Point and Drive® Documentary Coming to Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta and Orlando this summer! Tickets on sale NOW!

DETROIT, Michigan  -- We have been on a promo tour for Point and Drive since April with the first date being in Detroit. Now to round out the promo tour, we have the following dates : 

June 10 - Ft Lauderdale/Miami

June 24 - Atlanta at Morehouse College

July 21 - Orlando (Ocoee)

Please support this movement by either seeing the film, sponsoring youth to see the film, or consider being one of our sponsors. The Point and Drive Box Office is officially OPEN! The Marching Band, Music, and HBCU Event of the Year is HERE! Limited amount of screening times, so Get Your tickets NOW! You won't want to miss it!

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Salwan selected men's Louisiana Newcomer of the Year

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis standout Karan Salwanhas been chosen to the 2015-16 All-Louisiana collegiate first team and as Newcomer of the Year.
     
XU's Thomas Setodji made the second team, and Kyle Montrel received honorable mention. The All-Louisiana women include Xavier's Charlene Goreau on the second team.
     
A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel of sports information directors selected the teams, which the LSWA announced late Saturday.
     
Salwan, a junior from New Delhi, India, and a graduate of Modern School, was 22-5 in singles and 25-5 doubles in his debut XU season after transferring from Utah State. Salwan produced 10 singles victories and 10 doubles victories vs. NCAA Division I, including New Orleans, Louisiana-Lafayette, Nicholls State, Troy, Southern Miss and Big South Conference runner-up Presbyterian.
     
Salwan is the fourth Gold Rush player in the last seven seasons to receive Newcomer of the Year. Hassan Abbas (2009-10), Loic Didavi (2011-12) and Kevin Chaouat (2013-14) were the others.
     
Setodji, a home-schooled freshman from Domont, France, was 17-0 in singles and 12-7 in doubles after enrolling at Xavier in January. He led the Gold Rush with eight dual-clinching singles victories.
    
Montrel, a senior from Atlanta and a graduate of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, was 16-10 in singles and 22-7 in doubles. He received honorable mention after three consecutive seasons on the All-Louisiana first team.
     
Goreau, a freshman from Toulouse, France, and a graduate of Raymond Naves School, was 15-5 in singles and 7-13 in doubles after enrolling at Xavier in January. She led the Gold Nuggets in singles victories during the spring and won 10 consecutive singles decisions Feb. 24-March 29.
     
Xavier had two runners-up in voting for the major awards — Setodji for Freshman of the Year and Alan Green for men's Coach of the Year.
     
Salwan, Setodji, Montrel and Goreau were announced this past week as first-team NAIA All-Americans. The ITA will announce its NAIA All-Americans this week.

2015-16 All-Louisiana Tennis WOMEN FIRST TEAM Hannah Brett, sophomore, McNeese State Jessica Golovin, freshman, LSU Abby Owens, junior, LSU Alexandra Starkova, senior, Louisiana Tech Joana Vale Costa, junior, LSU Renee Villarreal, senior, Southeastern Louisiana SECOND TEAM Ryann Foster, sophomore, LSU Charlene Goreau, freshman, Xavier Polina Ivanoa, sophomore, Northwestern State Sarah Jurakova, sophomore, McNeese State Natalya Krutova, senior, Northwestern State Skyler Kuykendall, senior, LSU Tiffany Mylonas, freshman, Louisiana-Monroe PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Renee Villarreal, Southeastern Louisiana      Voting:  Villarreal 5, Starkova 3, Vale Costa 2, Brett 1 NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:  Ryann Foster, LSU (only nominee) FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Jessica Golovin, LSU      Voting:  Voting: Golovin 7, Giovanna Fioretti (McNeese State) 3, Iryna Vardanian (Northwestern State) 1 COACH OF THE YEAR:  (tie) (Tie) Chad Camper, Louisiana Tech, and Julia and Michael Sell, LSU      Voting:  Camper 4, Sells 4, Olga Bazhanova (Northwestern State) 1, Helena Besovic (McNeese State) 1, Stephanie Vallejos (Louisiana-Lafayette) 1. HONORABLE MENTION:  Jazmin Britos, junior, Louisiana Tech; Giovanna Fioretti, freshman, McNeese State MEN FIRST TEAM Justin Butsch, junior, LSU Dominik Koepfer, senior, Tulane Chi-Shan Jo, junior, Tulane Edgar Lopez, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette Karan Salwan, junior, Xavier Constantin Schmitz, sophomore, Tulane SECOND TEAM Boris Arias, senior, LSU Gabor Csonka, sophomore, LSU Jordan Daigle, junior, LSU Arthur Libaud, freshman, Louisiana-Lafayette Sebastian Rey, junior, Tulane Thomas Setodji, freshman, Xavier PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Dominik Koepfer, Tulane      Voting:  Koepfer 6, Butsch 1 NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:  Karan Salwan, Xavier      Voting:  Salwan 4, Csonka 3 FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Arthur Libaud, Louisiana-Lafayette      Voting:  Libaud 3, Setodji 2, Tyler Schick, (Tulane) 2 COACH OF THE YEAR:  Mark Booras, Tulane      Voting:  Booras 4, Alan Green (Xavier) 2, Jeff Brown (LSU) 1 HONORABLE MENTION:  Kyle Montrel, senior, Xavier Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director XULAgold.com XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA  twitter.com/xulagold www.facebook.com/xulagold

from THE EDITOR Dwight Floyd: Summation of Life & Leadership of FAMU's Past Presidents, Series Part 7

“I will aim for 100 percent cooperation … to see that FAMU remains
autonomous and viable. We are the only institution in Florida that gives
an opportunity to blacks to move ahead in leadership. Everywhere else,
they get lost in the crowd. . . . Here they learn social competence,
they learn to become leaders because they have to become leaders.”
…
"No single personality is bigger than FAMU. FAMU as an institution must
come first. FAMU must never die. It must live forever as an autonomous
institution." 

Reverend Moses General Miles

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Born in 1987, H. Manning Efferson served 23 years with the college before accepting the position as acting president. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Atlanta University and a Master’s degree from Columbia University. He served as Head of the Department of Mathematics, Dean of Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Director of Summer School, Director of Extension Services, and at the time of his appointment Administrative Assistant. During the search for a permanent president he was asked if he was interested in becoming president. He communicated that he was not interested.

CONTINUE READING

Former NFL Player Named FVSU Head Football Coach

HEAD COACH KEVIN PORTER
COURTESY: FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- Fort Valley State University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Joshua W. Murfree, Jr., has named Kevin Porter as the new head football coach.

A press conference is scheduled for Monday, June 13, 2016 at 11 a.m. in FVSU's Health and Physical Education Complex lobby.

Porter has an extensive background in coaching, including 10 seasons as both an assistant and head coach at the professional level. His coaching experience also includes stints at the University of West Georgia as an assistant coach and Point University as head coach and athletic director.

Porter coached the Arena Football League and the associated developmental league called arenafootball2 (af2.) In 2000, Porter was head coach with the Pensacola Barracudas, followed by several seasons as head coach of the Macon Knights. He took his afF2 teams to the playoffs all four seasons and had won the most games in af2 history (45-27) before moving on to serve as defensive coordinator for the AFL's New Orleans VooDoo, and then as head coach of the ALF's Kansas City Brigade.

Prior to his professional career, Porter was a three-year letterman, two-year starter and All-State performer at defensive back for the Warner Robins Demons in Warner Robins, Ga. as well as being a member of the 1981 National Championship team.

As a collegiate player at Auburn University, Porter was a four-year starter, All-American and two-time All-Southeastern Conference performer. Kevin was named defensive MVP of the 1984 Liberty Bowl and was selected to Auburn's Team of the Century. A third-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1988, Porter made the NFL All-Rookie Team at safety. He spent six years in the NFL, ending his career in 1993 with the New York Jets.

Porter has served as an assistant coach and head coach on the collegiate level as well. Porter was defensive coordinator for Mid America Nazarene University, where his unit ranked as one of the best in the Heart of America Conference. Porter was head football coach at both Avila University and Point University, where he spent two seasons launching the football program while also serving as athletic director at the school. Most recently, Porter was the assistant head coach at The University of West Georgia.

Porter is a graduate of Avila University with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and holds a master's degree from Concordia University-Irvine in Athletic Administration.

He and his wife, Annjela, have two sons, Jacob and Kellen.

COURTESY FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU's Horn named to NAIA's National Administrative Council

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn has been named to the NAIA's National Administrative Council (NAC). Horn's 3-year appointment will officially begin this weekend at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) annual convention in Dallas.

The NAC helps shape policy at the highest level of the NAIA while governing rules and ratings, championship competition, awards and statistics, and experience and enhancement. The NAC is an exclusive group of approximately three dozen members representing all the NAIA conferences and approximately 250 schools within the NAIA. A minimum of 10 athletic directors and 10 conference commissioners serve on the NAC.

Horn will serve on the Championship Competition Subcommittee, which sets policies and procedures pertaining to NAIA national championship events.

"It is an honor to be appointed to the NAC and represent Xavier and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference with the NAIA," Horn said. "The goal of the NAC is to strengthen the NAIA and its member institutions in providing our student-athletes the best possible experience, both academically and athletically."

The NAC conducts its business annually at the NAIA and the NACDA conventions. NAC subcommittees also meet throughout the academic year to review appeals and special requests from NAIA members and various coaches associations.

Horn is in his third year leading Xavier's athletic programs. He also serves on the NAIA's Competitive Experience Committee. Horn is completing a one-year term as the chair of the GCAC athletic directors. He also serves on the board of directors of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.

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

Cervantes Jackson finds success at Albany State after late start to track career

CERVANTES JACKSON
COURTESY: ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

ALBANY, Georgia -- For three years at Bainbridge High School, Cervantes Jackson believed in staying in his comfort zone.

On the football field, he was content with playing both ways. He was a wide receiver for the offense, and doubled as a cornerback on the defensive unit. When springtime arrived, Jackson had no problem stealing bases and chasing fly balls in the outfield as a centerfielder.

Additionally, Jackson had another area where he found security. During lunch and between classes, he could always be found performing the latest dance moves.

However, during his senior year, Jackson found himself in a realm where he was unaccustomed.

“I really didn’t want to join the track team,” Jackson admitted. “My coaches Larry and Pat Clark (who are brothers), wanted me to come out there to see what I could do. I really wasn’t feeling it, so I had no CERVANTES plans of going out there.”

Although Jackson had made up his mind about not participating in track & field, there was one other person who would have the final word.

CONTINUE READING

5 SWAC teams with the most to prove in 2016

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Each team enters the college football season with something to prove in some form or fashion.

This rings true in the SWAC as well.

Five teams stick out above the rest, though, and The Clarion-Ledger will take a look at those teams with the most to prove this fall.

Let's start with a team that didn't make the list.

Honorable mention

Alcorn State: Yes, in theory, a back-to-back conference conference champion shouldn't have much to prove. The Braves, which went 9-4 in 2015, lost the architect of their recent success in January when Jay Hopson left to become the coach at Southern Miss. So it will be up to new Alcorn State coach Fred McNair to prove he and the remaining coaches can keep the program's momentum going.

CONTINUE READING

East Ascension pitcher McInnis signs with Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Falling behind and facing a bases-loaded jam with no outs, East Ascension decided to cut the day short for ace Austin Millet, and instead, looked to an inexperienced sophomore named Austin McInnis to stop the bleeding.

McInnis was nervous. He went into the game never expecting to take the mound.

Despite the anxiety, the youngster pushed through and quickly showed what kind of potential he possessed. He struck out 10 Acadiana batters, gave up just one hit and never let the Rams score again.

That performance didn’t just impress his coaches at East Ascension.

“We got on the bus and headed back for Gonzales, and I got a call from a coach named Elliot Jones. I had no idea who he was,” McInnis said. “He told me that he was with Southern University. He really liked what he saw out of me, and he told me he was going to come back and watch some more.”

McInnis’ play that day and the phone call that followed all led to him proudly signing his letters of intent last Tuesday evening.

CONTINUE READING

Savannah State and the ultimate rebuild

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Football coaches are a confident sort, but Erik Raeburn seems more optimistic than most. He accepted the Savannah State head coaching job in March, agreeing to take on one of the hardest jobs in college football, in a completely new area of the country for him. But he sees potential and he feels he's uniquely qualified.

"I think this is a great situation. Obviously it's an excellent school, so when we bring recruits and their parents to campus, they can feel like, if my son comes here, when football's over he's going to be able to use his education to get a good job. And the location is excellent. Savannah's one of the most beautiful cities I've been to! We're eight to 10 miles from the beach and eight miles from downtown, where there's constantly festivals and concerts. And there's a ton of opportunities for guys to do internships while they're working on their education.



"And our location from the standpoint of recruiting ... there are so many good high school football players in this area. If you drew a 2.5-hour radius around our campus, there are a million guys that are excellent football players. And we can give in-state tuition to students from Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina because they border us. The recruiting base here is pretty fantastic."

All of these things are subjectively true. But they've been true for the previous guys taking on this job, too.

CONTINUE READING

Hampton U. Sailing Finishes Historic Season at College Nationals

VIDEO 

SAN DIEGO, Califorinia -- With history already having been made, the Hampton University sailing team competed in the Gill Co-Ed College Sailing Nationals on Tuesday and Wednesday, marking the program's first-ever trip to the regatta.
 
The Pirates finished 11th in the Eastern Semifinal, winding up two spots shy of advancing to the finals.
 
Hampton finished with 253 points; ninth-place Fordham had 214 points. Still, the Pirates finished ahead of such schools as Wisconsin (13th), Hawaii (14th), and Florida (15th).
 
Maximilian Kuester and Giuditta Di Laghi sailed in the A Division, as they had all season, picking up a race win and two fourth-place efforts in 12 total races run.
 
The duo accounted for 121 points.
 
In the B Division, Luca Taglialegne, Elisabeth Kuester, and Miles Braden finished second in their first race, while also recording four other top-10 race finishes. The B Division team racked up 132 points.
 
Hampton finishes its seventh season under head coach Alessandro Ambrosi with seven regatta wins – including four in five weeks during the spring – as well as the program's first-ever trip to the College Sailing Nationals.
 
For more information on Hampton University sailing, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Sensational SAU Hurdler Tia-Adana Belle Featured On WRAL-TV5 and WRAZ FOX 50 Television Newscasts; Next Stop - Rio Olympics

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- All-American hurdler Tia-Adana Belle (Jr./St. George, Barbados) of Saint Augustine's University was featured on the WRAL-TV5 and WRAZ FOX 50 newscasts Tuesday. Belle is running for Barbados in the Rio Olympics this summer after a stellar collegiate season.

Belle set the NCAA Division II record (55.82) and the NCAA Division II Championship meet record (56.13) in the women's 400 hurdles. She led the Lady Falcons to a second-place national finish in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships this past weekend.

Click this link to watch the video, which was written and produced by outstanding reporter/anchor Mandy Mitchell - http://www.wralsportsfan.com/st-aug-hurdler-belle-excited-nervous-about-likely-trip-to-olympics/15742187/. The video is also on wral.com and saintaugfalcons.com.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Eighteen Saint Augustine's University Student-Athletes Earn 38 USTFCCCA All-America Outdoor Track and Field Honors

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Eighteen Saint Augustine's University student-athletes earned 38 NCAA Division II All-America outdoor track and field honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Tuesday, May 31, 2016.

The number of All-Americans reflect the success of the Falcons and Lady Falcons at the outdoor championship meet this past weekend. The Falcons won their fourth consecutive men's crown and the Lady Falcons finished as women runner-ups.

The Falcons led the nation with 18 first-team All-America honors from 10 men. Sprinters Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Sr./Raleigh, NC) and Daniel Jamieson (Sr./Windsor, CT) were two of four Division II men with three accolades. Ellis is the 200 dash national champion, and he and Jamieson were members of the 4x100 national championship relay squad.

The Lady Falcons led the country with 16 first-team All-America honors from seven women. Ornella Livingston (Sr./St. Ann, Jamaica), the 100 dash national champion, was one of two Division II women with four awards. Two-time 400 hurdles champion Tia-Adana Belle (Jr./St. George, Jamaica) was among seven women who gained All-America recognition in three events. She is the D-II championship meet record-holder in the 400 hurdles.

Student-athletes earned first-team honors by finishing among the top eight in their respective events. Student-athletes who placed ninth through 12^th gained second-team status.

Below is the list of Falcons and Lady Falcons who garnered All-America honors. To see the complete list, go to ustfccca.org.

FIRST TEAM

WOMEN

(Name, Event)

Leah Barker – (4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay)

Tia-Adana Belle – (100 Hurdles, 4x400 Relay, 400 Hurdles)

Shakinah Brooks – (4x100 Relay, Long Jump)

Ade Hunter – (4x400 Relay)

Shamia Lassiter – (100 Hurdles, 4x100 Relay)

Ornella Livingston – (100 Dash, 200 Dash, 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay)

Amenze Uhunmwangho – (Long Jump, Triple Jump)

MEN

(Name, Event)

Brent Arceneaux – (4x100 Relay)

Shaquille Dill – (800 Run, 4x400 Relay)

Burkheart Ellis, Jr. – (100 Dash, 200 Dash, 4x100 Relay)

Jumonne Exeter – (Triple Jump)

Khari Herbert, Jr. – (4x400 Relay)

Immanuel Hutchinson – (800 Run, 4x400 Relay)

Daniel Jamieson – (100 Dash, 200 Dash, 4x100 Relay)

Kendall Kee – (100 Dash, 4x100 Relay)

Shawn Rowe – (4x400 Relay, 400 Hurdles)

David Shaw, Jr. – (Triple Jump)

SECOND TEAM

WOMEN

(Name, Event)

Shakinah Brooks – (100 Dash)

MEN

(Name, Event)

Kirvano Handfield – (High Jump)

Khari Herbert, Jr. – (400 Dash)

Shawn Rowe – (110 Hurdles)

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MEAC Football Press Luncheon Kicks Off July 29

VISIT MEACSPORTS.COM

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will host the annual Football Press Luncheon, Friday, July 29 at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel (235 E. Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510/ (757) 627-4200). MEAC head football coaches and two student-athletes from each team will be on hand to offer an inside view on the upcoming 2016 football season.

A limited number of tickets are available to the public for the press luncheon and can be purchased by calling Natiara Satsatin at (757) 951-2055 or satsatinn@themeac.com. Tickets are $30 per seat or $300 per table (10 persons) and must be purchased by 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 22.

Media members may obtain a credential for the luncheon and/or one-on-one interviews by completing an application found on www.MEACSports.com. One-on-one interviews will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m.

The 2016 MEAC football season kicks off on Thursday, September 1 as Delaware State visits Delaware in a non-conference game.

Bethune-Cookman will compete against Alcorn State in the 12th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge also on Labor Day Weekend, Sunday, September 4. Details and ticket information can be found on www.meacswacchallenge.com.

For more information about the MEAC, log on to www.MEACsports.com.

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

ASU can't hold early lead, eliminated by South Alabama

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Alabama State coaches, players and fans learned Saturday just how hard it can be to win an NCAA regional game.

With ASU just nine outs from accomplishing a program-defining victory and staving off elimination in Tallahassee, South Alabama scored the game’s final five runs for a 6-3 win that sent the Hornets home.

Saturday was the first game in 37 opportunities this season ASU lost when leading after six innings and the first game the Hornets lost after hitting two home runs. In a season of firsts for the ASU program, going winless in its first NCAA regional experience was a bitter feeling to have as they left Dick Howser Stadium.



“Not the way we wanted to go out,” Alabama State coach Mervyl Melendez said. “We didn’t want to be and thought we were better than 0-2. The players now need to shift the focus from not getting here but doing better than we did this year.”

Melendez is now 1-24 in NCAA Tournament play as a head coach after making 11 regional appearances while at Bethune-Cookman (2000-04, 06-11). The win was in 2002 over Florida International.

Alabama State (39-17) quickly erased the memories from an 18-6 loss to host Florida State from the night before with the help of the home run.

CONTINUE READING

Lincoln's New Women's Soccer Coach Has Been Named

Head Women's Soccer Coach: Emmanuel Awotula

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania -- Lincoln Athletics is proud to introduce its' new Head Women's Soccer Coach Emmanuel Awotula. Coach Awotula comes to Lincoln from Oakland City University, where he was the head coach for the women's soccer program as well as the Intramural Director. While at Oakland City University he posted a record of 16-14-1 and currently holds the highest winning percentage in a single season.

Prior to his time at Oakland City University Awotula coached his alma mater Tennessee Temple five years. Originally from Nigeria, he played for Tennessee Temple University for two years before a career ending injury. He later joined the coaching staff his senior year as the assistant coach for both the men and women's soccer programs. He eventually became the head coach for the women's program. In his first year at Tennessee Temple University he posted the best record in school history. He produced six players that finished top ten in GOALS, assists and goals per game. He also had two players on the all-academic team. While at Tennessee Temple University he also started their track and field team.

The committee was impressed with Coach Awotula's ability to recruit. The institutions he has coached are small colleges not unlike Lincoln and during his time at both schools Awotula was able to bring in good players from around the country and improve on the teams previous records. When asked about his recruiting philosophy Coach Awotula says "I will go anywhere to find students who want to play". During his interview the new coach remarked that he would like to bring in some students from his home country because of the history of Lincoln and Nigeria - he says" there are good student athletes there who would love to come to Lincoln to play where Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of our country earned his degree. Directr of Athletics Dr. Pope believes Coach Awotula will prove to be a valuable asset to Lincoln Athletics upon the coach's hiring he stated " Coach Awotula has the right temperment and approach to recruiting. He is dedicated to education and his sport, thats what we need and look for here" in the Lion's athletic program.

Coach Awotula holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Tennessee Temple University. He also holds a Master's of Science in Education degree as well as a Master's of Science in Curriculum and Instruction degree from Oakland City University. He is currently working on his doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at Oakland City University.

Coach Awotula and his wife Jennifer have three sons: Noah (7), Isaiah (6) and Micah (4).

Welcome to Lincoln Coach Awotula.

Darryl Pope Ed.D.
COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State considered ‘no joke’ among power programs

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Alabama State knows exactly what mixed emotions felt like Saturday afternoon.

The Hornets left Dick Howser Stadium on Saturday afternoon with the disappointment of a 0-2 performance in the program’s first NCAA regional appearance but also knowing they’ll likely be back as soon as next year.

The message has been changed from the players in their dugout and in the opposing dugout as well: This isn’t the same Alabama State baseball anybody is familiar with anymore.

“The future is bright,” Alabama State head coach Mervyl Melendez said after Saturday’s 6-3 loss to South Alabama. "We have a lot of freshmen that stepped up and they weren't intimidated. They have a good mindset."

ASU’s lineup Saturday consisted of six players guaranteed to return and three juniors who will have the option to return after the draft is completed next weekend.

“I was doing everything I could for the team,” Alabama State pitcher Angel Alicea said Saturday after a 120-pitch no-decision.



CONTINUE READING

Jackson State Tigers Look To Build On "Contract" 2015-16 Season

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Wayne Brent knew he was under the gun last season. The third-year Jackson State coach had led the Tigers to consecutive 11-win seasons and was working under a contract set to expire at season’s end. But this wasn’t something he shied away from.

"You come into a situation and you have three years on a contract and you start counting," Brent told Jackson’s WJTV12 in March. "Year one, 11-20. Year two, 11-21. You come back your third year and you say okay, if this is going to work, we’re going to have to win. That was something we talked about and I thought our guys responded well to the adverse situation we were placed in."

That pressure may have played a role in a 20-win season that featured the Tigers first postseason victory since 1993. After losing to Southern 54-53 in the SWAC tournament final, Jackson State beat Sam Houston State in the first round of the CIT before bowing out to Grand Canyon on the road. The 20 wins were the program’s most since 2006-07, and represented just the fourth 20-win season since 1977.

Unsurprisingly, Brent was rewarded with a contract extension shortly after the season. He not only has job security going into next year, but also a roster talented and experienced enough to challenge for a SWAC title.

CONTINUE READING

BCU Diamoncats' Season Ends With 12-3 Georgia Tech Loss

GAINESVILLE, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman’s 15th NCAA Regional appearance ended with a 12-3 loss to Georgia Tech Saturday afternoon at McKethan Stadium at the University of Florida.

Demetrius Sims posted two hits and Nathan Bond drove in two runs for the Wildcats, who erased a 3-0 deficit to manage a 3-3 tie on Michael Cruz’s RBI single in the fourth.

Georgia Tech regained the lead with a three-run fifth, and the Yellow Jacket pitchers would limit the Wildcats to two base runners over the final five innings to remain alive in the double-elimination tournament.

A six-run ninth, highlighted a three-run Tristen English three-run homer, pushed Georgia Tech’s lead to 12-3.

After Georgia Tech took an early 3-0, B-CU came back with two runs in the third. Cruz walked, Danny Rodriguez singled and Bond stroked a two-out double to right.

The Wildcats used a two-out rally in the fourth to tie it with Rakeem Quinn, Sims and Cruz hitting consecutive singles.

Alex Seibold, who had relieved German Hernandez and got the Wildcats out of a third-inning jam and had a solid 1-2-3 fourth, finally gave up a run after three consecutive scoreless relief appearances, including the 1-0 victory over Norfolk State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament final.

Jameel Edney also had a hit for the Wildcats. Ivan Coutinho had two scoreless innings of relief before getting reached for two runs in the ninth.

Bethune-Cookman finishes the season 29-27.

Follow Bethune-Cookman Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BCUathletics), Twitter (www.twitter.com/BCUDiamondCats) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/BCUBaseball) for all of the latest news and updates. Fans also receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year, via the social media outlets or www.BCUathletics.com.

BOX SCORE



COURTESY BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

ASU Historic Baseball Season Ends With Loss To South Alabama In NCAA Tournament

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Alabama State baseball team saw its historic championship season come to an end with a 6-3 loss to South Alabama in an NCAA Tournament elimination game Saturday in the Tallahassee Regional.

The Hornets, who won their first SWAC Championship in legendary fashion in going unbeaten in 28 games against conference opponents in setting a school record for wins (38-17), got home runs from Eriq White and Ray Hernandez, but it was not enough to withstand a late-game rally by South Alabama (41-21).

White's 2-run homer to left field in the second inning, his third of the season, came on the first pitch of the at-bat and scored Hunter Allen for a 2-0 lead.

Leading 2-1 in the fourth, Hernandez hit an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left to give the Hornets a 3-1 lead. It was his 16th homer of the season, adding to his school-record total.

However, Alabama State would not score again. South Alabama chipped away at its deficit, adding single runs in the fourth and seventh to tie the game at 3-3. The Jaguars scored three runs in the eighth to take their first and only lead of the game.

Angel Alicea pitched seven innings for the Hornets, allowing 10 hits and three runs, walking three and striking out five on a career-high 120 pitches.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

HU's Holloway has already made history, but he wants more

HAMPTON, Virginia — Hampton University track coach Maurice Pierce hadn't considered the possibility until someone brought it up. But it's true: Senior Trey Holloway became the Pirates' first male athlete to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in four consecutive years.

Holloway, who will be competing in the 110-meter hurdles, is proud of that. But he wants more.

"It wasn't my ultimate goal, but I'm proud to accomplish that by going all four years and making it to the national championships," Holloway said. "I've been taking the best opportunity I have with Coach P and making the best of my training. My main goal is to go ahead and get a national title for the school. The last one hasn't been since Francena (McCorory)."

McCorory won the 400 meters (indoor and outdoor) in 2010. HU's only other national champion was Yvette Lewis, now an assistant coach with the Pirates.



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SAU's Ellis, Jr., Williams Win NCAA Division II National Track Athlete, Coach of the Year Honors

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Standout sprinter Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Sr./Raleigh, NC) of Saint Augustine's University was named NCAA Division II National Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and legendary Head Coach George Williams of Saint Augustine's University was chosen NCAA Division II National Men's Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Thursday, June 2, 2016.

Ellis led the Falcons to their fourth consecutive men's outdoor national crown this past weekend. He won the national title in the 200 dash, placed second in the 100 dash and was part of the national champion 4x100 relay squad. Ellis posted the seventh-best 200 time (20.46) and seventh-fastest 100 time (10.17) in Division II history at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships. During the regular season, Ellis ranked first in the 200 with a time of 20.36, which is third-fastest in Division II history.

This is the second national honor for Ellis in two days. On Wednesday, the Saint Augustine's University graduate won the High Point Scorer Award for scoring the most men's points at the outdoor championship meet (20.5). Last week, he was named Atlantic Region Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.

Williams won his fourth straight USTFCCCA national coaching honor and fifth in seven years after guiding the Falcons to their 15th men's outdoor national title. Williams has captured 18 national coaching honors (men and women, indoor and outdoor combined) since the USTFCCCA first handed out the awards in 1994.

The Falcons scored all their points on the final day to rout co-runner-ups Tiffin University and Texas A&M University-Kingsville 85-36. Saint Augustine's University nearly won the women's team title as well, falling by one point 52-51 to national champion Pittsburg State University. In April, the Falcons claimed their 19th straight CIAA men's title by outscoring Virginia Union University 203-139.83.

Saint Augustine's University has won 38 NCAA national track and field titl
es under Williams. He has won the most NCAA track and field championships of any collegiate coach.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

from THE EDITOR Dwight Floyd: Summation of Life & Leadership of FAMU's Presidents, Series Part 6 [1944-1949]:

DWIGHT FLOYD
the EDITOR

About the Series

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- William H. Gray Jr. was born in 1911 to Reverend William H. and Mary Smith Gray. In 1933 he received a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Bluefield State College and in 1934 a Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He worked seven years as Professor of Education, Principal of the Demonstration Schools, and Field Director of Extension Services at Southern University. In 1942 he received a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Education and experience in hand, Gray was later appointed President of the Florida Normal and Industrial College, a private Baptist college in St. Augustine (now Florida Memorial).

It did not take the Board of Control long after J.R.E. Lee’s death to select Gray as FAMC’s next president. Beside impressing the Board during his interview, Gray received support from the prominent Doak S. Campbell, President of Florida State University and D. E. Williams, Supervisor of Negro Education. At 33 years of age there was concern over whether Gray would be mature enough to maintain the role. After a brief background check Gray was appointed at a salary of $4,600.00 a year. Gray was successful in expanding the fiscal boundaries of the college and laying ground for important physical plant expansion. He resigned amid a financial scandal that he was cleared of to take a position he considered to be a higher calling.

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VSU Renews Coach Blow's Contract Through 2021

ETTRICK, Virginia -- Virginia State University is proud to announce that Trojans' head men's basketball coach Lonnie Blow, Jr. has signed an extended contract with the University and will remain as head coach through 2021.

Coach Blow joined the VSU Trojan family in 2013. During his three seasons as head coach, he led VSU to an overall record of 56-24 and extended his career coaching record to 118-54. Under Blow's leadership, the Trojans finished the 2015-2016 season as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Northern Co-Divisional Champions and clinched the 2016 CIAA Basketball Tournament Title. "Coach Blow is a true leader for our men's team," said VSU President, Dr. Makola Abdullah. "Not only does he motivate them to excel on the court, but in the classroom as well. We are excited that he will remain an integral part of our Trojan family."

Blow's superb coaching skills during the regular season led to him being named the "2016 CIAA Men's Basketball Coach of the Year" and "2016 Mid-Major Coach of the Year." The Trojans advanced to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Playoffs, progressing to the second round. Before falling short to West Liberty University in the semifinals of the NCAA Playoffs, the Trojans went on their longest winning streak of the season with eight consecutive wins. "It is an honor to remain a member of the Trojan family," says Coach Lonnie Blow. "I am excited about the future of our program and look forward to continuing the legacy that we have begun here."

"Virginia State University is fortunate to have a head men's basketball coach of the caliber of Lonnie Blow, Jr.," says VSU Director of Athletics Peggy Davis. "His leadership ability, coaching style, and all around commitment to our student-athletes' academic success makes him the right fit for Virginia State University. We are proud that Coach Blow has made the commitment to continue to lead our men's basketball team."

For more information on VSU Trojans men's basketball, follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports, or call 804-524-5030.

COURTESY VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION