Fuentes Earns Complete Game, Braves Defeat Texas Southern 5-4 on Day One of SWAC Tournament

COURTESY ALCORN STATE ATHLETICS

NEW ORLEANS   -- What more can you say about senior pitcher Ryan Fuentes after striking out the final batter to pick up the victory for the Braves.  Fuentes struck out six batters and threw 152 pitches as the Braves survive day one of the 2014 SWAC Baseball Tournament with a 5-4 win over Texas Southern.

The Braves got behind 2-0 after Texas Southern scored a run in the second and fourth innings on a few defensive mistakes.

But in the sixth inning the Braves finally woke up.  Edagardo Salas, who made some outstanding defensive plays today, led off with a single up the middle.  Scottie Peavey stepped up next and hit a double to right center field to advance Salas to third.  Earl Burl hit a sacrifice fly to score Salas making the score 2-1.

After Christian Hickman was intentionally walked, sophomore Ashton Lewis hit a double down the left field line to score Peavey and Hickman giving the Braves the lead 3-2.

The Braves would hold their lead until the bottom of the ninth inning.  With only one out away from the win, the Braves allowed Tigers to tie the game on a bobbled ball by right fielder Earl Burl.

Moses Charles struck out to lead off in the 10th inning.  Salas stepped in and hit a single to center field.  Peavey collected his 3rd double of the game hitting a double down the left field line and Salas scored all the way from first base to give the Braves a 4-3 lead.  Brandon Vega came in to pinch run for Peavey and scored on a passed ball to extend the Braves lead to 5-3.

The Braves would end the inning on a groundout by Hickman.  In the bottom of the 10th inning, Texas Southern led off with a single by Zach Welz.  Next Robert Garza was hit by a pitch.  Two batters later, the Tigers would score on a RBI single.  Shaquille Cockrell made a great play at third base to pick up the second out.  Sayvon O'neal came in to pinch hit for the Tigers and face Fuents.  Fuentes won the battle striking out O'Neal to give the Braves the victory.

The Braves will play tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. and face the winner between Alabama State and Grambling State.

Box Score   

COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

A&M wins first SWAC tournament contest

NEW ORLEANS  --  For the first time in team history the Bulldog baseball team has captured a Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament win, with an 11-5 victory over the Panthers of Prairie View A&M early Wednesday morning after a rain delay in the Wesley Barrow Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

A&M jumped on the board first as the home team leading three to zero. The Panthers however tied the game at three all in the bottom of the fourth inning. A&M threaten in the fifth with a runner on, but was caught in a rare triple play.

In the bottom half of the sixth; A&M started a rally with one out. Julio Nunez blasted a shot over left field wall extending their lead 8-4.  A&M then added three more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.



For the game the Maroon and White collected 11 hits. Nunez along with Patrick Dobson, Austin Hulsey and Ramon Nelson each finished with two hits on the day.  A&M also batted in nine RBI's in the first contest of the 2014 SWAC Baseball tournament.

Manny Lora took over for starting pitcher Ryan Ahrens.  Lora pitched five innings striking out four while facing 21 batters.

The Bulldogs will meet the winner of the Texas Southern and Alcorn State matchup on Thursday, May 15 at 3:00 p.m.

For more information on Alabama A&M athletics, visit http://www.aamusports.com/. Fans can also find the Bulldogs on Twitter at @aamubulldogs or @AAMU_Baseball  or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Alabama-AM-Bulldogs.

Box Score            

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU falls short on NCAA APR; Rattlers banned from post-season in 2014-15 for football and basketball

KELLEN WINSLOW Sr.
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
COURTESY FAMU SPORTS INFORMATION

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University (FAMU) has received notice from the NCAA’s Committee on Academic Performance (CAP) that the football and men’s basketball teams will not be permitted to participate in 2014-15 postseason tournaments after falling below NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) standards, and appeals of the postseason ban were denied, Director of Athletics Kellen Winslow, Sr. announced Wednesday.

“We take responsibility for our failure to meet academic performance standards set by the NCAA,” said Winslow. “I am confident that the processes and procedures that we have put in place, along with the adoption of best practices, will address this issue. We look forward to overcoming this challenge and returning to post season competition as quickly as possible.”

FAMU’s sanctions are a result of the multiyear APR calculations – a four-year measurement covering the academic years 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13.

The men’s basketball’s multiyear APR score was 900 and football’s score was 885, both falling short of the 910 benchmark set forth by the NCAA for limited resource institutions.

“We are implementing APR improvement plans that have been recognized and approved by the NCAA. This demonstrates that we have identified critical issues and initiatives with measurable goals, including specific steps to achieve those goals,” Winslow added.

Although neither team will be eligible for Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular season championships in 2014-15, games played against conference opponents will count in the standings. Rattler football and basketball players will be eligible for all individual conference honors during the season.

FAMU President Elmira Mangum, Ph.D., expressed her expectations for a sound academic environment in Athletics. “FAMU is committed to the success of our student-athletes both on and off the playing field,” said Mangum. “Their academic success is our first priority and we take the regulations of the NCAA very seriously because they are designed to be applied consistently across all programs, at all member institutions, and represent best practice.”

FAMU’s APR improvement plan includes a partnership between Athletics and the Office of University Retention to enhance academic support to all athletes. The initiative includes monitored study hall and tutorial sessions, resources to enhance study and time management skills; and required coaching staff attendance in Academic Eligibility Rules Education sessions, to name a few.

Next year's multiyear APR will be the first to reflect the implementation of the corrective measures.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

NSU Athletics Statement on NCAA APR Release

 NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State University Athletics Director Marty L. Miller released the following statement Wednesday in response to the NCAA's yearly release of the Academic Progress Rate (APR) data:

"I was disappointed to receive the news that our men's track team is still ineligible for postseason competition next season. We realized last year that it could take two years for the program to recover from critical retention and eligibility issues it has encountered over the past few years in order to meet the required NCAA benchmarks.

"The track student-athletes made significant academic progress during the 2012-13 school year by recording a single-year APR score of 927 and achieving a cumulative grade point average of 2.77. However, the team fell three points short of the required 930 APR score to have received consideration for postseason competition.

"In an effort to correct the retention challenges and improve the APR score, several initiatives have been implemented to improve the track program's recruiting and advising processes.

"The results are already paying dividends. The preliminary APR scores for 2013-14 have increased significantly. Of the 150 NSU student-athletes who earned a 3.0 or better GPA in the fall 2013 semester, 22 were track student-athletes. With this level of academic performance and the commitment of student-athletes to return to the program next season, the men's track team is on pace to achieve the 2013-14 APR goals and be eligible to participate in postseason competition the following year."

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Francis heading to Savannah State after impressive workout

COVINGTON, Georgia — Eastside’s Treyvon Francis turned a lot of heads at his workout at Savannah State University.

One of those heads included Tigers head coach Horace Broadnax, who was part of the 1984 Georgetown Hoyas national championship team. After seeing what Francis could do, the Tigers offered Francis a new home.

“The coach at Savannah State said his workout, the coach played at Georgetown University, was one of the best workouts they’d seen in his tenure there. That says a lot for (Eastside),” Eagles head coach Gregory Freeman said. “What we did everyday and what we did before coming here really set the tone for this program. This (Francis signing) could be the younger guys if they follow the script of doing what they’re suppose to in the classroom, at home and at practice. All three of those things have to take place.”

Francis leaves Eastside having scored more than 1,000 points and 500 assist for his career. During his senior year, he scored 403 points making 66 percent of his field goals (83-of-125), 60 percent from 3-point range (34-of-57) and 80 percent of his free throws (100-of-125).

Beside being chosen Region 8-AAAA Player of the Year, Francis also ...

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Savannah State football team faces postseason ban

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Savannah State’s football program had been banned from posteason competition for a low Academic Progress Report for the second year in a row, and the team faces NCAA restrictions on practice time and days both in and out of season.

Savannah State loses its spring football practices as part of the Level 2 restrictions.

SSU had an APR — a multiyear assessment of a program based on graduation rates — of 846. To remain eligibible, a school must have a 930 over five years or 940 over the past two seasons.

The Tigers also face potential restrictions in women’s basketball, but they have applied for an NCAA waiver. Women’s basketball had an 853 APR.

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Alabama State University Statement On NCAA Release

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A total of 12 Alabama State University athletics programs scored at or above the national benchmark of 930 according to the release Wednesday of the annual academic progress ratings by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Of ASU's 18 athletics programs, two did not meet qualifications for postseason eligibility in the upcoming school year.

The Academic Progress Rate (APR) is a four-year average based on the school's overall student-athlete eligibility, and graduation and retention rates for student-athletes who participated during the 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years. The APR also serves as a predictor of graduation success.

In single-year scores for 2012-13, four ASU programs scored a perfect 1000: men's golf, women's golf, women's cross country and volleyball.

Over the four-year period between 2009-10 and 2012-13, three ASU programs scored 960 or above over the four-year period: women's cross country (990), women's indoor track (974) and women's outdoor track (974).

Nine teams scored between 930-959: women's soccer (958), women's golf (955), men's golf (951), women's basketball (946), baseball (946), women's tennis (940), men's cross country (940), men's indoor track (936) and men's outdoor track (933).

While four teams — men's tennis (929), bowling (921), softball (917) and volleyball (911) — did not reach the required 930 benchmark, they are not subject to postseason bans, based on the limited resource initiative (men's tennis, softball, and volleyball) or squad size (bowling).

Based on the multi-year report, two sports received postseason bans for the 2014-15 season: football (870) and men's basketball (851).

"The plan for improvement in our APR scores is an ongoing, continual process in which we have seen measurable improvements," Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd, Alabama State University president. "As a University, we have provided, and will continue to provide, academic resources to help ensure we are meeting NCAA guidelines. In order for athletics programs to be successful in competition, a team effort is required. The same is true of winning in the classroom. It takes student-athletes, faculty, coaches, academic advisors and administrators working together to ensure academic success. We remain committed to that effort."

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU President Elmira Mangum Names New Special Assistant

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Funmi Ojetayo has been appointed special assistant to Florida A&M University (FAMU) President Elmira Mangum, Ph.D.

Ojetayo, who specializes in litigation, public policy and international relations, began his appointment on April 28.

He most recently served as a law clerk for the Tompkins County Department of Social Services in Ithaca, N.Y., where he represented the agency before county and New York state courts. Prior to that he served as a law clerk to the deputy chief justice of South Africa at the Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa.

He received his juris doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and his bachelor of science degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University, where he later served as a law clerk with the Office of University Counsel to provide litigation support to the institution’s attorneys. He also studied globalization at Ithaca College - London Centre.

Ojetayo previously served as an attorney with the University of Maryland Law School’s immigration clinic and has lent his talents to protect and promote human rights as a law clerk with the South Africa Law Reform Commission in Pretoria, South Africa and as a program manager with New York’s Friends of Africa International.

During his tenure with Friends of Africa, Ojetayo was responsible for monitoring various regions and nations across the African continent for human rights compliance pursuant to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

In addition to his passion for human rights advocacy, Ojetayo is devoted to community service. He is a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, Project JumpStart Homeless Outreach and Community Law in Action.

FAMU MEDIA RELATIONS

Former Mayor, Kurt L. Schmoke Appointed President of University of Baltimore

ADELPHI, Maryland -- James L. Shea, chairman of the University System Maryland (USM) Board of Regents, today announced the board's appointment of Kurt L. Schmoke as the president of the University of Baltimore (UB), one of USM's 12 institutions. Schmoke is currently interim provost and general counsel at Howard University. He served as dean of the Howard University School of Law from 2003-2012 and as mayor of Baltimore from 1987 to 1999. Schmoke will join UB as president in July 2014.

"Kurt Schmoke has a wealth of higher education, legal, public policy, and community service experience that will serve the University of Baltimore and the University System of Maryland extremely well in the years ahead," said Chairman Shea. "With his knowledge of the City of Baltimore and the surrounding region, he will be able to have an immediate impact on enhancing opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and the city. The Board of Regents is confident that he will be an effective and successful leader."

About his appointment, Schmoke said: "I am thrilled and honored to be selected as the next president of the University of Baltimore, an outstanding higher education institution located in a great city and a great state. Offering a high quality education at an affordable cost has been a hallmark of the university, and I am committed to continuing that tradition. I look forward to working with faculty, students, staff, alumni, and friends to make a great university even greater."

During the past 11 years, Schmoke has served Howard University in several capacities.

Previous to his appointment as interim provost and general counsel, he was dean of the university's school of law from 2003 to 2012. During this period, he focused on increasing bar exam passing rates and expanding the clinical law program to emphasize matters of environmental justice, fair housing, and civil rights. He also has served as Howard University's deputy provost of academic affairs and director of government relations. In his several administrative roles, Schmoke worked collaboratively with colleagues to strengthen the university's endowment, build new residential halls and a new interdisciplinary research facility, and increase undergraduate enrollment to its highest level in a decade.

"Kurt Schmoke has an outstanding record of accomplishments and he understands that the University of Baltimore's mission is closely aligned with the advancement of the city," said William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland. "He is interested in pursuing even more UB collaborations with the city and the region. Furthermore, he wants to build on the university's momentum made possible by the academic, infrastructure, and fundraising enhancements of the last several years."

From 1999 to 2003, Schmoke was partner in the law firm of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Washington, DC. As mayor of Baltimore for three terms, from 1987 to 1999, Schmoke initiated several programs in the areas of housing, education, public health, and economic development. He supported programs that assisted the growth of higher education institutions in the city and worked to improve public schools. His previous positions include state's attorney for Baltimore City (1982-1987), assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland (1978-1981), assistant director of the White House Domestic Policy Staff (1977-1978), and attorney with the Piper and Marbury Law Firm (1981-82 and 1976-77).

Schmoke is the author of numerous articles in law journals, newspapers, and magazines focused primarily on public policy issues. He has lectured at several colleges and universities and served as a trustee of Tuskegee University, Yale University, Western Maryland College, and Loyola College, Baltimore.

Active in the community, Schmoke chairs the Board of Trustees of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and serves on the NCAA Counsel Advisory, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Hippodrome Foundation of Baltimore boards. On the corporate level, he is a member of the boards of directors of Legg Mason, Inc. and McGraw Hill Financial. He also is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Schmoke received his JD from Harvard Law School in 1976 and his undergraduate degree in history from Yale University in 1971. As a Rhodes Scholar from 1971 to 1973, he received a diploma in social anthropology from Oxford University. Schmoke is married to Dr. Patricia Schmoke, an ophthalmologist. They have two adult children.

The appointment of Schmoke follows six months of work by the search and screening committee appointed by Chancellor Kirwan last November. UB alumna Marie Van Deusen, senior vice president with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and a longtime member of the UB Foundation Board of Directors, chaired the committee comprising representatives from UB's administration, faculty, staff, student body, and the UB Foundation. The committee concluded its work with its recommendations of finalists for consideration by Chancellor Kirwan and the Board of Regents. The board made the final selection.

Schmoke will succeed Robert Bogomolny, who has served as UB's president since August 2002. Bogomolny announced last September that he planned to retire this summer. During Bogomolny's tenure, the university has experienced considerable growth in enrollment, academic programs, fundraising, and campus infrastructure. For example, student headcount has grown 32.8 percent and faculty headcount has grown 33.1 percent since 2003; the university has launched 31 new academic programs since 2002. The campus master plan has brought $275 million in capital investment to midtown Baltimore and increased campus square footage by 50 percent. In 2007, Bogomolny oversaw UB's return to four-year undergraduate education with the admission of freshmen for the first time in 32 years.

"I congratulate Kurt Schmoke on his appointment, and I think this is a great choice for the future of the University of Baltimore." said Bogomolny. "The UB community has made remarkable progress during the past 12 years because of the talent and dedication of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. I am confident that Mr. Schmoke's broad background, significant experience, and impressive accomplishments will add to that trajectory. I look forward to working with him to assure a smooth transition for the campus in the coming months."

Located in Baltimore's Mount Vernon cultural district, the University of Baltimore offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in business, law, public affairs, and applied arts and sciences. UB comprises four schools-the Merrick School of Business, the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Public Affairs, and the School of Law. Through its legal clinics and its centers, the university is actively involved with its surrounding communities. For more information about UB, visit: www.ubalt.edu.

UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE MEDIA RELATIONS

Devin Jenkins, Brian Johnson represent past, present and future of proud Southern University Track & Field program

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  One of the nation's top collegiate sprinters attends college in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. That's not unusual when you consider the sustained excellence of the LSU Tiger Track Team.

This time though, this "fast cat" is a Jaguar, not a Tiger.

Southern University sophomore sprinter Devin Jenkins gave an indication that this could be a special year during the indoor season by breaking the SWAC 60 meter record. At the Texas Relays in Austin, he turned in a time of 10.19 seconds. Jenkins won the SWAC 100 meter title at Tad Gormley Stadium with a blistering wind-aided mark of 10.06.



In March, Southern sprinter Devin Jenkins posted the fastest 100 meter time in the NCAA, tied for the third fastest time run in 2014 internationally at the time.

Former Southern track star Brian Johnson, now coaching Jenkins, believes there's no doubt Jenkins is an unknown but ascending commodity.

"He doesn't get much publicity, which is fine with him because he's a very humble person," said Johnson. "He's a yes sir no sir type person."

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XU Gold Rush defeat Hastings 8-1 in NAIA first round

MOBILE, Alabama -- Tushar Mandlekar won his final 16 games Tuesday to help ninth-ranked Xavier University of Louisiana win 8-1 against Hastings in the opening round of the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship.

The Gold Rush (12-11) will play eighth-ranked Belhaven (16-4) at 1 p.m. Wednesday and attempt to reach the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year.

Mandlekar and Kevin Chaouat broke a tie at 4 to defeat Joe Ritzdorf and Mark Gueswell 8-4 at No. 2 doubles and score Xavier's first point of the dual. Mandlekar gave the Rush a 4-0 lead with his 6-0, 6-0 victory against Isaac Mertens at No. 4 singles.

Mandlekar is the second Gold Rush player -- the first freshman -- to win 6-0, 6-0 at the national tournament. He is 6-0 in his last seven singles matches after losing 11-of-13 to start the spring semester.

"I was putting pressure on myself earlier in the season," Mandlekar said. "I believe in myself now. I'm playing very well and feel good about myself. I feel good about the team, too."

Nikita Soifer clinched when he defeated Seton Bachle 6-2, 6-0 at the second flight.

In matchups of Wilson/ITA NAIA regional players to watch, Xavier's Kyle Montrel defeated McKay Inman twice. Montrel and Soifer beat Inman and Bachle 8-2 at No. 1 doubles, and Montrel defeated Inman 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 singles.

Viktor Svoboda and Adam Albrecht beat Kolby Matheny and Tanner Sandvick 8-5 at No. 3 doubles. In singles, Jordan Harrell defeated Ritzdorf 7-5, 6-2 at No. 3, and Vincenzo Ciccone beat Leland Dexter 6-2, 6-1 at No. 6.

The Broncos (13-13), an unranked Nebraska school and the Great Plains Athletic Conference champion, lost for the first time in seven duals.

"Hastings was a scrappy team that played hard," XU coach Alan Green said. "But we got off to a good start in doubles and handled the hot weather pretty well. Hopefully we can get another good start against Belhaven, but it will be tough."

Xavier lost 5-4 at Belhaven on Feb. 15. The Gold Rush defeated the Blazers 5-3 in the second round at nationals a year ago.

Xavier's top-ranked women (15-6) had a first-round bye and will play 16th-ranked Davenport at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Davenport swept the doubles in a 5-4 victory against Lewis-Clark State. The Panthers (23-4) have a 20-dual win streak.

NOTES: The other Gold Rush player to win 6-0, 6-0 at nationals was Mario Myles. He did it at No. 6 singles against Oklahoma Christian's Maxim Salitra in the 2009 first round . . . The Gold Rush are 3-0 in the first round. Including the XU women, Green's teams are 8-1 in the first round at nationals . . . Ciccone's victory was his first in singles since March 23.

Results

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold 

GSU opens up SWAC tourney with Alabama State

NEW ORLEANS -- Alabama State is the strongest team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference this season based off its 34-19 overall record and 21-3 conference mark.

As a result, the Hornets are pegged as the favorites in the SWAC conference tournament, which begins Wednesday in New Orleans.

However, Grambling coach James Cooper isn’t a believer just yet.

“There are a lot of guys that would probably pick them to be front-runners to win the conference, but I’ve been in this conference long enough to know that paper doesn’t always win,” Cooper said.

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FAMU Rattlers Face Coppin State to Open the MEAC Tournament (Bracket)

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Florida A&M (24-24, 14-10 MEAC) opens the MEAC Baseball Tournament against Coppin State (11-32, 9-15 MEAC) on Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm on Marty L. Miller Field in Norfolk, Va. The Rattlers enter the Tournament as the No. 2 seed out of the Southern Division and are on a five-game winning streak. The Eagles are the No. 3 seed out of the Northern Division.

This will be FAMU’s first appearance in the MEAC Tournament since 2011. Florida A&M went 0-2 in the tournament that year with losses to Bethune-Cookman and Maryland Eastern Shore. The last win for the Rattlers in the MEAC Tournament came in a 12-2 opening round win over UMES in 2009. The Rattlers also defeated NorfolkState 15-2 in that tournament, but fell twice to North Carolina A&T.

Since the two MEAC divisions don’t face each other during the regular season, this will be the first meeting between Florida A&M and CoppinState since May 1, 2011. The Rattlers won that meeting 7-5. FAMU is 15-3 over CSU going back to the 2006 season.

FAMU is in the same bracket with Northern Division No. 1 Seed Delaware State (30-15, 17-7 MEAC) and SavannahState (19-30, 11-13 MEAC) who enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed out of the Southern Division.

2014 MEAC Baseball Tournament Bracket

WHO’S HOT (Last 10 Games):

3B, Ryan Kennedy - .350 (14-for-40), 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 Runs, .550 SLG%
C, Jeremy Barlow - .344 (11-for-32), 1 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 2 Runs
DH, Michael Birdsong - .323 (10-for-31), 3 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 4 Runs, .516 SLG%
LF, Marlon Gibbs - .316 (12-for-38), 1 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 6 Runs
P, David Duncan – 3 App, 3-0, 2.03 ERA, 13.1 IP, 3 Runs, 12 K’s, 3 BB, 1 CG SHO

By The Numbers:

                             FAMU     CSU

Batting Avg.      .275        .228
Avg. Runs Gm   4.8          3.7
2B                        74           44
3B                        6             7
Home Runs      19            6
SLG%                 .360       .285
Stolen Bases   51-62      22-43
Opp. BA            .276        .321
FLD%                .958         .948
Team ERA       4.97        6.45

PITCHING PROBABLES:

Wednesday:

Florida A&M – RHP, Kendal Weeks (2-1, 3.97 ERA)
Last Start: May 4, ND vs. NC A&T, 6.1 IP, 2 H, 0 Runs, 6 BB, 1 K
Coppin State – TBA

Rattler Quick Strikes:

• Florida A&M last won the MEAC Championship in 1994.
• In head coach Jamey Shouppe’s first season, FAMU has already won more games (24) than the last two seasons combined (14). The 24 wins are the most for FAMU since the Rattlers went 24-30, 10-9 MEAC in 2009.
• The Rattlers finished 14-10 in the MEAC and tied with Bethune-Cookman for first place in the MEAC Southern Division. This is just the third time in program history that FAMU has won more than 10 MEAC games (2003, 2007 & 2008) and the most MEAC wins in the history of the program
• With the success of the 2014 season, the Rattlers have ended four long losing streaks to in-state rivals. With its 4-3 win over then No. 6 Florida on April 23 FAMU recorded its first victory in program history over the Gators, snapping an 18-game losing streak. Florida A&M had also lost 20 straight to Jacksonville before a 6-5 win over the Dolphins back on April 8 at Moore-Kittles Field. Florida A&M also ended a run of 13 consecutive losses to both Bethune-Cookman and North Florida this season.
• FAMU has won 11 straight games decided by one run.
• The Rattlers have had 30 games this season decided by three runs or less and are 18-12 in those contests.
• 1B Bennie Robinson finished 3^rd in the MEAC with a .390 average. First in hits (76) and doubles (15).
• 3B Ryan Kennedy finished the regular season with eight home runs, which was tied for 2nd in the MEAC and only one behind the conference leader.
• In his last 11 appearances, reliever William Carrasco is 3-2 with an ERA of 2.12 with 19 strikeouts in 34 innings of work including two saves.

As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @FAMUAthletics.

By Michael Morrell/Special to FAMU Athletics
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Jackson State set for SWAC baseball tournament

NEW ORLEANS  -- Jackson State’s baseball team doesn’t have much time to turn its fortunes around.

The 2014 season hasn’t been favorable for the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference champions, which returned most of its lineup from a year ago. The Tigers are 10-17 since being swept by Alabama State in late March, and have been forced to overcome more than your average share of adversity (like the team’s bus catching fire en route to an away game).

Now the Tigers (27-23, 9-15 SWAC) have to play for their season, and will try to bounce out of a second-half slump during this week’s SWAC baseball tournament, which begins today at MLB Urban Youth Academy’s Wesley Barrow Stadium in New Orleans.

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NSU to Host MEAC Baseball Tournament Wednesday through Sunday

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Norfolk State University's Marty L. Miller Baseball Field will serve as the host site for the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament this Wednesday through Sunday. The eight-team, double-elimination tournament will be played in its entirety at the Spartans' home field for the third straight year and for the sixth time since 2006.

Admission is $7 per day or $25 for a tournament pass. Tickets must be purchased on site at the front entrance to Marty L. Miller Field. Cash is the only accepted form of payment. Parking for the general public is available in Lot 5 (adjacent to the NSU Softball Field) and Lot 34 (Community Hospital). Parking in Lot 9 (adjacent to Marty L. Miller Field), in the James D. Gill Gymnasium circle and behind Dick Price Football Stadium are reserved for tournament staff, handicapped individuals, and/or media.



The Spartan baseball team enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed from the MEAC Northern Division. NSU opens tournament play against North Carolina Central, the No. 3 seed from the MEAC South, at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning. Other first-round matchups on Wednesday include Bethune-Cookman (S1) against Maryland Eastern Shore (N4) at 12:30 p.m., followed by Delaware State (N1) against Savannah State (S4) at 4 p.m. Florida A&M (S2) will take on Coppin State (N3) in the final game of the first day, scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start.

Live statistics will be available through the MEAC web site at the following link: Click here.

The Spartans are searching their first-ever MEAC title. NSU has advanced to the championship round of the tournament five times previously (1998, 2001, '05, '08 and '11) but finished as runner-up each time.

2014 MEAC Baseball Tournament Bracket

By Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS

100 Years: A Look Back at NCCU Men's Basketball History

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Here's a look back at all the teams and individuals who contributed to North Carolina Central University men's basketball and aided in building the program that it is today. NCCU's 2013-14 squad won the MEAC Regular Season and Tournament titles to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time at the NCAA Division I level.





COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

XU's Abbes, Montrel, Green receive Wilson/ITA awards

XU women's tennis team posed for a team photo prior to the NAIA National \
Championship banquet.  The Gold Nuggets are ranked #1 in the last NAIA poll.

