MEAC/SWAC SPORTS MAIN STREET&#8482;

Townsend hoping to name FAMU head football coach by Friday

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Nelson Townsend, Florida A&M’s new interim athletic director, is tackling the athletic department’s most pressing issue head on.

Townsend told the Tallahassee Democrat on Tuesday he hasn’t ruled out naming a head coach by Friday, even though two of the top eight candidates announced for the job have accepted head coaching positions at other schools.

Willie Simmons, a Quincy native who worked as the offensive coordinator at Alcorn State, accepted a job as Prairie View A&M's head coach. Latrell Scott, who coached at Virginia State last season, is now the head coach at Norfolk State, another MEAC school.

“Yes, it’s disappointing (Simmons and Scott) were candidates we could not hire,” Townsend said.

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Alabama State Hornets 2015 Baseball Schedule Announced

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State baseball program announced its 2015 schedule today, a 50-game regular season slate for the SWAC Eastern Division champions and conference runners-up.

The Hornets are coming off a school-record 37 wins during the 2014 season, which saw Alabama State win its first division title in 20 years and advance to the SWAC Tournament title game for the first time ever.

2015 Baseball Schedule

Among the highlights of the schedule are five opponents and 12 games against teams which played last year's NCAA Tournament, including Louisville, who advanced the College World Series, Cal-State Fullerton, Florida State, Jacksonville State, and Jackson State.

"Our schedule is once again very competitive and will test our team both physically and mentally," fourth-year Alabama State head baseball coach Mervyl Melendez said. "We are playing teams for the first time in the history of the program that are traditionally national championship contenders. Our team will be ready for a challenging 2015 schedule and our expectations are very high."

The opening weekend is filled with first-time matchups, as the Hornets open on the road for the second time in the Melendez era. Alabama State will face Louisville, Cal-State Fullerton, and South Florida in a three-game season opening tournament at USF Feb. 13-15.

Alabama State will play the first of two games at Auburn on Feb. 18 before opening the home schedule in a three-game weekend series against MEAC Regular Season champion Florida A&M Feb. 21-22 at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

The Hornets will complete the five game home stand with mid-week contests against South Alabama (Feb. 24) and UAB (Feb. 25), before traveling to play a three-game weekend series at The Citadel (Feb. 27- Mar. 1).

Alabama State will host Troy on March 3 before opening Southwestern Athletic Conference play with back-to-back series at Mississippi Valley St. (March 7-8) and at Alcorn St. (March 14-15). ASU will complete the seven-game road trip at South Alabama (Mar. 17).

The Hornets will then play 18 of their next 22 games at home. ASU will host Jacksonville St. (Mar. 18) before the conference home opener with Alabama A&M March 21-22 and a home game with Samford (March 24). Alabama State will then travel to Florida State (March 25) before returning home to host Jackson State March 28-29, and end the month at Troy March 31.

Alabama State will open April with seven consecutive home games, with weekend series against Savannah State (April 3-4) and Mississippi Valley State (April 11-12) sandwiched around an April 7 game against Jacksonville State.

The Hornets will play at Auburn (April 14) and at Jacksonville State (April 15) before playing their final home games of the season against Alcorn State (April 18-19).

Alabama State will end the regular season with SWAC series at Alabama A&M (April 25-26), and at Jackson State (May 2-3) before a non-conference game at UAB (May 5).

The SWAC Tournament will be held May 13-17 in New Orleans.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Brian Jenkins Named Head Football Coach at Alabama State -- Watch Press Conference Live At 3 P.M.

COACH BRIAN JENKINS

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State University has named Brian Jenkins head football coach, Interim Athletic Director Melvin Hines announced Tuesday.

Jenkins will be introduced Wednesday at a 3 p.m. press conference in the Club Lounge at the New ASU Stadium. The press conference will be video streamed live - Click HERE to watch.

In five seasons as head coach at Bethune-Cookman (2010-14), Jenkins' Wildcats won more than 76 percent of their games (46-14), winning or tying for four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) titles, earning three FCS playoff berths and two HBCU national titles. B-CU won at least eight games each season, including a pair of 10-win seasons, and never finished below second place in the conference standings in posting a 34-6 record in MEAC contests, including a perfect 8-0 mark in 2012. The Wildcats also won 18 straight conference games between 2011-13, the second-longest streak in league history.

A three-time conference coach of the year, Jenkins' teams also defeated arch-rival Florida A&M four straight seasons (2011-14) for the first time in school history.

Jenkins' success was not limited to FCS opponents. In both 2013 and 2014, the Wildcats defeated FBS member Florida International University, with both triumphs coming on the road. Of Jenkins' 14 losses as a head coach, four are to BCS schools (Miami 2011, '12; eventual national champion Florida State 2013, eventual American Conference Champion Central Florida 2014), and three came in the FCS Playoffs.

One of the bright young coaches in college football, the 43-year old Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. native was an assistant coach for 16 years in collegiate and professional football before taking the head coaching reigns at B-CU. Jenkins began his career as wide receivers coach at Western Kentucky (1994), before coaching both receivers and running backs for five seasons at Eastern Illinois (1995-99). After a one-year stint as running backs coach at Bowling Green (2000), Jenkins coached one season as running backs / special teams coach for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe in 2001.

Jenkins also worked in the dual role of coaching running backs and special teams at Louisiana-Lafayette for seven seasons (2002-08), and had a one-year stint as receivers coach at Rutgers (2009) prior to being named head coach at Bethune-Cookman.

Jenkins played college football as both a wide receiver and running back at the University of Cincinnati. He was among the all-time leaders in kickoff return yards for a season (505) and ended his career as the Bearcats' career leader in kickoff returns (62) and kickoff return yards (1,506). He graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor's degree in social work and an Associate's degree in education.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Willie Simmons Named PVAMU Head Football Coach

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Renowned offensive coordinator Willie Simmons has been selected as the 32nd head football coach in Prairie View A&M history on December 16, 2014.

Simmons comes to Prairie View A&M after an impressive three-year stint as the offensive coordinator at Alcorn State, which recently won the SWAC and SBN Black College National Championships. With Simmons on staff, Alcorn State fielded one of the most potent offenses in the country as they led the SWAC in seven offensive categories while also finishing second in the nation amongst Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams in scoring offense with 44 points per game during the 2014 season.

Alcorn State quarterback John Gibbs, Jr. flourished in Simmons' offense as he was named SWAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year while breaking several long-standing records held by ASU legend and former NFL standout Steve "Air" McNair. In addition to Gibbs' accolades, ASU had four players who rushed for at least 691 yards and a balanced wide receiving corps which featured four players catching 22-plus receptions.

In Simmons' second season at Alcorn State in 2013, the Braves had a major turnaround offensively from his first season as they finished second in total offense, second in scoring offense, third in rushing offense, fourth in pass offense and third in pass efficiency. Three offensive players earned All-SWAC honors with senior Arnold Walker having a career season as he led the SWAC in rushing yards (1,191) and rushing touchdowns (16). Walker also finished as ASU's all-time rushing leader and the Braves finished 9-3 and had their first winning season since 2006 and nine-win campaign since 1984.

Prior to Alcorn State, Simmons spent five seasons at Middle Tennessee State University and was a part of history as MTSU had its most successful run during his tenure. As one of the newest members in the Football Bowl Subdivision (former Division I) level at the time, the Blue Red Raiders made two consecutive postseason bowl appearances for the first time in school history (2008 and 2009) and set an MTSU FBS-record with 10 wins in 2009.

In 2011, Simmons was named offensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee State as he was one of the youngest coordinators in the nation at only 30 years old. During that season, the Blue Raider offense led the Sun Belt in total offense and rushing offense, while ranking second in passing offense and scoring. Before being elevated to the role of offensive coordinator, Simmons served as running backs coach and passing game coordinator at MTSU from 2007 to 2010. In 2010, Simmons coached the three-headed backfield of Phillip Tanner, Benjamin Cunningham, and D.D. Kyles which helped the Blue Raiders produce one of the top rushing attacks in the country while combining for 21 touchdowns. All three averaged more than 4.5 yards a carry, and Tanner garnered All-Conference honors.

Simmons had a real challenge in 2009 when Tanner went down with an injury in the second game of the season, leaving the Blue Raiders without an experienced running back. Simmons guided D.D. Kyles to a career year as the sophomore posted 857 yards on 139 carries (6.2 ypg average), scored three touchdowns, and had 14 receptions. Kyles, the team's leading rusher down the stretch, had three straight 100-yard rushing games during the last half of the season.

In 2008, Tanner had personal bests at the time in rushing yards, receptions, and touchdowns. Also under Simmons' watch, Tanner earned National Player of the Week honors after setting a Sun Belt Conference and Blue Raider scoring record with six touchdowns in a win over North Texas.

Under Simmons' leadership in 2007, DeMarco McNair led the conference in touchdowns scored, and Tanner registered his first 100-yard rushing game with 144 yards on national television against Louisville.

Simmons made his way to Murfreesboro, Tenn. in 2007 after one season on Tommy Bowden's staff at Clemson, where he was a graduate assistant. Simmons worked with the offense while handling various other duties with the program as the team earned a spot in the 2006 Music City Bowl.

Before joining Bowden's staff, Simmons served as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at Lincoln (FL) High School in 2005.

Simmons, a native of Quincy, Fla., lettered three years as a quarterback at Clemson from 2000 to 2002 and passed for 2,530 yards and 16 touchdowns in 24 games. As a freshman, Simmons came off the bench for a hurt Woodrow Dantzler and threw for 228 yards and a record-tying four touchdowns in Clemson's 38-24 win at North Carolina to earn ACC Rookie of the Week honors. Simmons played two years as a backup to Dantzler before becoming the starter in 2002.

Following three years at Clemson in which he participated in four postseason bowl games, Simmons transferred to the Citadel in 2003 and earned First Team All-Southern Conference honors.

A prep star at Shanks High School, Simmons threw for over 6,000 yards and 96 touchdowns during his brilliant career while also earning a 3.8 grade point average.

Simmons, who was born on October 12, 1980, in Tallahassee, Fla., earned a degree in Sports Marketing from Clemson in 2002. He was the fastest football player to graduate at Clemson, accomplishing the milestone in three years.

Simmons and his wife Shaia Rene, have a daughter, Raven and a son, Louis III.

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

19th-ranked Nuggets earn 5th consecutive victory

NEW ORLEANS -- Junior point guard Whitney Gathright scored 18 points Monday to lead NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 64-49 women's basketball victory against Faulkner.

The Gold Nuggets (7-4) won their fifth in a row and snapped the three-game winning streak of the Lady Eagles (8-3).

Gathright, the preseason Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year, also had seven rebounds, four assists and a career-high-tying five steals. She was 8-of-11 from the floor and committed one turnover in 32 minutes.

Eliqua Brooks made four 3-pointers and scored 13 points for Xavier, and Vinnie Briggs scored 12.

Taylor Love had 15 points and 14 rebounds and was Faulkner's only double-figure scorer. Olivia Adamson grabbed 12 rebounds.

Gathright scored 14 points and Brooks 10 to help Xavier take a 37-24 halftime lead. The Gold Nuggets built the lead to 21 points, 58-37, when Gathright passed to Briggs for a basket with 3:06 remaining.

Faulkner scored less than 50 points for just the fourth time in the program's five seasons. The Lady Eagles entered the game No. 2 in NAIA Division I with 10.1 made 3-pointers per game, but Xavier limited them to 2-of-17 from long range.

For the game, Xavier outshot Faulkner 33.3 to 28.6 percent from the floor. Faulkner had a 52-38 rebounding advantage, but the Gold Nuggets were plus-21 in turnovers, committing seven -- matching their fewest in a game in the last three years -- and gaining a season-best 28. Ireyon Keith had four steals, and Brooks had three.

Xavier will fly Tuesday to Florida and play Wednesday against Briar Cliff (Iowa) and Thursday against Northwood (Fla.) in the Cruzin Classic at West Palm Beach. Both games will start at 2 p.m. EST at Northwood's Hoernle Student Life Center.\

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

from THE EDITOR: My Top Pick for the Next FAMU Rattler Head Football Coach

DWIGHT FLOYD

“We felt we needed a system in order to be successful and a quarterback to operate within the confines of that system.” Pete Richardson, former head coach of Southern University.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M recently announced its top 8 applicants, one of which will be the next Rattler head football coach. After GOOGLING for information on the top 8 and checking other sources, I decided on only two potential head coaches among the eight. Below I listed in the order I would select them, my list of potential head coaches. I would only pick from this list if I was unable to get Texas’ coach Charlie Strong to offer up one of his disciples.

1. Mark Orlando
Why?

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No. 22 Rush do it Goode and Wright, defeat Faulkner

XU men's basketball vs. Faulkner
photos by Yamlak Tsega

NEW ORLEANS -- Guards Anthony Goode and Morris Wright snapped out of shooting slumps Monday and combined for 35 points, leading NAIA No. 22 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 72-63 men's basketball victory against Faulkner.

The Gold Rush (10-4) defeated the Eagles (8-5) for the first time in 25 years. Faulkner, which leads the series 5-3, had won five straight and had beaten Xavier each of the past two seasons.

Goode scored 20 points and Wright 15. They combined to make 9-of-14 from the floor, 7-of-11 3-pointers and 10-of-11 free throws. Goode made a season-high four 3-pointers in five attempts.

Cortez Riley scored 16 points, Di'mar Hill 13 and Nick Drake 10 for Faulkner.

Xavier trailed 14-8 through eight minutes before rallying to take a 29-28 halftime lead. Faulkner took a 37-34 lead in the first three minutes of the second half before Gary Smith's basket at 16:06 put the Gold Rush ahead to stay, 39-37.

Goode made back-to-back 3's to give Xavier a 58-50 lead with 4:55 remaining. Wright's two free throws at 3:29 gave Xavier its largest lead, 60-50.

Goode and Wright, Xavier's top two scorers for the season, had combined to average 16.9 points and shoot 26.3 percent from the floor in the previous five games, three of which were XU defeats. Goode reached 20 points for the first time since Oct. 31, and Wright scored in double figures for the first time in four games.

Xavier outshot the Eagles 50 to 43.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 37-16. The rebound margin is Xavier's best this season. Wesley Pluviose-Philip of the Rush grabbed a game-high seven rebounds, and Jarvis Thibodeaux and Sydney Coleman had six apiece.

Xavier shot 85.7 percent from the line -- 24-of-28 -- after making 55.6 percent the previous three games. Wright made 6-of-6 free throws, and Smith and Coleman both were 4-of-4.

The Gold Rush had not beaten Faulkner since a two-game sweep in the 1989-90 season.

Xavier will visit NAIA No. 5 William Carey at 7 p.m. Thursday in the first of three consecutive Gold Rush games against top-10 opponents. The next home game will start at 7 p.m. Dec. 30 against Concordia (Calif.), which is ranked ninth.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

Hot Shooting First Half Leads to TSU Win Over Islanders

Corpus Christi, Texas --- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team built a 23-point lead and held off a second half rally in a, 72-61, victory over Texas A&M Corpus Christi Monday night in the American Bank Center.

Tennessee State (2-6) snapped a four-game losing skid and was led in scoring Brianna Lawrence’s 14 points. Chelsea Hudson added 10 while Jemilah Leonard, Rachel Allen and Jayda Johnson each tallied nine points. Allen also dished out a game-high eight assists.

The Lady Tigers were up 8-4 when they went a perfect 4-of-4 from the field over a span of four minutes to go ahead, 18-10.

Just before the eight-minute media Jemilah Leonard buried her third triple of the contest to put TSU on top, 30-14. Another scoring spurt, capped by a jumper from Samantha Palma, made the score, 41-18, in favor of the visitors.

TSU shot 53.3 percent from the field, including 77.8 percent from three-point range, in the first half and went into the locker room with a 41-20 advantage.

In the second half, TSU was forced to call a timeout four minutes into play after TAMCC opened the framed with a 9-2 run.

Jayda Johnson connected in the paint to end a three-minute scoring drought for the Lady Tigers but the offense remained stagnant.

TSU’s struggles continued and by the midway mark TAMCC had cut the deficit down to just seven points.

The offense gained a little life when Rachel Allen went the length of the floor and sank a floater. Brianna Lawrence followed with a three-pointer before Briana Morrow scored in the paint to shift the momentum back to TSU.

With 7:36 on the clock, an old-fashioned-three-point play by Chelsea Hudson made TSU’s lead 60-44. The Lady Tigers maintained a double-digit lead for the duration of the contest.

TSU shot 47.3 percent from the field and knocked down eight three-pointers in the contest (66.7 percent). The Lady Tigers forced the Islanders into 27 turnovers and turned the miscues into 29 points.

Tennessee State returns to action on Thursday at home versus Jacksonville. Game time for the non-conference match-up is slated for 6 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Latrell Scott named new football coach at Norfolk State

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State introduced Latrell Scott as its football coach Tuesday morning.

Scott, who has coached the past two seasons at Virginia State, succeeds Pete Adrian, who retired last month after 10 seasons at NSU.

Scott, 39, went 19-4 overall and 15-0 in the CIAA in two seasons at Virginia State.

"I am pleased to welcome coach Scott to the Spartan family," NSU athletic director Marty Miller said in introducing Scott - the 17th head coach in school history.

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VSU's Scott will be named Norfolk State coach

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State will name Richmond native Latrell Scott football coach today, The Times-Dispatch learned Monday night.

NSU, which plays at the FCS level as a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member, has called an 11 a.m. media meeting to introduce Scott, who moves from his position as head coach at Virginia State.

Scott, 39, led VSU to a 19-4 record in two seasons. The Trojans advanced to this year’s Division II playoffs.

Scott, a graduate of Lee-Davis High, is a former head coach at the University of Richmond (2010) and a former assistant at UR, James Madison, Virginia, Tennessee, VMI and Western Carolina. He began his coaching career at Fork Union Military Academy, where Scott played after graduating from Lee-Davis.

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Blount out as DSU football coach

DOVER, Delaware -- Once again, Delaware State University must start over in its ongoing quest to field a successful football program.

That message was clear in Monday’s announcement that Kermit Blount’s contract as Delaware State football coach is not being renewed, ending his four-year tenure.

With a winning overall record in 2012 and over-.500 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference marks in 2012 and 2013, the Hornets appeared to be making progress.

However, DSU slipped to 2-6 in the league and 2-10 overall in 2014, which finished with a 69-7 drubbing at Morgan State. That was Delaware State’s fifth straight loss.

Blount, 56, guided the Hornets to a 16-29 record, including 13-19 in the MEAC. He was unavailable for comment.

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Monday, December 15, 2014

Corey Fuller says he will not be FAMU's next head coach

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Corey Fuller, Florida A&M's interim head football coach, told the Tallahassee Democrat via phone he is not among the top three candidates for FAMU's next head football coach.

He also took to his personal Twitter account to let his supporters know of the news.

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FAMU athletic director Kellen Winslow resigns, interim leader urges fans to support Rattlers

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Embattled Florida A&M athletic director Kellen Winslow resigned Monday, but university president Elmira Mangum vowed it would not deter the school’s search for a new football coach and fight to improve the program.

The FAMU board of trustees had issued a vote of no confidence in Winslow in November, arguing he showed poor leadership and failed to consult key supporters while making decisions they viewed as detrimental to the program.

Winslow, a five-time Pro Bowl tight end who had no previous athletic administration experience, spent just eight months at FAMU.

Mangum hired him and continued to support him after resigned. She also noted he donated $3,000 to support the athletic department that has been coping with a $7.6 million deficit.

“Whatever you’re impressions of Mr. Winslow have been — and I’ve gotten quite a few comments — I ask you to Take a moral high ground and wish him well also,” she said.

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Xavier's Jackson and Fakler are All-Louisiana again

Xavier University of Louisiana's Catherine
Fakler, left, and Kwame Jackson.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana seniors Kwame Jackson and Catherine Fakler capped their stellar cross country careers with repeat berths on the All-Louisiana teams.

Jackson, from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School, was chosen to the men's team for the second consecutive year and the third time overall. Fakler, from Phoenix, Ariz., and a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory High School, made All-Louisiana on the women's side for the second straight year.

The Louisiana Sports Writers Association announced the teams late Friday evening. An LSWA panel of sports publicists selected the teams.

Jackson this year became the first runner, male or female, to win three Gulf Coast Athletic Conference individual titles. Jackson repeated as GCAC individual champion and helped Xavier win its ninth straight GCAC team title. He posted two first-place finishes and a second in seven races. Jackson set XU records of 15 minutes, 30.90 seconds for 5,000 meters and 21:21.7 for four miles.

Jackson had 17 top-10 finishes and 12 top-5s in his career. He set GCAC records with six Runner of the Week awards this season and 15 in his career.

Fakler, the 2013 Louisiana Runner of the Year, recorded four top-10 finishes, including firsts at the season's first two meets. Her best 5K time was 18:13.71. She broke an XU cross country distance record for the seventh time in her career by running two miles in 12:42.18 at the season opener.

Fakler had 18 career top-10 finishes and 14 top-5s. She set a GCAC women's record with 11 career Runner of the Week awards. She is a two-time Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.

Both XU teams concluded the season last month at the NAIA National Championship. The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will compete in outdoor track and field beginning in early March.

2014 All-Louisiana Women's Cross Country Team
Lauren Bartels, freshman, Tulane
Gemma Bridge, junior, McNeese State
Anna Katherine Devitt, junior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Catherine Fakler, senior, Xavier
Emma Newton, freshman, Tulane
Morgan Schuetz, senior, LSU
Celia Zaeringer, freshman, Southeastern Louisiana

Runner of the Year: Anna Katherine Devitt, Louisiana-Lafayette
Newcomer of the Year: Gemma Bridge, McNeese State
Freshman of the Year: Celia Zaeringer, Southeastern Louisiana
Coach of the Year: (tie) Lon Badeaux, Louisiana-Lafayette; Khadevis Robinson, LSU

2014 All-Louisiana Men's Cross Country Team
Moses Aloiloi, freshman, Tulane
Ryan Holroyd, graduate, McNeese State
Kwame Jackson, senior, Xavier
Oliver James, sophomore, McNeese State
Philip Primeaux, senior, LSU
Matthew Rice, sophomore, Louisiana-Lafayette
Harry Wiggins, junior, Southeastern Louisiana

Runner of the Year: Moses Aloiloi, Tulane
Newcomer of the Year: Enock Bor, McNeese State
Freshman of the Year: Moses Aloiloi, Tulane
Coach of the Year: Brendon Gilroy, McNeese State

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS