Georgia Regents Augusta Jags Advance To DI Golf Championships With Win At MEAC Tourney

SAVANNAH, Georgia – With round three cancelled due to weather, the GRU Augusta men's golf team won the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men's Golf Tournament Championship at the Crosswinds Golf Club in Savannah, Ga., by 36 strokes to advance to the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships.

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A new face to the conference, the Jaguars became an associate member of the MEAC in September. The team ranked No. 49 entering the championship in Golfstat's head to head rankings.

Due to inclement weather in the third and final round, the Jaguars, with a 36-stroke lead following the second day of competition, earned the conference title and automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship. With an unfinished shotgun-start in Saturday's play, all scores returned back to the completed 36 holes of the second round, confirming GRU as the champion.

The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Selection Show will air May 4 at 10 a.m. on the Golf Channel.

The Jaguars combined to shoot a 19-under par 557 through 36 holes of the tournament and had 43 combined birdies through two rounds. Robin Petersson won the event for the Jags, while Maverick took second and Broc Everett third to highlight the Jags.

GRU's Robin Petersson, who led the field with a 5-under par 67 after day two, was named the Most Outstanding Performer. For the tournament, Petersson carded 12 birdies, two bogies and one double bogey to finish 8-under par 136 overall.

GRU's Jake O'Keefe was named Outstanding Coach. "This was fantastic," said Coach O'Keefe. "Our guys played well and to win was our goal. It was a nice feat and to have all of our guys finish in the top 10 was great. I look forward to representing the MEAC in the NCAA Regionals and we will continue to do our best to keep this going."

GRU's Maverick Antcliff finished in second place after shooting a one-under par 71, four strokes from the overall lead in the second round. Antcliff carded three birdies and two bogeys to combine for four-under par thru 36 holes.

Viktor Edin registered an even par in round two and finished seven strokes from the overall lead with a one-under par 143.

GRU's Broc Everett finished in a tie for third with Bethune-Cookman's Ian Clark, at 2-under par 142. Everett fired a 3-over par 75 and Clark finished a 1-over par 73 in the second round.

Bethune-Cookman and Savannah State finished tied for second place at 17-over par 593 to receive the 2015 Co-Runners Up award.

Florida A&M finished fourth at 31-over par 607. North Carolina Central (625), Maryland Eastern Shore (658) and Hampton (663) round out the seven-team field.

For more information on the MEAC Men's Golf Championship or other sponsored sports, visit www.MEACsports.com.

The Division I Men's Golf Selection Show will air Monday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m. on the Golf Channel.  For more information on the MEAC Men's Golf Championships or other sponsored sports, visit www.meacsports.com.

Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow GRU Athletics at www.jaguarsroar.com and receive short updates on Facebook at GRU_Jaguars and on Twitter at @GRU_Jaguars.

COURTESY GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY AUGUSTA MEDIA RELATIONS

Change coming with JCSU's Blount; Rebuilding is certain for 2015 campaign

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Johnson C. Smith football in April won’t be the same when September rolls around.

The Golden Bulls have a new head coach in Kermit Blount and player turnover is coming through graduation. If Blount’s history is an indicator, he’ll emphasize an attacking style based on personnel.

“You’re going to see a team that’s going to be very aggressive on the field and competitive on the field and doing all the right things off the field,” he said.

The good news for Blount is he gets a chance to remake the program in his own image, especially on offense, where the majority of last year’s skill position players are graduating. The Golden Bulls weren’t very productive in 2014 as JCSU scored an average of 13.2 points per game, worst in the 12-team CIAA. The Golden Bulls were shut out four times and managed just 277.7 yards on offense. Change was in the works, but changing coaches and philosophies accelerate the process.



