Bowie State Bulldogs Clinch CIAA North Crown with 89-77 Win at Elizabeth City State

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina  --  The Bowie State University men's basketball team closed out its 2014-15 regular season with an 89-77 victory over Elizabeth City State University on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 21-7 overall, 13-3 in league play and 8-2 in the North. The win also clinches the CIAA Northern Division title for the Bulldogs.

Senior and CIAA Player of the Year Cameron Knox led five Bowie State players in double-figures with a team-high 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field. Freshman Dayshawn Wells (Baltimore, Md.) netted a career-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and junior Andre Jackson (Baltimore, Md.) added 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

Junior Justin Beck (Ellicott City, Md.) and freshman Ahmaad Wilson (Baltimore, Md.) chipped in 11 points apiece in the win.

Elizabeth City State (9-20, 2-14 CIAA, 0-10 North) was led by Brachon Griffin with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting to go along with six rebounds, four assists and a game-high five steals. Darrell Ward notched a double-double of 19 and 10 rebounds for the Vikings and added five assists, two blocks and three steals. John Tatum recorded 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field.

The Bulldogs led by as much as 17 in the first half (42-25) before a Griffin layup at the 2:09 mark stopped the run. Elizabeth City State closed the first half with a 12-5 run to set the score at 47-37 in favor of Bowie State at the break.

Both teams shot the ball well in the first 20 minutes. Elizabeth City State made 15-of-27 from the field (55.6 percent) while Bowie State made 66.7 percent of their field goals (18-of-27), which included 10-of-16 (62.5 percent) beyond the arc.

Bowie State opened the second half with a 22-7 burst to take a game-high 19 point lead (65-46) by the 12:09 mark and maintained a double-digit lead until Elizabeth City State made one final push.

The Vikings trimmed the deficit down to 81-75 with 4:18 remaining, outscoring the Bulldogs 15-6 over a four minute stretch. However, the Bowie State defense clamped down and ended the game with an 8-2 run to seal the deal.

Bench scoring was huge for Bowie State as the Bulldogs outscored the opponents bench 51-9.

The Bulldogs will have four days off from competition before opening CIAA Tournament quarterfinal play as the #1 seed in the Northern Division.

BULLDOG BOX SCORE

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton U. women turn back Delaware State 74-61

HAMPTON, Virginia — Hampton University women's basketball coach David Six spent portions of the second half seated on the bench, head down, staring at the floor.

Such was his irritation that the first-place Lady Pirates surrendered fast breaks, easy shots and found themselves in a tight game with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's last-place team.

Hampton displayed just enough at both ends of the floor to turn back Delaware State 74-61 Saturday at the HU Convocation Center.

"We played down to the level of the opponent," Hampton's Malia Tate-DeFreitas said, "and that makes him upset when we do that."

The Lady Pirates (14-11, 10-2 MEAC) won their fourth in a row and 13th consecutive game against Delaware State, but not without some anxious moments.

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NCCU Eagles Extend Nation’s Third-Longest Home Win Streak to 33 Games

DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University clinched at least a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season title on Saturday by defeating Morgan State 74-59 inside McDougald-McLendon Gym, where the Eagles have won 33 home games in-a-row.
 
NCCU (21-6, 13-0 MEAC) also extended the nation's longest conference win streak to 31 games and earned the No. 1 seed in the MEAC Tournament.
 
Jordan Parks topped the Eagles with 20 points and 10 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. NCCU point guard Nimrod Hilliard added 19 points, seven assist and five boards, senior shooting guard Anthony McDonald sank three 3-pointers for nine points, and the Eagles' other two starters, Karamo Jawara and Dante Holmes, chipped in eight points each.

Morgan State (7-20, 5-8 MEAC) was led by Blake Bozeman with 18 points, while Andrew Hampton came off the bench for 17 points.
 
NCCU dominated the inside, out-scoring the Bears 48-8 in the paint, and shot 57.1 percent (32-for-56) from the field.
 
Up next, NVCU welcomes Bethune-Cookman to McDougald-McLendon Gym on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m.  An Eagles victory or a Norfolk State loss clinches the regular-season title for NCCU in back-to-back years.

BOX SCORE

EAGLES PHOTO GALLERY

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

UNO defeats Gold Nuggets 6-1; Abbes wins in singles

Nour Abbes

NEW ORLEANS -- Coach Alan Green was hoping for more but got only Nour (Abbes) in Xavier University of Louisiana's 6-1 women's tennis loss Saturday at the University of New Orleans.

Abbes, the NAIA's No. 1 singles player, scored the Gold Nuggets' lone point of the dual match when she defeated Soledad Calderon Arroyo 7-5, 6-4. Abbes is unbeaten in singles this semester against the city's NCAA Division I members, UNO and Tulane, and she is 35-1 in singles in her XU career.

Brion Flowers was the only other Xavier player to win a set, but she lost her match 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-5) to Yasmine Rashad at No. 5 singles. Caroline Vernet led 5-2 at No. 2 before losing 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 to Marta Sans.

Xavier (4-4), ranked third in the NAIA, is 0-4 this semester against NCAA Division I opponents.

UNO (5-4) won at No. 1 and 3 to earn the doubles point and clinched the dual at No. 4 singles when Anna Segarra Rius defeated Jana van der Walt 6-1, 6-4.

"I thought we let this one get away from us," Green said. "We got off to a slow start in doubles. Then we started to pick it up, but it was too little, too late.

"I thought we matched up well with UNO, but we didn't get the job done. We talked for awhile afterward. We talked about making adjustments. We're going to make those adjustments and move forward from there. We have some concerns, but no one is pushing the panic button."

Xavier will play NAIA No. 7 Brenau at 2 p.m. Monday in Mobile, Ala., a neutral site. It will be the Gold Nuggets' first dual of the season against a ranked opponent. The next home dual for the Gold Nuggets and the Gold Rush will start at 2 p.m. Tuesday against Alcorn State at XU Tennis Center.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
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TSU Lady Tigers Defeat Gamecocks in Overtime

Jacksonville, Alabama --The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team defeated Jacksonville State, 74-66, in a hard-fought overtime victory Saturday afternoon in Pete Mathews Coliseum.

The win was TSU’s (13-12, 10-4 OVC) fifth straight and keeps the Lady Tigers in third place of the OVC standings.

Five Lady Tigers scored in double-figures led by Jayda Johnson and Chelsea Hudson’s 14 points each. I’mani Davis, Briana Morrow and Rachel Allen each chipped in 11 points.

Jacksonville State was led by Candace Morton’s 20 points while Courtney Strain added 10.

 TSU was down, 13-10, in the first half before using an 11-0 run to capture a 21-13 lead over JSU. The opponents responded and cut the deficit down to two points moments before the half ended and the Lady Tigers only held 25-23 advantage at the break.

The second frame was a battle from the onset as neither team would let up. TSU and JSU traded buckets and played to a 30-all stalemate by the 16-minute media.

The game was locked in yet another tie when JSU scored seven unanswered points to build a, 48-41, cushion. On the Lady Tigers’ next possession Briana Morrow connected in the paint to end a four-minute scoring drought.

TSU trailed for the next several minutes but stayed within striking distance.

With time winding down and the Lady Tigers behind, timely buckets from Jemilah Leonard and Rachel Allen helped TSU take a 55-54 lead.

Holding on to a one-point advantage, TSU had the ball with 32.3 seconds remaining. JSU was forced to foul and sent Leonard to the line.

The sophomore made the first to give TSU a 56-54 lead. The Lady Tigers committed a foul on the next possession but the Gamecocks only managed to connect on one of the freebies. TSU regained the ball and JSU had to foul again.

Jayda Johnson stepped up to the line for TSU with 6.8 seconds remaining and sank both free-throws. TSU was up, 58-55, with only seconds remaining but JSU drove the length of the floor and banked in a three-pointer to force overtime.

In the extra period, Rachel Allen buried a triple from the top of the key before a Jayda Johnson jumper gave TSU a, 67-60, lead. The Gamecocks threatened but the Lady Tigers were able to keep them at bay.  

Tennessee State outrebounded Jacksonville State, 49-36 and shot a scorching 71.4 percent from the field in overtime.

Tennessee State returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 25  for the final home game of the season. The Lady Tigers will welcome the Eagles of Morehead State to the Gentry Center on Senior Night. Game time is slated for 6 p.m.

 

 FINAL BOX

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Terrence Tusan was a beacon in life. His death is shrouded in mystery

ARLINGTON, Texas — The many who knew Terrence Tusan cannot reconcile the nature of his life with the nature of his death. Much of the information seems to sow confusion. How did a 22-year-old Howard University running back with a raved-about smile, a diplomatic way, a buoyant view of his own future and no police record wind up dead outside a Texas apartment after allegedly taking part in a home invasion?

The news made Tusan’s lifelong friend Greg Pinckney pull off the road into a grocery parking lot. It made Tusan’s high school coach say, “How could that be?” It made family friend Gina Scott say, “One and one is not two.”

“It doesn’t make sense at all,” said Kelvin Williams, Tusan’s trainer.

The known details of Tusan’s death comes from a police investigation. On Dec. 21, Tusan, who was home from Howard on holiday break, watched the Dallas Cowboys game with his mother, Donna, at her comfortable house in Arlington. Later that afternoon, he joined three other men, including a childhood friend, for a drive to North Texas University in Denton, 45 miles north. At 5:38 p.m., 911 calls reported gunshots at the gigantic CastleRock apartment complex in Denton. Two minutes later, police arrived. They found two tenants with minor gunshot wounds in an apartment, and two alleged intruders dead, including Tusan just outside the apartment in the breezeway.

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150th anniversary highlights Shaw U's 2015 football schedule

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- The Shaw University Department of Athletics has released the 2015 football schedule highlighting the University's 150th anniversary. This year's schedule features six games away and four home competitions. The home games include the 150th Homecoming anniversary game on November 7th against cross-town rival Saint Augustine's University.

Last season, the Bears finished the season at 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the CIAA.

Shaw will begin the 2015 season by traveling to Greensboro, NC to take on the Aggies of North Carolina A & T State University on Saturday September 5th. The Bears follow that with a home opener against Wingate University. Both games will kick-off at 6:00 pm.

Shaw will then hit the road for two straight weeks; first against UNC-Pembroke in Pembroke, NC on September 19th, and then The Lincoln University for their first conference matchup in Lincoln University, PA on September 26th.

The second cross-divisional CIAA contest will take place on October 3rd at 1:00 pm as the Bears host Virginia Union University.

In the CIAA Southern division race, the Bears will travel to Fayetteville State University October 10th, and then play host to Livingstone College on October 17th at 1:00 pm.

Shaw continues on with the southern division trek with two road games; the first against Johnson C. Smith University on October 24th followed by Winston-Salem State University October 31st.

The Bears will close out the season with the homecoming celebration of the University's 150th anniversary, hosting cross-town rival Saint Augustine's University.

Football head coach Robert Massey described the 2015 football schedule as, "difficult, we have a tough non-conference football schedule. We hope that the non-conference schedule will make us competitive for the CIAA Football Championship as we look to celebrate our 150th anniversary."

The 2015 CIAA Football Championship will take place on November 14th in Durham, North Carolina.

SHAW BEARS 2015 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

9/5 at North Carolina A&T, Greensboro, NC  6 PM
9/12 Wingate, Raleigh, NC  6 PM
9/19 at UNC Pembroke, Pembroke, NC
9/27 at *The Lincoln University, Lincoln University, PA
10/3 *Virginia Union, Raleigh, NC  1 PM
10/10 at *Fayetteville State, Fayetteville, NC 
10/17 *Livingstone College, Raleigh, NC  1 PM
10/24 at *Johnson C. Smith, Charlotte, NC
10/31 at *Winston-Salem State, Winston-Salem, NC
11/7  *Saint Augustine's U, Raleigh, NC  (Homecoming/150 Anniversary)
11/14 CIAA Football Championship. Durham, NC

*CIAA Conference Game
BOLD: Home Game



COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Grambling spoils Southern’s baseball opener

Courtesy Herman Shelton, SU Sports Information Assistant

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Grambling kicked off the 2015 MLB Urban Invitational with a 6-1 victory over rival Southern at Wesley Barrow Stadium on Friday afternoon.

With the tournament being held in New Orleans for the first time in its eight-year existence, it appeared the two teams were going to start the invitational with an old-school pitching duel, but the Tigers (2-3) reeled off all six of their runs during the sixth and seven innings to pull away from Southern (1-1) for good.

“Even though this doesn’t count as a conference game, it’s still a huge win for us,” Grambling coach James Cooper said. “Anytime you can beat your rival in anything, you want to go out and play your best game.”

“Grambling stayed aggressive and stayed with the basic approach,” Southern coach Roger Cador said. “I would like to see our guys take some of the same approach that they did.”

Both teams went without a run for the first five innings, but the Grambling bats finally came to life in the bottom of the sixth.

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Tickets on sale for next week's XU-Dillard Crosstown Classic

NEW ORLEANS — Don't miss any of the excitement of New Orleans' longest-running basketball rivalry when Xavier University of Louisiana and Dillard University clash Feb. 28 in the Crosstown Classic presented by Hotard Coaches at the XU Convocation Center. Tickets are on sale now.
    
The women's game will start at 5 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7 p.m.
    
Ticket prices:
    
•  $10 — general admission.
    
•  $5 — general admission advance purchase, ages 5-12 and XU student guests. Contact the XU
Alumni Office at (504) 520-7575 for a special discounted rate for advance ticket purchases.
    
•  Free — in advance to students, faculty and staff with a valid XU identification card and children younger than 5.
    
Advance tickets for XU faculty and staff will be available starting Tuesday (Feb. 24). Discounted advance purchase tickets for XU alumni and donors will be available online next week at xualumni.com. Major credit cards will be accepted.
    
Tickets may be purchased weekdays in room 322 (third floor) of the Convocation Center Annex (3775 Fern St., New Orleans LA 70125).
    
Students with a valid XU identification card can visit the Office of Student Services (room 305E, third floor of the University Center) and receive one free ticket with an ID card swipe weekdays.
    
Tickets will be available at the Convocation Center box office beginning at 4 p.m. the day of the games.
    
This year's Crosstown Classic is part of XU Family Weekend, a three-day event Feb. 27-March 1. There also will be a pregame tailgate, chances to win great prizes during the doubleheader and Senior Day ceremonies.
    
The Xavier-Dillard men's series dates to January 1948, and the women's series began during the 1977-78 season.

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

Talladega Tornadoes Claims First #1 National Ranking

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- For the first time in school history, Talladega (Ala.) earns the No. 1 position in the eighth edition of the 2014 - 15 NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. With a 23-3 overall record (at time of rankings period), the Tornadoes posted seven first-place votes and 248 total points. With the NAIA’s longest active winning streak at 18-straight (Monday’s win not included), Talladega moved up from No. 2 after former top-ranked team Cal State San Marcos dropped an 86-67 decision over the weekend.

Talladega has been on the winning side ever since a 12-point victory over Cincinnati Christian (Ohio) on Nov. 22, 2014. Along the way, the Tornadoes have jumped to first place (11-0) in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) with three regular-season games remaining. Brandon Peters has been the individual star with 19.6 points per game (No. 17 in NAIA) and 2.2 steals (No. 13 in NAIA). On Feb. 23, Talladega is scheduled to face Philander Smith (Ark.).

With two first-place votes and 241 points, No. 2 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) slides up one spot. Holding a 2.5-game lead in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) race with three regular-season games remaining, the Lions are in the driver’s seat for their first-ever AMC regular-season title. The 23-2 Lions host Williams Baptist (Ark.) on Tuesday.

No. 3 Pikeville (Ky.) checks in with 234 total points and the remaining first-place nod. The Bears, who moved up one position this week, had their top-10 showdown with No. 8 Georgetown (Ky.) moved from Thursday to Feb. 23 due to winter storms in the Kentucky area.

With the loss to unranked Northern New Mexico on Feb. 13, Cal State San Marcos drops down to No. 4 (tie). The setback snapped a nine-game winning streak. The Cougars rank in the top-10 in the NAIA in both scoring offense (85.1) and scoring margin (+14.4).

No. 4 (tie) Hope International (Calif.) garnered 223 total points this week. The Royals have the only top-10 match-up this week as they host No. 7 Concordia (Calif.) on Saturday. Concordia holds a slim 0.5-game lead over Hope International in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) standings. Prior to that contest, the Royals take on Vanguard (Calif.) on Tuesday.

No. 18 Evangel (Mo.), improving four spots, is this week’s biggest mover within the Top 25. With two conference wins last week, the Crusaders now own first place in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

Falling down six positions, No. 17 Benedictine (Kan.) suffered the worst drop. The Ravens have dropped three out of their last four games.

No. 25 Westmont (Calif.) jumps into the Top 25 for the first time this year and first time since a No. 12 spot on March 26, 2013 in the Postseason Top 25. The Warriors now own a 17-8 record on the season and stand only 1.5-games back of first place in the GSAC. On Thursday, Westmont is scheduled to face No. 11 Arizona Christian.

The other newcomer, No. 21 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), last held a ranking on Jan. 13 (No. 19). The Warriors have won three-in-a-row to improve to 20-6 on the season.

Great Falls (Mont.) (No. 20) and SAGU (Texas) (No. 24) drop out this week.

All 10 conferences and Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) are represented in this week's poll. With four ranked teams, the GSAC and Mid-South Conference each claim the most out of any league. The Sooner Athletic Conference and Southern States Athletic Conference each landed a trio of Top 25 teams.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and unaffiliated groups. The ninth regular-season Top 25 will be announced on Feb. 24. For more information on the polls, click here.

NOTES: (All information dates back to 2000 – 01 season) Talladega (Ala.) becomes the fourth different program this year to hold the No.1 ranking, joining Vanguard (Calif.), Cal State San Marcos and Campbellsville (Ky.)… The Tornadoes now have claimed six mentions in the top-five this year – prior to 2014-15, its highest ranking was No. 6… With the fall down to No. 4 (tie) this week, Cal State San Marcos has its streak of 18-straight polls ranked in the top-three snapped... There have been 40 different teams ranked during the 2014-15 season, with 12 of those programs being ranked in all nine polls (including Preseason) – last year, 47 different teams found themselves in the Top 25… No. 4 (tie) Pikeville (Ky.) has held a top-five ranking in 21-straight polls dating back to the first regular-season edition of the 2013-14 season… Preseason No. 1-ranked an
d defending national champion Vanguard (Calif.) fell off the Top 25 radar prior to the first regular-season edition… No. 20 Xavier (La.) leads the active group of being ranked with 46-straight mentions, followed by Cal State San Marcos and Pikeville at 34… There have been 31 different teams since 2000 to hold the No. 1 position... Former NAIA member Mountain State (W.Va.) leads the all-time charts with 48 all-time No. 1 rankings, followed by NAIA Division II member Robert Morris (Ill.) with 24... Concordia and Georgetown are next with 12, Cal State San Marcos at 11 and Columbia at nine No. 1 recognitions… Robert Morris, now a NAIA Division II member in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC), is the only program to start and end a season ranked No. 1, doing so during the 2006 – 07 season.

2014 – 15 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll – Feb. 17

RANK	LAST WEEK	SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES)	2014-15 RECORD	TOTAL POINTS
1	2	Talladega (Ala.) (7)	23-3	248
2	3	Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) (2)	23-2	241
3	4	Pikeville (Ky.) (1)	24-2	234
T4	1	Cal State San Marcos	24-3	223
T4	5	Hope International (Calif.)	22-2	223
6	8	Dalton State (Ga.)	22-3	209
7	10	Concordia (Calif.)	22-5	203
8	9	Georgetown (Ky.)	22-4	189
9	12	Columbia (Mo.)	22-4	173
10	6	Campbellsville (Ky.)	22-5	171
11	7	Arizona Christian	21-6	165
12	15	Montana Western	19-6	157
13	12	Martin Methodist (Tenn.)	21-4	156
14	16	Mid-America Christian (Okla.)	18-8	149
15	18	Wayland Baptist (Texas)	21-4	144
16	14	LSU Alexandria	15-3	136
17	11	Benedictine (Kan.)	20-6	126
18	22	Evangel (Mo.)	16-9	120
19	21	Our Lady of the Lake (Texas)	18-4	102
20	17	Xavier (La.)	19-8	101
21	RV	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)	20-6	93
22	19	Bethel (Tenn.)	20-6	78
23	25	Cumberlands (Ky.)	19-7	60
24	23	Oklahoma City	13-7	53
25	RV	Westmont (Calif.)	17-8	49

Others Receiving Votes: SAGU (Texas) 48; Philander Smith (Ark.) 36; Carroll (Mont.) 32; Central Methodist (Mo.) 29; Wiley (Texas) 25; William Carey (Miss.) 10; LSU Shreveport (La.) 5; Great Falls (Mont.) 3; Missouri Valley 3.

By: Chad Waller, Director of Communications & Sports Information, NAIA rmation NAI

A blast from the past to help fire up the NSU Spartans

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Robert Jones knows his Norfolk State history. The second-year coach, who also spent six years as an assistant, has seen the Spartans' best Division I days firsthand.

That's why Jones, looking to shake up his suddenly struggling and possibly distracted team, shared with his younger players a reminder of the program's pinnacle.

On Monday, two days after NSU fell 73-70 at Morgan State for its second straight loss, Jones broke out a six-minute, NCAA-produced video that chronicled the aftermath of the Spartans' landmark upset of Missouri in the 2012 NCAA tournament. Called "Norfolk State Confidential," the video takes viewers inside the locker room before, during and after the Spartans' 84-50 loss to Florida two days later.

More importantly, it follows the team back to campus, where a pep band, cheerleaders and a throng of fans waited to celebrate the first-round win.

The video was an easy way for Jones to paint the big picture for a team down on its luck.

VIDEO: Norfolk State Confidential: This is about pride

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N.J.I.T. Will Get an Arena, but It Still Needs a Home; Talking with MEAC

NEWARK, New Jersey -- For a man who was dealing with no heat upstairs and frozen pipes in his basement at home, Lenny Kaplan was remarkably upbeat on Thursday.

“Today is a very good day,” he said with a laugh.

N.J.I.T. announced Thursday that it would break ground on a long-awaited $100 million multipurpose athletic facility this summer. The key component is an arena seating 3,500 fans for the institute’s highest-profile sport, men’s college basketball.

One hope for N.J.I.T. could come from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a league of historically black colleges and universities.

“New Jersey Institute of Technology is a top-flight academic institution,” said the league’s commissioner, Dennis Thomas. “Adding this type of facility sure doesn’t hurt with conference affiliation. From the MEAC’s perspective, it’s an attractive institution.”

Thomas added that his league, which has 13 members, was seeking to take in a 14th to round out its roster. He would not comment on the timetable for that process.

CONTINUE READING

Nuggets, Rush to fire from the starting blocks March 7

NEW ORLEANS — In two weeks, Xavier University of Louisiana will compete in the first of eight meets on the 2015 men's and women's outdoor track and field schedule.

Coach Joseph Moses announced the schedule Friday. This is the sixth season in XU's most recent revival of the sport.

The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will begin the season March 7 in the Mississippi College Opener at Clinton, Miss. They'll also compete in meets hosted by NCAA Division I members McNeese State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Texas State, Southern Miss and Tulane.

Xavier will compete four times in its home state, including April 11 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships. Dillard will be the host institution for that meet. Xavier won three of the last four GCAC women's team championships — 2014, 2013 and 2011.

Xavier will visit Texas for the first time during its current incarnation, March 27-28 in the Bobcat Invitational at San Marcos.

For the second straight year, the NAIA Outdoor Championships will be conducted at Gulf Shores, Ala. The XU women placed 25th — their highest-ever national finish — at the 2014 NAIA meet.

Xavier returns 12 All-GCAC performers — 10 women and two men — from 2014.

2015 Xavier University of Louisiana Outdoor Track and Field Schedule

MEN AND WOMEN

March 7 (Sat.): Mississippi College Opener at James E. Parkman Track, Clinton, Miss.

March 14 (Sat.): McNeese Cowboy Relays at McNeese Cameron Communications Track and Field Complex, Lake Charles, La.

March 20-21 (Fri.-Sat.): Louisiana Classics at Cajuns Track/Soccer Facility, Lafayette, La.

March 27-28 (Fri.-Sat.): Bobcat Invitational at Texas State University Track and Field Stadium, San Marcos, Texas

April 11 (Sat.): Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium, New Orleans, La.

April 24-25 (Fri.-Sat.): Southern Miss Invitational at Marshall Bell Track Complex, Hattiesburg, Miss.

May 2 (Sat.): Tulane Team Challenge at Tad Gormley Stadium, New Orleans, La.

May 21-23 (Thu.-Sat.): NAIA Outdoor Championships at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium, Gulf Shores, Ala.


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

The MLB Urban Invitational Returning to New Orleans for the Second Consecutive Year

NEW ORLEANS  -- The Major League Baseball Urban Invitational is returning to New Orleans for the second consecutive year, with every game, from Friday, February 20th through Sunday, February 22nd, scheduled to be played exclusively in the city for the first time in the event's history. In 2014, Louisiana State University hosted Urban Invitational games in Baton Rouge, with other games being held at the University of New Orleans and the New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy.

The round-robin collegiate baseball tournament, launched by Major League Baseball in 2008 to place an annual spotlight on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their baseball programs, will feature Division-I HBCUs Grambling State University (Grambling, Louisiana), Southern University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) and Alcorn State University (Alcorn, Mississippi), as well as the University of New Orleans. Six games will be played between the four schools, with the University of New Orleans hosting games on all three days. Special guest appearances throughout the weekend will include Hall of Famer Frank Robinson (MLB Senior Advisor and Honorary American League President) and Sharon Robinson (MLB Educational Programming Consultant, author and daughter of Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson).

Saturday's contests at the University of New Orleans will air LIVE on both MLB Network and MLB.com, with play-by-play from Matt Yallof and analysis from former MLB outfielder and Louisiana native Darryl Hamilton.

In addition to games on Friday, February 20th and Sunday, February 22nd, the New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy in Pontchartrain Park will host a private youth baseball clinic on Saturday morning, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (CT). Players from each of the participating Urban Invitational teams will provide instruction to Urban Youth Academy participants and kids from local Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) programs.

A college and career fair will be held at the University of New Orleans from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Ten colleges and universities will be represented to provide attendees with information about college preparation, undergraduate/graduate degree programs, financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Local businesses also will be on hand to provide career advice and discuss potential job opportunities. High school and college students from areas in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are invited to attend at no charge.

Also at the University of New Orleans, Sharon Robinson will meet with students (in grades 4-9) on Saturday, beginning at 10:00 a.m., to talk about her father and help them craft and edit their own essays for the Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life essay contest. The Breaking Barriers Essay Contest is a chance for students across the U.S. and Canada, in grades 4-9, to write an essay about their personal stories of how they use Jackie Robinson's nine values to overcome their own barriers: Citizenship, Commitment, Courage, Determination, Excellence, Integrity, Justice, Persistence and Teamwork. The Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life program, in partnership between Major League Baseball and Scholastic, is generously supported by Church & Dwight, maker of Arm & Hammer and OxiClean products.

"The Urban Invitational is an extraordinary event that not only highlights the quality of HBCU baseball, but also the character of these young men who participate," said Sharon Robinson. "As an alumna of an HBCU [Howard University], I am excited to join in the recognition of these wonderful academic institutions in all that they do to shape the leaders of tomorrow."

HBCUs have long offered quality educational and athletic programs and have a proud tradition of attracting outstanding baseball players. Baseball Hall of Famers Lou Brock (Southern University) and Andre Dawson (Florida A&M), as well as Seattle Mariners infielder Rickie Weeks (Southern University) played in HBCU baseball programs. Since 2008, the year of the inaugural Urban Invitational, 20 HBCU athletes who have played in the tournament have been selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. Four tournament alumni were taken in the 2014 Draft, including Emmanuel Marrero, an Alabama State University alumnus, who was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh round.

This will be Southern University's eighth Urban Invitational, making them the only school to have participated in every tournament. Grambling State will make its fourth appearance, the University of New Orleans will make its second appearance and Alcorn State University will be participating for the first time.

Local high school bands will have the opportunity to perform around Saturday's contests as the Landry-Walker High School band will perform the National Anthem prior to the first game (2:00 p.m.), while the band from St. Augustine High School will perform prior to the second game.

Complete Game Schedule (Central Time):

Friday, February 20, 3:00 p.m. @ New Orleans MLBUYA: Grambling State University vs. Southern University
Friday, February 20, 6:00 p.m. @ University of New Orleans (UNO): Alcorn State University at University of New Orleans
Saturday, February 21, 10:00 a.m. @ New Orleans MLBUYA: Private Youth Baseball Clinic for UYA and RBI participants
Saturday, February 21, 10:00 a.m. @ UNO: Sharon Robinson Breaking Barriers visit with local students
Saturday, February 21, 11:00 a.m. @ UNO: College & Career Fair
Saturday, February 21, 2:00 p.m. @ UNO: Alcorn State University vs. Grambling State University, (will air LIVE on MLB Network and MLB.com)
Saturday, February 21, TBD @ UNO: Southern University at University of New Orleans (will air LIVE on MLB Network and MLB.com)
Sunday, February 22, 1:00 p.m. @ New Orleans MLBUYA: Southern University vs. Alcorn State University
Sunday, February 22, 1:00 p.m. @ UNO: Grambling State University at University of New Orleans

Major League Baseball is dedicated to its ongoing diversity efforts, including the implementation of programs that make it easier for underserved and inner city youth to participate in baseball and softball. With four operating MLB Urban Youth Academies in Cincinnati (Ohio), Compton (California), Houston (Texas), and New Orleans (Louisiana), plus an Academy in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) that is currently under construction, MLB has continued to allot resources to bring America's pastime to young people in urban communities.

Abbes breaks GCAC record; Soifer wins 2nd in a row

Nikita Soifer

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Nour Abbes broke a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's tennis record Tuesday when she was named Player of the Week for the eighth time in her career.

The GCAC Player of the Week in men's tennis is Xavier's Nikita Soifer, who earned the honor for the second consecutive week.

The awards cover Feb. 9-15.

Abbes, a senior from Tunis, Tunisia, and a graduate of Lycée Sportif d'El Menzah, broke the conference record she shared with former teammate Kourtney Howell. Abbes defeated William Carey's No. 1 singles player, Audrey Leitz, 6-2, 6-1 in a 6-3 dual-match home victory Saturday. Three days earlier, Abbes led 6-3, 5-1 on the road against NCAA Division I Louisiana-Lafayette's top singles player, Nelo Phiri, when the dual ended.

Abbes is 34-1 her XU singles career. The GCAC award is her second of the season.

Nour Abbes

Soifer, a senior from Beer Sheva, Israel, and a graduate of Hof Hasharon, won the GCAC award for the fifth time in his career. He remained unbeaten in the spring semester, earning doubles and singles victories at home Saturday against then-NAIA No. 22 William Carey. He teamed with Kyle Montrel for an 8-4 victory against Nick Georgian-Andreas Brune, then Soifer beat Lukas Moritzen 6-2, 6-1.

The Gold Rush won the dual 7-2.

Xavier's women will visit the University of New Orleans at 3 p.m. Saturday, then travel to Mobile, Ala., for a neutral-site dual at 2 p.m. Monday against NAIA No. 7 Brenau. XU's men and women will play Alcorn State at 2 p.m. Tuesday at XU Tennis Center. UNO and Alcorn State are NCAA DI members.

Xavier's women are ranked third in the NAIA, and the men are eighth.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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FAMU Routs Grandview Prep to Win Class 2A Title

LAKELAND, Florida -- Forget offense. Tallahassee FAMU rode its pressure defense to its third Class 2A girls basketball state championship in four years Thursday.

The Baby Rattlers (27-2) forced 36 turnovers by Boca Raton Grandview Prep in defeating the defending Class 2A state champion Pride, 75-45, at The Lakeland Center.

It is FAMU's fourth state title overall and the first for first-year head coach Ericka Cromartie, who played in the state tournament for FAMU in 1999 and 2001.

"I'm very familiar with the program having played here,” Cromartie said. “When we started in September, I told them the team I played on, I knew this team was better and if we stick together and play hard, we will win state. They did and they deserved it."

FAMU, which won state titles in 2012 and 2013, scored 29 points off of those turnovers and used its defense to keep the Pride from getting its offense going.

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BOG approves FAMU-FSU engineering fixes

Dr. Elmira Mangum, President
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

The progressive, 21st century approach "is important to our students and the state of Florida that we proceed with the joint program."  Dr. Elmira Mangum

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida Board of Governors voted unanimously Thursday to keep intact the joint Florida A&M University and Florida State University engineering school, with the caveat that organizational changes be implemented.

A proposal last year to split the schools, which have historically has been unequally funded and pursued differing missions, was met with chagrin from officials and students at both universities.

The BOG indicated last week the school should remain together and made several recommendations including: a 12-member joint council of university officials from FAMU and FSU; a new budget entity that will manage funding for the school as a whole instead of separately as in the past; a multi-year plan to address updating facilities; and integrating academic and student affairs activities traditionally split between the universities.

The council would need to provide semi-annual updates on recruiting, enrollment and graduation by gender and ethnicity, budget and expenditures, research funding and activities and on hiring, promotion, tenure and integration.

After last year's proposal by then state senator John Thrasher, who is now FSU's president, the Legislature directed the BOG, with the help of an outside consulting firm, to look at the issues associated with splitting the school. The report put a $1-billion price tag on the divorce, split equally between the schools.

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Florida State and FAMU students win Engineering School struggle

“Powerful interests will always try to stop the power of students. It is up to us to collectively build that power to stop racist actions such as this.”  Shivaani Eshaan of Dream Defenders



TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Students here celebrated a victory Feb. 19. Students, community members, faculty and Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) administrators successfully prevented the Florida State University-FAMU Engineering School from being split apart.

The victory results from an organizing campaign targeting FSU President John Thrasher and Governor Rick Scott. The Board of Governors is now set to vote on the decision to stay unified and strengthen their relationship.

“Having the College of Engineering maintain its partnership is great news for both parties. Now we can focus on the known, solvable issues that can improve the execution of our mission, as opposed to being distracted by decisions that may or may not even result in research, educational and social goals both universities want to achieve,” explained Ruben Nelson, former Vice President of the National Society of Black Engineers.

The Tallahassee Dream Defenders and National Society for Black Engineers led the charge against the racist bill, first proposed by FSU’s current president John Thrasher. With the help of allies such as FAMU Student Government Association, FAMU President Dr. Elmira Mangum and Students for a Democratic Society, they resisted an attack on African American students’ education rights.

The coalition rejected the ...



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Lions land highly touted Howard U. QB Greg McGhee

VANCOUVER — The B.C. Lions have reached an agreement with highly touted NCAA quarterback Greg McGhee, the CFL team announced this morning.

"Having had an opportunity to meet Greg in person, I am very impressed by his intelligence, athletic ability and eagerness to learn and compete," head coach Jeff Tedford said in a statement. "He's got some great credentials and I look forward to having him come up here and try to earn a spot on our club." 
The left-handed McGhee, a four-year starter for the Howard University Bisons, bypassed the National Football League combine in Indianapolis this week to join the Leos, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported last night.



McGhee was selected the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) co-offensive player of the year last season when he passed for 2,379 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 896 yards and three more scores

The left-handed dual threat quarterback has been compared in playing style to NFL quarterback Michael Vick.

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