Bluefield State Men’s Tennis to Host NCAA Atlantic Region No. 1 Tournament

BLUEFIELD, West Virginia  – After winning their second consecutive WVIAC Conference Tournament Sunday, the No. 1 regionally ranked Bluefield State men’s tennis team was awarded Tuesday with a number one seed in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament Preliminary Round Sunday and Monday.

The Big Blues host Kutztown University and Shaw University, who are the No. 4 and No. 5 seed respectively. The Golden Bears and Bears play Sunday at 11 a.m. at Bluefield City Courts.

Monday, Bluefield State plays the winner between Kutztown and Shaw at 11 a.m.

If weather affects the matches, the contests will be moved to Virginia Tech Tennis Center. All matches are free admission.

In the other Atlantic Regional Tournament Preliminary Round, University of Charleston, the No. 2 seed hosts No. 3 seed West Va. Wesleyan, No. 6 seed Shepherd and Winston-Salem State.

No. 7

The winners of each preliminary tournament advance to the round of 16 at the NCAA Division II National Championship in Surprise, Arizona.

COURTESY BLUEFIELD STATE COLLEGE BLUES SPORTS INFORMATION

Where is Bluefield State College Blues heading?

School in limbo with regard to new conference affiliation.

BLUEFIELD, West Virginia   — Don’t think football controls college athletics at every level?

Just look at the blight of Bluefield State College, which still doesn’t have a place to call home 11 months after the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference began to implode.

The primary reason: Bluefield State hasn’t offered football since 1981, and there are no plans to do so in the near future.

“Day one it was football driven and took us out of the loop,” Bluefield State Athletic Director Terry Brown said. “We were not a consideration, but as time goes on, things change so once they change now we are back in the hunt.”

 Eight members of the WVIAC formed what would become the newly-created 12-team Mountain East Conference. One of those schools was fellow WVIAC program, Wheeling-Jesuit, which was added a month or so later as the only non-football playing school in the league.

It was that move that continues to give Brown hope that the fledging Division II circuit will also accept Bluefield State as a member.

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WSSU Rams looking forward to NCAA Tournament

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Winston-Salem State’s baseball team won its third straight CIAA championship last weekend — but its work this season is not finished.

The Rams, who are 38-9 and ranked 30th in the Division II Collegiate Baseball poll, are gearing up for NCAA regional play by playing more regular-season games.

“Definitely, we are not finished and the guys have really responded in continuing to work to get better,” Coach Kevin Ritsche of the Rams said

WSSU is ranked second in the Atlantic Region behind Seton Hill; Ritsche said the Rams have a good shot at playing host to the regional May 15-19. There is one problem — finding a place to hold the regional. BB&T Ballpark, which is the Rams’ home field, will be in use by the Winston-Salem Dash during the regional, so that field is not an option.

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Felony weapons charges against Alabama State RB Isaiah Crowell dropped

MONTGOMERY, Alabama --  Isaiah Crowell can exhale and just focus on his family, school and football now.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported that both felony weapons charges against the Alabama State running back, who transferred from Georgia where he was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2011 before the start of last season, were dropped Wednesday.

A piece written by longtime Montgomery Advertiser reporter Tim Gayle chronicles Crowell's journey from a guy coaches described as defiant and out of shape when he arrived on campus at ASU to the focused father he appears to be as he heads into what could be his final season of college football this fall.

Atlanta lawyer Steve Sadow represented Crowell in the case.

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Isaiah Crowell prepares for 2013 season: Alabama State football video


Charges dropped against ASU's Isaiah Crowell

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  There are plenty of attractive goals in front of Isaiah Crowell. And that’s just the way one of the nation’s highest profile college football players wants to keep his focus – looking ahead, not reflecting on past mistakes.

In his first interview since being dismissed from the University of Georgia after facing one misdemeanor and two felony criminal charges, the 20-year-old Alabama State University running back shows a more mature side willing to embrace leadership roles and interviews he once would have shied away from.

Crowell, considered by many the top high school running back in the nation as a senior at G.W. Carver High in Columbus, Ga., in 2011, was quickly thrust into the limelight after Georgia’s starting tailback, Washaun Ealey, was dismissed from the team and his backup, Caleb King, was declared academically ineligible.

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Profile: Norfolk State's James Taylor

Profile: Norfolk State's James Taylor

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Norfolk State University is known for its outstanding Track and Field program, and James Taylor appears to be the Spartans' next big star.

The young man from Suffolk had to be persuaded by his high school coach to even try the sport, and has since fought through highs and lows to become one of the top sprinters in the nation.

Now a Junior at NSU, James Taylor is a second team all American track athlete.

Monday, Norfolk State named Taylor the male Athlete of the Year, leaving him a bit surprised. A lot of people, including Taylor, thought the award would go to Pendarvis Williams of the NSU Men's basketball team.

Winning the award meant James overcame hurdles both on and off the track.

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WVSU Yellow Jacket Women's Tennis Opens NCAA Play

West Virginia State University 2012/13 Women's Tennis Team
ROSTER
(Click photo to enlarge)

INSTITUTE, West Virginia  --  The West Virginia State University women's tennis team has been seeded third in the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament being held this weekend at Indiana University of Pennsylvania it was announced Tuesday night.

The Yellow Jackets (17-8) face sixth seeded Slippery Rock (12-8) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday with host IUP (17-7) taking on CIAA champion Shaw (24-2) at 1 p.m. The winners meet Sunday with a spot in the Final 16 in Arizona May 8-11 on the line.

This is the sixth straight NCAA appearance for the program.

Chowan Spring football game set for Friday night

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina – The Chowan University football team will play their annual Blue-White scrimmage on Friday evening, April 26^th under the lights at Jim Garrison Stadium at 8 p.m.

The Blue-White scrimmage concludes the team’s spring practice season.

The Hawks are coming off one of the most successful seasons in recent history.  The 2012 team surpassed expectations in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) after ending their season with a 5-2 record in league play good for a 2^nd place finish in the Northern Division after being picked to finish 5^th.  The Hawks also enjoyed their first winning season since 1999 with a 6-4 overall record.

Anticipation and expectation will be even higher for the 2013 season which kicks off at ...

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Shaw Men's Tennis To Open NCAA Play Against Kutztown

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Shaw University men's tennis team will open play in the NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Tournament when they travel to Bluefield, W.Va., to take on Kutztown.

 

The Bears, the number five seed in the Atlantic Region, are 14-6 on the season while Kutztown, the five seed is 11-6.  Shaw earned an at-large bid after ranking third in the region going into CIAA Tournament play, where they lost to Winston-Salem State in the semifinals.

 

The winner of the match between the Bears and Golden Bears will face host and number one seed Bluefield State, who is 20-3, and defeated Shaw 5-0 earlier in the season.  The winner of that match will advance to the NCAA Tournament (the tennis equivalent of the Sweet Sixteen) to be held in Surprise, Ariz., May 8 through 11.

 

The other half of the region features number two Charleston (WV), who will meet seventh seed WSSU in the opening round.  The winner of that game will face off against the winner of the match between Shepherd and West Virginia Wesleyan.

 

Play begins Saturday, but times have yet to be announced.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Shaw Women's Tennis To Open NCAA Play Against Indiana (PA)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Shaw University women's tennis team will open play in the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Tournament when they travel to Indiana, Penn. to take on host Indiana (PA).

 

The Lady Bears are the number seven seed in the Atlantic Region, qualifying for the tournament Saturday when they won their third CIAA Championship in four years, defeating Chowan 5-3.  Shaw is 23-3 on the season, while IUP, the second seed, is 17-7.

 

The winner of the first round matchup will play the winner of the match between number three seed West Virginia State and Slippery Rock, the six seed.  The winner of that match will advance to the NCAA Tournament (the tennis equivalent of the Sweet Sixteen) to be held in Surprise, Ariz., May 8 through 11.

 

California (PA) is the number one seed overall and will host the other half of the region, which includes number eight seed Virginia State of the CIAA.  West Liberty and Mercyhurst round out the slate in the Atlantic Region.

 

Play begins Saturday, but times have yet to be announced.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

UMES Ends Season in Third Place in Final NTCA Poll

NASHVILLE, Tennesse  --  Last weekend's National Championship in the United States Bowling Congress' Intercollegiate Team Championships (ITC) reminded many that the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is still one of the best teams in the nation, at any level. And one voter in the National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) poll thought enough of the Hawks to give them a first place vote in the final NTCA Coaches poll for the 2012-2013 season.

UMES was ranked third in the final poll, where they finished in the NCAA Championships earlier this month, held in Canton, Mich. The semifinalist almost made another run at the NCAA title but missed it by one heartbreaking pin. Nonetheless, the Lady Hawks took all that emotion and disappointment to Lincoln, Nebraska where they claimed their fifth National Championship in school history at the ITCs.

In the final NTCA poll the Hawks tallied 324 points and that one first place vote to come in third. National Champion Nebraska was first with 384 points and 13 first place votes. Runner-up Vanderbilt was second in the poll with 348 points.

Arkansas State, who was also a semifinalist, was fourth for the third straight poll, this time with 300 points. Central Missouri rounded out the top five with 268 points. Fairleigh Dickinson, who made an impressive run, was sixth with 256 points, Sam Houston State and Wisconsin-Whitewater were seventh and eighth respectively. Stephen F. Austin and Adelphi rounded out the top ten.

Since the NCAA Championships were the only event since the last poll, spots 11-20 remained unchanged.

The coach's poll counts towards the Capital One Cup standings. Nebraska will earn 20 points for their spot in the poll and all DI teams in the top ten will earn points in the cup standings. Vnaderbilt earned 12 points while UMES garnered 10. Currently the Hawks are 32nd in the nation among women's teams in the cup standings.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE

Florida A&M baseball team shocks Mercer

FAMU pounds out 19 hits in upset win

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  It was supposed to be an easy midweek tune-up for the Mercer University baseball team.

Instead, the FAMU Rattlers made it a slugfest and came away with their biggest win of the season, knocking off the Bears 11-5 Tuesday night at Moore-Kittles field.

Mercer entered Tuesday’s game with the nation’s No. 23 RPI — one spot behind ACC power Georgia Tech. It had been more than five years since the Rattlers beat a team with a top-25 RPI.

And four innings into the game, the Rattlers looked the part of underdogs just waiting to suffer yet another late setback. But after scoring seven runs in the fifth and sixth innings, FAMU went on to beat the Bears for the first time since 2008.

Beating Mercer (32-12) was just the fourth win all season for the Rattlers (4-37, 3-15 MEAC), but it should be a confidence-builder moving forward, said interim head coach Kevin Clethen.

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Three from Xavier are Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars

Chinedu Echebelem

Javon Mead

Devinn Rolland

NEW ORLEANS — Three student-athletes from Xavier University of Louisiana — Javon Mead (men's track and field/cross country), Chinedu Echebelem (women's volleyball) and Devinn Rolland (women's track and field) — have been named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars for the 2012-13 academic year.

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, a magazine based in Fairfax, Va., has sponsored the awards since the mid-1990s.

Criteria for the awards include being a person of color with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 through the fall 2012 semester. Honorees must have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution and have a demonstrated record of service to the campus or community.

All three from Xavier were chosen to the first team, with Mead receiving that distinction for the second consecutive year. They are the only Ashe scholars this year from an NAIA or Louisiana university listed in the April 11 edition of Diverse Issues.

Mead, a junior from Baton Rouge, La., and a graduate of Baton Rouge Magnet High School, is an accounting major with a 3.81 GPA and a three-time All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference cross country runner. He finished fifth at the 2012 GCAC Championships to help the Gold Rush post the first perfect score in the men's division since 1996.

This is the latest in a series of academic awards for Mead, who was a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete during the fall and a third-team CoSIDA Academic All-American a year ago.

Echebelem, a sophomore from Dallas, Texas, and a graduate of Duncanville High School, is a chemistry/pre-medical major with a 3.79 GPA. She was first-team All-GCAC as a freshman and made the second team as a sophomore. She was voted MVP of the 2012 GCAC Tournament, which the Gold Nuggets won for the second consecutive year. Echebelem's sophomore statistics included 244 kills and 238 digs.

Rolland, a sophomore from Harvey, La., and a graduate of Cabrini High School in New Orleans, is a chemistry/pre-pharmacy major with a 4.0 GPA. On April 13 she repeated as champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the long jump at the GCAC Outdoor Championships. She has reached the A-qualifying standard in three individual events for next month's NAIA National Championships — 100 (11.97 seconds), 200 (24.52) and long jump (5.77 meters/18 feet, 11¼ inches) — and as a member of the 400 and 1,600 relay teams.

This season Rolland has been named GCAC Athlete of the Week in women's field six times and in women's track three times. She was an NAIA All-American in the long jump a year ago.

Xavier is one of 38 U.S. colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2013 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.


By Ed Cassiere, SID
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
XULAATHLETICS 

 

XU's Jackson will offer skills camp for area boys in June

XU Gold Rush coach Dannton Jackson

NEW ORLEANS — Brandon Bass of the Boston Celtics, DJ Augustin of the Indiana Pacers, Mo Williams of the Utah Jazz and Al-Faruoq Aminu of the New Orleans Pelicans will be among the featured guest coaches for the inaugural Coach Dannton Jackson Basketball Skills Academy in June.

Jackson — winner of 226 games and four regular-season conference championships as head coach of the Xavier University of Louisiana men's program for the past 10 seasons — will conduct the camp June 10-13 at XU's new Convocation Center. The camp is for New Orleans-area boys age 7-16.

Campers will learn skills to develop footwork and their fundamentals. They'll receive daily prizes, evaluation, autographs and a certificate of participation. Campers will be divided into age groups and compete in 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 games and a skills contest.

Price of the camp is $195. Visit www.djhoops.com to register online or to download a PDF registration form which can be filled out and mailed. Call (504) 521-7849 for more information.

Driving directions to the Convocation Center can be found by clicking here.

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

Loyola comes alive, ends Southern winning streak

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  The Loyola baseball team entered Tuesday’s game at Lee-Hines Field having lost four in a row and knowing it had been eliminated from Southern States Athletic Conference tournament contention.

Seven days earlier, the Wolf Pack had been beaten by six runs on the same field.

But Loyola looked little like a team playing out the string.

The NAIA club from New Orleans bounced back from its recent woes to score a 7-3 victory over Southern, picking up the final five of those runs — and half of its eight hits — after the Jaguars put the game in the hands of their bullpen.

“That’s been this group the whole year,” said Loyola coach Doug Faust, whose Wolf Pack lost 8-2 at Southern last weekend. “We show up and play every day. We know we’re not going to get a berth in the conference tournament, but these guys appreciate playing baseball. We show up and play the game the best we can.”

The Wolf Pack (16-37) bring an 8-22 mark into its three-game series at Georgia.

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DONALD HEATH: Just another day for SSU football

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  The amazing thing about the firing of Savannah State football coach Steve Davenport on Wednesday was that nobody seemed to think anything was out of the ordinary.

No press conference. No explanation from the school.

A six-paragraph press release arrived via email at 4:59 p.m., probably a minute before everyone at the school raced out the door.

It was the second or third sports story covered by local television news, trumped by the Heritage golf tournament — which hadn’t started yet.

No story from The Associated Press.

Just another day for Savannah State football.

If you have no expectations, you’ll never be disappointed.

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Virginia State Captures 2013 CIAA Golf Championship Title

FORT LEE, VA - Virginia State University shot and 18-over 594 as a team to run away with the 2013 CIAA Golf Championship held at The Cardinal Golf Club in Fort Lee, Va.

Heading into day two of the Championships, the Trojans enjoyed a 16 shot advantage over Virginia Union and an 18 shot advantage over Chowan University, and they never let up as the lead increased to a whopping 34 shot lead.

The VSU Trojans finished with a two day total of 594 (+18), while the Hawks of Chowan University finished in second with a total of 628 (+52). Virginia Union was third with a tow day total of 638 (+62), and defending champion, Fayetteville State (648, +72), finished a distant fourth, 54 shots behind the VSU Trojans.

Coaches, players and fans were treated to some wonderful golf, as the student-athletes produced some great shots and even better scores on the final day of competition.

Virginia State's win was team dominant, as they placed six golfers within eight shots of the lead with Aaron Bryant (71-74-145) leading the way finishing second, and Omari Howard (74-73-147) finishing in third place. Benjamin Shields (79-72-151) was fifth, while Zac Smith tied for sixth (76-76-152) and Adam Clary (77-76-153) and Rashad Hunt (74-79-153) tied for ninth.

The All-Tournament team consists of Mason Simpson (VUU), Aaron Bryant (VSU), Omari Howard (VSU), Lawrence McKenzie (LC) and Benjamin Shields (VSU).


Final Team Scores Total Par
1. Virginia State…………….. 295 299 594 +18
2. Chowan……………………. 313 315 628 +52
3. Virginia Union…………….. 311 327 638 +62
4. Fayetteville State……….. 326 322 648 +72
5. Saint Augustine’s……….. 331 332 663 +87
6. Johnson C. Smith………… 342 334 676 +100
7. Livingstone……………….. 369 372 741 +165
8. Elizabeth City State…….. 404 385 789 +213

COURTESY VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Chowan claims CIAA championship

PETERSBURG, VA – The Chowan University softball team captured the 2013 CIAA Championship on Saturday afternoon in a 7-3 victory over the Virginia State University Lady Trojans.  The title marks the second in program history, with their first coming in 2010 in the Hawks’ first year as part of the CIAA and was also against Virginia State.

Chowan pounded out 11 hits over the course of the afternoon.  Leigh Ward paced the Hawks offensively with three hits and two RBI’s in the win.  Shelby Pendleton tallied two hits with Amber Matthews knocking in two RBI as well.

Alora Lincoln earned her 15th win of the season on the mound, and was named the CIAA Tournament Most Valuable Player.  She scattered nine hits in the contest and just two earned runs in the championship win.

Virginia State got on the board first in the contest after a Hawk error in the outfield in the top of the second.  Chowan quickly recovered in the home half of the frame, when Hannah Joyce scored off Tori Cragan’s single to left field and Ward’s single allowed Kelly Hardison and Cragan to score giving the Hawks a 3-1 lead.

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XU's Howell, Didavi, Rolland win GCAC's weekly awards again

Kourtney Howell

Loic Didavi

Devinn Rolland

ORLEANS — This is a familiar routine for Xavier University of Louisiana's Kourtney Howell, Loic Didavi and Devinn Rolland. All three are repeat winners of Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Athlete/Performer of the Week awards, this time for April 15-21.

Howell received her third award of the season in women's tennis and the seventh of her career, which extends her GCAC record. Didavi's men's tennis award is his second of the season and third of his career. Rolland earned her sixth award in women's field this season; she also won three track awards in 2013.

Howell, a junior from Cypress, Texas, and a graduate of Cypress Woods High School, was 2-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles to help the Gold Nuggets successfully defend their NAIA unaffiliated group tournament title at Jonesboro, Ga.

Howell, ranked sixth among the ITA's NAIA singles players, clinched the championship dual Sunday against 19th-ranked SCAD Atlanta with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 victory against 43rd-ranked Alina Tseplukhova.  Howell and freshman Brion Flowers climbed from 12th to first in the ITA NAIA doubles rankings this past week and increased their doubles win streak to nine.

Didavi, a senior from Cotonou, Benin, and a graduate of Lycée Jean Dautet, La Rochelle, was 2-0 in singles and 2-0 in doubles to help the Gold Rush win a third consecutive NAIA unaffiliated group tournament. Didavi is ranked fourth in the NAIA in singles and 15th in doubles with Kyle Montrel, a GCAC winner the previous two weeks.

Rolland, a sophomore from Harvey, La., and a graduate of Cabrini High School in New Orleans, ran 200 meters in 24.66 seconds — her second fastest time of the season — to place sixth out of 22 runners Saturday in the LSU Alumni Gold meet at Baton Rouge, La. She finished ahead of 15 runners from NCAA Division I. It was the fourth time this season that Rolland met the A-standard for the NAIA National Championships in this event.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Gold Nuggets to conduct volleyball tryouts April 28

XU qualified for the NAIA National Championship
 in 2011 and 2012.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will conduct tryouts for the 2013 women's volleyball season from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 28 at XU's new Convocation Center.
    
Current Xavier students and 2013 high school graduates are welcome to try out.
    
Prospects must bring documentation from a physician of a physical examination which cleared them for participation in interscholastic or intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
    
Prospects also are encouraged to bring a player profile or resumé, DVDs of volleyball skills and competition, and copies of academic transcripts and ACT and/or SAT scores. Free water will be provided. Contact XU coach Hannah Lawing at hlawing@xula.edu or (504) 520-7255 for additional information.
    
Driving directions to the Convocation Center can be found by clicking here.