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Jared Walker’s Big Day Lifts FAMU To Doubleheader Sweep Over NC Central

PAWTUCKET, Rhode Island – Jared Walker’s offensive outburst lifts Florida A&M (16-22, 12-8 MEAC) to a doubleheader sweep over North Carolina Central (19-24, 12-10 MEAC) on Friday at McCoy Stadium. After having to switch venues due to unexpected field conditions at Jim Rice Field in Roxbury, Massachusetts, FAMU swept NCCU 6-3 and 3-1 at McCoy Stadium, 46 miles away in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, at the home of the Pawtucket Red Sox. Walker went 7-for-8 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored on the day. The Rattlers scored three runs in the sixth inning to take game one 6-3 and held the Eagles to just one run in the fourth inning of game two.

Ryan Kennedy and Peter Jackson each added three hits on the day.

The Rattlers scored as many runs in the bottom of the first inning of game one as they did the entire series against NCCU in Durham earlier this season.



Marcus Roberts (1-0) earned his first career win after pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief and didn’t allow a hit with two strikeouts. Kenny McDonald walked the first batter he faced, but struck out the very next batter for the final out to record his sixth save of the season. Rattler starter Chase Jarrell tied a career-high with six strikeouts while working five innings in the no decision. Jarrell allowed three runs on five hits with one walk.

Brandon Fleming (5-1) took the win in game two as he recorded the final two outs of the fourth inning. Alex Carrasco worked the final two scoreless innings for his first save of the season. Game two starter Ricky Page worked 3 1/3 innings and allowed just one run on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

The Eagles scored first in game one with a single run in the top of the first inning. Eric Kimber led off the game with an infield single and stole second before Mitchell McCary’s sac bunt advanced him to third. Carlos Ortiz was hit-by-pitch with one out, Ronald Thompson struck out and Christian Triplett was also hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Conrad Kovalcik then drew a bases loaded walk to score Kimber from third for the first run of the game. Jacobi Harris would then strike out to end the inning and keep the scoring damage at one run.

FAMU answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Walker led off the home half of the first by ripping a single back up the middle and moved to third as Alec Wong followed with a single through the right side. Walker would score from third as Marlon Gibbs reached on a fielder’s choice bunt back to the pitcher, but an errant throw home trying to catch Walker scoring allowed Wong and Gibbs to go to second and third. Wong then scored the second run on Kennedy’s RBI single to left.

NCCU regained the lead, at 3-2, on Triplett’s RBI double with two outs in the top of the fifth inning. McCrary singled up the middle and advanced to third on Thompson’s two-out double down the right line. Triplett followed with a two-run double down the right line to give Central the lead in what proved to be their final runs of the game.

The Rattlers took the lead for good with three runs in the sixth inning for a score of 5-3. Kennedy led off with a walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt from AJ Elkins. Brian Davis would then tie the game at 3-3 with an RBI single through the right side. Michael Birdsong followed with a single to right to place runners on first and second with one out and Jeremy Barlow loaded the bases with a walk. After a strikeout to Jackson, Walker put the Rattlers in front with a two-run single to center for his third hit of the day.

Florida A&M added one more run in the eighth for the final score of 6-3.

NCCU Starter Cameron Scalzo (2-1) suffered the game one loss, for his first loss of the season, after allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts and three walks.

In game two, the Rattlers scored first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Walker led off with a walk and moved to second as Gibbs was hit-by-pitch with one out. After Kennedy flew out to left, Elkins plated Walker with an RBI single back up the middle.

N.C. Central had a scoring opportunity in the top of the third inning with two outs and runners on second and third, but Triplett struck out to end the scoring threat.

Central would tie the game at 1-1 with a single run in the top of the fourth inning. James Dey walked with one out, moved to second on a passed ball before Cory Williamson also walked to put runners at first and second. That forced a pitching change as Brandon Fleming came in for relief of starter Page. Fleming walked the first batter he faced in Theissen and Dey scored next to tie the game as McCrary beat out a double play ball at first base on his grounder to short.

FAMU answered with a run in the bottom half of the fourth inning to take back the lead for good at 2-1. After a Barlow walked and Walker singled to left with two outs, a throwing error by Eagle second baseman Williamson allowed Barlow to come around and score the go-ahead run.

