Xavier Gold Rush earn first-ever victory against Nicholls

Results

THIBODAUX, Louisiana — Was it a Valentine's Day breakthrough for Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis?
 
 Maybe, coach Alan Green said after his Gold Rush, a longtime NAIA power, won 6-1 Sunday at Nicholls State of NCAA Division I. "It's still early," Green said, "but I feel like we've got a pretty good team. We can do some really good things. But we still have a long way to go."
    
For the Gold Rush (3-2), ranked fourth, it was the first victory in nine dual matches against the Colonels (1-2). There had been three close calls in recent seasons, including 4-3 a year ago, but this time Xavier left no doubt. The Rush won the doubles point and four singles matches on the court.
    
It was the 30th victory in Green's 13 seasons against a Division I men's opponent but the third against a non-HBCU from that level.
    
Nicholls State made Xavier's path easier because the Colonels had five available players. That resulted in default victories for the Rush at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles, and Xavier needed just one on-court victory to claim the doubles point. The Rush got that when Karan Salwan and Kyle Montrel beat Max Sinn and Evan Karatzas 6-3.
    
Xavier maintained its momentum during singles. Salwan defeated Kieran Cronin 6-4, 6-3, then freshman Thomas Setodji, in his first day of collegiate competition, clinched the dual with a 6-2, 6-2 decision against Sam Meessen. Adam Albrecht extended Xavier's lead to 5-0 when he toppled Oscar Reeve 6-2, 6-3.
    
Karatzas beat Montrel 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3) at the top singles flight, but the Gold Rush ended the dual with another victory — Tushar Mandlekar defeated Sinn 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-6).
    
"Nicholls played us tough," Green said. "They didn't play like they were down a guy. But our guys withstood their challenge and took care of business."
    
Setodji, winner of three state singles championships as a French junior, found his groove after he and Kevin Chaouat dropped their first four doubles games. They won four of the next five games before falling 6-4 to Reeve and Cronin, then Setodji cruised in singles, dropping fewer games than any of his teammates.
    
"I was tense in doubles," Setodji said. "The conditions were difficult, and those guys (Nicholls) played well. But things got better in singles. Everything in singles was great from start to finish."
    
Next for Xavier's men and women will be the Green and Gray Invitational at Lawrenceville, Ga. They'll play SCAD Savannah Friday, Georgia Gwinnett Saturday and Cumberland Sunday. All six of those opponents were in the NAIA's preseason top 25s. New rankings will be announced Tuesday. Georgia Gwinnett's men are a two-time defending national champion.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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FAMU Rattler Linksters 2nd At Frito Lay AllState Invite



(L) Assistant Golf Coach Mike Rice and Head Golf Coach Marvin Green (R)

JACKSON, Mississippi -- The FAMU Men’s Golf team staged a strong showing in Sunday’s opening round of the Frito Lay AllState Intercollegiate Invitational hosted by Jackson State University.

FAMU shot an opening round 311 to trail the University of Missouri at St. Louis, which finished Sunday’s play with a one-over par 289.

Leading the way for FAMU on the Individual Leaderboard is the duo of Kevin Parker and Dennis Minefee, who finished the opening round tied for eighth at 77, followed by Brian Bowman (10th) with a 78, and Omari Whitmore (13th) with a 79.

Second round play begins Monday morning at the Dancing Rabbit Azaleas Course.

FRITO LAY ALLSTATE INTERCOLLEGIATE GOLF

Team Scores * Opening Round * Sunday, February 14, 2016

1 Missouri - St. Louis 289 +1

2 Florida A&M 311 +23

3 LeTourneau University 320 +32

4 Jackson State 324 +36

5 Louisiana College 334 +46

6 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 349 +61

7 Alcorn State 350 +62

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern baseball team ineligible for NCAA tournament, awaits additional penalties

HEAD COACH ROGER CADOR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern baseball team is ineligible for the NCAA tournament under the first of multiple sanctions against the program.

Jaguars coach Roger Cador revealed the sanction even though the school is still awaiting written notification of the penalties from the NCAA.

It’s the third consecutive season Southern is ineligible for the NCAA tournament. The first two penalties were part of an athletic department-wide penalty, handed down because the university supplied the NCAA with unusable data on student-athletes’ Academic Progress Rates.

The latest postseason ineligibility is a result of the baseball team falling short of the NCAA minimum of a 930 APR score over a four-year period, Cador said.

“I don’t want to go into the season living a lie,” said Cador, who informed the team of the sanction after practice Saturday. “We’ll just wait for the other sanctions that certainly will be coming.”

The other sanctions are the result of the baseball program “over-rewarding scholarships,” interim athletic director Roman Banks said.

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Late Burst Pushes UDC Firebirds Past Purple Knights, 67-56

BRIDGEPORT,  Connecticut– The University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team used a late run to push past East Coast Conference foe University of Bridgeport, 67-56 on Saturday afternoon at Hubbell Gym.

 

Just a three-point UDC lead approaching the four-minute mark in the 4^th quarter, the Firebirds scored 14 of the game's final 17 points, which include a 5-of-6 showing at the free-throw line during the final 34 seconds. They would win by their largest margin of the day – 11 points.

 

The Firebirds (18-6, 13-3 ECC) were led by junior transfer guard Brandi Henton's team-high 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists off the bench.  Senior guard Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore and senior forward Iman Scott added 10 and 13 points, respectively.

 

Bridgeport (7-15, 5-9 ECC), which led 27-26 at halftime and by as many as five points early in the 3^rd quarter, was led by guard Aurelie Leblanc-Florent's game-high 18 points. Her backcourt mate, Nicole Johnson, pitched in with 10 points, as Leblanc-Florent and Johnson combined to make seven three-point field goals. Kadijah Dickson contributed game-highs of 10 rebounds and eight assists.

 

UDC made four more field goals (24-20) in the same number of attempts (63), but the Firebirds connected on just 1-of-10 from long range while the Purple Knights made 9-of-32. UDC countered by making 18-of-21 (86-percent) at the foul line to Bridgeport's 7-of-14 (50-percent). The Firebirds also had a 47-40 rebounding advantage and out-scored the Purple Knights 38-16 in the paint.

 

The Firebirds held Bridgeport to just 2-of-15 FG shooting (1-of-5 from long range) during the first quarter as they raced out to leads of 4-0 and 13-4 before settling for a 13-7 advantage at the end of the period.

 

Henton's layup nine seconds into the 2^nd quarter pushed the UDC lead to 15-7, but Bridgeport bounced back with a 12-2 burst which began and ended with three-pointers by Leblanc-Florent. The 2^nd of those three-pointers gave the Purple Knights their first lead of the day, 19-17. Later, Leblanc-Florent's third three-pointer of the quarter pushed Bridgeport in front 27-23 with under a minute left in the first half. The Firebirds closed on a 3-0 run that included a Dionna Tunstall layup at the buzzer, and they trailed by just one, 27-26 at intermission.

 

Bridgeport's Emily Ovner connected on two consecutive jump shots for the first four points of the 2^nd half, but Baldwin-Kollore answered right back with five straight points on a three-pointer and a layup to force a 31-all tie at the 7:48 mark. The Purple Knights took back a two-point lead three times, only to have the Firebirds force a tie all three times. Tiara Goode helped UDC take its first lead of the 2^nd half, 39-37, with a pair of free-throws with 2:19 remaining in the 3^rd quarter. Those free-throws began a 6-0 Firebirds surge that put UDC up 43-37, and the Firebirds would lead 43-40 heading into the 4^th quarter.

 

UDC out-scored Bridgeport 6-3 in the first two minutes of the 2^nd half courtesy of two made jump shots by junior forward Amber Bryson, and the Firebirds led 49-43. Consecutive jump shots by Leblanc-Florent made it a two-point, 49-47, and later, Johnson's three-pointer at the 4:33 mark kept it a one-possession game, 53-50. Scott then led UDC on a 9-5 run with seven points, including a three-point play at the 2:16 mark. Her layup at 1:43 capped the run and put UDC up 62-55.

 

The Firebirds went on to ice the victory with 5-of-6 at the foul line, and they won by their largest margin of the day, 67-56.

 

Next up, UDC visits Mercy College on Thursday, February 18^th at 5 p.m.

 

BOX SCORE

 

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard University Women's Swim Team Completes Historic Winning Season by Defeating Rival NC A&T

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Greensboro, NC---- The Lady Bison scored another notch in their belts when they defeated the ladies at North Carolina A & T 110-87 recently, posting  the best win record in program's history.  The 2015-16 squad defeated 11 of the 21 teams they competed against during the season.

 

This was the final meet between the two Division 1 HBCU teams, as NC A&T will be discontinuing its swimming and diving  program at the conclusion of the season.

        

Of the 13 events, the ladies from Howard placed first in five of them while dominating the distance events, placing 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd in the 1,000 and the 500 free events.       

          

In the 100 breastroke, Marina Markous (1:09:59) and Latroya Pina (1:11:17) took 1^st and 2^ndplace, respectively while KaSandra Kaplan and Benta Horton-Gee were the one-two punch in the 100 backstroke, capturing 1^st and 2^nd place.

         

It is important to note that two swimmers, Sydney Cooper and Mikella Henry, had personal best times, Cooper in the 200 free and Henry in the 500 free and the 100 breast.

         

Team captain Benta Horton-Gee secured her place in the HU history books by ranking  Number 4 in the 100 IM.

While acknowledging that it was a good meet for the Bison result wise, Howard Coach Nicholas Askew noted that the times were not the fastest.

        

"I am however overall satisfied with how we fought through some tough swims," noted Askew.  "We are beginning our taper and we are looking forward to resting more and allowing our bodies to recover from the grind of the season."

         

Next up for the Bison will be the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Conference Championships in Athens Georgia, February 17-20.

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON SPORTS INFORMATION

SAU Falcons, Lady Falcons Second After First Day of CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships

SAU Daniel Jamieson (Middle In White) Wins 60-Meter Heat

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Saint Augustine's University men and women are both second after the first day of the CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at the JDL Fast Track on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016.

The event concludes Monday, Feb. 15, with finals in the majority of the running and field events. The championship meet will now begin at 9 a.m. with the last event starting at 3:05 p.m. due to inclement weather.
Admission is free. Fans can also follow the event via live stats on jdlfasttrack.com.

Results

The Falcons' men scored 15 points on Monday after three completed events. Virginia Union is the men's leader with 36 points, but the Falcons are in good shape to win a 19^th consecutive championship. They placed 13 qualifiers in Monday's finals of their respective running events after Sunday's preliminary races. Four qualifiers – Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Sr./Raleigh, NC), Daniel Jamieson (Sr./Windsor, CT), Omar Johnson (Sr./St. Ann, Jamaica) and Khari Herbert, Jr. (Jr./Coral Springs, FL) - are in the 200-meter finals.

The Falcons stayed within striking distance Sunday with a victory in the men's distance medley. The foursome of Shaquille Dill (Fr./Pembroke, Bermuda), Ellis, Herbert and Immanuel Hutchinson (Sr./San Jacinto, CA) was the only squad to run under 11 minutes.

The Lady Falcons scored 27 points after three completed events on the strength of Shakinah Brooks' (Jr./Raleigh, NC) victory in the women's long jump. Brooks, who won her second straight CIAA indoor long jump title, led a 1-2-3 finish in the event. Shamia Lassiter (Sr./Chesapeake, VA) and Amenze Uhunmwangho (Sr./Ebo, Nigeria) were second and third, respectively, for the Lady Falcons.

