FAMU's Taylor Announces Retirement At Pre-Game Breakfast

GREENSBORO,  North Carolina (Nov.3) – FAMU head coach Joe Taylor announced his retirement from coaching this morning in the team's pre-game breakfast. Taylor said that after 40 years on the sideline, "You know, when you know. From 1972 to now is 40 years. It's been a blessed career. We've touched a lot of lives. I'm officially announcing today that this is the year I retire, humbly.  Full of gratitude," he said.

As players prepared for the MEAC game against the North Carolina A&T State University, they had no idea that Taylor was about to make such a startling announcement. Players coaches and support staff embraced Taylor and vowed to give their all in winning the last three games.

Taylor has amassed a record of 233 wins against 95 losses. He accumulated a 35-18 record thus far in his tenure at FAMU. With the 233 wins, Taylor sits tied with longtime Southern University coach A.W. "Ace" Mumford for third place all-time in wins. He is two wins away from tying John "Big John" Merritt, at 235 to move into second place behind the untouchable record of Grambling's Eddie Robinson.

FAMU Director of Athletics, Derek Horne, said "We are proud of what coach Taylor has brought to this program. As an administrator, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with a coaching legend, who will go down as one of the best ever in HBCU athletics. We understand his desire to move into the next phase of his life and we support him wholeheartedly."

FAMU interim president, Dr. Larry Robinson praised Taylor for his successes on and off the field. "We reached some great milestones during Coach Taylor's career, including FAMU's debut in November 2008 on ESPN College Game Day in which FAMU became the first historically black college or university to host the program. Coach Taylor has had a storied career as one of the winningest coaches in black college football. In addition, he has built character and promoted academic progression of students athletes, always reminding them that their best contributions will often occur off the field of athletic competition. We certainly appreciate everything he has done to advance the football program at FAMU and we wish Coach Taylor all the best in his retirement," Robinson said.

Taylor is the 15th head coach in the history of Florida A&M University. In 2007, the season before his arrival, the Rattlers finished 3-8 overall. In his inaugural campaign in 2008, he crafted the best one-year turnaround in the country with the football team finishing 9-3. In doing so, he tied legendary coach A.S. Jake Gaither for the most wins by a first-year coach.

 

He followed that season with a 8-3 record in 2009, vaulting the Rattlers into the NCAA FCS polls for the first time since 2001. In 2010, which was Taylor's best at FAMU, his team won a share of the MEAC football championship, going 8-3. That team capped the season with six straight wins.

Taylor is a native of Washington, D.C. and graduated from Western Illinois University. He has been a part of several coaches associations and organizations. He is on the American Football Coaches Association board, the Board of Directors of the Black Coaches Association, the advisory board of Wilson Sporting Goods Company and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is also a member of the CIAA Hall of Fame.

Horne said the department will move swiftly in preparing for Taylor's successor. "We will make deliberate efforts to find the ideal person to continue the legacy of head coach of Rattler Football here at Florida A&M."


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WSSU Rams need one more win for 2nd straight undefeated regular season

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  --  Coach Kenny Phillips of Fayetteville State has found one weakness in Winston-Salem State.

“I don’t think their buses are that strong,” Phillips joked about the transportation that No. 2-ranked WSSU used to travel to Fayetteville for today’s 1:30 game at Luther Nick Jeralds Stadium.

Phillips, the dean of CIAA coaches and a three-time CIAA championship coach, turned more serious when trying to sum up just how good the Rams (9-0) have been.

“I sit there and watch film, and Coach (Connell) Maynor has quite an arsenal, and he’s got an experienced team to boot,” Phillips said.

The Rams have won 14 straight against CIAA opponents and are 15-1 on the road in Maynor’s three seasons. They’ll try for a second straight undefeated regular season today, then they will play for their second straight CIAA title next weekend.

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DWIGHT FLOYD WEEKLY COMMENTARY: It’s A Mad Scramble

DWIGHT FLOYD
"The Editor"
 

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- There is a new number one at the top of each of the FCS polls as teams scramble to win and stay on top. Perhaps this is no more understated than Tennessee State’s win last week with no time left on the clock. Their last minute drive showed what they are capable of when they put their minds to it. Should they make the playoffs they will be the team that no one else wants to play. Meanwhile, Bethune Cookman should continue to win and become the darkhorse in the playoffs. Clearly, in the Sports Network and Coaches Polls they get no respect. Cal Poly and North Carolina Central had an opportunity to prove themselves, but instead showed that while they are good, they are not worthy just yet of the rankings given last week in the SportsEdit.Org Fan Poll. There is still time in the season for both of them.

In the SWAC, Alabama A&M got off to a fast start and has begun to slow the winning pace last week losing to the Alabama State Hornets in a big game. Arkansas Pine Bluff is on their way to meeting whoever wants it bad enough in the East Division to make it to the SWAC Championship, their equivalent of a playoff game. I would love to see the SWAC champion take on one of the so called “Super Conference” teams.

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ECSU Vikings looking for strong finish

ELIZABTH  CITY, North Carolina  -- A second straight Northern Division title is great, but the Elizabeth City State football team is not done yet.

“We’ve got one horse in the barn, now we need to get the other two,” Vikings coach Waverly Tillar said.

Stalls are reserved in the ECSU barn for the CIAA championship and a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament.

Whether the Vikings can corral those two horses will be decided next week when they meet unbeaten, defending champion Winston-Salem State (9-0) in the CIAA title game in Durham.

Spring an upset over the Rams, who are ranked No. 2 in Division II, and ECSU, which lost last year’s championship game to Winston-Salem State 38-18, might get a return trip to the national tournament.

That’s assuming the Vikngs, whose 6-3 record is not the resume of a playoff team, win at Bowie State in today’s regular-season finale.

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Week 10 - HBCU Football

SIAC
Albany State vs. Fort Valley State, 2pm, Fountain City Classic, Columbus, GA
Kentucky State @ Morehouse, 2pm
Benedict @ Lane, 3pm
Tuskegee @ Miles, 5pm
Clark-Atlanta U. @ Stillman, 6pm

OVC
Tennessee State @ Murray State, Noon

MEAC
Bethune- Cookman @ Morgan State, 1pm
Hampton U. @ Howard U., 1pm
Florida A&M @ North Carolina A&T, 1:30pm
Savannah State @ Norfolk State, 2pm
Delaware State @ North Carolina Central



OTHERS 
Cheyney @ Shippenburg, 1pm
West Virginia State @ Fairmont State, 1pm
Huntingdon @ Point U., 1pm
Central State (Ohio) @ McKendree, 2:30pm
Texas College @ McMurry, 3pm
Lincoln (Mo.) @ Northeastern State, 3pm
Alderson Broaddus @ Virginia University of Lynchburg, 12pm, (Tri-City Classic)
Ava Maria vs. Edward Waters @ Kingsland, GA
Langston @ SW Assemblies of God
New Orleans @ Concordia-Selma, 2pm, Homecoming

SWAC
Alabama State @ Prairie View A&M, 2pm
Alcorn State @ Mississippi Valley State, 2pm
Southern U. @ Alabama A&M, 2 pm, SWAC-TV 
Jackson State @ Grambling State, 3pm
Arkansas Pine-Bluff @ Texas Southern, 3 pm

CIAA
Vrginia State @ Virginia Union, 1pm
Livingstone @ Johnson C. Smith, 1 pm
Elizabeth City State @ Bowie State, 1pm
Shaw U. @ Saint Augustine's U., 1:30pm
Elizabeth City State @ Bowie State, 1 pm

Alabama A&M linebacker Denzel Cotton's had good ride into his home finale with Bulldogs

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The bright yellow rag-top 2001 Mustang rests impatiently in a parking lot next to Louis Crews Stadium, an eye-catcher for anyone passing by.

It would seem a collector's item, or maybe some mid-life crisis vehicle for a man needing a diversion from a suit-and-tie world.

 Instead, the front license plate reveals the owner: "#48" it reads.

That matches the jersey number for Denzel Cotton, the Alabama A&M senior linebacker from Birmingham.

"My mom actually got it for me. I wanted something different and she went and got a yellow Mustang," Cotton said. "I don't consider myself a car guy. I just wanted something that was gonna stand out."

  Cotton loves to pull the top down on good days.

However, "We've got to win in order to drop the top," he said.

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Bazemore stands out, but WSSU can’t stay with Duke

DURHAM, North Carolina  --  Winston-Salem State found out in a hurry what it’s like to play Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The Rams were scrappy enough in their preseason game last night, but they couldn’t overcome the talented and bigger Blue Devils, who opened a big first-half lead on the way to a 69-45 victory.

With the Blue Devils starting 6-11 Ryan Kelly and 6-10 Mason Plumlee, the Rams never found a flow on offense.

“We know what we have to work on,” Coach Bobby Collins of WSSU said. “When teams are stronger, faster and bigger, we have to do a better job of being disciplined offensively. I don’t think we stayed with our offensive sets long enough.”

Although the Blue Devils struggled with their shooting (39 percent), Plumlee was solid, going 7 for 7 from the field and finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Amile Jefferson added 13 points for Duke, and Rasheed Sulaimon scored 12.




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TSU Lady Tigers win exhibition vs. North Alabama

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  The Tennessee State Lady Tigers defeated North Alabama 69-58 in exhibition action at the Gentry Center on Thursday night.

Senior Destiney Gaston led TSU with 13 points in 22 minutes off the bench, while the Tigers shot 13-for-34 from the field in each half.

With the game tied at 10 with 13:06 left in the first half, TSU went on a 13-4 run over the next six minutes and didn't look back. It was triggered on the defensive end by a Gaston steal, one of eight that TSU had in the first half and 12 in the game. Over the next three possessions, Gaston or Alana Morris would either score or assist. Morris led all players with seven assists.

The Tigers held a 36-24 halftime lead and would maintain the double digit advantage for much of the second half leading by as much as 16.

The Lions would cut the TSU lead to nine with 7:34 remaining, but Kesi Hess answered with a three to put the Tigers back up by 12.

North Alabama would not go away as a 7-2 run closed the gap to 62-56 with just over two minutes left.

The Tigers would finish strong after going five straight possessions without scoring, TSU ended the game with points on its final four possession to win by the final 69-58 margin.

Simone Hopes had a team best eight rebounds for TSU, while Mekena Randle of UNA also had eight boards.

Avery Jones and Jasmin Shuler joined Gaston as Tigers with double digit points as Jones had 12 and Shuler added 10.

Sarah Bailey was the top scorer for the Lions with 13 points followed by Abby Andrews and Corinne White with 10 apiece.
 

The Lady Tigers begin the regular season on Friday, Nov. 9 when they face Cumberland at the Genry Center. Tip-off is slated for is 7 p.m.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

LSU Lady Tigers again rout Xavier Gold Nuggets in exhibition

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana --  Adrienne Webb scored 18 points to lead five LSU scorers in double figures Thursday in a 75-34 women's basketball exhibition victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.

Theresa Plaisance had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Tigers, who reached the second round of last season's NCAA Tournament. Shanece McKinney scored 12 points, and Bianca Lutley and Jeanne Kenney had 11 points apiece. Kenney had 11 assists and five steals.

Andraquay Quinnine scored nine points for the Gold Nuggets, ranked 11th in NAIA Division I, and made 3-of-7 3-pointers. SiMon Franklin, playing in her hometown, had seven points.

Xavier never led and trailed 37-12 at halftime. LSU outshot Xavier 41.3 to 24.1 percent from the floor and had advantages of 47-40 in rebounds and 21-1 in made free throws. LSU committed 14 turnovers and gained 31.

It was the second consecutive season that the Lady Tigers beat the Gold Nuggets in an exhibition. LSU won 102-42 a year ago.

Xavier will begin its 35th regular season of the Title IX era with a 3 p.m. game Saturday against Johnson & Wales (Fla.) at XU's new Convocation Center. The facility, which seats 3,937 for athletic contests and 4,500 for other events, will open to the public for the first time that day. The Gold Nuggets' game will follow a 1 p.m. men's game between Xavier and Morehouse.

Read more later about this exhibition online at http://www.xula.edu/athletics/news/2012/1101b.html


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

Round 2: Sight & Sounds of Homecoming 2012

Spelman College chooses Campus-wide fitness over NCAA athletics

ATLANTA, Georgia -- A Wellness Letter from Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum ...

Dear Campus Community,

Many in the African-American community believe that the health status of African-American women is a primary indication of the health status of Blacks living in America. If that is the case, the news is not good.

Based on an analysis of the health status of students at Spelman College, many already have hypertension, Type II diabetes, or some other chronic disease usually associated with a population of much older people.

While surprising, this reality is merely a reflection of the status of Black women’s health across the country. According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 44% of Black women over 20 have high blood pressure. Type II diabetes has become a public health epidemic, and African-American women are among the most vulnerable -- more than twice as likely to develop diabetes as white women.

In addition, heart disease is the leading cause of death for African Americans in the United States as reported by the CDC. About four out of five African-American women are overweight or obese and among all children, Black girls are most likely to report they got no physical activity in the past week. A National Institutes of Health study found that by the age of 17 more than half of Black girls were reporting no leisure time physical activity at all, increasing their risk for serious illness.

Whether it is diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, breast cancer or stroke, Black women are more likely to suffer from these ailments and die from them – early. All of these illnesses are linked to obesity and lack of physical activity. As a community, we are illiterate – illiterate about what it takes to maintain our health and wellness.

Spelman, which serves a population of women, almost all of whom are of African descent, is known for educating the best and the brightest of their generation. We invest a tremendous amount of time and talent into our students’ development, an investment which will transform their lives and the communities they will impact.

However, given the current state of Black women’s health, we have to question whether these students will live long enough to make that impact. Will they have the healthy quality of life needed to truly deliver on the promise of their potential?

Committed to educating the whole person -- mind, body and spirit – Spelman has an opportunity to change the health trajectory of our students and, through their influence, the communities from which they come. We are taking that opportunity seriously by launching our own Wellness Revolution, an initiative designed to empower and educate Spelman women and the world on the value and components of lifelong wellness.

Click Here to learn more about the College's comprehensive program that will both transform the physical education curriculum, and infuse its infrastructure and co-curricular activities with innovative programs and a state-of-the-art facility to promote wellness as a lifestyle.

The Wellness Revolution@Spelman Slideshow: Spelman’s trip to Atlanta was created with TripAdvisor TripWow!

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READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Spelman College chooses fitness over athletics
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SSU Men's Basketball Picked To Win MEAC; Hassan Named MEAC Preseason Player of the Year

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Savannah State University senior Rashad Hassan was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year. The SSU men's basketball team were also picked to win the 2012-13 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season title. The Tigers, who won last season's regular season championship, return everyone from last year’s squad.

The Tigers received 24 first place votes and totaled 616 points to take hold of the conference's top spot. SSU finished among the top five in the MEAC in several categories including scoring margin (2^nd), scoring defense (1^st), rebounding margin (1^st), assists (3^rd), steals (5^th), and assist-to-turnover ratio (5^th) a year ago. The Tigers finished the season with a 14-2 mark in MEAC play and 21-12 overall. SSU's season concluded with a 65-51 loss to the University of Tennessee in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

Hassan, a 6-7 Riverdale, Georgia native, led the Tigers in scoring with 13 points per game and started in 32 of 33 games a year ago. He ranked in the top 20 in the nation with a 57.0 field goal percentage. The 2011-12 season was highlighted by three double-double performances including 20 points and 14 rebounds against Tennessee in the NIT.

Senior guard Deric Rudolph was named to the MEAC preseason second team. Rudolph averaged 10 points per game last season.

Accompanying Hassan on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Tahj Tate (Delaware State), Pendarvis Williams (Norfolk State), DeWayne Jackson (Morgan State), and Ray Willis (North Carolina Central).

The 2012-13 MEAC men's basketball season tips off on Friday, November 9 with ten MEAC teams in play.

The 2013 MEAC Basketball Tournament is slated for March 11-16 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.

2012-13 Men's Basketball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish and All-MEAC First and Second Teams

As voted on by the Conference's Head Men's Basketball Coaches and

Sports Information Directors

(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)

School...................................... Points

1. Savannah State (24)....................... 616

2. Delaware State (1).......................... 525

3. Morgan State.................................. 504

4. Norfolk State (1)............................ 489

5. Hampton........................................ 396

6. Bethune-Cookman......................... 392

7. North Carolina Central.................. 386

8. Howard.......................................... 254

9. North Carolina A&T...................... 228

10. Coppin State................................ 220

11. Florida A&M............................... 184

12. Maryland Eastern Shore............... 110

13. South Carolina State.................... 62

Preseason Player of the Year: Rashad Hassan, Savannah State University

First Team

Name	School	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Tahj Tate	Delaware State	G	6-4	190	So.	Easley, S.C
Dewayne Jackson	Morgan State	F	6-8	210	Sr.	Bowie, Md.
Pendarvis Williams	Norfolk State	G	6-6	195	Jr.	Philadelphia, Pa.
Ray Willis	N. C. Central	G	6-6	164	Sr.	Atlanta, Ga.
Rashad Hassan	Savannah State	F	6-7	215	Sr.	Riverdale, Ga.

 

Second Team

 

Name	School	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Kevin Dukes	Bethune-Cookman	G	5-9	155	Sr.	Lithonia, Ga.
Marques Oliver	Delaware State	F	6-7	220	Sr.	Durham, N.C.
Casey Walker	Delaware State	G	6-5	175	Jr.	Brodnax, Va.
Ian Chiles	Morgan State	C	7-2	270	r-Jr.	Cliffside Park, N.J.
Deric Rudolph	Savannah State	G	5-11	175	Sr.	Gadsen, Ala.

All awards are voted on by the conference's head men's basketball coaches and sports information directors.

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Howard predicted to win the regular season women's basketball MEAC title

Saadia Doyle

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Howard University senior Saadia Doyle was named the MEAC women's basketball Preseason Player of the Year for the second consecutive year the conference announced today. The Lady Bison of Howard were predicted to win the regular season title as voted on by the conference's head women's basketball coaches and sports information directors.

Doyle, the 2010-11 MEAC Player of the Year, averaged 17.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last year. The guard guided her team to the MEAC Tournament championship finale for the second straight year, earning All-MEAC and All-Tournament honors.

Howard totaled 637 points and received 15 out of 26 first place votes. Last year the Lady Bison finished with a 24-9 overall record and 14-2 mark in MEAC play. Howard welcomes back all of its starters from last year's team.

The three-time defending MEAC champion Hampton Lady Pirates were picked to finish second with 597points and seven (7) first-place votes. The Lady Pirates, who will open up their season on November 9^th against Southern Mississippi, concluded the 2011-12 campaign with a 15-1 conference record and 26-5 mark overall. Hampton was one of four MEAC teams to post 20-plus wins last season.

Coppin State was predicted to finish third while Florida A&M and North Carolina A&T round out the top five preseason predictions.

Maryland Eastern Shore was chosen to finish sixth, followed by South Carolina State (7^th), Bethune-Cookman (8^th), Norfolk State (9^th), Savannah State (10^th), Delaware State (11^th), Morgan State (12^th) and North Carolina Central (13^th).

Joining Doyle on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team is teammate Tamoria Holmes. Delaware State's Tierra Hawkins, Ezinne Kalu of Savannah State and Jaquayla Berry of North Carolina A&T round out the first team selections.

The 2012-13 MEAC women's basketball season tips off on Friday, Nov. 11 with eight MEAC teams in action.

The 2013 MEAC Basketball Tournament is slated for March 11-16 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.

 

Preseason Honors

 

 

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Tuskegee at Miles College Buzz

Tuskegee at Miles College

WHAT: Tuskegee (7-1, 6-0) at Miles College (8-1, 6-0)

WHEN: Saturday, 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium, Fairfield, Alabama

TV: None but Birmingham folks can catch the Golden Bears radio broadcast on 88.7 FM.

LINE: None

THIS GAME WILL DETERMINE: Everything. The meeting between Miles, the defending Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champs currently ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division II Super Region 2 standings, and Tuskegee, the winningest school in black college football history, will determine the conference's western division champion. Both are undefeated against conference foes and both haven't lost since dropping one-point games in their season opener at Legion Field. Tuskegee lost 7-6 to Alabama A&M and Miles fell 31-30 at the hands of North Alabama. The winner of this contest advances to next weekend's SIAC championship game in Atlanta and will be a virtual lock to play in, and possibly, the first round of the Division II playoffs. The loser will likely have to settle for a spot in the Pioneer Bowl which pits the SIAC against the Continental Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Tuskegee downed Miles 27-25 at home last year and leads the overall series 45-12-1.


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Saint Augustine's University To Host 2014 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Campus

GEORGE WILLIAMS
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR/
 Head Men's and Women's Track
and Field/Cross Country Coach
Saint Augustine's University

RALEIGH, North Carolina  -- Saint Augustine's University has been selected to host the 2014 NCAA Division II Outdoor Men's and Women's Track & Field Championships, the NCAA announced Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012. The event will take place May 22-24 at the Saint Augustine's University Stadium in the George Williams Athletic Complex.

“The University's track and field program has always been a source of great pride and accomplishment,” said Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber, President of Saint Augustine's University. “The selection to be the host institution for the 2014 NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships is a perfect fit for the direction in which the athletic program is headed. We look forward to hosting the nation's finest track and field athletes and providing them with a truly memorable experience.”

The national championships will allow Saint Augustine's University to showcase one of the top NCAA Division II track and field facilities in the nation. Saint Augustine's University hosted the national championships two other times but it was at Paul Derr Track on the campus of North Carolina State University in 1994 and 2000.

The University's selection as the 2014 host site holds a special place in the heart of long-time Head Coach George Williams of Saint Augustine's University. Williams, whom the complex is named after, has guided the men's and women's track and field program to 31 NCAA Division II championships and approximately 150 CIAA titles in his 36 year tenure.

“We are thrilled to be selected as the host for the 2014 NCAA outdoor track and field championships at the new SAU stadium,” said Williams, the University's athletic director. “Even though this is our third time hosting, this will be the first time the event is held on the campus itself. We have received tremendous support from our president, Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber. It is her vision which will allow us to host an event of this magnitude. I can promise you that we will do everything we can to make this a great experience for participants and spectators alike.”

Saint Augustine's University will host approximately 750 student-athletes from NCAA Division II colleges and universities throughout the nation. The result will be a great economic boom to the community, as area hotels and restaurants are expected to receive major benefits from the event.

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Vikings Notebook: ECSU looks to Davis for big plays

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina  --  The situation was getting desperate.

Elizabeth City State was clinging to a six-point lead in the final moments of Saturday’s game against Virginia Union, and a last-gasp Panthers rally had put the ball on the Vikings’ 14-yard line.

“Coach said we needed a big play, so he looked to one of his big-play guys,” said ECSU senior defensive end Brad Davis, who just happens to be one of those guys.

Sure enough, Davis delivered. He blew through the Virginia Union offensive line and dumped quarterback Kenneth Graham for an 8-yard loss on an attempted boot-leg play.

Two incomplete passes later, Elizabeth City State had a 27-21 win that clinched a second consecutive Northern Division title and a second straight berth in the CIAA championship game.

“They got me one time on the ...
 

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Mobile sweeps XU Gold Nuggets after rallying in first two sets

MOBILE, Ala. — Disah Kolassiba had 14 kills and Bailey Nations 10 Tuesday to lead Mobile to a 25-21, 28-26, 25-16 women's volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.
    
The Lady Rams (23-10) rallied from deficits of 20-18 in the first set and 20-17 in the second set to help them end the three-match win streak of the Gold Nuggets (16-7). Mobile swept the two-match season series from Xavier and is 3-0 all-time at home against the Nuggets.
     

Xavier University of Louisiana's 2012 women's volleyball team

ROSTER

Moira Kirk had 13 kills, and Jodi Chatters had 10 digs for Xavier. Kirk reached double figures in kills for the fifth time in six matches.
    

Kolassiba had three kills and a block in Mobile's 7-1 run to end the first set. Xavier trailed 13-9 in that set before grabbing momentum with an 11-5 run which included Kirk's two kills and a block.
    

Xavier failed to even the match despite leads of 15-9 and 17-11. Nations and Kiara Gay had two kills apiece in Mobile's next comeback, and the Lady Rams won the second set after three Chinedu Echebelem attack errors in the final four rallies.
    

Kolassiba's kill put Mobile ahead to stay, 10-9, in the third set. The Nuggets were still in contention at 17-15 before Mobile closed with eight points — including three Nations kills and two Nicole Armstrong aces — in the final nine serves.
    

Mobile outhit Xavier .282 to .090 and had advantages of 45-29 in kills and 6-1 in aces. XU standout Taylor Reuther equaled a season low with four kills — one in 13 swings in the final two sets — and served no aces for the second consecutive match. Reuther began the day as the NAIA leader with 0.84 aces per set — two-hundredths of an ace ahead of UT Brownsville's Danica Markovic. Reuther had 19 kills at home in a four-set victory against Belhaven on Monday.
    

The loss was Xavier's second in a row on the road after a school-record 11 consecutive road victories.
    

Xavier can clinch its second consecutive Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship with a victory Thursday against city rival SUNO. That match will start at 7 p.m. at The Barn. The regular-season finale will be 7 p.m. Saturday at GCAC and city rival Dillard, then the Nuggets will travel to Little Rock, Ark., for the GCAC Tournament on Nov. 8-10.

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

Convocation Center replaces The Barn at Xavier University

The brand new construction ushers in a new era for Xavier Athletics

Story by Peter Mayer Advertising

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) is heralding in a new era of athletics with a series of events celebrating the opening of the Convocation Center and Annex. The Convocation Center will become the home of XULA men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball and replaces The Barn, a 1,300-seat gymnasium opened in 1937.
 

"The Barn will always be a part of Xavier’s history, but I look forward to seeing the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets continue their winning traditions as well as establishing new traditions in the Convocation Center," says Dr. Norman C. Francis, President of XULA.
    

The new center boasts more than 93,000 square feet of athletic space with over 3,500 seats that can be reconfigured for a variety of purposes. The end stage and center stage arrangement allows flexibility for athletic and other large-scale events. A state-of-the-art scoreboard system includes four LED displays providing live and recorded video.
    

The facility cost approximately $2.5 million. Construction began in April. Manning Architects designed the facility, and Gibbs Construction built it. Streets bordering the courts are Stroelitz to the north, Palm to the south, Pine to the west and Broadway to the east.

The Convocation Center will be the home of, among other things,
XU men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball.

PDF notes from XU Sports Information

The Convocation Center also includes weight room facilities with taping and training areas as well as coaches' offices and home and visitor locker rooms. A monumental staircase at the entrance leads to a high-end VIP suite, and a dramatic second floor pre-function area that allows views to the outdoor plaza below while providing natural daylight into the facility.

Supporting the Convocation Center is the Xavier University Convocation Annex that houses classrooms, athletic storage, and athletic offices as well as a "green" parking lot with pervious paving and solar panels. The Convocation Center and Annex are anticipated to be LEED Silver Buildings and incorporate community connectivity, water conservation, energy efficiency, recycled and regional materials, and improved indoor air quality. These are the first LEED certified projects for Xavier University.
    

"Xavier's continued expansion is a reflection of the growth this University has seen over the last 75 years," stated Ray Manning of Manning Architects, the architects for the two structures. "The Convocation Center's capacity is three times that of The Barn, ensuring the multi-use facility can accommodate Xavier's growing needs."
    

The Convocation Center is across Washington Avenue from the main campus on a site bounded by Short, Palm and Stroelitz streets. A pedestrian bridge will be constructed across Washington Avenue to give the XULA community better access to the new building.
    

A series of grand opening events will be held Saturday, November 3 beginning at 10 a.m. with a community tailgate party. The schedule is as follows:

 

Xavier University Convocation Center Grand Opening Schedule of Events

Saturday November 3, 2012

Tailgating
10 a.m.
Open to the Public — requests from media for interviews and photos will be honored.

Ribbon Cutting and Blessing of the Facility
11:30 a.m.
Open to the Public - requests from media for interviews and photos will be honored

 
Basketball Doubleheader
Men's game — Xavier vs. Morehouse , 1 p.m.
Women's game — Xavier vs. Johnson & Wales (Fla.), 3 p.m.
Doubleheader tickets available for $10 — requests from media for interviews and photos will be honored.

About Manning Architects

Manning Architects is an architecture, interior design, and urban design and planning firm based in New Orleans, Louisiana that provides a comprehensive range of professional design services. Formed in 1985, it has consistently ranked as one of the five largest architectural firms in New Orleans. The company is large enough to successfully undertake complex, large-scale projects, yet small enough to remain sensitive to the needs of individual clients with limited resources. Over the years the firm has designed facilities for a wide range of clients in transportation, educational, commercial, civic, cultural, and hospitality. The staff of Manning Architects has expertise in all phases of design and construction, including site evaluation, urban planning and feasibility studies, project programming and design, construction document preparation, and construction ' management and administration. For more information, go to www.manningarchitects.com.

About Xavier

Xavier University of Louisiana is a private, co-educational institution offering a comprehensive liberal arts program and professional programs, including 38 undergraduate majors, five master’s degree programs and a doctor of pharmacy program. Xavier is the only historically Black, Catholic university in the United States and draws students from 39 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, the Virgin Islands and 7 foreign countries. For more information contact Xavier University of Louisiana, 1 Drexel Drive, New Orleans LA 70125, Phone: 504-520-7568, Fax 504-520-7933.

The Xavier Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets compete in Division I of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) as a member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference(GCAC). Xavier fields men's teams in basketball, cross country, tennis and track and field and women's teams in basketball, cross country, tennis, track and field and volleyball.

 

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

XULAATHLETICS

Grambling State host SWAC foe Jackson State Saturday

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  --  No matter how his team's most recent game is evaluated, Doug Williams knows that the bottom line is another loss at Grambling State University.

"Whether you lose by three or 30 points, it's still a defeat at the end of the day," said the Tigers' head coach. "You simply can't get around it, no matter how you look at it."

This past weekend, the G-Men (1-6, 0-5) lodged deeper in the Western Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference race with a 23-20 road loss against Texas Southern University.

It was the third time this season that Grambling had lost a game by three or fewer points.

But in a campaign that is fast becoming arguably the most disappointing in the school's legendary history, such an analysis doesn't take away any of the hurt.

"It's our job as coaches to get our players in a position to win consistently and we just haven't been doing it," Williams said. "You can make all of the  ...

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Tuskegee University closing in on SIAC championship

TUSKEGEE, Alabama — After winning seven consecutive games, the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers are one game away from playing for the SIAC football championship. In their way is the only other team that is undefeated in conference play: the Golden Bears of Miles College.

Tuskegee will play for the SIAC West Division Championship Saturday against the defending SIAC champion, Miles College in Fairfield, Ala. A win could essentially add two major games to this year's schedule, with a third trip to Atlanta looming at Lakewood Stadium Nov. 10. The winner of Saturday's game will play the winner of the SIAC East Division Championship (also on Saturday), which will be played in Columbus, Ga. between Fort Valley State (7-2 overall; 5-1 in SIAC with one conference loss coming to Tuskegee) and Albany State (6-3 overall; 5-1 in SIAC with one conference loss coming to Miles College).

If Tuskegee were to emerge as conference champion, the Golden Tigers would represent the SIAC in the annual Pioneer Bowl, which is the postseason showcase between representatives of the SIAC and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). The CIAA is the oldest black athletic conference in the nation and is the only other major conference in NCAA Division II comprised of  historically black colleges and universities. Tuskegee dominates Pioneer Bowl history, having won seven out of the nine contests that the Golden Tigers have participated in since the game's inception in 1997.

This Saturday's matchup stirs up ...

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TSU Tigers travel to Murray State to take on Racers

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -  Nationally-ranked Tennessee State will play at Murray State at 11 a.m. CST on Saturday as part of the OVC TV Game of the Week package. The game will air live on FOX College Sports Pacific and delayed at 11 p.m. CST on FOX Sports South.

The matchup features a pair of coaches who are in the third season at their respective schools. #18 TSU is coming off a win with no time on the clock vs. Tennessee Tech to improve to 8-1 on the season and sit atop the OVC standings, while Murray State is coming off a three-point loss at Jacksonville State.

The Tigers rebounded from its only loss of the season (a 3-point overtime defeat at Jacksonville State) to come-from- behind and beat Tennessee Tech 22-21 on Saturday. For the second straight home game the contest game down to the final play of the game as Michael German completed a six-yard touchdown pass to A.C. Leonard with no time on the clock to tie the game and Jamin Godfrey nailed an extra point to lift his team to the victory.

 

Godfrey was named National Special Teams Player of the Week after going 5-for-5 in field goals (connecting from 37, 32, 27, 41 and 22) and nailing the winning PAT. The five made field goals set a TSU single-game record and are tied for the most in the FCS this season.

 

Leonard finished the game with eight catches for 102 yards and the winning score. Leonard currently ranks second among FCS tight ends in receiving yards (528) and third in receptions (37).

German finished the day 24-of-40 for 294 yards and the game-winning score.

 

Defensive back Steven Godbolt III picked off sixth pass of the season and now leads all FCS players nationally in interceptions/game (0.67). As a team the Tigers lead the OVC and rank 15th nationally in scoring defense (18.56 points/game) and 34th in total defense (338.67/game).

 

Murray State suffered its second-straight OVC loss, losing 38-35 at Jacksonville State on Saturday. The Racers tied the game at 35 in the third quarter but was unable to score in the fourth quarter and JSU connected on a 38-yard field goal with 8:51 left to win the game.

Tennessee State Game Notes OVC Weekly Football Release

Coach Rod Reed Weekly Teleconference

Following that game the team’s three losses to OVC foes this season have come by a combined 11 points. Senior quarterback Casey Brockman did become the OVC’s career passing leader, increasing his total to 9,187 yards and passing Morehead State’s Chris Swartz (1987-90). Brockman completed 19-of-36 passes for 255 yards while also rushing for two touchdowns. Brockman now needs just 231 yards to hold the OVC career record for total offense. Duane Brady added 71 rushing yards and two rushing scores.

 

Walter Powell, who entered the game in the Top 10 nationally in receptions/game and receiving yards/game was held without a catch. Brandon Hathaway finished the game with five tackles, a tackle-for-loss, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery; he currently ranks third nationally in fumble recoveries/ game (0.38). As a team MSU ranks fifth nationally in scoring offense (39.5 points/game) and total offense (491.0 yards/game).

Because of a scheduling quirk this marks the third-straight year the game has been played at Murray State. Saturday marks the 24th all-time meeting between the teams and the series has been virtually even with MSU holding a 12-11 advantage. The Racers have won the last four in the series including 58-27 a season ago.

 

A year ago Murray State racked up 707 yards of total offense as Casey Brockman passed for an OVC record 600 yards and seven touchdowns in the victory. Walter Powell caught nine of those passes for 147 yards and a score. Michael German passed for 121 yards and a score for the Tigers.


COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION