Gold Nuggets win, Gold Rush lose at Belhaven

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Simone-Alyse Ewell and Sha'Nel Bruins won 6-0, 6-0 in singles for the second day in row to lead NAIA No. 3 Xavier University in a 5-0 women's tennis victory against Belhaven on Saturday.

Xavier's men lost 5-4 to Belhaven in a matchup of ranked teams.

After sweeping three doubles matches, Ewell gave the Gold Nuggets (3-2) a 4-0 lead with her victory against Elizabeth Chrestman. Bruins then defeated Ellen Scott at No. 6 to clinch the dual. None of the other four singles matches were played.

Ewell and Brion Flowers beat Mary Lichlyter and Rachel Jefcoat 8-4 at No. 2 doubles. Nour Abbes and Kourtney Howell improved to 3-0 after their 8-0 victory against Stephanie Smith and Katie Campbell at No. 1, and Amber Brown and Brandi Nelson defeated Chrestman and Brittany Keeling 8-1 at No. 3.

In the men's dual, Enrico Patriarca clinched for 13th-ranked Belhaven with a 7-5, 6-2 victory against Jordan Harrell at No. 6 singles. XU's Kyle Montrel tied the dual at 4 with his 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) victory against Andre Borghi at No. 1.

The Gold Rush (2-3), ranked sixth, won 2-of-3 doubles matches. Montrel and Nikita Soifer beat Nikita Lisov and Jefferson Nino 8-5 at No. 1, and Harrell and Tushar Mandlekar defeated Daniel Prado and David Mejia 9-8 (7-3) at No. 3. It was the second consecutive day that Harrell and Mandlekar won in a tiebreaker.

Soifer scored the other Gold Rush singles victory, 6-3, 6-2 against Lisov at No. 2.

Belhaven's men are 2-1, and the women are 1-2.

"The Nuggets were on cruise control," xU coach Alan Green said. "It was a tough, grueling loss for our men. We fell behind in and managed to tie it, but we just couldn't pull it out at the end. We beat Belhaven by the same way so last year, so we know how they felt."

Xavier will play Georgia Gwinnett's fifth-ranked men and 20th-ranked women at 10 a.m. Sunday in Hattiesburg, Miss.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Northridge evens up series with Bethune-Cookman with 2-1 win in 11

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- Chester Pak’s RBI single in the 11th gave Cal State Northridge a 2-1 win over Bethune-Cookman on Saturday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, evening up the series.

Shay Maltese got the win for the Matadors (1-1). Christopher Waltermire, who gave up a two-out double to Alexis Mercado in the 11th, took the loss. Pak’s line drive single off reliever Michael Austin scored pinch runner Nicolas Osuna with the go-ahead run.

For the second day in a row, hits were hard to come by. B-CU starter Montana Durapau gave up one run on five hits in seven innings. Northridge starter Brycen Rutherford allowed one run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings.

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FAMU Lady Rattlers Knock Of CSU Eagles 83-80

COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- FAMU senior guard Jasmine Grice lit up the Al Lawson Center for 36 points en route to her third consecutive game scoring 30 or more points in a game. In the process, she led the Lady Rattlers (12-12, 6-5 MEAC) to an 83-80 win over the Coppin State Lady Eagles (12-11, 9-3 MEAC), in a critical MEAC contest.

"We can't always depend on our big players to grab rebounds, so we implement a team effort to make plays, and we made some solid plays tonight," head coach LeDawn Gibson said. Freshman Kenya Dixon led the Lady Rattlers with eight rebounds, while Taneka Rubin grabbed six. Grice pulled down three rebounds and added four steals to her NCAA Division-I leading total.

Ashle Craig shot 50-percent from the field, going 6-for-12 , carding 21 points for CSU. Kyra Coleman, was just a step behind as she contributed 18 points, while Larrisa Carter scored 14 points. Carter pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds while teammate Tanaysa Henderson pulled down nine.

Tiera Prothro pumped in 17 points, going 8-for-11 from the field, while Rubin scored 11 points to round out the trio of Lady Rattlers scoring in double figures.

CSU rushed out to an 18-point lead in the first half, as the Lady Rattlers withstood the onslaught to settle into a defensive press, forcing the Eagles into 19 turnovers. Coppin State scored 46 points in the first half, but managed just 34 in the second half. The back-and-forth battle saw 10 lead changes and six ties.

Gibson used the depth in her bench to rest her entire starting team in crucial minutes in the first half, leaving them with the energy to make the successful run in the second half. That resulted in the Rattlers collecting 16 second chance points to just 10 for Coppin.

FAMU shot 51.6 percent from the field int he second half to power their comeback, after shooting just 38.7 percent in the first half. CSU shot 50 percent in the first half and just 37.1 precent in the second half. FAMU also took the edge in three-point shots as they went 9-for-16 (56.3 percent), while CSU went 5-for-14 (35.7 percent) for the game.

The Lady Rattlers will face the Lady Hornets of Delaware State on Monday in a 6 p.m. start at the Al Lawson Center.

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Tate-DeFreitas, Bennett Lead in HU Lady Pirates Blowout Win

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas and senior forward Alyssa Bennett each had bounce-back games Saturday afternoon in Echols Hall, as the Hampton University women's basketball team throttled Norfolk State 93-59.

The Lady Pirates (21-4, 12-0 MEAC) have won 11 straight games.

Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) poured in a game-high 33 points, hitting a career-high seven 3-pointers for her second career 30-point effort. Bennett (Hampton, Va.) recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 22 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.

She is five points shy of 1,000 for her career.

Junior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Va.) added 14 points, hitting three of her five 3-pointers.

Ebony Brown tied the game at 11-11 with a jumper at the 14:36 mark of the first half, but the Lady Pirates responded with a 9-0 run to take a 20-11 lead with 11:55 left in the half after a fastbreak layup from senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.).

Bennett added a jumper at the 5:06 mark to put the Lady Pirates up 34-17, and Tate-DeFreitas hit back-to-back 3-pointers with 1:19 and 0:33 left in the half – the latter giving Hampton a 42-25 lead.

Cole sent the Lady Pirates into the half with a 44-27 lead with a jumper with five seconds left.

Tate-DeFreitas had 17 points in the first half, and Bennett had 12 at the break.

Hampton opened the second half with a 7-0 run, taking a 51-27 lead with 17:50 left after Bennett converted a fastbreak layup. Logan Powell cut that lead to 53-37 with a layup at the 15:01 mark, capping a 10-2 Norfolk State run.

But the Lady Pirates answered with treys from Cole and Hamilton, taking a 59-37 lead with 13:49 left.

Koryn Lawrence hit two free throws with 13:05 left to cut the lead to 61-40, but the Lady Pirates scored the next 16 points, taking a 77-40 lead with 9:47 left after a trey from Tate-DeFreitas – who had three 3-pointers and a layup in that run alone.

The Spartans then went on a 12-3 run to cut Hampton's lead to 80-52 with 6:58 left, but that was as close as Norfolk State would get – as the Lady Pirates led 90-57 with 2:30 left after sophomore guard Blake Jenkines (Clarksville, Tenn.) hit two free throws.

Redshirt-junior guard Lauren Johnson (Cairo, Ga.) added two free throws with 44 seconds left to push the game to its final margin.

The Lady Pirates shot 49.2 percent (32-for-65) from the floor and hit 11 of their 23 3-pointers (47.8 percent). Hampton also held a 37-35 edge in rebounding, and the Lady Pirates turned 25 Spartans turnovers into 27 points.

Norfolk State (10-12, 6-5 MEAC) shot 37.0 percent (20-for-54) from the floor.

Lawrence led the Spartans with 16 points.

The Lady Pirates will head to Washington, D.C. next Saturday to take on Howard at 5 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

Box Score

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Hampton sweeps 2014 MEAC Indoor Track and Field Championships

LANDOVER, Maryland  -- Hampton University swept the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Prince George’s Sports Complex on Saturday.

The Lady Pirates celebrated its second consecutive and seventh overall MEAC indoor crown with a total of 147 points. Florida A&M placed second with 133 points and Morgan State finished third with 74 points.

Norfolk State garnered 64 points to grab fourth, followed by Bethune-Cookman (63), Coppin State (56), Maryland Eastern Shore (29), North Carolina Central (28), Savannah State (22), Delaware State (18), Howard (18), North Carolina A&T (8) and South Carolina State (6).

Hampton’s Teiara Denmark finished with 32 points to earn the Outstanding Field Athlete and teammate Ce’aira Brown garnered the Outstanding Runner with 25 points.

Hampton head coach Maurice Pierce earned Outstanding Coach honors for both teams.

“This was definitely a whole team effort,” Pierce said. “Both teams cheered for each other and we came together. We weren’t even predicted to win on the men’s side. We came through in the clutch as everyone showed up and did their part.”

On the men’s side, Hampton won its first crown since 1996 with 114 points and snapped Norfolk State’s run of five of the last six championships. The Spartans were unable to defend the title due to postseason ineligibility.

Bethune-Cookman finished second with 109 points, while North Carolina A&T placed third with 95 points.

Florida A&M finished fourth with 95 points, followed by Maryland Eastern Shore (64), Howard (64), Morgan State (40) Coppin State (39), South Carolina State (32), Savannah State (31) and Delaware State (6).

Maryland Eastern Shore’s Dillon Simon finished with 18 points and set a MEAC record in the shot put with 18.35m (60-02.50 ft.) to earn Outstanding Field Athlete. Simon broke Morgan State’s Tyron Benjamin’s mark of 18.01m, set in 2009.

Deon Clifford of Florida A&M, who won the 5,000m on Friday and the 3,000m on Saturday, took top honors as the Outstanding Track Athlete with 30.50 points. Clifford also was second in the mile and a member of the Rattlers’ first-place team in the distance medley relay.

The Hampton 4x400 relay team of Rayon Black, Edose Ibadin, Chidi Okezie and Je’von Hutchinson also set a meet record by breaking Norfolk State’s mark with a time of 3:14.22.



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Battle of the Bay Renewed This Saturday at NSU Echols Hall

Saturday - Battle of the Bay

Women's Game: NSU vs Hampton, 3:45 p.m., Joseph Echols Hall
Men Game: NSU vs. Hampton, 6 p.m., Joseph Echols Hall
Radio: Hot 91.1 FM | Ross Gordon, Play-by-Play
Live Stats | Live Video/Audio | Game Notes

NORFOLK, Virginia --  It's rivalry week, and one of the MEAC's best rivalries takes place on Saturday at 6 p.m. when the Norfolk State men's basketball team hosts Hampton at Joseph Echols Hall with second place in the conference on the line.

Following the contest against the Pirates, NSU will be back on the road for the last three away games of the year, the closing part of a stretch in which the Spartans play seven of nine away from home.

Series History
NSU has taken the last four meetings with Hampton, two in each of the past two years and all decided by eight points or less. The Spartans now lead the all-time series, 81-41. NSU has more wins against Hampton than any other school. The next closest is St. Paul's, a program Norfolk State has defeated 70 times.

About Hampton
The Pirates won a pair of home games last weekend against Howard and UMES to move into third place in the league at 8-3, 13-11 overall. Du'Vaughn Maxwell has been the catalyst for the Pirates, averaging 15.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game. Deron Powers, at 10.6 points, and Brian Darden, at 9.3, also provide scoring punch. Hampton averages a healthy 7.7 steals and 6.6 blocks per game, while also doing plenty on the offensive side by scoring 71 points a game. Opponents do shoot better than 35 percent, though, from the 3-point line.

Last Time Out
Led by 25 points from Pendarvis Williams, NSU topped Howard 75-49 on Monday at Echols Hall. The Spartans limited Howard to just 32.6 percent shooting on the night, with freshman James Daniel scoring 25 of the team's 49 points. Jamel Fuentes added 11 points and seven assists for the Spartans, while Marese Phelps and Anell Alexis each scored 10. NSU outscored Howard 25-8 in points off turnovers after the Bison coughed up the ball 24 times. HU also failed to convert a field goal for the last 11 minutes of the first half.

Player Tidbits
Pendarvis Williams
 • 20.7 points on 23-of-46 field goals with 5.0 rebounds last three games
 • 2.3 steals last six games
 • Fifth in the MEAC in steals at 1.5
 • 55-of-64 from the free throw line in the last 17 games
 • Needs 39 more points to reach No. 19 on the all-time scoring list at NSU
 • Needs four more 3-pointers to move into second all-time at NSU
 • Shooting 49.3 percent from the floor this year, including 62.3 percent (91-of-146) from inside the arc
 • One of five all-time NSU players with 1,400 points, 400 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 steals along with Ralph Tally, Barry Mitchell, Tony Murphy and Michael Deloach
 • Needs 14 more rebounds to reach 500 for his career; would join Tally and Mitchell as only players with 1,400 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 steals
 • 81.8 percent from the free throw line this season; chasing Division I record of 83.3 percent set by Ryan Grier in 2003-04
 • Sixth 20-point game of season, and 18th of career, with 25-point effort against Howard

Brandon Goode
 • 12.0 points on 16-of-26 field goals with 7.0 rebounds last three games
 • Has scored in double figures in 15 of last 20 games
 • Shooting 48-of-76 (63.2 percent) in the last 10 games
 • Ranks fourth in Division I single-season records with 54 blocks and sixth in all-time single-season records
 • Second in the MEAC in field goal percentage at 60.8 and fifth in rebounding (6.8), blocks (2.3) and offensive rebounds (2.5)
 • 60.8 percent shooting currently ranks eighth all-time at NSU in season records and third in Division I era

Jamel Fuentes
 • 10.5 points on 7-of-16 field goals with a 15-2 assist-turnover ratio last two games
 • 2.5 steals last four games
 • 4+ assists last 16 games
 • Needs nine more assists to reach fifth place all-time at NSU
 • Sits third in Division I records with 137 assists this year
 • First in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (3.0) and second in assists (5.7)

Marese Phelps
 • 16-3 assist-turnover ratio last five games
 • 2.0 steals last 12 games
 • Fifth in the MEAC in steals at 1.5

Anell Alexis
 • Broke out of slump with 10 points on 3-of-5 field goals with two assists and two steals against Howard

Big Win
The 26-point victory over the Bison on Monday was NSU's biggest win since Feb. 9, 2009, when the Spartans downed Florida A&M by a 96-69 score.

Howard scored 18 points and hit just 20.0 (5-of-25) percent from the field in the first half, the lowest totals by an NSU opponent in a half since Delaware State scored 18 in the first half on Feb. 27, 2013 and Randolph shot 19.2 percent (5-of-26) in the first half on Nov. 16, 2011.

Coughing Up the Ball
Howard committed 24 turnovers on Monday, the most giveaways by an NSU opponent since Morgan State had 29 on Jan. 21, 2013.

Over the last four games, NSU is averaging 8.5 steals and opponents are turning the ball over 16.0 times a game.

MEAC Standings
The Spartans currently stand in second place in the MEAC standings at 8-2 behind league leader North Carolina Central (9-1). Hampton (8-3) and Morgan State (7-3) sit right behind the Spartans in the standings.

Conference Streak
With eight MEAC wins so far this year, NSU is guaranteed to finish no worse than .500 in conference play. Since moving to Division I in 1997, the Spartans have yet to finish worse than .500 in the MEAC. In fact, since the 1953-54 season, NSU has finished with a losing conference record just once (9-10 in 1990-91) in 58 seasons (not counting the independent 1997-98 and 1961-62 seasons).

Senior Leadership
NSU has scored 1,782 points this year, with 1,421 of those points (79.7 percent) coming from NSU's senior class.

Spartans in the MEAC
NSU is 8-2 this year in the MEAC and 37-5 (88.1 winning percentage) since the start of the 2011-12 season.

Scoring Offense
NSU's is scoring 74.2 points per game this year, the highest scoring season since averaging 76.0 per game in 1999-2000, and eight points more per game than last year (66.3).

MEAC Rankings
NSU ranks first in the MEAC in scoring offense (74.2), field goal percentage (47.2) and offensive rebound percentage (37.4). The Spartans also stand second in 3-point field goal percentage (34.2), opponent rebounding (33.2), rebounding margin (+2.2), assists (14.3) and assist-turnover ratio (1.1) and third in scoring margin (+1.7) and defensive rebound percentage (65.6).

By Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Southern, LSU open Urban Invitational with wins

MLB Network has live coverage of tourney's seventh edition through Sunday

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana --  The seventh annual Urban Invitational got underway on Friday night with two games at separate Louisiana locations. Southern University began its season with a 7-5 victory over rival Grambling State, and Louisiana State University took a 2-0 win over the University of New Orleans.

Southern, which has played in every edition of the Urban Invitational, got to host a game in the tourney for the first time Friday. The tourney was designed to highlight baseball programs at historically black colleges and universities, and few have been better than Southern.

Southern, coached by Roger Cador for the last three decades, has won 14 Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and has advanced to the NCAA tournament eight times. Cador's team played crisply on Friday, and he said he was pleased to have the game on his home turf.

"We played our old nemesis, Grambling, and we were able to win, so I guess that's the good thing," said Cador when reached by phone. "Anytime you play on TV is good, and the city of New Orleans, specifically, is beginning to get more and more African-American kids playing baseball. We have some really good athletes in New Orleans, so maybe we'll be able to get some of them."

Southern's current roster has just 10 players from Louisiana, which is an indicator of the program's ability to recruit nationwide. But with the advent of the new Urban Youth Academy in New Orleans, Cador knows that the environment for local recruiting can only improve.

CONTINUE READING 

B-CU Mourns Loss of Former GridIron Standout

Dennis Daniels (l) and Lynn W. Thompson (r)
Courtesy Bethune-Cookman Athletics

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- Dennis Daniels, a former Bethune-Cookman College football standout, died on Monday, Feb. 10. He was 52.

A native of Volusia County, Daniels played four seasons with the Wildcats, serving as a kicker from 1979-82. He replaced former kicker and current Bethune-Cookman University Director of Athletics, Lynn W. Thompson, in his placekicking duties. Daniels was a graduate of Seabreeze High School in Ormond Beach, before arriving at B-CC in the fall of 1979.

“Dennis and I used to work out back in our college days, and he succeeded me as a player at Bethune-Cookman,” stated Thompson upon hearing of Daniels’ death. “His contributions to this university will never be forgotten.”

During his playing days for the Wildcats, Daniels earned league honors from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in 1983 on the first team offense. He would be the first Bethune-Cookman kicker ever to receive all-conference recognition.

In the history of the MEAC, Daniels is one of just two kickers to receive first team all-conference honors as a member of the Bethune-Cookman program, joined by Manny Manolas in 1985.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held Saturday, Feb. 15, at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church at 3 p.m. The church is located at 635 Madison Avenue in Daytona Beach, with Pastor Evans Smith officiating.

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Nuggets, Rush defeat ranked Carey tennis teams on the road

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi -- Xavier University of Louisiana, winners against 17 ranked NAIA tennis opponents a year ago, defeated two more high-profile teams Friday.

The third-ranked Gold Nuggets did not drop a set in a 9-0 victory against No. 2 William Carey, the NAIA women's national runner-up in 2013. The sixth-ranked Gold Rush defeated No. 15 William Carey 6-3.

The XU women (2-2) did not lose a game in 7-of-15 sets. Simone-Alyse Ewell and Sha'Nel Bruins both won 6-0, 6-0 in singles; Ewell clinched the dual by beating McKinzie Boss at No. 5.

Winning in singles and doubles for Xavier were Nour Abbes, Kourtney Howell, Brion Flowers, Brandi Nelson and Ewell. Abbes, a freshman, improved to 3-0 in singles after beating Anne Bauer 6-2, 6-0 at the top flight and 2-0 in doubles when she and Howell defeated Malin Collin and Bauer 8-2.

The Gold Nuggets won 11-of-12 against ranked opponents in 2013 en route to the national semifinals. It was the second straight year that they won on the road against a second-ranked William Carey team.

Freshman Jordan Harrell clinched the  Gold Rush's dual at No. 6 singles with a 6-1, 6-3 victory against Lukas Moritzen. At No. 3 doubles, Harrell and another freshman, Tushar Mandlekar, fought off a match point in the 15th game and earned a 9-8 (7-5) victory against Moritzen and Leonardo Sechi.

Kyle Montrel and Nikita Soifer won in doubles and singles for the Rush. They teamed for a 9-7 No. 1 doubles victory against Jody Claassen and Philipp Mueller. At the top two singles flights, Montrel beat Ricky Keppeler 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 1-0 (10-5), and Soifer defeated Claassen 6-1, 6-1.

Montrel and Soifer are 3-0 in doubles this season.

Freshman Adam Albrecht defeated Sechi 6-3, 6-3 at No. 5.

William Carey's women are 1-2, and the men are 1-1.

"Good wins for both our teams," XU coach Alan Green said. "It's just the beginning of our NAIA mission. Our men pulled out a really tough win with a total team effort. Our women went out and played hard against a team that knocked us out of nationals last year. William Carey has a different women's team this year, but so do we."

Both XU teams will travel to Jackson, Miss., to play Belhaven at noon Saturday. Belhaven's men are ranked 13th in the NAIA.

Results:  Men    Women

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Softball: TSU Drops Games to #4 Alabama and Grand Canyon

TUCSON, Arizona  -- Tennessee State dropped a pair of games on day one of the Hillenbrand Invitational on Friday. Tigers made a late inning comeback in the first game of the day, but ended up losing a heartbreaker 7-6 in nine innings to Grand Canyon University. In the night cap, No. 4 Alabama scored in each of their first four innings to claim a 12-0 five inning victory over TSU.

 

The Tigers are now 1-6 on the early season, while the Crimson Tide remains undefeated at 7-0. GCU fell to Alabama immediately after the morning game with TSU to move to 3-5.

 

In the opener, the Tigers opened fast for the second consecutive game. Tayler Shimizu and Jayna Hanawahine opened the third with back-to-back hits. Hanawahine’s first double of the season moved her fellow Hawaiian to third to set the stage for a big inning. Courtney Gearlds notched the first RBI of her young career with a solid line drive into left, bringing home Shimizu for the first run of the game. After Gearlds picked up her second stolen base of the game, Ashley Haynes delivered a single into left center that plated Hanawahine and Gearlds for a quick 3-0 lead.

 



Photo courtesy of Tennessee State Athletics

Tigers line up before taking the field at Arizona

Grand Canyon would climb back into the gain, and eventually take the lead, with a run in each, the third and fourth innings, followed by a three-run inning of their own in the fifth. The spurt by the Lopes produced a 5-3 lead into the seventh inning.

 

The Tigers charged back in the seventh with back-to-back singles by Liz Stansberry and Shimizu. A batter later, Gearlds earned a walk to load the bases for Kate Morris. The Lawrenceburg, Tenn., native came through in the clutch with a double off the left field fence chasing home Stansberry and Shimizu to tie the game at 5-5.

 

Grand Canyon threatened in the bottom of the eighth inning with bases loaded and no outs, but Shea Morris was able to induce two ground balls and a line drive to exit the inning unharmed.

 

Kate Morris came through again in the ninth by driving in Hanawahine, who was placed on second for the International Tie-Breaker. The Tigers could only manage one run and led 6-5 heading to the bottom half of the inning.

 

GCU took advantage of a base hit and a couple TSU throwing errors to push a pair of runs across for the 7-6 win.

 

In the second game of the twin bill, starter Olivia Gamache went the distance surrendering 12 runs, six earned, on 12 hits and seven walks. The senior collected four strikeouts as she dropped to 0-3.

 

Sydney Littlejohn (2-0) earned the win allowing just three hits, a walk, and hit a batter while fanning seven. Gearlds picked up the first hit of the game for TSU with a shot up the middle and finished the night with a team leading .381 batting average.

 

In the fifth inning, Shimizu and Hanawahine recorded hits off the freshman hurler from Alabama. Shimizu was hit by Littlejohn in the second inning and finished the night 1-for-1, 3-for-5 with two runs on the day.

 

TSU will play a pair of games on day two of the Hillenbrand Invitational. Saturday will start as Friday did, with an 11:00am (MT) game against Grand Canyon. The Tigers will then face #22 Arizona at 4:00pm (MT). All games can be heard at tsutigers.com.

TSU-Grand Cayon Box Score
TSU-Alabama Box Score

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Baseball: Jackson State Tigers Outlast Texas Southern 4-2

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  Bryce Taylor went 3-4 at the plate to help lead the Jackson State baseball team to a season opening 4-2 victory over the Texas Southern Tigers on the opening day of the 2014 JSU Baseball Tournament at Braddy Field.

Taylor (2014 preseason All-SWAC second team) also recorded a run and RBI. Charles Tillery (preseason SWAC Player of the Year) went 2-4 at the plate with two RBIs. For the game, JSU (1-0) scored its four runs on eight hits. Texas Southern scored its two runs on eight hits.

Zach Welz led Texas Southern, going 2-3 at the plate with a run scored.

Sergio Parra picked up the win for the Tigers. Desmond Russell earned his first save of the season. Darius McClelland suffered the loss for Texas Southern.

JSU scored the first run of the game in the first inning when Aneko Knowles scored on a Taylor double to right field. JSU maintained its one run lead until Texas Southern scored its first run of the game in the eighth inning. JSU reclaimed the lead at the bottom of the eighth.

Gary Thomas double to left field to get on base and scored on a wild pitch. Taylor and Melvin Rodriguez both scored on a Charles Tillery double to left field, giving JSU a 4-1 lead. Texas Southern scored the final run of game in the ninth inning.

The tournament resumes Saturday, Feb. 15. The first game of the day (Teas So. Vs. South Dakota State) is set for noon. JSU and Texas Southern will square off at 3 p.m. and JSU will face South Dakota State at 6 p.m. All games will be played at Braddy Field.

    JSU vs. Texas Southern Box Score

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7-foot-2 Ian Chiles has been the man in the middle for Morgan State basketball

IAN CHILES
Courtesy MSU Athletics

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Ian Chiles is thriving in the paint, shooting the ball well and inspiring fear in opponents who take shots by rejecting many of them.

“You win games a lot of time with your guard play,” Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman said, “but if you have a strong post presence, it is important, because those are where the higher-percentage shots come from. And also, as a defender, you have someone in there protecting against those higher-percentage shots.”

The 7-foot-2 senior center has blocked 14 shots in the past two games, including a career-high nine against Norfolk Sate on Saturday.

Chiles is second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with 3.1 rejections per game, and has amassed 68 blocks on the season, and 171 in his career.

Chiles also scored 23 points in Morgan State’s (9-13, 7-3) 82-77 win over rival Coppin State on Monday.

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Former FAMU Cheerleader Makes NBA All-Star Dance Squad

SHARDIA WASHINGTON
NBA Charlotte Bobcats, Lady Cats
B.S., M.S., Occupational Therapy
Florida A&M University

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- NBA All-Star Weekend is one of the biggest attractions in all of professional athletics. The best basketball players from the NBA and their fans converge this year in New Orleans for the annual mid-season classic. This season, for only the second time in the history of the NBA All-Star Weekend, a spirit squad was selected to perform from the 30 dance teams that cheer on the teams throughout the regular season.

While the Charlotte Bobcats will not have a player in the All-Star festivities, they will have Shardia Washington, a FAMU alumna, representing the Lady Cats on the Eastern Conference All-Star Dance Team. In just her second season as a member of the team, she was considered the best in the NBA. Washington was submitted by the Bobcats organization as one of three finalists for her team, followed by her ultimate selection to the All-Star squad by the NBA review process.

Washington graduated from FAMU in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree and in 2010 with a master’s degree in occupational therapy. While at FAMU, she was a member of the FAMU cheerleading squad, an experience the Jacksonville native holds dear to her heart.

“I never thought in a million years that I would make a professional dance team, especially for the NBA. So, just having the opportunity to come out here and represent FAMU and to represent myself, it just means a lot to me,” Washington said.

Washington spends virtually all of her time either working, rehearsing and performing with the Lady Cats or doing community service projects. She often visits schools and reads with children in the Charlotte area as part of her community service obligations. Recognizing the impact that a positive role model can have is something she learned early in life, but her involvement as a Lady Cat has elevated that perspective for her.

For several years, the “Lakers Girls” were considered the top dance team in the NBA, but over the last few years, that distinction has been shifted east as Charlotte’s squad was dubbed the league’s best. In a market that is not as big as Los Angeles, New York or Miami, it is quite an accomplishment to be considered the top team. With that comes a complex try-out process for the Lady Cats. It’s a process each dancer must endure annually to make the squad.

The historic part of her trek to New Orleans has not fully set in for Shardia, but to put it in perspective, there were three African-American women chosen for the first NBA All-Star dance team in 2007, therefore she represents just the fourth ever to achieve the task. She credits her foundation at an HBCU with allowing her to accept the responsibility to do well on all levels.

“I definitely enjoy my life here in Charlotte as an adult, but I do miss being in college on ‘the Hill’ in Tallahassee. Cheerleading in college prepared me, but not quite for the time consumption that we deal with on the professional level,” she said.

Brandi Tatum, who coached Washington while she attended FAMU, was beaming with pride when she learned of the unique accomplishment.

“Shardia has a very outgoing bubbly personality. She would try anything to make our squad better. She started as a base and ended as a flyer. She has an incredible outbound spirit, and was humorous and able to lift people up,” Tatum said.

Back home in Jacksonville, the excitement grew immediately as she informed her mother that she would be participating on the all-star dance team.

“When I first told her I was selected, she screamed and she texted the entire family and I don’t even know if my mom knew what the NBA All-Star game was, but she was super excited,” she said.

Washington left for New Orleans on Feb. 12 and returns on Feb. 17. When she landed on Wednesday, she immediately proceeded to the Super Dome for a seven-hour rehearsal. The squad will be performing at virtually every official NBA All-Star Weekend event.  She spent the days leading up to All-Star Sunday preparing herself physically for the dance routines, but mentally for what the opportunity might bring.



Mega stars of the world scoop up courtside VIP seats each year, so the mental preparation required to not be phased by the possible presence of Spike Lee, Lil’ Wayne, Gabrielle Union, Jack Nicholson or The Carters (Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Blue Ivy) can not be underestimated. It adds pressure to the performance from different angles. Case in point is Kimberly Gipson. Gipson was a member of the 2007 NBA All-Star dance team, now she performs regularly as one of Beyoncé’s main dancers.

According to Washington, knowing the opportunities that may evolve from her performance adds an aura of excitement, coupled with a case of anxiety.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I don’t think I’ll fully understand what it’s going to be about until I step out on that court,” Washington said.

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Microsoft Makes Large Donation to FAMU in Recognition of Technology Efficiency Efforts

REDMOND, Washington  --  Microsoft Corporation, the world’s biggest software company, is donating $456,425 in software to Florida A&M University (FAMU).

Last month, Akhtar Badshah, senior director of Microsoft Citizenship & Public Affairs, informed the FAMU Division of Enterprise Information Technology of the decision.

“At Microsoft, we believe technology can do amazing things. That's why we partner with thousands of organizations like FAMU around the world to help each one achieve its mission. Through our Microsoft Citizenship efforts, we provide technology tools, training and resources that can help create opportunities and transform communities. Congratulations on being part of our global community,” said Badshah.



According to Interim Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Michael James, the donation from Microsoft will be used to continue the university’s mission of offering innovative technology and resources to its students, administrators, faculty and staff.

"This donation, which was coordinated by Ron Henry and Meghann Graham of the EIT Services Team, will assist FAMU in its continued efforts to offer state-of-the art software access to its users, enhance the overall efficiency of our various departments and expand our technology-related community outreach,” James said. “Microsoft’s donation is not only an asset to our mission of remaining on the cutting edge of technology, but also shows that the corporation understands our mission and recognizes the work we are doing here at the university.”

FAMU was selected to receive the donation after a thorough review process by the Thurgood Marshall College Foundation Technology Initiative.

The initiative is a partnership between the foundation and Microsoft designed to identify historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that best exhibit information technology preparedness, in order to offer financial support and resources toward the selected institutions’ efforts to foster high-performance learning environments. The initiative is designed to promote effective communication, collaborative learning, critical thinking and digital age literacy among HBCUs and the communities they serve.

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Jake Gaither rattled off winning seasons at Florida A&M

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The son of a Baptist preacher from Tennessee, Jake Gaither was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps from a young age and embark on a career in church.

Fortunately for Gaither and Florida A&M University, the game of football found him first and allowed Gaither to go on to one of the most successful coaching careers in the history of the game.



In 25 years at the helm of the Rattlers program, Gaither won 204 games to just 36 losses and four ties and won six Black College National Championships. His teams had one or fewer losses in 15 of his seasons, and only former Mount Union coach Larry Kehres has a higher winning percentage among coaches with more than 200 victories.

Gaither also helped integrate football in the south, setting up the first meeting between a predominantly white school and a predominantly black school, and sent more than 40 players to the NFL in his time at FAMU, including Bob Hayes, Willie Galimore and longtime Bengals cornerback Ken Riley.

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ESPNU Tabs Savannah State at North Carolina Central as MEAC Wildcard Game

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia  -- ESPNU has selected the Savannah State at North Carolina Central men’s basketball matchup, scheduled for Monday, March 3, as its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) wildcard broadcast and will air the game live beginning at 7 p.m.

As part of its agreement with ESPN, the MEAC’s 2013-14 television package has featured three previous men’s and one women’s basketball regular season game this season.

The 2014 MEAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament will also broadcast on ESPNU with the men’s championship game airing live on Saturday, March 15 at 6 p.m. The women’s game is slated for a taped-delayed broadcast on Sunday, March 16 at 11 a.m., and will also broadcast on ESPNU.

North Carolina Central currently tops the conference standings with a 9-1 MEAC mark and 18-5 overall record.  The Eagles boast the conference’s top RPI ranking with notable non-conference wins over N.C. State, Campbell and Old Dominion this season.

Currently, North Carolina Central is 12-0 at home, including 6-0 in conference play.  NCCU will take on South Carolina State, in Orangeburg, S.C., in its next outing on Saturday, Feb. 14 beginning at 6 p.m.

Savannah State ranks fifth in conference standings with a 6-4 MEAC record and 8-16 overall mark.  The Tigers have lost their last two games, but were 6-of-8 in conference play prior to the two-game skid.  The Tigers will face North Carolina A&T in its next matchup, also on Saturday, beginning at 6 p.m.

The Savannah State at North Carolina Central game is the final regular season men's basketball broadcast for the conference this season.

For more information on MEAC basketball, visit www.MEACsports.com.

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ASU adds Auburn twins to class: Torberts thrilled to be Hornet teammates

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Alabama State added two signees to their 2014 signing class when they signed Auburn High School’s Delwyn and Selwyn Torbert.

The Torberts are brothers who play the same position of safety, and are now attending the same school in college.

“I’ve been playing beside my brother since I was in rec league football,” Selwyn Torbert said. “I’ve always played with my brother and he’ll always be by my side, and I can’t wait to meet my future teammates so they can become my brothers as well.”

Selwyn Torbert finished his career at Auburn High with 64 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery.

Now as he’s heading into college, he’s focused on getting on the field as early as he can.



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Southern's athletic teams are banned by the NCAA from postseason tournaments

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- All Southern University athletics programs, including the school’s first place men’s and women’s basketball teams, are currently banned from postseason play pending an NCAA investigation into the academic progress rates of student-athletes.

The ban is effective immediately, and in order to have it lifted Southern must review and resubmit all Academic Progress Rates and Graduate Success Rates to the NCAA dating to 2009. The NCAA will then either verify the data that was previously submitted or give the university an opportunity to make corrections to that data.

“Once the data is submitted and corrected, a meeting will be called with the NCAA Subcommittee on Academic Performance,” athletic director William Broussard said Thursday afternoon. “They will then confirm that all the data has been entered correctly. As soon as we receive that ruling, we’ll have that ban immediately lifted.”

Broussard said the university has been meeting deadlines for submitting increments of data since the first week of December, and hopes to get a response from the NCAA about how much more is needed on Monday.

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TSU Leads Early Before Falling at #5 Arizona State

TEMPE, Arizona -- The Tigers opened their six-game stretch in the Valley of the Sun by dropping a hard fought game to No. 5 Arizona State in Tempe on Thursday evening. Tennessee State (1-4) took an early lead on the Sun Devils, but ended up falling 10-3. It was just the third game this season ASU (7-0) would have to play a seven inning ball game.

 

TSU put together a three-run inning in the top of the second after surrendering a run in the first. Carmen Hill earned a one-out walk and moved up one base each on back-to-back singles by lefties, Courtney Gearlds and Kiarra Freeman. Liz Stansberry drew a walk off ASU starter Alexis Cooper to force home Hill to tie at the 1-1.

 

Two batters later, Jayna Hanawahine delivered a single over the outstretched glove of shortstop Cheyenne Coyle to plate Gearlds and Freeman for an early 3-1 lead. The three runs by the Tigers matched the amount of runs ASU allowed in their first six games of the season.

 

Senior Mackenzie Popescue entered the game to retire Kate Morris and proceeded to retire the next twelve batters. Gearlds ended the Sun Devils’ hurlers’ streak with a double down the right field line to lead off the seventh inning, but was stranded as the game ended. Popescue (4-0) earned the win in relief.

 

ASU answered right away after the Tigers second, with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead 5-3. The Sun Devils would score two in the fourth and fifth innings and added another in the sixth to produce the final margin.

 

Olivia Gamache (0-2) was tagged with the loss, as she was unable to retire a batter in the second inning. The senior pitcher was touched for five runs off five hits and a two walks. Shea Morris entered in relief in the second inning and tossed the final five innings. Morris allowed six hits and four walks as ASU scored five runs, four earned, while striking out five.

 

The Tigers travel to Tucson to begin the three-day Hillenbrand Invitational. Due to poor travel conditions in the Atlanta area, Georgia Tech was unable to make the trip to Arizona, causing changes to the tournament schedule. TSU will play their first game Friday morning at 11:00am (MT) versus Grand Canyon and will close out the day against #4 Alabama at 6:00pm (MT).

FINAL STATS

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ASU's Super Bowl Champion Alumnus Meets New President

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- ASU alumnus Tarvaris Jackson received a presidential welcome from Dr. Gwendolyn E. Boyd on Thursday, Feb. 13.

Jackson, a former Hornets football player, helped the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl earlier this month. In fact, the game was being played on the same day Boyd arrived in Montgomery, where she was greeted at the airport by an enthusiastic crowd of supporters eager to witness her make history in her new role as ASU’s first female president.

Boyd mentioned to the crowd how excited she was that Jackson was playing in the big game.



During Thursday’s meeting, Boyd said she was proud to shake hands with an alumnus who also is a Super Bowl champion. Jackson returned the compliment, saying he was just as proud to shake hands with the University’s first female president.

Boyd and Jackson, both Montgomery natives, are two hometown heroes who credit ASU with helping them achieve their professional successes.

Boyd, who grew up in a housing project just down the road from ASU’s campus, said the University helped her see and fulfill her potential.

“ASU gave me confidence. Everyone knows what Tulane Court was like.  There was not a lot of encouragement, not a lot of people saying go to college; but I gained confidence coming to Alabama State,” she said. “I had people behind me saying, ‘There is a lot of potential in you, and we want to see you exercise that potential.’ There were people pushing me, saying, ‘We know you can make it.’”

Jackson echoed Boyd’s sentiments.

“I had a lot of support; I had a lot of coaches and teachers behind me who were able to see things in me. They helped me out and pushed me, and I learned a lot of things here that have helped me out in the long run,” he said.

Jackson also shared a message for those who would follow in his footsteps.

“People think that it’s harder to get into the NFL or other professional sports coming from an HBCU, but my advice to young people is for them to work hard and if you are good enough, they will find you,” Jackson said.

After the meeting, Boyd presented Jackson with a sweater emblazoned with ASU on the front.

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AAMU Baseball reschedules contest vs. IPFW

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NORMAL, Alabama – The Alabama A&M baseball team will have to push their season opener back one day as they will now host the Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastodons to two days of doubleheaders.

Game one was originally scheduled for Friday but with the recent snow storm and more inclement weather predicted for Friday the decision to move the game was made.

The Bulldogs will play IPFW on Saturday and Sunday, Feb.15 & 16 with both days beginning at 11 a.m.

All games will be played at the Bulldog baseball field and admission is free.

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FAMU Relays To Be Broadcast Live On Rattler Vision

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TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The 63^rd FAMU Relays will take place on Mar. 1 at the newly renovated Robert “Pete” Griffin Track Complex.  After a wholesale refurbishment and resurfacing of the track, renovation to the infield surfaces, restrooms,  and pits and upgrading of the electrical system throughout the complex, the facility will make it’s debut at the FAMU Relays and will be open for public use soon after the FAMU Relays.

This year’s FAMU Relays will be historic, in that it will be the first time it will be Web casted to the world.  Rattler Vision, powered by the FAMU School of Business and the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication, will broadcast the entire event, via FAMUAthletics.com.

The cost for the broadcast will be just $7.95 for a one day pass to view all the action.  That will cover the entire day, from start to finish.

If you can’t make it to Tallahassee, what better way to show your support for FAMU Athletics and the men’s and women’s track and field teams.  To subscribe for the FAMU Relays, please go to: FAMUAthletics.com  RattlerVision

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Seniors Lift LU Lions to Victory Over Elizabeth City State, 64-58

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA – On Senior Night, George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) and Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) led the Lions to a 64-58 come-from-behind win against the Vikings of Elizabeth City State on Wednesday, February 12^th in Manuel Rivero Hall. Jackson has 12 second half points while Washington added 10 points to rally the Lions from a 17-point first half deficit.

A slow start by the Lions gave the Vikings the momentum early in their final regular season battle of the season. ECSU hit four three-pointers in the first half and jumped out to huge lead while the Lincoln offense struggled.

The Vikings led 27-10 at the 8:06 mark in the first half. Junior Kyle Aiken (Randolph, NJ/Randolph HS) and sophomore James Stewart (Washington, DC/Charles Herbert Flowers HS) each hit field goals from behind the arc in the span of two minutes sparking a Lions rally. Trailing 31-18 with 3:55 left in the half, the Jackson brothers combined for nine points of an 11-2 Lincoln run. ECSU lead shrunk to 31-27 after a jumper by senior Justin Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) and then a three-pointer by his brother senior George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) as the Lions clawed back. The Vikings hit a shot at the halftime buzzer and led 33-27.

Lincoln used a 7-0 run in the first two minutes of the second half to take their first lead of the contest. Senior forward Stefan Whittingham (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Fort Lauderdale HS) scored five straight points giving Lincoln their first lead of the game (34-33) at the 17:55 mark of the second half. The Lions offense finally showed up as George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) hit back-to-back three-pointers at the 12:25 mark extending the Lincoln advantage to 43-37.

The Vikings fought back a few minutes later and found themselves trailing 45-43 with 8:34 left in regulation, but a three-pointer by Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) ended their hopes. Washington led the LU bench with 10 points and hit his second three-pointer of the half with four minutes left to give Lincoln a 58-52 advantage.

The Lions made their free-throws down the stretch and played aggressive defense in the final minutes to win 64-58. Lincoln avenges their overtime 64-63 loss to the Vikings on January 23^rd.

Five seniors played their final game inside of Manuel Rivero Hall on Wednesday, February 12, 2014. George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) scored 12 of his game-high 17 points in the second half against the Vikings. He made three shots from long range, shot a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, and dished out four assists.

Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) also had four assists and was the other Lion to reach double-figures with 12 points. Washington was 4-for-5 from the field including two made three-pointers. Stefan Whittingham (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Fort Lauderdale HS) added nine points, a game-high three steals, with four rebounds. Justin Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) had six points with three defensive rebounds and Chris Kinney (Washington, DC/Theodore Roosevelt SHS) matched Jackson's six points and grabbed six rebounds.

Lincoln improves to 16-7 and 8-5 in the CIAA. The Lions travel to Virginia Union University on Saturday, February 15^th at 7:30 p.m. in Richmond, VA.
Box Score

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Albany State Golden Rams release 2014 football schedule

ALBANY, Georgia  -- The Albany State University Golden Rams have unveiled their football schedule for the 2014 season, ASU Athletics Director Dr. Richard H. Williams and head coach James "Mike" White announced Wednesday afternoon. Highlighting the nine-game slate is a game with a familiar non-conference opponent, and eight SIAC conference games that include a matchup against a team that made an appearance in the 2013 NCAA Division II football playoffs.

"Albany State has generated a challenging schedule that will provide a lot of excitement during the 2014 season," said Williams. "Our Golden Rams are making great preparations, and they are ready to deliver some solid football action this season."

The Golden Rams, who finished their 2013 season at 6-4 and won the SIAC Championship, will kick off the season on September 6th in Valdosta, Georgia against the Valdosta State University Blazers. Valdosta State, a member of the Gulf South Conference, went 6-4 last season. The last time ASU played the Blazers was during the 2011 season. VSU won that matchup 30-27.

Albany State will open SIAC play and continue a rivalry when they face the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers on September 13^th in Tuskegee, Alabama. Tuskegee, who made an appearance in the 2013 NCAA Division II Playoffs, finished last year with an 8-2 overall record. The Tuskegee game is the first of three West Division crossover games.

After an open date on September 20^th, Albany State has its home opener on September 27th against the Miles College Golden Bears, who finished the 2013 season at 6-4. The Golden Bears, a member of the SIAC West Division, defeated the Golden Rams 22-14 in regular-season play before losing to them 17-14 in the 2013 SIAC Championship Game.

ASU has another early season road trip scheduled for October 4^th, as the Golden Rams travel to Augusta, Georgia to face the Paine College Lions. After playing a junior varsity schedule in 2013, Paine will compete in the SIAC's East Division during its second season.

On October 11^th, the Golden Rams return home to face the Lane College Dragons. Albany State lost to the SIAC West Division opponent 37-31 in last season's meeting in Jackson, Tennessee. The Dragons finished the 2013 season with a 6-4 record.

The Golden Rams will take on four more SIAC East Division opponents beginning Oct. 18^th when they face the Maroon Tigers of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Albany State defeated Morehouse 42-20 in the 2013 contest. Albany State will then return home to take on the Clark Atlanta University Panthers on October 25^th as part of the university's annual homecoming celebration. ASU beat CAU 30-7 in 2013.

Albany State will travel to Columbia, South Carolina on November 1^st and face the Benedict College Tigers. The Golden Rams defeated Benedict 31-6 in last year's meeting.

The two biggest rivals in the SIAC, Albany State and Fort Valley State University, will close their regular seasons in the 25th Annual Fountain City Classic on November 8^th at the A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Georgia. The Golden Rams defeated the Wildcats 19-10 in the 2013 classic game. The FCC is touted as one of the biggest and best HBCU football classics in the nation.

The winners of the East and West divisions will play for the 2014 SIAC Championship title in Atlanta, Georgia on a date to be determined later.

All game times will be determined at a later date. For more information about the Golden Rams 2014 football schedule, contact the ASU Department of Athletics at (229) 430-4754.

 

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