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MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State offense has been a ground-oriented attack the past two seasons.
In 2013, Isaiah Crowell rushed for 1,121 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 6.6 yards per carry as the Hornets led the SWAC in rushing (231.5 yards/game).
Last season, Malcolm Cyrus rushed for 1,662 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards a carry for the SWAC’s second-best rushing offense (227.8 yards/game).
There will once again be a new look in the Hornets backfield this season, but this time junior Khalid Thomas takes the starring role. The Tallahassee native posted 545 rushing yards and five touchdowns for ASU last season.
Thomas said he looks to make the most out of his opportunity this year.
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico -- There's been plenty leading up to it, but the 2015 football season for The University of New Mexico finally gets under way at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday night when the Lobos will take on the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils from Itta Bena, Miss. at Branch Field at University Stadium.
While most folks associated as fans of the Lobos might not know too much about Mississippi Valley State other than that one pretty famous wide receiver who won a bunch of Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers named Jerry Rice, the coaching staff has certainly been prepping, but there are still some unknowns with the first time opponent.
In speaking of MVSU and head coach Rick Comegy, Davie said, "Last year was his first year at Mississippi Valley State and he had a lot of success at Jackson State. He won the SWAC title his last year at Jackson State. He has his whole coaching staff together, which took him about a year. They are going to line up and throw the heck out of the ball."
In that regard, MVSU might be the FCS equivalent offensively of what UNM might see from future opponents in the non-conference season in Tulsa, Arizona State and New Mexico State. The Delta Devils scored just 17.7 points per game last year, but with new coordinators in place, that is the first stat the team in green is looking to change. Of course, for a UNM defense that went from 43 points allowed vs. non-ranked teams in 2013 to just 28.5 against unranked teams in 2014, a bit of the unknown should be a good test.
"I'm looking for them to run a lot of empty set, no back things. It'll be a good test. With two new coordinators we think we know what they are going to do but we really don't know," said Davie.
With this the first of seven home games, Davie does like how the table is set for his team. The team still has momentum from last year's thriller against Wyoming to close out the campaign, a 36-30 barnburner that UNM won with a goalline stand. It all leads up to the start of year four. Davie is happy to be there.
"I feel pretty good," said Bob Davie to a large media contingent at his weekly press luncheon. "Because the plan has gone as well as I had hoped it would go, so now it's fun to just go play."
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- When Terry Sims was named the new coach at Bethune-Cookman University, he didn’t need to be introduced to his new team nor taken on a tour of the Daytona Beach campus.
Sims knew just about everything he needed to about the Wildcats.
“It has helped tremendously,” said Sims, a B-CU assistant the previous five seasons. “I understand the program, this university, our kids. It makes things a lot easier to go through our day-to-day business because of the familiarity.”
Sims was named the 11th coach in program history just five days after Brian Jenkins left to take over at Alabama State.
In five seasons with the Wildcats, Jenkins won at least a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title four times — including the past three. CONTINUE READING
ATLANTA, Georgia -- Alcorn State can not be overlooked; fortunately for the Yellow Jackets, they know it. The teams will trade blows in the early going before Tech takes control with its relentless ground game.
The defensive line will be Virginia Tech’s biggest asset. “For once I hope they got it right”. How did the Yellow Jackets distinguish themselves from the Wolfpack, and why did you believe they provided you with the best fit at the next level? Previous year we saw Tony Zenon, Deon Hill, B.J. Bostic, Charles Perkins, Dennis Andrews and Broderick Snoddy. “We’ve been in the ACC Championship game three of the seven years we’ve been there”.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will welcome the Alcorn State Braves to Bobby Dodd Stadium for the first game of the season. Georgia Tech was just 79th in the FBS in total defense, giving up 411.3 yards per game. Now, after reaching the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game and winning the Orange Bowl, the Yellow Jackets are faced with much higher expectations. Whichever players are most physical and securely block their cornerback assignments best will see the field the most this season, so look for which wideouts best fight to the whistle on Thursday.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Three and a half weeks of a rigorous fall camp are over for Florida A&M, and now the fun part starts, as the Rattlers prep for the showdown Saturday with the University of South Florida.
Saturday also marks a new era for the Rattler program, as Alex Wood begins his first season as head coach. On Monday, Wood announced that Carson Royal will start at quarterback, and also said that after a scrimmage like approach to practice on Saturday, other starters were announced.
One similarity he has noticed is that the Bulls and FAMU boast Florida heavy rosters, and he expects a similar style of play come Saturday. He added as much as he is excited to see where his team stands, he's more excited to just play some football.
"I've been in football since 1962. I was excited that day, and I'm excited today," said Wood on Tuesday during his weekly press conference.
1. North Carolina A&T (6-2 MEAC, 9-3 overall in 2014)
The Aggies, 1 of 5 teams – yes, five – to share last season’s MEAC title, return RB Tarik Cohen (1,340 yards, 15 TDs), the league’s preseason Player of the Year. Senior CB Tony McRae said the team doesn’t wear the rings it earned from a shared title. “We don’t call that a championship,” he said. “A championship is one winner.”
2. South Carolina State (6-2, 8-4)
The Bulldogs return nine players from an offense that put up 26.6 points per game last season. S.C. State coach Buddy Pugh has a 105-47 record in 13 years at the school, making him one of the MEAC’s longest-serving and most consistent coaches in terms of wins.
3. Bethune-Cookman (6-2, 9-3)
The Wildcats, outright winners of three of the past five MEAC titles, have a new coach in former assistant Terry Sims. Former head coach Brian Jenkins resigned in December after he was alleged to have violated several NCAA rules, including those involving improper benefits to players, practice time limits and bullying.
HAMPTON, Virginia -- Remember Jaylian Williamson? The Hampton University quarterback lit up Old Dominion for 407 passing yards and three touchdowns last season, then added 385 yards a week later against William & Mary, then disappeared after a clash with coach Connell Maynor.
Remember QB Jerrell Antoine? He was MEAC Rookie of the Week three times last season but disappeared because there’s a new/old guy back in town.
Remember David Watford? He set a University of Virginia record with 427 passes in a sophomore season (2013), then disappeared when the Cavaliers looked at his 15 interceptions and the team’s 2-10 record and decided there was a cause and effect.
He’s back where it all started, in Hampton.
“It’s a wonderful thing to be able to come home to be around my family, my friends, people I grew up around,” Watford said. “To be able to play in front of my home crowd in my home city – there’s no better feeling.”
BERKELEY, California -- California opens the 2015 season with its first-ever meeting against Grambling State, which is just seven miles away from Louisiana Tech where Cal head coach Sonny Dykes coached before coming to Berkeley.
The Golden Bears have won 11 of their last 13 home openers, dating back to 2002. Last season, Cal topped Sacramento State, 55-14, in the home opener. Since 2002, the Bears are 9-4 in season openers after last year’s 31-24 victory at Northwestern. In 120 seasons, Cal is 74-42-4 all-time in season openers.
Saturday’s tilt with Grambling State marks the eighth time that Cal will face an FCS opponent. The Bears are 8-0 against FCS teams, with the most recent game last year’s 55-14 victory over Sacramento State.
California Golden Bears vs Grambling State Tigers
Saturday, Sept. 5 | 2:00 pm PT
Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, CA
TV: Pac-12 Networks - Roxy Bernstein (Play by Play), Mike Pawlawski (Analyst), Drea Avant (Sideline)
Radio: KGO 810 AM – Joe Starkey (Play by Play), Dave Barr (Analyst), Todd McKim (Sideline)
The 2015 Cal team features players who accounted for over 80 percent of its offense in the following categories in 2014 – passing (99.7%), total offense (99.3%), rushing (98.4%), all-purpose (89.7%), total touchdowns (88.5%) and receiving (84.6%).
Cal enters the 2015 season with its most experienced group under Dykes. The Bears’ roster lists 34 players who made a combined 228 starts last year (Offense 16/111, Defense 17/105, Specialists 1/12). Those figures are a marked improvement from 2014 when Cal entered the year with 28 players having made 164 starts (Offense 17/97; Defense 10/65; Specialists 1/12) in 2013. In 2012, Cal had 14 players who started 120 times the previous season (Offense 7/55; Defense 6/53; Specialists 1/12).
Cal received a single vote in the 2015 AP Top 25 preseason poll. The Bears last garnered top-25 consideration following their 4-1 start last season.
Cal finished the 2014 season with an overall record of 5-7 for a four-win turnaround from 2013 which was its best since the 2002 squad went 7-5 overall after the 2001 club finished 1-10.
National honors candidate junior quarterback Jared Goff is a Heisman Trophy contender and has been named to nearly every watch list for college football’s top player and quarterback awards. Goff is the nation’s second-leading returning passer after ranking fifth in nationally in passing touchdowns (35), passing yards (3,973) and passing yards per game (331.1) last season. He is already the holder of 19 school records.
Senior Trevor Davis is a second-team preseason All-American as a kick returner and on the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award honoring the nation’s most versatile player. Davis equaled NCAA and Pac-12 records in 2014 when he became the 20th player in FBS history and the third in the Pac-12 to bring back two kick returns in a single game on consecutive kick returns at Washington State.
Seven of the eight Cal players who recorded at least 20 catches in 2014 are returning, led by junior wide receiver Kenny Lawler who posted a team-best 54 receptions a year ago. Senior wide receiver Bryce Treggs was right behind with 52 catches. The others on the list are Stephen Anderson (46), Daniel Lasco (33), Maurice Harris (25), Trevor Davis (24) and Darius Powe (20).
PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- If there was one thing learned from Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s football media day on Saturday, it was that the quarterback race will come down to the final week, this week.
Picking a starter for the opening game against South Carolina State University may even be a game-time decision when UAPB plays its first contest of the season on Sunday in Orlando, Florida at 3:30 p.m., in front of a nationwide ESPN television crowd.
That game, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, will be the first one since 2010 that Ben Anderson did not enter the week at the top of the UAPB depth chart. The four-year starter wrapped up his stellar four-year career last fall, and left Monte Coleman and his staff a large hole to attempt to fill.
Five quarterbacks have auditioned this fall for the role. Marcus Terrell and Nolan Sorensen have pulled away a bit from the others. Brandon Duncan is still battling to make it a true three-man competition. Freshmen LaEarl Patterson, from Memphis, and Roger Totten II, have gotten their share of the reps, but haven’t done enough to really get into the conversation.
FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- Running back Andre Montgomery came to Fayetteville State with his hungry edge and dauntless work ethic already in place.
All of that came years ago from the early mornings he spent working with his father, former Goldsboro High School and East Carolina football player Gregory Montgomery.
From pounding out 40-yard sprints, to footwork drills, to practicing how to catch and carry the ball, Gregory made sure his son was going to know how to not only play the position, but also how to work.
Heading into his senior season with the Broncos as their featured back and off-field leader, Montgomery credits his success to the competitive fires that were lit back then.
But he also acknowledges the importance of learning how to dial them back.
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Johnson C. Smith University football team will usher in the Kermit Blount era when they open the 2015 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6:00 p.m. against local rival Wingate at the Irwin Belk Complex. The game marks the first home night game for JCSU in recent memory.
JCSU comes off a 3-7 campaign in 2014, winning two of their last three, including a 14-10 homecoming win over St. Augustine's and a 31-14 win over rival Livingstone in the Commemorative Classic.
The game marks the third time that the Bulldogs and Golden Bulls will face off on the gridiron. Wingate holds a 2-0 lead in the series dating back to 1995. Wingate won that initial meeting 33-12 as well as the most previous meeting in 2002, 24-0.
The Golden Bulls have history on their side, having won five consecutive home openers, including a 13-6 thriller against Kentucky State in 2014. Conversely, Wingate has dropped four of their past six season road openers since 2009, including a 28-10 loss at CIAA foe St. Augustine's in 2012.
Fans are encouraged to come take part in FestiBull, a street festival with inflatables, games, face painting and music prior to Saturday's contest. FestiBull kicks off at 3:00 p.m. on North Summit Avenue, adjacent to the Irwin Belk Complex.
Also new this season is the "Golden Bull Game Zone". The "Golden Bull Game Zone" includes vendors, FestiBull, and tailgating located on North Summit Avenue. Ticket scanners will be at all points of entry to North Summit Avenue. All guests that park in the Brayboy Gym lot and Lot B are required to have a ticket. Also, patrons are required to have a ticket to enter North Summit Avenue.
Fans can enter the JCSU campus via Beatties Ford Road for general parking, while VIP guests can enter the VIP reserved parking lots via Martin Street.
Ticket sales as well as will call tickets will be available at Brayboy Gym, one and one-half hours prior to kickoff. This season, no tickets will be sold or distributed at the Irwin Belk Complex.
Tickets are available for Saturday's game by clicking here.
As a reminder, JCSU has the right to check any and all bags before entrance to the facility and strictly prohibits the following items:
Alcoholic beverages
Artificial noise makers
Coolers or other large containers
Explosives, firearms, or weapons of any kind
Illegal drugs or paraphernalia
Outside food or beverages
Pets (service animals welcome)
Umbrellas
COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has dominated the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runner of the Week awards since they were first awarded during the 2008 cross country season. So it's no surprise that XU's Zahri Jackson and Christopher August are the initial recipients in 2015.
The GCAC announced the awards Tuesday. Jackson and August were the first XU finishers Friday in the Big Easy Opener at City Park.
Jackson — a fifth-year senior from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School — won the women's two-mile race in 14 minutes, 27.3 seconds. It was her fourth collegiate victory and her first since 2012. She led the Gold Nuggets to the team championship.
August — a junior from Spring, Texas, and a graduate of Klein Collins High School — was the first collegiate finisher in the men's 5,000-meter race and placed eighth overall. His time of 17:03.6 ranks 15th among XU runners from 2002-15. The Gold Rush placed second in team scoring behind Power Miler Track Club and first among colleges.
Jackson is a nine-time GCAC Runner of the Week, and she's two awards from tying former teammate Catherine Fakler's career record. August won for the first time.
Xavier has earned 65 GCAC Runner of the Week awards, 38 by the Gold Rush.
Next for the Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush will be the Southern Miss Invitational at Tatum Park in Hattiesburg, Miss. The men will race at 5:30 p.m., followed by the women at 6. Distance for all will be 5,000 meters.
NEW ORLEANS — The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference has expanded its weekly women's volleyball awards from one to three in 2015, and a pair of Xavier University of Louisiana seniors are beneficiaries in the initial week.
The GCAC announced the awards Tuesday. Xavier's Darian Harris is Defender of the Week, and Franziska Pirkl is Setter of the Week. Both were All-GCAC in 2014 — Pirkl has been on the first team three times — but this is the first time for either to win a weekly award.
Harris, a libero/defensive specialist from Gretna, La., and a graduate of McGehee School, picked up where she left off last season, when she led the Gold Nuggets' GCAC championship team in digs. Harris reached double figures in digs in all four matches of the season-opening Big Easy Blastoff and twice had 19 digs. She helped Xavier rank 10th in the NAIA in digs per set through Saturday's reported matches. Through Monday, Harris ranked 35th nationally with 5.0 digs per set.
Pirkl, a setter from Munich, Germany, and a graduate of Theodolinden Gymnasium, produced her most-ever assists in a three-set match — 42 Saturday in a victory against Faulkner. Pirkl led the Big Easy Blastoff with 11.2 assists per set. She produced a double-double — 37 assists and 16 digs — against Mobile, which received votes in the NAIA preseason coaches poll. Pirkl ranked seventh in the NAIA through Monday in assists per set.
The NAIA also has expanded its weekly volleyball awards to three. Those honors will be given starting next week.
Next for the Gold Nuggets (2-2) will be four matches in the Mariner Invitational at Brunswick, Ga. They'll play Friday at 9 a.m. EDT against Bethel (Ind.) and 1 p.m. against NAIA No. 20 Coastal Georgia, then Saturday at 9 a.m. against Martin Methodist and 5 p.m. against Bryan. The next XU home match will start at 7 p.m. Monday against Talladega in the GCAC opener at tthe Convocation Center.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- For the last four seasons, the Howard football team had stability at quarterback thanks to Greg McGhee. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s all-time leader in total offense combined leadership and smart decision-making with a flair for the dramatic, often improvising to turn broken plays into long gains.
He was a player in the likeness of offensive coordinator Ted White, the former Bison quarterback who helped tutor McGhee and had held many of the records his star pupil broke. That first-hand experience gives White uncommon insight into what goes into developing a standout quarterback beyond such things as arm strength and accuracy.
There’s an intangible quality too, what Bison Coach Gary Harrell refers to as the “It Factor.” McGhee, he said, had that in excess.
Bethune-Cookman probably loves to hear that kind of talk.
The Wildcats will be motivated Saturday, having brought their usual complement of South Florida players – and a couple former Hurricanes – to Sun Life Stadium for the season-opener (6 p.m., ESPN3.com).
They have been an FCS powerhouse in the last half-decade and even made a shoddy Miami defense sweat in their 2012 meeting. Since then, they’ve toppled FIU twice, but managed two total touchdowns in blowout losses at FSU (2013) and UCF (2014).
After going 46-14 under controversial coachBrian Jenkins (now at Alabama State), they won’t change too much after promoting former assistant Terry Sims.
CARSON ROYAL 6-2/200 RJr. QUARTERBACK FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY RATTLERS Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla. (Yulee HS) Courtesy: Florida A&M University Athletics
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The quarterback race at Florida A&M was not as intense as the one at Florida State, as head coach Alex Wood has been pretty clear all camp who the front runners.
Coach Wood praised both Kenny Coleman and Carson Royal since day one, but has said Royal, who got the most reps in the spring game, has stood out and been the leader.
Wood said the Rattlers finished preseason prep over the weekend, and FAMU decided as a staff that Royal will be the started for 2015, simply because he is the most prepared.
"He's been studying it a lot, and made some good decisions," Wood said of Royal's understanding of the offense.
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Successful football teams typically establish an identity, home in on it, then try to execute it better than anybody else.
As the season opener against Middle Tennessee State stands just a few days away, Jackson State coach Harold Jackson is hoping his team can pinpoint some defining characteristics this fall.
“That’s the thing I told my guys the other day, we need to go find some sort of an identity,” Jackson said during the SWAC’s weekly teleconference on Monday.
During camp, the defense, which finished seventh in the SWAC in sacks last season, showed it can harass the passer with the likes of defensive ends Javancy Jones, Teddrick Terrell, Keontre Anderson and Rodney Shorter II on the edges.
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern coach Dawson Odums is well aware of the differences in his program and that of FBS Louisiana Tech heading into this week’s season opener in Ruston.
While Southern is one of the top team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Odums acknowledged in his weekly luncheon press conference that there is a difference between the two leagues.
“(Louisiana Tech is) a level up from us, and just to have the opportunity to play in that kind of environment should create some excitement and should get you ready to play,” Odums said. “I think La. Tech is a worthy opponent. They’re a good program, and you have to come in with the right mindset. I think when you do that, you give yourself a chance.”
The biggest factor separating the two programs is the number of scholarship players each has on its roster, Odums said.
The Jaguars have only 65 scholarship athletes, filling in the rest of the depth chart with walk-on talent. Louisiana Tech has 80 scholarship players out of the Division I maximum allotment of 85.
RUSTON, Louisiana – At this time 11 months ago, Jeff Driskel spent his fall in a Florida Gators uniform nearly 1,000 miles away from Louisiana Tech.
The fifth-year senior quarterback wasn’t present for Tech’s 30-27 upset loss against Northwestern State last September, but he’s heard enough from his teammates inside the Bulldogs’ locker room about the unnerving defeat to an in-state FCS opponent.
In other words, there should be no issue getting up for Saturday’s season opener against Southern, which just so happens to be another in-state FCS foe.
“A lot of the guys still have that bad taste in their mouth. Especially with this being the first game, if you have difficulty getting excited for a first game, there is something wrong with you,” Driskel said Monday.
“Obviously, I was not here for that game, but that is something that you don’t forget. Going into a game you are supposed to win and should win because you are more talented than the other team, but that is why you play the game. We are not going to go out and roll a helmet out there and win. We understand that.”
ASU FOOTBALL STADIUM COURTESY: ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State University and Kennesaw State University have agreed to a four-year football contract beginning in 2017, both schools announced today.
The Hornets and Owls will face each other in a home-and home series beginning Sept. 16, 2017 at Kennesaw State. Other game dates are Sept. 15, 2018 at Alabama State, Sept. 14, 2019 at Kennesaw State, and Sept. 19, 2020 at Alabama State.
"With the Southwestern Athletic Conference's move back to a seven-game league schedule beginning in 2017, we have been very aggressive in adding quality opponents for Alabama State football during the last few months," Interim Athletic Director Melvin Hines said. "Adding quality opponents within driving distance from Montgomery should excite and energize Hornet Nation for ASU football both at home and on the road."
With the earlier announcement of the matchup with Texas San Antonio, along with Miles' two-year game contract beginning this season, the 2016 ASU Football Schedule is set.
2016 Schedule
Sept. 3 at Texas San Antonio
Sept. 10 at Alcorn State*
Sept. 17 at Southern* Sept. 24 vs. Texas Southern* Oct. 1 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff*
Oct. 8 at Prairie View* Oct. 15 vs. Miss. Valley State*
Oct. 29 vs. Alabama A&M* (in Birmingham; 75th Magic City Classic) Nov. 5 vs Jackson State*
Nov. 12 at Grambling State* Nov. 19 vs. Miles (93rd Turkey Day Classic / Homecoming)
2017 Non-Conference Schedule Sept. 2 Tuskegee
Sept. 9 at Troy
Sept. 16 at Kennesaw State
2018 Non-Conference Schedule Sept. 1 Tuskegee Sept. 15 Kennesaw State
Oct. 13 at South Alabama
2019 Non-Conference Schedule Sept. 7 Tuskegee
Sept. 14 at Kennesaw State
2020 Non-Conference Schedule Sept. 5 Tuskegee Sept. 19 Kennesaw State
Home games in bold; * denotes conference games; schedule subject to change
The 2015 Hornets, under first-year head coach Brian Jenkins, will open the season this Sunday at Tennessee State in the John Merritt Classic, with a 5:30 p.m. pregame show and 6 p.m. kickoff on the ASU Hornet Sports Network. The Hornets open the home schedule Saturday, Sept. 12 vs. Alcorn State at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 19 vs. Grambling State in the Prince Hall Mason's Americanism Football Classic. Season and single game tickets for Hornets' football are sale by phone at 334-229-4551 or in person at the ASU Ticket Office. Single game tickets start at just $10 online at bamastatesports.com/tickets.
COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
GREENSBORO, North Carolina — Lamar Raynard has been named the starting quarterback for N.C. A&T’s season-opening football game against Shaw on Saturday night at Aggie Stadium.
Raynard, a redshirt freshman from High Point, didn’t play a single down for the Aggies last season.
“He’s going to be nervous,” A&T coach Rod Broadway said Monday. “It’s natural to be nervous going into your first game. Hopefully he has enough support around him where we can calm him down and get him to play at the level we need him to play.”
Raynard was named the starter over incumbent senior Kwashaun Quick, who won’t start a season opener for the first time in his career.
NEW ORLEANS — It was a record-setting two days at the Big Easy Blastoff, the season-opening women's volleyball tournament that Xavier University of Louisiana hosted.
By tournament's end, the six schools combined to set or tie 17 Convocation Center records in 10 matches. A few highlights:
• Shahala Hawkins of NAIA No. 19 Wayland Baptist broke the facility record for kills in a match twice Friday. She had 24 in a victory against Mobile in the morning, then blasted 28 more in the afternoon in a victory against Faulkner. Both matches lasted four sets. Hawkins, a senior, was first-team NAIA All-America in 2014.
• Hawkins produced a Convocation Center-record nine blocks Saturday in a sweep of Loyola. Her six blocks against Xavier matched the most by an XU opponent.
• Seven times the facility record for digs in a match was tied or broken, with Loyola's Breanna Stevenson earning the mark when she had 34 in the final match, a five-set Wolf Pack victory against Mississippi Valley State.
The Convocation Center opened in November 2012 and became the site of XU home matches in 2013. It was the first time that the Gold Nuggets played host to their own tournament.
Xavier didn't set any records, but senior CeCe Williams produced a pair of kill-dig double-doubles — as many as she produced her previous three seasons.
Next for the Gold Nuggets (2-2) will be four matches in the Mariner Invitational at Brunswick, Ga.
They'll play Friday against Bethel (Ind.) at 9 a.m. EDT and NAIA No. 20 Coastal Georgia at 1 p.m.
The Gold Nuggets' next home match will be their Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener, 7 p.m. Sept. 7 against Talladega.
Here are all the Convocation Center records set or tied Friday and Saturday:
Individual Kills: 28 — Shahala Hawkins, Wayland Baptist, vs. Faulkner Attacks: 73 — Shahala Hawkins, Wayland Baptist, vs. Faulkner Aces by an Opponent: 4 — Nicole Armstrong, Mobile, vs. Wayland Baptist Aces by an XU Opponent: 3 — Nicole Armstrong, Mobile (tied mark) Blocks: 9 — Shahala Hawkins, Wayland Baptist, vs. Loyola Blocks by an XU Opponent: 6 — Shahala Hawkins, Wayland Baptist (tied mark)
Team Kills by an Opponent: 64 — Loyola vs. Mississippi Valley State Kills by an XU Opponent: 61 — Mobile Hitting Percentage by an XU Opponent: .299 — Wayland Baptist Attacks: 214 — Wayland Baptist vs. Faulkner Aces: 9 — Faulkner vs. Mississippi Valley State and Mobile vs. Wayland Baptist Aces by an XU Opponent: 7 — Mobile (tied mark) Digs: 104 — Wayland Baptist vs. Faulkner Blocks by an Opponent: 64 — Mississippi Valley State vs. Loyola Blocks by an XU Opponent: 10 — Wayland Baptist Most Errors by an Opponent: 51 — Loyola vs. Mississippi Valley State Fewest Errors by an XU Opponent: 22 — Faulkner and Wayland Baptist
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Members of the NSU football team proudly displayed their new uniforms for the 2015 season during Media Day at Price Stadium on Sunday (August 23). Gone are the bright yellow helmets from the past few seasons as they have been replaced by solid green helmets with a gold stripe down the center. The Spartans’ new head coach, Latrell Scott, answered some questions from the New Journal and Guide about the upcoming season.
New Journal and Guide: What type of offense will the NSU fans see this season? Will it be exciting with reverses and trick plays?
Coach Scott: We are going to do whatever it takes to score. What is exciting to the fans may not always work. We do have some unique formations and play designs that should help us get into the end zone.
NJG: NSU kicker Cameron Marouf is one of the better kickers in the MEAC. Will NSU go by the motto: ‘3-points adds up’ and send Cameron out to kick a field goal rather than go for it on fourth down?
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- S.C. State head football coach Buddy Pough is excited about starting the 2015 season before a national audience on ESPN in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday.
He’s not so excited about being without four suspended players stemming from an on-field brawl between the Bulldogs and Norfolk State players in a game last November. Those players include starting senior tailback and preseason second-team All-MEAC selection Jalen “Scoot” Simmons, along with his 1,162 yards rushing and nine touchdowns last season.
Along with Simmons being relegated to standing on the sideline for one game, other suspended Bulldogs include redshirt senior defensive lineman James Settles, red-shirt sophomore defensive end Gregtavious Newell and sophomore quarterback-turned-wide receiver Calvin Giles-McCray (who just had hand surgery and will miss more time).
FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- Miles College has posted four consecutive winning seasons, but the Golden Bears from Fairfield have some catching up to do not only in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but in their own state.
Downstate rival Tuskegee has won the SIAC championship in two of the last three years, and is the overwhelming preseason favorite to do so again in 2015. Miles — which last won the SIAC in 2011 — was picked second by league coaches in the West Division, behind the Golden Tigers.
Miles has finished 6-4 in back-to-back seasons, missing out on a second straight berth in the SIAC championship game when it lost 48-33 to Tuskegee in the regular-season finale. Reginald Ruffin's Golden Bears are 27-16 the last four seasons, but have not reached the NCAA Division II playoffs since 2012.
The Golden Bears won't do so in 2015 either, whether they win the SIAC or not. Miles has chosen to play this year in the annual Turkey Day Classic Nov. 21 against Alabama State in Montgomery, a move that disqualifies the Golden Bears from the playoffs (but not the SIAC championship game).
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State offense has been a ground-oriented attack the past two seasons.
