Pierce wants HU to market Olympic feats of McCorory, Wells

COACH MAURICE PIERCE
Director of Track & Field
HAMPTON UNIVERSITY
(Photo Courtesy HU Pirates Athletics)

HAMPTON, Virginia - After watching two former Hampton University track standouts in the Olympics, track and field director Maurice Pierce wasn't shy about his vision for using the success of Kellie Wells and Francena McCorory to boost the program.

"It's up to the university to find a way to market what these young ladies have just accomplished," Pierce said. "It's going to take the whole university's effort. We can really take our program to another level and get those type of kids to come here and probably be a threat to get another person in the next Olympic Games."

Wells, a 2006 HU graduate, won the bronze medal for the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.48, while McCorory, a '10 HU graduate, placed seventh in the 400 meter with a time of 50.33. McCorory became an Olympic gold medalist after running in the semifinal and final 4x400 relay races, as the United States won the event for the fifth straight year.

Wells became the Pirates' first female athlete to win an Olympic medal with her bronze medal on Wednesday. McCorory became the second after the relay gold on Saturday.

With an undergraduate enrollment of just over 4,500 students, according to the school's website, having two Olympic medalists from HU speaks volumes for not only Pierce, who coached both at Hampton and is McCorory's personal coach, but the university as a whole.


Kellie Wells wins  Olympic Bronze for USA in 100m hurdles final

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Francena McCorory, Team USA Win Gold in Women's 4X400

USA gold in the women's 4x400m relay

(L) Francena McCorory, Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross and DeeDee Trotter

 of the United States celebrate winning gold in the Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final

 on Day 15 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium.

LONDON – Former Hampton University track & field standout Francena McCorory is now an Olympic gold medalist.

McCorory (class of 2011), a three-time NCAA champion in the 400-meter dash, ran the third leg of the relay as Team USA won the race in 3:16.87, beating second-place Russia by nearly four seconds. Jamaica came in third to claim the bronze.

DeeDee Trotter (who won bronze in the 400-meter dash), Allyson Felix (gold medalist in the 200-meter dash), and anchor Sanya Richards-Ross (gold medalist in the 400-meter dash) were also on the final relay squad.

McCorory is the second Hamptonian to medal in London; she joins Kellie Wells (class of 2006), who took the bronze medal in the 100-meter hurdles earlier in the week.

The race will be televised via tape delay on NBC during Saturday’s primetime coverage.

For more information on Hampton University track & field, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.



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SWAC coach breaks boundaries

LORMAN, Mississippi – Coach Jay Hopson jogged off the football field in the pouring rain, bits of mud and grass matted to his face. His Alcorn State players streamed around him, quickly seeking shelter after a grueling 3-hour practice on a soggy Mississippi morning.

The first white football coach in the historically black Southwestern Athletic Conference might be breaking racial boundaries, but his introduction to the Braves has been quite conventional.

”Coach Hopson is rough,” Alcorn State receiver Terrance Lewis said after Friday’s practice. ”I’ve never practiced this hard. He wants us to work to earn everything we get and that’s what we’re trying to do every day. It took some getting used to, but I think we’re starting to come around.”

And that’s exactly what the 43-year-old Hopson wants to hear as he embarks on his first season as a head coach. Before coming to Alcorn State, he was a well-traveled defensive assistant, working at places like Ole Miss, LSU, Florida, Michigan, Marshall, Southern Miss and most recently Memphis.

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Oklahoma Sooner Opponent watch: Florida A&M

TULSA, Oklahoma - Florida A&M began its practices on Wednesday in preparation for the 2012 season.

The Rattlers were picked to finish fourth in the MEAC this season. The Tallahassee, Fla., program was 7-4 last season.

The Sept. 8 meeting between the schools will be OU's home opener and the first time the schools have met.

Florida A&M will play another major conference school in 2013, with a road trip to Ohio State scheduled.

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Slidell’s Hornsby inks with Grambling State University

SLIDELL, Louisiana - Slidell’s William Hornsby is heading to Grambling State University to play basketball for the Tigers. Hornsby said it was an easy decision.

“I went to the campus. I loved it there. It felt like I was at home as soon as I stepped on the campus. They sold me quick. I could picture myself there for the next four years,” Hornsby said.

