K.C. Culler Steps Down as JCSU Sports Information Director

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Johnson C. Smith University's K.C. Culler has resigned his position as Sports Information Director.

Culler has served as the athletic communications liaison for JCSU's 15 sports since October of 2014.

"I cannot thank University Communications Director Sherri Belfield and Athletics Director Stephen Joyner, Sr. enough for their support over the past four years," said Culler.

"JCSU will always be a special place for me. I have developed long lasting friendships and have enjoyed my experiences in working with the athletics staff, university staff and more importantly, the student-athletes.  I wish JCSU and the Golden Bull student-athletes nothing but the best in the future."

While at JCSU, he has served as secretary of the CIAA Sports Information Directors Association and over the past two years, has acted as the organization's vice president.  He also has served on the CIAA golf championship committee and the CIAA softball championship committee. He also was a voting representative for the CIAA in the NCAA Atlantic Regional Women's Basketball Poll.

This past spring, Culler acted as the host media relations coordinator for the 2018 NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships which were held on the JCSU campus and was also named the
John Holley-CIAA Sports Information Director of the Year.

Prior coming to JCSU, Culler was the Sports and Aquatics Manager with PH Pool Management in Charlotte. His other experiences include serving as a gameday worker and freelancer in the Wake Forest University Athletics Communications Office. He also has worked numerous ACC, Southern Conference, Big XII and NCAA Tournaments and has gained experience working at Appalachian State University, East Tennessee State University and his alma mater, Western Carolina University.

A search for his replacement will begin immediately.

JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF SPORTS INFORMATION

Answers vary if GSU has anything to prove against Ragin' Cajuns

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- It's officially game week for several college programs across the country and that includes Grambling State. The Tigers are coming off two straight SWAC championships and want to make it a third.

Head coach Broderick Fobbs has a tough choice ahead of him as he has to select a starting quarterback for the opening matchup against Louisiana.

The Ragin' Cajuns are the lone FBS program on the slate in 2018 and some G-Men were asked if there's anything to prove against an in-state opponent and prevent something like last season against Tulane.

"Nah, nah ain't nothing to prove at all. They got the best of us that day. On my birthday, it happens," senior defensive back Dedrick Shy said. "They got the best of us, but nothing to prove. We coming back. Short memories like I said. Don't even think about Tulane no more. We're worrying about UL September 1."

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Wiley Lady Wildcats Open Season With a Sweep

MARSHALL, Texas -- The Wiley College volleyball team put on an impressive performance in its 2018 season opener, as it swept Philander Smith College (Ark.) (25-10, 25-14, 25-10) in front of its home fans Friday in Alumni Gymnasium.

This is the first time the Lady Wildcats have won their season opener since 2015 – which was also at home against Philander Smith College. The Lady Panthers had no answer for Wiley College's relentless attack – which tallied 37 kills in 62 attempts. The Lady Wildcats held Philander Smith to 12 kills in 54 attempts for a hitting percentage of (-).111.

"We came out to play," head coach Mike MacNeill said. "I saw a lot of good things from us. We accomplished most of our goals for tonight. We gave up a three-point run from one of their servers, who got a couple of aces on us. Other than that, I liked what I saw."

Wiley College never trailed in the match and was only briefly tied at the beginning of the second set. In the first and third set, the Lady Wildcats held their largest lead at 15. The Lady Wildcats recorded nine serving aces to Philander Smith's three. Wiley College had more digs with 24 to the Lady Panthers 13.

WILEY COLLEGE WILDCATS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Lincoln Men's Basketball Releases 2018-19 Schedule

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri -- A home-and-home with the defending MIAA champions and 14 home games highlight the 2018-19 Lincoln men's basketball schedule.

The Blue Tigers will play in three classics this fall, beginning on Nov. 9, when LU opens its season at the SBU Classic against East Central. The Blue Tigers will remain in Bolivar, Mo. to take on Minot State on Nov. 10 before hosting the Lincoln Classic on Nov. 16-17, which will feature home games vs. Lane and LeMoyne-Owen. LU will then participate in the MIAA Challenge on Nov. 19, as the Blue Tigers play Missouri S&T in Kansas City, Mo. at Municipal Auditorium, the site of the MIAA Men's Basketball Championship tournament.

After closing the month with a home game against Ecclesia (Nov. 30), Lincoln will open league play with road games against Northwest Missouri (Dec. 6), the defending MIAA champions, and Missouri Western (Dec. 8). The Blue Tigers next travel to Quincy, Ill. to play Quincy and McKendree in the QU Subway Holiday Classic on Dec. 15-16, and then close conference play on Dec. 30 by hosting Culver-Stockton.


2018-19 Men's Basketball Schedule

Lincoln opens January at home by resuming conference play with games against Pittsburg State (Jan. 3) and Missouri Southern (Jan. 5) before starting a season-long three-game road trip with contests at Lindenwood (Jan. 12), Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist (Jan. 19). The Blue Tigers will return to Jason Gym to take on Northeastern State (Jan. 24) and Central Oklahoma (Jan. 26) before closing January with a road game at Washburn (Jan. 31).

The Blue Tigers will travel to Emporia State on Feb. 2 before playing six of their final eight games of the regular season within the friendly confines of Jason Gym. LU hosts Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri on Feb. 7 and Feb. 9, respectively, before closing its road slate with games at Nebraska Kearney (Feb. 14) and Fort Hays State (Feb. 16). Lincoln will end the year with four-straight home games, as the Blue Tigers play rematches with Lindenwood (Feb. 19), Washburn (Feb. 23), Southwest Baptist (Feb. 27) and Central Missouri (March 2).

Lincoln, in its fifth season under head coach John Moseley, have posted winning records and made trips to the postseason in each of the past three years, and is coming off a 15-14 season in 2017-18. All home games are scheduled to be played in Jason Gym.

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

Howard Volleyball Dominates in Away Win Over George Mason

FAIRFAX, Virginia -- Howard University rallied from behind a first set loss to knock off host George Mason in a four-set showdown this afternoon.

In the first set the Bison started the match with a 6-1 deficit before fighting their way back to a 7-7 tie. Although the Bison were able to close the gap, they were unable to keep a lead, losing the set 22-25.

The Bison opened set two with the first point, capitalizing off of an attack error by George Mason's Peyton Ehmke. The Bison lost momentum quickly after the Patriots went up 4-1 due to multiple errors by the Bison.

"Today's game was a tough battle. With a young group out on the court we made a lot of errors but were able to make up for it by being aggressive," said head coach Shaun Kupferberg.

Continuing in the second set, Jurnee Tipton broke the ice with a kill that improved the score 4-2. The Bison trailed George Mason for most of the set before picking up velocity in the middle of the set with repeat kills that gave the Bison a 17-16 lead. The match saw additional lead changes before the Bison pulled away with a 25-22 win.

The Bison dominated the Patriots in the third set with plenty of team kill action. Contributions from Kira Porter, Marcelle Butler, Olubunmi Okunade, Tamia Dockery, Kailyn Williams and Jurnee Tipton helped Howard lead most of the set. Howard took a commanding 25-16 win.

Looking to win the game in the fourth set, the Bison delivered handily. An attack error by Ehmke opened the set and the Bison never looked back, eventually going on an 8-0 run. The Patriots began to fight back and came within 3 near the end of set. The Bison did not relinquish control, holding on to their lead and finishing the match, 25-21.

Marcelle Butler had a team high 17 kills. Jurnee Tipton and Kailyn Williams posted 12 kills. Tipton added 16 digs and 3 assists. Tamia Dockery put up an impressive 44 assists, 10 digs, 5 blocks and 4 kills. Freshmen Antonia Kearney and Busisiwe Banda both recorded two aces.

"There are a lot of areas we need to work on but I'm happy with where we are right now," concluded Kupferberg.

The Bison face the Wichita State Shockers in Burr Gym on Sunday. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. General admission tickets are $8. There is no cost to Howard students with valid HU identification. Live stats of the game can be viewed by visiting https://hubison.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary.

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Follow the Bison
For complete coverage of Howard University women's volleyball, follow the Bison on social media at @HUBisonVB (Twitter), @HowardVolleyball (Facebook) and @HowardVolleyball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Howard University Athletics at HUBison.com. #NeverSatisfied #BleedBlue

About Howard University Athletics
The Howard University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division I men and women varsity sports. The programs represent six conferences: the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA), Sun Belt Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. Visit www.hubison.com to learn more.

Championship or Bust for Bowie State This Year

COURTESY: BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BOWIE, Maryland -- All that Bowie State has done over the last three years is win everything except a CIAA championship. The Bulldogs won the north division and played in consecutive title games in 2015 and 2016 but couldn’t get past Winston Salem State. They won nine games and hosted a national playoff game last season for the first time but didn’t play in the conference championship and will take the field this year with the reigning national HBCU Player of the Year. Yet this golden era of the Black and Gold remains incomplete minus finally winning the conference crown.

This is a championship or bust season for Bowie State and everyone knows it. The Bulldogs were selected by the CIAA coaches and sports information directors as the team to beat in the conference. However, this year will not be a cakewalk for them. Virginia State, the reigning CIAA champion, is in their division and they meet on homecoming at Bowie in the first televised nationally televised game on this year’s Aspire TV network schedule. That will be followed by a showdown at Virginia Union, which figures to be their toughest regular season matchups this year.

It is a program that is revered and respected and has gained more national attention since 2015 after being the butt of jokes for years. Over the past three seasons the Bulldogs are 25-9 and they have become the offensive standard bearer in the CIAA. They led the nation in total offense and obliterated the Division II statistics in 2018 despite not winning the CIAA North Division. Bowie State has become an attraction as their passing game has become as prolific – under multiple quarterbacks – in Black College Football history.

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Howard University Volleyball Sweeps George Washington in Home Opener

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Howard University women's volleyball team downed George Washington University, 3-0, in its home opener today (25-19, 25-21, 25-20) in a packed Burr Gym.

Howard opened the frame with the scores staying close between the two teams. Eventually the Bison went on a 7-2 run and maintained the lead throughout the set to secure a 25-19 victory.

In game two, the Bison began the set trailing the Colonials 5-1; however, HU found their rhythm, closing strong 25-21.

Outside hitter Courtney Dalton and middle blocker Olubunmi Okunade opened the third set with kills giving Howard momentum and an early lead. The Bison would take the set, 25-20.

Okunade registered a team-high 10 kills. Outside hitters Dalton and Jurnee Tipton chipped in 9 and 8 kills, respectively. Sophomore Fola Wilson had 10 digs. Senior Tamia Dockery recorded 25 assists and 7 digs. Jurnee Farrell had 5 digs as well as  Antonia Kearney in her freshman debut.

GW Colonial Skylar Iott led their team with 10 kills. Freshman Bella Bowman had a team-high 11 digs. Junior Jaimeson Lee posted 22 assists.

The Bison continue action Saturday at 5:00 p.m. against George Mason before returning home to face Wichita State on Sunday and Stanford on Monday.

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Follow the Bison
For complete coverage of Howard University women's volleyball, follow the Bison on social media at @HUBisonVB (Twitter), @HowardVolleyball (Facebook) and @HowardVolleyball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Howard University Athletics at HUBison.com.

About Howard University Athletics
The Howard University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division I men and women varsity sports. The programs represent six conferences: the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA), Sun Belt Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. Visit www.hubison.com to learn more.

At a glance: Hampton University 2018 football

HAMPTON, Virginia -- THE COACH, ROBERT PRUNTY
Most recently the defensive coordinator at East Carolina, Prunty takes over a team that will go through something of a transition year. Not necessarily with personnel but in conference affiliation. The Pirates are no longer in the MEAC and won’t be able to play Big South football until 2019. So for this one season, Hampton will officially be an FCS independent with an interesting schedule. Prunty, as energetic as it gets, will make the most of it.

