Buffalo Basketball Gains Alabama State Transfer Josh Freelove

Josh Freelove #4 transfers to 4th college -- Buffalo
(Courtesy ASU Sports Information)

BUFFALO, New York –  University at Buffalo men's basketball head coach Bobby Hurley announced on Friday that Josh Freelove has transferred to UB and will play for the Bulls. The 6-2 guard transfers to Buffalo from Alabama State and will have one year of eligibility remaining. He will be eligible for the upcoming 2013-14 season.

A native of North Lauderdale, FL, Freelove played last season at Alabama State where he led the Hornets and ranked 10th in the SWAC in scoring, averaging 13.3 points per game. He scored 17 or more points nine times on the season, including a season-best 29 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Feb. 2. Freelove led Alabama State with 44 three-pointers, shot a team-best 80.4 percent from the free throw line and ranked second on the team in field goal percentage (.443).

Freelove signed with Toledo out of high school and averaged 4.3 points in 28 games his freshman season with the Rockets. Following a coaching change, Freelove transferred to Lewis and Clark Community College in Illinois before moving on to Alabama State.

A 2009 graduate of North Broward Prep School, Freelove averaged 26.5 points, five rebounds and five assists per game as a senior. He was named to the Miami Herald All-Broward Class 1A-3A First Team.

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Norfolk State preview | Spartans could surprise MEAC

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Pete Adrian looked around a hotel ballroom last month during the MEAC’s annual media day event in Norfolk and watched as his fellow head coaches sat at evenly spaced tables and fielded questions about the coming season.

Each of them said his team has a chance to contend for the league title. The plain-talking Adrian, entering his ninth year at Norfolk State, was no different – except, arguably, for the fact that he meant it.

The Spartans return 13 starters and 51 lettermen from an underachieving, snake-bitten team that went 4-7 last season. Now predicted to finish seventh in the 11-team league a year after being picked to win it all, NSU hopes to put the low expectations to good use.

Preseason platitudes aside, there is every indication the Spartans could surprise the MEAC.

“Everybody this time of year is 0-0 and full of hope and all that stuff,” Adrian said, “but we’ve got a good football team coming back. We have a chance to win the league. I feel we can be as strong as anybody in the league.”

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Bethune-Cookman football relying on strong crop of returning players

ORLANDO, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman University football coach Brian Jenkins always chooses his words carefully. He is also quick to detour any individual player accolades or personal praise of his own toward the greater good of the team environment.

That’s why it was surprising recently when Jenkins had rare occasion to slip up. In a brief momentum of unveiled passion, he let out a little personal label for his B-CU football program.

He was talking about his quarterbacks and the luxury of having experienced players like Jackie Wilson, Quentin Richardson and Brodrick Waters in a quarterback battle.



“To have guys like that around, guys who have been through the fire … they can kind of teach those young guys the lay of the land and how to survive it,” he said. “Because it’s hard here in Jenkins Land.”

There it was, the self proclamation Jenkins Land.

Perhaps it’s just his comfort level as he enters his fourth season as head coach at B-CU, but things have become expected at the Daytona Beach school and nothing less than MEAC titles, FCS playoff berths and development of young men will be accepted in the Land of Jenkins.

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Frazier's firing puts NCCU in spotlight

DURHAM, North Carolina — N.C. Central gets to test the notion that all publicity is good publicity.

During an on-campus Thursday news conference, NCCU athletic director
Ingrid Wicker-McCree announced that Henry Frazier III had been relieved of his head coaching duties with the football team, the result of his arrest on Monday for violating the domestic violence protective order that governs his relationship with his former wife, Lanier Turner-Frazier.

Frazier initially was suspended as NCCU’s coach, as he was a year ago after police charged him with assaulting Turner-Frazier at their Morrisville home. The couple since has divorced.

Wicker-McCree explained that Frazier’s personal issues were distracting school personnel from focusing on student-athletes. Cutting ties with Frazier and establishing NCCU assistant head coach Dwayne Foster as the team’s interim head coach would allow the players to get the attention they deserve, she said.

On Saturday, NCCU will visit Duke’s Wallace Wade Stadium for the Bull City Gridiron Classic, the season opener for both teams.

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DelState QB job still up for grabs

DOVER, Delaware  —  If Kermit Blount is close to naming a starting quarterback, the Delaware State football coach isn’t showing it.

“I’m the starter,” Blount laughed when asked.

Blount has lived up to his promise he gave at the beginning of camp of an open competition for the quarterback position.

The Hornets wrapped up their preseason camp with a scrimmage Saturday, one that was largely dominated by the defense as the young offense continues to go through growing pains.

All four quarterbacks saw action with redshirt freshman Esayah Obado throwing the lone touchdown pass — a 78-yard bomb to junior Milton Williams. It was one of the few times a Hornet quarterback was able to complete a pass down the field.

Obado has improved during ...

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MEAC glance | Bethune-Cookman looking for repeat

HAMPTON, Virginia -- The preseason poll, as voted on by league coaches and sports information directors, with analysis by David Hall:

1. Bethune-Cookman (8-0 MEAC, 9-3): After a perfect MEAC season, the team returns seven starters on both sides of the ball as it looks to make a deep run in the playoffs.

2. South Carolina State (4-4, 5-6): A surprise pick at No. 2, the Bulldogs got voters’ attention by returning 17 starters, including QB Richard Cue (1,819 yards, 11 TDs).

3. North Carolina A&T (5-3, 7-4): After a season under APR sanctions, the defense-minded Aggies are eligible for the postseason.

4. N.C Central (5-3, 6-5): Accurate QB Jordan Reid hopes to lead the Eagles to a second straight winning season, starting at Duke on Saturday.

5. Florida A&M (4-4, 4-7): With 15, the Rattlers led the MEAC in field goals last season. More TDs would mean more wins.

6. Howard (6-2, 7-4): Senior SS David Julien (MEAC-best 108 tackles) is an All-American candidate. He’ll be needed when the Bison visit Old Dominion on Sept. 14.

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Norfolk State still waiting for its starting quarterback

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  The quarterback Pete Adrian seeks to run his offense doesn’t have to be a star.

A careful, competent cast member will do just fine.

Adrian has spent a large chunk of his time lately vetting his candidates, splitting practice reps evenly among three sophomores and poring over film of their progress late into the night.

Adrian believes the other requisite pieces of his offense are in place, which is why he’s prepared to stretch out the process to find the right guy.

“The bottom line, and it’s real simple: The guy you’re having out there is the guy you’ve got to trust,” said Adrian, who said he doesn’t plan to name a starter before the Spartans open the season Aug. 31 against Maine. “That’s the bottom line. That covers everything.”

View all 6 photos

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Southern Jaguars’ all-stars square toe to toe

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- This fall’s preseason camp for the Jaguar football team has been chock full of competitive battles.

Heated positional skirmishes and chirpy exchanges among those vying for coveted jobs is a daily occurrence on The Bluff.

Whether it be a positional battle in the secondary or interior linemen squaring off against each other, heated competition has been the name of the game.

Yet there is no competition more exciting than when first team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference receiver Lee Doss lines up opposite second-team All-SWAC cornerback Virgil Williams.

The defensive players on the sideline begin barking at Doss in anticipation for what is about to seen.

Two of the best at their respective crafts going one-on-one.

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Ouachita WR Cameron Sims chooses Alabama — over Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Ouachita Parish High receiver Cameron Sims picked two-time defending national champion Alabama over Southern on Saturday.

The 6-foot-4 210-pound star had his options down to Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State and Southern, the only FCS school on his list.

Sims, in front of a nationwide audience, donned an Alabama cap and gave a “roll tide.”

A member of Rivals’ Top 250 prospects, Sims’ pledge gives ...

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FAMU Holmes gives young players chance in scrimmage

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Many of the starters sat out the final scrimmage for FAMU on Saturday afternoon, but the message that coach Earl Holmes delivered afterward was clearly addressed to every player.

Holmes vented about penalties, interceptions and dropped balls. His voice went up a notch when he told them he’d like to see improvement in the tempo they played in the first 10 minutes.

It was too sluggish for Holmes’ liking.



“You’ve got to be able to play a 60-minute football game” he said. “You can’t play for 54 minutes or 23 minutes; you’ve got to play a complete game. From whistle to whistle.”

If it were a real game instead of the 72-play scrimmage, he said, the opposing team could have taking a big early lead.

“Things like that will get you beat,” Holmes said. “You’ll find yourself far behind and the clock runs out on you.”

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2013 Preview: Former FAMU player Earl Holmes returns to lead Rattlers

HEAD FOOTBALL COACH EARL HOLMES
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
(Courtesy FAMU Athletics)

ORLANDO, Florida -- There is a lot to learn for a first-time head college football head coach, and sometimes the transition from assistant coach is painstaking.

For Earl Holmes, however, he has the luxury of being quite familiar with his surroundings as Florida A&M’s new leader. He played at FAMU and he was an assistant coach for the Rattlers, serving last year as the defensive coordinator before being named interim head coach for the season-ending Florida Classic against rival Bethune-Cookman following the retirement of Joe Taylor.

But the familiarity goes far beyond that for the former NFL linebacker who played 10 years as a linebacker for the Steelers, Browns and Lions before retiring in 2005. Holmes grew up in Tallahassee, and he was an all-state linebacker at FAMU High in the early ’90s.

So the first-year head coach knows a little something about Rattler football.

“It’s been a tremendous changeover from me because I’ve already been here with these kids … in fact, I recruited more than half of these kids,” Holmes said.”

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Former NSU's James Doughtie among hall of fame inductees

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- J.R. Reid, an All-American basketball player in high school and college, and NFL return specialist Mel Gray are among the six Hampton Roads athletes who will be inducted into the 2013 class of the African American Sports Hall of Fame in November.

Joining the two are athletes Leroy Jones, James Doughtie, James Flowers, and Juanita Etheridge, along with two going into the Hall of Fame as community contributors: the Rev. Dr. Michael Daniels and the late Dr. Clarence Cuffee.

The banquet is Nov. 23 at the Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel.

But locally, he was known for his play on the basketball court at Norfolk State from 1971-73, where he was the center on three CIAA tournament basketball teams.

Doughtie was an outstanding football player and track star at Portsmouth's Woodrow Wilson High School and Norfolk State. At Norfolk State, he was a four-year starter at linebacker and team co-captain from 1974-77. He was a member of three CIAA championship teams. In track, Doughtie was an All-American in 1975, 1976 and 1977.

While starting in the Norfolk State secondary, Flowers established a reputation as one of the best defensive players ever to play in the CIAA. The Lake Taylor High grad was an All-American in 1976.

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Defense Dominates In Shaw Scrimmage

RALEIGH, North Carolina — The defense dominated in Shaw's final preseason scrimmage held Saturday afternoon at Chavis Park.  The offense managed only one touchdown, while the defense had two key interceptions, a fumble recovery in the end zone, and numerous sacks.

 

The performance today shows marked improvement from last week's scrimmage - when the offense ran over the defense.

 

"We got more guys back on defense," head coach Robert Massey said of the change.  "We had some guys back (from injury) that didn't play last week.  We got the beef back, so we were able to shut down the run.  We're competitive on the back end against the pass."

 

The defense set the tone early, when Chris Ellerbe intercepted a pass in the red zone.  On the next play, after the offense had reset, Terrance Evans recovered a fumble in the end zone.

 

Massey was not overly concerned about the offensive performance.  "We know the offense is potent.  We had some guys who weren't here or were limited today."

 

Quinshon Odom started the scrimmage under center, but Massey says that the battle to replace Shaw passing record holder James Stallons isn't over.  "If we were to play tomorrow, Quinshon Odom would be our starter, but we don't play tomorrow.  We have two weeks to figure this quarterback situation out."

 

Trevious Folston, who was injured in a car accident on his way to camp and only started practicing this week, is the top challenger for the spot, according to Massey.

 

But it was William Joyner who led the Bear offense to their only score of the afternoon, connecting with Raheem Richardson for a pass of over 30 yards and the score.

 

Early in the contest, the Bears seemed to favor the passing game - with last year's leading rusher Marquise Grizzle playing only a few snaps because of lingering injuries.  As the afternoon progressed, the offense turned more to the running game.

 

" We're not going to throw the ball 50 times like we did last year," said Massey.  "We've got a veteran offensive line and a good running back corps, so we're going to mix it up."

 

Massey, who also serves as the team's defensive coordinator, said the contest showed the strength of the Bears.  "We're strongest in the defensive backfield.  That showed today.  We're going to cause a lot of problems for people."

 

Shaw opens the 2013 football season with a home contest against Charleston (WV) on Saturday, September 7 at 1:00 p.m. at the Durham County Memorial Stadium.  Both single game and season tickets are on sale now.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bowie State Honored with Division 2 Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Awards

CLEVELAND, Ohio  -- The Division II Athletics Directors Association (D2ADA) announced the 2012-13 recipients of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Awards.  The Academic Achievement Awards is a program that recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level.

A record number of institutions (169) and student-athletes (6,801) are recognized for the 2012-13 Academic Achievement Awards.  Bowie State University had nine student-athletes recognized from five different athletic programs.  The Bulldogs joined Chowan, Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, Saint Augustine's, Shaw and Virginia State among CIAA schools to academic achievements through D2ADA.

Representing Bowie State were Kassandra Bishop (Tennis), Cassandra Clayborne (Softball), Megan Alexander (Softball), Gregory Koepping (Football), Hayley Flint (Softball), Mariela Hernandez (Softball), Iyabode Sodipo (Tennis), Paige McIntosh (Volleyball) and Ayanna Tweedy (Track and Field).

“I would like to congratulate our nine award winners,” said Bowie State Athletic Director Anton Goff. “It is a testament to their dedication and hard work in achieving a high level of success in the classroom and on the field and court.  It is also a reflection of the priority that our coaches and staff put on academics.  I am extremely proud to have our student-athletes recognized in this manner.”

In order to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the student-athlete must:

•         Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
•         Have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work
•         Have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year

"The D2ADA would like to thank and congratulate the institutions that took part in honoring the record number of student-athletes with 2012-13 Academic Achievement Awards," stated D2ADA President Anita Barker, director of athletics at Chico State University.  "We continuously strive to recognize and honor deserving Division 2 student-athletes.  This award gives us the platform to showcase these individuals and their efforts in the classroom, as well as on the playing field."

The D2ADA is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities; enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics; and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of Division 2 athletics directors. For more information about the D2ADA, please visit www.div2ada.com. The D2ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 49th year. For more information on NACDA and the 13 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.

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Goal-Line Defense Highlights St. Aug Football Scrimmage

RALEIGH, North Carolina  -- The goal-line defense stood out during the Saint Augustine's University second preseason intra-squad football scrimmage at SAU Stadium on Saturday, August 24, 2013.

The defense allowed no points and forced one turnover during simulated red zone situations. Linebacker Keyon Elam (Fr./Miami, Fla.) intercepted a deflected pass in the end zone for the defense.

"The defense did quite well," St. Aug Head Coach Michael Costa said. "If we can continue that during the year then we will have a pretty good season. As they say, offense wins games but defense wins championships, and we are trying to win a championship."

Elam's interception was one of several highlights by the defense. Defensive back Dominique Marsh (Jr./Norfolk, Va.) rocked a wide receiver with a nice, clean hit on a short pass and stopped two running plays for negative yards. Defensive back Brandon Taylor (Fr./Opelika, Ala.) intercepted a pass and defensive back Anthony Tucker recovered a fumble.

On offense, speedy wide receiver Jermaine Jones (Redshirt Sr./Wilmington, N.C.) turned two short passes into long gains including one for a 70-yard touchdown. Jones is the 2013 NCAA Division II Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. Wideout Brian Richards (Redshirt Sr./Waldorf, Md.) made a leaping catch over the middle and wide receiver Herman Reaves (Redshirt Jr./Miami, Fla.) held on to several passes despite taking tough hits after the reception. Running back JJShawn Pinkston (Redshirt Jr./Mooresville, N.C.) showcased his elusiveness while LeQuinton Williams (So./Cairo, Ga.) displayed his power.

The scrimmage featured game situations in which the ball was placed at the offense 20-yard line, the defense 20-yard line and midfield. The officials refereed the scrimmage which gave the players an idea of how games will be called under the new NCAA rules. Players will be automatically ejected for hitting defenseless players above the shoulders.

Costa says the scrimmage helps him and the assistant coaches prepare for the regular season. The Falcons visit Division I North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 2 p.m.

"We were able to evaluate a lot of people," Costa said. "We took a good look at the players to see who can help us on offense, defense and special teams."

The Falcons are predicted to finish second in the CIAA Southern Division and third overall in the conference. They are shooting for their third winning season in four years.

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College Football Preview: Miles looking to return to playoffs

Miles College Golden Bears
NCAA Division II: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SICA)
Head Coach: Reginald Ruffin, entering third season

2012: 8-3 and 6-1 in SICA; Returners on Offense: 8; Returners on Defense: 8
Last year, Miles College finished second in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's western division behind league champion Tuskegee on its way to qualifying for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in school history. Miles lost 41-7 to West Alabama in the first round of the playoffs.

Potential Roadblocks:

The Golden Bears start the season with two difficult road games -- Sept. 7 at the University of North Alabama followed by at the University of West Georgia the following week. Senior Day is Oct. 24 when Miles hosts Lane College followed by at Stillman College Oct. 31 and at Tuskegee University to end the campaign Nov. 9. "We definitely don't have a cupcake schedule," Coach Ruffin said. "With our success in the first two seasons, expectations are high here at Miles."

What Prevents You From Reaching Goals?

Last season, Miles College earned the league's top-rated offense averaging 34 points per game. Unfortunately, the defense finished near the bottom of the leagues' statistical rating, finishing sixth out of 10 teams. "Coming into this season, we knew we had to get much bigger on the defensive line," Coach Ruffin said. "We've made some good moves including signing stronger and bigger players in the offseason. That will help us as we proceed through the year."

What Needs To Go Right?

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Alabama A&M football capsule (CFB preview)

Alabama A&M Bulldogs
Coach: Anthony Jones (79-49 at Alabama A&M)
2012 record: 7-4
Starters returning/lost: Offense 6/5, Defense 4/7

Set the GPS for: A rocky, curvy road. There are some key positions to fill, including quarterback, placekicker, running back and the left side of the offensive line. The Bulldogs started out 6-0 a year ago but that seems unlikely this time around with the rebuilding facing Jones.

Team pilot: Brandon Wells will go into the year as the No. 1 quarterback, and Jones believes it's essential for his QB to be as much a great leader as a talented passer. Seniors like A.J. Clark, Montaurius Smith and Jeremy Isabelle can help set the tone as well.

Along for the ride: Returning offensive linemen Justin Goodrich, Alan Cruz and Devin Dobbins will help create holes for the running-back-by-committee set-up of Brendan Johnson, Brandon Eldemire and Barrington Scott, a transfer from Ball State.

Red light: Inconsistent quarterback play can be fatal. If Wells struggles, there is no shortage of understudies who could step in but at what cost long-term?

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Concordia looking to build strong foundation in 2013

COACH DON LEE
CONCORDIA COLLEGE - SELMA

Concordia College Alabama Hornets
USCAA Division I (Independent)
Head Coach: Don Lee
(First official season, took over reigns after third game in 2012)
2012: 7-4; Returners on Offense: 9; Returners on Defense: 10

Potential Roadblocks:

The Hornets kick off the season Aug. 31 in the Lone Star State taking on Abilene Christian University. The team has other challenging contests such as Stillman College in Tuscaloosa Sept. 7, Miles College in Fairfield two weeks later, University of West Alabama in Demopolis Sept. 26, and at Delta State Nov. 9. "We have a very difficult schedule," Coach Lee said. "Each week will challenge us immensely."

What Prevents You From Reaching Goals?

"This is my first official season as head coach since assuming the reigns after the third game of the 2012 season." Coach Lee said. "I get to start a team fresh. My goals are to bring back the Hornet pride, focus on academics and on the field performance, and instill a "one heartbeat" mentality amongst my players, coaches, trainers and staff. Concordia College has always had a rich football tradition and outstanding talent. My job is to mold that talent into a football program we can be proud. Also, I got my full coaching staff in place July 1. I feel behind the curve in being prepared and am concerned this could be a challenge heading into the season."

What Needs To Go Right?

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Alabama A&M fans willing to dispose of some income can enjoy Bulldogs' first trip

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Alabama A&M's road schedule finds the team in Houston, Atlanta and Baton Rouge, among other stops. But its fans with disposable income - key word: disposable - might want to keep the Bulldogs' season-opening journey in mind.

Alabama A&M plays at Grambling on Aug. 31. It's a mere 65 miles west from Eddie Robinson Stadium to Sam's Town Casino, ranked by Tripadvisor.com as the top casino/hotel in Shreveport.
There's also the Eldorado and, in nearby Bossier City, the Horseshoe.

Fans who want to make a long Labor Day weekend of it can catch the comedian Sinbad on Sunday night at Sam's Town. Windstorm is playing Friday at Eldorado.

Closer to campus, fans may opt to stay at Monroe, 45 minutes away from Grambling but it's on the Huntsville side of Grambling. Dining options are relatively generic. Even more so at Ruston, but Ponchatoulas comes recommended for seafood and Cajun cooking, Dowling's for barbecue.

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Texas Southern extends broadcast agreement with Bounce

HOUSTON, Texas  -- Texas Southern University Department of Athletics has announced that all TSU Tigers home football games will once again be broadcast live on KHOU’s Bounce Digital TV Network. The network can be accessed on digital channel 11.2 in the Houston area and will be broadcast tape delayed on channel 310 on Comcast.

The announcement was made on Friday, August 23, and follows Comcast SportsNet-Houston's release that it will air five home games tape-delayed.
Comcast SportsNet tape delayed broadcasts of TSU will be shown on Tuesday’s at noon following the scheduled home games. CSN subscribers in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas will be able to tune into the CSN broadcast. Games can be accessed on Comcast channel 39 and in high definition on Comcast channel 639.

This season will mark the third consecutive year KHOU’s Bounce Digital TV Network will deliver TSU football games into the homes of the Houston area.

Nick Strong serves as the play-by-play announcer for the broadcast while former TSU defensive standout, Dejuan Fulgham, will provide color commentary.

Comcast Sports Group consists of local sports networks that deliver 2,400 sporting events, breaking news and analysis to more than 50 million cable and satellite homes annually.

TSU’s first home game at BBVA Compass Stadium will take place on Saturday, August 31st at 7:00 pm when the Tigers take the field against Prairie View A&M in the 29th Annual Labor Day Classic. KHOU’s broadcast of match-up will start at 7:05 pm CST.

 

COURTESY SWAC.ORG 

Alabama A&M scrimmage displays a sense of urgency as opener with Grambling nears

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - The reality is sinking in. A sense of urgency has arrived.

On Friday afternoon, in various corners of the Alabama A&M football office, there was a game-week buzz starting to generate. On Saturday afternoon, in a 2 ½-hour scrimmage, that was carried over onto the field by the A&M players.

"The kids know they're a week out. You can only fake it for so long," coach Anthony Jones said. "They realize they're a week out and we've got to start, quote, playing for keeps. You can talk about what you're doing, but the ultimate thing is doing what you said you can do, or doing it better."

The Bulldogs open the 2013 season at Grambling State at 6 p.m. on August 31. The Tigers are coming off a 1-9 season but have revamped the defense and are more experienced on offense.



Saturday's scrimmage was directed toward preparation for Grambling rather than competition for starting jobs in the A&M lineup, with Jones said, "I'm not concerned with who's number one. I'm just worrying about trying to get them ready to play."

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Tennessee State Tigers Entertain Supporters at Fan Day

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  On Saturday, hundreds of Big Blue supporters gathered in the Indoor Football Facility for the Tigers’ annual Fan Day.

The festivities kicked off at 3 p.m. with the introductions of every member of this year’s team. The players then took a seat to sign the new 2013 posters for the many fans who lined up before the event to get all the signatures.

While some were getting autographs, the little Tigers played in an inflatable playground and others listened to 92Q who were on hand for the celebration.

Immediately following the Fan Day, Big Blue went to Hale Stadium for a scrimmage in front of their home crowd. The team treated Saturday’s scrimmage as one of the last tune-ups before the season opener of Sunday night.

The Tigers will host the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. at LP Field for the 15^th annual John Merritt Classic.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SWAC Football Television Schedule Update

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Following the release of the Southwestern Athletic Conference 2013 football 16-game television schedule on July 25, six games were selected to air on regional networks.

The entire SWAC television schedule now includes 11 conference contests to air on several major networks for the upcoming season.

"Not only will SWAC fans be able to see the games nationally, and in high-definition, but they will enjoy the analysis from the networks on-air talent," Sharp added. "With programming on a national stage, the games televised demonstrate the growth of the Southwestern Athletic Conference brand."

The addition to the previous slate now features five homes games at Texas Southern which includes four conference match ups, and the season home opener for Alabama State.

TSU's televised home games will air tape delayed on Tuesday at noon following each scheduled contest.

The line-up of networks to carry the SWAC football broadcast now includes: ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN3, NBC Sports, FOX SportsSouth, CSS, CSN Houston, and Comcast Sportsnet. All games are available in the network's standard high-definition.

The 22-game schedule begins on opening weekend with three non-conference match-ups including Mississippi Valley State against Florida A&M in the 9th Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney.

The schedule kicks off on Friday, August 30, at 7:30 p.m. CT when Southern faces Houston and ends with the 2013 Toyota SWAC Championship on Saturday, December 7 at 1:00 p.m. Both games will take place inside Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The schedule now includes 12 non-conference games and six HBCU Classics with eight games slated for tape delay. The Classic games include: Texas Southern vs. Prairie View A&M (Labor Day Classic), Alabama State at Jackson State (W.C. Gorden Classic), Jackson State vs. Tennessee State (Southern Heritage Classic), Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State (Magic City Classic), Alabama State vs. Stillman (Turkey Day Classic) and Grambling State vs. Southern (Bayou Classic).

Game times and television networks are listed below:

Friday, August 30
Southern at Houston (ESPN 3 - 7:30 p.m.)

Saturday, August 31
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Arkansas State (ESPN3 - 6 p.m.)
Alabama State vs. Jacksonville State (CSS - 5 p.m.)

Sunday, September 1
Mississippi Valley State vs. Florida A&M (ESPN - 10:45 a.m.)

Tuesday, September 3
Texas Southern vs. Prairie View A&M (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Saturday, September 7
Alcorn State at Mississippi State (ESPN3/CSS - 2:30 p.m.)
Alabama State at Jackson State (ESPN3 - 5 p.m.)*
Grambling State at ULM (ESPN3 - 6 p.m.)
Prairie View A&M at Texas State (ESPN3 - 6 p.m.)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at McNeese State (Comcast Sportsnet - 7:30 p.m.)

Saturday, September 14
Alabama State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (ESPN3 - 4:00 p.m.)*
Texas Southern vs. Sam Houston State (Comcast Sportsnet - 7 p.m.)
Jackson State vs. Tennessee State (Fox SportsSouth - 6 p.m.)

Thursday, September 19
Texas Southern at Jackson State (ESPNU - 6:30 p.m.)

Tuesday, October 8
Texas Southern vs. Alabama State (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Tuesday, October 22
Texas Southern vs. Alcorn State (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Saturday, October 26
Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State (ESPN3 - 2:30 p.m.)*

Tuesday, November 5
Texas Southern vs. Southern (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Tuesday, November 19
Texas Southern vs. Howard (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Thursday, November 28
Alabama State vs. Stillman (ESPNU - 3 p.m.)

Saturday, November 30
Grambling State vs. Southern (NBC - 1:30 p.m.)

Saturday, December 7
2013 Toyota SWAC Football Championship (ESPNU - 1 p.m.)

Game times are central and subject to change.
* Denotes tape delay and will air at 9:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
# Denotes tape delay following Saturday's game and will air at 12 p.m. on CSN Houston.

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

XU split again, finish 2-2 in UMobile/Spring Hill tourney

MOBILE, Alabama -- The Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball team split a pair of matches for the second consecutive day and finished 2-2 in the season-opening UMobile/Spring Hill Tournament.

The Gold Nuggets on Saturday defeated Southern Wesleyan 23-25, 25-22, 27-25, 19-25, 15-12, then lost 25-19, 14-25, 25-18, 25-21 to Mobile.

Taylor Reuther had 21 kills, which tied her career high, and 22 digs against Southern Wesleyan. It was the second 20-20 match of Reuther's career. Moira Kirk had 15 kills and five blocks, and Chinedu Echebelem had nine kills and 17 digs.

Jodi Chatters had 21 digs, and setter Franziska Pirkl recorded the sixth career double-double, 43 assists and a career-best 16 digs.

Kirk had four kills and Reuther three in the fifth set against Southern Wesleyan. The Gold Nuggets won the second set after trailing 17-10. It was the sixth time in the program's six-year history that Xavier won after losing the first set.

Against Mobile, first-year coach Hannah Lawing said Xavier played its best defense of the tournament during the second set -- "Our blockers and back row figured out how to play what we had been teaching them. That's how we dominated that set," Lawing said -- but Mobile closed the third set with an 8-2 run and erased Xavier's 18-15 lead in the fourth.

Xavier will play nine more road matches -- four next week in a tournament at the University of St. Thomas in Houston -- before playing its home opener at 1 p.m. on Sept. 14 against Voorhees at the Convocation Center. Xavier on Friday will play city rival Loyola at 11 a.m. and St. Thomas at 3 p.m. in Houston.

Box scores:  Southern Wesleyan    Mobile

Box scores:  Spring Hill    Asbury

Nuggets lose to Spring Hill, defeat Asbury on opening day

MOBILE, Ala. — Taylor Reuther had 18 kills and 11 digs Friday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-19, 28-26, 25-20 women's volleyball victory against Asbury, giving the Gold Nuggets a split on the first day of the season-opening UMobile/Spring Hill Tournament.

The victory followed a 25-8, 25-20, 25-22 loss to Spring Hill.

Xavier's Hannah Lawing earned her first victory as a collegiate head coach.

The Nuggets' Chinedu Echebelem had eight kills, two aces and nine digs against Asbury, and Jodi Chatters had 15 digs. Against Spring Hill, Echebelem had nine kills and eight digs, and Reuther and Moira Kirk had seven kills apiece. Reuther had 10 digs and Chatters nine.

Xavier trailed Asbury 24-22 in the second set, but four Reuther kills gave the Nuggets a 27-26 lead. Kirk then clinched the set with a kill.

The double-double was the 24th in the career of Reuther, a junior outside hitter who was the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year and a third-team Capital One Academic All-American in 2012.

Spring Hill continued its mastery of Xavier — the Badgers lead the series 13-0 — but Xavier earned its first victory in two tries against Asbury, a 20-match winner each of the past five seasons.

Megan Haber had 14 kills and hit .700 in 20 attacks for Spring Hill, an NAIA National Championship qualifier in 2012 and 2011, and the Badgers outhit Xavier .392 to .139. Xavier outhit Asbury .154 to .127.

"We are still working out the kinks and trying to establish ourselves as a team," Lawing said. "The first match of the season is always tough, especially against a top-30 team like Spring Hill. We definitely made progress today.

"I was proud of our resilience in the second match. I'm also proud that we finished the second set against Asbury after we could've rolled over and let them take that set."

The tournament will conclude Saturday. Xavier will play at noon against Southern Wesleyan in Spring Hill's Arthur Outlaw Rec Center, then travel to the University of Mobile's Pharr Gym for a 3 p.m. match against Mobile.


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

Lane College Burroughs expects to coach a winner

JACKSON, Tennessee  -- It wasn’t long ago Lane football wasn’t much fun. Derrick Burroughs arrived ahead of the 2010 season, and his first year was rough. The Dragons didn’t win a game.

They won four games, though, in 2011. They won five last year.

Burroughs joked around with players at this month’s Media Day, but he generally maintains a businesslike demeanor.

He relished Lane’s landmark wins during his tenure, but he never celebrated long. A good day here or there is not his idea of success.

Burroughs expects the Dragons to contend for an SIAC title, he’s annoyed no one else in the league thinks they will (they were picked next to last in the West), and he believes if players achieve what’s hoped of them Lane is on its way to a great season.

“No team really scares me. We don’t fear anybody,” he said.

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