Video Highlights from NCCU Football Scrimmage

DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University held its first scrimmage of the 2016 football preseason camp on Saturday inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

NCCU head coach Jerry Mack said the heat, with temperatures in the mid-90s, tested his team's conditioning, and he'd like to see an increased tempo. Mack did like that both the offense and defense made big, explosive plays.

For highlights of the scrimmage and a full interview with Mack, visit the official YouTube page of NCCU Athletics at https://youtu.be/vbHsWtxbUUo.




NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

TSU: Michael Haywood returns to Houston to rebuild Tigers

HOUSTON, Texas -- Followers of the Texas Southern football program are hoping the hire of a head coach with Houston roots will make the team relevant again.

TSU hasn't had a winning season since 2010 and finished 3-7 (2-7 in the SWAC) in 2015. So Michael Haywood, who was born and raised not far from TSU in South Park, will face some challenges.

"It's a process right now, and we're looking for an exciting year," said Haywood, a product of St. Thomas High School. "We're renovating our facility. … We're going to provide a great opportunity to play great football in Texas."

Haywood, a former head coach at Miami (Ohio) and a former player and offensive coordinator at Notre Dame (2005-08), is replacing Darrell Asberry, who was 12-31 (9-27 SWAC) in his four years directing the Tigers.

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from THE EDITOR Dwight Floyd: FAMU Football Preseason Prediction

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Okay, let’s get right down to it. I am picking FAMU to go 7-4 in 2016. That’s right, for a team that won only one game in 2015 I am picking them to find a way to win 7 games out of 11 in 2016. How?

First, as much as FAMU stumbled the last two seasons, they loss games in both seasons that they could have and should have won. That includes a 2014 loss to Bethune Cookman and a 2015 loss to North Carolina Central.

Second, the MEAC is a conference of extremes. Last year FAMU was one of those teams on the low end of the MEAC spectrum, in the loser’s bracket. Even the best teams in the conference, e.g. North Carolina A&T loss to North Carolina Central last year, have a way of losing when they should not have.

And third, the MEAC is ...



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Gold Nuggets lose twice in Texas to open season

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Xavier University of Louisiana opened the 2016 volleyball season Friday with losses to Wayland Baptist and Our Lady of the Lake in the Hotel Indigo at the Alamo Saints Classic.

\The Gold Nuggets lost 25-22, 25-16, 25-23 to Wayland Baptist in the morning, then lost 25-14, 20-25, 25-11, 25-12 to OLLU, the tournament host, in the afternoon. All three teams were NAIA National Championship qualifiers a year ago.

XULA freshman Tiffany Phillips opened her college career with assist/dig double-doubles in both matches. She had 15 assists and 12 digs in the first match and 29 assists and 11 digs in the second.

Other highlights included sophomore newcomer Monet Fontaine's 11 kills and freshman Hasani Salaam's eight kills against OLLU and junior newcomer Juliana Tomasoni's 11 digs in the opener.

Against the Pioneers, the Gold Nuggets used a 9-0 run to take a 16-12 first-set lead. XULA led 18-16 and was tied at 23 in the third set before Wayland Baptist clinched.

Fontaine had five kills and Salaam four in the second set to help the Gold Nuggets even the second match.

Top performers for the opponents were Wayland Baptist's Mallorie Ellis (11 kills, 12 digs) and Elisabeth Pirolo (six aces, 22 assists, 10 digs) and OLLU's Kendall Gross (13 kills, .414 hitting percentage) and Leilani Smith (11 kills, .375). The Pioneers and Saints had cumulative advantages of 90-60 in kills and 20-4 in aces. They outhit the Gold Nuggets .213 to .088.

XULA returns no starters from last season's 19-8 team that repeated as champions of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular season and tournament. Of the 12 student-athletes who traveled this week, eight were freshmen.

XULA will play twice in this event Saturday — at 11 a.m. against NAIA No. 20 Evangel and 1 p.m. against Tennessee Wesleyan. The Gold Nuggets' home opener will be Sept. 2.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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North Carolina A&T Aggies Release 2016-17 MBB Schedule

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- In Jay Joyner’s first full season as the head men’s basketball coach at North Carolina A&T, the Aggies will play twice in Louisiana, twice in Georgia and will also compete in California, Indiana and Massachusetts. The Aggies released their 2016-17 schedule on Friday. It includes 13 home games, the Gotham City Classic, two road games against ACC competition and their non-conference crosstown rivalry game against UNC Greensboro.

"We are extremely excited about our upcoming schedule," said Joyner. "We want to have momentum going into the conference schedule. In order to build momentum, you need to compile wins in the non-conference portion of the schedule. We think there are some wins there, it's just a matter of following the game plan and executing."

In what has become a common occurrence, the Aggies open the season against Division III Greensboro College. The two Greensboro occupants face off at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11 at Corbett Sports Center. It will mark the fourth time in five seasons the Aggies have opened the season against The Pride. Three days later the Aggies return to Greenville, N.C., for a matchup against East Carolina. The East Carolina game is the first of four rematches the Aggies will have over their non-conference schedule.

Another return game is up next for the Aggies as they travel to Louisiana to take on Grambling State on Nov. 17. Last season the Aggies defeated the Tigers 61-47 at Corbett Sports Center on Dec. 17. The next contest is only four miles away from GSU as Louisiana Tech and N.C. A&T will play one another on Nov. 19. It will be the first meeting between the two teams.

November closes out with home games against NAIA school Allen University (Nov. 23) and Jacksonville (Nov. 26) before the Aggies and UNCG meet at the Greensboro Coliseum on Nov. 29. The Aggies have won four straight over the Spartans.

December opens with a home game against North Dakota State. The Bison were 77-56 winners last November against the Aggies at Scheels Arena in Fargo. The Aggies then make their first-ever trip to South Bend, Ind., to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Dec. 4. After more than a week without competition, the Aggies return to action with games in the Gotham Classic.

Four teams make up that classic including N.C. A&T, University of Massachusetts, Pacific, Rider and Kennesaw State. The Aggies play at UMass (Dec. 13) and Pacific (Dec. 15) before playing at home against Rider on Dec. 18. N.C. A&T ends the classic at Kennesaw State on Dec. 22. Before 2016 comes to an end, the Aggies will play at Georgia Tech on Dec. 28.

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play begins at the home of the two-time defending MEAC champions Hampton Pirates on Jan. 4. N.C. A&T will follow that game by hosting a two-game homestand against Delaware State on Jan. 7 and Maryland Eastern Shore on Jan. 9. The Aggies have a non-conference game squeezed into their MEAC schedule with a game at St. Louis on Feb. 4.

The conference regular-season closes out with a three-game homestand versus Savannah State (Feb. 25), Bethune-Cookman (Feb. 27) and rival North Carolina Central (March 2).

"Of course we want to win the conference regular-season," said Joyner. "The next best thing, however, is finishing in the top four going into the tournament. If we can play well enough to position ourselves finish near the top, we will be in great shape come tournament time."

For ticket information call 336-334-7749.

NCAT 2016-17 Men's Basketball Schedule

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME (ET) 
Fri, Nov 11 Greensboro College Corbett Sports Center 7:00 PM
Mon, Nov 14 East Carolina at Greenville, N.C. TBA
Thu, Nov 17 Grambling State at Grambling, La. TBA
Sat, Nov 19 Louisiana Tech at Ruston, La. TBA
Wed, Nov 23 Allen University Corbett Sports Center TBA
Sat, Nov 26 Jacksonville Corbett Sports Center 4:00 PM
Tue, Nov 29 UNC Greensboro at Greensboro, N.C. TBA
Fri, Dec 02 North Dakota State Corbett Sports Center 7:00 PM
Sun, Dec 04 Notre Dame at South Bend, Ind. TBA
Tue, Dec 13University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Mass TBA
Thu, Dec 15 Pacific University at Stockton, Calif. TBA
Sun, Dec 18 Rider Corbett Sports Center 1:00 PM
Thu, Dec 22 Kennesaw State at Kennesaw, Ga. TBA
Wed, Dec 28 Georgia Tech at Atlanta, Ga. TBA
Wed, Jan 04 Hampton * at Hampton, Va. TBA
Sat, Jan 07 Delaware State * Corbett Sports Center 4:00 PM
Mon, Jan 09 Maryland Eastern Shore * Corbett Sports Center 7:30 PM
Sat, Jan 14 Coppin State * at Baltimore, Md. TBA
Mon, Jan 16 Morgan State * at Baltimore, Md. TBA
Sat, Jan 21 Howard * Corbett Sports Center 4:00 PM
Sat, Jan 28 N.C. Central * at Durham, N.C. TBA
Mon, Jan 30 Norfolk State * at Norfolk, Va. TBA
Wed, Feb 01 Delaware State * at Dover, Del. TBA
Sat, Feb 04 St. Louis University at St. Louis, Mo. TBA
Sat, Feb 11 Florida A&M * Corbett Sports Center 4:00 PM
Mon, Feb 13 S.C. State * Corbett Sports Center 7:30 PM
Sat, Feb 18 Howard * at Washington, D.C. TBA
Mon, Feb 20 Maryland Eastern Sh ore * at Princess Anne, Md. TBA
Sat, Feb 25 Savannah State * Corbett Sports Center 4:00 PM
Mon, Feb 27 Bethune-Cookman * Corbett Sports Center 7:30 PM
Thu, Mar 02 N.C. Central * Corbett Sports Center 7:30 PM
Mon, Mar 06 - Sat, Mar 11 MEAC Tournament at Norfolk, Va. TBA
* Conference Games

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Germany's schemes seem to impress at Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi -- A conference championship-winning offensive coordinator being a good strategist isn’t exactly groundbreaking news.

But Jackson State offensive coordinator Chad Germany's schemes were a topic of discussion for some members of the program this week.

“(His offense is) all about numbers, really,” said Tigers running back Robert Johnson IV. “We have this thing: ‘Numbers to a side, go opposite. Numbers in the box, strike up The (Sonic) Boom.’ He’s all about numbers. He wants us to be in the best position to win, and he wants to take advantage of the defense and he knows how to run the offense.”

JSU defensive coordinator John Hendrick is familiar with Germany’s offense. He practices against it every day, but he also coached against it when he was the defensive line coach at Alabama State, while Germany was the offensive coordinator at Southern.

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'The ring' a symbol of unity, togetherness for Grambling football

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — A group of 90 or so players stood in a circle Wednesday with all eyes on their leader. One by one, Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs scanned his eyes to make sure everyone was correctly aligned.

This is a routine by now.

The circle, or the ring as Grambling's football program calls it, is the latest rallying cry for the Tigers' season. It stands for unity. It resembles togetherness. It means wholeness. It brings about consistency.

Without it, Grambling is nothing. With it, Grambling hopes a 2016 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship is headed its way.

"The thing we have to understand is there is a diamond or a bling that sits on top of the ring, but you can't have a ring without the ring.

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Golden Bulls football cleans house for fresh start and attitude

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Johnson C. Smith football has been scrubbed of underachievers.

Golden Bulls coach Kermit Blount used spring practice as an audition for the fall. Players who measured up are in preseason camp to improve on last year’s 4-6 record. Those who didn’t aren’t.

“We made some changes coming out of spring,” said Blount, who is in his second season at JCSU. “There were some young men who didn’t return. We made some additions to those guys we didn’t allow to return, but I’m really pleased with the work ethic right now, I’m really pleased with the attitude, the mental side of it. I think our guys get it. They understand where they want to go and want to accomplish. It’s a matter of us putting it together.”

All-America safety Carlo Thomas isn’t shy about calculating what’s ahead, starting with the Sept. 3 opener at Wingate.

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'Small in stature but grand in heart,' former Southern star Avery Johnson donates 18-wheeler full of supplies

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- A man of short stature who used to dazzle Baton Rouge with his big gifts made a giant gesture Thursday.

Avery Johnson, the men’s basketball coach at Alabama and one of Southern University’s most distinguished athletic alumni, sent a semi truck full of supplies to Baton Rouge on Thursday to aid the flood-devastated city.

“It speaks volumes to what type of person he is,” said Roman Banks, Southern’s interim athletic director and men’s basketball coach. “He is small in stature but grand in heart.”

Johnson first heard about the flooding that devastated Baton Rouge over the news. Then he reached for his phone.

“He called me and he said, ‘What can I do to help? I want to make sure I’m there to help my campus and help the city of Baton Rouge,’ ” Banks said. “We started talking. I told him some things they were in need of, and he said, ‘I got it from there.’

“Before I knew it, he said he was sending an 18-wheeler full of supplies.”

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Southern camp buzz: Chennis Berry brings the juice, Quentavius Monday brings the burns

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- BRINGIN’ THE JUICE: Offensive coordinator Chennis Berry is almost always the loudest guy on the field, but he was especially vibrant at Thursday’s practice. From start to finish, Berry was either encouraging good play or vocally pointing out the bad, but he was always at the 100 mark on the energy meter. He kept it going after practice was over, taking the offensive linemen over to run sideline-to-sideline sprints for what seemed to be his idea of fun. Speaking of the offensive linemen, Berry has not neglected his positional duties there because he’s coordinating the offense. He watches that group in particular very closely.

NO CASE OF THE MONDAYS: Southern held an entertaining practice segment Thursday pitting cornerbacks against receivers and tight ends in one-on-one man coverage. Arguably the most impressive performer in the period was freshman wide receiver Quentavius Monday. The Atlanta native beat All-SWAC corner Danny Johnson over the top for a 40-yard touchdown on the first play of the period, burned Andre Augustine on a deep out route on his second rep, then torched Elijah Allen on a post to go 3-for-3 in style.

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MEAC/SWAC Challenge coming to Daytona Beach

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Since 2008, the annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge has been played in Orlando. This year, the HBCU conferences’ battle will be in Daytona Beach with the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats taking on the Alcorn State University Braves.

The game, owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, showcases teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The conferences have the largest football programs among historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Sept. 4 game
The game, pitting B-CU against the Mississippi HBCU will be played at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach on Sept. 4 with a 1 p.m. kickoff. It will be aired live on ESPN as Bethune-Cookman (MEAC) hosts Alcorn State (SWAC).

“It is a unique situation. They have changed the whole approach. They will be taking it from campus to campus now for the next couple of years. We are honored and proud to be able to host it. We are very excited. This gives us a three-hour infomercial on national TV. It’s the only game on TV and the only game in town,’’ said Lynn Thompson, Bethune-Cookman University’s vice president of Intercollegiate Athletics.



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HBCU football stars on the rise:Top players this season may be in the NFL in 2017

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- South Carolina State University defensive tackle Javon Hargrave was the first black college football player taken in April’s NFL draft. Hargrave, a 6-foot-1, 309-pounder, was a third-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Defensive Player of the Year was clearly one of the best players in the country last season from a historically black college or university.

Hargrave’s teammate, tight end Temarrick Hemingway, was a sixth-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams. North Carolina Central University defensive back Ryan Smith was a fourth-round selection of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.



In taking an early look ahead to this season, there are some very talented HBCU prospects who have the potential to play on Sundays like so many other black college football standouts such as Terron Armstead (New Orleans Saints, University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff), Chris Baker (Washington Redskins, Hampton University), Antoine Bethea (San Francisco 49ers, Howard University), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (New York Giants, Tennessee State University) and others.

The No. 1 HBCU prospect looks to be North Carolina A&T State University running back Tarik Cohen, and it’s hard to argue with all his accomplishments on the gridiron. At 5-foot-7 and 173 pounds, Cohen is a little man with big-game talent. The Aggies’ senior rusher opened a lot of eyes while leading NC A&T State to an exciting 41-34 victory over Alcorn State University in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl on national television. Cohen put on quite a show, rushing for 295 yards while scoring three touchdowns against the Braves.



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NSU Spartans enter second scrimmage seeking consistency on both sides of the ball

NORFOLK, Virginia -- It’s always difficult for football coaches to gauge the successes or failures of a preseason intrasquad scrimmage.

If your offense thrives, then the defense might need work. If the offense does little, then it could be a sign of a stout defense.

What second-year Norfolk state coach Latrell Scott saw Saturday during his team’s first August scrimmage indicated that both units have room for improvement heading into the second scrimmage, scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday.

“The offense came out and scored big on the first drive and then stalled for a little while until we got in the red zone,” Scott said. “The defense played well early, and then gave up a long touchdown in the two-minute drive (at the end of the scrimmage). So I think it’s just consistency that we want to make sure we have at the end.”

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Grambling to play at Tulane in 2017

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Grambling plays one football game a year in New Orleans for the annual Bayou Classic against Southern.

The Tigers will add another trip to the Big Easy on the 2017 schedule when they travel to Tulane for the 2017 season opener. The Advocate first reported the news Tuesday, and Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs confirmed the schedule addition after Wednesday's practice.

"It's big. It's important to play the other teams in the state of Louisiana because we're all family. We're all helping each other," Fobbs said. "When we go down to New Orleans it's going to be a booming place and it will be packed and that's good for Tulane but it's also good for us, too, because we recruiting that area also. I enjoy playing against teams in our area because it's almost like a family reunion of all the schools in the state of Louisiana."

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Xavier announces walk-on tryouts in multiple sports

NEW ORLEANS — Several intercollegiate athletic teams at Xavier University of Louisiana will conduct walk-on tryouts next week for the 2016-17 academic year. All prospects must be enrolled in a minimum 12 hours for the fall 2016 semester, which will begin Monday.
     
The schedule of tryouts:
     •  Women's Volleyball:  Tuesday, Aug. 23 from 4-5 p.m. at the Convocation Center. Water will be provided. Participants will be required to sign a waiver. Contact: Hannah Lawing, hlawing@xula.edu.
     •  Men's and Women's Cross Country:  Tuesday, Aug. 23 at 3 p.m. Meet in front of the Convocation Center; tryout will take place at City Park. Contact: Jasmine Pulliam,jpullia1@xula.edu.
     •  Women's Basketball:  Tuesday, Aug. 23 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Convocation Center and Wednesday, Aug. 24 from 9-10 p.m. at the Fitness Center. Contact: Tarniesha Scott, tscott17@xula.edu.
     •  Men's Basketball:  Saturday, Aug. 27 from 9-11 a.m. at the Fitness Center. Contact:Tyrone Mitchell, tmitch17@xula.edu.
     
Xavier competes in the NAIA as a member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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ASU president names athletic director for Albany State University

ALBANY, Georgia -- Albany State University President Art Dunning announced today the appointment of a new athletic director for the university.

Sherie Cornish Gordon, who has more than 12 years of leadership and supervisory experience in athletic administration, will serve as the athletic director for the new Albany State University. She begins Sept. 1.

"We have conducted a national search for the brightest talent to join our team as athletic director," Dunning said. "I am grateful to Parker Executive Search and our search committee members who did an extraordinary job of identifying the best candidate for this role."

Gordon currently serves as the senior associate commissioner for external business administration for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Her responsibilities include oversight of the CIAA's budgeting and contracts, risk management, information technology, marketing, media relations, merchandising, sponsorship and media rights for the conference's 16 championship sports.

"I am delighted to join the Albany State University athletics program and senior leadership team at this point in my career and at a time of transformational change in Albany with the consolidation of Albany State University and Darton State College," Gordon said. "I look forward to working with my new colleagues to build a program that continues to promote student-athlete success and engages the entire Albany community, our employees and our students."

Prior to her tenure with the CIAA, Gordon spent more than nine years at Norfolk State University, where she served as senior associate director of administration/senior woman administrator; associate athletics director of internal operations/senior woman administrator; assistant athletics director for business operations; and assistant for athletic business operations. She provided leadership for 15 sports with approximately 300 student-athletes. She had oversight of a $12.2-million budget and managed more than $5 million in renovations and facility upgrades. Gordon was also a part of 22 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships and eight MEAC all sports awards while at Norfolk State.

The former collegiate basketball player and native of Severna Park, Md., earned her bachelor's degree in sports administration from Morgan State University in Baltimore and her master's degree in sports management from Temple University in Philadelphia. A member of several professional associations, she currently lives in Charlotte, N.C., with her son, Ethan.

Gordon was selected from a pool of 94 applicants for the athletic director position. The applications were vetted by a search committee that represented faculty and staff from Albany State and Darton State College and was chaired by Thomas Thompson, dean of the ASU College of Education.

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Gold Nuggets announce 10 more in 2016 recruiting class

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has completed its volleyball recruiting for the 2016 season with the signing of 10 more student-athletes. New to the Gold Nuggets are:
     •  Brittanie Cockrell, a 5-foot-9 outside/right-side hitter from Port Arthur, Texas, and Ozen High School. She's a biology/pre-medical major at Xavier.
     •  Terri Drake, a 5-8 setter/right-side hitter from Baton Rouge, La., and University Lab School. She's a biology/pre-medical major.
     •  Taylor Ducros, a 5-8 outside hitter/defensive specialist from Luling, La., and McGehee School of New Orleans. She is a pre-pharmacy major.
     •  Monet Fontaine, a 5-10 outside/right-side hitter from Upper Marlboro, Md., and Bishop McNamara High School. Fontaine is a transfer from Morgan State University of NCAA Division I. Her major is pre-medical.
     •  Cara Ford, a 5-8 outside hitter/defensive specialist from Birmingham, Ala., and Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School. She's a biology/pre-medical major.
     •  Bria Moore, a 5-10 middle blocker/right-side hitter from Broussard, La., and Comeaux High School. Moore is a chemistry/pre-pharmacy major.
     •  Amanda Perry, a 5-4 libero/defensive specialist from Bolingbrook, Ill., and Bolingbrook High School. She is an accounting and business major.
     •  Tiffany Phillips, a 5-9 setter/defensive specialist from Gardena, Calif., and Bishop Montgomery High School. Phillips is a biology/chemistry/pre-medical major.
     •  Adili Rikondja, a 5-10 right-side/outside hitter from Inglewood, Calif., and Culver City High School. Her major is psychology/pre-medical.
     •  Juliana Tomasoni, a 5-9 outside hitter/defensive specialist from Novo Trento, Brazil, and a transfer from Northeast Oklahoma A&M College, a two-year school. She is a mass communications major.
     
All are freshmen on the Gold Nuggets' roster except for Fontaine, a sophomore, and Tomasoni, a junior. There are 11 newcomers in all; Hasani Salaam's signing was announced in April.
     
Cockrell produced 20 aces, 216 kills, 268 digs and 14 blocks for Ozen's Lady Panthers as a senior and was chosen to the Beaumont Enterprise newspaper's Super Gold first team. She was salutatorian of her graduating class, president of the student body her senior year, and she worked approximately 200 service hours in three years.
     
Drake helped U-High's Lady Cubs reach the round of 16 of the 2015 LHSAA Division IV state playoffs and had 98 kills, 228 assists, 74 aces and 154 digs. She produced a triple-double (10 kills, 16 assists, 10 digs) in a match. She was academic all-state as a senior, first-team all-district twice and produced 180 service hours.
     
Ducros was a five-year standout for McGehee's Hawks, who were 42-4 and won the LHSAA Division V state championship in 2015. Ducros produced 1,486 kills, 2,560 digs and 286 aces in her career. Ducros was all-state each of her final three seasons and was MVP of District 6-IV in 2014. Ducros is a cousin of NAIA tennis All-America Kyle Montrel, who completed his eligibility with Xavier in May.
     
Fontaine was second-team all-conference as a prep senior and won Bishop McNamara's St. Andre Award for stellar grades and citizenship. At Morgan State she hit .455 in her final seven matches.
     
Ford was all-region as a senior and won JCIB's award as a sophomore for best offensive player. She was a three-year starter and a team captain her final two seasons.
     
Moore was a three-year starter for Comeaux's Lady Spartans. She was academic all-state and first-team all-district in 2015.
     
Perry was a two-year starter for Bolingbrook's Raiders and team captain her senior year. She also excelled in club with Sports Performance and helped her teams earn a pair of third-place finishes at AAU national tournaments.
     
Phillips started the past two seasons for Bishop Montgomery's Lady Knights, was student government treasurer as a junior and senior class president. Phillips logged approximately 400 service hours with Bishop Montgomery's Concordia Christian Service Club.
     
Rikondja was first-team All-Ocean League as a junior for Culver City's Lady Centaurs and second-team all-league twice. She made the honor roll every semester and graduated with a 3.7 GPA. A regional semifinal appearance in 2014 was Culver City's best-ever postseason volleyball finish. Rikondja was a two-year president of her school's Black Student Union, an after-school mentor in all subjects and a dance instructor for four years. She graduated with approximately 80 service hours.
     
Tomasoni has considerable college experience after playing for NEO in 2015 and NAIA member Langston the year before. Her two-year totals include 667 kills, 659 digs, 64 aces and 60 blocks. She received honorable mention AVCA All-NAIA Mid-South Region in 2014, and she was second-team NJCAA Division II All-America and NJCAA all-tournament in 2015 after leading the Lady Norse to a 10th-place finish at nationals. In Brazil she played for high school teams that finished third in the 2010 world championships and won national championships in 2009 and 2008.
     
Xavier, a member of the NAIA and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, will open its season Friday in San Antonio, Texas, with a pair of matches in the Hotel Indigo at the Alamo Saints Classic. The Gold Nuggets will play Wayland Baptist at 9 a.m. and Our Lady of the Lake at 1 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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SUNO joins Big Easy Blastoff; tourney grows to 5 teams

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana  — Xavier University of Louisiana's Big Easy Blastoff volleyball tournament has added a fifth team, and as a result the playing schedule has been revised.

SUNO, a city and Gulf Coast Athletic Conference rival of the Gold Nuggets, has joined the event and will play three matches.
     

The revised schedule:

Friday, Sept. 2 9 a.m. — Southwest (N.M.) vs. SUNO 11 a.m. — Xavier vs. Pikeville 1 p.m. — William Carey vs. SUNO 3 p.m. — Southwest (N.M.) vs. Pikeville 5 p.m. — Xavier vs. William Carey Saturday, Sept. 3 9 a.m. — Pikeville vs. William Carey 11 a.m. — Xavier vs. Southwest (N.M.) 1 p.m. — Pikeville vs. SUNO 3 p.m. — Southwest (N.M.) vs. William Carey

The Xavier-Pikeville match will be the Gold Nuggets' home opener. Xavier will open the 2016 season Friday (Aug. 19) at San Antonio, Texas, in the Hotel Indigo at the Alamo Saints Classic with matches against Wayland Baptist at 9 a.m. and Our Lady of the Lake at 1 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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SU postpones Fall Fan Fest set for Saturday

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern University Fall Fan Fest, scheduled for August 20, 2016, in the F.G. Clark Activity Center, has been postponed, athletics officials announced Tuesday evening.

The F.G. Clark Activity Center is presently housing approximately 400 evacuees, coordinated by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the American Red Cross.

"As much of southeast Louisiana endures the damage from the most unprecedented flood in the state's history, SU athletics remains sensitive to the needs of the community and will serve as an active participant in the ongoing relief efforts," said Roman Banks, interim athletics director.

"We recognize what is most important now is to offer our support to the Baton Rouge community with the same vigor and enthusiasm we witness every Saturday night in the fall."

Information regarding SU's Fan Fest rescheduled date and location will be announced at a later time.
The SU football program will still conduct its final scrimmage of fall camp Saturday morning, Aug. 20 at 9:15 a.m. in A.W. Mumford Stadium.

Fall Fan Fest serves as the official kickoff to the fall sports season.

The Southern University System Foundation, in cooperation with the University administration, has established the Southern University Flood Relief Fund, to provide assistance to University students and employees that have been significantly impacted by historic area flooding.

Donations may be made here: https://netcommunity.sus.edu/pages/flood-relief-fund.



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from THE Editor Dwight Floyd: FAMU Football Future Looks Bright

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TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M has just finished their first full scrimmage of 2016 at Bragg Memorial Stadium. Even though the success of the offensive line will likely determine the win-loss record this season, the quarterback position has people not just talking, but talking big.

While senior quarterback Kenneth Coleman and junior transfer quarterback Vincent Jeffries are taking the snaps behind the first team center, red shirt freshman quarterback Ryan Stanley and freshmen quarterback Tahj Tolbert are getting plenty of attention from the fans. I think that even former head coach Billy Joe would be proud to groom these two at the quarterback position.

Both need time to get accustomed to the speed of the game at the college level and become married to the play book. If neither of them are needed to run the offense this season that will say a lot about this year’s team and even more about FAMU’s future.

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AAMU Bulldogs battle to 'draw' in first scrimmage

NORMAL, Alabama -- The Bulldogs offense scored three times in its first four possessions in the first scrimmage of the fall season Saturday.

However, the maroon defense picked off three passes later in the action and also forced the offense to punt four times.

"I could not be more pleased than the way we came out here and competed," Head Coach James Spady said. "When you get a chance to go full speed - run, hit, tackle ... they're ready to compete."

In assessing the scrimmage, Spady called it "a draw."

"It'd be my druthers if we fight to a draw," he said. "So, we fought to a draw today so I'm happy."

PHOTO GALLERY

Senior De'Angelo Ballard led all three early scoring drives, which included a 73-yard catch and run touchdown pass to Jonathan Dorsey, a 69-yard run by Jordan Bentley and a 49-yard field goal from Nick Carden.

"Right now, Tuttie (Ballard) is our leader in the clubhouse," Spady said. "We're looking for him to be the coach on the field ... we've still got some work to do for him.



"The race is for No. 2 ... we've got a bunch of guys to choose from, which is a good problem to have."

One of the backups, freshman Dylan Smith hit Tevin McKenzie for a 23-yard touchdown pass late in the scrimmage.

A couple of freshman running backs also caught Spady's eye.

"Joseph Burke and Jordan Bentley stepped up," he said. Burke had several carries where he broke tackles at the line of scrimmage while Bentley also caught a couple passes out of the backfield to go with his 69-yard run off tackle.

On the defensive side, several outstanding plays were made, including a pair of interceptions by freshman Reginald Paige and a pick by junior Dexter Reese.

Spady also cited linebacker Bryan Brower and defensive lineman Ryan Ducksworth for their play Saturday.

"Bryan Brower just continues to play hard," he said. "Ryan Ducksworth played really well ... he was impressive."

The Bulldogs have their final two-a-day practice of the season Monday with classes starting Thursday.

The season opener is Sept. 3 at Middle Tennessee State and the home opener is Sept. 17 when Prairie View A&M visits for the Louis Crews Classic.

For ticket information, visit aamutix.com or call 256-372-4700.

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Tuskegee Golden Tigers ranked 17th in AFCA DII preseason poll

WACO, Texas — After a quarterfinal appearance in the 2015 NCAA Division II playoffs, the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers begin the 2016 season ranked 17th in the AFCA preseason poll released Monday morning.

Tuskegee, 10-3 a season ago, is the only school from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) ranked in the poll. The Golden Tigers received 241 votes in the initial poll after finished last season ranked 11th overall.

The Golden Tigers do not face anyone ranked in the preseason poll, however, they are third in teams from the region ranked in the poll. They trail West Georgia (second) and North Alabama (15th), while being ranked above Catawba (22nd) in the first poll.

The top 10 includes defending national champion Northwest Missouri State, West Georgia, Grand Valley State, Shepherd, CSU-Pueblo, Ashland, Minnesota State, Indiana (Pa.), Henderson State and Texas A&M Commerce.

The next 10 include Slippery Rock at 11, followed by Ferris State, Humboldt State, Midwestern State, North Alabama, Indianapolis, Tuskegee, Colorado School of Mines, Minnesota-Duluth and Central Missouri.

Assumption, Catawba, Sioux Falls, Emporia State and Augustana round out the top 25.

Tuskegee opens the season on the road at Clark Atlanta. Kick off time for the season opener is 7 pm (eastern) and the game will be carried on the American Sports Network.

Season tickets are on sale in the Ticket Office by calling (334) 727-8594 or (334) 724-4385. Tickets are also on sale in the ticket office, and online via Ticketmaster, for the 5th Quarter Classic.

Follow us on Twitter @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook for up to the minute information on Tuskegee University athletics.

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Norfolk State football season preview capsule

THE SKINNY

Coach: Latrell Scott, second season, 4-7 (29-16 overall) 2015: 4-7, 4-4 MEAC

Offense: QB Greg Hankerson and RB Gerard Johnson return, but four starters on the offensive line depart. Gone, too, are three starting wideouts. Johnson’s recovery from last year’s knee injury could be pivotal. He is NSU’s No. 2 returnee in rushing and receiving.

Defense: The departure of linebacker Deon King and defensive back D’Metrius Williams, first-team all-MEAC performers, will hurt. But nine starters return. Notable among them: defensive lineman Chris Lee, an all-MEAC third-teamer. Lee rang up six sacks last year.

Special teams: Cameron Marouf is one of the MEAC’s more dependable kickers (8-12 FG, 20-22 PAT). Punter Bo Lomax likewise returns. Lomax must improve his length (33.9 ypk) and precision (only 15 kicks inside the 20).

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Terrell-Kearney Named New N.C. A&T Bowling Coach

GREENSBORO, North Carolina – Kim Terrell-Kearney has been named the head bowling coach at North Carolina A&T, as announced by director of athletics Earl M. Hilton III on Monday. Terrell-Kearney’s knowledge of bowling has extended from a sterling collegiate and professional career, to a successful collegiate coaching tenure, to international coaching experience.

"I am very excited to have the opportunity to return to collegiate bowling. North Carolina A&T has risen to be one of the top programs in the country, and I look to continue in that success," said Terrell-Kearney. “I want to thank Chancellor Harold L. Martin and Mr. Earl Hilton for trusting me to take over one of the department’s most successful programs.”

Terrell-Kearney takes over a Top-10 nationally-ranked team that advanced to the NCAA semifinals in 2016. Weeks later the Aggies competed for another national championship at the United States Bowling Congress International Team Championships. The Aggies won the ITC and the university’s first-ever national championship in 2015. Terrell-Kearney’s history is impressive enough to believe she is up to the challenge.



Most recently, Terrell-Kearney was the assistant head coach of Team USA at the USBC in Arlington, Texas (2009-13). She coached national teams to WTBA World Championship titles at all levels and worked at the International Training Center to develop training programs for incoming athletes.

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference bowling is familiar to Terrell-Kearney as well. She served as Delaware State’s head coach (2007-09), where she led the Hornets to the national semifinals in 2009, reaching a No. 4 ranking, the highest in school history. She was named 2009 MEAC Coach of the Year and NCAA Coach of the Year.

“We are excited to welcome a coach of Kim’s caliber to North Carolina A&T,” said Hilton. “She has the professional coaching and competitive experience to significantly enhance the foundation of bowling excellence we have established.”

Terrell-Kearney has left her mark on the sport as a player. She compiled 10 professional titles including three majors, most recently the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open, as she defeated Trisha Reid in the USBC championship match in Romeoville, Ill. It was the first matchup of African-American athletes for a professional bowling title in history. Terrell-Kearney joined the Professional Women’s Bowling Association tour in 1989 after a successful four-year collegiate career at San Jose State University, where she was a two-time All-American. She earned the 1989 PBWA Rookie of the Year award. In 1991, she was selected as the San Francisco Black Sports Hall of Fame Athlete of the Year.

She was inducted into the 2010 USBC Hall of Fame. Her other Hall of Fame recognitions include the California State Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame and the San Mateo County (Calif.) Hall of Fame.

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Search for a QB is Hampton's No. 1 priority

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Nowhere are the logistics of college football trickier than at the quarterback position. Is one too few?

Are three or four too many?

The Hampton Pirates will soon find out.

The Pirates will begin full-scale preparation for the 2016 season with a glut of viable candidates — four at last count — at the most crucial position on the field. Hampton coach Connell Maynor said he likely will need to observe all of preseason practice plus early-season games against Old Dominion and William & Mary before choosing one as his go-to guy.

“We have three or four capable guys who can go out and win football games for us,” Maynor said at last month’s MEAC media day in Norfolk. “We’re going to let them battle it out. We’ll see who can lead and who can move the chains.”

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