NSU's got the wins, so where are all the fans?

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Late in the second half of Norfolk State's 81-62 win over Northern Arizona on Dec. 19, point guard Jamel Fuentes dribbled on the wing as the shot clock dwindled.

"Eight, seven, six..." teammate D'Shon Taylor said from the paint before Fuentes drove the lane and drew a bailout foul.

That Taylor helped Fuentes with a countdown wasn't unusual. That it was easy to hear throughout 4,500-seat Echols Hall during a Division I basketball game wasn't as unusual as NSU's players, coaches and administrators would like.

A perhaps generously announced crowd of 473 watched the Spartans win that night, the atmosphere a cacophony of shouting coaches, all-too-clear P.A. announcements and squeaking sneakers.

Contrast that to last Saturday, when 4,953 packed the deafening arena for NSU's 63-60 victory over MEAC rival Hampton - traditionally and, usually by far, the Spartans' biggest draw.

As NSU's attendance has fluctuated wildly in recent years, its athletic department has worked to find ways to create more nights like Saturday.

CONTINUE READING 

Southern’s patience is rewarded with class heavy on defense

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The fax machine in the Southern football office started humming around 7 a.m. Wednesday. Coach Dawson Odums and his staff watched with satisfaction as numerous early birds turned in their scholarship papers on National Signing Day.

But a couple of key players made Odums wait patiently before he could officially assemble his 27-player class.

 Offensive lineman Jodeci Harris of Plaquemine and defensive end Loren Tademy from Stockbridge, Georgia, waited until mid-morning before giving Odums the news he was waiting to hear.

“Big Jo over at Plaquemine had us on the fence and he wanted to switch hats,” Odums joked, “but at the end of the day his mom called me and said, ‘coach ,we’re going to be Jaguars.’ I was excited about that and I’m really pleased that he’s joining us.”

Georgia Southern had aggressively pursued Tademy, but eventually he came to the same decision as Harris.



CONTINUE READING

No spring ends Southern University’s ‘12 penalties

Southern remains under NCAA postseason ban

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The bad news for the Southern football team is that it won’t be able to have spring practice because of NCAA sanctions.

The good news is this is the final sanction related to penalties applied in 2012 because of insufficient Academic Progress Rates for the football team.

The NCAA requires teams to earn a minimum 900 four-year APR rate or a 930 average over the most recent two years. The Jaguars fell short of the mark because of a 482 APR in 2012-13, which was due in large part to the volume of unusable data that Southern submitted to the NCAA. The NCAA discounts any unusable data.

The NCAA sanctioned Southern by reducing its practice time each week from six days to five days and by an additional four hours per week, reducing scholarships from 63 to 56.7 and the spring practice ban.

CONTINUE READING

XU's Soifer wins in doubles, singles, but Cajuns prevail 6-1

Nikita Soifer

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana -- Xavier University of Louisiana's Nikita Soifer earned doubles and singles victories Friday against Louisiana-Lafayette, but the Ragin' Cajuns won the men's tennis dual match 6-1.

Soifer and Kyle Montrel won 6-4 against the Cajuns' No. 1 doubles team of Dimitris Stavropoulos and Edgar Lopez, but the Cajuns won the doubles point. Rok Sitar and Vlad Kramarov clinched the point at No. 3 when they rallied from a 5-2 deficit for a 7-6 (7-2) victory against Kevin Chaouat and Adam Albrecht.

Soifer scored the Gold Rush's lone point when he defeated Jarred Wynan 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-6) at No. 2 singles. Lopez clinched the dual with a 6-4, 6-3 victory against Montrel at No. 1.

"We played well," XU coach Alan Green said, "just not well enough to beat a team like UL. I like the potential our team has."

Xavier, ranked eighth in the NAIA, is 1-1. The Cajuns are 4-5. It was the first of five Gold Rush duals this season against NCAA Division I opponents.

Xavier's men and women will play Belhaven at noon Saturday at XU Tennis Center. Belhaven's men are ranked 10th in the NAIA, and Xavier's women are No. 3.

Results

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Former Minnesota Gophers receiver Donovahn Jones lands at North Carolina A&T

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- After getting dismissed from the Gophers football team in late-December, wide receiver Donovahn Jones has signed at North Carolina A&T. The school announced Jones' arrival this week when it unveiled its 2015 recruiting class.

North Carolina A&T is an Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) school, so Jones will be eligible to play immediately and will be a junior this fall. The Aggies won the MEAC title last year, going 9-4 overall.

Jones, who hails from Stockbridge, Ga., and had offers from several SEC schools coming out of high school, started nine games for the Gophers last year, making 11 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns. The Gophers dismissed him from the team in Orlando, Fla., before the Citrus Bowl, for an unspecified violation of team rules.



CONTINUE READING

Business as usual for NCCU ahead of NC A&T game

DURHAM, North Carolina -- The North Carolina Central men's basketball team has played on plenty of big stages this season.

They've played under the national spotlight with their escape act win against Delaware State broadcast live on ESPNU. They've traveled down 15-501 to play North Carolina at the Smith Center. They've played in front of a packed house in Johnson City, Tennessee.

And yet, none of those settings is quite like the task they'll face tonight (Saturday) as the team travels to Greensboro to take on North Carolina A&T (6 p.m., NCCUEaglePride.com) in the 145th meeting between the two rival programs.

"That was a really good experience," coach LeVelle Moton said of the ESPNU game. "Honestly, the East Tennessee State game was a really good experience for us because they come out in droves in Tennessee. We led the whole game, but we just didn't finish.

CONTINUE READING

No panic for Hampton U. women after recent losses

HAMPTON, Virginia — Two conference losses barely cause a ripple on most campuses, where outside of maybe the University of Connecticut women, the grind of league play takes a toll on everyone.

Hampton University’s dominance of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference took a hit in the past two weeks. The Lady Pirates’ three-year conference winning streak ended, and they’ve lost twice in the past three games, heading into Saturday’s 4 p.m. meeting against Maryland Eastern Shore at the HU Convocation Center.

“We didn’t push the panic button,” HU coach David Six said. “You can’t push the panic button. It happens. You coach long enough, these things happen.”

Rarely at Hampton. The Lady Pirates set the bar in MEAC play under Six, with an unprecedented five consecutive conference tournament titles and NCAA tournament berths.



CONTINUE READING

Alcorn Basketball Court to be Named after Shirley Walker

LORMAN, Mississippi -- The basketball court in the Davey L. Whitney HPER Complex at Alcorn State University will be named in honor of former women's head basketball coach Shirley A. Gibbs-Walker during a halftime ceremony of the Lady Braves basketball contest against Jackson State Saturday, Feb. 7 at 3 p.m.

A bill passed the Mississippi Legislature and was signed into law by Governor Phil Bryant in 2014 that names the court as the Shirley A. Gibbs-Walker Court.

Family, friends, alumni and former players are encouraged to come out and join the Alcorn family for this historic occasion. The naming ceremony will reveal the bronze plaque that will be placed on the arena and Walker's signature that will be permanently affixed to the basketball floor.

CONTINUE READING

Morehouse Football Signs 18 to Letters of Intent

ATLANTA, Georgia -- In the most ambitious recruiting effort in school history, Morehouse has signed 18 student-athletes to become Maroon Tigers in the fall.

Signees include a long list of offensive and defensive linemen, to fill a critical need for size and depth in the Morehouse program.
The six offensive linemen average 6'-3" 300 pounds. The three defensive linemen average 6'-2" 280.

Tyler Kendall OT 6'-3" 280 Marietta, GA/South Cobbs HS
Joseph Samuel OT 6-5 305 Fairfield, AL/Fairfield HS
Leonard Williams OG 6-3 280 Americus,GA/Americus HS
Henry White OG 6-4 335 Marietta, GA/ South Cobb HS
Trey Wilson OG 6-4 325 Lawrenceville, GA/Brookwood HS
Jean Cyriaque OG 6-2 277 Durham, NC/ Charles E. Jordan
Antonio Johnson DE 6-3 220 Birmingham, AL/Centerpoint HS
Keilan Knight QB 6-2 205 Birmingham, AL/Centerpoint HS
Elijah Brown DB 6-3 200 Marietta, GA/ Wheeler HS
Dorion Bush DB 6-2 185 Pinson, AL/ Ramsey HS
Carzell Thompson LB 6-0 220 Birmingham, AL/ Jackson-Olin HS
Sherman Starks WR 5-10 175 Birmingham, AL/ Centerpoint HS
Amyr Smith WR 5-8 160 Atlanta, GA/ Grady HS
Tim Foster DE 6-2 240 Pleasant Grove, AL/Pleasant Grove HS
Ty Ware LB 6-0 209 Pleasant Grove/Pleasant Grove HS
Taylor Brown QB 6-2 220 Austin, TX/Stephen Episcopal HS
J. Elijah Toney TE 6-3 225 Franklin, GA/Heard County HS
Jordan Sidney DL 6-2 285 Atlanta, GA/Tennessee St. U.
Trevor Gichaba WR 5-8 170 Concord, NC/Cox Mill HS
Brandon Ketchup DL 6-4 300 Augusta, GA/Paine College

COURTESY MOREHOUSE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION 

Miles College Golden Bears Football Welcomes Class of 2015

FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- Miles College did its due dilligence in signing 25 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to play football beginning in 2015. Wednesday was the first day that players could sign NLI's for the upcoming season and months of hard work came to fruition for the Golden Bears and their coaching staff. On Thursday, the Golden Bears added four more.

"It's truly a great day for Miles College. We are excited about our signing class for 2015," said Miles head coach Reginald Ruffin. "I believe we signed the guys who truly wanted to be here and the coaching staff did a tremendous job on recruiting and meeting our needs."

The signees were tilted more towards offense with 12 players on that side of the ball, eight who played defense, two specialsts and three athletes, although once the players arrive on campus, they could play somewhere else depending on the needs of the team. While a majority of the players came from Alabama, there were signees from Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and California.

Two quarterbacks were signed, with contrasting styles that could make for interesting competition in the future. Davarious Henderson of Amite (La.) High, a dual-threat signal caller who led his team to the Louisiana Class 3A state championship game this past season, and Tommie Neely of Parker (Ala.) High, a pocket passer who completed almost 60 percent of his passes and threw for more than 2,200 yards with 25 touchdowns and just four interception in 2014.

While the Golden Bears have done a good job restocking the roster for the future, it does not signal the end of the mission of finding more talent for the upcoming season and beyond.

"We are not done with recruiting and we will continue to battle on the recruiting trail," Ruffin said.

MILES COLLEGE 2015 SIGNEES

NAME	SCHOOL	POS	HT	WT
Erik Blackum	Clay- Chalkville (Ala.)	WR	6-0	170
Malangio Caldwell	Greenville (Ala.)	LB	6-0	220
Kipp Cuevas	Stone (Miss.)	LS	5-10	170
Cody Davis	Aliceville (Ala.)	ATH	5-8	155
Dazarrious Downey	Amite (La.)	ATH	5-7	150
Curtis Gildersleeve	Baker (Ala.)	LB	6-0	210
Lejuan Haynes	Greenville (Ala.)	WR	6-3	195
Davarious Henderson	Amite (La.)	QB	6-2	185
Gerkerry Jackson	Jefferson Davis (Ala.)	ATH	5-7	165
Tommie Neely	Parker (Ala.)	QB	6-2	205
Omar Morris	Ramsay (Ala.)	OL	6-0	300
Eric Rico	North Miami (Fla.)	TE	6-5	225
Jairius Shade	Stockbridge (Ga.)	DB	5-10	175
Jaterrius Steele	Aliceville (Ala.)	FB	6-0	240
Fredrick Torrance	Amite (La.)	OL	6-2	321
Delontae Williams	Parker (Ala.)	DB	5-11	190
Terrance Beard	Baker (Ala.)	FB	5-9	210
Dennis Melara	West Los Angeles College	K	5-8	175
Jesse Gill	East Mississippi CC	SS	6-2	210
Jerrionda Lloyd	Lanett (Ala.)	DE	6-3	227
James Hill	Coahoma CC	WR	6-2	205
Michael White	Dutchtown (Ga.)	LB	6-0	210
Gregory Mathews	Woodland (Ga.)	DL	6-1	260
Brian Rodgers	Ponchatoula (La.)	RB	5-10	180
Devin Head	Amite (La.)	RB	5-7	145

COURTESY MILES COLLEGE GOLDEN BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

KSU Football Inks 13 for 2015 Recruiting Class

 KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- Kentucky State University football head coach Josh Dean announced the addition of 10 student-athletes that have signed their National Letter of Intent to play for KSU next season. The newest batch of recruits join three mid-year transfers that enrolled at Kentucky State for the spring 2015 semester.

The fall 2015 signees are: Marcus Campbell (Radcliff, Ky.), Maurice Gibson (Lexington, Ky.), Trevor Stephens (Cave Creek, Ky.), Ashton Humphrey (Maysville, Ky.), Joseph Kessinger (Louisville, Ky.), William Pope (Louisville, Ky.), Matthew Bizimana (Louisville, Ky.), Jordan White (Louisville, Ky.), Elijah Farris (Winchester, Ky.) and Malik Saunders (Louisville, Ky.).

The mid-year transfers are: Charles Johnson (Newport, Ky.), Jordan Johnson (Louisville, Ky.) and Dimitri Cooper (Elizabethtown, Ky.).

"I'm very proud of the group of student-athletes that we've been able to bring in to our program," Dean said. "For us to be able to tap into the vast talent pool in our state was very important and I'm very proud of the quality young men that have committed to being Thorobreds."

Kentucky State now has commitments from 13 student-athletes from the state of Kentucky.

"We're not done with signings yet," Dean continued. "We have several more student-athletes that should be signing with us in the next few days."

We will update this press release as more names are added to the 2015 football recruiting class.

Stay up-to-date with Kentucky State Athletics on all of our social media platforms! Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Mid-year Additions (Spring 2015):
Name Position Previous School High School Hometown
Charles Johnson WR Dakota College At Bottineau Newport High School (Ky.) Newport, Ky.
Jordan Johnson LB Atlanta Prep Academy Seneca High School (Ky.) Louisville, Ky.
Dimitri Cooper DB Georgetown College John Hardin High School (Ky.) Elizabethtown, Ky.

Fall 2015 Signees:
Name Position High School Hometown
Marcus Campbell OL/TE North Hardin High School (Ky.) Radcliff, Ky.
Maurice Gibson DL Henry Clay High School (Ky.) Lexington, Ky.
Trevor Stephens WR Caverna High School (Ky.) Cave Creek, Ky.
Ashton Humphrey DL Mason County High School (Ky.) Maysville, Ky.
Joseph Kessinger OL Western High School (Ky.) Louisville, Ky.
William Pope DL Central High School (Ky.) Louisville, Ky.
Matthew Bizimana DB Iroquois High School (Ky.) Louisville, Ky.
Jordan White FB duPont Manual High School (Ky.) Louisville, Ky.
Elijah Farris DB George Rogers Clark High School (Ky.) Winchester, Ky.
Malik Saunders ATH Iroquois High School (Ky.) Louisville, Ky.

COURTESY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS  INFORMATION

VSU Trojans Football Signs 4 players on National Signing Day

ETTRICK, Virginia -- The Virginia State University Trojan Football team under the leadership of new head coach Bryon Thweatt, has signed 4 student-athletes on National Signing Day on February 4.

The following student-athletes will be joining the Trojans for the 2015 season:

Daishawn Woodson 6'2 315 DL Hermitage High School Richmond, VA
Khylil James 6'1 185 WR/DB Meadowbrook High School Chesterfield, VA
Tyquon Wilkins 5'10 170 ATH Hampton High School Hampton, VA
De'Shawn Brown 6'2 185 WR Norview High School Norfolk, VA

"I think all of these young men have game changing ability," said Coach Thweatt. "They all come from strong high school programs that have a history of producing good football players. These student-athletes will add value at their positions and will have a chance to contribute early."

For more information on the VSU football program, visit www.govsutrojans.com.

COURTESY VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU Rams Sign 27 Players On National Signing Day

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina - The Winston-Salem State University football team, and head coach Kienus Boulware are proud to announce 27 signees on National Signing Day. The new additions to the WSSU Family, are the second recruiting class under Boulware.

2015 WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SIGNEES

Click each name to view player highlights Video.

1) Daveon Perry 5'11 185 (DB) Kannapolis, NC A.L. Brown High School
MeCKa 4A Conference Special Teams Player of the Year

2) Will Walton 6'1 187 (WR) Charlotte, NC Independence High School
Southwestern 4A All Conference

3) Jeremiah Dorsey 5'10 173 (DB) Charlotte, NC Olympic High School
So-Meck 8 All Conference

4) Datwon Melvin 6'5 210 (QB) Yuba College

5) Jarell Bright 6'2 240 (DE) Charlotte, NC Mallard Creek High School
MECKA 4A All Conference

6) Nas Forte-Ferguson 6'3 205 (QB) Durham, NC Hillside High School
PAC-6 All Conference

7) Jerome Brown 6'3 280 (OL) Charlotte, NC Mallard Creek High School

8) Farrell Murchison 6'1 230 (RB) Elizabethtown,NC East Bladen High School
Fayetteville Observer Region Football Player of the Year

9) Larrell Murchison 6'4 265 (TE/DE) Elizabethtown,NC East Bladen High School
All-Area Second Team

10) Michael Bowman 5'11 191 (WR) Havelock,NC Havelock High School
Coastal 3A All Conference

11) Kadarus Rone 6'3 210 (FS) Pittsboro,NC Northwood High School
2-time Carolina 12 All Conference 2-Time Big 8 All Conference

12) Gavin Grewal 6'4 265 (OL) Durham,NC Hillside High School

13) Rayshaun Henderson 6'2 265 (OL) Durham,NC Hillside High School
PAC-6 4A All-Conference

14) Trinity Roberts 6'3 200 (OLB) Charlotte,NC Vance High School
MECKA 4A All Conference

15) Denzal Gilmore 5'11 190 (DB) Concord,NC Concord High School

16) Janon Cooper 6'3 190 (DB) Greensboro, NC Ben L.Smith High School
Metro 4A All Conference

17) Eric Peartree, Jr. 6'2 210 (OLB) Washington, NC Washington High School
All Conference, All Area

18) Reggie McCombs 6'4 280 (OL) Winston Salem,NC Mt.Tabor High School

19) Noah Thompson 6'4 305 (OL) Wilmington,NC Laney High School

20) Kevin Manley 6'5 275 (OL) Charlotte,NC Mallard Creek High School

21) Jayron Rankin - 5'11, 205, (LB), Reidsville, NC/Reidsville High School
Shrine Bowl Selection, Mid-State 2A All Conference, 2A All State Selection, Mid-Sate 2A Conference Player of the Year

22) Chrishun Thomas - 6'4, 290, (OL), Winston Salem, NC/Mt. Tabor High School

23) Antonio Peterkin - 6'3, 200, (QB), Raeford, NC/Hoke County High School

24) Andre Davis III - 6'1, 260, (OL), Richmond, VA/L.C. Bird High School

25) Wayne Walker - 6'1, 300, (OL/DL), Winston Salem, NC/Reynolds High School

26) Tierre Clyburn - 6'6, 300, (OL), Charlotte, NC/Vance High School

27) Picasso Keaton - 5'6, 135, (WR), Durham, NC/Jordan High School


COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

National Signing Day: Stillman Tigers Add 32 Members to Team

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- National Signing Day has seen Stillman College bring in 32 new members to the team. The Tigers are coming off of a 2014 season that saw the team go 5-6 overall, 4-3 in conference.

Head coach Teddy Keaton and his staff had a focus on getting bigger on both sides of the line and adding depth to the defensive secondary as more teams look to spread the field with multiple receivers. "We needed to get bigger at the point of impact," said Keaton. "We also needed to add depth to our roster and add athletes who have the ability to make plays on both sides of the ball."

With most of the team returning, and the new players who just signed, the Tigers will enter fall camp with a roster of almost 100 players.

"We are excited about the returning players we have and adding to the mix some of these new pieces as we look to compete for a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title this fall."

Overall the Tigers added nine defensive linemen, seven on the offensive line, six players for the defensive secondary, two linebackers, a pair of wide receivers, along with one each at running back, quarterback, kicker, and athlete. Players are coming from Louisiana and Florida to join home-state signees from Alabama to play for the Tigers next season.

POS	NAME		HT	WT	HIGH SCHOOL / HOMETOWN
DB	Adam Mattison		5'10"	178	Miami Central HS  |  Miami, Fla.
DB	Dylan Batiste		5'9"	180	Teurlings Catholic HS  |  Lafayette, La.
DB	Ruben Sartin		5'10"	170	Landry-Walker HS  |  New Orleans, La.
DE	Luckandre Vassor		6'2"	230	Ely HS  |  Ely, Fla.
DL	Antwine Smith		6'2"	260	McDonogh 35  |  New Orleans, La.
DL	Steven Pierre Louis		6'2"	270	Ely HS  |  Ely, Fla.
DL	Darius Rolle		6'1"	218	American HS  |  Miami, Fla.
FS	Isaiah Blackmon		6'2"	190	Sipsey Valley HS  |  Buhl, Ala.
K	Aaron Humber		5'7"	145	Sipsey Valley HS  |  Buhl, Ala.
MLB	Kermit Silva		5'11"	230	Coconut Creek HS  |  Coconut Creek, Fla.
OL/C	Malik Ross		6'2"	263	Landry-Walker HS  |  New Orleans, La.
OL	Nick Hughes		6'3"	275	Taravella HS  |  Coral Springs, Fla.
OL	Theodore Victorin		6'1"	260	Hallandale HS  |  Hallandale Beach, Fla.
OL	Adam Meadows		6'3"	315	Calera HS  |  Birmingham, Ala.
OLB	Keno Clarke		5'11"	210	Miramar HS  |  Miramar, Fla.
RB	Kendarious Merchant		5'9"	190	Selma HS  |  Selma, Ala.
SS	Christian Bouie		5'9"	170	Dillard HS  |  Miami, Fla.
SS/FS	Miron Williams		6'1"	170	McDonogh 35  |  New Orleans, La.
WR	Lenwood Joyner		5'8"	163	Miami Central HS  |  Miami, Fla.
ATH	Surmondrae Williams		5'9"	164	Miami Central HS  |  Miami, Fla.
DE	Dontrez Green		6'3"	220	Mortimer Jordan HS  |  Kimberly, Ala.
DE	Malcom Cox		6'3"	205	Hoover HS  |  Hoover, Ala.
OL	Demetrius Meuse		6'1"	322	Stranahan HS  |  N. Lauderdale, Fla.
WR	Shamarly Borgelin		6'3"	175	Tarvella HS  |  N. Lauderdale, Fla.
DB	Jaron George		6'1"	175	Landry Walker HS  |  New Orleans, La.
OLB/DE	Devonte L. Bowie		6'1"	200	Landry Walker HS  |  New Orleans, La.
QB	Li'Jon Cordier		6'1"	185	Landry Walker HS  |  Metairaia, La.
OL	Cesar Jimenez		6'2"	275	Brooker T Washington HS  |  Miami, Fla.
OL	Swayne Spencer		6'3"	290	Norland HS  |  Miami, Fla.
DE	Myles Anthony Evans		6'2"	220	Robert E. Lee HS  |  Montgomery, Ala.
DT\DE	Derrick Hodges		6'1"	235	W. S. Neal HS  |  Brewton Ala.

COURTESY STILLMAN COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION

Tuskegee Golden Tigers Ink 24 on Signing Day

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- The Tuskegee University football program is pleased to welcome 24 incomparable young men as the newest surge Golden Tigers. Each player was recruited meticulously and they are expected to be high impact student-athletes.

Tuskegee signed several players on each side of the ball; this includes five offensive linemen, two tight ends, two wide receivers, two fullbacks and a quarterback. Defensively, the Golden Tigers added four defensive backs, three linebackers, two linemen and one athlete. On special teams, Tuskegee inked a long snapper and a kicker/punter.

Head Football Coach Willie Slater stated, "We are happy about the guys that we signed thus far. The first stage has been set now we have to get them here. They have to finish their high school work strong and we have to get them enrolled. This is just the beginning; we will continue the recruiting process."

Each player has a highlight film available for the fans to see their athletic abilities. To reach the film, please click the player's last name.

No.	Last	First	HT	WT	POS	High School/ College	Home Town
	Abrams	Tranealius	5'11	175	DB	Blount HS	Mobile, AL
	Bennett	Isreal	5'11	170	DB	Clay-Chalkville HS	Birmingham,AL
	Broadway	Roshod	5'11	215	LB	Westminister  HS	Miami, FL
	Calvin	Kendall	6'2	225	TE	Minor HS	Birmingham, AL
	Cheatham	Javarrius	6'4	175	WR	Greenville HS	Greenville, AL
	Dayao,	Jerico	6'3	240	TE	Mt. San Antonio CC	Los Angeles, CA
	Johnson	Demetrius	6'4	295	DL	Georgia Prep	Detroit, MI
	Lynch	Deiontae	6'3	280	OL	Booker T Washington HS	Miami, FL
	Matthews III	Carl	6'1	190	DB	Huffman HS	Birmingham, AL
	Moore	Raheem	6'4	180	WR	Greenville HS	Greenville, AL
	Obannon	Anthony	5'11	250	LS	Pensacola HS	Pensacola, FL
	Ramseur	Devonta	6'0	290	DL	Palmetto Prep	Shelby, NC
	Ramzy	Rodrique	6'1	165	ATH	Bessemer Academy	Birmingham, AL
	Reaves	Damon	6'0	180	DB	Georgia Prep	Baltimore, MD
	Richardson	Lowell	6'5	310	OL	Miami Norland HS	Miami ,FL
	Rivera	Isaac	5'11	195	K/P	Northside Warner Robin HS	Macon, GA
	Rocker	Dakota	6'2	180	QB	Westlake HS	Atlanta, GA
	Terry	Jayleen	5'11	208	FB	Central Carroll HS	Carrollton, GA
	Thomas	Dwayne	6'1	320	OL	Miami Northwestern HS	Miami, FL
	Thomas	Jarrott	6'2	220	LB	Fullerton CC.	Baton Rouge, LA
	Williams	Algeria	6'5	270	OL	Miami Northwestern HS	Miami, FL
	Williams	Vincent	6'1	265	OL	Memphis Central HS	Memphis, TN
	Willis	Dennis	6'0	210	LB	St. John Bosco HS	Los Angeles, CA
	Wilson	Branden	5'10	235	FB	Mt. San Antonio CC	Los Angeles, CA

COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Abbes, Montrel tie GCAC marks; Nuggets add Nicholls

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana All-Americans Nour Abbes and Kyle Montrel tied Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tennis records when they received Player of the Week awards for Jan. 26-Feb. 1.

Abbes, a sophomore from Tunis, Tunisia, and a graduate of Lycée Sportif d'El Menzah, tied former teammate Kourtney Howell with the seventh weekly award of her career. Montrel, a junior from Atlanta and a graduate of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, tied former XU standout Zach Taylor with the sixth award of his career.

Abbes, the ITA's top-ranked NAIA singles player, won both her singles matches and her only completed doubles match. Her 6-0, 6-2 victory Saturday against Tulane's Naz Karagoz was her 32nd in 33 singles decisions at Xavier.

Montrel dropped one game in singles and doubles victories Friday against Loyola. He and Jordan Harrell scored the first point of the dual with an 8-0 victory against Anthony Zaleski and Trivesh Singh. Montrel then clinched the dual with a 6-0, 6-1 decision against Singh.

NOTES: Coach Alan Green added a women's dual match to the schedule -- 3 p.m. Thursday at XU Tennis Center against Nicholls State. The Gold Nuggets, ranked third in the NAIA, have seven duals this semester against NCAA Division I opponents, two against Nicholls . . . Green revealed his teams' first-round pairings in the AUM Invitational. The Gold Nuggets and the eighth-ranked Gold Rush will play Martin Methodist at noon March 6 at Lagoon Park Tennis Center in Montgomery, Ala.

Nicholls State defeats Gold Nuggets 7-0

Facebook photos

NEW ORLEANS — Nicholls State did not lose a set Thursday in a 7-0 women's tennis victory against NAIA No. 3 Xavier University of Louisiana.

It was the second consecutive loss for the Gold Nuggets (1-2) against an NCAA Division I opponent.

Milou Pietersz and Stephanie Barnett clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 victory against Nour Abbes and Carmen Nelson at the first flight. The doubles were played under NCAA Division I scoring rules.

Marie Aubert clinched the dual with a 6-2, 6-2 No. 2 singles victory against Brion Flowers.

Xavier's closest singles match was at the top flight, where Klara Skopac defeated Nelson 7-5, 6-2. Both team's regular No. 1 singles players, Abbes and Barnett, did not compete after suffering injuries during doubles.

Xavier will play Belhaven at noon Saturday and LSU-Alexandria at noon Sunday at XU. The XU men will visit Louisiana-Lafayette at 6 p.m. Friday and play Belhaven at noon Saturday at XU.

Results

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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