UAPB Golden Lions Baseball Team Earns SWAC Tourney Berth

PRAIRIE VIEW,  Texas -- As the season winds down, head coach Carlos James and his University of Arkansas at Pine bluff Golden Lions baseball team knew the job at hand; take care of business and a trip to the 2013 SWAC Baseball Championships would be in the near future, and that’s just what they did.

With a SWAC western division weekend series on tap, the UAPB Golden Lions also have to make-up the home series against PV that was rained out. These games count towards final standings and tournament seeding as well.

In the first game, the UAPB Golden Lions bats seemed to have a mind of their own as the team from Pine Bluff only managed two hits as Panther pitcher Johnathon Mata was credited with a complete game shut-out. PV plated runs in the first, fifth and seventh innings for a 6-0 final. Golden Lions hurler Jim Ploeger suffered the loss.

The rubber match of the first day’s offering was completely different. It could’ve been Coach James’ between-game pep talk or maybe the powerade. Whatever the case may have been the Golden lions bounced back for a 5-3 victory in 11 innings.

UAPB plated its first run when Patrick Phillips came around to score on an Isias Alcantar single in the third inning. Then in the fourth, the Golden Lions got two more runs when Kirby Campbell  crossed home on a wild pitch. Warren Stehn would score on a sacrifice fly by Cody De Mera.

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HU Pirates, Lady Pirates Win MEAC Outdoor Track Titles

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Hampton University men’s and women’s track & field teams both won the 2013 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday at the Irwin Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T.

The Lady Pirates won their second straight MEAC outdoor crown and their seventh in the last eight years. The Pirates won their first outright MEAC outdoor title since 2003 and snapped Norfolk State’s seven-year outdoor winning streak.

The Lady Pirates also won the MEAC indoor title back in February.

The Hampton women tallied 123 points, beating second-place Maryland Eastern Shore by four points. Florida A&M came in third with 104 points. On the men’s side, Hampton scored 119 points compared to just 92.5 points from second-place Norfolk State.

Director of Track & Field Maurice Pierce was named the Most Outstanding Coach.

“This is unbelievable,” Pierce said.  “To win two championships in one year, in this conference, is a tremendous blessing. Both teams worked together and the men were able to feed off the women.

“These wins are an attribute of these two teams working together as one.”

Senior Benita Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa.) won the women’s 800-meter run with a time of 2:10.91, and she also took the 1,500-meter run title after running a season-best 4:38.83.

Junior Breana Norman (Virginia Beach, Va.) ran a 13.76 to win the 100-meter hurdles title.

The Lady Pirates also won the MEAC title in the 4x400-meter relay in 3:40.44, with senior Shantae Boney (District Heights, Md.), sophomore Le'Quisha Parker (Silver Springs, Md.), Taylor, and junior Malekah Holland (Brooklyn, N.Y.) running the race.

Parker was second in the 200-meter dash with a season-best 23.15, and Norman was second in the high jump with a season-best mark of 1.72 meters (five feet, 7.25 inches). Boney finished second in the heptathlon with a season-high 4,696 points, while senior Shaquanda Gainey (Camden, N.J.) was third with 4,439 points.

Junior Nichelle Harris (Rahway, N.J.) came in third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase after running an 11:33.16. Junior Teiara Denmark (Virginia Beach, Va.) came in third in both the long jump (5.88 meters; 19 feet, 3.5 inches) and the triple jump (12.29 meters; 40 feet, four inches).

Sophomore Edose Ibadin (Glendale, Md.) won the men’s 800-meter run after turning in a 1:50.60.

He was also on the 4x400-meter relay team that won the MEAC title with a time of 3:10.14. Ibadin ran with sophomore Chidi Okezie (Philadelphia, Pa.), sophomore Mohamed Labor-Koroma (Chantilly, Va.), and junior Je'Von Hutchison (Boynton, Fla.).

Sophomore Stefano Nardini (Milan, Italy) won the javelin with a mark of 65.62 meters (215 feet, three inches), breaking his own school record set earlier this season.

Freshman Trey Holloway (Chesapeake, Va.) came in second in the 110-meter hurdles with a season-best 13.85. Sophomore Sulaiman Fareed (Richmond, Va.) tossed the shot put 16.46 meters (54 feet), breaking his own school record, to come in second.

Okezie was third in the 200-meter dash with a season-best 21.06 and third in the 400-meter dash with a 47.14.

The top three finishers in each event earn All-MEAC honors; event winners are named First Team All-MEAC, with second-place and third-place finishers earning Second and Third Team All-MEAC honors, respectively.

The Pirates and Lady Pirates will return to action on Saturday and Sunday, when they head to Princeton, N.J. for the IC4A and ECAC Outdoor Championships. For more information on Hampton University track & field, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

Final Results

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Track and Field Places Fifth at OVC Championship

Courtesy Tennessee State University Athletics

CHARLESTON, Illinois – The Tennessee State men’s and women’s track and field teams each finished fifth at this weekend’s Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championship.

 

The Tigerbelles scored a total of 92 points and were 53.5 points behind champion Eastern Illinois. The Panthers also won the men’s side with 222.5 points while the Flying Tigers managed 68.

 

Reigning OVC Female Athlete of the Year Ashontae Jackson was the only TSU individual to take home a title as the sophomore won the long jump with a leap of 6.08 meters. Teammate Clairwin Dameus came in second with a 5.85 meter hop.

 

Dameus and Jackson later paired with fellow Tigerbelles Quanisha Sales and Diera Taylor to win the 4x100m and 10 points with a final of 45.95. Then, Jackson, Sales, Taylor and Gabrielle Todd placed second in the 4x400m after completing the event in 3:45.74.

 

In addition to her performances in the relays, Sales also finished second in the 100m dash (11.91) and fourth in the 400m (24.79).

 

Ja’Lyn Burr and Angel Davis rounded out the scoring for the Tigerbelles as Burr recorded a second-place finish in the triple jump (11.87m) and Davis came in third in the discus throw (40.32).

 

For the Flying Tigers, Michael Johnson placed third in the 400m after a run of 48.80 seconds. He then teamed with Osafa Hippolyte, Jamill Jackson and Emmanuel Thornton to earn five points with a fourth place finish in the 4x400 (3:22.51).

 

Earlier in the day, Thornton recorded a third-place finish in the 400m hurdles with a final of 53.99. He missed out on first by just tenths of a second.

 

In the high jump, Sean Jenkins finished third with a leap of 2.03 meters. Fellow Flying Tiger Shaquille Cragwall was just behind Jenkins, finishing fourth by clearing 1.93m.

 

Royce Dates, who was just named the OVC’s Male Co-Field Athlete of the Year, had a hop of 7.43 meters in the long jump, which placed him third in the event.

 

TSU will next travel to Atlanta, Ga., for the Georgia Tech Invitational on May 10-11. The meet will be the final opportunity for members of the teams to qualify for the NCAA Preliminaries.

 

    Final Results

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern to host JSU in 1 p.m. doubleheader May 4

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Southern University baseball will host Jackson State for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Lee-Hines Field after the teams originally schedule contest Friday was cancelled due to rain in the Jackson, Miss. area.

Friday's game against Jackson State, which was set for 6 pm at Braddy Field, has been canceled due to inclement weather. Southern will travel to Jackson to play a double header in 2014.

Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader will air live on Downtown Radio 97.7 FM with the pregame show starting at 12:45 p.m.

Southern will host LSU-Eunice May 9-11 for one final tune-up before the 2013 SWAC Baseball Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas May 15-19.

 

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Families of VSU hazing victims speak out about tragic loss

ETTRICK, Virginia  --  The parents of 19-year-old Marvell Edmondson and 19-year-old Jauwan Holmes were strangers just a few weeks ago, but they now share a heartbreaking bond. Their sons, Virginia State University freshmen, drowned together in the Appomattox River during a hazing ritual for the group Men of Honor.

“I will never hear my son tell me he loves me again,” said Kim Edmondson.

“As a parent you never in your wildest dreams imagine that you’ll get a call that your child went missing when he’s off to college,” said Steve Williams, Jauwan Holmes’ father.


Chesterfield police say Charles Zollicoffer, James Mackey, Eriq Benson and Cory Baytop told Marvell, Jauwan and five other freshmen to walk through the river as part of their initiation into Men of Honor. The parents say the group tricked the boys into thinking it was a legitimate VSU organization, but they’ve since learned the group was not even recognized by VSU. Police say their task for initiation led to Jauwan and Marvell’s deaths.

“Why was it this night?” Kim Edmondson asked. “Why was it 50 degree weather? Why were they half dressed?”

Chesterfield police charged the men with hazing, a misdemeanor in Virginia. It’s maximum penalty carried a year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

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Trial set for May 13 in deadly FAMU hazing

ORLANDO, Florida  -- Former FAMU drum major Rikki Wills rejected a plea deal Friday in the fatal hazing of his roommate Robert Champion and is set to become the first ex-band member to go to trial in the case.

Wills, 24, did not appear in court with Orlando attorney Bill Hancock, who informed Circuit Judge Donald Myers of the former student band leader's decision. Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to begin May 13 in Orange County.

Hancock, who did not reveal the state's offer, and assistant state attorney Nicole Pegues estimated the trial will take at least four days to present evidence, and both predicted that publicity over the tragedy might hamper efforts to seat a jury.

Champion, 26, was beaten to death Nov. 19, 2011, during a hazing ritual on ...

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NCCU Eagles' eye squarely on Aug. 31 Bull City Classic, Duke

DURHAM, North Carolina   —  N.C. Central coach Henry Frazier III is big on continuity, and he has said one of the reasons the Eagles have turned a corner is because his coaching staff has largely remained intact since he arrived for the 2011 season.

This will be Frazier’s third campaign at NCCU, which is coming off of its first winning season since 2007, finishing 6-5 in 2012, 5-3 in the MEAC.

The Eagles ended the season with a share of third place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

At the conclusion of sanctioned spring football practice, Frazier said he’s looking forward to seeing the eventual results of off-season, non-supervised training by his players.

“They won’t be here with me on the field, but they’ll still be doing football-related activities in terms of working out,” Frazier said. “Attacking the workouts. You’re just not showing up to lift or showing up to run. You want to attack the workouts.”

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FAMU, FGCU men's basketball team to play in Las Vegas

Rattlers going West for 2013 Las Vegas Classic with FGCU, Radford and Sacred Heart.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The FGCU men’s basketball team will play in the 2013 Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic, scheduled for Dec. 22-23 at Orleans Arena.

As part of the tournament, the Eagles head to American Athletic Conference (formerly the BIG EAST) member USF on Dec. 17 before going to SEC foe Mississippi State on Dec. 19. FGCU will then go west to Las Vegas where it will play two games against a field of FAMU, Radford and Sacred Heart. The Green and Blue’s first round matchup on Dec. 22 with one of the three opponents will be announced at a later date with the winners and losers from the two contests meeting the next day.

“We are very excited to be part of the Las Vegas Classic,” said Dooley, who was named FGCU head coach on April 17 after 10 seasons as an assistant at Kansas. “It’s a great opportunity for our team to play tough road games against good programs in USF and Mississippi State, as well as a pair of neutral site games in a great venue out west.”

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Albany State on hunt for new offensive coordinator

ALBANY, Georgia  — Albany State football coach Mike White is back where he was two years ago: in need of an offensive coordinator.

The job became vacant Wednesday when Uyl Joyner officially submitted his letter of resignation and accepted the offensive coordinator position at Dougherty High to coach alongside his brother, Corey, who is the head coach of the Trojans.

Joyner, a former star quarterback at both Dougherty and Albany State, coached at ASU for the past four years — his first two as the QBs coach and his last two as both the QBs coach and the offensive coordinator.

“I knew it was coming,” White told The Herald on Thursday. “I can’t say I didn’t expect it.” 

White, who is entering his 14th season as head coach at ASU and is sitting on 99 career wins, had talked with Joyner several times in the past month about a possible move to the high school ranks, but White didn’t get official word of the resignation until Wednesday afternoon.

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Louisa football star Jackson signs with Virginia State

LOUISA COUNTY, Virginia  --  On the final Friday of the high school football regular season last fall, Zack Jackson and Louisa County traveled to face district-leading Western Albemarle for a matchup of two teams on completely different paths. Western was looking to wrap up an undefeated regular season while the Lions came in with a modest record of 3-6.

Leading the underdog Lions that Friday night, Jackson ended his high school career on a memorable note.

With his team trailing by three with less than two minutes to play, Jackson punched his way into the end zone from two yards out on fourth down, capping off a memorable five-touchdown night for the senior as the Lions held on to hand Western Albemarle its first loss of the 2012 campaign.

Jackson accumulated more than 200 yards of total offense by himself in his last game as a Lion. After the game, Jackson gathered his teammates on the field for final time to express how proud he was of their growth and development in the team’s signature win of the season.

“The last thing that I said on that field after the game was ...

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Manego, 1958 XU grad and two-sport athlete, dies at 77

Cirilo Manego,
   

NEW ORLEANS — Cirilo Manego, a 1958 Xavier University of Louisiana graduate and a member of the XU men's basketball and baseball teams, died Sunday (April 28, 2013) in New Orleans after a brain hemorrhage. He was 77.
    
Manego was a native New Orleanian. At Xavier he was a 6-foot-3 forward on coach James Hawkins' basketball teams, and he played baseball for coach John Crowe. As a senior he scored 19 points in an 80-61 home victory against Tuskegee on Dec. 16, 1957, and he scored 17 points in a 65-57 home victory against Southern on Jan. 18, 1958. In his final collegiate basketball game, Manego scored 21 points in a 72-68 home victory against LeMoyne (Tenn.) on Feb. 13, 1958.
    
Manego received a bachelor of science degree from Xavier and a master's in education from Southern University at New Orleans. He spent more than 40 years as an educator and coach, including 14 seasons (1974-89) as the men's basketball head coach at SUNO. His 1982-83 SUNO team was the NAIA District 30 playoff runner-up and was 3-0 against the Gold Rush, including a 68-67 victory in the district semifinals.
    
Manego was a teacher and coached basketball and baseball at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans from 1961-74. He was a U.S. Army veteran and a graduate of Joseph S. Clark High School.
    
Survivors include his wife, Vicki M. Manego; six children, Nelita Manego-Ramey, Cindy T. Manego, Richard D. Manego, Cirilo R. Manego III, Alana N. Manego and Rebecca A. Manego; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Vicki Manego said her husband suffered the hemmorhage the day after he attended an April 17 Tulane baseball home game against the University of New Orleans.

 Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the Funeral Mass of Christian Burial at St. James Major Catholic Church, 3736 Gentilly Blvd. in New Orleans (zip code 70122), on Saturday (May 4) at 11 a.m. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Rhodes Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

(pronunciation:  sear-RILL-oh muh-NAY-go)

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

JCSU Golden Bulls aim for higher standard

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  Johnson C. Smith football has improved its offensive capability, but the defense has enough moving parts to be an unknown when fall practice opens.

JCSU, which wrapped up spring drills on Saturday with the Gold-Blue game April 27 at McGirt Field, return 15 starters from last year’ 6-4 team. The goal was to give last year’s backups and newcomers a chance to make an impression on coaches.

“We’re already short on numbers and we wanted to get some good film on these guys,” Golden Bulls head coach Steve Aycock said. “We’ve got a lot of returners (on offense), a lot of new guys that came out and a few walk-ons who came out. We got accomplished the things we wanted to get accomplished.”

JCSU showed off its firepower in the Gold-Blue game with ...

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Judge won't throw out hazing lawsuit against FAMU

ORLANDO, Florida  --  An Orange County judge, rejecting FAMU's argument that drum major Robert Champion should be viewed as a voluntary "participant" in the illegal hazing that killed him, will not throw out a wrongful-death lawsuit against the university.

Circuit Judge Walter Komanski issued his ruling in a 21-page order Thursday that allows the lawsuit to move forward against Florida A&M University and three other defendants, including the Rosen Plaza hotel in Orlando.

The drum major's parents, Robert and Pamela Champion of Decatur, Ga., sued FAMU, Fabulous Coach Lines and a bus driver over the fatal hazing of their son, Robert, 26. He was beaten to death Nov. 19, 2011, on a bus in the hotel parking lot.

At a hearing in November, Richard Mitchell, an Orlando lawyer for FAMU, outlined the university's position that Champion ignored Florida law and school and band policies by voluntarily submitting to the hazing, known as "Crossing Bus C," after the Florida Classic football game at the Citrus Bowl.

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Wes Pifer Named Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach at NAU

WES PIFER, ASSISTANT COACH
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL
(Credit: NAU Athletics)

FLAGSTAFF, Arizona – NAU men's basketball head coach Jack Murphy has announced the addition of Wes Pifer to his coaching staff for the coming year. Pifer, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at North Carolina Central University, replaces Al La Rocque, who served on Murphy's staff on an interim basis last season.

"I'm thrilled for the opportunity to work with Coach Murphy and his staff," Pifer said. "I came out last week and was blown away by how beautiful the campus was and the fan support here. NAU is truly a special place and Coach Murphy is a proven winner. I look forward to being a part of the new era of Lumberjack basketball."

Pifer will work with the NAU guards after he oversaw the development of three All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) first team selections at NCCU over the last two seasons. The Eagles twice broke the Division-I record for wins in a season during Pifer's tenure while the team totaled a 25-9 mark over the two years in MEAC play.

"Wes is coming to us from another Division-I school and that was a big key," Murphy said. "He's got a great background from junior college, small college, and Division-I and he's coming from a very successful North Carolina Central program. He's done a great job recruiting and coaching on the floor and he's somebody that I've gotten to know over the years and he does a great job. We're excited to have him become part of the Lumberjack family."

Prior to joining the staff at North Carolina Central, Pifer was an assistant coach for two years at St. Andrews University, a Division-II school in Laurinburg, N.C. He was the recruiting coordinator and head coach of the junior varsity team while assuming total team responsibilities, including coaching and developing all players, creating scouting reports, compiling monthly call logs, and communicating with boosters and alumni.

Pifer's first coaching job came at Miami-Dade College during the 2008-09 season where he worked with fellow NAU assistant coach Matt Dunn. The team was ranked No. 7 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) rankings and recorded a school-record 30 wins. As the perimeter coach at Miami-Dade, Pifer helped numerous student-athletes sign with Division I schools, including Trevor Mbakwe (Minnesota), James Beatty (Rutgers), Will Coleman (Memphis), Darnell Dodson (Kentucky), and Dwan McMillan (Hofstra).

Pifer began his collegiate playing career at Methodist University before playing his final two seasons at Penn State University-Altoona from 2002-04 under the tutelage of former NBA player Armon Gilliam. During his time at PSU-Altoona, Pifer averaged 9.1 points, 5.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds a game for the Division III institution. Pifer played in Europe for BBG Herford in the Germany 2 Regionalliga before returning to PSU-Altoona to complete his Bachelor of Science degree in human development and family studies in 2007.

COURTESY NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

ASU's Joyner named Dougherty offensive coordinator

ALBANY, Georgia  --  Corey Joyner's first season with the Dougherty Trojans didn't go as planned.  Now, the head coach is bringing in someone very close to him to help turn the 1-9 Trojans around: his brother, Albany State Offensive Coordinator, Uyl.

Uyl Joyner resigned at ASU, effective Wednesday, and was at the Trojans' first spring practice that afternoon.

"I just saw the opportunity and took the opportunity," he says. "[ASU Head Coach Mike White] gave me his blessings and kind of moved on. All in all, I felt like this was the place for me."

White told WALB News 10 over the phone that Joyner's resignation was something he was aware of as a possibility last month, but was notified it became official this afternoon.

"He's a very good coach that will be greatly missed," White says.

WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

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MVSU 's Kevin Monzon funeral set for Saturday in hometown

Kevin Monzon
(Courtesy MVSU Athletics)

 ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- The funeral for Mississippi Valley State golf and football student-athlete Kevin Monzon has been set for Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m. in his hometown of Crystal Springs, Mississippi.

The funeral will take place the Crystal Springs High School gymnasium (201 Newton Street, Crystal Springs, MS 39059).

Visitation is set for Friday, May 3 from 5-8 p.m. at Stringer Funeral Home (26141 Highway 27) in Crystal Springs.

The burial site will be at Crystal Springs Cemetery (300 South Jackson Street).

Monzon, the starting placekicker for the Delta Devil football team in 2012, passed away April 25 in a car accident in Leflore County, Mississippi.


COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

GIVEFORWARD (Kevin Monzon arrangements)
VIDEO1
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Funeral Services For Former S.C. State Bulldog Standout Set

Otis Matthew Key, Jr.
(Courtesy SCSU Athletics)

JOHNSTON, South Carolina — Funeral services for former SC State defensive lineman Otis Matthew Key, Jr. will be conducted Friday, May 3, at 1 p.m. at the Bethlehem Baptist Church on Highway 23, in Johnston.
      

Key, 25, died April 26.
      

The Johnston, SC native and Strom Thurmond High graduate played from 2006-09 for the Bulldogs at defensive end and nose guard, while playing on two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships team as a junior and senior.
       

A viewing will take place on Thursday at Amos and Son Funeral Home at 412 Railroad Ave., Johnston, S.C. 29832.

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

OBITUARY

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Holmes wants Florida A&M Rattlers more physical

TALLAHASSEE, Florida --  Just a handful of FAMU football players made it to the weight room early Thursday morning. They stretched, lifted weights and did some lighter work.

Among them was Michael Ducree, an inside linebacker who sat out spring practice with a minor ankle injury. His rehab is over and now he has to adhere to head coach Earl Holmes’ mantra: stronger, faster and physical.



“It’s what we needed because there were so many games (last season) that we weren’t able to finish,” Ducree said. “When it came down to the last five minutes of the game, we weren’t physical enough. The game comes down to inches and if you’re more physical you’ll get in there.”

Throughout spring, Holmes made it clear he wanted ...

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Albany State University Golden Rams Sends Three to NFL Camps

(COURTESY ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS)

ALBANY, Georgia  --  Albany State football players Justin Blash, Nathan Hoyte and Ronnie Tubbs have been invited to participate in NFL teams camps as free agents.  Blash will be headed to the New York Giants’ tryouts, while Hoyte and Tubbs will participate with the New Orleans Saints.  A press conference will be held to celebrate the three players’ achievement.  It will be held on Albany State campus at Lovett Hall on May 1^st at 11 a.m.

“I am happy for the guys to have this opportunity to do something they love,” said ASU football coach James “Mike” White.

Blash, a 6’5, 345-pound defensive tackle from Alma, Georgia, served as the Golden Rams defensive anchor in 2012.  He recorded 30 tackles (14 solo, seven for a total of 18 yards lost), 1.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and three fumble recoveries.  Blash was named to the 2012 SIAC All-Conference First Team.

Hoyte, a 5-10, 195-pound running back, established himself as ASU’s leading rusher this past season.  A Baltimore, Maryland native, Hoyte totaled 927 rushing yards with a 4.9 average.  He also had 10 touchdowns and collected 83 receiving yards.  Because of his stellar season, Hoyte was named to the 2012 SIAC All-Conference Second Team.

Despite a season filled with injuries, Tubbs, a Yazoo City, Mississippi native, was still one of the team’s focal points.  While playing wide receiver, the 6-3, 180-pound Tubbs caught 22 passes for 221 yards and scored a touchdown.

With the trio being invited to participate in the NFL camps, this marks the first time the Golden Rams’ program has had this many players to receive invitations in one season.

“For a school our size, it’s a rarity to have three players selected to work with NFL teams,” said ASU athletics director Dr. Richard Williams.  “We are extremely proud of these young men, and we look forward to their continued success.


COURTESY ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY (Ga.) SPORTS INFORMATION

XU's Jackson will speak Saturday at LABC coaching clinic

Dannton Jackson

 NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Dannton Jackson will be one of the featured speakers Saturday (May 4) at the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches coaching clinic in Baton Rouge.
    
The clinic is from 10 a.m.-2:15 p.m. at the LSU Basketball Practice Facility on North Stadium Drive. Jackson will speak 45-60 minutes on individual development, including individual improvement within the team concept.
    
Jackson served as LABC president during the 2008-09 academic year. As head coach of the Gold Rush for the past 10 seasons, Jackson has compiled a 226-98 record with three Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season co-championships and seven appearances in the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship. Xavier was 24-8 in 2012-13, sharing the GCAC regular-season championship with Philander Smith and qualifying for nationals for the third consecutive year. The Gold Rush ranked 24th for the second consecutive season in the NAIA Division I Coaches' Top 25 Postseason Poll.
    
Jackson was GCAC Coach of the Year each of the past two seasons.
    
Following the clinic will be the LABC's annual awards banquet at 6 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel.


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

CIAA commissioner impressed by WSSU Rams’ achievements

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  The CIAA’s first full-time female commissioner made a stop in the Twin City last week to congratulate Winston-Salem State University on its athletic and academic accomplishments.

Jacque Carpenter gave high praise to WSSU during the remarks she delivered April 25 at the school’s 2013 Athletic Celebration Awards Luncheon at Benton Convention Center.

“Winston-Salem, you are the bomb,” she said to a crowd of hundreds. “There are people who are mad about what you do. You never missed a step in coming back into the (CIAA) conference (from the MEAC). Your teams are nationally known – Winston-Salem is on the map. You’re part of the top 20 teams in the country, not just for HBCUs … not just for athletics, but for academics.”

WSSU is currently home to three CIAA Championship teams – including the Men’s Tennis squad, which landed the title for the first time in school history – and 115 student-athletes made the Dean’s List this year, according to school officials.



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Gold Rush hang on to program's highest-ever rank, No. 5

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana is fifth for the second consecutive time in NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday. It's the highest rank in the program's history.
    
The Gold Rush (14-7) are in the top 10 for the 18th consecutive poll, in the top 15 for the 24th consecutive time and in the top 25 for the 48th consecutive time. The XU men clinched their fifth consecutive automatic berth in the NAIA National Championship with a 6-2 victory against Milligan in the final of an NAIA unaffiliated group tournament at Jonesboro, Ga., on April 21. The national tournament will begin May 14 at Mobile, Ala.
    
The top six teams are the same as in the previous poll, which was announced April 16. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) is No. 1 for the second consecutive poll and extended its lead over No. 2 Auburn Montgomery from one to 11 points. The Eagles collected 9-of-12 first-place votes after receiving 5-of-13 two weeks ago. AUM received one first-place vote, and unbeaten and No. 3 Vanguard received two.
    
The final poll before the national tournament will be announced Monday.

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, April 28) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (9) 20-2 310 1 2 Auburn Montgomery (1) 18-3 299 2 3 Vanguard (2) 22-0 297 3 4 Westmont 11-10 278 4 5 Xavier 14-7 272 5 6 Bethany (Kan.) 19-1 266 6 7 Bethel (Tenn.) 20-1 251 8 8 Lindsey Wilson 16-3 244 9 9 Cumberland 17-4 232 10 10 Concordia (Calif.) 11-12 221 11 11 Belhaven 15-4 208 14 12 Aquinas 23-4 202 13 13 Oklahoma Baptist 15-10 184 16 14 William Carey 8-5 183 7 15 Northwood (Fla.) 12-5 173 15 16 Lewis-Clark State 7-7 162 12 17 McPherson 22-6 151 18 18 Northwestern Ohio 13-7 144 17 19 Warner 12-9 121 19 20 Pikeville 10-5 120 20 21 Graceland 14-6 114 23 22 Campbellsville 10-9 106 22 23 Olivet Nazarene 10-10 98 RV 24 Davenport 18-7 77 24 25 Webber International 10-12 70 21 Others receiving votes: Indiana Wesleyan 69, Martin Methodist 56, Coastal Georgia 35, St. Francis (Ill.) 17, Grace 11, Asbury 9, St. Thomas (Fla.) 9, Mobile 8, Hope International 5, Spring Arbor 3, Our Lady of the Lake 3.

Ed Cassiere, SID
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
XULAATHLETICS

XU Gold Nuggets retain No. 1 rank in NAIA coaches poll

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana held on to its No. 1 ranking Tuesday in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
    
The Gold Nuggets (17-7) received 8-of-12 first-place votes and 308 points. They were 3-0 since the previous poll on April 16; all the victories occurred in an NAIA unaffiliated group tournament, which Xavier won for the second consecutive year.
    
Prior to the April 16 poll, no Xavier team in any sport had been ranked first in an NAIA coaches poll.
    
No. 2 Auburn Montgomery, a 6-3 loser to the Gold Nuggets on April 6 at the new XU Tennis Center, received the other four first-place votes and 305 points. Brenau collected 293 points and dropped from second to third after losing 5-2 to AUM in the championship dual of the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament on April 20.
    
AUM's climb from third was the only change among the top 13 teams.
    
Xavier is 10-0 this season against ranked NAIA opponents; all the losses were to NCAA Division I teams. The Gold Nuggets have clinched a berth in the NAIA National Championship, which will begin May 14 at Mobile, Ala. The final poll before nationals will be announced Monday.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, April 28) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Xavier (8) 17-7 308 1 2 Auburn Montgomery (4) 13-8 305 3 3 Brenau 12-4 293 2 4 SCAD Savannah 12-2 281 4 5 William Carey 11-8 269 5 6 Lindsey Wilson 17-2 259 6 7 Lewis-Clark State 11-8 257 7 8 Westmont 17-2 241 8 9 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 10-10 234 9 10 Oklahoma Baptist 13-10 220 10 11 Vanguard 11-15 209 11 12 Northwood (Fla.) 8-7 201 12 13 Concordia (Calif.) 9-11 189 13 14 Olivet Nazarene 16-6 182 tie-14 15 SCAD Atlanta 7-3 162 19 16 Coastal Georgia 8-8 161 tie-14 17 Indiana Wesleyan 22-1 157 16 18 Cumberland 14-6 152 17 19 Milligan 19-3 139 21 20 Campbellsville 11-9 113 20 21 St. Thomas (Fla.) 6-9 110 18 22 Marian (Ind.) 16-9 99 22 23 Davenport 20-9 92 RV 24 Lee (Tenn.) 4-7 80 23 25 Southeastern (Fla.) 7-11 64 25 Others receiving votes: Ashford 57, Nebraska Wesleyan 36;, Bethel (Kan.) 29, Northwestern Ohio 21, Robert Morris (Chicago) 19, Belhaven 16, Evangel 15, Cumberlands 13, Hope International 5, Graceland 3, Georgetown (Ky.) 3.

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

Tennessee State Women's Basketball Adds Two

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State women's basketball has added guard Diamond Beatty and forward Shekinah Gibson to the recruiting class of 2013 as both signed a National Letter of Intent.

Beatty is a 5-7 combo guard from Tinley Park High School, about 30 miles southwest of Chicago. The Illinois native is a three-time all-conference selection, as well as a three-time team MVP. As a senior, Beatty averaged 19 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game. She scored over 1,000 points in her career, including 568 as a senior while shooting 44 percent from three.

Fellow OVC schools Eastern Illinois and UT-Martin recruited Beatty, along with Western Illinois and South Carolina Upstate.



Gibson comes to TSU from Forest High School in Ocala, Florida. The 5-10 forward shot 55 percent from the floor while averaging 17 points, 14 rebounds and two steals a game in a senior season that saw Forest reach the 7A Regionals for the second straight year.

An all-state selection for District 7, Gibson put up 41 points and 16 rebounds against Buchholz on December 6 and 22 points and 20 rebounds in a 52-42 victory over Vanguard on January 24. The future Forensic Science major also participated in volleyball and track in high school.

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COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION