper, the tournament’s director and a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins, said the funds from the event go to building the PGA program and golf academy, as well as funding scholarships.

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Sunday, May 26, 2013

DONALD HEATH: McGowin gives Savannah State a winning edge

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Tired of eastern Long Island’s cold, damp springs, Kyle McGowin finished his high school baseball career at Pierson and immediately made pitches to several Division I colleges in the South, bartering his heater in exchange to play in a warmer climate.

Savannah State baseball coach Carlton Hardy took notice, leaving other coaches in the region probably shaking their heads after fanning on a pitcher who is now among 22 finalists for college baseball’s pitcher of the year.

“You get stiff in the cold between innings. My arm has always felt better in the heat,” said McGowin, a right-hander from Sag Harbor, N.Y. “I wanted to go south and play Division I. Thankfully, coach Hardy responded quickly.”

The junior has been happy with his decision, earning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s pitcher of the year honor this season after posting a 12-1 record with 128 strikeouts and an earned run average of 1.33.

McGowin is second in the ...

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Saint Augustine's University Wins NCAA Division II National Men's Track & Field Title

COACH GEORGE WILLIAMS
SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY
PUEBLO, Colorado  – Powered by its sprinters and hurdlers, Saint Augustine's University completed its season as the best men's track & field team in Division II.

The Falcons 99 points on the final day to run away with the men's team crown at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl on the campus of Colorado State University at Pueblo on Saturday, May 25, 2013. St. Aug has won 33 men's and women's indoor and outdoor titles combined and 11 men's outdoor titles under legendary head coach George Williams.

The Falcons scored 105 points which is the third-most points by a winning men's team since 2007. Ashland was second with 57 points and Adams State was third with 44 points.

The outdoor title comes on the heels of the indoor crown won by the Falcons in March 2013. It is the first time a team has swept both championships since 2005. The last time the Falcons were indoor and outdoor champions was 2001.

"The kids did a good job," Williams said. "They started the indoor season with a vision. They worked hard. I am proud of them."

Among the women, the Lady Falcons tied for 14th with 18 points. Academy of Art is the women's winner with 60 points and Johnson C. Smith placed second with 54 points. Lincoln (Mo.) and Grand Valley State tied for third with 51 points.

The Falcons won four men's events and scored significant points in several others to win easily. The winners were the 4x100 relay team, the 4x400 relay team, Dane Hyatt (Jr./Goodwill, Jamaica) in the 400 dash and Jermaine Jones (So./Wilmington, N.C.) in the 200 dash. On the women's side, the Lady Falcons claimed the 4x400 relay.

"This is a typical St. Aug group," Williams said. "We excelled in sprints, hurdles, relays and jumps."

The men's 4x100 relay team set the tone with a sizzling performance in its event. The foursome of Ramaan Ansley (Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.), Taffawee Johnson (Jr./St. Ann, Jamaica), Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Fr./Raleigh, N.C.) and Jones ran 38.91 seconds to break the Division II national record which they set two days ago in preliminaries. On Thursday, the Falcons ran 39.01 in the preliminaries to break the previous mark held by Abilene Christian for 29 years. Abilene Christian ran 39.20 in 1984.

The Falcons are the first Division II team in history to run the 4x100 relay under 39 seconds. It is the seventh fastest time in the United States in 2013. Grand Canyon was second in 39.58 and Lincoln (Mo.) was third in 39.95.

Ansley is excited to be part of a record-setting relay team and national championship squad.

"As a senior, I definitely wanted to be part of something big," Ansley said. "Now we [4x400 team] are a part of history - national record and national championship."

Despite the thrilling 4x100 win and a fifth-place finish by Ty'reak Murray (Jr./Portsmouth, Va.) in the men's 110 hurdles, the Falcons didn't take the lead until the 400 dash when the Falcons took four of the top six spots with Hyatt leading the way. Hyatt won in 45.41 while Ellis, Jr. was third, James Quarles (Jr./Washington, D.C.) was fifth and Josh Edmonds (Jr./Jacksonville, Fla.) was sixth. The Falcons scored 23 points in the 400 to move into first place with a 44-30 lead over Adams State.

The Falcons widen their lead in the 100 dash. Johnson was second and Jones was third while Daniel Jameison (Fr./Windsor, Conn.) was eighth. The Falcons scored 15 more points for a 58-34 lead over Grand Canyon.

The Falcons never looked back from that point. Marcelis Lynch (Sr./Stone Mountain, Ga.) finished sixth in the 800 and Elhadji Mbow (Jr./Dakar, Senegal) was second in the 400 hurdles. DeJon Wilkinson (Jr./Summerville, S.C.) was fourth in the triple jump.

The Falcons sealed the title in the 200. Jones was first with a time of 20.57 and teammates Johnson and Edmonds were third and fourth, respectively. The 4x400 squad of Edmonds, Quarles, Ellis, Jr. and Hyatt capped the meet by winning the last event in 3:04.89.

Among the women, the quartet of Kelly Shaw (Sr./Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Cherrisse Lynch (So./Bridgetown, Barbados), Jaivairia Bacote (Jr./Patterson, N.J.) crossed the finish line first in the 4x400 in 3:35.89. In the 800, Shaw was fourth, Lynch was seventh and Bernard was eighth

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Final Results     Video: Highlights

DII MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Final Day:  Recap Highlights
Day 2:  Highlights
Day 1:  Highlights
Complete Results
Accepted Qualifiers: Men’s Entries
Championship: Program | Information

COURTESY NCAA.COM

Lincoln University of Missouri Blue Tigers Take Third at NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships

PUEBLO, Colorado  --  The Lincoln women's outdoor track & field team posted four top-three finishes on Saturday (May 25) to finish tied for third place at the NCAA Division II National Championship meet.

Michelle Cumberbatch and Yanique Haye highlighted the day for Lincoln, taking second and third, respectively, in the 400-meter hurdles. Cumberbatch clocked in a 57.59, edging Haye, who finished in 57.61, for second place. The duo also helped Lincoln to a second place result in the 4x400-meter relay, teaming with Twishana Williams and Lovan Palmer to come in at 3:37.16.

Palmer earned All-American honors in two other events, taking fifth in both the 400m (53.32) and 800m (2:10.49). The Blue Tigers also took fifth in the 4x100-meter relay, with Yanique Ellington and Cardine Copeland teaming with Anna-Kay James and Janae Johnson to finish in 45.11. Ellington and Copeland also represented LU in the 100m, with Ellington taking sixth (11.76) and Copeland placing seventh (11.86).

Lincoln's other top-three finish of the day came in the high jump, where Sheri Kaye Campbell took third with a mark of 1.81m. Campbell had previously scored points for LU with a sixth-place result in the triple jump (12.55m) on Friday (May 24). Twishana Williams added the final points of the meet for Lincoln in the 1,500m, finishing sixth with a time of 4:35.30.

The Blue Tigers scored 51 team points to tie for third place at the national championships with Grand Valley State. The Academy of Art, which had previously won the 2013 NCAA Division II Indoor title, scored 60 points to win the outdoor championship while Johnson C. Smith finished second with 54 points.

By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI MEDIA RELATIONS

Lincoln women finish third in NCAA Division II track and field championships

PUEBLO, Colo. — There was no Lucky 7 for the Lincoln women’s track team.

Looking for their seventh title at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Blue Tigers came up just a bit short Saturday night.

Academy of Art, a San Francisco-based school, captured the national title with 60 points, beating second-place Johnson C. Smith by six points. Lincoln and Grand Valley State tied for third with 51 points.

The Blue Tigers, who claimed titles in 2003-07 and 2009, did manage to keep their streak of top-three finishes intact. Lincoln has now finished in the top three for 11 straight years.

In their first event of the day, the Blue Tigers’ 4x100-meter relay team of Anna-Kay James, Cardine Copeland, Yanique Ellington and Jenea Johnson came in fifth (45.11).

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Saturday, May 25, 2013

XU Nuggets' season ends with no advances at NAIA meet

MARION, Indiana --  Xavier University of Louisiana's SiMon Franklin and Devinn Rolland did not qualify Friday in preliminary heats of the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.

Franklin ran 400 meters in 59.57 seconds to rank 14th. She missed advancing to Saturday's final by nearly 2.5 seconds. Rolland ran 100 meters in 12.16 to tie for 11th in the 100 preliminaries. The slowest qualifying time to reach the final was 11.97.

Indiana Tech recorded the fastest qualifying times in both events -- sophomore Kirsten Flake in the 400 (54.75) and senior Adella King in the 100 (11.47).

Although the meet will conclude Saturday, the Gold Nuggets' season ended Friday. It was the final collegiate competition for Franklin, a senior who also was a 1,000-point career scorer in basketball and received her bachelor's degree from Xavier on May 11. Rolland, an All-America long jumper in 2012 and a two-time Gulf Coast Athletic Conference champion in the 100, 200 and long jump, will have two more seasons of eligibility.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

St. Aug. Runs 38.91 To Break Own D-II National Men's 4x100 Relay Record

PUEBLO, Colorado  –  Saint Augustine's University ran 38.91 seconds to break the Division II men's 4x100 relay record set by the Falcons two days ago at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Neta and Eddie DeRose Thunderbowl on the Colorado State University of Pueblo campus on Saturday, May 25, 2013.

The Falcons ran the first ever relay under 39 seconds by a Division II team in winning the men's 4x100 national title on Saturday. The team consists of Ramaan Ansley (Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.), Taffawee Johnson (Jr./St. Ann, Jamaica), Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Fr./Raleigh, N.C.) and Jermaine Jones (So./Wilmington, N.C.). It is the seventh fastest time in the United States in 2013. Grand Canyon was second in 39.58 and Lincoln (Mo.) was third in 39.95.

On Thursday, the Falcons ran 39.01 in the preliminaries to break the previous mark held by Abilene Christian for 29 years. Abilene Christian ran 39.20 in 1984.


COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

VSU student faces 63 years for robbery and killing of Petersburg drug dealer

Ryan Christopher Simms
ETTRICK, Virginia  -- A Virginia State University student could spend 63 years behind bars for conspiring with a fellow student to rip off a Petersburg drug dealer and fatally shooting him several yards from campus in a crime that stunned the VSU community and the village of Ettrick.

After a four-day trial that featured testimony from several former VSU students who were unwittingly caught up in the April 17, 2012, shooting, a Chesterfield County jury deliberated 4½ hours Friday before finding Ryan Christopher Simms, 20, guilty of second-degree murder — reduced from first-degree — in the slaying of Tyrail Hughes, 20. 

    
The jury also convicted Simms, who is from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and was a freshman last year at VSU, of conspiring with fellow student Khaliq Oliver, a co-defendant, to rob Hughes of an ounce of high-grade marijuana valued at $425.

Jurors considered a total of 10 felony crimes against Simms and found him guilty of eight, including grand larceny for the theft of the drugs; malicious wounding for inadvertently shooting VSU freshman William Penn in the foot; attempted murder for shooting at Hughes’ friend Damon Wright; and three related felony firearm counts.

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