Xavier's Gold Nuggets were 22-8 in 2012 and for the second consecutive year won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the NAIA National Championship.

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

Southern 2013 Football Season Book Applications available now

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Season book applications for Southern University's 2013 football season are available to the general public, the university announced Monday.

Prospective season book holders can access a digital copy of the application form through gojagsports.com, Southern's athletic website. Fans can also pick up a copy of the form at the SU ticket office located in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Southern has also implemented an electronic form for fans to submit their applications online. The online form is available at www.subr.edu/seasonticketapp.

The season book renewal periods will begin mid May with payments for season books being accepted in early June.

Five home games, including the Jackson State game on Sept. 28 and homecoming Oct. 26, highlight the 2013 home schedule.

On Sept. 14, Southern welcomes Prairie View A&M for its 2013 home opener. Following the Oct. 6 bye week, the Jaguars will enjoy a two-game homestand when they host Jackson State and Alabama A&M on Oct. 12.

Alcorn State will serve as the Jaguars' homecoming opponent on Oct. 26 before Southern concludes the 2013 home slate on Nov. 17 for the first-ever meeting against Clark Atlanta, where head coach Dawson Odums served as interim head coach in 2004.

For more details and questions regarding 2013 season books, contact the SU ticket office at 225.771.3171.

2013 Season Book Application (PDF)

2013 Season Book Application (Online)

2013 Southern U. Football Schedule

September

14 Prairie View A&M (A.W. Mumford Stadium) - 6 p.m.

28 Jackson State (A.W. Mumford Stadium) - 6 p.m.

October

12 Alabama A&M (A.W. Mumford Stadium) - 6 p.m.

26 Alcorn State (A.W. Mumford Stadium | Homecoming 2012) 5:30 p.m.

November

16 Clark Atlanta (A.W. Mumford Stadium) 6 p.m.

 

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Lee-Huntsville G Robert Langham commits to Stillman College

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama  --  Lee-Huntsville senior Robert Langham always wanted to go to Stillman College.

He liked the Tigers' Tu
scaloosa campus not to mention its close proximity to his hometown. They also offered a solid business program, a factor of paramount importance to the stellar student.

The chance to continue his basketball career simply clarified the choice.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has already committed to Stillman and plans to sign a national letter of intent Monday to make things official.

"Knowing I could play basketball there it was a great opportunity for me to go", he said.

The guard/forward averaged 14.2 points, eight rebounds and four assists as a senior. He chose the Tigers over offers from their NCAA Division II conference rivals Morehouse College (Ga.) and nationally-ranked Benedict College (S.C.).

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Albany State Softball Claims SIAC Championship

HAMPTON, GA -- Albany State softball faced nearly impossible odds after one game in the SIAC Tournament.

After losing its playoff opener to Fort Valley State Thursday, the Lady Rams refocused and rededicated themselves to winning. On Sunday, it paid off in a SIAC Championship.

The Albany State softball team battled through a loser’s bracket gauntlet of six games in two days for the SIAC crown, defeating Miles College twice 16-9 and 15-9.

The Lady Rams claimed their first conference softball championship since 2010 and will advance to a Division II Regional.

“It was a blessing to do what we did,“ ASU head coach Robert Skinner said over the champion cheers of his Lady Rams.

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PVAMU Men's Tennis Claims SWAC Championship In New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS  --  The Panthers capped off their dominating season against Southwestern Athletic Conference opponents with a 4-0 win over Alcorn State in the SWAC Tournament Championship match on Sunday. The Prairie View A&M men's tennis team did not drop a single match against a conference opponent this season and came through with a win in a rematch of last season's championship.

Prairie View A&M University won its 21st Southwestern Athletic Conference men's tennis crown in the victory over the defending tournament champions, Alcorn State, on Sunday at City Park/Pepsi Tennis Center.
 

The 21 championship titles is the most by any team in the SWAC. In addition, the Panthers pick up their second title in four years after winning the 2010 tournament. The Panthers added to the hardware as newly crowned SWAC Player of the Year Jackson Varney and teammate Craig Wiltz started things off in doubles play with a 8-2 win over Ernesto Santillan and Gary Amor.
 

SWAC Tournament MVP, Ronald Chidzikwe, put the exclamation mark on the match by defeating Amor during the No. 4 singles match-up. Chidzikwe picked up the win in two sets with scores of 6-0, 6-2. In singles competition against conference opponents including the SWAC Tournament, Prairie View A&M players combined to go 34-2. They did not drop a single match in the conference tournament.
 

Panthers head coach, John Cochran, was named the 2013 SWAC Men's Tennis Coach of the Year.
 

 COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

ASU Lady Hornets Win 4th Consecutive SWAC Outdoor Title; Men Finish 6th

NEW ORLEANS—The Lady Hornets entered the final day of competition trailing Prairie View A&M 82-70.5 and knowing they had a tall order to overcome for their fourth consecutive championship.  They were able to do just that scoring 126 points on the final day of action to pull out a thrilling 13 point win over second place Prairie View A&M.
 
“We are really excited about the win today,” Head Coach Ritchie Beene said.  “We knew we were going to need to come from behind today and we had talked about that in our meeting last night.  The thing about that is the respect I have for Prairie View, their athletes and their coaching staff.  But where there is a will there is a way and we got out here today and not everything went our way, but we kept fighting.”

The men had a solid championship finishing sixth in a close race with 89 points.  ASU was only five points from fifth and 25 points out of third.
 
 The men were led on the final day by three first place finishes.  Freshman Chris Amisial started the wins in the pole vault.  His winning vault was 4.15m.  What made the event really special was it was his first college pole vault event.
 
 Another freshman, Brandon Coombs was next with an individual championship when he came from behind to win the 800m run.  He finished the event with a time of 1:52.98.
 
 The final win came from Lee Thrasher, who topped a strong season with a win in the discus throw.  His winning throw travelled 46.49m which was a personal record for him.
 
 The lack of distance runners actually hurt the Hornets chances of finishing even higher as they had moved into third place, but did not have enough runners for those distance events that eventually caused them to fall back later in the day.
 
“The men really stepped up today,” Beene said.  “I am excited about what we are doing with the men's program.  We know it is not going to be built overnight.  I need to continue to teach them they need to be patient and we have to continue to recruit .  The field is so big and everyone is competing to get young men.  As long as our men stay strong, positive and work together we can get it built.”

The Lady Hornets trailed the entire day until the 100m dash when Brianna Scott-Glover's fourth place finish and Paris Thompson's fifth place finish handed ASU nine points and a 107.5-106 lead with just seven events left.
 
 Even after taking the lead, ASU was never really able to pull away until the 5000 meter run.  Going into the 5k, the Lady Hornets only led 178.5-171.33, but made the lead insurmountable gaining 10 points on Artrailia LeSane's third place finish and Paige Rankine's fifth place finish.  That gave ASU a 188.5-173.33 lead with only one race left.
 
 The Lady Hornets also continued their dominance in the 4x100m relay event.  The team of Jasmine Pope, Alexis Ferebee, Latrice Lee and Scott-Glover ran the event in 45.39, which was their best time of the season.
 
“Overall this has been an exciting weekend and I am so happy for these ladies,”Beene said.  “A lot of people in the SWAC are going to come for you, but there is one thing about it, if you are going to get a SWAC Championship right now you have to come through ASU.”

ASU will begin preparations for any athletes going to the East Regional which will be held in Greensboro, N.C., May 24-25.

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COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Grambling pulls away for SWAC men’s track crown

NEW ORLEANS — Southern’s track resurgence will have to wait until next season.

Behind its strength — field events — the men’s team entered the final day of the Southwestern Athletic Conference track and field championships in second place but exited Tad Gormley Stadium on Sunday afternoon out of reach of Grambling, which earned its fifth consecutive title.

In three days, the Tigers scored 146 points, led by four individual winners. Keenun Guillory won the 110-meter hurdles (14.52), Akeem Williams took the 400 meters (46.19), Shawn Jackson claimed the 400-meter hurdles (52.87) and Grambling won the 400-meter relay (40:65) — a race the Jaguars were in contention for until faulty handoffs dropped them to third (40:84).

“We were determined to win this championship,” said Grambling coach Bertram Lovell, whose indoor team finished second to Prairie View A&M in Funerary. “I’ve got a thing I say: I’m not going to let anybody beat me twice. And I tried to instill the same thing in the students. That showed today because they were determined.”

Prairie View finished second with 130 points, followed by Mississippi Valley (117) and Southern (113).

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