ATLANTA, Georgia -- ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN, announced today that the inaugural Celebration Bowl will be televised live on ABC. The new postseason COLLEGE FOOTBALL bowl game will kick off at noon ET today, Dec. 19, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
The Celebration Bowl, which showcases the legacy, values and traditions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, will pit the conference champion from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference against the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion.
"We could not be more pleased to have the Celebration Bowl kicking off the COLLEGE FOOTBALL bowl season on ABC," said Pete Derzis, senior vice president, ESPN Events. "Not only will the first annual Celebration Bowl deliver a first-class postseason experience to the teams, their fans and their alumni; the live telecast on ABC will bring the thrill and pageantry of the bowl to fans across the nation."
"We are excited about today's announcement that the Celebration Bowl will be telecast on ABC," said Dennis Thomas, commissioner, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. "We are eagerly looking forward to participating in this wonderful opportunity to showcase our student-athletes, coaches, institutions and our conference on this national stage. We are appreciative to ESPN for their continued partnership and commitment to this postseason experience."
"The SWAC is excited about the announcement of the inaugural Celebration Bowl being televised on ABC," SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said. "This stage will provide the nation with a front-row seat into the passion, pride and heritage of the SWAC and HBCU football. Our coaches, student-athletes and SWAC fans across the nation look forward to meeting in ATL on December 19.
"The SWAC appreciates ESPN and their family of networks for their continued support and for providing our fans and student athletes the opportunity to perform on this national platform."
"We are excited to collaborate with ESPN to launch the Celebration Bowl and continue our longstanding tradition of delivering an annual HBCU COLLEGE FOOTBALL showdown to fans in Atlanta," said John Grant, Chief Executive Officer, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. "Having the game televised on ABC will showcase the best in HBCU football on a national stage."
ESPN Events also manages the COLLEGE FOOTBALL season-opening MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney, another game that features these two conferences and highlights the traditions of HBCUs, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Orlando Citrus Bowl, live on ESPN.
ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend COLLEGE FOOTBALL games, 13 college bowl games, nine college basketball events and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 250-plus hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 700,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Boca Raton, Boise, Birmingham, Dallas-Fort Worth, Albuquerque, St. Petersburg and Las Vegas, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, providing unique experiences for teams and fans. ESPN Events also manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.
Collegiate Football
AdvoCare Texas Kickoff (Houston); AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl (Houston); Birmingham Bowl (Alabama); Boca Raton Bowl (Florida); Celebration Bowl (Atlanta); Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise); Gildan New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque); Hawai'i Bowl (Honolulu); Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth); MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (Orlando, Fla.); Orlando Kickoff (Florida, 2016); Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (Nassau); Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.); Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl (Nevada); St. Petersbug Bowl (Florida); The Home Depot COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS (Atlanta) and Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth)
Collegiate Basketball
Armed Forces Classic (Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan); DIRECTV Wooden Legacy (Orange County, Calif.); COLLEGE BASKETBALL AWARDS Presented by Wendy's (Los Angeles); Gildan Charleston Classic (South Carolina); Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Honolulu); Jimmy V Men's Classic Presented by Corona (New York City); Jimmy V Women's Classic Presented by Corona (Hartford/Storrs, Conn.); Orlando Classic (Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.); Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan) and State Farm Champions Classic (Chicago)
For more information, visit www.espnevents.com or follow on Twitter and Facebook.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Coach Rod Broadway changed culture of N.C. A&T's bowl-bound football program
GREENSBORO, North Carolina — A team loses or underachieves. A new coach gets hired. The team starts to win.
Presto! People start to use the catchphrase “changing the culture.”
But what exactly does that mean? Is it a simple synonym for winning? Or does it run deeper than that?
You could use the same buzzwords to describe the football programs at both N.C. A&T and Alcorn State, the MEAC and SWAC champions who play in the inaugural Celebration Bowl in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome at noon today.
People who tune in to ABC will see programs that lost for years — eight seasons in a row at A&T, five at Alcorn — but rebuilt under new coaches and have both won back-to-back league titles.
The architect of A&T’s success is Rod Broadway, hired as head coach in 2011 and 37-19 in the five seasons since. It’s remarkable, considering the Aggies were 15-61 under four coaches in the seven seasons before Broadway’s hiring.
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Alcorn expects the best from NC A&T
ATLANTA, Georgia -- There once was a time were teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference would just play for the conference championship, but now there’s a new destination in sights after claiming the SWAC title.
Alcorn State has traveled to Atlanta to meet up with the co-champion of the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference North Carolina A&T in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl game to crown a Historically Black College and University national football champion.
In his Celebration Bowl press conference, Alcorn coach Jay Hopson agreed to the notion of Atlanta being the new destination for teams in the SWAC to play for.
“You have to play in the SWAC title to get to Atlanta. Your first goal is Houston; your second goal is Atlanta,” Hopson said. “Every football team wants to go as far as they can go and we know this is far as we can go. Certainly it’s a great opportunity for our program and both conferences and I imagine North Carolina A&T feels the same way.”
The game will be televised today at 11 a.m. on ABC and the national attention will provide exposure for both the Braves and Aggies on a platform they might not have received otherwise, which could have a positive impact on recruiting.
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Friday, December 18, 2015
Nuggets lose to Georgetown, end Cruzin Classic 0-2
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — For the Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball team, it was close-but-no-victory again in the Cruzin Classic.The Gold Nuggets lost 54-48 to Georgetown (Ky.) Friday to finish 0-2 in this event for the second consecutive year. Xavier's average losing margin in the four games: 3 1/2 points.
Xavier (9-4), ranked ninth in NAIA Division I, shot 26.5 percent from the floor, made 7-of-9 free throws — its second-fewest attempts of the season — and was outrebounded 49-34 overall, 25-15 in the second half. It was the fourth time this season the Gold Nuggets shot less than 30 percent, and the rebound deficit was their worst since November 2013. Xavier made five 3-pointers, all in the second half, but shot a season-low 21.7 percent from behind the arc.
After trailing 9-5 after the first quarter, Xavier rallied to lead 19-18 at halftime. But the Gold Nuggets led for only two minutes in the second half, and unranked Georgetown (6-6) dominated at the line, making 17-of-18 free throws in the final two quarters to Xavier's 4-of-5.
Freshman Joi Simmons scored 19 points, 13 in the second half, and led the Nuggets for the second time this season. There were no other XU double-figure scorers. Whitney Gathright scored eight points, and freshman Bianca Brown had a career-high six, all in the first half.
Xavier had a season-high 19 steals. Gathright's five matched her career high, and freshman Mikayla Bates' five were a career best.
Jessica Foster scored 12 points for Georgetown. Haley Armstrong and Teonia McClure scored nine apiece for the Tigers — Armstrong blocked five shots, the most by an XU individual opponent this season — and Emilie Ziese had eight points and 13 rebounds. Georgetown shot 31.3 percent from the floor, made 21-of-24 free throws, committed 30 turnovers and overcame a minus-11 turnover margin.
Simmons' 3-pointer with 8:24 remaining — it was her third of the game, a career best — gave the Gold Nuggets their final lead, 38-36. Georgetown then scored the next eight points and took the lead for good on two Ziese free throws at 6:54.
Xavier lost 75-74 in overtime Thursday to Indiana Wesleyan, ranked ninth in NAIA Division II. The Gold Nuggets lost by four to Briar Cliff and by three to Northwood (Fla.) &38212; which has since been renamed to Keiser — in the 2014 Cruzin Classic.
The two-game losing streak is Xavier's first of the season. For the second straight game, the Gold Nuggets denied Bo Browder his 400th victory as Xavier's head coach. Browder is 399-146 in his 17th season.
The Gold Nuggets will break for Christmas, then resume their schedule at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 29 at NCAA Division I's Northwestern State. The next XU home game will start at 3 p.m. Jan. 2 against NAIA No. 22 LSU-Shreveport at the Convocation Center.
BOX SCORE
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Rush rally from 18 down but lose on late free throws
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| XULA men's basketball team with retired LeMoyne-Owen coach Jerry C. Johnson, 97 years young, at the JCJ Classic Breakfast. |
The Gold Rush (9-4) trailed by 18 points late in the first half but rallied to tie the score twice in the final 30 seconds.
Brown made his free throws after Xavier's Gary Smith made a driving layup to tie the score at 63 with nine seconds remaining.
Brown scored 14 points, Larry McGaughey 13, Justin Street 12 and Johnnie McGhee 11 for the Magicians (4-6), who won their fourth straight.
Morris Wright scored a season-high 26 points for Xavier — he made five 3-pointers for the third time this season — and led the Gold Rush in scoring for the 16th consecutive game. Freshman Kevin Murphscored a career-high nine points, all in the second half, and was 3-of-3 on 3-pointers. Murph entered the game with two 3-pointers in eight games.
Dontarion Wright's 3-pointer at 3:56 of the first half gave LeMoyne-Owen a 33-15 lead. Xavier reduced the deficit to 37-26 by halftime, then used a 14-2 run to get within striking distance in the final eight minutes. The only Gold Rush opportunity to take the lead came with 7:17 remaining, when Murph missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with LeMoyne-Owen leading 53-52.
LeMoyne-Owen shot 46.5 percent from the floor — the highest this season by an XU opponent — and Xavier shot 44.4. Both teams were more accurate on 3-pointers, with Xavier making 8-of-17 and the Magicians sinking 6-of-12. The teams missed 12 free throws apiece. Xavier, which shot 79.3 percent from the line in its previous five games, was 15-of-27 overall, 9-of-17 in the second half.
Xavier and LeMoyne-Owen split their two-game season series. The Gold Rush won 71-62 for homecoming Nov. 21. It was Xavier's first loss in five games this season against NCAA Division II opponents.
Xavier will play Concordia (Ala.) at 4 p.m. Friday in this event. Concordia lost 74-69 to SUNO in the opening game.
NOTES: It was the fourth consecutive XU game decided by five or fewer points. The Gold Rush are 2-2 during that time . . . Wright has reached 20 points seven times this season. His previous best in 2015-16 was 25 points against LeMoyne-Owen in November. No teammate this season has scored more than 17 points in a game . . . Xavier will meet Concordia for the first time since the 2012 Memphis HBCU Classic . . .
Xavier is 1-4 on the road this season.
BOX SCORE
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Two Darton State College sports teams to survive consolidation with ASU
ALBANY, Georgia — Darton State College’s Athletic Department on Friday announced the future of its athletic sports teams. Following the Fall 2016 season, and as a part of the consolidation process with Albany State University, two sports from Darton — men’s golf and women’s soccer — will be added as part of the new Albany State Athletic Department.Darton’s Women’s Soccer program will continue to compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) through the Fall 2016 season as Darton State College. Following the conclusion of the Fall 2016 season, Women’s Soccer will become a part of the new Albany State University Athletic Department.
Darton’s men’s golf program will be added to the Albany State University Athletic Department beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year and will compete as a part of the NCAA Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Darton’s golfers will be eligible to compete as Albany State University athletes in the fall.
“This is the best news we could have hoped for. We’ll compete in the GCAA for another season, and the year after that we’ll look around and see where we can compete,” said a parent of of a women’s soccer player who asked not to be identified. “We are hoping for the best in the future because Darton soccer has always been a jewel. We have two regulation soccer fields on campus and you can’t find that anywhere else in southwest Georgia.
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Evans inducted into SWAC HOF for officiating
SELMA, Alabama -- Officiating has taken Selma Mayor George Evans all around the country. He’s officiated NCAA Tournament games involving legendary coaches, including Bobby Knight, Jim Boeheim and John Calipari.He’s officated an Elite Eight game, which is one of college basketball’s biggest contests.
Now, officiating has taken him all the way to the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame. Evans was one of seven inducted during a ceremony held earlier this month in Houston, Texas.
“I never dreamed of that,” Evans said. “I never expected to be into the Hall of Fame for the SWAC.”
Evans said it was a humbling experience. It’s not often officials get recognized for their work on the court. Most of the time the best officials find a way to stay out of the headlines and do not impact the final result of a game, so he was surprised to find out the SWAC wanted to honor him.
Given all his accomplishments, he probably shouldn’t have been.
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Former Coppin State, UMES basketball coach John Bates, 'a legend in the MEAC and beyond,' mourned
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| COURTESY COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS |
It wasn't until the younger Bates went to South Carolina State to play for the football team there that he understood why his father was frequently absent.
"When I was young, I didn't understand until I went away to college and I realized that coaches are the parents of the kids they have," he said Friday afternoon. "You make a promise to the parents you're going to take care of their kids. That's the life of a coach."
John Bates, who also coached the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball program, died Wednesday night of an apparent heart attack near his home in Ellicott City. He had turned 77 last Sunday.
Mr. Bates, who began coaching the Eagles in 1974, guided the program to the 1976 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship with a 96-91 victory over Henderson State in the title game. That squad set a school record for wins in a single season with 39.
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Power and Glory of HBCUs on Display at 1st Celebration Bowl
Celebration Bowl
(MEAC vs. SWAC - This year: North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State )
When Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015 Sponsor Air Force Reserve. The game is also managed by 100 Black Men of Atlanta, a service organization dedicated to empowering black youths
Inaugural game 2015
Watch it on ABC
Payout $2 million ($1M per participating conference)
Anticipated attendance TBD (it’s the first year, after all)
Most unusual eligible mascot The Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)
Coolest ancillary event 5th Quarter. After the game, the crowd sticks around for an encore from each school’s marching band—often a bigger attraction than the game itself.
ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN
(MEAC vs. SWAC - This year: North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State )
When Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015 Sponsor Air Force Reserve. The game is also managed by 100 Black Men of Atlanta, a service organization dedicated to empowering black youths
Inaugural game 2015
Watch it on ABC
Payout $2 million ($1M per participating conference)
Anticipated attendance TBD (it’s the first year, after all)
Most unusual eligible mascot The Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)
Coolest ancillary event 5th Quarter. After the game, the crowd sticks around for an encore from each school’s marching band—often a bigger attraction than the game itself.
ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN
N.C. A&T's Broadway: Aggies, Alcorn State similar in philosophy
ATLANTA, Georgia -- N.C. A&T football coach Rod Broadway sees the Aggies in Alcorn State’s Braves.Run the ball. Stop the run. Limit game-changing errors.
The Aggies and Braves, who play in the Celebration Bowl Saturday in Atlanta (noon, ABC), have many similarities. Broadway and Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson were assistants at Florida 20 years ago, so they’re familiar in approach.
“They’re very similar to us as far as what they do,” Broadway said. “Alcorn’s coach and I were on the same staff at Florida in ’95. I think his philosophy is somewhat similar to mine in that they’re going to run the ball and they’re going to try to stop the run defensively and try to make as few mistakes as possible.”
A&T (9-2, 7-1 MEAC) earned a share of the league title for the second straight year, just like Alcorn State (9-3, 7-2 SWAC). Both teams have dynamic running attacks – the Aggies are powered by all-America tailback Tarik Cohen; the Braves have Darryan Ragsdale. Success on the ground will be paramount.
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How the Celebration Bowl came into existence
ATLANTA, Georgia -- To fulfill his vision for his conference’s football teams, Dennis Thomas was willing to play a long game of persuading, listening and waiting. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference commissioner’s patience will be rewarded Saturday when North Carolina A&T and Alcorn State meet in the Georgia Dome for the inaugural Celebration Bowl.It will be the fruition of a plan first hatched 11 1/2 years ago by leaders of the MEAC, the Southwestern Athletic Conference and ESPN. A former football coach and athletic director, Thomas called it a highlight of his career.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I’m very, very pleased.”
In the college football universe, a bowl game between two teams that couldn’t hold a candle to power-conference competition (Alcorn State was drilled by Georgia Tech in the season opener) may not make much noise. But it carries its own significance. The game matches the champions of the two FCS leagues comprised of historically black colleges and universities. It will be televised on ABC, is expected to draw around 35,000 and will be the first bowl game of the 42-game bowl season.
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Thursday, December 17, 2015
XU loses by 1 in overtime to ninth-ranked Warriors
XU loses by 1 in overtime to ninth-ranked Warriors
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Jessica Brown's two free throws with eight seconds remaining Thursday gave Indiana Wesleyan a 75-74 women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening game of the Cruzin Classic.
The Warriors (11-2) snapped the six-game win streak of the Gold Nuggets (9-3). Both teams are ranked ninth in the NAIA — Xavier competes in Division I, Indiana Wesleyan in Division II.
Brown's free throws resulted in the sixth lead change of overtime. Xavier led 74-73 after Trana Hopkins scored a basket with 12 seconds remaining. After Brown's free throws, the Gold Nuggets were unable to take a shot before time ran out.
Xavier led by 15 points late in the second quarter, by seven in the 37th minute and by two with possession with less than a minute remaining in overtime.
The Warriors' Jessica Stewart tied the score at 63 with a free throw with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Xavier's Whitney Gathright missed a 2-pointer at the buzzer, and the Gold Nuggets went to overtime for the third time this season.
Hopkins scored a career-high 21 points, 16 after halftime, and had a season-best three steals. Donyeah Mayfield had 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and two steals, and Gathright and Joi Simmons had 10 points and three steals apiece. Gathright had seven assists, and Gathright and Mikayla Bates each made a pair of 3-pointers.
After a tie at 14 at the end of the first quarter, Xavier took its largest lead, 33-18, on Mayfield's basket at 2:21 of the second quarter. But Indiana Wesleyan closed the period with seven unanswered points, and Xavier's halftime lead was 33-25.
Mayfield's basket at 3:13 of the fourth gave the Gold Nuggets a 61-54 lead, but the Warriors forced overtime with a 9-2 run that included eight points by Kelsey Key, who finished with a career-high 20.
Chelsea Winner scored 13 points for the Warriors, and Carlee Cottrell had 11. Cottrell grabbed nine rebounds and helped Indiana Wesleyan win the boards 41-35.
Indiana Wesleyan outshot Xavier 47.9 to 35.8 percent from the floor, 56 to 35.3 percent after halftime. The Gold Nuggets were plus-14 in turnovers, committing a season-low nine and gaining 23.
Xavier will play Georgetown (Ky.) at noon EST Friday in the Gold Nuggets' second and final game of this event. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 3 p.m. Jan. 2 against NAIA No. 22 LSU-Shreveport.
NOTES: The game was the Gold Nuggets' first since the end of the fall semester and first since climbing into the national top 10 Dec. 8 . . . The Nuggets are 2-1 in overtime this season. It's the first time since 2006-07 that the Nuggets played three overtime games in a season . . . Xavier is 0-2 all-time against Indiana Wesleyan . . . It was the first time the Nuggets committed fewer than 10 turnovers in a road game since an opening-round victory against Westmont in the 2014 NAIA Division I National Championship.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Jessica Brown's two free throws with eight seconds remaining Thursday gave Indiana Wesleyan a 75-74 women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening game of the Cruzin Classic.
The Warriors (11-2) snapped the six-game win streak of the Gold Nuggets (9-3). Both teams are ranked ninth in the NAIA — Xavier competes in Division I, Indiana Wesleyan in Division II.
Brown's free throws resulted in the sixth lead change of overtime. Xavier led 74-73 after Trana Hopkins scored a basket with 12 seconds remaining. After Brown's free throws, the Gold Nuggets were unable to take a shot before time ran out.
Xavier led by 15 points late in the second quarter, by seven in the 37th minute and by two with possession with less than a minute remaining in overtime.
The Warriors' Jessica Stewart tied the score at 63 with a free throw with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Xavier's Whitney Gathright missed a 2-pointer at the buzzer, and the Gold Nuggets went to overtime for the third time this season.
Hopkins scored a career-high 21 points, 16 after halftime, and had a season-best three steals. Donyeah Mayfield had 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and two steals, and Gathright and Joi Simmons had 10 points and three steals apiece. Gathright had seven assists, and Gathright and Mikayla Bates each made a pair of 3-pointers.
After a tie at 14 at the end of the first quarter, Xavier took its largest lead, 33-18, on Mayfield's basket at 2:21 of the second quarter. But Indiana Wesleyan closed the period with seven unanswered points, and Xavier's halftime lead was 33-25.
Mayfield's basket at 3:13 of the fourth gave the Gold Nuggets a 61-54 lead, but the Warriors forced overtime with a 9-2 run that included eight points by Kelsey Key, who finished with a career-high 20.
Chelsea Winner scored 13 points for the Warriors, and Carlee Cottrell had 11. Cottrell grabbed nine rebounds and helped Indiana Wesleyan win the boards 41-35.
Indiana Wesleyan outshot Xavier 47.9 to 35.8 percent from the floor, 56 to 35.3 percent after halftime. The Gold Nuggets were plus-14 in turnovers, committing a season-low nine and gaining 23.
Xavier will play Georgetown (Ky.) at noon EST Friday in the Gold Nuggets' second and final game of this event. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 3 p.m. Jan. 2 against NAIA No. 22 LSU-Shreveport.
NOTES: The game was the Gold Nuggets' first since the end of the fall semester and first since climbing into the national top 10 Dec. 8 . . . The Nuggets are 2-1 in overtime this season. It's the first time since 2006-07 that the Nuggets played three overtime games in a season . . . Xavier is 0-2 all-time against Indiana Wesleyan . . . It was the first time the Nuggets committed fewer than 10 turnovers in a road game since an opening-round victory against Westmont in the 2014 NAIA Division I National Championship.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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VUU Coach Blow Earns 100th Career Win
ETTRICK, Virginia -- VSU Head Men's Basketball Coach Lonnie Blow, Jr. secured his 100th career win against his former CIAA institution, St. Augustine's University, on December 15 with a final score of 86-63.
Blow came to VSU in 2013 from St. Augustine's with a 62-27 record. Since then, he has lead the Trojans to a current winning record of 38-23, 6-2 this season.
"It is a great feeling to earn such a major accomplishment in my career," said Blow. "This accomplishment is also attributed to the other people that I have worked with through my career to include assistant coaches and student-athletes. They all helped make it happen."
Although Blow earned the victory over his former team, the St. Augustine's Falcons, he feels that it was just another game. "It is always great to go back and see familiar faces and players that you recruited, but when the ball goes up, you have to be ready to play hard," said Blow. "In any game that is played, you have to jump in and do your best!"
This monumental win has added to a week of great honors for Blow. In addition to the Trojans currently holding the highest CIAA men's basketball winning percentage of .750, Blow was also named CIAA Coach of the Week after taking down I-95 rival, Virginia Union University, on December 6.
Coach Blow will be back on the road with the Trojans for their Thursday, December 17 game against the Broncos of Fayetteville State University. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. VSU will round out 2015 on December 19-20 in Daytona Beach, FL for the Embry-Riddle Tournament.
For more information on VSU Trojans men's basketball, follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports, or call 804-524-5030.
COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UN IVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
AD Overton promises big changes at FAMU in 2016
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- One last time before the New Year, Milton Overton Jr. was peppered with questions from the 220 Quarterback Club.During the nearly 45-minute conversation on Wednesday at the New Times Country Buffet on Monroe Street, he made some pretty bold statements to the group of Florida A&M sports enthusiasts.
Overton, who started as FAMU’s athletic director on Aug. 3, said he wants to begin work on a new athletic performance center to replace the Galimore-Powell Field House by next year. The field house hasn’t been renovated since it opened in 1983.
He said recruits must see something new when they come to FAMU. Over each of the past two weekends, the football staff has brought in about 20 recruits to visit FAMU’s facilities.
“You all call it a field house, I call it a sports performance facility,” Overton said. “It’ll have an academic center in there for all student-athletes and a new training room for everybody and new weight room for everybody and new locker rooms.”
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SC On The Road: What the Celebration Bowl means to HBCUs
ATLANTA, Georgia -- This year's bowl season will kick off a little differently.Forget teams with six-win seasons or squads teetering along with an interim head coach. The 2015 college football postseason begins with two conference champions squaring off: Alcorn State and North Carolina A&T.
The two FCS programs -- both known as historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) -- will make history when they meet in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl on Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta (noon ET, ABC).
"That's really a cool deal," Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson said.
The game pits the champions from the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) and the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) in what North Carolina A&T coach Rod Broadway calls the "black college national championship" since both conferences are comprised of HBCUs.
"I'm happy for our guys to have an opportunity to experience a bowl game," Broadway said. "I've been there and done it but for our kids to have the opportunity to experience something like that, it's a beautiful thing, especially with it being the first."
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Alcorn looks to separate itself in Celebration Bowl
ATLANTA, Georgia -- Some MEAC games ended with scores of 9-6 and 14-7 this season, which may suggest the conference is a bit more physical and defensive-minded.It was the opposite for the SWAC as some games ended with scores of 70-54 and 53-49, which may suggest the conference is free-flowing and focused on offense.
As SWAC champion Alcorn State (9-3) prepares for a meeting with MEAC champion North Carolina A&T (9-2) in the Celebration Bowl at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Georgia Dome, Braves offensive coordinator Fred Kaiss, who has spent time in both conferences, says there isn’t much difference between the two.
“I don’t know if I buy into all that,” Kaiss said. “I guess you could say we have a little more spread teams, I guess that would be true. But it’s just a different style from coaches. I’m looking at North Carolina (A&T), they’re very athletic, they’re very well-coached. They’re a physical football team, then so is Grambling.”
This is the first MEAC opponent that Alcorn State has faced during Jay Hopson’s time as coach. And stats show their mindsets are pretty similar.
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Grambling State Football to Play Arizona in 2016
The season opener will be Saturday, Sept. 3, at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., for a neutral site showdown against BYU. The Wildcats will then play seven of their final 11 contests at Arizona Stadium, while playing four true road games.
A three-game non-conference slate to begin the season continues Sept. 10 and Sept. 17 against Grambling and Hawai’i. The Pac-12 opener against Washington caps a three-game home stretch on Sept. 24.
Thereafter, the Wildcats will hit the road for two straight weeks at UCLA (Oct. 1) and Utah (Oct. 8), before returning home to face Southern California (Oct. 15).
Arizona, which played 12 consecutive weeks without a bye in 2015, will then receive a bye week on the eighth week of the regular season (Oct. 22). Then, the Wildcats close out the regular season with three of their final five games at home.
Stanford visits Tucson on Oct. 29 for Family Weekend. The Wildcats then travel to Washington State on Nov. 5 before returning home to host Colorado on Nov. 12 for Homecoming. The final road trip is to Oregon State on Nov. 19, before the Wildcats host the annual Territorial Cup against Arizona State on Friday, Nov. 25.
Every football game played at Pac-12 sites will be televised. A combination of the ESPN channels, ABC, FOX and FOX Sports 1 will broadcast 44 games nationally and Pac-12 Networks will offer 35 games to national and international audiences. Exact broadcast schedules will be determined at a later date.
Arizona (6-6) concludes its 2015 season against New Mexico (7-5) this Saturday, Dec. 19, in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for noon (MST) with a live television broadcast on ESPN.
For those traveling to the bowl game, fans are encouraged to purchase tickets directly through the McKale Ticket Office. Tickets are $40 for the public ($15 for UA students) and are available for purchase online now at www.arizonawildcats.com and through the McKale Ticket Office after 9 a.m. through Friday.
For continued coverage of Arizona football, follow the team on Twitter at @ArizonaFBall and on Facebook at facebook.com/ArizonaFootball.
2016 Arizona Football Schedule
Day
|
Date
|
Opponent
| |
Saturday
|
Sept. 3
|
vs. BYU ^
| |
Saturday
|
Sept. 10
|
Grambling
| |
Saturday
|
Sept. 17
|
Hawai'i
| |
Saturday
|
Sept. 24
|
Washington
| |
Saturday
|
Oct. 1
|
at UCLA
| |
Saturday
|
Oct. 8
|
at Utah
| |
Saturday
|
Oct. 15
|
USC
| |
Saturday
|
Oct. 22
|
Bye
| |
Saturday
|
Oct. 29
|
Stanford (Family Weekend)
| |
Saturday
|
Nov. 5
|
at Washington State
| |
Saturday
|
Nov. 12
|
Colorado (Homecoming)
| |
Saturday
|
Nov. 19
|
at Oregon State
| |
Friday
|
Nov. 25
|
Arizona
| |
Eight HBCU Football Players Named To Stats FCS AP All-American Teams
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina — Senior defensive lineman Javon Hargrave was named to the STATS FCS All-American First Team as announced.
Javon Hargrave (6-2, 300, Senior DL, Salisbury, NC, SCSU) earned a spot on the prestigious All-American Team for the second straight year, while earning back-to-back MEAC Defense Player of the Year honors.
Others honor include after aiding the team to a 6-2 conference finish and 7-4 overall mark, while earning national FCS player of the week honors (STATS Inc.), Boxtorow National Defensive Player of the Week, and Stats FCS National Defensive Player of the Week honors. He led the MEAC in sacks (5th in FCS) and is second in tackles for loss (5th in FCS). He recorded 59 total tackles (43 solo), 13.5 sacks, and 22 tackles, 11 quarterback pressures and two forced fumbles.
Johnta' Hebert (5-10, 195, Senior RB, Baton Rouge, LA, PVAMU): Prairie View A&M senior running back Johnta' Hebert was selected to the 2015 STATS FCS All-America First Team.
The Baton Rouge, La. native was selected as an all-purpose back and rightfully so as he led the Panthers in rushing, receiving and all-purpose yardage as the team finished 9-2 in their first season under head coach Willie Simmons. The spark plug behind an offensive unit which ranked sixth nationally in total yardage (488.5 ypg), Hebert finished second nationally in all-purpose yardage (201.2), 16th in kickoff return yardage (26.3), 18th in rush yards per carry (6) and 27th in rushing yardage per game. He also caught a team-high 47 receptions and closed out his career with 3,133 rushing yards, 1,301 receiving yards, 3,093 kickoff return yards and 33 career touchdowns.
Hebert was also named the STATS FCS Player of the Week this season after posting a career-best performance of 398 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns at Southern. He also received All-SWAC First Team honors and was named to the Boxtorow.com All-America team.
Deon King (6-1, 235 Senior LB, Reston, VA, Norfolk State): In a season full of accolades, Norfolk State senior linebacker Deon King received perhaps his highest distinction yet on Tuesday, when he was selected to the STATS Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America first team, the organization announced. On Wednesday, King followed that accolade up by being selected to the FCS All-America first team of The Associated Press.
King is one of four linebackers listed on the STATS FCS first team. The organization previously administered its All-America awards under the umbrella of The Sports Network. King was one of just three linebackers on the AP first team. Safety Terrell Whitehead was NSU's last AP first-team All-American, in 2009.
King, who last week was named to the BOXTOROW HBCU All-America team, led all of Division I football (FBS and FCS) with 163 total tackles this year. He also had 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. He finished sixth in the voting for the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year award and capped his career with his third consecutive All-MEAC honor.
The 2015 season marks the third straight year in which a Spartan defender has been named to an FCS All-America first or second team. Linebacker Lynden Trail was named to The Sports Network's first team in 2013 and to its second team in 2014. Trail was a third-team AP pick in 2013 and a second-team selection in 2014.
Willie Quinn (5-5 145 Senior KR, Miami, FL, Southern): Southern wide receiver/return specialist Willie Quinn won two major national awards Tuesday. The junior from Miami was named a Football Championship Subdivision first-team All-American as well as the Special Teams Player of the Year from programs representing historically black colleges and universities.
Quinn returned four kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns this season. He led the SWAC and is sixth in the FCS in kickoff return average (28.8 yards). He is the Jaguars’ first FCS All-American since wide receiver Lee Doss in 2013.
Khris Gardin (5-7, 158, SO, Morganton, N.C, North Carolina A&T.) is the first first-team All-American punt returner since Curtis Deloatch in 2001. Oddly, enough it is Gardin who has erased some of Deloatch’s single-season records. Gardin is only two yards shy of breaking the NCAA FCS record for punt return yards in a season as the Aggies head to Atlanta to face Alcorn State in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl at the Georgia Dome on Saturday, Dec. 19. ABC will air the broadcast live at noon.
Deloatch once held the record with 530 punt return yards in a season. Gardin is averaging 60.5 punt return yards per game. If Gardin has a big game for the Aggies on Saturday he would break Deloatch’s national per punt return yardage which stands at 26.5. Gardin leads the nation with an average of 22.2 yards per return. Gardin also holds the school record for punt returns in a season with 30.
Gardin has two punt returns for touchdowns this season – a 71-yarder at Hampton (Oct.3) and an 82-yarder against Howard (Oct. 24). He has seven punts of 40 yards or more. His breakout game was at Hampton when he returned four punts for 203 yards in the Aggies 45-31 win.
Gardin, Cohen and Parker were among 102 players chosen, spread out among 57 schools and all 13 FCS conferences that comprise the three All-American teams. The Aggies head into the Celebration Bowl 9-2 overall and co-champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
See Complete Listing Below:
HBCU Players highlighted in RED
2015 STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Eli Jenkins, junior, 6-2, 205, Jacksonville State.
RB - Marshaun Coprich, senior, 5-9, 205, Illinois State; Chase Edmonds, sophomore, 5-9, 196, Fordham; Kade Harrington, junior, 5-8, 190, Lamar.
FB - Tyler Renew, junior, 5-11, 217, The Citadel.
WR - Jamaal Jones, senior, 6-1, 192, Montana; Cooper Kupp, junior, 6-2, 195, Eastern Washington; Jake Wieneke, sophomore, 6-4, 210, South Dakota State.
TE - Ben Braunecker, senior, 6-4, 240, Harvard.
OL - Clay DeBord, senior, 6-6, 305, Eastern Washington; Joe Haeg, senior, 6-6, 310, North Dakota State; Donald Jackson III, senior, 6-2, 290, Sam Houston State; Corey Levin, junior, 6-5, 305, Chattanooga; Cole Toner, senior, 6-7, 300, Harvard.
AP - Johnta' Hebert, senior, 5-10, 195, Prairie View A&M.
DEFENSE
DL - James Cowser, graduate, 6-4, 258, Southern Utah; Javon Hargrave, senior, 6-2, 295, South Carolina State; Tyrone Holmes, senior, 6-4, 245, Montana; Victor Ochi, senior, 6-2, 255, Stony Brook; Noah Spence, junior, 6-3, 261, Eastern Kentucky.
LB - Deon King, senior, 6-1, 220, Norfolk State; Christian Kuntz, junior, 6-1, 210, Duquesne; Darnell Sankey, senior, 6-2, 250, Sacramento State; Myke Tavarres, senior, 6-3, 230, Incarnate Word.
DB - Dee Delaney, sophomore, 6-1, 191, The Citadel; Deiondre' Hall, senior, 6-2, 190, Northern Iowa; DeAndre Houston-Carson, senior, 6-2, 195, William & Mary; Patrick Onwuasor, senior, 6-2, 225, Portland State.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Nick Dorka, sophomore, 6-0, 180, William & Mary.
P - Ben LeCompte, senior, 5-10, 196, North Dakota State.
KR - Willie Quinn, senior, 5-5, 145, Southern.
PR - Khris Gardin, sophomore, 5-7, 158, North Carolina A&T.
LS - Joshua Appel, junior, 6-2, 250, Indiana State.
---
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Jacob Huesman, senior, 6-2, 220, Chattanooga.
RB - Jacobi Green, senior, 5-9, 192, Richmond; De'Angelo Henderson, junior, 5-8, 205, Coastal Carolina.
FB - Andrew Bonnet, senior, 6-3, 250, North Dakota State.
WR - Emmanuel Butler, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Northern Arizona; Tyler Dube, graduate, 6-0, 170, Sacred Heart; Brendan Flaherty, junior, 6-2, 200, Holy Cross.
TE - Beau Sandland, senior, 6-5, 250, Montana State.
OL - Erik Austell, junior, 6-3, 285, Charleston Southern; Jonathan Burgess, senior, 6-2, 305, Liberty; Julie'n Davenport, junior, 6-7, 315, Bucknell; Casey Dunn, junior, 6-3, 285, Jacksonville State; Mitch Kirsch, junior, 6-6, 300, James Madison.
AP - John Santiago, freshman, 5-9, 170, North Dakota.
DEFENSE
DL - Keionta Davis, junior, 6-4, 260, Chattanooga; Dino Fanti, senior, 6-1, 265, Eastern Illinois; P.J. Hall, sophomore, 6-1, 270, Sam Houston State; Karter Schult, junior, 6-2, 265, Northern Iowa; Chima Uzowihe, senior, 6-2, 250, Liberty.
LB - Andrew Ankrah, sophomore, 6-4, 234, James Madison; Kourtney Berry, junior, 6-0, 215, Alabama State; Don Cherry, senior, 6-1, 240, Villanova; Stephen Hodge, graduate, 6-2, 196, Fordham; Brett McMakin, junior, 6-4, 232, Northern Iowa.
DB - David Jones, junior, 6-1, 187, Richmond; Miles Killebrew, senior, 6-3, 230, Southern Utah; Harlan Miller, senior, 6-1, 180, Southeastern Louisiana; Donald Payne, junior, 6-1, 215, Stetson; Wallace Scott, senior, 6-1, 211, McNeese State.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - John Lunsford, senior, 6-1, 180, Liberty.
P - Ryan Hawkins, senior, 5-11, 185, Northern Arizona.
KR - Lorenzo Jerome, junior, 5-11, 185, Saint Francis.
PR - Ellis Onic II, sophomore, 5-6, 163, Northern Colorado.
LS - Joseph Smith, junior, 6-3, 200, Charleston Southern.
---
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Case Cookus, freshman, 6-4, 200, Northern Arizona; Vad Lee, senior, 6-1, 225, James Madison.
RB - Tarik Cohen, junior, 5-6, 173, North Carolina A&T; Troymaine Pope, senior, 5-9, 205, Jacksonville State.
FB - Joe Protheroe, sophomore, 6-0, 230, Cal Poly.
WR - Brian Brown, junior, 6-1, 198, Richmond; Anthony Warrum, junior, 6-2, 190, Illinois State; Justin Watson, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Penn.
TE - Eric Saubert, senior, 6-4, 242, Drake.
OL - Quinton Marsh, senior, 6-3, 310, McNeese State; Garrick Mayweather, senior, 6-3, 319, Fordham; Sean Meehan, senior, 6-5, 300, North Dakota; Brandon Parker, sophomore, 6-7, 279, North Carolina A&T; Nick Ritcher, senior, 6-6, 304, Richmond.
AP - Justice Shelton-Mosley, freshman, 5-10, 170, Harvard.
DEFENSE
DL - Mitchell Jeter, senior, 6-0, 275, The Citadel; Chris Landrum, graduate, 6-3, 260, Jacksonville State; O.J. Mau, senior, 6-2, 319, Gardner-Webb; Greg Menard, sophomore, 6-2, 239, North Dakota State; Derek Rivers, junior, 6-5, 255, Youngstown State.
LB - Aaron Brown, senior, 6-0, 220, Charleston Southern; Tyler Drake, senior, 6-2, 220, Penn; John Hugunin, 5-11, 232, Drake; Cory Magwood, senior, 6-2, 232, Furman; James Rentz, junior, 6-1, 230, Sacred Heart.
DB - James Bradberry, senior, 6-1, 213, Samford; Casey DeAndrade, junior, 5-11, 212, New Hampshire; Jermaine Hough, senior, 5-10, 185, Jacksonville State; Jevon Elmore, Central Connecticut State, junior, 5-10, 185; Clayton Ewell, senior, 6-1, 195, Bucknell.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Chris Moore, senior, 6-0, 215, Northwestern State.
P - Chris Fraser, junior, 6-2, 211, Cornell.a
KR - Devin Brown, junior, 5-8, 155, Coastal Carolina.
PR - Makinton Dorleant, senior, 5-11, 185, Northern Iowa.
LS - Kameron Canaday, senior, 6-4, 230, Portland State.M
COURTESY THE SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENTS AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M, SOUTH CAROLIINA STATE, SOUTHERN, NORTH CAROLINA A&T AND NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITIES.
See Complete Listing Below:
HBCU Players highlighted in RED
2015 STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Eli Jenkins, junior, 6-2, 205, Jacksonville State.
RB - Marshaun Coprich, senior, 5-9, 205, Illinois State; Chase Edmonds, sophomore, 5-9, 196, Fordham; Kade Harrington, junior, 5-8, 190, Lamar.
FB - Tyler Renew, junior, 5-11, 217, The Citadel.
WR - Jamaal Jones, senior, 6-1, 192, Montana; Cooper Kupp, junior, 6-2, 195, Eastern Washington; Jake Wieneke, sophomore, 6-4, 210, South Dakota State.
TE - Ben Braunecker, senior, 6-4, 240, Harvard.
OL - Clay DeBord, senior, 6-6, 305, Eastern Washington; Joe Haeg, senior, 6-6, 310, North Dakota State; Donald Jackson III, senior, 6-2, 290, Sam Houston State; Corey Levin, junior, 6-5, 305, Chattanooga; Cole Toner, senior, 6-7, 300, Harvard.
AP - Johnta' Hebert, senior, 5-10, 195, Prairie View A&M.
DEFENSE
DL - James Cowser, graduate, 6-4, 258, Southern Utah; Javon Hargrave, senior, 6-2, 295, South Carolina State; Tyrone Holmes, senior, 6-4, 245, Montana; Victor Ochi, senior, 6-2, 255, Stony Brook; Noah Spence, junior, 6-3, 261, Eastern Kentucky.
LB - Deon King, senior, 6-1, 220, Norfolk State; Christian Kuntz, junior, 6-1, 210, Duquesne; Darnell Sankey, senior, 6-2, 250, Sacramento State; Myke Tavarres, senior, 6-3, 230, Incarnate Word.
DB - Dee Delaney, sophomore, 6-1, 191, The Citadel; Deiondre' Hall, senior, 6-2, 190, Northern Iowa; DeAndre Houston-Carson, senior, 6-2, 195, William & Mary; Patrick Onwuasor, senior, 6-2, 225, Portland State.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Nick Dorka, sophomore, 6-0, 180, William & Mary.
P - Ben LeCompte, senior, 5-10, 196, North Dakota State.
KR - Willie Quinn, senior, 5-5, 145, Southern.
PR - Khris Gardin, sophomore, 5-7, 158, North Carolina A&T.
LS - Joshua Appel, junior, 6-2, 250, Indiana State.
---
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Jacob Huesman, senior, 6-2, 220, Chattanooga.
RB - Jacobi Green, senior, 5-9, 192, Richmond; De'Angelo Henderson, junior, 5-8, 205, Coastal Carolina.
FB - Andrew Bonnet, senior, 6-3, 250, North Dakota State.
WR - Emmanuel Butler, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Northern Arizona; Tyler Dube, graduate, 6-0, 170, Sacred Heart; Brendan Flaherty, junior, 6-2, 200, Holy Cross.
TE - Beau Sandland, senior, 6-5, 250, Montana State.
OL - Erik Austell, junior, 6-3, 285, Charleston Southern; Jonathan Burgess, senior, 6-2, 305, Liberty; Julie'n Davenport, junior, 6-7, 315, Bucknell; Casey Dunn, junior, 6-3, 285, Jacksonville State; Mitch Kirsch, junior, 6-6, 300, James Madison.
AP - John Santiago, freshman, 5-9, 170, North Dakota.
DEFENSE
DL - Keionta Davis, junior, 6-4, 260, Chattanooga; Dino Fanti, senior, 6-1, 265, Eastern Illinois; P.J. Hall, sophomore, 6-1, 270, Sam Houston State; Karter Schult, junior, 6-2, 265, Northern Iowa; Chima Uzowihe, senior, 6-2, 250, Liberty.
LB - Andrew Ankrah, sophomore, 6-4, 234, James Madison; Kourtney Berry, junior, 6-0, 215, Alabama State; Don Cherry, senior, 6-1, 240, Villanova; Stephen Hodge, graduate, 6-2, 196, Fordham; Brett McMakin, junior, 6-4, 232, Northern Iowa.
DB - David Jones, junior, 6-1, 187, Richmond; Miles Killebrew, senior, 6-3, 230, Southern Utah; Harlan Miller, senior, 6-1, 180, Southeastern Louisiana; Donald Payne, junior, 6-1, 215, Stetson; Wallace Scott, senior, 6-1, 211, McNeese State.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - John Lunsford, senior, 6-1, 180, Liberty.
P - Ryan Hawkins, senior, 5-11, 185, Northern Arizona.
KR - Lorenzo Jerome, junior, 5-11, 185, Saint Francis.
PR - Ellis Onic II, sophomore, 5-6, 163, Northern Colorado.
LS - Joseph Smith, junior, 6-3, 200, Charleston Southern.
---
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Case Cookus, freshman, 6-4, 200, Northern Arizona; Vad Lee, senior, 6-1, 225, James Madison.
RB - Tarik Cohen, junior, 5-6, 173, North Carolina A&T; Troymaine Pope, senior, 5-9, 205, Jacksonville State.
FB - Joe Protheroe, sophomore, 6-0, 230, Cal Poly.
WR - Brian Brown, junior, 6-1, 198, Richmond; Anthony Warrum, junior, 6-2, 190, Illinois State; Justin Watson, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Penn.
TE - Eric Saubert, senior, 6-4, 242, Drake.
OL - Quinton Marsh, senior, 6-3, 310, McNeese State; Garrick Mayweather, senior, 6-3, 319, Fordham; Sean Meehan, senior, 6-5, 300, North Dakota; Brandon Parker, sophomore, 6-7, 279, North Carolina A&T; Nick Ritcher, senior, 6-6, 304, Richmond.
AP - Justice Shelton-Mosley, freshman, 5-10, 170, Harvard.
DEFENSE
DL - Mitchell Jeter, senior, 6-0, 275, The Citadel; Chris Landrum, graduate, 6-3, 260, Jacksonville State; O.J. Mau, senior, 6-2, 319, Gardner-Webb; Greg Menard, sophomore, 6-2, 239, North Dakota State; Derek Rivers, junior, 6-5, 255, Youngstown State.
LB - Aaron Brown, senior, 6-0, 220, Charleston Southern; Tyler Drake, senior, 6-2, 220, Penn; John Hugunin, 5-11, 232, Drake; Cory Magwood, senior, 6-2, 232, Furman; James Rentz, junior, 6-1, 230, Sacred Heart.
DB - James Bradberry, senior, 6-1, 213, Samford; Casey DeAndrade, junior, 5-11, 212, New Hampshire; Jermaine Hough, senior, 5-10, 185, Jacksonville State; Jevon Elmore, Central Connecticut State, junior, 5-10, 185; Clayton Ewell, senior, 6-1, 195, Bucknell.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Chris Moore, senior, 6-0, 215, Northwestern State.
P - Chris Fraser, junior, 6-2, 211, Cornell.a
KR - Devin Brown, junior, 5-8, 155, Coastal Carolina.
PR - Makinton Dorleant, senior, 5-11, 185, Northern Iowa.
LS - Kameron Canaday, senior, 6-4, 230, Portland State.M
COURTESY THE SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENTS AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M, SOUTH CAROLIINA STATE, SOUTHERN, NORTH CAROLINA A&T AND NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITIES.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
XU''s Jackson picked as voter for Bevo Francis Award
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball coach Dannton Jackson has been selected as a voter for the inaugural Bevo Francis Award.
The award will be presented annually to the men's basketball player who has the finest overall season among small colleges in NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA Division I, NAIA Division II, the NCCAA and the USCAA.
Jackson, 282-120 in his 13th season as head coach of the Gold Rush, is one of four NAIA coaches on the 16-member selection committee, which will compile watch lists in January, February and March. The January watch list will consist of 100 student-athletes. The award will be presented in April.
The award is named for Clarence "Bevo" Francis, a 6-foot-9 center who was a prolific scorer for Ohio's Rio Grande College (now the University of Rio Grande) more than 60 years ago. Francis averaged 46.5 per points per game — still the NCAA all-division season record — in 1953-54. Francis also holds scoring records in the NAIA. Francis died in June at age 82.
The website smallcollegebasketball.com is the sponsor of the Bevo Francis Award.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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