Gold Nuggets take aim at 4th consecutive GCAC title

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will seek a fourth consecutive team title Saturday in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium.
     
The Gold Nuggets return champions in four events and, based on this season's times and distances, are seeded first in six events.
     
The one-day, five-school meet will begin with field events at 8:45 a.m. The final event, the 1,600-meter relay, will begin at 4:45 p.m. Team awards will be presented at 5:15 p.m. Admission is free.
     
Competing with Xavier for team and individual honors will be the women and men of Dillard, Edward Waters, SUNO and Talladega.
     
"I like our chances of repeating," XU coach Joseph Moses said, "if we take care of the events where we have depth and our high seeds maintain their spots Saturday. We could score a lot of points. But we expect another competitive meet that may not get decided until late in the day."
     
Returning champions for the XU women are Terri Cunningham in the 400-meter hurdles and high jump, Drew Chatters in the javelin and Tylor Row in the 100 hurdles. The Gold Nuggets' top seeds are Chatters, Cunningham (high jump), Maliya Vaughan in the 1,500, Dionysia Love in the 5,000 and 3,000 steeplechase and the 3,200 relay team of Love, Chinyere Jones, Brianna Pace and Vaughn.
     
In six previous GCAC meets (2004, 2011-15), the Gold Nuggets won the team title five times, missing only in 2012. Xavier surpassed 200 points each of the past two seasons and won by 44 points over runner-up Edward Waters a year ago.
     
For the Xavier men, Christopher August is a defending champion in the 5,000. The Gold Rush's lone top seed is Brent Kitto in the 1,500. Kitto won that event in 2014.
     
Edward Waters is the defending men's team champion and won that title three of the past four years. The Tigers scored 156 points in 2015, 35 more than runner-up Dillard.
     
Other student-athletes to watch include:
     •  SUNO's Shantae Green, the NAIA's third-ranked woman in the 400 hurdles.
     •  SUNO's Leonie Robinson, No. 4 in the NAIA in the women's 200 and the GCAC defending champion.
     •  Dillard's Danielle Glover, two-time defending champion in the women's hammer.
     •  SUNO's Jahnoy Thompson, the No. 3 NAIA male in the 400 and No. 5 in the 200.
     •  Edward Waters' Mikevion Hall, No. 3 in the NAIA in the men's long jump.
     •  SUNO's Chad Thomas, a two-time defending GCAC champion in the men's 400 hurdles and No. 4 in the NAIA.
     The meet schedule:

Field Events
8:45 a.m.	Men's Hammer (women to follow) — outside stadium
9:30 a.m.	Men's High Jump (women to follow)
9:30 a.m.	Women's Long Jump (men to follow)
11 a.m.	Men's Javelin (women to follow) — outside stadium
11 a.m.	Women's Shot Put (men to follow)
1:45 p.m.	Men's Discus (women to follow) — outside stadium
1:45 p.m.	Women's Triple Jump (men to follow)
1:45 p.m.	Men's Pole Vault (women to follow) — warm up at 1 p.m.
Track Events (in meters)
9:30 a.m.	3,000 Steeplechase Women/Men
10:55 a.m.	National Anthem
11 a.m.	400 Relay Women/Men
11:20 a.m.	1,500 Run Women/Men
11:50 a.m.	100 Hurdles Women
Noon	110 Hurdles Men
12:15 p.m.	400 meters Women/Men
12:45 p.m.	3,200 Relay Women/Men
1 p.m.	Break
2 p.m.	100 Women/Men
2:20 p.m.	400 Hurdles Women/Men
2:45 p.m.	800 Women/Men
3:15 p.m.	200 Dash Women/Men
3:30 p.m.	5,000 Run Women/Men
4:45 p.m.	1,600 Relay Women/Men
5:15 p.m.	Awards and Presentations

GCAC Championships Team Scoring
Men
Year	Champion	Points		Runner-up	Points
2004	Xavier	92		SUNO	24
2011	Dillard	161 1/2		Edward Waters	136
2012	Edward Waters	217		Dillard	192
2013	Edward Waters	212		Dillard	188
2014	Dillard	178		Edward Waters	153
2015	Edward Waters	156		Dillard	121
Women
Year	Champion	Points		Runner-up	Points
2004	Xavier	82		SUNO	10
2011	Xavier	138 1/2		Dillard	133
2012	Dillard	218		(tie) Edward Waters, SUNO	142
2013	Xavier	184		Edward Waters	175
2014	Xavier	213		Dillard	168
2015	Xavier	202		Edward Waters	158

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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NAIA Approves Stillman College for Membership

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Council of Presidents is pleased to announce the approval of four institutions for membership in the NAIA, effective July 1, 2016. The announcement occurred at the 75th Annual National Convention on Tuesday (April 19). The current NAIA membership total now stands at 252 total institutions.

The four new members are Crowley’s Ridge College (Ark.), Silver Lake College of the Holy Family (Wis.), Stillman College (Ala.) and University of the Virgin Islands. Two other institutions – University of Antelope Valley (Calif.) and Benedictine University at Mesa (Ariz.) – were both approved into the active membership category for the 2016-17 academic year. Both of these universities will now be allowed to participate in postseason competition, be included in the national awards programs and vote in the Association business.

“We are very excited to welcome these four new institutions into the NAIA and pledge to be a part of their growth,” Jim Carr, NAIA President and CEO said. “Our association offers a different approach that places student-athletes at the center of all decision-making and focuses on character at the core of sports. These institutions recognize the value NAIA brings and desire to be a part of this great organization.”

Crowley’s Ridge was affiliated with the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), Silver Lake College was affiliated with the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA), Stillman was an athletic member of NCAA Division II and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), and Virgin Islands was associated with Liga Atletica Interuniversitaria (LAI), which is comprised of 21 universities that each offer a minimum of six women’s sports and six men’s sports. Virgin Islands is the only public institution of the group.

Silver Lake is the oldest of the group, as the 2016-17 academic year will serve as the school’s 36th year of intercollegiate athletics. Stillman will enter its 17th season, Virgin Islands will enter its 11th and Crowley’s Ridge will enter its eighth as a four-year school.

The NAIA Membership Committee reviewed each institution’s application and determined which institutions would move to the next stage of the process. Those institutions then participated in a campus visit by a Membership Evaluation Team. The recommendations of each campus visit were supported by the Membership Committee, which then were presented to the Council of Presidents for final approval.

The NAIA is in the fifth year of the current membership process, where institutions are only able to apply for NAIA membership on an annual basis. Membership applications must be received in the NAIA office by Oct.1 each year to receive consideration for the following year. Institutions applying to the NAIA must meet membership criteria that include financial stability, sports sponsorship, accreditation and a commitment to character-driven athletics. The Membership Committee also reviews enrollment numbers, graduation percentages, retention rates and overall athletics budgets.

COURTESY NAIA MEDIA RELATIONS

LeMoyne-Owen's Anthony Smith shines on golf course, fights for life off it

ATLANTA, Georgia – Anthony Smith, a member of the LeMoyne-Owen men's golf team isn't your typical student-athlete. Although he has a warm and welcoming spirit, Smith is a competitor who shines on the golf course despite fighting for his life off of it.

On the outside, Smith appears to be as healthy as any other young man in his 20s. He's tall with chiseled shoulders and a smile that can light up an entire room. But beneath that lies a sickle cell gene, which one in 12 African-Americans carry.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a serious, inherited condition affecting the blood and various organs in the body. It affects the red blood cells, causing episodes of sickling, which produce episodes of pain and other symptoms. In between episodes of sickling, people with SCD are normally well. Long-term complications can occur. Certain conditions can trigger sickling, such as cold, infection, lack of fluid in the body or low oxygen.

Smith's diagnosis began to take a toll on him in high school when his doctor told him that it wasn't a good idea to continue playing basketball because of his disease.

"It was draining my body a lot," Smith explained. "I like being an athlete so I had to find something else to do. At that time, I was like why not golf? Golf looks like an easy sport. Anybody can play golf. I talked to the golf coach at Stephenson High School and he showed me the game."

Smith quickly learned that golf wasn't as easy as he pictured. He was awful and hated everything about it.

"I told my coach I wasn't coming back out there," said Smith. "But as I sat at home doing nothing, I realized that I couldn't just give up. So I got back out there and started practicing on my own. I called the golf coach a month later to tell him that I wanted to learn the sport."

Patience and persistence gradually began to pay off for Smith. He played for two seasons at Stephenson before moving to Mississippi. Unfortunately for Smith there weren't any golf teams in the area but he continued to play when he could until he graduated.

A sport that he initially despised awarded him a scholarship to Alcorn State University. However, life threw another curve ball at Smith. After two years on the ASU men's golf team, Smith's head coach Tom Matthews passed away in 2012. Alcorn State dropped the golf program the following year and Smith's future seemed unclear until he got a phone call that would direct his course back onto golf course.

After taking a year off from school, Smith received a call from LeMoyne-Owen head coach Don Holmes, asking Smith to tryout for the team. Smith impressed and became a member of the team.

It looked as if things were getting better for Smith. He was back in school and enjoying playing golf. In his first season at LeMoyne-Owen, he played in every tournament and saw his self improving.

"I was loving it," stated Smith. "Then I got sick. My blood count dropped tremendously. I could barely move my legs. The pain was so excruciating that after they admitted me into the hospital I had to get blood transfusions. It was three days before the 2015 SIAC championship. I wasn't supposed to be out of the hospital but I had a talk with my doctor and told him that I wasn't the type of person to sit in the hospital. I felt decent enough to go play. The doctor checked everything and cleared me.

I enjoyed the tournament and being around people that love golf. I played ok and got a chance to talk with other student-athletes around the conference. It's all love between us. Because golf is our common ground, it gives us an opportunity to talk about other things."

Smith's determination and competitiveness are just a few attributes that make him a special individual. No matter what life brings his way, he stands tall and faces the battles head on.

After starting the 2015-16 season off strong and lowering his scores on a consistent basis, the winter season kicked in and his sickle cell became more intense. For most people diagnosed with sickle cell, the winter months can pose a major health challenge. In Smith's case, if the weather gets too cold or too hot it's hard for his body to move. He begins to lose oxygen which causes the sickle cell "crisis" or pain. His immune system weakens and he has to monitor his activities. He can't just go outside freely and has to remain indoors to take care of his body.

"It got really bad," Smith explained. "I couldn't practice for three months. The first time I touched the golf course was at our next tournament in the spring. I wasn't going to give up. I went back to practicing after that tournament. A lot of people don't understand what sickle cell is. It's a blood disease so when it acts up there is nothing I can do about it. I just have to let it take its course and endure the pain. I don't find it as an issue anymore because I know what I'm capable of. I believe I can accomplish whatever it is that I want to accomplish if I put my mind to it."

After Smith graduates in December with a degree in information technology he plans on pursuing a career at an animal reserve. Smith also wants to start an organization to help mentor young kids.

"I love animals but I can't be around animals yet," said Smith. "My doctor and I are working on getting my immune system high enough so that I can go work with animals. I love studying animals and history. I like learning new things. I enjoy encouraging and talking to people. If I can do it, you can do it. Your body is way better than mine. I try to build up other people's morale so that they can better than themselves; especially in the black community where there is a lot of negativity and not enough encouragement."

At the age of 23, Smith has gained wisdom beyond his years. His advice to anyone dealing with the struggles of life or just simply having a bad day remains the same.

"Never give up," Smith said. "You have to take care of business. If you know you need to take care of your body, that's taking care of business. If you know you need to study more to get a better grade, that's taking care of business. If you need to workout, that's taking care of business. Find something that will make you happy or something that will better yourself."

COURTESY SAIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Fayetteville State Names Serena King-Coleman as Head Women's Basketball Coach

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- Fayetteville State University has announced Serena King-Coleman as the 13th head women’s basketball coach in program history. Women’s basketball was officially recognized as a sport at FSU in 1940. The program has claimed three CIAA Championships (1979, 2001, and 2010) and made seven NCAA DII postseason appearances.

King-Coleman comes to FSU after completing seven seasons as head women’s basketball coach at Kentucky State University. She complied an overall record of 99-67 at KSU. Last season (2015-16), King-Coleman reached a career single season best record of 24-5. She led the Thorobrettes to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Tournament championship game and an appearance in the NCAA DII South Regionals this past season.

Kentucky State had back-to-back 20-plus win seasons under King-Coleman. The team had a record of 46-11 the last two seasons (2014-16).

"We are delighted to welcome Serena King-Coleman to the FSU family. She is a winner and a respected mentor of young women," said director of athletics Anthony Bennett. "Beyond her impressive competitive success, her vision for Fayetteville State women's basketball, knowledge of the game, and infectious energy left us confident Serena will lead Lady Bronco women's basketball into a perennial contender."

King-Coleman has experience and roots coaching in the CIAA. She served as head women’s basketball coach at St. Paul’s College (SPC) for six seasons (2004-10). In 2008, King-Coleman coached the first ever CIAA Women’s Player of the Year in SPC history. The Lady Tigers also received the CIAA Sportsmanship Award during the 2007-08 season under her tutelage.

King-Coleman also held the titles of senior woman administrator (SWA) and assistant athletics director her last three seasons at St. Paul’s (2007-10).

“I’m extremely grateful and excited to join the Fayetteville State family and lead the women’s basketball program,” stated King-Coleman. “This is a great opportunity for me and my family. I’m thrilled to be coaching again in the CIAA. This is a huge blessing and I’m ready to do the best job possible.” \

Her head coaching career began at Gardner-Webb University. She served as the interim head women’s basketball coach during the 2003-04 season. King-Coleman held the position of associate head women’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator at GWU before being promoted to interim head coach.

King-Coleman maintains professional involvement at both the conference and regional levels. She served as the acting WBCA Division II Conference Captain for the SIAC as well as a member of the NCAA DII Regional Ranking Committee while at Kentucky State.

She is a member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). King-Coleman was inducted into the Kentucky 10th Region Hall of Fame for her contributions to girl’s high school basketball. She is a 2009 National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) and the Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Institute graduate. She also received the Marian Hanna Satcher Student Retention Award in 2009.

She played intercollegiate women’s basketball as a student-athlete at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro (UNCG) from 1993-97. King-Coleman earned Big South All-Rookie honors as a Spartan. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1998.

King-Coleman and her husband Meade have three children; Symphonie, Madison, and Aria.

WR Golson latest Delaware State Hornet set to transfer

DOVER, Delaware -- Another player is leaving the Delaware State University football team for his final season.

Wide receiver Malik Golson, a Smyrna High product, is transferring to Murray State. Golson is set to receive his undergraduate degree from DSU this spring and will be eligible to play immediately for the Racers via the graduate transfer rule.



Golson is the second Hornet to elect to finish his collegiate career elsewhere in the last few months. Gabe Sherrod, DSU’s leader in sacks and tackles for loss from a year ago, transferred to Syracuse and will also use the graduate transfer rule.

Golson played three seasons for the Hornets and finished second on the team in receiving each year. He racked up 517 yards as a freshman in 2013, but last season averaged a career high 14.0 yards per catch, to go along with three touchdowns. In his career at DelState, Golson caught 100 passes for 1,072 yards and nine touchdowns.

He was also DSU’s No. 1 punt returner every year of his career with 154 yards on 20 punts for an average of 7.7 yards per return. Golson was also utilized as a kick returner during his time as a Hornet, reeling off 281 yards on 20 returns for an average of 14.1 yards per return.

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Derek Brown Announces Retirement from Coppin State

COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BALTIMORE, Maryland --  Derek Brown, the winningest coach in Coppin State women's basketball history, has announced his retirement as the Coppin State women's basketball head coach.
 

He steps down after 30 years of serving as a basketball coach at Coppin State University. Brown was the women's head coach for the last 17 seasons and finished with an overall record of 269-237. Previously he was an assistant on the men's coaching staff beginning in 1986.

 
"It has been an enjoyable ride, all 30 years here at Coppin," Brown said. "To me doing what you love to do as a job was a blessing for 30 years. I hope that everyone gets to do a job that they totally enjoy doing. I woke up every morning wanting to get the guys and then the girls better at their craft of basketball," Brown continued.
 
"On behalf of President Dr. Maria Thompson and the University family we would like to thank Derek Brownfor his many years of loyalty and dedication to the women's program here at Coppin State University," Interim Athletic Director Alecia Shields-Gadson said. "Brown helped elevate the Eagles to national success and molded the team into a MEAC powerhouse during his tenure as head coach. He will be missed."  
 
Coach Brown took over the women's basketball program during the 1999-2000 season. The Eagles accomplished five 20-win seasons, nine different seasons with a winning record, and established the Eagles as one of the premiere programs in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
 
Brown has led Coppin State to three NCAA Tournament appearances, two berths in the WNIT, three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season crowns along with a then-conference record 49-game winning streak against MEAC foes. Individually, he has won two MEAC Coach of the Year honors and has been named the Most Outstanding Coach of the MEAC Tournament on three occasions.
 
Under Brown, a Coppin State player has been named the MEAC Player of the Year on five occasions. Keisha Brooks became the school's first Player of the Year following the 1999-2000 season, and Sherrie Tucker who claimed the award in 2004-05 and again in 2005-06. Rashida Suber won the award in 2006-07 and Shalamar Oakley made it four straight Eagles to win the honor in 2007-08.
 
Brown has placed 22 players on the all-conference list. His teams have put together some remarkable streaks during his tenure including a 41-game MEAC regular season winning streak and a 21-game winning streak in the Coppin Center.
 
Brown's career at Coppin began as an assistant under former men's basketball coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell for his first 15 years. During his tenure with the men's program, he helped guide the Eagles to nine Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season titles, 11 straight winning seasons, two NIT tournament appearances and three NCAA tournament appearances, including a first round upset of No. 2-seed South Carolina in 1997.
 
The Eagles' nine MEAC regular-season crowns equaled the most won by any program in the country during the '90s, and their winning percentage ranked among the top 25 that decade. Prior to coming to Coppin State, Brown and Mitchell were together for eight seasons at Gloucester County (N.J.) College.
 
A native of Camden, New Jersey, Brown and his wife, Joy, have one son, Jordan.

COURTESY COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

2016 & 2017 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Matchups Announced

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- The MEAC/SWAC Challenge – which features teams from two prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) on the opening weekend of the college football season – will originate from Daytona Beach, Fla. in 2016 and Baton Rouge, La. in 2017. The 2016 game will showcase Alcorn State University of the SWAC vs. Bethune-Cookman University of the MEAC. In 2017, South Carolina State University of the MEAC will square off against Southern University of the SWAC. Both games will be aired on an ESPN network.

The 2016 event will be played at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016 on ESPN. Kickoff time as well as ticket information will be announced at a later date.


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Bethune-Cookman will be making its third appearance in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, previously winning the 2011 and 2012 games. In his first season at the helm of the Wildcats, Terry Sims earned MEAC coach of the year honors after leading the team to a 9-2 overall mark. The Wildcats’ 8-1 conference record gave them at least a share of the MEAC title for the fourth consecutive season.

Alcorn State went 9-4 overall in 2015, 7-2 in the SWAC regular season, winning the SWAC Eastern Division title. The Braves went on to defeat Grambling State in the conference championship game, earning a spot in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. Fred McNair, brother of Alcorn State great and Heisman finalist (1993) Steve McNair, will lead the Braves during the 2016 season, having recently been named the program’s 21st head coach.

The 2017 game will be played at A.W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017.

South Carolina State will play in the annual game for the fourth time (2005, 2009, 2015), the most of any school. Oliver “Buddy” Pough just completed his 14th season as head football coach at his alma mater, leading the Bulldogs to a 7-4 overall record, 6-2 in the MEAC.

Southern is appearing for the third time (2007, 2010) at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. The Jaguars, led by fourth-year head coach Dawson Odums, earned a 6-5 overall mark in 2015, 6-3 in SWAC play.

“We are thrilled to continue the MEAC/SWAC Challenge legacy in Florida for the 2016 game featuring two of the strongest returning teams, Alcorn State and Bethune-Cookman from their respective conferences,” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president, ESPN Events. “In 2017, we take this historic game to the campus of Southern University as they will face South Carolina State University.”

“We are excited to have Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State represent the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in the 12th and 13th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge, respectively,” said MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas. “The 2016 and 2017 MEAC/SWAC Challenges have been an instrumental event for our conference in continuing to expand our brand on a national platform by playing on ESPN, the Worldwide Leader in Sports, as well as, providing our student-athletes, institutions and coaches with an opportunity to participate in a bowl-like, first-class event, which kicks off the football season.”


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

“We are excited to have Alcorn State and Southern represent the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the 12th and 13th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge, respectively,” said Duer Sharp, commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. “The MEAC/SWAC Challenge has been an enormous event for our conference in continuing to expand our league on a national stage, playing on ESPN, all while providing our fans an historical legacy to look back on. We are delighted to have a pair of teams that have finished near the top of our conference the past few years signify the start of college football season for the next two seasons.”

The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is owned and operated by ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN. ESPN SportsCenter anchor Jay Harris has played a significant role in the event, serving as emcee at various ancillary functions.

For more information about the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, or to join the event’s following on Facebook and Twitter, please visit the event’s official Web site at www.meacswacchallenge.com.

ASU hopes to end spring on right track

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Eight days ago, Alabama State head coach Brian Jenkins walked off the practice field very unhappy with his team.

After watching a mistake-filled practice on that cool Friday, Jenkins said he felt the team “stunk” and they didn’t have much more time to waste.

“I was feeling good until (last Friday),” Jenkins said. “The biggest thing is not to stink it up. We have to keep our focus on the basics and make sure fundamental football becomes habit for us. We are making progress and I hope we continue doing that.”

Today, the Hornets get a chance they didn’t have a season ago: playing a spring game.

Alabama State holds its Black and Gold spring game at 11 a.m. today at ASU Stadium, giving fans a chance to see the last of the 10 practice sessions that began last month. The gate open at 10:30 a.m.

Today’s spring game is the main event of Alabama State’s Black and Gold weekend. It includes a 2 p.m. softball doubleheader against Mississippi Valley State in which ASU could clinch the Southwestern Athletic Conference East title.

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Florida A&M Signs Three JUCOs For Rattler Basketball

COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- FAMU Men’s Head Basketball coach Byron Samuels announced Wednesday the signing of a pair of Tennessee junior college front line players to National Letters of Intent for the 2016-17 season.

Joining the resurgent Rattler Basketball Program will be Derrick Dandridge, a 6-8, 230-pound forward from Memphis, Tenn., and Andrew Smith, a 6-10, 260-pound center/forward from Johnson City, Tenn.

Derrick Dandridge, who graduated from White Station High in Memphis, a National Top 25 prep program, and played for East Central Mississippi State Community College last season, where he averaged nearly a double-double every game. He displayed great versatility, showing the capacity to play on the wing, or driving to the basket.

SAMUELS ON DANDRIDGE:

“I am so excited to announce that we have signed Derrick Dandridge. “Derrick brings a maturity to our basketball program that will be invaluable as we continue building towards the standard of excellence we want. Derrick is an excellent student, and was a full qualifier out of high school.

“It is a blessing to welcome him and his family to FAMU. He comes from the basketball rich city of Memphis, and he was a member of a National top 25 high school team at White Station. Derrick’s versatility caught my eye right away. He has the ability to score in and around the basket and the ability to play on the perimeter.

“This inside-outside combination is perfect for how we like to play. He is an excellent rebounder, and he is pretty crafty as a ball handler. Derrick averaged close to a double-double for a 13-10 East Central Mississippi State team this season. “

JUCO COACH: Coach Robert Thompson

Andrew Smith comes to FAMU with three years of eligibility remaining, after averaging 9.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game for Columbia State College, where he shot 80-plus percent from the foul line last season. He is a product of Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tenn.

SAMUELS ON SMITH:

“Andrew Smith is a fantastic basketball player and even better student and young man. He was a full high school qualifier and will have three years of eligibility at Florida A&M.

” It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Andrew and his family to FAMU. Andrew is a very skilled big man who can score in a variety of ways. When I saw him play, right away I knew he could be a difference maker, a franchise type of player for us. Andrew has the ability to use his right and left hand to score inside.

“He shot over 80% from the free throw line, and he has the ability to stretch defenses with his shooting outside. Andrew is an aggressive and smart defender, and is a really an effective rebounder. Andrew averaged 9 points, 8 rebounds and two block shots this season for a 21-8 Columbia State team.

JUCO COACH: Coach Winston Neal.

FAMU Head Men’s Basketball Coach Byron Samuels announced Thursday the signing of Marcus Barham, a 6-4, 185 guard out of Wallace State (Ala.) Community College to a National Letter of Intent.

Barham, who is a Florida native from Melbourne, where he attended Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, comes to FAMU after averaging 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for Wallace State.

He also shot nearly 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range, and over 80 percent from the free throw line.

SAMUELS ON BARHAM:

“Marcus is an exceptional young man and student. He brings a work ethic and maturity to our program that will help us take another step in building FAMU Basketball.

“Talent wise, Marcus can score. He is a first team All-Conference selection and second team All-Region 22 this season at Wallace State Community College where he averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists per game.

“Marcus’s shooting ability made him attractive to us right away…. He is not however just a shooter. Marcus is athletic, handles the ball well and will be a valuable defender for our team next season.

“As a high schooler, Marcus graduated from Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in Melbourne, Fl. His HS team was eliminated in the state playoffs by North Carolina’s Joel Berry’s Lake Highland Prep team in 2014.”

JUCO COACH: Barham was coached by John Meeks at Wallace State CC

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

XU's Montrel, Goreau shine in GCAC's weekly spotlight

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana tennis standouts Kyle Montrel and Charlene Goreau are the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Players of the Week for April 11-17.
     
Montrel won for the first time this season and the eighth time in his career, which extends his GCAC record. Goreau was honored for the third time this season.
     
Montrel, from Atlanta, Ga., and a graduate of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, dropped a combined two games against Alcorn State on senior day and clinched the dual with his eighth singles victory in his last nine decisions — 6-0, 6-1 against Nuno Rocha. Xavier won 5-0, set a school record with its fifth dual match victory of the season against an NCAA Division I opponent and improved its two-year home winning streak to 13 duals.
     
Goreau, a freshman from Toulouse, France, and a graduate of Raymond Naves School, defeated Alcorn State's Aida Kelic 6-2, 6-1 for her fourth singles victory against an NCAA Division I opponent.
     
Both XU teams concluded regular-season play this week. Next for the Gold Rush will be an NAIA unaffiliated group qualifying tournament May 6-7 at Lawrenceville, Ga. There will be no unaffiliated group tournament for the Gold Nuggets, who hope to parlay their body of work into another berth in the NAIA National Championships.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Lusher standouts Salaam, Riley sign with Gold Nuggets

NEW ORLEANS — Lusher Charter School standouts Hasani Salaam (volleyball) and Ry-Anne Riley (women's track and field) signed athletic scholarships Wednesday with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Both are New Orleans residents, and both will be biology/pre-medical majors at Xavier this fall.

Salaam, a 6-foot middle blocker/right-side hitter, was a three-time first-team all-district player at Lusher. She is playing this year for NOLA Volleyball Club after the playing the previous five years with Cajunland. At her school she is a member of the National Honor Society and the Lusher Scholars Program. She has a 3.8 grade-point average and an ACT composite score of 29.

Riley was the LHSAA Class 3A state champion outdoors in 2015 in the 400-meter dash. Her time at that meet, 56.86 seconds, is 12-hundredths of a second slower than SiMon Franklin's XU school record from 2013. Also at the 2015 state meet, Riley placed third in the long jump (17 feet, 1 3/4 inches) and ran on the 400 (first place) and 1,600 (third place) relay teams.

During the 2016 indoor season, Riley helped Lusher win the LHSAA Division II title in the 800 relay.

Xavier competes in NAIA Division I as a member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. The Gold Nuggets in 2015 won their fifth consecutive GCAC regular-season and tournament championships in volleyball, and on Saturday XU women's track will pursue a fourth straight team title at the GCAC Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Gold Nuggets lose 7-0 at UNO to close regular season

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis closed its regular season Monday with a 7-0 loss at the University of the New Orleans.
    
It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Gold Nuggets (8-13) — who will compete next on the road in an NAIA unaffiliated group qualifying tournament — and the seventh in their last eight dual matches.
     
Xavier, ranked 15th in the NAIA, did not win a set. The most competitive matches were in singles, where Charlene Goreau lost 6-4, 6-4 to Anna Segarra Rius at No. 1 and Sha'Nel Bruins lost 6-4, 6-3 to Hafsa Laraibi at No. 5.
     
UNO (15-5) won its regular-season finale and won its 11th straight at home and eighth this season.
     
The Gold Nuggets are 2-6 this season against NCAA Division I opponents and 0-8 all-time against UNO.

Results

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Chowan Golf Claims 2016 CIAA Championship Title

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Chowan University men's golf team captured the 2016 CIAA Championship crown on Friday afternoon. The Hawks edged Livingstone College by six strokes with a two-day total team score of 634 to claim the program's first CIAA Championship title.

Head Coach Mike Ordnung noted, "The team fought hard in very tough conditions on a difficult course. After last year's runner-up finish, the team worked especially hard to prepare for this moment. I would like to thank my assistant coach and mother, Ellen Ordnung, for putting together this great team and allowing me to guide them to a CIAA Championship." Assistant Coach Ordnung added, "Today was about learning how to win and understanding the value of every shot you make in tournament play. This was a great team win because each player contributed to the victory either through yesterday's performance, or today's, and it all came down to the final putt."

Chowan shot a 315 in the opening round of play, and carded a 319 on Friday. Livingstone College finished runner-up with a two-day round score of 640. Fayetteville State University finished in third place (642) followed by Virginia Union University (669), Elizabeth City State University (689), and Virginia State University (765) in fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively. The Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith carded a two-day total of 814 for a seventh place finish. Saint Augustine's University finished in eighth place with a two-round team score of 972.

Phillip Harrison of Livingstone College carded a 73 in the opening round of play and followed with a 78 in the second round to secure individual low medalist honors (151). Jared Chinn of Fayetteville State and Dejuan Powell of Johnson C. Smith finished one-stroke behind (152) to finish tied for second place individually.

Jordan Francis led the Hawks with a team-low second round score of 78. He finished in fifth place individually in the 40-player field with a two-round score of 155. Steven Rhinard shot a 78 on Thursday and carded an 82 for the Hawks on Friday. He concluded play at the CIAA Championship tied for seventh with a two-round score of 160. Rich Edwards finished one stroke behind Rhinard and in ninth place individually. After carding an 85 in the opening round, Edwards showed resilience in the final day of play, carding a 76 for Chowan.

Billy Britton rounded out the scoring for Chowan. He carded an 83 for the Hawks in the final round of play after shooting an 80 on Thursday. Britton's two-day total of 163 was good for 11th place. Christian Fleetwood and Ryan Baker finished in 15th and 20th place overall. Fleetwood posted a two-day score of 166. He carded an opening round score of 80 and followed with an 86 on Friday. Baker shaved ten-strokes off his first round score (90) to card an 80 in the final round.

The field for the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament will be announced via press release by the NCAA on Friday, April 22nd. Release time is slated for 6pm.

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Xavier Basketball's Dannton Jackson Accepts Assistant Coach Position at Alabama-Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Dannton Jackson, the winningest coach in Xavier men's basketball history, has resigned to take a position as an assistant coach at Alabama-Birmingham, Jackson confirmed Friday.

Jackson, 46, is joining the staff of Rob Ehsan, who was promoted to head coach April 4. Jackson had a 290-130 record in 13 seasons at NAIA Xavier, including 21-13 this past season. He said the chance to join Ehsan at an up-and-coming NCAA Division I program was too hard to pass up.

"I had no intentions of leaving Xavier, but I think UAB is a very good situation," said Jackson, who spent 27 years at Xavier as a student-athlete, assistant coach or head coach. "Rob is an unbelievable guy. (UAB) went 26-7 last year, and they have everybody returning. Those are the things that intrigue me, along with the challenges of the (D-I) level."

The Blazers won the Conference USA regular-season championship after claiming the conference tournament title in 2015. Xavier lost to rival Dillard in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament championship game.

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Former 4-Star Wide Receiver Tony Upchurch To Transfer From LSU to TSU

HOUSTON, Texas -- After two years in Baton Rouge, Tony Upchurch will transfer from LSU. Upchurch, a former four-star wide receiver recruit who was eventually moved to fullback after redshirting in 2014, played in eight games for the Tigers but did not record any stats. He has already updated his Twitter bio to reflect his new school, Texas Southern, which competes in the FCS as a member of the SWAC.



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HHCA’s Ziaira Doe signs to play basketball at Alabama State

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, South Carolina -- As recently as a month ago, Ziaira Doe wasn’t entirely sure whether she wanted to continue pursuing basketball in college. An Air Force career also intrigued her, and she was studying her options.

On Monday, Hilton Head Christian’s cornerstone unveiled her decision.

Yeah, she’s playing ball.

Doe signed a national letter-of-intent to play for Alabama State, where she’ll join a Lady Hornets squad coming off an NCAA Tournament berth after winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference crown.

“It’s really a blessing,” said Doe, the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year this season. “I’m extremely happy that came along. And I can still serve in the Air Force (afterward) if I want to pursue that.”

Doe scored more than 1,900 points during her HHCA career, including a 24.3 average this season as the lone regular back from the Eagles’ 2015 state championship team. HHCA wound up getting as far as the SCISA Class AA semifinals.

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Livingstone turns the page in spring football game

SALISBURY, North Carolina -- It’s only mid-April, but already the 2016 Livingstone football team is a hard story to tell.

Fourth-year coach Daryl Williams and his staff have spent the past three weeks studying the forrest instead of the trees, trying to picture what the Blue Bears will look like in September.

“Good things and bad things,” Williams told his team Saturday at Alumni Memorial Stadium, moments after Livingstone concluded its spring camp with a lively Blue-Black scrimmage. “But I like where we are. It’s just a matter of trusting the system until we put everything together.”

The system has some big shoes to fill. Livingstone has waved good-bye to do-it-all quarterback Drew Powell, receiver/returner Jalen Hendricks and kicker Leonardo Manzo — players who steered the Blue Bears to their first winning season since 1998. A promising core returned this spring for a spirited, getting-to-know-you period.

“We’re working on chemistry,” offensive lineman William Odomes said. “BuCt it’s there. From January until right now, the chemistry has improved tremendously. We’ve got parts to replace, big parts. But I know what to expect from every teammate.”

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Benedict Men Win SIAC Track Championship, Women Are Runners-Up

ROCK HILL. South Carolina – The Benedict College men's track & field team won its first SIAC championship on Saturday, while the Lady Tigers finished second at the Irwin Belk Track & Field Complex at Winthrop University.

The men earned 86.5 points on the final day of events to finish with 193.5 points. Morehouse finished in second with 171 points, while Albany State finished third with 147.5 points. Benedict head coach Frank Hyland was named the Most Outstanding Coach of the men's championship.

The Lady Tigers stormed past Clark Atlanta, which started the day in second place, and held off a hard-charging Claflin team for second place. Benedict earned 101 points on Saturday for 170 total points. Albany State won the championship with 196 points, while Claflin finished third with 155 points.

Benedict finished first and second in the men's 100-meter dash as Andre Watson won with a time of 10.87, while Oshane Burrell was second with a time of 10.93.

The Tigers picked up 18 points in the men's 5,000-meter run as Dessie Demlew won with a time of 15:15.31, while teammate Haregot Gebreyesus was third with a time of 16:20.95 and Ediberto Crisanto was seventh. Crisanto also earned two points with a seventh-place finish in the pole vault.

Demlew finished second in the 1,500-meter run, while Geovanni West was fourth. Alvaro Perdomo finished seventh. West also finished sixth in the 800-meter run.

The Tigers picked up 11 points in the men's 400-meter dash as Lennox Williams finished third with a time of 46.58, while Antonio Locklin Jr. was fourth with a time of 46.75.

Benedict had three runners in the men's 200-meter finals and earned eight points. Williams was fifth, Watson was sixth and Burrell was eighth.

Benedict finished third in the men's 4x400-meter relay race and NaQuan Adams finished third in the high jump.

For the Lady Tigers, Jenella John was named the women's track co-MVP. She won the 1,500-meter run and 800-meter run and finished fourth in the 5,000-meter run and ran the final leg of the 4x400-meter relay race, helping Benedict to a third-place finish.

Karel Ziketh won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.42, was second in the 100-meter dash and finished fourth in the 200-meter dash.

Stephanie Rhoden was second in the 400-meter dash, while Lea Tshikaya finished fourth. Rhoden also finished sixth in the 200-meter dash.

Astacia Watkins finished third in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 21:03.88.

Ruddesha Strachan earned points with a seventh-place finish in the 1,500-meter run and a sixth-place finish in the 800-meter run.

Lea Tshikaya was fourth in the 400-meter hurdles, while Princess Hammett was fifth.

Benedict finished third in the women's 4x100-meter relay race.

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

N.C. A&T Eliminated By Ladyjacks At NCAA Tourney

NORTH BRUNSWICK, New Jersey – North Carolina A&T fell behind 0-2 twice on Saturday. The first time it happened things didn’t turn out so bad. The second time it happened things didn’t turn out so well.

N.C. A&T was eliminated Saturday from national championship contention in the semifinals of the NCAA Women’s Bowling Championships at Brunswick Zone Carolier Lanes. Stephen F. Austin, the 2015 runner-up at the NCAA championships, swept the Aggies 4-0 (233-180, 199-149, 236-170, 190-168) in a best-of-seven baker play format. As a result of having a total pinfall of 8,552 for the tournament the Aggies finished third nationally.

“That’s not bad for our first time here,” said interim head coach Linda Grace. “Stephen F. Austin and Nebraska have been here a few times, so I’m proud of the way the ladies performed. The fact we made it to Saturday surprised a few people.”

The Ladyjacks got off to a blazing start, posting strikes in the first five frames of Game 1. N.C. A&T failed to pick up spares in two early frames leaving themselves with a huge deficit to overcome. N.C. A&T had a better start to Game 2, but the Ladyjacks’ 3, 4 and 5 bowlers were strong all four games, particularly late. Meanwhile the Aggies top two – All-Americans MacKenzie Robinson (junior) and Emily Strombeck (senior) – were not able to match their scoring.

“We’ve been down 0-2 before but we’re normally knocking down pins and picking up spares on a pretty good pace, so we never get too worried about it,” said Grace. “This time (SFA) got hot early, we were not bowling well early and then we started having a case of the nerves. We started pressing and it became an avalanche from there.”

N.C. A&T sidestepped an avalanche in their first best of seven on Saturday. The Aggies dropped the first two games to Sam Houston State, but the Bearkats had to post a 237 to overcome the Aggies’ 223. The Bearkats posted a 205 to win Game 2 before slowing down considerably in Game 3 with a 147 that was easily surpassed by the Aggies 213. Despite their dismal Game 3, the Bearkats had a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead by knocking down eight pins in the final frame.

They knocked down six to help the Aggies tie the series at 2-2 with a 197-196 win. The Aggies cruised to victory in the final two games to advance to the semis against SFA.

“We really bowled well that entire match,” said Grace. “I was hoping it would carry over, but it just didn’t. I really wanted to win this title for Strombeck. Her decision to come to A&T got all of this started, so I wanted to see her to walk away with a USBC and NCAA national championship.”

Strombeck, one of the most decorated athletes in N.C. A&T history, will get another chance to win a USBC national title when she and her teammates defend their 2015 USBC title at the Intercollegiate Team Championships, April 20-23 in Wichita, Kan. The Aggies head into the tournament 84-44 on the season.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION