Alabama State Hornets Set To "Swarm And Sting" With 2015 Football Schedule

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MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  Alabama State University announced its 2015 football schedule today, including a new matchup for Homecoming, the Golden Bears of Miles College.

"There is always great anticipation for the start of the football season, but this one is extra special as it's my first in Hornet Nation," said New Head Coach Brian Jenkins.

The Jenkins Era of Hornets football begins with a new theme for the 2015 season: SWARM and STING. Jenkins said it's not just a slogan; it's the goal, expectation and the standard for how Hornets football will compete each week.

"SWARM and STING is how we expect to operate in every aspect of our program – to be fast, aggressive, and decisive, delivering the blow to our opponents," said Jenkins. "We have a challenging schedule as it is every year, with our conference games being at the core. As I said in my introductory press conference, the time is now for us – not I – but us to get it done. We will work diligently to have the best season we can in 2015 and look forward to the support of Hornet Nation as our '12th man' both at home and on the road."

Interim Athletic Director Melvin Hines said with the release of the new schedule, fans can make their plans to join the Hornets for an exciting season.


Alabama State's athletic administration discussed the $80 million dollars the University committed towards facilities and the plan for the athletic department. Alabama State wants to considered "a great institution that just happens to be a HBCU."

"ASU fans have been looking forward to the start of Jenkins Era football since his arrival," Hines said. "In just a few months, we'll kick off what promises to be an electrifying season on the gridiron."

ASU will open the season Sunday, Sept. 6 at Tennessee State in the John Merritt Classic. Jenkins and the Hornets will make their home debut Saturday, Sept. 12 when Alabama State hosts defending SWAC Champion Alcorn State. Alabama State returns home the follow week to host Grambling State (Sept. 19) in the 2nd Annual Prince Hall Masons Americanism Football Classic.

The Hornets will then play five of the next six games away from home, starting with road games at Mississippi Valley State (Sept. 26) and Texas Southern (Oct. 3) before returning home to face Southern (Oct. 10). The team hits the road again to play Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Oct. 17). Following an open date, the Hornets will meet the Alabama A&M Bulldogs in the 74th State Farm Magic City Classic on Halloween.

After a Nov. 7 game at Jackson State, Alabama State will play its final two regular season games at home. The Hornets will host Prairie View on Connection Day / Military Appreciation Day on Nov. 14, prior to the homecoming contest against Miles on Nov. 21.

The Toyota SWAC Football Championship is Saturday, Dec. 6 in Houston, Texas.

Season tickets deposits are only $50 at bamastatesports.com/tickets.

2015 Football Schedule


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Date Opponent Location Time
9/6/2015 Tennessee State  Nashville, TN TBA
9/12/2015 * Alcorn State Montgomery, Ala. - New ASU Stadium TBA Prince Hall Masons Americanism Football Classic
9/19/2015 * Grambling State Montgomery, Ala. - New ASU Stadium TBA
9/26/2015 * Mississippi Valley State Itta Bena, MS TBA
10/3/2015 * Texas Southern Houston, TX TBA
10/10/2015 * Southern U.  Montgomery, Ala. - New ASU Stadium TBA
10/17/2015 * Arkansas - Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, AR TBA
10/31/2015 * Alabama A&M Birmingham, Ala. TBA 74th State Farm Magic City Classic
11/7/2015 * Jackson State,  Jackson, MS TBA
11/14/2015 * Prairie View A&M   Montgomery, Ala. - New ASU Stadium TBA 
11/21/2015 Miles College Montgomery, Ala. - New ASU Stadium TBA Homecoming

Toyota SWAC Championship
12/5/2015 TBA Houston, Texas

BOLD: Home Games
*SWAC Game


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UAPB Golden Lions Baseball Upset #7 Ranked Mississippi State

STARKVILLE, Mississippi -- Mississippi State saw its season-opening 13-game win streak snapped with a 3-2 loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on a rain-soaked Tuesday night at Dudy Noble Field.

Andre Davis drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the top of the eighth inning. A double play ball got the Bulldogs out of the inning but the damage was done.

UAPB (4-6) scored twice off MSU starter Jesse McCord in the top of the first inning. Rashawn Tillman led off with a single, followed by Westin Hinkel reaching as a hit batsman. After a groundout, Vladimir Gomez followed with a two-run single.

MSU (13-1) answered with two runs in the fourth inning. Wes Rea reached as a hit batsman. After a strikeout, Josh Lovelady reached on a fielder's choice. John Holland followed with a single. Seth Heck had an RBI-single, while Jake Vickerson reached on an RBI-groundout.



Ryan Gridley and Jacob Robson started the fifth inning with back-to-back singles. A double play worked the Golden Lions out of that inning.

From there, things were difficult for the Bulldogs. After a 50-minute rain delay in the sixth inning, the Bulldogs managed two base runners the rest of the way – a sixth-inning single by Seth Heck and ninth-inning single by Reid Humphreys.

McCord worked 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and two runs (both earned). Daniel Brown followed with career-best four innings of shutout relief. Zac Houston then pitched, before giving way to Ross Mitchell (3-1) who took the loss. Trevor Fitts recorded the final five outs, including issuing the bases-loaded walk.

MSU finished with six hits. Heck had two hits to lead the Bulldogs.

UAPB finished with six hits. Tillman had two hits for the Golden Lions.

Andre Davis (1-0) pitched the final four innings to earn the win. Davis allowed two hits and struck out two while facing two batters above the minimum.

MSU will open a three-game series with a 6:30 p.m. start Friday against San Diego. For more information on head coach John Cohen’s club, follow the team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for “HailStateBB.” You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for “HailStateSnap.”

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Gold Rush to play Dillard in GCAC Tournament at XU

NEW ORLEANS — For the second time in three years, Xavier University of Louisiana and longtime city rival Dillard will meet in the men's basketball opening round of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

The second-seeded Gold Rush (22-8) and the seventh-seeded Bleu Devils (5-24) will play at 7 p.m. Friday at XU's Convocation Center in the last of four men's games that day. The GCAC announced the tournament schedule Wednesday.

The XU-Dillard winner will advance to the semifinals against third-seeded Tougaloo or sixth-seeded Voorhees at 7 p.m. Saturday. The championship game will start at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Convocation Center will be the site of all three men's rounds, plus the women's semifinals and championship. The women's first-round games will be played Friday at Dillard's Dent Hall.

The XU men allowed their fewest points of the season Saturday in a 67-41 home victory against Dillard in both teams' regular-season finale. A Convocation Center-record crowd of 3,267 watched the Gold Rush shoot 53.7 percent from the floor, commit a season-low-tying seven turnovers and produce five double-figure scorers.

Two years ago, Xavier dominated Dillard similarly in the regular-season finale at Xavier, but the eighth-seeded Bleu Devils shocked the top-seeded Gold Rush 59-56 six days later in the GCAC Tournament quarterfinals at Little Rock, Ark.

This time Xavier has home-court advantage. The Gold Rush are 7-0 against Dillard on XU's campus since Dillard's 63-50 victory at The Barn on Jan. 25, 1999.

Xavier last defeated the Bleu Devils in the postseason in 1993. The Gold Rush lead the series 82-48 and have won four straight and 19 of the past 21 meetings.

Xavier seeks its first appearance in the championship game since 2011 and its first GCAC Tournament title since 1996. Talladega defeated Philander Smith 104-95 in overtime in the championship game a year ago at the Convocation Center. This year Talladega is the tournament's top seed and No. 1 nationally.

Junior guard Morris Wright in 2014-15 became the first Gold Rush player to reach 400 points, 100 rebounds, 100 assists, 50 steals, 100 made free throws and 50 made 3-pointers in one season.

The tournament winner will receive the GCAC's automatic bid to the Buffalo Funds-NCAA Division I National Championship, which will begin March 18 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. Xavier qualified for the national tournament eight times in the past 10 seasons, including 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 as an at-large selection. Xavier is ranked 18th nationally with a new top 25 to be announced March 11.

The tournament schedule:

Quarterfinals (First Round) — Friday, March 6
#4 Philander Smith vs. #5 Edward Waters, noon
#3 Tougaloo vs. #6 Voorhees, 2 p.m.
#1 Talladega vs. #8 SUNO, 5 p.m.
#2 Xavier vs. #7 Dillard, 7 p.m.

Semifinals — Saturday, March 7
Talladega-SUNO winner vs. Philander Smith-Edward Waters winner, 2 p.m.
Xavier-Dillard winner vs. Tougaloo-Voorhees winner, 7 p.m.

Championship — Sunday, March 8
Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorXULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Paine roars into SIAC semifinals with blowout win over Clark Atlanta

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- After getting little respect in the NCAA Division II South Region poll the past two weeks, the Paine College men opened tournament play with a statement win.

Denzel Dillingham scored 20 points and the Lions rolled to a 97-71 win over Clark Atlanta on Wednesday in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference quarterfinals.

“Our confidence level is through the roof,” Paine coach Jimmy Link said. “The difference was we kind of slowed them down, because they like to push it. We got out in transition off their misses, and it was really good to see us get out and hit ahead and advance the ball, which is what we harp on a lot.”




Paine (23-5), which extended its winning streak to nine games, advances to the tournament semifinals at 4:15 p.m. Friday, when it will play the Lane-Claflin winner. Despite winning their conference and recording the school’s most wins in 21 seasons, the Lions fell from seventh in the South Region poll to unranked last week. On Wednesday, Paine checked back in at No. 10 – a meaningless spot. The top eight teams in the region will advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament when the selections are announced Sunday night.

The Lions can earn a berth to the NCAA Tournament by winning two more games and gaining the SIAC’s automatic bid.

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No. 6 Xavier Rush have highest rank since 2014 preseason

NEW ORLEANS -- Six victories in the first seven dual matches propelled Xavier University of Louisiana to a tie for sixth Tuesday in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

It's the third poll of the season. The Gold Rush were eighth in the first two polls. The rank is the highest for the XU men since the 2014 preseason poll, when they were tied for sixth. 

Xavier's active streaks include 62 consecutive top-25 appearances and 32 straight times in the top 10.

Xavier and Bethany (Kan.) share sixth. Defending NAIA champion Georgia Gwinnett remains a unanimous No. 1.

It's the first time in 19 polls -- since Feb. 19, 2013 -- that the XU men are ranked higher than the women. The Gold Nuggets dropped from third to seventh.

Xavier will play Martin Methodist, which received poll votes this week, at noon Friday in the AUM Invitational at Montgomery, Ala. The Gold Rush have a five-dual win streak.

The top 25:

1. Georgia Gwinnett
2. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
3. Auburn Montgomery
4. Vanguard
5. Lindsey Wilson
6. (tie) Xavier
6. (tie) Bethany (Kan.)
8. Westmont
9. Concordia (Calif.)
10. Cumberland
11. William Carey
12. Graceland
13. Northwestern Ohio
14. Belhaven
15. Northwood (Fla.)
16. Coastal Georgia
17. San Diego Christian
18. Pikeville
19. SCAD Atlanta
20. Oklahoma Baptist
21. Lewis-Clark State
22. Aquinas
23. SCAD Savannah
24. Olivet Nazarene
25. Indiana Wesleyan

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

Florida A&M Baseball Shuts Down Jacksonville 5-1

Jacksonville, Florida – Florida A&M (4-6, 2-1 MEAC) pounded out a season-high 12 hits and the pitching staff shutdown the Jacksonville (5-7) offense en route to a 5-1 win at John Sessions Stadium on Tuesday night. The win is the fourth straight over JU. The Rattler pitching staff held the Dolphins scoreless with only four hits over the final eight innings. Eight different Rattlers recorded a hit in the win while Jared Walker, Ryan Kennedy, Marlon Gibbs and Michael Birdsong each had two hits apiece. FAMU’s bullpen has now allowed just one earned run in the last 21 innings.

Kendal Weeks (1-1) earned the win after working a pre-determined four innings and allowed just one run on four hits with a walk for his first win of the season. Ryan Anderson picked up the save as he pitched the final four scoreless innings and gave up just one hit with two strikeouts.

JU scored one run in the bottom of the first inning for an early 1-0 lead. Cameron Gibson and Angelo Amendolare recorded back-to-back singles to start the home half of the first to put runners on the corners with no outs. Connor Marabell’s sac fly to left then scored Gibson from third for the Dolphins only run of the game.

The Rattlers answered and took the lead for good with two runs on three hits in the top of the second inning for a score of 2-1. Gibbs and Birdsong had back-to-back singles of their own to open the top of the second. Peter Jackson drew a walk to load the bases with no outs and Brian Davis singled to right to plate Gibbs from third to tie the game at 1-1. After AJ Elkins struck out, Jared Walker’s bunt popped up back to the pitcher but an errant throw to third allowed Birdsong to score the second run of the inning for the lead.

FAMU pushed across two more runs in the third inning on a pair of RBI from Gibbs and Jackson to increase its lead to 4-1. Kennedy led off the third inning with a double off the wall in left and advanced to third as Jeremy Barlow laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. Kennedy would later score on Gibbs’ RBI single to left. Gibbs stole second on a hit-and-run play, where Birdsong struck out, and then took third on a wild pitch. Gibbs later came home to score on Jackson’s, two out, infield RBI single.

Florida A&M added one more run in the sixth inning for the final score of 5-1. Walker singled up the middle with two outs and stole both second and third. Walker would come home to score on a dropped third strike, passed ball, to Alec Wong that would have ended the inning.

Dolphin starter Shane Wise (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks for the loss.

FAMU returns home to Moore-Kittles Field for a five-game home stretch starting with a doubleheader against Savannah State on Saturday in the MEAC home opener. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM and game two will start shortly after the conclusion of game one. Chase Jarrell (1-1) will be on the mound in game one for the Rattlers, while MEAC Pitcher of the Week David Ogilvie (0-1) will start game two.

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Top-seeded Stillman Tigers Season Ends Versus Benedict in SIAC Quarterfinals, 82-78

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- A second-half comeback fell short despite taking a late lead versus Benedict, ending the season for the Stillman Tigers in the SIAC Quarterfinals, 82-78.  Five players reached double-digits in points, including both seniors - Markeith Madison and Harold Ingram.

After falling behind early in the opening half Stillman took the lead for the first time, 18-17, when Ingram grabbed the offensive rebound and converted with a layup.  Kairo Cannon picked up the quick steal and found Madison for the fast break layup to extend the lead, 20-17, with 9:42 remaining in the opening half.  After Rodnerius Lewis tied the game with 5:26 to play, 25-25, Benedict used a 19-7 run to close the half and lead by a dozen points at the intermission; 44-32.  Benedict held the fist-half advantage in point in the paint, 22-14, and points off turnovers, 13-8.  Stillman turned the ball over 11 times in the opening 20 minutes.

Benedict led by as many as 15 points in the second half, 55-40, before Stillman fought back to tie the game.  Ingram connected with a 3-pointer to knot the score, 66-66, with 3:56 to play.  Ingram tied the game one more time with a long jumper, 68-68, with just over three minutes left in the game.  Lewis made the front end of a pair of free throws for the lone second-half lead for Stillman, 69-68, with 2:30 left in the game.  The game ended with Benedict using a 14-9 run fueled by Benedict converting 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

Lewis scored a team-high 17 points ahead of 14 from Ingram, 13 each from Cannon and Madison, with Maurice Crenshaw adding 12 from the bench.  Both Ingram and Madison pulled in a game-high nine rebounds.  Stillman shot 41.9 percent from the floor and 65.5 percent - 19-for-29 - from the free throw line.

The Tigers end the 2014-2015 campaign with a 17-10 overall record, including 13-6 in SIAC action and 11-1 at home.

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Nuggets, Tougaloo in GCAC 1st-round matchup at DU

NEW ORLEANS — For the sixth time in seven years, the women's basketball teams of Xavier University of Louisiana and Tougaloo will meet in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

The GCAC announced pairings Wednesday. The second-seeded Gold Nuggets (16-14) and the seventh-seeded Lady Bulldogs (4-22) will meet at 5 p.m. Friday at Dillard's Dent Hall in the opening round.

The XU-Tougaloo winner will advance to the semifinals against third-seeded Dillard or sixth-seeded Edward Waters at noon Saturday at Xavier's Convocation Center. The championship game will start at 3 p.m. Sunday at Xavier.

Dillard will play host to all four Friday women's games.

The Gold Nuggets have won 10 consecutive postseason games against Tougaloo, are 2-0 against the Lady Bulldogs this season and have won 22 of the last 23 meetings overall. But Tougaloo has something Xavier doesn't: a victory this season at Dillard.

The Lady Bulldogs shot 51 percent from the floor and made 25-of-32 free throws last week in a 79-57 rout which spoiled Dillard's Senior Day festivities. Nearly four weeks earlier, the Gold Nuggets scored their fewest points ever against Dillard in a 53-42 defeat.

Xavier gained a season split with Dillard by winning 60-57 at home Saturday, but the Nuggets are 9-10 since a season-best five-game winning streak from late November and the first half of December.

"It's been a wild year. I can't lie about that," said 16th-year head coach Bo Browder, whose Nuggets have won four of the past five GCAC tourneys. "We've been searching for consistency and hope we can make a nice run in the tournament. But we know we'll have to play extremely well for 40 minutes at a time. I know we're capable of doing that."

Xavier's largest winning margin of the season was 67-38 at Tougaloo on Feb. 16. The Gold Nuggets won 69-58 at home Jan. 12 against Tougaloo.

"It's March," Browder said. "Lots of upsets happen this time of year. No one had better be taking anyone lightly. Tougaloo played great at Dillard last week. That definitely got our attention."

As a No. 6 seed a year ago, Tougaloo rallied in the second half to upset third-seeded SUNO 81-74 in the quarterfinals at Dillard. Xavier won 60-47 at Dillard in the 2014 quarterfinals, then beat Tougaloo 84-73 in the semifinals and Talladega 66-59 in the final. XU junior guard Whitney Gathright, the team's leading scorer this season with 13.1 points per game, was the 2014 GCAC Tournament MVP.

The tournament winner will receive the GCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I National Championship, which will begin March 18 at Independence Events Center in Independence, Mo. Xavier qualified for the national tournament 18 times in the past 20 seasons, including 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The tournament schedule:

Quarterfinals (First Round) — Friday, March 6 at Dillard's Dent Hall
#4 Talladega vs. #5 Philander Smith, noon
#3 Dillard vs. #6 Edward Waters, 2 p.m.
#2 Xavier vs. #7 Tougaloo, 5 p.m.
#1 SUNO vs. #8 Voorhees, 7 p.m.

Semifinals — Saturday, March 7 at Xavier's Convocation Center
Xavier-Tougaloo winner vs. Dillard-Edward Waters winner, noon
SUNO-Voorhees winner vs. Talladega-Philander Smith winner, 5 p.m.

Championship — Sunday, March 8 at Xavier's Convocation Center
Semifinal winners, 3 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
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XU's Mandlekar, Bruins earn GCAC's weekly awards

Tushar Mandlekar, top, and Sha'Nel Bruins are GCAC Players of the Week for Feb. 23-March 1.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana sophomores Tushar Mandlekar and Sha'Nel Bruins are Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Players of the Week in tennis for Feb. 23-March 1.
     
Mandlekar, from Bhilai, India, and a graduate of Deepak Nagar, was 3-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles to help the XU men extend their win streak to five dual matches. Xavier beat NCAA Division I's Alcorn State and, against Tougaloo, extended its regular-season win streak against GCAC opponents to 48 dual matches.
     
Bruins, from Colfax, La., and a graduate of Grant High School, was 4-0 in singles and 2-1 in doubles during the Gold Nuggets' 3-1 week which included a victory against Alcorn State. In the final completed match against Alcorn, Bruins clinched the dual with a 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (14-12) victory against Aakanksha Punj. Bruins rallied from an 8-4 deficit in the third-set super-tiebreaker.
     
This is the first GCAC Player of the Week award of Bruins' career. The award is the third of Mandlekar's career and his first this season. Bruins is 8-3 in singles and 6-4 in doubles during the spring semester, and Mandlekar is 6-1 in singles and 6-1 in doubles.
     
Both XU teams will play Martin Methodist in opening round of the AUM Invitational at noon Friday at Lagoon Park Tennis Center in Montgomery, Ala. The Gold Rush are ranked sixth in the NAIA, and the Gold Nuggets are seventh.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Howard Football Announces 2015 Schedule

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Howard University announced its 2015 football schedule, which includes three first-time opponents on the non-conference schedule and Homecoming in early October.

The Bison will open the season at perennial FCS power and first-time foe Appalachian State on September 5 in Boone, NC. The following week, the Bison will travel to Boston, MA to take on Boston College for the first time on September 12.

Howard will open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play when it takes on rival Hampton University in the AT&T Nation's Football Classic on September 18 at RFK Stadium. That game will be played "under the lights" on a Friday night.

MEAC play will continue for the Bison when they travel to East Rutherford, NJ to take on Morgan State in the New York Urban League Classic on September 26.

Howard will host Homecoming the following week when the Bison square off against Norfolk State on October 3 in Greene Stadium.


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Following a bye week, Howard travels to Orangeburg, SC to face South Carolina State on October 17 and Greensboro, NC the following week to face the Aggies of North Carolina A&T on October 24.

Howard will play its second of three home games when it hosts Savannah State on October 31. That will be followed by a road trip to New York on November 7 to take on Stony Brook – the final first-time opponent on the schedule.

The Bison will then play its home finale on November 14 against the Eagles of North Carolina Central. The Bison will close out the 2015 season on the road against Delaware State on November 21.


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Listed below is the full schedule:

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
9/5/15 Appalachian State Boone, NC TBA
9/12/15 Boston College Boston, MA TBA
9/18/15 ^ # Hampton Washington, DC RFK Stadium
9/26/15 $ # Morgan State East Rutherford, NJ 4:00 PM
10/3/15 @ # Norfolk State Washington, DC 1:00 PM
10/10/15 BYE
10/17/15 # South Carolina State Orangeburg, SC TBA
10/24/15 # North Carolina A&T Greensboro, NC TBA
10/31/15 # Savannah State Washington, DC 1:00 PM
11/7/15 Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY TBA
11/14/15 # North Carolina Central Washington, DC 1:00 PM
11/21/15 # Delaware State Dover, DE TBA

# Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Game^ AT&T Nation's Football Classic
$ New York Urban League Classic
@ Howard Homecoming
BOLD: Home Game

Check back to www.HUBison.com in the Fall for updates on tickets, Homecoming and more!


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Albany State, Tuskegee cheerleaders ejected from SIAC tourney after brawl

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Members of the Albany State University and Tuskegee University cheerleading and dance teams were sent home Tuesday night following a fight that occurred between the two squads at halftime during their schools’ opening-round game at the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament.

The SIAC office issued a statement Wednesday morning: “The obligation to observe basic principles of sportsmanship and fair play extends to all participants at the SIAC basketball tournament. As a consequence of the incident on Tuesday, the cheerleading and dance teams from both Albany State University and Tuskegee University will not be permitted to participate in our tournament for the remainder of the week.”

ASU Athletic Director Richard Williams said Wednesday that an investigation into the behavior of the university’s cheerleading squad was under way.

“At Albany State University, we take pride in demonstrating exemplary sportsmanship, leadership and good character,” Williams said. “We expect our student athletes and representatives to conduct themselves accordingly; anything less is unacceptable.

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Rush 18th, play at home in GCAC tourney Friday

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana climbed three places to 18th Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The Gold Rush (22-8) closed the regular season with three consecutive victories, the last a 67-41 home victory Saturday against city rival Dillard. Xavier will be the No. 2 seed in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament and will play Friday against seventh-seeded Dillard at XU's Convocation Center. Starting times are expected to be announced by noon Wednesday.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 48th consecutive poll. That's the longest current streak of top-25 appearances among NAIA DI men.

The GCAC Tournament's No. 1 seed, Talladega, is No. 1 nationally for the third consecutive week. The Tornadoes received all 10 first-place votes.

The top 25:

1. Talladega
2. Hope International
3. Cal State San Marcos
4. Freed-Hardeman
5. Dalton State
6. Pikeville
7. (tie) Concordia (Calif.)
7. (tie) Campbellsville
9. Martin Methodist
10. LSU-Alexandria
11. Georgetown (Ky.)
12. Columbia (Mo.)
13. Wayland Baptist
14. Mid-America Christian
15. Montana Western
16. Benedictine (Kan.)
17. Our Lady of the Lake
18. Xavier
19. Arizona Christian
20. Lewis-Clark State
21. Westmont
22. Evangel
23. Oklahoma City
24. Southwestern Assemblies of God
25. LSU-Shreveport


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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PVAMU Panthers defeat Alabama State 67-65 to keep win streak rolling

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Prairie View A&M Panthers built a nine-point lead midway through the second half and then held off an Alabama State comeback attempt Monday to claim a 67-65 win over the Hornets.

In front of boisterous crowd announced at 2,456 spectators, John Brisco scored 20 points, none bigger than the two he made on free throws with 19 seconds remaining to help the Panthers build a 3-point lead. Alabama State's Jamel Waters missed two out of three free throws with a chance to tie the game with 7.1 seconds left.

Tre Hagood scored 13 points and record six assists and five steals for the Panthers (13-16), who improved to 11-5 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. Karim York added 12 points and nine rebounds.

The win was the Panthers' seventh consecutive triumph, eclipsing their six-game winning streak from the 2008-09 season, their best in the past decade. Prairie View A&M's current winning streak is their longest since a run of 12 consecutive wins all the way back in the 1972-73 season.

After Waters missed two out of three free throws in the final seconds, the Hornets got one more chance to tie the game after Prairie View A&M came up empty-handed on a one-and-one foul line trip. The Hornets again gave the ball to Waters, who drove in for a game-tying layup, only to be blocked by Reggis Onwukamuche to seal the win for the Panthers.

Onwukamuche finished the game with nine points and seven rebounds. He also blocked four shots in the contest, including the one that preserved the win. Four of those points came on a pair of monster dunks that only briefly quieted the enthusiastic, heckling Alabama State crowd.

With the exception of the Southern and Alcorn State, who make their treks to Texas this week, the Panthers have now beaten other opponent in the SWAC. Prairie View A&M has beaten the top two teams in the conference on the road this season – Texas Southern (17-12, 14-2 SWAC) and Alabama State (16-9, 12-4 SWAC).

Steve Rogers came off the Alabama State bench to score a game-high 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Rogers' output replaced that of DeMarcus Robinson, who scored 26 points – including the game-winner as time expired – in Alabama State's win in Prairie View one month ago.

The Panthers led by as many as nine points in the second half, only to see Alabama State chip away at the advantage in the late stages of the game. Prairie View A&M took the upper hand with a 17-5 run between the 16:56 and 10:36 marks of the second half to build a 50-41 lead.

Even with the Hornets getting the score back to a one-possession advantage several times, the Panthers had an answer. Brisco stifled a 5-0 State run with a midrange jumper that stretched the visitors' lead to 63-59 with 2:47 remaining in the game.

Hagood hit his biggest shot of the game with 41 seconds remaining when he knocked down a runner in the lane to put Prairie View A&M ahead 65-61.

The Panthers' starters played 167 of the 200 individual minutes in the game.

Zach Hamilton scored six points for the Panthers, while Montrael Scott added four points and four assists.

The Panthers return to action Thursday when they host Southern University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Prairie View A&M's final home doubleheader of the season will be Saturday when Alcorn State visits William J. Nicks Arena.

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COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU clinches share of regular season SWAC title

NORMAL, Alabama -- The Texas Southern Tigers basketball team clinched at least a share of the 2014-15 SWAC Regular Season Title with a big road win over Alabama A&M on Monday.

The Tigers will have the opportunity to clinch the title outright with a win at home on Thursday, March 5 versus Alcorn State.

Under the direction of TSU head coach Mike Davis this marks the third consecutive season the Tigers' basketball program has claimed a championship.

Texas Southern won the 2013 SWAC Regular Season Championship and the 2014 SWAC Tournament Title.

TSU's Deverell Biggs scored 21 points and Madarious Gibbs added 20 as the Tigers defeated Alabama A&M 77-75 in a contest that went down to the wire.

Texas Southern led by 10 with 3:59 to go, but Alabama A&M got several consecutive baskets to tie the game at 73 with 1:44 left.

Malcolm Riley made 1 of 2 free throws and Chris Thomas followed with a key layup to put Texas Southern back up by three with 19 seconds remaining. AAMU made two free throws closing TSU's lead to one.

Gibbs made it a two-point game with a late free throw, as the Tigers
defense subsequently went on the get their biggest stop of the night as the Bulldogs missed a 3-pointer with four seconds to go.

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COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

It was a banner day for Xavier's outgoing president

NEW ORLEANS — During Xavier University of Louisiana's 2009 athletic awards banquet, longtime XU president Dr. Norman C. Francis received a framed basketball jersey with the number 1. The sequel to that event occurred Saturday at the Convocation Center on a much bigger stage.

Before a facility-record crowd of 3,267 during halftime of the XU-Dillard Crosstown Classic men's basketball game, XU Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn unveiled an 8-foot banner honoring Francis for his 47 years as president and his continued commitment to XU's athletics program.

Xavier University of Louisiana's Dr. Norman C. Francis stands next to the banner honoring his years of presidential service to XU and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. With him, from left, are Faculty Athletics Representative Sister Grace Mary Flickinger, Vice President for Student Services Joseph Byrd and Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn. Francis will retire June 30, 2015, after 47 years as Xavier's president.

photo by Yamlak Tsega, Xavier Athletics  

The banner will hang from the rafters of the Convocation Center along with numerous other new banners which spotlight Xavier's championships won and national-tournament appearances.

Francis, who will celebrate his 84th birthday in about three weeks, will retire June 30, 2015.

Before he ascended to Xavier's presidency in 1968, Francis was one of XU's leading proponents in the 1967 reinstatement of intercollegiate athletics after a 7-year absence. Six years later, in 1973, Xavier's men's basketball team led by Donald "Slick" Watts and Bruce Seals upset top-ranked Sam Houston State 67-60 in the second round of the NAIA National Championship at Kansas City, Mo. That was the second of 78 team or individual appearances by XU athletes at NAIA National Championship events during Francis' presidency.

Also during Francis' tenure, Xavier's more than 700 student-athletes have received 79 All-America awards and 67 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar awards. They have won 94 conference, regional or district championships. In 2014, Xavier earned its fourth consecutive Thomas Howell Cup, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's all-sports award. The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets have produced 32 unbeaten conference seasons.

"Dr. Francis is our No. 1, our MVP," Horn said. "None of our success in athletics has been possible without his leadership and support."

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
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Record crowd attends Crosstown Classic doubleheader

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana attracted a Convocation Center-record 3,267 fans Saturday to its 67-41 men's basketball victory against Dillard in the Crosstown Classic presented by Hotard Coaches.

The previous record in the third-year facility was 2,700 for Xavier's 62-54 Crosstown Classic victory against Dillard on Jan. 25, 2014.

Saturday's opening game of the doubleheader, Xavier's 60-57 victory against Dillard, attracted 2,491 fans, a Convocation Center record for a women's game. The previous record was 1,000 for the Gold Nuggets' 88-34 victory against Johnson & Wales (Fla.) on Nov. 3, 2012, the day the facility opened to the public.

To date, men's basketball has produced a 16.5 increase in average home attendance from 2013-14 and a 23.3 percent increase in total home attendance. Women's basketball has increased 20.3 percent in average home attendance and 38.8 percent in total home attendance. During the fall, women's volleyball increased 9.6 percent in average home attendance and 82.5 percent in total home attendance.

"We would like to thank our students, faculty, staff, alumni and fans for joining us at the Convocation Center on Saturday and all season long," said XU Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn. "Our administrative staff has put a lot of time and effort into growing attendance. We plan to engage our fan base even more in the coming years."

Basketball capacity at the Convocation Center is 3,937. The facility's non-basketball capacity is 4,500.

Xavier's home doubleheader with Dillard attracted 7,189 fans on Feb. 1, 2003, and 6,175 on Feb. 28, 2004. The Crosstown Classics of those years were played downtown at New Orleans Arena, now known as Smoothie King Center.

Xavier will play host to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament this week. The Convocation Center will be the site of men's quarterfinal games Friday, men's and women's semifinals Saturday and men's and women's championship games Sunday. Dillard's Dent Hall will be the site of the women's quarterfinals Friday.

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

91 Xavierites qualify for inaugural AD's Honor Roll

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana honored 91 students Saturday who qualified for the inaugural Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Intercollegiate athletes and members of Xavier's three spirit groups made the AD's Honor Roll by passing 12 or more hours with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average during the spring 2014 semester or the fall 2014 semester. They were recognized during the Xavier-Dillard basketball Crosstown Classic at the Convocation Center.

Five teams/groups had double-digit representation on the AD's Honor Roll, led by the Golden Girls Pom Squad with 17. Women's cross country/track and field provided 16 members, followed by women's volleyball with 13, the Gold Star Dancers with 12 and the cheerleaders with 11.

The members of the 2014 AD's Honor Roll:

Men's Basketball
Riley Smith
Jarvis Thibodeaux

Men's Cross Country/Track and Field
Langston Adams
Emmanuel Detiege
Kwame Jackson
Brent Kitto
Javon Mead
Erwin Simmons

Men's Tennis
Adam Albrecht
Jeremiah Capdeville
Vincenzo Ciccone
Nikita Soifer
Viktor Svoboda

Women's Basketball
Daylin Boatner
Emoni Harvey
Kelsey Joseph
Taylor Norman
Alesha Smith
Danielle Tucker

Women's Cross Country/Track and Field
Angelica Alexander
Clarke Allen
Carlie Calais
Drew Chatters
Terri Cunningham
Catherine Fakler
Hannah Finnegan
Zahri Jackson
Chelsea James
Katelyn McMorris
Kaylee Moore
Devinn Rolland
Tramaine Shannon
Briana Simms
Chelsea Simpson
Kailey Williams

Women's Tennis
Amber Brown
Jordyn Goody
Brandi Nelson
Carmen Nelson

Women's Volleyball
Jada Broussard
Jodi Chatters
Chinedu Echebelem
Ralitsa Hadzhistoyanova
Jodi Hill
Kayla Jones
Franziska Pirkl
Taylor Reuther
Kaelan Temple
Jelena Vujicic
Simone White (also qualified as a cheerleader)
CeCe Williams
Aliyah Wilson

Cheerleaders
Micah Anthony
Sierra Blanchard-Hodge
Jessica Carmon
Tatiana Collins
Morgan Dillard
Shacore Nelson
Ashlyn Pinkins
Rotieranna Scott
Kayla Street
Brianna Thompson
Simone White (also qualified in women's volleyball)

Gold Star Dancers
Bryanne Anderson
Chanarion Arnold
Kyla Baron
Brandi Calvin
Sarah Hale
Brehana Hawkins
Kendra Jenkins
Ivyanne London
Shalani Taylor
Jayle Watkins
Colby Williams
Donielle Williams

Golden Girls Pom Squad
BreAwna Barnes
Antoinette Belle
Kerri Brown
Dominique Cameron
Destane Garrett
Jasmine Grandpre'
Theresa Hudson
Alethia Love
Bianca Moore
Candice Moses
Kristen Patrick
Zanola Phillip
Essence Prince
Tasha Smith
KaJanae' Walton
Cassidy Williams
Vernicia Winford

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

Tigers Advance In SIAC Tournament With 59-46 Victory Over Kentucky State

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- The Benedict College Tigers built a large first-half lead and held on for a 59-46 victory over Kentucky State in the opening round of the 2015 SIAC men's basketball tournament in the Bill Harris Arena on Monday afternoon.

The Tigers now advance to the quarterfinals, and will play Stillman, the No. 1 seed from the western division, at 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday.

Benedict (16-11) shut down Kentucky State (8-18) in the first half, holding the Thorobreds to 29 percent shooting and forcing nine turnovers. Benedict was consistently able to race down the court after turnovers or missed shots and had a 15-point lead, 33-18 at the break.

"We dictated the tempo, we dictated the pace," Benedict coach Fred Watson said. "Defensively, we were aggressive and got the ball out of the guys' hands who could hurt us. We rebounded the ball well. We moved the ball from side to side on the offensive end."

Kentucky State was able to close the gap to seven points late in the game, but the Tigers were able to control the offense and let guard Brennan Reynard attack the basket to seal the victory.

Reynard flirted with a triple-double, scoring a game-high 16 points, while grabbing eight rebounds, equaling for the game high, to go along with a game-high seven assists and four steals.

"We just did a good job down the stretch, particularly Brennan, and getting baskets when we needed. We talked about players having to make plays to win this tournament, and down the stretch, when things kind of tightened up for us, we put the ball in one of our best players' hands and he made plays."

Deonte Johnson added 11 points for the Tigers and had eight rebounds.

Ulysses Thomas led Kentucky State with 12 points.

"They did a phenomenal job of taking us out of what we wanted to do," said Kentucky State head coach Antwain Banks. "They capitalized on turnovers and our bad shots, which are just as bad as turnovers. That deficit in the first half was just too much for us."

Benedict led 12-8 with 11:53 left in the first half before going on a 12-2 run. Kel Robin had back-to-back baskets to start the run, and Andrew Crawford capped off the run with a 3-pointer.

Benedict now takes on Stillman in Wednesday night's final game. In their only meeting this season, Benedict defeated Stillman 67-58 in Columbia on Jan. 3.

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COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Miles Golden Bears Releases 2015 Football Schedule

FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- When Miles football coach Reginald Ruffin took a look at his completed football schedule for 2015, he gave a quick thought to the possibility that he may have signed his Golden Bears up for the toughest slate in Division II.

This year's schedule features the return of the Labor Day Golden Classic, the season opener against North Alabama at Legion Field on Sept. 6, and an appearance in the Turkey Day Classic - the oldest Classic in the land - against Football Championship Subdivision opponent Alabama State to close the season on Nov. 21. In between, contests at West Georgia on Sept. 13 and at home against West Alabama on Sept. 20, as well as a road trip to defending SIAC champion Tuskegee on Nov. 7 sets the Golden Bears up for a demanding run.

"We have the whole summer to cry about it but when August comes, we'll be ready to play it," Ruffin said. "UNA went to the (Division II) quarterfinals last year. West Georgia went to the semifinals. UWA was in the playoffs back in 2013, and when you get into conference play, it doesn't get any easier."

Overall, the 2015 schedule has 11 games and features five games at Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium and one at Legion Field. The Golden Bears make just two trips out of the state of Alabama - at West Georgia and at Central State in Ohio on Oct. 10. Homecoming is on Oct. 17 when Miles hosts Kentucky State and the final home game of the season is a Thursday night matchup with Lane on Oct. 22.

If the Golden Bears win the West Division, they will qualify for the SIAC Championship game on Nov. 14 at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. Title game ot not, Miles will still make a trip to the state capitol when it takes on Alabama State in the 92nd Turkey Day Classic. Ruffin said his team will be plenty prepared to take on the Division I FCS Hornets.

"We don't back down from any competition. Any opponent you have, you give them all that you can," Ruffin said. "They'll be a well-coached team with coach (Brian) Jenkins so it'll be a great measuring stick for our program."

By playing in the Turkey Day Classic, Miles will forego its eligibility for the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2015. But Ruffin does not believe that is a negative for the Golden Bears.

"We have been ranked in the (South) region the last couple of years but we chose to go to the Turkey Day Classic. Sometimes, the deck is stacked against you (in the playoffs). You don't have a chance to get the seed you want. Our teams tend to get a one-and-done," Ruffin said. "The magnitude of playing ASU, the history of the Turkey Day Classic, with them play schools from our conference like Tuskegee and Stillman, it was an opportunity we did not want to pass up."

Click here to view the Miles 2015 Football Schedule.

Date Opponent Location Time

9/6/2015 University of North Alabama Birmingham, AL 6 p.m. Labor Day Golden Classic
9/12/2015 University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA 6 p.m.
9/19/2015 University of West Alabama Fairfield, AL 4 p.m. 
9/26/2015 Morehouse CollegeFairfield, AL, 4 p.m.
10/3/2015 Albany State University Fairfield, AL 4 p.m.
10/10/2015 Central State University Wilberforce, OH 12 p.m.
10/17/2015 * Kentucky State University Fairfield, AL 4 p.m. HOMECOMING
10/22/2015 * Lane College Fairfield, AL 6 p.m.
10/31/2015 * Stillman College Tuscaloosa, AL 5:30 p.m.
11/7/2015 * Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL 1 p.m.
11/21/2015 Alabama State University Montgomery, AL TBA Turkey Day Classic

11/14/2015 TBA Montgomery, AL TBA SIAC Championship



COURTESY MILES COLLEGE GOLDEN BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION