Benedict Tigers Add 10 Football Players On Signing Day

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Benedict College head football coach James "Mike" White announced his first recruiting class on Wednesday.

The Tigers signed their first 10 players, although several more were waiting to have their paperwork validated.

The Tigers signed a pair of defensive backs, a pair of running backs, two big defensive linemen, a 300-pound offensive lineman, and a 6-foot-5 quarterback who threw for more than 1,000 yards with 13 touchdowns last year.

BENEDICT TIGERS STADIUM

"We got a late start in the recruiting game. We're excited about the players we've picked up so far," said White, who took over the Benedict program on Dec. 18. "We'll look to sign a few more before it's all over. We'll look to pick up some more linemen and playmaking guys and we hope to sign more players here locally."

Name	Height	Weight	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Robert Cummings	6-1	180	DB	Macon, Ga. / Central HS
Oghale Egona	6-6	190	DB	Fayetteville, Ga. / Fayette Co.  HS
Tyler Gibson	6-2	370	DL	Atlanta, Ga. / Best Academy
Raheem Jennings	6-1	190	RB/DB	Hepzibah, Ga. / Hepzibah HS
Edward Kelly	6-2	225	RB	Fayetteville, Ga. / Fayette Co. HS
Austin McCall	6-2	300	OL	Fairburn, Ga. / Jireh Prep / Langston Hughes HS
Deveall McClendon	5-11	240	RB	Fairburn, Ga. / Drew HS
Kalu Onumah	6-5	200	QB	Norcross, Ga. / Meadowcreek HS
Jordan Sanders	6-3	275	DL	Dacula, Ga. / Dacula HS
Jared Walker	6-4	180	WR	Carrollton, Ga. / Central HS

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION 

Fort Valley State Football Sign Six Players

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- Fort Valley State University Wildcats Head Coach Donald Pittman has announced the signing of six players to National Letters of Intent.

Clink on Player Name for highlight video.

Name: Christopher Leon
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6'3
Weight: 215
Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
Previous School: FAMU High School

Name: Stacey Thompson
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6'0
Weight: 215
Hometown: Sandersville, GA
Previous School: Washington County High School

Name: Darron Hudson
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6'2
Weight: 250
Hometown: LaGrange, GA
Previous School: Globe Institute of Technology

Name: Robert Branscomb
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 5'11
Weight: 280
Hometown: Columbus, GA
Previous School: Carver High School

Name: Chauncey Jackson
Position: Running Back
Height: 5'10
Weight: 220
Hometown: Jonesboro, GA
Previous School: Love Joy High School

Name: Alexander Riley
Position: Offensive Lineman
Height: 6'3
Weight: 335
Hometown: Arlington, TX
Previous School: Paine College

COURTESY FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Shaw Bears Sign Eight Players on National Signing Day

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- The Shaw University football team, and head coach Robert Massey are proud to announce 8 signees on National Signing Day, February 4, 2015.

"We addressed our needs with signing two kickers and a quarterback. We lost three games last season for a combined total of eight points, so signing two good kickers was important," Massey said. "We signed some boys who have the potential to be great football players at Shaw, but most importantly we signed some great young men who will become graduates of Shaw University."

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown	High School
James Taylor	FB	5-11	220	Durham, NC	Southern Durham HS
Leonardo Orozco	K/P	5-10	170	Durham, NC	Southern Durham HS
Darnell Gore	FB	6-0	215	Richmond, VA	Lloyd C. Bird HS
Raymond Green	WR	5-11	175	Durham, NC	Hillside HS
DJ Hall	DL	6-6	320	Florence, SC	West Florence HS
Joshua Bickham	RB	5-9	190	Covington, LA	Covington HS
Terrence Shambry	QB	6-0	190	Chesapeake, VA	Deep Creek HS
Joe Colombo Nguyen	K	6-0	170	Charlotte, NC	West Mecklenburg HS

**4-6 More players are expected to sign February 5, 2015**

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

Saint Augustine's University Announces 14 Football Signees

RALEIGH, North Carolina – Head Coach Michael Morand announced on Wednesday, February 4, that 14 recruits signed National Letters of Intent to play football for Saint Augustine's University beginning with the 2015 season.

"I am very excited to sign scholar-athletes that fit the mold of a true Falcon," Morand said. "There is so much joy in my heart to see a group of scholars that will set the foundation of my first recruiting class. This class puts the stamp on moving forward to greater things in the Falcon football program."

Below is the list of signees including bio and video of each student-athlete. Two players are already enrolled at Saint Augustine's University as mid-year signees and will participate in the upcoming spring practice. They are quarterback Darryl Johnson and offensive lineman Jaron Rice.

CLICK EACH NAME FOR LATEST PLAYER HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Eric Allen
Offensive Lineman
6-3, 250 lbs., Durham, NC
Southern Durham High School

Allen was a two-time All-Conference offensive lineman who helped Southern Durham win a state championship with a 14-2 record in 2013. His blocking keyed Southern Durham during its conference title run in 2014. Southern Durham was 12-1 overall this past season.

Paulus Bonar
Offensive Lineman
6-1, 270 lbs., Charlotte, NC
Independence High School

Bonar allowed no sacks during a season in which he earned All-Conference honors. He helped Independence reach the second round of the state playoffs with a 12-1 record in 2014.

Zechariah Bradford
Defensive End
6-2, 250 lbs., Decatur, GA
Southwest DeKalb High School

Bradford was an All-County selection. He helped Southwest DeKalb finish second in the region.

Montreal Cherry
Defensive End
6-3, 245 lbs., Durham, NC
Southern Durham High School

Cherry was a two-time All-Conference defensive lineman who helped Southern Durham win a state championship with a 14-2 record in 2013. His play on the defensive line keyed Southern Durham during its conference title run in 2014. Southern Durham was 12-1 overall this past season.

Shamsiddin Crews
Offensive Lineman
6-1, 315 lbs., Richmond, VA
Itasca Community College

Crews was a two-time Offensive Lineman of the Year and two-time All-Conference player. He also was a preseason All-American.

Daryl George II
Running Back
5-9, 175 lbs., Andalusia, AL
Straughn High School

George II rushed for 1,559 yards and 20 touchdowns his senior year. He helped Straughn post an 11-2 record this past season.

Donald Glenn
Offensive Lineman
6-2, 270 lbs., Atlanta, GA
North Clayton High School

Glenn was an All-Region selection.

Clarence Jackson
Defensive Lineman
6-3, 275 lbs., Louisville, GA
Jefferson County High School

Jackson was an All-Region and All-Area pick in addition to being selected a CSRA All-Star. He helped Jefferson County post an 8-4 record.

Darryl Johnson
Quarterback
5-11, 175 lbs., Richmond, VA
Shepherd University

Johnson passed for 1,851 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior at Highland Springs High School in 2013. The standout quarterback was named 5A Conference Offensive Player of the Year and placed on the All-Richmond Area Second Team.

Tyrian Joye 
Safety
5-9, 180 lbs., Charlotte, NC
Rocky River High School

Joye helped Rocky River advance to the third round of the state playoffs. Rocky River finished with a 9-5 record.

Jerry Lattimore
Linebacker
6-0, 240 lbs., Louisville, GA
Jefferson County High School

Lattimore was an All-Region and All-Conference selection at Jefferson County.

Jaron Rice
Offensive Lineman
6-4, 325 lbs., Lawrenceville, VA
Virginia Military Institute

Rice was named All-State, All- District and All-Region numerous times during his prep career. He was also selected to the All-Virginia Preps and All-Virginia High School Coaching Association teams.

Marcus Tyson
Offensive Lineman
6-2, 315, Richmond, VA
Clover High School

Tyson was a solid offensive and defensive lineman on a good Clover team.

Andre Young
Defensive Back
5-10, 170 lbs., Decatur, GA
Decatur High School

Young played defensive back and wide receiver on a good Decatur team. He was one of the team leaders.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

CIAA Commissioner talks tournament, moving headquarters to Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams tells WBTV she is feeling good about this year's basketball tournament, which starts February 23.

This year CIAA is in charge of the hotels. It has reserved a 3,000 room block. CIAA is telling fans to go to the organization's website to book a room. The hotels that are participating have agreed to keep prices under control.

The commissioner says so far about 70% of the rooms are gone. CIAA wants more rooms booked.

"We're hoping in the next week," the commissioner said. "We will have a very clear understanding what the room block looks like, so we can use that as a template moving forward."

McWilliams tells WBTV the challenge is getting fans to go to CIAA website to book a room. The other challenge is working with the participating hotels. She is confidant those rooms will be sold.

She is also feeling good about ticket sales.

CONTINUE READING 

Lincoln Blue Tigers Football Sign 16 New Student-Athletes

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri -- Follow along as the newest members of the Lincoln football team are announced on signing day and throughout the month of February. Signed National Letters of Intent and Lincoln Letters of Intent from future Blue Tigers will be faxed into the Lincoln compliance department. Once they have been verified by LU's administrators, this page will be updated to highlight the Blue Tigers' 2015 signing class.

DWIGHT T. REED STADIUM
LINCOLIN UNIVERSITY

Players Who Have Signed National Letters of Intent (NLI)

Khalif Alao (Chicago, IL/Brooks College Prep)
Primarily a defensive lineman, but has experience playing linebacker and fullback ... four-year varsity player ... two-year starter on both sides of the ball ... all-conference defensive tackle as a senior ... led the team in tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles in 2014 ... also ranked second on the squad as a senior in total tackles and solo tackles.

Shaun Bridges (Rich Central, IL/Rich Central)
Will play defensive back for the Blue Tigers ... converted to corner for his senior year, and recorded 28 solo tackles, eight pass deflections and three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown ... also blocked two field goal attempts ... started high school at Homewood-Flossmoor High as a running back ... offensive MVP of his freshman team ... moved up to varsity as a sophomore and once again was the team's offensive MVP.

Edward Collins (Kansas City, MO/Hogan Prep)
5-9, 201 pound running back ... earned four varsity letters in football and four varsity letters in track ... picked up all-district and all-state accolades during his high school career ... ran for 1,600 yards on 100 carries and scored 21 touchdowns as a senior.

Reagan Cowley (Chicago, IL/Perspectives Charter)
Offensive lineman who was a three-year starter in high school ... earned all-city and all-conference honors ... made the all-academic team ... earned the varsity most valuable player award.

Antwan Davis (Saint John, IN/Lake Central)
6-0, 190-pound wide receiver ... accounted for 1,200 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior ... had 928 receiving yards this past season ... earned first team 6A all-state honors as well as first team all-area and first team all-conference accolades as a senior ... was the league runner-up for most valuable player ... helped Lake Central to a Duneland Athletic Conference championship ... gained 208 yards and scored four touchdowns as a rusher.

Joshua Drake (Kansas City, MO/Raytown)
Shifty running back who rushed for over 1,600 yards as a junior ... ran for 700 yards as a senior despite missing five games due to injury.

Elex Harris (Memphis, TN/Whitehaven)
A linebacker out of Whitehaven High ... was 6A all-state honorable mention ... also earned first team All-Shelby Metro and first team all-district honors ... both a team captain and defensive captain ... had 123 solo tackles, five sacks and three forced fumbles last season.

Mike Million (St. Louis, MO/Christian Brothers College Prep)
Combination wide receiver/running back ... first team all-metro and first team all-state honoree ... also played baseball in high school and hit .318 with 29 RBI as a senior.

Durrell Nash (Chicago, IL/Brooks College Prep)
6-1, 205-pound linebacker ... three year varsity letterwinner ... earned an invite to the NFL Prep 100 ... led team in tackles as a senior with 100 while tallying 28 tackles for loss, three sacks, two blocked punts and a forced fumble ... earned all-conference honors.

Jaquan Roberts (Macon, GA/Macon County)
Versatile defensive back ... recorded five sacks, two fumble recoveries and seven tackles for loss as a senior ... also made two interceptions ... projects at free safety for the Blue Tigers.

Xavier Thompson (Memphis, TN/Cordova)
Started all 36 varsity games at offensive line while on the team at Cordova ... graded out at 94%, highest on the team ... had a career-best 24 pancakes as a senior ... earned first team all-metro and first team all-region honors as a senior.

Miles Wallace (Memphis, TN/White Station)
Three-year starter on White Station's offensive line ... member of the preseason all-region team ... earned local AutoZone All-Star awards as a junior and senior ... named first team all-district as a junior and senior.

Alexander Wallingsford (St. Louis, MO/Oakville)
Three-year starter on Oakville's offensive line ... team captain ... first team all-conference center.

Montell Williams (Kansas City, MO/Hogan Prep)
Linebacker ... earned first team all-district honors as a junior ... selected all-conference as a freshman.

Players Who Have Signed Lincoln Letters of Intent

Quinton Harrison (Macon, GA/Macon County)
Cornerback ... had four interceptions and made 47 tackles as a senior ... also defended 11 passes last year.

Eugene Irby (Ferguson, MO/McCluer South-Berkeley)
Versatile wide receiver who also returned punts and kickoffs ... compiled over 1,000 all-purpose yards as a senior and scored 10 touchdowns.


By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY BLUE TIGERS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Bowie State Bulldogs Sign 14 Players on National Signing Day

BOWIE, Maryland  -- The Bowie State University football team, and head coach Damon Wilson are proud to announce 14 signees. "I am very impressed with this class … they all have the qualities of a Bowie State Student-Athlete.  We were able to meet all of our recruiting needs and bring in some guys who were successful in their high school programs.   

A number of our new Bulldogs will compete for playing time right away.  All fourteen signees are from the DMV and I love that we have the opportunity to continue to build a program from home grown talent", said Wilson.

BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SIGNEES
(Click on Name to View Player Highlight Video)

Amir Hall QB 6'4 185lbs Riverdale Baptist HS Upper Marlboro, MD

Tommar Phillips LB 6'2 215lbs Duval HS Lanham, MD

Geordan Clark  WR 6'2 180lbs North Point HS Waldorf, MD

Brian Smith DL 6'4 250lbs Westlake HS Waldorf, MD

Mcdane Mcfarlane OL  6'7 285lbs Northwestern HS Hyattsville, MD

Bryson McAdams DB 6'0 185lb Arundel HS Gambrills , MD

Oluwaleke Ajenifuja  DE 6'2 210lb High Point HS Beltsville, MD

Jawan Smith DT 6'2 287lb Owings Mills HS Owings Mill, MD

Victor Mack DB 6'0 175lb Arundel HS Gambrills , MD

Kemani Brown OL 6'5 275lb Northwestern HS Hyattsville, MD

Deron Smith WR 5'8 160 Riverdale Baptist HS Upper Marlboro, MD

Taylor Johnson DB 6'0 190lb HD Woodson HS Washington, DC

Andy Akotia K/P 5'10 190 Duval HS Lanham, MD

Antwan Pearson DE 6'5 240lbs Catonsville, MD


COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Livingstone Women's Basketball Lands #8 Spot on USA Today Sports Division II Top 25 Poll

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE ATHLETICS

SALIBURY, North Carolina -- The Livingstone College women's basketball team is literally on a roll, with an 20-0 overall, and 11-0 in the conference undefeated record. The team currently holds the nation's longest HBCU win-streak record.

The Lady Blue Bears have landed a sweet #8 spot on the USA TODAY SPORTS TOP 25 DIVISION II WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACHES' POLL.The Lady Blue Bears have moved up from the 18th and then 11th spot over the last couple of weeks.

First year Head Coach Anita Howard and team, are breaking barriers, and setting records.

The team defeated St. Augustine's Wednesday 96-73, and finished out the weekend defeating WSSU 64-56.

Catch the Lady Blue Bears at home this Saturday (Feb. 7) as they face the Bears of Shaw University.

The team will tip-off at 5:30 P.M. inside New Trent Gym.

Rank	Institution - First Place Votes	Previous Rank	Record	Total Points
1	Lewis University (Ill.) - 31	1	21-0	799
2	University of Alaska - Anchorage	3	20-1	716
3	Fort Hays State University (Kan.)	6	20-1	701
4	Limestone College (S.C.)	4	20-1	666
5	Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Pa.)	5	18-1	652
6	Emporia State University (Kan.)	2	17-2	617
7	West Texas A&M University	7	16-2	554
8	Livingstone College (N.C.) - 1	11	20-0	506
9	Adelphi University (N.Y.)	8	19-2	496
10	Pittsburg State University (Kan.)	9	20-3	485
11	Columbus State University (Ga.)	12	20-1	477
12	Wayne State University (Mich.)	10	17-2	463
13	Michigan Technological University	15	17-1	409
14	Rollins College (Fla.)	13	16-2	394
15	Stonehill College (Mass.)	14	16-2	392
16	Northern State University (S.D.)	17	19-3	293
17	Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania	18	17-2	285
18	Florida Institute of Technology	19	17-2	217
19	Drury University (Mo.)	21	16-3	213
20	Harding University (Ark.)	16	16-3	190
21	Seattle Pacific University (Wash.)	22	16-3	168
22	Wayne State College (Neb.)	T23	19-3	121
23	Humboldt State University (Calif.)	25	17-2	114
24	Nova Southeastern University (Fla.)	T23	15-4	87
25	Arkansas Tech University	20	16-3	64

Dropped Out: None.

Others receiving votes: Midwestern State University (Texas) 55; Cedarville University (Ohio) 50; Union University (Tenn.) 30; California University of Pennsylvania (Pa.) 29; University of New Haven (Conn.) 24; University of District of Columbia 22; California Baptist University 20; Washburn University (Kan.) 15; Grand Valley State University (Mich.) 11; University of Colorado - Colorado Springs 11; California State Polytechnic University - Pomona 10; California State University - Dominguez Hills 8; California State University - San Bernardino 6; Ashland University (Ohio) 4; Missouri Southern State University 4; Johnson C Smith University (N.C.) 3; University of North Georgia 3; Hawaii Pacific University 2; Lander University (S.C.) 2; Lincoln University (Pa.) 2; Colorado Mesa University 1.

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Tigers' Myers Invited to NFL Combine

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- Tennessee State offensive lineman Robert Myers was invited to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine, which will take place in Indianapolis. Myers will compete on the first of the four-day event on Friday, Feb. 20.

The LaVergne, Tenn. native played in the 2015 Reese’s Senior Bowl last month following a standout campaign at TSU.

Myers was the only offensive player to start all 12 contests and anchored a unit that did not allow a sack during the last four ballgames. The guard also helped protect a quarterback duo that threw for 3,268 yards and 23 touchdowns.

He led the OL-unit to a No. 18 ranking in FCS, giving up only 1.17 sacks per game, earning him a spot on the All-OVC Second Team for the second straight year.

Myers is the third former Tiger to be invited to the combine as Kadeem Edwards and AC Leonard represented TSU in 2014.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MEAC Fully Reinstates FAMU Men's Tennis And Golf To MEAC Competition

Courtesy: Florida A&M Sports Information

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has announced that Florida A&M University has reinstated the men’s golf and men’s tennis programs and will compete in conference competition during the 2014-15 school year.

Florida A&M suspended both programs in July, 2014.

“I am pleased to announce that the men’s golf and men’s tennis programs are reinstated to full compliance and competition for the 2014-15 school year,” said D’Wayne Robinson, Florida A&M Interim Director of Athletics. “The decision to bring these programs back comes with approval of President Elmira Magnum and backed with the full support of the FAMU alumni. We look forward to competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference this spring and competing for a conference championship.”

“We are excited that Florida A&M will compete in both men’s golf and men’s tennis this year and look for both programs to continue its rich tradition of delivering competitive teams and providing a positive experience for their student-athletes,” said Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas. For more information, visit www.FAMUAthletics.com or www.MEACsports.com.


COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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 
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/

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