Gold Nuggets qualify for nationals in 1,600 relay

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — In Xavier University of Louisiana's final opportunity to qualify for the NAIA National Track and Field Championships in the women's 1,600-meter relay, the Gold Nuggets delivered.
     
The XU quartet of Kailey Williams, Clarke Allen, Chinyere Jones and Kayla Quincyproduced a time of 3 minutes, 56.71 seconds Saturday at the HBCU National Classic to win the event and meet the NAIA's B-qualifying standard for nationals.
     
Xavier recorded its fastest time in this event since Devinn Rolland, Zahri Jackson,Tramaine Shannon and Chartia Hurt finished in a school-record 3:54.13 at the LSU Relays on March 23, 2013.
     
The NAIA national meet will be May 26-28 at Gulf Shores, Ala. Previously qualified from the Gold Nuggets were Chelsea James in the 100, Quincy in the 200 and 400 and the 400 relay team of James, Destini Thomas, Alexis Milton and Martina Wright.
     
Also Saturday, the Gold Nuggets Milton was third in the 100 in a season-best 12.62, and Wright was fifth in 12.80. Keairez Coleman placed third in the men's triple jump in 13.67 meters (44 feet, 10 1/4 inches). Coleman was one-hundredth of a meter from his season best.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Florida A&M Captures 2016 MEAC Softball Championship

ORMOND BEACH, Florida  – The Florida A&M University softball team won the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Tournament championship on Saturday afternoon at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

This is the third consecutive title for the Lady Rattlers (27-28) and 12th overall.

Head coach Veronica Wiggins was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Coach for the 10th time. Veronica Burse was also named Most Outstanding Performer.

“I have two new coaches this year, so this championship was really special,” Wiggins said. “We have a great pitching staff and she (Burse) knew her role and she did exactly what she was supposed to do.”

In the double-elimination championship, Bethune-Cookman took the first game, 8-3, to force a deciding game.

In the deciding game, Florida A&M got a solo home run by Kieffi Myrick in the second inning and broke the game open in the third with six runs on seven hits and took advantage of one Lady Wildcat error to grab a 7-0 lead.

Bethune-Cookman (22-31) plated one run in the fifth, but it wasn’t enough as Florida A&M captured its third straight MEAC Tournament crown.

The Lady Rattlers pounded out 12 hits. Jessica Nathan, Tashayla Irvis, Kieffi Myrick, Toni Anderson and Whitney Farris each had two hits.

Burse (10-14) scattered three hits and gave up one run, with three strikeouts and four walks, in seven innings to lift Florida A&M to the win. During the tournament, Burse dominated batters as she worked 15.0 innings and fanned nine. Also, she gave up only three hits and two runs (one earned).

In the opener, Florida A&M jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer to left center by Alexis Day in the first inning.

Bethune-Cookman loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second and came away empty handed after a pair of strikeouts by Kenya Pereira. However, the Lady Wildcats loaded the bases in the third and grabbed a 4-2 advantage after a grand slam homer by Brianna Sanders.

The Lady Wildcats added to the lead with four runs in the fourth and cruised to an 8-3 win.

Sanders paced the Bethune-Cookman offense with two hits and four RBIs. Sabrina Anguiano went the distance as she surrendered three runs on eight hits to earn the win.

Pereira took the loss as she gave up seven runs on six hits, with four strikeouts and three walks, in 3.1 innings.

Florida A&M earns the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division Regionals awaits their opponent that will be announced during the NCAA Softball Selection Show Sunday, May 16 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

2016 MEAC All-Tournament Team

Most Outstanding Player: Veronica Burse, Florida A&M

Most Outstanding Coach: Veronica Wiggins, Florida A&M

All-Tournament Team

Sabrina Anguiano, Bethune-Cookman

Annie Bakenhus, Bethune-Cookman

Sophia Ortega, Bethune-Cookman

Iesha Waters, Bethune-Cookman

Veronica Burse, Florida A&M

Alexis Day, Florida A&M

Jessica Nathan, Florida A&M

Kenya Pereira, Florida A&M

Sandy Hawthorne, Delaware State

Nicole Gazolla, Delaware State

Torrian Wright, Savannah State

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS 

Alabama State wins first ever Softball Tournament crown

IRONDALE, Alabama – Behind five home runs, Alabama State won its first-ever Southwestern Athletic Conference Softball Tournament Championship, downing defending champion Texas Southern 18-8 in the final round.

For the Lady Hornets (28-25), it was the avenging of a defeat at the hands of the Tigers (27-18) in last year’s tournament final. The 18 runs is the most by a team in the finals since Mississippi Valley State put up 16 runs in 2009, and six ALST players collected at least two RBI in the game.

The scoring started early for Alabama State, as tournament MVP Kendall Core (3-for-5, 4 RBI, 2 R) put the Lady Hornets on the board with a two-run shot in the first. TXSO got one run back in the second inning, but the Hornets opened up the game for good with a nine-run outburst, highlighted by another two-run blast from Core and two-run base hits by Laura Aguilar and Brittney Wilson. At the end of it, ALST led 11-1.

Texas Southern showed signs of life in the top of the fourth, as Domonique Tello (2-for-4, R) smacked a three-run double to cut the game to 11-5. But the long ball continued to pay off for Alabama State, as Alexia Boggess and Wilson (2-for-4, 3 RBI) hit back-to-back solo shots to extend the Hornets’ lead. Aleesa Yanez also left the yard for Alabama State.

Maddie Phelps (18-11) threw 3.1 innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs to earn the win. Tyra Williams (7-6) got the loss.

The Hornets now await the news of their first opponent in the NCAA Softball Championship Tournament. The selection show will be broadcast on Sunday, May 15 on 9:00 P.M. (CST) on ESPNU. The all-tournament team is listed below.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Paige Breal, Alcorn State
Shamberlynn Alop, Alcorn State
Imani Largin, Alabama A&M
Kiara Suttles, Southern
Deja Talton, Mississippi Valley State
Haley Smith, Texas Southern
Amber Garza, Texas Southern
Domonique Tello, Texas Southern
Jenna Mae Thorne, Alabama State

Kendall Core, Alabama State
Melissa Christmann, Alabama State

TOURNAMENT MVP:
Kendall Core, Alabama State

Box Score

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Black College Football Hall of Fame Finds Permanent Home in Canton, Ohio

CANTON, Ohio -- The Pro Football Hall of Fame (PFHOF) and the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) have announced a historic partnership that provides the BCFHOF with a permanent home at the PFHOF as a part of the new Hall of Fame Village, a $500 million development of the PFHOF’s campus.

The two organizations will also work together on joint programs and events including: hosting the annual BCFHOF induction ceremony at Hall of Fame Village; expanded educational programming and special events at the PFHOF during Black History Month; a travelling exhibition; and post-graduate internship opportunities for graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The partnership also includes a future BCFHOF HBCU Classic to be held at the new Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton and a major permanent exhibition inside the PFHOF.

“So many members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and countless numbers of their teammates had a road to greatness paved through Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” Hall of Fame President David Baker shared. “Their journey is an important part of the history of the Game that must not be forgotten. This partnership with the Black College Football Hall of Fame will provide insight into what shaped the lives of so many Heroes of this Game and will serve as great inspiration to generations of fans.”

Twenty-nine of the 303 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (nearly 10%) played at an HBCU. Three members of the PFHOF (Mel Blount, Willie Lanier and Art Shell) serve on the BCFHOF’s Board of Trustees. Lanier is also a member of the PFHOF’s Board of Trustees.

The BCFHOF was founded in 2009 by two legendary NFL quarterbacks and African-American pioneers James Harris and Doug Williams. Under their leadership, the BCFHOF has continued to grow, providing a meaningful platform to share the history and stories of the greatest HBCU football players, coaches, and contributors.

A star quarterback at Grambling State University, Harris was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the eighth round of the 1969 combined AFL-NFL Draft. As a rookie he became the NFL’s first African-American to start full-time at quarterback. Later, while with the Los Angeles Rams, he became the first African-American quarterback to be named to the Pro Bowl (1975) and to start and win a NFL playoff game. Harris played with the Bills (1969-1971), the Rams (1973-76) and the San Diego Chargers (1977-79).

“All of us associated with the Black College Football Hall of Fame look forward to working with the team at the Pro Football Hall of Fame to elevate the story of the greatest African-American players, coaches and contributors who persevered and overcame great obstacles to achieve their dreams,” Harris stated.

Williams, who also excelled at Grambling, was taken in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As a member of the Washington Redskins, he made history as the first African-American quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl. His then-record 340 yards passing and 4 TDs in Super Bowl XXII earned him Most Valuable Player honors, also a first. Williams played with the Buccaneers (1978-1982) and the Redskins (1986-89) and two seasons with the USFL Oklahoma/Arizona Wranglers (1984-85).

“The Black College Football Hall of Fame is thrilled to have its permanent home in Canton, Ohio at the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Williams offered. “This special partnership will allow us to preserve black college football history for generations to come.”

The BCFHOF Induction will be held in Canton in each year. The BCFHOF’s annual Inductee Dinner and Golf Classic will continue in Atlanta where it has been held since its founding.

Revenue to support the initiatives will be raised primarily through donations, grants, fund raising events, and merchandise sales.

COURTESY BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME 

Florida A&M Earns First 30-Win Season Since 2003 with Doubleheader Sweep Over NC A&T

Marlon Gibbs recorded his first-career grand slam in walk-off fashion in game one
Courtesy FAMU Athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Florida A&M (30-19, 19-5 MEAC) posted its first 30-win season since 2003 after sweeping Saturday’s doubleheader over North Carolina A&T (13-41, 6-18 MEAC) by scores of 12-2 and 7-2 at Moore-Kittles Field. The 30-win season is also just the third for FAMU since becoming a Division I program in 1980. The Rattlers tallied 39 runs and totaled 48 hits in the three-game series with NC A&T. On Senior Day, senior left fielder Marlon Gibbs belted his first-career grand slam, in walk-off fashion, to end game one by mercy rule.

With double digit hits in all three games this weekend, FAMU finished the regular season with 10+ hits in 28-of-49 (57%) games. Gibbs went 3-for-5 with a double, home run and five RBI in game one, while Ben Ellzey finished game one going 2-for-4 with a double, home run and two RBI. In game two, five different Rattlers had multi-hit performances as Brian Davis (2-for-3), Dylan Dillard (2-for-3), Jacky Miles, Jr. (2-for-2), Ellzey (2-for-3) and AJ Elkins (2-for-3) all had two hits in the game. Elkins had a double and a triple and tied a career-high with three RBI. Alec Wong and Davis each had home runs in game two as Florida A&M totaled 14 extra base hits in Saturday’s two games.

JoJo Durden (2-2) earned the game one win for FAMU after pitching a complete game and allowing just two runs as NC A&T scattered five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Chase Jarrell (6-3) picked up the win in game two as he worked six innings and allowed two runs on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

In game one, the Rattlers scored first with an unearned run in the bottom of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. After Dillard reached on a three-base error as left fielder Ryan Jantsch was unable to make the catch, Miles, Jr. plated Dillard with a sac fly to deep center field for the first run of the day.

Florida A&M tacked on five more runs in the third inning to increase its lead to 6-0. Peter Jackson led off with a double off the fence in left field, moved to second on a fly out to center field from Gibbs and scored on an RBI single to left field from Wong. With two outs, Dillard tripled home Wong with a ball down the left line that kicked out in the corner away from the left fielder. Miles, Jr. followed with his second RBI of the day, this time on a single up the middle that brought home Dillard from third. Ellzey then blasted his fourth home run of the season over the fence in left field to account for the runs in the inning.

