Savannah State Tigers head to Hampton Saturday

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Good things come to those who wait. Well at least in the case of the Savannah State University football team. With their first win under their belt, the Savannah State Tigers hit the road to take on Hampton University this Saturday at Armstrong Stadium.

Last week’s homecoming victory broke SSU’s 13-game losing streak, with a record of 1-6. Savannah State hopes to take the momentum into this week’s Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference game as they face off against the 1-5 Pirates.

Simon Heyward- MEAC Player of the week

Speaking of momentum, Savannah State junior and Savannah, GA native Simon Heyward (#8) hopes to keep it rolling after being selected as the MEAC Offensive Player of the Week. The SSU receiver’s three touchdowns helped push pass Edward Waters University, 42-35. Heyward recorded six passes for 160 yards against the EWC defense. Simon Heyward leads this season amongst SSU receivers with 27 catches, 535 yards, and five touchdowns.

Hampton University

Hampton University celebrates its Homecoming and Senior Day this Saturday as well as the final home game for the Pirates’ 2012 football season. HU hopes to improve its 1-3 MEAC record, after falling to North Carolina Central 37-20 in last Thursday’s game. 

 

 

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In the FCS Huddle: Week 9 Preview

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania  -- Normally, with just four weeks remaining in the 2012 season, much of the attention in the FCS goes to the power conferences. Everyone wants to know which teams from the top conferences will make the postseason or earn a playoff seed.

In Week 9, however, two games taking place in the SWAC and the MEAC also deserve a share of the spotlight.

It's a huge week for black college football with the SWAC's Alabama A&M playing Alabama State in the 71st Magic City Classic and Bethune-Cookman hosting the MEAC's biggest surprise this season, North Carolina Central, with first place up for grabs.

Although the SWAC has been somewhat inconsistent and crazy this season, Alabama A&M and Alabama State have remained constant threats for the Eastern Division title. It seems whenever these teams meet in such a historic HBCU rivalry game, the winner almost always controls its destiny on the way to earning a shot in the SWAC title game.





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THE SHOW: 10th Annual Adrian Carroll Battle of the Bands at Durham, N.C.

Enjoy this show in 1080p HD FULL SCREEN...



Videographer: Thomas L. Jones Jr.

Morgan State Bears host Delaware State in ESPNU matchup

DELAWARE STATE @ MORGAN STATE
7:30 P.M. THURSDAY
TV: ESPNU
INTERNET: ESPN3 (See Map for Blackout)
RADIO: WEAA  88.9 FM
Gamenotes
Live Stats



GAME TIME  Morgan State (3-4, 2-2 MEAC) continues the 2012 season play in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference matchup against Delaware State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Hughes Stadium. The Hornets enter the 2012 season under the leadership of second-year head coach Kermit Blount. The Hornets (4-2, 3-1) are coming off a 24-0 shutout win at North Carolina A&T. The Bears fell short in the final moments at Howard 21-20 in Greene Stadium. This week's game will be broadcast to a national audience by ESPNU and will also be broadcast live by WEAA, 88.9 FM (www.weaa.org).

THE BEARS-HORNETS MATCHUP
• The Bears and Bison will meet for the 55th time since 1945. Morgan leads the series 31-23.

• Morgan State did what they had to do on a dreary, windy and rain-soaked day for the Hornet's Homecoming. They protected a slim lead, played solid defense and ran the ball. Tracy Martin ran for a game-high 154 yards on 38 carries and scored the only points of the game, helping the Bears grind out a 12-0 victory over Delaware State. The Bears played smash-mouth football throughout most of the ballgame and simply dominated the time of possession (39:53 - 20:07) -- recording their first shutout since October 7, 2006.

• The last time the Hornets were in Hughes Stadium was on Oct. 23, 2010 ... Redshirt freshman QB Delonte Williams led Morgan State on a comeback drive with under a minute remaining in the game. Williams had three interceptions – two of them returned for touchdowns – and was sacked three times. But he also led the Bears on an 8-play, 85 yard drive and threw a 34 yard touchdown pass to Tyrone Hendrix with 20 seconds on the clock. Sheldon Jacques added a two yard fumble return for a touchdown as the Bears came away with a climatic 34-24 win over the Hornets on Saturday at Hughes Stadium before an announced Homecoming crowd of 14,312 fans.


COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Reginald S. Avery Resigns Post as President of Coppin State University

Dr. Reginald S. Avery

BALTIMORE, Maryland  (October 24, 2012)  -- Reginald S. Avery, President of Coppin State University, announced today that he is resigning his position of President effective January 22, 2013. In making his departure announcement, Dr. Avery said "Serving as President of Coppin State University has been the highlight of my career in higher education. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to lead an institution that is so vitally important to the community and the students that we serve. There comes a time when leaders must step aside to allow for continued institutional growth, and for me that time has come. I am grateful to the entire Coppin Campus community for their commitment to the students and mission of Coppin State University."

One of 12 institutions in the University System of Maryland (USM), Coppin State University has a culturally rich 112-year history as an institution providing quality educational programs and community outreach services. Coppin State University is a model urban, residential liberal arts university located in the northwest section of the City of Baltimore and offers 53 majors and nine graduate-degree programs. A fully accredited institution, Coppin serves Baltimore residents as well as students from around the world.

 

Dr. Avery officially assumed the presidency of Coppin State University on January 14, 2008. His background includes more than 35-years of distinguished service in higher education. Prior to serving as Coppin’s fifth president he held the positions of Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of South Carolina, Provost at Alma College in Michigan, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Kentucky State University among other positions.

 

William E. Kirwan, Chancellor of the University System of Maryland, offered the following statement. "I am grateful to President Avery for his five years of service to Coppin State University, the University System of Maryland, and the state. His demonstrated commitment to advancing Coppin State will impact the university’s progress in the years ahead. Soon, I will announce the appointment of an interim president who will lead the Coppin community and help ensure that the university moves forward during this period of transition."

 

During the past five years Coppin State University has made advancements. Several key highlights include:

• Launched initiatives to reverse the course of declining retention rates for first-time, full-time students by implementing effective student support initiatives;
• Greatly expanded the use of technology in every aspect of the university from academic to operational applications generating national acclaim for Coppin in the area of information technology innovation;
• Expanded Coppin’s renowned nursing and allied health programs into the College of Health Sciences which now offers the only Health Information Management degree in the mid-Atlantic region;
• Established a new School of Business which currently offers a fully accredited on-line business degree program;
• Enhanced Coppin’s campus physical infrastructure with new and improved capital projects including plans to break ground on a new $68 million science and technology building before the end of December 2012.

"On behalf of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, I thank President Avery for his leadership of Coppin State University. As a member of the state’s public higher education system, Coppin plays a very important role in providing access, opportunity, and services to students and the greater Baltimore community," said James L. Shea, chair of the USM Board. "The regents wish President Avery success as he takes on new challenges."

 

Dr. Avery added, "It has been my privilege and honor to have served as President of Coppin and to have worked with a talented and dedicated team of individuals who care deeply about the university and our students. I am proud of what we have achieved together."--

 

 

COURTESY COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

Alabama State quarterback Greg Jenkins talks Magic City Classic

HOMEWOOD, Alabama---Alabama State starting quarterback Greg Jenkins, a Florida native, talks about discovering how big a deal The Magic City Classic is and the importance of this year's game for the Hornets at Wednesday's kickoff press conference.

The interviewer, Nick Birdsong covers HBCU sports for al.com.

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Alabama State fighting to keep SWAC title hopes alive in Magic City Classic

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  --  Magic City Classic week is special for a lot of reasons.

It's about friends, reuniting with old college buddies and meeting new ones. It's about fun.  Birmingham is pulling out all the stops prior to the 2:30 p.m. kickoff between Alabama A&M and Alabama State. The official schedule of events includes an alumni pep rally, scholarship breakfast, parade and tailgate party.

But even with all the festivities that precede the main event, it's also about football. This year's game has huge implications for both team's hopes of returning to Legion Field to play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship game December 8^th.

At 6-1 and 5-1 in the conference, Alabama A&M, last year's conference runner-up, controls its own destiny. A game ahead of Alabama State (4-3, 4-2) and Jackson State (4-4-4-2) in the eastern division standings, if the Bulldogs win out, they're in.

