Saturday, March 5, 2016

XU Gold Rush climb to school-record No. 3 national rank

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana set another rankings record for its men's tennis program when it moved from fourth to third Tuesday in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
    
It's the second time in three polls this season that the Gold Rush ranking is the best in school history. Xavier was fourth in the preseason Jan. 26 — its pre-2016 high had been fifth — and again in the first regular-season rankings Feb. 16.
    
Xavier is in the top 10 for the 41st consecutive time and in the top 25 for the 71st consecutive time. Xavier began its top-10 streak May 3, 2011, and its top-25 streak April 4, 2007.
    
Two-time defending champion Georgia Gwinnett was a unanimous No. 1 for the third time this season. Preseason No. 2 Auburn Montgomery returned to that spot after ranking fifth two weeks ago, and previous No. 3 Lindsey Wilson fell to sixth.
    
Climbing from sixth to fourth was Northwestern Ohio, which will visit Xavier at 2 p.m. March 29.
    
The next rankings will be announced March 15.
    
Next for the Gold Rush will be a trip to Hattiesburg, Miss., to play 10th-ranked William Carey at noon Friday, then a home dual at 11 a.m. Sunday against William Woods at XU Tennis Center. Xavier defeated William Carey 8-1 at XU Feb. 6.
    
SCHEDULE NOTES:  XU coach Alan Green said the Friday dual against William Carey was moved up three hours and to the Crusaders' campus courts . . . Added were road duals March 22 at St. Thomas (Fla.) and March 23 at Keiser. Both will start at 2 p.m. EDT.

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Feb. 28)

RankTeamRecordPointsLast
1Georgia Gwinnett (12)7-03121
2Auburn Montgomery5-22965
3Xavier5-32944
4Northwestern Ohio6-12756
5Coastal Georgia5-12629
6Lindsey Wilson2-22553
7Keiser3-125311
8Dalton State 6-42502
9Westmont4-223215
10William Carey3-42258
11McPherson1-121210
12San Diego Christian 4-12067
13Reinhardt2-019712
14Bethany (Kan.)3-018313
15Campbellsville0-017214
16Cardinal Stritch1-514717
17Graceland2-413816
18Olivet Nazarene1-313418
19Aquinas7-312822
20Lewis-Clark State5-512019
21Warner4-0102RV
22Asbury0-09920
23Cumberland1-29321
24Middle Georgia5-479RV
25Marian (Ind.)11-17524

Dropped from rankings:  No. 23 Southeastern (Fla.), No. 25 Tennessee Wesleyan
    

Others receiving votes:  Tennessee Wesleyan 67, Southeastern (Fla.) 61, Pikeville 26, Goshen 19, Mobile 14, Missouri Valley 12, Indiana Wesleyan 7, Baker 3, Martin Methodist 3

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Friday, March 4, 2016

Lady Marauders fall short to Kentucky State in SIAC Semifinals

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Lady Marauders of Central State had their season come to an end, losing to Kentucky State, 73-63, in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Semifinals on Friday night.

Taking on the top-seeded team in the SIAC West, Central State hung in for the majority of the first half, trailing the Thorobrettes, 21-19, at the 5:10 mark of the second quarter. The CSU offense proceeded to score just 2 points to close the quarter while KSU’s Joymesia Howard sparked her team to an 11-2 run and a 32-21 lead at halftime.



“Against a team like Kentucky State, you have to play for a full forty minutes,” said CSU coach Sheba Harris. “We lost our focus for a moment at the end of the first half and KSU took full advantage of it.”

The Thorobrettes expanded their lead to 18 with a Jamesha Mosley basket at the 5:18 mark of the third quarter. The CSU defense responded by forcing KSU into six turnovers, sparking a 14-3 run to end the quarter.

Down 46-41 at the start of the fourth period, CSU managed to cut the deficit down to one with a Kourtni Perry basket at the 6:18 mark. KSU guard Logan Powell scored the next two baskets and led her team on a 7-2 run to take a 59-53 lead with 4:40 left. CSU continued to fight, cutting the deficit down to 4 with 53 seconds left. After a blown KSU layup, CSU’s Jordyn Bond attempted a three pointer that came up short and KSU hit its next four free throws to gain control of the game. KSU’s Jamesha Mosley helped the Thorobrettes to their seventeenth straight win with nine points in the final 4 minutes to further solidify the victory and trip to the SIAC Championship.

“The ladies did a tremendous job continuing to fight and get back into the game,” Harris said. “We just ran out of energy to close out the game.”

As a team, KSU shot 48% from the field compared to a 35% performance from the Lady Marauders.

Mosley finished with a game-high 22 points while Howard scored 14 points to go with six rebounds. Powell provided 14 points off the bench.

CSU senior Kourtni Perry led the Lady Marauders with 17 points and nine rebounds in the final game of her collegiate career. Sierra Harley recorded 16 points in the loss.

“I am very proud of this group of young ladies. We have come a long way since the beginning of the season and I appreciate all their efforts and dedication,” said Harris. “We made an impression in our first year competing in the SIAC and we are excited about the direction this program is headed. We are not going to hang our heads after tonight’s loss. We are going to continue to build and get better.”

Central State finishes the year with a 14-14 overall mark. Kentucky State improved to 23-3 on the season and will take on Benedict in the SIAC Championship on Saturday.

COURTESY CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MEAC Hall of Fame Selection Humbles 2016 Inductees


NORFOLK,Virginia -- The 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame Class features five conference stalwarts – Hampton women’s basketball player LaShondra Dixon-Gordon, South Carolina State defensive end Bobby Moore, Howard track and field athlete David Oliver, Bethune-Cookman Director of Athletics Lynn Thompson and Joe Taylor, who coached football and Howard, Hampton and Florida A&M – all of whom have eye-popping credentials and have made significant contributions to the league’s tradition of excellence.

The class will be enshrined March 10 during an award brunch at the Sheraton Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Va. The Hall of Famers will also be recognized prior to the 6 p.m. men’s basketball game during the 2016 MEAC Basketball Tournament at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Virginia.

”It’s a real honor,’’ said Taylor, who compiled a 233-96-4 record with a .700 winning percentage in 29 seasons at Howard, Hampton, Florida A&M and Virginia Union. “It means you’ve been around some good people. You don’t do anything of this magnitude by yourself.’’

Taylor is currently Director of Athletics at Virginia Union University. He is third all-time in wins among HBCU football coaches, trailing Eddie Robinson of Grambling State and John Merritt of Tennessee State. He is winningest coach in school history at Hampton (136-48-1), and he led the Pirates to four Black College National Championships and five MEAC titles. Before Hampton’s transition to Division I, he coached the Pirates to two NCAA Division II playoff appearances, including their first playoff win.

Taylor was previously inducted into the Halls of Fame at Hampton, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and Western Illinois, his alma mater. Given his accomplishments, it was only a matter of time before he would be tabbed for the MEAC Hall as well.

“As you’re working you don’t look that far down the road,’’ Taylor said. “I felt at some point it was going to happen. It’s humbling and a tremendous honor. I used to tell my players hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. This is another example of that. To be enshrined, this is major. When you do it right way these are the things that happen.’’

Dixon-Gordon’s Hampton resume is clearly worthy of the Hall of Fame. She ended her four-year career No. 2 on the school’s all-time scoring list and No. 6 in assists after leading the Lady Pirates to two NCAA tournament appearances. In addition, she led the MEAC in scoring twice and was named to the conference all-tournament team four times. Still Dixon-Gordon, 34, was caught off guard when she was notified of her selection.

“It’s one of the highest honors you can get,’’ she said. “I can’t say I thought about it. It came as a surprise. All your hard work, the sacrifices you make to become a good player. It’s shocking to get this honor at such a young age.’’

Dixon-Gordon says having her two children ages nine and five present for her induction makes it even more special.

“They have asked me how thing went when I played,’’ Gordon-Dixon said. “This solidifies with them what I had been telling them, that I was an okay player and won a couple of championships.’’

Dixon-Gordon didn’t get a lot of attention playing high school ball in Sparta, Ga. However, she caught the eye of Hampton assistant coach Walter Mebane while for the Georgia Metros, an Atlanta-based AAU team, during the summer. Hampton’s academic reputation and setting as a smaller school appealed to Dixon-Gordon. In hindsight, she says choosing Hampton was an excellent decision.

“It was just an athletic decision,’’ she said. “Academics were a big part of it. I felt it was a good fit for me. I wouldn’t change anything. I don’t think things would have turned out as good if I had gone someplace else.’’

Thompson was among the youngest athletic directors in the country when he became head the athletic department at Bethune-Cookman 25 years ago. The Wildcats have enjoyed a high rate of success during Thompson’s tenure, winning 64 championships, including 44 MEAC crowns, and he established himself as a first-rate athletic administrator with his innovative thinking.

Thompson assembled the Bethune-Cookman Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and he initiated the Wildcats’ athletic graduate assistant program. He also was instrumental in launching a 30-minute coaches television show highlighting Bethune-Cookman football and men’s and women’s basketball programs. In addition, he was the first African-American to chair the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee.

“It’s humbling that your peers, the people you work for and with, would think enough of your body of work, that it would be amongst the very best through the test of time,’’ Thompson said of his Hall of Fame selection. “It’s a humbling thing, almost to the point of embarrassment. I never thought in terms of what I do would be Hall of Fame level. I was o busy working I didn’t see it that way.’’

When Thompson took over as athletic director, Bethune-Cookman was the smallest school in the MEAC, and it had the smallest budget for athletics. However, Thompson says it had the biggest ambition.

“We kept plugging away,’’ he said, adding that a core group coaches and staff members that has been with him for 18-20 years has been key to the program’s success. “For me, now I have to look back at all the people who had a hand in this. You don’t do this by yourself. All the people who put in the work also deserve to be celebrated.’’

Thompson also said having two former athletic directors – Jack “Cy’’ McLairen and Lloyd “Tank’’ Johnson on campus in his early years was an immense help. Florida A&M’s Walter Reed and Nelson Townsend of Delaware State were two MEAC athletic directors who mentored Thompson.

“I pulled from their experiences,’’ he said. “It was a bigger task than I could imagine. I was so naïve I couldn’t imagine how big a task it was.’’

Moore is one of the most ferocious defensive linemen ever to play at South Carolina State, a school known for producing ferocious defensive linemen. So it’s difficult to imagine him being moved to tears by much of anything, but that’s exactly what happened when Moore learned he had been selected for the MEAC Hall of Fame.

“I cried and thanked God,’’ said Moore, an assistant principal at Burke County Middle School in Waynesboro, Ga. “I got on my knees and thanked God, and I thought about how many people who could have gotten, and some people might have been more deserving.’’

As word of his selection spread, congratulatory calls poured in from friends and former teammates, and Moore says he cried some more with each call.

Moore says he thought about the Hall of Fame “many, many times’’ after learning that he had been nominated. But he refused to allow himself to get excited about the prospect of being chosen.

“I said it would be a great honor and a blessing from God,’’ he said. “I said, ‘if it comes, great. If not, it’s something that I wasn’t meant to have.’

Moore, a four-year starter, was a two-time All-MEAC performer and the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and All-American in 1978. The Bulldogs were 35-6-3 overall and 21-2-1 in the MEAC and won four MEAC titles (1975-78) during Moore’s career. He has fond memories of his days playing the MEAC and the athletes he competed with against, the Dwain Boards, the George Ragsdales, the Ron Scotts, the Edwin Baileys and Charley Browns and Nate Rivers.

“I had a great time,’’ he said. “I wouldn’t give it up for the all the gold in China. But the most important thing I got from South Carolina State is an education. That’s why HBCUs are important. Don’t ever take education lightly. I preach that every day to my students.’’

Oliver went on to become a world class hurdler after winning four consecutive MEAC outdoor title sin the 110m hurdles and earning All-American honors twice. He holds school record in the 60m hurdles (7.69 seconds), set at the 2004 NCAA Indoor Championship and the 110m hurdles set the Georgia Tech Invitational that same year.

Oliver is four-time United State Track Field Outdoor champion in the 110m hurdles, and he was a bronze medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was the 2010 Jesse Owens Athlete of the Year.

The MEAC Hall of Fame highlights former student-athletes, coaches, university and conference administrators as well as special contributors, who have enriched the legacy of the conference since its inception in 1970. Enshrinees were selected by a 13-person committee made up of administrators and representatives from member institutions.

The inaugural Hall of Fame class was inducted on May 29, 1981, during a 10-year anniversary banquet in Greensboro, North Carolina. Since its establishment, the MEAC Hall of Fame has enshrined 133 people, including the class of 2016.

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

2015-16 Men's Basketball All-MEAC Team Announced



NORFOLK, Virginia — Howard junior guard James Daniel, III was named the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Year, the conference announced today. Delaware State’s Devin Morgan was selected as the Rookie of the Year, while LaRon Smith from Bethune-Cookman earned the Defensive Player of the Year honor. South Carolina State’s Murray Garvin was named the MEAC Coach of the Year.
 
All awards are voted on by the conference’s head men’s basketball coaches and sports information directors.
 
Daniel leads the nation in scoring, averaging 27.2 points per game and ranks first in the nation in free-throws made (277) after playing in 29 games for the Bison. He ranked second in the conference and 20th nationally in steals (62). Daniel recorded nine 30-point games, including a career-high 39 points, in the win against William & Mary. A six-time MEAC Player of the Week, Daniel totaled 790 points, 63, rebounds and 78 assists.
 
Morgan notched 367 points, 92 rebounds, 81 assists and 29 steals, in 30 games played for the Hornets. A five-time MEAC Rookie of the Week selection, Morgan scored a career-high 31 points, including five 3-pointers, against Hampton.
 
Smith, a two-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree, ranked first in the conference and fifth nationally in blocked shots (94). He registered 219 rebounds, including 130 off the defensive glass, and 11 steals in 31 starts for the Wildcats. Offensively, he scored a career-high 20 points, in the overtime road win against North Carolina A&T State.
 
Garvin was selected the Coach of the Year for the first time after leading the Bulldogs to a 12-4 record in conference play. He helped guide the team to a 17-13 overall mark, including wins over Jacksonville and Miami (Ohio).
 
Daniel is joined on the 2016 All-MEAC First Team by Hampton’s Quinton Chievous and Reginald Johnson, Jr., Norfolk State’s Jeff Short and Maryland Eastern Shore’s Dominique Elliott.
 
The 2016 regular season champion, regular season runners-up, first team members and top honorees, including Player, Rookie, Defensive and Coach of the Year selections, will be recognized in pre-game presentations prior to their first games of the 2016 MEAC Basketball Tournament. Tournament play tips-off March 7-12 at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.

