XU's Abbes, Nelson, Chaouat advance in HBCU main draw

JONESBORO, Georgia  -- Nour Abbes began the 2014-15 tennis season the way she ended the previous one: winning.

The Xavier University of Louisiana sophomore earned singles and doubles victories Thursday in the A-flight main draw of the HBCU National Championships.

Abbes, seeded fifth in singles, defeated Tuskegee's 12th-seeded Reicia North 6-0, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals. Abbes then teamed with senior Carmen Nelson -- who was playing collegiately in her hometown for the first time -- for an 8-3 victory against Alcorn State's Siobhan Ryan-Bovey and Ivana Boberic. That advanced Abbes and Nelson to the quarterfinals.

"Nour played well in singles and doubles," 12th-year XU coach Alan Green said. "She has a tough singles draw, so she will have to continue to play well to advance. In doubles she and Carmen played solid and smart. They played to their strengths."

Advancing in the main draw for the XU men was seventh-seeded Kevin Chaouat, a junior who reached the quarterfinals of the singles C-flight with a 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-6) victory against Prairie View A&M's 10th-seeded James Jackson.

"Kevin got off to a rough start but was able to come back and win," Green said. "He knows he can't afford to do that with his next opponent."

Abbes was 17-0 in singles and 16-2 in doubles as an XU freshman and was selected first-team NAIA All-America and ITA/NAIA National Rookie of the Year. She also received the NAIA National Championship's Marvin P. Richmond Outstanding Player Award. Chaouat was the men's Louisiana Newcomer of the Year.

After losing singles matches in the main draw, Nelson and sophomore Adam Albrecht advanced in their consolation brackets with victories.

The tournament will conclude Sunday. It's the first of three Xavier fall events.

Results:  Men    Women

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Tennessee State Men's Golf Starts Season at Murray State

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The wait is over for the Tennessee State men’s golf team as they travel to Murray, Ky. to open the 2014-15 season. The five-man squad is the last fall sport at TSU to take to competition and will take part in the Murray State Invitational.

 

The Tigers will play 54 holes, 36 Monday and 18 Tuesday, at the Par-71, 6,601 yard, Miller Memorial Golf Course in Murray. The 11-team field will have an 8:30am shotgun start on Monday and a 9:00am start on Tuesday.

 

TSU will face off against Alabama State, Christian Brothers, John A. Logan, Missouri Baptist, Northern Kentucky, Wright State and Ohio Valley Conference opponents, Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, Murray State and UT Martin.

 

Senior James Stepp and junior Blake Burgett will lead a group which includes three newcomers. Donning the Blue and White for the first time will be Jeremy Fultz, Andy Stout and transfer Todd McGill.

 

Results and full recaps can be found on tsutigers.com.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU Notes: Boulware takes cautious approach

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Quarterback Phil Sims, offensive linemen Robert Kearney and Justin Kee and wide receiver Brandon Felder all missed practice Tuesday with minor injuries but are expected to play Saturday against Tuskegee.

Felder also missed last weekend’s game against Valdosta State with a lingering ankle injury.

Watch John Dell's interview with Keinus Boulware.

“I expect them all to play,” Coach Kienus Boulware said. “We can’t win games on Tuesday through Friday, but you can lose games by having guys practice when they probably shouldn’t. So we aren’t in a rush to get guys out there, especially the experienced guys.”

TV GAME: Saturday’s Tuskegee-WSSU game at 6 p.m. will be broadcast live on the Aspire network (Time Warner Ch. 185). The game is not part of the CIAA television package, meaning WSSU will receive more revenue.

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Edouard paves the way for B-CU

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- In order for your offense to get into high gear, you need some great offensive linemen to create opportunities for your skilled players. Bethune-Cookman has one of those offensive linemen who can really pave the way. 

Andrew Edouard, the Wildcats' center, has been a major factor in making B-CU (2-0) the consensus No. 1 HBCU football team in the nation. Edouard is a terrific run and pass blocker. He’s big and strong and has good quickness along the offensive line. 

