A&T, perfect in 2017, beats Jacksonville State 20-17 to open new season

ESPN VIDEO: North Carolina A&T State versus Jacksonville State  

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- – A&T’s defense needed one final play against Jacksonville State in the season-opening Guardian FCS Kickoff at Cramton Bowl.

The Gamecocks drove to the Aggies 28 and had less than 30 seconds to complete a furious rally.

The Aggies' defense wouldn’t fold as Darryl Johnson forced a fumble from Jacksonville State quarterback Zerrick Cooper.

A&T linebacker Antoine Wilder came up with his second takeaway, preserving a 20-17 win for the No. 14 Aggies over the No. 6 Gamecocks on Saturday night.

“I’m glad I stepped up to make a play for my team,” Johnson said. “It was a big play. I was yelling the whole time. We fought the whole game. We learned a lot from this victory, and we’ll get better because of it.”

The victory was the first for new A&T coach Sam Washington, who took over when Rod Broadway retired after the Aggies went 12-0 in 2017 and won the Celebration Bowl to claim a second black college national championship in three seasons. The program also ran its winning streak to 13 games going into a matchup at East Carolina, which went 3-9 in 2017, on Saturday.

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Edward Waters College Unveil New Athletics Logo

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- With all of the changes going around our campus, it is only fitting that our athletic department join in on the change. Introducing the new Edward Waters Athletics logo!

North Carolina A&T Volleyball Gets Two Wins On Day 1

CARTERSVILLE, Georgia – North Carolina A&T State is 2-0 in volleyball for the second straight season after opening their 2018 season with wins over Southwestern Athletic Conference teams Alabama A&M and Alabama State on the first day of the ISTAP College Cup Tournament at the LakePoint Champions Center.

N.C. A&T defeated the AAMU Bulldogs in four sets (32-30, 22-25, 25-17, 25-21) before beating the ASU Hornets, a perennial SWAC power, in four sets (25-16, 25-21, 24-26, 25-20). The Hornets came into the season winners of four out of the last five SWAC titles and they were 18-0 in the SWAC last season.

“We played well in both matches to open our season,” said N.C. A&T coach Hal Clifton. “We can do a lot of different things when we have four consistent attackers at the net. Our defense also played well in our first action of the year.”

Sophomore Courteney Pitt finished with 17 kills tying her career high while sophomore Edie Brewer set recorded a career-best 46 assists against AAMU. Brewer nearly had her second career triple-double as she also finished with 10 digs and nine kills.

Freshmen Macenzie Richards and Lily Walton added 13 and 11 kills apiece, respectively. The Aggies posted a .263 hitting percentage led by Brewer (.467), junior Makaylah Elliot (.462) and Walton (.381). Defensively, freshman Andrea Laboy-Rivera collected 22 digs as the Aggies held the Bulldogs to a .180 hitting percentage.

In a thrilling opening set, the Bulldogs held a 15-11 advantage before Elliot gave the Aggies their first lead at 16-15, but a pair of errors by N.C. A&T gave the Bulldogs a 19-17advantage. Behind the leadership of Brewer, the Aggies fought back and used a pair of her kills to jump ahead 24-22. AAMU used two straight errors by the Aggies to tie the score at 24.

N.C. A&T fought off defeat three times before a Brewer kill and a Walton ace gave the Aggies the first-set victory.

Pitt matched her six kills in the first set by adding six more in the second anchoring the Aggies attack. AAMU built a 10-4 advantage and later extended it to 16-6 off miscues by the Aggies. Pitt began to bring the Aggies back with three kills during a 10-2 run. The Aggies eventually got the lead down to 21-20 but two N.C. A&T attack errors down the stretch proved costly as AAMU took set No. 2.

In the third set, N.C. A&T recorded their best attack percentage of the match .379 committing only three errors to power the third-set victory. Elliot had four kills and Walton, Richards and Wilson had three apiece.

Solid defense forced the Bulldogs into an error-filled final set. Pitt once again carried the offense with five kills while Laboy-Rivera had seven digs. With the set tied at 18, Pitt had two kills during a 7-3 run to propel the Aggies as the Aggies took the set and match.

In their second match of the day, the Aggies performed well. In the first set, the Aggies controlled the momentum and after a Wilson service ace, took a commanding 19-9 advantage. ASU responded with a quick 6-0 run coming within four points, but the Aggies ended the set with four kills and two aces for the win. ASU committed nine errors in the second set and once again trailed the entire way. The Aggies produced 13 kills led by Brewer’s four to take a 2-0 match lead.

The Hornets had their strongest showing in the third set with 12 kills while the Aggies committed nine errors. Despite the miscues, Wiggins fired three consecutive service aces to tie the set at 23. But the Hornets closed the set with a kill and an Aggies attack error to take their first set of the match.

But the Aggies recovered in the fourth. The Hornets ran out of gas and was held to a negative hitting percentage (-.107). Pitt, Wilson and Brewer combined for 10 of the Aggies 14 kills in Set 4 helping their offense regroup from a slow third set.

ASU led 5-0 early until N.C. A&T went on a 12-1 run taking a 12-6 advantage. The Aggies never trailed again and had three consecutive kills to go ahead, 21-16. Errors in the final four points swung the match N.C. A&T's favor as the Hornets struggled and aa the Aggies snapped a three-match losing streak to the Hornets that dated back to the 2013 season.

N.C. A&T wraps up their season-opening tournament against Jackson State 11 a.m., Saturday.

A&T 3, AAMU 1
A&T 3, Alabama State 1
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Shaw Names Christina Coleman as New Head Women's Volleyball and Softball Coach

RALEIGH, North Carolina – A new era in Shaw University women's volleyball and softball begins today as Christina Coleman has been named the fifth head coach to lead both the women's volleyball and softball program. Coleman, who spent last season as the head volleyball coach at Georgetown College and five seasons at the helm of Kentucky State University women's volleyball program brings a wealth of coaching experience and knowledge for both volleyball and softball.

"I am excited that we were able to recruit Christina Coleman to Shaw and I am confident that she will build upon the great tradition that has been established here at this great institution," said Director of Athletics Dr. Alfonza L. Carter. "Coach Coleman brings tremendous success on and off the playing fields as a head coach and I look forward to watching her lead our student-athletes to compete for championships as well as succeed within the classroom."

Coleman inherits a very successful women's volleyball program that went 27-5 overall a season ago, setting a program-best and a softball team that went to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference tournament for the first time in eight years last season. Coleman replaces former head coach DiShondra Goree who compiled a record of 71-43 at the helm for women's volleyball and a 35-106 mark in softball.

During her one-year stint at Georgetown, she guided the Lady Tigers to a 22-6 overall record and 11-3 mark in the Mid-South Conference (MSC). At Kentucky State, Coleman went 71-49 overall and an astounding 61-8 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAC) with two tournament titles and berths into the NCAA National Tournament.

Coleman has a long list of accolades for both herself and her student-athletes. Coleman coached outside hitter Emily Grieshaber who was named the SIAC Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2013-14). Coleman has coached eight All-SIAC Team members, six end of the year superlative recipients and seven members of the SIAC Championship All-Tournament team in her three seasons at KSU. In the classroom, Coleman's team at KSU had the highest GPA among all athletic programs at Kentucky State.

When Coleman took the reins of the Thorobrettes program, she was no stranger to success at Kentucky State. Coleman was a member of the Kentucky State volleyball and track & field teams from 2001-04. In her time as KSU, Coleman helped lead the volleyball team to three consecutive second place finishes at the SIAC Championship Tournament. From 2001-03, Coleman lead the team in digs and was second on the team in hitting percentage. She was a team captain and team MVP from 2001-02.

Coleman received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in Physical Education with a minor in Athletic Training and Coaching from Kentucky State in 2005. She went on to receive her Master's Degree in Special Education from KSU in 2010.

After graduating, Coleman began her coaching career as Assistant Varsity Coach at Scott County High in Georgetown, Ky. While at Scott County, Coleman coached a pair of All-Conference players and an All-City selection. After one season at Scott County Colman was named the Head Volleyball Coach and Assistant Track Coach at Bryan Station High School in Lexington, Ky. While at Bryan Station, she won three volleyball district titles, made an appearance in the second round regional, coached three All-Tournament District MVPs, two All-City selections and 1 All-State student-athlete. As an Assistant Track Coach at BSHS Coleman coached seven Kentucky State Champions, a pair of All-Americans, the 2010 KHSAA Girls State runner-ups and the 2012 KHSAA Boys State Champions. She spent one season as Assistant Varsity Coach at Tates Creek High School in Lexington, KY and posted an overall record of 17-1. Coleman also has experience with two successful club teams. She coached the Thoroughbred Elite Volleyball Alliance (TEVA) from 2008-10 and Lexington United Volleyball (LUV) Association (2011-12) under the legendary Chris Beerman.

Coleman has been an active member of American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) since 2007. She is also a member of the Alliance of Women's Coaches. In 2012, Coleman received the American Volleyball Coaches Association minority scholarship. Coleman has been the Co-Chair for SIAC Volleyball Coaches Committee since the 2013 season and during the 2014 season Coleman was nominated by the SIAC coaches and selected to serve on the NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Regional Advisory Committee (RAC).

In addition to her regular coaching duties, Coleman has found time to volunteer in the community and to sharpen her coaching skills at some of the most elite volleyball camps in the country. She volunteered with Lexington Blazing Cats Track Club, worked several camps for Lexington United Volleyball. In 2010, Coleman founded and operated Track Club and Lextown Lightning. During the summer of 2013, she was selected to be a lead coach at the Hornet Volleyball Camp at Alabama State University. Also during that summer, she was a lead coach at Butler University's Nike Volleyball Camp.

Coleman has two sons Derion and Dakari Talbert.

For the most up-to-date information on Shaw women's volleyball and its 13 varsity sport teams, please visit www.shawbears.com.

SHAW UNIVERSITY BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

Panel probing Maryland football includes former governor, ESPN broadcaster and a Super Bowl MVP - Doug Williams

COLLEGE PARK, Maryland -- The panel charged with investigating the Maryland football program will include several prominent names, including a former U.S. congressman, a Super Bowl MVP and a prominent sports broadcaster.

DOUG WILLIAMS

The board of regents for the University System of Maryland announced Friday the five additional appointments who will be charged with examining the football program and allegations that coaches fostered an abusive culture. The group is heavy on star power with connections to football, to the university and to the political arena. They include:

• Former Maryland governor Robert L. Ehrlich, who played football at Princeton;
• Doug Williams, the former Redskins quarterback who serves as the senior vice president of player personnel for the team; and former head football coach at Morehouse College and Grambling State University.
• Tom McMillen, the former Maryland basketball star who served three terms in Congress and formerly served on the system’s board of regents;

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SAU Head Coach Wells Receives CIAA Golf Coach of the Year Plaque

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Head Golf Coach Julius Wells of Saint Augustine's University received his 2017-18 CIAA Golf Coach of the Year plaque this week. He was named the league's top coach in April during the awards ceremony at the CIAA Golf Tournament in New Kent, Va.

Wells guided the Falcons to a third-place finish at the tournament after the team finished last the previous three seasons. The Falcons earned a team trophy for placing third and Sam Cudjoe (So./Bethel, Trinidad and Tobago) garnered both CIAA Golfer of the Year and CIAA Rookie Golfer of the Year honors. Cudjoe was a top individual seed in the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Golf Regional in May.

A Bridgeport, Conn., native, Wells graduated from Saint Augustine's University in 2009 with a human performance and wellness degree. He was a standout golfer for the Falcons as a collegian.

The Falcons open the 2018 fall season at the HBCU Hall of Fame Invitational in Atlanta, Ga., on Sept. 27-29.

SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Benedict, coming off big season, aims higher in 2018

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Just two years removed from an 0-10 run in 2015, The Tigers were two overtime road losses shy of going unbeaten in 2017. With Mike White entering his fourth year as head coach, Benedict looks to edge closer to the other side of perfection, and a shot at the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship.

Conditioning will be key.

“We had several games in overtime that didn’t go our way and that’s something we wanted to concentrate on,” White said during preseason practice. “I’m hoping that the training that we’ve done in practice will carry over to the fourth quarter this year.”



Benedict is a preseason pick to place second in the SIAC, behind Albany State. The Tigers return 16 starters in all, nine on offense and seven on a defense that was ranked fifth overall among NCAA Division II schools.

“I hope it’s an exciting year,” White said. “I hope we can draw some more fans out and just have the best year ever.”

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FAMU Rattlers to play in 'Beanie Bowl' for the final scrimmage

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- With the season opener one week away, Florida A&M is buckling down on the details of its strategies in preparation for the team's anticipated Sept. 1 debut.

On Saturday, the Rattlers will hit up Bragg Memorial Stadium at 3 p.m. for their final scrimmage of fall camp dubbed the Beanie Bowl.

The coaching staff is using this as a dress rehearsal with full pregame routines. During the match, the scout team will wear black beanies on their helmets and simulate plays run by FAMU's opening day opponent - Fort Valley State.


"This is a mock scrimmage. The varsity team will be on one sideline and scout team on the other sideline," said FAMU head coach Willie Simmons.

"We'll put the guys through a series of situations throughout the entire day. It's not the offense versus defense scrimmage we've been doing. We'll go through situations so that come next Saturday, we're clicking on all cylinders."

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Super Bowl champ, ex-All-American Milstead aims to restore Delaware State's winning ways

DOVER, Delaware — Rod Milstead won the Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in 1995.

But now he has to do something really difficult.

Milstead is the new football coach at Delaware State University, where he was an All-American offensive lineman and four-year starter from 1988 to 1991.

The Hornets were often kings of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference then, going 38-14 overall and 18-6 in the league under former coach Bill Collick. Milstead went on to a 56-game NFL career with the 49ers and Redskins.

In recent years, however, football victories at Delaware State have been as rare as NASCAR Cup Series races, and there are two of those annually across the street at Dover Downs International Speedway.

The Hornets won twice in 2014, once in 2015, not all in 2016 and twice in 2017, which shouldn’t give the impression they’ve turned the corner.

Delaware State has been more prone to trip over the curb.

When DSU hired Milstead in February after Kenny Carter’s contract wasn’t renewed following three seasons, it was attempting to recapture some old magic.

Does Milstead have the potion? It’s a gamble.

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Gold Nuggets hit season-high .311 to sweep Pikeville

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky  — Xavier University of Louisiana's Vivica Price-Spraggins, Adili Rikondja, Marine Angely and Jordan Johnson combined for 30 kills and a .391 hitting percentage Saturday in a 25-19, 25-12, 25-19 volleyball victory against Pikeville in the Mid-South Crossover Challenge.
     
The Gold Nuggets (2-1) were to play NAIA No. 22 Indiana Wesleyan at 2 p.m. Saturday, then bus home to New Orleans.
     
Price-Spraggins, Rikondja and Angely had eight kills apiece, and Johnson had six. Johnson hit .556, Price-Spraggins .538, Angely .333 and Rikondja .286.
     
XULA outhit Pikeville .311 to .022. The Nuggets' percentage was a season high.
     
Price-Spraggins, a sophomore, is hitting .446 through three matches. In 2017 her .357 percentage was the second-best ever in a season by a Gold Nugget.
     
"Viv worked hard in the offseason and the summer," XULA coach Pat Kendrick said, "so I'm not surprised she's off to a good start."
     
Eva Le Guillou served three aces to spark the Gold Nuggets to a 5-0 first-set lead. Angely served three consecutive aces during a 9-0 run in the second set. XULA trailed 5-1 and 17-16 in the third set before ending the match with a 9-2 run.
    
"I liked that we won in three," Kendrick said, "and that we played steady for most of it."
     
XULA bounced back from a four-set loss to NAIA No. 17 Georgetown (Ky.) the previous evening. In 29 matches over two seasons under Kendrick, the Nuggets have yet to lose back-to-back matches.
     
"I just think we're trying to be consistent," Kendrick said. "After our losses, I think our players have tried to get a better understanding of all the things we can control and correct."
     
LeGuillou finished 28 assists, eight digs and a career-best four aces. Rikondja had three blocks, and Beatrice Formilan had 11 digs.
     
Cassie Jones had eight kills and three blocks for Pikeville (3-1), and Brittany Reels served four aces.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Mississippi Valley defeats Nicholls State 3-1 for first victory of 2018

ITTA BENA, Mississippi – The Delta Devilettes of Mississippi Valley State claimed their first win of the 2018 season Friday with a 3-1 triumph over visiting Nicholls State.

Laadi Issaka netted two goals in the first half – including the match-winner – as Valley snapped a season-opening two-match losing streak. Karenth Zabala-Terrazas added an insurance goal in the second half.

Freshman goalkeeper Myisha Butts picked up the win for Valley in her first collegiate start. The native of Sugar Land, Texas, made seven saves in the match, including five in the last 15 minutes of the contest.

BOX SCORE

Issaka opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a strike into a wide-open right side of the net, giving the Ghana national her second goal of the season. Nicholls State leveled in the 17th minute when Welsh national Francesca Curteis scored on a crossing pass from teammate Hannah Bodron.

Valley reclaimed the lead near the half-hour when Issaka scored from 20 yards out. Zabala-Terrazas gave the home side a two-goal lead less than five minutes after the restart.

The Devilettes did not have a deep bench for the match, but that proved not to be a problem as Valley claimed their second consecutive win in as many seasons. Sydney Newport, Stephany Adomako, and Ronique Alexander all played the full 90 minutes, alongside Issaka and Zabala-Terrazas.

The loss to Valley was Nicholls' second consecutive to a Southwestern Athletic Conference opponent. The Colonels (0-3) fell at home to Grambling by a 2-1 score Sunday.

Valley will host Northwestern State on Sunday at 2 p.m.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Who is John Lampley? The frontrunner in Southern's quarterback competition is no stranger to position battles

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- John Lampley doesn’t call home as much as he should.

His first semester at Southern University, Lampley went back to see his family every chance he got. He was the fourth-string quarterback and constantly told his parents how homesick he was for his life back in Kennesaw, Georgia.

By the end of this summer, almost a year later, Lampley couldn’t get back to Baton Rouge fast enough.

But even now, when life gets tough, Lampley’s father, also named John Lampley, is still the first person he calls for advice.

Take, for instance, a few weeks ago.

Lampley was embroiled in a fierce, three-way quarterback competition since the day Austin Howard walked off the field for the final time last November. In eight months, at least officially, neither he nor Bubba McDaniel or Ladarius Skelton had so much as an edge in the race.

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Nuggets fall in 4 to NAIA No. 17 Georgetown (Ky.)

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky — It was the type of performance that longtime Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball fans had been waiting for: The Gold Nuggets jump out early against a ranked opponent, then maintain the momentum.
     
Unfortunately for the Gold Nuggets, that described just the third set of their match against Georgetown (Ky.), the NAIA's 17th-ranked team. The Tigers prevailed 25-20, 25-18, 19-25, 25-15, and XULA ended Friday with a split of its two matches in the season-opening Mid-South Crossover Challenge.
     
"The third set we were more consistent than we were in the other three," XULA coach Pat Kendricksaid. "We were taking care of the ball better in the third. When you do that, good things happen."
     
XULA never trailed in the third set against the Tigers (2-0) and led 8-2, 13-5 and 19-12. But in the other three sets the Tigers pulled away late.
     
The Gold Nuggets led 14-13 in the opening set before Georgetown took control with a 6-1 run. It was 16-all in the next set, then the Tigers exerted their will with a 7-2 run. In the final set the teams were tied at 11, then Georgetown got two aces and a kill from Jessica Tapp during a 9-1 run.
     
Tapp led Georgetown with 13 kills, 10 digs, two aces and two blocks. Madison Mudd had nine kills, and Sarah Snyder had eight kills and five blocks.
     
XULA sophomores Kayla Black and Eva Le Guillou produced double-doubles for the second time Friday. Black had 15 kills and 15 digs — she also hit .414 in 29 attacks — and Le Guillou produced 31 assists, 13 digs and two aces.
     
Vivica Price-Spraggins had nine kills and four blocks and hit .474 for the Gold Nuggets. Jordan Johnson had three blocks, giving her nine for the day, and Beatrice Formilan had 14 digs. Johnson and Formilan are freshmen.
     
XULA began the day with a four-set victory against Cumberlands.
     
Kendrick's assessment of the day? "We did some good things, and there are a number of things we can work on," she said. "It's August, so we've got the time to work on those things.
     
"But we did some nice things, and it was a good start to the season."
     
Georgetown outhit XULA .195 to .119 and had advantages of 48-45 in kills and 8-4 in aces. Both teams recored seven blocks, and XULA led 67-64 in digs.
     
XULA fell to 0-14 all-time against top-25 opponents. But the Gold Nuggets will get another chance Saturday to end that drought when they play NAIA No. 22 Indiana Wesleyan at 2 p.m. XULA's other match in the Crossover Challenge will start at 10 a.m. against Pikeville.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Football Season Has Returned to North Carolina A&T Aggieland

No. 14 North Carolina A&T (0-0) vs. Jacksonville State (0-0)

Date: Saturday, August 25, 2018

Time: 7 p.m. EST

Facility: Cramton Bowl (25,000)

Series: JSU leads, 2-0

TV: ESPN

ESPN Triad Radio: Donal Ware (play-by-play); Al Swann (analysts)

Stations:

600 AM/101.5 FM Winston-Salem

1320 AM/93.7 FM Greensboro

1230 AM/104.9 FM High Point

920 AM/104.5 FM Burlington

1200 AM/95.1 FM Burlington

OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

Position	First Team	Second Team
LT	73 Marcus Pettiford	75 Bilal Ali
LG	68 Macquel Hardy	74 Sylvester Smith
C	62 Malik Johnson	55 Dacquari Wilson
RG	78 Micah Shaw	69 Deven Milton
RT	79 Dontae Keys	77 Breontae Matthews
TE	87 Leroy Hill	82 Jarvis Reid
XWR	13 Elijah Bell	86 Jordan McDaniel
SLOT	88 Malik Wilson	23 Amos Williams
YWR	19 Zachary Leslie	4 Isaiah Hicklin
ZWR	81 Ron Hunt	15 Ahmed Bah
QB	7 Lamar Raynard	10 Kylil Carter
FB	46 William Hollingsworth	49 William Simpson
RB	22 Marquell Cartwright	30 Jah-Maine Martin

AGGIE FOOTBALL VIDEO

DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

Position	First Team	Second Team
DE	96 Sam Blue	99 Artavious Richardson
NG	95 Julian McKnight	52 Michael Branch
DT	92 Jermaine Williams	94 Justin Cates
DE	40 Darryl Johnson	41 Tre Smalls
SLB	9 Antoine Wilder	27 Justin Philip
WLB	34 Deion Jones	44 Julius Reynolds
MLB	5 Kiaundric Richardson	54 Kyin Howard
CB	29 Mac McCain	21 Derrek Williams
CB	14 Timadre Abram	24 Amir McNeil
ROV	2 Jamaal Darden	18 Richie Kittles
FS	33 Jalon Bethea	20 Najee Reams

The Matchup: 

North Carolina A&T and Jacksonville State will play in the third annual Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff Showcase Game which will air live on ESPN. The game annually features two of the best teams in FCS football in what is an NCAA playoff-like game in August. Within 10 years, the Aggies have gone from being one of the worst teams in the nation to a team who is routinely playing on the big stage. The Aggies have played in two of the last three Celebration Bowl playing in front of millions of fans watching live on television and thousands watching inside an NFL stadium. There are very few teams playing on Saturday, so once again the Aggies will have a national TV audience all to themselves. In the matchup, both teams have a lot in common.

Both teams have been routinely nationally ranked over the past four seasons. Both teams are sound defensively. The Aggies have had the best rushing defense in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference the past seven seasons. Over the past three seasons, the Aggies have had a top-10 rushing defense in the nation and a top-20 total defense nationally. The Gamecocks are not too shabby stopping the run either.  They have not finished outside the top-5 in rushing defense over the past three seasons and over the last two seasons, the Gamecocks have had a top-5 total defense in the country. N.C. A&T and Jacksonville State have also been super successful in their respective conferences. N.C. A&T has won three out of the last four MEAC titles while the Gamecocks have not lost a game in the Ohio Valley Conference in four years. The Gamecocks are a perennial playoff team while the Aggies have played in the Celebration Bowl two out of the last three years and they played in the NCAA playoffs in 2016.  

News and Notes:

•  North Carolina A&T finished last season as the only undefeated team on the FCS level. They were one of only two undefeated teams in Division I football joining Central Florida. N.C. A&T has not lost a football game in the last 642 days. Their last loss came in Richmond, Va., on Nov. 26, 2016.
•  N.C. A&T comes into the season seeking its 10th MEAC championship. Only S.C. State (14) has more. The Aggies also have five CIAA titles giving them a total of 14 conference championships since 1924. The Aggies are also seeking their fourth straight postseason appearance. Prior to reaching the Celebration Bowl last season, the Aggies had never been to three straight postseason appearances. 
• The Aggies are 54-1 in the past seven seasons when leading at halftime. N.C. A&T's only loss when leading at halftime since 2011 was at Norfolk State. The Aggies have won 47 straight when leading at the half. 
• N.C. A&T will be seeking their second straight win over a nationally-ranked opponent after defeating No. 12 Grambling State last season in the Celebration Bowl.

Opposing Point of View

"They are a deep football team and they return a lot of guys. They did lose a few linemen from last year, but most of their skill people are back on offense. I think the running back is an NFL back and they have had the conference player of the year the last two years. The quarterback is very athletic and can throw and run the football well. He makes very few mistakes. We have a challenge in front of us." 

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

PVAMU Panthers Continue To Prepare For 'Unknown' Rice Owls

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- The Prairie View A&M University football team continued practice Wednesday night for the 2018 season opener at Rice Saturday night.

Coverage of Panthers Training Camp on pvpanthers.com is sponsored by Texas Farm Bureau Insurance. Texas Farm Bureau Members can receive free tickets to Panther home athletics contests by showing proof of membership at the PVAMU Ticket Office. Panther Nation can visit the local Texas Farm Bureau Agent in Waller to become a member today.

Tickets for Saturday's game are available online at pvpanthers.com/ricegame for only $25 for the game at Rice Stadium. Tickets can also be purchased in person at Wolf's Department Store.

The PVAMU Marching Storm, which high-stepped down Broadway and dazzled a global audience in the 2017 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, will be in the house at Rice Stadium in the season opener for both teams.

The game will be video streamed online on ESPN+, the new online portal of ESPN, at the cost of $4.99 per month. The subscription comes with a free seven day trial. The monthly subscription renews every 30 days, and would also be good to watch the Panthers – Sam Houston game on Sept. 8.

All radio broadcasts of Panthers football will be available online at pvpanthers.com/sportsnetwork with a 30 minute pregame show before each contest.

In a unique season opener officially called 'Week 0' with only a handful of games this weekend to open the college football season, both the Panthers and Owls are in a unique stage of preparation.

Both programs have new head coaches who are leading programs for the first time, both as offensive coaches who've had great success. They've put together coaching staffs that have had success at their previous stops. So as PVAMU head coach Eric Dooley gets set to lead the Panthers against Rice and new head coach Mike Bloomgren, homework has been key.

"It's a lot of unknowns," Dooley said. "It's a lot of things you have to assume. It's a lot of research, in a way taking you back to school. We've had to research their coaches and where they came from. That being said, you can research all you want, but you have to understand the head coach. He may have a certain philosophy he wants to use. Regardless of where they came from, the staff has to adapt to what he wants to do. At the end of the day, that's what they are going to do. There's going to be some challenges, so we'll just have to make adjustments."

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HBCU PLAY Ep 4 - MEAC

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Episode 4 = Preview of the 2018 football season for the the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Celebration Bowl executive director John Grant joins Lericia Harris and Sam Crenshaw to chat about the upcoming MEAC/SWAC Challenge which kicks of Labor Day - Sunday Sept 2 @ 12 noon.



WAOKAM: ON-DEMAND

NSU Football Defense/Special Teams Preview: Ball-Hawking Spartans Look for More of the Same in 2018

NORFOLK, Virginia -- If there was one word to describe the Norfolk State defense last season, it would be opportunistic. The Spartans featured a defense in 2017 which forced 26 turnovers, including 17 interceptions.

What's more, the Spartans turned those opponent miscues into points, tying for the NCAA Division I FCS national lead in defensive touchdowns, with six. The Spartans scored two non-offensive touchdowns in wins against both Florida A&M and Morgan State. NSU forced at least one turnover in 10 games and at least three in five contests.

NSU will look for more of the same this year from a unit which returns six starters, including four from its ball-hawking secondary. Here is a position-by-position look at the Spartan defense and special teams heading into 2018:

DEFENSIVE LINE
NSU in a unique position along its defensive front this year. Despite losing the services of graduated three-time All-MEAC selection Chris Lee, the Spartans boast more depth than last season. The returners are headlined by senior defensive tackle Deshaywn Middleton. The preseason All-MEAC third-team selection has started 17 games in his two seasons with the Spartans, and has the ability to play either nose guard or tackle in NSU's modified defensive front. He was in on 39 tackles a year ago.

NSU's defensive coaches have a number of options in the trenches. The unit will be bolstered by the return of junior Kyron Speller, who was expected to be a key contributor last season before being lost for the season with an injury sustained during preseason camp. University of Nevada graduate transfer Ricky Thomas Jr. is also expected to have an early impact after spending three seasons at the Division I FBS level.

Other key returnees include sophomore De'Shaan Dixon, who showed loads of potential as a pass-rusher during his freshman season; sophomore nose guard Tavien Blackwell, who played in 10 games as a freshman last season; and junior Josh Bryant, who also played in 10 games but was slowed at times by nagging injuries. Also back is junior nose guard Walter Brantley, a proven run-stopper who was not with the team last season, but started eight times and tallied 58 tackles his first two years (2015-16) with the program.

"We're going to look a lot different up front this season just because of the depth we have this year, that we didn't always have last season," head coach Latrell Scott said.

LINEBACKER
Linebacker is another spot where the Spartans suffered some notable losses from last year's team, but still have plenty of potential. Gone from 2017 are All-MEAC performers Anthony Smith and Kyle Archie, the team's top two tacklers.

With the team switching to a slightly new look that will include, at times, four linebackers on the field, the Spartans will emphasize speed at the position. One way that will be accomplished is moving junior Nigel Chavis to more of an outside linebacker position, where he began his career in 2016. Chavis played defensive end last season and earned third-team All-MEAC accolades after leading all conference linemen with 82 tackles, including 8.5 for loss and five sacks. One of the team's top all-around players, Chavis will have even more opportunity to showcase his versatility this year.

Another outside linebacker position figures to be manned by converted quarterback Tyre Givers-Wilson. A redshirt sophomore, Givers-Wilson made the position change late in 2017 and has impressed coaches in the short few months that he's played the new position. Givers-Wilson, sophomore Matt Hodges and senior Michael Kwegyir-Attah bring speed and play-making ability to the edges of the Spartan defense.

Senior Quintreil Chung will man one inside linebacker position. Another former offensive player, Chung switched from running back to linebacker mid-year in 2017 and finished the year with 33 tackles in his eight games played on defense. Middle Tennessee transfer Dale Craig, redshirt senior and former defensive end James Byers, and redshirt freshman Marquis Hall will all see time and bring a variety of skill and athleticism to the inside linebacker position.

"I like the group we have at linebacker," Scott said. "They've been flying around making plays during camp, and I think we have a lot of potential in that room."

SECONDARY
Cornerbacks J.T. Wahee and Aaron Chandler and safeties Bobby Price and Nhyre' Quinerly started all 11 games at their respective positions last season. The Spartans tied for the MEAC lead with 17 interceptions as a team, and 11 came from that quartet of starting defensive backs. Just as impressively, three of the four (Quinerly, Wahee, Chandler) scored a defensive touchdown in 2017.

Wahee tied for fifth in the MEAC with four interceptions last season, scored on a 96-yard fumble return against Florida A&M and also on a defensive two-point conversion against Morgan State where he returned an INT the length of the field. He was named to the preseason All-MEAC second team.

Chandler picked off two passes last season, one of which he returned for a score in that same victory at Morgan State. Price also intercepted two passes and has shown the knack for making the bit hit from the back line of the defense.

Quinerly, the free safety, had an impressive first season with NSU after transferring from East Carolina. He made 62 tackles, two for loss, intercepted three passes and also scored on a fumble return (against JMU).

Cornerbacks Shaikh Carmichael and Rashard Russell Jr. and safety Mark Brown all contributed last season as well, particularly on special teams, and will add good depth to the secondary. Redshirt freshman Johnathan Gregory, sophomore newcomer Demetrius Harp and true freshmen Brandon Savage and Shaviaea Williams are also in the mix to see snaps in the defensive backfield.

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Spartans are very experienced in all phases of special teams. Sophomores Taylor Goettie (punter) and Josh Nardone (kicker) started as true freshmen. Goettie averaged nearly 39 yards per punt as a rookie, while Nardone made six field goals and converted all but one extra point in 2017. Those two will be aided by the addition of freshman Owen Malik.

Marcus Taylor led the MEAC in kickoff return average (23.8-yard average) and scored on a 100-yarder at JMU, the Spartans' first kickoff return TD since 2008. He will also get more opportunities to return punts this season. True freshman receiver Quentin Greene will also look to make an impact in the return game.

Long snapper Zac Denton and short snapper Dominic Jordan also return.

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