The guard said he was also considering the University of Vermont and the University of Mobile. Hornsby said being closer to home wasn’t a factor. He said the best fit for him was the main thing.

“Whatever my family felt was best also. We sat down and talked about it for a long time. We prayed on it and we came up with Grambling,” Hornsby said.
Hornsby said they told him there’s a chance he could start, but if not, he could see a lot of playing time.

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Lincoln Blue Tigers Football to Play Grambling State in 2013

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri -- The Lincoln football team will play Grambling State, one of the most successful historically black Division I universities, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on September 14, 2013. Betty Kemna, Lincoln's Director of Athletics, made the announcement on Wednesday.

The game, which will be called the Kansas City Classic, was made possible when Truman State announced it was leaving the MIAA. The current football scheduling structure of the MIAA requires all conference teams to play an entirely league schedule. When Truman State, one of LU's scheduled opponents for the 2013 season, announced it was leaving the league, the MIAA made the decision to let teams fill the open date with an opponent of their choosing, allowing the Blue Tigers to schedule a contest against another HBCU.



"The opportunity to add an HBCU institution to the schedule was appealing, and then having the opponent be Grambling State was an even greater draw for us to participate," Kemna said. "I am looking forward to working with the (Lincoln) Alumni Association and the Greater Kansas City Alumni Chapter in having this Classic be a huge success."

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MSU Men’s Basketball Squad Starts Season Early in Bahamas

BALTIMORE, Maryland - Morgan State University’s men’s basketball team will start their upcoming season earlier than usual as they travel to Nassau, Bahamas for a series of exhibition games against international talent.

According to MSU Sports Information Director Leonard Haynes, the Bears will spend six days in the Bahamas, from Aug. 13 through Aug. 18. The team will compete against the Cybots, the Bahamas All-Stars and the Real Deal Shockers, with all games played at Sir Kendall Issac Gym in front of an expected crowd of 3,500 people.

Haynes said this is the fifth foreign trip Morgan State’s basketball team has taken since 1974; the Bears visited Brazil in 1974, Columbia in 1975 and traveled to Canada in 2010 and Cancun in 2011.

“I’m excited about the tour,” said Bears head coach Todd Bozeman. “We took a foreign tour in 2010. We went to Windsor, Canada for six days and it was a great experience. The tour provides returning players that might not have played a lot, an opportunity to gain some valuable experience against international competition.”

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Former standout QB takes final shot at EWC

JACKSONVILLE, Florida  -- Patrick Ryan has one more opportunity to make it as a college football player. The quarterback intends to use it.

Ryan, a Fort Myers native who had a high school career disrupted at Gateway Charter, left the promise of starting at a Division II school for the goal of playing D-I only to be thrown off that team for disciplinary reasons, hopes to make the most of one last chance.

Ryan, 22, will do try to do so at his fifth school in seven years.



Driven by the influences of his childhood neighborhoods and his admiration for his childhood friends, including Lee County’s all-time leading high school football rusher Noel Devine, Ryan has enrolled at Edward Waters College, an NAIA program in Jacksonville.

They have lived parallel lives, Ryan and Devine, sharing the tragedies and traumas of life while enjoying their triumphs together.

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Florida A&M's George Small Is The Coach's Coach

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -  Coach Joe Taylor never claims his successes have been the work of one person. Rather, he always emphasizes the work of the conglomerate that feeds success. For years, Taylor's right-hand-man has been George Small, who carries among other titles, associate head coach.

Small is no ordinary associate head coach, because he has had two stints at head coach. In two separate instances, legendary head coaches have inspired him to pursue head coaching offers. "When I was working for coach (Eddie) Robinson at Grambling, he pushed me to the head coaching job at Kentucky State with his graces. He said I was ready to be a head coach. He said he didn't want to lose me, but he had a strong feeling that I was ready to take charge," Small said. The second opportunity came as Small was assistant coach with Joe Taylor at Hampton University. "Joe encouraged me to take the job at North Carolina A&T when that head coaching position became available," he added.

Small is in his second stint at FAMU. Under Ken Riley, Small was the defensive coordinator in 1993. After time at NC A&T, where he won the MEAC championship in 2003, Small was contacted by Taylor as he was selected the 15th head coach of Florida A&M. He currently serves as associate head coach and defensive line coach. With several successful athletes such as Jerry Willis, Kendrick Washington and Marquiste Ramos to his credit, Small is known for getting the maximum out of his players.



"It has been a tremendous blessing to have worked with two of the best black college coaches of all-time. When coach Taylor called me in Texas and said he wanted me to come with him to help build this program back up, I told him FAMU isn't a bad place to be. Being here at FAMU before, under coach Riley, I remember us having some fine players. Earl Holmes was one of our players at that time and to see his maturity to this point is a lesson I use to motivate my players. It's very heartwarming when I see him passing on lessons he learned from us," Small said.

Taylor gives Small credit for his gift of cohesiveness. "As a head coach, you always need someone on your staff that you can turn to at every junction. George has taken on things within the staff that never need to make it to me. He handles the logistics of our travel and hotels and things that require some leadership. He solves the problem or makes the issue better just as I would...or better," Taylor said with a smile.

Small is in his fifth season in his return to FAMU and he couldn't be happier. "To come back and be around these guys is like coming home. This literally gives me chills. FAMU has always treated me well and the people have always treated me well, so it's been a great relationship since day one when I came here in the 90s," Small said.

Small's Christian faith is the force that drives him. A native of Radford, NC, a small town in the southeast portion of the state, Small excelled as an athlete at Hoke County High School. He was recruited by NC A&T and was successful playing both offensive and defensive line. He earned All-MEAC honors, while serving as captain of the Aggies his senior season. He was a Pittsburgh Courier All-American, and went on to a five-year career in the NFL with the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

With those experiences, Small is the perfect fit for the Rattlers. He is part of a coaching staff that has had tremendous success in graduating athletes, while maintaining their integrity off the field of play. "A lot of the focus of our athletes starts with coach Taylor. I feed off of his lead and we've worked well over the years, keeping everything in the right mold for our players to be successful on and off the field," Small said.

Taylor describes Small as the glue that holds the whole team together. On Small's part, he graciously accepts that role and is very excited about this upcoming season. "When you look at the guys on the staff, all of these guys have been successful. It makes it easier for our kids to buy in when they are being coached by former NFL players and successful college players. They (coaches) are good guys that I love to be around and have no doubt in my mind that eventually, they'll have their own programs to run," he added.

Small credits focus during the Summer as the factors that improve the team. "It's the Fall now, and I put outside things out of my mind...I don't have time for anything else but football. My focus is here. I stay focused on our goals and objectives for the season and reiterate to our players that we can't focus on anything that isn't in line with our goal. Things beyond our control, we'll have to let God handle those, but we have to do what we are supposed to do," he concluded.


Florida A&M University Gospel Choir sings "I Won't Complain", led by Karen Clark-Sheard (The Clark Sisters).

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Tennessee State Tigers Camp: Scrimmage Ends Week One

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The first scrimmage of fall camp on a beautiful Saturday morning marked the end of the first week of practice for Tennessee State.

After a good day of practice on Friday, the offense struggled a bit at time on Saturday.

"I was a little disappointed in our offensive production," head coach Rod Reed said. "Not so much overall, but we threw three interceptions today. That’s not good by any standard. We’ve got to protect the football and we’ve got to keep the football off the ground."

On the flip side, Reed said that he was pleased with the production from the defense.

"We got after it a bit on defense today. We had two or three sacks, three picks. Anytime you get that kind of output from your defense, that’s a good day for you."

Even though the weather conditions were perfect, that's not necessarily great for getting the players in shape for the upcoming season.

"Mother Nature has been pretty good to us," said Reed. "That’s why you see us conditioning a lot more after practice. Normally on a two-a-day you wouldn’t condition, but the elements were so great today, we had to get some conditioning in after practice. I feel real comfortable where we are shape wise. Our guys did a good job this summer running."TSU holds its' first two-a-day today as the Big Blue works on special teams at 5:45pm.



With Sunday off, the second week of camp starts on Monday at 9:15am. Practice is open to the public. All sessions will be outside at the practice field unless there is inclement weather.

Fan Day Set

TSU Fan Day will be Saturday, Aug. 25 at the indoor practice facility. Fans are invited to come out and collect autographs and photos with the 2012 football team.

Kick-Off Times Confirmed

TSU Athletics announced on Wednesday that kick-off times have been set for all home games. The John Merritt Classic against Florida A&M is slated for a 6 pm contest on Sept. 1.

All Hale Stadium games (Austin Peay - Sept. 15, Eastern Kentucky - Oct. 6 and Tennessee Tech - Oct. 27) are scheduled for a 1 pm start time. TSU kicks off Homecoming against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 29 at 5pm.

2012 TSU FOOTBALL CAMP SCHEDULE

Monday, Aug. 13 - Practice (full) - 9:15-11:30am
Tuesday, Aug. 14 - Scrimmage - 7:30-9:30am/Special Teams 5:45-7:45pm
Wednesday, Aug. 15 - Practice (full) - 9:15-11:30am
Thursday, Aug. 16 - Scrimmage - 7:30-9:30am/Special Teams 5:45-7:45pm
Friday, Aug. 17 - Practice (full) - 9:15-11:30am

Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers and Twitter @TSU_Tigers.

Large crowd shows for Fan Day - FAMU fans upbeat about season

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - FAMU’s football fans didn’t come out to the Lawson Center on Saturday afternoon just to get autographs, collect posters and the miniature footballs that were given away.

They were seriously into their team, expressing optimism that if the Rattlers get through a tough September, they should finish well. Some even went as far as to take objection to the fourth-place finish predicted for their team.

“I’m pretty sure this is going to be our year,” James Alison said. “I don’t care what they were picked. I’m talking about something I know. They are going to be No. 1. I know the talent is here.”

Alison arrived in a motorized chair. He would have been a player for Jake Gaither, he said, if the legendary coach didn’t think he was too small when he tried out during the 1950s.

His loyalty as a fan goes that far back. And even with back issues that left him relying on a powered chair to get around, he said he couldn’t miss getting his meeting with the players on Fan Day.

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Howard Bison holds first intra-squad scrimmage

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Howard University head football coach Gary "Flea" Harrell will be looking to evaluate the team's progress after its first week of practice during an intra-squad scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 11 at 1:00 p.m. in William H. Greene Stadium.

"We were able to get the football conditioning in this week," said Harrell, who begins his second year at the helm. "Right now the defense is a little ahead of the offense, so we will be looking to get better timing in the passing game, limit the penalties, get the defense off the field and smooth transitioning from offense to defense and special teams."

One segment of the offense, which has seen the stiffest competition, is the running game. Senior running back Terrance Lefall, who rushed for a career-high 839 yards last season, has an edge on the competition, but Harrell adds that sophomore Aquanius Freeman, seniors Charles Brice and Jarren Brown, have all looked good along with freshman William Parker and freshman walk-on Addison Clopton.

The receiving crop is relatively inexperienced with the loss of playmakers Willie Carter and Brandon Drayton. Sophomores Stewart Hartman and Rodney "DJ" Tyson and juniors Clayton Gidron and Brandon Flanagan have a year under their belt in the system. Harrell made special mention of a couple of talented freshmen Jonathan Booker and Matt Colvin, as two players who could bring much-needed speed to the unit.

An area of concern each season has been the kicking game. The Bison had special teams miscues that proved to be costly in a couple of winnable games. To address that, Harrell brought in a kicker and a long snapper that he is excited about.

"We have been very pleased with freshman John Fleck," said Harrell. "He has been able to get kickoffs in the end zone, which is big for us and he gets good hang time on his punts."

He continued. "Matthew Poulin has been tremendous so far. He has shown great consistency on his snaps. He is going to be an outstanding long snapper."

The 2012 Bison season opener is slated for Saturday, Sept. 1 when the Bison take on Morehouse College in the AT&T Nation's Football Classic at 3:30 p.m. in RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

Visit the official Howard University athletics website at www.howard-bison.com for more information on HU football.

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

AT&T Nation's Football Classic® Morehouse vs Howard

Williams embracing role as captain for Southern football

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - During Virgil Williams’ freshman season at Southern, someone called the cornerback “Virgil Island.” 

It’s a nod to “Revis Island” — the phrase trademarked by New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis to describe that any receiver he’s defending is stranded — and Williams’ nickname stuck. It’s now his Twitter handle, as well as his mission every time he hits the field.

“They have confidence in me to lock any receiver down on any play,” Williams said. “That’s pretty much the mentality I’ve been approaching every game with.”

As Southern enters the season looking for vast improvements across the board, there are many questions yet to be answered. Williams isn’t one of them. The Jaguars know what to expect out of the junior from Shreveport: a shutdown corner and dynamic return man.

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Could Bethune-Cookman Land Mathieu? Not as Far Fetched as You Might Think

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  —  As soon as the shocking news rocked the college football world on Friday that former Heisman Trophy Finalist and LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu was released from the team for violating school and team policies, I immediately reached out to a media colleague of mine to discuss possibilities about where he would continue his football career.

Knowing Mathieu had two years of eligibility left eliminated the notion he would choose a Division II school, (much like former University of Florida DB Janoris Jenkins had done when selecting South Alabama), so we started to wonder aloud what Football Championship Subdivision programs might be a good fit for him.

We went through the local universities such as Southern, Grambling and McNeese State and formulated arguments as to why those schools would have the inside track on landing him. We also wondered whether he would seriously consider Alabama State who had just acquired former University of Georgia freshman phenom Isaiah Crowell.

We ended the conversation jokingly discussing the possibility of him landing at Bethune-Cookman and speculated on ...

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Joseph edges Douglas in QB battle at Southern scrimmage

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Southern football coach Stump Mitchell didn’t waste much time getting to the point.

There were many topics of discussion after the Jaguars’ first scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday, but Mitchell cut straight to the one on SU fans’ minds: the quarterback battle between Dray Joseph and J.P. Douglas.

“I thought Dray played the best — and I know that’s what everybody wants to know — out of the two quarterbacks,” Mitchell said. “J.P. made some mental errors, and he just has to do what we ask him to do and not try too much.”

Joseph was a surprise participant after being held out of Friday’s practice with a blister on his right big toe, but the junior wasn’t about to hand Douglas a day with the spotlight to himself.

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MEAC Announces Policy on NCAA Postseason Bans

NORFOLK, Virginia - The MEAC announced that team's ineligible to compete in NCAA postseason activities will not be eligible to compete for the conference's regular season championship title in the specific sport.

In addition, the ineligible teams' head coach will not be allowed to win the Coach of the Year honor for regular season competition and their teams will not earn points towards the conference's All-Sports tally during the ineligible season.

All MEAC games will be counted towards the overall conference standings despite the team's postseason eligibility. An ineligible team will not be considered the conference's regular season champion if the team finished with the best overall MEAC record. The title will be awarded to the highest team eligible for postseason competition and earn the conference's automatic qualification to the NCAA playoffs.


FROM MEAC PRESS RELEASE

S.C. State gets in first scrimmage on rainy evening

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina - Playing inside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta will keep rainy weather from being a factor in the Aug. 30 season opener for South Carolina State.

The wet conditions did almost prevent the Bulldogs from holding their first scrimmage Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. However, head coach Buddy Pough pressed forward with the 100-play, two-hour scrimmage and came away with a valuable assessment of his team.

“It was more important than anything else to get it in,” he said. “The fact that we play on the same kind of surface (as Georgia State) and we got as much work as what we got done, which was most important. So, I’m extremely happy with the fact that we got a lot of work done tonight and, of course, we got a lot of film and it gives you a chance to get a lot of guys an opportunity to get out here and kind of show a little bit. So it gives us now some information for further consideration down the road.”

Both the offenses and defenses had their share of highlights during the scrimmage. Returning quarterbacks Richard Cue and Derrick and TeDarius Wiley all had ...

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Mistakes haunt Jones after Alabama A&M's first scrimmage, but defense is stout

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- When Alabama A&M defensive coordinator Brawnski Towns pronounced the Bulldogs' defense was "way ahead of the offense" after Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage, it wasn't some idle boasting.

It was the inevitability most teams discover on a summer's first scrimmage, coupled here by A&M's experience on the defensive front and a raft of injuries on the O-line. Said Towns, "We should be in control."

It was obvious from the offensive output, with only one touchdown -- a deft, pinballing run from Brendan Johnson, a 5-7 sophomore from Atlanta -- in 68 snaps.

It was also a warning to his defense that the next scrimmage "will be a different story. ... We've got to get focused for the second time around," he said.

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Lane Dragons plan to rise in SIAC

JACKSON, Tennessee - Last year’s Lane College football team won four games out of ten. After a winless 2010, that record indicated a huge improvement.
Three weekends from the start of the 2012 season, Lane plans on showing major growth again.

“We’re excited about the upcoming season,” head coach Derrick Burroughs said Saturday morning at the team’s Media Day. “Every position has improved this summer,” senior running back Evan Yabu said.

It will be interesting to see how Lane’s offense develops in the coming weeks.

The coaching staff must choose a starting quarterback out of five competing for the position. Offensive coordinator Malik Hoskins said the staff would name the starter “as soon as possible.”



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Alabama A&M Football: WHS grad Hunt set for SWAC foes

NORMAL, Alabama -- After two years of sand, sandstorms and radiating heat, Wetumpka High grad Winston Hunt has parlayed his New Mexico Military experience into an Alabama A&M scholarship.

“(A&M) had a great atmosphere,” said Hunt. “It felt like home.”

After two years at New Mexico Military, Hunt earned a starting job at right tackle.

He is expected to be in the Bulldogs’ fray for that same position.

“Here, there are better players and better competition,” said Hunt.

Choosing Alabama A&M, was in essence, a second trip through the recruiting carosel.

Arkansas Pine Bluff, Alabama State and Florida A&M had shown interest in the 6-foot-7, 310-pound tackle.



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Jackson State Tigers dream of 'Honey Badger'

JACKSON, Mississippi - Just like the rest of the college football world, word of Tyrann Mathieu's dismissal from LSU had the T.B. Ellis Annex buzzing by the time Friday's practice rolled around.

It's possible that Mathieu, a Heisman Trophy finalist as a sophomore last season, could wind up at an FCS school. With a need at cornerback - Mathieu's position, could JSU be a possible fit? Perhaps.

"I would definitely check into what he did and then take it to my athletic director so she was aware of everything," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "We definitely want young men of character and a good kid. He'd have to be a fit."

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Alabama State football: Carver graduate, freshman starting on line

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Terease Chappell knew there were plenty of potential starters returning on Alabama State’s offensive line, so the true freshman’s generic goal for this fall was to play the best football he could and continue to work on improvement.

“My mindset coming into camp was to work on myself and work harder to go up the depth chart,” the former G.W. Carver High tackle said. “I still have a lot to work on and I know my role on this team. I just want this university to win the SWAC championship and the (black college) national championship.”



A week into preseason workouts, Chappell has proven to be the surprise of fall camp, taking over the first-team role at left guard.

“He’s different from a typical freshman,” ASU offensive line coach Willard Scissum said. “He’s more mature. You can tell by the way he listens, by the way he comes in on his own time and asks questions, that it’s really, really important to him. There’s something on the inside of him that’s driving him to be more than just an average guy. And he is just as tough as nails. Not very big, but he’ll fight you from whistle to whistle.”

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ASU defense hopes for bounce back year

ALBANY, Georgia - Head coach Mike White says he expects a much better season from the Dirty Blue defense that finished second to last in yards given up per game last year.

The Rams were actually last against the pass but with All-SIAC defensive lineman Justin Blash entering his senior season and preseason All-SIAC sophomore Larry Whitfield leading the way at linebacker, ASU will try to buckle down and get as many stops as possible. Both players and coaches agree this year's team has the right tools to get the job done.

Blash said "Speed, the whole defense has speed. I don't think anybody on the defense runs less than a 4.99 so the whole defense has speed."


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XU Gold Nuggets announce 2012 schedule, await new digs

NEW ORLEANS — Nine home matches and a new campus venue, the Convocation Academic Center, are among the highlights of the 2012 Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball schedule.

Christabell Hamilton — the 2011 Louisiana Coach of the Year and Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Co-Coach of the Year — announced Wednesday the schedule, which includes 24 regular-season contests.

Xavier's first home match will start at 7 p.m. on Sept. 4 against crosstown rival Loyola. That match is expected to be played at The Barn, Xavier's gymnasium since 1937, while construction of the CAC nears completion.

"We've been told to prepare to start the season at The Barn," Hamilton said. "But at some point this season we will be playing in the new arena. No matter where we play, we're looking forward to another successful and exciting year."

Xavier's other non-conference home opponents will be Spring Hill — 40-3 a year ago — on Sept. 11, Mobile on Sept. 18 and Belhaven on Oct. 29. The other five home matches will be against GCAC teams: Edward Waters on Oct. 5, Dillard on Oct. 8, Tougaloo on Oct. 25, Talladega on Oct. 27 and SUNO on Nov. 1.

Xavier will begin its fifth season Aug. 24-25 in the Lee Invitational at Cleveland, Tenn. On opening day the Gold Nuggets will play a pair of 30-match winners and NAIA National Championship qualifiers from 2011 — Lindsey Wilson at 12:30 p.m. EDT and national semifinalist Lee at 7 p.m. — then play defending Appalachian Athletic Conference regular-season champion Union (Ky.) the following day at 3 p.m.

"Lee's tournament will be a great test for us," Hamilton said.

Xavier will play 10 GCAC regular-season matches, including the first four on the road. The conference opener will be Sept. 21 at Edward Waters. The GCAC Tournament will be Nov. 8-10 at Little Rock, Ark., and the winner will earn the GCAC's automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship.

Xavier will play four additional matches in New Orleans: Sept. 24 at SUNO, Oct. 19 against Union (Tenn.) and Loyola in the Hampton Inn Wolfpack Classic at The Den and Nov. 3 at Dillard in the regular-season finale.

Xavier was 23-7 in 2011 — the Gold Nuggets' first winning season — and didn't lose a match en route to the program's first GCAC regular-season and tournament championships. Five starters return, including all-conference sophomores Taylor Reuther, Moira Kirk and Chinedu Echebelem. The other returning starters are junior Kerris Crier and sophomore Jeanay Butler.

The Gold Nuggets will report to Xavier this weekend and conduct their first practice Monday.

2012 Xavier University Women's Volleyball Schedule
Click here for detailed schedule information

Aug. 24:  Lindsey Wilson, 12:30 p.m. EDT (1)
Aug. 24:  at Lee (Tenn.), 7 p.m. EDT (1)
Aug. 25:  Union (Ky.), 3 p.m. EDT (1)
Sept. 4:  LOYOLA, 7 p.m.
Sept. 7:  Pensacola Christian, 1 p.m. (2)
Sept. 7:  Mississippi College, 5 p.m. (2)
Sept. 8:  Rust, noon (2)
Sept. 8:  at Belhaven, 4 p.m. (2)
Sept. 11:  SPRING HILL, 7 p.m.
Sept. 18:  MOBILE, 7 p.m.
Sept. 21:  • at Edward Waters, 7 p.m. EDT
Sept. 24:  • at SUNO, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27:  • at Fisk, 7 p.m.
Sept. 29:  • at Philander Smith, 1 p.m.
Oct. 5:  • EDWARD WATERS, 6 p.m.
Oct. 8:  • DILLARD, 7 p.m.
Oct. 19:  Union (Tenn,), 2 p.m. (3)
Oct. 19:  at Loyola, 6 p.m. (3)
Oct. 25:  • TOUGALOO, 7 p.m.
Oct. 27:  • TALLADEGA, 1 p.m.
Oct. 29:  BELHAVEN, 7 p.m.
Oct. 30:  at Mobile, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 1:  • SUNO, 7 p.m.
Nov. 3:  • at Dillard, 7 p.m.
Nov. 8-10:  GCAC Tournament, Little Rock, Ark., TBA
Nov. 17:  NAIA National Championship opening round at campus sites, TBA
Nov. 27-Dec. 1:  NAIA National Championship final site at Sioux City, Iowa, TBA
Home matches (in bold and CAPITAL LETTERS) will be played at The Barn (capacity 1,300) or the Convocation Academic Center (capacity 4,500), Xavier University campus, New Orleans.• Gulf Coast Athletic Conference match
TBA — To be announced
All times are Central except where noted
(1) — Lee Invitational at Cleveland, Tenn.
(2) — Belhaven Tournament at Jackson, Miss.
(3) — Hampton Inn Wolfpack Classic at The Den (Loyola University), New Orleans

Call (504) 520-7329 for ticket information

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA