Saturday, December 2, 2017

AAMU Lady Bulldogs race past Murray State, 71-54



HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Aubriana Bonner was perfect from the field as she led a trio of Lady Bulldogs in double-figure scoring Friday for a 71-54 win over Murray State.

The win is the fourth of the season for Alabama A&M, the first time since 2011 the Lady Bulldogs have won four non-conference games to open a season.

Bonner hit 8-of-8 shots from the field and had a pair of free throws for a game-high 18 points. She also pulled down seven rebounds.

Ashlyn Dotson scored 14 points and also had seven rebounds as A&M worked its inside game to take advantage of mismatches under the boards.

Natalie Collins had 11 points, which is a season-high for her.

LADY BULLDOGS PHOTO GALLERY

Kanisha Tharpe grabbed seven rebounds as the Lady Bulldogs outrebounded Murray State 46-26.

Lauren McKee had a game-high seven assists.

The Lady Bulldogs started slowly as Murray State (2-6) jumped out to a 6-0 lead and led 11-5 with less than four minutes gone in the first quarter.

Then, the Lady Bulldogs got hot.

And we mean hot!

Bonner scored on a layup to cut the lead to 11-7 and ignite a 19-0 run in the final 5:48 of the first quarter for a 24-11 lead.

Natalie Collins hit back-to-back three-pointers in a span of 34 seconds to give A&M its first lead of the game, with 4:47 to play in the opening quarter.

A&M continued to dominate in the second quarter, opening up a 19-point lead at one point, before taking a 38-21 lead into halftime.

The Lady Bulldogs controlled the third and fourth quarters as well, building their largest lead of the night at 60-34 with 1:48 left in the third quarter.

A&M is off until Dec. 12 when the Lady Bulldogs visit Jacksonville State.

They return to Elmore Gym on Jan. 6 to start the SWAC season with Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
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ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Boyd paces Grambling State to victory over SE Louisiana

GRAMBLING, Louisiana | Jazmin Boyd led three Grambling State University women's basketball players in double figures as the Lady Tigers overcame a slow start to pick up their second consecutive victory, 61-52, on Thursday night against Southeastern Louisiana at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.

Grambling State (3-3) started slow as the Lady Tigers shot 21.4 percent (3-of-14) and trailed, 11-10. A jumper from Boyd with 5:58 left in the second quarter gave the Lady Tigers the lead in the second quarter as Grambling State took a slim 24-23 advantage into the break. The Lady Tigers came out of the break and shot 50 percent (9-of-18) in the third quarter to extend the lead to 46-34.

Boyd led Grambling State with 18 points, including the only two Lady Tiger 3-pointers, five rebounds, two steals and one assist. Deja McKinney added 13 points and was 5-of-8 at the free-throw line. She also recorded four boards, three asists, one steal and one block. Monisha Neal registered 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal.

Taylin Underwood paced Southeastern Louisiana (1-6) with 18 points and nine rebounds. Caitlyn Williams tallied 11 rebounds along with five points, two steals, one block and an assist.

Turning Point
Grambling State led 10-8 after a bucket by Boyd with 43 seconds left in the opening quarter, but Underwood sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Lady Lions an 11-10 advantage.

The Lady Tigers were able to grab the lead in the second quarter as Alexus Williams scored on a layup to give Grambling State a 24-20 lead, but Southeastern Louisiana closed the gap right before the half to 24-23 after a pair of free throws by Jaclyn Scholvin.

Grambling State came out in the third quarter and shot 50 percent (9-of-18) as the Lady Tigers used a 22-4 run, capped by a McKinney layup to push the advantage to 46-27, with 2:31 remaining.

Southeastern Louisiana closed out the third on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to 46-34 and continued to trim the margin, cutting the Lady Tigers lead to 46-38 on a Charliee Dugas layup with 7:14 left. However, that would be as close as the Lady Lions would get.

Inside The Numbers
* Grambling State shot 34.9 percent (22-of-63) from the field and 57.7 percent (15-of-26) from the free-throw line.
* Southeastern Louisiana was 16-of-62 (25.8 percent) from the floor and 78.9 percent (15-of-19) from the charity stripe.
* The Lady Tigers tallied 36 rebounds, with 28 off the defensive glass.
* The Lady Lions registered 58 rebounds, including 37 of those from the defensive end.
* Grambling State finished with 12 bench points, 28 points in the paint, 27 points off turnovers, and three second-chance points.
* Southeastern Louisiana registered 23 points in the paint, 17 points off turnovers, 20 second-chance points and 22 bench points.
* The score was tied three times and there were seven lead changes.