“Andrew has done a phenomenal job coming in and adapting to our program, finding a way to stay there and finding his role,” said Bethune-Cookman head coach Brian Jenkins. “He’s a phenomenal young man. He does an exceptional job of leading our front line. I think his accolades and productivity speaks for itself. It speaks for the job he’s done in the short period of time that he’s been here.” 

Edouard is truly an amazing story. This is his second year in the Wildcats football program after spending two seasons at Lackawanna College, a junior college in Scranton, Pennsylvania. 

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NCCU basketball success spurs changes to coaching staff

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- Sure signs that a coach’s squad is on the rise are when he starts hanging championship banners and his coaches begin getting picked off.

N.C. Central basketball coach LeVelle Moton last season guided the Eagles to both regular-season and tournament championships in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, which got the team into the Division-I NCAA Tournament for the first time.

And it wasn’t long after Iowa State beat NCCU in its inaugural game of the Big Dance when Lincoln University of Missouri athletics director Betty Kemna made a play for John Moseley, who was Moton’s top assistant coach, and netted him.

Lincoln kept applying pressure and came up with a steal, with Moseley convincing NCCU volunteer assistant coach C.J. Wilkerson to become his graduate assistant coach.

Both Moseley and Moton said it’s all good. No hard feelings, no love lost.

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Prairie View’s Johntá Hebert, a Glen Oaks graduate, is 'itching for a breakout game' against Southern

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  --When it comes to playing against Southern, former Glen Oaks standout Johntá Hebert of Prairie View maintains it’s just another game.

No red circle on the calendar required.

History suggests otherwise: Hebert has enjoyed some of the finer moments over the first two years of his college career at the Jaguars’s expense.

“It’s more of a coincidence,” Hebert said. “I wouldn’t say I do anything different during the week or approach the game any differently.”

Southern (1-2), which visits Prairie View (0-2) to open Southwestern Athletic Conference play at 6 p.m. Saturday, is the latest obstacle between Hebert and the Panthers’ first victory.

With back-to-back losses to begin the year, including the SWAC opener to Texas Southern, there’s a greater sense of urgency, Hebert said.

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Kambui brings awareness, speed to FAMU's o-line

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Since the 2012 season, FAMU hasn't been able to find an offensive center to take ownership of the position.

Junior college transfer Mateo Kambui has changed that. He's quick at the snap and has proven to have a sense of what defenses are doing.

Even when the Rattlers played Miami, he was able to get off the snap fast enough to give quarterback Damien Fleming time to work.

"Everything starts with me and works its way out to the tackles," said Kambui, who last season played at Butler Community College in Kansas. "When you have a group of guys like we have, it makes everything pretty easy on me when they know their jobs. All I have to do is snap the ball and go."

Kambui's role will be pivotal for the Rattlers on Saturday when they play Coastal Carolina at Bragg Stadium. The Chanticleers (3-0) have been able to blitz their way to three quarterback sacks for an average of one per game. They've also recorded three quarter back hurry.

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TSU to host TTU in Return to the Hole, Saturday

WATCH LIVE | LISTEN LIVE | LIVE STATS | GAME NOTES   TSU v. TTU Game Notes

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- On Saturday, the Tennessee State football team will return to Hale Stadium for the first time since Nov. 9 of last season to take on Tennessee Tech.

Scouting TSU
The Tigers come into this week’s game at 2-1, having just defeated Jackson State, 35-7, in the Southern Heritage Classic. In that game, TSU scored all 35 points in the first half and coasted to the easy victory.

Scouting TTU
The Golden Eagles sit at 1-1 coming into Saturday and have had a week off to regroup after their 49-14 loss at Indiana State last time out. TTU fell behind 28-0 to the Sycamores before scoring on back-to-back special teams plays in the third quarter.



Three Keys to the Game

Go for the Ball
Through the first two games of the season, Tennessee Tech has fumbled seven times and lost four of them. In their last game alone, the Golden Eagles coughed up the football five times and Indiana State came away with it on three occasions. Tennessee State has already forced nine fumbles this year, but has only recovered three. The TSU defense will have to pick and choose when to go for the ball, but when there is a pile up, expect the Tigers to go for a strip.

Limiting Returns
Against Indiana State, TTU blocked a punt and ran it back for a touchdown and Ladarius Vanlier returned ISU's next punt attempt 72 yards for a touchdown. Vanlier finished the day with 200 all-purpose yards (his second career 200-plus yard all-purpose game), gaining 112 yards on kickoffs, 74 yards on punts, nine rushing yards and five receiving yards. Tennessee Tech also currently ranks fifth in the FCS in yards per kickoff return with 29.86. TSU meanwhile, has only allowed opponents to return punts for an average of 1.25 yards and kickoffs 19.63 yards so far this season. Big plays, or the lack of, from the special teams should again play a big role on Saturday.

Battle in the Trenches
On offense, TSU must continue to open up holes for backs like it did on Saturday when the Tigers rushed for 191 yards and three touchdowns. Senior offensive linemen Robert Myers, Anthony Morris and Derek Sibley should have a big day against TTU’s 47th ranked defense. On the other side of the ball, Tiger defenders need to continue to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks like they did last week when they totaled seven sacks. Reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year Anthony Bass has been a force this season, totaling five sacks. Gabe Terry’s and Samquan Evans’s play have also been a bright spot as both have two sacks apiece.

TSU is 16-10 all-time against TTU and is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings. This will be the first OVC contest for both teams and a chance to get to 1-0 in conference play. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Hole.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Volleyball Beats ETSU as Roulhac Clinches 300th Win

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  The Tennessee State University volleyball team defeated East Tennessee State on Tuesday night at Kean Hall for head coach Kathy Roulhac’s 300^th career win.

The Tigers (4-7) won 3-1 over the Buccaneers (4-7) with a strong team performance. Three players finished with double-digit kills and three other players finished with double-digit digs. Senior Taylor Swayzer led the team on offense by putting down 17 kills. She was joined by junior Haley Hampton (11) and sophomore Arijana Anderson (10) in double figures. Anderson notched the match-clinching kill.

“I can’t say enough about this team,” coach Roulhac said. “This definitely feels like 300 wins. Swayzer put on a show, offensively, but it was a true team effort. Great match all around.”

Senior Naomi Wells led the team on defense with 17 digs. Her teammates, sophomore Taylor Patterson (16) and senior Ileanushka Maldonado (13), really helped her stabilize a Tiger defense that held the opposition to a .208 attack percentage.

TSU took the first set 25-21 before dropping the second set by the same score. The Tigers buckled down and took sets three and four under some outstanding play from Swayzer. She hit .359 on the game and led all scorers in kills. Freshman Samantha Beltran turned in a 41 assist-performance to help lead the team to its fourth win in five games.

“This team is so strong. They’ve had great chemistry throughout the preseason and now into the teeth of the season, and its showing. I have a good feeling about this team heading into our final non-conference tournament in Cincinnati.”

The Tigers take to the road, once more, for a weekend tournament in Cincinnati. TSU takes on Central Michigan this Friday at 3:30 p.m. to open up the tournament and then, on Saturday, plays Charleston Southern at 1:00 p.m. and the host Bearcats at 6:00 p.m. For the match with UC, the Blue and White have a chip on their shoulder. They’ll look to repay the 3-1 loss suffered at the Active Ankle Challenge in Louisville, Ky. earlier this month.

As always, check out the volleyball team on Twitter @tnstateVB.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Grambling visits Jackson State after 2013 boycott

GRAMBLING, Louisiana – Broderick Fobbs wasn't at Grambling in 2013, but he'd be oblivious if he weren't paying attention to the turmoil last fall at his alma matter.

Not only was Grambling at the forefront of statewide headlines while Fobbs looked on as an assistant at McNeese State, but the Tigers garnered national attention for all the wrong reasons.

Grambling players staged a revolt following a loss to Alcorn State in Indianapolis, Indiana, due to lingering issues like poor facilities, ragged equipment and a growing disdain for former president Frank Pogue. As a result, the players failed to show up for a road game at Jackson State, essentially ruining JSU's homecoming plans.

Now Grambling is headed back to Jackson State almost a year later where the Tigers are expecting an intense atmosphere.

"There's a little more to it with everything that went on, but I mean we're going to play regardless, so it doesn't matter," Fobbs said. "If you need a situation to occur to get you ready to play against Jackson State, then you don't understand the colors you wear."

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Hampton U. aims for first win against D-II Miles College

HAMPTON,  Virginia — Connell Maynor didn't lose more than two games in any of his first four seasons as a head coach. His first Hampton University team lost three in three weeks.

Aside from a brief, playful shadow-boxing exhibit Wednesday, the Pirates' Big Whistle was composed and undeterred.

"We've got to be realistic and take everything in perspective," Maynor said. "This is right where everybody thought we would be — 0-and-3, playing those three teams. Nobody thought we (were) going to beat Richmond, nobody thought we (were) going to beat William and Mary, nobody thought we (were) going to beat ODU — and we didn't.

"But what we did, what people didn't think we (were) going to do, we played with those guys and we showed that we could move the ball, we could score. At times we could stop them. So we showed that we've got potential to be a good football team. Now we've got to continue with that and start getting some Ws, and we need to start this week with Miles and then get into conference play and continue to play good, solid football and the Ws will continue to come."



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B-CU's LeBranden Richardson eager to face old UCF teammates

DAYTONA BEACH — When Bethune-Cookman's LeBranden Richardson takes the field at Bright House Networks Stadium Saturday, he should feel right at home..

As a former UCF player, Richardson is quite familiar with the surroundings of the Knights home turf, but this time the confines won't be so friendly. Nonetheless, he's looking forward to seeing some of his old friends.

"It's going to be exciting … I love that Bright House stadium. It will be like a homecoming, bringing back some old memories. I made my first collegiate sack at that stadium," said Richardson, now a senior defensive end at B-CU. "I won't be nervous. I will just like any other game, but I will get that feeling once I get out there, I suppose. I'm excited for it."

Some of his former teammates are gone and so is his old position coach Jim Panagos, now the defensive line coach at Rutgers, but the Knights' roster still features some of his closest friends, including UCF receiver Josh Reese.

Reese and Richardson were teammates at Miami Central High, after Richardson transferred from Hialeah, and the pair chose to go together to UCF, along with highly touted teammate Jeffrey Godfrey. Godfrey had a breakout year as a freshman, earning Conference USA newcomer of the year honors in 2010.

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Despite slow start, Spartans stay confident

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Norfolk State faces the possibility that it could enter the all-important MEAC portion of its schedule at 0-4.

The Spartans (0-3) will visit Buffalo on Saturday for a final non-conference tune-up against the lone FBS team on the calendar.

But win or lose once more before the league opener against Morgan State on Sept. 27, players and coaches believe the early-season adversity will make them stronger in the long run.

And that's all that matters.

"Playing out-of-conference teams, you hope to come out with the win either way it goes," said star linebacker Lynden Trail. "But at the end of the day, you have to come to the realization that we're playing for our conference."


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Florida A&M Rattlers look to end drought at Bragg Stadium

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- FAMU didn't win a single game at home last season so naturally the question had to come up when the Rattlers met the media Tuesday afternoon.

There were some obvious frustration on the faces of the three players in attendance, but no one responded to the question more directly than sophomore guard Keonte Cash.

"To be honest, it was pretty embarrassing," said Cash, who endured a 3-9 season as a freshman starter for the Rattlers.

FAMU plays at home for the first time this season Saturday when it faces Coastal Carolina, the No. 5 ranked FCS team in the nation. The Chanticleers (3-0) knocked off two other MEAC teams in their last two games and will be looking for the hat trick in Bragg Stadium, where FAMU went 0-5 last season.

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Morgan State football using snub in MEAC preseason poll as motivation

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- When the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference unveiled its preseason poll in the summer, Morgan State was picked to finish last in the 11-team league despite tying Delaware State for third in 2013.

In the aftermath of the Bears’ 28-3 thumping of Bowie State on Saturday, senior inside linebacker Cody Acker didn’t need any reminding about the team’s placement in the preseason poll.

“Believe me, I know that,” he said. “It’s just motivation. At the end of the day, I’ve never seen a preseason ranking dictate what a team does during the season. It’s all just speculation. All we have to do is come out and prove those guys wrong. At the end of the day, they don’t know what they have in our room. Only we do.”

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Southern University coach Dawson Odums said Prairie View offense still capable

Last year's Prairie View-Southern University game had video game like statistics and an Arena League Football like score. The Jaguars outgunned Prairie View, 62-59, in double overtime for their first victory of the 2013 season.

That victory catapulted Southern to the SWAC championship after the Jaguars had started 0-2.
But the Jaguars don't have the offensive weapons of last season. Quarterback Dray Joseph threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns in the victory. Wide receiver Lee Doss had nine catches for 214 yards and three touchdowns. Both were seniors in 2013.

The Panthers, though, return quarterback Jerry Lovelocke, who passed for 353 yards and a touchdown. Running back Johnta' Hebert , who carried for 154 yards and three touchdowns, also is back.

Prairie View gashed Southern for 772 yards in last season's contest. Southern coach Dawson Odums said the Panthers are still capable on offense.



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Jackson, Fakler earn third GCAC awards of the season

Kwame Jackson

Catherine Fakler

NEW ORLEANS — For the third time in as many weeks this season, Xavier University of Louisiana seniors Kwame Jackson and Catherine Fakler are the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runners of the Week in cross country.
    
Jackson is from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School. Fakler is from Phoenix, Ariz., and a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory Roman Catholic High School.
    
Jackson was the men's individual champion at the Southern Miss Invitational on Saturday. He ran 5,000 meters in 17 minutes, 30.8 seconds to earn his second victory this season and his fifth for Xavier. Jackson has 16 top-10 finishes and 11 top-5s in 22 collegiate meets.
    
Fakler finished fourth in the women's 5K in 19:48.2. It was her 17th top-10 finish and 14th top-5 in 23 collegiate meets.
    
Jackson has been GCAC Runner of the Week 12 times — one less than the record holder, former XU teammate Matt Pieri — and Fakler has won the women's award a GCAC-record 10 times.
    
Next meet for both XU teams will be the LSU Invitational at Highland Road Park in Baton Rouge, La., on Saturday. The women will race at 8:05 a.m., followed by the men at 9:15. Distance for both will be 5K.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

https://twitter.com/xulagold
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SWAC Football Begins Conference ESPNU Matchups Thursday



COURTESY SWAC.ORG



BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Southwestern Athletic Conference has four league games, including the 2014 Toyota SWAC Football Championship, that will be nationally televised live on ESPNU this season.  SWAC football fans will have an opportunity to watch Alabama State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley State and Grambling State compete from the comfort of home or on their mobile devices.  The first conference matchup to appear on ESPNU will be Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State this Thursday, Sept. 18.   Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. in the New ASU Stadium.

 

Games are tight between the two cross division rivals.  The last time the teams met in Montgomery, the Hornets dropped the game 24-21 after a big fourth quarter comeback fell short back in 2012.  Last year, they were able to complete the comeback, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter to defeat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 40-39.

 

Other games slated for ESPNU include:

• October 2: Alabama State at Alcorn State, 6:30 p.m.
• November 6: Grambling State at Mississippi Valley State, 6:30 p.m.
• December 6: 2014 Toyota SWAC Football Championship (Houston, Texas), 3 p.m.

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

Rush sign Capdeville; XU opens fall schedule Thursday

JEREMIAH CAPDEVILLE

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana tennis coach Alan Green announced Tuesday a signee for his men's program and the 2014 fall schedule of his men's and women's teams.
    
New to the Gold Rush — an NAIA national quarterfinalist each of the past three seasons — is Jeremiah Capdeville, a right-hander from Jennings, La., and a 2014 graduate of Jennings High School. He is enrolled at XU this fall.
    
Xavier's first fall will be the HBCU National Championships at Clayton County Tennis Center in Jonesboro, Ga. The four-day tournament will begin Thursday.
    
Capdeville was a six-year member of the Jennings varsity and an LHSAA Division III state singles semifinalist in 2012 and 2014. He was a regional singles champion this year. He has won seven singles tournaments in USTA competition, including the Houma City Junior Open 18s title in 2012.
    
Capdeville maintained a 4.0 grade-point average in high school and tied for the highest GPA in his graduating class. He is majoring in Spanish at Xavier.
The HBCU National Championships is one of three fall tournaments for the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets. For the second straight year, Xavier will play host to the USTA / ITA NAIA South Regional Championships at XU and City Park from Sept. 26-28 and compete in the Big Easy Classic at the University of New Orleans on Oct. 24-25.
    
The schedule of dual matches will begin in late January and will be announced in December or January.
    
Xavier's women were an NAIA national semifinalist each of the past two seasons.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Echebelem's big numbers earn her GCAC player award

NEW ORLEANS — Big numbers for Xavier University of Louisiana's Chinedu Echebelem helped her earn Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in women's volleyball for Sept. 8-14.
    
In the Gold Nuggets' only match of the week, Echebelem had a season-high 19 kills, a career-high 28 digs and two aces in the Gold Nuggets' 29-27, 25-22, 23-25, 25-17 home victory against Wiley. The combined total of kills and digs is the largest by a Xavier player in a match since the program was reinstated in 2010.             
    
Echebelem is a 5-foot-6 senior outside hitter from Dallas and a graduate of Duncanville High School. This is the third time she has been GCAC Player of the Week; she won once in 2013 and once in 2012.
    
Xavier, 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the GCAC, will play conference opponent Philander Smith at noon Saturday at XU's Convocation Center. Admission is free. Xavier has a four-match win streak.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Gold Rush coach to speak at Life Resources luncheon

DANNTON JACKSON
HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 

NEW ORLEANS — Dannton Jackson, men's basketball head coach at Xavier University of Louisiana, will be the featured speaker Wednesday (Sept. 17) at the weekly Life Resources Bottom Line Luncheon.
     
The luncheon will start at noon at Piccadilly Cafeteria, 2222 South Clearview Parkway in suburban Metairie, La. Luncheon organizer Ken Trahan said Jackson will deliver an inspirational message based on John 15.
     
It will be the second public appearance in five days for Jackson. On Saturday he spoke about transition offense at the Pelican Coaches Clinic in Metairie. The Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches Association sponsored that event.
     
Jackson, in his 12th season as coach of the Gold Rush, is 249-107 and set a school record last season for career victories. He was Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year each of the past three seasons. His Xavier teams won five GCAC regular-season championships, including the last three, and qualified for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship eight of the past 10 seasons.

The Life Resources Bottom Line Luncheon is open to the public. For more information, contact Trahan at (504) 621-0120 or Barry Haindel at (504) 450-8198.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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SU responds to questions concerning certification

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS AND JETLENS

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Southern University athletics has issued the following statement regarding the department's ongoing certification process.

"The ongoing certification process reflects the severity of the unusable data findings which surfaced as a result of the NCAA inquiry. Every available resource is being expended on clearing up problems with certifying documentation and expediting the reinstatement waiver process for those student-athletes affected.

The three students held out of play for further review were first flagged 48 hours before Saturday's game. We determined that there was insufficient data to determine their continuing eligibility and so until further review this week they are being withheld from competition. University certification staff reviewed documents Friday and Saturday and worked until the last possible minute to find relief for those students.

The University remains committed to not allowing ineligible student-athletes to compete.

We will continue to focus our attention on fulfilling the compliance demands of the NCAA. As we continue our work, we will defer all further questions to the University media relations office."

University media relations can be reached at 225-771-4545.

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

New Game Experience Planned for Florida Blue Florida Classic: B-CU vs. FAMU

ORLANDO, Florida -- The fall football season marks the return of the nation's largest HBCU rivalry as the Florida A&M University Rattlers take on the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats at the Florida Blue Florida Classic game on November 22, 2014 at the all new Orlando Citrus Bowl in Orlando. The excitement for this year’s matchup intensifies as this is the first game to be played at the newly built stadium that was demolished earlier in the year. Tickets are on sale now and start as low as $15.

This year’s Florida Classic features an enhanced fan experience, an exciting lineup of weekend and pre-game events, and something for everyone from students, families, sports enthusiasts, alumni, and supporters of both universities. Attendees can expect a better game experience in the brand new 65,000-seat stadium, which features larger, more comfortable seats with chair backs, and an additional six inches of legroom in the lower bowl. Additionally, the bigger and better stadium includes multiple club suites and lounges, better concessions, a party deck area, new team facilities, and better views of the game from any point in the stadium thanks to multiple video displays on each upper deck.

“This year we are completely focused on giving fans the best game experience and making this the most talked about HBCU game of the year and the place to be,” shares Marah Beltz, Bethune-Cookman University.



In addition to the big game, the weekend lineup of events begins on Friday, November 21st and includes the Florida Consortium Kickoff Luncheon presented by Florida Blue, the Career Expo and Job Fair, and the Florida Blue Battle of the Bands featuring crowd-pleasing dance teams, high-stepping drum majors, precision drumlines, and roaring brass sections. Game day activities include FanFare with activities for the entire family, a pre-game performance featuring 2 Chainz and a day party in the stadium, in addition to the halftime performance by the Marching 100 and the Marching Wildcats.

“You can always expect a great game at the Florida Classic, but this year is even better,” shares Angela Suggs, Florida A&M University Assistant Athletics Director. “In addition to the exciting new energy that both teams are bringing to the gridiron, the fan experience has something for everyone from the pre-game concert and the day party, the Battle of the Bands and FanFare, to a bigger and better stadium.”

This year’s game is touted as the ‘can’t miss event of the year’ and will be focused on giving fans the best high-energy football experience. Tickets are on sale now for the game and weekend events and can be purchased online at FloridaClassic.org.

The Coach K Show: Week of Winning

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- TSUTigers.com sits down with head volleyball coach Kathy Roulhac to talk about a successful week, being on the doorstep of 300, and who, on the Tigers, has the best dance moves.



COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Gold Nuggets win at Tougaloo for 4th straight victory

TOUGALOO, Mississippi -- Xavier University of Louisiana, led by career highs of 17 kills from Claudia Haywood and 14 kills from CeCe Williams, earned a 25-16, 21-25, 25-18, 25-12 women's volleyball Monday at Tougaloo.

The Gold Nuggets (4-2 overall, 2-0 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) have won four straight. They have won 45 consecutive matches against GCAC opponents -- 36 in the regular season -- and 43 in a row against HBCUs.

Haywood and Williams combined for 20 kills in the final two sets. Xavier hit .282 in the final two sets after hitting .121 in the first two.

Xavier served a season-high 11 aces, and freshman Jelena Vujicic collected her first five of the season. Jodi Hill had a career-high four aces, and Franziska Pirkl had two.

Hill had eight kills and a career-high-tying four blocks. Darian Harris had 20 digs, and Pirkl had 43 assists and 12 digs in her third double-double of the season.

Williams had three kills and a block in a 7-2 run which gave Xavier a 14-7 lead in the fourth set. Williams ended the match with a kill of a free ball.

Chassidy Harris led Tougaloo (1-6, 0-3) with 13 kills. The Lady Bulldogs have lost five straight.

Xavier hit .208 for the match with 51 kills, 68 digs and six blocks. Haywood hit a season-high .452, and Williams hit .303.

Xavier will play GCAC opponent Philander Smith at noon Saturday at XU's Convocation Center.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 

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