State Legislature proclaims Xavier Gold Nuggets Day

June 2, 2014: Xavier Gold Nuggets Day

Proclaimed by the Louisiana Legislature.

Thanks to Rep. Walt Leger and Sen. Karen Carter Peterson

for their efforts in recognizing the 2013-14 XU women's tennis team.

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- The Louisiana Legislature commended the Xavier University of Louisiana women's team for its accomplishments in 2013-14 and declared June, 2, 2014, as Xavier Gold Nuggets Day.

Rep. Walt Leger, D-New Orleans, and Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans, were the authors of House concurrent resolution No. 215, which recognized the team.

The Gold Nuggets finished 17-7, reached the semifinals of the NAIA National Championship for the second consecutive season and ranked third in the NAIA postseason coaches poll. Twice during the season they ranked No. 1 in the NAIA. Women's tennis is the only XU sport to reach the NAIA's national semifinals.

Coach Alan Green and four of his student-athletes -- Kourtney Howell, Brandi Nelson, Carmen Nelson and Sha'Nel Bruins -- traveled to the State Capitol to hear the reading of the resolution on the floor of the House and Senate. Jason Horn, XU director of athletics and recreation, also attended.

"I was surprised at how big a deal it turned out to be," said Howell, a three-time All-American and a senior from Cypress, Texas. "I've never received anything like that before. It was a really good experience."

It was the second trip to the State Capitol -- her first since a fifth-grade field trip --for Bruins, a freshman from Colfax, La.

"It was an honor to be part of this season and the big accomplishments we made to receive this recognition," Bruins said. "It was great to receive an honor of this magnitude in front of the Louisiana Legislature."

Carter read the names of all team members and said of Nour Abbes -- a freshman who was 17-0 in singles and earned a slew of national awards -- "She's the truth."

VIDEO FROM SENATE
PHOTO GALLERY
IMAGE OF RESOLUTION 

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

TSU's Michael Strahan and the Ocean of Soul Band getting set for the Road to Canton

HOUSTON, Texas  --  On August 1-3, 2014 TSU alumnus Michael Strahan will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. To honor his achievement and celebrate Tiger pride, the Ocean of Soul marching band has been invited to participate in the prestigious Enshrinement Celebration by leading the Grand Parade through downtown Canton and performing at the Fan Appreciation Tailgate Party on the Hall of Fame Campus.

How can I help?
Make the trip to Canton to cheer on Michael and the Ocean of Soul
Support the band on their trip by making a donation to help cover the costs of the journey
Share your support on your social media accounts with by using TSUroadtoCanton and supportStrahan

Ways to give:
Donate Online

By check made out to Texas Southern University Foundation with "Road to Canton" in the memo line, mailed to Office of Development, Texas Southern University, 3100 Cleburne, Hannah Hall Ste. 206, Houston, TX 77004



COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

PVAMU Women's Basketball Loads Up For Future Success With Impressive Recruiting Class

HEAD COACH DAWN BROWN
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY
Courtesy: PVAMU Sports Information

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  --  Coming off a memorable inaugural season in which Prairie View A&M made its fourth straight NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament appearance, head women's basketball coach Dawn Brown took a major step in solidifying her program's immediate future as a SWAC and regional powerhouse with a monster recruiting class which fulfills a variety of needs.  The class is highlighted by four NCAA Division I transfers, four junior college transfers and two high school players.

With a returning roster dominated by upperclassmen, Brown and her staff recruited from coast-to-coast looking for players who can make an immediate impact while also building for the future as several of the NCAA Division I transfers will have to sit out one year per NCAA requirements.

 

The Lady Panthers received a much-needed infusion of size with the shortest player standing 5-6 with five players measuring 6-0 or taller. 

Monique Abbs	Guard	5-6	Jr.	Phoenix, Ariz. (South Mountain CC)
Tori Carter	Guard	5-8	Jr.	Atlanta, Ga. (UNC Charlotte)
Lamaria Cole	Guard	5-6	Jr.	Bryan, Texas (University of Kansas)
Shanique Dogins	Forward	6-0	Jr.	Wharton, Texas (Lamar University)
Alison Gore	Guard	5-10	Fr.	Atlanta, Ga. (North Atlanta)
La'Sha Haynes	Forward	6-2	Fr.	Port Gibson, Miss. (Port Gibson)
Kaitlyn Parks	Center	6-4	Jr.	Barstow, Calif. (Pasadena City)
Chelsey Rosier	Guard	5-8	Jr.	Tallahassee, Fla. (Gulf Coast State)
Christina Soloman	Center	6-2	Sr.	Waltham Park, Jamaica (Winthrop)
Ebonee Tate	Forward	5-10	Jr.	Fort Worth, Texas (Arkansas Baptist)

 

Monique Abbs              Guard   5-6        Junior  Phoenix, Ariz. (South Mountain Community College)

Finished her final season at South Mountain as the team's second-leading scorer with 18.5 points per game and 4.7 rebounds…seventh-leading scorer in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference…led her team in three-point shooting and finished seventh amongst ACCAC leaders…finished third on her team in field goal percentage…had a season-high 36 points versus Eastern Arizona…named Player of the Week on Nov. 27, 2013 after averaging 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals…named to the 2012-13 All-ACCAC Third Team and Second Team All-Region I (Division II) Team…originally signed with Seattle University out of high school…earned All-State, All-Region honors in high school while also running track.

Brown on Abbs: "Moe" is a strong, athletic combo-guard with a scorer's mentality who handles well in transition.  She can push the tempo, is smooth to the rim and can finish with her weak hand. Moe is also an impressive three-point shooter from deep behind the arc."

 

Tori Carter                    Guard   5-8        Junior  Atlanta, Ga. (UNC Charlotte)

A transfer from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte…played in 26 of UNC Charlotte's 31 games with two starts as a sophomore…finished the 2013-14 campaign with 3.7 points per game and shot 39 percent from the field…helped guide team to back-to-back Women's NIT appearances in 2013 and 2014….originally from Norcross High School in Atlanta, Ga. and was an All-County selection as a senior along with playing in the 2012 Georgia All-Star Game…four-year starter at Norcross who was picked to the GACA Junior All-Star team after averaging 7.8 points and three assists as a junior…guided her high school to the 2011 Class 5A State Championship and led the program to three Region 7-5A titles.

Brown on Carter: Tori is an ultra-athletic combo-guard who can create her own shot and is explosive in transition.  She has a midrange pull-up game and has a lot of upside.Tori is a leader on the floor and will bring a great level of expertise as she has played alongside ACC Freshman of the year Diamond DeShields and former Georgetown standout player Shayla Cooper."

 

Lamaria Cole                Guard   5-6        Junior  Bryan, Texas (University of Kansas)

Transfer from the University of Kansas…started five games and appeared in 24 averaging 10.4 minutes per game during the 2013-14 season…also amassed 63 points, 28 assists and 26 rebounds while shooting 38.7 percent from the field and 54.2 percent from the free throw line…prepped at Rudder High School in Bryan, Texas and was ranked as the 25^th-best guard in the nation by HoopGurlz.com…selected as the District 16-4A MVP during her junior and senior campaigns…averaged 14.8 points, 5.4 assists and 4.1 steals per game in her final season and was named all-state by the Texas Girls Coaches Association and Texas Association of Basketball Coaches…a 2012 McDonald's All-American Girls Game nominee and a regional qualifier in track & field.

Brown on Cole:  "Mari" is very athletic with a quick, hesitation game to the rim as she handles, directs, slashes and finishes well.  With "Mari" advancing in the 2013 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament to the Elite Eight, I think it will definitely add an extra work ethic in our team's daily workouts. She will be a great floor leader and I am excited to have an opportunity to coach her."

 

Shanique Dogins         Forward           6-0        Junior  Wharton, Texas (Lamar University)

Transfer from Lamar University…played her freshman season at nearby Blinn College…led Blinn with 12.4 points and ranked second on the team with 9.1 rebounds per game…shot 46.4 percent from the field en route to earning All-Region XIV and team co-MVP honors…played prep ball at Rice Consolidated High School, where she averaged 23.7 points and 13.0 rebounds per game as a senior en route to earning all-region honors ...Played AAU basketball for Cy-Fair Premier.

 

Brown on Dogins: "Shaq" is a very athletic, versatile forward threat with quick release on her jumper.  She is springy with the ability to rebound and putback baskets well.  Shaq also is a strong finisher versus contact and will add depth to our low block game as I'm looking forward to her dominant presence on the glass."

Alison Gore                  Guard               5-10      Freshman         Atlanta, Ga. (North Atlanta)

Averaged 9.6 points, six rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.1 assists per game as a high school senior…led her team to the playoffs as a senior…named Player of the Game on Feb. 8, 2014 by MaxPreps.com after scoring 18 points with five steals, five assists and four rebounds against MLK High School…also named Player of the Game on Nov. 14, 2013 for her performance against Walker High in which she scored 10 points and tallied seven steals.

 

Brown on Gore: "Alison has big upside to her game. She has a strong frame and can get to the rack at will. She is an athletic lead-guard with handles and can push the tempo with the ability to dish on the break while also a creator with developing mid-range consistency. Alison chose PVAMU over University of Pennsylvania (Penn), UNC Asheville, Gardner-Webb, Southern, Agnes Scott and Averett University.

 

La'Sha Haynes                 Forward           6-2        Freshman         Port Gibson, Miss. (Port Gibson)

Ranked as the 17^th-best player in the state of Mississippi by MSGBR.com…named a top 40 player in the state of Mississippi by FILA MS and the Clarion Ledger…averaged 8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2,6 steals as a senior…a four-year varsity letterwinner…selected to play in the Mississippi Association of Coaches North/South (Junior) All-Star Basketball game in 2013.

 

Brown on Haynes: "Shay" one of the most highly recruited athletes in the state of Mississippi as she was recruited by Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Lafayette-Lafayette, McNeese State and Louisiana at Monroe. She is a face-up forward that will soon follow in the footsteps of upcoming senior and All-SWAC forward Larissa Scott.  "Shay" has a pro-frame with the ability to produce off the bounce and is a solid interior passer and an explosive leaper."

 

Kaitlyn Parks                Center              6-4        Junior              Barstow, Calif. (Pasadena City College)

Averaged a double-double for PCC with 11.7 points and 10.6 rebounds as a sophomore… led the South Coast Conference in overall field goal percentage (56 percent) and blocked two shots per contest…earned All-State honors and First Team All-SCC following the 2013-14 campaign… became the 28th player in Pasadena City College women's basketball history to score 500 points in her two-year junior college career…led her team to the third round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs.

Brown on Parks: "Kaitlyn is a low-post insider with a pro frame.  She has off-the-charts potential as she has a long frame and a shot blocking presence and can easily alter shots.  She is a strong rebounder with the ability to create put backs and is very mobile in transition." 

 

Chelsey Rosier             Guard           5=8        Junior              Tallahassee, Fla. (Gulf Coast State College)

Guided team to the semifinal round of the 2013 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship as a freshman with a 28-6 record...averaged 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists as a sophomore…shot 42.5 percent from the field and 80.5 percent from the free throw line…led her team on a 16-game winning streak to open the 2013-14 campaign…earned 2014 All-Panhandle Conference Honorable Mention honors...recruited heavily by several Southern Conference institutions.

Brown on Rosier: "Chelsea is a natural born shooter and a deep threat from the perimeter. I expect her to bring leadership coming for nationally ranked Gulf Coast State College program. She's a player that can create off the bounce and has a scorer's mentality."
 

Christina Soloman       Center              6-2        Senior              Waltham Park, Jamaica (Winthrop)

Played one season at Winthrop University…began her career at Tallahassee Community College and averaged five rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from the field…earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors in 2011 and Second Team All-Conference honors in 2012 at TCC…a native of Jamaica and was one of the top netballers, a sport which derived from basketball, in the world while in high school…participated in the U-16 National Championship, the World Senior Netball Championship, and the World Youth Netball Championship.

Brown on Soloman: "Christina is a very athletic forward with a pro fame.  She elevates on mid-range shots and cleans up around the basket. She will be eligible in the spring semester and we look forward to her presence."

Ebonee Tate                 Forward           5-10      Junior              Fort Worth, Texas (Arkansas Baptist)

Played one season at Arkansas Baptist College and finished with 10.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game…shot 67.7 percent from the charity stripe and 38.2 percent from the three-point line…began her freshman campaign at nationally ranked Paris Junior College and finished the season with 5.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest…ranked as one of the top players in Fort Worth during her high school career.
 

Brown on Tate: "Eb" is a versatile combo forward with a developing interior game.  She can rebound with the ability to put back in addition to having quick feet and can also finish with her weak hand in traffic."

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NCCU Mack: ‘There has to be more to life than football.’

DURHAM, North Carolina  --  North Carolina Central football coach Jerry Mack wants more than just championship rings. He wants well-rounded, well-educated student-athletes.

That was the message Mack recently gave at a Durham Sports Club luncheon.

Mack said NFL contracts are hard to come by at the Football Championship Subdivision level (formerly Division I-AA), so it is imperative that student-athletes place more emphasis on the student rather than the athlete.

“Let’s face it, we won’t have many players going to the NFL, so there has to be more to life than football,” he said. “I want to develop the entire student-athlete. I want them to leave with a championship ring and a degree in hand to become productive citizens.”

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Miami Eliminates B-CU in NCAA Regional Rematch, 10-0

CORAL GABLES, Florida --  Bethune-Cookman’s history-making run in the 2014 NCAA postseason ended on Sunday afternoon at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field, as host Miami (43-18) drove up a 10-0 win over the Wildcats (27-33) in their second meeting in the Coral Gables Regional.

“I told them how proud I was, especially of the fact we had a losing record going in to our conference tournament, and it would’ve been very easy to quit,” Head Coach Jason Beverlin said. “But our seniors really took things over and did a great job leading.”

“We swept through of conference tournament, and winning a game in our Regional is a big deal for our program as well. It’s definitely pushing the bar up. That’s the goal every year; to make the program better, which they did a great job of,” Beverlin added.



Miami left fielder Tyler Palmer put the Hurricanes on the board early, scoring from third on a throwing error by Matt Noble at second base in the first inning, reaching base on a one-out single through the left side.

Starter Gabriel Hernandez found challenges in halting the Miami hitters early, who broke from a Regional slump. In the second, consecutive singles from Johnny Ruiz and Willie Abreu paid off for the Hurricanes, as both crossed the plate on a pair of two-out RBI singles for Ryan Kennedy and Dale Carey.

Facing a 3-0 deficit, Michael Austin entered in relief and quieted the Miami offense through the next three frames to give the Wildcats an opportunity to get the bats going. Leaving one runner on base in the sixth, Austin yielded to senior Scott Garner, making his second appearance in the Regional against Miami.

The Hurricanes would score in the sixth, eighth and ninth frames, highlighted by a pair of home runs by designated hitter Zach Collins, who tallied five runs on the two shots to put the game out of reach for the Wildcats, extending the lead to 10-0.

Throwing two innings in his final appearance in the Maroon and Gold, Hernandez (1-4) took the loss, allowing five hits and two earned runs. He wraps his B-CU career with a 19-10 record in 57 games. Garner also concluded his final game for the Wildcats with a 20-15 record.

For the Hurricanes, Bryan Radziewski (8-2) earned the win, throwing his first complete game of the season, allowing three hits and striking out nine.

Matt Noble, Zach Olszewski and Bryant Munoz each registered hits for the Wildcats.

To reach Sunday’s elimination game, the Wildcats defeated the Columbia Lions, 6-5, earning the first Regional victory for the Bethune-Cookman program since 2002, reaching the NCAA postseason after winning B-CU’s 17th Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship.

“We just came together as a team, everyone started to trust each other and we saw the overall goal for the season and what to work for,” Garner said of the strong finish. “Once we got the goals defined, it was easier to come together and work together as a team.”

For all the latest information on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, follow the official Twitter feeds, @CookmanBaseball or @BCUathletics, or "Like Us" on Facebook at BCUathletics.

To join the conversation on social media, be sure to tag your B-CU-related posts with the official hashtag of B-CU Athletics, #HailWildcats.

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COURTESY BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

JSU Tigers eliminated from Lafayette Regional by Louisiana

PHOTO COURTESY: SWAC.ORG

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana  -- The Jackson State baseball team was eliminated from the NCAA Lafayette Regional Sunday evening at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field, falling 11-1 to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.

Gary Thomas and Charles Tillery each recorded two hits for JSU.  Jace Conrad led UL with three hits and six RBIs.

The game was delayed for three hours and 12 minutes when lightning strikes were spotted around the stadium in the bottom of the fourth inning. Prior to the weather delay, the Tigers trailed Louisiana 8-1. Starting pitcher Chris Wingard struggled with his command in the first inning, leading the Cajuns first score of the game. UL scored when Caleb Adams scored Ryan Leonards on a sacrifice fly to center field.

 “They (Ragin’ Cajuns) are an outstanding team,” said JSU head coach Omar Johnson. “We played hard, but we walked too many people. They took advantage of our mistakes. We left a pitch up in the second inning and they hit the ball out of the park. You have to give them all of the credit. They made play after play.”

JSU scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the first. Gary Thomas doubled to left field to get on base and Desmond Russell sent him to third base on a sacrifice bunt. Tilur Smith got hit by a pitch to get on base and Thomas scored on a throwing error, tying the score at 1-1.

“I’m proud of our team, and of the way we competed. We dealt with some adversity and our guys responded. Louisiana-La­fayette is the real deal, and a very good team.”

The Cajuns broke the game open with a five run second inning. With the bases loaded Jake Conrad a grand slam to at the top of the inning, making the score 5-1. UL scored another run in the inning.

JSU (32-25) finished with eight hits and a RBI. Chris Wingard (2-2) pitched 1.1 innings and gave up three runs on one hit.

UL added the final three runs of the game in the seventh inning. The Cajuns scored their 11 runs on nine hits and had 10 RBIs.

JSU Quotes:
Head Coach Omar Johnson
On their mindset going into the rain delay: “Definitely frustrated being down. Rain delays are tough on pitchers, and the how the NCAA has rain delays set up is to protect the student-athlete. You have to learn how to play this time of year because you have to play every inning and every pitch. You don’t get a half­time in baseball, and I guess that was our halftime. Our opponent was really good today.”

On the perception of the program after the weekend: “It’s a big win [on Friday]. There were some things done that haven’t been done since 1993, back-to-back conference championships. Then we had our first ever win against the No. 1 team in the country, and a regional win. It says a lot about the players, and all the adversity and resolve they showed. It says a lot. I’m proud of our players. They compete well. They showed up and gave their best.”

On the team being able to deal with the adversity: “We’ve had a lot of players that had success on differ­ent levels. When players expect to win, a lot of times when you get into championship situations they will respond. We’re fortunate to put a group of guys together to do that.”

On being the fourth seed: “One thing I didn’t say that and I should have, they [Louisiana-Lafayette] put on a first class regional. This was first class, and the atmosphere is awesome. They tried their best to accom­modate us in every way. Respect is earned. They didn’t try to overlook us, and no one tried to down play anything we’ve done.”

On winning when some say JSU couldn’t: “It feels great to be able to do that. It feels great to be able to put a group of kids together who can play at this level. Those guys (Ragin’ Cajuns) are good. Mississippi State is good. You have to put together a good group to be able to compete with these guys. The speed of the game changes at different levels, and you have to be able to keep up with the speed of the game.”

On Louisiana-Lafayette using the bunt: “They are not a one-dimensional team. The key is if the third base­man is behind the bag, it is a bunt situation. They read some keys to the game and were able to put some pressure on. They are an outstanding team."

JSU SS Gary Thomas Quotes
On the season, the run to the regional and the win over Ragin’ Cajuns on Friday: “It means a lot. It is very special to do it against the No. 1 team in the country. It feels good to make history.”
On what the nation knows about JSU’s program: “That we’re no pushover. Every team we play, we play as if they’re the best team in the nation.”

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COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

All-Louisiana honors for XU's Montrel, Abbes, Chaouat

Nour Abbes

                                          Nour Abbes

  

Kyle Montrel

Kevin Chaouat

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Kyle Montrel and Nour Abbes are first-team selections on the 2013-14 All-Louisiana tennis teams announced late Saturday by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, and Kevin Chaouat of the Gold Rush is the men's Newcomer of the Year.
     
Montrel, a sophomore from Atlanta and a graduate of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, is a repeat first-team selection. Abbes, from Tunis, Tunisia, and a graduate of Lycée Sportif d'El Menzah, is the first XU freshman female to be chosen All-Louisiana. Chaouat, a sophomore from Sarcelles, France, is the Gold Rush's third state Newcomer of the Year in five seasons.
     
Montrel was 16-10 in singles and 19-7 in doubles to help the Gold Rush defeat seven top-25 NAIA teams and two from NCAA Division I. He was selected the ITA/NAIA South Region Player to Watch earlier this month.
     
Abbes was 17-0 in singles — including victories against All-Louisiana first-teamers Klaudia Gawlik of McNeese State and Renee Villarreal of Southeastern Louisiana — and 16-2 in doubles. She won her final 12 doubles matches with Simone-Alyse Ewell as her partner and earned postseason top-10 ITA individual rankings in singles (No. 2) and doubles (No. 9).
     
Chaouat, a transfer from Embry-Riddle (Fla.), was 9-8 in singles and 17-10 in doubles. He teamed with Tushar Mandlekar to win 14 of their last 19 doubles matches, with eight of those victories against ranked NAIA schools and two against NCAA Division I.
     
An LSWA panel of sports information directors selected the teams.
     
Montrel and Abbes were named to their second All-America teams of the season on Friday.
     
Xavier's women were 17-7, reached the semifinals of the NAIA National Championship for the second consecutive year and ranked third in the NAIA postseason coaches poll. The XU men were 13-12, reached the national quarterfinals for the third straight year and ranked eighth in the postseason.

2013-14 All-Louisiana Tennis
WOMEN
FIRST TEAM
Klara Vyskocilova, senior, Tulane
Klaudia Gawlik, sophomore, McNeese State
Renee Villarreal, sophomore, Southeastern Louisiana
Natayla Krutova, sophomore, Northwestern State
Sara Castellano, freshman, McNeese State
Nour Abbes, freshman, Xavier

SECOND TEAM
Alexandra Starkova, sophomore, Louisiana Tech
Joana Vale Costa, freshman, LSU
Medy Blankvoort, senior, Louisiana-Monroe
Julia Kral, freshman, McNeese State
Noel Scott, junior, LSU
Soledad Calderon Arroyo, sophomore, New Orleans

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Klara Vyskocilova, Tulane
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Noel Scott, LSU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Sara Castellano, McNeese State
COACH OF THE YEAR: (tie) Chad Camper, Louisiana Tech; Danielle Steinberg, McNeese State

MEN
FIRST TEAM
Dominik Koepfer, sophomore, Tulane
Chris Simpson, junior, LSU
Nico Mertens, sophomore, Nicholls State
Rick de Groot, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Jao Chi-San, freshman, Tulane
Kyle Montrel, sophomore, Xavier

SECOND TEAM
Hunter Johnson, sophomore, Louisiana-Lafayette
Partha Adavelly, freshman, Nicholls State
Justin Butsch, freshman, LSU
Sebastian Ray, freshman, Tulane
Jake Wynan, sophomore, Louisiana-Lafayette
Edgar Lopez, sophomore, Louisiana-Lafayette

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Dominik Koepfer, Tulane
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Kevin Chaouat, Xavier
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Jao Chi-San, Tulane
COACH OF THE YEAR: Mark Jeffrey, Louisiana-Lafayette

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

Jefferson City Celebrates Lincoln's University National Championship (VIDEO)

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri  --  Jefferson City celebrated the Lincoln women's track & field team's 2014 NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championship at a rally on May 29, 2014.



COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATION

Jackson State’s Russell leaves Mississippi State coach Cohen impressed

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana  – He threw a complete game for the ninth time this season. He allowed just three runs off seven hits to Southeastern Conference power Mississippi State. He earned the heartfelt respect of Bulldogs coach John Cohen.

About the only thing Jackson State starting pitcher/utilityman Desmond Russell didn’t do Saturday night at the NCAA Lafayette Regional was win.

But after Mississippi State won the winner’s-bracket game 3-1 behind the combined three-hit pitching of Jonathan Holder and Ben Bracewell, even Cohen was thinking maybe Russell should have.

“He deserved to win a ballgame,” Cohen said of the senior righty. “He was just outstanding. We just got some timely hits, and they didn’t.”

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XU Nuggets to be honored Monday in Louisiana House resolution

Xavier's women's tennis team has been ranked No. 1 five times during the
 past two seasons in the NAIA coaches poll.

NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana House of Representatives will honor the 2013-14 Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis team with a resolution on Monday.
    
The resolution, authored by Rep. Walt Leger, D-New Orleans, will commend the Gold Nuggets for their season accomplishments, which include:
    
•  Reaching the semifinals of the NAIA National Championship for the second consecutive year. Women's tennis is the only XU program to reach the NAIA's national semifinals.
    
•  Finishing 17-7, winning the NAIA Unaffiliated Group 2 Tournament and, for the second straight year, ranking third in the NAIA Coaches' Postseason Top 25 Poll. Five of the Nuggets' victories were against teams in the postseason top 10, including 2014 national champion Georgia Gwinnett and Auburn Montgomery, the champion from 2011-13. Xavier defeated Georgia Gwinnett and AUM when both opponents were ranked No. 1.
    
•  Earning the No. 1 ranking in the NAIA coaches polls of April 29 and May 4.
    
•  Producing four Intercollegiate Tennis Association NAIA All-Americans: Nour Abbes, Simone-Alyse Ewell, Brion Flowers and Kourtney Howell. Abbes also received the Marvin P. Richmond Outstanding Player Award at the NAIA National Championship, and she was chosen Wilson/ITA NAIA Women's National and Region IV Rookie of the Year.
    
Coach Alan Green, team members and XU Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn will be in attendance for the reading of the resolution on the House floor at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge (address: 900 North Third Street, zip code 70802). The reading is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

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

B-CU Holds Off Columbia in Historic Regional Victory, 6-5

CORAL GABLES, Florida -- The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (27-32) held off a late charge by the Columbia Lions (29-20) in the 2014 NCAA Regional elimination game on Saturday afternoon at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field, holding on for the 6-5 win and earning the first postseason victory for the program in 12 seasons.

“It was a great moment for Bethune-Cookman baseball history to take the first step in eventually, hopefully winning a Regional and moving this program forward,” Head Coach Jason Beverlin said. “[There is] Definitely a lot of tradition and history and this is just building on that tradition and history and that’s where we want to get to.“



 “They did a good job of preparing themselves for today’s game like they did yesterday, and the results were just a little bit different,” Beverlin added. “But both days I was proud of the way they went about their business.”

Right fielder Josh Johnson got the Lions’ attention early and set the tone in the first inning, sending a high leadoff home run over the left field wall, granting B-CU the early 1-0 advantage.

“I joked around with a couple of players like, ‘I’m due for one.’ I always say it, though. It’s the funniest thing because I say it before every game, and I only have three career home runs,” Johnson said. “It felt amazing. Off the bat I saw it was gone and it felt great.”

Although Columbia starter Kevin Roy settled in and limited the Wildcats’ damage for the next two frames, B-CU kept continuous pressure on and capitalized in the third, as an RBI single for shortstop Shaun McCarty brought Eric Sams in from second base, while Eros Modena scored from first on a fielding error by CU right fielder Gus Craig, moving the lead out to 3-0.

In the fifth the Wildcats tacked up another run, as Johnson led off reaching base on balls and Matt Noble scored his classmate from second base on a single through the left side to go on top 4-0.

As the Wildcats began to drive Roy’s pitch count with a four-run advantage, the Lions opted to go to the bullpen and senior Joey Donino, who put together a quick and tidy sixth inning. However, the seventh frame got away from the right-handed reliever. Johnson led off with a 4-0 walk and Bryant Munoz followed with a single through the left side. Noble capitalized on the scoring opportunity with his 13th double of the season, a two-runner to outer left field, pushing the Wildcats ahead 6-0.

After six steady shutout innings, Zuniga allowed three consecutive Columbia hits to open the bottom of the seventh, allowing the Lions to put a run on the board off John Kinne’s RBI single to left center.

Trailing from the opening frame, Columbia began to put some pressure of their own on the Wildcats, who went to the bullpen, cycling through three relievers in the frame before John Sever closed it out on an Aaron Silbar pop-up to second base. When the dust settled, the Lions had put in four runs off four hits to trim the B-CU advantage to just two runs.

CU reliever Zach Tax took over on the rubber for the Lions, holding preventing the Wildcats from adding insurance runs in the final two frames, giving Columbia a chance for a final run to avoid elimination. The Lions sliced the lead down to a single run in the bottom of the ninth, scoring pinch runner Logan Boyher from third on a Craig RBI single with two outs. The Lions top hitter in the Regional, Robb Paller, lined out to Eros Modena in center field, securing the final out and the 6-5 victory.

With the win over Columbia, the Wildcats will advance to a third game in NCAA Regional play for the first time since defeating Florida International, 7-4, in the 2002 Gainesville (FL) Regional. The win moves B-CU’s all-time Regional record to 2-27 and 3-31 overall in NCAA postseason games.

Pitching six innings in the start, Zuniga (8-4) picked up the win, allowing seven hits and three runs, while striking out one Lions batter. Sever pitched three completed frames, striking out two batters to earn his fourth save of the year.

“The momentum was definitely on their side, and you could see that and for him to squash that and shut them down was huge,” Beverlin said of Sever. “He really did a good job of minimizing the damage and getting out of that without things snowballing out of control.”

Noble topped the Wildcats at the plate, hitting 2-for-3 with three RBI. McCarty added another RBI with a 2-for-4 hitting performance, while Johnson scored three runs on the day.

The Wildcats move on to game five of the Coral Gables Regional bracket, slated for a 2 p.m. meeting in a Sunday (June 1) matchup with the loser between Miami (FL) and Texas Tech at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park.

For all the latest information on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, follow the official Twitter feeds, @CookmanBaseball or @BCUathletics, or "Like Us" on Facebook at BCUathletics.

To join the conversation on social media, be sure to tag your B-CU-related posts with the official hashtag of B-CU Athletics, #HailWildcats.

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Alabama State Wins Commissioner's Cup, Sweeps All-Sports Awards

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- The Alabama State University athletics program won the 2013-14 Commissioner's Cup Award, symbolic of the best all-around sports program in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

It's the first time Alabama State has won the Commissioner's Cup, as ASU swept all three conference awards for the first time ever. For the second straight year, the Lady Hornets won the women's all-sports trophy, while the Hornets won the men's all-sports trophy for the first time in school history. Overall, Alabama State finished first or second in the SWAC in 13 of 18 sports this season.

For the third straight year, the women's track program won the "Triple Crown," earning SWAC championships in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. It was the third straight league title in cross country, the sixth consecutive title in indoor track, and the fifth consecutive outdoor track championship.



For the second straight year, both the women's and men's golf programs won SWAC Championships this spring, earning NCAA Tournament appearances. The women's team earned its second straight SWAC title and third in four years, while the men's team won its third consecutive league title.

Alabama State volleyball won its first Eastern Division championship and first SWAC Championship in school history, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in setting a program record for wins.

The success of the athletics department occurred not only in competition but in the classroom as well. Nearly 200 Alabama State student-athletes had cumulative or semester 3.0 GPAs in the fall of 2013, with 40 student-athletes graduating in the past academic year.

The women's track triple crown, volleyball and golf titles highlighted the women's team accomplishments. The nationally-ranked ASU bowling team won the SWAC's regular season title and finished second overall, both firsts in the program's history. The women's soccer team won the conference Eastern Division title and finished second overall, again firsts in the history of the program.

The SWAC title in golf highlighted the men's team accomplishments. The men's cross country, indoor track, basketball, tennis, and baseball teams each finished with at least a share of second place this season. For the first time ever, men's basketball was selected to play in the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament. For the second straight year, the baseball program set a school record for wins, won the division title for the first time since 1994, and its second-place finish was the highest in school history.

The commissioner's cup is named the James Frank Award for the former long-time SWAC Commissioner and NCAA President. The women's award, the Barbara Jacket/Sadie Magee Trophy, was named for two conference pioneers. Jacket was a long-time track coach at Prairie View and is in the U.S. Track and Field Hall of Fame. Magee is the winningest coach in Jackson State women's basketball history. The C.D. Henry Award, presented to the top men's program in the conference, is named for the former executive officer of the SWAC and the first African American to serve as assistant commissioner of any conference when he joined the Big 10 Conference in 1974.

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XU's Ciccone will represent Jamaica in Davis Cup play

Vincenzo Ciccone was 10-7 in singles and 4-1 in doubles during the
 2013-14 season, his first at Xavier.

NEW ORLEANS — Vincenzo Ciccone, a member of the Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis team, will represent Jamaica next week in a Davis Cup Group III tie.
    
Ciccone, who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., was eligible for the Jamaican team because his mother is a native of the country. He qualified for the team by winning 2-of-3 singles matches in trials at Kingston, Jamaica, in April.
    
The six-day, nine-nation Group III competition will begin Monday at Palmas Athletic Club in Humacao, Puerto Rico. The top two countries will be promoted to Americas Zone Group II in 2015. The other competing countries are the Bahamas, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras, Panama, Puerto Rico and Trinidad & Tobago.
    
Ciccone was a junior and in his first season at Xavier in 2013-14. He was 10-7 in singles and 4-1 in doubles to help the Gold Rush reach the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Championship and rank eighth in the NAIA postseason coaches poll. Ciccone, a graduate of Aspirations High School and ASA College, was the 2012 American Tennis Association men's singles champion.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Jackson State falls 3-1 to Mississippi State at Lafayette Regional

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana – One day after recording its first ever NCAA postseason victory, the Jackson State baseball team was not able to keep the momentum going against Mississippi State (39-22) on day two of the NCAA Lafayette Regional. The Bulldogs used a two run sixth inning to pick up a 3-1 win over the Tigers at “Tigue” Moore Field.

With the loss JSU faces Louisiana Sunday at 1 p.m. in the second elimination game of the regional. Jackson state played a clean game, but MSU came through with timely hitting in the sixth to secure the win.

Desmond Russell (9-5) recorded his ninth complete game in the losing effort. In nine innings of work he allowed three runs on seven hits, while striking out seven batters. Prior to MSU rallying in the sixth, Russell retired 11 straight batters.

Mississippi State pitchers Ben Bracewell and Jonathan Holder held the Tigers to three hits. Holder (7-1) pitched 5.1 innings in relief to pick up the win for the Bulldogs.

 

“We needed to take advantage of some opportunities,” said JSU head coach Omar Johnson.

“Mississippi State pitched awesome, they pitched well. We knew that they were able to do that from some of the information we had on them. We had a couple opportunities to score runs and left them out there, but you have to give their guys some credit. That guy made some pitches when he needed to make pitches. They’re a good team and are coached well.”

Gary Thomas scored JSU’s only run in the fourth inning, tying the game at 1-1. Thomas singled to get on base and Bracewell walked the next three batters to score Thomas.

Thomas finished the game with a hit and a run for JSU. Tilur Smith recorded a hit (double) and a walk for JSU and Charles Tillery posted JSU’s third hit of the game.

JSU’s Post Game Quotes
Omar Johnson (HC)

On Desmond Russell’s complete game: “It gives us an opportunity to have a lot of guys available tomorrow. When you’re in an elimination game like we are tomorrow, you need as many arms as you can.”

 

On the team’s confidence after the UL victory: “Games are about matchups, so we’ll try to put the best guy out there to match up with them. We had confidence today. You have to take advantage of your opportuni­ties. We’re prepared for tomorrow.”

 

On offensive struggles: “We have to find a way to create some offense. We faced some outstanding pitch­ing: Holder, Robichaux. Those guys are really good pitchers. They proved that throughout the year. You have to take advantage of your opportunities. Not necessarily hitting more, it’s when you get your opportunities to get a situational hit and score runs, you have to do it. Just like the time their kid moved up on the ball in the dirt, it got him on third base with less than two outs; they hit a fly ball and scored a run. You have to take advantage of that. It’s the same thing when we didn’t turn that double play. Without those two situations it’s still a 1-1 game.”

JSU SP Desmond Russell Quotes

On the sixth inning: “I’ve got to give it to them. They played good. We played good. I just messed up on a few pitches. We have to capitalize a little bit more. Other than that I felt pretty great.”

On what his complete game does for the team: “We only used three pitchers so far. We have confidence in each and every pitcher in our bullpen. It was good that I threw a complete game to give them an opportunity to be fresh.”

JSU 1B Tilur Smith Quotes

On MSU relief pitcher Jonathan Holder’s performance: “His curveball was good. We really just wanted to hit the fastball...we missed a couple. He just had us off-balance.”

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Athletic committee starts FAMU fund-raising

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- A committee of FAMU alumni that president Elmira Mangum introduced almost two months ago to serve as a liaison between her office and athletic director Kellen Winslow Sr. has disclosed the initial phase of an ambitious plan to raise $3.2 million for upgrades to the school’s football facilities.

Gregory Clark, a former FAMU baseball player who heads up the President’s Alumni Advisory Committee, said the initial plan is to upgrade the field house and resurface the turf in Bragg Stadium by next spring. A more in-depth study will be done to determine how much and how long it will take to upgrade the rest of the stadium, he said.

The concentration is on football, Clark said, because it’s the primary revenue generator for athletics.

“We should commit to this sport to ensure that it bears the fruit that we are looking for,” he said.

“Hence, we want to start by addressing some of these football issues.”

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