Defending champion Winston-Salem State University is the women's leader with 34 points. Johnson C. Smith University is third with 20 points. The Lady Falcons are sending eight qualifiers to Monday's finals in their respective running events.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVESITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern women expecting more of a challenge from Mississippi Valley State

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The last time the Southern and Mississippi Valley State women met, the Jaguars forced 41 turnovers and rolled to a 99-36 victory.

That was four weeks ago, and Southern isn’t expecting it to be as easy when the teams meet again at 5 p.m. Monday in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

“Everybody comes in here excited to play,” Jaguars coach Sandy Pugh said. “People love to come to Baton Rouge. People love to play at F.G. Clark. It’s a great place to play. They show up with that intensity and fire.”

Southern is 9-3 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and 12-9 overall. The Lady Delta Devils are 1-11 and 3-19.

The Jaguars are in third place in the SWAC, one game behind Alabama State and 1½ games behind Texas Southern.

CONTINUE READING

DeShields Reaches 1,000 Career Points as TSU Downs EKU

RICHMOND, Kentucky – The Tennessee State men’s basketball team earned a thrilling 79-78 Ohio Valley Conference road victory at Eastern Kentucky at McBrayer Arena on Saturday afternoon for the Tigers first win at EKU since March 1, 2008. Redshirt senior Keron DeShields (Baltimore, Md.) scored 18 points and eclipsed 1,000 career points on the day.

TSU (18-7, 9-3 OVC), which trailed by 10 with just over 16 minutes left, stormed all the way back to take the lead for the last 6:30 of the game. Down by one with 1.9 seconds left, Jarelle Reischel’s jumper was off the mark for EKU (14-14, 5-8 OVC) as the Tigers picked up their third win in a row.

BOX SCORE

“I’m just proud of our guys to be able to come back from being down double digits on the road early in the second half,” second-year TSU Head Coach Dana Ford said. “They showed a lot of resilience and a lot of character. We snuck out a road win in February, which is great, and I couldn’t be happier.”



DeShields, who scored his 1,000th career point on a jumper from just inside the three-point arc with 11:52 left in the first half, also dished out a season-best seven assists. The Baltimore, Md. native scored 604 points in three seasons at Montana from 2011-14 before transferring to TSU.

Tahjere McCall (Philadelphia, Pa.) paced the offense with 22 points, while Xavier Richards (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands) added 11. For the second game in a row, Demontez Loman (South Port, N.C.) led the rebounding effort with nine.

After trailing since the opening minutes of the game, a three from Marcus Roper (Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.) with 2:43 left before half gave the Tigers a 35-34 advantage. The Colonels closed the half on a 7-2 run to take a 41-37 halftime edge.

EKU was able to grow its lead to 10 in the first four minutes of the second half before the Tigers clawed back into the game. TSU leveled the scoring at 56-56 when McCall banked in a three as the shot clock expired with 9:35 remaining. On the next possession, McCall was fouled while shooting a three and made all three free throws for a 59-56 lead.

From there, the score remained close with TSU unable to pull away from the Colonels.

McCall, who shot 11-for-13 from the line, was fouled with 20.0 seconds left, making both for a 77-74 lead. EKU’s Paul Jackson answered with two free throws on the other end with 14.4 seconds left before DeShields knocked down two at the line with 13.6 seconds remaining for a 79-76 edge.

Reischel’s tip in with 6.0 seconds left cut the lead to 79-78, and the Colonels forced a jump ball with 1.9 seconds left to gain possession. Off the inbounds play, Reischel missed a contested jumper as the buzzer sounded.

Both teams committed 18 turnovers in the game. TSU finished 47.8 percent from the field, while EKU had a 35-31 rebounding advantage.

Ja’Mill Powell scored a game-high 25 points for the Colonels.

Up next, TSU travels to Morehead, Ky. to take on Morehead State on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. CT.

GAME NOTES: Tennessee State moves to 26-33 in the all-time series versus EKU… TSU’s last win at EKU came on March 1, 2008… TSU is 7-5 in true road games this season… TSU is 3-0 when playing a team for the second time this season… Keron DeShields (Baltimore, Md.) scored his 1,000th career point at the Division I level. DeShields scored 604 points while playing at Montana from 2011-14.

TSU Head Coach Dana Ford

“They’re very talented and they’re hard to guard man-to-man. They’re bigger than us at every position and a little bit faster and athletic, so we had to go to a little contain pressure as well as a zone just to keep the game under control.”
•On adjustments made to get the win

“It’s an incredible accomplishment for a kid who had a choice to go to a lot of different places and chose to come to Tennessee State. He’s been an unbelievable player and just unbelievable for us for the last two years. We’re happy that he could eclipse such a great mark of 1,000 career points, and we’re just happy to have him.”
•On Keron DeShields reaching 1,000 career points

TSU Guard Keron DeShields

“It was a great team win. We stuck though towards the end and to be honest, we needed that. We needed that close game experience. Most games down the stretch when you’re trying to get to the NCAA Tournament will come down to that, so we’re just glad that we got that experience today.”
•On the team’s win

“It’s a blessing. They told me I couldn’t go D-1 and look at it now. They told me I was too small and too slow, but now I scored 1,000 points, and it’s all thanks to God.
•On scoring his 1,000th career point.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

FAMU Athletics Begins Implementation of AASP With NCAA Grant

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University Athletics has begun the implementation of the Accelerating Academic Success Program (AASP), upon the successful securing of a grant from the NCAA.  The plan will improve the academic health of the athletics department and its student-athletes with additional resources, opportunities and funding.

The grant was applied for under the leadership of  Joyce Ellenwood, FAMU Assistant Director of Athletics for Access & Athletic Academic Support.  Ellenwood will be a key executor of the grant.