THE STORYLINES
Team under new management. Hampton University wanted a disciplinarian who could recruit talent. Robert Prunty is a former correctional officer who was named Recruiter of the Year in two FBS conferences — the Big 12 and the American Athletic. If nothing else, he doesn’t lack for confidence. “You’ve got a winner here,” he said at his introductory presser.

Life (albeit temporary) as an FCS independent. HU will face 11 opponents who come from five levels — Division I, Division II, Division III, the NAIA and the National Christian College Athletic Association. The Pirates were able to land perennial FCS power Northern Iowa and three future Big South opponents — Monmouth, Charleston Southern, and Presbyterian.

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TIGER TIME: 2018 Savannah State Football Season Preview

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- On Thursday night in Birmingham, Alabama, the 2018 Savannah State Tiger football team will begin finding out what it’s really made of. Under the direction of third-year head coach Erik Raeburn, Savannah State (3-8 overall in 2017, 3-5 in MEAC) is set to start its farewell tour through the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The school decided in April 2017 that it would move back down to the NCAA’s Division II following the 2018 school year. Savannah State first joined Division I as a full member in 2002, and joined the MEAC in 2010.

“This is our last shot to really show that we belong in the MEAC,” Raeburn said at the conference’s Media Day earlier this summer.

With this being their last shot playing DI football within their own conference, the Tigers are eager to prove their work to try and turn around a program that had gone 1-21 in the two seasons immediately preceding Raeburn’s arrival, was worth it.

“Our program now revolves around commitment and discipline,” Raeburn said after a practice last week when asked to describe what went into his culture change philosophies when he took the job three years ago. “I don’t feel like we had much of that when I first got here so we tried really hard to instill that in our guys.

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TSU Volleyball Wraps Opening Tournament Falling to FIU

MIAMI, Florida -- In its final day at the FIU Kickoff in Miami, the Tennessee State volleyball team dropped its match 3-1 (21-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-21) to the Florida International Panthers Saturday morning at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Setter Laken Te’o posted her third-straight double-double with 34 assists and 11 digs.
• Three hitters scored double-digit kills, Rachel Henderson (11), JoJo Kruize (10) and Julia Pierson (10).
• Big Blue recorded ten blocks with JoJo Kruize contributing to four.

SET BY SET

First Set: The Tigers won the serve and Julia Pierson put down the first kill of the match. The first few rallies were long and aggressive. FIU began to serve short which pushed the Tigers out of its comfort zone. TSU took a few points to adjust allowing the Panthers to tie the score at 19. Once in a rhythm, the blue and white pushed through the final moments of the set and won, 25-21.

Second Set: FIU hit the ground running with a four-point run before Te’o set one out to Kruize for a kill. Errors by the Panthers helped the Tigers catch up, tying the score at eight. From that point on, the teams were playing point-for-point. The blue and white last tied the score at 18 before FIU scored four more kills and a few points due to Tiger hitting errors that pushed them to win set two, 25-22.

Third Set: Kylie Hayes kicked off the set serving for a Tiger four-point run with two kills from Henderson and one from Pierson.  FIU quickly answered quickly with five, three-or-more point runs, broken up by one or two Tiger points, hurting Big Blue’s chances for a comeback. The Panthers finished off the set with a kill by power hitter Margherita Bianchin, 25-17.

Fourth Set: Henderson scored the first point for the Tigers, but FIU took the lead from the beginning of the set, allowing TSU to tie the score only three times. The Panthers produced a .278 (16-6-36) hitting percentage in set four, while TSU held on with a .111 (10-7-27) with Henderson, Kruize, Pierson and Fihaki producing for Big Blue. Two of TSU’s hitters had a negative hitting percentage combined with only two team blocks and zero aces, FIU finished the set, 25-21.

MATCH NOTES

• The FIU series stands at 1-1 after this year’s loss at FIU and last season’s win at home. Both matches went to four sets, with the losing team taking the first set. 
• After the opening tournament, TSU is 1-2 (.333) on the season.

UP NEXT

TSU travels to southeast Tennessee for the Chattanooga Classic where the Tigers take on Chattanooga, North Alabama and UNC Asheville Aug. 31-Sept. 1.

TSU v STETSON BOX SCORE | TSU v FAMU BOX SCORE

The Tennessee State volleyball team opened the season 1-1 with a 3-1 loss (25-22, 23-25, 25-12, 25-23) to Stetson in the first match at the FIU Kickoff, followed by a 3-1 win (27-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-23) over FAMU just hours later.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Pierson, Kruize and Henderson recorded double-digit kills, with Pierson and Kruize hitting above a .300.
• Laken Te’o posted her second double-double with 39 assists and 14 digs.
• Three Tigers registered double-digit digs, Laken Te’o (14), Gina Rivera Ortiz (24) and Kylie Hayes (10).
• TSU served eight aces led by freshman Gina Rivera Ortiz with 3.

SET BY SET

First Set: FAMU had the first serve and scored the first point in set one. Kruize came up from behind to score the first point for TSU with a powerful cross-court kill. The match was filled with long rallies and tied scores, but the Tigers took the lead and ran. JUCO transfers Kruize and Khalia Jordan registered above .300 hitting percentages in the set, helping the Tigers take it in extra points, 27-25.

Second Set:  Holmes started set two with a kill assisted by fellow freshman Rivera Ortiz, giving way to Henderson and Kruize to continue the pressure at the net. The Tigers had three-and-four-point runs throughout the set, putting the pressure on A&M. The Lady Rattlers answered with its own pushes at the net – registering 13 kills opposed to the Tigers’ 12. At the end of the set, the Tigers gave away a few points with errors and a rejected kill, but a kill by Te’o finished off set two, 25-23.

Third Set: The energy on the Tigers side of the net had a sharp decline in the third set, helping the Lady Rattlers late in the set. FAMU scored four blocks, three aces and 11 kills in the set, taking advantage of the energy drain. Juniors Kruize and Pierson helped the blue and white registering four kills a piece, while Rivera Ortiz and Hayes held down the backcourt combining for 14 digs. Late in the set, FAMU took a lead over TSU thanks to a service error and continued to pick up steam at the net, putting down three kills in-a-row and ending the match 25-22 with one to the right side.

Fourth set: After set break, the Tigers stepped back on the court with a renewed energy, going on a four-point run to start the set. Henderson put down six kills and a block, the team held the Lady Rattlers to a .049 hitting percentage. Pierson hit a .500 on four kills, and the Tigers pushed for an amazing comeback to clinch their first win of the season 25-23.

MATCH NOTES

• Laken Te’o registered her second double-double of the season.
• The Tigers defeat FAMU, 3-1 in its first meeting since 1995. The series sits at 1-2.
• This marks TSU’s first victory since the team beat Belmont Oct. 31, 2017 at home, snapping a four-game slump.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

North Carolina A&T Earns 3-0 Start With Win Over Jackson State

CARTERSVILLE, Georgia – North Carolina A&T will leave Georgia this weekend with a 3-0 record after dispatching of Jackson State University 3-1 (25-20, 25-18, 15-25, 25-14) in their final match of the ISTAP College Cup Tournament.

The win puts the Aggies in position for their best start ever, which was in 1996 when they started 4-0.  “We are off to a good start this season playing some good volleyball and we were able to sustain positive play for a long period of time,” said N.C. A&T coach Hal Clifton.  “There are some things that we saw that we have to be better at but there were also some good signs. Overall, we competed well and that is the one thing that we have been talking about constantly. Competing.”

Sophomore Courteney Pitt recorded her first career double-double with a career-best 11 digs while tying a career-high with 17 kills. Throughout the weekend, Pitt garnered 48 kills finishing with double-figure kills in each match against N.C. A&T’s Southwestern Athletic Conference foes.

“Courteney is really progressing and it was nice to see her take the things she learned in the spring and actually start implementing them into the matches this weekend”, said Clifton. “She is getting better at knowing when to take the big shots, when to survive and when to make the other team play harder to get them out of system. The light bulb just keeps coming on with her and you see her make those right decisions.”

Junior Christa Wilson also had her first career double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs. Freshman Lily Walton was the third Aggie to reach double-figure kills with 10. She added eight blocks to her totals.

Defensively, the Aggies had 13 total blocks (three solo blocks, 20 block assists), held JSU to a .085 hitting percentage and posted a whopping 60 digs. Freshman Shaylynn Hall had five blocks and sophomore Edie Brewer had a career-best four to go along with her second double-double of the season (41 assists and 10 digs).

The Aggies came out in the first set hitting .484 on 16 kills with Pitt leading the way with seven kills and Wilson chipped in four. The set remained close through the first 20 points, but with a 22-19 advantage, N.C. A&T used a quick 3-0 run to close the set with consecutive kills by Pitt, Hall and Wilson.

In the second, a 10-1 run gave the Aggies a 17-9 lead. Freshman Macenzie Richards came up with a pair of kills and freshman Andrea Laboy-Rivera connected on a service ace during the run. N.C. A&T forced JSU into seven errors as the Tigers struggled with a .051 hitting percentage. The Aggie duo of Pitt and Wilson combined for nine of 15 kills as the Aggies hit .256 in the set.

With a chance to sweep the Tigers, the Aggies came up short in the third set thanks in part to 10 errors. JSU played a different style which suited them best in a set where they posted a .222 hitting percentage. Walton paced the Aggies with four kills as JSU’s defense held Pitt to only three kills. The Aggies trailed by double figures most of the set.

The Aggie play at the net in the fourth set proved to be the difference. N.C. A&T dominated with six team blocks led by Walton and Brewer each recording three block assists. The set opened with a quick 4-0 run by the Aggies thanks to three Tiger attack errors.

Wilson powered the Aggies through a stretch scoring three straight kills giving N.C. A&T a 12-5 advantage. An ace by Walton followed by an attack error by JSU extended the lead to 20-10. Walton used her height and came up with blocks down the stretch as the Aggies pulled out the set and match to further their hot start.

Walton was the difference in the fourth set tallying two blocks and two kills. N.C. A&T remains on the road for a 7 p.m. match at Elon on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

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NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm Halftime (Aretha Show) @ Rice University

The Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm under the direction of Dr. Tim Zachery. Follow The Storm's social media pages for updates and information! Here is our brand new website, everything from history, directors, auditions, scholarships, contact information is on there, make sure you check it out. http://www.pvmarchingstorm.com

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Rice opens season with comeback win over Prairie View A&M

HOUSTON, Texas -- Trailing by as many as nine points in the third quarter, Rice escaped with a 31-28 victory over Prairie View A&M at Rice Stadium on Saturday night. The Owls survived thanks to 23-yard field goal by Jack Fox as time expired.

"For us," Rice coach Mike Bloomgren said with a heavy sigh, "good to get a W."

Rice, which generated just 16.3 points per game last year, unveiled a new offense Saturday that was automatic through its first four drives.

Austin Walter darted up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown run on the Owl's opening drive. Emmanuel Esukpa scored from 15 yards out on the following series and, although they failed on the two-point conversion, they'd net field goals on back-to-back drives — first by Fox, then by Haden Tobola.

But just as Rice appeared to take control, the Panthers clawed back, ripping through the Owls' secondary along the way.

Between the Owls' first two field goals, Prairie View quarterback Jalen Morton found teammate Zarrian Holcomb fading toward the back pylon for six points. Following Tobola's 36-yard field goal, Morton used his feet to help push the Panthers' offense up the field to where he connected with Jose Medrano on a play-action rollout pass for a 2-yard touchdown.

With mere seconds before half time, the Panthers pounced again.

ATTENDANCE: 20,050

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Nuggets record first-ever victory vs. top-25 opponent

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Xavier University of Louisiana produced its first-ever victory against a top-25 volleyball opponent -- a 25-17, 25-22, 19-25, 25-19 decision against NAIA No. 22 Indiana Wesleyan in the Mid-South Crossover Challenge.
     
Prior to Saturday, the Gold Nuggets were 0-14 against ranked teams, including a four-set loss Friday to Georgetown (Ky.)
     
Sophomore Kayla Black had 21 kills, 14 digs, two aces and hit .400 for XULA, which finished 3-1 in this season-opening tournament. Jordan Johnson and Marine Angely had seven kills apiece, and Eva Le Guillouproduced a career-high 47 assists.
     
Black served both her aces during a 6-0 run that gave the Nuggets a 23-18 fourth-set lead. Black's first ace put the Nuggets ahead to stay at 19-18. An Angely kill made it 24-19, and a ball-handling error ended the match.
     
"We were better Friday than we were in our scrimmages last weekend, and we were better today than we were Friday," Black said. "I see a lot of good things in our future."
     
XULA's other Saturday victory was 25-19, 25-12, 25-19 against Pikeville -- the Bears' first loss in four matches this season.
     
XULA will open its home schedule Friday with two matches in the Big Easy Blastoff at its Convocation Center.

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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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North Carolina A&T Proves Their FCS Elitism, Again!

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- A 58-year old rookie head football coach named Sam Washington was staring at some incredible odds on Saturday in the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff Classic against No. 6 Jacksonville State the Cramton Bowl.

It was his first game as a head coach. He was taking over for a North Carolina A&T team with high expectations after going 12-0 last season. He was replacing a coaching legend while also facing a Division I-FCS power in JSU with zero losses in the Ohio Valley Conference over the previous four seasons. Washington was doing all of this under an enormous spotlight with millions watching on ESPN including the entire historically black college and university nation hoping N.C. A&T could finally be the HBCU to knock off an FCS playoff team.

Mr. Sam Washington didn’t blink. The Aggies forced four Gamecock turnovers including a forced fumble and recovery in the final seconds of a 20-17 win over the Gamecocks. In defeating the Gamecocks, the Aggies pulled off one of the most significant wins in school history and in HBCU football history.

Not bad, rookie.

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

BOX SCORE

ATTENDANCE: 13,500

“If you look at the history of HBCU’s playing in these type of games against ranked teams, whether it is the playoffs or regular season, they haven’t fared very well. Tonight, we did feel like we were not only representing ourselves but our conference and HBCUs. It was an important win.”

There was a lot to prove on Saturday, not only for Washington, who was replacing his longtime mentor Rod Broadway but for Aggie nation. Even though the Aggies were the only undefeated team in FCS play last season, they did not participate in the NCAA FCS playoffs. As the conference champion of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, they fulfilled their obligation to play in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta against SWAC champion Grambling State instead.

Some wondered how legit the Aggies 12-0 season was considering they did not test it in the playoffs. Plus, the Aggies last playoff test ended in a 39-10 defeat to Richmond on Nov. 26, 2016. That date is also the last time the Aggies lost a football game.

Face it, N.C. A&T was seeking the respect and proof that their 12-0 was legit. Junior defensive end Darryl Johnson (6-5, 232, R-JR, Kingsdale, Ga.) finalized the legitimization when on a 2nd-and-10 from the A&T 18-yard line, Johnson recorded a strip sack on quarterback Zach Cangelosi with 18 seconds remaining. Linebacker Antoine Wilder (5-10, 178, R-Jr., Riverdale, Ga.) recovered to give the Aggies their 13th straight win and their second straight win over a ranked opponent.

“From the time I came off the ball I was yelling I’ve got to get it. I’ve got to get the ball to end this,” said Johnson. “I put my heart and soul in it, so I knew something good had to happen. They were driving on us and putting pressure on us. We just had to keep playing until we made a play.”

N.C. A&T did struggle with the Gamecocks passing attack in the second half. The Gamecocks generated only 91 yards of offense while piling up 97 yards in penalties in the first half. The Aggies led 7-3 at the half on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Lamar Raynard (6-4, 195, R-SR, High Point, N.C.) to receiver Zachary Leslie (6-3, 204, R-So., Lawndale, N.C.) in the first quarter.

JSU did unleash two big pass plays in the third quarter that resulted in touchdowns. The first was a 49-yard long bomb Daniel Byrd from Zerrick Cooper to give the Gamecocks their first lead of the game at 10-7. Malik Wilson (5-11, 166, R-Sr., Burlington, N.C.) quickly erased that lead with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the first of his career. But Cooper put JSU back in front with a 40-yard toss to Josh Pearson.

“We are excited that the ball decided to bounce our way a few times,” said Washington. “Looking at the numbers, statistically you would think the win was in reverse. They passed for over 300 yards and our secondary, in my opinion, didn’t play up to their capability. We’ve got to get that fixed.”

The ball certainly did bounce in the Aggies favor after the Pearson touchdown. JSU tried to seize on their momentum with an onside kick. But instead, they were called for trying to impede N.C. A&T from receiving the kick. The 10-yard penalty gave the Aggies a first down at the JSU 36. Six plays later, Elijah Bell (6-1, 222, Jr., Wheeling, WVa.) battled and tussled with a defender for a Raynard pass in the end zone and won to give the Aggies their decisive 20-17 margin with 2:36 to play.

It was Raynard’s 50th touchdown pass and Bell’s 20th touchdown reception. The Raynard to Bell lethal duo has connected 17 times for touchdowns.

“I knew they couldn’t score again if we wanted to win the game,” said Washington. “We had to stop the faucet from running so to speak because they were having their way with us for a little while there. They still kept making successful plays. But we stopped them from scoring again even when they got in the red zone. We persevered.”

And because of it, Washington has career win No. 1.

N.C. A&T will face another humungous challenge next week as they travel to Greenville, N.C. to face East Carolina at 6 p.m.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

PVAMU Panthers Lose On Final Play At Rice

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Prairie View A&M University football team lost on the final play of the game at Rice, falling 31-28 at Rice Stadium.

Quarterback Jalen Morton completed 16 of 28 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed 12 times for 53 yards. WR Tristen Wallace caught five passes for 157 yards and a touchdown to lead all receivers. RB Dawonya Tucker rushed 10 times or 73 yards while catching two passes for nine yards.

ESPN+ VIDEO: PRAIRIE VIEW A&M vs. RICE

BOX SCORE

"I thought it was a hard-fought game," said PVAMU head coach Eric Dooley. "We had a couple of turnovers (fumble, snap out of the end zone) that changed the complexity of the game. That's football – limiting turnovers and creating turnovers. Overall, I'm proud of the kids. They fought hard."

Trailing 16-0 in the second quarter, the Panthers' offense found its groove scoring touchdowns on four consecutive possessions. PVAMU got on the board with a six-play, 75-yard drive, ending in Zarrian Holcombe's 20-yard touchdown catch cut the deficit to 16-7 with just over nine minutes to play in the first half.

Following a Rice field goal, the Panthers drove 69 yards in seven plays. Jose Medrano's first career touchdown catch from two yards out cut the deficit to 19-14 with less than two minutes to play until halftime.

The Prairie View A&M defense forced a three-and-out before the offense scored again. A six-play, 69-yard drive ended with Wallace's 20-yard scoring pass to give PVAMU its first lead of the season at 21-19 just before halftime.

On the first possession of the second half, the Panthers extended its lead. An eight-play, 94-yard drive ended with Bernard Goodwater's 27-yard scoring run on his only carry of the game to give Prairie View A&M its largest lead of the game, 28-19, with just over eight minutes to play in the third quarter.

Rice scored the final 12 points of the game in the fourth quarter, including a 23-yard field goal on the final play of the game, for the final margin.

The Panthers return to action Sunday in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge facing North Carolina Central in Atlanta. Kickoff is at 11 a.m. CT, with the Panther Sports Network radio broadcast beginning at 10:30 a.m. at pvpanthers.com/sportsnetwork.

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