Walker Breaks All-Time Record, Alcorn Braves Win Home Finale 50-35 Over Prairie View

LORMAN, Mississippi  -- Arnold Walker carried the ball 26 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns to surpass Augustus Lee's 34-year old career rushing yards record in tonight's 50-35 victory over Prairie View A&M.

The Braves didn't waste any time taking it to the Panthers in the opening seconds of the first quarter. Sophomore quarterback John Gibbs, Jr. connected with Zerick Rollins, Jr. for a 13-yard touchdown to give the Braves an early 7-0 lead.

Three drives later Prairie View drove 80 yards down the field which led to six-yard touchdown pass from Jake Lovelocke to Deandre Cooper to tie the game at 7-7 with 3:38 to play in the first quarter.

The Panthers took their first and only lead of the game 14-7 on a Johnta Hebert 18-yard rushing touchdown with less than two minutes into the second quarter.

After Prairie View's Chuck Obi's interception you would think the Panthers were about to run away with the game but the Braves had other plans.

The defense forced the Panthers to punt after the interception and earned great field position on a 42-yard punt return by senior Tavoris Doss. On the next play, Gibbs, Jr. found sophomore wide receiver LaDarrien Davis for a 23-yard strike to tie the game at 14-14 at the 10:25 mark.

Junior defensive back CJ Morgan intercepted a pass to setup the Braves next scoring drive. Walker snuck in from three yards out to retake the lead for the Braves 21-14 with 8:12 left in the second quarter.

Another forced punt allowed the Braves to set up another touchdown scoring drive. Anthony Williams III scored his only touchdown of the night on a one-yard run to increase the Braves lead to 27-14.

The Panthers gave the Braves the ball right back after another punt and the Braves took advantage of the opportunity to score again just before the half.



John Gibbs, Jr. scrambled 15 yards to the end zone for the Braves fourth touchdown of the second quarter to open their lead to 34-14. At the end of the second quarter the Braves had scored 27 unanswered points after being down 14-7 earlier in the quarter.

The Braves continued their dominance over the Panthers in the third quarter when Walker found the end zone for the second time on a two-yard touchdown which made the score 40-14.

Prairie View finally answered with a three-yard touchdown run by Courtney Brown. The touchdown stopped the Braves 34 consecutive points making the score 40-21 with 2:32 to go in the third quarter.

The Panthers weren't done yet after forcing the Braves to punt twice. Deandre Cooper reeled in his second touchdown of the night from backup quarterback DeAuntre Smiley for 28 yards to cut the Braves lead to 12, 40-28 with 10:44 left in the game.

Prairie View's defense forced another Braves punt and were back in business with 6:54 to play but the Braves defense wasn't about to let the Panthers back into the game.

Junior defensive tackle Deion Roberson recorded a sack and the next play junior William Thomas intercepted a pass and raced to the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown to extend the Braves lead to 47-28.

Freshman kicker Haiden McCraney scored the Braves final three points on a 32-yard field goal 3:29 to play.

The Panthers scored in the closing seconds of the game on 57-yard pass from Lovelocke to DeAndre Cooper for his third receiving touchdown of the night.

Gibbs, Jr. completed 24 of 43 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 79 yards on nine carries and one rushing touchdown. LaDarrien Davis caught a career-high six passes for 83 yards and one touchdown.

Alcorn State's defense accounted for five interceptions led by Devon Francois who intercepted two passes. Francois also recorded a single game career-high 12 tackles. Anthony Williams, Jr. racked up nine total tackles for the Braves.

Up next for the Braves (8-3, 5-2) is a trip to Jackson to face rival Jackson State. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Box Score

COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Morgan State's Bozier Records 400th Career Coaching Victory

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Twenty-six years ago Morgan State head volleyball coach Ramona Riley-Bozier returned to her alma mater to take over the Lady Bears' program. After going winless in her first season at the helm, Bozier gradually began to put the pieces together and build a powerhouse and well-respected program.

During her remarkable career, Bozier has claimed five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships, five MEAC Coach of the Year awards, four MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Coach honors and guided three teams to the NCAA Tournament. Bozier's 1997 team made history when it defeated Grambling State in an NCAA Play-In match, thus becoming the first Historically Black College or University to earn a trip to the NCAA Division I Tournament.

She has collected 10 20-plus win seasons and turned the Lady Bears into a dominant force in the MEAC's North Division, as Morgan State won 88 consecutive division matches between 1994 and 2003.

This past Sunday (Nov. 3), Bozier, already the winningest head coach at Morgan State in any sport, reached yet another career milestone when the Lady Bears defeated Delaware State in four sets to give Bozier her 400th coaching victory.

"I am proud and honored that Mr. Leonard Braxton (former Director of Athletics) gave me an opportunity to coach 26 years ago. I never thought I would be still coaching here or anywhere else," said Bozier of what reaching the 400-win plateau at her alma mater means to her.
"However, I am glad and feel very proud to watch more female athletes become Morganites.

"I am very competitive and I love to win at everything. Those periods when we had not so good seasons or just okay seasons, I think because this is my alma mater, I felt it was important for me to help the young ladies find another way to win, by graduating, starting their careers and getting involved on campus."

Bozier, who entered this season 12 shy of 400 victories and ranked in the top-50 (43^rd) of active coaches in wins, was unaware of the feat she was about to reach during Sunday's match. So when Samantha Prescott tallied a kill for the final point of the match to give the Lady Bears their seventh win in their last eight contests, keeping her emotions in tact was easy.

"I really did not pay any attention to the 400," said Bozier. "I had others who text me and those who were there at the match to remind me that was 400. I really did not have getting 400 on my mind. I knew it was important for us to win, which was going to help us get to the MEAC volleyball championship (MEAC)."

The last time the Lady Bears reached the MEAC championship was two years ago in 2011. That squad went 10-19 overall, but finished 8-4 in the MEAC North, good for second-place. Seniors Ngebui Chafeh and Janelle Wilson, who were sophomores that season and juniors Zuri Smith and Tamara Leslie, who were freshmen at the time, are the only players on the team to have experienced reaching the league championship.

Reaching the milestone has yet to set in with Bozier and probably won't until after the season, as her focus quickly shifted to the upcoming regular season and home finale against Howard on Friday.

"Monday, one day after the 400 wins, that was the furthest thing from my mind," said Bozier. "I am only focusing on trying to find a way to defeat Howard one more time this year to not only go to the MEAC Tournament, but also possibly move to a second-place finish in the north division. It would really take someone else to remind me of the accomplishment."

There's no denying that what Bozier has accomplished during her career has been remarkable and reaching 400 wins was just another addition to her long list of accomplishments.

In addition to her volleyball coaching responsibilities, Bozier, who also received her Master's degree in sociology from Morgan State, also served as softball coach at Morgan for seven seasons. She recorded a 161-194 coaching record and guided the Lady Bears to their only appearance in the MEAC title game in 1999.

As an athlete, Bozier was a two-sport star in volleyball and track during her undergraduate days at Morgan State. A native of Kansas City, Mo., Bozier is one of 10 players in the history of the volleyball program to have registered 1,000 career kills.

On the track, Bozier was a key component of the Lady Bears' record setting relay teams that turned heads in the national track community. A three-time All-American and a top performer in the MEAC, Bozier recorded personal-bests in the 100 meter dash (11.2) and the 200 meter dash (23.8). She became one of the top triple jumpers for Morgan with a career-best jump of 36'11 and still holds the UMBC Meet record in the 60 meter dash, which she set in 1983.

Bozier ran the first leg on Morgan State's legendary 4X100 meter relay team which in 1986 set the school record in a time of 44.47 seconds, which still stands today. The squad also won the Penn Relays and finished second that year at the Division I National Championships.

Despite all her accolades as an athlete and a coach, she has been and continues to remain the same. It's always been about her athletes and her next task at hand is getting this year's team into the league tournament for an opportunity to play for a championship.

"You and those who know me know it is never about me. I always have my athletes in mind and wanting them to win," said Bozier on what achieving the milestone means to her. "Them getting the win on Sunday helped them get closer to their individual and team goals, I just happened to achieve a milestone. I honestly didn't know I needed 12 wins this year to reach an amazing accomplishment of 400 wins.

"I don't coach to focus on personal accolades for myself. I like the focus to be on the student-athletes, who come early in the morning, play in pain; deal with classes and etc., which allows me to have a job. My personal accolades that I get excited about, is seeing my athletes happy with a win, then I feel that I have accomplished something. Getting 400 wins this year will not mean anything to me if we don't get to the MEAC championship. I feel blessed that I have had the longevity to reach this milestone, however, I want more that consists of my athletes getting a conference championship."

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Miles at Tuskegee Buzz

WHAT: Miles (5-3, 5-1 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) at Tuskegee (8-1, 6-0).

 

WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m. 

 

WHERE: Cleve L. Stadium, Tuskegee, Ala. 

THIS GAME DETERMINES: Who will represent the SIAC West in the conference title game in Atlanta on Nov. 23rd. Tuskegee, undefeated sits atop the division standings but Miles is right behind the Golden Tigers with one loss. If Tuskegee wins, it'll be its second-straight trip to the conference title game. If Miles pulls off the upset, they'll advance to their second league championship contest in three years under coach Reginald Ruffin. A lot's riding on this one. 

THREE THINGS TO WATCH 
 

1. Miles' quarterback situation. It seemed the Golden Bears had hit a rhythm when last year's starter, David Thomas, guided them to back-to-back victories against Kentucky State and Lane College (Tenn.), averaging 39 points in each contest. Then, the offense sputtered in the first half on the road against Stillman last week and Ruffin turned to Alabama State transfer Demetrice Price. Price led the Golden Bears to a 20-point comeback, tossing a 23-yard touchdown toss with 17.9 seconds to lift the team to a 31-30 victory. The good news is the offense has shown it can flourish under each guy. The bad news is only one of them can get the majority of the snaps in the biggest game of the season. 

2. Tuskegee's start. The Golden Tigers have outscored teams 78-27 in the first quarter this year, a huge factor in their six-game winning streak. If they get a huge head start against Miles, a comeback might be improbable. Tuskegee is the SIAC's third-leading rushing team, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. So, the Golden Tigers are capable of grinding out and dominating the time of possession battle. 

 

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Paine College men's basketball wants to contend in the SIAC this season

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- Entering his fourth season leading the Paine College men’s basketball team, Jimmy Link is ready for the Lions to take the next step.

After going 30-28 the past two years, Paine returns an experienced squad looking to climb in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. To do so, Link said, his team has to win on the road. The Lions get their first challenge when they open the season at 5:30 p.m. today vs. Nova Southeastern in Melbourne, Fla. Paine will also play Florida Tech on Saturday night.

“We’re really good at home,” said Link, whose team has won 17 of their past 24 home contests.

“We’ve just got to figure it out on the road.”

Paine, 14-15 last season, has plenty of experience with eight seniors and three juniors. The only problem? Three seniors likely won’t play until December.

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Elon Women’s Basketball Hosts WSSU Rams in Season Opener Friday

ELON, N.C. – It’s been 252 days since the Elon women’s basketball team last played a regular-season game in Alumni Gym, but that changes on Friday, Nov. 8, as the Phoenix opens up the 2013-14 regular season at 5 p.m. against Winston-Salem State as part of an Elon basketball doubleheader. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for all youth 12 and under.

Date: Friday, Nov. 8
Site: Elon, N.C. (Alumni Gym)
Series: Elon leads, 11-1
Last Meeting: Dec. 13, 2009 – Elon won, 71-59
Radio: WSOE 89.3 FM – Matt Krause and Joe DiRienzo will have the call

Last Time Out
Elon looked strong in its lone exhibition game last weekend against Pfeiffer. The Phoenix won handedly, 83-38, over the Falcons and shot a blistering 50 percent from the field. Autumn Carter led the team with 24 points, while rookie Jenifer Rhodes hauled down 15 rebounds. Zora Stephenson finished with 19 points and seven assists, followed by Kelsey Harris who looked impressive all-around with 13 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals.

Scouting the Rams
WSSU returns nine players from last year’s 15-13 team, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIAA tournament. The Rams also welcome three newcomers, two of which played previously at Bethune-Cookman. The Rams lost to ACC power NC State in an exhibition last week, 80-46, but looked strong on the boards with 37 total rebounds. Jovonah Graham led WSSU with 10 points and eight boards. The Rams are coached A.G. Hall, who is now in his second season.

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Robinson is finishing an outstanding career at Saint Augustine's

Chaz Robinson
(Courtesy SAU Athletics)

RALEIGH, North Carolina  -- Capping what has already been a stellar season, Chaz Robinson recently broke the career tackle record at Saint Augustine's College in Raleigh, N.C.

Robinson, who won three state titles as a standout fullback and linebacker at Phoebus High School, set the record on Oct. 19, in a game against Winston-Salem State University. Entering the game needing three tackles, Robinson crushed the record with a 13-tackle effort, albeit in a losing cause for the 3-5 Falcons.

After last Saturday's contest against Fayetteville State University, Robinson has 384 career tackles, and is now only 23 short of the Falcon single-season record with two games left.

Robinson broke the previous mark of 363 set by Kevin Jones, a former All-American linebacker and current St. Augustine's safeties coach.

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Collins, WSSU Rams set to unveil new look

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State’s new-look men’s basketball team will make its debut at 7 p.m. today in the Big House Gaines Tip-Off Classic at the Gaines Center.

The Rams, who lost five of their top six scorers from last season and have 12 new players, will take on Division II Notre Dame of Ohio in the second game of a doubleheader. Fayetteville State will play Concord in the first game at 5 p.m.

Coach Bobby Collins of WSSU has a bigger team than he had last season with the addition of two transfers — 7-foot Brian Okam (Appalachian State) and 6-10 Bryan Scott (Delaware State). And Collins is excited about the team’s depth and said that as many as 12 players could be in his early-
season rotation.

Other newcomers expected to make impacts are Javan Wells, Preston Ross (Western Carolina transfer) and Sean Deniton.

"The way they are calling games with an emphasis on hand-checking, the team with the best depth is going to succeed,” Collins said. “I hope it’s my deepest team.”

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Deja Middleton returns to FSU women's basketball team after 3 years away

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  -- Deja Middleton's life seemed close to perfect back in March 2010.

The 6-foot-5 center had just helped the Fayetteville State women's basketball team claim the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament. Middleton had even been selected the CIAA's Defensive Player of the Year for her performance during the season.

With two years of eligibility remaining, the sky seemed the limit for the bright, athletic sophomore from Richmond, Va.

And then, Deja Middleton decided to walk away from it all.

"Just life changes. I needed a break,'' Middleton said with a shrug of her shoulders when asked to explain her departure.

Middleton's "break'' lasted three years, but at the age of 23 and motivated by life lessons learned dur
ing that time, she returns to the basketball court today as the Broncos tip off their 2013-2014 season against Barber-Scotia at Capel Arena.

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JCSU opens new era

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- Johnson C. Smith basketball returns four of five starters from last season’s 16-11 team but is missing a chunk of scoring and leadership.

Otherwise, it’s business as usual.

The Golden Bulls, who start the season Nov. 8 against Morehouse in the HBCU Basketball Challenge in Atlanta, are adjusting to the post-Trevin Parks era. The all-America guard led JCSU in scoring each of the past three seasons, including a CIAA-best 25 per game last year, but Golden Bulls coach Steve Joyner is looking for a team effort to pick up the slack.

“Trevin was a prolific scorer and an outstanding ball player to come through our program, but we’re moving forward and striving towards greatness,” said Joyner, who is in his 27th season as head coach of the Golden Bulls men’s basketball program with a school-record 465 wins. 

“We have an experienced ball club with guys that have played together and continue to progress each year. Our challenge is the maturation process for our young men on the court and as leaders.”

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XU Nuggets set more records in GCAC Tournament victory

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Xavier University of Louisiana extended a school record, set four more and tied one Thursday during a 25-6, 25-5, 25-8 women's volleyball victory against Voorhees in the quarterfinals of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.
      
Xavier (24-7), the two-time defending champion of this event, will play Philander Smith or Talladega in the semifinals at noon Friday. The championship match will start at 11 a.m. Saturday.
      
The Gold Nuggets extended a record with their 18th consecutive victory — they haven't lost a match since Sept. 7 — and set or tied XU marks for:

     •  Victories in a season. The previous record was 23 in 2012.
     •  Fewest points allowed in a match, 19. The previous record was 22 against Tougaloo in 2010.
     •  Highest individual hitting percentage in a postseason match: .700 by Kerris Crier. The previous mark was .692 by Erin Vincent against Edward Waters in 2010.
     •  Highest team hitting percentage in a postseason match: .485, which shattered the previous mark of .429 against Tougaloo in 2010.
     •  Most individual aces in a postseason match: six by Emily Reuther, matching Eva Bobkova's mark against Tougaloo in 2010.
      
Crier, the lone XU senior, produced eight kills and one error in 10 attacks and was one of four Nuggets to hit higher than .500. Moira Kirk hit .667 with 11 kills and one error in 15 attacks, Jodi Hill hit .600 with nine kills in 15 attacks, and Taylor Reuther, Emily's older sister, hit .533 with eight kills in 15 attacks.
     
The Gold Nuggets scored the final eight points of the first set, the final 18 points of the second set and produced a 12-0 run in the third.
     
Xavier served 14 aces, one less than its season high. Jodi Chatters and Darian Harris served two apiece.
      
Xavier has won 41 matches in a row, nine in the tournament, against GCAC opponents since the start of the 2011 season.

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

3 Gold Nuggets repeat as All-GCAC first-team selections

Moira Kirk      Taylor Reuther      Franziska Pirkl NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Moira Kirk, Taylor Reuther and Franziska Pirkl are repeat All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference first-team selections in women's volleyball.        Kirk and Reuther are on the first team for third consecutive year, and Pirkl made it for the second time.         Kirk, a junior middle blocker from Dallas and a graduate of Bishop Lynch High School, leads the GCAC this season with a .343 hitting percentage. She has 276 kills, 76 blocks and 14 aces in 30 matches.        Reuther, a junior outside hitter from Metairie, La., and a graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School, leads the GCAC with 362 kills and 3.6 kills per set. She is hitting .262 with 39 aces and 16 blocks in 30 matches and has recorded 18 kill-dig doubles.      Pirkl, a sophomore setter from Munich, Germany, and a graduate of Theodolinden Gymnasium, is No. 2 in the conference with 741 kills and 8.3 assists per set. She is hitting .328 with 46 kills, 18 aces and 24 blocks and has six assist-dig double-doubles.      Xavier won its third consecutive GCAC regular-season championship last week and extended its three-year win streak against GCAC teams to 40 matches, but the Gold Nuggets were shut out in voting for Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. Those awards went to Zipporah Washington and Naomi Washington, respectively, of second-place SUNO. SUNO's Delores Tyler was named Freshman of the Year. Xavier did not have a nominee for that award.              Reuther was the 2012 GCAC Player of the Year.         Conference awards were announced Wednesday night at a banquet in Little Rock, Ark., prior to the start of the GCAC Tournament. Xavier (23-7) will play Voorhees (2-19) in the quarterfinals at noon Thursday at Philander Smith's Mims Gym. By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director XULAATHLETICS XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

LSU Tigers roar past XU Gold Rush, 80-45, in exhibition game

BATON ROUGE, La. — Senior guard Andre Stringer made six 3-pointers and scored 22 points Wednesday to lead LSU to an 80-45 men's basketball exhibition victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.

The Tigers, projected as an NCAA Tournament No. 9 seed by CBSSports.com, scored 16 unanswered points to erase the 6-4 lead of the Gold Rush, ranked 19th in NAIA Division I.

Stringer had 11 points and three 3-pointers in each half.

Jordan Mickey scored 12 points and blocked eight shots, Jarell Martin scored 11 and Malik Morgan scored 10 for LSU. Johnny O'Bryant had nine points — he was 3-of-3 from the floor and 3-of-3 from the line — and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Sydney Coleman scored Xavier's first six points and finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Wesley Pluviose-Philip and Morris Wright scored nine apiece. Pluviose was 4-of-4 from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds.

LSU outshot Xavier 46.8 to 25 percent from the floor and had advantages of 13-1 in 3-pointers made, 24-2 in assists, 12-1 in blocked shots and 6-0 in dunks. The Tigers and Gold Rush had 16 turnovers apiece and 21 personal fouls apiece.

LSU led 42-11 at halftime and took its biggest lead, 66-25, on Martin's dunk with 9:51 remaining.

"LSU is just long," XU coach Dannton Jackson said. "Their length caused us a lot of problems, and their athleticism caused us a lot of problems. They got a chance to go out there and transition, and they did a great job on the boards."

It was the first-ever meeting between LSU and Xavier in men's basketball and the only exhibition this season for either team. Xavier won its regular-season opener Friday.

"This was a great game for us at our state's flagship school," Jackson said. "Great atmosphere, great fan base and we enjoyed every minute of it."

Xavier will play at 2 p.m. Saturday against Albany State at the Convocation Center. It'll be a doubleheader that day; the XU women will play their home opener at 4 p.m. against Spring Hill.

BOX SCORE

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

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats’ defensive line clicking

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- A year ago, Rony Barrow was selling clothes and accessories at a Fashion To Figure women’s plus-size store in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Not a bad job for a plus-sized man. But Barrow has found a better fit for his 6-foot-2, 285-pound body this year — a spot on Bethune-Cookman’s defensive line. The junior has three sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. And last Saturday, he became the second B-CU lineman this season to intercept a pass.

While the defensive tackle might have stood out as a clerk in a women’s clothing store, he blends in on a defensive line that has helped the Wildcats rank second in the nation among FCS teams in total defense, averaging 249.3 yards heading into Saturday’s home game against Norfolk State. B-CU is third in the nation in rushing defense, allowing 87.1 yards per game.

Barrow is just one chess piece on a unit that has piled up 70 tackles for losses and 24 sacks, which is more than the Wildcats had all of last season in both categories.

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MEAC fines, reprimands B-CU coach Brian Jenkins for criticizing officials

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins received a letter of reprimand and was fined by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference on Wednesday for criticizing officials after Saturday's game at North Carolina Central.

After the Wildcats were penalized 25 times for 232 yards in a 38-14 victory, Jenkins told the Durham, N.C., Herald Sun, “Terrible officiating crew. Simple as that. I'm going to be point-blank, that's the worse I have ever seen. I've never seen nothing like it. Don't get me wrong, we didn't play disciplined like we should have. But come on now, over 20-plus penalties at halftime.''

The Wildcats were flagged four times for unsportsmanlike conduct, including one against Jenkins. North Carolina Central was penalized nine times overall for 110 yards.

In a release published on its website Wednesday, the MEAC said Jenkins violated a conference bylaw “which states that members of the coaching staffs, student-athletes or other representatives of participating institutions shall not make public statements critical of officiating in any MEAC contests or events.''

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ASU's Barlow Elected To SWAC Hall Of Fame

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State University head football coach Reggie Barlow was elected to the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame, the conference announced today.

Barlow will be officially inducted on Thursday, December 5 in Houston, Texas at the Westin Hotel Galleria and take part in festivities during SWAC Football Championship Weekend. Joining Barlow in the SWAC Class of 2013 is James 'Jimmy' Jones (Grambling State), Charles Ruth (Mississippi Valley State), James 'Jim' Osborne (Southern), Carol V. Cummings (Prairie View A&M), Bob Hopkins (Grambling State) and Richard P. Myles Sr. (Alcorn State).

The official announcement was made Wednesday as Barlow joins some of the greatest players to ever compete in the legendary conference, such as track and field Olympians Rodney Milburn and Willie Davenport, pro football Hall of Famers Mel Blount, Kenny Houston, Walter Payton, Jackie Slater, Jerry Rice and Deacon Jones, and baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock.



"It's a blessing," said a very reflective Barlow, the former Hornet wide receiver who is currently in his seventh season as head coach at his alma mater. "There are a lot of great names who have laid the foundation for the Southwestern Athletic Conference. I'm honored to represent Alabama State as an inductee. All the people who've helped me become the person I am, father I am, the coach that I am - my parents, my brothers, college teammates, coaches, players who have played for me – I'm thankful for all of them and I'm humbled by it."

Barlow will become the 15th inductee to go into the SWAC Hall of Fame as an Alabama State Hornet, joining legends C.J. Dunn, Severne Frazier, John H. Jones, George "Pops" Lockhart, James Garrick Hardy, Charles "Buddy" Spears, Frank Lewis, Jesse White, Norman Walton, William "Bill" Gary, Eddie Robinson Jr., Lewis Jackson, James Oliver, and Horace Crump.

"When you hear names like Lockhart, Robinson, Jackson – these and others who have done the University proud and represented Alabama State in the right way – I'm happy to be a part of that illustrious group," Barlow said. "With its great tradition and heritage and the respect I have for this conference, I'm tickled to death to have this opportunity to join the SWAC Hall of Fame."

As an Alabama State wide receiver (1991-95), Barlow ended his career first in receptions (133) and receiving yards (2,536 yards) and third in touchdowns (17). Barlow currently ranks tied for third, second, and fifth respectively in each category, and still owns the school's single-season record with 1,267 yards, set in 1994.

Barlow was drafted in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, beginning an eight-year career (1996-2003) as a wide receiver and shined as a punt and kickoff returner. During his five seasons with the Jaguars, Barlow led the team in punt returns four straight years, and in kickoff returns twice. Barlow still owns franchise records for punt returns (146), punt returns yards (1,581) and touchdowns (two), and is fourth in kickoff returns (70), third in kickoff return yards (1,634), and tied for second in touchdowns (one). He was named a Pro Bowl alternate following the 1998 season.

Barlow spent one season with the Oakland Raiders, before playing his final two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2002, Barlow was part of the history as the Bucs won Super Bowl 37. In his eight-year career, Barlow amassed more than 4,000 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns.

In 2005, Barlow was named quarterbacks coach at Alabama State, where one of his pupils, Tarvaris Jackson, would go on to be drafted one year later and is currently a quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks.

Barlow was named head football coach at Alabama State in 2007, and led the Hornets to the 2010 SWAC Eastern Division Championship. Barlow has guided the Hornets to three consecutive winning seasons and his 40 wins currently ranks fifth all time in ASU football history.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SWAC players have NFL draft opportunity

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- When you think about some of the top NFL prospects from historically black colleges and universities, the SWAC has a bunch of players who could play on Sundays. These players could also hear their names called in the 2014 NFL draft to be held May 8-10.

A year ago, Terron Armstead, a terrific offensive tackle from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, was a third-round pick of the New Orleans Saints. Armstead has a great deal of potential and should have a solid NFL career.

Of course, when you talk about great players from the SWAC who made it to next level, the name Robert Mathis immediately comes to mind. Mathis was just a fifth-round pick coming out of Alabama A&M. Nevertheless, he is easily one of the best defensive players in the NFL. Mathis, a defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts, leads the NFL in sacks with 11.5 this season. In 11 seasons, Mathis has been to five Pro Bowls and two Super Bowls.

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WSSU Rams’ Fields prepares for his last hurrah

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Linebacker Carlos Fields took a moment to collect his thoughts as he answered a question about his career at Winston-Salem State.

Standing on a balcony at the Bowman Gray Stadium fieldhouse, Fields looked over the field he’s played on the past four seasons and took a deep breath.

"I really don’t get riled up and I’m not too emotional,” Fields said as he tried to sum up what has been a brilliant career. “I’ve been here for five years — and Saturday’s game is going to be emotional.”

Fields will be one of 15 seniors who will be honored in their last regular-season home game on Saturday against Fayetteville State. But it will be just a bit different for Fields because he’s been in the program the longest. He redshirted in 2009 when Kermit Blount was the head coach and the Rams finished 1-10.

Fields, an NFL prospect, stayed around after a coaching change and turned into a cornerstone in Coach Connell Maynor’s program.

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Chairman: Fountain City Classic staying in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Georgia  -- On Saturday, the Albany State and Fort Valley State football teams will play the annual Fountain City Classic at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium for the 24th time.

Don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

Speaking at the annual media and coaches luncheon at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center on Tuesday, Classic chairman Calvin Smyre laid to rest any questions that may have arisen from uncertainty of the Classic’s future in Columbus.

“We’ve been here for 24 years, and we ain’t going nowhere,” Smyre joked to the crowd, which included fans, alumni, high school coaches and players. After the event had concluded, Smyre spoke further about the Classic’s future in Columbus, saying that the committee was in the process of negotiating a new contract with the city to remain at Memorial and would not seek offers from any other locations.

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After slow start, ASU Rams now on verge of SIAC title game

 ALBANY, Georgia -- Three weeks ago, the Albany State Golden Rams were 1-4 and seemed to be mired in a second straight season to forget.

But after three straight wins, the Golden Rams can clinch the division with a win over rival Fort Valley State.

The intensity always turns up when it's Fountain City Classic week in Albany, but this year's game has extra implications other than just bragging rights.

With a win, head coach Mike White's team is headed to Atlanta to battle it out for the SIAC Title.

"We're playing for the chance to play for the championship," says head coach Mike White. "This is what you wanted, and this is what we got Saturday."

"We're just preparing like every other week," says senior LB Marcavious Dudley. We're not looking at them different as Fort Valley or anything like that. We raised our level of intensity this week, but we look at it as any other game."

For both schools, the final Saturday of the regular season is always circled on the calendar.



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Daryl Williams Named Livingstone Head Football Coach

SALISBURY, North Carolina  –  Daryl Williams, a former standout football player at Tennessee State University who in just one season has brought pride back to Livingstone College football, was named Head Football Coach on Monday by Livingstone College President Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr. Williams, who joined the Blue Bears staff in 2012 as offensive coordinator, had been interim coach since the start of the 2013 football season.

"We have had an opportunity to observe Coach Williams as offensive coordinator and as interim head coach, and we have been thoroughly impressed with his integrity and his focus on the development of student-athletes," Jenkins said. "The performance of the football team this season, under his leadership as interim coach, has been admirable in spite of what the win-loss record suggests. To support his continued momentum, we believe it both appropriate and necessary to remove the questionable status of interim head coach. With the interim status removed, we are reassuring his current players and those that he might recruit, that we are confident in his abilities and he will be their coach next year. "

Under Williams' tenure this year, the Blue Bears are 2-7, having defeated Edwards Waters College on their home turf 23-20 and Lincoln University the following week by a convincing 35-7 margin. Although the Blue Bears haven't had the season they had hoped for, the team has made remarkable progress from previous seasons. In fact, of the Blue Bears losses, two games were decided by a single touchdown in the closing minutes of the game and another slipped away in heartbreaking fashion after the opponent kicked a last-minute field goal.

For example, when Livingstone hosted Fayetteville State University for Homecoming on Nov. 2, the team demonstrated a new character both defensively and offensively. Before facing Livingstone, FSU had handily defeated Saint Augustine's University and other CIAA opponents and entered the contest at 5-3; yet they barely escaped defeat in the last two minutes of the game after the Blue Bears fumbled and turned the ball over to them deep in their own territory.

Williams is painfully aware of the tough losses his squad has suffered, but he knows how to win and is determined to continue the process of maintaining high standards both off and on the playing field. During weekly assemblies he requires his players to sit as a team, dressed neatly in white dress shirts and black slacks. It's important to Williams that his players remember they're in school to obtain a college degree.

"I'm very excited and grateful that Dr. Jenkins and Athletic Director Andre Springs had enough faith and confidence in the process and program I'm establishing here to name me the head football coach," Williams said. "Knowing I'm going to be the head coach moving forward helps with the players we have now and also makes a huge difference with respect to recruiting, the lifeline of any collegiate program. It also lets the coaches know that we're going to be here to help elevate Livingstone College football. Our goal is to continue the process and have each player buy into our system. I'm very grateful to the players and coaches for never wavering when I became interim coach and for following the plan and process as though I was already the head coach, which has made implementing the system much easier."

Before joining the Livingstone coaching staff in 2012, Williams was the associate head coach and quarterbacks coach at Texas Southern University from 2007-2011. In 2010, he helped guide Texas Southern to a Southwestern Athletic Conference  (SWAC)  Championship and the SWAC Western Division Championship.

From 2001-2007, Williams played an instrumental role in the Alabama State University football program, where he served as the co-offensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and director of football operations. During Williams' tenure at ASU, he helped lead the institution to a SWAC Championship in 2004 and to three SWAC Eastern  Division Championships in 2001, 2003 and 2004, respectively. Under Williams' leadership, the Hornets' offense led the SWAC.

A native of Memphis, Tenn., Williams began his coaching career as an assistant football coach at his alma mater, Westwood High School, where he played quarterback and broke several records for the Longhorns. Later, he became head coach at Northside High School, where he also taught physical education.

Williams earned his bachelor's degree in physical education and recreation from Tennessee State University in 1996. He played football at Tennessee State, being named MVP at the 1993 Southern Heritage Classic, and he was selected to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Conference Team in 1994. In 1994 and 1995, Williams was named MVP at the 100  Black Men of America Classic, played in The Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Williams earned his master's degree in counseling from Alabama State University in 2004. That same year he interned with the NFL's  Tennessee Titans. During his summer with the Titans, Williams worked with the quarterbacks, most notably former Pro-Bowler Steve McNair.

"Coach Williams has shown he can lead the team in the right direction, and he demonstrates great leadership," said Athletics Director Andre Springs. "Last year he did a great job as the offensive coordinator, and that's why we gave him the opportunity to serve as interim head coach. This season he brought in a good coaching staff that gave great balance to the team and the program. His efforts have shown promise and an ability to get our program to the next level."  

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION          

TSU Women’s Basketball Begins Season at Kansas State

GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | LIVE AUDIO | VIDEO

 

 

GAMEDAY

The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team will officially kick-off the 2013-14 campaign this Friday when the Lady Tigers face the Wildcat’s of Kansas State on the road. Game time is slated for a 5:45 p.m. tip in Bramlage Coliseum.

 

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE

A relatively young squad, the Lady Tigers are coming off an, 84-60, exhibition win over Tennessee Temple last Friday night in the Gentry Center. Five players scored in double-digits led by Brianna Lawrence’s 15 points. Chelsea Hudson and Jayda Johnson each tallied 14 while I’mani Davis and Rachel Allen posted 11. Allen also added 11 assists for a double-double.

 

The Lady Tigers, under second year head coach Larry Joe Inman, returned four letterwinners from last year’s squad and added eight newcomers, including seven freshmen, to the roster.

 

TSU finished last season with an overall record of 13-15 and a 9-7 conference mark. In an Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll that was released in October, TSU was predicted to finish fifth in the East Division standings.

 

LAST TIME OUT

Tennessee State had its final tune up before the regular season last Friday with an exhibition contest against Tennessee Temple. Sophomore Brianna Lawrence led all scorers with 15 while redshirt junior Chelsea Hudson and freshman Jayda Johnson added 14. Freshman I’mani Davis scored 11 as junior Rachel Allen registered a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists.

 

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Kansas State picked up two preseason exhibition wins over Washburn (85-64) and Alaska-Anchorage (73-65). K-State will play its first official game of the season against TSU on Friday.

 

In K-State’s win over Alaska-Anchorage, Katya Leick posted a game-high 24 to go with 12 rebounds for a double-double. Leticia Romero just missed a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds while Brianna Craig scored 11. 

 

The Wildcats rallied in the second half to defeat Alaska-Anchorage, 73-65. The Wildcats did their fair share of damage in the paint and on second chance opportunities.

 

A member of the Big 12, K-State has nine letter winners returning from last year’s squad, including three starters. The Wildcats finished last season with a record of 19-18 (5-13) good for an eighth place finish in the conference.

 

TSU vs. KANSAS STATE

Tennessee State and Kansas State will meet for the third time in the series history with the Wildcats leading 2-0. In the last meeting between the two teams, K-State defeated TSU, 62-47, in the Gentry Center.

 

LAST TIME THEY MET (Nov. 20, 2012)

Tennessee State stayed close with Kansas State in the first half, but the Wildcats pulled away in the second as the Lady Tigers fell 62-47 at the Gentry Center.

 

The Wildcats started strong, putting together a 13-2 run in the first eleven-and-a-half minutes. After Avery Jones put TSU on the scoreboard with a layup on the second possession of the game, the Lady Tigers went on a scoreless stretch of 11 minutes before Destiney Gaston ended the K-State run with a layup of her own.

 

TSU continued to battle and chip away at the Wildcat lead getting the margin under 10 on a Tanesha Stenson jumper to make it 21-13 with 7:12 left in the first half. The Stenson jumper started a 14-7 TSU run that ended the half with Kansas State holding a 28-25 advantage.

 

The Wildcats started the second half just like they did the first and turned a three point lead into a 14 point lead within seven minutes.

 

The Lady Tigers made just four shots in the second half while shooting 24 percent for the game.

 

COVERAGE

Live audio and live stats will be available at kstatesports.com for the TSU vs. Kansas State game. Also, live video will be available to subscribers of K-StateHD.TV at kstatesports.com/allaccess.

 

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Tennessee State will leave Manhattan and head for Georgia to face Kennesaw State on Monday, Nov. 11 in the KSU Convocation Center. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. est. 

 

Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers, Twitter @TSU_Tigers , Instagram and YouTube

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Keys for WSSU women will be scoring, chemistry

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Some basketball coaches simply preach the importance of defense.

Then there’s A.G. Hall, the women’s coach at Winston-Salem State. He eats, breaths and sleeps defense, and players who aren’t hard-nosed defenders for Hall are usually bench-warmers.

Last season, the Rams finished second in Division II in points allowed (51 a game). However, scoring was a challenge. The Rams averaged only 54.5 points a game, and that’s why they finished 15-13.

"We have to improve on scoring,” said Hall, who is entering his second season. “We addressed that in our recruiting, and we have more skill to help accomplish that. We also have to continue to improve on defense. We are still going to hang our hat on defense.

"We were No. 2 in the nation in defense last year, but we lost 13 games.”

Forward Somalia McKenney, a 5-10 junior, will be a key returning player who says that defense will make the Rams contenders in the CIAA.

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A preseason look at the CIAA men's basketball teams

Favorite
Winston-Salem State: Coming up short at last year’s tournament is motivation enough for coach Bobby Collins’ Rams.

Contenders
Livingstone: Blue Bears have the talent and depth to give Winston-Salem State a run for its money.

Bowie State: The Bulldogs have one of the league’s best defenders in Carlos Smith, a 6-foot-8 forward who was second in the league in blocks (36).

Sleeper
Lincoln: The Lions have methodically stockpiled talent to compete, led by 6-0 guard Derrick Washington.

5 players to watch
Emilio Parks, J.C. Smith (6-6, Jr., F): The Golden Bulls’ all-CIAA pick (15.4 ppg) has added a mid-range jumper to his arsenal.

Mark Thomas, Livingstone (5-10, Sr., G): Arguably the league’s best offensive point guard at 18.6 ppg last season. When he’s on, the Blue Bears are tough to tame.

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Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/11/05/3344311/a-preseason-look-at-the-ciaa-mens.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/11/05/3344311/a-preseason-look-at-the-ciaa-mens.html#storylink=cpy

SPOKEN 4 COMMUNICATIONS GAME PREVIEW : NCCU vs. Hampton

DURHAM, North Carolina  --  Spoken 4 Communications "Because Every Child Deserves to be Heard" previews the 24th matchup between NCCU and Hampton live from Armstrong Stadium in Hampton, Va. on Saturday, Nov. 2

Since moving to the NCAA Division I level, the Eagles have not won in the tidewater area against the Pirates.  Play-by-play voice of the NCCU Sports Network Chris Hooks chats with head coach Dwayne Foster to preview the MEAC showdown. Be sure to tune in at 12:30 p.m. to the Denny's of Durham Pregame Show as the broadcast crew will count you down to kickoff.

For more information on Spoken 4 Communications, check out the website at www.Spoken-4.com



COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

2014 UAPB Lions Baseball Schedule Released

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  -- Following a 2013 campaign which saw UAPB improve their win total by 13 games, plus make their first SWAC Tournament appearance since 2009, UAPB Head Coach Carlos James unveiled the program's 2014 schedule on Thursday.

2014 UAPB BASEBALL SCHEDULE

This year's schedule is highlighted by 24 games at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex, which include non-conference matchups against Incarnate Word, Arkansas-Little Rock, Central Arkansas. The schedule also includes an away series at perennial powers Oklahoma and Tulane plus the Tiger Classic at Auburn against AU, California, and East Tennessee State.

"I am very excited about our schedule this upcoming season," said James. "It continues with our goal and tradition of playing the best out-of-conference competition we can, and I especially like that our fans will have the opportunity to see our team at home more than years past."

"As always, we will be challenged by our competition right from the start with Tulane then having to travel to Oklahoma for a two-game series before heading to the Tigers Classic to play Auburn, Cal, and East Tennessee State," James continued. "Following our Opening Week, we get into conference play against a competitive Western Division and follow it up throughout the year against the likes of UALR, UCA, Ole Miss, and Texas Tech to name a few."

"We will also be challenged by our two home series with the University of Incarnate Word and ACC addition Pittsburgh visiting Pine Bluff," noted James.

The Golden Lions open their fourth season under James with a 9-game road trip before hosting their first conference series against Prairie View A&M the weekend of February 28.

After playing their lone home series in the month of February, the Golden Lions will hit the road again traveling to Southeast Missouri for a two-game series (March 4-5) then head to Southern (Mar. 7-9) and UALR (Mar. 12).

Beginning the weekend of March 14, UAPB will play eight out of their next nine games at home against opponents Grambling, UCA, and Incarnate Word.

Over Spring Break, the Golden Lions will make their first trip to Lubbock, TX to take on Big 12 member Texas Tech (Mar. 25-26) before returning home to play Texas Southern (Mar. 29-30).

After the completion of the first-half of conference play, the Golden Lions will visit Oxford, MS and play SEC member Ole Miss (Apr. 2) then head to Prairie View A&M to kick-off the second-half of conference play. Following a mid-week game at home versus Lyon College (Apr. 8), Southern University will visit the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex the weekend of Apr. 11.

The Golden Lions travel to Ruston (LA) to take on Grambling (Apr. 19-20), before hosting UALR for a single game on April 22. Later that week, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) member Pittsburgh will make its first trip to Pine Bluff with a doubleheader on Sunday, April 27, followed by a single-game on Monday, April 28, at Taylor Field.

Bookending the series with Pitt, UAPB and Alcorn will play a home-and-home with the Golden Lions concluding their regular season play at Texas Southern in Houston from May 2-4.

The 2014 SWAC Tournament, which features the league's top eight finishers in the regular season, is set for May 14-18 at LeGrave Field in Fort Worth, Texas. NCAA Regional action takes place, May 30-June 2, followed by NCAA Super Regional play, June 6-9.

The NCAA College World Series returns to TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha, Neb., for the fourth time, June 14-25.

Home game times at Delta Natural Kraft Field at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex are tentatively set, but subject to change. Season ticket information and the full slate of game times will be released at a later date.

Fall practice for the Golden Lions concludes this weekend with Saturday's intrasquad open to the public for viewing.

For more information about UAPB Baseball, follow @UAPB_Baseball on Twitter and goldenlionsbsb on Instagram.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF SPORTS INFORMATION