FAMU was one of nine NCAA Division I institutions awarded more than $4 million in grants to support academic programs that help student-athletes earn their degrees.

FAMU was the recipient of a multi-year Accelerating Academic Success Program Comprehensive Grant, valued at $675,000.

The comprehensive grant will be distributed over a three-year period, and used to fund academic initiatives that increase academic support services staff and tutors; enhance summer academic programs; and assist current exhausted eligibility student-athletes complete their degrees.

The comprehensive grant will be distributed over a three-year period, and used to fund academic initiatives that increase academic support services staff and tutors; enhance summer academic programs; and assist current exhausted eligibility student-athletes complete their degrees.

FAMU Director of Athletics, Milton Overton, feels this is a significant step in the right direction.  “I want to thank the collective efforts of President Mangum and the campus Oversight Committee for committing the matching funds and personnel resources necessary to build an award-winning NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program (AASP) Grant Proposal. The University presented a first-class AASP Proposal to the NCAA against a competitive field of applicants to yield a striking victory on behalf of our student-athletes and coaches. We are looking forward to putting the resources to work in an effort to 'Build Champions in the Classroom, on the Field and in Life'. The NCAA and the University have made a financial commitment to ensure our student-athletes have the resources that they need to be successful in the classroom, and I will follow their lead by making a $5,000 personal contribution to the Academic Enhancement Success Fund. I encourage everyone in Rattler Nation to join us in 'Building Champions on the hill through academic excellence and integrity,” he said.

This grant will also help FAMU in improving the academic success of its student-athletes, with the ultimate goal being to support the school’s efforts to meet the requirements of the Division I Academic Performance Program, which was developed to ensure schools provide an environment that supports education while enhancing the ability of student-athletes to earn a degree.

Schools can request a maximum of $300,000 per year for three years. The participating schools are required to match grant dollars each year of the program, with either direct funds and/or in-kind contributions. In the first year, the school must commit a 25-percent match, 50 percent in year two and 75 percent in year three.

The announced awards mark the third round of Accelerating Academic Success Program funding distributed by the NCAA.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Florida A&M Softball Improves To 3-0 With Win over Lipscomb

Kenya Pereira pitched five innings of relief to lead FAMU past Lipscomb, 4-3.

GULF SHORES, Alabama – The FAMU Women’s Softball team continued their early season success here at the 2016 Sand Dollar Classic Saturday evening, holding off a late Lipscomb (Tenn.) University rally for a 4-3 victory.

Junior pitching ace Kenya Pereira (2-0) came on in relief of FAMU starter Veronica Burse in the third, pitching four scoreless innings until the bottom of the seventh, when she yielded a run to Lipscomb before closing out the game. Pereira finished with one run allowed in five innings, scattering four hits, with two strikeouts and a walk.

FAMU (3-0) finished the game with seven hits to six for Lipscomb (0-3), led by Amber Fullwood with three hits and two runs scored; Toni Anderson with two hits and two RBIs, and Kieffi Myrick, who socked a solo home run in the game Saturday.

The Rattlers took a 1-0 lead in the first before Lipscomb tied it in the bottom of the frame. LU scored a run  in the bottom of the second off Burse to take a 2-1 lead, before FAMU scored single runs in the top of the third, fourth and fifth to retake the lead at 4-2.

WHAT’S NEXT: FAMU was scheduled to face SWAC member Jackson (Miss.) State at 7:30 Eastern Saturday evening, as will close the tournament Sunday morning at 9:00 against Houston Baptist.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Lewis' double-double leads Langston past Paul Quinn

LANGSTON, Oklahoma – The No. 20 Langston Lady Lions keep humming along, this time knocking off Paul Quinn College 79-46 Saturday night at C.F. Gayles Gymnasium.

Aided by a career-night from Che'Ron Lewis (JR/Cushing, OK), the Lady Lions built a 35-21 halftime lead before leading by as many as 33 points in the second half to grab their 17th win on the season.

Lewis was simple a machine on offensive and defensive side.

The junior forward finished with a season-high 33 points, 13 boards, two blocks and three steals. Over her last three games she's averaged 28.3 points per game.

T'Keya Mason (SR/Long Beach, CA) scored 12 points and Darreion Clark (JR/Tulsa, OK) added 11 for Langston, who have won eight of their last ten games.

The Lady Lions shot 38 percent (27-of-70) from the field and held Paul Quinn to 34 percent (20-of-58); Langston also forced 23 turnovers and combined connect of 20-of-26 free throw attempts.

Langston (17-4) travels to take on Huston-Tillotson on Friday, Feb. 19. The Lady Lions are back home on Tuesday, Feb. 23 against the University of the Southwest.

COURTESY LANGSTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

No. 12 Langston Lions Blow Out Paul Quinn 100-55

LANGSTON, Oklahoma -- There simply was no stopping the high-flying No. 12 Langston Lions Saturday night as the Lions picked up their 19th win in a 100-55 rout of Paul Quinn at C.F. Gayles Gymnasium.

Tied at 7-7 early on, the Loins used an 11-point swing to grab an 18-7 lead and never looked back.
Langston shot 52 percent in the first half to take a 51-25 lead. Curtis Jones scored 19 and Terrell Jones had eight points and six boards before the break.

Jones finished with a team-high 29 points; Renard Green scored 16 points, Latarius Lloyd and Terrell Jones added 10 points apiece for the Lions, who have 10 of their last 12.

The Lions shot 50 percent (39-of-77) from the field while holding the Tigers to 29 percent (18-of-61); Langston also managed to knock down 11 three-pointers and combined to go 11-of-18 from the charity stripe.

Langston (19-5) travels to take on Huston-Tillotson on Friday, Feb. 19. The Lions return home on Tuesday, Feb. 23 against the University of the Southwest.

Box Score

COURTESY LANGSTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Nuggets lose 6-3 at LSUA; lengthy win streak ends

ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana — LSU-Alexandria defeated Xavier University of Louisiana 6-3 Saturday in women's tennis to end the Gold Nuggets' 21-dual win streak against unranked NAIA opponents.

Xavier (1-2), ranked 11th, had not lost to an unranked NAIA opponent since a 5-0 defeat against Milligan in the semifinals of an unaffiliated group tournament on April 30, 2011.

Results

Jana van der Walt and Tess Guarino, at No. 2 doubles, gave the Gold Nuggets their only lead when they defeated Liz Arens and Ariadna Cabezas 8-4 in the first completed match. The Generals (3-3), a 2015 NAIA National Championship qualifier, won the other two doubles matches and 4-of-6 in singles.

Ariadna Cabezas clinched for LSUA with a 7-5, 6-4 victory against Vashni Balleste at the sixth singles flight. Winning singles matches for Xavier were Brandi Nelson, 6-3, 6-3 against Betsabet Vasquez at No. 3, and Sha'Nel Bruins, 6-1, 6-0 against Paula Gordilla at No. 4.

Nelson is 3-0 in singles during the spring semester. Bruins played about 25 miles from her hometown of Colfax, La. Guarino's victory was her first since enrolling at Xavier in January.

"LSUA played well and deserved to win," XU coach Alan Green said. "We have a lot of work to do and a long way to go."

Xavier's women and men will travel to Thibodaux, La., Sunday to play NCAA Division I's Nicholls State at 1 p.m. The starting time of those duals was pushed back two hours.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Lincoln Women Post 27 Top-10 Results at Division I Meets

WEST LAFAYETTE & BLOOMINGTON, Indiana -- The Lincoln women's indoor track & field team, ranked No. 1 in the country, had another big weekend, as the Blue Tigers posted 27 top-10 results between two Division I meets.

The highlight of the weekend came at the Fred Wilt Invitational, hosted by Purdue University on Saturday (Feb. 13), as Ladonna Richards won the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.42. Nadia Harriott came in second at 8.86 while Chrisdale McCarthy finished seventh at 9.05. The Blue Tigers also took second and third place in the 4x400m relay, with the foursome of Willomena Williams, Jhevere Hall, Kissi-Ann Brown and Venicha Baker clocking in at 3:44.46. LU's second team of Ebony Rose, Shanice Clarke, Monique Thompson and Kimona Shaw timed in at 3:56.17.

Diana Cauldwell had a pair of second-place finishes in the field events, posting a top distance of 5.78m in the long jump and a top mark of 12.09m in the triple jump. In the former event, Tina Coombs finished fourth (5.50m), Adewumi Ademuwagun took sixth (5.38m) and Lexanna Morgan came in ninth (5.02m). In the triple jump, Jonelle Campbell placed third (11.69m) and Coombs finished sixth (11.08m).

Yanique Ellington, the reigning MIAA Women's Track Athlete of the Week, had a pair of great finishes, including taking third in the 60m dash at 7.58. Kimberly Bailey placed fifth in that event with a time of 7.73 while Ademuwagun finished sixth in 7.88. Ellington also claimed a fifth-place result in the 200m, timing in at 24.70, while Bailey finished eighth at 25.42.

The Blue Tigers dominated the 400m, claiming five of the event's top-10 finishes. Baker had the best result, taking fourth in 56.20, while Williams came in fifth (56.78) and Brown placed sixth (57.40). Rose ended the race in ninth (1:00.13) and Shaw took 10th (1:00.56). Meanwhile, in the 800m, Hall (2:12.34), Clarke (2:17.00) and Thompson (2:18.33) placed third, fifth and sixth, respectively.

Lincoln also sent four athletes to compete in the distance medley at the Hoosier Hills meet, hosted by Indiana University on Friday (Feb. 12). The foursome of Thompson, Brown, Clarke and Hall came in third place after clocking in at 12:08.88. Brown also ran in the 400m, finishing eighth in 58.32.

Up next for the Blue Tigers is the Missouri Collegiate Challenge, hosted by the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. on Feb. 19.

Fred Wilt Invitational Results | Hoosier Hills Results

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

Virdure & Smith Combine to Score 49 As LU Sweeps ESU

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri --  Anthony Virdure and Jaylon Smith combined to score 49 points and Richie Lewis added 17 as the Lincoln men's basketball team rallied from a halftime deficit to beat Emporia State, 76-70, on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 13). The win, coupled with a road victory over the Hornets back on Jan. 2, gives Lincoln a season sweep over Emporia State, its first MIAA sweep since 2011-12.

Virdure was 7-for-14 from the floor and 2-for-3 from three-point range and Smith hit five treys, including three early in the second half to help the Blue Tigers rally from a five-point halftime deficit to tie the game at 49. The most important play of the game, however, was likely made by Lewis, who helped LU take a four-point advantage on an old-fashioned three-point play with 40 seconds remaining.

Lincoln (13-11, 9-9 MIAA) and Emporia State (11-13, 8-10 MIAA) played a back-and-forth game up until that final 40 seconds, with the contest featuring eight ties and six lead changes. The final tie came with 2:24 remaining, as a trey by ESU's Jay Temaat squared the game at 68-all. A little over a minute later, Virdure went 1-for-2 at the free throw line to give LU a one-point lead, and O'Shai Clark pulled down a rebound on the ensuing possession to get the ball back to the Blue Tigers. Lewis then took over, waiting until the play clock dipped under 10 seconds before driving through the lane and hitting a huge layup. Emporia State was called for a foul on the play, and Lewis made the charity shot to put Lincoln ahead, 72-68.



The Blue Tigers forced a stop on the Hornets' next possession and were sent to the line, where LU missed both shots. Lincoln ended up getting a big offensive rebound, however, and Virdure made a free throw to give the Blue Tigers a five-point cushion. LU hit three more shots at the line down the stretch while allowing just a late layup by the Hornets in the waning seconds of the game.

Virdure ended his night with 25 points, four rebounds while Smith finished with 24 points and six boards. Both players also had a steal and an assist. Lewis, meanwhile, also grabbed six rebounds and dished a team-high three assists while recording four steals.

Rod Ollison added five points, five boards and a steal while Clark scored three points and Tacourrus Mattox added two. Clark also recorded a block and an assist and tied for the team-high with six rebounds. Aaron Spudich provided a pair of assists while DeAnthony Wilson and Alexander Nailes also saw time on the court for LU.

The Blue Tigers return to the road for their next two games, starting on Thursday (Feb. 18) when Lincoln plays at Nebraska-Kearney at 7:30 p.m. CST.

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COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

West Virginia State: Loyd Steps Down, Burton Named Interim AD

INSTITUTE, West Virginia -- West Virginia State University (WVSU) Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach Sean Loyd has stepped down as Athletic Director effective January 16, 2016, in order to solely focus his efforts on WVSU's baseball program. WVSU President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. made the announcement following a request from Loyd to resign his administrative leadership of the athletic programs in order to pursue his passion for coaching baseball on a full-time basis.

A native West Virginian and alum of West Virginia State, Loyd became an Assistant Baseball Coach in 1994 before being named Head Coach in Waiting in 2013 and Head Baseball Coach in 2014. Additionally, Loyd has served in a dual role as WVSU's Athletic Director since 2008.

"Without question, Sean is a highly dedicated and very loyal member of the State family. He has faithfully served his alma mater with immense pride, while selflessly dedicating his efforts to providing a solid foundation on which our student-athletes excel in and out of the classroom," President Hemphill said. "Since becoming President in 2012, I have witnessed first-hand Sean's dedication to students, faculty, staff, and the local community. His leadership was instrumental in the construction of the D. Stephen and Diane H. Walker Convocation Center and the Gregory V. Monroe Athletic Complex, as well as the University's transition from the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) to the Mountain East Conference (MEC). He is highly regarded as a leader on campus, within the community he serves, and across the state."

During Loyd's 22-year coaching career at West Virginia State, he has experienced much success at the individual player and team levels. He coached 46 hitters who have been selected to the All-Conference team, including eight who were honored as conference Hitter of the Year and 11 who were named All-Americans. He also coached eight hitters who have signed Major League Baseball contracts. Loyd has been a part of 12 NCAA tournament bids, including two Division II World Series appearances in 1999 and 2005, and 10 conference championships, including a second consecutive MEC championship victory in Loyd's first year as Head Coach. Loyd also spearheaded the creation of "The Bullpen," the fundraising and alumni arm of WVSU's baseball program.

In order to ensure a smooth transition, President Hemphill has appointed Nate Burton as WVSU's Interim Athletic Director. Burton currently serves as WVSU's Director of Development focusing his efforts on the University's fundraising activities, including, but not limited to, the University's athletic programs and related events. "With a strong professional background and extensive experience with intercollegiate athletics, I am confident Nate will provide strong leadership for the University's athletic programs and student-athletes," said President Hemphill.

Prior to joining WVSU in October 2014, Burton served as the Assistant Director for Athletic Development – The Seahawk Club at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). Burton was responsible for planning, developing, and implementing fundraising initiatives for athletic scholarships. He assisted with the creation and implementation of the Dub Club initiative, which allowed supporters to form their own "Dub Club" based on common interests, and Club's competed throughout the year to raise scholarship funds for UNCW Athletics. This initiative raised over $325,000, helping the Seahawk Club increase its fundraising more than 40 percent over the previous year. Burton also worked with volunteer leadership and coordinated the Seahawk Club benefits program.

Burton also served as the Assistant Director of External Relations – Athletics at High Point University. During his tenure at High Point University, he assisted with sponsorships for regional businesses and supported the Panther Club's annual fundraising efforts. Burton oversaw all marketing, including materials and game day operations, for baseball, women's basketball, volleyball, women's soccer, and women's lacrosse.

He also worked at Clemson University, where he served as the IPTAY Scholarship Fund Intern in the Athletic Department. He assisted in soliciting members and managing of the IPTAY Collegiate Club, the IPTAY Rewards Program, and the IPTAY Discount Program. Burton hosted donor events, including the 2012 BCS Discover Orange Bowl. Other responsibilities included creating and implementing the marketing plan for the 2011 men's and women's soccer season. During that season, Clemson's soccer team set a new regular-season attendance record for a men's soccer game of 7,423. Home attendance for men's soccer games was ranked 10th nationally (20th in 2010).

Burton began his career as a graduate assistant for the Big Green Scholarship Foundation at Marshall University, where he earned a master's degree in Sports Management in December 2011. At Marshall, Burton assisted with daily operations and provided support to the Director with the Football Enhancement Fund and Tip-Off Club. Burton also planned special events and worked directly with donors on logistics, including ticketing and game day arrangements.

A 2009 graduate of Washington and Jefferson College, Burton was a four-year starter on the men's basketball team. In 2008-09, Burton helped lead the team to a 20-10 overall record for the program's second 20-win season. That year ended with Washington and Jefferson College winning the ECAC Division III championship. Burton has two children, Arabella and Sean, and resides in South Charleston.

COURTESY WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Johnson C. Smith Women's Basketball Takes Down Livingstone in Overtime, 85-78

SALISBURG, North Carolina  --  The Johnson C. Smith University had five players score in double figures and outscoring Livingstone 15-7 in overtime to take a key 85-78 CIAA Southern Division road win at Trent Gym in Salisbury, N.C. on Saturday afternoon.

JCSU freshman A'Diyah Ussery (Shelby, N.C.) finished with a game-high 22 points while junior Krista White (Dayton, Ohio) contributed 13. Sophomore guard Asha Jordan (Monroe, N.C.) had 12 while Larryqua Hall (Atlanta, Ga.) and Quinesha Lynch (Rocky Mount, N.C.) each had 10. The win improves JCSU to 15-10 overall, 8-6 in CIAA play and 4-4 in Southern Division play but more importantly, pulls the Golden Bulls into a four-way tie for second place in the division.

In the first quarter, the Blue Bears jumped ahead 11-4 out of the gate, but JCSU quickly rebounded to tie the score at 11-11, the second tie of the game. After JCSU took a slim one point lead at the end of the quarter (15-14), Livingstone would regain the lead and hold it until the second of two White free throws at the 3:43 mark tied the contest for the fifth time. Neither team could stretch out a significant lead with Livingstone going into the halftime break with a 30-27 advantage.

In the third quarter, JCSU made a move, bolting to a 51-43 lead following two free throws from Hall with 2:40 left. Livingstone would cut the lead to five points on two occasions, the latter being a 54-49 cushion at the end of the third quarter.

JCSU would then take its largest lead of the afternoon and nine points (66-57) when Jordan splashed down a three pointer with 4:37 to play. Livingstone would then go on a 13-5 spurt that forced the 10th tie of the game, thanks to a Brittany Taylor three pointer that brought the score to 70-70 with 33 seconds left. JCSU would have a chance to take the lead back with four seconds remaining, but White missed two free throw attempts, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra stanza, JCSU quickly jumped to a five point lead at 79-74 with 2:29 left after an
Ashley Porter (Winston-Salem, N.C.) layup. Livingstone would get a three pointer from Ariana De'Jesus that trimmed the JCSU lead to two points at 79-77, but they could get no closer and JCSU hit 6-of-10 free throws down the stretch to provide the 85-78 final.

The Golden Bulls will return home for the first of two consecutive home games to end the regular season, hosting Winston-Salem State on Wednesday, Feb. 17. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Brayboy Gym. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game, as JCSU will host the annual Pink Games to benefit Susan G. Komen Charlotte.

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COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FSU Broncos Tramples Winston-Salem State 67-50

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- The Fayetteville State University men's basketball team topped Winston-Salem State University in a 67-50 win on Saturday, February 13th at Felton J. Capel Arena. FSU improves to 11-13 overall, 5-9 in conference, and 3-5 in the Southern Division.

The Broncos led from wire to wire. Sophomore Carl McCray (Roper, NC) opened up the game with a three-pointer off a pass from junior forward Michael Tyson (Kinston, NC). On the ensuing possession, junior guard Joshua Dawson (Kinston, NC) hit a three-pointer of his own.

WSSU faced a 9-1 deficit four minutes into the ball game. As the period progressed, the Broncos stretched their lead to 22-10 with eight minutes left in the half following a jumper from freshman forward William Tibbs (Winston-Salem, NC).

Fayetteville State outscored the Rams 17-4 off turnovers en route to a 35-26 halftime lead. Dawson produced 14 points and two assists in the opening half.

The Broncos fully dictated the pace the second half. WSSU trailed by double figures for the last 16 minutes of the contest. Senior guard Juwan Addison (Fairmont, NC) made a layup with 2:50 remaining for a 64-22 FSU lead; their largest of the game.

FSU shot 40% (19-47) from the floor, while holding the Rams to 22% (12-53) shooting. Winston-Salem State only made four field goals in the second half (4-of-23). Dawson ended the evening with a game-high 20 points and five assists. Addison added 11 points and three rebounds. McCray finished with 10 points and two steals. The frontcourt of Tyson and junior forward Jason Lee (Raleigh, NC) combined for 18 points and 18 rebounds; Lee with 10 boards and nine points.

Fayetteville State concludes their final road game of the season against Shaw University on Wednesday, February 17th. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. at C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

Final Stats

COURTESY FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bethune-Cookman football player killed in shooting at party

Don'Kevious Johnson

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- A suspect accused of shooting three Bethune-Cookman University students, killing one of them, has turned himself in to police, according to Police Chief Mike Chitwood.

The shooting happened just after 1 a.m. Saturday at the Indigo Lakes Golf Club in Daytona Beach.

"It's a little close to home to have a shooting in your neighborhood," said Rodney Logan.

Police said Lamont Postell Jr., 23, who also goes by "Cornbread," shot the students after a fight broke out during a party inside the golf course's clubhouse.

Chief Mike Chitwood, of the Daytona Beach Police Department, said more than 200 students were at the party.

"It's a typical Friday night, typical of what college kids do. I mean, they look to rent a place to have a party and nobody expects when you're in college, you're going to end up like this," Chitwood said.

Postell shot and killed Bethune-Cookman student Don'Kevious Johnson, 23, police said. According to the university's athletic website, Johnson was listed as a linebacker on the football team.

The two other students who were shot, Justine Cunninghman and Tre Jamal Williams, 21, were taken to Halifax Medical Center. They are expected to be OK.

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Earnest Wilson III leaving SSU for Elizabeth City State

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Savannah State University is once again searching for a new head football coach.

Earnest Wilson III is leaving Savannah to become the new head coach at Elizabeth City State University.

According to sources at SSU, players and assistant coaches were notified of the decision Friday night.

Linebacker coach Tony Pierce will serve as interim head coach.

In three seasons at Savannah State, Wilson led the Tigers to a 2-32 record. SSU finished the 2015 campaign with a 1-9 record.

Wilson was named the 24th head football coach at Savannah State back on June 7, 2013. Prior to taking over the Tigers, he was offensive coordinator at Hampton University.

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Chowan Hawks Dismantle Bowie State

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina -- The Chowan University women's basketball team earned their fourth straight win on Saturday afternoon after topping Bowie State University 70-54 in the Helms Center. The Hawks improve to 18-6 overall and 12-2 in league play with the victory while the Lady Bulldogs slide to 9-15 on the year and 2-12 against CIAA opponents after the setback.

Dhyamond Crenshaw tallied 20 points for the Hawks in the win and added nine rebounds (six offensive, three defensive). Alisha Mobley added 17 points while Jordan Payne recorded a double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds (five offensive, 11 defensive). Shaikeyla Jordan drained 15 points in the victory.

Kyah Proctor paced the Lady Bulldogs with 20 points in the loss. Robin Heard added nine points and nine rebounds (five offensive, four defensive).

The Hawks raced to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, holding the Lady Bulldgos to just 16 points over the first two quarters of play. After taking a 37-16 advantage over Bowie State heading into the locker room at halftime, the Hawks extended their lead to as many as 31 points (53-22) after Jordan's three-pointer and layup with 4:27 left in the third quarter.

Bowie State battled to cut the deficit in the fourth quarter but Chowan maintained a comfortable advantage for the remainder of the contest; easily securing the 70-54 win.

The Hawks return to action on February 17th as Chowan plays host to Lincoln University (PA). Tip-off is slated for 5:30pm in the Helms Center. Wednesday's game marks Chowan's 8th Annual Play4Kay game. For more information about the event, click HERE.

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COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bowie State Bulldogs Mortify Chowan Hawks 78-62

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina – The Bowie State University men's basketball team won a key CIAA divisional game at Chowan University on Saturday afternoon, beating the Hawks 78-62.

Bowie State (15-10, 7-5 CIAA, 4-3 North) were led in scoring by seniors Justin Beck (Ellicott City, Md.) and Andre Jackson (Baltimore, Md.) with 18 and 17 points respectively. Jackson and Beck tied for team-high rebound honors with eight apiece. Senior Julian Livingston (Bowie, Md.) tallied 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting behind the 3-point line.

"It started for us on the defensive end … Chowan was averaging almost 80 points per game and we held them to 62, we did a great job on the boards and we were offensively efficient today", said Bowie State head coach Darrell Brooks. "We're starting play our best basketball going down the stretch and heading into the tournament and our guys really starting to understand their roles and flourishing"

Bowie State trailed early (4-0) but took a 7-6 lead at the 16:22 mark of the first half following a layup by Beck of the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs' lead moved to 23-17 by the 4:31 mark and used 37.1 percent field goal shooting (13-for-35) to take a 39-30 advantage into intermission.

The Bulldogs led by 13 points twice in the first 20 minutes and Beck led the team with a dozen points heading into halftime.

The second half started just like the first with Chowan scoring the first four points before a pair of Beck free throws stopped the short run. Bowie State used a 4-0 burst of their own to get a little breathing room at 44-36 at the 16:35 mark, forcing the Hawks to call timeout.

Chowan trimmed the Bowie State lead down to two 46-44 on a Carlos Arroyo (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico) only to see the Bulldogs go on a 12-0 run to take a 56-44 lead with just over 11 minutes left in the contest and never let the Hawks back into the game.

Chowan (17-7, 9-4 CIAA, 3-4 North) was led by Jeremy Smith (Kenansville, N.C.) with game-highs of 19 points and nine rebounds while Kortez Smith (Waldorf, Md.) finished with 10 points in the Hawks' loss.

The Bulldogs and Hawks will play again in 48 hours, this time on Bowie State's home court (A.C. Jordan Arena) on Monday (2/15) at 7 p.m.

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COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Benedict Lady Tigers Edge Claflin In Overtime, 61-55

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Terri Jacobs scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to help lead the 16^th-ranked Benedict College Lady Tigers to a 61-55 overtime victory over Claflin University on Saturday, avenging their loss in Orangeburg two weeks ago.

Benedict improves to 22-2 overall and 12-2 in the SIAC and clinched the top spot in the SIAC East Division for the 2016 SIAC Tournament. Claflin dropped to 15-10 overall and 10-5 in the SIAC.

Claflin's Ashley Fields tied the game at 49 with 2:32 left to play in the fourth quarter, then the Lady Panthers missed two field goals and two free throws, while Benedict missed two field goals down the stretch. In overtime, Claflin pulled ahead 53-51 with 2:35 on the clock. A jumper by Jacobs tied the game at 53. Regime McCombs then hit six consecutive free throws to give Benedict a 59-53 lead with 12 seconds left. Two more free throws by Dorothy Brown gave the Lady Tigers a 61-53 lead before Claflin got a jumper by Briana Chisolm with six seconds left for the final score.

McCombs finished with 11 points.

Shaniece Brown led Claflin with 16 points.

The Lady Tigers had a 14-13 lead after the first quarter. A layup by DaVontaye Merritt with 20 seconds left before the half gave Benedict a 32-25 lead at the break. Benedict scored the first eight points in the third quarter to take its largest lead of the game, 40-25, after a layup by Jacobs with 6:12 left in the quarter.

Claflin scored the next 11 points to cut the lead to 40-36 and Benedict took a 42-38 lead heading into the fourth period.

A free-throw by Jacobs gave Benedict a 44-39 lead with 8:47 left in the game, but the Lady Panthers scored the next six points to take their first lead in the second half, 45-44, with 4:34 left to play. After Claflin took a 47-46 lead, KaDeeja Vaughn hit a 3-pointer with 3:37 left to play to give Benedict a 49-47 lead. Claflin then tied the game with a jumper by Ashley Fields to send the game into overtime.

Benedict is back in action with its final home game on Thursday against Clark Atlanta. Benedict will honor its seven seniors.

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COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION