All-Louisiana teams: Top honors for Didavi, Montrel, Green

Kyle Montrel

NEW ORLEANS — Led by Loic Didavi, a repeat selection as men's Player of the Year, Xavier University of Louisiana was well-represented on the 2012-13 All-Louisiana tennis teams announced late Saturday by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.



Loic Didavi

Kyle Montrel joined Didavi on the men's team — Xavier was the only school with a pair of first-team men — and was chosen Freshman of the Year. Viktor Svoboda received honorable mention. Kourtney Howell was selected to the women's first team, and Alan Green is the women's Coach of the Year.
    
Both XU teams had their best seasons ever. The women were the first XU team in any sport to reach No. 1 in an NAIA coaches poll or reach the semifinals of an NAIA National Championship. The men reached their highest-ever NAIA ranking, fifth, on three occasions, including the postseason poll. The Gold Rush became the first XU program to reach the national quarterfinals in consecutive years.
    


Kourtney Howell

Didavi, a senior from Cotonou, Benin, and a graduate of Lycée Jean Dautet, La Rochelle, shared the Player of the Year award with LSU sophomore Chris Simpson. The only two-time first-team NAIA All-American in Gold Rush history, Didavi was 16-6 in singles and 18-5 in doubles this season and was chosen ITA NAIA National Senior Player of the Year.    

"Loic has been a program-changer for our men since the moment he stepped on campus," Green said. "He has vaulted our team into a top-5 NAIA ranking for the first time in the program's history, and he has been our leader on and off the court. In addition to his accomplishments as a player, he has been our hardest worker in practice. He has been a coach's dream and will be almost impossible to replace. He also displays good sportsmanship and respect to the opposing players and coaches."

Viktor Svoboda

Didavi was 41-12 in singles and 45-13 in doubles in his two Xavier seasons.
    
Montrel, from Atlanta, Ga., and a graduate of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, was 16-4 in singles and 18-4 in doubles. He led the Gold Rush in singles and doubles winning percentage and, with Didavi as his partner, won his first eight doubles matches. In March he became the first XU freshman to reach the top 30 in the ITA NAIA singles rankings. He set a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference season record with four player-of-the-week awards, and he received All-America honorable mention.  


"Kyle was a pleasant surprise for us this season," Green said. "He is by far our most talented guy on the team. He wins matches by virtue of talent mostly, and he really enjoys the competition of playing college tennis. Kyle has a very bright tennis future ahead of him."
    
Montrel is the Gold Rush's second Louisiana Freshman of the Year and the first since Cameron Knowles in 2007.

Alan Green

    
Svoboda, a junior from Kamenice, Czech Republic, and a graduate of Vitezna Plan, was 18-10 in singles and 20-6 in doubles. He led the Gold Rush in singles victories and won 13 of his last 15 singles matches, including victories against nationally ranked NAIA teams Embry-Riddle, William Carey, Belhaven and Northwood (Fla.) and three victories against NCAA Division I, including a road victory at Southland Conference runner-up New Orleans. He and Nikita Soifer won 15 of their last 16 doubles matches.
    
Howell, a junior from Cypress, Texas, and a graduate of Cypress Woods High School, was 20-11 in singles and 23-11 in doubles, all with Brion Flowers, and led the Gold Nuggets in singles and doubles victories. Howell was a first-team NAIA All-American, a three-time GCAC Player of the Week and led the Nuggets with eight dual-clinching victories. She and Flowers were No. 1 in the ITA NAIA doubles rankings of April 17.
    
"Kourtney is the one person on the team I can always count on to go above the call of duty as a student-athlete," Green said. "We have received numerous compliments from referees this season, and most of it is because of the leadership Kourtney provides to her teammates."
    
Howell and Flowers were the USTA/ITA NAIA South Regional doubles runner-up during the fall. It was the first time the Gold Nuggets reached the finals of that event.
    
Green, in his 10th season at Xavier, won the women's coaching award for the second time and the first time since 2009. He was the men's Louisiana Coach of the Year in 2009, 2011 and 2012. His women finished 19-8 and were 12-1 against ranked NAIA opponents, including victories on consecutive April days against Auburn Montgomery and William Carey, the finalists at the NAIA National Championship. The Gold Nuggets had a program-record 11-dual win streak from March 26-May 16. Green was chosen the women's ITA NAIA National Coach of the Year.
    
An LSWA panel of sports information directors selected the teams.

2012-13 All-Louisiana Tennis

WOMEN
 FIRST TEAM
Klaudia Gawlik, freshman, McNeese State
Kourtney Howell, junior, Xavier
Polina Konop, junior, Northwestern State
Emma Levy, senior, Tulane
Ella Taylor, freshman, LSU
Renee Villarreal, freshman, Southeastern Louisiana
Klara Vyskocilova, junior, Tulane

SECOND TEAM
Medy Blankvoort, junior, Louisiana-Monroe
Isabel Brito, senior, Southeastern Louisiana
Joanna Nalborska, freshman, Louisiana Tech
Alexandra Starkova, freshman, Louisiana Tech
Demetria Woods, senior, Southern

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  (tie) Klaudia Gawlik, McNeese State; Klara Vyskocilova, Tulane
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Klaudia Gawlik, McNeese State
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:  Valya Rusakova, Southeastern Louisiana
COACH OF THE YEAR:  Alan Green, Xavier

HONORABLE MENTION
Sandra Ahlqvist, Louisiana-Lafayette
Andrea Nedorostova, Northwestern State

MEN

FIRST TEAM
Rick DeGroot, junior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Loic Didavi, senior, Xavier
Dmitry Kozionov, senior, Nicholls State
Dominik Koepfer, freshman, Tulane
Kyle Montrel, freshman, Xavier
Chris Simpson, sophomore, LSU

SECOND TEAM
Damian Farinola, sophomore, Louisiana-Lafayette
Hunter Johnson, freshman, Louisiana-Lafayette
Idan Mark, senior, Tulane
Hossam Meligy, senior, New Orleans
Nico Mertens, freshman, Nicholls State
Rui Silva, sophomore, New Orleans

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  (tie) Loic Didavi, Xavier; Chris Simpson, LSU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Kyle Montrel, Xavier
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:  Rui Silva, New Orleans
COACH OF THE YEAR:  Jeff Brown, LSU

HONORABLE MENTION
Mark Bowtell, LSU
Viktor Svoboda, Xavier

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

Xavier's Cousin on list of best HBCU athletics directors

XU teams have won 46 conference and unaffiliated group championships since
Dennis Cousin was named director of intercollegiate athletics in 2004.

 NEW ORLEANS — Dennis Cousin, director of intercollegiate athletics at Xavier University of Louisiana since 2004, is on HBCUDigest.com's list of the five best ADs at an HBCU (Historically Black College or University).
During Cousin's tenure, XU teams have won 46 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and NAIA unaffiliated group championships and made 34 appearances at NAIA National Championships. Under Xavier’s current head coaches, 125 of 130 senior student-athletes received degrees from Xavier or are still enrolled.

Xavier made two major facility upgrades during 2012-13  with the October opening of the XU Tennis Center and the November opening of the Convocation Center, a multipurpose arena which seats nearly 4,000 for basketball and volleyball.
  
 "Leading an HBCU is not an enviable gig," HBCUDigest.com wrote, "but there are many who are making the most of the job that, next to being an HBCU president, is the hardest at any institution."
    
Also on the list of best HBCU ADs are William Broussard of Southern University, Marty Miller of Norfolk State, Lynn Thompson of Bethune-Cookman and William Hayes of Winston-Salem State.
    
Xavier is one of 38 U.S. colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2013 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.

Note to media: Dennis Cousin's last name is pronounced COO-zan.


By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Family claims hazing in suit over B-CU band member's death

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Bethune-Cookman University failed to stop fraternity hazing which led to the death of a Marching Wildcat band member, according to a lawsuit filed in Volusia County.

Marcus Thomas, 19, died when the car in which he was riding crashed into a utility pole on Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard near Orange Avenue about 8:30 a.m. Feb. 20, 2012.

 

The suit filed by the dead student's mother claims hazing by members of the Pi Gamma chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America subjected Thomas and other pledges to sleep deprivation. The pledges, including the car's driver, Carl A. Beasley Jr., fell asleep, leading to the fatal crash, according to the lawsuit. All the others in the car besides Thomas survived.

 

B-CU officials said Tuesday they have a zero tolerance policy for hazing.

 

Thomas' death came ...
 

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Robert Vowels named athletic director at UDM

Robert Vowels was named the new UDM Director of Athletics
 on Tuesday

 

DETROIT, Michigan  -- Robert C. Vowels, NCAA Vice President of Membership and Student-Athlete Affairs, has been named Director of Athletics at University of Detroit Mercy. The announcement was made today at a press conference by UDM President Dr. Antoine M. Garibaldi. Vowels will oversee the 19 men's and women's athletic teams in the University's Division I intercollegiate athletic program.

“Robert Vowels has a tremendous amount of intercollegiate athletics leadership and management skills and experiences, and we are very fortunate to have him as our Director of Athletics,” Garibaldi said. “Our student-athletes, coaches, and other athletics staff will benefit greatly from his current work at the NCAA.”  More than 70 individuals applied for the position.

With more than 23 years of intercollegiate athletics experience, Vowels is Vice President of Membership and Student-Athlete Affairs at the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) where he oversees educational programs designed to improve student-athlete well-being, leadership development and inclusion. At the NCAA, he leads a department of 26 NCAA staff members and oversaw a budget of $17 million.

Prior to that position, Vowels served as the Commissioner of two intercollegiate athletic conferences at Division I (Southwestern Athletic Conference) and Division II (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) programs. Some of the accomplishments during his years as a Conference Commissioner included league expansion and television packages. He also worked as an Associate Commissioner at the Big Ten Conference and Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at Vanderbilt University.

While at the SWAC, Vowels revised the conference's strategic plan, compliance programs, championships and corporate alliance programs to make them more efficient and effective. In 2004-05 he also negotiated a multi-year media agreement with ESPN/ESPNU on behalf of the SWAC. He worked with ESPN and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to develop the concept of the initial MEAC-SWAC Challenge.

During his time at SIAC, Vowels oversaw the expansion of the conference to 11 institutions and negotiated the first multi-year SIAC football and basketball television agreement with Urban Sports and Entertainment. He also negotiated the league's first licensing and agreement program and developed the conference's first corporate partnership program.

Vowels also served on the Division I Management Council, Division I Men's Basketball Committee, Division I Football Board of Directors and the Collegiate Commissioner's Association (CCA). He also served as Chair of the Minorities Opportunities and Interest Committee (MOIC).

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina where he was a full scholarship football student-athlete and his Juris Doctorate from the North Carolina Central University School of Law.

Photo Gallery

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Chowan University's David Fulton Signs with Green Bay Packers

Courtesy: Chowan University Athletics

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin  --  The Green Bay Packers have signed recent Chowan University graduate David Fulton.  The transaction was announced on Tuesday by Ted Tompson, Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations.

David Fulton graduated from Chowan University in the spring of 2013 with a degree in Criminal Justice.  The Raleigh, NC native played in 34 games over the course of his career and compiled 101 total tackles for the Hawks (66 solo, 35 assisted).  As a senior, Fulton hauled in four interceptions in CIAA play, ranking 2^nd in league play in that same category.  Fulton collected nine break-ups during his senior campaign to contribute to a career total of 15.  Additionally, he was one of six Hawks to receive an invitation to compete in the DII vs. NAIA Senior Bowl Game in Myrtle Beach, SC in December of 2012.

A student-athlete that flew “under the radar” for most of his career, used a monster senior year to ready himself for future professional opportunities.  Fulton joined the Hawks as a walk-on, but grew to become an integral part of Chowan's success as his career progressed.

Fulton was part of the Hawks' most successful season in Division II program history as Chowan turned in a 6-4 overall record and 5-2 record in league play this past season.  The 2012 season was the most successful in terms of wins and conference finish since the school began its transition to a four year school in 1992.  Predicted to finish 5^th in the CIAA North, the Hawks continues their rise in the conference with a 2^nd place finish in the Northern Division.

Fulton will wear No. 40 for the Green bay Packers, and is the 21^st Hawk to go on to the professional ranks.

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Outdoor USTFCCCA DII All-America Honorees Announced

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Tuesday those who earned USTFCCCA All-America distinctions for the 2013 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season. Honors are awarded for performances at the final site of the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships occurring this past weekend at Pueblo, Colorado.

USTFCCCA All-America honors are awarded to those who earn any portion of a team point at the national championships. Student-Athletes listed are participants in programs that are members of the USTFCCCA.

Vashti Thomas of the indoor/outdoor champion Academy of Art women’s team led all student-athletes with six All-America honors — championships in the long jump and 100 hurdles, runner-up showings in the 200 meters and 4×100 relay, third place in the triple jump and eighth in the 4×100 relay.

Two other women earned four honors apiece in 100, 200 and 4×100 champ Danielle Williams of Johnson C. Smith and Shavine Hodges of Grand Canyon.

Ashland sprinter Joe Horn collected the most All-America honors on the men’s side with four, while eight other men earned three awards each. Men’s champion Saint Augustine’s and Lincoln (Mo.) both had a pair student-athletes with three All-America honors. For Saint Augustine’s it was 200/4×100 champ Jermaine Jones and 4×100 champ Taffawee Johnson, while for Lincoln it was 110h/400h champ Sabiel Anderson and Michael Ashley.

The Saint Augustine’s men won the meet by a wide margin, and they also claimed the highest number of All-America honors with 23 in total. Runner-up Ashland was next with 18, while Lincoln (Mo.) earned 12.

A testament to how closely contested the women’s competition was, neither champion Academy of Art (16) nor runner-up Johnson C. Smith (nine) claimed the most All-America awards. That honor is split three ways between Grand Valley State and Lincoln (Mo.) — who finished tied for third — and Grand Canyon at 17 All-Americans each.

The GLIAC was the best-represented conference on the men’s side with 37 awards, edging out the MIAA with 35 and the CIAA with 30. Conference competition on the women’s side was even closer, with the MIAA taking home 34 to the PacWest’s 33, with the GLIAC at 27 and the CIAA at 25.

FINAL Season Information:NCAA Team Scoring Summary | National Team Rankings FINAL Week-by-Week
2013 Men’s Team Winner: Saint Augustine’s, 105 | NCAA Recap
2013 Women’s Team Winner: Academy of Art, 60 | NCAA Recap
Final Results: TFRRS
Championships Video (NCAA): Men | Women
USTFCCCA National Championships Central


USTFCCCA ALL-AMERICA HONOREES - MEN

Event	Name	School
Discus	Andrew Hudson	Abilene Christian
Hammer	Baptiste Kerjean	Abilene Christian
Long Jump	Johnny Carter	Academy of Art
1500 Meters	Matt Daniels	Adams State
1500 Meters	Stephen Emery	Adams State
10,000 Meters	Jovanny Godinez	Adams State
Long Jump	Carlton Lavong	Adams State
Triple Jump	Carlton Lavong	Adams State
Shot Put	Wesley Lavong	Adams State
5000 Meters	David Sanchez	Adams State
Steeplechase	Tabor Stevens	Adams State
5000 Meters	Tabor Stevens	Adams State
Javelin	Franz Burghagen	Alaska Anchorage
Javelin	Cody Parker	Alaska Anchorage
5000 Meters	Michael  Biwott	American International
10,000 Meters	Michael  Biwott	American International
5000 Meters	Glarius Rop	American International
10,000 Meters	Glarius Rop	American International
4×400 Relay	Isidro Garcia	Angelo State
4×400 Relay	Dallas Gray	Angelo State
4×400 Relay	Luis Perez	Angelo State
Triple Jump	Austin Slone	Angelo State
4×400 Relay	Robbie Thayer	Angelo State
Hammer	Zac Ball	Ashland
1500 Meters	Brian Baum	Ashland
200 Meters	Keith Cleveland	Ashland
4×400 Relay	Keith Cleveland	Ashland
400 Meter Hurdles	Waquiem Comar	Ashland
4×400 Relay	Jacob Cook	Ashland
4×100 Relay	DeAndre Davis	Ashland
Hammer	Garrett Grey	Ashland
4×100 Relay	Jordan Hoppel	Ashland
100 Meters	Joe Horn	Ashland
200 Meters	Joe Horn	Ashland
4×100 Relay	Joe Horn	Ashland
4×400 Relay	Joe Horn	Ashland
4×400 Relay	Cory Lamar	Ashland
800 Meters	Tom Scott	Ashland
Discus	Kyle Steinhauser	Ashland
4×100 Relay	Eric Thompkins	Ashland
800 Meters	Drew Windle	Ashland
Steeplechase	Travis Beniak	Augustana (S.D.)
Decathlon	Henrik Holmberg	Augustana (S.D.)
Shot Put	Aaron Jung	Augustana (S.D.)
1500 Meters	Robert Sandlin	Bellarmine
Decathlon	Scott Hubbard	Cal State LA
800 Meters	Terrance Ellis	Cal State Stanislaus
Hammer	Thomas  Gesser	Cal State Stanislaus
Pole Vault	Caleb Monticalvo	Cal State Stanislaus
Shot Put	Josh Uikilifi	Cal State Stanislaus
1500 Meters	Dawson Vorderbruegge	Cal State Stanislaus
5000 Meters	Aaron Dinzeo	California (Pa.)
800 Meters	Kellin Loch	Central Missouri
Javelin	Chris Swearingin	Central Missouri
Decathlon	Brent Vogel	Central Missouri
Shot Put	Cody Hunt	Chadron State
110 Meter Hurdles	Karl McFarlane	Chadron State
10,000 Meters	Isaac Chavez	Chico State
Decathlon	J Patrick Smith	Chico State
800 Meters	Ayrton Azcue	Clayton State
Steeplechase	Tyler Curtis	Colorado Mines
1500 Meters	Russell Drummond	Colorado Mines
10,000 Meters	Phil Schneider	Colorado Mines
Javelin	Josh Hontz	East Stroudsburg
Javelin	Matt Tholis	East Stroudsburg
High Jump	Marcus Calleja	Emporia State
110 Meter Hurdles	Andrew Etheridge	Emporia State
4×100 Relay	Andrew Etheridge	Emporia State
4×100 Relay	Derwin Hall	Emporia State
4×100 Relay	Vincent Howze	Emporia State
Decathlon	Payson Maydew	Emporia State
High Jump	Briar Ploude	Emporia State
4×100 Relay	Shjuan Richardson	Emporia State
Shot Put	Darren Bass	Findlay
4×400 Relay	John Guagenti	Findlay
Shot Put	Taylor Miller	Findlay
400 Meter Hurdles	Timothy Sanders	Findlay
4×400 Relay	Timothy Sanders	Findlay
4×400 Relay	Michael Travis	Findlay
Shot Put	Derrick Vicars	Findlay
Discus	Derrick Vicars	Findlay
Hammer	Derrick Vicars	Findlay
4×400 Relay	Dillon Webster	Findlay
Long Jump	Ramon Cooper	Grand Canyon
Pole Vault	Eric Frawley	Grand Canyon
Pole Vault	Vince Frawley	Grand Canyon
100 Meters	Dario Horvat	Grand Canyon
4×100 Relay	Dario Horvat	Grand Canyon
4×100 Relay	Carl Houston	Grand Canyon
Triple Jump	Kevin  Lashley	Grand Canyon
4×100 Relay	Lance Parker	Grand Canyon
100 Meters	Fred Taylor	Grand Canyon
200 Meters	Fred Taylor	Grand Canyon
4×100 Relay	Fred Taylor	Grand Canyon
High Jump	Trent Chappell	Grand Valley State
Hammer	Darien Thornton	Grand Valley State
4×100 Relay	Joshuah Bass	Indianapolis
4×100 Relay	Jerel Flournoy	Indianapolis
4×100 Relay	Robert Gardner III	Indianapolis
4×100 Relay	Quinntyn Qualls	Indianapolis
400 Meters	Rolando Berch	Johnson C. Smith
110 Meter Hurdles	Andre Collins	Johnson C. Smith
High Jump	Edward Dudley	Lake Erie
Triple Jump	Joseph Postwaite	Lake Erie
400 Meter Hurdles	Ethan Snyder	Lake Erie
Decathlon	Justin Balczak	Lake Superior State
High Jump	Jordan Manning	Limestone
4×400 Relay	Alonzo Allen	Lincoln (Mo.)
110 Meter Hurdles	Sabiel Anderson	Lincoln (Mo.)
400 Meter Hurdles	Sabiel Anderson	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×100 Relay	Sabiel Anderson	Lincoln (Mo.)
400 Meters	Michael Ashley	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×100 Relay	Michael Ashley	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×400 Relay	Michael Ashley	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×400 Relay	Jermaine Blake	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×400 Relay	Tyrone Hawkins	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×100 Relay	Devin Hill	Lincoln (Mo.)
100 Meters	Romel Lewis	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×100 Relay	Romel Lewis	Lincoln (Mo.)
110 Meter Hurdles	Darius Reed	Metro State
4×100 Relay	Anthony Gustafson	Minnesota State
200 Meters	Jerrell  Hancock	Minnesota State
4×100 Relay	Jerrell Hancock	Minnesota State
4×100 Relay	Carmono Lane	Minnesota State
Discus	Grant  Luer	Minnesota State
4×100 Relay	Nicholas Nelson	Minnesota State
Pole Vault	Dan  Novak	Minnesota State
Shot Put	Christopher  Reed	Minnesota State
Discus	Christopher  Reed	Minnesota State
Hammer	Christopher  Reed	Minnesota State
Discus	Dustin Green	Missouri Southern
Steeplechase	Dylan Lafond	Mount Olive
400 Meters	Derek Bredy	MSU Moorhead
Long Jump	Derek Bredy	MSU Moorhead
Long Jump	David  Thomas	New Haven
4×100 Relay	Jason Crow	Pittsburg State
Triple Jump	Marquise Cushon	Pittsburg State
Long Jump	Steven Mann	Pittsburg State
Pole Vault	Jeff Piepenbrink	Pittsburg State
4×100 Relay	Keenan Soles	Pittsburg State
Long Jump	Keenan Soles	Pittsburg State
Discus	John Talbert	Pittsburg State
4×100 Relay	Kyle Utsey	Pittsburg State
4×100 Relay	Greg Wright	Pittsburg State
Decathlon	Tyler Grob	Saginaw Valley State
4×100 Relay	Ramaan Ansley	Saint Augustine’s
200 Meters	Josh Edmonds	Saint Augustine’s
400 Meters	Josh Edmonds	Saint Augustine’s
4×400 Relay	Josh Edmonds	Saint Augustine’s
400 Meters	Burkheart Ellis Jr.	Saint Augustine’s
4×100 Relay	Burkheart Ellis, Jr.	Saint Augustine’s
4×400 Relay	Burkheart Ellis, Jr.	Saint Augustine’s
400 Meters	Dane Hyatt	Saint Augustine’s
4×400 Relay	Dane Hyatt	Saint Augustine’s
100 Meters	Daniel Jameison	Saint Augustine’s
100 Meters	Taffawee Johnson	Saint Augustine’s
200 Meters	Taffawee Johnson	Saint Augustine’s
4×100 Relay	Taffawee Johnson	Saint Augustine’s
100 Meters	Jermaine Jones	Saint Augustine’s
200 Meters	Jermaine Jones	Saint Augustine’s
4×100 Relay	Jermaine Jones	Saint Augustine’s
800 Meters	Marcelis Lynch	Saint Augustine’s
400 Meter Hurdles	Elhadji Mbow	Saint Augustine’s
110 Meter Hurdles	Ty’reak Murray	Saint Augustine’s
400 Meters	James Quarles	Saint Augustine’s
4×400 Relay	James Quarles	Saint Augustine’s
High Jump	Eddie Shelton	Saint Augustine’s
Triple Jump	DeJon Wilkinson	Saint Augustine’s
Javelin	Derek Nothstein	Shippensburg
Triple Jump	Steve Waithe	Shippensburg
Pole Vault	Jagger Gran	Sioux Falls
Pole Vault	Cameron Daugherty	Slippery Rock
800 Meters	Kevin Jewel	Slippery Rock
4×400 Relay	Twayne Forth	Southern Connecticut
Javelin	Omar Gonzalez	Southern Connecticut
Hammer	Arthur Guerra	Southern Connecticut
4×400 Relay	Jimm Guerrier	Southern Connecticut
Decathlon	Nick Lebron	Southern Connecticut
4×400 Relay	Selasi Lumax	Southern Connecticut
800 Meters	Brian Nill	Southern Connecticut
400 Meter Hurdles	Logan Sharpe	Southern Connecticut
4×400 Relay	Logan Sharpe	Southern Connecticut
5000 Meters	Johnnie Guy	Southern Indiana
10,000 Meters	Johnnie Guy	Southern Indiana
Steeplechase	Michael Jordan	Southern Indiana
1500 Meters	Trenton Morris	Southwest Baptist
400 Meters	William Shell	Southwest Baptist
100 Meters	Jeffery Henderson	Stillman
200 Meters	Jeffery Henderson	Stillman
Long Jump	Jeffery Henderson	Stillman
Triple Jump	CJ Griggs	Texas A&M-Kingsville
High Jump	Jeron Robinson	Texas A&M-Kingsville
Pole Vault	Jordan Yamoah	Texas A&M-Kingsville
High Jump	Eugene Cannaday	Tiffin
Discus	Macklin Tudor	Tiffin
Javelin	Nash Howe	UC San Diego
4×400 Relay	Craig Bennett	UMass Lowell
4×400 Relay	Keith Lewis	UMass Lowell
4×400 Relay	Casey O’Brien	UMass Lowell
4×400 Relay	Timothy Regan	UMass Lowell
10,000 Meters	Jeff  Veiga	UMass Lowell
5000 Meters	Pardon Ndhlovu	UNC Pembroke
4×400 Relay	Clive Cameron	Virginia State
4×400 Relay	Te’Shad Chambers	Virginia State
4×400 Relay	Prince Owusu-Mensah	Virginia State
400 Meter Hurdles	Daniel Ross	Virginia State
4×400 Relay	Daniel Ross	Virginia State
110 Meter Hurdles	Cameron Lacour	West Texas A&M
Steeplechase	Trevor Blackman	Western State
1500 Meters	Vegard Olstad	Western State
5000 Meters	Gabe Proctor	Western State
10,000 Meters	Gabe Proctor	Western State
Steeplechase	Adam Sinda	Western State
Steeplechase	Stewart Jones	Wheeling Jesuit

 USTFCCCA ALL-AMERICA HONOREES - WOMEN

Event	Name	School
Javelin	Ameilia Mitchell	Abilene Christian
Triple Jump	Amanda Ouedraogo	Abilene Christian
1500 Meters	Chloe Susset	Abilene Christian
100 Meter Hurdles	Dinesha  Bean	Academy of Art
4×100 Relay	Dinesha Bean	Academy of Art
4×400 Relay	Dominique Berry	Academy of Art
4×400 Relay	Keanna Moody	Academy of Art
100 Meter Hurdles	Jesseka Raymond	Academy of Art
4×100 Relay	Jesseka Raymond	Academy of Art
Heptathlon	Jesseka Raymond	Academy of Art
400 Meter Hurdles	Briana Stewart	Academy of Art
4×100 Relay	Briana Stewart	Academy of Art
4×400 Relay	Briana Stewart	Academy of Art
200 Meters	Vashti Thomas	Academy of Art
100 Meter Hurdles	Vashti Thomas	Academy of Art
4×100 Relay	Vashti Thomas	Academy of Art
4×400 Relay	Vashti Thomas	Academy of Art
Long Jump	Vashti Thomas	Academy of Art
Triple Jump	Vashti Thomas	Academy of Art
Shot Put	Katie Kruger	Adams State
Steeplechase	Kelly Lamb	Adams State
5000 Meters	Lauren Martin	Adams State
Steeplechase	Alicia Nelson	Adams State
5000 Meters	Alicia Nelson	Adams State
200 Meters	Kayon Robinson	Adams State
400 Meters	Kayon Robinson	Adams State
Heptathlon	Karolin Anders	Alaska Anchorage
5000 Meters	Ruth Keino	Alaska Anchorage
10,000 Meters	Ruth Keino	Alaska Anchorage
Steeplechase	Susan Tanui	Alaska Anchorage
5000 Meters	Susan Tanui	Alaska Anchorage
Triple Jump	Kearah Danville	Angelo State
800 Meters	Jaylen Rodgers	Angelo State
Long Jump	Theresa Sue	Angelo State
Shot Put	Kimberly Williams	Angelo State
Javelin	Kimberly Williams	Angelo State
Heptathlon	Kendra Bassitt	Ashland
Shot Put	Jessica Bridenthal	Ashland
High Jump	Jennifer Foster	Ashland
Pole Vault	Katie Nageotte	Ashland
Shot Put	Jamie Sindelar	Ashland
Hammer	Cynthia Watt	Ashland
10,000 Meters	Runa Falch	Augustana (S.D.)
1500 Meters	Angela Musk	Bellarmine
1500 Meters	Amy Varsell	Bentley
Steeplechase	Victoria Davis	Bloomsburg
5000 Meters	Victoria Davis	Bloomsburg
High Jump	Jill Schmidt	Cal Poly Pomona
Heptathlon	Jill Schmidt	Cal Poly Pomona
Discus	Samantha Gutierrez	Cal State LA
1500 Meters	Lisa Ohberg	Cal State LA
Javelin	Channing Wilson	Cal State Stanislaus
Heptathlon	Zoe Sharplin	Central Missouri
Discus	Brooke Swearingin	Central Missouri
Heptathlon	Robin Hannah	Chico State
Steeplechase	Amy  Schnittger	Chico State
High Jump	Shannon Smith	Clayton State
10,000 Meters	Sarah Krolick	Edinboro
4×400 Relay	Jackie Jacobs	Emporia State
Long Jump	Carmen King	Emporia State
4×400 Relay	Lindsay Kunkel	Emporia State
4×400 Relay	Marqueita Marisette	Emporia State
4×400 Relay	Peyton Weiss	Emporia State
Hammer	Jessica Pilling	Ferris State
Hammer	Jessica Rowland	Findlay
Javelin	Makayla McPhail	Fort Hays State
Shot Put	Tiffany Okieme	Georgian Court
100 Meters	Samantha Bogatz	Grand Canyon
200 Meters	Samantha Bogatz	Grand Canyon
4×100 Relay	Samantha Bogatz	Grand Canyon
4×400 Relay	Jennifer Dowty	Grand Canyon
400 Meters	Petra Fanty	Grand Canyon
4×100 Relay	Petra Fanty	Grand Canyon
4×400 Relay	Petra Fanty	Grand Canyon
Pole Vault	Lauren  Graham	Grand Canyon
100 Meters	Shavine Hodges	Grand Canyon
200 Meters	Shavine Hodges	Grand Canyon
4×100 Relay	Shavine Hodges	Grand Canyon
4×400 Relay	Shavine Hodges	Grand Canyon
4×100 Relay	Brianne Kee	Grand Canyon
Discus	Vanessa Levy	Grand Canyon
400 Meters	Moya Mckenzie	Grand Canyon
4×400 Relay	Moya Mckenzie	Grand Canyon
Triple Jump	Amber Yingling	Grand Canyon
4×100 Relay	Kayla Addison	Grand Valley State
4×100 Relay	Brittney Banister	Grand Valley State
4×400 Relay	Brittney Banister	Grand Valley State
10,000 Meters	Courtney Brewis	Grand Valley State
100 Meter Hurdles	Kalena Franklin	Grand Valley State
4×400 Relay	Kalena Franklin	Grand Valley State
Pole Vault	Kristen Hixson	Grand Valley State
4×400 Relay	Andrea Kober	Grand Valley State
4×100 Relay	Michaela Lewis	Grand Valley State
Shot Put	Sam Lockhart	Grand Valley State
Discus	Sam Lockhart	Grand Valley State
Hammer	Sam Lockhart	Grand Valley State
Steeplechase	Hannah Osborn	Grand Valley State
Hammer	Laura Schroeder	Grand Valley State
4×100 Relay	Carly Scott	Grand Valley State
4×400 Relay	Brittany Terry	Grand Valley State
Hammer	Alyssa Zokoe	Grand Valley State
1500 Meters	Ewa Zaborowska	Harding
Pole Vault	Kayla Caldwell	Hillsdale
4×100 Relay	Naffene Briscoe	Johnson C. Smith
100 Meter Hurdles	Samantha Elliott	Johnson C. Smith
400 Meter Hurdles	Samantha Elliott	Johnson C. Smith
4×100 Relay	Samantha Elliott	Johnson C. Smith
4×100 Relay	Trudy-Ann Richards	Johnson C. Smith
100 Meters	Danielle Williams	Johnson C. Smith
200 Meters	Danielle Williams	Johnson C. Smith
100 Meter Hurdles	Danielle Williams	Johnson C. Smith
4×100 Relay	Danielle Williams	Johnson C. Smith
100 Meter Hurdles	Leslie Mitchell	Lake Superior State
High Jump	Sheri Kaye Campbell	Lincoln (Mo.)
Triple Jump	Sheri Kaye Campbell	Lincoln (Mo.)
100 Meters	Cardine Copeland	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×100 Relay	Cardine Copeland	Lincoln (Mo.)
400 Meter Hurdles	Michelle Cumberbatch	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×400 Relay	Michelle Cumberbatch	Lincoln (Mo.)
100 Meters	Yanique Ellington	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×100 Relay	Yanique Ellington	Lincoln (Mo.)
400 Meter Hurdles	Yanique Haye	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×400 Relay	Yanique Haye	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×100 Relay	Anna-Kay James	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×100 Relay	Jenea Johnson	Lincoln (Mo.)
400 Meters	Lovan Palmer	Lincoln (Mo.)
800 Meters	Lovan Palmer	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×400 Relay	Lovan Palmer	Lincoln (Mo.)
1500 Meters	Twishana Williams	Lincoln (Mo.)
4×400 Relay	Twishana Williams	Lincoln (Mo.)
200 Meters	Quanera Hayes	Livingstone
400 Meters	Quanera Hayes	Livingstone
5000 Meters	Brenae Edwards	Mansfield
10,000 Meters	Brenae Edwards	Mansfield
5000 Meters	Jessica Scordino	Mansfield
10,000 Meters	Jessica Scordino	Mansfield
1500 Meters	Breanna Hemming	Metro State
5000 Meters	Janelle Lincks	Metro State
High Jump	Whitney  Hardy	Missouri Southern
Long Jump	Kaylee Morgan	Missouri Southern
Long Jump	Brittani Reagan	Missouri Southern
Triple Jump	Brittani Reagan	Missouri Southern
800 Meters	Marissa Bongers	Neb.-Kearney
4×100 Relay	Briana Conyers	New Haven
4×100 Relay	Marshae Holt	New Haven
4×100 Relay	Alissa Howell	New Haven
100 Meters	Ada Udaya	New Haven
200 Meters	Ada Udaya	New Haven
4×100 Relay	Ada Udaya	New Haven
Discus	Yvonne Freese	Northern State
400 Meter Hurdles	Emily Ballock	Pittsburg State
Javelin	Amber Kloster	Pittsburg State
Shot Put	Larissa Richards	Pittsburg State
Discus	Larissa Richards	Pittsburg State
800 Meters	Kimone Hewitt	Queens (N.C.)
Long Jump	Nikia Squire	Queens (N.C.)
4×400 Relay	Jaivairia Bacote	Saint Augustine’s
400 Meters	Nicketa Bernard	Saint Augustine’s
4×400 Relay	Nicketa Bernard	Saint Augustine’s
400 Meters	Cherrisse Lynch	Saint Augustine’s
4×400 Relay	Cherrisse Lynch	Saint Augustine’s
400 Meters	Kelly Shaw	Saint Augustine’s
4×400 Relay	Kelly Shaw	Saint Augustine’s
4×400 Relay	McKayla Fricker	Seattle Pacific
Heptathlon	Katy Gross	Seattle Pacific
4×400 Relay	Jasmine Johnson	Seattle Pacific
4×400 Relay	Kishia Mitchell	Seattle Pacific
4×400 Relay	Emily Quatier	Seattle Pacific
Heptathlon	Ali Worthen	Seattle Pacific
Javelin	Mallory Sanner	Seton Hill
High Jump	Tiana Wills	SF State
10,000 Meters	Katrina Spratford	Shippensburg
400 Meter Hurdles	Caitlin Stuetz	Shippensburg
800 Meters	Lindsey  Butterworth	Simon Fraser
800 Meters	Helen Crofts	Simon Fraser
800 Meters	Sarah Sawatzky	Simon Fraser
Pole Vault	Kayla Coffee	Sioux Falls
Pole Vault	Brigitte Gross	Sioux Falls
Pole Vault	Kristin Majerus	Sioux Falls
Javelin	Alexandra Arnold	Slippery Rock
Pole Vault	Julia Cain	Slippery Rock
Long Jump	Euphemia Edem	Stillman
Triple Jump	Euphemia Edem	Stillman
High Jump	Nikki McNorton	Tarleton State
High Jump	Amanda Haven	Texas A&M-Kingsville
Triple Jump	Shauna Kay Creary	UDC
Steeplechase	Jennifer Agnew	U-Mary
1500 Meters	Melissa Agnew	U-Mary
200 Meters	Kathryn Stewart	U-Mary
4×400 Relay	Shannon Cunningham	UMass Lowell
Shot Put	Candace Greene	UMass Lowell
400 Meter Hurdles	Elisabeth Monty	UMass Lowell
4×400 Relay	Elisabeth Monty	UMass Lowell
4×400 Relay	Taelour Murphy	UMass Lowell
400 Meter Hurdles	Antoinette Toussaint	UMass Lowell
4×400 Relay	Antoinette Toussaint	UMass Lowell
800 Meters	Taylor-Ashley Bean	Virginia State
100 Meters	Cam’ree Jackson	Virginia Union
4×100 Relay	Cam’ree Jackson	Virginia Union
100 Meters	C’evon Jones	Virginia Union
4×100 Relay	C’Evon Jones	Virginia Union
4×100 Relay	G’Ana Robinson	Virginia Union
4×100 Relay	S’Kaylah Woods	Virginia Union
Hammer	Carly Fehringer	Wayne State (Neb.)
Hammer	Lachel Milander	Wayne State (Neb.)
Discus	Sara  Wells	Wayne State (Neb.)
4×100 Relay	Marisa Holiwell	West Texas A&M
4×100 Relay	Bri Leeper	West Texas A&M
Steeplechase	Brenda Sindet	West Texas A&M
4×100 Relay	Sarah Snider	West Texas A&M
4×100 Relay	Libby Strickland	West Texas A&M
Javelin	Amanda Schumaker	Western Oregon
10,000 Meters	Tara Richardson	Western State
High Jump	Barbara Szabo	Western State
Discus	Alissa Rausch	Winona State

Courtesy: Kyle Terwillegar, USTFCCCA

JCSU WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD FINISHES SECOND AT 2013 NCAA DII OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

PUEBLO, Colorado – The Johnson C. Smith University women's outdoor track and field team recorded a total of 54 points to place second overall at the 2013 NCAA Division Outdoor Championships held at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl on the campus of Colorado State University at Pueblo (May 23-25). The second place finish is the best in school history and surpasses a fourth place finish at the 2011 championships.

Junior and USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year Danielle Williams (St. Andrew, Jamaica) put on a monumental performance over the championship weekend. She won two individual national titles, set three JCSU records, and set a new NCAA record. In the 100m hurdles, Williams finished second to Vashti Thomas from the Academy of Art (12.70) with a time of 12.89. Williams' time of 12.89 set a new school record for the event and earned her All-American honors.

In the 100m dash, Williams won the event by crossing the finish line in 11.24 seconds. She set another JCSU record and collected All-American status with her performance. Williams returned for the 200m dash to win the national crown with the fastest time (22.62) ever for NCAA Division II. Those three performances alone earned JCSU 28 team points.

Sophomore Samantha Elliott (Kingston, Jamaica) won the national title in the 400m hurdles with a time of 56.38. Elliott established a new NCAA DII and JCSU record for the event by beating out former record holder Michelle Cumberbatch from Lincoln University (MO). Cumberbatch held the record for the facility (57.25) since 2012 and the NCAA Championship record (56.85) since 2010.

Elliott also placed third behind Williams in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.31. She earned All-American honors for both the 400m hurdles and 100m hurdles. Elliott holds the national and Penn Relay titles for the 400m hurdles.

The women's 400 meter relay team of senior Naffene Briscoe (St. Catherine, Jamaica), Williams, freshman Trudy-Ann Richards (St. Thomas, Jamaica), and Elliott won the fourth national title for JCSU with a victory in a time of 44.05. All four members claimed All-American honors and set a new NCAA DII record. The previous record of 44.17 stood since 1995.

Sophomore Monique Lovelock (St. Catherine, Jamaica) competed in the 400m hurdles, but did not qualify for the finals in the event.

The Golden Bulls were edged by just six points to champions from the Academy of Art University.

“It was an excellent meet; rarely will you see a team break three national records and six school records all at the same meet,” said JCSU head coach and USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year Lennox Graham. “We had the altitude to content with, but our student-athletes listened and remained hydrated, and it showed in the results.”

Williams and Elliott will continue their seasons for the Jamaican Trials and possibly the World Championship Games.

Results


COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU baseball team signs 10 players

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Coach Kevin Ritsche of the Winston-Salem State baseball team said that recruiting has become a little easier after winning three straight CIAA championships.

Ritsche, whose Rams are coming off the most successful season in school history, announced a class of 10 signees for this season. Many of the newcomers are former local high-school players.

“I think all of them can compete for starting spots,” said Ritsche, whose team was 39-13 this past season and played host to the Atlantic Region at Wake Forest. “Both Rob (Woodall) and my brother, Keith, did a nice job in recruiting and looking for players who can help us.”

Woodall and Keith Ritchie are both assistant coaches for the Rams.

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Ram Ramblings: Hayes already looking ahead to this fall

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Bill Hayes, the athletics director at Winston-Salem State, has done a lot for the school since he took over Jan. 1, 2010 and he’ll be rewarded later this week with a contract extension.      

Hayes, who will turn 70 on June 1, said earlier this month he’s full of energy and shows no signs of slowing down.

Hayes, who makes around $145,000, is sure to get a raise when WSSU’s board of trustees vote in a meeting later this week. But for Hayes, it’s not about the money at this stage of his career.

Hayes current contract, which expires on June 30, was a three-year deal. The next contract will also be for three years but whether he finishes out the new contract will most likely be up to him.

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Jackson State relishes shot in NCAA tournament

Interactive Bracket  Print Bracket

JACKSON, Mississippi — Jackson State has waited years for another chance to prove it can compete with the nation's best baseball teams in the NCAA tournament.

 

The Tigers will get it in their first trip to the postseason since 2000. No. 4 national seed LSU (52-9) — and its home crowd of 10,000-plus fans at Alex Box Stadium — will be waiting when Jackson State (34-20) takes the field at the double-elimination Baton Rouge regional on Friday.

 

But after years of frustration just trying to make the NCAA tournament, the opportunity to knock off one of college baseball's most storied programs is something catcher Jose Cruz relishes.

 

"At the end of the day, it's baseball," Cruz said. "LSU has to come and play us, too. We're going to play hard enough that we can give them some competition. It's going to be pretty tough. They're one of the best teams in the country. They have a big advantage because they have all those fans. But to be the best you've got to beat the best."

 

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SSU draws Florida State in Division I baseball regional

Interactive Bracket  Print Bracket

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Savannah State’s baseball players gathered at Coach’s Corner on Monday afternoon and cheered after hearing their university announced on the NCAA Division I selection show.

Not that it was a surprise to be among the top 64 teams in the nation — the Tigers earned an automatic entrance to a regional by winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament on May 19.

But the announcement on ESPNU was an affirmation that SSU was indeed getting a chance to show it belonged being mentioned with the top collegiate baseball teams in the nation. The Tigers will be opening the double-elimination Tallahassee Regional on Friday at 5 p.m. with No. 7 Florida State.

The game will be shown live on ESPN3.

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NC man captures sports at historic black college

SALISBURY, N.C. — Back in the early 1960s, John Daniels played three years of varsity tennis at Livingstone College.

He practiced hard every summer, and by the end of his career, Daniels improved from the sixth-best man on the squad to the third.

But if you go through the sports archives at Livingstone, yearbooks or even Daniels' personal files, you won't find any photographs of him playing tennis at the college.

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Art Shell golf classic draws UMES and NFL greats

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — Some NFL greats and University of Maryland Eastern Shore alumni will return to their roots on the Eastern Shore to help raise money for UMES’s Professional Golf Management Program and Division of Athletics by participating in the annual Art Shell UMES Celebrity Golf Classic and Junior Tournament June 11-12.

The event, which will occur at Great Hope Golf Course in Westover, Md., is hosted by NFL, UMES and CIAA Hall of Famer Art Shell.

Following the Junior Tournament, for golfers age 11 to 18 on June 11, Shell and other former NFL players, such as the UMES Golf Academy director and men’s golf head coach Marshall Cropper, will partner with foursomes to play in the 18-hole tournament June 12. They will attend an awards dinner in the Henson Center on campus that evening.

Cropper, the tournament’s director and a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins, said the funds from the event go to building the PGA program and golf academy, as well as funding scholarships.

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DONALD HEATH: McGowin gives Savannah State a winning edge

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Tired of eastern Long Island’s cold, damp springs, Kyle McGowin finished his high school baseball career at Pierson and immediately made pitches to several Division I colleges in the South, bartering his heater in exchange to play in a warmer climate.

Savannah State baseball coach Carlton Hardy took notice, leaving other coaches in the region probably shaking their heads after fanning on a pitcher who is now among 22 finalists for college baseball’s pitcher of the year.

“You get stiff in the cold between innings. My arm has always felt better in the heat,” said McGowin, a right-hander from Sag Harbor, N.Y. “I wanted to go south and play Division I. Thankfully, coach Hardy responded quickly.”

The junior has been happy with his decision, earning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s pitcher of the year honor this season after posting a 12-1 record with 128 strikeouts and an earned run average of 1.33.

McGowin is second in the ...

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Saint Augustine's University Wins NCAA Division II National Men's Track & Field Title

COACH GEORGE WILLIAMS
SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY

PUEBLO, Colorado  – Powered by its sprinters and hurdlers, Saint Augustine's University completed its season as the best men's track & field team in Division II.

The Falcons 99 points on the final day to run away with the men's team crown at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl on the campus of Colorado State University at Pueblo on Saturday, May 25, 2013. St. Aug has won 33 men's and women's indoor and outdoor titles combined and 11 men's outdoor titles under legendary head coach George Williams.

The Falcons scored 105 points which is the third-most points by a winning men's team since 2007. Ashland was second with 57 points and Adams State was third with 44 points.

The outdoor title comes on the heels of the indoor crown won by the Falcons in March 2013. It is the first time a team has swept both championships since 2005. The last time the Falcons were indoor and outdoor champions was 2001.

"The kids did a good job," Williams said. "They started the indoor season with a vision. They worked hard. I am proud of them."

Among the women, the Lady Falcons tied for 14^th with 18 points. Academy of Art is the women's winner with 60 points and Johnson C. Smith placed second with 54 points. Lincoln (Mo.) and Grand Valley State tied for third with 51 points.

The Falcons won four men's events and scored significant points in several others to win easily. The winners were the 4x100 relay team, the 4x400 relay team, Dane Hyatt (Jr./Goodwill, Jamaica) in the 400 dash and Jermaine Jones (So./Wilmington, N.C.) in the 200 dash. On the women's side, the Lady Falcons claimed the 4x400 relay.

"This is a typical St. Aug group," Williams said. "We excelled in sprints, hurdles, relays and jumps."

The men's 4x100 relay team set the tone with a sizzling performance in its event. The foursome of Ramaan Ansley (Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.), Taffawee Johnson (Jr./St. Ann, Jamaica), Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Fr./Raleigh, N.C.) and Jones ran 38.91 seconds to break the Division II national record which they set two days ago in preliminaries. On Thursday, the Falcons ran 39.01 in the preliminaries to break the previous mark held by Abilene Christian for 29 years. Abilene Christian ran 39.20 in 1984.

The Falcons are the first Division II team in history to run the 4x100 relay under 39 seconds. It is the seventh fastest time in the United States in 2013. Grand Canyon was second in 39.58 and Lincoln (Mo.) was third in 39.95.

Ansley is excited to be part of a record-setting relay team and national championship squad.

"As a senior, I definitely wanted to be part of something big," Ansley said. "Now we [4x400 team] are a part of history - national record and national championship."

Despite the thrilling 4x100 win and a fifth-place finish by Ty'reak Murray (Jr./Portsmouth, Va.) in the men's 110 hurdles, the Falcons didn't take the lead until the 400 dash when the Falcons took four of the top six spots with Hyatt leading the way. Hyatt won in 45.41 while Ellis, Jr. was third, James Quarles (Jr./Washington, D.C.) was fifth and Josh Edmonds (Jr./Jacksonville, Fla.) was sixth. The Falcons scored 23 points in the 400 to move into first place with a 44-30 lead over Adams State.

The Falcons widen their lead in the 100 dash. Johnson was second and Jones was third while Daniel Jameison (Fr./Windsor, Conn.) was eighth. The Falcons scored 15 more points for a 58-34 lead over Grand Canyon.

The Falcons never looked back from that point. Marcelis Lynch (Sr./Stone Mountain, Ga.) finished sixth in the 800 and Elhadji Mbow (Jr./Dakar, Senegal) was second in the 400 hurdles. DeJon Wilkinson (Jr./Summerville, S.C.) was fourth in the triple jump.

The Falcons sealed the title in the 200. Jones was first with a time of 20.57 and teammates Johnson and Edmonds were third and fourth, respectively. The 4x400 squad of Edmonds, Quarles, Ellis, Jr. and Hyatt capped the meet by winning the last event in 3:04.89.

Among the women, the quartet of Kelly Shaw (Sr./Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Cherrisse Lynch (So./Bridgetown, Barbados), Jaivairia Bacote (Jr./Patterson, N.J.) crossed the finish line first in the 4x400 in 3:35.89. In the 800, Shaw was fourth, Lynch was seventh and Bernard was eighth

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Final Results     Video: Highlights

DII MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Final Day:  Recap Highlights
Day 2:  Highlights
Day 1:  Highlights
Complete Results
Accepted Qualifiers: Men’s Entries
Championship: Program | Information

COURTESY NCAA.COM

Lincoln University of Missouri Blue Tigers Take Third at NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships

PUEBLO, Colorado  --  The Lincoln women's outdoor track & field team posted four top-three finishes on Saturday (May 25) to finish tied for third place at the NCAA Division II National Championship meet.

Michelle Cumberbatch and Yanique Haye highlighted the day for Lincoln, taking second and third, respectively, in the 400-meter hurdles. Cumberbatch clocked in a 57.59, edging Haye, who finished in 57.61, for second place. The duo also helped Lincoln to a second place result in the 4x400-meter relay, teaming with Twishana Williams and Lovan Palmer to come in at 3:37.16.

Palmer earned All-American honors in two other events, taking fifth in both the 400m (53.32) and 800m (2:10.49). The Blue Tigers also took fifth in the 4x100-meter relay, with Yanique Ellington and Cardine Copeland teaming with Anna-Kay James and Janae Johnson to finish in 45.11. Ellington and Copeland also represented LU in the 100m, with Ellington taking sixth (11.76) and Copeland placing seventh (11.86).

Lincoln's other top-three finish of the day came in the high jump, where Sheri Kaye Campbell took third with a mark of 1.81m. Campbell had previously scored points for LU with a sixth-place result in the triple jump (12.55m) on Friday (May 24). Twishana Williams added the final points of the meet for Lincoln in the 1,500m, finishing sixth with a time of 4:35.30.

The Blue Tigers scored 51 team points to tie for third place at the national championships with Grand Valley State. The Academy of Art, which had previously won the 2013 NCAA Division II Indoor title, scored 60 points to win the outdoor championship while Johnson C. Smith finished second with 54 points.

By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI MEDIA RELATIONS

Lincoln women finish third in NCAA Division II track and field championships

PUEBLO, Colo. — There was no Lucky 7 for the Lincoln women’s track team.

Looking for their seventh title at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Blue Tigers came up just a bit short Saturday night.

Academy of Art, a San Francisco-based school, captured the national title with 60 points, beating second-place Johnson C. Smith by six points. Lincoln and Grand Valley State tied for third with 51 points.

The Blue Tigers, who claimed titles in 2003-07 and 2009, did manage to keep their streak of top-three finishes intact. Lincoln has now finished in the top three for 11 straight years.

In their first event of the day, the Blue Tigers’ 4x100-meter relay team of Anna-Kay James, Cardine Copeland, Yanique Ellington and Jenea Johnson came in fifth (45.11).

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XU Nuggets' season ends with no advances at NAIA meet

MARION, Indiana --  Xavier University of Louisiana's SiMon Franklin and Devinn Rolland did not qualify Friday in preliminary heats of the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.

Franklin ran 400 meters in 59.57 seconds to rank 14th. She missed advancing to Saturday's final by nearly 2.5 seconds. Rolland ran 100 meters in 12.16 to tie for 11th in the 100 preliminaries. The slowest qualifying time to reach the final was 11.97.

Indiana Tech recorded the fastest qualifying times in both events -- sophomore Kirsten Flake in the 400 (54.75) and senior Adella King in the 100 (11.47).

Although the meet will conclude Saturday, the Gold Nuggets' season ended Friday. It was the final collegiate competition for Franklin, a senior who also was a 1,000-point career scorer in basketball and received her bachelor's degree from Xavier on May 11. Rolland, an All-America long jumper in 2012 and a two-time Gulf Coast Athletic Conference champion in the 100, 200 and long jump, will have two more seasons of eligibility.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

St. Aug. Runs 38.91 To Break Own D-II National Men's 4x100 Relay Record

PUEBLO, Colorado  –  Saint Augustine's University ran 38.91 seconds to break the Division II men's 4x100 relay record set by the Falcons two days ago at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Neta and Eddie DeRose Thunderbowl on the Colorado State University of Pueblo campus on Saturday, May 25, 2013.

The Falcons ran the first ever relay under 39 seconds by a Division II team in winning the men's 4x100 national title on Saturday. The team consists of Ramaan Ansley (Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.), Taffawee Johnson (Jr./St. Ann, Jamaica), Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Fr./Raleigh, N.C.) and Jermaine Jones (So./Wilmington, N.C.). It is the seventh fastest time in the United States in 2013. Grand Canyon was second in 39.58 and Lincoln (Mo.) was third in 39.95.

On Thursday, the Falcons ran 39.01 in the preliminaries to break the previous mark held by Abilene Christian for 29 years. Abilene Christian ran 39.20 in 1984.


COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

VSU student faces 63 years for robbery and killing of Petersburg drug dealer

Ryan Christopher Simms

ETTRICK, Virginia  -- A Virginia State University student could spend 63 years behind bars for conspiring with a fellow student to rip off a Petersburg drug dealer and fatally shooting him several yards from campus in a crime that stunned the VSU community and the village of Ettrick.

After a four-day trial that featured testimony from several former VSU students who were unwittingly caught up in the April 17, 2012, shooting, a Chesterfield County jury deliberated 4½ hours Friday before finding Ryan Christopher Simms, 20, guilty of second-degree murder — reduced from first-degree — in the slaying of Tyrail Hughes, 20. 
    
The jury also convicted Simms, who is from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and was a freshman last year at VSU, of conspiring with fellow student Khaliq Oliver, a co-defendant, to rob Hughes of an ounce of high-grade marijuana valued at $425.

Jurors considered a total of 10 felony crimes against Simms and found him guilty of eight, including grand larceny for the theft of the drugs; malicious wounding for inadvertently shooting VSU freshman William Penn in the foot; attempted murder for shooting at Hughes’ friend Damon Wright; and three related felony firearm counts.

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