News & Notes
* Grambling State picked up its second consecutive victory.
* The Lady Tigers' next five games will be on the road, including stops in Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina and Memphis.
* Thursday night's contest was Test Prep Night, hosted by the Student Government Association. With final examinations next week for the student-athletes, SGA staff members handed out complimentary scantrons and offered productive study habits.

Up Next
Grambling State returns to action on Sunday, Dec. 10 as the Lady Tigers visit Tuscaloosa, Ala. to take on SEC member Alabama. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. and the game can be seen live on the SEC Network+.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathetics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

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GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Davis’ 28 Powers Bethune-Cookman To Historical Triumph at Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- Prior to this season, Bethune-Cookman University men's basketball had never won four games in the month of November, or owned a winning record having played three-or-more contests. That all changed Thursday evening at Swisher Gymnasium as Shawntrez Davis exceeded expectations to lead all scorers with a season-best 28 points to power BCU (4-3) to a 77-66 victory at Jacksonville University.

Davis was key in engineering the Wildcats' largest lead of the game of 14 points with his lay-in at 18:01 in the second half. The junior forward from Atlanta, Ga., scored the half's first six points to give BCU a 40-26 cushion.



The Wildcats, who picked up their first road win of the season, maintained the lead the entire second half despite a furious JU (3-5) rally. Davis sank a pair of free throws to put the visitors ahead, 54-44, with 10:30 remaining before Jayln Hinton scored five points to ignite a 9-0 Dolphin run. Radwan Bakkali's jumper with 6:31 to go was the closest JU came before falling to its second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe at home this season.

Isaiah Bailey nailed a three on the ensuing possession and BCU returned its lead to 10 on his goal-shaking, one-handed slam-dunk with 4:40 remaining. The Wildcats never led the lead squeeze to below six, thanks in large part to guard Malik Maitland's ability to drive each possession past mid-court and his icy 8-8 performance at the free-throw line. BCU had its best performance yet at the penalty stripe, draining 23 of its 28 attempts.

Maitland netted 16 points, tying a season-best, while Bailey tallied 14 with a team-high six assists. Davis collected 10 rebounds and recorded his MEAC-best fifth doube-double. Soufiyane Diakite topped BCU with 11 rebounds. BCU converted 18 Dolphin turnovers into 19 points, and trailed for only 1:04. The Wildcats snapped a two-game losing streak in the series, while achieving their first road win against Jacksonville since 2008.

Neither team could remove a cover from the cylinder to start the game until Davis' jumper fell in at 18:24. He then reeled off seven more points over the next 1:07 to push the Maroon and Gold lead to 9-2 at 17:17.

Jacksonville cut the lead to two on a Hinton dunk at 13:00, and the Dolphins took their first lead on a Jace Hogan layup at 7:40 for a 19-18 edge. The Wildcats regained the lead, 24-22, thanks to an Armani Collins trifecta at 4:27, and led 34-26 at the break with eight points, two helpers, and a steal all by Maitland over the run.

The Wildcats continue their brief road-swing with a trip to Florida Atlantic for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off on Saturday, Dec. 2.

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BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bowling Green to host Morgan State in 2019

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Bowling Green State University and the University of Maryland have announced an agreement to reschedule its 2019 football game in College Park, Mary. Originally scheduled for Aug. 31, 2019, the game will now be played Sept. 21, 2024. The move allows Bowling Green to add another home game to the non-conference schedule and the Falcons will host Morgan State on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019 instead.

We were excited to work with the University of Maryland and Morgan State University in order to adjust our 2019 schedule in a way that we feel will best serve our student-athletes, fans and season ticket holders," BGSU Director of Athletics Bob Moosbrugger said. "Not only does this shift provide us with an additional home game that will balance our schedule, but it also gives us the opportunity to open the season at home on the Thursday before Labor Day weekend. This will allow our fans the opportunity to enjoy both the home opener and a holiday weekend."

BGSU has not opened a season prior to Labor Day weekend since defeating Tulsa 34-7 in 2013. This will be Morgan State's second visit to The Doyt, as well as the second meeting all-time between the two teams. The first meeting ended in Bowling Green's favor with a 58-13 victory on Sept. 10, 2011. In that contest, wide receiver Eugene Cooper hauled in a school record-tying four touchdowns, three of which came in the first quarter.

The Morgan State matchup will be the first of four non-conference games for the Falcons in 2019. BGSU will travel to Kansas State on Sept. 7, followed by a home game against Louisiana Tech a week later. The non-conference schedule will conclude with a face-off with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame on Oct. 5.

The Maryland game in 2024 will conclude a three-game series between the Falcons and Terrapins. BGSU came away victorious in the first of the three games, played on Sept. 12, 2015, with a 48-27 win at College Park. The Falcons were led by quarterback Matt Johnson, who threw for a career-best six touchdowns, which tied the program record originally set by Ryan Henry in 1994. The win would help propel a 10-4 season that concluded with a MAC Championship title and a trip to the GoDaddy Bowl. The second game of the series is set to take place Sept. 8, 2018 when Maryland visits Doyt Perry Stadium.

The BGSU/Maryland game in 2024 is currently the first scheduled non-conference game for the Falcons in that season.

FUTURE BGSU NON-CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

2018
9/1 – at Oregon
9/8 – Maryland
9/15 - Eastern Kentucky
9/29 - at Georgia Tech

2019
8/29 – Morgan State
9/7 – at Kansas State
9/14 – Louisiana Tech
10/5 - at Notre Dame

2020
9/5 - at Ohio State
9/12 - Robert Morris
9/19 – at Illinois
10/3 - Liberty

2021
9/4 - at Tennessee
9/11 – South Alabama
9/25 - at Minnesota

2022
9/3 – at UCLA
9/24 - at South Alabama

2023
9/2 - at Liberty
9/30 - at Louisiana Tech

2024
9/21 - at Maryland

2025
9/6 - at Minnesota

2026
9/5 - at Arizona State

BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Grambling State stuns Georgia Tech on late bucket

ATLANTA, Georgia | Ivy Smith, Jr. put up a layup with eight seconds remaining and missed, but the loose ball grabbed by Curtis Haywood was tipped back into the Tiger basket as the Grambling State University men's basketball team stunned Georgia Tech, 64-63, on Friday night at McCamish Pavilion.

Grambling State (2-5) used a 22-8 run to turn a 25-23 halftime lead into a 47-31 advantage with 10:19 remaining. Georgia Tech (4-2) rallied and used a 30-13 run to take a 61-60 lead with 1:02 left.

The Yellow Jackets got two free throws by Jose Alvarado with 43 seconds left, but that would be the last time Georgia Tech would score. Smith sank two shots at the charity stripe to cut the margin to 63-62 with 43 seconds left. Tadric Jackson missed two shots at the line and Drake Wilks came down with the big rebound as the Tigers called a timeout with 22 seconds remaining to set up the final play.

After the timeout, Smith drove the lane to put up the shot and the ball bounced around and was tipped by Haywood and went into the basket to give the Tigers a 64-63 lead.

Diontae Jones paced three Grambling State players in double figures with 18 points, nine rebounds, two steals, one block and one assist. Axel Mpoyo tallied 14 points, eight rebounds, one block and one assist, while Smith registered 14 points, six assists, two steals and two boards.

Alvarado led Georgia Tech with a game-high 22 points, including four 3-pointers. He also added four assists, three steals and one rebound. Tadric Jackson registered 19 points and seven boards.

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GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Friday, December 1, 2017

Grambling State expects tough rematch with Alcorn State for SWAC title

GRAMBLING, Louisiana – It’s the matchup predicted in the preseason to take place for the final SWAC Championship Game.

After the 27-point drumming back in October in the regular season, people around the league didn’t know what to expect. But here we are and the preseason claim of Grambling State (10-1) and Alcorn State (7-4) battling it out for the SWAC title for the third straight season has come to fruition.

While the Tigers’ blowout victory over the Braves might suggest Saturday’s contest might not be close, GSU head football coach Broderick Fobbs, his coaching staff and players as well as Alcorn State head football coach Fred McNair with his coaching staff and players know all too well that once the two teams get together in the SWAC championship game, all bets are off.

“You’re talking about the sixth time in three years,” said Fobbs of Grambling facing Alcorn. “We definitely know each other and know what each other likes to do. For us, it’s about cleaning up our mistakes up for this contest and really getting into the swing of things.”

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SWAC championshipT takes show on road one last time



HOUSTON, Texas — Southwestern Athletic Conference commissioner Duer Sharp said Friday he has not resigned.

One way or another, Saturday's game at NRG Stadium between Grambling and Alcorn State will mark the last time Sharp hands out a SWAC championship trophy to the league's best football team.

“I turned in a letter of nonrenewal, stating my contract would not be renewed as of June 30," Sharp said, "but it was not a letter of resignation.”

The Advocate reported Friday that Sharp had submitted his resignation but that it was unclear when his duties as conference commissioner would end.

“I’m the commissioner and I plan to be so moving forward,” Sharp said. “I have not resigned. I don’t know where that started from. I landed yesterday in Houston and my phone went completely crazy.”

The SWAC is holding its winter meetings in Houston and school presidents and chancellors met Thursday morning with some hot topics, including the possibility of re-implementing the SWAC championship game after it was announced last summer that Saturday’s game would be the last.

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Wells 3-pointer helps Nuggets hold off Generals 51-48

NEW ORLEANS — An Essence Wells 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining Wednesday put Xavier University of Louisiana ahead to stay in a 51-48 women's basketball victory against LSU-Alexandria at the Convocation Center.

The Gold Nuggets (3-2) have won three straight, two against the Generals (0-2). It was the second consecutive game that XULA allowed fewer than 50 points.

Wells's trey, her second of the game, gave XULA a 50-48 lead. Maya Trench made 1-of-2 free throws with eight seconds remaining for the final points. LSUA's Jenna Mabile missed a 3-pointer as time expired.

Trench and Ireyon Keith scored 10 points apiece for XULA, and Mikayla Bates grabbed 10 rebounds. Katie Lemieux and Nakendria Wilson scored 13 points apiece for LSUA, and Lemieux had a career-high 12 rebounds. Mabile had five assists and four steals.



Trench had seven rebounds and four assists. Bates had three assists and three steals. Keith's points were a season high. Wells tied her career high with four assists. Jayla Nichols scored a season-best eight points, and she and Gina Smith grabbed five rebounds apiece.

XULA won despite being outshot 37.3 to 28.4 percent from the floor. The Gold Nuggets outrebounded an opponent for the first time this season, winning the boards 47-37. XULA was plus-5 in turnovers, committing 18 and gaining 23.

The Gold Nuggets led 10-4 after one quarter, 25-19 at halftime and 39-35 through three quarters. XULA nearly won wire-to-wire for the third straight game, but the score was tied four times in the fourth quarter, and the Generals led by a point twice in the final four minutes ̬ the second time at 48-47 after Wilson's basket with 49 seconds remaining. But Wilson's 2-pointer was LSUA's only score in its final six possessions.

It was the first game in 15 days for the Gold Nuggets, who will play twice more at home this week: 6 p.m. Friday against Georgetown (Ky.) and 5 p.m. Saturday against NAIA No. 13 Our Lady of the Lake.

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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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2nd-ranked LSUA shoots past Gold Rush

NEW ORLEANS — Brandon Moss, one of five LSU-Alexandria players to score in double figures, had 16 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday in an 80-65 men's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at the Convocation Center.

The Generals (4-2), ranked second in the NAIA, gave XULA (6-4) its first home loss this season.

Moss, a second-team All-American last season, made a pair of 3-pointers and had four assists and two blocks. Seven Generals had two or more assists, led by Joseph Feraci with five.

Jordin Williams scored 15 points, William Claiborne 13, Shannon James 11 and Evan Smith 10 for LSUA. Williams was 6-of-7 from the floor, and Smith was 4-of-5.



Rayshawn Mart scored a career-high 17 points for the Gold Rush. The freshman also had nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and no turnovers in nearly 33 minutes. Jeff Dixon had 15 points, six assists and a career-best eight rebounds, and Virgil Davison scored 13.

After Mart passed to Dixon for the first two points, the Generals scored 10 in a row and led the remainder of the game. LSUA led 41-34 at halftime and took its biggest lead, 61-40, on Anthony Stove's basket with 12:33 remaining. XULA never was closer than 11 points in the final 10 minutes.

LSUA shot a season-best 56.7 from the floor and topped 50 percent for the third consecutive game. The Gold Rush shot 41.5 percent. LSUA had a 39-31 rebound advantage, and both teams blocked six shots. XULA's 13 fouls and 10 turnovers were season lows.

The Gold Rush limited LSUA to its fewest points in a game this season — the Generals entered averaging 89.4 points — but XULA fell to 0-4 this season in games in which it scores fewer than 70 points.

XULA will break for fall-semester academic final exams, then play host to Carver College of Atlanta at 7 p.m. Dec. 13.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Thursday, November 30, 2017

SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp submitted his letter of resignation; league may reconsider football championship

HOUSTON, Texas -- With some member institutions concerned about the direction the Southwestern Athletic Conference was headed under his leadership, commissioner Duer Sharp submitted his letter of resignation.

The SWAC is holding its winter meetings in Houston, where school presidents and chancellors met Thursday morning. Southern director of athletics Roman Banks said the council of presidents accepted Sharp's resignation.

It is not yet clear whether Sharp's resignation is effective immediately, or if he will stay in his post throughout the remainder of his contract, which is set to expire this summer. As of Thursday night, the SWAC office had yet to issue a statement regarding Sharp's future.

Banks said there was no official record of who was or was not displeased with Sharp's performance as commissioner, adding that the point was made moot when Sharp submitted his resignation.

But, Banks said, there was "unanimous concern" about the SWAC's stability and the direction the league was taking.

"All had a concern about the last few years," Banks said. "What is our position, where we're going."

CONTINUE READING 

Larry Robinson Named FAMU’s 12th President by Board of Trustee

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Today, the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously voted to name Larry Robinson, Ph.D., the 12th university president, subject to confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors.

“I am humbled and overjoyed to have this opportunity to help move this University forward. I understand the awesomeness of this responsibility,” Robinson said, accepting the nomination. “I feel very, very fortunate to be a part of your team. I want to emphasize that our No. 1 priority will be student success – fully understanding that a key element of our student success is the great work of our faculty and staff.”

Board Chair Kelvin Lawson underscored the collective support from the BOT and FAMU community to name Robinson FAMU’s next permanent leader.

“We based our decision on data and followed our process thoroughly,” Lawson said. “We all, collectively, feel good about where we are, and we feel extremely well about our new leader – President Robinson.”

Robinson has served as the University’s interim president since September 2016. He also serves as a distinguished professor and principal investigator in the School of the Environment. He previously served as interim president from July 2012 to April 2014, director of FAMU’s Environmental Sciences Institute from 1997 to 2003, provost and vice president for Academic from 2003 to 2005, interim president in 2007, and vice president for Research in 2009.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Alcorn, Grambling meet in final SWAC championship game



HOUSTON, Texas – The final SWAC championship game has received the best possible matchup – a rubber game between Alcorn State and Grambling State.

Alcorn beat Grambling State in the 2015 title game before the Tigers returned the favor last year.

They’ll face off again Saturday at NRG Stadium in Houston, with East Division champion Alcorn (7-4) seeking to win the championship game for the third time in four years and West Division winner Grambling (10-1) trying to add to its record seven titles.

There’s a bittersweet feeling surrounding the showdown. The 10-team SWAC has the only conference championship game in the FCS, but it will discontinue the 19th annual event, which began in 1999, after Saturday’s matchup. Beginning next year, the conference’s Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl bid will go to the regular-season champion.

Saturday’s Alcorn-Grambling winner will still decide who represents the SWAC against MEAC champion North Carolina A&T in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 16 in Atlanta.

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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Search committee for next FAMU head football coach named, players want Pata

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The process that’ll end with the selection of Florida A&M’s next head football coach is officially underway.

A nine-person search committee came together Tuesday night and is set to meet again next week, said interim Athletic Director John Eason.

The committee members are: Eason, former FAMU trustee Spurgeon McWilliams, FAMU National Alumni Association President Lt. Col. Gregory Clark, Rattler Boosters Treasurer Selvin Cobb, FAMU professor Ebenezer Oriaku, FAMU linebacker Elijah Richardson, 220 Quarterback Club President Eddie Jackson, SBI Dean Shawnta Friday-Stroud and FAMU’s director of track and field Darlene Moore.

Eason said there’s no timeline to hire the next head coach. Outgoing Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. said the job will be posted Thursday.

Eason officially starts Friday.

“No timeline,” Eason said. “I want to make sure that I get the right person. I don’t want to rush through the process. Teams are still playing. A lot of Power Five schools are making changes right now. I want to let that dust settle and then go from there.

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MEAC Announces 2017 Football Post-Season Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia -- North Carolina A&T State University led the way in this year's All-MEAC voting as the Aggies had 12 student-athletes named to the first team. The team is voted on by the MEAC's head football coaches and sports information directors.

North Carolina A&T State’s Brandon Parker made history as the first player to be named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year for three consecutive seasons. Howard University freshman Caylin Newton was tabbed as the league’s Freshman of the Year while North Carolina A&T State’s Rod Broadway was selected as Coach of the Year.

In a partnership with the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame, the league’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year will be announced as part of the festivities surrounding the 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Hilton Midtown in New York City. The event will be televised live on ESPN3 at 9 a.m.



Parker capped off his final season in dominating fashion as he was named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week seven times while serving as the anchor of an offensive line that allowed the least amount of sacks in the MEAC. The Aggie offense put together one of their finest offensive seasons in university history as they led the MEAC in scoring offense (36.4 ppg), pass offense (257.5), first downs (231), 3rd down conversions (42.9%), 4th down conversions (61.5%) and time of possession (32:57). The Kannapolis, N.C. native and Walter Payton Award nominee finished the season without allowing a sack as N.C. A&T finished the regular season with eight games over 400-plus yards of offense.

Newton stepped onto the college football scene in style as he helped lead Howard to its first-ever FCS win at UNLV in his collegiate debut. From that point, Newton couldn’t be stopped as he guided the MEAC’s top-rated offensive unit (447.8 ypg) and rushing offense (217.4 ypg). Newton was the first freshman in MEAC history to surpass 3,000 yards of total offense (3,185) as he averaged 289.5 yards of offense per outing. The Jerry Rice Award nominee also led the MEAC in scoring as he combined for 25 touchdowns en route to leading Howard to its best finish and record since 2012.

All Broadway did in 2017 was win as the Aggies capped off their best regular season in school history with a perfect 11-0 (8-0 MEAC) mark. The Aggies are one of only two undefeated teams in FCS play and are the 2017 MEAC champions for the third time in four years. For the first time in 14 years, the Aggies are the outright conference champions. The Eddie Robinson Award nominee became the school’s second all-time winningest coach this season and has reached 50 wins faster than any other coach in school history, getting his 50th win at N.C. A&T in 72 games coached.

Broadway has one more game remaining as the Aggies will play in its second Celebration Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 16 at the brand-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. No MEAC team has finished the season with both a perfect regular season and postseason mark.

Listed below are the 2017 All-MEAC teams:

2017 MEAC Football All-Conference Teams

Offensive Lineman of the Year: Brandon Parker, North Carolina A&T State
Rookie of the Year: Caylin Newton, Howard
Coach of the Year: Rod Broadway, North Carolina A&T State


FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QBLamar RaynardR-Jr.North Carolina A&T StateHigh Point, N.C.
RBMarquell CartwrightJr.North Carolina A&T StateHigh Point, N.C.
RBAnthony PhilyawSr.HowardLos Angeles, Calif.
WRElijah BellSo.North Carolina A&T StateWheeling, W. Va.
WRJequez EzzardSo.HowardCollege Park, Ga.
TETrey ScottGr.North Carolina A&T StatePowder Springs, Ga.
CDarriel MackSr.North Carolina A&T StateClio, S.C.
OLBrandon ParkerR-Sr.North Carolina A&T StateKannapolis, N.C.
OLGerald WrightSr.HowardMiami, Fla.
OLMarcus PettifordSo.North Carolina A&T StateDurham, N.C.
OLDwayne BrownJr.Bethune-CookmanIndianapolis, Ind.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DLDarryl JohnsonSo.North Carolina A&T StateKingsland, Ga.
DLKawuan CoxSo.North Carolina CentralSummerville, S.C.
DLStefen BanksJr.Savannah StateColumbus, Ohio
DLChris LeeSr.Norfolk StateWoodbridge, Va.
LBDarius LeonardR-Sr.South Carolina StateLake View, S.C.
LBReggie HunterSr.North Carolina CentralHenderson, N.C.
LBJeremy TaylorSr.North Carolina A&T StateKinston, N.C.
DBDavanta ReynoldsJr.North Carolina CentralTucker, Ga.
DBFranklin (Mac) McCain IIIFr.North Carolina A&T StateGreensboro, N.C.
DBDiquan RichardsonSr.Bethune-CookmanAllen, S.C.
DBTimadre AbramJr.North Carolina A&T StateLakeland, Fla.
PNathaniel TilqueSr.North Carolina CentralCharlotte, N.C.
PKUriel HernandezJr.Bethune-CookmanHomestead, Fla.
RSKhris GardinJr.North Carolina A&TMorganton, N.C.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QBCaylin NewtonFr.HowardAtlanta, Ga.
RBYahkee JohnsonSr.HamptonRichmond, Va.
RBIsaiah TottenR-Fr.North Carolina CentralApex, N.C.
WRJacen MurphySr.North Carolina CentralWilmington, N.C.
WRRonald BellSo.HamptonFort Washington, Md.
TEJosh McCoyJr.North Carolina CentralSharon, S.C.
CChris AdamsSr.Bethune-CookmanDayton, Ohio
OLMarley ConleyJr.North Carolina CentralFayetteville, N.C.
OLNick LeverettSo.North Carolina CentralConcord, N.C.
OLObinna NwankwoSo.Florida A&MMiramar, Fla.
OLRyan GouldSr.HamptonClemmons, S.C.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DLTodney EvansJr.Bethune-CookmanDelray Beach, Fla.
DLAntonio BrownSr.North Carolina CentralJacksonville, Fla.
DLMalachi WashingtonJr.Morgan StateWaldorf, Md.
DLTy CravensSr.South Carolina StateAustell, Ga.
LBDayshawn TaylorR-Sr.South Carolina StateLincolnton, Ga.
LBAnthony SmithR-Sr.Norfolk StateNorfolk, Va.
LBRaheim HuskeyJr.HamptonGaffney, S.C.
DBJason BaxterGr.South Carolina StateManning, S.C.
DBBryan CookFr.HowardCincinnati, Ohio
DBAlden McClellonJr.North Carolina CentralLake Butler, Fla.
DBKeyjuan SelbyJr.Delaware StateBear, Del.
PFidel Romo-MartinezSo.Delaware StateBanning, Calif.
PKAedan JohnsonJr.North Carolina CentralChula Vista, Calif.
RSMarcus TaylorJr.Norfolk StateHighland Springs, Va.
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
QBLarry Brihm, Jr.Sr.Bethune-CookmanDelray Beach, Fla.
RBDevin BowersJr.Florida A&MSt. Petersburg, Fla.
RBJamurez TompkinsSr.Bethune-CookmanTampa, Fla.
WRKyle AnthonySo.HowardMiramar, Fla.
WRMarcus TaylorJr.Norfolk StateHighland Springs, Va.
TEBrandon JonesJr.Morgan StateSalt Lake City, Utah
COsman AguileraSr.Florida A&MMiami, Fla.
OLPhillip NormanJr.Bethune-CookmanSebastian, Fla.
OLJustin EvansSr.South Carolina StateFlorence, S.C.
OLKenneth KirbySo.Norfolk StateNewport News, Va.
OLMalik MackeySo.HamptonAtlanta, Ga.
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
DLNigel ChavisR-So.Norfolk StateRichmond, Va.
DLBrandon CarswellJr.Savannah StateMount Vernon, Ga.
DLElijah PriceSr.Florida A&MJacksonville, Fla.
DLSteven SmithSr.HamptonVirginia Beach, Va.
LBMarcus AlbertSr.North Carolina A&TCollege Park, Ga.
LBRico KennedySo.Morgan StateFort Lauderdale, Fla.
LBKyle ArchieSr.Norfolk StateVirginia Beach, Va.
DBJ.T. WaheeSo.Norfolk StateNorfolk, Va.
DBCarl GarnesJr.Morgan StateColumbus, N.J.
DBBrendan ColeSr.HamptonHampton, Va.
DBDevondre PowellSr.South Carolina StateMiami, Fla.
PChris FaddoulFr.Florida A&MWesley Chapel, Fla.
PKTyler ScandrettSr.South Carolina StateBarnesville, Ga.
RSJaMichael BaldwinFr.Savannah StateConyers, Ga.




MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Head Baseball Coach Jason Beverlin Departing from Bethune-Cookman Championship Program

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- After spending just over six years at the helm of the Bethune-Cookman Baseball program, Jason Beverlin has decided to step down as head coach of the Wildcats program in Daytona Beach. An acting head coach for the program will be announced in the coming days by Lynn W. Thompson, BCU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics.

Beverlin, the 2014 recipient of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) Giant Steps Award, compiled a record of 179-176 in six seasons with the Maroon and Gold. He leaves as the only coach in school history to compete for an NCAA Regional title – facing eventual national champion University of Florida in the final game of the NCAA Gainesville [Fla.] Regional in 2017 at McKethan Stadium.

The Royal Oaks, Michigan native is set for a new challenge as he departs BCU to become a regional scout for the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball (MLB). In his new job, Beverlin will scout the areas of North Carolina and South Carolina, respectfully.



MEAC CHAMPION COACH BEVERLIN TAKES POSITION WITH MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TORONTO BLUE JAYS

"I want to thank Bethune-Cookman University, Lynn Thompson, Interim President Grimes and the baseball staff and student-athletes for everything," said Beverlin. "For just around seven years, I didn't just come to work each day. I had a family at my job each day. Everyone is family here at Bethune-Cookman, and they will always be a part of my life.

"This was certainly not an easy decision to make. It was one that I prayed on and spoke with my family about a lot about over the past few days. In the end, it was ultimately, the best choice for me right now, even though there's never a 'perfect' time for any change in collegiate coaching."

Beverlin helped the Wildcats win the 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament titles in his stint with the BCU program. He was also responsible for the development of 2014 ABCA All-Atlantic and MEAC Pitcher of the Year – Montana Durapau. Additionally, in 2016 and '17, respectively, Beverlin was instrumental in coaching first baseman Danny Rodriguez (2016) to being named as a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, as well as pitcher Anthony Maldonado (2017) being selected to the Collegiate Baseball News Freshman All-American Team.

In 2017, Beverlin won his second, third and fourth NCAA Regional contests with the Wildcats, after becoming just the second coach in school history to win an NCAA Regional game when the Cats defeated Columbia in the NCAA Coral Gables [Fla.] Regional in an elimination game back in 2014. Last year, he helped the Cats defeat the Gainesville [Fla.] Regional host Florida Gators for the first time in school history.

"We want to thank Jason Beverlin, his wife Heather, and his two boys, for being a part of our family for just over six years," said Vice President Thompson. "I have been blessed to have a wonderful coach take our program to another level, and it was left in a great state by former head coach Mervyl Melendez, who is also family at BCU. Jason took what Mervyl established and continued to push forward.

"I am happy for the chance he has to be a father and husband more so than ever. He has been a father figure and raised so many kids in his time at BCU as a baseball coach. Now, he gets to see his oldest son finish high school, and watch his youngest son start high school – and be a dad first and foremost. We wish him well. But we know he will always be a part of our family."

Beverlin is a father to Cole (18) and Lucas (13). Less than a month ago, oldest son Cole signed a National Letter of Intent to play collegiate baseball at Florida State University.

Beverlin spent time in Major League Baseball with organizations such as the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Oakland A's, Anaheim Angels (now Los Angeles Angeles) and his hometown Detroit Tigers. After eight long seasons in the minors, Beverlin cracked the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians in 2002. Adding more diversity to his experience, Beverlin played three years professionally in Japan for the Yakult Swallows and Yokohama Baystars of the Nippon Professional Baseball League. He was selected as an All-Star in 2004.

"The true measure of the job I've done building the program will be in the professionalism that our coaches and players show throughout the upcoming season," added Beverlin. "I know they will continue to give everything they have on a daily basis to become champions."

Follow Bethune-Cookman Baseball on Twitter (@BCUDiamondCats) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUathletics), Instagram (@BCUathletics), Snapchat (@BCUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/BCUathletics).

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION