Lincoln's 2014 Football Schedule Released

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania -- The Lincoln University has released its 2014 football schedule and the Lions will host three CIAA conference games along with North Carolina Wesleyan and a season-opening nationally televised contest against rival Cheyney in the "Battle of the First".

The Lions open their 2014 schedule at home with back-to-back home games in the LU Football Stadium. Lincoln will kick off the season with their first ever televised football game on Thursday, September 4 against Cheyney in the annual "Battle of the First". SPORTSfever Television Network will cover this historical event live from the campus of The Lincoln University at 7p.m. After the rivalry clash, the Lions will host North Carolina Wesleyan on September 13 in recognition of "Military Appreciation Day".

This game marks the sixth meeting between rivals Cheyney and Lincoln. The Lions hold a 3-2 advantage in the series including a 33-28 win last season on the road. Next, Lincoln will host the Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan of the USA South Athletic Conference. The game marks the first meeting against the Battling Bishops, which went 2-8 during the 2013 season.

The final nonconference contest on the Lions 2014 schedule will be their first road game featuring the Red Hawks of Montclair State from the Skyline Conference. This will also be the first meeting between the Lions and Red Hawks. Last season, Montclair State finished with a 4-6 overall record.

CIAA play begins September 27 when the Lions travel to Raleigh, NC to tangle with Shaw. After two consecutive road games, the Lions return home against Fayetteville State on October 4. Virginia Union is next on the schedule October 11 followed by a Homecoming matchup against Elizabeth City State on October 19.

A meeting with the 2013 CIAA Northern Divisional champion Virginia State is slated for October 26 in Petersburg, VA. Following the battle of the "True Orange & Blue" between the Trojans and Lions, Lincoln will acknowledge their senior's final home game on November 1 against Bowie State. The Bowie State game will highlight Senior/Family & Friends Day on The Lincoln University campus.

Lincoln concludes its 2014 regular season on the road by facing Chowan on November 8 in Murfreesboro, NC. The Lions last defeated Chowan 31-15 back in 2011.

The complete 2014 football schedule for Lincoln follows:

Sept. 4 – Cheyney (Battle of the First)
Sept. 13 – North Carolina Wesleyan (Military Appreciation Day)
Sept. 20 – at Montclair State
Sept. 27 – at Shaw
Oct. 4 – Fayetteville State (Hall of Fame/Health & Wellness Day)
Oct. 11 – at Virginia Union
Oct. 19 – Elizabeth City State (Homecoming)
Oct. 26 - at Virginia State
Nov. 1 – Bowie State (Senior/Family & Friends Day)
Nov. 8 – at Chowan

COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Rod Reed Inks Five-Year Extension with Tennessee State

COACH ROD REED
Courtesy: Tennessee State University Athletics

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State head football coach Rod Reed signed a five-year extension on Wednesday that will keep the Marshall, Texas native in Nashville until 2018.

“We are very pleased to be extending Coach Reed’s employment contract,” Athletics Director Teresa Phillips said. “He has brought TSU football back to where it had not been for the last fifteen years and that is commendable. We’re looking for great things to come in the future, but we wanted to solidify our commitment to him and to the TSU football program.”

The Tigers are coming off of a 10-4 season and an appearance in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, the first postseason appearance for the team since 1999.

“I think that the extension is a credit to the accomplishments of our staff over the past two or three seasons,” Reed said. “I appreciate the commitment from the administration and it is good to know that we will have no worries other than keeping this football program at a championship level.”

Reed holds a 26-21 record over four years, including an 18-7 mark over the past two seasons. His teams have also increased their win totals by at least two games in each of the last three seasons.

The new deal includes a raise and will start during the 2014 season.

Reed has coached 19 All-Americans, and 15 in the past two seasons alone. Also, 42 Tigers have made All-OVC teams in Reed’s tenure, including a school record 12 in 2013.

The Tigers became the first HBCU team to win a playoff game since 1999 with their victory over Butler, allowing them to take home the Black College National Championship for the first time since 1982.

Reed and the rest of his staff will begin year one of the newly inked deal on Aug. 30 when Big Blue takes the field for the John Merritt Classic.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU's offensive line bigger, stronger

HEAD COACH EARL HOLMES
Courtesy: FAMU Athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Quarterback Carson Royal is getting most of the reps in spring practice with the FAMU football team, looking more relaxed with a much bigger offensive line than he had to work with in the handful of starts that he made for the Rattlers last season.

“They are getting these D-linemen and are pushing them out of the pocket instead of like last year when they didn’t feel as organized,” said Royal, who started the last two games last year and came into spring as the quarterback to beat. “I feel a little more comfortable in the pocket.”

And who wouldn’t be comfortable with more than 1,550 pounds of human protection.

The protection starts with Patrick Dalton, a 6-foot-8 tackle who played last season for Jireh prep school. Add up the weight of the other linemen who could likely start and they total 1,575 pounds, giving FAMU its biggest offensive line in several seasons

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FAMU To Introduce Kellen Winslow As New Athletic Director Today; View FREE Live Webcast on Rattler Vision

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- FAMU president Dr. Elmira Mangum will introduce NFL Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow as the new Director of Athletics of Florida A&M in a press conference on Wednesday.  The 1 p.m. ET ceremony will be Webcast live on Rattler Vision, free of charge.


LINK TO RATTLER VISION WEBCAST

Chuck Hobbs: Analysis of Potential Litigation Regarding the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

Charles E. "Chuck" Hobbs II, Esq.

Chuck Hobbs is a trial lawyer and award winning freelance writer. A Tallahassee native, Hobbs is a graduate of Morehouse College, Florida A&M University and the University of Florida College of Law.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Hobbs’ Tuesday Talking Points (Analyzing the Pending Legal Battle over the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Split).

As a Florida native, I have always considered it odd when people that I have encountered from other regions of the country have insisted that Florida, while geographically southern, is not similar to its “Bible Belt” southern brethren as far as culture and customs are concerned. Such observations stem from the fact that since the early 70’s, Florida has become a tourist attraction due to Disney World and many of its other theme parks and with the upswing in immigration from Latin America and the Caribbean over the past 50 years, the image of Florida as something other than its Confederate and Jim Crow past is a direct result of savvy marketing.

But make no mistake, Florida is the “south,” and like the more infamous states of Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, states in which federal troops had to be dispatched to foster integration in the years following the United States Supreme Court’s Brown vs Board of Education decision, Florida, too, was defiant— if not slow as molasses—with respect to complying with the US Supreme Court’s mandate that its schools desegregate “with all deliberate speed.”

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SC State University diverted $6.5 million to cover shortfalls

COLUMBIA, South Carolina  -- S.C. State University used $6.5 million from a federal-and-state program intended to aid poor families to cover its cash-flow problems since 2007, according to a state inspector general’s report released Tuesday.

No fraud was found in the money diverted from the school’s 1890 Research & Extension Program, the report said, adding the college continued to make withdrawals as late as January.

The inspector general “identified a pattern of mismanagement allowing this inappropriate subsidizing practice to escalate out of control, masking SCSU’s financial difficulties for a number of years,” the report said. “This practice has only worsened SCSU’s financial situation by allowing deficits to grow while delaying action to address structural business issues causing these deficits.”

S.C. State agreed this month to repay the $6.5 million to the 1890 program from its accounts.

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Elzey: S.C. State Sports driving deficit

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- While state legislators consider South Carolina State University’s request for $13.6 million, the institution’s administrators are looking at ways to reduce spending and balance next year’s budget.

In February, university officials asked the General Assembly for $13.6 million to meet a deficit and cash-flow shortage that would shortly prevent them from paying the bills.

One driving force behind the university’s financial situation is a $6.67 million deficit in last year’s athletics program, Vice President of Finance James Openshaw recently told trustees.

During fiscal year 2014, athletic expenditures were $9.69 million while revenues were only $3.02 million.

“We are trying to ...

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Winning in the trenches is where it's at with Alabama A&M

NORMAL, Alabama –- One thing every football coach will tell you is if you win in the trenches then you can win the game.

That's what Alabama A&M football offensive coordinator Phil Dorn says as well.

The Bulldogs currently have 15 offensive linemen on their roster. Alan Cruz, Devin Dobbins, James Driver, Winston Hunt and Austin Simmons all started in 2013 on an offensive line that rushed for 1,840 yards and gave up only 21 sacks.



Joining them going into the 2014 season is Akeem Samuels, Courtney Brown, who played fullback last season, Baron Hobbs, Jr. Austin Boyle, Jordan Shelton, Anthony Jones, and Malcolm Johnson. The newcomers are Adrian Saterfield, Nhan Mai, and Chaz Wilson.

The Bulldog O-line has loss a combined weight of 300 pounds over the conditioning period as coach Dorn quotes, "We want to be able to play fast from the first play until the last."

A&M has completed four practices and will return for practice number five on Wednesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. at Louis Crews stadium.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Former S.C. State safety Rafael Bush will remain with New Orleans Saints as team matches offer sheet from Atlanta

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints didn't let safety Rafael Bush walk away to the Atlanta Falcons as the team matched the Falcons' restricted free agent offer sheet Monday, Bush confirmed via Twitter. Bush's agent Brian Anderson also confirmed the Saints matched Atlanta's offer.

Bush originally received a one-year, $1.4 million tender from the Saints on a no-compensation tender. Bush then signed an offer sheet with Atlanta last week on a two-year deal worth up to $4.5 million.

The Saints had until Tuesday to match the offer, and the team did so Monday.

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For FAMU Rattlers, Winslow quite a catch

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- For newly hired athletic director Kellen Winslow Sr., the list of big-picture initiatives could include returning the athletic program to the top of the FCS level, eliminating a multi-million-dollar deficit and even upgrading its football stadium.

But Winslow gave a first-things-first response Monday when asked where he’d start his tenure.

“I need to walk through the locker rooms of all the sports,” the former NFL superstar said during an exclusive telephone interview with the Democrat. “But I will tell you, even without walking through the door, my top priority is graduating our student-athletes; whether it’s football, basketball, tennis or any other sport. We’ve got to graduate our student-athletes.”

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Coaching Carousel: Maryland Eastern Shore to Hire Bobby Collins

Maryland Eastern Shore is looking to change their bleak basketball history and will turn to a former MEAC coach to turn things around.

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Maryland Eastern Shore will replace head coach Frankie Allen with former Winston-Salem State and Hampton head coach Bobby Collins.

Collins was 65-57 as the head coach at Hampton from 2003 to 2006 and then tried to transition Division II Winston-Salem State to Division I in 2007. Collins had just a 37-81 mark at the Division I level when the Rams reversed course back to the Division II ranks. Collins then had success leading the Rams to the NCAA Tournament and posted an 18-11 mark this past season in Winston-Salem.

Maryland Eastern Shore has never made the NCAA Tournament and the Hawks are currently in a stretch where they have never had a winning season spanning back over 35 years.

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Winston-Salem Rams’ Hill fighting through the pain

WINSTON-SALEM, North Caolina -- Winston Hill’s being in uniform for spring football at Winston-Salem State is a minor medical miracle.

Hill, a starting offensive lineman his first two seasons (2010 and 2011), has had two ankle surgeries that have led to two wasted seasons. He originally hurt his ankle early in the 2012 season and never made it back for the Rams’ run to the NCAA Division II championship game.

He had hoped to return last season, but couldn’t — and he had another ankle surgery.

Now scheduled to graduate next month, Hill could have given up on football, but he refused.

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ASU Hornets To Play At Mercer, Host Samford In Midweek Contests

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State baseball team returns to action with midweek games Tuesday at Mercer and Wednesday at home against Samford.

The second meeting in eight days with Mercer begins at 5 p.m., with internet radio on bamastatesports.com/showcase. The home contest against Samford is at 6 p.m. at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

The Hornets (26-10) got back on track over the weekend with a two-game sweep of SWAC Eastern Division foe Mississippi Valley State with wins of 7-2 and 6-1. The pitching struggled in last week's midweek games, but starters T.J. Renda and Joseph Camacho had strong outings on the mound.

"We addressed a few things on Thursday and Friday, and I thought our pitching was our strongest area this past weekend," head coach Mervyl Melendez said. "It was good to see the guys make the adjustments, and have better concentration on the mound, commanding the strike zone better than we did during the week."

Offensively, despite cool, windy conditions, the Hornets were able to hit three home runs, all at important times over the weekend.

"It wasn't a great day for offense," Melendez said of temperatures in the 50s. "The wind was blowing in at times in cold and condensed air. You get whatever you can on days like that, and we were fortunate to hit three home runs. They were all key, starting with Dexter Price in the first game with the three-run homer in the sixth inning with two outs when we were trailing 2-1 to put us in a good position. In the second game, it was a bit of the same. We go ahead on a two-run homer by Waldyvan Estrada (fourth inning) and then the big two-run home run by Cesar Rivera (fifth inning) gave us a cushion. The long ball helped us this weekend."

The Hornets and Mercer (26-7) meet for the second straight Tuesday. Last week, the Hornets lead 4-3 entering the seventh inning before ineffective pitching and three defensive errors contributed to nine Bear runs in a 12-4 home loss. Mercer has won six straight, and 12 of its last 13 games.

"It will be very important for us to get back on our feet," Melendez said of his teams' play in midweek games. "We know what Mercer is going to bring. They are a very good offensive ball club. We have to do a much better job pitching, especially late in the ball game. That's where we faltered. We didn't pitch well out of the bullpen. We have to find those guys that will be ready to compete at that level when the game is on the line when you are up by one late in the game to give us the innings that we need. We have to pitch very well tomorrow."

The inverse is true of Wednesday's matchup, as the Hornets had season highs in runs (23), hits (19), and home runs (four) in a 23-7 win at Samford March 18. The Bulldogs (19-13) have posted wins over Auburn and Jacksonville State in recent weeks.

"Samford is one of the better offensive teams we've played all year," Melendez said. "We were very fortunate to score a lot of runs and outhit them in that game. It wasn't a pitchers' dual. Eventhough the score was lopsided, we only outhit them 19-16. They still got hits. They just didn't get them when they counted (leaving 11 runners on base). That's a very good hitting ball club, and we have to be ready for them. If our pitchers continue to work, command the zone, and put emphasis on every pitch, we could do very well this midweek. It's important for us to do well midweek, as it's the springboard to the weekend to get the confidence about what you've done offensively and on the mound. We will put a lot of emphasis on these games."

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

2014 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns Should Consider Alabama State's RB Isaiah Crowell in Middle of Draft

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With 10 picks in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns are one of the teams being talked about the most. However, people are mostly concerned with their two first round picks and their second round pick and not focusing on the damage they can do in the mid-to-late rounds with the depth of this class.

Running back for the Browns will be addressed in the draft, but with the signing of Ben Tate the need to draft one in the early rounds will not be necessary. Mid-to-late round running backs have seemed to make names for themselves over the past few years, and it just so happens that is when the Browns could be looking to add another back to their stable.



Names like Zac Stacey (5th Round), Alfred Morris (6th Round), Jamaal Charles (3rd Round) and Ahmad Bradshaw (7th Round) were taken outside of the first two rounds. Obviously these are just a few, but there have been plenty of impactful running backs taken outside of the first two rounds.

This draft there is one name that has the potential to be a great flier pick for the Browns. Isaiah Crowell, the running back from Alabama State, is a name to remember. Crowell was considered the top running back recruit in the country out of high school and made his selection to attend the University of Georgia by bringing out a Bulldog puppy at his press conference.

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Florida A&M Hires Kellen Winslow, Sr. as Athletic Director

KELLEN WINSLOW, Sr.
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- President Elmira Mangum has only been in position for about a week, but she has made her first big hire. Mangum has appointed Kellen Winslow, Sr. as the school's new Athletic Director.

Winslow, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame, will be introduced at a press conference on Wednesday at 1 p.m., in the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center.

He replaces Mike Smith, who served as interim Athletic Director for the past 10 months.

Winslow previously was the Athletic Director at Lakeland College in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Prior to that, he was the Athletic Director at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.

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NOTE: I love this hire!  Winslow graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Education in 1987 and earned a law degree from the University of San Diego in 1993. He is also an in-demand public speaker on economic, social, political and racial issues related to sports, with appearances on Fox Sports, ABC's Nightline, ESPN, and major national radio and television sports talk shows. The former college football captain was a member of the secret honor society QEBH at the University of Missouri.  He was selected in the first round (13th overall) of the 1979 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers.  In nine seasons with the Chargers, he revolutionized the tight end position. 

Football did not use Winslow -- he used football to elevate his educational level and to prepare him for life's opportunities.  

The last National Football Foundation college football hall of famer to sit in the athletic director chair at FAMU was none other than the legendary coach Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither (203-36-4).  Within this hall of fame family are Rattlers: Jake Gaither, Willie "Gallopin' Gal" Galimore,  Billy Joe and Tyrone McGriff.

Welcome home, Mr. Winslow.  We expect great things from your administration for Rattler Nation.

Cole to Transfer from Kansas to Prairie View A&M

#1 LAMARIA COLE
PHOTO COURTESY: UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS ATHLETICS

LAWRENCE, Kansas —  Kansas women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson announced Thursday that sophomore guard Lamaria Cole has been released to transfer to another school.

"We support Lamaria's decision to transfer to a school in her home state of Texas and be able to be closer to her family," said Henrickson. "We wish her well in her future endeavors both on-and-off the court."

In 2014, Cole started five games and appeared in 24 averaging 10.4 minutes per game. During her sophomore campaign, Cole amassed 63 points, 28 assists and 26 rebounds. She shot 38.7 percent from the field and 54.2 percent from the free throw line.

In her career at Kansas, Cole appeared in 35 contests and started five. She averaged 9.2 minutes per game, while shooting 42.3 percent from the field. In her two years at KU, she averaged 2.5 points, 0.82 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game.

Cole will continue her collegiate career at Prairie View A&M.

BIO

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Texas Southern Davis Not Top Choice at JU; Tony Jasick emerges as top candidate for Jacksonville University basketball job

Edwards has talked to a dozen candidates about the position, including Texas Southern head coach Mike Davis.

JACKSONVILLE, Florida  --  Tony Jasick, who was named the top mid-major coach in college basketball this past season after winning 25 games at Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, is the leading candidate for the Jacksonville University basketball vacancy. Both sides continued negotiating a potential contract Monday night without a deal being consummated, sources told the Times-Union.

Jasick, who flew back to Indiana after discussing job parameters with athletic director Brad Edwards in Jacksonville on Monday, has guided IPFW to a 52-47 record the past three years. He took the Mastodons from eighth place in the eight-team Summit League, to fifth, and then a tie for second behind North Dakota State in 2013-14. At the Final Four, he was named winner of the Hugh Durham award, given annually to the top mid-major coach in Division I basketball.

 

JU remains optimistic it can reach an agreement sometime Tuesday and possibly have a press conference to introduce him on Thursday. Jasick, who ...
 

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Southern completes first SWAC home sweep since 2011

Courtesy: David Clark, SU Athletics Media Relations Student Photographer

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Freshman Bailey Rankin stepped into the batter's box at Lady Jaguar Field with the game on the line in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Southern, eyeing the programs first SWAC series sweep since April 2011, was tied 3-3 with Arkansas-Pine Bluff with runners in scoring position and one out.

Facing an 0-2 count, Rankin connected on a low fastball to produce a bloop-single that carried over third base and dropped just shy of left field. Redshirt Junior Danielle Jackson, who struck out but reached first base safely after UAPB catcher Kelsey Ridgeway dropped the third strike, scored the decisive run.

For a Southern squad which started 0-22 before capturing its first win of the season in late March, Saturday's 4-3 win over UAPB provided the exclamation point for a team in the midst of a dramatic mid-season makeover and now finds itself in the hunt for a SWAC Western division title.

"I really think that these girls are just buying into what we work on in practice everyday and it's the little things," Interim head coach Tayl'r Hollis said.  "I talk about the small victories and I mean these girls came out here and they fought and they battled every inning. We’ve been talking about win each inning, win each pitch.

I talked to our pitchers about when they’re on the mound, they’re ‘one-pitch’ warriors. They’re not making the game bigger than what it is. They’re taking one inning at a time and are just buying into what (Assistant) Coach (John) Garris and I are trying to teach them."

Despite a 6-30 overall record, seven losses were decided by one run in games which came down to the final at bat in most instances. And since defeating Alabama A&M 9-0 in its final game of the SWAC Softball Roundup in Longview, Texas, Southern is 5-1 in league play and hosts Prairie View A&M April 11-12 at Lady Jaguar Field.

Friday's first pitch is set for 3 p.m. with Saturday's doubleheader starting at noon.

With the help of its freshman class, Southern has positioned itself to contend for a division title if it can navigate the conference terrain unscathed over the final six games of SWAC play.

[The play of the freshman class] shows what the future of this program will look like and the journey that we are going to be taking is going to be a positive one," Hollis said.

"I think it's going to be – I was telling the girls yesterday - Jag domination from here on out. Jade Luke really stepped up [in Game 1 Saturday]. Bailey Rankin coming in clutch at the end there, being a freshman in an 0-2 count. I don't think there's much more pressure than she could’ve had on her at that time. Rankin’s game-winning single was a phenomenal moment for her as a player.

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Alabama A&M Bulldogs don full pads for the first time

NORMAL, Alabama  --  The Alabama A&M football team put on their full pads for the first time in the James Spady era and showed the 80+ in attendance what the 2014 edition of Bulldog football would look like.

Two drills that always get the players, coaches and the lucky fans in attendance excited were the Oklahoma drill and inside run.

The Oklahoma drill pitted a defensive player against an offensive player with a running back behind the blocker trying score. The object of the drill is for the defensive player to get off the block and tackle the runningback before he scores.  The coaches called out the one-on-one matches based on position and size.



The inside run drill pitted the offensive line versus the defensive line with a runningback trying to get between the tackles.

Both drills allowed major contact between the players who had been conditioning since December 2013.

The practice was held at J.O. Johnson high school as part of Bulldog football giving back to the community tour.

A&M will return to Louis Crews for their next three practices Monday, April 7, Wednesday, April 9, and Friday, April 11 all beginning at 7 p.m.

PHOTO GALLERY: AAMU BULLDOGS AT J.O. JOHNSON H.S.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU's Rolland, Abbes collect more GCAC weekly awards

Nour Abbes

Devinn Rolland

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Devinn Rolland and Nour Abbes were repeat winners Monday of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's weekly awards. Rolland is the GCAC Performer of the Week in women's field, and Abbes is the GCAC Player of the Week in women's tennis.
   
The awards honor performances from March 31-April 6.
   
Rolland is the GCAC all-time leader in women's field awards with eight. This is her second of the year. Abbes tied a GCAC season record with her fourth women's tennis award. She shares that mark with teammate Kourtney Howell (2012) and former XU standout Anastesia Opata (2009).
   
Rolland — a junior from Harvey, La., and a graduate of Cabrini High School in New Orleans — finished second in the long jump at the Pelican Relays in Baton Rouge, La., on Friday. Her jump of of 18 feet, 1 inch met the B-qualifying standard for next month's NAIA National Championships.
   
Abbes, a freshman from Tunis, Tunisia, and a graduate of Lycée Sportif d'El Menzah, won in doubles and singles Friday in the Gold Nuggets' only dual match, a 6-3 home loss to Southern Miss. Abbes teamed with Simone-Alyse Ewell for an 8-5 doubles victory against Karina Gurgenyan and Kathrin Waidner, and in singles she defeated Carolin Drescher 6-4, 6-3 at the top flight.
   
Abbes is 11-0 in singles this season, 4-0 against NCAA Division I opponents.
   
Xavier's women's and men's track teams will compete Saturday in the GCAC Outdoor Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans. Field events will start at 8:45 a.m., track events at 9:30 a.m. The final event of the day, the 1,600-meter relay, will start at 4:45 p.m. The next dual match for XU women's tennis will start at 3 p.m. on April 14 against Southern at XU Tennis Center.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
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Grambling State players aren't unionized, but walkout made their point

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  —  Grambling State’s 2013 football team perhaps qualified to form a union more than any other college in the country.

Grambling State’s current and recent former players will likely be watching the progress of what may have been a landmark decision by a regional arm of the National Labor Relations Board in Chicago two weeks ago that ruled Northwestern University football players can be treated as employees and unionize. The players pitched their case to the main NLRB in Washington D.C. last week, while Northwestern University itself appeals the decision.

Last season during the week leading up to their Oct. 19 game at Jackson State, Grambling State’s football players, in effect, formed their own ersatz union by boycotting two practices and walking out of a volatile meeting with Grambling State President Frank Pogue and other top administrators.

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TSU Track & Field Concludes Record-Setting Performance in Florida

GAINESVILLE, Florida -- A small contingent of the Tennessee State track and field teams headed down to the University of Florida for the Pepsi Relays over the weekend to go up against the nation’s top talent.

 

Jerome Henderson of the Flying Tigers continued his stellar sophomore campaign with a new record of 10.65 in 100-meter, which ranks as the third-fastest time in OVC this season.

 

Tyler Anderson came in fourth at the prestigious relay in the Long Jump after a leap of 7.32 meters, and Royce Dates notched a top-ten finish in the invite portion of the event (7.04 meters).

 

Freshmen Amber Hughes clocked a 13.56 in 100-meter hurdles, setting a new personal best and fastest time in the conference by .30 seconds.

 

Lastly, the TSU relay teams all set new seasons bests, and both of the 4x400 teams now lead the OVC, as do the 4x100 Tigerbelle team (45.16) by a wide margin.

 

Tennessee State will come home to Nashville on April 12-13 for the Boston/Moon Relays. Admission will be five dollars per adult for each day of the event, kids 6-17 will be charged three dollars and five and under will be free.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Tigers Reed Honored by Fritz Pollard Alliance

COACH ROD REED
PHOTO COURTESY: TSU ATHLETICS

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  Tennessee State football’s Rod Reed was given the 2013 NCAA Head Coaches Award by the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation last week.

 

Reed led the Tigers to their first appearance in the FCS Playoffs since 1999 and first postseason win since 1986.  The Tigers defeated Butler 31-0 in the first round before falling to Eastern Illinois in the second round.  The Tigers finished the season 10-4 and second in the Ohio Valley Conference.

 

The Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation aims to increase access and opportunity for minorities interested in coaching, front office and scouting positions in the National Football League.

 

The Alliance’s namesake was the first African American in the APFL and NFL. Pollard was also the first to play on a championship team (1920), as well as the first black quarterback (1923) and coach (1921).

 

Reed was one of just 15 coaches given the honor along with Dino Barbers (EIU), Brian Jenkins (BCU), James Franklin (Vanderbilt), David Shaw (Stanford), Charlie Strong (Louisville) and Kevin Sumlin (TAMU).

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard Bison Smalls' Record Day Leads WLAX To First Victory

CYNITHIA SMALLS
Photo Courtesy: Howard University Athletics

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  Cynithia Smalls picked the right time to set a new school record.

The senior attack and team captain scored six goals and surpassed former Lady Bison Desiree Cox's program record for goals scored and helped Howard earn its first victory of the season in a 17-9 win over Delaware State University on Thursday afternoon at Greene Stadium.

Smalls entered HU's second home game with 122 career goals, one score shy of the mark Cox set over two seasons (2009-11) as a transfer from Division Lees-McRae College. She wasted no time tying the record, scoring the first goal of the game 12 seconds into the contest on a free position shot.

After an unassisted goal by junior midfielder Jaymie Cox 22 seconds later, Smalls fittingly took a pass from Jaymie - Desiree's sister - and netted the record-breaking score at the 24:45 mark of the first half to put HU ahead, 3-0.

By the 12:30 mark of the first half, the Lady Bison had surged to a 6-1 lead. DSU would fight back using a 4-1 run of their own to cut Howard's lead to 7-5 at the half.

Delaware State would open the second with a goal and pull to within one goal (7-6) but Smalls would respond for HU with her first of three second half scores at the 26:38 mark, keeping the Lady Bison ahead by at least two goals the rest of the game.

Smalls now has 128 career goals with five games to go in her storied career.

Senior midfielder Courtland Lackey tied Smalls with a team high six goals while Cox added three goals and two assists and both freshman midfielder Tianna Clark & junior midfielder Dariel Wimbley scored a goal each.

Howard will finish the season within conference, beginning with a three-game Atlantic Sun home stand. The Lady Bison welcome Kennesaw State on Friday, April 11 at 6:00 pm at Greene.  

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON SPORTS INFORMATION  

St. Aug Mourns Loss of Football Student-Athlete

RONALD CUNNINGHAM

RALEIGH, North Carolina  -- Saint Augustine's University is mourning the loss of first-year student Ronald Cunningham, a member of the Falcons' football team who died Sunday, April 6, 2014.

St. Aug Athletic Director George Williams issued the following statement:

"We are saddened by the passing of Ronald Cunningham," Williams said. "He was a member of the St. Aug family, so everyone is grieving right now. He was an outstanding student-athlete and also an outstanding person. He was fun to be around. Our heart bleeds for the family."

Cunningham was a freshman offensive lineman on the football team. A native of Dinwiddie, Va., he majored in Computer Engineering.

A vigil in Cunningham's honor will be held at the Chapel on campus Monday, April 7, at 5 p.m.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF SPORTS INFORMATION