FAMU pushed the lead to 7-0 with a single run in the sixth inning as Gibbs recorded an RBI double. Jackson started things off with a double down the left line and scored the only run of the inning as Gibbs followed with another double down the left line.

NC A&T scored their only two runs of the game in the seventh inning as Jarrett Norman hit his third home run of the season, a two-run home run to left field, that cut into the FAMU lead at 7-2.

Game one ended in a special way as senior Marlon Gibbs belted his first-career grand slam on Senior Day to end the game by a score of 12-2 in seven innings. Dillard walked and went to second on a passed ball before Miles, Jr. walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. Dillard then advanced to third when Ellzey grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. After AJ Elkins walked, Ryan Hutson’s RBI single through the left side brought home Dillard for the eighth run of the game. Jackson also drew a walk to load the bases with two outs before Gibbs grand slam over the left field fence ended the game as the mercy rule was in effect.

In game two, the Aggies scored first with a single run in the first inning. Sowell led off the game with a triple into right center and scored on a groundout to short by Timothy Ravare.

The Rattlers would tie the game at 1-1 with a run in the second inning. Dillard led off with a single through the left side and Miles, Jr. was hit-by-pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs. Ellzey then reached on a bunt single to load the bases and Dillard came home for the tying run on a sac fly to right from Elkins.

North Carolina A&T came right back with another run in the top of the third inning to re-take the lead at 2-1. Sowell reached on an infield single with one out, for his second hit of the game, and went to second as Ravare grounded out. Back-to-back wild pitches would allow Sowell to advance two bases and score from second for the Aggies’ final run of the game.

With one out in the third inning, Wong’s towering solo home run to right field tied the game at 2-2.

FAMU grabbed its first lead of game two with two runs in the fourth inning that made the score 4-2. Ellzey led off by reaching on a ground rule double, as his double bounced over the wall in center field, and scored on an RBI triple into the right center gap from Elkins. Hutson then followed with an RBI double off the wall down the left line, right at the foul pole, as Elkins easily came home to score.

Florida A&M took control of the game with three more runs in the fifth inning in what proved to be the final score of 7-2. Davis led off with his seventh home run of the season, over the scoreboard in right center field, to increase the Florida A&M lead to 5-2. Dillard and Miles, Jr. followed with back-to-back singles and with one out, Elkins doubled home Dillard as Miles, Jr. advanced to third on the play. With runners on second and third, Miles, Jr. beat out the throw to the plate to score the final run of the game as Hutson reached on a fielder’s choice.

Senior Kendal Weeks came in to pitch a scoreless seventh inning and allowed just one hit in his final game at Moore-Kittles Field to secure the sweep over North Carolina A&T.

Tevelle Clark (3-4) took the game one loss for the Aggies after he pitched five innings and allowed seven runs (six earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Will Greene (1-9) suffered the loss for NC A&T in game two after giving up four runs on seven hits in three innings of work with one strikeout and one walk.

Florida A&M travels to the MEAC Baseball Tournament next week as the overall No.1 seed out of the Southern Division and will face the winner between North Carolina Central and Delaware State on Friday, May 20, at 12:00 PM.

As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @BaseballFAMU and on Facebook. Live Stats are also available on the baseball schedule page of FAMUAthletics.com.

BOX SCORE GAME 1

BOX SCORE GAME 2

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Doug Overton is LU New Head Men's Basketball Coach

Doug & Chanel Overton

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania -- Lincoln University is proud to announce the hiring of its' new Head Men's Basketball Coach Doug Overton. Coach Overton is a Philadelphia Basketball legend. A graduate of Dobbins Technical High school, Overton helped his team to a city championship playing alongside Philadelphia Hoop legends Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers. From there he went on to star at LaSalle University where he scored more than 1700 points and earned a place not only in the LaSalle University Hall of Athletes but also the Big Five and Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

After a stellar collegiate career which included leading his team to three NCAA appearances he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary/Special Education. Doug Overton was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1992 and had a 12 year career playing for a number of teams including the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers. After his playing career ended, Coach Overton was the first retired player to enter the NBA Assistant Coaches Program.

His coaching career includes stints with the NBA Basketball without Borders program in Beijing, China, Nike Skills Academy and time coaching youth in Barcelona, Spain and Australia. Throughout his playing career and to this day Coach Overton kept his roots in Philadelphia and continued to give back. He created the DOBC better known as the Doug Overton Basketball Camp in 1992. This camp is the longest consecutively run free basketball camp for inner city youth in Philadelphia history. He is also the founder of the " No Opponent Basketball Academy" a program designed to help students ages 6-17 develop life and basketball skills within the Philadelphia tristate area.

After working with Head Coach Phil Martelli at St Joseph University, Doug Overton is now ready to take the helm of his own program. He brings to Lincoln University the knowledge and experience that can only be gained by someone who has lived the dream that many who come to Lincoln have. His story will resonate with not only our basketball players but also the young men and women who come to Lincoln University from Philadelphia with a dream and hopes of improving their lives.

During the press conference held Thursday May 12, at Lincoln's Center City Campus Dr. Pope introduced Overton to the major media networks who covered him as a star at LaSalle University by saying "we know that Coach Overton has the knowledge and experience necessary to take Lincoln's program to the top of the CIAA conference and we are more than excited. Normally as an AD I look forward to the quiet at the end of a long academic year. Right now I can't wait until October when the basketball season starts". Coach Overton has spoken to the current players on the team and they are excited and have already begun working out for their new coach. They know that on the first day of practice a new era will begin and the expectations of them and the program will be high. That's what Coach Overton brings to Lincoln University and I wouldn't want it any other way".

When Overton spoke he mentioned that early on he dreamed of being a teacher. "I don't feel like this is something I'm not ready for," Overton said. "I'm prepared. I've been preparing myself for a long time for this. I always wanted to be a teacher. I graduated from La Salle as an education major, and here's my chance to teach at the college level." The AD says "the University is excited to have someone with Doug Overton's experience and passion for serving his community. We have someone who can teach and be the example and that is something to be excited about. We are looking forward to this new era in Lincoln Lions Athletics".

The alumni and friends of Dobbins and LaSalle took pride when he made his debut in the NBA. He is certainly someone who knows how to leave a mark. He was a point guard for a reason says Pope. "He makes things happen and creates opportunity for others. This has been his life's work which is evident when you consider the Doug Overton Basketball Camp and The No Opponent Basketball Academy he founded".

It should also be noted, Overton is no stranger to Lincoln University as he spoke emotionally about his uncle Joe who is a Lincoln alum and a niece who just finished her freshmen year. "I had family members that graduated from Lincoln," Overton said. "They were some of the first in our family to go to college. I remember going to those graduations at Lincoln and that inspired me to further myself." Interim President Dr. Green was on hand at the press conference and remarked "I'm looking for great things from you. He went on to say "I can't wait to see how he lifts our program".

Today a new era began for Lion's Athletics and it has its roots in north Philadelphia. Doug Overton, a name that resonates with Big Five fans and NBA rosters has come to Lincoln University to share what he has learned and lead the Lions. Welcome to Lincoln Coach Overton, your arrival and mission is appropriate and fits in well with the old Orange and Blue - An institution that has for more than 160 years continued the legacy of excellence.

Practice begins October 15, 2016. For the Lincoln Lion faithful who want to be a part of this new beginning, the Athletics Director recommends that you get your season tickets early.

COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Florida A&M Baseball Clinches MEAC Southern Division Title With 20-4 Win Over NC A&T

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Florida A&M (28-19, 17-5 MEAC) scored 13 runs in the first two innings and never let up on its way to a 20-4, seven inning, win over North Carolina A&T (13-39, 6-16 MEAC) at Moore-Kittles Field on Friday. It was the third time this season FAMU defeated NC A&T by a mercy rule. The Rattlers recorded 14 of its 24 hits in the first two innings, which was the most hits in a game this season and is the 26th time A&M has had 10+ hits in a game in 2016. Every starter recorded at least one hit for the Rattlers, while Alec Wong and Ben Ellzey each went 4-for-4. Wong has extended his streak to 11 straight at bats with a base hit.

The win was the 77th win for head coach Jamey Shouppe, which ties him for second all-time with Joe Durant (2001-2003) for wins over any consecutive three-year period in FAMU Baseball history. Shouppe is three wins away from tying the school record for wins in any three-year span.

Ricky Page (5-3) set a career-high in strikeouts for the second consecutive outing as he finished with nine strikeouts in five innings of work for the win. Page allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and didn’t walk a batter.

Florida A&M used three pitchers in the win and didn’t walk a single batter, while totaling 12 strikeouts, including Cameron Sims strikeout to end the game.

Marlon Gibbs (2-for-2), Brian Davis (2-for-3), Jacky Miles, Jr. (3-for-5), Willis McDaniel (2-for-4) and Peter Jackson (3-for-5) all had multi-hit performances, while Davis (four RBI), Miles, Jr. (three RBI), Ellzey (five RBI), McDaniel (two RBI) and Jackson (four RBI) had multi- RBI performances. The four RBI for Jackson was a career high as well as the five RBI for Ellzey.

Javon Byrd recorded his first-career hit in the sixth inning, a single to left field.

FAMU jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning as six of the first seven batters recorded a base hit in the inning. Gibbs led off with a single to center field, but a misplayed ball by Myles Sowell allowed Gibbs to advance to second. Wong followed with a single up the middle for his eighth straight hit, which moved Gibbs to third. Wong went to second on a passed ball before Gibbs came home on an RBI single through the left side from Dylan Dillard. Miles, Jr. followed with an RBI single to plate Wong for the second run of the inning as Dillard was able to advance to third. Ben Ellzey later drove in Dillard from third with the fifth hit of the inning. McDaniel then recorded the fourth consecutive hit for the Rattlers, an RBI single to left field, as Miles, Jr. came home to score from third.

The Rattlers tacked on nine more runs in the second inning to increase their lead to 13-0. It was the second time this season FAMU had scored at least nine runs in an inning. Davis had a two-run triple in the inning, while Ellzey and Jackson each had two RBI doubles. Miles, Jr., McDaniel and Wong also added an RBI in the inning.

NC A&T got on the board with an unearned run in the third inning as the score was now 13-1. Ryan Jantsch led off with a single to left field and came around to score from first, when Page threw the ball past Davis at first while fielding a sac bunt attempt from Forest Kimbrell.

After being held scoreless in the third inning, Florida A&M scored two more runs in the fourth inning to push its lead to 15-1. Jackson led off with a single up the middle and Gibbs was hit-by-pitch to place runners on first and second with no outs. After a NC A&T pitching change, Wong took the second pitch he saw to center field for a single that loaded the bases. Davis then drew a bases loaded walk to plate Jackson from third and with two outs and the bases still loaded, Ellzey was hit-by-pitch to score Gibbs for the second run of the inning.

The Aggies scored their final three runs in the fifth inning that cut the Rattler lead to 15-4. James Rorie led off with a strikeout, but reached first on a wild pitch and Jantsch followed with a single to left field. Milton Rivera then took a pitch the other way for a double down the right line that scored both Rorie and Jantsch. Adan Ordonez followed with another double that brought home Rivera with two outs.

FAMU answered in the home half of the fifth inning with four more runs that made the score 19-4. AJ Elkins led off with a triple off the wall in right center and came home on an RBI groundout from Jackson. Gibbs was then hit-by-pitch and Wong singled through the left side as runners were now on first and second with one out. Davis then took a 3-1 pitch into the right center gap for an RBI double as Gibbs scored from second. With two outs, Miles, Jr. dropped in an RBI single into right field to bring home Gibbs. Ellzey then recorded his fourth hit of the day to plate Dillard.

The Rattlers scored one last run in the sixth inning for the final score of 20-4. Sims came in to pitch a scoreless seventh inning and ended the game with a strikeout to Ordonez.

Robert Peck (2-5) was touched up for 10 runs on 12 hits in the first 1.1 innings for the loss. Peck didn’t record a strikeout and walked one batter.

Florida A&M and North Carolina A&T will close out their regular season schedule on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 PM. Fans are encouraged
to arrive early as we will have a special ceremony to recognize our 2016 senior class.

As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @BaseballFAMU and on Facebook. Live Stats are also available on the baseball schedule page of FAMUAthletics.com.

Box Score

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMAITON

The NFL Needs to Stop Talking About It and Simply Be About It

Stop The Window Dressing And Hire More Women And People of Color, Dammit!

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- How long have we been hearing about the NFL's great desire for diversity and inclusiveness in management and off-field employment opportunities?

At this point, they sound like your no-good cousin who sits around during every family bar-b-q saying, "You know what I'm going to do?....", pontificating on grandiose life changes and business plans, simply to spend the entire time between the next get-together doing diddly-squat, while hitting you up every few months asking, "Lemme hold a few dollars until I get things in order."

I'm happy to hear that the league that has long-denied the overwhelming medical evidence about brain concussions, brain injuries and suicides has struck up partnerships with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in order to provide opportunities for non-playing careers in the NFL.

But at this point, and please excuse my pessimism, I'm ready to tell the NFL what everybody wants to tell that manipulative loser of a cousin. "Ummmm, hell, no! I'm tired of your berlshit. You gets nothing here, partner. Get to steppin'!"

I'm happy that some athletic trainers, communications specialists, video directors, equipment managers and administrators will get a few internships, but I ain't buying that this is some great effort to diversity hiring efforts by the almighty, benevolent NFL.

CONTINUE READING

XU finishes 4-5 in long jump, qualifies 3 in 100

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Xavier University of Louisiana's Keairez Coleman and Christopher Kennie finished 4-5 in the men's long jump Friday, and three from XU qualified for the women's 100-meter dash final in the HBCU National Classic track and field meet.
     
Coleman jumped 6.64 meters (21 feet, 9 1/2 inches), and Kennie jumped 6.61 meters (21-8 1/4).
     
Advancing to the 100 final were the Gold Nuggets' Chelsea James (12.11 seconds),Martina Wright (12.61) and Alexis Milton (12.64). James, Wright and Milton ran 3-7-8 in the preliminaries.
     
Xavier also will compete Saturday in the men's triple jump (Coleman) and the women's 400 and 1,600 relays. The meet is Xavier's last before the NAIA National Championships May 26-28 at Gulf Shores, Ala.

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

WSSU’s Tonia Walker pleased with athletics program

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Tonia Walker, the athletics director at Winston-Salem State, can’t help but smile these days when she considers the state of her Division II program.

Cultivating a winning attitude and stressing graduation of athletes isn’t easy, especially when funding continues to be a problem.

There are other issues Walker faces in the coming years, but she is ready to tackle those one at a time. It’s a good thing she’s a natural problem solver, and that comes with her years of experience in college athletics.

Personally, Walker and her husband, Wayne, became grandparents for the first time and in between spoiling their granddaughter, Skylar, she is intent on making sure WSSU stays on top in the CIAA.
Here are a few questions Walker answered about the state of the WSSU athletics program.

Q: You just completed your second year as athletics director since taking over for Bill Hayes, how successful was 2015-16?

CONTINUE READING

Brown, Perry Join NSU Men’s Basketball Staff

NORFOLK, Virginia – Head coach Robert Jones announced today that Jamal Brown and former Spartan player Antoine Perry have been officially hired to join the staff of the Norfolk State men's basketball program beginning in the 2016-17 season.

Brown will serve as an assistant coach, while Perry will become the team's new director of operations. Brown takes over the third assistant coaching position vacated when Larry Vickers became the permanent head coach for the NSU women's team. Perry, a 2010 graduate of Norfolk State, rejoins the program after spending the past two seasons as a graduate manager with the Virginia Tech men's basketball team.

Along with his on-court duties coaching the team, Brown will also serve as NSU's recruiting coordinator while handling scheduling and team travel.

He arrives at Norfolk State after spending the 2015-16 season as an assistant coach at fellow MEAC school North Carolina A&T. He is well-known within the league after also serving stints as an assistant coach with South Carolina State and UMES and one year as the head coach at his alma mater S.C. State, as well.

"I am very familiar with Jamal from his many years in the league," said Jones. "He brings a wealth of experience to the staff, and he is a tireless recruiter. We are excited to make JB a Spartan."

"I am thrilled to work with Coach Jones and become a member of the Green and Gold family," said Brown. "I admire the job that he and his staff have done over the three years leading the team. I look forward to being a part of a program that competes for championships every year."

Brown spent the first six seasons of his coaching career as an assistant coach at S.C. State under former head coach Cy Alexander, helping lead the Bulldog program to MEAC titles in 1998, 2000 and '03. Brown spent the next three seasons under Alexander at Tennessee State as the associate head coach before returning to S.C. State for one season as the head coach in 2006-07.

Brown also served as the associate head coach under Frankie Allen at UMES for five seasons from 2007-12. While there, he was selected to attend the ACE Program for Minority Coaches. He later coached for one year at Winston-Salem State in 2013-14 as an assistant before spending the 2015-16 season as an assistant under Alexander and then interim head coach Jay Joyner at N.C. A&T.

Brown graduated from S.C. State in 1997 with a degree in business marketing. He was a member of the Bulldogs' MEAC Championship team in '96. He is a native of North Charleston, South Carolina.

Perry will assist with certain aspects of recruiting while also handling a variety of other duties, including managing the team's budget, film exchange and video operations, hiring and supervising the team's managers, and assisting with compliance issues. One of Perry's main duties will also be overseeing the strength and conditioning program for both the NSU men's and women's basketball teams.

"Antoine was a hard-nosed competitor, and now he brings that same hard-working attitude to our program," said Jones, who coached Perry during his last three years at NSU from 2007-10. "Having been at the highest level of basketball in the ACC, Antoine can help enhance our staff in many different ways. He is a rising star in this business."

"I am extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity to come aboard," said Perry. "As a former Spartan, and alumnus, I believe that I have a vested interest in the success of this program. I look forward to doing all that I can to help us succeed here."

Prior to the previous two seasons at Virginia Tech, Perry also spent three years as an assistant coach with Nansemand River High School in Suffolk while also working a variety of camps in the Hampton Roads area.

A native of Norfolk, Perry played for four seasons on the Spartan bas
ketball team from 2006-10 after attending Booker T. Washington HS. He played in 77 games, including nine starts, during his four years with NSU.

He earned his degree in business management from Norfolk State in 2010.

It was also announced that Kelvin Hawkins, who has served as a volunteer director of operations with NSU the past several years, will now hold the title of special assistant to the head coach.

Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NSU Signs Vickers to 3-Year Contract

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State University Director of Athletics Marty L. Miller announced Friday that women's basketball coach Larry Vickers has been signed to a three-year contract to lead the program.

Vickers was named interim head coach on Jan. 20 and coached the Spartans for the final 11 games of the season. He was appointed to the permanent post on March 8, originally on a one-year contract. The new three-year contract replaces the one-year deal and will keep Vickers as coach through the 2018-19 season.

"I am extremely happy to finalize the arrangements for Coach Vickers to serve as the head women's basketball coach for the next three years. We were impressed with the improvements that the women's basketball program made during the brief period that he coached the team," Miller said. "Due to his background and experience, I think he will be successful in achieving success for the program. I want to thank President Moore and the Board of Visitors for their vote of confidence in the decision to approve Coach Vickers to lead this program to higher heights."

The 2016-17 season will be Vickers' ninth season as a coach at NSU. He served eight years as an assistant coach with the men's basketball program.



Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COOURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Cleveland Browns' VP sees nothing but good coming from NFL-HBCU partnership

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sashi Brown has a degree from Harvard Law, and he’s proud of that. It helped get him where he is, which after a couple of course changes is in the front office of the Cleveland Browns as vice president for football operations.

But there’s another HU he believes isn’t getting as much notice in his success story.

“At my core, I’m a Hampton Pirate,” said Brown, HU Class of 1998. “It’s had every bit a part in shaping me and developing me into the position I’m in now.”

Which is why Brown is happy to see the NFL reaching out to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Last week, the league announced a program with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference, both comprised of HBCUs, that’s designed to add minorities to administration roles.

The initiative will include internships at the league and team levels, along with job-shadowing programs. There also will be a summit at the Celebration Bowl, a game between the MEAC and SWAC champions, in which NFL personnel will discuss non-playing opportunities in the league.

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Gators sweep South Carolina State, move on to face Syracuse

GAINESVILLE, Florida -- The No. 1 Gators entered Friday’s match against South Carolina State as the Southeastern Conference Tournament champions and fresh off a two week stretch with no games.

They weren’t the only champions at the Ring Tennis Complex, though. SCSU won its conference — the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference — as well.

However, when the two conference champions met on the court, the match was all one-sided.

The Bulldogs just couldn't find their footing against a Gator team that outmatched it in every aspect. And the final score of each match reflected it, as the Gators won big. Five of six Gators won their first set 6-0.

Florida (22-2, 13-0 SEC) defeated South Carolina State (8-11, 4-1 MEAC) 4-0 on Friday to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in a match where South NCarolina State only took four games to Florida’s 60 in singles.

It was the Gators’ 17th win in a row.

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California-strong Bethune-Cookman enters MEAC Tournament on a roll

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Looking at the Bethune-Cookman softball roster, you may get a little confused.

You may think you're looking at USC's roster, or maybe UCLA's. You see, just one player hails from Florida while the other 13 are from California.

“A lot of these kids are kids I inherited, but we do have another five California kids coming in next year,” said a smiling coach Laura Watten, who is in the second year of her second stint at B-CU. “The coach before me (Chris Cochran), I guess she didn't do a lot of recruiting in Florida, but in California.

“But it's also a case where they'll come here because they like the weather, and it's a case where the coaches and the travel ball coaches trust your system and they'll feed you players.”

Two of the California contingent are B-CU rookies, but already have made an impact on the Wildcats (17-30), who will enter Thursday's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex with an 11-4 conference record and as the second seed in the South Division.

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No. 17 Gold Nuggets qualify for NAIA tourney again

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana dropped one place to 17th Monday in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll, but the Gold Nuggets still earned a berth to next week's national tournament.

The Gold Nuggets (8-13) received the eighth of nine at-large bids. They qualified for nationals for the fifth consecutive year, the eighth time in nine years and the 10th time overall.

The NAIA National Championships will be played May 17-21 at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala. It will be Mobile's 13th consecutive year as host.

The NAIA will announce seedings and the bracket Tuesday.

Xavier will be in familiar company at nationals. The Gold Nuggets played six of the other 23 qualifiers a combined eight times during the regular season. Xavier won one of those matchups, a 5-4 decision at Keiser March 23. Keiser is ranked 14th this week.

Georgia Gwinnett and Auburn Montgomery are 1-2 in the poll. In the previous poll two weeks ago, they shared the top spot and each collected seven first-place votes. But this time the Grizzlies grabbed 11-of-14 first-place votes to surge ahead of AUM, the 2015 champion.

The top-25 appearance is the Gold Nuggets' 38th in a row. They began their streak May 1, 2012.
The lowest-ranked team to earn an at-large bid was No. 18 Cumberland.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll

1. Georgia Gwinnett
2. Auburn Montgomery
3. Lindsey Wilson
4. SCAD Savannah
5. Brenau
6. Cardinal Stritch
7. Westmont
8. Indiana Wesleyan
9. Middle Georgia
10. William Woods
11. Arizona Christian
12. Davenport
13. William Carey
14. Keiser
15. Northwestern Ohio
16. Olivet Nazarene
17. Xavier
18. Cumberland
19. LSU-Alexandria
20. Lewis-Clark State
21. St. Thomas (Fla.)
22. McPherson
23. Mobile
24. Reinhardt
25. Georgetown (Ky.)


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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No. 3 Rush first in line for at-large bid nationals

NEW ORLEANS — For the second consecutive year, Xavier University of Louisiana has secured the first at-large bid to the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship.

Xavier (14-7) remained No. 3 in the coaches poll announced Monday afternoon, then learned 90 minutes later it was among the 24 teams to qualify for nationals.

The Gold Rush qualified for nationals for the eighth consecutive year and the eighth time overall.

The NAIA National Championships will be played May 17-21 at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala. It will be Mobile's 13th consecutive year as host. The NAIA will announce seedings and the bracket Tuesday.

Xavier is 8-1 this season against NAIA opponents, 4-1 against the top 10. The Gold Rush have a pair of victories against No. 9 William Carey and one each against No. 4 Northwestern Ohio and No. 6 Keiser. The Gold Rush lost 5-1 Friday at No. 1 Georgia Gwinnett — the two-time defending national champion — in an NAIA unaffiliated group tournament.

The top-25 appearance is the Gold Rush's 76th in a row. That streak began April 4, 2007. The XU men are in the top 10 for the 46th consecutive time; that streak began May 3, 2011.

Georgia Gwinnett is a unanimous No. 1 for the 17th consecutive poll, dating to the 2014 postseason rankings.

The lowest-ranked team to earn an at-large bid was No. 20 Warner.

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll

1. Georgia Gwinnett
2. Auburn Montgomery
3. Xavier
4. Northwestern Ohio
5. Dalton State
6. Keiser
7. Lindsey Wilson
8. Coastal Georgia
9. William Carey
10. Aquinas
11. Cardinal Stritch
12. Lewis-Clark State
13. Reinhardt
14. Westmont
15. McPherson
16. Olivet Nazarene
17. Mobile
18. Cumberlands
19. Bethany (Kan.)
20. Warner
21. Middle Georgia
22. Pikeville
23. Campbellsville
24. Tennessee Wesleyan
25. IU Southeast


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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17 current, former Xavier athletes receive degrees

Volleyball graduates CeCe Williams and Franziska Pirkl. Pirkl was magna cum laude.
#xulagrad16 — at Xavier University of Louisiana.

NEW ORLEANS — Seventeen current and former student-athletes received degrees Saturday at Xavier University of Louisiana's 2016 commencement at XU's Convocation Center.
     
It was Xavier's 89th annual commencement. The total number of athletic-related degrees was 20.
     
Student-athletes graduating (with high schools in parentheses) were:
     •  Vashni Korin Balleste, Rock Tavern, N.Y. (Washingtonville), women's tennis, bachelor of arts . . . honors in English.
     •  Jodi Simone Chatters, Lake Charles, La. (St. Louis Catholic), women's volleyball, bachelor of science . . . magna cum laude.
     •  Ryan Derek DeRousselle, Marrero, La. (Archbishop Shaw), men's basketball, master of arts.
     •  Brion J. Flowers, Lafayette, La. (St. Thomas More), women's tennis, bachelor of science.
     •  Whitney Monaté Gathright, New Orleans, La. (John Curtis Christian), women's basketball, bachelor of science.
     •  Emoni Anita Harvey, Memphis, Tenn. (Briarcrest Christian), women's basketball, bachelor of arts.
     •  Jodi De'Shae Hill, Prairieville, La. (Dutchtown), women's volleyball, bachelor of arts . . . cum laude.
     •  Zahri Iman Jackson, Kingwood, Texas (Kingwood Park), women's cross country/track and field, bachelor of science.
     •  Mario Alexander Myles, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Redan), men's tennis, master of arts in teaching.
     •  Simone-Alyse Nicole Elizabeth Newell, Detroit, Mich. (The Roeper School), women's tennis, bachelor of arts . . . honors in English.
     •  Franziska Antonia Pirkl, Munich, Germany (Theodolinden Gymnasium), women's volleyball, bachelor of arts . . . magna cum laude, honors in business.
     •  Xavier A. Rogers, Denton, Texas (Lake Dallas), men's basketball, bachelor of science.
     •  Alesha Noel Smith, Athens, Ga. (Clarke Central), women's basketball, bachelor of arts . . . cum laude, University Service Key Award.
     •  Briana Simms, Hendersonville, Tenn. (Station Camp), women's cross country/track and field, bachelor of science.
     •  Nikita Soifer, Beer Sheva, Israel (Hof Hasharon), men's tennis, bachelor of science.
     •  Jarvis Kelvin Thibodeaux, Houston, Texas (St. Pius X), men's basketball, bachelor of science . . . honors in theology.
     •  Cecily Cymone Williams, Houma, La. (Vandebilt Catholic), women's volleyball, bachelor of science.
     •  Kailey Marie Williams, Fort Worth, Texas (Martin), women's cross country/track and field, bachelor of science.
     Also graduating were:
     •  Omotolani K. Etti, men's basketball student manager, bachelor of arts.
     •  Jasmine Nicole Renard, basketball statistician, bachelor of science.
     •  Ahmad Abdul Azeem Siddiqui, men's basketball student manager, bachelor of science . . . honors in English.
     
Xavier is one of 44 colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2016 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Xavier's intercollegiate teams compete in the NAIA and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. (Cross country competed as a Red River Athletic Conference affiliate member in 2015.)
    
NOTES:  DeRousselle is an XU men's basketball assistant coach . . . Balleste and Flowers will compete for Xavier next week in the NAIA National Tennis Championships at Mobile, Ala.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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North Carolina A&T Aggies Men's Track and Field Earns #21 National Ranking

National Top-25

Regional Top-15

May 2-8 Rankings

GREENSBORO, North Carolina – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the governing body of track and field in the USA, released its latest top-25 NCAA Division I team rankings on Monday with the North Carolina A&T men’s track and field team listed among the top-25 for the first time in program history. They jumped an amazing 71 spots from 92nd to 21st in a week.

N.C. A&T’s top-25 slot puts them higher than some schools from big-named conferences such as South Carolina of the SEC and Kansas and Texas Christian of the Big 12. The Aggies’ previous highest ranking was 48th in 2008. The Aggies are ranked eighth in the USTFCCCA southeast region behind Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, N.C. State, Louisville and Clemson.

“Our team and staff are excited about our current national and regional rankings,” said director of track and field programs Duane Ross. “We’ve known all season that these guys can compete with anyone in the country at any time. There’s still a lot of competing to do. The goal is the awards podium at the NCAA championships. Once we have that, I’ll celebrate. We don’t want to be the best HBCU track and field team in the country. We want to be the best track and field team in the country…period.”

Mightily assisting in the team’s national ranking were the performances given over the weekend at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at N.C. A&T’s Irwin Belk Track as N.C. A&T broke two MEAC records. The USTFCCCA recognized the top-10 college track & field performance in the country from May 2-8 by reviewing every college track & field contest from all levels (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, etc.). Thirteen Aggies made the list, and a few received multiple recognition.

Aggie junior Christopher Belcher had the highest rankings. His performances in the 100 and 200 meters were established as the best in the country for the week, as he marked a MEAC record 10.07 and a 20.39 respectively. Moreover, surpassing simply weekend acclamation, Belcher’s performances elevated him nationally. He ranks third in the nation, second in the east region, in the 100. In the 200, he is fifth nationally and fourth in the east.

When disqualifying the times that were wind-aided, Belcher sits at No. 1 in the country in the 100 and No. 2 in the 200. Though times that are aided by the wind (where the wind measures 2.0 meters per second and above) are considered for qualifying times to NCAA regionals and nationals, they do not count toward any form of record breaking times or marks for conferences, regionals, nationals, etc., making Belcher’s performances even more significant.

“Chris is by far one of the hardest working athletes I’ve ever had. I have to make him take days off from practice,” said Ross. “What makes him so dangerous is that he and I are on the exact same page about how far we want him to go in this sport. He wants it all: the NCAA title, the Olympic trials title, and ultimately the Olympic medal. He’s an absolute joy to coach and watch compete and his future is very bright.”

Over the weekend, Belcher also assisted the 4x100 team in making the USTFCCCA top-10 list. Junior Maurice Eaddy, junior Caleb Gabriel and freshman Rodney Rowe teamed with Belcher to run a MEAC record 39.58 that placed them second in the nation for the week. The 4x1 team is ranked twice among the top-24 teams in the east region. Their 39.58 time has them ranked 11th and their 39.98 time at the Florida Relays (3/31/16) has them ranked 23rd.

Also making the USTFCCCA list for the men was the 4x400 relay team consisting of freshman Justin Hamilton, junior Dorian Claggett, sophomore Corey Aiken, and sophomore Dajuan Harding. The men’s 3:07.67 in the relay put them at third in the country for the week. Harding also had an individual performance rank third in his 46.14 mark in the 400. The last male to make the list was junior Frank Quarles, who won the individual conference title in the men’s long jump over the weekend. In the long jump, Quarles reached 25-feet, 7 ¼-inches in the finals that ranked third and 25-feet, 2-inches in the trials that ranked ninth last week.

As for the women, sophomore India Brown and freshman Kayla White were listed as the top individual performers. USTFCCCA ranked Brown’s times second and fourth in the 100, with her preliminary time of 11.47 and her finals run of 11.50.

Brown was also listed 10th in the in the 200 for her 23.75 sprint in the championships. Brown won MEAC championships in the 100 and 200 over the weekend.

Claiming three individual weekly rankings of her own, White took seventh in the 100 (11.57) and fourth (13.48) and eighth (13.52) in the 100-meter hurdles listings. Her 13.52 helped her win the MEAC title in the 100mh. Brown and White were also ranked together with freshman Yakira Love and sophomore Morgan Knight in the 4x100. The quartet was listed fifth for their 44.96 performance in the event.

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Farrier impressing as Morgan State interim coach

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- The 2015 coach of the year in the FCS began last season with an interim label, only to shed it midway through the regular season in what was a spectacular turnaround for his team.

It would be hard for any interim coach to match what Portland State's Bruce Barnum accomplished in earning STATS FCS Coach of the Year - staging a six-win improvement, beating a pair of FBS opponents and leading the Vikings to the national playoffs for only the second time.

But Fred Farrier, the interim head coach at Morgan State, has made a solid impression over the first three months since he was elevated from offensive coordinator to replace Lee Hull, who resigned from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference program after two seasons to become the Indianapolis Colts' wide receivers coach.

The 44-year-old Farrier says he's "chasing championships" at Morgan State. As an assistant coach, he helped the Bears earn a share of the 2014 MEAC title and reach the FCS playoffs for the first time, with his offense setting 35 school records.

"He's been evaluated on a daily, weekly basis here to determine, hey, is he the right guy? That could happen at any time," said Morgan State athletic director Floyd Kerr, whose program is the only one among 124 FCS schools with an interim coach.

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