Alabama State, on the other hand, is fighting to ...




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Paine College expected to announce return of football program

AUGUSTA, Georgia  --  Paine College is expected to announce the return of football Friday after a 50-year absence.

Lions athletic director Tim Duncan said Wednesday that he could neither confirm nor deny what a Friday morning news conference will address.

“It’ll be good news,” he said. “It’ll be an exciting time for Paine College.”

Roscoe Williams, a Paine alumnus and former assistant to the president, said the announcement would be about restarting a football team. He said the last year of the program was 1962.

“There’s nothing like having a football program,” Williams said. “My guess is it is to regenerate some school spirit.”

He said the talks have been going on for some time.

“It’s not a spur-of-the-moment thing,” he said. “I think it’s been planned out.”

Williams said he expects Au­gusta to support the team, particularly if it wins.

“It’s just like anything else,” he said. “It’s going to be a function of how successful the team is.”

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XU Gold Nuggets receive most points ever in NAIA rankings

By Ed Cassiere, SID, Xavier University of Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana reached new heights Wednesday in the NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 poll. The Gold Nuggets received a school-record 18 points from the panel of 25 coaches and rank 34th.

The previous XU mark for poll points was 14 in the 2008 preseason. This is the 23rd time that the Gold Nuggets received points — the first time was in 2002 — and the fourth time they collected 10 or more points. Three of those double-figure occasions occured this season.

This is the third time this season that the Nuggets rank 34th. They were 37th a week ago with three points.

The XU women qualified automatically for the NAIA National Championships after a resounding victory Saturday in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships at Clinton, Miss. Xavier had the top six finishers — Zahri Jackson, Catherine Fakler, Briana Simms, Hali Yarmush, Hannah Finnegan and Donyé Coleman — in the 5,000-meter race, and Jackson and Fakler became the first Nuggets to run that distance in less than 19 minutes. Jackson (18:54.69) won by about a half-second over Fakler to repeat as GCAC individual champion. Xavier won the team championship for a GCAC-record-tying seventh consecutive season, this time by 63 points over runner-up Edward Waters. Xavier is 33-9 against all opponents this season.

Both XU teams qualified for the national meet, which will be Nov. 17 in Vancouver, Wash. The Gold Nuggets and the Gold Rush will compete at nationals for the second consecutive year and the fourth time in five years.

The final two polls of 2012 will be released Nov. 4 and 22.

NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses) Rank Team Points Last 1 Cal State San Marcos (22) 653 1 2 British Columbia 628 2 3 College of Idaho (3) 604 3 4 Olivet Nazarene 599 4 5 Biola 569 5 6 Carroll (Mont.) 547 6 7 Northwest Christian 522 7 8 Westmont 501 8 9 Cornerstone 484 9 10 Oklahoma Baptist 472 11 11 Dordt 440 10 12 Lewis-Clark State 407 13 13 The Master's 394 14 14 Rocky Mountain 361 15 15 Huntington (Ind.) 346 24 16 Concordia (Calif.) 337 16 17 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 319 22 18 St. Francis (Ill.) 296 17 19 Milligan 279 19 20 Concordia (Neb.) 275 23 21 Aquinas 243 12 22 Eastern Oregon 207 21 23 Taylor 174 25 24-tie Northwest 131 RV 24-tie SCAD Savannah 131 NR Others receiving votes: Saint Xavier 130, Indiana Wesleyan 107, Southern Oregon 52, Central Methodist 41, Shawnee State 41, Doane 37, Rogers State 23, Spring Arbor 19, Xavier 18, Park 15, Baker 10, Lee (Tenn)

Gold Rush in preseason top 25 for 3rd consecutive year

NEW ORLEANS — For the third consecutive season, Xavier University of Louisiana earned a spot in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll. Xavier is 19th, its highest preseason ranking since 2007. The poll was announced Tuesday.

The Gold Rush, 23-9 in 2011-12 and the defending Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season co-champion, are in the top 25 for the 12th consecutive time and the 25th time in 26 polls dating to the start of the 2010-11 season. Xavier's highest ranking last season was 18th twice.
 
The next poll will be announced Dec. 4.

The XU men on Tuesday evening conducted their first practice in the new Convocation Center. The building will be dedicated Nov. 3, and the Gold Rush will play Morehouse at 1 p.m. that day. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at the XU athletics administration office in The Barn. Call (504) 520-7329 for more information.

The Gold Rush will attempt to reach 20 victories for the third consecutive year and the eighth time in 10 seasons. The Gold Rush have not finished with a losing record since 1989-90.

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records are from 2011-12 season) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Concordia (Calif.) (9) 31-7 250 1 2 Oklahoma Baptist (1) 32-5 242 2 3 Georgetown (Ky.) 26-9 231 5 4 Robert Morris (Chicago) 27-5 230 10 5 Rogers State 24-9 211 8 6 Southern Poly 25-7 208 11 7 Our Lady of the Lake 27-8 206 12 8 Westmont 19-9 195 RV 9 Pikeville 17-12 188 RV 10 Columbia (Mo.) 27-7 170 13 11 Lindsey Wilson 21-10 153 14 12 Freed-Hardeman 21-11 145 RV 13-tie Biola 27-9 139 6 13-tie Westminster (Utah) 21-11 139 NR 15 Lee (Tenn.) 20-9 135 18 16 MidAmerica Nazarene 25-9 132 19 17-tie John Brown 24-9 128 17 17-tie Texas Wesleyan 25-8 128 23 19 Xavier 23-9 119 24 20 Cal State San Marcos 19-12 107 NR 21 Evangel 24-10 80 22 22 Martin Methodist 28-7 72 9 23 Montana State Northern 27-7 68 21 24 SUNO 17-14 61 20 25 Cumberlands 20-12 50 RV Others receiving votes: Southwestern Assemblies of God 34, Montana Western 29, Loyola 24, Lubbock Christian 21, Life 20, Tougaloo 15, Campbellsville 9, Missouri Baptist 8, West Virginia Tech 7, LSU-Shreveport 6, Baker 3, Oklahoma City 3.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

XU Nuggets earn highest NAIA preseason rank since 1997

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana was 11th in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday. It's the Gold Nuggets' highest preseason ranking since 1997, when they were seventh.

Xavier, 26-9 in 2011-12, is in the top 25 for the 32nd consecutive time dating to January 2010. It's the Nuggets' longest top-25 streak since 34 straight polls from Jan. 13, 2003-March 8, 2005. It's their highest national ranking since Feb. 15, 2005, when they were 15th.

The Gold Nuggets will visit LSU in a 7 p.m. exhibition Nov. 1, then open the regular season at 3 p.m. on Nov. 3 against Johnson & Wales (Fla.) in XU's Convocation Center. The XU women conducted their first practice in the new facility Tuesday evening.

Five of the Nuggets' first 12 games will be against NAIA teams in the preseason top 25 — No. 5 Westminster (Utah) at home Nov. 17, No. 19 LSU-Shreveport at home Nov. 19, No. 14 Langston at home Nov. 22, No. 25 Faulkner in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Montgomery, Ala., on Dec. 29 and No. 22 Bethel (Tenn.) at home Jan. 2.

Xavier will attempt to win 20 games for the 12th consecutive season, which would extend a school record.

NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records are from 2011-12 season) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Lubbock Christian (9) 28-6 280 3 2 Shawnee State 28-6 269 tie-6 3 Freed-Hardeman (2) 28-6 266 5 4 Vanguard 23-7 251 tie-13 5 Westminster (Utah) 23-9 240 15 6 Georgetown (Ky.) 24-10 236 11 7 Westmont 31-4 229 4 8 Rogers State 22-12 216 21 9 Lee (Tenn.) 30-4 209 10 10 Oklahoma City 35-1 196 1 11 Xavier 26-9 192 16 12 Biola 23-11 174 20 13 Campbellsville 20-13 171 25 14 Langston 30-4 168 tie-8 15-tie Lewis-Clark State 29-5 154 12 15-tie MidAmerica Nazarene 25-9 154 22 17 Lindsey Wilson 20-13 135 RV 18 Cumberlands 28-4 120 tie-8 19 LSU-Shreveport 25-9 116 RV 20 Avila 22-11 106 24 21 Columbia (Mo.) 24-10 101 RV 22 Bethel (Tenn.) 15-17 75 NR 23 William Woods 23-10 73 RV 24 Our Lady of the Lake 26-8 71 RV 25 Faulkner 20-10 51 NR Others receiving votes: Loyola 37, Robert Morris (Chicago) 37, The Master's 35, Lyon 32, Cumberland 26, Talladega 25, Carroll (Mont.) 18, Oklahoma Baptist 14, San Diego Christian 8, Benedictine (Kan.) 5, Cal State San Marcos 3.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

THURSDAY: Stillman (4-4) at Miles (7-0)

Stillman (4-4) at Miles (7-0)
Oct. 25 @ 6 pm • Fairfield, Ala.
Sloan Alumni Stadium

Download Complete Stillman Game Notes (PDF)
Link to live stats during game

RIVALY WEEK #2...PROVING TIME...REDEMPTION TIME...BROTHER VERSUS BROTHER...INTRASTATE RIVAL...DIVISIONAL MATCHUP...CRITICAL CONTEST.
A lot of catch phrases can be used to describe the emotion that has built up over this mid-week matchup between Stillman College and Miles College.

With the status of the Western Division hanging in the balance, this Thursday night matchup could go a long way in deciding who will play in the 2012 SIAC Championship. A win by Stillman will add a lot of intrigue to the situation.

With standout performers on both squads ... on both sides of the ball ... expect an emotional contest as the sun sets on Fairfield, Alabama Thursday evening.

Fort Valley State is coming off a 38-12 homecoming victory over Concordia-Selma while Stillman hopes for a rebound after a 16-0 decision against Tuskegee.

STILLMAN'S LAST GAME
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (October 20, 2012) - Despite a strong opening 44 minutes that saw Stillman move the ball on the ground, the Tiger football team dropped a 35-17 decision to the visiting Fort Valley State Wildcats Saturday evening at Stillman Stadium.

With the outcome, FVSU improves to 6-2, 4-1 in SIAC play while Stillman's record is evened at 4-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play.

The Wildcats took the opening possession and marched 63 yards on 11 plays culminating the drive with a one-yard run by Germaine Tait. From the point, the game slowed for both teams as neither team could put together sustained offensive possessions. After an uneventful second quarter, FVSU carried a 7-0 lead into the locker room at intermission.

The third quarter saw the Tigers take the kickoff and march 60 on seven plays with senior kicker Alejandro Huerta connecting on a 37-yard field goal putting Stillman on the board at 7-3. On Stillman's next possession, the Tigers would cap a 8-play, 85-yard drive with a one-yard rush by receiver-then-backup-quarterback Dondre Purnell. On the scoring drive, Purnell would have scrambles of 36 and seven yards before crossing the goal line on the one-yard plunge.

Two possessions later, Stillman would get the ball on its own 16 yard line. Five plays later, a costly fumble would be recovered by FVSU's Thomas Wolfe who would run 43 yards giving the Wildcats a 14-10 lead at the end of three quarters.

In the fourth, FVSU defensive back Dejuan Williams would intercept a Tiger pass attempt and run 60 yards to give FVSU a 21-10 lead. On Stillman's next offensive play, Tiger freshman running back David Johnson would take the handoff and run 75 yards practically untouched to cut the deficit to 21-17.

When FVSU's offense touched the field again, they would travel 62 yards on eight plays with Antonio Henton scoring on a one-yard run to make the game 28-17 in favor of the Wildcats. After a defensive stand, FVSU's Henton would connect with Chris Slaughter on a 44-yard scoring play making the score 35-17.

Stillman would have another offensive possession, but the drive would fall short at the hands of a Jabioas Glenn interception.

For the game, Stillman earned a 203-182 rushing yard advantage while FVSU out gained the Tigers 185-108 in the air.

Individually, Stillman was paced by Purnell, who finished with 10 carries for 103 yards. Johnson had eight carries for 82 yards and Travis Robinson had seven carries for 17 yards. Purnell also passed for 68 yards. Robinson caught four passes for 33 yards. Defensively, Eric Childs had nine tackles in the game while Robert Crosby had eight stops and two pass breakups.

MILES'S LAST GAME
JACKSON, Tennessee—Miles shook off a shaky start and used a big second half to remain unbeaten in SIAC play in its 38-20 win over Lane.

Miles wore down the Dragons with its balanced rushing attack. The Golden Bears, (7-1, 5-0) racked up 402 yards on the ground to extend its winning streak to seven straight games. Devonte Parker-Johnson rushed for a season high 193 yards and a touchdown, while Floyd Graves added 145 yards and two scores to lead the Golden Bears offense. All-SIAC Quarterback David Thomas passed for only 93 yards, but was able to find Antonio Pitts for a 38-yard touchdown to give Miles the go-ahead score late in the third quarter. The senior also rushed for 44 yards and a score.

Lane took a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter, but would eventually run out of gas in the second half. The Dragons were outscored by 18 points in the second half. The team, playing without starting quarterback Chris Rini, were led by backup quarterbacks McKinsley Marbury and Greg Landrum combined 296 yards passing and two touchdowns.

SCOUTING THE BEARS
Miles comes into the contest averaging 38 points per game while allowing 15 points per outing.
Leading the charge is quarterback David Thomas with 288 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. He is also completing 63 percent of his pass attempts for over 1,700 yards and ten touchdowns. Floyd Graves is the team's leading rusher averaging 6.8 yards per rush with seven touchdowns. Anton Pitts has 33 receptions for 409 yards and five touchdowns.
On defense, Julanta English has 58 tackles and 1.5 sacks while Reginald Virges has 55 tackles and two interceptions.

TIGER RETURNEES
The Tigers return 42 players from last year's team. Included in the count are:
Quarterback - 1
Offensive Line - 7
Defensive Back - 9
Defensive Line - 8
Wide Receivers - 4
Kickers - 1
Tight Ends - 3
Linebackers - 6
Running Backs - 3


COURTESY STILLMAN COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Tougaloo College basketball coach Lafayette Stribling retires

TOUGALOO, Mississippi -- Dressed in one of his finest suits and saying “it’s been a good ride,” longtime basketball coach Lafayette Stribling announced his retirement from Tougaloo College inside the school’s Kroger Gymnasium Tuesday.

Stribling, who has coached for over 50 years, most coming at Mississippi Valley State University (22 years), closed the book on one of the state’s most illustrious coaching careers in a way that only he could.

He joked about the officals having it in for him and his MVSU team in 1985 when the Delta Devils took a three-point halftime lead into the locker room against then No.1 Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament, he poked fun at Tougaloo College athletic director James Coleman’s “persuading” that ultimately led him to leave MVSU for Tougaloo. He even teased a former Tougaloo basketball player for looking “like a football player,” since graduating.

More than anything, Stribling, who had heart surgery last summer, thanked those that have helped him along the way.



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Winston-Salem Rams can clinch division with win Saturday

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Winston-Salem State has a tangible goal it can reach this weekend.

If the Rams beat Shaw at Durham County Stadium on Saturday they will clinch the CIAA Southern Division title for the second straight season and will punch their ticket to the CIAA championship game.

The Rams (8-0, 5-0 CIAA) are playing their best football of the season, as they showed in a 58-0 rout of Livingstone last Saturday. They have won 13 straight conference games over the last two seasons and are ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II.




"We are playing for a little more this week," Coach Connell Maynor said. "We've been playing for something every week because we want to keep winning…."

Maynor said that while it would be nice to clinch a spot in the CIAA title game, that's not the ultimate goal.

"You have to keep winning to get to the national-championship game and that's what our goal is every week," Maynor said.

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Big games for SWAC, MEAC this weekend

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania  --  This is a huge weekend for black college football in the SWAC and the MEAC, as two games should attract major attention.

In the SWAC, Alabama A&M battles Alabama State in the 71st annual Magic City Classic at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. The longstanding HBCU rivalry game should draw between 55,000 to 60,000 fans on Saturday afternoon and is for bragging rights for black college football in Alabama.

There’s a lot riding on this game. Alabama A&M (6-1 overall, 5-1 in SWAC) and Alabama State (4-3 overall, 4-2 league) are both coming off losses. Two weeks ago, Alcorn State nipped Alabama A&M, 21-20 in an upset, while Alabama State dropped a 37-34 decision to Jackson State. The first-place Bulldogs could put some distance between them and the Hornets in the Eastern Division. Conversely, the Hornets could tighten the decision race with a victory.

This game could be decided on the ground. Alabama A&M has a the league’s leading rusher in Kaderius Lacey. Alabama State has a terrific running back in Isaiah Crowell, who is the league’s second-leading rusher.

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Bethune-Cookman hosts surprising Eagles in MEAC showdown for first place

DAYTONA BEACH — Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins smiles when he's asked about North Carolina Central's surprising football success this season.

The Eagles will visit B-CU at 4 p.m. Saturday in a showdown of undefeated Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams.

While the Wildcats (5-2, 4-0) have been a contender since Jenkins took over in 2010 — winning 17 of 20 conference games — the Eagles (5-2, 4-0) were picked to finish ninth in the MEAC preseason coaches' poll and have not had a winning season since 2007.

“If everybody was to go off the (preseason) predictions, then there would be no need to play the games,'' Jenkins said.

He is not surprised in the least to see coach Henry Frazier turn N.C. Central around in just his second season. He knows Frazier has done it before.

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Howard for homecoming: SCSU's Pough expects motivated opponent

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Saturday’s 27-20 overtime win over Florida A&M did more than lift South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough’s spirits for the first time in two weeks.

While a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and postseason appearance are not in the picture, the Bulldogs still have a purpose in trying to extend a streak of 11 consecutive winning seasons with three games remaining.

At his weekly press conference Monday, Pough said a loss would have been “devastating” to the program’s morale and left the players dispirited for having the distinction as the first S.C. State team since 2000 to post a losing season.

“I’ve got to be happy for our team in the fact that we were able to stave off the losing record deal, because at this point, we didn’t have much of a chance to survive the year with a winning record past that game,” Pough said. “So that was a big part of our weekly preparation in the fact that we were trying to really say our backs were against the wall and the guys went down and played really well I thought.”




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PREVIEW: NCCU Eagles head to Daytona with title in mind

DURHAM, North Carolina — Sole possession of first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference will go to the last squad standing after Saturday’s game between N.C. Central and Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Fla. (4 p.m., WNCU 90.7-FM).

The Eagles have shown that they can handle business on the road, winning their first three MEAC games away from O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

That is a big deal compared to a year ago when the season was almost over when NCCU finally got a conference win against a Delaware State team that joined NCCU and Savannah State at the bottom of the league with 1-7 records.



A year ago, the Eagles did not win a game at home and finished 2-9 overall for its fourth straight losing season.

Coach Henry Frazier III, in his second season at NCCU, would tell anybody that he inherited a football team that simply wasn’t strong enough to finish MEAC games even if it has a lead in the fourth quarter.

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TSU's Scitern Tied For First Heading Into Final Day at APSU

Cameron Scitern

HOPKINSVILLE, Kentucky -- Cameron Scitern shot a career best in the first round of the Austin Peay State University Intercollegiate Monday morning and is tied for first after two rounds. Scitern shot a 3-under 69 before carding a 2-under 70 in the afternoon session on the Par-72, 7,132 yard course at the Links at Novadell on a warm 75 degree day with a solid breeze.

Colin McCarty of SIU-Edwardsville matched Scitern in each round and shares the lead with a 5-under, 139.

The Rockdale, Texas native recorded three birdies over the first 15 holes, but remained at even par. He would make a charge with three consecutive birdies, including the par-5, 590 yard 9th hole, to close out the round. The result was a tie with McCarty for second after the opening round, one shot behind leader 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Golfer of the Year Patrick Newcomb of Murray State.

Scitern opened the second round with a birdie on the par-4 11th, giving him his fourth straight birdie. His pinpoint play resulted in four more birdies during the afternoon, as well as hitting the flag on the par-4 8th with his second shot leaving him with a four foot putt. Scitern and McCarty hold a one-shot lead over Newcomb after 36-holes.

"It was an honor to watch his play today," said head coach Chris Seibel. "Was glad to see him shoot a career round and it helps the team heading into tomorrow's play."

The Tigers (300-297=597, 21-over) enter play on Tuesday in 12th out of 14 teams, 22-shots behind host Austin Peay. TSU is within striking distance of a run to the top half of the field. "We need to play hard and beat the players we are playing against," Seibel said. "If we can accomplish our goal, we move up the field".

James Stepp recorded two straight 3-over 75's for a 6-over 150 and is tied for 42nd. The morning round for Stepp was highlighted by a birdie on the par-5 590 yard 9th hole. The sophomore used a monstrous tee shot and a 4-iron on his second shot to reach the green. His eagle putt missed by six inches before tapping in for the birdie. Stepp stayed steady with 14 pars and registering a birdie on the par-3 17th to close out play.

Andrew Warner (74-77=151) used three birdies to shoot a 2-over and was 27th after the morning session. Warner just missed a hole-in-one on the par-3 7th as his tee shot landed on the green and rolled to within six inches of the cup.

Codie Welborn (82-76=158) recorded a birdie on the par-4 2nd, but struggled to stay even during morning play. Welborn was able to rebound in the afternoon cutting six strokes off his opening score. The Murfreesboro product began the second round with a birdie on the par-4 14th and pared the next nine holes, including the 248 yard par-3 5th. The hole played as the toughest of the day for the competitors with all golfers using a driver or a 3-wood to reach the long hole through a strong head wind. Wellborn, Stepp and Dallas Hill were the only Tigers to notch a par on the challenging 5th.

Hill (82-76=158) shot a 4-over during the second round and improved by six shots from the morning to the afternoon. The sophomore used birdies on the 4th, 8th and 15th to score for TSU, while Shane Sampair, playing as an individual, is 13-over after two roundes. Sampair snared four birdies on the first day of the tournament.

The final round begins with a shotgun start on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

SCORECARD

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: CIAA commish ready for all challenges

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Being the commissioner of the CIAA is no easy job. That’s something I’ve learned in the 17 years of covering Winston-Salem State. But I was looking forward to meeting and talking with the new commissioner, Jacqie Carpenter, on Saturday during WSSU’s homecoming.

I interviewed her at length at the Bowman Gray Stadium fieldhouse for a story that will run in Wednesday’s Winston-Salem Journal. She comes across as a very positive person and is excited to steer the CIAA through the good and the bad times.

While she’s the first women CIAA commissioner in the 101-year history she’s also a former student-athlete in the conference. Carpenter, 43, played volleyball and basketball at Hampton so she’s familiar with what it’s like as a student in the CIAA.



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XU's Jackson, Pieri collect GCAC's weekly awards

Zahri Jackson NEW ORLEANS — League cross country champions Zahri Jackson and Matt Pieri of Xavier University of Louisiana are the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runners of the Week for Oct. 15-21. It's the third time this season that each was honored.   Jackson, a sophomore from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School, tied a GCAC women's career record with her eighth weekly award. She shares the mark with Kate Imwalle of former member Spring Hill. Pieri's award is his 13th, which extends his GCAC record. No other GCAC male has won more than five times.      Jackson repeated as GCAC individual champion Saturday in Clinton, Miss. She ran 5,000 meters in 18 minutes, 54.69 seconds to break her school record by nearly 21 seconds. The time was the second fastest at the GCAC Championships since 1998.   Matt Pieri Pieri, a senior from New Orleans and a graduate of Brother Martin High School, won the GCAC individual title for the second time in three years. He ran 8,000 meters in 26:54.21 — the fastest at this meet since 2003. His winning margin of nearly 45 seconds was larger than the previous four GCAC Championships combined. Pieri was All-GCAC for the fourth straight year and never finished lower than fourth in this event.      Both the Gold Nuggets and the Gold Rush recorded the first perfect team scores at the GCAC Championships since 1996. Both won team championships for the seventh consecutive year.      Both XU teams will conclude the season Nov. 17 in the NAIA National Championships at Vancouver, Wash. The Nuggets and Rush qualified for nationals for the second consecutive year and the fourth time in five seasons.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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