 
2015-16 Men’s Basketball All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the conference’s Head Men’s Basketball Coaches and Sports Information Directors
 
Player of the Year: James Daniel, III, Howard
Rookie of the Year: Devin Morgan, Delaware State
Defensive Player of the Year: LaRon Smith, Bethune-Cookman
Coach of the Year: Murray Garvin, South Carolina State
 
First Team
Name
Pos.
Cl.
School
Hometown
Quinton Chievous
G
Gr.
Hampton
Chicago, Ill.
James Daniel, III
G
Jr.
Howard
Hampton, Va.
Reginald Johnson, Jr.
G
Sr.
Hampton
Chicago, Ill.
Jeff Short
G
r-Sr.
Norfolk State
Bronx, N.Y.
Dominique Elliott
F
Sr.
Maryland Eastern Shore
Savannah, Ga.
 
Second Team
Name
Pos.
Cl.
School
Hometown
Eric Eaves
G
Jr.
South Carolina State
Columbia, S.C.
Jordan Potts
G
r-Jr.
Bethune-Cookman
Columbus, Ohio
Devin Martin
G
Sr.
Maryland Eastern Shore
Baltimore, Md.
Dante Holmes
G
r-Sr.
North Carolina Central
Baltimore, Md.
Malcolm Bernard
F
Jr.
Florida A&M
Middleburg, Fla.
 
Third Team
Name
Pos.
Cl.
School
Hometown
Mario Moody
F
r-Sr.
Bethune-Cookman
East Orange, N.J.
Cedric Blossom
F
Sr.
Morgan State
Columbia, Md.
Sam Hunt
G
r-So.
North Carolina A&T State
Greensboro, N.C.
Bruce Beckford
F
Sr.
North Carolina A&T State
Silver Spring, Md.
LaRon Smith
F
r-Jr.
Bethune-Cookman
Palm Bay, Fla.
 
All-Rookie Team
Name
Pos.
Cl.
School
Hometown
Alex Long
F
Fr.
Norfolk State
Clinton, Md.
Devin Morgan
G
Fr.
Delaware State
Chester, Va.
Dontae Caldwell
G
Fr.
Maryland Eastern Shore
Los Angeles, Calif.
Kamil Williams
G
Fr.
Savannah State
Palm Beach, Fla.
Quinton Forrest
G
Fr.
Bethune-Cookman
Windermere, Fla.

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

MEAC Men's Basketball Bracket Set for 2016 Basketball Tournament

2016 MEAC Men's BBT Bracket

NORFOLK, Virginia - The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its men's pairings for the 2016 MEAC Basketball Tournament, March 7-12, at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. The Hampton Pirates clinched the No. 1 seed after posting a 13-3 conference record.

Hampton earned the first-round bye and will open up play on Wednesday, March 9 beginning at 6 p.m. They will face the winner of the No. 8 Maryland Eastern Shore/No. 9 Morgan State matchup set for Tuesday, March 8.

Men’s action starts on Monday with No. 5 Savannah State taking on No. 12 Delaware State and North Carolina A&T State (No. 6) faces off against Coppin State (No. 11) to end the first day of competition.

Norfolk State (No. 2) won the tiebreaker with South Carolina State and posted a 12-4 conference record. The Spartans will face the winner of the No. 7 North Carolina Central vs. No. 10 Howard matchup scheduled for Tuesday, March 8. South Carolina State earned the No. 3 seed, to receive a two-day bye, and will take on the winner of the No. 6 North Carolina A&T State vs. No. 11 Coppin State game on Thursday, March 10 at 6 p.m.

The 2016 regular season champion, regular season runners-up, first-team members and top honorees, including Player, Rookie, Defensive and Coach of the Year selections, will be recognized in pre-game presentations prior to the honorees first games in tournament play.

The 2016 MEAC Basketball Tournament tips-off Monday, March 7, and will conclude on Saturday, March 12 with the men's and women's championship games. The men's game will start at 1 p.m. and will broadcast live on ESPN2. The women’s finale will begin one hour after the men’s finish and will broadcast taped delayed on ESPNU beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 13. The preliminary games are streamed on ESPN3. Live statistics of all games will be available on the conferences' official website and the tournament's official website, www.MEAChoops.com.

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

College basketball: Coaches who thrived in new places this season

LORMAN, Mississippi -- These coaches may not receive votes for national Coach of the Year. Most operated at a level slightly below the college basketball radar. And they all entered different circumstances. Some took over established programs and were expected to maintain that level of success. Others were tasked with pulling a program from the cellar and building a winner in time. Regardless, each coach did a tremendous job in his first year at a new school.

Montez Robinson, Alcorn State

From the season opener on November 19th until Dec. 21st. the Braves played 10 games. Nine were on the road or at a neutral site. The Braves had a 1-9 record when they went home for Christmas. They’ve gone 14-4 since and are second in the SWAC standings. Robinson is the program’s fourth coach since Davey Whitney led Alcorn to a 21-10 record and an NCAA appearance in 2001-02. The Braves (15-13) haven’t finished with a winning overall record since, but could accomplish the feat by tripping up regular season champion Texas Southern in Lorman, Mississippi on Saturday.

CONTINUE READING

Another SWAC title has TSU riding high

HOUSTON, Texas -- This is what Texas Southern men's basketball head coach Mike Davis envisioned when he took the helm in 2012.

He wanted to make TSU a basketball school. Conference championships help do that.

The Tigers (16-12, 15-1 in SWAC play) won a third regular-season SWAC title in four years after a 96-86 win over Alabama State on Monday.

"I want to take this job to another level," Davis said. "Make it when people play us, that we get great respect and make our fans excited about the season every year.

"I want them to expect this every year."

TSU has four regular-season conference titles since 2011. The Tigers also have three consecutive conference tournament titles. Winning a fourth consecutive conference tournament is the supreme goal now that the calendar has turned to March.

CONTINUE READING

XU's Harris, Albrecht are GCAC Players of the Week


NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Dasia Harris and Adam Albrecht are the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Players of the Week in tennis for Feb. 22-28. The GCAC announced the honors Tuesday.
      
Harris, a sophomore from Sugar Land, Texas, and a graduate of Elkins High School, was unbeaten in three Friday matches during the Gold Nuggets' 3-0 week. Harris teamed with Sha'Nel Bruins for an 8-0 victory against Belhaven's Brittany Keeling and Ellen Scott. Harris beat Keeling 6-1, 6-1 and Tougaloo's Tynaka Hunter 8-2 in singles.
    
Albrecht, a junior from Ladna, Czech Republic, and a graduate of Gymnasium Breclav, won twice in singles against NCAA Division I opponents — Austin Racine of Troy (3-6, 6-1, 6-1) and Ben Kelley of Presbyterian (6-2, 7-5) — and extended his singles win streak to six. He also won in doubles during a 4-3 victory Thursday against Troy, and he teamed with Tushar Mandlekar for a 6-3 victory against Tomas Fernandez and Filip Mansson that clinched the doubles point.
    
The GCAC awards are the first for Harris and the second for Albrecht, who also won in 2015.
    
Xavier's upcoming schedule:
     •  Friday:  men and women at William Carey, Hattiesbug, Miss., 3 p.m.
     •  Saturday:  women vs. LSU-Alexandria at XU Tennis Center, noon
     •  Sunday:  men and women vs. William Woods at XU Tennis Center, 11 a.m.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Grambling women aim for SWAC title

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- The Grambling State Tigers go into their game Saturday night with their eyes on winning the SWAC regular season championship.

Grambling (16-10, 13-4) is one of four teams atop the SWAC standings. The Lady Tigers will be playing one of the other leaders when they visit Alabama State at 5:30 Saturday. Alabama State is 15-11 overall and 13-4 in the SWAC. Also atop the SWAC are Texas Southern and Southern.

Grambling comes into the game with the momentum of a six-game winning streak. Also, the Lady Tigers are facing a team they defeated 89-69 on Jan. 4 in Grambling.

Shakyla Hill leads the Lady Tigers in scoring at 13.2 points per game and Jazmine Boyd is second at 10.8 points per game.

CONTINUE READING 

Thursday, March 3, 2016

FAMU Baseball Back on Track with 14-7 Win at Mercer on Wednesday

MACON, Georgia Florida A&M (4-5) handed Mercer (7-2) just their second loss off the season as the Rattlers pounded out 16 hits on their way to a 14-7 win at Claude Smith Field on Wednesday. FAMU scored five runs in the second inning and added five more in the eighth inning to help put the game away. Marlon Gibbs and Ben Ellzey each went 3-for-6 on the day, while Gibbs added a home run and three RBI.

Cameron Johnson, Jacky Miles, Jr. and AJ Elkins each had two hits and two RBI for the Rattler offense, while Willis McDaniel had three RBI for FAMU.

Reliever Kenny McDonald (1-1) earned the win after he came in to pitch the final out of the fourth inning and worked the next three innings of relief. McDonald allowed two runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout. Starting pitcher Ryan Anderson worked 3.1 innings and gave up five runs (three earned) on seven hits with four walks, a wild pitch and one hit batter.

The Bears got on the board first with a single run in the bottom of the first inning for an early 1-0 lead. Ryan Hagan walked with one out and came around to score on Danny Edgeworth’s, two out, RBI double for the first run of the game.

FAMU grabbed the lead, at 5-1, with five runs on three hits in the top of the second inning and never looked back. With one out, Ellzey reached on a hard hit single to third base and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Miles, Jr. and Cameron Johnson then followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases. AJ Elkins’ two-run double, into right center, brought home Ellzey and Miles, Jr. for the Rattlers first runs of the game. Johnson then tagged up and scored on Willis McDaniel’s sac fly to left for the third run of the inning. Marlon Gibbs capped off the scoring in the inning as he belted his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left center.

Mercer picked up an unearned run in the second inning to cut the FAMU lead to 5-2.
The Rattlers pushed their lead to 6-2 with another run in the third inning. Ellzey singled to center with two outs and Miles, Jr. then roped an RBI double off the wall in center field to score Ellzey all the way from first.

MU scored three runs in the fourth inning to make the score 6-5. Trey Truitt singled to right with one out and Matt Meeder followed with a two-run home run to left center. Hagan then walked and moved to second on a wild pitch as Kyle Lewis was also walked to put runners at first and second. Edgeworth would reach first on a fielding error by Ryan Kopenski as he was ruled off the bag on the cover play that loaded the bases. Hagan later scored from third on a groundout by Hunter Bening for the unearned run.

Florida A&M answered with three runs in fifth inning for a score of 9-5. Brian Davis led off with a walk and Dylan Dillard was hit-by-pitch to start the inning. Davis then scored from second on a perfectly executed hit-and-run on Miles, Jr’s RBI single to right, which also allowed Dillard to advance to third base. Dillard scored the second run on Johnson’s RBI single through the right side. Miles Jr. also scored in the inning on Gibbs bases loaded RBI single to the shortstop.

In the seventh inning, Ben Upton’s pinch hit two-run home run cut the FAMU lead to 9-7.

FAMU put the game out of reach with five more runs in the eighth inning for the final score of 14-7. Gibbs poked a single through the right side to open the inning, Alec Wong drew a walk and Davis singled through the right side to load the bases with no outs. Peter Jackson then drew a bases loaded walk to plate Gibbs from third. Ellzey would hit into a 3-2-4 double play and Davis scored on a wild pitch before Johnson’s RBI single brought home Jackson. McDaniel put the final two runs of the game on the board for FAMU with a two-run single through the left side.

Mercer starter Nick Spear (1-1) allowed five runs on three hits in just two innings of work for the loss. Spear also had two walks and two strikeouts.

The Rattlers return home to Moore-Kittles Field this weekend to face Western Michigan in a three-game series beginning of Friday. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 4:00 PM, while Saturday and Sunday’s games will begin at 1:00 PM.

As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @BaseballFAMU and on Facebook.

GCAC honors Nuggets' Gathright, Mayfield, Hopkins


NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Whitney Gathright was named first-team Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in women's basketball for the third consecutive season Wednesday, and teammates Donyeah Mayfield and Trana Hopkins made the second team.
    
The Gold Nuggets (19-11) will meet city rival Dillard (9-16) at noon Friday at SUNO's The Castle in the opening round of the GCAC Tournament. Semifinals and finals for women and men will be played this weekend at XU's Convocation Center.
    
Gathright, a 5-foot-4 senior guard from New Orleans and a John Curtis Christian School graduate, is the ninth Gold Nugget to earn all-district or all-conference three-or-more times. She is averaging 13.8 points per game and leads the GCAC in free-throw percentage (.798) and in aggregate assists (130) and steals (65). Her 158 free throws and 198 attempts are XU season records.
 
Mayfield, a 5-11 senior forward from Vicksburg, Miss., and a graduate of Vicksburg High School, is averaging 11 points and a team-best 7.4 rebounds. She is the only Gold Nugget to reach 25 made 3-pointers and 30 blocked shots in the same season. Mayfield has made 26 3s and blocked 31 shots.
    
Hopkins, a 5-6 senior guard from Marietta, Ga., and a former Marietta High School and Chattahoochee Valley Community College standout, averages 9.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals. This is her fourth award in two days; Hopkins on Tuesday was named GCAC, Louisiana and NAIA Division I Player of the Week.
    
Xavier was not represented on the inaugural GCAC All-Defensive team, but senior guard Emoni Harvey (Memphis, Tenn./Briarcrest Christian School) received honorable mention.
    
The GCAC's seven head coaches voted on the honors. Major awards, such as Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, will be announced Thursday evening at a tournament banquet at Xavier's University Center.

2015-16 All-GCAC Women's Basketball
First Team
NameSchoolPos.Yr.
Shakeen BentonTalladegaGSr.
Kyeshia DawkinsEdward WatersGJr.
Whitney GathrightXavierGSr.
Rayvin MillerSUNOG/FSr.
Tajanee WellsTalladegaG/FJr.
 
Second Team
NameSchoolPos.Yr.
Montoria AtkinsonTougalooFSo.
Micah BrooksSUNOGJr.
Juquecia ChaneyPhilander SmithGSr.
Alena EvansDillardFSr.
Trana HopkinsXavierGSr.
Brittany LeonardPhilander SmithGSr.
Donyeah MayfieldXavierFSr.
 
Honorable Mention
Shaelynn Moore, Dillard (G, Fr.); Jermisha Collins, Edward Waters (G, Fr.); Valerie Hill, Edward Waters (F, Jr.); Tamara Heard, Philander Smith (G, Sr.); Casey Chenevert, Tougaloo (G, Fr.); Arnissayur Robinson, Tougaloo (G, Jr.)

2015-16 GCAC All-Defensive Team
NameSchoolPos.Yr.
Kadajah AllenEdward WatersFJr.
Montoria AtkinsonTougalooFSo.
Micah BrooksSUNOGJr.
Alena EvansDillardFSr.
Rayvin MillerSUNOG/FSr.
 
Honorable Mention
Bianca Thornton, Edward Waters (G, Jr.); Juquecia Chaney, Philander Smith (G, Sr.); Tamara Heard, Philander Smith (G, Sr.); Ashari Shakir, SUNO (F, Fr.); Shakeena Benton, Talladega (G, Sr.); Tatyana Calhoun, Talladega (G, Jr.); Thomesha Smith, Talladega (F, Sr.); Sashanique Youngblood, Talladega (G, Jr.); Arnissayur Robinson, Tougaloo (G, Jr.); Emoni Harvey, Xavier (G, Sr.)

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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XU's Wright, Carter collect GCAC season honors


NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Morris Wright and Elex Carter earned season honors in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball Wednesday. Wright was chosen first-team All-GCAC for the third consecutive season, and he and Carter were named to the inaugural GCAC All-Defensive team.
    
The Gold Rush (19-11) will play Tougaloo (13-11) at 2 p.m. Friday at Dillard's Dent Hall in the opening round of the GCAC Tournament. Semifinals and finals for men and women will be played this weekend at XU's Convocation Center.
    
Wright, a 5-foot-10 senior guard from Zachary, La., and a former Zachary High School and Baton Rouge Community College standout, is the seventh from the Gold Rush to earn all-district or all-conference three times. He is averaging 18.9 points per game and is in the top 10 at Xavier in seven career categories, including No. 5 with 1,494 points. He leads the GCAC with a .423 3-point field-goal percentage and is top-4 in eight categories.
    
Carter, a 6-7 sophomore forward from LaPlace, La., and a graduate of East St. John High School, has blocked 34 shots — 11th on the Gold Rush all-time season list and XU's most since Angel Pinales blocked 38 in 1992-93. Carter also has 21 steals and 128 defensive rebounds. Wright leads Xavier with 54 steals and is tied for 10th at Xavier with 167 career steals.
    
Xavier's defense again is one of the best in NAIA Division I, ranking second in scoring defense (62.3) and field-goal percentage defense (.385). Xavier was the only team with more than one player named to the GCAC All-Defensive squad.
    
The GCAC's seven head coaches voted on the honors. Major awards, such as Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, will be announced Thursday evening at a tournament banquet at Xavier's University Center.

2015-16 All-GCAC Men's Basketball
First Team
NameSchoolPos.Yr.
Demetric AustinDillardFJr.
Courtney MackTalladegaFSr.
Quintarius PorterTougalooG/FSr.
Jordan WashingtonTalladegaGSr.
Morris WrightXavierGSr.
 
Second Team
NameSchoolPos.Yr.
Rashad BrackeenPhilander SmithGJr.
Joe BrownSUNOCSr.
Dennis HightowerDillardGJr.
Ronald MarchPhilander SmithGSr.
De'Andre ScottTougalooGSr.
Charles-Eddie SmithEdward WatersGSo.
Keith WilliamsEdward WatersGJr.

Honorable Mention
Oceann Maddox, Edward Waters (G/F, Jr.); Christ Ward, Philander Smith (F, Jr.); Ezekiel Brown, SUNO (G, Fr.); Dominique Suggs, SUNO (G/F, Jr.); Jarmell Anderson, Tougaloo (G, Jr.); Andravious Smith, Tougaloo (F, Jr.)

2015-16 GCAC All-Defensive Team
NameSchoolPos.Yr.
Joe BrownSUNOCSr.
Elex CarterXavierFSo.
Courtney MackTalladegaFSr.
Oceann MaddoxEdward WatersG/FJr.
Morris WrightXavierGSr.
 
Honorable Mention
Kristian Clark, Dillard (G/F, Jr.); Dennis Hightower, Dillard (G, Jr.); Cameron Venus, Edward Waters (F, Sr.); Chris Ward, Philander Smith (F, Jr.); Ezekiel Brown, SUNO (G, Fr.); Jarmell Anderson, Tougaloo (G, Jr.); Denevian Cunningham, Tougaloo (F, Jr.); De'Andre Scott, Tougaloo (G, Sr.); Andravious Smith, Tougaloo (F, Jr.)

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Wednesday, March 2, 2016

MEAC Players Make Some Noise at NFL Combine

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The NFL Combine this year was loaded with talent once again. Division 1 FBS players from Ohio State, Alabama, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Oregon were n attendance. But lets not forget about the small schools players as well. This years NFL Combine was loaded with talent from as the analyst say "small schools." Prospects from Southern Utah, South Carolina State, North Carolina Central, and many more small schools were in Indianapolis this year. But a few players really stood out from Division 1-AA(FCS) schools. Surprisingly the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference made its stamp on this years combine.

Javon Hargrave DT: South Carolina State- ​Measuring in at 6'1 weighing a whopping 309lbs this defensive lineman can move. The FCS All-American ran a 4.93 40 yard dash and had a vertical of 34.5 inches. Hargrav did 225 on the bench 29 times and looked dominant in position drills. His speed and quickness in every drill showed scouts why he was so dominant at the FCS level. His stock definitely increased over the past week.

CONTINUE READING

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

A trifecta for Hopkins: GCAC, state and NAIA awards

NEW ORLEANS — Trana Hopkins produced a rare trifecta Tuesday. The senior guard on the Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball team won player-of-the-week awards for Feb. 22-28 from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, statewide from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and nationally in NAIA Division I.
    
Hopkins — from Marietta, Ga., and a former standout at Marietta High School and Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City, Ala. — averaged 24 points, 7.5 rebounds and four steals in GCAC victories at Tougaloo and Dillard. Her 34 points Feb. 22 at Tougaloo are the most by a Gold Nugget since 1998, and in that game she made seven 3-pointers (in nine attempts) to tie a Xavier record. Her eight rebounds and five steals were career highs.
    
The 34 points matched the most by a GCAC player this season, and her seven 3s matched the most by a GCAC player in the last three seasons. In the third quarter against Tougaloo, she scored 18 points and made 4-of-4 3-pointers.
    
Hopkins had 14 points and seven rebounds Saturday at Dillard. For the season, she is averaging 9.1 points in 30 games (21 starts) and shooting a team-best 38 percent (30-of-79) from 3-point range.
    
The Louisiana Player of the Week is determined by an LSWA panel with nominees from NAIA and NCAA Division I members.
    
The NAIA award is the second by a Gold Nugget — Brittany Powell won in January 2010 — and the first for a GCAC women's basketball player since SUNO's Brandy Broome won the final award of the 2014-15 season.
    
Xavier (19-11) will play city rival Dillard (9-17) at noon Friday in the opening round of the GCAC Tournament at SUNO's facility, The Castle. The women's and men's semifinals and finals will be played Saturday and Sunday at Xavier's Convocation Center.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Baker joins XU staff as assistant athletics director



NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana announced Tuesday the hiring of
Ashley Baker as assistant athletics director.
      
A doctoral candidate at the University of Georgia, Baker was director for student-athlete services at Bowling Green State University from 2010-12 and assistant director from 2007-09.

"Ashley brings with her a great deal of experience, ideas and knowledge to Xavier, and we are excited to have her as a member of Team Gold," said XU Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn. "She will be a valued member of our team as we prepare Xavier student-athletes to be market-ready graduates and become leaders in the 21st century."
    
Baker, who spent most of her pre-college years in Michigan, received bachelor's and master's degrees from Bowling Green. Her doctoral thesis at Georgia, which she will defend later this year, focuses on black mothers' experiences throughout their sons' football recruiting process.
  
 "I am excited to be back in college athletics after taking time to pursue my Ph.D.," Baker said. "I am thankful to Jason Horn for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to getting to know everyone in the Xavier community and helping our student-athletes enhance their experience here and prepare them to make an impact on the world."
    
Baker's first experience in collegiate athletics was as an undergraduate worker in the Bowling Green football office under then-head coach Urban Meyer, currently the head coach at Ohio State.
    
Baker in 2015 founded Ash B. Consulting LLC to provide athletes and young professionals with relevant, relatable and accessible information to educate and empower them to confidently pursue their personal and professional goals. Ash B. Consulting will sponsor the 2016 Women in Sports Forum April 15 in Detroit.
    
Baker is the mother of a 9-year-old son, Rece.
    
Xavier is a member of the NAIA and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and sponsors nine intercollegiate teams.

What They're Saying About Ashley Baker

Joseph N. Cooper, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut, Department of Educational Leadership / Sport Management Program:  "Ashley Baker is a dynamic leader who is very knowledgeable about the interworking of intercollegiate athletics. Her previous and current professional experiences as a former director of student-athlete support services, educator, mentor and consultant reflect her expansive skill set. Her commitment to improve the holistic life outcomes for student-athletes and their families is praiseworthy. She is particularly knowledgeable about youth sport socialization experiences, family influences of sport involvement, race, gender, and class issues related to student-athlete identity development, and the distinctions and relationships between youth recreational, youth competitive, interscholastic, intercollegiate and professional sport organizations. Ashley is a tremendous addition to the XU Athletic Department, and her presence and contribution will yield tremendous benefits to the athletic department, the university, the local community and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference at large."

Shirelle Jackson, Director of Student Athlete Development, University of Miami:  "Ashley Baker is a very talented athletic administrator. She has the background and a clear understanding of how to move an athletic unit in a positive direction. Her experience with student-athletes in an academic environment has provided her with all the tools needed to be successful at Xavier. She will serve as an excellent example for not only the student-athlete population, but for the athletic department and the entire campus community."

Kerry L. Jones, Adviser, Student and Academic Services, College of Education and Human Development, Bowling Green State University:  "Ashley's passion for improving the student-athlete experience has always impressed me. I'm excited to see how she will continue to be an advocate for students in her new postion."

Mark Shook, Adviser, Assistant Athletic Director — Academic Services, University of Wisconsin:  " Hiring Ashley Baker is a big win for Xavier. I had the privilege to work with her at Bowling Green State University and shared in her professional growth from graduate assistant to assistant director and then to director of our Office of Student-Athlete Services. Her intelligence, passion and experience make her a strong addition to the leadership team there. I am proud to call her a friend and colleague, and I know she will make an immediate impact. Congrats!"

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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