From left: Nikita Soifer, Kourtney Howell, Alan Green, Nour Abbes and Kyle Montrel.
 All were honored at a banquet prior to the NAIA National Championship, which will
begin Tuesday in Mobile, Alabama.

MOBILE, Alabama --  Nour Abbes, Kyle Montrel and Alan Green received Wilson/ITA NAIA awards for Xavier University of Louisiana's tennis programs Monday night at a banquet honoring the teams which qualified for this week's NAIA National Championship.

Abbes was chosen Women's National and Region IV Rookie of the Year. Montrel was selected Men's Region IV Player to Watch, and Green was chosen Women's Region IV Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Montrel and the Gold Rush (11-11) will play Hastings (13-12) at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the opening round of the national tournament at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center. Abbes and the top-seeded Gold Nuggets (15-6) have a first-round bye and will play at 9 a.m. Wednesday against Davenport or Lewis-Clark State.

Xavier's Champions of Character recipients were Kourtney Howell of the Gold Nuggets and Nikita Soifer of the Golf Rush.

Abbes, a freshman from Tunis, Tunisia and a graduate of Lycée Sportif d'El Menzah, is 14-0 in singles, 13-2 in doubles and ranked second among NAIA singles players.

"These awards made the wait to play worth it," Abbes said. "I thank my coach and my teammates for making this possible. Hopefully we will win a championship this week for coach and our seniors."

Montrel, a sophomore from Atlanta and a graduate of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, is 15-9 in singles and ranked 16th. In doubles he is 17-6 and ranked 20th.

"I'm definitely surprised to win this," Montrel said. "I'm glad to be recognized for my efforts. I have tried to improve this year on my work ethic and consistency. Coach Green has worked with me a lot on both areas."

Green has led XU's women to a 15-6 record, the NAIA Unaffiliated Group 2 Tournament championship and the NAIA's No. 1 ranking in the final two polls entering the national tournament. He won the coaching award in a region which produced seven of the top nine women's teams.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
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Xavier wins GCAC all-sports award for 4th straight year

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana is the winner of the Thomas Howell Cup, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's all-sports award, for the fourth consecutive year.

The Thomas Howell Cup, named for the GCAC's longtime commissioner, is awarded annually to the school with the most points based on order of finish in various sports. Xavier was boosted by GCAC championships in men's cross country, women's cross country, women's volleyball (regular season and tournament), men's basketball (regular season), women's basketball (tournament) and women's outdoor track and field. Xavier's women's tennis team, ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, won an unaffiliated group championship.

Xavier scored 48 points to match its highest total of the last 10 seasons. Edward Waters was second with 39 1/2 points, and SUNO was third with 29 1/2. The 1-2-3 order is the same as a year ago.

"We are excited to win the award for the fourth consecutive year," XU athletics director Jason Horn said. "This achievement recognizes the collective hard work and determination of the Xavier student-athletes, coaches and staff.  We have a solid program across the board, and I applaud all of the Gold Rush and Gold Nugget coaches and student-athletes for their successes -- not only in competition but also in the classroom and the community."

It is the fourth time that Xavier has won the award. The athletics department finished in the top three each of the past 10 seasons. Xavier is the second school in GCAC history to win the all-sports award at least four consecutive times. Former member Mobile had Howell Cup streaks of 12 and five seasons.

Xavier has won 54 conference/group championships and earned 39 team berths in NAIA national championships during the past nine seasons.

Xavier is one of 38 U.S. colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2014 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.

The 2013-14 GCAC all-sports standings:

1. Xavier, 48 points
2. Edward Waters, 39 1/2 points
3. SUNO, 29 1/2 points
4. Talladega, 28 1/2 points
5. Dillard, 26 points
6. (tie) Philander Smith, 16 1/2 points
6. (tie) Tougaloo, 16 1/2 points
8. Fisk, 14 1/2 points
9. Voorhees, 13 points

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold 

2014 SWAC Baseball Tournament seeding and bracket

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced the bracket for the 2014 SWAC Baseball Tournament, held May 14-18 at New Orleans (La.) MLB Urban Youth Academy at Wesley Barrow Stadium.

The double elimination tournament bracket consists of eight teams with split seeding. The seeding is determined as a result of the top four teams from the final regular season standings of the SWAC Eastern and Western Divisions.

Eastern Division champions Alabama State (34-19, 21-3) and Western Division winners Arkansas-Pine Bluff (22-26, 16-7) will enter the tournament as the number one seeds.

UAPB will join Alabama A&M (20-30, 12-9), Prairie View A&M (19-28, 11-12), and Jackson State (27-23, 9-15) in the top of the bracket. ASU will open the tournament in the lower bracket with Texas Southern (23-27, 13-9), Alcorn State (10-40, 10-12), and Grambling State (14-30, 11-13).

Tournament action gets underway on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. CT as No. 2 East seed Alabama A&M will face No. 3 West seed PVAMU. Game two is slated for 12:00 p.m. CT and features No. 2 West seed Texas Southern versus No. 3 East seed Alcorn State.

No. 1 West seed UAPB and No. 4 East seed Jackson State will match-up in game three at 3:00 p.m. CT No. 1 East seed Alabama State and No. 4 West seed Grambling State will close out the first day with game four scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT.

Live audio of all games leading to the tournament's championship can be found on the SWAC Digital Network at www.swac.org.

The final round is scheduled to broadcast live on Sunday, May 18, on ESPN3 at 2 p.m. CT. The game's tape delay is slated to air at on Monday, May 19, at 9 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

WEDNESDAY - MAY 14
GAME 1: No. 2E Alabama A&M vs. No. 3W Prairie View A&M - 9:00 a.m.
GAME 2: No. 2W Texas Southern vs. No. 3E Alcorn State - 12:00 p.m.
GAME 3: No. 1W Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. No. 4E Jackson State - 3:00 p.m.
GAME 4: No. 1E Alabama State vs. No. 4W Grambling State - 6:00 p.m.

THURSDAY - MAY 15
GAME 5: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 3 Loser - 9:00 a.m.
GAME 6: Game 2 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser - 12:00 p.m.
GAME 7: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner - 3:00 p.m.
GAME 8: Game 2 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner - 6:00 p.m.

FRIDAY - MAY 16
GAME 9: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 7 Loser - 9:00 a.m.
GAME 10: Game 6 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser - 12:00 p.m.
GAME 11: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner - 3:00 p.m.
GAME 12: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner - 6:00 p.m.

SATURDAY - MAY 17 (IF NECESSARY)
GAME 11a: Game 11 Winner vs. Game 11 Loser - 12:00 p.m.
GAME 12a: Game 12 Winner vs. Game 12 Loser - 3:00 p.m.

SUNDAY - MAY 18
GAME 13: CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - 2:00 p.m. (LIVE - ESPN3 / TAPE DELAY - ESPNU - MONDAY, MAY 19, 9 p.m.)​

 

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

MEAC Announces Baseball Championship Seedings

NORFOLK, Virginia --  The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will host its 2014 Baseball Championship from Wednesday, May 14 through Sunday, May 18 at the Marty L. Miller Field on the campus of Norfolk State University. The Delaware State Hornets and the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats will enter tournament play as the number one seeds.

Delaware State clinched the northern divisional title with a 17-7 conference record, including sweeping Maryland Eastern Shore to end regular season play. The Hornets are 9-1 in their last 10 conference games and 30-15 overall heading into the tournament.

Bethune-Cookman enters tournament play with a 14-10 MEAC mark and 22-31 overall record. The Wildcats solidified a share of the conference’s regular season divisional title by taking 2-of-3 games against Savannah State to close out the conference season. B-CU earned the top seed over Florida A&M following tiebreaking procedures.

Florida A&M (14-10) earned a share of the southern divisional title following a 9-8 win over North Carolina Central on Saturday. FAMU will enter tournament play as the number two seed in the south, followed by North Carolina Central (12-12) and defending tournament champion Savannah State (11-13) receiving the fourth and final spot.

Norfolk State (14-10) clinched the number two seed in the north. Coppin State (9-15) earned the number three seed, followed by Maryland Eastern Shore at four (8-16).

Norfolk State (N2) will face North Carolina Central (S3) in the opening game. Bethune-Cookman (S1) will meet Maryland Eastern Shore (N4) in game two, followed by Delaware State (N1) against Savannah State (S4) in the third contest. Florida A&M (S2) will take on Coppin State (N3) in the final game of the first day.

Only the top four teams from each division will compete for the tournament title. North Carolina A&T was eliminated from conference play based on its regular season finish.

The championship finale is set for Sunday, May 18 beginning at 1 p.m.

The 2014 MEAC Baseball Championship tournament gets underway Wednesday, May 14 beginning at 9 a.m. at the Marty L. Miller Field in Norfolk, Virginia. Admission is $7 per day or $25 for the four-day tournament. A complete tournament bracket can be found on www.MEACsports.com

 2014 MEAC Baseball Bracket

 Northern Division                                                                               Southern Division

School (MEAC record)                                                                           School (MEAC record)

1.      Delaware State                   17-7                                                     1. Bethune-Cookman       14-10

2.      Norfolk State                     14-10                                                   2. Florida A&M                14-10

3.      Coppin State                      9-15                                                     3. North Carolina Central  12-12

4.      Maryland Eastern Shore     8-16                                                     4. Savannah State           11-13

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Lincoln Repeats As Division II PGA Minority Collegiate Champions!!!

PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida -- For the second-consecutive year, and the sixth time in program history, the Lincoln men's golf team won the PGA Minority Collegiate Championship on Sunday (May 11).

Steven Mallow tied for the lowest score by any individual at the conclusion of the three-round invitational, as the Blue Tigers posted a team score of 893, their lowest ever at this tournament, to beat Texas A&M-International (894) by one stroke.

Mallow finished with a three-round total of 220, carding rounds of 71, 75 and 74. That placed Mallow in a tie with Gary Natal of Texas A&M-International for the lowest score among all players at the three-round, three-day tourney. Natal ended up winning the individual scoring title in a one-hole playoff.

Nick Goeke finished two-strokes back of Mallow, finishing with a 220. Goeke shot a 74 during Friday's (May 9) first round and tallied a 71 in the second round before closing with a 77 on Sunday. Blake Lammers was next with a 226. After shooting identical scores of 76 during the first two rounds, Lammers finished Sunday with a 74. Rounding out Lincoln's team performance was Austin Wheeler, who posted a final sum of 247. Wheeler opened the tourney with a 79 before shooting an 87 on Saturday (May 10) and an 81 on Sunday.

Two other Blue Tigers represented Lincoln at the PGA Minority Collegiate Championship, including Brian Lillevold, who ended up being disqualified during the final round. Lillevold had begun Sunday as the tournament's individual leader after shooting a 70 on Friday and a 74 on Saturday. The other Blue Tiger in action was Kenny Conrad, who finished tied for 13th in the tournament's individual invitational. Conrad finished with a three-round total of 249 after carding rounds of 92, 77 and 80.

Behind Lincoln and Texas A&M-International, California State-Dominguez Hills finished third with a total of 914. Virginia State (921) took fourth and Fayetteville State (955) placed fifth while Johnson C. Smith (1,006) rounded out the field at sixth.

This marks the sixth Minority Collegiate Golf Championship in the history of the Lincoln men's golf program, and the second-straight for the Blue Tigers, who won the 2013 title with a score of 898. Lincoln had also previously won the championship in 2005 (928), 1999 (906), 2001 (904) and 2002 (914).

The 28th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship was played in Port St. Lucie, Fla. on the Ryder Course of the PGA Village.

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

AAMU Baseball set for SWAC Tournament

COURTESY AAMU BULLDOG ATHLETICS

NORMAL, Alabama -- With a record setting 2014 regular season in the books, the Alabama A&M baseball team will now attempt to capture tournament championship in New Orleans, Louisiana this week.

Their opponent in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball tournament will be the Panthers of Prairie View A&M University (19-28), who are the third seed from the Western Division. The opening action will take place on Wednesday, May 14, at 9:00 a.m. from the MLB Urban Youth Academy at Wesley Barrow Stadium.

AAMU (20-30) earned the second seed by virtue of its 12 wins in league play. Junior Andrew Utterback is currently ranked third in America in on base percentage (.512) and 16th in batting average (.399).

The 2014 edition of Bulldog baseball eclipsed the 20 win mark for the first time in its Division I era. They have registered the most wins all-time of any Alabama A&M baseball team since the Bulldogs crossed over into Division I in 1999.

The winner of the AAMU/PVAM matchup will move on to the Thursday, May 16, contest while the loser will fall to a 9 a.m., Thursday, May 16, game in the loser's bracket.

The tournament will follow its original schedule at the New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy and will be held from May 14-18. The championship contest on the final day is slated for broadcast on ESPNU.

For more information on Alabama A&M athletics, visit http://www.aamusports.com/. Fans can also find the Bulldogs on Twitter at @aamubulldogs or @AAMU_Baseball or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Alabama-AM-Bulldogs.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Grant Repeats As Champion; Men Finish Third In PGA Minority Championship

PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida – Robert Grant won his second straight individual championship to highlight Alabama State's play in the 28th PGA Minority Championship.

Grant won by one stroke to successfully defend his title. His two-over par 74 Sunday gave him a three-day total of six-over par 222.

"It's an incredible honor to win this Championship for a second time," said Grant. "It was a battle all day and I feel fortunate to have won."

The win caps off a week to remember for Grant, who, while competing this weekend, was awarded his bachelor's degree in chemistry with a perfect 4.0 GPA in only three years during Saturday's ASU spring commencement exercises.

"Robert has the academic disclipline to pursue any scholarly endeavor," head coach Dr. Gary Grandison said. "This week, he showed the athletic disclipline needed for him to help our team win."

In other men's individual scores, Corey Price shot an even par 72 on the final day in posting a score of 238 to finish in ninth place. Joseph Killebrew had his best round of the tournament on Sunday and finished with a score of 254.

In men's team play, the Hornets could not close the gap on first place despite posting its best team score of the weekend at 297, finishing the weekend with a score of 895. Francis Berthiaume improved his score each day, closing with a final round one-under par 71 to finish the tournament at four-over par 220.

Branson Ferrier shot one-over 73 and finished the championship at 10-over 226. Yann Pfieffer (79) finished at 231, one shot ahead of Jose Rodriguez' 232 after a final round 74. Ian Mmbando shot 233 for Alabama State on the Wanamaker Course (par 72, 6,840 yards).

In women's individual play, Mia Campbell and Darleen Raymond posted the same scores for the third consecutive day. Campbell again shot 81 to finish with a 54-hole total of 243. Raymond again shot 82 to finish three shots behind Campbell at 246 on the Ryder Course (par 72, 5,745 yards).

The ASU men's team will make its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance beginning Thursday at the Auburn Regional.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bethune-Cookman men and women sweep titles for second straight season at 2014 PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY MEN'S GOLF TEAM 
Courtesy Montana Pritchard/The PGA of America

PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida -- For the second consecutive year, both the men’s and women’s teams from Bethune-Cookman University claimed titles in a thrilling final round Sunday at the 28th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship.

Bethune-Cookman won its seventh title in the Division I Men's competition, while in the Women’s Division, Bethune-Cookman claimed its Championship-record 11th title.

This marks the fourth time that the men and women from Bethune-Cookman have won both titles in the same year.

The 54-hole Championship featured nearly 200 players representing more than 40 colleges and universities competing at PGA Golf Club.

The Bethune-Cookman women's team, which was tied with Chicago State University heading into the final round, used a 4-over-par 292 total to win the division by six strokes. Chicago State was looking for its first title in school history. The University of Houston-Victoria finished third.

Bethune-Cookman’s team total improved in each of the three rounds on the Ryder Course. PGA Professional Scooter Clark, the head men’s and women’s coach, was pleased by the play of both teams.

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ASU Isaiah Crowell will get NFL shot in Cleveland

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Isaiah Crowell has talent worthy of a draft pick, but will enter the NFL as a free agent with the Cleveland Browns.

So why wasn't he picked?

Even though his gun charges were dropped from when he was at Georgia, it's hard for an NFL team to justify drafting a player who had that kind of brush with the law.

Crowell was dismissed from the team and landed at Alabama State.

Free agent: Isaiah Crowell joins Browns after going undrafted

When you have that hanging over your head, you have to be a dominant player for a team to look past that and draft you. He had dominant moments at Alabama State, but not a dominant career.



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