SCSU Bulldogs begin MEAC play looking for a championship

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- Andrew Carter was still waiting on his trophy Thursday.

The South Carolina State defensive end was named the team’s MVP for the 12th annual Palmetto Capital City Classic last Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. His two sacks and seven tackles against Benedict College was part of a physical, intimidating tone set by the defensive line in the 59-6 rout.

Organizers did not have a trophy available to present Carter for his performance. At Thursday’s Orangeburg Touchdown Club meeting, Classic committee member Willie Jeffries promised the senior Bulldog he would soon receive his hardware.

What would be even more rewarding for Carter is another Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship. After four non-conference games, he believes the Bulldogs (2-2) are now ready to accomplish that mission starting this afternoon at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium against Hampton (0-4).

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SSU, Delaware State square off in MEAC opener

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- “Thank God, it’s Delaware State.”

“Thank God, it’s Savannah State.”

Coaches and players at Savannah State and Delaware State might not be saying this, but you get the feeling they can’t help but be relieved to see each other when they meet tonight at 6 at T.A. Wright Stadium in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both schools.

SSU (1-3) had mismatches with Georgia Southern, Troy and Miami during the first month of the season.

DSU (0-3) kicked off with Delaware, FCS No. 3 Towson and No. 1 North Dakota State.

It didn’t go well for either school. Savannah State was outscored 220-19 in its three meetings with FBS teams, including a 77-7 loss to the Hurricanes a week ago.

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Ram Ramblings: WSSU ready to play at historic Hovey Field

RICHMOND, Virginia  -- Virginia Union has a special surprise for its fans and for Winston-Salem State in this afternoon’s game at historic Hovey Field.

The Panthers will be dressed in brand-new all black uniforms with their traditional silver helmets. According to Jim Junot, the school’s sports information director, the uniforms arrived this week and they decided to break them out for the CIAA opener between the Panthers (0-3) and the Rams (2-1).

The Panthers have had trouble scoring points this season with quarterback, Shawheem Dowdy, committing 10 turnovers in three games. Dowdy, a transfer from Grambling State, has seven interceptions and three fumbles.

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XU Nuggets, Rush advance in South Regionals main draw

NEW ORLEANS -- Seven singles players and two doubles teams from Xavier University of Louisiana advanced Friday in the main draw of the USTA/ITA NAIA South Regional Championships at the City Park/Pepsi and XU tennis centers.

Four Gold Nuggets, including third-seeded Kourtney Howell and fifth-seeded Brion Flowers, reached the women's singles round of 16. Three XU men, including fourth-seeded Kyle Montrel and sixth-seeded Nikita Soifer, advanced to the men's singles round of 16.

Howell defeated Belhaven's Ainsley Wright 6-0, 6-3. Flowers beat Brenau's Kelley Cohron 6-0, 6-2. The Nuggets' Amber Brown defeated Belhaven's Katie Campbell 6-0, 6-0, and Brandi Nelson beat Georgia Gwinnett's Rocio Fernandez 6-2, 6-4.

Montrel defeated Belhaven's Enrico Patriarca 6-2, 6-2 to extend his collegiate singles win streak to 10 dating to last season. Soifer beat Point's Andrew Hays 6-0, 6-1. Also advancing was Xavier's Kevin Chaouat, who defeated Loyola's David Mayhall 6-0, 6-2 and Point's Nate Moore 6-0, 6-0.

Howell and Flowers, top-seeded in women's doubles, defeated Belhaven's Abigail Watkins and Joy Bethea 8-0 to reach the quarterfinals. Montrel and Mandlekar, seeded fourth in men's doubles, reached the quarterfinals with an 8-2 victory against Belhaven's Lachlan Puyol and Jim Scott.

All No. 1 seeds advanced, including Auburn Montgomery's Jade Curtis in women's singles and Nicolas Pinones in men's singles. Pinones and Miguel Grifol, the No. 1 men's doubles seed, had a bye and will play at 11:15 a.m. Saturday in the round of 16.

All matches Saturday will be played at City Park, starting with men's and women's singles main-draw matches at 9 a.m. Semifinals and championship matches are scheduled for Sunday at the XU Tennis Center.

Results:  Men    Women

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

NC A&T - Halftime 9.26.2013 "The Gangster Show"

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FAMU women's basketball adds size, inside presence

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The scenario played out so many times for the Florida A&M women’s basketball team last season: Jasmine Grice and Kimberly Sparkman scored in double digits, with only two or three of their teammates adding much of anything.

Down to the last game of the season in the MEAC tournament, it was Grice and Sparkman. And, most times, things went that way because the Rattlers didn’t have much help inside.

Well, it seems as if help is on the way.

Living up to head coach LeDawn Gibson’s promise to find help for Grice and Sparkman, while plugging the hole in the post, assistant coach Erik Rashad announced the signing of three post players Tuesday.

Junior college transfers Ann-Marie Harris and Adenike Dawodu, both of...

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WSSU to hit road to play Virginia Union in conference opener

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Connell Maynor, the driven fourth-year coach of 17th-ranked Winston-Salem State, is a hard man to please.

But even he can’t find fault in how his Rams have improved after each one of their three games this season. They will get another chance to improve on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Virginia Union (WTOB 1380).

"I have liked the way we’ve gotten better from that first game against Pembroke,” said Maynor, whose Rams opened the season with a 25-21 loss to UNC Pembroke but have followed with two dominating wins. “We have found our footing on offense — and the defense has played well all season.”

The Rams are coming off an ...

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Lamar Football Closes Non-Conference Slate at Grambling State

Lamar Game Notes

BEAUMONT, Texas -- Coming off their second-straight home shutout, Lamar head coach Ray Woodard takes his Cardinal football team on the road one more time before the start of Southland Conference play. The Cardinals enter Saturday's contest against Grambling State (0-4) with a 2-2 (.500) overall record but looking for their first road win of the season, while the Tigers are looking for their first win of the season.

Lamar comes into the contest having played one of the more unique schedules to this point in the season. LU is 2-0 at home winning its games by a combined score of 128-0, but has come up short on the road. The Cardinals have played two non-Division I teams at home, but the road games have been against FBS opponents (Louisiana Tech and No. 11 Oklahoma State). Saturday's game against the Tigers will be Lamar's first against an FCS-level school.

The Tigers have stumbled out of the gate dropping their first four games of the season by a combined 170-74. Included in those results is an 0-2 start in conference play.

"Every week presents new challenges and our challenge this week is to win a game on the road," said Woodard. "That is something we did not do last year. This is going to be our first FCS opponent of the season. We've played two non-division I games, and we've played two FBS schools, but this is our first game against another FCS opponent. Our goals are to be in the playoffs and have an opportunity at a conference championship. To do that you have to win your FCS games, and a lot of times it can come down to wins on the road. I'm very excited about the opportunity in front of us,"

"At this point, 3-2 is the best we can be so that is definitely where we want to be. We came away from Louisiana Tech feeling like we did some good things, but not enough to win a game on the road. We want to take that next step on the road," added Woodard.

When the Cardinals step on the field at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium Saturday at 6 p.m. they will be bringing the Southland's top defense, and the league's best passing attack to the game. Lamar is holding opponents to less than 294 yards of total offense per game, including less than 130 yards passing. The Cardinals have already picked off seven passes just four games into the season.

Grambling State's offense has struggled at times during 2013 averaging less than 290 yards of total offense, and is seventh in the league averaging 193 yards per game through the air. One area where the Tigers haven't struggled has been on special teams. Grambling State leads the SWAC, and is one of the best in the nation in punt returns averaging nearly 15 yards per return.

"What concerns you as a coach about this game is the fact that Grambling's record is not indicative of how talented they are," said Woodard. "You watch the film and you can tell that they have some very talented players. It's going to happen for them. It's just a matter of time before they put it all together on the field and you hope it doesn't happen against you."

One of the reasons for the Lamar's strong passing attack this season has been the improved play of junior quarterback Caleb Berry. He is completing better than 60 percent of his passes on the season for 815 yards, and has thrown a league-best 11 touchdowns on the year. He also ranks 34th nationally in total offense (240 ypg).

In addition to Berry has been the play of freshman Kade Harrington at running back. The Kingwood native recorded a career-high 143 yards on seven carries against Bacone, and is currently the league's top rookie running back.

The Cardinals have also made a name for themselves this season by not making the careless errors. Lamar enters the week as the Southland's least penalized team being flagged less than five times a game.

Saturday's game will be Lamar's final non-conference game before the Cardinals open Southland Conference play. Lamar will get an extra week to prepare for its conference opener against Sam Houston State on Saturday, Oct. 12. The game against the Bearkats will be a 2 p.m. kick.



COURTESY LAMAR UNIVERSITY CARDINALS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Adidas donates new equipment to Concordia College-Selma football team

COACH DON LEE AND THE CONCORDIA HORNETS
 RECEIVES AN OUTPOURING OF LOVE IN THE FORM
OF EQUIPMENT TO CONTINUE THEIR 2013
FOOTBALL SEASON. GO HORNETS!! 

SELMA, Alabama  -- Less than a week after losing more than $70,000 of equipment in a bus fire, the Concordia College Alabama Hornets are sporting brand-new football jerseys, helmets, pants and shoes, courtesy of Adidas, the German sportswear company with U.S. headquarters in Portland, Ore.

“It’s just a miracle,” Concordia Trainer William Hall said of the boxes of Adidas gear that arrived on the college’s Selma, Ala., campus about 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26.

All 62 people on the bus — players, coaches and the bus driver — escaped unharmed when the vehicle blew two tires, igniting the gas tank and setting the bus on fire en route to Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 21. (See Reporter Online story, “Concordia, Selma, football team escapes burning bus.”)

To read more about the gift from Adidas, see the AL.com story “Outpouring of support for Concordia—Selma culminates in new equipment from Adidas.”

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Green Bay Packers donate equipment to help Selma's Concordia Univ. after bus fire

GREENBAY, Wisconsin -- The Green Bay Packers are stepping forward to assist Concordia University Wisconsin's sister School in Alabama by donating gently used game pants and socks after a tragic bus fire last weekend. One of Concordia College Alabama's team buses, carrying the football squad, blew up as the team was heading to their game last Saturday against Miles College.

Everyone on the bus got off safely before the explosion, but the team lost a majority of its equipment used on game days.

Rick Riehl, director of Donor Relations at Concordia University Wisconsin, heard about the fire and immediately called the Green Bay Packers organization to find out if they'd be willing to assist in any way.

"The Packers have never let me down," said Riehl. "I knew they would step up and help out our sister school in Alabama during this time of need," he added.

According to a Packers spokesperson, the more than 100 pieces of donated equipment by the organization went out this morning. The equipment is good match for Concordia College Alabama because the College's team colors are green and gold, the same colors as the Green Bay Packers.

 Founded in 1881, Concordia University Wisconsin's main campus is located ...

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THE BUS...
(COURTESY CONCORDIA COLLEGE ATHLETICS)

SELMA, Alabama -- A college football coach in Selma says several schools and businesses have helped his team rebuild after nearly all their equipment was destroyed in a fire.

The Concordia College football team was on its way to a game against Miles College Saturday when their team bus blew a tire and caught on fire soon after. The tire blew out on Alabama Highway 219, north of Selma. The blaze started in the back of the bus on the driver's side, an East Perry volunteer firefighter told the newspaper.

Everyone escaped without injuries, said head coach, Don Lee. However, the team was only able to save about 10 helmets and Lee has said his squad lost about $70,000 in protective gear and camera equipment.

Several schools have stepped forward to donate or loan the team equipment after players went without protective gear during a practice session earlier this week, Lee told the Selma Times-Journal (http://bit.ly/194Mfkf ). Drivers passing the team's 5:30 a.m. practice session Monday honked their horns in support, he said.

Since the fire, Lee says well-wishers near and far have offered to lend the team a helping hand.

"We might look like a college football team before all this is over and done," he told the newspaper.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION TO CONCORDIA COLLEGE
 

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READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Concordia-Selma receives equipment from Adidas after losing $90,000 in fire
Area schools, companies help get Hornets back on the field
College football game canceled after team bus catches on fire
Miles College football coach shows support to Concordia-Selma ... 

Alabama A&M football outlook for Texas Southern

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Here's this week's "Mondays with Anthony," all you need to know and more about Alabama A&M football:

This week: Texas Southern (0-3, 0-2 in the SWAC) at Alabama A&M (1-3, 1-1 in the SWAC), 6 p.m., Louis Crews Stadium.

Last week: Alabama A&M lost at Prairie View A&M 28-26. The Bulldogs took a 12-0 lead - missing PATs after both touchdowns - but yielded 21 unanswered points in the third when the offense was unable to move on consecutive possessions. A&M had two possessions late in the fourth to move into field goal range but weren't able to cross midfield.

Saturday's standouts: Tailback Brandon Eldemire had runs of 57 and 61 yards, including a touchdown, and running mate Barrington Scott ground out 125 as the A&M running game finally showed signs of life. Unsung standouts were an offensive line that had its best game of the season. Quarterback Jaymason Lee (15-for-28, 224 yards, two TDs) had a good first start.



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North Carolina A&T Aggies Get Humbling 27-19 Win Over Howard University Bison

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GREENSBORO, North Carolina – Having enough humility is not something the North Carolina A&T football team has to worry about heading into its conference matchup with S.C. State on Oct. 5 in Atlanta.

They will have plenty of it. The Aggies are off to their first 3-0 start in 12 years after defeating Howard 27-19 Thursday night in front of 16,011 fans at Aggie Stadium and in front of a national-television audience watching on ESPNU. 

After looking like a dominant 3-0 team in a first half where they took a 27-7 lead, the Aggies showed there is still room for improvement, even for undefeated teams. The Bison scored the final 12 points of the game, the Aggies turned the ball over twice and had a punt blocked and for the first time in eight games, a team was able to rush for more than 100 yards on the Aggies defense.

“Tonight was an eye-opener for all of us,” said A&T head coach Rod Broadway. “We can’t turn the ball over like we did. “Our kicking game went south on us tonight. We’ve been pretty good kicking game wise, but we had a punt blocked. We dropped a punt (on a return). We shanked a punt. We just weren’t very sharp tonight.”

A&T held a 27-10 lead at halftime lead, but the second half opened with A&T freshman Dominic Frescura’s punt being blocked. The Bison took over at the A&T 22-yard line and three plays later quarterback Greg McGhee connected with Stewart Hartman for a 17-yard touchdown. John Fleck missed the extra point, which left the Aggies with a 27-16 lead.

The Aggies had to rely on their defense to keep the Bison from rallying. A&T ran just 24 plays for 75 yards in the second half. But Howard compiled just 18 yards over its next five possessions and turned the ball over once during that span. In the fourth quarter, the Bison was able to put together a 13-play, 45-yard drive that included an 18-yard run by Anthony Philyaw. Fleck closed out the drive with a 40-yard field goal to put the Bison down by one score, 27-19, with 8:08 to play. Howard had two more chances to cut into the Aggies lead, but D’Vonte Grant blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt by Fleck with 4:03 to play.

Howard’s final drive ended in four plays, giving the Aggies their first conference win of the season and their seventh straight win overall, dating back to last season.

“We’ll take it,” said Broadway. “We’re 3-0. When is the last time we’ve been 3-0 around here? Twelve years? So yeah, we’ll take it. It was a tough win. I knew coming in Howard was a good football team. We’re very fortunate to get a win. But we’re going to have to play better than we played tonight if we expect to beat a team, South Carolina State, who I think has been one of the premiere teams in our league over the last 10 years.”

In the first half, A&T did all the things a 3-0 team does to become 3-0. Freshman Michael Weaver blocked a Howard punt two minutes into the game to set up a 4-yard touchdown pass from Lewis Kindle to Devin Moore. Howard tied the game at 7 as a Kindle fumble led to a 6-play, 44-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard McGhee touchdown pass to David Wilson.

The Aggies scored the next 20 points by taking advantage of Howard miscues. After the Howard score, Fleck’s kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Aggies a short field they took advantage of as Kindle scored on an 8-yard touchdown run. A D’Vonte Graham interception led to a 1-yard Dominique Drake touchdown and a McGhee fumble followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave the Aggies the ball at the Howard 38. Junior wide receiver Desmond Lawrence took advantage by scoring on a 38-yard touchdown run to give the Aggies their 27-7 lead.

“I thought we had a pretty good rhythm going in the first half offensively,” said Broadway. “But our defense had to play 94 snaps tonight. That’s too many. We have to possess the ball a little bit more offensively and try to give our defense a break. We can’t continue to let those guys play almost 100 plays.”

Howard became the first team since Howard on Oct. 13, 2012, to rush for more than 100 yards on the Aggies defense.  But A&T was still able to get the program’s first-ever win on ESPNU. The Aggies were 0-6 on the network coming into Thursday’s game. The Aggies still hasn’t surrendered a rushing touchdown in 30 straight quarters. 

Grant led the Aggies defensively with 12 tackles and three tackles for loss. Senior safety Travis Crosby added 10 tackles. Lawrence led the Aggies on the offensive end with 48 yards receiving and 44 yards rushing. The Aggies and the Bulldogs renew their rivalry at the Georgia Dome on Oct. 5 with a scheduled 3:30 p.m., kickoff.

“We’re definitely going to remain humble this week,” said Lawrence. “The game tonight was a little close. We had some scary moments, so we know we got some work to do. We just have to keep improving.”

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COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU's regional seeds: 2 doubles teams, 4 singles players

Brion Flowers and Kourtney Howell
Top Seeded Doubles Team

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana's Kourtney Howell and Brion Flowers are the top-seeded women's doubles team in the USTA / ITA NAIA South Regional Championships, which will begin Friday.

The three-day event will be played at the XU Tennis Center and City Park/Pepsi Tennis Center. It is the second fall tournament for the Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush.

Howell and Flowers were 23-11 last season, including six victories against NCAA Division I opponents, were No. 3 in the ITA's postseason rankings of NAIA doubles teams and were selected All-America. They have a first-round bye and will play their round-of-16 match late Friday afternoon, probably at City Park.

Howell is seeded third and Flowers fifth in singles.

Also seeded from Xavier are No. 4 Kyle Montrel and No. 6 Nikita Soifer in men's singles and the doubles team of Montrel and Tushar Mandlekar, who are fourth. Montrel and Soifer were All-America last season.

The other top seeds are from Auburn Montgomery. Nicolas Pinones is No. 1 in men's singles and top-seeded in doubles with Miguel Grifol. Jade Curtis is top-seeded in women's doubles.

Curtis and Morgane Zowczak defeated Howell and Flowers in the doubles final of last year's South Regional.

The majority of Friday's matches will be played at City Park. But Gold Rush fans can watch XU's Adam Albrecht and Vincenzo Ciccone in 9 a.m. first-round matches on campus. Albrecht will play Point's Alonso Treviso, and Ciccone will face AUM's Josh Reason.

Sunday's finals will be played at Xavier.

Joining Xavier, AUM and Point in the eight-school event are Belhaven, Brenau, Georgia Gwinnett, Loyola and William Carey.

Main-draw champions in singles and doubles will qualify for the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships at Fort Myers, Fla., from Oct. 10-13.

tournament site: http://www.xula.edu/athletics/tennis

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

TSU Eyes Win Versus Central State in Gateway Classic

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Nashville, Tennessee – On Saturday, Sept. 28, the Tennessee State football team will play its last non-conference regular season game of the year when the squad travels to St. Louis, Missouri for a matchup with the Marauders of Central State.

 

In last weekend’s Ohio Valley Conference victory at Tennessee Tech, the TSU offense set season highs in total yards (438), passing yards (343) and points (41).

 

Ronald Butler started the game at quarterback and was 12-of-19 for 139 yards and threw his first career touchdown pass on TSU’s opening offensive possession. Michael German spelled the freshman in the second half and went 8-for-14 for 204 yards and three scores.

 

TSU’s pass catchers benefited from the improved quarterback play as junior tight end A.C. Leonard caught five passes for a career-high 122 yards and two touchdowns while freshman wide receiver

Lavatiae Kelly had six grabs for 95 yards and a score.

 

While the offense was the main story at Tech, the Big Blue defense performed at its usual level. TSU did not allow points during the second and third quarters and held the Golden Eagles to just 4.1 yards per play.

 

Samquan Evans paced the TSU defense, setting a personal-best with eight stops and added 2.5 tackles for loss.  He also forced a fumble during the first half.

 

Senior safety David Van Dyke recorded an interception at Tech, his fourth in four games played. The Miami, Fla. native has recorded an interception in each of TSU’s first four contests. Van Dyke’s four picks tie him for the FCS lead with North Carolina Central’s freshman corner Michael Jones.

 

TSU ranks fifth nationally in takeaways with 12- eight of which have come off of interceptions.

 

Another key for TSU in the game at Central State will be the play of kicker Jamin Godfrey who enters the contest second in the nation in field goals made this season with nine. The senior from Englewood, Tenn. also has 249 career points and three points against the Marauders will move him into a tie with Charles Anthony for fourth place on the school’s all-time scoring list.

 

CSU of Division II comes into Saturday’s matchup looking for the team’s first win of the season after starting off 0-3. The Marauders lost to Morehouse College, 42-20, last weekend and have been outscored by opponents 122-46 this year.

 

TSU holds an all-time 25-5 advantage over Central State, but lost the teams’ last meeting in 1990. CSU suspended its football program in 1997, but brought it back in 2005.

 

Tennessee State is 3-0 in the Gateway Classic all-time but last played in the St. Louis game in 1970, a 21-3 victory over Parsons.

 

The last Division II opponent that the Tigers squared off against was Lane College in 1996. TSU won the game, 43-26.

 

Big Blue and the Marauders will kickoff at 2 p.m. on Saturday from the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Coaches poll puts XU Nuggets on top for 4th straight year

NEW ORLEANS — Once again, Xavier University of Louisiana is the choice of Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball coaches to win the championship.

The Gold Nuggets received 7-of-9 first place votes and 62 points in a preseason poll announced Thursday. SUNO was second with 53 points — the Lady Knights received one first-place vote — and Talladega was third with 49 points. The other first-place vote went to Tougaloo, in fourth place with 46 points.

It's the fourth straight year that Xavier is atop the coaches poll. It's the 11th time in 12 seasons that the Nuggets finished in the top two of the poll.

The Gold Nuggets have dominated the GCAC since the start of the 2009-10 season, winning 56-of-61 games against conference opponents — 48-4 in the regular season and 8-1 in the tournament. Xavier won regular-season championships in 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2012-13 — the GCAC did not crown a champion in 2010-11 because of unbalanced scheduling — and tournament championships in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.

The Gold Nuggets were 24-6 overall in 2012-13 and 12-2 in the GCAC. Xavier will attempt to reach 20 victories for the 13th consecutive season, which would extend a school record, and for the 21st time in 22 seasons. The Gold Nuggets also will try to qualify for the NAIA Division I National Championship for the fifth consecutive year and the 18th time in 20 seasons.

The season — the 35th for the Nuggets in the Title IX era — will begin in early November, and 15th-year coach Bo Browder hopes to announce the schedule soon. The NAIA Division I Coaches' Preseason Top 25 will be announced Oct. 29.
      
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Women's Basketball 2013-14 Preseason Coaches Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses)

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Women's Basketball 2013-14 Preseason Coaches Poll (first-place votes in parentheses) No. School Points 1. Xavier (7) 62 2. SUNO (1) 53 3. Talladega 49 4. Tougaloo (1) 46 5. Philander Smith 39 6. Dillard 26 7. Edward Waters 21 8. Fisk 17 9. Voorhees 11 Xavier in previous GCAC polls 2012-13 — 1st 2011-12 — 1st 2010-11 — 1st 2009-10 — 2nd 2008-09 — 1st 2007-08 — 2nd 2006-07 — 3rd       2004-05 — 1st 2003-04 — 2nd 2002-03 — 2nd 2001-02 — 1st 1999-2000 — 1st 1993-94 — 1st

  

 

web version of this story: http://www.xula.edu/athletics/news/2013/0926b.html

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

FSU, Elizabeth City State coaches have 20-year history

ROCKY MOUNT, North Carolina  -- Virginia State simply needed good players.

The Trojans had fallen on hard times by 1993, and they needed talent.

In college football, obtaining good players – particularly in Division II – means thorough recruiting, and Virginia State assistant Waverly Tillar saw an area in which the team could improve. Ther
e were football players on the roster from Philadelphia and New Jersey, but none from New York, which also is within a day’s drive of Virginia State.

Lawrence Kershaw was a kid from Brooklyn who was looking for a new home.

He committed to Stony Brook University out of high school, but he wasn’t happy there. Kershaw sent film to a handful of schools and hoped to transfer to a better fit.

One of those tapes found its way to Tillar, who not only saw a potential starter on the Trojans’ offensive line but perhaps the beginning of a pipeline to the most populous city in the United States.

“We were hoping to establish a pipeline going to Virginia State to hopefully be able to get those kids (from New York),” Tillar said. “Of course, part of recruiting is you got to have a diverse mesh of players from different areas to put together a consistently winning program.”

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Run defense could be key in Morgan State's conference opener this Saturday

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Morgan State’s defense was solid against the run last season, a middle-of-the-road unit that finished 78th nationally after allowing an average of 177.7 yards in 2012. This year’s unit, however, has strayed from that path.

The Bears are surrendering 303.0 rushing yards per game this fall, which ranks 115th among 122 teams in the Football Championship Subdivision. Sixteen of their opponents' 20 touchdowns have been running scores.

“We continue to look at it – from scheme to personnel,” coach Donald Hill-Eley said Tuesday during a conference call. “On defense, you’ve got to tackle. So we’ve got to make our tackles, we’ve got to be in the right place. Going out against those teams that were really good at running the ball, we definitely understand that defense wins championships. So there’s no way that we can pursue one of those if we’re giving up 300 yards on the ground. So we have to be able to stop the run.”

In Army’s 28-12 victory on Aug. 30, the Black Knights rushed for 295 yards, and quarterback Angel Santiago scored three rushing touchdowns. In Liberty’s 38-10 Sept. 14 rout, the Flames had 330 yards on the ground and scored on five runs.

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UWA Rolls Up 596 Yards in 71-14 Win Over Concordia

DEMOPOLIS, Alabama – Kyle Caldwell passed for three touchdowns and West Alabama rolled up 596 yards total offense on the way to a 71-14 college football victory over Concordia Thursday at Tiger Stadium in Demopolis.

West Alabama held the Hornets to just 15 yards rushing and improved to 3-1 with its top offensive yardage and point totals of the season. This is second time that a Tiger team coached by Will Hall has topped the 70 point mark. Concordia dropped to 0-3.

"We executed better in the second half, but we came out sloppy," Hall said. "I am really disappointed that we gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown and that we turned it over twice in the red zone like a bunch of clowns.

"We have a football team that is capable of winning a national title, so when we don't play as well as we believe we should, then everyone is unhappy," Hall said. "Still, it was game four and it was a win. It's good to be in that spot with our football program when we win by this margin and folks are unhappy."

For the fourth straight game the Tigers scored on the first possession. Mark Grant got West Alabama on the board with a 22-yard field goal with less than two minutes gone in the game. Concordia fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Stephanio McNair recovered in the Hornet endzone to put the Tigers ahead 10-0 just 10 seconds later.

Terrell Edwards-Maye then returned Grant's next kickoff 91 yards for a score, the extra point was no good and UWA led 10-6.

West Alabama would score two more times in the opening period on an 8-yard TD pass from Kyle Caldwell to Chad Toocheck and a 12-yard run by Kedrick Rhodes to go up 24-6 at the 6:48 mark of the first quarter. Rhodes finished with 122 yards rushing on 11 carries.

"They were hard to make checks against because they were lining up in random sets," Caldwell said. "We still have to take better care of the football. Chad and I had a miscommunication on the interception I threw in the end zone."

Cameron Mayfield found Mason Tillman from 10 yards out and the Hornets converted the two-point try to cut the West Alabama lead to 24-14 with 4:48 left on the first quarter clock.

The Tigers scored twice in the second quarter to stretch the lead to 38-14 at the half. Caldwell found Seth Roberts on a 44-yard touchdown pass with 11:02 left in the half and Rhodes found the endzone for the second time in the game on a 15-yard run with 1:08 until the break.

Roberts finished with three catches for 94 yards and has now scored a Gulf South Conference leading six touchdowns. Carnell Boyd also had three receptions for 52 yards.

Caldwell threw another touchdown pass to Toocheck in the third quarter, this one good for 19 yards. Gary Johnston found Javae Swindle out of the Tiger backfield for 14 yards and a third-quarter score as well.

Caldwell finished 12-for-24 for 216 yards, while Johnston was 3-for-4 for 58 yards and a score. He also caught two passes for 16 yards and ran four times for 43 yards. Dustyn Moseley also played at quarterback, but did not attempt a pass.

West Alabama tacked on three more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Johnston found the endzone from 13 yards out with 14:03 left in the game to put the Tigers up 58-14.

Reggie Hall outran the Concordia defense from 22 yards out to make it 64-14 with 7:20 left to play. The one-play drive was set up by an interception return of 70 yards by safety Brandon Lilly, who finished with a game-high nine tackles.

"Qyen (Griffin) gets the credit for that because he batted the football and the defensive line got good pressure," Lilly said. "I was looking to score, but I just ran out of gas. I never told anybody I was fast and about 70 yards is all I got."

Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Jherron Jones capped off the scoring with the Tigers first defensive touchdown of the season, recovering a Concordia fumble in the Hornet end zone with 3:03 to play.

Mario Gainer, Demetruce McNeal and Ryan Jones combined for 18 tackles. Jones had a sack and two tackles for a loss, while Gainer had a tackle for loss.

Mayfield completed 17-of-26 for 155 yards for the Hornets. Edwards-Maye had 19 yards rushing to lead Concordia.

The Tigers return to GSC play Thursday when Delta State comes to Tiger Stadium on the UWA campus in Livingston. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. for the GSC-TV LIVE game.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

LIVE FOOTBALL TONIGHT ON ESPNU: North Carolina A&T State University Aggies vs. Howard University Bison

WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

 Aggies Seek Their First ESPNU Win

Howard (1-2) at North Carolina A&T (2-0)  
Date: September 26, 2013
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Facility: Aggie Stadium, Greensboro, North Carolina
Series: A&T leads 24-19
Radio: WNAA 90.1 FM, Campus Radio Station: Spencer Gwynn (play-by-play); Billy Covington (color); Al Swann (analysis)
TV: ESPNU: Mark Neely (play-by-play); Jay Walker (analysis)

A&T OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB Dominique Drake (5-9, 202, Sr., 177 yds rushing, 47 att., 4 rec., 36 yds); RT Nathan Isles (6-5, 324, Sr., will clear the way in the running game); QB Lewis Kindle (6-1, 205, R-Sr., 20-for-38, 1 TD); WR Desmond Lawrence (5-10, 181, Jr., 15 rec., 191 yds 1TD); RB Ricky Lewis (5-9, 187, Sr., 5.8 yds per carry); LT William Ray Robinson III (6-3, 305, R-Jr., MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week (9/16-9/22); sack).

HOWARD OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR Brandon Flanagan (5-7, 165, R-Sr., 15 rec., 142 yds); C Joshua Matthews (6-4, 330, Sr., leader on the Bison’s offensive line); QB Greg McGhee (6-3, 208, Jr., 59-for-85 4INTs, 4TDs, 639 yds passing, 163 yds rushing, 34 att.); RB William Parker (41 att., 227 yds, 1 TD, 5.5 ypc); WR Rodney Tyson (5-9, 175, Jr., 7 rec., 93 yds, 1 TD, 13.3 ypr).

A&T DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH: DB Travis Crosby (5-9, 189, Sr., leads the team with 19 tackles) CB D’Vonte Graham (5-7, 157, Sr., preseason All-MEAC, preseason All-American); LB D’Vonte Grant (5-10, 208, Sr., 14 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT returned for TD, 1 BLK); DE Daniel Pinnix (6-1, 240, So., 11 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 2 QB Hurries).

HOWARD DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH: FS Cameron Alston (6-0, 190, R-Jr., 30 tackles, leads the team); DL Damon Gresham-Chisolm (6-3, 250, So., preseason All-MEAC, 13 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1.5 sacks); RCB Ademola Olatunji (2 INTs, 5 PBUs); SLB Tabrian Resby (6-0, 230, Sr., 29 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, 2 QB Hurries).

Aggies Overview:  The Aggies are going to play on ESPNU for the seventh time in their history when they face Howard University Thursday night at 7:30 p.m., from Aggie Stadium. The Aggies have never won on the network, losing the previous six matchups by an average of 38 points. The Aggies are seeking more than just their first win on ESPNU, they’re looking for their first conference win of the season. The Aggies and Bison will be playing in the first conference matchup of the 2013 season. A&T is hoping to the combination of quarterback Lewis Kindle and wide receiver Desmond Lawrence will continue to be productive. Kindle targeted Lawrence 12 times in the Aggies’ 23-10 win over Elon on Sept. 14. Lawrence responded with 10 receptions for 148 yards. The Aggies defense, more specifically, their rush defense continues to be the cornerstone of the team. The Aggies have not given up 100 yards rushing since Oct. 13, 2012, a 38-10 win over the Howard Bison. It is a streak of seven straight games. The Aggies also have not given up a rushing touchdown in the last 26 quarters.

Howard Overview: Howard will be without one of the best defensive players in the MEAC in Julien David. The preseason All-MEAC will be out, but the Bison still has some stellar defensive players. Damon Gresham-Chisolm is one of the best defensive ends in the conference. The preseason All-MEAC performer has 13 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Cornerback Ademola Oltaunji already has two interceptions and five passes defended on the season. The Howard offense begins and ends with quarterback Gregg McGhee. McGhee is a dual threat with his arm and his legs. In two previous games versus A&T, McGhee is 39-for-71 for 476 yards and three touchdowns. This season, McGhee has completed 69 percent of his passes and thrown for 639 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has 163 yards rushing on 34 carries. William Parker leads the rushing attack, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

Potential Star: The quarterback matchup between Lewis Kindle and Greg McGhee is an intriguing one. Both men came into their respective programs with the expectation of being the key piece to turn around previous misfortunes. Both have run into road blocks along the way. Thursday’s winner could easily be determined by the man who wins the quarterback battle between Kindle and McGhee.

News & Notes: The Aggies will hit the road for Atlanta next week as they prepare to face the S.C. State Bulldogs in the Atlanta Football Classic in the Georgia Dome. The Aggies snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Bulldogs last season with their 17-7 win at Aggie Stadium. The Bulldogs have retooled under head coach Buddy Pough. Pough has had tremendous success against the Aggies, posting a 10-1 record against the border foes. This will mark the 12th time the two schools have played on neutral ground with the Bulldogs winning eight of those previous 11 match-ups.

 The Aggies’ 2-0 start marks the 39th time in school history the Aggies have started 2-0. The Aggies have finished with a winning record 28 out of the 39 times they have started 2-0. The Aggies only won one CIAA Championship in their history after starting 2-0. Five of their previous six MEAC titles came after 2-0 starts with the only exception being the 1975 championship they shared with S.C. State. The Aggies are a combined 217-97-10 in season’s where they start 2-0.

From the Coach: “I don’t get caught up in all that. My job is to get our football team ready to play a football game. If I can do that, everything else handles itself. One of the things I try to focus on and I try to get our kids to focus on is the things you can control. I know our people are excited about playing on TV, and I know there has been a lot of excitement around here the last two weeks, and I hope our people come out in droves to support their football team. But we can’t let our guys get caught up on TV being here.”

 

 COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Morgan State's starting quarterback still yet to be named

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- All three quarterbacks on Morgan State’s roster have gotten considerable time heading the offense in the first four games of the season. But the jury is still out on who will start in Saturday’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener against Norfolk State at Hughes Stadium in Baltimore.

Redshirt freshman Moses Skillon leads all quarterbacks in passing yards (244) and is tied for the lead in passing touchdowns (two) despite playing in just three contests. He is also averaging 4.5 yards per carry (116 yards on 26 attempts).

Redshirt junior Robert Council leads in completion percentage (61.5) and passing efficiency (143.26), but has thrown just 13 passes. He has rushed 24 times for 67 yards and one score.

Junior Seth Higgins has also tossed two touchdowns, but he has been intercepted twice. He has carried the ball 19 times for 62 yards.

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GAME NOTES: S.F. Austin vs. Prairie View A&M

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- The Lumberjacks are 5-0-1 (.916) all-time against Prairie View A&M, outscoring the Panthers 194-50 overall. Saturday will mark the first meeting between the two teams since the 1988 season when SFA defeated Prairie View 38-3 in Nacogodches. All previous six games were played at Homer Bryce Stadium.

TV COVERAGE: Saturday's contest will streamed on sfajacks.com and be broadcasted on the radio on KTBQ-FM 107.7.

UPSET CITY: SFA's win over No. 2/3 Montana State was the 'Jacks first over an FCS Top-3 ranked team since the 1996 season when SFA defeated No. 3 Troy State, 13-10 in Nacogdoches. It also marked the first time an unranked SFA team defeated an FCS Top-3 squad since the 1993 season when the 'Jacks defeated No. 2 Youngstown State, 35-15.

50-50 CLUB: With 52 points scored on Saturday, the 'Jacks recorded back-to-back games of 50-plus points scored for the first time since the 1989 season. SFA scored 50 points versus McMurry and 52 points against Montana State. In 1989 SFA defeated No. 13 Grambling State 59-56 and followed that up with a 55-25 win over No. 9 Southwest Missouri.

ATTAWAY CLIMBING THE CHARTS: SFA senior quarterback Brady Attaway passed for 392 yards while completing 34-of-56 pass attempts and two touchdown passes in SFA's victory over Montana State. Attaway surpassed former Texas State quarterback Bradley George for third place all-time in Southland Conference history with 772 completions. The Whitehouse, Texas native also moved into sixth place in SLC history with 65 career passing touchdowns, which also moved him into second place in school history in that same category, passing Todd Hammel. Attaway also moved up a spot in the league career ranks to seventh all-time in career passing yards with 8,420.

WE'RE GOING THE OTHER WAY: SFA recorded four more interceptions last Saturday, giving them a league-best nine for the season. Senior linebacker Ortavious Hypolite returned one of the interceptions for a TD, marking the first time the 'Jacks had an INT return for a touchdown since the 2010 season when Ben Wells did so at Lamar. 

SLC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Following their upset over the nationally ranked Montana State Bobcats, Stephen F. Austin junior running back Gus Johnson and senior linebacker Ortavious Hypolite were both rewarded by being named the Southland Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, the league office announced on Monday. Johnson, a native of Gilmer, Texas (Gilmer HS), recorded his third 100-plus yard rushing performance of the season and eighth of his career with 157 yards on 26 carries along with three rushing touchdowns. Johnson scored the game-winning touchdown with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Hypolite, a native of Orange, Texas (West Orange Stark HS), put the final touch on the upset with a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown on Montana State's final drive while also recording 11 tackles (1.5 tackles for a loss).

HOME SWEET HOME: SFA has made Homer Bryce Stadium one of the toughest places to play for teams over the course of the past four seasons. The Lumberjacks are 21-4 dating back to 2009 and are currently riding a nine-game win streak entering Saturday's contest. SFA is 13-1 (.929) in SLC games at home since 2010. The lone loss during that stretch was a three-point setback to Texas State in 2010.

 

WINNING RECORD: The 'Jacks are 32-19 (.627) over their last 51 games (previous four seasons/plus 4 games this season). Despite not recording a winning record in 2012, the first time in the past four seasons, SFA was able to keep its streak of conference winning seasons alive. The 'Jacks posted a 4-3 mark in Southland Conference play which marks the fourth consecutive season SFA has recorded above a .500 record in league games. It marks the longest stretch of conference winning seasons in program history. The 'Jacks recorded a stretch of non-losing seasons from 1993-97, but that included a 3-3 SLC record in 1996.

THE COACH: J.C. Harper became the 18th head coach of the SFA Lumberjack football team in December 2006. A two-time SLC Coach of the Year, Harper has guided SFA to two conference titles and NCAA playoff appearances. SFA is 36-37 (.493) in his six seasons in Nacogdoches.

 

Quick Hits

• Brady Attaway is 13-13 (.500) all-time as the Lumberjacks' starting quarterback.

• The Lumberjacks are now 18-22 (.436) in televised games dating back to the 1998 season. SFA was 2-4 (.333) in televised games in 2012.  

• Since 1995, the Lumberjacks are 22-33 (.400) against teams ranked in the NCAA Division I FCS top 25. After dropping 13 of 17 games against ranked teams, SFA has now won six of 11 games against the top 25.

• Since joining Division I FCS in 1986, SFA is 26-3 (.896) against non-Division I teams. The 'Jacks lost to Angelo State, 28-24, in 1990 and dropped a 17-14 decision in 2006. SFA opened the 2007 season with a 27-24 overtime loss to Tarleton State.

COURTESY STEPHEN F. AUSTIN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Ram Ramblings: WSSU is rounding into championship form

CLEVELAND, Ohio  –  OK, maybe Winston-Salem State is as good as it was last season when it won 14 straight games before losing to Valdosta State in the Division II national championship.

I’ve kind of held back from comparing last season’s team, which was the best in school history, with the current team. But from what I saw on Saturday afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium this current Rams team is rounding into shape.

The Rams steamrolled the highly-touted Tuskegee Tigers 35-13 in a dominating performance.
Coach Connell Maynor keeps telling anybody who will listen, and I do usually listen to him, that it would take some time for them to jell.

After the game several players told me about two ‘players’ only’ meetings held recently. One of them was the week after the loss to UNC Pembroke and the other one was Friday night at their hotel.

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Columbus connections cultivated Florida A&M

HEAD COACH RUDY HUBBARD IN 1986
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It’s ancient history to most, but the golden age of Florida A&M football traces its roots to the very city and stadium the Rattlers will visit for the first time on Saturday.

The name of A.S. “Jake” Gaither, who won six black college national championships during his career at the school, is as synonymous with Florida A&M football as Eddie Robinson’s is with Grambling. Gaither entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975.

But the man who gave Gaither his start in coaching, and who led the Rattlers to their first two national titles, was William “Big Bill” Bell, a standout tackle at Ohio State from 1929 to ’31.

Bell became coach at Florida A&M in 1936, and in seven seasons, had a record of 47-9-5 and won two national titles.

Bell and Gaither met after the ’36 season while completing master’s degrees at Ohio State. Gaither would have been the logical successor when Bell left in 1943 to serve in World War II, but the previous year had undergone brain surgery.

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Rocky Mount native remains steady for ECSU

KEITH STRICKLAND

ROCKY MOUNT, North Carolina  -- Even in what is shaping up to be his best statistical season, Elizabeth City State senior Keith Strickland can’t allow himself to pay attention to the numbers.

After three games this season, Strickland, a Rocky Mount High graduate, is on his way to being one of the top five receivers in the CIAA, but he only allows two things to enter his mind: Improving and helping the Vikings win their first game of the season Saturday in the 16th Annual Down East Viking Football Classic.

“I try not to think statistics-wise because we are 0-3,” Strickland said. “I feel like I can always do better, but that’s why I will continue to work hard – to do better than I did last time.”

Strickland will graduate in December with a degree in accounting.

Fayetteville State, which plays the Vikings on Saturday at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex, likely has done some numbers crunching on Strickland.

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Winless Hampton U. looks for fresh start in MEAC play

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton University's journey back to competitive relevance so far included a flat tire, a blown radiator and a fleecing by the locals.

Now that the Pirates return to their neighborhood, they have a chance at a fresh start, with the possibility of a big audience.

After a month, HU is in the same position as a year ago — winless. Unlike last year, all of the Pirates' losses were to non-conference teams. They have the full Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference slate ahead of them, beginning with Saturday's opener 2 p.m. at South Carolina State (2-2, 0-0 MEAC), a game that will be broadcast on tape-delay by ESPNU.

"Regardless of whatever the record may be, we're just starting," Pirates coach Donovan Rose said Wednesday. "It's the MEAC. We went through a preseason and we didn't come out with the script that we would have liked. But we're here, and now, we have an opportunity to go in front of the entire nation. It shouldn't be any additional motivation required. Now, we get a chance to redeem ourselves and let them know who you are — the real HU."

Hampton (0-4) comes off of a 50-17 loss at Coastal Carolina, only the fourth time that HU has given up 50 points since becoming a Division I program. The Chanticleers, ranked 15th at the time, rushed for 382 yards and led 40-0 at halftime before taking their foot off of the gas pedal.

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Donald Hill-Eley has closed chapter on Morgan State's 0-4 start

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- For the first time since Donald Hill-Eley became head coach in 2002, Morgan State has opened the season with four consecutive losses. But he said the mood in the locker room has not changed.

“Yesterday was a day that we give the players off, and you’ve got 40 guys out on the field, moving around,” Hill-Eley said Tuesday morning during a conference call. “So the spirits are high. Quite naturally, you would want to have gotten a win within these first four games. [But] you’re going against conference champions, you’re going against the Big South champion [Liberty]. ... So you get a chance to go against the best that they have.

"Unfortunately, you didn’t win, but it’s being able to understand that you competed and take away what you can back into your conference and make your push. Nothing has happened to this point to take us away from our quest of winning the MEAC championship. Right now, that starts this week. This is all for the marbles. Everything else, that chapter is closed, and we’re moving forward.”

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