Three Rattlers Elected To SIAC Hall Of Fame Class

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M ATHLETICS
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ATLANTA, Georgia – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced it’s 2014 class of inductees, which includes three FAMUans.  Andre Dawson, Clemon Johnson and Willie Galimore will be inducted in a ceremony surrounding the 2014 SIAC basketball championship in Birmingham, Ala., on March 5.

 

Florida A&M was a member of the SIAC from 1913-1979, where it competed against some of the best athletes in the country, barring no division status.  Florida A&M established it’s history of dominance during Alonzo “Jake” Gaither’s tenure as head coach of the Rattler football team.  He captured 22 championships in 25 seasons as head coach.  That feat has not been duplicated.  FAMU also won several basketball championships and stood out in baseball, and track and field.

This year, the SIAC Hall of Fame will pick up induction into the hall after an absence of 13 years; with the last inducting class being in 2000.  Recognizing that the history of athletics in the conference represented some of the best athletes in the world, the SIAC began their hall of fame with a ceremony in 1992.

 

Dawson, known as the “Hawk," for his trademark stare, was outstanding defensively in the outfield.  He was a three-time All-SIAC baseball player at Florida A&M, where he played under legendary coach Costa “Pop” Kittles. He finished his 21-year big league career with a .279 batting average, 438 home runs, 1,591 runs batted in and 314 stolen bases. Dawson was the National League Rookie of the Year with the Montreal Expos in 1977 and the NL Most Valuable Player in 1987 with the Chicago Cubs. He managed the MVP season while playing on the last place Cubs, the only time that feat has been done.  The eight-time All-Star became the second player (Willie Mays) to join the 400 HR/300 SB club.  His speech at Cooperstown was considered by many to be one of the greatest ever.  Dawson was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.

 

Johnson, known as “CJ,” was an All-SIAC and All-American selection as a senior and finished his career as the all-time leading rebounder at FAMU, as well as one of the top scorers in school’s history. Johnson played 10 seasons in the NBA and won an NBA championship as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983. He won the NBA championship on the team with Andrew Toney, Daryl Dawkins and NBA legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving.  Today, he serves as the head basketball coach at Florida A&M.  Johnson was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.

 

Galimore, known as “Gallopin Gal,” is considered one of the greatest running backs of his time. He was a four-time All-SIAC selection and three-time Pittsburgh Courier All-American. He also led Florida A&M to four SIAC Football Championships and one Black College National Championship. He holds the current career rushing yards title at FAMU with 3,592, averaging an astronomical 7.0 yards per carry in 1955.  He holds these records despite not playing much more than a half, as the powerful Rattlers, under Jake Gaither, often were able to play reserves for the duration of the game after halftime.  Galimore played six seasons with the Chicago Bears until he died tragically in an auto accident in 1964.  He was also a member of the College Football and FAMU Hall of Fame.  He was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1976.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Greg Jackson, Men' Basketball Coach Fired by Delaware State

CANDY YOUNG
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY

DOVER, Delaware  -- Delaware State University has made a decision to move its men’s basketball program in a new direction, according to Candy Young, DSU Director of Athletics.

Greg Jackson is being released from his head coaching duties effective immediately.

Assistant coach Keith Walker will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2013-14 season.

During his 14-year DSU coaching career, Jackson posted an overall record of 200-216. His tenure included three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season titles (2005-2007), as well as the school’s first-ever MEAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 2005.

A national search will begin immediately for a permanent head coach for the men’s basketball team.

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

2014 Urban Invitational to be held in Southern Louisiana

Collegiate Baseball Tournament Designed to Place a Spotlight on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Their Baseball Programs

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The 2014 Urban Invitational will be held in Southern Louisiana, with games shared between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, for the first time in the event's history. The annual, round-robin collegiate baseball tournament, designed by Major League Baseball to place a spotlight on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their baseball programs, will feature returning Division-I HBCUs Grambling State University (Grambling, Louisiana) and Southern University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), plus Division-I programs Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) and the University of New Orleans (New Orleans, Louisiana).

The weekend will consist of six games played between the four schools and ancillary activities, from Friday, February 14^th through Sunday, February 16^th. Louisiana State University (LSU) will host games on Friday and Sunday, with the Sunday contests called live by Paul Severino, Darryl Hamilton and Joe Magrane on MLB Network. The fields at Southern University, New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy and Zephyr Field, home of the New Orleans Zephyrs, will also host games throughout the weekend. In addition to a game on Saturday, February 15^th, the New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy will host a baseball clinic and a college & career fair. All ticketing, parking and additional information can be found at MLB.com/UrbanYouthAcademy.

"Collegiate baseball represents a significant element of the game's future, so it is important to give these programs the opportunity for exposure to a larger audience," said Frank Robinson, MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Development. "We are thrilled to host this year's Urban Invitational in Southern Louisiana, and thank all of our participating schools."

The baseball clinic on Saturday will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (CT) featuring players from each of the participating teams in the Urban Invitational who will provide instruction to New Orleans MLBUYA youth as well as boys and girls from local Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) programs.

The college and career fair will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (CT). Participating colleges and universities will provide attendees with information about college preparation, undergraduate and graduate degree programs, financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Local businesses will also be on hand to provide career advice and discuss potential job opportunities. High school and college students from the New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama region are invited to attend at no charge. Parking at the New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy is free for all events throughout the weekend.

Major League Baseball is dedicated to its ongoing diversity efforts, including the implementation of programs that make it easier for underserved and inner city youth to participate in baseball and softball. With three operating MLB Urban Youth Academies in Houston (Texas), Compton (California) and New Orleans (Louisiana), plus groundbreaking on sites in Cincinnati (Ohio) and Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), and the announcement of an academy in Hialeah (Florida), MLB has continued to allot resources to bring America's pastime to young people in urban communities.

HBCUs have long offered quality educational and athletic programs and have a proud tradition of attracting outstanding baseball players. Baseball Hall of Famers Lou Brock (Southern University) and Andre Dawson (Florida A&M), as well as current Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks (Southern University) played in HBCU baseball programs. Since 2008, the year of the inaugural Urban Invitational, 16 HBCU athletes who have played in the tournament have been selected in the MLB Player Draft; most recently being Cory Jordan, a Grambling State University alumnus, who was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 35^th round of the 2013 MLB Player Draft.
           
This will be Southern University's seventh Urban Invitational, making them the only school to have participated in every Urban Invitational. Grambling State will make its third appearance, while LSU and the University of New Orleans are each participating for the first time.

Complete Game Schedule (Central Time):

Friday, February 14, Grambling University at Southern University, 6:00 p.m. at Southern University

Friday, February 14, University of New Orleans vs. Louisiana State University, 7:00 p.m. at Louisiana State University

Saturday, February 15, Southern University vs. Grambling University, 1:00 p.m. at New Orleans MLBUYA

Saturday, February 15, Louisiana State University vs. University of New Orleans, 2:00 p.m. at Zephyr Field

Sunday, February 16, Southern University vs. University of New Orleans, 12:00 p.m. at Louisiana State University

Sunday, February 16, Grambling University vs. Louisiana State University, 4:00 p.m. at Louisiana State University

Orlando begins $200 million Citrus Bowl renovation

The Citrus Bowl is home to the Florida Classic

Artist renderings

ORLANDO, Florida -- A $200 million renovation of the Florida Citrus Bowl began Wednesday with hopes of bringing a college football national championship and other major events to Orlando.

A crane yanked down the stadium's scoreboard during a cold, rainy ceremony, beginning a 10-month project that will raze and rebuild the lower bowl, and add club seats, luxury suites and a digital video scoreboard.

About 80 percent of the 77-year-old stadium will be torn down, with only the upper deck remaining intact.

The rebuilt stadium will feature wider concourses, modernized restrooms, more leg room for fans and an open-air exterior, according to early plans released by the city.

Seating capacity will decrease from 71,000 to 65,000.

Crews will work in 24-hour shifts to complete the project by November before the annual Florida Classic football game between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman.



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NSU's season not like the last, but at least the Spartans' hats fit

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Maybe losing two of its last four conference games is the sort of reality check that can benefit Norfolk State when the basketball season actually starts to mean something.

A coach can hope.

Robert Jones was an assistant on the Spartans team that thought it was unbeatable going into last year's MEAC tournament at Scope, only to be bounced in its first game by Bethune-Cookman.

After sweeping through the conference at 16-0, "we kind of went into the tournament big-headed," said Jones, who is now in charge of checking players' hat sizes.

Under the 34-year-old Jones, Norfolk State picked up where it left off before last year's tournament debacle, stretching its regular-season MEAC winning streak to 23 before falling to Morgan State on Jan. 18. After righting the ship against Coppin State, the Spartans lost at South Carolina State on Saturday.

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AAMU Men's and Women's Basketball Weekly Presser 1-30-14

Final month of CIAA promises to go down to wire

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- One thing is clear with a month to go before the CIAA basketball tournament: The South is wide open.

Four teams are 2-1 in division games and are within a game of each other in the conference, which sets up a wild February. Winston-Salem State and Livingstone, the preseason favorites, have one loss each, while Johnson C. Smith and Fayetteville State have been surprisingly strong. St. Augustine’s and Shaw is in the rear with a combined 1-5 division record.

“It’s certainly a Southern Division tournament type atmosphere,” JCSU coach Steve Joyner said after his Golden Bulls stopped Livingstone 76-73 on Jan. 25. 

Winston-Salem State (11-8, 6-3 CIAA) has been much better against league foes than its overall record indicates. The Rams and JCSU square off on Jan. 30 in Winston-Salem, with the winner locking down first place in the division. Marquez Jones leads the Rams in scoring at 19.6 points a game and forward Wykevin Bazemore hauls down a league-leading nine rebounds an outing.

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PVAMU Breaks Ground On New Bowling Alley, Retail Center

Center To Serve As Home For PVAMU Bowling Team

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- The Prairie View A&M bowling team recently participated in the groundbreaking for the new Prairie View A&M Retail Center. The center, scheduled to open in mid-spring, will feature a highly anticipated 10-lane bowling alley which will serve as the home for the team after 10 years of shuttling 60 miles roundtrip for practice.

The new building will also include a supermarket and a restaurant for now, but businesses such as a dry cleaner, hair salon, a dollar store and t-shirt company may soon be added.

Head Coach Glenn White spoke with PVPanthers.com at the ceremony about what the center means for his team and how will it enhance the program and the surrounding community.

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alcorn coach Jay Hopson talks recruiting in the SWAC, evaluation and more

LORMAN, Mississippi  --  There is no question Jay Hopson has Alcorn State on the rise.

The Vicksburg native guided Alcorn to an impressive 9-3 record last season, including a dominating win over rival Jackson State at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. Alcorn State returns the majority of its starters and has a few key recruits like Brandon defensive lineman Michael Brooks expected to join the program.

Hopson is an interesting coach for a lot of reasons. He is the first ...

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Ram Ramblings: Boulware settling into his role as head coach

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Kienus Boulware is settling in nicely as head football coach of Winston-Salem State.

Boulware, who was promoted from defensive coordinator earlier this month, is transitioning into Connell Maynor’s old office at the Bowman Gray Stadium field house. He is slowly moving down the hall from his former office to one that is a little bigger.

Boulware is also making head-coaching decisions that must be made.

Those decisions range from when spring practice will be held to how many players to sign for this fall. He also is busy filling out his staff which includes hiring an offensive coordinator.

Boulware also had time to talk about the challenging schedule that was released earlier this week.

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College athletes take step toward forming union

CHICAGO, Illinois -- Calling the NCAA a dictatorship, Northwestern's quarterback and the United Steelworkers announced plans Tuesday to form the first labor union for college athletes - the latest salvo in the bruising fight over whether amateur players should be paid.

Quarterback Kain Colter detailed the College Athletes Players Association at a news conference in Chicago, flanked by leaders of Steelworkers union that has agreed to pay legal bills for the effort. The NCAA and the Big Ten Conference both criticized the move and insisted that college athletes cannot be considered employees.

Colter said the NCAA dictates terms to its hundreds of member schools and tens of thousands of college athletes, leaving players with little or no say about financial compensation questions or how to improve their own safety. That college football generates hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue only bolstered the argument for a union, he said.

''How can they call this amateur athletics when our jerseys are sold in stores and the money we generate turns coaches and commissioners into multimillionaires?'' Colter asked.

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Tonight: MVSU's Jerry Rice to be featured in NFL documentary

ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Mississippi Valley State icon and NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice will be featured in a documentary on the NFL Network on Wednesday at 8 p.m. CST. To watch the trailer, click here.

The documentary examines the career of the iconic receiver who set numerous receiving records at MVSU before becoming one of the most accomplished NFL players in history.

Interviews were conducted with former MVSU quarterback Willie Totten and coach Archie Cooley for the documentary.

For those with DirecTV, the NFL Network is on channel 212.

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

SWAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week - January 28

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference has selected Texas Southern University center Aaric Murray as its SWAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week for January 28.

Saturday in a 94-56 win against Mississippi Valley State, the Philadelphia, Penn. native notched his fifth double-double of the season scoring 26 points and 19 rebounds to complement six blocked shots.

He turned around and tallied 34 points and recorded eight rebounds with three blocks against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday to lead the Tigers to a 72-71 win on ESPNU.

The 6-9 center has scored 20 or more points on 14 occasion on the season and scored in double figures 17 out of the team’s 19 games.

This marks the fourth time Murray has earned the weekly honor.  In December, he scored a career high 48 points against Temple.

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

XU Nuggets, after beating a top-10 team, move up to 23rd

NEW ORLEANS -- A 66-50 home victory against top-10 Talladega helped Xavier University of Louisiana climb from 25th to 23rd in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 on Tuesday.

The Gold Nuggets (16-6, 6-0 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) are in the top 25 for the second consecutive week and the third time in six polls this season. They've won four straight and 12 of their last 13 games, and they've won 15 straight at home dating to January 2013.

Talladega dropped from 10th to 11th.

Xavier has three victories against teams in this week's top 25 -- the others are No. 24 Mobile and No. 25 LSU-Shreveport.

The top nine teams are the same as last week, and Vanguard continued its season-long reign at No. 1.

New rankings will be announced next Tuesday (Feb. 4).

The top 25:

1. Vanguard
2. Freed-Hardeman
3. Westminster (Utah)
4. MidAmerica Nazarene
5. Oklahoma Baptist
6. Georgetown (Ky.)
7. Oklahoma City
8. Campbellsville
9. The Master's
10. Our Lady of the Lake
11. Talladega
12. Wiley
13. Lewis-Clark State
14. Westmont
15. Columbia (Mo.)
16. Bethel (Tenn.)
17. (tie) Hope International
17. (tie) Montana State-Northern
19. John Brown
20. Baker
21. Cumberlands
22. Martin Methodist
23. Xavier
24. Mobile
25. LSU-Shreveport

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Gold Rush climb again in NAIA poll, this time to 13th

NEW ORLEANS -- Coach Dannton Jackson repeatedly has described the 2013-14 season of his Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball team as a journey. The Gold Rush on Tuesday continued their upward journey in the NAIA Division I Coaches' Top 25, moving three places to 13th.

It's the first time since the 2003-04 season that the Gold Rush (16-5, 5-1 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) have climbed in four consecutive polls. Xavier has won 11 of its last 13 games, including 5-of-6 on the road. The Rush have excelled with six newcomers, four returning lettermen, two redshirt freshmen and no returning starters from the previous season.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 30th consecutive time -- the longest active streak in the division -- and the 43rd time in the last 44 polls.

The GCAC has three top-25 teams for the fifth consecutive week. Talladega is seventh, and Philander Smith is 20th.

Cal State San Marcos and Freed-Hardeman share the top position. New rankings will be announced next Tuesday (Feb. 4).

Freezing precipitation forced Xavier to postpone its Tuesday home game against Belhaven. Xavier will visit Tougaloo at 5 p.m. Saturday in the first of four straight Gold Rush road games. Xavier will visit Philander Smith on Monday.

The top 25:

1. (tie) Cal State San Marcos
1. (tie) Freed-Hardeman
3. Pikeville
4. Southwestern Assemblies of God
5. William Carey
6. Columbia (Mo.)
7. Talladega
8. Concordia (Calif.)
9. Benedictine (Kan.)
10. Evangel
11. Emmanuel (Ga.)
12. Vanguard
13. Xavier
14. Rio Grande
15. Culver-Stockton
16. Mid-America Christian
17. LSU-Shreveport
18. Georgetown (Ky.)
19. Montana Western
20. Philander Smith
21. Wiley
22. St. Gregory's
23. Hope International
24. Martin Methodist
25. (tie) Great Falls
25. (tie) Arizona Christian

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions: Clark Atlanta University failed to monitor its athletics department

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  -- Clark Atlanta University failed to monitor its athletics department, according to findings by the Division II Committee on Infractions. The majority of the violations in this case occurred in the men’s basketball program. An assistant coach and a former men’s basketball volunteer coach acted unethically and provided impermissible benefits to student-athletes in cash, airline tickets and meals, according to the case findings. The former head men’s basketball coach failed to monitor both the assistant coach and former volunteer coach. Additionally, three student-athletes were allowed to compete while ineligible.

The penalties, including those imposed by the university, include three years of probation and a vacation of wins in which ineligible student-athletes competed. The former head coach and former volunteer coach each received a one-year show-cause order, and the assistant coach received a two-year show-cause order. If any of the three coaches seeks employment at an NCAA member school during the show-cause period, the school must agree to follow any
conditions on the coach’s athletically related duties as detailed in the public report.

Download the report: Clark Atlanta University Public Infractions Report 1/24/14.

This case was resolved through the summary disposition process, a cooperative effort where the involved parties collectively submit the case to the Committee on Infractions in written form. The NCAA enforcement staff, university and involved individuals must agree to use the summary disposition process instead of having a formal hearing.

The former volunteer coach provided impermissible benefits to student-athletes on several occasions between August 2011 and March 2012. He used personal funds to provide the men’s basketball team impermissible meals worth approximately $200. In addition, he arranged for a student-athlete to obtain a round trip airline ticket for a discount of approximately $750 to $1,250. He also arranged for four student-athletes to receive cash benefits totaling approximately $4,600 to $4,800, with each receiving $1,000 or more.

The assistant coach obtained a student-athlete’s personal identification number from the school’s registrar, which enabled the student-athlete to register for courses in a manner outside the established registration procedure, thus enabling the student-athlete to remain eligible for practice and competition.

Both the assistant coach and former volunteer coach violated NCAA ethical conduct rules when they knowingly provided impermissible benefits to student-athletes and provided false or misleading information about their involvement.

This case also included violations in the women’s tennis program. During the 2010-11 academic year, a women’s tennis student-athlete competed while ineligible, after transferring from another school and before completing a year of residence at the university. Further, she competed during the 2011-12 academic year, after completing four seasons of competition and exhausting her eligibility.

Penalties include:

• Public reprimand and censure.
• Three years of probation from January 24, 2014, through January 23, 2017. (The university proposed a one-year probationary period for the basketball and tennis programs).
• A $5,000 fine.
• A vacation of all men’s basketball wins in which student-athletes competed while ineligible (imposed by the school).
• A revocation of the 2011 SIAC Conference Championship for women’s tennis (imposed by the school).
• A one-year show-cause order for the former head coach. The public report contains the further details.
• A two-year show-cause order for the assistant coach. The public report contains the further details.
• A one-year show-cause order for the former volunteer coach. The public report contains the further details.
• A limit of nine total athletics scholarships for the men’s basketball program for the 2014-15 academic year, a reduction of one.
• A limit of four total athletics scholarships for the women's tennis program for the 2014-15 academic year, a reduction of two.
• An external audit of the school’s athletics program must be conducted. 

Members of the Division II Committee on Infractions are drawn from NCAA membership and members of the public. The members of the committee who reviewed this case are Douglas D. Blais, faculty athletic representative, Southern New Hampshire University; Jean Paul Bradshaw II, attorney; Bridget Lyons, senior associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator, Barry University; Julie A. Rochester, chair of the DII Committee on Infractions and faculty athletic representative and associate professor, Northern Michigan University; Carey J. Snyder, associate director of athletics, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania; and Jane Teixeira, assistant compliance commissioner and senior woman administrator, Pacific West Conference.

Former NFL players from Oklahoma weigh in on concussion settlement and share their experiences

Michael L. Garrett
Athletic Director
Langston University

Former OSU player Rusty Hilger, former Sooners Steve Zabel and Jimbo Elrod, and Langston AD Mike Garrett talk about the settlement and their time in the NFL.

LANGSTON, Oklahoma --  Before the 2013 season, the NFL agreed to pay $765 million to settle a lawsuit in which former players contended league officials knew about the dangers of concussions.

Almost six months later, the case drags on for 4,500 former players, including former Oklahoma State quarterback Rusty Hilger. The Southeast High product got involved in the lawsuit after talking to former OU running back Marcus Dupree's attorney.

One condition to the proposed settlement is this can't be viewed as an admission of guilt by the NFL.

“The cover-up is what bothers me,” said Hilger, who played five NFL seasons. “I was knocked completely out three times. Now we know a real concussion basically is when you see stars. I had 15 or 20 or more of those.”

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Jackson State football to play FAMU in 2014

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Jackson State’s 2014 football schedule hasn’t officially been released. But there are a few things we are certain about that bring anticipation to the upcoming season.

1) Jackson State will host Florida A&M: JSU and FAMU are set for Aug. 30 at Memorial Stadium. It’s uncertain if this will be JSU’s season and/or home opener, but the Rattlers will be in town. The game brings back some history of the Orange Blossom Classic, an unofficial championship game for all-black colleges. (Here’s a neat New York Times article about the Orange Blossom Classic).  JSU faced FAMU twice in the classic, losing in 1961 but avenging that loss the following season. The two met again in the ...

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Gold Nuggets' No. 3 rank is their highest in preseason

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana is No. 3 in the NAIA Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday. That's the best-ever preseason ranking for the Gold Nuggets, whose previous high was 13th in 2013 and 2007.

Xavier spent the final seven polls of 2013 in the top 10, including three consecutive times at No. 1. The Gold Nuggets were third in the postseason poll after becoming the first XU team in any sport to reach the semifinals of an NAIA National Championship.

Coupled with the No. 6 ranking of the Gold Rush, it makes Xavier one of three schools -- Auburn Montgomery and Lindsey Wilson are the others -- with both tennis teams in the 2014 preseason top six.

The Gold Nuggets, 19-8 a year ago, will open the season at 2 p.m. on Feb. 7 against city rival Loyola at the XU Tennis Center. That dual originally was scheduled for Saturday. The Nuggets' schedule includes seven dual matches against the NAIA preseason top 25, including No. 1 Auburn Montgomery, No. 2 William Carey, No. 4 Lindsey Wilson and No. 6 Brenau.

Xavier was 12-1 in 2013 against ranked opponents, including victories on consecutive days against Auburn Montgomery and William Carey.

Auburn Montgomery, the two-time defending national champion, was a unaminous choice for the top spot. It's the 12th time in the last 14 years that the Warhawks are preseason No. 1.

The top 25:

1. Auburn Montgomery
2. William Carey
3. Xavier
4. Lindsey Wilson
5. SCAD Savannah
6. Brenau
7. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
8. Northwood (Fla.)
9. Lewis-Clark State
10. Vanguard
11. Oklahoma Baptist
12. Westmont
13. Concordia (Calif.)
14. SCAD Atlanta
15. Olivet Nazarene
16. Indiana Wesleyan
17. Coastal Georgia
18. Cumberland
19. Milligan
20. Georgia Gwinnett
21. Campbellsville
22. Marian (Ind.)
23. Southeastern (Fla.)
24. Davenport
25. Bethel (Kan.)

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Gold Rush in preseason top 10 for 3rd consecutive year

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana is tied for sixth with Lindsey Wilson in the NAIA Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The NAIA announced rankings Tuesday.

The Gold Rush are in the preseason top 10 for the third consecutive year. It's the highest-ever preseason ranking for the XU men, who are in the top 10 for the 21st consecutive time. They ranked a program-record fifth in the 2013 postseason.

Coupled with the Gold Nuggets' No. 3 ranking, it makes Xavier one of three schools -- Auburn Montgomery and Lindsey Wilson are the others -- with both tennis teams in the 2014 preseason top six.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 51st consecutive time. That streak began April 4, 2007.

The Gold Rush -- 15-8 in 2013 and an NAIA National Championship quarterfinalist each of the past two years -- will open the season at 3 p.m. Friday at NCAA Division I member Nicholls State. Xavier's schedule includes eight dual matches against the NAIA preseason top 25, including No. 2 Auburn Montgomery, No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett, Lindsey Wilson and No. 8 Cumberland.

The home opener for both Xavier teams will be Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. against city rival Loyola at the XU Tennis Center. Those duals were pushed back from Saturday.

Defending champion Embry-Riddle (Fla.) was unanimously chosen No. 1. It's the second consecutive year that the Eagles top the preseason rankings.

The top 25:

1. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
2. Auburn Montgomery
3. Vanguard
4. Westmont
5. Georgia Gwinnett
6. (tie) Xavier
6. (tie) Lindsey Wilson
8. Cumberland
9. Aquinas
10. Bethany
11. Bethel (Tenn.)
12. Concordia (Calif.)
13. Belhaven
14. Graceland
15. William Carey
16. Northwestern Ohio
17. Northwood (Fla.)
18. Oklahoma Baptist
19. Warner
20. Lewis-Clark State
21. Pikeville
22. Olivet Nazarene
23. Cambellsville
24. Davenport
25. McPherson

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Winston-Salem State Announces 2014 Football Schedule

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  The Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics has released its 2014 football schedule. Winston-Salem State finished 10-2 in 2013, and made its third consecutive trip to the NCAA DII playoffs. The schedule features two opponents that made the 2013 NCAA DII playoffs and another challenging Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association schedule of games.

Winston-Salem State University will open the 2014 season at home in Bowman Gray Stadium against 2013 playoff participant, the UNC Pembroke Braves on September 6th. The Braves defeated the Rams to open the 2013 season in Pembroke before WSSU went on to win 10 games in a row before losing in the playoffs. UNCP was a 2013 NCAA DII playoff participant. Winston-Salem State holds a 3-1 season lead over the Braves.

The following week, September 13, 2014, The Rams will take to the road to face Valdosta State University at Cantrell Stadium on the campus of McEachern High School in Powder Springs, GA. The game will be a rematch of the 2012 NCAA DII National Championship game that saw the Blazers defeat the Rams 35-7. Valdosta State holds a 1-0 series lead over the Rams.

WSSU will return home for the third week of the season, as they will host the Golden Tigers of Tuskegee University at Bowman Gray Stadium. The September 20th matchup will be a rematch of the 2013 Cleveland Classic that saw the WSSU Rams defeat Tuskegee 35-13. The Golden Tigers were a 2013 NCAA DII playoff participant for the first time. Tuskegee holds a 2-1 series lead over the Rams.

"Our first three games will be a big challenge for the program in the non-conference portion of the schedule", says head coach Kienus Boulware. All of these schools that have played in the NCAA playoffs within the past couple season, but we look forward to the tough challenge", stated Boulware.

Winston-Salem State will open conference play on September 27th, when the Rams will host the Vikings of Elizabeth City State University at Bowman Gray Stadium. Winston-Salem State has won four games in a row in the series, and holds a 38-15-2 series advantage over the Vikings.

As the month of October rolls around, the Rams will hit the road for consecutive games. On October 4th, WSSU will travel to Murfreesboro, N.C. to take on the Hawks of Chowan University. The Rams have won consecutive games over Chowan in the series, and lead the overall series by that 2-0 margin.

"Elizabeth City and Chowan and are back on our CIAA conference schedule.  We have played them before but will have to; and ECSU has a powerful running game, but Chowan has a high powered passing attack, so we will have to adjust our focus for teams that have different styles", added Boulware.

The following week, October 11th, WSSU will travel to Charlotte, N.C. to face the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith. The Rams has won 13 consecutive games over the Golden Bulls, including a 44-17 win in 2013. Winston-Salem State leads the series record against the Golden Bulls, 40-21-4.

The Rams will return home to the friendly confines of Bowman Gray Stadium on October 18th for Homecoming 2014, as the WSSU Rams will host St. Augustine's University. WSSU has won two straight in the series and holds a slight 13-11-2 overall series record against the Falcons.

WSSU will finish up the month of October by hosting the Livingstone College Blue Bears on October 25th for Senior Day at Bowman Gray Stadium.  Winston-Salem State has won 11 consecutive games versus the Blue Bears, including this past season's 40-0 win. WSSU holds a 37-11-1 series advantage over Livingstone.

November 1st, Winston-Salem State will travel to Raleigh, N.C. to take on the Bears of Shaw University. The Rams have won three straight versus Shaw including this past season's tilling 28-24 win. WSSU leads the series 10-7-2.

Winston-Salem State will wrap up the regular season will a CIAA showdown against Fayetteville State on November 8th. The Rams have won five consecutive versus the Broncos, including this season's 28-14 win. The Rams lead the series 46-13-3.

"Being on the road for the final two CIAA games will be challenging for us.  Fayetteville State is never an easy environment to play in and Shaw is always a tough challenge", Boulware concluded.  "Both Shaw and Fayetteville State played us very tough last season at home, and we know that going on the road will be a test for us."

2014 Winston-Salem State University Schedule

Date Opponent Time
September
Sat 6 UNC Pembroke 6:00 PM
Sat 13 at Valdosta State   TBA
Sat 20 Tuskegee TBA
Sat 27 Elizabeth City State* 6:00 PM
 
October
Sat 4 at Chowan * TBA
Sat 11 at Johnson C. Smith * TBA
Sat 18 St. Augustine's * Homecoming 1:30 PM
Sat 25 Livingstone * 1:30 PM

November
Sat 1 at Shaw * TBA
Sat 8 at Fayetteville State * TBA
Sat 15  CIAA Championship Game
 
Home games in bold.
* Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Game

COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Davis Pushes NCCU To Last Second Victory Over MSU

DURHAM, North Carolina  --  With the hoop and harm by junior Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) at the six second mark, the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team (8-11, 3-3 MEAC) pulled off the 50-48 victory over the Morgan State Lady Bears (2-17, 0-6 MEAC), as the Lady Eagles finished 2-2 during their four-game road stand on Monday, Jan. 27 in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.

Down by one with 25 seconds left in the game, junior Khyra Conerly (Oakland, Calif.) dished to Davis on the block. After missing her first shot attempt as the clocked ticked, Davis collected her own offensive rebound and fired a second shot, counting the basket, and earning a foul from MSU's Britashia Burns.

The made bucket put the Lady Eagles back up by one and Davis' fourth made shot from the foul line sealed the two-point lead for NCCU with six seconds left on the game clock.



Davis earned her eighth double-double of the season with a team second-best 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the field and 4-for-6 shooting from the charity stripe while pulling down a game-best 11 boards and also collecting three steals.

Senior Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.) scored a game-high 20 points during the Lady Eagle victory, pulled down an additional seven boards, dished two helpers and grasped two steals while Conerly added 10 NCCU points.

Never earning a lead during the first half of action, the Lady Eagles took a five-point shortage into the locker room at the half, trailing the Lady Bears, 30-25.

MSU pulled ahead by as many as ten during the second twenty minutes of play before Freeman knocked down two free throws with 6:14 left in the game, giving NCCU its first lead of the contest.

The lead shifted back and forth four more times during the final six minutes of action before Davis' extra point gave the Lady Eagles the two-point conference victory over the Lady Bears, 50-48.

Tracey Carrington led MSU with 18 points while Dinah Jones pulled down a Lady Bears best seven rebounds.

As a team, NCCU shot 16-for-47 from the field (34.0%), 1-for-6 from behind the arc (16.7%) and 17-for-26 from the free throw line (65.4%) while pulling down 40 boards, dishing nine assists, and collecting two blocks and seven steals.

The Lady Eagles hit the road for a weekend Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference series at Howard in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Feb. 1 and at Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md., on Feb. 3.

Box Score 

Written By Andrea Wheeler, Assistant Sports Information Director

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
VISIT: NCCU.EDU
VISIT: NCCUEAGLEPRIDE.COM

Comeback win puts N.C. Central atop the MEAC

DURHAM, North Carolina  — N.C. Central snatched control of its postseason destiny with a razor-thin comeback win against Morgan State in front of a McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium crowd that gave the Bears an earful.

The 53-52 victory put the Eagles in first-place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. That potentially bodes well for seeding purposes in the MEAC Tournament, from which the winner gets the league’s lone berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Morgan State led by 13 points early in the second half.

Then NCCU started chopping wood.

“We came in here and got punched in the mouth early,” NCCU coach LeVelle Moton said. “We got punched in the mouth, again. Sometimes to win a championship you’ve got to prove that you can take a punch.”

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Texas Southern rallies past UAPB 72-71

HOUSTON, Texas  — Aaric Murray scored 34 points, including four of Texas Southern's final six points, as the Tigers beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 72-71 on Monday.

Madarious Gibbs made two game-winning free throws with 1:09 remaining to complete the Texas Southern rally and Arkansas-Pine Bluff missed three shots in the final minute.

D'Aris Scarver, averaging 21.4 points per game, was 1 of 10 from the field and finished with just three points for Texas Southern (9-10, 5-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference).

Marcel Mosley and Daniel Broughton scored 17 points apiece for Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-15, 2-5). Tevin Hammond had 15 points, eight rebounds, while Ghiavonni Robinson and DaVon Haynes added 11 each for the Golden Lions.

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Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/01/27/3463506/texas-southern-rallies-past-ark.html#storylink=cpy

Southern women roll again

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  The Southern women’s basketball team made short work of their opponent for the second time in three days.

The Jaguars built a 20-point halftime lead and coasted to a 60-44 victory over Alabama State on Monday night in the Clark Activity Center. On Saturday they raced to a 29-point halftime lead in an 81-59 victory against Alabama A&M.

Southern (11-5 and 8-0 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference) hosts Alcorn State on Saturday. The Hornets are 9-8 and 2-4.

It was the fewest points allowed by the Jaguars this season. The previous low came in a 63-56 victory against Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 11.

It also was the fewest points scored by ASU in a ...

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