The Rattlers tacked on another run in the fifth inning to push their lead to the final of 3-1. Kennedy led off with a rare infield double as his pop fly was brought back across the diamond by the wind. Elkins advanced Kennedy to third with a sac bunt then Kennedy and Birdsong executed the double steal as Kennedy stole home. Kennedy was in a run down trying to score, which allowed Birdsong to advance all the way to third as Kennedy worked his way out of the rundown to score.

Florida A&M and North Carolina Central will close out the three-game series on Saturday at Fenway Park in Boston. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 PM and will be televised on the New England Sports Network (NESN). Freshman Ryan Anderson will be on the hill for the Rattlers.

As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @FAMUAthletics and live stats will be available via www.FAMUAthletics.com.

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

TSU Stout, Fultz Named to OVC All-Newcomer Team

MUSCLE SHOALS, Alabama – Jermey Fultz and Andy Stout have been named to the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference All-Newcomer team. The duo became the second and third golfers in school history to receive the distinction. Current senior James Stepp in 2012 was the first Tiger to be selected to the squad.

Stout was second in the OVC for newcomers with a 73.6 strokes per round average. On the year, Stout gained a top five finish, a top 10 finish and three top20 placings. The Manchester, Tenn., native carded his best outing of the season on Mar. 17, as he fired a 5-under, 67, during the third round of the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate.

Fultz finished just behind his fellow classmate with a 73.9 strokes per round. The Knoxville product placed in the top 20 three times and shot a career best 5-under, 67, during the first round of the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate on Oct. 20.

The Tigers continue play during the second round of the OVC Championships on Saturday at The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at The Shoals in Muscle Shoals, Ala.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Gold Nuggets Add Transfers to Increase Recruiting Class to 3

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana announced Friday the signing of Amani Davis of Cypress, Texas, and Caitlyn Spane of Jackson, Miss., to women's basketball scholarships. Both are 5 feet 11 inches tall; Davis is a forward/center, and Spane is a forward/guard.

Davis averaged 6.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game the past two seasons for McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. She scored in double figures 13 times and had a pair of double-figure rebounding games. As a freshman in 2013-14, Davis was honorable-mention all-region and helped McLennan's Highlassies qualify for the regional tournament.

Davis graduated from Cypress Springs High School in 2013. She was first-team all-district as a senior and won team awards for MVP and most improved player. Her single-game highs included 17 points and 15 rebounds.

Spane will transfer from the University of North Florida, an NCAA Division I member in Jacksonville. She averaged 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds for UNF in 2014-15 and produced a double-double — 14 points and 10 rebounds — against Edward Waters, one of Xavier's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponents. She scored 10 points and made 2-of-2 3-pointers against NCAA DI Tennessee State, the Ohio Valley Conference tournament champion last season.

Spane averaged 9.1 points and 6.9 rebounds in two seasons at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Miss., and helped the Lady Bobcats win the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges state championship her sophomore year. She was a three-year basketball starter and a four-year volleyball starter at Terry (Miss.) High School and had a 32-point game as a senior in which she was 15-of-15 from the floor.

Davis will be a biology/pre-medical major at Xavier, and she hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon. Spane will major in political science. Both were honor-roll students in high school, and Davis made the honor roll multiple times at McLennan.

"Amani and Caitlyn are two nice additions to our program," XU coach Bo Browder said. "Both are versatile players. They will help our inside and outside game next season. We did not have enough of those types of players last season."

The Gold Nuggets have signed three for 2015-16. Guard Mikayla Bates of Baton Rouge, La., signed last week.

Xavier was 18-15 in 2014-15 and finished second in the GCAC regular season and tournament. The Gold Nuggets qualified for the NAIA Division I National Championship 18 of the past 21 seasons.

2015-16 Xavier women's basketball signees
Name Pos. Ht. Yr.* Hometown High School (College)
Mikayla Bates G 5-7 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. University
Amani Davis F/C 5-11 Jr. Cypress, Texas Cypress Springs (McLennan CC)
Caitlyn Spane F/G 5-11 Sr. Jackson, Miss. Terry (Jones County JC/North Florida)
* athletic classification at Xavier in 2015-16

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Vote for XU's Jazmin Taylor in Ebony Magazine HBCU Campus Queens contest

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Savannah State Sweeps B-CU For First Place In MEAC South

SAVANNAH,  Georgia – In a battle for first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southern Division, Savannah State softball took sole possession of the top spot with a doubleheader sweep of Bethune-Cookman on Friday.

The Lady Tigers improved to 10-1 in MEAC play with the two wins and 17-15 on the season. SSU and Cookman will close out the series on Saturday with a single game, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Lady Tiger Field. Cookman falls to 8-3 in the MEAC, and 15-27 overall.

Savannah State racked up a combined 24 hits over the two games on Friday. The Lady Tigers held onto a tight lead in game one, curbing a Cookman rally to win 8-5. In game two, SSU spread out 12 hits over seven innings for an 11-6 victory.

The Lady Tigers are on a 10-game MEAC win streak, the longest since the school joined the conference in the 2012 season. SSU won the MEAC Southern Division regular season title in their first year of competition in the conference.

SSU added single runs in the first and third innings of game one. In the fifth, SSU exploded with a four hits, including a triple from Alexis Singleton, racking up five runs for a 7-0 lead.

Junior slugger Torrian Wright blasted her 16^th home run of the season in the same inning, scoring Amanda Hallman, and tying the school record for single season home runs. Wright set the record in her freshman year.

Wright continues to lead all of NCAA Division I softball in batting average (.565), on-base percentage (.750), and slugging percentage (1.304). As a team, SSU is ranked ninth nationally in home runs per game, averaging 1.67 an outing.

Bethune-Cookman broke their scoring drought in the sixth inning, platting three runs on five hits. SSU added a single run in the bottom of the sixth on a double from Amber Hallman that platted Wright.

In the top of the seventh, Cookman scored two runs on two hits, and a costly SSU error. With two runners on and two outs, freshman pitcherAshley Eichenlaub forced a groundout from Mariah Davis to end the game.

Eichenlaub, a Savannah native, pitched a full game to earn her 11^th win of the season. She allowed five runs (four earned) on 13 hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

The Lady Tigers had 14 hits in the game, and were led at the plate by sophomore Ama. Hallman who went 4-for-4. Amb. Hallman went 3-for-4 in the game, while freshman Brianna Harris and Wright each added two hits.

The Lady Wildcats came out firing in game two. B-CU platted two runs on one hit to open the game and tacked on another run in the third for a 3-0 lead.

Wright singled to left in the bottom of the third, scoring Harris who reached on a single. Amb. Hallman singled as well, scoring Ama. Hallman to cut the Lady Wildcat's lead to a single run.

B-CU extended their lead in the next inning with two runs on two hits. SSU stranded three runners in the bottom of the frame as the Lady Wildcats held onto a 5-2 lead into the fifth.

SSU owned the fifth and sixth innings. To open the bottom of the fifth, Amb. Hallman hit her 12^th home run of the season, scoring Wright who was walked.

The Lady Tigers' defense staved off additional scoring from Cookman in the top of the sixth, while going to work in the bottom of the frame. SSU racked up seven runs on four hits, including a three-run homer from Eichenlaub and triples from Harris and Singleton.

After trailing for four innings, SSU took an 11-5 lead into the final inning. B-CU platted a single run in the top of the seventh as Ama. Hallman struck out Melissa Berouty to end the game.

Ama. Hallman earned her sixth win of the season, pitching a full 7.0 innings. She allowed six runs (three earned) on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Amb. Hallman led the Lady Tigers from the plate in game two, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Harris, Ama. Hallman and Eicenlaub each had two hits in the game.

Savannah State will finish up the regular season with a three-game MEAC home series against South Carolina State May 2-3, before heading to the 2015 MEAC Championship Tournament in Daytona Beach Fla. May 7-9.

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

ASU Track & Field: Pre-SWAC 2015 Outdoor Championship Interview

Florida A&M Wind Symphony provides superb performance at the Annual President's Concert

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University hosted the President’s Concert on April 22, 2015 at Lee Hall Auditorium. The event featured the University’s acclaimed Wind Symphony, which just completed a historical performance at the world famous Carnegie Hall.  Dr. Shelby R. Chipman, Conductor, led the Wind Symphony through a truly stellar performance.

In the playing of "Marche Brillante," the Piccolos and Euphoniums musicianship were purely on point with perfect articulation, intonation and a joy to hear. The composition is the product of the creative genius of The Maestro himself, the late Dr. William Patrick Foster (August 25, 1919 – August 28, 2010), Chairman of the Music Department and Director of Bands, Florida A&M University (1946-1998).  "Hubba, Doc!"

If you missed the event, here are a few excepts from the President's Concert for your listening pleasure in high definition surround sounds.  As always, watch in 1080p HD, Wide Screen for maximum viewing pleasure.  Go Rattlers!

Xavier Nuggets' Briggs, Keith narrowly miss season bests

VINNIE BRIGGS 

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi -- Xavier University of Louisiana's Vinnie Briggs and Ireyon Keith missed season bests in the women's triple jump by less than an inch Friday at the Southern Miss Invitational track and field meet.

Briggs jumped 10.55 meters (34 feet, 7 1/2 inches) to place sixth out of 11 competitors. Keith placed eighth in 10.27 meters (33-8 1/2). Briggs' season best is 10.57 meters, and Keith's best is 10.28.

It was Xavier's only competition during the opening day of the two-day meet. Xavier's women will compete Saturday in six track events and the long jump. Field events will start at 10 a.m. -- the women's long jump is scheduled for 2 p.m. -- and running events will begin at 1:10 p.m. The Gold Nuggets' first track event will be 1,500-meter run at 2:05 p.m.

Xavier's men will not compete.

Results

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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ASU Baseball Takes Game One Over Alabama A&M In Magic City Diamond Classic

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Alabama State baseball team won for the 13^th time in 14 games with a 5-3 win over Alabama A&M in the inaugural game of the Magic City Diamond Classic at Historic Rickwood Field.

 

Chris Biocic, P.J. Harris and Ray Hernandez each had two hits asJoseph Camacho improved to 10-0 and Armando Ruiz earned his seventh save.

 

"A lot of times, you have to be able to win games when you're not swinging the bat well," Alabama State head coach Mervyl Melendezsaid. "I thought our pitching was phenomenal. Camacho gave us a lift. He struggled in a couple of innings, but he found his rhythm and did a very good job, keeping a very good offense off balance. I'm very proud of the team and their effort tonight. It was truly a team win."

 

Alabama State (28-12 overall, 16-3 SWAC) erased a 1-0 deficit with a three-run second inning. Waldyvan Estrada and Yamil Pagan walked to lead off the inning. After a fielder's choice forced out Estrada at third, Hunter Allen walked to load the bases.Joseph Estrada was hit by a pitch on a 2-1 count to score Pagan to tie the game. Hernandez then drilled a 1-2 pitch into left field for a single, scoring Harris and Allen for a 3-1 Alabama State lead.

 

The Hornets extended the lead in the third. Waldyvan Estrada singled to lead off the inning, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Pagan. Harris then singled to center on a 1-2 pitch to give Alabama State a 4-1 lead.

 

After Alabama A&M (22-24, 14-8) added a run in the bottom of the third, the Hornets scored again in the fifth. After Chris Biocic and Waldyvan Estrada walked, with one out both players successfully executed a double steal, with Biocic scoring on a throwing error for a 5-2 ASU lead.

 

Camacho went seven innings, allowing 10 hits (nine singles), three runs with two walks and seven strikeouts. Michael Estevez pitched the eighth ahead of Ruiz' two-ninth inning strikeouts to seal the win.

 

Alabama State and Alabama A&M will play a doubleheader Saturday at 3 p.m. with the live radio broadcast of both games on bamastatesports.com.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Three found guilty on all counts in FAMU hazing trial

Benjamin McNamee, Darryl Cearnel and Aaron Golson are facing 15 years in prison

ORLANDO, Florida -- A jury has found the last three former Florida A&M University band members guilty in the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion.

Aaron Golson, Benjamin McNamee, and Darryl Cearnel have been convicted of felony hazing and felony manslaughter. The three were the last of 15 band members charged in Champion's death to stand trial. Most of the others took plea deals.

"A strong message needs to be sent: here are the consequences of what hazing is and what it does," said Pamela Champion (Robert's mother) after the verdict was read. "There's no pride in it."

The jury started deliberating at 3:45 p.m. Friday after a day of lengthy closing arguments. They returned their verdict shortly after 6:39 p.m.



VIDEO: STATE ATTORNEY Jeff Ashton on verdict

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Terrence J Donates $100,000 To His Alma Mater North Carolina A&T State University

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- As Terrence Jenkins stepped up to the microphone at his press conference at N.C. A&T on Friday, the TV and film star admitted to something:  Sorry to send it this way. Couldn’t get it posted.

“I never done anything like ... I’m nervous,” said Jenkins, a 2004 A&T graduate who’s better known to audiences as Terrence J.

As Jenkins fumbled with a clip-on mic, something behind a bank of cameras fell off a desk and made a loud clunk.

“At least I’m not the only person who’s nervous,” Jenkins quipped.

Otherwise “Terrence J Day” at A&T seemed to go smoothly. At a press conference followed by a chat with students, Jenkins talked about his transformation from a skinny, goofy kid from Rocky Mount, by way of New York City, to a polished media professional known by millions. He’s co-anchor of “E! News,” an entertainment news show that airs daily.

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Press Release

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  -- Terrence J gave back to his alma mater in a major way. The E! News co-anchor donated a $100,000 endowment fund to his school North Carolina A&T State University which will benefit the institution’s journalism and mass communication department.

In a press release, the former 106 & Park host described his elated feelings on his latest efforts for his HBCU. “I am truly humbled to return to my alma mater and be in a position to give back to the same department and University that helped steer me on this incredibly rewarding career path,” he said. “I’m inspired by the great work that NBCUniversal has contributed to N.C. A&T State and I am thankful to be able to work together with them on these important programs.”

Those programs that Jenkins referenced will include various workshops to provide students with professional development in the media industry and a path to place graduates directly into careers within the media realm.

Recently, the Emmy nominee also partnered with the National Park Service as a Centennial Ambassador. His mission with the organization is to preserve national parks and motivate people to visit as a means to gain that “outdoor experience.”

GRU Augusta Leads By 36 Strokes Thru Two Rounds At MEAC Championships

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  The Georgia Regents University Augusta men's golf team strengthened their lead by 36 strokes as the team shot seven-under par in round two of the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men's Golf Tournament Championship at the Crosswinds Golf Club in Savannah, Georgia.

LIVE SCORING

Round two started on the par-72, 6,748-yard course and the Jaguars are 19-over par after their second outing of 18 holes and are in first place over the six other teams. Savannah State and Bethune Cookman share second place after round two at 17-over par, while Florida A&M is fourth (+31), North Carolina Central fifth (+49), Maryland Eastern Shore sixth (+82), and Hampton is seventh (+87).

Shooting a 69 (-3) in his first round, GRU junior Robin Petersson carded a 67 (-5) in round two and is in first place at eight-under par. Petersson had eight birdies on the day – five on the back nine.

Maverick Antcliff followed up his first-round 69 (-3) with a one-under 71 today, carding three birdies on the front nine. He is tied for second overall at four-below par. Broc Everett's 67 (-5) in round one put in good shape for the rest of the event and Everett posted a three-over 75 in round two and is in a tie for third overall.

Viktor Edin had four birdies on the day and is in a tie for fifth overall at one-below par with his round-two, even-par 72. Jake Marriott sits tied for seventh overall after shooting a one-under 71 with five birdies.

The Jags combine for 23 total birdies in round two.

The winner of the MEAC Championships receives an automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship. The Division I Men's Golf Selection Show will air Monday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m. on the Golf Channel.

Round three will conclude the event and be played on Saturday, April 25. Live scoring will be available during the match through Golfstat.com.

For more information on the MEAC Men's Golf Championships or other sponsored sports, visit www.meacsports.com.

Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow GRU Athletics at www.jaguarsroar.com and receive short updates on Facebook at GRU_Jaguars and on Twitter at @GRU_Jaguars.

ESPN Softball: Alabama A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State

Watch Live Here on ESPNU

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Alabama A&M University will travel to Itta Bena, Miss., to face Mississippi Valley State University in a three-game series beginning Saturday, April 25 at the MVSU Softball Complex. The first game of Saturday’s doubleheader will air on ESPNU at 3:02 p.m. CST.

The Devilettes currently hold a third-place position in the eastern division with a conference record of 6-6 (.500) and an overall record of 11-30 (.268). The Bulldogs are fourth in the eastern division (6-7, 16-21).

MVSU finished the 2014 season with a championship game loss to Texas Southern University. That loss ended the Devilettes’ track to three consecutive championship titles – they have had eight in the last 11 seasons.

This year, Mississippi Valley State is being led by Omeshia Moffett, Natalia Covarrubias, Deja Talton and Haley Young. Moffett holds a .282 batting average, a fielding percentage of .967 and has scored 20 runs with 11 stolen bases, while Talton claims a slugging percentage of .482, a RBI count of 19 and six homeruns. Young (6-14) has an ERA of 6.25, pitching 106.1 innings with 80 strikeouts.

Alabama A&M did not make it to the SWAC tournament last season (3-14, 11-33). This year, Coach Nakeya Hall solicits help from Taiya McInnes, Anisa Britt and newcomers, Ariel Smith and Tiana Sanders. McInnes carries a .461on base percentage with six doubles and a fielding percentage of .942. Smith claims a batting average of .374, a slugging percentage of .586, 23 RBI and four homeruns, while Sanders secures a slugging percentage of .535, 41 RBI, five homeruns and 61 stolen bases.

Britt (9-8) registers a 3.94 ERA, pitching 108.1 frames with 56 strikeouts.

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Scholar-athlete admires S.C. State's 'fight,' how it values students

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State University’s financial woes and its problems with accreditation have made headlines for months, but through the eyes of some of its students, the university still tops the list in terms of excellence across the board.

First of all, they say the school is a family that values students and makes them feel at home.

“At State, you’re not just somebody who went to college,” Antonio Hamilton said. “You’re somebody special.”

He transferred to S.C. State in 2012 because he liked the school’s “fighting Bulldog spirit,” Hamilton said.

“State really is often looked at as an underdog compared to other schools,” he said. “But we have a lot of fight. That’s what really brought me here.”

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Former Coppin State guard headed to Pittsburgh for final season

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh landed a graduate student capable of helping the team offensively Friday morning, as it was reported by multiple outlets that former Coppin State guard Sterling Smith will be a Panther in 2015-16. With Cameron Wright out of eligibility and Durand Johnson (who was suspended for all of last season) having transferred, adding some experience and production on the perimeter is a positive for Jamie Dixon’s program.

The 6-foot-4 Smith averaged 13.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for Coppin State last season, shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc. Smith had a stretch last season in which he scored 21 points or more in four of five games, including two 27-point and one 28-point performance, and he was a third team All-MEAC selection.

Smith will join a backcourt that includes returnees James Robinson, Josh Newkirk and Cameron Johnson, with four-star shooting guard Damon Wilson coming on board.

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HBCU prospects ready for NFL draft

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- The NFL draft is loaded with major Division I prospects. However, there are a number of great prospects from the historically Black colleges and universities available.

It’s quite possible some of these players could hear their names called during the draft, which will be held April 30-May 2 in Chicago. If not, there’s an even greater possibility that these players could sign with NFL teams as undrafted free agents.

OFFENSE
Andrew Edouard, center
Bethune-Cookman
6-foot-2, 295 pounds

Edouard, a former Overbrook High standout, really developed over the last few years. After his scholastic career in Public League, he played two seasons of junior college football at Lackawanna College. Then, he transferred to Bethune-Cookman where he became an All-MEAC selection as well as one of the best offensive linemen in HBCU football. He could play center or offensive guard in the NFL with his quickness and strength.

Robert Myers, offensive tackle
Tennessee State
6-foot-5, 310 pounds

Myers has the size and strength to be a solid offensive lineman in the NFL. He’s a great run blocker. He was selected second-team All Ohio Valley Conference. Myers also played in the Senior Bowl.

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Chris Rock answers the question, ‘Why don’t black people like baseball anymore?’

NEW YORK -- Chris Rock describes himself as “an endangered species.” In what way? As “a black baseball fan.”

In a segment for HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” the comedian looked at how and why black players and fans seem to have abandoned participation and interest in what’s long been referred to as “the national pastime.” He pointed out that in the 1980s, black people made up about 20 percent of major league players; a recent MLB study put that number at 8.5 percent for the start of the 2013 season.

When Rock was a young man in New York, the 1986 Mets won the World Series with a roster studded with black stars such as Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry and Mookie Wilson. But he noted — amusingly, of course — many ways in which things have changed:

• The 2014 World Series winner, the Giants, had zero black players (and “the closest thing to a person of color in the stands was their mascot, a biracial seal“), nor did their NLCS opponent, the Cardinals.
• Stillman College, a historically black institution located in Tuscaloosa, Ala., has one black player on its 35-man roster.
• Howard University dropped baseball altogether. (“Yeah, lacrosse is black enough for Howard, but not baseball.”)

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Alcorn State University selects Courtney G. Pruitt as Women’s Head Basketball Coach

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Alcorn State University’s search for a new head women’s basketball coach concluded with a seasoned individual with extensive college coaching experience, most recently as the head women’s coach at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas.

Director of Athletics Derek Horne announced the selection of Courtney G. Pruitt, a Longview, Texas native, as the new leader of the Lady Braves.

“We are delighted to welcome a veteran coach such as Pruitt,” Horne said. “She has experience turning programs around, recruiting effectively and reenergizing alumni relations efforts.”

Pruitt has 10 years of coaching experience with a career record of 102-23. In her first season as head coach at Wiley College, she turned the program around from an 8-21 record to a 20-9 record and led the team to its first conference tournament in three years. Pruitt led the team to a 29-4 record, its first Red River Athletic Conference title in 20 years, a top 25 ranking and a berth in the NAIA during the 2012-2013 season.



She was also voted 2012-2013 Coach of the Year by Red River Athletic Conference coaches. She led her team to a second conference title in the 2013-2014 season and a Final Four appearance in the NAIA Tournament.

Pruitt earned her bachelor’s degree in sports management from Newberry College in Newberry, S.C. She obtained her master’s degree in kinesiology health science from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Pruitt and her husband, Brent, have two children, Kourjyn and Baylee.

“I am beyond excited and humbled for the opportunity to coach at Alcorn State University,” Pruitt said. “Alcorn is a special place and I am looking forward to working with a tremendous group of student athletes.”

Alcorn State University is a premier comprehensive land-grant university that develops diverse students into globally competitive leaders, and applies scientific research through collaborative partnerships that benefit the surrounding communities, state, nation and world.