Benedict College Announces 2013 Football Schedule

COLUMBIA, South Carolina  --  Three home games and three Classics highlight the 2013 Benedict College tentative football schedule, it was announced by the school.

The Tigers open the season on Sept. 7 in the Ohio Classic in Dayton, Ohio, where they will face Central State University, the alma mater of Benedict head coach James Woody.

The following week, Benedict will travel to Ettrick, Va., to take on Virginia State University in a non-conference game.

On Sept. 21, Benedict and South Carolina State will renew their interstate rivalry when they meet in the Palmetto Capital City Classic at Williams Brice Stadium. The Tigers and Bulldogs last played each other in 2010.

The Tigers will face Fort Valley State University on Sept. 28 in the Augusta City Classic in Augusta, Ga.

The Tigers will play their first home game in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium on Oct. 5, hosting Miles College. That game is designated Church, Family, Community and Greek Day.

Benedict is on the road again on Oct. 12 to face Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Homecoming is set for Oct. 19, when the Tigers will host Clark Atlanta University.

Two road games follow, with Benedict at Morehouse College on Oct. 26 and at Albany State University on Nov. 2.

Benedict wraps up the 2013 regular season with a home game on Nov. 9 against Lane College. That game is designated as Take A Kid To The Game Day, as well as High School Day and Senior Day, where Benedict will honor its football seniors.

BENEDICT COLLEGE TIGERS 2013 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date   Time   Opponent  Game Location

9/07/13 TBA Central State Dayton, Ohio
9/14/13 3 p.m. Virginia State Ettrick, Va.
9/21/13 4 p.m. South Carolina State Columbia, SC Williams-Brice Stadium
9/28/13 2 p.m. SIAC Fort Valley State Augusta, Ga.
10/05/13 2 p.m. SIAC Miles # Columbia, SC Charlie W. Johnson Stadium
10/12/13 6 p.m. (Eastern) SIAC Stillman Tuscaloosa, Ala.
10/19/13 2 p.m. SIAC Clark Atlanta @ Columbia, SC Charlie W. Johnson Stadium
10/26/13 2 p.m. SIAC Morehouse Atlanta
11/02/13 TBA SIAC Albany State Albany, Ga.
11/09/13 2 p.m. SIAC Lane % Columbia, SC Charlie W. Johnson

# - Church, Family, Community, Greek Day
@ - Homecoming
% - Take A Kid To The Game, High School, Senior Day


COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Winston-Salem State's Collins humbled by latest honor

BOBBY COLLINS
HEAD COACH, MEN''S BASKETBALL
WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
(Photo Courtesy: WSSU Rams Athletics)

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Bobby Collins, the men’s basketball coach at Winston-Salem State, has been selected to participate in the NCAA Black Coaches and Administrators Achieving Coaching Excellence Program.

The ACE program, scheduled June 5-8 in Indianapolis, is designed to provide additional professional development opportunities.

“It’s a very big honor, and I’m excited,” said Collins, an 18-year veteran who called his selection the biggest honor of his career.

“They just pick 12 coaches from throughout the country, so this is something that I’m very humbled by but I’m also grateful.”

Collins, the second-longest serving men’s basketball coach at WSSU behind the late Big House Gaines, will start his ...

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Robinson Completes A&T's Recruiting Class

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  --  After signing two athletes in November, North Carolina A&T head women’s basketball coach Tarrell Robinson completed his first recruiting class this week with the signing of Whitney Martin, junior college transfer Jessica Warren and Division I transfer Dana Brown. 

Martin (5-9, Guard, Charlottesville, Va., Miller School of Albemarle), Warren (6-2, Forward/Center Olympia, Ill., Kaskaskia College ) and Brown (5-7, Guard, Willow Springs, N.C., UNC Wilmington) will join MaKayla Williams (5-9, Guard, Wakefield, N.C., Wakefield) and Kenya Hailey (6-1, Forward, Greensboro, N.C., Southeast Guilford) as the members of Robinson’s first recruiting class.

“We’re excited about the two new additions to our women’s basketball program,” Robinson said.  “Whitney and Jessica will add much needed depth for us on the perimeter and in the paint for the upcoming season.  My staff has done an excellent job of identifying and then securing what our needs were going into next season.”

Martin averaged 11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game her senior year, helping the Mavericks to a 25-9 record. She was a two-time, first-team All-Blue Ridge honoree, as well as a two-time all-state recipient.  She led the Mavericks to two state championships in her three seasons at the varsity level. They won consecutive VISAA DIII State Championship titles in 2010and 2011. She also helped the Mavericks win the 2013 Blue Ridge Conference championship title.  She also competed for the Cap City Ballerz AAU program.

“Whitney brings size and a legit scoring threat from the perimeter for us,” Robinson said.  “We were fortunate that she became available during the late signing period.  She is an excellent student in the classroom. I expect her to come in and immediately compete for playing time as a freshman. She will play guard or forward spot during her time here.”

Warren is transferring to A&T after finishing her freshman season at Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Ill. For the Blue Angels, Warren averaged 5.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, and shot 41 percent from the field. She ranked 14 in the nation among NJCAA Division I programs with 63 blocks.

She started 22 of 29 games as a freshman, helping the Blue Angels to a 24-9 overall record and an appearance in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference Championship title game.  The Blue Angels also competed in the NJCAA National Championships, losing to Blinn College in the first round.  

“Jessica has the athleticism and ability to give us another defensive presence in the paint,” Robinson said. “She’s very agile and gets off the floor extremely quick.  She also has a developing offensive game with a soft shooting touch around the rim.  It’s rare that you are able to get a junior college player who has three years to play in your program. She is expected to come in and compete for a starting role at the power forward position for us.”

Brown joins guard Whitney Martin (5-9, Charlottesville, Va.), forward/center Jessica Warren (6-2, Olympia, Ill.)  guard MaKayla Williams (5-9, Wakefield, N.C.) and forward Kenya Hailey (6-1, Greensboro, N.C.) as the members of Robinson’s first recruiting class.  .

Brown, who was an Associated Press All-State selection from Enlo

e High following her senior year, had a solid freshman season for the Seahawks in 2012-13.  At UNC Wilmington, Brown averaged 5.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.  She started in 22 of 31 contests, and shot 26 percent from the floor and 72 percent from the free throw line.  The Seahawks finished the season 5-26 overall, including a 56-47 loss to A&T on Jan. 3 at Trask Coliseum.




COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Southern Maryland's Thomas Stone guard M.J. Briscoe commits to North Carolina A&T Aggies

WALDORF, Maryland  -- Thomas Stone guard M.J. Briscoe had to wait patiently until after his senior season to pick up his first Division I scholarship offer, but his marathon recruitment ended Monday with a sprint to the finish.

Briscoe orally committed to North Carolina A&T this week, choosing the Aggies over Morgan State and a pair of late-charging suitors. The 6-foot-1 guard said Loyola (Md.) and Miami (Ohio) both stepped in with offers on Monday.



The late offers “didn’t really affect me that much because in my mind, I had already decided where I was going,” said Briscoe, who plans to sign next week. “It just gave us something else to talk about and take into consideration.”

Briscoe, who averaged 19.3 points per game as a senior, took an official visit to North Carolina A&T last month and was sold on the chance to make an impact right away for a team that graduated seven seniors off its NCAA tournament squad.

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Fifty-Eight Student-Athletes Graduate From St. Augustine's

RALEIGH, North Carolina  --  Fifty-eight student-athletes and cheerleaders graduated from Saint Augustine's University this past weekend at the school's 2013 Commencement, held on the lawn of the campus Quadrangle.

Twenty-five percent (25%) of the graduating class were student-athletes and cheerleaders. The total number of graduates was 228. The percentage surpasses last year's percent number (22%).

Among the graduates were All-American football player Tyron Laughinghouse (Greenville, N.C.), who received numerous national, regional and conference awards including Beyond Sports Network Division II Special Teams Football Player of the Year and CIAA Special Teams Football Player of the Year. CIAA Baseball Player of the Year Ariel Polanco (Harlem, N.Y.) and football player Franklin James (Hampton, Va.) also were in the graduating class. James received The Fannie Glovenia Carter Baker Scholarship, given each year in honor of President Dianne Boardley Suber's grandmother, Mrs. Glovenia Carter Baker, to a graduating senior.

Cynthia Marshall, the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for AT&T Services, Inc., delivered the commencement address at the event on Sunday, May 5, 2013. The class of 2013 made history as the first graduating class of Saint Augustine's University. On Aug. 1, 2012, the school changed its name from Saint Augustine's College to Saint Augustine's University.

The ceremony capped another successful academic year for the school's athletic program. St. Aug won CIAA championships in five sports this season including men's cross country, women's cross country, men's indoor track and field, women's indoor track and field and men's outdoor track and field. The men's track & field team won the NCAA Division II indoor championship, and the women's basketball team won the CIAA team highest grade point average award in its sport.

Below is a list of the 2013 student-athletes who graduated from St. Aug and their respective sports:

Bachelor of Science (School of Applied Health and Medical Sciences)
Cum Laude (3.40-3.59 GPA)
Abeje Carrington – Volleyball, Softball

Romeo Deloatch – Football
Franklin James – Football
Ja'Nia Jones – Bowling, Softball
Katelyn Parson – Cheerleading
Gerkenz Senesca – Men's Track & Field
Najah Watson – Bowling
Julius West – Men's Track & Field
Jeremy Wilkins – Baseball

Bachelor of Science (School of Business, Technology and Sport Management)
Summa Cum Laude (3.80-4.00 GPA)
Keisha Parris – Volleyball

Magna Cum Laude (3.60-3.79 GPA)
Rory Nixon – Football, Men's Track & Field

Cum Laude (3.40-3.59 GPA)
Theodore Bacote – Football
Mallory Felder – Men's Tennis
Scharlawn Hubbard – Women's Basketball

Hilberto Ayala – Football
Anthony Boone – Track & Field
Nicholas Chamblee – Basketball
Stedman Gardner – Football
Anthony Holloway – Baseball
Derek Johnson – Golf
Jonathan Kindred – Men's Basketball
Tyron Laughinghouse – Football, Basketball
Ariel Polanco – Baseball
Christopher Rogers – Baseball
Amber Thomas –Cheerleader
Gerald Marshall – Football
Steven Woods – Men's Basketball

Bachelor of Arts (School of Liberal Arts and Education)
Cum Laude (3.40-3.59 GPA)
Daniel Pittman – Golf
Aisha Taylor – Cheerleading

Charles Clark – Cheerleading
Lakesha Fowler – Women's Tennis
Christopher Grant – Men's Basketball
Brandon Houston – Football
Tawanna Lynn – Bowling
Tiana Morris – Women's Basketball, Volleyball, Women's Tennis
Christian Pride – Football
ShRhonda Ross – Cheerleading
Keaven Russell – Football
Claude Simeus – Men's Track & Field

Bachelor of Science (School of Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering)
Jermaine Browne – Football
Jone' Harris – Football
Kharea Roseboro – Football
Deonte Toliver – Football
Alejandro Crisostomo – Baseball

Bachelor of Arts and Science (School of Social and Behavior Sciences)
Cum Laude (3.40-3.59 GPA)
Ramadana Simmons – Softball

Nicketa Bernard – Women's Track & Field
Che Brown – Football
Jasmine Cobbs – Women's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country
Christopher Dalton – Football, Men's Track & Field
Keianna Evans – Women's Basketball
Brittany Hicks – Volleyball
Christopher Johnson – Men's Basketball
Cory Landrum-Smith – Golf
William Martin – Golf
Chantel Floyd – Softball
Vaniecia Reaves – Cheerleading
Shane Russell – Football
Darnea Sayles – Cheerleading

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

B-CU takes aim at 4th consecutive MEAC softball title

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Bethune-Cookman overcame a rough start to finish in a familiar place.

The three-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference softball champ is once again one of the favorites heading into the conference tournament at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

The Wildcats (17-33, 11-3) are the No. 1 seed in the Southern Division and will open tournament play at 10 a.m. Thursday against Northern Division fourth seed Coppin State (16-23, 9-9).

“I never looked at it as a rough start,'' said B-CU coach Chris Cochran, whose squad was 3-23 halfway through the season. “I looked at it as where we are and let's get better. (The players) have stuck together all year, worked hard all year and wanted to be a good team.

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Undrafted Howard University LB Pough out to make impression

BUFFALO, New York  --  He may not have a prototype NFL linebacker body and his 40 time might be far from blazing, but Bills rookie linebacker Keith Pough is about as big an undrafted playmaker as you’re going to find on the defensive side of the ball. That’s why the Howard University product has lofty goals as he prepares for Buffalo’s rookie minicamp this weekend.

“My expectations are to impress the coaches enough to be an instant contributor to the team,” Pough told Buffalobills.com. “I know there are a lot of challenges in terms of learning the system and get used to the speed of the game, but that will come with time. My goal is nothing short of being a first-year starter and contributing right off the bat.”

Pough (6’2” 239) was the 2012 MEAC Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He finished his career with an astounding 71 tackles for loss, 28.5 of which came in his sophomore season when he led the nation in tackles behind the line.

While he admits his defensive coaches put him in good position to make plays, he also made sure he did his homework for upcoming opponents.

“I pride myself on film study and preparing ...

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XU Gold Rush receive first-round bye for third straight year

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana earned a third consecutive first-round bye and its highest seeding ever Tuesday in the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship at Mobile, Ala. The Gold Rush will play at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 15 against the winner of a May 14 opening-round match between Belhaven and Spring Arbor.
    
The XU men (14-7) are seeded sixth after receiving a No. 7 seed a year ago and a No. 8 seed in 2011. Their appearance at nationals next week will be their fifth in a row.
Copeland-Cox Tennis Center will be the site of all matches. All men's duals are scheduled for 9 a.m. The championship round of the 24-team, single-elimination event is scheduled for Saturday, May 18.
    
Xavier, Auburn Montgomery, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and Westmont are the only NAIA men's teams to receive first-round byes each of the last three seasons.
    
A year ago the Gold Rush defeated Point Loma Nazarene 5-0 to become the first XU team in any sport to reach the national quarterfinals since 1973. Embry-Riddle eliminated the Rush 5-1 in the quarterfinals.
    
Senior Loic Didavi, sophomore Nikita Soifer, freshman Kyle Montrel and junior Viktor Svoboda are Xavier's top players. Didavi was fourth, Soifer 17th and Montrel 34th in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association NAIA singles rankings. In doubles, Didavi and Montrel were 15th, and Soifer and Svoboda were 23rd. Didavi and Svoboda both played for Xavier in 2012. Alan Green is in his 10th season as coach of XU's men's and women's teams.
    
The XU men will enter the tournament with 11 victories in their last 14 duals and five victories this season against ranked NAIA opponents. The Gold Rush have four victories against NCAA Division I opponents.
    
Xavier never has played Spring Arbor but won 5-4 at home against Belhaven on Feb. 28. In the coaches poll announced Monday, Belhaven was ranked 11th, and Spring Arbor was among others receiving votes and 34th overall.
    
The two most recent men's champions, Fresno Pacific (2011) and Oklahoma Christian (2012), no longer compete in the NAIA. Embry-Riddle is seeded first, and Auburn Montgomery — winner of six of the past 11 titles, including 2010 — is seeded second. A second-round victory could match Xavier against third-seeded Vanguard, 22-0 and the tournament's only unbeaten team, in the quarterfinals.

Tournament bracket  (PDF)

Xavier Men's Tennis at the
NAIA National Championship (3-4)

Date (Day)	Round	Opponent	W/L	Score
May 12, 2009 (Tue.)	1st	Oklahoma Christian	W	5-4
May 13, 2009 (Wed.)	2nd	Auburn Montgomery	L	0-5
May 18, 2010 (Tue.)	1st	Tennessee Wesleyan	W	5-3
May 19, 2010 (Wed.)	2nd	Fresno Pacific	L	1-5
May 18, 2011 (Wed.)	2nd	Vanguard	L	3-5
May 16, 2012 (Wed.)	2nd	Point Loma Nazarene	W	5-0
May 17, 2012 (Thu.)	QF	Embry-Riddle (Fla.)	L	1-5

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Top-seeded XU Gold Nuggets to play Wildcats or Mariners

NEW ORLEANS — Top of the bracket to you, Xavier Gold Nuggets.
    
Xavier on Tuesday was awarded the No. 1 seed for the 2013 NAIA Women's Tennis National Championship at Mobile, Ala. The Gold Nuggets (17-7), No. 1 in the past three coaches polls after ranking 13th in the preseason, were one of eight teams to draw a first-round bye in the 24-team, single-elimination event. Xavier will play in the second round at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15 against Indiana Wesleyan or Coastal Georgia. The Wildcats and Mariners will meet in the first round on May 14.
    
Copeland-Cox Tennis Center will be the site of all matches. All women's duals are scheduled for 1 p.m.
    
The appearance at nationals is the Nuggets' second in a row and their seventh overall — all in the past nine seasons. But this will be the first time that the XU women have a first-round bye. The Nuggets are 5-1 in the first round at nationals and 0-5 in the second round.

 A victory would make this the first XU women's team in any sport to reach the NAIA quarterfinals. The Nuggets will need four victories to win Xavier's first NAIA national team championship. The championship round is scheduled for Saturday, May 18.

Junior Kourtney Howell, freshman Brion Flowers and sophomore Amanda Materre are Xavier's top three players. Howell was sixth, Flowers 31st and Materre 37th in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association NAIA singles rankings, and Howell and Flowers were the No. 1 doubles team. Alan Green is in his 10th season as coach of XU's women's and men's teams.
    
The Gold Nuggets will enter the tournament with a nine-dual win streak, and they're 10-0 this season against ranked NAIA opponents. They defeated fifth-seeded William Carey and second-seeded Auburn Montgomery on consecutive days in early April. Auburn Montgomery is the two-time defending NAIA champion and winner of eight of the last nine titles and 10 of the last 13.
    
Xavier defeated Coastal Georgia 8-1 in the AUM Invitational on March 9. Xavier and Indiana Wesleyan have not met since the Nuggets won 6-3 in the opening round at nationals in 2010. In the coaches poll announced Monday, Coastal Georgia was ranked 16th, and Indiana Wesleyan was 17th.

Tournament bracket  (PDF)

Xavier Women's Tennis at the
NAIA National Championship (5-6)

Date (Day)	Round	Opponent	W/L	Score
May 17, 2004 (Mon.)	1st	Lee (Tenn.)	W	8-1
May 18, 2004 (Tue.)	2nd	Auburn Montgomery	L	0-5
May 16, 2005 (Mon.)	1st	Indiana Southeast	W	9-0
May 17, 2005 (Tue.)	2nd	Brenau	L	0-5
May 12, 2008 (Mon.)	1st	McKendree	W	7-2
May 13, 2008 (Tue.)	2nd	Vanguard	L	1-5
May 12, 2009 (Tue.)	1st	Union (Ky.)	W	8-1
May 13, 2009 (Wed.)	2nd	Berry	L	3-5
May 18, 2010 (Tue.)	1st	Indiana Wesleyan	W	6-3
May 19, 2010 (Wed.)	2nd	Auburn Montgomery	L	0-5
May 15, 2012 (Tue.)	1st	Vanguard	L	3-6

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

Lamar State College-Port Arthur Woods signs D1 scholarship with NCCU Eagles

Kieran Woods

PORT ARTHUR, Texas  --  Kieran Woods became the third of three Lamar State College-Port Arthur basketball sophomores to sign a Division I scholarship, inking his letter of intent to North Carolina Central University on Tuesday.

Woods joins fellow sophomores Evan Sims and Ty Allen as every sophomore playing for Lamar State-Port Arthur this past season advanced to the NCAA Division I ranks. Sims signed to play for the University of Louisiana at Monroe while Allen will play for Tennessee Tech University next season.

Woods, a graduate of Crane High School in Chicago, joined LSC-Port Arthur this past season, starting in 21 games for the Seahawks. He averaged 15.6 points a game as a guard for the Hawks, hitting 49 percent from the field and 67 percent from the free throw line. His top game of the 2012-13 season came on a road trip to Paris Junior College where he scored 36 points with four rebounds and two assists. The 36-point performance is the second-best in school history.

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SU's Germany awarded Bill Walsh NFL Minority Fellowship

(COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS)

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Southern University co-offensive coordinator coach Chad Germany has been selected to participate in the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship and will spend this summer with the Minnesota Vikings during the team's Off-season Training Activities (OTA) and training camp.

Germany, who enter his third season as a member of the Southern football coaching staff, has been instrumental in the development of starting quarterback Dray Joseph, who was named to the All-SWAC second team in 2012.

The Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship is an annual program administered by the NFL Management Council and NFL Player Engagement.

Designed as a vocational tool to increase the number of full-time NFL minority coaches, all 32 NFL Clubs participate in the program on an annual basis. Specific aspects of the program (including hiring, salary and coaching duties) are administered on a Club-by-Club basis.

Participants are hired for the duration of training camp, including all pre-season games and clubs are encouraged to hire a minimum of four participants.

Germany, who played four seasons at Tennessee State University under the leadership of the late legendary HBCU coach Joe W. Gilliam, is a Baton Rouge native who also enjoyed a successful stint as head coach at Capitol High School.

The NFL established the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Advisory Council in 2012 to further enhance the idea conceived by the late Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh. Walsh introduced the concept to expose talented minority college coaches to the NFL’s methods and philosophies when he invited a group of minority coaches to participate in San Francisco 49ers’ training camp.

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVESITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

FAMU Names Alumnus Sylvester Young New Director of Marching 100 and Pep Bands

Dr. Sylvester Young
Director of Marching and Pep Bands
Florida A&M University
VIDEO

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  — Florida A&M University (FAMU) has named Sylvester Young its new director of marching and pep bands.  Young, a FAMU graduate and former member of the Marching “100,” spent nearly 25 years at Ohio University, most recently as band director.  FAMU Interim President Larry Robinson made the announcement today after an extensive nationwide search process.

“Dr. Young is a talented and experienced administrator, musician and scholar who I believe will provide strong discipline, leadership and vision for the Marching “100,” Robinson said. “Dr. Young has had a stellar career as director of bands at several universities and I am looking forward to Young continuing the great traditions of the Marching “100" when we deem it ready to return to the field.”

“I am honored to be back home at FAMU and fully embrace the challenge ahead,” Young said.  “The Marching “100” had such a positive impact on me and I know firsthand what this band means to FAMU.  We will enter a new era of excellence for the band and I am proud to be leading the charge.”

Young has served as an associate professor of music since 1990 at Ohio University where he taught courses in marching band techniques, jazz ensemble methods, computer skills for musicians and instrumentation. 

“As chair of the search committee, we were looking for someone who has the respect of his peers, the experience and the passion to continue the practices that have made the Marching “100” a household name,” Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rodner Wright said. “We are pleased with our choice.”

For six years, Young served as director of bands for Ohio University.  Prior to that appointment, he served as director of bands at Hampton University from 1982 to 1990 and Lincoln University from 1979 to 1982.

Young earned his undergraduate degree in music education in 1969.  He went on to earn his master’s education degree from the Bowling Green State of Ohio in 1970 and a Ph.D. in music education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The bands he has directed have been invited to perform at many prestigious events.

In 1993, Ohio University's band was the only marching band to represent the state of Ohio in former President William “Bill” Clinton’s Inaugural Parade.  In 1992 and 1995, the Ohio University Marching Band performed for the Detroit Lions and in 1991 and 1994 for the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.

In his new role as FAMU director of Marching at Pep Bands, Young will report to the chair of the Department of Music and will oversee all aspects of the marching and pep bands.  He will also plan and direct the summer high school band camp and serve as the liaison between the Athletic Department, the Division of Student Affairs and the Department of Music.

Young is scheduled toport to work on June 14, with an annual salary of $105,000.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY PRESS RELEASE

In the FCS Huddle: FCS vs. FBS matchups

Arkansas Pine Bluff @ Arkansas State
August 31, 2013

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Big Ten is preparing to end games against FCS schools.

 

Are they running scared?

 

Well, not quite, but FCS schools are coming off a banner season against FBS programs, winning 10 matchups - the most since 2003. Included was eventual national champion North Dakota State claiming an FBS win for the third straight season.

 

FCS schools, who are always on the road for the games, hope for more success this season. Three conferences - the Missouri Valley, Southern and Southland - have all of their teams playing at least one FBS opponent. Only the non- scholarship Ivy and Pioneer leagues won't get in on the fun and understandably so.

 

Following is a conference-by-conference breakdown of the FCS-vs.-FBS matchups:

 

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Ferguson, Williams leaving NCCU basketball program

DURHAM, North Carolina  --  N.C. Central backup point guard Drimir Ferguson and rarely used forward DavRon Williams are planning to transfer, each looking to land at a basketball program that will allow them more opportunities to demonstrate what they can do on the floor.

“Both Drimir and DavRon have decided to transfer from the men’s basketball program at NCCU in pursuit of more playing time,” Eagles coach LeVelle Moton said. “I cannot thank them enough for their determination, hard work and contributions to help this team to one of its best seasons in the last two decades.

“Both young men were a pleasure to coach, and I wish them the best in their future endeavors.”

NCCU finished 22-9 this past season in a run that began with ...

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Xavier Nuggets No. 1 again; national tournament is next week

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's women's tennis team will enter next week's NAIA National Championship as the No. 1 team.
    
The Gold Nuggets (17-7) received nine first-place votes Monday, one more than this past week, to edge two-time defending champion Auburn Montgomery by five points in the final poll before the national tournament. It's the third consecutive poll that Xavier has been No. 1. This is the first Xavier team in any sport to be ranked atop an NAIA poll.
    
The Gold Nuggets were 13th in the preseason poll and climbed to No. 10 — the first of six consecutive top-10 appearances — on March 5.
    
Also Monday, the NAIA announced the field for the national tournament. The Gold Nuggets were one of 24 women's teams chosen; they were one of 13 automatic qualifiers after winning an unaffiliated group tournament in April. SCAD Atlanta, a 5-3 loser to Xavier in the championship dual of that event, received an at-large berth.
    
The NAIA will announce tournament pairings by 5 p.m. CDT Tuesday. The Gold Nuggets will have one of eight first-round byes and play in the second round at 1 p.m. on May 15. The Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala., will be the tournament site for the 10th consecutive year.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, May 5) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Xavier (9) 17-7 309 1 2 Auburn Montgomery (3) 13-8 304 2 3 Brenau 12-4 293 3 4 SCAD Savannah 12-2 282 4 5 William Carey 11-8 270 5 6 Lindsey Wilson 17-2 259 6 7 Lewis-Clark State 11-9 256 7 8 Westmont 17-2 241 8 9 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 10-10 234 9 10 Oklahoma Baptist 13-10 221 10 11 Vanguard 11-16 209 11 12 Northwood (Fla.) 8-7 203 12 13 Concordia (Calif.) 9-11 187 13 14 Olivet Nazarene 16-6 179 14 15 SCAD Atlanta 7-3 178 15 16 Coastal Georgia 8-8 155 16 17 Indiana Wesleyan 22-1 154 17 18 Cumberland 14-6 144 18 19 Milligan 19-3 137 19 20 Campbellsville 11-9 121 20 21 Marian (Ind.) 16-9 109 22 22 Davenport 20-9 96 23 23 Southeastern (Fla.) 7-11 88 25 24 Lee (Tenn.) 4-7 79 24 25 Nebraska Wesleyan 13-7 63 RV Others receiving votes: Ashford 59, Bethel (Kan.) 47, Ave Maria 25, Belhaven 24, Northwestern Ohio 17, Robert Morris (Chicago) 16, Cumberlands 14, Hope International 10, Evangel 9, Georgetown (Ky.) 3

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

XU Rush fall to No. 6 in final poll before national tournament

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana dropped one place to sixth Monday in the final NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll before the national tournament.
    
The Gold Rush (14-7) traded places with Bethany (Kan.) after ranking ahead of the Swedes in the previous two polls. Bethany edged Xavier by one point.
    
Still, it's the highest ranking entering next week's NAIA National Championship for the XU men, who were seventh before the 2012 tournament and eighth in 2011. The No. 5 ranking in the previous two polls was the highest in the program's history.
    
The Gold Rush, in the top 10 for the 19th consecutive time, clinched one of 13 automatic berths to the national tournament by winning an unaffiliated group tournament in April. The NAIA announced the 24-team field Monday and will reveal pairings by 5 p.m. CDT Tuesday. Xavier is expected to receive a first-round bye and play in the second round at 9 a.m. on May 15. All matches will be played in Mobile, Ala., at Copeland-Cox Tennis Center, the tournament venue for the 10th consecutive year.

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, May 5) 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) 22-0 296 3 4 Westmont 11-10 279 4 5 Bethany (Kan.) 22-1 269 6 6 Xavier 14-7 268 5 7 Bethel (Tenn.) 20-1 252 7 8 Lindsey Wilson 16-3 244 8 9 Cumberland 17-4 232 9 10 Concordia (Calif.) 11-12 220 10 11 Belhaven 15-4 210 11 12 Aquinas 23-4 203 12 13-tie William Carey 8-5 187 14 13-tie Oklahoma Baptist 15-10 187 13 15 Northwood (Fla.) 12-5 176 15 16 Lewis-Clark State 7-8 162 16 17 Northwestern Ohio 13-7 143 18 18 Graceland 14-6 134 21 19 Warner 12-9 126 19 20 Pikeville 10-5 123 20 21 Olivet Nazarene 10-10 112 23 22 Campbellsville 10-9 108 22 23 McPherson 22-7 95 17 24 Davenport 18-7 85 24 25 Webber International 10-12 74 25 Others receiving votes: Indiana Wesleyan 58, Coastal Georgia 45, Martin Methodist 42, Grace 17, St. Francis (Ill.) 14, Asbury 12, Mobile 11, St. Thomas (Fla.) 6, Spring Arbor 5.

 

By Ed Cassiere, SID

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

SU's Joseph named to 2013 CFPA FCS Watch List

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- On the heels of a career season in 2012, Dray Joseph is creating expectations for an encore performance 2013 that has one football group serving notice.

College Football Performance Awards, the largest awards organization in D-I college football, recently announced its watch list for the 2013 CFPA FCS Quarterback Award, and Southern University quarterback Dray Joseph earned a spot on the list. The preliminary watch list highlights thirty-two returning performers, vying for the top quarterback honor in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Joseph excelled as the unquestioned leader of the Jaguar offense in 2012 passing for  2,511 yards and 25 TDs. The West St. John product completed 58.5 percent of his pass attempts on his way to earning a spot on the All-SWAC second team.



(Courtesy Southern University Athletics)

Joseph punctuated his stellar season by leading the conference in passing average (228 ypg) and total offense (2,640 yards)

"Congratulations to Dray Joseph on earning a spot on the 2013 CFPA Watch List," stated CFPA Executive Director Brad Smith. "Dawson Odums has an excellent returning quarterback for his first year as head coach with the Jaguars."

All CFPA recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams. All players are eligible for awards at their respective positions; players are not preemptively eliminated from consideration.

Currently, there are 111 CFPA recipients listed on official 2013 NFL rosters. More than 130 CFPA recipients have signed professional contracts, and twenty-one have been first-round NFL Draft selections. Past CFPA recipients include: Colin Kaepernick, Trent Richardson, Dez Bryant, Von Miller, Patrick Peterson, Earl Thomas, Blair Walsh, Dennis Pitta, and C.J. Spiller.

Last season, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel earned the 2012 CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy, while Harvard quarterback Colton Chapple earned the 2012 CFPA FCS National Performer
of the Year Trophy. Multiple award presentations were broadcast live nationally on ESPN, CBS, Fox Sports, Big Ten Network, Pac 12 Network, as well as internationally on BYUtv.

For more information, visit the Official CFPA Website (http://www.collegefootballperformance.com). Follow CFPA on Twitter @CFPerformance.

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bennett College picks Florida A&M exec as new president

Rosalind Fuse-Hall
President-Elect
Bennett College
 

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  --  Bennett College has named Rosalind Fuse-Hall as its president-elect, to take over at the all-woman African-American private school in Greensboro in July.

She will succeed interim President Esther Terry, who has been in charge at the school since the departure of former President Julianne Malveaux last year.

According to an announcement from Bennett, Fuse-Hall has nearly 25 years of experience in higher education, serving currently as interim executive director of Title III Programs at Florida A&M University and chief of staff to President James Ammons.

Before going to FAMU, she was executive assistant to the chancellor at N.C. Central University. She has also been the corporate secretary to the UNC Board of Governors, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill and director of minority affairs at St. Lawrence University.

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Charlotte leaders fighting to keep CIAA in town

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  (WBTV) --  Charlotte leaders are committed to not losing the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Basketball tournament. It has been in Charlotte for several years and has pumped millions of dollars into the economy, but recent complaints from CIAA leaders could make it difficult to keep the tourney in Charlotte.

The tournament is scheduled to stay in Charlotte until 2014. It's up for grabs after that. Charlotte has to rebid for the CIAA this summer to keep it in Charlotte until 2018.

Councilman James Mitchell has requested the city's Economic Development Committee to tackle those complaints and find solutions. One complaint is with the hotels. Leaders think the prices are too high and they think hotels are taking advantage of the fans. Here is what CIAA leaders would like to see happen.

"One solution," Mitchell said. "That we have had some discussion is to allow the CIAA to control the hotels - get the CRVA out of that business and turn it over to the 10 CIAA schools and let them manage their own hotels."

Another concern for new CIAA commissioner Jacqie Carpenter is ...

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